Dick Tracy Returns (1938)

On August 20, 1938, Republic Pictures released the second Dick Tracy serial, Dick Tracy Returns (1938). Ralph Byrd returns to the role of Dick Tracy. In this series, Dick Tracy battles crime boss Pa Stark and his five sons.

Pa Stark involves himself in almost every criminal enterprise in the city over the 15 chapters of the series. From car theft to sabotage, Pa Stark and his sons try to stay one step ahead of Dick Tracy and his G-Men.

Charles Middleton plays Pa Stark. Middleton acted in many “B” pictures and serials through the 1930s and 1940s.

Charles Middleton was born on October 3, 1874 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Biographers state Middleton was a millionaire, who did not have to work but liked acting. Middleton originally acted on stage but started in films by 1920.

Middleton’s distinctive voice landed him many supporting roles with the advent of sound films. Before his death on April 22, 1949 due to a heart attack, Middleton acted in 194 films. Middleton was 74 years of age.

Each of the 15 episodes in Dick Tracy Returns is approximately 20 minutes. You can often find them on YouTube. Unless you have four hours to sit down and watch the series, you may want to watch one episode at a time over a couple of weeks.

Do you prefer the Dick Tracy feature films or the serials? You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page, Twitter profile and Google+ page.

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