The Master Key

Directed by	Lewis D. Collins Ray Taylor
Written by	Jack Natteford Dwight V. Babcock Joseph O'Donnell George H. Plympton Ande Lamb
Produced by	Morgan Cox
Starring	Milburn Stone Jan Wiley Dennis Moore Addison Richards Byron Foulger Maris Wrixon
Cinematography	Maury Gertsman William A. Sickner
Edited by	Irving Birnbaum Jack Dolan Ace Herman Alvin Todd Edgar Zane
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	April 24, 1945 (1945-04-24)
Running time	13 chapters (226 minutes)
Country	United States
Language	English

The Master Key is a 1945 Universal movie serial, directed by Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor. It starred Milburn Stone, Dennis Moore and Byron Foulger. This serial also featured the screen debut of future western film star Lash LaRue.

Plot

Nazi spies, led by the mysterious "Master Key", kidnap Professor Henderson in order to acquire his "Orotron machine" which is capable of extracting gold from sea water. FBI agent Tom Brant, aided by reporter Janet Lowe and Detective Lt. Jack Ryan, attempt to rescue him and crack the Nazi spy ring.

Cast

Milburn Stone as FBI Agent Tom Brant
Jan Wiley as Janet Lowe, a reporter
Dennis Moore as Detective Lt. Jack Ryan
Addison Richards as Gerhard Doenitz, alias Garret Donahue, private investigator and Nazi agent
Byron Foulger as Professor Elwood Henderson
Maris Wrixon as Dorothy Newton/The Master Key
Sarah Padden as Aggie
George Lynn as Herman, the "Spearpoint Heavy" (chief henchman)
Russell Hicks as Police Chief Michael J. O'Brien
Roland Varno as Arnold "Hoff" Hoffman, alias M-3
Lash LaRue as Migsy, a street urchin. This was La Rue's screen debut.^[1]
Jerry Shane as Dan, boys' club member
Neyle Morrow as Spike, boys' club member
John Eldredge as Walter Stark, alias M-6

Production

Stunts

Chapter titles

Trapped by Flames
Death Turns the Wheel
Ticket to Disaster
Drawbridge Danger
Runaway Car
Shot Down
Death on the Dial
Bullet Serenade
On Stage for Murder
Fatal Masquerade
Crash Curve
Lightning Underground
The Last Key

_Source:^[2]

References

External links

Universal serials

Serials

Silent Serials (1914-1929)	Lucille Love, Girl of Mystery The Master Key The Trey o' Hearts The Black Box The Broken Coin Graft Under the Crescent The Adventures of Peg o' the Ring Liberty The Mystery Ship The Red Ace The Gray Ghost The Voice on the Wire The Brass Bullet The Bull's Eye The Lion's Claws The Lure of the Circus The Red Glove The Great Radium Mystery The Lion Man The Midnight Man The Flaming Disc The Moon Riders King of the Circus The Vanishing Dagger The Dragon's Net The Diamond Queen Do or Die The Secret Four Terror Trail The White Horseman Winners of the West The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe In the Days of Buffalo Bill Perils of the Yukon The Radio King With Stanley in Africa Around the World in 18 Days Beasts of Paradise The Eagle's Talons The Ghost City In the Days of Daniel Boone The Oregon Trail The Phantom Fortune The Social Buccaneer The Steel Trail The Fast Express The Fighting Ranger The Iron Man The Riddle Rider Wolves of the North Ace of Spades The Great Circus Mystery The Scarlet Streak Fighting with Buffalo Bill Strings of Steel The Winking Idol Blake of Scotland Yard The Fire Fighters The Return of the Riddle Rider The Trail of the Tiger Whispering Smith Rides Haunted Island Tarzan the Mighty The Vanishing Rider The Diamond Master A Final Reckoning The Pirate of Panama
Part-sound Serials (1929-1930)	The Ace of Scotland Yard Tarzan the Tiger The Jade Box The Lightning Express Terry of the Times The Indians Are Coming
Pre-war Sound Serials (1931-1942)	Finger Prints Heroes of the Flames Danger Island Battling with Buffalo Bill The Spell of the Circus Detective Lloyd The Airmail Mystery Heroes of the West Jungle Mystery The Lost Special Clancy of the Mounted The Phantom of the Air Gordon of Ghost City The Perils of Pauline Pirate Treasure The Vanishing Shadow The Red Rider Tailspin Tommy Rustlers of Red Dog The Call of the Savage The Roaring West Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery The Adventures of Frank Merriwell Flash Gordon The Phantom Rider Ace Drummond Jungle Jim Secret Agent X-9 Wild West Days Radio Patrol Tim Tyler's Luck Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars Flaming Frontiers Red Barry Scouts to the Rescue Buck Rogers The Oregon Trail The Phantom Creeps The Green Hornet Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe Winners of the West Junior G-Men The Green Hornet Strikes Again! Sky Raiders Riders of Death Valley Sea Raiders
War-time Serials (1942-1945)	Don Winslow of the Navy Gang Busters Junior G-Men of the Air Overland Mail The Adventures of Smilin' Jack Don Winslow of the Coast Guard Adventures of the Flying Cadets The Great Alaskan Mystery Raiders of Ghost City Mystery of the River Boat Jungle Queen The Master Key Secret Agent X-9
Post-war Serials (1945-1946)	The Royal Mounted Rides Again The Scarlet Horseman Lost City of the Jungle The Mysterious Mr. M

See also
Film serials List of film serials List of film serials by studio

Films directed by Ray Taylor

Fighting with Buffalo Bill (1926)
Whispering Smith Rides (1927)
The Avenging Shadow (1928)
Beauty and Bullets (1928)
The Crimson Canyon (1928)
A Final Reckoning (1928)
Greased Lightning (1928)
Quick Triggers (1928)
Tarzan the Mighty (1928)
The Vanishing Rider (1928)
The Ace of Scotland Yard (1929)
Come Across (1929)
Eyes of the Underworld (1929)
The Pirate of Panama (1929)
The Jade Box (1930)
Battling with Buffalo Bill (1931)
Danger Island (1931)
Detective Lloyd (1931)
Finger Prints (1931)
The One Way Trail (1931)
The Airmail Mystery (1932)
Heroes of the West (1932)
Jungle Mystery (1932)
Clancy of the Mounted (1933)
Gordon of Ghost City (1933)
The Perils of Pauline (1933)
The Phantom of the Air (1933)
Pirate Treasure (1934)
The Return of Chandu (1934)
The Ivory-Handled Gun (1935)
Outlawed Guns (1935)
The Roaring West (1935)
Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery (1935)
The Throwback (1935)
The Cowboy and the Kid (1936)
Flash Gordon (1936)
The Phantom Rider (1936)
Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936)
Silver Spurs (1936)
Sunset of Power (1936)
The Three Mesquiteers (1936)
The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936)
Boss of Lonely Valley (1937)
Dick Tracy (1937)
Drums of Destiny (1937)
The Painted Stallion (1937)
Raw Timber (1937)
Flaming Frontiers (1938)
Frontier Town (1938)
Hawaiian Buckaroo (1938)
Panamint's Bad Man (1938)
Rawhide (1938)
The Spider's Web (1938)
Flying G-Men (1939)
Scouts to the Rescue (1939)
Bad Man from Red Butte (1940)
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
The Green Hornet (1940)
Law and Order (1940)
Pony Post (1940)
Ragtime Cowboy Joe (1940)
Riders of Pasco Basin (1940)
West of Carson City (1940)
Winners of the West (1940)
Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941)
Fighting Bill Fargo (1941)
Man from Montana (1941)
Rawhide Rangers (1941)
Riders of Death Valley (1941)
Sky Raiders (1941)
Don Winslow of the Navy (1942)
Gang Busters (1942)
Junior G-Men of the Air (1942)
Stagecoach Buckaroo (1942)
Treat 'Em Rough (1942)
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943)
Adventures of the Flying Cadets (1943)
Cheyenne Roundup (1943)
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (1943)
Boss of Boomtown (1944)
The Great Alaskan Mystery (1944)
Mystery of the River Boat (1944)
Raiders of Ghost City (1944)
Jungle Queen (1945)
The Master Key (1945)
The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945)
Secret Agent X-9 (1945)
Lost City of the Jungle (1946)
The Scarlet Horseman (1946)
Black Hills (1947)
Border Feud (1947)
Cheyenne Takes Over (1947)
The Fighting Vigilantes (1947)
Ghost Town Renegades (1947)
Law of the Lash (1947)
The Michigan Kid (1947)
Range Beyond the Blue (1947)
Return of the Lash (1947)
West to Glory (1947)
Check Your Guns (1948)
Dead Man's Gold (1948)
Gunning for Justice (1948)
Hidden Danger (1948)
The Return of Wildfire (1948)
The Tioga Kid (1948)
Tornado Range (1948)
The Westward Trail (1948)
Crashing Thru (1949)
Law of the West (1949)
Outlaw Country (1949)
Range Justice (1949)
Shadows of the West (1949)
Son of a Bad Man (1949)
Son of Billy the Kid (1949)
West of El Dorado (1949)