The Phantom Empire

TV Show · Western

Gene Autry plays a singing cowboy of the same name, who runs Radio Ranch, a dude ranch from which he makes a daily live radio broadcast at 2pm. This is a "modern" cowboy story, with planes and such. Gene has two kid sidekicks, Frankie Darro and Betsy King Ross, who lead a club, the "Junior Thunder Riders," in which the kids play at being armoured knights of an unknown civilization, the mysterious Thunder Riders who make a sound like thunder when they ride. The kids, dressing up in capes and water-bucket helmets, play at riding "to the rescue!" (to quote their motto).

1935 · 31m

EPISODE 1

The Singing Cowboy

Introduces the characters and gives a view of the Muranian world where Queen Tika watches the action from her special viewing room. It ends with Gene and the kids falling from a cliff. A real cliffhanger!

30m
EPISODE 2

The Thunder Riders

Gene, Frankie, and Betsy are saved from certain death by the Junior Thunder Riders. During a stagecoach chase, Tom Baxter is killed. Gene is arrested, and Frankie and Betsy stow away on an airplane.

19m
EPISODE 3

The Lightning Chamber

The Baxter kids escape from the plane by parachute, while Gene has joined the Thunder Riders. Queen Tika is angry that Gene has not been captured, Gene overhears Beetson confess to Baxter's murder.

20m
EPISODE 4

Chapter Four: The Phantom Broadcast

Gene is saved a second before his car crashes. Queen Tika searches for Argo, who is trying to destroy Radio Ranch. Gene makes his broadcast from Frankie's laboratory, and the kids are in an explosion.

17m
EPISODE 5

Beneath the Earth

Gene uses the Thunder Riders' clubhouse. He switches clothes with a Lieutenant and is caught by the Riders, and taken back to Murania. He is unmasked and ordered to the "Death Chamber" by Queen Tika.

20m
EPISODE 6

Chapter Six: Disaster From The Skies

Argo saves Gene by opening a trapdoor. Gene lands in a room where he overhears Muranian rebels who capture him, but he breaks free. Two of the Queen's guards activate two deadly robots to find Gene.

17m

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