On July 28th VCI is releasing the first DVD edition of two Green Hornet serials produced in 1941 by Universal.  Green Hornet creator George W. Trendle was dissatisfied by the job that Republic did on The Lone Ranger, so he gave the rights to his second biggest radio property to Universal and was far happier with the results. 

 

Both Universal Green Hornet serials were co-directed by Ford Beebe (Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe), who partnered with Ray Taylor on the 13-episode The Green Hornet and with John Rawlins on the 15-chapter The Green Hornet Strikes Again.  Gordon Jones played the eponymous hero in The Green Hornet while Warren Hull took over in The Green Hornet Strikes Again.  Keye Luke, who famously played the #1 Son in the Charlie Chan movies, portrayed Kato, whose nationality was changed to Korean even though the serials were released before the U.S. went to war with Japan, in both films. 

 

The Green Hornet property is currently undergoing a major revival.  A new Green Hornet movie is slated to begin shooting this summer (see “Rogen Sees Hornet Filming in June”) and Dynamite is publishing a Green Hornet comic book series that Kevin Smith is writing (see “Kevin Smith on Green Hornet Comic”).