Premier Collections:
The Shadow of Fu Manchu, Volume 1
Liner notes written by Elizabeth McLeod

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Dark nights, ominous fog -- and a sense of mounting fear. Knowing that somewhere -- he is lurking, plotting, planning, scheming what new ungodly terrors.

His shadow falls across your path -- the Shadow of Fu Manchu!

Enter the world of Sax Rohmer's sinister Asian mastermind in this exciting collection of syndicated broadcasts from 1939, presented in digitally restored audio. Adapted from Rohmer's books "The Daughter of Fu Manchu" and "The Mask of Fu Manchu," these episodes only recently resurfaced thru the efforts of radio historian Martin Grams and OTR dealer Ted Davenport.

"The Shadow of Fu Manchu" was produced in two series, as a joint venture of the Hollywood program production firm of Fields Brothers Inc. and the New York-based syndicated program distributor Radio Attractions, Inc. The episodes were recorded in Hollywood at the studios of Radio Recorders in the winter of 1938-39, and the series was officially released in a lavish New York press party in December 1938. The episodes aired in various locations at various times and on various dates during 1939 and 1940, and were available for sponsorship by local businesses in each city where the programs aired. Radio Attractions made available a complete promotional package to assist in marketing the series -- and offered sponsors special premiums to be offered in conjunction with their commercial announcements, including a Chinese linking ring puzzle packaged in a special "Fu Manchu" envelope. The recordings presented here are taken from original vinyl syndication discs and do not include the local commercials or premium offers.

 The cast for this series is headed by two veteran Hollywood character actors -- performers ironically better known for their comedy roles. Gale Gordon -- one of radio's great comic foils -- appears as Dr. James Petrie, and Hanley Stafford -- best known as Baby Snooks's Daddy -- carries the role of Nayland Smith. Other performers heard in the series include Edmond O'Brien, Paula Winslowe and Gerald Mohr. The identity of the actor who portrays Dr. Fu Manchu himself was long a point of debate -- but research by radio historian Elizabeth McLeod in 2002 uncovered documentation positively identifying this actor as Lou Marcelle -- a staff announcer at station KFWB, Hollywood -- whose voice projects just the right sinister edge for the role.

Follow Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith as they investigate the apparent death and resurrection of famed Egyptologist Sir Lionel Barton, and once again find themselves probing into the activities of Fu Manchu and his daughter. Fiendish tortures, harrowing escapes, forbidden relics -- all the ingredients for spine-chilling adventure await!

Here is the complete content of "The Shadow of Fu Manchu, Volume 1"

Serial #3, Episode # 79 (First Episode) - Monday, August 7, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 80 - Tuesday, August 8, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 81 - Wednesday, August 9, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 82 - Thursday, August 10, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 85 - Monday, August 14, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 86 - Tuesday, August 15, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 93 - Wednesday, August 23, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 94 - Thursday, August 24, 1939
Serial #3, Episode # 99 - Wednesday, August 30, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #100 - Thursday, August 31, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #103 - Monday, September 4, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #104 - Tuesday, September 5, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #105 - Wednesday, September 6, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #106 - Thursday, September 7, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #107 - Friday, September 8, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #108 - Saturday, September 9, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #109 - Monday, September 11, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #110 - Tuesday, September 12, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #111 - Wednesday, September 13, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #112 - Thursday, September 14, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #115 - Monday, September 18, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #116 - Tuesday, September 19, 1939
Serial #3, Episode #117 (Last Episode) - Wednesday, September 20, 1939

The History of "The Shadow of Fu Manchu"
by Martin Grams, Jr.

In 1939, a long-running "Fu Manchu" program was produced, probably the most popular of the five different radio productions spanning 1927 to 1944. This was a series of 156 fifteen-minute episodes, under the overall title "The Shadow of Fu Manchu." The series was recorded, transcribed, and released through Fields Brothers in Hollywood. After the recordings were completed, all 156 episodes were pressed and the transcription discs were distributed to radio stations across the country. This allowed the stations to play the episodes in any time slot they wanted. Some presented the series on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while others broadcast on all five weekdays.

Lou Marcelle played Dr. Fu Manchu, with Hanley Stafford as Nayland Smith, Gale Gordon as Dr. James Petrie, Paula Winslowe as Karameneh, and Edmund O'Brien as Inspector Rymer. It has not been confirmed whether O'Brien or Gerald Mohr was the announcer. (It was common for radio announcers to double in an acting role, which would give credence to the claim that it was O'Brien, but until someone turns up a recorded interview with either actor providing that information, or can find the original scripts, cast credits included, neither name should be taken as the gospel.) Frank Nelson and Norman Fields played supporting roles.

40 episodes from "The Shadow of Fu Manchu" series have been floating about in circulation among collectors for the last few decades - 39 of them definitely the first serial in complete form. The single out-of-sequence episode that has been in circulation is not (as many people have assumed), episode number forty; In fact, from observation, narrowing down possibilities, and applying a little common sense, I suspect that the out-of-sequence episode many people label as episode #40 is either episode 136, 137, 138, 139, 140 or 141.

The adaptations were quite faithful to the original books, though in the middle of the series the episodes occur in somewhat jumbled order. From what is known so far:

Episodes #1 to #21 are adapted from "The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu" (1913).
Episodes #22 to #27 are adapted from "The Hand of Fu Manchu" (1917).
Episodes #28 to #39 are adapted from "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu" (1916).
Episodes #40 to #78 are adapted from "Trail of Fu Manchu" (1934) and "President of Fu Manchu" (1936).
Episodes #79 to #94 are adapted from "Daughter of Fu Manchu" (1931).
Episodes #99 to #117 are adapted from "Mask of Fu Manchu" (1932).
Episodes #118 to #135 are adapted from "Drums of Fu Manchu" (1939).
Episodes #142 to #156 fare adapted from "Bride of Fu Manchu" (1933).

Many sources wrongly list the 1939-40 Fu Manchu series as being a 77 or 78 episode broadcast run. The reality is that 156 episodes were actually recorded and aired. Four separate serials were recorded - each 39 consecutive episodes in length and each adapted from more than one Sax Rohmer story.

* * * * *
Martin Grams, Jr. is the author of numerous books about old-time radio including "Inner Sanctum Mysteries: Behind the Creaking Door," "Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills," "The Sound of Detection: Ellery Queen's Adventures on Radio," and the highly-acclaimed "The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion." All of these books are available for purchase at www.Amazon.com.

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