JEAN ROGERS
March 25th, 1916 -- February 24th, 1991

Above: Dale Arden (Jean Rogers) and Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe) encounter Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon, off camera, but you can see his hand holding the gun) for the first time in the first chapter of FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936). The role of Dale Arden is easily Rogers' most famous cliffhanger part.

Like Buster Crabbe, her co-star in FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936) and FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938), the gorgeous Jean Rogers is one of the pivotal players of serial history, due to her participation in the Flash Gordon serials, which, as I've argued elsewhere, gave the genre its peculiar style and atmosphere, as well as renewed popularity with fans. Jean, however, did a lot more than just play Dale Arden. She easily qualifies for the title of first serial queen of the sound era; she appeared in no less than six cliffhangers all told, a feat matched only by Linda Stirling and Lorna Gray. But, as usual, I'm getting ahead of myself. To take things in their proper order.....

Above: A great color photo of Jean Rogers with Buster Crabbe in the first Flash Gordon serial.

Born in Massachusetts, Jean, a good actress, neverthless (like most serial heroines) broke into films by virtue of her good looks, winning a beauty contest and gaining the attention of the contest's sponsors, Paramount Pictures. Paramount brought her to Hollywood in 1933, and, after working at a couple of different studios, she was signed by Universal, who were looking for a new actress to follow in the footsteps of Louise Lorraine and other “serial queens” from the studio's silent period. Her first cliffhanger was TAILSPIN TOMMY IN THE GREAT AIR MYSTERY (Universal, 1935). Based on Hal Forrest's comic strip, the serial was a sequel to the earlier TAILSPIN TOMMY, which had featured a different actress in the role played by Jean in the sequel--the part of Tommy's best girl Betty Lou Barnes. Along with Clark Williams as Tommy and Noah Beery Jr. as sidekick Skeets Gallagher, Jean got involved in a complicated mystery that involved oil profiteers, a Spanish don, a group of flying do-gooders headed by the mysterious Eagle, and even a volcano. Universal was pleased with Jean's performance, and decided they had picked the right actress for their new serial queen.

Above, from left to right: Noah Beery Jr., Clark Williams, Delphine Drew, and Jean Rogers in TAILSPIN TOMMY IN THE GREAT AIR MYSTERY (Universal, 1935).

1936 was a very busy year for Jean; she appeared in three out of four of Universal's cliffhangers for that season. The first was ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERRIWELL, based on the pulp hero created by Burt Standish. Frank, well played by Don Briggs, was an all-around athlete and college sports hero who goes on a perilous search for a lost Spanish treasure and his missing father, who has been kidnapped by a villainous distant relative named Dagget. Frank is accompanied by his girl Elsie (Jean) and his pal Bruce (John King) in his quest. ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERIWELL was different from the average serial, with Frank's athletic exploits assuming as much importance in the storyline as his battles with the villains, but it was a fun, enjoyable adventure that doesn't get the attention it deserves among fans. Jean, who was about twenty years old at this time, fit the role of college student Elsie perfectly.

Above: Jean Rogers, Don Briggs, and Jack Donovan discuss an urgent message while some of Briggs' teamates look on in THE ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERRIWELL (Universal, 1936).

Jean's second Universal serial for 1936 was the legendary FLASH GORDON, based on the futuristic comic strip by Alex Raymond. Rogers later admitted that, when she was told the plot of her next film, she "thought the writer of the serial had lost his mind." She was very surprised when the fantastic, far-out cliffhanger became the most popular serial of all time. "I never thought that the popularity of it would come back like it has. It was my favorite serial and it was quite an experience, although Buster and I both thought the whole thing was nuts. At the time, who could think of Mars and outer space and all that." Her shock at the fantasy of the serial was somewhat justified. Nothing as wildly imaginative had hit the screen before. The serial dealt with the adventures of earthman Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), his girlfriend Dale Arden (Jean) and Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) as they attempted to stop Emperor Ming the Merciless of Mongo (Charles Middleton) from subjugating the Earth. Ming had designs on Dale as well as on the Earth, and, to make matters worse for poor Dale, Ming's daughter Aura fell in love with Flash and determined to eliminate her competition, going to such lengths as sending a Tigron to track Dale down. Jean's part called for her to frequently react with horror to the goings on, and she proved herself a screamer in the best Fay Wray tradition. With Flash by her side, however, the plucky Dale managed to survive her perils, and the two of them, along with Zarkov, were successful in defeating Ming's plans. FLASH GORDON is still the most popular serial ever made, 66 years after it was released, thanks to the unbridled fantasy and the spirited cast, particularly Crabbe, Middleton--and Jean.

Above: Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe) attempts to help a hypnotized Dale Arden (Jean Rogers) escape through an underground tunnel on the planet Mongo in this scene from FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936).

Above: Someone or something is menacing Jean Rogers and Buster Crabbe in another scene from FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936).

Jean's last serial for 1936 was another comic strip adventure: ACE DRUMMOND, based on the strip created by war ace Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. John King, who had worked with Jean in the earlier FRANK MERRIWELL, was Ace, who went to Mongolia to track down the Dragon, a masked mystery villain who was out to sabotage the completion of a base for International Airways there. Jean was Peggy Trainor, the daughter of an archeologist who was kidnapped by the Dragon, and she joined with Ace in order to find her father.

Above: John King, far right, holds the (offscreen) Dragon at bay while Chester Gan and Jean Rogers watch in the final chapter of ACE DRUMMOND (Universal, 1936).

Rogers' next serial was SECRET AGENT X-9 (Universal, 1937), based on yet another comic strip, created by Leslie Charteris and drawn by Alex Raymond, creator of Flash Gordon. The Federal Agent known only as X-9 (Scott Kolk) was after a gang of crooks headed by the mysterious and unknown Victor T. Brenda, who had stolen a set of European crown jewels. Jean was Shara Graustark, a mysterious young woman who at first seems to be one of the criminals, but later turns out to be trying to recover the jewels for her country, Belgravia. Henry Brandon, Eddy Waller, and Lon Chaney Jr. all played heavies in the serial, and Henry Hunter and David Oliver were X-9's two sidekicks. Jean was remarkably self-assured in this difficult part, and managed to be likable while apparently working against the good guys--a tough task for any actress.

Above: Scott Kolk and Jean Rogers in SECRET AGENT X-9 (Universal, 1937).

Fittingly, Jean's last serial was a reprisal of her most famous role. FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938), regarded by some as the best of the Flash Gordon trilogy, featured Crabbe, Rogers, Shannon, and Middleton as Flash, Dale, Zarkov, and Ming once again. This time the three good guys, with a new buddy, a reporter named Happy Hapgood (Donald Kerr) , headed to Mars to stop a new plan of Ming's that threatened the Earth. Jean’s role in TRIP TO MARS was not as pivotal as her part in FLASH GORDON, principally because the romantic triangles of Ming-Dale-Flash and Aura-Flash-Dale were absent from the plot of this outing, but she played an important part in the cliffhanger nonetheless, saving all the good guys by her quick thinking in one instance.

Above: Dale Arden (Jean Rogers) and Happy (Donald Kerr) in FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938).

Above: Flash (Buster Crabbe), Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon), Happy (Donald Kerr), and Dale (Jean Rogers), are listening in on something in FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938).

After finishing FLASH GORDON’S TRIP TO MARS, Jean left Universal hoping for some non-serial roles. She worked at 20th Century Fox and MGM in various roles (one of her best, and one of my favorites, was the hilarious comic part of a ditzy blonde reporter in Red Skelton's classic comedy WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN) before leaving films to marry publicity agent Dan Winkler. She enjoyed a happy life as a mother and grandmother right up to her passing in 1991.

Jean Rogers, as I said at the beginning of this piece, was the original serial queen, and many of those who saw her on the big screen in the 1930s will admit no substitutes. It's safe to say that Jean created the classic role of serial heroine, just as Buster Crabbe became the personification of the serial hero and Charles "Ming" Middleton of the serial villain. Her contribution to the cliffhanger genre is great. She once said of her cliffhangers: "When I see the old serials on television, I can't believe it's me--that's a lot of years ago. But I'm glad I did it. I had a very nice career."

We're glad you did too, Jean.

Above: Flash (Buster Crabbe) and Dale (Jean) are hopefully headed for home and safety aboard a spaceship in one more picture from FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936).