Dick Tracy: The Ghost Town Mystery | 1937 | Episode 7 | Crime | Action | Mystery

Title: Dick Tracy – Chapter 7: The Ghost Town Mystery Serial Title: Dick Tracy (1937, Republic Pictures, 15-part serial) Chapter: 7 of 15 Release Date: March 27, 1937 Directed by: Alan James & Ray Taylor Written by: George H. Plympton, Morgan Cox, Barry Shipman, Winston Miller Produced by: Henry MacRae Based on: Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould Studio: Republic Pictures Runtime: Approx. 20 minutes Format: Black and White, Mono Sound Language: English Country: United States Genres: Crime, Detective, Action, Adventure, Serial --- Synopsis: Picking up from the previous chapter’s cliffhanger, Ghost Town Mystery begins with Tracy narrowly escaping the flooding chamber using an improvised breathing hose fashioned from his utility belt. Back at headquarters, Gwen analyzes a series of photographs taken from the submarine dock, discovering a recurring logo tied to the abandoned mining town of Silver Crest, located deep in the desert. Tracy and Junior take a cross-country train disguised as rail workers to investigate the ghost town, once a thriving silver boomtown and now rumored to be haunted. When they arrive, they find the town deserted—except for signs of recent activity: boot prints, fresh campfires, and strange mechanical noises coming from the collapsed mine entrance. Meanwhile, The Spider dispatches Karns and a small squad of henchmen to monitor Tracy’s progress and eliminate him before he uncovers too much. Dr. Moloch delivers a portable mind-control unit to further erode Gordon’s resistance, intending to turn him fully into X-3. As Tracy explores the mine tunnels, he discovers a hidden elevator that leads to an underground rail line—used by The Spider’s organization to smuggle stolen defense blueprints across state lines. While attempting to radio for backup, Tracy is ambushed. Junior, following behind, stumbles across a decoy graveyard that conceals a secret trapdoor. The chapter ends in a thrilling cliffhanger as Tracy and Junior are sealed in an underground vault rigged with dynamite—set to detonate when the mine’s ventilation system kicks on at sunrise. --- Main Cast: Ralph Byrd as Dick Tracy Kay Hughes as Gwen Andrews Lee Van Atta as Junior Carleton Young as Gordon Tracy / X-3 Smiley Burnette as Mike McGurk John Picorri as The Spider John Dilson as Dr. Moloch Jack Ingram as Karns Robert Kent as Federal Agent Norton --- Key Elements: First on-location scenes filmed in Bronson Canyon and Red Rock Canyon State Park, doubling as the Silver Crest ghost town. Gwen and McGurk uncover a decoded message embedded in a radio broadcast meant for X-3, showing The Spider’s organization uses public frequencies. Junior reveals his knowledge of Morse code to intercept enemy signals. The Spider begins construction on a mobile command center disguised as a news van. Flashbacks depict Silver Crest’s fall from prosperity, hinting at The Spider’s long-standing influence. Cliffhanger: Dynamite charges beneath Tracy and Junior are wired to the mine’s ventilation switch, set to activate at dawn. --- Trivia: Chapter 7 was one of the few in the serial to shoot extensive outdoor night scenes, using arc lights to simulate moonlight. A local Western film crew working in Bronson Canyon reportedly lent props and horses to help stage the ghost town chase. The mine tunnel set was reused from the 1936 serial Undersea Kingdom, re-dressed with cobwebs and lanterns. Republic serial fans often rank this chapter among the best for blending classic mystery with western tropes. The graveyard trapdoor scene was recreated in later serials like The Mysterious Doctor Satan. A planned subplot involving Gwen arriving by horseback was scrapped due to Kay Hughes’s injury during filming. Early promotional posters for this chapter featured the tagline: “When death waits in a forgotten town!”