Flash Gordon Conquers Universal Pictures: The 3rd Serial
Ch. 3: Dancer, Dancer in the Hall -- Who is the REAL Star after All?

Universal's miniature Rocket Ships return to Ming's miniature palace in almost every episode.

 Alex Raymond's vision of Mongo's capitol city was exotic, expansive, and opulent.



Raymond introduced court dancers during the Tournament of Mongo in 1935, the serial of 1936 followed his lead.

 Buster Crabbe's 1938 serial had NO dancing, his third had ONE woman. 1940 had more women, and SOME dancing.


Dancer Carmen D'Antonio worked in
Hollywood as a dancer and actress for three decades.

 This scene is from Prince Barin's realm in Arboria, a few weeks before the Earthlings' Frigian adventure in 1939.


Carmen does two dances without screen credit, Universal splices small segments into four episodes.

 Dale Arden even tap-danced in the ultra-conservative Hearst newspapers, which maybe eased restrictions on the serials.

Raymond's Ming the Merciless was grim and ruthless. Charles Middleton played his role with melodramatic glee.

 TIME FOR TYRANNY! Ming has masked soldiers, damsels in harem dress, and scientists in kassocks around him.

Captain Sudin was another character from the comic strip.
Raymond's swashbuckling officer joined Flash's revolt.

 Ronal (L) shakes hands with Prince Barin's secret ally, Captain Sudan (R) -- commander of Ming's palace guards.

The name Captain Torch dates back to the 1936 serial.

 Young Alexander Raymond designed his armor in 1934.

1940's Captain Torch is a serial bungler who still gets 'one more chance' from the progressively furious Ming.

 Ming was homicidally efficient in the Sunday comic pages, and his soldiers weren't all that easy to fool.

After Flash and his allies freed the Frigian captives, they also wrecked Ming's Death Dust labs.

 Guards spot the Earthmens' Rocket Ship and alert Ming, but Zarkov escapes his pursuers with a pre-WWII cloaking device.