The superhero who stayed in the shadows — literally, because nobody bought this pilot.
The Phantom, along with canine companion Devil, investigate wicked doings at the plantation of Mrs. Harris. An unsold TV pilot based on the popular superhero.
Acting
Lon Chaney Jr. slumming it as villainous Jed — a horror legend reduced.
Practical Effects
The purple suit and Devil the dog: peak practical superhero aesthetics.
Production
Paulette Goddard's presence — former Hollywood royalty in TV purgatory.
Director
Harold Daniels
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Richard Kiel (Jaws from James Bond) appears as Big Mike in one of his earliest screen roles.
This pilot arrived during the superhero TV boom that gave us Batman, yet failed to sell — leaving the Phantom cinematically dormant until the 1996 Billy Zane film.
US
