The Master Mystery
1918 silent serial starring Harry Houdini as a robot-fighting agent.
The Master Mystery is a 1918 American silent serial mystery film, released in 15 chapters. Harry Grossman and Burton L. King directed, with a screenplay by Arthur B. Reeve and Charles Logue. The cast includes Harry Houdini, Marguerite Marsh, Ruth Stonehouse, Edna Britton, William Pike, and Charles Graham. The first episode premiered on November 18, 1918, through Octagon Films.
The story follows Justice Department agent Quentin Locke, played by Houdini, as he investigates a powerful cartel. The cartel is shielded by a robot called The Automaton, which wields a gas weapon named The Madagascan Madness.
The serial’s episodes are titled: Living Death, The Iron Terror, The Water Peril, The Test, The Chemist’s Shop, The Mad Genius, Barbed Wire, The Challenge, The Madagascan Madness, The Binding Ring, The Net, The Death Noose, The Flash of Death, The Tangled Web, and Bound at Last; or, Unmasking of the Automaton.
In October 1919, Houdini sued Octagon Film Corporation, Grossman, and Rolfe for a share of the film’s profits. He was awarded $32,795.18 in 1922.
- type
- Silent serial film
- release_year
- 1918
- directors
- Harry Grossman, Burton L. King
- writers
- Arthur B. Reeve, Charles Logue
- star
- Harry Houdini
- episodes
- 15
- distributor
- Octagon Films
Lore & Background
The Master Mystery was released in 15 episodes beginning November 18, 1918, by Octagon Films. The cast includes Harry Houdini as Quentin Locke, Marguerite Marsh as Eva Brent, Ruth Stonehouse as Zita Dane, Edna Britton as De Luxe Dora, William Pike as Paul Balcom, Charles Graham as Herbert Balcom, Floyd Buckley as Q the Automaton, and Jack Burns as Peter Brent. The plot involves a powerful cartel protected by a robot called The Automaton, which uses a gas weapon known as The Madagascan Madness.
Reader's Guide
The Master Mystery is significant as one of the earliest serial films to feature a robot antagonist and a gas-based weapon, predating many later science-fiction tropes. It also marks Harry Houdini's first starring role in a film serial, leveraging his fame as an escape artist. The film's production led to a legal dispute: in October 1919, Houdini sued the Octagon Film Corporation, Grossman, and Rolfe for a share of the film's profits, and in 1922 he was awarded $32,795.18. The serial remains a notable artifact of early American cinema and Houdini's film career.
Did You Know?
- The Master Mystery is a 1918 American mystery silent serial film told in 15 installments.
- The film stars Harry Houdini as Justice Department agent Quentin Locke.
- The robot in the film is called The Automaton and uses a gas weapon known as The Madagascan Madness.
- In 1922, Houdini was awarded $32,795.18 after suing the Octagon Film Corporation for a share of the film's profits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays the lead in The Master Mystery?
Harry Houdini stars as Quentin Locke, a Justice Department agent hunting down a powerful criminal cartel. It remains the only on-screen acting role Houdini ever committed to film.
What is The Automaton in The Master Mystery?
The Automaton is a robot that acts as the cartel's secret shield, blocking Locke's investigation at every turn. It is the central antagonistic force the hero must outwit across the serial's chapters.
How many chapters does The Master Mystery contain?
The serial was released in 15 chapters, with the first episode premiering on November 18, 1918, through Octagon Films.
Who wrote and directed The Master Mystery?
Arthur B. Reeve and Charles Logue penned the screenplay, while Harry Grossman and Burton L. King shared directing responsibilities on the project.
What is The Madagascan M?
It is a gas weapon wielded by The Automaton, the robot guarding the criminal cartel. It functions as one of the primary physical threats Locke must overcome during his investigation.
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