Thanks, that made me remember.
I remember when I was around 6 or 7 around 1953, my Brothers would take me to the “Bay Theater” on Saturdays. There was always a Roy Rogers, Gen Autry, or Tarzan movie on. First thing was a serial. My favorite one was “Rocket Man” each episode always ended with a cliff hanger. In fact sometimes it actually was one of him being thrown off a cliff.
In the next episode he starts off waking half way down and managing to turn on the control for his rocket pack and escaping.
My least favorite was one of the cavalry chasing a gang of what must have been outlaws or the outlaws chasing the cavalry.
The movie serials were a bit before my time, but I’ve picked up an assortment of them on tape and dvd over the years. Sometimes a bit silly, sometimes a bit juvenile... but often intriguing as americana. Heck, the last serial I watched was a 15-chapter silent serial from 1919, “Lightning Bryce.” One of the few silent ones still surviving in complete form. I thought it was pretty good.