Verified Unrenewed Public Domain
1940 Feature
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe
Directed by Ray Taylor → • Production: Universal Pictures
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe is a 1940 American black-and-white science-fiction 12-chapter movie serial from Universal Pictures, produced by Henry MacRae and co-directed by Ford Beebe and Ray Taylor. The serial stars Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, Charles B. Middleton, Frank Shannon, and Roland Drew. It was written by George H. Plympton, Basil Dickey, and Barry Shipman, and was adapted from Alex Raymond's syndicated newspaper comic strip of the same name from King Features Syndicate. Shown theatrically in 12 separate weekly "chapters", it was the last of the three Universal Flash Gordon serials made between 1936 and 1940.
Runtime
102 minutes
Aspect Ratio
2776:2133
Archival Copies
2 Vault Holding(s)
Classification
1929–1963 Unrenewed
The Video Boneyard Vault Holdings
Archival Master Preserved in Studio Vaults
This title is cataloged and preserved across physical storage drives D: & E: in The Video Boneyard archival collection (2 vault master holding). A broadcast-grade restoration with dynamic loudness normalization is scheduled for streaming release on our YouTube channel.
⚖️ Statutory Public Domain Clearance Provenance
First published in 1940. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1929 and 1963 required mandatory formal copyright registration renewal during their 28th year. Official United States Copyright Office Catalog of Copyright Entries records show zero renewal registration was filed, placing this work permanently in the Public Domain.
Notable Screen Cast
John Elliott →
Lead Role
Harry C. Bradley →
Co-Star
John Hamilton →
Co-Star
Earl Dwire →
Supporting Cast
Donald Curtis →
Supporting Cast
Luli Deste →
Featured Cast
Jean Brooks →
Featured Cast
Roy Barcroft →
Featured Cast
Buster Crabbe →
Flash Gordon
Charles Middleton →
Ming the Merciless
Herbert Rawlinson →
Featured Cast
Frank Shannon →
Featured Cast