Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato, and their rolling arsenal the Black Beauty! On police records a wanted criminal, the Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner-publisher of the Daily Sentinel. His dual identity is known only to his secretary and the district attorney. And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens rides the Green Hornet!

The Green Hornet opening narration, read by producer William Dozier

Batman producer William Dozier wanted to create a new series and decided on a TV version of the radio drama The Green Hornet. As lead he picked Van Williams, star of Bourbon Street Beat (1959-60) and Surfside Six (1960-62). For the sidekick he picked Bruce Lee, who had been tested for a series (Number One Son) which never saw the light of day. Dozier's hairdresser Jay Sebring had seen Lee's kung fu demonstration in Long Beach. The Green Hornet premiered in September 1966.

Bruce played chauffeur/man servant Kato to Van Williams's Britt Reid/Green Hornet. Britt Reid owned and published the Daily Sentinel, as the opening narration kindly explains. The other series regulars were: Wende Wagner as Lenore "Casey" Case (Reid's secretary), Lloyd Gough as Mike Axford (reporter), and Walter Brooke as District Attorney F.P. Scanlon. Not forgetting, if a car can be a regular, the Black Beauty. Both Scanlon and Casey knew Britt's secret identity as The Green Hornet, a masked and fearless crimefighter, ably assisted by Kato. Mike Axford was a somewhat bumbling reporter determined to unmask the criminal Green Hornet and provide some comic relief.

The series only ran for one season of 26 half-hour episodes - there were supposed to be 30. The Green Hornet and Kato guest-starred on Batman in two episodes: A Piece of the Action and Batman's Satisfaction. I have these 2 episodes now and will post a write-up soon. Kato made an uncredited appearance in The Spell of Tut. Both characters appeared as guests on the Milton Berle Show in the 1966/1967 season - in the sketch Berle played the role of a stuntman on The Green Hornet.

The title music, by the way, is a reworking of "The Flight of the Bumble Bee".

Lam Ching-Ying, who played the evil Colonel in John Woo's 1986 film Heroes Shed No Tears, directed a film called The Green Hornet in 1994. It starred Chin Kar Lok. I haven't seen the film but it features Kato without Britt Reid. Not really the Green Hornet at all then. (A young Lam Ching-Ying also appeared in The Big Boss. Don't ask me where!)

There have been rumours of a Hollywood bigscreen version of The Green Hornet for a long time, with Jason Scott Lee and Jet Li slated to play Kato at successive stages. Read more about Jason in the Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story section. George Clooney was mentioned for the role of Britt Reid, at some stage as well. Now, the film is back on the cards with Kevin Smith attached as director, and Jake Gyllenhaal as Britt Reid.

Fury of the Dragon, four episodes edited into a film, was re-released on Region 2 DVD and PAL VHS. Includes theatrical trailer. Click here to buy.

Videoflicks.ca has the Green Hornet available on NTSC tape/DVD Region 0 ($21.74/$28.99). This is the summary they have: "The Green Hornet and Kato spring in to action when a Mob run construction company puts lives in danger". Probably some episodes edited together?

I now have all the episodes and will review them as I watch them. Click on the links to read a review and summary of those episodes in the list below:

1966
The Silent Gun
Give 'Em Enough Rope
Programmed for Death
Crime Wave
The Frog is a Deadly Weapon
Eat, Drink, and Be Dead
Beautiful Dreamer, Part 1
Beautiful Dreamer, Part 2
The Ray Is for Killing
The Praying Mantis
The Hunters and the Hunted
Deadline for Death
The Secret of Sally Bell
Freeway to Death
May the Best Man Lose

1967
Seek, Stalk and Destroy
Corpse of the Year, Part 1
Corpse of the Year, Part 2
Bad Bet on 459-Silent
Ace in the Hole
Trouble for Prince Charming
Alias 'The Scarf'
Hornet, Save Thyself
Invasion from Outer Space, Part 1
Invasion from Outer Space, Part 2
The Hornet and the Firefly
Batman:
A Piece of the Action
Batman's Satisfaction