The Green Hornet has been creating a buzz since 1939, when he first emerged on American radio.
Newspaper publisher by day, masked crime fighter by night, he hunted "the biggest of all game: public enemies who would try to destroy our America" with his faithful valet Kato.
Over time, he and Kato have fought greed, corruption, gangsters, Nazis and Communists in a variety of formats that included radio, film, television and comic books.
While the Green Hornet has remained constant, a variety of men -- all of them named Reid -- have assumed the alias.
His latest incarnation hits the silver screen Friday when "The Green Hornet" opens in theaters. Actors Seth Rogen and Jay Chou play the Green Hornet (aka playboy-turned-publisher Britt Reid) and his brainy and inventive sidekick Kato, respectively.
With the help of Black Beauty, their indestructible, imaginatively accessorized car and a slew of clever weapons devised by Kato, they set out to rid Los Angeles of evildoers.
Posing as criminals, they begin by aiming their stingers at Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), who controls the city's underworld.
But Chudnofsky has his swatter poised to smack down the crime-fighting team.
— Alice Carter
Unusual superhero casting
Superhero movies' success or failure depends entirely on finding the right actor for the part. Can you imagine the "Superman" movies without Christopher Reeve, "Spider-Man" without Tobey Maguire, or "Iron Man" without Robert Downey Jr.?
On the surface, Rogen seems like an odd choice to play the masked crime fighter the Green Hornet. The heavyset veteran of Judd Apatow comedies ("Knocked Up," "Freaks and Geeks") has outstanding comic timing, and excels in playing flawed, damaged-yet-lovable characters -- and will likely bring most of that to this role. If anyone's able to get the campy, retro-kitsch role right without taking himself too seriously, it might be Rogen.
Still, it takes a lot of imagination to imagine the goofy slacker from "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" and "Knocked Up" playing the hero. Then again, he did co-write the script.
Reactions, so far, seem to be more amused than anything else -- "The Green Hornet" doesn't seem to generate much of the same fanboy fanaticism that other franchises have. Remember the online outrage at Daniel Craig's selection as the new James Bond, or the bafflement when Michael Keaton was chosen for Tim Burton's "Batman" (1989)?
Sometimes, an obvious choice doesn't really work either. The square-jawed, heroic-looking Ben Affleck didn't really get the job done in "Daredevil" (2003), and George Clooney couldn't save Joel Schumacher's disastrous "Batman & Robin" (1997).
— Michael Machosky
Previous Green Hornets
Radio: From the late 1930s to the early 1950s, fans followed the original Green Hornet's 30-minute weekly adventures on radio. Fran Striker, who collaborated with George W. Trendle to create "The Green Hornet," had earlier created the character of the Lone Ranger, whose real name was John Reid. Those who listened carefully to "The Green Hornet" knew that John Reid's nephew Dan Reid was Britt Reid's father, which made the Green Hornet the great-nephew of that earlier crime-fighting masked man.
The show's memorable theme song mixed Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" with a musically created hornet-like buzz.
Episodes of "The Green Hornet" radio show can be heard at several Internet sites, including www.originaloldradio.com and www.otr.net .
Movies: In 1940, Gordon Jones and Keye Luke teamed as the Green Hornet and Kato in 13 episodes of "The Green Hornet" that Universal Studios screened as 20-minute serials on movie screens. Later that year, Luke, whom oldsters will best remember as Charlie Chan's No. 1 son, returned as Kato for 15 more episodes in a sequel "The Green Hornet Strikes Again!" in which Warren Hull filled the Reid/Hornet role.
"The Green Hornet" and "The Green Hornet Strikes Again!" are available on DVD.
Television: During the 1966-67 television season, 26 episodes of "The Green Hornet" aired on ABC. It's best remembered as the show that introduced kung fu master Bruce Lee to American audiences as Britt Reid's faithful valet Kato. In Hong Kong, it aired as "The Kato Show."
In March 1967, Lee and Van Williams, who played the Green Hornet, visited Gotham City making cross-over appearances in two episodes of the "Batman" series that starred Adam West as Bruce Wayne.
Comic Book: The Green Hornet and Kato made their comic book debut in January 1940. Their exploits have appeared in serial form under a variety of publishers of which Dynamite Entertainment is the most recent.
The company's latest editions, "The Green Hornet: Parallel Lives," offers six issues ($3.99 each) that explain the backstory for the movie characters -- where Kato learned his martial arts technique and chemical expertise, how Britt and Kato's lives were intertwined even before they met and whether their partnership was accident or destiny.
— Alice T. Carter
Vehicles and weapons
The Green Hornet wouldn't get far without his car, an indestructible black retro-styled sedan called the Black Beauty. Based on the 1965 Chrysler Crown Imperial, the car is big and mean-looking, with dual retractable machine guns in the hood, doors and trunk, a flamethrower under the grill, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles by the tailpipe and headlights that glow green in the dark.
They also wield a startling array of handguns, shotguns and submachine guns, as well as a "gas gun" that emits a green-tinted knockout gas.
In the TV show and comics, they had plenty of other distinctive weapons and gadgets, from throwing darts, to "The Hornet Sting" -- which delivered electric shocks -- to an explosive belt buckle (!). It's not yet clear what will make it to the movie.
— Mike Machosky
Superhero sidekicks
The Green Hornet would be a squashed bug without his sidekick Kato, the martial arts phenomenon played by Jay Chou in the upcoming film.
But sidekicks do more than provide the muscle. Because superheros, cowboys and spies tend to be the silent type, it's up to the sidekick to keep audiences up to speed. For example, Robin might say "Holy Growth Hormone, Batman! What made a lovable creature like an aardvark grow to the size of a 20 story building and terrorize Gotham City?" To which Batman might reply, "Because the Joker has finally perfected his fiendish growth serum, Robin." Then we're all in on it.
Sidekicks come in many guises. Some provide comic relief, some the brains, others the brawn.
Dr. John H. Watson: The courtly London physician, late of the Indian Army Medical Department, helped to humanize the cold fish persona of Sherlock Holmes with his affable reminiscences of their adventures.
Tonto: The faithful American Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, which began as a radio series in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1933. Tonto was a tracker who was played by Jay Silverheels in the 1949 television series. A Canadian born to a Mohawk chief, Silverheels real name was Harold J. Smith.
Kato: The Hornet's cool and deadly valet was played by Bruce Lee in the 1966 "Green Hornet" television series. Kato was described as Japanese in the original radio series, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor he became Filipino.
Robin: The masked alter ego of Dick Grayson, ward of Bruce Wayne. He later stepped out of Batman's shadow to become Nightwing. Who can blame him⢠Would you wear those green tights and red hot pants?
Chewbacca: Han Solo's hairy copilot in the "Star Wars" movies. The giant wig with teeth allowed Harrison Ford's cranky lone wolf mercenary to display a sense of humor.
— William Loeffler
Rich playboy/superhero
The Green Hornet exemplifies one thread in the fabric of superhero fantasies, the spoiled rich boy who keeps up playboy appearances but fights evil in secret. They have the wealth to hire proxies, but have the need to personally get down and dirty with the bad guys.
Batman came to life in 1939 in the comics as the secret identity of Bruce Wayne, a fabulously wealthy playboy industrialist. Motivated by seeing the murder of his parents, Wayne creates an alter ego with costume to protect his real identity while he fights crime. His wealth helps with acquiring a Batmobile and other gadgets. Numerous films and television shows profited from Batman's popularity.
Iron Man was created in 1959 as the fighting name of Anthony Stark, who is an engineer as well as playboy industrialist. He created his armored suit after being kidnapped and uses it first to escape and then to fight his enemies. Robert Downey Jr. starred in the 2008 film and 2010 sequel.
Zorro, created by Johnston McCulley in pulp fiction in 1919, also fits the personality type. Don Diego de la Vega was a young aristocrat in old California who who wore a mask and cape while using his exceptional sword skills to defeat and humiliate villains. Comics, films and a television show spread his fame.
— Mark Kanny
Costumed for success
All superheroes need the proper outfit. The Green Hornet masked crime fighting duo has its own attire, but it doesn't include tights. "We need some weapons ... and armor ... but no tights," says Jay Chou's Kato in the new movie.
These guys are more sophisticated and at times could be mistaken for office workers, until they put on their masks and pull their weapons. You will see the Green Hornet sporting a green fedora-style hat as well as green pants, vest and tie. He pairs that with a crisp white dress shirt and a long trench coat that is sometimes green and other times black. Seth Rogen said in an interview that the vest he wears will become popular once the movie is released because "It's what Prince is to purple."
Kato is the man in black. He has a black jacket with black buttons fastened up to his neck with a white dress shirt peaking out from his collar and sleeves. He wears black slacks and black leather gloves. He tops off his outfit with chauffeur-style chapeau.
Both hide behind masks -- green or black -- that cover half their faces and are similar to the original Green Hornet mask. You, too, can dress like the Green Hornet. Purchase a Green Hornet costume on websites such as www.costumediscounters.com or www.buy.com . Or if you prefer accessories, you can buy Green Hornet cufflinks (which have bullet closures), a ring, key chain or money clip at www.factoryentstore.com .
— Joanne Klimovich Harrop
