The popular serial was shown in early movie theaters. Featuring title cards and cliffhanger endings, the heroine was often thrown into danger and escaped at the last minute, only to live another nightmare next week.

The original serial is no longer complete, known to exist only in a shortened 90-minute version.

Here's a situation Pittsburgh baseball fans can relate to: The Pirates were in last place, and the team needed a miracle. And that miracle was provided ... not by Andrew McCutchen, but thanks to some heavenly assistance. (Which, of course, can only be witnessed by an adorable moppet. Did we mention she was an orphan? Awwww.)

This cult classic (and its many sequels and remakes) are firmly rooted in western Pennsylvania. Just ask anyone from Monroeville, where the local mall holds a place in movie history. Director George Romero is credited for revolutionizing the horror genre. Prior to "Dead," zombies were living people enslaved by a witch doctor. Now they're the flesh-eating undead we all know and love.

Robert Mitchum stars as a man who serves prison time for the death of his wife. After being paroled, he is confronted by his now-adult son (Jan-Michael Vincent) who witnessed the killing as a child.

Set in Western Pennsylvania and Vietnam, it's hailed as an American epic and "one of the most emotionally shattering films ever made." The film chronicles the experience of three friends from Clairton who are sent from the steel mill to the jungle. To enhance each actor's sense of their character, the director had the props department create Pennsylvania IDs for each of them, complete with driver licenses and medical cards.

Monroeville Mall was taken over by the undead in George Romero's classic zombie flick. Some of the filming took place during the holiday shopping season (after the mall had closed for the day and those pesky customers were gone).

Gimbels photo courtesy of Monroeville Historical Society

Another title for the city of champions! After the Pythons become the Pisces, this formerly woeful basketball team goes on a magical winning streak with Hall of Famer Julius Erving and Harlem Globetrotters legend Meadowlark Lemon.

What do a dancing welder and flesh-eating zombies have in common? The old Monroeville Mall ice rink. Other recognizable locations: South Side, University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne Incline.

Related: Actor Michael Nouri talks to "WTAE Listens" about filming "Flashdance" in Pittsburgh

If you love channels like "Lifetime," there's a good chance you've come across this TV movie with Valerie Bertinelli. Feel the drama as a newlywed couple, newly moved to Pittsburgh, grapples with the case that will tear their family apart. Or bring them closer together. Or both.

Part man. Part machine. All cop. Some might be surprised to learn that a film which stars a cyborg and was originally given an "X" rating because of violent content received generally positive reviews by critics. It's set in Detroit, but Monessen steel mills provide the location for several pivotal scenes.

A touching story of the relationship between twin brothers who live together in Pittsburgh: Medical student Eugene (Ray Liotta) cares for Dominick (Tom Hulce), who lives with a learning disability and works as a trash collector to help put Eugene through school.

There are plenty of great scenes of the South Side and the neighborhood's narrow back streets. You'll also recognize the Birmingham Bridge and the Strip District.

Related: Pittsburgh movie producers share memories of the late Ray Liotta

When Hannibal Lecter made his dramatic (and violent) escape from a holding facility in Memphis, Anthony Hopkins was actually breaking out of Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.

Related: Pittsburgh remembers "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme

Did you know the on-screen home of "Buffalo Bill" is a real house? It's located in the Fayette County community of Layton -- although it doesn't actually have that creepy dungeon.

The owners put the home on the market in October 2020, right before Halloween. (What a "killer" deal!)

From Polish Hill to River Rescue to the 31st Street Bridge, Pittsburgh is the real star of this Bruce Willis action flick. Heck, "Three Rivers" was even the original title. Local movie fans will love all of the scenery. (Don't miss Sally Wiggin reporting on the Polish Hill Strangler case!)

Sinbad ditches his Hill District apartment and tries to skip town at Pittsburgh International Airport, where he meets Phil Hartman's family and scams his way into their suburban Sewickley home to hide from mob debt collectors. (Hilarious high jinks ensue.)

Look for Murrysville's old Blue Spruce Motel, long since demolished, in this bowling comedy with Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray. It was also filmed in Trafford.

Terrorists try to blow up Pittsburgh's Civic Arena during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The nerve of those guys! (Actually, this was filmed during the 1994-95 NHL lockout.)

Years later, the Igloo was demolished for real. Not even Jean-Claude Van Damme could save it.

PPG Place was the perfect setting for Dr. Claw's evil lair. Great aerial views of Downtown Pittsburgh, thanks to Matthew Broderick's helicopter hat. (Go, Go, Gadget Chopper!)

Lots to see here, including the U.S. Steel Tower, Pittsburgh International Airport, Station Square, East Liberty and Dormont. (Mooby's was the old Burger King on Banksville Road.)

Filmed on campus at Carnegie Mellon University, Shady Side Academy and Chatham College (not yet a university). Michael Douglas plays a burned-out professor; his students are a pre-"Spider-Man" Tobey Maguire and a "Dawson's Creek"-era Katie Holmes.

Jeff Goldblum fans will recognize many downtown landmarks in this chronicle of his real-life stint in a CLO summer production of "The Music Man" at Benedum Center.

Ray Liotta returns to Pittsburgh. This time, he stars in the story of two brothers who drive all the way from California hoping to see Pirates baseball legend Roberto Clemente get his 3,000th hit.

Related: Pittsburgh movie producers share memories of the late Ray Liotta

Sienna Miller's anti-Pittsburgh comments made such a stir around the city that she eventually made a televised public apology with then-Mayor Luke Ravenstahl at her side.

When Kevin Smith made a movie that was set outside New Jersey for the first time, Monroeville was the choice.

Seth Rogen's character loves the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his community hockey team is the Monroeville Zombies -- a nod to the local mall where "Dawn of the Dead" was shot.

It's funny how, on a list of more than 100 Pittsburgh movies, this is the only one that has the word "Bridge" in the title. What's not funny is the movie, which centers on the struggles of four 20-somethings from the North Side.

Ving Rhames is the big name in Blair Underwood's directorial debut. (Sally Wiggin was in this one, too!)

The crazed miner wreaks havoc with his bloody pickaxe in this remake of the 1981 Canadian slasher film.

Kennywood Park has a starring role in this coming-of-age love story with Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds.

(Fun fact: The crew often had to hide winter snowfall to create a summer amusement park setting.)

From polar bears at the zoo to the iconic skyline view from Mount Washington, this comedy made good use of the city's pretty side. (And ANOTHER character who likes the Penguins!)

You'll recognize exterior shots of the Allegheny County Jail in this thriller starring Russell Crowe, who devises a complex plan to break his wife (Elizabeth Banks) out of the slammer.

But first, he consults with a former convict (Liam Neeson) who offers this spot-on piece of advice: "Pittsburgh's tough."

A runaway train creates high drama for Denzel Washington and Chris Pine as they try to save the fictional town of Stanton, Pa.

There's a great view of Downtown Pittsburgh from the high-rise office of the weaselly railroad president, and a scene at the old Hooters restaurant in Wilkins Township. Filming was also done in the Strip District.

Forget about Denzel and Chris. The real star of "Unstoppable" is Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Mike Clark playing -- you guessed it -- a local news reporter.

Jake Gyllenhaal told Jimmy Kimmel he was amazed by the size of a Primanti Bros. sandwich while shooting this comedy/drama with Anne Hathaway in Pittsburgh.

Murrysville's Franklin Regional High School was the setting for this sci-fi flick about an alien with special powers who was sent to Earth as a child to escape the invaders who destroyed his planet.

Bad guys chase Taylor Lautner through PNC Park while he tries to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website.

This photo was shared by a Pittsburgh's Action News 4 viewer who met Lautner during filming.

A fight movie that goes way beyond sports and makes you wish both combatants could win. Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton are estranged brothers who cross paths in a big-money MMA tournament.

Kurt Angle, the Pittsburgh native and Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, is featured in a supporting role as a top Russian fighter.

Nick Nolte earned an Oscar nomination for his "Warrior" performance as a recovering alcoholic who struggles to rebuild relationships with his sons. He had fun with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Michelle Wright when she visited the movie set at Petersen Events Center. (WATCH VIDEO)

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is brought to life by Katherine Heigl in this movie version of Janet Evanovich's book.

This photo was shared by a Pittsburgh's Action News 4 viewer who spotted Heigl at First Niagara Pavilion -- which later became KeyBank Pavilion... and then S&T Bank Music Park... and now back to the original "Star Lake" name. (Which is what most Pittsburghers always called it anyway.)

Many downtown streets were closed on weekends during this movie shoot, with no vehicular traffic allowed. (Except for Tumblers, the Batpod and the flying Bat!)

You'll also recognize Acrisure Stadium as the home of the Gotham Rogues football team, and the CMU Software Engineering Institute as the setting for a big fight scene with Batman and Bane.

Director Stephen Chbosky returned to his native Upper St. Clair and spoke to high school students while making his famous book into a movie with Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott and Paul Rudd.

Shot in downtown Pittsburgh and the old Miller School in the Hill District, this drama about two mothers and a teacher who try to transform a failing inner-city school was inspired by 2010 events in Los Angeles. Stars included Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Holly Hunter, Rosie Perez and Ving Rhames.

Tom Cruise is a former Army officer trying to catch a sniper who took out several people on the North Shore from a downtown parking garage.

Cruise was married to Katie Holmes when he starred as the title character from the Lee Child books. The couple visited Soergel Orchards with daughter Suri during their time in Pittsburgh.

Tom Cruise also took Suri skating at the PPG ice rink on Light Up Night while he was here for the "Jack Reacher" movie shoot.

Matt Damon came to Armstrong County to play a salesman who pitches rural residents on fracking technology for natural gas drilling. The Marcellus Shale Coalition, a Pennsylvania-based trade association, paid for an ad to run before showings of the film in local theaters.

Academy Award winner Christian Bale sports a neck tattoo with the 15104 ZIP code in this gritty thriller, much of which was filmed in Braddock.

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort play two teens who meet in a cancer support group. Some scenes were shot in Wilkins Township.

Based on the story of John du Pont, a Pennsylvania multimillionaire who was found guilty but mentally ill of killing Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Dave Schultz. Filming locations included McKeesport, Sewickley Heights and the Petersen Events Center.

This tale of a high school senior who befriends a girl dying of leukemia is based on a book by Pittsburgh native Jesse Andrews. Scenes were filmed at Andrews' now-closed alma mater, Schenley High School, and at the house where he grew up and his parents still live.

A vacant former Saks Fifth Avenue store downtown was transformed into Madison Square Garden for this tale of a boxer (Jake Gyllenhall) who fights his way to the top, only to find his life falling apart around him. Directed by native Pittsburgher Antoine Fuqua.

(Look for Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Mike Clark on the big screen.)

Vin Diesel was often seen around the Strip District while in town for this supernatural action flick. He plays an immortal witch hunter who must stop a plague from ravaging New York.

Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a former county pathologist who made the first diagnosis of the degenerative brain disease CTE in a pro football player. Filming locations included the Hill District and the West End. (You'll also recognize Acrisure Stadium in this one.)

Pittsburgh stands in for New York, with Pitt's Alumni Hall being used as the fictional Copen Academy. Russell Crowe returned to the city to star in this one with Amanda Seyfried, Kylie Rogers and Aaron Paul.

"Fathers and Daughters" stars Aaron Paul and Amanda Seyfried took a selfie with Justin Long and @AlisonNtheBurgh at Jack's Bar on the South Side.

Denzel Washington returns to the same city where he was "Unstoppable." This time, he's a former Negro league baseball star struggling to provide for his family in 1950s Pittsburgh. (Based on a play by Hill District native August Wilson.)

A fan of Wilson's writing, Washington led a fundraising drive to renovate the historic August Wilson House.

In 2022, the actor returned to the Hill District to celebrate the grand reopening.

Cate Blanchett stars in the movie version of the Maria Semple book about a quirky architect and mother who goes missing before her family's trip to Antarctica.

Tom Hanks brought Pittsburgh's favorite neighbor to the big screen in his starring role as the late Fred Rogers, and critics showed plenty of kindness with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Our cameras spotted the two-time Oscar winner at the Mandarin Gourmet restaurant in the downtown YWCA building while the movie was being filmed.

The movie adaptation of August Wilson's play is dedicated to Chadwick Boseman, as it was the late actor's final film appearance. Produced by "Fences" star/director Denzel Washington.

Eleven years after she was a college student in "Adventureland," Kristen Stewart is going for her Ph.D. at CMU in this Christmas movie.

Pittsburgh is all over the screen here, from Lawrenceville to Schenley Park to Ross Park Mall, just to name a few of the many locations you'll recognize.

Anything big missing from our list? Send us a note at webstaff@wtae.com and let us know which movies we should add!