Of course, you haven’t made the big time unless you’re in the movies; when Lloyd Douglas’ book “Green Light” made it to the movie screen in 1937, even more Americans became familiar with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) research. The movie cut most of the book’s religious conversations and added more to the love story. It also included Dr. Newell Paige testing the RMSF vaccine on himself, as Dr. Roscoe Spencer had done in real life—perhaps the screenwriters had read Lucy Salamanca’s article.

Directed by Frank Borzage, the movie starred Errol Flynn as Dr. Paige. Flynn was known for his swashbuckling roles and wanted a more dramatic role.  The tale of self-sacrifice, love, and loyalty did well at the box office, pulling in $1,254,000 domestically and becoming Warner Brothers Studios’ second most popular film in 1937.

An article in TIME Magazine stated:

    “Dr. Spencer…is as modest as he is short. But his work in proving the tick transmission of deadly     Rocky Mountain spotted fever (in some places it kills nine out of ten) and developing a protective     vaccine has brought him a public reputation. He was idealized as the hero of Lloyd Douglas' novel,     Green Light—moviegoers know him as the man (Errol Flynn) who went into the Rockies after ticks.”

    (Quote from “Medicine: Spencer for Voegtlin,” TIME, Monday, June 28, 1943.)

It’s not known what the RMSF researchers in Montana thought of the movie. Perhaps they referred to Spencer as “Errol” in private.

In this publicity photo for the movie “Green Light”, Dr. Newell Paige (on right, played by Errol Flynn) emphasizes a point by poking the chest of fellow RMSF researcher Dr. John Stafford (played by Walter Abel). Warner Bros., 1937.