Adventures of Superman

It was a different time and different era when this now legendary program was first televised. Yes some of the episodes toward the end of the series are on the hokey and corny side. However this show is a part of television history. The opening credits with the great theme music always set the mood. My favorite was the two part ` The Unknown People' episode. Although I always thought Noel Neill was a cuter and sexier Lois Lane Phyllis Coates played the part to a T. Jack Larsons Jimmy Olsen idolized Clark Kent as a father figure like the character did in the comics. John Hamilton was superb as the gruff but understanding Perry White. Robert Shayne as Inspector Henderson who never solved a case by himself but did it matter? Then George Reeves. Other actors donned the costume through the years but George Reeves was and always will be Superman, and when you think about it that's not too shabby.

What a great TV show. Sit back in time and watch as TV brought out the best of Superman.I remember as a child watching the reruns and was so amazed how Superman would fight off the bad guys. Bending steel and bullets that just bounced off his chest. He was my favorite super hero. Let yourself go and relive the Adventures of Superman.I just loved his outfit. The man of steel wearing red and blue. We need more shows like these instead of what we have now. Every show was like a cliff hanger. Nail biting action. Would Superman make it in time? Can he get to the bad guys before they hurt Olsen and Miss. Lois Lane? These were questions that were answered every time Superman came on. He made you feel good about the world. He was just simply the best.

I remember watching several episodes of The Adventures of Superman when the BBC screened some of them during the summer school holidays around 1987/88. An episode of this usually followed Gentle Ben and Silas (these were on around two or three times a week) but Superman was on, if I remember right, everyday. So a good 90 minutes of entertainment some mornings.

Superman/Clarke Kent was played by George Reeves who is certainly no relation to the late Christopher Reeve who starred in the four Superman movies which some people seem to think so (the surnames are different). Louis Lane was played by Phyllis Coates and later Noel Neill.

We usually had a different story each episode although some episodes were two parters.

It would be nice to see some episodes of The adventures of Superman again. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

Growing up in the 1950's I was an avid collector of comics. One of my favorites was superhero Superman. The other was Plastic Man. For some reason few have heard of the original Plastic Man, but Superman is still very much with us and probably will be for some time to come. Before judging this series, one must remember that only televisions that showed black and white were on the market. There was no color. If an early television show was produced in color it was for other reasons, say possible release on the big screen. Some producers hoped to string two or three episodes of a popular television series together and distribute it to movie houses as one feature as was done with The Lone Ranger. Also, there were no big-screen TV's. Therefore special effects could be kept fairly primitive (and inexpensive) because the viewer wouldn't be seeing much anyway. The average TV screen was about 13". A person was uptown if he/she had a 17" screen.

There were Superman movies out at the time featuring other actors rather than "the real" Superman, George Reeves. The Superman TV shows were compact, well-written, and well-performed. For me Noel Neill will always be Lois Lane. Ditto for Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, John Hamilton as Perry White, Robert Shayne as Inspector Bill Henderson, and even though Christopher Reeves did a bang-up job as a later Superman, George Reeves will always be Superman for my generation.

Another reason I was so drawn to the Superman TV show was because a stunt man who was married to my cousin at the time appeared in one of the episodes. In the episode, "The Wedding of Superman" Doyle Brooks played Mr. Poole, one of the heavies. Brooks was born in the little hamlet of Bethesda, Arkansas, married my cousin and set out to become a movie star in Hollywood. He ended up a successful stuntman but did very little acting. His biggest success was playing the Ajax White Knight in a now famous television commercial.

Superman's may come and go but George Reeves will always be "the" Superman to all of us who were kids in the 1950's.

George Reeves in my heart will always be the First and True SUPERMAN and I am so happy they are FINALLY putting this Great series on DVD! I Only hope they do It Justice ( The American way) and do not cut corners and let us finally see this series UN CUT so those who grew up watching and loving every episode will again be able to relive their childhood in all its splendor! George Reeves as Superman portrayed it not campy as Batman would later emerge doing, but with a message and values that were good and moral and he made you believe there WAS a Superman! When I was about 5 years old, I was hit by a car and bedridden for several months, my mom would tell me everyday sitting on my bed what happened on Superman and at that age gave me the strength to get better and stronger sooner so I could watch the show myself. I will always treasure these episodes though in its later years got to be a bit corny they still me me feel so good inside and now that I am in my fifty's, I can enjoy this series even better on a BIGGER TV and better sound system! Pure Heaven.

Long Live the Adventures of Superman and may all 104 episodes be released soon! ZDFORME