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Brief Note On 1950's TV Superman.

168.10.135.25

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George Brewer(Biological father's name)Bessolo(StepFather's name)
Reeves(ScreenName), the world's first TV Superman - a wannabe leading
man ala Gable,Bogart,et al, relegated to comicbook hero status
via vagaries of circumstance - was essentially a "momma's boy",
dominated his entire 45 years on Planet Earth by several domineering
woman, starting with Momma Helen, then Toni Mannix and lastly, Leonore
Lemmon.
Reeves died under controversial circumstances. These issues were
raised and explored by authors Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger in
their excellent 1994 book, "Hollywood Kryptonite: The Bulldog, the
Lady and the Death of Superman". However, AH leans heavily toward
agreeing with Jack Larson, Clark Kent's junior sidekick in the TV
series, that Reeves death was suicide and not homicide, contrary to
Kashner's and Schoenberger's conclusions.
The book is a scrumptious read for any Reeves fan, regardless of
what one thinks about whether or not foul play was involved in his death. - AH

Follow Ups:

The "New" Superman - mikenyc 11:44:01 09/27/02 (0)
Great fan rant, about the new "Superman", according to Jim Abrams' "new" and "updated" script/treatment of the Man of Steel.
http://www.lightsoutentertainment.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1033117531,97268,
It's a series which begs to be digitally mastered and released on DVD. - Audiophilander 14:45:17 09/26/02 (3)
My favorite episodes were the first 26 (Season 1, '51-'53) because of the realistic albeit violent pulp-like quality of the writing, the impressive wind-machine augmented flying take-offs and the more appealing Lois portrayed by Phyllis Coates (i.e., in addition to being a more attractive "Lois" than her successor in the role, I seem to recall that Ms. Coates didn't faint every time she was in danger like Noel Neill often did).
AuPh
- Re: It's a series which begs to be digitally mastered and released on DVD. - mikenyc 00:19:49 09/27/02 (2)
  I wholeheartedly agree !
  I love the color season(s), because the stories took on an intellectual form, and departed from the standard, serial, Pulp form. Again, using my favorite episode as an example.
  Thank God for TvLand, for keeping the show alive for future generations to enjoy, over and over again !
  - Some of the later color episodes are well done, but... - Audiophilander 06:01:13 09/29/02 (1)
    ... as about 50% of the time the later shows degenerated into silliness, with dialogue and plots that wouldn't even suspend the disbelief of their target audience; unfortunately, the show's budget didn't increase all that much when the series shifted to color as demonstrated by some of the cheesy sets and props. Earlier episodes had genuine suspense, IMHO, and the sinister music was great!
    Nevertheless, I'll agree with you that "some" of the color episodes are true classics, with excellent writing, well orchestrated plots and good acting from both the principles & secondary actors. The bottom line is that if this early television series were remastered and released complete and unedited in original order, I think we can both agree that it would make a fabulous DVD set.
    AuPh
    - This Friday's TvLand Celebration is a Bust !!! - mikenyc 23:41:56 10/02/02 (0)
      It's a unique promotion...celebrating the anniversaries of the premiers of classic Tv shows...but they are giving "Superman" ONLY 4 "classic" shows, while they celebrated "The Love Boat" and "Beverly Hillbillies" with extended marathons.
      Oh well...you can't have everything !
And I always smile when watching "Gone With the Wind" - Auricle 07:41:35 09/26/02 (0)
when he shows up as one of the two red headed twins.
"Faster than a speeding bullet, mor powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"
Great fun, that. But like the kids who reclined in the middle of roads after watching Beavis and Butthead, more than a few donned their Supe costumes and lept out second (or higher) storey windows. Nothin' new under the sun, I guess.
Favorite Episodes ! - mikenyc 04:46:11 09/26/02 (2)
The one where he materializes himself through walls, and turns back the National Observatory Clock to catch a tricky criminal, encased in a block of alloy !
- Re: Favorite Episodes ! - Dave 08:55:12 09/26/02 (1)
  Funny you mentioned that episode... I haven't seen Superman since I was a kid but that's the one I remember most clearly, probably because Superman seemed vulnerable for once. Most of the other episodes just kind of blur into a bunch of "oh, there goes Superman out the window... now the crook is shooting at him.... now he's bending the gun... now he's flying home... ho-hum.
  I do vaguely recall one episode that had two crooks arguing over whose mom made the best lemon merangue pie... probably because that was my favorite pie when I was a kid. Hard to imagine a storyline today with that kind of 50's, home-spun quality.... although come to think of it, Geena Davis did use a lemon merangue pie to take out a bad guy in "The Long Kiss Goodnight".... so maybe things haven't changed that much after all!
  - Re: Favorite Episodes ! - mikenyc 11:06:31 09/26/02 (0)
    The one with the pies, co-starred a very young Chuck Connors with a mule, who mistakenly answered an advert as being "Superman"!

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