Huffington Post: The Very First Season of TV's Superman Was Superb!

Above, Phyllis Coates and George Reeves in "Superman and The Mole Men."

Four days ago, an article appeared in the Huffington Post on the Adventures of Superman (1951-1957) television show starring George Reeves.

It seems whenever there's a new Superman movie released, the media takes a look back at past incarnations of the Man of Steel. Thank God for that!

The article, by Dr. Franklin Ruehl, Ph.D., begins with:

The very first season (1952-53) of TV's Superman with George Reeves was outstanding, including intense film noir elements, such as the deaths of a couple who learned his secret ID in "The Stolen Costume"... he flew them to a mountain cabin where they fell to their deaths trying to climb down (he was definitely responsible for their demise). 

And, in "The Secret of Superman," a nefarious criminal (Peter Brocco) who learned his ID was conveniently shot to death by the police. 

Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane was very serious, contributing to the drama of each episode. But, she was replaced after that first season by light-hearted Noel Neill (who actually previously had portrayed Lois in two serials). 

Actually, the series began as a 67-minute theatrical film, Superman and the Mole Men, then transitioned into a TV project. That film was later re-edited into an excellent two-part episode,"The Unknown People," which was the only two-parter during the run of the show.

I'll let you read the rest of the article for yourself.

Above, Phyllis Coates and Armand in 2007.  Photo courtesy of Carl Glass.

Next year, plans are being made to commemorate George Reeves's 100th birthday with a plaque dedication of one of the second season episodes, "The Man Who Could Read Minds" in Tarzana, California.  The plaque will be placed where the episode's location scenes were filmed. In the episode, the Metropolis Police Dept., headed by Inspector William Henderson (Bob Shayne), had a stakeout set up in the hopes to catch the "phantom burglar." The stakeout was filmed in a residential neighborhood of Tarzana in 1953.

The plaque will honor all of the principal cast members of the show.

To read the full article, go here.