Siskel & Ebert Review "Superman and the Mole Men"

Way back when, film critic Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert managed to give a mini review of Superman's first feature film, Superman and the Mole Men (1951) starring George Reeves, Phyllis Coates and Jeff Corey.

Their review was favorable, although they poked some fun with the Mole Men, saying they "looked like midgets wearing shower caps." They liked the nostalgia aspect of the movie.

They also take a look at Kirk Alyn's Superman (1948).

"Superman and the Mole Men" (1951) Review (Video)

Above, George Reeves and Phyllis Coates photo from Superman and the Mole Men autographed by Coates.

Last evening, I viewed this review of the "pilot" movie to the Adventures of Superman, "Superman and the Mole Men" (1951) starring George Reeves, Phyllis Coates, Jeff Corey and Walter Reed. It was the first Superman feature movie.

The story involves an oil well in Silsby, Texas that was the deepest oil well at six miles deep. The mole men came to the surface from the well.

Here's the review: 

Interestingly, although Silsby, Texas of the movie was fictitious, there is a Silsbee, Texas near Beaumont. 

Here's its location: 

"True Grit" Rifle Bloopers

Above, John Wayne takes aim with his Winchester 1892 carbine. IMFDB photo.

The 1969 True Grit is the beloved movie that garnered John Wayne his one and only Oscar.

However, there are some goofs in the movie when it comes to firearms.

True Grit was also a breakout movie for actor Robert Duvall as the outlaw Ned Pepper. In the movie Pepper carries a Winchester 1894 rifle. There's only one problem with this.

Above, Robert Duvall fires his Winchester 1894. IMFDB photo.

The story was set in 1880, before the Winchester 1894 was made.

Duvall wasn't the only one in the movie who carried a Winchester 1894. Actor Myron Healey also carried one during the scene where Rooster Cogburn (Wayne) unloads a wagon of prisoners.

From the Internet Movie Firearms Database:

A U.S. Marshal helping unload outlaws from the Indian Territory is seen armed with a Winchester Model 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine. He is seen with it in hand when telling Mattie to wait another day to talk to Rooster Cogburn. Later in the film, Ned Pepper is seen with a '94 rifle and fires it into the air to let Rooster know where he is. It clearly has a longer receiver and the more complex lever system under the gun helping tell it from an 1892 rifle. It is anachronistic for the film, which is set in 1880.

John Wayne carried a Winchester 1892 carbine in the movie. That rifle wasn't also around in 1880.

At least Glen Campbell used the correct rifle for the period.

According to the IMFDB:

La Boeuf (Glen Campbell) uses a Sharps 1874 Cavalry Carbine as his rifle of choice throughout the film.

 

Above, Glen Campbell and his Sharps 1874 carbine. IMFDB photo.

Hollywood is notorious for having props that were wrong for different eras. Some sharp-eyed fans have spotted that wrong Jeeps were used in Patton (1970), for example.

20th Anniversary of "Superman Week"

Above, a copy of the "Superman Week" scroll. The original is at DC Comics. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When one gets older, it is said that time seems to accelerate.

That certainly seems to be the case with the following.

Jim Nolt, of The Adventures Continue group page on Facebook, posted the following this morning:

July 10, 2001: The "Adventures of Superman" turned fifty years old, and "Superman Week" was proclaimed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. On hand for the ceremony were Jeff Corey, Robert Rockwell, Joanna Siegel, Noel Neill, Jack Larson, Bette Shayne, Michael Walbrecht (VP of Warner Bros. Studios), and Paul Levitz (VP of DC Comics). A luncheon was held after the ceremony at the Cafe Pinot in Los Angeles. Arrangements with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors were made by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a group shot with a painting of George Reeves. Photo courtesy of the office of Michael Antonovich.

Yeesh! Twenty years ago today! Also in attendance were Laura Siegel Larson, daughter of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel and Stephanie Shayne, daughter of Bob Shayne (Inspector Henderson). Many Adventures of Superman fans filled the auditorium where the ceremony took place.

Above, Noel Neill and yours truly at the Kenneth Hahn
Hall of Administration in Los Angeles on July 10, 2001.

Thanks to the office of then-Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, we were able to hold the "Superman Week" celebration. All participants received a photocopy of the proclamation scroll.

"True Grit" Locations In Ridgway, Colorado

Above, the park that was used for the public hanging scene. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, Mitch Geriminsky and I roamed around the historic district of Ridgway, Colorado, the location of True Grit (1969) starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall and Jeff Corey.

Above, the old fire station that was shown in the movie and
was actually used as a fire station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some of the locations used are still recognizable and some have changed over the years. Some of the buildings used had facades put over them, while others (such as the courthouse) were false buildings (facades only).

After arriving, we walked around the park that was used for the hanging scene. It looked pretty much the same as it did back in 1969.

Above, Rooster Cogburn's paddy wagon at the museum yard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From there, after getting directions from a nice lady in an antique shop, we went to the museum to see Rooster Cogburn's (John Wayne) horse-drawn paddy wagon. It is on display in the museum yard.

Afterwards, after discovering plaques on buildings used in the movie, I wandered around to take pictures of the plaques and the corresponding buildings describing what they were specifically used for.

Above, inside the True Grit Cafe is the painted wall sign featured in the movie when Rooster Cogburn
 delivered some prisoners to the courthouse. The building that the cafe is in was added in 1986 and
 the original building's exterior wall is preserved inside. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a shy waitress holds up a photo from True Grit showing the painted wall
 sign and John Wayne in front of the same wall today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I was done with that, we did some shopping in an antique store next to the True Grit Cafe. Then, we had lunch in the True Grit Cafe. The staff at the cafe were quite friendly and gave us some information and took our photos. Photos of the cafe to follow.

The following are photos of each building's plaque along with the buildings as they are today:

Inside the True Grit Cafe.

The True Grit Cafe (built in 1986) is loaded with lots of John Wayne True Grit memorabilia as well as other films from his career. There is an upstairs dining area (we didn't go up there). We did partake in some lunch (I had their beef chili, which was quite good).

"The Unknown People" Notes

Above, George Reeves and Phyllis Coates.

Due to owning the complete set of DVDs of the Adventures of Superman, it makes it easier for me to spot where broadcast versions of the show were cut.

Above, actress Beverly Washburn at the Superman Celebration Luncheon in August. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I noticed several snips during my watching of the two parts of "The Unknown People" on MeTV tonight. They were relatively minor, but still noticeable. I have seen worse hack jobs.

Above, Jeff Corey in 2001.

Still, it was nice to see the show on broadcast television. Next to I Love Lucy, the Adventures of Superman has had the longest longevity of any 1950s television show. A lot of that has to do with the start of color broadcasting of the show in 1965.

Someone within the Superman organization was smart to film the 1954 -1957 seasons in color and store them in a vault until the time was right.

I have met four of the stars of "The Unknown People"over the years. First, it was Jeff Corey, who played the villain Luke Benson. Then it was Billy Curtis, who played one of the mole men. Next, I met Phyllis Coates, who played Lois Lane. And, finally, I met Beverly Washburn, who played the little girl, at this year's Superman Celebration.

Jeff Corey Dies August 16, 2002

Above, Jeff Corey addresses the
L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
Photo courtesy of Jim Nolt.

Posted by Jim Nolt on Facebook:

On This Date...August 16:

2002: Jeff Corey, the actor best known to Superman fans as Luke Benson in SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE-MEN, passed away at St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica of complications from a fall earlier in the week. He was 88. Corey was a gifted actor who was blacklisted for refusing to name names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the 1950s but later went on to become one of the most sought after teachers in Hollywood. He was survived by Hope, his wife of 64 years, three daughters, and six grandchildren. Superman fans paid tribute to Mr. Corey in July, 2001, during Superman Week, the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN's 50th anniversary celebration in Los Angeles.

I had forgotten that Corey died a little over a year after we had the "Superman Week" ceremony at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. We were glad that he was able to attend and participate.

Above, the "Superman Week" ceremony.  Photo courtesy of Jim Nolt.

Corey also played the villain Tom Chaney in the John Wayne True Grit (1969).

Loaded Up On A Few DVDs

Yesterday, I went to the local Fry's Electronics store and picked up some DVDs.  They consisted of one new release and three old favorites (to replace my old VHS copies).

I'll start off with the three "oldies but goodies."

Two of them were the first and second sequels to 1971's Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood:

Magnum Force (1973), which involves rogue motorcycle cops acting as judge, jury and executioner on baddies in San Francisco.  These guys made Inspector Harry Callahan look like a moderate.

The Enforcer (1976), which pits Inspector Callahan against radical killers (inspired by the real-life Symbionese Liberation Army) and a woman partner (played by Tyne Daly).

I had myself a Dirty Harry mini-film festival this morning.

True Grit (1969) with John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn.  Wayne's performance garnered him a Best Actor Oscar.  It was interesting to see some familiar faces such as Myron Healey (uncredited), James McEachin (uncredited), Hank Worden (uncredited) and Jay Silverheels (uncredited).  While watching the movie last night, it dawned on me that I've met two actors who were in this movie: Jeff Corey and Hank Worden.

The new movie I picked up was the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp Dark Shadows.  I bought the Blu-ray edition. As I knew what to expect ahead of time, I was prepared for it.  Fortunately, I found myself enjoying it (not quite as much as Burton's Ed Wood) and was entertained.  It was nice to see the cameos of original series stars Jonathan Frid, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker and David Selby.  It was also good to see Christopher Lee's cameo as a grizzled sea captain.  It really looked great in Blu-ray.  My grade: A.