Stamp Day for Superman (1954)

Superman's commitment to promote US Savings Stamps is temporarily delayed when Lois is kidnapped.

Director:

Thomas Carr

Writers:

Joe Shuster (characters), Jerry Siegel (characters),

Stars:

George Reeves, Noel Neill, Jack Larson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Reeves	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Noel Neill	...	Lois Lane
Jack Larson	...	Jimmy Olsen
John Hamilton	...	Perry White
Tristram Coffin	...	Principal Garwood
Billy Nelson	...	Blinky

Storyline

Clark Kent and Lois Lane, out for a stroll, discover a jewelry robbery in progress. Lois gets a good look at one of the burglars. Later Clark and Jimmy Olsen visit Jimmy's old school to discuss Superman's visit there to promote the U.S. Treasury Department's Savings Stamp program. In the meantime, Lois is captured by Blinky, the jewelry burglar she spotted. When Lois doesn't show up to join Clark and Jimmy, Clark realizes she's in trouble and arranges for Superman to save the day and still make his appearance at the school's Stamp Day.

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Plot Keywords:

based on comic | superhero | dc comics | public service | character name in title

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Genres:

Short | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1954 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Superman Inc., U.S. Department of the Treasury

Technical Specs

Runtime:

18 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in MovieReal: Hollywoodland (2006)

User Reviews

Little Seen, Odd Relic from 1950's

This film was produced by the publisher's of the Superman comics, namely National Comics ( AKA Superman/DC ) as their contribution to the war effort. Inasmuch as the year was 1954, the war was a "COLD"war, not one of the real shootin' type.

It was produced to sell the school aged kids of the era on the idea that they could cultivate good savings habits and help out the country by purchasing these U.S. Treasury Saving Stamps, which could be traded in for a real Savings Bond(Formerly known as War Bonds).It was not shown at movie houses or on T.V., but rather at the schools.

The film and stamp program were touted in a page long letter from the publishers informing the school aged readers of their various comic book publications of the coming of the film and to watch for it.

STAMP DAY was one film that I personally had given up on ever seeing, until about 32 years later. A VHS video cassette was being sold in some of the large chain toy stores in the shopping mauls. It was at a Kay-Bee Toys in my case.It was sold at a bargain price and mixed in with cassettes of mostly a lot of old cartoons,all (including STAMP DAY) now in public domain. Well, like a kid at Christmas, it was rushed home with various other yuletide presents for the Wife and Kids-but, this one was for Daddy!

It really did not disappoint.It took the familiar cast,opening and closing titles and both the theme and incidental music from the Superman TV show.To this they added a few veteran character actors like Tristram Coffin (as school principal & announcer) and Billy Nelson who was perennially cast as a crook on the Superman show. To this they blended in an incident that could occur to anyone,stressing personal conflicts with a choice between right and wrong. Finally there was included Superman's arrival to ultimately save the day. All set against the back drop of the kids regular Stamp Day at school.

At 18 minutes, this film is just about the length of an old 2 reeler or a serial chapter. It is unique in that it has all the cast, music and format of the Superman TV series. But this film did not make onto television. And to their credit National Comics/Superman DC,who were both the publishers and producers footed the bill for it, on behalf of the American People and The U.S.Treasury Department. (Maybe it kept them from being audited by the IRS that year.ER,uh-just a joke!)

Now, run out to the shopping mall and get yourself a copy!