The Adventures of Superpup (1958) (TV)

User Rating:

3.1/10   

Director:

Cal Howard

Writers:

Joe Shuster (Superman concept)
Jerry Siegel (Superman concept)

Genre:

Short

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Billy Curtis	...	Super Pup / Bark Bent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Delfino	...	Sergeant Beagle
Ruth Delfino	...	Pamela Poodle
Sadie Delfino	...	Wolfingham / Montgomery Mouse
Harry Monty	...	Professor Sheepdip
Angelo Rossitto	...	Terry Bite

Runtime:

USA:22 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Trivia:

Filmed in part on the same sets used for "Adventures of Superman" (1952).

Movie Connections:

Featured in Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman (2006) (TV)

This pilot was rightly put to sleep..

This travesty has only come into the public arena because of its release as part of the Ultimate Superman collection. After watching it, it comes as no surprise as to why it has been hidden away for so long...

If those out there in TV land thought that kiddies would watch any old garbage shoved in front of them, they were proved wrong with The Adventures Of Superpup.

Not so much a pup, more a mange-ridden mongrel, Superpup is really Bark Bent (non-US English-speaking countries will get an added laugh with this name), mild-mannered reporter, but has a head so big that if he didn't have super powers, his neck would snap if he was the passenger in a car (or a locomotive) that was hit from behind by another vehicle.

The sheer awfulness of this lousy pilot has to be seen to be believed - Superpup is aided by an annoying hand-puppet that provides expository dialogue (in one instance, this puppet is even employed to cover over a HUGE continuity error!). This character is SO annoying that one would wish arthritis on the person operating it.

The models of the main characters aren't too bad (the Perry White bulldog character looks like something from Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles), and there is enough action to keep the most undemanding kids amused (though they would probably not be allowed access to sharp objects), but the sheer ghastliness of trying to create an extension of the hugely popular Superman TV show leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

If there was one moment of unintentional hilarity, it comes when Superpup's sidekick, Mongomery Mouse (a glove puppet), has to call the police - the operator of the puppet makes no attempt to try and use the hands of the puppet to pick up the receiver, instead just grabbing the thing the way anyone wearing a glove would pick up a receiver. Funny stuff! The Adventures of Superpup only gets a 2-star rating because of the hysterical moment mentioned above - otherwise, it's an abomination.

Thankfully, Superpup was neutered and didn't beget a full series.