Superman (1948)

Superman comes to Earth as a child and grows up to be his home's first superhero with his first major challenge being to oppose The Spider Lady.

Directors:

Spencer Gordon Bennet (as Spencer Bennet), Thomas Carr

Writers:

George H. Plympton (adaptation), Joseph F. Poland (adaptation)

Stars:

Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Tommy Bond

Cast

Cast overview:
Kirk Alyn	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Noel Neill	...	Lois Lane
Tommy Bond	...	Jimmy Olsen
Carol Forman	...	Spider Lady
George Meeker	...	Driller
Jack Ingram	...	Anton
Pierre Watkin	...	White
Terry Frost	...	Brock
Charles King	...	Conrad [Chs. 6-15]
Charles Quigley	...	Hackett [Chs. 6-15]
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Graham [Chs. 3, 9-11, 13-15]
Forrest Taylor	...	Leeds [Chs. 3-4]
Stephen Carr	...	Morgan [Chs. 3-4]
Rusty Wescoatt	...	Elton [Chs. 7-15]

Storyline

Jor-El (Nelson Leigh), a scientist on the planet Krypton rockets his infant son to Earth just before Krypton explodes. The boy is found on Earth by a farmer, Eben Kent (Ed Cassidy) and his wife, Martha (Virginia Carroll) and they name him Clark Kent (Kirk Alyn). When Clark grows up, his foster father asks him to use his amazing super powers only for good. The mild-mannered Clark gets a job on the Daily Planet as a reporter, and soon, as his alter-ego Superman (Kirk Alyn'), and soon tangles with The Spider Lady (Carol Forman), who considers herself Queen of the Underworld. Meanwhile, a fragment from the planet Krypton reaches earth and falls in her possession. It is the only substance that can render Superman helpless.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | superman character | lois lane character | clark kent character | jimmy olsen character | 

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Taglines:

Based on the SUPERMAN adventure feature appearing in SUPERMAN and ACTION COMICS magazines, in daily and Sunday newspapers coast-to-coast and on the SUPERMAN radio program broadcast over the Mutual Network (original poster)

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Adventures of Superman

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sam Katzman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

244 min (15 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Columbia production #910.

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Goofs

In chapter 9, Clark, using his x-ray vision, is able to see through the disguise of a man by viewing his image in a photograph. Photographs capture an image in visible light, so he shouldn't be able to see what's under the make-up.

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Quotes

Jimmy Olsen: [unaware of approaching derailment] This train is really goin'. The engineer must be late for dinner.
Lois Lane: The way he's traveling he hasn't eaten all week!
[looks out window]

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Alternate Versions

Opening chapter credits removed from the video release.

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Connections

Version of Superman (1980)

User Reviews

This looks like a job for...............!

This is a great serial. What people tend to forget when watching it today, is that it was made in 1948 and was aimed at the Saturday matinee crowd.

The special effects, to be sure, are primitive by today's standards, but take a closer look. Remember this was 1948. The opening sequence and Superman's flying effects were achieved through some excellent animation.

Don't forget that Superman IS a comic book character. The transition from live action to animation in the flying sequences, is performed seamlessly and realistically. I thought that this was pretty innovative for its' time.

Kirk Alyn was born to play Superman. He gives a realistic and credible performance as both Superman and Clark Kent. The diminutive Noel Neill makes an excellent Lois Lane, girl reporter, Timmy Bond (Formerly "Butch" of the Our Gang comedies) is good as Jimmy Olsen and veteran Pierre Watkin is suitably cranky as Perry White.

Carol Forman brings a cold and icy sexiness to the role of the Spider Lady, Superman's chief nemesis. Serial veterans Charles Quigley, Charles King, Terry Frost and Rusty Wescoatt round out the cast in various villain roles.