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:

scientist | superhero | metropolis the city | 1940s | mother son relationship | 

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Taglines:

THE ONE AND ONLY 'SUPERMAN'...Rocketing To REAL LIFE In A Mighty SUPER-SERIAL! (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)

Gross USA:

$1,000,000, 31 December 1948

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

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

Film debut of Mason Alan Dinehart.

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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

Perry White: [gruffly] What do you want?
Superman: [as Clark Kent] Uh... a job.
Perry White: [sarcastically] Any special kind? Or would mine do?
Superman: Well, I would like to be a reporter. I haven't had any experience in writing, but... uh...
Perry White: That should help.
Superman: Well, I have other qualifications that might be valuable.

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Alternate Versions

Opening chapter credits removed from the video release.

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Connections

Version of Superman: The Man of Steel (2002)

User Reviews

Kirk Alyn makes this Superman a blast

I wish to say that ten years ago on this very day I personally met Kirk Alyn when I helped him with a chore. He was quite elderly and frail, but still it was an honor to meet him. So this comment is dedicated to the memory of Kirk Alyn.

This is the first time The Man of Steel ever appeared on the screen. And guess what? It's great all thanks to Kirk Alyn and a cast that makes it good fun. Yeah I grant you, the special effects are hokey, but you don't need rock'em-sock'em visuals to make a movie, just a great sense of pure enjoyment. Along with Kirk there is Noel Neil as a very spunky Lois Lane. Carol Forman makes a great villain (and a very sexy one too) as the Spider Lady. And former Little Rascal Tommy "Butch" Bond plays Jimmy Olsen (which in itself is another beginning... Bond was the first person to have ever played this role!). But it's Alyn that makes it all great. He gives Superman a sense of real superhero pizazz without making the Son of Krypton look pompous. So run, or fly, out and get a copy and pop it in your player. This is one time where your entertainment time really does become "A job for Superman"!