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Superman (1948)

Superman promotional poster.

Superman is an American film serial of the superhero-action genre. It is based on the popular DC Comics character Superman, and is notable for being the first live-action iteration of the character. Produced by Columbia Pictures, this fifteen-part black-and-white serial premiered in the United States on January 5th, 1948. It starred Kirk Alyn in the titular role of Superman, with Noel Neill as Lois Lane, Tommy Bond as Jimmy Olsen, and Pierre Watkin as Perry White. The central antagonist of this series was the Spider Lady, who was portrayed by Carol Forman.

The serial was directed by Thomas Carr, who later directed many early episodes of the Adventures of Superman television series, and Spencer Bennet. The screenplay was written by Arthur Hoerl, Lewis Clay and Royal Cole and adapted by George H. Plympton and Joseph F. Poland. It was produced by Sam Katzman and shot in and around Los Angeles, California. It was originally screened at movie matinées and after the first three scene-setting chapters, every episode ends in a cliffhanger. The Superman-in-flight scenes are animations, in part due to the small production budget.

Plot[]

Superman is sent to Earth by his parents just as the planet Krypton blows up and is later raised as Clark Kent by a farm couple. They discover that he has great powers so they send him off to use his powers to help those in need. After his foster parents die, the Man of Steel heads to Metropolis under the bespectacled guise of Kent and joins the staff of the Daily Planet in order to be close to the news.

Soon after, he is sent out to get the scoop on a new rock that a man has found that he calls Kryptonite and Clark passes out, the director thinks that he died but when he sat up, he was wrong. Then and there Superman discovered that his weakness is Kryptonite. Whenever emergencies happen, he responds in his true identity as Superman. This first serial revolves around the nefarious plot of a villain who calls herself the Spider Lady.

Chapters[]

  1. Superman Comes To Earth
  2. Depths Of The Earth
  3. The Reducer Ray
  4. Man Of Steel
  5. A Job For Superman
  6. Superman In Danger
  7. Into The Electric Furnace
  8. Superman To The Rescue
  9. Irresistible Force
  10. Between Two Fires
  11. Superman's Dilemma
  12. Blast In The Depths
  13. Hurled To Destruction
  14. Superman At Bay
  15. The Payoff

Cast[]

Principal Cast[]

Actor Role
Kirk Alyn Superman, Clark Kent
Noel Neill Lois Lane
Tommy Bond Jimmy Olsen
Pierre Watkin Perry White
Carol Forman Spider Lady

Supporting Cast[]

Actor Role
George Meeker Driller
Jack Ingram Anton
Terry Frost Brock
Charles King Conrad
Charles Quigley Hackett
Herbert Rawlinson Graham
Forrest Taylor Leeds
Stephen Carr Morgan
Rusty Wescoatt Elton

Notes[]

  • There are a total of fourteen credited actors in this serial. Twelve of the cast members re male, with only two of them being female (Lois & the Spider Lady).

Crew credits[]

Cast appearances[]

  • According to the full cast list for this serial at IMDB, there is additional forty-five uncredited actors who participated in this project.

See also[]

Media

The World of Superman

Superman miscellaneous

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