Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman Page #4

Before the show started, I would

immediately run into the bathroom. . .

. . .and grab the largest towel

and wrap it around my neck.

And when he few through the air. . .

. . .George Reeves,

I dove off my bed just like him.

I was first exposed to Superman

when I was about 2 or 3 years old. . .

. . .through the

George Reeves television series.

Superman was a huge influence

on why I wanted to be an actor.

I just loved that television series

so much.

Jimmy, are you all right?

Yeah, I guess so, my legs

are a little weak, that's all.

That was a close one.

Jim, a word of advice:

-After this, keep out of peoples' safes.

-You bet.

He's a terrific guy

and a totally accomplished actor.

His Clark Kent was wonderfully

reviewed in the New York Times.

They said how the depth

of his performance. . .

. . .had a bit of sadness, Loneliness,

mystery as Clark Kent.

Most of the show's lighter moments...

...came from Jack Larson's

appealing performance as Jimmy Olsen.

-My ankle.

-Let me give you a hand.

I was waiting on the pier

for Miss Lane. . .

. . .to interview Denise Dario,

the French movie star.

Sorry you missed her.

They say she's very pretty.

Right now you're prettier to me

than all the movie stars in the world.

Larson's popularity even led to

a new DC comic book...

...Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen.

It was followed by a book

starring Lois Lane.

DC looked at Jimmy Olsen

and Lois Lane to appeal. . .

. . .to young boys and young girls.

They could see themselves

not as Superman. . .

. . .but they thought of themselves

as Superman's friend.

But not everyone

loved the Man of Steel.

In fact, one outspoken psychiatrist,

Dr. Fredric Wertham...

,,,considered Superman un-American.

In his 1954 book,

Seduction of the Innocent...

... Wertham waged an incendiary war

on comic books...

...and called

the Man of Steel a fascist.

Wertham was a star witness

at the Senate investigation...

...into popular media...

...and its alleged responsibility

for juvenile delinquency...

... which was on the rise

across America.

Wertham's message, echoed

by other witnesses, sent shock waves...

... through the anxious

comic-book industry...

...and threatened its very existence.

Fortunately, Wertham's attack

on Superman...

...bounced off the Man of Steel

like so many bullets.

Here was a hero

who represented all people. . .

. . .not white, not back,

not women, not men. Everybody.

The Adventures of Superman

soared into its third season.

It benefited from a bigger budget.

One that allowed for the series

to be filmed in color.

Inspector, I think you'll find a lot of missing

people in the basement of that house.

-Where's Clark?

-Yes, where is he?

Where he usually is.

By now, there was also a new Lois Lane

in the person of Noel Neill,,,

... who'd been a favorite with audiences

in the Kirk Allen serials.

I'm tired Clark.

Think I'II rest here a minute.

That's a good idea, Lois.

I'II go ahead and scout around a bit.

-You wait right here.

-Okay, don't get Lost.

I always got from the kids:

''Why don't you know

that Clark and Superman. . .

. . .they're the same person

wearing a pair of those darn eyeglasses. ''

And I said,

''I don't want to lose my job. ''

The TV series,

like the franchise...

...fell under the watchful eye

of DC Comics Editorial Director...

... Whitney Ellsworth.

Ellsworth crafted a code of conduct

for all of DC's heroes,,,

...including a ban against killing

and excessive violence.

It was a move designed to protect DC

from further attacks by critics.

For the TV series, Ellsworth collaborated

with the show's sponsor, Kellogg's...

... to make sure the program was

on budget and patently inoffensive.

Get these better-than-ever

puffs of wheat.

They're sugar-toasted

and candy-sweet.

Klieg's are seeing cereals for children

so they wanted to keep our show ''nice. ''

Ellsworth also vetoed the idea

of letting Noel Neill appear...

...in Kellogg's commercials

that featured her fellow cast members...

...enjoying a hearty breakfast.

And I kept saying,

''Aren't I going to do any?''

And they said, ''Oh, well, we don't

feel that you should be sitting. . .

. . .at a breakfast table having cereal

with Jimmy Olsen or Clark Kent. . .

. . .because that's just wrong. ''

Ironically, the idea of Clark and Jimmy

waking up to breakfast together,,,

,,,didn't seem to raise any eyebrows.

Oh, good, you're both here. Now,

we have an important assignment and I--

chief, can't it wait till after breakfast?

News can't wait, Kent,

you know that.

-Now then--

-Not even for new Sugar Smacks, chief?

Now, I say we have this important--

Why, yes, don't mind if I do.

Over the next five years, the popularity

of the Adventures of Superman. . .

...continued undiminished.

Ms. Lane, wail you please release Jimmy

and the good professor, here.

I have to go catch those crooks.

The props might have been

on the flimsy side.

And some of the situations

may have been a bit bizarre.

But it didn't matter. Kids around

the world couldn't get enough.

And much of the credit

belonged to George Reeves...

... who anchored the often outlandish

stories with his natural charm.

What was that?

Oh, just the usual hired thugs

in the usual powerful back sedan.

But never mind, I'll get them.

-Are you ail right?

-I'm all right.

What's going on here?

I was cruising by in my car

and heard the shooting.

It's quite ail right, inspector.

Miss Lane is unharmed.

I looked up to him as a kid.

So many other people did.

George Reeves

would have made a great dad.

You wanted to help people and that's

what I call being real super, Bobby.

George was a noble. . .

-. . .person.

-Southern gentleman.

-He was a gentleman.

-He was wonderful.

And he always had a sign up

on his dressing room:

''Honest George,

the people's friend. ''

Reeves gave every episode his all...

...especially when it came

to his character's famous entrances.

-Superman!

-Am I glad to see you.

Gooey, Superman, you could have

come in through the door.

-This seemed a little more spectacular.

-George took the walls very seriously.

He liked to come through, and he liked

them to pop out everywhere.

My word, it's Superman.

George made the entrances he did

because he fell once.

In one of the very first shows,

they were flying him in like Peter Pan. . .

. . .and the wire broke, and he fell

and he said, ''That's it.

Peter Pan flies, my Superman

doesn't fly on wires. ''

And when he would do his entrances,

there would be a bar...

. . .and George would jump,

grab the bar and come in.

Did you find it?

Did you find Carborium-X?

I hope so, professor.

Special effects were quite primitive,

but his entrances and exits are buffo.

That moment in the end of the episode

where Lois would be criticizing Clark. . .

. . .and George would Look to us and say,

''well, I did my best, Lois.

After ail you can't expect me

to be a Superman. ''

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