TAC, Jr. #8
From the publisher of The Adventures Continue
www.jimnolt.com

Wednesday, June 11, 1997

Contents:
1) REVISED TIMETABLE
2) ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
3) RADIO SPIRITS, INC.
4) A DYNAMITE TAKE-OFF
5) FLIGHT PATTERNS
6) WHAT IS GONE WITH THE WIND?
7) WORDS FROM WHIT
8) TAC #13 AND #14
9) DON'T MISS THE NEXT THRILL-PACKED ISSUE OF THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE

1) REVISED TIMETABLE-
When I first thought about TAC, Jr., it was my intention to publish on a
monthly basis. In the first few weeks, however, there was so much to say
that one was coming at you almost weekly. Now, however, beginning with this
June issues, I plan to scale back to my original monthly schedule. I hope
you find each issue informative and entertaining. And if any of you have a
tidbit you think would be good for the newsletter, send it on to me and I
might include it.

2) ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY -
Each week, in its Encore section, Entertainment Weekly highlights an event
of the past. In the June 13, 1997 issue, the editors focus on "The Death of
a Superhero" -- George Reeves. A picture of George accompanies the article.
This quote from Jack Larson concludes the article, "George once said he
wished he had one adult fan. Well, now he's got a lot."

Indeed, Jack, indeed he does. [Thanks to the many readers who alerted me to
this article.]

3) RADIO SPIRITS, INC.
TAC reader Tim Healy sent this information to TAC, Jr. It seems that DC
Comics, in conjunction with Smithsonian Historical Broadcasts and a company
called Radio Spirits, Inc. have recently released a 5-CD or 6-cassette
collection of the original Superman radio programs with Bud Collyer. The
collection has been digitally remastered and for those who have never heard
them, present a Superman quite different from the one we grew up with. Those
who are interested can write for a free catalog: Radio Spirits, Inc., PO Box
2141, Schiller Park, IL 60176 or call 800-RADIO-48.

4) A DYNAMITE TAKE-OFF -
During the run of the show, Superman very often leaped out a window when
responding to an emergency. And one particular window, in the first and
second seasons, must have been a favorite of his, because it seemed to be
with him no matter where he went. It even accompanied him to the jungles of
Haiti! Reader Dave Orbach sent me this question: For which episode was the
take-off out the Daily Planet window filmed? This take-off can be seen in
"Drums of Death" and "The Man In The Lead Mask" among others. My first
reaction was to say that it wasn't filmed for any particular episode but was
filmed purposely to be used as stock footage. Dave pointed out, however,
that it must have been filmed for "The Human Bomb" because if you look
carefully, even when that window becomes Clark Kent's apartment window in
"Man In The Lead Mask," Superman is still carrying that stick of dynamite
from "The Human Bomb." You must use the pause and look carefully, but there
it is in George's right hand!

5) FLIGHT PATTERNS -
In TAC, Jr. #7 Bruce Kanin's brought up the question of Superman's
stationary flight scenes in "The Machine The Could Plot Crimes" and "The
Human Bomb." This time, reader Mike Forbes adds this: To pick up on item #6
in TAC, Jr. #6, I call attention to "The Defeat of Superman." As Superman
heads for his encounter with that machine gun (Oh, just a bee sting,
Jimmy"), we see him rotate into his vertical landing position in mid-air. As
I recall, it is the only time in the run of the entire series we see this.
It makes you wonder why, if they took the time to shoot and edit it, they
didn't use the sequence more often. Am I correct, or was it used more than
once?

I think Mike is correct there, but if anyone noticed it in any other
episodes, please let me know. I must also tell you that I liked the way Mike
ended his message to me: Sorry to cut this short... but I have to go see
where my kids are. "People come and go around here all the time and tell me
NOTHING!"

6) WHAT IS GONE WITH THE WIND?
Jeopardy (May 27, 1997) - Under the heading of Movie Classics. "George
Reeves, TV's first Superman, starred as one of the Tarlton twins in this
1939 film." Steve Sackstein admits he might not have the quote exact, but we
all know the answer.

7) WORDS FROM WHIT -
Readers often call to lament about the fact that through the years Superman
episodes have been cut and spliced to the point where we sometimes no longer
know what pieces are missing. Indeed, as was reported in TAC, Jr. complete
scenes are missing from some Columbia House prints which are advertised as
being uncut. After Curt James wondered what Whit would have thought of this
practice, I once again went rummaging through my stack of letters from Whit
to find out. In a letter dated April 5, 1980, he wrote:

When I occasionally happen to catch an old Superman show, I'm almost always
horrified by the way it has been cut - mutilated is the better word - to
accommodate more commercials than originally intended. One that leaps to
mind is "Olsen's Millions," in which Jimmy and Lois burn up Jimmy's fortune
in currency so that Superman will see smoke signals spelling SOS from the
chimney of the house where his pals are being held captive. The explanation
of what Lois and Jimmy are about to do has been cut, as well as their
dialogue about smoke signals in Morse code; thus they seem to be burning
money for no reason at all, and when Superman sees smoke spewing from a
chimney we do not realize that he is reading Morse code; and we wonder why
just any old smoke from any old chimney should alert him to Lois' and
Jimmy's peril. So what we conceived as a mildly clever plan involving
Jimmy's having to trade his wealth for their freedom becomes mere
happenstance. It makes everybody concerned with the show look pretty inept.

8) TAC #13 and #14 -
By now, everyone who ordered TAC #13 and #14 should have received his or her
copy. I was quite pleased with the results, and I hope you were too. Of
course, the people who did the real work are the writers of the individual
articles - Jan Alan Henderson, Jim Beaver, Chuck Harter, Michael Oliker, Pat
Wilson, Janeen Christensen, and Michael Hayde - and the illustrator, Randy
Garrett . A round of applause for them all, and if you'd like to respond to
them individually, please send your comments to me, and I'll pass them on.

Some reviews already received:

The latest issues were outstanding. I especially enjoyed the 1951 special
with Mike Hayde's wonderful research. Pat Ellsworth's story on the origins
of the Mole Men was likewise fascinating. I predict that your readers will
say also that you have produced your finest work this time. - TAC founder,
Don Rhoden.

I just received TAC 13 and 14 this Saturday. I've started reading TAC 14
first since it deals with the emergence of the Adventures Of Superman. I am
impressed with all the in-depth detail and insights, to say nothing of Randy
Garret's work. I really got a kick from Randy's recreation of the moment
when Tommy Carr found his Superman. However, one fact sticks in my mind.
When the Adventures Of Superman was opened up for daily syndication in the
fall of 1960, some television stations were still showing it on a weekly
basis. In other words, three years after the final Adventures Of Superman
scene was shot, the show still aired as if nothing happened! The importance
of this revelation is that it shows that the Adventures Of Superman was a
wind-whooshing trendsetter, much more so than Lois & Clark. In fact, I've
read at a L&C website that TBS has brought exclusive syndication rights for
the show, thus Lois & Clark is immediately falling to the level of daily
reruns.

In short, Lois & Clark is no trendsetter, since its afterlife is already
shaping up to be far less stellar than its 1950's predecessor. How's that
for poetic justice? The thing is, L & C episodes grow stale for me the very
first time, even before the episode is over. Yet, in stark contrast,
Adventures Of Superman episodes never ever grow stale because the characters
all seem real. They don't have to struggle at their parts because they have
all have an intuitive understanding of the role. For that reason, I'd still
take "Close Shave" or "The Brainy Burro" over any L&C episode, any day. -
Thomas Boud, Bloomingdale NJ.

9) DON'T MISS THE NEXT THRILL PACKED ISSUE OF THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE -
Join with the Man of Steel when he was just a boy! That's right, I have
pictures of George Reeves as a young boy of 16 months, 2 years, and about 7
or 8 along with his stepfather, Frank Bessolo. This is one issue you won't
want to miss. More on this in the coming months. In the meantime, if you
didn't order TAC #13 and #14 there are still a couple issues here on the
shelf, but it's first come, first served.

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The Adventures Continue . . .
. . .with George Reeves