13 THINGS You Might Not Know About THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN Radio Show
FOUR COLOR RADIO: Old-time radio programs — and their comics connections… By PETER BOSCH Welcome to my inner sanctum for another adventure in time travel, back to when radio was king in the home. What TV is today, radio was in the 1930s and ’40s. And — just like today — the airwaves were filled with programs with ties to comics, pulps, and science fiction. Since the above issue of Superman #39 appeared on the newsstands January 2, 1946 — 80 years ago — now would be a great time to discuss The Adventures of Superman radio show. After some trial episodes in 1938, the program ran from February 12, 1940, to March 1, 1951. It started out with three shows per week, then from 1943 to 1947, it was five. From there, it was back to three times a week, and two times, and even one show per week near the end. Here are 13 THINGS you may not know about the program: 1. If anyone ever asks you who played Superman more times than any other actor, be sure to tell them it was Clayton “Bud” Collyer (born Clayton Johnson Heermance Jr.). On radio – as well as in the cartoons of the 1940s and the 1960s – he was the voice of Superman and Clark Kent approximately 2,000 times. And though he was very hesitant to do the show in the beginning, his lengthy career as Superman and as the host of the TV game show To Tell the Truth became his well-deserved legacy. (On old-time radio, he also played Pat Ryan on Terry and the Pirates.) In 1950, the roles of Superman/Clark Kent were taken over by Michael Fitzmaurice, who stayed until the end of the program. — 2. There were three radio actresses who played Lois Lane: Rolly Bester, Helen Choate, and Joan Alexander. (Trivia time: Rolly’s husband, Alfred Bester, wrote Golden Age comic book adventures of Green Lantern, Starman, and Captain Marvel. He co-created Solomon Grundy as well as updated Alan Scott’s Green Lantern oath to, “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power – Green Lantern’s light!” He was also a noted science-fiction writer.) And many of us remember Jackson Beck as the narrator of various DC TV cartoons...
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