REVIEW: Adventures of Superman - The Complete First Season (1 Viewer)

[JoSAN]

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[AndySvn]

Quote from David VP:
Another oddity re. the "real" Jimmy Olsen (Larson) is his being listed as having been in the two "China Syndrome" DVD documentaries from 2004. I don't recall him in those at all, and can't figure out the "connection" there for the life of me.

Jack said he was the producer of that film as well as Bright Lights Big City and Mike's Murder. It's safe to say Jack has enjoyed a successful career at producing films after Superman. I wish I could relate everything he said at the signing (he spoke for awhile) but it would take too long.

Superman related tidbits: 1) George loaned out as much money to his friends as he earned. He had a big heart.

2) There was a gap between the filming of Season 1 and Season 2 so Phyllis Coates took the opportunity to film a TV pilot with Jack Carson thinking it would take off. She thought the new show would be a hit so she turned down the chance to do Lois for Season 2. Unfortunately, the Jack Carson pilot didn't make it to a series.

3) When he guest starred on "Lois and Clark" as the "old Jimmy Olsen" he had to be picked up and flown by Superman (Dean Cain). Jack turned to Cain and said "This isn't the first time I've been in Superman's arms". I wish I could have seen Cain's face after hearing that!

I was surprised Jack was tripping on the box set. I thought I was just going to get an autograph and take off, but he put his reading glasses on and stared at everything in amazement. A little bit of Jimmy came out when he blurted, "this is really neat!"

 

[Steve...O]

Thanks for relaying your experience at the Larson book signing Andy.

Of all the principal actors on that show, Larson is the only one to have significant success in show business post Superman. His secret was that he realized that acting wasn't going to cut it so he turned to writing and was a very successful playright in addition to being a producer.

From every interview I've seen with him as well as accounts from others, it is obvious that he is one of the best liked people in show business and is considered an all around good guy.

One thing about him though....I have a feeling he may have fudged his age a bit. If his official bio is to be believed, he was only 18 when the first season was filmed. To me, he looks like he's in his early 20s. Today, he looks older than his reported age of 72. Whatever his age, I wish him lots of good health and hope that he will be able to participate on the remaining TAOS boxsets.

Steve

 

[Ruz-El]

I was having problems finding this in local stores, and now got the following email from Amazon.ca:

---------------
We are writing about your recent order for the DVD set "The Adventures of Superman: The Complete First Season." It has recently come to our attention that one of the discs in this set is a duplicate.

As Warner Bros. has recalled the DVD sets, we have cancelled your order. Your credit card will not be charged.

If you still wish to purchase this item, it will be available again from Amazon.ca in the future--so feel free to check back again. If you need this DVD set immediately, it is currently available from Amazon.com. The sets shipped from the USA do not have this same duplicate DVD issue. For your convenience, here's the link to the
item on Amazon.com:
-------------

Thought I'd post this, in case my fellow Canadians were having the same trouble of finding this in the stores.

 

[Will Krupp]

Larson co-produced films with his longtime companion of over 30 years, James Bridges, who also wrote and directed The China Syndrome. Bridges died of a heart attack in the early 90's. I think Jack Larson is great and he pops up with alot of frequency in books about the 1950's (he seemed to know everybody) and I'm happy they had a long and (seemingly) happy relationship.

 

[David Von Pein]

Oh, OK. I see. Thanks.

Well, I guess that's just another item we can mark down as being incorrect on IMDB....because that site claims Jack was in the 2 "China" featurettes as "Himself". Says nothing about just "producing" the programs. Oh, well...

 

[David Von Pein]

Good observation. However, it's always seemed to me that teenagers looked (and acted) much older than their young years in old 1950s/1960s TV programs.

Maybe other people have differing viewpoints on this, but if you have any of the Groucho Marx "You Bet Your Life" DVD sets (which are great, btw

 

[Will Krupp]

I believe he IS actually in the programs TALKING about the production. They are "making of" featurettes on the dvd.

 

[Steve...O]

I know where you're coming from. I watch interviews from "ordinary" people done in that era and it is amazing how articulate and well spoken many of them are.

Back to Jack Larson, I believe he is in the making of documentary on the Warner Hitchcock DVD of "I Confess" because of his friendship with Monty Clift. He's everywhere!

Steve

PS - still loving this set. I've watched all but 6 shows and am amazed at how good (and uncut) these episodes are.

 

[David Von Pein]

Perhaps so. I've watched those two (very good) "Syndrome" docs, but just the one time. Don't recall seeing Jack. But my memory's not inflammable ... er ... infalaliab ... er ... perfect.

I'll have to send out formal apologies for berating IMDB if/when I see Jack on screen in those.

 

[Robert Crawford]

One of my favorite "War" films is a 1948 film named "Fighter Squadron" that starred Edmund O'Brien and Robert Stack. In this film there are two minor roles as young fighter pilots played by a couple of unknown actors by the names of Rock Hudson and Jack Larsen. When I first watched that film back in the early 1960s, I recalled that I recognized both actors immediately because Hudson was a big film star by then while I watched Superman on TV every day. Larsen was definitely in his 20s when he filmed the first season of Superman.

By the way, this boxset is great!



Crawdaddy

 

[Jeff_HR]

Watched the "Mole Men" feature on this set last night. The last time I saw it was when I was less than 10 yrs old. It was pretty much as I remembered it.

 

[Bill Williams]

Just got my set yesterday and am really loving it already! The memories this brings back of catching the series in reruns during the 1970's, when I would get home from summer day camp to watch AOS on the local ABC affiliate!

There is one thing I have to clarify for Michael's well-written review, and this pertains to the episode "Crime Wave" at the end of Disc 4. From Michael's review:


This is not actually the case, because I've got a VHS of Warner's "TV's Best Adventures of Superman, Volume 2" with "Crime Wave" on it, and the difference occurs at the very end of the episode. On the previous release, once Superman says his final line, "There IS no number one crime boss in Metropolis anymore!" (which still sends chills up my spine to this day, because George Reeves' Man of Steel was never more hard-hitting and no-nonsense than in this segment!) listen very carefully. When Reeves says his line, the scene ends without music. The next thing we see is the start of the end credits sequence.

However, in the version that's represented on the DVD, once Reeves says his line, the scene ends with a fade-in of the final notes of the Superman theme. As the end credits sequence starts, there is a fireworks explosion in space, followed by an image of Reeves as Superman and the AOS logo, and then the end credits begin. This variant ending is not represented on the previous release issued by Warner Home Video. Just thought I would clarify that for everyone.

Great fun set, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming S2 set in January! (I hope that it's got more of those rare Kellogg's commercials on it, as well as the "Stamp Day for Superman" short and more vintage material, too.)

 

[pitchman]

Bill, I have not watched this episode on the DVD yet, but I believe what you are seeing is an extra hard cut where the 'next week's preview' originally went. As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, all first season episodes (except 26) had a preview at the end. For whatever reason, Warner Bros. chose not to include these.

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

That's definitely how the Columbia House version ended. In retrospect, it would have been nice to have BOTH versions of that episode included - the "Kellogg's" (Columbia House) version could have served as an extra, complete with a Kellogg's opening title and the preview for "Unknown People" part one. But it's really only in the first half where the two are radically different.

Michael

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

I'll just jump in and add my accolades to what's been said already.... kids and adults ('round my house, anyway) are both koo-koo for this set, and it's getting heavy play 'round here. I tried to space it out so that we won't finish it until January, but THAT'S not going to happen. George, wherever you are -- you're still loved!

 

[Steve...O]

Regarding Phyllis Coates...there is some discussion going on about her at Jim Nolt's excellent Superman yahoo group.

The bottom line is that she seems to have dropped from view/stopped contact with others several years ago. Mr. Nolt indicated that he specifically asked Jack Larson about this recently and Jack said that they used to stay in touch but he hasn't heard from her in recent years and that the company which produced the special features for this set wanted to include her, but couldn't find her.

If I had to guess, it would appear that perhaps she's having health issues. That's too bad as I'm sure a lot of fans would love to reconnect with her given her increased exposure from these DVDs.

Steve

PS - I still prefer Noel Neill, but I have an increased appreciated of Miss Coates' talents after watching this first season.

 

[Lenny Rakes]

If they decide to ever release the later color seasons, I would like to see the "Superboy" pilot as one of the extras. By the way, does anybody know if the first season box set has been enjoying good sales?

 

[TravisR]

Sales aren't disclosed by the studios unless they want to brag (like "Shrek 2 sold 40 million copies in twenty-three minutes!!!!" or something like that ). I have to imagine that this set has met WB's expectations if they've already got Season Two lined up for January though.

 

[AndySvn]

Great Caesar's Ghost! While I was watching disc 3 last night I noticed that the plot summaries didn't match the titles on the cover.(i.e. Wax Museum summary was listed under The Runaway Robot and the Inca Treasure summary was listed under Double Trouble, etc.) If I was Perry White, I would fire the proofreader at Warners...and don't call me chief!