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The announcer who read, "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" was Bill Kennedy who appeared in the episode "Crime Wave."
When the series was filmed in black and white during its first two seasons, George Reeves wore a brown for red, gray for blue and white for yellow costume. When the show began filming in color in 1954, he switched to the trademark red and blue suit.
Because of a limited budget, all episodes were filmed out of sequence, with all scenes in Perry White's office, for example, being done at once. This explains why the actors always seemed to wear the same clothes in every episode.
George Reeves was suspended by cables when he appeared to be flying during the first two seasons. In subsequent seasons he was positioned on a molded platform contoured to fit his body, and wore his costume over it.Exterior landing scenes were accomplished by having Reeves jump off of a ladder.When he came through the window, Reeves would jump and swing in from a bar stationed outside the window
Initially, the cast regulars were paid $200 per episode. They had to beg the producer to give them a $50 raise, which they got, but the producer didn't speak to any of them for two weeks afterwards.
The first 26 episodes were filmed in 1951, but did not appear on television until 1952, when Kellogg's Cereals agreed to sponsor the show.
An additional season of episodes was to have been filmed beginning in mid-summer 1959, with George Reeves returning as Superman. The revival was cancelled after Reeves' death that June.
In episode #1.1 "Superman on Earth" a number of the costumes worn in the Krypton sequences were cannibalized from ones used in 1940s serials which were comic strip and comic book adaptations. The costume that Jor-El, Superman's father is the same one that Buster Crabbe wore in the serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). Other Kryptonians wore parts of the costumes of Captain Marvel (from Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)) and Captain America (from Captain America (1944)) among others.
It is now common knowledge that Clark Kent's Earth parents were named Jonathan and Martha. However, in the first episode, "Superman on Earth", Kent's parents were named Eben and Sarah. This is because the comics themselves were inconsistent with the Kents' given names until the characters became major players in "Superboy" comics stories at about this same time. The names Sarah and Eben were first used in the novel The Adventures of Superman (1942) and in the first Superman serial.
Phyllis Coates played the role of Lois Lane in the first season. When Coates left the series, she was replaced by Noel Neill who had already played the role in the earlier movie serials.
A different shot of a train was used intermittently on a few of the first episodes in the first season for the opening credits over the famous "more powerful than a locomotive" line.
In the early episodes, George Reeves wore glasses without lenses in them when he played Clark Kent. As he got older Reeves eventually needed a real prescription for eyeglasses, so he began wearing his own glasses, as can be seen in many later episodes when you can see the stage lights being reflected off the lenses.
The first seasons were created by a team experienced in the production of B movies and serials. The producers and their production team simply treated each episode as if were a mini (25 minute) B movie.
The producers never expected the audience to be able to see more than one episode per week. That is why some actors, such as 'Tristam Coffin' , appeared is successive episodes playing different characters.
When the series was picked up by Kellogg's, the breakfast cereal manufacturer, some of the cast members were able to make extra money by appearing in Kellogg's commercials. This did not include Phyllis Coates or Noel Neill. It was felt that Lois Lane having breakfast with Clark Kent was too suggestive.
A running gag on the show was to have a thug fire his gun at Superman until it was out of bullets. Superman, being bulletproof wouldn't move and let the bullets bounce off of him. When the villain realized his gun was empty he would throw his gun at Superman and Superman would then duck after having bullets fired at him.
The Superman costume was padded to make it appear that George Reeves had greater bulk. However, Reeves himself did most of the stunts, which required impressive athletic ability including jumping from substantial heights (to simulate Superman landing in the frame), hitting a springboard with sufficient force to propel him out of frame (to simulate Superman taking off in flight), swinging through windows, and hours spent doing wire work and being in a body support platform to create the scenes of Superman flying.
In the early seasons, wire work was used to create some of the flying scenes. During the course of this work there had been some minor mishaps, but on one occasion the support wires snapped, causing George Reeves to be dropped to the floor. Reeves refused to do anymore wire work. This is why episodes in the early seasons would show Superman taking off in flight within the frame. But, in later seasons, he would run toward the camera, hit a springboard hidden below frame and leap out of frame.
The train seen in the opening sequence for the first 2 seasons is a streamline steam locomotive. Starting with the 3rd season which were filmed in color, a modern diesel locomotive was seen instead.
In the first season, when Phyllis Coates played Lois Lane, she got star billing along with George Reeves. When Noel Neill took over the role in the second season, her character was reduced to featured billing.
[repeated line]
Perry White:
Great Caesar's Ghost!
[repeated line]
Perry White:
Don't call me Chief!
Announcer:
Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from another planet, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men! Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way!
[to Lois Lane]
Clark Kent:
This is a job for Superman... I mean, I've got to find him!
Revealing mistakes: With the switch to more expensive color film in 1954, there was a mandate to shoot no more new effects scenes than absolutely necessary. Most Superman-in-flight footage was filmed right-to-left. When the plot unavoidably required Superman to fly in the opposite direction, the footage was "flipped," as can be detected by the reversal of the "S" chest emblem. Another explanation is that George Reeves' "body pan' was attached to a pole that was blocked from view by his body. Unfortunately it was attached on only on his right side. If he had to be shown flying in the opposite direction the film had to be reversed. This not only occurred in the colour episodes, but the black and white ones as well.
Crew or equipment visible: In some shots where Superman used the springboard to leap out of frame, the tip of the springboard would bounce back up and appear at the very bottom of the frame.
Follows
Superman and the Mole-Men (1951)
Edited into
Superman's Peril (1954)
Superman Flies Again (1954)
Superman and the Jungle Devil (1954)
Superman in Exile (1954)
Superman in Scotland Yard (1954)
Superman (1973)
Referenced in
"I Love Lucy: Lucy and Superman (#6.13)" (1957)
- The show is mentioned by name.
Piranha (1978)
Blobermouth (1990)
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (#4.21)" (1991)
- "Don't call me Chief!"
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: Invasion USA (#7.2)" (1994)
- Which Lois Lane do you like better?
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 (1999) (TV)
- Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 features many clips and references from movie and television history.
Wonder Boys (2000)
Unbreakable (2000)
The Magic Behind the Cape (2001) (V)
- references the old superman series and it's way of making a man fly
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story (2002) (TV)
Surge of Power (2004)
- Noel Neill is introduced as Lois Lane from this show
Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman (2006) (TV)
- This show is talked about as the first appearance of Superman on the small screen
The Curse of Superman (2006) (TV)
- Reference to the George Reeves "Superman" show
MovieReal: Hollywoodland (2006) (TV)
- discussion of this program is part of the film
Featured in
Such Good Friends (1971)
Kisses (1976)
Superman 50th Anniversary (1988) (TV)
This Boy's Life (1993)
Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown (1994) (TV)
- scenes from this show are included
Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked (2003) (TV)
- The TV series '"Adventures of Superman" (1952)' is featured in this documentary.
Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman (2006) (TV)
- Scenes are shown as this series is discussed
The Curse of Superman (2006) (TV)
- Clips are shown
Hollywoodland (2006)
Spoofed in
Stupor Duck (1956)
Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island (1983)
Superior Duck (1996)
Wrongfully Accused (1998)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II (2000)
- Dialogue "Look, up in the sky"
The Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless (2001) (V)
- "It's a bird" "It's a plane" "It's a blue penis"
Kiss My Act (2001) (TV)
"Robot Chicken: Junk in the Trunk (#1.1)" (2005)
- a sketch with 'bloopers' from the show