Adventures of Superman
Series, 1952, George Reeves, Set in Metropolis
Adventures of Superman is #2 of 11 in release order and #2 of 11 in chronological order in the Superman.
The story
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a syndicated TV adaptation of the beloved DC Comics superhero! You know the drill: When he isn't fighting for truth, justice and the American way, the man in tights dons a suit and glasses for his secret identity as Daily Planet newspaper reporter Clark Kent, who works alongside friends Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen for gruff boss Perry White.
Adventures of Superman recap
George Reeves plays Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter at Metropolis's Daily Planet, and Superman, who fights crooks and rescues his colleagues: reporter Lois Lane, cub photographer Jimmy Olsen and editor Perry White, with Inspector Henderson of the police. There is no running storyline; each episode is a self-contained adventure. Seasons 1 and 2, shot in black and white in 1952 and 1953, are tough crime stories with a film noir feel, where gangsters often die and Superman is a mysterious figure. Phyllis Coates plays Lois in season 1 and Noel Neill takes over from season 2. From season 3, the show is filmed in colour and becomes much lighter, aimed at children, with comic villains, little violence and a running formula of Lois and Jimmy being captured and saved at the last minute. Season 6 brings back some science-fiction stories, including a kryptonite-powered robot. Throughout, Clark's colleagues never work out his secret, though Lois often comes close.
Adventures of Superman ending explained
The show has no finale: the last episodes aired in 1958, and plans for more seasons were cut short when actor John Hamilton, who played Perry White, died, and then George Reeves died in June 1959. Proposals to carry on with a Jimmy Olsen spin-off came to nothing, and the series ends with the team still at the Daily Planet.
Where to watch Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.7/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Superman and the Mole Men, before Superman.
- Chronological order: after Superman and the Mole Men, before Superman.
What to watch before Adventures of Superman
Nothing. Adventures of Superman (1952) doesn't continue an earlier version, so it stands on its own.
Cast
- George Reeves as Superman
- John Hamilton as Perry White
- Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen
- Robert Shayne as Inspector Henderson
- Noel Neill as Lois Lane
- Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane
- Ben Welden as Gangster in Montage (archive footage)
- Herb Vigran as Cy Horton
- Richard Reeves as Stacey Tracy
- Billy Nelson as Louie
- Tristram Coffin as Major Osborn
- Pierre Watkin as Sir Lancelot
Created by Whitney Ellsworth, Robert Maxwell.