It is notable as the first liveaction appearance of superman. Kirk alyn later recalled, it was great fun playing superman when i was a little child, my father never let me play cops and robbers. Shirtonepiece wsnap button fasteners at crotch measures 30 long and 19 wide at shoulders. Kirk alyn 19101999 actor starting his show business career as a chorus boy on broadway and an entertainer in vaudeville, kirk alyn played bit parts and minor. Kirk alyn is still probably best known as the first superman, but to serial fans hell also be recalled as a hero who, though he came late to the serial scene, aided greatly in brightening up the genres fading days. Kirk alyn was the strapping actor who in 1948 became the screens first superman, playing the comic strip man of steel in two enormously popular. It stars an uncredited kirk alyn billed only by his character name, superman. Kirk alyn 19101999 was the first actor to portray the man of steel on film.
Kirk alyn and pierre watkin listen to a radio broadcast. Superman is a 15part blackandwhite columbia film serial based on superman. The first superman serial was a 1948 15part blackandwhite movie serial starring an unaccredited kirk alyn but billed only by his character name, superman and noel neill as lois lane. Back in 1948, first superman live action movie was released serial superman movie star is kirk alyn aka the first superman of the. Superman had much improved special effects, with animated bullets bouncing from superman s chest and liveaction scenes of kirk alyn in flight. It was the first liveaction appearance of superman on film. Kirk alyn was the first human incarnation of the incredibly strong, indestructable man from krypton. Superman suited for greatness 1940s tyranny of style. Kirk alyn as superman in the 1948 serial, superman. Maintained by find a grave cremated, ashes scattered, who reports a remains were scattered off the coast of. Born john feggo in oxford, new jersey, on october 8, 1910, kirk alyn became the screens first superman in the 15chapter 1948 columbia serial of the same name. You wont mind the cavernous plot holes in almost every chapter because this saturday matinee classic is pure fun. All of the major players from the first serial return including leading man kirk alyn, credited as only superman, maintaining the fiction that the man himself showed up to film his own adventures, with the addition of lyle talbot as lex luthor.
In 1952 he portrayed blackhawk in another 15 chapter serial entitled blackhawk. Superman, as well as blackhawk from the blackhawk movie serial in 1952, and general sam lane in 1978s superman. It was in the radio series that scriptwriters created superman s vulnerability to magic and kryptonite, both of which were adopted by the comic books. Superman comes to earth as a child and grows up to be his homes first superhero with his. Graham herbert rawlinson professor leeds forrest taylor jorel nelson leigh lara luana walters eben kent edward cassidy martha kent virginia carroll anton jack ingram brock terry frost. Also, by its use of lex luthor as the bad guy, its the first comic bookbased movie serial to use a villain from the original source material. Kids would have to come back to the theater the next week to see each chapter to discover how superman would ultimately triumph in the end. Superman, as well as blackhawk from the blackhawk movie serial in 1952, and general sam lane in 1978. The mildmannered clark gets a job on the daily planet as a reporter, and soon, as his alterego superman kirk alyn, and soon tangles with the spider lady carol forman, who considers herself queen of the underworld. The only drawback is that whenever superman flies, they cut to animation. Superman 1948 is a 15part blackandwhite columbia film serial based on the comic book character superman. The first, simply titled superman was released in 1948, the second atom man vs superman was released in 1950. Superman s noel neill talks about phyllis coates and kirk alyn with jack larson part 4 of 7 duration.
Kirk alyn sets the heroic standard for generations to come as superman, the man of steel in these fun, multichapter cliffhanger adventures. Created by writer jerry siegel and artist joe shuster, the superhero character who escaped the. He played the character superman in the 15 episode serial film superman 1948 and its sequel atom man vs. Superman is a 1950 columbia pictures film serial and the second superman movie serial featuring kirk alyn, credited as with the previous serial only by his character name, superman. Kirk alyn 19101999 films first superman the first actor to play the role of superman on film, kirk alyn passed away on sunday, march 14, 1999 in a hospital in suburban houston, texas at the age of 88. The 15chapter superman 1948 spans our heros first arrival on earth to his alterego role as reporter clark kent of the daily planet where noel neill portrays lois lane through his battle with sinister spider lady and her relativity reducer ray. Both starred kirk alyn as supermanclark kent, while noel neill played lois lane. Superman comes to earth superman 1948 is a 15part blackandwhite columbia film serial based on the comic book character superman. Superman 1948 kirk alyn and noel neill in superman 1948 kirk alyn in superman. Superman watch online free, superman full episode 1948 superman is a 15part blackandwhite columbia film serial based on the comic book character superman. This is every bit as bad as you could imagine, only worse.
She has already had one or two scenes in the first superman serial i will upload them soon as well and now she got herself into trouble. Kirk alyn, noel neill, tommy bond, spencer gordon bennet, thomas carr. Alyn portrayed the man of steel in two 15part movie serials in 1948 and 1950. Lyle talbot, the only major cast member who didnt appear in the first superman serial, is just as good as the returning players. Superman is a 1948 15part blackandwhite columbia pictures film serial based on the comic book character superman. Kirk alyn 19101999 actor starting his show business career as a chorus boy on broadway and an entertainer in vaudeville, kirk alyn played bit parts and minor supporting roles in several lowbudget films before getting his big break playing the title role in the serial superman 1948. March 14, 1999 became the first actor to portray superman clark kent in a live action film in two 15 chapter columbia serials entitled superman and atom man vs. Superman clark kent kirk alyn lois lane noel neill perry white pierre watkin jimmy olsen by tommy bond antagonists. Superman is looking better than ever, thanks to a pristine version of action comics no. Superman the 1948 serial columbia pictures kirk alyn. It also features legendary damsel in distress noel neill as lois lane. Cast superman clark kent kirk alyn lois lane noel neill perry white pierre watkins jimmy olsen tommy bond spider lady carol forman dr. This was mostly because of studio budget constraints in the 1940s.
The suit had been highly refined, with a much smoother fit and now featuring simply the s shield. This group will celebrate kirk alyn, who played superman in 2 columbia serials, superman 1948 and atom man vs. Kirk alyn, the first movie superman, died sunday at a hospital near houston after a long illness. Alyn enjoyed a loyal fan following for his two superman appearances, reflecting that fact in the title of his 1974 autobiography, a job for superman. An engaging 15 chapter serial that is once you get over laughing at the obvious padding in kirk alyn s superman suit. Superman in 1950 were film serial adventures starring kirk alyn as the man of steel. Superman movie serials there were two superman serials produced. Kirk alyn was an american actor, best known for being the first actor to play the dc comics character superman in liveaction for the 1948 movie serial. Superman quickly grew an audience, and in 1948 the first filmed serial was released in theaters, starring kirk alyn. It stars an uncredited kirk alyn and noel neill as lois lane. Columbia pictures hired him because he looked like supermans. Plus theres the sexy spider lady and fan favorite noel neill costarrs as lois lane. Kirk alyn portrayed superman in the 1948 movie serial superman and again in atom man vs. Alyn, neill and bond all played these roles before, in 1948s superman serial, making atom man vs.
Superman is placed in a device, a lever is pulled, and the man of steel vanishes into the empty doom which bears a. In part 2 of this 11 part series, we look at the first live action appearance of superman, brought to us by kirk alyn and george reeves. Discoverall the pulp scifi serials in chronological order. Superman as well as blackhawk in the blackhawk serial, and sam lane in superman. I grew up watching reruns of the superman tv show with george reeves, but i was an adult before discovering the superman movie serials with kirk alyn. It is notable as the first liveaction appearance of superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution. Well, even though this serial was filmed in 1948, only 3 years before the george reeves series began, it might as well have been 25 years difference. When lex luthor blackmails the city of metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community, perry white, editor of the daily planet assigns lois lane, jimmy olsen and clark. Kirk alyn october 8, 1910 march 14, 1999 was an american actor, best known for being the first actor to play superman on screen, in the 1948 film serial superman, and its 1950 sequel atom man vs.
The story centers upon the hero and the nefarious spider lady, who is trying to rule the earth. Kirk alyn played bit parts and minor supporting roles in several lowbudget films before getting his big break playing the title role in the serial superman 1948. This adventure is the first liveaction superman serial and was one of the most successful multichapter films ever made. Kirk alyn was a small part actor from the early thirties on who is remembered today chiefly for one rolebut what a super role it was. Alyn had worked as an actor for many years prior to taking on his most famous. Superman was very successful for columbia pictures, and they followed it up with another 15 chapter serial, atom man vs. He reprised the role in the new adventures of superman in the sixties. Supermans arrival to earth 1948 in serial superman kirk alyn. Kirk alyn 19101999 was an american actor, best known for being the first actor to play superman in liveaction in superman serial and atom man vs. It included many firsts, with lex luthor discovering the phantom zone and lois lane working as a television reporter for luthors tv station. This is the second serial with kirk alyn as superman.
It is notable as the first liveaction appearance of superman on film. If kirk alyn, who has died aged 88, had known about the superman curse, he would never have taken on the role in two 15part movie serials, superman 1948 and atom man vs superman. Kirk alyn sets the heroic standard for generations to come, portraying superman in these fun, multichapter cliffhanger adventures. Alyn became the first liveaction, onscreen incarnation of superman in the 1948 15 chapter serial of the.
As a superman, i found him generally unsatisfactory. Superman, is the method the directors used to simulate flying. Smiling, prancing, wooden, and just all around goofy, kirk alyn probably would have been well suited in the silent era of movies. Superman 1948 serial superman is a 15part blackandwhite columbia film serial based on superman. Atom man vs superman classic movie cliffhanger serial.
Kirk alyn, right, appears as clark kent in the 1948 serial superman. Offered here is a custommade superman suit that was personally owned and worn by kirk alyn, the actor who portrayed superman in the 1948 serial of the same name and its 1950 sequel atom man vs. Meanwhile, a fragment from the planet krypton reaches earth and falls in her possession. He was 38 when he was selected from more than 150 muscular men to play superman in.
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