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YOUR TIME MACHINE TO THE PAST!
Contact Us: Swapsale@aol.com
HEROES
COMMANDER BUZZ CORRY
OF THE
SPACE PATROL
Space Patrol is a science fiction adventure, aimed at juvenile audiences of the early 1950s via television, radio, and comic books.
The Space Patrol television show began as a 15-minute show on a local (Los Angeles) station on March 9, 1950. On December 30, 1950, a half-hour show was added on Saturdays on ABC (while the 15-minute show continued daily locally, and was seen via kinescope in a few other cities). A 1953 30-minute episode was the subject of the first US experimental 3D-TV broadcast on April 29 in Los Angeles on ABC affiliate KECA-TV.[1][2]
Space Patrol aired continuously until July 2, 1954; after a short break, it reappeared on September 4, 1954, and it finally disappeared from the air on February 26, 1955. 210 half-hour shows were made, and close to 900 15-minute shows over Space Patrol's 5-year run.
The stories followed the 30th-century adventures of Commander Buzz Corry (Ed Kemmer) of the United Planets Space Patrol and his young improbably-named sidekick Cadet Happy (Lyn Osborn) as they faced nefarious interplanetary villains with diabolical schemes. Not surprisingly for the time, some of these villains had Russian- or German-sounding accents. Cmdr. Corry and his allies were aided by such nifty gadgets as "miniature space-o-phones" and "atomolights." Episodes had such pulp-magazine titles as "Revolt of the Space Rats" and "The Menace of Planet X."
The special effects used in the live half-hour TV episodes had to be performed in real time. For example, pistols that shot invisible rays necessitated pre-positioning a small explosive charge on the wall. An actor would point the prop at that spot, whereupon a special effects worker would throw a detonation switch. These effects could not have been superimposed on film for the series was done live. For distribution to distant stations, an image of a tiny bright TV monitor was filmed to make kinescopes, and most of the Saturday half-hour TV broadcasts are available in this form today. The 15-minutes-every-weekday version of the program was at first seen mainly in the Los Angeles viewing area, but also was later distributed nationwide via kinescopes; it was not carried by ABC-TV but was presented in syndication.
The show played directly to children, and each episode shamelessly merchandised various toys and mail-order premiums tied into the series during their commercial breaks. Even the ads for corporate sponsor Chex cereals used the show's space opera motif in their pitches. A unique feature of the TV and radio adventures was that the premium of the month was often worked intricately into the action of the live adventures.
Many if not all of the 30-minute TV episodes are also currently available in various video formats.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Patrol_(1950_TV_series)
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FROM ELLIOTT SWANSON
Thanks, Elliott
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Space Heroes - Space Patrol
In its day, Space Patrol
was a pretty popular program (Boy, if that isn't the understatement of
the year....). It began as a 15-minute television show on KECA in California on
March 9, 1950. But six months later, it would become the half-hour Saturday show
we remember most today.
The story of the spaceship Terra and its crew, who were all responsible for
policing the United Planets of the 30th century, Space Patrol struck an
exciting chord with viewers. Every week for the next five years, they tuned in
to see how Corry (Ed Kemmer), Cadet Happy (Lyn Osborne) and Carol Karlyle
(Virginia Hewitt) fared against mad scientists, space pirates and an assortment
of weird extraterrestrial creatures. Their most famously foiled villains
included Mr. Proteus, Captain Dagger, the Space Spider and the Black Falcon.
Those who couldn't get enough of the television show had only to turn on their
radios twice a week to follow even more harrowing exploits from the Terra crew.
And when both the radio and TV shows were over, they could always read Space
Patrol comics and collect an assortment of Space Patrol premiums,
including space suits, helmets, communicators, signal flashlights, a mini
spaceport, a rocket cockpit, Paralyzer Ray Gun, Cosmic Ray Gun and trading
cards.
Used by permission. ©2009 Gemstone Publishing, Inc. and/or Diamond International Galleries except where noted.
All other material ©2008 respective copyright holders. All rights reserved.
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SPACE PATROL AT LIFE MAGAZINE
Back in the 1950s the Saturday morning TV show called Space Patrol had a "Name The Planet" contest, the winner of which would get the greatest prize any kid has ever gotten: his own spaceship. Not a toy. Not a cardboard replica that would fall apart within weeks if not days but a real, full size metal spaceship. Okay, it couldn't really go into space, but it could take your imagination there. Now, thanks to Life magazine you can actually visit the day the spaceship was delivered to the lucky winner of the contest. Just click here.
SPACE PATROL SONGS
(Thanks to Dr. Warren Chaney)
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MORE SPACE PATROL PIX AT LIFE MAGAZINE
SPACE PATROL AT LIFE
Life magazine is slowly putting its photos on line...There are several pages under "Space Patrol." -- Sal LaManna
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HAPPY'S SPACE PATROL UNIFORM AT AUCTION SATURDAY, SEPT. 25, 2010
FOR MORE INFO: CLICK HERE
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ELLIOTT SWANSON'S TIME MARSHALL WALLET
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My most recent project, not done commercially and only four made, are leather Space Patrol
Time Marshal wallets, with alumiloy badge and ID card. All have been distributed to the super
secret cadre of Time Marshals (even I don't have one). And Space Patrol directives required
me to destroy the molds once the credentials were issued. I cannot reveal the list of Time
Marshals. Those who received Time Marshal creds, remember, you're sworn to secrecy. To
make your presence known could disrupt the space time continuum.
Lt. JG Swanson,
Space Patrol
Time Patrol Division
One of the points of this little exercise is to encourage others to put things into the pot just
for fun and to keep the legend alive.
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SPACE PATROL UNIFORM
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Special thanks to Jean-Noel Bassior for the above tip. Ken Mayer's (Major Robertson)
Space Patrol uniform appeared at the following website:
http://www.hakes.com/item.asp?Auction=191&ItemNo=54629
It sold for $16,675. We don't know any more than that.
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MISSION TO PLUTO
Art and Fiction by Warren Chaney
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THE ART WORK OF
DR. WARREN CHANEY
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FEATURING THE FIRST SPACESHIP USED ON TV'S "SPACE PATROL."
PLUS...
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Our special thanks to Warren Chaney for sending us these terrific art pieces.
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THE ONE BOOK YOU MUST HAVE!
It's finally here! The book we've all been waiting for! And was it ever worth the wait! Four hundred and thirty eight pages including two hundred and eighteen photos plus notes, appendices, bibliography and index! It's all here in more detail than we had any right to expect or even think possible. Based on interviews with stars Ed Kemmer, Virginia Hewitt, Nina Bara, writer Norman Jolly, director Dick Darley, radio writer Lou Huston, announcers Jack Narz and Dick Tufeld (and many others), Jean-Noel Bassior takes us back to the early 1950s, putting us in the moment as TV invents itself and history is made. We are there when Space Patrol first goes on the air and we're there when Ed Kemmer comes on board to replace the show's original lead, Glen Denning. We're also there when a very young and inexperienced Gene Barry (later achieving fame as TV's Bat Masterson) goes blank during a live Space Patrol broadcast with Virginia Hewitt and we're there when Virginia and Lyn Osborn (Cadet Happy) -- who dated for a while -- have a laughing fit during another live broadcast. Sadly, we are also present when Osborn first experiences his blackouts and later confronts the awful truth about his condition. Bassior probes the memories and -- more tellingly -- the emotions of all her subjects in such unexpected detail that one is tempted to say she has captured and frozen, not just Space Patrol, but an entire slice of the 1950s for all of time. My only frustration with this book is that it is too thick to read in one sitting yet too fascinating to put down. -- Bruce David/Swapsale (12-25-04)
TO ORDER THIS BOOK: www.mcfarlandpub.com or call 800) 253 2187
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LETTER AND PHOTO FROM MIKE ELMO:
My Fellow Cadets,
Here is a photo that The Commander sent me as a thank you for his
Jacket. I very much wish that I could have really had the chance to
really know him! But, I am very grateful for the time that I did spend
with him!!!!! At Monster Rally 99, To our surprise and great joy, Mr.
Kemmer invited Clyde and myself to a taped interview. What a wonderful
honour!!! To sit and hear first hand of his times in The Service and of
course, Space Patrol! He LOVED all his co-stars!!! They were like Family
to him and he always spoke very highly of all them!! You could tell that
he missed them very much!! You don't put something like Space Patrol
together and give it your all and not be touched!! As he spoke of his
times with his Crew, his eyes lit up! REAL JOY!!!!! And that is what I
think that he and all our Heroes gave all us Cadets, REAL JOY!!!!! Kim
has told me that when I'm watching, Space Patrol, Space Cadet or Rocky
Jones, there is a little smile that never leaves my face as I watch my
Friends!!!
Now I know that he and Hap and all our departed Friends are sitting,
having A Cool One, and smiling with us also!!!!
Watch over all of us Cadets, Commander! We LOVE you and miss you!!!!!!!
Your Friend,
Mike.
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It’s
Hard to Lose a Hero
By Dr. Warren
Chaney
Heroes are in short supply these days.
The world lost one on November 10, 2004.
Edward Kemmer, known to millions of his fans as Commander
Buzz Corry, passed away in New York City. Ed
starred in that role during the 50’s run of the top rated television series, Space
Patrol. Most of time, heroes of
the screen are celluloid only. I’ve
been a film and television director for 30 years and during that time I’ve
seldom seen any similarity between an actor’s screen image and the actor. This
was not true with Ed Kemmer. Ed
Kemmer and Commander Corry were so similar that it often appeared that only the
name changed.
In real life, Ed was a hero. He was a fighter pilot during World War II and crash landed
behind enemy lines on his 48th combat mission.
He escaped and was recaptured and remained a POW until freed by General
Patton’s army at the end of the war.
I got to know Ed some 25 years ago when directing a
television network Saturday morning sci-fi movie. During the filming, the
special effects team failed to deliver several crucial rocket cockpit scenes.
The studio panicked when it learned the “cockpit”
special effects were unable to be filmed. Hearing
of it, I improvised. I had the
“blue screen” cut from the cockpit and mounted a camera on the outside
looking in. Actors were put in
place and the scenes filmed. As the
space craft veered this way and that, the camera mount tilted and turned,
matching the movement of the actors who were directed to do the same.
The results looked impressive.
“Brilliant,”
cried the studio executives. “Impressive,”
said another, “And, all without the costs of special effects.”
Fortunately, the studio had never seen or didn’t
remember, Space Patrol.
I was merely duplicating the shots I remembered as a child.
As I drove home, I mused on the “effect” the series had upon my
childhood and adult life. My
education, career, and avocations all owe their genesis to the space opera of my
childhood. You can imagine my delight when one of my cast members
informed me that she had worked with Ed Kemmer for several years in the soap
opera, The Guiding Light.
She had Ed’s address and phone number and soon arranged for me to meet
him.
Having the opportunity to know Ed Kemmer over the past
years has been one of the real delights of my life. Ed was Commander Corry.
He was very much the same person off the screen that he was on.
Just as he’d been a “leader” in the military, he fit the role of a
leader of the Space Patrol. When you
work in a world of actors as I do, it’s so refreshing to find a non-actor,
actor. If he had any pretense, I
never picked up on it. If there was
an out of control ego, I never saw it.
Ed worked his entire professional life which is no small
feat in this business. After Space
Patrol he starred in a number of features and appeared in countless
television productions. He spent
the later years of his career as a highly successful lead in the soaps.
Ed was successful because he was a very talented actor. His talent and military leadership skills were obvious in the
Space Patrol series.
He easily moved from television to radio and back to television again.
Each media required different acting skills and Kemmer mastered them all.
Generations later, young people continue to watch and
enjoy Space Patrol.
Fifty years later, it can still grip the imaginations of young people.
Yes, the sets and production values are crude by modern standards but so
are most things. Yet, the
characterization of Kemmer’s Commander Corry still commands the attention and
respect of young people, new to the show.
My 12 years old son Grayson, grew up on Space Patrol as
have many children of the series early fans.
When he learned of Ed’s death, he cried. As I write, he sits on the stairs leading down to my office
and is sobbing quietly. He sits
directly below a framed poster from the show.
When Space Patrol suddenly
went off the air, I was stunned. It
came as a shock to the millions of children and adults who tuned in every
Saturday. The show’s ratings had been quite high for both the television and
radio productions. As other sci-fi
programs had shrinking sets and diminished budgets, Space
Patrol was just the opposite. Unfortunately,
irreconcilable conflict between ABC and Helen Mosher led to it’s premature
demise.
Children saw Space
Patrol as an integral part of their life.
Commander Corry was a family member.
When the series ended, kids lost their first important fraternity
membership and a loved one. I once
remarked to Ed that when the series went off the air, I didn’t think I would
ever get over the loss. As I sit
here writing, I realize that I never have.
Ed Kemmer was always kind, considerate, and generous to his legions of fans. He signed autographs endlessly, answered the same questions over and over with remarkable enthusiasm, and always posed for pictures whenever asked. His passing will forever leave an empty space in the lives of the fans who knew him or just viewed him. Other’s will step in and fill his space…but, they will never fill his place.
My son just got up from the stairs and headed toward the
kitchen.
“How are
you, Grayson?” I asked.
“I’m
okay Dad,” he replied. “It’s
just hard.”
“Getting something to drink?” I questioned.
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WITH 3-D PIX!
Report From Chuck Lassen
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Chuck
FOR INFO ON THE MODEL KITS CLICK HERE
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AN INTERVIEW WITH THE COMMANDER
ED KEMMER TALKS ABOUT SPACE PATROL!
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AN INTERVIEW WITH SPACE PATROL WRITER/ACTOR
NORMAN JOLLEY
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NOTES ON THE TERRA V
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REPORT FROM THE SOLAR GUARD:
Cadet Tom Noel reports that the Silvercup Rocket has been moved back into the Air Zoo's Flight & Restoration Center and is in the process of a thorough restoration. More information on a contact list for updates on the restoration will be available soon, stay tuned.
MORE: www.solarguard.com
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ROCKY JONES SILVERCUP BREAD SPACE SHIP
Since we're introducing our first volume of the Rocky Jones TV show on DVD, we thought this would be a good time to spotlight the Silvercup bread rocket used to promote the Rocky Jones TV show. For more pix and info go to: http://silvercup0.tripod.com/index.htm
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