TAC, Jr. #17
From the publisher of The Adventures Continue
www.jimnolt.com

March 2, 1998 (8:05 PM Eastern)

Welcome to another issue of TAC, Jr. Before you get into this issue, I'd
like to remind you to visit my website as I've added information about the
contents and availability of back issues of The Adventures Continue, news
about autographed photos of Phyllis, Jack, Noel, and Bob, and updates
regarding Mike Bifulco's book, Superman On Television. I'll soon be adding
to the favorite scenes pages as well.

1) BUT WHEN I READ THIS RUBBISH I GET SO MAD I COULD . . .
2) MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS
3) SUPERMAN IN THE COMICS
4) GEORGE REEVES IN THE MOVIES
5) SUPERMAN ON TELEVISION
6) SUPERMAN ON LASER DISK
7) SUPERMAN IN METROPOLIS
8) ALTERNATE TITLES
9) THEY'RE GREEEAAAAT!

1) BUT WHEN I READ THIS RUBBISH I GET SO MAD I COULD . . .
The March 3 issue of The New National Enquirer is a special double issue
featuring a myriad of Unsolved Hollywood Mysteries including the mystery of
George Reeves' death in 1959. Unfortunately the half-page article contains
the same half-baked and twisted tales which have been circulating for the
past forty years. Read it if you want to, but nothing new is offered, nor is
there much respect for George's memory.

2) MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS
On March 9, E! Entertainment Network will begin a new series called
Mysteries and Scandals. The subject of the first episode is Lana Turner, and
one week later, March 16, E! will present the story of George Reeves. I
first learned about this series last fall when I received a call from E!
requesting information and photos. I was happy to help them with the
production but have been more than a little uneasy these past few months
wondering what direction the show would take. The advance review copy I
received last week put my fears to rest. The half-hour segment opens with a
shot of George's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and segues into comments
from Milo Speriglio, Fred Crane, Jack Larson, Phyllis Coates, and Noel
Neill. The story of George's life is told through rare photographs, archival
footage, and recreations of what might have happened in the early morning
hours of June 16, 1959. Among the rarest of photographs are those showing
George as a young boy, young man, and finally at rest in his coffin. There
is also a short film clip of George's mother, Helen Bessolo. Jim Beaver is
featured prominently as are other TAC contributors, Jan Alan Henderson, Jim
Hambrick, and John Field. Also seen in short clips are Nancy Schoenberger,
co-author of Hollywood Kryptonite, and Gene LeBell, stuntman and friend of
George Reeves. Of course, Mysteries and Scandals, like all the other
productions before it, presents only speculation, and the mystery of
George's death remains just that, but it is worth watching for its
objectivity and considerable research. Near the segment's end Phyllis,
Jack, and Noel are asked how they think George would like to be remembered.
Phyllis thinks he'd like to be remembered as a "a decent human being . . . a
fun-loving, kind, generous, decent human being." Jack Larson adds, "I'm sure
George would like to be remembered as 'Honest George, the People's Friend.'"
Noel Neill: "I always remember him as a Southern gentleman. He was so kind,
such a gentleman . . . as opposed to so many people in this business. He
couldn't have been sweeter." Mysteries and Scandals will air on Monday
nights at 9:00 (ET) beginning March 9.

3) SUPERMAN IN THE COMICS
While The Adventures Continue is devoted primarily to George Reeves and the
television series of the 50s, many of you are also interested in the comic
book version as well. Jesse Groth is my eyes and ears to the comic book
world, so I posed these questions to him when it was announced that Superman
would return to his true form later this spring.

JIM: With Superman going back to the familiar red and blue costume, where
does this leave the Nicolas Cage movie?
JESSE: I'm no Madame Selena, but here goes. The comics situation is pretty
much irrelevant to the movie. Best as I can tell, the movie costume was
never going to resemble any of the comics versions anyway. And as far as
characterization, Lois and Clark won't be married in the movie. So that
lets out any recent developments.

JIM: Is DC taking Superman all the way back to his former self?
JESSE: Apparently, the first story arc (once the familiar powers are back)
will somehow revisit former incarnations of Superman. Back to the Golden
Age leaps of an eighth-of-a-mile in one issue, a revisit of Clark as a WGBS
reporter (a la the Seventies "revamp") in another, and so on. One hopes
this will bring back some fun into picking up the books.

JIM: Do you think the movie will really go into production?
JESSE: "A" Superman movie will. The one we've been hearing about? Who
knows? A week or two ago, Warner brass held the "yea or nay" meeting.
Though I'd normally never use the term "unfortunately" in a case like this,
unfortunately the vote was in favor of proceeding with both Cage and Burton
still on board. WB has already taken about $40 million from Burger King for
promotion rights, so I suppose it isn't too surprising that the go-ahead was
given. Still, there is no approved script to date. Cage keeps signing to
do movies with production dates before the constantly pushed back "Superman"
start. Burton is still Burton. So, I'd bet there will be "a" Superman movie
that will debut sometime in the year 2000, but I wouldn't bet the Kents'
farm that any of the principals attached will be connected to it. Then
again, the way the Batman films have gone, one can't count on rational minds
prevailing. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

Jesse later added: You know, it's really sad how clueless WB is about what
they have. At work, I've put up a few shots from the Seinfeld/Superman
American Express commercial as wallpaper on my computer desktop (just put up
Jack's scene today, as it happens). It's amazing (especially considering
how few people come through the place) how many favorable comments I've had
on those shots. Yet, WB seems bound and determined to let this special
character and his history dribble away, apparently learning nothing from
Bluperman, Lois & Clark, and criticism from even less-than-casual observers
regarding Burton and Cage's involvement in the new movie. All the while
ignoring those things in that history that worked before ­ including the
absence from American television screens of the original Adventures of
Superman. The latter, of course, being not only a favorite of our little
group of TAC-ers, but recognized, and publicly acknowledged by the American
Express commercial, as a classic by the hottest celebrity in pop culture
today, Jerry Seinfeld.

4) GEORGE REEVES IN THE MOVIES
The following George Reeves film will be shown this month on television.
Thanks to Steve Jensen for the tip.

Strawberry Blonde, 1941, 120 minutes
March 31, 6:00 PM Eastern TCM - Turner Classic Movies
Directed by Raoul Walsh and starring
Rita Hayworth, James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland
Alan Hale, George Tobias, George Reeves

A turn-of-the-century gold digger is loved by a decent young dentist and a
brash contractor.

5) SUPERMAN ON TELEVISION
Well, not exactly on television . . . more like ABOUT SUPERMAN ON
TELEVISION. There is good news from Michael Bifulco. His Superman On
Television: Tenth Anniversary Edition will be released later this month. The
book will contain 204 pages with more than one hundred photographs. Superman
On Television will be made available through The Adventures Continue in a
few weeks. To learn more, visit my web site at www.jimnolt.com/reading.htm.

6) SUPERMAN ON LASER DISK
According to the February, 1998 issue of Image Preview which I received from
TAC reader Alan Kaminsky, TV's Best Adventures of Superman Vol. I, first
released on video ten years ago, is now available on laser disk. Vol. 1
contains "Superman On Earth," "All That Glitters," and one of the Fleischer
Superman cartoons. It carries a list price of $34.98 and a running time of
63 minutes.

Jan Alan Henderson informed me last week that the first Kirk Alyn Superman
serial is also available on laser disk.

7) SUPERMAN IN METROPOLIS
Reader Jim Bowers has reported to me that plans for the Metropolis (IL)
Superman Festival are underway. So far no guests are confirmed, but when
they are, I will let you know in TAC, Jr. or by special e-mail.

8) ALTERNATE TITLES
Last month I asked if any of you had given your own titles to Superman
episodes which might have been shown without titles when you first say them.
I received this reply from reader Garry Manhart:

I had to respond to this one. Back in 1975 before Gary Grossman's book was
published, and ten years before I could afford a VCR, I taped the Adventures
of Superman with an audio cassette recorder and a small b&w television
hooked up to a timer. The shows were on at an inopportune time for me, so I
didn't see them as they were being recorded. Later in the day I listened
carefully to each episode and came up with my own titles. Well a year or so
later Gary's book came out, and with a little cross referencing I was able
to determine the correct titles and paste nice type written labels with the
correct titles over my make up ones. I tried to peel some back to reveal a
little history, but after twenty years most are stuck tight. However I found
some that I hadn't updated yet, and here they are.

#60 Clark Kent Outlaw (The Frame Up)
#80 Tin Hero (Instinct for News)
#81 Money to Burn (The Firemen's Friends)
#83 Tomb of Zaharan (Queen of Zaharan (close!)
#87 The Phoney Alibi (The Deatmosphering Chamber)
#88 The Prince Albert Coat (The Ten Thousand Dollar Coat)
#97 The Superman Silver Mine (Man with the Metal Plate)
#100 Superman's Wife (Mr. X)

Anybody else have more to add?

9) THEY'RE GREEEAAAAT!
If you have time, reader Bobby Ryan suggests that just for the fun of it you
take a look at this site: http://fafnir.physics.ncsu.edu/tony/

PS-- Gail and I want to thank all of you who took the time to e-mail, phone,
or send cards of sympathy last month when Gail's father passed away. We
appreciate your thoughtfulness and hope that you and your family are safe
and well.

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The Adventures Continue . . .
. . .with George Reeves