"Superman" Made It's Debut on Radio 65 Years Ago Today

[musicradio77]

Lola Dane, get this. For those of you who love the series ("Smallville", "Lois & Clark", etc.) it was 65 years ago this weekend, February 12th, 1940. "Superman" debuted on radio. It started as a 15-minute afternoon serial starring Bud Collyer as Superman. The show was originatted at the WOR Studios in New York City. It was appeared as a comic book which it came out in 1938 (just two years prior the radio version). The opening from the radio in which the announcer goes like this:

Boys and girls, your attention please! Presenting a new exciting radio program. Featuring the thrilling adventures of an amazing and incredible personality. Faster than an airplane, more powerful than a locomotive, Impervious Supplet. "Up in the sky, look! It's a (giant) bird, it's a plane, it's SUPERMAN!!!"

These are the first words ever to be heard on radio 65 years ago this weekend. I'm going to explain this Lola Dane. You weren't even around that it was popular show on radio. That show starred since you weren't born. The first chapter of "Superman" on radio began with the planet Krypton in which Jorel took a baby on a rocketship before Krypton explodes. That first episode was truly a classic. That was long before TV and the big screen came along.

[barb1686]

Thanks for the info...interesting! ;-)

[musicradio77]

Originally Posted by barb1686

Thanks for the info...interesting! ;-)

You're welcome. I was have to explaining that "Radio Showtime" with Bill Eberlie was playing the 15-chapter story of the "Origin of Superman" every Sunday night on Poughkeepsie's WVKR. He played every two episodes of "Superman". The first two chapters didn't have a sponsor back then. The next two chapters did have a sponsor for Kellogg's Pep. Thoughout the chapters 3-15 run, they used a different opening with the Kellogg's Pep sponsor and the closing they used back in either 1944 or 1945. It sounded fake. If you want to listen to the Radio Spirits version, chapters 3-15 doesn't have a sponsor at all until Kellogg's sponsored the show back in 1943. The late Jason Beck was the announcer for "Superman". I will keep listening to Bill Eberlie every Sunday night on WVKR to hear more of "Superman".