History Series / TheAdventuresOfSuperman

Sadly, the series is now mostly remembered for George Reeves' mysterious death[[hottip:*:Fans are still arguing about whether it was murder or suicide]], which formed the basis of its own movie: ''Film/{{Hollywoodland}}''.

Sadly, the series is now mostly remembered for George Reeves' mysterious death[[hottip:*:Fans are still arguing about whether it was murder or suicide]], which formed the basis of its own movie: ''{{Hollywoodland}}''.

Sadly, the series is now mostly remembered for George Reeves' mysterious death [[hottip:*:Fans are still arguing about whether it was murder or suicide]], which formed the basis of its own movie: ''{{Hollywoodland}}''.

* ReverseCerebusSyndrome: The first season was dramatically [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness different]] from the rest of the series. The villains were more intense, there were several on-screen deaths, Superman fought with his fists, and Phyllis Coates played Lois as a tough, serious ActionGirl type. Subsequent seasons dialed the zaniness way UpToEleven, the villains [[NeverSayDie never died anymore]], and Superman almost never laid a finger on anyone--instead, the villains would obligingly knock themselves unconscious by barreling headlong into walls, doors, and eath other's heads. [[TheOtherDarrin The new Lois]], Noel Neille, was much LighterAndSofter too.

* {{Catchphrase}}
** Perry White had "Great Caesar's Ghost!" and "Don't call me Chief!" to his credit.

->''"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound! ("Look! Up in the sky!" "It's a bird!" "It's a plane!" "It's Superman!") Yes, it's Superman! Strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men! Superman! Who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way!"''

* TheWallsAreClosingIn: Superman, Lois & Jimmy are trapped in a concrete bunker, with Supes out of commission due to a Kryptonite ray. Then the walls start closing in. Luckily there [[ChekhovsGun happened to be]] a discussion of hypnotism earlier in the episode. Superman hypnotises Lois, which [[HandWave somehow]] makes him able to levitate her. Her body stops the walls, and Jimmy is able to climb up to the top and redirect the Kryptonite ray.
** Wait a second: The walls were going to crush them but, somehow, they were able to [[FridgeLogic stop them by simply levitating Lois in between them?]]
*** Levitated ''horizontally''. Her head stopped one wall and her feet the other. Which still doesn't make sense.

* IntrepidReporter: Lois Lane. Perry at times blows his top at the trips she takes to get a story, but she tends to be following solid leads.

** "Through the Time Barrier" uses this as well; Clark and company are transporting a gangster when Professor Twiddle, who is sharing the elevator with them, chooses that moment to demonstrate his TimeMachine.

The first Franchise/{{Superman}} TV series, running from 1952 to 1958 and starring George Reeves as the man of steel. The supporting cast included Phyllis Coates and later Noel Neill as LoisLane, Jack Larson as JimmyOlsen, John Hamilton as Perry White, and Robert Shayne as [[CanonForeigner Inspector Henderson]]. Those actors that are still alive often have cameos in more modern Superman projects. This show is the way most children in the 1950s were introduced to {{Superman}}, and also the main reason that Jimmy Olsen got his own comic book.

The show was produced during the Mort Weisinger era of Superman comics, and he and Whitney Ellisworth were even on the staff. As a result, a lot of the plots are carbon copies of comic book stories from the time (for example, the story 'The Phantom Superman' became the episode 'Superman in Exile.) As a result, the series is probably the purest adaptation of late golden/early silver-age comic books out there.

The first Franchise/{{Superman}} TV series, running from 1952 to 1958 and starring George Reeves as the man of steel. The supporting cast included Phyllis Coates and later Noel Neill as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, John Hamilton as Perry White, and Robert Shayne as [[CanonForeigner Inspector Henderson]]. Those actors that are still alive often have cameos in more modern Superman projects. This show is the way most children in the 1950s were introduced to {{Superman}}, and also the main reason that Jimmy Olsen got his own comic book.

* FunWithAcronymns[=/=]HaveAGayOldTime: "The Lucky Cat" features a group of skeptics called the '''A'''nti-'''S'''uperstition '''S'''ociety.

* EnforcedMethodActing: In the episode ''Night of Terror'', the actor playing the thug who knocks out Lois accidentally hit Phyllis Coates hard enough to render her unconscious.

* SomewhereAPaleontologistIsCrying: {{Averted}}... sort of. The TimeTravel episode, to its credit, featured no dinosaurs in 50,000 BC. However, it [[PlayedStraight plays it straight]] with regard to the cave people, who shouldn't be in Metropolis (or anywhere else in North America) at that date.

!!In addition to all the {{Superman}} tropes, this series provides examples of:

* AdaptationalBadAss: Clark Kent. Budget reasons required that Superman only show up in the last act, so the focus for most of the episode had to be on Clark. As a result, he was made less wimpy and less bumbling than in the comic book and essentially Superman in street clothes.

The first {{Superman}} TV series, running from 1952 to 1958 and starring George Reeves as the man of steel. The supporting cast included Phyllis Coates and later Noel Neill as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, John Hamilton as Perry White, and Robert Shayne as [[CanonForeigner Inspector Henderson]]. Those actors that are still alive often have cameos in more modern Superman projects. This show is the way most children in the 1950s were introduced to {{Superman}}, and also the main reason that Jimmy Olsen got his own comic book.

* BunglingInventor: Professor Pepperwinkle

* EpisodeTitleCard

* AfterShow: The pilot ''TheAdventuresOfSuperpup''. After George Reeves' tragic death, the producers shot a pilot on the same sets for ''TheAdventuresOfSuperpup'' - using little people in giant dog head masks portraying such characters as "Bark Bent" and "Puppy White". Jimmy Olsen, meanwhile, became a smart mouthed mouse (a hand puppet) that lived in Bark Bent's drawer as well as narrated the story.

* AfterShow: The pilot ''TheAdventuresOfSuperpup'' (see FurryFandom below).

* FurryFandom: After George Reeves' tragic death, the producers shot a pilot on the same sets for ''TheAdventuresOfSuperpup'' - using little people in giant dog head masks portraying such characters as "Bark Bent" and "Puppy White". Jimmy Olsen, meanwhile, became a smart mouthed mouse (a hand puppet) that lived in Bark Bent's drawer as well as narrated the story.

* OpeningNarration: One of the most memorable, one that sums up everything you need to know about Superman.

* CanonImmigrant: Inspector Henderson was brought over from the radio show; he actually showed up in the comics from time to time after this series. Twenty years later, so did Professor Pepperwinkle.

* CanonImmigrant: Inspector Henderson actually showed up in the comics from time to time after this series. Twenty years later, so did Professor Pepperwinkle.

* ReverseCerebusSyndrome: The first season was dramatically [[EarlyEpisodeWeirdness different]] from the rest of the series. The villains were more intense, there were several on-screen deaths, Superman fought with his fists, and Phyllis Coates played Lois as a tough, serious ActionGirl type. Subsequent seasons dialed the zaniness way UpToEleven, the villains [[NeverSayDie never died anymore]], and Superman almost never laid a finger on anyone--instead, the villains would obligingly knock themselves unconscious by barreling headlong into walls, doors, and eath other's heads. [[TheOtherDarrin The new Lois]], Noel Neille, was much LighterAndSofter too.