Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (1950)

Set during the middle of the 24th Century at the Space Academy for the Solar Guards and aboard the 'Polaris', a Solar Guard training ship, this hugely-popular science-fiction series was one of the very few programs to air on all four of the major American TV networks through the 1950's

 

 

Steve

Destination Moon - Woody Woodpecker (1950)

Steve

Strange Adventures #1 (1950)

The first issue of DC Comics' Strange Adventures has a cover date of August 1950 and promises a preview of Destination Moon as well as those astonishing science fiction tales.  Whats not to like!  Well the covers is a bit dull really as it seems to be a straight copy of a film still.  Ah well! It is a cracking film I suppose and future covers get much more creative as we will see

Steve

Destination Moon (1950)

I watched this film last weekend for the first time in forever and I have to say I loved it.  It’s an absolutely charming bit of sci-fi that must have stunned audiences back in the day with its surprisingly accurate speculation about man’s first trip to the moon.

They get so many of the details right and you have to bear in mind they were almost two decades off doing the real thing back when this was made in 1950.

In regards to the space suits, this is one of the earliest if not the first appearances of this particular classic piece of 50’s design and there’s even a scene within the first twenty minutes or so where they explain the bright colours as a way for each of the astronauts to recognise one another when they are on the moon.

It also explains that this is just the covering that goes over the top of a pressure suit, acknowledging some of the science of space travel that usually gets glossed over in the name of style and story.If you were plotting a course through the history of sci-fi space films, and that’s sort of what we’re doing here by default, then this would have to be one of the earliest and most important films ever made.If you haven’t yet then you should and as soon as possible!

Steve

Space Patrol (1950)

Commander Buzz Corry of The United Planets Space Patrol  headed up this kids TV show that began as a daily 15 minute show on a local Los Angeles TV station before getting an additional half hour Saturday morning show on ABC.  It ran for five years and clocked up more than 200 of the 30 minutes episodes and almost 900 of the 15 minuters. 

There was also a Radio show which featured the same cast and crew and ran for almost as long as the TV showsAnd there was also a lot of spin off merchandise sold on the back of the show’s success ranging from costumes to comic books and making it one of sci-fi's earliest franchises.

And more importantly, one of the earliest appearances of this style of space suit that would go on to dominate this decade

Steve