Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe

The unlikely named 'Commando Cody' (Judd Holdren) and his trusty rocket-suit face off against verbose despot 'The Ruler' (Gregory Gaye), who wants to add Earth to his corral of enslaved planets. While Commando seems capable of quickly solving any problem on his own, he is assisted by pretty Joan (Aline Towne) who is a reliable sidekick and competent rocket pilot, steady Ted (William Schallert, episodes 1-3), or excitable Dick (4-12), the latter usually providing some strained episode-closing comic relief. Oddly, Cody, who is now a government agent, wears a mask (supposedly to protect his identity but possibly to facilitate a cast change in case the show's star got restive). As this iteration of Cody's adventures was originally intended for television, the stories are not set up as 'cliff-hangers', otherwise it's a typical low-budget Republic series, with lots of fist fights and last minute escapes (just not at the beginning of each episode as per 'cliff-hanger' format). The 12-part tele-play is generally ridiculous but entertaining in a ludicrously imaginative way. The Ruler's plots get increasingly preposterous as the series progresses and include crashing the moon into Earth, using weather control to flood the planet, cooking us by duplicating the sun, freezing or cooking us by altering the axial tilt of the planet, or paralysing us with a mysterious bio-weapon. Needless to say, each threat is promptly divined and averted by Cody (sometimes with help from Joan, Tim or Dick). Negligible effort was made to maintain scientific plausibility: at one point Commando refers to an alien solar-system as being "west" of our solar-system, the Ruler and his minions can be found on Mercury, Venus and Saturn, all of which have hospitable environments, and, although Dick will put on a helmet to exit the spaceship, he doesn't stop to pull on gloves. Most of the special effects shots were harvested from Republic's earlier 'rocket-man' series (starting with 'King of the Rocket Men' (1949)) or from 'The Purple Monster Strikes' (1945) and the impressive scenes of New York City being inundated by tidal waves are from the proto-disaster film 'Deluge' (1933). If you had not seen the earlier serials/films, you'd likely be impressed with the imagination and production quality, otherwise, CCSMotU is a derivative but silly/fun rocket-powered pastiche. Even in 1953, this show must have had a 'throwback' feel, considering the release of 'realistic' sci-fi films like 'Destination Moon' (1951) and TV space-operas like 'Tom Corbett, Space Cadet' (1952).

The Rocket Suit had been used in 3 serials. The Commando Cody Name was used in one of them. Add the Rocket Ship, a (Platonic) female aid, some quasi governmental type staff men, a neat looking headquarters building and a mask, just for good measure and you have this early 1950's Theatrical/Television Series.

To be sure, all possibilities were considered before "COMMANDO CODY" went into production. It was serial-like in its story line and characters, but did not use the standard Cliff Hanger Chapter endings. Instead, all episodes were related, but also complete (sort of) in themselves. Obviously REPUBLIC or its TV Subsidiary or both would screen it. It reportedly did not work out in trial screening in theaters, so Hollywood TELEVISION SERVICE (Republic TV) had it prepared for television syndication.It even did a turn of network showings. Conveniently, each episode was just the proper length for a half-hour of Saturday morning kids' programing! Imagine that!

The business of editing series television into theatrical releases was later successfully used by other companies. Walt Disney was very active in this endeavor with DAVEY CROCKETT KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER and THE SIGN OF ZORRO, both being made up of television episodes edited into features and released theatrically.

I'm a sucker for all of Republic's "Rocketman" adventures. There were three Rocketman serials before this: King of the Rocketmen (1949), Radar Men From the Moon (1952), and Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952). Next came these 12 episodes of Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953) which are like chapters of a serial only without cliffhanger endings. It's an entertaining hybrid of a serial and a TV show. This series uses plenty of stock footage, but that doesn't bother me one bit. It adds to the fun! I wasn't alive back in the 50's, but Commando Cody never fails to provide me with enjoyable escapism in 2005. All of Republic's Rocketman adventures are a blast!

This 12-Part Show had a Complicated Beginning.

First Filmed as a TV Show, but the Contracts Fine-Print Required a Theatrical Release Before it Could be Shown on Television.

So it was Released to Theatres to Lackluster BO and Fan Indifference.

That was 1953.

Then in 1955 it was Shown On TV to the Delight of Kids and Kid-Like-Adults.

The Character of "Commando Cody" was Used in Multiple Serials with Varying Names, etc.

Although the Flying Suit and Helmet were Identical and have Since Become Iconic.

This 12-Parter did Not Follow the "Cliffhanger" Format with Each Episode Ending with a Joke or Light-Hearted Good-Bye.

This Irritates "Sticklers" and Purists among the "Serial-Chapter Play-Cliffhanger" Cult and most Refuse to Include it in the Ography.

It is a Better than Average Entertainment of its Type. With Good SFX, Impressive Hardware, and Outlandish Costumes.

The Visuals are Striking at Times with a Low-Budget Charm and Imagination that Fits Right In this Sort of Thing.

The "Serial" Format Began in the Silent Era and was Popular for 4 Decades.

But in the 1950's there was a "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" in Pop-Culture, with Rumblings and Changes in Music, Movies, and TV.

In Movie Theatres the Weekly Chapter-Plays were Abandoned, because of the Free-Format and Widely Available Type on the Tube.

But this is a Fitting Finale to the Genre because it Includes Eye-Popping Absurdities and a Ton-of-Fun for Low-Budget Affectionados.

Note: The "Rocket Man" was reincarnated for the little seen, underrated, and under-appreciated Movie "The Rocketeer" (1991).

Cody and his spaceship protect the earth from outer space dangers.

This has now been remastered with a wonderfully clear print which makes it ten times better than it was before. Much the same sort of thing as Radar Men from the Moon but with longer episodes and no cliff-hangers at the end of them.

The key to watching this show: don't think about it.

Just look at the wonderful Howard Lydecker flying effects (of Cody and the spaceship), listen to the wonderfully corny closing lines heard at the end of some episodes...and that is it.

There is a pre-Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea TV series feel to this production. Lydecker also worked on the flying scenes of VTTBOTS's "flying sub" and the endless bang, bang explosions also happened in VTTBOTS season's three and four.