Superman on Radio in Australia

Superman on Radio Inspired by the success of the American Superman Radio program, Australia set about creating their own Superman Radio series, starring Leonard Teale as the Man of Steel.

SUPERMAN

Series: 143363

Summary: An adventure radio series for children. This American inspired series was based on the exploits of Superman, a super hero who's real identity is Clark Kent, reporter for the newspaper The Daily Planet.

Contributors: McDowell's (SPO), Michael Noonan (SCR).

Cast:
Leonard Teale (Superman)
Margaret Christensen (Lois Lane)
Bruce Beeby (Batman)
Trader Faulkener (Robin)
Douglas Herald (Inspector Henderson)
Ron Faulkner (Jimmy Olsen)
Morris Unicombe (Jimmy Olsen)
John Meillon (Jimmy Olsen)
Reginald Collins (Perry White)
Alfred Bristowe (Perry White)

Label: Artransa

Episodes produced: 1040 (at least)

Broadcast details: 30th May 1949 to 20th May 1954; Mondays to Thursdays on 2GB, Sydney at 6:30pm or 6:15pm. Repeated 1st November 1954 to 28th August 1958 on 2GB Sydney, Mondays to Fridays or Saturdays at 5:30pm.

Main theme music: Danger Man (George Melachrino)

Just as the US series was moving away from 15 minute serial formats, Australia was moving into them! TV didn't start in Australia until late 1957 and so radio remained "big entertainment" through most of the 1950s due mainly to the technology of the tape recorder. Great sound effects and full production orchestra music, made for exciting listening especially when it was combined with canny writing.

Superman premiered in a 15 minute continuing serial format on Australian radio on 23rd May 1949. Running 4 days per week (Monday to Thursday) at 6:30 pm, it was hugely popular and benefited from the fine speaking voice of Leonard Teale (who went onto significant success with Australian TV's Homicide). The series concluded in 1954 after 1040 episodes.

So far only a handful of episodes have surfaced. Many of the episodes apparently are archived at the National Film and Sound Archive, now incorporated into the Australian Film Commission. As far as we know the only episodes available online are episodes 1, 2, 715 & 716 (combined together), 1027, 1028, 1039, and 1040.

[Note: If anyone has episodes 1, 2, 1039 and 1040, and any other episodes of this series please email me.]

Below is a list of known episode titles:

  1. The Origin of Superman
  2. Keyno, the Wolf and the Silver Clipper
  3. The Yellow Mask
  4. The Northern Star Mine
  5. The Yellow Mask Strikes Again
  6. Professor Thorpe and the Spanish Gold
  7. The Mystery of Dead Man's Island
  8. A Cargo of Nitrate
  9. Last of the Windjammers
  10. The Case of the Kryptonite
  11. The Genie in a Bottle
  12. The Penrose Salvage Company
  13. The Death Plane
  14. The Ghost Car
  15. A Put Up Job
  16. The Voice and the Green Death
  17. Zemba and the Stamps
  18. Peril at the Lighthouse
  19. Angelo Brazotte
  20. On the Planet Utopia
  21. Toko in Trouble
  22. Chuckles the Clown and the Missing Money
  23. Superman and the Four Dwarfs
  24. The Kingdom Under the Sea
  25. The Bligh and Dixie Lamar
  26. The Atom Man
  27. Jones of the Crescent and Star
  28. The Mystery of the Talking Cat
  29. The Superman Bank Robberies
  30. Destination Moon
  31. The Mystery of the Dragon's Teeth
  32. The Battle Against Intolerance
  33. Higgins is Gangland's Candidate
  34. Rex of Bolimar and the Legions of Death
  35. Herbert Calkins of Scotland Yard
  36. The Railroad Tunnel
  37. Eric Larsen's Revenge
  38. The Messenger Service
  39. Superman on the Planet Appolo
  40. Eyebrows and Buster
  41. Orofessor Blessing - Song Publisher
  42. Brock Neilson
  43. Professor Vlessing Returns
  44. Prophecy
  45. Uncle ed Clayton's Droght
  46. The Monkey Burglar
  47. The Knights of the White Carnation
  48. The Man Without A Face
  49. Phantom of the Sea
  50. Supeman Loses His Memory
  51. The Superman Rocket
  52. The False Kryptonite
  53. Butcher Starke - The Voice of Doom
  54. Mystery of the Stolen Superman Costume
  55. The Crossword Puzzle Mystery
  56. The Ghost Brigade
  57. The Mystery of the Sleeping Beauty
  58. The Secret Of Meteor Mountain
  59. Diana the Dancer
  60. Mystery Of Stone Ridge
  61. The Ghost Voice
  62. The Drugged Football Team
  63. The Escaped Killers
  64. Perry White og the Trail
  65. The Mystery of the Spellbound Ships
  66. Joee Solitaire - Gambler
  67. The Rambling sound Machine
  68. Superman and the Stolen Jetplane
  69. The Sleeping Village
  70. The Mystery of the Golden Pigeons
  71. The Great Circus Mystery
  72. Stolen Aircraft and the Birdmen
  73. The Ear's Diamond
  74. The Great Paper Shortage
  75. The Attack on the Northern Peninsula
  76. Mystery of the Disappearing Freight Glider
  77. The Society of the Crimson Robe
  78. The Invisible Planes
  79. The Case of the Sylvanian Gold
  80. The Devil's Atom Gun
  81. The Mystery of the Mummy Cases
  82. Sir Hubert's Sun Weopan
  83. Batman in Trouble
  84. The Mason Brothers