Superman on Radio & Audio

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: Rienzi Overture by Richard Wagner

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), 752, 753, 1027, 1028, 1039, and 1040.

  • Australian Superman Radio Series [Episode Sample - 1949] (>MP3 1.1mb) [Note: If anyone has 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