Superman on Radio & Audio
Superman on Radio in Australia
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.
Below is a list of known episode titles:
- The Origin of Superman
- Keyno, the Wolf and the Silver Clipper
- The Yellow Mask
- The Northern Star Mine
- The Yellow Mask Strikes Again
- Professor Thorpe and the Spanish Gold
- The Mystery of Dead Man's Island
- A Cargo of Nitrate
- Last of the Windjammers
- The Case of the Kryptonite
- The Genie in a Bottle
- The Penrose Salvage Company
- The Death Plane
- The Ghost Car
- A Put Up Job
- The Voice and the Green Death
- Zemba and the Stamps
- Peril at the Lighthouse
- Angelo Brazotte
- On the Planet Utopia
- Toko in Trouble
- Chuckles the Clown and the Missing Money
- Superman and the Four Dwarfs
- The Kingdom Under the Sea
- The Bligh and Dixie Lamar
- The Atom Man
- Jones of the Crescent and Star
- The Mystery of the Talking Cat
- The Superman Bank Robberies
- Destination Moon
- The Mystery of the Dragon's Teeth
- The Battle Against Intolerance
- Higgins is Gangland's Candidate
- Rex of Bolimar and the Legions of Death
- Herbert Calkins of Scotland Yard
- The Railroad Tunnel
- Eric Larsen's Revenge
- The Messenger Service
- Superman on the Planet Appolo
- Eyebrows and Buster
- Orofessor Blessing - Song Publisher
- Brock Neilson
- Professor Vlessing Returns
- Prophecy
- Uncle ed Clayton's Droght
- The Monkey Burglar
- The Knights of the White Carnation
- The Man Without A Face
- Phantom of the Sea
- Supeman Loses His Memory
- The Superman Rocket
- The False Kryptonite
- Butcher Starke - The Voice of Doom
- Mystery of the Stolen Superman Costume
- The Crossword Puzzle Mystery
- The Ghost Brigade
- The Mystery of the Sleeping Beauty
- The Secret Of Meteor Mountain
- Diana the Dancer
- Mystery Of Stone Ridge
- The Ghost Voice
- The Drugged Football Team
- The Escaped Killers
- Perry White og the Trail
- The Mystery of the Spellbound Ships
- Joee Solitaire - Gambler
- The Rambling sound Machine
- Superman and the Stolen Jetplane
- The Sleeping Village
- The Mystery of the Golden Pigeons
- The Great Circus Mystery
- Stolen Aircraft and the Birdmen
- The Ear's Diamond
- The Great Paper Shortage
- The Attack on the Northern Peninsula
- Mystery of the Disappearing Freight Glider
- The Society of the Crimson Robe
- The Invisible Planes
- The Case of the Sylvanian Gold
- The Devil's Atom Gun
- The Mystery of the Mummy Cases
- Sir Hubert's Sun Weopan
- Batman in Trouble
- The Mason Brothers