Stamp Day for Superman

Last updated
Stamp Day for Superman
Stamp Day for Superman.jpg
Still from the film
Directed by Thomas Carr
Written byDavid T. Chantler
Whitney Ellsworth
Jackson Gillis
Based onCharacters
by Jerry Siegel
Joe Shuster
Produced by Whitney Ellsworth
Starring George Reeves
Noel Neill
CinematographyHarold E. Stine
Edited by Harry W. Gerstad
Production
company
Distributed by U.S. Department of the Treasury
Release date
  • 1954 (1954)
Running time
18 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Stamp Day for Superman is a 1954 black-and-white short film, in the superhero film genre. Starring George Reeves as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. [1] It was produced by Superman Inc. for the United States Department of the Treasury to promote the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds. [2] Never shown theatrically, it was distributed to schools as a means of educating children about the program.

Contents

Due to its nature as a government film, Stamp Day for Superman is in the public domain and can often be found on inexpensive DVD sets. Warner Bros. also released the film as part of the Adventures of Superman Season 2 DVD set. It was a featured short and riffed on by the former cast members of Mystery Science Theater 3000 during the RiffTrax Live MST3K Reunion Show on June 28, 2016.

Plot

When Lois and Clark come upon a robbery while shopping, Superman apprehends the burglar, who claims to have to steal because he never bothered to save his money.

Cast

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Reeves</span> American actor (1914–1959)

George Reeves was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952–1958).

<i>Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman</i> American television series (1993–1997)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman is an American superhero drama television series based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. It stars Dean Cain as Clark Kent / Superman and Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane. The series aired on ABC from September 12, 1993, to June 14, 1997.

<i>Adventures of Superman</i> (TV series) US 1950s television series

Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created in 1938. The show was the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California on RKO-Pathé stages and the RKO Forty Acres back lot. Cereal manufacturer Kellogg's sponsored the show. The first and last airdates of the show, which was produced for first-run syndication rather than for a network, are disputed, but they are generally accepted as September 19, 1952, and April 28, 1958. The show's first two seasons were filmed in black-and-white; seasons three through six were filmed in color.

<i>Superman II</i> 1980 superhero film directed by Richard Lester

Superman II is a 1980 superhero film directed by Richard Lester and written by Mario Puzo and David and Leslie Newman from a story by Puzo based on the DC Comics character Superman. It is the second installment in the Superman film series and a sequel to Superman (1978). A direct continuation of the first Superman, Christopher Reeve reprises his role as Superman. The returning cast includes Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, Marc McClure and Jack O'Halloran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Neill</span> American actress (1920–2016)

Noel Darleen Neill was an American actress. She played Lois Lane in the film serials Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950), as well as the 1950s television series Adventures of Superman. She appeared in 80 films and television series in her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Coates</span> American actress (1927–2023)

Phyllis Coates was an American actress, with a career spanning over fifty years. She was best known for her portrayal of reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Men and in the first season of the television series Adventures of Superman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Larson</span> American actor and writer

Jack Edward Larson was an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the television series Adventures of Superman.

<i>Superboy</i> (TV series) American television series

Superboy is an American television series based on the fictional DC comic book character Superman's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication. It was renamed The Adventures of Superboy at the start of the third season.

<i>Superman</i> (franchise) Portrayals of Superman outside of comic books

The American comic book character Superman, created in 1938, has appeared in many types of media since the 1940s. Superman has appeared in radio, television, movies, and video games each on multiple occasions, and his name, symbol, and image have appeared on products and merchandise.

<i>Superman and the Mole Men</i> 1951 superhero film directed by Lee Sholem

Superman and the Mole Men is a 1951 American independent black-and-white superhero film released by Lippert Pictures. Produced by Barney A. Sarecky and directed by Lee Sholem, it stars George Reeves as Superman and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. It is the first feature film based on any DC Comics character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman and Lois Lane</span> Fictional couple in DC Comics

Superman and Lois Lane are a fictional couple and the first superhero comic book romance. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, both characters including Superman's alter ego, Clark Kent, first appeared in DC Comics' Action Comics #1. They have remained in a complicated relationship ever since. A supercouple, they are among the best known fictional couples and have appeared in multiple media adaptations.

<i>Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman</i> 2006 film

Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman is a 2006 documentary film from executive producers Bryan Singer and Kevin Burns which details the history of the Superman franchise, from comic book, to television, to the big screen. The story of Superman is told through archival footage, as well as interviews with many of the actors, directors, and producers involved with the Superman media over the years. The closing credits feature outtakes from the Christopher Reeve Superman films, including an outtake of Marlon Brando improvising during the recitation of a poem in a scene deleted from the original version of Superman II.

<i>Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut</i> 2006 superhero film directed by Richard Donner

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is a 2006 re-edited director's cut of the 1980 superhero film Superman II. It is a sequel to Richard Donner's 1978 film Superman, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name, and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, and Marlon Brando. This alternate cut was edited by Michael Thau and was overseen and completed by Donner himself. It features a significant amount of discarded footage, alternate takes, and story elements not featured in the theatrical version.

<i>Atom Man vs. Superman</i> 1950 theatrical serial by Spencer Gordon Bennet

Atom Man vs. Superman is a 1950 American film serial and the second Superman movie serial featuring Kirk Alyn, credited only by his character name, Superman.

<i>Superman</i> (serial) 1948 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman

Superman is a 1948 15-part Columbia Pictures film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. Like Batman (1943), it is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film, and for the longevity of its distribution. The serial was directed by Thomas Carr, who later directed many early episodes of the Adventures of Superman television series, and Spencer Gordon Bennet, produced by Sam Katzman, and shot in and around Los Angeles, California. It was originally screened at movie matinées, and after the first three scene-setting chapters, every episode ends in a cliffhanger. The Superman-in-flight scenes are animations, in part due to the small production budget.

<i>Superman</i> (TV series) 1988 animated television series

Superman is a 1988 American animated Saturday morning television series produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises for Warner Bros. Television that aired on CBS featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. Veteran comic book writer Marv Wolfman was the head story editor, and comic book artist Gil Kane provided character designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman in film</span> Film adaptations of DC Comics Superman franchise

DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. He debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941, subsequently starring in two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After numerous scripts and years in development, Richard Donner was hired as their director, filming Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) simultaneously. Donner had already shot eighty percent of Superman II with Christopher Reeve before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester also returned for Superman III (1983), and the Salkinds further produced the related 1984 spin-off Supergirl before selling the rights to Cannon Films, resulting in the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights entirely in 1993.

Lois Lane is a fictional character first appearing in DC Comics Action Comics #1, an intrepid reporter commonly portrayed as the romantic interest of the superhero Superman and his alter-ego Clark Kent. Since her debut in comic books, she has appeared in various media adaptations, including radio, animations, films, television and video games. Actresses who have portrayed Lois Lane include Noel Neill, Phyllis Coates, Margot Kidder, Teri Hatcher, Erica Durance, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, and Elizabeth Tulloch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lois Lane (1978 film series character)</span> Fictional character in Superman films

Lois Lane is a fictional character portrayed by Canadian-born actress Margot Kidder in the Warner Bros. Superman film series produced by Ilya and Alexander Salkind, and is an adaption of the original comic book character, Lois Lane. Kidder played Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). The role proved to be Kidder's most notable, catapulting her to international fame, and this iteration of Lois Lane has been considered one of the most iconic love interests in superhero films.

References

  1. Sinnott, John. "Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes". DVD Talk. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. Sinnott, John. "Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes". DVD Talk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.