hough in many respects the 1950s were a time of turmoil,
many young SF fans of the era were deeply concerned about events
happening 1,000 years in the future. That's because, each week, the valiant
stars of the popular children's TV show Space Patrol found themselves
fighting power-hungry villains bent on ruling the galaxy. The imaginative
adventures usually extended over a series of
episodes, and this video features a three-part storyline originally
broadcast in September 1954.
In the first chapter of the tale, titled "Giants of Pluto No. 3," Dr. Kurt
(Hannes Lutz) is transforming the patients in his sanitarium--located on the
third moon of Pluto--into mindless, muscle-bound slaves. Major Robertson
(Mayer) is called in to investigate but is quickly turned into one of the
doctor's zombies. Fearing that something is amiss, Commander Buzz Corry
(Kemmer) and Cadet Happy (Osborn) travel to the faraway facility. They rescue
Robertson, but Kurt manages to escape.
Early in the next episode, dubbed "The Fiery Pit of Pluto No. 3," Corry and
Happy return to the sanitarium. They're soon attacked by one of Kurt's
servants, the brawny Atlas (Michael Ross) and thrown into an airtight room
filled with lethal volcanic gases. Faced with imminent death, the Space
Patrollers break out of their cell but, once again, the slippery doctor
evades capture.
In the final installment, "Manhunt on Pluto No. 3," Corry and Happy are about
to take off from the moon when Atlas overpowers them. The pair are released
into a deserted canyon, where Kurt orders Atlas to hunt them down. Will the
heroes survive? And if they do, will they finally be able to snare the
maniacal doctor? Tune in to Space Patrol and find out!
Smokin' rockets!
While watching this videotape it becomes obvious why youngsters
of the '50s were captivated by
this high-spirited show. The intrepid Commander Corry and his sidekick Happy
are constantly getting caught in life-or-death predicaments, and when they
inevitably escape--usually just in the nick of time--the diabolical villain
always has a new trick up his sleeve. And, of course, there are gobs of SF
gimmickry, including paralyzer ray guns, shock rifles and the ever-handy
space-o-phone.
The story here is rather rote, but the major characters are all extremely
likable. Kemmer is straightforward and believable, and, in nearly every
scene, viewers can plainly see that he relishes playing the courageous
commander. Meanwhile, Osborn's gifted comedic timing, combined with his
trademark "Smokin' rockets!" refrain, makes his portrayal of the youthful
cadet truly endearing.
The science of Space Patrol is a bit flimsy, yet the writer
(long-time series scribe Norman Jolley) incorporates a number of seemingly
plausible--at least for a young 1950s audience--details. Pluto No. 3 is
described as a verdant satellite with a life-sustaining climate derived from
volcanic sources rather than the distant, ineffectual sun. Additionally, one
of Dr. Kurt's deadly devices, a beam that causes Corry's spaceship to spin
uncontrollably, ingeniously uses centrifugal force to disable the commander
and his cadet.
These black-and-white episodes, which have been remastered from vintage
kinescopes that include the original commercials, serve as an intriguing glimpse
into an age when televised SF was in its infancy. The special effects
aren't terribly slick, and the plot is undeniably simplistic, but it's easy
to understand why kids couldn't wait for their next opportunity to "Travel
into the future with Buzz Corry, Commander in Chief of the Space
Patrol!"
