USA, 27 June 1949-1 April 1955
1 series, 1,537 episodes, average 30m
broadcast live, black and white, 4:3
mono, English
An American science fiction television series created by Lawrence Menkin and James Caddigan. It was the first space adventure series broadcast on US television and most of the episodes were lost.
Premise
Captain Video, Guardian of the Safety of the World, is a gifted scientist who, with his teen sidekick The Ranger his army of Video Rangers, act as peacekeepers to a futuristic society. Their arch-enemy is Dr Pauli of the Astroidal Society and his mob, Nargola, Mook, Kul and Clysmok.
Credits
Crew
Directors: Scudder Boyd, Pat Fay, Charles Fisher, Charles Polacheck, Larry White Dumont
Creator: James Caddigan
Producers: Maurice C. Brock, James Caddigan, Olga Druce (1952-1955), Henry J. Opperman, Frank Telford
Scripts: Don Aggar, James Blish, Arthur C. Clarke, Samuel Fuller, Willie Gilbert, Damon Knight, C.M. Kornbluth, George Lowther, Robert Sheckley, Jack Vance, Bryce Walton, Jack Weinstock, Carey Wilber, Don Wilcox
Concept: Lawrence Menkin
Special Effects: Russell and Haberstroh Studios
Technical Advisor: Dr Robert S. Richardson
Locations: DuMont Telecenter, New York City, New York, USA; Wanamaker Building, New York City, New York, USA
Cast
Richard Coogan (Captain Video (1949-50))
Al Hodge (Captain Video (1950-55))
Don Hastings (The Ranger)
Bran Mossen (Dr Pauli (1949))
Hal Conklin (Dr Pauli (1949-55))
Links
Sequels
Captain Video, Master of the Stratosphere (1951)
The Secret Files of Captain Video (1953)
See also
The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (1995)
Rocket-bye Baby (1956)
References
Periodicals
- Life 13 September 1954 – article (Speaking of Pictures)
- Starlog December 1980 – article (The 50s Golden Age of Science Fiction Television by David Houston)
- Television Guide 6-12 August 1949 – article (Captain Video!)
- Theatre Arts December 1951 – review (Space Rocket Kick by Harriet Van Horne)
- Time 25 December 1950 – article (7 M.P.S; Zero 3)
- Variety 13 July 1955 – review
Newspapers
- Los Angeles Times 5 April 1979 – article (Throw Out the Interlocks, Captain Video) by Mel Gilden
- New York Times 20 November 1949 – review (by Jack Gould)
- New York Times 26 March 1950 – review (Space Opera Hero by Val Adams)
- New York Times 16 March 1955 – article (Captain Video Doomed)
- The New Yorker 22 December 1951 – article (Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep by Philip Hamburger)
Books
- American Science Fiction Television Series of the 1950s by Patrick Lucanio and Gary Coville pp.96-101 – illustrated credits, article
- The Captain Video Book: The Du Mont Television Network Story by Neil Sullivan – articles
- Kids TV: The First Twenty-Five Years by Stuart Fischer – article
- Saturday Morning TV by Gary H. Grossman – article
- The World of Fantasy Films by Richard Myers p.136
