Space Patrol and Astro Space Hero

Space heroes Buzz Cory and Space Cadet Happy in the television show 'Space Patrol'

Space Patrol 

Space Patrol originally was created for television as a daily show for children in 1950 from L.A. with a running time of 15 minutes.  This format proved popular, and after being picked up by ABC, some 900 episodes were cranked out.  The episode length then expanded to 30 minutes.  For the remaining 210 episodes this was the format length before the series ended in 1955.  Space Patrol was a popular spin off in radio, comics, and merchandise connected to the show.

A cast photo of Space Patrol

The show was created by Williams 'Mike' Moser who wanted to bring the excitement of Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers cinema of his youth to children of the 1950's.  Production of the show was very primitive compared to modern standards.  All of the shows were performed 'live', and if there was a mistake the cast would keep going on as if they were performing a play.  The television technology was still in infancy and cumbersome, and construction of the space sets were fairly simple.  Yet with all of these restrictions, Space Patrol was an instant hit when broadcast by the fledgling ABC.

Space Hero Buzz Cory conferring with female leads Tonga and Carol (Nina Bara and Virgina Hewitt)

The premise was simple.  A hero Buzz Cory and his sidekick Cadet Happy would travel in rocket ship to various places in the 30th century to fight nefarious interplanetary bad guys that usually had German or Russian accents which echoed the cold war going on in America at the time.  Eventually the hero would represent a space agency with echoes of America.  This space hero concept would prove influential to later science fiction in television such as Star Trek.

Like Star Trek, the first lead was replaced.  Originally Glen Denning was 'Kit Corry', but had trouble with the lines and would have mistakes during the 'live' episodes, and soon was replaced by Ed Kemmer as 'Buzz Cory'.  Lyn Osborne was the eternally youthful Cadet Happy.

Glenn Denning as Kit Corry who had trouble with the format of the show...he was replaced by...

Ed Kemmer as Buzz Cory

 While this show is very primitive and dated on many fronts as compared to modern science fiction, it's excitement is still infectious even now. Worth a look for fans of Spandex and Monster.

Astro Space Hero at the Woodford Sun 

Most people know I started my webshow as a parody of early science fiction shows like space patrol, Buck Rogers, and other early versions of science fiction.  Recently I had an interview with the Woodford Sun about my webshow.  Here is the interview if people are interested.

Many thanks to the fans of Astro Space Hero world wide.  Please check out www.astrospacehero.com for more information!