Radar Men from the Moon
Encyclopedia
Radar Men from the Moon is the first Commando Cody
serial, in 12 chapters, starring newcomer George Wallace
(1917–2005) as Cody and Aline Towne
as his sidekick Joan Gilbert, with serial veteran Roy Barcroft
as the evil Retik, the Ruler of the Moon. The director was Fred C. Brannon
, with a screenplay by Ronald Davidson
and special effects by the Lydecker brothers
. It was also released as a television film under the new title Retik the Moon Menace (1966).
(1949). The main character, Commando Cody, is a civilian researcher with a sizable staff of employees and a large laboratory building. (The building is actually the front office of Republic Pictures with a "Cody Laboratories" sign attached next to the door.)
Commando Cody has available for his use the rocket-powered flying suit and a rocket ship capable of reaching the moon. When the U.S. finds itself under attack from a mysterious something that wipes out military bases and industrial complexes, Cody deduces that the Earth faces a menace from our own moon, and rockets there to discover and confront the moon's dictator Retik, who boldly announces plans to conquer our planet and move his subjects there.
Cody spends most of the serial's running time on Earth battling an elusive lunar native called Krog and the gang of human crooks he has hired to steal and stockpile supplies for the invasion. Clayton Moore
plays Krog's chief Earthling assistant.
Radar Men from the Moon's first chapter spawned the somewhat famous expression "Atomic activity on the Moon. Atomic blast on the Earth" (uttered by Henderson when divulging to the scientists the government's research conclusions).
was $185,702 (a $12,862, or 7.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1952. It was filmed between 17 October and 6 November 1951 under the working title
Planet Men from Mars. The serial's production number was 1932.
However the numbers may look, in practice the budget was so tight that there was no stunt double for lead actor George Wallace
. His nose was broken while filming a fight with Clayton Moore
. The actor was also suspended (by lying on a board with the rocket suit's jacket closed around it) in front of a rear projection
screen for some flying shots. Wallace performed his own take-offs by jumping onto a springboard that would send him over the camera.
The serial is heavily padded with footage from King of the Rocket Men
, to which this was a pseudo-sequel. A repainted Juggernaut from Undersea Kingdom
is also used. Radar Men from the Moon shows space to be brightly lit and the characters walking on the moon in normal gravity without a suit. The exterior of Commando Cody's office is really the Republic Pictures office.
Two helmets were used for the Commando Cody costume, with a lighter version for use in the stunt scenes. The visors of the helmets would always get stuck.
This was followed by a re-release of Perils of Nyoka
, re-titled as Nyoka and the Tigermen, instead of a new serial. The next new serial, Zombies of the Stratosphere
, which also used the flying suit and related stock effects footage seen here, followed in the summer.
The serial was re-released on 30 September 1957 between the similar re-releases of Zorro's Black Whip
and Son of Zorro
. The last original Republic serial release was King of the Carnival
in 1955.
. The first eight-and-a-half chapters of the serial were lampooned before the main feature of the week. (Only half of the ninth installment was shown, with the in-show excuse being that "the film broke".)
Source:
Commando Cody
Commando Cody was the hero in a 12-episode science-fiction serial made in 1952 by Republic Pictures entitled Radar Men from the Moon, which was followed up 1953 with the 12 episode Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe....
serial, in 12 chapters, starring newcomer George Wallace
George D. Wallace
George Dewey Wallace was an American stage and screen actor.Wallace co-starred with Mary Martin in the Broadway musical Jennie and was nominated for a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for playing the male lead in New Girl in Town opposite Gwen Verdon...
(1917–2005) as Cody and Aline Towne
Aline Towne
Aline Towne born Fern Aline Eggen, also known as Fern Aline Waller, was an American film and television actress, best remembered for her lead roles in 1950s Republic serials, such as Radar Men from the Moon.Towne was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota.Towne appeared in dozens of roles on television, in...
as his sidekick Joan Gilbert, with serial veteran Roy Barcroft
Roy Barcroft
Roy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as the evil Retik, the Ruler of the Moon. The director was Fred C. Brannon
Fred C. Brannon
Fred C. Brannon was an American film director of the 1940s and 1950s.He directed over 40 films between 1945 and his death.His first film The Purple Monster Strikes in 1945 was co-directed with Spencer Gordon Bennett....
, with a screenplay by Ronald Davidson
Ronald Davidson
Ronald Davidson was an American screenwriter. He was born in Arizona and died in San Diego, California.Ronald Davidson started his career as a short story writer and in 1943 was appointed as story editor for Republic Studios movie serials and some feature films...
and special effects by the Lydecker brothers
Lydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
. It was also released as a television film under the new title Retik the Moon Menace (1966).
Plot
This famous serial recycles the rocket-powered flying suit from King of the Rocket MenKing of the Rocket Men
King of the Rocket Men is a 1949 Republic movie serial, in twelve chapters, notable for introducing the "Rocketman Character" who reappeared under a variety of names in later serials Radar Men from the Moon, Zombies of the Stratosphere and the semi-serial Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the...
(1949). The main character, Commando Cody, is a civilian researcher with a sizable staff of employees and a large laboratory building. (The building is actually the front office of Republic Pictures with a "Cody Laboratories" sign attached next to the door.)
Commando Cody has available for his use the rocket-powered flying suit and a rocket ship capable of reaching the moon. When the U.S. finds itself under attack from a mysterious something that wipes out military bases and industrial complexes, Cody deduces that the Earth faces a menace from our own moon, and rockets there to discover and confront the moon's dictator Retik, who boldly announces plans to conquer our planet and move his subjects there.
Cody spends most of the serial's running time on Earth battling an elusive lunar native called Krog and the gang of human crooks he has hired to steal and stockpile supplies for the invasion. Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
plays Krog's chief Earthling assistant.
Radar Men from the Moon's first chapter spawned the somewhat famous expression "Atomic activity on the Moon. Atomic blast on the Earth" (uttered by Henderson when divulging to the scientists the government's research conclusions).
Cast
- George WallaceGeorge D. WallaceGeorge Dewey Wallace was an American stage and screen actor.Wallace co-starred with Mary Martin in the Broadway musical Jennie and was nominated for a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for playing the male lead in New Girl in Town opposite Gwen Verdon...
as Commando Cody. The character Commando Cody is introduced in this serial. The character is announced before the title in the opening credits and above both the title and actors names in the posters. - Aline TowneAline TowneAline Towne born Fern Aline Eggen, also known as Fern Aline Waller, was an American film and television actress, best remembered for her lead roles in 1950s Republic serials, such as Radar Men from the Moon.Towne was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota.Towne appeared in dozens of roles on television, in...
as Joan Gilbert - Roy BarcroftRoy BarcroftRoy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as Retik, Ruler of the Moon. Barcroft was cast as Retik to match the stock footage from The Purple Monster StrikesThe Purple Monster StrikesThe Purple Monster Strikes is a Republic Movie serial. It was also released as a television film under the title D-Day on Mars .The original production title for the serial was The Purple Shadow Strikes...
. He wears the same costume in both serials. - William BakewellWilliam BakewellWilliam Bakewell , also known as Billy Bakewell, was an American actor, who achieved his greatest fame as one of the premiere juvenile performers of the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Life and career:...
as Ted Richards - Clayton MooreClayton MooreClayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
as Graber - Peter BroccoPeter BroccoPeter Brocco was an American film and TV character actor for nearly 60 years.He appeared as a criminal type in several episodes of Adventures of Superman. He holds the distinction of having been killed off in two of them, a relative rarity for villains in the series...
as Krog - Bob Stevenson as Daly
Production
Radar Men from the Moon was budgeted at $172,840 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $185,702 (a $12,862, or 7.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1952. It was filmed between 17 October and 6 November 1951 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
Planet Men from Mars. The serial's production number was 1932.
However the numbers may look, in practice the budget was so tight that there was no stunt double for lead actor George Wallace
George D. Wallace
George Dewey Wallace was an American stage and screen actor.Wallace co-starred with Mary Martin in the Broadway musical Jennie and was nominated for a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for playing the male lead in New Girl in Town opposite Gwen Verdon...
. His nose was broken while filming a fight with Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
. The actor was also suspended (by lying on a board with the rocket suit's jacket closed around it) in front of a rear projection
Rear projection effect
Rear projection is part of many in-camera effects cinematic techniquesin film production for combining foreground performances with pre-filmed backgrounds. It was widely used for many years in driving scenes, or to show other forms of "distant" background motion...
screen for some flying shots. Wallace performed his own take-offs by jumping onto a springboard that would send him over the camera.
The serial is heavily padded with footage from King of the Rocket Men
King of the Rocket Men
King of the Rocket Men is a 1949 Republic movie serial, in twelve chapters, notable for introducing the "Rocketman Character" who reappeared under a variety of names in later serials Radar Men from the Moon, Zombies of the Stratosphere and the semi-serial Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the...
, to which this was a pseudo-sequel. A repainted Juggernaut from Undersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom is a Republic Pictures film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic...
is also used. Radar Men from the Moon shows space to be brightly lit and the characters walking on the moon in normal gravity without a suit. The exterior of Commando Cody's office is really the Republic Pictures office.
Two helmets were used for the Commando Cody costume, with a lighter version for use in the stunt scenes. The visors of the helmets would always get stuck.
Theatrical
Radar Men from the Moons official release date is 9 January 1952, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.This was followed by a re-release of Perils of Nyoka
Perils of Nyoka
Perils of Nyoka is a 1942 Republic Movie serial directed by William Witney. It starred Kay Aldridge as Nyoka the Jungle Girl, a character who first appeared in the Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired serial "Jungle Girl."-Plot:...
, re-titled as Nyoka and the Tigermen, instead of a new serial. The next new serial, Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
, which also used the flying suit and related stock effects footage seen here, followed in the summer.
The serial was re-released on 30 September 1957 between the similar re-releases of Zorro's Black Whip
Zorro's Black Whip
Zorro's Black Whip is a 1944 Republic Pictures film serial starring Linda Stirling. The film was made after the popular 1940 20th Century-Fox remake of The Mark of Zorro and Republic was unable to use the character himself, but still wanted to capitalize on it. However, and despite the title,...
and Son of Zorro
Son of Zorro
Son of Zorro is a Republic film serial. It was the 43rd of the 66 serials produced by that studio. The serial was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Fred C. Brannon...
. The last original Republic serial release was King of the Carnival
King of the Carnival
King of the Carnival is a Republic movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company...
in 1955.
Television
Radar Men from the Moon was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Retik the Moon Menace. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.Mystery Science Theater 3000
In 1989, the serial regained notoriety as the first shorts used by the cult classic Mystery Science Theater 3000Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. The first eight-and-a-half chapters of the serial were lampooned before the main feature of the week. (Only half of the ninth installment was shown, with the in-show excuse being that "the film broke".)
Chapter titles
- Moon Rocket (20 min)
- Molten Terror (13min 20s)
- Bridge of Death (13min 20s)
- Flight to Destruction (13min 20s)
- Murder Car (13min 20s)
- Hills of Death (13min 20s)
- Camouflaged Destruction (13min 20s)
- The Enemy Planet (13min 20s)
- Battle in the Stratosphere (13min 20s)
- Mass Execution (13min 20s) - a re-cap chapterClip showA clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicted with a clip of the event presented as a flashback. ...
- Planned Pursuit (13min 20s)
- Death of the Moon Man (13min 20s)
Source:
External links
- Roaring Rockets Serial Pages
- "Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe" TV series
- Summary of Casts and Credits for the Republic "Rocketman" Films
- Another very complete list of casts and credits for the "Rocketman" films
- Interview with George Wallace
- Nostalgia League article on the "Rocketman" serials
- Gary Johnson, "The Serials"
- Twisted Mojo RMFtM comedy redub/edit
Download or view online
- Moving Image Archive: Radar Men from the Moon episodes (Creative CommonsCreative CommonsCreative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
licensed)