Space Patrol - Phantom Spaceship

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• published: 09 Jan 2014
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Space Patrol is a science fiction adventure series that was originally aimed at juvenile audiences of the early 1950s via television, radio, and comic books. However, it soon developed a sizable adult audience such that by 1954, the program consistently ranked in the top 10 shows broadcast on a Saturday. The stories followed the 30th-century adventures of Commander-in-Chief Buzz Corry (Ed Kemmer) of the United Planets Space Patrol and his young sidekick Cadet Happy (Lyn Osborn), as they faced nefarious interplanetary villains with diabolical schemes. Not surprisingly for the time, some of these villains had Russian- or German-sounding accents. Cmdr. Corry and his allies were aided by such nifty sci-fi gadgets as ray guns, "miniature space-o-phones" and "atomolights." Most episodes carried such pulp-magazine titles as "Revolt of the Space Rats" and "The Menace of Planet X." Originally, the Space Patrol's purpose was that of "clearing the space lanes" but gradually evolved into an intergalactic space police and military force charged with keeping the peace. Later day comparisons between the much earlier 1950s Space Patrol and the later years' Star Trek film and television series are inevitable. The show played directly to children but attracted a sizable adult audience. Many episodes merchandised various toys and mail-order premiums tied into the series during their commercial breaks. Many of the ads for corporate sponsor Ralston-Purina's Chex cereals used the show's space opera motif in their pitches. A unique feature of the TV and radio adventures was that the premium of the month was often worked intricately into the action of the live adventures. This permitted young viewers to feel that they were participating in the radio or televised adventures.[12][13] Space Patrol's most remembered premium was a "Name the Planet" Contest wherein the winner was awarded the program's Terra IV Space Ship.[14] The ship was in the form of a giant trailer in the shape of the series space craft. One of the many commercial Name the Planet commercials may be viewed at Name the Planet Commercial. Perhaps the cleverest outcome of the program's advertising was their sponsorship of a Space Patrol club, in which viewers could become members. Continuing merchandise and program tie-ins perpetuated the connection producing such a sizable following that many of the nation's magazines chronicled the phenomenon.