Spacemens Luck

 

Where Tom Corbett, Captain Video, CMDR Corry and Other Spacemen Still Live

Whatever Became Of Your Favorite Classic Space Travel Actor

Have you ever wondered “Whatever Became of…” someone who years ago was famous and you haven’t heard of them in years? Here at Spacemen’s Luck I have wondered “Whatever Became of…” the many personalities who played Classic Space Travel characters that helped form my vision of Space Travel in the 1950′s and 1960′s.

Not being someone who is willing to wait for someone else to do it for me and after a search around the internet I found no single source discussing “Whatever Became of…” those Classic Space Travelers.

From time to time I will pick a Classic Space Travel personality and dig into where they are now, or if they have passed on, the details of their deaths. Since the Spacemen’s Luck website is dedicated to Classic Space Travelers of the 1950′s, 1960′s and even some of those from earlier years, many of these personalities may very well be passed on but some of them are probably still with us.

I will also be interested in what they did before and after their fame as a Classic Space Travel character. Did their 15 minutes of fame turn out to be just that. A short bit of fame while playing their Classic Space Travel character and then they passed on to obscurity and became a real estate agent or something else.

“Whatever Became of…” them should be interesting and hopefully help satisfy a little curiosity for you and me as well.

I have plans to do “Whatever Became of…” articles for the following Classic Space Travel actors. This list is not a complete list but an initial list to get this new topic started.

While doing an initial review of some of these actors I found that in some cases there is not much information and in other cases there is plenty. In every course I will scour the internet for any bits and pieces I can find.

Classic Space Travel Actors:

- Frankie Thomas who played Tom Corbett of the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show.
- Buster Crabbe who played Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers in the 1930′s movie serials.
- Ed Kemmer who played the Space Patrols Commander In Chief ‘Buzz’ Corey for both the Television and Radio Shows.
- John Larch who played Captain Starr of Space in the Radio Show of the same name.
- Jan Merlin who played Cadet Roger Manning of the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show. I particularly look forward to this one because I met him once in the late 1950′s at a county fair in Fontana, Calif.
- Richard Crane who played Rocky Jones in the Television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
- Lyn Osborn who played Cadet Happy, the ever faithful assistant to the Space Patrols Commander In Chief ‘Buzz’ Corey for both the Television and Radio Shows.
- Al Hodge who played Captain Video (1950-55) and His Video Rangers on the Television Show of the same name.
- Steve Holland who played Flash Gordon in the German syndicated Television series Flash Gordon.
- Roy Steffens who played Captain Z-Ro in the Television show of the same name.
- Ken Mayer who played Major Robertson the Space Patrol’s Security Chief in both the Television and Radio versions of the Space Patrol.
- Scott Beckett who played Winky the co-pilot to Rocky Jones in the Television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
- William Lundigan who played Col. Edward McCauley in the Television series Men Into Space. This show was a personal favorite of mine.
- Al Markim who played Astro, the Venusian, of the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show.
- Richard Coogan who played Captain Video (1949-50) and His Video Rangers on the Television Show of the same name.
- Don Hastings who played the Ranger assistant to Captain Video in the Television series Captain Video and His Video Rangers.
- Sally Mansfield played Vena Ray, the eye candy, in the Television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
- Edward Bryce who played Capt. Steve Strong of the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show.
- Virginia Hewitt who played Carol Carlyle the daughter of the Secretary General of the United Planets and friend to Space Patrol Commander Buzz Correy for both the Television and Radio Shows.
- Irene Champlin who played Dale Arden in the German syndicated Television series Flash Gordon.
- Margaret Garland who played Dr. Joan Dale in the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show.
- Bobby Trumbull played Jet a young assistant to Captain Z-Ro in the Television series.
- Robert Lyden who played Bobby a young Space Ranger in the Television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
- Joe Nash who played Dr. Zharkov in the German syndicated Television series Flash Gordon.
- Nina Bara played Miss Tonga the Space Patrol Assistant Security Chief in both the Space Patrol Television and Radio Shows.
- Carter Blake played Commander Arkwright who was the Commandant of the Solar Guards Space Academy in the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Television and Radio Show.
- Norman Jolley played Secretary General of the United Planets Carlyle in the Space Patrol Television Show.

Spacemen’s Luck!

Ray Plumlee
Space Cadet (Senior Rating)

List of Whatever Became Of Episodes: