Space Command (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Space Command


caption =
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genre = Children's science fiction
creator =
writer = Alfred Harris
director = Murray Chercover
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presenter =
starring = Bob Barclay
James Doohan
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country = CAN
language = English
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes =
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executive_producer =
co_exec =
producer = Murray Chercover
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runtime = 30 minutes
channel = CBC Television
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first_run =
first_aired = 13 March 1953
last_aired = 29 May 1954
preceded_by = "Tales of Adventure"cite web | url=http://www.film.queensu.ca/cbc/Sev.html | title=(Seven to Sprockets) "Space Command" | publisher=Queen's University | accessdate=2008-06-01 | work=CBC Television Series 1952 to 1982 | first=Blaine | last=Allan ]
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imdb_id = 0045439
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"Space Command" was a Canadian children's science fiction television adventure series, broadcast on CBC Television in 1953 and 1954, the first time the network aired its own dramatic series.cite book | last=Rainsberry | first=F. B. | title=A history of children's television in English Canada, 1952-1986 | publisher=Scarecrow Press | year=1988 | isbn=081082079X | pp=117, 118]

Each program presented life on the fictional space station XSW1 operated by the worldwide Space Command,cite news | url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/07/07/doohan20040707.html | accessdate=2008-06-01 | publisher=CBC News | title=TV's 'Scotty' has Alzheimer's | author=CBC Arts | date=7 July 2004 ] featuring the activities of Frank Anderson (Bob Barclay). Another character, Phil Mitchell, was portrayed by James Doohan who gained international attention as a regular on the 1960s television series "". [cite news | url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/james-doohan-499671.html | accessdate=2008-06-01 | title=James Doohan (obituary) | date=22 July 2005 | publisher="The Independent" | first=Anthony | last=Hayward ] William Shatner, the leading actor on "Star Trek", also appeared on episodes of "Space Command".cite web | url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/programming/television/programming_popup.php?id=54 | title=Space Command | first=John | last=Corcelli | date=April 2002 | accessdate=2008-06-01 | publisher=Canadian Communications Foundation ] Other series cast members included Andrew Anthony, Joe Austin, Harry Geldard, Cec Linder, Aileen Taylor and Austin Willis. Harold Wright was technical advisor to the series.

Production details

John Lowry provided special effects for the series, including presentations of rockets and weightlessness, although modern audiences would now reject the techniques used at that time. Models were created at Murray Chercover's residence, then rocket propulsion material was obtained from T. W. Hand Fireworks.

cheduling

The series was initially seen on Friday evenings at 19:30 Toronto time. The debut episode on 13 March 1953 featured the topic of sunspots.cite news | publisher="The Globe and Mail" | date=13 March 1953 | page=35 | title=Television / CBLT-TV Channel 9 ] This first run continued until 17 July 1953. Other topics planned for the series included asteroids, space medicine, meteorites and evolution.

From 17 October 1954, the series moved to Saturdays at 18:30, but came back to CBC's Friday schedule on 8 January 1954 for the 18:00 time slot. The final run of the series returned to Saturdays on 1 May 1954, again at the 18:00 time slot.

Although short-lived, "Space Command" proved to be a hit dramatic program for CBC's earliest years.

Preservation status

Nova Scotia media historian Ernest Dick lamented the loss of recordings of nearly all the series episodes, despite the production of kinescopes for distribution to CBC stations across Canada. The only known extant recording is that of one November 1953 episode.cite web | url=http://www.avtrust.ca/VanishingSpaceCommand.pdf | format=pdf | accessdate=2008-06-01 | date=7 July 2006 | title=Vanishing Media: Space Command | first=Ernest J. | last=Dick | publisher=AVTrust ]

References