| Literature had had a thousand year history before science fiction came on the scene, in 1818, with the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus. And if Frankenstein was the first science fiction novel it was also the first play as well, as the book was adapted to the theatre within months of its appearance.
But once science fiction made it on the scene, it did not lag behind in newly invented media. Frankenstein doesn't quite get the accolade of the first science fiction movie (Edison made a version in 1905), Melies' A Trip to the Moon (1902) deserves that honor.
On the radio? A science fiction show called Ultra Violet made its debut in the 30s, and Buck Rogers in 1932.
And then there was television. Milton Berle, "Mr. Television," made his debut in 1948, as did a host of other drama, mystery and comedy shows. Science fiction did not lag far behind. Captain Video began in 1949 and proved to be very popular, lasting until 1955 (when Space Patrol and Tom Corbett went off the air as well).
| 1950s American Science Fiction
Television series and anthologies
(cartoons not included)
| Show |
Debut |
Final |
| Captain Video |
06/27/1949 |
04/01/1955 |
| Space Patrol |
03/13/1950 |
02/26/1955 |
| Buck Rogers |
04/15/1950 |
01/30/1951 |
| Tom Corbett, Space Cadet |
10/2/1950 |
06/25/1955 |
| Tales of Tomorrow |
08/03/1951 |
06/12/1953 |
| Out There |
10/28/1951 |
01/13/1952 |
| The Adventures of Superman |
09/19/1952 |
04/28/1958 |
| Atom Squad |
07/06/1953 |
01/18/1954 |
| Johnny Jupiter |
03/31/1953 |
01/30/1954 |
| Rod Brown on the Rocket Rangers |
04/18/1953 |
05/29/1954 |
| Operation Neptune |
06/28/1953 |
09/21/1953 |
| Rocky Jones, Space Ranger |
01/20/1954 |
12/?/1955 |
| Science Fiction Theatre |
04/?/1955 |
04/?/1957 |
| Captain Z-Ro |
12/18/1955 |
06/?/1956 |
| The Twilight Zone |
10/02/1959 |
06/19/1964 |
|
