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Post by Red Oak Kid on Aug 21, 2016 16:16:58 GMT -5
I've read a lot of books and articles about the history of comics. I've always read that DC editor Whitney Ellsworth went to Hollywood to oversee the production of the Superman tv show(1952-1958).
But I've really never seen any details about this. My understanding is that even tho his name continued to appear in DC comics as editor of the Superman titles, there were assistant editors in NYC that actually did the work while he was in Hollywood.
My question is, did Ellsworth really relocate to the West Coast during this period? If so, what did he do? I mean, was it really a full time job to keep tabs on the tv show?
Has anyone read any details about this?
Thanks.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,390
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Post by shaxper on Aug 21, 2016 16:41:15 GMT -5
While I don't know anything about this specific instance, I feel like Hollywood replaced advertising as the ideal profession you aspired to while working in comics in the 60s and 70s. If you got big enough, it's logically the move you tried to make. Kirby tried to get Silver Star made as a film, Stan Lee leveraged his position as editor to become Marvel's ambassador to Hollywood. There must be other examples of this, no?
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Post by Phil Maurice on Aug 21, 2016 17:03:44 GMT -5
You might find some answers in "Superman vs. Hollywood" by Jake Rossen. It briefly chronicles Ellsworth's time scripting the radio show, drafting "Superman and The Mole Men" (while on holiday with his family in the Grand Canyon), and casting the Superman TV series. It appears his ideas were not highly valued by the decision-makers of the period, being more than a little bit subversive in that climate. Superman vs. Hollywood |
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Post by Farrar on Aug 21, 2016 17:54:42 GMT -5
I've read a lot of books and articles about the history of comics. I've always read that DC editor Whitney Ellsworth went to Hollywood to oversee the production of the Superman tv show(1952-1958). But I've really never seen any details about this. My understanding is that even tho his name continued to appear in DC comics as editor of the Superman titles, there were assistant editors in NYC that actually did the work while he was in Hollywood. My question is, did Ellsworth really relocate to the West Coast during this period? If so, what did he do? I mean, was it really a full time job to keep tabs on the tv show? Has anyone read any details about this? Thanks. Yes, he went to Hollywood. This is detailed in Larry Tye's invaluable Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero (2012). To summarize, DC's brass felt the first season (overseen by Superman radio producer Robert Maxwell) was too melodramatic/film-noirish/violent--i.e., too adult-- so Ellsworth was tapped to oversee the show's second season to make the show more kid-and-sponsor friendly and to shield it somewhat from the Werthamites. For example Ellsworth replaced Phyllis Coates's rather stern Lois (who reprimanded Clark at every turn, or so the National execs felt) with the warmer Noel Neill. Tye writes how under Ellsworth the show became less dark and instead focused on "feel-good" stories. Ellsworth made sure that stories/plots came from the comics themsleves and also injected more humor into the show. Tye's book has much more information about this. The pages specifically dealing with Ellsworth's TV production duties are on pages 143-149, you may be able to check the pages out using Amazon's Look Inside feature. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2016 17:54:42 GMT -5
In 1946, National Allied Publications and Detective Comics merged together to form NATIONAL COMICS PUBLICATIONS ...  Whitney, became the first Chief Editor of a Major Comic Book Organization to oversees the Production of Adventures of Superman - Television Series - I shared that picture because at beginning credit the words of National Comics Publications is highly visible on all television sets across the United States so that he became the only Man that oversee the entire production of this very successful television series in the 50's. He had already conquered Comic Books as being the Chief Editor at the beginning of DC Comics and it's number one property Superman. He wasn't interested in being interested in overseeing the Comic Book Industry and he had a vision of being the first Editor to oversee the production of "Adventures of Superman" he was the Movie Studio Contact for Hollywood and wanted to make sure that his character is handled properly. I was told of that of many friends that live in Hollywood and he was quite active in that. He was very excited about the new media - namely Television and Television gave him a sense of purpose of his life calling and that why he poured his soul in the creation of this television series and that's why he wasn't interested in Comic Books and he was more interested in this exciting new media. And, Television became his calling ... He was a TRAILBLAZER that allowed others like Stan Lee to promote and licensed Marvel Comics Characters on the Big Screen ... and having said that that's why he produced every single show and wanted to protect his number one property - Superman. |
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