Chuck Lassen
Hi, Cadet Ed!
Blast me for a Martian Mouse!
I was thrilled to find your web site. I thought nobody but me
remembered or cared about Tom Corbett! [ Does this sound familiar to anyone? Cadet Ed]
What a great wealth of
information you have compiled-
I was born in 1941 so was just the right age to enjoy Tom Corbett,
Space Patrol, and the rest. I remember Tom's last show very clearly,
where Astro asked Tom where they were going just before blast off, and
Tom replied, "farther than we've ever gone before!" I had a sense of
foreboding that this was the last show, which was confirmed the
following week when something else came on in that time slot. I was
very, very upset as this was a MAJOR part of my life at that age.
I still have some momentos left- a metal pair of Tom Corbett
binoculars, a set of the little rubber cadets and aliens (some with
clear plastic space helmets) that came with the Space Academy play
set, most of the Dell comics, and Wade Williams videos. Unfortunately
a lot of the good stuff, like mail-for premiums, were lost long ago. I
remember having the green plastic Tom Corbett space goggles and was
thrilled to see the ad for it at your site!
Space Patrol was another favorite of mine. I won a Schwinn bicycle in
that "Name the planet" contest where the first prize was the Ralston
Rocket, complete with a truck to pull it. I received a letter saying I
was being considered for a major prize, and had to have my parents
sign a consent form and mail it back before I learned what I won. I
thought for sure I had won that monstrous rocket! I think my father
was extremely relieved when we found out I had only won a bicycle.
Sign me up as an enthusiastic new cadet at Space Academy!
Cadet Chuck Lassen
[Welcome Aboard Cadet Lassen. Yes, you were in that golden age of 10 -12. If you look further down in the Cadet News column you can see who has that rocket - Cadet Ward Dean with a picture of his prize. As a father I can understand your father's fear, however as a young cadet...I can REALLY understand the loss. By the way... was that a Special Space Patrol bike?? If it was, I know we would love to hear about it. The Space Goggles were a desire of mine. They were truly ahead of their time. A Special Thanks to Bill Otto for sharing his Cereal Boxes with us. The information on the site is building and thanks go out to Joe Sarno, Geoffrey Tolle, Wade Williams, Terry Harms and others who have caught the desire to restore some of the golden days. Stay tuned....... more is- a - coming]
Jeff Walden walden@sierra.net
While I don't really remember the Tom Corbett TV show (I do remember
watching Rocky Jones), the Tom Corbett books were a great influence on
me and gave me an enduring interest in astronomy, science, science
fiction, and space exploration.
[That Sense of Wonder is part of the Tom Corbett Magic. The Collier's Space Series was a big hit at the same time Tom and all of the other Space Heroes of the 1950's were popular. In many ways the two go hand in hand]
Will Oxford wroxford@thezone.net
Hi Ed!
I found your Tom Corbett page a couple of weeks ago, and it was like
finding buried treasure. Your page has so much information! I especially
like your comparisons between Robert Heinlein's "Space Cadet" and the Tom
Corbett series, and I agree that Stand By For Mars and Revolt on Venus are
the best of the novels. I especially enjoyed Stand By For Mars. The
conflict between Roger and Astro was well-written, and the long descriptive
paragraphs about Space Academy gave me a definite picture of the place.
(I've never seen the TV series or the comics, so the novels are my only
source of knowledge about the Tom Corbett universe.)
[ It seems the Grosset & Dunlap books are once again the main contact for Tom ]
I also have to thank you for being the first person to e-mail me about my
series books page. It was just put up about a month ago, and it's my first
attempt at a web page. It's still under construction, of course, and always
will be.
[Will has a number of links to other series books. The series books have a rich tradition of good reading going back to just before the turn of the Century. Check out
Will's site and links to series books for a treat in reading]
Just one other thing: Can you tell me how or where I can order Robert Heinlein's "Space Cadet"?
[SPACE CADET is still being published by Ace paperbacks and there are a number of copies in used book stores.
Will is one of the youngest Tom Corbett fans that I have met so far. He is in the 8th grade and he has his own website on series books. Keep up the good work Will and keep in touch. ]
Al Multon norfwds@sierra.net
Cadet Ed, I seem to remember an episode of TC on TV that was about the
STICKMEN. Any thoughts on this one? And are any of the more recent tv
episoddes available on video? I have the 1st 19 only.
[Mercury Men I have heard of, but I don't have anything on stickmen. Anyone have any input? Two new logs have been added from Joe Sarno's Space Academy and more will be scanned in. Any summary or data information on shows will be welcomed]
Geoffrey Tolle gtolle@infinet.com
I saw your letter in "Comic Buyers' Marketplace" #46. Here I
thought I had a great new contact, darn! You should mention it on your
web-site as well as the articles and letters in "Plastic & Figure Playset
Collect", "Filmfax" #25 (1991). There is also a recent article in "Susabella
Passengers and Friends". It is the Nov. 1995 issue. It is mostly Frankie
Thomas but it has some TC. It is availible for $3.50 from:
Garrett Lothe
80 Ocean Pines Ln.
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
1-408-624-2057
The Frankie Thomas article on TC in "Filmfax" mentions:
Our producer, Mort Abrahams, asked me to make an appearence
at a junior high school in Brooklyn early on a Saturday
morning. The occaision was an annual student body stage
production, "Tom Corbett on Mars."
If you could mention this I (we) would love to try to locate a copy of this
play simply for the... what? nostalgia? humor? value. Whatever, it would be
a hoot to be able to put a copy of this in our collection (when we get a
library to house it).
If you don't hurry up and put up the new web-pages I'll do something
nasty like send you another Space Chantie to post. Spaceman's luck!
[Please mercy....the Space Shantie are now located on the TC Introduction page. Thanks Geoffrey..I like them..Anyone with a musical instrument seeing Geoffrey at a Science Fiction Convention...corner him and tape some of these Chantie's for future generations. Why should we have all of the fun!! Thanks for the good information Geoffrey. In search of more information about Tom, Geoffrey is searching for kineoscopes ,discs and scripts. Either contact Geoffrey or the Academy with information about any of these resource items. They represent a source of information that will greatly enhance documentation of the Tom Corbett Saga. In the very near future there will be a page for magazine articles...so everyone....send in your information for the page.]
Bill Otto otto@novia.net
Hi Ed .. Yup I'm still here! I've been pretty busy at work and hav'nt
really had time to keep up with e-mail, friendships, family, eating etc but
did stop in at the Space Academy today and was really surprised to see the
new additions! I loved the photo of the Ralston rocket ... what a great
find it'd be to find it again. You really have this going great. I've
passed the web site on to several people and will continue to do so.
[I know that feeling.. never enough time!!! Bill has supplied a lot of graphics from his collection of PEP Cereal boxes and is heading to Chicago for the big toy show. Good hunting Bill]
Till next upload:
Remember to report any interesting news about Cadet Tom, Commander Corry or other heroes to the
Space Academy.
...Spaceman's Luck. Cadet Ed
