Corky is the only one who knows who Superman really is... and with Corky's aid, Hank (played by Ben Welden) sets out to uncover Superman's secret. But neither Corky nor Superman is so easily tricked. ("The Dog Who Knew Superman," 1953)
Ben Welden was in eight episodes of Superman as well as hundreds of other film and TV productions during his 35-year career, during which he worked with many notable actors such as Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, John Garfield, James Stewart and many more. He retired when he was 65 and died thirty two years later in 1997 at 96 years of age.
In 1993 I believe the LA TIMES quoted Ben Weldon in a story it did on that retired actors home in Woodland Hills, CA. I talked with the reporter who said he was wandering around the grounds and saw Ben sitting on a bench and knew immediately it was him.
One of the more subtle episodes of Superman. Ben Welden one of the more comical gangsters. Great memories as a kid. Superman use to come on periodically at 5 PM & only show my mom would let me watch during dinner on our 10" kitchen TV. I had to promise mom I would do my homework right after dinner. Those were the days of innocence. RIP in heaven George Reeves. I know you felt typecasted, but you made millions of kids & adults happy to this day.
His Superman became a role model for a generation of young people ... probably multiple generations considering the series is still playing on streaming services.
Did you know the dog belonged to George Reeves? His name was Sam. A stand-in trained dog was filmed for the attack scene when he went after the hoodlum's leg. Sam was stolen from George's convertible while parked on the side of the street in Los Angeles. His estranged girlfriend, Toni Mannix, stole Sam when George started dating Leonore Lemmon. The cops did not help George get Sam back, they mocked him as being Superman. Read the book titled "Hollywood Kryptonite" to learn all about it. Toni got her husband, Eddie the studio exec and mobhead, to have his mob buddies put out a hit on George. At the last minute, Toni tried to get her husband to cancel the hit, but it was too late. George was shot in the head in his bedroom by one of "The Blonds"...a couple blond haired psychos who were mob hit men. George did not commit suicide, but he was killed by his own gun while struggling with one of The Blonds, who came in through his open upstairs bedroom window after he'd retired for the evening. George kept the gun atop his dresser at the foot of the bed in his bedroom, and he tended to oil it a bit too much. There were several shots fired in the struggle, and bullet holes were in the floor of George's upstairs bedroom. Jack Larson found the bullet holes. Toni Mannix had covered them with playing cards of all things. George's murder was covered up. It was a piece of lead that killed the Man of Steel. Again...George Reeves did not commit suicide. He was murdered. The Blond who killed him confessed to the author of "Hollywood Kryptonite" when the author visited The Blond in Montana shortly before his death. He confessed to being the person who killed Superman.
Thank you. I may have to get that book. I know Mr. Reeves thought he was typecast, but I saw him in an episode of Jungle Jim with Johnny Weissmuller where he played a villain. He did a great job because I remember my young self yelling at the tv, “Superman can’t be a bad guy!” 😁
@@clrobertson13George also played a bad guy in the 1950 movie "The Good Humor Man", which ironically featured Superman's comic-book rival at the time, Captain Marvel.
In “Superman” #88 from 1954, there is a similar story called “”The Dog Who Loved Superman”, about a gangster’s dog who threatens Superman’s secret identity. After capturing the gangster and his gang, Superman takes the dog to Paris, France, and gives him to a lonely young boy, to whom the dog becomes immediately attached.
