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Tom Corbett, Space Cadet
1951 - 1955 6.0 (2 votes) 3 Seasons
Genres
Family Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Networks
NBC
DuMont Television Network
Created By
Joseph Greene

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet

Overview

Four centuries into the future, Cadets Tom Corbett, Roger Manning and Astro are training to become Solar Guards. Their ship, the "Polaris" took them to numerous adventures, usually natural catastrophes rather than villains.

Seasons

Season 1 (1951)

No overview available.

9 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Space Week
1951-07-07

A Space Academy tournament, consisting of sports, a written exam, and a space race, pits the Polaris unit in competition against other Cadet units at the Academy. The chief competition is the Vulcan unit led by Eric Rattison. Controversy cast a shadow over the Polaris unit when evidence indicates that a member of the Polaris crew has stolen an examination paper from Dr. Dale's office.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 2: The Martian Revolt
1951-07-14

An apparent plan by the Solar Council on Mars to break up Space Academy into three separate Academy's actually masks a much more sinister plot to start a revolution with the goal of destroying the entire Solar Guard.The Space Cadets wind up imprisoned inside an old rocket that has been programmed to go out of control and crash into the Martian surface.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 3: Trial In Space
1951-07-21

Astro is believed to have contracted "Space Fever" a disease which could result in having him permanently grounded from space travel, and thus, out of the Polaris Unit. During his narration, Frankie Thomas defines for the viewers just what a 3-man Space Cadet unit, like the Polaris, really is.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 4: Graveyard of the Rockets
1951-07-28

The Space Cadets, along with Captain Strong, Commander Arkwright, and Dr. Joan Dale, seek an Academy scientist lost on a distant planet in an uncharted solar system. Their search takes them to the legendary Rocket Graveyard, where dozens of lost ships have accumulated over the past 200 years. The graveyard appears to be otherwise deserted, but there are unknown foes waiting -- not all of which are human.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 5: The Asteroid of Death
1951-08-04

A clue provided by a youthful stowaway provides the only hope of preventing Roger and Captain Strong from making contact with an anti-matter asteroid and instantaneous annihilation.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 6: The Mystery of Alkar
1951-08-11

The Cadets are menaced by a weird, near-mute visitor from Alkar, the legendary black planet lying beyond the orbit of Neptune. But a much more deadly threat comes from an old and very dangerous enemy, that could lead to an attack against the entire Solar Alliance.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 7: The Lost Colony of Venus
1951-08-18

An adventurer calling himself the "Ace of Space"- stows aboard the Space Cadets' ship (the Ventura on this occasion) with the aid of the impulsive Roger. But "Ace" thereupon commandeers the ship and forces the Cadets to fly to Venus and help him search for the legendary Lost Colony. They do find it, amidst the Venusian jungles, but they also encounter the very same menace that wiped out the original Colony, established by the first colonists from earth 200 years ago!

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 8: Summer Space Maneuvers - Part 1
1951-08-25

The Polaris, on a mission to destroy a dangerous contra-terrene asteroid, is crippled by a split in the servo-gyro and forced to land on Jupiter for repairs.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 9: Summer Space Maneuvers - Part 2
1951-09-01

Cadets Astro, Roger Manning, and Eric Rattison, out on space maneuvers aboard the Polaris, run into trouble when the Servo unit (which controls the automatic steering unit) on the space ship goes out of commission, and they are forced to make an emergency landing on Jupiter. Problems with Jupiter's intense gravitation field and ammonia storms threaten the ships' survival, and also hinder the efforts of Tom and Captain Strong to come to their aid.

Runtime: 30 min
Season 2 (1953)

No overview available.

20 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Million Dollar Patrol
1953-08-29

The Space Academy is in danger of being closed down forever, so Tom Corbett and the Space Cadets risk their lives to save it when they come to the aid of passengers of a crippled rocket liner a million miles from home base.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 2: The Trojan Planets
1953-09-12

Tom Corbett and the Space Cadets find treachery and danger on the deserted planets in the orbit of Jupiter.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 3: The Outpost of Danger
1953-09-26

Receiving an urgent distress signal from the black void of space, Tom Corbett and the cadets race to battle a dread disease which has ravished the colonial outpost of Mimas.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 4: Target Danger
1953-10-10

A feud between two cadets causes the wreck of the Commanders flagship during interplanetary war games. Tom, Astro, and Manning suddenly find themselves the target of deadly atomic torpedoes while taking part in maneuvers to repel a mock invasion from space. Cadets Manning and Eric Rattison (Sutton) tension builds when Eric is temporarily assigned as an extra member of the Polaris Crew. Past differences are insignificant when the two are trapped together fighting for survival and facing death.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 5: The Mountains of Fire
1953-10-24

In a daring maneuver, Tom Corbett and the Space Cadets use their spaceship to prevent the destruction of an important agricultural station.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 6: The Ghost Ship
1953-11-07

A mysterious rocket ship drifts through the skies destroying liners in seemingly accidental crashes. When cadet Astro is accused of negligence, Tom steps into the picture.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 7: The Beacons of Danger
1953-11-21

A crooked mechanic tampers with the beacons surrounding a space junk field thereby hoping to waylay a treasury ship.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 8: Spaceship of Death
1953-12-05

An airport is threatened with destruction when an explosion occurs aboard a spaceship in flight.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 9: The Raiders of the Asteroids
1953-12-19

The cadets disguise themselves as prospectors to trap space gangsters who have been preying on uranium seekers.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 10: The Planet of Doom
1954-01-02

Two pretty young auxiliary cadets make an emergency landing, causing their spaceship to crash-land on Jupiter through negligence.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 11: Cargo of Death
1954-01-16

A freighter Captain & his first mate do not properly maintain the antiquated vessels they purchase, the result is death for the passengers and crew of 5. The negligent Captain kidnaps Roger for his crew on another ill-fated vessel. Tom and Astro, posing as civilian passengers on the freighter, must rescue Roger and stop Captain Farley before the malfunctioning freighter crashes on the moon.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 12: The Iron Major
1954-01-30

A tyrannical officer forbids the crew to leave their ship while in port.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 13: The Space Projectile
1954-02-13

Tom Corbett is called upon to halt sabotage of a cargo firing tube.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 14: Rescue in Space
1954-02-27

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 15: The Earth Digger
1954-03-13

A machine causes a cave-in under the moon's surface.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 16: Space Station of Danger
1954-03-27

Liquid compound K has seeped into the air and threatens the lives of those on the space station. Conspirators then plant a nuclear bomb to blow up the space station and its crew.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 17: Treachery in Space
1954-04-10

Tom Corbett is expelled from the Space Academy on suspicion of treason.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 18: Comet of Death
1954-04-24

Tom's spaceship runs into a speeding comet, and the crew is in danger of death.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 19: Death Trap
1954-05-08

On a routine training flight to Mars, Tom answers distress signal from the depths of space.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 20: The Runaway Rocket
1954-05-22

Tom, Astro and Roger are on escort duty for the speed trial of a new rocket scout manned by Commander Arkwright, Captain Strong, and Cadet Rattison. The rocket develops a short circuit in the main control panel that sends it off course to plunge directly into the sun. Only Tom Corbett and the space cadets are in a position to save the rocket as it falls out of control toward the sun.

Runtime: 30 min
Season 3 (1954)

No overview available.

28 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Atomic Curtain
1954-12-11

A radioactive beam pins two cadets behind an atomic curtain.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 2: Astro's Trial
1954-12-18

Tom Corbett fights to clear his friend Astro of a negligence charge. Astro had given orders to a spaceship that somehow leads to its crash.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 3: The Runaway Asteroid
1955-01-01

400 million miles from Earth, the cadets, Captain Strong and Commander Arkwright attempt to alter the course of an asteroid presently orbiting Jupiter. Their purpose: Find a way to force the asteroid around Ganymede, largest satellite of Jupiter, where it is to be transformed into a massive space station. Commander Arkwright has staked his reputation on this project. Failure means that he will feel compelled to resign from the Academy.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 4: Suit Up For Death
1955-01-08

Major Bemus, the Space Academy Quartermaster, rejects the report that a defective feed line flutter valve for the oxygen tanks on Academy spacesuits is the cause of a series of accidents that could lead toward a fatal catastrophe. The Major's stubbornness is leading toward a fatal catastrophe.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 5: Mystery of the Mothball Fleet
1955-01-15

The Space Cadets are assigned to a tour of duty at the Solar Guard's fleet anchorage, when one of the crew members is reported dead.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 6: The Life Ray
1955-01-22

Tom and his unit brave danger against the solar system in a desperate effort to restore the life ray.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 7: A Mighty Mite
1955-01-29

Pint-size T. J. Thistle is discouraged because he thinks he can't measure up to the man-size duties of the Polaris crew. Then the ship springs a fuel leak.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 8: Ace of the Space Lanes
1955-02-05

During a routine space run, T.J. Thistle and Astro are enthusiastically following by long-range televiewer, the attempt of Captain Cowan, famous Solar Guard rocket buster, to establish a speed record for a run around Titan and back. Tom has a more objective opinion of Capt Cowan. The Cadets suddenly see Cowan's ship explode, but Cowan miraculously survives, and is rescued by the Polaris crew. Cowan decides to take another try at the Titan speed record and manages to appropriate the Polaris and crew in spite of the objections of Capt Strong. Strong recognizes Cowan for the glory seeker that he is. On his attempt to break the speed record Cowman's recklessness endangers the ship and Cowan bails out leaving the Cadets to the mercy of the space debris near the rings of Saturn.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 9: The Asteroid Station
1955-02-12

A fault-finding reporter arrives to investigate the Solar Guards asteroid station. His newspaper originally opposed the building of the project.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 10: The Grapes of Ganymede
1955-02-19

Tom Corbett and his shipmates try to find the source of the contaminated grapes which are causing radiation sickness throughout the colonies of the solar alliance.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 11: Assignment: Mercury
1955-02-26

On a trip to Mercury, the cadets are assigned to Major Connel, the roughest, toughest, meanest officer in the entire Solar Guard. This is much to the chagrin of T.J., who starts off by putting his foot in his month and just keeps getting in deeper. But the humor of this situation quickly turns to disaster when a technical error by T.J. puts Tom and the Major in a deadly situation and on the verge of perishing in Mercury's 700 degree heat.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 12: Smugglers of Death
1955-03-05

The Space Cadets try to stop smugglers from sending supplies of hyperionite, a crystal that speeds up the breakdown of ores from space to Earth.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 13: The Mystery of the Missing Mail Ship
1955-03-12

A former Solar guard Captain hijacks the Titan Mail Ship in revenge for his being dishonorably discharged from the Space Academy. Roy Cowan, the former "Ace of the Space Lanes" (see episode #8) returns, and this time he starts off by hijacking the Titan Mail Ship, leaving Captain Strong in dire jeopardy as revenge for his having been discharged from Space Academy. He then teams up with a weapons specialist who was also discharged from the Academy. They go on a devastating rampage, destroying other ships that they come across at random. The Polaris Crew offer themselves as bait to trap Cowan. Cowan comes after the bait with a vengeance.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 14: The Gremlin of Space
1955-03-19

The Polaris Cadets are in trouble for an accumulation of minor infractions so for a period of 31 days they are assigned to what is supposed to be a tedious Cargo detail as punishment. But on their first run they find a part of their cargo to be alive. The Polaris crew is assigned to take a chimpanzee to a zoo at Venusport, and the chimp proceeds to make monkeys out of the Cadets.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 15: Terror in Space
1955-03-26

An accident on board the Polaris cuts Astro adrift from the ship, and he floats in a panic, through the blackness of space. Tom and T.J. must rescue him and calm his fears. Psychological damage from the experience is more devastating than the physical harm, and Astro learns that he may "never see space again". T.J. Thistle has his own ideas of providing Astro an instant cure. But a meteor striking the Polaris provides a better method for bringing Astro around.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 16: Spaceship of Danger
1955-04-02

The Space Cadets board a spaceship to return from a vacation. Little do they know that its Captain plans to abandon ship and collect the insurance covering its loss.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 17: The Magnetic Asteroid
1955-04-09

A strange asteroid having an exceptionally strong magnetic field, along with the magnetic personality of one, T.J. Thistle, combine to wreak a hit of havoc in space. Tom warns T. J. Thistle that there must be cooperation between the crews of the Polaris and the Sirius if they are to track down the magnetic asteroid. But T. J. wants to carry on his feud with the rival ship.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 18: Danger in the Asteroid Belt
1955-04-16

Tom Corbett and his buddies are trapped aboard a training ship on its test flight. The ship is supposed to pass through the asteroid belt.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 19: False Alert
1955-04-23

A false distress alert from outer space sends Tom Corbett and the crew of the Polaris rocketing into an almost certain death trap.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 20: The Space Projectile
1955-04-30

The Polaris Cadets, Captain Strong, and a very obnoxious Cadet Monroe, are assigned to retrieve data from a robot rocket referred to as the "Deep Space Projectile", in the vicinity of the star Sirius. While docking with the Projectile a malfunction causes the Projectile to break away fro the Polaris and T. J. and Captain Strong find themselves spiraling in toward Sirus a white star 2.35 times as massive and 23 times as luminous as our Sun.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 21: The Outpost of Terror
1955-05-07

Tom, Astro, and T.J. make a stop at an outpost on Triton, the largest satellite of the planet Neptune. The first thing they discover at, the outpost is a corpse. The unfortunate victim appears to have died of radiation.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 22: Exercise for Death
1955-05-14

Secretary Masters, the top Man in the Solar Guard, pays a visit to Space Academy and receives an unfavorable first impression of the Polaris Cadets. Later, as a part of an exercise, and to impress Secretary Masters who is aboard the Polaris and to atone for their previous embarrassment, the Cadets must knock out a robot rocket in Mars orbit. They hit it as planned, but the robot rocket careens wildly out of control, posing a deadly threat to other ships. The Cadets voluntarily risk their necks to try to stop it.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 23: Ambush in Space
1955-05-21

Roy Cowan, a former solar guard Captain, escapes from the Asteroid Prison and sets out to ambush the Polaris. His aim: to destroy Tom Corbett and his crew mates who twice before foiled his bid for fame and glory. Two convicts, including the treacherous Roy Cowan, escape from the Prison Asteroid by hijacking a space freighter. Cowan and his accomplice lure the Polaris Cadets into an ambush using their hijacked freighter as bait, which they themselves have abandoned, but not before starting a wildcatting reaction in the freighter's reactors, which will cause the ship to explode as the Cadets approach.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 24: The Stowaway
1955-05-28

The young daughter of the Defense Minister stows away aboard the Polaris. She causes trouble for Tom and the crew who are headed for Titan to field test a new reactor.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 25: A Fight for Survival (Assignment:Survival)
1955-06-04

Tom, Astro, and T.J. are assigned to fly an old ship to Venusport, where it is to be scrapped. But as the Cadets are descending toward Venus, the ship's reactors malfunction, sending it crashing into the Venusian jungle, as the Cadets bail out to survive. Then they must work to survive again in the midst of a Venusian jungle, while all the time an unseen volcano threatens to erupt and they must use the survival techniques learned at the Academy.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 26: Space Blindness
1955-06-11

Tom Corbett, Astro and T. J. Thistle aboard the Polaris, accompany a scout ship manned by Commander Arkwright, and Professor Hinkel on a flight into outer space. Professor Hinkel is an eccentric professor, anxious to photograph a nova that he recently discovered, and that was named after him. The Professor and Commander Arkwright approach the exploding star for this purpose, but are stricken with temporary blindness from the nova's intense light and ultraviolet radiation when the Professor foolishly removes their ship's protective sun filter for a better look at his star.

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 27: Comet of Danger
1955-06-18

A photographer goes along on a Polaris expedition into space. He insists that the ship pass through a speeding comet. The result is disastrous!

Runtime: 30 min
Episode 28: The Final Test
1955-06-25

Tom and his crew mates take their final exams at the Space Academy. One of the tests includes a dangerous flight into deep space.

Runtime: 30 min

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