Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe
Commando Cody (Judd Holdren) and Joan Gilbert (Aline Towne)
Also known as	'Commando Cody'
Genre	Science fiction
Written by	Ronald Davidson Barry Shipman
Directed by	Harry Keller Franklin Adreon Fred C. Brannon
Starring	Judd Holdren Aline Towne Gregory Gaye Craig Kelly
Composer(s)	Stanley Wilson
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	12
Production
Cinematography	Bud Thackery
Editor(s)	Cliff Bell Sr.
Running time	25-30 minutes
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	July 16 – October 8, 1955
Chronology
Related shows	Radar Men from the Moon

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (or, informally, Commando Cody) is a 1953 Republic Pictures black-and-white multi-chapter movie serial, which began life as a proposed syndicated television series. It consisted of twelve 25-minute sequential episodes directed by Harry Keller, Franklin Adreon, and Fred C. Brannon, that stars Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Gregory Gaye, William Schallert, Richard Crane, and Craig Kelly.

Originally intended to be broadcast on television as a 12-episode weekly series, Sky Marshall was first released theatrically in 1953 as a 12-chapter weekly serial; it was finally syndicated to television on NBC in 1955. The Commando Cody character was introduced in Republic's earlier serial Radar Men from the Moon (1952), with actor George Wallace in the title role.

Dangerous weather and climate changes are ravaging the Earth. Masked super-scientist Commando Cody is approached by the U.S. government to investigate. Among the tools at his disposal are a sonic-powered one-man flying suit with an aerodynamic helmet and a new Cody-designed and built rocketship.

With his colleagues Joan and Ted (later replaced by Dick), he ascertains the disasters are being caused by space-alien forces led by a mysterious "Ruler" of unknown planetary origins, with occasional help from hired, Earth-born criminals. Warding off various dangers, Cody and his associates are able to methodically close in on the culprits and reveal that The Ruler is from Venus. In the final episode he meets his end on Mercury with the help of the Mercurians.