Rocky Jones, Space Ranger

Of all the spaceman programs that graced early-day commercial television during the 1950s, ROCKY JONES, SPACE RANGER proved to be the most daring and adventurous -- and the most technically accomplished, what with its pioneering real-film photography and a wealth of persuasive special effects. But the series also faced challenges from an unstable member of the key supporting cast, cost overruns, and the simple fact that ROCKY JONES came along too late in the game to compete against a glut of inferior outer-space programs. Now, historian Jan Alan Henderson tells the deep-focus back-story of ROCKY JONES from primary-source accounts, from a generation-long research project, and from a genuine fondness for the program -- having relished ROCKY JONES in its original run. Henderson is tehe author of the acclaimed special-FX bio, THE LEGENDARY LYDECKER BROS., and an acknowledged authority on TV's ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN and its complex background. Henderson's ROCKY JONES survey sheds new light on a neglected cultural icon of the 20th century -- a program that in many respects served as the STAR TREK before STAR TREK.