Here are some of my favorite fight scenes from the Adventures of Superman.

Knock yourself out!

Another of my all-time favorite fight scenes!  From the first season episode, Crime Wave.

Crime Wave

This scene is one of the most well choreographed and at the same time amusing fight scenes in the entire series.

I have always found it hilarious that in the middle of giving these crooks a good whoopin’, Superman stops to give them a lecture!  Bascially, he says (and here I paraphrase), “I’m amazed that you morons thought a little electricity could hurt me!  Where have you been all this season?”

And, as if the lecture weren’t enough, he also gives them a demonstration of his super-powers!  Allow me to illustrate what I am about to do to your face...  Look at the expression on Walter Canby’s (John Eldredge) face: Holy Shiitake Mushrooms!

You just gotta love the way George relishes clobbering The Professor (Joe Mell)!

And like all great literature, this scene ends with a very simple yet profound moral: You do not want to tick off the Man of Steel!

A Night of Terror

One of my all-time favorite fight scenes!  From the first season episode, A Night of Terror.

This scene is extremely exciting.  But it is also flawed, in that it is very obvious that it is not George Reeves who’s performing most of the stunts.  Instead, it’s veteran stuntman, Sol Gorss.  Unfortunately, Mr. Gorss didn’t look much like George; his face was very different and so was his physique, so it is rather noticeable when he takes over for George in certain parts of the scene.

(Thanks to Terry Soto for identifying Mr. Gorss for me -- he is not credited in the IMDb for this episdoe.)

Perhaps the reason George was asked to avoid doing most of his own stunts in this case was because this is the notorious episode in which supporting actor Frank Richards (Solly) accidentally knocked Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane) unconscious for real while filming another scene. 

My favorite part of this fight scene is when Baby Face Stevens (Richard Benedict) decides to try a knife.  I love the way Superman responds to this gambit.

“Oh, so you’d like to stab me now?”

“In that case, let me help you.”

“Gosh, did I do that?  Sorry about your knife!”

“Better luck next time!”

And all’s well that ends well.