Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett—Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, and other media in the 1950s. The stories followed the adventures of Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning (originally; later, T.J. Thistle), cadets at the Space Academy as they train to become members of the Solar Guard. The action takes place at the Academy in classrooms and bunkrooms, aboard their training ship the rocket cruiser Polaris, and on alien worlds, both within the Solar System and in orbit around nearby stars. Joseph Greene of Grosset & Dunlap developed Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, inspired by the Robert A. Heinlein novel Space Cadet (1948) but based on his own prior work. Greene had submitted a radio script for “Tom Ranger” and the “Space Cadets” on January 16, 1946, but it remained unperformed when Heinlein’s novel was published. Greene then reworked his radio script into a script for a daily newspaper adventure strip, which was never produced.
Creators/Key Contributors Alden McWilliams, Joseph Greene
First Appearance Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (CBS, Oct. 2, 1950)
First Publisher CBS
Appearance List Television: Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (CBS, Oct 2 – Dec 1950), Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (ABC, Jan 1951 – Sep 1952), Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (NBC, Jul – Sep 1951) Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (DuMont, Aug 1953 – May 1954), Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (NBC, Dec 1954 – Jun 1955). Literature: Stand By For Mars (1952), Danger in Deep Space (1953), On the Trail of the Space Pirates (1953), The Space Pioneers (1953), The Revolt on Venus (1954), Treachery in Outer Space (1954), Sabotage in Space (1955). Comics: Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (newspaper strip, Sep 9 1951 – Sep 6 1953), Four Color #378, 400, 421 (Dell, 1952), Tom Corbett, Space Cadet #4-11 with cover paintings by Alden McWilliams (Dell, 1953), Tom Corbett, Space Cadet vol. 2 #1-3 (Prize, 1955).
Description Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett—Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, and other media in the 1950s. The stories followed the adventures of Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning (originally; later, T.J. Thistle), cadets at the Space Academy as they train to become members of the Solar Guard. The action takes place at the Academy in classrooms and bunkrooms, aboard their training ship the rocket cruiser Polaris, and on alien worlds, both within the Solar System and in orbit around nearby stars. Joseph Greene of Grosset & Dunlap developed Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, inspired by the Robert A. Heinlein novel Space Cadet (1948) but based on his own prior work. Greene had submitted a radio script for “Tom Ranger” and the “Space Cadets” on January 16, 1946, but it remained unperformed when Heinlein’s novel was published. Greene then reworked his radio script into a script for a daily newspaper adventure strip, which was never produced.
, 
, 
, 
, 