The Rocketpage© is the result of numerous contributions from a stalwart group who provided everything from photos to trivia regarding the history of Republic's high-flying heroes. Please rise now and remove your helmets as we salute the following individuals...
The original Commando Cody! A childhood hero of mine since I first saw Radar Men from the Moon chapter by chapter each weekday afternoon on Captain Sacto's kid's program while living in Sacramento, California during the early 60's. Mr. Wallace had a long and varied acting career both in films and on Broadway. I had the pleasure of finally meeting him at a tribute in his honor sponsored by the Hollywood Heritage Museum. George passed away on Friday, July 22, 2005. He will forever be fondly remembered.
Mr. Burns has one of the most extensive collections of props and costumes from horror and science fiction films and television, both past and present, in his incredible Bob's Basement museum. The actor, movie maker and film historian is regularly mentioned in such fanzines as Starlog, Filmfax and Amazing Figure Modeler and travels around the country to attend many film and memorabilia conventions. In addition, he has done video commentary on recent DVD releases such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the Creature From the Black Lagoon Legacy Series. In the photo above, I'm holding one of the original Commando Cody helmets which is part of his collection. For a Cody fan, it just doesn't get any better!
A truly gifted and prolific artist, Don is a professional prop maker who has done work for film studios in Hollywood, including Paramount. Among his varied projects, he created many of the props and weaponry as seen in Star Trek Next Generation and Star Trek Voyager. I first met Don via the internet back in 1997 when I discovered we both had a common interest in Commando Cody. His was the very first replica flying suit I'd seen and it proved to be the inspiration behind my own suit project which took nearly five years to complete. Throughout the project, he provided me with valuable information and even some of the components and design info needed to finish my suit. He presented George Wallace with a replica Cody helmet (see photo top of page) which he took with him to all of his personal appearances. Don also created beautiful replicas of the miniature Cody rocket ship as well as a full-sized facsimile of the Radar Men from the Moon ray cannon.
Don is also a huge fan of H.G. Wells' classic, The Time Machine and, in particular, the stylist 1960 film version directed by George Pal. Ably assisted by his wife Mary, he built a full-sized replica of the Time Machine, a project which took approximately 800 hours to complete!
I am forever indebted to Don for all his help. Be sure and check out the Links Page for more info about the many fascinating creations of Coleman Laboratories!
Chris is yet another of my long-distance internet acquaintances. His digital artwork and, in particular, colorization and morphing of black and white serial publicity stills fueled my interest in computer art. Through countless e-mails, he patiently walked me through the basics of Photoshop. He was also instrumental in getting the original version of The Rocketpage© launched back in March of 2000. He continues to contribute his graphic expertise (he designed the Legion of Honor logo at the top of this page) as well as his personal insights into the mysterious world of digital video as we progress with the production of our upcoming short film, Thirty Second Doom. Simply put, Chris is one of the nicest people I've ever met and I feel fortunate to call him my friend. Visit the Links Page and check out the ultra-cool web-sites he's put together!
The Rocketpage© is dedicated to the memory of my friend, Tom Mason. I originally became acquainted with Tom through his son Chris, whom I'd been communicating with for some time via the internet. I learned that Tom had been involved in television production for many years, working on the Today show as well as the Academy Awards programs and was an avid collector. I soon discovered he was a serial fan, with a wealth of "behind the scenes" info on cliffhangers. It wasn't until my wife and I finally paid Tom and his wife Julie a visit that I fully appreciated his affinity for collectibles!
Tom's home was packed with all manner of toys, books, movies and posters. I perused the heart of his vast array of treasures in a wonderful room they called, The Cave. Roaming the shelves I saw childhood memories everywhere I looked. I'm glad to have had the chance to get to know the Crimson Collector!
Bob hails from Seattle, Washington and is another great "long distance" friend I made while building my replica flying suit. He is not only well versed in the lore of Rocket Man and Commando Cody but an authority on the production and costume design of The Rocketeer. Bob has some "screen worn" items from Disney's 1991 film as well as other props and collectibles. He's been point man for the flying suit replica project and was instrumental in helping me get the various components of my suit as accurate as possible, thanks to his incredible attention to detail. Bob is a skilled artist, web designer and Photoshop "Ninja", who has also contributed to the early production stages of our film project. I finally had the opportunity to meet and hang out with Bob at the 2004 George Wallace Tribute. His help and advice have been vital regarding all things "rocket-related"!
