Mysterious Doctor Satan

This could have been Superman! But since they couldn't obtain the rights, they made their own hero. THE COPPERHEAD!!! A suit wearing crime fighter who puts on one of those chain hoods knights used in the middle ages! Looked remarkably corny! He's up against the gruelingly evil.... DOCTOR SATAN!!! Portrayed wonderfully by Eduardo Ciannelli! The adventure however was more uneven. Not all of the 15 episodes where as fun and gets repetitive with most of the episodes having to end in fist fights.

This was originally going to be the first live-action SUPERMAN. When Republic decided they couldn't afford the rights, they retooled the script and came up with their own (non-super-powered) hero called The Copperhead. Ciannelli and his mechanical men are the real stars of this, as it turned out. Republic was the Tiffany of the serial producers, and this is an excellent example of the form: lots of action, a smattering of atmospere, and cliffhangers. Please don't watch all in one sitting!