Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers was a 30-minute, weekly CBS-TV network outer space adventure series, broadcast live Saturdays from April 18, 1953 to May 29, 1954. Set in 2153 and all-too-obviously inspired by Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, the series depicted the adventures of fearless Rocket Rangers, who operated from Omega Base, piloting their nuclear-powered space ship Beta throughout the solar system, to battle crime and the weird menace of extraterrestrial life-forms. The three Rangers were curly-haired Rod Brown, prickly Frank Boyd and obese Wilber Wormser. Their immediate superior was Commander Swift. Director George Gould had also been the director of ABC's Tom Corbett from 1950 to 1952, and he carried with him to CBS several of the writers for that pioneering series, plus its basic concepts, plus the major special effect, an amplifier producing travelling mattes. The very close similarity between Rod Brown and Tom Corbett generated at least one lawsuit, which seems to have resulted in the Rod Brown kinescopes never being rebroadcast. Rod Brown's adventures had a sponsor, Jell-O Instant Pudding. However, there are very few premiums or toys associated with the series, as compared to its rival live space adventure series such as Captain Video, Space Patrol, and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. A Rocket Ranger membership card and a Rocket Ranger Squadron Charter have been observed. In addition, plaid flannel shirts for young boys, featuring a solid-color flannel placket silkscreened with the Rocket Ranger title, space ship, and spaceman, were also available.
Operation Decoy
Apr 18, 1953
No description available.
The Case of the Invisible Saboteurs
Apr 25, 1953
No description available.
The Planet of Ice
May 2, 1953
No description available.
Whispers in the Mind
May 9, 1953
No description available.
The Crater of Peril
May 16, 1953
No description available.
The Globe Men of Oma
May 23, 1953
No description available.
The Adventures of the Venusian Sea
May 30, 1953
No description available.
The Little Men of Mercury
Jun 6, 1953
No description available.
World of the Doomed
Jun 13, 1953
No description available.
The Strangler Trees of Triton
Jun 20, 1953
No description available.
Stranger From Outer Space
Jun 27, 1953
No description available.
The Phantom Birds of Beloro
Jul 4, 1953
No description available.
The Black Cloud of Calistro
Jul 11, 1953
No description available.
The Suits of Peril
Jul 18, 1953
No description available.
Apples of Eden
Jul 25, 1953
No description available.
Space Bugs
Aug 1, 1953
No description available.
The Martian Queen
Aug 8, 1953
No description available.
The Fire Deamons of Deimos
Aug 15, 1953
No description available.
The Big Hammer
Aug 22, 1953
No description available.
The Volcanoes of Venus
Aug 29, 1953
No description available.
The Death Ball
Sep 5, 1953
No description available.
The Unseen Planet
Sep 12, 1953
No description available.
The Madness from Space
Sep 19, 1953
No description available.
The Looters of Leeron
Sep 26, 1953
No description available.
The Octopus of Venus
Oct 3, 1953
No description available.
Colossus of Centauri
Oct 10, 1953
No description available.
The Lights from Luna
Oct 17, 1953
No description available.
The Twin Planet
Oct 24, 1953
No description available.
The Treasure of Tesoro
Oct 31, 1953
No description available.
The Robot Robber of Deimos
Nov 7, 1953
No description available.
The Magic Man of Mars
Nov 14, 1953
No description available.
The Stickman of Neptune
Nov 21, 1953
No description available.
Moneymakers of Juno
Nov 28, 1953
No description available.
The Deep Sleep
Dec 5, 1953
No description available.
The Cyclops of Themis
Dec 12, 1953
No description available.
The Electric Men
Dec 19, 1953
No description available.
The Copernicus Diamond
Dec 26, 1953
No description available.
The Stone Men of Venus
Jan 2, 1954
No description available.
Energy Eaters from Luna
Jan 9, 1954
No description available.
