“Official space helmet oh CAPTAIN VIDEO” as original series star RICHARD COOGAN rockets off to TV Valhalla.
Coogan who first essayed the brave Captain died in Los Angeles at age 99.
Perhaps best known today for seminal “Honeymooners” episode where Jackie Gleason and Art Carney battle over possession of a shared TV set so Norton can view Captain Video while wearing outré matching wardrobe. "Video" was a colossal hit for the fledgling fourth network Dumont.
"Captain Video and His Video Rangers" ran from 1949-1955 and was set in the future as the Captain and his team battled evil, The show was actually broadcast live five to six days a week (take THAT puny SNL with your one night!). The show with its far flung settings and dimestore SFX made it a winner with grown-ups and kids alike.
The show was a massive blockbuster hit – the first sci-fi show to ever rocket over the nascent TV landscape.
Ina 2003 interview Cogan revealed that Captain Video "just blasted off", catching up to then TV-kingpin Milton Berle’s massive ratings at NBC.
“He was at 37.6 (rating) and we got 37.4 ..when word came back from the front office that Captain Video was even with Berle, it was unbelievable!”
Coogan left the show in 1950s after becoming dissatisfied with the limited budget and live performing in the days before teleprompters. He was replaced by Al Hodge.
Coogan later flitted across the TV airwaves on NBCs “The Californians” and was a regular on the CBS soap “Love of Life”.
And now, Coogan, has blasted off one final time into the unknown reaches of space and time, his immortality insured.
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