3D tour of Rocky Jones SilverMoon * Scifisteve

[@jeffking291]

Keep in mind, too, that the TV Show 1953-1954, long before any space program, and our knowledge of space was limited. At the time it was made, the special Effects were quite innovative. I own the first season on DVD, but must watch online for season 2.🙂 Excellent video. 📻🙂

[@RSEFX]

In some ways Rocky Jones comes across as a pre-Trek, kid's version of Star Trek. Several of the stories deal with characters put on trial, interplanetary (or "inter-moon-ary") diplomacy, encounters with strange phenomena in space etc that few kids' space shows dealt with in any detail. Being shot on film (as opposed to Tom Corbett and Space Patrol, Captain Video etc which were broadcast live) was a distinct advantage in that a much wider range of story locations/settings were possible, as well as bigger calamity's ---avalanches and such---could be staged. Finally, an abundance of opticals in which ships could be shown docking with space stations, encountering meteors and asteroids, cities on other worlds and the like. Of course the use of a "non-space suit" space helmet from time to time, the presence of a 10 year old on board clearly placed the series as a mix of fantasy and science, a product of the times. But for all the talk about the other space-themed shows in the 50's, Rocky Jones seems surprisingly under-rated. Thanks for your ambitious presentation. Do you know the degree to which the technical details of the ship you explore actually originated on the show, vs extrapolations of, say, the writers you cite? I've only seen a few episodes on youtube to help remind me what the show was like, since my memory of it after all the decades had gotten pretty dim. This was an enjoyable fun watch. Thanks again!

[@stevecarpenter9991]

This was great! Thanks. Loved the engine design. I had a friend in our local ham radio club that worked on a similar design at Oak Ridge National Lab. He did a presentation on it for the club. He was using a regular ham transmitter to generate the RF to create the plasma. Thanks again! I love Rocky Jones Space Ranger.

[@RSEFX]

Do you have any plans to do a tour of the Mars rescue ship from IT THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE? Or...maybe you have and I haven't come across it.

[@ndrorian]

Wonderful with great quality a masterpiece.

[@Scifisteve1954]

ndrorian Thanks Very much! Close to 6 months research and work went into it. Not so bad these days as I am retired now. So its not so much work as it is fun. Thanks again.

[@ronaldpokatiloff5704]

I see Queen Cleolinta's spaceship flight deck looked like the one in the Orbit Jet. Some rocket ship maker had a monopoly for supplying them in the universe.

[@Scifisteve1954]

Correct again. I was going to do the "Bad Guy's" ship because it was so open as to what I could do. But sigh.

[@jerrye1909]

Amazing and inspiring! I admire how you took a strictly personal interest, immersed yourself in it, and created something so astonishing, beautiful, and jaw-dropping. That's the "amazing" part. You have inspired me - another retiree - to get out of neutral and to do something that interests just me - and perhaps also to create something beautiful. That's the "inspiring" part. "Now learn this:" thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@Scifisteve1954]

Well I'll take this as my Christmas Present. Thanks very much. Steve

[@solarstar1969]

Now why dont bonus features on Blurays have stuff like this?

[@anthonybarlow5955]

Rocky Jones is not my generation but I have a dvd of one show so finally can follow one of your tours

[@jimbeck3230]

Great Job Steve, I have been watching Rocky Jones since it was originally run on TV. I am just as fascinated by the stories today as I was in 1954. Your explanation of the Orbit Jet is very believable and interesting. If you haven't done it yet, I hope you decide to give us a look into the flying saucers that appeared in several of the RJ episodes. Thanks!

[@Scifisteve1954]

I only remember 2 flying saucers. One was magnetic drive and the other I haven't been able to find the show it was on. And thank you, I spend a lot of time trying to make my childhood fantasies as real as I can. I loved my childhood too. Steve

[@jimbeck3230]

+Scifisteve1954 Steve you are correct there are only two stories, however, the flying saucers may have appeared in more than one episode in the story. The first one is Out of This World, which was three parts. It is also known as the Robots of Regelio. The second series was Blast Off. That was the one where Bobby and Rocky landed on a planet at the edge of the Solar System. The flying saucer had been abandoned by its owner and the rangers managed to repair it. I remember the first time I watched that series as a seven year old. I was fascinated by the cold light that they used. To turn it off they simply covered it up. I, like you, do not believe there are any other stories that featured the flying saucer. In both cases, I think they had a magnetic drive. The control rooms were identical and had a disk arrangement with a light that rotated around, pretty fantastic to a kid of seven!

[@Scifisteve1954]

Wow you are them man when it comes to Rocky Jones trivia. As soon as you described the lost/crashed/hidden saucer I remembered it. Great Stuff. Steve

[@johnsakelaris7]

And Professor Newton was merely able to do some re-wiring on the old abandoned flying saucer and off they went back into space!

[@johnsakelaris7]

Where does Vena store her knitting materials so she can make Rocky a sweater?

[@johnbockelie3899]

Where did Vena get that ball of yarn and knitting needles from.?. Rock told her she could knit him a sweater.Next scene she had knitting needles and a ball of yarn.

[@aleccap5946]

I must admit the 3D tore is better then the wooden acting by the film clip Rocky Jones, everyting is built one level on top of another, and the atomic engines were just great eh

[@marcbrasse747]

1:44 min: You forgot the 3 "space ranger" "echoes". :-)

[@followerofjulian1652]

Please do the Starduster from "Space Angel" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Angel!

[@ronaldpokatiloff5704]

No one in the orbit jet ever used the bathroom. Even on Earth, Ozzie and Harriet and David and Ricky didn't do this disgusting thing. I think they used the bathroom at a nearby gas station.

[@Scifisteve1954]

Thank You! LOL.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Vena Ray was the navigator of The Orbit jet, and silver moon. Played by Sally Mansfield.

[@dr.h.e.sawyerjr.9984]

Uploader : Her name wasn't "Vienna ". That is the name of a sausage. And, a City in Europe. Her name was VENA. VENA. VENA. Thanks.

[@marcbrasse747]

OK. Now calm yourslef down. Breath in. Breath out. Question: Did the cross your heart brazier come before or after the series?

[@iliveinamurderhouse991]

It looks like space vixen and scifi smoke show Vena was the inspiration. According to The Underpinnings Museum, "Playtex's 'Cross Your Heart' bra is arguably one of the most iconic bra styles of the 20th century; having first been introduced to market in 1954, it is still produced by the brand today." Bam! Now, when will her saucy space cape come into fashion?