by Lou Koza

Imagine if you will you're a student attending school in rural Pennsylvania during the '80s and your teacher turns, smiles and ask you a question related to Superman.  Now most students at the time only knew of one very popular Superman.  The Superman of the '80s belonged to a newcomer actor Christopher Reeve. Christopher Reeve dominated the minds of most young people at the time. Popular he was, and rightly so.  But for teacher Jim Nolt, Superman as portrayed by George Reeves was not going to be forgotten in his classroom, not if he could help it.  Jim thought it would be fun to bring Superman into the classroom whenever possible.  A good teacher will know when the kids have been working hard and as a result they needed a release.  Superman was a good topic to help with those releases. 

It's probably safe to say that while Jim was grading papers after school, he may have looked up at the clock and recalled those afternoon days when he would sit down and watch in amazement as Superman would save Lois from a collapsed mine shaft, or break up a crooked wrestling promoter, and most of all declare Metropolis safe from The Number One Crime Boss.  While Jim reclined back in his chair he would also remember those glorious days when his Mom would call on him to perform chores around the house. To Jim's Mom, an act of strength was needed, and always Jim was up for the task. Happy to oblige, capped off with a smile, mixed with determination, Jim would carry heavy buckets filled with potatoes or corn from the barn to the house.  Jim knew how important it was to help his Mom, a message he may have gotten from the strongest man on Earth, Superman himself.  Jim would certainly imagine he was that last son of Krypton.  

In 1987, Jim who was already known among a very small community of TV Superman fans was asked to take over publication of a fanzine called The Adventures Continue.  After two issues, Dr. Don Rhoden, TACs founder and original publisher, had only one person in mind when he came to a decision he could not continue the fanzine on his own.  That person was Jim Nolt.  Don knew how important this fanzine was to continue, and soon Jim was hard at work getting the next issue ready.  Jim had a tough standard to follow, especially after issue two which was light years ahead of the first issue.  Jim rose to the occasion by keeping the format the same.  It would become the tradition of all issues to follow.  If keeping the fanzine in its traditional format was easy, the hard part was stories.  Where would the come from?  Well, the readers themselves.  And the readers responded to the call of arms.  Contributions proved to be many.  Interviews with Noel Neill, Jack Larson, Robert Shayne, Jane Ellsworth, Pat Ellsworth, Peter Brocco, Tommy Carr, Keith Thibodeaux,  Art Weissman and Chuck Conners.

Early on it was stated that Jim brought George Reeves - Superman into his classroom. It can be equally said Jim brought the classroom to TAC.  Jim's mission was to make TAC a source to educate. He would take the words from the ending of "No Holds Barred," "The only real magic, the magic of knowledge."  These words would be his mission statement.  To Jim it wasn't so much being a fanzine to promote collecting, as it was informing.  Jim felt it was more important to collect information rather than photos or lobby cards.  TAC proved to be a place where those who wanted to write and had a heavy interest in the Adventures of Superman, and everyone and anything related to it could flex their writing or illustration skills.  Fans contributed articles on the show, imaginary stories, quizzes, and illustrations.  As a result, there was much learned about the life and career of George Reeves.  It literally, opened up all we could possibly know about George Reeves.  In addition, TAC had a second mission. One that George would most approve of.  This mission would raise thousands of dollars for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation.  The charity was important to George, and thanks to Jim continuing George's work, in a small way the memory of this great man can live on in a very special way--by helping others less fortunate.  Today, Jim maintains The Adventures Continue website. It is the most recognized website devoted to George Reeves on the Internet.  The TAC issues had a major influence in the culture of those who are the hard core TAoS and George Reeves interest.  Publications and television producers would be forever calling on the Jim for help and assistance with background information.

Because of his expert knowledge of George Reeves, in 1995 Jim was called to California to appear on televisions Unsolved Mysteries. There he would offer his version of what might have happened in the early late hours of June 16, 1959.  Jim would give his own insight into the tragic death of George Reeves. Many would agree the death of George Reeves was the result of an argument turned accidental death.  It may be the most logical answer to a mystery that has remained open for 45 years.

In July 2001, a 50^th anniversary celebration of the filming of The Adventures of Superman took place in downtown Los Angeles, California.  Jim stood before the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and spoke about the influence George Reeves and the Adventures of Superman had on him and millions like him.  His most profound statement came at the end when he offered a contrast to the words proclaimed to George and Jack by their agents...that the show would probably never be seen.  "But I'm here to tell you now, Jack, and everyone else, especially George Reeves, that what you did those many years ago was indeed seen. And it was noticed. It is remembered, and it is valued."

Throughout Jim's life he has spread the good word for George Reeves.  He has forged a friendship with many of the surviving cast of TV's Superman.  One special friendship is with Dabbs Greer, who Jim has come to adopt as a surrogate father.  Dabbs as you will recall, appeared in "Superman on Earth," as the airfield worker trapped in mid air hanging from a dirigible until Superman came to his rescue. Dabbs would appear next in the 1953 season opener "Five Minutes to Doom" playing an innocent man on death row and yet again in a color episode, "The Superman Silver Mine." Dabbs was not only cast in three episodes, but he and George were personal friends off the set.

In real life, George never had children of his own.  To some degree, George had millions of children throughout the country because of his positive influence.  But one of those children stands today, above all others.  And if George could have had a child, this child would be very much like Jim Nolt.

For this, it is our honor to include Jim Nolt into the George Reeves Hall of Fame.

Credits Include:

The Adventures Continue: Issues no. 3 (1988) through 16 (2001).

The Adventures Continue: Website 1995 to present.

Unsolved Mysteries: Personal Appearance.

Also contributed to:

Geraldo Rivera's Now It Can Be Told

ABC's 20/20

The CBS Morning Show

A&E Biography: George Reeves

Kashner and Schoenberger's Hollywood Kryptonite

E. J. Fleming's The Fixers: Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling and the MGM Publicity Machine
Jan Alan Henderson's Speeding Bullet

Billy Ingram's TV Party

Several articles appearing in Classic Images, Video, Video Collector, and TV Collector magazines.