: Awards : Guest Stars :

Buck Rogers first appeared in the August 1928 issue of Amazing Stories as Anthony Rogers. It was a story written by Philip Francis Nowlan entitled Armageddon 2429 AD and in March 1929 a sequel appeared entitled The Air Lords of Han. By the time of the sequel there was already a comic strip version (which started on Monday January 7th 1929 and continued until 1967) but in the comic strip Anthony's name was changed to Buck, because it was decided that Buck sounded more of a hero's name.

Then came the radio show, which premiered on November 7th 1932 at 7:15pm on CBS Stations. It soon gained 58,000 listeners on over 23 stations all over the US. In the early version it was during World War One, that Anthony Rogers was surveying an abandoned mine near Pittsburgh, when the mine suddenly caved in on him. It was a combination of gases coming from the mine which preserved him for 500 years. When he emerged from the mine he found himself surrounded by a vast forest, when a girl soldier sailing through the air crash's at his feet.

In the 1939 serial, which was shown in cinemas, Buck Rogers ('Buster' Crabbe) and young Buddy Wade (Jackie Moran) are brought back to life in the year 2440 after crashing their airship in snow, which is then covered by an avalanche. They are preserved by an experimental gas, which they were carrying on board the airship.

In the 1950's Buck Rogers (1950-51), Buck was played by Ken Dibbs, who was later replaced by Robert Pastene. It was filmed live in New York. In this version Buck was an ordinary American who wakes up in the year 2430. Earth's Headquarters are in a secret science lab behind Niagara Falls, as the city of Niagara is now the Earth's capital.

The 1979 version is different yet again, in this case William Anthony 'Buck' Rogers (Gil Gerard) is frozen in his space shuttle while piloting a one-man deep space probe in 1987 only to be 'defrosted' by Princess Ardala and Kane 504 years later in the year 2491. Originally this version was going to be televised in the Autumn of '79 as two 3-hour TV movies but instead was released in the cinemas world-wide as a movie. "The original space man! Buck Rogers swings back to earth and lays it on the 25th Century!" read the advert. They later added some more scenes and this version became the TV Pilot to the series which ran from 1979-81. They added the '25th Century' to the title because some people still wasn't sure who Buck Rogers was.

Buck Rogers has been translated into 18 languages, is known in over 50 countries and has been portrayed many times. There have been many variations to the story over the years and changes to the characters, and there are probably many more changes to come but two things will remain the same, Buck Rogers is the original space hero (Flash Gordon was created four years later) and no matter who plays Buck, Gil Gerard will always be my favourite.

And that's not all folks!, lets not forget the Warner Bros Buck Rogers spoof cartoon, Duck Dodgers in the 24th 1/2 Century (1953) and it's two sequels one in 1980 and 1996. When 'Duck' (played by Daffy Duck) battled to save the Earth from his evil foe played by Marvin the Martian. Recently in September 2002 on the Cartoon Network, Duck Dodgers was back in an all new animated series. In the new series Duck is accidentally frozen in the 21st century and is thawed out 351 years later. He convinces the Earth's Defensive Protectorate that he is a hero from the 21st century and with a Starship and crew sets out to save the Earth from Martian Commander X-2 (played again by Marvin the Martian). Of course Duck will somehow manage to save the day.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-81)

Awards Won:

• Prime Time Emmy Award (1980-81) for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series, awarded to Bruce Broughton for The Satyr.
• The Peoples Choice Award, awarded to David O'Connell as producer of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
• NAACP Image Award for Hand of the Goral.
• 7th Saturn Award (1979) for Best Costumes (Jean-Pierre Dorleac).

Award Nominations:

• 7th Saturn Award nomination (1979) for Best Supporting Actress (Pamela Hensley).
• Emmy Award nomination (1979-80) for outstanding Art Direction for a Series. Hub Braden Art Director, Fred Luff Art Director, Frank Lombardo Set Decorator for Ardala Returns.
• Emmy Award nomination (1979-80) for outstanding Costume Design for a Series. Alfred E. Lehman Costume Designer for Flight of the War Witch (Part 2).
• Emmy Award nomination (1980-81) for outstanding Cinematography for a Series. Ben Colman for Time of the Hawk.
• Emmy Award nomination (1980-81) for outstanding Costume Design for a Series. Al Lehman for The Dorian Secret.

Guest Stars from both seasons of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-81)

First Season

Second Season