Candy Myers

Candy Myers

"If that's true) then I'm Dick Tracy and you must be Superman."
-- Candy remains skeptical of one of the wild stories
Clark's has told to conceal his secret identitys

CANDY MYERS (sometimes spelled Meyers) was a reccurring character on the old Adventures of Superman radio show that ran from 1940-1951.

The radio show was very mystery-oriented in most of its story arcs, with Clark Kent being portrayed as a skilled investigative reporter, and Candy is hired by him to run background checks, tail suspects and the like.

From time to time, when the Daily Planet staff (such as Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, or Perry White) needed an extra hand in investigating something, they hired Candy.

Candy also proved useful when the problem was too confidential or too difficult to explain to authorities, such as when his Superman costume is stolen, or when Clark Kent himself disappeared.

The radio show was a daily serial during most of its radio run and Candy was a character in a number of story arcs. He played a very important part in "Superman vs. the Atom Man," a story arc from late 1945, when Clark Kent is missing. Candy is brought in to try and find Kent (who is being held prisoner by a Nazi with Kryponite-laced blood). Candy is also revealed to head up an agency in this episode, as at one point in he calls in to check with a secretary about whether his other operatives have reported anything.

He pretty much served the same purpose as Paul Drake did in the Perry Mason books--he was a convenient duex ex machine for providing information to both the main characters and the audience.

Candy had one appearance in the George Reeves TV show made in the 1950s. He was in the first season episode "The Stolen Costume" (broadcast Dec. 12, 1952) which was based on a story arc from the radio series, where he's asked by Clark to help out when a burglar steals the Superman suit from his apartment. Of course, Clark can't tell Candy exactly what's been taken.

As far as I know, Candy never made it to the comic books or appeared in any other media. Not 100% sure of that, though.

Candy was always portrayed as a stereotypical hard-boiled private eye. He was always a supporting character, so he was never given a really individual personality, but he certainly qualify for this site.

TRIVIA

Many of the elemnts we associate with the Superman mythos actually poriginated on the radio show, including kryptonite, as well as recurring characters Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and Inspector Henderson. On March 2, 1945, Superman met Batman and Robin for the first time.

RADIO

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
(1940-51, syndicated)
Based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Writers: B.P. Freeman and Jack Johnstone
Directed by Robert & Jessica Maxwell, George Lowther, Allen Ducovny, Mitchell Grayson
Starring Bud Collyer as SUPERMAN/CLARK KENT (1940-50)
Replaced by Michael Fitzmaurice (1950-51)
With Joan Alexander as Lois Lane
Also played by Rolly Bester, Helen Choate
Julian Noa as Perry White
Jack Grimes as Jimmy Olsen
Matt Crowley as Inspector Bill Henderson
and as CANDY MYERS
Announcer-narrator: Jackson Beck (1943-50)
Originally 15-minute episodes aired 3 times a week, later expanded to 5 tepisodes a week in some markets, and eventually aired as 30-minute episodes.

Story Arcs featuring Candy Myers include
"Dead Men Tell No Tales" (December 1, 1950)
"Superman vs. Atom Man"

TELEVISION

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
(1952-58, syndicated)
Based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Starring George Reeves as SUPERMAN/CLARK KENT
With Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane (1951-52)
Also played by Noel Neill (1953-58)
John Hamilton as Perry White
Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen
And Robert Shayne as Inspector Bill Henderson

"The Stolen Costume" (December 12, 1952)
Written byBen Peter Freeman
Directed by Lee Sholem
Starring Frank Jenks as CANDY MYERS