Captain Cosmic facts for kids

Captain Cosmic was a fun TV show that aired in the San Francisco Bay Area on KTVU-2. It was on weekday afternoons from September 19, 1977, until January 18, 1980. The show was created, produced, and hosted by a man named Bob Wilkins, who played the character of Captain Cosmic. He would show exciting serials, mostly featuring Japanese superheroes.

What Was Captain Cosmic?

Captain Cosmic was a popular TV show that brought exciting superhero adventures to kids. It was hosted by Bob Wilkins, who dressed up as the space-traveling hero, Captain Cosmic. The show mainly featured Japanese superhero series, which were very new and exciting for American audiences at the time.

The Show's Beginnings

When Captain Cosmic first started, it had to show the original Flash Gordon serials. This was because the Japanese superhero shows, like The Space Giants, were delayed in shipping. But soon, the show began its regular format. It featured episodes of popular series such as Ultraman, Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot, and Spectreman.

The show also included other animated favorites like Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Star Blazers, and Star Trek: The Animated Series. In its first year, Captain Cosmic also showed Japanese monster movies. These movies, like Dogora, the Space Monster and Godzilla vs. The Thing, were cut into five parts. One part would air each day from Monday to Friday. There was even a special two-hour prime time event on November 8, 1978. It featured the movie Godzilla vs. Megalon.

Why Was Captain Cosmic So Popular?

The idea for Captain Cosmic came after Bob Wilkins and his family visited Hawaii. There, they saw many live-action Japanese superhero TV shows on KIKU TV-13. The show also became popular because of the huge success of the movie Star Wars. Everyone loved science fiction at that time!

Captain Cosmic pretended to fly around the galaxy in his spaceship. His trusty sidekick was "Wonder Robot 2T2." The show's opening sequence even said Captain Cosmic was "faster than a speeding BART train!"

Guests and Fan Club

Captain Cosmic often had special guests. These included local fans and celebrities. Even actors from famous science fiction movies and TV shows visited, like Anthony Daniels (who played C-3PO in Star Wars) and David Prowse (who played Darth Vader).

The show quickly became a huge hit. Within just three weeks, Captain Cosmic was the number one children's program in the Bay Area. It even had a special fan club! Members received decoder cards. Each week, a secret message would appear on screen. Only members with their decoder cards could figure out the message. These messages shared news about upcoming events and new shows.

The End of Captain Cosmic

Even though the show was very popular, Bob Wilkins decided not to renew his contract. He was planning to retire from television. He had already stopped hosting Creature Features after eight years. Bob wanted to focus on his advertising agency.

After more than 15 years on TV, he officially retired with the final broadcast of The Bob Wilkins Double Horror Show on February 14, 1981. Captain Cosmic's loyal sidekick, Wonder Robot 2T2, can still be seen today! It lives at a comic book store called Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, California.