A Wind Machine Helped George Reeves Fly
To help Superman fly, producers set up a mechanical arm and a piece of plexiglass was placed on Reeves’ chest and thighs. A group of 20 crew members manipulated the arm, while a video camera followed along on a hydraulic dolly. A wind machine and compressed air made it appear and sound like Superman was whooshing through the air, but in reality, the background was moving, not Superman.
Reeves would run and jump on a springboard, dive through a window, and land on wrestling mats. The arm would move him through the air, and then he was filmed landing feet first on the ground.
