>>>It had the funny looking spaceships that had sparks coming out the back and the Emperor with the really high collar? By today's standards it would be a joke, but when I was a kid, it was very cool.
>>>
>>>Also made me think of Charlie Chan. Anyone remember that? Number One son and all that... I loved those movies.
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>>Flash Gordon. The evil emperor was Ming the Terrible. As I recall though, it was a movie serial, and not a TV show. Maybe there was a TV show that followed the movies, but I don't recall it. Flash Gordon was played by Buster Crabbe.
>
>That was it. Thanks! And I was young, so there wasn't much difference to me then between a movie serial and a TV show. <g>

I can't believe that you had to ask this question. esp. after the one-off Flash Gordon movie back in the 80s. It's like asking who was tha guy in blue, with the red tights, who could fly and a green rock was his downfall.

BTW, on the subject of sparks for rocket engines, they always curled up with smoke (as a lighter flame would) but the makers never had the forethought to film the scenes in a vertical plane then show it horz. to overcome this.