Video Corporation of America - Teletronics Sony Technicolor Stock Certificate - Cool History

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Alfred Markim, born Alfred D. Moskowitz on May 22, 1927, and passing away on November 24, 2015, was an American actor celebrated for his iconic portrayal of Astro in the 1950s live, science fiction television series, Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Astro, Markim’s lead character, was an engineer and scientist hailing from Venus. Following his successful acting career, Markim transitioned to television production during the 1960s and was inducted into the Video Hall of Fame in 1996.

Markim was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. During World War II, he served in the United States Army and attended the post-war Nuremberg trials. After the war, he pursued acting, appearing in the off-Broadway production of La Ronde and early episodes of the CBS soap opera, Love of Life. However, it was his role as Astro in Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, that propelled him to fame. The series, which aired live from a New York City studio, was broadcast on all four major television networks of the era: CBS, ABC, NBC, and the DuMont Television Network.

In the 1960s, Markim made a significant transition from acting to television production. He became MGM’s executive in charge of production, overseeing the production of the 1964 film, The Pawnbroker, and serving as associate producer on The Fool Killer in 1965. In 1968, he co-founded his company, Teletronics, which later partnered with Sony. Teletronics eventually evolved into the Video Corporation of America, which ultimately merged with Technicolor. Markim’s contributions to the television industry were recognized in 1996 when he was inducted into the Video Hall of Fame.