 In the early seasons, wire work was used to create some of the  flying scenes. During the course of this work there had been some  minor mishaps, but on one occasion the support wires snapped,  causing George Reeves (I) (qv) to be dropped to the floor. Reeves  refused to do anymore wire work. This is why episodes in the early  seasons would show Superman taking off in flight within the frame.  But, in later seasons, he would run toward the camera, hit a  springboard hidden below frame and leap out of frame.