04x12 - The Phantom Ring

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Adventures of Superman". Aired: September 19, 1952 – April 28, 1958.*
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Beloved series based on comic book characters and concepts that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created in 1938 where Superman battles crooks, gangsters, and other villains in the fictional city of Metropolis while masquerading "off duty" as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent.
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04x12 - The Phantom Ring

Post by bunniefuu »

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Faster
than a speeding b*llet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings
at a single bound.

MAN: Look! Up in the
sky! MAN 2: It's a bird!

WOMAN: It's a plane!
MAN 3: It's Superman!

NARRATOR: Yes, it's Superman,

strange visitor
from another planet

who came to Earth
with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change
the course of mighty rivers,

bend steel in his bare hands,

and who, disguised
as Clark Kent,

mild-mannered reporter for a
great metropolitan newspaper,

fights a never-ending battle

for truth, justice and
the American way.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

Yes, yes, I know, Bill.

I realize all that.

Sure.

The chief is
screaming for action.

These robberies are really
getting out of hand now.

Yes.

Well, I'll try and stall
as long as I can, Bill.

You know me, but...

you better come up with
something pretty soon.

All right. Okay.

Goodbye.

Oh, excuse me.

I should know by now
that when I open my door,

I should be prepared
to leap back madly.

Oh, we forgive you.

Hey, but Clark, look at this.

What do you think
it is, Mr. Kent?

Well, obviously it's a box
with some small holes in it.

Well, aren't you gonna open it?

A messenger left it downstairs.

It's addressed to you.

Besides, it gurgles.

Well, in that case,
we'd better look into it.

Now, who in the world
would send me a...

A what?

Don't tell me you
can see inside.

Maybe he thinks he's Superman.

Oh, very funny, Jimmy.

No, there are holes here.
Obviously, they must be for air.

And the air means
there's something alive.

Well, let's find out.

LOIS: A pigeon.

JIMMY: It's a bird.

Most pigeons are, Jimmy.

Maybe this note
will tell us something.

"Mr. Kent.

"If you want to talk
about recent robberies,

contact us by enclosed
homing pigeon."

That's what it is.

"Must have your word no
police trap if meeting is arranged.

Signed, The Spectre."

The Spectre? What
kind of a name is that?

What are you gonna do, Mr. Kent?

Well, I don't know. But
I'm not gonna pass up

any opportunity to meet
this Spectre, whoever he is.

Clark, it may be a trap.

You'd better call
Inspector Henderson.

No, that would
involve the police

and I gave my word.

No, I have to handle
this my own way, Lois.

I don't get it. Why the pigeon?

Actually, it's a very good idea.

Jimmy, if uh...

If they gave us an
address or a phone number,

it could be traced, right?

But now, only the
pigeon knows where to go.

That's right. A homing pigeon
flies directly back to its coop.

Yes, and I think I'd better
go along with this gag.

And I think I'd
better go it alone.

You mean alone with us.

I mean alone, period.

Oh, come on, Jimmy.

Clark wouldn't share a story
with his own grandmother.

Well, have a nice trip.

Thank you. Over and out.

[♪♪♪]

[PIGEON COOING]

Don't be afraid.

I'm not gonna hurt you.

No. No, all I'm gonna do

is just attach this little
capsule to your leg.

That's all. There we are.

[TRAFFIC DRONING]

I promised not
to go to the police,

but I didn't say a
thing about Superman.

Here we are, little friend.

You lead off and I'll follow.

[♪♪♪]

Even a fence ought to give
us twenty grand for this baby.

Before we're through,

twenty grand will
be peanut money.

Ya know what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna build me a big estate

that looks like a penitentiary

so my friends'll feel at home.

Gee, thanks, Rosy.

I'll be there every night.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hello, Spectre.

Hiya, boys. Time
to go to work, huh?

Right.

Better punch in
and get on your way.

Don't worry. I'll be there.

[BEEPING]

[HIGH-PITCHED BEEPING]

Better put us all in, Luke.

What for?

Just in case.

It makes me feel safer.

Safe? From what?
With this set-up, why,

we haven't got
anything to worry about.

Nothing except one
maybe named Clark Kent.

That nosy newspaper reporter?

Nosy and smart.
Never forget that.

Now, you'd better
get on your way.

Okay.

That's gonna look
like costume jewelry

alongside what I'm
gonna bring back.

You really think this
Kent will bother us?

Well, why take chances?

The way I figure, Kent's
the brains behind Superman.

There's no brain you can't
buy with enough of this.

You think he'll send
back an answer?

If he doesn't, he isn't
as smart as I think he is,

and either way, we got
nothing to worry about.

[♪♪♪]

[HIGH-PITCHED BEEPING CONTINUES]

There's the pigeon
now with Kent's answer.

Wow, this radar screen,
boss, is a stroke of genius.

But it's not there to
warn us about pigeons.

Hey, there's something
else coming in.

And it ain't no pigeon.

Grab the stuff.

Yank it.

[WIND SWIRLING]

[♪♪♪]

Hey, that was pretty close.

I wish we could stay
invisible all the time,

with that Superman
character around.

Relax, he's gone now.

Yeah, but for how long?

It doesn't matter.

How often have I told you

this is the only Superman-proof
room in the world.

He can't get through the
radar screen without warning us.

The panel's lined with lead
so he can't see the instruments.

So you got Superman bottled up.

But what about Clark Kent?

Don't look like he's
gonna play ball.

Rather clever, that.

Kept his word about the police
but he tipped off Superman.

I'm afraid Mr. Kent
has got to go.

I'm sure that Superman

is just as sorry about
this as we are, Bill

Being sorry isn't gonna help.

But where could they have gone?

Well, obviously they
found out somehow

that Superman was coming.

So they simply
abandoned their hideout.

And it's a cinch
they won't be back.

No. No. That would be stupid.

And these boys
are anything but that.

Now, take that warehouse
robbery last night.

Somehow they got by two
guards, an alarm system,

and a vault door and
nobody saw them.

That's right.

The day before that, it
was a currency exchange.

And that same night, a
heavily guarded payroll.

It's impossible.

What did you just say, Bill?

I said, it's impossible.

Yes, that's what I thought.

Well, that might
be just the answer.

[CHUCKLING]

Put 'er there, pal.

If I'm going crazy, it's
nice to have company.

No, wait a minute.
Nobody's going crazy.

Just let your imagination
go for a minute.

It's already gone.

Well, then tell me this.

If we weren't being realistic,

what would be the
one obvious answer?

That's easy. The
thieves are invisible.

Exactly. You know, the strain's

been too much for us.

I'm gonna send out for
some invisible sandwiches

and a couple cartons
of invisible milk.

[LAUGHS]

According to the timetable,

Luke should be in front of
the jewelry store about now.

Time to make him
invisible, huh, boss?

[TRAFFIC DRONING]

[♪♪♪]

Operator?

Give me police
headquarters. Quick.

Well, in the first
place, are you sure

you put the jewelry on display?

Of course I did.

After twenty years in
this same establishment

I'm not likely to make
a mistake like that.

And you saw no one?

Absolutely no one.

I remember. I looked up
and I saw the door open,

but nobody came in.

But that's impossible.

The thief would have
to have been invis...

Ah-ha.

Never mind.

I'll be right out.

The Apex Jewelry
Company on Third Street.

You can guess the rest.

Mm-hm. Mind if I come along?

I wish you would. I don't
trust what I'm thinking.

At least $50,000 worth of gems.

Well, where were they, exactly?

Right here.

All right, all right. We'll
get a description later.

You're absolutely positive
you saw that door open?

Absolutely.

I remember, I looked
over and nobody came in.

Wind. The wind blew it open.

There hasn't been any
wind in two days, Bill.

Well, a little breeze, anyway.

Not even a puff of air.

It's a better
explanation than yours.

Oh, is that so? I
suppose that same wind

blew the vault door
open in the warehouse.

Inspector, all I know
is that my stolen gems

aren't gonna be wafted
back to me on the next breeze.

Now, take it easy. We're
doing everything we can.

It's the only logical
conclusion, Bill.

Now, don't give me that
invisible man routine again.

Inspector, it couldn't be.

I mean... I mean...

Well, could it?

Of course not.

Now, don't get
panicky. Or ridiculous.

[DOOR OPENS]

[♪♪♪]

S-s-s-somebody or something
just went through that door.

Ridiculous, huh?

Hmm...

The whole world, Rosy.

Pick out a spot, in a few weeks,

you'll be able to buy it.

Hey, I always wanted to travel.

To see them far away
exotic kind of places.

With quaint native
customs and folk songs.

You know the spot
I'm gonna pick, boss?

Where's that?

Brooklyn.

LUKE: Number seven, checking in.

How come you're so
late, number seven?

I decided to stick around
for some laughs afterwards.

Wanted to see once what the
cops thought about the whole thing.

I'm not sure that was wise.

What was their reaction?

Well, Inspector Henderson,
we're drivin' him nuts.

But Kent, I don't know...

Kent? Was he there?

Yeah. And he was talking
about an invisible man.

I knew he'd stick
his nose into this.

The cops would never accept it,

but he's just the kind to follow
through on a hunch like that.

Let me punch in and
go knock him off, boss.

It's not as simple as that.

But we gotta do something.

Well, how else you
gonna get rid of a guy

if you don't knock him off?

Simply by arranging an accident.

Oh, sure, why not?

That used to be a
specialty of yours, didn't it?

More than a specialty.
It was a hobby.

Always a touch of the unusual.

In fact, I think Mr. Kent

will be my most
artistic job yet.

[CHUCKLING]

He's not back yet.

Jim, I'm getting worried.

I wish we knew where we
could get in touch with Superman.

So do I. But as
long as we don't,

I think I'd better call
Inspector Henderson.

LUKE: Never mind
that. Let's get going.

Okay, but isn't your voice
beginning to change, Miss Lane?

Jim, this is no time for jokes.

Turn off the radio.

What radio?

LUKE: I said, let's get movin'.

Look, a joke's a
jo... This is no time...

Jim, wasn't that your voice?

No. Wasn't it yours?

LUKE: It was mine.

Just do like I say
and no one gets hurt.

Am I seeing things?

That's the trouble, Miss
Lane. We're not seeing things.

LUKE: There's a
car parked outside.

We're goin' for a ride.

So let's move.

And don't forget, the
g*n's in my pocket.

We better do what he says, Jim.

Wait a minute.

I'm not taking orders
from something I can't see.

Now I'm taking orders.

Amazing how science has
played right into our hands.

Yeah, but I still don't
understand them gimmicks.

Very simple, really.

The radar sends out
a shortwave frequency.

When it hits an object, it
bounces back, like an echo,

and shows up on the screen.

That don't explain how
we become invisible.

Well, it's the same principle.

Our bodies are changed so
that light passes through them

instead of being reflected.

You mean, if I become invisible,

them radar waves
go right through me?

Exactly. And you wouldn't
show up on the screen.

I don't know.

I'd rather be flesh and blood.

I imagine the police would
prefer it that way also.

LUKE: Here's your company, boss.

What do you want with us?

We didn't do anything.

Let's say I needed some
cheese for the mousetrap.

What kind of a mouse
are you looking for, rat?

Your colleague, Mr. Kent.

Then you must have
sent him that pigeon.

Unfortunately, that plan failed.

This one won't.

You smart crooks
are always the same.

You always get overconfident.

Let's face it, Miss Lane.

For the first time in history,

the perfect crime
has been committed.

Jimmy, tell me you
didn't see what I just saw.

I wish I could, Miss Lane,

but my eyes are
just as bad as yours.

Lock them in the other room.

All right, Spectre, now what?

Now to bring Kent into
the picture with a note,

which our two little
guests will sign.

That ought to smoke him out.

Can't say we didn't
give him his chance.

He deserves the works.

Imagine taking advantage

of a poor, innocent
little pigeon.

[♪♪♪]

"Kent, this is your la...

"This is your last chance.

"If you want to see Lois
Lane and Olsen again,

"go to Suburban
Airport. A plane is waiting,

"chartered in your name.

"We know you
have a pilot's license.

"Once in the air,

"you will receive further
instructions by radio.

"The signature at
the bottom of this note

"should convince you that we
have Miss Lane and the boy.

Signed, the Spectre."

[♪♪♪]

[ENGINE RUMBLING]

SPECTRE: Don't look
so surprised, Mr. Kent.

I understand you already
have us figured out.

I hoped I was wrong.

ROSY: Too bad you wasn't.

Oh, two of you, eh?

SPECTRE: Yes,
so don't try anything.

What's this all about?

Why did you want
me up here in the air?

SPECTRE: A precaution, Mr. Kent.

Against a trap.

How can I trap something
I can't even see?

You forget we can be heard.

And a few police b*ll*ts fired
in the direction of our voices

could be disastrous.

Seem to have
thought of everything.

Even to the radar outfit
to detect Superman.

Oh, that was how it was done.

ROSY: And we was gonna
offer you a deal, Mr. Kent,

till you crossed us up.

You had a chance
to be a rich man.

Well, maybe it still isn't
too late to talk business.

SPECTRE: I'm afraid
that's out of the question.

ROSY: Hey, the boys oughta
be punchin' us in about now.

SPECTRE: Yes, an
airplane would look pretty silly

landing with nobody in it.

What do you mean by that?

You'll see.

And here we are.

Too bad, Kent.

Now you can identify us.

Should make
things easier at that.

Come now, Mr. Kent.

You must realize that this
is a one way trip for you.

Well, we've all
gotta go sometime.

Gotta admit he's
a cool character.

He's got nerve.

I have to give you credit.
You certainly outsmarted me.

Coming from you,
that's quite a compliment.

Well, Rosy, better push him out.

Oh, before you do,

there's one thing
I'd like to know.

How does this whole thing work?

That's a reasonable
last request.

Sure.

He won't be around
to use it against us.

It's very simple.

Anyone who carries
one of these coins

can be made invisible.

At this very moment,
one of my men

is waiting outside
the Metropolis Bank.

At exactly 3:00,
he will disappear.

The rest you can
figure out for yourself.

Sounds like a great story.

I'm sorry I won't
be around to write it.

I am too. You had your chance.

Should have joined us
instead of trying to b*at us.

Now move over to the other side.

Who'll fly this airplane?

I'll worry about that, Kent.

[♪♪♪]

There's a guy you can sell
a parachute to real easy.

That takes care of Mr. Kent.

Let's get back. You
can land by the cabin.

And I'll take care of you later.

[♪♪♪]

Superman.

Not so much fun to see
me when I can see you, is it?

Oh, I was just
waiting for a taxicab.

In that case, you won't mind
going down to headquarters

and giving yourself up
to Inspector Henderson.

It'll save me the trouble
of catching you again

and it'll be a lot
pleasanter for you.

Yes, sir.

And I'll just take that
coin, if you don't mind.

Thank you very much
for your assistance.

And goodbye.

[WIND SWIRLING]

[♪♪♪]

That'd be Rosy
and the boss, huh?

Who else, stupid?

Why do you always
gotta call me stupid?

Because you are stupid.

Why do we always
gotta play slapjack?

Why can't we play
hearts once in a while,

like other people?

Al, you know I don't know how

to figure out the
numbers on the cards.

Nice landing, Rosy.

Much better than
Clark Kent's, I'm sure.

You done it, huh?

Nice and clean.

Miss Lane and
the kid still okay?

Yeah, Joe give 'em a Parcheesi
game to keep 'em amused.

Yeah, and it's brand new too.

I never could figure out
how to figure out those dice.

Get Luke punched in on time?

Right on the dot of three.

What a gimmick.

One minute he's there,
then poof, he's gone.

He goes into the
bank, past the guards,

and they can't even see him.

Yeah, and he wears rubber
heels, so they can't hear him.

He goes past the clerks,
over the rail, into the vault,

picks out five, six,
$700,000 in big bills.

Then he comes out
again the same way.

In ten minutes, we punch him in,

make him visible,
he comes out here

with all that beautiful
green money.

Yeah, that all
sounds pretty good,

but one thing worries me:

Superman.

Why worry about him?

He can't get past the radar
screen without our knowing it.

All we do is become
invisible again

[WIND SWIRLING]
like we did the last time.

SUPERMAN: This
time the radar screen

didn't see me, Spectre.
There was nothing to see.

Superman! It can't be!

Well, I'm getting outta here.

[PUNCH THUMPS]

D'oh!

[PUNCHES THUMPING]

[♪♪♪]

Help!

[THUMPS] Oh!

Jeepers, this place looks
like it was hit by a hurricane.

A hurricane named
Superman, if you ask me.

It looks like it, but...

where is he?

Here I am, Jim.

Don't explain
anything, Superman.

I'm sure I wouldn't believe it.

Jeepers, Superman,
I'm afraid you're too late.

They've probably already
done away with poor Mr. Kent.

Now, don't worry, Jimmy.

It's true they did push
him out of a plane,

but fortunately, I was
there when he fell.

Poor Clark. I bet
he was scared silly.

Oh, I wouldn't say
that, Miss Lane.

I thought he took it rather
well, for Clark Kent, that is.

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Don't miss
the next thrill-packed episode

in the amazing
Adventures of Superman.

Superman is based
on the original character

appearing in Superman magazine.
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