01x08 - The Mind Machine

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Adventures of Superman". Aired: September 19, 1952 – April 28, 1958.*
Watch or Buy on Amazon Merchandise

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.
Post Reply

01x08 - The Mind Machine

Post by bunniefuu »

Faster than a speeding b*llet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings
in a single bound.


- Look. Up in the sky.
-lt's a bird.

- It's a plane.
-lt's Superman.

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.


And now, another exciting episode
in the Adventures oi Superman.


- Wavelength?
- . .

Frequency?

megacycles.

Fine. Now let us check the--

- What on earth“?
- Get the machine.

Dr. Stanton. you're coming with us.

- What's the meaning of this?
- Just keep quiet and you won't get hurt.

What do you think you're doing?

Don't go to the police
with this. Hadley...

...if you ever wanna see
Dr. Stanton alive.

Well. there it is. today's lead.

That's a story we can
all be proud of. chief.

Right. If it hadn't been
for that series of articles...

...we ran a few months back.
there wouldn't be any crime committee.

I hope Senator Taylor does a good job
like he did up north.

He can't do otherwise. Look at
the witnesses he's got. including Lois.

She worked three weeks
on those series...

...while you were covering
the Chicago convention.

And have I got facts and figures.

Names. dates. places. All the tie-ups
to Mr. Big himself. Lou Cranek.

If you only knew what that man controls:

Slot machines. gambling houses.
organized vice.

Let's say “did control.“

When Senator Taylor's
through with him...

...Mr. Big will be just another number
in the state penitentiary.

Mr. Kent. a Mr. Hadley wants to see you.

Looked about to keel over.
so I parked him in your office.

- I told him you'd be in right away.
- Thanks. Jim. Excuse me.

- You want to see me?
- Mr. Kent?

- Yes.
- My name is John Hadley.

I believe you know my employer.
Dr. Edward Stanton.

Dr. Stanton. Let's see...

Oh. yes. He delivered that paper last year
before the medical convention.

That's right, and you interviewed him.
He was quite impressed with you.

And when all this happened. I--

Well. there was no one else
I could think of turning to.

- Won't you sit down. Mr. Hadley.
- Yeah. Thank you.

Mr. Kent. last night Dr. Stanton
and I were at work in his laboratory...

...when three masked men broke in.

They kidnapped Dr. Stanton
and stole the machine.

- The machine?
- The hypnotherapy transmitter...

...Dr. Stanton has been working on
for the past five years.

It's designed to treat
minor nervous disorders.

In what way?

By enabling whoever operates
the machine...

...to make direct contact
with a person's mind...

...make suggestions which might help rid
that mind of imaginary fears and inhibitions.

I see. In other words.
mental suggestion from a distance.

That's it. If the subject is anywhere...

...within the operating radius
of the machine...

...oh. about miles.
his mind can be reached.

It can be an amazingly helpful
instrument. Mr. Kent.

But in the wrong hands.
It can be terribly. terribly dangerous.

Have you been to the police?

Oh. no. The kidnappers. those men.
they warned me not to go to the police.

Dr. Stanton's been like a father
to me. Mr. Kent.

Well. I don't wanna take a chance
of anything happening to him.

Well. I don't know exactly
what I can do.

I thought that--

I don't know what I thought.
but you're a newspaperman, Mr. Kent.

We've got to get Dr. Stanton
and the machine back...

...before something terrible happens.

It’ll do the best I can for you.
Mr. Hadley...

-...under the circumstances.
- Thank you. Mr. Kent. Thank you.

I can't make any promises.
but I do have an idea.

Now. you keep your eye on
the personal column in tomorrow's Planet.

Hey. boss. did you see this?

So what?

Don't go getting any ideas.

Who. me. boss? Me?

Yes. you. Curly.

AI. bring the doctor in.

- You think we'll have any trouble with him?
- No.

Good morning. doctor.

- Get a good night's sleep?
- I demand to know where I am...

-...and why I was brought here.
- Certainly.

You're in the Blue Mountains.
about miles from Metropolis.

And you've been brought here
to operate this machine for us.

- What do you know about my transmitter?
- Everything. doctor.

But how? How? Nobody except myself
and Hadley ever saw this machine before.

Remember about three months back.
You hired a new chauffeur.

He was with you a couple of weeks.
then got drunk and you had him fired.

Put on your glasses. doctor.

Take a good look behind you.

Al doesn't talk much.
but he smiles pretty.

Remembers everything he sees.

- He's one of my best boys.
- And who are you?

Lou Cranek. The Daily Planet calls me
the kingpin of organized crime.

An interesting title. eh?

So you're the man Senator Taylor
and his committee are trying to expose.

Right. And that's where
you come in. doctor.

You and your machine.

See. Senator Taylor has lined up
a bunch of witnesses...

...who can make things
very unpleasant for me.

So you'll tune in on them
and persuade them to change their minds.

You must be insane. My machine
was never intended for such a purpose.

But it'll work. won't it?

But don't you see. imposing your will
on a subject without his consent. there's--

Well. there's no telling
what the effect might be.

I guess that's a chance
we'll have to take.

Ten o'clock.

Al. turn on the radio.

Curly. a chair for the good doctor.

Here you are. doc.

- Sit down.
- All right. doctor. it's all warmed up for you.

Go ahead.

I won't do it. lt's criminal.

Oh. you'll do it. Al.

We take you now to the State Building...

...where the Taylor Crime investigating
Committee is about to begin hearings.


The senators are in their seats.

The first witness is on the stand.

The next voice you hear will be
that of Senator Taylor.


- Your name is Wagner. Karl Wagner?
- Yes. sir.

- What is your occupation?
- I’m an accountant.

Mr. Wagner. were you ever employed
by the Playtime Syndicate?

I was their head bookkeeper
for several years.

Will you tell this committee what type
of business the syndicate engaged in.

Bookmaking. slot machines
and things like that.

As head bookkeeper. you were familiar
with the corporate setup of the syndicate.

That is, you knew who controlled it?

- I did.
- That's fine. doctor.

You've got him tuned in swell.

Mr. Wagner, are you acquainted
with a certain Lou Cranek?


Tell him no. Wagner.
Tell him you never heard of Cranek.

L... l never heard of Cranek.

You mean to say you never heard
of the man...

...who owned percent
of the syndicate's stock?

No.

L-- I never heard of Cranek.

Do you intend to tell us anything further?

I know nothing.

I have nothing to say.

All right. you're excused. But I warn you.
we intend citing you for contempt.

We did it, boss. We did it.

All right. doctor. you can turn it off now.

Well. that's the fastest switch I ever saw.
I was sure Wagner would cooperate.

He started out to. Then something
happened that made him change his mind.

Come on. Clark. let's see
if we can get a statement.

Mr. Wagner.
we're from the Daily Planet. and I--

Leave me alone. do you hear?
Stop pestering me.

Leave me alone.

What's wrong with him?

I don't know. Whatever it is.
It seems pretty serious.

We better follow him.

Move over! They're after me!

Come on. Clark.

Come on. Clark.

Hey. you. come back here!
Come back here! What's the idea?

Hey. come back with my bus.

Hey. somebody crazy stole my bus.

- I was tightening the brakes--
- Anyone inside?

Three kids. There's this steep hill ahead.
Those brakes won't hold.

Good heavens.
We've got to do something.

Shouldn't someone take care of
that poor woman in the car?

Stay if you want.
I’m going to try and save those children.

Let's go. miss.

Golly. it's Superman!

- Superman.
- The children are all right. Miss Lane.

- Just a little shaken up.
- Thank goodness.

- And Wagner, what about him?
- See for yourself.

What. is he dead?

- How did it happen?
- I believe his mind was destroyed.

His mind? I don't understand.

Someone destroyed his ability
to think and reason.

The brain itself was fatally injured.

Why. that sounds fantastic.
How was it done?

Clark Kent can tell you that.
Can you fix those brakes?

Oh. yeah. Yeah.

- Sure I can.
- Good.

Stay with the children
till the brakes are fixed.

- All right.
- Goodbye. Miss Lane.

After all that's happened.
we can't let you take the chance.

He's right. lt's much too dangerous.
Just give him the stuff in your files.

The real stuff isn't in the files.
lt's in my head.

Meetings I overhead
between Cranek and others.

Stuff so hot I didn't dare
write it down.

Lois. for the last time.
are you going to listen to reason?

Chief. I’m going to be on that witness stand
today at : . and that's all there is to it.

We've got to stop her some way.

I know it. I wish you'd tell me how.

It’ll get hold of Hadley.
We'll have a talk with Senator Taylor.

I hope it does some good.

Now. just a moment, Mr. Kent.
Let me get this clear.

You're asking me to call off the hearing
simply on the basis of this...

-...theory of yours.
-lt's no theory. senator. lt's a fact.

An infernal machine
in the hands of sinister forces...

...being used to intimidate my witnesses.
then destroying their minds?

That's a little hard to take.

How else can you explain
the deaths of three witnesses?

- There is such a thing as coincidence.
- Coincidence?

All three in a row.
and all of brain injuries?

Isn't that stretching coincidence
a little bit?

It's a matter for the police to clear up.

I'm sure they're doing all they can.

There are other witnesses to be heard.
We don't want anything to happen to them.

Is it possible to postpone these hearings
for a while?

Postpone them?

Mr. Kent. this committee has
a limited amount of time...

...and a limited amount of money.
taxpayers' money.

They need us to get the job done
as fast and economically as we can.

I'm sorry. but the hearings
will go on as scheduled.

And now. if you'll excuse me...

Mr. Hadley. this machine operates
on ultrahigh frequency. doesn't it?

- Yes.
- You say it takes a long time to warm up.

- Must use a great deal of power. doesn't it?
- Yes. a great deal.

Would you say it uses enough power
to create a disturbance on a radar screen?

Yes. Yes. I believe it would.

Mr. Kent!

Doctor Stanton's private plane has radar.
radio telephone. all the latest devices.

- Where's this plane?
- At the airport. ready to take off.

- We can be there in minutes.
- We'd better go.

We've got a large area to cover
and very little time to do it in. Come on.

C- cleared for takeoff.

That's it, boss. Blitz.

Now. that makes you owe me...

- A buck sixty.
- Write it down.

- Play another one. huh?
- All right.

What's the matter with the doc?

- Something bothering you. doctor?
- Look at that.

Take it easy.
That's nothing to get excited about.

Three men have d*ed
because of my machine.

I warned you. Cranek.
I warned you in the beginning.

- So what?
- Cranek...

...l let myself be forced into this
because I was weak. But not any more.

There's nothing you
or your two hoodlums can do to me...

...that will make me go ahead
with this. Nothing.

Is that so?

We interrupt this program
of recorded music.


Due to a last-minute change in schedule,
this afternoon's session...


...of the Taylor Crime Committee
has been moved up half an hour.


In exactly three minutes' time,
that's : ."...


...we will take you direct
to the committee room...


...where the first witness will be
Miss Lois Lane...


...a reporter
on the Metropolis Daily Planet.

Forget it, boys.
We haven't got the time.

But. boss, if we don't persuade him quick.
who's gonna work the machine?

Me. I've watched him do it.
I've got it figured out.

AI. keep an eye on the doctor.
We'll take care of him later.

- Any luck. Mr. Kent?
- Not so far.

All we're getting are
normal ground patterns.

I hope this works.

We seem to have covered
most of the area already.

- What time is it?
- : .

Let's keep going for a while.
If nothing comes of this...

...we still have time
to get back to the city...

...and keep Lois from taking the stand.

- What's the matter. boss. having trouble?
-l'll get it in a minute.

Look.

That's it. I’m sure of it.

It isn't likely another high-powered machine
would be up in these mountains.

Take her down. Hadley.
We'll circle around. take a look.

That's it. Down there. There.

- It looks like a hunting lodge.
- What do we do now. Mr. Kent?

- Land and investigate?
- No. I'll call Perry White.

With this to go on.
he can keep Lois off that stand...

...until the police get up here
and investigate.

There. You almost got it.

--Cranek. If you only knew what
that man controlled. Slot machines....


Hello? Hello. chief. Clark Kent.

Look. get hold of Lois and--
What?

- Lois is on the stand right now.
- Good heavens. What will we do?

I'm afraid there's only one thing to do.

Look'.!

That's it, boss. you got it.

Cranek. get away from that machine.

- Dr. Stanton. are you all right?

Yes. I-- Whoever you are.
I want to thank you for...

Your machine, you've destroyed it.

I had to.
It was a terrible. terrible thing I created.

It was meant to do good.
to help people.

- And all it's done has--
- You mustn't blame yourself. doctor.

There will always be people who somehow
try to turn good into evil.

- You can build another machine.
- No.

It’ll never build another one. Never.

Doctor. call the police and have them
come and take care of these men.

But. Mr. Kent. I still haven't
got this straight.

Do you mean to say I blacked out.
yet still managed to land the plane safely?

Can you think of any other explanation.
Mr. Hadley?

Well. goodness me. I had no idea
I was such a fine pilot.

- Where on earth have you been?
- Well. chief...

-...Mr. Hadley and I--
- While you were off. or wherever you were...

...Superman showed up
and nabbed Cranek and the machine.

What's more. Dr. Stanton's going
to testify before the committee.

With what he's got to say.
Cranek's goose will be thoroughly cooked.

Why we're telling you this.
I don't know.

L've a good mind to just let you read it
in tomorrow's paper.

- Where were you?
- Well. chief...

-...if you'll just let me explain--
- Yes. where were you?

- Explain.
- Lois. I thought you were in danger.

I just tried to help.

You? Why should I need your help.
when I can always count on--

I know.

Superman.

[ENGLISH]
Post Reply