Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Monkey Mystery - full transcript

The daughter of an Eastern European scientist flees to the United States to give a secret formula to the president before the communists who killed her father can get to it, and Lois receives information on her whereabouts from an organ grinder and his monkey.

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[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Faster
than a speeding bullet.

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.

And now, another
exciting episode

in the Adventures of Superman!

[♪♪♪]

[MAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

[DOGS BARKING]

Get up, Father. They are coming.

They have dogs.
They will find us here.

We must get away.

It is no use, Maria.

You must try. Please, Father.



It is no use, I tell you.

They'll catch us. They'll
torture me and kill you.

You must try to escape alone.

No.

Please try, Father.
I will help you.

Listen to me, Maria. I can
run from them no longer.

I'm too old, too weak.

But you are young.

You may be able to escape.

Mother's locket!

Take this.

Take it to America,

to the President of
the United States.

Give it to him
alone. To no other.

[DOGS BARKING]

I will not leave you.

You must, Maria.

Say to the President
to open the locket.

That which is inside will
mean new hope for humanity.

Yes, but...

Listen to me, my child.

The fruit of my life's
work is in your hands.

It must be used for
the good of mankind.

If those godless
devils secure it,

it will mean the end
of freedom on earth.

Take this and go to America.

Do exactly as I said.

And trust no one
but the President.

[MAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

Go! There's no more time.

[DOGS BARKING]

Good...

Goodbye, Father.

[BARKING]

[MAN YELLING IN
FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[RINGS]

Ja?

MAN: We have traced
Maria Moleska to Lisbon.

She boarded a plane
there for the United States.

One moment.

Listen carefully.

There is a man
named Harold Crane

in Metropolis, in
the United States.

You will find his contact
number in the secret file.

Tell him I will pay him $200,000

if he secures Moleska's formula.

Und tell him I am leaving for
Metropolis tonight by plane.

[♪♪♪]

[CHILDREN SQUEALING]

[CHIRPING]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Give me these. Give me these.

Go over there now.

[CHIRPING]

That's right. Come on.

Yes!

[SQUEALING]

Look, Clark. Supermonkey.

Yeah.

Now, Pepi,

you give these nice little boys
and girls their fortune, hey?

That's right.

Come on!

Cute, isn't he? Uh-huh.

Come on. Help the lady.

That's nice!

He's a cute monkey.

He's smart too.

Can he tell my fortune?

Sure, lady, sure.

Pepi, you give this nice
pretty lady her fortune, huh?

Come on.

That's right.

Thank you, Pepi.

There you are, little fella.

Thank you, lady.

Thank you, mister.

Good luck, good luck.

[BARREL ORGAN PLAYING]

Well, what's it say?

Don't rush me.

No fair, Clark.

Even a reporter's entitled
to a little private life.

Uh-huh.

Must be good.

Today is the 24th, isn't it?

Sure, all day.

Why?

Well, I'm going to marry

a handsome oil millionaire
by the name of Harvey.

Bye, Clark.

Where do you think you're going?

Well, to meet
Harvey. Where else?

Have you forgotten

we're supposed to
cover the Petersen trial?

You cover it. I can't
keep Harvey waiting.

Bye-bye.

Lady!

Wait, lady, wait!

[MONKEY CHIRPING]

Come back, lady, come back!

You get in bad trouble!

Here's those Moleska news
clippings you wanted, Miss Lane.

Thanks, Jim. And what
about my plane reservation?

I wangled you a seat
on the 12:30 flight.

You'll have to pick up
your ticket at the field.

12:30. I can make it.
Better get me a cab, though.

I got one standing by.

Good boy.

You get to Baltimore at 1:50.

But you got about
a 1-hour layover

for the Washington Limited.

Miss Lane, why are
you flying to Baltimore

then taking a train
to Washington?

The chief will want to know.

I hope to get an
exclusive interview

with Jan Moleska's daughter.

No kidding?

She's on that Washington train.

Golly!

According to the news
clips, her dad's been killed.

I know I'm following a wild tip,

but it's worth a gamble.

So long, Jim.

Wait a minute!
Where'd you get the tip?

The chief's going to ask me.

From a monkey.

Huh?

[PEPI CHIRPING]

Hey, Pepi.

Go up there.

MAN: Hello, Pepi.

[CHIRPS]

Blast you and that
stupid organ grinder!

I'll show you what
I'm going to do to...

[PEPI CHIRPING]

There, there, Pepi.
I wouldn't hurt you.

[SCREECHES]

There you are,
Pepi. There you are.

Okay, on your way, Pepi.

Hey, Max!

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

Yeah?

That stupid organ grinder

lost a message for me
about Moleska's daughter.

Oh, that dumb jerk. Yeah.

Fortunately, he read it and
remembered enough to pass it on.

Say, a guy like that
could be dangerous.

That's what I was thinking.

I could be traced
through that organ grinder.

He's waiting in the alley
downstairs. Get rid of him.

Okay, boss.

You sure we won't
need him no more?

Frisch is on his way
over here by plane.

I'll have that Moleska
formula tonight.

Yeah, but... Get going.

Okay.

Well, go on.

What did she tell you?

Well, uh, she
said she had a tip.

She said it was
pretty wild, but...

Wild, eh? But she goes off
to Baltimore just the same.

On the paper's money.

Doesn't even
bother to consult me.

Great Caesar's ghost!

Now, wait a minute, chief.

Lois is pretty solid. She may
be a little impulsive at times...

Impulsive, eh?

Well, she's been impulsive
around here for the last time.

And that goes for you too, Kent.

From here on in,

nobody goes out on a story
until they've checked with me.

You paste that in your hat too.

Yes, sir.

But I think I know
why Miss Lane went.

I mean, I think I know
where she got her tip.

I... I found this on her desk.

Let's see that, Jim.

Lois got this from the monkey.

[CLARK READS ALOUD]

New schedule being followed."

What is that? Where
did it come from?

I told you. She got
it from the monkey.

Are you crazy?

Golly! She said
something about a monkey.

I better get out there.

Where? The Washington Limited.

If this is on the level,
it's a whale of a story!

I'll see you later, chief.
Kent! Come back here! Kent!

Kent, that train's halfway
to Washington by now.

Come back here.
How are you going to...

Great Caesar's ghost!

Has everybody around
here gone crazy?

Good heavens!

[SCREAMS]

[THUMP]

[♪♪♪]

Porter. See if there's a
doctor on this train, and hurry!

MAN: Miss Lane will
be all right, Superman.

That's fine, doctor.

What about Miss Moleska?

Well, her condition is critical.

Her skull has been fractured.

I'd like to find the
man that did it.

Will she regain consciousness?

She should.

[WHIMPERS]

There. She's coming to now.

May I question her, doctor?

Briefly.

Miss Moleska.

Who are you?

Superman. I'm your friend.

I have heard of you.

You are good.

The locket! It is gone!

We'll find it for you later.

But right now, I want...

Father's formula
was in the locket.

Formula?

Yes.

He was sure I...

Oh, no. I must not talk.

Only to the President.

The locket was around your neck?

You must find it, Superman.

It is our only defense.

Defense? Against what?

You... You must find it.

You

must...

Must...

She'll be all right.

But she can't be
questioned anymore.

May I take her to a hospital?

She can't be moved right now.

I'll take care of Miss
Moleska and Miss Lane.

You find that locket.

I'll certainly try.

You say Superman couldn't
find the fellow on the train?

No. I'm going to look
around some more, but...

You are?! I mean, Superman is.

Meanwhile, call
Inspector Henderson.

Tell him to try and pick
up that organ grinder.

Better get our own
staff working on it too.

Don't tell me what to do.

Stop that, stop that.

Wait a minute, Kent.

"Tony Urmenti, organ grinder.

"Body found Metropolis
River, foot of 24th Street.

Knife wound in heart."

Hmm.

What is it, chief?

You'd better get over
to the city morgue

as quick as you can, Kent.

I have a hunch the
story's blown up in our face.

[DOOR OPENS]

Well? Joe got the locket.

The formula?

In the locket.

Good. Swell.

Getaway okay?

Duck soup.

Joe's on the plane now.

Ought to be here in
an hour, hour and a half.

Well, as soon as the
organ grinder brings it...

Oh, I forgot.

No more organ grinder.

Well, you'll have to meet
Joe for the pickup, then.

I hate to do it.

The cops know that mug of yours.

Well, you've got
to do it anyway.

I better get started.

Call Frisch. You
know the number.

Tell him to be here at
9:00 with the money.

All of it.

Every nickel.

[DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING]

Well?

It was our organ
grinder, all right.

I thought so.

Now what?

I don't know, chief.

Well, how about his family?

Maybe one of them
might know something.

Apparently he hasn't any family.

Lived all alone in a basement
apartment on the West Side.

Oh, fine.

I wonder what's in that formula.

She said it was a
defense against something.

Atomic bombs!

If it is...

Kent, we've got to get it.

The monkey.

What?

The organ grinder's monkey.

It's probably at the
bottom of the river.

I wonder.

Anyhow, the monkey can't
talk. What's the difference?

It might give us a lead.

Chief, it was a
cute little animal.

It had a Superman's costume on.

Superman?

That's right.

A lot of people
must have noticed it.

Look, chief.

Let's put a special bulletin
in our news broadcast

asking anyone who saw
the monkey to please call in.

I doubt that anything
will come of it.

But what can we lose? Go ahead.

Yes, sir.

Microfilm, huh?
For this, we get...

Look out, dummy.

For this we get
$200,000. Oh, not bad.

[CLARK SPEAKING OVER RADIO]

This kind of work pays
better than the rackets!

CLARK [OVER RADIO]:
Anyone seeing a brown monkey

dressed in a Superman costume

and answering to
the name "Pepi,"

please communicate with
Clark Kent at the Daily Planet

or the police at once.

Or anyone having
any special knowledge

of this monkey or its owner,

the late Tony Urmenti,
an organ grinder,

please contact this paper
or the police without delay.

And now, the news.
Today, the United Nations...

[RADIO CLICKS OFF]

What's the idea? I
kinda like the news.

What did you do with the monkey?

Nothing. It got away.

Got away how?

When I caught up with Tony, see,

I walked him down the alley
a-ways to where the car was

before I let him have it.

While I was loading
him into the car,

the monk scrammed.

Scrammed where?

I told you! Up the alley.

It went over a fence.

I wasn't going to chase
it with a stiff in the car.

What for?

"What for?" "What for"! Yeah.

Find that monkey.
Find it and get rid of it.

WHITE: I certainly
will if I see him.

I don't know where he
is any more than you do.

Right. Goodbye.

Listen, chief.

Those fellas must think Superman
works for the Daily Planet.

What? Who?

Washington. The Atomic
Energy Commission.

They want that Moleska formula.

Oh. So do I.

Have you seen Jim around?

Ferguson sent him out on a
story about an hour ago. Why?

The rest of the
staff's gone home.

I wanted Jim to stand by in case
anyone called about that monkey.

I just made the news broadcast.

There isn't a
chance in a million

anything will come of that.

[RINGS]

Perry White speaking.

Hello, chief. I mean,
Mr. White. Is Mr. Kent there?

Just a minute.

Speak of the devil.

Jim?

Yeah.

Hello, Jim.

Listen, Mr. Kent.

Here's a funny thing.

A kid phoned the
office about an hour ago.

He has one of our paper routes.

He said there's a
monkey in his alley.

What! Where was this?

Out in the Maywood section.

Ferguson thought it
might make a nice feature

for the nature page
so he sent me out on it.

Where, Jim? And get this!

The monkey's wearing
a Superman costume.

Listen to me, Jim. Exactly
where is that monkey?

Behind the 1300 block on
Maywood Boulevard, in an alley.

CLARK: Where are you now?

In a drugstore, corner of
13th Place and Maywood.

You get back to that
monkey and hang onto him.

Don't let him get away whatever
you do, do you understand?

Yeah, sure.

Okay, I'll be there
in a few minutes.

Jim found the monkey.
Great Caesar's ghost!

I better get over there.

I'll go with you.

Have the girl on the switchboard
call police headquarters.

Trying to steal my monkey, huh?

I ought to turn you
kids out to the cops.

Go on, now. Scram!

Scram, I said!

Hey! Where are you
going with that monkey?

What's it to you?

It belongs to an organ
grinder who got killed.

You made a mistake, bud.

Wait a minute. I'm
from the Daily Planet.

I got orders to watch
that monkey. Give it here.

Lookit, buster. Get
smart and shove off.

I will not!

A wise guy, huh?

[PEPI CHIRPING]

[VEHICLE APPROACHING]

Look at those cops down there.

Yeah.

MAX: Think they're
looking for us?

I don't know.

But you should never
have brought him in here.

If you'd just had brains
enough to get rid of that monkey.

I told you. He got away...

Oh, idiot.

You sure nobody
saw you lug him in?

There was some kids
around but I chased them.

Frisch said he'd be late, huh?

He said about 10:00. He
has to wait for some guy.

Well, maybe the cops
will be gone by then.

You stay here and watch him.

But keep clear of the window.

MAN: Murphy, you and Jones
take the building on the corner.

Rosen and Fry, take
the one to the north.

Healy, you come with me.

I wonder where Jim is.

Probably at a phone
trying to reach us.

I hope so.

I told him to wait
right here for me.

MAN: Okay,
Mr. Kent. We're all set.

Thank you, sergeant.

Okay, Pepi. Here's
where you go to work.

Kent, what the
deuce are you up to?

Watch.

Up we go. Go on!

It's working.

Keep an eye on
him. I'll be back.

Hey, boss!

Look.

It's a plant.

He's showing the
cops where we are.

Finish him. I'll take
care of the reporter.

[♪♪♪]

You didn't get here
a minute too soon.

Are you all right?

Weak but willing.

The guy with the mustache
has the Moleska formula.

There it is.

Golly!

Now, Perry White and Inspector
Henderson are down the street.

You give this to them.

And you'd better make
a beeline for your office

if you want to get a
scoop on that story.

Oh, gee, thanks!

Just a minute.

Miss Lane and Miss
Moleska are both all right.

Oh, swell.

Hey, what happened to Pepi?

[PEPI CHIRPING]

[♪♪♪]