Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 3, Episode 1 - Through the Time Barrier - full transcript

The notorious gangster, Turk Jackson, has decided to turn himself in - not directly to the police, but to Clark Kent, a fine, upstanding citizen who might act as a buffer between the crude gunman and the cops. After Turk signs a confession in Perry White's office, he and Clark - accompanied by Perry, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane - file into the elevator. Intruding on this group is a nutty professor professing to have invented a time machine. No sooner do the others scoff than a small explosion from Prof. Twiddle's little box sends them all back to prehistoric times. Turk decides he likes living in an era with no cops, and so he steals the time machine and hides it. Clark is eager to take action as Superman, but how can he explain Superman's presence in 50,000 B.C.? Meanwhile, Perry suffers the attention of an over-affectionate cave woman, as he, Lois and Jimmy get used to their new "cave duds."

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NARRATOR: The
Adventures of Superman!

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.

[♪♪♪]

Are you lookin' for someone?

Yes, yes, yes.
How did you guess?

Oh, I just put two
and two together

and the answer
came out in Mr. Kent.

Ah, he's exactly the
young chap I must see!

Well, maybe you
must. But you can't.

He's inside in a very
important conference.

Young man, nothing in the
world is more important than this.



This is the answer
to everything.

Hey, will it tell me
how to get a raise?

Better than that.

It will fix things so you
won't need one. Ha!

Thanks, but the chief
already suggested that.

He told me to go
jump off a bridge.

Yes.

Well, why don't you go do
that while I see Mr. Kent?

I'm sorry, but you're really
gonna have to come back later.

Young man, some of
us may never come back.

Uh!

[UNDER BREATH] You're crazy.

Oh, I'm sorry, but
you can't go in there.

Who says I can't?

It must've been me.

You know, in the good old days,

I'd have a smart punk like you

fitted for a pair of
cement pajamas.

Cement pajamas?

Yeah. For a long sleep
at the bottom of the river.

It's funny, but
e-everybody seems to

want me in the river these days.

Well, it figures.

Come on, get outta the way.

No, look. I've got my orders.

Look, your orders have
just been changed, kid.

Oh, uh. You must
be Turk J-Jackson.

Right as rain.

We've been expecting
you. Go right in.

Turk Jackson?

Yeah. Who do you think I
am, Little Red Riding Hood?

Who's them?

Well, them, as you
so neatly phrase it,

are Miss Lane and
Mr. White, our editor.

Oh.

Okay, okay. Let's
get it over with.

First, let me ask
you a question, Turk.

Now, you've ruled a
gangster empire for 20 years.

Now, all of a sudden you decide
to turn yourself into me. Why?

Well, my luck was runnin' out.

It's just a matter of time, see?

So I figured I'd get a
better deal if I turn myself in.

Why not go directly
to the police?

Because this way
I got guarantees.

Kent's got a lot of
respect in this town.

DA guarantees him
that I'll get a square deal.

So I get a square deal.

Otherwise I haven't
got a chance.

You don't deserve
much of a chance.

Forget it, Lois.

Now, I've had this
confession typed up

exactly as you gave it
to me over the phone.

Read it and sign it,
and we're on our way.

[♪♪♪]

Okay, this'll do. Gimme a pen.

Someday this pen'll
be a collector's item.

Let's go.

Is he takin' us in, or
are we takin' him in?

That is a good question.

[SIGHS]

Hello, everyone.

I've been waiting for you.

Who, us?

Uh, yes.

You see, I am Professor Twiddle.

I am a scientist.

So what?

Now wait. Please.

I know who you are too.

You are Turk Jackson.

You are a gangster.

Well, I'm sorry, professor.

But you see, we
don't have time...

Time! That's just the point.

I've conquered it.

With this little machine.

LOIS: Well, that's
very nice, professor.

Now, why don't you run home
and bury it in your backyard?

Hold it.

Where I'm goin', there
ain't gonna be many laughs.

Go ahead, prof.

TURK: Tell us about
your time gimmick.

Yes. Well, you see,

it's really very simple.

You just pick out
the period in history

that you'd like to go back to,

and I turn this dial,
flick the switch and...

[LAUGHS]

back we go.

You're not tryin' to back
out of our deal are you, Turk?

I told you, this is
strictly for laughs.

Go ahead, prof, give it a try.

Delighted.

Pick your age.

I'll take any age before
paper was discovered.

Well, I think I'd like to go
back to where it all started.

Prehistoric times.

Hey, that's not a bad idea.

Prehistoric.

That's when there are no cops.

And I could have the
whole territory all to myself.

What about that, professor?

Back to the days of the caveman.

Yes, that would be 50,000 B.C.

Well, everybody ready?

Yes.

Then, here we go.

It worked!

Holy cow.

I did it. I did it.

PERRY: That's the
understatement of the year.

Yes, but of what year?

50,000 B.C., like the prof said.

Jeepers. I should've
left a note for my mother.

Professor...

I know this whole
thing is foolish,

but apparently
you did get us here.

You've got to get us back.

Oh. Yes. Uh, Mr. Kent,

now I don't want to alarm you,

but I'm afraid that I
have spent so much time

on the process
of getting us here

that I have neglected
the reverse process.

Aw, that's all right, professor.

I kinda like it here.

But I'll figure it out.

All I need is one
certain kind of metal.

Great Caesar's ghost!
What sort of metal?

Oh, you can't say

"Great Caesar's
ghost" anymore, chief.

He wasn't even born yet.

Yes.

Oh, no!

[GIGGLING]

[GRUNTING]

Madam! Madam,
please! Control yourself!

Me Turk. Me friend.

Put it there, pal.

Shake.

[CHUCKLES]

Congratulations, Turk.

You've seem to have
made a friend here.

And I've got a hunch we're gonna

need all we can
find around here.

[WHISPERING] Right.

That's why I'm takin' over, see?

First, we gotta get
some of them duds.

We gotta show 'em we
can down to their level.

Hey, duds.

Clothes. Get it?

Oh. Clothes.

Yeah.

Hey, this guy's got possibility.

He does seem to be
learning rather fast.

Here.

TURK: Turn it in
for a new sundial.

[GIGGLING & GRUNTING]

I've gotta hand it to you, Turk.

Pretty good, huh?

Hey, kid, come here.

Me? Yeah.

Listen, this is gonna
make history someday.

Especially when
them archeologist guys

get diggin' around.

So I want you to
put out a newspaper.

A newspaper?

Well, that's fine. Except
we'll need two things.

News and the paper.

Well, I'm news and
how I'm takin' over.

And as for the paper,
you got rocks, ain't you?

Yes, sir. Especially in my head.

Okay. Back in the cave

and start settin'
up housekeepin'.

If there isn't a
spare room for me,

chew one out of the
rock, will you, Turk?

Just a minute, Kent.

What's the matter?

I hate to do this,

but if the professor
finds that metal,

I don't want him
to be able to use it.

So I'll take the box.

Well, I'm very sorry, Turk.

But I'm gonna
keep charge of this.

You see, you might
never wanna go back,

but the rest of us do.

Gimme the box!

[THWACK]

This guy doesn't know
when he's knocked out.

Clark, he hit you. I saw him.

Oh, Lois, will you
please let me alone?

Oh, no. Somebody
has to look after you,

and it looks like I'm elected.

Come on.

Thank you, madam,
I am not hungry.

[GRUNTS]

Well, it all may seem like
a bad dream, but it's not.

We've actually
passed the time barrier.

Yes, but only in one direction.

Backwards.

How do you spell "Neanderthal"?

If you can't spell, you've no
business being on a newspaper.

Professor, have you anything
to say for the Four Star Final?

Oh, uh, yes.

You may quote me.

Even science can backfire.

Oh, if I only had
my calculations.

You see, I left
them in my office.

[GRUNTS] If only
Superman were here.

Well, Jimmy,

I'm not so sure even Superman
can be of much help now.

Jeepers.

No more Saturday
afternoons at the ballpark.

No more of those
headaches at the office.

I never thought I'd miss them.

Yes, it certainly
makes you appreciate

the little things you've
always taken for granted.

Okay, where's the girl?

In the other cave.

Hey, woman, come here.

Here, gift.

Okay, so I ain't so popular.

But just get one thing straight,
I'm still the law around here.

Can I quote you on that?

Yeah, sure.

Here, put on these duds.

[GRUNTS]

That's for you, junior.

And what about me?

Sorry, buster,
this is the last one.

The caveman didn't have
too much of a wardrobe.

Now, look, Turk.

What did you actually
do with that time machine?

Well, if the professor
finds the metal he needs,

and, uh, I ever decide
I wanna go back,

then I'll let you know.

[SIGHS]

Well, not bad. [GIGGLES]

Not bad at all.

TWIDDLE: You look
very charming, my dear.

[LAUGHS] Chief, where
did you get the woolies?

I catch cold very easily.

Who would ever believe that
beneath the classy exterior

of the most distinguished
editor in Metropolis,

would post such an area
of plain old red flannel.

It kinda humanizes
him, doesn't it? Ha.

I've had better mobs,
but I guess you'll do.

Isn't anyone gonna
stand up to this hoodlum?

TURK: Don't anybody ever try.

Oh. Yes. Now look.

I don't care what you do to me,

but I want my time machine back.

Mr. Kent says you have it.

It's perfectly all
right, professor.

Don't get outta line,
you understand?

Well, don't be ridiculous,
it's mine. I want it.

Watch it, professor.

Watch what? Oh.

You wouldn't dare shoot me!

Some day you may
want to get out of here,

and I'm you're only hope.

Stand back, or
the next time I'll...

[ROCKS RUMBLING]

You fool, the vibration of
that shot caused a cave-in.

What are we gonna
do? I gotta get outta here.

PERRY: We'll never be
able to get out of here.

Well, like I always say,

the lust for power leads
to its own destruction.

Do somethin'.
Somebody do somethin'!

There's nothin' we can do!

Well, perhaps there is
something we can do.

I guess it doesn't
matter who knows now.

Wait. I smell something.

I know that odor.

It's coal gas.

The same kind that seeps
into mines in the 20th century.

Well, at least it'll
make it quicker.

Clark, you said maybe there
was something to be done.

For heaven's sakes,
whatever it is, do it now.

Well, uh, I'm sorry, Lois.

I guess I was just talking
to keep our spirits up.

Clark, I feel dizzy.

[EXHALES]

So do I.

I guess this is it.

The entranceway.

It's unblocked.

How? We've been saved!

That's impossible.

TURK: I don't know how you
did it, buddy. but thanks, thanks.

[GRUNTING]

I think he's trying
to say he didn't do it.

Well, it really doesn't matter.

If he could only talk.

[GRUNTING]

JIMMY: He drew a big S.

That can only mean one thing.

Superman is here.

Superman?

That's right, Turk.

Now, you'll see who's
boss around here.

Come on, Clark,
let's go find him.

Let's just wait'll he
finds us, shall we?

Oh, come on.

All right, Lois.
We'll go find him.

I think I'll have a
look around, too.

[GRUNTING]

Oh, please! Please!

Whatever you do, don't leave me.

Listen, you guys.

Superman might be around
here, but I'm Stoneman, see?

And I can do anything
that he can do.

[GRUNTING]

Watch, I'll show you.

[GASPING]

You like that, huh?

[CAVEMEN GRUNTING]

See. Fire. Fire.

Fire.

You think that's somethin'?

Well, look. Watch this.

[FRIGHTENED GRUNTS]

You like that, huh?

TURK: Well, I got a lot more.

I'm tired, Clark. I think
I'll rest here a minute.

That's a good idea, Lois.

I'll go ahead and
scout around a bit.

You wait right here.

Okay. Don't get lost.

Superman, we've been
looking everywhere for you.

Yes, Miss Lane, I know.

You've got to help us, Superman.

You've got to get us back.

The trouble is, I don't
know exactly what to do.

Well, there's one
thing you can do.

The professor has some
important information at home.

If he had it here,

he could figure out the
kind of metal he needs.

And you want me
to try and go get it?

Please, Superman. You must.

Very well, Miss Lane. I'll try.

[♪♪♪]

Clark?

Superman, what...?

I'm sorry, Miss Lane.

I can't do it. I can't
crack the time barrier.

But you broke
through it to get here.

Yes, I know. But that
was a one-way trip,

and please don't ask
me why, I can't explain.

You were our last hope.
Now even that's gone.

I'm afraid you're right.

Although, at least I
can keep Turk in line.

Oh, you better join
the others in the cave.

Anything you say, Superman.

Think, professor, think!

What do you think I'm doing?

But it's hard to do
calculations in your head.

Did you find him?
Did you find him?

Is he really here?

I found him.

But for once, even
Superman is helpless.

I don't know how many
times I've told you this.

You don't seem to understand.

But you see what I can do.

Me Stoneman. Me boss.

[GRUNTS]

You're not boss anymore, Turk.

That's what you think.

But they think differently.

Who's boss?

Me or him?

Boss!

Fire!

I been watching, Superman.

He made fire with his lighter
and chipped a rock with his gun.

Oh?

Perhaps we can
do him one better.

Jeepers! All you need
is your X-ray vision.

[ANXIOUS GRUNTS]

He wants you to chip
the rock like Turk did.

So, that's what he wants.

[CAVEMAN GRUNTS]

Boss!

I'll show you who's boss.

[GUNSHOTS]

All right, Superman, you win.

What are you gonna
do with me now?

Not a thing, Turk.

We've all gotta learn to
live together here somehow.

Let's get back to
the others. Come on.

This is really gonna be a
home-cooked meal tonight.

Cave-cooked, you mean.

PERRY: Well, Superman,
we heard the bad news

that you can't get back.

But thanks for
trying to help us.

Well, I'm sorry I
couldn't do more than try.

Professor, I'm afraid
it's all up to you.

I'm trying. I'm
trying, Superman.

And I almost had it.

You see, what I need is a metal

that gives off
neutral isotopic rays.

Well, then, let's
round up all the metal

we can find around here.

Look, we need metal.

[SIGHS]

Metal.

Metal.

Understand? Me-tal.

[GRUNTS]

Metal.

Metal.

Don't blame me if he
brings back a compact.

Compact. That's it.

That's what, professor?

[LAUGHS] That's... That's it.

That's the answer.
That's the metal I need.

You see, atoms must
be extraordinarily compact

in order to give
off the right rays.

Well, do you know
of such a metal?

I do now.

It's called Karborium-X.

Well, then, let's go
find some of that.

I'm afraid it won't
be quite that easy.

You see, Karborium-X
is found only on meteors.

Then by all means,
let's find a meteor.

But you can't fly
like you used to.

You tried.

Miss Lane,

it's true I can't
fly through time.

But I can still fly
through space.

I sure hope he's
able to find it.

All right, all
right. Knock it off.

You're forgetting something.

I'm the only one knows
where the time machine is,

and without that, Karborium-X
ain't gonna help you.

Yes, but we need it now.
That's our way to get back.

Uh-uh. I ain't ready.

All I got waitin' back
there for me is a jail cell.

But you were ready
to give yourself up

before all this happened.

Sure, but I don't have to now.

Then why don't you let us
go back and you stay here?

Nope. I might get lonesome.

We'll make you tell
where that machine is.

Turk won't talk
unless he wants to.

I got one thing: willpower.

I been worked on by experts.

Wh-where you goin'?

Out to find myself a
nice quiet cave. Alone!

[♪♪♪]

Did you find it? Did
you find Karborium-X?

I hope so, professor.

I dug this out of a meteor.

There may be some
Karborium-X in it.

This is it. This is Karborium-X.

Yes, this rusty part
here is what I'll need.

Well, then let us get
to work right away.

Say, by the way, there's been
so much going on around here,

I've forgotten about Clark Kent.

Where is he?

Please, let's not
worry about Kent.

I can find him
anytime, I promise you.

Yes, but first I must
have my time machine,

because without it, this
is absolutely worthless.

Professor, this
isn't easy to say,

but this'll be the
second time I failed you.

You see, your time machine
can be almost anyplace.

It could take years to find.

Yes, but I must have it now,

before the other radioactive
elements in it go dead.

LOIS: Well,

let's face it, we're
cave people.

That's the way it's gonna be.

Well, one good thing about it,

we've all got a
lot of experience.

Maybe we can get
society off on a better foot.

I hope so, Jim.

Meanwhile, I'll
go look for Kent.

[GRUNTS]

Well, we got company.

Metal! Metal!

That's not metal,
dopey. Those are stones.

[GRUNTS]

Probably nothin' but...

but diamonds. A-a
big fat diamond!

[GRUNTS]

Hey, buddy, you don't
know what these are worth

back where I come
from, but you...

You can buy yourself outta
mostly anything, even jail.

[GRUNTS]

Fire! Fire!

Oh. Yeah, sure, here.

You don't know it, fella,

but you just paid a couple
of millions dollars for a lighter.

[HAPPY GRUNTS]

Hm. I know.

In about 50,000 years,
there's gonna be the cutest hat

in the window of that little
shop across from the office.

I don't know how I'm
gonna live without it.

Well, thank heavens
you've come to your senses!

Why? Why did you do it?

Let's just say I got a
streak of decency about me.

The first thing I'm going
to do when we get back

is destroy that machine.

The first thing I'm gonna
do is ask for a raise.

This newspaper work
can be pretty dangerous.

Yes. Now, we are all ready

to attempt the return
to the 20th century.

W-wait. Not yet.
Clark isn't here.

I'm here.

Well, do you think
I pay you a salary

just to roam around
the countryside?

Well, I'm sorry, chief.

But a man can get lost
out there, you know?

But where's Superman?

Oh, he's all right, Jimmy.
Just don't worry about him.

But he can't get
through the time barrier.

Lois, I've been
in touch with him.

You see, Superman's been in
contact with this Karborium-X,

so he won't have any
more trouble with the barrier.

Well, then everything's settled.

Darling,

perhaps if we had met at
another time in another world,

everything would've
been different.

But now, Lana, I'm
afraid it's goodbye.

Goodbye.

Well, come on. Let's
hurry back, I'm hungry.

Well, here we go.

LOIS: We forgot to
change clothes first.

[ALL LAUGH]

Don't worry, I'll buy
everybody a new wardrobe.

I'll buy the whole town.

With those?

Diamonds, my boy.
A whole handful.

I'm afraid not, Turk.

You see, you've got nothing
but common quartz here.

Ask the professor.

Oh, yes. Mr. Kent's
absolutely right.

They're worthless.

You're crazy. They're
real. It's gotta be.

Okay, Kent, you win again.

I started out to give myself up,

well, let's do it now
and get it over with.

I hope Superman
got back all right.

Don't worry, Lois.
I'm sure he did.

Well, what's the trouble?

Didn't you ever see
a caveman before?

[LAUGHS]

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.