Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 4, Episode 2 - The Unlucky Number - full transcript

[♪♪♪]

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.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

Clark, look.

Hmm. A $15,000 home, huh?

All you have to do is guess

the number of jelly
beans in the jar.

CLARK: At a dollar a
guess? No, thank you.

LOIS: Oh, but, Clark.



Oh, my.

What a lovely house.

Just the kind I've
always dreamed about.

It is nice, isn't it?

But I never could guess
all those jelly beans.

LOIS: It wouldn't be easy.

Excuse me, ma'am.

But why don't you try?
As... As my guest, of course.

Oh, that's awfully
sweet of you, young man,

but I'd miss it by
a country mile.

Well, then suppose you let
me guess for you, all right?

But, Clark, a minute ago...

Young lady, you
go right in there

and guess 2845.

Two thousand, eight
hundred and forty-five?

Right, and you'd better hurry

before they start the count.

Oh, dear. I'm so excited.

Thank you so much.

Yes, ma'am.

Clark Kent,

professional jelly bean counter.

What in the world got into you?

It's not what got into me, Lois.

It's what got into that
store just a minute ago.

Oh, that explains it.

Now let's go back to the office

and ask the chief to give
you a nice, long vacation.

Well, thanks, but I don't
need a nice, long vacation.

I was referring to the character
in there with eyeglasses.

LOIS: All right, what about him?

Unless I'm mistaken, he's
an old-time confidence man

named Slippery Elm.

You mean, this contest
might be crooked?

Come on, let's go in and
find out what's going on.

Thank you, madam,

on behalf of the Benevolent
Brotherhood Society.

Folks, that's the last entry.

And now, I'll ask your
neighborhood friend, Mr. Kelly,

to step up and
please begin the count.

If the winner isn't
present, I'll personally see

that he or she is
notified immediately.

Mr. Kelly, if you please.

Folks, I... I can't
guarantee the winner,

but I can guarantee
an honest count.

Well, here goes.

One, two, three...

It's strange how
we can always hope,

even for a chance in a million.

Clark, do you realize

it's gonna break her
heart if she doesn't win?

She hasn't lost yet.

Twenty-eight thirty-six, 2837,

2838...

It's almost empty.

MR. KELLY: Twenty-eight
forty-one, 2842,

2843,

2844,

2845.

That's it, folks,
2845 jelly beans.

Oh, I just can't believe it!

Clark, I think there's something
fishy going on around here.

If I hadn't thought so,

I wouldn't have
gotten in the act.

Looks like my
lucky day, Mr. Kelly.

I only missed it by three.

I don't guess anybody
else can come that close.

Congratulations, sir.

Of course, we'll have to check
the other entries to be fair,

but it sure looks
like a winner to me.

Why, he didn't win it.

I did.

I've got it exactly.

Two thousand, eight
hundred and forty-five.

And my stub is
right in that little box.

You must be wrong, ma'am.
Nobody could guess it exactly.

Excuse me, sir.

Ma'am, if you won
the house, it's yours.

I'll be by tomorrow
with the deed.

Wait a minute, we...

Fair is fair.

Now you run along, ma'am.

Thank you, thank you.

Oh, this is the happiest day

of my life.

Congratulations, ma'am.

MAN: Could I speak with you?

Oh, young man,

how can I ever thank you enough?

Well, that won't be
necessary, ma'am.

Lois, why don't you walk
our friend to the corner.

I'll be along in just a minute.

You better be, I have a
lot of questions for you.

[CHUCKLES] Come on.

I know it's impossible,
but she did it, didn't she?

Yeah, and I got an idea how.

What do you mean, Slippery?

We had it all rigged, right?

SLIPPERY: I was supposed to win.

Miss it by three just
to make it look good.

And then us and the boys
split up all the money, right?

Get to the point.

The point is only three of
us knew the exact number.

And one of us
decided to cash in on it.

Yeah, and if it
ain't you, it ain't me,

that leaves Dexter.

SLIPPERY: Exactly.

That leaves Dexter.

Hi, Dexter.

What are you
doing out here, kid?

It's too hot to
sleep in the house.

Grandma said it's all right.

Well, then go back to bed.

Where you've been?

Look, kid, just because
I've been rentin'

a room here for five
years, doesn't mean

I gotta answer questions
every time I come home.

Hey, you know what Grandma did?

She won a house
in a jelly bean contest

at Kelly's.

She what?

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[GUNSHOTS]

Dex!

They shot you! They shot you!

[BULLETS HITTING GROUND]

[♪♪♪]

The bullets.

They bounced right off you.

You're dreaming, kid.

When you wake up in the
morning, it'll all be a bad dream.

Now, go back to bed.

Thanks, baby.

The guy who invented
bulletproof vests

just saved my life.

Get out of here.

I told you never to come
into my room. Never.

You don't scare me now,

'cause I know
who you really are.

What do you mean,
you know who I am?

Sure, that's why
they tried to shoot you

and why the bullets bounced off.

Okay, kid, get it
out of your system.

Who am I?

You're Superman.

Are you...?

Guess there's no
sense to deny it, Bobby.

That's right. I am Superman.

Gee, Superman.

Living in my house.

Wait till I tell the kids.

Now, listen, Bobby, you
can't tell anybody, understand?

You're the only person in
the world who knows this.

You go around tellin' people,
it would spoil everything.

Oh, I'm sorry, Dex.

I mean, Superman.

I won't tell. Honest.

That a boy.

Now, remember, no
matter how things look,

or whatever happens,
you just gotta trust me.

You see, it isn't easy
being Superman.

Oh, I won't tell.

That's right, kid.

Now, you go on back to bed.

I might have to do
a little flyin' tonight.

Sure.

Good night, Superman.

Good night, kid.

BOBBY: Hey, that's a gun.

What do you need a gun for?

Why, that's evidence, Bobby.

When I turn a crook
over to the cops,

I gotta have evidence, don't I?

Yeah, that's right. Evidence.

Good night again, Superman.

Good night, kid.

What are you
doing out here, son?

Resting.

I had to go in the
house a minute.

Who are you?

Kid, I'm a police officer.

One of your neighbors
called, said he heard shots.

Know anything about that?

No, sir.

Yeah, probably just a backfire.

Now, who lives here?
Just for the record.

Me, I'm Bobby Exbrook,

and my grandma and Dexter Brown.

He rents a room.

Only he's kind
of like my brother.

Oh, have they been in all night?

Yes, sir.

Okay, thanks.

[♪♪♪]

Say, Clark, what was the
name of that little old lady

we met yesterday?

Mm, I don't remember, Lois.

Barbrook, Exbrook,
something like that. Why?

Well, I think it was Exbrook,
and it may be a coincidence,

but there's an item here
about a family with that name.

Oh, what's it say?

"Early this morning,

"police investigated
a reported shooting

"in front of 18 Sycamore Street,

"the residence of
Mrs. Clara Exbrook,

"her grandson Bobby and
Dexter Brown, a boarder.

Apparently..."

Wait just a minute,
did you say Dexter?

Yeah, why?

Oh, nothing.

That's what you said about
guessing the jelly beans.

I'd still like to know
about that one.

Oh, come on, Lois, haven't
you ever had a lucky hunch

that turned out to be right?

Well, I suppose so.

Well, there you are.

Now, if you'll excuse
me, I have an errand to do.

Two thousand eight
hundred and forty-five.

How did he know that?

[♪♪♪]

[WIND WHOOSHING]

Hi, what are you
doing back here?

I've never been here before.

Hey, you look different.

You even talk different.

I've always looked
and talked just like this.

Oh, I get it.

Uh, you wear a disguise
when you're Superman.

Um, Bobby, tell me something.

Do you think that
you've seen me before?

Aw, cut it out.

You're just testing
me to see if I'll talk.

I did want to ask
you a few questions.

Go ahead.

All right, but I
want the truth now.

Did anything happen
around here last night?

I mean, like a shooting?

Aw, you know what happened.

Yes, but perhaps you
better tell me again.

Okay, I'll tell you,

if you'll bend this horseshoe.

There.

Wow.

I couldn't even budge it.

Now, uh, crush
this with your hand.

Of course, you know,
this is practically blackmail.

How's that?

That's swell.

Now put it together.

All right, but no more tricks.

You promised me an answer.

[METAL CREAKING]

There you are. Now
let's have the answer.

Did anything happen
around here last night?

Nothing.

Nothing at all happened.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Well, look, Bobby,
it's a little public here.

Could we go inside?

Sure, but I don't know
what you're testing me for.

I said I wouldn't tell.

You can take off
your disguise now.

What's the matter?

Oh, uh, nothing, Bobby.

What did you just ask me?

I said, do you wanna
take off your disguise?

Bobby, I don't know
what is going on here,

but just who do you think I am?

I'll tell you if you melt
that with your x-ray vision.

Oh, blackmail again, uh?

All right.

Gee, could you
teach me to do that?

Bobby, there's something
I want you to remember.

No one, but no one, can do
the things that Superman does.

And that goes
especially for flying.

Now answer my question.
Who do you think I am?

I don't think. I know.

You're Superman.

Bobby, you have all the
makings of a very good lawyer.

I'll be seeing you again.

So long, Superman.
So long, Bobby.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

You wanted to see me, chief?

Yes, where's Kent?

Off on some wild
goose chase, I suppose.

If he was, I think the wild
goose would be chasing him.

Well, I've got a
job for you two.

I've just been talking
to Inspector Henderson,

and he seems to think
that some of these raffles

and jelly bean contests
around here are phonies.

Could be. What do
you want us to do?

Snoop around,
buy a lot of tickets.

Get a line on the operations.
It may lead into a story.

Right. You just leave it to us.

Oh, naturally, naturally.
I'm just the editor.

I wouldn't think of telling
my reporters what to do.

I didn't mean that, chief.

Just get the story, Miss
Lane. That's all I ask.

The story. Yes, sir.

[♪♪♪]

Where on earth have you been?

Oh. Well, let me see...

I know, you had lunch,
uh, went to the city hall

in case anything happened
there, had your shoes half-soled...

Oh, Lois, you're wonderful.

Where on earth do you
find out all these things?

Oh, skip it. I've
been waiting for you

'cause the boss wants
us to get on a story.

Oh, what story?

You may be surprised at
that. I'll tell you on the way.

All right.

Hey, do it again.

I don't have time for kid stuff.

How come you're home so soon?

I forgot something.

[♪♪♪]

Can I come along with you, Dex?

I mean, Superman.

Don't call me that.

Somebody might be listening.
And you can't come along.

Gee, you should trust me now.
Especially after this morning.

What happened this morning?

Gee whiz, I get tested
on more than a guinea pig.

What happened this morning, kid?

Nothing.

Nothing happened.

Then keep your mouth shut.

Ah, here's another one.

"Children's Charity Fund."

We've bought 50 chances already.

I bet half of them are crooked.

Why don't you go and find
the next place, I'll catch up.

All right, Lois.

Daily Planet, lady?

Uh, no, but I'd like
to buy a raffle ticket.

Oh, sure, lady. Sure. Here.

You... You gotta fill
out that stub though,

in case you're lucky.

Do you know anything
about this children's fund?

Oh, yes, it's a...

Well, it's, uh, a charity
fund for children, I guess.

That'll be a quarter. All right.

There we are.

The last ticket in the
book. That's lucky.

I hope so.

Hi, Mr. Brown.

How many did you sell today?

Eight books' worth.

Okay, let's have it.

How about me, huh?

You get paid at the end
of the week like always.

VENDOR: But I'm
a little short now.

Keep talkin' that way,
you'll be a lot shorter.

What's up, Dex?

Boots tried to get
me killed last night.

Killed?

That ain't very nice of him.

How come you're
off the popularity list?

I'm not sure.

Somehow my landlady
managed to win

the jelly bean gimmick.

Boots must've
figured I was playin'

both sides of the street.

Was you?

No, but I am now.

I'm takin' over,
Andy, and I figured

you and some other
boys might want to come.

That depends if they have a
cure for having your head blown off.

Listen, I think I can
pull the whole outfit

right out from under him.

And this is what we start with.

What'd you do? Collect
a couple days early?

Yeah.

It'll throw the boss's
operation out of order.

And give us
something to work with.

You act like you got
hold of a rattlesnake.

Maybe I did.

We had it fixed so 1-9-0-6-5
would win in the drawing

and one of our
boys would collect.

So?

So 1-9-0-6-5's
already been sold.

This book wasn't supposed
to go on the market.

Somebody goofed, huh?

Lois Lane, 22 Wood Avenue.

Let Boots worry about it,
he's the one stuck with it.

I'd like to, except
for one thing.

This girl's a reporter.

No, that ain't good.

If she don't win the prize,

it'll be smeared
all over the paper.

After that, we couldn't sell
another ticket in Metropolis.

Your landlady wins a house.
This dame wins the automobile.

If this keeps up, we'll be
runnin' a legitimate racket.

I can take care of
my landlady, all right.

What we gotta worry
about is this reporter.

Bobby, won't you come
in and have some dinner?

I'm not hungry, Grandma.

Dexter, maybe you
can get Bobby to eat.

Aw, it's too hot to eat.

Here's a couple of
bucks advance rent.

Take him to a
show at the Majestic.

It's air-conditioned.

Well, I would like
to see the picture,

and maybe it'll make
Bobby feel better.

I'll just be a minute.

What's eatin' you, kid?

Nothin'.

Come on, let's have it.

I followed you today.

I saw you talkin' to
that man in the office.

I didn't understand it all,

except that you're a crook.

And that means that
Superman's a crook.

I heard you.

And I saw you
dump that money out.

You can't lie out of that.

Okay, kid, I won't lie to you.

But you gotta let me explain.

There's nothing to explain.

Sure there is, kid.

Let's look at it this way.

When I'm Superman, I
help a lot of people, right?

I guess so.

So I got a right to a little
something for myself, don't I?

Besides, Superman
helps a lot of people,

spends a lot of money.

It's sort of like I'm
financing Superman.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

You're still a crook.

What do you want me to do?

Get a job that I
have to work all day,

so I could only be
Superman at night?

People need help in the
daytime, too, you know.

I always thought Superman

was the greatest
guy in the world.

And I was proud when
I thought he was you.

I'm not proud anymore.

You think it over.

By morning,
you'll see I'm right.

Now, go in and get
ready for the show.

I gotta help some
people in a little while,

and I don't want anybody around.

[♪♪♪]

Oh, I'm sorry.

No conversation, Miss Lane,

just turn around
and keep walking.

Take a seat, Miss Lane.

Not until you tell me
what this is all about.

Do I really have to tell you?

What do the raffle
tickets have to do with it?

I felt lucky today.

Your luck's just
run out, Miss Lane.

I... I don't understand.

Sit down.

I haven't decided what
I'm going to do with you yet,

but one more trick like that
and I won't have to decide.

Let her alone. She
didn't do anything to you.

What are you doing here, Bobby?

Grandma fell asleep, and
I sneaked out of the show.

Well, as long as you're here,
stay awhile. Get over there!

[CAR ENGINE STOPPING]

Boots.

Leave Bobby out of
this. He's just a kid.

I know that, but I'm on a spot.

If you tell 'em where
I am, it'll only mean

more trouble for all of us.

There's nothin' to
worry about, Miss Lane.

He only hid, so you
wouldn't learn the secret.

I don't know about any
secret, but after the way

he treated you, why
should you help him?

Where is he?

Where's who?

I'm just waiting for
his grandmother.

Another smart dame.
Look in the closet, Slippery.

It's locked.

BOOTS: Maybe
the kid's got the key.

How 'bout that, kid?

If you think he's in there,

why don't you shoot
through the door.

Bobby.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Makes it more interesting.

Bobby, they'll kill him.

No, they won't. You
don't know the secret.

Okay, open the closet.

Let's see what's inside.

Surprised, gentlemen?

SLIPPERY: He made me do it.

Shut up! Honest.

BOBBY: Boy, oh, boy,

that was really something, Dex.

I still can't believe it,

after all these years.

You can come out now, Dexter.

Dex.

Now I know I'm crazy.

I'm not Superman,
Bobby. That was a lie.

The real Superman broke
into the closet from the back

and protected me
from the bullets.

He saved my life.

But how did you know
we were even here?

Well, I happened to be near
the Planet building, Miss Lane,

and I saw Dexter bump into you.

So I thought I'd come
along just in case.

Why did you lie to me, Dex?

I don't know, Bobby.

I guess it made me
feel like a big man.

And I guess when
I turned crooked,

it made me feel like a big man.

But now I know
I'm just a little man,

and I'll take what's
coming to me.

After that, I'd like
to try to make it up

to you and your grandma.

Well, I can see I'm not gonna
have any more trouble with you.

Think you can handle these
two until the police arrive?

Be a pleasure, Superman.

Then my work here is done.

Bobby, would you please
open those windows?

Thank you.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

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.