027 TV’s 1953 Adventures of Superman Episode 27 “Five Minutes to Doom” by Charles A. Wagner September 18, 1953 (The 1953 production of The Adventures of Superman is immediately set apart from the 1951 venture by a more pleasant Lois Lane played by Noel Neill from the serials. The tension between Clark and Lois almost seems to give way to professional respect. However, I will really miss Phyllis Coates’ screams.) The prison warden ushered Clark Kent and Lois Lane into the visiting area where Joe Winters prisoner 2958, who was sentenced to die the following day, was saying his goodbyes to his wife and son. “Joe, what am I gonna do?” “Take care of Billy for me. See that he gets his chance.” When the family had left, Clark put forward a proposition to Winters who had protested his innocence throughout the trial, but now the Daily Planet was willing to pay Joe’s wife $10,000 for the real story. “It’s a deal.” Joe, however, was really innocent and was not able to put up a convincing story. “It’s no use… I can’t confess to something I didn’t do. I didn’t kill Baker.” He did not know who killed Baker or how he did it. “Come on, Clark. We’re wasting our time,” said Lois. Clark heard Winters out, however. Joe Winters had been a county building inspector and had been having trouble with a construction superintendent named Baker. Baker had bypassed Winters and Winters had threatened to stop the job. The next day, there was a struggle and a gunshot. Winter’s revolver had fired one shot and been tossed behind some tools. Winters said he did not see the actual murderer, but he suspected it was W. T. Wayne, the owner of the construction firm. By using substandard steel, Wayne could make a fortune on the job. (How he could fake the invoices and coerce his employees into lying is beyond me. (Joe Winters was portrayed by Dabbs Greer who I always remembered playing pathetic bumbling characters on various other shows. He went on to play a dual role on 2 episode #97 “The Superman Silver Mine,” and started as the boob who nearly fell to his death from the blimp in Episode #1.) Clark had been holding Winter’s wrist. While he told the story, Clark used Winter’s pulse as a lie detector. “I know you’re telling the truth…” said Clark, who now suspected that W.T. Wayne was using substandard materials on the job. “I’m afraid even Superman couldn’t do very much for me now.” “I wouldn’t be too sure of that.” The conversation had not gone unobserved. A prison visitor put through a call to the short, fat, balding, and prominent businessman W.T. Wayne. Taking a secure (?) phone from his desk drawer, Wayne called his henchman named Turk and explained that two nosey reporters would be returning from state prison in a blue convertible, which appeared to be more or less a 1950 Nash Rambler Custom. Turk said he could solve the problem and began loading a bomb into a lunch box. Amazingly enough, shortly thereafter, Lois and Clark picked up Turk who was hitchhiking. (It was also unusual for Lois to drive and Clark to ride.) When they left the rider off, Lois observed that he had forgotten his lunchbox. Clark turned around and looked into the lunchbox. “Step on the gas… faster!” Kent pulled off his glasses, scooped up the bomb from under the seat, and—instead of merely heaving the explosive over the side—dove out clutching the lunchbox to his chest. The explosion ripped off his shirt exposing a big S. “Will you toss me down that trench coat…,” he said with his back to Lois. “I can’t very well come up the way I am.” Lois smiled. “Clark, I want you to know I think that’s one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen,” said Lois. (Or, the dumbest, as far as I am concerned.) “Lois, I think sometimes you underestimate me.” When Perry White decided Winters might be innocent, he went to work digging up information on Wayne’s steel purchases. Jimmy and Clark inspected the construction shack where Baker had been murdered. Jimmy discovered the tool bin had a back panel to allow workers access to the tools without entering the building. Someone could have easily shot Baker from the bin and escaped without being noticed. “Golly! Then maybe” 3 Lois had dug up the construction specifications for the building Wayne had contracted for and Clark compared them to Wayne’s purchases. “Lois, do you suppose you could get an interview with Wayne?” Jimmy went along to protect Miss Lane. “And, don’t call me ‘Chief,’ you young whippersnapper!” Perry shouted at him as he left. Wayne did not wish to see Lois, but she barged in anyway. Lois told the overweight businessman there were rumors about the overpass job being done with cheap substandard materials. Wayne told her he no longer had the specifications and, when Miss Cummings, his secretary, contradicted him and produced the papers, he tore them up and threw them in the wastebasket. When Lois left, Wayne threatened his secretary. “When I want anything from you. I’ll ask for it.” He further told her she was young and healthy and should take his advice and stay that way. Jimmy told Lois he would get the papers. He charged into Wayne’s office carrying a vacuum cleaner, wearing white socks, and plugged it in without being asked. After spraying cigarette ashes all over Wayne’s desk, Jimmy managed to knock over the wastebasket and sweep up the torn document. “Listen to the hum of that motor.” “Take that monstrosity and get out of here before I break your neck.” For once, Jimmy had managed to do the job without getting tied up. Perry, Jimmy, and Lois pieced the scraps together as the screen flashed shots of a dejected Winters and a clock ticking away his life. Clark decided there was enough evidence to get a reprieve. He insisted the cartridges of the murder weapon be inspected for prints (Apparently, the cops were knuckleheads.) and Perry phoned the governor. It was, of course, a dark and stormy night, and all the wires were down between there and State City. Clark said he was going to the governor. Perry said it was impossible to get there and back in time. 4 “I can try.” Joe Winters put down his bible to take his last walk when Superman flew into the governor’s mansion. With less than thirty seconds to go, the governor signed the reprieve and Superman whooshed off. The audience was treated to a silhouette of the death scene as Superman smashed through the wall and prevented the execution by sticking his arm into the electrical switch. “I’m sorry I destroyed your wall, Warden, but here’s a reprieve for Winters.” As it turned out, the cartridges really did have Wayne’s prints on them (Although why Wayne had to load Winter’s firearm was unexplained.) and Miss Cummings provided enough additional information to tie the noose. Jimmy said Wayne was not so smart after all. He said he bet he could have sold Wayne the vacuum cleaner after all if he had really tried. Written by Monroe Manning Directed by Thomas Carr With: Joe Winters………………..Dabbs Greer Mrs. Winters………………Lois Hall 5 Billy Winters………………Kim Charney W.T. Wayne……………….Lewis Russell Miss Marianne Cummings... Jean Willes Turk………………………..John Kellogg Baker……………………….Dale Van Sickel Warden…………………….Sam Flint The Governor………………William Green Lois Lane…………………...Noel Neill Informant…………………..not credited (Noel Neill (1920-2016) appeared in 80 films and TV series. Her pin up photo ranked #2 with WWII GIs. She starred with Kirk Alyn in the two theatrical serials “Superman” (1948) and “Atom Man vs. Superman” (1950). Noel began with TAOS with Episode 27 the second season, as during the hiatus between filming the first and second season Phyllis Coates had found other employment. A statue of Noel Neill as Superman stands in Metropolis, Illinois.) 6 .