Superman Stolen Fuel for Atomic Beam Machine, Episode 8 Date: Feb 28 1940 CAST:
ANNOUNCER
CLARK KENT / SUPERMAN
LOIS LANE
THE YELLOW MASK
DR. SVEN DAHLGREN
MICHAEL
MAN #1
MAN #2
WOMANANNOUNCER: Presenting -- SUPERMAN! SOUND: LOUD RUSH OF AIR AS SUPERMAN FLIES OVERHEAD ... THEN IN BG MAN #1: Up in the sky -- LOOK! MAN #2: It's a bird! WOMAN: It's a plane! MAN #1: It's SUPERMAN! SOUND: LOUD RUSH OF AIR OUT ANNOUNCER: Superman, amazing mysterious figure in blue costume and red cape, who has appeared on Earth as the champion of the weak and the oppressed. We last saw Superman streaking through the evening sky toward the laboratory of Dr. Sven Dahlgren in an effort to foil the plans of the Yellow Mask. It is [now] sometime after four. On the stroke of six, the Daily Planet, its building, its presses and its staff will be blown to fragments, unless Superman can solve the plot in the short time that remains. As Superman wings his way over the dimly glowing city, Lois Lane, the Daily Planet's girl reporter, is already at Dr. Dahlgren's laboratory, interviewing the scientist on the loss of his newly invented Atomic Beam which the Yellow Mask has stolen. But even as the scientist and the girl sit talking, hidden eyes are watching them and unheard voices pass and re-pass on an unseen secret relay. Listen. SOUND: INTERCOM BUZZES MASK: (FILTERED) Yes? This is the Yellow Mask. MICHAEL: (FILTERED) This is Michael, reportin' from the laboratory. The girl has arrived and is talkin' with the doctor. MASK: (FILTERED) [Very well.] We are ready. When the signal comes, close the sliding doors and leave the rest to me. Then join us at the airport. Do you understand? MICHAEL: (FILTERED) Yeah, I understand. There won't be no mistake this time. MASK: (FILTERED) That's good. I have sworn to blow up the newspaper, as the clock strikes six. The Yellow Mask does not fail. SOUND: INTERCOM BUZZES DAHLGREN: And to my great relief, Miss Lane, after calling [the editor of] your newspaper, I discovered that this demented individual, who had stolen my Atomic Beam Machine, had stolen nothing but a box of wires and rheostats -- utterly useless to him. LOIS: What do you mean? DAHLGREN: Well, the machine cannot operate unless it is loaded with atomic cylinders -- small steel capsules containing the energy necessary to work the beam. I recall that I had placed only two of the cylinders in the machine to demonstrate it and both were fired. LOIS: But you have other cylinders, haven't you? DAHLGREN: Oh, yes, but they're well-protected. Look in there. What do you see? LOIS: Well, it seems to be a sort of inner room. [Or a group of inner rooms.] DAHLGREN: And what is at the extreme end? LOIS: Well, let me look. Why, it's a safe! A huge safe built into the wall. DAHLGREN: [Just so, Miss Lane.] And in that safe are a dozen atomic cylinders and a duplicate of the stolen machine. LOIS: You had two machines? DAHLGREN: Oh, yes -- a new one and an old one. That madman stole the new one. But never mind. Keep looking, Miss Lane. What do you see now? SOUND: WHIR OF HEAVY SLIDING DOORS LOIS: Why -- why, there are two doors -- rolling right out of the walls! SOUND: SLIDING DOORS SLAM SHUT DAHLGREN: Exactly! Massive steel doors, Miss Lane, which cut off every part of the laboratory. The pair that you're looking at cut off the strong-room. Now, they roll back again. SOUND: WHIR OF HEAVY SLIDING DOORS LOIS: What made them open? DAHLGREN: (PLEASED) Ah, I did something. You didn't see what, eh? Good, that's part of the secret. LOIS: Dr. Dahlgren, this will certainly make a story! Now, tell me about the machine, the Atomic Beam. Why do you think it was stolen? DAHLGREN: Miss Lane, if I were a man gone mad with lust for power, determined to dominate the entire world, I could ask for no greater weapon than the Dahlgren Atomic Beam. LOIS: Good heavens! Do you really mean that? DAHLGREN: I do. That is why my secret will never be published unless I am assured the Atomic Beam can be used to benefit humanity and not destroy it. LOIS: Can you tell me how the machine works, Dr. Dahlgren? DAHLGREN: Why, yes. The Dahlgren Atomic Beam, Miss Lane, is based on the almost limitless power of atomic energy. In the first place-- SOUND: SCENE FADES OUT ... TRANSITIONAL PAUSE ... THEN FADE IN LOUD RUSH OF AIR AS SUPERMAN FLIES ... THEN IN BG SUPERMAN: (TO HIMSELF) Ought to be getting there now. (BEAT) Deserted part of town, all right. (BEAT) Oh, I think I see a car. (BEAT) That's it! Lois' car, parked at the curb. I'll drop down on the roof, slip downstairs, and enter Dahlgren's house as Clark Kent, reporter. Down! Down! SOUND: LOUD RUSH OF AIR OUT AS SUPERMAN LANDS ... A COUPLE OF STEPS AS HE ALIGHTS ON THE ROOF SUPERMAN: (TO HIMSELF, EXHALES) Now then -- down below. Huh? Wait a minute -- what's that? Coming through the wall. Nobody else could hear it, but I can. It's a voice -- a voice traveling on a radio relay. MASK: (FILTERED) Yes -- this is the Yellow Mask. What now? MICHAEL: (FILTERED) This is Michael, reportin' from the laboratory. No change. MASK: (FILTERED) We are almost ready. Remember, when I give the signal, close the doors! No more now. SUPERMAN: (TO HIMSELF) The Yellow Mask -- somewhere near here. And Michael. Who's Michael? Well, if I have any luck, I may find out from Dahlgren. SOUND: BRIEF LOUD RUSH OF AIR OUT AS SUPERMAN FLIES FROM ROOF TO FRONT DOOR ... COUPLE OF STEPS AS HE LANDS ... KNOCK ON DOOR ... BEAT ... DOOR OPENS DAHLGREN: Yes? KENT: Dr. Dahlgren, I'm Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. DAHLGREN: Oh, yes, yes, come in, Mr. Kent; my man must be busy. SOUND: DOOR CLOSES BEHIND-- KENT: Thank you. Uh, you were talking to Mr. White, my editor, and something happened to the line. DAHLGREN: We were cut off. KENT: So I came right down to find out what you wanted to say. It may be important. Oh, hi, Miss Lane! LOIS: (DRY) Well, Mr. Star Reporter, couldn't you find anything [else] to do but come and horn in on my story? DAHLGREN: (CHUCKLES) Well, I see you're old friends. KENT: Sorry, Miss Lane; this came up just after you left. Dr. Dahlgren, the Daily Planet has received a very dangerous threat from an unknown source. DAHLGREN: A threat, Mr. Kent? What kind of a threat? LOIS: An escaped lunatic, doctor. Someone who threatens to blow up the entire works at six o'clock tonight. KENT: Doctor, the man who broke in here and made off with your invention-- You told my editor he said something about destroying a newspaper. Do you remember what it was? DAHLGREN: I remember quite well, Mr. Kent. He had picked up the machine -- my new model of the Atomic Beam -- and as he held me under his gun, he said, "First, I shall destroy the building which houses one of your great newspapers." LOIS: Dr. Dahlgren! Did he mean the Planet? DAHLGREN: Well, my dear Miss Lane, I haven't any idea which-- KENT: Tell me, doctor -- [I don't understand your invention, but tell me this. If a madman had it in his possession,] could he make good that threat? Against the newspaper? DAHLGREN: Mr. Kent, he could make good that threat against the world. KENT: And we have one hour, or less, to run him down. DAHLGREN: Well, I wouldn't worry, Mr. Kent. KENT: Not worry? DAHLGREN: Fortunately, as I have already explained to Miss Lane -- and as I tried to tell your editor before we were cut off -- the model which was stolen will not work. KENT: Wha--? Dr. Dahlgren, what do you mean? DAHLGREN: Just this. By a lucky chance, the stolen machine was not loaded with the cylinders necessary to make it work. KENT: Wha--? Why, then - then you mean the newspaper's safe? It won't be blown up? DAHLGREN: Not by the Dahlgren Atomic Beam. Uh, wait; I will point out what I mean-- KENT: Uh, just a second, Dr. Dahlgren. I'd like to ask you a question. DAHLGREN: Certainly, Mr. Kent. KENT: Is your name Michael? Or is there anyone in this house whose name is Michael? DAHLGREN: Why, yes. Why do you ask that? LOIS: Don't you like the name Michael, Mr. Kent? KENT: Who is it, doctor? DAHLGREN: Michael is the name of my servant. Why, Mr. Kent? KENT: Nothing. I - I merely wondered. Er, you were going to show us your invention, Dr. Dahlgren. DAHLGREN: Oh, yes, yes, to be sure. If you'll excuse me for a moment. No, no, no -- stay right where you are. (MOVING OFF) I'll get it out of the safe and bring it here. LOIS: Well, are your worries about being blown sky high quite laid to rest, Mr. Kent? You thought the paper would be blown up tonight, didn't you? KENT: You know I did. LOIS: And yet you take the first chance you get to run out like a rat and leave the rest of them there to face whatever happens. KENT: Oh, now, look here, Mr. White sent me out on this assignment. LOIS: Yeah, I'll bet he didn't have to urge you much. KENT: Oh, don't think that about me, Lois, please. LOIS: I can stand freshness and amazing luck and even boasting, but not cowardice, Mr. Kent. What are you doing? SOUND: PHONE RECEIVER UP KENT: I'm telephoning the office. SOUND: CRADLE RATTLES KENT: (BEAT) Hello, operator? SOUND: CRADLE RATTLES KENT: Operator?! LOIS: Have you forgotten the phone's out of order? SOUND: RECEIVER DOWN KENT: Mm, thought they might have fixed it. If they haven't-- [I wonder.] LOIS: (BEAT) Well? KENT: That wire -- it goes through a conduit into the next room, and it's slack, loose. It comes away in my hand -- look! LOIS: What? KENT: Lois -- [Miss Lane,] that wire was cut! Cut off clean by someone in this house -- while Dr. Dahlgren was talking to Mr. White -- by someone who didn't want Dahlgren to reveal any information. LOIS: Well, don't stand there like that. What do you think it means? KENT: It means the thief knows that model won't work. He's found it out. SOUND: WHIR OF HEAVY SLIDING DOORS KENT: Oh, where is Dr. Dahlgren? What's taking him so long? LOIS: Kent! The doors! The doors! KENT: What doors? What are they doing? SOUND: SLIDING DOORS SLAM SHUT BEHIND-- LOIS: The doors! They lead into the other rooms. And Dr. Dahlgren's inside! KENT: Well, what of it? Maybe he did it himself. SOUND: LOIS POUNDS ON METAL DOOR LOIS: (CALLS) Doctor?! Dr. Dahlgren?! Are you all right?! Dr. Dahlgren?! DAHLGREN: (FROM BEHIND DOOR, EXCITED) What are you doing?! Let go of me! Get away from that safe! Michael! Michael! LOIS: Oh, Kent! Someone's in there with him! Something's wrong! SOUND: LOIS POUNDS ON DOOR LOIS: Kent, do something! Don't just stand there! KENT: Well, I - I - I can't. There's nothing I can do. DAHLGREN: (FROM BEHIND DOOR) Look out! Look out! SOUND: MASSIVE EXPLOSION! LOIS: (SHRIEKS) SOUND: EXPLOSION FADES OUT KENT: An explosion inside that room! Dynamite -- or nitroglycerin! Lois? Lois, are you all right? LOIS: (EXHALES) I'm all right. Just stunned. KENT: Now, Lois, [get out of here --] run down and bring the police; phone the paper, quick! LOIS: What are you going to do? KENT: I'll stay here. Maybe I can get in there. Go on, now -- run. LOIS: (MOVING OFF) I'll be back, Kent. Wait for me. SOUND: LOIS EXITS OUT DOOR, WHICH SHUTS KENT: (EXHALES, TO HIMSELF, VOICE DEEPENS) I think it's time Superman took a hand. Clark Kent could never get through those steel doors. I had to get Lois out first, though. Now then-- (EXHALES WITH EFFORT AS--) SOUND: --SUPERMAN NOISILY MANHANDLES THE BIG METAL DOORS ... CRUNCHING METAL, IN BG SUPERMAN: (WITH EFFORT) There they go. Almost through. They're springing out at the sides. I'll just grab hold of the edges and pull them out of the walls. Now! (GRUNTS) SOUND: DOORS TORN FROM WALLS SUPERMAN: (EXHALES) There! (CALLS) Doctor? Dr. Dahlgren? DAHLGREN: (MOANS WEAKLY) SUPERMAN: (TO HIMSELF) He's unconscious. But when he comes to, he'll see Clark Kent. DAHLGREN: (WAKES, WEAKLY) Kent--? Is that you? The safe-- Look at the safe and - and the wall. KENT: They blew the safe and got out through a hole in the wall. Dr. Dahlgren, who was it? Could you see? DAHLGREN: I don't know. When I came in, they threw a cloth over my head. Kent, look -- they came back. They found the machine wouldn't work. The cylinders were in the safe. KENT: Doctor! The safe! It's empty! MASK: (FILTERED) Quite empty, gentlemen. The Dahlgren Atomic Beam will now be put to work. DAHLGREN: That voice! Who is it? Where is it coming from? KENT: It's a Dictaphone outlet -- somewhere in the wall. I'll track it down! MASK: (FILTERED) Save yourself the trouble, Mr. Kent. We are leaving immediately. It's half-past five. You will remember what happens at six. The Yellow Mask does not break his word. SOUND: TRANSITIONAL PAUSE ANNOUNCER: Half an hour to go! Thirty flying minutes while mysterious planes drone high in the air over the office of the newspaper. Can Clark Kent, or Superman, find the Yellow Mask, recover the Dahlgren invention, save the Daily Planet? And meanwhile, what of Lois Lane? Tune in the next installment and follow the story. Remember, be with us again for the next thrilling transcribed installment of SUPERMAN! SOUND: LOUD RUSH OF AIR AS SUPERMAN FLIES OVERHEAD ... THEN IN BG MAN #1: Up in the sky -- LOOK! MAN #2: It's a bird! MAN #1: It's a plane! MAN #2: It's SUPERMAN! SOUND: LOUD RUSH OF AIR OUT ... THEN OUT FOR-- ANNOUNCER: Superman is a copyrighted feature appearing in Action Comics Magazine.