NARRATOR:
Faster than a speeding bullet!
SFX:
GUNSHOT, WITH RICOCHET
NARRATOR:
More powerful than a locomotive!
SFX:
TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS, LOCOMOTIVE RUMBLES
NARRATOR:
Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!
SFX:
LOUD RUSH OF AIR ... CONTINUES IN BG
NARRATOR:
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird!
VOICE:
It's a plane!
NARRATOR:
It's Superman!
SFX:
LOUD RUSH OF AIR ... UP AND OUT
MFX:
SAMMY TIMBERG'S "SUPERMAN" THEME ... ORGAN ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from the planet Krypton, who came to Earth with amazing physical powers far beyond those of mortal men. And who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, wages a never-ending battle for truth and justice.
MFX:
THEME UP, THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
Today, Superman, in his guise of Clark Kent, drops a figurative bombshell into the lap of editor Perry White, mayor of Metropolis, when he says:
MFX:
DRAMATICALLY OUT
KENT:
I'm sure I know the answer to this Batman mystery now, chief.
WHITE:
You do?
KENT:
Yes. I'm convinced that the man we thought was Batman, and who's been making un-American speeches the last few days, is not Batman at all.
WHITE:
Not Batman?
KENT:
I mean he's an impersonator. A fake!
MFX:
STING AND CURTAIN
ANNOUNCER:
All right, gang! Get set now for more Superman contest winners! You may be among these, so listen carefully! (PROCEEDS TO READ THE NAMES AND HOME TOWNS OF A LIST OF CONTEST WINNERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES -- FOR OVER A MINUTE AND A HALF!) And that's all for now! More, later in the program. So keep listening!
MFX:
THEME ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
And now -- The Adventures of Superman! ... Superman's two great friends, Batman and Robin, are involved in a strange and baffling mystery. Twice, the famous Batman has disappeared -- and now Robin, too, has disappeared -- and Superman believes the youngster was led into an ambush by Batman's impersonator!
In his guise of reporter Clark Kent, Superman has concocted a spectacular plan and, as we join him now, he is seeking the cooperation of Perry White, his former editor on the Daily Planet and now mayor of Metropolis.
MFX:
DRAMATICALLY OUT
KENT:
You see, chief, I'm certain the real Batman has either been killed or is being held prisoner somewhere, while this phony goes around pretending to be Batman and falsely drumming up public opinion against aid to Europe.
WHITE:
Oh, nonsense. I don't care how clever he is. He couldn't fool Robin.
KENT:
Oh?
WHITE:
Why, those two are closer than - than two peas in a pod.
KENT:
I know, chief. But still he fooled him. He even fooled me!
WHITE:
You? Hmmph! That doesn't prove anything.
KENT:
That's what you think. But how 'bout this? Do you think the real Batman would slug Robin, knock him unconscious, then leave him lying on the floor and walk out?
WHITE:
Well, I'll admit that's hard to understand.
KENT:
And would the real Batman make public speeches saying "let the hungry children in Europe starve"?
WHITE:
No, no, no, no, of course not.
KENT:
Well!
WHITE:
No decent person would, or could. But something may have happened to him, Kent. He - he-- Well, he may be sick.
KENT:
That's what I thought, until Robin disappeared last night.
SFX:
PHONE RINGS
WHITE:
Oh, just a minute.
SFX:
RECEIVER UP
WHITE:
(INTO PHONE) Hello? ... Oh, yes, Inspector. Any word of Robin? ... Oh. Nothing, eh?
KENT:
Uh oh. Look, chief, ask him if he's got--
WHITE:
(INTO PHONE) Er, yes, he's here. Just a minute. (TO KENT) Uh, Henderson wants to talk to you, Kent.
KENT:
Oh, okay. (INTO PHONE) Hello, Inspector. Did you find--? ... Yes? ... Yes? ... There weren't, huh? Well, that proves it, then!
WHITE:
Proves what?
KENT:
Just a minute, chief. ... (INTO PHONE) Well, maybe not positively. But negatively. ... Right. I'll see you later, Inspector. Thanks for calling. So long.
SFX:
RECEIVER DOWN
WHITE:
What were you talking about, Kent?
KENT:
Henderson's men checked the real Batman's fingerprints, which they have in their files, with all the prints they could find in the hotel room occupied in Willow Falls last night by the man who calls himself Batman!
WHITE:
Yes? Did they check?
KENT:
No! That definitely proves this fellow is an impostor, just as I said.
WHITE:
Not necessarily. Batman may not have left any fingerprints in the hotel room. The prints may have been someone else's.
KENT:
Well, I'll admit the fingerprint test may not be conclusive -- but it's good enough for me, plus all the other evidence we have. Now, will you back me up in this plan to find Robin and the real Batman, or won't you?
WHITE:
Now, wait a minute. What plan?
KENT:
You remember that recording I found in Batman's study? A recording of a conversation between Batman and a man who called himself Jones?
WHITE:
Yes. What about it?
KENT:
Well, I'm convinced that Jones is responsible for Batman's disappearance, and I--
WHITE:
Why?
KENT:
Because Jones had a hold on Batman. I can't tell you what it is except it was a secret Batman didn't want revealed. And I'm sure Jones used his knowledge to make Batman go away with him.
WHITE:
Mm hm. Well, that could be. Go on.
KENT:
Well, I've heard this Jones's voice somewhere. I can't remember where, but I'm certain he's rather well known. Likely under a different name.
WHITE:
So?
KENT:
So I want to have duplicates made of the recording and play it over the Daily Planet radio station, and on other stations all over the country. Then I want to offer a big prize, say, ten thousand dollars, to the person who can identify Jones.
WHITE:
Ten thousand dollars?!
KENT:
I - I know that's a lot of money, chief, but we need a big prize to get everyone listening. And it'll be well worth it if we find Batman and Robin.
WHITE:
Well, that's the wildest notion even you ever came up with, Kent.
KENT:
No, chief, look, I--
WHITE:
But it just might work.
KENT:
It will!
WHITE:
Also, it'll be a terrific news story for the Planet. So go ahead! Hop to it!
KENT:
Now you're talking, chief! I'll get working on it at once!
MFX:
STING ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
As Clark Kent hurries to set his plan in motion to identify the mysterious Mr. Jones, the real Batman and Robin, united once more, are prisoners in a stout, square old building far upstate in the midst of lonely farmland, which had once been a prisoner-of-war barracks in the days of the Revolution.
Heavy, rusted leg shackles are fastened around the ankles of the Dynamic Duo, and forged to stout iron staples in the wall beams, allowing them freedom of movement only for a foot or two in each direction.
MFX:
GENTLY OUT
SFX:
CLINK OF SHACKLES
ROBIN:
Oh, gee, Batman, I sure was stupid not to realize that the guy who was posing as you was a phony. And how I let him lead me into that ambush at the River Hotel like a little lamb going to slaughter.
BATMAN:
Oh, don't blame yourself, Robin. That guy and Mr. Jones are very clever.
ROBIN:
Well, I should have known you wouldn't slug me, though, or make un-American speeches or-- Say!
BATMAN:
What?
ROBIN:
I'll bet that's what Mr. Kent meant.
BATMAN:
Kent?
ROBIN:
Uh huh. He said something fishy was going on. That either you were sick in the head or there was another explanation, which he was gonna check. Now I'm sure he guessed the truth.
BATMAN:
Could be. Kent's pretty smart. But I'm afraid he guessed too late.
ROBIN:
Well, maybe not. I'll bet he and Inspector Henderson'll stay on the phony Batman's trail until he leads 'em right here to us.
BATMAN:
He'll never lead them here.
ROBIN:
Why not? You said the phony's working for Jones, didn't ya? So he's pretty sure to show up here sometime.
BATMAN:
Yes, but he's already showed up here, Robin, and he wasn't tailed.
ROBIN:
No kidding? When?
BATMAN:
A couple of hours ago. While you were still under the chloroform they used on you.
ROBIN:
Oh.
BATMAN:
And if Kent and Henderson had been on his trail, we'd be out of these chains by now.
SFX:
CLINK OF SHACKLES
ROBIN:
Yeah, I guess we would. Gosh, Batman, I don't get this. What's behind it?
BATMAN:
It's simple, Robin. You see, Jones is a rotten fanatic who believes in keeping everything home and letting Europe starve, and he's using the phony Batman to drum up public opinion against our helping anybody, anywhere.
ROBIN:
I know that, but why is he keeping us here? What does he intend to do to us?
BATMAN:
Well, I think we'll find out, as soon as Mr. Jones gets back. He's been away all night.
ROBIN:
I see. Look, who's the guy who calls himself Batman? Do you know?
BATMAN:
No, except that his real name is Ed.
ROBIN:
Ed what?
BATMAN:
I don't know. But he's getting scared. I heard him tell the others of the gang here he's got to see Jones at once. He--
SFX:
HEAVY DOOR SHUTS, OFF ... MURMUR OF CRIMINALS' VOICES, OFF
BATMAN:
Wait a minute!
ROBIN:
What gives?
BATMAN:
Jones just came in.
ROBIN:
How do you know?
BATMAN:
I'd know his voice a mile away, by now.
ROBIN:
Yeah, I'll bet.
BATMAN:
He's in the next room with the phony Batman. Come on. Move up close to the wall.
ROBIN:
All right. Do you think we--?
BATMAN:
Quiet. Don't breathe. Just listen hard. Maybe we can find out what Jones has on the fire for us now.
MFX:
STING ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
Straining at the end of their shackles, Batman and Robin press close against the wall, on the other side of which is the mysterious Mr. Jones and the false Batman. WHAT WILL THEY HEAR?! WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT TO FIND OUT SO KEEP LISTENING!
MFX:
UP AND OUT
ANNOUNCER:
Stand by now for more contest winners! Here they are! (PROCEEDS TO READ THE NAMES AND HOME TOWNS OF A LIST OF CONTEST WINNERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES -- FOR OVER A MINUTE AND A HALF!) Well, that's all we have time for today, gang. If you weren't among these, you may be on tomorrow's lists, so don't fail to listen!
MFX:
THEME ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
And now, back to The Adventures of Superman! ... In the ancient Revolutionary prison barracks, Batman and Robin, heavy chain shackles on their ankles, are pressing their ears against a thin crack in the wall beyond which is the mysterious Mr. Jones and the man who has been impersonating Batman.
MFX:
GENTLY OUT
BATMAN:
Quiet now, Robin. Don't say a word.
ROBIN:
I won't breathe, Batman.
BATMAN:
Listen.
JONES:
(OFF) There's not a thing to worry about, Ed.
ROBIN:
That's Jones, huh?
BATMAN:
Yes. Quiet.
JONES:
(OFF) Not a thing. So relax.
ED:
(OFF) That's what you think, Whitma-- I mean, Jones. I tell you, Clark Kent is wise to me, I'm sure of it.
ROBIN:
He sounds just like you, Batman!
BATMAN:
Shhhh.
JONES:
(OFF) I doubt it. I doubt it. But, even if he is, he won't be able to prove a thing.
ED:
How can you be sure? He may--
JONES:
(OFF) He won't, I tell you. Now, for one thing, you're not going to make any more speeches, or even be seen, for a long while.
ED:
(OFF) Oh? Why?
JONES:
(OFF) Because your speeches have already attracted nationwide attention. Newspapers all over the country are repeating what they think Batman said about letting Europe starve.
ED:
(OFF) Ha!
JONES:
(OFF) He's helped our cause tremendously, you know.
ROBIN:
What a filthy--!
BATMAN:
Shhh!
JONES:
(OFF) So now, you're going to lie low except for--
ED:
(OFF) Wait. What about the real Batman and Robin? We're playing with dynamite. The police all over the country are looking for Robin. And if Kent pops off that I'm a phony, and I think he will--
JONES:
(OFF) Just leave everything to me, Ed, and don't worry about Batman and Robin. They won't be with us much longer.
ROBIN:
Uh oh.
ED:
(OFF) You mean you're gonna get rid of them?
JONES:
(OFF) Yes. Tonight.
ROBIN:
Batman!
BATMAN:
Shhhh.
ED:
(OFF) Why wait till tonight? Why not--?
JONES:
(OFF) Now? Because there's something they have to do for us, first.
ED:
(OFF) Oh? What's that?
JONES:
(OFF) Batman and Robin are gonna play an ace card for our cause, Ed. And at the same time put us on easy street for the rest of our lives. (CHUCKLES)
ROBIN:
What does he mean, Batman?
BATMAN:
I don't know, Robin, but it sounds bad.
JONES:
(OFF) And after that -- tonight, they'll die.
MFX:
STING ... THEN IN BG
NARRATOR:
Helpless, their hearts beating hard, Batman and Robin hear themselves condemned to death.
What is the ace card which the mysterious Mr. Jones says Batman and Robin will play for him before they are eliminated?! And what of Clark Kent's plan to locate his friends by trying to identify Jones's voice?! Will that bring results in the brief space of the day that remains?! TOMORROW'S EPISODE IS TENSE AND EXCITING, FELLOWS AND GIRLS, SO BE SURE TO LISTEN! Tune in -- same time, same station -- for Chapter Seven of "Batman's Great Mystery" on -- The Adventures of Superman!
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THEME ... THEN IN BG
ANNOUNCER:
Superman is a copyrighted feature, appearing in Superman-DC Comics Magazine, and is brought to you Monday through Friday at this time.
MFX:
TO A FINISH
ANNOUNCER:
This program came from New York. Stay tuned to your Mutual station for "Captain Midnight," which follows in just a moment. And right after "Captain Midnight," you will hear "Tom Mix and His Ralston Straight Shooters." This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.