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, while Superman pits his strength against the might of the sun at the top of a towering, snow-covered mountain in the Alps, Robert Archer and a group of terrified villagers stand far below and witness a hair-raising sight.

MFX:

OMINOUS ... THEN OUT BEHIND--

SFX:

OMINOUS RUMBLING

HENRI:

That rumbling! What is it?

VILLAGER:

It come from the mountain!

SFX:

AVALANCHE ... VILLAGERS PANIC

ARCHER:

Look! There's Superman! Good heavens, he's - he's falling! He - he looks dead!

MFX:

STING AND CURTAIN

ANNOUNCER:

Here they are, gang! The first batch of winners in the Superman Hidden Word Contest! Your name may be among these, so listen carefully! (PROCEEDS TO READ THE NAMES AND HOME TOWNS OF A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS LIST OF 100 CONTEST WINNERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES -- FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF!) That's all for now, gang! More, later in the program, so keep listening!

MFX:

THEME ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

And now -- The Adventures of Superman! ... Just before he died, a famous nuclear physicist named Sir Hubert Clay confided the secret of a mighty sun weapon to his midget companion Freddy. Telling him that the devastating weapon was timed to shatter the world on the stroke of February 1st, Sir Hubert instructed the tiny man to find Robert Archer, a former assistant, who would be able to avert the catastrophe.

With the aid of Superman, Freddy was on the verge of contacting Archer when he was captured by The Boot, an international conspirator, who forced Sir Hubert's secret from him, then flew by plane to a distant mountain cave near the Swiss border where the mighty sun weapon had been set up. But at his moment of triumph, The Boot was killed by a mountain guide whom he had tried to destroy.

With only moments remaining before the unleashed atomic power of the sun would shatter the world, Superman streaked to the mountain cave and pitted his own titanic strength against the sun!

Suddenly, there was a gigantic explosion and the top of the great mountain was cast up toward the heavens -- in a vast shower of debris that carried the Man of Steel with it!

SFX:

GIGANTIC EXPLOSION ... VAST SHOWER OF DEBRIS

MFX:

STING ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

For a radius of a hundred miles, the sky was irradiated, as in a tremendous pyrotechnic display!

MFX:

SUBSIDES GENTLY ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

And then the light faded. And in the quiet Alpine valley, invisible under hundreds of tons of rock and stone and soiled snow, lay the sprawled, unmoving figure of Superman.

MFX:

MOURNFUL ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

Early the next morning, from the tiny village below the decapitated mountain, Robert Archer and Henri, the wounded guide, walk slowly into the valley. Certain that Superman was destroyed in the explosion, Henri carries a wreath of mountain flowers. When he and Archer reach the vast mound of soil and rock and uprooted trees, the guide places his wreath gently at the foot of the mound.

MFX:

GENTLY OUT

SFX:

DESOLATE WIND BLOWS, IN BG

HENRI:

Rest in peace, Superman.

ARCHER:

He gave his life that we and the rest of mankind could live, Henri.

HENRI:

Oui, Monsieur Archer. He was a great and good man.

ARCHER:

Yes. And now he's gone. I can hardly believe it.

HENRI:

Ah, it does not seem possible.

SFX:

DISTANT RATTLE OF ROCKS, GROWS CLOSER, IN BG

ARCHER:

Wait.

HENRI:

What is it, Monsieur?

ARCHER:

Look, Henri. The - the mound of debris -- it's moving!

HENRI:

Sacré nom! What can this be?!

ARCHER:

Great heavens, look! There - there's a hand coming out of the mound! And-- Great Scott, Henri -- it's Superman!

HENRI:

No, no. No, this cannot be!

ARCHER:

He's alive! Superman's alive!

SFX:

RATTLE OF ROCKS ENDS AS SUPERMAN EMERGES

SUPERMAN:

(HALE AND HEARTY, EXHALES) Ah! Sorry if I startled you, gentlemen!

ARCHER:

This is the happiest moment of my life, Superman! I - I thought you were done for!

SUPERMAN:

(AMUSED CHUCKLE) Well, so did I, as a matter of fact.

HENRI:

I do not dream? You are really Superman?

SUPERMAN:

(LAUGHS) In person, Henri. Except for my costume, which looks as if it had gone through a cement mixer, I never felt better.

ARCHER:

Wonderful, wonderful!

HENRI:

Well! For this I give thanks to Le Bon Dieu, Monsieur.

SUPERMAN:

So do I, Henri. I'm glad to see you're all right, too. I, er, gather The Boot's bullet broke your arm, eh?

HENRI:

Well-- But it was worth the pain now that the evil one is no more. And, for him-- (CHUCKLES) I do not grieve.

ARCHER:

Nor do I. He had it coming to him.

SUPERMAN:

Yes, he certainly did. And now let's forget The Boot. We've got to get back to America, Mr. Archer. Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. There's nothing left of Sir Hubert's cave -- or his sun weapon. Did you see enough of it to be able to reconstruct it?

ARCHER:

No. Sir Hubert's great secret is gone forever.

HENRI:

That, I think, is for the best.

SUPERMAN:

Yes, Henri, it's probably just as well. Sir Hubert created it in the belief he could frighten the nations of the world into keeping the peace. But it can't be done that way.

ARCHER:

The Boot showed us that when he almost obtained possession of the weapon.

SUPERMAN:

Yes, true peace can only come when all men want it enough to bury their greed and hate and self-seeking -- and meet their fellow men in friendship and with understanding.

ARCHER:

That's right, Superman.

HENRI:

To that, I say, "Amen."

SUPERMAN:

And now we've got to get moving, Mr. Archer.

ARCHER:

I'm ready, Superman.

SUPERMAN:

Goodbye, Henri. Good luck.

HENRI:

Au revoir, Monsieur. And may Le Bon Dieu bless you.

SUPERMAN:

Up with you, Mr. Archer!

ARCHER:

Goodbye, Henri.

HENRI:

Au revoir, Monsieur Archer. Au revoir.

SUPERMAN:

UP! AND AWAY!

SFX:

LOUD RUSH OF AIR ... IN AGREEMENT WITH FOLLOWING

MFX:

STING ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

Leaping up from the little valley with Robert Archer in his arms, Superman pauses in curious flight for a brief moment to wave to the smiling guide, and to look once more at the oddly decapitated mountain -- the scene of one of his most hazardous and exciting experiences!

And then he summons his great strength and rockets away to the west, over plains and cities and rivers, and out over the vast Atlantic -- on his way back to Metropolis!

MFX:

A LITTLE TRAVELING MUSIC ... SUBSIDES ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

The following day, once more in his guise and garb of Clark Kent, ...

SFX:

TYPEWRITER CLACKS, IN BG

NARRATOR:

... the mild-mannered and bespectacled reporter, he is in his office in the Daily Planet, writing a follow-up on his great story, when the door opens ...

SFX:

DOOR OPENS

NARRATOR:

... and cub reporter Jimmy Olsen enters with Freddy. The tiny man, although still a bit wan, is beaming -- and resplendently attired in a new frock coat of emerald green, striped trousers pressed to a razor's edge, and gleaming patent leather shoes. And hung from his arm is a tiny, rolled umbrella.

MFX:

HAVING COMMENTED ON EACH PIECE OF FREDDY'S WARDROBE ... QUIRKILY OUT

SFX:

TYPEWRITER OUT AS DOOR SHUTS, PUNCTUATING THE MUSIC

JIMMY:

Hiya, Mr. Kent!

KENT:

Hello, Jim.

JIMMY:

Look who's here.

KENT:

(PLEASED) Freddy!

JIMMY:

(LAUGHS)

KENT:

Well, when did they let you out of the hospital?

FREDDY:

Just now. Oh, I say, Mr. Kent, it was jolly decent of you to send me this new outfit.

KENT:

Aw, think nothing of it, Freddy. Do they fit all right?

FREDDY:

Oh, perfectly. My other garments were completely ruined in The Boot's beastly chimney, you know.

JIMMY:

Boy, doesn't he look sharp, though?

KENT:

Ha ha! He certainly does. Come on, Freddy, let me put you up on my desk (WITH EFFORT, LIFTS FREDDY) and we can get a good look at you.

FREDDY:

Uh, very well, old man.

SFX:

FREDDY SET ON DESK

KENT:

There you are.

JIMMY:

Wow. Sure looks keen.

KENT:

(CHUCKLES)

FREDDY:

Er, do, uh, do you think the American audiences will like me?

KENT:

American audiences? Why do you ask?

JIMMY:

Well, he's going back into the circus business.

FREDDY:

Oh, yes. I've just signed up to appear with the great Bartram and Billings Circus, you know.

KENT:

You have?

JIMMY:

Mm hm.

FREDDY:

Oh, yes, indeed. And I'm to be one of their stellar attractions.

KENT:

Is that so?

FREDDY:

Most certainly.

KENT:

You look keen enough.

FREDDY:

Why, do you know, I've been positively snowed under with offers since yesterday, Mr. Kent. I - I mean, when your story, crediting me with saving the whole bloomin' world, appeared in the Daily Planet--

KENT:

Well, that's pretty swell, eh, Jim?

JIMMY:

It sure is. Oh, but I'll miss you, Freddy. I was, uh, kind of hopin' you'd stick around here.

FREDDY:

Oh, well, I'll miss you, too, old chap, frightfully. But, er, well, you know how 'tis. "Show must go on" and all that sort of thing.

JIMMY:

Sure, I know.

FREDDY:

But the circus plays Metropolis every year, you know, so I'll be seein' both of you chaps then.

JIMMY:

Say! That's right!

KENT:

(WITH A CHUCKLE) Oh, we'll be right there in box seats, Freddy--!

SFX:

PHONE RINGS

KENT:

Oh, excuse me a minute.

SFX:

RECEIVER UP

KENT:

Clark Kent speaking.

ROBIN:

(FILTER, DISTRESSED) Mr. Kent? This is Robin.

KENT:

Robin?

ROBIN:

(FILTER) That's right. Batman's--

KENT:

Oh, yes! Robin! Well, what can I do for you?

ROBIN:

(FILTER) Listen, can you come out to our house right away?

KENT:

Well, yes. But what's wrong Robin? You sound rather upset.

ROBIN:

(FILTER) I am, Mr. Kent. Something terrible has happened!

KENT:

Great Scott. What on earth--?

ROBIN:

(FILTER) I can't talk about it on the phone. Can you come out here, please? Right now?!

KENT:

Why, yes, of course.

ROBIN:

(FILTER) Hurry, please, Mr. Kent! Hurry!

KENT:

I'll be there at once, Robin. Just sit tight.

SFX:

RECEIVER DOWN

MFX:

STING ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

Disturbed by Robin's urgent message, Clark Kent replaces the phone and, ignoring Jimmy Olsen's questions, hurries from his office. A moment later, he is en route to the home of the famous Batman and Robin as Superman! WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT FOR THE STARTLING CLIMAX OF TODAY'S EPISODE! SO KEEP LISTENING!

MFX:

UP AND OUT

ANNOUNCER:

Okay, gang, here are more of today's winners! (PROCEEDS TO READ THE NAMES AND HOME TOWNS OF A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS LIST OF 100 CONTEST WINNERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES -- FOR A MINUTE AND A HALF!) And that's all we have time for today, gang! But there'll be many more tomorrow, and you may be among them, so be sure to listen!

MFX:

THEME ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

And now, back to The Adventures of Superman! ... Summoned by Robin, the young companion of the famous Batman, Superman streaks to the handsome mansion which is occupied by the Dynamic Duo as Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne. And now, as we rejoin Superman, he is once more in his guise of Clark Kent and is questioning young Dick Grayson in the living room.

MFX:

DRAMATICALLY OUT

KENT:

What's wrong, Dick? Why are you so upset?

ROBIN:

(TEARFUL) It - it's Batman, Mr. Kent.

KENT:

Well, what about Batman?

ROBIN:

He - he's gone.

KENT:

Gone?! What do you mean?!

ROBIN:

Just what I said. He's gone, I tell you.

KENT:

But he--

ROBIN:

And I'm afraid we - we'll never see him again.

MFX:

STING ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

Startled, Clark Kent stares at young Dick Grayson, who chokes back the tears as he repeats:

ROBIN:

We'll never see poor Batman again!

MFX:

STING ... THEN IN BG

NARRATOR:

What does Robin mean?! What has happened to the great Batman?! Fellows and girls, don't miss tomorrow's exciting episode when we begin a brand-new and action-packed mystery-adventure of Superman, with Batman and Robin! Be sure to tune in tomorrow -- same time, same station -- for Chapter One of a new adventure of Superman!

MFX:

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 same 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.