Dated Death
Batman and Robin Golden Age statuette
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Narrator |
Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Look! up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!
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.
And now, The Adventures of Superman.
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Superman Golden Age statuette
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Narrator |
Motivated by selfishness and greed, a rabble rouser named Mort Veeler who masqueraded as a Mr. Jones, captured the famous Batman, and arranged for a man who had been trained to impersonate Batman to make un-American speeches. Then, Robin, Batman's young companion, was led into an ambush and captured. While Superman tried to trace his friends by the means of a recording of Jones's voice, Jones and the impersonator appeared at Batman's bank, and took possession of his large fortune. Then they returned to an old revolutionary barracks far upstate to do away with Batman and Robin. There the dynamic duo staved off disaster temporarily by overpowering a guard, and pretending to have a gun. But Jones countered by setting fire to the ancient barracks in which Batman and his young companion were chained to heavy beams. By a grim stroke of fate, Jones and the impersonator were struck down in the burning wreckage when part of the roof collapsed. Now as Superman zooms down into the flaming building the rest of the roof is buckling, about to collapse upon the unconscious forms of Batman and Robin! |
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SUPERMAN LANDS |
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SUPERMAN |
Batman! Robin! Uh, oh! They're unconscious.! That chain! Hey, that roof's gonna fall in a second. I've got to rip these chains out of the wall, like this! RIP OF CHAINS There! Now I'll just wrap my cape around these two like this...
UH OH, HERE COMES THAT ROOF! |
Superman pocket watch
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Narrator |
Swiftly covering his unconscious friends with his brilliant red cape, Superman stands above them, shielding them as the blazing roof plunges down with a roar upon his head and shoulders.
ROOF CRASHES |
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SUPERMAN |
NOW. UP, UP, AND AWAY!
MUSIC |
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Narrator |
Unharmed, the man of steel shrugs the burning timbers from his shoulders, and protecting the two limp figures in his arms, leaps from the inferno high into the clear cool sky, looking like a gigantic phoenix, the fabulous firebird. Then surveying the awesome scene below for an instant, Superman veers and streaks away to the south, bound for Metropolis. |
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SUPERMAN |
AWAY!!!!!
MUSIC |
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Narrator |
A short time later, in the house they occupy as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, Batman and Robin have been seen and pronounced fit by their doctor. Now, after showers and a change into fresh clothes, they're in their kitchen, with Superman, who has resumed his guise of Clark Kent. Bruce is making a third round of sandwiches, and Dick is pouring a second bottle of milk. |
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Clark |
Kent (Mouth full) Say, this is good eating. I must have been hungry. |
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Bruce |
Good, I'll fix some more sandwiches. |
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Clark |
(Swallowing) Don't make any more for me, Bruce, I'm full. |
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Dick |
(Mouth full) Keep working, Bruce. I'll eat Mr. Kent's share. |
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Bruce |
Okay, Dick. If you can take it I can dish it up. |
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Dick |
You keep dishing, chum, and I'll keep taking. |
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Clark |
Where do you put it all, Dick? |
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Dick |
I'm a growing boy, didn't you know? Or maybe the fire gave me an appetite. |
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Bruce |
Don't remind me of that. For once I really thought we were done for. |
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Dick |
Yeah, me too. And we would have been if not for Superman. |
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Bruce |
Hey, that reminds me, I didn't thank you, Clark. |
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Clark |
Forget it, Bruce. |
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Dick |
Huh, what are you thanking him for? |
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Bruce |
Why, because I....Why, that's a fine question to ask, Dick. Didn't Clark find and identify that recording of Jones's voice I left behind? |
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Dick |
Well, that's right, and then he turned over the info to Superman, huh? |
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Bruce |
That's about right. Eh, Clark? |
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Clark |
Yeah, something like that. Laughter. |
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Bruce |
(Chuckling) Something...something like that's good. |
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Dick |
What are you two laughing about? |
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Bruce |
Who, me? |
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Dick |
Yes, you. There's something going on that I don't know about it. Now what gives? |
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Bruce |
Well... |
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Clark |
Maybe we'll tell you some time. |
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Bruce |
Yes, maybe. |
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Dick |
Come on, tell me now. |
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Bruce |
No can do, sonny boy. So forget it. Now... |
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Dick |
Maybe I can guess. |
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Clark |
Don't bother, Dick. |
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Bruce |
Forget it, I said. Now, look Clark. Jones, Mort Veeler I mean, and my impersonator are really done for, aren't they? |
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Clark |
Yep, they'll never pull another rascally trick in this world, Bruce. |
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Bruce |
Well, I hate to say it, but they had it coming to them. |
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Robin |
They sure did. They were not only thieves and murderers, but rabble rousers who tried to turn people against each other, which is worse. |
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Bruce |
Yes, they were the worst kind of rabble rousers, Dick. You know, Jones had a printing press in that old prison barracks, in which he used to print anti-racial pamphlets to mail out all over the country. |
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Dick |
No kidding. |
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Bruce |
Sure. |
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Clark |
Yeah, he was a nice guy, alright. |
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Dick |
Say, that reminds me. Anybody got a newspaper? |
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Clark |
Why? |
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Dick |
I want to look at the want ads. With all our money burnt up in the fire we'll have to get jobs. |
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Clark |
You and Bruce have jobs, Dick. Your job is to bat against crooks and rabble rousers. |
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Dick |
Oh, we do that for free. And for fun. And I'm spoiled. I like to eat three square meals a day. |
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Clark |
Oh, ho. From what I've seen this evening you like to eat four or five. |
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Bruce |
Don't worry, Dick. You'll keep on eating. Clark tells me that Veeler and my impersonator needn't have gone back into the fire for the securities they stole from me because one of their men had brought the suitcases out. |
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Dick |
Well, I'll be darned. |
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Bruce |
Pretty ironic, eh? |
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Dick |
Yes, but good! |
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Bruce |
And when Superman went back there after bringing us here this evening, he picked up our little nest egg and the followers of the late Mr. Jones Veeler, who were starting for places unknown. |
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Dick |
Well, isn't that nice. Ah, that Superman. You know, he's a lad after my own heart. |
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Bruce |
And mine! |
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Clark |
Holy Smokes! |
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Bruce |
What's the matter, Clark? |
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Clark |
Fine newspaper reporter I am! Here I've got a big scoop but instead of rushing in to the Daily Planet I sit here idly playing tiddly winks with you guys! |
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Bruce |
Hey, waitaminute.. |
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Clark |
Out of my way. I've got to fly. And I do mean, fly. So long, chums. |
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Robin |
So long, Mr. Kent, and thanks. |
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Bruce |
Yeah, thanks, and happy landings, Clark. |
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Clark |
Call me anytime. So long. |
Superman Golden Age statuette
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Narrator |
MUSIC
Hurrying from Batman and Robin's house, Clark Kent pauses in the shadows to resume his true identity of Superman. Then.... |
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SUPERMAN |
UP, UP AND AWAY! |
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Narrator |
The man of steel takes again to the airways and streaks across the tall skyscrapers and broad avenues of the city to the Daily Planet. Back at the Metropolis Daily Planet in his disguise as Clark Kent, mild mannered and bespectacled reporter, Superman typed the amazing story of Mort Veeler and Batman and Robin. Then, ripping the last page of the story from his typewriter, he strode to his office door and threw it open on the bustling city room. |
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Clark |
Copy! Copyboy! |
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Beany |
Footsteps.
Coming up, Mr. Kent.
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Clark |
Come on, Beany, come on, step on it! |
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Beany |
Yes, sir! Got something hot, Mr. Kent? |
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Clark |
I got a scoop for page one, that's all. |
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Beany |
A scoop, huh! |
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Clark |
Yeah, but at the rate you're traveling it'll be ancient history by the time you get it to the city editor's desk. |
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Beany |
Well, gosh... |
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Clark |
Alright, never mind the conversation. Now here, Beany, take this to Mr. Burroughs, and shift into high gear, will you please? |
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Beany |
Yes, sir. I'm on my way.
Footsteps |
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Clark |
Huh, huh, what a kid. I wonder if he still plays euchre. Oh! (Stretches) What a day. Even I can stand a bit of relaxation right now.
TELEPHONE
Oh, and there's my phone. Now what?
DOOR, FOOTSTEPS
Hello? |
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Candy |
Hello, Kent? |
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Clark |
Yes. Who is this? |
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Candy |
This is Candy Myers. |
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Clark |
Well, hello, Candy, how's the private detective business? |
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Candy |
It's running me into the ground, chum. |
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Clark |
Oh ho. |
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Candy |
I need your help, but bad. |
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Clark |
Oh, now look, what would a super sleuth need me for? |
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Candy |
Please, Kent, don't make with the quiz games. |
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Clark |
Why, what's the matter? |
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Candy |
I wouldn't be calling you all the way from England just for a gag. |
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Clark |
England? |
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Candy |
Yeah, London, England. And if you don't get here to give me a hand soon, I'll be pushing up English daisies in a British potter's field. |
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Clark |
Hey, sounds serious, Candy. |
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Candy |
It is serious. What's more it's a terrific story for you. |
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Clark |
Just tell me where I can find you, and I'll see you before you can say tea and crumpets. |
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Candy |
I'm staying at the Three Georges hotel in London. |
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Clark |
That's all I need to know, Candy. So long, I'll see you soon.
REPLACES PHONE
MUSIC |
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Narrator |
Replacing the phone, Clark Kent leaps across his office and turns the lock on his door. Then strips off his business suit and spectacles is revealed once more in the skin tight blue costume and crimson cape of Superman. |
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SUPERMAN |
UP, UP AND AWAY!
MUSIC |
Superman and Supergirl statuette
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Narrator |
Leaping high through his office window Superman veers to the east and straightening out like a great red and blue arrow hurtles across the city and out over the broad Atlantic ocean, bound for London, England and Candy Myers.
MUSIC
What is the terrific story in which Superman's private detective friend is involved, and in which he requires Superman's help? It is a terrific story, fellows and girls, just as Candy promised. And we can promise you that you'll be sitting on the edges of your chairs from beginning to end! So be sure to tune in tomorrow, same time same station, to listen to Chapter One of The Kingdom Under the Sea, on The Adventures of Superman. |
