Original subtitles

You sent for us, boss?

You bet I did. Where were you?

Well, Chief, we just got in here this minute. What's the matter? Something

special? No, nothing special.

That's just the trouble.

Read that headline.

Yes.

Mayor seeks re-election. So? So what's wrong with that?

So, is that anything to sell newspapers?

Who cares whether Mayor Fredericks runs again or not? Well, Chief, we don't

create the news. We just write it, you know.

I'll admit it's been a very quiet week.

Quiet?

We're putting gardening news on the front page.

People are going to get out of the habit of buying newspapers.

This is a big city. There must be something of interest going on. Well,

maybe we've done our job too well. But with our exposés of crime and wonderful

work by our police department, maybe there isn't any crime left in

Metropolis. I wish you were right.

If that were the case, I wouldn't mind if the circulation fell off.

But you know we've just made a dent.

Crime is still going on. Why don't we know about it? But we've chased down

every tip and covered every assignment you sent us on.

Obviously, that's not enough.

From here on, the three of you are on your own.

You mean we're fired? In your case, that might not be a bad idea.

You mean roving assignments, huh, Chief? That's right. Split up. Poke around.

Investigate everything that looks odd or suspicious.

Too bad Superman isn't around. Then we could get some real coverage.

Hey, where are you going?

Well, I lost a heel off my shoe, Lois. I thought I'd better get it fixed.

Have you got any ideas, Chief?

You're supposed to be a reporter.

You get the ideas, and don't call me Chief.

Now get out and circulate, and bring me back a story that will sell newspapers.

I got it, Chief.

I've saved the Daily Planet.

What is it this time, Olsen? Pictures have got the cat out of the tree detail

again? No, sir, Chief. A bank robbery at Federated Savings and Loan.

Really? You were there? You've got pictures?

Better than that. You can phone the headline down.

Private citizen foils armed bank robbery.

What? Sure. I was walking down the street when this guy comes out of the

bank firing a gun. And then this other guy comes up and almost jumps him. Wait,

wait, wait. Just a minute.

I want to take this down. Here.

Ladies and gentlemen and fellow reporters, you all know what a great

instinct that I have for news.

Just a story, Olson.

Oh, sure.

Well, I was walking down the street with this great instinct for news that I have

when suddenly, bang, bang, I heard shots from in the bank and this guy comes

tearing out of the bank, firing a gun as he runs. Then this other guy comes from

nowhere and, get this, jumps the bank, Robert.

jumps a desperate criminal, firing a gun, and wrestles him to the sidewalk.

You mean you actually got pictures of all this?

Step by step, right from the beginning.

Jimmy, we're proud of you.

Wait a minute. As Al Jolson used to say, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This joker not only gets the criminal down on the sidewalk, but suddenly he's

got a piece of rope, and he's starting to tie him up when the bank guard comes

out and collars the crook.

Jimmy, you're sensational.

Jimmy, you're a rotten reporter.

What? Do you know what a good reporter would have done?

Well, just what I did.

Get the story and get it straight.

What would you have done, Kent?

Well, I might have brought the hero up here to the office for an exclusive

byline interview.

Exactly.

Voila. Meet Frank Smullins, the hero of the hour, whom I have just brought here

for an exclusive byline interview.

Mr. Smullins?

Meet my associate, Mr. White.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Smullins.

And it's good to know there are still men left with an inbred sense of civic

duty.

Well, thank you, Mr. White. But, you see, as I was trying to tell Mr.

Olson... And these are two of my best reporters. Clark Kent.

How do you do? Horst Lane.

How do you do?

It's really a thrill meeting you two. I read your stories all the time.

It's an even greater thrill to meet you, sir.

Especially after we heard what you'd done.

Oh, it was nothing, really.

Nothing, he says.

Jumping an armed hoodlum single-handed.

Now, Mr. Smullins, will you tell us in your own words just what happened?

Well, I was walking along the street when suddenly I hear this shooting.

I looked up and I saw this man running out of the bank with a gun.

What were you doing by the bank?

Well, I was on my lunch hour. I was just taking a walk.

I'm a bookkeeper at Simmons & Sons. Simmons & Sons?

Well, that's more than a mile from the bank.

I know.

But I sort of got a feeling that I should take a walk in that direction.

I often get those feelings.

What do you mean you often get those feelings?

Well, to be there when something is happening.

Like what?

I was at 8th and Spring when that crazy man threatened to jump off the roof.

And I was at the ballpark when Huggins pitched a no-hitter. And this was the

first time you were ever at a ballpark? That's right.

Am I speaking loud enough?

Oh, quiet, quiet.

I've seen lots of other holdups and robberies and shootings.

But this is the first time I've ever taken an active part.

Now, that's what I call an instinct for news.

One man in ten million has it like that.

He just happened to be walking by the bank, a mile out of his way.

Hey, wait a minute. I was there, too, you know. You were just lucky.

This man's the greatest natural-born reporter to come along in years.

From now on, you're working for the planet.

But I already have a job.

I've been a bookkeeper for Simmons & Sons for 20 years.

I'll give you twice what you're getting there. How much are you making now?

$45 a week.

Like I said, give you $90 a week to start. For the greatest natural-born

reporter to come along in years?

All right, I'll make it $100. What do you say?

I don't know. I'll have to discuss it with Celia.

Do you realize the opportunity I'm offering you?

Your own series, a byline, a special crime-busting reporter.

I'll have to discuss it with Celia.

And then Mr. White said, if I'd come to work for the planet, he'd pay me $100 a

week. Frank, I'm so proud of you. And now we can get married.

But don't you think we should wait until we see if this new job works out?

Of course it will work out.

Didn't he call you the greatest natural-born reporter to come along in

years?

I sort of hate leaving Simmons and Sons.

I've been there so long.

But Frank, you...

You're only a junior bookkeeper after all these years.

I know, but I feel that eventually I'd work up from there.

Do you remember the plan I submitted to Mr.

Simmons about a complete overhauling of our sales campaign?

Frank, you've been submitting that plan for five years now.

Why, you can't even get Mr. Simmons to read it.

But if he would... He won't.

Twenty years with his firm, and I'll bet he doesn't even know your name.

You know, you're right.

Why, with the plans Mr. White has, there's no telling what might happen to

me. We've got to knock off this Smullins character right now.

It's bad luck to knock off a reporter.

It'll be worse luck if we let him live.

I still say we ought to rub him out.

You say?

Let's get this straight.

I agreed to come to Metropolis and organize this setup on one condition.

That my word is final.

We have the whole operation planned.

We held off on everything for a month to lull the town into a sense of false

security. In that month, I planned 20 perfect jobs.

We spring them, bang, bang, bang, one right after another.

And before they know what's hit them, we're all rich and out of town.

Well, this guy sure followed up your first job.

He says the planet hired him as a special crime busting reporter.

It was a freak, an accident.

He couldn't possibly have known about the job.

It was planned and timed perfectly.

Some perfect.

They got Louie with all the dough. The job this afternoon will come off without

a hitch.

A hundred thousand dollar heist.

And all it takes is one pickpocket.

Then, eight more jobs tomorrow, ten the next day, and we'll have this town

practically cleaned out.

I still don't know what we're doing here.

They wouldn't dare hit the bank again.

I don't know.

I've just got one of my feelings.

Who is that?

That is C.V. Owen. He's the president of the bank.

Another feeling?

I've got a feeling your feeling is right.

You see that little fellow watching Owen?

Well, that's Fingers Danny.

He's the hardest-working pickpocket in town.

There's your chance, Crime Buster.

I think Danny just lifted Owen's wallet.

Shouldn't we call the police? Later.

First grab Danny. Then you can write another first-hand account of how you

captured the criminal.

Well, if he's a criminal, he might be armed.

Danny? He's even afraid of a cap pistol himself.

Look, why don't you grab him? And I'll get the police in case he gives you any

trouble. Then you can write the story.

Oh, no, you don't. Mr. White has billed you as the crime-busting reporter.

You're the hero of the hour.

Everyone wants to know what you're going to do next, and that's what sells

newspapers. Come on.

Hey, why don't you watch where you're going?

Well, hello, Danny.

Window shopping?

Yeah, yeah, just window shopping. Well, then what's your rush?

All right, Frank, grab him.

What's the idea?

Let's just see what we can find here.

That's my wallet. So it is, so it is. My, must be over $50,000. Did he always

carry that much money around with you? Well, I had a good day at the tracks

today. Sure you did. Let's go in the bank and see if they can explain all

this.

Well,

what do you know?

He did have a gun.

Frank, I apologize.

and get over Smullen's courage.

Neither can I.

Clark, I don't understand you.

Now that we're beginning to get some good beats again, you don't seem happy.

Well, frankly, Chief, I'm just a little bit worried about this so-called crime

-busting reporter of yours.

Worried? But why?

It can't be that you're jealous. I know you too well for that. Oh, Chief.

For your information, Frank did not capture Danny.

I did.

You did. That's right. Frank was afraid to even approach Danny. When Danny

pulled a gun on him, He fainted. Are you sure? Of course I'm sure.

But after he came to, I managed to convince him that he had disarmed Danny.

Well, maybe he tripped. It might have been an accident. If you ask me, I think

his first capture was an accident.

Oh, Chief.

Do you remember that series of pictures that Olsen shot?

Yeah.

Well, Chief, I've got a hunch.

Well, he did it again. Another accident, another freak.

Certainly.

The guy obviously likes to hang around the bank.

I still say we ought to rub him out.

We can't afford to upset our schedule, especially with a killing.

And that's final, Marty.

According to the schedule, the next job is mine.

The safe job at Van Raels.

That's right.

My figures show there ought to be about a half a million dollars in diamonds in

that safe, besides a load of cash.

I don't like the way your first two jobs went haywire.

I could end up in the clink.

What could go wrong with this one?

Pete and Al should have the alarm cut by now.

And in about a half hour, both guards will be doubled up with cramps.

Now you better get going.

Now get this straight, Big Jack.

That schedule or no schedule.

If that Frank Smullen's character shows up, he's gonna get it.

And, Chief, I want you to look very carefully.

You notice that string there in Frank's hand?

Yes, what about it? We know he was trying to tie the man up. Well, that's

what I mean. You see, it's not just a rope, as Jimmy reported. It's just a

piece of twine. Look at the way it's entangled in Frank's hand.

Does that suggest anything to you?

Why, yes.

It's a cat's cradle.

A silly thing you can do with string.

Exactly, exactly.

It's just my theory that he was walking along the sidewalk minding his own

business when this gunman blundered into him and it just got all tangled up.

Then he didn't really capture the bank robber, at least not on purpose.

That's right.

He didn't capture Danny either, let's face it.

Boss, your two-fisted crime-busting reporter is just a frightened little

bookkeeper that happens to have a knack that places him near the scene of a

disaster. Well, what can we do about it?

Well, for your own sake, you're going to have to lose him.

We've all got him believing his own publicity so much that he thinks he's a

fearless, invincible hero, and he's just sold on it, that's all. Sooner or later,

he's bound to get hurt, Chief.

I can't fire him. We promised our readers a whole series by him.

Why, if the truth of this story ever comes out, I'll be the laughingstock of

the newspaper world.

Well, where is he now?

He's gone to the Craylor building.

What's he doing there?

Oh, he said he had one of his feelings.

Craylor. The Craylor building?

Van Raels. The jewelers are there. That's right.

Wait a minute. Where are you going? Well, uh, Chief, I, uh, I just

remembered. I have to cover a sports car show.

Oh, fine.

And if one of those sports cars backfires, we'll put it on page one.

Very nicely done.

It'll make a good story for the final edition.

Put that away.

I'm Frank Smullins of the planet.

You're coming with me.

Maybe your name used to be Smullins. Right now, it's Mutt. Why don't you

surrender? You haven't got a chance. I told you, I'm Frank Smullins.

How'd you get in here?

Through the store.

I untied one of the salesmen, and he's calling the police.

What?

Sorry I have to do this chum.

What? What happened?

You've done it again.

You frightened the safecracker away before he could get his loot.

Well, maybe someday these thugs will learn not to fool around with Frank

Smullins.

I told you it was bad luck to try and knock off a reporter.

What was I supposed to do, surrender to him when he asked me to?

Now we got Superman on our necks.

That's all we need.

Do you agree now that we have to get rid of that reporter?

Unfortunately, I do.

We've got eight jobs going off simultaneously tomorrow.

Even Superman can't be in all those places at once.

But I'll bet that Smolin's character can. We'll have to get rid of him today.

Get rid of him?

We can't even get near him as long as Superman seems to be protecting him.

We've got to figure a way to make him come to us.

I had the boys check up on him. He has a girlfriend named Celia Adams.

Lives at 37 Maple Street.

Perry White's office.

I'd like to speak to Frank Smullins. I have a hot tip.

Just a minute. I'll try to find him for you.

Hello, this is Frank Smullins. What can I do for you?

If you'll come alone to your girlfriend's house, I have a very big

story for you. Who is this?

Never mind.

Just be there within an hour, or you'll never see her again.

Remember, be alone.

What's the address?

Huh? What do you mean, the address?

Well, she owns two houses.

Which one are you at?

Oh, the one at 37 Maple Street. Oh, that one.

37 Maple Street.

I'll be right over. Frank Smullins never breaks his word.

Hey, Nate, what was that all about?

I just got a tip. I'm going to show Mr. White that that Smullins guy isn't the

only one around here that can get a scoop.

Just stay right there, sister.

Go let him in, Marty.

Hello.

Hello.

What's the joke?

It used to be a joke, Mr. Smullins, but it's all over. That's not Frank.

Nice try, sister, but it won't work.

She's right, Big Jack.

This ain't the guy that busted up the van rail job.

Who are you?

I'm taking a survey.

Are you in favor of women having long or short hair?

That depends. Now, some women... Shut up!

Sorry, kid.

But now that you're here, we can't let you go.

Just sit right down there on the sofa.

I'm getting a little worried.

If he doesn't show up pretty soon, we're going to have to get rid of these two

and get out of here.

Has Olsen returned yet?

Oh, he's out on a story, Chief. What do you mean?

Well, he got a phone call and said something about a hot tip.

I heard him repeat an address, 37 Maple Street.

37 Maple Street?

That's Celia's house.

Who's Celia?

My girl.

Well, that's funny.

Maybe they're trying to get back at Smullins through his girl.

You better go after him, Kent.

Oh, Chief, I think I'd better go over to the Federated Savings and Loan again. I

have one of those feelings that something's going to happen, you know.

Oh, I'll go, Chief.

What's this about your having hunches?

Well, I don't know, Chief. That's supposed to be Smutton's job, you know.

Well, maybe it's catchy, huh?

All I can say is it's a funny way to run a newspaper.

Well, I'm sure you're right, Chief, but, you know, there are all kinds of ways to

run a newspaper, aren't there?

I know people say you're crazy when you talk to yourself, but by great Caesar's

ghost, there's nobody else around here sane enough to talk to.

Maybe the Smullen guy isn't going to show.

Well, we'll give him a couple of more minutes.

Maybe he called the police. We've got to get out of here.

Yes, I know.

But first we've got to take care of these two.

There's a gas jet in the fireplace.

Turn it on.

Right.

a little Duffy in here.

Superman!

I hope you'll forgive me for not untying you, but I have a feeling it'll be

better this way.

Why, if you've so much as harmed one hair of her head, I'll... Look out,

Frank. They've got guns.

There. That'll teach you to tie my girl.

Frank, you might have been killed.

What is life without honor?

Jimmy, are you all right?

But you didn't have to do that. They were... Jimmy!

Oh, Frank, you're wonderful.

You've saved my life.

Oh, come in, my boy.

Come in.

Well, that was a great piece of work you did.

What sort of a feeling do you have for tomorrow?

Well, we just dropped by to tell you I'm quitting, Mr. White.

Oh, nonsense. You've got a great future in this business.

Another incident like yesterday, and he'll have no future at all.

We decided it's too dangerous a job for a married man.

I see.

And would you be kind enough to tell me just how he's going to support a wife

and $45 a week?

Oh, we don't have to worry about money. When Mr. Simmons, my old boss, kept

reading about me in the paper, he finally dug up that plan I submitted to

him five years ago and read it.

He offered me twice what you're paying me to be head of sales planning.

Well, I'm very glad for your sake, Mr. Smullins.

But do you think it's entirely fair to me?

Don't take it so hard, Chief. At least you got all those stories that you were

yelling about.

I know, but what am I going to print tomorrow?

Well, there's the meeting of the Better Babies League and the Flowers Show.

Quiet. Now get out of here, all of you, before I go completely insane.

Mr. Smullins.

Yes, sir?

Stop at the cashier's window on the way out.

I'll phone him and tell him to give you an extra hundred dollars.

Sort of a wedding present.

Has everybody around here gone crazy?

Don't miss the next thrill-packed episode in the amazing adventures of

Superman.

Superman is based on the original character appearing in Superman

magazine.