Original subtitles

NARRATOR: The Adventures of Superman.

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

MAN 1: Look! Up in the sky! MAN 2: It's a bird!

WOMAN: It's a plane! MAN 3: It's Superman!

NARRATOR: Yes, it's Superman,

strange visitor from another planet

who came to Earth with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers,

bend steel in his bare hands,

and who, disguised as Clark Kent,

mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper,

fights a never-ending battle

for truth, justice and the American way.

[���]

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

Stop!

You're walking on the lines instead of the squares.

That's bad luck.

I told you, stop!

You can't come in here.

This is my house.

It's a nice, peaceful old place.

It's never even been haunted until you people came,

with your broken mirrors and your black cats,

sprinkling salt all over the place.

Keep away, I tell you.

It was the darkest day of my life

when I rented the house to you.

Now I'll suffer hard luck the rest of my years.

Now, just a minute, sir.

We haven't even been here before.

You haven't?

Maybe we've got the wrong address...

I hope.

No, Jimmy, it's the right place.

Seven-twenty Weeping Willow Lane.

You're new members?

Well, let me warn you while there's still time:

The men who come here are crazy.

They defy the laws of nature.

They laugh at the beliefs of man.

They're doomed-- Here, here, what's going on?

Mr. Botts, I thought you were told to stay away from here.

You can't keep me away. This is my property.

Now, now, now, we pay our rent, don't we?

Well, run along. Run along.

BOTTS: You can't make me.

FREDERICKS: Oh, yes, we can. Yes, we can.

Laws of trespass, you know.

New members?

Pay no attention to him.

Follow me. Follow me.

You'll be sorry. This is my house.

They mock me. They'll all be sorry.

Every last one of them who come here.

You too. Both of you.

This is Friday the 13th.

And anyone who defies the 13th will live to regret it.

Or die to regret it.

Shoo.

What a crazy place.

[CHUCKLING]

Well, we came here to get a story, didn't we?

Let's go.

That's funny.

Yeah. Where did that little guy go to?

He disappeared.

Well, somebody left the door open.

[MEOWS]

[GASPS]

Jimmy, what's the matter?

It's just a black cat, that's all.

It walked right in front of you.

So? Jimmy...

If I thought you were superstitious,

I wouldn't have brought you with me.

Oh, I-I'm really not. Honest. Really.

I'm-- I'm protected.

Oh, I mean--

Well, it's just a black cat.

That's what I said.

Well, w-who are you?

Oh, we're from the Daily Planet, sir.

Oh, yes, of course. You're Mr. Kent.

And that must be young Olsen. Welcome.

Perry White promised you'd come down this evening.

I'm, uh, Bill Green. Green Shoe Stores, you know.

You just-- Oh, no, no.

Come around through there.

Oh, this way? That's right.

And then straight toward me.

How do you do, sir?

Welcome.

Thank you.

Jim.

Under the ladder?

You know it.

Well, sure, Mr. Green.

I don't mind.

[CHUCKLES]

All our members enter that way.

Welcome. You're a little early

for the meeting yet.

But welcome to the sacred halls

of the Anti-Superstition Club.

Their motto is "down with superstition."

They help expose how silly such fears actually are.

It's quite an idea. Isn't it, Jim?

Well, yes. But, um...

doesn't that ladder ever fall on anybody?

[CHUCKLING] Oh, no.

A bunch of the fellows were tired of the luncheon clubs,

so we organized a big night-snack club.

Just a good bunch of guys

getting together to have a little fun.

Oh, um...

we encountered a gentleman

on the way in who didn't quite share your enthusiasm.

Oh, I'm sorry about that.

Uh, the landlord, I suppose?

He said he owned the place.

Poor old coot. His name's Botts.

We rented this place from him

so we could hold our meetings here.

I guess he didn't realize what we wanted it for.

He was making some threats, Mr. Green.

I think he might try to get even with you.

Oh, don't be ridiculous. What can he do?

We're all important businessmen,

every one of us.

Here. Take a look at this register.

It's just that he's superstitious, that's all.

Half cracked on the idea, like so many people.

Hates to see us break all these

silly little rules.

See a pin and pick it up,

all the day, you'll have good luck.

Huh?

There. At your feet, young man. On the rug.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, no, no. No. Don't do that.

See a pin and let it lay,

you'll have bad luck all day.

You don't believe that nonsense, do you?

Those pins have been there ever since we formed the club.

I'm sorry.

They may not be very tidy, Jim,

but they're absolutely right.

As a matter of fact, both my editor and I

feel very strongly about this story, Mr. Green.

We'd like to see an end

of all superstition in the world.

What possible connection can pins and black cats

and such have with good fortune?

Exactly. I'm Charlie King.

King Chemical. Or it used to be,

while my plant still had contracts to work on.

Yes, sir, this is Mr. Kent

and Mr. Olsen, Charlie.

How do you do, sir?

Showing them the register?

Yes. After they have signed the guest page.

You're first, Mr. Kent.

Oh, here?

If you will, please.

All right, sir.

Thank you. And now you, Mr. Olsen. Oh.

Just here. Red ink?

Of course. In the business world,

red ink's regarded as very bad luck.

We try every day to defy some superstition.

Here. Right over here.

Look for yourselves.

"Bill Green walked on pavement lines instead of squares

all the way to work today."

Here. I'll check in too.

Charlie King.

Charlie King lit 300 cigarettes this week

on 100 matches. Hm.

Three on a match?

You mean you did that 100 times?

Of course he did. Of course he did.

And you know something?

He won't suffer for either.

Yes, Mr. Kent. That's your story.

Not a single one of us

who's broken every superstitious rule

you've ever heard of, has suffered for it.

Not a single one of us has had

one bit of bad luck as a result.

Why should you?

There's no truth in any superstition.

Uh, bravo. I say bravo.

Uh, uh, but now to work. Now to work.

Uh, the meeting room is all ready, Bill.

Fredericks, here, is our steward.

He leads in the cat.

Why don't you show them how the ritual goes?

Oh, I just have enough catnip for the meeting.

Well, never mind about that part of it.

She'd probably scratch you anyway.

However, it is a good idea.

Uh, first I'll call the meeting

to order in here.

And that way, it'll be easier to clean up.

Uh, would you step this way, gentlemen?

Yes.

Are you ready, gentlemen?

Ready.

The meeting will now come to order.

Seven years bad luck?

Nonsense.

And now I hop to my place

at the head of the table in there.

Hop?

Why, of course. Thirteen times.

Not easy for a man of my size.

I land on the lines of the floor. The cracks.

Watch me. It's like this.

Golly, Mr. Kent.

Maybe that guy outside was right.

These men sure act crazy.

Well, Jimmy, there's a certain amount of nonsense

connected with any lodge or club--

What's the matter?

Mr. Green. Wait.

The support under that floor isn't very strong.

Well, if that were true,

how could you see it from there?

X-ray vision, I suppose?

Well, I-- As a matter of fact--

Oh, he's just superstitious.

He's upset seeing us break so many superstitious rules.

They don't deserve to be here.

Go on. Show them.

Show them we're not afraid, Bill.

You have to be really tough to be a member of this club.

You stay here by the door, Jimmy.

[���]

[FLOOR CREAKING]

[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

Golly, Mr. Kent was right.

Mr. Kent?

Well, where are you?

Mr. Kent?

Oh, right here, Jimmy.

Where were you?

Say, uh, Kent. How on earth did you know

that floor was going to break through there?

Well, just a lucky guess.

Don't use that word.

Nothing's lucky or unlucky.

Besides, you were walking on the lines

instead of the squares.

Well, even if I'd fallen clear through,

it wouldn't be because I'd broken any superstition.

It-- Termites, probably.

Too much food, you mean.

I don't blame the poor floor.

[CHUCKLES] Well, well.

Ah, no harm done anyway.

Gentlemen, I think we've gotten our story now.

We'll be running along. Good night.

Oh,, uh, drop back any time, Mr. Kent.

And why don't you let us put you up for membership?

You're not superstitious.

No, I only believe in the things that men do.

Good night, gentlemen. Jimmy?

Mr. Kent. Oh, uh, good night.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

Wh-what's that?

Sawdust, Jimmy.

Huh?

The stuff that's made when somebody saws wood.

And I don't mean termites.

No, somebody wanted that floor

to collapse under Mr. Green.

Oh, Miss Lane. No!

See? I'm not superstitious either.

What's the matter, Jimmy? Make you nervous?

[SIGHS] No. Course not.

Besides, I've been carrying that cracked mirror around

in my purse for months.

Now, tell me the rest of it.

Well...Mr. Kent wanted to go out

and take another look at the house.

He wanted to see that floor in the daytime.

Has he come back yet?

No. He said if he got any more information,

he was gonna go to the police.

Jimmy, why don't you and I run out there?

Oh, well...

there's nothing out there.

It's just an old house.

If Clark's gone out by himself,

you can bet he's after a good story.

Why should we let him get it? I'll finish early

and this afternoon, we'll go and snoop around.

All right.

And Jimmy, for heaven sakes,

where did you get that awful habit

of sticking your hands in your pocket?

What are you carrying?

Nothing.

I'm not gonna have any trouble with superstitions.

[���]

MAN [WHISPERING]: "Charlie King:

"lit 300 cigarettes this week

on 100 matches."

Yes.

Yes, that's what we figured, Tom.

Okay, thanks.

Your guess was right, Kent.

The crime lab sent a man out

to look over that basement.

He said that support beam was sawed just recently.

Mm-hm. Looks like somebody wanted Green to fall through.

Looks that way. But even if he had,

he probably wouldn't have been hurt very badly.

I'd call it more of a crackpot stunt

than a murder attempt, wouldn't you?

Yes, but when a crackpot starts off this way,

he can get more and more dangerous.

And if he wanted to punish Green

for laughing at superstition,

well, the rest of the members of the club

are in danger too.

And they should be warned.

Oh, we'll take care of it.

I'll get the membership list from their register.

And I think I'll pick up

that nutty landlord of theirs for questioning.

[���]

There doesn't seem to be any answer.

Well, let it ring a few more times.

It's pretty important we reach all these people.

Hello? Oh, hello.

I-is this Mr. King?

Yes.

Oh, hello, inspector.

Why, no, nothing's happened to me.

[CHUCKLES]

Now, really, inspector...

I-I-I'm not afraid of any crazy prophecy

made by a little guy like that Botts.

I-I'm sorry. No, that wasn't anything.

At least I don't think so.

Oh, now, really, inspector,

I think you're getting alarmed over nothing.

Well, we felt we ought to warn

some of you leaders of the group.

Yes, I know Bill Green wasn't hurt, but, uh...

[���]

I'm not afraid of any fire here.

W-- We're practically out of business,

and there's so little to burn--

[���]

Mr. King, the fire department might have been able

to save the rest of your buildings.

But with all the explosives in this room,

you most certainly would have been blown up.

Great Caesar's ghost.

Two more attempts, eh?

Two so far. Mr. Green and Mr. King.

And it couldn't be just luck.

I mean bad luck because they defied superstition.

Oh, come on now, chief.

You don't believe any such nonsense as that, I hope.

No, no, of course not.

But it takes human hands to saw wood and start fires.

The point is, Kent,

where is this lunatic going to strike next?

And who's the next victim?

I'll have the story as fast as it happens.

Oh, by the way. You haven't seen Lois

or that young idiot, Olsen, have you?

No. No, I haven't.

[���]

Nobody here either.

You know, Miss Lane, I-I don't even know

what you're looking for.

Oh, guess I'm just curious.

We've been crawling around this place for nearly an hour.

It's gonna be dark in a few minutes.

Listen, Jimmy. If there was an attempt

on Mr. Green's life last night in this building,

doesn't it seem likely

that we'd find some sort of evidence?

Like the-- Oh, the saw that was used

to cut the flooring or something.

But, uh...

what if we find a booby trap meant for somebody else?

Booby trap?

I mean, uh... What if one finds us?

Well...

Guess it is just a deserted house.

But I wanna get a look at that basement.

All right. But let's hurry.

[CAT MEOWS] Hey.

Oh. Must be their mascot.

Oh, nice kitty.

I wonder who feeds her.

[SCREECHES] Oh.

Ooh.

Looks like you do... with your hand.

She tried to scratch me.

Well, let's go, Jimmy. Come on.

[FLOOR CREAKING]

Downstairs.

In the hall.

[CREAKING STOPS]

Stopped.

Guess it's nothing. Come on.

We're just letting our imaginations run away with us.

All old houses creak.

There will be members around this evening.

All right. We'll be out of the basement by then.

Come on.

[CRASH]

[SIGHS]

Well...

it's empty, I think.

I hope.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Hi, Jimmy.

Oh, Clark. What a relief.

We heard you before when we were upstairs

in that bedroom, but--

We're locked in.

I guess it wasn't you after all, was it?

No, Lois, I just got here.

I came in the front door.

Clark, what are you looking at?

Hm? Oh, I'm just surprised

at who I see--

I mean, I'm surprised to find you here.

Surprised? Well, do something.

Now, don't worry. We'll get out all right.

Hurry, the window. Come on.

[SHUTTER SLAMS]

Oh, the shutter. Now we are trapped.

But you just stand there.

I told you not to worry, Lois.

Oh, sure. That door's a foot thick,

and so are the walls.

I'm afraid there's nothing much we can do. This--

Hey!

Are you all right, Jimmy?

Yes, I'm all right.

Well...does Superman know we're here?

Yes, he does, Lois. But I'm afraid

he can't come out in the open and help us now.

LOIS: Well, why not? He's just as much against

the silly superstitions as we are.

What on earth?

[LAUGHING]

A horseshoe?

I don't know how that happened to get on the floor.

Look in his other pocket. He's got a rabbit's foot

and a four-leaf clover.

Oh, no, Jimmy.

You carrying good-luck charms?

I'm sorry.

I don't really believe in the things.

Say, I'll bet if Superman were here,

he'd rub this horseshoe and make a magnet out of it.

It would help us get out of here.

Superman would knock a hole through the wall, silly.

Come on. We'll find a way out.

Trouble is, too many people

might see him knocking that hole.

Uh, Jimmy, did you try this door?

No.

But it sounded like he threw the bolt.

Well, maybe he did, but it's open now.

Oh, good. That does it.

Yes. Shall we go?

Your weapon, old boy.

Come on, Jimmy.

[CAT SCREECHING]

Something's wrong with that cat.

Sounds like he's not very happy.

[SCREECHING CONTINUES]

That crazy guy, Botts, is up there.

He must be. Hold it, Jimmy.

Another murder's being planned, that's all.

That's all? Mm-hm.

So we're gonna have to do a little planning ourselves.

Let's see. The members will be

coming back to this club in a little while.

Let's go.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

He's in there right now.

Never mind, Lois. Even if you went in there, Bill,

you wouldn't catch him

doing a thing you could arrest him for.

You're crazy. Police radio says

some of my boys already have Botts cornered.

What? But he's the one--

Botts cornered? Where?

At another house he owns across town on 53rd Street.

Across town?

Listen, Bill. Don't go in until I get back.

Will you do that for me?

Okay.

Thanks.

[���]

Mr. Botts, you're under arrest.

For the last time, Mr. Botts, come out.

Give yourself up.

I will not.

You're walking on my lawn.

I own this house. I own lots of houses.

But you can't come in any of them.

Nobody can.

I'm never gonna rent a house again as long as I live.

Nothing but trouble.

You're under arrest, I said.

I guess we're gonna have to break the door in.

Don't you dare.

This is private property.

You're trespassing. All of you.

I've never been arrested in my life,

and I don't intend to start now.

You asked for it.

You better give him the tear gas.

[���]

[COUGHING]

Just hold your breath for a second.

I'll inhale the gas.

There. All out the window, Mr. Botts.

Superman.

And don't worry, Mr. Botts.

You're not going to jail.

In fact, you're not guilty of anything.

But there's another man who's been trying

to make it look as though you're to blame for everything.

Who? Who is it?

The man that's going to be confessing

in about five minutes.

Will you excuse me?

All right, Kent,

they're all in there with Miss Lane and Jimmy.

Fredericks, King and Green? That's right.

Although, why should I let you play detective--

Because you have no evidence. That's why.

I can tell you who's guilty,

but you wouldn't have any case against him.

Come on in. We'll watch him trip himself.

[CAT SCREECHING]

There's the cat. I better catch it. No.

But we can't let her run loose with--

No, I said.

Just, uh, keep an eye on her.

Mr. Kent, what's this all about?

We're supposed to be holding a meeting of our club now.

You know what it's all about.

A murder attempt on Mr. Green

and then on Mr. King in his factory.

No!

GREEN: Oh, uh, inspector.

W-we're not upset by this, so, uh, why should you be?

Old Botts hates us, and he tried to make us think

the superstitions we'd broken were backfiring against us.

That's all.

Sure. Three on a match

and stepping on squares

instead of on lines, and...

Yes, he should be taken away somewhere

for a long, quiet rest.

He didn't saw the floor or set that fire, gentlemen.

But one of you did.

And took advantage of poor Botts' ravings

in order to make it look as though he were responsible.

I don't understand.

Hey. Nothing happened to him yet.

Let's take it easy, Jimmy.

Uh, go over there and sit down, will you?

Gentlemen, will you please sit down?

Take your places.

Uh, by the way, Mr. Fredericks.

In your part as, uh,

steward in this ritual,

what happens after the, uh, mirror is broken?

Well, I follow the black cat in,

and I-I sit here holding it.

And blast her long claws. Look at my scratches.

Mm-hm. Well, gentlemen,

I'm gonna be very quick about this,

because I already know which one is the guilty man.

What?

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come on, puss.

[MEOWING] Come on.

That's a girl.

Careful she doesn't scratch you.

Don't worry.

Kent, what's the matter with you?

You say that one of us is guilty of these crazy crimes

and you-- You go off chasing a cat.

Well, they're not crazy crimes, Mr. Green.

They just seem that way.

And now I'm gonna let your cat

pick out the guilty man.

I'm not afraid of black cats. Even mean ones like that.

Oh, yes, Mr. Fredericks. This cat

might have scratched you any time this evening.

But I have another job for her right now.

And I think it'll be easy.

When our man wasn't looking,

I slipped some catnip in his pocket.

Don't anyone look in their pockets.

We'll let the cat do the work.

Well, of all the silly, nonsensical tricks.

Never mind, Mr. Green. Just watch.

She she never did like me.

Well, this is ridiculous.

Perhaps it is, Mr. King. Perhaps it is.

Still, I know you're not superstitious.

And while she may be a little unpleasant,

still, there's no reason for you to be afraid of her.

I'm not.

You weren't afraid to set fire to your own factory.

You're crazy! I'm getting out of here.

Why did you do it? The insurance?

I didn't do anything. You can't scare me.

She seems to like you. Why are you so afraid of her?

Here. [CAT SCREECHES]

Ah!

He put poison on her claws.

You shouldn't have jumped so far, Mr. King.

I wiped it off a long time ago.

All right.

Yes. I did everything.

I was desperate.

I was broke.

I had no orders at the factory.

My whole life was ruined.

I had to do something to cover up.

I had to burn that factory.

If Superman hadn't come along and stopped that fire,

I'd have collected a million dollars in insurance.

I guess we can get the rest of this down at headquarters.

Thanks for the confession, Kent.

The rest of you mind coming along for a statement?

You. How did you know I was the one?

Well, maybe I'm lucky, or maybe I'm Superman.

Ha-ha. Big joke.

You'd better knock on wood when you say things like that.

Come along, all of you.

[���]

[���]

NARRATOR: 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.