Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 2 - Episode 18: "Semi-Private Eye"

Original Broadcast Date: January 11, 1954

Writer: David Chantler

Director: George Blair

Guest Cast:
Elisha Cook Junior as Homer Garrity
Richard Benedict as Cappy Leonard
Douglas Henderson as Noodles
Alfred Linder as Murray
Paul Fix as Fingers
Angelo Rossitto as the Dwarf in the Pool Hall

"Semi-Private Eye"

Private detective Homer Garrity is walking down the streets of Metropolis when bricks from a chimney are about to plummet onto him. The timely arrival of Superman prevents him from being injured as the debris lands on the Man of Steel's invulnerable body. Garrity thinks nothing of the incident, thanks Superman and moves on with his day. Little does Garrity realize that his adventure with Superman is just beginning.

Daily Planet reporters Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are discussing Superman's rescue of Homer Garrity with editor Perry White. Clark Kent enters the chief's office and reveals that he happened to be on the scene when everything happened. Perry is fit to be tied because the city's other newspapers had scooped the Planet. Lois, on the other hand, is suspicious of Mister Kent. She intends to prove that he is really Superman. With Jimmy's help, she places a telephone directory containing fifty pounds of lead weights on Kent's desk. While searching for something afterwards, Clark discovers the trap when he sees the real book in his desk drawer. Lois then enters to ask for a number. He throws the genuine object into her lap. Lois believes that Clark switched books. Now, Lois has an idea on how she can reveal the truth about the Last Son of Krypton. With Jimmy accompanying her, Lois leaves the Planet Building. They may very well get themselves into deep trouble while trying to learn Superman's greatest secret.

Lois and Jimmy have arrived at Homer Garrity's office. However, the detective is not exactly what Jimmy expects. The cub reporter's exposure to private eye movies gave him a certain idea of how the profession should be. To keep young Olsen from being disappointed, Garrity shows him some tools of the trade, including a one-way window hidden behind a mirror on the closet door. Jimmy is fascinated, but that is short-lived. Extortionist Cappy Leonard and his henchman Noodles have captured Garrity and Lois, who is pretending to be the sleuth's secretary after Garrity said she was a sales lady. Someone whom Leonard blackmailed has hired Garrity. Garrity has gotten too close for Cappy's comfort. Now, in spite of Garrity's secretly recording the incident, both he and Lois may be in a grave peril.

Believing that he's talking to Garrity, a pool hall owner named Murray has called to advise the private eye that Cappy and Noodles are on the way. Knowing Murray's warning is too late, Jimmy begins to call the police until he gets the idea that he can be a detective like Sam Spade or Richard Diamond. Little does he realize that his investigation may get him into deep trouble.

Jimmy has gone to Murray's Pool Hall, where he encounters another of Cappy Leonard's henchmen named Fingers. The cub reporter turned would-be detective asks about Homer Garrity. Sensing that Jimmy knows too much, Fingers leaves. However, the young man has followed him. Fingers tries to call Cappy to warn him of Jimmy's possible interference, but the junior sleuth interrupts him. Jimmy tries to capture Fingers only to have accidentally handcuffed himself to the bedpost. In a fit of laughter, Fingers unplugs the telephone and leaves his apartment to meet his boss. With no means of calling for help, Jimmy may have to find a way to escape his unusual trap on his own.

As Clark Kent is told by editor Perry White of an anonymous tip phoned in to the police about the kidnapping of Lois and Garrity, Fingers has been ordered to bring Jimmy to Cappy. Meanwhile, with bedpost and handcuffs still attached to his wrist, Jimmy has found the extortionist's address. Young Olsen, in his attempts to leave Fingers' apartment, has comically removed the metal frame from the bracelets. Now, Jimmy can confront Cappy, without knowing that he is walking right into the gangster's deadly trap.

Thanks to a recording device in Garrity's office, Clark understands that Jimmy intends to go to Murray while playing detective to save Homer and Lois. At the same time, Cappy and Noodles are preparing to deal with the private eye and star reporter. Once Fingers returns with Jimmy, the gang can eliminate all three people that stand in the way of their blackmail racket, and Superman might not rescue his friends in time.

Jimmy has just literally fallen into Cappy's trap. The gangster is fully prepared to rid himself of the cub reporter, Lois and Garrity with a poison gas. Once Cappy is sure that Homer won't reveal who hired him, the capsules are launched. The fumes eventually overcome the trio of prisoners. Time is of the essence if Superman is to save Lois, Jimmy and Garrity from Cappy's lethal trap.

Superman has gone to Murray for information. The frightened pool hall owner tells him where to find Cappy's gang. The Man of Steel rushes there in time to inhale the deadly gas vapors and get Lois out into some fresh air. This leads Cappy and Noodles to believe that they can make their getaway. They didn't count on the team of Jimmy Olsen and Homer Garrity judo flipping them into a state of unconsciousness. The blackmailers will now spend their lives in prison thanks to a private eye, a cub reporter and, of course, Superman.

Lois is now safe from the effects of Cappy's gas. Homer Garrity has agreed to take the case of following Clark Kent. Lois, however, has had a change of heart about the entire thing, which suits Garrity because he needs a vacation. Shortly afterwards, Jimmy asks for some keys. Why? Because he has handcuffed himself to the chair in which he was sitting.

Rating - 5 (out of 5): Elisha Cook Junior's impressive filmography includes the roles of Wilmer Cook in The Maltese Falcon and Harry Jones in The Big Sleep. Star Trek fans will know him as Samuel T. Cogsley, Captain Kirk's defense attorney in the classic episode "Court Martial". While this is his only episode of The Adventures of Superman, Jack Larson reveals in the DVD's commentary that he and Cook were great friends.

Richard Benedict makes his second appearance in The Adventures of Superman with this episode. Look for him to return for "Close Shave".

Douglas Henderson is perhaps best known for playing Colonel James Richmond in The Wild Wild West television series. He was also Colonel Milt in The Manchurian Candidate. He never appeared in The Adventures of Superman after this episode.

Alfred Linder will return to Metropolis as Slippery Elm in "The Unlucky Number".

Paul Fix was Marshall Micah Torrance in The Rifleman. However, he is best known as Elizabeth Taylor's father Doctor Horace Lynnton in George Stevens' classic Giant.

Angelo Rossitto played Seymour Spider and Clang in H.R. Pufnstuf. He's only been in this episode, but he would later be Terry Bite in The Adventures of Superpup and Tom Thumb in the episode "Sideshow" of The Incredible Hulk.

As Superman prepares to take off to rescue Lois, Jimmy and Garrity, the springboard is slightly visible. In addition to that, look closely at Cappy Leonard's trap door. It opens in the center with hinges on the left and right sides. However, Superman removes a single piece when arriving to save his friends.

According to Jack Larson in the DVD commentary, "Semi-Private Eye" is one of his favorite episodes of The Adventures of Superman.

After a bit of a slump, it looks like season two might be back on track with "Semi-Private Eye". We're given an entry that is a brilliant mix of comedy and adventure. It may not be "Panic in the Sky", but it is an entertaining thirty minutes that any fan of the show can enjoy. Some may disagree with me because many believe it to be a bad episode, but I honestly enjoyed it. The episode probably only deserves a four, but Jack Larson's comedic bits and superb timing really raised the quality of it. Had anyone else tried to pull off the humorous scenes, it would have fallen flat.

Much like Candy Meyers, it's a shame Homer Garrity wasn't used more in The Adventures of Superman television series. It would have been great to see both private eyes on the same case that would later involve Superman somehow. Unfortunately, like many other great characters in the show, we'll never see him again unless a series of graphic novels or fan films that take place in The Adventures of Superman universe are done. Oh well, one can still ponder the possibilities of Garrity meeting the Man of Steel again.

I have neglected something in my recent reviews of season two. The flying sequences in the past few episodes, including this one, have been rather impressive, especially considering the fact the methods used had to be changed after George Reeves had fallen from wires while filming season one's "Ghost Wolf". Granted, sometimes the springboard is visible, and footage is flipped to give Superman a backwards S like Bizarro. This just gives the series an innocence and ingenuity that does not exist on television these days.

When one thinks of Jack Larson, normally the character of Jimmy Olsen comes to mind. Some don't realize that Jimmy helped hone Larson's talent for comedy. "Semi-Private Eye" proves that he can do slapstick in the same way "The Haunted Lighthouse" and "The Evil Three" showed that he could be perfect in suspense thrillers or horror. It's a pity Mister Larson didn't get to do much of both genres beyond The Adventures of Superman. At least the series allowed us to see his range of acting talent.

"Semi-Private Eye" may not be "Panic in the Sky". However, I found it to be great fun to watch. It's the perfect episode if you like comedy mixed in with the Man of Steel. Plus, it's a wonderful tribute to the hard-boiled detectives of film lore. Sam Spade would be very proud of it.

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