Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 4 - Episode 9: "Dagger Island"

Reviewed by: James Lantz

Original Broadcast Date: May 19, 1956

Writer: Robert Leslie Bellem

Director: Phil Ford

Guest Cast:
Dean Cromer as Mickey
Myron Healey as Paul
Ray Montgomery as Jeff
Raymond Hatton as Jonathan Skagg/James Craymore

"Dagger Island"

Taxi driver Mickey, college instructor Jeff and self-described playboy Paul have not seen their cousin, the late James Craymore, in nearly twenty years because he most likely did not approve of their lifestyles. Now, they are in the office of the estate's executor, Daily Planet editor Perry White, for the reading of Craymore's last will and testament. The fortune of one million dollars in perfect diamonds will be given to one of the four who can solve clues given to them by Clark Kent next week on Dagger Island in the Caribbean. The fourth member of the family, a hermit cousin named Jonathan Skagg, lives there, but he does not know where James Craymore hid the precious stones. Lois Lane, who has the enigmas for the contest in an envelope, and Clark will be umpires during the search. Jimmy Olsen will accompany them along with the Craymores to cover the story on Dagger Island. Little does this group of treasure hunters realize that they are in for an intense and possibly dangerous adventure.

As Lois is on the telephone with Clark, a mysterious individual has entered her office. He has placed a handkerchief with chloroform on her mouth and a cyanide gas bomb on her desk. Clark rushes to the rescue as Superman. The Man of Steel inhales the deadly vapors, saving Lois from certain death. However, after Superman leaves, Lois notices something. Someone has taken the envelope with the clues to the diamond hunt from her purse. Could one of the heirs to the Craymore fortune be responsible for the theft?

Lois tells Perry, Clark and Jimmy of the attempt on her life. Fortunately, the envelope in her purse contained nothing but blank paper. The real clues are in the office safe. This does not change one fact for the Planet staff. A murderer could be among them on their trip to Dagger Island. Even the powers of Superman may not help to discover the villain's identity before it's too late for everyone involved in this unusual mystery.

Our intrepid group has arrived on Dagger Island only to be greeted by a bullet fired from Jonathan Skagg's shotgun as they approach his hut. The hermit dislikes trespassers, but he is eventually pacified by Clark Kent. With Skagg calm, the hunt for James Craymore's diamonds can begin in the morning. However, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Clark cannot help but wonder if the person who attacked Lois will strike again. Superman will have to remain alert if he is to prevent further incidents form occurring.

Lois awakens to find that all of the camp's water, even what was in the barrels belonging to Skagg, is gone. Worse yet, the boat that brought everyone to Dagger Island will not be back for a week. If the Craymores and Daily Planet reporters are to survive, Superman will need to use all his powers and abilities to find a stream or other source of water. Otherwise, everyone on Dagger Island will be doomed to death by dehydration.

Skagg reveals that sometimes rain water gets stuck between the walls of an old Spanish fort across the island. This information allows Superman to dig a new spring from there to a point one hundred yards away without anyone seeing him. Now, that the camp has water once again, the treasure hunt's clues can soon be given. Unfortunately, nobody knows who attacked Lois and emptied the kegs. Whoever is responsible could even try to kill to get the Craymore diamonds. Superman will need to discover the culprit's identity before lives are lost on Dagger Island.

The clues, written in rhyming verse, and information Jimmy had read about lead the group to an albino white palm tree that Jimmy refers to as a "Captain's Palm". However, the third and final enigma tells the Craymores to choose where to find the diamonds. Jimmy sheepishly admits to Lois and Clark that he made up the Captain's Palm story, but he was shocked to see that everything seems true. Mickey has a small bag in his hand. His shouts of victory make everybody believe that he has found James Craymore's diamonds. However, his refusal to show them and give Jimmy an interview makes the rest of the group, especially Jonathan Skagg, suspicious. Could there be something foul afoot in Mickey's discovery of the treasure?

Jeff knocks out Mickey and chases Jimmy into the Spanish fort's ruins believing that his cousin gave him the diamonds. Mickey, in fact, never had them. He merely pretended to find them to eliminate the competition. Unfortunately, this doesn't change the fact that Jimmy is in grave danger. If Superman doesn't find him soon, the cub reporter could meet his doom on Dagger Island.

While hidden, Superman uses his X-ray vision to burn a rock in Jeff's hands. The greedy Craymore cousin ceases attacking Jimmy. Later, everyone continues the search for the diamonds until Paul reveals that he believes that they are in a lone coconut at the top of the Captain's Palm. His hunch proves to be true once Skagg shoots it out of the tree. Paul Craymore is a millionaire, and the treasure hunt has ended. Much to everyone's surprise, the adventure is far from over. Very soon, important secrets will be revealed.

Paul feels that the inheritance is too much money for him and wishes to share it with the other cousins. Skagg is unmasked as James Craymore by Clark Kent. He created the contest to see which of his heirs is worthy of his fortune. Clark also knows who attacked Lois and Jimmy during this adventure. The guilty party should have blisters on his hands from the heated rock. Desperate, Jeff shoots at Clark. The bullets have no effect on him. To protect his secret, Clark says that he replaced Jeff's real bullets with blanks. With Paul and Mickey sharing the diamonds, and Jeff Craymore going to prison. Jimmy realizes one thing.

"You know what's really amazing? We actually got through this whole thing without any help from Superman," he comments. If the cub reporter only knew the truth.

4Rating - 4 (out of 5): Ray Montgomery and Dean Cromer will both be back in this season's finale "The Jolly Roger". Myron Healey is listed in credit only as Captain Mud for that episode.

Myron Healey was Gunner Flinch in season three's "The Bully of Dry Gulch".

Raymond Hatton will be back in season five for "The Prince Albert Coat".

Jonathan Skagg was originally to have a black patch over one eye.

Like "Jimmy The Kid," this is one of the entries that stands out in what has been a rather mediocre season so far. The story, acting and visual effects are superb, but it does not quite merit a perfect score.

Did you notice Superman worked in secret this time around? That aspect, along with much of the entire final product, reminded me of the early serials in The Adventures of Superman radio program. In many of those, Clark would do good as Superman then quickly return to his civilian guise without anyone being the wiser. This gives an element of nostalgic fun that really helped me enjoy "Dagger Island" more.

Three Daily Planet reporters and four heirs to the Craymore fortune - that head count puts seven people on Dagger Island. Now, here's where things get slightly senseless. Jeff uses a bandana for a mask to hide the bottom half of his face when he attacks Mickey and Jimmy. He also makes no effort to disguise his voice or change his clothes. I'm guessing the folks behind the scenes were attempting to add a little extra mystery to the episode. The only thing they succeeded in for this part of "Dagger Island" was creating a plot hole.

Despite that problem, "Dagger Island" shines among the extremely average entries of the season. It isn't quite a five, but it's the closest we've gotten to one at this point in season four. If you're looking for something that will remind you of the first fifty-two episodes in the series, watch this one. You won't be disappointed.



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