Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 5 - Episode 8: "Close Shave"

Original Broadcast Date: April 26, 1957

Writers: Benjamin B. Crocker (Teleplay) and Steven Post (Story)

Director: Harry Gerstad

Guest Cast:
Richard Benedict as Tony Gambini
Rick Vallin as Rick Sable
Don Diamond as Harry Fix
Harry Fleer as Lefty Hook
Jack Littlefield as Mickey Bragg
John Ferry as Trigger Nelson

"Close Shave"

Tony Gambini opened his barber shop in Metropolis last week. As Daily Planet cub reporter Jimmy Olsen is about to sit in Tony's chair for a haircut, notorious gangster Rick Sable cuts in front of him for a shave. Tony realizes that he and Rick grew up together as Jimmy listens and waits. He gets a tip that Sable intends to rob the Acme Jewelry Company at noon. Running to a nearby diner, Jimmy calls Clark Kent in hopes of getting Superman on the case. Kent thinks nothing of what Jimmy heard, but he promises that Superman will be on the alert. Jimmy then returns to Tony's to witness a strange incident. Rick Sable, after being persuaded by Gambini, is calling the police to confess to the crime he is about to commit. However, thinking it's all a practical joke, Tony stops him before he can continue. Jimmy later recounts the odd event to Clark. He finds it unusual and cannot help but wonder what brought one of Metropolis' biggest mobsters to do such a thing. There is also the matter of the heist. Will Rick Sable and his henchmen pull off the job, or has Tony Gambini convinced his childhood friend to do the right thing?

Knowing Lois Lane was going there to pick up her wrist watch, Superman has gone to the Acme Jewelry Company in time to stop Harry Fix and Lefty Hook, members of Rick Sable's gang. He burns Harry's gun with his X-ray vision as it is pointed at Lois. The star reporter doesn't take kindly to being used as insurance by gangsters. She, thereby, proves that her purse is as powerful as Superman's punch, knocking out both Lefty and Harry. With the situation under control, Superman asks Lois to untie the jeweler before he flies away. Jimmy runs into Clark Kent's office to tell him of Lois' adventure. However, both reporters are curious to know what could make Rick Sable tip off the police earlier today. Clark and Jimmy may not like the answers to their questions about this off-beat mystery.

Jimmy has gone to Tony's barber shop to investigate further about Rick Sable. Hiding in the back room, he overhears Rick tell Tony that he doesn't even remember calling the police. Sable is convinced he "ratted out" his own men. Gambini tells the gangster that he needs a rest. A bewildered Sable then leaves, allowing Jimmy to discuss things freely with Tony. Not much is said about his conversations with Sable, but Tony convinces Jimmy to believe in himself and stand up to Perry White. Recently, the editor fell and hit his head in the bathtub. This resulted in Jimmy being assigned to write a home safety article, an idea the cub reporter had told the chief some time before his accident. Tony Gambini's powers of persuasion have struck again. Yet they could get him and young Jimmy into a situation that could require Superman's help very soon.

Perry has given the Rick Sable story to Jimmy against his better judgment. Having talked Tony Gambini into going with him, the cub reporter is going to the gang lord's home. Lois Lane has also managed to sneak into the car and later surprise Tony and Jimmy. She wants to see if the persuasive barber can make Sable give up a life of crime. However, she may not get the chance to do so. Sable's men have captured her, Tony and Jimmy. How will Tony Gambini convince his boyhood pal to go straight if he's a hostage of his gang? Can Superman rescue Gambini and his friends before Rick Sable may be forced eliminate them?

As Clark Kent searches for Lois and Jimmy as Superman, Tony has lulled Mickey Bragg and Trigger Nelson to sleep when Rick Sable arrives. He wants Tony to say that he's the best gangster in the city, but the barber only sees an honest man. This convinces Rick to turn over everything from his criminal empire to Tony. The most notorious racketeer in Metropolis plans to give up the mob life even if it means prison time to pay his debt to society. This decision does not sit well with recently awakened Mickey. He has taken a bomb from the basement and activated its timer. With the seconds ticking away, Superman may not be able to prevent the explosive from harming Tony, Rick, Lois, Jimmy and anyone else that gets caught in its destructive wake.

Mickey and Trigger run away before Superman arrives in the nick of time to absorb the brunt of the bomb's explosion. Rick wants to shake the Man of Steel's hand, but he figures that he is unworthy of that honor. In truth, Superman's hands were white hot and needed to cool in water before anyone could be touched. Sable has just asked to be sent to prison for his crimes and urges his henchman to do the same. Superman, however, feels Jimmy should be the one to do as Rick wants. The cub reporter does so, and Tony offers to let Rick, Trigger and Mickey go into business with him when they have served their sentences. With each reformed villain having an honest career to look forward to, Superman is content that the power of friendship has proven to be stronger than even he is.

Rating - 3 (out of 5): Richard Benedict played Baby Face Stevens in "Night of Terror" and Cappy Leonard in "Semi-Private Eye". This marks his final episode of the series. It is also the first time he hasn't played a gangster in it.

Rick Vallin will be back in season six for "Three in One".

Don Diamond is perhaps best known for his role of Crazy Cat in F-Troop.

Harry Fleer can be spotted in The Unearthly, The Green Hornet television series and Quantum Leap among other films and TV shows.

Jack Littlefield will return in season six's "Divide And Conquer"

John Ferry is in the closing credits for "Close Shave" and in the episode guide in Michael J. Hayde's Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman. However, he is not listed in the Internet Movie Database for his role in this entry. The only John Ferry on that site credited to acting was only in an episode of Peter Gunn.

Steven Post is a pen name used by producer Whitney Ellsworth for the story of this episode.

"Close Shave" has the potential to be as good as last week's entry. The characters are well done and believable. It seriously could have been a great crime adventure featuring the Man of Steel. However, the story lags a bit in certain scenes, and there are times when it feels like one of those after school specials or a short film on the disadvantage of a life of crime that one could probably see on Mystery Science Theater 3000. As a result, we are given a tale that really goes in every direction without being exactly sure where the writers wanted to take the audience.

While he does stop a jewel robbery and a bomb explosion, it feels like Superman is playing second fiddle in a Jimmy Olsen story. Plus, George Reeves, while delivering a decent performance, doesn't seem to be in usual top form. It feels like Ellsworth and company seemed to be attempting to launch the proposed Jimmy Olsen television series with this episode. It maybe could have worked nicely had the second half of the thirty minutes not fallen flat on its face.

The power of positive thinking, is that what we're led to believe about Tony Gambini's abilities of persuasion? It felt like the Ellsworth and Crocker wanted to go in another direction at certain points such as using hypnosis or some other ability for Tony as Rick doesn't even recall calling the police. What we are left with in the final product, unfortunately, ends up being a giant Kryptonian red herring that leaves the viewer extremely disappointed.

For all its negatives, there are some elements in "Close Shave" that are equally positive. This is especially true of this episode's characters. Tony Gambini is one that I particularly think should have been in other episodes. I do wish more had been done with his powers of persuasion, but this barber is a likable fellow that could have been allowed develop more.

Rick Sable was a pretty decent bad guy of sorts for "Close Shave," and it would have been nice to see his story continue along with Tony Gambini's. However, further background information would have also been better. For example, what made Sable one of the most notorious crime bosses in Metropolis? Scenes featuring more character development might have made some parts of the episode less sluggish.

In spite of the uneven pacing, very little character development and a story that is, while decent, going in several directions at once to the point of making the audience uncertain of the writers' intentions, "Close Shave" is better than anticipated. It's not as good as the previous outing, but it has moments that can help all the fans out there enjoy it somewhat more than other color episodes in The Adventures of Superman.

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