Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 5 - Episode 11: "The Stolen Elephant"

Original Broadcast Date: May 17, 1957

Writer: David Chantler

Director: Harry Gerstad

Guest Cast:
Thomas E. Jackson as Mister Haley
Eve McVeagh as Mrs. Wilson
Gregory Moffett as Johnny Wilson
I. Stanford Jolley as Spike
Gregg Martell as Busher

"The Stolen Elephant"

The Daily Planet is holding their annual picnic for underprivileged children this week. Reporters Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are going to the Haley Circus to make arrangements for entertainment with owner Mister Haley. Unfortunately, Suzy, the baby elephant that was to perform, has been stolen. The thieves will contact Mister Haley later, and the police are not to be involved. Superman himself has even promised that Suzy will do her act for the needy kids of Metropolis. In order for the Metropolis Marvel to keep his word, he will have to work faster than usual to get her back. Otherwise, poor Suzy could be in grave danger before she can make a young audience smile.

Lois, Clark and Jimmy have had no luck in finding Suzy. Elephant nappers Busher and Spike have taken her to what they believe is a secluded abandoned barn in Willowbrook. What they don't know is that Mrs. Wilson and her young son Johnny have recently purchased the farm house and land on which the structure is located. They try their best to be happy with what little they have in their new home. Much to Johnny's surprise, he hears the trumpeting noise of Suzy. The lad now believes that the pachyderm is a present for his birthday. Little do he and his mother realize that they will remember this year's celebration for the rest of their lives as a most amazing adventure is about to begin for them.

Mister Haley has given Clark some terrible news. The thieves that took Suzy want ten thousand dollars in cash. They will give Haley further information later. In the meantime, Spike and Busher know that the farm is no longer deserted. While Busher has a plan to keep Superman occupied, he will need another one to get Suzy off the Wilsons' property without anyone seeing him and his partner in crime. Will Johnny be able to part with his new four-legged friend, or will Busher and Spike take drastic measures to get the elephant to go with them to parts unknown?

Busher and Spike have been caught by Johnny as they attempt to leave with Suzy. Busher unsuccessfully tries to buy the animal from the boy before showing a card claiming it to be an elephant registration with the serial number J24Y97. Johnny is depressed over his pet going away. Yet, he is also suspicious of the pair of criminals. Seeing the latest edition of the Daily Planet, Johnny now knows what really happened to Suzy. He calls Clark Kent in hopes of helping to get the stolen pachyderm back to the circus. With the youth's help, perhaps Superman can find Suzy before any harm comes to her.

As Johnny and his mother head for the Haley Circus after talking with Superman, a toy rocket has arrived. Jimmy Olsen delivers it to Mister Haley. It has further instructions for Suzy's ransom with it. The money is to be placed inside it at 10:30, and the missile is to be launched five minutes later. Believing the crooks won't give back Suzy, the projectile is prepared without the funds. Superman follows the flying model not realizing that it is merely a decoy. The ship has actually landed three hundred miles from Busher, Spike and Suzy's location. The pair of thieves leave to get their cash, leaving the elephant alone in their hideout. Superman may have been duped. However, the Man of Steel will not give up until Suzy is entertaining children at the picnic.

Spike and Busher are in the manager's tent at Haley's Circus. They have bound and gagged Mister Haley, Lois, Jimmy and Johnny as they steal the ten thousand dollars in ransom money. Before making their getaway, Busher and Spike give Haley Suzy's location Fortunately, Superman later returns to free his friends. He then asks Johnny to repeat the elephant registration number before everyone goes to rescue Suzy. Could Superman have a clue on how to find Spike and Busher, or will he come up against another dead end in his investigation?

Superman finds Busher and Spike. The elephant registration number turned out to be that of Busher's automobile. That was how the Man of Tomorrow found the elephant nappers. Now, by the time Spike and Busher are free from prison, the recently rescued Suzy will be a full grown adult. Plus, Johnny Wilson has a lifetime pass to Haley's circus to visit Suzy and see shows during summer vacation no matter what city the animals and performers are in. Johnny sure has had a birthday he will never forget thanks to Suzy and Superman.

Rating - 2 (out of 5): Thomas E. Jackson is a familiar face in cult films, playing George Haskell in Roger Corman's It Conquered the World and the uranium prospector in 1958's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.

Eve McVeagh has guest starred as various characters in Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone and The Incredible Hulk.

Gregory Moffett portrayed Johnny in 1953's Robot Monster.

I. Stanford Jolley was the plastic surgeon in season two's classic "The Face and The Voice". He also played Doctor Blackton in the 1946 movie serial The Crimson Ghost, Carmody, coachman in The Haunted Palace and a dispatcher in Night of the Lepus.

Gregg Martell was the Neanderthal in Dinosaurus and a policeman in Return of the Fly.

Spike says, "Ten thousand grand right at our doorstep" at one point in the episode. While it is listed as a blooper in Michael J. Hayde's Flights of Fantasy, it could also be taken as an intentional error to show that criminals in the show aren't well educated.

The Haley Circus is not to be confused with the one of the same name in which Dick Grayson and his parents performed as acrobats in the Batman comics universe.

I never thought I'd say this, but the elephant saved this episode from being a one. There are some tremendous visual effects as well. One of George Reeves' take-offs as Superman is particularly spectacular to see. These things, while positive, cannot save "The Stolen Elephant" from being a complete mess of sloppy storytelling.

Gregory Moffett might be a fine actor in other projects, but he failed to impress me as Johnny Wilson. Firstly, he looks like a middle-aged midget instead of a boy. Secondly, his performance lacks emotion and is downright dreadful. I still cannot comprehend why he was chosen to play the part. He just didn't work in the role. Moffett seems more cut out for The Terror of Tiny Town.

Speaking of poor acting, let's look at Eve McVeagh in the role of mom for a moment. She seems overly medicated, ignorant and submissive to Johnny's every whim. In addition to that she lies to her child. Granted, she does it so Johnny can have a Happy Birthday, but she deceives him just the same so he can have what he wants, which leads one to believe that Johnny has been spoiled. Mrs. Wilson is, quite frankly, a disposable character because of Ms. McVeagh's portrayal and the lack of development in the final product.

One question kept popping into my head as I watched "The Stolen Elephant". Why the blazes did Busher and Spike steal Suzy? Was it for money? If it was, there other, less ridiculous ways to get it. Robbing banks or other establishments has been done in previous episodes, but perhaps that's why elephant napping was chosen in the first place, to end the repetition. Still, it would have been nice for the crooks to reveal their motives for their crime this time around.

For all its problems, there are some things to like about "The Stolen Elephant". I already mentioned the pachyderm protagonist and the visual effects to some degree, but there is also the fact that Busher and Spike try to create a diversion for Superman with a radio controlled rocket. Sure, our hero eventually discovers it's a decoy, but at least the villains try to distract him, which is more than I can say for other bad guys in this season so far.

Even with its good aspects, "The Stolen Elephant" still shows that the quality of The Adventures of Superman really takes a downward spiral with season five. With bad acting and a poorly written story, this episode is just one example that makes me miss the classic stories from the first two years of the series. Watch it if you want, but even the main cast doesn't put their all into their work. This is just one of the many things that bogs down a half hour that could have truly been entertaining.

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