Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 2 - Episode 15: "My Friend Superman"

Reviewed by: James Lantz

Original Broadcast Date: December 21, 1953

Writer: David Chantler

Director: Thomas Carr

Guest Cast:
Tito Vuolo as Tony
Yvette Duguay as Elaine
Paul Burke as Ace
Terry Frost as Spud
Joseph Vitale as Cap
Ralph Sanford as George
Ruta Lee as Claire
Eddie Ryder as Ted

"My Friend Superman"

Various shopkeepers in Metropolis have fallen victim to the protection racket of Cap, Ace and Spud. Tony and his daughter Elaine, who run the diner near the newspaper offices of the Daily Planet, are among those forced to pay money to the gangsters. Thinking it will keep him from harm, Tony has been telling all his customers, including Ace and Spud, that he is friends with Superman. To prove this, he shows off a rifle that has a bent barrel. However, nobody truly believes Tony's tall tales, and they may very well get him into trouble.

With Superman's great speed, reporter Clark Kent has typed an article on the recent protection rackets for the Daily Planet. On his way to give it to editor Perry White, he sees Lois Lane packed and preparing to leave for a trip. All she's told the chief is that she's gotten a hot lead on the exposé on the gangsters plaguing the city. This worries Clark greatly, making him wonder if Lois will possibly need the help of Superman.

As Jimmy Olsen and Clark are having lunch at his diner, Tony continues to entertain customers with his stories about Superman. Ace and Spud overhear him and nearly believe the Italian cook. They then do something unusual. They pay for their meals. Later, after their boss Cap sees the latest edition of the Planet, Spud has a plan. With Lois Lane away in an unknown location, a message can be given to Superman through Tony that the star reporter is in danger. When the Man of Steel is out of town, Ace and Spud will take fifty affidavits signed by shopkeepers in the city from the Daily Planet Building that incriminate the gang. Should those documents get into Cap's hands, he will be free to extort money from the honest businesses in Metropolis.

Spud and Ace have made it so Tony overhears them talking about a Mister X kidnapping Lois in Watsonville at 6:00 PM tonight. Desperate, Tony tells Clark that the Metropolis Marvel is needed. While waiting for a glass of milk, Clark straightens the barrel of the rifle displayed in the cafe. Tony sees this as a sign that Superman got his message. All the short order cook must do is keep his eyes and ears opened for further developments in the situation.

It is now 5:00 PM. Cap has gone with Ace and Spud to the diner to make sure Tony has gotten in touch with Superman. Tony, in the meantime, has hidden a tape recorder in the kitchen to get the gangsters' conversation for Superman. Unfortunately, some teenagers have decided to play the nearby jukebox. The music makes it impossible to hear what the racketeers are saying. Superman may not be able to stop Cap's devious plans.

The clock is ticking as Clark and Perry wait for any word about Lois' whereabouts. Meanwhile, Tony has played the tape of Cap's gang's conversation for Jimmy. The jukebox music drowns out the voices in the middle of the recording. Unless Superman can learn something soon, there may be no way to discover the truth and stop Cap's protection racket for good.

Jimmy has just called Clark, who has heard the wire recording thanks to his super hearing. Now, Superman is flying to the diner to confront Cap's gang as Lois returns. She had gone to the cafe thinking she would find Clark or Jimmy. Cap, Ace and Spud suddenly realize that their plan might fail. They get a confirmation of this when Superman arrives. The Man of Steel does not have to do much once he stops the racketeers from escaping. He only bends the rifle barrel again while Tony, Elaine and a regular customer named George throw dishes and food at the criminals. With Cap and his henchmen now on their way to prison, honest shopkeepers in Metropolis have nothing to fear thanks to Superman and his friend Tony.

Jimmy clearly wants to know how Superman learned of Cap's plans. The Man of Tomorrow tells him to ask Tony. The Italian short order cook is taken aback and says that he and Superman must have secrets that only the two of them must know.

"Well, I be darned! He really does know Superman!" George exclaims.

4Rating - 4 (out of 5): Tito Vuolo was at his best when he was not restricted to Italian stereotypes. His most well known role is the taxi driver Tony Vetto in the 1951 film The Enforcer.

Yvette Duguay played Amara as a girl in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. This is her only episode in The Adventures of Superman as she stopped acting in 1960.

Paul Burke will return for two more episodes in The Adventures of Superman, but he is perhaps best known for his roles of Neal McVane in Dynasty and Detective Adam Flint in Naked City.

In addition to acting, Terry Frost owned and operated Terry Gene's, a coffee shop on Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles during World War II. He's no stranger to comic book characters as he appeared in the Captain America, Batman and Atom Man Versus Superman movie serials. He'll meet the Man of Steel for a third time in "The Town That Wasn't".

Joseph Vitale's roles include Sir Logris in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and Wampum in Fancy Pants. He'll return later in season two for "The Whistling Bird".

Ralph Sanford's vast filmography includes the part of Charlie Sargent in Thunderhead - Son of Flicka and Mendoza in The Glass Menagerie. He's had roles in such films and television shows as Beginning of the End and I Love Lucy. Look for him in season three's "Flight to the North".

Ruta Lee is credited under the name Rita Kilmonis in "My Friend Superman", which is her only appearance in the series. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 10, 2006 in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where she once worked as an usher and candy girl. She also loves when Twilight Zone fans mention her part in "A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain". Ms. Lee is perhaps best known as the hostess who worked with Alex Trebeck in the game show High Rollers.

Like Ruta Lee, Eddie Ryder made his only appearance in The Adventures of Superman with this episode. He was also in The Twilight Zone as Joseph J. Callahan in "Mr. Dingle, the Strong".

What we have here is a delightful, funny and heart-warming entry, but it is not without its flaws. The scenes with Lois could have easily been re-written. She feels like an afterthought in the filmed version of "My Friend Superman". One can't help but think that David Chantler or Whitney Ellsworth said, "Oops, we forgot about Lois". Now, a note to Perry tells Clark and the audience that Lois was chasing a lead for the protection racket story, but she merely walks into Tony's diner to look for Jimmy and Clark. Perhaps, I'm being way too picky. It just looks like Lois came back empty handed. Noel Neill's part in this episode seems like a walk-on role, and her character isn't given the respect and potential it should have.

It would have been nice to see Cap and his gang do a little more. What I mean is that there should have been a brief montage showing that they were actually extorting money from shopkeepers. Most of their scenes take place in Tony's Diner. This kind of thing works fine in Seinfeld, but the bad guys in The Adventures of Superman need to let their actions accompany their dialogue. As the racketeers were, I felt like I was watching The Hungriest Criminals in Metropolis. Again, maybe I'm too fussy this time around.

I did like the characters of Tony and his daughter Elaine. It's a pity more hadn't been done to make them semi-regulars in the series. Yvette Duguay does particularly splendidly in her scenes with Jack Larson. It would have been nice to see her as Jimmy's love interest from time to time.

Overall, "My Friend Superman" is far from perfect. However, it is certainly a humorous romp that can entertain and put a smile on your face on a rainy, dreary day. Watch this episode if your feeling down. It's sure to pick up your spirits.



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