Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 2 - Episode 20: "Beware The Wrecker"

Original Broadcast Date: January 25, 1954

Writer: Royal Cole

Director: George Blair

Guest Cast:
William Forrest as Mister Crane, the Director of the Steamship Line
Pierre Watkin as Mister Morgan, the Director of the Airline
Tom Powers as Mister Kilgore, the Director of the Railroad
Denver Pyle as Emil Hatch
Renny McEvoy as the Carnival Barker

"Beware The Wrecker"

An airplane, a steamship and a train have exploded without warning. A villain calling himself "The Wrecker" has taken credit for the sabotage, and he's demanding to be paid one hundred thousand dollars every time he commits an act of terrorism. Daily Planet editor Perry White is the only person with whom the Wrecker has had regular contact. Unfortunately, the villain's voice is disguised, and the calls cannot be traced. The Wrecker is apparently using a portable device connected to an existing telephone line. The only clue is the sound of a repeated thump followed by a bell kind of like a blacksmith's anvil. The directors of each transportation company involved - Misters Crane, Morgan and Kilgore - are currently meeting with Mister White, Metropolis Police Inspector Bill Henderson and reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane when the Wrecker makes his demands known to Mister Crane. As Clark listens to the conversation on the extension, it is revealed that one of Crane's boats, the S.S Rector, leaves Pier 19 at 2:00 PM. If Crane does not pay one hundred grand, the vessel shall be destroyed at 1:45 PM.

Crane has refused to give in to the Wrecker's threats. Henderson has promised Crane that there will be a constant police presence on the dock. In addition to that, the Planet will print a notice in the early morning edition asking for Superman's assistance. But can the Man of Steel and the Metropolis Police Department stop a villain whose identity and motives remain concealed in the shadows of darkness?

Cub reporter Jimmy Olsen has irritated Perry with his theories about the Wrecker. As an angry Perry orders Jimmy to leave to, among other things, cover the pier story with Lois and Clark, Lois realizes that the meeting between Perry, Henderson and the three transportation heads was held in the strictest confidence. This could possibly mean one of two things. Somebody told the Wrecker about the gathering, or either Crane, Morgan or Kilgore may very well be the Wrecker.

Lois, Clark and Jimmy have arrived at the pier. There isn't much time before the 1:45 PM deadline. Clark has left the group to change into Superman. His superhuman ears pick up the sound of a small motor buzzing. It is coming from a toy airplane loaded with explosives. The Man of Tomorrow catches it before it can reach the Rector. Superman has stopped the Wrecker's latest crime, but the terrorist realizes one thing that he tells Henderson before he takes the deadly plaything to the crime lab. Superman cannot be in two places at once. This leads to another ransom demand. If one hundred thousand dollars in small bills isn't left in an unmarked package on a tree stump fifty feet east of the bridal path north of the lake in the Metropolis City Park at 8:00 PM, the Wrecker will destroy a dozen targets simultaneously. Even Superman might not be able to stop the evil Wrecker's reign of destruction now.

The Metropolis City Park is swarming with police guards. Lois, Jimmy and Clark are with Inspector Henderson to get the exclusive story on the Wrecker's capture. Unfortunately, everyone misses a hand reaching for the parcel. It is later discover that the stump where the money was placed was hollow and lined with lead. The water main tunnels under it can lead a person anywhere in Metropolis. However, all that was inside the package was scraps of paper. The Wrecker may not be in police custody, but at least he won't get a penny from the city. Superman may yet stop this terrorist before he strikes again.

Without any further clues to go on, Clark has decided to take Lois and Jimmy to the carnival, where he tests his strength. A large hammer hits with a thump following the ring of a bell that has been broken by Clark. These noises were heard in the calls to Perry White. This leads the trio to realize that the Wrecker's headquarters are nearby. Lois and Jimmy search one side as Clark looks in another direction. Neither of the reporters can hope to realize what mysteries or dangers lie ahead of them.

Lois and Jimmy have discovered a house near the carnival grounds. A line for a portable telephone has been attached to pole close to it. Lois and Jimmy see a man arrive. They hide and eventually follow him inside. His name is Emil Hatch, and evidence like toy airplanes suggests that he is the Wrecker. Lois and Jimmy have him cornered. However, Hatch has just received a call. Jimmy disguises his voice to answer it. The voice on the other end says that he'll be there soon to pick up the package Hatch had taken from the park. Soon, Lois and Jimmy may meet the mastermind behind the Wrecker and possibly get caught in his deadly trap.

After tying up Emil Hatch, Lois and Jimmy tell Clark of what they have discovered. Their celebration is short lived, for when Lois and Jimmy return to the house with Clark, they find that Hatch is dead. This leads Clark to ask one question.

"If this man was the Wrecker, then who killed him?"

It has been learned that Emil Hatch was a former government explosive and aerodynamics expert with a prison record. Nearly everyone is convinced that he is the Wrecker until Superman promises to produce the real deal if Inspector Henderson brings Misters Crane, Morgan and Kilgore to Perry White's office. He does so before the Metropolis Marvel arrives. Superman then tells everyone that Henderson has brought the Wrecker with him. The three transportation directors find Superman's accusations absurd until he continues to speak. Someone had promised Emil Hatch power and freedom in exchange for the radio controlled toy airplane bombs. However, Hatch made the mistake of getting caught and had to be killed to protect somebody's identity. Superman intends to reveal who the Wrecker is. Will he choose the correct person, or will an innocent man go to prison?

There is the familiar buzzing of an explosive toy airplane in Perry's office. Mister Crane tries to escape with no success. The flying model was actually harmless in this case, but only the Wrecker would know the dangers it would have posed. This is why the steamship line's director ran away. He is really the Wrecker, and the crimes were committed for insurance money. The Wrecker had attacked Morgan and Kilgore's transportation companies to avoid suspicion. Any money made in extortion was added windfall. Now, the Wrecker's reign of terror is over thanks to Superman and Jimmy Olsen, who was operating a radio control device for the miniature plane found in Hatch's hideout. Now, all Perry needs to know is the whereabouts of Clark Kent.

"Oh, I think he's around somewhere, sir," Superman says.

Rating - 5 (out of 5): From the overlooked facts department:

"Perry White's Scoop" was adapted from the story "The Deep-Sea Diver Mystery" that appeared in Batman #83, cover dated April, 1954. Now, back to our regularly scheduled review.

William Forrest played Florenz "Flo" Ziegfeld in three different films - I'll See You in My Dreams, The Story of Will Rogers and The Eddie Cantor Story. He also portrayed Major Swanson in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.

Pierre Watkin makes his return to the Superman universe. He was Perry White in the movie serials starring Kirk Alyn, and "Beware The Wrecker" is his second of four episodes in The Adventures of Superman. He'll be back in season four's finale "The Jolly Roger".

While this was Tom Powers' only episode, his impressive filmography includes the roles of Metellus Cimber in 1953's Julius Caesar and murder victim Mister Dietrichson in Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity.

Denver Pyle never appeared in another episode of The Adventures of Superman after "Beware The Wrecker". He would later become best known for the roles of Briscoe Darling in The Andy Griffith Show, Buck Webb in The Doris Day Show, Mad Jack in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams and Uncle Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. The Dukes also featured John Schneider, who played Jonathan Kent on Smallville.

While Renny McEvoy never played a character more than once, he has been in various episodes of Dragnet and Letter to Loretta. This was his only time as a guest star on The Adventures of Superman.

The sign on the docks shows the sailing times for the S.S Rector and the S.S. Beauchamp. The S.S. Beauchamp was named after associate producer/production manager Clem Beauchamp.

It's quite possible that the toy airplane bombs in "Beware The Wrecker" would later inspire a similar type of weapon used against Bruno Manheim in the episode "Fun and Games" from Superman: The Animated Series.

This is possibly mistakenly considered a blooper by Michael J. Hayde in his book Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman. Policemen, Henderson, Jimmy Lois and Clark all have their eyes on the bulky package left on the city park tree stump. Yet, nobody notices it disappearing through a secret door. It's gone when they go to get it. However, the hollow wood is lined with lead inside. Plus, it's sufficient for Clark to blink and miss the hand. This scene could also depend on how good the others' vision was on a dark night in the park.

The original ending was scripted differently with Superman saying, "Take it easy, Mister White. For a moment, I thought you were shouting at me" at the episode's conclusion. The dialogue change is a mystery, but I feel the original lines would have worked better than what was said on film.

I'm not sure of what I was expecting from this episode, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. It's a fantastic blend of some of the best elements from the radio shows, comic books and the first season of this series. The cast and crew all did superbly with "Beware The Wrecker".

Let's talk about the Wrecker. Here we have a villain that feels like a combination of the radio program's Yellow Mask and the Wolfe and any bad guy used in season one and the comics, particularly the Toyman. This helped make "Beware The Wrecker" a great entry in The Adventures of Superman series. It's a pity enemies in future shows weren't this well done. Nemesis like the Wrecker really could have raised the quality of even the worst episodes in the color seasons.

In spite of the odd change in George Reeves' closing dialogue, "Beware The Wrecker" is yet another great part of season two's run. The acting, story and visual effects are among the many things that make this a top-notch episode. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastic, classic story in one of the best series to ever grace the television screen.

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