Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 6 - Episode 13: "All That Glitters"

Writers: Robert Leslie Bellem and Whitney Ellsworth

Director: George Reeves

Guest Cast:
Phil Tead as Professor J.J. Pepperwinkle
Len Hendry as Nick Mitchell
Jack Littlefield as Elbows Logan
Dick Elliott as Mister Goldby
Myrna Fahey as Miss Dunn
George Eldredge as John Salem
Paul Cavanagh as Delbert Carter

"All That Glitters"

Professor J.J. Pepperwinkle is at it again. This time he's created a machine that can transform any metal into gold. United States Secretary of the Treasury John Salem and International World Bank President Delbert Carter have done various tests to prove it's the genuine article. They are in Daily Planet editor Perry White's office discussing the matter with him, Pepperwinkle and reporters Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Clark Kent. Carter and Salem know that the professor's invention could topple the world's economy, trade and commerce. The two men ask Pepperwinkle to never make more gold. He promises to not use his new device ever again. Clark, Lois and Jimmy are also sworn to secrecy on the entire matter. However, J. Blabbermouth Olsen, as Perry has nicknamed him, has unwittingly spilled the beans. As he, Lois and Professor Pepperwinkle have lunch, Jimmy talks about the gold making apparatus. Gangsters Nick Mitchell and Elbows Logan are sitting in the diner booth behind them, and they have heard the entire conversation. Now, the criminals intend to force Professor Pepperwinkle to make gold for them. Should he refuse, he could pay the ultimate price with his life.

Elbows and Nick have given Professor Pepperwinkle an ultimatum. Make two million dollars in gold, or the gangsters will harm Lois and Jimmy. The scientist reluctantly agrees to do so. However, his machine can only make about ten pounds of the valuable mineral a day, which comes to five thousand six hundred dollars. Having paid Pepperwinkle ten thousand dollars for raw materials, Nick Mitchell and Elbows Logan leave the laboratory. Will the eccentric inventor give in to the criminals' demands? If so, will Superman be able to help him before it's too late?

Before leaving to cover a convention out of town, a worried Clark Kent, who'd rather keep an eye on Professor Pepperwinkle, gives a vague message from the absent minded scientist to Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. The professor tells them not to worry. He will take care of everything. This makes both Lois and Jimmy more curious. They decide to visit the eccentric inventor. Little do the intrepid reporters realize that they could walk into yet another dangerous situation should they encounter Nick Mitchell and Elbows Logan.

Professor Pepperwinkle has told Lois and Jimmy of Elbows and Nick's visit. He also knows that they overheard Jimmy talk about the gold machine. However, the good professor is not unprepared. His Automatic Crook Stopper is ready for use. Once Nick and Elbows arrive for the first batch of gold and stand on a certain spot, sandbags will hit them. This proves to be the undoing of Jimmy as one has struck him during the machine's initial test. He awakens shortly afterwards to find Lois and Professor Pepperwinkle making sure he is okay. Hopefully, the Automatic Crook Stopper will work as well on Nick and Elbows as it did on Jimmy.

Once Jimmy has recovered, Professor Pepperwinkle shows him and Lois another discovery. Having found some Kryptonite, Pepperwinkle had run some tests. The element consists of a positive and a negative aspect. Negative Kryptonite takes Superman's powers away, while the positive version gives him his superhuman abilities. Professor Pepperwinkle has made Positive Kryptonite tablets that give anyone that swallows them the unique talents of the Man of Steel. A laboratory mouse has proven to be incredibly strong with them by pulling Professor Pepperwinkle's safe. Now, Lois and Jimmy have taken the pills. They are flying through the city after crashing through Professor Pepperwinkle's wall. Being like Superman could prove to be too much for Lois and Jimmy if they lose control of their new gifts.

Having recognized the serial numbers on the money given to Professor Pepperwinkle, Lois and Jimmy have flown to the Fifth National Bank. President Mister Goldby and his secretary Miss Dunn tell them that ten thousand dollars was withdrawn yesterday by a notorious gangster. This leads the pair of super powered reporters to the Acme Warehouse, where X-ray vision reveals Nick Mitchell and Elbows Logan are about to leave to get their first batch of gold from Professor Pepperwinkle. Lois kicks in the door, and bullets bounce off Jimmy. A punch in the stomach then leaves Elbows and Nick incapacitated and ready for the police. This time, it looks like Superman was not needed to save the day.

Professor Pepperwinkle has set the sandbag trap in his Automatic Crook Stopper as Jimmy and Lois return to his laboratory. Once again, the cub reporter has been hit on the head. He awakens wondering why the professor did this if he and Lois captured the crooks thanks to the Positive Kryptonite pills. However, Jimmy is disappointed to learn that what he and Lois did was merely a dream. When the sack struck him earlier, it had knocked him out. Worse yet, Nick and Elbows have returned for their gold. Professor Pepperwinkle has not made it yet in the belief that his Automatic Crook Stopper would defeat the gangsters. Now, the eccentric scientist, Lois and Jimmy could be in grave peril if Superman doesn't arrive to save the day soon.

Nick and Elbows are angry. To make five thousand dollars in gold, ten thousand dollars in platinum is needed. Pepperwinkle is now tied up with Lois and Jimmy as the two criminals prepare dynamite to blow up the laboratory. Meanwhile, Clark Kent has returned to the Daily Planet offices saying he can get another flight for the convention he must cover tomorrow. The mild mannered reporter is going to need all the speed at his disposal as Superman if he is to rescue his friends from Nick Mitchell's vengeful trap.

Superman has arrived in time to hurl Nick's dynamite into Professor Pepperwinkle's gold machine, destroying it beyond repair. The Man of Steel unties Lois, leaving her to free the professor and an unconscious Jimmy. Nick and Elbows don't stand a chance, for Superman has captured them and brought them to justice. Afterwards, Professor Pepperwinkle, Lois and Jimmy recount to editor Perry White and Clark Kent their adventure. The absent minded inventor has even agreed to never make gold for twice what it is worth. With that, Perry orders Lois and Jimmy to write their articles for the Daily Planet's next edition, excluding the cub reporter's dream of having Superman's powers. Lois then tells Jimmy that nobody will be able to do the things that Superman does. The lad reluctantly agrees before speaking to Clark.

"Golly, Mister Kent," he says, "You'll never know how wonderful it is to be like Superman."

"No Jimmy, I guess I never will," Kent replies.

Rating - 3 (out of 5): Phil Tead played H. Seymour the storekeeper in the television series Lawman. He's also had various roles in The Lone Ranger and The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

Len Hendry can be spotted in multiple episodes of Rawhide and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Look for Jack Littlefield in such shows as The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Cisco Kid and Highway Patrol.

Dick Elliott is best known for the role of Mayor Pike in The Andy Griffith Show.

Myrna Fahey was Katherine "Kay" Banks in the Father of the Bride television series and Madeline Usher in Roger Corman's version of The Fall of the House of Usher starring Vincent Price.

George Eldredge portrayed Doctor Spaulding in The Adventures of Spin and Marty, which featured episodes written by Jackson Gillis, the man who penned some of the best shows in The Adventures of Superman.

Paul Cavanagh played Commissioner Morrison in Jungle Jim, Sidney Wallace in 1953's House of Wax and Martin Arlington in Tarzan and His Mate.

George Reeves made his acting debut in Gone with the Wind. The backlot on which that classic was filmed also served as the home for the first year of The Adventures of Superman. A seventh season had been proposed and was to be filmed with Reeves directing episodes and returning to the title role after his honeymoon with Leonore Lemmon. Unfortunately, neither the wedding nor the television shows ever happened as Reeves was shot to death on June 16, 1959. Officially, his demise was ruled as suicide. However, it is believed by many, including myself, that George Reeves was murdered.

John Hamilton is best known as the blustery editor Perry White in The Adventures of Superman. He can also be spotted as Hillman in the Captain America movie serial and Professor Gordon in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe. Hamilton died on October 15, 1958 of a heart attack. Pierre Watkin was to play Perry's brother in the proposed seventh season of the series.

After negotiations for the second season of The Adventures of Superman fell through, Phyllis Coates distanced herself from anything related to the Man of Steel doing motion pictures and movie serials. She returned to the Superman mythos to play Lois Lane's mother in the season one finale of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The role was played in later episodes by Beverly Garland.

Bill Kennedy has played various roles throughout the Golden Age of Television. He received three hundred and fifty dollars for his famous introduction to The Adventures of Superman. Yet, he never received any residuals for his work.

Robert Shayne's filmography consists of bit parts and supporting roles. His portrayal of Inspector Henderson has made him a beloved fan favorite, so much so that Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo gave him the cameo appearance as Reggie the visually impaired news vendor in The Flash television series. Shayne was legally blind at the time.

Having become disenchanted with the profession, Jack Larson took the advice of Montgomery Clift and quit acting in 1961. He would use this time to become an accomplished playwright and film producer. He would later come to appreciate the affection of fans of The Adventures of Superman and appear in The Adventures of Superboy, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Superman Returns.

After The Adventures of Superman ceased production, Noel Neill basically retired from the entertainment industry. In 1957, she and George Reeves would appear together in a county fair act in which she sang and he played an upright bass. Ms. Neill has appeared in Superman: The Movie, The Adventures of Superboy, Superman 50th Anniversary and Superman Returns. She is currently the First Lady of Metropolis, Illinois, and a statue of her as Lois Lane has been placed there in her honor.

Dick Elliott says that gangster Bugs Morgan withdrew the ten thousand dollars. Yet, Bugs Morgan is not even shown or otherwise mentioned in this episode.

When Lois and Jimmy fly back to Professor Pepperwinkle's laboratory, the film is flipped. The part in Jimmy's hair is on the right side. It's normally on the left.

This is a fairly decent story. Yet, it isn't one I would have chosen for a season finale. However, it should be taken into consideration that Whitney Ellsworth and company didn't even know the series was going to end. Still, much like the last episode of The Incredible Hulk with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, which also finished suddenly, something feels like it's missing. Perhaps there is the lack of closure. It's like our friends have left the party without giving us a proper goodbye.

"All That Glitters" feels like it tells two different stories. Now, the whole 'Professor Pepperwinkle making gold' part is an average but good tale. The thing that kind of messes with the audience is the fact that Jimmy and Lois having Superman's powers is merely a dream. I was, quite frankly, disappointed by that in spite of the half baked explanation for the Man of Steel's abilities. It could work in the television universe to some degree if the viewer is unfamiliar with the comic books. Yet, Lois and Jimmy being like Superman would have worked better as a separate episode.

Nick Mitchell and Elbows Logan are, sadly, pretty bland as far as bad guys in this series are concerned. Both Len Hendry and Jack Littlefield give fairly unconvincing, wooden performances as those characters. In fact, they seem rather bored with the job they're doing in "All That Glitters". Had they put their hearts into their acting, perhaps the villains would have worked better in this episode.

Okay, I admit it. I like the character of Professor Pepperwinkle. Had anyone besides Phil Tead played him, he would have possibly been an irritating, senile old coot. As Tead portrays him, Pepperwinkle is a laugh riot barrel of fun. I said before that I'd love to have seen him work together with Professor Lucerne to help Superman out of a situation. The seriousness of Lucerne combined with the eccentric behavior of Pepperwinkle could have made them the scientific Odd Couple for The Adventures of Superman.

Compared to "Superman's Wife" and other entries in this season, "All That Glitters" lacks some energy. Yet, it's still a fun half hour that can entertain the audience. Scene stealer Phil Tead is especially fun and will put a smile on your face. The Adventures of Superman television series has ended with a little more grace than its grandson Smallville did for me.

Season Rating - 4 (out of 5): This season is perhaps the best of the color years of the series. Year five was disappointing, and three and four are mediocre with some gems peppered in the mix. This final batch of episodes shows that The Adventures of Superman can still give the audience some incredible stories that will continue to entertain everyone for many years to come. It's a pity that the seventh season never came to be. It would have been great to see what George Reeves, Noel Neill, Jack Larson, Robert Shayne and the rest of the cast and crew of the show would have done with it. Oh well, at least the series went off the air on a bit of a high note.

Series Rating - 4 (out of 5): Like all television series, The Adventures of Superman has had its ups and downs, especially during the color years. Season five are mostly downs. Years one, two and six are mostly ups, and three and four are somewhere in the middle. Still, even the poorest of the show is better than the worst of Smallville, a series I'd probably give a two rating. The Adventures of Superman has one hundred and four 30-minute episodes that run the spectrum. It's got something for every taste. From film noir to science fiction, from comedy to comic book adventure, cast and crew provide the audience with a show that has become a true classic, and it will continue to be one for many years to come. If you want to have fun with some stories featuring the Man of Steel, watch The Adventures of Superman, that is, if you haven't already. If you have, take a look at it again. It's overall incredibly fun for every viewer.

DVD Rating - 3 (out of 5): Having the entire series on DVD is great. However, I do wish that Warner Brothers had put more care into certain things. Firstly, there wasn't much effort put into clean up or restoration of some episodes' films. Second, I would have liked more commentaries and special features. When one considers the history of the series, it certainly merits more than what was done. Don't get me wrong. The material included is great. It just feels like the DVDs were rushed out in an effort to merely promote Superman Returns. The color years, in spite of generally not being as good as the black and white ones, particularly display the flaws in video, and only a few extras are included. Still it's great to have all one hundred and four entries on DVD to watch over and over again. Seeing George Reeves flying on a large screen television is especially incredible to see. In spite of the problems I have with the content, these DVDs are great for any fan of The Adventures of Superman aged one to one thousand.

While this is, sadly, the final review in the 1950s The Adventures of Superman television series. It will not be my last review/article for the Superman Homepage. I have received requests to review The Adventures of Superpup and The Adventures of Superboy unaired pilots. Plus, I will look at "lost" episodes of The Adventures of Superman in the not too distant future. Yet, I also won't be doing articles in a weekly time frame as I have been doing since 2006 with The Adventures of Superman radio program and this series. I wish to embark on other creative efforts that I have put off for various reasons. I have every intention of remaining as a staff writer for the Superman Homepage by contributing perhaps on a monthly basis with classic comic reviews or whatever.

Anyway, I would be completely remiss if I did not thank those responsible for making all of this possible. First and foremost is my wife Laura for giving me the proverbial kick in the head that encouraged me to start writing for the Superman Homepage in 2006. Had she not done that, I wouldn't be where I am today. Secondly, Steve Younis deserves credit for giving me the chance to write about the Man of Steel. Last, but most certainly not least, I want to give a shout out to all those people who have read my reviews over the years. I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone, but bk9net, Reaganfan, jayeg and so many others have e-mailed and/or commented on TAOS episodes and Superman in general. All of your input has been invaluable for me. I cannot express my gratitude enough to all of you.

If you are a fan of The Adventures of Superman television series, please check out "The Adventures Continue" at JimNolt.com. It is a treasure trove for any TAOS lover of any age.

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