TAC, Jr. #19
From the publisher of The Adventures Continue

April 9, 1998 -- Finally, it's spring!

Lois: Clark, do you know this is springtime? Does spring mean anything to
you?
Clark: Well . . . baseball?
Lois: I thought so! (More calmly) Do you think spring means anything to
Superman?
Clark: I doubt if Superman has any time for baseball right now.

1) DISAPPEARING JIM [Note: This item is no longer relevant]
2) SPEEDING BULLET UPDATE
3) SUPERMAN ON TELEVSION: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION UPDATE
4) EAGLE-EYE LOJACONO
5) CHEERS & JEERS FOR TV GUIDE
6) IN A RELATED MATTER
7) JUST THE FACTS, BUT AS MANY AS YOU CAN OFFER
8) THESE THINGS HAPPEN, BURT, THEY HAPPEN
9) GERALDO 4/8/98
10) FROM CHESTER A. RILEY TO MUGSY MAPLES
11) TAC #15
12) THE END --- PUBLISHED IN LANCASTER, USA

1) DISAPPEARING JIM
Remember when Clark attempted to return Lois' purse only to discover that a
Mrs. Greene was living in her apartment? Every stick of furniture was
different.

(Walking down the hall with Lois to her apartment.)
Clark: Number 13? Aren't you afraid that's unlucky, Lois?
Lois: Of course, not silly. Come on in.
Clark: Thank you.
Lois: Like it?
Clark: Yes. . . very much. It's very nice, Lois. I hope you'll be very happy
here.
Lois: Thanks, Clark. I just moved in last night, but I think I'll enjoy it.
Clark: I'm sure you will. (Looking at his watch) Well, time I got back to my
own place.
Lois: Ah, Clark. . .
Clark: Yes . . .
Lois: A steak I beat you to that bonus.
Clark: You got a deal. Night.
Lois: Night.

(Clark enters his own apartment)
Clark: Hiya, Sam (to bust inside doorway as he places his hat on it)

(Phone rings)
Clark: Hello, Kent speaking. Oh, hello Lois. What's the matter? What? Oh,
you left your purse in the car? All right. Sure, I'll bring it over.

(Rings doorbell at No. 13)
Clark: Hello . . . a. . . I was looking for Miss Lois Lane. She asked me to
return this purse.
Lady: I'm sorry, you must have the wrong apartment.
Clark: Oh, no. That's impossible. You see I just left her here a few hours
ago. This is a...partment 13 at the end of the corridor. That's right.
Lady: Listen, Mister. I don't know what this is all about, but I've lived
here for the last three years.
Clark: And you don't even know Lois Lane?
Lady: Lois Lane? Who's she?
Clark: Never mind. (Looking into the woman's apartment) It can't be, but it
is. Every stick of furniture is different, everything.
Lady: I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to go now. I wouldn't want to have
to call the police.
Clark: No, ma'am.

Well, if you recently tried to access the pages of The Adventures Continue
using the usual URL you might know exactly how Clark felt. You see, last
week, while you weren't looking, I moved every paragraph and graphic to a
new location. I'm happy to announce that The Adventures Continue is now part
of PlanetShowbiz.com, "the web's most ambitious entertainment site." Please
drop by and explore the entire area, but be sure to specifically bookmark
<www.jimnolt.com>. [Note: All pages have since been moved back to
www.jimnolt.com.]

In the past month Vince Marzo's "Close Encounter with George Reeves" has
been added, and additional photos from Phyllis Coates have been uploaded.
There is more to come (as soon as I can find the time!), so don't be a
stranger.

2) SPEEDING BULLET UPDATE
Jan Alan Henderson phoned recently with an update on his Speeding Bullet
reprint. Under a new title, Heroes Last Forever &SHY; Reflections on the Life
and Bizarre Death of George Reeves, Jan promises a revised format with
additional information and rare photographs. The newly re-worked piece is
being published this July by Retro-Vison as part of a 3-volume set called
"Men Of Steel."
Volume 1: Kevin Smith and the four Chris Reeve films
Volume 2: Heroes Last Forever
Volume 3: Kirk Alyn serials, Lois & Clark, and the animated adventures
Each volume will sell for $8.95 at the news stand or $10 (postage paid) from
Retro-Vision, 1036-A Park Blvd. Suite 103, Massapequa Park, NY 11762.

7-3-98 Addendum: Both Jan Henderson and I were assured Volume 2 of the
three-volume Men of Steel set would be out in July. However, as of this
date, Volume 1 has not yet been published. I have tried repeatedly to reach
RetroVision editor Ed Gross by phone and e-mail. I would advise readers to
hold off ordering until it is actually published.

3) SUPERMAN ON TELEVISION
On behalf of Mike Bifulco, I want to thank everyone who has already sent in
an order for the newly revised Superman On Television: Tenth Anniversary
Edition <www.jimnolt.com/sot.htm>. Mike tells me everything is moving
forward on schedule, and the book should be ready for shipment soon.

4) EAGLE-EYE GARY
New reader, Gary L. recently proved to me that there is still more to
see in the Adventures of Superman. How many of you noticed that:

a) In "No Holds Barred," the newspaper headlines show two different
spellings for the same wrestler? In one headline it's "Two Ton Tony" and in
another it's "Teuton Tony."
b) In "The Deserted Village," Maudie Pricket is sometimes Miss Tazey and
sometimes Mrs. Tazey. Was she married or not?
c) In "Mr. Zero," when Georgie enters the bank, he puts his hand right
through the door (where the glass should be!). But then, why should banks in
Metropolis need solid doors when they have Superman?
d) In "Magic Secret," Clark refers to the club that Perry belongs to as the
Society of Amateur Magicians. Later is becomes American Magicians.
e) In "The Superman Silver Mine," Dabbs Greer has a dual role, but four
names! Mr. Pebble, Mr. Peeble, Doby, and Toby.
f) Even ghosts can have more than one name. In "Great Caesar's Ghost," the
dead gangster is sometimes called Morley, sometimes Marley.

5) CHEERS & JEERS FOR TV GUIDE
Cheers: It's always fun to look for references to George Reeves and the
Adventures of Superman in the pages of TV Guide, so Gary Emenitove and I
were delighted to see a small reprint of the September 25, 1953 George
Reeves TV Guide cover (April 4 - 10 issue) among the 45 greatest covers the
magazine has every published. The following text accompanied the photo: This
rare cover, a collector's dream, shows the two faces of actor George Reeves
as Clark Kent and alter ego Superman.

Jeers: In next week's issue of TV Guide (April 11 - 17), the editors
presented the ten favorite TV animals from the past. Included were J. Fred
Muggs, Rin Tin Tin, Mister Ed, Arnold Ziffel, Clarence (the cross-eyed
lion), Gentle Ben, Tiger (the Brady Bunch dog), Fred (Baretta's cockatoo),
Dreyfus from Empty Nest, and Ross Geller's prehensil-tailed Marcel. We were
disappointed and give a rousing jeer to TV Guide, however, for neglecting to
mention Pepe, Ranger, the ghost wolf, Corky, Schuyler, the lucky cat, Joey,
Susie, and Carmelita. What could have they been thinking!

6) IN A RELATED MATTER
How would you like to own that TV Guide with George on the cover? If you
have a few extra dollars, check out the Ebay Auction where, for the next
four days, you can bid on just that issue in mint condition. As I write
this, the top bid is $182.50. You can find a photo and description of the
George Reeves cover by going to
<http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=10377451>. Good
luck, and let me know if any of you becomes high bidder. Thanks go to Mike
Creasy for the tip off.

7) JUST THE FACTS, BUT AS MANY AS YOU CAN OFFER
Michael Hayde has frequently contributed to The Adventures Continue. His
most recent article "Superman Comes To Television" (TAC #14) was an
outstanding piece of research. Currently Michael is writing a book about
another 1950s series, Dragnet, and is in need of some episodes on tape. If
you happen to have a Dragnet collection and/or another information on the
Jack Webb series and would be willing to share your treasures with Michael,
you may contact him via e-mail at Michael.J.Hayde@openmail.mail.sprint.com.
I'm sure he'd be glad to hear from you.

8) THESE THINGS HAPPEN, BURT, THEY HAPPEN
Remember when the Local caught up with the Valley Express in "Shot In The
Dark?" TAC Reader Bobby Ryan told me today that the train scenes used in
that episode were filmed in New York City. "The subway scenes in Superman
were stock Board of Transportation footage from the opening of the first
municipal subway system in New York City. The cars were built between 1931
and 1939 and were the first order for the IND, Independent Subway System.
They had incorporated all the modern technologies of their time from
previous equipment running on the privately owned companies (IRT and BMT).
That same footage appears in many train films of yore. Since I rode those
trains all my life I recognized the close-up of the Valley Express in 'Shot
In The Dark,' a mock-up of the real train that (inaccurately) used an old
trolley car controller. You can see Slugger wind it up after the motorman
was slugged. A real train of that type could not have pulled out after the
motorman was slugged. The dead man's feature required the motorman to
constantly hold down the controller. If it were to be let go, the emergency
air brakes would be applied. Trolley car controllers were never used on
subway equipment. Hearing The R-1/9s (shown in 'Shot in The Dark') was a
familiar sound in New York as well as many other cities. The traction motors
winding up as the train accelerated and the 'POP' of the line switch when
the Motorman shut off the Controller while accelerating are like music to
me. R-1/9s ran from 1931-1975 on all of the IND subway lines and some BMT
lines." Bobby Ryan is a Superintendent at the MTA-NYC Transit !

Later this afternoon I spoke by phone with Robert Harvey in New Hampshire.
He rode those trains too as a boy and believes that the one shown in "Shot
In The Dark" was the AA which ran from lower Manhattan, where the World
Trade Center now stands, to 168th Street and Broadway.

Still later, Bobby sent me some great photos of those trains.

9) GERALDO 4/8/98
Yesterday afternoon I got word from Tom Chenevert that George Reeves would
be discussed on Geraldo. Unfortunately I didn't get it soon enough and
missed the show. However, Jan Alan Henderson called later in the day to tell
me that although the discussion lasted only about three or four minutes many
inaccuracies were articulated. With Geraldo were A. J. Benza and the
executive producer of Mysteries & Scandals, Mike Walker of the National
Enquirer, veteran talk show hostess Virginia Graham, and one other person
Jan didn't identify. About the only accurate statement during the entire
exchange was made by A. J. Benza when he said the George's body was embalmed
before an autopsy could be performed.

10) FROM CHESTER A. RILEY TO MUGSY MAPLES
Did you know that Herb Vigran was once considered for the role of Chester A.
Riley in The Life of Riley? Well, neither did I, but that's just one of the
many fascinating tidbits you'll find in Steve Lance's Written Out Of
Television.

According to Steve, two pilots were shot in 1949. The unlikely choice for
Riley in the first one was Lon Chaney, Jr. who is best remembered as
Lawrence Stuart Talbot in Universal's The Wolfman. When Chaney didn't work
out, Herb Vigran was tried. Interestingly enough, in that version Riley's
best friend, Jim Gillis, was played by Lou Krugman, Jacques Oliviere in "The
Ghost Wolf." Eventually the role went to Jackie Gleason, who played the part
for one season (1949-1950), and then to William Bendix for five years
(1953 - 1958).

11) TAC #15
I'm working everyday to bring you another issue of The Adventures Continue.

Last week I received the long-awaited interview Chuck Harter did with
Alejandro Vacio, Nati and Queta's son. George treated Al as a son and had
promised to attend his high school graduation later that week in June, 1959.

I also have several outstanding photos including, but not limited to a)
George, Nati, Queta, and Al in George's home, b) George in costume in his
back yard, 3) a snapshot taken by George on the Superman set, 4) the
previously promised photos of George as a young boy, and 5) George and Toni
in George's house.

I can't tell you yet when TAC #15 will be ready -- all I can say is that I'm
working as fast as I can and will get it out to you soon.

-----
The Adventures Continue . . .
. . .with George Reeves