The Adventures of Superman: The Stolen Costume   

This entry is part of the Favourite TV Show Episode Blogathon hosted by A Shroud Of Thoughts

While mostly remembered today as a kid’s program, the first season of The Adventures of Superman could be downright dark and disturbing. I couldn’t have been the only kid watching the syndicated reruns who was creeped out by the discovery of the dead dog in “The Deserted Village” or the loony wax museum proprietor who “prophesizes” the death of several Metropolis civic leaders, then cages them in her basement, in “Mystery in Wax.”

“The Stolen Costume” was one of the more memorable stories from that first season, offering some truly noir-ish elements and an unforgettable ending.

The Metropolis police are baffled by a burglar who lowers himself by rope into windows. Despite this, Clark Kent leaves his bedroom window wide open and, with the police in pursuit, the thief ducks into his apartment, where he stumbles across the greatest secret in the free world: in a hidden closet, draped on a hangar as if it just came back from the cleaners, is Superman’s costume.

(One of the more interesting sidebars in this episode is its view into Clark’s apartment: primly decorated, Felix Unger-neat and colorless, with the secret closet as the only personal touch).

Fleeing with the costume, the burglar is shot and finds his way to the front door of Metropolis hood Ace and his moll Connie (Dan Seymour and Veda Ann Borg). The burglar, whom Ace recognizes as a local “two-bit punk,” dies on their couch but not before revealing Clark Kent as the costume’s owner.

Candy and Clark -- not to be confused with Candy Clark

His worst nightmare realized, the normally cool and collected Clark is visibly upset, anxiously pacing his apartment. While he can’t say what’s missing, he has a private investigator pal named Candy (Frank Jenks) dust for fingerprints. “What did you have hidden in here, the family jewels?” asks Candy when Clark shows him the secret closet. “No, something a lot more valuable to me,” Clark answers. 

Ace needs more solid proof that Clark is Superman and breaks into his apartment, jimmying the front door this time – Clark may as well start charging admission – to rig an explosive. Ace’s logic? If the bomb goes off, Clark will “either be dead, or we’ll be sitting on top of the world,” a statement that falls well into the category of being careful what you wish for.

The bomb goes off, Clark is alive and a meeting with Ace and Connie is arranged. But earlier in the episode Connie mistook Candy for Clark and when Connie and Ace find him outside Clark’s apartment house, they take Candy away at gunpoint to their apartment.

Clark sees the three drive off and instinctively begins to loosen his tie, then stops when he realizes there’s no costume underneath his street clothes. Moments later, he breaks through Ace and Connie’s front door, then coldcocks Candy so he won’t hear or see what happens next. Ace and Connie threaten to divulge Superman’s secret identity. “How are you going to stop us?” sneers Connie. “Everybody knows Superman doesn’t kill.” “You’re not going to tell anybody,” says a grim Clark, adding, “put on some warm clothes.”

Back in his work clothes, Superman flies Ace and Connie to the summit of a remote, rugged mountain – Ace’s “top of the world.” Superman tells them there is no way down, but there’s a cabin nearby they can call home for now. “You’ll have to stay here until I can think of some way to keep you from talking,” he says before flying off to gather some supplies.

Ace, Connie and Superman on top of the world

Certain that Superman has left them for dead, Ace begins working his way down the mountain. Reaching an icy ledge, he yells for Connie to follow, telling her, “It’s a cinch.” Well, not if you’re wearing a dress and heels. Connie slips and takes Ace with her as they plummet to their deaths.

The episode ends with an obviously relieved Clark, his secret safe and still well-kept.

“The Stolen Costume” moves along briskly with lots of snappy dialogue and interaction between the four characters. The script was written by Ben Peter Freeman, a veteran of the Superman radio show who wrote eight first-season episodes of The Adventures of Superman, including the aforementioned “Mystery in Wax” and “The Deserted Village.” Freeman left Hollywood a year later and changed careers, joining his brother’s construction company.

With the focus on Clark – Superman only appears in its final minutes – George Reeves, always appealing and underrated, gets to bring a bit more emotion than usual and his concern and anxiety feel real. Another sidebar: Of 104 episodes of The Adventures of Superman, this is the only one without Lois, Jimmy, Perry or Inspector Henderson.

Reeve’s supporting cast of Dan Seymour, Veda Ann Borg and Frank Jenks all had long movie and television careers as character actors. Seymour made a living primarily playing gangsters, most famously as one of Edward G. Robinson’s henchmen in “Key Largo.” He would hit the TV Superhero Daily Double 14 years after “The Stolen Costume” with a role in an episode of Batman.

The ending of “The Stolen Costume” neatly resolved what looked like a no-win dilemma for Superman, although it left some ethical and legal questions. Was he planning on holding Ace and Connie hostage on the mountain forever? Was Superman guilty of kidnapping? Did he anticipate the crooks would try to climb down the mountain – a nearly impossible feat – and just looked the other way?

Maybe the last question is the answer. Superman may have rationalized his actions, or lack of action, this way: Having my secret identity revealed could jeopardize the lives of my friends, coworkers, maybe all of Metropolis, and possibly even compromise my mission here on Earth. If I need to realistically balance the lives of two hoods who are likely beyond reform or redemption with that of all mankind, this end justifies the means. Ace and Connie made their choice. My hands are clean.

And with that, Superman finds the moral wiggle room he needed to keep fighting his never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.