This episode belongs to Jimmy Olson. When Superman saves a PI, played by the wonderful Elisha Cook, Jimmy wants to emulate him; that is until he actually meets him. He has none of the stereotypical qualities like the Bogart characters. When the detective and Lois get themselves captured, Jimmy goes to the rescue, but gets himself handcuffed to a bed frame and ultimately locked in a basement where gas is being pumped. He bungles everything, trying to be the epitome of the Dashiell Hammett type of gumshoe. Of course, Superman rears his head again. How he does it is the gist of this offering. Nevertheless, it was great fun to see Jimmy strut his stuff as he pretends to be this character.
3 Reviews
Jimmy Olsen's Stock Rising
redryan6431 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
THE CHARACTER OF Cub Reporter, Jimmy Olsen, began as Jimmy the Office Boy on the MUTUAL RADIO NETWORK'S SUPERMAN Radio Show. The character had a supporting role status in the first season of the TV series, but Jimmy (that is Jack Larson) received an inordinately high portion of the fan mail, Jack's name later appeared as one of the 5 principal or "starring" performers, along with Mr. Reeves, Noel Neill, John Hamilton and Robert Shayne.
OUR STORY:
IN THIS EPISODE the boyish young reporter is disappointed in meeting Private Investigator Homer Garrity (Elisha Cook, Jr.). He is a diminutive man, mild in manner and not a Sam Spade. Jimmy sees that a Detective is subject to many a mundane and boring task and not all action.
WHEN JIMMY'S IDENTITY is mistaken for Garrity, Olsen can't resist playing along; which of course get's him in trouble with some gang. Superman's presence saves the day (surprised?), but both Jimmy and Homer get to use some Judo Wrist Lock tosses to help subdue the Bad Guys.
AMONG THE SUPPORTING cast members I Paul Fix ('Micah Torrence', town Marshall on THE RIFLEMAN Series) as the 'Brains' Hoodlum. For some inexplicable reason he is credited as "Peter Fix."
AS TESTIMONY TO the rising and unexpected popularity of Jack Larson's* characterization of the Cub Reporter, National Comics/DC launched another Comics Magazine featuring Superman; but this one spotlighted Jimmy. Appropriately it was titled: SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN.
OUR STORY:
IN THIS EPISODE the boyish young reporter is disappointed in meeting Private Investigator Homer Garrity (Elisha Cook, Jr.). He is a diminutive man, mild in manner and not a Sam Spade. Jimmy sees that a Detective is subject to many a mundane and boring task and not all action.
WHEN JIMMY'S IDENTITY is mistaken for Garrity, Olsen can't resist playing along; which of course get's him in trouble with some gang. Superman's presence saves the day (surprised?), but both Jimmy and Homer get to use some Judo Wrist Lock tosses to help subdue the Bad Guys.
AMONG THE SUPPORTING cast members I Paul Fix ('Micah Torrence', town Marshall on THE RIFLEMAN Series) as the 'Brains' Hoodlum. For some inexplicable reason he is credited as "Peter Fix."
AS TESTIMONY TO the rising and unexpected popularity of Jack Larson's* characterization of the Cub Reporter, National Comics/DC launched another Comics Magazine featuring Superman; but this one spotlighted Jimmy. Appropriately it was titled: SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN.
Yes, that is Wilmer
pensman16 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Anyone of my age will remember Elisha Cook Jr. as the gunsel Wilmer Cook from the Maltese Falcon, Watson Pritchard in House on Haunted Hill, and Francis 'Ice Pick' Hofstetler in Magnum, P.I., and a 100 other roles. Seeing him show up in a Superman episode playing it straight as a private eye is a bit of a departure from his usual roles. Here, it's Jack Larson (Jimmy Olsen) who gets the chance to have a bit of over-the-top fun as he pretends to be a character out of a Dashiell Hammett novel channeling Bogart's Sam Spade. One of the better Superman episodes and one that adults watching the show with their kids no doubt enjoyed seeing Elisha Cook as a guest star.
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