Five Minutes to Doom (18 Sep. 1953)

Clark Kent and Lois Lane interview Winters, a man on death row. As Clark listens to Winter's story, he checks the convict's pulse. It remains steady and Clark is convinced Winters is ... See full summary »

Director:

Thomas Carr

Writer:

Monroe Manning

Stars:

George Reeves, Noel Neill, Jack Larson

Cast

Episode cast overview:
George Reeves	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Noel Neill	...	Lois Lane
Jack Larson	...	Jimmy Olsen
John Hamilton	...	Perry White
Robert Shayne	...	Inspector Henderson (credit only)
Dabbs Greer	...	Joe Winters
Lois Hall	...	Mrs. Winters
Lewis L. Russell	...	W.T. Wayne (as Lewis Russell)
John Kellogg	...	Turk
Dale Van Sickel	...	Baker
Sam Flint	...	Warden
Jean Willes	...	Marion Cummings
William E. Green	...	Governor (as William Green)

Storyline

Clark Kent and Lois Lane interview Winters, a man on death row. As Clark listens to Winter's story, he checks the convict's pulse. It remains steady and Clark is convinced Winters is innocent. Clark's suspicions are confirmed when he and Lois pick up a hitchhiker on their way back to Metropolis and the hitchhiker leaves a bomb meant for the reporters. The Daily Planet reporters search for a way to clear Winters. They obtain key evidence but a violent electrical storm has knocked out telephone service between Metropolis and the state capital. Superman flies to the governor, convinces him to sign an order staying the execution. But can he get to the prison in time to prevent an innocent man from dying in the electric chair?

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Family | Sci-Fi

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1953 (USA)

Filming Locations:

California Studios - 5530 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Noel Neill had previously appeared as Lois Lane in two Superman movie serials in the late 1940s.

User Reviews

Sorta Like the "ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" Series' Answer to CALL NORTHSIDE 777.

STARTING off of the Second Season of the "ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" is a relatively low key, albeit quite serious of an Episode in "Five Minutes To Doom". A lot of the action type scenes that we would normally expect from our Man of Steel are displaced with some highly gut wrenching sequences involving the protestations of a condemned convict on Death Row, one Joe Winters (Dabbs Greer), that he is innocent of charges. Having been convicted and having exhausted all appeals, Winters is scheduled for an appointment with "Old Sparky" at midnight.

MEANWHILE, Metropolis Daily Planet Editor, Perry White, expresses some doubts about the man's being executed; and in those early days of the mi 20th Century, before the introduction of investigative tools such as DNA comparison, he sends Miss Lois Lane and Mr. Clark Kent down to the State Penitentiary to get a first hand look. The investigational twosome arrives and arranges to get a final interview.

DURING the narrative of the Convict's story, Clark Kent holds onto to the man's wrist. Although unnoticed by all around, Clark/Superman is measuring the man's Heart Beat and how steady or uneven his Pulse is. Winters' steady, albeit highly elevated pulse is the one indicator that he was telling the truth.

SHUTTLING between the State Pen and Metropolis, Superman goes to work and through diligent detective work, uncovers the truth; but, time is about to run out! WILL SUPERMAN make it on time to the Prison? WILL THE CITIZENS OF METROPOLIS send an innocent man to his death? (Oh, Lord; would this ever have made a great 'Cliff Hanger"!)

THE ANSWER is, yes he did. Superman arrived really and truly "in the nick of time" and put his arm between the "lever" and its contact surface, stopping the flow of electrons. All is well at the State Penitentiary, the Daily Planet Editorial Offices, the City of Metropolis and the whole, wide World!

MR. DABBS GREER made it 2 for 2; as he also led off the Series' initial Season with his somewhat brief, but pivotal role as the man rescued by the Man of Steel as he fell from the runaway dirigible in "Superman On Earth", the very first TV Episode. We had to wonder if this would be an "ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" Annual Tradition. The answer was "No", of course; although the low key and very talented Mr. Greer did appear as a featured character in the final Season's Episode, "THE SUPERMAN SILVER MINE."

PROMISINGLY, "Five Minutes To Doom" started off a great season in fine fashion; foretelling of the great run of weekly stories vied for which one would be regarded as the best; not unlike that 1955-56 run of The Honeymooners" sketches on "THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW."

Our Rating = *** ½.

POODLE SCHNITZ!!