TAC, Jr. #4
From the publisher of The Adventures Continue
www.jimnolt.com

April 25, 1997

1) TAC #13/14 UPDATE:
All orders for the two upcoming issues should now be in, and I took all the
pages and photographs to the printer earlier this week. As soon as he
finishes his job, both issues will be on their way. Putting out even a
single issue is not an easy task, so when I'm able to publish two issues at
one time, I feel doubly proud. Most readers have no idea how much work goes
into putting an issue of The Adventures Continue together, but I'm very
happy to do it. Both upcoming issues will be collectors' items, I'm sure.

2) NATIVIDAD VACIO
One of George's best friends was Natividad Vacio. Nati passed away recently,
but TAC #13 will feature an interview with his widow, Queta, who sheds much
light on the kind of man George Reeves was. You may add to that interview
these comments from Nati himself which he included in a letter to me a
couple years ago:

Jim, a big wonderful thank you for The Adventures Continue. It brings
excellent memories of George. All the greats in the industry, and all of the
peoples that worked and became dear friends, everyone spoke of George as a
loving, humanitarian... as "Man's humanity to man."

Rancho Notorious was a hilarious movie, and we (Fritz Lang, George, Toni
Mannix, Queta, and myself) spent a whole day of celebration at a cookout in
his back yard in Benedict Canyon when the film was completed. Fritz Lang was
truly a great humorist. He loved George as a son.

Thank you again for keeping this remembrance of George.

Sincerely,
Nati

3) In previous issues of TAC,Jr., I mentioned some of the differences
between a couple of the written scripts and the finished episodes. This time
I'd like to take a look at "The Big Forget" which features the talents of
Phil Tead as Professor Pepperwinkle, Herb Vigran as Muggsy Maples, and Billy
Nelson as Knuckles Nelson. The first scene in this episode always seemed odd
to me...

INT. WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY

JIMMY: I did not faint. After all, I'd been awake for almost 48 hours... I
was tired. I fell asleep.
CLARK: That's right Jimmy, and when you woke up you wrote a fine story.
JIMMY: How about that. Superman rescues us, captures the crooks, and Miss
Lane and I get another scoop. As easy as that.
LOIS: Hmmm, I'm glad you think was that easy.
WHITE: Incidentally Kent, where were you when all this was going on?
KENT: Ah, Chief, now you know that. Yesterday was my day off.
LOIS: Well, I'm sure glad it wasn't Superman's day off.
WHITE: It'll be a sorry day for you and Olsen if Superman ever takes a day
off. You two couldn't do a thing for yourselves without his help. Except
maybe get yourselves killed.

What we never saw was a scene which appears in the script but was omitted
from the final print. The script opens in a shack with Jimmy and Lois tied
to kitchen chairs gazing at a stick of dynamite. Just before the dynamite
explodes, Superman comes crashing through the wall, picks up the dynamite,
and throws it outside.

SUPERMAN: Are you all right, Miss Lane?
LOIS: Just barely, I guess - thanks to you.
Superman looks at Jimmy o.s. Lois' gaze follows his.
SUPERMAN: And you, Jimmy?
Then both Superman and Lois smile broadly as they see Jimmy with his head
slumped, he has fainted.

(This note follows the scene in the script. PRODUCTION NOTE: Scenes 1 to 4
inclusive will not be shot unless the footage is needed, and should
therefore be scheduled for the tag-end of the work-week in which this
picture will be the first to be shot.)

Now, back to Perry White's office. I think perhaps Jack missed a line or
perhaps Noel stepped on it, but the script includes two lines missing from
the film. After White's line... "except maybe get yourselves killed" the
script reads...

JIMMY: I don't know about that. I covered the Boy Scout Jamboree pretty good
without any help from Superman.
WHITE: Yes, I remember that. You burned the seat of your pants judging the
fire-making contest. You two nit-wits couldn't get a story in a million
years without Superman's help.

Only then should Lois come in with her... "Suppose we did? A real front page
story."

There is also another bit which is completely left out. When you watch the
episode, it appears that Kent is quite satisfied with the conditions Lois
and Jimmy put on White when he indicates he wants to see this story from its
formative stages...

JIMMY: Miss Lane's right, Chief...I mean Mr. White. This time you have to
promise to let us run the show.
KENT: I'm afraid they've got you chief. You've made yourself a deal and
you're stuck with it.

In the script, however, Kent adds this line:
KENT: Fun's fun, but I'm not sure I like the whole idea. Those two might get
themselves into some serious trouble.
WHITE: Stop worrying. I'll be with them the whole time.
KENT: (drily) I know.

Before we leave this subject, there is one other interesting line in the
script which was omitted from the film. In the film, after Professor
Pepperwinkle leaves White's office...

WHITE: I forbid it. You're not going to fool around with any goofy
inventions or Muggsy Maples.
LOIS: Ah-ah-ah, Chief, remember the agreement... no interference.

Now in the script, this additional dialogue appears:

WHITE: Look. I've raised you both in the newspaper business since your were
pups. You, Lois - and even you, Olsen. You're more like my children than
employees. I don't want anything to happen to you.
JIMMY: Thanks... Dad. (White gives him a dirty look.)
LOIS: But we're going ahead.
WHITE: Please. Call it off. I'll give you a raise.
LOIS: An agreement's an agreement. We don't want the raise unless we earn
it. Come on, Jim, we've got to figure something out.

White is deflated as they start for the door. But just as they are about to
exit, he yells after them:
WHITE: And don't call me "Dad"!

4) MUGGSY'S REAL NAME
In "The Big Forget," Muggsy identifies himself as Dr. Horatio Maples when he
calls Prof. Pepperwinkle. On the door to his office, however, his name is
listed as J.G. Maples. Of course the part was played by a man whose real
name we all know - Herb Vigran. Vigran died several years ago, but in a
letter to me shortly before his death, he too remarked about how wonderful
it was working with George Reeves and the others on the Adventures of
Superman.

5) UPDATE TO WEBSITE
Be sure to check the George Reeves website <www.jimnolt.com> if you haven't
done so in the last week or so. I've added the May dates to the calendar
page; I'll be adding to and changing the site in the coming weeks. I'll be
adding another book to the Recommended Reading page
<www.jimnolt.com/reading.htm> -- Mike Bifulco's Superman On Television.
Although it's out of print, Mike has plans to republish it. More on that
later.

6) LONG WEEK
It's now 6:30 on Friday at the end of a long week, so I'll have to close for
this time. Gail, Sam (my pup), and I hope you have a good weekend. See you
next time.

THE END - PRINTED IN LANCASTER, PA

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

www.jimnolt.com