Adventures of Superman (TV Series) The Lucky Cat (1955) User Reviews

Kent Turns Into Charlie Chan

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 17 July 2006]

Superstitions are debunked in this episode as Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen combine to do a story on the "Anti-superstion Club" where members deliberately walk under ladders, step on cracks, have black cats cross in front of them, etc.

The landlord who owns the building where the meetings are held is shown to be a crackpot. That is used in the story as one of the members of the club tries to kill several of the others and blame it on the landlord.

Who is this surprise villain? You'll have to see as Kent gets all of the parties together in a room at the end to expose the criminal, a la Charlie Chan, tricking the evil guy into confessing.

Of all the Luck, SUPERMAN goes "Batty" in seeking out unusual, change of pace Episode!

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 28 January 2009]

PROVIDING for a fine change of pace, the Season 3, Episode 3 Offering is 'The Lucky Cat'; which tackles the subject of Superstition, its effects, wide-spread belief and the origins of some common ones; as well as some clues to their widespread debunking.

WHEN contrasted to the usual type of episode that would be the norm, this had a decidedly "grown-up" bent to it. 'The Lucky Cat' bucked the tendency towards the juvenile Superman tale and it would seem to be a lone dissenter; as those episodes written with the small-fry in mind was a definite trend by now.

OUR STORY………..A group of eccentric and apparently wealthy gents would hold regular anti-superstition meetings at the rented house that is their clubhouse. All of sudden there is some serious attempts on the lives of some of the members. The Daily Planet News Team get itself involved due to its being deemed newsworthy.

IMPLEMENTING the format of the "OLD DARK HOUSE" type of murder mystery or the methods that would be indispensable to Raymond Burr a couple of years later on the very popular PERRY MASON (Paisano Productions/TCF Television/CBS Television Network, 1957-66), Kent/Superman, Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy manage to clear up the mysterious occurrences and isolate the landlord; who is the most suspicious character around the premises.

THIS deductive reasoning ala Sherlock Holmes, Nick Charles or Charlie Chan had been put to good loose at least once prior to this season's entry. It was a basic plot device in 'Beware The Wrecker', Season 2, Episode #20. But it had an even more interesting background and history than that.

THE STORY that was adapted into the screenplay for 'The Lucky Cat' was like so many of the better adventures, an adaptation from a Comic Book story. But in this instance, instead of being from the SUPERMAN Feature, it was taken from the lead (cover) story in BATMAN Comics, # 40, dated Apr./May 1947. The story featured Batman & Robin battling their old nemesis, the Joker in the story titled 'The 13 Club!'

INTERESTINGLY enough, in one of those 'Truth Being Stranger Than Fiction Department' items, there was a real such club right here in Chicago. The membership must have been well enough off financially; as they would have their monthly meetings at a location such as the upscale, downtown Palmer House.

BE that as it may, but whoever the hero would be, Superman or if it were to have been a Joker segment on the '60's BATMAN Show, it was exciting, interesting and decidedly a change of pace story. We believe it did Big George, Kent and Superman proud! What's Our Rating? Schultz says SSSS (Four Superman S's)! I must concur! POODLE SCHNITZ!!

No Such Thing As Bad Luck

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 6 February 2015]

Clark and Jimmy go to a house where a group of successful businessmen meet. They have labeled themselves and "anti-superstition" group. It is very entertaining to see these guys defying classical superstitions. They enter the building by walking under a ladder; they leave pins on the floor because no one picks them up; and they start their meetings begin with the breaking of a mirror. Suddenly, bad things begin to happen to these guys. Bad luck? It's not that simple, but Jimmy buys into the fact that these specific businessmen are having terrible things happen. There is one prime suspect, the landlord of the building is incredibly angry at how his building is being used. Ultimately, of course, Superman is going to show his handsome face. It's a fun episode at the beginning, but it concludes on kind of a dull note.