The Black Narcissus Part 04: The Adventures of Superman (October 15, 1942)

“The Black Narcissus Part 04” is an episode of The Adventures of Superman, the old-time radio show, first broadcast October 15, 1942. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

Listen to The Adventures of Superman free, live around the clock: every episode, in the order it first aired. No sign-up.

What happens

Clark Kent travels to Africa at the request of the Sheik of Mecca to search for the Sheik's long-lost son and heir. Clark's journey draws the attention of Ben Ali Mohammed, a dishonest brother of the Sheik and leader of the Black Narcissus cult, who orders that Kent be stopped. Young Jimmy Olsen, who had disappeared earlier, returns to the hotel where Kent and Lois Lane are staying. Ben Ali and his henchman Cader attempt to murder Kent in his room, but Superman intervenes, catches the would-be assassins, and delivers them to the police. The next morning, Kent receives a draft and a map from the Sheik's palace, and the group prepares to fly to the Belgian Congo, where Jimmy is pricked by a poisoned thorn.

A hotel in a city at night and the following morning, then a plane bound for the Belgian Congo.

Characters: Clark Kent, Superman, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Ben Ali Mohammed, Cader

Listen for: Ben Ali's instructions to Cader, Superman's capture of the two Arabians, and the Sheik's map and draft arriving for Kent.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.