SLIPPERY SAM

Real Name: Sam (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human (Post-World War II Era)

Occupation: Robber

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Milton Clyde, O'Houlihan, O'Malley, Irma Peterson, Mr. Smedly

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Doctor Scram"

Base of Operations: Manhattan, New York, USA

First Appearance: My Friend Irma I#3/2 (June, 1950)

Powers/Abilities: Slippery Sam was an experienced safecracker. He carried a pistol. Sam carried a bag containing his safecracking tools, including rope, a hacksaw, a blowtorch, a drill, pliers, a hammer, a file and a bomb.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'2")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 140 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(My Friend Irma I#3/2) - Slippery Sam broke into the office of Mr. Smedly and tied him up while he ransacked the office. When he was interrupted by secretary Irma Peterson, who had come to invite Mr. Smedly to lunch with her boss, Mr. Clyde. Sam invited her into the office and when she asked why Mr. Smedly was tied up and gagged, Sam claimed he was Mr. Smedly's dentist. Realizing Mr. Clyde was a wealthy lawyer, Sam asked Irma to guide him to his office.

    Irma led Sam into Mr. Clyde's office and introduced him as a dentist. When she asked him for his name, Sam told Irma to scram; she therefore introduced him as "Doctor Scram." When Mr. Clyde protested that Sam didn't look like a dentist, Sam drew his gun and held it on Mr. Clyde, forcing him into a chair and tricking Irma into helping him tie up her boss.

    When Sam asked Irma if there was anything in the office made of steel she helpfully showed him where Mr. Clyde's wall safe was located, hidden behind a picture "to fool robbers." While Sam started to drill into the safe, Irma picked up his blowtorch and set it off, blazing him in the seat of his pants.

    Sam's scream brought the poliecmen O'Houlihan and O'Malley rushing in from outside to investigate. Sam nearly jumped out of the window from being burned by the blowtorch. The police arrested Sam and Irma received a cash reward for her work.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer (almost certainly Stan Lee) and Dan DeCarlo.

    My Friend Irma was a popular entertainment franchise in its time; it originated as a CBS radio series (1947-1954), then a film series (1949 and 1950), a comic strip (1950-1951) a Marvel comic series (1950-1955) and a TV show (1952-1954). Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo created most of the comic strip and comic book stories. When the series ran its course, apparently Lee and DeCarlo really wanted to keep it going; changing the character names, they started My Girl Pearl in 1955, featuring Pearl Dimly in place of Irma Peterson. That series ended in 1957 during the "Atlas implosion" but Stan brought it back in 1960, changing the characters from adults to teenagers, now with Stan Goldberg as the key artist. The very first story featuring the teenaged Pearl Dimly in a recycled version of the Slippery Sam story! In that story, the burglar wasn't named. Who knows, maybe it's Slippery Sam, wondering why he keeps meeting dizzy blondes who upset his plans!

    My Friend Irma is ™ and © CBS Studios, Inc.

    This profile was completed on 06/24/2026 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Slippery Sam should not be confused with:

MR. SMEDLY

Mr. Smedly was a businessman whose office was next door to Milton Clyde. One day, Smedly's office was invaded by Slippery Sam, who tied him up. When Irma Peterson arrived to ask Mr. Smedly to lunch with Mr. Clyde, Sam was able to bluff the simple-minded woman by claiming he was Smedly's dentist.






--My Friend Irma I#3/2



images: (without ads)
My Friend Irma I#3/2, page 4, panel 1 (main)
My Friend Irma I#3/2, page 3, panel 1 (face)
My Friend Irma I#3/2, page 2, panel 2 (Smedly)

Appearances:
My Friend Irma I#3/2 (June, 1950) - unidentified writer, Dan DeCarlo (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/09/2026
Last updated: 06/24/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

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