Without superpower he´s a much more interesting character.
I preffer the first version of the character without his mental powers added by the radio program: I preffer "The Shadow" as a violent vigilante who only use his ability for moving stealthy and his two guns.
And if they wanted Baldwin likeness when he is "The Shadow" looking exactly like on the ilustrations on books and comics it could have been easily explained by the fact that Lamont Cranston use make up and contac lense for hiding his secret identity instead disguised by "mental powers".