Broadway Is My Beat: The Sherman Gates Murder Case 12/03/1949

Summary

Podcast Summary: Broadway Is My Beat: The Sherman Gates Murder Case

Podcast Information:

• Title: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
• Episode: Broadway Is My Beat: The Sherman Gates Murder Case
• Host/Author: Choice Classic Radio
• Release Date: December 4, 2024
• Description: Dive into the thrilling world of old-time radio's greatest detectives. In this episode, Experience the gripping investigation led by Detective Danny Clover as he unravels the mysterious murder case of Sherman Gates on Broadway’s illustrious yet perilous stage.

---

1. Introduction

The episode opens with an atmospheric narration that sets the scene of Broadway as a vibrant yet deceptive locale. Detective Danny Clover, portrayed by Larry Thor, is introduced as the protagonist tasked with solving the perplexing murder case of Sherman Gates.

• Notable Quote:
  • Narrator (00:44): “My Beat From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.”

2. Case Introduction: The Sherman Gates Murder

Detective Danny Clover is alerted to an unusual situation at the Carnegie Hotel, a prestigious establishment on Broadway. Maxie Stern, the manager of the theater, reports that a patron, Sherman Gates, has not vacated his loge after the movie ended. Upon checking, Clover discovers that Gates has been poisoned.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Danny Clover (02:25): “A man commits suicide in a Lowe's, Danny.”
  • Health Insurance Representative (00:00): “Health insurance doesn't have to break the bank…”

3. Investigation Unfolds

As Detective Clover delves deeper, he examines Sherman Gates' room, finding minimal evidence—only a bed, a table, Gates' suit, changed underwear, and wet umbrella on the carpet. He also retrieves Gates' wallet with his identification and finds an umbrella that becomes a critical clue later in the investigation.

• Notable Quote:
  • Narator (06:49): “It was midnight and neither place answered to my call. So I waited till the next morning. Called in person.”

4. Interaction with Maxie Stern

Maxie Stern collaborates with Clover, providing insights into Sherman Gates' background and his interactions before his untimely death. Stern reveals that Gates had made several phone calls earlier in the day, which Clover determines could be linked to the motive behind the murder.

• Notable Quote:
  • Maxie Stern (05:21): “He was a guest who guested at room 12 down the hall. He made a couple phone calls early in the day through my switchboard.”

5. The Blackmail Scheme

The investigation uncovers a sophisticated blackmail scheme involving Sherman Gates. Clover discovers that Gates was being blackmailed for sensitive information related to several individuals, including Irene Vincent. The plot thickens as Clover identifies the pattern of phone calls and the involvement of other parties attempting to manipulate Irene Vincent.

• Notable Quote:
  • Maxie Stern (16:14): “He was going to take it to me unless Irene paid him $20,000.”

6. Confrontation with Irene Vincent

Clover's investigation leads him to Irene Vincent, who reveals a tumultuous past with Sherman Gates. Through meticulous questioning, Clover exposes inconsistencies in Irene's account, uncovering that she was orchestrating the blackmail to protect her impending marriage to a wealthy suitor, Joseph Dorcas.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Irene Vincent (10:28): “Oh, Sherman wouldn't commit suicide. Not that way.”
  • Maxie Stern (22:37): “All I did was try a blackmail stunt. I lost it, that's all.”

7. Resolution and Conclusion

In a climactic confrontation, Clover presents Irene Vincent with evidence linking her to the murders of Sherman Gates and Junius Quimby. Cornered by the overwhelming proof, Irene confesses to her crimes driven by desperation to secure her future. The episode concludes with Irene's arrest, restoring order to the treacherous underbelly of Broadway.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Danny Clover (26:15): “You killed Quimby, too.”
  • Irene Vincent (27:04): “You're crazy.”

8. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Detective Danny Clover:

  • (02:25) “A man commits suicide in a Lowe's, Danny.”
  • (17:24) “Yeah, it does. It suggests this third caller is our killer.”
  • (26:15) “You killed Quimby, too.”

• Maxie Stern:

  • (05:21) “He was a guest who guested at room 12 down the hall.”
  • (16:14) “He was going to take it to me unless Irene paid him $20,000.”
  • (22:37) “All I did was try a blackmail stunt. I lost it, that's all.”

• Irene Vincent:

  • (10:28) “Oh, Sherman wouldn't commit suicide. Not that way.”
  • (27:04) “You're crazy.”

• Narrator:

  • (00:44) “My Beat From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.”
  • (26:06) “I told you, don't talk to me. Keep walking.”

---

Conclusion:

"Broadway Is My Beat: The Sherman Gates Murder Case" masterfully weaves a tale of deception, blackmail, and murder, set against the glittering yet sinister backdrop of Broadway. Through Detective Danny Clover's keen investigative skills, listeners are taken on a suspense-filled journey that highlights the complexities of human motives and the dark side of ambition. This episode stands as a quintessential example of old-time radio's ability to captivate audiences with intricate storytelling and memorable character interactions.

Transcript

[Oregon Health Insurance Representative]

Health insurance doesn't have to break the bank. 80% of Oregonians received financial assistance through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace last year. And you might qualify, too. At oregonhealthcare.gov you can explore quality health plans from trusted insurers and find one that fits your budget and your needs. We're here to get you covered. Visit oregonhealthcare.gov to get started.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choice classicradio.com Broadway's.

[Narrator]

My Beat From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.

[Larry Thor]

Broadway's my beat. With Larry Thor as detective Danny Clover.

[Narrator]

Broadway. It's the glittering center of a glittering universe that's propped against the shadows and it's desolation. A gaudy rune with a lie in its teeth. And the lie is in gorgeous technicolor. The screaming of trumpets and the dancing on the streets. And there's silence, too, so still, so empty, you can hear a teardrop. Whatever it is. It's Broadway. My beat. After midnight, Broadway is a place that pulls up stakes. Wives lead husbands home to their cages. Bartenders sweep up the sawdust and a few drunken clowns. A tired voice invites you to a sideshow, and you keep walking. And then a voice calls your name.

[Maxie Stern]

Hey, daddy, wait a minute.

[Danny Clover]

Danny.

[Maxie Stern]

Danny.

[Narrator]

And it's the voice of Maxie Stern, manager of the most colossal, most stupendous, most nothing movie crib on Broadway.

[Danny Clover]

Danny, come quick, huh? Real quick.

[Narrator]

Hi, Maxie.

[Danny Clover]

Hi, Danny. Come quick, please.

[Narrator]

Huh? What's the matter? Somebody doesn't like the picture?

[Danny Clover]

Worse than that. He's sitting in a logian, he won't go home, and the picture is long since over.

[Narrator]

Maybe he's waiting for the prices to change.

[Danny Clover]

I don't think so, Danny.

[Narrator]

No, no.

[Danny Clover]

I think the gentleman who was occupying my loge is dead.

[Narrator]

Come quick. Huh? Maxie?

[Maxie Stern]

Yeah.

[Danny Clover]

The way we discovered him, Danny is one of my charwoman who sweets out the dump. The theater was sweeping out the loges. This gentleman, she can't politely budge, so she calls a private, huh? An Asha who's at the bottom of the rung of success. The private calls a corporal.

[Narrator]

Corporal calls.

[Danny Clover]

Oh, nuts. Finally gets the head usher and he calls me.

[Narrator]

And I verify their opinion that the.

[Danny Clover]

Low seat is dead. But this I have to have official, so I called you.

[Narrator]

Where is he?

[Danny Clover]

Up these Persian carpeted stairs. Danny.

[Narrator]

$30 a square yard.

[Danny Clover]

Wait, Danny. Danny, I'm out of breath.

[Narrator]

Where is he?

[Danny Clover]

In here. Through this renaissance door that opens out onto a luxurious loge.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Hi, Danny. I'm glad Maxie found you, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

I took the liberty of first calling our house doctor. Dr. Jeffrey Connor, the house doctor.

[Narrator]

It's all right, Maxie. Why are you glad Maxie found me, Doc?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Because this man's been poisoned.

[Narrator]

Oh.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Dilated pupils, tinge of blue on his lips. All the usual symptoms.

[Narrator]

Suicide, maybe.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Maybe. But I hardly think so. People don't take poison and go to a movie. Not this poison. The pain is excruciating.

[Narrator]

How long has he been dead?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

I'd say an hour, maybe two.

[Narrator]

Well, he must have cried out. He must have made the picture's hilarious.

[Danny Clover]

Rib tickling. It's a comedy, Danny. Maybe the other schmoes in the lows thought he was laughing. Some people laugh in such a way, you know?

[Narrator]

Yeah. Let's see who he is. Wallet, name stamped in gold. Sherman Gates cigarettes. Hotel key, Carnegie Hotel.

[Danny Clover]

And his umbrella, Danny, lying wet on the carpet. A man commits suicide in a Lowe's, Danny.

[Narrator]

Suicide or murder. I had to know which, so I had a call to make. The Carnegie Hotel on Second Avenue was an institution that had never received an endowment, but its educational possibilities were infinite. The signs walking up the steps from the street made you know that you could hold a seance with Madame Astarte, seventh daughter of the moon. You could buy magic tricks from Professor Novotny. When that was over, you could buy a Swedish massage from a brother and sister team. At the top of the steps was a man seated behind a cage. He was looking down at a glossy magazine. I looked down at him. He kept looking and I kept looking. I got tired first, so I rang the bell on his desk.

[Maxie Stern]

I heard you when you hit the third step coming upstairs. That's a loose one.

[Narrator]

Then why don't you pay attention to.

[Maxie Stern]

Me paying attention to something else right now, Mac. You won't see.

[Narrator]

See what?

[Maxie Stern]

This magazine. Get it every month. Here, look. Picture of Phyllis in again this month wearing a hat. First time I ever saw her wearing a hat. Last month it was stocking. Cute, huh?

[Narrator]

All I want is some information about Phyllis.

[Maxie Stern]

Ah, I can't do that. I wish you could. But we can both dream, can't we?

[Narrator]

Information about a guest. Sherman Gates.

[Maxie Stern]

You got the information. He was a guest.

[Narrator]

He's dead.

[Maxie Stern]

People die. Say, who are you that wants to know what you want to know?

[Narrator]

I'm Danny Clover, police.

[Maxie Stern]

Oh, so. I'm Lee Crandall clerk. So?

[Narrator]

So what about Sherman Gates?

[Maxie Stern]

He was a guest who guested at room 12 down the hall. He made a couple phone calls early in the day through my switchboard. Went out, didn't come back. Putting two and two together, I'd say the latter was because he's dead. Am I helping?

[Narrator]

What about the two phone calls?

[Maxie Stern]

I'm being a citizen, like all get out. I got them right here. Right here someplace.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Maxie Stern]

Yeah. Here they are.

[Narrator]

Thanks. Don't mind if I use your phone, citizen. I know you don't.

[Maxie Stern]

Not for a dime, I don't.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Sergeant Tattaglia? Speaking.

[Narrator]

Danny Clover. I want you to check two phone numbers for me. Tattaglia. Here are the numbers. Give me the names and addresses to go with them.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yes, Danny.

[Narrator]

Plaza 79970. And Regent. Regent 41098. You got that? Yeah, I got it.

[Maxie Stern]

Good.

[Narrator]

I'll call you back. Here's your dime.

[Maxie Stern]

Thanks. Now, I guess you want to look at Mr. Gates room, huh?

[Narrator]

Yeah, I want to do that.

[Maxie Stern]

When you're finished, I got something to show you.

[Narrator]

More art studies of Phyllis.

[Maxie Stern]

Uh, broken down dentist once left a stack of National Geographics here. Maybe a guy like you gets his kicks from stuff like that.

[Narrator]

It made him happy to say that. And he was being a good citizen, so I let him be happy. The room of Sherman Gates, guest deceased, revealed a bed and a table, beat up, broken down. Not much else. Mr. Gates other suit and a change of underwear. I leafed through the National Geographics to give Tattaglia time to check on the phone numbers. I learned little known facts about the Pygmy people of Mozambique, then called headquarters two phone numbers. One listed to Irene Vincent in the East 60s, the other a photographer's shop on 10th Avenue. It was midnight and neither place answered to my call. So I waited till the next morning. Called in person.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Something I can do for you?

[Narrator]

Yeah, there is. I want to ask you a few questions.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Oh, good. But a camera. This one takes wonderful pictures of the whole family.

[Narrator]

I don't have a family Questions about a photographer.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Oh, well, we've got some wonderful brochures here. The tricks of all great photographers. Ouija Lou Jacobs Jr. Stikey.

[Narrator]

What about them? About Sherman Gates.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Gates?

[Narrator]

Gates. Gates.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Don't know him. If he were a photographer of note, I'm sure I'd know him.

[Narrator]

This photographer was also a customer. Try that.

[Larry Thor]

Gates.

[Narrator]

Huh? Gates. Sherman Gates.

[Maxie Stern]

Sherman Gates.

[Narrator]

I'll give you a big fat clue. He called you yesterday. Gates. Maybe I ought to rack your brain for You? Gates?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Of course. He called me yesterday.

[Narrator]

Maybe you'll have a better memory if I tell you. I'm from the police, Mr. Quimby.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Junius Quimby. There's nothing wrong with my memory. I just told you. Mr. Gates called me yesterday afternoon.

[Narrator]

What did he call about?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

About the usual thing.

[Narrator]

Like were his pictures ready and were they?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

No.

[Narrator]

What did you tell him?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

I told him no.

[Narrator]

I mean, when did you say his pictures would be ready? Today.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

This morning?

[Narrator]

Now.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Now.

[Narrator]

Get them. I'm calling for them.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

It's irregular, you know.

[Narrator]

I know. Get them.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Why does Mr. Gates call for them himself?

[Narrator]

He's dead. Now get them.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Of course. They're right here in this drawer. Here they are, in this envelope.

[Narrator]

Yeah. Thanks. What do you know? Cats. Pictures of cats.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Aren't they lifelike? Surreal. Here, pussy, pussy, pussy.

[Narrator]

I'd never heard a man say that to a picture of a cat before. So I tiptoed out, pointed myself to East 60th street and took off. Irene Vinson's apartment house was fashionable. It had a fashionable doorman accoutred in dawn pink, standing under a fashionable moss green canopy. And his fashionable eyes were the color of dead fish as he took my name, my occupation, my sex, took them over to a lavender phone, spoke them in a shocked voice, arranged me in an elevator, pushed a button and washed his hands of me. On the 10th floor, I lit a cigarette and saw Irene Vincent waiting for me in her doorway. She didn't leave much breath for smoking.

[Irene Vincent]

Come in. Danny Clover?

[Narrator]

Yeah, thanks.

[Irene Vincent]

He is frightful, isn't he?

[Narrator]

Who?

[Irene Vincent]

The doorman. I hate snobs, don't you, Danny?

[Narrator]

If you say so.

[Irene Vincent]

You hate snobs. And why are you calling on me?

[Narrator]

Man named Sherman Gates. You know him?

[Irene Vincent]

If you say so.

[Narrator]

He called you yesterday from the Carnegie Hotel.

[Irene Vincent]

So he did.

[Narrator]

He died last night in a movie.

[Irene Vincent]

So he did. I read it in the paper. They say it might be suicide.

[Narrator]

What do you say, Ms. Vincent?

[Irene Vincent]

Oh, I don't think so. Sherman wouldn't commit suicide. Not that way.

[Narrator]

Tell me about Sherman, Ms. Vincent.

[Irene Vincent]

Oh, Sherman was 100% Danny. All boy, all star, high school track, V club cheerleader, a devil with the girls. I was in love with Sherman once. Hundred percent.

[Narrator]

When was that?

[Irene Vincent]

Too long ago, when I was a little girl in Iowa. When little girls fell in love with little boys like Sherman.

[Narrator]

And he called you yesterday. Why?

[Irene Vincent]

He wanted a date. The flame was flickering, he said. That's the way Sherman talked.

[Narrator]

You gave him a date?

[Irene Vincent]

Of course. It flatters a girl. Danny, when an old love comes out of Iowa and asks for a date.

[Narrator]

Where'd you go? What did you do?

[Irene Vincent]

In detail.

[Narrator]

Mm.

[Irene Vincent]

In detail. We went to Gino's, had a few drinks, left Gino's, had an argument. Oh, that should interest you, Danny.

[Narrator]

It does.

[Irene Vincent]

Well, it was about a cat. A cat rubbed itself against the leg of Sherman's tuxedo and Sherman kicked the cat in the face. So we argued. And so I took a cab home, threw my umbrella in the tub to dry off, took my clothes off, got into.

[Maxie Stern]

Oh, Irene, the drinks are ready. Well, haven't you finished with the police, my dear?

[Irene Vincent]

Oh, I think so, Joseph. Danny. This is my fiance, Joseph Dorcas. Danny Clover.

[Narrator]

How do you do, Mr. Dorcas?

[Maxie Stern]

Dropping, Mr. Clover. You'll want to know if I knew of Irene's going out with Sherman Gates.

[Narrator]

I hadn't thought of it, but it'll do.

[Maxie Stern]

I knew about it, Mr. Clover. Irene has full personal freedom until we're married. You've read of our marriage?

[Narrator]

I'm afraid not.

[Maxie Stern]

It's been in all the columns. A winter romance, they call it. That is my part of it. Nice phrase, isn't it?

[Irene Vincent]

I told you, Joseph, they're only little dogs barking. You mustn't let them hurt you.

[Maxie Stern]

You see why I love her, Mr. Clover. And in two weeks, she'll be mine. And then, Irene, no more jaunts to Ioway to see your mother. No more evenings with callow youths like this Gates fellow. No more.

[Irene Vincent]

Darling, you're embarrassing Danny Clover.

[Narrator]

They clinched and I got out of there. I checked in at headquarters, grabbed a cup of coffee and then went back to a man named Quimby who had pictures of cats for a dead man who hated cats.

[Larry Thor]

Oh, I see you're back.

[Narrator]

You remember me, huh? Of course.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

You said you were a policeman. You told me that this morning.

[Narrator]

Right. I'm a policeman and I'm still working. I got some new questions to ask you, Mr. Quimby.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Please ask him in a hurry. I got some pictures in the tank.

[Narrator]

This won't take long. Those pictures you gave me this morning, Mr. Gates.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Pictures?

[Narrator]

Those. Are you sure? There were the pictures he left to be developed.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Am I sure? What do you mean, am I sure?

[Narrator]

I mean, are you sure?

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Of course I am. Now, if you'll pardon me.

[Narrator]

One more thing, please.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Those pictures in the tank, they'll spoil.

[Narrator]

All right, but hurry up back.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

I'll only be a minute.

[Maxie Stern]

Just look around. Rouse.

[Narrator]

Quimby. What happened? He tried. He really did try to tell me what happened. But he couldn't. He'd never be able to. I hurried over to the open door, which led to the alley. Empty. The sound of a car starting off, a car driven by a killer suddenly made the whole place empty. Empty except for one thing. One single and shining fact. The dead man in the lodes wasn't a suicide. He'd been murdered. Now he had company.

[Larry Thor]

You are listening to Broadway's My Beat, starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. A whale of a Christmas present for a few moments. Brain scratching? Could be. There's $54,000 in the Sing It Again jackpot now. 25,000 of it in cold hard cash and the rest in wonderful prizes. Sing It Again is heard for a full hour every Saturday night on most of the same CBS stations.

[Narrator]

In the afternoon, Broadway is a place of regret. It's the interval between the furtive lunch hour and quitting time. The longest five hours in the world, and it happens five days a week. It's all the time to dust the coconut husks at Papaya Stands. To dodge the cloak and suitor for whom nothing exists except the clothing rack he's pushing. And it's the time for window shopping. For me, it was a time for homework. And headquarters is where I study. There's a sergeant there who helps me. His name is Tartaglia, and he tries real hard.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Or as he puts it, I try real hard, Danny.

[Narrator]

I know you do, Tartaglia. So tell me what you found on Junius Quimby.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Oh, that little photographer was a naughty boy, Danny. With a record.

[Narrator]

Not a long one, but naughty pictures, huh? Photographs.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Pictures, Danny. Photographs.

[Narrator]

That all?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yeah. Oh, oh, wait a minute. I almost forgot. Danny, there's a guy outside to see you. Joseph Dorcas. Says he's the fiance of one Ms. Irene Vincent.

[Narrator]

Show him in total.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yeah, go right in, Mr. Dawkus.

[Narrator]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Maxie Stern]

Hello, Mr. Clover. I hope you're not too busy to see me.

[Narrator]

Not at all. Sit down, Mr. Dawkins.

[Maxie Stern]

Thank you.

[Narrator]

Thank you.

[Maxie Stern]

Mr. Clover, I'll come right to the point. I'm a very rich man.

[Narrator]

I'm happy for you, Mr. Dawkins.

[Maxie Stern]

It's a fact that doesn't need a comment, Mr. Clover. I only tell you that because, well, you should know it. I'm in a position to buy off any trouble that Irene may be in.

[Narrator]

Your fiance is in trouble?

[Maxie Stern]

Yes. She just came back from a vacation with her mother in Ioway. And since she's back, she's being blackmailed.

[Narrator]

Aha. That'd fit. I don't know how exactly, but it would fit.

[Maxie Stern]

I. I can't guess what you have in mind, but I think I can help you.

[Narrator]

Frankly, Mr. Dorcas, I could use a little help. What have you got to offer?

[Maxie Stern]

Some pertinent facts.

[Narrator]

Good. What are they?

[Maxie Stern]

Well, the day before yesterday, a man called her. Said he had some information that he was going to take to me.

[Narrator]

Mm.

[Maxie Stern]

He was going to take it to me unless Irene paid him $20,000.

[Narrator]

What kind of information, Mr. Clover?

[Maxie Stern]

Irene swears to me she doesn't know she got a phone call from a man. The man set up a meeting place, but the man never showed up.

[Narrator]

Go on.

[Maxie Stern]

Yesterday, the same thing. Another phone call, another man. And this man didn't show up either.

[Narrator]

What else?

[Maxie Stern]

About an hour ago, one more phone call, still another voice. This time the man told Irene to meet him at 1:00 tomorrow morning at the 23rd Street Docks, Hudson River.

[Narrator]

Was that all he said?

[Maxie Stern]

No. No, he mentioned the names of Junius Quimby and Sherman Gates.

[Narrator]

Oh.

[Maxie Stern]

He told Irene that what happened to them would happen to her if she didn't appear with the money. Does that suggest anything to you, Mr. Clover?

[Narrator]

Yeah, it does. It suggests this third caller is our killer. He's got some piece of information to blackmail your fiance. Some piece of information that belonged to three men. Now it belongs to only one. The killer.

[Maxie Stern]

Well, what should we do, Mr. Clover?

[Narrator]

We'll do this. Tell Irene to get the money and meet the man. Yes, but don't worry. I'll be there. Tell her I'll be in the doorway at the port agent shack. Tell her to walk past me so I'll know she's there. But above all, tell her not to talk to me. Got that?

[Maxie Stern]

Of course, Mr. Clover. I have it. Exactly.

[Narrator]

At midnight, the 23rd street dock is an island torn out of limbo. The mist, the vapors rising out of the dark river, the sob of distant turbines, the almost silent hiss of the sea. It's all there. And you stand in dark space at the edge of a universe and wait and hope you're doing the right thing. Across oil black water, you watch an electric sign in New Jersey, arrange itself in numerals of time, and then a sound brings you back. That's a simple sound. The sound of a woman's heels on wood. So you're back. And you remember why you're there.

[Irene Vincent]

Danny? Danny Clover, are you there?

[Narrator]

I told you, don't talk to me. Keep walking.

[Irene Vincent]

But I'm frightened, Danny Clover. 100% frightened.

[Narrator]

He sees you Talking to anyone, he might kill you like he killed the others.

[Irene Vincent]

Yes, Danny.

[Narrator]

And remember, talk to him as if you were alone. No outcry, no hysterics, nothing. Understand? Now, keep walking.

[Irene Vincent]

Yes, Danny Clover. Here goes a pretty girl.

[Oregon Health Insurance Representative]

Health insurance doesn't have to break the [e-mail] we're here to get you covered. Visit oregonhealthcare.gov to get started.

[Irene Vincent]

He got away, didn't he, Danny?

[Narrator]

Yeah. Why did you cry out? Why?

[Irene Vincent]

Because I'm a girl and girls are unstable.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Irene Vincent]

Are you hurt, Danny? Did he shoot you?

[Narrator]

No.

[Irene Vincent]

But there's blood on the ground.

[Narrator]

See?

[Irene Vincent]

Danny Clover.

[Narrator]

Danny Clover saw the blood on the ground. Danny Clover put an idiot named Irene in a cab. Danny Clover went back to headquarters. By 2:00, the orders were out for every drugstore, every hospital, every doctor to be on the lookout for a wounded man. Then Danny Clover curled up in his swivel chair and fell asleep.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Are you decent, Danny?

[Narrator]

Oh, of course I'm decent. What are you talking about?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

There's a lady out here to see you, Danny, from the Salvation Army. With a drum and a symbol and a tambourine.

[Narrator]

What?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yeah, she says she knows you. Has something important to tell you.

[Narrator]

Oh. Shore in, Sergeant. Sergeant. Sh. In.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yeah, go right in, Miss. Sis. Uh, ma'am.

[Narrator]

Thank you. Good morning, Janet.

[Gloria Sopel]

Oh, it's a glorious, glorious morning, isn't it?

[Narrator]

Gloria Sopel. How are you?

[Irene Vincent]

Glorious.

[Narrator]

Why don't you put the drum down, Dr. Tagley? A help, Opal.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Sure, sure. Allow me, Ms. Opal.

[Irene Vincent]

Thank you.

[Narrator]

T'tagley said you had something important to tell me.

[Gloria Sopel]

Well, it may be. I don't know, it just may be important, and then again, it may not. Strange the way things are, one way or another, isn't it, Danny?

[Narrator]

Tell me anyway, Opal.

[Gloria Sopel]

Well, last night at the mission, it was my tour of duty, you know, helping the poor wandering souls.

[Narrator]

What happened at the mission, opal?

[Gloria Sopel]

Well, about 3:00 in the morning, this man came in with a terrible wound in his shoulder. Oh, a terrible wound. I dress him.

[Narrator]

Where is he now?

[Gloria Sopel]

Well, back at his hotel, I suppose. The Carnegie hotel. You see, Mr. Crandall's one of our steadies.

[Irene Vincent]

But, Danny, where are you going?

[Narrator]

I haven't finished.

[Maxie Stern]

All right, all right, I'm coming. Oh, it's you.

[Narrator]

Yeah, citizen, it's me.

[Maxie Stern]

Come to tell me I'm not much of a citizen no more, huh?

[Narrator]

A real bad one. A wounded one, too.

[Choice Classic Radio Announcer]

Your shoulder hurt, Sam?

[Maxie Stern]

If I make an effort, it'll still Operate.

[Narrator]

Don't try. I'm booking you. We'll take fine care of your shoulders.

[Maxie Stern]

I missed everything, didn't I? Messed it all up. Amateurs. Oughtn't to play that game. It makes them gun happy.

[Narrator]

Uh huh.

[Maxie Stern]

Yeah. I turned all of Phyllis's pictures to the wall. She isn't proud of me. She looks sad. Even the one in stockings.

[Narrator]

Tough. You ready?

[Maxie Stern]

Sure. Can I figure on how long a wrap is?

[Narrator]

Figure on all the time there is left in the world. So you won't be disappointed. After all, you killed two men.

[Maxie Stern]

Killed two men? What are you talking about?

[Narrator]

Sherman Gates, one man. Junius Quimby, one man.

[Maxie Stern]

Wait a minute.

[Narrator]

Two men.

[Maxie Stern]

Wait a minute. You're talking too fast. Words are going by me. I think I hear, but I don't know what they mean.

[Narrator]

Let's go.

[Maxie Stern]

I'm telling you. All I did was try a blackmail stunt. I lost it, that's all.

[Narrator]

Talking for the record now.

[Maxie Stern]

Sure I am. And this is a record. A letter comes for guest Sherman Gates after he's deceased. Eye open it. Pictures in it. Blackmail pictures to a guy with brains. More brains than me.

[Narrator]

Saw you called Irene Vincent?

[Maxie Stern]

Sure. Pictures been all over the paper. On account of her marrying that millionaire. Sure, I called her.

[Narrator]

Where are the pictures?

[Maxie Stern]

Right in my back pocket. They never left.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

There.

[Narrator]

I'll take them.

[Maxie Stern]

Well, here.

[Narrator]

Thanks.

[Maxie Stern]

You can't book me for murder. You can't.

[Narrator]

Here's a dime, citizen. I gotta call headquarters. We're going for a ride. You, me, and the pictures.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

You sent for me. Danny, I was just on my way to home. I phoned Mrs.

[Narrator]

It's a little early, isn't it, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Well, what with the rain and all, by the time I get through the traffic.

[Narrator]

Take off that slicker and stick around a while. I want you to look at a picture.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Okay, Danny. Well, where's the picture, huh, Danny?

[Narrator]

Here. What do you see to Taglia?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Oh, I see a gorgeous dame in a swimming suit by the name Irene Vincent. I see a guy also in a swimming suit by the name Sherman Gates, deceased. And they're leaning up against the new Nash. Looks like the 1950 model. Did I see everything?

[Narrator]

Denny, where are they?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

To me, looks like Miami. I never been to Miami, but to me it looks like Miami. Palm trees, oceans, swimming suits.

[Narrator]

Yeah. Neat piece of blackmail.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

This is the blackmail to be in Miami in the winter.

[Narrator]

You can go home now, Tattaglio.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Oh, thanks, Danny. Thanks. It's because of the rain I'm leaving now.

[Narrator]

What do you got there?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

The umbrella.

[Narrator]

Umbrella?

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Yeah. Sure. An umbrella, Danny. It's raining outside, Captain Dollop.

[Narrator]

Umbrella. Go home, Tortaglia. And tell Mrs. Tartaglia today. You.

[Maxie Stern]

I want to apologize for Irene's not being here, Mr. Clover.

[Narrator]

Oh, that's okay. You're here.

[Maxie Stern]

After all, Irene and I are engaged. And the fact that you found me in her apartment shouldn't cause you to lift an eyebrow.

[Narrator]

Not the merest wisp of an eyebrow. Maybe you'll react. Mr. Dawkus, I know why Irene was being blackmailed.

[Maxie Stern]

Good for you. So you found the blackmailer. You understand, whatever Irene did before we were married doesn't concern me.

[Narrator]

Oh.

[Maxie Stern]

That was a part of her life that I didn't belong in. It was hers under whatever circumstance she wanted.

[Narrator]

What if it happened three weeks ago? Oh, impossible. Look at this picture, Mr. Darkus. Does it tweak you?

[Maxie Stern]

I. Irene. Irene, come in here.

[Narrator]

Well, you mean you've been out clevering me? Irene's been listening all the time. I. My.

[Maxie Stern]

I don't like to subject my fiance to the police now. Well, come here, Irene.

[Irene Vincent]

Yes, what is it?

[Narrator]

A picture. I want you to look at it.

[Maxie Stern]

Were you in Iowa three weeks ago, Irene?

[Irene Vincent]

I told you I was, dear. That means I was.

[Narrator]

Irene, you're not looking at the picture.

[Irene Vincent]

I'm looking. It was taken three years ago in Miami. Before I met Mr. Dorcas.

[Maxie Stern]

You're lying, dear.

[Narrator]

You're doing just that, Irene. They didn't have 1950 cars three years ago. They had them just about three weeks ago, Irene.

[Irene Vincent]

So I went to Miami. So what? So what if I did?

[Narrator]

Irene, tell us. Tell us what happened the night Sherman Gates died.

[Irene Vincent]

I've already done that 100%.

[Narrator]

The part after you left him. Do it again.

[Irene Vincent]

All right, I will. I came home in a cab, undressed, went to bed happy.

[Narrator]

The part about the umbrella, what did you do with it?

[Irene Vincent]

Throw it in the bathtub? Happy.

[Narrator]

Yeah, but you're not. A guy comes to call for you to take you out for an evening, he brings an umbrella like 100 gentleman. I know because it was found with his dead body.

[Irene Vincent]

Poor him. So?

[Narrator]

So you carried an umbrella, too? When a gentleman carries an umbrella on a date, a girl never does. But you did. You know why, too?

[Irene Vincent]

Throw him out of here, dear.

[Maxie Stern]

No, no, I don't want to do that.

[Narrator]

Because you knew you were coming home alone, Irene, so you poisoned his drink and left him. That took care of blackmailer number one. You mean Irene killed someone else, did you, Irene?

[Irene Vincent]

You're both crazy.

[Narrator]

Uh. You killed Quimby, too. The nasty little Photographer who developed a few extra blackmail pictures for himself and wanted in on the blackmail.

[Maxie Stern]

Poor Irene.

[Irene Vincent]

You're crazy.

[Narrator]

But still another man got in on the blackmail. A hotel clerk who opened Sherman Gates mail and figured you'd been cheating almost up to the altar.

[Irene Vincent]

Don't listen to him. Don't listen.

[Narrator]

Saw you dreamed up a story, Irene, and told it to Mr. Dorkus here. A story that made the hotel clerk look like he murdered the other two. He didn't. You did.

[Maxie Stern]

Irene. Irene, put down that gun.

[Irene Vincent]

Get out of the way. I'll kill him.

[Maxie Stern]

Irene, don't.

[Irene Vincent]

Irene.

[Narrator]

You fool. You stupid little fool. I'll take that gun. I said give me that gun. That's better.

[Sergeant Tattaglia]

Irene, I.

[Narrator]

She looked at him, then fell suddenly to the floor. Took Dorcas head in her arms and swayed back and forth, back and forth. Her eyes filled with the terrible fright you sometimes see in a child. And it was hard to believe she was a murderer. But you knew better, so you called headquarters and they sent an ambulance and a couple of burly cops. She was 100% with them, so they gave her the best seat in the paddy wagon. Broadway looks clean. It's been washed by the rain. It smells good and everything looks sharp. Sharp like a knife at your heart. And you walk against it and it plunges deeper and deeper and deeper. And finally there's no pain. It's Broadway. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.

[Larry Thor]

Broadway's My Beat stars Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover and is written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The musical score was composed by Alexander Courage and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. And the program was produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. The cast tonight included Charles Calvert, Joe Forte, Paul Duboff, Junius Matthews, Mary Jane Croft, Herbert rawlinson and Joyce McCluskey. One step to curing a disease is recognizing it and treating it. Hate is a disease. It's recognized as such by patriotic citizen who refuse to spread the doctrine of hate by speaking against a fellow American because of his race, color or religious creed. The treatment to cure the disease of hate is to accept or reject people on their individual worth and to speak up wherever you are against prejudice and for understanding. Stay tuned now for Sing It Again, which follows immediately over most of these same CBS stations. This is cbs, where you find Broadway is My Beat. Every Saturday night, the Columbia Broadcasting System.