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Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Richard Diamond, Private Detective: The Jacoby Case 11/19/1949
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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@ChoiceClassicRadio.com. Here's Dick Powell as Richard diamond, private detective, Diamond Detective Agency. The smiling gumshoe. Rick, sign up for our new contest and win yourself a beautiful, all chrome, pre tested genuine electric chair. Oh, lovely. What do I have to do? Just tear off your scalp and send it along with 25 words or less. Why you love Richard Diamond. I can do it in two words. What are they? You're pretty. Oh, you win, you win. Where do you want the Chair sent, madam? 975 Park Avenue. But I think I have AC current. No problem with the Jiffy Toaster chair. It works on any current AC DC and we have it in three speeds. 45, 78 and long plane. Oh, no. Oh, Rick, that's awful. Hello, baby. Hi. What are you doing? Oh, nothing. What's with you? I just thought I'd call and find out if I'm still gonna see you tonight. Yes, ma'. Am. We gonna stay in? Well, I thought I'd have Francis fix dinner and we could sit around, listen to records or something. But if you'd rather go out. No, no, no, baby, I think that would be lovely. And so does my bank account. Oh, broke again? Not quite. A little bent. I hope the next client I get has a big fat trust fund. Well, don't you worry about it. I'll see you around 8. Okay. Bye, baby. Bye. Now, let's see. Six shirts, four pairs of socks and. Hey, how did that get in there? Well. Oh, okay. Okay. Yeah. Well, what's the matter with you? You lost up my laundry. What are you talking about? Today isn't Tuesday. Okay, Walt, so it isn't Tuesday. Nothing's happening around this place. I felt like doing some washing. Why don't you put it away and come on down here? I'll give you something to do. What do you mean? You sound like you're surrounded by Sergeant Otis's relatives. I got a big headache. I think maybe you can help me with it. Trouble all over the place. You don't have to, but I'd like to, well, sort of kick it around with you. Sure, sure, sure. I'll throw a few more things into soak and I'll be right down. Oh, thanks, Rick. Hey, it's really serious, isn't it? Now, what makes you say that? Look, Father, every time your ulcers hold a rally and you want me to come down and join in. You say thanks, Rick, just like I'd laid an egg or something for you. Oh, you think you're pretty smart, don't you? Sure. If I listen to everybody who thinks I'm not, I'd wind up playing Mumbly Peg in a straight jacket. I'll be right over. Well, that's the way trouble can get in the way of an otherwise quiet afternoon. Walt doesn't usually call me like that, but when he does, I know things are bound to get pretty rough. I tossed all of my shirts into so closed up the office. Twenty minutes later, I was walking into the squadroom of the 5th Precinct Police Station. I spotted Sergeant Otis hopping around like a crapshooter on his 10th pass. Well, what's with you, Otis? Oh, don't bother me now, Shammas. I gotta get these reports into Lieutenant. Well, well, get you. What's the matter? Did you suddenly discover you were working for the police department? Now, that's very funny. Okay, you gotta laugh. Now beat it. The lieutenant expects you. Well, all right, but for Pete's sakes, Otis, stop acting like that and don't bust into the lieutenant's office like that. You swear you've been doped and start an investigation. Shama, someday I ain't even going to bother to answer you. Sergeant, the day you don't open your mouth to say something stupid, the whole world will start singing. Oh, yeah? Yeah. And while I think about it, why don't you start combing your hair? What's the matter with it? Looks like a mattress after the lions got through with it. Hello, Walt. Hello, Rick. Sit down. Oh, maybe I should have worn black. Hmm? That or a propeller on my hat. First I run into Otis acting like he was shot out of a cannon. Then I waltz in here and you give me that big hello like you just discovered a body in your desk land. Jacoby is back in town? Yes. Oh, but. But we got an indictment on him. Got him deported six years ago. Look, Rick, there's no mistake. One of our stoolies brought us word. Oh, but that's crazy. Jacoby knows the feds will pick him up in a second. How'd he get back in? Who knows? Florida, maybe. Last we heard, he disappeared in Italy. And about six months later we got a report he was seen in Cuba. Are you just gonna take the stoolies word for it? What else have you got? I got three bodies to date and they're all very dead. Jacoby? It's got to be. Why? Well, the first two are the guys that turned state's evidence and helped to put Jacoby away. You remember them? Ross and Krisel Jacoby swear he'd get him someday. Who's the third? The studio gave us the tip, walked out of the station and somebody with a Thompson scattered them all over the front steps. Right in front of the station? Yeah. Be in the evening papers. The commissioner is very unhappy. How about the Feds? Are they working on it? Up to their necks. But nobody can find out how he got in or where he might be hiding out. Oh, here's something else that makes us sure it's Jacoby. In this town there are at least five of Jacoby's old mob. The minute this thing broke, we started to check. They've all disappeared. You think they're organizing again? Oh, Walt, come on. Rick, I don't know what to think. That's why I wanted you to come down. You're one of the guys who worked in the Jacoby case. You remember a lot about it. Well, sure, but. Oh, now you can't tell me Jacoby is going to try to start operating again. It's a one way past to that little green room up at Sing Sing. I know it, I know it, I know it. But you tell me. I don't know how to figure it. You can't find anybody else who's seen Jacoby? No, just the stoolie. He's going to make a swell witness. Yeah. We just got a report on the teletype. Jacobi? Yeah? Florida reports the body of a man found out in the Biscayne Keys. They checked and found out he was a Cuban. Charter boats for fishing trips. And the immigration boys check with the authorities in Cuba. And it turns out that this dead guy took a party of two out for a trip and never showed up. Wait, wait a minute. You said party of two? Yeah, a dame and a guy. Well, what makes you think the guy with the dame was Jacoby? Because the description fitted Jacoby exactly. And the Feds say that Jacoby married a dame in Italy. And the dame that got on the boat fits the wife's description. Mm. Well, Rick, it's ridiculous. Okay. We now agree on two things. Land, Jacoby is back in the States and it's ridiculous. Will you give me a hand? I need somebody who really knew Jacoby. Hey, diamond, did you really know Jacoby? Sure, sure. Otis, we used to go out and shoot dumb police sergeants together. Oh, hey, Lieutenant, why don't he ever give me a straight answer? Because it wouldn't fit your crooked head. Now go out and dig up Some more reports. Okay. All right, Walt. Now, let's. Let's say Jacoby's gonna start operating again. He's made sure of one thing. Nobody who's seen him is alive enough to testify. So? So this all eight to five. Jacoby's gonna make a quick haul someplace and do one more killing. You expect the killing? I expect an attempt. He's gotten two of the guys who put him away. He's just got one more guy to tag. He said he'd do it himself and with a knife. That means he's got to find you. Yeah. The hall must be really important for him to risk coming into the States. He probably needs money to keep going. So he'll pull off the job and then try to get me. And he'll leave the country the same way he came in. Nobody can ever swear they saw him except the five guys in his mob. I think he'll kill every one of them, too. That's a lot of doing. Jacoby's a lot of killer. Now we've got to find out where at least one of those guys is. We'll find Jacoby and try and stop the slaughter. But you got to watch your step, Wreck. There's no telling when he's gonna pull off the job and try to go to work on you. Look, I'm not happy about it. I'm really the guy who's responsible for putting Jacoby away, and I know him pretty well. He's got a vendetta wall, and guys like Jacoby don't figure they're their brother's keeper. The score is two out of three with one to go. He'll try his best to kill me and even it up. Well, where do you say we start? I know. Oh, give me a list of the five guys you think are with Jacoby. And all the information on him. You got it. Is right here. All right. Put two of your best men on these three guys at the bottom of the list. And you and I will start with these two on top. Okay. But I hope we find Jacoby in time, Walt. So do I. The way he uses that knife, I'll have to have all my clothes made out of bandage. Walt assigned two of his best men to start checking on the three names at the bottom of the list. And we took off for Flatbush. Our first man was a hoodlum named George Vale. And one of his favorite hangout was a pool hall on Church Avenue. Snooker or straight pool? We want to talk. You want to talk? Go over to the park, get yourself a Box. Oh, look, your wise cracks can only give you a hollow mouth. Show him the badge, Walt. Oh, cops. What do you want? You know a man named George Vail? No. Let's go. Hey, wait a minute. Look, I'm not going to fool around. The answers here will be a lot easier. We know Vail comes here a lot. You don't want to tell us about him. The boys at the station have got time to help your memory along. You can't haul me. And what's a charge? Withholding police evidence. It can get you a couple of years. Let's go. Hey, wait a minute. Okay. Okay. What? Oh, wait a minute. I just want to be sure no one sees me talking to you. Okay? I don't know much. Vail ain't been in here for a couple of days. Where does he live? I don't know. I swear I don't. But I do know it's in the neighborhood. Sometimes I see him coming out of a little delicatessen across the street with a bundle of groceries. Let's go all. Yeah. Oh, thanks. Sporty guys like you who make the police department such a happy little group. So, good afternoon, gentlemen. You own this place? Yes. There's something wrong. There's a man named George Vale coming here much. Oh, something is wrong. I told Mama that George was no good. Then he does come in here. Policemen, maybe? Yes, we're policemen now. Would you mind telling us, please, if whether. Mama. Mama. Well, she must be out and back. I want to show her she liked this George filly. He was always with the flat ray. Now I want to show her what happens to that no good. Mama, please. Please. We haven't got much time. Oh, I'm sorry, gentlemen. You must excuse an old man. So little excitement. So now, what can I do for you? Do you know where George Vale lives? Sure, sure. I'm sending him over stuff lots of times. It's up two blocks. But he ain't there. How do you know that? Because his wife, she's coming in for the last couple days. She said he was out of town on business. He's got a wife. Sure, sure. A blunt. She's not bad looking. Well, you know. Yeah, yeah. What is Bell's exact address here? I write for you on a piece of paper. What time you got, Rick? 2:30. There are gentlemen. I hope you catch him for whatever he's done. That no good. We'll have to ask you not to mention this to anybody. Not even to Mama. Well, okay to Mama. But you tell Mama to keep it a secret. Oh. Oh, A secret? Well, maybe I'm not telling her for a couple of days yet. Come on, Walt. We going down to see Vail's wife? No. I got a better idea. Don't you think she'd know where Vail is? Maybe, but she's not gonna tell us. But if we throw a scare into her, she might tell her husband something. If she knows where he is. Get Otis down here with a recording outfit. We'll wait until we see her leave the apartment and bug the place. No sense in tailing you. If Vale is with the Jacoby. He wouldn't give her the address. Maybe he didn't tell her anything. Maybe just took off. Yeah, that's a chance we gotta take. Maybe he gave her a phone number where he could be reached on the way down to the Vail address. Put in the call at the precinct. Right. KXKB the kqar. I'm at the corner of Flatbush and Church. Have Sergeant Otis report to me on a code three and tell him to step on it. Walt finished his report. We both went over and talked with the landlady in Vail's building. She told us that Mrs. Vail was still in her room and gave us an accurate description. Also, she agreed to pull down her window shade when Mrs. Vail left the building so that there wouldn't be a chance of missing her. Then we went back to the car to wait. In about 15 minutes, Otis showed up carrying a small portable recorder. Here you are, Lieutenant. All right, get in the backseat. Yeah. Hey, we're going to wire somebody's apartment. No, I just thought it might be fun to play cops and robbers. Now, relax. You might be here for quite a while. Not so long, Walt. Look. There goes the landlady's signal. Yeah, Mrs. Vail should be. There she comes. Yeah. Otis, get set. We gotta go up there and plant a bug before she comes back. I'm set. I got four cars at the intersections just in case she's got a car. If she walks, I got four men to tailor. Depending on her direction. She's crossing the street. KX KB to KQAR. Car 7, 9 3, 14, standby. Rick, you notice, get up there with a bug. Right. Come on, Otis. Yeah. Right with you. Attention. The suspect is turning into Church Avenue, heading for New. Last van in here, Ros. Yeah. Well, this is a room. The landlady said you'd unlock it for us as soon as Mrs. Vale left the building. Bingo. Go on in. Okay. Okay. Now plant it just like you knew what you were doing. Sergeant, I'll take the box down in the basement where we can listen. Give me five minutes and then give me a quick test. How long have I got to set it up? Who knows? Don't worry about it too much. If Mrs. Vale comes in, just tell her you're selling tape recorders. Oh, she won't believe that, Otis. With your face, you'll have to believe something as stupid as that. I dropped the wire out of the window and went out and down into the basement. It was a slipshod way of wiring a room, but we were in a hurry and it would have to be enough. I set it up and waited for Otis to start croaking. Okay, Diamond, I'll start counting. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hey, I think I hear something coming. I'm going out the window. I'll see you in the basement. Oh, for Pete's sake. Gee, she nearly caught me. I come down to fire escape. Come on in. Yeah? Hey, how's it working? All right. Listen. Hey, she ain't got a bad voice. You probably got me plugged in with Morton Downey. What are we gonna do? Just sit here and listen. The lieutenant's gonna give Mrs. Vail a scare orders. Then we're gonna listen. I don't get it. Shh. That's Walt. Who's there? The police, Mrs. Vail. Huh? Oh, well, wait just a minute. Hey, it sounds pretty good, Donna. To shut up. Otis. Yeah? I'm looking for your husband, Mrs. Bayonne. He isn't here. He's out of town. What's wrong? He's wanted. For what? Murder. Mind if I come in? Got a warrant? Okay, make it tough. Where's your husband? I told you, we're out of town. He didn't tell me. Okay, I'll be back with a warrant. Now we'll see if it works. Operator. Evergreen 33349, please. Yeah, hello. George there? Oh, tell him, Mary. Hello, honey. Well, look, I'm sorry. Yeah, I know, but this is one of those times. Yeah, a cop was just here. Yeah, a cop murdered. I don't know. No, I didn't let him in. Huh? Oh, I never thought of that. Okay, I won't call again. Bye, baby. Okay. Otis, stay here and keep this thing going. I gotta get back to the lieutenant. Did it work? Yeah, like a dream. She called Evergreen 33349 and talked to George. I'll check the number. You start driving north. So we'll be in the general exchange area. KXKB calling KQAR, code 600. We headed across Town while Walt put in the code to the precinct. In less time than it takes Sergeant Otis to say. Oh, yeah, we had our address. Well, wouldn't you know it? Another pool hall. Yeah. Guy must like the game. Hope he's in. Pretty crowded. I don't. Oh, yeah. There he is. He sees us. He's going for the back door. Let's grab. Let me go. Off me. You busting my arms. Take it easy, Vail. All we want to do is talk to you. Come on outside. Okay, okay. Go on. Vail, in the car. Quit shoving. I'm going. Walter. Where did that shot come from? Got Vale in the chest. Across the street. Stay down. Look. Look, Vale, you're not going any place. Now, we know you're working for Jacoby and we know he's close. The guy who just shot you is working for Jacoby too. You're not gonna cover up for a loss who just fingered you, are you? Jacoby's looking for you too, Diamond. He's gonna cut you up, man. Where's the hideout, Vale? I'm gonna put in an 800 on this, Rick. I want this whole area surrounded. Come on, vale. Where's Jacoby? 450 Vale. Oh, swell. Repeat. Code 800 from Central Park west to 10th. From 59th street to 64th Street. KXKC now at Poole Hall. Ninth Avenue 63. Okay, Rick. What's with Vale? Yeah. Nothing. Dead? Yeah. Give me half of Jacoby's address. 455. And then made the trip. 455? Well, come on. There can't be too many 455s within walking distance. What about Vail? Yeah, I'll call him for the wagon. Go ahead. I'll. I'll start checking apartment numbers. Now, you wait a minute. You better take it easy. Jacoby would like nothing better than to have you go knocking on his front door. If I know Jacoby, Walt, he's got the radio on and he knows just what you're doing. Besides, that finger man will tell him about Vail. Somebody's got to find him before he makes a break. He's done enough killing. Well, if you do run into something, you wait for the boys, Walt. Yeah. Bye. I took off and started checking addresses that began with 4. 55. The first was cold turkey. Nothing but a married couple who looked like they were in training for Madison Square Garden. I moved on. Somewhere in that neighborhood, Leon Jacoby was listening to his radio. Car 3, code 800, 455-61st Street. Car 16, 17 and 18, shut it off. James Avenue. Same Thing shut it off. All right, all right. I wish the boys would get back. Take it easy. Take it easy. Yeah, who is it? Eddie. Boss. Okay, Boss, the cops. Come in. Come in, come in. Two cops picked up Vail in the pool hall. Ah, so that's what it's all about. Let Vail talk. No, he won't. What do you mean? Well, I waited across the street. Got Veil when he came out with the two pigs. Oh, you did, huh? Well. Well, you did me a favor, Ed, when I figured you didn't want anybody around. It might squeal. You know, Vale wife and everything. Yeah, yeah. You know. You know what else you did, Ed? No, what? When you plugged Vale, you brought the whole New York police force right down to my neck, huh? Yeah. So I. I gotta return the favor. Well, what do you mean? I. I just didn't think. No, you didn't. Leon, come on, we gotta get out of here. Will you shut up? Hey, now, wait a minute. What's with you? I got a present for you, Ed. Leon. Huh? No, no, Boss. Put that knife away. Sure. Oh, no. No. What's the matter with you? What did you do that for? I'm in a tough spot. I go faster alone, baby. Alone? Yeah, baby. You mean, yeah? Yeah, that's right. You'd leave me? Look, I got no choice. You know how it is, kid. One might get through, but two, no chance. Nothing to say, baby? Yeah, go on, get out. Just like that, huh? Then what would happen to you? You might help the cops find me, huh? Ellie, aren't you a little scared? No, just sick. I've been sick since we got here. I wish I'd known what you were really like. I'd have laughed at you when you asked me to marry you. Oh, well, go on, baby. Laugh now. Maybe it'll help. Well, go on. Laugh your head off. Trying to do nothing funny. You're trying not to act scared. Jacoby don't scare you none, huh? Now I laugh. You're scared plenty because you think I might kill you. Well, say something. Don't just stand there. You're scared. You gotta be scared. Everybody's scared of Jacoby. You slapped Jacoby. Okay, baby. Nobody slapped Jacoby. Not you, not the cops, not anybody. Maybe you like to beg me not to kill you, huh? Go ahead. Go and beg. Oh, okay. I think about you when I'm back in Forensi, baby. I'll river that you. Jacoby. Hold it. What? Stop. Jacoby. Well, Jacoby had waited six years to get a crack at me. And it Looked like he was going to finally get his chance. The alley was a dead end. I stopped and listened. The back of the alley was stacked with boxes and along the sides, garbage cans. He could have been hiding anywhere along the line. I'm coming in, Jacoby. You want to give it up or do you want to play? The block's surrounded. Okay, okay. I ain't got a gun. Come on out. All right, all right. Only don't shoot. Diamond, walk over here. You see, I ain't got a gun. Now, don't shoot, please. Shut up, slob, and start walking out. What you gotta act like that for, huh, Diamond? Come on, Jacoby, move. What do you cops got against me? What'd they do, huh? Nothing, Jacoby. Not a thing. Start moving. Well, why you gotta get so tough? Maybe you're scared. Scared to death. Now, if you don't hurry up and move, I'm gonna shoot you full of holes. I'm so scared. All right, Diamond. All right. I ain't got no guns, so you can push me around like that. What are you gonna do to me, huh? Why, not a thing. Haven't you heard? The city went out and bought you a yacht. They like the way you kill people, so they're gonna give you the yacht and send you back to Italy. Now, walk out of that alley. Okay. Okay. Okay. Now, you dirt. Rick. Rick. Over here. Walt, over here. He pulled his knife on your hand. Yeah, I didn't think I'd see it. Well, you're lucky you're dead. Yeah, well, I expected it. There used to be an old saying. Six years ago, when Leon Jacoby wants you dead, he'll use a knife and you'll lose your head. Now, he should have remembered. I keep up on slogans. Oh, Rick, that's an awful story. Well, you wanted me to tell you about it, but it's so terrible. And you're so lucky. Yeah, I guess so. You'll certainly know better next time. Oh, I'll never make the same mistake again. Oh, I should hope not. Imagine being in such a hurry, you've forgotten through your socks. In with all those lovely white shirts. Plaid now, baby. The color run that much? Sweetheart, when I got back to the office, it looked like Picasso had been in my wash basin. My shirts are ruined. Well, don't you fret. Mommy's gonna buy little old Rick a whole new batch tomorrow. Oh, no, no, no, really, I couldn't. It's just against my principles to take anything from a woman. It is, huh? Definitely. What's that song you're playing 16 neck 33 sleeve. What? Oh, you idiot. Oh, I was bad. I dropped a real old hint. Well, I'll drop a little old hint too. Very subtly, of course. Sing. Oh, baby, you're the subtlest. Climb aboard a butterfly and take off on the breeze. Let your worries flutter by and do the things you please. In the land where dollar bills are falling off the trees. On a dreamer's holiday. Every day for breakfast there's a dish of scrabble stars. And for luncheon you'll be munching rainbow cand bars. You'll be living a la mode on Jupiter or Mars. On a dreamer's holiday. Make it a long vacation time there is plenty of you need no reservation. Just bring along the one that you love. Help yourself to happiness and sprinkle it with mirth. Close your eyes and concentrate. And dream for all you're worth. You will feel terrific when you get back down to earth From a dreamer's holiday. How was that, honey? Baby, you're the crazy. What? Now where did you pick up that expression? Oh, I get around now and then. I know a couple of musicians. I bet they all play lead kazoo. Come here. What do you want when I lay one on you? What? Oh. What'd you think of that, pops? You want the honest truth? Solid. You have just heard Richard diamond, private detective, starring Dick Powell. Helen was played by Virginia Gregg, Lieutenant Levinson by Ed Begley. Also in our cast were Wilms Herbert, David Ellis, Gene Bates, Edmund McDonald and Charles McGraw. Music was under the direction of Frank Worth. Richard diamond is written and directed by Blake Edwards. Dick Powell soon will be seen in the screen version of the best selling novel, Mrs. Mike. Now this is Eddie King inviting you to be with us again at the same time next week when we will again bring you Dick Powell as Richard diamond, private detective. Sunday evening means stellar listening on NBC. Tomorrow, be sure to hear the American theater's foremost acting couple, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontan in the whimsical comedy the Great Adventure on the Theater Guild on the air. And for another great adventure in comedy tomorrow, remember to hear the Phil Harris Alice Fay Show Great entertainment Sundays on NBC. Next it's Death in the Rain with Maureen o' Hara on NBC.