← Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
The Falcon: The Case of the Practical Choker 02/25/1951
00:30:25
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Ed Herlihy
Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. The AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Launch your podcast on podbean today. My school uses Podbean. My church too. I love it. I really do. 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 hello? Yes, this is the Falcon speaking. Oh, Marcia, I'm glad you called. Now you'll have to calm me out tonight, angel. I'm going to be entertained by some comic. And when this boy makes with the gags, he really slays them. This is Ed Hurley. He friends inviting you on behalf of the craft foods company to listen to the adventures of the Falcon starring Les Damon. You met the Falcon first in his best selling novels. Then you saw him in his thrilling motion picture series. Now join him on the air when the Falcon solves the case of the Practical Choker. Before we join the Falcon for his latest adventure, I'd like to tell you about nine of the handiest little menu helpers you ever had in your kitchen. They're the nine famous Craft church cheese spreads. And they really are handy for making snacks and sandwiches, salad toppings and appetizers. All of the kraft cheese spreads, the mild tasting ones and the sharp tasting ones too, are delicious. And they're all the very finest quality because they're made by Kraft. So tomorrow, get several of the nine famous cheese spreads made by Craft. And now, the case of the practical choker. It is Sunday afternoon in New York, and in a parked car outside the Club 91, a bad actor named Chuck Morgan and a blonde named Linda Stewart are rehearsing a new comedy routine. And although Mr. Morgan's ideas of humor may be overdeveloped, still, he obviously believes this act should kill his customer. Now, I understand what you're supposed to do, Linda. I'm not too sure. Mr. Morgan, what's the matter with you anyway? Your agent told me you were a hep dame. Look, Mr. Morgan, I don't need a job that badly, all right? I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean that. You see, I want to play a joke on this guy and I want to make sure that it goes off of schedule. Well, the more I hear this joke, the less I like it. I told you, there's Nothing to worry about. This fellow's a good friend of mine and Roger. Something as silly as this just to settle a bet. He thinks he's a great little guy with the ladies, and I bet him 50 bucks he was wrong. But you promised me $100 for this job. How can you come out ahead? You don't understand, Linda. It's not the money. It's the principle of this thing. I just want to make a sucker out of Davis. Davis? Yeah, his name is Red Davis. He's a thin little guy with red hair and pop eyes. You won't have any trouble spotting him. He owns the joint. He'll be in the corner booth. But suppose your friend doesn't show any interest in me? You haven't taken a good look at yourself in the mirror lately, have you? No, no, I'm not at all worried. Now, when Red sees you, he'll start baying at the moon. But at the beginning, you want me to act insulted. That's right. That's so he won't become suspicious. Then thaw out and let him buy you a couple of drinks. And after that, well, he'll probably want to take you out for the evening. So you tell him that first you have to make a stop at your apartment. I don't think I like that, Mr. Morgan. What's there not to like? This is on the up and up. When you get to your place, I'll be waiting for you. And that's where you're going to tell Mr. Davis it's just a joke. That's right. I can hardly wait to see Red. When he learns it's a gag, I bet he'll practically die laughing. Hey. Hey, where do you live, anyway, Linda? It's just the next floor, Mr. Davis. Cut it out. You promised you were going to call me Red. I'm sorry, Red. Do you know a man named. Man named who? Forget it. You know, I don't get you, Linda. When I first saw you in the club, I immediately said to myself, now, there's a dame with class. I was surprised when you gave me a tumble. What? I don't often do things like that. It was an impulse, huh? Yeah, I understand. I get them all the time. Where do we go now? Is this apartment? Here, let me help you. It's all right. I can manage. Come in. Thanks. Hey, hey. Nice layout you got here, Linda. I think I'm gonna like this. I wouldn't bet on that, Rhett Morgan. Oh, then you do know each other. You dirty little double cross. But he told me it Was a joke. The joke's over now, honey. You can beat it. Now, see here, Mr. Morgan. I said beat it. If you're a smart girl, you'll keep your trap closed. Now, go on. Listen, Morgan. Shut up. I don't want any conversation from you, Red. I just want my dough. What dough? Don't play dumb. The 60 grand you owe me on the Robinson fight. Oh, that. What'd you think I was talking about? Well, you see, I'm kind of low, Chuck. I've been running in tough luck lately. From now on, it's gonna get worse. You know, all the boys are laughing at me for letting you hang me up. A man in my position can't afford that. It might give other people ideas. Look, Morgan, suppose I pay you a little at a time, huh? What do you call a little? Well, I could give you 10 grand. Now, in the balance, keep your hands up. I was just reaching for my wallet. You got that dough on you? Yeah. Okay, let's have it. Sure, I was gonna give it to you all the time. All right, Morgan, put him up. Put away that gun, Davis. At your age. Well, Mr. Morgan, who's the joke on now? I guess it's me. And you're not kidding. That's okay, Red. I'll see you again. And I'll lay you odds next time you won't be this lucky. I get this, Mr. Lyons, because you'll enjoy it. After Chuck Morgan goes to all that trouble, Red pulls the gun and leaves Chuck with his tongue hanging out. Well, that's very amusing, Hudson. What happened after that? Oh, Morgan started looking for him again. And what do you think will happen if he finds him this time? The same thing. You don't believe Morgan will kill him? Nah, Morgan's all talk. You think so? I know so. I wouldn't last as long as a private dick if I wasn't a good judge of character, huh? Now, take it from me, nothing's gonna happen to Red. Well, that's too bad, Hudson. It would be worth a lot of money to me if something did. How much is a lot of money? What's the difference? You're not interested. Try me. $2,500. You're right. @ that price, I'm not interested. It isn't worth more. Everybody knows that Morgan has threatened Davis, so you run absolutely no risk. What have you got against Red anyway? Well, that's none of your business. Either you want the job or you don't. Well, as long as you put it in that basis. Mr. Lyons, let me think it out. Club 91. Good evening. Hello, Victor. This is Red. Oh, yes, Mr. Davis. I'm in a booth at the corner of Madison and 46. Anybody been around a joint asking for me? Several gentlemen. What'd you tell them? That I had not heard from you all day. Good. Norma there. Who? My wife's stupid. No, no, no, no. Mrs. Davis has not been in all evening. Well, when she gets there. Hey, cut that out. What's the trouble? Some characters in a hurry to use the phone. Hold it a second, Victor, till I take care of this pest. Now listen, you. How would you like a good punch? Punch? That you wearing? What the. Shut the door. Listen, Morgan. Just keep your hands right where they are. What are you doing here, Chuck? Red Davis was knocked off a couple of hours ago. That still doesn't answer my question. I don't see why not. One, the cops think I did it. Two, you can prove I didn't. Now, does it add up? Not to my liking. You better get somebody else. Listen, Waring, maybe I haven't handled this right, but I didn't kill Red. And why don't you tell that to the police? You don't think for a minute they believe me? Suppose I told you I don't either. Look, Mike, I know you don't like me, but give me credit for a little intelligence. If I was going to knock off Davis, would I shoot my mouth off all over town? So? So I tell you, I didn't kill him. Then who did? I got no idea. Okay, Morgan, I'll see what I can do for you. But first I want you to surrender to the cops. Oh, no. All right, then it's no deal. Now, wait a minute, Mike. I'll make you a proposition. No, I'm not interested. For Pete's sake, give me a chance, will you? I'm convinced that with any luck, you can clean this up in a couple of hours. If you haven't by then, I'll give myself up. What'll you do in the meantime? I'll stay right here. What's to prevent me from walking out and calling the police? Nothing. Oh, you just trust me, huh? I don't have any other choice. What do you say, Mike? Well, this is against my better judgment, Morgan, that you got yourself a boy. This is Ed Herlihy again, Friends. This time of year especially, everybody longs for something just a little bit different. To pep up tired winter menus. So this idea for a tempting salad may be just what you want. It's an easy salad to make. You just take a good sized Green pepper. Scoop out the center and stuff the pepper with Kraft's delicious Olive Pimento cheese spread. Then chill, slice into pinwheels and serve each slice on a crispy lettuce leaf. Mmm. What wonderful eating. Kraft Olive Pimento is an extra delicious cheese spread filled with juicy bits of red pimentos and fine green olives. And like all nine of the good eating Kraft Cheese spreads, it's a wholesome dairy food made from only the finest, purest ingredients. And smooth. It's smooth as satin. Spreads perfectly. For sandwiches and snacks, try Smokel and Kraft Cheese and Bacon spread and all of the nine Kraft cheese spreads. Look for them in gay, colorful tulip design drinking glasses. Collect a whole set while you're enjoying these delicious spreads. You know, Kraft cheese spreads are so delicious, they're America's favorites. So be sure you get the cheese spreads made by Kraft. Now back to the Adventures of the falcon. 20 minutes have passed since Mike Waring agreed to go to work with Chuck Morgan. And now as we find Mike, he's about to earn his fee. Yes? Mrs. Norma Davis? That's right. My name is Mike Waring. I'm sorry to bother you at a time like this, but I'd like to ask you some questions about your husband. But I've told the police everything I know. Well, I'm working on a different angle. Come in. Thank you. What do you Want to know, Mrs. Davis? Have you any ideas who might have killed Red? Yes, Chuck Morgan. I mean, besides Morgan. No. Red didn't have an enemy in the world. Now you know that's not true, Mrs. Davis. Your husband wasn't exactly the most popular citizen in New York. How dare. How dare you say that to me? Well, I. Only. I won't have you talk that way about him. I'm tired of these insinuations. How do you know what kind of man Paul was? Well, I'm sorry. You're sorry? Go on, get out. Mrs. Davis, look all. I don't want to hear any more about it. Now leave me alone. Permit me to congratulate you, Mrs. Davis. That was a marvelous performance. Why, thank you, Mr. Lyons. You think I convinced him I was a broken hearted widow? How could you help it when you practically convinced me? Come here, darling, and let me console you. Just a second. Yeah? I'm looking for a guy named Larry Hudson. Well, look no further, Mr. Morgan. You Hudson? That's right. One of my friends told me he wanted to see me. He told you? Right? Here for a drink? Yeah, I could stand one. Help yourself. Bars in a Corner. Call me one while you're at it. You're in a bad spot, Chuck. You bring me up here to tell me that? Yeah, yeah. You see, I know who killed Red Davis. What? You heard me. Oh, that one, right. Yeah, thanks. Say, how you fix the cash? What do you mean? Well, I got a lot of information to sell. It's going to the highest bidder. You mean you can clear me? I'm not doing any more talking until I see the color of your dough. How do I know you got merchandise? I'll give you a sample. Did you know that Davis wife was too? Timing of with whom? Oh, no, that's all you get free. But you can use that kind of stuff, can't you? Listen, Hudson, I want you to talk to Waring. Mike Waring? The Falcon? He's working for me. Are you kidding? No. Will you talk to him? Sure. Providing I can make a buck. I'll take care of you. I'm going back to Waring's apartment. I want you to call him there in about 15 minutes. Well, I'll be sitting right here at the phone. Tell him what you told me about Mrs. Davis. Oh, no, no good. Get the dough up, please. Now look, Hudson, I only got a grand on me. I'll give you another four the next time I see you. Ah. Okay, Morgan, you got yourself a deal. Podbean, your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world. Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. Morgan. Chuck. Hello, desk? This is Mr. Waring. There was a man waiting in my apartment. By any chance, did you. Never mind. Come in. Hello, Mike. I was just asking for you. Morgan. Where the devil have you been? Out. That tells me a lot. I thought you agreed to stay right here. I know, but I had to see somebody. Who? Suppose you tell me what you found out first. Well, not very much. Every lead I explored came back to you. Did you see Mrs. Davis? Just for a few minutes. What'd you think of her? She seemed all broken up over her husband's murder. She was kidding you. What makes you think so? Because I've been doing a little checking on my own. She's been holding hands with some guy who wasn't her husband. Where'd you get that? From private dick named Larry Hudson. That lion thief? I don't care what he is, Mike. He's got the evidence to clear me. Who did he say killed Davis? He wouldn't tell me. But I made him promise to talk to you. We should be calling you any minute. Listen, Morgan, I wouldn't trust that guy in a stack of Bibles. What'd you give him? Give him? Yes. A guy like Hudson doesn't talk for free. How much you promise him? Five grand. Then you better save your money. But I tell you, he can clear me. That's probably him now. Hello? That's your waring? That's right, Hudson. I take it then, you've talked to Morgan. Yeah. Well, what do you think? Well, I think it's unimportant. Morgan tells me you can clear him. Sure, for a price. For my part, I'm not interested. You gotta talk to him, Mike. I don't like it, Morgan. Neither do I. But if this guy can save my life. Well, make up your minds, boys. They ain't got all week. Okay, Hudson, we'll be over in an hour. 4A, 4B. It's over here, Mike. Look, why don't you let me handle Hudson and keep your mouth shut. You're the doctor. What's keeping him? I don't know. Maybe one out. I doubt it. How can you tell? Take a peek at that keyhole. I can't see a thing. Sure, because the key is still in the lock. That means Hudson's got to be in there. Hey, Hudson, Open up. Hudson. All right, Morgan, give me a hand. What are you gonna do? Break it down? Shouldn't take too much effort. Come on, let's go. All right, one more. Hudson. Hudson. Where the devil is the light switch? It ought to be somewhere around the door. Watch yourself, Morgan. Wait till I strike a match. I got it. There we are. Mike. Yeah? Don't touch him. Was he dead? Either that or asleep with that knife in him. What do you think? Hand me the phone. I gotta call the cops. This is a nice piece of work, Mike. A very nice piece of work. All right, Morgan, let's go. Hold it, Corbett. He's not the reason I called you. I know, but I'm not complaining. I told you not to call him, Mike. Yeah, I'm beginning to think you're right, Morgan. For the same dime, I could have phoned someone with brains. What kind of a crack is that? In case you hadn't noticed, sergeant, that's a body in that chair. It'll keep, but as long as you raise the point. Why did you kill him, Morgan? You crazy? I just got here with Waring. Don't hand me that. It's the truth, Corbett. So you're gonna be his alibi? Yep. You better listen to me unless you want to look like a jerk when we get to headquarters. Now, how long would you say Hudson was dead? Yeah, not too long. Body's still warm. Could be anywhere from 15 minutes to 3/4 of an hour. That lets Morgan out. I don't see how. Because he was with me every minute from the time I got Hudson's call to the time we broke down the door. And the whole business took at least an hour. Your word's not good enough, Mike. Okay, Sergeant, if you don't believe me, you can check with the switchboard at my place and the doorman downstairs. And if that's not enough, I'll dig up the hackie who drove us over. That still doesn't mean Morgan couldn't have killed Red Davis. Oh, now, come on. Use your head, Sergeant. You know, both these murders were committed by the same party. Hudson knew who it was and that's why he was killed. I still say it was Morgan. You're crazy. Hudson was going to clear me. Keep quiet, Morgan. All right, Sergeant. I'll advise him to confess. If you can show me one thing right. How did he get in here? You can see the only door was locked from the inside. So what? He could have used the window. Yes. We'll take a look. There are bars on him. That's right. And no one but a midget could fit through the opening. There must be another door. Forget it. There wasn't. And it was a physical impossibility for anyone to have killed Hudson. Yet it was done. How? I can't tell you. But maybe I can take you to the little lady who can. Shall we go? Listen, Mike, if the DA ever finds out I let Morgan go, he'll have. Wait a minute. Huh? Isn't this where Red Davis lived? That's right, Sergeant. Well, you can't bother his wife now. Why not? Because her husband was just murdered. Well, she may surprise you with what she knows about it. Morgan told me that she was being romanced by some character. How? I don't know. Apparently neither did Red, if you ask me. Sergeant, I. Yes? Hello, Mrs. Davis. Remember me? Not too pleasantly. May we come in? I'm sorry, Mr. Waring. I'm busy. Oh. Well, this gentleman would like to ask you a couple of questions. This gentleman means nothing in my Young life. Well, now, you never can tell. He's a sergeant in the New York Police Department's homicide division. Oh, well. Well, it's just that the house is in such a mess. Well, we promise not to stare. Who was it? Norma. Norma. I think you're being paged, angel. It's nothing, Raymond. Oh, for a moment, darling, I was. Oh, hello, Mr. Lyons. Raymond Lyons. Listen, Sergeant, I. I can explain everything. Sure, but suppose we do it downtown? Downtown? As is customary, Mrs. Davis, when the police are questioning suspects. But we did absolutely nothing. Nothing but murder your husband and the man named Larry Hudson. That's a lie. You deny that you and Lyons are busy in the romance department behind your husband's back? Yes. What's Lyons doing here now? He's just helping me. Like he helped you murder Hudson? No. Now, just a moment, Waring. I thought this gentleman was the officer of the law. You're right, Lyons. But if you think my questions are gonna be less embarrassing, you're in for a bad shock. Larry Hudson was murdered at 10:45 tonight. Where were you at that time? I was with Norma. That's right. Now, that's what I call a wonderful alibi, Sergeant. Too bad there wasn't anyone else around to substantiate it. Oh, but there was, Mr. Waring. A Justice of the peace named Smith over in Jersey. I think he might recall us. Why should he? Because I gave him a hundred dollars to perform the marriage ceremony that made Norma here Mrs. Lyle. I guess he should remember that, don't you? This is Ed Herlihy again, friends, and I'd like to help you find out about the nine most delicious cheese spreads you'd ever want to taste. They're the nine famous cheese spreads made by Kraft. They're delightfully mild tasting ones, such as Kraft Pineapple cheese Spread, Kraft Olive Pimento and Kraft Relish. And there are sharp tasting ones, too, like Roca Smokel and Kraft Limburger Cheese Spread. All of them are mighty good to eat. And they're good for you to eat, too, because they're wholesome dairy foods made from only the finest ingredients for quick, easy snacks and sandwiches. Keep your refrigerator stocked with several of the nine delicious Kraft cheese spread. Now, back to the Adventures of the Falcon. A half hour has passed since Norma Davis and Raymond Lyons punctured Mike's theory by coming up with an unbreakable alibi. And now, as Mike drives home with Sergeant Corbett, he still refuses to except the obvious. Doesn't make sense, Corbett. I tell you, it doesn't make sense. Hey, Will you watch where you're driving? Something screwy about that marriage. You saw the license. Doesn't it strike you as strange that within 12 hours after her husband is murdered, Mrs. Davis marries another man? Of course it does. There's no law against it. No, but an alibi like that must have a hole in it. Now you show me where. After you do that, show me how either Mrs. Davis or Lyons could have murdered Hudson. It was a physical impossibility for Morgan to kill him. It applies to them too. Uh. Oh, hold everything. What's the matter? Oh, what a chump I've been. Well, they say confession is good for the soul. I tell you, I've got the answer to the whole thing, Sergeant. That on the level? Yes. I know now who killed Hudson. And with the help of Chuck Morgan, I'm gonna prove it. I don't see what you're driving at, Mike. I don't know anything about Mrs. Davis except what I told you before. Well, how did you discover she was seeing Raymond Lyons? I didn't know it was Lyons. All Hudson told me was that it was some man. How well did you know Hudson? I met him for the first time today. He got in touch with one of my friends and said he wanted to see me. Well, that puts us right back where we started. Look, Mike, why don't we drop the whole business? Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, sure. The cops know now that I couldn't have killed Hudson. That's where you're wrong. You mean they still. No, they don't. But I do. What are you babbling about, Morgan? I know how you managed it. Do you? Yes. It was pretty clever. I can't blame myself for not seeing it sooner. No wonder you insisted I go up and see Hudson. I'm still waiting to hear you explain how I killed him. Well, I'm saving that for the cop. Ah, don't kid yourself, Mike. You've done all the talking you're going to. All right. Put away the gun, Morgan. You don't think I'd be sucker enough to come here alone? Funny, I don't see anyone around. You're not looking in the right places. What? Get down, Mike. I'm warning you, Morgan. You better throw your gun in the middle of the road. You want it, Sergeant? Come here. Watch it, Mike. He may be acting. With that hole in his forehead carpet, it doesn't call for much ability. Think you better phone the coroner. You drop me off at the corner, Sergeant. Well, it's been great. Hold it, Mike. Aren't you forgetting something? I've got a report to make. Who's stopping you? You are. Oh. Well, you know that Morgan killed Red Davis? Sure. I was the first one to say so. You should have stuck to your guns. Well, when you tossed in that razzle dazzle about Hudson's murder, you threw me. Yeah, well, don't feel too badly about it. I was right with you. Of course I'm reconstructing now. But this is what must have happened. Lyons tried to hire Hudson to bump Red. Hudson said he'd think it over when Red was killed. Hudson knew immediately that if he hadn't done it, Morgan must have. I don't see how that follows. It could have been Lyons. If Lyons are willing to do the job, why did he approach Hudson in the first place? It had to be Morgan. And when Hudson realized that, he tried to shake down Morgan. Even told Morgan that if the price were right, he might be induced to frame Red's wife. So Morgan played along with him and asked him to get in touch with me. Now we're coming to the part I want to hear. But when Chuck went to meet Hudson, first of many such. So he slipped a slow acting drug into Hudson's drink. Why didn't he kill him then and there and be done with it? Because he needed an alibi and I was it. I don't get it. He needed someone with him while he murdered Hudson. What? Sure. Remember you said it was a physical impossibility for anyone to get into that room and kill Hudson before Morgan and I broke down the door? Yeah. Well there you hit the nail right on the head. It was a physical impossibility. So it means that Hudson was killed while I was in the room. Let me get this straight. You mean while you were hunting for the light switch Morgan was hunting for to plant his knife. Wasn't he taking quite a chance there? Oh, Hudson was drugged so he couldn't make an outcry. And the knife makes no noise at all. Well, that'll learn you. The next time I say something, you'll listen. I told you Morgan was the killer all along. Yeah, well you'll have to forgive me. I've been hearing so many radio shows I forgot it wasn't unconstitutional for a cop to be right. Let's hope this establishes some sort of a precedent. Good night, Sergeant. It's wonderful as a spread, delicious as a seasoning, superb as a flavor shortening. It's parquet margarine. That marvelous all purpose margarine made by Kraft. Yes, Millions prefer parquet to any other spread, seasoning or shortening for one big reason. It tastes so good. And it tastes so good because it's always fresh. In states where the law permits get yellow parquet in its new aluminum foil flavor saver wrap. Elsewhere, get the regular package or color Quick bag. Get P A R K A Y parkay margarine made by Kraft. It tastes so good. The Case of the Gangster's Girl the Case of the Gangster's Girl. That's the title of next week's Adventure of the Falcon, when Mike Waring learns that somebody who starts out to be a stool pigeon is likely to end up being a dead pigeon. So be sure to listen at this same time next week to another exciting Adventure of the Falcon, brought to you by the Kraft Foods Company. The Adventures of the Falcon are based on the famous character created by Drexel Drake, produced by Bernard L. Shubert, written today by Gene Wang and directed by Richard Lewis. Music was by Arlo. Les Damon was starred as the Falcon, with Ken lynch as Sergeant Corbin. Also heard on today's broadcast was Ms. Ann Williams of New Orleans, Louisiana, who was chosen by this program from among the dramatic students of Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y. be sure to hear the Great Gild asleep next Wednesday evening over most of these stations. In next Wednesday's broadcast, Gildy comes face to face with an hilarious problem and solves it in a way that will keep you laughing for days. Remember the show, the time and the place. The great Gilder Sleeve next Wednesday evening over most of these stations. Check your newspaper for time of broadcast. This is Ed Hurley. He's speaking for the Craft Foods Company. Marty Woolley, Jack Haley and Judy Holiday join the big show on NBC.