← Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Blue Madonna Matter 02/22/1959
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Ever wonder what life is like with a phantom screen? It's magic. It is. Oh, wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Why is that? This is amazing. Retractable screens for your home make life better. Visit phantom screens.com podbean your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Pod Bean. Pod Bean. Pod Bean. 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 from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dollar. George Reed here. Johnny. Well, George, I'm really glad to talk to you. Oh, why do you say it that way? Because every insurance case I handle for that company of yours pays me a nice fat fee. And right now I can use a little extra cash. Well, now, Johnny, so tell me all. What's Floyd's of England upset about this time? Well, I'm not sure. Uh. Oh, here we go again. But Johnny, I just received a transatlantic telephone call from Paris, France, for a man who wanted to contact you but didn't know where to call you. And he identified himself only as Le Chat Gris. Ah, le Chagri. It's French, Johnny. No, and I believe it means the gray cat. Yeah, and George, the name fits him. You know him then? His real name is de Marsac. He probably knows more about the dark alleys and back streets of Paris. And about the people, in other words, the underworld. What did he call about? He mentioned the Blue Madonna. The what? It's a painting, Johnny. A small oil painting by a modern artist named Vincent Bardot. It's owned by Mr. Kingsley Holland down in Philadelphia. Yeah, it hangs in the Gavin Galleries and we've insured it for $12,000. Well, what did he have to say about it? Only that you're to call him. His number there in Paris is Orleans 57722. That he has some very interesting information for you about that painting. Oh, sure. That he'll be glad to give me. For a price. Exactly. I can't for the life of me figure what his interest is in it. If there were anything amiss, I'm sure the gallery would have called me. George. If you knew that character as well as I do, you'd okay my expense account without even looking at it and be willing to pay me that big fee I was talking about. What do you mean? Want to make a bet? What kind of a bet? I'll give you odds of 10 to 1 that whatever's hanging in that gallery down there in Philadelphia is not the Blue Madonna. What? Now look, Johnny. Good heavens, George. I'll be talking to you, Bob Bailey, in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And now, act one of yours truly, Johnny Dollar expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny Dollar to Floyd's of England, North American office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Blue Madonna. Matter expense account item 1 12, even for a phone call to my underworld contact in Paris, France, a man by the name of de Marsac, who calls himself the Gray Cat. Oui, Monsieur d'. Art, this is your old. Your very dear friend, Le Chaguis. Very dear friend, huh? Now listen, you telephone George Reed that you have some real hot information about a painting his company insured. Ah, oui. Et Madonna bleu. What did you call the Blue Madonna? Okay, how much you want this time? Oh, monsieur, you touch me to the quick. While one might think that I slave and suffer and risk my life on your behalf on only for money. How much? De Marac? 1,000 dummies. A thousand? Look, if your info's worth anything, I'll send you a check for 50 bucks. 50 bucks? No, 900. Okay, I'll make it 75. But M. 750. How about an even hundred? 500. Two, four, three. That's final. Oh, please. 200. Okay, 200. No, it's all settled. 200 bucks. Now, what about the Blue Madonna? Aha. Yes, it is now here in Paris. Yeah? Where? In the shop of M. Du Bisson on the rue des Pas de le Moul du Boussaint. Huh? You sure it isn't just a copy? That he'll try to foist it off on some wealthy sucker? You Besson is a crook, an evil crook. But he is an honest one. Oh, sure, yes. And he knows the works of art. Also, he's very clever. To get his price, he will wait until the real Madonna is discovered missing, if it really is. That's what I'll check on now. And then you will. You will send me the 500$, my very dear friend. 200. Remember, I cheated myself. But monsieur. Yeah? Suppose I could find out who smuggled the painting into him? Fine. That would be worth a lot to you, no? We'll see. I'll be talking to you. Item 2, 4, 2, 0. I phoned to my old pal Foster Harmon down in Sarasota, Florida. Told him I'd pay his fare if he'd grab the first plane out and meet me in Philadelphia at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel. I knew that if anybody could identify the genuine painting, he could. Item 3, 9, 4, 0, for my own transportation to the City of Brotherly love. Item 4, 9, 5, 0, Cocktails and dinner for the two of us there at the Bellevue. Yes, the Blue Madonna is one of Vincent Bardot's best known works. I don't think there's another living artist who could so effectively use various shades of just one color. But what about it, Johnny? Well, first thing in the morning, I want you to come along with me and take a look at it. It's in the Gavin Galleries, isn't it? Up on Walnut Street? Yeah. At least it's supposed to be. Supposed? All I want you to do is take a good look at it. Then reserve any comments until after we get out of the place. That's all. Well, but Johnny, Meantime, I want to check with the owner of that painting. The telephone directory gave me Kingsley Holland's address. Item 4, 6, 20 for a cab to a small apartment house out in West Philadelphia. Holland turned out to be, well, I'd say he was about 30, short, lean and nervous, with the surly expression of a man who feels the world hasn't done right for him. Yeah. You mean you're interested in buying the Blue Banana? Well, it. It all depends, Mr. Holland. Uh huh. Look. Dollar. That what you said your name is? Yes, that's right. Johnny Dollar. Sounds familiar. Well, anyway, listen. Yeah. That gallery's got a price of 15 or 18,000 on it. But if you want to buy it direct from me and right now, I'll give it to you for 12. Save yourself a few thousand bucks and it'll save me having to pay them there 20%. But if you've already commissioned the gallery to sell it for you? So I'll tell him I changed my mind, that I want to keep it. Then when they find out that I've sold it, will them try and catch up with me and collect? Because me, I'll be right back in little old Gay Parry back in Paris. Sure, I'd be there still, only I ran out of money. 12,000, huh? That's exactly what it's insured for. And that's what they appraised it for when I got it from my uncle's estate with all his money. What does he die and leave me with but a lousy painting? Well, do you want it? Let me think about it. I'm staying at the Bellevue Stratford. Shoo, shoo. Just don't tell them at the Gavin Gallery about our little deal. But those crooks don't know won't hurt it. Crooks? You think for a minute all that stuff they've got laying around the place is genuine. But the Blue Madonna is. You're sure? What do you mean by that? Just stick around, Mr. Holland. Any reason why I shouldn't? I don't know. Is there? Now, wait a minute, $. I'll be in touch with you. Act two of yours truly, Johnny Dollar in a moment. Now, act two of yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and the Blue Madonna matter at Kingsley Holland. The owner of the painting recognized my name. I thought so. And if a switch in that painting had been made and he knew about it, well, I'd do well to look out for him. Yeah. The more I thought about it, the more certain I became that whatever hung in the Gavin Galleries was not the Blue Madonna. Item five. Another six bucks for a taxi back to my hotel. Item six. Five, eight, zero. Breakfast. The next morning for Foster, Harmon and myself. By 10 o', clock, we were at the Gavin Galleries looking at a pretty modern but I must say, beautiful painting. It's amazing, Johnny. Amazing. The most extraordinary. Well, I. I just can't believe it. I can't believe what, Foster? That it's the real thing or just a good copy. Oh, good morning, sir. That's just it, you see, Johnny, call it fuss. That painting, you know, is a genuine Bardot. Yeah. My name is Johnny dollar. This is Mr. Foster Harmon. Gentlemen. I'm Arnold Gavin. You're interested in buying the Blue Madonna? If this is really it. Johnny, listen. Wait, Foster. Uh, what is the price of it, Mr. Gavin? 20,000, Mr. Dollar, did you say? Yeah, but wow. Haven't you got a Bardot that's a bit cheaper? His Laconic Lagoon is priced at 10,000. Holy. Well, how about a copy of this? Bardot has never allowed his works to be copied. Johnny, listen. Yeah, Foster, looks like this stuff is too rich for our blood. No, come on, let's go back to the Bellevue Stratford. No, listen, perhaps there's something else that interest. No, I'm afraid not. But thank you. That's quite all right. Johnny, listen. Come on. Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Now, Johnny, just take it easy. Well, Foss, It's a fraud. Johnny, It's a copy. I'm sure of it. Hey, hey, hey. Did you say that Blue Madonna is a copy, mister? Yes. Wait. Well, I thought you were looking at it kind of funny there in the gallery. Yes, sir. It's a fraud, Foster. Now, you don't mind my asking, who are you? My name is Foster. Harmon Harmon? From the John Ringling Museum down in Florida? That's right. Well, then you ought to know. Just a minute, mister. Say, aren't you Johnny Dollar, the insurance investigator? So what? Who are you? Me? I'm RUP Alloway of transworld News Service. News Service? Oh, Foss. Yeah, I'll see you boys. And thanks a lot. Well, Foss, it looks like you opened your mouth and stuck my foot in it. I'm sorry, Johnny, but what I said is true. That Blue Madonna is an imitation of phony. That much I already knew. At least, I was pretty sure of it. But don't you see the amazing thing? Well, Johnny, that copy is so perfect, so exactly in the style of Vincent Bardot. Even to little things, little idiosyncrasies that even the finest copyist couldn't match. Certain minute details about an artist's work are as distinctive, as impossible to copy as a man's own fingerprints. Yeah. What I'm trying to say is that if I didn't know every brush mark on the original. Okay, Foss, forget it. Forget it. Hey, listen. Kingsley Holland, the owner, and I wouldn't trust him for a minute. I think he knows who I am. If so, and if he knows that painting is just a copy, well, he's pretty sure to figure out what I'm doing here. Johnny, he must know it's a copy if he gave it to the galleries to sell. Perhaps. Or maybe the switch was made after it was hung there. Then what you're saying is that either one of them could be responsible for the fraud. That's right. How well do you know the Gavin Galleries? Well, they're not very big. You could see that for yourself. And, of course, they're rather new in the business. I think I'd better get a rundown on this Arnold Gavin while we're waiting at the hotel. Waiting? What for? Well, you. You plant a couple of seeds, you hope that one of them will sprout. I'm afraid I don't understand, Foss. I told both of them who I am in the hope they'd guess at why I'm here. I also gave them reason to suspect I think that Blue Madonna's a phony. Well, I'm Afraid that I may have led Arnold Gavin to feel that way. Same thing. I also made it very plain to them that I'm staying at the Bellevue Stratford. In other words. Good heavens, Johnny, if you mean what I think you do. Yeah, like what, Foss? You think that one of them, the crook, will come to the hotel and try to. Don't you see, Johnny? Knowing that you're on to him, he might try to kill you. Can you think of a better way to bring him out in the open? Johnny, Come on, let's get back to the hotel and wait. Ever wonder what life is like with a phantom screen? It's magic. It is? Oh, wow. Wow, wow. Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow. What is that? This is amazing. Retractable screens for your home make life better. Visit phantomscreens.com 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 podcast on Podbean today. Act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar, in a moment. And now, act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. After all, there was no reason to drag Foster any further into this mess, although I know he began to see it through. So I paid him for all his expenses. That's item 7, 151 even. And sent him on back to Sarasota. Item 8, 10 cents for a phone call to Sergeant Jerry Hawkins at police headquarters about mid afternoon. He called me back. Boy, did you ever start a riot. What'd you find out for me about Gavin and Holland? Holland's just a lazy kid that's been trying to live off his relatives all his life. And Gavin okay, so far as we know. But listen, you seen the papers? No. The story about that phony painting is on every wire service in the country. All you can see in the headlines is that name Bardot, and I don't mean Bridget. Johnny, you and that Foster Harmon ought to collect a publicity fee. Are you holding Gavin or Holland? What on? Sure, the boys have questioned both of them, but unless we can show some evidence that one of them pulled the switch. Johnny, you got any ideas? Yeah, Jerry, suddenly I think maybe I have. Well then start talking so I can make a pinch. No, I don't think you will. What do you mean if you know who did it? I didn't say that. But, Jerry, I've got a hunch, a real potent one. And if it's right. Yeah, well, read tomorrow's papers, huh? Item nine. Half a buck for an evening paper and a tip for the bellboy who brought it up to me. Yeah, the sergeant was right. This was the most free advertising any artist has had in years. Prices on genuine Bardot's were skyrocketing. As for the fake Blue Madonna, I put in a fast call for Paris. But before the operator could get it through. Yeah, Arnold. Gavin. Mr. Dollar. Well, Mr. G. Do you see what has happened? Have you seen the papers? I sure have. And the police have closed my shop, my galleries. Can you blame them? But don't you understand? I've had offers of up to 30,000 for the Madonna. I've received wires offering me nearly 20,000 for the other Bardot. The real one. No kidding? Well, I'll show you how much. I'm kidding. I've cabled Bardot to paint some more for me. Paint anything. Don't you see? After all this publicity, we'll make a million. So it was you that rigged this whole thing, huh, Gavin, I. Mr. Holland? Why, of course not. Sure. To raise the price of some of your lousy paintings. How can you say that? You. Who gave me that copy, expert, huh? You trying to tell me you didn't know that was a copy? No, it was only this morning when the authority from Sarasota. When I called in the people from the museum here in Philadelphia. Do you know what they said? What? And it better be good. They said the only one who could have made that copy. Wait a minute. The only artist in the world who could have popped it. Hold it. Hold everything. Holland, you said you got that painting from your uncle's estate. That's right. It was willed to me. Where did your uncle get it? Wife. Well, listen. I'm listening. $. That Madonna was smuggled into. Smuggled? That's right. But by whom? Well, believe it or not, I think I can tell you who. And if this is my call to Paris, well, maybe I can even tell you where he is now. Johnny Dolan, this is your dear and faithful friend, Le Chacre. Good. Now listen. And for the information I can give you this time, you will have to pay me a vast sum of money. You're about to tell me that the Blue Madonna was smuggled into Paris by none other than the artist himself. By Vincent Bardot. Exactly. So that should be worth it. How did you know all right. All I want to know now is where is he? You know he's not in Paris. Where is he? For 100 bucks. 150. 300. Oh, for that much I'll find out for myself. Goodbye. No, no, no. Okay, 200 or I hang up on you. Well, only for you, my best, my oldest friend. Where he is aboard the plane for the United States. I might have guessed it. He has the Madonna Blue with him. He received the cable this morning. Great. I'll send you a check. You hear any of that, Mr. Gavin Holland? Yes, but I'm afraid I don't understand. I sure don't. Then maybe this call will help you. Headquarters, Sergeant Jerry Hawkins. Yes, sir. Sergeant Hawkins, you can have the boys in New York pick him up or wait for his plane to arrive here in Philadelphia. Johnny, if you're sure you really have any charges against him. What? Yeah, he's on his way in from Paris. The guy who painted the copy of the Blue Madonna. Or maybe this is really the original over here, huh? Well, at any rate, he'll have the other copy with him. So do you want to tell the papers or shall I? Look, will you make sense? Oh, and his name is Bardot. That's right, Vincent Bardot. Well, you. You mean that he. That he painted two of them? Sure, with probably something like this in mind. I can't. And look. Look what it's done for him. Put him on the map. Anything he paints now will lend him a fortune. And I don't think you'll suffer particularly either, Mr. Gavin. Well, as for you, Holland, well, you'll get a lot more than you thought for that painting of yours. Man, what a fast. Sure, but you know something? What? This do. I just wonder if lechag? Re was in on this thing with him from the beginning. Le Chagri, so help me. I wouldn't put it beyond him. Sure, sure, he was in with Bardot and probably collecting plenty from him. Anyhow, the insurance company is not anything, but I hope they'll be a lot more careful the next time they insure a painting. Any so called original expense account total including 400 for Le Cha Gris, the hotel and the trip Back to Hartford. $620 even. Yours truly, Johnny Dol. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey. Originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were G. Stanley Jones, Forest Lewis, Harry Bartel, Joseph Kearns, Bert Holland and Byron K. Be sure to join us next week, same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly. Johnny doll Sam.