Encore - Night Beat Favorites

Summary

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)
Episode Summary: Encore - Night Beat Favorites
Release Date: February 9, 2025
Host/Author: Mean Streets Podcasts

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Introduction

In the bonus episode titled "Encore - Night Beat Favorites," Frank Lovejoy delves into his top five favorite episodes from the classic radio drama series Nightbeat. This episode serves as both a celebration of the show's enduring legacy and an insightful exploration of its most compelling stories.

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Overview of Nightbeat

Nightbeat stars Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a dedicated Chicago reporter for the Chicago Star. Unlike traditional detectives, Stone navigates the Windy City's nocturnal landscape in search of human interest stories, often uncovering mysteries and crimes along the way. Lovejoy's portrayal of Stone balances optimism with the inherent cynicism of his profession, making him an endearing and relatable character.

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Favorite Episodes Breakdown

1. Premiere Episode: A Man's Misbelief in Terminal Illness [02:06-06:22]
In the series debut, Randy Stone assists a woman whose clerical error leads a man to believe he is terminally ill. Their mission becomes urgent as they race against time to prevent him from taking his own life.

Randy Stone [00:55]: "Nightbeat is a series that holds up great today."

2. "Today" Featuring Mr. Fettel's Supernatural Power [05:00-15:00]
Stone encounters Mr. Fettel, a mild-mannered man claiming he can kill anyone merely by thought. This episode introduces a supernatural twist to the otherwise realistic narratives of Nightbeat.

Mr. Fettel [12:02]: "You know, I can become dangerous."

3. Ex-Football Star's Dark Assignment [15:00-26:26]
An ex-college football star, now struggling and entangled with a corrupt politician, enlists Stone's help to track down a blind man marked for death. The story intertwines themes of loyalty, desperation, and the lengths one will go to reclaim honor.

Mrs. Warren [15:42]: "It was just a routine check-up. Would indicate symptoms."

4. The Random Dialer's Dire Situation [26:26-38:43]
Stone ventures into a tense real-time scenario where his casual habit of dialing random numbers leads him to a woman on the brink of murder-suicide, showcasing the show's ability to build suspense and emotional depth.

Mrs. Warren [29:06]: "There's no one here."

5. Contaminated Butter and a Typhoid Epidemic [38:43-52:17]
In this gripping episode, Stone and police embark on a frantic hunt for contaminated butter that threatens to unleash a typhoid epidemic. The storyline combines elements of public health fear with investigative urgency.

Randy Stone [46:12]: "Nobody could possibly buy the stuff now. They'll have to get you."

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Key Discussions and Insights

Throughout the episode, Frank Lovejoy emphasizes Nightbeat's unique blend of everyday journalism and unexpected mystery, highlighting how the show's narratives remain relevant and engaging decades later. He reflects on the character development of Randy Stone, noting the balance between his hopeful outlook and the harsh realities he faces.

Frank Lovejoy [00:55]: "A veteran radio player who found success on the big screen in the late '40s and '50s. He was perfectly cast as the endearing Randy Stone."

Lovejoy also acknowledges the show's underappreciated status during its original run, attributing its timelessness to its focus on human nature and moral dilemmas rather than just procedural detective work.

Frank Lovejoy [06:22]: "Nightbeat is a series that holds up great today. If you're not familiar with it, hopefully you'll enjoy this introduction courtesy of my five favorite episodes of the show."

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Conclusion

"Encore - Night Beat Favorites" serves as a heartfelt tribute to Nightbeat, underlining its significance in the pantheon of old-time radio detective stories. Frank Lovejoy's deep appreciation for the series shines through as he recounts each favorite episode, providing listeners with both nostalgia and a renewed interest in Stone's nightly adventures across Chicago's mean streets.

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Notable Quotes

• Randy Stone: "I seek the city's heart." [06:22]
• Frank Lovejoy: "Nightbeat is edited by Larry Marcus and directed by Warren Lewis." [49:54]
• Mrs. Warren: "I have to give her a sedative, though." [94:08]
• Sam Spade: "You're a nice young man." [65:12]
• Frank Lovejoy: "You'll hear Nightbeat at 9:00 in Eastern standard time on Fridays." [76:43]

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Final Thoughts

For enthusiasts of classic detective tales and old-time radio dramas, this bonus episode not only revisits beloved stories but also enriches the listener's understanding of Nightbeat's enduring appeal. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, "Encore - Night Beat Favorites" offers a comprehensive and engaging look into one of radio's finest investigative sagas.

Transcript

[Randy Stone]

Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road and those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison or the grave. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

[Sam Spade]

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective the.

[Vincent Price]

Adventures of the Saint Starring Vincent Price Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action packed expense Account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

[Randy Stone]

Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.

[Frank Lovejoy]

Hello and welcome to down these Mean Streets and more old time radio Detectives Crime Fighters for this bonus show, I've picked out my five favorite episodes of Nightbeat, the outstanding radio drama that starred Frank Lovejoy as Chicago reporter Randy Stone. Each night, Stone walked the streets of the Windy City in search of stories for his column in the Chicago Star. Though he wasn't a detective and Nightbeat wasn't strictly a detective show, it featured great tales of mystery and crime as Randy encountered people from both sides of the tracks at all levels of society each and every week. It had a terrific star in Frank Lovejoy, a veteran radio player who found success on the big screen in the late 40s and 50s. He was perfectly cast as the endearing Randy Stone, a reporter who tries to keep his optimism from being overwhelmed by his cynicism. A version of the character was played in the show's audition episode by Edmund O'Brien, an actor we know around here for his stint as yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And while I love O'Brien as Dollar and in many of his film roles, I think Lovejoy was definitely the right choice. O'Brien would have played the character in a more two fisted tough guy nature. And part of what makes the series so great is that Randy Stone is always trying to find the bright side, always hoping that human nature won't disappoint him. Largely unsponsored and arguably underappreciated during its original run, Nightbeat is a series that holds up great today. If you're not familiar with it, hopefully you'll enjoy this introduction courtesy of my five favorite episodes of the show. It's a collection of shows that are mysteries or mystery adjacent, and they help to show the variety of stories encountered by Randy Stone each night as he walked the night Beat. We'll start with the show's premiere episode, originally aired on NBC on February 6, 1950. In Randy Stone's first on air adventure, he comes to the aid of a woman whose clerical error results in a man believing he has a terminal illness. Now she and Randy must find the man before he takes his own life, usually on Nightbeat. A chance meeting with a stranger would set Randy off on his adventure for the week. That's certainly the case in our second show, Today, originally aired on May 22, 1950. Randy meets a mild mannered old man in the park, and the man reveals his unusual ability. He claims he can kill anyone he wants merely by thought. Bill Johnstone, Lieutenant Guthrie of the lineup, and the voice of The Shadow plays Mr. Fettel, the man who claims to have this startling superpower. William Conrad co stars with Frank Lovejoy in our third show, Today, originally aired on NBC on June 12, 1950. This is my personal favorite episode of the show. Randy meets an ex college football star who's fallen on hard times. He's working for a crooked Chicago politician, and he's been given the unusual assignment of tracking down an old blind man. Randy's eager to help his old hero get back on his feet until he learns that the blind man is marked for death. A long time ago, back when the movie Cellular came out, I thought the story was really familiar. In case you don't remember that one, it stars Chris Evans as a man whose phone is randomly dialed by Kim Basinger, who's trapped in her home by armed criminals, and he's the only one who can save her. It reminded me of our fourth episode of Nightbeat today, where it's Randy Stone who decides to let his fingers do the walking and randomly dial Chicago phone numbers. His flight of fancy takes a dark turn when he reaches a woman who's about to be killed by her insane husband. This tense story, told in real time, originally aired on NBC on July 31, 1950. And finally today, Randy joins the police on a frantic hunt to find a case of contaminated butter before it unleashes a typhoid epidemic on the windy City. Our fifth and final show, Today, originally aired on NBC on September 25, 1950. Grab a coat and a cup of coffee. We'll be up late on the Night Beat with Randy Stone in my five favorite episodes of this great radio series.

[Randy Stone]

Night Beats. Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Night Beat for the Chicago Star. You know, stories start many different ways, but this one began modestly enough, with a zero on a typewriter. That's right. Cipher. Naught, not nothing. But to one man of Chicago's 4 million, that zero meant death. Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Rudy St. Mine is a funny kind of a job. When that evening sun goes down, I start walking through the dark city, peering into bleak alleys, wandering through the bright neon, listening to the sounds Of a city at night. The whisper of footsteps, the shattering roar of an L train, the sob of an ambulance siren. I wander up the boulevards, down the back street, searching for something in the dark city. And what exactly is it that I seek, brother? It's something more elusive than the farthest star. I seek the city's heart. Tonight I must have walked for miles. The cold wind off Lake Michigan had living with my ribs and the hot breath of my deadline biting into my neck. Then ahead of me I saw that friendly oasis in the darkness. Benny's All Night Veanery, otherwise known as Ptomaine Junction. Throwing caution to the winds, I started through the door for a cup of coffee.

[Mrs. Warren]

Operator. Anthony.

[Randy Stone]

Nobody around but Benny polishing the counter. And this little blonde yapping excitedly into the wall thrown near the door.

[Mrs. Warren]

Please hurry.

[Randy Stone]

Such devotion. Somebody should get that excited over me.

[Mrs. Warren]

Come on. Mrs. Warren? Yes? We were disconnected. Has he come home yet? Mrs. Warren?

[Randy Stone]

How are you, Benny? How's the bicarbiter king? Oh, hi you Randy. You always say that but you keep coming back. Glutton's a punishment.

[Mrs. Warren]

You've got to find him.

[Randy Stone]

You've just got to get her. What's with her, Benny? No, no. 25 calls she makes like that. 25 times she gets the same answer. 25 times she comes over to get more nickels. Business is good, huh? Yeah, a hole in the head. What's in it for me? Making change. All change, please.

[Mrs. Warren]

Nickels.

[Randy Stone]

Lady, sooner or later I gotta run out. This is it.

[Mrs. Warren]

I gotta have some.

[Randy Stone]

I don't make them here, lady. Now will you please change quarters?

[Mrs. Warren]

Die.

[Randy Stone]

Let me take a look, see if I have any.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh yeah, please do. But hurry, please. Hurry up. I gotta reach Randy.

[Randy Stone]

Make me to catch his passing out. Oh, easy lady, easy. Oh, cold coffee. Benny, quick. There's one thing I'll say. If Gabriel's trumpet doesn't succeed in waking the dead, all they've got to do is send for some of Benny's coffee. After I got a couple of sips down the girl's throat, she started coming out of it, tears rolling down her face, her whole body trembling with. Come on. Now, now stop it, honey, stop it.

[Mrs. Warren]

What happened to me?

[Randy Stone]

You passed out but good.

[Mrs. Warren]

What time is it?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, it's 9:45.

[Mrs. Warren]

I've got to find him. I've just got to.

[Randy Stone]

Oh no. Take it easy. You're still shaky. Now come on, have a few more sips of this so called coffee.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh no, no.

[Randy Stone]

Well, if you think Benny's coffee is bad, you Ought to try his hamburgers.

[Mrs. Warren]

I've just got to find him.

[Randy Stone]

Who have you got to find?

[Mrs. Warren]

The man.

[Randy Stone]

What man?

[Mrs. Warren]

The men are cute.

[Randy Stone]

Ask a foolish question, you get a foolish answer. Only before I could ask any more questions, a little lady was on her way out of the place. I looked at Benny just to make sure he'd heard the same thing I had. He'd heard his mouth was hanging open like somebody had taken up the hinges. I left the bean room and started after the girl. At first I thought I'd lost her. Then I saw her sagging against the side of a building under the elevator tracks on Deer Street.

[Harry Waldo]

She saw me coming.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, I'm just an old busybody. I don't know what to do.

[Mrs. Warren]

I'm going crazy. I should call Mrs. Warren again. Maybe he came home.

[Randy Stone]

Who?

[Mrs. Warren]

That man.

[Randy Stone]

The man you killed. Huh? Well, that. That makes sense. Now, listen.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, you don't understand. You just don't understand.

[Randy Stone]

This you can be sure of.

[Mrs. Warren]

I've got to find him. I've just got to.

[Randy Stone]

You've killed him, but you've got to find him.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, I must go. Please. Please let me go.

[Randy Stone]

I'm not holding you, kid.

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't know where to turn. I.

[Randy Stone]

You don't want to go anyplace, do you? You want help? All right, here it is.

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't know you.

[Randy Stone]

My name is Stone, now that we're formally introduced.

[Mrs. Warren]

The newspaper columnist.

[Randy Stone]

Well, man's got to eat.

[Mrs. Warren]

Maybe you can help. Maybe you can, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, but first I gotta know why you keep calling the home of the man you killed. To see if he's gotten in yet. This is slightly confusing.

[Mrs. Warren]

All right, I'll tell you. My name is Ruth Baker. I'm receptionist and secretary for Dr. Stanley Loring.

[Randy Stone]

Specialist? Yes, Go ahead.

[Mrs. Warren]

There was a man, Philip Warren. A week ago, he saw Dr. Loring for an examination today. This afternoon he came back for the report. I was in the outer office when Mr. Warren left the consultation room. He looks strange. Strange and frightened.

[Randy Stone]

Will you give me a cigarette, Miss Baker?

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, certainly, Mr. Warren. Here, there's a lighter on the table.

[Randy Stone]

Never mind.

[Sam Spade]

I don't want a cigarette.

[Mrs. Warren]

Was there. Is there anything wrong?

[Randy Stone]

Hey, what time have you got?

[Mrs. Warren]

3:15.

[Randy Stone]

You're a minute slow, all that. But a minute is important. Very important if you're going to catch a train. No, it's always important.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, I suppose it is.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, yes. You know, I've lived all my life that way, Paying attention to time, being punctual. My wife considers it a Nuisance, do you?

[Mrs. Warren]

I'm afraid I hadn't thought I should.

[Randy Stone]

Everyone should tie. Have you thought how many different ways one tells time? It can whisper in an hourglass, tinkle in the tiny little clock, or it can roar. Yes, all my life it's been important to me. Now he won't tell me when. All he says is sometime. That's not fair, Miss Baker. It's not right.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, look, Mr. Warren, perhaps you'd better lie down.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, no, no, no. I got several things to do. Many things, in fact.

[Mrs. Warren]

I see you don't.

[Randy Stone]

But that doesn't matter at all. You know, in my office I can hear the chimes of the clock and the tower above me. I've always listened to them. I like them because time is important. But I never heard them chime.

[Sam Spade]

Midnight.

[Mrs. Warren]

Midnight.

[Randy Stone]

I guess midnight is a special time. It's either tomorrow or today. It's in between. Hell's a man that the day is over. Another one's going to begin. It's like standing on the edge. Goodbye, Mr. Baker. Goodbye, Ms. Baker.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, doctor?

[Sam Spade]

Ms. Baker, will you come in, please?

[Mrs. Warren]

Right away.

[Randy Stone]

Warren gone, Ms. Baker?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, he just left, Dr. Loring.

[Sam Spade]

That was certainly unexpected.

[Randy Stone]

I was almost certain it wasn't that serious. Well, this examination. Report back, will you?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, sir.

[Sam Spade]

The closed file, Ms. Baker.

[Mrs. Warren]

The closed.

[Randy Stone]

Yes.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, I'm sorry. What was it?

[Sam Spade]

An inoperable condition.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, now I see.

[Randy Stone]

See what, Ms. Baker?

[Mrs. Warren]

Why, he acted so strangely.

[Vincent Price]

Oh, don't worry.

[Randy Stone]

He'll go home. Think about it. When the first shock wears off, he'll accept it. What else can he do? What else can anyone do?

[Mrs. Warren]

After that, I went back to my desk. Mr. Stone. I was checking my files.

[Randy Stone]

Come on, Ruth. What?

[Mrs. Warren]

I made a mistake. A horrible mistake.

[Randy Stone]

What was it?

[Mrs. Warren]

Well, when a patient comes in for examination, only Dr. Lauren knows his name. The technical laboratory has only a number. A number on a card. Mr. Warren's was 512 9. I typed it wrong. I typed 5120.

[Randy Stone]

The card number of another patient.

[Mrs. Warren]

It was a mistake. I put Mr. Warren's name under the wrong laboratory number. A number of us of a man who is going to die.

[Randy Stone]

Certainly Dr. Laurie will be able to tell us. Warren.

[Mrs. Warren]

It was just a routine check up. Would indicate symptoms. It took actual laboratory work to. To make certain.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, I see.

[Ellen Spencer]

You kill himself.

[Mrs. Warren]

He's that kind of a man. And if he does, I've killed him. Murdered him. And if I. I don't want to live. I'll kill myself.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, no. Come on. Come on now, there's no time for that. Does Dr. Loring know?

[Mrs. Warren]

I told him right away.

[Randy Stone]

And he tried to reach Warren?

[Mrs. Warren]

We've been trying since this afternoon at his home. Everywhere he. He must have gone home first because he left his wife a note.

[Randy Stone]

Suicide? Kn yes. Ruy Come on, let's go.

[Mrs. Warren]

Where?

[Randy Stone]

Warren's home. And if he's not there? Well, Chicago's a big city. It'll be tough finding one man among 4 million people. But we can try.

[Mrs. Warren]

I found the note when I got home. This Mr. Stone I knew Philip went to see Dr. Loring, but I didn't know.

[Randy Stone]

Just the note. And nothing else.

[Mrs. Warren]

Mrs. Oh, nothing.

[Randy Stone]

You called the police right away?

[Mrs. Warren]

Of course I did.

[Randy Stone]

And you haven't left this apartment?

[Mrs. Warren]

Not for a second. Didn't he phone, try to get in touch with you at all? No, Ms. Baker, he did not. And if my husband isn't found before he kills himself, I'll say to it that you telling you it was a mistake. Anyone could make a mistake. Mistake? To make a man believe he's going to die in horrible pain. No, that's no mistake. That's murder. The cruelest kind of murder. Don't.

[Randy Stone]

Get out of here and leave me alone. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Mrs. Warren. Why crucify this kid? Because she made a mistake that could happen only once in a million years.

[Mrs. Warren]

To my husband.

[Randy Stone]

To anyone.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, leave me alone.

[Randy Stone]

You want to find him, don't you?

[Mrs. Warren]

Now, what kind of a question is that?

[Randy Stone]

A nice, reasonable question. You want to find him, all right. Help us.

[Mrs. Warren]

But what can we do? By midnight he'll. He'll be dead. The note he left said so.

[Randy Stone]

Someone's at the door.

[Mrs. Warren]

It might be him.

[Randy Stone]

I'll get it. Mr. Warren. Warren? Why, no.

[Mrs. Warren]

Paul.

[Randy Stone]

Yes.

[Mrs. Warren]

Paul. What did you find out?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, nothing. I checked every precinct station between here and the Oak Street Beach.

[Mrs. Warren]

Paul, this is Mr. Stone and the.

[Randy Stone]

Girl who I. I see.

[Mrs. Warren]

Paul is a friend of Philip.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, yeah. There's nothing you said. No, no one's seen him. And no suicide report? Not his.

[Mrs. Warren]

It's 10 now. We've got two hours to find him.

[Randy Stone]

You know, that bothers me. Why should he choose exactly 12 o'clock to die?

[Mrs. Warren]

If you knew my husband, you'd understand why the ticking of the clock was the most important thing in his life. You could set your watch by his schedule. Up at 7:30 in the morning? Never. 7:28. Never. 7:31. 7:30. Breakfast at 10 minutes. Too late.

[Randy Stone]

Irma, we haven't time to worry About Phillips idiosyncrasies. Right now, we've got to find him. As the young lady said, we've only got two hours. Try to think the way he would. What does he do for those two hours? Where does he go? What does he want to see?

[Mrs. Warren]

He's lived all his life doing things exactly the same way, that's all.

[Randy Stone]

Well, that's something. What are you getting at, Stoney? Well, I was just thinking. Nobody ever lets go of life without holding onto something else. Nobody knows whether you can take a memory with you or not. Maybe it's just a face, a melody, a favorite place. Nobody knows, but we. We like to think so. Philip, go ahead. What were you going to say? Well, that Philip would want to die exactly as he'd lived, knowing exactly when and where. That's what I mean. Mrs. Warren. I want a list of every place your husband might go. But tell him, Mama.

[Mrs. Warren]

There are so many places.

[Randy Stone]

A hundred, a thousand, what's the difference? Write them down. I'll go with you. No, no, you stay here with Mrs. Warren. Somebody's got to be here if he shows up and step on it. With that list, Mrs. Warren got a lot of places to cover by midnight. If we haven't found him then, we can cut our list down to one place. The County Morg Night Beat stars Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Find one man out of 4 million people. Find one place out of a thousand square miles of city. And do it in 2 hours, 120 minutes. A long chance compared to our job. A buck on the Irish sweepstakes was money in the bank. We had two things in our favor. One, Mrs. Warren had called the police. A thousand cops at Warren's description. To Warren himself, the way he lived was a clue to the way he might die on time. Punctual. But where? The first list. The first place on this list was a little restaurant where he sometimes ate. They knew him there, all right. Mr. Warren. Yes, I know he. Has he been in here tonight? Tonight? Yes, tonight.

[Sam Spade]

I see.

[Randy Stone]

You don't know Mr. One very well. Mr. Warren comes here on Tuesday evenings only. This is Monday. Cross off one place, go to the next. Yes, they knew Mr. Warren. No, he hasn't been in tonight, Mrs. Bundy. He comes here only on Fridays. Grab a cab and hurry on. Watching the minutes go by. Watching Ruthie die a minute ago. Time telling her no matter how bad we were doing, the cops would find him for sure. The cigar store where he stopped for cigarettes missed him by an hour. The newsreel theater sure, an old customer. But he comes on Wednesday for the new weekly show. Ruthie wanted to call Mrs. Warren again to see if the police had found him yet, but no time. 40 minutes gone, an hour lost. Going down the list? No, not right now. Listen to me. Every night a man stops by here. His name is Warren. Oh, I know. What about him?

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, had he been here tonight?

[Randy Stone]

Sure. Hey, what gives with that guy? What do you mean? Well, any other night he's by his 6 o'clock shop. Tonight he comes past after 10, buys a paper. A late edition. Never done that before. In fact, I never seen him after six. Which way did he go? Did he say anything to you? Nothing. All he does is buy the paper, walk away, and then he throws the paper paper way like you don't want it in the first place.

[Mrs. Warren]

Which way did he go?

[Randy Stone]

Straight up Michigan. That way. You got to admit it's unusual. Yes, I admit it. I admit it. Thank you. Come on, Tabby, move. So we went straight up Michigan Avenue. That a way. All we accomplished was to lose another five minutes of our time. And brother, when it came to time, we were really scraping bottom. Those ever loving cops were becoming more important by the second. One by one, we kept scratching names off the list. The cafeteria where he sometimes stopped for coffee, but not tonight. The drugstore where we stopped for stamps, but not tonight. Then the last place on the list? The very last. A little cocktail lounge on Michigan Avenue. One of those shishi joints where the lights are so soft and low you can't watch the bartender watering the bar booze. Our two hours were just about all used up, sir. Oh, pal, if you can, nobody else can. I'm looking for a man named Philip Warren. You know him?

[Vincent Price]

Oh, yeah, yeah, quite well.

[Randy Stone]

I consider Mr. Warren one of my special customers. Is he here tonight? Well, why do you ask? We don't have time for anything but. Yes or no answers, please. Yes or no? Really don't feel I'm at liberty to discuss with complete strangers.

[Mrs. Warren]

It's not gonna work. We're not gonna find him.

[Randy Stone]

Something wrong with Mr. Warren? Well, to put it mildly, yes. Now, come on. Well, if you'll tell me why you. No, listen, please. It's not really proper to tell just anyone who happens to inquire. Now, unless we find him in the next 15 minutes, Warren is going to die. You're joking. Look at this girl here. If Warren dies, she'll. Never mind. Look at her face and tell me I'm joking.

[Vincent Price]

Oh, all right.

[Randy Stone]

I. I didn't know Mr. Warren's a girl customer, you know. Two strangers asked him was he in here and how long ago? He came in a little while ago. I thought it was strange, you know, because he's late. It's always comes in promptly at 5:30. Never mind the details. How long ago? About 10 minutes ago. He sat at the usual place. But then he didn't drink his sherry.

[Mrs. Warren]

You know where he went?

[Randy Stone]

No. No, I don't. Did you see him go? Oh, yeah, I saw him leave. All right. Now think. Has he ever said anything about going anywhere from here? No, he was always very quiet. Oh, but I think his office is near here. What makes you think that? Well, he mentioned once he always leaves it at 5:30. Oh, thank you. Where's the phone? Near the entrance. Come on, Ruth. Thank you.

[Mrs. Warren]

What is it, Mr. Stone? What did you think of?

[Randy Stone]

He got his home phone number?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yeah, written down here.

[Randy Stone]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Warren]

Why are you calling me?

[Randy Stone]

I want to know where his office is.

[Mrs. Warren]

But why?

[Randy Stone]

All his life, punctual, methodical. Everything to him was a habit. Maybe it's a crazy hunch, but I could be right. He could have gone to his office.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, you could be right.

[Randy Stone]

Come on, come on, answer. Answer.

[Mrs. Warren]

They've gotta be there. They said they'd stay.

[Randy Stone]

They don't answer. Ruth, do you remember where his offices must be on your records?

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't remember, but we can go and get it.

[Randy Stone]

There's no time.

[Mrs. Warren]

Try it again.

[Randy Stone]

They're not there. I told them to stay there. The fools. I. But the phone directory. I'd have a business listing for him. Philip Warren, is it? No, only his home phone. The number I just called.

[Mrs. Warren]

Mr. Stone. What if Mrs. Warren isn't home? She might have gone to the police. Maybe they found him.

[Randy Stone]

That could be it. Keep your fingers crossed that they found him alive. Well, well. Randy Stone. Stooping around this precinct for storage. I've got one, Mac. So listen, I'm in a hurry. You've got to tell me something. Are you sure, Randy? What? As a general call out for a man named Philip Warren. Have you got anything on it? Let me take a look. Warren? That's right. Oh, Mac. Come on, come on. Nothing here on the name Randy. Nothing. Mac, you're crazy. The call went out this afternoon. Every precinct is. Well, this is one of them. But there ain't a thing. Here, take a look for yourself. Here's the sheet. No, I'll take your word for it. Mac. Listen, put out a call right away. He's got to be picked up. He killed somebody. He'll Kill himself. You hear that, Mac? He'll kill himself if he's not found before midnight.

[Mrs. Warren]

Before midnight?

[Randy Stone]

But that's just 15 minutes. Yes, yes, I know.

[Mrs. Warren]

What did they say?

[Randy Stone]

They didn't have a call for.

[Mrs. Warren]

That's crazy. They must have Mrs. Warren. Call the police.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a minute. Kevy. Look, look. Let's figure it. That last cocktail lounge. The bartender said Warren came in every evening at 5:30. 5. That he left his office at 5:30. That makes his office a five minute walk from the cocktail lounge.

[Mrs. Warren]

And what he said to me, remember? He said he liked to sit in his office and listen to the chimes from the tower above his office.

[Randy Stone]

Tower? Tower. Five minutes from that cocktail lounge on Michigan Avenue. Look.

[Harry Waldo]

Look up the avenue.

[Randy Stone]

The rig we built. The clock in the Capanili Tower. Ruth, that's gotta be it. We've got 10 minutes to get there and find the office. Cabby. Wrigley Building, fast. The red in the traffic lights didn't mean a thing. But it still took us through three minutes to get to the Wrigley Building. When we got there, the hands of the clock in the Campanile tower pointed to 7 of 12. And as we looked up, the larger hand crossed out another minute of Warren's life. One more went by before the night watchman heard me pounding at the doors. And then he opened them. Hey, hey, what's all the fun? Let's look. My name is Stone, Chicago Star. Yeah, well that give me the rights of Found on door. Please, please, just listen. Does a man named Philip Warren have an office in this building? Oh, he ain't got no office. Are you sure? Of course I'm sure. Man named Warren works here. Philip Warren sure. Works for Western Research. Did he come in tonight? Yeah, why? Stop asking questions. Please. We've got to find him or he'll be dead. He was all right when he walked in. All right, take us up to him. Hey, you gotta sign the in and out. She just like everybody else. All right, all right, we'll sign it. Just take us up there. Okay. Gotta use a freight elevator though. Regular ones don't run at night. Not this. I don't care which one we use. Just get us up to Warren. I stopped looking at my watch while that freight elevator droned its deadly way up to the floor where Warren had his office. And then at last, we were there. West Research Office is right down that way. I'll just. You'll call the police. Call the police. Tell them you're calling for me to get here. As soon as they can. Oh, sure. Okay. Thank you. Come on, Ruth.

[Mrs. Warren]

There it is.

[Randy Stone]

There's no light inside. It's open.

[Mrs. Warren]

There's no one here.

[Randy Stone]

Find the light switch.

[Mrs. Warren]

I. I can't.

[Randy Stone]

All right, never mind. I'll light a match. What's the matter?

[Mrs. Warren]

I thought I saw someone at the desk in the light of that match.

[Randy Stone]

All right. Follow me. Look, Mrs. Warren.

[Mrs. Warren]

What are you doing here?

[Randy Stone]

Well, I thought of the same thing you did and I. Still here?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, Paul, Mr. Stone is here, too.

[Randy Stone]

Stone?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes. Good. Turn on the light, Paul.

[Randy Stone]

Why wasn't the light on in the first place?

[Mrs. Warren]

We thought if Philip came here and saw a light, he wouldn't come in.

[Randy Stone]

That's right. Storm. We called the police. They had nothing yet. So. So we came here. We thought you called the police.

[Mrs. Warren]

We just couldn't stay home and do nothing.

[Randy Stone]

The police didn't tell you anything, huh? No. Everyone's looking for Philip. I'll ask you nice, Paul. Where is he? I don't understand. Let's stop playing patty kick. Where is he? I tell you, we don't know. You do. Well, you're one of his best friends. Where is he? Come on, give.

[Mrs. Warren]

We don't know where he is. We came here for the same reason. You never told the police about your husband. Like you said you didn't want them to find him. You're insane, both of you.

[Randy Stone]

Come on, poor boy. Tell me where he is. I don't know. Let's try it again. Come on, Stone. Yours? Never mind me. Let's stick to the subject of the moment. Where is he? I told you. Where is he? All very neat and clean, wasn't it? Let the old boy kill himself. Just don't do a thing about it. You tell me when, Paul. How much insurance was he going to leave to your Lady Finch? You sure it isn't one of those non cancable policies, Paul? You know, some of them don't pay you off on suicide. Tell me where he is. Tell me. Stop it. Stop it.

[Mrs. Warren]

Stop it.

[Ellen Spencer]

He's on the Tower.

[Randy Stone]

Stop. Tower of the building. I saw him. He's going to jump. There's your boyfriend, Mrs. Warren. Catch the tower. Ruth. Come on.

[Mrs. Warren]

The elevator.

[Randy Stone]

No time. Tower's only two flights up. Come on, I'll need you. It was one minute of 12 when we took the first step of the two flights. The run up was like one of those dreams in which you stand aside and watch yourself. There was a queer, impersonal detachment about it that made the horror even more real. Then we were out on the roof.

[Mrs. Warren]

Do you see him?

[Randy Stone]

No, no, not yet. Up there. Where? Look.

[Mrs. Warren]

On the tower.

[Randy Stone]

Warren. Warren, wait. Warren. That's how we got to stop.

[Mrs. Warren]

Quite tired.

[Randy Stone]

I got to finish off staying. You've got to listen to me. You're not going to die. Do you hear me? He said I was, but he wouldn't say when. He wouldn't tell me when. But I know. I can tell you it's not quite.

[Sam Spade]

12, but it is.

[Randy Stone]

Warren, look here, Ruth, make him listen to you. Mr. Warren, look at me.

[Mrs. Warren]

You know who I am.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, I know. I know everybody in the world. And I could see everybody from here.

[Mrs. Warren]

Please. The report was a mistake. You're not going to die. Do you hear? It was a mistake. Please listen to me.

[Randy Stone]

Good night. All right. Everybody lied to me. All my life. You want me to suffer? I tell you I can. And I know what I'm going to say.

[Mrs. Warren]

But you're not. It was a mistake. My mistake.

[Randy Stone]

Not the doctor's. I swear.

[Mrs. Warren]

We're not lying to you. I swear it.

[Randy Stone]

Randy. Randy, wait. Oh, murdering him. Get your boys ready, Max. They're all set. But him. What about him? Keep talking, Luke. He's watching you. Keep talking.

[Mrs. Warren]

Mr. Warren. You're all right, do you hear? You're not going to die.

[Randy Stone]

He told me it was a mistake. Please don't lie to me. Please. It's the truth, Mr. Warren. You're not going to die. Do you believe it?

[Harry Waldo]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Warren]

Thank you.

[Randy Stone]

You can get him now, Mac. He'll hold on until your boys reach him. So here I sit, trying to write my story for tonight. But I keep hitting that one key 00 cipher. Naught. Nothing. Oh, dear. Someday a nice peaceful story is going to be written about a flock of happy little birds leisurely circling a burned out world, wondering whatever happened to all those crazy two legged characters who spent their lives knocking each other's brains out. What a nice thing to read that would be. Yeah, but wait a second. Who'd write it? All right, you've broken down. Two bit philosopher. The makeup editor's got to go home too. So let's get going. Hello. Give me a rewrite. Night Beat, a new dramatic series, stars Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Tonight's story was written by Russell Hughes. Night Beat is edited by Larry Marcus and directed by Warren Lewis. Music by Frank Wirth. Others in tonight's cast were Peter Leagues, Gene Bates, Larry Dobkin, Joan Banks, Stacy Harris, Wilms Herbert and Junius Matthews. Frank Lovejoy will next be seen in Milton Spurling's production Rock Bottom, released by Warner Brothers. Listen next week at this same time and every week as Randy Stone searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness. The stories that come out of the shadows to find their way into Night Beat. At the end of every year, an organization known as the National Safety Council adds up a tragic row of numbers. These are the figures of America's traffic accidents, an appalling list of death and misery. Last year's Black edge total showed 32,000 dead. So whether you're a driver or a pedestrian, recognize the danger. Drive and walk safely. You're tuned for the stars on NBC. Night. Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Nightbeat for the Chicago Star. Stories begin in many different ways. This one began with a strange little man who claimed a most remarkable power, the power to kill with his mind. Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. It was one of those lousy moods I had. Spring in the air, 5:00 in the afternoon and nothing ahead of me except another day's work, a broken leg and a month in bed. I should be so lucky. I started to walk down Michigan Boulevard. By the time I reached the art museum, I hated the whole world. Everybody was going home and I was going to work. So, like a school kid playing hooky, I turned into a patch of grass. Landscaping the museum, and I sat down on a bench. The other end of the bench was a little old guy, thin as Melbourne toast, and he was staring at a pigeon perched on the fountain. I was beginning to feel persecuted, like I was the only one in the whole wide city who had to go to work in a nice, lazy kind of way. I was beginning to wish I was dead.

[Harry Waldo]

I wish you were dead.

[Randy Stone]

At first I didn't know where the voice came from. There was no one in back of me. There was no one around. Except the little guy at the other end of the bench there.

[Harry Waldo]

I did it again.

[Randy Stone]

You know, it's not a very nice thing to say to somebody you don't even know.

[Harry Waldo]

I'm sorry, I. I didn't think you heard me.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, certainly I heard you. Why would you wish a thing like that on me?

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, but I didn't mean you, not at all. Because if I did, you would now be dead.

[Randy Stone]

You mean I would be daddy as terrible, just terrible. Well, if it wasn't me you just said that to, then who was it?

[Harry Waldo]

The pigeon.

[Randy Stone]

Pigeon?

[Harry Waldo]

The one that was on the fountain.

[Randy Stone]

I see. And what happened to the pigeon?

[Harry Waldo]

He died.

[Randy Stone]

The pigeon died? Oh, yes.

[Harry Waldo]

It'll happen every time. I'll get the bird and show you. Yes, it's dead, all right. You see? Perfectly dead.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, now, look, Mr. Fettle is my name. Yeah, Stone is mine. Randy Stone. And I guess I'll be running.

[Harry Waldo]

I thought perhaps you could help me, Mr. Stone. You look like the kind of person who would understand.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, I'm the harmless type that's always walking into a confession.

[Harry Waldo]

Well, you see, it's something I can't tell to just anyone.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, well, some other time I'll be. Seeing that's the way it is.

[Harry Waldo]

Everybody's interested in only themselves.

[Randy Stone]

Well, get rid of that bird. It's not very pleasant sitting next to someone holding a dead thing in his head.

[Harry Waldo]

Of course, if I put it over there under the bush, would you listen to me? Maybe if I talked about it, it might help. You're not a policeman, are you?

[Randy Stone]

No, no, no, no. I'm a newspaperman.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, that's good.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, get rid of the bird and.

[Harry Waldo]

Then you'll listen to me.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yeah.

[Randy Stone]

How is it?

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, that's very good of you, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

I'll just put it down over here. He was a cute little old guy who didn't seem to fit into a world of airplanes and the Geiger counter. He was still wearing a white celluloid collar and a tarnished diamond stick pin and a black tie. He was as clean as grandmother's old lace and just as faded. His white hair bulged from an old fedora hat and his eyebrows looked like the prank of a makeup artist. They were untouched by age and they were strawberry red. I was already feeling sorry for him, and I knew if I could, I was going to help him. He put the bird under the bush and then he looked down at it and sighed.

[Harry Waldo]

I didn't mean to do it.

[Randy Stone]

Sure, sure, I understand. Now, what's bothering you.

[Harry Waldo]

You see, I killed that bird simply by looking at it and saying that I wished it were dead.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, I say you wished it was dead and it died.

[Harry Waldo]

You hurt me, didn't you? You wouldn't think a thing like that was possible, would you?

[Randy Stone]

Well, I don't know. If I remember correctly, there was this fellow, King Midas. He had a pretty good thing, too. All he had to do was touch something that turned into gold.

[Harry Waldo]

Of course, that was only a fairy tale. You're not poking fun at me, Mr. Stone. You're not implying that I made this up?

[Randy Stone]

Don't get touchy. It's pretty hard to get used to. All you have to do is wish a bird Is dead and it dies.

[Harry Waldo]

Anything, a bird or even a person and they die.

[Randy Stone]

Well, that's quite a power you got.

[Harry Waldo]

You don't believe me, do you?

[Randy Stone]

You ought to get a hold of yourself. Don't you think I know.

[Harry Waldo]

I shouldn't have said anything at all.

[Randy Stone]

All right, all right. Now let's say I believe you. What do you expect me to do?

[Harry Waldo]

I'm getting afraid of myself. I can become dangerous.

[Randy Stone]

Well, don't wish those things and you won't be dangerous. But if I ever hate like I.

[Harry Waldo]

Once did, then I'm not responsible.

[Randy Stone]

The words would just come out.

[Harry Waldo]

It would happen.

[Randy Stone]

You mean you could wish I was dead? Or anybody, and they'd die?

[Harry Waldo]

That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't want to hurt anybody, Mr. Storm. You still don't believe me.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, I think it's a perfectly wonderful story. Now, now I gotta go.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, please don't go. Don't leave me, Mr. Song.

[Randy Stone]

Please take your hands off my skull. Do you mind? I want to go to work.

[Harry Waldo]

But listen, I. I killed a man. Oh, I killed Mr. Brown.

[Randy Stone]

Mr. Brown?

[Harry Waldo]

Arthur E. Brown, President of the Utilities Loan Company?

[Randy Stone]

Uh huh. You. You killed him?

[Harry Waldo]

I was the one.

[Randy Stone]

It was the urgency in the way he wrung his hands together that got me. I felt pretty foolish sitting there on a park bench listening to the most fantastic kind of nonsense. For 40 years he worked for this company. He never married. He lived a lonely life. The only pleasure he had was his job. But he was getting old. And then one day, it was on a Friday, he got his paycheck from the head bookkeeper. Thank you.

[Harry Waldo]

But this is a mistake. A terrible mistake. Ms. Johnson. This check is too much.

[Mrs. Warren]

Let me see. Oh, I. I don't think so, Mr. Fettle.

[Randy Stone]

No, but.

[Harry Waldo]

But that's three weeks pay. Two weeks more than I've got coming. It's not my vacation, you know. I always take mine in July.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, I know, Mr. Fiddle.

[Harry Waldo]

Then you better rectify it, Ms. Johnson.

[Mrs. Warren]

I'm sorry. Sorry no one told you. On the back of the check, Mr. Fettle, that slip of paper.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, you mean this? Why that's a. That's a two weeks notice. Oh, that's a terrible mistake.

[Mrs. Warren]

I hope so, Mr. Fell.

[Harry Waldo]

Such a stupid thing. Imagine my being here so long. Why, everybody knows. I better see Smitty about this right away.

[Mrs. Warren]

Smitty has been transferred to the Ohio branch since Wayne five weeks ago, Mr. Fettle.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, well then I see the new fellow. I don't like to embarrass him. But I must bring this to his attention. I'm sorry, Mr. Fettel, but you don't understand. You're new here.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, Mr. Fettel, but there's nothing I can do.

[Harry Waldo]

Well, I. I'll have to go to someone who can. Who is it that's over?

[Vincent Price]

You.

[Randy Stone]

Well, you might try one of the vice. Of course, Mr. Fettle. You. You realize, I had no idea. Why don't you see the treasurer? I'm really quite sorry, Mr. Fettel, but.

[Sam Spade]

Really, it's out of my hands.

[Harry Waldo]

I. I see. No one will take the responsibility. No one cares. Sending me from one to the other like I. Like I was some kind of thing being bodied about.

[Randy Stone]

I'm going to the president.

[Harry Waldo]

I'll tell Mr. Brown.

[Randy Stone]

Mr. Fettle went up another flight of stairs, running right through a whole pool of minor executives, straight into Mr. Brown's office. Brown was sitting there in an enormous leather chair. A very huge, fat man. His face was red and puffy. Instead of breathing, he seemed to gasp. He was that mad when Mr. Fettle walked in unannounced.

[Harry Waldo]

What are you doing in my office, Mr. Brown? I just had to see you. There seems to be no one to take the responsibility for this. You see, I. I've been here so many years. They just don't seem to realize how long I've been here. I wanted you to straighten it out for me.

[Randy Stone]

Get out of here.

[Harry Waldo]

But it's so unfair.

[Randy Stone]

Get out, I said. Get out of here. The hatred that have been piling up in Mr. Feddle had now found a target. He looked Brown squarely in the eyes and said it right to his face, right out loud. I wish you were dead. You what? I wish you were dead.

[Harry Waldo]

He's dead.

[Randy Stone]

Somebody, quick. Mr. Brown is dead. And now back to Nightbeat and Randy Stone. Sure, we've all thought about the idea at some time or other in our lives. And we could look at another person and wish he were dead. And bingo, it would happen. But then we all grew up and we forgot about it. But here was this little old guy, Mr. Who not only believed this phenomenon about himself, but was determined to prove it to me. That's what I get for stopping on a park bench when I should have been on my way to the paper.

[Harry Waldo]

So you see, Mr. Stone, that's how it all started that day in the office.

[Randy Stone]

Well, don't Worry about it, Mr. Fettel. Coincidence.

[Harry Waldo]

I wish you were right. But what about the flies?

[Randy Stone]

I'll buy it. What about them?

[Harry Waldo]

I'd hold them in my hand and say it. And then they'd stop buzzing. Keep real still. Dead.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, you're taking yourself too seriously. Stop squeezing flies to death and stop telling yourself you're Superman.

[Harry Waldo]

But what about the bird? It was perched on the fountain. I wasn't even near him. And I looked at him and I said it. And then just like that, it fell to the ground.

[Randy Stone]

Dead. First it's Mr. Brown, then it's squeezing the flies. And finally the pigeon. I'll go on home, Mr. Fiddle. Go on home. Before I begin wishing you were dead.

[Harry Waldo]

I knew I shouldn't have told you. Now I don't know where to turn. I. I've got the strangest feeling. A terrible need to test everything. Just to go around wishing things were dead. I'm sorry I took up your time, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

What's that? Wait a minute, mister. Pedal.

[Harry Waldo]

That kid over there.

[Mrs. Barr]

Hey, Jerry, over here.

[Randy Stone]

I found it. Uh huh. See that boy with the BB gun? See him?

[Harry Waldo]

How's that?

[Randy Stone]

If I can prove you didn't kill that bird, will you go home and forget about the whole thing?

[Harry Waldo]

Those boys are. They're picking up the birds. They shouldn't do that.

[Randy Stone]

Hey kid. What are you doing with the BB gun?

[Ellen Spencer]

Nothing.

[Randy Stone]

You shot that bird, didn't you?

[Ellen Spencer]

It was an accident. Honest mister, we didn't mean nothing.

[Randy Stone]

Come here. Now. Bring it over here. Run, Jerry, run.

[Mrs. Warren]

He's gonna get.

[Randy Stone]

Hey, come here. I'm not gonna do anything. Come here. Well, they're gone and they took the bird. But now you know, Mr. Fiddle, it wasn't you. The kid did it with the BB gun. Okay.

[Harry Waldo]

You mean they thought they did it.

[Randy Stone]

I see. Okay, so you want to believe you did it. Makes you feel important, doesn't it?

[Harry Waldo]

Important?

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, it gives you a feeling of power, doesn't it?

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, no, Mr. Stoner. I feel like a murderer.

[Randy Stone]

Well, if you feel that way, why don't you turn yourself into the police?

[Harry Waldo]

I thought of that. But I'm not a stupid man. They'd either laugh at me or put me in an institution. And I'm not insane, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

Well, I. I'd like to help you, but I don't know what I can do to convince you.

[Harry Waldo]

I can't sleep. I. I haven't eaten and I'm in no condition to look for work.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, look, Mr. Fed, we're going to put a stop to this nonsense right now. It's getting late. I got to go to work before I go in with a settlers once and for all.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, anything you did I'd appreciate.

[Randy Stone]

All right. Now, here I am sitting right next to you, right?

[Harry Waldo]

Yes.

[Randy Stone]

Now I'm standing up. See? I'm healthy. Nothing wrong with me, right?

[Harry Waldo]

Well, of course.

[Randy Stone]

Now look at me.

[Harry Waldo]

I don't think I understand.

[Randy Stone]

Just keep looking at me. Well, go ahead. Now.

[Harry Waldo]

Wish that I was dead, Mr. Stone. Why should I do anything like that to you?

[Randy Stone]

You want to be able to go home and get a good night's sleep. You want to be able to eat and start living like a human being again. All right. Go ahead. Wish I was dead. I won't do it. I won't. Because you're a liar, aren't you? Don't say that. You're a liar, Mr. Fettle. You're a liar.

[Harry Waldo]

Keep away from me, please. I don't want anything to happen to you.

[Randy Stone]

Anything to hang on to your little fantasy. Anything to sit here in the park and keep someone talking to you. You're lonely, Mr. Fettle. And you're a little bit nutty, if you ask me. Don't make me do it.

[Harry Waldo]

Please, Mrs. Thornton. Don't get near me that way.

[Randy Stone]

Then say it, I said. Say it. Despite myself, the sweat was beginning to bubble in my forehead. I could feel the back of my shirt getting wet. I could have kicked myself up and down State street for being sucked into this old man's stupid little nightmare. But there I was, like a Madison street mooch insisting that the guy prove it. Not to himself anymore, but to me. Go ahead, Mr. Fedd. Say.

[Harry Waldo]

Please don't make me, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

He cringed away from me now, and his back was pressing up against the tree. And I kept following him. As I got closer to him, he had no other place to run. And he stood there with a most peculiar expression in his eyes.

[Harry Waldo]

All right, Mr. Stone, but it's not my fault.

[Randy Stone]

Understand? I don't want to do it. Understand? I understand. Now say it.

[Harry Waldo]

Please forgive me, Mr. Stone, but you're making me. Isn't that right? You're making me say it.

[Randy Stone]

Well, say it and get it over with.

[Harry Waldo]

I wish I. I wish you were. I can't. I can't. I just can't.

[Randy Stone]

There's no use pretending I wasn't relieved. I felt both frightened and silly playing this little game.

[Harry Waldo]

I just couldn't do it to you, Mr. Stone. I'm not angry. I've gotten to know you, and like you, I. It's become so personal. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.

[Randy Stone]

As he talked, his eyes became fixed on the building opposite the park. It Was a tall building and way up high, about the 18th story. There was a man up there washing windows.

[Harry Waldo]

You see that up there? You see him?

[Randy Stone]

The window washer?

[Harry Waldo]

There's nothing personal about him, is there? Just a speck crawling on the side of a building, watching windows.

[Randy Stone]

You're gonna start that all over again?

[Harry Waldo]

Well, there's nothing personal about that speck up there, is there?

[Randy Stone]

Now, look, you're not gonna drive me back?

[Harry Waldo]

Well, if you'll only believe me, I'll. I'll try to show you.

[Randy Stone]

You mean with the window washer?

[Harry Waldo]

He's pretty far away, and it's so impersonal. And, well, it. It may not work.

[Randy Stone]

Of course it won't work. That's what I've been trying to tell you.

[Harry Waldo]

Well, I mean, my not knowing him. Maybe I have to know the person or be real close. Maybe I have to have an argument with the person or not. Like him?

[Randy Stone]

Yeah. Yeah, like the pigeon.

[Harry Waldo]

Oh, well, that was different. I actually looked into the pigeon's eyes and he looked at me. And that's when I said it.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, why don't you go home and go to bed? Read a good book. Forget about yourself. You're going. That's right. Oh, wait.

[Harry Waldo]

I'll do it.

[Randy Stone]

I stood there watching him. He stared at the man on the 18th floor for a long time. As a man started to change his safety belt to move from one window later to the next. Just as he took off one rope from the bolt in the window frame, Mr. Fettel started to whisper.

[Harry Waldo]

I wish you were dead.

[Randy Stone]

It all happened in a split second. The moment he said it, the man on the window ledge lost his balance. First, the bucket came clattering to the ground. And then the man hung suspended, dangling by one rope and clawing at the air to get back on the ledge. And then the rope broke. When it happened, I ran over to the building and got what few facts were available. The item appeared in a late edition, about 10 lines on page eight. Naturally, I said nothing of the little old man on the park bench or they would have thought I was as insane as I felt the little guy to be. But I couldn't get the amazing Mr. Fettel out of my mind. When I started to feel that I, in some weird manner, were indirectly responsible for the window washer's death. And I knew I was involved up to my neck. I went downstairs to the newspaper library. I found the item I was looking for. Arthur E. Brown, president of the Utilities Loan association, had succumbed to a heart attack and was pronounced Dead upon the arrival of his personal physician, George Watkins. The first thing next morning, I went to see Dr. Watkins. I'll be glad to give you whatever information you want, Mr. Stone, but I'm also rather curious as to your reasons. Well, in a very general way, I'm interested in certain types of death. Oh, coronary heart fatalities? You might. Might call it that. What is it you wanted to know? Well, as I understand it, there was someone present in Mr. Brown's office at the time he died. I believe so. One of his employees. I'm wondering if they this man could have in any way brought on the heart attack.

[Vincent Price]

It's possible.

[Randy Stone]

But that particular day, not at all probable. Why not? Mr. Brown had complained of a severe constriction across the chest, and his secretary had already called me before that man was in his office. In fact, I was on my way.

[Vincent Price]

Over to his office before he succumbed.

[Randy Stone]

Mr. Brown's secretary was in the first.

[Vincent Price]

Aid room getting him some medicine.

[Randy Stone]

You mean Brown was already dying before the man even got into the office? Mr. Brown was already dying of the effect of an extraordinary lunch. With the kind of heart condition he had, his death was just as inevitable as tomorrow's sunrise. It couldn't be any plainer than that. Coincidence number one had been taken care of quite neatly. But that window washer still had to be dealt with. For a man who'd been washing windows for so many years to slip off the windowsill and then for the rope to break right at the time my amazing Mr. Fettel wished he were dead, well, that's a pretty touchy thing. To reconcile the coincidence, I went back to the building and located the engineer who was in the basement replacing a steam valve on a hot water tank. At first he wasn't very cooperative. I suppose you're another insurance man who.

[Sam Spade]

Wants to know more about why we.

[Randy Stone]

Don'T have safety measures for our window washers. No, no, no, no. I just happened to be a newspaper man who was sitting in the park when it happened. Well, if you saw it, you know more about it than I do. He worked for you, didn't he? Yeah, that's right. Well, what happened? Why should that man's rope break? I'm tired of answering questions. That's all I've been doing is asking questions. Look, mister, I'm not here to make trouble for you. I don't want to give you any bad publicity. I want to know why it happened. But of course, if you don't want to tell me, then I've got to believe that the building was responsible. If I warned him once, I want.

[Sam Spade]

Him a hundred times, his equipment was rotted through.

[Randy Stone]

I told him he couldn't go to work on my building unless he bought new ropes. He was pretty sore. But he went home. At least I thought he went home. What happened was he got lost in one of the bars on Clark Street. And when he was good and drunk, he came back without me knowing that he went to work. He was drunk, that's what he was. Was nobody's fault but his own. If it wasn't for the fact that that somebody else had suffered, the whole thing would have been funny. It was the most ironic joke that coincidence could play. And a pathetic old man who thought he had some kind of strange power. And on me, a sucker for anybody's story if they insist they've got one. I got Mr. Feddles address from Ms. Johnson at the place he used to work and went over to see him. He lived in an old boarding house. His landlady was a nice old gray haired woman that was as interested in knowing where he could be found as I was.

[Ellen Spencer]

He hasn't been home since yesterday and.

[Mrs. Warren]

That'S not like him.

[Ellen Spencer]

15 years he's lived here and he.

[Mrs. Warren]

Never spent a night away from home.

[Randy Stone]

But does he have any relatives or friends that he could have gone to?

[Mrs. Warren]

Not a soul, sir.

[Ellen Spencer]

The loneliest man I ever knew, but the nicest.

[Mrs. Warren]

Why, he just wouldn't hurt a soul.

[Randy Stone]

Well, I've got to find him.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, well, something's wrong, isn't there?

[Randy Stone]

No, no. Oh, no, no. I got a pretty important message for him and it'll make things a lot easier on him when I tell him.

[Mrs. Warren]

I see. Can't you tell me?

[Randy Stone]

No, no. It's rather personal. Here's my number, though. You can reach me at the office. No matter what time he gets in. If you have any regard for him at all, please call me.

[Mrs. Warren]

I certainly will, sir.

[Ellen Spencer]

And nobody has better regard for him than I have. You know, he's been getting awful thin lately.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes, you'd. You'd think a man wouldn't starve himself.

[Ellen Spencer]

Just because he was out of work.

[Mrs. Warren]

Now, would you, sir?

[Randy Stone]

Well, you call me. It'll be a lot different after I talk to him. I went to the office by way of Bug House Square. I inquired here and there about an old gent with the white hair and the strawberry colored eyebrows. They knew who he was all right, but they hadn't seen him. I was getting worried about him. A nice little guy somewhere in the city running away from Himself, thinking he was a dangerous killer. When I got to the office, there were no messages. I put my feet on the desk and I waited. Then I started to do my column with Coincidence playing the villain. I got halfway through, put my feet back on the desk and dozed off. Two o'clock in the morning, the phone rang. Yeah? Mr. Stone speaking. He just came in just now. Who? Mr. Fetter. Oh, okay. Okay, thank you. I'm coming right over. When I got to the house, she was waiting and had the door open before I could ring the bell. Is he in bed?

[Mrs. Warren]

No, Mr. Stone, he.

[Ellen Spencer]

He's sitting in his easy chair.

[Randy Stone]

His room upstairs.

[Mrs. Warren]

It's no use going up there, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

Now, what's wrong?

[Ellen Spencer]

Well, as soon as I called you.

[Mrs. Warren]

I put some soup on the stove. You see, I wanted him to have something hot to eat. I knocked on his door. He didn't answer. I opened it and he was sitting in the easy chair. Before I got to him, his eyes went up at the ceiling. Then they closed and his head rolled on his chest. He was dead.

[Randy Stone]

I can't understand it. He wasn't sick. He was unhappy, but he wasn't sick.

[Mrs. Warren]

It doesn't make much difference now what he was, poor soul.

[Randy Stone]

That's all that happened. Just what you told me. He didn't say anything?

[Mrs. Warren]

Well, he. He mumbled something, but it's not worth repeating.

[Randy Stone]

What? I want to know.

[Mrs. Warren]

Some sort of foolishness, Mr. Stone?

[Randy Stone]

Well, tell me. I've got to know.

[Ellen Spencer]

I'm sure I heard it wrong.

[Randy Stone]

Well, what was it that he said?

[Mrs. Warren]

Well, as his eyes were on the ceiling, it seemed to me now, sir, I can be wrong, you know. But it seemed to me that he said, I wish I was dead.

[Randy Stone]

Sitting on a park bench in the warm sun doesn't always lead to peace of mind. Not if you happen to be a harmless little guy who draws the ace of spades every time he makes a wish. Of course, we know that everything that happened was just coincidence. We all know things like this don't happen. You know, like the flying saucer copy boy. Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the night beat for the Chicago Star. Stories start in many different ways. This one began when I bumped into a wonderful legend out of the past and watch that legend die before my eyes. Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. You know, I guess the one thing that makes a newspaper guy like me different from any other working stiff is that while a bookkeeper works with numbers, carpenter deals in wood and the miner sweats over coal. A newspaper man well, all he works with is people. What makes them laugh and dance in the street, what makes them cry in the night. But just the same, like most kinds of work, this has its occupational hazards too. Being a newspaper man doesn't give you painter's colic or housemaid's knee. But sometimes it can sure do some lousy things to your heart. It was my night off. I had a date with a little blonde at the information desk. You know, the girl who tells you where to go after you tell her what you're looking for. I finally talked her into going dancing. I was supposed to pick her up at 9 o'clock. Only here it was 8:30 and I was still trying to find a flower shop to buy her a corsage. I'd walked to the edge of skid row when I finally spotted this place. A little florist shop in the center of a shabby office building. Looking through the window, I saw a gray haired old lady pinning a boutonna on the lapel of a chunky fellow in a shiny blue serge. As I came through the front door, the fellow spun around like he was expecting the worst.

[Ellen Spencer]

Will you hold still so I can.

[Randy Stone]

Get this flower in, please? I'm sorry, Mrs. Dun.

[Sam Spade]

I'm expecting somebody. I thought maybe this fellow might be the one.

[Mrs. Warren]

All right, now you just stay quiet. I'll be with you in a moment, sir.

[Vincent Price]

All right.

[Randy Stone]

There's no hurry. No hurry at all.

[Mrs. Warren]

There now. Isn't that beautiful? My husband set it aside especially for you.

[Sam Spade]

Tell your husband thanks. I don't know. No matter how punk I feel, if I get a fresh flower in my lapel, it picks me up better than a shot of raw gin. How much do I owe you?

[Mrs. Warren]

50 cents.

[Randy Stone]

Here you are.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, I'll pick it up.

[Ellen Spencer]

You seem upset tonight.

[Mrs. Warren]

This person you're going to meet must be quite important.

[Sam Spade]

Yeah.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, he sure is.

[Sam Spade]

He's the man who's going to put me out of my misery.

[Randy Stone]

What?

[Sam Spade]

Sure. Tell your husband next time I need a flowery, he better make it a nice white lily. Goodbye.

[Randy Stone]

That fella's sure upset.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, poor Tom Paxton. I've seen him like this before. He's just had a wee bit too much to drink, I'm afraid.

[Randy Stone]

Tom Paxton? No. Huh? The rose in his lapel used to be his trademark. Oh.

[Ellen Spencer]

Do you know Tom?

[Randy Stone]

Well, if he's the same one, I was never that lucky. Best I could do was worship him from a distance.

[Mrs. Warren]

Worship Tom?

[Randy Stone]

Yeah. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? Ten years ago, when I was in college, Tom Paxton was the greatest football star we'd ever had. He was one of the greatest in the country. He was a legend.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, well, it can't be the same man.

[Randy Stone]

I don't know. Once you get over the shock, the resemblance is there. And that rose in the lapel? I don't know, Eddie, but I'm going to find out. I went out the side door of the Flora shop into the lobby. There was Tom standing in the dark, pushing the button for the elevator. As I came up to him, he spun around again like it was part of an act that he always did on cue.

[Sam Spade]

Are you following me?

[Randy Stone]

Well, yes.

[Sam Spade]

You weren't just shopping for flowers there, will you, if you're Dixie. All right, don't play games with me. I'm tired of running away. I'm half bats. How much of it can I take?

[Randy Stone]

Now, look, look, I'm Randy Stone. I. I heard the woman call you Tom Paxton. When I went to college, there was a Tom Paxton who was just about the greatest football player who ever lived.

[Sam Spade]

What are you talking about? You got me mixed up with three other guys.

[Randy Stone]

Well, this Tom Paxton was always sporting a flower in his lapel.

[Sam Spade]

There's no law against that, is there?

[Randy Stone]

I.

[Sam Spade]

Go on, get out of here. Let me alone.

[Randy Stone]

While we were talking, the light over the button of the self operating elevator flashed on. The elevator was coming down. Well, if Tom Paxton didn't want me to bother him, I couldn't twist his arm. I turned to leave just as the elevator doors opened. Only instead of Tom stepping in, somebody else stepped out. I was waiting for you, Paxton.

[Sam Spade]

You're Dixie, aren't you? Come again, aren't you?

[Randy Stone]

Sure, that's where I got this Southern accent.

[Sam Spade]

Now listen.

[Randy Stone]

Come on, somebody wants to see you.

[Sam Spade]

Why doesn't the syndicate give me a break? Why don't they give me a chance to pay up?

[Randy Stone]

I said, come on. Now wait a minute, buster. You ain't invited, sport. This is one of them small affairs, Paxton. This gun in my pocket, it ain't one of them gadgets. You pull the trigger and a cigarette pops out. Come on, Tom. And the mug went out to a small black sedan parked at the curb. As the car raced down the street, I ran across the lobby into Dunlap's flower shop and called the police. When the squad car arrived, I told the boys what little I knew. We found Tom's office on the fourth floor. It told me more about his life since he left college than a 600 page biography. A battered couch, a filing cabinet with nothing filed away except a half empty bottle of gin and a beaten up desk that gave up a couple of oil racing forms. And then on the wall behind the desk, I saw something that really grabbed my heart. A picture of the college football team with Tom right in front with a pigskin in his arms, smiling defiantly like nothing bad could ever happen to him. I hung around after the police left. The picture made me feel low. I was how many beatings you had to take to go from All American to skid Row to maybe the county morgue? Then the office door opened and Tom was standing in the doorway. Only he looked different. He didn't seem to be so frightened anymore.

[Sam Spade]

Well, I hear there were cops all over the place. What are you trying to do, get me some publicity?

[Randy Stone]

Did Dixie give you a stay of execution?

[Sam Spade]

No, that wasn't Dixie. Just one of Frank Burr's tough guys.

[Randy Stone]

Burr, the big shot political.

[Sam Spade]

Yeah, that's right. Had a little assignment for yours truly.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, yeah? How many times do you have to vote for him?

[Sam Spade]

No, it's nothing like that. I'm going to conduct a little investigation. So you remembered the old halfback.

[Randy Stone]

I thought you didn't know what I was talking about.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, well, I had a lot on my mind downstairs. Wasn't in any mood to chew the fat. Well, what are you doing these days?

[Randy Stone]

I. I work on a newspaper. Oh, is that so?

[Sam Spade]

Help me. Like, you see, I wanted the investigating game. It's not much of an office, but if big shots like Burr come to me, I guess it's not so bad, huh?

[Randy Stone]

No, I guess not.

[Sam Spade]

Say, this fella Dixie I mentioned, I. I don't want you to get any funny ideas about him. I just gambled a little over my head, you know, like anybody does now and then. Well, I owe the syndicate a few thousand bucks, so they think they can scare me by putting their hatchet men on my trail. Only if you remember Tom Paxton. You know, he don't scare so easy. Right.

[Randy Stone]

That's right.

[Sam Spade]

That reminds me, I better call the boys right now and tell them I'll settle up at the end of the week. You know, I don't want them losing any sleep on my account.

[Randy Stone]

Well, I'll be going, Tom.

[Sam Spade]

No, no, no, no, kid.

[Randy Stone]

Stick around.

[Sam Spade]

Stick around. I'd like to talk to you, kid.

[Randy Stone]

About old times, eh? All right. Okay, Tom.

[Sam Spade]

Hello, Jack. Hiya, kid. This is Tom Paxton. Say, look, baby, I got some good news for you. I'll be able to settle with you boys at the end of the week. Well, I know I have, but this time it's on the level. Well, now. Now, wait a minute, Jack. Don't. Don't hang up on me. Well, now, give me a break, baby. Three days. Oh, but I can't do the job in three days. No, wait, please don't hang up. Okay, okay. Three days only. Tell Dixie to lay off. Yeah, thanks, Jack.

[Randy Stone]

Excellent.

[Sam Spade]

Three days. How am I gonna find him in three days?

[Randy Stone]

Tom, there's anything I can do?

[Sam Spade]

What? Oh, yeah, yeah, there's something you can do. You can clear out of here. So you found me out, huh? That make you feel good or something?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, now, look, maybe if you've taken.

[Sam Spade]

The beatings I have. Maybe if you've been crossed up, stabbed in the back, slug cheated as many times as I have you. Oh, what am I telling you for? Go on, get out of here.

[Randy Stone]

Sure thing. So long, Tom.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, wait a minute.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah?

[Sam Spade]

Look, you being a reporter, you could get into records I couldn't even touch. Couldn't you?

[Randy Stone]

Well, I think so.

[Sam Spade]

Look, if I had a week, I could do it on my own, but I've got to find him in three days.

[Randy Stone]

Who do you have to find in three days?

[Sam Spade]

Look, Stone, I'm not going to kid with you anymore. I've got to make good on this job Berg gave me. I've got to get that fee. If I don't, this guy Dixie will.

[Randy Stone]

Who is this guy Dixie?

[Sam Spade]

That's what drives me nuts. Nobody knows, Only the Syndicate.

[Randy Stone]

Why don't you go to the police?

[Sam Spade]

No, no, no. Cops are out of my line. If I can, I could clean this job up in three days. Burr will pay me $5,000 and I'll be all right. That's like I've always said, all you need in life is one good break, and after that, you can roll on your own.

[Randy Stone]

What about Burr?

[Sam Spade]

Well, for a big shot, he's sure plenty scared. Says the newspaper's trying to destroy him.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, so?

[Sam Spade]

So the only way they can do it is to find somebody named John Durand.

[Randy Stone]

I never heard of him.

[Sam Spade]

Nobody, but not.

[Randy Stone]

What does Duran look like?

[Sam Spade]

Well, Burr wouldn't know what he looks like today. He hasn't seen him for 25 years. I've only got one thing to go on now.

[Randy Stone]

What's that?

[Sam Spade]

John Durand is a blind man.

[Randy Stone]

A big shot like Burr afraid of a helpless blind man.

[Sam Spade]

Afraid? Burr's as frightened of that blind man, John Durand, as I am of my unknown pal Dixie.

[Randy Stone]

And now back to Nightbeat and Randy Stone. Tom and I started work the Next morning, right after, he picked up a fresh, sweet smelling rose from Mr. And Mrs. Dunlap's florist shop in the lobby. It's funny, but for Tom, a flower in his lapel was like a shot of Benzedrine. After that, we split up. I went down to the paper to have a talk with the political editor. Yes, everyone interested in clean government was trying to wash that Burr right out of their hair. But so far, nothing definite had turned up against him. Only a funny blank space in Burr's biography. A blank space? That happened 25 years ago. And I got that ever loving jackpot feeling. 25 years ago. That's when John Duran, the blind man, entered the picture. Tom and I had to find that blind man and we had three days.

[Sam Spade]

Randy, I'm calling from City Hall. I've checked all the city directories. No John Durant.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, that's great. I visited every agency that helps the blind. Nobody's ever heard of it.

[Sam Spade]

What are we gonna do, Randy?

[Randy Stone]

What else can we do? We keep looking. He's not on any credit report. His name's never appeared in any police water.

[Sam Spade]

Well, we're running out of time now.

[Randy Stone]

Nothing to do but keep looking. I've been going through the records over at the county building. I can't find a trace.

[Sam Spade]

We've got only one day left, Randy. The syndicate gave me midnight tomorrow. What are we going to do?

[Randy Stone]

What we've been doing right along. Keep looking. The third day, we started making the rounds of all the hoodlum hangouts. The bars, the pool halls, the mangy little side street flop houses. I took one section of the city and Tom took the other. And late that night in one of those flop houses, I got the shock of my sweet life. No, nobody named John Durant ever stopped here. Well, I thought he might have stayed here under a phony name. He's a blind guy. Yeah, I know all about him, mister. You what? What did this poor sucker do anyhow? Every hoodlum I know is looking for him. What are you talking about? Just what I said. Every guy in town who cut a throat to earn a buck is looking for John Duran. It was after 9pm when I. I got back to Tom's office to break the news to him. Poor guy. He thought Burr had given him an exclusive assignment. And all the time, Burr had set up a private manhunt. He'd unleashed every mad dog in town to track down John Durand. When I got to the office, the door was open, but Tom wasn't around. I sat down to Wait for him. And the phone started ringing. Hello. I'd like to speak to Mr. Paxton. Well, he's not around right now. Any message? Yes, this is Frank Burr calling. Oh, yes, you can tell Mr. Paxton that he can stop his search for John Durand as of now. Does that mean you found him? Oh, you know about it, eh? Oh, yes. I'm helping Paxton. Did you find Duran? No. I know where I can find him when I want to. I see. Then I. I guess that winds things up.

[Vincent Price]

Yes.

[Randy Stone]

Tell Mr. Paxton, will you, please? Yeah, I'll look, as long as it's. It's all over with. Why have you been so anxious to catch Duran? After all, he's only a blind man, and I. Mm. I'll ask a silly question. You get a silly answer. I just hung up the phone, thinking, poor Tom. Now there's no way out for him. His three days were just about all washed up. Now there was nobody left but his friend Dixie. And then, like I'd said a magic word or something, the to Tom's office started slowly opening. Tom came in, leading a little old guy with smoked glasses and a white cane. Tom, you found him. You found a rant.

[Sam Spade]

I should be so lucky. No, this is Mr. Graham, one of the directors of the Institute for the Blind.

[Randy Stone]

Hello. How do you do?

[Sam Spade]

I'm going batty, banging my head against walls. I figured maybe Mr. Graham might give us a leave. Oh, Mr. Graham, this is Randy Stone.

[Randy Stone]

How do you do, sir? I hope I can be of service. Oh, thank you, thank you. But I'm afraid It's too late, Mr. Graham.

[Sam Spade]

Too late? What do you mean?

[Randy Stone]

Byrd just called. He's found Duran. You can forget that $5,000 fee. You're fired.

[Sam Spade]

And Dixie comes into the picture again. The syndicate gave me only until tonight.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah. Excuse me while I make a call.

[Sam Spade]

Who are you calling?

[Randy Stone]

About 2,000 cops.

[Sam Spade]

Hang up the phone, Randy.

[Randy Stone]

What are you talking about? You need him.

[Sam Spade]

Now hang it up.

[Randy Stone]

Don't be nuts.

[Sam Spade]

All right, I'll hang it up for you.

[Randy Stone]

Now, what's that for?

[Sam Spade]

Calling the cops.

[Randy Stone]

Big deal.

[Sam Spade]

Maybe it would delay my trip to the morgue, but if that's the best I can get. It's no soap.

[Randy Stone]

The cops would protect you.

[Sam Spade]

Sure, for a week, two weeks, maybe even a month. But then what?

[Randy Stone]

Dixie?

[Sam Spade]

It'd still be waiting. He's never missed an appointment.

[Randy Stone]

They'd pick him up before he reached you. There's a couple of small laws about killing people.

[Sam Spade]

How would they pick him up? They wouldn't even know who to look for.

[Randy Stone]

Gentlemen, I. I seem to be intruding.

[Sam Spade]

If one of you will lead me to the elevator. Oh, you lead him, Randy. Then you get on the elevator right with him. Thanks for the try.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, now wait a minute.

[Sam Spade]

Breathe in, will you? I'm expecting a guest.

[Randy Stone]

Now, Mr. Graham, before we leave, for my own amazement, I want to ask you something. Yes? Can you think of any reason why a powerful man like Burris should be afraid of a helpless blind man? Well, of course, that's hard to say.

[Sam Spade]

Randy, will you get out of here the both.

[Randy Stone]

Unless, of course, the man saw something just before he went blind that would incriminate Mr. Burr. Yes. You see, the blind never forget the last thing they see before they go blind. It stays alive in their mind until the moment they die. Well then, if Durand had been a witness to a crime Burke committed and then went blind, that would indeed make him the greatest possible menace to Burke. Well then, that's it. Hooray for our side.

[Sam Spade]

A lot of good it does me.

[Randy Stone]

Now I can tell you how it was when I went blind. It happened quite suddenly, as the doctor said it would. I was out in the country with my family. Wildflowers everywhere. Now that my blindness has made me so overly sensitive to the lovely scent of flowers, the picture is even more real. You know, it's a strange thing about flowers. The blind man kept talking softly, more to himself than the less. Tom had spun his swivel chair around so that he was looking out of the window. The back of his shirt collar was soaking wet. I knew the pressure was building up inside him like steam in a boiler. Absently, he'd been taking the ever present flower from his lapel and he was tearing it apart with nervous fingers. And then Tom's back stiffened. He was staring through the window down at the dark street. I looked over his shoulder. A big car had stopped a short way down the street. A heavy set, well dressed man had stepped out. As he passed under the street lamp in front of the flower shop. I recognized him from his pictures.

[Sam Spade]

Bird, It's Frank Burr.

[Randy Stone]

Tom's voice sounded cockeyed. I looked at him. His face was falling to pieces like an overripe melon. He was looking at the flower he'd taken from his lapel.

[Sam Spade]

This is Dunlap.

[Randy Stone]

She.

[Sam Spade]

She won't like what I'm doing to her flower.

[Randy Stone]

Always so proud of the kids because.

[Sam Spade]

Her husband could select sweet scented flower. Graham, what did you say before now? That my blindness has made me sensitive to the scent of flowers.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, I see, Mr. Dunlop, the florist.

[Sam Spade]

I never had a good look at him. He was always puttering around and back.

[Randy Stone]

You think so?

[Sam Spade]

I know John Durant was always just downstairs in the lobby. And there's still time for me. Randy, there's still time.

[Randy Stone]

As Tom raced for the door of his office, he pulled a gun out of his coat. I followed him. He went to the elevator, pressed the button a couple of times, and then decided to take the stairs instead. He looked back at me chasing after him and waved me back. He started down the stairs two at a time. I caught up with him at the second landing. I grabbed his shoulders and tried to tear himself away.

[Sam Spade]

Let me go, Randy. Let me go.

[Randy Stone]

What do you mean there's still time? What are you gonna do down there?

[Sam Spade]

Randy, I'm telling you to let me go.

[Randy Stone]

Answer me. What are you gonna do? Sure, I'll answer.

[Sam Spade]

What do you think Burr was going to pay me $5,000 for just to give him Duran's address so he could.

[Randy Stone]

Send him nasty letters?

[Sam Spade]

Now, there was one other little item I didn't tell you about. I not only had to find Durand, I had to make sure nobody else found him.

[Randy Stone]

I had to.

[Sam Spade]

I had to kill him.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, Tom, you're kidding. A helpless blind man.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, Burr thinks I'm the man for the job. He told me I was the ideal choice.

[Randy Stone]

Tom, you're not that kind of a man.

[Sam Spade]

Who says so? You think this is still the old football team with a lot of nice rules so nobody gets hurt too bad? This is a jungle rover, boy. It's dog eat dog all the way down the line. Now let me go. No, I said.

[Randy Stone]

Let me go. He broke away and took off the stairs again. Tom had put on a lot of fat since college days, and walking the night beater kept me lean. I caught up with him just as we reached the lobby.

[Sam Spade]

Randy, I'm telling you to lay off of me. Now leave me alone.

[Randy Stone]

You're going to listen to reason.

[Sam Spade]

All you need is one good break. Well, this is mine and I'm going to take it. Now let me go.

[Randy Stone]

You're crazy. I can't let you do it.

[Sam Spade]

You have to let me do it, Randy. You're just gonna have to let me do it.

[Randy Stone]

Tom brought the gun barrel down on my head. My knees turned to ginger beer. I reached for the wall to keep from falling, but the wall fell right with me. I tried to cry out, but all I could manage was a wheeze. Helplessly, I watched Tom, with the gun still in his hand, go through the lobby entrance into the florist shop.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, Tom. Papa, what on earth are you doing with that gun?

[Randy Stone]

At that moment, the front door opened too, and Mr. Burr came into the shop, also carrying the gun. What a spot for a chorus of Orlang's eyes.

[Mrs. Warren]

What's going on, Mr. Paxton?

[Randy Stone]

What is this, huh?

[Sam Spade]

Is the job still mine?

[Randy Stone]

A smug little smile crossed Burr's face as he put his own gun away. Sure, why not, Paxton? A deal's a deal. He's in back working on his flowers.

[Sam Spade]

But it'll have to be her too, okay?

[Randy Stone]

Tom raised his gun as old lady Doran started running for her husband. And then Tom seemed to hesitate, like something was going through his mind. Go on.

[Sam Spade]

What are you waiting for?

[Randy Stone]

Maybe Tom was thinking about his last 10 years on skid row when he'd never done one decent thing. And maybe he thought it was time to start. Go ahead and get it over with, Paxton. Suddenly, Tom swung the gun away from the cowering Duran's and began shooting. There wasn't even time for that smug smile to leave Burr's face as Burr slowly crumbled to the floor. After that, everything started getting foggy for me. By the time the police arrived and splashed cold water on my face, Tom had gotten away, disappeared into the night. Burr was dead. And now John Durand wasn't afraid to talk. 25 years before, Burr had been punk in the rackets. There'd been a bombing, one man killed, John Duran blinded. And the picture Duran carried in his mind, the last thing he saw before the lights went out forever, was Burr throwing that bomb. After that, Durant was afraid Burr tried to finish the job. So he changed his name and went into hiding. I told the cops about the gambling syndicate that had been hounding Tom, and they went after the boys. And all in all, it was quite an evening. Then around 3:30 in the morning, while I was sitting up in my office trying to bat out my night beat story, my telephone started ringing. Yeah?

[Sam Spade]

Randy, this is Tom.

[Randy Stone]

Tom? Hey, where are you?

[Sam Spade]

Never mind, I'm okay. I just wanted to let you know you. You were pretty good to me, kid.

[Randy Stone]

Listen, every cop in the city's looking for you.

[Sam Spade]

They can look until Christmas. It won't do them any good. I've got a hideout that they couldn't find with Radar.

[Randy Stone]

How come?

[Sam Spade]

It's like I've always said, all you need is one good break. I got mine right out of a clear blue sky. Yeah, real square. Met him at a bar. Didn't know where to turn. This guy Buys me a drink. Says I looked like I could stand a good meal and a place to sleep. He thinks I just blew into town and I'm down and out. Now he says I can stay here as long as I like. He's in the next room. So I gotta make this call short.

[Randy Stone]

Tom, I tell you, you're crazy for hiding out. The police will give you a break now. Says who? I'm telling you, they will.

[Sam Spade]

And even if they did, what about the syndicate? What about Dixie?

[Randy Stone]

There isn't any more syndicate. Most of those hoodlums are already sitting in jail.

[Sam Spade]

What, Dixie too?

[Randy Stone]

No, but they'll have him soon enough. Now they've got a description of him. They know who to look for.

[Sam Spade]

Look, I gotta hang up. This guy's liable to pop in any second. But just for the records, what does Dixie look like?

[Randy Stone]

He's an ordinary fella. He wears glasses even. He's got gray hair. Looks more like an insurance man than a hoodlum.

[Sam Spade]

Dixie looks like that.

[Randy Stone]

The only two distinguishing marks, according to the police, is that thumb is missing from his left hand.

[Sam Spade]

Randy. Randy. Has he got a white scar under his eye?

[Randy Stone]

How did you know that?

[Sam Spade]

Look, Randy, the guy that took me to this hideout, the guy that gave me the break, he sticks here.

[Randy Stone]

What? Where are you? Quick, tell me.

[Sam Spade]

He's coming.

[Randy Stone]

Randy.

[Harry Waldo]

Tom.

[Sam Spade]

No, no, no.

[Randy Stone]

Tom. Tom. Operator. Operator. Operator. Yeah, Like Tom always said, all you need is one good break tomorrow. Sure, a nice pleasant moral coming right up. Well, maybe not so pleasant. Tom had been dead a long time before Dixie caught up with him. Tom had died when he found out he wasn't always going to be a hero. The guy on top of the heap. What is there about people that they've got to be number one or they won't play? What's so bad about being number two or number three? Why does life have to be one great victory after another? What's so fancy about us that we can't afford to fall on our face every so often? The fellow who said, God give me the strength to fail really had something. And besides, not making the top of the heap has its compensations too. It's a lot less lonely down here among us. Also, Rands Copy boy.

[Vincent Price]

Wheaties presents night.

[Randy Stone]

Feats on stage tonight from Hollywood. Night Beat. Another in the Wheaties big parade of exciting half hour presentations. Night be. Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Night Beat for the Chicago Star. Stories start in many ways that night my story began with the innocent ringing of my telephone. I didn't know that on the other end of the line was Death Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone.

[Vincent Price]

When you get up and stretch and find your way to the kitchen tomorrow, reach for the Wheaties lay spoon to a whole wheat. Whole wheat that can help make a difference all morning long. Start a good breakfast with Wheaties for the roll up your sleeves. Kind of energy that can make the morning go smoothest. There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake. You got it. A whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake. That's why Wheaties can do so much. That's why Wheaties at 7 can really help at 11. Tumble out those golden flakes, pour on the milk, put on the fruit, pick up the spoon and smile. You're getting nourishment to help send you through the morning on high. You do it. Help yourself to Breakfast of champions and see how Wheaties at 7 can help at 11.

[Randy Stone]

It was my night off. I locked the door, pulled down the window shades of my six buck a week ivory tower and took the cork from a bottle of, well, Mother Jones Soothing stomach Syrup and reached for, you should pardon the expression of book. Oh, what the heck. A lot of people read books. School children, for instance. Tonight, some other poor sucker was walking the night feet. As far as I was concerned, the whole world could take a walk. But as it turned out, the joke was on me. The world took a walk, all right. Right into my snug little ivory tower. It began, modestly enough, with the ringing of my telephone. Yeah? Randy, this is Matt Kummel. Where have you been? Oh, look, Mr. Editor, I'm on my own time. I called every redhead in town. I called every bar and grill. I called the police station, the county hospital, the morgue. Where have you been? Where you found me, Matt. At home. Oh, that's great. That's great. You'll never guess who's looking for you. Okay, I'll never guess. Mr. D. Stouts come to town. Edward the Stout, our distinguished publisher? That's right. He wants to talk to you about that nightbeat stint of yours. What about it? Well, he's got some ideas. Maybe he wants to expand it into a column. He's only going to be in town till tonight, so he wants you to phone him right away.

[Vincent Price]

Hand over 23820.

[Randy Stone]

You got it? Yeah. What are we calling him this season? Father of the Water? Star of Stars? Just Plain Bill. Randy, call him right away. It sounded important. Okay. How long? Good evening, Mr. The Stout. Your humble servant, Mr. Stout. A drop dead, Mr. Jeff's on that garage. Garage? Is this Andover 23820? No, this 30829. You must have dials wrong. Yeah, okay, I'm sorry. 2382. Oh, boo. Well, I'd have to try again in a couple of seconds. So I didn't even bother putting the receiver back on the hook. And from that little thing, it all began. I started thinking, isn't it funny how by just missing one number on the dial. Instead of getting a millionaire publisher with ulcers, I got Jerry's All Night Garage. What would have happened if I dialed 7 instead of 9? Then who would have answered the phone? That's a strange thought. Through this little dial, the whole city was at my fingertips. I remembered reading somewhere that they were 6 million telephone combinations on one dial. Then, on the spur of the moment, I did a dumb thing. I spun the dial seven times in rapid succession without even looking at the numbers. And the phone started ringing. I had a connection. Where was it ringing? Who had destiny chosen to get my call? Some frowsy little gal crying her eyes out in the back bedroom? A dozing night watchman in an office closed for the night? Was my call interrupting a family brawl in some dark flat on the north side? Was it breaking up the sleep of some poor guy working a night shift? Well, wherever it was ringing, there was no answer. So I tried dialing the Stout's number again. I thought, what a swell idea for a column. The whole city at your fingertips, still busy. So again, just for the fun of it, and without looking at the phone, I dialed seven times.

[Mrs. Barr]

Brett, listen, darling, don't hang up again. Let me talk to you, please.

[Randy Stone]

Please, darling. What is this?

[Mrs. Barr]

What? Oh, I thought. What do you want?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, nothing. No, you almost dialed the wrong number. I'm sorry.

[Mrs. Warren]

Wait a minute.

[Mrs. Barr]

Don't hang up. Maybe you can help me.

[Randy Stone]

Help you? What is it?

[Mrs. Barr]

My life's in danger.

[Randy Stone]

Come again?

[Mrs. Barr]

I've got to have a doctor right away.

[Randy Stone]

Well, I'll call one for you, but.

[Mrs. Barr]

I can't have any doctor. I've got to call one who would understand, one who wouldn't betray Fred.

[Randy Stone]

Then why don't you call Fred's doctor?

[Mrs. Barr]

I'd call Dr. Bechtel.

[Randy Stone]

Becel?

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes, Russell Bechtel. He's Fred's doctor. But his nurse said he's out on a call and she doesn't know where to reach him. I couldn't tell her the trouble I'm in. She wouldn't understand. She'd only tell me to call the police.

[Randy Stone]

The Police?

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes. Reg had one of his attacks. He's threatened to kill me again, and this time he's gone for a gun.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, then, sister, you better call the police.

[Mrs. Barr]

No. They put Fred away for good, and I couldn't stand that. I'd rather be dead.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, oh, oh, I. I get it.

[Mrs. Barr]

You don't believe.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, you catch on fast. Who put you up to it, honey? Sounds like the boys on the police beat.

[Mrs. Barr]

You've got to believe.

[Randy Stone]

Does it say so in the Constitution? Look, I'm pretty busy.

[Mrs. Barr]

Please. Please, you've got to. You just got to. You've got to.

[Randy Stone]

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. How could this be a gag? You didn't call me. I called you.

[Mrs. Barr]

I swear. I'm telling you the truth. You've just got to believe me. It's my only chance.

[Randy Stone]

Keep talking. Look, I don't know who you are.

[Mrs. Barr]

Or how you happen to call this number, but if you don't help me, I'm finished. All Fred needs is a doctor. One we can depend on. Fred's been sick for a long time. When he gets these bells, he temporarily goes out of his mind. And Dr. Bechtel can always snap him up.

[Randy Stone]

Well, we'll call him.

[Mrs. Barr]

But I told you, I can't reach Dr. Bechtel.

[Randy Stone]

Well.

[Mrs. Barr]

Oh, you must believe me. And you've got to promise not to call the police.

[Randy Stone]

What are you talking about? If your life's really in danger, of course I'll call the police.

[Mrs. Barr]

All right, then just forget the whole thing. Goodbye.

[Randy Stone]

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Don't hang up. Just give me a chance to catch my breath, will you? Now, let me see. Well, okay. You sound. Well, you sound like a good kid. Maybe I can get you to a doctor. My doctor Lawrence Blair.

[Mrs. Barr]

Will he do as I say?

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, yeah, but I better be able to tell him a few things about this, or he'll just tell me to go to bed with an ice bag and a couple of aspirins. Now, just who is this guy Fred?

[Mrs. Barr]

He's my husband, Fred.

[Randy Stone]

Swearing he threatened to kill him.

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes, as soon as he returns.

[Randy Stone]

Why don't you get out of the house before.

[Mrs. Barr]

Not in the house. Oh, we were out driving when he got this bill. Oh, it was terrible. It was terrible.

[Randy Stone]

All right, all right. Now try to relax. Now, tell me about it.

[Mrs. Barr]

We started accusing him of not loving him anymore. And he threatened me like a madman.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, Then he drove me to the.

[Mrs. Barr]

Studio and locked me in. Said he was going for a gun to kill me.

[Randy Stone]

Where is the studio?

[Mrs. Barr]

I'm not sure. I didn't watch closely. I was beating with him all that time.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, fine. That makes a den.

[Mrs. Barr]

I never knew about the studio. He said he's a commercial artist. Not yet. He came here to work. See, we've only been married for three months.

[Randy Stone]

Aren't there any windows you can break through and get out?

[Mrs. Barr]

No, it's on the eighth floor.

[Randy Stone]

What about the fire escape?

[Mrs. Barr]

It's at the end of the building. I potted on the door and tried to get help, but no one's come. We haven't lived in the city very long. I've called a few friends. We know, but no one's home. I don't know what.

[Randy Stone]

Now, look, there's no time for that. I'm gonna get my doctor over here. I gotta know where you are. Now, you go and look out the window for any identifying landmarks that would help us find you. No, I won't hang up. Now, go on, Step on it. While I waited for her to return, I opened my collar and I loosened my tie. What have I gotten into? Me? Nothing. But what about that poor kid? Why wasn't she back on that phone? Where was she? Come on, lady. Lady, where was she? And then she was back. Hello? Yeah.

[Mrs. Barr]

Oh, I was so afraid you'd hung up.

[Randy Stone]

Well, now, do you have any idea where you are?

[Mrs. Barr]

Well, there's a big warehouse directly across from this building.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, about a block east of her.

[Mrs. Barr]

I can see a radio tower, but I can't quite make up the name on it.

[Randy Stone]

A radio tower? What else?

[Mrs. Barr]

Well, there's just the usual apartment buildings along the street. Around the corner, there's a large supermarket.

[Randy Stone]

Supermarket? Anything else?

[Mrs. Warren]

Yes.

[Mrs. Barr]

There's a park a few blocks away. Looks like Lincoln Park.

[Randy Stone]

And the building you're in now, can you tell me anything about it?

[Mrs. Barr]

It's white brick. And there are two more floors above this one.

[Randy Stone]

All right. Okay. We'll be able to find you. I'll call my doctor right away. He knows the city better than the guys who built it. He'll find you. And I'm going to stay right here at this phone. If anything goes wrong, I want you to call me right away. You understand? Yes.

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes, I will.

[Randy Stone]

My number is Butterfield 13003. Have you got that?

[Mrs. Barr]

Butterfield 13003.

[Randy Stone]

That's right.

[Mrs. Barr]

Remember now, I'm depending on you not to call the police.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah? Yeah.

[Mrs. Barr]

Because if you do, I'll deny everything. Maybe that sounds crazy, but you don't know how much I love Fred. How wonderful he Is when he's well.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah. Well, kid, nothing sounds crazy to me anymore. I'm even ready for that thing about the strokes. Now, don't forget to call me right back if you need me. I'll call my doctor right away. When I hung up the phone, I was ready for a blood transfusion. I tried to light a cigarette with the matt shooks so much you'd have thought I was signaling somebody. But then, as I reached for the phone book to call my doctor, I started thinking again. I said, oh, Randy, it's too pat to be true. I couldn't help imagining that someplace a room full of practical jokers were doubled up in laughter over the way the girl had taken me in. But how could that be when I called her? Well, just the same, I better check. She said her doctor was Russell Bechtel. Before I called my doc, I'd call this fellow Bechtel just to make sure I found his number in the book.

[Mrs. Barr]

Edgewater 66989.

[Randy Stone]

Dr. Bechtel's office. Yes. Who's calling, please? I'm a newspaper man on the store. I'd like to talk to the doctor.

[Mrs. Barr]

Oh, I'm sorry. He's not in now. He's out on the call. Can I help you?

[Randy Stone]

Well, maybe. Does the doctor have a patient named Fred Schweri? Well, these things are confidential. Yes. Look, ma'am, there's no time for that. A few moments ago, I spoke to Fred Schwer's wife. Well, she told me that Schwerry had gone into a violent fit of some kind.

[Mrs. Barr]

He's had another attack?

[Randy Stone]

Yes. He's got her locked in his studio and he's gone for a gun to kill her.

[Mrs. Barr]

Then you'd better call the police right away.

[Randy Stone]

You mean she was telling me the truth?

[Mrs. Barr]

I mean Fred, a dangerous paranoric. He's had three attacks in the last two months.

[Randy Stone]

Why wasn't he put away?

[Mrs. Barr]

The doctors begged that girl to commit him to asylum. But she's so separate.

[Randy Stone]

You know the address of Schweri's studio?

[Mrs. Barr]

No. The doctor might, but I have no way of reaching him until he called in. Our records show only Mr. Schweri's home address.

[Randy Stone]

All right, thank you. Will you please call me back if you reach the doctor? My number is Butterfield 13003.

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes, of course. But what are you going to do?

[Randy Stone]

Well, I don't know. She wants me to get my own doctor out there. She gave me enough landmarks to find the place.

[Mrs. Barr]

Then you better hurry, because if shre had another one of his attacks and he gets to that girl with a gun.

[Randy Stone]

You will never find her alive. Yes, yes, I know. Goodbye. Thank you. So the poor kid have been telling me the truth. I know I ought to call the police. But I remembered her saying that if I did, she'd deny ever talking to me. Yes, and maybe she was stubborn like the nurse said. That she was also a mighty brave kid. I started looking through the phone book for my doctor's number. Black Blaine. Oh, where is it? Blair. Jasper Lawrence. There it is. Dr. Lawrence. Blair Radcliffe 4. 1079. Before I could dial the number, my phone started ringing. Yeah?

[Mrs. Barr]

I can only talk for a second. I was looking down. I just saw Fred drive up in the car. It's too late for the doctor.

[Randy Stone]

You have enough of the police. I'll call him right away.

[Mrs. Barr]

No, you can't.

[Randy Stone]

But don't you see your life is in danger? If he's insane, he's got to be restrained.

[Mrs. Barr]

Please, give me a little time to try to handle it my way.

[Randy Stone]

No, no, I refuse to.

[Mrs. Barr]

Then I'll tell Fred the police are coming for you. Give him a chance to get away.

[Randy Stone]

But you don't understand.

[Mrs. Barr]

I only understand that I love Fred. Nothing else matters one bit. I talked a lot of these attacks before and I'm going to try to do it again.

[Randy Stone]

All right. All right. How much time do you want?

[Mrs. Barr]

Give me half an hour.

[Randy Stone]

No, 15 minutes. If you don't call back in 15 minutes, I'll know you're in trouble and I'll have the police out there at once.

[Mrs. Barr]

All right, now I've got to hang up now.

[Randy Stone]

Remember, 15 minutes. General Mills is bringing you Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone.

[Vincent Price]

Sales Lincoln. Sell better farmers can farm better. Housewives can housewife better on a better breakfast. Sure. And sure as you start with Wheaties, you're going to have a good start to a better breakfast. D Whatever you do, whatever your job, do it better, smoother, easier. With Wheaties to health because there's a whole kernel of wheat for every Wheaties plate. And what a difference that can make. Whole wheat protein for vigor and stamina. Whole wheat vitamins and minerals for vitality. Naturally, it makes a difference. Naturally. You should feel a bright and pleasing difference in your morning with whole wheat Wheaties tucked inside. Have some and see you'll enjoy yourself, too. They're good to get up to, these golden flakes. Crisp, you know, not sweet. Fill those breakfast bowls with Wheaties. Pour on the milk but on the fruit and eat happy yes. Eat happy and work happy. It's likely to be a brighter morning when you've had your Wheaties. Thousands of people think so too. Get up and go, folks. People with things to do and places to go. They're getting breakfast at Champions in the morning. Are you? Get yours starting tomorrow. See how Wheaties at 7 can help. At 11. Wheaties, breakfast of Champions.

[Randy Stone]

And now back to Nightbeat and Randy Stone. This time I'd hit the jackpot in spades. I was just doodling on the phone, spinning the dial without even watching it when I got a girl waiting to be killed by her crazed husband. I promised to wait 15 minutes to give her a chance to snap the guy out of it. And if I didn't hear from her at the end of that time, I was call the police. I wasn't sure my watch was right, so I dialed at the correct time.

[Mrs. Barr]

And the tone? The time will be 6:05.

[Randy Stone]

My watch was a couple of minutes slow. I reset it exactly. 6:05. Okay? If I didn't hear from her by 6:20, I'd call the police. Her husband was with her. Now I could close my eyes and see that madman threatening her life in that studio. I felt my stomach cramp up like a troop of Boy Scouts were practicing their nuts. Why had I promised to wait? Maybe this was her. I felt tiny chills race up and down my fingers as I reached for the phone. Yeah, I want to speak to Margie. Huh? Tell her. Tell her Tal. Call her.

[Mrs. Barr]

The phone.

[Randy Stone]

You hear me? Look, pal, you've got the wrong number. So long. Look, will you hang up? I'm expecting an important call. Hang up, dope. What time was it? 6:07. I took the watch off my wrist and set it on the telephone table under the lamp so I could see it easily. I watched the tiny hands circling so slow. 608. What was happening in that studio? This might be her. John.

[Mrs. Barr]

This is a nationwide radio survey.

[Randy Stone]

What's that? Are you listening to your radio? Will you please hang up? I'm expecting an important call.

[Mrs. Barr]

I'm sorry to bother you, sir. Thank you.

[Randy Stone]

What if she'd call when someone else was on the phone? I had to keep the line clear.

[Mrs. Barr]

Operator.

[Randy Stone]

Operator. I'm expecting a very important call during the next 10 minutes and I don't want to receive any other calls. Can you help me?

[Mrs. Barr]

Is the call you're expecting long distance, sir?

[Randy Stone]

No, it's local.

[Mrs. Barr]

It would be impossible to block out your line for local call, sir, because then the call you're waiting for Would be unable to come through.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, yes, yes. I hadn't thought of that. Thank you. Bye. 609 had only one minute gone by. I could feel my nerves tightening up like someone was turning a screw. She should be calling soon. What was happening to her? Ms. Waring, I want to speak to Martin. Didn't I tell you? You've got the wrong number? Now get off the line and stay off. Got to rise up. All right, smart guy, you just put my telephone. You tell. Why doesn't that bum stop calling? Why didn't he stop? Oh, okay. Come on. Relax, kid, relax. 6:12. Why had I promised to wait? I should be calling the cops right now. Operator, what do I dial for? The police department.

[Mrs. Barr]

You dial 21 1, sir. Or I can connect you.

[Randy Stone]

No, not yet. I mean, I was just wondering about it. Thank you. I promised her I'd wait. Maybe she could control the guy. But why Wasn't she calling? 6:13. Time was passing so slow. Oh, if that's that drunk again. Who is it? Stone? What are you trying to do to me, get me fired? Oh, Matt, it's you. Yeah, your boss and editor. Who are you expecting? Truth or consequences? Look, Matt, hang up, will you? I'm waiting for a call. Waiting for a call? Yeah. What's wrong with you, Randy? Didn't I tell you to call Mr. Stout? He's waiting for your call, you crazy loon. And you know how our honed publisher likes. He kept waiting. Yeah. I haven't time to explain. Man, don't explain anything. Get on that phone and call Andover 23820 now. That's an order. He just called into our enemy. He asked me if he was expected to phone you. He's pouting up there, Randy, feeling abused. And you know what happens when Mr. De feels abus. Yes, all right, all right. Hang up. Matt, you'll call him? Yes, right away. Hang up. Okay. And after you talk to him, call me back. Yeah, Yeah. I looked at my watch. 6:17. There was just three minutes left to get her call. I couldn't phone to Stout now. What if she should phone when I was talking to someone else? What if she had only that one chance and all she got was a busy signal? No, I couldn't call now. Hello?

[Mrs. Barr]

Hello, Is this the Stone resident?

[Randy Stone]

Yes. Yes, what do you want?

[Mrs. Barr]

I'd like to speak to Mrs. Stone, if you don't mind.

[Randy Stone]

There isn't any Mrs. Stone. Look, I'm very busy.

[Mrs. Barr]

No, Mrs. Stone.

[Mrs. Warren]

You then.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, but some other time. I beg your pardon. I'm very Busy now?

[Mrs. Barr]

Oh, this will take but a tiny moment, and I have so many calls to make.

[Randy Stone]

Now, look, madam, I've been appointed by.

[Mrs. Barr]

Our local committee to call you about the coming election. To ask you to cooperate with us in our drive to register all votes, regardless of.

[Randy Stone]

Madam, I'm not old enough to vote.

[Mrs. Barr]

But if we all vote, then. Don't you see we can do something.

[Randy Stone]

Look, I'm going to have to hang up. But for heaven at some other time, young buddy, you better hang up on me again. Will you stop calling this number? 6 19, and she hasn't called. I'm gonna wait for one more minute to pass, and then I'm gonna call the police. Hello? Mandy Stone? Yes. I asked Matt Cummel to have you call me Mr. Stone, but apparently you were unable to. This is Edward de Stout speaking. Oh, the big boss. Oh, no. What's that? Yes, mister? To start, I was going to call you as soon as I had the time. As soon as you have the time? Well, I must say that's not exactly flattering, sir. I rather imagine I'm expecting a very important phone call. People who think that a call from me is also rather important. Can I call you in five minutes? And what am I supposed to do?

[Vincent Price]

Just sit here waiting for your call like a.

[Randy Stone]

Like a lackey? I believe Comel told you I'm leaving tonight. Listen, stop. We'll talk now, if you don't mind. Look, instead of talking about this on the phone, how about me taking a cab over to your place as soon as my call comes through? We could talk it over much easier. Oh, I think we can handle the matter over the phone very nicely. But we can't handle it over the phone. Don't you see? A girl's life is at stake and you prattle on like we had all day. A girl's life at stake, is it? Yes. I've heard about your talents for invention, Mr. Stone, but I don't think I enjoy the idea of you practicing them on me. Look, to start, I'm afraid I'm going to have to do something else you won't enjoy. I'm afraid I'm going to have to hang up. I wouldn't do that. What time is it now? 6:21. It couldn't be. I couldn't have talked to him that long. Oh, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry.

[Mrs. Barr]

At the tone, the time will be 6:21 and one half.

[Randy Stone]

6:21 and one half. Well, I've kept my part of the body. Police department, Sergeant Harris. Oh, Harris, this is Randy Stone. Listen to me closely. We don't have any time to lose. You better send out an all points alarm on this. It's got to be fast. Hey, slow down, slow down. I can't understand you. Look, a while ago I spoke to a girl on the phone. She told me her life was in danger. She was locked in the studio and her husband was coming there to kill her. You got to move fast and we're not going to make it. This husband of hers, he's insane. He. He became violent. How long ago did you talk to St? 15 minutes ago. Why don't you call us right away? I'll tell you all about it later. We got to get to her.

[Mrs. Barr]

Okay, what's the address of this studio?

[Randy Stone]

I don't know her address. It's the first time I ever spoke to her. Stoney, you've been drinking. No, no, I'm telling you the truth. How are we supposed to find her? Well, she gave me a landmark she saw from her window. She gave me enough so you guys can get right to it. All right, what are they? All right, now, let me see. She said her window looks right out on the blank walls of a warehouse. Whose warehouse? Well, she didn't say. Oh, that's a big hill. Next? Well, she could see the tower of a radio station about a block away. Could she make out the call letters of the station? No, that's no good. What else? What do you mean, no good? How many stations you got on your radio, Stone? What else? Well, there's a supermarket down the street, a big supermarket. Supermarkets are all over the place. Yeah, but this one's near Lincoln Park. What does that mean? The whole north side's near Lincoln Park. What else? Nothing else. You add all those things up, it's got to lead you somewhere. Yeah, yeah, we could find her all right, in three or four hours. But that's no good. In fact, she hasn't called back. Means she's in trouble. If you don't get there right away, it'll be too late. Hey, hey, wait. What? We're a couple of doves. What do you mean? She call you? What? You call her, I call her.

[Mrs. Barr]

Okay.

[Randy Stone]

We're in business, huh? We'll have a squad car out to that studio in three minutes. I don't get it. You call her. Don't you see? All you gotta do is give us her phone number, and through the phone company, we can trace down her address in 30 seconds.

[Mrs. Barr]

What number did you call?

[Randy Stone]

What? What number did I call? Come on, Stone. Come on. We've Gotta move. But I don't know what number I called. I didn't even look at the dialogue. Speak up. What number did you call? I don't know what number I called. You don't know? Don't you understand? I don't know. I'll never know what I. I was doodling with the phone and she answered. Oh, well, I guess we'll just have to try to find her.

[Mrs. Barr]

With the information you gave us.

[Randy Stone]

That's going to take a long time. But there's nothing else we can do, huh, zone? Well, there's 6 million combinations on a dial. No, there's nothing else we can. I hung up the phone and just sat there. I wanted to die quick and easy. How was I going to do now? How are they going to be able to go on living as though nothing had happened? I was just as much of a murderer as that crazy husband. How could I be so stupid? Why didn't I ask for a number? Why didn't I? Yeah? Yes, this is Dr. Bechtel's nurse. Yes? Oh, I'm so glad I got you.

[Mrs. Barr]

It's all right.

[Randy Stone]

What's all right?

[Mrs. Barr]

I was able to locate Dr. Becel just after you called.

[Randy Stone]

You what?

[Ellen Spencer]

He knew the address of the studio all right.

[Mrs. Barr]

And he got there in plenty of time. We're sending Swarmy to a sanitarium for treatment.

[Randy Stone]

And the girl?

[Mrs. Barr]

Oh, she's fine. I had to give her a sedative, though. That's why she didn't call herself. But all's well.

[Ellen Spencer]

It ends well, like they say.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, you know what I've been doing the last 15 minutes? Waiting for her. Call them half nuts myself. I'm ready for a straight check.

[Mrs. Barr]

You? But, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

Why didn't you call me right away?

[Mrs. Barr]

But, Mr. Stone, I've been trying. Your line's been busy.

[Randy Stone]

Yep. That's what's called learning a lesson the hard way. The lesson being that ivory towers went the way of hoop skirts and 60 cent steak. No, there's no escaping from the world. We're all tied together for better or worse, whether we like it or not. And no matter how well you lock your windows and bar your door, the dreams and the fears and the hopes of all your fellow men Are still no farther away than your fingertips. Oh, no. Oh, no. I won't answer. No, I, I, I can't. Oh, well, I see you. Yeah. Listen, I want to speak to Mar. Oh, shut up. Oh, you know something? Next month I may decide not to pay my phone bill. Copy. Oh, no. What am you're listening to Nightbeat on the Wheaties big parade.

[Vincent Price]

Oh, Frank. Frank Lovejoy. How do you like that slogan we've got for Wheaties?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, you mean that one about 7 and 11?

[Vincent Price]

Yeah, you know. See how Wheaties at 7 can help at 11?

[Randy Stone]

I think it's swell. How'd you happen to think of it?

[Vincent Price]

Well, can you keep a secret?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, Silent Frank, they call me. Shoot.

[Vincent Price]

Well, the other morning I missed my Wheaties. Imagine. And I tell you, Frank, by 11:00 I felt like I didn't put to the ringer. I was worn to a frazzle.

[Randy Stone]

Well, it just goes to show you, you know, it.

[Vincent Price]

It certainly convinced me that if you eat Wheaties at seven, you get the energy you need to help you feel good. Right on to lunchtime.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, so you thought up. See how wheaties at 7 can help at 11? H. Well, no wonder they call you the Wheaties man.

[Vincent Price]

That's right, Frank. Good night.

[Randy Stone]

Night. Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy, is produced and directed by Warren Lewis and written by Larry Marcus with music by Frank Worth. The part of the girl was played by Loreen Tuttle. Others in tonight's cast were Catherine Card, Barbara Dupar, Bill Lally, Peter Leeds and Jay Novello. Frank Lovejoy will next be seen in Milton Sterling's production Three Secrets, released by Warner Brothers. Listen next week and every week as Randy Stone searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness.

[Vincent Price]

And this is the Wheaties man, Frank Martin, inviting you to listen also Tuesday, that's tomorrow night to the Penny Singleton show on the Wheaties Big Parade. See you then.

[Randy Stone]

Night Beat came to you from Hollywood. Night Beats. Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the Night Beat for the Chicago Star. Stories start in many different ways. This one began with a crash on the highway and ended with a whole city fighting for its life. Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Joe's Diner is located about 10 miles out of town on the highway going north to St. Paul. Joe Caters to the truck drivers who wrestle those big 20 ton diesel jobs. You know, the ones that scare the pants off you when you have to edge over to the side of the road so that they can pass. It's strictly a man's spot. The steaks are juicy and the conversation even juicier. I stop in there once in a while myself to take on a little of Joe's home cooking and improve my vocabulary. Like tonight. How many hands you think I got? Like enough to push? I grabbed a stool at the counter and waited for Joe. To catch up with me. Joe. Scrambled eggs when you get to it. Oh, I'll be with you In a minute, Mr. Stone. Fried and butter, Joe, Lots of butter. How else? Good, good. I'm starved. 9:00. You ain't had your supper yet. No, that's breakfast. I'm just starting out. You're as bad as one of these truck drivers. Here, this will hold you. Joe banged a cup of coffee on the counter in front of me. And then it happened. There was a desperate shriek of brakes of crash. Out on the highway in five seconds, a dozen men were on their feet, racing for the door. Holy Mac. Call the cops, Joe. Tell him to send an ambulance. It was almost a quarter of a mile away, but long before I got there, I could make out the shape of a big semi trailer truck. And jammed into its rear end, a brand new sedan. Still had about a hundred yards to go. And the truck roared up and started pulling itself loose from the wrecked car. Get his license number, somebody. The guy on the truck hadn't put his lights on and he pulled away before anyone could get close enough. The sedan was there, over on one side, and it was a mess. The boys got the car right side up and dragged the driver out. He was soused to the gills. In a little while, the cops were there working him over. And then I saw this other guy over by the ditch across the road. Hey. Hey, you all right? Not on me. Run out. Who ran out on you? Are you hurt? Look, Mr. A. Gotta get away from here. Oh. Oh, I. I see you're in the truck. Yeah, yeah, I was in the truck. Look, I gotta see a doctor. This hand of mine. Cops will take care of it for you until the ambulance gets here. I don't need no ambulance. Ah, there's another one over here, Sergeant. Okay. I tell you, I can make it. Okay.

[Sam Spade]

Hello, Stone. How did you get here?

[Randy Stone]

Fly fire sergeant. This fellow in the wreck, he was in the truck? Yeah.

[Sam Spade]

What's your name?

[Randy Stone]

Harry Walter.

[Sam Spade]

Driver's helper.

[Randy Stone]

No, I just bummed a ride. The guy gave me a ride about 100 miles back. Huh. Where do you live here? Chicago.

[Sam Spade]

You get the license number of the truck?

[Randy Stone]

No, I. I didn't pay no attention. What was the driver's name? Waldo. I didn't ask him. Well, who was he driving for? Was there a sign on the truck? No, it was dark when he picked me up. I didn't notice. What was he hauling? What should I know? I just bummed a. Say, who is this guy? Officer, do I have to answer his questions.

[Vincent Price]

It won't hurt any.

[Randy Stone]

Was it a refrigerated truck? No, it wasn't.

[Sam Spade]

Well, that's the first thing you seem sure of. How come?

[Randy Stone]

Well, was kind of all beat up and, well, it just didn't seem like no icebox, that's all. This guy's trying to play hide and go seek with you, Sergeant. That truck was a cooler and he knows it. How come you're so sure? I'm on you. Gas. Can't you smell it? It's all over the place, including your overalls. Hose connection must have broken in the crack of it. Look, wise guy, whoever you eye. Randy Stone, Chicago star. This officer wasn't.

[Sam Spade]

Come on, come on. None of that now.

[Randy Stone]

Okay, I'm in the truck, there's a crash and I get out to see what hit us. And while I'm on the ground, a truck driver pulls out on me. So what does that make me? A suspect in a murder case or just paper boy? Just looking for a story? Oh, sure, sure. I'm always looking for a story. Brother, this sure has the makings of one. A fish story. The sergeant got a few more vital statistics on Harry Waldo and then let him go with the usual business about keeping in touch in case the police wanted him for further questioning. After the mob cleared, I went over the area again in the dark. There was nothing in the ditch. I noticed a battered up, the kind they shipped butter in. There was nothing there. So I went back into Joe's. He phoned the story into my paper. I told the city desk where I could be reached. And then I got busy on that much delayed order of scrambled eggs. Oh, they're good jokes. The others got cold. I made them fresh. Lots of butter, the way you like. Thanks, John. You know, can't get over that truck running out on that crash. What do you want to do that for? Must have known it wasn't his fault. Who knows, Joe? Maybe he had a date. Yeah, Hello, Joe's Diner.

[Sam Spade]

Joe's talking.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, hold on. It's for you, Mr. Stone. Take it in the boot. Okay, thank. Hello, Sandy? This is Mac on the desk. Oh, well, that figures on that crash story. You phone then? Is that all you can give us? What else do you want?

[Vincent Price]

About the truck.

[Randy Stone]

What was it hauling? I'm sorry, Mac. All I know is what I phoned in. Did you ask around? Well, of course I asked. Nobody knows if you'd like to send out one of your better men for a follow up. Funny stuff, Randy. Could the truck have been hauling butter Butter? Why? Something came in on the wires this afternoon. I thought we could tie it in with the truck running out. Oh, I'll read it to you. It's Date Line. Emerson, Manitoba, Canada. This city hard hit by recent floods reports theft of 21 tons of contaminated butter which was being removed from the Ajax Creamery for disposal. Contaminated? The condemned butter bearing the trade name of Dandy D had been submerged for three weeks in stagnant sewage water. Because of recent flood conditions, health authorities have expressed fears the butter may become the cause of a widespread typhoid epidemic. Typhoid? You think there could be any connection, Randy? 20 tons of typhoid fever in Chicago. It makes sense, Randy. It's only a little over 900 miles from the border. Two days by fast truck and it's a cinch they'd have a tough time getting rid of it any closer. Randy, you still there? Yeah. Yeah. I'm not feeling so good when I'm here. What's the matter with you? Just feeling that I'm on the verge of a story, one that I can do without. I ran back out to the ditch where I'd seen the wooden box. It was there all right. My heart sank when I lit a match and read the words Number one Creamery Butter, Canada. Then I kicked the box over and saw a couple of greasy packages. There was some sort of a wrapping on them. When I read the words Dandy D, I began feeling bugs crawling down my throat. I went back to Joe's and got all the newspaper I could find and a pair of cotton gloves to boot. Then I picked up the box, put it in my car and drove down to the store. Mac's eyes popped through his glasses when he saw it. He got some board of health official out of bed and gave him the story over the phone. By the time we were through taking pictures, they had a crew of experts there to haul the stuff down to the lab for analysis. In the meantime, I helped Mac fix up a spread for the morning paper in the biggest, blackest type we had. Well, does that make you feel any better, Randy? That sure does. That warning ought to make a suspect out of every pound of butter in town. Nobody could possibly buy the stuff now. They'll have to get you, randy. There's over $10,000 worth of butter on that truck, typhoid or no typhoid. Those guys are going to try to sell it. But how can they? No trick to change the wrapper. Only one way to stop him. Find the truck. Oh, yeah, yeah. I'll tell them that down at police headquarters? Yeah. Wait a minute. Close that door. City desk. Yeah, Mike talking. Oh, you did? You sure? Yeah, yeah, we'll do all we can. Yeah, thanks for calling. Who was it? On your way down to police headquarters, Randy, you can take a little time out to pray. That was the lab man from the Board of Health. Well, what was the verdict? That butter is crawling with pestilence and death. Typhoid pestilence and death. Those were his exact words. NBC is bringing you Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. The NBC chimes are laughing, but they're not keeping the reason a secret. They want everyone to know they're laughing in anticipation of the mad and merry antics in store. With two NBC fall favorites, Bob Hope and Groucho Marx, Hope returns to the air over most of these stations. On Tuesday evening, October 3rd, just one week from tomorrow, Groucho Marx brings his laugh filled quiz game, you Bet yout life to NBC beginning Wednesday, October 4th. Listen when you hear the three chimes for laughs and more laughs with Bob Hope on October 3rd and Groucho Marx on October 4th. Now back to Nightbeat and Randy Stone. At first, the police treated the typhoid butter story like it was a circulation builder for the Star. But bad news travels fast. And by the time I got in to see Police Chief Captain Sorensen, he'd heard all about it. He was a very worried man. Hello, Randy. Goody. Help me word my resignation. Oh, it's that bad, huh? Evan got a thing. What about that Waldo fellow who was on the truck? Have you picked him up? He forgot to arrive home after the accident. Well, that truck's got a hole up someplace. I've set up roadblocks, I've sent out patrols. There's not a back alley in this city that won't be searched tonight. But we still have no real description of the truck. Have you checked all cold storages and creameries? First thing. Nothing's coming. You know, Mike thinks they may change the wrappers on the butter. Maybe if you call the plunger. No good, Randy. You can buy wax butter wrappers in any paper supply house. This thing has been pretty well thought out. Well, no use my adding to the confusion around here. You mind if I go down to this Waldo's place and have a look around? Of course not. It's a boarding house over on St. Mary's Avenue. But look out for the old lady who runs the place. She'll talk you into a corner and keep you there. Don't worry about me, Captain. With little old Ladies, I come out fighting all the time. It was half past eleven when I pulled up in front of Harry Waldo's address. It was one of those sad looking houses that seem to be held together by memories of what they used to be 40 years ago. Now. There was a sign in front that read furnished rooms Mrs. Angela Barr. I rang and waited. Someone had drawn the curtains apart a little and was giving me the once over. Yes, Mrs. Barr?

[Ellen Spencer]

Yes, what is it?

[Randy Stone]

Can you open the door, please? It's urgent.

[Ellen Spencer]

Goodness gracious, you police are the most precise.

[Randy Stone]

I'm not with the police, Mrs. Bar.

[Ellen Spencer]

Not with the police. But you must be. They've been coming and going all night long.

[Randy Stone]

No, no, no. I'm a newspaper reporter on the Star. My name is.

[Ellen Spencer]

Newspaper Reporter. What a pleasant surprise. I declare, I'm so excited. You must come in the kitchen and I'll make a cup of coffee.

[Randy Stone]

No, no, thanks very much. You're very kind, but I really just.

[Ellen Spencer]

Did you say your name was Stone.

[Randy Stone]

Randy Stone.

[Ellen Spencer]

Yes, of course. You sure you wouldn't like some coffee?

[Randy Stone]

No, nothing, thank you, I. Mrs. Bar.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, goodness, she's awake. Mrs. Bar.

[Mrs. Warren]

Who is it?

[Ellen Spencer]

It's all right, Nancy. It's just a visitor. Go back to sleep, dear.

[Sam Spade]

Is Mommy home?

[Ellen Spencer]

Now, there's nothing to be afraid of. Your mother will be home in a little while. Just go back to sleep like a good girl. All right.

[Randy Stone]

That's quite a cough.

[Ellen Spencer]

Yes, the child has had such a cold. Poor Ellen is worried sick about her.

[Randy Stone]

Ellen?

[Ellen Spencer]

Her mother, Ellen Spencer. She's one of my tenants.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, yes. Look, Mrs. Barr, I want to. To ask you some questions about another of your tenants.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, yes, Mr. Waldo. The police have been bothering me all night. Whatever has he done? The police wouldn't tell me.

[Randy Stone]

Well, he's done plenty. He's stolen a truckload of butter from the flood area up north. Well, that's not all. That butter is contaminated with typhoid. If it ever gets into circulation, we'll.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, how dreadful. How very dreadful.

[Randy Stone]

Mrs. Mrs. Barr, I have a favor to ask.

[Ellen Spencer]

Now, how could I possibly do you a favor, Mr. Stone?

[Randy Stone]

I'd like to have a look at Mr. Waldo's room.

[Ellen Spencer]

But the police have already been through his room.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, I know, but you know how it is. When you've got to write a story, there's nothing like seeing it firsthand.

[Ellen Spencer]

But at this time of night, do I have to let you in?

[Randy Stone]

Well, legally, no. Well, then you mean you refuse?

[Ellen Spencer]

Not exactly. Only surely a rich and powerful paper like the star. Now that Mr. Waldo has disappeared. I'm sure I'll never get the rent he owes me.

[Randy Stone]

Yes, I see. How much?

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, dear. Money is so hard to come by when you're old and alone. Now, if I had the $50, Mr.

[Randy Stone]

Waldo, it's worth 10.

[Ellen Spencer]

So little. But then you're such a nice young man. And I do enjoy your newspaper so much. I'll take it.

[Randy Stone]

Her bright little eyes glistened as she took the 10 spot. Well, I guess it's like that when you're old. You can't eat too well, you can't sleep too well. You see life slipping by. But a 10 spot is something you can smooth out, put away and look at again and again. Mrs. Barr followed me around as I went through Waldo's room for a change. She had very little to say. I opened the drawers in his dresser. I looked under the bed. The kid in the next room was coughing again. I opened the closet door and the smell that hit me was sharply familiar. Ammonia. In the corner. I picked. I picked up a pair of overalls that was saturated with the stuff. My friend Waldo had been home and changed. The phone downstairs started to ring.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, dear, the telephone.

[Randy Stone]

Want me to go down and answer?

[Ellen Spencer]

No, no. It's probably Ellen. She's so worried about the child. Will you come down?

[Randy Stone]

Now, just another minute.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, dear. Oh, dear. You won't be long.

[Randy Stone]

I'd like to borrow these overalls, if it's all right. Probably covered with germs. Hello. Wow. Hello.

[Ellen Spencer]

What are you doing in Mr. Waldo's room?

[Mrs. Warren]

Are you a burglar?

[Randy Stone]

No, of course not. I'm one of Mr. Waldo's friends.

[Ellen Spencer]

Then can you tell me when my Uncle Jim is coming back? He was going to bring me something from his trip.

[Randy Stone]

Well, it's nice. Where did Uncle Jim go?

[Ellen Spencer]

He went away with me.

[Mrs. Warren]

Mr. Waldo in the truck.

[Randy Stone]

But Mr. Waldo is back and not Uncle Jim. Oh, does he drive a truck, your Uncle Jim?

[Ellen Spencer]

He doesn't drive it.

[Mrs. Warren]

He owns it.

[Ellen Spencer]

And he gives me a ride in it, too.

[Randy Stone]

Your Uncle Jim live here?

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, yes. Uncle Jim is my really real uncle. He and my mommy are brothers.

[Randy Stone]

Oh, yes, I see.

[Ellen Spencer]

Nancy, you naughty child. Mrs. Bob, the idea getting out of bed. I heard a noise. Back to bed with you, child. That was your mother on the phone.

[Randy Stone]

All right, Mrs. Barr.

[Ellen Spencer]

Good night, Mr. Burglar.

[Randy Stone]

Good night, Nancy.

[Ellen Spencer]

Imagine that child leaving her bed. Was she with you, long, Mr. Stone?

[Randy Stone]

Oh, no, just. She just told me she had an Uncle Jim. Oh.

[Ellen Spencer]

Oh, yes. That's Ellen's brother. He's one of my other rumors.

[Randy Stone]

I understand he owns a truck.

[Ellen Spencer]

He's someplace in Ohio now, I believe. Been gone almost a month.

[Randy Stone]

Couldn't have been Canada. Christians. Christians.

[Ellen Spencer]

You simply have to excuse me. I must give that child her medicine. Good night, Mr. Stone.

[Randy Stone]

I'd used up my 10 bucks worth of welcome, so I drove over to police headquarters and filled in Captain Sorenson on Harry Waldo's own and little Nancy's Uncle Jim. It was his first leave. He called Motor Vehicles and ordered a fast check on the truck owned by Jim Spencer. And then he started briefing me on the more recent developments. The city's in a panic, Randy. Warnings have been going out on the radio every 15 minutes. We've been flooded with calls from the mayor. Down. Anyone with a gut ache is sure it's typhoid and wants us to send down a doctor. Come in. Here's the dope on the truck, Captain. No, we're getting somewhere. All right. Broadcast this and keep repeating it every half hour. Get it? Yes, sir. We'll get him. Now you might try and sound a little more convincing. I left Sorensen chewing his upper lip. Then I headed for the Blue angel and a little talk with Jim Spencer's sister Ellen. The Blue angel wasn't meant to lure the better class citizen away from his hearth and home. It smelled of stale beer and looked as if it were being lit by half a dozen fireflies. I found an empty booth and asked a waitress if Ellen Spencer worked there. And after a while a girl came over. She was attractive and a tired sort of way. You ask for me? Will you sit down, Ellen, I've got to talk to you.

[Mrs. Warren]

I brought you some drinks. It's the rules here. We sit with a customer, they got to buy us drinks.

[Randy Stone]

That's okay.

[Mrs. Warren]

What'd you want?

[Randy Stone]

To talk.

[Mrs. Warren]

What about?

[Randy Stone]

Your brother Jim.

[Mrs. Warren]

You a cop?

[Randy Stone]

No.

[Vincent Price]

No.

[Mrs. Warren]

What about Jim?

[Randy Stone]

Where is he?

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't know. What business is it of yours?

[Randy Stone]

When did your brother and Harry Waldo leave in the last trip?

[Mrs. Warren]

A week ago.

[Randy Stone]

Mrs. Barr said Jim was in Ohio. That old hag.

[Mrs. Warren]

He's in his second childhood.

[Randy Stone]

Jim hasn't phoned you tonight? No.

[Mrs. Warren]

What's all the noise about anyway? The kid gets scared and runs out in a traffic accident. So they'll catch him and give him 30 days.

[Randy Stone]

He'll be back. Who told you about it?

[Mrs. Warren]

I heard it over the radio.

[Randy Stone]

Really? How did you know it was Jim? Well, I spoke to Harry.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yeah, he phoned me to tell me Jim was all right.

[Randy Stone]

Did he tell you they were hauling a load of stolen butter. You listen to the warnings over the radio about that butter? It's loaded with typhoid, that stuff is.

[Mrs. Warren]

Oh, that's a lie. Just a smart police gag to get the butter back.

[Randy Stone]

Harry tell you that too? We got some of that butter, Ellen. It's been soaked in sewer bilge for a month.

[Mrs. Warren]

Jim wouldn't touch anything like that. He's a good kid.

[Randy Stone]

Maybe Jim thinks it's a gag too. Might even get to eat some of the stuff.

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't know what you're talking about. Look, mister, I. I better go back to work. I'll have to leave now.

[Randy Stone]

If you hear from Jim, tell him what he's up against.

[Mrs. Warren]

Yeah.

[Randy Stone]

Yeah, I will. And tell him to wash his hands. Good. I followed her to the phone booth or whatever the call was. It was brief. She hung right up. So I went outside, watched her through the door. In a few minutes, she came out wearing a coat. I slipped around the corner, watched her climb into a cab. I jumped into my car and followed. The cab stopped in front of her house. I parked my car half a block away, waited until all the lights went off, and then I got out and walked around to the back of the house. Somewhere inside were the directions to that missing butter. It was easy. Raising one of the kitchen windows, I climbed in. I stood for a minute, getting used to the dark. Then suddenly a switch flicked down and the place was flooded with life. Randy Stone, Esquire, standing there stupidly blinking his eyes. Ellen walked a few steps toward me. She didn't scream, she didn't holler.

[Mrs. Warren]

This carrying your job a little too far?

[Randy Stone]

I knocked on the door, but nobody answered, so I turned the knob.

[Mrs. Warren]

Turn it again and get out.

[Randy Stone]

Somebody phoned you just before I left. The Blue Angel. Was that Jim?

[Mrs. Warren]

That's none of your business. Not get out.

[Randy Stone]

If I go, Ellen, the place will be swarming with police in 15 minutes.

[Mrs. Warren]

What do you mean?

[Randy Stone]

Just this. You know where Jim is? If you won't tell me, you'll have to tell the cops. And when you do, you'll be involved. They'll make you an excessive. Well, let them.

[Mrs. Warren]

Let him.

[Randy Stone]

Where's the old lady?

[Mrs. Warren]

Out for a Drive.

[Randy Stone]

At 1:30 in the morning?

[Mrs. Warren]

She's the one who phoned me. She said she was going batty with cops hanging around. She had to get out of the house.

[Randy Stone]

Ellen, for the last time, where's Jim?

[Mrs. Warren]

I told you before, I don't know.

[Randy Stone]

They're closing in on him. You'll be doing him a Favor. If they get him before he sold any of that stuff.

[Mrs. Warren]

How are you still working that typhoid gag?

[Randy Stone]

It's no gag, believe me. You want the labyrinth. All right, then listen to it this way, maybe he'll understand it. The kid sits down to eat and his mother hands him a piece of bread and butter. Only it's not butter. Something that's been lying around on the filthy sewer water for a long time. 10 or 11 days, a kid gets sick like your kid. He's burning with fever one minute and the next minute he's as cold as ice. His tongue is thick and his guts feel like they're bursting. That's what typhoid is like.

[Mrs. Warren]

Stop it, will you?

[Randy Stone]

If a good doctor gets to him, the kid may live. Lots of kids may not be that lucky, Ellen. Also, you can keep your kid brother out of jail.

[Mrs. Warren]

Look, I don't know where he is.

[Randy Stone]

When did you talk to Woe?

[Mrs. Warren]

He phoned me at the club. He laughed about that typhoid.

[Randy Stone]

Where did he phone call?

[Mrs. Warren]

I don't know. Someplace in town. Now let me alone.

[Randy Stone]

Would that be it?

[Mrs. Warren]

I'll take that.

[Randy Stone]

No, you won't. Ellen made a grab for the phone, but I beat her to it. She clawed at me. I had to get rough, but I got the receiver.

[Mrs. Barr]

Hello, this is the lung distance operator.

[Randy Stone]

Yes? On your call to Elwood, we are.

[Mrs. Warren]

Unable to contact Mr. Jim Spencer. Shall we continue to try?

[Randy Stone]

No, thank you. Was that Elwood?

[Mrs. Barr]

Yes, sir.

[Randy Stone]

Elwood, Illinois.

[Mrs. Barr]

Thank you, sir.

[Randy Stone]

That was it. So they'd gone on to Elwood. I called Captain Sorenson. He picked me up on a squad car with two of his best men. It was a 70 mile ride to Elwood and we made it in a little over an hour. It was after 3am when the crook at the only hotel in town. There was no Waldo and no Spencer. Then Sorensen got a bright idea. He asked the clerk if there was a creamery in town. There wasn't no cold storage plant either. Just old Mayor Hoskins ice house down the road. We jumped into a car and drove over. That's nothing but an old barn. Well, there's a light around the back. Randy, you come with me. You two cut around the other side of the building. Right. Oh, there's the truck. You see it? Yeah. All right. Give me a lift, Captain. I'll see if I can get a look in through the window. It's Waldo. They got the butter. Yep. Yep. There's the other one. That must be Spencer.

[Sam Spade]

Get down.

[Randy Stone]

We'll take Them now. All right, Spencer, get him up. Jim, the lock. Those heads up. Spencer, you're covered. You too, Waldo. Don't try anything. Who's trying anything? Hold it, Captain, hold it. Somebody else is coming. Kill the lights. We'll make a sound. You two, if you want to live. We pulled the big door shut, flicked off the lights and waited in the dark, guns pressed into Waldo and Spencer. A car had pulled up outside. Whoever it was seemed to be having a time with the door. And then finally it opened and the lights went on. Mrs. Barr.

[Ellen Spencer]

Goodness, how you startle me. Why, it's Mr. Stone. Have you been waiting long? And here I thought my lazy boys had gone to sleep.

[Randy Stone]

No, no, they haven't.

[Ellen Spencer]

And I suppose Harry, Waldo has told you all about me. I just know he did.

[Randy Stone]

Well, not everything, that is. Not yet he hasn't.

[Ellen Spencer]

I just knew that boy had no character. And now I suppose you want to take me back to the city. But I hate Chicago in June. I don't think I'll go with you. Don't come any closer.

[Randy Stone]

Drop it, lady. Okay, Mother. Randy, get the gun. Yep. Lady, don't you know these things explode?

[Ellen Spencer]

Now, wasn't that foolish of me? I was going to try to get away, but where could I have gone? Where could an old lady go and hide? I do believe I'm getting senile. Isn't that a horrible word, Mr. Stone?

[Randy Stone]

Mrs. Barr, this is no joking matter. Don't you understand that butter could have caused an epidemic?

[Ellen Spencer]

Why, of course. Isn't it terrible?

[Randy Stone]

Yet you were willing to sell it.

[Ellen Spencer]

You didn't think I was going to eat it myself, did you? Because all I could do to look at the horrible stuff. But $10,000. That's such a lot of money to a poor, poor old lady. Such a lot of money.

[Randy Stone]

10Am and it's all buttoned up. Oh, brother, what a nightmare. If a thing like that had ever happened. And all from ignorance and greed. What's that old wheeze about money being the root of all evil? Well, it's not just money. There's got to be a touch of insanity sprinkled in along with it. Like that poor old lady. Poor? When the cops ran a make on her, they uncovered a fascinating record. Record of over 50 years of criminal history. Not to mention a dozen bank accounts. Guess she didn't trust banks any too much. Such a sweet old doll. Well, at least I got to see the sun come up this morning while we were driving back. Climbing up into the sky like a great big yellow ball of Butter. Oh, no. What am I saying? Copy BO Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy, is produced and directed by Warren Lewis and edited by Larry Marcus. Tonight's story was written by Lou Rusoff and Russell Bender with music by Frank Wirth. The part of Harry was played by Don Diamond. Jane Morgan was Mrs. Barr. Others in tonight's cast were Joan Banks, Nestor Piva, Peter Leeds, Ann Whitfield and Tudor Owens. Frank Lovejoy may currently be seen in Milton's Ferling's production, Three Secrets, released by Warner Brothers. And now here again is the star of our program, Frank Lovejoy. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Here's important news about Night Beat. Next week we're moving to Friday evenings over most of these stations. That's beginning one week from this Friday on October 6th. You'll hear Nightbeat at 9:00 in Eastern standard time on Fridays. So would you listen then to our next adventure 11 days from tonight? I'll see you on Friday, October 6th. Good night. Listen on Friday, October 6th. And every week as Randy Stone searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness, Nightbeat came to you from Hollywood. Three chimes mean good times on NBC. Friday, October 6th means the return of Chester A. Riley, played by William Bendix in the hilarious the Life of Riley, Mom, Babs Jr. Digger O'Dell and the entire cast will be on hand to join in the fun. Saturday, October 7th is the day when Dennis Day and Judy Canova will be back on the air. Make a listening date now.

[Frank Lovejoy]

We just heard my five favorite episodes of Nightbeat. I hope you liked them too. Thanks for joining me for this bonus episode. I'll be back on Sunday with another regular episode of the show. In the meantime, you can check out Stars on Suspense, my other Old Time Radio podcast. We've heard quite a bit from Frank Lovejoy on that show, too. New episodes of that show come out every Thursday. If you like what you're hearing, don't be a stranger. You can rate and review the show in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. And if you'd like to lend support to the show, you can Click over to buymeacoffee.com meanstsotr Next time, more old time radio detectives and crime fighters. Until then, good night and happy listening.

[Vincent Price]

Now here is our star, Vincent Price.

[Randy Stone]

Ladies and gentlemen. In a prejudice filled America, no one would be secure in his job, his business, his church or his home. Yet racial and religious antagonisms are exploited daily by quacks and adventurers whose followers make up the irresponsible lunatic fringe of American life. Refuse to listen to or spread rumors against any race or religion. Help to stamp out prejudice in our country. Let's judge our neighbors by the character of their lives alone and not on the basis of their religion or origin.