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21st Precinct 54-12-22 (076) The Giver - Harold's Old Time Radio | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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21st Precinct 54-12-22 (076) The Giver

Harold's Old Time Radio

Wed Feb 25 2026

Summary

21st Precinct “The Giver” (Original Air Date: Dec 22, 1954)

Episode Summary by Harold’s Old Time Radio

Overview

This episode of 21st Precinct, titled “The Giver,” leans into a heartwarming yet mysterious holiday scenario set in 1950s New York. The show follows Captain Kennelly and his precinct as a neighbor’s complaint about suspicious comings and goings leads to a surprising case of mistaken identity, unexpected generosity, and ultimately, the unraveling of an odd holiday caper. The story explores community life, misunderstandings, and the spirit (and sometimes the rules) of giving.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

Setting the Stage: A Precinct at Christmastime [01:04–04:15]

Holiday Prep at the Station: Captain Kennelly describes the precinct’s Christmas preparations, including officers setting up a tree for the neighborhood children's party.
- “Winkler and Bailey already had the tree up and were beginning to decorate it.” [02:00]
The mundane tasks of precinct life are interrupted by a call about a lost child, foreshadowing the theme of community care.

Mrs. Bevan’s Complaint—Seeds of the Mystery [04:15–09:49]

Mrs. Bevan Arrives: An assertive neighbor, Mrs. Bevan, argues that a man across the hall is conducting business from his apartment, disrupting the building's peace.
- Memorable moment:
  - Mrs. Bevan (dryly): “People come in there all day and all night long ... You'd think it was a store on Fifth Avenue instead of an apartment.” [05:12]
She explains she was told by the police to get a magistrate’s summons, which she now wants them to serve.
- The rules: police can only accompany her for safety, not serve the summons themselves.
Accusations About Merchandise: She claims her neighbor is selling various new goods (typewriters, radios, watches) and even suspects he may be a thief.
- Mrs. Bevan: “Supposed to be such a lovable old man. I bet you he's a thief. I'll bet you that.” [08:58]
The Captain asks her to tell the full story to the detectives.

Investigating Mr. Wolfschmidt [11:00–14:59]

Detectives Get Involved: Detectives visit the apartment and see the alleged contraband: boxes piled with all kinds of new goods.
- Detective's observation: “This place is loaded to the ceiling with all kinds of expensive goods. Typewriters, watches, radios, fountain pens. Everything brand new.” [13:35]
The building’s superintendent, Joe Lynwood, describes Mr. Wolfschmidt as a kindly, elderly pensioner who occasionally borrows small sums but is honest and always pays them back.
Oddly, none of the goods seem to have been sold—no money changes hands.

The Twist Revealed—The Real “Business” [15:58–19:24]

Gift-Giving, Not Selling: The super reveals that Wolfschmidt has been giving the goods away to neighbors and even strangers, believing he was chosen to be a sort of Santa Claus.
- Joe Lynwood: “What I thought was peculiar was when I found out he wasn’t selling it, he was giving it away … Strangers, tell them to come on up to the place he had a Christmas present.” [18:00]
The mystery deepens—where did all this expensive new merchandise come from?

Confronting Mr. Wolfschmidt [19:24–22:00]

Wolfschmidt Questioned: When confronted, Wolfschmidt claims he has no idea where the goods came from, only that they arrived at his door with his name on the cartons.
- Wolfschmidt (softly): “It came, that's all.” [21:00]
He believes he was chosen—perhaps even by God—to spread happiness at Christmas.
- Wolfschmidt: "I thought maybe God sent them … To make people happy.” [21:54]
The detectives recognize his sincerity but must get to the bottom of it.

Resolution—A Mix Up, Not a Miracle [~29:00]

The Source of the Goods: The detective squad solves the mystery. There is a discount store at 761 West 77th Street run by an Ernest Wolfschmidt. The shipment meant for the store was mistakenly delivered to the similar address—and name—on East 77th Street to Mr. Ernst Wolfschmidt.
- Lieutenant King: “There happens to be a discount store at 761 West 77th street run by an Ernest Wolfschmidt. Our friend is Ernst.” [~30:35]
The old man is bewildered but relieved. He is sad that he cannot continue giving gifts, but relieved he isn't considered a thief.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mrs. Bevan, partial to drama: “If I don't get some satisfaction out of this, I'm just going to withhold paying my rent. That's all there is to it. It's just making me a nervous wreck.” [07:17]
Joe Lynwood’s dry humor about Mrs. Bevan: “She complained about no heat. Too much heat. No hot water. Water's too hot. But you wouldn't complain once about the full moon shining in our window. Like I could turn off the moon...” [18:43]
Mr. Wolfschmidt’s innocence and philosophy:
- “I thought I was the one who was chosen to make people happy for Christmas. To give them away to good people who wanted them and needed them to use.” [21:54]
- When asked if he cared where the gifts came from: “My name was on the boxes. My name and my address. And you did nothing about it? Oh, sure, I did something about it… I opened them up and I saw all the beautiful things … so I did something about it.” [21:49]

Legacy and Tone

This episode artfully contrasts the rules and structure of police work with the human warmth of community life and the unexpected kindness that can surface at Christmastime. It uses realistic, sometimes terse dialogue, with undercurrents of humor, bureaucracy, and neighborly suspicion—capturing both the stresses and the heart of city life in the 1950s.

Timestamps for Key Segments

01:04–04:15 – Holiday preparations and everyday precinct activity
04:15–09:49 – Mrs. Bevan’s complaint and initial suspicions
11:00–14:59 – Detectives investigate Mr. Wolfschmidt’s apartment
15:58–19:24 – The superintendent reveals the “giver” twist
19:24–22:00 – Emotional interview with Mr. Wolfschmidt
~30:35 – The source is discovered; a shipping error resolves the case; reflection on the unlikely Santa

Final Thoughts

“The Giver” is a classic example of golden-age radio’s ability to blend genuine pathos, gentle humor, and procedural drama. It’s a Christmas tale grounded in human misunderstanding, urban eccentricity, and a simple desire to spread joy—imperfections and all—under the watchful, sometimes exasperated eyes of the 21st Precinct.

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Transcript

Captain Kennelly (0:00)

Or lost.

Narrator/Announcer (0:01)

I'm gonna pull over and ask that man for directions.

Captain Kennelly (0:04)

Hi there. We're looking to get to the campground.

Narrator/Announcer (0:07)

Well, you're gonna take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

Captain Kennelly (0:12)

How are you getting a signal out here?

Narrator/Announcer (0:14)

T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge. So the network out here is huge. We're getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.

Mrs. Bevan (0:26)

Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?

Captain Kennelly (0:29)

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular stores.

Narrator/Announcer (0:44)

Best mobile network based on analysis by Oogle of Speedtest Intelligence data 2H2025. Bigger network. The combination of T Mobile's and US cellular network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage Price guarantee on talk, text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. CT T mobile.com for details.

Captain Kennelly (1:04)

Well, 21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters. Where is this? Yeah, yeah. How many people are hurt? How many were there? Two cars involved or a pedestrian. Yeah. You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right, the officer will be right there and the ambulance too. Just stay there, okay? 21st Precinct transcribed It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river. Wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not. The security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kelly. Frank Canelli. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my day tour, 8am to 6pm as soon as I turned out the platoon and the men who would patrol the precinct for the next eight hours marched out the front door. Patrolman Bailey, the station house attendant, and Patrolman Winkler, the precinct youth patrolman, appeared with three large corrugated cartons to begin decorating the muster room for the Christmas party which would be held for neighborhood children in the station house the following afternoon I went into my office to read and sign reports which would be taken to the sixth Division by the precinct messenger. When I finished the job at 9:15am and came back out into the muster room, Winkler and Bailey already had the tree up and were beginning to decorate it. I walked around behind the desk where Lieutenant Gorman was desk officer and Sergeant Waters was on telephone switchboard list 21st meeting Sergeant Waters, Captain. Hello, Sergeant. How long is he doing? What's going on, Red? Pretty quiet, Captain. Isn't that tree smaller than the one we had last year? No, it's about the same size. No, I think the one we had last year was a little fatter. Red. Yes, sir. I guess that's it. Lieutenant. Yeah? Vaquero's got a lost child over there. He's bringing him into the station house. Well, doesn't the kid know where he lives? Vaquero says he's only about three years old. He's been looking around for about 20 minutes in the stores over there. Kid says he was with his mother shopping. All right. Where are you going to put the tables, Winkler? What'd you say? Captain? Where are you going to put the tables? Right here along this wall. Refreshment there and presence here. I think that'll be all right. Yes, Red? Have you got a car to take me on patrol? Yes, sir. Sergeant, have number three come by the house. Take the Captain on patrol. Okay, Lieutenant.

Captain Kennelly (9:34)

Thanks, Ms. Bevin, and the same to you. I went into my office for my overcoat, then out through the front door and down to the curb where Patrolman William Coley was sitting behind the wheel of sector car number three. I got in and instructed him to patrol toward the northern boundary of the precinct where I made two stops on precinct business, both at garages in connection with applications for renewal of their tow car licenses. Procedure in these cases requires the precinct commander to personally interview the applicant. After these calls were completed, I instructed Patrolman Coley to make a tour of the retail areas in the precinct so that I could observe the traffic conditions which were aggravated by the holiday crowds. At 10 minutes after 11, a call came over the air for us to ring into the station house. I instructed Patrolman Coley to stop at the closest call box. All right. You stay here, Coley. I'll ring in. Captain Canelli, box 19. Lieutenant Garland wants to talk to you, Captain. Okay. And a Mr. Oban from the Corporation Council's office called. Said he'd be here around 4:30. Oh, yes. There was a woman fell down the steps at the 67th street station of the 3rd Avenue A on November 10th. She's starting a personal injury suit against the city. Get out the aided card on the case on the UF18 and leave him on my desk. Yes, sir. All right, let me have Lieutenant Gorman. Yes, sir. Lieutenant, Captain Canelli's ringing in. All right, Captain. All right. 21st Precinct. Lieutenant Gorman. Yes, Red? Captain Kennelly. I sent that Mrs. Bevan upstairs to the detectives, Captain. Yeah. Lieutenant King. Listen to what you have to say. Was he interested enough to go over to the building? Well, at first he sent Novak and Scallion over there to have the super let them in for a look around. And about a half hour later, he went over himself. He just rang in here and asked me to get in touch with you. What'd you find, Red? Just like this. Mrs. Bevan said, Captain, the place is loaded to the ceiling with all kinds of expensive goods. Typewriters, watches, radios, fountain pens. Everything brand new. I thought you might like to take a ride over there. What's that address again? 761 East 77th Street, Captain, straight forward. Did Lieutenant King say the stuff might have been stolen? Because that's what it looks like, Captain. Well, have they Got any idea who the old man has been selling the stuff to? Well, that's what makes the whole thing so funny, Captain. What do you mean, funny? Once I can make it out. So far, the old man hasn't been selling it. He's been playing Santa Claus. You are listening to 21st Precinct, a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. The car. After completing my call to the station house and instructed the operator, Patrolman Coley, to drive to 761 E. 77th St, the address of Ernst Wolfschmidt and the woman whose complaint started the investigations. As we pulled into the block, I saw the detective squad car parked in front of the building, which was an old but clean five story tenement. After Patrolman Crowley parked, I told him to wait in the car, and I walked into the building and up the stairs to the third floor. The doors to the two apartments were open. In the first one, I saw Lieutenant Matt King, commander of the 21st Detective Squad, talking to another man. Well, how long has he lived here? Oh, let me see. Hello, Captain. Matt. I come here in 1948 to work in the building that he was a tenant then. Captain Kennelly, Mr. Joe Lynwood, the super of the building. Mr. Linwick. Oh, I'm glad to know you. How do you like this, huh? All we gotta do is put out a catalog and we're in business around here, huh? Yeah, we sure would be. Three portable typewriters, Captain. Yeah, I count 11 portable radios and clock radios. Different makes. Half dozen coasters, three waffle irons, seven electric clocks, the five dozen pen and pencil sets, about a dozen Swiss watches, two kitchen mixers. That's only in this room. You should see in there. Do you know where he is, Matt? No, sir, not yet. Well, he'll come back. He's never failed to come back. Oh, my car is parked downstairs, Matt. We better get it out of there. Yes, Sir. Scanlon's with Mrs. Bevin. He'll take care of it. Good. Scanlon. Coley's the operator. Coley's downstairs waiting in Captain Kennelly's car. Sit down and tell him to pull around the blocks. Okay, Lieutenant. Well, this looks like stolen goods for sure. I can't make it for anything else, Captain. I don't know what got into the poor old guy. He's the nicest fellow you ever met. Don't bother. Nobody minds his own business. I understand he doesn't work. No, he don't. He told me he's on a pension. He was 25 or 30 years with some company downtown. Pension must not be much though because every once in a while he runs short. He comes to, we're lost.

Captain Kennelly (15:58)

Me a bars $2 dollars until his check comes. He said I'll give it to him. He never fails to pay it back. Never fail. Have you any idea how he got this stuff? Well, I. I got a sneak in suspicions. What's that, Joe? Well, it was one afternoon last week. I wasn't around here. I got another job. I worked part time at, you know. My wife told me there was a man knocked at the door and said he had some cartons to be being delivered to Ernst Wolf Schmidt. And there wasn't any answer from the bell. So she said all right, she let him in, she got the pass key, she went upstairs and opened the door. The first thing you know, she told me two guys come up the stairs are carrying a big box each. They set them down in the middle right here and she started to lock the door. They said no, wait a minute, there's more. So they make two more trips upstairs. Six cartons all together. My wife said they put them inside. She locked up and that was that. Did she see the truck they came off of? Well, not that I know of. Did she sign a receipt for them? Well, she never mentioned it. Where is your wife now? What do you think? Christmas shopping? What time expect her home when they chase her off 34th Street. She'll come home. She's the kind of woman, when she gets inside a department store, she loses all sense of time, direction, you know what I mean? Well, we'll talk to her when she gets home. Did Wolf Schmidt say anything to you about the stuff that was delivered? No, no, he didn't say a word. Except, like I told you, he gave me a radio just like this one here, only in black. Didn't you think that was kind of peculiar? I didn't think it was peculiar, but I. I told him he didn't have to do it. He said he wanted to. He said me and my wife had been very nice to him. Very nice to him when we didn't have to be. Of course, I didn't know about all this stuff at the time. I. I didn't see it yet. I figured maybe he hit a horse or something like that. Didn't you think there was something peculiar about all the people coming up to his apartment? Well, to tell you the truth, no. If Geiger's into business, he was into business. What's peculiar about selling something out of your flat? What I thought was peculiar was when I found out he wasn't selling it, he was giving it away. When did you find that out? To be honest with you, not until last night. Kid that works in the delicatessen down the block told me it was going on right under my nose. And the kid that works in the delicatessen has to tell me he's been giving it away. He gave this kid a $25 electric razor. How you like that? Who else did he give us that? Though? From what I understand, he was stopping people on the street right and left. Strangers, tell them to come on up to the place he had a Christmas present. Well, some of the people came and some thought he was a little mixed up in the head. Which I guess isn't too far from the truth. I don't know. I can't figure it out. What is he doing with all this stuff? Where'd it come from? When you find out, will you let me know? Yes, Joan, when we find out. I understand Mrs. Bevan complained to you about the people coming up here. Ah, that way. She complained about anything. She complains about no heat. Too much heat. No hot water. Water's too hot. But you wouldn't complain once about the full moon shining in our window. Like I could turn off the moon, you know. You think I'm gonna have to give my radio back? Well, if it's stolen, you will. I don't know that's what I get for dreaming. I was picturing myself sitting on the stoop next somewhere on a hot night. You know, can of beer at radio, listening to ball game.

Captain Kennelly (19:55)

Hey. See what that means, Kip? Yeah, I see. You want me to get out of here, too? I. I just assume. I. I kind of like the old. No, I think you better stay, Joe. All right. You go out in the hall and take a look. See if he's coming up the stairs. Okay. Come right back in as soon as I see. Yeah. Well, I guess you can get your answer soon, man. Yes, sir, I guess I will. You got hold of a lot of merchandise. Yeah. He didn't buy it. That's a thing. He's coming up, Lieutenant. All right, let's shut the door. Did he see you go? No, I don't think so. Poor guy. I. I hate to see him in a mess. All right. Quiet. Here he is. Come in. Mr. Wolfsmith. What's the matter? Hello, Mr. Wolfsman. Joe, what's the matter? Why the police? It wasn't my idea. Mr. Wolfschman, this is Captain Kennelly. I'm Lieutenant King. Whose idea? Hers. Across the hall. Yeah. She said she would make me trouble. Will Smith, where did all this stuff come from? I don't know. I don't know where it came from. What do you mean, you don't know? I came home one night. It was here. You don't know where it came from? No. Well, don't you have any idea? It was delivered from where? I don't know. Now, look, you just don't get three or four thousand dollars worth of merchandise just like that. I did. Brand new stuff. It's nice, isn't it? It's all very nice. Where did you think it came from? I don't know. Don't you care? It was here. It had my name on the boxes. It had my Address? Did you order it from anywhere? Where would I order it from? Look, could we sit down and talk? I've been outside since 9 o'. Clock. My feet hurt me. You sit down. There are plenty of more chairs. Take the fountain pens off the chair there. Would you like a fountain pen? Put one in your pocket with a Mary. Good. Now, look, Mr. Wilschman. Joe, maybe we all have some coffee, huh? Go in the kitchen, put the water down for the coffee, huh? I, I, I don't think I care for any, Mr. Wilschman. The captain would like some and the lieutenant. No, no, we don't care for any, thank you. So there's no use having coffee alone. I'd like you to tell us how you got all this merchandise, Mr. Willschmidt. It came, that's all. Did you steal it? Me? Did you? No. Did some friends of yours steal it? My friends don't steal. If my friends stole, they wouldn't be my friends anymore. Where did it come from? It was here. I found it here. Did you care where it came from? It came to me. My name was on the boxes. Well, who do you think sent it to you? I don't know. You have any idea? I thought who might send it to me. I thought and I thought. I. I couldn't think of anybody. Then how do you think it got here? In the cartons. Didn't you think it was a good idea to make some inquiries about it? My name was on the boxes. My name and my address. And you did nothing about it? Oh, sure, I did something about it. I, I did a very lot about it. What did you do? Well, I had no idea what was in the boxes. I opened them up and I saw all the beautiful things, things that people want and need and love to have. So I did something about it. What? Well, whoever sent it knew that I couldn't use five typewriters. I couldn't listen to 11 radios. I couldn't write with all those pens. So I thought I was the one who was chosen to make people happy for Christmas. To give them away to good people who wanted them and needed them to use. Well, who do you think chose you to do this? Well, it could have been some good person who chose me. But then I. I don't know anyone who would have that money to spend. So I thought. What do you think? It would sound silly saying it to you, but thinking of it, it doesn't sound so silly. I thought maybe God sent them. Oh, to make people happy with. I see. There are so many people that can Be made happier and need to be made happy. When all this arrived, I thought that was what for. I went out and found people who needed it and could use it and deserved it. I didn't care about any of it for myself, really. Listen, I. I think I could use some coffee. I'll go put it up. Can you find everything, Joe? Yeah, sure. It wasn't right to give it away. We'll get it all straightened out. I'm sorry if I did something wrong. Well, at least your heart was in the right place. In another few minutes, I left the apartment and resumed patrol. I instructed Patrolman Coley to make another tour of the shopping districts in the precinct to check the patrol conditions. We were headed for the station house when a call came over the radio concerning an automobile accident. Ambulance responding on the East River Drive. We made the run. A car had overturned, attempting to avoid a collision and the driver had been injured. I remained at the scene until the victim had been taken to the hospital and traffic restored to normal. It was nearly one o' clock when the car pulled up in front of the station house. I got out, crossed the sidewalk and walked up the worn stone steps into the muster room. I headed around behind the desk to sign the blowers. Inside. Your waters gathering. Hello, sergeant. Okay, 17. Well, they did a good job decorating in here, then. Yes, sir, they sure did. What's doing? Nothing much, Captain. Except that Matt King came in with that old man. Oh, yeah? Did he find out where that merchandise came from? Not that I've heard of, Captain. All right. I'll be in my office. Yes, sir. I left the messages on your desk, Captain. Okay. Would you tell Fallon I want to see him, Sergeant? Taking his meal, Captain. Is there anything I can do? Just tell Fallon to see me when he gets back in the house. Yes, sir. I'll be in my office, 21st. Bracing Sergeant Waters. Yes, Captain. Yes. All right, put it on my line. I'll take it in there. 21st Precinct. Captain Kelly. Lieutenant King. Captain. Yes, Matt? We've got that old man, Mr. Wolfschmidt, up here in the detective squad. Yes, I know. I found out where that stuff came from. Where? Well, Scanlet had a brainstorm. Yeah? He got out the Manhattan telephone directory and looked up Wolfschmidt. There happens to be a Discount store at 761 West 77th street run by an Ernest Wolfschmidt. E R N E S T. Our friend is Ernst E R N S T. The same number on the west side? Yes, sir, that's right. I called over there the wolfsmith who owns the store told me he bought a bankrupt stock in Jersey last week and ordered it shipped in by truck. This merchandise. All right. He was wondering what happened to it. As a matter of fact, he'd already called the trucking company when they addressed the shipment. East 77th instead of west. That's what it looks like. And the similarity of names clinched the deal. How about our Mr. Wilschmidt? He's a little bit bewildered. I told him we'd get the whole thing straightened out. All right. He's worried about putting everybody to so much trouble. He really enjoyed playing Santa Claus. Too bad that stuff didn't come from where he thought it did. 24, Sergeant Waters. Yeah. What's the address? 205. 209? Yeah, yeah. Was anybody hurt? They have a gun? Yeah, yeah. Which way? Was he on force? What kind of car? And so it goes around the clock through the week. Every day, every year, a police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct transcribed a factual account of the way the police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York. Everett Sloan in the role of Captain Kennelly. Ken lynch as Lt. King. Harold Stone as Sgt. Waters. Featured in tonight's cast were Santa Sotega, Bill Zuckert, Abby Lewis, and Bill Smith. Written and directed by Stanley Nist. Produced for CBS Radio by John Ives. Bob Pfeiffer speaking.