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.