Green Hornet - Words And Music

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Green Hornet – Words and Music"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: May 10, 2026
Episode Theme:
A thrilling episode from the classic Green Hornet radio series, "Words and Music" dives into the world of crooked music publishing rackets, following the Green Hornet as he fights to protect vulnerable youths from exploitation. The episode artfully blends human-interest drama, suspenseful crime-fighting, and clever social commentary—all the hallmarks of golden-age radio entertainment.

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Episode Overview

The story centers on a fraudulent music publishing company, run by the unscrupulous trio Joe, Jack, and Jim, who scam aspiring songwriters. One victim, Waldo Fielding, dreams of songwriting success but instead finds himself impoverished and desperate. The Green Hornet, alter ego of publisher Britt Reid, investigates and uses daring means to force justice—and restitution—for the victims. The episode highlights themes of exploitation, hope, justice, and the tension between legality and morality.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Introduction to the Racket (00:00–04:27)

• Opening Narration: Sets up the Green Hornet as a vigilante targeting criminals who hide behind legality.
• Joe, Jack, and Jim Scheme:
  • The trio drafts an ad targeting would-be songwriters ("Let successful radio talking and recording artists show you the glamorous road to fame and fortune. Write the words or music for a song hit…" [00:27]).
  • Their plan involves collecting upfront "costs" from hopefuls without genuinely promoting their music.

2. Waldo Fielding’s Hopeful Submission (04:27–08:59)

• Waldo’s Optimism:
  • Waldo receives a letter from the publishers, convinced he's on the verge of success.
  • He is asked for $50 for “copyright and printing,” a huge sum for him.
  • “Don’t you worry about it, Ma. You just wait. I’ll be rich one of these days.” – Waldo, reflecting the dreams these rackets exploit ([04:46]).
• Expansion of the Racket:
  • The trio enjoys success as money flows in from across the country.
  • Waldo, desperate, sells possessions to raise the fee.

3. The Human Cost & Exposé (08:59–11:58)

• Waldo Falls Victim:
  • He travels to the city, hungry and desperate, to confront the publishers.
  • Offers to “peddle” his song on the streets, only to be arrested for illegal solicitation and collapses from starvation.
• Newspaper Involvement:
  • Reporter Lowry sees a story in Waldo’s plight and brings it to Britt Reid’s attention at the Daily Sentinel.
  • The paper discusses the publishers as a “wildcat” operation that's within the letter of the law but devastating in effect.

4. Britt Reid’s Dilemma and Transformation (11:58–14:09)

• Restlessness and Responsibility:
  • Britt’s secretary, Miss Case, and others note his detachment from the newspaper, reminisce about his engagement with the Green Hornet cases, and wish he'd return to action.
  • Britt is troubled, feeling helpless against a racket legal “on paper” but morally detestable.

5. The Hornet’s Investigation & Showdown (14:09–23:16)

• Hornet’s Preparations:

  • Britt Reed, aka the Green Hornet, resolves to act, identifying reused songs as evidence of the fraud.
  • He puts his plan into motion, breaks into the publishers’ office, and ambushes them (after neutralizing the night watchman).

• Confrontation and Extortion:

  • Hornet threatens to publicize their use of identical tunes—risking lawsuits and exposure if any song becomes a hit.
  • Forces the trio to refund money to as many victims as the firm’s funds allow.
  • “You’ll afford [paying refunds] a whole lot better than these people who contributed to your success.” ([23:04], Green Hornet).

6. Resolution & Aftermath (23:16–26:10)

• Enforcing Justice:
  • The Hornet ensures checks are written to victims and threatens dire consequences for any attempt to stop payment.
  • Leaves the scene, keeping the night watchman out of sight until the funds clear.
• News of Restitution:
  • Waldo receives repayment—courtesy of the Green Hornet.
  • The Sentinel’s staff remarks on Britt’s renewed vigor, noting that when the Hornet is active, Britt is too.
  • “That’s a Page One story. The Hornet has stepped out again.” ([25:36]).

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Hope and Exploitation:
  • “I’ll get the money. Don’t you worry about it, Ma. You just wait. I’ll be rich one of these days.” —Waldo Fielding [04:46]
• On the Fraudsters’ Psychology:
  • “The suckers that send lyrics and tunes to us won’t listen to warnings. They’ll believe whatever they want to believe. That’s the psychology of this business.” —Jim, outlining the scam's predatory logic [05:13]
• On Britt’s Dilemma:
  • “There isn’t a law in the country that can touch us.” —Joe, exposing the legal loophole [07:03]
  • “There only some way the Hornet could get at this music publishing racket.” —Britt’s motivation to act [14:24]
• The Green Hornet’s Deal:
  • “Suppose, for example, this number becomes a hit. What do you suppose the authors of these other songs with the same music would do? They’d sue, wouldn’t they?” —Hornet, cornering the fraudsters [21:15]
  • “You’ll afford it a whole lot better than these people who contributed to your success.” —Hornet, demanding justice [23:04]
• On Vengeance & Consequence:
  • “If we don’t stop payment at those checks, that will have nothing but poverty to worry you. And don’t try another record like this one. The Green Hornet can make one of your songs a hit at any time. Only the next time it might be one of you who furnishes the clenched fist.” —Green Hornet [24:47]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00 — Green Hornet introduction, setup for the episode’s main theme
• 02:25 — Introduction of the fake music publishing plan
• 04:10–04:46 — Waldo’s hope and decision to sacrifice for his dream
• 08:59 — Waldo’s failed street music sales and collapse
• 11:11 — The Sentinel’s newsroom discussion about the fraudulent company
• 14:09 — Britt resolves to intervene as the Green Hornet
• 18:34 — The Hornet sets the trap for Joe, Jack, and Jim
• 21:15 — Hornet leverages the reused music as blackmail
• 23:16 — Restoration of victims’ funds
• 25:29 — Waldo receives his refund
• 25:36 — Confirmation the Green Hornet is active again

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Tone & Language

The episode skillfully employs taut, earnest radio drama language, with melodramatic voice work and brisk pacing, echoing the Golden Age radio’s blend of noir crime and moral edge. Dialogue is sharp and lively, mixing hope, cynicism, and the author’s signature advocacy for justice outside the system.

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Final Thoughts

"Words and Music" is a classic Green Hornet tale: thrilling, poignant, and socially conscious. It exposes the pitfalls of creative ambition in a predatory world, while giving listeners a satisfying resolution courtesy of the Hornet’s vigilante justice. For fans of vintage radio drama or those interested in the history of creative scams, it’s a taut and memorable listen.

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If you’d like to hear more Golden Age radio, check out Harold’s Old Time Radio for further episodes and classic broadcasts.

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Transcript

[Britt Reid]

Bean hornet. He hunts the biggest of all game public enemies who try to destroy our America. With your faithful valet, KO Rick Reed, daring young publisher, matches wits with the underworld, risking his life that criminals and racketeers within the law may feel its weight by the sting of the Green Hornet. The Green Hornet strikes again. We'll begin tonight's exciting story in just a moment. THE Adventurer WORDS and MUSIC the events and characters depicted in this drama are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Let successful radio talking and recording artists show you the glamorous road to fame and fortune. Write the words or music for a song hit. Let the three Js, Joe, Jack and Jim do the rest. We publish and distribute. We guarantee to put your song in the hands of leading movie producers, orchestras and radio stations. Get out of the rut. Write a song. How's that sound? Fun ad. You ought to quit music publishing and go in for ad writing. We'll get him. Sounds good, Joe. But you ought to have something about Sunflower Free Booklet and Fooly Tales. I got that here, right down at the bottom. Now, the idea is that we'll run this in all the cheap magazines with a blank to be sent in. We've fitted on with this racket long enough. Now it's time to branch out. That's the idea. Get into a nationwide business. Hold on, Jack. Maybe we should get a lawyer to look things over. We'll be using the mails, you know. Hey, talk to the lawyer, Jim. We aren't breaking any laws. What about that line submitting songs to radio stations, dance bands and all that?

[Casey]

We will.

[Britt Reid]

We'll submit them. If they toss them in the waste basket, that's not our worry. Okay. Another thing the lawyer said. What's that? We ought to protect each other. I got some contracts here, see? Contracts for what? We all sign them. It's a partnership agreement, so we don't break up. Break up? Yeah. Suppose one of us lands a job with a radio sponsor or something? None of us could. You know that, Jack. We worked as a harmony trio. We're washed up as far as that stuff goes. Maybe your pipes were never good for solo stuff. But Jim can do a good tenor. Oh, not me. I'm for the publishing racket. There's a big deal in it and we don't have to worry about commercial contracts running out. Not the same. We should have an agreement. If one of us pulls out or dies, the other other two get his share of the work. That's fair enough, Jake. Sounds all right. To me. I thought it'd be okay with you two. If we're going into big business, we might as well be organized, right? What about this ad? It okay with you two to go ahead and run it? Sure. The sooner we get started, the sooner the door will begin rolling in. The advertising for the three days was widely circulated throughout the country. And a few weeks later, cash came pouring into the publisher's office. With every mail delivery, hundreds of hopeful young people awaited the Benedict of the racketeer trio. That's as Waldo Fielding did any mail form in his name? Honestly?

[Casey]

Yes, Waldo dressed. A letter from that song publishing.

[Britt Reid]

Where is it? Gee, I can hardly wait to hear what they say about my poem. Wouldn't it be swell if they put music to it and published.

[Casey]

There's the letter, Waldo.

[Britt Reid]

If I could just get the start. Look at what some people make out of songs. I heard that sometimes a guy makes as much as Ma, he'll accept my poem. Yeah, they like it. They'll have one of their best men write the tune. And then they'll publish it and see that it goes to all the radio stations and the movie studios and the dance bands.

[Casey]

Oh, boy, I knew I could do it. But, Waldo, won't they expect a lot of money for doing all that?

[Britt Reid]

No. They say here that they'll take the chance on royalties. If I don't make anything. They won't make anything either. All I have to do is pay for the copyright and the printing cost of mailing.

[Casey]

How much is that?

[Britt Reid]

Well, I. I suppose it'll seem. Seem like a lot to you, mama? It's about $50, but that's not much, really. Well, but a lawyer would charge almost that much just to get the copyright for me. And it might bring me in as much as half a million dollars.

[Casey]

But, Waldo, $50. We haven't got that.

[Britt Reid]

I'll get it. I'll sell my camera and I can get something for my banjo. The chances are the Steve will pay a little for my shotgun. I'll get the money. Don't you worry about it more. You just wait. I'll be rich one of these days. I'm going to start on another song poem right away. Several more weeks elapsed. Joe, Jack and Jim found a veritable gold mine in their venture. They expanded in their advertising, moved into larger offices, and then one day. Hey, Joe. Jeff. Yeah, Jim? Better business people than checking up. So what? They don't like our way of doing business. Oh, they don't, huh? Well, isn't that too bad? What are they going to do about it? They'll probably publish some warnings about us. Ah, the suckers that send lyrics and tunes to us won't listen to warnings. They're so convinced that their stuff is good, they'll believe whatever they want to believe. That's the psychology of this business. Just passing on what that bird from the business guru told me. He claims we're running a record. It isn't a racket at all. We take a certain fee for publishing a song, agree to secure a copyright, furnish a tune, a lyric, whichever is required, and have a certain number of copies printed and distributed. And we do all those things? Certainly we fulfill our part of the contract of a letter. There isn't a law in the country that can touch us. But it won't do us any good to have newspaper ads calling attention to our way of doing business. Well, we can't stop it, can we? Well, I thought if it was agreeable to you two, I make a few promises and stall things off for a while. Really just getting a foothold. An ad in the paper in one city isn't going to hurt as much. Our business is nationwide. Let them advertise. Can't hurt it. Okay, Jack? It's up to you, Angel. I agree with Jack. What about the tunes for this batch of stuff that came in today? You got it all sorted according to meter, haven't you? Yeah. Okay, let's have it. I'll wrap out a few little jingles and give them some music. Seems to me it's kind of risky using the same tune for half a dozen different songs. Nah, the stuff never amounts to anything. Nobody ought to ever hear it. What's the difference? I can't think of 150 new tunes every day. You keep the stuff pretty well scattered, though, don't you, Jim? Sure. For example, I use that tune Moonlight Love on the form of a guy in New York, one in St. Louis, maybe one in Omaha, one on the West Coast. That saved me writing four different tunes. See? Be kind of tough if the fellas ever got together and found they had the same tune. Fat chance of that. What would happen if one of the songs became a hit? A hit. That's a good one. Joe, how can any of this stuff ever be a hit? We'll see to it that it isn't. I. I wanted to speak for you. We're in conference. What do you want here? My name is Feeling. Waldo Feeling. I sent you a song a few weeks ago. Remember the name? Sorry, Feeling. We're in conference now. We can't be disturbed. I've been trying for four days to see you. I spent all my money. What do you want to see us about, kid? My song. Did you get your copy, Villa? Yes, sir, but I wondered if there hadn't been some sales made. Where are you from? Simmons Corners. Well, what are you doing here in the big city? Well, I. I thought my song would be selling, so I came here. I thought I might be able to do better if I was working closer with you. You see the girl in the outer office and ask her to check up on the sale of yourself. But I doubt if it's had any sales yet. You know, it takes time to put the new things over. I thought I might make a personal appearance with an oryx or something. We'll send for you when we want you for that, kid. I. I did speak to the girl. What'd she tell you? Said that there hadn't been any sales yet. Well, that's the answer then. Why don't you go back to Simmons Corners or wherever your home is and stay there? It'll be sent for you. All right. Look, there must be some sales if you sent that song out to all the people you claim you did. I. I haven't eaten in two days. I. I gotta have some money. Well, what do you want us to do, dish it out of our pockets? We're running a publishing house, not a Traveler's Aid. Yes, sir. We sent you 50 copies of the song. Why don't you go out on the street corner and try to peddle them or something? That's one way to drum up business. Yes, sir. Do you want to buy a song? Say, mister, do you want to buy a copy of my song and. Not today. Buy a copy of my song.

[Casey]

Lady, get out of my way.

[Britt Reid]

Look, mister, will you take a copy of the newest song hit Home? Hey, you. What are you doing there? Blocking the traffic. The officer. I didn't mean anything. What's this? You're trying to pedal music? Yes, sir. I'm not trying to sell a song. Maybe you'd better find out something about the laws of this town. You can't stand on street corners interfering with pedestrians, peddling music. Got a license? License? No, sir. Heaven. You'd better come down to station house with me, I guess. No, no, please. I didn't know. Come on, kid. You can't get away with this sort of thing. Hey, Suffering catfish. The kid's passed out. What have you got there, Doyle? Lowry. Why, as if it's your every place I am. I learned When I first started in, as reported with the Sentinel, Doyle that if I keep close enough to you, I see things happen. What's the matter with the kid? You crown him with your night stick? No, I just started to take him in for peddling music on the street and he passed out cold on me. The kid looks half starved. He does at that. How long is it since he's eaten? I dunno. Dear Lowry, stay with him till I call the wagon. Yeah, maybe I get a story here. This looks like human interest stuff. Ed Lye, the star reporter of the Daily Sentinel, came into the office of the young publisher Britt Reid. A couple of hours later, Ms. Case Reed's secretary said.

[Casey]

Mr. Reid's not in now, Ly, but

[Britt Reid]

I gotta see him about a special story still out where?

[Casey]

How the dickens do I know where he goes? I'm the last one he tells. That's discouraging.

[Britt Reid]

Discouraging. Now listen, Casey, don't get ideas that the boss is interested in you. He Travels with the 400.

[Casey]

Don't be idiotic.

[Britt Reid]

As far as Britt Reed is concerned, you're just part of the office furniture.

[Casey]

I do wish he'd settled down long enough so I could write to his father with some feeling of confidence.

[Britt Reid]

What's the trouble?

[Casey]

Just as soon as I write Mr. Reed and tell him that Britt's taking an interest in the Daily Sentinel, he. He disappears.

[Britt Reid]

Lady, if I had his though, I'd never come to the office.

[Casey]

During the past week he's been out to some affair almost every night he's bored with the office again.

[Britt Reid]

Well, he'll get his fill of nightlife and then settle down again.

[Casey]

Yes, until he gets his fill of the newspaper business again.

[Britt Reid]

Oh, here he is. Say, boss, I ran into Doyle, the big cop today. Oh, yes, and he had a kid in tow. The kid had passed out from hunger. But when Doyle spotted him first, he was trying to pedal a song he'd written the second, and it ties right in with the racket we've been working on. What racket was that, Larry? Music Publishing. You know, those wildcat publishers that call themselves Joe, Jack and Jim. The three Js. Who are they? A broken down vocal trio that hit a good racket. I got a firsthand story from one of the victims of the racket. The poor kid got just enough encouragement from them to quit his job and leave home. Here. Here's a song he wrote. I bought a copy for you. Leave it with Ms. Cash. I'll take it with me when I get home. What about my story. I got pictures of the kids. Speak to the city editor about it. He's paid to handle that sort of thing. But maybe there's editorial meet in it. Gunnigan's the best judge for. Oh, hang it all. That's right.

[Casey]

Larry, look.

[Britt Reid]

Here, boy. Take it to Gunigan, Larry. Okay, okay, I'll take it to Gunigan. There's the words and music.

[Casey]

Mr. Reed.

[Britt Reid]

That's Ms. K. I'm going to stick

[Casey]

my neck out again. Isn't there something we can do to make the office more attractive for you? Oh, no.

[Britt Reid]

It's quite odd, Ms. Case.

[Casey]

Then why can't why won't you.

[Britt Reid]

Oh, I understand, Ms. Case. You're concerned again because I'm spending too little time around here.

[Casey]

Frankly, I am. Mr. Reed. I'd hate to keep writing your father that you have.

[Britt Reid]

I'm sorry, but you have to admit the newspaper work hasn't a great deal of adventure.

[Casey]

It might have.

[Britt Reid]

Oh, yes, Ms. Case, it might have.

[Casey]

There was plenty of excitement while the Green Hornet was so active.

[Britt Reid]

It was, wasn't it?

[Casey]

I wonder if the Hornet has been stuck.

[Britt Reid]

Killed.

[Casey]

Killed?

[Britt Reid]

Why, Miss Case, we haven't had a

[Casey]

story about a Hornet adventure in quite a while.

[Britt Reid]

That's true.

[Casey]

He may have been killed or he may have, well, retired.

[Britt Reid]

I doubt if the Green Hornet would retire in this case.

[Casey]

Well, perhaps then the police and public have been so greatly aroused that the Hornet doesn't risk making another appearance.

[Britt Reid]

That's quite possible.

[Casey]

I never saw you more interested in the newspaper than while the Green Hornet was running wild.

[Britt Reid]

Well, you must have met the Green Hornet.

[Casey]

Furnished news. He certainly did, Mr. Reed is just as much excitement as everyday life. If he could only realize it.

[Britt Reid]

For example?

[Casey]

For example, that lad that Lowry tried to tell you about. Walter Fielding. But there's human interest. Poor chap that falls for racketeers. Quits his job as a little home community. Comes to the big city, goes hungry is misled and victimized by these fake music publishers.

[Britt Reid]

Isn't there something the law can do about publishers of that sort?

[Casey]

If there were, the law would be doing it. But they stay inside the law, Mr. Reed. According to Lowry, they have a contract. May fulfill the terms of the contract. So the law is helpless.

[Britt Reid]

I've heard about the rocket, Ms. Case.

[Casey]

Aren't you going into your office?

[Britt Reid]

No, I think I'll leave for the day. It's after 4.

[Casey]

But Mr. Reed.

[Britt Reid]

Come along with me. Just to satisfy R. Very well.

[Casey]

By the way, you will stop in then tomorrow?

[Britt Reid]

I'll probably stop in

[Casey]

the Green Hornet would only start up again. And perhaps Brit Reed would become interested in the publication of news.

[Britt Reid]

The curtain falls on the first act of our Green Hornet adventure. Before the next exciting scenes. Please permit us to pause for just a few moments to continue our story. Dick Reed went directly from his office to his apartment. He was uneasy and restless. And only Cato, his faithful valet realized the real cause of the uneasiness. You're right, Cato. They do feel handcuffed, hampered, tied down. There only some way the Hornet could get at this music publishing racket. I'd go out at the risk, Richard. Risk be confounded. There's a risk of anything, Cato. Yes. I can't find any way it can be broken up. Not even if we do use the role of the Green Hornet to get at them? Is it big? It's nationwide. Those three crooks, Joe, Jack and Jim have thousands of people all over the country sending money to them. Money that won't bring a thing except false encouragement and heartbreak. Yes, sir. Yeah, look at your nice Sentinel. Look at that. Warning from a better business deal. They wanted to buy a few inches. I did in the corner of a pitch. But do you think that'll stop people from being made victims? Not on your life. I even ran one of the songs. A typical song copyrighted and published by Joe, Jack and Jim to show the stuff they called Good Cato. Why even it just occurred to me. What is it? I have an idea, Cato. Life's going to be exciting after all. This may be the entering wedge. Maybe this is what the Green Hornet's been waiting for. The end for the business. Piero, Cato. It shows a typical song published by that firm of Joe, Jack and Jim. And the music for this is the same tune that was used by that young chaplain we brought in a story about it. Definitely is. I don't know a great deal about music, but I do know that much. Dar's engagement for tonight. Better call Mr. Beer. Cancel it, then we're going to make other plans. Why are they. This may give me the lead I need to smash that publishing firm. Joe, Jack and Jim. Well, we'll see if they're staying within the law. And what can you do? Do? Go to the office. I want to look around there for a while until my suspicions are correct. Will hold a meeting of the firm. The firm? Joel, Jack and Jim. Come on. We're taking off. The black beauty. That Reed went through A secret panel in the railroad's clothes press. Then by means of a passage between the walls of the apartment building. He reached a small door that opened into the loft of an old, supposedly abandoned livery stable. It was here, unknown to everyone, that the sleek black car of the Green Hornet was housed. Is the car ready, Cato? Yes, sir. All right, get in. Mask here. Incompatible gas weapon here. Good enough. I want to telephone Joe, Jack and Jim. But I can do that from their own office later on this evening. Yes, sir. Now, let's get going. There's the night watchman, Kato, standing at the entrance to the building. Yes, sir. You take the car onto the rear. I'll handle him. What are you going to do? To knock him off and get him out of the way. Can't take chances on him. Take the car now. You don't want to meet me. I know. Low over his eyes, almost hiding the mask, the Green Hornet approached the entrance of the office building where a man stood smoking a pipe. Officers are all closed now. Mister, I. I don't want to hurt you. What have you done, Harmon? That'll hose it for an hour. If I need more time, I'll give you some more gas. Dragging the unconscious form of a watchman inside the building, the Green Hornet left him in a corner, then ran the elevator to the 10th floor. Half an hour later, the Three Jays had a phone call at their apartment. I suppose that's just another one of these would be writers calling for information on a song hit. That's it, Jack. Hello. I wish we'd given that Field and Kid Little Doe. Stop harping about him, Jim. Passing on the street like he did Hunger. That won't do us any good. Well, it won't hurt us any.

[Casey]

Yeah.

[Britt Reid]

For the love of Pete. Forget him. He just won. Yeah. He should have come to the city in the first place. Maybe you're right, Joe. That'll be swell. Who's he got on the Forum? I don't know. Looks as if it's something pretty good. Yes, sir. Right away. Hey, fellas, we're set to really go places. Who is that? A publisher. Publisher? Magazine publisher. One of those cheap picture mags. He's in town for the evening and wants to talk to us about running a picture story of our business. Yeah. Hey, that would be swell publicity, wouldn't that? Don't. Adeloff said what the Send Me light has done. Warnoff said it. It's a national magazine. When you see him? Right away. He asked if I couldn't meet him in our office tonight. Tonight? Yeah. Let him see what sort of picture story could be run. Good. We'll go with you. Yeah. Come on. Let's start. This is the break of a lifetime. Joe, Jack and Jim rushed in a cab to their office building and found the front door open. Watchman must be on the first floor. Yeah. That'll save us waiting for the elevator. Hey Larry, where are you? He's on the first floor of the elevator. Just coming down now. Shouldn't leave the front door open like that. Don't worry about it, Larry. You're covered in great mass. The Green Hornet. One of you can run this elevator. Get in there or I'll forward you up where the night watchman is. You killed him.

[Casey]

Out of.

[Britt Reid]

Get aboard. What do you have to up to your office. Get going. Now that 10th floor you know. Stop waving that gun around. I'll stop by letting you have it. At the first sign of interrupt stuff I'll take it off. Let that warn. You two got him in cold blood. Yeah. How do you like it? Leave him right where he is. You open that door and get to your office. What are you gonna do? You'll find. Step along me. There's a light there. I left it. You needn't think about the magazine publisher because I was the one who phoned you. I took the liberty of using your own telephone. I. I have keys. You won't need them. I've unlocked the door and everything else that needs unlocking. Melwood. Sit down in there. What's all this stuff? Your so called song hit. Yeah, I. I see a couple of them have possibilities, haven't they Jack? Why sure, sure they have. Suppose the Green Hornet were to steal one of them. I just suppose there would be a lot of publicity about the Green Hornets shooting two men, maybe more. To get possession of one specific song. What would happen to the sale of that song? Hey, that's right. It'll become a hit of the week. Every band would use it. If a radio station would be featuring it on a song and bring thousands and thousands of dollars in royalties. Maybe we can make a deal. Before I finish talking to you crooks. You won't want that sort of thing to happen. What? Why not? Look, you horn, how are gonna be broke? You're gonna be smashed to a finish. Broke? Smashed. I've already addressed a few envelopes and I'll say that the rest are addressed. There they are. Take a look at them. I don't understand. You will. Take a look at those three sheets of music I've laid out for you. What about it? I want that music. We did. What of it? And who secured copyrights? We did. Every one of these songs can be made into a hit turn. With the right promotion. I think I can say that it gets that promotion. They've already explained how well the hit is. We can't afford a hit. Suppose, for example, this number becomes a hit. What do you suppose the authors of these other songs with the same music would do? They'd sue, wouldn't they? Yeah, they'd probably sue. Probably a dozen other poets Who've been given the same melody for their song. They'll all start lawsuits. You two'd be dragged through every court in the country. Your homo racketeering business would be laid out in the open. Can you stand having a sensational song hit? I don't know. You know your castle. That's why I came here. It was a mistake, and that's it. It was a mistake. The printers made a mistake. They get the words and music and they too thin. I could go through your files and show you plenty of the same sort of mistakes. Sit down at the desk. What do you want? Money. Lots of money. There's your checkbook. I have to notice your bank balance there. You can write a lot of checks. Checks, I said. Checks for who? Make out the first to Harvey Dale. D, A, L, E. According to your records, he's paid in $150. That's the amount you send him. And who else? Start writing. I'll do it. I don't know. We'll have Jack do it. He's the one whose signature makes those checks worth something. Go on now. Start writing. Now, you see here. How far are you going? As far as your bank balance will allow 200 to go to Mrs. Hackney. 100 to each of the people on this list. 75 to these people. And there's a list of those who get $50 each. I'll be broke. I can't afford all that. I can't afford not to pay up. You'll afford it a whole lot better than these people who contributed to your success. And there's another thing, Jack. Oh, Robin. Steve, stop. They said there was another thing. We may have to overdraw your bank account considerably. I can't. You've got to convert some of the bonds you hold to cover the checks you make out tonight. I can't.

[Casey]

Why?

[Britt Reid]

Do you have to trade in some life insurance? If you don't cover those checks, you might soon find yourself not only in court, but eventually in jail. What would a jewelry made of people who read all about your racket in the magazines and newspapers give you? Take your choice. Rhett go broke and stay free. Go broke and go to jail and make out checks until you get the writer's cramp. And see that those checks clear the bank. By first one threat, then another. The Queen Hornet compelled the publisher to make out checks to refund money. And then that's as far as your cash will go. You through it. If he's in both our male, you can't get away with it. No. Let me explain that I can still make one of your songs a hit. The song that Jim gave his life to keep from the Green Hornet. A song that has some hidden significance to the Green Hornet. One small bit of the song torn and found in the clenched fist of the latest victim of the Hornet's weapon. Jim, I'm taking them with me. I know whether I let those checks fill the bank. If they don't, Jim will be found with this emblem plastered to his forehead. The mark of the Green Hornet and this part of this song clenched in his fist. Wait. Wait. If we don't stop payment at those checks that will have nothing but poverty to worry you. And don't try another record like this one. The Green Hornet can make one of your songs a hit at any time. Only the next time it might be one of you who furnishes the clenched fist. Leaving the two racketeers in their office the haunted took the elevator to the first floor dragged the still unconscious man to the rear door of the building and put him into the car. That'll do, Cato.

[Casey]

What do we do, Richard?

[Britt Reid]

We'll have to keep him under cover and lease checks clear the bank. Then Cato, we can let him go.

[Casey]

Have you heard the news?

[Britt Reid]

Which news? That Feeling kid got a reef. One from Joe, Jack and Jim. That's news.

[Casey]

Yes. And the mouth of the Green Hornet was on the letter that went with it.

[Britt Reid]

Yeah, That's a Page One story. The Hornet has stepped out again. I wish I had all the details,

[Casey]

but that's not the biggest thing. Mr. Reed was in Brighton early this morning. He's a newspaper man again. He's been working like a Trojan all day trying to run down some leads on a Hornet from that information he gathered.

[Britt Reid]

He is.

[Casey]

Yeah, but it won't last. Certainly you'll lose interest again if the Green Hornet goes back into seclusion.

[Britt Reid]

But what if the Green Hornet was to be captured?

[Casey]

I'm afraid Brit Reed would lose interest in the Sentinel in that case too.

[Britt Reid]

These popular radio dramas created by George W. Trendle are a copyrighted feature of the Green Hornet. Incorporated. All characters, names, places and incidents used are fictitious.