Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode Title: Philip Marlowe 47-08-05 008 Trouble Is My Business
Original Air Date: August 5, 1947
Podcast Release Date: September 27, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Starring: Van Heflin as Philip Marlowe

Brief Overview

This episode of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, adapted from Raymond Chandler's short story "Trouble Is My Business," follows private eye Philip Marlowe as he's hired to investigate suspected forgery and a gold-digging scheme, only to tumble into a web of murder, deception, and greed. With biting wit, rapid-fire dialogue, and classic noir atmosphere, Marlowe navigates an increasingly tangled case involving a scheming heiress, an embittered stepfather, a doomed stepson, and a ruthless gambler.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Summary

1. The Case Begins

• Client Introduction (02:31)
  • Wadsworth Jeter, a wealthy, stiff-upper-lipped older man, hires Marlowe to investigate Harriet Huntress, whom he suspects is after his adopted stepson's (Grover's) impending million-dollar inheritance.
  • Jeter also suspects that $50,000 in gambling IOUs Grover owes to Marty Estelle may be forged.
  • Marlowe is hired specifically to look into the forgery, not to smear Huntress.
    • “Am I being hired to smear Ms. Harriet Huntress?” – Marlowe (04:04)

2. A Trail of Corpses

• First Murder (05:05)
  • Marlowe visits handwriting expert John D. Arbogast—finds him freshly murdered, three bullet holes in his suit.
    • “Arbogast just sat and stared at me with the whites of his eyes, because those three holes… were bullet holes. And John D. Arbogast was dead.” – Marlowe (05:04)
• Marlowe makes for the El Milano Hotel to see Harriet Huntress.

3. Meeting Harriet and Grover

• At Harriet’s Apartment (07:09–10:00)
  • Huntress proves to be shrewd and tough:
    • “You look smart, but you talk stupid.” – Huntress to Marlowe (08:17)
  • Grover, Jeter’s stepson, is present, drunk and jealous. He punches Marlowe, who’s knocked out cold.
• The Threat (11:07)
  • Marlowe, back home, is threatened by a thug with a “wax nose” and a .22. He warns:
    • “Lay off old Jeter’s boy.” (11:47)

4. Complications and Attempts on Marlowe’s Life

• Chauffeur Involvement (12:36)
  • Jeter’s chauffeur, Waldo, is tasked to pick Marlowe up.
• Violent Encounter outside Jeter’s House (14:05)
  • Waxnose reappears, tries to rob them; Waldo shoots him dead.
    • “You shot the guy... You sound as if you just shot a nickel in a pinball machine instead of a man.” – Marlowe (14:23)

5. Dark Revelations

• Confronting Marty Estelle (19:33)
  • Marlowe meets casino boss Estelle, who claims he wouldn't kill Grover, as that’s his “golden goose.” Estelle hints he knows Marlowe isn’t dealing straight with the police, and pressures him to stop bothering Huntress.
  • Marlowe snoops around Harriet’s apartment and finds Grover dead in the closet (21:41):
    • “There, just as big as life, but as dead as they ever come, was young Grover Jeter.” – Marlowe (21:41)
    • A pearl-handled pistol lies at Grover’s feet.

6. The Truth Comes Out

• Final Confrontation (22:49–26:39)
  • Marlowe gathers everyone—Jeter, Huntress, Waldo—at Jeter’s house.
  • He reveals the inheritance twist: in California, Jeter stands to inherit Grover’s million if Grover is dead.
    • “Did you lovely people know that in the state of California, a man can inherit from an adopted son who has money and who gets dead?... You're inheriting Grover's million dollars would be a motive for killing him…” – Marlowe (25:03)
  • The guilt falls on Jeter and his accomplice Waldo. Waldo pulls a gun, but Huntress shoots it from his hand.
    • “Drop that gun, Waldo… That’s nice shooting, Harriet.” – Marlowe (25:29)
  • Marlowe lays out the scheme: Waldo killed Arbogast and Grover, and staged the earlier threats to cast suspicion on Marty Estelle.
    • “You killed John Arbogast to throw suspicion on Marty Estelle. Then you hired Waxnose...” – Marlowe (26:03)
  • Jeter has a heart attack as he's exposed, but doesn’t die.

7. Aftermath and Bittersweet Ending

• Harriet is cleared. Marlowe reflects on the case and his brush with Harriet:
  • “Me, well, I went out a couple of times with Harriet… Still, I was sorry when she went to New York to live. She had absolutely the best Scotch I ever tasted. Maybe because it was free.” – Marlowe (27:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jeter’s Appearance and Motives
  • “The moment old man Jeter came into my office, I made up my mind not to vote for him if he ever ran for president.” – Marlowe (02:31)
• On Bureaucratic Cynicism
  • “My rate is 25 bucks a day, plus expenses.” – Marlowe (03:28)
  • “Money is no object.” – Jeter (03:31)
  • “Except when you don't have much of it.” – Marlowe (03:32)
• On Bribing the House Detective
  • “How much do those cigars you're smoking cost you? 22.50. Box of 50. That much convincing? That’s cute.” – Marlowe (06:45)
• On Dealing with Harriet
  • “You look smart, but you talk stupid.” – Huntress (08:17)
  • “How about talking about the effect of the rain on the rhubarb?” – Huntress (08:31)
• On Noir Toughness
  • “Some days I feel like playing it smooth, and some days I feel like playing it like a waffle iron.” – Marlowe (06:27)
• On Waxnose’s Threat
  • “Lay off, old Jeter’s boy.” – Waxnose (11:47)
• On Marlowe’s Moral Resignation
  • “A dime will no longer buy a novel of any description. But that is beside the point.” – Marlowe (23:43)
• On Free Scotch and Farewells
  • “She had absolutely the best Scotch I ever tasted. Maybe because it was free. I don't know.” – Marlowe (27:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Case Introduction: 02:31–04:59
• Discovery of First Body: 05:00–05:05
• First Meeting with Harriet (and Grover): 07:09–10:04
• Waxnose’s Apartment Threat: 11:07–12:25
• Shooting Outside Jeter’s House: 14:03–15:04
• Confronting Estelle & Discovery of Grover’s Body: 19:33–21:41
• Climactic Reveal and Shootout: 22:49–26:39
• Epilogue: 27:52

Tone & Style

Classic hardboiled noir: cynical, dry humor, quick-witted banter, and poetic yet gritty narrative. Marlowe’s inner monologue drives the story forward with a strong first-person presence and razor-sharp commentary on postwar Los Angeles, moral ambiguity, and the fragility of trust.

This episode encapsulates the gritty, fast-paced, and wittily cynical world of Philip Marlowe, delivering a layered mystery packed with twists, hardboiled dialogue, and a final unmasking that leaves virtue and villainy in stark relief. For classic noir lovers, it’s a stellar showcase of why Old Time Radio endures.