Sam Spade: The Dry Martini Caper/ Mr. Moto: The Case of the Dry Martini (Twice Told Tale) (EP4640s)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Episode: Sam Spade: The Dry Martini Caper / Mr. Moto: The Case of the Dry Martini (Twice Told Tale) (EP4640s)
Release Date: March 2, 2025
Host: Adam Graham

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Overview

In this episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, host Adam Graham delves into the classic detective narratives of Sam Spade and Mr. Moto through a "twice told tale" format. The episode presents "Sam Spade: The Dry Martini Caper" followed by its adaptation "Mr. Moto: The Case of the Dry Martini", both originally scripted by Bob Tallman. Graham offers insightful commentary, humor, and critical analysis, enriching the listener's understanding of these Golden Age radio dramas.

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1. Sam Spade: The Dry Martini Caper

Plot Summary:

The episode opens with Sam Spade, portrayed by Howard Duff, interacting with his assistant Effie Perine and client Mary Callahan at a café. Mary confesses to accidentally causing her husband, Gordon Martini's, demise due to a mix-up involving their chauffeur, Ernie. She believes her actions indirectly led to Gordon's attempted kidnapping and subsequent death.

As the investigation unfolds, Spade uncovers inconsistencies in Mary's story, revealing that Gordon had orchestrated his own murder to prevent his unscrupulous associates from claiming his life insurance. The plot thickens with encounters at the Monsoon Trading Company, confrontations with Mary Callahan and attorney Loreen Tuttle, and a climactic revelation that exposes the true motive behind the murder.

Notable Quotes:

• Sam Spade: “[03:04] It was all overdone, sweetheart. That's what cracked it.”

• Mary Callahan: “[10:05] Yeah, I keep thinking he'll get up and stagger on into the elevator. He didn't drink at all.”

• Sam Spade: “[26:06] He was so. He didn't drink. I was able to establish that later on.”

Key Moments:

• Initial Confession: Mary Callahan admits her role in Gordon’s predicament, setting the stage for Spade's investigation.

• Police Gazette Call: A phone call from Gordon Martini hints at deeper troubles within his company.

• Garage Discovery: Spade discovers discrepancies in Ernie's alibi and the getaway car’s license plate, leading to pivotal evidence.

• Final Revelation: It is unveiled that Gordon Martini planned his own murder, manipulating circumstances to safeguard his company and eliminate threats.

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2. Host’s Commentary on Sam Spade Episode

Adam Graham provides his perspectives on the Sam Spade narrative, highlighting both strengths and challenges within the episode.

Insights and Analysis:

• Character Dynamics: Graham praises Joseph Kern's portrayal of Mary Callahan, noting her "very colorful insults" that add a comedic yet vexing layer to the storyline.

• Plot Complexity: He commends the cleverness of the murder solution, emphasizing the rarity of suicide by hireling in radio detective tales.

• Cameos and References: The appearance of Jack Webb and references to other characters like Johnny Madero enrich the narrative interconnections within the radio detective universe.

Notable Quotes:

• Narrator: “[29:24] The biggest reason is Joseph Kern and his character's very colorful insults of Ms. Callahan. This might be the hardest. I laughed at any Sam Spade episode.”

• Narrator: “[29:24] The solution is pretty clever as suicide, particularly by Hitman, is kind of rare in radio detective shows.”

Critical Observations:

Graham acknowledges the episode's ability to blend humor with intricate detective work, making it engaging for both longtime fans and newcomers. He also touches upon the effective utilization of character interactions to drive the plot forward.

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3. Mr. Moto: The Case of the Dry Martini (Twice Told Tale)

Adaptation Summary:

Bob Tallman reimagines the Sam Spade story through the lens of Mr. Moto, an international secret agent of Japanese descent. In this adaptation, Moto navigates similar investigative challenges but within a framework that intertwines Cold War-era issues, particularly focusing on drug smuggling and its ties to hostile foreign entities.

Plot Adaptations:

• Character Shifts: While Sam Spade is a hard-edged private detective, Mr. Moto is portrayed as more straight-laced, dealing with broader international conspiracies.

• Thematic Enhancements: The inclusion of drug smuggling adds a layer of geopolitical tension, aligning the story with contemporary concerns of the 1950s.

• Dialogue and Tone: Moto's interactions are more restrained and focused, contrasting with Spade's more sardonic and confrontational style.

Notable Quotes:

• Mr. Moto: “[35:39] Nothing like a dry martini to step you back after a long, hard day's work.”

• Effie Perine (Moto version): “[36:05] I was sent here to San Francisco to investigate an anonymous letter.”

• Mr. Moto: “[52:15] Well, I bought up Jerome's debts and threw an attachment on his dock.”

Key Moments:

• Initial Meeting: Moto engages with Mr. Moto (alias of Mary Callahan) under professional pretenses, masking his true investigative intent.

• Evidence Gathering: Similar to Spade, Moto discovers evidence pointing to the orchestrated nature of Gordon Martini's death.

• Confrontational Climax: The adaptation culminates in a face-off where Moto unravels the criminal motives behind the murder, aligning with his role as a maverick agent.

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4. Host’s Commentary on Mr. Moto Adaptation

Adam Graham evaluates the effectiveness of adapting the Sam Spade story into the Mr. Moto framework, offering both commendations and critiques.

Insights and Analysis:

• Thematic Integration: Graham appreciates Tallman's effort to incorporate drug smuggling into the plot, making it relevant to the era's societal issues.

• Character Consistency: He notes that while Mr. Moto is typically more reserved, the adaptation allows for moments of frustration that align with the antagonistic characters.

• Plot Execution: Graham highlights the cleverness in tying the original plot to international crime themes, though he points out minor flaws in character interactions that could have been more seamless.

Notable Quotes:

• Narrator: “[64:05] Obviously a less funny episode, but I think Tolman did a good job making the idea from Sam Spade fit.”

• Narrator: “[64:05] The biggest flaw in the rewrite was when Pearson offered Moto a glass of his mixed martini.”

Critical Observations:

Graham commends the adaptation for maintaining the core mystery while expanding its scope to include international elements. However, he critiques certain character decisions, such as Mr. Moto accepting an offered drink, which could have compromised the plot's integrity by revealing his awareness of the deception.

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5. Comparative Analysis and Conclusion

Adam Graham concludes the episode by reflecting on the "twice told tale" approach, assessing how effectively the Sam Spade story was transformed into a Mr. Moto adventure.

Comparative Insights:

• Storytelling Techniques: While Sam Spade's version relies heavily on sharp dialogue and personal confrontations, Mr. Moto's adaptation broadens the narrative to address larger-scale criminal operations.

• Character Adaptation: The shift from a private eye to an international agent necessitates changes in dialogue and investigative methods, which Tallman executes with varying degrees of success.

• Plot Complexity: Incorporating drug smuggling elevates the stakes in the Mr. Moto version, aligning it with the geopolitical tensions of the time but occasionally detracting from the personal drama evident in the Sam Spade narrative.

Final Thoughts:

Graham appreciates Tallman's endeavor to breathe new life into a classic detective story, acknowledging both the strengths of the original plot and the added dimensions brought by the adaptation. Despite minor inconsistencies, the episode stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of radio detective dramas and their ability to evolve with changing times.

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Notable Quotes from the Host:

• Adam Graham: “[64:05] I laughed at any Sam Spade episode.”

• Adam Graham: “[64:05] The biggest flaw in the rewrite was when Pearson offered Moto a glass of his mixed martini.”

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Key Takeaways

• Dual Storytelling: The "twice told tale" format offers a rich exploration of detective archetypes, showcasing how a single narrative can be adapted across different characters and thematic focuses.

• Adaptation Challenges: Translating a story from Sam Spade to Mr. Moto involves balancing character integrity with plot expansion, requiring careful consideration of dialogue and thematic elements.

• Enduring Legacy: Both Sam Spade and Mr. Moto remain iconic figures in radio detective fiction, with their stories continuing to captivate audiences through adept storytelling and character development.

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For enthusiasts of vintage radio dramas, this episode provides a compelling look into the mechanics of detective storytelling and the art of adaptation. Adam Graham's expert commentary enhances the listening experience, offering valuable insights into the nuances of these timeless tales.

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Transcript

[Sam Spade]

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[Effie Perine]

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[Netta Martini]

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[Sam Spade]

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[Netta Martini]

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[Sam Spade]

Prices and product availability subject to change restrictions apply. See site for.

[Narrator]

Welcome to the great detectives of Old Time Radio. In a moment, I'm gonna bring you our latest Surf Support Appreciation Detective Program special. But first, I do want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, to follow us using your favorite podcast software. And as a reminder for our listener support and appreciation campaign, you can become one of our ongoing Patreon support orders for as little as $2 per month by going to patreon.greatdetactives.net well, it's time for us to bring you another twice told tale and we're focusing on a script by Bob Tallman. Tallman, with Gil Dowd, wrote for the Adventures of Sam Spade and did a lot of radio work, including working on Voyage of the Scarlet Queen. Now, as usual, we will take a look at a script he wrote and then see how it was recycled on another program down the line. First off, from August 1st of 1948, here is Sam Spade and the Dry Martini Caper.

[Announcer]

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective brought to you by Wildroot Cream Oil Hair Tonic, the non alcoholic hair tonic that contains lanolin wild root cream oil. Again and again, the choice of men who put good grooming first.

[Mary Callahan]

Sam, say detective agency me sweetheart. Sam, how did it go?

[Sam Spade]

It was the end, Effie. But the end.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, Sam, not another one of those society.

[Sam Spade]

Depends on what you mean by society.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, you know, Sam. Cafe society. Cocktails for two hands across the table.

[Effie Perine]

Make it another Old Fashioned.

[Mary Callahan]

Please.

[Sam Spade]

Let's not lose our head. Abby. Nothing but double martinis, very dry with two olives, sweetheart.

[Mary Callahan]

Two olives. Oh, Sam, isn't that overdoing it?

[Sam Spade]

It was all overdone, sweetheart. That's what cracked it. Now stay right where you are. I'll be right down to mix up my report on the Dry Martini caper. Get it?

[Announcer]

Dashiell Hammett, America's leading detective fiction writer and creator of Sam Spade, the Hard Boiled Private Eye, and William Spear, Radio's outstanding producer director of mystery and crime drama, join their talents to make your hair stand on end with the Adventures of Sam Spade presented by the makers of Wild Root Cream Oil for the hare. August is always a great vacation month. And for those of you planning to take your vacation soon, let me suggest that when you're packing, be sure you include a bottle and a handy tube of Wild Root Cream Oil Hair tonic. For no matter where you go, you can always depend on Wild Root Cream Oil to groom your hair neatly and naturally, relieve dryness and remove loose dandruff. Yes, you can take it with you on your vacation. And you should. 1 wildroot cream oil Hair Tonic. Again and again, the choice of men who put good grooming first. And now, with Howard Duff starring as Spade, Wild Root brings to the air the greatest private detective of them all in the Adventures of Sam Spade.

[Mary Callahan]

You look sober as an owl, wise.

[Sam Spade]

As an owl, sober as a judge. Hemp.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh. Well, the way you talked on the phone, I thought you drowned the shamrock, kissed the Black Betty, spliced the main brace, decorated the mahogany, made a Dutch bargain, or in a word, gone to give a Chinaman a music lesson.

[Sam Spade]

Effie, I wish you'd spend more time with Harper's Bazaar while I'm gone and less with the thesaurus of slang.

[Mary Callahan]

Ah.

[Sam Spade]

Didn't know I could say that. Are you sober?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, I've been riding the Choo Choo, drinking Adam's ale, and if you don't believe it, just ask me to walk for chalk.

[Sam Spade]

Okay. Heelsy, toesy, arms akimbo, eyes glazed.

[Mary Callahan]

Yes, Sam.

[Sam Spade]

Oh. Then the tip of the forefinger to the tip of the nose.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh. Oh, Sam, it makes me dizzy.

[Sam Spade]

Dizzy Gillespie.

[Mary Callahan]

Dizzy. Go old, Sam.

[Sam Spade]

Exactly. And you are not sewn up, shagged, shellacked, shickered, stucco tap, shackled, stiffo or real crazy?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, you know best, Sam.

[Sam Spade]

Good. Now try this one.

[Mary Callahan]

Yes, Pres.

[Sam Spade]

Sitting posture, limbs. Cruciform. What? Cheesecake. Stop.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, thank.

[Sam Spade]

That's it. Now place the notebook just a little higher. Good. Now apply the tip of the pencil to the top of the fool's cap and proceed. Viz.

[Effie Perine]

Viz.

[Sam Spade]

Date, August 1, 1948. To Mrs. Netta Martini, 1000 Marina Blvd. Safrasiski. From Samuel Spade, license number 127596. Subject. Dear Netta, the first I knew of the caper was day before yesterday morning when I saw your husband's picture in the paper. It was one of those lovingly retouched, executive type photographs of a man in his late 40s or early 50s, graying at the temples and wearing an embalmed man of distinction. Look, the Story was headlined, Corporation Head Waylaid by Mysterious Assailant. Chauffeur Foils would be Kidnappers at Offices of Martini Trading Company. The item under it wasn't as thrilling as the headline sounded as if he'd been knocked down for his wallet and the attempted kidnapping had been dreamed up by a bored City News reporter. I tossed it into the wastebasket along with my morning mail and went back to the Police Gazette. On page three, the phone rang. Unique Garage. Harry speaking. Mr. Spade. One moment. Who's calling? Gordon Martini. Not Gordon Martini. The corporation head Waylaid by Mysterious assailant. Chairman of the board, and there's nothing serious about it. Then what are you doing on this phone? I can't talk on the phone. Where are you? In a hospital. I left that pest house this morning. I'm at my residence, 1000 Marina Boulevard. It will take you exactly 20 minutes by cab. You will meet me in front of the building and we'll have our conference in my car en route to the office. Where's your office? Downtown. Post Street. Why don't I meet you there? I'm a busy man. Have a full calendar. I'm already late due to all that hospital red tape. But I can fit you into my schedule if you'll hurry. Now, look alive, man. Well, it's a little early in the morning, but I'm trying hard. Good. What will you want for a retainer? I'll let you know if I decide to take the job. Fair enough.

[Announcer]

20 minutes.

[Sam Spade]

I'll expect you. I should have looked more alive. It took me 2 minutes to get onto the street, 1 minute to flag down a cab and 18 minutes to reach your address letter. A total of 21 minutes. As my taxi dropped the curb in front of the canopied entrance to the corner apartment house at 1000 Marina, I saw your husband pacing indignantly up and down in front of the entrance, pausing only to glare at the outsized chronometer on his left wrist. His gray homburg was perched atop an outsized turban of gauze bandage that decorated his head. Ah. I used fate. You're exactly 1 minute and 22 seconds late. Hours are made of minutes, minutes are made of seconds. And killing this seemingly negligible interval of time, you have wounded an hour. Oh, I have? Well, I'm sorry. The traffic's pretty heavy out here this hour of the morning, you know, you should have started a minute and 22 seconds earlier. I'm sorry. There was a bore on the telephone. Kept talking about how valuable his time was. Well, don't apologize, only waste more time. Here's your check, $100. My car's just around the corner. I paid that chauffeur a large salary. We mustn't keep him waiting. In the meantime, you may as well start earning a fee. I've been earning it for the past 22 minutes and 22 seconds.

[Effie Perine]

Wait. Uh huh.

[Sam Spade]

I suspected as much. You drive a car? Yeah. You mean one man drives all that? I see him, that rascally chauffeur of mine sleep in the back seat.

[Announcer]

All right, come out of there.

[Sam Spade]

You watch. I was behind him and a little to the right. The shock of the rapid fire 30 caliber slugs lifted him off his feet and knocked him against me. I went down under his £300 of. By the time I rolled him off of me and got up, the gunman had jumped out of the limousine and into a gray sedan that was double parked alongside in the welter of traffic on the boulevard. I didn't dare risk throwing a shot after him. But I did get the first three numbers of the license plate before it buried itself in a heavy stream of AM commuters. That's when the air changed from exhaust fumes to something out of a Persian garden. I turned and looked for the first time into your Nile green eyes now and saw you twisting a handkerchief in your pale hands. I might have loved beside the Shalimar, but on Marina Boulevard they looked like hysterics dead ahead.

[Mary Callahan]

Who did it? You saw him. Don't lie to me. Why don't they come with the ambulance? Why are all those people standing around? They're staring at.

[Sam Spade]

Make them go after you. Stop it, will you? That's better. Now come on over here. Who are you, his wife?

[Mary Callahan]

Yes, and it was all my fault. This is the end. I called Ernie out the window and asked him to come upstairs. I wanted him to return some lingerie. They sent the wrong color. Pete?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah, yeah. Who's Ernie?

[Mary Callahan]

He's our chauffeur. I was looking for the exchange slip when we heard the shots. Is he dead this time?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah. Don't go to pieces.

[Mary Callahan]

Poor Gordon. He had so many enemies he didn't drink. Well, you know, people dropped us like flies.

[Sam Spade]

Well, they certainly dropped your husband.

[Mary Callahan]

Are you a policeman?

[Sam Spade]

No, but I'll do until the real thing comes along. Well, which is right now. If I were you, lady, I'd go back upstairs and relax. I'll get to you soon enough.

[Mary Callahan]

Yes, I suppose you're right. Poor Gordon. He looks so natural stretched out on the pavement. Yeah, I keep thinking he'll get up and stagger on into the elevator. He didn't drink at all.

[Sam Spade]

Well, go on, will you?

[Mary Callahan]

All right, I'm going. Oh, Ernie, where did you go?

[Sam Spade]

Down at the garage. I heard a car driving. Poor Mr. Martini. It's all my fault.

[Mary Callahan]

No, Ernie, it's mine. If I only hadn't mislaid that extra James slipped.

[Effie Perine]

What?

[Mary Callahan]

You know, when I called you out the window to come and get that package.

[Sam Spade]

Oh. Oh, that. What do we got here? Who's the witness? Me. Oh, Spade. Lost another client, huh? Not quite. I hadn't cashed the check yet. Well, they got him anyway. All right, clear a spacer there. Let him through with that stretcher. Step over here out of the crowd, Sam. I want to get that statement. Okay, Gary, take it down. Got a pencil? Yeah, and I want it back. Let's have it. This guy is Gordon Martini. He headed up a local firm, the Martini Trading Company. Yeah, last night he was working late at his office, got boinged. Phoned me this morning. Didn't know why. I thought maybe he wanted a bodyguard. Anyway, he needed one. Gunman was crouched in the back seat of the limousine. Shoved the carbine out when Martini opened the door. Carbine didn't get a good look at him. You could see the way it's closed in. No side windows. Foreign car, isn't it? Stop drooling. You can't afford one. You getting all this? What about the getaway? Martini fell on top of me. I saw the getaway car on the back of his head. The car was a gray sedan. The back of his head was a standard make, too. Only got the first three digits of license plate. 5D, 9. Anything else? Yeah, give me back my pencil. The Homicide boys want some help. They know my fee. Mr. Spade, this is Martini. Why aren't you and Ernie upstairs getting your alibis shaped up?

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, please, I. I can't face the questions just yet. Would it be legal if I just avoided them till I can collect myself?

[Sam Spade]

I don't know about legal, but it might be smart.

[Mary Callahan]

Where can we talk?

[Sam Spade]

Where do you suggest?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, there's a little cocktail lounge up on Lombard where Ernie and I all. I mean, well, it's. It's just around the corner.

[Sam Spade]

Very handy. Let's go.

[Mary Callahan]

Against my mother's advice. I should have listened, but. Well, that's why I married Mr. Martini.

[Sam Spade]

Well, that brings us up to 1943, and it's only quarter 12.

[Mary Callahan]

You're just like him. Always holding a stopwatch over my head. Always well, he drank, you know.

[Sam Spade]

You told me that.

[Mary Callahan]

But it's much more important than you think. He often fell down and bumped his head.

[Sam Spade]

You mean that mysterious assailant that waylaid him last night in his office was.

[Mary Callahan]

A double martini, two pitchers, full before dinner. Learning how to carry him up to his office.

[Sam Spade]

What did he go up there for?

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, we had an appointment with the vice president of the firm, Mr. Nesbitt. Something had come up and he wanted Gordon to sign some papers. I don't know what. It wasn't the first time I waited outside in the car. After Ernie had taken him upstairs, he came back to the and we talked.

[Sam Spade]

Ernie has alibis. Upstairs, downstairs and all around the house.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, then when the others came out and Gordon didn't, Ernie went upstairs to see why.

[Sam Spade]

Others? Mr. Nesbitt and who else?

[Mary Callahan]

Mary Callahan.

[Sam Spade]

Secretary?

[Mary Callahan]

No, she's an attorney. And if you think everything was legal between those two, well. But after all, who am I to call the kettle black?

[Sam Spade]

Now, what are you trying to tell me? That you got him drunk so they can make him sign some papers? That he got himself drunk so he couldn't write his name? Or that he just got drunk and fell down?

[Mary Callahan]

Between you and me, I think she pushed him down a flight of stairs. In his condition, he never remembered.

[Sam Spade]

Why are you putting a finger on the Callahan dance?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, what would you think? She was the last one out of the building.

[Sam Spade]

Why didn't you want to tell all this to the police?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, I didn't want to talk about his drinking. Things were bad enough already. That would have been the end.

[Sam Spade]

Well, that's as good an answer as any. What do you want me to do for you?

[Mary Callahan]

Prove that she did it and Ernie didn't.

[Sam Spade]

I'll let you take care of Ernie.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, no. I don't want to alibi him unless I have to. He might get the wrong idea.

[Sam Spade]

You mean I've got the wrong idea.

[Mary Callahan]

He might think it meant I still care for him and I don't. I can't stand him anymore, the way he chews those toothpicks. And besides, if his alibi is too good, I might have trouble about that car being in the backseat of my car.

[Sam Spade]

Pardon me? It sounded as if you said you might have trouble about a car being in the backseat of your car.

[Mary Callahan]

That's what I said.

[Sam Spade]

Where is your car?

[Mary Callahan]

In the garage. But somebody had it out this morning. They scraped the fender coming back in and they ran into the wall. They must have been in an awful hurry.

[Sam Spade]

Tell me, this car yours? It Wouldn't be a gray sedan.

[Mary Callahan]

Yes.

[Sam Spade]

License number?

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, wait a minute. It's on my key ring. Here. 5D9.

[Sam Spade]

That's enough. Why didn't you tell me this before?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, I couldn't get up the nerve after I heard you tell that policeman the gun that killed Gordon was a carbine. And the gray sedan and all that. Well, it's the end.

[Sam Spade]

I hoped you were right, but I didn't think so. When I went to look at the gray sedan in your garage, I knew you were wrong. Dead wrong. It was the getaway car, all right. And the carbine, as you know, was proven later to be the one that killed your husband. But Ernie had turned into a very poor suspect indeed. He was hugging the carpet between the front and rear seats, and when I nudged him, he didn't move. He'd been shot at closer range than Gordon Martini, and the killer had used only one slug. It was planted in the base of his brain, which made him not only a very poor suspect, but a very dead one.

[Announcer]

The makers of Wild Root Cream Oil are presenting the weekly Sunday adventure of Dashiell Hammett's famous private detective, Sam Spade. If you want the well groomed look that helps you get ahead socially and on the job, listen. Recently, thousands of people from coast to coast who bought Wild Root Cream Oil for the first time were asked, how does Wild Root Cream Oil compare with the hair tonic you previously used? Better than 4 out of 5 who replied said they preferred Wild Root Cream Oil. And no wonder. Wild Root Cream Oil grooms the hair neatly and naturally relieves annoying dryness and removes loose dandruff. What's more, non alcoholic Wild Root Cream Oil is the only leading hair tonic that contains soothing lanolin. So ask for Wild Root Cream Oil Hair Tonic again and again. The choice of men who put good grooming first. By the way, smart girls use Wild Root Cream Oil too. And mothers say it's grand for training children's hair. And now back to the Dry Martini caper. Tonight's adventure with Sam Spade.

[Mary Callahan]

Martin Trading Company. Good afternoon. I'm sorry, Mr. Nesbitt is in conference. I'll see that he gets your message. Well, what can I do for you?

[Sam Spade]

I would like to see Ms. Callahan.

[Mary Callahan]

Ms. Callahan is in conference with Mr. Nesbitt.

[Sam Spade]

Good. I would like to see them both.

[Mary Callahan]

But I have orders not to disturb them.

[Sam Spade]

You do not have to. I will.

[Mary Callahan]

Just a minute. You can't go breaking in like that.

[Sam Spade]

Yes, and I'll tell you something else. He won't ever get away with it. Why, everyone in this town knows about your underworld connection. Why, you doddering old fool.

[Mary Callahan]

When I get through with you, if you don't go to the gas chain for Gordon Martini's murder, you wish you had.

[Sam Spade]

If I go to the gas chamber, it'll be for killing you, not Gordon.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, you said it. Oh, why didn't I have witnesses here?

[Sam Spade]

Ms. Callahan, did you hear that? You weren't talking loud enough. I didn't hear a thing. Well, come on in here and I'll tell you a thing or two. Close that door. Now, sit down. Thanks. I listen better on my feet. Oh, so you're the detective. Netta Martini on Friday. What's she paying you? That'll depend on how much I have to do for her.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, I'll tell you how much you'll have to do for her. You'll have to make a case against me, and that's not going to be easy.

[Sam Spade]

Why do you think she's out to get you? Why, indeed. For years, this moth eaten mouthpiece, this parboiled Portia, has been victimizing poor Gordon, taking advantage of his weakness for Drake. Now that she's liquidated him, she appears with 55% of the common stock. Motive enough, eh?

[Mary Callahan]

Why, you fraudulent old fool. I simply bought up his debts and threw an attachment on those stocks. Unethical, but perfectly lethal. Well, you're not even a proper thief. You're nothing but a bumbling old embezzler.

[Sam Spade]

Now, listen, you had to tell because.

[Mary Callahan]

He was gonna call in the auditors to look over those books of yours. The Dean of double entry, Mr. Spade.

[Sam Spade]

Look, look, will you save this for the courtroom scene? Now you've convinced me you're both crooked. I'll see that you both go up for something. That's a promise, Mr. Spade. I gave you credit for better sense. Do you know that this Medusa of the magistrate's court, this harpy of the hall of justice, tricked him into changing the beneficiary of his insurance the very night she pushed him down the stairs. And you were all in favor of.

[Mary Callahan]

It when you thought you held a controlling interest in the company. Answer that. You see, Mr. Spade, he can't answer that.

[Sam Spade]

Good, good. I'm glad one of you is temporarily lost for words. Now, I only want to know one thing, and I want a straight answer. And if either one of you starts off on another speech, I'm going to push you into the nearest cloakroom and lock you in together.

[Mary Callahan]

Why, you wouldn't dare.

[Sam Spade]

Try me, sweetheart. Well, what do you Want to know about this Amazon ambulance chaser? This trilby of the traffic Cor. Watch it.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, what do you want to know.

[Sam Spade]

About Martini's insurance policy? Now you say he changed the beneficiary. Please answer in 10 words or less who was the beneficiary and who is the beneficiary?

[Mary Callahan]

Now I'll have to answer that question in two parts. The beneficiary was his wife. He changed it to the Martini Trading Company, a corporation of the state of California.

[Sam Spade]

Thank you and goodbye. Mary Callahan and that Netta took the heat off of you for the time being. Which made things tough for me. Because Callahan and Nesbitt were so horrible I never wanted to see them again. Even to testify against them in court. I was sure of one thing. None of you had pulled the trigger of that carbine. There'd been a hired killer behind it. And the way he operated, taking crazy chances in broad daylight in a crowded street told me an important thing about him. That night I made the rounds of the joints at a plant called the Bing Room. I found a bouncer who tossed out a customer that run up a bill and tried to pay it with a thousand dollar check. He sent me to the Atlas Hotel. The Atlas Hotel is off of 3rd street down near the railroad yards. Not even a flea bay. The fleas sickened and died a long time ago. They couldn't take it. And from the look of the guests sprawled out in the mission furniture of the lobby they wouldn't be able to much longer. A half dead room clerk came back to the land of the living long enough to mutter a room number and wave me feebly toward a flight of crummy stairs. Yeah, what do you want? You hack Hartman? Hey, you got anything for me, huh? Yeah, I got news for you. Get back in the room, I'll tell you all about it. Yeah, well, come on in. Drop the shiv. Yeah, I'll drop it. I'll fix you. I'll cut you good. I'm glad you did that. You make it easy for me. Now get over there. Leave me alone. Leave me alone, huh? I'm not feeling so good. You can feel a lot worse. Who hired you to put the burn on Martini? You don't get nothing out of me. Who gave you that check? Oh, leave me alone. I got all night hack and I feel better than you do. What did you do with that check? I'll shake it if your teeth come out with it. Come on. All right, all right. Stop it. Stop it. I don't feel so good. Okay? Where? Pocket my shirt. Don't reach. I'll get it. There was a company check, which is what I'd expected. It was for a thousand dollars drawn on the Golden Gate Trust and Loan. But I wasn't expecting to find the signature on the. The bottom line. It was signed in a bold firm hand. Gordon Martini. Who was the penman on this? He wrote it himself, right in front of me. What was it supposed to be for? Hey. He wanted I should knock off his brother. You get mixed up. He's dead, ain't he? That's what I mean. Gordon Martini's dead. Ah, the papers got it wrong. That was his brother, his twin brother. And that other guy, that chauffeur kept hanging around the garage so I couldn't get out. I had to. I had to burn him too. You know what you're saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm making sense. Now. Get out of here. I'm. I'm getting steamed. Don't let it worry you. I got a nice cool place all picked out for you. After I turned hack over to the cops, I did what checking I could on my own at that time of night. As nearly as I could learn, Gordon Martini could never have had a brother, twin or otherwise. He was a first child. His mother died in childbirth and his father died one month later. So I went back to the offices of the Martini Trading Company. Glass keyed my way in and made a quick frisk of it. There I learned that the signature on the check was indeed Gordon's, but that he had closed down his account at that bank the day he wrote it. I thought about that on the way out to your apartment.

[Mary Callahan]

Sam, I've been calling and calling trying to reach you. I've been so worried. It's the end.

[Sam Spade]

This time you might be right. Fix me a drink?

[Mary Callahan]

Well, there's nothing in the house but those prepared martinis Gordon used to drink. Is that all right?

[Sam Spade]

No, but fixing me one anyway. Never mind the ice. It's not morning yet. But I hate myself already.

[Mary Callahan]

Why don't you just relax and let me get it for you?

[Sam Spade]

I'll relax. You get the martinis.

[Mary Callahan]

What happened? What'd you think of Mary Callahan? Isn't she the end?

[Sam Spade]

She's cute. You're all cute.

[Mary Callahan]

All of me on ice. I put ice in anyway. It's nasty without.

[Sam Spade]

It's nasty anyway.

[Mary Callahan]

I hope it doesn't make you fall down the way it did poor Gordon.

[Sam Spade]

Thanks.

[Mary Callahan]

What? What's the matter? Too dry?

[Sam Spade]

You open this bottle fresh?

[Mary Callahan]

Why, yes. What's the matter?

[Sam Spade]

Where are they? The rest of the bottles? Oh, yeah. More of the same. Is this all your husband ever drank?

[Mary Callahan]

Yes, gallons of. It's a special brand. He even took it with him to bars and people's houses. He'd sit and drink them right out of the bottle like a little child. Then he'd be falling down drunk, of course. And that's how we lost so many friends. They dropped us like. Like.

[Sam Spade]

Like flies. Yeah. That was the end.

[Mary Callahan]

Who you phoning?

[Sam Spade]

City morgue. Maxie. Sam Spade. Sammy, what can I do on you? On Martini, Maxie. They got around the autopsy in. Yeah, they rushed him through. Got the report handy right in front of me. Funny thing, Sam, the doc said they should have saved themselves the trouble. He'd have been dead in a week or two without no help. What from? Brain tumor. Malignant, it says here. Any alcohol in him? None from drinking. Sammy, what about the head wounds? Accidental fall due to periodic feigning spells. Part of his condition. Thanks, Maxie.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, what is it, Sam? Were the martinis poison?

[Sam Spade]

No, sweetheart, the martinis were colored water.

[Mary Callahan]

Why? They couldn't. What made him get so drunk?

[Sam Spade]

He didn't. He was sick.

[Mary Callahan]

But Sam, who killed him, killed himself. But he couldn't have.

[Sam Spade]

He hired a gunman to do it. He planned his own murder.

[Effie Perine]

But that was.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, why didn't he leave a note or something? He could have ruined us all.

[Sam Spade]

Come here, sweetheart. Put your little hat on Uncle Sam's shoulder. Sam, that's just what he wanted you to do. He wanted to ruin you. He let Mary Callahan fleece him out of his interest in the company. He let Nesbitt juggle the books. He let you go your way with Ernie. He let all three of you fix yourselves up with as nice a set of motives for murder as a jury could ask for.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, couldn't have.

[Sam Spade]

The real joker was the check he used to pay the man he hired to kill him. It bounced. It also proved he planned his own murder. But he still has his revenge. Because the insurance that would have kept the corporation from going broke won't be paid off on account of the self liquidating cause.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, Sam, darling, what's going to become of us all?

[Sam Spade]

Well, Callahan and Nesbitt will probably sue each other to death. You might have to go to work and earn a living.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, I have $500. I might invest it in something you already have.

[Sam Spade]

Here's my bill.

[Mary Callahan]

But Sam, you didn't help me. What? This is the end.

[Sam Spade]

No, it isn't, sweetheart. This is the beginning. Come Here. Period. End of the end.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, you asked me. You helped her. Now, f. Well, that just goes to show you.

[Sam Spade]

Show what?

[Mary Callahan]

F Man's ingratitude to man. But what did Mr. Martini have against you?

[Sam Spade]

Why, nothing, sweetheart. He just needed a smart operator like. Well, no. Johnny Madero was under.

[Mary Callahan]

Have you cashed that check Mr. Martini gave you?

[Sam Spade]

Well, not yet.

[Mary Callahan]

I. Sam, any bartender would know better than to take a check from a man who. Who drinks that much.

[Sam Spade]

F you haven't been paying attention. He didn't drink. He didn't. I was able to establish that later on.

[Mary Callahan]

You haven't been listening, Sam. For all anybody knew, he was a hopeless drunk.

[Sam Spade]

He was.

[Effie Perine]

Sam.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, you're so wonderful and trusting, but I do wish that you'd understand this. He was a hopeless drum.

[Sam Spade]

For the last time, Effie, he didn't really drink.

[Mary Callahan]

I'll just type this up, please, while.

[Sam Spade]

You call the bank. I'll do that.

[Announcer]

A final reminder, friends. Whether you're going on a long vacation trip or just a weekend to the beach, be sure you've got a bottle and tube of Wild Root Cream Oil tucked away in your suitcase. Do this and you'll find it's easy and quick to spruce up again after stepping out of the water or off the tennis court for no matter where or when you use it. Wildroot Cream Oil grooms your hair neatly and naturally. Relieves dryness, removes loose dandruff. So, at home and away from home, help yourself to Handsome Hair with Wild Root Cream Oil. And next time you have a chance, ask your barber for a professional application of Wild Root Cream Oil Hair tonic. Again and again, the choice of men who put good grooming first.

[Mary Callahan]

Well, here it is, Sam. I hope it was worth the price of the paper and carbon.

[Sam Spade]

You made carbon copies of that? An unimportant report like that.

[Mary Callahan]

It bounced.

[Sam Spade]

Well, the estate isn't settled yet.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, Sam, you're so wonderful and trusting.

[Sam Spade]

Effie, I am not wonderful and trusting. I am a hard boiled private eye.

[Mary Callahan]

I know. Just a pity there's no money in it.

[Sam Spade]

And I'm also two.

[Mary Callahan]

You ever thought of ceramics?

[Sam Spade]

Of what?

[Mary Callahan]

Ceramics. It takes virtually no capital. All you need is a small furnace and some clay. And if you don't have any talent, you can. You can just make ashtrays.

[Sam Spade]

Thanks, I already have one.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, flower pots are fun. You can pot them on a wheel.

[Sam Spade]

And you can pot your hat on and wheel on out of here. And also take your furnace and play.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh, I love you when you're so gay.

[Sam Spade]

And carefree I am not gay and carefree I am.

[Mary Callahan]

You are a hard boiled private.

[Sam Spade]

Ey. Good night and sue me for your back. Salvy, sweetheart.

[Announcer]

The adventures of Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett's famous private detective are produced and directed by William Spear. Sam Spade is played by Howard Duff. Loreen Tuttle is Effie. The adventures of Sam Spade are written for radio by Bob Tolman and Gil Dowd with musical direction by Lud Gluskin. Gil Dowd directed tonight's broadcast in William Spears absence. Join us again next Sunday for another adventure with Sam Spade brought to you by Wild Root Cream Oil. Again and again the choice of men who put good grooming first. This is Dick Joy reminding you to get Wild Root Cream Oil, Charlie.

[Sam Spade]

It keeps your hair in trim.

[Announcer]

You see, it's non alcoholic, Charlie. It's made with soothing lanolin. You better get Wild Root, Charlie.

[Sam Spade]

Start using it today.

[Announcer]

You'll find that you will have a tough time, Charlie, keeping all the gals away. Hiya baldy. Get Wild Root right away. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System.

[Narrator]

Welcome back. As always, this episode was just a lot of fun. The biggest reason is Joseph Kern and his character's very colorful insults of Ms. Callahan. This might be the hardest. I laughed at any Sam Spade episode. You also get a cameo by Jack Webb in this. And they actually reference Johnny Madero in the same episode. Not a coincidence. It also features a group of people who are so absolutely terrible that they really vex Sam Spade. I also think the solution is pretty clever as suicide, particularly by Hitman, is kind of rare in radio detective shows. Well, now we're going to hear how the basic idea for this story is transported into a very different series. The last radio series that Bob Tolman did before spending the last decade of his career in the industry writing for television and film was the series Mr. Iemoto. The character was based on the one created by John P. Marquand in the 40s. However, this take on Mr. Moto was an American of Japanese descent who was born in San Francisco, but he is still an international secret agent. His episodes tended to deal with the serious international issues of the day as he was very engaged in the Cold War and with what was really viewed as a related battle against the spread of narcotics with two key ideas. First, that the proceeds from the sales of illegal narcotics often went to support hostile foreign regimes and organizations. And secondly, that the spread of illegal drug use would undermine the morality and mental health of of America's youth, which was actually viewed as a goal for the drug smuggling, Moto is a much more straight laced character than Sam Spade in a very different series. How is Tolman going to adapt the story? Let's find out. In the Case of the dry martini from October 20, 1951.

[Effie Perine]

A wise person once said that vengeance is a dish that should be eaten cold. In the case of the Dry Martini, the avenger drank his vengeance from a cocktail glass. It began as the routine investigation of a tip on a West coast smuggling operation. Although I arrived in San Francisco after business hours, I found Mr. Jerome Pearson, the head of the Monsoon Trading Company, still at work in his office.

[Sam Spade]

Well, Mr. Moto, this is indeed a pleasure. I've wanted to meet you for a long time.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you, Mr. Pearson.

[Sam Spade]

Sit down.

[Effie Perine]

Ah, yes.

[Sam Spade]

No, no, no. Take the leather chair. It's more comfortable.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you. I will not take up much of your time, Mr. Pearson.

[Sam Spade]

Well, I was just on the point of knocking off for the day. Have a cocktail.

[Effie Perine]

No, no, thank you.

[Sam Spade]

Nothing like a dry martini to step you back after a long, hard day's work. Sure you won't join me?

[Effie Perine]

Quite sure, Mr. Pearson. Thank you.

[Sam Spade]

Well, some people think that a martini should be stirred. I say, if you don't shake a cocktail, it's never really cold.

[Effie Perine]

I am told there are two schools of thought on that.

[Sam Spade]

Cold, dry. Perfect. Now then, Mr. Mono, what's on your mind?

[Effie Perine]

I was sent here to San Francisco to investigate an anonymous letter.

[Sam Spade]

Ah, about me?

[Effie Perine]

Not specifically. Your firm, the Monsoon Trading Company, was mentioned by name.

[Sam Spade]

In what connection, sir?

[Effie Perine]

In connection with a smuggling operation.

[Sam Spade]

Were you able to trace the writer to this letter?

[Effie Perine]

Not yet, sir.

[Sam Spade]

Well, if there's any smuggling going on, this firm. I don't know anything about it.

[Effie Perine]

Mr. Moto, would it be possible for such a thing to occur without your knowledge?

[Sam Spade]

I don't know how. All our shipments are checked through customs in the ordinary manner. All our records, invoices, bill of lading and so on are double checked by the customs people and by us.

[Effie Perine]

What do you deal in?

[Sam Spade]

For the most part, oh, textile, straw matting, that sort of thing. We import chiefly from India and Malaya.

[Effie Perine]

Yes.

[Sam Spade]

Pardon me.

[Effie Perine]

Second dividend. What shipping firms do you deal with?

[Sam Spade]

Well, we. We generally wait until we have a full cargo and charter a ship.

[Effie Perine]

I see.

[Sam Spade]

If you'd like to look over our records, our treasure. Mr. Harper will be only too glad to show them to you.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, thank you, Mr. Pearson. When would that be convenient?

[Sam Spade]

Oh, say, first thing tomorrow morning.

[Effie Perine]

Excellent.

[Sam Spade]

Please be on time. Time's money, you know. By the way, Moto, my chauffeur's parked downstairs if you'd like him to drive you anywhere. I pay him a large salary and he might as well be earning it.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, thank you, but my hotel is only a few blocks away.

[Sam Spade]

Well, I was just going to mix another batch of martinis. Sure you won't join me?

[Effie Perine]

You are so very, very kind, Mr. Pearson, but I am afraid I must refuse.

[Sam Spade]

Well, then do say that drink really got to me. Good night, Mr. Tomorrow. It's been a pleasure. It's an honor to make your acquaintance.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you, Mr. Pearson, and good night.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, there'll be.

[Effie Perine]

As I closed the door, Mr. Pearson was happily preparing another shaker full of dry martinis. As I emerged from the building, I noted a large limousine of foreign manufacture standing in front of a no parking sign. A uniformed chauffeur was leaning against it. Hey, you. Are you addressing me, young man?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah. You come from the Monsoon offices?

[Effie Perine]

That is correct. You are Mr. Pearson Chauffeur?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah. What.

[Effie Perine]

What condition did you leave him in? The condition?

[Sam Spade]

How many martinis?

[Effie Perine]

He was preparing a second shaker when I left him.

[Sam Spade]

Uh, oh, I better get ready to.

[Effie Perine]

Pour him out of there. Before I had time to ponder on behavior of Mr. Pearson chauffeur and his abrupt departure into the building, a second car, a taxicab, drew up behind the limousine and two more worried looking people emerged from it. A plump, heavyset man carrying a briefcase and a thin, sharp faced woman also carrying a briefcase.

[Sam Spade]

Excuse me, sir. Did you see a chauffeur in this car a moment ago?

[Effie Perine]

Why, yes. He just went into the building.

[Sam Spade]

I hope we're not too late.

[Effie Perine]

If you are on your way to see Mr. Pearson, I believe you will find him in his office. What condition did you leave him in? Everyone seems very much concerned about Mr. Pearson's condition.

[Sam Spade]

Well, I've got a payroll for him to sign. I won't catch him while he can still write.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, you are Mr. Harper?

[Sam Spade]

Yes, I am.

[Effie Perine]

Who are you? Mr. Moto. Mr. Ia Moto.

[Sam Spade]

I'm Mary Donahue, Mr. Moto. I'm the attorney for this corporation. I want you to know that anything he said to you while under the influence of martinis will not hold up for five minutes in any court of law.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you, Ms. Donahue. I will remember that.

[Sam Spade]

You'll have to excuse us now, Mr. Moto. Come along, Mary. If we're too late, I'll hold you responsible.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, shut up. They disappeared rapidly into the building and I walked on back to my hotel. When I rose the following Morning and read the morning paper. I saw a story headlined Corporation Head waylaid by mysterious assailant Chauffeur foils would be kidnappers at offices of Monsoon Trading Company. Before I could read the text, my telephone rang. Mr. Moto speaking.

[Sam Spade]

Mr. Moto, this is Pearson. I must see you at once. I have some information for you.

[Effie Perine]

Where are you at present, Mr. Pearson? In the hospital.

[Sam Spade]

I left that pest house this morning. I'm at my residence, 1000 Marina Boulevard. It'll take you exactly 20 minutes by cab. You'll meet me in front of the building now and we'll have our conference in my car en route to the office.

[Effie Perine]

I will meet you there in 20 minutes.

[Sam Spade]

Ah, 20 minutes. Then I'll expect you. Time is money, you know.

[Effie Perine]

As my taxi drew up to the curb in front of the canopied entrance, I saw Mr. Pearson facing indignantly up and down before the building. His gray Hamburg hat was perched atop an outsized turban of gauze vantage.

[Sam Spade]

Ah, Moto. Well, you're exactly 1 minute and 22 seconds late. But now don't apologize, only waste more time. Come along.

[Effie Perine]

Yes.

[Sam Spade]

Car's just around the corner. Pay that chauffeur a large salary. Mustn't keep him waiting. Uh huh. I suspect it's as much. Do you drive a car, Mr. Moto?

[Effie Perine]

Why yes. May I ask.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, never mind, never mind. I see him.

[Effie Perine]

See who? Mr. Pizza.

[Sam Spade]

Now that rascal chauffeur. Am I to sleep in the backseat? Get out of there, Mr. Pearson.

[Effie Perine]

Watch out. I was behind Mr. Pearson and slightly to the right. The shock of the rapid fire 30 caliber bullets lifted him off his feet and knocked him against me. Before I could regain my balance, the gunman had jumped out of the limousine and into a gray sedan that was double parked alongside. It was soon lost in the welter of Kasikama Boulevard. But I did succeed in getting the first three numbers of the license plate. At that moment, a fragrance of perfume tempered the exhaust fumes from the teeming street. And I turned to face a very, very attractive, very, very distraught young woman.

[Netta Martini]

Who did it? You saw him. Don't lie to me.

[Effie Perine]

Madam, I suggest you get yourself understood.

[Netta Martini]

Why don't they come?

[Mary Callahan]

Where's the ambulance?

[Effie Perine]

Please.

[Netta Martini]

Where are all those people standing around staring at him?

[Sam Spade]

Make them go away.

[Mary Callahan]

I can't stand it.

[Sam Spade]

I just can't.

[Effie Perine]

Madam. Madam, I must ask you to stop this at once.

[Mary Callahan]

What?

[Effie Perine]

Oh, I said stop it. Oh, that is very much better. Now then, who are you?

[Netta Martini]

His wife? It was all my Fault?

[Effie Perine]

How?

[Netta Martini]

I called Ernie out the window and asked him to come upstairs. I wanted him to return some lingerie. They sent the wrong color peach.

[Effie Perine]

Who is Ernie?

[Netta Martini]

Our chauffeur. I was looking for the sales check when we heard the shots.

[Mary Callahan]

Oh.

[Netta Martini]

Is Jerome really dead this time?

[Effie Perine]

Quite, quite dead, Mrs. Pearson. And may I say that your grief is very, very touching. Poor Jerome.

[Netta Martini]

He looks so natural stretched out there on the pavement. I keep thinking he'll get up and stagger on into the elevator. He didn't drink at all.

[Effie Perine]

Well, why don't you go upstairs and relax, Mrs. Pearson?

[Netta Martini]

All right. I'm gone. Oh.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, Ned, are you all right?

[Netta Martini]

Ernie, where did you go?

[Effie Perine]

Oh, down to the garage.

[Announcer]

I heard a car drive in.

[Sam Spade]

Poor Mr. Pearson.

[Effie Perine]

It's all my fault.

[Netta Martini]

Oh, no, no, it's mine. If I only hadn't mislaid that sales check, huh? When I called to you out the window to come and get that package.

[Sam Spade]

Oh.

[Announcer]

Oh, that.

[Sam Spade]

All right, all right. What do we got here? Who's the witness?

[Effie Perine]

I was with him when it happened, Officer.

[Sam Spade]

Not. Oh. Name?

[Effie Perine]

Moto, Mr. I.A. moto.

[Sam Spade]

All right, all right. Clear of space there. Come on, come on. Let him through with that stretch over there. Oh. A step over here out of the crowd. Mr. Moto, I want to get your statement. Oh, this one's Doa Boys. Pardon, Mr. Moro.

[Effie Perine]

That is quite all right. Are you ready for that statement?

[Sam Spade]

Oh, yeah. You got a pencil? Thanks. Okay. Okay, let's have it.

[Effie Perine]

This man is Jerome Pearson, a chairman of the board of an importing firm called the Monsoon Trading Company. You have that?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Effie Perine]

Last night he was working late at his office and was knocked out and robbed. He telephoned me this morning. He did not say what was was on his mind, but he seemed quite agitated. The gunman was crouched in the back seat of the limousine and the muzzle of the Carbine emerged when Mr. Pearson opened the door.

[Sam Spade]

I see. What did he look like?

[Effie Perine]

I did not see him distinctly. If you will look at the design of the car, you will see why the back and sides are almost completely enclosed.

[Sam Spade]

Yeah. What about the getaway?

[Effie Perine]

I saw the getaway car and the back of the killer's head. The car with a gray two door sedan. I saw only the first three digits of the license plate. 5D9.

[Sam Spade]

Anything else?

[Effie Perine]

Yes. May I have my pencil back, please?

[Sam Spade]

Very, very funny.

[Effie Perine]

Ha ha.

[Netta Martini]

Mr. Moto, what did that policeman say to you?

[Effie Perine]

Very little, Mrs. Biffin. But I suggest that you and that chauffeur get together on those alibis of yours?

[Netta Martini]

Well, I don't know where ernie is. Please, Mr. Moto. I can't face their questions just yet.

[Effie Perine]

I'm afraid you will have to.

[Netta Martini]

Would it be legal if I just avoided them till I can collect myself?

[Effie Perine]

I do not know about the legality of the matter, Mrs. Pearson, but it would most certainly be wise.

[Netta Martini]

Where can we talk, Ms. Moto?

[Effie Perine]

Have you any suggestion?

[Netta Martini]

Well, there's a little cocktail lounge up on Lombard, Ernie and I. It just around the corner.

[Effie Perine]

Very, very convenient. I suggest we go there, Mrs. Pearson.

[Netta Martini]

It's a darling. And it was all against my mother's advice. I should have listened. But that's why I married Mr. Pearson.

[Effie Perine]

Yes, very, very interesting. That brings us up to 1943. And it is only a quarter to 12.

[Netta Martini]

You're just like him. Always holding a top watch over my head.

[Effie Perine]

Always, Mrs. Pierson.

[Netta Martini]

Well, he drank, you know.

[Effie Perine]

Yes, I believe you mentioned that.

[Netta Martini]

But it's much more important than you think. He often fell down and bumped his head.

[Effie Perine]

Are you suggesting that your late husband's mysterious assailant was a double martini, two pictures full.

[Netta Martini]

Before dinner, Ernie often had to carry him up to his office.

[Effie Perine]

Do you know why he was working late last night, Mrs. Pierson?

[Netta Martini]

He had an appointment with a vice president of the firm, Mr. Harper. Something had come up and he wanted Jerome to sign some papers. I don't know what. It wasn't the first time I waited outside in the car.

[Effie Perine]

You were in the car when Ernie spoke to me?

[Netta Martini]

Oh, yes. And then he came back to the car and we talked.

[Effie Perine]

Ernie appears to have alibis. Upstairs, downstairs and all around you, Mrs.

[Netta Martini]

Well, then when the others came out and Jerome didn't, Ernie went upstairs to see.

[Effie Perine]

Why the others. Oh, you mean Mr. Harper and Ms. Duno.

[Netta Martini]

Yes. She's the attorney for the company.

[Effie Perine]

I know that.

[Netta Martini]

But if you think everything was legal between those two. Well, after all, who am I to call the kettle black?

[Effie Perine]

Mrs. Pearson, what are you trying to tell me?

[Netta Martini]

Between you and me, Mr. Moto, I think that Donahue woman knocked him down a flight of stairs. In his condition, he'd never remember.

[Effie Perine]

Why are you so anxious to incriminate Miss Donahue?

[Netta Martini]

Well, what would you say? She was the last one out of the building.

[Effie Perine]

Why did you not tell all this to the police when they investigated the attack on your husband last night?

[Netta Martini]

I didn't want to talk about his drinking. Things were bad enough already. That would just have been the end.

[Effie Perine]

I see. And what do you want me to do for you, Mrs. Bearson?

[Netta Martini]

Prove that Mary Donahue did it and Ernie didn't.

[Effie Perine]

I think I can rely on you to take care of Ernie.

[Netta Martini]

Oh, no, no. I don't want to alibi him unless I have to. He might get the wrong idea.

[Effie Perine]

Wrong idea?

[Netta Martini]

You might think it meant I still care for him. And I don't? Oh, I just can't stand him anymore. The way he chews on those toothpicks is just the end. And besides, if his alibi is too good, I might have trouble about that carbine I found in the backseat of my car.

[Effie Perine]

Yes, yes, but Mrs. Pearson. Mrs. Pearson, did you say you found a carbine in the backseat of your car?

[Netta Martini]

Yes. And for all I know, it may be the gun that killed my husband.

[Effie Perine]

Where was your car at the time your husband was killed?

[Netta Martini]

In the garage in the basement of the building where our apartment is.

[Effie Perine]

That is where Ernie appeared from just after the accident.

[Netta Martini]

He didn't make any secrets of it. Remember, he said he heard a noise and went to.

[Effie Perine]

You did not allow him to say very much. Tell me, this car of yours, is it a gray two door sedan?

[Netta Martini]

That's the whole point. And the car the murderer escaped in.

[Effie Perine]

Was a gray two door sedan. What is the license number of your car, Mrs. Pearson?

[Netta Martini]

Oh, wait. It's on my key ring here. 5D.

[Effie Perine]

That is quite sufficient, Mrs. Pearson. Why did you not tell me this before?

[Netta Martini]

I couldn't get up the nerve, Mr. Moto. After I heard you tell a policeman the gun that killed Jerome was a carbine. And the gray sedan and all that, it's. It's the end.

[Effie Perine]

I agree, Mrs. Pearson. It might very well be the end for Ernest.

[Netta Martini]

Well, I don't care if it is the way he's always wandering off the job. I mean, it is just the end.

[Effie Perine]

I sincerely hoped that she was right, but I did not think so. And when I went to examine the Grace sedan in the garage, I knew it was far from the end of the matter. It was the getaway car. But Ernie had turned into a very, very poor suspect. He was crouched on the carpet between the front and rear seat. He had been shot at closer range than Jerome Pearson. And the killer had used only one bullet in the base of his brain. I decided my next call would be our Mr. Harper.

[Netta Martini]

Monsoon Trading Company. Good afternoon. I'm sorry, Mr. Harper's in conference. Yes, I'll see that he gets your message. What can I do for you, sir?

[Effie Perine]

I would like to see Ms. Donahue, please.

[Netta Martini]

Ms. Donahue is in conference with Mr. Harper.

[Effie Perine]

That is splendid. I wish to See them both.

[Netta Martini]

I have orders not to disturb them.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you, but that is quite, quite unnecessary. I will do so myself.

[Netta Martini]

But there's a gentleman waiting ahead of you, sir.

[Sam Spade]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What's the idea of shoving this line? I'd push you in ahead of me, huh? I got personal connections here, mister. See, me and the chairman of the board were. I got connections, see. I'm getting very nervous with the sinus trouble.

[Effie Perine]

You follow me?

[Sam Spade]

I gotta see Harper. I gotta see Harper. I gotta see.

[Effie Perine]

I will be very glad to tell Mr. Harper that you are here, mister.

[Sam Spade]

Tell him.

[Effie Perine]

Tell him push on, Martin. Push butcher Martin. Yes.

[Sam Spade]

Tell him I ain't taking no run around. Tell him I got other contacts only. I'll listen to the reason. I kind of. I, I gotta have a fix right now. I, I settle for half. Only. Only no rubber checks. They owe me. They owe me.

[Effie Perine]

I, I, I, I, I will be most happy to deliver your message. Please, just relax.

[Sam Spade]

You, you, you tell the chairman of the board. You tell him I got a monkey.

[Effie Perine]

Looks like his brother.

[Sam Spade]

Now, look here.

[Effie Perine]

I left specific instructions. Unfortunately, Mr. Harper, my business with you and Ms. Donahue at the moment must take precedence over your business with each other.

[Sam Spade]

Well, I'm GLAD you're here, Mr. Moto. You know that this embezzling old fool actually had the nerve to threaten me.

[Effie Perine]

Excuse me, Ms. Donahue, I presume you are referring to Mr. Harper.

[Sam Spade]

Who else but the Dean of Double Entry?

[Effie Perine]

That's a lie.

[Netta Martini]

Now, look, why does he keep stalling.

[Sam Spade]

When I ask him to see his books? Ask him that, Mr. Moto. But I'm the attorney for the corporation and I have to make a tax break return. Well, you won't need the books for that.

[Effie Perine]

The Monsoon Company is broke.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, did Jerome Pearson ask for explanations?

[Mary Callahan]

Is that why you killed him?

[Sam Spade]

Listen to her, Mr. Moto.

[Effie Perine]

This is the hag who just informed me that she now owns 55% of the common stock of this corporation. Is that true, mister?

[Sam Spade]

Certainly it's true. I bought up Jerome's debts and threw an attachment on his dock.

[Effie Perine]

Perfectly legal, but not very ethical, was it?

[Sam Spade]

Well, you met him. He wasn't competent to run the firm. Dry martinis, one after the other. They came in very handy last night just before you pushed him down the stairs.

[Effie Perine]

Just a minute.

[Sam Spade]

I think you better be specific when you make an accusation like that, Mr. Harper. Gladly.

[Effie Perine]

You tricked Jerome into changing the beneficiary of his insurance. From whom to whom?

[Sam Spade]

The beneficiary was that muddle headed wife of his and he changed it to the Monsoon Trading, a corporation of the State of California.

[Effie Perine]

Which I gather is now mostly yourself, Ms. Donahue.

[Sam Spade]

You're writing the wrong brief, Mr. Moto.

[Effie Perine]

Huh?

[Netta Martini]

You can't try a corporation for murder.

[Effie Perine]

A personal responsibility can be fixed.

[Netta Martini]

Not a stockholder.

[Sam Spade]

And that's all I am.

[Effie Perine]

I believe you have a point there. On the other hand, Mr. Harper, as treasurer and first vice president. All right, Mr. Mohdo. What do you want? I want to see those cancelled checks. Gladly, Mr. Moto. Just step into the next office. I was somewhat surprised at his sudden willingness to cooperate. But when I had finished examining the cancelled checks, I was even more surprised. The Monsoon Company's payroll contained more checks for salesmen Than the net profit on legitimate imports, which was considerable. The most frequently recurring payee of these checks was a person named Jacob Martin. I recall the very nervous gentleman in the reception room who gave his name as Pusher Martin. Well, Moto, are you satisfied? Yes, thank you, Mr. Harper.

[Sam Spade]

Wait a minute.

[Netta Martini]

What's your game, Moto?

[Sam Spade]

Any child can see that those figures don't add up right.

[Effie Perine]

I am not interested in your business difficulties, Ms. Donahue. I am not even interested in whom killed Mr. Pearson. I am only interested in the motive behind his death. Well, she did it because she cheated her way to the top of the firm. Only to find that nothing could save the business but Jerome's life insurance.

[Sam Spade]

Now, wait a minute.

[Effie Perine]

I came here to investigate a tip on dope smuggling through your import business.

[Sam Spade]

What?

[Effie Perine]

Yesterday evening, Mr. Pearson seemed to have nothing to tell me. Last night, someone apparently attempted his life. This morning on the telephone, he said he had something important to tell me. He died before he could tell it. I think I know now what he wanted to tell me.

[Netta Martini]

What was that?

[Effie Perine]

That Mr. Harper, through juggling the books, was able to carry on a smuggling operation without Mr. Pearson knowledge. Recently, Mr. Harper appears to have been caught short. And you took advantage of the fact, Ms. Donahue. That was Pearson's fault. He withdrew a terrific amount of cash the day before he was killed.

[Sam Spade]

No explanation.

[Netta Martini]

I'll explain plenty when I drag you into court.

[Sam Spade]

You can count on me for a witness, Mr. Moto.

[Effie Perine]

My suspects were beginning to cancel each other out. But of one thing I was certain. The actual shootings had been done by a hired killer. And the fact that he operated in broad daylight on a crowded street, taking such desperate chances, indicated that he was either insane or a drug addict. I suspected the latter. As I left Harper's office, I observed Pusher Martin had decided not to wait. But I soon located him in a dingy establishment called the Atlas Hotel. What do you want? I want to talk to you, Mr. Pusher Martin. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Announcer]

Come on in.

[Sam Spade]

Come on, come on, come on.

[Effie Perine]

Got anything for me?

[Sam Spade]

Okay, okay. Where's the stuff?

[Effie Perine]

Do not be so impatient, Mr. Martin. I don't feel so good. I tell you, that monkey that's breaking my back. You can still feel worse.

[Sam Spade]

What do you want? What do you want? I got money. I got a check for a grand.

[Effie Perine]

That will not suffice. I need information. You don't get nothing from me. Who gave you that thousand dollar check, Martin?

[Sam Spade]

Leave me alone, will you?

[Effie Perine]

Leave me alone.

[Sam Spade]

Sick.

[Effie Perine]

I have plenty of time, Martin. And I feel very much better than you do. Will you find that croaker for me?

[Sam Spade]

I put. I want to send for a jollibee phase.

[Effie Perine]

I will do what I can for you, but you will have to help me. Who gave you that thousand dollar check? Oh, I can't stand it no more. It's breaking my back. I tell you. It will get worse, Martin. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Sam Spade]

My shit pot.

[Effie Perine]

Do not exert yourself. I will get it.

[Sam Spade]

This little spudge.

[Effie Perine]

On account.

[Sam Spade]

I'm so wet. I'm so wet. You see that? The signature. The chairman of the board.

[Effie Perine]

Yeah, yeah, chairman of the board. Who forged this signature, Martin.

[Sam Spade]

He wrote it himself. He wrote it himself right in front of me.

[Effie Perine]

What was it supposed to be in payment for? He wanted I should knock off his brother. Then you made a mistake, didn't you? Huh? He's dead, ain't he? Exactly.

[Sam Spade]

Well, the papers, the papers, they got it wrong.

[Effie Perine]

They got it wrong.

[Sam Spade]

That was his brother.

[Effie Perine]

His twin brother.

[Sam Spade]

That other guy, the chauffeur. He kept hanging around the garage.

[Effie Perine]

I had to burn him too, to get out. Do you know what you are saying? Yeah. Yeah. I don't feel so good.

[Sam Spade]

So I know I'm making sense. Oh, I got the sweat something terrible.

[Effie Perine]

Do not distress yourself, Martin. You will be in a very nice, cool place. Very shortly after I had turned Pusher Martin over to the police. I investigated his story as thoroughly as I could at that late hour. Apparently, it was quite impossible that Mr. Pearson could have had a brother, twin or otherwise. He was a first child. His mother died in childbirth and his father died one month later. Unfortunately, I was not finished with Mrs. Pearson.

[Netta Martini]

Mr. Moto, I've been calling and calling, trying to reach you. I. I've been so worried.

[Effie Perine]

Oh, it's just the end this time, Mrs. Beerfin. You may be Right.

[Netta Martini]

Can I fix you a drink? There's nothing in the house but those prepared martinis Jerome used to drink. Is that all right?

[Effie Perine]

I have never tasted prepared martinis, But I should be interested in sampling one of those, Mrs. Pierfin.

[Netta Martini]

I could use one myself. What did you think of Mary Donahue?

[Effie Perine]

Isn't she the end a most interesting ladies. I find you all most interesting.

[Netta Martini]

Jerome used to drink them cold, but I put in even more ice than nasty without.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you.

[Netta Martini]

Hope it doesn't make you fall down the way it did poor Jerome.

[Effie Perine]

Yes, indeed.

[Netta Martini]

Well, cheers.

[Effie Perine]

Cheers.

[Netta Martini]

What's the matter? Too dry for you?

[Effie Perine]

Did you open a fresh bottle when you made these?

[Netta Martini]

Why, yes. What's the matter?

[Effie Perine]

Where Is that bottle, Mrs. Dear? Sir, please.

[Netta Martini]

Right there by the ice bucket.

[Effie Perine]

Ah. Is this all your husband ever drank?

[Netta Martini]

Yes, gallons of it. It's a special brand. There's a whole case underneath.

[Effie Perine]

I'd like to examine that.

[Netta Martini]

Go right ahead. Help yourself.

[Effie Perine]

Same. And this one too. Mrs. Pearson, you are quite, quite sure that this is all your husband ever drank?

[Netta Martini]

Why, yes. He even took it with him to bars and in people's homes.

[Effie Perine]

I see.

[Netta Martini]

He'd sit and drink them right out of the bottle like a little child. Then he'd be falling down drunk. Of course. That's how we lost so many friends. They dropped us just like.

[Effie Perine]

Like flies.

[Netta Martini]

I believe you said before it was the end.

[Effie Perine]

Excuse me.

[Netta Martini]

Who are you phoning?

[Effie Perine]

Patience, Mrs. Pearson, and I think you will be very enlightened.

[Sam Spade]

Homicide, Mr. Gary speaking.

[Effie Perine]

This is Mr. Moto. Mr. Gary.

[Sam Spade]

Oh, yes, Mr. Moto.

[Effie Perine]

Has the autopsy been performed on Jerome Pearson yet?

[Sam Spade]

Yes, Mr. Moto. They rushed him through.

[Effie Perine]

Do you have the report at hand?

[Sam Spade]

Yeah, yeah.

[Effie Perine]

Right here in front of me.

[Sam Spade]

A funny thing, Mr. Moto. The doctor said they could have saved themselves the trouble.

[Effie Perine]

Huh?

[Sam Spade]

He would have been dead in a.

[Effie Perine]

Week, or he was ill. What ailment, Mr. Gary?

[Sam Spade]

Brain tumor? Malignant.

[Effie Perine]

Was there any alcohol present in the body?

[Sam Spade]

No, no. None from drinking, Mr. Moto.

[Effie Perine]

Is there a notation on the head wounds?

[Sam Spade]

No. Accidental falls due to periodic fainting spells. Part of his condition.

[Effie Perine]

Thank you, Mr. Garry. Thank you so very, very much.

[Netta Martini]

What is it, Mr. Moto? Were the martinis pulled?

[Effie Perine]

No, no, Mrs. Pearson. Quite the contrary. The martinis your husband drank contain nothing but colored water.

[Netta Martini]

Then what made him get so drunk?

[Effie Perine]

He did not fall down from drunkenness, Mrs. Pearson. Your husband was a very, very sick man.

[Netta Martini]

Who killed him?

[Effie Perine]

He killed himself.

[Netta Martini]

Oh, but he couldn't have.

[Effie Perine]

He used to. He employed a gunman to do it. But it was suicide.

[Netta Martini]

Why didn't he leave a note or something? He could have ruined us all.

[Effie Perine]

I imagine that is precisely what he wanted to do. You all thought that he was a hopeless drunk and took advantage of him. He allowed Mary Donahue to freeze him out of his interest in the company, let Mr. Harper juggle his books to cover a smuggling operation he was engaged in, and let you go your way with Ernie.

[Netta Martini]

But Mr. Boto.

[Effie Perine]

In short, Mrs. Pearson, your husband allowed all three of you to furnish yourselves with as convincing a set of motives as a jury could ask for.

[Netta Martini]

But Jerome wasn't like that. He must have intended it as a joke.

[Effie Perine]

In your case, that may very well be. But he would not have involved me in his plan just for a joke. I think he sincerely wanted to bring Ms. Donahue and Mr. Harper to justice. He must have wanted his suicide to be found out sooner or later in order to prevent them from collecting the insurance that would have kept the corporation from going bankrupt.

[Netta Martini]

Oh, really? Jerome was the end. Oh, what's going to become of us.

[Effie Perine]

All if Ms. Donahue and Mr. Harper do not go to prison? They will probably sue each other to death. You might even be forced to earn your own living, Mrs. Pearson.

[Netta Martini]

Oh, well, my mother always used to say that hell hath no fury like a dry martini. But this.

[Effie Perine]

You are so very, very right, miss. Mrs. Pearson, it is the end. I did not learn until later how thoroughly Mr. Pearson had planned his charade of the dry martini. The final joke was the check with which he paid the man he hired to kill him. It not only furnished proof that he was a suicide, it also bounced, thus depriving the assassin of his ill earned feet. Mr. Busher Martin should have heeded the advice of the Japanese sage who said, where profit is, loss is hidden nearby. And now, may the autumn fragrance of an October evening lie gently upon your lidded eyes and the cares of the day drift away as silently as the fallen petals of a flower upon the serene waters of a stream curving between two willow trees at a place where two lovers meet. Good night.

[Narrator]

Welcome back. Obviously a less funny episode, but I think Tolman did a good job making the idea from Sam Spade fit. The one thing I thought was clever was tying drug smuggling into the murder case. Tallman already had the drug angle kind of just there in 1948, but here he made it relevant to the plot. I do think the attempts to motoize Spade's lines are a bit mixed in this episode. He does seem much more sardonic than Moto typically was in the rest of the radio series and the circulating episodes. But then again, these characters are pretty much as bad as the characters in the Sam Spade story, so I couldn't blame Moto for being a bit frustrated. The biggest flaw in the rewrite was when Pearson offered Moto a glass of his mixed martini. Now, given that this was water and it was key to his plan to fake being drunk, if Moto had accepted, it'd be a huge problem and Moto would know right away that something was up. Now, he may have been betting on Moto not accepting the offered drink, but still, it seems like a rather pointless risk. Other than that, it was a pretty good recycling job that almost seamlessly brought a Sam Spade episode to life as an episode of Mr. Moto. Well, now it is time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day and I want to go ahead and thank Bettina. Bettina has been one of our Patreon supporters quarter since May 2021, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Bettina, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. We will be back next Sunday with our final listener support slash appreciation special, but join us back here tomorrow for the adventures of the Falcon Ware.

[Sam Spade]

After the Sergeant and I broke down the door, we. You found Danny? Yes. I still don't understand why he did it. It's pretty obvious. He was working for the Greek and he knew it was the chair once they nabbed him. It's all my fault. If I'd done a better job, he wouldn't have turned out this way. Who's to say? I am. I want your help so as I can make it up to him. Well, isn't it a little late? Well, better late than never. I want you to find the man they call the Greek.

[Announcer]

Find the Greek?

[Sam Spade]

Yes. I want to know who and what he is. So do the police. They've been trying to identify him for years. Danny knew. Well, he certainly isn't going to spill it now. There must be some way. No, no, forget it. I told you.

[Effie Perine]

I know.

[Sam Spade]

The police have been trying to run him down for years. Well, maybe they're making the same mistakes over and over again. That should make it easier for you. Well, I wouldn't know where to start. I don't care about the where. The important thing is when. And here's $500 to do it now.

[Narrator]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box Thirteenreatetectives.net follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.