Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Circus Animal Matter (Encore) (EP4753)

Summary

Episode Summary: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Circus Animal Matter (Encore) (EP4753)

Introduction

In this enthralling encore presentation of "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar," listeners are transported back to December 10, 1949, immersing themselves in a classic Old Time Radio detective drama. Hosted by Adam Graham, the episode delves into the mysterious happenings surrounding Maximilian Sandro's Animal Show, where a prized black leopard named Ashanti becomes the central figure in a web of deceit, danger, and diamond-laden intrigue.

Plot Summary

Act One: The Investigation Begins

The story unfolds with Johnny Dollar, a seasoned freelance insurance investigator, submitting his meticulously detailed expense account for his latest case: the unscheduled performances at Maximilian Sandro's Animal Show in Brunswick, Georgia. Johnny arrives at a vacant lot adjacent to the circus grounds, where he encounters Tex Randall, a key figure involved with the exotic animals.

Johnny initiates the investigation by questioning Tex about the security of Ashanti, the black leopard insured for $20,000 by Britannia Underwriters Association. Tex reveals that a theft attempt was made on Ashanti just a week prior, narrowly thwarted by his quick thinking. He expresses concern over the high value of Ashanti, stating:

Johnny Dollar [02:34]: "Oh, good. I'm Johnny Dollar from the insurance company."
Tex Randall [04:25]: "I'm gonna make a big plan. I'm going to get all the money I can put a hands on to buy her from this amount of tax."

Through their dialogue, it's evident that Ashanti's unique attributes make her a coveted target among rival animal showmen. Johnny's keen observation skills come to the fore as he notes discrepancies in Tex's statements, hinting at deeper undercurrents within the circus operations.

Act Two: Unveiling the Conspiracy

As the night progresses, tensions escalate when Johnny is ambushed and knocked unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness, he discovers the lifeless body of Tex Randall, signaling the case's gravity. Johnny promptly contacts the Brunswick Police Department, reporting the murder and the missing leopard.

Enter Maximilian Sandro, who introduces himself under the guise of Sir Bennet Mountford. He interrogates Johnny, probing into the circumstances surrounding Ashanti's disappearance. Mountford unveils a startling revelation:

Maximilian Sandro [20:20]: "She was captured in the Togo territory of West Africa... They say they can get $100,000 for her back in Africa."

The plot thickens as Mountford divulges that Ashanti is not merely a valuable animal but also the holder of half a million dollars in uncut diamonds concealed within her cage—a treacherous plan orchestrated by the notorious Tex Randall. The narrative reaches its climax when Mountford attempts to eliminate Johnny to secure his illicit gains, only to be thwarted by Ashanti's untamed prowess.

In a dramatic turn of events, Ashanti escapes, leaving Mountford incapacitated and the diamond cache untouched. Johnny successfully resolves the case, ensuring Ashanti's safety and bringing the culprits to justice.

Key Characters

• Johnny Dollar: The astute and resourceful insurance investigator, adept at navigating complex situations with wit and determination.

• Tex Randall: A scheming individual involved with the animal show, whose greed leads to fatal consequences.

• Maximilian Sandro / Sir Bennet Mountford: The charismatic and duplicitous owner of the animal show, orchestrating a dangerous scheme to profit from Ashanti and hidden diamonds.

• Angela Sandro: Maximilian Sandro's daughter, whose involvement adds emotional depth and complexity to the narrative.

Notable Quotes

• Johnny Dollar [07:17]: "I guess somewhere way down in the tap roots of My family tree. There probably was an ancestor with a low forehead, bearskin overalls and a club who went into an unpleasant double take when he found himself face to face with a leopard..."

• Maximilian Sandro [20:09]: "The Togo territory is inhabited by the Awe tribe... they are animal worshipers. Now, does the point sink home?"

• Johnny Dollar [21:29]: "Yeah, you go on back to Chogo and I'll cable you the address."

These quotes underscore the characters' motivations and the unfolding tension, enriching the story's depth and engagement.

Host Insights and Commentary

After the dramatization, host Adam Graham provides insightful commentary on the episode's nuances. He highlights the unique aspect of Johnny Dollar's expense accounts, which serve as a narrative device driving the story forward. Graham remarks:

"The expense account on this one is interesting just because this version of Johnny Dollar tends to be the one who pads it the most. And I do think that for some writers this could be a bit of a straightjacket."

He further discusses the challenges writers face in adhering to the original format, balancing detailed expense reports with compelling storytelling. This reflection sheds light on the creative processes behind maintaining the integrity of classic radio dramas.

Graham also engages with listener feedback, acknowledging comments such as:

"Joey rides. This version of Johnny Dollar is probably the funniest. It makes fun of itself really. Well, thanks Joey."

He announces upcoming changes to the podcast's lineup, informing listeners of the transition to Edmund O'Brien's portrayal of Johnny Dollar in future episodes. Additionally, he teases the return of a unique Christmas episode closer to the holiday season, adding anticipation for long-time fans.

Conclusion

"Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Circus Animal Matter (Encore)" masterfully intertwines suspense, mystery, and classic detective flair, offering listeners a captivating journey through the Golden Age of Radio. With its intricate plot, memorable characters, and engaging host commentary, the episode stands as a testament to the enduring allure of old-time radio dramas. Whether you're a seasoned aficionado or new to the genre, this installment promises intrigue and entertainment in equal measure.

Transcript

[Johnny Dollar]

Sam.

[Adam Graham]

Hello, this is your host, Adam Graham, reminding you to listen on July 13th as we bring you the premiere of the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio. And also reminding you that today's program comes from our archives. And so any offers and information contained therein may not be valid unless currently reflected on our Great Detective of Old Time radio [e-mail] but now, on with Circus Week.

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to me, box [e-mail] Follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and become one of our friends on Facebook. Facebook.com RadioDetectives I do want to remind you as you're making your travel plans, remember johnnydollaraire.com johnnydollerair.com is a Priceline affiliate link so you get all of the benefits of going through priceline.com such as being able to name your own price on hotels, rental cars, airline tickets and even more. Or choosing from great published fares. But part of the purchase price goes to support the great detectives of Old Time Radio at no additional cost to you. So remember, when making your travel plans, check johnnydoller air.com first. Now it's time for today's episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. The original air date is December 10th of 1949, and this one is the circus animal showmatter.

[Johnny Dollar]

They say big game hunting is a sport only for the wealthy. Well, it didn't cost me much except almost my life.

[Narrator]

This is another in the adventures of America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator Johnny Dollar at Insurance Investigation. Johnny Dollar is only an expert at making out his expense account. He's an absolute genius.

[Johnny Dollar]

Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny $2. Home Office Britannia Underwriters Association, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of my expenditures during my investigation of the unscheduled performances in Maximilian Sandro's Animal Show. Or all they needed was a clown and then I showed up. Or I once thought I'd run away with a circus. This one I wanted to run away from. Expense Account, Item 1, $70.21 Train and Cab fare from Hartford to a vacant lot just outside Brunswick, Georgia. The winner quarters of Maximilian Sandro's Animal Show. The first animal to show was an elephant. Bravo. Bravo. Hey, mister, where can I find Maximilian? Sandra. Hey, mister, I want to answer your question.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Please.

[Tex Randall]

You're not so loud. You upset Blanca. I'm going to try to teach you.

[Johnny Dollar]

An aria for next season an aria. Well, that should set opera back 10 years.

[Tex Randall]

That's the only musical elephant in the world. The pocket.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, look, I'll stop interrupting rehearsal if you'll tell me where I can find your boss. Maximilian Sandro.

[Tex Randall]

My boss? Yeah, it is I. I am Maximilian Sandro.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, good. I'm Johnny Dollar from the insurance company.

[Tex Randall]

Oh, let's make it something else. Blanca you arrest. I'm gonna come back when I'm through with Mr. Dollar.

[Johnny Dollar]

As I understand it, Mr. Sandro.

[Tex Randall]

Ah, that's a poor Blanca. She don't like to see me go, you know, she's like a puppy to me. But this is the new black leopard. That's the beginning of all of my trouble. I'm gonna show you to her. Someone should try to steal her. And that's what I don't want, Mr. Doll.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, since Britannia Underwriters insured her for 20,000. That is what they don't want too.

[Tex Randall]

That cost me too much to get her from Africa. To lose her, that would ruin my financials. Everything would go. These are my monkeys.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah. Hi. Look, Mr. Sandro, how does anybody go about stealing a neat little package like a black leopard? And why?

[Tex Randall]

Why? Because she's a very special leopard. She's a very big, very shiny. I'm gonna name her Ashanti. She's gonna be my price of fraction. There's lots of animal shows would like.

[Johnny Dollar]

To have of it. Oh, you suspect your competition?

[Tex Randall]

Oh, she.

[Johnny Dollar]

When was the attempt made?

[Tex Randall]

One night last week. They make with the truck. They tried to pull her cage away and. Whizz. Safer. Just in time. This is my finches, the parakeets, the cocaine. And this is my crow.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, very nice. Colorful. Did you try and trace the truck, man?

[Tex Randall]

No. So now it's a trace. They went away. Whoosh, no lights. And it's something else that's not right at all.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh yeah? What's that?

[Tex Randall]

I'mma make a big plan. I'm going to get all the money I can put a hands on to buy her from this amount of tax. Random. And now he say the money that was enough before is not enough. Now he think he cheat me to surrender.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, I'd like to help you with that too, Mr. Sandro, but I'm afraid that's your problem. My job is to see that your leopard isn't stolen.

[Tex Randall]

I see. I know you get to pay for your job, but you do it and that's. Oh no. There is a shot. There is my leper.

[Johnny Dollar]

I guess somewhere way down in the tap roots of My family tree. There probably was an ancestor with a low forehead, bearskin overalls and a club who went into an unpleasant double take when he found himself face to face with a leopard. I know the feeling I had when I saw a shady was inherited from somebody. My feet wanted to run, but my eyes wouldn't leave her as she paced back and forth in about a 12 by 12 cage. Baleful yellow eyes set in a sable black face. Ears laid back and tail lashing in anger. And lips that drew up, showing the nastiest set of choppers I've ever seen. He was beautiful, all right. But my vote would have gone to the iron bars that separated us. They were downright gorgeous.

[Tex Randall]

Be a good girl. Pretty soon you and me will be good friends. You see, Mr. Dollar right now, Ashanti, she's a very angry. She's a boy inside, but I'm annoy my animals. Not long, she's going to eat out of my head.

[Johnny Dollar]

Look like you make a meal out of it right up to the elbow. Hey, Slam.

[Angela Sandro]

Oh, you choose this humbly.

[Tex Randall]

This is Mr. Dollar. He's come from the insurance company.

[Angela Sandro]

Well, howdy, Mr. Dollar. I'm Tex Randall.

[Tex Randall]

This is the man I tell you about.

[Johnny Dollar]

How are you? You mean you captured this thing?

[Angela Sandro]

Yeah, I brung her in from the Togo Territory in West Africa.

[Johnny Dollar]

I thought my racket was tough sometimes. What do you use, catnip?

[Angela Sandro]

Nope. I dug me a pit, covered her with a mat and some dirt, put me a fresh killed goat in the middle. And when the cat fell in, I got some ropes on her and trussed her up.

[Johnny Dollar]

Make it sound simple.

[Tex Randall]

Oh, she make it sound simple. And why does it cheat me? Why don't stay with the first prize?

[Angela Sandro]

Hey, now you take a listen to me, Sandro. I told you I'd give you your money back and sell this cat somewhere else. The trip cost more than I thought it would and I ain't about to lose dough on it just to make you happy.

[Tex Randall]

Sometimes I'm a thinker. You don't talk straight. I'mma go back to my elephant for now, Mr. Dollar.

[Johnny Dollar]

Okay, Mr. Sandro, I'll check with you later.

[Angela Sandro]

He spent too much time talking to critters. He don't make no sense out of nothing.

[Johnny Dollar]

Right.

[Angela Sandro]

I'm glad you're here, Dollar. I ain't been 20 yards away from this cat since I got her here. Been bunking in that sleeping bag every night, right close to the cage. Now maybe I can get a break.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, then you must have been here the night Somebody tried to put the snatch on her. Did you spot anybody?

[Angela Sandro]

Nobody I could be sure of. Except maybe the little blonde guy. He left me something to remember him by. Wait till I pull my shirt out. Looky there, looky there, on my back. Just took the stitches out today.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, ouch.

[Angela Sandro]

Ouch is right. Little runt caught me half in and half out of my sleeping bag. Doc says if that knife blade had gone in another hair's breadth, I'd have been Bill.

[Johnny Dollar]

And with that, happy thought. Tex Randall, a hard man to kill, left to go into town. I watched a shanty turn into enough raw meat to keep a kennel of Great Danes happy for a week, after which he settled down for what you might call the original catnap. Sandro's elephant. Settled down to a short vocal lesson and I settled down for a game of mumblypeg. But before I could get warmed up, I had a visitor. Hello. Wow. The Ava Gardner type with darker hair and olive skin.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

You look as though you could use some company, Mr. Dahmer.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, who couldn't? I was beginning to think the only females around here walked on all fours.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

I've had the same feeling about the males. Then. Then he didn't mention me.

[Johnny Dollar]

Who?

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Pop? The boss?

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, no, no. Sando didn't mention much of anything but his black leopard.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Well, I'm Angela, his daughter.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, I see. Probably forgot to mention you on purpose. Hoping to keep my mind where it belongs, on my work.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

That's what I came to talk to you about. What can you do? You can't stay with Ashanti for the rest of her life, can you?

[Johnny Dollar]

Before I found out about you, I would have said no.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Please be serious.

[Johnny Dollar]

All right. There's only one thing to do if the leopard isn't safe here. And from what I've seen and heard, I don't think she is. I'll just have to take her someplace else until this is all cleared up.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Take her someplace else? But that would break Dad's heart.

[Johnny Dollar]

It would break the heart of the company that hired me if Ashanti turned up missing. Look, he can't take her on the road until next summer. We'll keep her safe until then. I'm sorry, but it's all I can do.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Poor dad. He's going to hate you for it, you know.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, well, that I can stand. But there's no sense your wasting our time feeling the same way.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

I didn't say I would, did I? As a matter of fact, I was going to stay right here until you asked me out. To dinner or something?

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, well, let's not hurry. Stick around. I'll figure out where to invite you when I know you better. And there, during the waning hours of the Georgia day. I learned that up to a point. Angela was an easy girl to know. She liked cocktails, dinner and dancing. So that's the schedule we set up for later, as soon as Tex Randall showed up to temporarily relieve me of my duties as leopard sitter. But at martini time, I was still sitting. And may I say that the cocktail hour spent in the middle of a menagerie is not the restful period it's supposed to be. As soon as the sun dropped, the noise rose wild brains and caged bodies reacting to the night, instinctively telling the countryside that whether they were free or not, this was their hunting time. I not only felt like Tarzan of the Apes, I felt uneasy. Ashanti complained to me. A light from somewhere behind me glinted in her eye, then disappeared as she started her back and forth pacing again. Sounded like she was trying to tell me something. She was. I was too stupid to understand it.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Oh.

[Johnny Dollar]

Whatever hit me from behind didn't land hard enough. I stayed on my feet, but a pair of strong hands twisted my arms behind my back and with one hand pushed my wrists into a double hammer lock. The point of a knife was jabbing on my back and started moving me forward toward the cage. The leopard stopped her pacing as she saw me coming. She reached out between the bars for me, her great paw spread, claws extended. The last thing I saw was her smiling face and the paw reaching. Then there was a lunge behind me and something hit my head again. The cocktail hour was over. I'd passed out without a drink.

[Narrator]

In just a moment, we will return to the second act of Johnny Dollar. But first, last week, Vaughn Monroe's Caravan saluted the Rose bowl team. Tonight, Vaughn will play the favorite songs of Louisiana State and Oklahoma, the Sugar bowl team. Vaughn's Caravan will also bring you the five top tunes of the week as chosen by Variety. And later, Gene Autry will be here with his western music and cowboy humor. The Vaughn Monroe Caravan and the Gene Autry show are regular Saturday evening features of most of the same CBS station. Now with our star, Charles Russell, we return to the second act of yours truly, Johnny Doll.

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, sir, I don't know how I lived through that one, but as it turned out, I did. When I opened my eyes, I was still in Georgia, but that condition was about all that hadn't changed for the worse. My head was not only aching in the back. But a new lump had been born above the bridge of my nose, but nothing else had been added. When I finally got to my feet, I saw that only a trace was left of a shanty, the black leopard. A pair of ruts in the dirt made when a wheeled cage had been hauled away. I started out to find Sandro and a telephone, but one of my feet found something else before I'd taken three steps. I didn't know how he had gotten where I was supposed to be, but he'd made it. Tex Randall. His neck twisted and the marks of the claws on the side of his battered head.

[Narrator]

Police Department, Central Precinct. Sergeant Miller.

[Johnny Dollar]

Hello, My name is Dollar. I'm an insurance investigator. I'm calling from the winter quarters of the Maximilian Sandros animal show. From the owner's trailer. I want to report two things. There's a body out here that your coroner take a look at. Either accidental or murder. Hey, Lieutenant, get on grand larceny. Somebody stole a black leopard.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Oh, now listen to this.

[Tex Randall]

Is your idea of a joke?

[Johnny Dollar]

It's too late to joke, Sergeant. Just send some men out. I'll give them the rest of the story when they get here. Joke yet? What passes for humor in Georgia anyway? Hey, Sandro. Sandro, come home. Nobody answered me but an old Libyan lion, so I shut up. I browsed around Sandro's trailer when I was waiting for the police. I wasn't looking for anything, but I found it on a table. There was a small Christmas tree that had been transformed into what is commonly known as a friendship tree, meaning that about a half a dozen Christmas cards were hung on with cellophane tape. There was nothing else to read, so I scanned through those and the third one I opened. Open my eyes. It was inscribed, Sorry I can't be with you. Greetings from San Francisco. Your loving daughter, Angela. Before I could fully digest that tidbit, I heard a shoe scrape on the steps outside and the trailer door opened. Well, here he is, Ben.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

I told you we'd find him here.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Yes, very good, my dear.

[Johnny Dollar]

The man with the Angela by whom I had so recently been taken in looked 50ish capable, suntanned and well armed.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Well, well, well, Mr. Duller. You don't appear to be surprised.

[Johnny Dollar]

After what's happened already tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if General Sherman dropped in on his way back from the sea.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Yes, splendid, splendid. I admire a show of courage, a sense of humor at the point of a gun.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, think nothing of it. Sometimes my jokes are so funny they kill people.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

I think we'd better get him out of here, Ben. I don't think it's safe.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Yes, you took the words right off the tip of my tongue, my dear. Shall we go, Mr. Dalla?

[Johnny Dollar]

Should I ask where and why?

[Maximilian Sandro]

I've taken a small place in town. There, at our leisure, we shall discuss a fascinating subject, namely the whereabouts of a splendid black leopard. Move right ahead, Mr. Dollar. Oh, my dear, run up to Harold's room, fetch him down. I may need him.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

All right, then.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Into this room, Mr. Dollar. And please be seated.

[Johnny Dollar]

If you don't mind my asking, Ben, how do you manage?

[Maximilian Sandro]

My dear sir, it just so happens that my full name and title is Sir Bennet Mountford. The term of familiarity, Ben, is to be used only by my closest friends. Now, if you will couch your question properly.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, it wasn't important. I just wondered, since that gun seems to be so much a part of you, how do you manage without shooting yourself while shaving?

[Maximilian Sandro]

You've already wit, haven't you? I know the proper time and place for a weapon, my boy. I've learned from experience. I chose early in youth as my evocation the hunting of big game. If you had faced the last desperate charge of a wounded lion or a maddened rhino. As I face them, you too would realize that a good weapon, properly aimed, is man's best friend. Which brings us to the subject of our mutual interest. The black leopard. Where have you hidden her?

[Johnny Dollar]

What makes you think I have?

[Maximilian Sandro]

No, no, no, no. Let's have no deception, sir. The report brought back by my charming accomplice who so ably posed as the daughter of that stupid showman, Mr. Sandro, was that you made no secret of your plan to carry off the cat to a place of safety. You will not deny that.

[Johnny Dollar]

Why should I? You wouldn't believe me if I did.

[Maximilian Sandro]

An admirable attitude, sir. Now, once more, where is the leopard?

[Johnny Dollar]

If I told you, it wouldn't be worth much as a hiding place, would it?

[Maximilian Sandro]

If you do not tell me, sir, your life will be worth very little. Come now, perhaps your loyalties are misplaced. What did that market hunter, Mr. Randall, tell you about the cat?

[Johnny Dollar]

Not much, except that he got a knife in the back, put there by somebody who was trying to steal her.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Well then, sir, I'll spin you a tale that'll set your blood to pounding. What would you say, my boy, if I told you that that black leopard is worth a king's ransom?

[Johnny Dollar]

I don't know. I'd probably ask why.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Well, she is, sir, and I'LL tell you why. She was captured in the Togo territory of West Africa. I am quite familiar with that section. I found it there. A district par excellence for elephant, buffalo and Situatanga. As a matter of fact, I was there before and shortly after Randall's infamous trapping of that fine beast. Did he tell you that?

[Johnny Dollar]

Well, he did. Didn't make any impression. I hear there are a lot of people in Africa.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Well, to continue, the Togo territory is inhabited by the Awe tribe, a group of long headed patrilineal people whose most interesting characteristic at this moment is the fact that they are animal worshipers. Now, does the point sink home?

[Johnny Dollar]

Vaguely. That leopard Randall snagged is important to.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Them, is that it? Yes, precisely. You struck it. And they'll pay a veritable fortune for her return. $100,000 in gold. Now that I've let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, you have a price in mind? In return for which you will share with me the hiding place of the animal.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, you go on back to Chogo and I'll cable you the address.

[Maximilian Sandro]

It's obvious, sir, that you are not in full command of your senses. Harold. Harold.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Yes?

[Johnny Dollar]

Hold your office. I'm coming. Look, if Harold is your violence department, Ben, you can save your breath. And his muscles, I'm not having any.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Stay where you are, sir. I give you fair warning.

[Johnny Dollar]

Nuts to your fair warning. You want to find that black leopard and I'm the only one that knows where she is. You're not going to do it by puncturing me.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Come back here, you fool. Come back here.

[Johnny Dollar]

Take it easy, Ben. I'll get him from the stairs. That's far enough, Mr. Dollough. You better call off your infantry, Ben. All right, wise guy, here it comes.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Adam, wait. Let him go. What's the matter, you crazy? He's going to kill me. Let him go, lest Randall have the upper hand.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, brother. As I went out, I caught a glimpse of the man Mountford had called Harold, the same little blonde runt Randall had talked about that wrapped up the question of who had played tic tac toe with a knife on a Texan. But 10 yards of sir Ben's front walk later, I suddenly remembered Mountford's last words. Lest Randall have the upper hand, he said. It sounded like he didn't know Randall was dead, which shook my head and in a strictly nonsensical way, made sense. There was only one place for me to go, so that's where I went back to Maximilian Sandro's animal show. When I got There I was awake, but all the smart animals were asleep. Except for one.

[Tex Randall]

Mr. Dollar.

[Johnny Dollar]

Maximilian. Sandro hailed me from the lee side of a tent.

[Tex Randall]

Come here, Mr. Dollar, into the shadows. The police is by my trailer.

[Johnny Dollar]

Where have you been, Sandro?

[Tex Randall]

I was hiding. But I worry so much about you. When I come back where you are, you're not there.

[Johnny Dollar]

What do you mean by your black leopard's cage? I'd left that place. Had unpleasant memories for me.

[Tex Randall]

Oh, see, see, me too. I'm a sad. You see, when I'm gonna see that man Orando is a push you to the cage with a knife. Imma go crazy. I'm nothing. I'm gonna run up and push. So then you fall. You hit your head in the bottom of the cage. And then Ashanti, she hit the Randle instead. And I'm so sorry.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, don't bother with an apology to me.

[Tex Randall]

No, no, no, no, no. You don't understand. Look, I'm gonna commit the murder with these two hands. I'm gonna push him on the leopard.

[Johnny Dollar]

Oh, well, there's such a thing as justifiable homicide. You were saving my life, so let's not worry about it until it gets to court. If it does. Where did you take your cat?

[Maximilian Sandro]

Oh, you know that nobody else has.

[Johnny Dollar]

Her, so you must. You were at the right place at the right time to haul her away.

[Tex Randall]

All right, I tell you true, see, I take her away where she's safe. I keep her where she is until this trouble is no more.

[Johnny Dollar]

Now, listen to me, Sandro. I know how you feel. But I've met the people who are after your leopard. They say they can get $100,000 for her back in Africa.

[Tex Randall]

$100,000? Consequento.

[Johnny Dollar]

But that kind of money, they'll never stop looking for her. The only way to stop them is to let them find her. And then we'll try and wind this thing up.

[Tex Randall]

Wind up?

[Maximilian Sandro]

Finish.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah. Oh, I'm pretty sure I've been followed here. Now, will you take me to the hideout? No.

[Tex Randall]

So these people, they follow you there? I'm not like that.

[Johnny Dollar]

I don't either, Sandro. A hundred thousand dollars worth of cheese would even make a mouse. Sandro was a hard man to convince. I wasted more words than a Republican campaigner. And then I used blackmail. Then I told him I'd turn him in for Randall's killing and testify against him instead of for him. He saw things my way. The leopard's lair turned out to be an abandoned barn five miles farther out of town. To which we went in a truck that Sandro had driven into that jungle type vacant lot.

[Tex Randall]

Now, come this way, please. This way.

[Johnny Dollar]

Okay.

[Tex Randall]

It's a little side door.

[Johnny Dollar]

Ashanti was performing that old dance of hers again, pacing the length of her cage back and forth, her head swinging rhythmically each time she turned. We'd made ourselves easy enough to follow on the way out. But my neck was getting stiff from helping my eyes follow the leopard's movements before I heard a sound outside the door. It sounded like a bolt jamming a shell into the chamber of a rifle. And that's what it was. Because a rifle was what Sir Bennett Mountford was carrying when the trio came in. Close the door, Harold.

[Angela Sandro]

I just did.

[Maximilian Sandro]

You, my dear, stay here out of harm's way.

[Sir Bennet Mountford]

Yes, I'll be All right.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Well, Mr. Dollar, I would say that the long stock is successfully completed. The search ended.

[Johnny Dollar]

Quite a hunter. Not for somebody should crown you with a coon skin cap with a raccoon still living in it.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Yes, I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself, sir. Since the time for levity is on the wing, so to speak, Harold.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yeah, name it.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Keep these two in your sights with a ready finger on the trigger. I'll set about putting this vicious cat out of existence.

[Tex Randall]

No, he's not shooting my shank.

[Johnny Dollar]

Hey, Marfa, are you crazy? Put that rifle down. Shut up, Dolly. You aren't running things. Marfa, if that cat's worth a hundred grand alive, why kill her?

[Maximilian Sandro]

Because we shall realize a much greater profit with her debt. Namely a half million of uncut diamonds that are hidden in the floor of her cage.

[Johnny Dollar]

Diamonds? Well, they couldn't have been safer, could they?

[Maximilian Sandro]

Precisely Randall's idea when he put them there in Africa. Now, stand aside, sir. I don't wish to fire through your head, but I will if I must shoot them.

[Tex Randall]

I shot.

[Johnny Dollar]

Hey, watch that maniac. He's going to let that cat out big. Stop him.

[Tex Randall]

Not first.

[Maximilian Sandro]

Don't move.

[Tex Randall]

I'll meet a charge.

[Johnny Dollar]

No.

[Tex Randall]

Shantu, run. Run for your life.

[Johnny Dollar]

Mountford had a lot of guts, but sometimes luck helps. And that night, he didn't have any. Ashanti sprang straight to the little door of a cage. She was still in the air when she went past him, head high. And as she did, one of her fatal front paws reached out for him. It looked almost delicate, but the force of the blow sent Mountford clear across the barn. And when he landed, he didn't move. Ashanti streaked toward a square of night sky showing through a window. And she was gone.

[Tex Randall]

Ashanti Ashanti. Come back.

[Johnny Dollar]

I turned back away from the window to check on the rest of our guests, but they were gone. Apparently there was something about a leopard on the loose that had made a half a million dollars in diamonds. Not as important to Harold and the phony Angela as distance between them and that barn. So there I was, suddenly left with nothing to worry about. If you can call enough diamonds to stock the Kimberly mines. Nothing. Expense account. Item 2. Item 2. A case like this and I haven't lit up a cent. Oh well, Christmas is coming. Item 2, $3 cab fare from Brunswick police headquarters to hotel after giving them my statement, which they didn't believe until they saw those diamonds. Then they sent out a three state alarm to pick up the phony Angela and Montford shiv man Harold and expense account. Item 3, $70.21 train and cab fare, Brunswick to Hartford. Oh, and this advice I'll toss in for free. At last report, a shanty was seen headed west toward Okefenokee Swamp and Sandra was organizing a group to go after her. My advice is this. Don't insure the lives of those men. If you want to throw your money away, throw it to me. Expense account total $152.70. Signed yours truly, Johnny Frank Buck Dol.

[Narrator]

Yours truly Johnny Dollar stars Charles Russell. Tonight's script by Paul Dudley and Gil Dowd was produced and directed by Ralph Rose. Featured in the cast were Lynn Allen, Larry Dobkin, Bill Conrad and Parley Bear. The special music is written and conducted by Leith Stevens. Your announcer Bob Ste. Be sure to be with us at the same time next week when another unusual expense account is handed in by.

[Johnny Dollar]

Yours truly, Honey Dollar.

[Narrator]

Teamwork, that's the American way. Working together to produce more per man, per machine, per hour so that everybody on the team benefits. The American economic system is geared to benefit all of the people. Under this system, everybody moves together toward the common goal of better living. The better we produce, the better we live. For your free copy of the booklet the Miracle of America, write Box 10, Times Square Station, New York City. Stay tuned now for Vaughn Monroe's Caravan which follows immediately on most of the same CBS station. This is CBS where yours truly Johnny Dollar meets adventure every Saturday night. The Columbia Broadcasting.

[Adam Graham]

Threatening to falsely accuse someone of murder is just a bit of high handed to get cooperation. But Johnny did get the job done. The expense account on this one is interesting just because this version of Johnny Dollar tends to be the one who pads it the most. And I don't know if it reflects a whole lot about his character, but it does reflect the challenge of the format, which if you want to tell a story, you have really to stick with the original Johnny Dollar format, you've really got to come up with stuff that will fit for expense account entries. And I do think that for some writers this could be a bit of a straightjacket. And that might be one reason why when you get into the later Bailey and the Reddick and Kramer episodes, you see Johnny getting away from long detailed expense account reports, often including reports the item miscellaneous, so that all that doesn't need to be itemized. Alright, well some listener comments and feedback now. Joey rides. This version of Johnny Dollar is probably the funniest. It makes fun of itself really. Well, thanks Joey. I appreciate your answer. I do want to go ahead and let everyone know that this particular take on Johnny Dollar we'll be moving away from in two weeks we'll be getting into the Edmund o' Brien episodes. Now I will mention that there is a Christmas episode which we're not playing right now, but we will play a little closer to the holidays. It's the only Johnny Dollar Christmas episode until the Jack Johnstone years, so it'll be interesting to hear. I don't have great memories of it, but it's a Christmas episode and it's gonna be close to Christmas so we'll kind of circle back to that. But we'll be switching to Edmund o' Brien in just a couple weeks as our main Johnny Dollar for the next year and a half. Alright, I also want to go ahead and thank our Patreon Supporter of the day and thank you so much to Jonathan. Jonathan has been one of our patreon supporters since August 2018, currently supporting us at the Detective Sergeant level of $15 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Jonathan. And that will actually be all for today. Join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet. Next Friday, another episode of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. In the meantime, send your comments to [e-mail] follow us on Twitter Radio Detectives and become one of our friends on Facebook. Facebook.com RadioDetectives From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Grah.

[Johnny Dollar]

And off.