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
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Now it's time for today's adventure of Let George do It. This one.
We actually had a couple lost episodes in here, and I'll tell you
the Toddles when we get back, but today's episode is from November tenth,
nineteen fifty two, and the Toddle is dead on arrival. Person, I'll
not as dangers might stock and Trade. If the John's do tell for you
to hand it. You've got a job for me, George Valentine right,
pull details standard Oil Company of California invites you to let George do it.
In just a month, it will begin Tonight's adventure of George Valentine. I'm
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say at mean we take better care of your car now. Tonight's story Dead
on Arrival, a transcribed adventure of George Valentine. Dear mister Valentine, believe
me, I do have a job that's too tough for me to handle,
and only you can help me. You see, I'm away from the man
I love very much. The only thing that will bring us together is your
meeting me at the bus terminal the very moment I get there at ten h
six wednes They love Brooksie. Oh John Bristol coffee shop a joining bus terminal
Web Breakfast seventy five. I told you I already had brick. Well,
y'all have another one. Oh, Brooksie, your cousin's wedding did something to
you? You look? Yeah, well, radio good enough to serve on
a silver pladder. Hey, that's an idea, a silver blad. Everybody,
look, I'm happy, don't Oh it's oh my. You know what
happened when Mary krew a bridal bouquet. I caught it. When a girl
catches a wedding bouquets to mean she's gonna get married, really wants to say
something new, seriously, Brookly. Without you in the office, I don't
know where a thing is. And then I'm George, do that great haired
gentleman table in the corner? Yeah? I noticed you're looking at him before.
He's got just like that in the bus too, his top coat buttoned
up to his neck, all tents and wall frightened. Ah huh. He
doesn't seem to be touching his coffee. I thought the trip was making a
mill f You know how it is with people sometimes, So I tried talking
to him to take his mind off you know, things about the office and
you. Oh, no, one of the poor man's not feeling well.
Well, it was a long trip and I'm a friendly type. Now.
That redhead over there going into the hotel bar nice. I spoke to her
too, but not about you. The man wanted to sign in her eyes.
Her face is two beautiful, her legs are too nice, and she
has practically no waste at all. I wonder when holds here together. Well,
believe it or not, she works with a journal, a reporter.
She was away on vacation. But that gentleman we were talking about it.
I think he wants to see us, and just sort of motioned me over
there. Would you suppose he wants? Why not ask him? Come on,
be zell. I hope there's something we can do for it, that's
right. Someday I may be somebody's grandfather. Yes, I know I've got
it all aways. Yeah, hello, say you want to drink at coffee?
It don't make you feel better? Oh story, young lady. Don't
want to impose. But but oh no, wait, I'm at an easy
I'll try to get up. You're in pretty bad ship, he said,
no, would would you do me a favor. Yeah, sure, would
you register me here at the hotel? See the door? Get upstairs of
course. Hey, just hold on to my arm. Thank you. What's
you get on the other side? That's all right now just take it easy.
Here we go right through here to the lobby. On the bus,
the nady was telling me about young friend. To talk now books. He
take the gentleman over to the elevator. Wait there till I sign in?
Oh what name? Shall I get a name? Name? Oh? Well,
I'm sure you have to have anyone? Uh Redman. Why shouldn't I
use it now? Philip Redman? Okay, I'll be right back. We'll
be upstairs in a minute, mister Redmond. You'll be all right in my
coat pocket here, miss will you take that out? Go ahead? Please?
You want it? That's right. Money. Tell your friend to take
as much as he needs. Why what for? Please hurry get me upstairs
easy now, mister Redmond. He just press back in his chair. We
got that water verson, Oh you are to lie down? Yes, and
let's get that code off. No, no, no, I'll be all
right in a minute. No, I will I must wait out. Look
in his wallet. Maybe he has friends relatives in town. We can No,
I have nobody here. You must help me whatever money you need.
Yes, of course, George, I think you have to call a doctor.
It's funny. The name of this wallet is Walter Haskell. And he
said, Redmond, while you call a doctor, I'm going to get this
code off and try to make him comfortable. No, please don't. Oh
now he's going to do just as I came Joe. Oh yeah, I
think we'd better call the police, as was the doctor. He's been shot.
Let me have that glass of water all right now here, mister Redmond
trying to drink this. Don't call anybody. And I said, please,
no time to talk now, we got to do something about you. You
must get me there, nothing else matter. What are you trying to say?
Get me cold? H here? Here are no, No, she
doesn't. Nobody's talking about something in another thing, George, he's oh,
yeah, we can forget the doctor. Rosy, just the police. Oh
no easy, yeah? Hello? What coming up here? Well? Yes,
but okay, number wine thanks Rose. I don't know, but we
got to get out of here. Still the line come on, just as
I say, no, no, not the elevator this way. This thing
is stay back out of the car. They said, they won't see us.
Oh what is it do? That was the desk clerk on the phone.
He said two of mister Redman's friends were on their way up, but
he said he didn't know anybody in the just it. What do you make
of all this? Ruling them out as friends? They're probably hit a finish
the job they started somewhere else. You think there, What are we going
to do? You beat it downstairs and call Lieutenant Johnson, tell him exactly
what happened you. I'll stay right here and see if I can get a
look at our two visitors. Be careful, get knowing brook seeing. I'll
see it down in the lobby. What took you so long? We're seeing
trouble, getting Lieutenant Johnson in trouble making him believe me when I did.
They're on their way. Did you see who the men were? No,
John, and I couldn't without being seen myself. No. Well, you
keep your eye on that elevator, take a good look at everybody who comes
down. Where are you going? See the desk clerk? Oh, what
can I do for you, mister Redbon? I'm not mister Redbon, but
you hope now really, now, really, the guests in our hotel are
in the habit of registering under their right names. Well, I'm sure the
Hotel Owners Association will be glad to hear that. Now, listen, mister
Flatt, Horace Flatt. Okay, those two men who went upstairs, did
they ask for mister Redmond by name? Well, no, not exactly.
Uh huh. They merely said they wanted the room number of the party of
three that just went up in the elevator. You, the elderly gentleman and
the young lady. They said they were friends of yours. I see anything
wrong? Well did they see the registration card by any chance? But of
course I had to look up the room number. I don't keep everything in
my head. Okay, okay, Anyway, that old gentleman knew, whoever
he is, should know better than to go out again in his condition.
Go on, what do you mean? Oh? Really? Now, you
don't have to bark at me, but a man at his age should certainly
get over the night before, that is, before starting off on another Look,
Horace, do you know what you're talking about? Well? I certainly
saw him just a few minutes ago. His two friends had to hold him
up, and the three of them went staggering out of the lobby together.
Maybe I can still catch up with him now, Really, you can't go
charging through our lobby like that, knocking people out of the way. Who
are you anyway? I saw you running out of the lobby. Had happens?
Well brace yourself, Brook, See those two guys took Redmond or Haskell
or whoever he is for a walk and a ride. Are you talking about?
They did that while I was waiting for you to get that call through
the Johnson Get the impossible here, I know, I know, this seems
to be our day for the impossible. The doorman saw three men come out
a few minutes ago, one of them a little under the weather. They
filed into a car and drove off. Oh you know, I'm kind of
glad the police would be taking over some here. Oh I'm afraid they're gonna
have to put up with me. What do you mean? Let's see when
a client of mine highest me to look after him, I stick with him
dead or a line. We'll return to to Night's adventure of George Valentine in
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your car. A gentle, gray haired man refuses to take off his top
coat. When he does, you make the startling discovery that he'd been shot,
and afterwards, even more startling, his body is walked out of the
hotel room by two so called friends. Yes, these are the incredible ingredients
of a nightmare that happens in the full blade of noon. And even if
your name is George Valentine, you're afraid you might wake up screaming. The
radiot is still in the bar, George, John. But why do you
want to talk to her and alone? Well, she did come in on
that bus with you and mister Redman. She just might know something. Meet
your I here, Hello, Well, where did you come from? And
why didn't you get here soon? I take it you wouldn't scream if I
join you? How obvious can I be in a public place? You know?
You look like the kind of man who could provide a lot of excitement.
Or by the way, what's the man's name, Valentine, George?
And what can you suggest for excitement? Depends how obvious I can be in
a public place. I like you, Valentine, George. You look like
the kind you let a girl walk on the outside. Oh, I see
in other words, a mug a bruising. You'll go for that time,
don't you could? I what's the girl's name? William Jenny of the Journal,
Why, yeah, we're gonna have a little talk Williams. Jenny,
you'll place an ad in your paper and then we'll get together in my office
tonight. Heart keep the change. I looked in all the papers, Jenny,
and there's not a word about mister Haskell's murder. Well, Claire,
that's not so strange. Homicide boys don't like to cry murder without the good
old corpus delecti. It's exhibit as we saw the corpus delecti. All right,
Jenny, But from that point on nothing makes sense. I know.
Let's assume, and there's no reason why we shouldn't. Those two men were
the ones who tried to kill Haskell or Redmond. What do they want with
his body? They must have had a good reason taking the chance they did,
two of them hustling out of the lobby in broad day. And we
find the answer to that, we'll be getting somewhere. I've got an off
the record statement from Lieutenant Johnson. The police are doing everything they can and
arrest is expected momentarily. In short, they're getting nowhere fast. Yeah.
I'm sorry. I couldn't be of any help, George. I'd even noticed
the man in the bus. I know this is bad. You hadn't put
in the journal important. Anyone having knowledge of Philip Redman kindly contact George Valentine
addressed, phone number, etc. You sitting on something. You should have
told the police. I told you you'd get your story when it breaks.
Besides, I'm just playing a hunch. Philip Redman was the name the old
fellow gave me to register him at the hotel. Kind of fancy variation on
the usual Smith A. Jones. I don't know, Brooks. I think
he started to give the name we found in his wallet, Walter Haskell,
but then he said Redmond. Why shouldn't I use it? Now? Remember,
Yeah, that's right, I do. He was almost defined about it.
And you figure that anybody knowing of Philip Redman can tell you about Walter
Haskell. Yeah, something like that. I know it's something. Yeah,
but you ain't got that caught on that desk lamp quick. God, that's
better. We don't want any light. George, where are you? I'm
here at the window. See anything? Yeah? Yeah, the other building
and all the windows in the world to shoot from, Darling, be careful.
They can't see us. Now. It's a good thing that desk lamped
through your shadow off a little to the sun. Yeah, that bullet was
meant for my curly little head. All right, Jenny, your paper can
have my testimony over ads that get results. Sure that irresponsible Nimrod out There
was undoubted at least somebody having knowledge of Philip Redmond. Oh and you can't
say you didn't get in touch with you. Nice pattern. But Oscar levant
does it better. There's at least one part of this puzzle that's beginning to
make sense. They removed mister Haskell because they didn't want anybody to identify him
as Ribbon. Now how do you get that? Because Brooks see now that
they realize I know he was known as Redmond too, they're out to get
rid of me. That's something i'd worry about. Oh I worry all right,
But I also found something for me to do. Yeah, I'm a
test I'm going over to the Bristol I've got something to check with a desk
clerk, something our friends might have overlooked, although I doubt it. You
two ladies stay by the entrance. I'll be right back, Yes, sir,
good idy. Oh where's the other fellow who was on the desk today,
Horace? He wasn't feeling very well one of the boys had taken home.
Oh, I see kind of suddenly. Yes, I'm a friend of
his. He asked me to take his place. Well, I guess you
can help me, yes, sir, Well, I want to look through
your registration cards for today. I don't know if I take my word for
it. It's important. If you don't believe me, you can ask the
police. I guess it's all right here. They're just feel okay. Thanks,
find what you want? No, no, I didn't, But don't
take it to high friend. I didn't expect to so long. And thanks
again. Don't mention it well, George to find I was right. They
didn't know what look a thing not there? Uh No, anybody investigating would
never find out by the records that a man named Philip Redmond registered here today.
I don't think there's much stubt what this means. I think I know
what you mean, and I don't like it. Those two walked out of
here with our friend today because they didn't want anybody to know his real identity.
Somehow they lifted the registration card to make sure. They even tried to
kill me to make doubly sure. You ought to pass the next round George,
put yourself in the capable hand to Lieutenant Johnson. Those boys are still
out to get you, and it could be anybody, anybody out there on
the street. Here in the lobby, George, Jenny's right, let's turn
you. What was the old fellow trying to tell us upstairs? If we
at least knew that? Come on, Brooksie, think back. Just what
did he say? Well, he was feverish, George. He kept saying
he wanted to get somewhere, was willing to pay you to help him.
That's all he was trying to tell us where you remember after he refused that
drink of water asked for his call. I know, as you'd better stay
with plenty of people around you, and you're back to the wall, better
still pour out your trouble little heart to Johnson. Yeah, yeah, I
guess you're right, Jenny, especially with Brooksie on the same spot with me.
Come on and the way to Lieutenant Johnson. Wait a minute, hold
everything, but holy we just heard the answer and the beautiful pear shaped tones
of the bus dispatcher. I don't get it. Fairfield, Clayton and Coatesville,
Coatsville, That's what Redman was trying to say. That's why he said
coat even after he refused it. There wasn't anything in that coat, and
he wasn't fevery she said, get coat. He was trying to say,
get me to Coatsville. How can you be sure he got off here in
this terminal, because it's the only place you can get a bus to Coachville,
adds up. Couldn't be, It couldn't be. You're want to make
sure it's to go there and see if the name Redmond means anything in that
town. If so, just what hey, Jenny, here's what you can
do with that story. I promise for you. Check the morgue at the
journals. See if Philip Redmond and Coachsville go together somehow? Right? What
about you. I'll be waiting in a bus terminal there in the morning.
Get there as soon as you can. We'd better hurry, George, if
we're going to make that bus leaving, not this time, brout see,
you put yourself on the care of the good lieutenant. I don't want anything
happening to you. See you in the morning, Jenny. You can't leave
me like this now you hear me? Or hold it? You're got another
passenger. Thanks? Oh I just ready. Well you're not going to hug
the whole seat, are you? Oh no? Oh yeah? Oh no,
love, busy I'm serious, has already gone. I know, I
know, I'll stop for just this morning you said I was willing to spend.
I'll scream. I'll scream and tell the driver you're molesting me, and
then you'll throw you off. I don't care. No, no, no,
no, it's all right. Drive the lady just remember she forgot to
turn the gas off under the roast. Oh, sit down, you,
Benedict Donald. I don't want to see another bus terminal as long as I
live, and I won't be long if we don't stick right out here with
am adding crowd. This is a case of safety and numbers. Oh,
I'm not afraid. Last night you were quaking in your little open toes sandals,
and now you're a blind spirit. I'm with you, just the two
of us, though, I'm not afraid. Oh, women, From four
o'clock this morning until now five hours, I wonder what it feels like to
lie down. Yeah, Jenny should be here soon anyway. There's nothing we
can do until Coolsville. Like, sorry, that man over there, he
keeps staring at us. I'm so sinister looking. He does look a little
ugly. You don't think he's one of those, you know. I think
we're gonna find out he's headed this way. Would you run down easy?
Now? Wouldn't dare do anything in front of all these people? Yes,
but maybe he's an exhibitionist me. Could you direct me to the local way
of Oh, well, I think the gentleman at the information desk and help
you. Oh of course, I stay at the way straight stop. This
is certainly the nicest way to work up a persecution. He compla, oh,
it's all over now. Hey, here comes Jenny, and if she
makes any passes at you all pop her right in her profile. Angel,
that's the nicest compliment, A boy of a guy. My place you got
here? It's small all that. We call it home. Of course,
when we get some curt what'd you find out, Jenny, George? You
got me on the trail of a real story if it checked. Here.
Take a look at this picture. I found it at the morgue of the
journal. Yeah. Is that redmanner, isn't it? Sure he's younger there,
but it's the same manner. Well, that was taken fifteen years ago,
when his face was in all the papers the time he disappeared, disappeared,
took a powder, vanished into thin air. He was only the mayor
of this thriving little community. Whoa you know? When he disappeared, he
left a real mess behind him. All through his administration he was playing footy
with some big mobsters. Together they took coats filth for plenty. Very interesting.
He seemed like such a nice gentleman. Maybe he was coming back because
his conscience was matter why he was coming back. The point is somebody didn't
like the idea, didn't like the idea of his coming back to life at
all. But fifteen years he must have lived somewhere as Walter Haskell and our
unseen friends have still been on keeping in the name of Redmond, dead and
forgotten. They don't want anybody knows him back into the old scandal. Maybe
there are big names involved that could be it. No wonder the plane rough.
I think you can unload this to the police now, George, No,
not yet, not to like fi a little experiment. What if we're
the only ones who know that Redmond and Haskell are one and the same.
Why not trade in on it. Let's make our unseen playmates show their hands
by getting a list of Coachsville's hotels and well seeing if curiosity doesn't kill something
else besides cats. Barrington Hotel is number three. You know there are only
three hotels in town, George, and the other two would no soap.
Look, George, maybe this theme of yours is just a little too meat.
I don't think there's any doubt that they knew I took that bus.
He at a coach Filman. Why now there should be here somewhere. Chances
are they'd hold up on one hotel or another. Well, shall we try
the old routine again? Yeah? Sure, me as well. Here's the
telegram. Go ahead and slip the bell boys a little Brian. Yes,
thank you, sir, George. If somebody does claim that telegram, don't
take any chances, will you. I just got home. I remember they
think goes the bell Ter High School telegram for Water High School. I keep
your eyes open. Look around, Brooksy. Does that get a rise out
of anybody? I don't know. There's several people looking at telegram for Water
at Look. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I see him, I see
him. I stay here, Brooksy, right here, boy, I'll take
it, Oh mister high school. Yes, that's me anyway, Thank you,
thank you. What'll probably a little telegram, isn't it? Take it
out myself? Yeah, message number eighteen for proud parents of a new sun.
What do you want? Let me read it for you. Now you
can say it with pride enjoy. Here's our very own little boy. Hello,
Sonny, don't tell me you're the desk clerk here too. I don't
know what you're talking about. You arranged to take four horses place at the
Bristol yesterday, didn't you? So you could get rid of Redmond's registration card?
Incidentally, what hospital have you got Horace in? Look? I don't
have to keep your hands out of your pockets. I got one of those
things to old. Get away from them before it. Give me that Take
this gun. It spoils your shape, all right? Busted? That's much
better. George. Didn't the man about it? He is that he is?
Well? We gotta buy, didn't we? Look? He just couldn't
resist finding out who could be sending Walter Haskell a telegram? Could you?
What's really the name? They got under your pin up picture in the post
office. He's the loquacious type. Isn't it. Oh, he's just saving
it all up for Lieutenant Johnson, and then he can talk and sing at
the same time, not one, not two, but all eight. You
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say A mean we take better care of your car. Would you mind telling
me? Why are we going to the household fixtures department? Angel You'll see,
okay, hey, you know how curious mister Rainey sang all right.
Mister Redman did have pangs of conscience, and he was going back to tell
all Mary made the loveliest looking bride. He was living in Fullerton for the
last fifteen years. His playmates kept an eye on him all the time,
but he finally decided to turn boy Scott. That's when they shot him.
Somehow he managed to escape and got on that bus with you. By a
real nice wedding present from Marian Deal. We found poor Redman in the shack
out of flat Land meadows, and so everything is tied up in a neat
little package. How much these chimes are twelve fifteen? I'll take two of
these, but Angel, what's the other one for? If I live long
enough to find out? Welcome home, Darling, Welcome home to Night's transcribed
adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California,
on behalf of independent Chevron Gas stations and Standard stations throughout the West.
Robert Bailey has starred as George, with Virginia Gregg as Rootsy Let George Dowett.
Was written by David Victor and directed by Kenneth Webb. Julie Bennett was
heard as Jenny Griff, Barnett as Redmond, Barrace, Lewis as Horace,
Harry Bartell as Rainey, and Dick Ryan as the dispatcher. Music by gay
Lord Carter your announcer John Houston. Listen again next week, same time,
same station to Let George Do It. Let George Do It as hurt overseas
through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is the mutual
Don Lee Broadcasting System. Welcome back. Well a solid a fairly suspenseful episode,
trying to figure out what was going on, and not the traditional detective
mystery that they dealt with in terms of a bunch of suspects lined up,
but still a pretty good story. By the way, there were two lost
episodes. The ones that we missed were for Promised Joy and the Puzzle Lock.
All right, well, listener comments and feedback, and we have this
from E. R. Richardson and E. All rights. Hey, Adam,
after about two years, I have finally caught up to your current podcast.
Did I hear you right that it would be about two years before you
start? Richard Diamond? I will be going through Withdraws without George and Brooksie,
so I was hoping for another long running series. Thanks for your hard
work. Well Er, I'll tell you if I said two years, I
was wrong. It's going to be about three years. But that doesn't mean
we're not going to have some long running series in the meanwhile coming to Thursdays
in about three months a few I think, maybe a week more than that,
about thirteen weeks, well actually because we have a special, So about
four months we will have Nick Carter, a great long running series with Lawn
Clark in the lead throughout, wonderful series. And of course, you know,
Monday through Friday, we're going to have the Bob or Monday, Wednesday
and Friday the Bob Bailey run of yours truly Johnny Dowler, which you know,
these serial runs really are some of the best radio out there. And
then and once we finished Johnny Dollar, Wednesdays will actually be dedicated to the
Philip Marlow program. So we always keep plenty of those long running series around.
I know we get a lot of requests for him, but there are
only so many that left behind a lot of recordings, so we have to
pace ourselves and kind of be careful. So I hope you enjoy the new
serial Johnny Doller series tremendous, and then four months down the road you're going
to get to enjoy the Nick Carter series. So I think we'll have a
lot of enjoyment there all right, Well, that will do it. We
will be back tomorrow with Sherlock Holmes, and join us on both Monday and
Wednesday next week for the last two episodes of Let George Do It. In
the meantime, Sandrew comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectors dot net. Please
rate the show on iTunes and follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives from Boise,
Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham's signing off.