Welcome to the Great Detectors of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectors dot Net. Give us a call to
e eight nine four seven eight three, and become one of our friends on
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to you by the financial support of our listeners. Thanks so much for all
your support. Now we're going to get into today's episode of Let George Do
It. This one is called the gray Stone Ghosts. Stange is my stock
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and mean we take better care of your car. The Graystone Ghost another adventure
of George Valentine. Who's that? What is it? I'll be read?
Oh no, no, Garrett, it isn't you out there? It can't
be. You're dead. I must be reading dead, I must be.
Well, you get it? You be there just a month ago? What
you weren't there? Well you you're dead. Don't you get it? You
couldn't you just cotton cot George? Because is the strangest layer out everywhere.
I'm sure we get some strange ones. Dear mister Valentine, will you please
be my guest at Graystone for a few days. I'm prepared to play whatever
you ask for your services. Your work will be to Riddney of a ghost
that I'm sure isn't a ghost at all. When you arrive, please cough
from the telephone at the gatekeeper's lodge, as you won't be able to get
across the moat until I lower the drawbridge. Signed them on to Gray.
Down comes the drawbridge excites the imagination personally, I think, imagine the bridge
over the moat is down. We ended the palace. It certainly looks like
one. Mister Ben Til Yes, missus Gray coming right in? Suppose she
goes the bridge backup? How do we get out of here? We'll face
that problem when we come to it, as is Gray. This is miss
Brooks my assistance. How do you, my dear, I'm happy to have
yes, dry, I think we finish all of our business for today.
So oh you have guessed? Yes, of course. Dwight. I want
you to meet mister Valentine and miss Brooks. Mister Dwight owned my attorney.
How do you do. Please come out to help me, Dwight. He's
going to help find out about these things. Oh, yes, well,
I certainly hope you can. Valentine, a man is pretty upset about the
whole thing. I hope I can't too, mister h are you. I
just don't have it I know what my job is yet. Oh, well,
of course you don't. If you'll excuse me, goodbye, man,
I'll see you, yes, right, and now if you tool step in
a little farther it, come in study. Please. I expect you to
think I'm completely crazy, don't you. No, I won't blame you if
you did. A woman living in a house with a moat around it this
day and alien, Oh, there must be a reason for any cross stairs
a sit down for. My husband was an architect. His name was Garrett
Gray. Oh, yes, I've heard of him. He was notority on
old English architecture. He loved it. That's why he brought His house was
a short place. I can see that. It was. The bridge over
the moon was set and raised before his death. But since then things had
happened. It needed quite necessary, I see. Oh would you tell us
exactly what has happened, missus Green? Certainly, my husband died a month
ago, just two weeks ago. I was awakened to see his face in
my bedroom window. You do, of course I didn't. I told her
my husband is dead. I saw him buried. And how do you account
for the seen his face? It's quite simple. Some years ago a scoop
defriend of Garrett's, did a bust of him. The next morning after my
apparition, I on the bust on the ground outside my bedroom window. Some
practical joker. I suppose. They seldom have any regard for personal feelings.
I know, but my practical joker must have had extraordinary powers. Mister Valentine.
The house was completely locked. The bust was in this room. Ah,
I see a whole is here besides yourself, Missus Grey, just my
niece and nephew, Ronald and Sylvia Gray. They are really my husband's niece
and nephew. Of course they're Stevens. He's the butler, Missus Gray.
Is that when you began raising that bridge over the moat? No, not
until after the second thing happened. What was that? A large portrait of
my husband disappeared over the metal in the living room one night. I searched
everyone for it, to the Utalian Nisan nephew about it, of course,
and Stevens too. They were all as amazed as I. The next day
it was in place again. Well, Missus, why I still think somedood
stains on it? Oh? And there were those signs that any of your
household have been hurt, none at all. Well, one thing seems certain,
Missus Gray. Somebody's trying to get you to move. I trt with
you. I'm all sounded like an explosion of some kind. Stay here with
Missus Gray Brooks. I'm going to see what this is all about. Hello,
who are you? And what do you want? Just having to be
a guest of Missus Gray, Valentine's and Amy, I am anagine your Stevens.
Yes, what happened back there? I was just going to tell Missus
Gray about it. There was an exclusion in the kitchen. Come on back,
we'll have a look. Yes, but I must tell missus Grays.
Come on, where's the kitchen? Right through this door? Styre gone?
Oh well yeah, I stop that corner pretty well, didn't it. Yes,
sir, I was in my room, the first one down the hall,
and it practically threw me out of my chair, right I say this
moment and the burned up fuse the wire running right out here. Come on,
Stevens, let's follow this wire out the back. Don't see where it
goes very well? But I feel very uncomfortable about this whole business. Things
have been happening. That's why I'm here. I think there is a ghost
around here, mister Vallings. And here's a live ghost around here, Stevens,
A pretty clever live ghost too. Here take a look at this.
Why that is my alarm clock. It disappeared yesterday, very mystuously, and
I had it's all ragged up to spark that fuse at exactly this hour.
The job was a little lamatorish, but it worked, didn't it, Stevens,
Yes, sir, it didn't. But what I want to know is
who could have done it? That's what I want to know, too,
So come on, let's find out. You mean you have a way of
knowing? Not sure. I just don't like all these things happening to my
friend, missus Gray. Well, naturally neither do I, sir. Right,
then do something for me. Get the niece and nephew, Sylvia and
Ronald, and come to again. We're then as soon as possible, I'd
like to have a little conference. Anna murmur Yes, Sylvia, who steven
says, there's a man here who wants to see us. That's right,
my dear, come in all three of us personally, mister Valentine. This
is my niece Sylvia and my nephew, Ronald, and you've missed Steve.
Yes, that's right. And miss Brooks, we're here, is your ansk.
Yes, but we're also here to help her get rid of a live
post. Mister Valentine, I don't like to say this. Isn't it possible?
Forgive me, adam Man, I don't want to, right, my
dear. You mean that perhaps I've been imagining things that's possible, isn't it.
I feel just as Sylvia doesn't. Neither one of you or Steven's here.
I saw the face in the window, of course, but you'll move
about the portrait being missing. I must make a confession about the portrait,
mister Valentine. After Missus Gray told me about it, I made a thorough
search of the house. I found it in the storeroom and put it back
quite belong with the blood stains on it. I expect I shall lose my
position anyway, so I may as well say it. Did you notice the
bendige on Missus Gray finger? Oh? No, no, I guess I
didn't. But we've got another thing to think about. Ronald, Sylvia,
didn't you hit explosion a few minutes ago? I didn't. I was asleep.
I heard it. Of course, it sounded like a car back firing
to me. Okay, then I want to ask you one thing. Don't
you all think missus Gray should move out of this house? I do.
If she doesn't, something really bad might happen to her. Well, I
don't. If somebody is trying to make her move for some reason, you
can find out who it is, can't you, mister Valentine? Yes,
I think he cares. How about your Stevens. I happen to have one
theory, mister Valentine. I don't agree with what I'm sure you are thinking.
If I may say so, I don't think this is an inside job.
Oh you don't know. And for one, I am happy to have
you here. I just hope nothing bad happens to you too. Very nicely
spoken Stevens. All right, we'll shawnas Brooks and me to our rooms,
will freshen up for dinner, and tomorrow, well tomorrow, we'll see what
happens. Is who's that? What do you want in my room? I
can see you moving. I warn you I have a gun, go away
or a shoot this room. You don't come any clus around time? Ray?
I heard a shop on who's the delegation in my room on the floor,
I think, I you so fucking in just a moment, will return
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And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. You're sent for by
the widow of a well known architect to help her dispose of a ghost that
isn't the ghost. You can see nothing supernatural in the face at the window,
the disappearing portrait, or the crude bomb. Someone is obviously trying to
frighten your client out of this strange house that is surrounded by a moat.
If your name is George Valentine, you suspect that a man the gray has
solved the case herself by shooting a nocturnal prowler in the room, and as
you hurry with her on the hallway, you're, mister Valentine, all and
white like a ghost. It opened the door and came into my room.
I shot and it fell on the door. All right, now we'll find
out down the hall. Brook say this is your own listeners, Yes,
Ry know where's the white switch? It's right here. Where did you see
this? Oh? It was someone? I know it. You are right,
Missus Gray, Yes, yes, but your ghost left it's why sheet
All right, Missus Gray, I'm afraid your aim wasn't so good. He
or she has climbed out of the shroud and left shot. I didn't down
the floor. Wait a minute, let's see your gun? Yes, yes,
is here on my ta Something sounds pretty funny about this. Yeah,
yeah, here's the answer. All right. You're sure this gun was properly
loaded, Missus Gray. Yes, and men loaded it for me in the
store. Well, I'm afraid something has happened in the meantime, George,
what do you mean? This is great? I didn't kill anybody, Brook.
See she couldn't because this gun is loaded with blank cartridges flesh. But
it couldn't be mister Valentine, I saw him put in the real bullet.
Oh, I'm sure he did, but someone else decided it would be safer
this way. Somebody in this house, Jeworge, Oh, it's pretty obvious
anyone coming in from outside would have to swim across the moat. I don't
see any signs of water around here. The sheet is perfectly dry. This
is great, This is great. I heard the commotion as anything wrong.
Well, Stevens, you're quite well dressed for the middle of the night.
I came as quickly as I could. And if you're trying to accuse me
of sometime, yeah, gathering the clan, just one more party to be
heard from. Now, what's the matter? Why are you all here an
Anima's room? Your aunt shot a ghost, Sylvia, She was, yeah,
what's that you said, Valentine? You heard me, Ronald. Pretty
frightful experience for your aunt, for all of you, in fact, imagine
a ghost in the house. But that's nonsense. There's no such thing as
a real, live ghost. I think there is. I wonder if any
of you would like to try on this sheet, just for si. Missus
Valentine, I realize you're trying to help me. But now you're casting suspicions
on Sylvia and Ronald and Steven's They wouldn't do anything like this. No,
no, I suppose not. All right, we've had our little excitement for
to night. Suppose you will go back to your arms. Eh. I'd
like to ask a few questions of missus Gray. What are you thinking,
George? Oh? I was just trying to go along with Stevens theory for
a moment. You know that this isn't an inside job, as he so
quietly puts it. But that is impossible, is it? Oh? I
don't know, Missus Gray. Your husband left it, will, I suppose,
of course. Well, then tell me. Was there any provision that
someone else would get the house if you moved out of it? Oh?
No, nothing like that. He left everything to me outright, just with
a provision that I take care of his niece and nephew, see that they
had a whole Well, I blast another theory. My husband left the holographic
will wrote it himself. No, no one had ever seen it. It
was sealed and in the safe at our attorneys. But the holographic world an
unusual As a George, that part wasn't unusual. No, just one paragraph
in it. I've never found out what it meant or what was it.
I said something like, my beloved Amanda, there is more fortune than I
leave you. It is in Graystone, and you alone will know the key
to finding it. Just remember how well we loved Pennsylvania, and remember my
work. This treasure is for you, and you only. I haven't the
least idea. I've never been able to figure it out. I see the
world, certainly, but not tonight. I return it right own. You
met him this afternoon he has, remember, Yes, Well, tell me
how many people know about this? Just the people to whom he left something,
Sylvia and Ronald Stevens, He's secretary, mister Carver, and myself righthead
is all together when he read it. The same people keep cropping up,
don't they, George you? One exception? What about the secretary Carver?
Where is he now? He's living in town, works for another architect.
I believe I got his address. Yes, I'll get it for you good.
And I'd like to see the exact wording in that clause in the world
he's a word. You could have, mister Owen bring it out here tomorrow
morning, of course, But I think I puted it almost word for work.
I'm sure you have, but sometimes just one little word makes a difference.
Very well, how cold, Dwight bursting in the morning here Angel in
the study, Jorge, something else has happened, missus Bray and I just
went in the morning room today and the place is a math darling, an
old hutch cabinet assess been pried apart, and there an American chair was mister
Valentine. I can't understand. I think I can. This is gray.
It's probably our fault because we're here. I mean those early American pieces might
be from Pennsylvania spots. I suppose, so at least it's a good try.
Then might what are you talking about, George? Just but with us
in the house to check up on what's going on, somebody's getting frantic to
find the answer first. Oh here's the will a man, as you asked,
I don't quite understand, though we've been over it many times. Yes,
Dwight, I know I wanted mister Valentine to see you. Oh that's
okay, nice. I suppose we could save a little time here. I'm
just interested in one clause the Pennsylvania So that's why you got these people out
here about it. No, Dwight, actually it isn't. Let me show
you. Let's see, it's here. We are right here. Why you
be loving, Amanda. There is more fortune than I leave you. It
is in Graystown, and you alone will know the key to finding it.
Just remember how well we love the state of Pennsylvania and what it symbolizes,
and remember what I did about it in my work. This treasure is for
you, and you only, Valentine, I must tell you, and I
hope you will forgive me Amanda it. Garrett Gray was a little eccentric about
thing, and also a pretty good architect, one of the best. By
the way, mister On, did you know mister Gray's secretary Carver quite well?
Oh yes, he's a nice sort of fellow. Any reason if you're
asking that, Oh no, not at all. Understandsterested in everybody mister Gray
mentioned in its way Miss Gray. Yes, mister Baron, I'm going to
look up miss Brooks, and then would you mind lowing the bridge over the
mode for us. You are not going to be here for lunch, it's
almost ready. No, I'm sorry. I have some business of my own
to take care of in town. We'll be back later though. I see
you stay, won't you do? I? Oh, certainly, Amanda,
I'd love too. I hope you will come back, mister Valentine in spite
of everything that happened, Missus gray you don't have to worry about that.
And when I get back, we'll have an answer to this thing. George,
I'm sure you know what you're doing. I think so. For se
well, I don't why. You see, we're up against a paradox.
Nobody inside Graystone seemed to be guilty of those stunts, and nobody from outside
could get in the paradox. Are one fact or the other had to be
wrong, and I figured it must be the second. You mean, if
somebody could get in some way. Sure, then I remembered seeing a pile
of planks outside the house on the far side of the moat, the once
you looked at when you came out. Yeah, that's right. That's when
I knew I was right after dark. It wouldn't be hard to throw one
of those planks across the mold and get in the house. You'd have a
hard time. I'm proving that, wouldn't I don't think so. One of
the planks had quite a lot of dried blood on it. Somebody had hurt
himself on a rough edge, so I don't forget. There was also blood
on that portrait that disappeared and then showed up. Oh yes, that's right.
Well, where are we going now? Like a call in town for
just a little more evidence. We can tell missus Gray who's trying to run
her out of our house. It doesn't seem to be anyone in the apartment.
Choice. Oh no, that's fine, much easier to find what I'm
looking for. Come didn't find, but here he could have us arrested.
I don't take that chance. Angel, they're gonna like this thing. Yeah,
No, one's hutter. It's one in. Angel. Let's stay right
there by the door, call out if anyone comes, Yes, all right,
please be careful or would anybody be liable to him? Let's try this
no soup desk maybe? Yeah, yeah, I thought so, Peter,
George, I'm fired. You're right with the Angel. I struck pay dirt.
Sure, take a look at this. Those are cartridges, that's right,
a box partly full of blanks, plus some real shells. Angel.
It looks as though we have this deal pretty well pinned down. What's next
after we get out of this place, I'm not a fast telephone call to
our client, and then a little later we'll go back out to Graystone and
start some fireworks. All right, Missus Gray, you've got everybody in the
study there all acceptmence to Carver. I called several numbers after I talk to
you on the phone, but couldn't find him. Oh that's too bad.
I'd like to have had him here. Well, let's get on with anyway.
Come on in. Yes, I'm talking to George. You have really
found something conserving, Missus Gray. Well, hello, there should well.
I wanted you all here so I could put your minds at rest about these
strange happenings out here. You mean you found up? Yes, yes,
I believe we have. What is it? Come on, come and time?
Tell us? Are you're sure you want me too? On? I
don't know what you mean. You see, when we first met yesterday,
I didn't notice that your left hand is bandaged, the one that you heard
on those boards across the moon. You're making an accusation, that's right.
It would have been the same night the portrait of mister Gray reappeared with blood
on it. Mister Vant you can't be so afraid. I am missus Gray,
you see her. And I took the liberty of looking around your apartment
this afternoon, and I came across these meddling young food buet bullets that were
taken out of your gun, the rest of blanks, just like the ones
that replaced them. Do what. I can't believe you of all. I
don't know what you can do to him. Of course, kind of a
prowling, I suppose. Maybe if you're trying to frighten you to desks so
we can have time to search the house for more treasure, possibly we can
have in this Bard at least. I'm sure he won't be an attorney any
longer. But George, you still haven't found what's hidden here. Now we'll
find it now, all right, it says Gray. If you'll call in
a couple of stone Masons as soon as possible, I think we can remove
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George Angel, why are you having those ment down that stone arch over
the trunk or yes, mister Valentine, I'm willing to do what you say.
I finally figured out that clause in your husband's will, Missus Gray.
The state of Pennsylvania and his work? How did they fit together? Simple?
His work was architecture. Pennsylvania is the keystone states yo'd you figured that
out? And the keystone is one of the important parts of architecture. There's
only one in this house. Why I should have thought of that? Probably
On would have liked to also, Oh, there, it looks like they've
got into it. It was apparently hollow, all right, ad at Adam
and that keystone was hollow, just as Valentine thought it would be. Is
there anything? Of course, it's packed with currency, big bills. Come
on, come and see. Yes, I'm coming brock Well, Angel,
I guess we've got rid of missus Gray's ghost for nothing more for him to
look for George. Do you know what I'd like a house just like this
one with a moat around it, and you could hide something in the keystone
for me. Oh no, I man at Angel, I'm still alive,
you know. Oh prove it? Uh yeah, come on, broke see
let's go eat good lines. Have venture 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 is starred as George, with
Virginia Gregg as Brook See. Let George Do It was written by Lloyd London
and directed by Kenneth Webb. Geen Bates was heard as Amanda, Larry Dobkin
as Owen, Polly Bear as Stevens, Jack Lloyd as Ronald, and Jean
Tatum as Sylvia. The music was composed and presented by Eddie Dunsteader your announcer
John Houston. Listen again next week, same time, same station to Let
George Do It. Let George, do it has heard overseas through the worldwide
facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is the mutual Don Lee Broadcasting
System and welcome back. Another solution successfully brought about by George Valentine. An
illustration of an answer I give. I'm part of. If you're on Facebook,
they have a group called Old Time Radio Lovers and they post a lot
of lengths and questions and just great old time radio discussion. There's sixteen hundred
and ninety seven members currently, so a little less than our Great Detectives group,
but a lot of discussion. And they ask a question, you suspect
your business partner of some dirty dealing. What Golden age radio detective would you
hire to get to the bottom of this? And why? I actually answered
George Valentine. He seems to get the best results. Now. I know
some folks take a question like that. It's like who is is uh the
coolest m the coolest detective around? But I didn't look at it. It's
who's actually going to be able to solve the problem? Uh? That I
think is a big challenge. George Allenheine intended to get the best results.
He has some clients die on him, and he has some cases that escalate
to murder, but he seems to have a lower percentage than the others.
So uh, you know, some people said Pat Nolvac for hire and Pete
Kelly. Um, wow, those guys don't tend to get the best results,
even though they're interesting to listen to. I'd probably rather listen to Pat
Novac, but I'd rather hire George Valentine. Well, anyway, we do
have a comment. This one comes off of podcast ally. I love to
listen to the great detective stories. They're very in or my faves are Pat
Novac and let George do it. Did anyone ever consider doing a TV series
for Novak? My answer is sort of. There were actually a series of
three movies that were that actually could have been and we're basically said that could
be packaged as movies or they could be practiced as a TV episode pilot,
and it starred Hugh Beaumont better known as Ward Cleaver as Dennis O'Brien, and
these episodes are often identified as bean Pat Novak for higher stories, but they're
not. The writer on those particular stories was Herbert Margolis. Margolis was a
writer for Johnny Madero, which how if you've been with us a long time,
Johnny Madero was a show was done by mutual. Jack Webbs started it,
and what they did is they basically ripped off Jack Webb's earlier show,
Pat Novac for Higher ABC complained they made a few changes, but if you
listen to it, it's pretty close in tone. But the big difference,
of course was Herb Margolis did the writing on Johnny Madero, but Pat Novak
was really the brain child of of Richard Breen, who had no involvement with
in terms of officially with the Johnny Madero series. And so if you read
the synopsises like Pure twenty three, they did a series of three of these
that were adapted adapted to the radio show, and you see that these are
actually the these are acts the synopsis of Johnny Madero episodes, not Pat Novac
episodes. So the answer is it was tried. In terms of the Johnny
Madero copy. The film Producers is very low budget. So you know,
I've not watched them, and they tend to be in kind of some odd
and hard to get sense, and from the reviews, I'm not certain they
would be worth the money and effort to get so. I hope that answered
your question, and I'm glad you're listening out there. I should mention those
movies really quick. The titles are Danger's Own Roaring City and Pure twenty three.
All right, well, we'll see you on Thursday with Sherlock Holmes and
join us back here on Wednesday for another episode of La George Do It.
In the meanwhile, send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net.
Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives. Become one of our friends on
Facebook, Facebook dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.