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 thirteen at Great Attactives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com
slash Radio Detectives. Before we do get started, I want to encourage you,
if you've not already, to pick up my first novel, Sliming Corporated,
in which private investigator Cole Eustick investigates a case of murder and political corruption
set against the backdrop of the Governor's rate. It is available as a paperback
in ebookstores or as an audiobook through audible dot com or in the iTunes store,
and you can also find it at store dot Great Detectives dot net.
Well, now it's time for today's episode of The Saint. The original airdate
marks the eleventh of nineteen fifty one and the title is Button Button The Adventures
of the Saints, starring Vincent Price. The Saint based on characters created by
Leslie Choppers and nons of millions from books, magazines, and motion pictures.
The robin Hood of Modern Crime Now comes transcribed to radio, starring Hollywood's brilliant
and talented actor Vincent Price as the Saint. Just a moment, please yes,
mister Tempora, Mister Simon Tempora. And if I say yes, oh
I am a George congratulations? What are you or you dressed for? Oh?
Not army uniform? My way, chauffel. You will come? Huh
you come now? You want me to go somewhere with you? You are
sure you are, Miss Simon Temper the Saint. If I'm not my old
grandmother shouldn't have lied to me all these years? Then you come? Where
did you not receive the quarter? Even the most casual eavesdropper would have to
admit it doesn't appear. So what call? Employer? Say, George,
go to this number and get miss the temporal? Employer say he called so
when I arrived? You know you come, no cause, no car?
Who is your employer? Mister Orando button him old man, he very afraid
Orlando button art collector Button Gary employer say what's your trouble coming? You come
help? Uh? What sort of trouble? Will you go? Now?
Yes? You go now? Yes, my neck and I recently came to
an understanding your necks, my neck, I promise not to stick it out
again until I at least knew why it was going to be chopped at,
and it in turn agreed to be a little more tolerant or starched collars.
I am going to bed. Oh no, you are coming. Hmm.
You know, with one swift gesture you have given me six good reasons why
I should go with you? Or does that revolver hold eight bullets? H
sure this is a home? Oh? Yes, home on my employer,
mister Arundo. Button had a couple of ticket windows scattered around a few timetables
and could easily pass for the home of the super chief employer. Await you
in the study, mister temporar, you call us this is a white priests.
Yes, now, look, would it'd be too much to ask you
to stop waving that gun under my nose? You will come? I come?
Well you wait, I wait? Ho ha ha, mister Button,
I have brought mister temple sup Oh yes, thank you George. I I
must have dozed up, mister Templary. It was good of you too,
but I am half as good as it was of George to bring me.
He is very persuasive, eh, mister Temple saying, no, Colm,
I invite him at the point of a pistol, you call himself. No,
no, I fell asleep. That will be all. I'm sorry George
had to resort to melodrama, mister Templar. I I mean, look,
you will forgive me. I'm sure it's all a mistake. What's all a
mistake? This, this incident. I never should have sent for you,
my nerves. I'm a victim of my own imagination. Remarkable, Eh,
here you are trembling, yet scarcely two minutes ago, according to you,
you were in your study. Then nothing but what is fear in that trembling?
Mister Button and on your face too? You're scared witless scared people don't
those jeez, I beg of. You'll go at once. Forget that you've
been here. That was a long ride across town with your chauffeur's gun in
my ribs, long and unpleasant. But I didn't tell George to use a
gun. We can talk in your study, and now you mustn't go in
there. You Oh uh, you shouldn't have done that. I tried to
keep him out of here. I knew you didn't want him to see that.
Why are you pointing that gun at me? What are you ping the
door? Mister tempor, mister tempora, Oh, mister temper, here I
am giving you, brandy. Oh that's good, Brandy. Wake me up
some more. You ought to be more writer as soon as the canary stop
holding choir practice in my head. Oh so sorry, I give too much,
Brandy. Where's mister button? He gone gone? Where? Oh no,
seagull? I go to room. Time passes, I think maybe now
employee want me to drive you home again? I come here to study,
finding you on floor. Employer going picture pictures? What pictures ones that rite
today? Sailor bring crate? What sort of pictures were they? Where did
the western pictures? Saying? Western man look all right to me? But
they make mister Barton very angry. And then he told you to fetch me.
Oh no, not right away. Short a time later after phone call,
phone call, employer call number, speak you get the information, write
something on a paper pad, then send me, get you the pad.
Where is it on the desk? Here? I did it to you?
Thank you? Nothing on it? Maybe he tear a writing page off.
George, take your finger and dip it in the fireplace. For me.
Will you keep it? Oh? Too much, Brandy, too much,
you go, I'm go on. Now, please do as I say.
Get some ashes on your hand. Hushes, yes, in the fireplace.
Oh oh yes, sir, fingers are all properly builty. We's a hushes.
Now rub it on this page of the pad. Hm, lightly,
lightly gently, you got on us magic Western magic, known only to those
few hardy adventurers who have dared to visit the forbidden city of Brooklyn. What
will the coming forth? On a pod? A picture of anime wall hoodie
Marto. Look now, rub the ashes in a little hider. Huh d.
Then that's it. But he's the woods no Pikachu woods that were on
former page torn off. If mister Motter should ever need an assistant, and
that's that'll give it to me. S t I stieno you know, mister
Stiano George not knowing? So huh stieno? S S do you know Tuscany?
The s s Tuscany or sounding like the steamboat. Second thought, maybe
mister motto to be your assistant. Goodbye, George, or you go back?
I can't you stay? You go find him boyer. Yeah, why
a guy like you George. That's why I don't want you to lose your
jobs, all right. Oh that's a funny place to put a chair.
A chair will belong over here. Oh, mister Templar, you say I
am the losing job. Why we have a quaint saying in this country,
George, chauffeur lose job if employer lose life. Who was that on?
Tex boy? Let's speak up. It's me if that means anything. Hey,
you're late. I expect you yet. What is this you ain't mala.
Name's Templar, all right, So the name's Templar. What are you
doing aboard my ship? Looking? Your customs man? You're the captain,
third officer, captain, want to shore? I'm in George. Look,
fella, you boys from customs already went over this vessel three times since we
docked this morning. Three times. It's the usual procedure, isn't it?
Three times as usual? And each time, so though the ship is practically
dismantled. What goes pal here? You tell me? I don't know what
you boys are looking for, mister, but I'll tell you here now.
It ain't on board the Tuscany. This is an honest ship. Yeah,
And I'm the captain of the Pinna for You got a man named Stiano on
board. Look, mister Stieno's a good guy, one of the best men
on this ship. He works hard, no complaints, He's loyal, efficient,
a good all around man. That's Stieno. You know him pretty well,
know him. I'm him. Well, I'm glad to meet a good,
loyal, efficient, uncomplaining, all around man. You know a man
named Button, No, you say button, button liking what one is sometimes
told to do with one's lip, button liking button galleries? Button? Yeah,
I know about his art gallery, that's all. What about it?
We hold cargo, fhon this voyage a creek we picked up in Genoa that's
in Italy. Yeah, great, filled with paintings, valuable and rare.
I seen them paintings, They're valuable. Then we're both the captain of the
Pinafore. Oh bad. All I can say is fully what smug fails to
do to the human eye? Looking at these pictures? Does how many seven
hum? They were sent ashore? Yeah? Look, all I know is
we're loading cargo and general a guy comes on with this here, Craig.
He gives me a song and dance about taking extra special care this valuable light,
so don't get banged around like cargo sometimes does. That's all he asked
of you. And also to deliver it after it cleared through customs delivery.
Where so the guy's consigned to doctor Webbert, the Button art galleries to nobody
else. He says, just this here, doctor Webber, and I shall
be handsomely rewarded. What were you? I'll let you know when Miller gets
back. I hope you found the art gallery still open, and I'll tell
you right now. He didn't know then what did he do with it?
I'm inclined to think he brought it to the one man. He shouldn't have
brought it to Orlando. Button. Oh and this guy in Italy says,
make sure nobody gets it, but this doctor Webber, how about that for
luck? A lousing mistake is going to cost me my handsome rewar, and
you're getting it right. That same mistake may cost mister Button his life.
I lost say, yeah, I want to make sure it was. You'll
just come off the ship. I'm kind of glad it's your sucker, you
know. I'm kind of glad to see you too. Let's see how good
you are without the gutting your sucker. Don't worry about it. When I
finished tearing it up, I promise you I'll give it back to you.
Come on, what ill wind brought you out of retirement? Case? No
temper might kind of work with it. When the guy says he's retired is
either trying to kid the cops or kid himself. You mean there's always another
hudler mood would force you back into it. Eh, and let's have some
talk. Let's go down first. Let loose to talk first. I'll loosen
your tongue with a little history. When I first knew you, you worked
for Scorelli as his trigger till he was deported a couple of years back.
My, you're full of news. What do you want from me? Said?
Who hired you to squeeze the trigger on me? Nobody has to hire
me the gun? You don't say with me? That's slaver of love.
I want my arm. You breaking turning loose? Hey, okayse that guy
that there's someone behind you. You've developed a decided talent for ventriloquism. He's
no ventriloquist, and I'm no dummy. Uh uh? Who are you?
I'm just a man with a gun, and the gun is in your back.
Turn him loose, he's loose. Oh, sure, came along when
I'm most huh the Welsh. Won't you get right over there? Oh?
Who gonna handle a sucker? I'll handle him. You'll beat it, okay,
pal, okay, alright, turn around, templar carefully, very carefully.
Good. He did that very nicely. Yeah. I've been taking dancing
lesson. It's too bad someone doesn't sell lessons in how to mind one's own
business. From now on, you're keeping your nose out of this affair.
It doesn't concern you, clear like Tapioka. Yeah, I get shanghaied by
a fast drawing Oriental with a gun. I get my skull bashed so hard
my brains are threatening to move out of the neighborhood. I I get very
sincerely menaced by a beady eyed bandit with intent to kill. And now you
come along and tell me this affair doesn't concern me. Oh, this really
happened. If I were dreaming, it wouldn't be about those kind of things.
Okay, So what's the angle all this mishmash? I can only make
wild guesses. None of my ideas have had their final fittings. Yet I
suppose you tell me, uh, what angle are you wearing today? Like
I told you, saint me. I'm just a man with a gun,
so he said. And the paintings, paintings, Yeah, the creative paintings
seven in number that arrived today from Italy for the Button galleries. Now I'm
dreaming. You mean you're chasing paintings. You mean you're not chasing paintings.
Friend, Either you're deliberately throwing me a curve or we're not even playing in
the same ball game. Now, I'm not chasing paintings. What I'm chasing
is just a little more dangerous. And he wouldn't say that if you were
wearing my aching head. I'll be seeing you art lover. Yeah, it's
inevitable. And if you should run across an old party named Orlando Button before
I do, will you please do something to help him stay alive? And
this is the last pipe dreamer I'll listen to. Why can't this old party
manage to stay alive on his own efforts? And this is one of the
wild guesses I was telling you about the last time I saw Button, he
was a very frightened man. The kind of fright that only comes to a
man who expects he's going to be killed. If I see him, I'll
do what I can to stop him from being afraid. And that statement can
be taken two ways, and in the light of the fact that it was
pronounced by a fellow who hobknobs with killer Casack, goodbye, change, And
if I were you, I'd worry about trying to keep myself alive. H
M, good morning. I believe the door is plainly marked private, isn't
it. One finds it difficult to believe all one reads these days. You
know it's nice. What's nice that they don't hang all the works of art
in this gallery on the wall. Some of it sits in a low cut
dress behind a sign that says, assistant to the director, you wish to
see someone. Actually, my wish is to remain here with you, but
I'd never get to see doctor Weber that way. You have an appointment with
doctor Weber. No, well, I'm afraid he can't see you. Then
he's very busy. And then I see mister button. Mister button, this
is the Button not Galleries, isn't it. You will have to make an
appointment with mister Button at his home. He rarely comes down to the galleries
anymore. And then I see doctor Weber. After all, you not only
find it difficult to believe all you read, but all you hear as well.
Doctor Webber never sees anyone without an Oh, it is you, mister
Temporar. Hello, George, you find employer? No, George, gentlemen
is a friend of yours? George, Oh, very good friend. Mister
Simon Templar is the saying greater detective makes words appear on paper with ashes.
Very crabb Oh, it's nothing really to it. A detective something wrong?
Employer missing? What? Oh, he's mysterious. Craig come last night by
sailor employer and I we open. Employer get angry. I could praise this,
Send me quick to drug store. Then I come back. It is
a drug store. Huh. Look here, what's this all about? About
a creative paintings from Genoa for doctor Webber paintings? We weren't expecting anything from
Italy. Perhaps doctor Webber was. I most certainly would have known if the
director was expecting a shipment. And what's all this about, mister Button?
I wish you'd explained. Go see doctor Webber. M maybe he likes mystery
stories too, mister Templars. Way, oh, miss Harper, I go
party car? Or is this my car? Oh no, George, you
don't have to what he's a wellnessy party show car. You two Wednesley.
This why I'll come here, but you can pass it by this week,
George, I haven't used my car much since the last time you gave it
a bath in a Polish. I'll carry her bitter hard skip this week through
this door. Mister Templer. Oh no, I'd like you to catalog,
isn't it. Oh we have a visitor. This is Simon Templar, Doctor
Webber, how do you do? Seems we have a mystery on our hands,
doctor, A mystery splendid. It was beginning to get a trifle dollar
out of here, thank you. There's nothing like a little mystery to brighten
things up a bit, is that? Especially if you're one of those people
who enjoys going to funerals? Doctor m And let's just say that someone when
last scene was terrified. And let's also say that that someone hasn't been seen
since. But who, mister Button, According to George, he's been missing
since last night. I see, mister Templer, Am I to understand that
just because mister Button wasn't home last night, you are assuming that he's been
murdered. Well, that is more or less a condensed version. Yes,
I believe the little verse goes like this. Don't make tragedies out of trifles.
Don't do butterflies with rifles. It's just as foolish to make a trifle
out of what might well be a tragedy. Perhaps I should give you the
full length version, now, huh, Perhaps you should, mister Templer.
Afraid to arrive from Italy yesterday, the Tuscany from Genoa. It carried a
small crate consigned to you, doctor Webert the gowery here. But I received
no crate. What was hating paintings, doctor, and from what Siana tells
me, extremely bad paintings. But where are they? Doctor? Let's let
these pictures speak for themselves. Where are they? I never heard of them
until this moment. I wasn't even in town yesterday you were. I was
in Tropogo attending a fraternity convention. There was no create of paintings delivered here
to the gallery yesterday, mister Temple, I should they weren't delivered to the
gallery. Miss Arthur. The seamen who carried the crate in Stiana's place,
found the gallery closed when he arrived, so he did the next best thing
he thought. He had no way of knowing, of course, that old
mister Button had more or less retired from business, leaving doctor Weber in charge
of his gallery. And so rather than lud the crate all the way back
to the ship, he brought it over to the Button residence well, and
mister Button opened the thing up, curious to see what sort of stuff his
gallery was buying these days. I suppose probably wished he was dead. I'm
afraid his wish was granted all too soon. Why would anyone take the trouble
to ship us bad paintings? That's what I wondered for a while too,
That's what Button must have wan wandered, But not for long. He tumbled
on to it practically at once. Unto what mister Templar. You're aware,
of course, of the National Treasure's Act or whatever they call it in Italy,
which prevents the export of great Italian works of arts. Of course we're
aware of it. The Italian government has had it in force for years.
They're perfectly right in not wanting our great works of arts scattered about the world
when it rightly belongs in Italy. Seven paintings were over paintings over painting.
Surely you've heard of the technique of painting over and oil painting with guash with
a water soluble paint on the surface. These pictures look like something not even
a lumber company calendar would be caught dead with underneath, as mister Button found
when George came back from the drug store with materials to remove the paint,
they found masterpieces by master artists of the Renaissance. What should Yes, I'm
sure several dozen of Italy's treasures have been missing ever since the war. The
customs men tell me the Italian government had a tip that some had recently been
ship to New York Power On what ship? No one knew. But mister
Button, what did he do when he well, being an honest man with
a reputation of many years, is a reputable art dealer. He was shocked.
He said his chauffeur to fetch me. When I got there, he
told me he changed his mind. I can assume that Button had his mind
changed for him at the point of a gun, speaking of points of guns.
What do you think of the point of this one? Hell? Okay,
sick as your arm, it's sore, saft, very sore, but
not a source your head is going to be when I throws some lady,
what is it? That's exactly what the boss wants to know? What is
okay? Boss, you're coming on? Hellocent, You've got a good memory
for faces, scent. It's been a lot of years. Who could ever
forget a face like yours? SCRELLI if could win an ugly contest anywhere where
this guy talks kizzick, a guy would think you're old. An invisible gun
doesn't make any difference that he can't see it. Boss, you'll feel it
as good as anybody. I remember the meaning of this intrusion. You and
judge of this gent. I am doctor Webber, the director, and the
them. Miss Arthur is my assistant. You'll do all right by yourself.
Fat So maybe have to we knock off the saint and fats so here we'll
keep it around a little. It brings you back to this country, carelly.
The crime wave became just a ripper when you were reported. I'm moving
back in said bigger than ever. First I got to clear something up.
Uh what thought of something? Except for you people and a few are my
boys, nobody knows carely smuggled himself back in on the Tuscany. You people
ain't going to be around long enough to tell a fly about it. So
I want to know something. Why don't you try asking? I am asking.
I have Kazach. You're watching that ship day and night to see if
anyone is wise to anything, See if the federal guys are maybe here that
I come in on her and I'll retres him and they are, that's what
you're gonna tell me, sing Kazak tells me, sees you snooping about the
Tuscany. He says, lots of other guys too, guys with with that
cup look about them. They are a kind of cop at that's Grelly.
They know SCURRELLI was smuggled in on that boat. They're looking for me,
saying, these particular cops are customs Inspector Scarrelly. They're looking for pictures.
Uh, pictures, yeah, painting. Oh that's good news. You're not
Kissack. They're not looking for Scarrelli. They don't know him back yet.
Let's get rid of these suckers. Then boys, they got mouth, Yeah,
stuck up at it. You're the doctor save the Saints for last,
all right, Propert Kazak, Yes, I got it right, said profit.
All right, all right, everybody, all right? Who who are
you, Dick Tracy? I've already told you, Templar, I'm just a
man with a gun. That gun wouldn't happen to be federal property, would
it? It would? And now you're gonna ask, how come a federal
agent lets a mug like Kazak loose after he's been shooting his gun off of
the private citizen. I know, how come if I'd gone through with my
intention of breaking off mister Kazaks time, he'd have led you to a hostel
instead of where you wanted him to lead you. Huhl right, mister Templar,
Come on, boys, let's get away from this smart guy and be
careful with those hands. Now what was it you were saying before about things
getting a trifle doll around here? Dr Webber? Uh, this is about
the unusual morning, mister Templar, and the crime wave in your office isn't
over yet. We're back to playing button button, mister Templar. I'd prefer
it, and so would doctor Webber if you put your cards on the table
all at once instead of one at a time. Is that enough suspense for
one morning? Are you choosing Doctor Webber? Tall? Are you? Doctor?
Eh? Well, I'm almost six feet and you, Miss Arthur,
really, mister Templer a tall about five feet? Doctor? You wouldn't ever
wear high heels, would you? High heels that left an impression on the
leather upholstery of a chair that had been moved alongside of a doorway. I
don't follow you, Miss Arthur. Does she anticipated my wish to go into
Button's library last night? Naturally that wouldn't do at all. The paintings were
there, and a couple of them already had the overpaint removed. Correct,
Miss Hohather, you're insane. That rap across the skull you gave me is
probably what made me insane, being a rather little girl. For a head
banger, you needed height. Huh. So just before I entered the library
where you'd had Button under a gun before my arrival, you've moved a chair
so you had height, and so when I walked in, I went out.
Well, I suppose one should really humor him, Doctor Webber. And
then what did I do, mister Templer? You removed both the paintings and
mister Button. You've probably killed mister Button somewhere along the line. Of course,
you can prove all this. You can tell me or the police.
Shall we say exactly where mister Button's body lies, where the paintings are?
Unfortunately? No, then, just as unfortunately, mister Templer, you have
no case without the paintings found in my possession, without mister Button. By
an interruption, pree, we're visits of George. Please, we'll not take
a moment, miss author. You are to make a mistake. Oh please,
George, you're having a conference. Would you mind come all the way
downtown to wash and polish car? You say, Carl, no dirty,
not to need bath, not need polish George, will you please go now?
And this is mistaken. Just see car in parking rod some other time,
George, car, very dirty car, need to wash, polish spine?
I go do so, yes, No, of course you go do
so, George. And while you're at it, take a look in the
trunk compartment. No trunk compartment, what finding trunk compartment with a temper employer?
George employing trunk. Oh no, I didn't plan to kill him.
I didn't I look in the trunk compartment. Never mind, George, go
call the police. Oh yes, mister Temper, are you called? And
George, Sir. If mister Murdo should ever need an assistant, I'll be
very happy to give you a reference. You have been listening to another transcribed
adventure of the Saint, the robin Hood of Modern Crime. I'll hear as
our starve and some price ladies and gentlemen. In tonight's cast, you heard
Mary Ship as Lola and Charlie Lung as George. Ted Decurcia was Scarelli.
Larry Dobkin Kazak Red Shields played Nash and Ted Asben Doctor Webber, Bonney Phillips
Wastiano. This is Bencent Price, inviting you to join us again next week
at the same time for another exciting adventure of the Saint. Good Night.
This Adventure of the Saint was written by Michael Cromwell. The Saint, based
on characters created by Leslie Chotters, is produced by James L. Saith Here
and directed by Helen Mank. Vincent Price is soon to be seen co starring
with Errol Flynn and mischimin prell in William Marshall's production of Bloodline. All you
Saint fans will be glad to know that the Saint comic books are on sale
at all you stand. Three Chimes Mean Good Times on NBC. For something
new about the Army, Here the Phil Reagan Show. Next. Over most
of these NBC stations coming from a different service base, every week, Phil
Reagan brings you songs and fun and brings prizes to talented gis. It's an
exciting newcomer to your Sunday chime line up on NBC. So hear it next
the Phil Reagan Show, and later today following the Phil Reagan Show. Here
mister and Missus Blandings on NBC. This is Andrew J. Graham, author
of the web surface series Oh and a Mana's Wife. You're listening to the
great detectives of old time radio. Welcome back. Interesting to hear Larry Dopkin
on The Saint in a role other than Louis. Hopefully we'll hear them back
in that role before we finish up with the Saint. And we do turn
to listener comments and feedback, and I did receive this regarding the war on
iTunes. My ConA writes, I really appreciate the variety of programs in viewpoints
you included. My father was a World War Two veteran and my mother worked
in a factory during the war. I feel like I know a little more
about my parents and others that live through the war. They really are the
greatest generation. I've recommended this podcast to my children. You've created a great
resource for people to enjoy for years to come. Well, thanks so much,
And I don't mention the war a whole lot. We finished recording that
a little more than a year ago, but it was a quite an effort,
a two hundred and seventy six episode look at old time radio through World
War Two. And I created that really as a service, very intentionally,
without any sort of products or ads being mentioned, just to really focus on
the World War two generation and how they fought in to provide a real wide
range of programs music and comedy and drama and news and propaganda pieces. And
if you're interested in the war period, I would encourage you to check it
out. It is available at the War dot Great Detectives dot net. All
right, Well, that will do it for today. We will be back
tomorrow with the adventures of Ellery Queen, and next Monday, join us back
here for another episode of The Saint. In the meantime. Sender comments to
Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives,
and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com. Slash
Radio Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Grahamson and off