Speaker 1: Get this and get it straight. I am on a
summer recording break and we are bringing you encore presentations
of the Philip Marlow nineteen fifty one summer replacement series.
As usual, any offers or information in this episode may
not be valid unless currently reflected on our Great Detectives
of Old Time Radio website. But here is today's episode.
It happened like this.
Speaker 2: 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 Detectives 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, do want to thank those
who participated in our listener support campaign with one time donations,
and I want to thank Steven and I'll also Kimber
and alo At thanks so much for supporting the program.
And you can support the program on a one time
donation support dot Great Attractives dot net or over at
Patreon dot great Attractives dot net on a monthly basis. Well,
now it's time for today's episode of the Adventures of
Philip marlow the original air Eday, July the twenty eighth,
nineteen fifty one, and the tititle is the Good Neighbor Policy.
Speaker 3: Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road.
Those who travel it wind up in the gut of
the prison of the grave. There's no other end that
they never learned.
Speaker 4: From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of crime fiction,
comes his most famous character in the Adventures of Philip Marlowe.
Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe. We bring
you Tonight, the exciting story the Good Neighbor Policy.
Speaker 3: The day was hot and sticky. He wore it like
a wet shirt. To make things worse. There was a
xylophone playing somewhere in the building, and that started me
thinking about my neighbors. Mostly I was thinking two things
about them. One I didn't know any of them, and two,
I'd like to shake the hand of the fellow that
banged that xylophone day and night and break it. Not
a very neably thought. But then it had been one
of those days, you know, the kind that prompts the
neighbors to set the dogs on each other. But now
the sun had called it day. The wind had switched
from the desert to the ocean, and I was figuring
I'd be a better friend to man and woman if
I took a long, cool shower. But there's got to
be some legal way to kill xylophone players. Oh no,
big finish yet.
Speaker 5: They yes, your name Marlow, Phil Marlow. Yeah, that's right.
I live to a park from style my hall. You
got to call on my phone.
Speaker 3: I got to call on your phone. Look, because there,
I'm a busy guy. You wanted to, don't you? Well? Sure,
sure I want it? Okay, come on, all right, I am.
I didn't catch your name. No you didn't. In here
phones over there on the desk, snap it up with you? Yeah? Sure?
Are you going to charm of this fellow? Hello?
Speaker 6: Phil Dan? Oh hi, honey, something must be wrong with
your phone.
Speaker 7: I keep dialing your number and getting a very unpleasant man.
Speaker 3: He's not so little. What's on your mind?
Speaker 6: Oh it's out tonight film.
Speaker 3: Oh no, Leanie sprained.
Speaker 7: Her angle a little while ago, and I'll have to
fill in for the hospital tonight.
Speaker 3: It doesn't what nothing, We'll do it again. Huh so yeah, sure, sure, goodbye, honey.
The lady says, she keeps dialing my number and getting you.
I reported, yeah, why don't you That's what I said, Oh,
packing for a trip in between phone calls for you. Yeah, look,
it's only been one and I said, I'm sorry, what
do you want blood? Leave? Thanks, neighbor, Like I said,
it had been hot all day and I wasn't getting
any cooler. Exchanging pleasantrays with laughing boy. Back in my
own apartment, I mixed myself a tall cool drink and
thought about Anne it was neither. I just about decided
on that shower again. When I remembered about calling the
phone company. I reached for the phone, and just as
I did, Hello, this is Rena.
Speaker 6: Listen, Ernie's crossed us. I can't talk now. I'll pick
you up in ten minutes. We'll clear out a long
Hey look ten minutes. Be ready?
Speaker 3: Sure, yeah, I'll be ready. Baby. My name isn't and
it isn't. Oh well, one good turn and all that.
Oh no, m hm, hey, laughing boy, come on, hoping up? Well,
I got a message for you. Come on answer the door.
Anybody home?
Speaker 8: No, we are being rather down here around me.
Speaker 3: Yeah, oh, I'm sorry. I I guess he's not home.
Speaker 8: He would almost appear that way.
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, I guess it would.
Speaker 9: Yeah, you're rather apartment six, aren't you, Jilip Marlowe, is it?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, I am missus.
Speaker 9: Miss Garretty, Miss Andley Garrity rather a nice man, don't you,
Didn't I.
Speaker 3: Do, Miss Garretty?
Speaker 8: I'm apartment too, are you really?
Speaker 3: Well? Apartment too?
Speaker 9: I past you rever so many times in the hall
or coming in and out of the door. You know,
I just never felt that I know.
Speaker 3: You somehow, No, I suppose not.
Speaker 9: But then I always say to missus Vans, she's apartment run.
Isn't it shameful? I say that we don't know our
own neighbors anymore. Here we are under the same group,
as it were, And yet what do we share with
each other?
Speaker 8: Really?
Speaker 3: Utility?
Speaker 8: But that seems so little.
Speaker 9: Why except for missus Evans, the Randall's, the McCombs, the
Nelson girls and them O me see now, Oh yes,
that young girl who plays with that softball team.
Speaker 8: What's your name?
Speaker 3: Well I really don't know.
Speaker 9: Hey, that's it, Patty never can will, as I say,
except for those two or three people I don't know
A stolen in the building.
Speaker 3: Well, that's the way it goes, And then some days
you don't know a soul. Tell me, miss Scarrety, among
the people in the building you don't know? Do you
also not know the fellow who lives here Apartment three? Yeah?
This door I've been beating on. Who's that you don't know?
Speaker 8: And you're making all that flood?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Well it does seem silly, doesn't I should say so?
Speaker 9: But I'm afraid I won't be much healthier there. Mister Marlowe,
he's do yous. Didn't you know moved in less than.
Speaker 8: A month ago?
Speaker 3: Oh well, I just.
Speaker 9: Thought, No, No, I don't feel that I really know him.
A tall head, rather a tall young man around here, quite.
Speaker 8: Nice eyes at all.
Speaker 3: Oh that sounds like mine.
Speaker 9: I never see anyone within something in his own whose type?
Speaker 3: Well, look, thanks, miss Scarty, But now.
Speaker 8: Did I think of it? I have seen someone? Can
I catch up you again, Chada? I really couldn't answer.
Speaker 3: Mostly admit her, well, thank you and good night, Miss Garretty.
It's oh great? Whoever it was? It hung up while
Adelide Garretty was telling me all she didn't know about
the man named mit Her on the call before, someone
named Rina had called him. Art could be my unfriendly
neighbor an apartment free, was oddmitt her, Yeah, well that's
pretty simple. Left me nowhere, and there was Rena's message,
Ernie's crossed us. I'll pick you up in ten minutes.
We'll clear out alone. Not exactly social conversation. I had
a hunch about the phone call mixed up, but before
I began to build a case about it, I called
the chief operator at the phone.
Speaker 6: Company cheap operator.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, we've got a friendly wager going here. Operator.
Will you settle an argument for us?
Speaker 6: I'll try, sir good.
Speaker 3: Is it possible for two telephone wires to get crossed
in some way so that I could dial one number
correctly and actually get the other number?
Speaker 7: Yes, sir, that is possible. It could happen only in
the case of a slight equipment disorder, and only if
the two numbers in question were on the party line.
Speaker 3: Well. In other words, by dialing my number correctly, you
get the person on my party line, and by dialing
his number correctly you get me. Is that it?
Speaker 6: That's right, sir? Would you like to report such a difficulty?
Speaker 3: No? No, thanks. Like I said, I just wanted you
to set a little argument for us, thanks very much,
not at all, sir. Well know I knew that much
neighbor met her and I were on a party line,
and the strained switch and calls was legitimate. Now I
got this far with the thing, I decided to leave
the wires crossed for a while, just for lapse, and
I looked at my watch with time to get a
look at Rena. If she was coming from min her
in ten minutes she was you. I left my apartment,
started down the hall toward his, and sure enough Renae, hurry, hurry, lady.
Speaker 6: Oh I'm I'm sure he must be. I just talked.
Speaker 8: With him on the phone a few minutes ago.
Speaker 3: Oh, well he maybe he's in the shower.
Speaker 8: Yes, yes, maybe that's it.
Speaker 6: Now, please would you mind.
Speaker 3: That sounds like his phone?
Speaker 6: Yes it does, I wonder, Okay, nothing.
Speaker 3: I mean, if he answers it, he'll probably answer you're
not too Yes, I suppose he will.
Speaker 8: Now, will you please leave me alone? There?
Speaker 3: The phone ringing in O's apartment was fun more frustrating
to me than it was to a Rena. I knew,
don well the call was really for me. I opened
the front door, out of the welcome freshnist evening breeze
and the scent of night blooming jasmine. By the time
I'd inhale a little of both and walked out to
the end of the sidewalk. Rena suddenly barged out of
the building, looked desperately up and down the street, and
then headed toward a car parked across the way. And
her car had an Arizona license. In a minute, she
drove away. Back in my own apartment, I call the
chief operator again, only this time I leveled with her
about the crossed wires on my party line. After that,
I took a shower and decided to end a dull
day by putting in some sack time. The last conscious
thought I had was Rena's urgent voice on the phone,
Ernie's crossfits. I can't talk now, I'll pick you up
in ten o clear alone. I still didn't get it.
I didn't get it. The next morning, are they But
I got up, dressed and were starting for the morning paper,
which my news boy was questionable accuracy always pegs in
the general vicinity of my apartment door. I didn't quite
get there though, before.
Speaker 10: Hello, mister Philip Marlow, this is the telephone company calling
mister Marlow. Oh the difficulty was your phone that you
reported last night has been remedied.
Speaker 6: Normal service may be resumed.
Speaker 3: Oh fine, fine, thanks for calling.
Speaker 6: We hope you haven't been on Newly inconvenience.
Speaker 3: Oh no, it's all. It's been grand.
Speaker 6: Thank you for your patience, sir.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, well goodbye. Yeah, that's that. Okay, I'm coming.
Oh hello again.
Speaker 5: I got another call for you on my phone, the
same name as last night, I think, But the phone
company just you always argue there's a call for you.
Speaker 3: On my phone, Come on and answer. Well, how can
I resist an invitation like that? It's funny, though, I
wonder how that happened. You said that before. I know,
I did, I did? Didn't I did I say before that.
I don't much care for xylophones or you. I don't remember.
I don't care in here. Yeah, and the phone's over
there on the desk, A bust of that phones hung up.
There's no call for me. What is this? This? This
is a gun model? Yeah, I see it is. You
know too much? Model.
Speaker 11: I don't like it when you know so much. Finish.
Speaker 4: In just a moment, we will return to the second
act of Philip Marlowe.
Speaker 3: But first a blind auction.
Speaker 4: Racket in which employees in a customs house have a
confederate purchase of battered suitcase containing of fortune and jewels.
That's what CBS Radio's Gangbusters have to contend within the
case of the Nazi Diamonds. Tonight on most of these
same CBS stations. Don't miss Gangbusters tonight for a suitcase
full of jewels and thrills. Say, friends, the flood victims
of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Illinois need your help. Many
are injured and homeless, and you can help to give
them food, clothing, shelter, medical care. You can do your
part by giving through your local chapter of the American
Red Cross.
Speaker 8: No.
Speaker 4: With our star Gerald Moore, the second actor for Lamarlowe.
It's right story, the good neighbor policy.
Speaker 3: That is quite nice side of that lake garrity and
described them whereas cold and deadly as the automatically rammed
into my stomach was the first time I'd gotten a
really close look at him. This one was too close
for comfort. I had to keep looking at him.
Speaker 1: No.
Speaker 3: I knew that if I glanced away, blinked, and I
I made anything resembling a key movie blastmed the Kingdom
come little ahead of my time. He dead wrong on
one score. Though you got my call from Marina last night.
You know too much? How can I know too much?
I don't know anything now.
Speaker 5: Look Mint, when I saw you last night, you didn't
know my name. You've been asking questions around huh yeah,
Well so come on, gum shure, We're gonna take a
little walk.
Speaker 3: Now. Look, kids, you're all wrong. We take that little walk.
We're gonna take a little ride. You can tell me
all about how wrong I am as long as you
can talk. Let's get going.
Speaker 12: Okay, okay, remember Marlow, You're just gonna walk down the
hall and out of the building with me.
Speaker 5: No funny stuff, just gun staying right in your bank
and see what you mean?
Speaker 8: And the dom comes up right? Why it's mister Barlow.
Speaker 3: Oh it's scary.
Speaker 9: And mister Minter, I believe we're rather eerly, aren't we?
Speaker 3: As we are a little too early? If you ask.
Speaker 8: Me, have you be hiccups? Mister Marlow? If you do,
I know the best cure. Just put your hands up.
I over a.
Speaker 3: I don't have hiccups, Misscarrity.
Speaker 8: Then perhaps it was mister Minton.
Speaker 3: Ol, lady, I don't have hiccups either.
Speaker 9: Someone hicke up and it wasn't me. Oh but no matter,
I get been up to my paper. I won't keep you, gentlemen.
I know you must be off somewhere. And it's such
a lovely morning. I don't believe it is warm today.
Speaker 6: Do you?
Speaker 3: Heem's warmer to me.
Speaker 8: No, No, I don't believe it is even mister Minton.
Speaker 3: Look, lady, we're gonna hurry.
Speaker 8: Well, I'm sure I'm not keeping you. I must say.
Speaker 9: I was just trying to do the neighborly thing. That's
all I was saying to missus Evans just the other day.
What happened to the old fashioned good neighbor policy? And
this little incident this morning is certainly answering enough for me.
Speaker 8: It's gone. That's where it is gone.
Speaker 3: Miss Scarty. You're the one who plays that delightful asylum.
Speaker 9: Oh you can see it from the doorway here. Yeah, well,
I'm so glad you enjoy it.
Speaker 3: Mister Marlow, I do. I wanted to tell me, would you?
I know it's a lot to ask.
Speaker 9: Please something for you? Yeah, mister blow.
Speaker 3: You make one move for her dog and kill her
to minute.
Speaker 8: She's right in the front, gentlemen, or aren't you? And music?
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, sure, I am a chest your paper for you?
Speaker 3: Get inside your papa, Miss Gardi, at this time, you
won't mat her. Don't get near the door.
Speaker 8: Why are you struck him in the face with my paper?
Speaker 3: I did. Wait a minute, you see the street from
the windows. Here's your paper? Sorry, Franklin, Thanks.
Speaker 8: I'm pretty I still don't understand your behavior.
Speaker 3: Mister mah, he beat it all right, and get lost
in that traffic and no time.
Speaker 9: What do mister mean you think you're striking in that way?
Speaker 3: Oh well, I've got a mean straight Wait a minute,
let me see that headline for sure.
Speaker 9: I don't know what thing that you do end, but
I haven't let me see them in the place.
Speaker 3: Oh yeah. Man murdered an investment hold up. Ernest Tolan,
thirty eight, employee at Hinshaw Investment Company, was found shot
to death when the company opened its doors in his mine.
I was fifty thousand dollars in cash and security. I'm
missing from missing basically telling the work late last night
in things company, same face, will say police, we're attempting
to locate Tolan's widow, missus Rena Tolan, whom neighbors saw
leaving the house with the suitcase. Wow, Ernie and Rena
En did he was, mister Marlowe. No, no, but matter's right,
I do know too much.
Speaker 9: I'm sorry, mister Marlowe, but I don't feel up the
playing for you right now. This morning has gotten off
just at your peculiar start.
Speaker 8: I get knocking the mood this guy.
Speaker 3: Oh, I know how you feel. Don't give another thought,
Miss Garretty ever again, I called the landlady when I
got back to my own apartment to see if she
knew anything about Mitter, like where he worked. She was
good enough to be out of town. I even went
back to Miss Garrety's, but she'd already hit the trail let's.
She had the morning's excitement with any of a dozen people,
including probably that girl who played with the softball team.
But old mister McWilliams, the janitor, was bringing up the
morning mail. Morning, mister Matt, that's a male situation. Twelve
B has two packages again again, how about me? Well
you don't even rate an advertisement this morning? Ok? Yeah,
well you can't win all the time. Tell me how
about the the minter, mister Mitta, you know he's he's
an apartment three. He asked me to pick up his
mail if there is any sure if you can carry
it all? His postcard, Oh, I can manage. Well, thank you.
He's from his mother in Tucson. Really, they're all well,
oh well that's good, that's good. Nice to see you again,
mister mac here, eh is it hot enough for you?
It was? And mister mac was right, and his family
were all well, except for the return address and Tucson.
There wasn't a lead on the whole postcard. Who puts
leads on postcards? I took the card back to the
apartment with me and called a questionable character I knew
in Tucson and told him to find out all he
could about Art Mita quick. And I remembered about Arina's
car having an Arizona license and asked him to check her. Yeah,
and Ernest told him too. Called back in an hour.
Speaker 13: Wow, he's got an all record models. When the guy
asked me in check, I'll only get this. What about
a year ago he gets divorced by his wife here, Yeah, yeah,
go ahead, all right away. She hops over to Mexico
with his Tolan fellow you ask about and marries him?
Rena did right away a minute, I got it written
down here. So yeah, Rina, Rena, that's your name.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 13: Poland was with an investment out for here in Arizona. Yeah,
but he transferred to La a month ago.
Speaker 3: Yeah that checks. What about min her find out where
if he works here? If he does that is oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6: Well this still rocket.
Speaker 13: He works at the Hollywood Library.
Speaker 3: Hollywood Library host his old lady told me. It rocked me,
all right, the whole thing did. Ernest Tolan, now dead,
had been set up as a pigeon a year ago
back in Arizona. Only at some point yesterday he got
wise and decided to do the investment job alone. Trouble Wise,
Rena didn't get the art with the news and time
she got to me. Now, even the law couldn't locate Rna.
And the last time I saw mit her, he didn't
act like a fellow who was heading for the Hollywood Library.
You never know. I started out into the hall, observed
gratefully the miscarity. Xylophone was still who told me? For
the moment when I got about even was Metta's door.
Something happened very like a familiar song starting all over again.
It was Mitta's phone ringing. I listened to his door.
There was no move from inside. Answer the ring, and
something told me he was another lock that ne didn't spring. Yeah,
where have you been out for a while?
Speaker 6: Are you all right? You don't found it?
Speaker 3: Yeah? They just wanted were you.
Speaker 6: So funny there?
Speaker 3: Yes? Right, you're talking, because all right I will.
Speaker 6: I'm at the Bellflower and Ventur. If you call here,
ask for missus Guffrey. That's me. You got everything, didn't you?
When you well? I mean, you're still gonna split with me,
aren't you. I was afraid after I ran out? But
you understand, don't you.
Speaker 5: You weren't home all right?
Speaker 6: Are you get off working for don't you? Nothing's happened
about that. We'll come up here as soon as you can.
After that, I'm well, just hurry hard, please.
Speaker 3: Excuse me. But can you know you lost my head?
I'm trying. Can you tell me where I can find mister.
Speaker 8: P in the stacks on the message there?
Speaker 3: Thank you very much?
Speaker 8: And quiet is your fan?
Speaker 3: Please?
Speaker 8: People are reading the world.
Speaker 3: But I was supposed to come up here LEAs fils
a lot. I was looking for something and investments. I said, now.
Speaker 14: Take it easy, winter. I got a message from Rena. Yeah,
jesuys you killed Ernie. Look, yeah, I got a message
for a Rena so Ventura cops. Probably I know, Michael,
Lieutenant Mackews get any good.
Speaker 3: And it always does. I'll kill you model right a minute.
Speaker 15: Come on, where's the dope you took from Ernie in
the securities? How they in these permanent files too? Is
that why you had to show for work today?
Speaker 3: You com show?
Speaker 6: But now we get them on me?
Speaker 3: Throwing books is a good idea. Well, this boy's really hot. Yeah,
not that, he said for heavy reading. I kept my
foot on his neck till Miss Hush downstairs called Matthews.
I needn't have He didn't come too, and I waved
the squad car off the headquarters from the library curve. Yeah,
well that's that. On the way back to my apartment,
I got to thinking about a house with no neighbors,
no xylophones, no crossed wires, no funn e then no.
All kinds of things go on in apopment houses, all
kinds of people leading all kinds of lives. What the
line love thy neighbors thyself. Yeah, most people act like
they hate themselves. Oh well, there's got to be some
legal way to kill xylophone players.
Speaker 4: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, Bringing You Raymond Chandler's most
famous character, star Gerald Moore, are produced and directed by
Norman MacDonald and written for radio by Kathleen Hit featured
in the cast where High Averbach is Art Minter and
Jane Morgan is Miss Garretty, with Vivi janis z Anne,
Doris Singleton as Rena Parley, Bear's old mister McWilliams, and
Gene Bates as the chief telephone operator. Gerald Moore may
currently be seen in the Santana production Sirocco. The special
music for Philip Marlowe is composed by Pierre Garagank and
conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Be sure to listen again next
week at the same time when Philip Marlowe says, this.
Speaker 3: Time I did at Cook's tour of the San Fernando
Valley in search of a missing woman. The case had
a lot of positive developments, but the clincher, the clincher
was a negative development and in a camera shop.
Speaker 4: There's fine musical listening on CBS Radio tomorrow, don't miss
Guy Lombardo Time featuring Guys distinctive music with vocals by
visiting Janis page. The program comes from Norfolk Naval Base,
where Guy Lombardo Time entertains the Navy. Also on tap
tomorrow night over most of these same CBS stations is
CBS Radio's Mario Lanza's Show with Mario and Musical Company,
offering a special program of Jerome Kern Favorites. This is
Roy Rowan speaking, just as systematic exercise builds a strong body,
so does systematic saving build a strong future. Save systematic
for your future and for your country's future. With United
States Defense bonds, there's no safer investment in the world.
Defense bonds are guaranteed by your government. So for the
defense of your future or the defense of your country's future,
by your full share regularly systematically of United States Defense bonds.
Speaker 3: This is the CBS Radio Network.
Speaker 9: This is Andrew J.
Speaker 14: Graham, author of the web surface series Oh and a
Man of His Wife. You're listening to the great detectives
of Old Time Radio.
Speaker 2: Welcome back, Well, I'm interesting concept, essentially putting most of
the episode inside of Marlowe's apartment building certainly turned out
better than when they just put the whole episode in
Marlowe's apartment. The main highlight here is Jane Morgan appearing
in a comedic relief role. CBS listeners of the time
would have recognized her as Missus Davis from ar Miss Brooks,
and she also did play in the Harold Perry Show
as well. And it's also interesting to hear how telephone
technology of the day, which you know, is very different
than the sort of things that we do have today,
and it's interesting just to hear how they will shift
things around with the telecommunications technology of the day. There was,
for example, over years later, of course, an episode of
Colombo which sadered the lack of selling reception in Malibu
back at a time when cell phones were relatively new
and everybody didn't have them. You hear those sort of episodes,
it definitely grounds you in the time that they were
recorded in. All right, well, that will do it for today.
Join us back here tomorrow for Mystery Theater next Wednesday.
Philip marlow In the meantime, sends 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 Grahamson and all