Speaker 1: Hello, this is your host Adam Graham. The Great Adventurers
of Old Time Radio is taking a break from posting
the new episodes, but we are sharing some adventure themed
episodes of other podcasts I've done over the years until
we return on January eleventh for the premiere of Tarzan.
In the meantime, please enjoy this episode, which was originally
released as part of the Amazing World of Radio. If
you'd like to listen to more episodes of that series,
please check it out and Amazing Great Detectives dot net.
But now on with today's show. Welcome to the Amazing
World of Radio from Boise Idah. This is your host,
Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to
me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. And welcome
to our Summer of Bogart. That's right, Every Wednesday between
now and September sixth, we'll be bringing you a radio
program featuring the legendary Humphrey Bogart. In the course of
this we're going to cover his great and classic films
that were adapted to radio, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Casablanca,
The Maltese Falcon.
Speaker 2: And many more. And we'll also throw in a couple
episodes of his radio series Bold Venture. At the end
of the mini series, we'll mix it up with a
few episodes. It wouldn't necessarily be considered typical bogie, but
which he nevertheless did over radio. But we begin with
where Bogart began his career, and that was by playing
tough guys and gangsters. This predated his more heroic work,
was really an important part of making him known to
the public, kind of like Alan Ladd would later follow
the same path. And so we're going to start with
a gangster picture he did with Edward g. Robinson and
it was adapted to the Lux Radio Theater. The original
air at eight was April the seventeenth of nineteen thirty
nine and the title is Bullets or Ballots.
Speaker 3: From Hollywood, California. The Lux Radio Theater presents Edward G.
Speaker 4: Robinson in Bullets or Ballots with Marie Est, Humphrey Bogot,
and Otto Krueger.
Speaker 5: Nux Prison's Hollywood Bullets or Ballots. This is the question
answered in tonight's play, the vivid Drama of a Battle
against Racketeers, screened by Warner Brothers. You'll hear it erring
Edward g Robinson, Mary Aster, Humphrey Bogart and Otto Kruger,
while our special guest is Frank b. Comfort, nationally known
criminologist Lewis Silver's conducts our music as a word before
hearing from our producer. Your complexion and the care you
give it is mighty important to you, isn't it. Then
of course you don't want to take chances with inferior soaps.
You want to be sure the soap you use is
non irritating, really mild. It's nice to know that every
ingredient that goes into Gentle Lux toilet soap is tested
for extra fine quality, for purity.
Speaker 4: Now you know why nine out of ten screen.
Speaker 5: Stars use Lux toilet soap for their million dollar complexions.
They can depend on its gentleness and mildness. You can too,
and that's so important to your good looks, to your happiness.
So I hope you're making Lux Toilet soap your regular
complexion care. If you haven't a generous supply on hand,
put it on your shopping list now and now, the
user of the Lux Radio Theater, Ladies and gentlemen, mister
Cecil B de Mille, Greetings from Hollywood ladies and gentlemen.
Racketeering is a comparatively new word in the American language,
but an old bug bay in American history. Following the Revolution,
American vessels in the Mediterranean were plundered and their crews
thrown into slavery so frequently that the United States, to
continue commerce in those waters, signed a treaty with the
pirate's ruler, the Sultan of Algiers. Uncle Sam paid eight
hundred thousand dollars for the ransom of imprisoned sailors, and
for years paid an addition of twenty three thousand dollars
annually as a guarantee for future safety, until our navy,
under Stephen Decatur, forever ended this racket of the barbary pirates.
Today's racketeers, dealing in millions of dollars, would scorn the
modest sums involved in historical racketeering, and only by militant
public resistance such as that shown in to Night's play
Bullets are Ballots can America perch herself of these internal parasites.
In his screen characterizations, Edward G. Robinson has often lived
outside the law, but to Night he walks a straight
and narrow path as he pins a badge inside his
coat and becomes as he did in the picture Detective
Johnny Blake and established air personality because of his own
program Big Town. This fast talking, fist swinging favorite is
from Warner Brother's studio and will soon appear in Confessions
of a Nazi Spy. In Bullets Are Ballots, you saw
another brilliant performance by one of the screen's best bad men,
Humphrey Bogart, who likes playing villains and to night, resumes
the part of Bugs Brenner. In our Glamour Division, there
is Mary Astor, who brings her loveliness and talent to
the role of Lee Morgan. Otto Krueger displays his genius
for the sinister and changes only his first name in
playing Al Kruger. We raise the curtain now and the
Lux Radio Theater presents Edward G. Robinson in Bullets or
Ballots with Mary Asta, Humphrey Bogat, and Otto Kruger. A
radio station in a large eastern city. At a table
in one of the smaller studios, a man reads earnestly
from a typewritten page behind the glass enclosure. The radio
engineer sends the speaker's voice out across the city into
the homes of listening millions. The man nears the end
of his speech.
Speaker 6: So, ladies and gentlemen of the radio audience, there are
a thousand rackets, rackets which are forcing prices beyond the
reach of the poor, looting business, food, laundry, poultry, dry cleaning.
And still the American people up the racket. Here go
free men like al Kruger, protected against the law, returned
from mock trials, to collect their share of the two
hundred million dollar plunder taken each year from this city alone.
Speaker 4: And again I.
Speaker 6: Say these rackets must be stopped, Ladies and gentlemen. I've
been ordered by the Crime Combine to discontinue these broadcasts.
The gentlemen who phoned added or else for his information.
I shall continue the broadcast regularly, and my papers will
continue the present policy of open attack on racketeers and
directors of organized crime, who are the really dangerous enemies
of society.
Speaker 4: Ladies and gentlemen, you have been listening to mister Ward
Bryant and his march against crime. Mister Bryant will be
heard again at this scene. All right, Bryant and I Joe,
that was a fine speech to night. Mister Bryant. I
heard it here on the speaker down the hall. Glad
you like it? Let me a cat, will you, Joe? Sure, yes, sir,
you sure have the right angle on this racketeer business.
I hey, come, mister Bryant.
Speaker 7: Look.
Speaker 5: Big by what Brian Kill editor tout down, saying out
of the miner tangles, cut my hot Ryan.
Speaker 8: Till cigars cigarette, cigars cigarettes, cigars cigarette.
Speaker 4: Who is it? It's me, miss Lee? Hyman? Can I
come in?
Speaker 3: Come on, miss Lee?
Speaker 9: How are you?
Speaker 4: Herman? They said you was in your office, so.
Speaker 3: Why are you surprised? How are the collections today? Herman?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 10: Just fine, miss Lee. You really cut something in this
numbers game. It's gonna catch on up here in the
Bronx even better than in Harlem. Here here's one day's collections.
Speaker 3: Did you have to bring it all in Nichols Herman, No, ma'am.
Speaker 4: There's two other bags too, green money. That's very nice, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 10: You know if it keeps coming in like this, you
can sell this cabaret and move right into parking.
Speaker 11: Thanks.
Speaker 3: We'll stick to the cabaret in the Bronx. By Herman,
see you tomorrow.
Speaker 10: Oh Shay, there was something else I wanted to tell you.
Speaker 3: Never mind, it'll come.
Speaker 10: Oh I remember, yeah, I saw mister Blake when I
come in Blake.
Speaker 4: Yeah, that detective fellaw.
Speaker 3: Where was he in the bar? The bar?
Speaker 4: Is he drinking? Yeah?
Speaker 3: What's happened downtown? Any extras out?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that publisher was murdered. The one name that
explains it?
Speaker 4: Oh the name?
Speaker 3: Never mind herman, sit down on RETHU, I got it, Brian.
Speaker 9: Thanks?
Speaker 3: Hello, Johnny?
Speaker 4: Oh helloly.
Speaker 3: Don't mind if I do.
Speaker 12: Yes, it's all right for the boss to chin with
the guy she hasn't seen in months.
Speaker 3: Have you been, Johnny?
Speaker 4: Okay, might let me know you were here reading this
about Brian.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that was real brave killing?
Speaker 4: Was there?
Speaker 3: Did you know him?
Speaker 4: Yeah? Hello, swell fellow. We had a swell wife and kid.
There'll be plenty tough on.
Speaker 3: Them, wife and kid. Huh. Yeah, you're a funny person, Johnny.
You come out of your shell. You're really human.
Speaker 4: But I don't like to see decent people pushed around and.
Speaker 12: Something big breaks down there in your old stamp and
grounded gets under your.
Speaker 3: Skin, doesn't it?
Speaker 13: What makes you think?
Speaker 4: So?
Speaker 3: The only time I ever see you take a drink.
Speaker 13: Oh no, this.
Speaker 4: Is just a celebration. I found out who stole Missus
Blaussmayer's laundry.
Speaker 3: Ah, that must have been something. It was you weren't
on the level.
Speaker 4: Sure, I've been transferred up here now regular.
Speaker 12: Well, for that's a fine finish for a great police career,
isn't it.
Speaker 3: Trying to find stolen laundry in the Bronx.
Speaker 4: Well, it's better than being pentched off with the fire horses.
I'm not kidding myself. I'm no use to them downtown.
Speaker 12: Anymore, but with things like this Brian killing going on,
it looks like they need you plenty.
Speaker 3: They ought to have your whole flying squad back in action.
Speaker 4: Now they don't believe in kicking the rats line anymore.
Nowadays you're supposed to kiss them and tuck them in.
Speaker 3: Your friend McLaren doesn't think so.
Speaker 13: McLaren's only a captain. He takes orders too.
Speaker 3: So you just go on staying loyal to McLaren in
the police department.
Speaker 4: Though, That's about it, and looking for laundry. Sure, someday
Mac will be back up on top and you won't
have to worry about me anymore.
Speaker 3: Johnny who killed Bryant al Krueger, you're sure of it.
Speaker 4: It was now himself one of his stooges bugs Brenner, maybe,
how do you know? Well, Krueger had the most to
lose by a cleanup. He controls every racket in town. Yeah,
not the numbers, the numbers, I'll say that small time.
If it ever gets big enough, he'll grab it, just
like he's grabbed everything else. He's got an organization that
guy crime incorporate it, protect it right down the line.
They can't lay a finger on him until we find
out who's behind him. The higher ups you know who
see to it. But he gets away with anything he wants,
including murder.
Speaker 3: I wish they'd let you take a crack at this job.
Speaker 4: Why feeling sorry for me?
Speaker 12: Maybe just because I hate to see a swell guy
eating his heart out.
Speaker 13: I'll forget it.
Speaker 4: Well, see you around.
Speaker 3: When, Johnny. It's a long time between your visits.
Speaker 4: You know, I'll make it soon. Hey, I thought you
didn't let mugs into this place.
Speaker 3: I don't when I know them.
Speaker 13: Well, look who's coming in?
Speaker 4: Who is he? Pray? I seen them up to sing
sing a couple of years ago. Well, well, well, if
it ain't Detective Blake. The parole board turned you loose
on the public again. Eh, yeah, no, thanks to you.
Well I hear they cut the big shot detective down
the size. Gee. It must be tough not to be
able to kick the boys around anymore and make them
tip their hats to you. Yeah, but they still do
a to a bronx flat foot.
Speaker 13: Yeah, and as.
Speaker 4: Long as I'm part of the forest, they'll keep on
tipping their house. Remember it next time?
Speaker 3: All right, everybody, it's all over. Hey, throw that guy out, Newsy.
Speaker 4: Carry Well, I guess I'll go downtown see what's going on.
Speaker 3: You haven't lost your gentle touch, have you?
Speaker 14: Johnny?
Speaker 4: I see you soon.
Speaker 14: What do you want?
Speaker 4: I want to see Al Krueger. Yeah, Flake's the name,
Detective Blake. Oh wait a minute, Hey, yeah, a guy
named Blake, Johnny Blake.
Speaker 15: Oh, come in, Johnny? All right, Benure get out. Hello, Well, hi, Johnny,
sit down, big night for you. Huh working overtime?
Speaker 4: Yeah, that happens a lot.
Speaker 13: Now, you're right, it's suposed to be doing all right?
Speaker 4: Yeah, about five thousand last week? Five hundred thousand, Jim, mean,
maybe I can't count that high? See guy thanks. I
thought you were homesteading in the Bronx. What are you
doing down this nigger the woods? Oh, just poking around
the old hangouts. What do you think of Brian's death? Yeah,
just reading about it. Too bad. It was a fine fellow.
Now they'll probably blame it on you. Well, you're telling me.
A couple of the boys are up here from headquarters
a half hour ago. They were very nice about it, though.
That's the trouble they have to be. You'd have taken
me around the corner and rolled up a newspaper. Yeah,
I guess I would, And I didn't get much out
of you. The last time I gave you going over
he came close, and I wish I hadn't known it
at the time. You'd have got some more and I
wanted to get you on that wrap. Eh, good old days. Yeah,
you traveled a long way since then. Well, you'd have
gone a long way too. If you're thrown in with
me the first time I asked you, maybe I would.
You'd have been a great help with this business, Johnny.
You know more about the inside of this town than
any bird that ever lived in it. If I'd gone
in with you, well i'd have done it to nail you. Ah, No,
you wouldn't. You'll never double cross anyone in your life,
even a crook. If he told you something in confidence,
you rowed the pants off all of us. But you
always let us know where you stood. Yes, you always
known what I thought of you. Yeah, you're the only
fellow that I'd take it from. Well, I still want
you to throw in with me, Johnny, I'll stick with
the department after all the kicking around they've given you.
M m, you're a chump. All you'll get out of
it is a petty larceny pension. I could do more
for you in a year than you learn in a
lifetime on the force.
Speaker 13: Oh maybe I'd like to make my money the hard way.
Speaker 4: H No, I'll probably still be asking you ten years
from now, if you live that long. Yeah, you see
the papers about, Hey, what's he doing here?
Speaker 13: Well, if it isn't Bugs Brenna.
Speaker 4: I'll forgetting out of here. Blake. All your horse is Buggers,
I asked John m Am. I now Bugs hasn't been
able to forget the week he spent in the hospital
after you took that swing at me. I don't think
much of me, see you around. Oh, I've got the
compliment you bugs. Nice clean job you did on Brian.
What are you talking about? Nothing yet?
Speaker 13: An?
Speaker 4: How Hey, what's he talking about? As if you didn't
know your ten cents?
Speaker 14: Tug?
Speaker 4: I told you to leave Brian alone. I didn't know
nothing about him, no matter of what him is He dead? Yes,
he's dead, and you did it. I pull you off
a truck and you pay me back by taking a
chance on ruining a million dollar gold mine. Someday you'll
get wife to the fact of the strong arm stuff
went out with prohibition. You're not running liquor anymore. You're
in big business. Sit down, Ella plus nine five four
seven two. That's right, we've just seen the extra.
Speaker 14: Mister Krueger. Please come to see us at once tonight.
Speaker 4: Yes, sir, right away. That ought to satisfy you. Who
was it the big fellaws, first time they've called in
six months. When they call it this time of night,
it means they're going to rake me over plenty. They're
liable to pull the props out from under me for
this Bryant mess, and if they do, it'll be the
last thing that will happen to me. Hey, how are
these fellows are how if you knew you wouldn't sleep
much tonight? Now beat it.
Speaker 16: The killing of one leader, mister Ward Bryant cannot stop
these broadcasts. The March against Crime will continue, faithful to
the memory of one who died in the service.
Speaker 14: Of the people.
Speaker 2: Is Lee.
Speaker 16: The first that had already been taken. A new police
commissioner was recommended by the grand jury last week, a
man with a splendid record and fine reputation for honesty
and integrity. We are pleased at this time to inform
our listeners that the appointment was ratified today. The new
police Commissioner of this city is mister Franklin McLaren.
Speaker 12: Mister McClaren herman, Yes, ma'am, get mister Blake on the
phone circle of four six one.
Speaker 10: Yes, ma'am, see, I see That's what I've been meaning
to tell you about mister Blake. Well what well, mister
Blake got fired from the police force this morning.
Speaker 3: Fired. Someone's kidding you, No, No, it's true.
Speaker 4: You asked him this.
Speaker 10: Mister McLaren started a big shake up and I fired
a lot of fellows.
Speaker 3: But he was depending on McLaren.
Speaker 13: Will you ask him, Miss Lee?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 13: Now where was I?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 17: Yeah, yeah, she wait, never mind calling, I'll go over
and see him.
Speaker 3: Oh hello Johnny.
Speaker 4: Well high Lee, I never thought you'd get over this way.
Speaker 3: Well shall we just stand here and swing on the door?
Speaker 4: No, no, come on in? What are you wing uproar about?
Speaker 3: Herman said you were fired?
Speaker 13: That's right? Yeah, sit down and make you so comfortable?
Speaker 3: Who did it?
Speaker 13: McLaren?
Speaker 12: And you're the one that was telling me that when
McLaren got on top of everything, it'd be just fine
and dand I was wrong. Sure about time you got
wise to yourself around this town.
Speaker 3: The only reason friends pat you on the back is
to find an easy place to break it.
Speaker 13: You're a friend, aren't you.
Speaker 3: I guess you're dumb enough to think so.
Speaker 13: Oh No, I'm not dumb, Lee. You like me pretty well.
That goes both ways.
Speaker 4: No, whenen and home life had been in my line,
i'd have fallen to you a long time ago.
Speaker 3: It's been sort of nice, wouldn't it.
Speaker 13: Yeah, it wasn't in the cards.
Speaker 4: Leave.
Speaker 3: You can't beat the cards, can you. No, you didn't
get enough salary to say much, did you, Johnny? I
suppose you'll be looking for a job. I thought you
might like to come in with me and help me
run the numbers game.
Speaker 4: What you got all the help you need?
Speaker 3: Oh, I won't have. It's getting bigger all the time.
Some weeks it brings in ten to twelve thousand.
Speaker 4: By twelve thousand, that penny out a game. Well, the
last time you told me about it, you were only
getting a few hundred.
Speaker 12: I know, but they're crazy about it in Harlem, and
now it's going over in the Bronx. Please come in
and help me run it, Johnny. You could do a
swell job of building it up. You'd make a lot
of money for both.
Speaker 13: Of us pretty regularly.
Speaker 4: You'll do it, No, not a chance. Any money I
made would be just coming out of your pocket. I
don't take money away from women.
Speaker 3: Well, I thought i'd tell you about it.
Speaker 13: Well, thanks, you.
Speaker 3: Just saying I'm sorry you got kicked out. It's going
to be tough for you to break into something new
after all these years.
Speaker 13: Yeah, I guess.
Speaker 3: So what do you think you'll do?
Speaker 4: Well, I'm just leaving to take in the fights. I've
got a good card on to I.
Speaker 3: Don't hurt your knuckles.
Speaker 4: So lord, are you Johnny Hallois? You mister sweet Ponel johny, Well,
that's too bad. Yeah, you're Ponel McLaren like it a
lot worse McLaren.
Speaker 3: Is he here here?
Speaker 4: Whatever it is?
Speaker 3: See?
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, thanks, see you later. Hello mister McLaren. Oh
hello John, Congratulations on a new job. Thanks John. They
tell me you were trying to see me today. Sorry,
I was busy. Oh it's okay, I can say it now.
I just wanted to thank you for the kicking the teeth.
Speaker 7: You can't suck the commissioner and expect to get and
that call me you prefer charges commissioner.
Speaker 4: No, just throw him out in the street. Hey you
want another drink? Johnny?
Speaker 13: Mister blake to you?
Speaker 14: Sure?
Speaker 4: Sorry, I'd Preachendisa one not Hello Jenny.
Speaker 13: Oh hello, hell Ryan?
Speaker 4: If I said that, I just came from the fights.
Speaker 13: Oh yeah, I saw you when I went in.
Speaker 4: You don't miss much?
Speaker 14: Do you so have it?
Speaker 4: How was the main event? They ought to had you
in the ring? That was a sweet punch, Jenny. Now
McLaren had it coming to him. Oh yeah, finally washed up. Yes,
plenty a lot of thanks you got from McLaren in
the public. It's not even that petty larceny pension you
were talking about. But now on, I'm going to see
what it's like looking out for number one. That offer
is still open, Johnny, and i'd like to have you
in with me doing what I like it a hunch
we're in for some trouble with McLaren and that Grand
jury on it. Har If there's any weak spots in
the organization, I've got to find him now, and you'd
be the first one to spot him. I want you
to look over the whole setup, and the only one
you answered to is me.
Speaker 13: You've got a lot of confidence in me.
Speaker 4: Yeah, well I've heard it, fellas you've sent the prison
say that if you ever made a deal, you'd see
yourself dead before you get back on it, right, how
about it?
Speaker 13: Okay, Well it's the deal.
Speaker 5: We have come to the end of the first act
of Bullets or Ballots, starring Edward g. Robinson, Merry Aster,
Humphrey Bogarte, and Otto Krueger. The curtain will go up
on that two after our short intermission. But now here's
something that happened recently which I would like to have
you here.
Speaker 4: Better hurry, Mary, We're gonna be late. Gosh, I've been
pimping for an hour.
Speaker 3: Now be cross deal.
Speaker 4: Oh helloa, well you never show up? Ah say you
look wonderful?
Speaker 10: You like it?
Speaker 4: Like what the hat?
Speaker 3: Of course?
Speaker 4: Oh gosh the hat. Sure, I like it, but I
like what's under it better. Hob a little kiss. Come on,
let's get going. I'm going to be proud.
Speaker 5: There's nothing like a soft, smooth complexion to make a
new spring hat do its best. And as a matter
of fact, the best looking hat in the world can't
do much for a woman who's been careless about her skin.
The woman who's let cosmetic skin develop dullness, little bemishes,
enlarged pores. That's why clever women everywhere take the screen
star's tip. They use cosmetics all they like, but they're
always careful to remove them thoroughly with lux toilet soap.
This mild white soap that nine out of ten screen
stars use has active ladder. Let it help you keep
skin smooth and soft, lovely to look at, nice to touch,
Mister DeMille, Act two of Bullets or Ballots starring Edward g.
Robinson with Merry Astor, Humphrey Bogart and Dato Krueger. Fired
from the police Force, Johnny Blake has gone over to
the racketeers as a working part of al Kruger's crime combine.
But now an outraged citizen raid demand's action. Swiftly, and
without warning, the new police commissioner cracks down.
Speaker 6: McClaren dynamite racketeers.
Speaker 4: The clear pouncer Ronnie Rily racket small.
Speaker 7: McLaren rates jewelry Fencer.
Speaker 5: One by one, the rackets fold, and thousands of dollars
are turned back.
Speaker 4: To the taxpayers.
Speaker 5: In a hotel room, Joe Vinci, the latest racketeer to
feel the lash, savagely reads the headlines.
Speaker 4: Police rate Jewelry Francis two hundred thousand diamonds recovered two
hundred grand. Well, that fixes my business plenty. You ain't
getting any harder than the others. It's funny to me.
The cops couldn't foun out hide out without somebody chipping
them off. And I'm gonna find out who's doing. You
don't have to look far. All this has happened since
Blake got in. How are you talking about bugs? I'm
talking about Blake, and I'm gonna ask him a few questions.
Speaker 13: Hello, Louis, this is bug. Let me speak to Blake
here books.
Speaker 14: He just drove oards to the bank.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, yeah, when he gets back, I want to
see him right away. Sorry, that cat, there's no parking
so I get it, Copper. This car belongs to al
Kruger tags. Want me to put your name or he
is on the ticket? You ride a ticket for al
Krueger and he'll tire you that naggy yours upside down?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 4: What goes on? What's the idea of the ticket? Donald?
What's it to you? Mister Blake's matter of freight? Mclonnel five.
If you don't get rid of all those parking tags. Oh,
he's already weeded the rats out of the department. You
wouldn't like to climb down off that horse of yours
for a minute with you, donand I'll be glad you.
I'll wait for to take it easy, Johnny, I'm off.
Speaker 18: What do you want to make.
Speaker 4: Nut need a horse to be a cop?
Speaker 3: This is.
Speaker 4: If it ain't Johnny Blake. Come on, Johnny, you've had
enough work for your fist today. I took two of
you to do it. If usual shut up, all right,
dummin Yeah, call away and get a whole squad to
take me in, Joe, tell An if he wants me
at that meeting on time. Better rush a lawyer down
in here. You thanks. Someday mchoy, I'll run into one
of your boys. When you're alone. I'll work off the
days on my calendar. How are you, Johnny?
Speaker 13: Well, hello, mister McLaren. How'd you get in here ahead
of me?
Speaker 4: Unless sent me word that you were on the way
and that I sucked Donlan too hard? Well, you didn't
do him any good or me either that night at
the fights. You know, Johnny, you ought to learn to
pull those punches. What if I pull him?
Speaker 13: They look phony? How'd you dow.
Speaker 4: Still in a sling? Oh? What you thought the first fall?
This time I had.
Speaker 13: To see a loan. This was the only way I
could manage it.
Speaker 4: Well, what happens next? I wish I knew.
Speaker 13: Here.
Speaker 4: Here's another report, a whole poetry racket down through names
and addresses.
Speaker 13: Yeah, this is a plain of garage, a business headquarters,
so forth.
Speaker 4: Yeah. I afraid it won't do much good though, except
for raids. Well, that's good enough for the time being.
We've been doing pretty well on your information, Johnny.
Speaker 13: So I've been reading in the papers.
Speaker 4: Did you find out who boss's Krube? Now? All I
know is that there is somebody higher up and he
controls everything. Now we can nail that bird. The whole
works were pulled up on the inside. Does Brenna know
who it is? Now?
Speaker 13: Nobody except except Kruger.
Speaker 4: Do you think you'll never get it out of him?
Speaker 13: Haha?
Speaker 4: Not a chance? Well, well, how are you working it?
We've got to know now. Look is Kruger is number
one man. If anything happens to Kruger, and I'm going
to see that it does, Brenner steps up, but I'm
not going to let him because I'm going to step
into mister Brander's pot. How well, I don't know yet.
Is that all you got to tell me? That's all
for now except keep on smashing him a smashes. You
get my instructions. When the break comes, I'll know what
to do. Until then, you've got to play the cards
the way ideal them. There's only one thing tough about it, though,
what's that? Well Krueger he's just as much of a
rat as the rest of him. He knock me off
in a minute if you found out that, and I'll.
Speaker 13: Hate to cross him.
Speaker 19: Because you haven't given him an even break. Yeah, well,
I haven't given you one either. He had another man
on the horseh tried to smash that mob. They threw
acid in his face. His headlights don't burn anymore. I
handed you a rotten job, Johnny. Alright, I asked for it. Hey,
all I know is handling mugs.
Speaker 4: I had to come back to work for you, but
I had to ride a horse or hand out traffic tickets. Yeah,
Truger's lawyers in the office the rich for you. All right,
come on, that's alarmac and take care of yourself, Johnny.
Speaker 13: Sure, as soon as I'm sexually here from me.
Speaker 4: In the meantime, make them tip their hats. You hate
me out Blake, nobody else butt Blake. I tell you
the guy's double cross. I wait a minute, that's her.
I mean Joe too, Buggs. I'm running this offit.
Speaker 13: Ye oh, thanks for the fast legal service. How it's
the matter?
Speaker 4: What is this? Wait? It might be see in the
papers you racket raige net twenty one.
Speaker 13: H nice picture of McLaren.
Speaker 4: Yeah, the boys think you're working for him. I'm wondering.
I'm not buck Shut up? What have you got to say, Johnny,
Oh sure, sure, all I just sold you right down
the river. The cops said they were sorry they kicked
me off the forest. Why McLaren sent me a basket
of flowers for hitting him on the jaw? Said? If
I want to come back and give me the whole
rocks to wander around in, I wouldn't clown Johnny. Ah,
weare wise to you, Blake. You're true.
Speaker 13: Oh no, I'm just starting.
Speaker 4: Hey, now listen, copicking hands. I don't like guys that
put the hands on me. Let's keep this a business meeting,
all right, start talking.
Speaker 13: Well, I might have work for you because you wanted help.
Speaker 4: I didn't come to you. You came to me. Now
you think I crossed you. I couldn't get a dime
a dozen if I had a less whole mob over
to the cops and you know it. You see now
I need help well, and you need plenty of it. Hey, Allie,
you're going to let this guy talk his way out.
Shut up, keep talking. Johnny never fails as it and
months getting the jam. They only start off by knighting
each other. I thought you were smarter. What would you suggest? Well,
let McLaren have his fun. You can't stop him. As
soon as he's made of showing, the grand jury'll fold
up right under him, they always, do you know that?
Sure that? Meanwhile, we sit back and wind up rope. No,
spend your time building up new rackets. So then McLaren
comes up for raire. If find a dozen more going,
let's pull them right out of the hat. Huh. Now
you just go to work. Quit playing cops and robbers,
stop knighting each other. I suppose you've got a good
record in mind, Well name it. Sure, I've got one numbers,
go ahead, that's the odds against picking the right number
out of from one to a thousand, Well, thousand to one,
that's it. And we take the last three numbers of
the racetrack pay off. Every day the suckers try to
guess it. My pay off of six hundred to one.
That is, if anybody picks the right number, A lot
of people will try to pick that every day, if
one dollar will win them six hundred. What are you
trying to sell us that, Penny Andy Gameley Mortgan's running
up in the Bronx and Harlem. Well, it's so Kenny
add here that she's picking up twelve thousand a week
out of a few neighborhood stores, most of the best
of Nicholson dimes. Our seven million people in this town,
and all of them looking for easy money. You just
offer them six hundred and one. Watch this thing spread
like a four alarm fire, and they won't be playing
one number apiece. They'll be picking four or five. If
you want to control the winning number, you can pay
off on racetrack bets and manipulate the totals.
Speaker 13: I all it needs his organization.
Speaker 4: You get a million people buying numbers every day, and
this one racket will clean up three hundred million dollars
a year. Why it's easy. It's a cinch. Three hundred million,
that's right. And somebody says something about Penny Andy. All right,
you fellas beat it. Mister Blake and me want to
talk business? I said, beat it, okay, mister Kruger Ice
talking Blake. M sit down, Johnny. You know you're a
pretty smart guy. Yeah. My mother used to say I
was going to be president. Miss Lee, Miss Lee, I
gotta see you right away.
Speaker 3: What's the better herman? Where'd you get that shiner?
Speaker 4: Miss Leigh? It's important?
Speaker 9: Come inside, well, herman, spill it.
Speaker 10: They took the money away from me, the numbers money,
the bag and everything.
Speaker 4: Who did I don't know. Some men. They stopped me
on the street. They told me to keep my face
out of there.
Speaker 10: They said I couldn't even make collections no more?
Speaker 9: Oh they did?
Speaker 3: Did they?
Speaker 4: All?
Speaker 3: Right? Sit tight, herman?
Speaker 4: What are you gonna do?
Speaker 3: Their mugs mission. I'm gonna tell Johnny Blake about it.
He'll run those chiselers right off the end of the
ninety third Street. Doc, wait here, I'll be right back. Oh, clerk, clerk, Yes, miss,
I was told that mister John Blake had moved here.
Speaker 4: That's correct.
Speaker 3: I like to see him.
Speaker 14: Please.
Speaker 3: My name is Lee Morgan.
Speaker 4: Sorry, but mister Blake isn't in his room. He left
just a moment ago.
Speaker 3: No, thanks you.
Speaker 4: Very well, evening. Are you looking for Johnny Blake?
Speaker 3: Why, yes, I am.
Speaker 4: My name is Brenner. Maybe I can help you.
Speaker 3: I gotta find him right away.
Speaker 4: Ain't you to leave? Morgan runs the numbers game in
the Bronx. Yeah, I hear they started running you out
of it tonight.
Speaker 3: Well, they won't get away with it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I know it's a dirty trick. I don't blame
it for gunning.
Speaker 3: For Blake, gunning for him.
Speaker 4: Yeah, he's the one that's taking it over Blake.
Speaker 3: You're a liar.
Speaker 4: Oh, he's grabbing it to put himself in strong with
Al Krueger. Why don't you go in and nask him.
He's in the coffee shop.
Speaker 9: Yeah, thanks, Hello Johnny? O.
Speaker 13: Lee, Well down, Lee?
Speaker 3: Thanks, but I may not be staying long.
Speaker 13: No, what's on your mind?
Speaker 3: Just one thing? Are you taking over the number game?
Speaker 9: Johnny?
Speaker 14: Well?
Speaker 3: Are you yes? Why?
Speaker 13: I can't tell you.
Speaker 3: I see, I tried to take you in with me.
Speaker 20: Sort of worked out better to toss it to the wolves,
didn't it.
Speaker 13: Well? I thought they'd let you keep on running your end.
Speaker 12: I guess that wasn't poetry about friends finding an easy
place to break the back.
Speaker 3: So long, Johnny, Good luck to you.
Speaker 4: Thirty forty thousand and one makes forty one thousand. That's
your cut, Johnny.
Speaker 13: Thanks, that's not so bad.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you earned it. That was a great idea, taking
over the numbers. Guess what, By the way, you better
sink that cash in the safety de prisot box. Don't
put it in a regular account. Huh oh oh sure,
safety push, I get it. Is that what you do. Well,
it's easier to get at it and they can't trace it.
Speaker 13: Oh, you and the losses must have had to take
over a volt.
Speaker 4: I don't know where they put theirs, but they're plenty happy. Hey,
how about meeting him sometimes now that chance. I'm the
only one that knows who they are, and I guess
they wanted to stay that way. I suppose you can't
blame them. Ugn night out.
Speaker 13: Oh, I say, what would happen to him if you
got lost?
Speaker 4: Pick someone else and keep on going bet huh No,
it would probably be you me. Yeah, they think you're
the best man I've got. You wouldn't want it, Johnny,
the top job, but it's the last one guy ever holds.
There's only one way out. That's the payoff for helping them.
Huh yeah, but don't worry about getting it. I don't
intend to get long. Oh sure, well, good night.
Speaker 13: Hello, Hello McLaren.
Speaker 4: Yeah, this is Johnny Blake. I'm ready to go. Mac
grab Krueger right away. Wait a minute, I can't come
on the rest like that. You've got to and put
him where nobody can get at him. Well, I've got
no time to answer a question. Wait, that's not all.
Crack down on brendas Miltrock and break it up, smash it?
Do you hear? Thanks? Mac, get hit from me later.
This is the last move. Paul's for station identification.
Speaker 5: This is the Columbia Broadcasting system. We've nded the second
act of bullets or ballots, and our stars bring us
act free shortly. It's intermission and guest time now. But
first a suggestion. Screen stars use lux toilet soap to
help care for million dollar complexions. They use it as
a bath soap too, because it has active leather that
leaves skin fresh and fragrant. Here's what Joan Blondelle says,
use lux toilet soap as a beauty bath.
Speaker 4: It's the best way I know to protect daintiness. You'll
love it.
Speaker 5: Are you enjoying the luxury of a daily beauty bath
with this white gentle soap screen stars use. You'll love
the delicate, clinging fragrance it leaves on your skin. You'll
be sure of daintiness now, our producer. The battle that
Johnny Blake is fighting in our play against racketeering and
terrorism is being fought throughout the country by men like
to Night's guest mister Frank B. Gompert, who match the
brawn and daring of gangsters with the relentless weapons of science.
Mister Gompers is the criminologist in charge of the Research
Laboratory of the Sheriff's Office of Los Angeles County. He's
a policeman who fights not with machine guns but with microscopes.
Has a degree in law, is a Master of sciences,
and a doctor of philosophy. He's been technical director of
several movies dealing with crime, and has worked on some
eight thousand cases, hundreds of them murders as a twentieth
century Sherlock Holmes.
Speaker 4: Mister Gumput, tell us, just how do you do it? Well?
Speaker 7: We have to deal in chemistry, ballistics, physics, toxicology, and handwriting.
Mister Demil, No one man can be outstanding in all fields,
but a laboratory combining experts in each field can come
pretty close to solving any crime. To me, one of
the outstanding values of our laboratory is not its power
to convict the guilty, but to free the innocent. Hundreds
of times evidence that might have otherwise convicted a perfectly
innocent man when examined in our laboratory has freed him
of every suspicion.
Speaker 5: I know that you're perhaps the nation's greatest expert in
solving crime with the evidence of human hair. While you
might have some difficulties with me, what can you learn
from those whose presses are a bit more abundant.
Speaker 7: You'll do fine, mister Demil, as long as you have
a single hair left on your head. From that single hair,
we can usually learn a man's approximate age, his environment,
the places he visited recently, his type of employment, his
personal habits, and frequently his race. We can also learn
a dozen things from a cigarette. A cigarette, Yes, anybody
who smokes a cigarette reveals secrets through the saliva that
remain on the end, even though many months have elapsed
since it was smoked. Saliva tells us to what blood
group the man who smoke the cigarette belongs. There are
twenty blood groups with which we deal, and often we
can eliminate nineteen out of twenty suspects by a blood
grouping test. I can see it's getting harder and harder
to commit murder, not to commit it, but to get
away with it. But while we solve crimes, the public
can do far more than we can do in preventing them.
Speaker 3: Don't be intimidated.
Speaker 7: By the threats and boasts of racketeers. Every time you surrender,
you betray not only yourself, but your neighbors and your community.
At the first sign of a threat, get in touch
with your local authorities. And now, ladies and gentlemen, just
to prove what an ordinary piece of evidence may reveal.
I gave mister Gumpet a coat which I wore sometime yesterday.
He examined it and is now going to tell exactly
what he found out about me from that coat.
Speaker 4: You're sure you want me to go through with it. Yes,
of course I did.
Speaker 3: We really don't have to, mister de Mill.
Speaker 4: Oh backing out?
Speaker 3: Ayah, okay, mister de Mill, you asked for it.
Speaker 7: I took your coat and last night beat out all
the dust. Here's what it told me. Yesterday morning, you
took a walk with a brunette between the ages of
twenty and twenty five.
Speaker 4: An actress, probably a star.
Speaker 7: You stopped at Malchester's flower shop, bought an orchard, had
lunch at the Brown Derby, and ate, among other things,
a shrimp cocktail.
Speaker 4: Lady.
Speaker 5: You went from there, No, no thank you, that's plenty,
but don't try to tell me you lend that from
my coat.
Speaker 4: You probably followed me.
Speaker 3: Sorry, you're wrong.
Speaker 4: Here's how it was done.
Speaker 7: A few black hairs on the coat told me the
lady's age, and a preparation on the hair revealed she
had something to do with acting on the powerful lights.
I guessed she was a star instead of an extra
because the face powder also found on the coat was
very expensive. You were walking because if you had been riding,
the powder would have been differently placed. It was in
the morning because that particular powder will not look well
on a brunette at night. You went to Halchester's because
I found pollen from a sinbidion that's a terrestrial orchid,
and Holchester's is one of the few shops carrying it.
You went to the Derby because I found a tiny
spot of sauce used for a seafood cocktail, and it
contained a trace of herb which I won't name because
the chef of the Derby claims that it's part of
his secret shrimp recipe.
Speaker 5: You and mister Gombert, But who was the girl, Well,
that's for you to reveal. It happened to be my
daughter Catherine.
Speaker 7: I have only one suggestion to make the next time
you go to the Derby for lunch, how about asking
me along?
Speaker 3: And thanks for the invitation here Tonight, great protection, great detective,
is to go right to day.
Speaker 5: Edward g Robinson and Bullets are ballots with Mary Astor,
Humphrey Bogart, and Otto Krueger, confident that the higher ups
will choose him to replace Al Kruger. Johnny Blake has
ordered the gangster's arrest. The trap is ready to spring,
but Bugs Brenner arrives at Kruger's apartment. First, he faces
the leader, a revolver in his hand.
Speaker 4: Wow, hello, Bug, what are you doing over here? The
cops just smashed my milk racket, So so I'm starting
to take over the numbers game.
Speaker 3: Al Krueger slain racketeer. Phone did in hotel room?
Speaker 9: Who is it?
Speaker 4: Good morning, miss Morgan.
Speaker 3: Oh, come in, mister Brenner, wasn't it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right. It's got a news in that paper.
Speaker 3: Yeah, who did it?
Speaker 4: I don't know. We're trying to find out.
Speaker 3: I thought he was your friend.
Speaker 4: Hey he was.
Speaker 3: You don't seem very upset about it.
Speaker 13: I know he was crying at the dice fall that way.
Speaker 3: Well, what do you want?
Speaker 4: And do you want to go back in a numbers game?
Speaker 3: What are you trying to do? Kid?
Speaker 4: Me? Ah, you started a game. You don't have a
share in it.
Speaker 3: And I suppose mister Blake will let me have it.
Speaker 4: He'll have nothing to say about it. I'm running things
from now on. If you want the Bronx and Harlem districts,
they're yours. If you need protection, you'll get it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that sounds good, too good.
Speaker 4: They don't trust me, huh.
Speaker 3: I don't trust anybody.
Speaker 4: Need do I?
Speaker 13: Now?
Speaker 4: We ought to work fine to get it. How about it?
Speaker 3: You're gonna take it away from Blake?
Speaker 17: Yeah, all right, go ahead and take it.
Speaker 4: That's the girl. Hey, come over here and we'll get along.
Swell you and me.
Speaker 3: Huh yeah in the numbers game?
Speaker 4: Okay, okay. I call the boys for a meeting the night.
They don't know it yet, but they got a new boss.
We'll find out who got al sooner later. We ain't
got any time to waste worrying about it now. The
question is do I run this business from now on?
Don't I? It's all right with us. But the bosses
might have something to say about it. If we ever
hear from them, I'll take care of that. I didn't
Yes break in on the same meeting because he ain't
going to be so important from now on. He's the
one that sold al I'm sitting back waiting for McLaren
to run down. Well, it ain't worked out that way.
I'm gonna put the rackets back in full swing, whether
there's trouble with McLaren or not. Sorry, I'm light.
Speaker 13: Are you pulling an election? Boys?
Speaker 4: It's already been held? I suppose Yeah, yeah, you got
any objections? Few? And what's the first one? And the
job was given to me? What are you? The boss
has called me in two hours after the news? Bro,
do you expect us to believe that? And I told
him you might have a few doubts, but I couldn't
persuade them to come down here and prove it. Hey,
who are they? Did Kruger tell you no? But I
think I'll keep sitting in this seat till I hear
from them anyway you want to, But don't try and
stop me from carrying out orders. I have to take
charge of the week's collection and have it to them
by ten o'clock. Tomorrow night. I'll meet you boys at
the garage at How do we know? They called you? Yeah?
Speaker 18: How do we know?
Speaker 13: Because I'm telling you?
Speaker 4: Is that enough? No answer? Get away with not Blake? Hello?
Oh yeah, he's here. Who's it? Okay, it's for you, Blake?
Speaker 13: Who is it?
Speaker 4: They wouldn't say? Excuse me? Gentlemen?
Speaker 13: Hello?
Speaker 4: Hello?
Speaker 14: Is this John Blake?
Speaker 13: That's right?
Speaker 14: We like to see you, mister Blake. Hel Kruger told
us you could be trusted. When would it be.
Speaker 13: Convenient for you to come one? Name your time?
Speaker 14: Shall we say seven? This evening?
Speaker 4: Sure?
Speaker 14: Where the Oceanic Bank and Trust Company?
Speaker 13: I see?
Speaker 14: Ask for mister Thornback, the president.
Speaker 13: Oh yes, well thanks, I'll do that.
Speaker 4: I'm sorry I have to run, boys, but I know
you would excuse me. I've got an appointment with the bosses.
So long, mister Blake. My name is Thorndyke.
Speaker 13: Oh yes, the president.
Speaker 4: H that's right. This is mister Holliston. How I am,
mister Hollister. How do you and mister Caldwell, mister Caldwell
of the Caldwells. So you're the heads? Yes, no wonder
the organization has been so well protected? Why did you
try to take Krueger's job over. I didn't try to
take it over, right, took it over. Didn't you think
we might object? Well why should you?
Speaker 13: I prove that I can run it better than anyone else.
Speaker 4: That isn't any good. Yes, you have given us quite
a bit of revenue. I have given you more than
any four of them put together. And I'll keep on
doing it provided you will give me a few breaks.
You know I'm not in this for fun. Be satisfied, gentlemen,
the job's yours. Blake. Thanks, you're not making any mistake. Oh. Incidentally,
mister Blake, you're the only one who know who we are.
Speaker 13: I understand that.
Speaker 14: Now.
Speaker 11: The first thing we want you to do is collect
our receipts from the garage tonight and bring them hair.
Speaker 4: Yeah, well I already arranged to collect them.
Speaker 13: Oh, I'll be all right if I get here.
Speaker 11: Ten Quite all right now, before we get into detailed instructions,
I suggest we have a drink to mister Blake's success.
Speaker 4: How about it, mister Blake? Thanks? It all case pretty good? Hello,
hello McLaren. Yes, we're all set, Mac, I'm in with
a big shots. Well, what's the difference you can't pick
them up yet. You'll have to catch them with the
dough to make a stick.
Speaker 14: Now.
Speaker 4: Look, I'm meeting the boys at six tomorrow night at
that garage I told you about. When you see me
leave there with the dough, pull up past and raise
the joint. They'll send you Manto twenty four and more.
I'll pass that ten o'clock shop to meet the big shops.
Speaker 13: In their office.
Speaker 4: When I give the words, you can make the pinch.
I remember a few minutes after six of the garage
and come in shooting.
Speaker 13: That's all Mac.
Speaker 4: In the car.
Speaker 3: Just hold your horses.
Speaker 4: Let me again.
Speaker 3: It's the idea coming in the back way. Bug.
Speaker 4: The cops are after me. Is Blake been here?
Speaker 17: No?
Speaker 3: What's happened?
Speaker 4: Nothing except that he's done what I always said he
was going to do. But the whole crowd in the
spot for McLaren. They got everybody except me and Joe
raided their garage.
Speaker 3: Wit a minute. Johnny was he worked with the police.
Speaker 4: I'd been working for them the whole way, and now
I'm going to pay him off. I'll get him. If
it's the last thing I do.
Speaker 3: I'll hello Lee Morgan.
Speaker 9: Bugs better there who's calling Joe?
Speaker 3: Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't seen him.
Speaker 14: He said I could reach him there.
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, but he's not.
Speaker 4: I'm gonna give me that phone.
Speaker 3: What's the matter?
Speaker 4: Hello, Bugs, This is Joe. Yeah, go ahead, I found him, Bugs, Blake.
Speaker 14: Where he's hiding out eleven twenty four East eighteen.
Speaker 13: Eleven twenty four East eighteen.
Speaker 14: Yeah, it's an old private house. It's a backstairs. Leads
right to the door of his room.
Speaker 4: Okay, okay, thanks Joe.
Speaker 3: Bugs, what are you gonna do.
Speaker 4: I'm gonna pay mister Blake a visit.
Speaker 3: Wait, no, listen, bug, get away from that door. Bugs,
please matter? Oh hello, hello, information, Listen.
Speaker 12: I want the number of a house at eleven twenty
four East eighteenth Street.
Speaker 3: Yes, hurry please Hello.
Speaker 13: All right, Blake, you can stop right now. Who's down there?
Speaker 4: Bugs? Your old friend? Bugs? Hey, I hear you're making
a trip out to see the big fellow. Johnny. Yeah, yeah,
in a hurse. Well too bad, Bugs. You only hit
me once out of four shots. I guess I did
better with only two.
Speaker 21: M h Yeah, yeah, Johnny only Junny.
Speaker 3: I tried to call you. There was no phone here
as I know. It's better been here.
Speaker 4: Yes, he's in there on the floor.
Speaker 9: Oh are you all right?
Speaker 4: Oh sure, drive me over a wall in twenty fourth
Will you leave? That's some business, sure, Johnny.
Speaker 3: I was afraid you'd kill you. He told me you
were working for the police.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 12: No, I've been a heel, Johnny. The things I said
that night at the hotel.
Speaker 4: Oh, you didn't know.
Speaker 13: Forget it.
Speaker 12: I tried to stay sore, but it seems sort of
funny not seeing you around.
Speaker 3: You're all through with it now, aren't you.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 12: I'm glad you can go back on the force. Maybe
the Broadway District.
Speaker 13: Yeah, maybe.
Speaker 4: Oh, here's what I get off. Thanks, Ley, Thanks, Sure
you're all right, Joe.
Speaker 13: Oh sure, run long.
Speaker 3: I'll wait for you.
Speaker 4: Oh no, no, you'd have to wait too long. Thanks
for the lift, horaciously, I'll remember that, will you. Good
night night, Johnny? Oh hello Blake. OHI gentlemen. Well ten
o'clock on the dot. You'll keep your appointment. Yeah, I
want to make the first job perfect.
Speaker 13: Here's money, all right, open it up.
Speaker 4: Do you have any difficulty with Brennan?
Speaker 13: No, no, we got along fine.
Speaker 4: Well. How does it feel to be head of the
organization and I've been waiting for a night like this
for fifteen years. You would deserve it. Thanks, Will you, gentlemen,
need me any more tonight? No, we'll contact you next week.
Speaker 13: Well that's fine. Fine, Wait a moment.
Speaker 4: What's the matter with you for me?
Speaker 13: For nothing?
Speaker 4: Why you're hurt?
Speaker 13: Oh?
Speaker 4: No, no, no, everything satisfactory, gentlemen, Yes, of course, But
well good night then, gentlemen, Good night, Johnny, Johnny are
you all right?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 4: Mac? Did you? Did you nail him with a dough? Yeah?
Speaker 13: And that's that who got you, Brenna? Yeah?
Speaker 4: Where is he? He's washed up? Check the bullet he
put into me with the ones that killed Brian and
Kruger off from his gun. You didn't miss a bet,
did you? I and trying not to pull the punches
this time. I guess Brenda didn't either. Don't worry, Johnny,
I'm taking you to the hospital.
Speaker 13: No, No, I won't do any good. It's along, Mac.
Speaker 4: Just keep keep kicking him in the line, Mac would Yeah,
I'd like to think that when the mugs see a policeman,
they'll keep on chipping their hats.
Speaker 5: A life and a play end together. And now the
late Johnny Blake becomes Edward G. Robinson and Lee Morgan
is once again.
Speaker 12: Mary asked her, and here's a question, mister Mill, that
I've been waiting for a long time to toss with
mister Robinson.
Speaker 3: Yeah, don't you ever get tired of dying?
Speaker 12: Eddie being Hollywood's favorite bulls eye.
Speaker 4: I don't mind being bored by a bullet, Mary, if
the results don't board the audience. But I'll admit it's
a distinct relief to be able to die occasionally on
the side of the law and order, as I did
tonight in bullets of ballots.
Speaker 13: How did you like the story?
Speaker 3: Well? Speaking is Lee Morgan? Not so much. You just
about ruined my life by dying.
Speaker 12: But speaking is Mary asked, Well, Eddie, I've learned that
anything connected with the name Lux must be good.
Speaker 20: I found that out years ago when I started using
Lux soap. Anyone who's at all fussy about her looks
knows that Lux soap is about the nicest, most dependable
complexion care there is. I guess I'm like most actresses
in Hollywood because I'm never without it.
Speaker 3: Incidentally, mister de Mill.
Speaker 12: The last time Eddie was on this show, didn't I
hear him promise you a job on his own program,
Big Town.
Speaker 5: He certainly did. He even gave me a name. I
was to play Benny Thebama. That's the last I've heard
about it.
Speaker 4: Well, the truth is I haven't had a spot lately
for a torpedo. Besides, I don't think you'd be much
of a pineapple juggler, mister demill Well, then couldn't I
play a detective sometime?
Speaker 14: No?
Speaker 13: Sorry, no experience.
Speaker 4: Well, couldn't I take some lessons from mister gumput?
Speaker 13: I might have an opening on Big Town at that?
Speaker 4: Oh? Thank Saidie? Thanks? Hey do you mean it? Why?
Of course you send that mister Garmpet around sometime. He
sounds like a great bet. Oh, and remember keep tipping
your hat.
Speaker 3: Good Night, mister de Millon, don't give up.
Speaker 12: I'm sure you'd make a perfectly lovely Benny the Bomber.
Speaker 4: Thanks Mary, and good night.
Speaker 5: Come on, Poppa, you'll hear from mister de mill again
in just a moment when he brings you great news
about next Monday's program. Our stars were assisted tonight by
Edward Marr as Joe Vincy Wallace Clark as Franklin McLaren
Chester Clute as Hermann, lou Merrill as Thorndyke, Ted Bliss
as McCoy, Wally Mayer as Creole, Lynjay Mcarey as Ward Bryant,
Galen Gault as Doorman, Ross Forrester as Louis, Earl Ross
as Donlon, and Frank Nelson as Hollister. Mary Astor's new
film is Paramount's Midnight. Humphrey Boguide is from Warner Brother
Studio and is now appearing in Dark Victory, which stars
Betty Davis and also features George Brent. Lewis Silvers is
from twentieth Century Fox Studio. He directed music there for
the Story of Alexander Graham Bell. Here's news for our listeners.
Beginning this week, twenty eight Canadian stations are joining our
network for the broadcast of the Life and Love of
Doctor Susan. The makers of Lux Toilet Soap bring you
this enthralling story about the love and problems of a young,
attractive woman doctor every afternoon Monday through Friday. Look in
your newspapers for the time and station The Life and
Love of Doctor Susan comes to you. In addition to
the Lux Radio Theater, our producer mister de mill an
average young man marries into a wealthy family, only to
find that neither big business nor a glittering social life
can alter his affection and ambition for a race horse
named Broadway Bill. Bill's adventures on the racetrack and our
hero's experiences with his wife's relatives provide the gay and
romantic play you'll hear next Monday night, and leading Broadway
Bill to our barrier will be four Hollywood stars who
are favorites at heavy odds, Robert Taylor, Francis d Gail Patrick,
and Raymond Walburn. Our sponsors, the makers of Luck toilet Soak,
join me in inviting you to be with us again
next Monday night, when the Lux Radio Theater presents Robert
Taylor and Francis D in Broadway Bill, with Gail Patrick
and Raymond Walburn.
Speaker 4: This is Cecil B.
Speaker 5: De mill saying good night to you from Hollywood. Your
announcer has been Melville Rowick. This is the Columbia Broadcasting.
Speaker 18: System welcome back.
Speaker 2: Since this is the summer of Bogart, probably the first
thing we should talk about is Bogart's role in this,
and really, in terms of characters, Bugsy was probably the
most interesting character in the film. He was the one
guy you couldn't necessarily predict what he was going to do,
and indeed he did actually end up killing off the hero,
though as our hero pointed out, not very efficiently. In fact,
that brings up the villain's main flaws. Bugsy has the
bad habit of talking out loud while on the phone,
giving information to the guests love interest in the story,
and also having to announce himself before doing the shooting,
which turned out to be a very fatal mistake. Still,
he was smarter than the bosses and really having the
enstinct in smarts to know that there was something going on,
and he does save our hero from having to do
something he doesn't like by turning in the criminal who
had befriended him. You can really see from this adaptation
while Humphrey Bogard enjoyed these sort of roles and why
many actors enjoy playing villains on screen or on audio,
so really great performance there.
Speaker 4: Edward g.
Speaker 2: Robinson was good in this as well. The story takes
one of a couple of different ways the nineteen thirties
approach crime pictures. One way that they approach it is
sometimes there is a sentimental mythology about criminals and crime
and criminal codes of honor. This one takes the opposite approach.
A few dashes of sentiments such as are hero turning
a blind eye to a numbers racket being run out
of Harlem and Brooklyn because it's a friend running it
and it's not that big of a racket to actually bust,
and being hesitant about turning in his friend. But the
overall approach of the story is that of crime as
a war. When you're dealing with racketeers, you're at war.
This isn't just normal police enforcement action. The film says,
this is war. So of course you go in shooting
without giving opportunities surrender.
Speaker 18: It's a war.
Speaker 2: And of course Blake is the type of cobp who's
used to demanding respect and getting really physical with the
criminals to get what he wants. This is the top
of portrayal that films would really start to move away
from once you get into the nineteen forties. By the way,
though the radio version of this was released in nineteen
thirty nine, the film was actually set in nineteen thirty six,
was when it was released in theaters, but this was
written at the height of the nineteen thirties crime pictures
and fits really well to the way this genre has operated.
I did really like the segment with the forensic expert
coming in. Was really interesting to hear the beginning of
the use of physical evidence as it was still a
developing science. And I thought the whole scene where they
were able to deduce where de Mill had been based
on his coat was it just really funny and enjoyable.
So I like this. I hope you enjoyed it as well.
I'll have another Bogey gangster story next week, so join
us back there for our next installment of the Summer
of Bogart. In the meantime, Sandral pamments to Box thirteen
at Great Detectives dot Net from Boise, Idaho. This is
your host, Adam Graham, signing off.