 Welcome, Weirdos, I'm Darren Marlar and this is Retro Radio Sunday on Weird Darkness. Each week I bring you a show from the golden age of radio, but still in the genre of Weird Darkness. I'll have stories of the macabre and horror, mysteries and crime, and even some dark science fiction. If you're new here, welcome to the show and if you're already a member of this Weirdo family, please take a moment and invite someone else to listen. And please leave a rating and review in the podcast app you're listening from. Doing these things helps the show to keep growing. And while you're listening, be sure to check out WeirdDarkness.com for merchandise, my newsletter to connect with me on social media and more. Coming up, it's an episode from the Humphrey Bogart Theater. It's an episode entitled Dead Man from 1949, where Humphrey Bogart plays a voice from beyond the grave, seeking justice for a crime that seems to have gone unpunished. If you're not familiar with the Humphrey Bogart Theater, it's not surprising. From what I can find, this is the only episode, the pilot episode ever produced for the show. It'll be obvious it's the pilot episode as you listen, as the announcer even indicates where a commercial would be placed if the show was ever picked up for distribution and syndication. It's too bad the show was never picked up. Having Humphrey Bogart as the star of every episode would definitely have been entertaining and memorable. Humphrey Bogart was an iconic star of the American Silver Screen, especially in the 1940s, playing classic bad guys and coming late to leading man status in legendary films like The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and The African Queen. He also made numerous radio appearances before and after this attempt at his own show. You're about to hear a rarely heard treat, Humphrey Bogart from 1949 in Dead Man. Now, bolt your doors, lock your windows, turn off your lights and come with me into the weird darkness. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Humphrey Bogart. Tonight's author, James M. Cain. Tonight's story, Dead Man. I'm Hollywood, a new dynamic series based on the work of the great names of the modern short story presented by the actor, producer, Humphrey Bogart. Actor, producer. That's a moniker I'll have to get used to. You know when an actor turns producer searching for material becomes one of his main jobs. And one of mine is to read stories of all kinds. Adventure, romance, mystery, comedy, always looking for strong yarns. Well told, it will achieve the big result, entertainment. And this is the type we're going to dramatize for you. Speaking as Bogart the actor, I'd like to appear in some of them. This is especially true of the one we're going to bring you tonight by James Cain. James is a great student of human nature. That's evident in his novels like The Postman Always Rings Twice, Serenade, Double Indemnity and The Moth. He doesn't write short fiction often, but in this piece which appeared in the old American Mercury, you'll find the offbeat qualities that have made him famous. He got the idea for Dead Man one night waiting for a freight train to pass. There were some hobos perched on top of it and well that's our story. But before we start, how about a word from High Averbank? In this spot each week we would have an opening commercial followed by a short billboard. Now for the first time on the air, James and Cain's great short story, Dead Man, with Humphrey Bogart as Larry Knott and William Tracy as Lucky. Hey, what are we slowing down for? Why does a freight train always slow down ten miles from nowhere in the middle of the night? Railroad bull coming down the line of Budasov. So let's get off. We're going slow enough to jump. Yeah, but too fast to get back on. Hey, he's flashing his light now. All right, boys, pile off, hit the senders. Let's go. Okay. Hey, what happened to that kid that was on here? I didn't see him jump. He climbed down in a cold shoot. Hey, kid, the bull's coming. You can't hide from this guy. Shut up. He won't see me in this shoot. Okay, okay. I'm giving you guys a break. Are you going to jump? Come on, make it right. Fall easy and roll when you're hit. Try to be a nice guy and then walk all over you. Anybody down that cold shoot? All right, wise guy, climb out of that shoot. Turn off that flashlight. I'll turn it off. Your little punk, come on. Hide out on me, will you? I tried to give you a break and you hide out. Oh, like that. Look out. Look out the bottom of this shoot. It's open. We'll... Oh, it'll fall. You'll go with me. Where are you? You're not getting away from me. Oh, why don't you let me go? You had your chance. Larry Nott ain't losing a job for a punk like you. You'll do a bit and a clink for this. You're going to get me there first. Now, big guy, this might even things up. Kid, put down that bike. I'll put it down. I was picking on people. I wasn't going to steal your lousy railroad. Nobody, maybe you let me go. Mr. Hey, Mr. Mr. Get back to Los Angeles before morning. See how far on this roadside. 17 miles. Keep running, kid. You've got a long way to go. Larry, who is it? Look, I didn't mean it. No, but you did it. Now, you've got to run. You've got to run for the rest of your life. Just LA. That's all. I'll be safe there. You understand? I'll be safe. You can't beat this, kid. I can. I can. I ate two meals yesterday in the soup kitchen. If I get back in time for breakfast, they'll remember me. Nobody will ever know I left the town. Nobody. Nobody. You're a dead man. You're dead. Any bread to put in this slop will be glad you're living. Move on. I don't know why they're all as kicking. That smells good to me. Oh, gee. You must love this, Grubb. Thought you'd be off 30 today. Me? Why would I be off? You mean you don't even get Sundays off in this joint? Sunday, wake up. This is Saturday. Saturday? Hey, that's right. It is Saturday. They're hanging signs and big banners all along the main drag for the parade. What kind of parade? The Shriners. Well, you get to see that for free. That ought to be your speed. Yeah, that's me. My name is Lucky. My name is Shorty, but I'm over six feet. Nothing like that with me. I really got luck. Yeah, like what? Like, for instance, getting a hunk of meat in this soup. Ain't no meat in there, but there's going to be some, ain't there? She ever played over quick. Don't let nobody see you. Thanks, Shorty. OK, Lucky. Don't let them guys see the meat. Back of the hall ain't lighted. Grab a table back there. Sure, sure. I'll eat, I'll eat. You'd better. You'll need strength. You've got to have strength to keep moving. I made it here. I'm all right. Sure. You made Shorty remember you and the day will stick in his mind because of the parade. That's smart, but it isn't enough. Why isn't it enough? You didn't kill another hobo kid, but still a cop. They never close the books when a cop gets killed, Lucky. They work all day and all night. They ask questions. I got answers. You better have them. You better have them fast. You're tired. I gotta get some sleep. Where, though? Where? Sign pointing up the street, said Lincoln Park. It's only 6 a.m. I can sleep there. And get picked up for vacancy? That's bad. They'll bring you in for that and then start on something else. I can hide. Must be as stable as something in a park. I gotta sleep. Time to get up, son. There's a man here to see you. Mom, I didn't do anything honest. It was a mistake. You shouldn't have left home, son. I begged you not to go. Now the man is here. Tell him to go away. Tell him I'm sleeping. I've been too lucky. Go away. Leave me alone. No. I want you to get ready for what's coming. Where did you spend last night, kid? In a flop house. Yeah? Which one? I didn't pay no attention to the name. It was just a flop house. Where was this flop house at, Lucky? How should I remember? I've never been in L.A. before. I don't know the names of those streets. What did the place look like? It looked like a flop house. Do you think they'll buy that? What did the place look like, Lucky? What did it look like? Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Damn! The side door was open. I thought this was the park's stable. It's the elephant house at the zoo. What are you doing here? I... I just wanted to sleep, that's all. You're lucky you weren't stepped on in that hay. One of them might have rolled right over on you during the night. During the night? Yeah. Yeah, it was here all night that they might have killed me. They've got a good mind to call a cops and turn you in. No, no, no, please don't do that. I'm broke. I couldn't go anyplace else. Give me a break. If I find a job, I'll be okay. All right. Now get out of here and stay out. Thanks. Thanks a lot. I'll get a job. Are you all right? Great. They won't know about the freight if I get a job. If a guy killed somebody, the cops wouldn't expect to find him looking for a job. Who are you? It was enough. I'm young. I'm strong. You're running again, kid. You're running again. Let me check the air in this rear tire. It looks low. What's chances I'd get my job around here? If you mean right here in this service station, the chances are nothing flat. Why not? The sign says you're open 24 hours a day. I work 12. My brother-in-law works the other 12. We don't need any help. I ain't asking much and you could both cut down on your hours. Look, brother, I know it's tough, but I got troubles of my own. I'm barely making a living myself. Here, here. Here's two bits for something to eat. That's all the help I can give you. I ain't asking for a hand out. I want a job. If my clothes were better, would that change your mind? Even if the morning paper said you'd been elected one of the ten best, best men in Hollywood, the answer would still be no. I haven't got enough to do myself. Well, suppose I get better clothes. Would you talk to me again? I'm a registered Democrat. I'll talk to anybody. But I'm not hiring. I'll be back when I get better clothes. What's your name? They're right over the station. Hook. Oscar Hook. Thanks, Mr. Hook. Just got an idea. I can talk myself into a job. Don't waste your time. Here, take the two bits. All right, thanks. I'll work it out for you when I come back. Stop trying to shove me out of my own business. Good luck, kid. Thanks. Think about what? The clothes. So they're dirty, so what? Not all clothes get dirty that way. Where'd that cold-ass come from? From the Frates. What is that truth? Don't you know there isn't much cold brought into Southern California? That car may be the only one in six months. And I was killed on it, Lucky. Better think of something else, kid. You better think of something else. I'll get rid of his clothes. I'll get others. That won't be easy. Lots of people have seen you in those clothes. I told you how cops work. Cold-ass done your clothes, and it was cold-ass done mine. I got it all over me, too. New dut. I'll get him. I'll get down to the cheap store. Somebody'll trust me. Maybe. But the cops will be looking for somebody with cold-ass done his clothes. Remember, Lucky. You'll be very easy to remember. I'll pick a small store. They can't check them all. They can't check them all. In a moment, act two of Dead Man. But first, a word from our sponsor. This, of course, the middle commercial. If you love old-time radio, you'll want to visit our friends at ClassicRadioStore.com to provide all the shows for me to wear. At ClassicRadioStore.com, you'll find thousands of episodes available in pristine, digitally remastered sound. Every episode they offer at ClassicRadioStore.com has been transferred from the master recordings and digitally remastered for superior sound quality. That's why the episodes that you hear on Weird Darkness sound so clean. And the shows at ClassicRadioStore.com are all uncut, unedited, and are delivered to you as they were originally broadcast, including the classic commercials. You can download great shows that'll chill you and thrill you, such as Suspense, The Whistler, Inner Sanctum, Lights Out, and more. There are mystery and crime shows like Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe, Dragnet, and Sam Spade. They've got a great collection of old-time science fiction radio shows like X-minus 1 or Dimension X. Plus, there is a ton of comedy and westerns there too if you want to relive the shows of yesteryear. All the shows are available to instantly digitally download, and the links never expire, so you can order them now and listen to them anytime you like. And because you're a listener of Weird Darkness, you can save 20% on any and all radio shows on the website by using the promo code Weird at checkout. Just visit ClassicRadioStore.com, select all the radio show packages you want, then at checkout use the promo code Weird and save 20% on your whole purchase. That's ClassicRadioStore.com, promo code Weird at checkout. No, no trust. You want credit, you go to a bank. You go out and work. You get money to buy things. Look, lady, I want to work, and I can get a job if I have that out there. I can start to work Monday morning. All I need is white pants and a shirt. I have to pay cash myself. No trust. Don't you understand? This means a job for me. I've got to get that out there. I'll pay you next Saturday as soon as I get paid honest. Look, I would like to help you, but I can't do it. Okay, it's your store. I've been out of work a long time. What kind of job you're going to get? Why you need white shirt and pants? Maybe he's going to drive an ice cream truck. No, it's a gas station. I've got a rule. You've got to have white clothes before you can work this. They all wear white clothes. White clothes for the grease in the trucks. One day you're going to look worse than you do now. What else would I want an outfit like that for? Holy smokes, my own things are better for the road, ain't they? I don't look like I own a yacht, do I? Tell me, where's this gas station you're going to work? Hollywood. The guy named Oscar Hook runs the place. It's an Acme station. You don't believe me. You call him up and ask him. Hollywood's the other side of town. How'd you get over here? I worked all the way over from there to get stuff for the job. That's a long walk. Why'd you pick my store? I asked half a dozen places. Somebody's got to have a heart. When a young man doesn't go to school or to work, he's getting into trouble. What size you wear? 15-shirt, 28 waist on the pants. All right, all right. I'm going to the back room. Take over your clothes. I'll bring the stuff. Thanks. He'll need shoes, too. Here's a worn-out. Here. Maybe he's hungry. Put the dollar in the pants. Make him a full partner in the store. Here's your things. You want to wrap up the old ones? No, no, throw them away. You got pretty dirty. Your coffin with black? Yeah, I did some work yesterday. We got a big fireplace in the restaurant for something to eat. You're ready now? Yeah, yeah, this is swell. I'll fix up a bill for you. Here you are. $9.84. And $1 service charge. Service charge? What kind of... All right, okay. Never mind the service charge. Sure, sure, forget the service charge. There's a tag of something in his pocket here. Oh, it's... It's a dollar. That's all right. You'll find it, you'll keep it. It's your lucky day, huh? Yeah. Yeah, my lucky day, huh? Here, Mama Sita. You'll burn the old clothes with the papers, huh? Sure, sure. Goodbye, boy. We pray for you. Goodbye, and thanks. Thanks a lot. How about yours? All right, now I'm clear. Yeah, but what about the old clothes? I left them, I'm rid of them. Sure, but somebody else has them now. That's the evidence, kid. He noticed the dirt. They're gonna burn them. That's what they said. You won't see them do it, though. How are you gonna know? I'll go back, I'll go back and get them. No, you can't. That'll look funny. You said you didn't want them. I changed my mind. I'll burn them myself. Where? You got a private apartment, someplace where you can turn a key? Look kind of funny, building a fire and an empty lot to burn clothes. Besides, they might think he was faking about the job. They'll burn them, they said so. Sure, they'll burn them. Walk a little faster, kid. Walk a little faster, kid. You're a persistent kid, I'll say that for you. I went into a lot of trouble to get these clothes. There must be some way I can use them. Kid, look. Look at the dough in this cash box. Eleven bucks. And that's for two families to feed. The night shift won't bring that. It won't slice any thinner. Well, I guess you're right. Say, why don't you hit North? This town's dead right now. You could earn a living picking fruit up there. Yeah, it'd be great on the road and this white outfit. I can get you right in the line-hole truck. Guy I know drives that route tonight. He'll leave about seven o'clock. They like company to keep him awake. But that means you have to stay awake, too. You look tired. Maybe you got a place I could lay down until then. Not here. You got any dough? A buck. There's a cheap hotel a few blocks up. Sack in there and sleep till just before seven. Okay, I'll see you later. Good job after all, how lucky. Now you've got a run for it. Get out of town. They can't tag me, I've got a head start now. Don't see how you figure that. There's cops up north, too. Already there, waitin'. Guys on the road get picked up all the time. I look all right, they'll pass me. Sure, you traded black clothes for white ones. The cops'll know about that when you don't show up to get the storekeeper his dough. If I stay here, they'll pick me up easier. I gotta go. I gotta take the chance. Sure, that's the only chance you got. Run. Get some sleep. Then run. Well, yeah, bud. You can call me at 6.30 tonight. That's half a buck, sign this card. What's the matter, bud, you forget your name? No, I just haven't written in a long time. I haven't even heard anybody say it. Except for my nickname. You can't take nicknames. Sometimes the cops come by, they want to see the list. Cops? What for? All knows. They gotta look like they're doin' some kind of work, don't they? You matter, cops worry you? No, no. Why should they? Well, it's something you know better than me. Yeah, is he changed from the buck in your key? Okay. That's my name. Ben Fuller. Where's the room? Straight down the hall. Room 13. Ain't superstitious, eh? No. I'm going down to the church to help decorate for tomorrow. You want to come? No! We used to go always. I'm not goin' anymore. I'm sick of this place. I'm sick and tired. You shouldn't feel like that. You have a nice home and a nice job. Yeah, workin' on the hardware store in a hick town. I want to go places and see things. I want to be somebody. You are somebody, Ben. You've got friendship and respect. You won't always work for somebody else. You'll build something of your own someday. You bet I will. But it won't be here. Someday I'll go away. Someday I'll live in a big city where things happen. And I'll have everything I want. I want you to have everything, son. I want to help. Won't you come with me? No, I told you! No! Lucky! No, no, wait, Mom. Wait, I'll come with you. Too late. Lucky, you can't go now. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't. You never wanted to hurt anybody but you did. Even your mother. That's a lie. Is it, Lucky? She deserved it, expecting a smart kid like you to run away in a dead little town. It wasn't dead. It was a good town. We had a basketball team and a bandit played in the park in the summer in a lake where we could swim. Yeah, but that was the kids. Not for a man. Your father waited his life there, too, didn't he? No, he didn't. He was the best barber in town. Everybody loved him. Everybody. That wasn't good enough for you, though. Lucky. I don't know. What's that noise? It's already plain. What are they doing? What are they building? That's where they're going to hang you. You're not going to see it. I'll kill you, not I'll kill you. You already did. I'd hate to have you over a customer at night, bud. What are you doing throwing a fit? I was dreaming, that's all. Dreams like that you can have. I'm on at 6.30. Ain't you going to catch a truck or something? Yeah. Yeah, thanks. I'll check out right away. I'm getting a ride north. You're going north to pick fruit, am I right? Only look like I've got enough thought if I had no suit and a train ticket home. I want to go right back. Sure. Can't go back on the bum. I never should have left. Yeah, most guys I carry feel that way. But they never know what'll they try. Some of them start back too late. What do you mean? Ah, health is gone. Are they getting a one-way jam? Hey, I got to make a stop here for a few minutes, you mind? Oh, ain't even out of town. I know, but I got a stop here. Hey, what are you stopping here for in the police station? What's the idea? Cops after you for something? No, no, of course not. What are you so jumpy for? Well, they pick you up for vagrancy, hitchhiking, son. Yeah, relax. They don't bother anybody. They're glad to see you go. Well, it just seemed a funny place to stop. That's all. Well, the police station ain't the only place on the block. I'm just going in that cafe across the street for a cup of java. This is the long hall, and I'm broke and I got a tab in there. I'd buy you a cup of coffee only while it's on credit. It's kind of rubbed it in to bring a guest. All right, go ahead. Hey, there's a mission house just the other side of the police station. You can get coffee in there for nothing. No, I'll wait. I don't blame you. They play music in the place that's murder. Oh, there's an evening paper on the shelf behind the seat if you want to look at it while I'm gone. You can turn on the cab light. Paper? Yeah, that's good. Thanks. I'm just looking at the paper, that's all. I'm not a very important guy. Maybe it wouldn't be on the front page. The capitated party of L.R. Not Railroad Detective assigned to a northbound freight was found early this morning on a track about 15 miles north of Los Angeles. It is believed he lost his balance while passing another train and fell beneath the wheels. I don't know. I don't know. No, kid. Only you and I know. You can't know. You can't know anything. You're a dead man. You got no head in your body. You can't talk. You're my imagination, that's all. You mean conscience, don't you? Get away. You can't come back now. You're dead. You don't know anything. I'm free. I'm lucky. I don't know. You've beaten the law, Lucky. They can't catch you. Nobody knows now. Nobody but you. You win, don't you, kid? I'm a dead man. What's the matter? You sick or something? No. No, I'm all right. Well, if you are, you can climb up on the shelf and lay down. I changed my mind. I'm not going with you. Thanks, anyhow. Suit yourself, kid. So long, mister. So long, mister. Where do you think house, Sergeant Jamison? Hey, okay, Joe. Make out a report on it. Now, what can I do for you, boy? I want to get myself up. What'd you do, kid? Steal something? Or are you trying to get a free ride home? No. When did it happen? Last night. Where? On the railroad tracks going north. It was like this. Wait a minute, kid. I'd like to get a card. Okay, what's your name? Ben Fuller. No middle name? They call me Lucky. Lucky, huh? Like in good luck? Yes. Lucky. Like in good luck. Bogart will be back with you in just a moment. But first, here you would have a closing commercial. After which, here again is Humphrey Bogart. Next week, a story with a big fellow himself in his timing way. In weeks to come, other great yarns by John P. Mark one. Steven Vincent Benet, John O'Hara, Joey Bromfield, Christopher Morley, James Thurber, James Gould Cousins, Ben Hecht, Irvin Cobb, Thomas Wolfe, and other great names published in the Charles Grayson anthologies, Stories for Men. Tonight's story was adopted for radio by Joel Muricott. Music composed and conducted by Lynn Murray. D. Engelbach, directed and produced for Santana Productions. Until next week when we meet again. Good night. See you with us again next week at the same time Humphrey Bogart will return to present another great short story. This time by one of the foremost men of contemporary fiction, Ernest Hemingway. This is High Aberbach speaking. Music Thanks for listening to this week's Retro Radio episode of Weird Darkness. If you like the show, please share it with someone you know who loves old time radio and leave a rating and review in the podcast app you listen from to help spread the word about Weird Darkness and Retro Radio Sunday. And a huge thanks to our friends at ClassicRadioStore.com for generously providing the old time radio shows you hear on Weird Darkness Retro Radio Sunday. Remember you can save 20% on all of the ClassicRadioStore.com shows by using the promo code weird at checkout. The rest of the week I narrate new stories of the paranormal or strange stories, true crime, monsters and mysteries. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast if you like the show. I upload episodes 7 days a week. You can email me anytime and find all of my social media links on the contact page at WeirdDarkness.com. Also on the website you can listen to free audiobooks that I've narrated, shop the Weird Darkness store, sign up for the newsletter to win monthly prizes and more. Weird Darkness is a production and trademark of Marlar House Productions. Copyright Weird Darkness. I'm Darren Marlar. Thanks for joining me in Weird Darkness.