 Intrigue, Mystery, Romance, Starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Together in the sultry setting of Tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean. Bold Venture, Magic Names of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall bring you Bold Venture and a Tale of Mystery and Intrigue. Steve Carnival really brings out the jazzy in you, doesn't it, slave? Why not? Where else can a fellow rid himself of the cares and toils of the day? Where else can he wear a funny hat? Well, he could wear it on the top of his head like the other funny fellas. It doesn't matter, sailor, you're jealous because I fan-dangled around his brim. In Cuba, that's the thing to do at a fiesta. A hot dance. With a beanie? Three propellers makes a dairy. Sometimes I don't know about you, slave. Sometimes I can't figure you. I was saying I can't figure you out. I'll help you with your homework later. Right now I want to concentrate on... Yeah, just as I thought. There are six of them. Six dancing girls on that platform. How'd you ever work it out? Simple, I counted the legs and divided by two. Is there any other way? Some fellas I know had a column of figures from the top. Hey, look, sailor, the girls are throwing flowers at us fellas. Among other things. Now, watch this catch, sailor. Ah, what a snazzy shortstop we've lost to the world when I chose to see. So you made a shoestring catch of a paper camellia slate. I yawned. Performance toward me too, lady. Hand over the camellia shortstop. The pathetic little souvenir was meant for me. You kidding, Buster? I call for a fair catch. Ah, we were all dazzled by it. Let's not let it go to our head, huh? The little blossom. Pin it on my lapel, flower boy. Go shag your own flies, kid. This one's gotta impress ya. You impressed me. But not for long, huh, kid? Gosh, app dancers, fellows fighting over a paper flower. It's been a real fiesta slate. What do we do with a prone fellow? We just dance around him. Watch him don't trip over his chin. Come on, Quimby. Get in. Quick. I'm talking to you. I'm talking about your mind. I heard you. Making me meet you like this. The two of us together. Suppose the cops catch a fast wink of us together. Nothing had happened. The police had shaken us down. Make clucking sound. Shake their heads and tell us to keep moving. We're blocking traffic. Yeah. Go ahead. Keep telling. Look, Quimby, I set up the whole thing, didn't I? I said keep telling me. I had that clerk in the jewelry store believing I was really interested in that stone. I keep going in there for three weeks, every day. I couldn't make up my mind whether to buy it or not. I touched a dashboard with my nose. I bow, Mr. Packard. The clerk had the stone out yesterday. Then you came in and pulled a switch while I diverted him. So far, simple. Yeah. Real, real. With my record and the cops knowing by this time that you were casing the place, all they have to do is find us together. Find us with a stone. No stone, Quimby. I didn't get it. What? But I gave it to Velma. I put it in that paper comedia. I gave it to it. Then she tossed it to you. She tossed it. Guy named Slate caught it. Slate? Slate Shannon? I guess. Trouble, Mr. Packard, if it's Slate Shannon. He's different. Maybe not. Maybe not at all. Slate Shannon. A guy lives, dies, just a guy. He can be taken care of. You got all your loot, Slate? Yeah. The comedia from the dancing girl, the cane from the guy who couldn't guess my weight. And the Cupid doll from the girl whose weight you could and did. Yeah. Now I've got a Cupid doll I can call my own. You can put her alongside that picnic ham you won at Venice Pier five years ago. No, this Cupid is. They say, look, it's Pilar the peddler. Hi, Pilar. Slate, it's two o'clock in the morning and I'm tired. You can sell your old clothes to Pilar some other time. You kidding? Pilar is my beloved. She and that old horse are among the fondest memories of Felic and Cherish. Hey, tell Pilar. I'll go with it with my old friend. Whoa, whoa, well, Robin. Oh, oh, oh, this Slate Shannon with this hermosa senorita. The beautiful senorita. Tasting the moonlight. Make him go home, Pilar. I'm worn out. I've got something for you, Pilar. A kiss for an old peddler perhaps to bring back as far away yesterday when Pilar did not drive a junk cart. Better than that, Pilar. A camellia for old Robin's hat. No, don't thank me, old Robin. It was nothing really. Hey, look at my Cupid. Come on, Slate. Bye, Pilar. Adios, senorita. Slate, my lover fellow. Get up, old Robin. On the leg. Ah, that Pilar. If I was only 40 years older. You may be by the time we get home. Please come on. Seller, tonight I've lived. I've danced in the streets, met an old love. Oh, you're just the Havana Flash. That's what you are. Hey, wait a minute, Seller. There's a guy cooking a finger at me from the doorway. You lost, friend? No, I am very much at home, senorita. It is you who are lost. And that gun is for showing me the way, huh? If you wish it. If you do not, I will settle for a paper camellia. The one that was went for me at the fiesta. My beloved Mia Alma meant it for me. Can I help it if you rock with it and butterfingers? We will not discuss my personality. The camellia, por favor. Sure. Sure, I've got it right here. You say something? I was wrong. You didn't say a thing. Slate, what happened? Why did you hit him over the head with a doll? What did he do to me and wanted a camellia? Hey, that's the second flower lover I've had to fight for a camellia. Now, don't get fat on it. There might be a third. Let's get out of here. King, did you get him? Yes, Mr. Slate. A whole dollar's worth. A whole bouquet. I'll wrap them. Thanks. Taylor, come here. What do you want? What are you looking so sheepish about? I bought you something. A bouquet of camellias. Here. Like them? Gee. And they're artificial, too. What girl wouldn't go out of her mind over a bunch of artificial flowers? I thought you'd like them. They're to make up for last night. I'll put them on my dresser. King, will you go into my room and empty the water out of the vase? I wouldn't want these blossoms together. I will, Lady Sailor. But it is not where the red gift is. Look, King, if she doesn't want them, Slate Shannon. I threw you a flower last night, Slate Shannon. Care to come over to my place and pull petals? Why not? I got nothing to keep me here. I'm glad. The Castileo apartment's 4B. Ask for me, for Velma. You can't miss me. I'll be all that's there. Going someplace else, Slate? I'll be back. Some guy trying to sell me insurance. Tell her you're only interested in the short-term policy. Ah, dear. Buenos dias, Slate Shannon. Hello. Your name, Velma? Uh-huh. Come on in. You like my place? Comfy. Then why don't you get that way? All right. One of these days, I'm going to get myself a sofa. What for? You can use mine anytime you want. Here. I'll slide the hazard gun to your feet. You feel like talking? Not especially. I could just sit here like this and fall asleep. I'll rock you to sleep, if you want. Velma, we reached the stage in our great romance when a guy's forced to ask a question. I hate to louse up this deathless love of ours, but if I just let it go, like this, you'll think I'm a... I don't know what. Maybe a cat, even, and you wouldn't want... Look, Slate, I... You know why I wanted to see you. No, no, I don't. Go ahead, break it to me. Well, you caught a paper camellia at the carnival. Ah. Oh, you like the way I shag flies, huh? I want that camellia. Are you kidding? Do you have it with you? You're sure you're not kidding? If you don't have it, I'll go back to your place with you and get it. You need a camellia to make you happy, kid? That's it. Yeah. I want to look good for you. I want to put it in my curly hair. Look, baby, it's not your hair that's curly. It's your head. A fond farewell to you. All right. Get out of here. You and your fat grin out. You don't know what you just bought yourself. Gee, and I... I thought I'd get out of here with at least that hasic. Well, that's the way it's got to be. So long, Velma. Hi, Mr. Slate. Hello, King. Where's Sailor? In her room, making herself the loveliest for you. The way a good girl should. Mind if I ask you something, Mr. Slate? Sure, go right ahead. Where have you been? Um, horseback riding. Must have been a tall blonde horse, Mr. Slate. Left some hair on your lapel. Where did you... Slate, come here. Something's happened. Why? What's the matter? Look, I'm my dresser. I'm looking. You mean my picture in the frame? Why don't you dust it with me? Why don't you dust it once in a while? I'm talking about camellias, the ones you gave me. I put them right here on my dresser. Oh, where are they? I'm trying to tell you, they're gone. Someone came in through that window and took them while I was out. A camellia heist? This is something new in the annals of crimes. I mean, all of Havana's gone berserk over paper flowers. What would anyone want with artificial flowers? That suddenly worries me, too. Because I've heard there are times when they're used at cheap funerals. Our stars, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and the second act of our story. When a girl throws flowers, it's time to duck, unless you're a darling of lady luck. I offer this advice, I offer it for free. It comes to you gratis courtesy of me. Two men get clobbered so far to date for a paper camellia by Mr. Slate. As if it's worth it, I'll tell you that the flower now reposes on a horse's hat. And that's just where it's gonna stay. Have you ever thought about it, Mr. Slate, that maybe there's something sinister about that paper camellia? Something strange, as if it were touched by dark kisses, as if some fingers of evil. King, have you ever considered a saying the role of Hamlet, the unhappy prince? I was just wondering why somebody stole those flowers out of the sailor's room. A gentleman is ringing for service at the desk, Mr. Slate. Yeah. Sorry, Mr. No More Rooms were full up. Mr. Slate, we got 16 rooms. 17. Mr. Greeley ran out on us this morning, leaving us a suitcase full of interlocking, no more than necessary, bricks. I don't like that guy's looks. Besides, he's wearing a chameleon as lapel, and I've had enough chameleons for one day. Let me handle this. Your name is Shannon, isn't it? That's right. I can't help who recommended you, friend. No rooms. We're not taking any reservations. That's fine. I'd like to see a lad make a living, so I'll make this real short. I was gonna ask you to. You got a chameleon that looks like this only in paper? Why? Because then you'd win first prize. One thousand bucks. Because I did what? Hey, don't I know you? The light was bad last night at the fiesta, but I could... That's right. You slugged me. So I just now forgot it, and I just now set a grand for the chameleon. You got it? The last chameleon I had was stolen out of this lady's room. Even for a thousand, you say that. Because that's the way it was. If it wasn't, get somebody to shed a tear over you. So long, Shannon. What's the matter, killer? You run out of bullets? My boyfriend, Velma. He can't ever cry on your shoulder anymore. Why'd you kill him? Ricardo wouldn't double-cross you? Yeah, I remember. His dying words were how he wouldn't double-cross me. What'll yours be, Velma, dear? He tried to tell you. He didn't steal that chameleon from Shannon's girl. The poor guy. All he was trying to do was make the time of day with me. And you told him, Ricardo, bring me a jewel. Bring me a ruby. It'll light up the sky for us. Isn't that what you told the dead lover boy? You've had a big day, killer. Why don't you go someplace and die dreaming about it? The ruby, Velma. Give it to me. I haven't got it! I haven't got it! I threw it away. The night of the street dance. I threw it to you. You forgot I was there. You forgot it wasn't me you tossed the posey to. I'm sorry, dear. You're grieving for the dead. That's what makes you forgetful, huh? Is it my fault that Shannon caught it? Is it my fault we can't get it away from him? A sweet unspoiled girly girl like you and you can't take a paper flower from a man? I tried. Ricardo tried. You tried. How come you flipped it, killer? And I made it so two and two for you, dear. Plant the ruby in the flower, I said. Toss it to me while dancing. And nobody knows how a poor little jewel got lost. How simple it was. Well, you changed all that, killer. The boy lying on the floor says you changed it. Get the ruby, Valma, dear. Or for you and the boy I'll arrange a two-body grave. Look at these pictures, senor Shannon. Senorita. No, he's not the one, Inspector LaSalle. Well, let me see, Slade. I said he wasn't the one. Well, you have to look at a picture for it. Because I like to look at pictures. No, that's not the man who offered a thousand dollars. Here, look at this photograph. This man will probably not... Well, that's him. Let's see. That's him all right, Inspector. What you say is very interesting. Because this is a man who has no record on the blutter of the police. How did he get his picture in the pile with these thugs? This is a man whose name is Fred Packard. He is not a hundred percent thief. He is a suspected thief. A thief of what? Of a ruby of inestimable worth. This, we think. This, we do not know. Now, permit me, Senior Shannon. Here is another picture. Have you seen this man ever? Uh... No, I don't think so. Senorita? No, I haven't. Why? This is a man named Quimby. We suspect he was in complicity with Senior Packard in the theft of the ruby. Again, we have no proof. I've got some advice for you, Inspector. And this advice is... Pick up this guy, Quimby. That is already done. He languishes on an open charge in an empty cell. We give him questions, however, receive no answers. Keep at it, LaSalle. I think I can deliver this whole thing to you, Ruby and all. Come on, Sailor. Come on, he says. Come on, where? To knock on a door. To get back some junk. Junk from place else. Pillar the peddler is closed for business. Open up, Pillar. It's Slate and Sailor. Let's watch that billing, huh, kid? Sailor and Slate, Pillar. That is my very godmother's. Come into the junk pile of Pillar. You're a doll, honey. Wouldn't patronize any other junk dealer. You have come to give me more souvenirs for El Dobbin, huh? Take something away, Pillar. We want the Camelia I pinned to your horse's hat. The Camelia gave it to the viejo, the old man Cortés. Who? Cortés, the junk man. All day, he competes with me. At night, he courts me. Plays all bottles under my window. Last night, he was so beautiful, I threw him the paper Camelia. And where do we find this beautiful man? In his little tin shack on Calier Rosa. Ah, you should hear how he plays those bottles. It makes a woman shit. Look, Slate, through the window. The old man's asleep. The grin on his face and the Camelia on his... I told you that Pillar is a wonderful woman. Here, Salah, I'll hoist you in. What? We don't want to wake the old man out of a dream he may never have again. Come on, I'll hoist you through the window. Just take the flower out of his ear and kiss him good night. Okay. How do you... got the flowers, Slate? Did you kiss him? Yeah. You know, he kissed back. Why, that sly old junk man. Come on, Salah. Get back to the jeep. When did you put a photoelectric cell on the jeep door, Slate? Don't worry. You're pretty head. How door's open, dear. Just get in. You and Shannon. All right, flower lover. You have trouble starting. I'll use this gun as a choke. Get going, Shannon. Well, this is a pretty boat you got, Shannon. The bold venture, huh? Pretty name. Yeah. I don't think I've got enough gas to get you to Key West, Packard. You have. It's been taken care of. You're on the boat, both of you. Mr. Packard. What do you want? Would you give a girl a peep at your ruby? Just take my word for it. It was in the chameleon. It has a perfect star and weighs 35 carats, and it's flawless. Okay, Shannon, stouter up. You just about have this all figured, haven't you, Shannon? Sure. The cops are scratching at your back. Me, too. What? Don't turn around, Shannon. You make a good shield. Velma, what do you want? What are you doing on this boat? I heard you give orders to gas up this boat. You didn't think you were going to run out on me, did you? It's late. Who's that girl breathing on the back of your neck? Velma? Sailor? Sailor? Velma. Hi, Velma. I don't want to be a cat, dearie, but you're a gun-showing. Does it show to you, too, Fred? Look, I was going to send for you once I got to Key West. Sure, sure you were. What are you going to do now that you'll never get to Key West? Velma, don't be crazy. Listen to me. Fred, he won't get away on me. I'll take that gun, Velma. He'll get away. He'll swim. Give it to me. Here, Sailor Coverer. Let him go, Slate. The cops will pick him up. Maybe, maybe not. He's headed for that breakwater. If he makes it, maybe nobody will pick him up. Keep your eyes on my shoes. That Velma's a tricky one. Package it. You won't make it. I'll make it. There's an undertow at that breakwater. Okay, Package. Back to the boat, Package. You're crazy. I said back. We're both grown. Let's go under and see. How do you feel, Package? Just get me aboard. I saved your life. Aren't you going to say thanks? No? All of us in, Sailor. Hold tight, Slate. I'll drag you home. Bless you. Stop saying that. I've got a cold swimming around that cold ocean. Here, I made you something. Drink it. What is it? It's good for fellas with a cold. Go ahead, drink it. Drink it all down. All right. What was that? A fish broth. A fish broth? A little haddock. A pinch of rock card. Dash of swordfish. Why'd you get a remedy like that? I invented it. Fish never catch cold, and they live in the ocean. Genius. Didn't you like that remedy? Try this one. Cut it out, Sailor. I've got a cold. Cut it out. Did you like that? Nice, huh? Bless you. Bless you. Bless you. No, I've got a cold, too. What have we got to worry about? Cubbyistly. And so our two stars, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall have brought to a close our latest bold venture story. Special music was composed and conducted by David Rose. May we invite you to listen again next week at this time for another exciting adventure starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall together in bold venture.