 Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, invites you to let George do it. One against a city, another adventure of George Valentine. Personal notice, danger's my stock and trade. If it comes out trouble, dead end, no matter which way, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Dear Mr. Valentine, a city that's lost so much of its conscience that it's allowing itself to be ruled by three cynical, ruthless men. That's the gimmick I hope will intrigue you. Thanks to one other citizen who feels as I do, I can now hire a man of strength and courage, who's interested not only in money, but in the challenge of a very uneven but worthy battle. I've tried to fight this thing alone. Me and my puny one-cylinder newspaper. All I got out of it was threats, a few expert beatings, and a reputation as a crackpot idealist. Come on in, Mr. Valentine, the water isn't fine nor clean. But you may be the kind who doesn't mind swimming against the tide. It's signed Sam Morgan. Let me have that book seen. Intrigued? Slightly fascinated. Sherendale Chronicle, the voice of Sherendale, population 70,000 and growing strong. 70,000 people goose-stepping for three little Caesars. Isn't it just possible, George, that Mr. Morgan may be letting his journalistic fervor run away with him? Uh-huh. But what about the mayor, the guardians of the law, the rest of the men of good will? Well, that's what makes it so fascinating, Angel. Oh, okay. When do we pack and go to meet this crusading editor? I'll have the first train to Sherendale. Since we may be gone for a while, you'd better clean up a few details here and mosey along later. Okay. Check in at the biggest hotel, Brooksy, and I'll be in touch with you. Sherendale, next stop. Next stop, Sherendale. Aren't you kind of cold out here on the platform, Jack? I'm getting off as soon as the train stops. You don't say so, Jack. Hey, now look, Buster. There's something about you I don't like. So don't make me take you apart to find out what it is. Just come out to offer you a drink. Yeah, well, I'm sorry. I don't slug my cough and finish out of bottles. That's too bad, Jack. Because I brought this bottle special for you. Hey, look, what are you trying to do? You're getting off here. Don't make me cough things in your face. I don't like the sight of blood. Well, it's not going to be my blood, Buster! Get off, I sick of you! Happy landing, Jack, and stay out of Sherendale. Valentine, I can't understand it. No one could have found out you were coming here. Yeah, well, nevertheless, Morgan, you can see I received a very enthusiastic welcome to Sherendale. Gee, did you really get pushed off the train, mister? Johnny, didn't I tell you to go upstairs to bed? And you mean you only got your face scratched up like that? Johnny. I got a few other bruises, son, while they're not shown. You're lucky the train was slowing down. I bet you it was one of those gangsters you're always talking about, huh, Dad? I bet you. Oh, Johnny, Johnny, do as your mother says. Go to bed. Oh, gee, okay. Well, I suppose I should tell you how sorry I am, Valentine. But after all, I knew what I was getting into. The important point now, Morgan, is how did it leak out about me? Well, Mrs. Sharon is out of the question. She put up $25,000 for this whole campaign. You may as well know it, Sam. I called up Len Tucker and warned him. What are you saying? I wanted this man scared away. Well, it looks like we're a house diviner. Why shouldn't I, Sam? For ten years now, you've been running for mayor, butting your head against the stone wall, getting yourself beaten up. We've been through this before, but Valentine here, he could have been killed. You would have to believe me, Mr. Valentine. I'm sorry. I didn't dream they'd be anything vicious. I was thinking about our home and our future. You just heard Johnny talking about gangsters as though this was some kind of game we were playing. You heard him, Mr. Valentine. Yes, Mrs. Morgan, I heard him. Oh, Sam. Sam, give it up. Nobody else cares what happens in Sharondale. Why should you? Because I'm me, Ruth. I don't think I'll ever change. It's destroying us. That's all I know. You still want to go on playing ball, Morgan? You heard what I told my wife. After what happened to you, I didn't think that you'd... I'll just suppose I'm weak of mind and don't care if I'm pushed off trains. Now, what's the setup in this charming burden? Well, as I said in my letter, 70,000 upstanding citizens have allowed themselves to become the pawns of three men. And I guess it's safe to presume these three characters work together. They've got Sharondale neatly parceled out. There's enough graft to make the authorities look the other way. Who are they? Big Ed Corgan runs a gambling, back room card parlors, slot machine, and bookie joints. Leonard Tucker, a very suave gentleman, sells protection to businessmen. They'll begin small. And the salesman? A truly incredible character who calls himself Wally Wallpaper. Came by the name because of the loud ties he wears. He buys them by the dozen. He has his big pudgy hands on everything that happens after dark. Nightclubs, roadhouses, things like that. He's merely the owner of a plush café called the Barrel House. And you and Mrs. Sharon's $25,000 expect to sweep all of this clean? She's a wonderful woman. The first family. Her grandfather founded Sharondale. She knows how to fight back, too. You'll believe me when you hear the plan she's got. Okay, the sooner the better. Have you got it straight, Bruxy? Yes, George. I'm not supposed to know you from a hole in the wall. That's right. In fact, if you see any holes in the wall that even faintly resemble me, don't look that way. Sharondale's crime incorporated knows I'm here and you can bet they'll try to keep on my tail. Well, just how do I promote a job in that honky-tonk, the Barrel House? I understand the quaintest character since Dracula was a boy runs the joint. He glorifies them the name of Wally Wallpaper. From all descriptions, Wally fancies himself a ladies' man. So? So, you're a lady. Use your own discretion. Try to get a job as a hat-check girl or in the chorus or behind a cigarette tray. I'll tell you why later. Ours is not the reason why ours is to go and meet Wally Wallpaper. But just one thing, sweetie. If we're supposed to be total strangers, we'll communicate with each other by thought ways. Well, I'm not going to call you at the hotel anymore. They may trace the call. Yeah. But tomorrow, exactly at noon, I'll be making a call on the one and only telephone booth in the cigar store at the depot. Now, you'll be the annoyed young lady who can't wait for me to get through. We'll pick it up from there. Okay. But be careful, darling. You happen to be one stranger who's good for me. Well, that puts me in the glass with fresh vegetables. But don't you worry, Angel. I'll be all right. But I may even see a glimmer of hope for the home team after I talk to Mrs. Sharon. Don't stare at me like that young man. You're probably thinking, isn't that a blood-sirsty, ripped-snorting plan to come from the lips of an old woman? You should take up reading tea leaves, Mrs. Sharon. Don't you think it would work, Valentine? Well, I'm not quite the clairvoyant that Mrs. Sharon is. No, Poppycock, of course it'll work. It's the oldest maneuver in the world. You know what always happens when thieves fall out? Well, there could be enough noise to wake up even a sleeping city. Exactly. Tucker, Big Ed Corrigan, that mercenous clown-wally wallpaper. If each one thinks the other two are trying to poach on his territory, the three of them will beat each other's throats. There'll be an unholy clamor. Don't you see, Valentine? I'll have a real chance at the polls next month. If enough people wake up and are willing to do something about it. Oh, it's all swell theory. But if those three are as thick as bubbles in a glass of champagne, it's going to take some doing to turn them against each other. There's $25,000 in Sam's account in the bank to turn theory into fact. If any innocent people get hurt, we'll take care of them. I'll leave the details to you. Okay, let's give it a whirl. Good. I like you, young man. You're a fighter. Yeah, and I got some interesting scars to show for it. I'm the last of the Sharon's. I want to see this a clean city before I die. That isn't too much for an old woman to hope for, is it? Don't get up, Mrs. Sharon. That's probably the chronicle trying to get me. Hello? What's that, Ruth? Oh, for the love of heaven, calm down. What's happened? Johnny, why those dirty... I'll be over at the hospital right away. I never let anything like this ever happen to you again, Johnny. This was all my fault. I'm okay, Dad. You heard what the doctor said. Easy, Mrs. Morgan. Easy. What about Mr. Valentine? Gosh, they pushed him off a train and that didn't scare him. You're just a little boy, Johnny. You shouldn't be mixed up in this. Well, I almost ducked when that old truck tried to run me over. I guess we'll show those gangsters, huh? Huh, Dad? Just like in the movies. Johnny, stop talking like that. This is not a movie. Oh, and I've got to close your eyes. Now, Ruth, let's go out in the hall. Anything you want, Johnny, you just tell the nurse. Sure thing, Dad. So long, kid. Sam, I... No, I know all the things you're going to say, Ruth, but they're not necessary. Well, look, maybe you folks would like to be along. No, Valentine, this concerns you, too. Let me have a full bill of your fee and we'll call it quits. I know when I'm late. No, Sam, that isn't what I was going to say. What? You fought too hard and long for what was right. If those men could do something like this, they're capable of anything. This is our home, our town. It's up to us. Now, there's like us to clean it up. But, Johnny... It's because of Johnny that I finally understood. Valentine, save it, Morgan. I understand, too. This is open war, Fran, now. And for one, I'm glad, no matter where it leads to. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Meanwhile, I'd like to tell you about a young man who knows where he's going. He's Warner Holdfeld, a 21-year-old Navy veteran. Warner's working nights now, so that during the day he can study engineering at Los Angeles City College. Young Warner, who drives his car 40 and 50 miles a day, also knows that RPM motor oil gives cars protection you trust. Here's what he says about this premium motor oil. Quote, When I recently had my oil changed, one look convinced me that RPM cleans as it lubricates. I actually saw the dirt drain out with the oil, unquote. Yes, folks, RPM does clean your engine while it lubricates. It has special compounds that gently loosen carbon particles, gum, and lacquer formations, and prevent these troublemakers from harming those finely polished engine parts. RPM actually encircles dirt and carbon particles, holds them in suspension until the next oil drain and refill. Another thing, RPM sticks to engine hotspots left bare and exposed to wear by ordinary motor oil. Get protection, you trust, tomorrow. Get RPM motor oil at independent chevron gas stations and standard stations where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. You've come up against some pretty formidable assignments, but playing the leading role in a drama called One Against a City, a city under the thumb of three cynical, ruthless men is a bit of casting you could have done without. Still, when a nameless hoodlum shoves you off a train and a truck nearly runs down a youngster to warn you off, you just put your head down and wade in. That is, if you have the same stubborn streak as George Valentine. You started something, Mrs. Sharon, so you may as well sit back and watch the fireworks. You don't think I want to back out? All I expect is a fighting chance against those leeches. I've found out there's always a fighting chance, Mrs. Sharon. By heaven, there has to be. Especially when there are people like the Morgans and like you on our side. The Morgans aren't letting anything scare them off and any cramps only made you boiling mad when he nudged you off the train. Tell me something, young man. What's that? Have you decided on your first step? I'm working on a surprise for Wally Wallpaper. Good, good. Because I've got faith in my plan. Play them off against each other, that's it. I may be so old fashioned to douse myself with lilac water every day, but I'm up to date enough to know how these modern James boys think and act. If you were ten years younger, Mrs. Sharon, I'd put a musket in your hand. And if I were ten years younger, I'd take it. Now, get along, young man. You're wasting time. Not wasting time, Mrs. Sharon. Just voiding time. Never mind thanking me for the job, Miss Brooks. You can start pushing cigars and cigarettes here at the barrel house tonight. Oh, thank you, Mr. Wallpaper. I think you're the sweetest man. And I think you've got glass, baby. Yeah, and good taste. I could tell at the minute you went off, you're not about this tie I got on. Is it a beaut? I've never seen anything like it in my life. Hey, look at me. When I pull on it like this, see? The girl does the hula-hula and the palm tree start waving. What do you think? Suddenly, I'm on the beach at Waikiki. Where? Oh, oh. And what I like about it is it's so conservative. That's right, baby. I'm not one of them loud guys. You'll find it out when you get to know me better, which reminds me. Yes, Wallpaper. When you're through tonight, how about me showing you some of my other ties? I got hundreds of them. To think you're taking all this interest in me, Wallpaper. And you're such an important man. You're not wrong, baby. If you knew all the joints in this town to pay off to me, you wouldn't believe it. Well, let's talk about you. Would you say your first name was? Claire. I'll have your picture painted on a tie with your name right under it. How do you like that, huh? Oh, that'd be wonderful. But just one thing. Sure, name it. Could you arrange to have me light up in the dark, too? Hey, look, lady, I'm making a long distance call to my mother. Find yourself another phone booth somewhere. Good work, Booksy. You've been in there an hour. You don't have a lease on this phone booth, you know, mister. Now that I've got the job, what do I do, George? Come on, Operator. Come on, come on, will you? I don't think we're being watched, but be careful. You'll find a little package on the shelf under the phone when I leave. Where does your mother live in Timbuktu? What operator I did put in two quarters in a dime. Just smash this package on the floor of the barrel how sometime during the evening. Then what happened? Or you'll find out. All right, Operator, forget it. Okay, miss, it's all yours. Now, when the joint begins to jump tonight, Angel, just make sure Wally thinks one of Leonard Tucker's men did it. Well, I hope you're sad as well, lady. You came between me and my mother. Now I forgot what number I was going to call. Oh. Yeah, what wise guy threw that stink bomb. I'll kill him. Wally, Wally, I saw who did it. I pointed him out to a waiter, and he said he was one of Leonard Tucker's men. Oh, that's not waiting, sir. Tucker's been wanting to move in on me for a long time. Okay, I'm just a boy to play rough. Are you crazy, mister? What are you going to do? We'll see if you can guess. Those slot machines cost money. Wait till Big Ed Corrigan hears about this. Just tell him that Wally Wallpaper has decided to branch out. And that includes gambling in this town. Please, mister, already I'm paying protection to Mr. Tucker. Forget it. From now on, you're paying off to Big Ed Corrigan. No, but Mr. Tucker, he will... Maybe this breaks through your front window and will make up your mind. The five days it shook Sharon Dale. Valentine, you really blew the lid off. Well, I hope the reformed mayor to be has his speech ready for the citizen's rally tonight. All I can think of now is those three vultures tearing each other apart. Yeah, I like that headline you got in the Chronicle today, Morgan. The Assemblyman proposes state investigation of conditions in Sharon Dale. Ten years I've waited for this Valentine. Ten long, long years. You know, I'm glad for you. Well, you better keep your fingers crossed, Sam. See you later at your place. Where do you think you're going, Jack? Uh-oh. Johnny, one note. I've been waiting to catch up with you. Don't be so happy. This rat in my pocket ain't been used for a long time. I might decide to see if it still works. We're too many. Huh? Don't get so familiar. You're going for that car over there. Valentine, if you don't stop fooling with that blindfold, Ernie's gonna break a couple of your fingers. Why don't you boys stop playing cops and robbers? You got my future all planned? What difference does it make if I know where you brought me? I told you, Corrigan, this guy talks too much. Oh, so we have big head among us. He's been pretty busy these last few days. Yeah, like a jet-propelled termite. Well, it's all over now. We gotta decide what to do with you. Any ideas, Wally? Well, I'm all for Ernie taking him off our backs. Let him earn his dough. Yeah, one thing. Make it look like an accident. Okay, Tucker, if you want to cramp my stove, I can make it so they find him laying out in a state road. He was Jay Walker. Jay Walker? Remind me to give you a tie, Ernie. So the three masterminds finally learn how to air two and two. Yeah, we think slow. Maybe we got quick tempers, but usually we see our own mistakes. All right, Ernie, take him out. Time to shuffle along, Jack. In a minute, for a legit big shot, you guys are certainly three 14-carat suckers. Getting rid of me won't get you off the hook. You want to worry about the person who hired me, a very determined character. You mean Sam Morgan? Sam Morgan is in hock up to his neck just trying to keep his newspaper going. Now I'm talking about somebody who can buy and sell the three of you guys. Can't you see he's just stolen? No, let him talk. Who are you referring to, Valentine? The person in this room who insisted that you put this thing over my eyes so I wouldn't see. You don't need eyes to smell lalic water. Lolly, take the blindfold off him. Hello, Mrs. Sharon. I see I've underrated you, young man. What is this? You made a very stupid mistake, Mrs. Sharon, when you mentioned Ernie's name the other day. I only knew him as another gunsaw. How did you know his name? Unless you knew everything else that was going on, too. A very unhealthy pastime, Alyssa. Double-crossing your partners. Do you mind telling us why? Not that it's going to do you any good. No, I'll tell you why. She arranged for you gentlemen to help her take over the town. But you pushed her in the background and that's one thing a Sharon can't stand, especially in her own bailiwick. I don't see why you three mongrels would be so surprised with you out of the way. I could find myself the kind of associates who'd realize that I own this town even though I may need hired help to run it. Listen to her, will you? So when does she don't pack around? Oh, shut up, Ernie. One more thing you underrated, Mrs. Sharon. That corny item, public indignation. The plan worked too well. You saw that Sharon Dale might go back to the people. Then you decided to backtrack, so things would at least stay as they are. So that's why you rounded us up, Alyssa. Showed us we had the wrong idea about each other. Valentine out of the way, we never would have found out what you did. Clever of me, wasn't it? Too clever. Looks like I got two jobs to do. No, we can't afford for you to have all that fun, Ernie. The both of them get knocked off, too many things to tie up. There'll be too many questions. Well, what are we going to do? She ain't safe to have her on. No. Alyssa will have to go. Why, you don't dare. An unfortunate accident right in your own home. You, Valentine, you're leaving town. Am I? You're too smart to hang around. You know there's nothing you can do. Won't be a piece of evidence against us. Take him on a train, Ernie, with you. There ain't gonna be no mistake, Corrigan, this time. Go on, do like he says. Come on, Jack. Good luck, young men. We may be seeing each other sometime. It was exciting while it lasted, wasn't it? Yeah. A barrel of fun. Especially for all the innocent bystanders. Outside, Jack. Outside. Now, look, Ernie, you're seeing me off. And I'm glad to get out of this town, see? So take that small howitzer out of my back, will you? You don't know how lucky you are. I'm just getting lucky, Buster, because you're getting careless. Yes, you are. You had a lot more than that coming to you, Ernie. But that's where you're lucky. I don't have the time. But I don't know whom we can get Valentine. You know how long it takes for the police to do anything when it involves Corrigan or any of those fellows? No matter what she's done, we've got to try to help her. I know. I'll get a couple of state troopers. And anybody else we can trust. Tell them to meet us at the Sharon Place. They didn't waste any time getting here. George, this is horrible. And they kept their word about making it look like an accident. All ladies have been known to fall downstairs and break their necks. It's going to be hard for Sharon Dale to believe the truth about its first lady. Sam, you're not going to print the truth. And nobody's ever going to know it. But George! It's going to be the first real service she's ever done for the town she was supposed to love. But Valentine, people have the right to know that this Mrs. Sharon was really responsible for Tucker and all the others. She was feeding on every racket in the town. But wouldn't it be smarter to let them think she was pure as German snow? I don't get it, George. What better way of being swept into office, Sam, than making the good citizens think that a sainted member of the fronding family was brutally murdered by gangsters they allowed to thrive all these years. Well, we may never be able to prove that. That's going to be your first job in office, Mayor Morgan. Well, goodbye, Johnny. Take care of yourself. I wanted to ask you something, Mr. Valentine. If Dad gets to be mayor, can he make me deputy sheriff or something so I could carry a gun? You better not let your mother hear you say that. You ought to be thinking of your schoolwork and keeping out of trouble. You're sweet on her, Mr. Valentine. I guess you could go with that. It can't be much fun. Having a girl who's always trying to keep you out of trouble. Now, look here, Johnny. All as a matter of fact, kid, I have all I can do to keep her from getting into trouble before I do. Honest? Gee, you better hurry up and marry her before somebody else gets her. Love that boy. If your car acts as if every hill were too much for it and if it's without pickup, pep, and traffic, who knows, maybe it's just the gasoline you've been using. So tonight I'd like to remind you, Chevron Supreme gasoline is specially blended to give your car command performance in every road condition. It's a high-octane fuel that commands fast starts, smooth acceleration, and all the extra power to make it great on hills. So for happier motoring in traffic and on the open road, on short trips and the longer ones, rely on this premium-quality gasoline. And remember, throughout the West, Chevron Supreme's climate tailored to each different altitude and temperature zone. That means command performance from your car wherever you go, regardless of terrain or weather. Try a tank full of Chevron Supreme tomorrow. Get it at standard stations and at independent Chevron gas stations, where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Next week, when you tune our way for another adventure of George Valentine, you'll hear George saying... All right now, Mrs. Peppelman, Bruxy jump in the car and hurry. I don't want to use this gun if I can help it. Mr. Valentine, they were waiting here for you. All those men, they was going to kill you. Yeah, well, they still have the same idea. Come on, get in the back, Mrs. Peppelman. Let her roll, Bruxy. And don't stop till we get to your place. Get there before that console does. Oh, we'll be missing one perfectly good client. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Let George do it stars Robert Bailey as George with Francis Robinson as Bruxy. Tonight's story was written by David Victor and Herbert Little Jr. and directed by Don Clark. Also heard in the cast were Hal K Dawson as Morgan, Virginia Greg as Mrs. Morgan, Jerry Farber as Johnny, Miriam Wolfe as Mrs. Sharon, Larry Dobkin as Wally, Ed Begley as Corrigan, and Bob Dryden as Ernie. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heaston. Listen again next week, same time, same station to Let George do it. This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.