 From Hollywood. It's time now for Edmond O'Brien as Johnny dollar. Oh, yeah, Miss Remy. Thanks for calling back. I just wanted to get something straight if a murder is executed Does his policy pay off? Well put on your makeup. It's liable to happen any minute Edmond O'Brien in another transcribed adventure of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to Britannia casualty and life Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of Stuart Palmer the man who wrote himself to death Expense account item one one hundred and twenty three dollars and forty two cents air and miscellaneous travel expenses From Hartford to Chicago and the Cook County Jail Well, you can make up your own mind about him dollar. He's like all those writers. He isn't guilty He's crazy. Oh, hi, Michael. It's this is mr. Dollar. I'm an insurance dick He wants to talk to Palmer. Call him out. Will you sure thing lieutenant? On your way out. Yeah. Thanks a lot lieutenant. Here's your boy. Mr. Dollar. You'll have to talk to him for the break Stuart Palmer. Yeah, my name is dollar pretend a casualty and life sent me out here Understand you're in some difficulty. There's anything I can do to help you didn't come here to help me You came to investigate my new policy now look, I don't need your help or anybody else's I Paid my first premium. That's all you were the company need be concerned about they're concerned about the fact that you're being held on Suspicion of murder that doesn't affect the policy. Have you retained counsel? That's none of your business Thanks for the cooperation nice to meet friends in a strange city You can have a Markowitz. Well dollar lovable isn't he? What have you got on him? Oh, not much some whiner was killed in the Clark Street pool room Palmer was holding one of the cues. We pulled him in with about 14 others When are you gonna release him? We're not sure he's been in before you know Tell me what's the matter with him? Who knows? He's a writer crime stuff hangs around the West Madison district lot of the time calls it research Does he still have that Kenwood address no way to say? Yeah, 5715 Well, I hope his wife is jollier than he is. Oh, mr. Martin. I was oh I'm sorry. I thought you were somebody else. I am. My name is dollar. I'm an insurance investigator I'm sorry. We have all the insurance we can use I said investigators. I want to talk to you about your husband. Oh Come in Why do you do this to him? I know why it's like he says you're all after him You don't like him because he's a genius. You don't understand him. You'll never understand. Oh, wait a minute You can try all you want to as do it says when one human being does something better than another human being That's when they attack him. Well, go ahead. Look, Mrs. Palmer. I'm on your side. I'm not the police Oh, now, why don't you sit down? I'll explain the whole thing to you come on That's better Now your husband took out a hundred thousand dollar life insurance policy last week. There's certainly nothing wrong with that This is Palmer, please This week your husband is arrested on suspicion of murder there now You see you don't know anything about him and already you're accusing him of the most awful thing. I am not accusing him of anything Mrs. Palmer. I'm just trying to help I talked with your husband a little while ago. He wasn't very cooperative I'd hoped you would be you put him in jail and then you're expecting to be cooperative Does he have a lawyer? Yes, of course, Mr. Martin. That's who I thought you were. How does Mr. Martin feel about this? He's been very nice. Do it isn't worried. Do it knows that Mr. Martin can Bring him any time he wants to What is your husband right books? Well, he used to write for the radio But if he says it's a very limited medium So one morning he went to his agent and toyed that contract up right in his face And that very day he started to write his place 140 pages with real people and everything he took every one of them from life Is the play about crime? How did you know that? I met your husband doing a little research in jail. Well, they put him in jail because they don't understand As he says they don't put a doctor to bed in a hospital because he's doing research on a dangerous disease People don't know good from evil. That's what's wrong. They're afraid of the truth and that's what Stuart writes He practically lives with this subject Criminals. Yes, he studies them. Nobody can write believably about something unless they're familiar with it. That's the sacrifice he makes You don't get to see much of them, do you? Well, his work is infinitely more important than I am But as soon as his play is produced, we're going away together. Atlantic City, you're permuted. The manuscript has been in New York for six months now, so it it shouldn't be long before he is What is your husband's income then for the past six months? Well, there hasn't been much But great art is often born of poverty. What hundred thousand dollar insurance policies aren't Who's this man Neil Beasley your co-beneficiary? You're going to sit here and be insulting perhaps you better leave. Well, perhaps I'd better You mentioned an agent. What's his name? George Michael cough. He's in the Ingram building Crazy that guy is crazy. You can't do business with a guy like that art. He talks everything's got to be art Spends his time with Bums and he calls it art. Hasn't he done anything for six months? Mr. Michael cough not with me Well, let's face it not with nobody, you know He could have been a good writer this boy, but he was too arty not commercial then boom He's got a right to play and where is it? Probably in the bottom drawer of Hallstein's desk and it's going to stay there Here's a copy take it along and read it. Thanks. What about this research? He does research Is that what he told you? I? Had to go down to the county jail and bail him out twice. That's what washed me up Some day they're gonna catch him with the goods on him, you know Maybe it started out to be researched, but it ain't now Well, how did it start with a guy named Neil Beasley? Neil Beasley, oh you heard him, huh? Yeah, yeah, that's the boy He took Palmer under his wing and that's where he still is. I don't know. Maybe he can't get out Beasley came up to the office with Palmer once what a character What is this Beasley hang out? You know who knows nasty neighborhoods? Expense account item to 80 cents cab fare to a nasty neighborhood After a lot of questions and bad bourbon I came across a character who called himself Roscoe Roscoe was the walking who's who of the district when I mentioned the name Beasley He swallowed his drink wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and leaned over the table toward me Beasley Let's see Beesley come on here is something to stimulate your memory. Yes, of course Beasley Neil Beasley been a friend of mine for years slipped my mind getting old Beasley was born in Cincinnati of well-to-do parents. They say he attended Harvard, but perhaps it's only a story You know how story starts get the history where can I find him any number of places if the race track was open? You'd find him there, but the race track ain't open There is his place of residence. Where is that? I don't know But he must live somewhere Obviously, what would you suggest you familiar with the atomic tavern up the street? Oh, I'm a stranger in town Peoria No, you have the face of a peoria salesman. I don't know something in the eyes Yes, well the atomic tavern up the street. Thanks Roscoe You never did say where you were from Hartford, Connecticut If you're ever in town look me up Four blocks away squeezed between a delicatessen and a shoe parlor. I came upon the atomic tavern It exploded just as I arrived I'm ready to come in anybody with a civil tongue is welcome. Thanks Neil Beasley around. Yeah, who went to the name is Johnny doll. I'm a friend of Stuart Palmer Well, you tell him that he's at the back table there Your name be easy For you mr. Dollar What's your business dollar insurance investigation and I sit down I'm working for a company that holds a policy on the life of Stuart Palmer Insurance racket. I wonder how it started. I suppose somebody back in Rome Bet Julius Caesar ten drachmas. He wouldn't live through the 15th of March and one What do you want with me? I'm looking for somebody who'll make some sense. Maybe you're it. I understand your palm is beneficiary That's right He's a good boy. Yeah, but he's not a good risk the company ensures a radio, right? I come out here and learn he's a petty criminal. What's your problem dollar? Why don't you cancel the policy? Well, I will if I can tell me what got him started well put yourself in his place He spends a lot of time around here learning so he can write good stuff He writes good stuff so good. They won't buy it. So he falls back on his education. That's logical, but illegal Oh, they'll get him Now get me to It's fate the bumps on your head the lines in your hands the stars That's me who can stop it. Well, it's quite a philosophy you guys. I Was looking toward the front of the building. I hadn't seen him come in But it was Stuart Palmer. He was standing at the elbow of the bar obviously looking for his friend when he spotted me He started for the door. Oh sit down dollop That's my arm bees me sit down and leave him alone the cops released him. Just leave him alone Let's go Inside he was half a block away heading west I knocked over several West Madison Street characters And then it suddenly occurred to me the only reason I was chasing him was because he was running away from me I was 50 feet behind him when he rounded a Walgreens drugstore in the corner for a second I lost him then I saw him. He wasn't running. He was turned toward me I bent over the news boy just long enough to see that he was dead and I started after Palmer again There was no mistake about it. He wanted that policy and he'd killed to keep it In just a moment. We will return to the second act of yours truly Johnny Duller, but first The screen sophisticated caustic. Mr. Belvedere alias Clifton web will swap quips with Bing Crosby on the Groner CBS show This Wednesday night CBS cordially invites you to hear this great show that promises some of the best laughs of the season When it comes your way on most of these same CBS stations this Wednesday night Mildred Bailey the rocking chair lady of popular song also will be on hand as guest star So remember be listening when Clifton web Mildred Bailey and Bing Crosby get together tomorrow night Now with our star Edmund O'Brien. We returned to the second act of yours truly Johnny Duller I lost Palmer in the next block if daylight had held for a little longer. Maybe I could have stopped the whole thing I looked at my watch. It was 605. The Hartford office was closed. I Headed back for a phone in the Walgreens drugstore. I got to the corner just as the police and the person of Lieutenant Karagin The devil you doing here look at that kid Karagin lion If you hadn't let that maniac out the boy would still be hawking his papers. Hey, wait a minute back off What are you talking about? What do you think did it? Palmer Palmer. Are you sure? Yeah, he was shooting at me. Why'd you let him out for oh look dollar? There are laws. I told you earlier. We didn't have much on him. He was clear. Well, you sure not clear on this one Kid only had three papers left. I think you better tell me what happened dollar Yeah, oh hey folks, why don't you go home? Come on move I don't know what there is about people. They're just glad it wasn't their kid Oh, here's the tale. I came down here to find a guy named Neil Beasley a friend of Palmer Palmer showed up in the joint when he saw me. He made a dash up the street I took out after him and when I got to the corner, he opened up the kid was standing next to me After the gunfire, I went after Palmer again. Believe me. I wish I'd caught him. Yeah Sergeant Put out a general on Stuart Palmer all adults in my office Why would he want to kill you? That's a hundred thousand dollar question lieutenant I'll be in the drugstore Sorry to bother you at home. I'm on the Palmer case out of your Hartford office. That's right No, things couldn't be worse. Your only move is to cancel the policy, sir How soon can you do that on good grounds? Well, if you can't do it tonight, just forget the whole thing Well, the police have put out a general alarm for the policy holder dead or alive and the yards are on the bad side Good. I won't keep you waiting. Bye Spence account item for a dollar eighty cab fare back to Mrs. Palmer's apartment on The way I suppose I should have been worried about the hundred thousand dollars worth of policy That didn't seem to bother me It was the news boy who never knew what hit him and there was Palmer's wife I was gonna have to tell her about it But I knew even before I got to the apartment that she'd never believe me. I don't believe you Of course you don't and you don't want to You don't want to believe anything bad about him You want to just go on complimenting yourself on being married to the greatest man on earth But you're way wrong Where is he? I don't know and you can't make me believe you Why would he kill any part? Well, my guess is that he's doing it for you. Oh, that's a terrible thing to say He wouldn't do anything wrong even for me. He took out an insurance policy that he couldn't afford Why do you think he did that? I don't know. I never understood about business And he sure got you Some people have collie dogs and he's got you He comes home Pats you on the head, so you'll look up at him and tell him how wonderful he is You know why? Because nobody else will How long has it been since he treated you like a woman bought you things like candy flowers When was the last time he spent an evening with you? Why are you saying these things? I'm trying to tell you that he failed both as a writer and as a husband. Don't you see? He's trying to make it up to you He wants the police to kill him. So you'll collect the insurance That's a lie Where is he marrying? No, he's here now. Why do you say that? Where are you always as easy to find as you are? You won't find him here. Does she know where he is? No, he just phoned her wouldn't tell her Well, it looks like a long night. Yeah for her to Mind if I ride back to the Madison district with you. It's quite a theory dollar What happens to a guy to get him in a mess like this? Burn too many bridges. I guess made a stand with his agent Told everybody he'd show him. He was right now. He can't do it Maybe I've been in homicide too long. I used to think a lot about things like this, you know Wonder about what started these characters. What got into the place where I'd have to go after him No more their problems aren't mine All I worry about now is how to get them without getting anybody else hurt You've got a nice simple job lieutenant Carrigan. Yeah, I was thinking of that You want him alive the insurance company does I hope it works out for you. I Can't take any chances We always try to save him for a trial But if you're right about this one, he'll come out with a gun. Those are the kind we have to stop You know this could turn into a very unpleasant situation The lieutenant was kind enough to drop me at the atomic tavern The place was empty The sirens that frightened most of the clientele out of the precinct all except one He sat in the same position at the same table with what looked like the same glass of beer Hello, Beasley. Mr. Beasley. I Was expecting you sit down nice How was the insurance business? Well, sometimes we sell too much You know where Palmer is surely always know where Palmer is he tells me things he wouldn't tell anyone else You may not care mr. Beasley, but you just made yourself an accessory to insurance fraud Not unless I tell the police where he is And then your company is out the hundred grand and you're in ten. I'll tell you the truth. I Don't want that money. I don't want a penny of that money Look good at first. He wanted to give his wife a break off at me ten grand to help him out How did you help him out? I'll take right now for instance. I could have tipped the cops twice a minute since it happened fact, I Was supposed to cops would have killed him wife and I would have collected our money But I can't do it Isn't it a little late for a boy scouting? No No, not if you could talk him out of it Where is he? No cops No cops Just as soon as I finished my beer We walked down Halstead with the red street cars rumbling by and the fruit trucks and the chicken wagons I Didn't notice the name of the street we turned west on but a block and a half later. We stopped Two doors away from a basement barbershop Well That's where he is You're crazy to go in there Are you are you staying out here? No? No, I'm going in But I'm crazy too. That's why you should never listen to a guy like me Farmer's got nothing to lose. How much do they pay you for getting killed? Come on if you're going let's go Okay, I'm a Pomerance Beasley let me in You've got a good line Beasley. Mr. Beasley so good. I believe it myself What's that supposed to mean? Oh Palmer? It's a bad deal all the way around What do you want to do make history? You won't go down in any books. What's got into you? You help me lay out the whole thing. Oh, yes, it looked good, but it won't work. He's right Palmer It won't work. I put through a cancellation request on your policy, but it hasn't gone through yet If it had you wouldn't have come in here. It's no good Palmer Even if it doesn't come through they'll fight it in court after you're dead. We've got too much against you How far will they get without your testimony? You aren't gonna be around to give it. Well, that's no good either if you kill me that'll clinch it Oh, come on use your head Palmer. You've got a chance The news boy is only a second degree rat. There was no premeditation You're trying awful hard to save that company yours a hundred thousand bucks Listen, listen there isn't a commission big enough to make me come here. All right, then. Why did you come? I don't know Maybe Maybe because way back in my mind. I thought to myself I Can get to this guy. Maybe it was your wife that made me come. I just saw her Palmer You know, you aren't doing her any favors by getting yourself killed. She loves you too much You can't buy a thing like that off with a hundred grand. They're coming. I Didn't tip them. They must have followed us down. It doesn't make any difference how they get here Just so they come They'll watch it dollars stay away from me Nobody's gonna stop me now This is what they all wanted like a big literary agent with the big promises Great play he tells Yes of the old friend They'll cut the story out of the papers and they'll save it in the desk drawer Poor stew. They'll say he could have been a good boy. Well, I think and save it It's gonna pay off That's what counts it won't pay off and you know it the only guy that wants it this way is you because you haven't got the guts to go on I'll be right out Palmer. It's waste Palmer. It's for nothing. It's no use dollar. He's going to do it But I lie down on the floor My name get away from here. I want to talk Come on in here Marion what are you doing here with a new test? Don't do it. I don't want money that way. Wait a minute. Did they make you come in here? No, no, I want Goodbye, Marion Palmer's policy was not cancelled before he died But I'm sure that with the staff of legal geniuses employed by the Britannia company You'll come out all right A soft judge gave Beasley 60 days for attempted insurance fraud and that was it Expensive on item six same as item one transportation, Chicago to Hartford Expensive on total six hundred and thirty five dollars and twenty-four cents. Oh Almost forgot item seven Thirty five cents tipped to Western Union boy telegram from Marion Palmer contents Thought you'd like to know Stuart's play accepted for production on Broadway Yours truly Johnny dollar Yours truly Johnny dollars stars Edmund O'Brien in the title role and is written by Gildowd and David Ellis With music composed and conducted by Leith Stevens Edmund O'Brien can currently be seen in the Harry M. Popkin United Artists production DOA Featured in tonight's cast were Lorraine Tuttle, Larry Dobkin, Bill Boucher, Bill Gray, Jack Krushen and Herb Butterfield Yours truly Johnny dollar is produced and directed by Jaime Del Valle