 Hello and welcome to Behind the Mic from otrpodcast.com. I'm your host, Austin Vock, and on this podcast we explore the history behind many of Old Time Radio's greatest performances. We jump around from series to series, picking one episode each week, and together we learn about the actors, producers, sponsors, and more before listening to that full episode as it was originally broadcast. If you have feedback for today's show or have a great idea for future podcasts, please send me an email at contact at otrpodcast.com. You can also send me a voice message by clicking the link in the show notes, or if you're watching this on YouTube, just leave a comment down below. A special shout out to Chubby Boy from YouTube who's requested that I feature the episode 3 Skeleton Key from Suspense on a future podcast. I don't want to do two of the same series back to back, but I've made a note of the request and will be sure to cover it in a future episode. I also want to thank everyone who's listened to the first episode. It's been fun connecting with fellow radio fans like yourselves. Today's episode will begin after a brief message from our sponsor. Just a few weeks ago I was listening to an episode of Richard Diamond Private Detective when I heard a line that jumped out to me. The episode I was listening to is called The Hollywood Story and begins with someone coming to see Richard Diamond in his office to get his help on a case in California. And for those of you unfamiliar with Richard Diamond, he lives in New York City. Diamond agrees to take the case, but while on route to California he says to the man, why come all the way to New York for me? We've got some pretty good boys in California. Spade, Novak. Now as I mentioned in my first podcast, Sam Spade is another fictional character that appears on his own radio program. Same with Pat Novak. So what stood out to me as I was listening to this was that this was the first time I'd ever heard what I'd consider to be a connected universe in the land of old time radio. The idea of a connected universe is not unfamiliar to anyone who's read a comic book or been to the movie theater in the last 12 years. It's fairly common to see characters like Batman and Superman appear in each other's comic books and since the release of the movie Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has been raking in billions on this concept as they create movie after movie with iconic characters like Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk all living in the same universe. In fact, it's been such a success that their most recent movie, Avengers End Game, holds the record as the highest grossing movie of all time after passing Avatar, which has held the record since 2009. Universal Studios even tried to create a dark universe with all of their classic monsters like Frankenstein, the mummy, and the invisible man, but they scrapped those plans after their mummy reboot with Tom Cruise bombed in 2017. I personally find that disappointing as I love the 1999 reboot with Brendan Frazier and Rachel Weiss and I was excited to see a world where all those characters interacted with one another. Now, while it's not uncommon to see this happen in today's pop culture, I've never heard an example of that on the radio. If anyone listening thinks I'm crazy for not noticing this before, please let me know of other episodes that do the same thing. I'd love to listen to them. And since this is the first time we'll be listening to something from Richard Diamond, Private Detective, I want to give a quick series intro before playing the episode. I forgot to do the same last week when we listened to an episode of suspense, so I'll be sure to provide some background the next time we listen to something from that series. Richard Diamond, Private Detective is a radio series featuring radio legend Dick Powell as a wisecracking former police officer turned Private Detective. Episodes typically open with a client visiting a cash strapped diamond and agreeing to his fee of $100 a day plus expenses. It began airing on NBC Radio on April 24th, 1949 and jumped around to various networks and sponsors until its final broadcast on September 20th, 1953. The script for today's episode was originally used on the CBS Radio Network on November 16th, 1951. However, since a recording of that episode is not available, what you'll be hearing today is a second performance that aired on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, AFRTS for short, on August 23rd, 1953. Please enjoy The Hollywood Story from Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. Mr. Diamond, Detective Agency. What does the sign say on the door? Diamond, Detective Agency. Now read the second line, please. Recommended wood housekeeping. And the last line, please. Homicides delivered at the rear. That's fine, 20-20 vision. Now if you just hop around on one foot while I classify you in one A, I'll see that you're on the next boat to the Aleutians. Are you Diamond? Are you a prospective client? Yes. I'm Diamond. I charge a hundred a day in expenses. You ever leave Diamond, Mr. Diamond? Occasionally, but I can never get used to the tar and feathers. I'd like you to go to California with me. Oh, just lonesome or have you got a problem? I represent a very wealthy man in Hollywood. He has a problem. A very wealthy man, huh? Millions. I'd love to meet him. I'll arrange it. When can you leave? Well, now that's a bit of a problem. See, close the office, do some packing, take care of a few engagements. So take me at least 13 minutes. Four o'clock now, we can leave LaGuardia by five. You have the tickets already? No tickets are necessary, Mr. Diamond. Mr. Harvey's private plane and pilot are standing by. The gentleman's name turned out to be Cain, Fred Cain from Beverly Hills, California. Obviously representing a client with more than a cozy income. Private plane, private pilot, and worth millions. How cozy can you get? I called Helen, told her I'd send her a starlet swimming pool or something. And by 5.30, I was riding with Fred Cain and Mr. Harvey's private plane headed for sunny California. Comfortable? Oh, I haven't seen furnishings like this since I got lost in the men's lounge at the Waldorf. Great. Later. The time has come, the Waldorf said. To talk of many things. They're right. I represent Mr. George L. Harvey. The big motion picture producer? Yeah. He's being blackmailed. Well, I come all the way to New York for me. You've got some pretty good boys in California. Spade, Novak, of course they haven't got my blue eyes. GL didn't want any local talent brought in on this case. You were quite well known, even in California. Oh, well, I can understand that. GL thought it'd be a good idea to have an outsider helping him, someone who wouldn't be recognized. OK, bless old GL and all his little millions. Now who's blackmailing him? GL will tell you everything himself when we get to California. Fred Cain and I played Jen for the next couple of hours that we didn't talk anymore about GL Harvey and his blackmail troubles. By 8.30, we were somewhere over Kansas and I was getting sleepy, so I turned in. Around 6.00 the next morning, we landed in Burbank. I stepped out to get my first look at beautiful, wonderful, sunny California. And we'll have to run for it. GL will have a car waiting. A car? I'm surprised at GL. I thought, sure, he'd meet us with his private life raft. The car was waiting all right, complete with chauffeur, foot bun, and dingy. We plowed our way through six inches of early morning dew and headed to the Beverly Hills Hotel where I was supposed to stay. We arrived around 7.00, got me settled in my room, a tiny little affair that reminded me of a well-decorated roundhouse. Then we had breakfast and by 10 o'clock, I was standing in the offices of George L. Harvey, Hollywood producer. Glad you're here, diamond. Have a seat. Thank you. I haven't got an old ringer around here, have you? Nasty weather isn't it? It'll clear up. Got to. Can't stand a cover set all week. Schedule's too tight. Cover set. GL shooting a new picture. If the company has some unexpected bad weather and they're shooting exteriors, they have a cover set and they can move into and shoot some interior scenes. Oh. You interested in motion pictures, diamond? Well, I see a few. Right now, I'm more interested in blackmail than styling. Yes. Well, here's the set. Fred here introduced me to a girl about a month ago, Mary Conrad. And now she's got you on the hook. Very much on the hook. Pretty girl. No, more than that. Beautiful. We had about five, six. Well, she's beautiful. We became very well-friendly. Yes. I'm married, Mr. Diamond. My wife doesn't know anything about this. Unless Mary Conrad tells her. Yes, and she's threatened to do just that. Unless you kick through with something. Yes. Money? Yes, 100,000. Oh, that's a nice round sum. Fred should be more careful about the girls he introduces you to. I had no way of knowing, Diamond. I met the girl in Las Vegas. Two weeks later, I met her at a party down here. Just as much my fault. I saw her with Fred and wanted an introduction. And you got her. $100,000. How do you do? Yes. You wanted me to get something on her or to get the evidence back? Well, yes. So why do you don't get into more trouble, GL? You just don't know how to say no. It was pretty obvious that I'd have to meet the blackmailer, so a party was arranged by Fred Cain at GL's beach house and without GL's presence. So I could get acquainted with the beautiful Mary Conrad. GL gave me a $200 retainer and blushed a little when I kissed him on both cheeks. Then Fred Cain sailed me back to the Beverly Hills, where he rented a car for me and told me how to get to the beach home. By eight o'clock that evening, I was driving down the coast highway on the way to Malibu. I couldn't get over it. The rain had stopped. There was a big yellow moon sitting up in the cloud of the sky and a warm breeze was blowing in off the Pacific. I even put the top down. Hello, Diamond. Come on in. Hey, what's with this weather? One minute it's pouring and the next time it comes out like a travel folder. We're just getting into the rainy season. It'll probably stay clear like this for at least a week. Give me your hat, and I'll take you in and introduce you to the guests. Oh, that's what? A New York gumshoe out looking for a blackmailer? Yeah, that's right. You're an agent. Agent? I don't know anything about agents. You like money, don't you? That's my name, swell backwards. Then you're an agent. It was a small little party. That is, of course, if you compare it to Ebbett's Field during a World Series. GL's house is in the middle of what was known as Malibu Colony. That's a bunch of houses built right out on the sand and surrounded by money. Fred took me around and introduced me as an agent from New York and an old friend. I met everything from producers, writers, and directors to several well-known motion picture stars, one of which had her French poodle with her. And this is Michelle, Mr. Diamond. Say hello to Mr. Diamond, Michelle. Oh, oh! Oops, sorry, great name. And on and on until finally we got around to my objective for the evening. And believe me, I'd enlist three times a week just to go after that kind of an objective. Brunette, about five, six. When she looked up at me, I felt as nervous as a cat in a ukulele factory. This is Mary Conrad, Mr. Diamond, Mary. Hello. Happy birthday of me, the big New York agent. I see some other guests now. Take care of them, Mary. Looks like Fred is paired as well. Well, he knows a good combination when he sees it. Two best-looking people at the party. Of course, I'm prettier than you are. How long have you known Fred? Fred, oh, years and years. We used to play stick ball together over in Canarsie. I thought Fred was a native Californian. Well, oh, yes, well, he is. He used to come all the way to New York just for the stick ball. We had quite a team. I'll bet you did. What position did you play? I played left gutter. That's the dirty side of the street. Oh. How about a drink, huh? She showed me where the bar was and we sat down and got acquainted. Then she showed me where the ocean was and we took off our shoes and walked out on the sand. Then we sat down and really got acquainted. Oh, it's nicer out here. I don't like parties much. Well, I like this one. Compromise? Naturally. Thank you. How long are you going to be in California? Oh, I don't know. Depends. Business? Yeah. You're not having much fun, are you? Oh, sure. I'm having a ball. You're lonesome, aren't you? Like 50 miles of dirt road. Let's leave the party. All right. Where to? Well, my car's here and it wouldn't be good to be seen leading together. I'll go first and you'll follow in about five minutes. You can pick me up at my house. Or for Diamond. She gave me her address and told me how to get there. Then we walked back to the party and she left. I gave the high sign to Cain and in five minutes I followed. Mary Conrad's house was on the outskirts of Beverly Hills south of Peacole. There was a long, low, black sedan that I for sure for usually drives parked in front of the house. The same car that picked me up at the airport that morning. And it belonged to GL Harvey. Before I could get parked, the door to the little house flew open and old GL himself came barreling out like a squirrel this tail on fire. GL. Oh, hello there, Mr. Harvey. Diamond, did you get into the studio? I went to your home first. My home? You didn't talk to anyone? Your car wasn't around, so I tried the studio. The cop at the gate wouldn't let me in, so I climbed a fence. Climbed a fence? It was better than having him call you. You might have wanted to see me. I'd wanted to see you. Don't be foolish. Why not see you? You often come to your office as late at night. Look, Diamond, I saw you when you yelled at me in front of Mary Conrad's house. Well, why didn't you stop? I was too frightened. I was scared stiff, I suppose you found her. Yeah, awful, just awful. I'll bet it was. I thought about going home. I thought about a lot of places I ended up here. Did you kill her? No, no, of course I didn't kill her. She called me from Malibu, told me to meet her at her house. I got there before she did. She drove up and we went in. It was just awful. You were well in, then what? She turned a living room light on and there was a shot. She looked kind of surprised and I was too stunned for a minute to really know what had happened. Then she just kind of looked at me like she wanted me to help. But then I really got it. I knew she'd been shot. She fell and I rushed over to her. She died right there, lying on the floor, looking up at me like I don't know. There was a gun beside her. It was there, I didn't see it. Well, here it is. Take a look at it. 45, one shot, five. Ever seen it before? No. You know, I could get in a lot of trouble taking this gun from the scene of murder. But I had a hunch it was worth it. I thought maybe it might be your gun. If it isn't, I'll get it back to the cops and take my chances. I don't know whether it is or not. Do you own a 45? Yes, I keep it at the beach house. But even if that turns out to be my gun, Mr. Diamond, I didn't kill Mary Conrad. Oh, I don't think you did either. You might have wanted to kill her because of the blackmail, but that would be premeditated. You're a planet. A man who commits a plant killing doesn't leave the murder weapon around, especially if it happens to belong to him. But if you were in love with her, I wasn't. Well, I'm taking that chance. A jealous lover might do a lot of silly things. I have a wife and family. I thought about that, too. I'm not sure the police would pay much attention. If the blackmail got out, you'd have a motive. If this gun turns out to be yours, has your fingerprints on it, that's but sentient. What about the police? I called them and got out. You know where the shot came from? I didn't even take time to think about it. I just ran. There was a heavy snarl of cord right on the other side of the room near the bedroom. Bedroom door was ajar. Bedroom window was open. Killer probably shot her from the bedroom. You ran. He threw the gun in beside the body. What are we going to do? Well, there's one thing that makes me wonder a little. Mary Conrad asked me to come over to her house, too. What do you suppose she wanted with both of us there? I can't imagine. Neither can I. It's certainly worth looking into. Thanks, Diamond. You know, I've had some pretty fair experiences with murder, GL, but like everybody else, I make mistakes. I hope this is not going to be one of them. I gave GL Harvey two instructions. First, find out if he was missing a 45-hour automatic. Second, go on about his business like nothing had happened. And forget that he'd known Mary Conrad other than casually. I knew I was taking a big chance. Being an accessory after the fact could land me in a lot of hot water. But GL just didn't figure as the killer. And if I was right, someone was trying to fit him for a king-size frame. Why? Who? What was the motive? Those were things I was going to have to find out and find them out in a hurry. So while the police were undoubtedly still busy with an identification on Mary Conrad, I got back in my rented car and took off from Alibou. Back so soon? No laughs. You find out anything? Where can we talk? You look like something's wrong. You should see how Mary Conrad looks. Fred Cain took me in the den and we locked out the rest of the party. I told him just what had happened. And he poured himself a long drink. Yeah. You think GL really did it? I want to do some checking on Mary Conrad before I start making any guesses. Now, uh, you said you met her in Las Vegas, didn't you? That's right. And then tell me everything you know about her. And he didn't know much. He'd met Mary at the Serena Hotel, just ran into her to party. He had seen her several times in the following few days and she had mentioned she was coming down to LA so he'd ask her to look him up. She had, and that was the extent of it. Well, I tell the police. They'll certainly find out who she's been seeing. It'll take them a while to check. Does she have any other friends? He never mentioned any. You met her at the Serena. Was she with anyone? I don't remember his name. You remember the date? It was about a month ago, the last few days I was there. Ah, well, okay. I'm going to take a trip to Vegas and see if I can find out anything more. You must really think GL's innocent. Don't you? Well, yeah. But he certainly had a motive. I don't think GL would kill anyone for $100,000. The thing I can't figure is why anyone would want to frame him. What could they gain by it? I drove back to Burbank, grabbed the late plane for Las Vegas, and about an hour and a half later, I was checking with the desk clerk at the Serena. We went through the lists of guests during the time Fred Kane's last visit. Kane had checked out on the 8th of October. He said he'd met Mary Conrad several days before. I gave the desk clerk her description, but he didn't remember and she hadn't been registered at the Serena. So I started checking every hotel and motor court in Vegas. Ah, bartender, give me a Scotcher or more. You look a little beef, friend. Can I buy you a drink? I just bought one. I understand you're trying to find Mary Conrad. You know her? Yeah. Well, friend, I'd like to ask you some questions. What does work? Depends on how much you know. I know plenty. I will see. What's your name? Not here. I'll get a car outside to take a ride. Okay. Information, please. He slid off the stool and led the way out of the hotel and out across the parking lot. This guy knew I was looking for Mary Conrad. How? Had to be tipped off or he'd been pailing me. When he walked in front of me, the little old gun in his hip pocket showed up like a bathing beauty on the gorilla farm. Hey, uh, wait a minute. What's the matter? Where's the car? Oh, right over there. Mm-hmm. The one with the fat guy behind the wheel? Just a friend. Oh, sure, sure. I think we talk right here. He thought about it for a second, glanced over at this fat friend sitting in the car and then back at me. Yes? Right here. Okay. He made up his mind, all right. He grabbed for his right hip pocket and that big gun, but that was as far as he got because I second guessing. His friend took off, staying behind a line of parked cars near the parking lot and far enough away so I couldn't get in a good shot. I leaned on over the man who had wanted to kill me. He was very dead. Well, I'd held out police evidence in Los Angeles and killed the man in Las Vegas. I was in a spot and only one lead left. It's a big fat driver who had taken off in the car. I went through the dead man's pocket and came up with one thing, a $100 gambling chip from the Asa Club's casino. How about using that car of yours? Huh? Don't turn around or you'll get mixed up with a lot of bullets. What do you want? A truck. Keep looking straight ahead like nothing was happening. I'll kill you if you try anything. I promise you that. What is this? Who are you? I just shot a friend of yours in the Serena parking lot. I've been in my office all night. Oh, sure. Start walking through the door. You'll never get away with this diamond? You didn't know me. Start walking. I own this place, Diamond. My boys are all over the joint. Well, you all for them once and never dirty old hole in your pretty coat. Look, you and me can discuss this about getting rough. Out the door and smile. Now, where's the car? Across the street. Now, wait a minute. A couple of your boys are following us. They look a little worried about me. Tell them how happy you are. Go on. Okay. Okay. Watch, boys. It's okay. Me and my friend are just talking some business. Across the street. We're going to take a little drive outside of town where we can have some peace and quiet. Just you and me in the desert. That's good enough. Pull off the road. Look, Diamond. Pull off the road. You know, the cops are going to be out looking for you. That's fine. Eat some answers. Now, hurry. Why did your boy try to kill me tonight? I don't know what you're talking about. Get out of the car. I'll look. I get out. What's this going to prove, Diamond? You're going to start walking. Straight out into that desert. At the end of a hundred paces, if you haven't told me what I want to know, you're going to get it. Why don't you have a big, ugly face? You'll never get away with it. Walk. Now, it's a trouble with you big, tough guys. Get a fellow in a spot and you never figure you might just be desperate enough to shoot his way out of it. Why did your boy try to knock me off tonight? I've got a lot of dough, Diamond. I can get you out of the state and make you rich. I'll swear you killed my boy in self-defense. How well do you know Mary Conrad? You were never hurt of her. I've held out police evidence in California and I've shot a man in Nevada. I'm in a tough spot. I'll just about do anything. And you kill me and you'll never find out anything. I'll keep looking. Who else is mixed up in this? How'd you know who I was? I found out. And you're nearly there. You're bluffing. You got 15 paces to go. You'll never get out of town. You'll kill me in every cop in the state I'll be after you. You're a big man, huh? I swing a lot away. Well, I don't like your kind of big men. Stop here. How about it? Gonna tell me how you're mixed up in this? Now, wait a minute. This is getting ridiculous. I'm out of opinion. You gonna tell me? Wait, wait. You must be nuts. Supposing I did know something. I tell you, you tell the cops. Maybe I knocked off somebody. I get the gas chamber. And it shouldn't make any difference to you. It'll be a lot quicker. What do you want to know? Who's Mary Conrad? My girl. Her real name's Mary Langley. Who killed her? Fred Cain. Guy who works for Gerald Harvey. Why? Cain owed me a lot of dough. Couldn't pay it. Gerald Harvey was to go to the gas chamber for killing someone. Cain had become head of the Harvey Productions. Why wouldn't Harvey's wife take over? She'd own it, but Gerald's will states that Cain would run it. How do you fit? Cain promised me a 50-50 split if I'd lay off about the debt. I talked Mary into it since Cain introduced her to Harvey. The old boy went for a hook line and sink her. Then she started blackmailing him. So you'd have a motive for murder? Yeah. She never figured she was gonna get killed. No, she just thought we were gonna milk the old boy with 100,000 and pull out. How did I fit in? Harvey's idea. When Cain told me about it, I figured it wouldn't be bad. You could catch Harvey after the murder. Why don't you make a date with me and then call Harvey? Well, we told her to. Well, you were a private eye working for Harvey's wife. We said that you could be bought and it would be a good idea to catch her with Harvey. So you waited in the bedroom until Gerald came in and you shot her through the gun in beside her. Wait a minute. I didn't shoot her. Cain shot her. Oh, Cain took Gerald's gun from the Malibu house? That's right. Oh, you lame brain. I left Cain at the Malibu house when I went to see Mary. He was there when I got back. Witnesses will swear he was around the whole time. You killed the girl and hopped the plane back here for Vegas. No, no, I didn't kill her. It's over by that rock. Take it easy, Diamond. Go on. Okay. Okay, I shot her. I hid in the bedroom and shot her. But you won't be around to talk about it. Come on. Get up. Get up. Oh, for Pete's sake. Now I have to carry him back to the car. Richard Diamond, private detective, who comes to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Thank you for listening to that episode. If you would like to listen to more Richard Diamond, please visit otrpodcast.com. That's OTR for Old Time Radio and podcast with an S, otrpodcast.com. On the website, you can register for my mailing list and as a thank you, I will send you the links to 14 different podcasts, each featuring every available episode of a popular radio program. In addition, I will send out an email each week when I release a new episode of this podcast so you never miss a single one. If you have enjoyed today's episode, please take a moment to subscribe and give it a five star rating and review on the last app of your choice. If you're watching on YouTube, please click the like button down below. Thanks for tuning in.