 You're twice as sure with two great names, Frigidaire and General Motors. Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. And now Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, the man called X. Whenever the man called X is involved, even a very simple beginning may lead to an amazing chain of circumstances. Take such an ordinary little thing as the ringing of a doorbell. Simple enough, only the doorbell of a small apartment in Upper Manhattan, that's all. Good evening. Oh, I thought... well, how do you do? You're Mrs. Jordan? Why, yes, I am. Mrs. Jordan, I am the man called X. Well, my husband isn't here, Mr. X. He took a plane this morning. What? Yes, to Honolulu. That was a big mistake. He shouldn't have gone. But Mr. X, it took all our savings to buy that property in Hawaii. And for months now, they've kept stalling us from going out there. Ralph thinks the whole thing is the fake, that he and hundreds of other veterans in this country had been swindled. Mrs. Jordan, that land company in Honolulu is of highly reputable concern. This foolish group of his may prove to be extremely regrettable for both of you. Chief, would it bother you very much if I said I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about? Ken, this isn't funny. Your actions during this past week are nothing to joke about. I'll go with you on that. Six days a night on the edge of a swamp full of the biggest mosquitoes in Florida, waiting for a smuggler who didn't even have the courage to show up. Hmm, alone, of course. You don't think anybody else would be that crazy? But I thought you were working in a Hawaiian deal, Ken. That land company for veterans. Well, it wasn't until I got this so-called hot tip. Why? Well, what did you find out? About the land firm, I mean. Only what I've told you already, they've been spreading ads in papers all over the country. Special offer to veterans. Plantation lands in Maui. Dirt cheap. The big come on. But apparently, the buyer gets nothing but an artistic little title certificate and plenty of discouragement against coming out to take possession. At least four men who did go out... Well, it disappeared. Ken, I... Ken... Come on, Chief, let's have it. What goes on? Miss Brooks, will you send in Mrs. Jordan, please? Who's Mrs. Jordan? She may be the chief witness for the prosecution. Huh? Oh, come in, Mrs. Jordan. The girl told me to come in here. Yes, that's right. I want you to look at this man carefully. Now, this isn't the same one, is it? Well, I... I'm not sure. It was dark and he didn't come inside. Chief, I hate to seem inquisitive, but what is it I'm supposed to have done? That... that voice. It's him. It's the same one. You murder her. Oh, wait a minute. You murdered my husband. What the... that's... that's all for now, Mrs. Jordan. Will you wait in the other office, please? Mr. Exx, I hope you get everything that's coming, do you? Chief, will you please tell me what the Sam Hill this is all about? Ken, day before yesterday, her husband phoned her from Honolulu and said that you had met him there and threatened his life. Four hours later, they found him stabbed to death. Chief, I've been in Florida. But, Ken, I'd have to testify that you phoned me two days ago from Honolulu. I what? It was your voice, Ken. Dead to rights. So that's it. A nice, tight little frame. Whoever put it together did a good job around the corners. And, Chief, I know exactly what I'm going to start. I know you're in there. Pagone. Just a minute. I'm coming. Oh, hello, Mr. Thurston. I thought I heard somebody knocking. Incredible. I've only been at it for 10 minutes. Huh? Oh, well, uh... Mr. Thurston, I was just leaving. As a matter of fact, I'm late already. You'll be late. Let's go inside. Eh, if any other time, I'd be glad to... Huh? Well, you Pagone, here we go. Well, won't you come in? Thanks. So it's gone. All right, Pagone, what happened to it? I'm very glad you dropped in, Mr. Thurston. Only yesterday I was saying to myself, now I ought to call up Mr. Thurston. Turn it off, Pagone. Huh? Now, what happened to that home recording machine of yours? Oh, that, uh... was only an approval. I... they took it back. Well, how about the records? The ones I made? They took them back, too? The records? Oh, they... they just got lost, I guess, or something. Pagone, start talking. Oh, it was only a joke, Mr. Thurston. I wouldn't have thought of selling them. If Mr. Smith hadn't said it was just a joke... It would be Smith. The money had absolutely nothing to do with it. I swear to you, by the father... All piped down. Would you know this, Mr. Smith, if you saw him again? But I never did see him. I only talked to him on the telephone. He... he sent a messenger to get the records. Like that, eh? Mm-hmm. All right, Pagone, start packing. We are flying to Honolulu. Ha! A vacation. Well, that's a very good... It's a long ways from a vacation. There's a killer waiting there for us. All the news were coming. He may be anybody, Pagone. He may be anybody at all. These bellboys are never around when you want them, Mr. Thurston. They're really a problem. Can't say that I blame them, Mr. Quong. In a climate like this, who'd want to work? You're so right. They keep slipping off to Waikiki to ride their surfboards and do tricks for the young ladies who come on vacation. Sounds like a career all by itself. Ah, yes. If I were ten years younger... Mr. Thurston, the entire facility is the Waweila Hotel. Are yours to command. I am determined that you shall enjoy your visit to Hawaii. Thanks very much. And, of course, you too, Mr.... Zelschmidt, Pagone Zelschmidt. Quite so, Zelschmidt. By the way, Mr. Quong, have you ever heard of a company around here sending land to war veterans? I'm so sorry, no, but, of course, I've never heard of great many things. Not even a company that hasn't addressed right across the street now. Mr. Thurston, why do you keep calling it a land company? It says, rather than a front, Club Malahini. It's a night club. It doesn't make sense, does it? No. Then come on. We're going to change our clothes and drop into the Club Malahini. Here you are, Monsieur. One dry martini and one roof zombie. Thanks. Don't fall into that, Pagone. You'll drown. Oh, bartender. Oui, Monsieur. Was there something else? Yes. Where can I find a manager of the club? But you have found him. I, Monsieur, am the manager. Louis Chic at your service. My bartender did not come tonight, so... He's probably done it by Kiki, doing tricks for the girls. My name's Thurston, Mr. Chic. This is Pagone Zershman. Oh, so happy to meet you, Monsieur. What can I do for you? Tell me what you know about a land company for war veterans. Oh, won't you, another one. Monsieur, I know nothing about that company. Their address is the same as those clubs. Monsieur Thurston, it is like this. In the back of the club, there is a small office which I never use. Three months ago, a man called me on the telephone and wished to rent it. I said, fine, okay. And he sent me the money by mail. Whenever letters arrived for the company, I pushed them through the slot in the door. But I have never seen the man. I see. And there have been others inquiring about this company? Oh, four or five in the last month. I tell them all the same thing. Well, you're consistent, at any rate. Mr. Thurston. I know you're quiet, Pagan. At this time to present the attraction you've all been waiting for. The one and only. Look at her, Mr. Thurston. Huh? Not bad, eh? Not bad at all, Pagan. As a matter of fact, I think I'll go back to her dressing room and wait for her. That's a very good idea. Now let's go. Sorry, Pagan. No. See you later. Oh, well. Monsieur, another zombie, please. Mr. Thurston. If you have a minute, I'd like to speak to you. My name's Frank Clark. I was sitting out at the bar a while ago and I heard you talking to Louis Sheik. I didn't want to say anything in front of him. It's about this land company for us guys out of the service. Uh-huh. I've been around here a couple of weeks trying to check up on it. I guess you got stuck, too, huh? I looks that way. Same here. They sure got a slick layout. Been able to find out anything? Well, not much more than what Sheik told you. Oh, I did get a look inside that office. Uh-huh. It's empty. Nothing but a letter drop. Hmm, any ideas? Well, I got a few about the clerk at my hotel. I'm staying right across the street here at the Wawele. So am I. You mean Mr. Quang, eh? Yeah, that's right. I'm tied up right at the moment, Mr. Clark. Supposed to get together in the morning and talk it over. Maybe we can make some sense out of the whole business. That's a good idea. See you in the morning, then. So long, Mr. Thurston. Goodbye. Oh, the lovely Loappelle. What? Pardon me, please. This is my dressing room. I know. I've been waiting for you. Wait a minute. You are from the states. So? Who are you? Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Ken Thurston. Thurston? Come in, Mr. Thurston. You know, I've always thought of a grass skirt as a gory sort of thing on the picture postcard. Then I'd never seen you wear one. Oh, thank you. But that is my profession, Mr. Thurston. Well, I guess it's more than that. I suppose it's an art that comes from being born here in the islands. I suppose so. Anyway, the dance was very lovely. What? I do not understand. Oh, a native who doesn't know her own tongue. I have forgotten most of the old language. Loappelle, you're no more a Polynesian than I am. No more a part of the island than the veterans' land company. The vet? All right, but I can't talk to you here. Where are you staying? Across the street at the... by Waylor. Then I'll come to your room at 10.30, right after my next dance. All right. I'll be waiting for you. Don't forget, Loappelle. I won't. Don't worry. I won't forget. I'll be there all right, Mr. X. You would like something else, maybe, Mr. Zellschmidt? Louis, you may bring me a crystal goblet filled with foam from Waikiki. Ha, ha. Monsieur is very funny. I go to bring some ice now. Monsieur will pardon me. I pardon everybody. Except Mr. Therson, who leaves me alone here while he talks to a beautiful dame with a beautiful name. That rhymes. A beautiful... Pagon. Mr. Therson, Mr. Therson, where are you? Over here, Pagon. The door at the end of the bar. Come on. Well, it's about time you came back, Mr. Therson. I was getting very impatient. Never mind, Pagon. Follow me. Sorry, we haven't much time. Why don't they have lights in this hallway? Where are you going, Mr. Therson? Out the back way. Close the door after you, Pagon. It's very dark here. Is this an alley, Mr. X? It's the back street. Wait, we'll stop here a second. Because, Pagon, I'm holding a gun in my coat pocket. From here on, you'll do exactly as I say. Understand? Well, of course, I'll be glad to... Wait. You're not... You're not... You're quite right, Pagon. I am not Mr. X. With Frigidaire's man called X starring Herbert Marshall, Mr. X is in Honolulu investigating a firm ostensibly offering bargains in Hawaiian lands to war veterans. Someone has proved such a skillful impersonator as to place can under suspicion of murder and to lure Pagon away from the club Malahini to some unknown destination. Monsieur, I cannot keep track of everyone who comes in here. It is possible that when my back was turned, he simply got up and walked out just like that. But you didn't see him go, Mr. Schick, is that it? Monsieur Thurston, to be perfectly frank, I do not even remember the man. Oh, now, he came with me not more than half an hour ago and sat right here, ordered a couple of zombies. I introduced him to you, Pagon Zell Schmidt. Zombie Zell Schmidt. Monsieur, I think I do remember vaguely, of course. Vaguely, is it, I see. You know, Mr. Schick, I'm beginning to get a little fed up with you. That French accent of yours is as phony as that Hawaiian dancer. Okay, Thurston, you're right. The accent helps business. What business? Entertainment, glamour, thrills, excitement. It's on a menu, it's for sale. Interesting menu, I'll have to have a look at it sometime. Wouldn't be surprised if one of the main courses turned out to be real estate. Oh, good evening, Mr. Thurston. Well, you worked pretty long hours, Mr. Kwong. Oh, the difficulty of keeping help. There are so many attractions here. Yeah, that situation seems to be general. Has Mr. Zell Schmidt come in? Oh, no, not since he left earlier with you, Mr. Thurston. You've been here all evening? Continuously. What else can I do when I bear the whole tremendous responsibility of this hotel on my shoulders? That must be a terrific load. Mr. Kwong, several men have come out from the States in recent weeks and disappeared. Some of them were staying at this hotel. What do you know about it? Why, nothing, Mr. Thurston. I never permit extraneous occurrences to intrude upon my consciousness. I see. Tell me, do you happen to know a dancer who calls herself Lua Pele? The Y-Waila Hotel has the honor of being host to Miss Lua Pele. I see. Well, Mr. Kwong, in that role at least, I hope to be joining you in a few minutes. Here, who is it? I'm Mr. Thurston. Oh, Lua Pele. Come in. Here, I'll take your coat. Thank you. Well, I suppose you locked the door at this point. I hadn't thought of it, why? I shouldn't have expected, since I was foolish enough to come here to your room. Why did you come? A man ordinarily assumes it's a result of his fatal charm, doesn't he? Lua Pele, Lua Pele. Smoldering, boiling, ready to erupt, the volcano. That's what your name means, you know. No, I didn't know. It was Louis Chic's idea. Shall we sit down? Sure. Oh, not there, over here. Let's say I came because I found you interesting. That sounds like a bad book, and it isn't the reason. Oh, why do you have to doubt everything? While it'll go at the club, you were anxious enough for me to come here. Why? Well, maybe because I found you interesting. You really think so? Why don't you do something about it? Such as? Such as something like this. Ah, Lua Pele. I wonder how long it'll take. How long for what? For you to make your play. All right, drop it. Oh, you're hitting me. Then drop it. That's better. Is a 32-automatic standard equipment for a dancer to carry in her coat pocket? I'd have killed you. All right, go ahead and kill me. The same as you killed my brother, Mr. X. Huh? How'd you find that out? I recognized your voice at the club. Who are you? Shirley Kaufman. Kaufman. Wait. He was swindled on this land deal. Talked to him on the phone several times. That's where I first heard your voice. He was my brother. Huh? When he wouldn't take your advice and came to Honolulu anyway, you followed him and killed him. Then tried to make it look as though he'd drowned. They found him in the surf at Waikiki. That's where you made a mistake. That's why I came out here. He didn't drown. My brother'd won medals and swimming meets for years. You killed him. So that's what happened to one of them? You're wrong, Lua Pele. I didn't kill your brother. But you're right about one thing. He was murdered. Wait a second. Sit right where you are. Hello? Mr. Thurston, is that you? Pagan, where the devil have you been? I do not have any time to talk about it now. You have got to come right away. Yeah, where? Out at the diamond point, Jesse. Diamond point? What's up, Pagan? I cannot talk about it now, Mr. Thurston, but it is very important. You hurry, huh? I'm tired up at the moment. I can't get away. Suppose I meet you around midnight? You cannot make it any sooner. Not a chance. And another thing, I can't find that letter from Mrs. Jordan that I gave you. Do you know what you did with it? I do not remember, Mr. Thurston. It is around somewhere, I guess. Mind if I look in your suitcase for it? You are entirely welcome to it. That's probably where it is, too. Okay. I'll meet you at midnight. At the diamond point, Jesse. I will be waiting, Mr. Thurston. So long, Pagan. What are you going to do? Look, get this straight. I did not kill your brother. And I'm going to try just as hard as you are to find out who did. I don't know what to think. There isn't any proof. I got the idea because you warned him not to come to Honolulu. Then he came anyway and was killed. That's exactly why I warned him. Maybe I was crazy, but I worked there at the club for a month trying to find out who's behind this land company. No luck. Then you showed up the way you did. So you jumped to conclusions. I... I guess so. You're pervy. This whole thing's beginning to make some sense. If you'll just sit tight, I may be able to dig up the right answer. One thing you can always count on are the guy as clever as the one who's back of all this. Sooner or later, he gets too clever. You said I was named for a volcano. All right. The eruption's over. I trust you can. And approve it. You're pervy. Well... You... You'll have to be going, Kenneth. If you're going to meet someone at midnight, it's a half-hour drive to Diamond Point. I haven't the slightest intention of meeting anybody at Diamond Point. But I'm gonna stay right here until midnight. Hello, Mr. Sheik. Straight up midnight and not a customer in the place. Why don't you close up and go home? Monsieur Thurston has the right idea. That is exactly what I'm going to do. Oh, now, hold it. I'm the fellow who knows the accents of fate. You remember? Yeah, I remember all right, but it gets to be a habit. Not a thing, Stu. You, uh, haven't seen Mr. Smith around? Who is Mr. Smith? I said... That's a good question, Mr. Sheik. A very good question. And I'm working on an answer. Four minutes past midnight and still on the job. You show an amazing devotion to duty, Mr. Quang. I assure you, Mr. Thurston, it is not by choice the attractions here are such that... I know, yes. The help simply doesn't feel like working. Do you, uh... You mind if I look through the hotel register? No, not at all. Though I'm afraid you'll find it very dull-reading. No, I don't think so. In fact, Mr. Quang, I expect to learn a lot from it. Well, Zell Smith, you seem to have found my room quite comfortable. Oh, that's too bad. Of course, you can't talk with that gag in your mouth. Before I remove it, however, I want you to take a close look at this knife. See it? Because if you cry out once, I'm going to use it to cut your throat, understand? All right. There you are. I don't see why you couldn't use a towel that didn't taste so bad. This one had soap on it. You do seem to be frothing at the mouth a bit. And please stop sounding like Mr. Thurston. Zell Smith, do you have any idea why Thurston failed to show up at Diamond Point? He didn't? Now, don't look at me like that, Mr. Smith. I don't know why you talked on the phone so much like me. It would fool even me. Oh, I wonder. I'd like to know where he is right now. Oh, who knows? He's probably found some woman. He always does. That's right, yes. Louis Pele. I'd forgotten he'd met her. He couldn't have known it wasn't you on the phone, Zell Smith. I imitated you perfectly. Mr. Smith, it was even better than I could do it. I imitated his voice, all right, too. Even fooled his chief, a man who's known him for years. Oh, there is not the slightest doubt about that. You are the most clever man I have ever seen. How about them tying those ropes? The hotel's far too crowded to turn you loose here in the room. Quiet. Before I decide to cut your throat. Yes, sir. I didn't say anything. I don't really mind being tied up. I only knew why he didn't show. The neatest little racket I ever worked up. Good for a long time, yet we're thirsting out of the way. Oh, he's very stupid, Mr. Smith. You could bump him off without any trouble, just like the other four. Five, Zell Smith. Your arithmetic's bad. And since we're on that subject, I think it's time to make it six. I don't need you any longer. Oh, well, five, six, what's the difference? Huh? Wait. No, no. No, you can't. Mr. Rex. All right, drop that knife. Drop it. No. Oh, Mr. Rex. I thought you would never come out of there. First, you've got to do something about this hand. I'll bleed to death. Well, from a scratch like that, you took off that knife when I told you to, Mr. Smith. Or would you rather be called Frank Clark? How did you find out? When you picked up my remark on the phone about Mrs. Jordan's letter, I knew you were a phony. Pagan would have asked what letter, since you'd never heard of it. Say, that's right. I don't know about the Laney letter. At midnight, the rest of the people who might have been tied into this deal were all accounted for. The hotel register gave me your room number. I came here, I found Pagan, and waited until you came back. I knew I should have killed him earlier and got him out of here. No, Clark, that wouldn't have helped. The hotel register gave you away anyhow. When you talked to me at the Club Malahini, you said you'd been here two weeks. But the register shows you've lived at this hotel for over three months. Well... What do you think they'll do to him, Mr. Axon? Oh, plenty, Pagan. He's a five-time killer. For the other thing he did, I'd done now. He stole from men the most precious thing in their lives. Their dreams. The dream of some far-off island where they'd go one day and be happy. And perhaps it may be punishment enough when he finds that even prison can't stop a man from dreaming. But it'll make his dream a nightmare. Sir Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. And next week I promise you another story filled with suspense and mystery. As usual, there'll be Leon Balasco along with Pagan Zeltschmidt. So join us, won't you? When next I return as the man called Axe. Good night. This man called Axe is directed by Jack Johnstone, with music composed and conducted by Johnny Gray. Tonight's story was written by Les Crutchfield. And so until next week, same time, same station, this is Ken Niles speaking for Frigidaire, made only by General Motors. All characters and incidents used are fictitious. And any resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.