 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Oh hi Ed, I heard you were trying to reach me for where Yeah, I know and I know I've been there nobody I've seen a show. Oh, he is a killer So what do I do go out there and scream it up for him one of his audience, baby Hey, you really do like his show tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Expensive card America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigated Johnny dollar to the home office Union States casualty company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the laughing matter Item one two hundred and twenty one dollars and fifty cents Transportation by scheduled airline to San Diego incidentals there and charter plane for a flight 80 miles south into Mexico to Ensenada Item two a dollar ninety taxi from the plowed ground Airstrip to the Carrara marble foyer of the plush babo beach hotel The contrast was typical Ensenada is two towns really the tourist town is a glittering belt of pseudo swank resorts around the south end of the Bay Ball headed men and flowery sports shirts and fat women in shorts loaded down with cameras souvenirs and US dollars the loafing town And next to it the rows of warehouses and docks the fishing fleets and freezer plants narrow dirt streets and slums Soft-eyed Mexicans and the gentle liquid sound of Spanish native town the working town Two different ways of life and no bridge of understanding between The executive producer of the Charlie Burton show a man named Frank Maltz was in my room five minutes after I checked in Glad to know you mr. Dollar He was probably in his middle 40s, but looked older Haggered pressure a little battered around the edges. He might not have his ulcer yet But he was sure working on one didn't waste much time getting here Well that phone call yours got them pretty upset back there and I meant for it So I'm getting have you called in the local authorities mr. Maltz It wouldn't have done any good Charlie to blown his top and had him thrown out good old lovable Charlie Yes, he doesn't know you phoned Hartford. Nope. He just stopped me if he'd known why does he want to die? Oh, it says he's had murder threats before crank letters. He wouldn't take it seriously, but you do is that it? I didn't figure it was up to me to decide as I understand it mr. Maltz There was a note of some kind slipped under Burton's door. That's right. Well, tell me about it with you All right yesterday evening after we came back from shooting some scenes around the Bay Went to our room a shower cleanup for dinner When Charlie started to leave his room he saw the note where is this room fourth one down in the terrace to the left all our Rooms open under this same terrace. You still have that note. No Charlie tore it up after he read it. Did he show it to anybody? Yes to me It was on stationery from the hotel here. It was in pencil and crudely printed remember the wedding Oh, yes, it said only the gods are immortal Burton as you'll soon find out you'll never leave Ensenada alive Kind of an odd way of putting it. I thought so myself Now anyone who might use that style of phrasing. No, I'm afraid not all right What else mr. Maltz nothing else those are the facts anything happened since the note not as far as I know Burton could be right of course the whole thing maybe a hoax Yeah, maybe but that's for you to decide not me. Who do you know who might think they had a reason to kill him? Ah, I think I'll let you form your own conclusions on that. Oh, thanks, mr. Maltz. That's very thoughtful. All right I'm sorry. I realize I haven't given you much to go on writing. I can't help it dollar. That's all I know about I see well talk to the others see what they know about it others Well, I was thinking mainly of Gloria Dale and Al Schreiber and there's Charlie himself, of course Suppose you brief me on those other two. All right Gloria Dale's a feminine lead. Yeah, I've seen her on TV. Yeah, probably it's been with the show for three years She's in her late 20s. She's single. She's gorgeous. She has a terrific sense of comedy She get along with all lovable Charlie. Good question. Maybe she can give you an answer to it All right, I'll ask her and who is that other one you mentioned Al Schreiber. Yeah, he's a young newcomer He's been with the show six months now a real talent if he were ever given a chance to show it Why isn't he given a chance? Because on the Charlie Burton show my friend there is one and only one star namely good old lovable boys Charlie Oh, you've been reading the press release. That was a matter of fact. I had All right, who else? No, that's all at least all that matter the camera crew the technicians were sent up from Churro Busco in Mexico City They never heard of Charlie Burton before and we haven't had much of any contact with anyone here in town Now I think that note was written by somebody right here in the family That's another reason I sent for you instead of the local police Just why did you send for me mr. Maltz? What do you mean? How do you feel about Charlie Burton? Haven't you guessed more or less? I think well, I'll spell it right out for you, mr. Dollar I hate his guts and what do you care whether he's murdered or not care? I'd get roaring drunk to celebrate it and yet you're the one who phoned an SOS to heart well sure if Burton does get it I want an expert around somebody will tag the right party for the crime A matter of justice is that in why not? Oh because it's usually just a word people talk about What they really want is to win Is that what you want mr. Maltz? Very funny. You ought to go on television. No, I'm waiting till they perfect it. I feel the same way about murder So the legend of lovable charlie was starting to crack One person at least didn't love him frank Maltz his executive producer And there was something else besides hating frank Maltz's eyes of weariness or bitterness Something I couldn't quite place I filed the thought for the moment took time to shower and change and went looking for another pair of eyes A prettier pair and I found them alone on the terrace with their owner They were turned toward the west toward the last golden edge of the sun as it sank into the pacific They were big in blue Very lovely Hello there. How are you miss tail miss? I'm johnny dollar. I just got in from hartford and I've been talking with frank Maltz Oh You must be with the advertising sponsor. No, I'm an insurance investigator. Huh? Yes, I'm here in regard to that threatening note that mr. Burton received Oh that you've heard about it then. Oh, we all heard about it interminably From Burton you mean who else? Oh, he paced and posed and beat his breast. He wept and stormed and shouted at us Harangued accused and monologued us our base in gratitude after all he'd done for us Done to us. He should have said that one of us a viper in his bosom should stoop to such a practical joke on good old luck If it was a practical joke, what are you doing down here? Do you think it was a joke miss tail? I don't but charlie himself Do you mean somebody really meant that threat? Maybe well, what do you know? Any ideas to who might have written it? Sure anybody who knows him Is he that bad actually mr. Dollar? You've heard the expression horrid old man. Sure Well, if charlie Burton worked for years to improve himself. I mean really tried Eventually he might lift himself up high enough to be a horrid old man Well, if it's like that, why do you stick around? Why do I? Because I signed a contract last year During an emotional crisis And it's got two more years to run break it breathe a little clean air for a change I'd be dead professionally and that's about all I've gotten life now Professional career such as it is same thing applied to frank malts. Yeah contract Executive producer is just a title. Charlie Burton show is owned by charlie Burton locked stock barrel and the souls of the employees Something of a dictator. Ego maniac He's a pre-adolescent paranoid with the ethics of a rattlesnake and the jealous instincts of a turkish harem master Forgive me mr. Dollar. I had that line in a play once but it still fits him Tell me the truth mr. Elm did you write that note? I'm a female comic mr. Dollar. So so who can write? Gloria Out here al on the terrace al tribe. Have you met him yet? No, but I've got him on the list That may turn out to be quite a list before you're through Downstairs bar at seven, honey. That's what you said downstairs bar at seven. I know I'm going in and change right now Al, this is johnny dollar al tribe. All right. Let us see mr. Dollar is an insurance investigator He's here about that murder threat charlie got you mean that note was for real could be well happy days Baby, there's hope for us yet careful al mr. Dollar is making a list Sweetie, I'd be proud to confess only I didn't think of the idea and besides a macaward Either of you actually see that note. No, but we heard about it. So I understand How does insurance figure in this you mean some company actually wrote a policy on that earthworm To the tune of a half million bucks. Holy hannah. Who's he worth that much to his sponsor the advertising client I doubt if it's personal really they're just protecting their investment in the show A half million fish for a phony old fake who weighs in at a fast 30 cents See maybe they're out to kill them and make a profit for themselves. Yeah, I'll put them on the list And I take it you're in the club too well Club at least you're not wearing a love charlie burton button Oh, sir All I am ever was or hoped to be in any future life All I have ever had or expect to have at any time notwithstanding The foregoing to supersede any previous statement and irregardless of any utterance made hereafter I owe in its entirety and without any reservation whatsoever to my one and only benefactor That's sterling magnanimous warm hearted genial I'll bet you think i'm only saying that because it's in my contract Did you write the note l I don't know what to say until I check with my writers. Yeah, I have the same problem with my underwriters Say that's not bad mr. Dollar. You know you ought to try to tell him. I'm waiting till they perfect it Right i'm three 80 cents one drink I had it sent from the bar and sat on the terrace alone and drank it I watched the sun die on the west and let the soft night creep out of the hills of mexico and sink down over me in gentle falls Then I saw a man slip from the shadowed shrubbery and move cautiously up to terrace A pale ghost dressed in the white cotton of a peon worker As I came quietly to my feet a girl ran from inside somewhere clung to him and stopped him They argued fiercely for a moment and guarded spanish Then the man turned and saw me and vanished into the darkness of the hotel gardens The girl faced me for an instant with eyes like frightened doves then she too turned and fled But I'd recognize it. She was the hotel maid who brought ice to my room when I first arrived So it was a lovers meeting most likely And yet the man before she stopped him had been heading across the terrace toward charlie burton's room Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow The great man condescends and shivers a little too And a girl's hidden hate is blacker than the sea wet rock she vents it on Join us won't you Yours truly johnny dollar Yours truly johnny dollar starring bob bailey is transcribed in hollywood written by less crutchfield It is produced and directed by jack john stone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly johnny dollar roi roan speaking