 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Vic Carson Johnny State Unity life. Oh, what's in your mind? Thank you got a job for you if you're interested and just received a report from our agent in Venice the Venice Oh, I love it soft nights along the canal in this California Johnny Okay, what is it murder Bernard Slade age 56 penny arcade operator in Ocean Park? That's right right next door to Venice go on with a body was found in living quarters at the rear of an arcade Amusement zone killer unknown and Barney Slade must have been quite a movie fan The police found his apartment plastered with photographs of the movie great silent screen vintage That is at least a dozen of more of Mavis Gale a real queen in her day. Yeah, the vamp time. I know Oh, it's just a vague recollection you understand Yeah, well the police also reported that somebody the killer probably had drawn a big question mark in red crayon over Each of Mavis Gale's photographs interesting if it means anything we think it does Johnny Especially since Mavis Gale is named as the beneficiary in Bernard Slade's insurance policy Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigators truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to State Unity Life Home Office Hartford, Connecticut Following as an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the silent Queen matter Expense account item one two hundred and ten dollars and sixty five cents plain care for an incidentals to Ocean Park, California As soon as I checked into my hotel. I got in touch with homicide Sergeant McKay. They said would probably be down at the pier. I saved you care for this one Vic It was a beautiful moonlit night at the beach a warm breeze was blowing in from the Pacific And besides there's only a three-minute walk from my hotel to the fun zone A gaudy array of neon and noise an occasional whiff of salt air seeping through the aromatic blend of fried shrimp hamburgers and popcorn Business was good in the penny arcade headed Cheryl. I headed straight to the blonde sitting in the changebook. She looked tired faded Hi, let me have a dine's worth of pennies, will you real plunger, huh? Oh money means nothing to me. Well, here you are Don't spend them all in one place. Well, you know, I might at that this machine here looks really interesting The Lola the farmer's daughter. Oh, it's kind of racy How's your blood pressure? Fine and try that roll along the wall over there. I wouldn't do How can we carry on a conversation if I was on the other side of the room? Who wants conversation? I do You don't look like the lonely type never can't tell. Oh, can you look you run along while I finish stacking these pennies, huh? No, seriously. Yeah, all I want is a few answers. Well, I got more than a few honey. What's on your mind? Barney Slade What about fun? You work for him along who wants to know my name is dollar Johnny dollar I'm an insurance investigator. Oh, I'd appreciate any information. You can give me Your company dropped a bundle on Barney, huh? Well, that remains to be seen. Well, Barney was a nice guy Nice as they come. What do you want to know? Oh, just aren't anywhere. You want to know about his friends? Well, maybe after what happened to me, you'd better tell me about his enemies. He didn't have none not one Oh must have been quite a fellow. He was mister Okay, let's get back to his friends then just about everybody along the pier anyone in particular. Oh Frank Jessup for one runs a concession just down the way Sam Hegstrom owns a fishing boat, then there's a Gaskinacos or Goldstein like I said Barney had a lot of friends including you including me How about Mavis Gale? I don't know the day Well, she used to be in the movies the silent kind. Oh, I heard about her only I never met her didn't she ever come around I never saw her Did Barney ever talk about it? Not to me didn't Why? Why what? Why should Barney talk about Mavis Gale? Oh, I just thought he might have mentioned it sometime rather. Uh, is that the door to Barney's apartment back there? Yeah, that's right. Why don't I have a look around? That'd be up to Sergeant McKay Well, look if he comes in tell him where I am, would you tell him yourself? He's back there in Barney's apartment now I walked on back and took note of the heavy padlock dangling open on the door leading into Barney Slade's apartment The small living room was empty yet. It was crowded too crowded with memories of the son of greats Nazimov, Valentino, Pickford and Fairbanks, me and Swanson, the Gish Girls, Vaughn Cheney and all dozens more their photographs filling practically every inch of wall space Mavis Gale was there too, a big question mark and red crayon drawn over each of her photos. I Moved through a narrow kitchen. The back door was wide open. I stepped outside Who are you? Oh, Johnny Doller. You must be Sergeant McKay. That's right. Yeah, your office said you'd be here browsing around. So I'm browsing Something bothering you, Sergeant? Murder always bothers me. Yeah, what you mean? Like those photos in there of Mavis Gale and the question marks on all of them And that bothers me You think the killer did it? Could be. Let's go back inside Well, maybe Barney, huh? Maybe Barney what? I'm talking about the question marks. Could be pictures belong to him Yeah He had quite a gallery here Looks to me though that some are missing. That's so Well, you know so Sergeant the wallpaper isn't faded as badly where they used to be and there are a lot of tack marks, too Okay, so who took him down Barney? He could have So could the killer. That's right Have you found anybody who could tell you anything about him? I'm missing photographs. Not yet Hey, buddy, keep a lot of money in here Twyler didn't seem to think so. Twyler. Twyler James blonde out front at the change booth. Oh, yeah Barney was sort of particular about his apartment. Never let anybody in as far as she knows not even his friends What a worry according to twilight seldom use the arcade entrance prefer to use the back door Is that the one the killer used the standing wide open when the body was found? Well, who found it by the way twyler when she showed up for work yesterday The arcade was closed up so she went around back You know when Barney was killed doc figures around 3 a.m. Two slugs from a 38 one would have been enough Any signs of a struggle? Yeah Lamp over there was on the floor that chair was turned over and this table had been upset pipes medicine bottles pillboxes scattered around Heavy bolt and chain on the inside of both doors Barney didn't have to let a visitor in unless he wanted to that's right Of course, he could have run into the killer outside somewhere sure he could Honey, you don't think so unless Barney was in the habit of walking in his sleep When we came in and found Barney was in pajamas and bathrobe the wall bed over there had been pulled out and was Must up so it figures he was probably asleep when the killer tapped on his door. He got up and let him in Yet according to twilight the place was off limits even to his friends But she wasn't around all the time and didn't know all his friends. He found some others I'd like to find one of them in particular a man Barney referred to as the preacher Just the preacher no name. No at least Sam Hexham couldn't remember and this preacher was he allowed into Barney's Intersecting Sam's pretty sure he saw the two of them come out the back door one night a little more than a week ago Other times he spotted him taking a late evening stroll along the oceanfront walk Did Sam ever talk with this preacher? No, but he got curious after a while asked Barney about it Barney said the man was a very old and dear friend Let it go with that and you haven't been able to find out anything more about him, huh? I'm still checking Well, it would sure be a break if you get to locate this preacher You might be able to tell us something about those missing photographs what they were might also explain why the killer took them Have you seen enough in here dollar? Oh, yeah, sure. I guess so surgeon Hey, tell me what does maybe scale have to say about all this? I only got to talk with her just a couple hours ago when she returned from Palm Springs She was pretty upset when I told her about the crayon marks on her photographs But Naturally, she couldn't offer any explanation none. How does she react to the news of Slade's death tears and such? She's supposed to weep about it. Why not? Barney Slade must have been a pretty good friend of hers after all he named her as the beneficiary and his insurance policy. Oh That's interesting what when I talked with Mavis Gale, she told me she never heard of Barney Slade Expense account item two and three one dollar and ten cents phone call and camp fare The call was to Mavis Gale's home in Bel Air The butler said if it was important I could find her at McCartney's mortuary in Venice Camp there to Venice via what is laughing they call the Speedway a one-way alley line with backyards and garbage cans It took us less than a minute to cross over into Venice a boom that had busted a Mellon County mixture of all broken down buildings in the sound of the sea crumbling bridges moss-covered canals of paved streets wandering Disconstantly into sand dunes and ending with a money A dream that had kind of died of a broken heart Good evening, sir. Oh Bernard Slade, please. Oh, yes, mr. Slade is in the slumber room at the end of the hall Is anyone with him? Oh indeed quite a number of his friends Would you know Mavis Gale if you saw her the silent screen star? Indeed, I would at least I think I would she was one of my favorites She she hasn't shown yet. No, I You mean She's expected so I understand Well Well, that's nice Oh, that is nice. I Didn't know she was a friend of mr. Slade's. Oh, you know most of Barney's friends, huh? I know most of the people along the pier and they were all his friends. Well, how about one called the preacher? Preacher Naturally, I'm very well acquainted with many men of the cloth and if you could tell me his name. I don't know Look, you have a visitor's register here, don't you in each of the slumber rooms? Yes, just inside the door Thanks Where did you say mr. Slade was down the hall last room on the left? The room was crowded with friends who'd come to pay their respects to Bernard Slade. I Eased over to the visitors register and gave it a fast rundown There was nothing to indicate that a minister was among the mourners present Then I heard the hall door creak open there. She was Mavis Gale Certainly not at all what I expected a vamp of the silent screen to look like 30 years later Slender trim and a smartly tailored suit and even more attractive than the photographs I'd seen of her in Barney's apartment She moved down the center aisle to the casket and stood there for a moment As I walked toward her she suddenly turned her eyes wide and staring her lips moving sanity Then she crumbled to the floor and you've been trying to reach me doll. That's right sergeant. Okay. What's up? I got some news for you Mavis Gale was once married to a small-time movie actor named Tom Sanford Seems he was murdered during a hunting trip in the Sierras some 27 years ago. So so now it turns out he wasn't Mavis Gale just identified Barney Slade as Tom Sanford Oh, here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow a stagecoach ride I get some lumps and a surprise witness turns up Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar or is truly Johnny dollars starring Bob Bailey is Transcribed in Hollywood Written by Adrian John Doe 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 Roy Rowan speaking