 The Adventures of Frank Race, starring Paul Dubin. The war changed many things, the face of the earth and the people on it. Before the war, Frank Race worked as an attorney. But he traded his law books for the cloak and dagger of the OSS. And when it was over, his former life was over too. Adventure had become his business. The Adventures of Frank Race. Now we join Frank Race for the adventure of the green doubloon. Central America and rain. They go together like bread and jam, only the combination is not nearly so pleasant. Our plane was a few minutes from the landing field at Calan, gate to the eastern entrance of the Panama Canal. And Mark Donovan was doing a little bouncing of his own, independent of the atmospheric conditions. Oh, brother, next time I come down this part of the oil, I'm taking a nice, slow cattle boot. Even if I have to share a room with a wild bull. It is a little bumpy, Mark. A little bumpy, the man says. I would like to see Gene Audrey stay in his seat if it wasn't for the safety purpose. We're losing altitude. You'll be on the ground in a few minutes. I hope the weather is nicer down there than it is up here. Look, what do we have to come to this place for, anyhow? To see if we can persuade an embezzler to part with $300,000 in exchange for his freedom. $300,000? Yes. So why didn't they just get in touch with a cop's down here and have him lie down at a gun? The company figures he might give up the money if I can convince him of the error of his ways, and promise that no charges will be pressed. Look, who is the guy? What makes him so sure he's down here? His name is David Bellamy, and he's a passenger on the SS Kermit Banff of Peru. According to the timetable, the Kermit figures to be in port at Calang waiting to go through the lobs to the Pacific. You would know anything about this Bellamy guy? Yes. He used to be a radio actor and a master at dialects. Then he got in trouble and spent some time in prison. While he was there, he learned accounting. Brother, he must have learned plenty to be able to juggle $300,000. Hey, look, if he learned accounting while he was locked up, what did they lock him up for on a place place? He served eight years for manslaughter, Mark. He killed a man with his bare hands. If you're a kid addicted to the making of mud pies, then Calang in the rain will appeal to you. But if you're an adult addicted to the simple comforts of life, there are better places. However, the weather wasn't the only unpleasant feature about Calang. There was an additional unpleasant touch, supplied by the office of the Port Authority. I'm sorry, Mr. Race, but your friend Mr. Bellamy isn't aboard the Kermit. He was when she made port this morning, but he seems to have disappeared. I see. Thanks. Of course, the ship has just started through the locks. He may catch up along the way. Passengers do miss connection sometimes. It's not unusual. Ah, maybe one on a bend in town and it'll turn up later. We can go on a ship and wait for him. No, he won't be turning up later. Come on, Mark. Race, look, how do you know that guy won't be going back to the clinic? Because the passage he booked to Peru was too obvious. It's a throw-off. He came this far, but now he'll try to make a connection to go someplace else. And this time he won't leave a trail. Yeah, but you're not sure, eh? No, I'm not. But I can make sure. You go aboard the Kermit, see if he shows up in the next couple of hours. If he doesn't, meet me back here at the Port Office. Okay. But, uh, where are you going? I'm going to see if I can find out how a man would go about disappearing in Panama. I knew that Bellamy wasn't going to be easy to find. Away from the ship, he was going to have another name. And since he was an expert in dialects, there was every chance he'd adopt a different nationality. I thought about it as I made my way through the narrow streets deserted in the rainy nights. I seemed to be the only man without shelter and culling, but I wasn't. Do you have a match, senor? Huh? Oh, I didn't see you. Yes, I have a match, but I doubt if you can get a light in the rain. Well, I like the rain, senor. I always get what I want in the rain. People are so nice. They never refuse Diego. That isn't a cigarette in your hand. No, senor, no. That's a gun. Step into the doorway. How can I refuse? Now, if the senor has any value, but he wishes to contribute to Diego's welfare fund, Diego will be most grateful. I only have a little cash, but this wrist watch is worth a sizable sum. Yes, yes, that's going to be fine. He bent his head slightly to look at the watch, and his gun hand dipped automatically. We were in tight quarters in the doorway. I brought my hands up to undo the watch strap. Step quickly to the side and let Diego have a left in the sole of Plexus. Now, drop it. S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s. Well, that's better. I'll confiscate this weapon for the present. Oh, this senor talk like a gentleman. Such a gentleman wouldn't waste his time taking Diego to the police. Besides, Diego would be an excellent guy. Guy? Come off it, Diego. You're not a native. You're a Mexican. I can tell by your accent. This senor is clever. They didn't like Diego in Mexico, so Diego ran away. And you got this far before you ran out of breath, all right? The police might send Diego back to Mexico, and I can stand that place on account of my health. Fugitives that get into a place are usually smart enough to have their eye on exit. Turning Diego over to the Panama authorities might take him off the streets, but it wouldn't bring me close to Bellamy. I had a hunch, and I played it. Senor, I would do anything to avoid the police. I'm not turning you in. I can't afford it. This senor has a dislike for men in uniforms. Let's say the police would rather find me than you. I've got to get out of here, Diego, and I've got to do without a passport. Maybe you know a way. From Columbus? Oh, no, senor. Too many American officers. There must be some place. Yes, yes. 30 miles to the east, senor, is Porto Bello. It was once the hiding place of pirates. In Porto Bello, it's a cafe called the Grindelblum. The Grindelblum? Yes. And the proprietor is Senor Kamamoto, a Japanese. He is very good at making people disappear, senor. I picked Mark up at our rendezvous, and we headed for Porto Bello, Caribbean hangout of the old-time pirates. It was a port of intrigue. An international black hole, a western hemisphere counterpart of Shanghai or Calcutta or Suez. And at the bottom of the hole, with no other spot-claiming competition, was the Grindelblum. Oh, brother. You ever want anybody's throat slit for half a buck? This is the blaze. Some boots back there by the wall. Let's take one of them. Aren't you going to ask for this Kamamoto character? You can die quickly asking questions in a place like this, we'll sit down and let somebody else do the asking. Yeah, I guess you're right. If you order anything, Mark, better make an American beer. I wouldn't vouch for the beverages in a place like this. You don't have to vouch for the beverages, but, uh, fortunately, brother, I would vouch for the dial which has walked and taught us here or anyplace else. Welcome to the Grindelblum, gentlemen. She was Eurasian, an oriental half-cast. And when they're beautiful, they make other women take a tight grasp on the arms of their husbands. This one was beautiful. Beautiful enough to make a movie star self-conscious about her faults. I am Mono Kamamoto. My father is a proprietor. I see my voice surprises you. I expected more of an accent. My mother was an English woman. Your mother and your father ought to be congratulated. That is a very nice thing for you to say. But now I will say something to you that will not sound nice. But if you are intelligent, you will be grateful. All right, baby, what is it? Leave the Grindelblum. Do not look back and do not come back. You want to leave more than the Grindelblum. You'll want to leave Panama quickly and quietly. Yeah, yeah. Fast and with no noise, eh? Then you have come in search of escape and not in pursuit of another? Yes, and I am ready and willing to pay for my passage. Who? Who sent you here? A man named Diego. We had to leave Mexico rather abruptly. Right. Guide the biologonetics. And he ain't friendly. I've been watching him. He's coming his way. I had better leave. No, stay. Mono, come back to the bar. She's having a drink with us. I'd better go. He will make trouble. I grabbed her arm and held her in the chair. The man who had been standing at the bar moved closer. He was a Norwegian seaman and he was wearing a mate's cap. His soiled white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a powerful hair, madly chest. He came over and placed his hands palmed down on the table. Did you hear me, Mono? Please, Gada. I have told you before. I caught the movement of his hands as they came away from the table. The back of his hand caught Mono across the face and I immediately headed over and run. Get him, race. Get him. Look out behind you. Gada had friends a couple of other Norwegian sailors and they moved into the fight. Ah, come on. Drop that chair. Come on, Gada. Try again. Mono, Mono, the light. All right. Come on. All right. Come on, race. The back door. I speak for the ball, but somebody intercepted me. I heard the swish of a chair coming through the air and trying to duck. It was the sound of the green doubloon faded out and so did the rain. Everything faded away into black silence. I came to an storeroom lighted by a feeble candle. Mark was dressed up in a corner still unconscious. Two men were seated on a couple of small barrels. One of them was a Japanese. You did considerable damage to my place of business, Mr. Race. How did you know my name? From your American Divers license. This is Mr. Harrow. Oh. Hello. Hello, Race. Harrow was wearing a white suit and a Panama hat and neither of them had been proved by the climate. And the small finger of his left hand, however, was a blue-white diamond which demanded recognition in any climate. I see you're admiring my ring, Race. It was a gift from a passenger. A passenger? My daughter tells me you are anxious to leave Panama. Mr. Harrow has accommodations for people who find our company boring. I haven't exactly been bored, Mr. Kamamoto. But if Harrow can't get us out of here, I'm ready to leave. My yacht to Chaucer is in the harbor. We'll sail at 4 a.m. I don't imagine you have a passport. If I had a passport, I'd be sailing from Cologne. Where's your next port of call? It's sort of unscheduled, Mr. Race. You'll be dropped off someplace in South America. Venezuela perhaps, or to be honest? Will there be other passengers? One other, in addition to you and your friend. Speaking of me and my friend, would you mind untying us? Oh, I'm afraid that isn't quite possible. You see, I'm a stickler for procedure, Mr. Race. And tying up the passengers is part of the procedure? Yes. You'll be blindfolded and taken aboard the yacht just before we sail. To be a rather uncomfortable journey, but then one must suffer some to attain one's goal. You mean we'll be tied up all the way? Until we can put you ashore, Mr. Race. I can see the point here where somebody might give you away. But why aboard the ship? The fugitive is from the law, a risky cargo, Mr. Race. The South American nations are rather thorough about their coastal patrol vessels. I have as much at stake there as you have. I wouldn't want to be caught. Good. Because if you are tied up, we can make sure you won't be caught. What do you mean, Harold? You and your friend are hot cargo, Mr. Race. The only way to carry hot cargo is to be sure you can get rid of it and pitch. If we're spotted, Mr. Race, you'll be weighted down and thrown over the side. We'll return to the adventures of Frank Race in just about one minute. Go back to the adventures of Frank Race. The sea voyage with weights around your ankles is no vacation at all. Especially when you can't change your mind and go to the mountains instead. Even if David Bellamy and his embezzled $300,000 were on board, chances of getting the money were slim. And chances of leaving the vessel alive seemed even slimmer. There was something to think about in the darkened hole as the yacht trossing and hitched and rolled her way into the open sea. Oh, brother. Had you marked? Race? Yeah. Yeah, it's me, I think. Hey, what's going on? An earthquake or something? We're on board a yacht. A kind gentleman is smuggling us into South America. Oh, brother, right now I would sign away my Social Security to be smuggling the Brooklyn Navy out. Hey, wait a minute. Something's wrong with me, Race. I can't move. You're tied up. So coming on, Ty me. I happen to be in the same boat, Marcus, if you'll pardon the pun. Roll around and see if you can work the ropes against something with an edge. All right. Ah, no good, Race. Tied at some kind of pipe. What was that? What's the matter? Something bounced off my head. It was alive. All right, probably the hole is full of them. Brother. For this, I give up driving a nice comfortable cab with not even a mouse in it. A light up there. Somebody coming down. Mona, what are you doing aboard? I often sail on the torso. My father owned it before Mr. Harrow. I've come to help you. You can start by cutting these ropes. Do you have a knife? No, but I can go and get one. Too risky. There's a very small pen knife on the key chain in my pocket. Yes, I have it. Be still now. Is there another passenger on the ship? Yes, in the captain's cabin. Oh, traveling first class. Think it's Bellamy, Race? Better be Bellamy. How many in the crew, Mona? Four, including Gunner. Good. I want to see that boy again. Oh, Race, be careful. He wants to kill you. And this time he has a gun. All of the crew are armed. There. Now your hands are free. Now you get to work on Mark. I'll untie the leg ropes. All right. I'm going up on deck, Mark. If I can, I'll make the captain's cabin. All right. What do you want? I should do it again. See if you can separate one of the crew from a gun and meet me there. There was an oil slicker hanging at the top of the companion way and I slipped it on for cover. The crew on deck was too busy to be counting noses in the storm. I hugged the rail until I got to the captain's cabin and I caught the door handle and crashed it. Hello, Senor. Diego. Senor is surprised that Diego has enough money for an ocean voyage. You see, after you left me, I ran into another man with no wristwatch and much money. He was loaded. And now Diego is loaded. You'll have to be loaded with lead before this trip is over, Diego. They have no intention of landing it safely. You'll be jettisoned to the first end of a coast patrol boat. Only you and your friends, Senor. Not Diego. How come? For the same reason Diego was not tied up in the hole. I seek only to escape, Senor. But you have come to find somebody, no? I have come to find somebody, yes. How did you know? I hear them talking. You are looking for David Bellamy, no? Then he is on board. She hears him. Captain, those things are falling. Get a reef. Oh, if both of these things, then you're... Diego, get out of here. Don't go for that gun, Harold. You're gonna need all the help you can get. All right, race. I'll make a deal with you. Take the pump and the forward bulkhead. Diego, you go after. I'll send your friend to help you, race. All right, you better hit the radio and put out an SOS. That isn't gonna be easy. The door to the radio shack is smashed. I'll have to project plenty to be heard over the sound effects. Mr. Harder, the pumps. Never mind him. We'll be lucky if any of us get out of this alive. The hands are blistered in this pump, race. It won't be for much longer. Look up ahead. Hey, that's land, ain't it? Small Island, there's a patch of clear sky. He's heading a rental to Laguna. Oh, brother, safe at last. That's the misstatement of the year. Once we hit the common at Laguna, that's when the trouble starts. I mean, that's when they're gonna start blasting. We'll have outlived our usefulness. It's a pretty narrow opening into that Laguna. Yes, and we're coming into it fast. The tide flow is picking itself now. That narrow entrance may save our lives. How do you figure that? The foliage comes right down to the water and overhangs. We abandon and ship as soon as we hit the entrance. I mean, we dive? I'm afraid so, Marcus. Let's dive or die. We'll have a better chance if we can get our feet on land. Brother, we're really riding this tide now. This tub feels like a site, boy. All right, boy, here it comes. Stay underwater as much as you can. The current will be rough. Good luck. Good luck, Grace. All right, dive! Let's go! Grace, stop! Come out of it, Mark. Come out of it. You're all right. Oh, and I did the geography, boys. Now that I have swallowed the whole ocean, I don't have to be changed. Speaking of geography, where are we? Not too far from where we started. Small island off the Panama coast. How's it get the ship in, all right? Yes. She's beached to the lagoon. Move that brush a little and you can see her. Yeah. They're keeled over. That baby ain't gonna sail anymore. But where is everybody? I'm afraid they're beating the brush looking for us. At least part of this when I drag you ashore. And this island ain't very big, Grace. One of them is limely yelled, Bingo, any minute. Duck! It's Kamamoto in the tree on the other side of the lagoon. I didn't even know he was on board. There he is. No, we'd better stay low until he comes down. See anything coming, Motto? Nothing. I'm out. How about you go there? All clear on this side, right down to the beach. There must be any other side of the lagoon. Find your men out. Beat every inch of that ground. All right, Mark. They'll be coming and there's no way we can avoid them. We'd better get busy while we can. Or they'll come around. What are we gonna do? Ever hear of a melee man trap? No. Is it a daemon or a sarong? Just as effective. We gotta get back into those saplings and pull down some of the vines. We take two of the saplings strong enough to require your weight and mine to bend them. Then we stake them through the ground and make a noose from the vines. You're kidding. Well, guns are no guns. I'd rather fight them guys and hang myself. If this works, we'll have at least one gun to fight with. You stay undercover when we get the trap rigged. I'll stake myself out as bait on the other side. Now, as soon as one of them steps into the noose on the ground, release the vine holding the sapling. We'll have ourselves a gun and one man less to contend with. Oh, I get it. The trees go up and the guy goes up with them, huh? Like a piece of dust in a Hoover vacuum cleaner. Come on, we haven't got much time. That does it, Mark. You know when to release the vines? Sure. Soon as somebody steps into the noose on the ground. Right. We finish just in time. Get hidden. You see who it is? It's one of the seamen. I'm going down the head and draw him after me. Right. Come on, baby. I'm dying to see if this thing works. Well, come on. Come on, stupid. You're looking the wrong way. That's right, baby. Step right into my father. Just a few feet more. That's the jackpot. Oh, don't mark. It worked, didn't it? Look at him up there. He's not cold. We can cut him down later. Pick up that gun. That would be a pleasure. Now we can begin someplace and hold out. No. Now we can reverse tactics. I'm tired of being hunted. I came after Bellamy and I'm going to get him. What? Which one of them is Bellamy? I'm not sure. Camamota, maybe. Or even Diego. Or Harrow. Camamota was Japanese and Diego was a Mexican. And Bellamy is an expert dialectician. Remember, he did all right as a radio actor. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Now don't forget that gun, a character. Bellamy once killed a guy with his bare hands, didn't he? Well, that gun has got the biggest hands I ever saw. But Harrow got that SOS through when we were piling up on that reef. It may not be long before patrol boat gets here. I want to have Bellamy wrapped up by then. All right. Hey, it comes in no custom. He sees us. Match up for another one, right? Nice shooting, boy. Nice shooting, Warren. Don't turn around. I don't like that. It's quite flat footage. Throw the gun behind you. Throw it. Better do it, Mark. I got some, Harrow. I'm going to let them have it right now. Now you're not gonna. Drop your weapon, too. Don't you tell me I've got him. I'll kill you, too. I guess that's the end of the killing race. Not while you're still holding that gun. Oh, very well then. I'll throw it away. Couldn't stand by and see murder done, even if he was going to make it profitable. Are you sure it was the prospect of murder that changed your mind? What do you mean, race? I mean the United States coast guard color that's heading into the lagoon. What? Well, what do you know it is? Yes. Oh, brother, look at that beautiful flag. Why, I didn't even see it. Excuse me, race. I'm going down and throw flowers at those guys. Harrow, what made you kill Gunner? I told you. I didn't want to see him shoot you down in cold blood. You said he was going to make it profitable. What did you mean by that? As you may have guessed, his real name is Bellamy. He's the man you were after. What's your real name, Harrow? I don't understand. You had Mona steer me to Diego. First you wanted me to think that he was Bellamy. But you stopped Gunner from shooting me when you saw that cutter coming into the lagoon. Now that he's dead, you want me to think that he's Bellamy? But he is, I tell you. He was. You ever been a radio actor, Harrow? I've never even listened to the thing. No? Then why did you refer to the storm as sound effect? And why did you say you'd have to project to be heard when you send an SOS? Smart, aren't you, race? Smart enough to know radio language when I hear it. Bellamy. I want to make a deal with you on that money you embezzled. Tell me where it is. And there'll be no charges pressed. Can I count on that? Absolutely. Money's in the American Exchange Bank of Brazil under the name of Edward Harrow. Good. Now you won't have any prison term to serve after you're executed. Executed? You're not forgetting, you just murdered Gunner, are you? Boy, you're not... You're not as good as he used to be with bare hands. Bellamy! Hi, Ray. Ray, what's going on here? Mr. Bellamy just signed off after a mediocre farewell performance. Bellamy? That's Bellamy? Yes, it is. Well, Marcus, what are you looking so unhappy about? Oh, no. Oh, look, look at them clouds up there. Holy cow, Ray, I'd rather be dead. It's gonna rain again. The Adventures of Frank Ray, starring Paul Dubov with Tony Barrett as Mark Donovan comes to you from Hollywood. Others heard in tonight's cast were Herb Butterfield, Jack Krushen, Michael Ann Barrett, and Gunner Peterson. This series is written and directed by Buckley Angel and Joel Murcott. The music is composed and played by Ivan Dittmarz. Be sure to be with us again this same time next week for another dramatic chapter in The Adventures of Frank Ray. Art Gilmore speaking. This is a Brucell's production.