 Danger, Dr. Danfield. Now good evening, folks. This is the boy with the goods, Tom Woods, to give you blokes and pokes with jokes that'll make you croak or laugh till you choke. Ha-ha! How am I doing? Ha-ha! Ah, yes! I'm gonna kill you, folks. Simply gonna kill you! Dr. Danfield, student of crime psychology, has many times provided the police with a solution to a baffling crime. As usual, there is an interesting case for the doctor today. We'll call it Death tunes in that 790 kilo-cycle. You kill me, Dan. Oh, why? Imagine Dr. Danfield going to see your radio show. Oh, why not? It'll be a good lesson in psychology, just to see what it is that makes people laugh. By the way, he hasn't told me yet who the show it is we're gonna see. Oh, Tom Woods. Tom Woods? Sure, sure. The boy with a good. Tom Woods, you're a... So, hiya, clack-fear stacks of clacks for clack-the-spacks. Oh, no, no, no, Dan. Not that corny guy. Well, why not? There's no coming in corn, you know. Probably the most commercial stuff on the air. Well, okay. I can stand as you can. Huh? Hey, what are we coming in the back way for? Well, I've got tickets in the client's booth. What's that? Oh, we're gonna see the show from backstage. Oh, good! I've never been in the back of one of these places before. Here we are. Now, this is the artist's entrance. Hey, Dan. There's a policeman. He's a special policeman, I see. He's here to see that only the right people get in. You know what I mean? Good evening, Mr. Stevens. Well, good evening, Dr. Danfield. I haven't seen you since you were doing that lecture program last year. Doing a guest shot tonight. Oh, Mr. Stevens, we just thought we'd come in and see Tom Woods' program. Oh, you ought to have something better to do than that. Oh, well, we thought we might get a few lamps. You have tickets, I suppose. Oh, yes. Oh, fine. Well, it's down the hall and to the left, Studio D. The last one down the hall. Here, I'll click open the door for you. Well, thanks, Mr. Stevens. We've got a lot of better programs. Tom, Woods doesn't seem to be very popular around here. You should have his paycheck every week, my dear little girl. You wouldn't care if it's popular or not. Hey, Dan, I didn't know they had so many studios. I thought everything came out of the same one. No, indeed, Rusty Ray, he always big business. Hey, Dan, that's Bing. I hear Bing. I hear Bing. I certainly. He brought guests of the American Board guests' company. Hey, somebody must have opened the door. Hey, come on. No, no, no. Uh-uh. I'm going to listen to them. Okay, okay. Hey, you better close the door or somebody will get mad. Yeah, isn't he wonderful? All right. Oh, all right. Dan, this is Sunday. I thought Wednesday was being big. Oh, it is. He's probably doing a guest appearance. Well, come on. Let's get down to Tom's studio. Oh, gee. Isn't radio wonderful? Yeah. Maybe you'll appreciate it more next time you're sitting on this thing in your big, easy chair. George, you are a dirty lump. George, you are a dirty lump. George, you are a dirty lump. George. What are you doing? Pacing up and down and waving his arms. You just make the resting, freezing as fuck. Oh, out here in the hall? Sure, sure. They all do. Yeah, we turn here. The phase door is down the end of the hall here. What are our other doors? Oh, those are dressing rooms for the stars. Gee, just like a theater. Yep, almost. Yeah, here we are. Well, Dan, could we go in? Look up there. There's a green light over the door. Oh, it's all right. They're just rehearsing. And the show is on the air. The light's red. Yeah, it'll be all right anyway. This is just a sound lock. Sound lock? Looks like a little hall to me. Well, it is. You still have to open the door in order to go out on the stage. The door on the far end. Yeah, that's funny. Usually, you're a paid girl here to take us upstairs. Oh, well, you might as well go on up. Well, I thought we were going to see the show. We are from the client's booth. It's up here, right over the control booth. There we are. Oh, this is nice. Mmm, big soft chairs. Yes, and we can see the shows with that big glass. Yeah, but we can't hear you, Ken. I mean, there's a band playing down there, and I can't hear a thing. Yeah, wait a second. I'll turn on my loudspeaker. Where's this Tom Wood? Oh, I don't know. Maybe in the control booth or maybe in his dressing room. That's just the band rehearsing its number. Who's the dame, the one walking around the sound lock door? Oh, that's Helen McGregor. She's Tom Sullivan. I guess she's going to a dressing room. Say, why do we come here so early for anyway? The show isn't broadcast for nearly half an hour. Oh, well, you might as well listen to the best rehearsal. At least what's left of it. And if we don't like it, we don't have to stay. Well, why does this even say so while it is? Nobody else comes in. Now we're rusty. This is no place for proposing. Dan, you're a blip. Stop it. Stop it. Stop the music. What's wrong with that guy? That's Tom Wood. Helen McGregor. She's been killed. She's been murdered. In a moment, we'll return for the second act of Danger Dr. Danfield. But first, and now back to Michael Dunn for the second act of Danger Dr. Danfield. Helen McGregor. She's been killed. She's been murdered. Look, he's murdered. He's been murdered for a long time. Look, he's done the sound lock. He's lying in the sound lock. Come on, Rusty, let's get down there. Helen McGregor. Why, Dan, we just saw a minute ago. Yes. Well, what's the matter? What's going on here? No. Helen's been murdered. I just came in here in the fall. Who are you? I'm Dr. Danfield. Here, let me take a look. Just a minute. What are you doing in here? This is a broadcast studio known as the... I have tickets for the client spoof. In fact, I'm a friend of the sponsor. No, I'm sorry. I am Jay Sheridan Lewis. I'm the producer of this opera. Yes, yes. And now, if you don't mind, I'll take a look at this poor girl. Dan is a filing spindle. Yes. Driven clear up to the basement in the middle of her back. Well, one of you will want to get Mr. Stevens, a special policeman out of the artist tantrum. June, will you go play? Yes, Mr. Lewis. Who is she? Oh, see, my dear, Dr. Danfield is June Davis, one of the most excellent scriptwills in the radio business. I, by the way, thought a lot, no. Yes, yes, no doubt. You know, I wish a few of you people would go back in the studio. They sound like a brother to me. You were a fellow musician. Back on the stage, if you please. Wouldn't hurt you to look over your music anyway. It's a radio, you know. So much so on. Hello there. Poor child. Poor child. And, might I ask who you are, sir? That's the writer. Larson Bass. Yes, I'm the writer. The poor, underpaid writer. Without me, the show could never go on. I can hire writers a dime a dozen. It takes a producer to make the drivel you'll write less. Oh, drivel is it? It's all night long. I sit at my typewriter, staring at blank white pages. And then? And then the words come. And what happens? A bunch of lousy actors spink them up. Well, if you're through with your mutual admiration, I might remind you there's a girl lying here who's dead, murdered with a filing spindle. Oh, yes. Poor child. Poor child. Good heavens. I've got to get another singer. Hey, John. John. John, why are you... Oh. Going out to get a con? Yes. Mr. Bell, you say you're the writer? Yes, indeed. Since I took over the show, the waiting went up five points. Well, I'm afraid this little event wasn't in your script. Or, uh, was it? What do you mean, sir? I'm not writing murder mysteries. Yes, Mr. Stevens. Oh, Dr. Danfield. Uh, Miss Davis says there's been a murder. I'm afraid so, Mr. Stevens. How do you want to take over? Oh, no, not me. I think the city police. For Miss McGregor. She was a nice little type. Then you don't mind if I do one with my investigation? Oh, no, no. Indeed, I wish you would. Very well. Thank you. Now, first of all, I want a little information. Which one of you knew Helen McGregor the best? Oh, you. Oh, you all did, huh? Then I better take you one at a time. You, Sheridan Lewis. Jay. Sheridan Lewis. That's the place. Very well, Jay. How well did you know Miss McGregor? Oh, by the way, Rusty, would you take some notes on me? Okay. Mr. Lewis? I know her very well. I hired her for the show. I picked her up when she was singing in a cheap nightclub. I developed her and made her into the star she was. I see. A modern Machiavelli. She must have been very grateful to you for all you did. Quite the contrary. She didn't have an ounce of appreciation in her. When I made her a star, she demanded more money of me. All right. You made her what she is today. I hope you're satisfied. Rusty, please. Hey, go on, Jay Sheridan. That's about the sum and substance of it. Helen McGregor with an over-aspiring, viciously ambitious, nasty little cluck. Everybody in this entire company hates her. That, Mr. Lewis, is a dirty lie. Why, hard job. Oh, shut up. I'm the star of this show, and I can change producers just by snapping my finger. You remember that, Jay Sheridan? Well, of course. I had no idea that you didn't feel the same as the rest of us. Well, you'd better speak only for yourself. Well, it's a long term. Tell me more. Helen was a sweet, lovable little kid. She was a fine performer, great artist, and we all loved her very much. That is all except our great producer here. He didn't like her because she wouldn't let his hammy direction last up her work. Careful of those remarks, if I hurry, I'll quit this show flat. I'm only to remind you that I have another offer from Burton Button Benson and Ball. Uh-huh. The only offer you'll ever get will be from our sponsor offering you a 10-year vacation with no pay. If you don't mind, boys, you can carry on your love fees after we've cleared up the murder. Anything more you care to tell me, Mr. Wood? Yes. Helen was a great little girl. I'll never forget how she used to smile when I'd introduce her to the audience. I'd say, here she is, folks, a pill for your ills, a thrill that will thrill, with a voice that will thrill. Believe me, folks, she will fill the bill. Ah-ha! Yes, there, and then she'd give me a lovely smile. Well, I had as much to do with her success as Jay Sheridan here. Yeah. At least I really did have that offer. Uh, Mr. Bell, the writer of this show, is there anything you can add to our little characters there? Oh, yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. I'm rather inclined to go along with Jay Sheridan. I gave her beautiful lines to read, but you couldn't read one of them. No soul, no sense of time. Oh, then why did you give her such beautiful lines? Because she insisted. She fancied herself a great comedian. Oh, brother, how she could muff a snapper on a gag. Ah, the audience loved it, though. I always saved a joke with one of my ad-libs. For instance, I remember the time that... Yes, yes, yes, yes. Go on, Mr. Bell. Yes. And that's another thing. The way Tom Woodshere played along with it. Yes, I've got to hunt you down. Hey, look, I can get another writer, too. Tell me, are any of you three men married? I'll say. What's that, Ms. Davis? I'll say they're married. They bring all their relatives down to see the show, and they all sit in the control booth. Every Sunday night, it looks like an Iowa convention. Jay Sheridan has thick. Ms. Davis, you're fired. So what? Of course, Mr. Bell isn't married, but he has the same ideas. He keeps leaning over my shoulder while I'm timing the show, breathing down my neck and sticking his nose in my ear. Is that it? You're fired. I quit. Tom Woodshere, he's always here, too. He comes down to look after his honey boy and see that he goes right home with it. Not anywhere else but Helen McGregor. Joan, you're fired. Fine, and I'll get out right now. We'll leave you the time script of the dress rehearsal. And now goodbye. Thank heavens I have got an offer from Britten Button, Vincent and Ball. Yeah. Hand me that script, Rusty. I'll have the timing on it. Sure, Dan. Here you are. Let's see. The timing on this script ends where the orchestra stops when Tom here found the body. The show had been in rehearsal just 13 minutes and 30 seconds. How do you know so much about radio shows? I used to do one. The musical number was right after the commercial, so according to this timing, the commercial and the band number are just about five minutes. That's right. We almost figured them to run just that. Now, about a minute before the body was found, Rusty and I saw Miss McGregor walking in the sound lock here, so she had to be killed within that minute. The last minute of the band number. Well, that definitely sets the time of the murder. Yes, within a minute. So let's see where everybody was during that last lethal minute. Now, I have a theory that Miss McGregor was killed the second she stepped into the sound lock. Then the murderer left, either to have the body discovered by someone else or to discover it himself later. Well, I was... Yes? Where were you, Mr. Wood? I was in my dressing room, changing my shirt. I see. And where were you, Mr. Bell? I was down in the script room, writing a new scene for the show. Wood couldn't read the beautiful scene I had. Yes, yes, sir. How long was the scene? About two minutes. It was two full pages of manuscript. Only two minutes? Well, I left the script in about ten minutes to write it. When did you leave the studio? When the commercial started. I see. How about you, Mr. J. Sheridan Lewis? Where were you? I'll stay here. Well, I should just expect any of us. It could have been June Davis, the script girl, just as likely. It seems to me she was in an awful hurry to get out of here. A very good point, Mr. Lewis. But I'll tell you why it couldn't have been Miss Davis. Because she had her timing marked right here on the script. Clear up to and beyond the time of the murder. I'm sure that the engineer in the control booth will swear that she never left the booth. Now, come on. Tell me where you were. Well... Tell the truth, I did leave the booth. I had a few minutes during the fandom until I walked down to the end of the hall to get a drink of water. That's very interesting. By the way, were you with any of us? Not at all. I want to take each one of you and re-enact just what you say you did. I want to time your alleged movement down to a split second. Because this is one murder where seconds are going to count. In a moment, we'll return for the third act of Danger Dr. Danfield. But first... And now, back to Michael Dunn for the third act of Danger Dr. Danfield. Come along, Rusty. I want to just check the time with me. You bet. Script room is down the hall here, past the dressing room. About 50 feet. Fine, fine. Still walk naturally there. I'll like you did when you came down here before. This is Script Room, Dr. Danfield. Good, good. Let's go in. Now, uh, I wrote the new scene or in that typewriter, right there. Uh-huh. Oh, uh, sit down, please, will you, Bill? And Michael, if you aren't the new scene, do it exactly as you did before, please. Yes. And that'll be enough. I can just close enough by the time I put you to write those two lines. Now, uh, do you have the first copy? Who said me? Here you are. I just want to compare them to see that you're really writing the same stuff. Uh-huh. Identical. Now, by multiplying the time taken to write the two lines, it's, uh, it's taking you at least five or six minutes to do the whole job. Yeah, that's enough. I'm satisfied. Ah, Rick, thank you. Oh, the person who did this job couldn't have been going to the studio that length of time. Oh, well, I'll just keep these two copies for a bit, Bill, if you don't mind. Over to you, all right. I have to use the old stuff now and we won't have time to have it mimeographed. Hmm? Well, uh, come on, we'll go back to the studio. Yeah, okay? You know, they thought it'd give me a good spot for a screen story. I bet I could tell it for pictures. I thought you didn't write, murder mystery. Well, yeah, I could punch it up with a few guys. You know, I think that's what these mystery stories need. A little comedy here and there. Most of them are too dull. Well, I don't know that's a great idea. We're going to seek a major spot. Yeah, here we are. I see you're all out the hall. I, uh, don't blame you. Your body was getting a bit distressed. Yeah, come on, Mr. Wood, you're next. Yeah, down, Wood's the boy with the goods. Yes, sir. Well, I mean, you say you went to your dressing room. Yes, indeed. The first one right down the hall. Yeah? Oh, wait a minute. Just a second. Let me start my watch. All right, come on. It's, uh, a star's dressing room, always the first. Uh-huh. I, uh, want you to do exactly as you did before. Don't forget I'm funny. Uh-huh. Uh, in here. Hi, honey. Hi, Blankler. Uh, Flavie, please. I have Helen McGregor. It's just been murdered. Oh. Thought I had some promotion down the hall. Is that all you got to say? Well, I make believe that I loved her when I don't. Uh, start changing your shirt. Will you please, um, you can talk while you're changing that. Oh, me? Oh, I don't mind, Barry. I'm sure Tom won't. Well, are these guys Tommy and Ewing? Uh, Dr. Danfield and, uh, Miss Fairfax. He's investigating the case. Oh, cop. No, not exactly cop. I'm, uh, psychologist. We should psychoanalyze Tom, then. Find out why he thinks he's every day in his young dreams. Loppe, will you shut up? Well, McGregor's bad, huh? Wonder who she double-crossed. Well, Mrs. Wood, was your husband here in the dressing room from the time he came in here to change his shirt and the time he went back to the studio? He had gone right he was. Well, how about you? Did you leave? Leave in for a minute? Certainly not. Always have to tie the big lug's tie. Tommy, baby, I'll do it. Oh, he's as helpless as a kid. Uh, what's all this bad blood between you and Helen McGregor, Loppe? She'd done her best to break up me and Tommy's home. Honey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps Tom helped a little? Sure he did. What do you think I come down here every show day? Certainly isn't a listen to Tom. There is stuff all day long at home. Believe me, Derry, take my advice. Another marry a guy who stinks these mommies. Very interesting. If you've changed, Tom, we'll walk back to the studio. Well, maybe now that McGregor's dead, I can stay home night. Now, I guess I won't leave that they'll have to get another slinger. Yeah, come on, Tom. Yeah, but see you in a control boat, honey. You know, Tom, you and your wife have better stick together. It wouldn't be very hard for a good prosecuting attorney to figure out that either one of you had a very good motive for this marriage. Uh-huh, I wouldn't kill her, please. And it's a fluffy. Well, she's nuts about me, but she wouldn't kill a gal. She'd scratch her eyes out. Well, here we are. Now, let's see. That took exactly three minutes and 32 seconds. Ah, what is that for? I'll let you know after Mr. J. Sheridan Lewis and I take a little walk. Are you coming through? I don't know why I should have put up with this town fooling me. I have a show that's going to go on about 10 minutes. You better come along or you won't be here when it does go on. Oh, maybe you'd rather have Mr. Stevens here prod you a bit. No, all right. But my sponsor will hear about this. Yeah. Now, according to your statement, J. Sheridan, when the murder happens, you are out getting a drink of water. That is correct. Where? Down at the water farm, the farm, the hall. The long hall? Yes. All right, Jimmy. Have a chimichillin. Yes, yes, I recognize that. Say, I wanted to prove that I did come down to take a drink. You can ask Jimmy. He was taking one at the same time. Brother, when he gets all of this, well, his program will be pumping. Yes, I can imagine. Oh, why didn't you use this water fountain right here? They called it Balkan. Oh. You know, this murder would turn out to be a good thing after all. How can murder ever be a good thing? Well, with all the publicity we'll get, I'll better run our hoop up to at least an 18. Now, how? Well, here we are at the fountain. Hmm, if you'd be so kind, J. Sheridan, take a drink. All right. All right. Now, we'll go on with that. This is all very silly. I'm doing this for your benefit, Mr. Lewis. One of you three is guilty of murder. This is the only way I can prove that two of you are innocent. Of course, you could save me a lot of trouble by confession. But I'm not. No. Though I had, I won't raise any more. Oh, hello. Yeah, it's better. You might have got a conflict. Tell me, did your wife have any objections to the special tutoring you gave Mr. McGregor? Yes, we know. Women, you know she did Dr. Vance. Uh-huh. You couldn't by any chance have gotten in a bit too deeply with your protege. A deep enough that to keep peace at home, you were supposed to get rid of her. My dear Dr. Vance, I am a man of the world. I have been around. Yes. I may play around, but I never allow myself to become too deeply involved in anyone. Yes, yes. I'd rather imagine you were that kind of a character. No, my... Oh, save it, save it. Here we are, back again. Well, that concludes my little experiment, gentlemen. Oh, by the way, Lewis, that took exactly three minutes. Yes, that should be about time. Now, I, uh... I've taken an exact timing of your movement since you left the control room. You, Mr. Bell, we're writing a scene for the show. The time for that was between five and six minutes, at the very least. Therefore, if your story is correct, it would have been impossible for you to be here in the sound lock at the time of the murder. Well, thank you. Never leaves me no room. And now for the boy with the goods, Tom Moore. Yes, sir. Well, according to your story, you were in your dressing room changing your shirt. Fortunately to you, your wife was also there and she cooperates your tail. That found out at exactly three minutes and 32 seconds. So, uh, you couldn't have been here at the time of the killing either. Ha-ha, good old Fluffy. I knew she'd come in handy some time or other. So, that leaves Jay Sheridan Lewis. Now, uh... According to Mr. Lewis' story, he was down at the water fountain getting a drink. That took exactly three minutes. According to the very best stopwatch. So, Jay Sheridan couldn't have been in at the slaying. Yes, but, but, but... And this one of you is lying. None of you could have killed Helen McGregor. In a moment, we'll return for the conclusion of danger Dr. Danfield. But first... And now, back to Michael Dunn for the conclusion of danger Dr. Danfield. I said that unless one of you was lying, none of you could have killed Helen McGregor. But one of you is lying. You worked this out very well, Mr. Larsenbell. Me? What are you talking about? You say you don't write mystery stories, but you should. Your plot on this one was almost foolproof. All except the one thing that murderers always forget. Oh, but I couldn't have done it. I was writing my script. You said so yourself. I said you couldn't have done it if you were telling the truth. I don't know what your motive was, bell. That'll undoubtedly come out with further investigation. But there was one little mistake you made that proves conclusively that you were lying. Well, I can't see where I am. These two pieces of manuscript bell, the new scene you were supposed to be writing, they were written on different typewriters. That still doesn't prove it. Oh, yes, it does. That and a couple of other things. Lewis couldn't have done it. He did go to the water fountain, and he has Jimmy Fiddler to back him up. Tom Woods did go to his dressing room to change his shirt. His wife substantiates that. But you, Mr. Ryder, went to the script room. I did write that script. Yes, but you wrote it last night at home on your own typewriter. Now, when I asked you to write a couple of lines of the same scene on the typewriter in the script room, you did so willingly. Thinking that the time element was all I was interested in. But you didn't notice that the typewriter in the script room is an old one, with old-fashioned pika types. They don't match at all, bell, not one single letter. Yes, but the time! The time, of course. It only takes 20 seconds to walk from the studio down to the script room, bell. That was plenty of time for you to kill Helen McGregor and get back to the script room before any of the others got back. You had a full minute, you know, bell. Mr. Stevens, take him out and send him over to the police. Yeah. Come on. Come on. Oh, Dan, I've got to say it again. So wonderful. Yes, and so is the stopwatch, Rusty. In this case, it trapped our murderers. Uh, Tim... Yes? By that same stopwatch. How long is that lady okay? Exactly five seconds, Rusty. Come on.