 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar George read here Johnny. Well George. I'm really glad to talk to you Why do you say it that way because every insurance case I handle for that company yours pays me a nice fat fee and right now I can use a little extra cash. Well now tell me all what's Floyd's of England upset about this time. Well, I'm not sure Oh, here we go again But Johnny I just received a transatlantic telephone call from Paris friends for a man who wanted to contact you But didn't know where to call you and he identified himself only as the char gris. Oh The char gris it's French Johnny. No, and I believe it means the gray cat here and George the name fits him You know him then his real name is dimar sack He probably knows more about the dark alleys and back streets of Paris. Oh, yeah, and about the people in other words He underworld what did he call about he mentioned the blue Madonna the what it's a painting Johnny Small oil painting by a modern artist named Vincent Bardot It's owned by a mr. Kingsley Holland down in Philadelphia. Yeah, it hangs in the Gavin galleries And we've insured it for $12,000. Well, what did he have to say about it? Only that you're to call him his number there in Paris is Orleans 5 7 7 2 2 He has some very interesting information for you about that painting. Oh, sure that he'll be glad to give me for a price Exactly George if you knew that character as well as I do you don't came my expense account without even looking at it and be willing To pay me that big fee I was talking about. What do you mean? Want to make a bet? What kind of a bet? I'll give you odds a 10 to 1 that whatever's hanging in that gallery down there in Philadelphia is not the blue Madonna What? Look Johnny good. George. I'll be talking to you Exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar act one of yours truly Johnny dollar expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar To Floyd's of England North American office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the blue Madonna matter Expense account item won $12 even for a phone call to my underworld contact in Paris France a man by the name of Dumar Sack Who calls himself the gray cat? You're very dear friend Very dear friend, huh? Now listen you telephone George read that you have some real hot information about a painting his company insured Okay, how much you want this time Only for money how much to my suck $1,000 a thousand Look if your info is worth anything. I'll send you check for 50 bucks 50 bucks. Okay. I'll make it 75 How about an even hundred five hundred two four three? That's final Okay 200 It's all settled 200 bucks now. What about the blue Madonna? Yes, it is now here in Paris. Yeah, where To go son You sure it isn't just a copy that he'll try to foist it off on some wealthy sucker Hey, you'll be sorry to cook an evil cook, but here's an honest one. Oh sure Yes, and he knows to work so far Also, he's very clever to get his price. He will wait until the wheel Madonna is discovered missing if it really is That's what I'll check on now The $500 my very dear friend 200 remember Yeah Fine We'll see I'll be talking to you Item to 420 my phone to my old pal Foster Harmon down in Sarasota, Florida Tell him I'd pay his fare if he grabbed the first plane out and meet me in Philadelphia at the Bellevue Stratford hotel I knew that if anybody could identify the genuine painting he could item 3940 for my own transportation to the city of brotherly love Item 4950 cocktails and dinner for the two of us there at the Bellevue Yes, they blew Madonna's one of Vincent Bardot's best known works I don't think there's another living artist who could so effectively use various shades of just one color But what about it Johnny well first thing in the morning. I want you to come along with me and take a look at it It's in the Gavin galleries. Isn't it up on Walnut Street? Yeah, at least it's supposed to be Supposed now all I want you to do is take a good look at it then reserve any comments until after we get out of the place That's all Well, but Johnny time. I want to check with the owner of that painting The telephone directory gave me Kingsley Holland's address item 4 620 for a cab to a small apartment house out in West Philadelphia Holland turned out to be Well, I'd say it was about 30 short lean and nervous with the surly expression of a man who feels the world hasn't done right by him Yeah, you mean you're interested in buying the blue gun on it. Well, it had all depends mr. Holland Look dollar that's what you said you name it. Yes, that's right Johnny dollar Sounds familiar. Oh, well anyway, listen. Yeah, that gallery's got a price of 15 or 18,000 But if you want to buy a direct from me and right now, I'll give it to you for 12 Save yourself a few thousand bucks and it'll save me having to pay them there 20% But if you've already commissioned the gallery to sell it for you So I'll tell them I changed my mind that I want to keep it then when they find out that I've sold it Well, I'm trying to catch up with me and collect because me I'll be right back in little old gay Perry back in Paris I'd be there still only I ran out of money 12,000 that's exactly what it's insured for and that's what they appraised it for when I got it from my uncle's estate With all his money, what is he die and leave me with but a lousy painting? Well, do you want it? Let me think about it. I'm staying at the Bellevue Stratford. Sure. Just don't tell them that they Gavin gallery about our little deal But those crooks don't know won't hurt crooks You think for a minute all that stuff they've got laying around the place is genuine, but the blue Madonna is you're sure What do you mean by that just stick around mr. Holland? Any reason why I shouldn't I don't know is there now wait a minute dollar. I'll be in touch with you Act two of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment Now act two of yours truly Johnny dollar and the blue Madonna matter Had Kingsley Holland the owner of the painting recognized my name I thought so and if a switch in that painting had been made and he knew about it Well, I'd do well to look out for them Yeah, the more I thought about it the more certain I became that whatever hung in the Gavin galleries was not the blue Madonna Item five another six bucks for a taxi back to my hotel item six five eighty breakfast the next morning for Foster Harman and myself By ten o'clock. We were at the Gavin Galleries looking at a pretty modern, but I must say beautiful painting Amazing Johnny amazing The most extraordinary well, I just can't believe it can't believe what Foster that it's the real thing or just a good copy That's just it you see Johnny hold it for us That painting you know is a genuine Bardot. Yeah My name is Johnny dollar. This is mr. Foster Harman gentlemen. I'm Arnold Gavin You're interested in buying the blue Madonna if this is really it Johnny listen wait Foster What is the price of it mr. Gavin? 20,000 mr. Dollar, did you say? Yeah, what? Wow, haven't you got a Bardot that's a bit cheaper his laconic lagoon has priced at 10,000 holy Well, how about a copy of this? Bardot has never allowed his works to be copied Johnny listen. Yeah, Foster. It looks like this stuff is too rich for our blood No, come on. Let's go back to the Bellevue Stratford. No, let's perhaps there's something else that might interest no I'm afraid not but thank you. That's quite all right Johnny listen, come on Now Johnny just take it easy Well once it's a fraud Johnny. It's a copy. I'm sure of it Did you say that blue Madonna's a copy mr. Yes wait well I thought you were looking at a kind of funny there in the gallery. Yes, sir It's a fraud. Foster now. You don't mind my asking. Who are you? My name is Foster Harman. I'm from the John Ringling Museum down to Florida. That's right. Well, and you ought to know just a minute Hey, aren't you Johnny dollar the insurance and better data. So what who are you me? Well, I'm Roop out of way of transworld news service news service. Oh, yeah, I'll see you boys and thanks a lot Well farce it looks like you opened your mouth and stuck my foot in it I'm sorry Johnny, but what I said is true that blue Madonna is an imitation of phony that much I already knew at least I was pretty sure of it, but don't you see the amazing thing? Well Johnny that copy is so perfect so exactly in the style of Vincent Bardot Even to little things little idiosyncrasies that even the finest copyist couldn't match Certain minute details about an artist worker as distinctive as impossible to copy as a man's own fingerprints Yeah, what I'm trying to say is that if I didn't know every brush mark on the original okay farce forget it Forget it. Hey, listen Kingsley Holland the owner and I wouldn't trust him for a minute I think he knows who I am if so and if he knows that painting is just a copy Well, he's pretty sure to figure out what I'm doing here Johnny He must know it's a copy if he gave it to the galleries to sell perhaps or maybe the switch was made after it was hung there Then what you're saying is that either one of them could be responsible for the fraud. That's right How well do you know the Gavin galleries? Well, they're not very big you could see that for yourself And of course they're rather new in the business. I think I'd better get a rundown on this Arnold Gavin I while waiting at the hotel Waiting what for are you you're playing a couple of seeds? You hope that one of them was sprout I'm afraid I don't understand Farce I told both of them who I am and the hope they guess at why I'm here I also gave them reasons to suspect. I think that blue Madonna's a phony Well, I'm afraid that I may have led Arnold Gavin to feel that way same thing I also made it very plain to them that I'm staying at the Bellevue Stratford in other words Good heavens Johnny if you mean what I think you do. Yeah Like what for us? You think that one of them the crook will come to the hotel and try to Don't you see Johnny knowing that you're onto him. He might try to kill you Can you think of a better way to bring him out in the open Johnny? Come on Let's get back to the hotel and wait Act three of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment And now act three of yours truly Johnny dollar After all there was no reason to drag Foster any further into this mess Although, I know he began to see it through so I paid him for all his expenses That's item seven a hundred fifty one even and sent him on back to Sarasota Item eight ten cents for a phone call to sergeant Jerry Hawkins of police headquarters About mid-afternoon. He called me back boy. Did you ever start a riot? Well, what did you find out for me about Gavin and Holland Holland's just a lazy kid That's been trying to live off his relatives all his life and Gavin Listen to the papers now the story about that phony painting is on every wire service in the country All you can see in the headlines that name Bardot, and I don't mean Bridget Johnny you and that foster harm and ought to collect a publicity fee. Are you holding Gavin or Holland? Unless we can show some evidence that one of them pull the switch Johnny you got any ideas? Yeah, Jerry suddenly. I think maybe I have well and start talking so I can make a pitch No, I don't think you will I didn't say that but Jerry I've got a hunch a real potent one and if it's right. Yeah, well read tomorrow's papers, huh? Item nine half a buck for an evening paper and a tip for the bell boy who brought it up to me Yeah, the sergeant was right. This was the most free advertising any artist's hand in years Prices on genuine Bardot's were skyrocketing As for the fake blue Madonna, I put in a fast call for Paris, but before the operator could get it through Yeah, I'll Gavin mr. Dollar Do you see what has happened? Have you seen the papers? I sure have and the police have closed my shop my galleries in your blame But don't you understand? I've had offers of up to 30,000 for the Madonna I've received wires offering me nearly 20,000 for the other Bardot the real one. No kidding. I'll show you how much I'm kidding I've cable Bardot a paint some more for me paint anything Don't you see after all this publicity would make a million so it was you that rigged this whole thing a Gavin I miss a holler. Well, of course not sure to raise the price of some of your lousy paintings How can you say that you who gave me that copy expert? You trying to tell me you didn't know that was a copy. No There's only this morning when the authority from Sarasota when I called in the people from the museum share in Philadelphia You know what they said what and it better be good They said the only one who could have made that copy wait a minute only artist in the world who could have pulled it hold everything Holland you said you got that penny from your uncle's estate. That's right. It was will to me. Where did your uncle get it? Why for well listen, I'm listening dollar that Madonna was smuggled into smuggled. That's right But by whom well believe it or not and if this is my call to Paris. Well, maybe I can even tell you where he is now Johnny dollar Good now listen You're about to tell me that the blue Madonna was smuggled into Paris by none other than the artist himself By Vincent Bardot So that should be worth it. But how did you know all right? All I want to know now is where is he? You know He's not in Paris. Where is he? for a hundred bucks a hundred and fifty For that much I'll find out for myself. Goodbye. No, no, no, okay 200 or I hang up on you Well only for you my best my oldest friend where he is aboard the plane for the United States I might have guessed it. He has the Madonna blue with you. He received the cable this morning. Great. I'll send you check You hear any of that mr. Gavin Holland yes, I'm afraid. I don't understand Oh, I sure don't and maybe this call will help you Sergeant Jerry Hawkins. Yes, sir You can have the boys in New York pick him up or wait for his plane to arrive here in Philadelphia Johnny if you're sure you really have any charges against him what hey son is waiting from Paris the guy who painted the copy of the blue Madonna or Maybe this is really the original over here. Huh? Well any rate He'll have the other copy with him. So do you want to tell the papers or shall I look and his name is Bardot? That's right. Vincent Bardot Well, you you mean that he that he painted two of them sure with probably something like this in mind I can't look what it's done for him put him on the map anything he paints now will let him a fortune And I don't think you'll suffer particularly either. Mr. Gavin. Oh, well, no you Holland Well, you'll get a lot more than you thought for that pain of yours Man, what a fact sure But you know something what is it? I Just wonder if Lasha agree was in on this thing with him from the beginning the Chagri so help me I wouldn't put it beyond Sure he was in with Bardot and probably collecting plenty from Anyhow the insurance company is not anything But I hope they'll be a lot more careful the next time they insure a painting any so-called original Expense account total including 400 for the Chagri the hotel and the trip back to Hartford $620 even yours truly Johnny dollar Originates in Hollywood and is written produced and directed by Jack Johnstone heard in our cast were G. Stanley Jones Boris Lewis Harry Bartel Joseph Kearns Bert Holland and Byron came Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar