 Broadway's my beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle, The Gaudiest, The Most Violin, The Lonesomeest Mile in the World. Broadway is my beat, with Lemmy Thor as Detective Danny Cover. The mists rise from where September is dead, drift from the mound of fallen leaves, swirl cling to yellow of street lamp. And Broadway is October, and stillness and stone. And on ebb of night time, the dream walkers, and tugging at their sleeves, solitude. Run from it, beat on a door, and behind it the muted laughter and no one to hear what's outside. Run again, and suddenly far down the street, sudden shaft of yellow light, a trumpet's autumn song spilling into the gutter. And a man appears, reeled away. Run, take his place. A door is open. And another place of October where I was, the Detective Muggerman. Segment of city reserved for night children, for strollers, for lovers. Place where changes of season may be observed in planned gardens and on planned lakes. And this, a man lying dead in the autumn park. Danny? Huh? Come here a minute. Well? I guess you can't see it the way I'm holding the flash. Yeah, that better? Rock blood stains on it. What beat him to death, huh Danny? Maybe. What beat him to death? Take a tired man's word. Muggerman. Yeah, yeah. I'll go through his pockets. You were mine holding the flash for him. Thanks. That thing on him, Danny. No wallet, no identity, no papers. Nothing. It's real clean. Yeah, thanks. That's me, that's the size of it. Beaton, killed, robbed. They shine a flash here a minute, Danny. Yeah, yeah, here in his face. Nice face, young. 22, 23 at the most. Nice face, young. Intrusion on an October night. A riding red moon, leaf shadows and tree shadows. And the far sounds and closer, immediate. Granite rock in moist earth and a crushed man. Dead man. And now the far sound is the siren, the scream, the alarm. Notice of death. There are men coming along officially designated to look at it. Doctor, driver, picture taker, measure with a tape. Assign them this part of the night. Leave. Next morning, morgue. And flip aside the sheet so that people can lean close and look. And shake their heads. Now sir, he's not the one, not my son. Not my husband. Not the man who made me all those promises. Flip back the sheet. Body found in Central Park, unidentified. Until just before noon. Pranky. Pranky Spain. Friend of yours? Do the thing with the sheet, huh? Amigo, amigo. Friend of yours? Sure was. We can get out of here now, huh? Sure. Let's see. I've got you a name down here as Paul... Paul Gray. Put on Pranky Spain. That's what you got in there. Erase what's on his tag and put on... What made you come down here looking for him? He had to be here. Sooner or later. Oh. You were never here before. I've been down here three times, four, five. Pranky'd be gone for a day or night. I'd come down here looking. What was this Pranky Spain to you? A guy who ran down the court, hopped the net, shook my hand and said swell game, just swell. I haven't won even a set from him since late fall of 1950. Also, we got a place together. Name doesn't mean anything to you, does it? Paul Gray, Pranky Spain. No. Bums. Tennis bums. Good enough to get the third round at Forest Hills. Then anybody who seated would knock us over. Sometimes maybe we'd do an upset, not often. Real good second rate. Bums. And Pranky had to wind up at the marg. Sure. How come? Fireball. Played a real good game off the court. Had some glorious wins in the face of odds. For example, once he had a sprained ankle and a blonde six feet tall. But now I'm tattling and being jealous and not at all kind to the dead and departed. You'd kill him? I never killed a thing in my life. Other people, not me, other people. What are you trying to say? Here I go yammering again. Sybil Madison. Now I can't stop myself. You should invite her down to see Pranky as a body. I go on and on, help. Sybil lives in an apartment on 39th. 1212. I hate myself. Yes. Miss Madison? Yes. I'm from the police, Danny Clover. Danny Clover. And then the thought occurs to me that if you are what you say you are you have the wrong Miss Madison. Sybil Madison, friend of Pranky Spain. And now you've given me something else to think about. Pranky Spain. And suddenly I'm quite helpless. May I come in? Helpless and without defense. You said the password, twice. You said Pranky Spain. Miss Madison. Please, please come in. I'm a girl who likes to sit on the floor in front of fireplaces, fold my hands around my knees and put my chin on them and look into the fire and think to myself, I know what fire is. Not many do, but I do. Because did you mind? No. There. And the thought, why you and not Pranky? Did he send you to tell me? He's dead. How did he die? We found him in the park. He'd been beaten with a rock, killed and robbed. I want to tell you about Pranky Spain. I really do. I want to tell you how it was with Pranky Spain. All you have to do is listen. All right. A girl had to be clever, terribly clever to hold him because a boy like Pranky could get away from you. He lost you so easily. Because there were other women? Because there were other women. The other women Pranky knew, do you... When Pranky had not come to me, I would call a place. The place of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Carey. And Vincent would say, no, he's not here. And I would say, tell him Sibyl called. And Vincent would say, I'll do that, Sibyl, if he drops by. Sibyl, Vincent, we've never even seen each other. You have Mr. Carey's address? Yes. Yes, I'll give it to you. And then you will go away. Isn't that terribly sensible, Mr. Clover? Yes. You don't seem to understand, Vincent. I've said it three times now. I've got to go shopping. But Mr. Clover came all the way up here to find out what we knew about Pranky Spain. Do you want me to look like a human being for the dinner party? Do you want me to buy a dress, or do you want me to do what I threaten... I don't care. You can do what you want, Eugene. And any suggestion I can make to help out. Bye, dear. Why didn't you stop her, Mr. Clover? You seem to be the one who knows about Pranky, not her. Well, I'm broken up about what's happened, I can tell you. Why? Have you ever had a friend suddenly as gone? Have you known Pranky long? Three years. You a tennis player? I watch tennis players, Mr. Clover, a joy I get. How about Pranky? Three years ago I saw him in a clay court match in Queens. I waited for him after the game, got myself introduced and bought him a drink. Why? Because a kid can hit a ball like Pranky. I'm a man Pranky hot enough. I asked you a question. Why? How do you think these tennis boys live? Just tell me about Pranky, huh? Three years ago I saw him put him on allowance. A comer, that was Pranky, a sponsor, me. He had a great season, two local championships, invited to Forest Hills. Almost made it to the quarterfinals. Go on. Two years ago it started off real fine, started early down south. I paid his way, went along, me and my wife. Finals in Miami won at Savannah, then nothing. Nothing at all. Which brings us up to last year. And poor. A big disappointment this year worse. A good player, a big game when he played someone worse than himself, otherwise just fair. Disappoint. You're still sponsored? Well, you understand. No, just tell me. Laugh? What do you mean? He attracted people. Women. I don't. Side lines, that's right. Women? A talent for it, big. You know, look good, big. Who killed him? Somebody bigger than him, I guess. Bigger for as long as it took to kill him. You? I haven't felt that big for years. Why don't you go now? It's a good time for it. Bye. And outside, city is seen through prisms of October dusk, twilight refracted off sheets of glass, off chrome off facades of marble and stone. And through fall of October evening, quick passage of the going home people, the finished with work people, city in motion, and somehow city at standstill, motionless, caught in the in-between time, held in the time of autumn dusk, and ride through it and take the way through the park. In the place where the night before, a man lay in violent death and stopped for a while, and only chilled there now, the boy with a twig searching for the new fall of leaves who sees you watching him walk slowly away. Stay a while longer, then start the car, head downtown. And at headquarters commissary, order the pot roast and the special, lemon pile at Curse Hill. And the commissary talk drifts into nightfall. Upstairs, then, be told that the front desk a lady has been waiting for you. Hello there, you remember me? Hello, Mrs. Cary. What do you do? I finish shopping and I came to see you and they said for me to wait in here. I've been waiting quite a while now. Not that I mind. It's still quite a long while. Why, Mrs. Cary? To tell you something. Something I didn't want Vincent to hear, not right away. All in good time. It's what I always say to him. Do Vincent, that is. Tell me what, Mrs. Cary? Of Frankie Spain. What about him? Why, that I killed him, that's all. Do you think for a moment I waited for you for another reason? I killed Frankie. Surely that's reason not, Mr. Clover? Of course it is. You are listening to Broadway's My Beat, written by Morton Fein and David Friedkin and starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Who said America has lost her last frontier? It's not so, and it won't be so while CBS Radio stars Bill Conrad and Gunsmoke every Saturday night on most of these same stations. Gunsmoke, a truly grown-up western drama, gives exciting accounts of America's frontier struggles, taking us back to early Dodge City when even a minor dispute could lead to Gunsmoke. Later tonight at the star's address, enjoy Gunsmoke on CBS Radio. It's Listening Dynamite. When October comes again and the night has spilled down over Broadway, the street is spangled with autumn strollers. They come here, the seekers after something or other, to pick a doorway with a promising sign or pick a smile and run after it, or buy a turtle and have your name painted on it or a necktie or a leather pillow and send it back to mom with her name embroidered in sequins. And if you're lucky, you'll get lipstick on your handkerchief. But the odds say you'll buy a newspaper and go to bed. And at headquarters in the corridors of dull shock and a room, office, and a woman. No, thank you. I don't smoke. However, I killed a man. I suppose a kind of equilibrium could be... Mrs. Cary, tell me about it. If that look you've got connotes that I'm a murderous, you're wrong, you know. I pushed him away. He fell. He struck himself. Oh? Not out of frustration. Don't get that idea, please. He didn't beat himself to death because I said to him, no, because I said to him, don't, because I laughed at him. Even when he... Let's start all over again. Just so you'll know where it's all leading, you've got to hear the word accident. Did you hear it? Accident. You heard it, didn't you? He slipped and he fell. And from what I understand, he liked to knock his brains out. However, I didn't know he was dead at the time. I merely thought he looked ridiculous. Now we come to the beginning. All right? All right. My husband is a fool. Accept the fact, Mr. Clover, it's important to how this turns out. Go on. Vincent, my husband, had admiration for Frankie Spain. An athlete. Vincent was going to see Frankie on the Davis Cup team. Why aren't you laughing? Just to... Because it's pitiful. See how understanding you suddenly are. Just see. Now we go on. Frankie Spain once snapped his fingers at me and I didn't come running. A brute makes noises and gets no response. Beginning of tragedy, which ended on a rock in Central Park. With me? Yeah. Frankie tried and tried. Tried and tried. Last night you decided it kept him waiting long enough. I won't scratch your eyes out because it's partly true. I met him so I could grin at him and laugh at him when it became ridiculous. Listen, I told you what happened. He got gay. He started to slap me around. Look, a bruise. You see, from slapping around, I pushed him. He fell. Dead savage. Dead fellow tennis player, him. Soft of facts. Exactly. Word will just have to get out to fellas that when I say no, I mean it. You book me now, don't you? Shall we go? Tony. Yes, Tino? Good morning. Good morning, Tino. You slept well I trust. You didn't, you know? Mrs. T, her and her recurrent dreams. Each October on the dot, Mrs. T courses and turns as prehistoric monsters trod through her slumber. And each October on the dot, she wakes me, describes the monster. Tony says, Do you know what is it? Last night's sleep was disturbed by a pterodactyl. Disturbed? That's the fellow with wings, Danny. I looked it up in our reference and I just phoned it into Mrs. T. She should be worried. Yes, Danny. Do you have anything for me? This phone call was waiting for me while I was talking to Mrs. T. Which I took after putting Mrs. T's mind to rest. What phone called, Tino? From Mr. Montez, of Montez Jewelers on Park Avenue. That one. That one, huh? The one in which Mr. Montez informed me, he believes he has received a jewelry stolen from the deceased Frankie Spain. Mr. Montez was not positively certain who would not say how he knew. However, Mr. Montez suggested... I'll go talk to him. Exactly, Mr. Montez suggested, Danny. Bye, Danny. Uptown then and east to Park and slow ride of the Avenue and display of autumn fashions Dockshund in tailored fur jacket tethered to young woman in matching outfit and salute of uniform dormant as they pass in review. Salute also from elderly gentlemen wearing black humberg and followed at three paces by elderly woman with small animal of piercing eyes cradled in mink sleeve. Receding images of the season as seen through rear view mirror of squad car. Slow ride of Autumn Avenue and at 60th Street sleek glistening expansive plate glass and on it in lowercase guilt left hand corner the word Montez and inside Mr. Montez has arranged a thing for your consideration. These trinkets gold watch, gold ring, gold medal, slender gold chain to be worn about the neck as affected by athletes and lesser men and this slave bracelet it is called of gold. You said on the phone you thought there were Frankie Spains. On the back of these, there are legends engraved very fine commemorating hazards of the sport tennis. This one, Los Angeles Tennis Club and the word love. This one, Peoria Country Club because you made a set point Frankie, other legends of like ilk. I read of a tennis athlete Frankie Spain dead that he was robbed therefore I dare the presumption I'll take them please and now you will care to know how this came to Montez. There is a client she finds things for example there was a party the Leland's gave a month ago she finds things brings them to Montez to refashion to her tastes yesterday she brought these trinkets to refashion she found them, she said. On this card, her name, below it her address. May I use your phone? When I have got. Danny Gino have Margaret pick up Mrs. Nora Morley 1 8 3 2 West 73rd bring her in for questioning you got that? Nora Morley West 73rd yeah questioning what about Danny? just tell Margaret to bring her in I'll be down a little while I have a call to make thanks you know Mr. Clover and Mr. Clover to be told that I'm I want you to look at some things Miss Madison to a funeral for today they're burying Frankie Spain and I want to be there and I do not that's Frankie's you're sure? Frankie once took that bracelet off his wrist and held it against my throat and whispered slave, slave, slave over and over he left a mark for the whole night on this? that he wore about his neck Frankie Spain did once I took it off and I held it to his ear like this and he was a pirate bold Frankie Spain on that watch, on the watch of Frankie Spain my time with him fled thanks Miss Madison wait naughty naughty you're holding something back what? his cigarette case that another woman gave him that he flaunted under my nose that he teased me with he said why don't you buy me things give it to me please give it to me there was no cigarette case this was all naughty you keep it if you want you keep it yes may I go now to the funeral of Frankie Spain yes thank you I thought she was a living doll Danny a cute little old lady who looked like a doll until I caught her tapping me for where my wallet was thing about this world Danny takes all time I'll remember that see you watch your hip pocket that's all okay officer you can go how are you Mrs. Marley I'm very well thank you I told me you tried to pick his pocket I thought I'd try I wasn't very good now you're chuckling and saying such an old lady with such a that's kind that you stumble when you ask but no I don't do that sort of thing often what do you do Mrs. Marley I'm sure you'll find out find out why I've been in this building before you know the annex exactly where I can't help it I pay for everything later oh I've been warned and warned how did you happen to have Frankie Spain's jewelry Mrs. Marley oh easy oh my tell me about it you mean that young man in the park don't you that's right he was blind drunk oh such a shame such a young man too now here I am 63 years old and just as alive as you please and that young man with all that jewelry I bet he wasn't a day just tell me how come you had his jewelry Mrs. Marley well let's put two and two together shall we young man there's this boy lying there and here I come walking with my dog get the picture rolled him what happened to the cigarette case you just said the cigarette case but why did you say cigarette case Frankie Spain had one it's not where the stuff you brought to Mr. Montaise you're crazy you're sure there wasn't any I'm an old woman I've seen things that would gray your curly hair no things do know when to be sure you asked me was there a cigarette case I say no cigarette case I'm sure I'm sure confess that's right I can't believe it you'll see you could have told me we've been trying to locate you since it happened this way hand off my arm please sergeant okay do you know Vincent where were you dear when the plug was pulled on everything he just found out you'd confess what do you want I did it for you that's the way it turned out your friend tried to kiss me in the park on quite a lovely night in quite a lovely setting and I remembered the code and I just had to push him away and that way I preserved your respect I want to thank you very much dear Jean the way the confession reads it was all a matter of self-defense that's police talk for what I explained to you dear I know proud of me dear wait I want to look at my husband's being proud of me yes mr clover what is it did you ever buy frankie spain a cigarette case a cigarette case yes no that's right she never did mr clover only once and you know what once is hardly worth mentioning it was so long ago I've got to tell you something dear when I leave here I'm gonna get drunk a good drunk Jean a righteous drunk why I've been all over the city all day long thinking about it you frankie mr clover if you're looking for a cigarette case if you're looking for a cigarette case for whatever reason and if it's the one my wife gave to that boy it's home it's in my house yesterday morning it appeared and I guessed my wife got it back from frank you said you didn't like frankie spain not much why did you kill him police call itself depends it was he was throwing her over she had to defend herself against it yes Vincent I could do the same thing to you I could beat him to death I could like you did to frankie just like it only well Vincent you wouldn't be worth it frankie was he just wasn't going to throw me over that's all I promised myself that long ago nobody is going to throw me over Broadway's wearing its harlequin clothes it winks an eye and beckons and in the press of crowd there a pale girl walks like a queen because it's a dream street and there the man with begging eyes hungry with his new dream it's a laugh or a cry with nothing in between it's Broadway the gaudiest the most violent the lonesomeest mile in the world Broadway My Beat Broadway's My Beat stars Larry Thor as detective Danny Clover with Charles Calvert as Tartaglia and Jack Krushen as Muggevin the program is produced and directed by Elliott Lewis with musical score composed and conducted by Alexander Courage in tonight's story Joan Banks was heard as Jean and Lou Merrill as Vincent featured in the cast were Sammy Hill Florence Walcott and Sam Edwards Bill Anders speaking a reminder your date with Detective Danny Clover will come on Wednesday night starting next week missed to be fans who enjoy following Danny's cases and throwing in clues from armchair sleuthing range you'll want to make a note of Danny's change of night and time and each Wednesday thereafter stop and listen for Broadway's My Beat thrilling as ever at its new night and time the trap dramatic show of all the Lux Radio Theatre is heard Monday nights on the CBS Radio Network