Here's Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, private detective. It's five o'clock in New York City and the big neon signs light up the dark office that overlooks Broadway on the corner of 53rd Street. Behind a secondhand mahogany desk relaxing in a swivel chair is the leading figure of the Diamond Detective Agency, combination stockholder, office boy and clue chaser. He is Richard Diamond and his mind is on a lovely redhead named Helen Asher as she sits on a couch talking about things he likes to hear. At this moment however another scene is taking place in the wealthy district of Long Island. A long black convertible is just pulling up to an old English mansion and a curvaceous blonde steps from the car. She is met at the door by her brother. Well good evening my dear sister. You're looking simply ravishing. How would you know the difference? Oh drop dead. You're a disgusting excuse for a man. Why don't you sober up for five minutes and take a look at yourself? I did once. Oh by the way our dear stepfather would like to see you in the study. Tell him to go. I already did. Now it's your turn. I don't want to. I'll get out of my way Chris. Suit yourself. But Murray Lang's in there with him. Murray? Did I start your heart going pity pat? Oh shut up. You better go and protect your money darling. I don't care what your plans are. They can send my daughter and that's enough for me to put a stop to. You're not gonna put a stop to anything. You can't intimidate me Lang. You're just a cheat no good gangster and your methods are too well known to frighten me. Come in. Oh hello Liz. Hello Murray. I'm glad you're here Elizabeth. Mr. Lang and I were just discussing your future. I'm surprised you put up with it this long Murray. Come on let's leave my dear stepfather until he simmers down. Elizabeth I want to talk to you. Well I don't want to talk to you. Let's go Murray. Listen to what he has to say. Maybe you'll get a laugh out of it. Well what is it? I've just been talking with Lang about your intention to marry him. I have advised him that if such a thing were to take place it would result in the most serious of consequences. Is that all? No that is not all. When you got into your trouble with the police my dear stepdaughter you were paroled in my custody. If I should report to the board that you had violated the terms of your probation you would most certainly go to prison. Why you... what's the matter? Aren't you satisfied with the salary you collect for taking care of mother's estate? How dare you you little... Sit down. You look bigger behind a desk. Well just yell and scream all you want to. After Monday you better start looking for another source of income. You know very well it's not the money but your greasy boyfriend here would certainly like to get his hands on it. Look you I don't give a hang if you are a midget. I'm not gonna stand here and listen to you. Murray. No baby I won't take it. I'll wring his scrawny little neck. Go on Lang go on. It would give me the greatest of pleasure to call the police and have you locked up. I'll fix it so you won't have a head to call anyone with. Murray leave him alone can't you see that's what he wants. Yes well Mr. Lang. Come on Liz let's get some fresh air. I want to say one more thing just remember father my probation expires Monday after that you won't control any part of my income so you better start getting packed. And if I report you to the probation board in the morning? I wouldn't. If you do that you'll not only stop being my guardian but you'll stop breathing. Get out. Get out both of you. Come on Murray. Try to intimidate me. I'll make them both sorry. Detective detectives. Private detective. Yes yes. Ah here's one. Full page ad must be doing very well. Richard Diamond private detective. If you've got a case share it with me Richard Diamond. Yeah. Mr. Diamond. That's right. I want to hire you for a few days. Oh you saw the ad. Well it just so happens I'm available. I can't tell you much over the phone. Too many extensions in the house but it's about my daughter. I'm afraid she's going to get herself into some serious trouble. How old is she? 20. Tell her to wait a year. My name is Chase Ralph Chase. I live at 82 Maple Drive, Sandpoint. Will you come out this evening? A hundred dollars a day and dibs on the ice box. I'll see you about eight. Goodbye Mr. Diamond. What was that all about Rick? I got a job baby. When do you start? Oh yes you're right. No Rick you can start it in the morning you can't break another one tonight. Now come on Helen baby a job's a job. And a date's a date. I won't let you break this one. Your car downstairs? Yes but I can drive myself home please Rick. You promised you wouldn't break another one. Keys in it? Yeah look I want to hire you to protect me for this evening. I've been receiving mysterious phone calls and I'm in fear of my life. Really? You've got to take the job. Old friends come first. I'll have to get home and shave before I start working. You mean you'll take it? After 12 30. Bye baby. You beast. Oh you must be getting tired from driving that big car around all day. Grab a cab honey it'll give you some rest. I'll take good care of your car. What? Want a buck for the cab? Huh? No no on second thought you only live about 25 blocks. Walk will do you good. Rick. Deep breathing all the way up fifth avenue. Nothing like it. Bye baby. Oh. On the way to the car I thought about Helen. The most wonderful girl in the world. Money, looks. But she had one bad fault. She wanted to get married. I got into the big sedan and headed for my apartment. I'd been up late the night before with a blonde singer and I was feeling tired. Funny how things change. My nights in college were just as busy but at one o'clock the next afternoon I was out playing football. I face facts pretty well so when I got home I took a nap. I slept until seven and got up and dressed. I drove Helen's car out to Long Island and at eight o'clock sharp I was ringing the doorbell of the Chase Mansion. It was a big house all right. If they built another one like it Long Island would sink. Well to someone at me chamber door. My name's Chris. Boo. Blow your boo's some other direction. Your breath would wither along. My alcoholic exhalations are composed of the finest ingredients. You must have a weak stomach. Look if you'll just stagger out of the way I'd like to see Mr. Chase. Dead or alive. What? Nothing. I was just thinking out loud. Well go right ahead and after you talk with my stepfather you can find me in the bar. You'll probably wind up like I am. That's a sweet thought. Where can I find your stepfather? Probably in the library lying in my money. I left him leaning against the front door gagging in the fresh air. I wandered down a long hallway and a big sitting room furnished with enough antiques to make the Metropolitan Museum give up in shame. There was something about the place. A heavy quietness like a bar of gold in a dark room. The shot had come from up ahead and I tried a couple of doors before I found the room. Mr. Chase. Mr. Chase. In here. In here. Mr. Chase. Yes. Yes. Coming in. Shut the door. I looked over at Ralph Chase crouching behind a desk. He got up slowly all five feet of him and I tagged him for a guy who would give a thousand dollars for every inch you could put on his legs. He looked like he could afford to be a mile high. The tall French windows are open at the back of the room and you could still smell burning cordite. Someone tried to shoot me from the garden. Yeah I heard the shot. You must be Diamond. That's right. Don't you think you better shut the French doors and pull the drapes before someone takes another shot? Yes. Yes. Very good idea. You pull the diamond. The Shade Diamond. You can start earning your money right now. You're a little excited but I'll start to work. Be careful. He might still be out there. Well I doubt it. I can't see anyone out here. He just missed me. You can see where the bullet hit the wall. I jumped in, hid behind the desk. Didn't you hear him on the porch? No he must have stood in the soft grass that surrounds the garden. That's a good 10 feet from the house. You're lucky he didn't move in closer. He probably wouldn't have missed. Got any idea who it was? Of course. It was Murray Lang. Murray Lang? The gambler? Yes. Do you know him? I used to be on the force. Sent him up six years ago on a larceny ramp. Then you know what he's like. He was in the house this afternoon. We had an argument and he threatened me. An argument with your daughter? Yes. About my daughter. How did you know? Well you told me she was getting herself into trouble. She couldn't have picked a better playmate than Lang to get there with. Father we heard a shot. Not really. Oh let's go. He's not dead. My stepchildren Mr. Diamond. Oh well lovely. I'm quite alive so you can both stop looking so unhappy. Does it show? Come on sis let's find the guy who fired that shot. I want to give him a few pointers. Where's Murray Lang Miss Jade? Yes he's the man you want. I'm sure he tried. Don't be absurd. Murray left three hours ago. What are you a cop? Does it show? You're wearing too much cologne. Come on Chris. Oh she's nice. That's Elizabeth. The boy's her brother Chris. I'd hate to draw straws. I married their mother and raised those two brats after she died. The courts appointed me executor of this state. They don't like you handling their money is that it? Yes since they've been old enough to ask for 50 cents to go to a movie they've condemned me for watching their interests. You uh you said you were worried about your stepdaughter. Tell me about it. I'll make it brief. Hate long explanations. Elizabeth got into some trouble with the police hit and run. She had been drinking. The man died. Liz was sentenced to a year in Folsom but I got her off on probation. Well what do you want me to do? Drive around with her and spoil her aim? Monday the probation expires. She says she is then going to marry this hoodlum Murray Lang. And you don't want that because you think he's after her money. Exactly. When she marries the will reads that I shall as executor turn over half of the estate to Elizabeth. What about Christopher? He looked irresponsible when he was born. His mother left instructions that he should not receive his share until he is 35. That's another eight years. Well your stepdaughter's old enough to know what she's doing. I can't see how you can stop her. That's what I want you to do. And if I do you would be in a pretty good spot. What do you mean Mr Diamond? You continue as executor. I can understand you thinking something like that but believe me as much as I dislike my stepchildren I wish to keep them in line for their late mother's sake. Oh well Mr Chase I'll take a look around outside. Maybe I can come up with something that'll point out the would-be killer. If it was Lang you can stop worrying about Elizabeth. Sing Sing doesn't boast a wedding chapel. I went out through the French doors and started looking around on the soft grass that bordered the garden. I had a fat hunch so I stopped looking and started wandering. I was halfway through the rosebed when I spotted them. It was Elizabeth and a man. In the darkness I couldn't make him out but Murray Lang was my best guess. They went up a narrow path to one of those Chinese pagodas at the far end of the garden and I stepped up close enough to give my ears a workout. It was Lang all right. I don't care what you think. I didn't take a shot at the old man. Then who did? He's got a policeman in there now and he's going to start trouble. Let him. I'm clean. If it was that lushtuff brother of yours. Chris hates him but he'd never try to kill him. Well then stop hounding me. Maybe you took a shot at the old boy. Murray. Well you got a good reason. Tired trying to buck the whole Chase household. If you love me let's take off tonight and get married. Tell the old man to go to the devil. You can certainly wait till Monday. Yeah but he won't. He's going to cause some kind of trouble and get you tossed into Folsom. He's not going to give up all that money just because you're through with your probation. He probably cooked up that shooting just to get the cops here. Murray what's going to happen to us? Oh ask your stepfather. He's been doing your thinking for you. I don't have to. We'll get married Monday. Okay. I'm staying clear of this place till then. But what if there's more trouble? I haven't got anyone to turn to. You worry about it baby. I got a police record that makes yours look like a merit badge. I was too good a target in the moonlight so I started back up the walk to the house. As I passed a hedge I noticed a funny looking plant that was shoving its way out of the foliage. I'm sorry I did that. It was the Johnny jump up variety. Black. The guy on the other end of the sap gave it to me right over the eyes and I went down like a crapshooter making a pass. I rolled over and watched the moon melt and run down in my eyes. Something warm and sticky spread over my face and turned the night red. Yeah I was bleeding again. I guess I showed signs of recovering so he started all over. This time he used his foot in my side. Oh. Oh a couple more kicks in the ribs and in the right place and he could have whipped up a fast course of Nola. I felt tired so I rolled up in an old rose bush and went to sleep. When you finally start coming around it's like swimming your way out of an acre of mud. If you've taken enough beatings before you diagnose things in a hurry. The pain in your head is where you got sapped. The ache in your ribs is where he booted you. And the thought in your mind is oh it's something about an eye for an eye as you've got one left. I sat up slowly and looked around. No one in sight. My watch said 10 o'clock. I'd been out for an hour and I was feeling lonely until I started to get up. I made it to one knee and looked down at the best reason I could think of for staying home nights. It was Murray Lang and you couldn't blame him for staring. He wasn't impolite. Just dead. Something on the walk beside him gleamed in the moonlight. I took out my handkerchief and scooped it up. It was a little nickel plate at 32. You could still smell the fresh powder in the barrel. I put it in my pocket and stumbled back to the house. Chris opened the door. Well you shouldn't drink so much. I never get so loaded to look like that. Try it sometime. It might be a little too much. I told you once before not to do that. Now tell me where were you 10 minutes ago? I was in the bar. Who was with you? Red and green midgets and I let go of my collar. Okay. Where's the phone? In the hall. Hey what's going on? Who beat you up? Nobody. I always bleed like this on warm nights. Big pores. Sounds. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Homicide Sergeant Otis talking. Who taught you how? Did you sit up nights with a parrot? Oh very funny. Only one guy could think up a lousy joke like that. What do you want Diamond? A picture of you. I'm going to show some doctors that mercy killing has its points. Now let me speak to the lieutenant. Comic. Homicide Lieutenant Levinson. Hello Walt this is Diamond. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let me get the bicarbonate. What's the matter? I get stomach trouble every time you call. Go ahead. All right. I got a killing for you. I know it. I know it. Why can't you be a good boy and stop finding corpses? I'm out at Sands Point 82 Maple Drive. I think I've got the murder weapon in my pocket. Who's dead? An old friend. Murray Lang and you better step on it. There's a drunk staggering around the place. He's allowed to spot the body and put it in the cold shower to sober it up. All right. We'll be right out. Hold the fort. So Mr. Lang's dead. You better stop sneaking up on people Buster. And you'd better stop telling me what to do in my own house Mr. Diamond. You sobered up pretty quick. I heard what you said about finding the murder weapon. May I see it? No. It stays in my pocket until homicide gets here. Whose gun is it? It's a 40 pound broadsword. Now stop trying to look like a Chicago muscle man or I'll start slapping you. There you are Diamond. I've been looking for you. I... Scott what happened to your face? Someone was giving away hints. Chris did you have something to do with this? Hardly. Mr. Diamond has a decided advantage over me. He has muscles. I'll be in the bar. What's happened? Where's Elizabeth? I don't know but her boyfriend's got troubles. He can't explain the hole in his chest. Lang what do you mean? He's out in the garden. Someone shot him. Is he dead? If he's not he's trying awful hard. Then we'd better call the police. That's been taken care of. What kind of a gun do you own Mr. Chase? You don't say... No I don't. I just dig around till I come up with a plan. What kind of a gun do you own? By a 45... Now wait a minute Diamond. If you've got any ideas about this murder you'd better wait until the police get here. Now look Chase I've been insulted in your house, had the air let out of my ego by your beautiful stepdaughter and beat up in your garden. That's a full night's work and now I'm on my own time. Where can I find Elizabeth? I don't know. She may be up in her room. Where is it? End of the hall, head of the stairs, first door. Thanks. It's beginning to rain. What about Lang's body? Well if he catches cold call me. I went down the long hallway to the foot of a massive staircase. The only light was the one burning in the room I just left. I looked over my shoulder and saw Mr. Chase framed in its dim glow watching me. In that moment I thought who Chase reminded me of. A triangle hat, his hand in his vest and Napoleon had a twin. I went up the stairs two at a time. Yes? Pardon me for barging in but some guy in the garden just beat all the bashfulness out of me. How dare you? You get out of my room. You better put on something a little warmer honey. That thing would start a Harry Carrey epidemic in Boston. What do you want? Yeah. What did you do after Lang left you in the garden? What? Big ears. I overheard everything you said. I see someone pushed your face around. It's an impression. Did Murray catch you eavesdropping? Only if he did he won't have much time to gloat. What do you mean? If you've done anything to Murray... Aren't you getting ready for bed a little early? I don't know what you want. I don't have to answer any of your ridiculous questions. Now if you don't turn around and get out of here... What's the matter baby? The drawer empty? Hmm. Lose something? No. Maybe this is it. Where did you get that gun? It was lying in the garden. It was lying in the garden beside your boyfriend's body. Beside it? That's it lover. Now sit down and relax. As Murray did. Like Jimmy Fiddler's gossip column. Didn't you hear anything after Murray left you? Oh no. I was crying. I ran back to the house and came up here. Is there another way back to the house besides the path that Murray took? There's one that leads to those outside doors. I came right to my room. Please leave me alone. This is your house. This is your gun isn't it? Yes but I didn't do it. I didn't. Murray and I were going to be married Monday. Ballistics will probably show it's the one that did the job. You better tell me everything you know. I don't know anything. I didn't shoot Murray. Someone stole my gun from the drawer. Please find out who did it. If they hold me I'll go to prison anyway. Please Mr. Diamond. Please. It's going to be tough if this is the gun. I'm pretty sure it is. You could still smell the powder when I... The powder. What's the matter Mr. Diamond? Huh? Oh. Oh nothing, nothing. Look, you stay in your room. Maybe I can do you some good. I promise you'll stay here. Sure. I'm not going any place. Try and snap out of it. Sometimes you keep losing until there's nothing left to play with. It breaks the jinx. I went downstairs and started looking for Chase. As I passed the doors leading to the garden I stopped cold. The flash of lightning turned the garden flat white. Someone was standing over what was left of Murray Lang. Well, like the view? Oh Diamond, I was just looking at the body. I talked with your daughter. She says the gun that killed Lang was hers. What? She claims she had an argument but won't admit she shot him. Oh, I can't believe it. Certainly she had no reason... unless. Unless what? Well, unless she found out Lang was just after her money. That's possible. Anyway, if she did do it I still can't figure who worked me over. Maybe it was Lang. You told me yourself he didn't like you. Maybe it was Elizabeth. Oh no, it would have to be somebody very strong. She might have kicked you but never could she have hit you hard enough to crack your head open like that. Yeah, tell me, when does Elizabeth come into her money? Why, at the end of the probation. The court set it aside until she was cleared of all charges. Who gets it if she goes to prison? Well, I'm the sole executive of the state but she's not going to jail. She didn't do this thing. I'll get the best counsel in the country. I'm sure you will. Tell me something, Chase. It's pretty obvious that my face got pushed around but... how did you know my ribs got the same treatment? What? It doesn't show. It just hurts. Why, I... Well, you told me. What are you getting at, Diamond? You'd have to reach pretty high to sap me but if you were mad enough you could make it. This is absurd. I'm going inside. And when I get grouchy it's better to listen. I'm allowed to use you to make the flowers grow. Go ahead, Mr. Diamond. I'm listening. Well, everybody in this house has some sort of motive for killing. With Elizabeth it could be the old story of a woman scorned. With your lushtup stepson he could want to put the blame on his sister so he'd get more than his share of the estate. And we certainly know you stand to profit if Elizabeth goes to prison because you retain custody of the family fortune. I'm getting wet, Mr. Diamond. Everybody's story's weak but only one of them doesn't stand up. You said earlier this evening someone tried to shoot you from outside your library. Of course they did. You had the shot and saw the bullet hole. That's right I did. But you told me he was standing outside the room by a good ten feet. Nothing to say, Chase. You're trying to catch me up in something. Oh, you are so right. Now when I walked into that room I could still smell burning cordite. To smell fresh gunpowder like that the gun would have to have been fired outside the room. You stazed it so I'd think someone was trying to kill you. Is that all, Mr. Diamond? Outside of the slip you made about kicking me in the ribs. Now, let's go inside. I don't think so, Diamond. Oh. Oh, that the.45 you were telling me about? Yes. Go ahead, make a try for it. I'm going to show you how it works. You kill Lang with your stepdaughter's gun and you're going to collect the money if she goes to prison. Oh, you're a slob. My stepdaughter could easily kill two men tonight. You're in a spot. You can't shoot me with that.45 and make it look like the same person killed Lang too. So you've got to get the.32 in my pocket. Give me Elizabeth's gun, Diamond. You try and get it, Chase. Why, you... Rick, Rick, are you out there? Better give it up, Chase. That's the law. He eats little men like you. He's out there, look, man. Drunk city slum for a while. Rick! Stay right there, Diamond. Another killing won't matter if you try and stop me. For Pete's sake, if you're out there, Rick, answer me. I'm getting soaked. Just keep your mouth closed, Diamond. I'm getting out of here. You'll never make it, Chase. They'll pick you up inside of an hour. Not if you're too dead to tell them. Yes, that's it. If I kill you, I'll eat at least ten... You should watch your step, Chase. Keep your head down, old man. Somebody's mad. Shut up, old man. Get out from under that bench. Rick! Over here, Walt. What's going on, Rick? Who's doing all the shooting? Well, he took turns. He was just going to kill me when he tripped over the body of his first victim. I used this.32 in my pocket, shot him twice. He's dead, Lieutenant. Give me my baking soda, Otis. Hey, Adelton, don't look so unhappy, Rick. He was going to kill you. Oh, I'm not unhappy. I'm just sore that I didn't have time to take the gun out of my pocket. I ruined a darn good coat. The Three of Us The three of us went back in the house and Otis took Christopher up to bed so he could sleep it off. Walt listened to the story as I told it to Elizabeth. She cried a little and thanked me with her eyes. Walt went downstairs to clean things up and I sat by her bed until she went to sleep. She didn't even wake up when I kissed her goodbye. Oh, I guess it was better that way. I said goodbye to Walt and Otis and headed for 975 Park Avenue. I was late. My face could use a mile of bandage. I hoped Helen wouldn't mind. Yes? Oh, my goodness. Hello, Frances. Tell Miss Asher I brought a car back. Oh, how bad a wreck was it, sir? Give me a glass with a backbone, will you, Frances? Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Miss Asher's in the study. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Hi. Well, it's about... Oh, Rick, not again. Mm-hmm. You poor little face. Yeah, my poor little face. Well, you just stretch out on the couch and I'll get you a nice tall drink. Frances is already on his way. Oh. Feel better? Yeah. Oh, yes. Got a pillow? I'll hold your head up. How's this? Mm-hmm. Like some music to go with it? Sure. Turn on the radio. You comfortable? Mm-hmm. How about you? Uh-huh. That music sounds like San Francisco. Remember the top of the mark? Yeah. Fun, too. Fine if I turn off the light. The glow from the fire is enough. You're cured. Better? Much. The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing, but I can't weather the storm. What do I care how much it may storm? I've got my love to keep me warm. Mm-hmm. Me. I can't remember a worse December. Just watch those icicles form. What do I care if icicles form? I've got my love to keep me warm. I like your singing, too. Thanks. Off with my overcoat, off with my glove. I need no overcoat. I'm burning with love. My heart's on fire. The flame grows higher. So I will weather the storm. Why do I care how much it may storm? I've got my love to keep me warm. That was nice. Hey, why don't you turn the radio off? This is nicer. Come here, Rick. Oh, honey. Honey, you're reading my mind. Here's your drink, Mr. Diamond. Oh, my goodness. You have just heard the fourth of a new series, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. Helen was played by Virginia Gregg, Lieutenant Levinson by Ed Begley. Also in our cast were Wilms Herbert, Betty Moran, Jane Novello, Jack Edwards, and Tal Avery. Music was under the direction of David Baskerville. Richard Diamond is written by Blake Edwards and directed by William P. Rousseau. Even here in America, we're liable to have a few misconceptions about freedom. Many of us regard it as an outright gift with no strings attached. Well, that isn't quite so. All of us have received a heritage of liberty, a legacy of freedom forged in other days. Remember that the liberty you enjoy is a precious legacy, a legacy that can be lost through disuse. Don't ignore freedom. Work at it. For freedom is everybody's job. Now, this is Eddie King inviting you to be with us again at the same time next week when we will again bring you Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. This program has come to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
