Here is another in NBC's great parade of new shows. Now, Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, private detective. Hello there, this is Diamond. You know, I'm sure a lot of you people have never seen this big city of New York that I live in. But you ought to. It's really worth seeing. I don't mean a four-bit tour in a bus. I mean that one time that you stop along the way and really take a good look. Maybe it's from a building 40 floors up. You brace yourself against the stiff morning breeze, and you lean out and watch the biggest city in the world wake up, stretch, roll up its progressive sleeves and go to work. Or maybe it's six o'clock in the evening and you're on your way home. You hold up at a busy intersection and you feel the colossus even before you see it. You look behind to the right, the left, and then up. And there it is. You can only take in three blocks maybe, but the pushing crowds and towering buildings are a common denominator for the Bronx, Park Avenue, and Flatbush. The rest you have to imagine because your dinner's waiting. Well, I'm lucky in a way. My dinner's ready when I start throwing nickels in the automat. My meals and my time are freelance, and my work is a ringside ticket to the biggest city in the world. Sure, it's lonely sometimes, and trouble walks the streets on a 24-hour beat. But that's how I pay my rent. Trouble's my silent partner. And he sends me everything from divorce labels to some marked City Morgue, DOA. Dead on arrival. One night last week, old man Trouble was sitting curled up on a doorstep watching two thugs hiding in the shadows of a building. Trouble had a big smile because he was cooking up a king-size mess for yours truly. Hey, Lou. Yeah? Ain't he ever gonna come out? He'll come out. We just gotta wait, that's all. Hello. Yeah, what is it? I hope he comes out soon. That cop car is doing a little while. Yeah. Hey, supposing they drive up the street just when he comes out. And we don't use the artillery. We don't? We follow him and get him someplace else. Okay, okay. Hey, Lou. What? Here he comes. Yeah. You ready? Yeah, sure. Look, he's got his two big watchdogs with him. Get set. Now. We'd better get going. Don't run, stupid. You think we was being clocked. Hey, Lou. There's that lousy cop car. Come on. Where are you going? In this club. Come on, hurry. Hey, Lou, supposing the cops come down here. Shut up. Table, gentlemen? Yeah, for my friend and me. Right this way. Would you like to take me a picture to take? Lou, are you crazy? We can't sit down at no table. They'll have the whole neighborhood covered in a few minutes. We can sit for a second and we'll go out the back door. Here you are, gentlemen. Is this all right? Oh, just stand. Yeah, this is just fine. Thank you. Very good, sir. I'll send a waiter right over. Oh, now come on, Lou. Let's blow this joint. Wait till he gets further away. Please, Lou. Okay. Now you go first. Take your time off, Molly. Picture, sir? Huh? No, miss. We don't want no photographs. Yeah, we don't want none. Thanks. Just the same. Oh, that's okay. Picture. Like a souvenir picture to take home? Well, come on. Right behind you. Now, hold it right there. No, no, no. Don't move. Thank you. That will do you good. Hey, Mel, hold it a minute. Yeah, what is it? That dame. This is no time to start looking at dames. No, you fathead. The one with the camera. So she's got good-looking legs, but we got... Uh-oh. What's the matter? There's a cop in the door. Get going, but take your time. I'll tell you about the dame later. Orlin. Yeah? What is it, Mr. Davis? Where are you going? Back to the dark room to develop these pictures. You always said not to keep the customers waiting, didn't you, Mr. Davis? I'm glad to see you listen to your employer. I'll just come along to see how this batch turns out. This batch isn't any different from the last hundred batches. We'll just go along and see. Oh, that does it. I beg your pardon. I said that does it. You cornered me in that dark room once, and it was all I could do to keep you away from me. Lin. You think that just because you run this place, you've got a right to make passes at me? You better get yourself a new girl. Maybe that isn't such a bad idea. Come to think of it, I kind of go for it myself. And as long as I'm quitting, here's something you've been asking for for a long time. Hey, what do you think you're doing? Now get out of my way. That phony French accent may fool the customers, but it doesn't fool me. You get out of here. Pick up your check and get out of here this minute, you little... Now, what were you going to say, Mr. Davis? Get out. Diamond Detective Agency, if you've lost a body, let us dig it up. Oh, Rex, that's awful. Depends on who we dig up and how long he's been there. Rex. Hello, Helen, baby. You're simply gruesome. I know it, but my tongue matches my shirts. What do you do when you wear stripes? I tell everybody I've been licking barber poles. Oh. Thought you'd catch me, didn't you? No, I don't think I'll ever catch you. Oh, I think you're the prettiest little old gal in the whole dang best of the state. The latter will get you nowhere. And we got a date tonight. Only if the elevator is still running. Mr. Diamond? Oh, I'll call you back later, honey. I think I just cited a client. Mr. Diamond, please, I've got to talk to you. Well, honey, go back and shut the door. If too much smoke gets out of here, the ceiling will cave in. Huh? Oh, yes. All right. Rick, did I hear a girl's voice? I think so, but maybe she just wears those clothes because her mother never had a haircut. What does she look like? I can't tell you right now. I'm parked behind a curb. Rick. The door is closed, Mr. Diamond. Now may I speak with you, please? Helen, I'll call you later. I don't care if she is a prospective client. You face the window when you're talking business. Well, there's a cigarette ad out there. Why look out at an ad when the slogan's right here in my office? Slogan? Yeah, you know. So round, so firm, so... Rick. Bye, baby. Now, uh, you were saying... I, uh... I want to hire you to protect me, Mr. Diamond. I know an easier way. Wear a diving suit. Mr. Diamond, put your eyes back in your head. And please listen to me. My life is in danger. There's an answer for that, too, but go on. Tell me the story. Well, my name is Knight. Miss? Yes. Yes. In the last two days, there have been several attempts on my life. By whom? Well, I don't know. Swallow. Do you know why anyone would want to kill you? No, no, I don't. Well, now we're getting someplace. Don't be funny, Mr. Diamond. I tell you that twice an attempt has been made on my life. How? Well, the first time, a man followed me home and tried to break into my apartment. I screamed and then frightened him off. Maybe he was lonesome. What about the other time? Well, I don't know whether it was the same man or not, but the next night, a man jumped out of a car and tried to make me go with him. I kicked him and ran down the block. Sounds more like a kidnapping than attempted homicide. Why didn't you tell this to the police? Oh, I did. They investigated, but I couldn't give them enough to go on, so they just put a man watching my apartment. I bet he has to stand in line. Didn't they give you an escort? No. They seemed to think I was after some kind of publicity or something. They told me it was all right to go out in the daytime but to stay in my apartment for the next couple of nights. Sounds reasonable. Will you help me, Mr. Diamond? I'm afraid this will happen again. My dear, my fee is 100 a day in expenses. 100 a day? Oh, Mr. Diamond, I don't have that kind of money. Neither do I, but if I starve, I do it with dignity. I can't lower my fee, Miss Knight. I never have. Well, then I'll just have to find another detective agency. There are a lot of good ones. I'm sorry. The rule might bend a little, but it won't break. If I took the job knowing you couldn't pay half the fee, ten minutes later, some guy from Texas with an oil-soaked wallet might want to hire me to count his gas stations. Ah, sorry, sorry, but it's a tough world, Miss Knight. Yeah. Well, thanks, Mr. Diamond. Maybe you could recommend someone? Oh, any of them are good. Just close your eyes and open the classified. Well, goodbye, Mr. Diamond. I'm sorry. So am I. My conscience just slit its throat. Like you said, Mr. Diamond, it's a tough world. Yeah, the toughest. Goodbye. Yeah. No, nuts. Yeah, what is it? Diamond? He's hiding his head in the desk. I'll get him for you. Come on out, you heel. Look, I don't know who this is, but put Diamond on the pipe. This is Diamond. Wait till I get the bad taste out of my mouth. Look, you can whet your whistle later. I've always wondered what happened to people who said that. Is there a dame in your office named Knight? Well, there was. She left just before you called. Well, let me give you a little tip. If she hired you, you're going to start feeling overworked right now, so tell her you don't want the job. Oh, I am, huh? Yeah. Well, your nearest relative is going to have to come down and identify the body. You know something? Know what? A couple of minutes ago, I proved that a good businessman can start looking like a big fat heel for a lousy hundred a day in expenses. Huh? Don't work on it too long, but stop in sometime, buster. I'd like to help you spit out your teeth. You'd better listen to what I say, Chalmers. You're way out of your class in this one. I'm always out of my class when I talk with slobs, and if you don't like it, look me up. I'll be working for Miss Knight. I went out of my office in a hurry. When somebody tries to push me around, it's like giving a kid a slingshot in a hothouse. You can tell him all night not to do it, but by morning he's busted every window in the place. I hoped I might catch Miss Knight before she got to the street, so I grabbed the elevator and went down to the first floor. I couldn't find her in the lobby, so I went out on the sidewalk. The street was crowded, but those curves showed up like a covered wagon on Madison Avenue. She was just diving across Broadway when a big black sedan pulled up and a guy climbed out after her. I took off as fast as my little 175 pounds would carry me and cut Kitty Korn her across the street with an eye on the black sedan. The guy had her by the arm, and I knew when she stopped struggling, he'd show her his gun. I was on a dead run, gonna make like a big hero, but his.38 changed my mind. He missed with the first one, then he shoved the girl away from him and tried again. I could hear the slug whine past my head so I hit the sidewalk right next to the girl. He jumped for the car. I just lay there and watched him drive off. Did you get the license number? No, it was covered with mud. Gee, I guess you must look pretty silly just sitting here. Yeah, got some jacks? I'm a wizard for this. Maybe you believe me now, Mr. Diamond. Yeah. Here, let me give you a hand up. Thanks. Now, come on, let's get out of here. We're collecting a crowd. Where are we going? I know a policeman who can't understand attempted assault and says it's not necessary. And believe me, baby, he's got a cure for it. Come on. In just a moment, we will return to Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. But first, the National Safety Council reports that in almost every motor vehicle accident, there is one or more violations of the law, speed, drink, and carelessness being the worst offenders. The difficulty is that people continue to think of the horror of accidents as always happening to someone else. It never occurs to us that we may be killed dashing out to lunch tomorrow. Yes, it can and does happen, for it's the careless little chances each one of us takes every day that cause the big accident totals. Every motorist and pedestrian is urged to support actively the safety movement in his own community. Be careful. The life you save may be your own. And now back to Dick Powell and the second act of Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Diamond is hurrying with his pretty client to see Lieutenant Levinson, head of homicide. I hailed cab and ten minutes later, Len Knight and I were walking into the 5th Precinct Police Station. Sergeant Otis looked up and started to say something, but when he saw it I was with, he changed it to a low whistle. Oh, stop puckering, Otis. You look like you've been unstopping sinks. Oh, very funny wise guy. How about introduction? Mrs. Knight, Sergeant Otis. Homicide's answer to mercy killings. Hello, Sergeant. Don't pay no attention to him, Miss Knight. He was born with a nasty disposition. Is the Lieutenant in, Sergeant? Yeah, go ahead. He'll see you. Nice meeting you, Miss Knight. Nice meeting you, Sergeant. Otis. Stop clucking. You'll have every rooster in town in here. Hello, Walt. Who's that with you? This is Miss Knight. Is she dead? Walt, say something nice to the Lieutenant, dear. After that last remark? Oh, look, Miss Knight, I'm sorry, but this guy you're with has a talent for finding homicides. I'm suspicious of everyone I see him with, because even if they walk into my office with him, he'd do it just to confuse me. Oh, I'm quite alive, Lieutenant. Then let me give you a friendly tip, Miss Knight. Stay away from this guy. His sense of humor will turn your hair white. Oh, isn't he a dream? Walt, Miss Knight wants protection. Yeah, I see what you mean. Walt, now stop gnawing on the desk and listen to me. Miss Knight is in line for a murder or for kidnapping. I knew it. She wants protection, and you're going to give it to her. That's not my department. This is homicide, isn't it? Of course it is, but you know very well we don't go to work until you're dead. Well, honey, I guess you'll just have to rather than get yourself killed. That's the only way. Now you stop that. Send her to another department. They'll give her all the protection she needs. She's been there. They stuck a guy out in front of her apartment. Now look, I just saw Hood try to muscle her into a car. He took a shot at me, and you know bullets give me that let down feeling. Now put one of your boys with her until I can do something about clearing this thing up. What's your full name, Miss Knight? Lynette. Lyn, for short. Where do you live and where do you work? I live at 419 West 48th Street, Apartment 309. I quit my job three days ago. Where was this job? The Circus Club on 52nd Street. I took pictures. You took pictures? Yeah, you know, souvenirs of the customers. Oh, why'd you quit? My boss got grabby. I slapped him around. Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, honey. Did you say Circus Club, 52nd Street? Yeah, what about it? Walt, didn't somebody gun down Owl Rigoletta and two of his boys right near there? Gee, you're right. Three nights ago. You didn't see that shooting, did you, Miss Knight? Well, no, but I read about it the next day. Well, if you didn't see it, they couldn't want to get at you just because you were a witness. Oh, this is screwy. What have we got to work on? You just put a man to guard here. I'm going to see what I can do. All right, but only because I owe you a favor. Otis. Yeah, Lieutenant? Get in here. Otis? Yes, Otis. He's not as stupid as he looks. Want a bet? He couldn't be and live. You want me, Lieutenant? Not for keeps. I want you to stay with Miss Knight here until I tell you to come home. Somebody's trying to get rough with her. Got it? Yeah. Walt, have you found any eggs around the office? Eggs? Otis, where do you hide your nest? Oh, Lieutenant, make this guy lay off for me. Yeah, Rick, lay off the poor guy. Otis. Yeah, Yaddleton. Stop standing on one leg and wait outside, you mallard head. Oh, Yaddleton. Walt, I'll keep in touch. Okay. Mr. Diamond. Yes? Thanks. I'll make it up to you some way. Don't strain yourself. I like an obligation to be fun. It will be. Rick. Yeah? Bye. I left the fifth precinct and headed for the circus club. There was a small place with sawdust on the floor and colored decorations like the inside of a circus tent. The place was still closed, but a short dapper little guy in a gray business suit answered my knock. Yes, you're from the police? Why, you need them? I just put in a call. Someone burglarized the place last night. Oh. You know a girl named Knight? Lynn Knight. That's it? I most certainly do. I fired her three nights ago. If she's in some kind of trouble with the police, she deserves it. You must run this place. That's right. My name's Davis. Would you like to take a look at the room that was broken into? I certainly would. What are they still? That's just it. I don't know. They turned it upside down, but I can't imagine what they were after. It's a dark room. A dark room? Yes. I have several girls that take pictures of the customers. They developed the prints in the back of the cafe. Right this way. Forget it. But I thought you wanted... I'm not from the police, Mr. Davis. I'm a private detective. Tell me, did Miss Knight turn in all her film the night she quit? I fired her. Difference of opinion, that she turned in all her film. I know. As a matter of fact, she didn't. She left with her camera and several customers got rather angry when their pictures weren't developed. You mean her last roll was still in that camera? It must have been. She didn't leave it in the dark room. I looked. Where's the phone? Right over there. Lieutenant Levinson homicide. What? I think I've got something. Diamond, I've got something too. A sour stomach and headache. What's the matter? Otis followed that night dame halfway home when some guy stepped out of an alley and split his head with a sap. He's down in an emergency getting his skull crocheted. What about the girl? We don't know. Otis can't remember. Oh, that's dandy. I'll call you back. Now you wait a minute. I can't. Bye. I had one of those muscle bound hunches. I had to work faster. Len Knight was going to get herself kicked around and maybe end up in the city morgue. I remembered her address and 15 minutes later I was standing in front of room 309. I could hear the phone ringing from somewhere inside so I waited to see if anyone answered it. On the third ring I tried the door. Well, well, well. Hello? Who is this? This is Diamond. Oh, thank goodness. This is Len Knight. Where the devil are you? Lieutenant Levinson said you disappeared. I'm in a bar on 50th Street. That man who tried to shove me into his car this afternoon hit Sergeant Otis on the head and I've been running ever since. How did you know I was here? No, I didn't. I called your office and got no answer so I just took a chance. Maybe you'd gone looking for me. I was, but I was looking for something else too. Tell me baby, have you got a camera? Why, I did have. Did have? What happened to it? Well, I sort of sold it. Oh, you mean you hocked it. I didn't need it anymore and I did need the money. You stay right where you are and I'll be down. What's the name of the place? Oh, 2320 Club. Please hurry, Mr. Diamond. I'm scared. Okay. I want to ask you something else. Hello? Hello? I thought you'd hung up. No, I thought you. Len. Yeah? Is there an extension on this phone? Why yes, in the bedroom. Say you don't think... I don't know. Wait a minute. Hey, what are you guys... Mr. Diamond? Mr. Diamond, are you still on the... Okay, Mel, let's go get the dame. Hey, that was pretty smart waiting around and listening in on the extension. What do you want me to do with the showers? He looks like he can still hear things. Well, turn them off. Sure. Okay. Okay, let's go. What are you limping for? I kicked him with the wrong foot. I got a lousy ingrown toenail. I laid there trying to crawl back to a more sensible way of life. He'd kicked me so hard that it took my eyes loose and they had run back into my head to hide. Everything was suddenly crammed into a long funnel that disappeared into the floor and I felt pretty sick. I was stuck in an acre of colored molasses. Trying to get myself loose was like pulling a puller through a garden hose. When I finally made it, I stuck my head under a sink and let the cold water bring me back to normal. Then I headed for the 2320 Club in a hurry. Something I could do for you? I'm looking for a girl, but I don't see her. They come and go. It's like that around here. She had on a green skirt and a jersey blouse. Couldn't miss her unless you don't like girls. Oh, her. She used the fawn and then she left. Alone? No, a couple of ugly-looking guys came in and she left with them. Hey, you know her? Yeah. Well, she forgot her purse. You might tell her. Her purse? Let me see it. Oh, no. Here's the badge buster. Oh, okay. He handed me the purse and I went through it. Nothing much but a pawn ticket. I looked at it and that hunch started biting my leg so I took off for the pawn shop. Good afternoon. Here's a ticket. I want to claim the article. Sure, sure. A-1-1-2-4-9. Here it is. Ah, lovely camera. Bingo. Did the girl sell it to you? No, she just wants me to claim it for her. Well, be careful. She said there was still some film in it. She wanted to come back and get it when she got a new job. $15, please. Ah, here you are. Is there a place around here where I can get the film developed? Right across the street. You can see it from here. Ah, thanks. Here it comes. Yep, yep, it's coming up, but we'll leave it in a little longer. Hey, maybe I'm nosy, but what's so important about this roll of film? I'll tell you better when I look at it. Well, I'll turn on the light. There you are. Yeah. Well, nothing on this one. Hmm. Nope. Hey, look at this. Some old guy with his wife. Is that what you wanted to find? You see those two guys in the background that look like they're just sneaking out of a chicken house? Yeah, so what? The one in the back is Lou Garzoni. The gangster? Yeah. Give me that negative. Let's get out of here. Well, you two holding hands in there. Hey, who are you and what's the gun for? Take it easy, Doc. He shoots people. That's right. Now back into the room. All right, but take it easy with that gun. Give me that negative, Shomas. Okay. Now where's the picture? It's still in the juice. Well, get it. I'll get it. That's better. Well, come on, come on. I can't seem to find it. Oh, yeah? Look for yourself. I'll look. See? Hey! He threw it in his face. That's stuff my kind of... So now I can't see to kill you. My eyes. Get me to the doctor, quick. After you tell me where the girl is. 212 West 45th Street, Apartment 513. Hurry, I can't stand it. Call a doctor for this guy and get a hold of Lieutenant Leveson 5th Precinct. Tell him to meet me in front of 212 West 45th and to step on it. Yes. I'll take those pictures. I can't stand it. Sure you can. It's no fun looking at the electric chair anyway. Apartment 513, except... Oh, here it is. Yeah. If Lou Garzoni's in there, we've got to take him by surprise or he'll knock off the girl. Otis is down in the alley, so he won't get out that way. Well, here goes. I hope it works. Yeah, who is it? Oh, Mel had an accident. He sent me up to tell you. What's your name? Tony Vega. Wow, why didn't you say so? I thought you was in stir... Coppers! You dirty dog! How about it, Walt? He's on his way. Where's the girl? Probably in the other room. Yeah, yeah. Take it easy, baby. All right. I'll get the gag out. There you are. Oh, Mr. Diamond. Mr. Diamond, he was going to kill me. Yeah, I know. Is he all right? Sure, Walt. How about Garzoni? No hurry for the wagon. Will you please tell me how you knew Lou Garzoni was in this apartment? Well, he and his boy were after a picture Miss Knight took. Yeah, this one. There they are in the background. He was an old enemy of Al Rigoletto, wasn't he, Walt? Yeah. Why? I bet he was the one who rubbed him out. Then he and his boy ducked into the nightclub. Garzoni saw his picture taken, so they went after Lynn. Why, Mr. Diamond? Oh, what's the matter? You finally called me Lynn. Well, Lynn. You go home and take it easy. I might stop by tomorrow. What's the matter with tonight? I've got a piano lesson. Bye. Otis! Yeah, Mr. Diamond? Is it all over? Yes, you hammerhead. Get out of that garbage can and see if you can find your way back to the station. Oh, Rick, stop it. Okay. Rick. Hmm? Tell me about the girl in your office. Oh, nice kid. Lovely eyes. I'm jealous. Good for you. And I'm mad. You're so busy. You like the new piano? Oh, yes, yes. It's a big one. Must have taken a herd of elephants to make the keyboard. Sing something. What does Rita Baby want? I don't care. Okay. Oh, I don't care. I don't care. Rick! Well, that's what you said. You said that. Yes, you did. Something nice. All right. Everywhere you go, sunshine follows you. Oh, that's such a beautiful tune. Really. Everywhere you go, the skies are always blue. Rick. I'm going to finish it. Children will love you, they seem to know. You bring roses right out of the snow. The whole world says hello. Everywhere you go. You're supposed to be the guy who wrote that song, Ever Got Shot At. Oh, Rick, you idiot. Come here. Oh, this is much more fun than piano lessons. Ah. You have just heard Richard Diamond's Private Detective starring Dick Powell. Helen was played by Virginia Gregg, Lieutenant Levinson by Ed Begley. Also in our cast were Wilms Herbert, Joan Banks, Paul Dubov, Herbert Ellis, and Sidney Miller. Music was under the direction of Frank Worth. Richard Diamond is written by Blake Edwards and directed by Richard Sandville. And now, Dick Powell. Friends, I want to remind you of the wonderful group of programs NBC has on tap for tomorrow afternoon and evening. Shows like Hollywood Calling, Guy Lombardo, Four Star Playhouse, The Ethel Merman Show, and the NBC Symphony. For the best in radio listening tomorrow and always, keep your dial tuned to your favorite NBC station. Dick Powell soon will be seen in the screen version of the best-selling novel, Mrs. Mike. And don't miss the interesting story, My Mr. Powell and His Mr. Diamond, in the September issue of Radio Mirror, now on your newsstand. 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. MUSIC This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.
