Listen, while the makers of Rexall Drug Products and 10,000 independent Rexall family drugists bring you Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Good evening, this is Bill Foreman speaking to you for the 10,000 independent drugists who have made the word Rexall part of their own store names. They've done that because they recommend and sell the 2,000 or more drug products made by the Rexall Drug Company. This month, Rexall family drugists are introducing 10 great new products direct from the famous Rexall laboratories. One of them is Rexall Multivitamin Formula V10. Here's a really pleasant tasting, really easy to take liquid that supplies twice the minimum daily requirement of Vitamin B1, five times the requirement for iron, plus the minimum daily requirement of Vitamins A, D, and B2, plus red crystalline Vitamin B12. Rexall Formula V10 aids in the formation of hemoglobin, stimulates appetite, and is especially good for convalescence. Remember and ask for it by this name, Rexall Formula V10 at Rexall drugstores everywhere. Good health to all from Rexall. Now, your Rexall family drugists brings you a transcribed half hour with Richard Diamond, Private Detective starring Dick Paul. Diamond Detective Agency, not a corpse in a carload. Rick? Hi, Helen. Hi. What are you doing? Oh, trying to think of a new ad for the phone book. What's the matter with the old one? Doesn't seem to be bringing in the business. See what you think of this one. One detective agency will split any case you've got, bonded or dead on arrival. By all means, use it. Like it? No, but think of all the business you'll get from the psychiatric ward. Oh, you're a living doll. Will I see you tonight, Mr. Diamond? Helen, dear, I'll talk to you later. I think I've spotted a client. Bye. Bye. Well, come in, come in. You're Mr. Diamond? That's right. My name is Crimby, sir. How do you do, Mr. Crimby? I'm Richard Diamond. I'm a detective. I'm a detective. How do you do, Mr. Crimby? Pull up a chair. Thank you. Something I can do for you? Yes. You see, Mr. Diamond, I am the manager of the Far East Importing Company. And when I went down to the store this morning, our night watchman was missing. So? Also, about $50,000 in unset gems. Why come to me instead of the police? But those jewels were on consignment to the store. I was in hopes you could recover them before I had to make an accounting to the owner. Who owned the gems? Mr. Philip Lazdow. He's a very eccentric collector. He has many things on display in the store. He's a very good client. Aren't you insured? Naturally. But if Mr. Lazdow knew that a robbery had taken place, he'd never again do business with my establishment. And you want me to recover the missing jewels? If you can. Hmm. You think the night watchman is responsible for the theft? Well, I don't know what else to think. The night watchman's name is Block, Arthur Block. He lives in an apartment on the east side that I have already checked with his landlady and he hasn't shown up. How long have I got to recover the jewels, Mr. Quimby? I have no idea. It's impossible to tell when Mr. Lazdow will want an accounting. Well, I charge $100 a day in expenses. Oh, yes. Will $100 be enough for now? Well, if you have nothing to do for the next few minutes, I'd be more than happy to grovel at your feet. I beg your pardon. Now, I want the night watchman's address, also the address of your shop. Then you go back to the shop and wait to hear from me. Quimby gave me what I wanted, then minced happily out of my office. I locked up, grabbed a cab for the east side of town, and 20 minutes later I was talking to the missing night watchman's landlady. Sure, honey. Arthur Block lives here. You're the second one to come asking for him this morning. He killed somebody or something? Is he in? No. We ain't been in since yesterday evening before he left for work. Can I take a look at his room? Well, I don't know, blue eyes. It's against the rules. Oh, my goodness. I dropped a $5 bill. Oh, my goodness. So you did. Don't hurt your back, Beninobo, honey. I'll get it. Little rheumatism, but anything for a fin. Say, you got any more loose ones around? I'll show you every room in the joint. Just the one where Block lives? Right down here. You ain't no cop, honey. Shammet? Yeah. Figured. Right in here. There you are, handsome. Thank you, Mother. Mother! When you're done, stop back in my room and have a beer. I never do that. I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. Don't come back to my room and have a beer. I never touch anything stronger than opium. Never anything stronger than opium, Mother! The night watchman's room was a shabby affair. About 15 for 20. And I went over it inch by inch. Cockroach by cockroach. Apparently Block hadn't taken anything with him. The drawers in the broken down dresser were filled with an assortment of socks and underwear. In the closet, I found the rest of his clothes and an old empty suitcase. Yes, if Arthur Block had skipped, he was figuring on buying a wardrobe someplace else. I left, keeping on my tiptoes as I passed the landlady's door. Then I headed for the address of Mr. Quimby's antique shop. Hey, Mr. Diamond, did you find out anything about the night watchman? Well, his landlady's a lush and likes blue eyes. Oh, oh, oh, oh, my goodness. What's the matter? Mr. Last, down. Good afternoon, Mr. Last, down. I do hope you... Enough of your vulgarism, sir. It's a perfectly wretched afternoon, you very well know. Yes, it is, but then... Pardon me. Mr. Diamond, Mr. Last... Philip J. Last, down. How do you do, sir? How do you do? Quimby, I've come for my Buddha. You've come for your... You've had it quite long enough. Where is it? Mr. Last, down, I have someone who's interested in... I've decided not to sell it. Come, come, come. Where is it? It's over there, in the corner, Mr. Last, down. In the corner? Yes. I see. It's not enough that I suffer the torment of lending my exquisite statuary to a firm that employs a Philistine as manager. No! I am now subjected to the ignominy of having it secreted in a corner behind a variety of brick-up raw one would expect to find only in the men's lounge at Coney Isles. But, Mr. Last, down... Quimby, I told you that Buddha was to enjoy this room's most favorable location. You've made a grave mistake, sir. A momentous mistake. Please, Mr. Last, down. Enough, sir! I'm repossessing my Buddha forthwith. For years I've forced myself to deal with you in a patient and forbearing manner. But never again. This is the crowning blow. I'll be it for Philip Last, down, to cock pearls before spying. Oh, that man, Mr. Diamond, oh, that terrifying man. I must have been born under an unlucky star. Well, relax. Things could be worse. You've still got a little hair on your head. Oh, even that's getting thin. So who wants fat hair? I left Quimby wringing the cold sweat out of his hands and took a cab over to the 5th Precinct Police Headquarters. When I walked in, the clock above Lieutenant Levinson's desk said 12 noon and Lieutenant Levinson said... Oh, no. What's the matter, Faddy? I remind you of your lost youth? No lost cause. Well, you might as well face it, Walter. You hate me because I have an athletic waistline. Ha, ha, ha. Eureka. At last, a three-syllable word. I knew you could do it, Otis. I'm going to let you do me a favor. Yeah? Mm-hmm. I want you to check with the morgue and all hospitals and jails for an Arthur Block, lately employed as the night watchman of the Far East Importing Company. Oh. Well, I'll check, but not because you told me to. Then why? Because I'm stupid. I guess I told him. What's all this about, Rick? That's a missing night watchman and $50,000 in jails, Walt. But you can't stick your nose in a jet. Nobody's dead. I've got a sergeant who could make a liar out of you. What do you know about a guy named Philip J. Lasdow? Never heard of him. Show me that phone, will you? Yeah. Thanks. Forget it. Just leave a nickel. Oh, he's a collector of rare art objects and nasty dispositions. Want me to check on this Lasdow for you? Might be a good idea. Okay. Yes? Quimby? Oh, Mr. Diamond, I was hoping you'd call. You and 10,000 foolish debutantes. Mr. Lasdow has had the Buddha removed, and he is sending his lawyer over in the morning for an accounting. Now, should I tell him about the jewels now or wait until morning? Wait if you want this thing solved. What's Lasdow's address? Blue Heron Road at Long Island. Thanks. I'm going out to see him. I'll check with you later. A little patience, please. I do not read pick, look, see, quick, or popular mechanics. I refuse to endorse a petition, and as far as a free excursion to the Bahamas with all expenses paid, I couldn't be less interested. Now, if you'd be so kind as to remove your person from my property... I'm warning you, sir. Look, your highness, remember me? I met you this afternoon at the Far East Importing Company. I remember you. Good day. Young man, if you do not remove your foot from my door, I may result in violence. You will kindly remove your foot? By all means, as soon as you answer a few questions. Who are you, sir? I mean, what's your occupation? I am a private detective. How earthy. Well, what do you want? How many things do you have on consignment in the Far East Importing Company? Oh, good grief. What kind of a question is that? The first of several. I have many things on consignment there. Anything of extreme value? What are you getting at? Just curious. Yes, disgustingly so. Of course, there are many things of extreme value. Approximately $50,000 in rare gems, a dozen priceless antiques, as a matter of fact, that Buddha which you saw this morning, my most precious possession. Aside from being very old, the eyes are too perfect pigeon-blood rubies. Was there anything else? I'm sure your foot must be going to sleep. Did you ever know or meet a man named Arthur Block? Never. He was the night watchman at the shop. The night watchman. So our conversation's at an end. I find your reference to my association with the night watchman the lowest form of discourse. Now, good day. Gesundheit to you. Hey. Hey, bud. Sorry, I do not read tick, click, quick, look, spook. Hey. Who's taking a census? Just want to know if a party named Lysdoun lives here. You could hardly call him a party. More like a friendly street fight. Look, friend, I've got to pick up some luggage. Does Lysdoun live here? Yeah, with a bosom Buddha. Lysdoun's the one with the toupee. Oh, Mr. Diamond, I was just closing up shop. Have you found out anything? Well, not much. Tell me something, Quimby. Where do you keep those jewels? Away in the safe. Did the night watchman have the combination? Yes, in case of fire. There were also some perishables in with the gems. Did he know much about the rest of the merchandise in the store? Yes, of course. He had a list and made inventory every night. Hmm. Did he know Lysdoun's Buddha had ruby eyes? Well, I don't know. Well, how'd you find out? Lysdoun told me. If the night watchman knew about those rubies, he'd wonder why he didn't pry them out and take them along. I never thought of that. Have you touched that safe? Yes, when I opened it and discovered the loft. Well, don't do it again. It may have some of the night watchman's fingerprints on it somewhere. Tell me, did you, uh, did you know Lysdoun was planning on leaving town? Leaving town? No, no, I didn't. Well, I'm not sure that he is, but I've got a hunch. Are you going home after you lock up? Yes. Well, give me your phone number. I'm going down to the precinct and may want to reach you later. Well, hello, Blue-Eye. You still looking for Blok? That's right. Has he shown up? No. Hey, honey, you just skipped off without saying goodbye. Had a beer all open for you. Oh, I bet you were so unhappy you poured it down the drain. You sure had a one. I sure am. I sure am. Look, sweetheart, if Blok shows up, call him at the 5th Precinct Police Station, name's Diamond. Sure has him. Oh, you've brought to me. Well, that's an idea. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I couldn't find nothing on that missing night watchman, Sharmus. Well, thanks, enemy Otis. In appreciation, I may send you a large can of Red Heart, liver flavor. Oh, go chase your tail around the block. Otis. Yeah, and I got plenty more things to say. Funny things? Funny as your face. I'm tired of you making fun of me. I ain't no dog. You had in trouble with Otis again? Oh, I don't think it's anything serious, but I would suggest a rabies shot. Well, here's something that might interest you. Philip J. Lasdowne booked passage on the Star of the Orient, sailing for the Far East tonight at 11 o'clock. Famous beauty expert Ann Dellefeel says that women are tired of endless jars and bottles that cost so much time and money. She says that more than one cream is just nonsense. But can just one cream do everything for your skin? It certainly can. That is, if it's Ann Dellefeel's all-purpose deep cream. Here's a cleansing cream, face cream, night cream, eye and throat cream. All creams in one. A special blend of all the fine, rich natural oils so necessary and good for care of your skin. Sounds wonderful. Did Ann Dellefeel have makeup too? Yes, indeed. She's designed a whole new, no-nonsense cosmetic line just for you modern women. There are vitamins for true beauty from within. Fine powder with built-in foundation. Everything you need for looking your lovely. All this must be pretty expensive. But you're wrong. You'll find that the Ann Dellefeel cosmetics give you most for your cosmetic dollar and save you so much time as well. So look for them today at Rexall Drugstores everywhere. And now back to tonight's adventure with Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. Well, Walt's enlightening bit of information certainly seemed important. So I sat down to try and figure out exactly what I had to date. My client, Quimby, had come into my office and hired me to locate a missing night watchman named Arthur Block because $50,000 in gems had been pilfered from Quimby's shop. The gems belonged to a particularly disgusting character named Philip J. Lazdom. The missing night watchman, Block, was still missing. And by the looks of his room, he'd skipped without taking anything with him. And by the look of his landlady, I couldn't blame him. Well, I tied it all together and the conclusion was amazingly simple. I had exactly nothing. I got something hot, Lieutenant. 211 on River Street. They fished a guy out of the bay at the end of Pier 16. I identified as one Arthur Block. That's your missing night watchman, isn't it? That's his name. Did they bring the body in? Yeah, it's down the morgue now. Get Quimby down there for identification. Here's his phone number. Does Block have any family or anything? I don't know, but you might check with his landlady. She can get you an identification too. Otis, get this Quimby and the landlady. Take them down to the morgue. We're going to see Vardier in ballistics. Right. Here's the slug, Lieutenant. Almost like a ball. This is really most amazing. That slug was fired from a weapon made in 1831 by Samuel Cold. He patented it in Europe in 1835 and in the U.S. in 1836. What did the gun look like? Well, it was the foreman of the Cold 44. A single barrel with a revolving breech carried five slugs. During the Fiesque Revolution in France in 1834, Fiesque had a rifle made like it. It tried to assassinate Louis Philippe. Lieutenant. Well, what is it, General at head? Call just came over with a hot shot. That guy, Philip Lasdoun, said someone had bussed into his house and tried to rob him. He said he chased the guy off, but he was screaming for protection. Come on, Walt. I think we'd better go over there. Well, things were beginning to shape up. Walt and I piled in the squad car and headed for Long Island in the house of Philip J. Lasdoun. When we got there, Lasdoun was hopping around like a kangaroo with a hot foot. Fine state of affairs. He's getting to a man who's even safe in his own home. What's the city coming to? The police force is obviously second only to the boy scout. Now, now, calm down, Mr. Lasdoun. Calm down, my good fellow. I have no intention of calming down. How would you enjoy walking into your own living room and there, sleeking around in the dark, a pathological fiend intent on robbing you of your most precious possessions? What was he after? My Buddha. The object of your particularly uncouth interrogation of this afternoon is this island. By the way, where were you 40 minutes ago? Oh, relax. Did you get a look at this guy? The lights were out. Well, did he take you, Buddha? He most certainly did not. But had I not walked in at the precise moment, he would probably be carrying his piggyback through the middle of Times Square. And your observing police force would undoubtedly stop traffic for him. That's the Buddha right over there, Walt. Keep your hands off it. Now, look, Lassie, you called the police. The police are here, so relax before someone puts their foot in that big mouth. Well, really? Yeah, really. You're getting ready to leave town, aren't you? I don't see that that's any concern of yours, Lieutenant. Well, Buster, in case you don't know it, you're the number one suspect in the killings. I beg your pardon? Do you own any antique guns? Guns? Well, I do not collect weapons of any sort. I don't want to know what you mean when you say I'm suspected of killing. The night watchman at Quimby's Antique Shop was shot to death and dumped in the river. The night watchman again. I told Mr. Diamond once that my association with the night watchman was as ridiculous as General MacArthur sending sage in a charm bracelet. Nothing's been touched on the Buddha? Nothing. I assume that the thief knew the value of the ruby eyes. Has there been any publicity about the Buddha? No. Walt, come here. Excuse us a second, Mr. Lasdowne. You couldn't make it a year, could you? Charming fellow. Yeah. Look, Walt, in some way the night watchman, the missing Jim, Lasdowne and his Buddha are all mixed up together. Okay, so what? We haven't even got the murder weapon. Well, if the night watchman did swat the jewels out of the safe, then someone probably killed him for them. Yeah, that figures. If he was planning on stealing them, wouldn't he be all ready to skip town? Sure. Well, he hadn't packed the thing. His apartment hadn't been touched. Well, that's not much. Okay. If someone wanted to get that Buddha, why not break in the store? Because it's easier to break into a house out on Long Island. The Buddha was just moved this afternoon. Who knew Lasdowne took it? Yeah. And if the potential thief is mixed up with the original jewel theft, why didn't he grab the rubies in the store? I never thought of that. No. I think he wanted that Buddha for something else. Oh, Lasdowne. What do you want? Is there anything else about that Buddha besides the eyes? I told you once it's a very rare piece. Yeah, aside from that. But anyone hide something in it? Hide something? Why, yes, of course. It's hollow. The whole back slings open. Wealthy families used to place their valuable possessions inside the Buddha for protection. Show us. Look at that. There you are. You see, the space inside is quite... ...for grief. Don't touch it. Isn't that a gun? It certainly is, and there may be fingerprints on it. Well, I assure you, that does not belong to me. Do you know anything about a gun like this? Well, only that it's apparently very old. Antique? Eight to five, that's the one that killed the night watchman. Give me a handkerchief. Yeah. I'm afraid you'll have to postpone your trip, Mr. Lasdowne. I've already purchased my ticket. Have you any idea why the night watchman was killed last night? Not whatsoever. All of those uncut gems you had consigned to Quimby were stolen. What? That's right. Well, I was not notified. Because Mr. Quimby thought I could recover them before you found out. That's Fielock, that deceitful little pipsqueak. After all the business I've given him... Come on, Walt. I shall personally take extreme delight in exposing him as a discredit to his privative. Come on. You won't leave town, will you, lassie old boy? You have my word, sir. At least not until I'm dealt with that traitor personally. But he's a suspect. We can't leave him. Rick! Rick! With Walt protesting all the way, we climbed in the squad car... and pulled it down the street to wait. In about two minutes' flat, Lasdowne came streaming out of the house... piled into his own car and took off to the city with us right behind. A half an hour later, we watched him go into a building on the east side and we followed. The mailbox gave us Quimby's apartment... and by the time we reached the floor, we could hear Lasdowne... raising his blood pressure up past the boiling point. How dare you! How dare you! Please, Mr. Lasdowne. After all these years, Quimby, this is unforgivable. You're really going at it. But, Mr. Lasdowne, you couldn't blame me. I told you anything else, what were you quibbling? The ghosting. Please, the neighbors. I assure you, your neighbors will only be the first to hear of this. When they find the night watchman... They have found him. You are? Floating in that filthy river out there. Who put that gun in my boot? You found it. Falkart, you knew it was there. That doesn't... Wait, wait. I don't know anything about it. Liar! Why did you think I found it? The police is coming. The police? Yes. They believe it's the same gun they killed. Quimby. Quimby, you didn't. What's going on? I don't know. We'd better get in it. Quimby. No. We'd sure better. No, no, don't shoot! Stop it, Quimby! No, no, no, no. You all right, Rick? Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. You imagine such effrontery. That assassin's apprentice was going to shoot me. Here's his gun, Walter. Looks like I got him in the leg. I can't believe it. I, Philip J. Liesdow, being subjected to such a dis-saceful melodrama. I'll call an ambulance. I haven't viewed such a spectacle since I was eight and a half. Sitting in the balcony of the Savannah Opera House, watching a third-class road company chase little Eva across the ice. I can imagine, Lassie. Now, let's have a look at Quimby. Come on, Quimby. Better tell me about it. You killed a night watchman with that antique gun. Yes, I kept the gun in my desk at the office. I was taking the jewels from the safe to make it look like robbery when Block came on duty. He was early and he surprised me. Shot him and hit the gun in the Buddha. That's why you were so shocked when Lassdow came and got it today. Yes, when you told me he was leaving town, I feared he would take the Buddha with him and discover the gun inside. It was you who broke into my house this evening. Yes, Mr. Lassdow. The wagon's on the way. Well, Mr. Lassdow, you were pretty lucky. What a revolting display of uncontrolled emotion. Lassdow! Oh, my goodness. Mr. Lassdow's favorite. Why were you so late, Rick? Oh, I got mixed up with a screwy one. I was going to leave the station earlier, but Oda's got to discussing Freud with a very learned gent named Lassdow. Otis was discussing Freud. Mm-hmm, true. Couldn't tear myself away. Seems, according to Otis, that this year Freud plays second base for Brooklyn. Then we got around to Kenzie and discovered he was batting 200. Oh, I don't believe it. Neither did I, but Otis explained he's been in the slump all season. You and your friend. I hate to mention it, but you qualify, Natalie. Oh, but you love me. I do not. I just breathe hard from an irritated sinus condition. Well, you is the condition in the new song. Mm. Okay. What are you going to sing? I don't think it's any of your business. That's a nice song. How does it go? You pick one. All right. Let's see. No. I like... New York and June. How about you? That's cute. I like a gush with you. How about you? I love it. I love a fireside when a storm is due. I like potato chips, moonlight, motor drifts. How about you? I'm mad about good books. Can't get my fill. And Doug McCaffer's looks give me a thrill. Holding hands in a movie show when all the lights are low may not be new. But I like it. How about you? I like it. You like me? Well, I... Come here. Oh, well. Do you? I don't think it's any of your business. If your summer fun is being spoiled by the misery of athlete's foot, your Rex All-Family Druggist has a great new product for you. It's Aerosol Fungi Rex, a greaseless, stainless spray-on relief that's easy, quick, and clean. Fingertip-controlled spray eliminates messy application, gives positive coverage to the entire infected area, and all the burning, itching, and discomfort of athlete's foot are quickly relieved. Ask for Aerosol Fungi Rex. That's F-U-N-G-I hyphen R-E-X. Aerosol Fungi Rex at Rexall drugstores everywhere. Good health to all from Rexall. Richard Diamond, Private Detective, stars Dick Powell in the title role and was written by Blake Edwards with music composed and conducted by Frank Wirth. Dick Powell directed the RKO production Split Second, which is now in release, and his latest film appearance was in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer award-winning The Bad and the Beautiful. Heard in tonight's cast were Virginia Gregg, Howard McNear, Jeanette Nolan, John McIntyre, Arthur Q. Bryan, Wilms Herbert, and Harold Dianford. Richard Diamond, Private Detective is transcribed in Hollywood by Jaime del Valle. This is Bill Foreman inviting you to be with us next Sunday at this time when Rexall Drug Products again bring you Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Music Now get new and better relief from acid-upset stomach. Try Bismarck's Gel, the new liquid antacid that gives four-way relief. Bismarck's Gel contains aluminum hydroxide for the plus benefits of absorbing and neutralizing excess stomach acid and leaving a protective covering. Ask for Bismarck's Gel, B-I-S-M-A-hyphen-R-E-X-G-E-L, Bismarck's Gel at Rexall Drug Stores everywhere. Music This is the CBS Radio Network. Music
