The makers of Camel Cigarettes present Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. How will camels get along with your throat? Listen. In a coast-to-coast test, hundreds of people with normal throats smoked only camels for 30 days. Noted throat specialists made weekly throat examinations of those smokers and reported not one single case of throat irritation due to smoking camels. Make your own 30-day camel test. Smoke only camels for the next 30 days. You'll see how well camels agree with your throat pack after pack, week after week. Now we bring you another transcribed adventure with Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. Diamond Detective Agency, you spent the dime, you name the crime. Oh no. Hi Helen. Hi. Rick, what kind of a slogan is that? You spent the dime, you name the crime. Well it only applies to people calling from phone booths dear. Well I'm not calling from a phone booth. Hmm, then you have no right to judge the merits of my slogan. Hmm, this is logic. Dear, you worry about your millions and I'll worry about my slogans. Oh well, how is your bulging little bank account these days? Healthy, which is more than I am. I have a cold. Why you poor kid. Sure, I'll let you take me to dinner tonight. That should make you feel better. Maybe. But you know, I seem to remember a past generation where the men took the women to dinner. I suppose you never heard of that arrangement. No, but it does sound novel. Shall we try it? Love to. Good, I have two cents in my pocket. Meet me in front of the corner drugstore and I'll blow you to a stick of gum. Oh Rick. On second thought, we'll split a stick of gum and save the other penny for entertainment. All right, I'll take you to dinner. Well, if you insist. I'll meet you in your wallet at seven, dear. Bring your own cough drops. We'll have a... Wow, I do believe a living creature has wandered into my emporium. Client? I think I put it more elegantly, but why quibble? See you at seven. Bye. Bye. Diamond? That's right. I'm Eddie Burke. Glad to know you, Mr. Burke. Eddie Burke. That's me. You said that before. Well? Well what? Diamond, you know why I'm here. Don't stall. Sorry, pal, but I can't seem to remember who you are or why you're here. Should I? What is this, a game? Just hand over the package. You've been paid. I have? Well, that's news to my bank account. Now, Diamond, don't get smart with me. Where's the package? Now, take it easy, Burke. Let's get something straight. If you'd like to hire me and pay a hundred a day, then I'll humor you and pretend to know what you're talking about. I have loads of screwy clients, but if you expect me to listen to your wild talk for free, start walking. I don't think I like this. Well, that's tough. No, I don't think I like this at all. Well, that... Oh. Well, I'm not sure I like that gun either. Then we're even. And now no more stalling. Hand me the package. All right. Only first you tell me where I find it. Okay. Okay. So you play it cozy. You plan to cash in on it yourself, huh? Burke, either this is someone's idea of a bad joke or you're a pretty mixed up guy. What makes you think I should have a package that belongs to you? Casey got scared. Casey? Yeah, she decided the package would be safer with a private cop. She says she paid you a thousand to keep it till I came for it. Well, all I can say is that Casey should never go near a lie detector. I never heard of her. Or you or your package. So put that gun back in your pocket and beat it, huh? You're pretty cool, Diamond. Only, Casey, don't lie. You open the package. You know what it's worth. Pal, you're so... Stand up. Oh. Up, Diamond. Oh, suit yourself. Diamond, I'm not going to kill you unless I have to. Glad to hear it. Now suppose you... Now, don't talk big. You'll be seeing me again real soon. Only, next time I contact you, you won't get off so easy. When you come to, if you're smart, you'll get that package and have it waiting for me. Now, keep your hands up. Hi. Burke, you're making a big... Oh, it isn't fun getting a face full of cold steel. Your eyes seem to fly back into your head, and by the time they bounce into position again, you're not seeing out of them. But in my business, things like this happen so often, I go to the blood bank once a week for a refill. I don't know how long I was out, but when I came to, I made the mistake of dragging myself to the wash basin and looking in the mirror. Oh. I looked like a bad dream trying to qualify as a nightmare. And then I got mad. I decided I wouldn't wait for Eddie Burke to come and see me. I'd rather find him first. I put my hat on what was left of my head, picked up my car from the garage and headed downtown to the 5th Precinct and Lieutenant Walt Levinson. Hi, fancy pants. How's the... Wow. What happened to your kisser? That's a new disguise, Walt. I'm posing as a pound of hamburger. Nice work. You even got the ketchup. No kidding, Rick. What gives? Well, a guy by the name of Eddie Burke must be a frustrated plastic surgeon. Well, he's not frustrated anymore. What caused it, Rick? It beats me. Burke came in, acted like I should have a package that belonged to him. Maybe he thought you were a Chinese laundry. Very funny. Don't kill yourself. You crack some more like that than I might. Come on. Let's get back to Burke. Well, I didn't know what package he was talking about and told him so. He thought I was lying and went to work on my face. Well, cheer up. It's an improvement. Bless your brass buttons and head. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyway, this was supposed to be a warning of what would happen next time Burke contacts me. What's he gonna do? Make weekly visits or something? Oh, no. No. Nothing chummy like that. He just promised to look me up once more for the package. I see. What brings you down here? You come to cry on my shoulder or fill out an assault charge against Burke? Neither, you sympathetic soul, you. Just thought you might know something about this Burke guy. I'd like to look him up and play some more games. I'll bet. Well, we've had Eddie Burke down here a few times. I did his file. Yeah. What's his racket? He was sent up on a counterfeiting rap several years ago. Before that, he was mixed up in about every... Yeah, here we are. Here's his folder. Good. It's a big one, isn't it? I'm gonna look at a list of his friends. He said a guy named Casey told him I had the package. Casey? Never heard of him and the girl by that name. Oh, sure. She's the lad with the bat. What bat? The one she struck out with. Struck out? What are you talking about? You remember Casey at the bat. Yeah, but that was a man. That... Oh, dear. Look at the file. The only name you'll find connected with Burke is Manny Warren. Manny Warren? Oh. When was Manny mixed up with Burke? On that counterfeiting rap. They couldn't prove anything against Manny, so we let him go. You think he might know where Burke is now? It's hard to say. Manny's been running a big garage over on 71st. The address there in the folder. Yeah. Well, that seems to be the only lead. Here. You know, that package break laws and things you might have. You thought that was important, huh? Important enough to bash my head in. Why? I'm just thinking. When Andy was picked up, we never found the plates he was making the phony dough from. Chances are, he hid them. You think the plates might be in the package? Could be. Only, I still can't figure out why this Casey dammit says she gave them to you. Well, neither can I, Faddy. But I'll try and find out. See you later. I drove across town and located Manny Warren's big garage. From the looks of the place, Manny had come a long way from his counterfeiting days with Eddie Burke. There were several trucks inside, but just one man. A beefy looking character pounding out a dent in one of the truck fenders. I walked over to him. Say, buddy. Hey. Hey. Huh? Oh. Is the boss around? Who wants to know? That's a silly question. I want to know. Maybe he is, maybe he ain't. What do you want to see him about? I'd like to hire a truck. My relatives are coming down for a sightseeing tour. Huh? Oh, skip it. Where's Manny? You tell me who you are, maybe I'll tell him you're here. Boss don't like to be interrupted all the time. Okay, okay. We'll play it your way. Tell him Richard Diamond wants to see him. Richard Diamond? You're the private eye? The private black eye at the moment. Snap it up, huh? Okay, I'll tell him. Hey, Bill, on that blue car, you'd better... Ah. Hello, Manny. Well, Diamond. Haven't seen you around for quite some time. I bet you've been heart sick. Yeah. What brings you down here? Eddie Burke. Eddie, huh? Okay, Bill, get back to work. Yeah, yeah. Come on in the office, Diamond. Sit down. I'm not tired. About Eddie. What about him? You seen him lately? Uh-uh. Or what I want with a punk like Eddie. You were pals once. I'm glad you said once, Diamond. That was seven years ago. I run a legitimate business now. So it seems. You must have made plenty off that counterfeit money to start a place like this, Manny. Yeah, just watch yourself, Diamond. They proved Eddie was mixed up in the queer money, not me. Ah, let's skip the small talk. You know of any place Eddie might be staying? Ah, it's like I say, it's been a long time since I knew Eddie. He had a girl back then, though. Maybe he still runs around with her. Was her name Casey by any chance? Yeah, yeah, that was it. Nancy Casey. She might be listed in the phone book. Ah, she might be. I'll take a look anyway. I'm sorry that's all the help I can give you, Shammus. You look it. Yeah, yeah, don't I? I'll drop around again sometime, though. Always glad to see a familiar face. I left Manny's garage and headed for a phone booth. In the book I found a listing for a Miss Nancy Casey. The address turned out to be a run-down apartment building on the west side. But there was nothing run down about the girl who answered my knock. She stood in the doorway with her head tilted as if to say, What can I do for you? Only the hard look in her eyes seemed to say, Don't get ideas, bud. And her mouth? All it said was, Well? Are you Nancy Casey? Uh-uh. Nancy's out. I'm a roommate. Do you expect her back soon? Yeah, she shouldn't be long. Who are you? Well, just a friend of hers. Mind if I come in and wait? I guess not. Oh, thanks. I was just making some coffee. Well, smells good. Sit down. I'll get you a cup. Cream and sugar? Oh, yes. Thank you. Tell me, do you know many of Nancy's friends? A few. Why? Well, Nancy and I have a mutual friend. I'd like to get in touch with him. Oh. Here's your coffee. Thanks. The friend's name is Eddie Burke. Oh, yeah. I heard Nancy speak of him. Your coffee all right? Huh? Yeah, yeah, fine. Yeah, Nancy talks about this Burke guy a lot. You ever come up to see her? Oh, once or twice. I was always out, though. Oh. Nancy should have been here before this. You have a date with her? Oh, not exactly. She goes out with a lot of guys. Me, I like to stay home. Read a lot. Well, to each his own. You read a lot? Only bubble gum wrappers. I read heavy stuff. Historical novels. Good for you. You want some more coffee? No, no, that's plenty. It's a hot end here, isn't it? Is it? Yeah. Real hot. It'll get hotter, Mr. Diamond. Diamond? How did you know my name? Your picture's been in the paper. Like I say, I read a lot. You getting tired? Yeah, I... Oh, no. Oh, yes. The coffee. Shouldn't take long. You dropped your cup, Mr. Diamond. Oh, you shouldn't try and get up. That drug takes effect fast. You just tire yourself. You...you Casey? That's right. I'm Nancy Casey. How do you stay on your feet, Diamond? My...my head. I... You what? You can't even stand straight. Ha ha ha ha! The big, strong detective. It was a long, peaceful sleep. I kept having a falling sensation, like I was floating down into a dark well. Only there was no bottom. My head felt light, and finally, I don't know how much later, I...I seemed to stop floating. My senses came back, and I remembered Casey and the cup of coffee. And then I heard the pounding. At first, it sounded far away, but it got louder. I felt something in my hands. I tried to focus on it as the pounding continued. It was my gun. Then I heard the voice. Open up! Police! Open up! I looked across the room, but I didn't like what I saw. Eddie Burke was propped up in a chair, and there were two bullet holes in his head, and chances were the bullets had come from my gun. Open up, or I'm gonna ask the police! Before we continue with Richard Diamond, here are a few words about smoking enjoyment. Try the one sensible test of cigarette mildness. Try the 30-day camel test. Smoke only camels for 30 days. Enjoy camel's rich, full flavor, pack after pack. Through steady smoking, the only sensible way to judge a cigarette. You'll see for yourself how well camels agree with your throat. In a coast-to-coast test, hundreds of smokers with normal throats smoked only camels for 30 days. Noted throat specialists made careful weekly examinations of the throats of those smokers and reported... Not one single case of throat irritation due to smoking camels. That's proof of camel mildness, the kind of proof no other cigarette gives you. Tonight, start your own 30-day camel test. Make camels your steady smoke for the next 30 days, and you'll discover why camel is America's most popular cigarette by billions. How mild, how mild, how mild can a cigarette be? Make the camel 30-day test, and you'll see, smoke camels and see. And now, back to Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring Dick Powell. I opened the door of Nancy Casey's apartment and admitted Lieutenant Walt Levinson Homicide, and he had good reason to be there, for Eddie Burke was certainly a case for homicide. I brought Walt up to date, told him about Casey drugging me and my finding the gun in my hand. It's a good thing Walt was my friend. He believed me. Well, Rick, it's been quite a day. Slugging, drugging, now it looks like somebody's trying to frame you, but good. Yeah, what brought you here anyway, Walt? Anonymous phone call. Rick, somebody went to a lot of trouble to make it look like you killed Burke. Who was it, Casey Dame? Yeah, but I don't think she's in this alone. Who else? Manny Warren. Oh, Joe Legit, huh? How do you figure him in? When I got here, Nancy Casey was expecting me. I was watching her when she fixed that coffin. I was watching her. I was watching her when she fixed that coffin. I didn't see her slip in the drug. That means the drug was already in the cup. Well, what's that got to do with... Oh, you think Manny tipped her off that you were coming over, huh? Well, who else? Besides you, he's the only one who knew I was looking for her. Well, what are we waiting for? Come on, let's have a talk with Warren. No, no, no, you let me do it, Walt. You'll be busy here for a while anyway, and we'll have to prove Manny did it, not just accuse him. Okay, okay, you can give it a try. Only look bright eyes until you find out why Burke was killed and just how those characters all fit together, you're going to be on the spot. I still have to report it was your gun that killed Burke. The commissioner might not be happy when he hears I let you go. Well, you hold off the commissioner, Walt. You should be used to that by now. I left the apartment and drove across town back to Manny Warren's garage, but I still couldn't figure the tie in. Nancy Casey had lied to Burke, told him I had the package he was looking for. Then she drugs me and Burke is killed, and somewhere in this mess, Manny Warren was involved. But how? I quit thinking about that as I parked in front of the garage and went inside. Bill, the beefy character, was still the only man around. Oh, you back again? Either I am or you've got bad eyes. Tell Manny I want to see him. He ain't here. Besides, it's closing time. Beat it. Now, look, pal, don't make with the runaround. Where's Manny? I said he ain't here. You got no right coming here after closing time. I got half a mind to throw you out. You try it and I'll scatter your half mind all over this floor. Why, you... Now, where's Manny Warren? Let go. Let go of me. You're choking me. Manny ain't here, I tell you. Maybe he's home. Where's home? I don't know. Now, where's home? I don't know, I tell you. Maybe that's him now. Okay, enter the office and answer it. And if it is Manny, ask him where he is. And don't try anything or I'll make you look like I feel. Manny ain't gonna like it. Oh, shut up. Just answer that phone and hold the receiver up so I can hear too. Hello? Bill, this is Casey. Is Manny there? No. No, he ain't. Well, I'll try his home then. If he should come in, though, tell him I found a place I'll be staying in for a while. I'm registered at the Carter Hotel as Nancy Collins. You got that? Yeah. Yeah, I got it. Well, that's as good as Manny's address. Come on, Bill. Where you think you're taking me? To that closet over there. That'll keep you out of the way temporarily. Oh, no, you don't. I dragged Bill into the closet, locked it, and then headed for the Carter Hotel. Nancy Casey could clear up a lot of questions, and I was in a good mood to play Quizmaster. She was in room 312, and I took the elevator to the third floor. Then I reached her room, but before I could knock... I tried the door. It was locked. I threw my weight against it. I tried again, and the door flew open. No, it was quite a sight. Nancy Casey was writhing on the floor with a knife in her back. There was an open window, and climbing out of it onto the fire escape was Manny Warren. I scrambled after him. I was too close, and Manny knew it. He didn't try and run. Instead, he aimed a kick at my face as I climbed onto the fire escape. Diamond, I'll kill you. I'll kill you. Diamond, I'll... Manny Warren took a long trip. Down. I went back into the room. Nancy Casey was in a bad way, and I phoned for an ambulance. Oh, it hurts, Diamond. It hurts. Take it easy, honey. Tried to kill me, too. I hadn't expected that. Why, Casey? What's it all about? Plates. Those counterfeited plates. All this over some stinking plates. The package Eddie Burke thought I had? Yeah. Eddie left it with me for safekeeping. I turned him over to Manny. He told me we'd clean up and leave town by the time Eddie got out. Only we didn't. Eddie came to me, wanted the plates. So you lied and said you had given them to me. I needed time. I needed time to talk to Manny. He decided... ...to get rid of Eddie. When you came along, he told me that... ...Drug you. He'd handle the rest. Then I came here. I phoned him at home. I told him where I was. He didn't waste any time getting here. All those stinking plates. They meant more to him than I did. Manny didn't trust me. This way nobody knew about the plates but him. He didn't trust me. In his business you don't trust anyone. Now, I better keep quiet and lie still. No! No! I gotta talk. Talking keeps my mind off the pain. Talk to me. Talk to me, Diamond. All right, Nancy. I'll talk to you. You swim? Diamond? I used to like swimming. It's a lot of fun. It's fun. It hurts. Lie still. Good. Pain. I never could stand. Pain. Nancy. Well, at least it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, kid? Rick. Yes, Holland, dear? You sure I can't get something to help your face? Not unless you have an old gas mask handy. You poor boy. I can't stand to see you all beaten up like this. You can't stand it. Honey, honey, it's my face. When it's present form, I wouldn't brag about that. Oh, now that's what I like, a gal to cheer you up after a hard day's work. Hard day's work. Pistol whip, drugged, framed. What a business. And what do you get out of it? Oh, a hundred a day and a very high McCrurichrome belt. Oh, I'm serious, Rick. Other men lead pleasant, quiet lives. They have nice jobs, nice homes, nice wives. Ho, ho, ho. I knew this conversation was leading somewhere. Well, while we're on the subject... I'm not safe. Dear, I want you to hear the nicest song. Oh, no. I'll sing it just for you. I might as well give up with my cold. You can sing louder than I can talk. Oh, save for the skin of my vocal cords. Just wait until one day you have laryngitis, coward. Mm-mm. How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? How many times a day Do I think of you? How many roses I sprinkle with dew? How far would I travel To be where you are? How far is the journey From here to a star? And if I ever lost you How much would I cry? How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? Oh, very nice. Well, thank you, dear. Only somehow that sweet song doesn't go with that battered face of yours. No? It's like Frankenstein whistling Mother McCree. Oh, clever, clever. You know, I could take my bruises and leave. Why don't you just snap off the lamp and then I won't notice them? Helen, at times you are endowed with genius. Come here. And have you catch my cold? Not in your life. Oh, then let's turn the lights back on, dear. I can't stand to see all this darkness going to waste. Dick Powell will return in just a minute. Here's a very special way to remember your Valentine next Thursday. Give a carton of Camels, a special carton that's all dressed up in happy Valentine colors. It's available wherever Camels are sold. Camels make such a welcome gift. They're America's most popular cigarette, leading all the way to the end of the year. And they're also the best way to celebrate Valentine's Day. They're America's most popular cigarette, leading all other brands by billions. How mild, how mild, how mild can a cigarette be? Smoke Camels and see. Here's Dick Powell with a special message. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, every week the makers of Camels send thousands of packs of Camels to military and veterans hospitals. That's to help show the hospitalized men and women of our armed forces that the folks at home haven't forgotten their sacrifices. This week the gift Camels go to Veterans Hospitals, Northport, New York, and Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Army Station Hospital, Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, to all overseas hospitals operated by the Northeast Command of the U.S. Air Force. Now until next week, enjoy Camels. I always do. Tonight's adventure of Richard Diamond was written by Dick Carr with music by Frank Wirth. Virginia Gregg was heard as Helen Asher and Alan Reader's Lieutenant Walt Levinson. Others in the cast were Bill Conrad, Jeanette Nolan, and John Boehner. Richard Diamond, Private Detective, is transcribed in Hollywood by Jaime Del Valle. Be sure to listen to another Great Camel Show, Vaughn Monroe and the Camel Caravan, every Saturday night. Want to know why you should pack your pipe with P.A.? The bite is out and the pleasure's in when you smoke Prince Albert. It's specially treated not to bite your tongue. The bite is out and the pleasure's in. So if you smoke a pipe and want the fine flavor of choice tobacco with rich, natural tobacco fragrance, pack your pipe with Prince Albert, the national joy smoke. Listen next week for another exciting adventure of Richard Diamond, starring Dick Powell.
