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Transcript

The Whistler - "Sing a Song of Murder" (Old Time Radio, 1945) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Bill Randall has risen swiftly to national popularity as a
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: radio singer, but a long-term arrangement with his manager has
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: left him determined to regain control of his career and future.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: From September 17, 1945, this is The Whistler, Sing a
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Song of Murder, Episode 173, heard on the CBS Pacific Network.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: As money, romance, and growing resentment gather around Randall and
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: his manager, Gordon, the story moves between the radio studio,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: the highway, and a home outside town. Marvin Miller is
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: the whistler, with Jack Edwards, Bill Johnstone, and Alan Hewitt.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Robert Reif wrote the story, George W. Allen directed, and
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: Wilbur Hatch provided the music. Now, back to the golden
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: age of radio.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Signal Gasoline. Signal, the new gasoline you can prove is superior.
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: The Signal Oil Company and your neighborhood signal dealer bring
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: you another curious story by the Whistler.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: Tonight, sing a song of murder. I am the whistler.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: And I know many things, for I walk by night.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes,
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak.
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: Success is a curious thing. Sometimes it comes very slowly,
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: the result of a lifetime of dull drudgery.
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: And sometimes it comes quickly, almost overnight. It was that
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: way with Bill Randall.
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: The fact that he was the most popular singer in
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: the country wasn't as amazing as how quickly it had happened.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: Less than a year, and he was on top. His
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: voice was as much a part of the average teenager's
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: life as her bobby socks. Everybody was very happy about it. Everybody,
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: that is, except Bill Randall. Bill wasn't happy at all.
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: And after his broadcast one night as he was taking
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: his manager home, he told him why. Show went pretty well, Bill,
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: but I thought you were going to run over a little. Now,
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: you've got to learn to judge times better. Why don't
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: you get in the habit of timing everything you do?
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: That way you probably... Look, Gordon, I didn't offer to
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: take you home to hear a lecture. I could be
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: doing other things, you know.
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I know, Romeo. You and your swooning dames.
• 3:04
  Speaker 4: But I didn't ask for the lift. Diana got to
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: pick me up.
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: I want to talk to you.
• 3:08
  Speaker 4: So you want to talk to me. Hey, hey, better
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: slow down a little. They keep this highway pretty well patrolled.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: That's better. Keep it at 35 and they'll never bother you.
• 3:20
  Speaker 4: That way we ought to get out to my place
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: about 10.
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: Minutes to 10 anyway. But you do drive the local bus. No,
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: I just timed it.
• 3:29
  Speaker 4: At 35 miles per hour, it takes just 36 minutes
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: over the highway.
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: You see, that's what I mean about time and things.
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: That's what you ought to do.
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: Gordon, what I want to talk to you about is...
• 3:38
  Speaker 4: You can switch on your country beam now.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: Let me do the driving, will you? Frank, that contract
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: of ours. Yeah, what about it? I'd like to buy
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: it back. Not a chance, golden voice. I'm getting pretty
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: sick of getting hooked. I'm willing to give you $ 10, 000
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: for it. Don't make me laugh. You're worth half a
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: million to me. Yeah, that's just it. I'd like to
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: start making some money for myself for a change. Now,
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: why start that again? Well, I think it's a dirty deal,
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: and I don't mind telling you. Dirty deal? That's gratitude
• 4:09
  Speaker 3: for you. Listen, hotshot.
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: Who were you before I got hold of you anyway?
• 4:14
  Speaker 4: Just another punk singing in a joint. I'm the guy
• 4:17
  Speaker 4: that built you up. I put you where you are.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: You?
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: My voice put me where I am. So you got
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: a voice. Look, swooner boy.
• 4:26
  Speaker 4: There are lots of guys floating around with voices just
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: as good as yours.
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: The biggest asset you've got is a smart manager.
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: I'm the guy that's made the difference between you and
• 4:34
  Speaker 4: all the other two-bit troubadours in this town.
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: You see those girls swooning all over the studios tonight?
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: I did that for you. Why shouldn't I get a cut?
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: A cut? You call 40% of my earnings just a cut?
• 4:45
  Speaker 3: No more than I should get, Randall. Anyway, why should
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: you worry? You're making big money. You're making it for me.
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: Time I pay you off and my agent and taxes,
• 4:53
  Speaker 3: I haven't got anything left. And what happens when they
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: don't like me anymore? I gotta think of the future. Listen,
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: pretty voice. I'll do the worrying if any needs to
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: be done. You just keep on singing. That contract's got
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: six more years to run. I know. I wrote it.
• 5:06
  Speaker 3: By that time, I wouldn't even have a voice left.
• 5:07
  Speaker 3: My doctor told me. He said I've gotta take it easy.
• 5:10
  Speaker 3: I've been overworking my throat.
• 5:11
  Speaker 5: Gargle.
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: And it's gargle. And I won't have any money left either.
• 5:15
  Speaker 3: I'm not the one who's getting rich on this setup,
• 5:17
  Speaker 3: you know.
• 5:17
  Speaker 4: This isn't getting you anywhere, Randall. I'm not gonna sell
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: you your contract. I'm not gonna tear it up. And
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: I'm sure not gonna give it to you.
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: You signed it? I've got it. That's all there is
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: to it. Yeah? Well, we'll see about that. Listen, Welcher.
• 5:31
  Speaker 4: You start trying any smart stuff about backing out of
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: that contract, and you're going to find yourself in trouble
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: right up to that fat head of yours.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: You understand? Now, here's the turn.
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: I know.
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: Hey, stop in here at Gus's. I'll buy you some gas. Oh,
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: do you think you can afford it? I've got a
• 5:45
  Speaker 3: full tank. Now, don't start getting nasty. Aborting that contract.
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: I said forget it.
• 5:52
  Speaker 4: Well, let's see. Four minutes to ten, we're right on time.
• 5:56
  Speaker 4: There's the cutoff.
• 5:56
  Speaker 3: Will you quit that timing routine? What cutoff?
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: Oh, it's the old road from town. Cuts off a
• 6:02
  Speaker 4: little distance, but nobody uses it anymore.
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: Now they get the highway. Come on in. No, thanks.
• 6:08
  Speaker 3: Come on in.
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: Got some endorsements I want you to sign. Besides, you
• 6:12
  Speaker 4: can have a drink to soothe those poor, overworked tonsils
• 6:14
  Speaker 4: of yours.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: That isn't very funny. Come on, come on, come on. Oh,
• 6:17
  Speaker 3: all right, all right. I guess Diana stayed home tonight. Hello, Dad. Oh, hello, Bill. Hello, Diana.
• 6:31
  Speaker 3: Do you have any luck finding a housekeeper today?
• 6:34
  Speaker 6: No, I guess I have to carry on a while longer.
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: Well, it's not going to hurt those delicate hands of yours.
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: I got those endorsements in my desk, Randall. Come and
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: take a look at them.
• 6:44
  Speaker 3: What are you going to do, make me sign them?
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: What do you mean? That gun in the drawer.
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: Oh.
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: No, Glamour Boy. I don't think I have to use
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: a gun to handle you. I just keep it because
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: it's a good idea to have one.
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: Living way out here, you know. Well, here they are.
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: Look them over. I'll go fix some drinks.
• 7:02
  Speaker 6: Oh, I'll fix them, Dad.
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: You stay here. Uh-uh. You mix drinks like a Sunday
• 7:06
  Speaker 3: school teacher. I'll fix them. You stay and keep Golden
• 7:08
  Speaker 3: Throat here company. Well, Diana, you trying to avoid me?
• 7:15
  Speaker 6: Why, no, I.
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: How about proving it, then? What do you mean?
• 7:20
  Speaker 6: Bill, don't.
• 7:21
  Speaker 3: What's the matter with wanting a kid?
• 7:23
  Speaker 6: Just that that's about all you ever seem to think
• 7:24
  Speaker 6: about anymore.
• 7:25
  Speaker 3: Well, you know anything better to think about?
• 7:27
  Speaker 6: You think that just because you're where you are now,
• 7:30
  Speaker 6: you can have anything you want.
• 7:31
  Speaker 3: Well, it seems to work.
• 7:32
  Speaker 6: You didn't used to be that way, Bill.
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: I didn't know what the score was.
• 7:35
  Speaker 6: I remember how you used to be. We used to
• 7:38
  Speaker 6: go for walks after the late floor show and buy
• 7:40
  Speaker 6: popcorn and just talk. And you used to tell me
• 7:42
  Speaker 6: the things you wanted to know.
• 7:44
  Speaker 3: Oh, kid stuff. I wasn't dry behind the ears. And
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: now you are. Oh, let's not dig up that stuff, Diana.
• 7:52
  Speaker 3: How about dinner tomorrow night? I'm sorry, I'm busy. How
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: about the night after? I'm busy then, too. Sure you are.
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: You're probably busy the night after that, too. You're always
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: busy now when I want a date. It didn't used
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: to be that way before I signed the contract.
• 8:08
  Speaker 6: What do you mean?
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: You know what I mean. Before I signed that contract
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: with your dad, you were very willing to go out
• 8:13
  Speaker 3: with me. Bill, that had nothing to do with it. Oh, no, no,
• 8:15
  Speaker 3: nothing at all. You just used to see me to
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: hear me sing because you liked me. You just told
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: your dad about me out of kindness. And you just
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: talked me into signing with him because you thought he'd
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: do something for me. That happens to be the truth.
• 8:28
  Speaker 6: I don't think dad's been fair with you either, and
• 8:30
  Speaker 6: I've told him so.
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: You expect me to believe that. I'm not that big
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: a dope, even if I was silly enough to think
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: you loved me.
• 8:37
  Speaker 6: I did, Bill, I did. You were sort of a
• 8:40
  Speaker 6: nice guy in those days.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: But now, well, you've changed. You're the one who's changed.
• 8:47
  Speaker 3: I love you, Bill. But I'd love you a lot
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: more if you signed your soul over to my father. Bill,
• 8:51
  Speaker 3: don't say things like... Yeah, the truth hurts, doesn't it?
• 8:53
  Speaker 6: It isn't the truth and you know it. You've no
• 8:55
  Speaker 6: right to talk like that. You've got that idea in
• 8:57
  Speaker 6: your head and you won't listen to anything else. You've
• 8:59
  Speaker 6: gotten so bullheaded, so conceited that you.
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: Just can't say... All right, okay. It doesn't matter anymore,
• 9:03
  Speaker 3: I guess. I'm hooked. But listen, Diana. Someday I'm going
• 9:08
  Speaker 3: to get even, understand? Get out of here! Remember... Someday
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: I'm going to get even.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: Well, Bill, that wasn't exactly a tender love scene between
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: you and Diana, was it? Those things she said about you,
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: how you changed, how conceited you were. They didn't set
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: very well, did they? They made you pretty angry. You
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: told her you were hooked. It looks as if you
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: were right. The juicy offers flooding in don't make you
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: feel any better about it either, do they? They just
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: put more pressure on you, make you realize you've got
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: to figure a way out.
• 9:54
  Speaker 3: Of that contract. Then your throat starts bothering you again.
• 9:58
  Speaker 3: So you go to see your doctor.
• 10:00
  Speaker 5: I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, Mr.
• 10:04
  Speaker 3: Randall. Yeah? What is it, Doc?
• 10:06
  Speaker 5: You've got to quit singing.
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: For a while. Oh. Well, I'll take a week off.
• 10:11
  Speaker 5: It'll have to be a lot longer than that. You'll
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: have to quit for at least a year.
• 10:14
  Speaker 3: A year? Oh, I can't do that. You'd better.
• 10:18
  Speaker 5: If you don't... If I don't? Your voice won't last
• 10:23
  Speaker 5: another six months.
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: Six months. That's what the doctor said, Bill. Six months.
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: Then you'll be all washed up, no voice left. And
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: the money you've got won't even pay your debts. You know,
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: you've got to think of something. The pressure's building up, Bill.
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: You've got to find a way to break that contract.
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: The next day you go to see your lawyer.
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: You figure maybe he can help you. And he does
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: without knowing it. As you sit listening to him, an
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: idea starts coming to you.
• 10:55
  Speaker 7: No, Bill, I've been over that contract a dozen times.
• 10:57
  Speaker 7: There isn't a loophole in it.
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: It's airtight. Look, Steve, suppose I try to prove that
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: I didn't realize what I was signing.
• 11:02
  Speaker 7: No, no, I'm afraid not. You did know what you
• 11:05
  Speaker 7: were signing, and you could never prove you didn't. You
• 11:07
  Speaker 7: just didn't realize it was going to mean so much money. No,
• 11:10
  Speaker 7: you might as well give up and serve out that
• 11:12
  Speaker 7: six years, because as long as he's alive and kicking,
• 11:15
  Speaker 7: he's never going to let you out of it.
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 11:19
  Speaker 7: As a matter of fact, even if Gordon should die,
• 11:21
  Speaker 7: his share would go to his daughter.
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: He's seen to that. Yeah. So they're both holding the
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: whip hand over you, Bill.
• 11:26
  Speaker 5: Both of them.
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I'd have to get rid of both of them. Well,
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: I'm glad you still have a sense of humor.
• 11:33
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 11:35
  Speaker 3: Well, Steve, I'll be running along. Thanks for everything.
• 11:37
  Speaker 7: I'm sorry I couldn't help you, honey. Let's get together
• 11:40
  Speaker 7: soon for a little golf, huh?
• 11:41
  Speaker 3: Okay. So long. So long, Bill. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I've
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: got to get rid of both of them.
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: It was just last Monday on the Whistler that Signal
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: Oil Company first announced new post-war Signal gasoline. Yet in
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: that short week, thousands of Western drivers have made a
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: wonderful discovery. A discovery of thrilling new performance they never
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: dreamed was built into their cars.
• 12:15
  Speaker 3: For New Signal.
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: Isn't just another gasoline, not just pre-war quality, not just
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: an improvement on old-style gasoline, but an entirely new type
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: super fuel that embodies in one giant stride the amazing
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: advances of wartime chemistry. Yes, New Signal is the new
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: gasoline you can actually prove is superior. Prove it in
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: four ways. One, with quicker starting the moment you touch
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: the button. Two, faster pickup. You actually feel it. Three,
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: higher anti-knock. Just listen to that old motor purr, even
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: on steepest hills. And four, you'll find you go farther
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: than ever with new signal, because you'll be shifting less,
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: enjoying more economical high-gear miles. Really, now, wouldn't you like
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: to discover just how much fun driving can be? The
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: way to do that, you know, is to drive into
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: one of the friendly stations, displaying Signal's familiar yellow and
• 13:10
  Speaker 2: black circle sign, and say, fill her up. With new
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: signal gasoline. And now, back to the whistler. Well, Bill Randall.
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: If you want to break that contract with Frank Gordon,
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: you've got to get rid of both him and his
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: daughter Diana.
• 13:48
  Speaker 3: That's the only way out, isn't it?
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: You've made up your mind to that. But you know
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: you need a plan, Bill, and you need an alibi.
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: Not too much of an alibi, just enough. After your
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: show that night, waiting for your appointment with Gordon, you're
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: thinking about it. The plan is starting to come to you.
• 14:08
  Speaker 3: You're late. Look, I'm not in the mood for any cracks.
• 14:12
  Speaker 3: It wasn't a crack. What's eating you? Diana. What's the
• 14:15
  Speaker 3: matter with Diana? That little dope, I ought to knock
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: some sense into her. Why, what'd she do?
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: Oh, I cut down her allowance for running the house
• 14:20
  Speaker 4: and didn't tell her so one of her checks bounced.
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: She got all upset about it and we had a
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: big scene. So you had a big scene.
• 14:25
  Speaker 4: Yeah, but it was in front of a lot of
• 14:26
  Speaker 4: people we had at the house. I lost my temper
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: and slapped her. She told me she hated me and
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: went to her room.
• 14:31
  Speaker 3: In front of all those people? Oh, that's too bad.
• 14:35
  Speaker 7: Well, what'd you want to see me about?
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: You know what I want to see you about.
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: Those endorsements. Stormed out of the house without signing them.
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: Yeah, so I did. Now I've got to come traipsing
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: around to give them to you.
• 14:43
  Speaker 4: Looks like I have to plan everything for everybody.
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: And here they are, little boy.
• 14:47
  Speaker 4: Maybe you can quit parking long enough to put the
• 14:49
  Speaker 4: famous name on the dotted line.
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: Hurry it up, too. I'm... It costs me good money here.
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: Now get off the dime. I'm going to sign them. Going.
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: It's about time, prima donna. Here. Well, you almost lost
• 15:04
  Speaker 3: your temper again, didn't you, Bill? No. You almost said
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: something else. You've got to watch that.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: But the plan's beginning to take shape in your mind.
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: That scene between Gordon and Diana in front of all
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: those people. You can use that, can't you, Bill? That'll
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: fit in very well. And what was that that Gordon
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: said about having to plan everything? Why not let him
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: plan this too, Bill? You start remembering things he's told you,
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: things you can use. It takes 36 minutes to Gordon's
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: house over the highway. Remember that? And there's a cutoff.
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: And that gun in his drawer. You can use those things, Bill.
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: All of them.
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: Maybe it'd be a good idea for you to find
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: the shortcut. So one day you drive out that way
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: and locate it. It's a nice deserted road and you
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: time the trip. You can go as fast as you
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: want on the shortcut. Fast enough to make it in
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: 18 minutes. Eighteen from thirty-six leaves eighteen, doesn't it, Bill?
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: Eighteen minutes to kill Gordon and get up to the
• 16:11
  Speaker 2: gas station on the corner, so it'll look as if
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: you came.
• 16:14
  Speaker 3: Over the highway all the way. That's all the alibi
• 16:17
  Speaker 3: you want, isn't it, Bill? Just enough. Now all you
• 16:21
  Speaker 3: need is the right knife. Hello? Hello, Diana. Diana?
• 16:33
  Speaker 6: You want to speak to Dad?
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: No, you.
• 16:35
  Speaker 6: Look, Bill, I thought we'd settled all that. I don't
• 16:38
  Speaker 6: see why you keep calling up every night for a date.
• 16:40
  Speaker 3: I've... I've told you there's no... But, Diana, I want
• 16:43
  Speaker 3: to see you. To tell you that I.
• 16:44
  Speaker 6: You told me enough the other night. I don't think
• 16:46
  Speaker 6: there's anything more to say, and I wish you'd stop calling.
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: I suppose you're busy tonight.
• 16:50
  Speaker 6: Yes, I am.
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: Anybody I know?
• 16:52
  Speaker 6: That's another thing I wish you'd stop asking. It doesn't
• 16:54
  Speaker 6: happen to be any of your business.
• 16:56
  Speaker 3: No, I just want to know who the lucky guy is.
• 16:58
  Speaker 3: It isn't a guy.
• 16:59
  Speaker 6: I happen to be going over to Dorothy King's house
• 17:01
  Speaker 6: for the evening. Is that all right with you?
• 17:04
  Speaker 3: Yeah, sure. Have a good time. Thank you. Goodbye.
• 17:07
  Speaker 5: Oh, say, Diana.
• 17:08
  Speaker 3: Yes? As long as you won't go out with me,
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: I might as well take care of some business tonight.
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: Would you tell your dad I'll be out around 10
• 17:14
  Speaker 3: to talk over something?
• 17:16
  Speaker 6: I'll tell him.
• 17:17
  Speaker 3: Thanks, Diana. Bye. Goodbye. Dorothy King's, huh? That's three miles
• 17:24
  Speaker 3: the other side of Gordon's. Just right. Okay, tonight's the night.
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: That's about all for this broadcast, folks. This is Bill
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: Randall thanking you for listening and asking you to be
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: around same time tomorrow night. Is it a date?
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: Yes, be with us tomorrow night, same time, same station,
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: for another edition of Songs by Bill Randall. And don't forget,
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: this is National Safety Week. Drive safely and save a life.
• 18:13
  Speaker 3: It may be yours. This is Bill Randall saying goodnight.
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: You ducked the autograph, kids, and you're out of the
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: studio now, hurrying toward your car. You knocked him dead
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: again tonight, didn't you, Bill? But you're not thinking about
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: that now. All you're thinking about is your car waiting
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: for you. Your time schedule for the next 45 minutes.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: It's all time, Bill. Time to the minute. And here's
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: your car.
• 18:45
  Speaker 3: Hi. Are you Bill Randall? Yes, officer. Is this your car? Yes,
• 18:50
  Speaker 3: it is. What's the trouble? I'd like to check your brakes.
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: This is National Safety Week, you know. We're checking cars. Oh. Oh, well, officer,
• 18:57
  Speaker 3: would you mind if I got it down the road away?
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: I've got an appointment in that direction, and I don't
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: want to be late. Well, I guess okay. Only don't
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: forget to do it. You'll probably be stopped anyway. Thanks, officer.
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: I'll take care of it. That gave you a start,
• 19:16
  Speaker 3: didn't it, Bill? Seeing that cop standing beside your car.
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: For a single panicky moment, you thought he might know
• 19:22
  Speaker 2: what you're going to do. But he couldn't know that, Bill.
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: He just wanted to tell you it's National Safety Week.
• 19:28
  Speaker 3: That's a laugh, isn't it?
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: It's not exactly going to be National Safety Week for Gordon,
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: is it?
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: But you're late now. He cost you two valuable minutes
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: and you can't afford that. If you're going to stay
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: on schedule, you've got to hurry, Bill. You've got to hurry.
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: You're on the back road now, speeding up. The minutes
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: are sliding by. 10, 11, faster down the back road.
• 19:47
  Speaker 3: 13, 14, your foot's pushing the pedal to the floor. 16, 17,
• 19:51
  Speaker 3: the car's wide open. You're going to make it, Bill.
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: 18, 19, and you're there, around the bend from Gordon.
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: You're almost on schedule now, Bill, but you've still got
• 20:04
  Speaker 3: to hurry. Bill, what's the matter? Quick, Frank, your gun.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: What's the trouble? Someone's following me. Following you? Yeah, quick,
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: give me your gun. Okay, it's right in here. I'll
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: get it. Here, here it is. Now, where is he?
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Frank. Well, there it is. Don't just stand there, stupid.
• 20:24
  Speaker 3: I thought someone was after you. No, Gordon. Someone's after you. Hey,
• 20:28
  Speaker 3: what is this? Put down that gun. Not just yet, Gordon.
• 20:32
  Speaker 3: Have you gone crazy? Give me that gun. Don't move. No, Gordon,
• 20:35
  Speaker 3: I haven't gone crazy. I was crazy to sign that contract,
• 20:38
  Speaker 3: but I'm not anymore. Randall, you're blowing your top. I'm
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: going to break that contract, Gordon. And I'm going to
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: use your gun to do it. Don't be a fool.
• 20:45
  Speaker 3: You can't get away with it. They'll find you. I
• 20:47
  Speaker 3: don't think so, Gordon. They'll be too busy pinning it
• 20:50
  Speaker 3: on someone else. Well, Randall, I... Say, maybe we'd better
• 20:53
  Speaker 3: talk a little. Shut up! We've talked enough. I'll get
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: on that phone and call Diana. Diana? I don't know
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: where she is. Oh, quit stalling. You know she's at
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: Dorothy King's. I'll pick up that phone and dial Crescent 2417.
• 21:06
  Speaker 3: Tell her to come home immediately. It's an emergency. And
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: nothing more. Do you understand? Okay, okay. Hello? I'd like
• 21:15
  Speaker 3: to talk to Diana, please. This is her father. Not
• 21:18
  Speaker 3: for the last time, Bill. Shut up! Hello, Diana? Listen, baby,
• 21:24
  Speaker 3: come home right away. It's an emergency. She ought to
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: make it in about five minutes, huh? Yeah, I guess so.
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: That gives you about 30 seconds more to live. Now, Randall...
• 21:34
  Speaker 3: You know, Gordon, you used to tell me I couldn't
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: judge time, didn't you? Well, I've gotten better. This is
• 21:40
  Speaker 3: timed to the minute. But, Bill, for pity's sake... You
• 21:42
  Speaker 3: might be interested in knowing just how well it is timed.
• 21:45
  Speaker 3: Diana's going to get here in a few minutes. And
• 21:47
  Speaker 3: a little after that, the cops are going to walk
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: in and find her standing over your dead body. I
• 21:53
  Speaker 3: think they'll jump at the obvious conclusion. Diana, why? You're
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: not going to drag her into this... You're quite the
• 21:57
  Speaker 3: fun parent all of a sudden, aren't you? Yes, I'm
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: going to drag her into it. And when the cops
• 22:02
  Speaker 3: hear about that scene between the two of you the
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: other day, and when I show them something I've got
• 22:06
  Speaker 3: in my pocket, I don't think they'll have much trouble
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: establishing a motive for it. Pretty neat, don't you think? No, Bill, no. Now, listen, please.
• 22:14
  Speaker 3: Let's talk this over, huh? You, you... Yes, Gordon. Don't, no. Yes.
• 22:26
  Speaker 2: You've done it, Bill. There he is, and you're not
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: even nervous. Your plan has worked beautifully so far. It's
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: 20 to 10, Bill. That gives you five minutes to
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: make a phone call and get up to the service
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: station on the corner.
• 22:40
  Speaker 3: Hello, police? This is Frank Gordon at 21 Denning Lane.
• 22:51
  Speaker 3: Come over right away.
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: You're through now, Bill, except for the fingerprints. Don't forget
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: to wipe them off the gun and phone and door.
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: Now you're ready. Out the door, back to the car,
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: get it started. Down the back road, turn to the right.
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: Down the side road toward the highway, around the block.
• 23:11
  Speaker 3: And into the service station on the corner. You made it, Bill.
• 23:18
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir?
• 23:19
  Speaker 3: Five of the regular.
• 23:20
  Speaker 5: Yeah, betcha.
• 23:20
  Speaker 3: Joe?
• 23:21
  Speaker 5: Five regulares. A little cooler tonight, huh?
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: What? Oh, yeah, it is.
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: Hey, mister, did you know your tail light's out?
• 23:29
  Speaker 3: No, I didn't. I'll have it fixed.
• 23:30
  Speaker 5: Yeah, but let me do it now. It only takes
• 23:32
  Speaker 5: a minute to put in a new bulb.
• 23:33
  Speaker 3: Well, I don't know whether I've got time. I've got
• 23:36
  Speaker 3: an appointment. What time is it?
• 23:38
  Speaker 5: Let's see. About ten minutes to ten.
• 23:41
  Speaker 3: Ten of ten. Oh, well, okay. Put it in.
• 23:44
  Speaker 5: Hey, just take a minute.
• 23:45
  Speaker 3: I've got the bulbs right here. Just laid in a
• 23:46
  Speaker 3: new supply.
• 23:48
  Speaker 5: It's National Safety Week, you know. Cops checking for things
• 23:51
  Speaker 5: like this, taillights, brakes, and driver's licenses.
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what I hear. Good thing, too. Helps cut
• 23:56
  Speaker 3: down the number of accidents.
• 23:57
  Speaker 5: Can't be too careful, you know.
• 23:59
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. Can't be too careful. Yeah, well, there
• 24:01
  Speaker 3: it is.
• 24:02
  Speaker 5: Very simple.
• 24:03
  Speaker 3: Well, water okay? Yeah. How much do I owe you?
• 24:06
  Speaker 5: 90 cents.
• 24:06
  Speaker 3: Here's a buck. Keep the dime.
• 24:08
  Speaker 5: Thanks. Hope you're not late for your appointment.
• 24:10
  Speaker 3: I don't think I'll be. Whistle.
• 24:23
  Speaker 6: Oh.
• 24:23
  Speaker 3: Come in. You're Mr. Randall? Yeah, officer. What's happened? I
• 24:28
  Speaker 3: was told you were expected. What's the matter? Diana. Oh, Bill. Dead. What? Mr.
• 24:34
  Speaker 3: Gordon is dead.
• 24:36
  Speaker 6: Dead? Oh.
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: How? What happened? He was murdered. Murdered? Why are you
• 24:44
  Speaker 3: looking at me like that? Oh, no. No, Diana. Of
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: course you didn't. Mr. Randall, we'd like to ask you
• 24:51
  Speaker 3: a couple of questions. Why, sure. You had a 10
• 24:54
  Speaker 3: o'clock appointment with Mr. Gordon? Yes. Did you see him earlier? Why, no.
• 24:59
  Speaker 3: Did you talk to him over the phone? Not today.
• 25:01
  Speaker 8: What was your appointment about? Why, it was just some business.
• 25:06
  Speaker 3: What kind of business? Well, I'd rather not say. It
• 25:12
  Speaker 3: might look like.
• 25:12
  Speaker 8: Let's have it, Randall.
• 25:14
  Speaker 3: Well, all right. It was about this agreement I have here.
• 25:19
  Speaker 3: Gordon was going to sell me his interest in my contract.
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: This was the agreement. I was going to give him $ 10, 000.
• 25:25
  Speaker 3: Here's the check. What? Well, he said he told you, Diana.
• 25:32
  Speaker 3: I ask him especially because... Well, because you stood to
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: inherit your father's interest in my contract if anything happened
• 25:39
  Speaker 3: to him. That's why I didn't want to mention this business.
• 25:44
  Speaker 3: You know, it might look like she... Well, like... I see.
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: You've been a big help to us, Mr. Randall. But
• 25:50
  Speaker 3: I'm sure you can account for Diana's whereabouts throughout the evening, officer. Yes,
• 25:54
  Speaker 3: we can.
• 25:55
  Speaker 8: We know where she was a little after the time
• 25:58
  Speaker 8: Gordon was murdered. She was right in this room. And
• 26:01
  Speaker 8: with what you've told us, I'd say the case was
• 26:04
  Speaker 8: just about wound up.
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: The Whistler will return in just a moment with a
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: strange ending to tonight's story. Meantime, here's a special message
• 26:20
  Speaker 2: for you folks from Missouri, the show-me state, or any
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: of the rest of you who like proof. For I
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: want to show you just why it is that New
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: Signal is so superior to old-style gasoline. Why New Signal
• 26:34
  Speaker 2: is actually an entirely new type, super fuel. You see,
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: gasoline is composed of countless different hydrocarbon molecules. In pre-war gasolines,
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: the molecules were left just as nature made them. But
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: under the impetus of war, chemists found how to take
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: the molecules themselves apart. Actually, how to rearrange the atoms
• 26:55
  Speaker 2: within the molecules. The result is the thrilling, amazing power
• 27:00
  Speaker 2: of Signal's new gasoline, bringing you performance so immediately apparent
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: you can feel it, see it, hear it. Yet in
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: new Signal, you enjoy this premium performance at no extra cost. Now,
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: if you have that Missouri trait, I can hear you saying,
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: you gotta show me. And that's just what we want
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: to do. Next time, fill up with new signal. Let
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: a tank full of this new super fuel show you
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: in your own car that new signal is the new
• 27:28
  Speaker 2: gasoline you can prove is superior.
• 27:33
  Speaker 3: And now, back to the whistler.
• 27:36
  Speaker 2: The Whistler.
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: Yes, Bill, the case is just about wound up. That's
• 27:49
  Speaker 3: what the officer said.
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: And now you're trying not to smile. It looks as
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: if your plan worked perfectly, doesn't it? But the officer's
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: still talking, Bill. Maybe you better pay attention to what
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: he's saying.
• 28:03
  Speaker 8: We know where Miss Gordon was because she picked me
• 28:05
  Speaker 8: up on her way over here and brought me with her.
• 28:08
  Speaker 8: There are lots of us on the highway tonight. It's
• 28:10
  Speaker 8: National Safety Week, you know. You see, that telephone call
• 28:13
  Speaker 8: she got from her father sort of aroused her suspicions.
• 28:16
  Speaker 8: She hadn't told him where she was going tonight. As
• 28:19
  Speaker 8: a matter of fact, you.
• 28:20
  Speaker 3: Were the only one who knew. Me? Anyway, when we
• 28:23
  Speaker 3: got here.
• 28:24
  Speaker 8: Together and discovered the body... I checked up with the
• 28:27
  Speaker 8: people Miss Gordon had been with. I knew she couldn't very.
• 28:30
  Speaker 3: Well have done it.
• 28:31
  Speaker 8: But I don't... Randall, can you account for your whereabouts?
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: Why, yes. Yes, I can. I left the studio right
• 28:39
  Speaker 3: after my show at 9.15. Drove out here on the highway,
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: stopped for gas at the corner... I think I got
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: there about ten of ten.
• 28:46
  Speaker 8: I see. Anything unusual happen on the highway?
• 28:49
  Speaker 6: Why, no.
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: I just drove along at my usual speed.
• 28:53
  Speaker 8: That's very interesting, Randall. Very interesting. I told you it
• 28:57
  Speaker 8: was National Safety Week. So happens we've been stopping everyone
• 29:01
  Speaker 8: on the highway since eight tonight, checking driver's licenses. I'm
• 29:04
  Speaker 8: sure we'd have stopped you if you'd.
• 29:06
  Speaker 3: Been on the highway. I think you'd better come with us.
• 29:30
  Speaker 2: Next Monday at 9 o'clock, The Whistler will bring you
• 29:33
  Speaker 2: another strange tale. The Whistler is broadcast for your entertainment
• 29:37
  Speaker 2: by the marketers of Signal Gasoline and Motor Oil. and
• 29:40
  Speaker 2: fine quality automotive accessories and by your neighborhood signal dealer.
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: This program, directed by George W. Allen, with tonight's story
• 29:48
  Speaker 2: by Robert Reif, music by Wilbur Hatch, is transmitted to
• 29:52
  Speaker 2: our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. This
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: is Marvin Miller speaking and suggesting that you try New Signal.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: The new gasoline you can prove is superior. This is CBS,
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: The New Signal The whistler, sing a song of murder,
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: fades now into the night. Until our next broadcast, good night.