Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Crime and Peter Chambers: The Miss Universe Contest Murder (EP1492)
Transcript
- Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boiseida Ho. This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio Detectives. Well, before we do get started, I do want to encourage you to pick up your copy of All I Needed to Know I learned from Dragnet. We learn life lesson from some of the great detectives of literature, radio and television, such as what Joe Friday teach us about motivating others, Poirot on the importance of listening, and a lesson in humility from Lieutenant John Weston. Plus we have profiles of each detective hero and their careers. You can pick this book up in the Kindlestore, the nook store, or the eBookstore, and you can view all the books and ebooks and audiobooks that we have available at stored do Greatdetectives dot net. Well, now it's time for today's episode of Crime and Peter Chambers. The original air date July the twenty seventh, nineteen fifty four and the title of the Miss Universe contest Murder, Crime and Peter Chambers created by Henry Kane, transcribed and starring Dane Clark, Pivate Investigator, Duly licensed and duly sworn Peter Chambers. You're a private eye. That's your business. Anything else that's for labs laps. This one's figure is for more labs than a bull session of a bachelor dinner. You're being retained to play a nurse maid to three of the most beautiful girls in the world, and for that you're being paid. The lady at your office is Miss Matilda Cragg, battle ax type and built like a fire hydrant. Your fee then is five hundred dollars. Yes, Miss Craig, and you understand that I represent mister Byron Vonde. Yes, Miss Craig, understand that mister Thorndyke is the mister Thorndyke Byron Thorndyke Model Agency. Yes, Miss Craig, and you know why you're being retained well, of course, Miss Craig. Then let's go over it again again, Miss Craig. Young man, my dear young men, Yes, Miss Craig, can't you isn't it possible? Won't you please call me Matilda with all my height, Matilda. Then now that's much better, so much less business like, less formal. Well, then let's get on all right, here goes every big city in most every big country has been running a beauty contest. Then all of them competed in an elimination contest in Los Angeles, and three were chosen, correct, Miss Madrid, Miss Patriis, and Miss Brooklyn. And these three are now here in New York for the finals tomorrow. And one of the three is to be crowned Miss Universe price fifty thousand dollars in cash and a Hollywood contract. And Byron Thorndyke is to be sole judged. And I am here as chaperone for the young ladies. Mister Thorndyke has taken a lovely house on place with a lovely garden and a lovely view of the East River in the summer time. Yeah, the vast bridges their lights strung across. Yeah, all right, all right, right, something mister Chambers, Matilda, let's get back to cases. Yes, yes, of course. And now you're to be there tonight at midnight because the Money Transport Company is going to deliver fifty thousand cash bucks of Thorndyke at a quarter to twelve, and you are to serve this bodyguard. You will come armed, of course, of course, Miss Matilda, and you will stay with mister Thorndyke until tomorrow afternoon, and then you will remain with whatever young lady win the prize until the money is safely departed in a bank. Miss Madrid a brunette is Lola Grenada, Miss Paris, a redhead is Louise Dupray, and Miss Brooklyn a blonde is Johan Hellam. Now, mister Chambers, I want you to remember it's the longest day of your life as what they wouldn't be when at the end of the rainbow you're scheduled to meet your hope, Miss Madrid, Miss Paris and Miss Brooklyn. Anyway, comes midnight and you're all dolled up in your summer finery if one won't forget the slight bulge for a gun and holster, and you're at the house on Sutton Place and you've got your finger on the buzzer. Well, Peter Chambers, boy, detective, I was told you'd be do here, so I opened the door for you myself So what do you staked out here for? Louis assistant judging a beauty contest. I don't think that contest coming off, Pete. It's been canceled on account of the unexpected advent of the corpse. Detective Lieutenant Louis Parker, Homicide, New York City Police, straight cop and good friend. He leads you through a car that opens upon a massive living room, and there in a chair, with his back to the entrance, Byron Thorndyke, very dead, a knife cram between his shoulder blades. Parker's men are doing their jobs. Photo guys, Findinger print guys, the works, real nice iron thorn Dyke with a knife in his back. When'd you get the call? Louis about ten minutes ago? Who found him? The chaperone that until the crag? Right now in a hospital hospital? Wait a minute, Pete, and my boys have finished here. Yes, you might as well get the party out too, Okay, and I'll be downtown shortly. All right, Pity, where will we until the crag? Yeah? Well, then let me set you up on the details. First. The money arrived a little early, about twenty five to twelve. That's the motive for the murderer. No, it ain't that dough was piled up on the table here when we found him, nice as you please. Well, if not money, then why do you think search me? Anyway? About a quarter to twelve, we get the call downtown reporting this thing call from until the crag. We do it with the siren blast and all away, and we're here in five minutes. We find the door locked, so we jimmy our way in and there he is, just like you saw him. Dead. Back to the entranceway, and Matilda keeled over by the phone slugged, no, no, fainted. Turned out to be a heart attacks a matter of fact. Anyway, we bring her to and she straightens us out on some of the facts, and then we pilo up to the hospital where she is now in communicado. And what were these facts? Very meager Miss Cragg decides to come down to see if Thorndyke needs anything before she retires for the night. You see, she comes in here, she finds him just like you saw him. She phones into the cops, she keels over. That's the deal. Period. Doe is livered at twenty five to twelve. By the way, where is it? Though I sent it downtown. Well, properly, clerk safe keeping, okay, do delivered twenty five to two. She finds him at a quarter two, which means he was killed within that ten minute period, right right? Those girls been in the house all that time. Yeah, each in her respective room. So one of them is your murderer, or Matilda crag Well, one of the four of them. You talk to the dames upstairs. Yes, nothing, Each one clams, each one denies, each one professes no motive. Where do they live? Addresses and stuff? That's a thing. One lives in Madrid, one in Paris, and the one from Brooklyn was living in Hollywood when Thorndyke discovered it. What if you tell them? How much do they know? They don't know nothing except that the guy was stabbed at death and that's all the information they're going to get until I'm ready to question. Meantime, they all stay put like they are, keep denying like they're doing, and I can see him, think I can stop you. Upstairs, Parker introduces you to the cast of suspects, and a beautiful cast. It is. First is Miss Brooklyn Landa's a Viking blue riye and Ruby Lippt My name is Joan Halliman. I don't know nothing from nothing. I don't know who killed him or why he was killed, and I would consider it a special favor if you two bab boons got out of here and left me alone. Sure, next you go calling on Miss Madrid raven hair pulled to a bund in the back and black eyes with more flash than a swindler on the make. And Montecarlo. I am a la Granada. I am shocked and all broken inside. I have nothing nothing to say. I wish to be alone. Please plea charmy. And then miss Paris, red hair, green eyes and a figure like the Figure eight, but oh so much more. Tray, I am Louise Dupray. Oh it is Tita, Tita chambren espa. Oh, this is so great a surprise. I am shoved. It is mighty light, double Charmie. You met her last year in Paris when she was dancing in the Folies Bagier. You just didn't connect the name. You were there on a case, and this had all the makings of a great romance. When, as would have it, the case was over and you were yanked back to the States. Oh yeah, my handsome Peter most shell. This is so true, with the light so unexpected. Hey, what the devil is going on here? We are old friends, my dear Lieutenant we commissioner. Yes, you know who this is. This is Peter Chambra, the one true great detective of all the United days. He must have told you that himself. Oh, yes, the one Peter Sharp was a great detective. All right, all right, well now look, my one true great detective of all the United I was in Paris last year. One great I'm trying to explain it. I will talk to him. I will talk to him alone. I do not trust another. I am in a strange country. I will talk to him, but not here. Outside in the rear is a garden by the ocean, by the beautiful East River. There I will talk to him. Well, what have you got to lose, Lieutenant Commissioner. I will talk to him. To z Peter Champa. Okay, okay, go talk to him. And so outside in the garden, with a cool breeze coming over the East River ocean, she puts her arms around you and kisses you. But from the way she kisses you, you know she's worried. Before you can ask her, she says it Oh, I am so worried, Peter. I am very much distressed. You tell me, honey, you tell the great detective of all the United States my knife. It is missing. Oh what's for the knife? It is in my family and heir room. We have had it many years, but it has gone since when. I do not know. I showed it to the girls when we came here two days ago. Then I put it in my bureau draw Then I did not look again until the police came and told us about poor bown Is. They told us he was Oh how you say it? Stock stopped, stop, stop, stuck stop. Then quickly I look my knife. She's not there. What did you tell the police? I was afraid. I am in a strange country. They will think that. Well, they want to find out sooner or later. So if they find then I will speak. Perhaps they do not find, and I have no need to speak. Louise, you didn't kill him my whole Oh no, not I Peter. You will protect me and you will protect Paul. Listle Louise. You will not be sorry. Louise will appreciate so oh wait, wait, wait, wait a minute, wait a minute. You're a little premature in the appreciation apartment. Easy. You are correct? You have any ideas on Byron Thorndyke. Oh, he was a bad man. Well that's an idea where you get that from? From missus Brooklin? Jean Allen? You mean she didn't like she loved him, so that makes him a bad man. It is so I am the prettiest. I know I am going to win. I tell this to Joan. She agrees, but she does not. Slowly, Honey, slowly, you're committing mayhem on your English. She agrees and she does not agree. Well, how do you work that one out? She agrees that I am the prettiest, but she does not agree that I will win. She tells me that she loves Byron and that Barron loves her, and it is all you say in the bag that she will win. Oh, a fixer, even in a beauty contest. Fix? What is this a fix? You skip it? Honey? Eh? Okay, I skip it. So that is how I know he is a bad man. Now look this, Johan Helen. She's told the cops that she lives in Hollywood. Do you know anything about that? Well, once, when we are together in Los Angeles, she tells me of a little room she has in Brooklyn. She says never to tell anyone because it is so poor and small. She says she still keeps it because it is so inexpensive, even though she lives in Hollywood, just in case she has to come back east. She was having so much wine that night. I do not think she even remembers that. She told me she gave you the address two six two six to Ouz Street Street, O Street. Oh you mean Hoit Street. That's what I said, out street. What you say ground floor back is in Brooklyn? Is in Brooklyn. Yes, So now, Peter, I have told you all because I am so afraid. You must help me. And then when it is all over, believe me, Louise will not forget. Louise will regretfully you leave Louise, but you hope there will be a better moment when all her worries are dissipated. Your company pockets at the Belmore Hospital, where you sit outside whitewall card while the interview was Matilda Cragg. You sit for a long time until finally he comes out. Well, I think we can eliminate her. I told her why my boys have checked her thoroughly. She's known thrown thatck a long time sort of a secretary and his agency, and he's been very good to her. She's got a bad heart. He's paid for doctor's treatments past ten years. At least you get straightened. You out on his background, she's no help there. He kept his personal life to himself. What about those names out of his house? She had any ideas as to who might have stuck that thing into her boss? That's why I come out for you. She heard mention of a threat by own Lola Branada, Miss Madrid. Well, now how did it happened? Come on in then listen softly now, Miss Cragg. Yes, yes, lieutenant, Hi sweetie, Oh mister Tams, Miss Cragg tell us about that argument? Now? Will you please you feel strong enough? Oh? Yes, yes I do. It was two days ago Miss Helen was in this Canada's room. The door was opened and I was dusting outside, and I could hear Miss Helen was speaking. Miss Helen was saying, look, Laola, I don't want to tread on anybody's toes. I'm telling you the truth, so help me. I don't care if you're jealousy or not jealous. I'm telling you the truth. I'm supposed to win this contest hand down Byron Thorndyke told me he was stuck on me, told me he was in love with me. Then he was lying maybe yes, maybe no, maybe yes, My dear John, neither you or Louise will be in only I. There is fifty thousand dollars to be paid, and he will keep it in the family. He will pay it to his wife. Why yes, I am his wife. You are married in Los Angeles? Why either? I don't believe it. No, Then look at this a marrige certificate. Do you see? John? Yeah? I see? And I don't want you playing around with my man. Is that clear? Or he with you? And I have told him that. I have told him. If it continues, I will kill him. I am not accustomed to this and I will not have it. Now that I have told you, please to get out of here. Please get out quickly. Okay, okay, don't let that Latin temper of yours get the best of you. I've got a temper of my own, you know. Byron Thorndyke, ne Diry miserable and that was what I heard. I didn't mention it, not to anyone. I'm not want to gossip, but no, in these circumstances, put your head back on the pillow, Nurse. It's the middle of the night now, Parker's gone down the headquarters for a workout with his laboratory men, and you're dying to go to sleep, but you've got one more little chort to do. Two six two six two Hoyt Street turns out to be a ramshackle brownstone with ashcans on the sidewalk. Ground floor back is a flimsy door that has no resistance to your gentle administrations. Inside there's lots of accumulated dust, but there's also signs of a recent entry, like a newspaper with yesterday's date. You give the joint a quick going over, which isn't much of a job, and then out of an old musty trunk you come up with something which isn't musty at all. That does it for you, and you get out of there. Next afternoon, you're at the house on Sutton Place. Parker's got the ladies in Lola Granada's room and he's jabbing left hooks. But you know, Parker, he's holding back that haymaker, possibly because he's got no haymaker to throw. But he's wearing them down, the three of them. Now, you, miss Paris Louise Dupray, that knife belongs to you, no question. That's a French knife made in France, one of the mantique deals. Your nurse, that's, lieutenant. But it does not mean I have used the knife to keep only fingerprints on it? Are yours? Lady? It belongs to her whose fingerprints should be on it? Look who invited you here? You did, lieutenant? We're sort of working hand in glove on his thing. Low. Now there's a pretty word. Whoever stuck that steel into him probably did use gloves. These ladies equipped with gloves, Yeah, all of them. So a gloved hand would keep the culprit's fingerprints off and keep missdupraised fingerprints on. Okay, well let's get to you, Miss Madrid Lola Grenada with a Latin temper. Brooklyn here has been keeping her trap closed. But you, miss Granada, were heard the threatening Thorndyke in her presence, and he commented, Miss Granada, I did not kill him. That you said too many times any other coming only once again, I wish to report the loss of my Marriae certificate was stolen marriage marriage. We're working on a murder case. It might be pertinent, Lieutenant, are you still here? What don't because it was stolen by the murderer. And I suppose you know who that is too, of course I do here. Let me point a finger any meaning money mode and it comes out you, you, miss Johan Hallam, you stole that marriage certificate. I did not. You deny it, I certainly do. All right, I'll show you the missing marriage certificate. See yeah, I'll take it out of my pocket. Take a look. What about it? That's where I found it? Where where did you find it? Two six two six two Hoyt Street, ground floor back. But how could you, honey? You were put on a spot what are you talking about? Been put on a spot by Thorndyke himself, through attend has been holding on you're sweetie. He couldn't. Thorn Dike scribbled your name. He couldn't. He scribbled your name when he saw you come in with a knife in your hand. He couldn't. He couldn't. His back was turned. He was seated with his back to the Oh. And that, my dear lieutenant, is what is known as cooking your own goose. Nobody knew that he had his back to the door, Miss Hallam, except Miss Cragg, the police, and the murderer. It's talking time, Miss Hallam. Okay, okay, I killed him. That's one rat that deserved it. I had a contract waiting for me in Hollywood, but he took me into this, told me it was a sure thing that I'd win this contest, told me he loved me anything to get this thing rolling for him. Look at all the publicity. It gave him all the business and for free because he figured to keep that fifty g's in his own family. That phony rat was going to fix it to his own wife. Lola would win that contest. When did you make up your mind to kill him? Miss Helen? When I caught him in the final line, what was that? I talked to him yesterday morning. I told him what Lola had told me, that they were married. Even then he brazened it, told me he wasn't married to Lola. When I threw him a bit about the marriage certificate, he told me that that was a phony. So I hooked it. I had a lawyer call La and check it. It was the McCoy. Well, that was it. I sneaked Louise's knife from a drawer, and I waited for my chance. And that was that. Parker cleans up the loose ends, and your case is closed. And that evening, Louise do prey descends upon you. And with a cool breeze wafting over from the East River Ocean and a couple of high balls clinking ice, you have a declaration from the beautiful Miss Paris Ah, the true Great Detective of all the United States, in appreciation. Louise bestows a gith like soul mm hmmm, and an appreciation of your appreciation, the true Great Detective of all the United States bestows are a turnkise, thanks even at all. Barry was never like this. And there you've had Crime and Peter Chambers. Dane Clark starred as Peter Chambers. Crime and Peter Chambers Transcribed was created and written by Henry Kane. Others in the cask were Bill Zucker it Heard as Lieutenant Parker, Marion Carr as Miss Cragg, and Anita Anton as Louise Debrie. It was directed by Fred Wade. This is Fred Collins inviting you to tune in next week, same time, same station for Dane Clark in Crime and Peter Chamber. This is Roger Tottle inviting you on a sixty second trip into the future, not way in the future, but just as far ahead as this September, September fourteenth, to be exact, and that's the day that Lux Radio Theater returns to the air, and you'll enjoy it right here on NBC. Lux Radio Theater has been radio's most popular dramatic show for many years, and no wonder it brings you an entertainment combination that can't be equaled. You'll hear the brightest stars in Hollywood in one hour adaptations of the greatest motion pictures of all time. The first Lux Radio Theater presentation September fourteenth is the powerful and moving story Wuthering Heights starring Merle Oberon Welcome Back. The Miss Universe contests did actually exist at the time of this radio program. It started in nineteen fifty to which to me makes this episode a little hard to fathom, at least from a modern perspective. Generally, if you're going to have a story like this, you're going to fictionalize the contest, need to actually have it called the Miss Universe contest and have a story where the organizer is corrupt and the pageant participants are suspects. He wrote a story like that and did it on a television show you called it Miss Universe. You would be served with a lawsuit, but apparently these were less litigious times and the contest perhaps hadn't even taken off. I also have to admit that the key clue of Pete, in terms of Pete going to the Brooklyn address, I was just that was really hard for me to buy because I was thinking then that the French contestant had done it, because to seriously believe that she got drunk and she mentioned she had a place in Brooklyn. Maybe I could buy at the uh, French contestant ask for the address, and she gave it, and it was the address, and it's this very long address really is a bit too much. Well, then again, by modern standards, I guess it's kind of hard to believe that somebody could keep an apartment in Brooklyn, just just in case, with New York rent being what it is. But at any rate, that'll do it for today. If you have a comment, send it to me. Box thirteen a great detectives dot net follow us on Twitter at Radio Detactives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com. Slash Radio Detectives from Boiseida Ho. This is your Host, Adam Grahamson and Off