December 16, 2025 • 38 mins
Today's Mystery: America's public enemey #1 is interested in turning himself in to Walter Winchell to be handed over to the FBI. But will he actually do it?
Original Radio Broadcast: September 17, 1947
Originating from New York
Starring: Ward Wilson as Walter Winchell; Ed Begley as J. Edgar Hoover; Don Appell; Alan Hewitt; Mildred Clinton
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Give us a call at 208-991-4783
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Original Radio Broadcast: September 17, 1947
Originating from New York
Starring: Ward Wilson as Walter Winchell; Ed Begley as J. Edgar Hoover; Don Appell; Alan Hewitt; Mildred Clinton
Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net
Patreon Supporter of the Day: Artemio, Patreon Supporter since October 2021
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of The Big Story.
But first I want to encourage you, if you're enjoying
the podcast, to follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:51):
And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure
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the notification bell, all those great things that help YouTube
channels to grow. The Christmas season is upon us, and
so are our seasonal podcast episodes. I'm going to go
(01:11):
ahead and give a brief guide if you're interested in
hearing Christmas programs as to what we've got coming up
first on the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio are
Christmas programming kicks off on Thursday with Dragnet and continues
through next Wednesday, with the exception of The Big Story,
where alas all of the Christmas episodes of this series
(01:35):
are missing, so we'll have Christmas episodes of Dragnet, Yours
Truly Johnny Doller, a Christmas special on Sunday, and Christmas
episodes of Danger with Granger and Broadways My Bait. Then
over on the Amazing World of Radio at Amazing dot
Great Detectives dot net, and we will have our Christmas
(01:57):
programs that will play on Thursday the nineteen, Sunday the
twenty first, and Tuesday the twenty third. Also this year,
we will have a New Year's Eve special that will
drop on December the thirty first. Over at the Old
Time Radio Snackwagon at snackwagon dot net. He will have
(02:18):
a Christmas episode on Monday, a New Year's episode the
following Monday, and then on New Year's Day our annual
Public Domain Day record party. And finally, on the Great
Adventurers of Old Time Radio, we will be going into
a season of featuring encores that are adventure related from
(02:41):
other podcasts starting this Saturday, and the first two episodes,
airing on Saturday the nineteenth and December the twenty third,
will be holiday themed. So again we've got a lot
of great holiday listening for you. I hope that you
will be enjoying that. Now. From September seventeenth, nineteen forty seven,
(03:04):
so again we're going back a few months. Here is
the case of the Cornered cat.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Hell mel Famous Cigarette Present the big story.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
All right, Reporter Tane left here, but I take your
strap shut and Taine left.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
I said, all right, stop the cord air under that tree.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
You know where it's nights and dark.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Look know as I say, now enough you igniffen your
headline to what are you?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I'm gonna do now, let's make sure you down double
classes Wawler Wintle.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
The Big Story another in a thrilling series based on
two experiences of newspaper reporters. Goodnight to Walter Winchell of
the New York Daily Mirror goes the pell Mell Award
for the Big Story. Four notes that are alike and
(04:21):
one that is outstanding, and of America is leading cigarettes.
One is outstanding the cigarette and the distinctive red package
hell Mell.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
Ladies and gentlemen, have you noticed how many of your
friends have changed to pell Mell. There's a reason hell
Mell famous cigarettes. Good to look at, good to feel,
good to take, and good to smoke, Yes, good, good, good,
and good.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
When you change the pell Mell, you get smoking. The
bandages that are outstanding for pell Mell's greater length filters
the smoke through a much greater distance of pell Mell's
traditionally fine mellow to baccla. The result is a smoother, mellower,
more satisfying smoke.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
Four notes that are alike and one that is outstanding,
and of America's leading cigarette. One is outstanding, tell mel
famous cigarette, outstanding, and they are mild. Now the exciting
(05:39):
and authentic stories of the case of the Cornered Cat.
Speaker 7 (05:49):
You are Walter win Shown.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
Your beat is Broadways.
Speaker 7 (05:53):
You know it's Flora and fauna, the big shots and bombs,
champs and chumps, con men and chiselers, cops and chorus girl,
the characters who work and play in the neon nights.
You've had your share of big stories. But there's one
big story you'd give your right arm to get. So
what every other newspaper man in the land. Go with
(06:14):
the New York Police, go with the FBI. And one
night back in the summer of thirty nine, you're setting
up your regular Sunday evening broadcast when your girl Friday asked, anything.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
In that tip we got from Ontario, mister Winton. Now
it's a phony like the others.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Seems that everybody thinks he's seen that guy like, well,
it's the biggest man hunts since the Lynnberg case, what
they really see is that fifty thousand dollar reward.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
They can have it. Mister Winton, personally, I wouldn't want
to come within ten miles of that racket here, and
if you ever do, he'll be dead, very dead.
Speaker 8 (06:48):
Take this item mind the underworld character and on to
his associate, says the cat, and to the decent citizens
of the United States, is public Enemy number one is
still in hiding. For two years, this king of the
racketeers has managed to elude both the New York Police
and the FBI. You'll remember that, one after another. By
a reign of terror, extortion, violence, and murder, the cat
(07:09):
took over the leather for garment and trucking rackets and
later muscled in on the narcotic track at a federal offense.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Got that much now, And aside, from.
Speaker 8 (07:18):
This reporter to the cat, here's a little tip for
your cat. The cops have orders to bring you in
deader alive. Got that dead or alive, So take a
tip from me.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Cat.
Speaker 8 (07:28):
Come in and give up quietly if you can't, because
if you don't use your head first, you'll come in
feet first.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
A few nights later, in the early hours of the
am You're sitting alone at a corner table in one
of your favorite spots, and then you see a character
come in, look around, and finally head for your table.
You don't know him, but you do know his breed,
and you tab him as a high class fun.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I like to talk to you, Winchell. I didn't get
the name. I didn't give it to you.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
I see the mind if I sit down yet, thanks,
I'll sit down anyway.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
A little crowded here? What's on your mind?
Speaker 5 (08:24):
I've been reading your column in the mirror, well so
as a friend of mine.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
He finds it very interesting. Thanks? So what so?
Speaker 9 (08:34):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (08:34):
This Sitan friend of mine? Winchu, would like to meet
a Sitan friend of yours?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Which one? I've got a lot of friends.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
The one I'm talking about wakes for the government. You
wouldn't mean Jay Edgar Hoover.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I might go on. Do I interest you? You interest me?
I thought I would. Okay, where do we go from here? Winchell?
Speaker 5 (08:58):
My friend is very anxious to meet your friends. You
see a lot of people around town don't like my friend.
They might hate him if they ever met him. That's
why he's laying low. So I gathered, but he's had enough, Whinchell,
He's ready to come out now. Only he wouldn't want
to get hyped. You see, the cups are after him
on a miterter rap. They got their guns ready now.
The FBI only wants them for a narcotics job. That's
(09:21):
why he wants to give up to the FBI and not.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
To the cups. You follow me, Hi follow you?
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Okay, Now here's the proposition. If you could get your
friend to guarantee that he wouldn't hate my friends, well
we might arrange.
Speaker 7 (09:36):
A formal introduction to you.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
In other words, you want me to actors go between.
Is that it that we produce the merchandise, you deliver it?
And what do I do next?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Well, if you get that guarantee from j Ed the Hooper,
put it on the air on your radio program tomorrow night.
We'll be listening and we'll get in touch with you later.
And one more thing, Winchell, Yes, I wouldn't try to
double cross my friend to fight with you.
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Don't worry. I haven't any more use for your friend
than I have for a snake. But I want the story.
I'll put in a call for Ja and Gohover in
the morning.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Well, that's how it checks up. John. So the cat
wants to com That's right, John.
Speaker 8 (10:25):
He's beginning to get him, but he wants to come
in alive, and he wants me to broadcast your guarantee
that he will you to deliver him to me.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
That's the deal. Order, It's only fair to warn you
about what.
Speaker 10 (10:37):
Cat is a dangerous hard to pick it. Sure you
want to like to deliver it?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Sure? Sure, it's my story and I'll stick to it. Now,
how about that guarantee? John?
Speaker 10 (10:47):
All right, tell the cat on the air tonight that
if he comes in unarmed and quietly, if I will
guarantee you the saint reception.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Thanks John, Turn on your radio in Washington and listen
in tonight.
Speaker 10 (10:58):
I won't need any radio owner.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
What do you mean.
Speaker 10 (11:01):
I'll be in the studio with you in New York
when you go on the air tonight, play do the cat?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Who's the cat?
Speaker 11 (11:23):
Wherever you are, this reporter has a personal message. The
FBI will guarantee your Saint tillibree if you come in.
I'm stand peacefully. I repeat this reporter's word.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
The FBI will.
Speaker 11 (11:36):
Guarantee your Saint Tilly Bri if you come in on
and peacefully and of America is probably gonna be number one.
A word of advice from your New York reporter. Better
take this off while it's home, da maybe too great?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
All right to turn it off? Okay, cat.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Figure out? Oh sure, hey god boss? Right?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, how do you think Joe?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
I trust him?
Speaker 12 (12:14):
The cat doesn't. Oh, but that doesn't trust anybody. I
never did, pays Off all always had. What makes you
think he's on the level, Joe, Well, there's a reputation
around town.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You know Winchell as well as I do. Anyways, a
newspaper and then you know those guys. Anything for a story,
figure the yard boss. Every cup in town has got
his gunloaded for you.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
What a minute.
Speaker 12 (12:40):
These spots don't have to tell me I'm hot, John, Oh,
I didn't mean anything by a boss.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
You hate Wenchell just now, and and Hoover's in town
waiting for you to come in on that narcotics rapping.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Well, anyway you look at it, you're taking a chance.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
He double crosses the cats.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Tell him that Joe I told him, all right, joll.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Make contact. Meanwhile, I'll think it out.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
All up. Mister, Wait a minute, where'd you come from?
How did that do?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Away?
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Winchell, I got a message play from a Satan Totty.
What certain potty? It's Satan Toddy. Hey'd your broadcast last night?
He's thinking a deal over and we'll get to you later.
Wait a minute, what's yeather year later? Winchell? End upon
(13:58):
for you, mister Winchell. You can take it at the
day bro Oh thanks waiter? Hello, Yes, but who is
I got a message for you?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Come in in through you funny?
Speaker 10 (14:11):
Thanks, change his mind, We'll get.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
To Wait a minute, who is this?
Speaker 7 (14:16):
Hello?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Hello?
Speaker 8 (14:18):
Hello, Yeah, mister Winchell, Bark club. Oh thanks, driver, keep
the change. Yes, I have a message for.
Speaker 12 (14:39):
You from a sip and party so made up his mind,
but he'll contact you tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Another message. Now listen driver, right, you want to stay healthy?
I got my face and the license number of this hoy.
Speaker 13 (14:49):
Wait a minute, Okay.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And.
Speaker 10 (15:07):
Yes, I got a message from a second party.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
But before you go any further, I've got a message
my certain party, a party named Jay Edgar Hoover. We're
tired of this stalling around. It's been three weeks now.
If the cat doesn't come in by tomorrow night, the
deal is off. Remember, the cops have been told to
bring him in dead or alive. Well, yes, the cat, Oh,
(15:39):
where the arch is? Yes, be there night at seven.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Long, I'll be there. Yes, don't try anything.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
We'll be back in just a moment with the night's
big story.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
Now we return you to our narrator, Barry Kroger. It's
a big story you, Walter Winchell, have a date. You've
got a date with public Enemy number one at a
theater and younkers at seven tonight. And this may be
(16:43):
the end of the nation's biggest man hans since the
Lindbergh case.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Or it may be just the end of your New
York Reporter, Walter Winchell. You could very well end up
looking like a human sieve and some gutter, or at
the bottom of the East River wearing concrete shoes.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
You don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Anyway, Before you go, you have another talk with j
Edgar Hoover.
Speaker 12 (17:11):
Walter, this looks like the showdown one way or the other.
I am sure of it, John, and I wouldn't try
to kitch you. Cat is dangerous, chiller, taking chance, driving
up the ankers alone.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
I know.
Speaker 8 (17:25):
I keep telling myself that. Then I keep telling myself
what a story. What a story?
Speaker 12 (17:30):
What if you don't meet the cat tonight? Why what
if you meet a conlad of his thugs instead? My figure,
you're trying to double cross him, and this may be
a crap to beat you to the punch, you.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Know, John, I think you're trying to talk me out
of this. All right.
Speaker 12 (17:48):
Let me put it this way, Water, we want the cat,
We want him badly. You were an officer of the
law or an agent of the FBI, you wouldn't even
discuss it. You'd keep that appointment. There's a matter of duty.
But I'm a newspaper man. More than that, Walter, you're
a friend of mine, and even more than that, you're
a private citizen with certain constitutional rights.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You don't have to go.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Thanks for the out, John, But I'm still in all right.
Speaker 12 (18:20):
If there's something you've got to understand, Yeah, you'll have
to go alone, as arranged. I can't send any of
my boys to help you. In the first place, any
of the Cat's gunmen spot any of my agents around,
you won't live five minutes they see. And in the
second place, In the second place, that theater and Yonkers
(18:41):
is in a busy neighborhood, A lot of innocent people
will be on the streets up there.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
There's gun play.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Some of em might be killed. All right, John, I'll
still take the chance alone. I'll wait for your phone call.
Good luck, Wi. You get into the.
Speaker 7 (19:09):
Car, You're head uptown. Butterflies are flapping their wings in
your stomach as you drive past. Then Courtland's Park, and
then the Yonkers. And when you stop for a red light,
a big black car drives up beside you. It's filled
with hard faced gangsters and they're looking.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Right at you.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
One of them jumps out and gets into your car.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Oh, don't try to beat that red light. Sorry, I
was just nervous. Yeah, yeah, yeah, And don't try to
go through any other red light. We don't want to
talk to any cops. Now, you get me, I get you. Okay,
the light's just change, step on it. Where should I go?
(20:01):
Just drive and keep your mouth shut and just tell me.
All right? When should you ask? Britt?
Speaker 9 (20:06):
And I'll tell you we've gone for a little ride.
Speaker 14 (20:10):
Okay, stop the car here under that tree.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Look so as I say, no, enough for you? Your
headlights too? What what are you gonna do? Now? Just
make sure you don't double cross this check it open
(20:47):
that door. I want to hear there's any cock comings.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
No, no cock com.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
We're alone, all right? Oh say wait a minute, look
I take it easy, Take it easy, relax, No one's
going to do it. Just making sure no copsta gone
back to town to town.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, remember you got a date to need a Satan party.
Now listen, I want you to go into a phone booth.
I'll wait for you in the car. You call j
Edgar Hoover, tell them to be at twenty eighth Street
and Fifth Avenue, southeast side at ten fifteen tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Got it? I got it?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
And one more thing, Yes, tell Hooba to be there
along and tell him not to pack a rot.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Did you get Hoover? Yes, he'll be there.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Okay, Hell, I'll be leaving you here.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
Winchell. Now you go to Madison Square Park.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And stop at twenty fourth Street. Then wait there, got it,
I've got it, I'll say. But before I go, yeah,
take this.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What is it a rabbit?
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Square? Give it that a cat? Maybe he'll need it
or maybe you will.
Speaker 7 (22:36):
You drive away and cruise downtown, and finally, a couple
of minutes before ten and you come to Madison Square.
You see the light burning on the top of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance building, and you wonder if you've paid
all your premiums up to day in Madison in twenty
fourth Street, and just as you roll to a stop,
(22:56):
you see.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
A man coming towards your car.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
He's wearing mustache, long sideburns, dark glasses in the top coat.
Speaker 12 (23:10):
Oh wala, hello cat, here's your rabbit's foot. Thanks, let's
go meet your friend. All right, he's at the I
know where he is.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Get gone.
Speaker 7 (23:38):
You swing the car around and pointed up town. The
man in disguise beside you. Your big story sitting there
beside you, says nothing, but you know this is the cat,
a very careless man with a gun. For all you know,
he may have one on him now in his pocket,
pointing at it.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Your whim.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
Anything can happen between here and twenty eight Street.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Then it does.
Speaker 7 (24:02):
You stop for the light of twenty seventh, and just
as you do, a police cruiser from the fourteenth Poe
Think stops beside you, and the two cops in it
look you over your hot twins like a violin string.
You know that eighteen thousand cops in New York City
are looking for the cat with their guns ready.
Speaker 12 (24:21):
And the man next to you knows it too. I
see you have a few friends here, Water. I was
sick ofing us the once over. Now you written invite
him to our little party the joada. Now it's a coincidence.
It just happened to be here. I hope you're right, Water.
I hope they just drive on and don't bother it.
(24:44):
I hope so your sake.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Look, I didn't know there was gonna be any girl
in a.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Very bad position. Wall him very bad.
Speaker 12 (24:53):
See you're at the wheel between those cops and me.
They take an answery he had nothing.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Wait a minute, light's changing, police cars going ahead. It's
not going to stop us.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I'm glad of that. Water, I'm very glad of that.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
You are glad. How do you think I see it?
Speaker 7 (25:15):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Que nerve us fall down, I slow down. We'll stop
at this next corner.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (25:20):
Yeah, Well here we are, and there's Jay Jehoba in
that car.
Speaker 15 (25:29):
Let's go and say hello older, Okay, hello my Stahovah.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Right, so you two know each other.
Speaker 12 (25:47):
I've been waiting to meet this gentleman for a long time.
Pleasures all mine. You didn't sir the two Walter. All right, Pat,
suppose we take you for a little ride.
Speaker 8 (26:15):
All right, Water, get out, get out? But John, this
is only thirteenth Street. The FBI headquarters is down at
Foley Square.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I know, but I'm dropping you here. Wait a minute, John,
you can't do this to me. What about my story?
That's just the point.
Speaker 12 (26:26):
I'm protecting your story.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
I don't get it. Figure it out, Water.
Speaker 12 (26:30):
The news halts around headquarters.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
See me coming in with you and the cat here.
Speaker 12 (26:34):
It'll beat you to your own story, and then goodbye, exclusively.
Thanks John, I didn't think of that.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Better start looking for a phone.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Water, I'll see you later. You find yourself in a
deserted section, nothing but.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
Dark warehouses and stores.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
No phone.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
Go over one street, not another, Still no phone. You
begin to think that by now j Ed go Hoover
has reached FBI headquarters with a cat. You start to
sweat as you imagine the reporters down there taking one
look and then diving for their phones to relay the
big story. You're big story. You start to run. You
(27:20):
run for what seems to be blocks, and then you
see an open bar and grille. You rush in and
there's a payphone and you dial the office and then mirror.
Speaker 8 (27:28):
Ed Walla Winche, listen, give me a rewrite. I just
got an exclusive page one. Yeah, I guess turned the
cat over to Jane Head. Gohova, hurry up and give
me rewrite easy.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
It's a big story.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
But not picking up a page one tonight anyway?
Speaker 4 (27:41):
What do you mean, Sarlin just signed a pack.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
This was your big story.
Speaker 7 (27:59):
You're worried off six pounds in getting it. You affected
the surrender of America's public Enemy number one. Thereby saved
the government and the state fifty thousand dollars in reward
money it would have been paid for his capture. And
though you didn't make the headline screen, you, Walter Winchell,
made this story, and it was a big story after all.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
In just a moment, we'll read you a telegram from
Water Winchell of the New York Daily Mirror with a
final outcome of tonight's big story. Now we read you
that telegram from water Winchell of the New York Daily Mirror.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
After serving one year in the federal penitentiary and a
narcotics change criminal, and Tonight's big story was turned over
to New York State to stand trial for murder. He
was found guilty and died in the electric chair at
Sing Sing Many thanks for the Knight's.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Pell Mell Award. Thank you, mister Winchell. The makers of
pell Mell Famous Cigarettes are proud to have named you
the winner of the pell Mell five hundred dollars Award
for notable service in the field of Journalism. Listen again
next week, same time, same station, when pell Mell Famous
Cigarettes will present another Big Story, A big story from
the pages of the Chicago Daily News byline Guy Howsley,
(29:35):
A big story that began when a reporter walked up
the path to a suburban home and rang a doorbell,
a ring that was never answered. The Big Story is
(30:03):
produced by Bernard J. Procter and directed by Harry Ingram,
with music by Vladimis Lensky. Tonight's program was written by
Mac Surley. Your narrator was Barry Kroger, and Ward Wilson
played the part of Walter Winchell.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
All names in.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Tonight's story, except those of mister Winchell and mister Hoover,
were thick Kisses, but the dramatization was based on a
true and authentic case. This is Ernest Chappell speaking for
the makers of Pell Mell famous cigarette. Don't forget friends
to listen to the new comedy hit the.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Jack Parr Program, heard every Sunday night over most of
these same stations in the Jack Penny time spot.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Welcome back. That stolen guy could be such a pain
overshadowing windshall Lock that he probably did not appreciate that
at all. In all seriousness, this had to be a
challenging part for Ward Wilson.
Speaker 10 (31:04):
Well.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Usually, the big story featured relatively obscure journalist whose reputation
was regional at best. Walter Winschell was on a whole
other level. With all due respect to Dorothy Kilgallon, he
was much bigger than her, and much bigger than nearly
everyone in broadcasting or journalism. His broadcasts at this time
(31:26):
were top rated. At some point he was even higher
rated than Jack Benny. The fact is that the number
of reporters who could pick up the phone and say, Hey, JEdgar,
could you come help with this was a pretty small universe,
So there's a bit more of a sense where Ward Wilson.
It feels like is trying to do an impersonation or
(31:49):
at least evoke this very well known personality, rather than
playing a character in his own way, as you see
with characters like Less Tremaine or John Gibson who played
far less well known journalists and could just kind of
go with it in their own way. Now, according to
the story behind the Big Story website, this particular case
(32:13):
had a lot of details changed, but was based on
the capture of Louis Lepke, who was a big part
of Murder Incorporated. And Winchell played a really big part
in that, and this explains why, indeed, if that part
actually happened this way, Hoover would have been willing to
(32:34):
spend weeks in New York City waiting for Lepke to
make up his mind. And of course it would also
explain Winchell putting up with as long as he did
the sending messengers just to say, yeah, he's still thinking
about it. I mean, you have to be some sort
(32:54):
of big shot if you're going to pull that sort
of stuff with Winchell. Now, the true story, at least
according to Winschell, he made into a commercial recording that
was a best seller and very popular. He told the
story completely from his perspective. Now, someone uploaded the record
(33:15):
onto YouTube, but it has since been removed, so alas
not available to us listener comments and feedback. Now and
we go over to Spotify, where mechanics sixty six comments.
Apparently in this period the use of second person narrative
was popular. I personally don't.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Care for it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
And of course this references the fact where the narrator,
Barry Kroger, is constantly telling the events as you did this,
you went there, this happened to you. I think it's
kind of an interesting approach. I'm not going to say
good or bad. It does vary a bit on the
(33:59):
con text. At its core, it's an interesting idea, particularly
for audio, the idea that in the theater of the mind,
you can't imagine yourself in the situation, or imagine yourself
to a degree as the hero. There was that very
odd film by Robert Montgomery where the film was shot
(34:25):
entirely from the perspective of the detective, in this case
Philip Marlowe. So you only really caught him like looking
in the mirror or just when his reflection showed up.
In Lady and the Like and in a way that
was trying to do the sort of thing that you
could do with radio. All the time you're walking along
(34:48):
with the detective with the lead character. You are in
his or her point of view, and you experience what
they experience. Now, do you have to use the second
person narration to emphasize that?
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Not really.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
If you want to imagine yourself or to imagine you
as the hero of the story, you can do that
without somebody constantly saying you, you, you, And in some
cases it's a bit odd. Dragnet, for one, always has
this interesting spot where at the start the narrator says,
(35:25):
you are a detective sergeant, you are assigned to homicide detail,
et cetera. And then we go forward and Jack Webb
is narrating and we are in first person rather than
second person. So the second person at the start of
the episode doesn't seem to have much of a point
in my opinion, Doctor who Done It comments poor John
(35:47):
Gibson stuck behind the counter again. Oh well, it's like
my sister Edna always says, better be to be stuck
behind a counter than a fly on the wall or
something like that. Well, as I've said, these are have
a bit of a rep company feel, and you can
play the reporter herero one week and end up either
(36:10):
the next week or a few weeks down the line
playing some minor role. I haven't gone through extensively all
of the scraps there's around three hundred of them and
read the cast list, but I'm sure John Gibson got
another shot as the lead character in one of these
(36:31):
stories as well, though whether we'll hear it or not
that's another matter. Now it's time to thank our Patreon
supporter of the day, and I want to thank Artemio,
Patreon supporter since October twenty twenty one, currently supporting the
podcast at the shawmus level of four dollars or more
per month. Thanks so much for your support. Now we'll
do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please
(36:53):
follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure
to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from.
We'll be back next Tuesday with another episode of the
Big Story, but join us back here tomorrow for Broadways
My Beat.
Speaker 16 (37:08):
Where Pablo Malari Danny from Uptown West one hundred and
ninth Street carried one of those handwritten identification.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Card you find anything else on him.
Speaker 16 (37:17):
Not much five dollar bill in his wallet, his saints
mean daddi, and he's wearing on a chain around his neck.
That's about all you're question the people. And yeah, Danny,
every door, no one ever heard of the kid, had
nothing to do with him. Didn't want to talk about him.
You know, most of them were trying to sleep, to heat,
the kids squalling.
Speaker 15 (37:33):
You know, yeah, eating job broken.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
This bruise on his throat must.
Speaker 16 (37:40):
Be the one that killed him. Come down here, Danny,
Huh what? Take a look at the sign on this door.
Hudson Club Johnny Hammett President. I guess it's one of
those street clubs the kids make up for themselves. His
neighborhood's loaded with him.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
You think what happened to this kid is part of it? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:59):
I think.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I hope you will be with us then in the meantime,
send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net,
follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us
out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of The Big Story.
But first I want to encourage you, if you're enjoying
the podcast, to follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:51):
And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure
to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and mark
the notification bell, all those great things that help YouTube
channels to grow. The Christmas season is upon us, and
so are our seasonal podcast episodes. I'm going to go
(01:11):
ahead and give a brief guide if you're interested in
hearing Christmas programs as to what we've got coming up
first on the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio are
Christmas programming kicks off on Thursday with Dragnet and continues
through next Wednesday, with the exception of The Big Story,
where alas all of the Christmas episodes of this series
(01:35):
are missing, so we'll have Christmas episodes of Dragnet, Yours
Truly Johnny Doller, a Christmas special on Sunday, and Christmas
episodes of Danger with Granger and Broadways My Bait. Then
over on the Amazing World of Radio at Amazing dot
Great Detectives dot net, and we will have our Christmas
(01:57):
programs that will play on Thursday the nineteen, Sunday the
twenty first, and Tuesday the twenty third. Also this year,
we will have a New Year's Eve special that will
drop on December the thirty first. Over at the Old
Time Radio Snackwagon at snackwagon dot net. He will have
(02:18):
a Christmas episode on Monday, a New Year's episode the
following Monday, and then on New Year's Day our annual
Public Domain Day record party. And finally, on the Great
Adventurers of Old Time Radio, we will be going into
a season of featuring encores that are adventure related from
(02:41):
other podcasts starting this Saturday, and the first two episodes,
airing on Saturday the nineteenth and December the twenty third,
will be holiday themed. So again we've got a lot
of great holiday listening for you. I hope that you
will be enjoying that. Now. From September seventeenth, nineteen forty seven,
(03:04):
so again we're going back a few months. Here is
the case of the Cornered cat.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Hell mel Famous Cigarette Present the big story.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
All right, Reporter Tane left here, but I take your
strap shut and Taine left.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
I said, all right, stop the cord air under that tree.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
You know where it's nights and dark.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Look know as I say, now enough you igniffen your
headline to what are you?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I'm gonna do now, let's make sure you down double
classes Wawler Wintle.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
The Big Story another in a thrilling series based on
two experiences of newspaper reporters. Goodnight to Walter Winchell of
the New York Daily Mirror goes the pell Mell Award
for the Big Story. Four notes that are alike and
(04:21):
one that is outstanding, and of America is leading cigarettes.
One is outstanding the cigarette and the distinctive red package
hell Mell.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
Ladies and gentlemen, have you noticed how many of your
friends have changed to pell Mell. There's a reason hell
Mell famous cigarettes. Good to look at, good to feel,
good to take, and good to smoke, Yes, good, good, good,
and good.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
When you change the pell Mell, you get smoking. The
bandages that are outstanding for pell Mell's greater length filters
the smoke through a much greater distance of pell Mell's
traditionally fine mellow to baccla. The result is a smoother, mellower,
more satisfying smoke.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
Four notes that are alike and one that is outstanding,
and of America's leading cigarette. One is outstanding, tell mel
famous cigarette, outstanding, and they are mild. Now the exciting
(05:39):
and authentic stories of the case of the Cornered Cat.
Speaker 7 (05:49):
You are Walter win Shown.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
Your beat is Broadways.
Speaker 7 (05:53):
You know it's Flora and fauna, the big shots and bombs,
champs and chumps, con men and chiselers, cops and chorus girl,
the characters who work and play in the neon nights.
You've had your share of big stories. But there's one
big story you'd give your right arm to get. So
what every other newspaper man in the land. Go with
(06:14):
the New York Police, go with the FBI. And one
night back in the summer of thirty nine, you're setting
up your regular Sunday evening broadcast when your girl Friday asked, anything.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
In that tip we got from Ontario, mister Winton. Now
it's a phony like the others.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Seems that everybody thinks he's seen that guy like, well,
it's the biggest man hunts since the Lynnberg case, what
they really see is that fifty thousand dollar reward.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
They can have it. Mister Winton, personally, I wouldn't want
to come within ten miles of that racket here, and
if you ever do, he'll be dead, very dead.
Speaker 8 (06:48):
Take this item mind the underworld character and on to
his associate, says the cat, and to the decent citizens
of the United States, is public Enemy number one is
still in hiding. For two years, this king of the
racketeers has managed to elude both the New York Police
and the FBI. You'll remember that, one after another. By
a reign of terror, extortion, violence, and murder, the cat
(07:09):
took over the leather for garment and trucking rackets and
later muscled in on the narcotic track at a federal offense.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Got that much now, And aside, from.
Speaker 8 (07:18):
This reporter to the cat, here's a little tip for
your cat. The cops have orders to bring you in
deader alive. Got that dead or alive, So take a
tip from me.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Cat.
Speaker 8 (07:28):
Come in and give up quietly if you can't, because
if you don't use your head first, you'll come in
feet first.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
A few nights later, in the early hours of the
am You're sitting alone at a corner table in one
of your favorite spots, and then you see a character
come in, look around, and finally head for your table.
You don't know him, but you do know his breed,
and you tab him as a high class fun.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I like to talk to you, Winchell. I didn't get
the name. I didn't give it to you.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
I see the mind if I sit down yet, thanks,
I'll sit down anyway.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
A little crowded here? What's on your mind?
Speaker 5 (08:24):
I've been reading your column in the mirror, well so
as a friend of mine.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
He finds it very interesting. Thanks? So what so?
Speaker 9 (08:34):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (08:34):
This Sitan friend of mine? Winchu, would like to meet
a Sitan friend of yours?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Which one? I've got a lot of friends.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
The one I'm talking about wakes for the government. You
wouldn't mean Jay Edgar Hoover.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I might go on. Do I interest you? You interest me?
I thought I would. Okay, where do we go from here? Winchell?
Speaker 5 (08:58):
My friend is very anxious to meet your friends. You
see a lot of people around town don't like my friend.
They might hate him if they ever met him. That's
why he's laying low. So I gathered, but he's had enough, Whinchell,
He's ready to come out now. Only he wouldn't want
to get hyped. You see, the cups are after him
on a miterter rap. They got their guns ready now.
The FBI only wants them for a narcotics job. That's
(09:21):
why he wants to give up to the FBI and not.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
To the cups. You follow me, Hi follow you?
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Okay, Now here's the proposition. If you could get your
friend to guarantee that he wouldn't hate my friends, well
we might arrange.
Speaker 7 (09:36):
A formal introduction to you.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
In other words, you want me to actors go between.
Is that it that we produce the merchandise, you deliver it?
And what do I do next?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Well, if you get that guarantee from j Ed the Hooper,
put it on the air on your radio program tomorrow night.
We'll be listening and we'll get in touch with you later.
And one more thing, Winchell, Yes, I wouldn't try to
double cross my friend to fight with you.
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Don't worry. I haven't any more use for your friend
than I have for a snake. But I want the story.
I'll put in a call for Ja and Gohover in
the morning.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Well, that's how it checks up. John. So the cat
wants to com That's right, John.
Speaker 8 (10:25):
He's beginning to get him, but he wants to come
in alive, and he wants me to broadcast your guarantee
that he will you to deliver him to me.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
That's the deal. Order, It's only fair to warn you
about what.
Speaker 10 (10:37):
Cat is a dangerous hard to pick it. Sure you
want to like to deliver it?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Sure? Sure, it's my story and I'll stick to it. Now,
how about that guarantee? John?
Speaker 10 (10:47):
All right, tell the cat on the air tonight that
if he comes in unarmed and quietly, if I will
guarantee you the saint reception.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Thanks John, Turn on your radio in Washington and listen
in tonight.
Speaker 10 (10:58):
I won't need any radio owner.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
What do you mean.
Speaker 10 (11:01):
I'll be in the studio with you in New York
when you go on the air tonight, play do the cat?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Who's the cat?
Speaker 11 (11:23):
Wherever you are, this reporter has a personal message. The
FBI will guarantee your Saint tillibree if you come in.
I'm stand peacefully. I repeat this reporter's word.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
The FBI will.
Speaker 11 (11:36):
Guarantee your Saint Tilly Bri if you come in on
and peacefully and of America is probably gonna be number one.
A word of advice from your New York reporter. Better
take this off while it's home, da maybe too great?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
All right to turn it off? Okay, cat.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Figure out? Oh sure, hey god boss? Right?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, how do you think Joe?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
I trust him?
Speaker 12 (12:14):
The cat doesn't. Oh, but that doesn't trust anybody. I
never did, pays Off all always had. What makes you
think he's on the level, Joe, Well, there's a reputation
around town.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You know Winchell as well as I do. Anyways, a
newspaper and then you know those guys. Anything for a story,
figure the yard boss. Every cup in town has got
his gunloaded for you.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
What a minute.
Speaker 12 (12:40):
These spots don't have to tell me I'm hot, John, Oh,
I didn't mean anything by a boss.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
You hate Wenchell just now, and and Hoover's in town
waiting for you to come in on that narcotics rapping.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Well, anyway you look at it, you're taking a chance.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
He double crosses the cats.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Tell him that Joe I told him, all right, joll.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Make contact. Meanwhile, I'll think it out.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
All up. Mister, Wait a minute, where'd you come from?
How did that do?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Away?
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Winchell, I got a message play from a Satan Totty.
What certain potty? It's Satan Toddy. Hey'd your broadcast last night?
He's thinking a deal over and we'll get to you later.
Wait a minute, what's yeather year later? Winchell? End upon
(13:58):
for you, mister Winchell. You can take it at the
day bro Oh thanks waiter? Hello, Yes, but who is
I got a message for you?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Come in in through you funny?
Speaker 10 (14:11):
Thanks, change his mind, We'll get.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
To Wait a minute, who is this?
Speaker 7 (14:16):
Hello?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Hello?
Speaker 8 (14:18):
Hello, Yeah, mister Winchell, Bark club. Oh thanks, driver, keep
the change. Yes, I have a message for.
Speaker 12 (14:39):
You from a sip and party so made up his mind,
but he'll contact you tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Another message. Now listen driver, right, you want to stay healthy?
I got my face and the license number of this hoy.
Speaker 13 (14:49):
Wait a minute, Okay.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And.
Speaker 10 (15:07):
Yes, I got a message from a second party.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
But before you go any further, I've got a message
my certain party, a party named Jay Edgar Hoover. We're
tired of this stalling around. It's been three weeks now.
If the cat doesn't come in by tomorrow night, the
deal is off. Remember, the cops have been told to
bring him in dead or alive. Well, yes, the cat, Oh,
(15:39):
where the arch is? Yes, be there night at seven.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Long, I'll be there. Yes, don't try anything.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
We'll be back in just a moment with the night's
big story.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
Now we return you to our narrator, Barry Kroger. It's
a big story you, Walter Winchell, have a date. You've
got a date with public Enemy number one at a
theater and younkers at seven tonight. And this may be
(16:43):
the end of the nation's biggest man hans since the
Lindbergh case.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Or it may be just the end of your New
York Reporter, Walter Winchell. You could very well end up
looking like a human sieve and some gutter, or at
the bottom of the East River wearing concrete shoes.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
You don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Anyway, Before you go, you have another talk with j
Edgar Hoover.
Speaker 12 (17:11):
Walter, this looks like the showdown one way or the other.
I am sure of it, John, and I wouldn't try
to kitch you. Cat is dangerous, chiller, taking chance, driving
up the ankers alone.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
I know.
Speaker 8 (17:25):
I keep telling myself that. Then I keep telling myself
what a story. What a story?
Speaker 12 (17:30):
What if you don't meet the cat tonight? Why what
if you meet a conlad of his thugs instead? My figure,
you're trying to double cross him, and this may be
a crap to beat you to the punch, you.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Know, John, I think you're trying to talk me out
of this. All right.
Speaker 12 (17:48):
Let me put it this way, Water, we want the cat,
We want him badly. You were an officer of the
law or an agent of the FBI, you wouldn't even
discuss it. You'd keep that appointment. There's a matter of duty.
But I'm a newspaper man. More than that, Walter, you're
a friend of mine, and even more than that, you're
a private citizen with certain constitutional rights.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You don't have to go.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Thanks for the out, John, But I'm still in all right.
Speaker 12 (18:20):
If there's something you've got to understand, Yeah, you'll have
to go alone, as arranged. I can't send any of
my boys to help you. In the first place, any
of the Cat's gunmen spot any of my agents around,
you won't live five minutes they see. And in the
second place, In the second place, that theater and Yonkers
(18:41):
is in a busy neighborhood, A lot of innocent people
will be on the streets up there.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
There's gun play.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Some of em might be killed. All right, John, I'll
still take the chance alone. I'll wait for your phone call.
Good luck, Wi. You get into the.
Speaker 7 (19:09):
Car, You're head uptown. Butterflies are flapping their wings in
your stomach as you drive past. Then Courtland's Park, and
then the Yonkers. And when you stop for a red light,
a big black car drives up beside you. It's filled
with hard faced gangsters and they're looking.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Right at you.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
One of them jumps out and gets into your car.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Oh, don't try to beat that red light. Sorry, I
was just nervous. Yeah, yeah, yeah, And don't try to
go through any other red light. We don't want to
talk to any cops. Now, you get me, I get you. Okay,
the light's just change, step on it. Where should I go?
(20:01):
Just drive and keep your mouth shut and just tell me.
All right? When should you ask? Britt?
Speaker 9 (20:06):
And I'll tell you we've gone for a little ride.
Speaker 14 (20:10):
Okay, stop the car here under that tree.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Look so as I say, no, enough for you? Your
headlights too? What what are you gonna do? Now? Just
make sure you don't double cross this check it open
(20:47):
that door. I want to hear there's any cock comings.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
No, no cock com.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
We're alone, all right? Oh say wait a minute, look
I take it easy, Take it easy, relax, No one's
going to do it. Just making sure no copsta gone
back to town to town.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, remember you got a date to need a Satan party.
Now listen, I want you to go into a phone booth.
I'll wait for you in the car. You call j
Edgar Hoover, tell them to be at twenty eighth Street
and Fifth Avenue, southeast side at ten fifteen tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Got it? I got it?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
And one more thing, Yes, tell Hooba to be there
along and tell him not to pack a rot.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Did you get Hoover? Yes, he'll be there.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Okay, Hell, I'll be leaving you here.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
Winchell. Now you go to Madison Square Park.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And stop at twenty fourth Street. Then wait there, got it,
I've got it, I'll say. But before I go, yeah,
take this.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What is it a rabbit?
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Square? Give it that a cat? Maybe he'll need it
or maybe you will.
Speaker 7 (22:36):
You drive away and cruise downtown, and finally, a couple
of minutes before ten and you come to Madison Square.
You see the light burning on the top of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance building, and you wonder if you've paid
all your premiums up to day in Madison in twenty
fourth Street, and just as you roll to a stop,
(22:56):
you see.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
A man coming towards your car.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
He's wearing mustache, long sideburns, dark glasses in the top coat.
Speaker 12 (23:10):
Oh wala, hello cat, here's your rabbit's foot. Thanks, let's
go meet your friend. All right, he's at the I
know where he is.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Get gone.
Speaker 7 (23:38):
You swing the car around and pointed up town. The
man in disguise beside you. Your big story sitting there
beside you, says nothing, but you know this is the cat,
a very careless man with a gun. For all you know,
he may have one on him now in his pocket,
pointing at it.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Your whim.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
Anything can happen between here and twenty eight Street.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Then it does.
Speaker 7 (24:02):
You stop for the light of twenty seventh, and just
as you do, a police cruiser from the fourteenth Poe
Think stops beside you, and the two cops in it
look you over your hot twins like a violin string.
You know that eighteen thousand cops in New York City
are looking for the cat with their guns ready.
Speaker 12 (24:21):
And the man next to you knows it too. I
see you have a few friends here, Water. I was
sick ofing us the once over. Now you written invite
him to our little party the joada. Now it's a coincidence.
It just happened to be here. I hope you're right, Water.
I hope they just drive on and don't bother it.
(24:44):
I hope so your sake.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Look, I didn't know there was gonna be any girl
in a.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Very bad position. Wall him very bad.
Speaker 12 (24:53):
See you're at the wheel between those cops and me.
They take an answery he had nothing.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Wait a minute, light's changing, police cars going ahead. It's
not going to stop us.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I'm glad of that. Water, I'm very glad of that.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
You are glad. How do you think I see it?
Speaker 7 (25:15):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Que nerve us fall down, I slow down. We'll stop
at this next corner.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (25:20):
Yeah, Well here we are, and there's Jay Jehoba in
that car.
Speaker 15 (25:29):
Let's go and say hello older, Okay, hello my Stahovah.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Right, so you two know each other.
Speaker 12 (25:47):
I've been waiting to meet this gentleman for a long time.
Pleasures all mine. You didn't sir the two Walter. All right, Pat,
suppose we take you for a little ride.
Speaker 8 (26:15):
All right, Water, get out, get out? But John, this
is only thirteenth Street. The FBI headquarters is down at
Foley Square.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I know, but I'm dropping you here. Wait a minute, John,
you can't do this to me. What about my story?
That's just the point.
Speaker 12 (26:26):
I'm protecting your story.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
I don't get it. Figure it out, Water.
Speaker 12 (26:30):
The news halts around headquarters.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
See me coming in with you and the cat here.
Speaker 12 (26:34):
It'll beat you to your own story, and then goodbye, exclusively.
Thanks John, I didn't think of that.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Better start looking for a phone.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Water, I'll see you later. You find yourself in a
deserted section, nothing but.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
Dark warehouses and stores.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
No phone.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
Go over one street, not another, Still no phone. You
begin to think that by now j Ed go Hoover
has reached FBI headquarters with a cat. You start to
sweat as you imagine the reporters down there taking one
look and then diving for their phones to relay the
big story. You're big story. You start to run. You
(27:20):
run for what seems to be blocks, and then you
see an open bar and grille. You rush in and
there's a payphone and you dial the office and then mirror.
Speaker 8 (27:28):
Ed Walla Winche, listen, give me a rewrite. I just
got an exclusive page one. Yeah, I guess turned the
cat over to Jane Head. Gohova, hurry up and give
me rewrite easy.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
It's a big story.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
But not picking up a page one tonight anyway?
Speaker 4 (27:41):
What do you mean, Sarlin just signed a pack.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
This was your big story.
Speaker 7 (27:59):
You're worried off six pounds in getting it. You affected
the surrender of America's public Enemy number one. Thereby saved
the government and the state fifty thousand dollars in reward
money it would have been paid for his capture. And
though you didn't make the headline screen, you, Walter Winchell,
made this story, and it was a big story after all.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
In just a moment, we'll read you a telegram from
Water Winchell of the New York Daily Mirror with a
final outcome of tonight's big story. Now we read you
that telegram from water Winchell of the New York Daily Mirror.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
After serving one year in the federal penitentiary and a
narcotics change criminal, and Tonight's big story was turned over
to New York State to stand trial for murder. He
was found guilty and died in the electric chair at
Sing Sing Many thanks for the Knight's.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Pell Mell Award. Thank you, mister Winchell. The makers of
pell Mell Famous Cigarettes are proud to have named you
the winner of the pell Mell five hundred dollars Award
for notable service in the field of Journalism. Listen again
next week, same time, same station, when pell Mell Famous
Cigarettes will present another Big Story, A big story from
the pages of the Chicago Daily News byline Guy Howsley,
(29:35):
A big story that began when a reporter walked up
the path to a suburban home and rang a doorbell,
a ring that was never answered. The Big Story is
(30:03):
produced by Bernard J. Procter and directed by Harry Ingram,
with music by Vladimis Lensky. Tonight's program was written by
Mac Surley. Your narrator was Barry Kroger, and Ward Wilson
played the part of Walter Winchell.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
All names in.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Tonight's story, except those of mister Winchell and mister Hoover,
were thick Kisses, but the dramatization was based on a
true and authentic case. This is Ernest Chappell speaking for
the makers of Pell Mell famous cigarette. Don't forget friends
to listen to the new comedy hit the.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Jack Parr Program, heard every Sunday night over most of
these same stations in the Jack Penny time spot.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Welcome back. That stolen guy could be such a pain
overshadowing windshall Lock that he probably did not appreciate that
at all. In all seriousness, this had to be a
challenging part for Ward Wilson.
Speaker 10 (31:04):
Well.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Usually, the big story featured relatively obscure journalist whose reputation
was regional at best. Walter Winschell was on a whole
other level. With all due respect to Dorothy Kilgallon, he
was much bigger than her, and much bigger than nearly
everyone in broadcasting or journalism. His broadcasts at this time
(31:26):
were top rated. At some point he was even higher
rated than Jack Benny. The fact is that the number
of reporters who could pick up the phone and say, Hey, JEdgar,
could you come help with this was a pretty small universe,
So there's a bit more of a sense where Ward Wilson.
It feels like is trying to do an impersonation or
(31:49):
at least evoke this very well known personality, rather than
playing a character in his own way, as you see
with characters like Less Tremaine or John Gibson who played
far less well known journalists and could just kind of
go with it in their own way. Now, according to
the story behind the Big Story website, this particular case
(32:13):
had a lot of details changed, but was based on
the capture of Louis Lepke, who was a big part
of Murder Incorporated. And Winchell played a really big part
in that, and this explains why, indeed, if that part
actually happened this way, Hoover would have been willing to
(32:34):
spend weeks in New York City waiting for Lepke to
make up his mind. And of course it would also
explain Winchell putting up with as long as he did
the sending messengers just to say, yeah, he's still thinking
about it. I mean, you have to be some sort
(32:54):
of big shot if you're going to pull that sort
of stuff with Winchell. Now, the true story, at least
according to Winschell, he made into a commercial recording that
was a best seller and very popular. He told the
story completely from his perspective. Now, someone uploaded the record
(33:15):
onto YouTube, but it has since been removed, so alas
not available to us listener comments and feedback. Now and
we go over to Spotify, where mechanics sixty six comments.
Apparently in this period the use of second person narrative
was popular. I personally don't.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Care for it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
And of course this references the fact where the narrator,
Barry Kroger, is constantly telling the events as you did this,
you went there, this happened to you. I think it's
kind of an interesting approach. I'm not going to say
good or bad. It does vary a bit on the
(33:59):
con text. At its core, it's an interesting idea, particularly
for audio, the idea that in the theater of the mind,
you can't imagine yourself in the situation, or imagine yourself
to a degree as the hero. There was that very
odd film by Robert Montgomery where the film was shot
(34:25):
entirely from the perspective of the detective, in this case
Philip Marlowe. So you only really caught him like looking
in the mirror or just when his reflection showed up.
In Lady and the Like and in a way that
was trying to do the sort of thing that you
could do with radio. All the time you're walking along
(34:48):
with the detective with the lead character. You are in
his or her point of view, and you experience what
they experience. Now, do you have to use the second
person narration to emphasize that?
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Not really.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
If you want to imagine yourself or to imagine you
as the hero of the story, you can do that
without somebody constantly saying you, you, you, And in some
cases it's a bit odd. Dragnet, for one, always has
this interesting spot where at the start the narrator says,
(35:25):
you are a detective sergeant, you are assigned to homicide detail,
et cetera. And then we go forward and Jack Webb
is narrating and we are in first person rather than
second person. So the second person at the start of
the episode doesn't seem to have much of a point
in my opinion, Doctor who Done It comments poor John
(35:47):
Gibson stuck behind the counter again. Oh well, it's like
my sister Edna always says, better be to be stuck
behind a counter than a fly on the wall or
something like that. Well, as I've said, these are have
a bit of a rep company feel, and you can
play the reporter herero one week and end up either
(36:10):
the next week or a few weeks down the line
playing some minor role. I haven't gone through extensively all
of the scraps there's around three hundred of them and
read the cast list, but I'm sure John Gibson got
another shot as the lead character in one of these
(36:31):
stories as well, though whether we'll hear it or not
that's another matter. Now it's time to thank our Patreon
supporter of the day, and I want to thank Artemio,
Patreon supporter since October twenty twenty one, currently supporting the
podcast at the shawmus level of four dollars or more
per month. Thanks so much for your support. Now we'll
do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please
(36:53):
follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure
to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from.
We'll be back next Tuesday with another episode of the
Big Story, but join us back here tomorrow for Broadways
My Beat.
Speaker 16 (37:08):
Where Pablo Malari Danny from Uptown West one hundred and
ninth Street carried one of those handwritten identification.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Card you find anything else on him.
Speaker 16 (37:17):
Not much five dollar bill in his wallet, his saints
mean daddi, and he's wearing on a chain around his neck.
That's about all you're question the people. And yeah, Danny,
every door, no one ever heard of the kid, had
nothing to do with him. Didn't want to talk about him.
You know, most of them were trying to sleep, to heat,
the kids squalling.
Speaker 15 (37:33):
You know, yeah, eating job broken.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
This bruise on his throat must.
Speaker 16 (37:40):
Be the one that killed him. Come down here, Danny,
Huh what? Take a look at the sign on this door.
Hudson Club Johnny Hammett President. I guess it's one of
those street clubs the kids make up for themselves. His
neighborhood's loaded with him.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
You think what happened to this kid is part of it? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:59):
I think.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I hope you will be with us then in the meantime,
send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net,
follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us
out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
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