October 16, 2025 • 29 mins
Richard Diamond, Private Detective was an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953. Dick Powell starred as Richard Diamond in the radio series as a wisecracking former police officer turned private detective. Episodes often had Diamond taking on a case at the behest of his friend and former partner, Lt. Walter Levinson. The plot remained relatively unchanged throughout the series, with the hard-boiled Diamond enduring physical confrontations while tackling a challenging murder investigation, aided by the police department. Notably, despite the numerous gun battles, Diamond was never injured by gunfire. Most episodes end with Diamond at the piano, singing a popular song to his girlfriend, Helen Asher. This radio program was later adapted successfully to television.
Hope you enjoy the episode of Richard Diamond! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | iHeart | Amazon | Spotify
Hope you enjoy the episode of Richard Diamond! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | iHeart | Amazon | Spotify
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
The makers of Camel's Cigarettes present Dick Powell as Richard Diamond,
Private Detective. More people smoke camels than any other cigarette.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
The reasons behind Camel's great popularity are flavor and mildness.
Smoke only camels for thirty days and see how rich
and flavorful camels are. Pack after pack, See how mild
they are, how well they get along with your throat
week in and weak out. Then you'll know why camels
are America's most popular cigarette.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Here transcribed is Richard Diamond, Private Detective starring Dick.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Powell in My Business. Nearly every case I get mixed
up in has some kind of an interesting angle. If
it isn't some woman who spotted the neighbor floating bodies
in his bathtub, or a lonely husband who got lonely
(01:40):
because he disposed of his wife, or the meat axe,
then it might be a case like the one I
got mixed up in last week.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Mister Richard Diamond.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I agreed with him, watched him close the door and
walk into my office. I looked, closed my eyes, looked again.
I made up my mind. I wasn't having hallucinations. He
couldn't have weighed more than a hundred and forty, a
kindly face that supported a sad sort of a smile.
He was dressed well and his actions seemed perfectly normal.
(02:11):
But there was one little thing that bothered me. He
was a good eight feet tall.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
You seem a little disturbed, mister Diamond.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Oh oh it's nothing, No, just a high fever about
one hundred and ten.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
I'd say you've noticed something out of the ordinary.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Oh no, no, no, no.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I work for a carnival, mister Diamond. Oh my name
is Adam Raeburn. I'm billed as the thinnest man in.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
The world, and you must come close to being the.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Tallest, seven feet eleven in my stocking feet.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, I'm glad to know you, mister Rayburn. What can
I do for you?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I wish to hire you.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
I charge a hundred a day in expenses.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Oh, that's agreeable.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
A hundred in advance.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
That's just so I won't have to take time off
from your trouble and sell some of my steel stock.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Here's a hundred.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Ah, thank you, Thank you, mister Raymon.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You are now the proud owner of a pedigreed private detective.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
I suppose you'd like to know about my problem.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
It's cheaper than letting me guess.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
There's a girl who works at the carnival. Her name
is Rowena, Rowena, professional name. You've heard of her?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Oh? Yeah, she's a dancer, isn't she.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
That's right, we've been in love for some time. Oh
she's a wonderful girl, beautiful, all that any.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I watched him talk about her, and I swallowed a
big lump in my throat. Adam Rayburn, almost eight feet tall,
was reminiscing about his love with all the sincerity of
a handsome Romeo. I'd seen Rowena, and I can certainly
understand why this scanny guy had it bad. But being
a pretty practical guy myself, Adam just didn't look like
(03:45):
the type a girl like Rowena would go for.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
But I always say, you never know about some things.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
She's in trouble, mister Diamond.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
Oh what kind of trouble, Adam?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Oh that's why I came to you. I don't know one,
and she won't tell me, she won't let me help her.
But it's obvious whatever trouble she's got in is more
than she can handle.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
And you want me to find out what it is?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yes, well, I'll do my best.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I'll thank you. It's very important to me.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
He told me about the carnival and where I could
find Rowena. He also warned me that if Rowena found out,
she would be more than mildly unhappy. He thanked me again,
shook my hand, and went out of the office. I
closed up, went home and napped until six. Then I
headed for the carnival. Hey, hey, hey, step right the
money insane.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It is the most amazing spectacle effort to be witnessed
in this hemisphere.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Let go the gorilla boy captains.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Away very fast, say sensational ride.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Step right up, ladies and table a ride the high
boy for me and I am fast sae sensational carnival, colorful, gaudy,
fascinating if you're five or fifty. You get initiated when
you're a kid, and you never forget it. Then a
star you have hot dogs and mustard, pleasant emotions kicked
up when you smell the sawdust or see a little
kid by a stick full of cotton candy. And then
(05:13):
you look up and see Rowena dancing on the small
stage in front of the tent, doing just enough of
her bit to entice the customers and not offend the sheriff,
and suddenly you realize how fast you grew up. I
purchased a ticket, making sure to flash all of the
(05:33):
hundred dollars retainer, and went inside The tent filled in
a hurry. The lights went down, and.
Speaker 7 (05:38):
On came Rowina.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
She did her bit. The usual routine got off. I
waited for the tent to empty, and then went back
to look for the beautiful dance.
Speaker 7 (06:01):
Here.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
That was another small tan in the rear of the
big one, and as I approached, I could hear two
girls talking.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
About Sure Rowena.
Speaker 8 (06:10):
Sure, I'll keep it for you, Dixie. I don't want
anybody to know about it, not anybody.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
He's given you trouble.
Speaker 9 (06:16):
Huh, Yes, he's been.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
What's the matter?
Speaker 8 (06:20):
Yes, who is it?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Rowena?
Speaker 8 (06:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (06:26):
You want to see me?
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I'll be going.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Oh, don't let me bust up anything.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
And that's okay. I gotta be going anyway.
Speaker 9 (06:35):
This is Dixie Jones.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Mister Diamond. How are you, Dixie pushed? Well, nice meeting you,
mister Diamond.
Speaker 8 (06:41):
I talked to you later.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Rowena cute mm hmm.
Speaker 8 (06:47):
Now what can I do for you, mister Donald?
Speaker 3 (06:50):
I just saw the show. Good I'm glad you liked it.
Speaker 8 (06:55):
Is that why you stop back?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, I thought i'd like to meet you.
Speaker 8 (06:58):
It's against the rules. Who rules the guy who runs
the carney.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Not your rules.
Speaker 8 (07:04):
Sometimes not this time. I'll let you know as soon
as I find out. What'd sign your mind.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, that shouldn't be too difficult. I'm the type who
likes to break rules.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
You're a little old for the usual schoolboy, and too
hep for a yogo.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
What do you do, mister Diamond, Well, nothing obvious, but
I make a few bucks, and occasionally I used a
few bucks to buy a pretty girl a drink, Just
one drink, mister diamond.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Score for diamond.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
She was interested, and I made a metal bet with
myself that she'd spotted my bank roll and not my
blue eyes. She excused herself, did a quick change behind
the screen in the corner of the tent. She came
out dressed in mink and a black number that could
have snarled up traffic on any quiet in a section.
She took my arm or we headed for the nearest pub,
in this case, the Fallen Duck, a cozy little bistro
(08:00):
that certainly seemed appropriately named. If a duck had wandered in,
it would have taken a nose dive in a hurry, man, boy,
Duck or Diamond, nothing could have stood for long. It's
a little crowded. Oh it's probably necessary if all the
people left at once, the walls had fallen.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Here's to.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What, mister Diamond, Well to you calling me Rick.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
I'll drink to that rick.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
At you a little warm, but you'll suffer a little,
and keep the mink on.
Speaker 8 (08:35):
It's a nice coat, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Chiming you do all right, diamond bracelet the mink.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
I could use another drink without the water.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
We sat and I watched to kill a few more
than between times she moved. The pitch was subtle, and
this practice as a lion trainer of the kitten. She
worked hard and I played along. It wasn't difficult. Rowena
was quite a girl, and as far back as I
can remember, I've liked girls, particularly the type you classify
as quite a girl. About the time I was offering
(09:11):
my fullest cooperation, we were interrupted.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Hey, yes, well, friends.
Speaker 9 (09:17):
Of yours and Stave Sylvester and his wife.
Speaker 8 (09:19):
He owns the carney.
Speaker 7 (09:20):
Oh are you Rowena?
Speaker 8 (09:22):
Fine? Hello, Paula. Hello, Rowena, this is mister Diamond, mister
and missus Sylvester.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Can I buy you to a drink?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Well, that would be no.
Speaker 9 (09:33):
Thanks, Dave. We were just leaving.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Come on rick a nice video.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Nice meeting you, mister Diamond.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, sorry, you gotta be going.
Speaker 8 (09:41):
Good night, Dave Paula, Well, that answers that not friends.
I've known Dave for a long time, way before I
joined the Corney. What makes you think we're not friends?
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Oh, just a casual observation. I got the idea when
your hair.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Stood straight up, you better take me home.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And I took her home. Rowenna didn't have much to
say on the way. She was worried, and she had
dropped the pitch. We got back to the carnival about
one a m. And walked down the deserted boardwalk toward
her trailer. Up to that point I had made up
my mind about several things concerning the lovely Rowena. First,
she didn't figure to be in love with Adam Rayburn. Second,
(10:29):
if she did have troubles, she hadn't given any indication
until Dave Sylvester and his wife had shown up at
the Fallen Duck at a trailer. She stopped at the
door and turned to face me. Ah, I could see
it coming. The pitch was on again, but now she
was being cautious too.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Who are you wreck me?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I'm just a guy. I told you, just a guy
who wanted to buy you a drink.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
Nothing else.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
What else? Worried?
Speaker 9 (10:57):
Little? Why pick on me?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, honey, you go on inside and take a look
at the mirror. If you're a little objective about it,
you'll get the idea.
Speaker 6 (11:06):
Rick.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, good night, Wow, good night? Rick? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Will I see you again?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah? Why did you do it?
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Why did you do it?
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Wait a minute, wait a minute, let me go take
it easy. What's the matter with you? What do you
want to slug me for? Why did you kiss it?
Why did you kiss it for?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I saw you, I saw your kisser.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Well you didn't see very well? Then was the other
way around?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
I didn't hire you to take her out and make
love to him.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Oh, come on, Adam, get hold.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
I don't want to hear it.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Matter.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
It's on fire.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I turned and looked in the direction he was pointing
his skinny arm. The small tent Rowena had used for
a dressing room was on fire. What some others had
already noticed it, and by the time we got there,
the tent was completely engulfed in the roaring flames. Every
one of the troop turned out in odd stages of
undress and got a bucket line going, but the tent
(12:17):
was past saving. The fire department arrived put out the
last of it, and then one of the troop, picking
his way through the charred ruins, made a grizzly discovery.
Hey hey, there's a body in here.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Before we continue with Richard Diamond, here are a few
words about smoking enjoyment.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You know, smoking is a day in, day out pleasure,
and it takes day in, day out smoking to tell
you how rich tasting and how mild a cigarette is
As a steady smoke. One puff won't tell you. One
sniff won't tell you.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Smoke only camels for thirty days, and you'll see why
more people smoke camels than any other's cigarette. You'll enjoy
the first puff and every puff for camels. Costly Tobaccos
are properly aged and expertly blended. No other cigarette has
camel's rich, full flavor, a flavor you'll never tire.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Of, and no other cigarette gives you This proof of
mildness proof based on steady smoking in a coast to
coast test of hundreds of people who smoked only camels
for thirty days. Noted throats specialists reported not one single
case of throat irritation due.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
To smoking camels.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Make your own camel thirty day test and see for
yourself why more people smoke camels than any other cigarette?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
All mild?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Long mile mile A mild?
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Can a cigarette?
Speaker 6 (13:58):
Me make the cat I'm thirty day list man. You
see smoke callous and see.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
And now back to Richard Diamond, Private Detective starring Dick Powell.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
One thirty in the morning, standing in the middle of
what was left of a gutted sideshow tent, standing with
the members of the Sylvester Carnival Troop, looking down at
the burned body of a girl, a case with a
simple beginning and then a fire and a girl dying
in the fire. The crowd spread out as the fire
department moved in to look for a cause, and Dave Sylvester,
(14:41):
the owner, identified the body Dixie Jones.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
She slept in the tent for a little Dixie. Oh oh,
mister Diamond, Hello, mister Sylvester.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
It's a terrible scene. Ah, mister Diamond, I'll beat it, Adam,
I'll talk to you later. No sense of letting people
know where aquainted.
Speaker 7 (14:58):
All right, So, all of a sudden I smelt smoke.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I thought that I was dreaming or something.
Speaker 8 (15:03):
Rick, isn't it awful?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, it's pretty bad, Pixie, Rick.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Well, will you walk me back to my trailer?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Sure? Cold?
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Yes, act like you got to chill. You better take
my cold.
Speaker 9 (15:20):
It's all right, I'll be all right.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Well, good night, Henning, Rick.
Speaker 8 (15:27):
Yeah, I don't feel much like sleeping. Why don't you
come in for a while.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
What's about it there?
Speaker 3 (15:33):
You act as if you're scared of you.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
I don't know what it is, but you're scared of it.
Speaker 9 (15:38):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Good night Rick. Mister Well, I don't start swinging again
at him. I didn't even hold her hand.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
I just left the fire. The fire department found out
that it wasn't an accident. I heard the chiefs say
the fire was started deliberately. They called the police.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Well, now the simple case with a fire and what
looked like an accidental death had turned into murder. I
asked Adam why anyone would want to kill Dixie the
course girl, but he couldn't even come up with a guests.
I warned him again about keeping our relationship a secret.
I went out to the corner to wait for the police,
and about twenty minutes I spotted a Prowl car with a.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Familiar figure in the front seat.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Rick, what are you doing here?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Oh? I stayed for the late show. It's a nice fire.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Just got a two to eleven report.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Some girl in the fire.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah, name is Dixie John's Hey what look nobody around
here knows.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
I'm a private cop.
Speaker 6 (16:35):
You want to kept that weight?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Yeah for a while?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Okay, climbing the running barn, we'll drive down.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
We drove down to the scene of the fire, and
I stayed in the car while Walt and Sylvester looked
at the body of the dead chorus girl and talked
with the fire chief. A couple of times I spotted
Adam standing off to one side, watching and if he
noticed me in the car, he did a good job
of not showing it. Sometime later, Walt came back and
we took a drive. I told him everything up to date,
(17:08):
how Adam had hired me to find out what it
was troubling his lady love. How I'd gotten the big
pitch from her, her obvious dislike for the Sylvesters and
everything leading up to and after the fire.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Well, it's sure not much, I.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Know it, I know wal But there is one thing sure,
Rowena was scared stuff after the fire.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Sometimes fires do that.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Nah, it was something more wald This name lives high
mink coats, jewelry that runs into a lot of carrots.
She has a real taste for anything it smells like
that green stuff. I flashed a roll when I went
in to see her show. She acted like a steady
date when I went back to her dressing room. Rowena
doesn't make enough money at this carny to buy all
(17:49):
those things.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Wall Well, I'm having the whole troop brought in for questioning.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
Maybe we'll uncover something.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
This client of yours, Adam Rayburn, Yeah, what does he know? Oh,
apparently not much. He's so in love with that dame
he can't see anything else. What does he do? Well,
he's advertised as the skinniest man in the world. He's
nearly eight feet tall. He's a good one hundred and forty.
He thinks Rowena's in love with him.
Speaker 6 (18:13):
Are you kidding Rowena a dame like that.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Yeah, poor guy.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Wald dropped me off in my apartment. I got some sleep.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
The next morning, I went down to the precinct and
listened through an open line as Walt interrogated the entire
troop of the Sylvester Carnival.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
It took all the morning and most of the afternoon.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Rowena answered her share of questions, and her voice was
shaky and cautious. Adam answered his admitting his association with me,
only after Walt informed him the fact was known. The
last two questions were Dave and Paula Sylvester.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
I have no idea why anyone would want to start
a fire. How about wanting to kill Dixie? I can't
imagine June, missus Sylvester.
Speaker 8 (19:01):
No, Dixie was just a nice kid slept in the tent.
I don't know why anyone want to kill her.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Mister Sylvester, how long have you known Rowena? Just since
she's been with the Carnie about five years?
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I guess.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
First break, first head of a cover up. Dave Sylvester
had said he'd only known Rowena since she'd been with
a Carnival. I left the precinct thinking about the time
i'd spent with Rowena and the fallen Duck. She'd said
she'd known Sylvester for a long time before she joined
the carnival. I grabbed a cab and went back to
the carnival grounds, where I hung around until my client
(19:40):
showed up.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
We found a quiet spot and talked.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
No, she's never said much about Dave Apaula.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
Oh, how about the girl who was killed, Dixie?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
They were friends, that's all. Why have you found out something?
Speaker 5 (19:54):
How much money have you given her, Adam?
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (19:56):
No, no, wait a minute, how much?
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Well, not much?
Speaker 3 (19:59):
How much this?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
She make about two hundred a week?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Then who's buying those minks?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Who she is? And the jewelry? What do you mean?
Speaker 4 (20:08):
She told me she bought those things with money she'd.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
Saved out of two hundred a week.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Well, yes, I'm then why I ask you for more?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Because she needed it. I didn't ask her why she
likes nice things. We're in love, mister Diamond. A man
doesn't ask okay him, Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I lost myself for the rest of the afternoon. In
the newspaper files, looking up past history on David Sylvester,
his wife, and Rowena. There was a story about David
and Paula the day they got married. And enough about
Rowena to give me a pretty fair background. She'd been
in show business for a long time from parents in
the business, never done much until she joined the carnival,
(20:48):
and then her fame spread far and wide. There were
some publicity pictures that certainly showed why she had become
a headliner. She'd been married once to a man named Black,
who had disappeared ten years ago, a small time agent
who had left her stranded in a hotel somewhere in Ohio,
and according to the article, he was wanted by the
police for a forger rap and left her holding the sack.
(21:10):
I looked some more, but I couldn't find anything about
a divorce or that Black had ever been caught. At
seven o'clock, I let myself in Rowena's trailer. I sat
down and waited for her. Hello, Rowena, Rick.
Speaker 9 (21:36):
I'm glad to see Rick.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Oh well, I'm a private cop. Honey, Still glad you're
a private cop.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
Yeah, I don't understand, I think I do.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Whatever happened to your husband, Rowena, whatever happened to him
name was Black, left you stranded in Ohio with a
forger rap penned on him. What happened to him?
Speaker 9 (21:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
He disappeared.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I how do you manage to buy Minx and diamond bracelets?
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Rick?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
What is all this?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
How comes Sylvester hired you and shove you right at
the top and you didn't even have a reputation.
Speaker 8 (22:08):
I don't like this, Rick, I don't think it's I
don't either.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Tell me about Dixie? Why was she killed?
Speaker 9 (22:14):
I don't know, Rick, you don't think that's the.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
One thing I've got to tie up. Whoever set fire
to that tenth that they think it was you in there?
No be ridiculous. See how ridiculous this sounds, Honey, Dave
Sylvester is your missing husband. He's paying you to keep
your mouth shut. Get out of here.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
You don't care who you pick on, do you?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
If you can't blackmail a guy, you work him like
Adam Raymond? Poor guy thinks you're in love with him.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Get out, Get out?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
How much did you get a couple of lousy dollars?
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Anything for a buck?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Hunt?
Speaker 8 (22:45):
If you don't get out of here, I'll have you thrown.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I want to know why Dixie was killed, and baby,
you're going to tell me.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
It won't work, honey. What was the connection?
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Baby? If you know why she was killed, that makes
you an accessory before the fact. I'm not very happy
about you, honey, and I'd be more than willing to
do my bit to see you get a few years.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Rick, you better tell me all about it.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Be a lot easier.
Speaker 8 (23:16):
Hurt. Dave Sylvester is my husband. His real name is
Martin Black. You're right, I was blackmailing him.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Somebody fired two shots through the open window and nailed
her twice. I caught her. She dropped, and I lowed
her to the sawdust floor. I kept my arm around
her because she couldn't do much more than look up
and smile a tired smile.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
Thanks.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Thanks for the lift, honey.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
It's all right.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
Dixie was keeping the marriage license for me so so
Dave wouldn't find it. Yeah, I guess he did. Anyway,
he must have killed her, set fire to the tent.
I gotta say something, Rick, no excuses. I took Adam,
(24:10):
I took everybody mixed up. Who's going to take you?
And something happened.
Speaker 8 (24:17):
I guess maybe maybe I thought you might be the
boy on the white horse.
Speaker 9 (24:25):
Telling the truth. Rick, Lady wouldn't lie at a time.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Like this, No, I guess you wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
I put a pillow under her head and went out.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
The carnival had suddenly turned into a bad dream, a
lot of noise and confusion. There was a killer loose,
and I wanted to get him. It was Adam Raeburn again,
and standing near a tent. David Sylvester had been waiting
for me to come out. Sylvester jumped as Adam gell
and turned his gun on ad him. He caught at
him with the first one, and the big thin guy
(25:01):
toppled like an anemic Saplin. I got my gun out,
but Sylvester had disappeared in the darkness.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Go get him, I'm all right.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
I circled the tent and spotted Sylvester running up the
main drag. He turned and tried a quick shot. People
started running when they got the idea, and I kept low,
trying to stay in the clear. The place emptied faster
than a ballpark in a thunderstorm, and Sylvester was caught
on the empty walk. He turned for another shot, but
I beat him to it. The slug knocked him sideways
(25:30):
and he staggered into a building and I went in
after him. It turned into the weirdest chase I'd ever
gotten mixed up in. I found myself looking at a
dozen Richard diamonds and an equal number of Dave Sylvesters.
I was faced by a room full of mirrors, and
to top it off, a recorded laugh was playing over
and over, a gimmick to show the public how much
(25:51):
fun they could have inside.
Speaker 5 (25:53):
Oh some fun.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
A dozen Sylvesters had all turned and taken shot a
dozen diamonds, and the dozen diamonds suddenly became one less.
It was a process of elimination. Sooner or later one
of us would stop hitting mirrors and get the real thing.
I picked one of the silvesters and we both went
to work lousy mirrors. Yeah, you shot every diamond but
(26:28):
the right one. Turn me over? Will you get my
face under this stuff?
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Sure?
Speaker 6 (26:36):
I don't mind dying, but I hate to watch myself
doing it.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Dick Powell will return in just a minute again.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Doctors in all branches of medicine have been asked this question.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
What cigarette do you smoke?
Speaker 5 (27:07):
Doctor?
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Again? The brand name most was Camel.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
According to this repeated nationwide survey, more doctors smoke camels
than any other cigarette.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Baseball is getting under way, and it's interesting to note
that camels are the favorite cigarette of many baseball players.
Bob Lemon, Vic, Rashi, Howard Poleette Dick Sissler are a
few of the stars who choose camels for their rich flavor, cool, cool, mildness.
Try camels yourself, Oh mild.
Speaker 8 (27:36):
Mild, mild, mild, mild, can cigarette me make the camel
thirty day test man, you'll see.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Smoke camels and seed.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Here's Dick Powell with a special message.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. The makers of camels are
sending gift cigarettes to our wounded and disabled servicemen. These
cigarettes are forwarded to distributed by the Military Transport Service
the United States Air Force, which evacuates virtually all overseas
wounded personnel. Gift camels are also on the way to
veterans hospitals Fort Mead, South Dakota and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(28:14):
U S. Army Station Hospital, Camp Campbell, Kentucky.
Speaker 8 (28:18):
U S.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Naval Hospital, Beaufort, South Carolina. Now until next week, enjoy camels.
I always do.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Dick Powell can now be seen starring in r ko's
Cry Danger to Night's Adventure of Richard Diamond, written by
Blake Edwards with music by Frank Worth. Our director is
Helen Mack. Featured in the cast for Arthur K. Bryant,
Michael Ann Barrett, Sandra Gold, Sheldon, Leonard, Paul Duboff, and
Bob Bruce.
Speaker 10 (28:51):
Men for pipe Pleasure, get the National Joy Smoke. Prince
Albert p A has a rich flavor and wonderful natural fragrance.
It's crimp cut for cool, smooth smoking and specially treated
to insure against tongue bite. You'll enjoy Prince Albert, America's
largest selling smoking tobacco.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Listen next week for another exciting transcribed adventure of Richard
Diamond starring Dick Powell. This is your FBI. The official
broadcast from the files of the FBI follows immediately. Stay tuned.
This program came to you from Hollywood. This is the
American Broadcasting Company.
The makers of Camel's Cigarettes present Dick Powell as Richard Diamond,
Private Detective. More people smoke camels than any other cigarette.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
The reasons behind Camel's great popularity are flavor and mildness.
Smoke only camels for thirty days and see how rich
and flavorful camels are. Pack after pack, See how mild
they are, how well they get along with your throat
week in and weak out. Then you'll know why camels
are America's most popular cigarette.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Here transcribed is Richard Diamond, Private Detective starring Dick.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Powell in My Business. Nearly every case I get mixed
up in has some kind of an interesting angle. If
it isn't some woman who spotted the neighbor floating bodies
in his bathtub, or a lonely husband who got lonely
(01:40):
because he disposed of his wife, or the meat axe,
then it might be a case like the one I
got mixed up in last week.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Mister Richard Diamond.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I agreed with him, watched him close the door and
walk into my office. I looked, closed my eyes, looked again.
I made up my mind. I wasn't having hallucinations. He
couldn't have weighed more than a hundred and forty, a
kindly face that supported a sad sort of a smile.
He was dressed well and his actions seemed perfectly normal.
(02:11):
But there was one little thing that bothered me. He
was a good eight feet tall.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
You seem a little disturbed, mister Diamond.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Oh oh it's nothing, No, just a high fever about
one hundred and ten.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
I'd say you've noticed something out of the ordinary.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Oh no, no, no, no.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I work for a carnival, mister Diamond. Oh my name
is Adam Raeburn. I'm billed as the thinnest man in.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
The world, and you must come close to being the.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Tallest, seven feet eleven in my stocking feet.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, I'm glad to know you, mister Rayburn. What can
I do for you?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I wish to hire you.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
I charge a hundred a day in expenses.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Oh, that's agreeable.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
A hundred in advance.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
That's just so I won't have to take time off
from your trouble and sell some of my steel stock.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Here's a hundred.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Ah, thank you, Thank you, mister Raymon.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You are now the proud owner of a pedigreed private detective.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
I suppose you'd like to know about my problem.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
It's cheaper than letting me guess.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
There's a girl who works at the carnival. Her name
is Rowena, Rowena, professional name. You've heard of her?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Oh? Yeah, she's a dancer, isn't she.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
That's right, we've been in love for some time. Oh
she's a wonderful girl, beautiful, all that any.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I watched him talk about her, and I swallowed a
big lump in my throat. Adam Rayburn, almost eight feet tall,
was reminiscing about his love with all the sincerity of
a handsome Romeo. I'd seen Rowena, and I can certainly
understand why this scanny guy had it bad. But being
a pretty practical guy myself, Adam just didn't look like
(03:45):
the type a girl like Rowena would go for.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
But I always say, you never know about some things.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
She's in trouble, mister Diamond.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
Oh what kind of trouble, Adam?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Oh that's why I came to you. I don't know one,
and she won't tell me, she won't let me help her.
But it's obvious whatever trouble she's got in is more
than she can handle.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
And you want me to find out what it is?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yes, well, I'll do my best.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I'll thank you. It's very important to me.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
He told me about the carnival and where I could
find Rowena. He also warned me that if Rowena found out,
she would be more than mildly unhappy. He thanked me again,
shook my hand, and went out of the office. I
closed up, went home and napped until six. Then I
headed for the carnival. Hey, hey, hey, step right the
money insane.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It is the most amazing spectacle effort to be witnessed
in this hemisphere.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Let go the gorilla boy captains.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Away very fast, say sensational ride.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Step right up, ladies and table a ride the high
boy for me and I am fast sae sensational carnival, colorful, gaudy,
fascinating if you're five or fifty. You get initiated when
you're a kid, and you never forget it. Then a
star you have hot dogs and mustard, pleasant emotions kicked
up when you smell the sawdust or see a little
kid by a stick full of cotton candy. And then
(05:13):
you look up and see Rowena dancing on the small
stage in front of the tent, doing just enough of
her bit to entice the customers and not offend the sheriff,
and suddenly you realize how fast you grew up. I
purchased a ticket, making sure to flash all of the
(05:33):
hundred dollars retainer, and went inside The tent filled in
a hurry. The lights went down, and.
Speaker 7 (05:38):
On came Rowina.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
She did her bit. The usual routine got off. I
waited for the tent to empty, and then went back
to look for the beautiful dance.
Speaker 7 (06:01):
Here.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
That was another small tan in the rear of the
big one, and as I approached, I could hear two
girls talking.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
About Sure Rowena.
Speaker 8 (06:10):
Sure, I'll keep it for you, Dixie. I don't want
anybody to know about it, not anybody.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
He's given you trouble.
Speaker 9 (06:16):
Huh, Yes, he's been.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
What's the matter?
Speaker 8 (06:20):
Yes, who is it?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Rowena?
Speaker 8 (06:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (06:26):
You want to see me?
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I'll be going.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Oh, don't let me bust up anything.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
And that's okay. I gotta be going anyway.
Speaker 9 (06:35):
This is Dixie Jones.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Mister Diamond. How are you, Dixie pushed? Well, nice meeting you,
mister Diamond.
Speaker 8 (06:41):
I talked to you later.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Rowena cute mm hmm.
Speaker 8 (06:47):
Now what can I do for you, mister Donald?
Speaker 3 (06:50):
I just saw the show. Good I'm glad you liked it.
Speaker 8 (06:55):
Is that why you stop back?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, I thought i'd like to meet you.
Speaker 8 (06:58):
It's against the rules. Who rules the guy who runs
the carney.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Not your rules.
Speaker 8 (07:04):
Sometimes not this time. I'll let you know as soon
as I find out. What'd sign your mind.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, that shouldn't be too difficult. I'm the type who
likes to break rules.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
You're a little old for the usual schoolboy, and too
hep for a yogo.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
What do you do, mister Diamond, Well, nothing obvious, but
I make a few bucks, and occasionally I used a
few bucks to buy a pretty girl a drink, Just
one drink, mister diamond.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Score for diamond.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
She was interested, and I made a metal bet with
myself that she'd spotted my bank roll and not my
blue eyes. She excused herself, did a quick change behind
the screen in the corner of the tent. She came
out dressed in mink and a black number that could
have snarled up traffic on any quiet in a section.
She took my arm or we headed for the nearest pub,
in this case, the Fallen Duck, a cozy little bistro
(08:00):
that certainly seemed appropriately named. If a duck had wandered in,
it would have taken a nose dive in a hurry, man, boy,
Duck or Diamond, nothing could have stood for long. It's
a little crowded. Oh it's probably necessary if all the
people left at once, the walls had fallen.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Here's to.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What, mister Diamond, Well to you calling me Rick.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
I'll drink to that rick.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
At you a little warm, but you'll suffer a little,
and keep the mink on.
Speaker 8 (08:35):
It's a nice coat, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Chiming you do all right, diamond bracelet the mink.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
I could use another drink without the water.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
We sat and I watched to kill a few more
than between times she moved. The pitch was subtle, and
this practice as a lion trainer of the kitten. She
worked hard and I played along. It wasn't difficult. Rowena
was quite a girl, and as far back as I
can remember, I've liked girls, particularly the type you classify
as quite a girl. About the time I was offering
(09:11):
my fullest cooperation, we were interrupted.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Hey, yes, well, friends.
Speaker 9 (09:17):
Of yours and Stave Sylvester and his wife.
Speaker 8 (09:19):
He owns the carney.
Speaker 7 (09:20):
Oh are you Rowena?
Speaker 8 (09:22):
Fine? Hello, Paula. Hello, Rowena, this is mister Diamond, mister
and missus Sylvester.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Can I buy you to a drink?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Well, that would be no.
Speaker 9 (09:33):
Thanks, Dave. We were just leaving.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Come on rick a nice video.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Nice meeting you, mister Diamond.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, sorry, you gotta be going.
Speaker 8 (09:41):
Good night, Dave Paula, Well, that answers that not friends.
I've known Dave for a long time, way before I
joined the Corney. What makes you think we're not friends?
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Oh, just a casual observation. I got the idea when
your hair.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Stood straight up, you better take me home.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And I took her home. Rowenna didn't have much to
say on the way. She was worried, and she had
dropped the pitch. We got back to the carnival about
one a m. And walked down the deserted boardwalk toward
her trailer. Up to that point I had made up
my mind about several things concerning the lovely Rowena. First,
she didn't figure to be in love with Adam Rayburn. Second,
(10:29):
if she did have troubles, she hadn't given any indication
until Dave Sylvester and his wife had shown up at
the Fallen Duck at a trailer. She stopped at the
door and turned to face me. Ah, I could see
it coming. The pitch was on again, but now she
was being cautious too.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Who are you wreck me?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I'm just a guy. I told you, just a guy
who wanted to buy you a drink.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
Nothing else.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
What else? Worried?
Speaker 9 (10:57):
Little? Why pick on me?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, honey, you go on inside and take a look
at the mirror. If you're a little objective about it,
you'll get the idea.
Speaker 6 (11:06):
Rick.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, good night, Wow, good night? Rick? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Will I see you again?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah? Why did you do it?
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Why did you do it?
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Wait a minute, wait a minute, let me go take
it easy. What's the matter with you? What do you
want to slug me for? Why did you kiss it?
Why did you kiss it for?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I saw you, I saw your kisser.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Well you didn't see very well? Then was the other
way around?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
I didn't hire you to take her out and make
love to him.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Oh, come on, Adam, get hold.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
I don't want to hear it.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Matter.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
It's on fire.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I turned and looked in the direction he was pointing
his skinny arm. The small tent Rowena had used for
a dressing room was on fire. What some others had
already noticed it, and by the time we got there,
the tent was completely engulfed in the roaring flames. Every
one of the troop turned out in odd stages of
undress and got a bucket line going, but the tent
(12:17):
was past saving. The fire department arrived put out the
last of it, and then one of the troop, picking
his way through the charred ruins, made a grizzly discovery.
Hey hey, there's a body in here.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Before we continue with Richard Diamond, here are a few
words about smoking enjoyment.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You know, smoking is a day in, day out pleasure,
and it takes day in, day out smoking to tell
you how rich tasting and how mild a cigarette is
As a steady smoke. One puff won't tell you. One
sniff won't tell you.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Smoke only camels for thirty days, and you'll see why
more people smoke camels than any other's cigarette. You'll enjoy
the first puff and every puff for camels. Costly Tobaccos
are properly aged and expertly blended. No other cigarette has
camel's rich, full flavor, a flavor you'll never tire.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Of, and no other cigarette gives you This proof of
mildness proof based on steady smoking in a coast to
coast test of hundreds of people who smoked only camels
for thirty days. Noted throats specialists reported not one single
case of throat irritation due.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
To smoking camels.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Make your own camel thirty day test and see for
yourself why more people smoke camels than any other cigarette?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
All mild?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Long mile mile A mild?
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Can a cigarette?
Speaker 6 (13:58):
Me make the cat I'm thirty day list man. You
see smoke callous and see.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
And now back to Richard Diamond, Private Detective starring Dick Powell.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
One thirty in the morning, standing in the middle of
what was left of a gutted sideshow tent, standing with
the members of the Sylvester Carnival Troop, looking down at
the burned body of a girl, a case with a
simple beginning and then a fire and a girl dying
in the fire. The crowd spread out as the fire
department moved in to look for a cause, and Dave Sylvester,
(14:41):
the owner, identified the body Dixie Jones.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
She slept in the tent for a little Dixie. Oh oh,
mister Diamond, Hello, mister Sylvester.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
It's a terrible scene. Ah, mister Diamond, I'll beat it, Adam,
I'll talk to you later. No sense of letting people
know where aquainted.
Speaker 7 (14:58):
All right, So, all of a sudden I smelt smoke.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I thought that I was dreaming or something.
Speaker 8 (15:03):
Rick, isn't it awful?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, it's pretty bad, Pixie, Rick.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Well, will you walk me back to my trailer?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Sure? Cold?
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Yes, act like you got to chill. You better take
my cold.
Speaker 9 (15:20):
It's all right, I'll be all right.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Well, good night, Henning, Rick.
Speaker 8 (15:27):
Yeah, I don't feel much like sleeping. Why don't you
come in for a while.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
What's about it there?
Speaker 3 (15:33):
You act as if you're scared of you.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
I don't know what it is, but you're scared of it.
Speaker 9 (15:38):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Good night Rick. Mister Well, I don't start swinging again
at him. I didn't even hold her hand.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
I just left the fire. The fire department found out
that it wasn't an accident. I heard the chiefs say
the fire was started deliberately. They called the police.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Well, now the simple case with a fire and what
looked like an accidental death had turned into murder. I
asked Adam why anyone would want to kill Dixie the
course girl, but he couldn't even come up with a guests.
I warned him again about keeping our relationship a secret.
I went out to the corner to wait for the police,
and about twenty minutes I spotted a Prowl car with a.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Familiar figure in the front seat.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Rick, what are you doing here?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Oh? I stayed for the late show. It's a nice fire.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Just got a two to eleven report.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Some girl in the fire.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah, name is Dixie John's Hey what look nobody around
here knows.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
I'm a private cop.
Speaker 6 (16:35):
You want to kept that weight?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Yeah for a while?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Okay, climbing the running barn, we'll drive down.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
We drove down to the scene of the fire, and
I stayed in the car while Walt and Sylvester looked
at the body of the dead chorus girl and talked
with the fire chief. A couple of times I spotted
Adam standing off to one side, watching and if he
noticed me in the car, he did a good job
of not showing it. Sometime later, Walt came back and
we took a drive. I told him everything up to date,
(17:08):
how Adam had hired me to find out what it
was troubling his lady love. How I'd gotten the big
pitch from her, her obvious dislike for the Sylvesters and
everything leading up to and after the fire.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Well, it's sure not much, I.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Know it, I know wal But there is one thing sure,
Rowena was scared stuff after the fire.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Sometimes fires do that.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Nah, it was something more wald This name lives high
mink coats, jewelry that runs into a lot of carrots.
She has a real taste for anything it smells like
that green stuff. I flashed a roll when I went
in to see her show. She acted like a steady
date when I went back to her dressing room. Rowena
doesn't make enough money at this carny to buy all
(17:49):
those things.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Wall Well, I'm having the whole troop brought in for questioning.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
Maybe we'll uncover something.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
This client of yours, Adam Rayburn, Yeah, what does he know? Oh,
apparently not much. He's so in love with that dame
he can't see anything else. What does he do? Well,
he's advertised as the skinniest man in the world. He's
nearly eight feet tall. He's a good one hundred and forty.
He thinks Rowena's in love with him.
Speaker 6 (18:13):
Are you kidding Rowena a dame like that.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Yeah, poor guy.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Wald dropped me off in my apartment. I got some sleep.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
The next morning, I went down to the precinct and
listened through an open line as Walt interrogated the entire
troop of the Sylvester Carnival.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
It took all the morning and most of the afternoon.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Rowena answered her share of questions, and her voice was
shaky and cautious. Adam answered his admitting his association with me,
only after Walt informed him the fact was known. The
last two questions were Dave and Paula Sylvester.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
I have no idea why anyone would want to start
a fire. How about wanting to kill Dixie? I can't
imagine June, missus Sylvester.
Speaker 8 (19:01):
No, Dixie was just a nice kid slept in the tent.
I don't know why anyone want to kill her.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Mister Sylvester, how long have you known Rowena? Just since
she's been with the Carnie about five years?
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I guess.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
First break, first head of a cover up. Dave Sylvester
had said he'd only known Rowena since she'd been with
a Carnival. I left the precinct thinking about the time
i'd spent with Rowena and the fallen Duck. She'd said
she'd known Sylvester for a long time before she joined
the carnival. I grabbed a cab and went back to
the carnival grounds, where I hung around until my client
(19:40):
showed up.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
We found a quiet spot and talked.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
No, she's never said much about Dave Apaula.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
Oh, how about the girl who was killed, Dixie?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
They were friends, that's all. Why have you found out something?
Speaker 5 (19:54):
How much money have you given her, Adam?
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (19:56):
No, no, wait a minute, how much?
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Well, not much?
Speaker 3 (19:59):
How much this?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
She make about two hundred a week?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Then who's buying those minks?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Who she is? And the jewelry? What do you mean?
Speaker 4 (20:08):
She told me she bought those things with money she'd.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
Saved out of two hundred a week.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Well, yes, I'm then why I ask you for more?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Because she needed it. I didn't ask her why she
likes nice things. We're in love, mister Diamond. A man
doesn't ask okay him, Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I lost myself for the rest of the afternoon. In
the newspaper files, looking up past history on David Sylvester,
his wife, and Rowena. There was a story about David
and Paula the day they got married. And enough about
Rowena to give me a pretty fair background. She'd been
in show business for a long time from parents in
the business, never done much until she joined the carnival,
(20:48):
and then her fame spread far and wide. There were
some publicity pictures that certainly showed why she had become
a headliner. She'd been married once to a man named Black,
who had disappeared ten years ago, a small time agent
who had left her stranded in a hotel somewhere in Ohio,
and according to the article, he was wanted by the
police for a forger rap and left her holding the sack.
(21:10):
I looked some more, but I couldn't find anything about
a divorce or that Black had ever been caught. At
seven o'clock, I let myself in Rowena's trailer. I sat
down and waited for her. Hello, Rowena, Rick.
Speaker 9 (21:36):
I'm glad to see Rick.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Oh well, I'm a private cop. Honey, Still glad you're
a private cop.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
Yeah, I don't understand, I think I do.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Whatever happened to your husband, Rowena, whatever happened to him
name was Black, left you stranded in Ohio with a
forger rap penned on him. What happened to him?
Speaker 9 (21:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
He disappeared.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I how do you manage to buy Minx and diamond bracelets?
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Rick?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
What is all this?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
How comes Sylvester hired you and shove you right at
the top and you didn't even have a reputation.
Speaker 8 (22:08):
I don't like this, Rick, I don't think it's I
don't either.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Tell me about Dixie? Why was she killed?
Speaker 9 (22:14):
I don't know, Rick, you don't think that's the.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
One thing I've got to tie up. Whoever set fire
to that tenth that they think it was you in there?
No be ridiculous. See how ridiculous this sounds, Honey, Dave
Sylvester is your missing husband. He's paying you to keep
your mouth shut. Get out of here.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
You don't care who you pick on, do you?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
If you can't blackmail a guy, you work him like
Adam Raymond? Poor guy thinks you're in love with him.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Get out, Get out?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
How much did you get a couple of lousy dollars?
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Anything for a buck?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Hunt?
Speaker 8 (22:45):
If you don't get out of here, I'll have you thrown.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I want to know why Dixie was killed, and baby,
you're going to tell me.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
It won't work, honey. What was the connection?
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Baby? If you know why she was killed, that makes
you an accessory before the fact. I'm not very happy
about you, honey, and I'd be more than willing to
do my bit to see you get a few years.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Rick, you better tell me all about it.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Be a lot easier.
Speaker 8 (23:16):
Hurt. Dave Sylvester is my husband. His real name is
Martin Black. You're right, I was blackmailing him.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Somebody fired two shots through the open window and nailed
her twice. I caught her. She dropped, and I lowed
her to the sawdust floor. I kept my arm around
her because she couldn't do much more than look up
and smile a tired smile.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
Thanks.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Thanks for the lift, honey.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
It's all right.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
Dixie was keeping the marriage license for me so so
Dave wouldn't find it. Yeah, I guess he did. Anyway,
he must have killed her, set fire to the tent.
I gotta say something, Rick, no excuses. I took Adam,
(24:10):
I took everybody mixed up. Who's going to take you?
And something happened.
Speaker 8 (24:17):
I guess maybe maybe I thought you might be the
boy on the white horse.
Speaker 9 (24:25):
Telling the truth. Rick, Lady wouldn't lie at a time.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Like this, No, I guess you wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
I put a pillow under her head and went out.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
The carnival had suddenly turned into a bad dream, a
lot of noise and confusion. There was a killer loose,
and I wanted to get him. It was Adam Raeburn again,
and standing near a tent. David Sylvester had been waiting
for me to come out. Sylvester jumped as Adam gell
and turned his gun on ad him. He caught at
him with the first one, and the big thin guy
(25:01):
toppled like an anemic Saplin. I got my gun out,
but Sylvester had disappeared in the darkness.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Go get him, I'm all right.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
I circled the tent and spotted Sylvester running up the
main drag. He turned and tried a quick shot. People
started running when they got the idea, and I kept low,
trying to stay in the clear. The place emptied faster
than a ballpark in a thunderstorm, and Sylvester was caught
on the empty walk. He turned for another shot, but
I beat him to it. The slug knocked him sideways
(25:30):
and he staggered into a building and I went in
after him. It turned into the weirdest chase I'd ever
gotten mixed up in. I found myself looking at a
dozen Richard diamonds and an equal number of Dave Sylvesters.
I was faced by a room full of mirrors, and
to top it off, a recorded laugh was playing over
and over, a gimmick to show the public how much
(25:51):
fun they could have inside.
Speaker 5 (25:53):
Oh some fun.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
A dozen Sylvesters had all turned and taken shot a
dozen diamonds, and the dozen diamonds suddenly became one less.
It was a process of elimination. Sooner or later one
of us would stop hitting mirrors and get the real thing.
I picked one of the silvesters and we both went
to work lousy mirrors. Yeah, you shot every diamond but
(26:28):
the right one. Turn me over? Will you get my
face under this stuff?
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Sure?
Speaker 6 (26:36):
I don't mind dying, but I hate to watch myself
doing it.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Dick Powell will return in just a minute again.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Doctors in all branches of medicine have been asked this question.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
What cigarette do you smoke?
Speaker 5 (27:07):
Doctor?
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Again? The brand name most was Camel.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
According to this repeated nationwide survey, more doctors smoke camels
than any other cigarette.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Baseball is getting under way, and it's interesting to note
that camels are the favorite cigarette of many baseball players.
Bob Lemon, Vic, Rashi, Howard Poleette Dick Sissler are a
few of the stars who choose camels for their rich flavor, cool, cool, mildness.
Try camels yourself, Oh mild.
Speaker 8 (27:36):
Mild, mild, mild, mild, can cigarette me make the camel
thirty day test man, you'll see.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Smoke camels and seed.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Here's Dick Powell with a special message.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. The makers of camels are
sending gift cigarettes to our wounded and disabled servicemen. These
cigarettes are forwarded to distributed by the Military Transport Service
the United States Air Force, which evacuates virtually all overseas
wounded personnel. Gift camels are also on the way to
veterans hospitals Fort Mead, South Dakota and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(28:14):
U S. Army Station Hospital, Camp Campbell, Kentucky.
Speaker 8 (28:18):
U S.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Naval Hospital, Beaufort, South Carolina. Now until next week, enjoy camels.
I always do.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Dick Powell can now be seen starring in r ko's
Cry Danger to Night's Adventure of Richard Diamond, written by
Blake Edwards with music by Frank Worth. Our director is
Helen Mack. Featured in the cast for Arthur K. Bryant,
Michael Ann Barrett, Sandra Gold, Sheldon, Leonard, Paul Duboff, and
Bob Bruce.
Speaker 10 (28:51):
Men for pipe Pleasure, get the National Joy Smoke. Prince
Albert p A has a rich flavor and wonderful natural fragrance.
It's crimp cut for cool, smooth smoking and specially treated
to insure against tongue bite. You'll enjoy Prince Albert, America's
largest selling smoking tobacco.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Listen next week for another exciting transcribed adventure of Richard
Diamond starring Dick Powell. This is your FBI. The official
broadcast from the files of the FBI follows immediately. Stay tuned.
This program came to you from Hollywood. This is the
American Broadcasting Company.
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