October 6, 2025 • 18 mins
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama which aired between 1949 and 1962. "The man with the action-packed expense account, America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar". Of the eight different actors who played Johnny Dollar, Bob Bailey is likely considered the most popular. Bailey's interpretation presented a tough, streetwise character, but also sensitive and thoughtful. During it's time, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman, Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield.
Hope you enjoy this episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon
Hope you enjoy this episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
From Hollywood.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
It's time now for.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Johnny.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
This this is George reads.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Well, Hi, yah, George. What's troubling Florids? I mean, on
this time, Johnny.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
One of our clients. Only quite frankly, he's far more
than just a client. Yes, his life is being threatened.
Speaker 5 (00:20):
Oh, George, you know I hate these bodyguard assignments.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Every time I handle one of them, it ends up
with my own life being in danger.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I fully realize one of these days my luck may
run out Heaven forbid.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Nonetheless, Joe, if somebody needs protection, why don't you just
call in the police.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
There are certain.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Well confidential aspects of this case that well, if any
sort of publicity can be avoided, Johnny, if it can
any way help to minimize the danger to yourself, I'll
badly go along with you on this.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
You you mean literally physically go along with me? Yes,
well not, George. That's not the way I usually like
to work, I know, But as I told you.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
That, this involves a man who is more than just
a client.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Man, what does that mean?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
It's my brother, Johnny, my own brother.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Oh yes, okay, George, I'll be able to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of a man with
the action impact expensive God. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator is.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Truly Johnny Dollar.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar in Florida
and England, North American Office, Hertford, Connecticut, following as an
account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Twin
Trouble matter. Expense account out of won a dollar twenty
four taxi over to George Reid's office at Floyd's of
(02:02):
England and Downtown Hitred. I found him pacing the floor
waiting for me, and needless to say, he didn't waste
any time getting.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Down to business. As I told you of the phone, Johnny,
this matter involves my brother, my twin.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
Brother, Adam.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Oh you're a twin Yes, We're identical in every way
except perhaps for our manner of speaking.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You see, Adam completed his education at the University of Dublin,
whereas I stayed on in England, then did postgraduate.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Work over here.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Oh, I see about eighteen years ago Adam and his
wife came here to the United States.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Is he also as some branch of Floys of England?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
No, Johnny Adam owns a small brokerage office down in Newark,
New Jersey. He lives in a nearby town called Upper Montclair.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Say tell me, has this business of his anything to
do with the thread against.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
His life everything?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm afraid now, don't tell me.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
He went around selling a lot of worthless stocks and bonds,
and now somebody wants.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
To get email, And of course not.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Adam is a completely honest, reliable dealer in legitimate security
that wants the Trump.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well. You see, when he first.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
Arrived in this country, he traveled around quite a bit,
not only sight seeing, but oh looking for a good
business connection.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Face.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
While on the West Coast, he met two men, Shocky
and Barren, independent stockbrokers. They seemed to like him immediately
offered to take him in with him since his funds.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Were beginning to run out.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
He jumped up the chance, naturally, but Johnny had turned
out that they were swindlers of the worst possible sort,
dealing in completely worthless security.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Oh yes.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Because of his lack of familiarity with American manners and methods,
it took Adam quite a while to catch on.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
But when he charged.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
George, and when he finally got wise to them.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
He called in the law. So they got set up
the river, including your poor misguided brother.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And now, yes, Johnny, it was Adam's information, his testimony
that brought the whole foul operation into the open. As
a result, of course, his prison term was a relatively
mild one.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I didn't know there was anything. But now that the
others are.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Free, they're apt to get him, at least the one
name shortly is it's he who has contacted Adam with
this impossible proposition?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Did he and Baron get out of the clink about
two weeks ago?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I see?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So what's the proposition Shackli has, mate, dear brother, Johnny.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Adam has spent the past nine years, ever since he
was released, out there building up this small brokerage.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Office here in the east.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Now he and his wife are finally beginning to reap
the fruits of their labors. Children, two fine upstanding kids,
are in college over in New York State. But if
it were ever to become known that he once served
a term in prison for participation in a stocks fan,
I would kind of pull a rugger right out from
under him. What it would completely ruin him, Johnny, And
it would probably kill his wife. This nine years of
(04:36):
struggle of trying to make up for that one mistake
has been just as hard for her as it has
for him. Right now, she happens to be in the
hospital with a serious heart condition.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I see. Is she the beneficiary of his insurance?
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Yes? She and then of course the children.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
All right, now, what is this proposition that Shackli has made.
Speaker 6 (04:56):
He's demanded seventy five thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yes, unless Adam pays it in cash and unmarked bills,
Shockley will release to the papers anonymously.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, he'll tell them all about Adam's unfortunate part of
that stock selling racket years.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Ago, which means that if Adam had a single customer
left instead of a wake to be America, then Shockley says,
after he's.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Ruined him, he'll kill him.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
He'll want it unless he pays this money.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Of course, he'll make it look like suicide, after all,
under the circumstances.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Well you know, the ruined businessman, Yeah, I do know.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Sure, there'll be no reason for anyone to think it
isn't suicide exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Wait a minute, that's the insurance angle, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yes, If Adam's death is called suicide, his policy will
be void, his wife and kids will get nothing.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And if this man Shockly is as clever as Adam
says he is, he'll do it in such a way
that any court in the land will call it sue. I, well,
I just can't believe it. And yet I suppose he's
told Adam that he's already got away with this sort
of thing once before, before Adam knew it.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
But why doesn't he all in a police the FBI.
If this man already has a criminal record.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No, no, well maybe the other one, Baron is still
working with him.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And no, Johnny, don't you see don't you see he
doesn't dare?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, I guess you're right. If he call in the cops,
the publicity.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Would be just as bad, just as ruinous to him
as if Shockley were to shoot off his mooth at
the papers.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yes, Johnny, if he goes to the police, he'll only
bring his business crashing down on his own head.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
George, your brother is in a pretty band spot. No
matter what he does, he loses if.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
He pays off seventy five thousand dollars. But who knows
whether that one payment would be the end.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Well, of course it wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But if he doesn't, don't you see, it means not
only his business, his wife, his children, but.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
His own life.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I know, I know if it were me alone, a
bachelor with nobody else to think about.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
But with Adam, Johnny, he couldn't do it.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
He might as well cut his own.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
So we'll have to do something about it. What Johnny?
What can we do? George? I wish I knew it
was obvious this.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Was to be more of a personal affair than business,
in spite of the insurance policy involved. So for once
I decided to forget patting out the old expense accounts. Okay,
then Adam two four thirty five a tankful of gas
for my own car. It was after business hours by
the time he got down to Jersey, so instead of
trying to catch Adam Reid in his office, George phoned
a head and we went directly to his home on
(07:22):
Highland Avenue and up on my player. George stood beside
me when the front door was open, and you know something.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
It was like looking at George in a mirror, yess
can I Even the clothes were alike, Hello, Adam.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Yeah, these twins were certainly identical except for the slight
difference in their manner of speech.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Adam, this is the man I told you about on
the phone, the man I hope can somehow help you.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Johnny Domo, Yeah, how I am is to read? And
excuse me for staring.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
It's quite horror right, daughter, quite understandable, and please call me.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Adams if you don't much sure, but so help me.
I've never seen two people look so much illike.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
You know something, Johnny?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I'm just a wild, crazy idea, Adam, George, this perfect
similarity might.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Nah, Well we'll see.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well I'll wait.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Maybe you have an idea there, No, look, George, forget
all about it. Come on, that's go inside where we
can talk about this thing.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I'm in compete agreement dollar because we have no time
to waste. If there's anything you can do about it.
Why do you say that, Adam, I've heard from sharply again.
Oh when this morning, after the last time I talked
to George he called me at the office. I'm afraid
I didn't get as much business done today as I
might have liked. Then I left as early as I could.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
I went to the bank and called on my wife
at the hospital.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
She's very seriously ill. Yes, so I understand.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
I have not yet had the heart to tell her
about this whole ungodly affair.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
And I can't say that I blame you.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yet What difference would it make?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Whatever happens, whatever this man does to me, it's bound
to affect my poor my darling.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Oh, it's a terrible king dollar now.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This phone call today, Yes, yes, Shockley says that he's
coming here tonight tonight.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, Oh, with my car out front.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So that's why I stopped at the bank today. He
says he must have ten thousand dollars as a sort
of down payment. There's evidence of my good faith.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Ten thousand.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I say that he won't get on Wait a minute, George, Lord, Johnny,
tell you I won't let Shotley get away with it.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
If he comes here tonight and demands that money, I'll
kill him rather than.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Let Adam give him a single I told you, Johnny,
with me, it doesn't mean a thing. With Adam and
his wife, his children.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Think he'd come in here with my car out front.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
If he does, I want to be ready for him.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Give me your gun, Johnny.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Sure, this whole rotten thing has gone too far. I
tell you that if I have to in order.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
To stop it up.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
No, I don't wait.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Is there an extension phone in the next room in
the library. But Dollar, is it Shockley and he here's
your pick it up you want?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
If we do it right, however, I call it here,
then pick it up immediately. I'll do the same on
the other end. Yes, all right, Dollar, Harry, all right.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yes? Are you alone, Adam?
Speaker 6 (10:13):
I am alone, Sharply, you haven't called in the police.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You know as well as I do what that would
mean the publicity. I'm glad to realize that. And I
don't trust you, Adam. What so instead of my coming
to your home, you're going to meet me.
Speaker 7 (10:32):
You've got the ten thousand for me. I have, all right,
Cita Knowle about seven miles north of here. Do you
know the place?
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yes, sirra No, there's a little shack on top of it.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
Empty and get into your car, your own car, Adam,
I recognize it.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Meet me there very well, shopply.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Just one thing, Just be sure that you're alone, because
if you're not, somebody's going to die, Adam.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It won't be me.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
If there's anybody with you.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Do you understand that I understand cit the no, well,
Adam and stands O your man. Shockley is as clever
as you've seen them. So it's sure dollar.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
He listened to the phone next to my ear.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
As soon as Shockley named the meeting place, George took.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
The gun out of my desk and let.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Me what he's going up there? Took shartly unless.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
I can stab him, Adam, and he's going up there
to get murdered. Where is it, Adam, let's city?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
No where, Shockley will be your dollar. I can show
you on the map.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
Here it's fifteen or sixteen miles from here.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Shackley said it was only about seven.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Then you must have been somewhere along the way when
he called it.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Means he'll get there long before George can.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
Yes, he look, No, here it is on the map.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Yeah, I see straight up twenty three and west of
pumping planes. Yes, all right, George took your car? What
kind is it? A little coope? I saw out the street.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Oh fine, there are ten million of them on the
highway all I like, what's the license number? Well, come on,
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I don't remember it.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
And the anim All I can do is try to
get there before George does, before he gets himself killed.
Traffic was heavy, and I don't know why, but Highway
twenty three was lousy with belief the troll.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I wanted to stop on him and tell him to come.
Speaker 5 (12:46):
Along with me, but this was one case where I couldn't,
so instead I drove within the speed limit except for
a cutoff above Mountain View, where I could open her
up for a few miles before getting back in the highway.
I probably by past George as well as the highway trap,
but the important thing was for me to get there first.
That's why I left twenty three again, took the curving
narrow but much shorter back row to.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
See her Noble. Finally I could see the Noble, a
sort of big mound the high barren hill.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I could see the little building on top of it
and silhouette against the moonnut sky, and I could see
a car parked.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Up there, a big sedan.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
So Shockley had arrived and was waiting there at the
bottom of the knoll. I pulled off to the side,
cut the engine and doused the lights and went the rest.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Of the way.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I'm for it.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
As I slowly approached the shack through a drawn window shade,
I could see a light in it and waving around
like a flashlight.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And the shadow of a man. Always for a moment
there there were.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Two of them, two shadows that meant Shocklely wasn't alone,
And knowing they'd be well armed, both of them killers.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Well, this whole thing might not be so easy. Yet,
somehow I had to keep them from hurting.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
George.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Yeah, and I'm killing Adam.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Slowly, cautiously I edged over to their car. I slid
down under it and went to work with my pocket
knife on.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
A small piece. He's a tubing near one of the wheels.
It was slow and awkward there in the dark under
that lo hung car. It was the one thing I
knew that it was George, and of all the times
to pick with.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Me sprawled out under that sedan, unable to even pull
out my gun.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Just stay out there, Adam. We'll take the money and
be on our way. I know your own Shotley, This
is all you will take. Watn't shot?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
He's got a gun.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yes, I'll kill both of you.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Might have to.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
This is Adam reed here.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
He is no he talks differently. This is his twins.
It's George.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
You're right, Shockley, and I'm here to put a stop
to this nefarious scheme of yours.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Well, listen to the fancy talk. Of course, it isn't Adam,
so it must be George and George my name.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Now, don't move, don't drop your guns, both of you. Mister.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I'm afraid that mister Reed, that mister George Reed has
the advantage of us.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Well, and he shoots at you, I get him, he
shoots at me, You get him.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
That's right, I'll kill at least one of you.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
So under the circumstances, I'm afraid there's.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Only one thing we can do.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Yeah, what hand over our guns to it? So here
you are, George.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
I yanked myself out from under the car and just
in time to have George land right square on top
of me. Before I could push him away and get
to my feet, he would have like a light and
both shot me.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
In his power on top of me.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
I never got out the ground.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Our way. Shoot, you had enough, you had enough, misturn
get away shot, let me shoot it.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
No, but listen, you've got to get out of here.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
No shots. He got off the cups when were coming
up from the highway to see what they want.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
Don't you see it?
Speaker 6 (15:48):
We leave him here, he got to but we're not
leaving this state until we kill his brother.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Come out. Oh you wait, you want some off? Never
get away? Oh no, he was harp No, listen, yeah,
you less, come on?
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Okay, okay?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Oh are you? Are you okay?
Speaker 7 (16:21):
George?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
I think they got away down.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
You'll kill them.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
They're not going anywhere, George. What I cut the brake
fluid line and they have no brakes by the time
they get rolling down that hill.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Good heavens, Oh, George, they're not going anywhere.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
By the time the highway police got to the scene
of the crash there on the back road of God,
that car exploded and burned. They had forgotten all about
the gunshots, if they'd hurt them at all. So George
and I were able to leave by the main road unmolested.
At the bottom of the hill, I picked up my
own car.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Without attracting attention.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
I suppose I'll have to make some sort of report
to the police, but I don't see any reason why
I should have to reveal the name of the man
they were out to get. You it's certainly too late
to need anyone to bring charges against them. As for
the expense account, So what's a couple of gallons of
gas in so good a cause? Yours truly, Johnny Dowar.
(17:40):
Now here's our.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Star to tell you about next week's story. Before I do,
I just want to say thanks to.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
All you good people right in to tell me how
much you like the show. It may seem like a
little thing to you, but it means a great deal
to all of us.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Believe me.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I'll answer your letters just as fast.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
As I can get around to them, but you just
have to be patient if it takes a little time.
Now for next week, well, I suggest you read the
Cask of a Monteado by Edgar Allan Paul.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Then join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, Yours truly,
Johnny Dollar, starring Bob.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Bailey, originates in Hollywood and has written, produced and directed.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
By Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were g Stanley Jones, Alan.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Reed, and Frank Gustall. Be surely join us next week,
same time and station, or another exciting story of yours truly,
Johnny Dollar.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
This is Dan Coverly speaking.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Frank g.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Loveler, Joy Stars, and a hair raising psychological thriller A
Friend of Daddy's as suspense follows next on the CBS
Radio network
From Hollywood.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
It's time now for.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Johnny.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
This this is George reads.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Well, Hi, yah, George. What's troubling Florids? I mean, on
this time, Johnny.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
One of our clients. Only quite frankly, he's far more
than just a client. Yes, his life is being threatened.
Speaker 5 (00:20):
Oh, George, you know I hate these bodyguard assignments.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Every time I handle one of them, it ends up
with my own life being in danger.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I fully realize one of these days my luck may
run out Heaven forbid.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Nonetheless, Joe, if somebody needs protection, why don't you just
call in the police.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
There are certain.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Well confidential aspects of this case that well, if any
sort of publicity can be avoided, Johnny, if it can
any way help to minimize the danger to yourself, I'll
badly go along with you on this.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
You you mean literally physically go along with me? Yes,
well not, George. That's not the way I usually like
to work, I know, But as I told you.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
That, this involves a man who is more than just
a client.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Man, what does that mean?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
It's my brother, Johnny, my own brother.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Oh yes, okay, George, I'll be able to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of a man with
the action impact expensive God. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator is.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Truly Johnny Dollar.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar in Florida
and England, North American Office, Hertford, Connecticut, following as an
account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Twin
Trouble matter. Expense account out of won a dollar twenty
four taxi over to George Reid's office at Floyd's of
(02:02):
England and Downtown Hitred. I found him pacing the floor
waiting for me, and needless to say, he didn't waste
any time getting.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Down to business. As I told you of the phone, Johnny,
this matter involves my brother, my twin.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
Brother, Adam.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Oh you're a twin Yes, We're identical in every way
except perhaps for our manner of speaking.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You see, Adam completed his education at the University of Dublin,
whereas I stayed on in England, then did postgraduate.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Work over here.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Oh, I see about eighteen years ago Adam and his
wife came here to the United States.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Is he also as some branch of Floys of England?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
No, Johnny Adam owns a small brokerage office down in Newark,
New Jersey. He lives in a nearby town called Upper Montclair.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Say tell me, has this business of his anything to
do with the thread against.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
His life everything?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm afraid now, don't tell me.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
He went around selling a lot of worthless stocks and bonds,
and now somebody wants.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
To get email, And of course not.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Adam is a completely honest, reliable dealer in legitimate security
that wants the Trump.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well. You see, when he first.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
Arrived in this country, he traveled around quite a bit,
not only sight seeing, but oh looking for a good
business connection.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Face.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
While on the West Coast, he met two men, Shocky
and Barren, independent stockbrokers. They seemed to like him immediately
offered to take him in with him since his funds.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Were beginning to run out.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
He jumped up the chance, naturally, but Johnny had turned
out that they were swindlers of the worst possible sort,
dealing in completely worthless security.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Oh yes.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Because of his lack of familiarity with American manners and methods,
it took Adam quite a while to catch on.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
But when he charged.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
George, and when he finally got wise to them.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
He called in the law. So they got set up
the river, including your poor misguided brother.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And now, yes, Johnny, it was Adam's information, his testimony
that brought the whole foul operation into the open. As
a result, of course, his prison term was a relatively
mild one.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I didn't know there was anything. But now that the
others are.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Free, they're apt to get him, at least the one
name shortly is it's he who has contacted Adam with
this impossible proposition?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Did he and Baron get out of the clink about
two weeks ago?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I see?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So what's the proposition Shackli has, mate, dear brother, Johnny.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Adam has spent the past nine years, ever since he
was released, out there building up this small brokerage.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Office here in the east.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Now he and his wife are finally beginning to reap
the fruits of their labors. Children, two fine upstanding kids,
are in college over in New York State. But if
it were ever to become known that he once served
a term in prison for participation in a stocks fan,
I would kind of pull a rugger right out from
under him. What it would completely ruin him, Johnny, And
it would probably kill his wife. This nine years of
(04:36):
struggle of trying to make up for that one mistake
has been just as hard for her as it has
for him. Right now, she happens to be in the
hospital with a serious heart condition.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I see. Is she the beneficiary of his insurance?
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Yes? She and then of course the children.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
All right, now, what is this proposition that Shackli has made.
Speaker 6 (04:56):
He's demanded seventy five thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yes, unless Adam pays it in cash and unmarked bills,
Shockley will release to the papers anonymously.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, he'll tell them all about Adam's unfortunate part of
that stock selling racket years.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Ago, which means that if Adam had a single customer
left instead of a wake to be America, then Shockley says,
after he's.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Ruined him, he'll kill him.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
He'll want it unless he pays this money.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Of course, he'll make it look like suicide, after all,
under the circumstances.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Well you know, the ruined businessman, Yeah, I do know.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Sure, there'll be no reason for anyone to think it
isn't suicide exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Wait a minute, that's the insurance angle, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yes, If Adam's death is called suicide, his policy will
be void, his wife and kids will get nothing.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And if this man Shockly is as clever as Adam
says he is, he'll do it in such a way
that any court in the land will call it sue. I, well,
I just can't believe it. And yet I suppose he's
told Adam that he's already got away with this sort
of thing once before, before Adam knew it.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
But why doesn't he all in a police the FBI.
If this man already has a criminal record.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No, no, well maybe the other one, Baron is still
working with him.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And no, Johnny, don't you see don't you see he
doesn't dare?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, I guess you're right. If he call in the cops,
the publicity.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Would be just as bad, just as ruinous to him
as if Shockley were to shoot off his mooth at
the papers.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yes, Johnny, if he goes to the police, he'll only
bring his business crashing down on his own head.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
George, your brother is in a pretty band spot. No
matter what he does, he loses if.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
He pays off seventy five thousand dollars. But who knows
whether that one payment would be the end.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Well, of course it wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But if he doesn't, don't you see, it means not
only his business, his wife, his children, but.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
His own life.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I know, I know if it were me alone, a
bachelor with nobody else to think about.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
But with Adam, Johnny, he couldn't do it.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
He might as well cut his own.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
So we'll have to do something about it. What Johnny?
What can we do? George? I wish I knew it
was obvious this.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Was to be more of a personal affair than business,
in spite of the insurance policy involved. So for once
I decided to forget patting out the old expense accounts. Okay,
then Adam two four thirty five a tankful of gas
for my own car. It was after business hours by
the time he got down to Jersey, so instead of
trying to catch Adam Reid in his office, George phoned
a head and we went directly to his home on
(07:22):
Highland Avenue and up on my player. George stood beside
me when the front door was open, and you know something.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
It was like looking at George in a mirror, yess
can I Even the clothes were alike, Hello, Adam.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Yeah, these twins were certainly identical except for the slight
difference in their manner of speech.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Adam, this is the man I told you about on
the phone, the man I hope can somehow help you.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Johnny Domo, Yeah, how I am is to read? And
excuse me for staring.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
It's quite horror right, daughter, quite understandable, and please call me.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Adams if you don't much sure, but so help me.
I've never seen two people look so much illike.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
You know something, Johnny?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I'm just a wild, crazy idea, Adam, George, this perfect
similarity might.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Nah, Well we'll see.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well I'll wait.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Maybe you have an idea there, No, look, George, forget
all about it. Come on, that's go inside where we
can talk about this thing.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I'm in compete agreement dollar because we have no time
to waste. If there's anything you can do about it.
Why do you say that, Adam, I've heard from sharply again.
Oh when this morning, after the last time I talked
to George he called me at the office. I'm afraid
I didn't get as much business done today as I
might have liked. Then I left as early as I could.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
I went to the bank and called on my wife
at the hospital.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
She's very seriously ill. Yes, so I understand.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
I have not yet had the heart to tell her
about this whole ungodly affair.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
And I can't say that I blame you.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yet What difference would it make?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Whatever happens, whatever this man does to me, it's bound
to affect my poor my darling.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Oh, it's a terrible king dollar now.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This phone call today, Yes, yes, Shockley says that he's
coming here tonight tonight.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, Oh, with my car out front.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So that's why I stopped at the bank today. He
says he must have ten thousand dollars as a sort
of down payment. There's evidence of my good faith.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Ten thousand.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I say that he won't get on Wait a minute, George, Lord, Johnny,
tell you I won't let Shotley get away with it.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
If he comes here tonight and demands that money, I'll
kill him rather than.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Let Adam give him a single I told you, Johnny,
with me, it doesn't mean a thing. With Adam and
his wife, his children.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Think he'd come in here with my car out front.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
If he does, I want to be ready for him.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Give me your gun, Johnny.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Sure, this whole rotten thing has gone too far. I
tell you that if I have to in order.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
To stop it up.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
No, I don't wait.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Is there an extension phone in the next room in
the library. But Dollar, is it Shockley and he here's
your pick it up you want?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
If we do it right, however, I call it here,
then pick it up immediately. I'll do the same on
the other end. Yes, all right, Dollar, Harry, all right.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yes? Are you alone, Adam?
Speaker 6 (10:13):
I am alone, Sharply, you haven't called in the police.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You know as well as I do what that would
mean the publicity. I'm glad to realize that. And I
don't trust you, Adam. What so instead of my coming
to your home, you're going to meet me.
Speaker 7 (10:32):
You've got the ten thousand for me. I have, all right,
Cita Knowle about seven miles north of here. Do you
know the place?
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yes, sirra No, there's a little shack on top of it.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
Empty and get into your car, your own car, Adam,
I recognize it.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Meet me there very well, shopply.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Just one thing, Just be sure that you're alone, because
if you're not, somebody's going to die, Adam.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It won't be me.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
If there's anybody with you.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Do you understand that I understand cit the no, well,
Adam and stands O your man. Shockley is as clever
as you've seen them. So it's sure dollar.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
He listened to the phone next to my ear.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
As soon as Shockley named the meeting place, George took.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
The gun out of my desk and let.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Me what he's going up there? Took shartly unless.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
I can stab him, Adam, and he's going up there
to get murdered. Where is it, Adam, let's city?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
No where, Shockley will be your dollar. I can show
you on the map.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
Here it's fifteen or sixteen miles from here.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Shackley said it was only about seven.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Then you must have been somewhere along the way when
he called it.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Means he'll get there long before George can.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
Yes, he look, No, here it is on the map.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Yeah, I see straight up twenty three and west of
pumping planes. Yes, all right, George took your car? What
kind is it? A little coope? I saw out the street.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Oh fine, there are ten million of them on the
highway all I like, what's the license number? Well, come on,
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I don't remember it.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
And the anim All I can do is try to
get there before George does, before he gets himself killed.
Traffic was heavy, and I don't know why, but Highway
twenty three was lousy with belief the troll.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I wanted to stop on him and tell him to come.
Speaker 5 (12:46):
Along with me, but this was one case where I couldn't,
so instead I drove within the speed limit except for
a cutoff above Mountain View, where I could open her
up for a few miles before getting back in the highway.
I probably by past George as well as the highway trap,
but the important thing was for me to get there first.
That's why I left twenty three again, took the curving
narrow but much shorter back row to.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
See her Noble. Finally I could see the Noble, a
sort of big mound the high barren hill.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I could see the little building on top of it
and silhouette against the moonnut sky, and I could see
a car parked.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Up there, a big sedan.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
So Shockley had arrived and was waiting there at the
bottom of the knoll. I pulled off to the side,
cut the engine and doused the lights and went the rest.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Of the way.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I'm for it.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
As I slowly approached the shack through a drawn window shade,
I could see a light in it and waving around
like a flashlight.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And the shadow of a man. Always for a moment
there there were.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Two of them, two shadows that meant Shocklely wasn't alone,
And knowing they'd be well armed, both of them killers.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Well, this whole thing might not be so easy. Yet,
somehow I had to keep them from hurting.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
George.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Yeah, and I'm killing Adam.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Slowly, cautiously I edged over to their car. I slid
down under it and went to work with my pocket
knife on.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
A small piece. He's a tubing near one of the wheels.
It was slow and awkward there in the dark under
that lo hung car. It was the one thing I
knew that it was George, and of all the times
to pick with.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Me sprawled out under that sedan, unable to even pull
out my gun.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Just stay out there, Adam. We'll take the money and
be on our way. I know your own Shotley, This
is all you will take. Watn't shot?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
He's got a gun.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yes, I'll kill both of you.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Might have to.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
This is Adam reed here.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
He is no he talks differently. This is his twins.
It's George.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
You're right, Shockley, and I'm here to put a stop
to this nefarious scheme of yours.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Well, listen to the fancy talk. Of course, it isn't Adam,
so it must be George and George my name.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Now, don't move, don't drop your guns, both of you. Mister.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I'm afraid that mister Reed, that mister George Reed has
the advantage of us.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Well, and he shoots at you, I get him, he
shoots at me, You get him.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
That's right, I'll kill at least one of you.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
So under the circumstances, I'm afraid there's.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Only one thing we can do.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Yeah, what hand over our guns to it? So here
you are, George.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
I yanked myself out from under the car and just
in time to have George land right square on top
of me. Before I could push him away and get
to my feet, he would have like a light and
both shot me.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
In his power on top of me.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
I never got out the ground.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Our way. Shoot, you had enough, you had enough, misturn
get away shot, let me shoot it.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
No, but listen, you've got to get out of here.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
No shots. He got off the cups when were coming
up from the highway to see what they want.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
Don't you see it?
Speaker 6 (15:48):
We leave him here, he got to but we're not
leaving this state until we kill his brother.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Come out. Oh you wait, you want some off? Never
get away? Oh no, he was harp No, listen, yeah,
you less, come on?
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Okay, okay?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Oh are you? Are you okay?
Speaker 7 (16:21):
George?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
I think they got away down.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
You'll kill them.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
They're not going anywhere, George. What I cut the brake
fluid line and they have no brakes by the time
they get rolling down that hill.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Good heavens, Oh, George, they're not going anywhere.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
By the time the highway police got to the scene
of the crash there on the back road of God,
that car exploded and burned. They had forgotten all about
the gunshots, if they'd hurt them at all. So George
and I were able to leave by the main road unmolested.
At the bottom of the hill, I picked up my
own car.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Without attracting attention.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
I suppose I'll have to make some sort of report
to the police, but I don't see any reason why
I should have to reveal the name of the man
they were out to get. You it's certainly too late
to need anyone to bring charges against them. As for
the expense account, So what's a couple of gallons of
gas in so good a cause? Yours truly, Johnny Dowar.
(17:40):
Now here's our.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Star to tell you about next week's story. Before I do,
I just want to say thanks to.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
All you good people right in to tell me how
much you like the show. It may seem like a
little thing to you, but it means a great deal
to all of us.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Believe me.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I'll answer your letters just as fast.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
As I can get around to them, but you just
have to be patient if it takes a little time.
Now for next week, well, I suggest you read the
Cask of a Monteado by Edgar Allan Paul.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Then join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, Yours truly,
Johnny Dollar, starring Bob.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Bailey, originates in Hollywood and has written, produced and directed.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
By Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were g Stanley Jones, Alan.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Reed, and Frank Gustall. Be surely join us next week,
same time and station, or another exciting story of yours truly,
Johnny Dollar.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
This is Dan Coverly speaking.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Frank g.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Loveler, Joy Stars, and a hair raising psychological thriller A
Friend of Daddy's as suspense follows next on the CBS
Radio network
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