Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Night in Paris Matter (EP5065)

0:00With the Amix Gold Card, you can earn rewards across dining and travel. Find out your welcome offer which could be as high as 100,000 points. Apply today at americanexpress.com slash Explored-Gold Terms Apply. Welcome to the great detectives of old time radio. From boycea to hole, this is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment we're going to bring you this week's episode of your truly Johnny Dollar.

1:00But first I do want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And our listener support and appreciation campaign continues. You can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatetactives.net. Now from August 16th 1959, here is the Not in Paris Matter. Johnny Dollar. George Reed here. Well, George, how's Floyd Delundent? How are you holding up in this hot weather? Johnny, all I can say is I wish I could make a tip to friends at some of the other expense. Now what's that supposed to mean? I just see the transatlantic telephone call collected by the way from that underworld friend of yours in Paris. To my sack, Louis to my sack. Yeah. Cause of selfless sugary. That's right, the great cat. Well, why you ever chose to call himself that? Because at night all cats are great. So he's hard to see in the dark?

2:01Well, freeing up yourself. Paris after dark? And to my sack knows more about the dark alleys and sewers and back streets. But what do you call you about George? He wants to talk to you about the only diamond. What? Three quarters of a million dollars worth of diamonds and necklace. It was stolen from the Earl of Olly during a recent visit to the United States. The shot green has a lead on him? He wouldn't say, but if he has, he can get them back. Believe me, we shot cripple over your expense account. Including whatever may be necessary to grease the palm of the macek, his information usually comes pretty high, you know. I understand that. And a bit of an allowance shall we say for my own entertainment while I'm there? Well, now don't go overboard Johnny. You're our Javier touch. CBS Radio brings you Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of a man with the action-backed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator is truly Johnny Dollar.

3:12Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigators Johnny Dollar. Deployments of London's North American Office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following his account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the night in Paris matter. Expense account item one, twelve dollars even for a call to Paris friends. Well, man, I wouldn't trust any further than you could throw the lul, Louis de Macek. So we, creamy choux d'un, is yours? Your dear stringent, the choux de macek. Oldest and dearest friend, huh? Wonderful. One of the crookedest chiselingest connivers I ever met. Oh, no. But George Reed says you have some information about the only diamond. Which means you've got your hand out as usual. Oh, please leave me one of the only tools that I wish to speak to you about something. You didn't hint around about those diamonds? Well, perhaps I did make some very slight reference about them. Yeah.

4:12When he objected to my phone in him, what you call collects? You know how those diamonds are out of my sack? Well? Okay, how much do you want this time? Which is, you are speaking of money? What else? Mm-mm, oh, maybe. You hurt me. You touched me to the grave. Oh, sure. How much? Well, one might thing that I slave and suffer, and always, my life on your behalf, only for money. How much do my sex? Shey, ten thousand dollars American. Yeah, what was nice to talk? You see around some time? No, no, no, no, wait, wait. The only diamonds are worth millions. Millions of francs, not dollars. But if I could tell you where you may find them? In that case, I might be willing to part with, say, a thousand, maybe fifteen hundred. Five thousand. Five thousand. If I actually get my hands on them, I'll give you two. Four? Three thousand, that's final. Thirty five hundred. You're buying them, my sex? No, twenty five hundred.

5:12I said I... Huh? Two thousand. Two? Okay, two thousand bucks. We have ten. Oh, then I think what you say crossed my self-respect? Yeah, I'm sure you did. But do not worry about me. Do not worry. How will do the same for you? Yeah, I'm sure you will. Now listen, if I take a plane out of New York a little after nine tonight, I should get there tomorrow at five forty five pm per hour. Maybe. I'll hang my hand at the hotel of Wai. You know what that is? What's the force? Then I'll pick you up at that level of yours at the end of the year of... Rude de Pada de Mous. Yeah, the Rude de Pada de Mous. And you are being the money for me? I'll be there. Expense a con-item to a thousand dollars worth of American Express Traveler's check. Four hundred and twenty-eight of it went for plane fare, high-fret to New York to Paris. The flight was uneventful except for the person who occupied the seat next to me. And that was a name.

6:12And that Dubas. And Bride? Well, she's twenty-five or six like yet. Paul, Brunette, and beautiful. Apparently, it's one of your own. And I decided this trip to Paris wasn't a bad idea at all. Downy dollars? Yeah. Oh, I know who you are. You're the insurance investigator I hear about all the time on the radio. Oh, that looks so shocking about it. Shot? I'm thrilled. Tell me all about you. Oh, I know. I'd rather talk about you. Played a beer first, huh? Oh, a couple weeks, I guess. Just sort of a... vacation. And I'm all alone, so I don't have any definite plans. Ah, have you, Johnny? I have now. Certainly don't beat around the bush, do you? You know something? I like that. Oh, good. Where do you be staying? The jewelry's signed. All right, then as soon as I get things cleared away, I'll call you. Are you over here to work on some kind of a key?

7:14No, just to see an old friend of mine. You find anything? Is it your sign? Still of what? It's over right now. I know where it is. And as soon as your free, you'll come. Are you kidding me? What about this time the stewardess, but her heart came around with a shimp thing. So what was one thing and another, the time passed quickly. Then at exactly 5.45 pm perstime, we landed at Oli. I'd have three 5.20 American protection in my hotel, after dropping an end off along the way. I shaved and shawared and took another cab to the dingy little apartment in Louis de Moussac at the far end of the route to Padre de Moul. You asked me if one of the most disreputeable looking apartments in the whole city. Dirty, swallowed ramshackles. And of course, the shaggy had delivered the top of four long flights of sticks. When I finally get up there, feeling slightly wounded, I noticed at his door at the end of the gas went hallway with standing wide open. What?

8:14Demisex. Louis. Louis de Misex. Holy. The dingy dark apartment of Louis de Moussac looked like a tornado and struck it. It was a shambles, though somebody had come in and simply done as much damage as possible. And yet at the same time was looking for something or someone. As for Demisex, there was no sign of anywhere. I stood there for a moment wondering, wanting what to do next. Huh? Hello? Hello? Yeah. Who are you? Your friend, your friend, the shaggy. You're not telling me what under the sun happened to this journey, you?

9:14Listen, please. You have turned on the light. No, but there's enough light coming up in the street. Now, you must get out of there. Yes, you can't quit there. Meet me here. Now please, you will do that. What were you? You are long? Yes, you are long. And you must leave before somebody finds you there. Like who? No time to talk with you. Come, please, and meet me here. What where? I met the cafe, Shema Ka. It's in Sajya Mandafree. What you call a picnic. Okay, I'll find it. To the delay now, you may be in the... Yes, sure, sure. I'll grab a taxi. Huh? Who are you? And what, Koshak? No, you don't. It's you. Hello? Hello? I said, yeah. Big. When I came to, I found myself popped up in the remains of a chair. A bottle of cognac in a glass of a place in a table beside me. I helped myself. And next to it, a piece of paper.

10:14Skilled on it with a word, as you're a wreck. I'm sorry. Don't believe me. If I ever catch up with him, he's going to be a lot sorry. Another snowed of cognac, and I felt able to navigate. I went downstairs, grabbed a taxi. That's item before a couple of bucks, and had him take me to the place to my sack and mention over the phone, the Shema Ka. And what a joint there. I've seen a few beating pads that were pretty crazy back in the States. But nothing to compare with this. With a smoky, dark, and dirty place. The beatings back into what were dirty too. Characters are made of business of being characters, including a gone chick chatting from poetry in a corner. Then a warmly little man swaddle up to my table out of the shadows and proceeded to help himself to my drink. Yeah, it was the Mata, a sugary. Do not seem to know me at first, honey. Even when you come over and help yourself to my cognac, you displace it into the costume. But what happened to you when you hang up the telephone on me? Well, somebody sneaked in and worked me over to my sack. Any idea who it might have been?

11:15No. I hope he did not hurt you too bad. Honey, that all right. But why? Now, why the crazy naughty lad saying he was sorry? What the course, Mrs. but of course what? Well, he must have taught you where I am. Oh, really? The question a little dear on the statue that I made a week ago. In my business with some of the terrible people I have to deal with, this sort of thing happens all the time. Oh, but within when this man who discovers here making mistakes, did you not meet? Oh, sure. What can you, the American, know of the art, the poetry of today? I was brought there. Yeah, I will translate for you then my lovely, my beautiful old to Nazi. Old to Nazi? Not to mention to my every magnificent word on our way down the stairs. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Oh, now look for the man said, come on down the world. Please, please, please, please, if he's all right now. All right, really? He was put the benefit of the man who came by the people who looked at us.

12:16Oh, yeah, I noticed him. He was very curious about us. Like his pie. A pie. Yes, of course. He may have been from my dear friend, Miss Your France Roy Dupeson. Wait a minute. France Roy Dupeson. Isn't he the French who got hold of that painting that was thought of from Vincent Price a while back? Yes, I helped you to recover fresh like tea. And I was through him that you located the Bluma Don, other was taken from the gallery and found herself. Very deceitful. And now it is Dupeson who has the only diamonds. You're sure of that? I am sure. Also, it was Dupeson who arranged to have them stolen back in your United States. Your good friend. Ah, not tough, of course. But you're perfectly willing to double-cross him. Why? Because you will pay me so well if I get my hands on the dime. Well, I have it all arranged. So if you would like to pay me now, then the $5,000 American won. I get my hands on him. And it's only 2000, remember? This is really hard.

13:16I cheated myself. Okay, now how do I get them? I have pulled him the truth here. That you are very rich. That you will pay him 15 million francs, 15. Well, that's close to $30,000. It is. Then I'll get you lost here, I'll pay you. All right, where are my points? I'm responsible for some. You will come to you with a diamond. Which? At your hotel. Tonight has midi time. You know what my name? Well, I'm told him that you are Mr. Robert Mastu from Texas. Yeah, good. And I'll have to take another role, none of that name. But of course. And you're sure he doesn't know who I really am. My business? No, no, not because only I could tell him that. All right, now look to my side. If you have any idea, double-crossing me. Oh, my old, it's my dear. Hmm. And yet if you were to find out that three thousand... Okay, then, my stock. If it all goes off without a hitch. What if it does? Oh, hmm. Have no fear, my name.

14:21Sure, it was a kind of shady deal to make. To have to make. But under the circumstance of what else. And people simply don't realize how most of the crimes in this world are solved. Not by Sherlock Holmes type of detective work. Not by the kind of stuff you read in the Mystery magazine. But through informants. And one way or another, they all have to be paid off. Otherwise, what a good case. If you were someone who I really am, I'd stand a chance of not only losing the case but my life as well. On a way back to my hotel, I began to wonder again about the man who would attack me. There at the Massac's apartment. Who'd apparently been there before, looking for someone, or for me. Did he really think I was the Massac? I was at all just a warning to leave this case alone. There was only one way to find out. Back in my hotel, I arranged for another rumour to the name of Robert Matthews from Texas, USA. It was a rumour joining me on with a connecting door.

15:22And it, using my best Texas thrall, I'd meet Francois Dubason when he came at midnight with the only diamond. 15 million francs to my socket told him. Little enough for an necklace where three quarters of a million. But I've never yet paid a thief for the return of stolen goods, and I had no intention of doing so this time. I settled down away from midnight. And then I suddenly realized why I'd felt only half dressed ever since I was attacked over in the Massac's apartment. I was sure my gun was missing. Without it, and it didn't sound wise to me, with the phone and the other rum, or one where I'd act out the part of the rich Texas, if there was any point. Hello? Miss you, Matthews? Yep. My name is Dubason. I don't so much Dubason. Say, I've been waiting here from you. You are, I learned this. Don't think I'd let anybody else in on our little deal, do you? I hope not. I can be there in five minutes. Yeah, anytime you say. I'm just laying here and bed reading the month, sir. You are the necessary money we do in cash.

16:23Just finish taking it out of the hotel, Satan. As you matter, if we're able to make what you call a deal... Sure, I can, man. We, but I must inform you I will come to your home prepared for any, shall we say, exigencies? Hmm, now what's that? The Gona Cari, he does a silent cell. I mean it. I'll be here. I suddenly had an idea that might, that might possibly work. Out of a small rug, a pair of shoes and a couple of other things, I fashioned a dummy, laid it carefully in the bed and the other room, as to making sure they had that bed was toward the door. I piled up a couple of pillows so that even if they really been someone and it only the outline under the covers would be visible. Out of the cigarette burning in an anastrate, proper for magazines. From the doorway then, it looked like someone lying there reading and smoking. I hoped. I unscrewed a light bulb, then stood behind the slightly open, a journey door. Come in, man, come in.

17:23You were very foolish, Matthew, dull air. To say you obtain the money from the hotel, Satan. In that clock, as informed me otherwise, also he confessed it was you who took both of these homes. Wait. Are you anything to say? I told you, Dollar, was he here because of the jewel of Saint Floor? I'm not. We, my chef, is. So, I net came a dispose of him once and for all, close the door. No! Look, there's a dummy in that bed. We are high-speed. The Dollar has no gun now. And it's huge here, Saint Floor. Take care, my chef. Don't worry. First, we'll try that out of the room. I nudged over the a journey door and with everything I had, I pitched a light bulb across the room at the far wall. No, he's in here. Then I dove in low at the first of my get reached. I met, I met, I met. A bad mistake, Johnny, because I have the gun.

18:25I suppose I should have known, Annette. Your last mistake, because of this silencer, nobody will ever know. I'm sure he'll, I'm sure. Oh dear. Oh, thanks to my sack, like the US Marine. But such a pity, miss you, huh? That I should soup so low as the strike a beautiful woman. Of course, the fact that it saved my life. 5,000. Sure. 5,000. Of course, there'll be some fancy international legal procedure necessary. But I'm sure the company can arrange for return of the necklace to the United States. As for Duvasar and the lovely but treacherous Annette, well, the Paris police are making the arrangements for them. And I'm sure they won't be very pleasant ones. Expensive count total including a couple of nights on the town, 5,000 for Duma sack and deluxe transportation back home,

19:25$5,878 even. Wow. Or incidentally, I met a luscious little blonde on that return trip. Well, let's not go into that. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Here's our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, a foggy night on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. In the shadows, a killer. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Starring Bob Bailey, originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Herdin' our cast were Virginia Greg, Forest Lewis, G. Stanley Jones, Tony Beret, Bill James and Gus Bay.

20:25Be sure to join us next week, same time and station, for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Welcome back. Well, you have to love 1950s Paris, where if you are assaulted in error, the thugs are so kind that they will leave an apology note. Anyway, I always wanted to have these little capers with La Chagrille and to get an expensive count where Johnny goes, wow, okay, this really is a big expensive count. Though the vast majority of the money is just paying La Chagrille. Alright, well, listen to comments and feedback now, and we go over to Patreon, where Jeff has a comment actually in regards to our twice told tale episode. Gap is huge in quality of picture post card matter from 1956

21:30and Chain of Death matter or Deadly Chain matter from 1959 and not just because the former is a five-parter. Later, for another example of the show being mailed in, pun intended late in its run. Hard to imagine what 1962 shows sounded like judging from the 1959 product. Well, thanks for the comment, Jeff, and I think you're right that the show quality declined, and you can't just say that it was the show length. That was part of it. I think you had a couple of things that were going on. The big thing is the writing. And this is a point about the Johnny doll or cereals, is that they don't get enough credit. But throughout the serial run, you had most of the scripts being written by E. Jack Newman as John Dawson

22:30or by Les Crutchfield. Now, we talked about how Crutchfield was a mainstay of one of the greatest radio shows of all time in the greatest radio television franchises of all time, Gunsmoke. E. Jack Newman was one of the best mystery writers on radio. He won an Edgar Award for Best Written Radio Play in 1953, and won another Edgar Award in the 70s. He'd also get a writer's guild of America Award going to 1990. So these two were incredibly talented writers. Some of the best in the business. They were joined by Robert Rife, who of course had a long history most notably on dangerous assignment, but was getting serious about starting a career in academia.

23:34And became this key part of the Allied literary community. Probably the least experienced person to write for the series was Tony Barrett, who was a veteran radio actor, but hadn't really done any writing, but really wanted to transition his career into that sort of behind the mic and behind the camera approach. But Barrett's cereals were solid, and he had good solid writing instincts, which would serve him well on many series, including being the creator of the Maud Squad. So John Stone really had such a great variety of writers who were making the series work. And for the most part, they knew what to do with the extra story length, and the new men in particular really noted for doing remixes of multiple stories

24:34in order to tell an even more compelling whole. Now, John Stone did write some cereals of his own. He wrote stories like the Lair Douglas Douglas of Heatherscope Manor, the Lamar Manor, and the indestructible mic manner. Now, these stories had their strengths, mainly the characterization and the opportunity to really develop a character over the course of a full serial and do enjoy that character like in the indestructible mic or makes palace matter, and still be a fun lesson, particularly in the context of other styles being represented by these other writers. Now, what happened with the end of the cereals is that John Stone was dealing with a reduced budget, and couldn't get the quality of writers that he was able to get during the serial era,

25:39although Robert Rive did still write a few episodes over the next year and a half of the self-contained episodes. But eventually, the series fell to John Stone to write, almost without interruption for a good few years. And so the series became lesser representation of a top tier cross section of radio mystery writers, and accentuated all of John Stone's strengths as a writer, and unfortunately also his weaknesses. At the same time, he was not only having to produce this script every week, he was also the producer and director, which meant he was arranging casting and recording sessions and directing the play itself. So I think some of these scripts just reflect that sort of overwork.

26:44Now the question is, is Johnny Dollar as we're listening to it on a serious downhill slide? In essence, are we listening to the series get noticeably worse? I would argue, no, not really. Now let's be clear. Johnny Dollar was a better radio series, almost exponentially better radio series in 1956. It was also still a better series in 1957. In fact, we were reminded of when we played the Glacier Ghosts Matter, the newly discovered ball Bailey episode. But are these 1959 episodes noticeably worse than the 1958 episodes? No, not at all. For better or for worse, the 1950, non-episode or no worse than the 1958 episodes.

27:52And when it comes to the 1961, 1962 episodes, it's important to keep in mind that at the end of 1960, the series moved to New York, which was a decision that many fans are quite sad about, because it marked the end of ball Bailey's tenure. It did produce a different show. It starred New York radio actors, and John Stone had just become the writer of the series, with a local New York producer becoming the series producer director. So they already have a different vibe. And there are quite a few radio fans who actually consider me into a creamer their favorite Johnny Dollar. In fact, Radio historian John Dunning listed creamer's favorite Johnny Dollar until he came across the Bailey recording.

28:55So while I appreciate the concerns and I would agree that quality has gone down, I would not have the expectation that it will continue to go down or that you can judge how the 1960 to 62 New York series is going to go based on the episodes that we're hearing now, because it's a different series, whether you like it or not, I can't say. But I would encourage everyone just to give that particular iteration a chance. Alright, well now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Wendy, Patreon supporter since May 2019, currently supporting the podcast at the Shalmas level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support Wendy, and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from.

30:02We'll be back next Friday with another episode of yours, truly Johnny Dollar. But join us back here tomorrow as we give way to the great adventurers of old time radio and counters by where... You sure this room is positive sheriff? Let's go in. Wait, wait, wait, get away from the door. But get back alongside it. That's it. Let's see if it's unlocked. It is unlocked. No light in the room. Listen, I'm going to shut the door open, shine my light in. You stay right where you are till I take them. Okay, share. What the... come on Tom, what is it? Look, they're on the floor. It's friendship. What's left of them?

31:03His chest. Look at his chest. I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime. Send your comments to boxthirteen at greatetectives.net. Follow us on Twitter at radio detectives. Follow us on Instagram.com slash great detectives. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host Adam Graham signing off.