Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - The Starlet Matter

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Let's go places.

From Hollywood.

It's time now for John Lund as...

Johnny Dollar.

Ken Rose and Johnny.

Oh, hi Ken.

How's Kansas City?

I don't take my word and Hollywood is better.

Oh.

You always liked Hollywood, didn't you, Johnny?

You want me to?

Now there's a man there named Phil Gardner.

He's up to here in Starlet.

In what?

Starlet.

Young girls with big careers in front of him.

Phil Gardner is an agent for him.

So he needs me?

Oh, we do, Johnny.

Twin State Insurance.

Gardner's been calling me every half-hour.

It's like this, Johnny.

Gardner's insured a few of these Starlet's with us.

One in particular for 50 grand.

So?

So, mostly Gardner's been babbling.

He says this Starlet in particular might not live.

Babbles, somebody wants her dead.

Any second.

You like Hollywood, Johnny?

Commission?

Bad.

Real bad.

Hollywood.

I like it.

John Lund in a transcribed adventure of the man

with the action-packed expense account.

America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

Yours, Charlie.

Johnny Dollar.

Expense account submitted by Special Investigator

Johnny Dollar to Twin State Insurance Company,

Kansas City, Missouri.

The following is an accounting of expenditures

during my investigation of the Starlet matter.

Expense account item one.

$227.70.

Airfare round trip on Coach Outta LaGuardia,

Flight 601, Flying West.

Some 3,000 bumpy miles later,

the plane circled Los Angeles

in a part of the Pacific Ocean and taxi

down the runway at international airport.

It was 320 of a dirty afternoon.

Expense account item two.

440 cab fare to sunset rocks in a hotel.

My home away from home in Hollywood.

Where I checked in,

renewed all the acquaintances with Judy,

the telephone girl,

put my pale cheek against her son,

Tan, and told her I'd see her later.

Expense account item three.

$2 even.

The Beverly Hills office of Phil Gardner,

agent.

He was not in.

The receptionist and silver hair

pointed a silver fingertip across the street

and said that's where.

Shea Scotty's restaurant.

And Mr. Gardner would be dressed

with two vents in the back,

a tatters-all vest,

and blue suede sandals.

And you know, he was.

So you're the boy they sent from KC, huh?

Wait, I'll scooch over Lily and sit down.

Thanks.

What's your name?

Dollar, Johnny Dollar.

You want to see a picture, Johnny?

Here, take a look.

That's Toby.

Toby?

Toby Drake, you've seen her in pictures?

I have.

You're living?

You must have seen her in pictures.

Loyal moviegoers like you

are going to make a star out of Toby.

Well, I'm happy for both of you.

If she lives, somebody's going to kill her, Johnny.

Murder her dead.

Now, she's a sweet kid.

It shouldn't happen to her to die

from these anonymous threats.

Look, why don't you give it to your press agent?

Johnny, believe me on my knees, I tell you.

If I want publicity, I give it to the cops.

I'm not kidding, Johnny.

The kid's scared.

She's in a lot of trouble.

Here, Mr. Gardner.

I'll plug it in here.

Oh, thanks, Johnny.

Right this way.

Gardner's speaking.

Snap it out.

I'm busy.

Huh?

No.

Yeah, huh?

No.

Yeah.

Skip it.

Huh?

I just called you.

Skip it.

What's that mean?

Toby's dead.

Her boyfriend called.

I should be the first to know.

I'm sorry.

Look, I'll drive you over there.

You'll want to see for insurance purposes.

Huh?

I'll use the jagged.

I'll put the top down.

Sure.

You wouldn't go to a funeral any other way, would you, Phil?

Yes, ma'am.

Johnny, get me something.

I have a drink of water or something.

I have a place swarming with things.

Chints, curtains, pump up all three.

And Beverly Hills Oriental Nicknacks buttering the Grand Rapids high boy.

I walked over to the three-piece sectional.

Toby Drake was lying there, her hand trailing down to the floor.

I couldn't see her face until the big man stood up.

Ah.

Somebody wrapped that black silk stock up.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Somebody wrapped that black silk stock up too tight around her neck.

You wrapped the stocking?

Look, Buster.

A call came to headquarters and said, get here because there was a dead girl named Toby Drake.

There is.

And all of a sudden, you're here.

Why?

Something they have around this town?

An agent.

He's Toby's.

An agent?

Well, talk to me, agent.

Sure, Lieutenant.

Just detective Costco.

Lieutenant, I'll never meet.

Go ahead.

Well, it was like this.

Johnny and me sit there at Scottie's chewing fat and the phone was brought over and the man on the other end says it's Mr. Fulton.

And he says his girlfriend's dead.

Honest I hadn't broken up about this.

Well, well, you wrapped the stocking, agent?

Johnny, he's Johnny Dollar. He's from the insurance.

Well, well, well.

You've been hired, Dollar?

Yeah.

Clean city insurance.

And for me too, Johnny.

All the way, find out for me who killed Toby.

These guys, employees.

Well, little balls there.

You carry a gun, too.

Yeah.

Where's their boyfriend?

In the bedroom.

Name's Roy Fulton.

Hardly says the word to me.

Go talk to him, Dollar.

It's okay, Mr. Dawson.

Who are you?

Johnny Dollar.

I'm an insurance investigator.

Toby said.

He was murdered, Mr. Fulton.

I'm trying to find out who did it.

We had a date.

And he said,

I'm trying to find out who did it.

We had a date.

And he came here.

I saw it.

It didn't lose my head.

I called her agent.

And I called the police.

Did you kill her?

No.

No.

But you should have been more careful.

Girls like her.

What kind of girl did you think she was?

Very pretty.

She's beautiful.

Not a boy.

Toby.

That's...

You never told me.

Mr. Fulton.

Life.

Forever.

Mr. Fulton.

Well, that would be...

No, that's Toby.

You never told me.

I couldn't get through to him anymore.

I gave him back to Costco, and I got out of there.

A few thoughts on Toby Drake.

Toby.

A kid who'd once maybe won a beauty contest.

Expenses paid to Hollywood, shake hands with the stars.

A nice kid.

Pretty kid, on her way.

Now dead.

I bought a paper and went back to my hotel.

The lobby desk came first.

Kindest dollar.

And he calls for me, Judy.

Why don't you come over here and give it to me, Judy?

I've never seen you standing up.

I'm taller.

The message came in ten minutes ago.

You want to reach for her, shall I read it to you?

Read it.

Girls like this.

First Toby, then Stella Martin.

You can't stop at the dollar.

First Toby, then Stella Martin.

You add living this, Judy?

It says right here.

Who left the message?

I took the call and man said it and hung up.

What's the Stella Martin who you mean, Mr. Dallas?

I wish I knew, baby.

You think maybe the Stella Martin used to be a star,

but she's not around much anymore.

Starlet, huh?

Yes.

How would I get in touch with the star, Judy?

Oh, I know.

Have me that phone book.

Come on, come on.

What do you call it?

A man who knows Starlet's past and present.

Agent Phil Gardner.

Not in, huh?

Why don't you try Hollywood Castle with it all, or they'd know?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thanks a lot.

Stella Martin dropped from our ready file.

Non-payment dues.

Well, I must be in the address where you're dunged, eh?

2001.

They know you're having a witch chance.

Oh, I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

They know you're having a witch chance.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

You want wet, Mr. Stella Martin?

She live here?

Uh-huh.

You're who?

Johnny Dollar.

Investigations.

You got a card that says that?

Let's go inside, huh?

Just you get a card.

Just show me.

Miss Martin here?

No card, huh?

Suppose I say yes, she's here.

And what happens?

I said inside.

Brad, you did that, sunny.

Now I got a reason.

I'll cut it out.

I just want to get smaller than you.

Oh, try it out.

I'll cut it out.

I just want to get smaller than you.

I'm not trying.

The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are built to keep going.

Blending rugged muscle with precision engineering all

supported by Toyota's time-tested legacy of dependability.

Step into a Tundra and feel the unyielding capability

with the available iForce Max engine Tundra puts out

impressive power, torque, and towing performance and

a roomy high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the go.

Or take a look at Tacoma made for drivers who push past

the path agile, tough and relentless with available features

like crawl control, portable JBL speaker, a power lift gate,

so gear goes in fast and the adventure keeps moving.

The Tacoma and Tundra are engineered to endure season after season,

mile after mile.

So drive one home today.

Visit toyota.com or stop by your local Toyota dealer

to find out more Toyota.

Let's go places.

Later when I opened my eyes, he was gone.

I got to my feet, fell down, and finally made it

over to the hallway where there should have been a bathroom

and a towel and some water.

The thing that stopped me was the girl in the negligee.

She was sitting on the floor against the wall.

She was blonde and her head was turned to one side

as if she was wondering about me.

I was a stocking tied around her throat and she was dead.

We'll return to yours truly, Johnny Dollar in just a moment.

Now with our star, John Lund, we bring you the second act of

Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.

I'd seen the dead girl a couple times in the jungle pictures

spliced between the main feature and the newsreel.

The girl in the south sea apron that gets chased by the gorilla.

I stopped trying to convince myself it wasn't real.

It was real, all right.

I didn't need the pounding on the door to knock it into my head.

I didn't need Detective Cusky either.

What is this, Dollar? You want a rampage?

You want to know what happened or you want to be a big man?

Just be gentle with me. That's all I want you to do.

15 minutes ago I was in a warm bed.

I was just be gentle.

I got slugged, a man seven feet tall and a black leather jacket.

The guy spent five hours questioning Roy,

falting about the murder of this girl friend of his tobey.

Nothing, I let him go.

Then I climbed into this warm bed and I was sleeping fine,

then Sergeant Hurd called.

Seemed someone phoned in this address to Sergeant Hurd.

Now, you were saying what, Dollar?

She's in the hallway, propped against the wall.

Sorry, a deep sigh about the warm bed, Cusky.

She's young and she's strangled.

And her name's Stella Martin.

You want to clear it up for me?

I got word about her.

I came here and a guy clobbered me.

I woke up a few minutes ago.

Nobody gives me words. Why you?

I don't know why. If I knew why, I'd know who.

You want to listen about a guy in a black leather jacket?

Seven pre-tall. Yeah, about Brownfeld hat.

Find him.

That oughtn't to be tough for a big man like you.

I don't be sorry, my darling.

You took some lumps.

You see this kid?

What?

I can hold him some of my hands.

Well, well, well, well, read it, Johnny. Read what it says.

There'll be another one tomorrow.

Got one.

Another one tomorrow, darling.

Well, what makes me so popular, Cusky?

Why doesn't it say your name?

Because it says Dollar.

Because it says the name of a guy I stumble over when I get out of a warm bed.

What am I going to do with you? Take it downtown and switch it.

Get out of here, darling. Get out.

Then back into the Rose Center there,

and the suburban lawn, now littered with friends and neighbors,

and under the bright neon of the corner,

cut-rate drugs and sundries, the night-blooming hackstand.

I took a cab to my hotel.

No more messages, so I went to sleep.

And the next morning, the sound of the telephone,

screaming the name of Phil Gardner, agent.

Get here, it said.

So I got there.

Girls drop like flies where you walked,

I read the papers this morning,

and you were there in another one, drop.

Now, what's the matter, Phil? Only yesterday we were in love, you and I.

And I don't ask me, can't we even be friends?

It's a tired line from a tired diet. I don't like tired.

Let me tell you something, Phil. I'm glad you called.

You were going to be my first stop.

Now, look, you were hired to maybe present Toby Drake's dying,

and this you were a floppola, stinkeroo.

Then you stay on, maybe you could come up with why Toby,

a talented girl had to die.

Well, like I said, stinkeroo.

I'm in your feet, Phil.

Now, keep away from me, Johnny.

I'm in your feet. Now, we talk.

I'm talking, I'm talking.

You killed Toby, Phil.

Oh my God, Johnny.

Toby was on our way, maybe a star soon.

Also with insurance, $50,000.

Beneficiary you.

I am.

And why you killed her?

Johnny.

And all this big talk on the phone this morning,

get down here, cover up, dog, Phil.

All right.

And we'll try the name Stella Martin.

A little bit.

Just let go, my arm.

Stella Martin, three months ago, pick up.

From Dorcas driving on Santa Monica,

a guy gets loansome for a car hop like Stella.

A friendly pick up, so help me.

Huh.

You did lovely, Phil.

Now, one thing more.

You know a man who wears a leather jacket who seven feet tall?

Somebody helped me. I got a mad man loose.

Goodbye, Phil.

You've made the morning even worse.

I got to the drive-in on Santa Monica.

A cowgirl with a menu and a pair of heavy-duty sheer dungarees

threw a card on my windshield that said Phyllis on it.

Dorcas, she asked back?

Well, that's Old Mel over that way.

I moseyed on over to Old Mel.

Yeah, heudi.

Johnny Dollar, a sheriff's investigation.

Milton Gercus, shout out to Phyllis.

Howdy.

Heudi.

You the manager of this place, Mel?

Yup.

Top hand.

Huh.

What else?

Oh, a tender foot talk. Don't let it throw you.

I need some information, Mel.

Yeah, no big braver kicker son.

Speak up.

What's on your mind?

No, a girl named Toby Drake, Mel.

No, dear.

Used to work here.

One named Stella Mark.

Yup.

Do the work, see you then.

She ain't gonna make it though.

She did.

She and Toby.

Shoot.

She didn't look as it.

I need your help, Mel.

Depitize me.

Yeah.

I don't know.

Just don't know.

If you don't help, there's liable to be another dead girl.

Peggy.

Who?

Well, smelly son.

You got the monkeys in your ears.

That's a Peggy.

Peggy Brian.

And a kind of them three girls were picking the bobcats to you.

To tell.

Yeah.

Think of them that even.

I used to work here too.

Talk to working on Toby's auto.

You know where I can find Peggy?

Well, Hollywood she lives in.

Hey, we need a beer, too.

Big of a riddle.

You want to eat, son?

Or, uh, you got to be right none.

I'll wait, Mel.

I get away from you.

You all get away.

Listen to me, Miss Brian.

I've come to help you.

I can't you.

I'm here.

I can't you.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I need your help.

I'll get you over for you, kill me.

Don't be crazy, give me that gun.

That's better.

That's why you come to kill me.

Now, let's scream inside.

We don't want to make talk for the neighbors inside, Peggy.

No, hush, hush, baby girl, hush.

You see, I let you go.

It's nothing to be scared of.

I'm here to help you to keep it from happening.

Like it did to Stella and Toby.

You understand what I'm saying, Peggy?

Stella, Toby did this.

And that'll be me.

Why does it have to be you, Peggy?

You don't know?

You're killing, you don't know why?

I'm trying to understand.

I'm an insurance investigator.

A lot of times I'm around when people die.

Sometimes I get there sooner.

Now help me.

Help me, Peggy, so I can help you.

That way we'll save us both a lot of pain.

So frightened.

Because I'm so frightened.

Whoever killed Toby and Stella, why would they want to kill you?

I know why.

I think I know.

Well, tell me, Peggy.

A woman was killed.

Wake up.

Tell me about it.

It was three years ago.

Toby, so and I,

in a little car,

I used to take a trip.

I used to go to a trip to Oregon.

One day.

One day what?

This woman crashed into us.

What's her fault?

I said, what's her fault?

And she was killed?

Married woman.

Young and pretty and married.

Police said it wasn't our fault.

And let us go.

Only me.

Why else would anyone want us dead?

It's a Saturday, Peggy.

What do you do with yourself on Saturday?

I shout.

The grocery.

A new dress sometimes.

We'll go buy a new one.

You and me.

And tonight.

What do we do tonight?

I'm here asking you for a date.

Uh-huh.

What do we do tonight?

I usually go to Ocean Park.

It's fun.

I see people.

It's fun.

Sure it is.

Saturday night, Ocean Park.

We'll have fun.

So I made a lot of phone calls.

To my hotel, to tell Judy I was going to Ocean Park

with a girl named Peggy Brian,

case anyone inquired.

And I called Agent Phil Gardner

and let him know where I was going.

Finally I called Roy Fulton,

Toby's boyfriend,

and let him know all about my plans for the evening.

And then I went shopping with Peggy Brian

and then took her to Ocean Park.

Peggy Brian, Pigeon.

Let's just walk for a while, Johnny.

Whatever you say.

Are you hungry Peggy?

Uh-huh.

Let's go on the roller coaster.

Sure.

Peggy.

Why?

Just stand still for a while.

Look around you.

Do you see anybody you know?

No.

I know what you're doing, Johnny.

I sure.

I'm on a Saturday night date with a nice girl.

You think you'll find me here, Johnny?

You want me to level it, aren't you?

Is he going to kill me?

I'm going to try to stop him, Peggy.

Come on, let's eat.

Two tickets, please.

Thanks.

Let's go, Peggy.

Stay close to me, Johnny.

The girl can get lost in the funhouse.

Johnny.

Oh, Johnny.

What's the matter, Peggy?

Nothing. I'm having such a good time.

Ever been through that spinning barrel?

Oh, I always fall down.

Oh, hold your hand.

Johnny.

What?

That man over there.

He watched us buy our tickets.

Which man?

The tall one.

Yeah, I see him.

Peggy, walk through that spinning barrel.

Fall down if you have to.

But get right up and get out on the other side.

Is he the one?

Go on. I'm right in back of you.

He's following us.

Get out of this thing fast. I'm staying.

I've been tearing your shameless.

I've been waiting.

You had enough, Johnny?

Yeah.

Come on. I'll drag you out of here.

I'll talk.

Talk or so, how can I?

You lazy shameless.

Talk. You think I killed her?

I didn't kill Stella.

She was dead when I got there.

I swear she was dead.

Oh, man, you came in.

I went crazy. I wanted to kill.

Something to get even.

And why are you following me?

Because you're a shameless.

If you get to the killer, I want to piece of him.

I didn't kill Stella. I was in love with her.

You got to believe me. You got to.

Peggy, what's the matter?

To me!

Look at me!

He was in the mirror, all right?

Why Fulton's reflection?

Boyfriend of Toby.

Long and thin as if he'd been squeezed together.

Which included the gun he was holding.

I pulled Peggy down on the floor with me and grabbed her my gun.

It's $5!

Something happened to him. Something red.

It's put there in the front of his shirt.

But he kept coming.

And there's something caught up with him.

Fulton! Fulton!

Are you?

I killed my wife.

I killed her.

I killed her.

Expense account item 4, 1995,

to dress a pigeon named Peggy Brian.

Item 5, $112 miscellaneous.

Hotels, meals, rollercoaster rides, funhouse, etc.

Expense account total, $366.5.

Remarks?

Pay fill gardener, agent.

Face value of $50,000 policy on Toby Drake.

Well, all in all, from your point of view,

my trip to Hollywood was a failure.

From my point of view,

I kept one girl out of three alive.

And I was lucky at that.

Luckyer than you usually get in Hollywood.

Yours, too, Lee.

Johnny Dollar.

Your is truly Johnny Dollar.

Stars John Lund in the title role,

and was written by Morton Fine and David Friedkitten

with music by Eddie Dunstetter.

John Lund, concurrently be seen in the Universal International Picture,

just to show the world the best of the best.

Your is truly Johnny Dollar.

Stars John Lund in the title role

and was written by Morton Fine and David Friedkitten

with music by Eddie Dunstetter.

Born in the Universal International Picture,

just across the street.

Featured in tonight's cast were Raymond Burr, Dick Ryan,

John McIntyre, Sydney Miller, Victor Perron,

Virginia Greg, and Jeanette Nolan.

Yours truly Johnny Dollar is transcribed in Hollywood

by Jaime Delvier.

This is Dan Cumberley inviting you to join us next week

at this time when John Lund returns as...

Yours, too, Lee.

Johnny Dollar.

Music

Tomorrow, Gang Busters brings you on CBS Radio

and other true crime story, naming names and places,

giving complete details on the operations

of a ruthless criminal gang,

showing you how the cops after a bitter man hunt

put them out of business.

Every Saturday night on most of these same stations

here, Gang Busters, the program that gives criminals

wanted descriptions that help the public enforce the law

and often collect rewards for their good citizenship.

Gang Busters, Saturday nights on CBS Radio.

Music

And remember, you'll find western adventurer music

with Jean Ortree Saturday evenings on the CBS Radio Network.