Jeff Regan, a private detective working for attorney Colin Knight, is hired to find Ed Kittridge, a big-headed man missing for three days. Knight seems less interested in finding him than in what Regan might uncover. Regan questions Kittridge's wife, Wendy, who mentions a late-night argument with his partner Tom Axman. A small-time informant then points him toward a mountain town. This is the Jeff Regan, Investigator episode The Man Who Liked Mountains, broadcast on CBS on August 7, 1948, starring Jack Webb as Regan.
Characters: Jeff Regan, Colin Knight, Ed Kittridge, Wendy Kittridge, Tom Axman, Louie Pacheco, Janie, Eve Holton
The transcript of “The Man Who Liked Mountains”, an episode of Jeff Regan, Investigator first broadcast August 7, 1948. Press a time to play from that line (a 60-second preview here). This episode is free in the Jeff Regan, Investigator podcast. Search inside this transcript.
Transcript
My name is Jeff Regan. I get ten a day and expenses from a detective bureau run by a guy named lion Anthony Jay lion They call me a lion's eye With Jack Webb starred as Jeff Regan investigators stand by for trouble to spent and adventure in tonight's story of the man who liked the mountain
Well, this is the way it started It was about six o'clock last Monday night. I was home cooling myself off when the phone began jumping around on top of the death. Mm-hmm. I'm out.
You can't find me. That's no attitude. Here he is. Hey, Melody. You can tell me all about it tomorrow morning. So long. How am I? Look, I worked hard all day. I'm tired. Get somebody else.
I'll take this out. Colin's night. What rock did you look under for him? I don't wish I was. And get himself disbarred and re-entered and tied up with every piece of gambling from I'm here to Reno.
I'm Collins Knight, attorney at law at half the building. Turned out to be a medium sized man about 50, loud tan sport coat and black and white polka dot tie. The good tailoring on his shoulders didn't cover up that 45 year old stomach, but it didn't seem to bother him.
Smiled when I walked in his office, pulled out a bottle of bonded stuff and a couple of tall glasses. Down, Regan. Take yourself comfortable. Say when? When? I'm a poor finger man too. I don't use them.
You don't mind if I do. I want you to find it. They get children's for me. Been missing three days according to his wife. From pictures I've seen a big head. He'd be a hard man to miss.
I figure the same way, Regan, but he's been gone for three days and I think someone's either cooled him off or he's lammed. Why do you think somebody cooled him? Oh, man, like they get.
Bounds have a lot of enemies. One reason, nothing. What do you think he lands? One reason or another. Friend or enemy? Jesus, I just know the guy. One of my people, I handle a couple things for him.
His wife is worried about him. I didn't know people like big-head wives. Well, they do. At least that is a darn cute little girl she is. I know. Hey, there's a pretty little girl. Tell me about him.
He's gone. What about his wife for the meter Wendy Marrier? I gotta have something. I don't know. I don't have to see her. Okay, see her You don't much care whether I find be it or not be it. Nope.
Thanks for the drink. Are you uh, don't like me do you, Reagan? No. How most people go? Along, Shamas. Keep in touch. The name on the door said Mr. and Mrs. Edward Tittridge. With a clean door and a clean hall with a nice new carpet on the third floor of an apartment house over on Franklin.
I figured a hundred bucks on up for a back seat. This was pretty red hair, mahogany kind, green eyes, 24 maybe. But he could look 16 just coming off the beach and wearing those gold sandals.
Yes? Miss Kittridge? Hi, my name is Kitry. My name's Regan. I'm a private detective. Colin's night hired me. He said your husband's missing. Oh, come in, Mr. Regan. I told him I'd want to talk to you.
Okay, if I sit down. Oh, of course. I'm sorry, Mr. Regan. Can you tell me anything about him? His friend's business? You ever heard of big-eyed Kitry? Oh, yeah. He's been around, makes the papers non-man.
You know what kind of friends he might have. What about his business? I loved the rigor. How was Hoppin' Cars in Glendale three years ago? The movie contract they brought me out for my orbit, it keep wasn't anything more than a lot of talk.
And I had to eat one day, a big man coming, I waited on him. Big head. Yeah. After that, he kept coming in. I began going out with him. When he asked me to marry him, I married him.
I didn't ask him what he did for a living. I always spent his time. He was good to me, he's always been good to me. Now he's gone. You've never been going for more than five hours since we were married.
You give me everything, done everything for me. Then you don't ask questions. No, I don't ask questions. But there's one thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Partner here, the Manny Maxman was here two nights ago. That was the night Ed left.
He'd never come back. Maxman. Yeah. There was McKittian. I was in the bedroom. Thought I heard him quarreling. When it came out, Ackman had his hat and his hand. He was leaving. Ed went with him.
Uh-huh. That it? Is that it? Well, yeah, that's it. I ain't seen him since then. You think it's happened to him? You think he's all right? I think you ought to tell me the truth.
What? All the pictures I've seen in the paper of Big Ed Kid who drove a big man with a pipe in his face. I don't see any pipe racks around here, but I see where they might have been.
Why you? And if I went to that closet, I thought I wouldn't find any edge clothes around here either. Now come on, tell me about that argument. All right, you win, Peter. The same thing we've been arguing about for three years.
He drinks too much. He plays the horse. He's too much. Besides, he sucks me. I finally got set up. Go on the gal. Well, now you want to back-white. Yes, long enough to serve him some divorced papers and get a property set on him.
He's born out of the apartment. That ought to be something like that. Oh, no, wait a minute, ring, wait a minute. But, Ackman, I wasn't lying. You hate that. Even if they are potting. Come to them the old days.
Ackman walked in when Ned me was having a knockdown. He thought, oh, he wanted a bunter. He could do it to my fixer. So, look like I done it. He's a kind. You think he'd make a good witness?
Well, X-Men's a smart guy. Now you're... It's a doorman in the clerk downstairs. They... They're dead in the organ. We got kinda loud. I might have said something about killing it. It should make me look sick if they're turned up dead somewhere.
Yeah, it would. You gonna help me? I'm already hired, lady. I think you're the same. Sorry, I put on that ax. You're pretty good. Wrong process. I'm trying to still be able to identify with you.
Yeah. There are a bunch of slobs. They would give no care. I'll have a break. Maybe you're right. You ain't bad for people. When this is all over, let's feel me. I think somewhere. Yeah. Some.
I'd like to meet a nice guy, a real nice guy just once. Just once. Two minutes later in front of the apartment house I was lighting a cigarette and thinking over what I know typically just told me when a soft hand belonging to the soft arm body and face of a little thug guy and who named Louis Pacheco settled on my arm.
Vigorous. Vigorous. All right punk what is it? I've been waiting for you, Egan. Okay, then we're big-edged wife, huh? Nice dish, eh? I seen it. Eh, I got some business with you, Regan. Yeah? Yeah, you're looking for big ed tipperies, ain't you?
Maybe. Eh, then I could tell you something that helped. All right, go on, tell me. Ah, ah. Now, without your gimme something for the trouble. How much can you tell me? Ah, maybe what big ed is.
Okay, five. What? Ah, tell somebody else. Soak yourself, punk. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Regan. Well, he shagged up the mountain town. Yeah. Has a place up there called Hideaway. You're not many people know about it.
Not even his wife. You know, he went up with a guy named Axman three days ago. He's got some slot machines and stuff like that up around there. Not all? Yeah, it's enough for you, Gumshoe.
OK. Here. Mm. Keep it. I don't need your lousy saw buck. Keep it, you children. Keep, Steve. Keep standing. I don't care what kind of people are involved. I told you that before and I'm telling you again.
If they play rough, let them do it, just so we get paid. Alright, fatsobs, and get yourself somebody else to take over. I quit. No, no, no, just a minute, Regan. Just a minute. Let's not fly off the handle about this thing.
Now, be hazy. There are a bunch of bums in you, Naught. Well, perhaps I was a bit indiscreet accepting a client like Colin's Knight with his reputation all man. It isn't only him, it's the man I'm supposed to find and his friend, Axman, and anybody else who knows.
Now, Jeffrey, I'm sure that a man of your talents could locate Ed Kitteridge without any trouble. After all, Jeffrey, you dealt with people like this before and always handled it admirably. Very admirably. I don't like it.
Knight hires me to find Big Ed Kitteridge. Only he doesn't care whether I find him or not. Big Ed's wife only wants to find him so she can slap a court order on him, and both of them tell me that Big Ed might be dead.
Well, now let's not jump with their conclusion, Jeffrey. I have to admit the whole thing looks fishy. Jeffrey, I want you to find Big Ed Keteridge as soon as you can. Look, I just told you that.
I know, I know, but the fact of the matter is, I have an agreement with Knight in writing. You have one? And you know what kind of a man he is. He's very clicky. He could close international if we don't stay on this case.
You don't stay on the case. Okay, you went... Thank you, Jeffrey. Thank you. Spentous? Of course, of course. I have to drive up to Motten Town. I might find big head up there. Mm, good.
Be careful, Jeffrey. Be careful and... Oh, don't give me that phony line about calling you. Ah, Regan? Yeah. Call me if you run into any trouble. MUSIC How far to Motten Town? You're here, pilgrim.
This is it. That black place over there is a lake. And that black place over there is a turn. Happens around the lake. No one around the turn. Silver up? Yeah, Silver up. We're gonna get some coffee.
I've been driving half the night. Thirty feet to your right and inside the door. Janio picks you up for an open all night. Thanks. No trouble? No trouble at all? You better look at that oil.
Glad to. Tires and water. Glad to. Can move it if you want to I'll be in getting coffee don't worry I'm getting up business at one in the morning to stay open I'm gonna talk to the boss about it Hey I thought you was ease I didn't know it was a customer who's Eve. Yeah, he's holding the rent station
What's your? What's my what? Maine. Well as long as they're being formal, it's... Regan, Jeff Regan. Oh, you're Janie. Well, say, how'd you know that? Beef. He told you. How about some coffee, Janie? Oh, sure, sure.
You've been traveling far, Mr. Reese? I'm a Los Angeles. Going far? Right here. Let's stomp. You don't tell me you're going to be here this summer. A little while? Well, say I'm off and an hour I got a little cat and another size of ice.
That's nice. Too much fishing? Fish, look here. Yes, I am. No thanks, I'll take it black. Oh, which one do you here? Look for a man. Here? Say what man? You might be able to help me, Janie.
Cottie's called Hideaway, man named Kittridge. They got Kittridge, your friend of his? Kaz already. Kaz already, so from... Thanks. Janie, don't you think you ought to go and see how the fire's doing? Sure. That's fire.
Make one. Alrighty, alright. Do you think as a girl takes a job swing and makes you ask, listen, a lot of them are in the middle of the room. Janie's too friendly. I like friendly people.
Keep the car here, will ya? Mmm? I'm looking for a hideaway cottage. I don't see any road going around the lake there. You're still have to hook it. Hideaway? Mmhmm. He's char the lake. About half a mile from here.
Now you're right, there's no road. You'll have to walk. Thanks. Don't mention it, pilgrim. Don't mention it. Well, the cottage turned out to be an all white phony log cabin affair. I found it on the door.
Nobody answers. There was a sick kind of oil lamp burning inside, so I found it on the door some more and some more people didn't answer. When I put my handle and latch the door opened, people are no people until I went in.
Well, they can believe this or not, but somebody was there, right in front of the fireplace, only was dead. And one whole side of his head was dark and shiny. It was still warm. Nope, you're wrong.
It wasn't big-head kitters. This was a man I'd never seen before in my life. Return to Jeff Regan, Investigator in Just a Moment. An easy way to save for future security is by a payroll deduction of savings bonds.
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And now back to the story of the man who liked the mountain and Jeff Regan, investigator. I stood there and looked at what was left of whoever he was. Wasn't anything in his pocket, labels cut off his suit and a laundry mark.
And I began looking around for a poker or a hammer or something. What I found was a heavy piece of kindling wood. One end of it was stained. And I heard somebody come in the door. I saw a striped overall flashlight and 45 coat revolver held by E. Fulton. Uh-huh Mm-hmm. They looked at the dead man looked at me looked at the piece of wood in my hand
Dead Yeah And do you ever Never saw him before in my life. I did Yeah named Tom Axman, friend of Pig Ed Kippert's friend, why'd you kill him? I'll just take your gun. Mm-hmm. Safe of this way.
You always wrap a gun in the handkerchief. Only when I want to keep fingerprints on him. Evidence. So it's that way. Uh-huh. It's that way. You kill him? Uh-uh. You did. There was a big fight.
You're caught them with that piece of wood then shot him in the head. I saw it my gun my bullets It's pretty neat, but he was still killed with this. There's gonna be able to tell a good corner We got a lousy car on up here. He don't know from nothing That makes me the fall guy you're it pelican
Let's go find ourselves a cop If wave his gun at me, I started ahead of him for the door Oh, he was good at doing frame-ups and he was good at running things, but he was only an amateur when I came to pushing a man with a gun.
I waited to feel it in my back. By the time I got to the door, it was there, and that was his mistake. I shoved him up against the wall and he didn't drop the gun.
Before he could do anything, I was running for the black place that he told me was the lake. Oh, back here, Richard! I ran until I was out of breath. You should eat it, yeah.
It's me. It's everywhere for you. I know, I know. He said you killed a man, Tom Xman. Over in Kitter just cabin. I know. But you didn't tell him, I know that. Yeah. Come on, we can't talk.
Here's someone will see us. This is my place. Boy, I got some things to tell you, Mr. Eagan. I don't like this place and I don't like people holding on. I don't like aiming. It's been going on.
You've got to get out of here. Get out of here. Get out fast. Come on in. I quit my job tonight. I didn't want to get mixed up in any of this. None of you what?
This is killing him. She, I don't know what all. I better pull the curtain. Someone might see you in here. This is a scary place. I'm going to get out of here. I'm going to get out of here.
I'm going to get out of here. Oh, I better pull the curtain. Someone might see you in here. It's a scary place. You say you know I didn't kill Axman, how? Well, I've been working in Mount and Town a couple of weeks now.
I've seen a lot of screwy things. Like what? Like Eve Holton. He works for Big Ed Kicrich. And Big Ed ain't no saint. Have you seen Big Ed? I mean, drove up a couple of nights with that palme ex.
I think Ed. Yeah? I've been drinking a lot and they both talk kind of loud to Eve. and they get an accident when I get to cabin. I didn't think anything of it till they didn't show up for something deep the next morning.
Ain't nothing to get in that cabin. That helps, Janie. Go on. Well, Eve's been going up around that mountain, taking a look every day for no reason at all. Yeah, sure he has. Well, when he isn't looking at the mountain.
Scared. Look, Mr. My geloffie's out in back of the filling station. Take me with ya. I'll tell everything I heard and seen it and we can let some cops figure out all that. Eve, what's that?
There was a hand firing a gun at her. I figured to be my gun. I hit the oil amp and went down on the floor. Then I heard somebody outside on the porch. I crawled in the dark till I found a wall and a window and wooden open so I took half of it with me.
Hey, what is this? Come here, you punk. I just drove 85 miles in 100 minutes, 7 o'clock in the morning and I had been to bed all night. I saw one dead man and one woman made dead.
Easy, do that stuff, bring it? Some of you are playing except in Mountain Time. Try to make sure that I get hooked with it. Now, wait a minute. Oh, stop talking punk. Wait a minute, what do you want me to say?
I don't know nothing about no stitch and no mountain tung. All right. Would somebody like you come signing up to me and tell me where to find my man and doesn't take five bucks for it?
That means he's already got no. That's freaking I do. And they only give you a doe for work. She was rigging, you know, I wouldn't mix up and don't kill him. I can't stand that kind of thing.
Punk, who paid you to tell me to go to mountain tung? Who paid you to send me up there and make a patty out of me? Leg go, leg go. I'll tell you, Reagan. I'll tell you.
It was night of lawyer. Yeah, yeah, Colin's mind. He's letting me fit you to pay and give you the dope. Nice. I might have known. Go on. It's all right. That's all there is to it. I paid you over the big-eds department.
You talked to his wife and you know the red. Can I tell you why? You know, I never asked any question. I just thought what I get paid for. Nobody ever let me in on something big.
I didn't know it was no frame. Okay, punk. Listen, at night I never find out I told you. Shut up. What are you gonna do? Hi, Regan. Hard night, huh? He made me tell him.
He made me tell him, Mr. Knight. Sure, he is. Don't worry about it. I got up early, Regan. Kind of figured you'd be looking up for punk here. Eat phone from Mountain Town said you're lamb-doubt only twice.
Pretty tough boy, aren't you? Yeah, punk. Buy yourself something and forget you ever saw Regan, OK? Oh, sure, sure, sure, Mr. I sure. Okay, Regan, let's get going. Got a long drive out of this.
I'll be able to drive it blindfolded, someday. Someday? I'm still your passage. I take you back there and we call a cop. Come on. You're from getting anxious. Well, you can't say I didn't find my man.
Even if I did find him sitting in that same cabin with a couple of corpses on the floor. Big Ed Kitrich. He needed the shave. He was sitting there looking at Ackman's body and... Janie, I guess Eif had brought her over from her place.
Eif was there too, holding my gun against Big Ed's back. We're still wrapped in that hanker. Tonight I thought you'd ever get here. Come on, let's get this over. I don't be nervous, Eve. Ed, I want you to meet Jeff Regan.
He killed you. Hi, Abou. You're the four guy I have. Tough luck. When did you find her? Well, I said I'd find him at the punk. Still using my gun to kill people? Not fight-finished, Pilgrim.
Two down, one to go. Very easy to figure. I'm next. Yeah, sorry, Ed. Has to be business. Me and Eiffel take over where you and Axe will leave off. Hey, Bo, we're gonna let him rub me out and pen all this on you.
We're gonna do something about it. Take it easy, Ed. I think we ought to do something about it. I'm watching Eiffel. Thank you. Thank you. Eiffel was good. Stop the first two slugs from Eve's gun.
And the first two out of night. By that time, I got a hold of a poker, and I brought it into night's face. They look kind of sick and went down without a sound. When I looked around, big ed was twisting the gun from Eve's hand.
Blood pouring from the wall holding his chest. It's a frame on work now. Where's your phone around here? I'll get you a dock. That's all I'm going to help me save yourself in trouble. I never knew they burned like it. What's your name?
Reagan. I'm a private detective with internationally. No. Well I still run that dump. Yeah you do. Oh bomb, ain't it? Night high, you'd find me? Yeah. He's real tricky. Well he ain't making a patsy out of you, anyhow.
Look, Reagan, I done you a favor. It's a deal for me, you know? Sure, man. Sure. I got a wife named, I know, it's a matter of brilliant. Look good. I thought I wasn't so alright.
I didn't really leave it. I just came up here to let it cool off. I kind of like the mountain. It's quiet. I had a place. Sure, I'll tell her. This is a bug in it.
I'm here, Ed. You're following me? Yeah. Yeah, but who books as lines won't give you no bonus for it that. Right. I called the sheriff who had a face like a boiled beep. He listened to the whole thing and we kind of pieced it out together.
You see, the day I got there, big ad killed Axman. I guess they got him at some kind of an argument and they picked up a piece of kindling wood. About that time, Eve Holton showed up and saw what had happened and figured he had something.
Oh, he pulled a gun on Ed and stuck him in a cellar somewhere. Then he phoned Knight down in Los Angeles. It was a good chance for Knight and he used to take over. So they figured to kill Ed and get a fall guy for both murders.
I mean, didn't come out quite that way. He had to kill Jeannie, too. All with my gun. You know the rest. Oh, Lion Cash Knight's check, he was happy. Hey, uh, that sheriff up there's going to call you for the Corners' Inquest this afternoon.
this afternoon. Yeah, I know. Technical charge in manslaughter. Other clair you in a couple of hours. Yeah. So Big Ed likes the mountain. Did they imagine that big group? Hey, where you going? Remember, you got to be up in Mountain Town this afternoon.
I'll be there. I got to go over and see Big Ed's wife first. He asked me to tell her something. Big Ed's wife? That's right. Forget it, Regan. She's glad he's dead. Same as everybody else.
I'm going over to see Big Ed's wife. Why do you want to go sticking your nose back into it? Because Ed was dying and he asked me to do it. Lots of guys asked for lots of screwy things when they're dying.
They wouldn't bring him up unless they were sure they didn't have to stick around and see what had happened. Makes sense? Makes sense. Where you going? Over to see Big Ed's wife. No time in our nation's history has been more important to develop an outstanding Army Medical Department.
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If you are selected, you may choose either active duty or inactive status. Apply to the Adjutant General, Washington 25, D.C. This starred as Jeff Regan with Wilms Herbert as Anthony J. Lyon. It's CBS same time next week for hard-boiled action and mystery with Jeff Regan, investigators.
Also heard on tonight's program was Jeff Chandler, Betty Lou Garson, Edgar Barrier, William Conrad, Sidney Miller, and Laura Tildra. Jeff Regan, investigator, is written by E. Jack Newman, produced and directed by Sterling Tracy with original music by Dick Arrah.
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