Richard Diamond: Fred Sears Murder Case

Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. My name's Diamond, and I'm along the big street as a guy who manages to keep his nose pretty clean and still make a few bucks while I'm doing it.

Oh sure, it gets a little grimy, but you've got to expect that. I'm a shamas, private eye, gumshoe. To the guy who hasn't ever been worried because he'd ripped over a corpse in his breakfast nook, I'm known as a private detective.

And to some guys, I'm known by a lot of other names. Not the kind you'd find in the book on manners and social usages. But there are times when you might turn up on your desk calendar under the heading of what I must do today.

Who hires me? How do I make a living? Well, maybe this will give you an idea. Fred, why don't you eat your toast? It's getting cold. Why don't you stop worrying about the temperature of my breakfast?

breakfast. I'm trying to read the paper. Anyone ever tell you how charming it is to have breakfast with you every morning? Yeah. My ulcers. I'd like to go shopping today. Will you leave me some money? Fred, did you hear me? Mary, I'm reading. Well, stop reading and listen to me for a minute. I need some new summer clothes and I want

to go shopping today. Here. Here's ten bucks by yourself a beating, sir. Oh, that's It's very funny. I need more than ten dollars. I want five hundred. And of a bathing suit are you going to buy me?

I'm not going to buy a bathing suit. I need some new clothes. Where do you put down that paper and listen to me? Well, I see you made Jimmy cello's column again, my darling. What? What prominent socialite is fighting with her wealthy husband and crying on the shoulder of a big-time playboy after the arguments.

Is that supposed to be me? Can you remember five minutes in the past five years? when we haven't been fighting. Are you accusing me of running around with some playboy? Running around is right. I expect one of you to be the first to do a four minute march.

How dare you! How dare me? Why, you lushed up little cramp. Cramp! Yeah, cramp. Everybody in town knows you're seeing Lauren Oliver. All right, so I've been seeing him. We're... We're just friends. Well, that kind of friendship is grounds for divorce in this state.

Why, you dirty... I'm sick of this whole rotten mess. And I'm gonna do something about it. You're gonna do something about it. Why, you conceded, pompous... You're going to do something, are you? I need better hurry up because I've got some ideas on my own.

Go on. Yeah, you're married? I've got to talk to you. What time is it? It's still the middle of the night. Call me back later. This can't wait. Fred found an item about us in Jimmy cello's column this morning.

He stormed out of here like he was going to kill somebody. Well, that's a nasty line. What do you want to tell him the morning walk? You want to mean? If things like that didn't happen, I'd be out of business.

Ali, you ate the five that before three o'clock this afternoon. This afternoon, one of those charming people will be walking into my office begging for help. Yeah? Rick? Oh, hello Helen, baby. Afternoon. Sure, sure. I'll be over later. We'll have a quiet evening.

No, no. But baby, I don't have the cash. I'm tapped this week. Well, if you won't let me take, you'll borrow it from Francis, yes. Yeah, but he's already black and blue from those three lunches of lenders.

Besides, he's not only your butler, but he's a darn good businessman. He wants security. Well, give it to him. He's already got my badge. My book on the ten best ways to sneak through transom's complete with illustrations.

And my gun. Haven't you got something here? Yeah, but I'm saving the right eye in case of an emergency. Keyhole, you know. Look, honey, let's go take in a quiet movie. I want to go here.

Is what? Why Helen? Why Helen? I hold it. Someone's knocking at my chamber door. Come in. Mr. Diamond? Yeah, I'll pull up a chair of you right with you. Who is it? I'm afraid to look.

This is a detective agency, isn't it? You, sir, have just won yourself a new economy home-sized murder sample, complete with a matching set of bodies. Please? No. I haven't got time to listen to your bride remarks, Diamond. I want to hire you.

What do you say? It isn't like my bride remarks. You won't even admit they're bright. What else? Know something about wanting to... Something about what? What was that last statement, sir? It sounded rather cozy.

I said I wanted to hire you. What? I'll call you later, baby. I'll wait. Wait a minute. Now, uh, Mr. Sears. Mr. Sears, what can I do for you? I want you to follow my wife.

Will I like the view? She's running around with another man. Well, if they're just running around, don't worry about it. It's when they get tired and slow down that things start to pop. There was a veiled article in Jimmy cello's column this morning about my wife and this man.

Yeah, I know cello. So do I, but I'm not interested in cello at the moment. What do you want? Enough on your wife so you can get a divorce? Yes. Oh, well, that comes kind of high.

I don't like cases like this and I usually turn them down. If you want me to swallow my pride, it'll take a $200 retainer and a hundred a day in expenses. Alright, you're a chick.

Oh, just like that, huh? I am quite wealthy. That's why I wanted to divorce, Mr. Diamond. There you are. Yes, sir. There I am. Now, what's the man's name that your wife is seeing? His name is Lorne Oliver.

Well, this is turning into a family gathering. You know him? Sure, runs the Monarch Club. That's right. What's your wife's name and we're going to get a look at her? Mary Sears, you can see her tonight at the store.

We'll be there for dinner, nine o'clock. I'll be there. Oh, incidentally, that comes under the heading of expenses in case you have a short memory. I have a good memory, Mr. Diamond. You can send me the bill.

Oh, address and phone number? 45 E. 60 fifth street. 45 E. 65. Evergreen, 4, 1, 7, 9, 3. E. 4, 1, 7, 9, 3. I'm gonna be going. Good-bye, Mr. Diamond. Uh, good-bye, Mr. Sears.

Yeah? What do you hang up on me, fool? Honey, this is because you always give me an argument. You never want to go anywhere. I'm getting tired of shows and hot dogs. I'm gonna go dancing.

Boy? And I don't mean rose land. I want to go to the stork. I'm a grown boy, and I like to see the bright lights and throw my money around. But Rick, you... I'll pick you up at 8.30, and this time, don't wear slacks.

You're an idiot. Buy idiot. Yes, that's the way it goes, just as I told you. The word private in front of detectives means you're married to all the troubles in the world and that includes everything.

So if a guy turns up who's unhappy with his wife, you listen to him howl and if he's got enough money, you take the job. It's for better or for worse. And until Mr. Sears came in, it was decidedly one-sided.

I'd teach cooking to a bunch of headhunters for a fee like the one he'd given me. When I looked at his $200 check, I started getting that big man complex again. So I closed the office and went back to my flat. We'd probably be up late and Helen always had some extra-curricular activities after we'd get back to her

place. You know, roasting Marshmallows, fast game of canasta, or an exciting round of image on the living room rug. Anyway, I always got home pretty late in the A.M. so I spent the rest of the afternoon taking a nap.

At six o'clock I got up and dressed and at eight thirty I picked up Helen. Wow. At nine o'clock we were sitting at the Stark Club bar right on schedule. When are you gonna ask for a table?

Honey the drinks come past you here. I want a dance. Oh no no no I mustn't overdo it lover. How do you know maybe some mountain climber will ask you on a 20 mile hike tomorrow.

Thank you your feet. I am. I want to move them around that dance floor. I know you. You do something. You do it all the way. Yeah, let's neck. Oh, now you stop that. You're on a job, and you don't want to go in there because you've got to watch somebody.

Well, Helen Asher, how are you, darling? Hello, Lauren. How have you been? Oh, it couldn't be better. Why don't you ever stop over to my club? I'd like to show you around. She just brought a seeing eye dog. Oh, hello, Diamond.

You two know each other, don't you? Yes. How did we make such a grisly mistake, Oliver? I don't know. I tried taking penicillin for it, but it didn't work. I tried taking penicillin for it, but it didn't do much good.

Well, it probably helped out in the other things. Why don't you try hanging yourself? Where? You always did think you were a pretty funny man, didn't you, Diamond? It's easy being a comic. You just find an idiot for an audience.

How do you like the performance? Thanks. Pardon me, Helen, but I see some people I know. You'll excuse me, won't you, Diamond? Oh, sure, yes. But the next time you drop around, bring some airway, huh?

Brick. Even if you don't like him, you shouldn't say those things. It's liable to start a bike. He wouldn't take a swing at a midget if he was riding an elephant. What do his friends are?

They don't seem to be too glad to see him. The name Sears. Is that who you're watching? Yeah, the wife. I don't know whether I approve or not. She's very attractive. Isn't she, though? Rick!

This is business, baby, business. I'm only drooling because I haven't had anything to eat since this morning. Well, then let's get a table. You've seen her. You've observed what she's doing. Now, let's get something to eat.

Wait a minute. Here comes somebody else I know. Where? Standing at the check room. The little man? Yeah, here it comes. Who is he? Name's cello, Jimmy cello. Oh, oh, oh. Right's a gossip column.

I read it all the time. Ah, hello, Jimmy. Well, well, well, well, well. A Broadway show as soon as the lovely redhead diamond. Ellen, meet James cello, but be careful what you say. Jimmy, how long are you?

Hello, Mr. cello. How do you do? This an item, right? If I don't get us a table soon, she's going to make me give back her sorority picture. Oh, what? Speaking of tables, I see some people I know.

nice meeting you miss asher thank you by d well well good evening what do you want to know i'll just drop by to see all the happy little families getting along just drop away nobody asked you to stop by now why don't you do that and take all over here with you nobody asked him to stop by keeping your voice down this is

my table and i don't like a lot of crumbs lying all over a whole of crumbs come on along i guess mr. says it's forgotten a few things i haven't forgotten a thing and tell them when you print one thing in that lying sheet of yours not have you sued for life lesson says if I did print anything they put you away so

far they'd have to pipe air into you oh do go on mr. cello this is getting interesting you'd better get out of here tell them oh no no go on show what you got an old money back he's a lying dirty gossip monger he doesn't have a fake wait a minute I don't like that why don't you ask your husband about

North Africa sometime mrs. C. I know pick yourself up and get out of here Hello. And I may be your right. I've got a column to get out. It'll be all about you, Sears, in big place.

Come on, get out. Oh, about me. You're gonna throw me out, too. You can bet your life I am. I'm getting out of here. You stay right where you are. Don't talk that way to Mary.

I'll talk anyway I like to my wife. Oh, and maybe you'd better leave. Here come the waiter. No, it's, I'm gonna push his fat slob's face. Yeah? Yeah. Come on, come on. All right, all right.

All right, come on. Break it up. Break it up. Come on. Hey, waiter, give me a hand. Come on, you. Now calm down, Mr. Sears. I'll kill it. Slob. Oliver. You'll shut up, or I'll pull your pants up over your head and shove you in a glass like a bread stick.

I don't like people meddling in my affairs, Diamond. You're fired. And what? You heard me. Now take your filthy hands off me. Ah, well, I have a lily of white before I palm that checker yours this morning.

You can have it back. Here, eat it. What? I... I'll have you in jail for this diamond. Diamond fly. It isn't every day you get to eat a $200 check. Oh, Rick, let's get out of here.

Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, baby, but that's what happens when you go to work for a high end alike, Sears. You think he's a nice guy because he laughs so much. If you find out later, it's only because you chewed your leg off.

We left Sears still spitting out pieces of the check out shop down his throat and headed for Helens of Pythland. I was sore. When I get hot under the collar, I don't make for good company. So I dropped her off of the kiss and went back to my flat and climbed in sack. I smoked a dozen cigarettes before I got to sleep. And when I finally did, it

must have been with a big smile on my face. All night I kept dreaming that Lauren Oliver and Fred Sears were beating themselves to death with hot paper sacks. Yeah. Diamond. No, this is a sunshine market. Locks popovers are special. Now you. Walt.

Yeah? What have any clients come in to give them a good sales talk? Tell them How many people you've killed or something? There's a guy in your office now. Prospect? Tell him to go home.

He canned me last night. I'd show you sore. He's being like an idiot. Walt, you know I didn't have anything to do with it? I know you didn't. But we find a stiff in your office, and we get a report that he fired you last night, but you had a fight with him.

I got to tell the commissioner something, Rick. Couple him Sergeant Otis is teething. Now you stop that. Know what do you know about the killing? A coroner just left. He said that Sears had been dead about eight hours.

The cleaning woman found him at nine this morning and called us. Hmm. That puts the time of the murder around 1 a.m. We found this, cleansed in the dead man's hands. What is it? An article torn out of the morning papers.

Here, read it. Ah, Jimmy Cholo's column. Read it. All right, I will. Don't yell at me. Ah, Fred Sears, wealthy import expert, man is having troubles. He's finding it hard to explain about his past doings in North Africa.

And at the same time, he's finding it just as hard to explain his wife's interest in the local playboy, nightclub owner, Lauren Oliver. He got so mad at the Stark Club. Oh, I was there.

I was there. He got so mad at the Stark Club last night that he took a poke at your columnist and then tried to beat up Lauren Oliver. Will this lead to a rematch between Oliver and Sears?

We're having a whole bunch of them picked up. Walt, before you do that, give me a couple of hours, will ya? Try to dig up the killer. I can't, you know what we've got to do. It's routine.

The commission is already having fits every time he hears my name. I look great. Walt, I got a business to protect. And if he finds out the stiffest killed in my office, he'll probably be a hall in my license.

Yeah. One hour, Rick. That's all I can give you. I got a job too. Oh, thanks, Walt. I suppose you've got an alibi for one o'clock. Call Helen. We were toasting marshmallows. I had three good suspects.

Lorne Oliver, cello, the columnist, and Mrs. Sears. One of the three was built just right for the electric chair. And now it isn't much time to dig a peculiar, so I grabbed a cab and headed for Lorne Oliver's office in the back of his club.

Yeah, come in. How are you, Oliver? Oh, what do you want, Diamond? That particular about who comes in the mic club? Oh, I'm surprised you're gonna have to be with that kind of policy. People probably see you in here every night.

I think I'll have you thrown out. Where have you at one o'clock this morning? Money of business. Herman. Yeah, boss. Come in here and show a guy out of my office. Oh, we get rougher.

Yeah. Okay. Okay. I'll let you tell the cops who knocked off Fred Sears. Hey, this the guy? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Did you say someone knocked off Fred Sears?

That's right. But don't start crying about it. It makes me feel so helpless. I'll tell my story to the cops. I get a lot tougher than I will. You won't get tougher at all, Mac.

Oh, stop flexing, Herman. You'll snap your girdle. Well, I guess it doesn't make much difference as long as Sears is dead. Now I was with his wife from about 12 o'clock to... well, it's a long time after one.

Where were you all that time? At my place. And I'll take a walk, Shama's. You got my alibi. One more question. Did you go out at all? Yeah, I went out and got the late papers.

So what? I like to read. Okay, okay. You don't mind if I stop by and see Mrs. Sears, do you? No, go ahead. I'll see you later. Oh, Herman. Yeah? You can let the air out now. Your muscles are lovely.

Well, Oliver had a good story if it checked. So that left me with two more stops. Jellows' newspaper office was the closest so I grabbed another cab and ten minutes later I was sitting at his desk.

You don't think I had anything to do with it, do you, Simon? Wherever you had won this morning. I was covering a party at Richard Grey's. at graze. I was with friends from about eleven o'clock till after three. You can check.

Go on check. Look poison pen. Sears had your column from the late edition clenched in his hand. He did. Well you don't think if I was going to kill a man I'd leave anything like that around. I don't know. Well obviously someone is trying to make it look like I did it. Have you talked with Oliver and Sears wife. Oliver's got

an alibi and I'm headed for Mrs. Sears place right now. You know the address? Yes, yes. Twenty five, E-s sixty-five. But Mrs. Sears couldn't kill her husband. I know it too well. No? Well, thanks, cello. I'll check your alibi.

If it stands up, then I'll have to really go to work on Mrs. Sears. Yes? Mrs. Sears? Yes. Oh, you look even better up close. What's on your mind? You mean right this, Melon? Well, aren't you nice? Don't crowd me, though.

I can keep up a pretty good average in this league. I'd say about a thousand. May I come in? I think so. If you keep talking, I like to hear nice things. You deserve them, but I can think of some nice things to say about a panther.

We'll talk about my family some other time. Can I buy you a drink? It's a little early unless you got some milk. Milk? Where's your husband? Oh, you know about him, huh? Oh, I'm sorry.

He's looked as though it might work into quite a friendship. Where is he? I haven't seen him since last night. Why? Is he a friend of yours? He's been using my office. Oh? Yeah, he died there last night.

What? Everybody is so surprised. But how? Who did it? That's what I'm trying to find out, lover. Wherever you would want a. That's none of your business. Okay. Let the Lord drag it out of you.

Good-bye, dear. Wait a minute. All right. I'll tell you. I was with a man named Oliver. Lorn Oliver. Oh, for how long? From about 12 o'clock to... well, much later. That's what Oliver says. Did you go out at all?

Just to get the papers. That checks with Oliver's story too. Did you go out alone? alone. I have no I went with long he says he went out alone. Oh well yes yes he did I thought you said you went out with him well that was later Lauren was the one that went out to get the paper okay what time is it about to when you both went

out of when Lauren went out to get the papers by himself when Lauren went out oh yes now now I see well I'll see you later come back again well I'll do that after you get up a crying for your late husband.

I'll keep my emotions down to a minimum. I'll bet you will. I left a standing in the middle of the room, looking after me like a vegetarian with an eye on a green salad. I closed the door and started down the hall for the elevators.

For some reason I never seemed to get where I'm going. Oh, hmm. Oh, man. Now, while you're still tuned in, Diamond, I'll give us some advice. Stay away from Mrs. Sears. Now I want you to be sure and get the point.

I'll go away. Come on, you don't look so good. It matches the way I feel. Oh, here's a new line. Where am I, Walt? In Mrs. Sears' apartment. Hello, handsome. She heard the scuffling hall, came out, found you and called me.

Well, who did it? I didn't see him, but his voice sounded like a thug that Lauren Oliver keeps around, the paddy cake with. Oh, that was probably Herman. Lauren, it's so jealous. Well, your hour is up, and now I'm going to haul him all in, including this Herman.

Oh, do you know Herman, Walt? Sure, Herman Sharp. sharp. Got a record of my alarm. Walt if a guy wanted to hire a killer where would he go you know all the stoules as well as I do. Yeah this is says what was the fight about last night at the store. All of column this name named cello threatened my

husband that he was going to print something in his paper. He said something about North Africa and Fred hit him. North Africa. This is really getting mixed up with your husband ever didn't know that Africa. Yes during the war he was a captain in the army.

What? Can you get me this Herman Sharps address? He's the boy I want. Sure, but I'm coming along. Have your boys pick up cello, Oliver, and take them both down to the station along with Mrs. Sears here.

Well, you don't think I had anything to do with it, do you? I've known Jimmy cello a long time. About five years ago, he used to run around with a little dancer named Mary Carol.

Sure he did. I'm Mary Carol, but I broke up with him when I met Fred. Yeah, well, you'll see him at the station. You can pick up where you left off. Come on, Walt. We went down fast and climbed to the prowl car.

Walt put in the call and got Herman's address over the two-way radio. Twenty minutes later we were standing in front of Herman's door. It was an old apartment house on the lower east side. I started for the door but Walt had other ideas.

Rick, we can't go in there. Why not? Because I haven't got a search warrant. You've got to go in if you want to crack this case. Not without a search warrant. Search warrant for what? To go in.

What do you want to go in for? I don't want to go in. You do. Do what? Go in. What go ahead? I haven't got a warrant. What are you looking for? Herman Sharp. He's probably in there.

He is? Sure. Well, what are we waiting for? Oh, what did I do that for? For that. What? Herman Sharp. Oh. Is he dead? Yeah, been sharp. What are you looking at? Newspaper on the floor.

This morning's. Oh. Tell those columns missing. Been torn out. Then Herman, your killer. So, well, who killed Herman? Don't you know? I'm gonna start that again. that again. Well go on back to the station I'm going to check something and make a phone call.

I'll be down in a half an hour and point out your killer. I'll calm down calm down. There's is ridiculous I want my lawyer. You'll get one later. Relax Oliver they can't hold it much longer.

How do you feel Mary? I don't like this anymore than you do. Well good afternoon and happy Father's Day. Rick where the devil of you been? Met a phone call to Washington Walt. Mrs. Sears did you know that your husband had a dishonorable discharge from the army?

Right. No. You knew it, didn't you, cello? That's right, but I kept it quiet. You got it for running a black market. What's this got to do with the death of Sears? Oliver, you told me you went out to get the papers last night.

That's right. What time was it? No. A little after two. You know what time the late edition comes up. How about you, Mrs. Sears? What, Lauren says is correct. How about it, Lauren? Were you the one to go out and get the papers?

Uh... The yes. Then Mrs. Sears, why did you tell me this afternoon that you also went out to get the papers? Well, I... Harry, don't say anything. You don't have to. The stories don't check, so you couldn't have been together last night.

Look, Diamond, what is this guy? Oh, now you look, Oliver. You're both liars. But that doesn't make either one of you the killer. Oh, but Rick, cello's alibi checks right down the line. Sure it does, because he was at that party.

But the killer wasn't. Oh, we know that. He couldn't have been. Yeah, but the man who hired the killer to knock off Sears was. What are you talking about, Diamond? Oliver, where was your hired gun if last night?

You mean Herman? Yeah. Well, I don't know. He was with me until six o'clock then he left. Well, when you find Herman's gun, ballistics will probably say that it was the one that did the job on Sears.

Herman? Yeah. cello, you hired Herman to kill Sears, and then you killed Herman. Well, you're out of your mind. I didn't even know this. Herman. We found the newspaper next to Herman's body. It had your column torn out of it.

That doesn't pin anything on me. It just shows you that Herman probably stuck that article in Sears' hand after tearing it out of a newspaper. That's what you wanted to make it look like. You knew Herman.

You knew about the clipping, so you killed him and tore the column out of this morning's newspaper. Of course I knew about the clipping. You told me about it this morning in my office. That's right.

But you were the only one I told about it. You couldn't convict Jack the Ripper on that kind of evidence. I'm afraid he's right, Rick. Hello. What time does a late addition come out? About two o'clock.

What? What time a series killed? Around one. Say. Yeah, yeah. The killer couldn't have gotten hold of that column at one o'clock. The papers weren't even out on the street. Well, then how did he do it?

Only one man could have gotten that column before 1 a.m. The man who wrote it. Jenny. He tore it out of the galley sheets. The proofs that are made up before the paper goes to press.

Cello hired Hermann, gave him the clippings, and then went to the party. How you doing? Great diamond, keep it up. You're still in love with Mary Sears. You were jealous of Oliver, so you hired Oliver's boy Hermann, figuring the cops would pin Sears' murder on Oliver.

How am I doing? You're a good liar and a rotten detective. You knew I'd go to see Mary Sears, so you sent Hermann to beat me up and make it look like Oliver was behind it.

You tried to frame Oliver all along the line. Boy, you cheap little scandal snoop-rofixxer, so you'll blame anybody. I'm gonna get it. All right, break it out. Come on, come on, come on. Break it out.

Break it out. Hey, Walt. What is it, Rick? Bye. Good evening, Mr. Diamond. Evening, Frances. Ms. Asharron? Yes, sir. She's in the library. She's a little tired from last night. I think she's taking a nap.

Well, I'll walk her my tippy toes. How about a glass of warm milk, Frances? I'm a little tired, too. Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Well, look at the little baby. Oh, hasn't we rain? Poor, riddit-eyed baby.

The evening breeze, caress the trees, tenderly. How are we? The trembling trees, embrace the breeze, tenderly. Hello, baby. Don't stop. All right. Could you read your eyes? Then you and I came wandering by Oh, wonder And lost in our sighward Ricky For sure was kissed by sea and mist Tenderly

Ricky I can't forget how to hearts met Ritlessly. Ricky, come here. Your eyes opened wide. Come here. What is it there? Yes, you'll miss it. Oh my goodness.

Now this time I refuse to blush. You've just heard Richard Diamond, private detective, starring Dick Powell. Tallon was played by Virginia Gregg, Lieutenant Levinson by Ed Begley. Also in our cast were Wilms Herbert, I Have a Back, Joan Banks, Harley Bear and Sidney Miller.

Music was under the direction of David Baskerville. Richard Diamond is written by Blake Edwards and directed by William P. Rousseau. Now this is Eddie King inviting you to be with us again at the same time next week when we will again bring you Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective.

This program has come to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.