Philip Marlowe: The High-Collared Cape (EP1673)

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Get This and Get It Straight. Crime is a sucker's road. Those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave. This time a nervous break down in a driving rain, A cape with a high color and a tiny sliver of glass led me from the ballet and a beautiful dancer to the edge of a cliff. It happened like this.

From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of prime fiction, comes his most famous.

Character in the Adventures of Philip Marlowe.

Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe, we bring you tonight's exciting story the high colored cape.

Mm hmmm.

Nothing like a drink and a good book and a rainy night and what a nice Oh no, all right, don't spray in your finger.

I'm most sorry to intrude on you this time at night, but I may have waited.

Too long already.

Yeah, well, looks.

I felt something dreadful was going to happen to even know. No, I'm sure that you must find him for me to prove.

Wait, who is Andrea bad Matter? Who are you?

I am Vivian Northway, Prima Ballerina Ballet.

Dumont Prima Ballerina.

I'm forres sorry of the company, My dear, dear old friend, my teacher, the man who has been like a father to me, That is android Andrei. That do we must help him at once? Well, why don't you, mister molloy. I fear for some time that Andrei was on the brink of losing his mind. I can understand, fomented by a thousand frustrations. He will never dance. He's been crippled, but he's consumed with a passion for dancing and drives himself to express his genius to the clumsy feet of it.

Yeah, that's very interesting, no Ida, But I don't see why you came to midnight massode Way. What can I do?

Help me to find him? Yesterday so something else happened to Andrea. I don't know what, but it upset him. Then today at noon, when this awful rain started, he disappeared.

Oh God, Kevin, Yeah, what about it?

I'm be late for the performance. Here take this ticketing, Please come to the theater, mister Marlowe.

I beg you.

I'll pay you anything you'll ask. Only promised me you'll.

Come well like please, okay, man, So I'll be there as soon as I can. Ballerina swept out of my apartment like a frightened whirlwind. As I got dressed all over again for an evening in ballet, which I needed like a cute appendicitis, I saw that the ticket she left was number twenty seven J at the Great Arts Theater, showing Ballet of the World, sponsored by one missus Imogene Wyatt.

Yes, Kellie after, but even if you was you wouldn't get in.

She left strict daughters, don't finish.

Now get out and stay out.

Hey, But let me tell you something.

I brought my back getting publicy platform and a widow and to sappen and the gene whire is going to be sorry.

She fired me. I'm gonna see it for personal.

Get out of the takelly.

Nuts toward his whole troop of stuck up bressols.

Mister Morrow, Yeah, coming this tight to my sea.

Tell me have you heard from Andre la Duvin? No?

Nothing, but I did remember something that that nail Andre I once mentioned that he had a friend here in Los Angeles, in mister Baker, who will live to take Windthrop Arms, the Winterrop Hotel, the Winterrops. Something come in, mister Martin, Thank you Andre. Maybe there I'm grasping its straws, I know, but if if his mind is gone and he's lost, I'm so afraid for him.

All I take it easy, honey, take it easy.

And oh no, sure nothing in mister Marlowe. He was going to find him forrest. He's a private detective.

I see wonderful.

I am George Medlin, No Vivian.

I'll be at the hotel. If I can help, please do call on me.

And oh, my dear, you'll shine as beautifully tonight as the full moon.

Simply we mere stars were hardly visible beside you.

Best man with a he's very sweet. What hotel did he mean?

The Wheelshore gardens most of the ballystat How about you say I have a house studio and look at Mountain eight fifty. No, no, I'm going to wait here in the theater. If Andre should remember him come back, I'd want to be here. He's a very sick man.

After I left the theater, I quick checking a phone book showed a winter Farm's apartment hotel on Havenhurst Drive. It's just below Fountain Avenue. When I got there, I found the name Baker stuck over the mailbox to Apartment one. A went inside and out to the door. Yes, Andre, La do what do you want? Oh? You're friends at the theater worried about you?

My friends. I have no friends.

George Melacoff's worried about you.

George Meddicoff, my friends.

So it's Vivian, ddly, Vivian, that dear child.

What's will it become of?

No?

What do you mean? What's happened? Who are you? My swordways sent me to find you. She's waiting for you at the theater, waiting the theater.

Why Ballet's finished?

What's that? This is?

Himo gen Wyat withdraws her support completely. There is no more ballet. You moaned and penniless, and all our work has been for nothing. I try to reason with heaven.

Oh it was hit it.

Afterward I drove here in the dark street, the rain slashing, clawing at me.

Way, Andrea, where's your friend, mister Baker? This place is packed in marthfall Ah.

He is in Europe. It is all right that I am here.

He sent me.

The key is long ago, said I could use his apartment in this car. I came here to be alone, to sink my shad. Andrea, what time was it when you left missus White yesterday? I can't remember, only that it was dark, very dark, and it was such a difficult drive. Yeah, tomorrow she will notify her lawyer to alter the papers.

Oh that that.

I wish you were dead, you hear me, I wish that. Imogine Wyatt? What did?

What was best? Way you were?

What is it?

Do you see anything?

Oh? Now, look, Andrea, bout your headache. Wouldn't you like to see a doctor?

Doctor?

No?

No, I'll be all right. I am I to understand.

Yes, sure, do me a favor for your own say stay here tonight. Inside. I want to check a couple of things and then I'll be back, Yes, I'll stay. Where else would I go? Now? I left. I was convinced that if the belllet impresario hadn't already slipped his trolley, another slight bump would do it. But two things bother me. So first I walked around to the window again, but the neat trace of an eavesdropper and washed away by the rain. Adam number two was the strong imprint to

Youn't here last night thinking around with this your car?

No?

Maybe it was mister Lado. He had it out last night.

Oh it wasn't It was somebody else.

I heard her.

No, I see you when I come out of my back room.

There the sky big.

He took off like a scared turkey, had a big black capan with a high collar flapping in the wind.

Better watch it, old time that stops getting your eyesight.

Looked like a cape to me.

Well, I looked around, I didn't see her. I'm done, so I went back to my room. What time was all this, Oh way past midnight, maybe one or two o'clock. Couldn't pay much attention, by the way, was careful and nip.

No thanks, I'd like to use the phone. You got one?

Oh sure, sure, you're bed in the corner. I'll show you.

I'll find it. The call is personal to your mind.

I shall say, not herself, sunny hand, the old to even be curious.

My first call was to a death sergeant on the Police Traffic Bureau, when I identified myself and asked about a hip and run accident, possibly on Fountain sometime before midnight yesterday. It was a pause while he checked the record, and then on.

The button mister Marlow. We identified him by his blue shield medical car. One Lyle kretch Hour apparently stepped out from between parked cars on Fountain Avenue between Orange Drive and Roxbury was struck by an unidentified vehicle at about eleven ten last night. Conditions serious, Now what.

Do you know about this? Mister Marlow?

I get in touch with the latest sergeant. Thanks stepped out from between parts. It's Philip Marlow. I want to talk to Vivian old Way.

Oh hang on.

Here, okay.

You found.

Yeah for the present, but listen, Vivian, I gotta talk to Imogene Wyatt. Where does she live?

Missus?

W Yeah, Beverly here, twenty one coming with her?

Twenty one can meet me there right away. Well, yeah, I may have a couple of rough answers for you.

Baby.

I'm still in car.

That doesn't matter, all.

Right, I put something on over it. I'll be just as soon as I can.

Between Smith Streets and Visibility zero. It was a solid half hour drive from the Winter Bombs out of the swank Cameo Terrace. When I pulled up at number twenty one, I wondered what the wealthy widow had spent her money on. Ours was so small it must have been shingled with twenty dollars bills to meet the zoning restrictions. I just started up the soggy gravel path toward the door when

Accident.

That's nice.

I was going to ruin.

No, she was dead. I looked through the rest of the small and now silent house and Harry I found nothing more constructive than the rear door wide open. I got back to the living room just in time to see my client, Vivian odd Way, bizarre and a short, froffy ballet skirt and long white hose standing in the front door.

Something's wrong, isn't it?

It's one way to put it. How'd you get here? Vivian in the car? What do you know that drives are Green convertible?

Sculley Haskill publicity man.

But why the guy I saw on a beef at the theater tonight what's happened? Geene Wyatt was just shot to dead? And that puts two items of business up on Dick. First, a check call Andre la dou Andre Andre off chance that he can drive faster than I can. After that, a personal call on mister Haskell. You can fill that one in yourself.

Malo Andre couldn't have. He couldn't.

We'll see. Hang on tight, baby, Let's get it over with.

In just a moment.

The second act of Philip Marlowe. But first, the great international comedian and Beatrice Lily will be Ben Crosby's guest on CBS this Wednesday Night. The CBS Bing Crosby Show always guarantees enjoyment, so be listening when be Lily joins Bing on most of these same CBS stations this Wednesday night, and now with our star Gerald Moore, the second act of Philip Marlowe and Tonight's story, The High Colored keep.

Made a cock eyed picture, a beautiful ballerina miles away from the stage, yet in full color drench costume and gaping through tears, street grease paints sudden death. It's a good time for me to start checking out. Andrea Lead do the highest strong anversario was first. He was still at the apartment. I could cross him off as having done it personally.

Hello, Hello, who did you want?

Sorry? Wrong number?

Marlow? He was home, honey, You couldn't suspect him. Marlow Wyandre is the sweetest man in the word.

Easy, honey. I didn't say the dude did it, and as being home doesn't say he didn't. People sometimes pay other people to do that dirty work for me.

You know, just what are you trying to say?

I had made a final do and I did also. I found he was suffering from shock and has been since last night when Missus Wyatt told him she was going to fold the show.

Yeah yeah, Vivian would run.

Him, and half a dozen more I couldn't.

They's all right, so you've all got plenty of motive.

What about Huskell? We know he hated Missus? Why it isn't revenge? Motives revenge? And the fact that you saw his car, why do you insist on understanding him?

Don't? There's another angle. It's called hit and run, and I know that it ties in tight with La Doo, Missus Wyatt and the actual killer. And I don't understand neither yet. Look, do you know where Scully Haskell lives. Where does he hang out?

Sometimes at the bar at Wielshire Garden.

Tuta, Okay, I'll try it. You go back to your place up on the hills. I'll find it when I got some answers. Now hurry up and get out of here, will YEA. Somebody might have heard the shot and called it. Somebody did hear the shot? Go on, get out. Oh but come on, heavy and get a cab and go straight home.

Do you crying there?

Oh God, I'm trying it.

Hey, hey, heavy and you forgot your car?

Heavy and you.

Oh no, baby, you forgot your cap. For a long second, I just held the titanstead Hi elizabethan color enough gathered cloth or rig o lion sides. It could have been what the garage attendant thought he had seen running away from the car that they would used. But the garage attendant could have been mistaken too. I told myself that leaping higher conclusions was strictly for ballet dancers. I jammed the cape into a small bungle and left via the

Mister Margot, have you seen Vivian? I am beside myself with Wadi.

He's all right, melicoch she's not.

I know it is monsieur le dou that she still worries about him.

Him in a little bit more, George, I'll tell me you know where I can find Scully Haskell.

Yes, I do.

He was just here for a drink. Where'd he go?

You're being very bruce, mister Marvel, being.

Very wide, Yeah, Bruce bruh.

Yeah.

Well now look, George, without grant jetting out of your satin loafers, get this has been a murder and Vivian's ended up to a.

Pretty flap skirt.

How is Vivian concerned?

Come on, boys, let's get out again.

Where are we going, mister Marvel?

Out to my car?

Well, we can talk a rain stopped. Come on over here, you uh, you said somebody was murdered?

Who was that?

Missus? Whyatt she was shot? That might have been a Haskell because she discharged him. Maybe, oh, maybe something more complicated, like a hit and run accident that belongs to a duo but somebody wants to cover. Doesn't make any sense to you? He's a kind No should it No? What's more, it shouldn't the Vivian either.

What are you getting at?

There isn't time to expe and call it thinking out loud, thinking about this cape, for example, it belongs to Vivian about the testimony of a whiskey garage attendant, all of which makes me hope real hard that Haskell's the boy. More thinking out loud, Maybe look where can I find Haskell?

The Paradise Court Motel on Vine He has a bungle of that number three?

Thanks. Thanks. If you're really worried about Vivian, George going over to a place on Lookout Martin Road and she's not in good shape.

Here, take this cape with you.

What what did you cut yourself? Your fingers bleeding?

Yeah?

And a slipper of glass, George West. It could have come from a broken headlight.

Huh from my broken what what are you talking about, mister Marlin?

The benefit of the dog.

George keeps getting hoted to give it away?

Bring this back to Vivian?

Would you tell us she left it at missus Wyatt's and then I'm positive? Haskells man howlong George.

Oh, quite, the name's Marlow. I want to talk to you, Haschal.

Always bro get to chase her.

I'm broken.

I'm gonna stay broken until the first the next month.

After that you can get in line.

Oh, you're probably taught the finance company em.

Jeene Wyatt's dead, Haskell, What did you say it? What's a gun for a lousy temper? Get back?

Hey, wait a minute. I saw you at the theater tonight and I heard you.

Which pushed me out in front. Now do we talk, Haschal? What missus Wyatt's murder? You were sloppy and you're off?

You not.

I didn't shoot her.

I didn't even slips on kids.

Oh I know she was shot.

Doesn't prove my fitdot.

Come on, why did you kill missus Wyatt?

I did?

Do you know she was shot?

Because it happened just I got out of my car and started taught up place.

I was calling up there, Arina or off. The shot scared me away. I had mallow.

I was soft, but I didn't kill it.

But interference on that hit and run you were covering with plenty of reason.

What are you talking about?

Hit and run?

Hit and run?

Pas nuts.

Don't congratulations, Handsome, That's.

Just what I had in mind.

Close the door and stands still?

Sure? Now what the name's Nancy Connick? Occupation ex friend of the unconsciousness.

Don't look so worried, Handsome.

I'm on your side.

I had something in mind exactly like that left cross.

You just threw.

That. Yeah, what's your beef? I took this louse to a party with me last night and he got so stink and drunk that I'm still apologizing to people.

He was with you last night, me and a couple of burden from eight thirty to five am.

He never left, not for a second.

The loud mouth was positive.

Nobody could get along without him.

What's that got to do with you?

Too much? Tell Haskell, I'll be in touch, will you. I got to run? Oh what are you looking at?

It's just a program from the ballet, is it?

Yeah?

Pascal has them all over the place after all.

Yeah, sure, so oh so, Like I said, Nancy, I got a run. It was fifteen stop and go minutes from Haskell's place at the Hollywood Hills, and another five screeching up the paved snake that was Lookout Mountain Road. Finally it was there, out of my car and running toward number eight fifty seven, which was a collection of windows and a rustic log frame half jutting out into space.

Knot of t George inches away from her, and Brandish refused to kill missus Wyatt, mister half crazed answer or everything delicate, Jake, It's too late.

Vivian Marlowe knows this cape was what the garage attendant saw. And do you know how because of a stupid little thing, a slipper up glass that was caught in it, which came from the broken headlights that the wearer of the cape replaced. A wearer who was covering up Andre la DU's hit and run accident, saw that he could have the pig what he wanted.

You wor Mina was after Hatscal.

He thinks has kill missus. Why he only hopes that.

And he'll find out one way or another that the beautiful ballerina is guilty.

Then he'll be forced to come back here after you us. Of course you're not videos.

I am.

The cape is mine, not yours. You only used it tonight. That's the only thing he doesn't know and never will, because you will have killed yourself after confessing to me.

It's the only way video, you or me. But it's always been that way, hasn't it? Even in the ballet where one or the other of us had to be starved? Too bad? It wasn't I Yeah, crying, shame.

Jump round there.

It's a greater leap even for let's get out of here. A long time at police headquarters, but finally all concerned. It made this statement allow. It was more or less satisfied Andrea due never knew he'd hit anyone who was clear to hit and run. That left me in the ballerina driving into a friend's house where she was going to spend the night.

Pila, I know you must have had enough of questions and answers.

But.

Yes, the reason George killed missus Whytet.

Well, see Vivian.

It started last night when George went to see Andrea do because he was so bitter about his partner show being cut down. And that was when he saw Andrea returning for Missus Wyatt, shaken up in half days and with.

A broken headlight and other signs of having hit someone.

Yeah, and from there George thought fast covered it all up, found out exactly what had happened from this morning's paper. Probably, and waited when you hired me tonight. He must have followed middle a DU's overheard Andrea tell me that missus Wyatt was going.

To pull out.

Oh, so he went to her, tried to stop her.

And couldn't Yeah anything else?

Oh yes, oh one thing?

Oh that's a hostel Feld.

Okay, what made you hurry back? To my place from Haskell's motel when time meant so much.

Hunch honey. So I was leaving Scully Haskells I saw a stack of ballet programs on a table in his living room. Cavana was very interesting. Features you in the picture of George majestic in his high colored cape.

That was it?

Yeah, that was it.

Good night. Will you call me tomorrow sometime please.

I'll call it tomorrow.

It's a nice night, feel.

So good to be alive.

Good night.

And I drove straight home, the quiet empty all through the quiet empty streets, thinking all the way about ballet, which to me had always been something very delicate, you know, for the long hair, strictly the addy side. I thought about the people i'd met it were connected with it, ballerina with a lot of courage. When courage counted, the I strung Andre la Dume, Haskell a muscleman, and George Vicious is anything I'd ever met on skid roll. And I was still thinking about them when I got out

Yeah, well I figured i'd go.

You know, those leaps they do pretty good. We call them are are No, that's yeah, they're pretty good.

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous characters, star Gerald Moore, are produced and directed by Norman McDonald and are written for radio by Robert Mitchell and gene Leavitt. Featured in our cast were Georgia Ellis, Edgar Barrier, Elliott Reed, Lou Krugman, Wilms Herbert, and Michael Ann Barrett. The special music is composed and conducted by Richard Arnt. Be sure and do with us again next week.

When Philip Marlowe say, this time it was a fishy horse play for my red headed beauty, wild about ponies, Pat the black bearded sailor who bled the death on a racing farm. Do I not connect finish over a wandering seahaws worth fifty thousand bucks?

And you know what?

I was a jockey.

Remember Every Wednesday night CBS brings you Groucho Marx with.

His wonderful quiz. You bet your life It's one of the brightest, most spontaneous, most genuinely funny shows on the air, So be listing this Wednesday night on CBS. This is Roy Rowan speaking. Now stay tuned for Pursuit, which follows immediately on most of these same CBS stations. This is CBS where Burns and Allen are heard every Wednesday night. The Columbia Broadcasting System.

This is Andrew Ryans with OTR Westerns dot com, where we stream live old time radio Westerns twenty four hours a day, seven days a week with a special twist. You select the tracks that get to be played. We've got a thousand different episodes from shows like Gunsmoke, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Escape, Genautry, and many more. Come check us out at OTR Westerns dot com slash live.

Again.

That's OTR Westerns dot com slash Live. You're listening to the great detectives of Old time Radio with Adam Graham. And now let's get back into the show.

Welcome back. For whatever reason, this one wasn't hard to figure out. I begin to be suspicious of people whom Marlowe gives information to that he really ought not to. But anyway, we do turn to listener comments and feedback, and we received a lot of positive comments regarding William Conrad and his appearance an episode sixteen sixty in fact, was one of our more liked episodes recently. More than one hundred and twenty people liked it on Facebook, with

We do have.

There's an episode of Escape that stars Bill Conory we're eventually going to play, and I think that's all the other programming we have him in. He ended up playing a lot of heavies and very few protagonists. Well, thanks so much for your comments. That will do it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with Nick Carter. Next Wednesday, another episode of the Adventures of Philip Marlow. In the meantime, send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net.