It was hot and still an August night in the middle of April
But that didn't matter to the striptease dancer in the golden mask
Because murder made her blood run cold the night the heat wave struck
From the pen of Raymond Chandler outstanding author of crime fiction comes his most famous character in the adventures of Philip Marlowe
With Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe we bring you tonight's exciting story the heat wave
Spring was only three weeks old but the sun bore down on Los Angeles with the middle of the summer vengeance
At noon it was 102 in the shade and by 3 30 with doors window and shirt collar all open as far as they would go
I still swelled in the kind of heat that wilts both your clothes and your character
I tried to make sense from the crisp words of a telegram I just received from one Karen Driscoll jr. No less of knob hill San Francisco
It told me to go to the Palace Theatre of burlesque house on Main Street
Watch the performance of the featured dancer get backstage and take a close look at her face
Then meet the seven o'clock plane from San Francisco and report what I'd seen to Miss Driscoll jr.
It was a strange request coming from knob hill but the enclosed $50 money order wasn't kidding so I perspired my way down to the Palace Theatre
There instead of the usual 30 beautiful girls 30 sign over the marquee was a 50-foot gold banner that screamed the heat wave who is she
And the showcase cards that led to the box office were all a circle of question marks that centered a woman wearing a strange gold mask and little else
I bought a ticket and went inside in time for the tail end of the matinee
A baggy pants comedian was just winding up a corny south of the border routine as I sat down
I was kidding a half time ah but there was Manuel my brother Manuel labor he was the laziest man in all Mexico yeah I'm telling you got a job shooting bulls for the government
He shot 800 bulls a day yeah that made him the biggest bull shooter in Mexico
The comic kicked the crown out of an oversized sombrero in a hybrid hat dance then galloped off under the wings
After reminding myself that I was here on business I sat down again as a personality boy in brown flannel in a yellow shirt stepped into the spotlight with his arms raised
Ladies and gentlemen you're now privileged to witness one of the most unusual and breathtaking spectacles ever presented on any stage the moment you will see her the woman of mystery performing exotic rites to the pagan sun god of the Incas
Exactly as they were performed 3,000 years ago in the strange temples of the Andes but who is she who is this woman and who knows what secrets lie behind her mask of gold
The Palace Theater presents the most marvelous the beautiful but dazzling the mysterious Pete Wayne
Oh I had to admit it this was special she was the color of alabaster and as supple as a cat and as she moved across the stage she got more convolutions out of her two arms than a restless octopus could with eight
A costume from the neck down was about as sheer as a new spider web and above that and covering her face completely was a gold mask grotesque and glistening
As the dance headed for a climax designed to knock the cash customers right out of their seats I reminded myself again that I was here on business so I walked down the side aisle to a door that led backstage and went through it just as the dance ended
And while the audience tore the house down begging for more the heat wave tossed a couple of kisses through a gold mask and ran to a dressing room
I started after and was halfway there when a bulging hulk in a shark skin suit that measured six six in every direction lumbered casually out of the shadows and took a bulldog stance with his back against the dressing room door
I started thinking up fast ad libs and was hot for a switch on the eager reporter gag when the baggy pants comic slid up beside me
Hey chump, you're asking for load of mayhem if you try to get to the heat wave past Jesse there
Jesse? He the man mountain in the shark skin suit?
Yeah with orders to break bones
Oh
Maybe I can help you out
Good but how come?
Yeah let's go around to the side
You're a reporter right?
Yeah
Well hinky bonds can use a little publicity too you know
Hold here by the door
Now what is it you have to know?
Well all I want is one look at her face
I said I'll help you out and I will like this
Right out there in the alley and don't come back before midnight goon you can see her face then when she takes the mask off
I should have known better but all I wanted at the moment was to kick the slack out of a pair of baggy pants
So I bounced back up the steps jerked the door open and ran head on into three square yards of shark skin suit
It was Jesse
You ain't welcome around here bum so stay out have you got it?
Okay, Jesse let's say I've got it
Yeah also don't drop it as you walk away
I was glad to remember that I had a client to meet at the airport
So in spite of the fact that the heat wave's face was still a well-kept secret behind a gold mask
I took Jesse's good advice and left
Flight 11 from San Francisco arriving at gate four
Will Dr. Robert Riemer please report to the information desk
When the plane taxi do a stop at the airline's gate at a seven o'clock sharp
And as the passengers unloaded a tall sinuous brunette with arched eyebrows an imperial gesture and a hat fit
It kept some imaginative milliner out of the red for several months had to be miss Karen Driscoll, Jr
I introduced myself. I should have the cocktail lounge and when a gibson sparkled in front of each of us
She got down to business. Well Marlow, did you see her?
Uh, yes and no I have a photograph here. Look
Is this the same girl? Oh, oh, it's a head shot. It's pretty but no help. Mr
Striscoll you didn't see her face then no look junior. Do I refund your money now? I start asking questions
Don't be ridiculous. I must know who that girl is and I'll tell you why
This picture is of my sister mids Driscoll. Oh, think your sister's the heat wave. Yes
No, she's doing it to humiliate me Marlow
Tomorrow i'm being married to a man whose family is distinguished in diplomatic circles
And this burlesque heat wave woman is is to be revealed at midnight tonight
If she is my sister
Can you imagine what the papers will do with that story tomorrow morning? Yes, i'm wedding present
Um, but your own sister, I don't get it. Why oh it's an old hate marlow
Midge lost a love affair and I won years ago. She's never gotten over it
And she's done things before
The day I was elected president of the metropolitan club. She faked an elopement with my chauffeur
The night of my engagement party. She rode a horse into the flamingo room a brawl started and she spent the night in jail
Last year what you mean, but this heat wave's got a lot of talent for burlesque a lot of experience in a line
in fact, uh
She's a sensation. Let's face it. So what makes you think it's me? Uh, hunch. Oh, no
I found the name tracy lake in her apartment in san francisco. He's the manager of the palace theater here
I learned that from a newspaper story in which josh freeman josh freeman. Yes the big producer
He's supposed to be bargaining with lake for his heat wave discovery
Oh, she's done a thorough advanced publicity job. All right, what if she turns out to be his sister? What then that's my business
I know how to make money talk marlo and i've more than enough for a polite but firm conversation
Your job is merely to find out for sure between now and midnight if my sister actually is this heat wave
I'll take care of everything else
Karen driscoll jr gave me her local phone number then got up curse the hot night bid me hurry and some of the taxi
All with the regal wave one hand
I was left to my own devices and something less than five hours to make them work in so
I drove back to the palestina which was stalling until midnight by showing a triple feature movie
Paid another admission and slipped backstage again
It was deserted except the two electricians tied up in pinnacle under the switchboard light
The heat waves dressing room was locked jesse was nowhere in sight and I was about to leave again when I heard a familiar voice
He's cooing into a dark note that turned out to be a phone booth
It was hinky bonds a baggy pants comic
Beauty did the beautiful, you know
Hey, hey, listen, baby. I got other deals you talk to her
She won't
You sure?
Yeah
Yeah. Well, look I gotta talk to you. How about dinner?
You can't
Well, I know you got things on your mind, but
It yeah, honey. I know you're tired
Well, okay
Don't worry things are gonna be okay
You'll see
Bye. Bye baby. Hey hinky
Oh you again. Yeah, that's right
That brings us up to date even steven
Now get this first. I'm not a reporter second. I represent josh freeman's office and third. I haven't got all night you
You mean josh freeman the big producer know any other josh freeman?
I want to talk to tracy lake about the heat wave, but I want to see her before I talk is she here?
No, no, she won't be back until the big midnight show. Where's tracy then? He's home the toppet house on a wheelchair
About two blocks down from Arthur Murray's
Hey, but listen, tell me something is uh, is josh gonna make a star out of her with a talent like hers
What do you think hinky?
I left hinky with his mouth hanging open in the fire of ambition burning like an alcohol lamp and he chies
I drove out to the toppet house on wheelchair
Leading on the bell at tracy lake's apartment. I got ready to be a hard-hitting practical-minded producers right-hand man
Yeah, what is it? Tracy? My name's Marlow out of josh freeman's office caught the heat waves act this afternoon willing to wrap her up and take her home right now
But not sight unseen. Wait a minute. You say you're from josh freeman, Marlow? That's right
And I got a blank check right here in my pocket authorized to fill it out unless you're completely unreasonable. I see
Well now look Marlow this heatwave thing has gone over a thousand percent better than any of us expected
I know I know but you see a price is high already and the bids have only started to come in. Oh, uh, excuse me
I just opened a bottle of parmesan over there. Help yourself. I'll be right back
Perfectly good till the end of the night. I'm gonna go get some fresh air
Perfectly good telephone sat within an arm's reach of lake
Instead he went down the hall to an extension and closed the door behind him
It was distinctly malpractice, but time was running out on me. So I picked up the phone and listened
Is mr. Richley the jeweler? Oh, yes. What is it? Richley the bracelet you selected is ready now
We can deliver it immediately fine. It goes to miss needle of bar 44 edgewood terrace. Oh, uh,
Close a card. Uh, don't worry darling. You're my real heatwave
You signed it tracy lovely lovely and the engagement ring
The sunburst. Yeah, that's for mr. Vard, too
But deliver that to the theater at midnight. You got it. Yes indeed, sir. Thank you and congratulations
Tracy lake and needle of our who might she be?
Sorry, my little personal business now, uh, you were saying yeah
Yeah, I was saying I can hand you a nice fat check if this mass marvelous is really okay
Hey, you're building up to quite a surprise tracy. You must have something. Yes
Indeed I have old boy plenty. Yeah, I can't reveal the lady's name until midnight. All right. All right play coy
What's her background? Is she got class class marlo? You wouldn't believe it not blue book stuff society girl in burlesque
Anything's possible marlon. Sure. Sure. She could even be from knob hill, huh?
Yeah, like I said anything's possible. Sure. Okay tracy. That's what I wanted to find out
But see after the unveiling and you got a great night for it. Oh marlo, I suppose
Big ed peters is in on the deal as usual along with josh. Yeah, it's a regular josh freeman deal just as usual
See you later tracy
Hello, this is marlo jr
I just wound up an interview with tracy lake when I threw knob hill at him. He turned green
It's not official yet. The odds are high that it's your sister midge. All right, who's knocking him dead as the heat wave
I knew it that horrible vindictive little triumph
What else marlo? Did you find out where she is? Yeah. Yeah
She's going under the name of needle of awe and staying at 44 edgewood terrace near mcarthur park
But listen, it's not positive yet. So i'm going there to check right now
Where are you calling from marlo a phone booth at a closed gas station out here on wilshire, but I
I oh
I am about to start earning that fee of yours, baby
300 pounds of muscle in a sharkskin suit just walked up
Goodbye
Hello sonny
Well my pill town pal. So the boss was right. You're just a cheap nosy reporter after all
It's cramped in there, ain't it?
But you're not getting out bub now. Wait a minute. Jesse. It's a hot night. Let's not work up a sweat
Don't you worry about that?
Mr. Lake pegged you as a phony nosy and that's bad
What do you mean phony? You said big ed peters was in on a deal with josh freeman. All right, what about it?
Big ed's been dead for 12 years
You know what?
He's still gonna look better than you are 30 seconds from now
In just a moment the second act of philip marlo, but first
Tomorrow night in order of their appearance you'll hear joseph cotton ozzie and harriet jack bennie and his gang amos and andy sam spade
Laman abner helen hayes eevarden and hold tight now a special show
With bing crosby bob hope claudette colbert and dinor over most of these same cbs network stations
And jack benny with mary phil dennis don rochester will be heard over them all
Now with our star jerald moore we return to the second act of philip marlo and tonight's story the heat wave
When the little man in big iron boots were kicking at the lining of my temples finally quit
And I dragged myself back up to the vertical
Well gargantua was gone
And I was sure of only two things
Tracy lake did not know that I was anything other than a nosy reporter and second and more important
It was time for me to head for edgewood terrace and the lady known as mita lavar
As I started for the front door of number 44 which
Was an all-alone stucco and a tile ill shape that showed a single light
the
little men in iron boots went to work again
It reminded me that it might be healthier if I first found out exactly what was waiting behind the mat mark welcome
So I made a wise circle around to the back
And in closer past a whispering huddle of palms through a flagstone patio that led to a short flight of also flagstone steps
But there when I was only a few feet from an uncurtain window
I stopped at the sight of something I hadn't expected
Was the body of a woman lying in a twisted heap at the bottom of the stairs
When I moved closer, I saw that the ugly cut on the side of her head that had killed her
Had come from the jagged edge of the last step. I also saw that the woman was mitch driscoll
Next to the body there was an overturned crushed sprinkling can which meant that she could have fallen to her death accidentally
Also, it could have meant that if murdered a killer it overturned her head
Also, it could have meant that if murdered a killer it overturned and crushed the sprinkling can as well
I was somewhere between the two thoughts when I heard a car break to a stop in front of the house
Then high heels on a cement walk
I quietly moved around to where I could see something tall and blonde who
In a better light would have been better looking
Good evening
Who's that name's philip marlo mean anything nothing and try this
I'm a friend of midge driscoll's mid
I never heard of anyone by that name. I'll bet
Step up a little closer, honey. Now. Wait a minute. Mr. Bright eyes. I
Midge
Yeah, yeah midge and driscoll name you never heard of remember
Now, what do you say? Do we play it straight?
Yeah, yeah
I'm needle levar. Mr. Marlo
Baby, you're getting in deeper by the minute
And by that I specifically mean that midge driscoll here and needle levar are one in the same. Oh, you're crazy
I know my own name. It isn't always has been needle levar
That's midge driscoll. All right, since you've grown so cooperative. Maybe you can tell me why she's dead
Could be that she fell down those stairs an hour before her unmasking is the heat wave
You know an awful lot mister, how come it's strictly business i'm a private detective with client
We'll talk about that later right now. It's time to go in and call the police
And don't tell me you can't find your key. Don't worry private detective. I won't here catch got it
Now let's get inside, but let's not call the police. Huh? Why not?
Are you afraid that they'll?
I see what you and that pretty little gun mean. I'm glad I'd hate to have to shoot you. Why want a night? You're quoted
Don't be funny. I didn't kill midge and why no police for a very good reason
Until tonight marlo i've been the heat wave the substitute heat wave for the m'lady there who didn't have the time or the talent for the build-up to the great joke
She was going to pull on her sister. You mean you were the one I saw today the one everybody saw every day and liked
Like so much the business boomed and all the heads in the front row weren't bald
Which has what to do with me calling the police in general everything in particular my career
I tried to get that crazy kid there to back off and let me go on with the action
She'd kill after one performance, but no miss bunny money banks wouldn't hear of it now that she's dead you're in is that it solid
And that's also the reason why I don't want to spend the next two hours talking to cops
So go on put the key in the lock turn it open the door and walk in what happens then
Then mr. Marlo we call tracy lake and arrange for a playmate for you playmate named jesse maybe a playmate named jesse
And no, maybe
When we got inside needle of our handled a prisoner with the finesse of a marine guard detachment took my gun threw it across the room
Put me into a faraway straight back chair and got through to tracy lake without once taking a baby blue eyes off me
And when she told the man she called darling all about midget's death, which could have been for my benefit
She placed a rush order for the monster
After that she hung up sat down with a cigarette and waited but a second later. She was back on her feet
When I said that friend jesse was fast. She said I should shut up and more listen marlo you do exactly as I say
Coming i'll stay right where you are and don't so much as open your mouth
Who is it? It's me nita. Hey, oh good
Come on in hinky. Oh nita. Hi. I just happened to be going by and since I knew it was midget's night
I thought never mind what you thought just come in and listen
Oh
It isn't midget's night hinky. It's mine and don't ask questions now here
What's the gun for nita? What's the matter a private detective but public nuisance named marlo?
Marlo a detective. Mm-hmm. He told me he was from josh freeman's office. Ah, he was lying
Now get this hinky midge driscoll is out and back dead
But why I don't know why and I care less but marlo here is crazy for calling the cops
Which would leave me at midnight doing my big number for the desk sergeant
And great so use that gunsy and hold him here until jesse shows up, which should be any minute now. Goodbye and be careful hinky
so long bright boy
Gentle soul her barns never mind marlo save the gap for jesse
He's a great listener. I doubt if he'll give me the time considering that I know it's an odds on bed
It'll be a couple of slugs in my belt buckle before he's even in the room
Jesse kill you
Why would he do that? Because he works for tracy lake and tracy lake has to kill me barns
I know he's a murderer
Midge driscoll was murdered
You sure of that just about doesn't figure any other way
Nita herself told me how much this chance means to her and how hard she tried to get midge to back off
Yeah, but tracy how does he tie in two ways?
The money will get out of the show continuing indefinitely and better than that the fact that he and nita are going to be married
Those two get married
You're nuts. Mahlo. No, no, it's straight barns. I know because I overheard tracy talking to a jeweler about the ring. He ordered now
You mind if I have a cigarette?
Hey barns, can I reach for a cigarette?
Oh, yeah, okay
Hey, hey, marlo
You sure this
Everything you just said I mean about them getting married. No, sure I am
Why a little disgusted with your buddies?
Yeah a little
So as of right now you can do as you want i'm leaving. No, you're not mr
Barns, hey, hey, jesse. Hey, don't shoot. I won't mr barns
Unless of course you were a buster try to get out of here. Oh who me jesse? Yeah
You were gonna let marlo go. Mr barns. I don't think mr. Lake would like that
I'm sure he wouldn't jesse. So why don't you just save everyone a lot of time and start pulling that trigger?
Well, you can still see what you're doing. Hey light get going barns you you dirty louse. I'll fix you
You'll never get out of here alive
Where where are you?
Come on
Where are you where are you answer me you here answer me with pleasure your
Stinking slime
I'll tear you apart if I get my hands on you which jesse boy is the trick
And now for our meeting in the phone booth flowers your big eight bars and all
After I got some lights on and found my gun when nita had tossed it when we first came in
I checked jesse over once to make sure that he was neither dead nor too alive
And I started for the door but there even as my hand closed over the knob. I stopped
A crazy thought from I don't know where wedging its way into my mind
I turned back toward the room and stared at the flower and vase strewn in the form of the ape that covered half the carpet
Then slowly the wedge broke through and there was light lots of it
The kind in which I could see why mitch driscoll had been murdered
And more important why I had to get to the palace theater and needle of awe before murder happened again
I lurched from the curb in front of nita's at 20 minutes at 12
When I screeched to a stop downtown at the palace without somehow hitting or being hit along the way those 20 minutes were gone
And I was worried because midnight meant that nita would already be on stage for the unmasking
I raced past the general at the door and then across the lobby and into the theater where I figured I could get down
A side aisle of the wings
That was figuring wrong
Because fire laws notwithstanding the place was strictly sro and packed tighter than the seventh game world series
Between the backs of perspiring necks
I could see that nita who was across stage and tracy lake himself and in the center of a single spotlight that
Could have opened a supermarket was still masked
So while I prayed that lake who was winding up his spiel would think of bigger and better adjectives
I ran back to the lobby and around to a flight of stairs that led to the first balcony where over on one side near
The railing I found an old man who was daddy to a trio of baby spots and the one giant that was on nita
I shoved him aside just as lake finished and the maestro took over
And with one hand I got a good grip on the 38 in my pocket and with the other the handle on the big spot
Hey, what are you doing? Hoping i'm wrong dad, but if not hoping the gun I expect doesn't come from the wings
Hey there in that side balcony near the curtain see it. Yeah, it's a gun. All right
Hey, that's hinky barn. Right. Let's give the funny man a big audience and lots of light. You're on barn
Watch out. He's gonna shoot at us. Yeah, and us at him
You got him you got him
It was 20 minutes of bedlam police music and two quick numbers by needle of r
Uh, all of whose shaking was not routine before the palace got back to the quiet business of being a burlesque house and the show went on
It was another hour and 20 minutes before it was all over and the theater was empty and dark
Except for a work light on the stage where nita tracy lake and I were sitting in the middle of a paper mache
Inca civilization. Well, marlo the police say that hinky's gonna live for a while
Can't figure the guy never knew he felt that way about nita here neither did I
I was always okay to him and I knew he cared some but that's as far as it went with you nita. Yeah
But with hinky it was something else something strong enough to make him kill mitch drisco
So that nita would get a big chance. Hey marlo. Mm-hmm
when he found out through me that you two were going to be married he
He realized that the murder he had committed was for nothing
And now he was going to make one count
So he turned on you nita
How did you find out in time to get to him before he could make a try for nita?
Yeah, the way the guy sagged when I said you were going to be married told me all I had to know
But it was cinched by the american beauties draped around jesse american beauties flowers. Yeah
See, I remembered a phone call hinky made
You needed been the lady he'd talked to and loved
From there on out. It was a little better than a shot in the dark two shots in the dark marlo
Good ones that are responsible for nita still being here with us
Thanks fella. Yeah, marlo. Thanks a lot. Don't mention it
And after all I was paid for my work and besides
Hey that dance you do nita
Belongs to posterity
Good night
It was still hot in the city
I had no enthusiasm for further conversation
and a very sticky feeling from head to foot
So I took care of carron driscoll jr. In a fast telephone call and then
Pointed my car from my apartment
I couldn't help thinking of poor little hinky bonds
Brought laughter to everyone else
But could find no happiness for himself
He was like the man who went to see a doctor one day and said
Doctor, I can't laugh anymore
And the doctor said go and see grock the greatest clown of them all
If he can't make you laugh, there's no help for you
The man smiled and said
Thank you doctor
You see
I am grock
The adventures of philip marlo created by raymond chandler star gerald more and are produced and directed by norman mcdonnell
Well script is by mel donelli robert mitchell and jean levitt featured in the cast were vivy janice wilms herbert ed begley elsy holmes
Barney philips and byron cain the special music is by richard o'rann
Be sure and be with us again next week when philip marlo says
It started at dawn in los angeles taxi and wound up that night on a cliff in the middle of the pacific
All because of a dutchman with 50 000 bucks a corpse in a lily pond and an oriental with a chauffeur who wanted a cloak
Made of nothing but feathers
In just about an hour from now 50 000
Dollars the biggest jackpot in radio history will be waiting cbs listeners from coast to coast
On the sing it again program over most of these same cbs network stations
This is roy rohan speaking now stay tuned for gangbusters which follows immediately over most of these stations
This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system