Original subtitles

Yes, I'm calling from the church. I'd like to confirm... Hey, I've been

the wrong amount for two hours. Well, can you tell me approximately how much

money was missing?

Was it over a thousand dollars?

Hi, Luke.

Morning, Rossi. How you doing? Okay.

You know, I was kind of surprised to see Billy's story on page one. You know,

the thing about the Koreans in L .A.

Why surprised?

Well, it just wasn't up to our usual standard.

It's kind of unfair to her, you know, to put it on page one.

I appreciate the way you and Billy look out for one another.

She said the same thing about your story.

Oh, yeah?

Well,

in her case, it's jealousy.

This is the man you gotta look out for. This is Lou Grant, our city editor.

Andrew Tyler.

Hello. How are you? Andrew's our new intern. He's gonna be stuck with us for

about three months.

I don't feel stuck. I'm looking forward to it.

Where'd you go to school?

USC. I'm a junior in journalism.

Well, I'm glad you're interested in newspapers.

So many young people in journalism, all they want is TV.

That's sort of where I'm headed.

Really? Mm -hmm.

What are you doing here?

Well, I was told that this was the best training ground if you wanted to go into

television news.

Oh.

Not bad if you want to work on newspapers, either.

I've got some news you won't find in that edition.

Oh, really?

Am I supposed to guess what it is?

We may be losing an editor.

Which one?

Well, I'll give you a hint.

He's got a nice sense of humor, a sharp blue pencil, and he was born wearing a

vest.

Donovan? He got offered a really good job.

Modeling clothes in a department store window?

Sacramento. Press secretary to the governor.

We're going to do a follow -up on the maternity care story. Get a statement

the hospital.

Okay.

Some guy's trying to climb the Bancroft building.

What do you mean, on the outside?

How high is that, 60 stories?

He must be crazy. Maybe he's afraid of elevators.

Fire department's trying to haul him down. Get somebody over there.

Weber?

Weber!

Consider me Weber. What's up, Driscoll?

What are you doing here? It's my day off, but I'm covering for Weber. He and

old lady are breaking up today. They're dividing the furniture into dishes. What

do you need? Well, some character mistook the bankrupt building for Mount

Can you get over there?

I'm awake.

What'd I do?

This expanse of ice here. I hate to be a tough guy to you, but I'm not going to

pay for your class reunion.

Class reunion?

That's right. Who are you kidding?

That's a bar in El Segundo where I took a source.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

Yeah, I'll bring one. We'll be right up.

Bar.

It's a bar.

Too bad about Donovan, huh?

What about him?

I mean about his going to Sacramento to work for the governor.

Why am I always the last to hear about these things?

Hi, Dolores. Billy Newman. Just making my monthly call to request an interview

with Mr. Cabaretta.

That's right. I don't give up.

Oh, come on, Dolores. We'd really like to hear his side of the story.

Isn't he a little bugged with all this bad press, the FBI saying all those

things?

No, no. I just want to ask him what he's doing in California. I'm not going to

do a job on him.

Well, be a pal and tell him I called, okay?

You got my numbers?

Thanks, Dolores.

Talk to you next month.

You know, you get a lot more out of those people if you aren't so sweet.

got to take a hard line.

The Joe Rossi School of Diplomacy?

It gets results.

If being obnoxious is just a tactic, how come you never turn it off?

I'm waiting for the right moment.

He won't go. Why would Donovan want to leave the trip?

Sounds like a good job.

If you like politics.

They'll kick his teeth in.

If he takes the job, try to be nice to him. Maybe he'll stay.

What am I not nice?

I'm always nice.

Now, gentlemen, in today's luncheon meeting, I hope we can look forward to

something a little bit different.

Me too. I'm sure turn a meatloaf.

How many are coming?

There'll be six of us, three editors and three reporters.

Good. Now, please, let's try to stay on the subject.

Last month, we got off on fly casting and electric cars and the Rams.

No more talk about the Rams and their tight ends.

Quite right. Oh, and one more thing.

We will have some tourists in the building today.

Don't we always?

A group of prominent businessmen from Sweden with a guide from the State

Department. Now, if they happen to pop into the newsroom, please don't growl at

them. I may be visiting Scandinavia next summer.

Yes.

All right.

Mr. Grant, that was Mr. Donovan. He says you'd better get down to the newsroom

right away.

6 and 411 proceed to Rodriguez area. Divert traffic moving north on Worcester

Boulevard. Assist fire and rescue units... What's going on?

A tunnel collapsed near Chatsworth. Some construction in the foothills. Anybody

hurt? Well, there's some men trapped inside, but we don't know how many.

Did they say Rodriguez area?

Yeah.

Worcester Boulevard. Going into the foothills.

Must be around here.

Right. Mr. Donovan. What? I've got a line to the sheriff's office in

I figured the whole city would be trying to call them. Grab that, will you,

Rossi? See what you can get. Not bad, Andrew.

You want me out there, Art? I'm free.

I may need you and Rossi here. I'm going to send a couple of science writers.

What do we got in the building?

There are men trapped inside.

How many, officer?

Well, is it like two men or 20?

You don't know.

Hey, Sweeney, Castillo.

At least they'll understand the technical side. It might have been one

methane explosions.

What about us? You're staying.

What is it, Art?

There's been a tunnel collapse in the Rodriguez foothills. That's too bad.

not your fault. I'm sending you both out there. Take the animal.

What's all the excitement?

I'll cave in on some workers in Chatsworth. It could be bad. I'm sending

and Castillo with animal.

You guys better get going.

Tony, why are you doing that?

Because this is their department.

Sweeney's got the geology and physics, and Castillo's heavy on the environment.

Send one, keep the other.

Why? Because we need somebody here to translate all that technical mumbo

as it comes in.

Fine, Castillo, you're staying.

And one photographer's not enough.

Better send two.

Okay, two button pushers. Animal, take Billings. Sure.

And better send another reporter.

A good one.

How about Rossi? Make it Billings.

Why didn't I think of that?

We'll put Rossi on rewrite.

Come on, Animal.

Hello? If I'm doing the main story, I'll need someone to make calls for me.

You'll get all the help you need.

We can give him Ryerson and Andrew.

Ryerson be all right?

Fine, fine. Something wrong with you?

What could be wrong?

Tell Leon to bring Rossi all the wire stuff on this story.

Larson, call the county fire and rescue.

Get what you can and stay on it. They'll be at the center of this. Andrew.

Yes, sir. Call the California Transportation Office.

Find out what they know and get the name of the private firm that's building the

tunnel. Feed everything you get to Rossi.

I'm going to send for an artist. We may want to run a map of this place.

Good idea.

You mean I did something right?

I don't believe it. I don't believe you.

Ask a copy boy to bring a TV up here. I want to see what they're doing with

this.

Here's some background to get us started.

Good.

Hello. Can I show you something?

What do you got?

Try to take it easy on Donovan, okay?

Because if you don't, we're going to lose him for sure.

Charlie. I won't bed myself out of shape because he had a job offer. No special

treatment. That's not my deal.

Thanks, Lou.

I know you'd understand.

How far is it? About 45 miles.

I'll get you there in 20 minutes.

Animal, we're supposed to report the news, not make it.

Oh, you get that. Take a message and tell her I'm gone.

In Billy Newman's office?

No, she's not here right now. Can I take a message?

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh. I see.

Well, it'll be a while. She's on a breaking story.

I'm sure it is, but there's just no way to reach her.

Look.

I'm telling you.

This is a major metropolitan newspaper. There are a lot more important things

than the petty concerns of Vito Caloretta.

Caloretta. Caloretta.

Dolores, I can't believe it. When?

Oh, this afternoon would be the worst possible time. I've got to go out to the

Rodriguez area.

But if this turns out to be nothing, I'll swing by in a couple of hours,

Thanks. If this doesn't work out today, give me another chance.

Great timing, huh?

Let's go.

Hi,

fellas. Pardon me, sir, but are you the assistant city editor?

No, I'm the city editor.

He's the assistant.

I beg your pardon.

It's a natural mistake. He dresses better.

Can you tell us what you do?

Well, I decide what stories the paper will go after.

I give the reporters their assignments, and I check the copy when it comes in.

From there...

The painters will go to the copy desk, where they'll be checked for errors,

spelling, libelous statements, and the stories are given their headlines.

Thank you.

City desk, Donovan.

Yeah, Driscoll, what's going on?

You're not climbing up the building after the guy, are you?

Well, how high is he?

About a third of the way, huh?

Well, give it another hour. We're going for a 1 p .m. deadline.

The rescuers are now approaching the mouth of the tunnel, getting ready to

burrow in after the trapped workers. As we understand it, the only possible

chance for the survivors is that they somehow wound up in an underground

that did not collapse. That way they can remain alive so long as their air holds

on. The TV's covering this cave -in like a blanket.

Why don't we just go home?

Here's, we're going to tell the public something they can't get on the tube.

just what happened out there today, but why.

Who screwed up and what's his excuse?

Isn't that what you were planning on doing?

Yeah, yeah.

City Desk, Donovan.

No, I can't talk right now, okay?

Well, I'm still thinking about it. They want to know by tomorrow.

Okay, so long.

City desk.

Hello, Lou.

Billy. Is Rossi on?

We're all hooked into the same circuit, Billy. Go ahead.

There are at least seven men trapped inside. I don't have names yet.

And there's something else I heard.

For some unexplained reason, there are kids inside.

Kids?

How old are they? How'd they get in there?

I don't know, but they're in there. Young people. Students.

Rossi?

Go ahead.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

I'm going to put you on hold for a second.

Right.

Say, Ross, I got the contractor on the phone, but I think I'm talking to their

PR guy.

Wait, what's he say? Well, he says that the Fitzwilliams Construction Company is

not alarmed and is confident that the rescuers will be successful.

When do they think they'll reach the workers?

He doesn't know.

Rossi, he's giving me nothing.

Okay, let's shake him up a little.

Ask him why the construction company allowed students to get in there in the

first place.

And if he says he doesn't know, ask him why he doesn't know.

All right.

Who did these drawings of the cave -in?

They're pretty good.

McDougal did them.

Not today, George.

I can't deny that I'm angry with you and the Tribune, Mr. Grant, and I came

close to taking my story to the Times.

It's a bad day today, Mr. Dreyfuss. I actually decided to cut out the entire

news media from any more press releases, but there's just too much at stake.

If you won't go, we at least make it quick.

Certainly. A spaceship carrying the peace mission from the planet Andromeda

will arrive on the last day of this month.

At 0430 Greenwich Time at Burbank Airport.

The President of the United States, Mrs. Carter, and City Councilman Garbers

will head the welcoming committee.

A reception will be hosted by Henry Dreyfus at the airport's commuter bar.

Do you have that?

Any questions?

Yeah, how do you get in the building?

How does anybody get in the building?

I think he beams himself in.

Tim.

Lou Grant.

Henry Dreyfuss was in a building again.

I do say.

You always let in the wrong people.

Guys selling lobsters out of suitcases.

Nuts hollering doomsday.

And you keep out the people who have legitimate appointments.

You stopped Henry Kissinger.

Well, be more careful, will you?

Next time Dreyfus shows up at my desk, I'll try to hold on to him, and you call

Tim up here. I've got to find out how he gets in the building.

How do you like the story?

I'm reading it now.

You know, this kid who's climbing the building is an old fool.

He's been planning this thing for over a year.

He talked to his kid brother and his girlfriend. They're quiet, sensible

You know, he made his equipment to fit the facade of the building he picked

today because the weather was exactly right.

You know, I dictated that whole piece off the cuff.

It's been a long time since I did that.

I wish you hadn't. I'm not crazy about your angle.

What's wrong with it?

I'm afraid you may be glamorizing the guy. He may be a publicity -happy nut.

Oh, no, no. No, that isn't what I got from his brother.

I see a cool, thoughtful kid who was challenged by the building, and he just

climbs it for his own satisfaction.

He may be coolly and thoughtfully trying to turn himself into a hero.

I don't know what he's like until we talk to him.

I think you're dead wrong, Art.

After all, I was the guy who was out there.

Okay, Driscoll, we've got your facts.

Moyers!

What can I do for you? Turn this story around and tighten it and don't make the

human fly such a sweetheart.

Why don't you just tell her that this time you want it written in English?

My reporter's instincts tell me I'm stepping in the middle of something.

Don't worry about it.

Do you want me to go back to the bankrupt?

No, I already sent somebody else.

You can cut him down.

He was enthusiastic about this story, and I thought he had a valid angle. How

often does he get a chance to do anything except pulling facts from the

house? About as often as I get to make a decision around here without being

second -guessed.

Then you ought to understand. He was dying to write it, and you chopped his

off. Hey, that's how I saw it.

I think you guys are handling yourselves exceptionally well.

It's great for the paper's morale to see the city editors fighting.

Only you're going to have to talk louder.

I can barely hear you in my office.

Want to get in the pool? Cost you a buck.

No, no, you guys aren't betting on that, are you? Yeah, time of arrival within

15 minutes.

That's grisly to even think of something like that. Why?

Betting on the time they reach the tunnel workers?

No, no, the time the human fly reaches the roof.

Who would ever think of betting on the workers?

That's sick.

I think I'll pass.

We'll see what times are left. Okay.

Yeah, sure.

What can I do for you?

You ever cover cave -in stories like this one?

Yeah, I did Kathy Fiscus, a little girl who got stuck in the well.

Was she one of the Floyd Collins cave -in?

That was in 1925.

Just kidding.

Now, the closest thing to this was the Seneca Springs, a gas explosion.

Took 16 lives.

I was there when they brought the bodies out.

It's the kind of story you don't forget.

Sound like a good sidebar.

Yeah. You want me to feed it to Rossi or Moyers?

No. I want you to do it.

Billy again.

Yeah, Billy, how's it going?

I got a line on the student.

Good. I poked around and I found a van with a UCLA sticker on it. Inside I

tools, boots, helmets, and textbooks.

They're archaeology students.

College kids.

Yeah, they must have been exploring the tunnel when the roof fell in.

How many?

I don't know, but I've got a couple of names.

Here's the van registration.

Arnold Baker, 211 Hamilton Road, Westwood.

And I found a girl's name inside one of the textbooks.

Helene with an E on the end, Miller.

Get a line on these kids and send someone out there to interview the

Make sure they've been notified.

The scene looks like an Appalachian coal mine disaster, except the foliage is

chaparral and there's a guy moving through the crowd selling tacos and

They know what caused the cave -in?

They think a gas explosion.

Was that a surprise?

Did they have any warning?

I don't know. I've heard some angry rumbles about negligence, but up to now,

nothing specific.

I'd follow up on that.

Okay, give it all to Rossi.

Yes.

Yes, Mrs. Pinchot.

Well, I forgot.

We're really snowed under today.

I suggest we cancel lunch.

Well, that is also a good suggestion.

I am resigned to the fact that you're always going to ask for more and more

money. But is there no way we can be more efficient?

Automation? Well, we're doing that, gradually.

We could unload some dead wood.

Uh -oh. I didn't realize this was going to be a testimonial luncheon to me.

Obviously, I don't mean Mr. Driscoll. He is an invaluable police reporter, and

the trip would be hurt without him. And vice versa.

However, we do seem to have a policy of never.

firing anybody.

Oh, I know.

I find it difficult to discharge people my husband liked.

Well, in the past, the trip may not have been careful enough about who it hired,

but now we're just too cautious about who we fire.

Makes sense to me.

Yes?

Oh, Mr. Grant, it's for you, Billy Newman.

Why don't you take it on the other phone?

Yeah, Billy, go ahead.

Lou, I already gave this to Rossi, but I think you should know. There are

definitely people alive inside the tunnel.

Workers are still alive.

Go ahead, Billy.

They're getting answering taps from inside the cave.

The rescue workers are digging furiously now, but there's danger of another

collapse. More air hoses are being shoved inside.

How many people are still alive?

Nobody knows, but the tapping has really fired up the diggers. They're working

like crazy now.

Have you any idea when the rescue team will reach the trapped men?

Nobody has that answer. What about the negligence act?

Well, I've been questioning the secretary of the labor union here. His

Frank Maliaci.

He's right here with me. Mr. Maliaci, this is my city editor, Lou Grant. Why

don't you tell him what you told me?

Well, there is no question there were safety violations here.

Maybe eight or ten.

Gross negligence. And when this all comes out, people are going to jail.

me.

What violations, Mr. Malachi?

Can you be more specific?

There are safety engineers here right now sniffing around and asking

and we can tell them plenty.

Land their names, please.

There's going to be a major investigation.

You can put it in your paper. You can print it.

What were the violations?

They can't get away with this. Heads are going to roll. You got that, Mr. Grant?

What do you think went wrong?

They're not getting away with a two -bit fine this time.

If any of our boys are hurt or die, they'll be held to pay. You got that,

Grant? I hear you, Mr. Malachi.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Now, Roxanne, show the contestants what they'll win if they choose the right

curtain. His and her mopeds for fun on the open road. You want to knock off

TV? You just knocked off the future Mrs.

Donovan. I was looking for a girl with mopeds like that.

The TV won't cut back to the cave -in for an hour.

The worst one of these was near Seneca Springs, San Diego County. They were

about 200 feet. They had one of these drilling machines blowing away.

It set off sparks, hit a gas block, a clam, and the whole tunnel became a

fireball. They lost 16 men in that one. Could it have been avoided?

I guess so, because the company was fined $10 ,000.

Nobody went to jail, though.

Sounds like somebody had the right lawyer. Yeah.

Use me.

Really dumps off the page at you, doesn't it?

If it were physically possible, he'd hoist himself on his own shoulders and

carry himself around the city room. I'm just telling you how it hits me. Even if

it is my story, I'm moved by it.

It's powerful, but restrained. Hold it.

Hold it. Where'd you get this quote? Which one? This one, from Malachi, the

union leader.

No, why? Why? Well, why don't you use the quote I got from him? It was a lot

stronger.

Malachi said the cutbacks cut the workers' throats. The company put time

of safety, money ahead of lives.

Too inflammatory. He was frothing at the mouth. He was not. He was mad, but he

sounded sane enough. Why don't you use what I gave you? Look, I choose the

material I feel is best. If I don't like your purple quotes, they're out. Purple

quotes? Look, this story is grimming up without giving it the needle. I'm giving

you direct quotes. I'm not exaggerating. Look, it's my name that goes on that

story. You should. You're writing fiction. What?

Okay, okay, that's enough. No more of this.

Rossi, go back to your desk. Go.

Sit.

Oh, I love working with that guy. He's so stimulating.

Listen, did you ever find out what those archaeology students were doing in

there? Oh, yeah, they were looking for Indian relics and artifacts.

That idiot.

There's a lot of that stuff around Chatsworth. They tried to get an

from court to stop the tunnel and lost.

Fitzwilliams and company let him inside when they started to pick it.

Rossi has it, but he'll use it.

Okay. I'd like you to go out and talk to the family of one of those kids.

Oh, why do I always get the grave -digging jobs?

It's woman's work, right? You send me because I've got the soft touch, is that

it? No.

It's because I have no one else.

Oh. Well, when you put it like that... There's the address.

Take a photographer.

Who's covering the zoning commission meeting?

McKendrick.

Very good choice.

Well, that's nice to hear.

That's going to be a story for us.

I'm betting that the developers and the commission are going to make a deal.

Well, McKendrick should be calling it in soon.

It's a nice tie.

You know what?

You were really right about the Chinese story.

What are you talking about, Charlie?

You never should have let us talk you out of that series on Chinatown. It

have fit in very nicely with all the interest in China. For example, how do

Chinese Americans feel about the new relationship with Pei Qi?

I think I was the one that didn't like that story.

Uh -huh.

Probably wasn't worth the whole series. You're right.

Donovan. Just a second, Lou.

Interesting thing about a paper like ours.

Everybody gets a chance to be heard.

You get the feeling that there aren't any bosses.

Just colleagues.

Hey, Donovan. Would you get this phone?

Excuse me, Charlie.

My colleague is calling.

Here's some pictures from Chatsworth, Lou. I got a bunch more in the lab.

Look at those faces.

You can see they got family inside.

Lots of anxious people out there.

I'm sending you back.

Get what you can. I'll see you before deadline.

Okay, Lou.

Got another call from the Bancroft building. Cops want to arrest the human,

with the crowds in the street, or cheering him on.

Shouldn't he be on top by now? What's taking him so long?

Maybe he didn't realize how upset you'd be if he didn't make it by deadline.

City desk.

Ah, that's too bad.

Okay, better stay home. We'll cover for you.

Mm -hmm.

What now?

That Dragan, the weather guy, he's got the flu.

Why do people insist on telling you their temperature and how many times

threw up?

I have to get somebody else to write the weather.

Who isn't busy? Anybody?

They're running out of troops.

Don't they have ways of detecting gas in these excavating jobs?

They used to use canaries, but the birds are asking too much money now.

Well, they had detecting devices.

Methane gas is odorless and colorless, but there was no indication of gas

the accident.

There might have been no explosion at all. There was no evidence of fire or

smoke. Then what caused the collapse?

We don't know yet.

Can we get started? Where's Charlie? He was talking to a good -looking redhead

when I walked by his office five minutes ago. Yeah, she works in composing.

Is she a natural redhead?

It's interesting, you know.

Statistics show that men gossip more than women.

Where'd you hear that?

At the beauty parlor?

Kill, Charlie, kill.

I wish I had his style.

Does she know that he's got two kids and a copper spaniel?

I'm sorry, sorry.

Sure, Charlie, we understand.

It should happen to us.

Okay, let's get started. Lou, what have you got?

I think you'd relieve an enormous amount of tension with this table if you'd

explain what's going on with that lady in composing.

Nothing is going on. It's a peril problem.

Pay her whatever she wants.

What do you got, Lou?

At City Hall today, we got the door slammed in our face.

The zoning commission met with developers in secret session and shut

press. So what do we got?

We got zip.

Whatever happened to the public's right to know if a deal is being made?

They're going to be sorry they pulled this.

Under the headline, zoning commission holds secret session.

I want three inches of white space.

What do you mean?

Just a headline and then white space.

No copy? No copy.

We'll show our readers just what we got from that meeting.

Nothing.

Ah, so what have you got in a big one?

Well, they haven't reached the trapped men yet. Hopefully that'll happen later

today.

The union leader, Malachi, is screaming negligence. He says that bonus payments

were promised for early completion.

If you can substantiate that, we'll run it.

Animal took some good pictures.

Listen, if they don't reach those trapped men before deadline, you better

on to everybody.

Right. The cave -in story needs a paper. Use the best of the side boys outside

and the rest on pages two and three.

What about Brian Cooper?

Cool.

The human fly.

Ah, yeah, he can lead the second section.

We make too much of a hero out of Brian, there'll be a 12 -year -old kid hanging

from every high -rise in the city.

Okay, national.

Hello, Burroughs, Rossi.

Oh, I'm trying to find Burroughs.

No, he's not our usual cop house guy. Look, this is Joe Rossi from the

Burroughs works for the Tribune. He should be around there someplace, okay?

Well, is he in the corridor?

Look, do me a favor.

Just walk down the hall to the men's room, pound on the door, and yell,

Trillion.

Thanks, pal. I'll do the same for you someday.

Bob, it's turning colder as we await word from the men inside of the tunnel.

It was warm when I first arrived this morning, but right now I wish I had

brought a heavy coat. You'd think I'd learn.

Bob, that's it from the cave -in. This is Ken Bruegel in Chatsworth. Good job,

Ken. Very thorough coverage.

That's all I can do right now.

Maybe I'll get to the in -depth at 6 o 'clock.

I want to see if Ken brings his heavy overcoat.

When does fire and rescue say they'll reach him?

It keeps getting later and later and I'm coming up on deadline.

Keep in touch.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Got something new on the human fly.

He found out he was climbing the wrong building?

The mayor has decided that Brian Cooper is the city's favorite son.

Like the guy who climbed the trade center in New York?

All the charges against him have been dropped, and the cops are now urging him

on floor by floor.

There'll be a brass band waiting for him when he hits the roof.

Wouldn't be surprised.

This society can never resist a determined climber.

There's so many people on the roof now. There may be no room for Cooper.

Mr.

Grant, there are a few details I'd like you to add to the Andromeda

announcement.

I hope you can squeeze them in before deadline.

Well, it won't be easy, Mr. Dreyfus, but we'll certainly try.

After the first summit session, there'll be a dinner and dance at the Baden

-Baden Hofbrau.

Just a second, Mr. Dreyfus. Let me get that down.

What are you looking for?

My favorite pencil. I can't find it.

What will this do?

Hey, now.

That was the Bodden, Bodden, Hofbrau.

How do you spell Bodden?

B -A -D -E -N.

And how do you spell the other Bodden?

What's the trouble, Mr. Grant?

Tim.

This is Mr.

Dreyfuss, the guy we were telling you about.

How do you do, Mr. Dreyfuss? How do you do?

Tim, he's the one who's always getting into the building. The guy we want you

keep out.

Why?

Because he's a nuisance.

He bothers us with press releases on landings from outer space.

Extraterrestrial visitations.

Tim, can you remember that face?

Sure. I see him every day.

He's Mrs. Pinchon's chauffeur.

What makes you think that?

Because he walks in behind her in a dark suit wearing a little black cap.

Mrs. Pinchon doesn't have a chauffeur.

Why not? She's rich enough.

Where'd he go?

He got me, Mr. Grant.

Go find him and escort him out, and don't let him in again, Tim.

You can count on it.

City room, Donovan.

Yeah, hold on.

Composing room for you.

Yeah, Bernie, what's up?

Mm -hmm.

That's right.

Three inches of white space.

No copy. That's what he wants.

Nah, people won't think you made a mistake.

Just tell them it was my fault.

Where's the weather copy?

Oh, yeah.

Van Draken called in sick.

Who'd you send it to?

Nobody. I forgot.

You forgot?

That's right. I forgot. Didn't I tell you? I'm human. I screwed up.

We have no weather copy and the trib is folding.

Why are you making such a big deal out of this? I didn't holler at you for

forgetting. I just said you forgot.

I didn't say you forgot.

I just said you forgot.

What's wrong with that?

You're not wrong, Lou.

I'm wrong.

Donovan, get me some weather copy, will you?

Boy, I'll be glad when this day is over.

Andrew!

In the wire room, there's a little machine they'll give you to Mars

Write it up in 25 words or less and copy today's paper for style.

Okay, Mr. Donovan.

Art.

Lou, I think you ought to hear this.

You know what time it is? It'll just take a minute.

This is Philip Stroud. He was hurt in a tunnel accident three days ago in

Chatsworth. One of the supports gave way.

Four of us got banged up.

They should have shut the job down because it wasn't safe.

Tell them about your friend.

A couple of the guys...

who were hurt were well enough to go back to work. They're in there now.

I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use my name unless you have to.

Give this to Rossi and then call Fitzwilliam's construction company and

statement from them on this.

Thank you very much, Rob.

There's something more on Brian Cooper.

You're too late.

What is it? The guy's hit a snag.

Evidently, the output of the Bancroft building changes at the top eight floors

and his equipment doesn't fit.

So what's he doing?

He's making adjustments.

He's got a set of tools with him, and he's hanging up there bending his gear

fit the new grooves.

He's a gutty kid. I just wish he had a better sense of timing. We may have to

hold the first edition.

No. Got him in another cave -in over there. Turn the set on. Another cave

They just announced it on TV. See? They collapsed on some of the diggers.

And another collapse inside that tunnel. This time they're going to some of the

rescue parties.

Now, this equipment apparently is not right for this terrain. We had heard

rumor earlier. Now, unfortunately, it turns out to be correct.

What are we going to do? It's after 6 o 'clock.

How many men are still inside, we do not know.

Let's hope just a few or none at all.

But there are some.

We see some of the bodies being brought out now.

This is an awful setback.

They are right now back to scratch.

We'll switch leads for this go -around.

Sweeney should be calling in with the details.

We'll do a complete right -through for the second home edition.

I have the feeling we're going to be sending out for dinner, Lou.

Maybe breakfast.

We know there are more men trapped inside. You can see one of them being

out now. This is an awful setback.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Movie stars respond to cavemen. Film at 11.

And now back to our movie.

Boy, they're not covering the story like we are.

Is there any desk?

Yes, ma 'am, I know. It wasn't a mistake.

The three inches of white space tell you what the press got out of that meeting.

Exactly nothing.

We did it to make a point.

Hold on, please.

How many is this, 27?

Switch this to Charlie Hume.

It's his idea. Let him explain it.

Okay, if I had it to do over again, maybe I wouldn't.

Except that now a lot of people like you are going to be talking about that

secret meeting.

Bye -bye.

Good evening, Mr. Hill. What are you doing in town?

Well, I might ask you the same thing, Mrs. Pinchot.

Well, I was watching the reports of the cave -in on television. I couldn't leave

the building.

And I knew everybody would be down here working on nights like this. I find it

hard to go home. We kept on most of the day, Steph.

I can see that.

We've been remaking page one for the third time and wrestling with the second

home edition.

Say, what about that young man conning the building?

He got bogged down, didn't he? Yeah, he was readjusting his equipment, but when

it got dark, he decided to stop there and spend the night. He spread a net

between two windows, kind of a hammock. He was going to sleep up there.

Good heavens, maybe I won the pool.

Well, 100 bucks is 100 bucks.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the copy. I just hate grave

This isn't grave digging.

Let me get all those kids out, okay?

The families aren't so sure of that.

Poor people, they've got children suffocating in some dirt pile in

and I go knock on the door and ask them how they feel.

Why is it necessary to hit people when they'd just rather be left alone?

No, sorry.

When I read your copy, I got the feeling these people were visited by a friend.

Somebody who shared their grief.

An experience I'd just as soon not fear.

George, you didn't have to come back.

Oh, I thought I'd... Oh, I'm just standing by in case you want to hold

available. In case you want the lead story rewritten or clean out the latrine

whatever else I'm required.

You feeling okay?

Oh, you mean if I've lost my grip on the water wagon, huh? You have a keen eye,

Lou. That's why you are where you are.

And why are you where you are tonight?

I have no idea.

Let me take you up a ride home.

Okay.

I'm heading on home. Can I give you a lift, George?

Very kind of you.

You think we can't hit back?

Don't waste your pity, Billy. I'm a long way from being even with this machine.

You think the candy machines are going to be any more cooperative in

I don't see how they can be any worse.

Have you made a decision?

I was hoping I could use today for quiet reflection, balance the pros and cons.

That didn't work out, so I figured I could use this trip to the candy machine

mull things over.

See what happens?

Art, can I say something?

What?

I never give advice about marriages or career decisions.

But I will give you a hug and say that whatever you decide, I'm with you.

It's just that the Sacramento job is very attractive.

On the other hand, you're at the Trib.

Donovan, get your butt in here.

We've got that.

is anticipated within an hour. This is Ken Bruegel freezing in Chatsworth.

That'll be midnight. Great.

The TV news will miss it. I'll have to put on the morning report.

Nobody watches that.

We'll have to go after the individual stories in a hurry if there are any

fatalities. Guess we'll get that assignment.

We'll send a reporter and a photographer to every family until we run out of

people.

Charlie, when did you come back?

Forget something?

Ran my errand and then on my way home I drove by here.

Another sandwich here?

Yeah.

You know, Billy, your story on the students' families is very nice.

It sure is.

You can get more out of that sort of interview than I can.

Thank you.

In this kind of situation, people are just not going to be as candid to a guy.

To a guy?

Are you saying I did well on this story because I'm a woman?

No. No, it's because you're a smart writer.

And because you're patient, sensitive.

In other words, my being a woman is an advantage to me as a reporter.

Is that what you're saying, Rossi? It's not my skill, it's my gender.

Not exactly.

Does it hurt?

Not at all.

First thing I do in an interview is flash a little thigh.

You can't win.

We're so busy knocking each other.

This girl uses her sex, this guy's marriage is in trouble.

It is?

This one's writing is slipping.

Who's drinking, who's cheating, who's quitting the paper.

Who, who? Tell us.

Gossip, gossip, gossip. It stinks.

Very destructive.

The point is, why do we do it?

Because somebody's got to.

I was on the paper of one of those Ohio factory towns. You know, 200 ,000 people

who work hard and love football.

I wrote sports, and I kept pushing for a match between an underrated black

fighter and a local white hope, who I said had no punch.

Well, they finally matched him, and the white hope got KO'd.

I went down to his dressing room after the fight, and he knocked me clear over

training table.

Turned out he had a pretty good point after all. I hope you ran a retraction.

City desk, yeah.

What?

They're through. The rescue team got through.

They're starting to bring out people, including the dead. How many dead?

Two. Two dead.

The injured are coming out first. They're sliding them out on sleds.

Rosenthal, have you got the names of the dead workers?

Well, we've got to have them.

Keep this line open. We're on deadline.

Rossi, stay on.

Ted, we'll get fire and rescue.

Ryerson, get all you can from police speed and feed it to Rossi. Rossi, put a

new lead on your right through. You mean a right through with my right through?

I want everyone giving whatever they get to Rossi. In fact, I want the whole

story for our second home addition.

All of it.

And our deadline is now.

One guy is out. They're carrying him to an ambulance.

It's hot today, Dave.

Say, Catherine, we've got a reporter and a photographer waiting for him.

Fletcher going in for the next worker.

We're going to have to lock up soon.

Let's give it five more minutes.

Bossy!

Mr. Grant?

Andrew, please call me Lou.

I've been meaning to tell you this ever since you started, but I never got the

chance.

How did the day compare with your average day?

Typical.

Nah. They're selling this wild.

Well, it was fantastic.

I mean, I just loved it. You know, if I thought working on a newspaper was this

exciting, I might forget about TV.

Well, give it some thought, Andrew.

Good night.

Good night, Lou. Good night, Art. Good night, Andrew.

Good night, Lou.

Wait a minute, Art. I'll walk with you.

Someday, huh?

Yeah.

Look, Art, if you've been offered a job as city editor on a good paper, I'd

never stand in your way.

But I think you're too good a newspaper man to end up in political PR.

Maybe I'm not the easiest guy to work with all the time.

But if I came in tomorrow and you weren't here, I'd feel rotten.

I know that's as close to a compliment as you'll ever get, Lou.

Okay, I'll get closer.

You're a good man, Donovan.

In fact, you could be city editor of this newspaper.

Really? Well, let's say right after I leave.

Well, I appreciate your saying that, but I decided to stay two hours ago.

I'll see you in the morning.

Hey, who gets to sleep in?

Who's the city editor?

Stocks are high, but what happens when the dividends spell death?

Find out on the critically acclaimed Law & Order tonight.

Now, a cop's career hangs in the balance when he thinks alcohol is the answer to

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On Police Story, next on AMA.