Original subtitles

was asking for you. She wants to know how come she hasn't seen you anymore in

the deli. Oh, yeah?

Well, next time you see her, tell her I'm on Fizzlek with a gorilla.

Come on. She ain't that bad.

Ah. Oh, that's poor. I told her lean.

No, no. It's not the corned beef sandwich.

Everything I eat tastes like old towel rolls, you know? These last couple of

weeks, my stomach feels like something crawled in it and died.

Why don't you drop by this weekend? Some of Ellen's cookie will unclog your

plumbing. Ah, Eddie. Thanks. I'd like to, but...

that police it's gonna be 20 grand in there maybe more come on he may be on

way to an all -night laundry with some dirty shorts you stay loose benny been

this case for six weeks he burns us now kojak's gonna bust our chops

You all right?

Yeah, yeah.

What are you doing?

I was going to call in for backup.

Man, there ain't but two of them in there. And Arnie Fleischman's a

cream puff. Now, come on, cover the back, will you? Now, wait a minute.

How can you be sure there's only two of them inside?

Because Arnie's dealing with Sally DeChica. And Sally don't like crowds

when a balloon's a flint. Now, go on. Be a good boy and get the alley. Will you?

We sit around there flopping our gums any longer. This gig will miss the first

edition.

Do me a favor.

Give us 60 seconds and go ahead in.

One of the most decorated offices in your district, Captain. Would you

characterize the death of Detective Ryan as an irreplaceable loss?

Well, Miss Ween, I consider the loss of any of my offices irreplaceable.

Lieutenant, look at this. It's a shotgun. No way we're going to trace

What kind of blow have you used? Number five shot. You saw the body at ten feet

of blowhole right through that wall.

Look at these arms from the back alley. Three slugs, all from a .38, all in a

cluster. In a cluster?

Soft asphalt.

The radius of it may be two and a half feet.

Who is this man?

Come on, Prince. That's a dead cop. Not yesterday's garbage.

They weren't fat, Lieutenant. You can see for yourself they flattened at

Zip it.

Zip it. Right at the ground.

I fall for you. It's all my fault. That's your stuff. You should have

the horse, Marine.

A layout like this with no backup.

Well, Eddie said... Eddie said 19 years on the force. You needed his permission

to go to the can?

Oh, come on, Bill. Come on where?

I'm sick and tired of going to inspectors' funerals. Oh, what are you

You think I wouldn't have sped you this if I could?

Okay.

Come on, play it back for me.

Well, like you know, for the past six months, we've been investigating this

counterfeit lottery ticket operation.

We knew that Fleischman was marketing the queer, but we couldn't firm it up,

without plugging him into the outfit that's merchandising the stuff. Anyway,

grapevine says that it's the Chico.

But go and prove it. Yeah, sure. Tell me about it.

The Chico's out on parole.

He's seen picking his nose in public. He goes into the slam for good.

Yeah, well, anyway, we plant on Fleischman thinking sooner or later he's

to lead us to the man.

Well, six times he shakes us, but not tonight. Tonight we got lucky.

Yeah, sure.

Tonight we all got lucky.

Hey, look, you wasted three rounds.

Three rounds.

And you blew away the alley. How come?

What do you mean, how come? It was dark. Everything happened so fast.

So fast. How come you didn't blow your legs off?

All right, what is it? I tossed the garage, Lieutenant.

And what you see is what we got.

Printing press, counterfeit plates, ink, paper, a couple of boxes full of phony

lottery tickets.

No cash, no receipts, nothing. All right, you get the uniform for us. Lock

the premises, you understand? Put a man on the door. Find out who the owner of

the property is. And let's see if there is one.

Oh, and what's Arnie Fleischman's address?

Uh, Elsinore Apartments, 437 West 54th Street. You got that?

Yeah. I want this Fleischman. He's probably split already. Put out an

Okay, Lieutenant.

And what's the number on the cab?

Uh, 652 -T1. But how the hell can he testify?

I mean, all he can say is that he dropped the fare off.

Fleischman waited until the cab took off before he went inside.

And the chicker was already here? Yeah, well, sure.

Yeah, well, sure what?

I mean, did you see him?

No, but in the alley. In the alley. In the alley you couldn't see anything.

In the alley it was so dark you couldn't find your mouth with a fight on a

pizza.

Come on. Let's do some business.

Where do you think you're going? Where do you think I'm going? I'm going to

interview a cop killer.

I wanted to call up a backup team, but he wanted to make the first decision.

Don't worry about it.

He did.

It's the heat.

You're so obvious. Must be those tacky threads. We gotta do something about

changing your image.

I just thought I'd invite myself in, okay? Why stand on ceremony?

When all the acquaintances get together, who needs the formality of a warrant?

Well, look at this.

All this amazement. This mute surprise.

Why in the world would a lieutenant of detectives come calling at such an

unearthly hour? What do you say, Kojak?

Lieutenant Kojak.

You cockroach.

Well.

As I live and breathe.

Warren G. Harding.

The name is Gant, Lieutenant.

I believe we've met before.

Of course we have, Counselor. I book him and you bail him. Between us, we make a

great revolving door.

And last but not least,

this cluster of debutantes.

Hey, look, Dieter, I'm sorry I missed your coming -out party. I hear you were

crowned Miss Silicon.

Is that right?

Hey, Kojak, did you come here to break in a nightclub act, or was there

something special you wanted?

Hey, Counselor, you tell your client to have his mouth behave, or he's a prime

candidate for a get -well card.

Threaten me.

You heard that? He threatened me.

Greeks, they don't threaten.

They utter prophecies.

Naturally, Lieutenant.

Mr. DiCicco desires to cooperate.

But would I get to the point?

The point is, Counselor, one of my detectives, Eddie Ryan, does that name

any chimes? Captain Midnight, the darling of the Daily News.

Oh, that she can read, too. And that's right.

And he went from page one to the obituary columns, and I was wondering if

could tell us how that happened.

That don't sound like no brain stumper to me. I'd say that Ryan must be dead.

You think?

You know he was dead. Hold it.

Crud. How could I know a thing like that?

Because at 117 in the West Village, Artie Fleischman was present when you

a load of number five into Eddie Ryan's gut.

At 117 a .m., I was going down double, redoubled, and highly vulnerable than a

six, no trump.

And so say you are, eh?

Lieutenant, would you be kind enough to explain to me the basis for this

preposterous allegation?

Well, there are two alternatives, Counselor. I know Artie Fleischman

it. I mean, with no prize before.

What can he get on a counterfeiting map? Zip the five?

In other words, he wasn't motivated, Counselor.

And, uh, Mr. DiCicco has a motivation?

A two -time loser?

Parolee? If he goes up again, he gets life plus ten.

Motivated? He'd wipe out an entire precinct.

You're shadowboxing, Kojak.

If you could tie me to the lottery action, you'd have pulled me in.

If you could make me on Orion hit, I'd be wearing bracelets.

Let's face it, you got nothing.

You forget one thing, Goomba.

Lottie Fleischman put you at the scene of the murder.

He put you there with a gun in your hand.

Is he gonna sing?

He's gonna wobble like a speed freak nightingale.

To Chico residence.

Just a minute.

It's for you, Lieutenant.

Lieutenant, I just left Fleishman's pad.

Missing will have five minutes.

The alarm's out already, but don't hold your breath.

The super study took off like a man who's five years behind on his alimony.

So that's it. The little spot.

I'm afraid so.

The biopsy we took last week confirms it.

You don't have to walk on eggshells, doctor.

I get the feeling that you're spending my time.

Do you want it straight?

I don't want it at all.

I'd give anything for a ten -foot pole I didn't have to touch it with.

It's the big casino, isn't it?

Advanced stomach cancer.

Malignant.

and inoperable.

I figured I... I had like a bleeding ulcer.

I didn't think it was anything that was going to kill me.

Under optimum conditions, nine, ten months, maybe a year.

I can, of course, recommend certain diets, prescribe medication

to alleviate the pain, the nausea.

What kind of work do you do, Mr. Fiore?

What kind of work do you do?

Oh, I'm a... I'm a social worker.

Unless we find out different, we're gonna figure that Fleischman's holed up

this burrow someplace.

Well, I want him.

I want him alive, and I want him now. What about the Chico? 24 -hour

surveillance. I don't think of him to do anything stupid. We'll stay on top of

him, just in case. And Crocker, get up a list of Sully's best -known associates.

Let's see, he's been away on that farm for 11 months?

He came in contact with new faces, didn't he?

Shook a few new hands.

Stavros. Yes, sir. Check with the DA.

How many prosecutions, a connection with the lottery operation.

Every name on that list I want. You got it. Not enough.

I want them to pick up the tab for a change.

I want them to know that we don't come cheap. And how are we going to do that?

Pressure. You're going to pressure every pimp, every shylock, every bookie,

every foot soldier, every hitman, every streetwalker. They sneeze in the subway,

bust their chops.

If they ask you for the time of day, you lock them up. Let the word go out loud

and clear.

That's the way it's going to be until Eddie Ryan's killer's in the tombs.

Don't forget to read them the rights.

I would have been here sooner, Alan, only I... It's all right, Ben.

Theo was over.

Oh, Theo was over.

I guess he's got it down to a science, another death, another callous reasoning

for... Come on in the kitchen.

I have some fresh coffee cooking.

Oh, no, no, no.

No coffee for me.

No? No, I work too hard getting this buzz on.

Oh, I thought you'd like to have this for the scrapbook.

Eddie did good. He made front page.

Slops over 17.

Photographs and all.

It was always hard copy.

He's gone, Ellen.

I can't believe it.

I can't believe Eddie won't be with us anymore.

I can't believe we'll never see Eddie around here anymore.

I know.

I know.

Hey, that's a lot of peaches.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I was putting up some preserves.

I was doing it when the call came, so... I don't know, what do you do with 40

pounds of peaches?

All I ever had was love for him, you know that.

You know, when I was a kid, people would ask me, what do you want to be when you

grow up?

Well, I wanted to be like Eddie Ryan, honest to God.

Honest to God.

I, uh... I was going to a closet. I was looking for something to bury

him in.

You know, he didn't have anything that you could really call a suit.

You can't lay him out in rhinestones and recycled blue jeans, can

I?

Then he'd look like David Bowie. Why not?

I mean, Eddie would dig that. Can you see the commissioner's face?

Does it hurt so much?

Oh, gung -ho Eddie.

Fast Eddie.

Crazy Eddie.

He'll get you killed, they said to me.

Get me killed.

I mean, every time there was a door to go through, he was the first one to go

through it, laughing at death.

Like God had a bulletproof vest around him.

What am I going to do, Ellen?

What you've always done.

Hang tough?

Is that what you're going to do? Hang tough?

All the nights that we robbed you of.

All the Sunday picnics.

Not you, Ben.

You never robbed me of anything.

Weren't you ever lonely?

Were you?

for all those girls that you could have had.

I remember a movie once where Clark Gable was a test

pilot.

And he was married to Myrna Loy.

And then there was Spence.

Good old Spencer Tracy.

And I've used you.

Can you ever forgive me for that?

Ellen, don't ever think that.

Spence was very happy.

Was he?

Sure he was.

Just being around Myrna meant the world and all to him.

Tell the truth.

Right on!

You all right?

What's the gag?

What's the gag? You told me you wanted me to change my image.

Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.

So if I ask you to lose some weight, what do you do? Cut off your left arm?

You're three hours late and you show up looking like Zsa Zsa Gabor's Christmas

tree. Oh, yeah, well, I had something I had to do.

Like what?

Make up a breakfast tour of the West Side Sokols?

Sit down, will you, before I get you some Dramamine?

Saperstein? Yeah?

Bring two cups of black coffee. Right.

What are you trying to prove, Ben?

And what are you doing?

Auditioning for Ryan Spud as resident leading man?

Oh, come on, Theo.

I'll be damned.

You are.

Yeah. What is that?

What is that? Here, drink the coffee.

Benny, I'm going to tell you something I never told anyone.

Eddie Ryan, he wasn't my kind of a cop.

My kind of a cop is a guy like you.

I'm not kidding.

Oh, yeah, every department needs its authentic folk hero.

And as a PR man, Ryan got us a lot of good press.

And that's why I tolerated his offhanded tactics, his total disregard for

regulations, his sloppy investigative procedures.

Hey, I wouldn't care if he had press clippings from here to Passaic.

I would have flopped him years ago, Benny, if it wasn't for you.

Are you listening?

It was you who made Eddie Ryan shine so bright.

Good old Ben Fiore digging up the evidence, making sure that it would hold

court.

Hey, Benny, if it wasn't for you, Eddie Ryan would have had as much razzle

dazzle as a wet firecracker.

Is that what you think?

Is that what you think Eddie Ryan was like?

A grandstander?

Well, let me tell you something.

Eddie Ryan had more guts than anybody on the island.

What do you think got him killed?

Dumb got him killed.

Dead is not guts.

Dead is dumb.

You're the lieutenant.

That's right.

I'm the lieutenant.

And what I don't need right now is the second coming of Eddie Ryan.

What I need is Ryan's killer.

Well, that's what I want to tell you, Theo. I'm going to hand him to you.

I'm going to hand him to you on a platter. Thanks, Ben.

With an apple in his mouth, right?

No?

Would you want a satisfaction?

What I want is justice.

What do you mean by that?

You want me to deal it to you straight?

Hey, Benny, you're all bits and pieces.

And I got a very important case here. And I can't have it blown because your

head ain't on straight.

But tomorrow I'm putting you on the charts and teaming you up with armors.

No!

You can't do this to me, Theo.

I'll go to McNeil. I'll tell McNeil.

Go.

He's going to tell you the same thing I just did.

That's the way it is.

Or go on vacation.

Lieutenant, the list of the Chico's and Fleischman's known associates.

Lieutenant, this is Inez Wilder. I'm okay.

I'm calling for Artie Fleischman.

I don't know, but he wants me to tell you he wants to deal.

Artie's okay, you know.

Mm -hmm. And if he was Catholic, he'd be first in line for sainthood. Come on,

Kojak. Don't dump on him like that.

He's got good qualities.

Ethics, you know. Like killing, he don't go for men.

Would you stop trying to razzle -dazzle me? He's in a hot box. We're looking for

him. Every crook in the world is turning doorknobs looking for him. And even the

Chico's torpedoes are out on a seek and destroy.

No, no, he's gonna get clobbered whichever way he turns.

Okay. Maybe he's a little twitchy, but he ain't caving yet, man.

He wants to plead bargain, you know? And what's he got for collateral?

You know. He was there, Kojak.

Okay.

If he can cop to the counterfeit rep and take immunity on the homicide, he'll

finger the Iceman.

But he wants the guarantee delivered personal by an assistant DA.

You got the hook for that, pussycat?

Who loves you, baby?

Okay.

Three o 'clock, I'll phone you.

The deal's on. We set up another meet, okay?

like looking for a snowflake in a blizzard.

You know, if there's anything to tell you, did she go to that garage? Well, I

can't find it.

What about his known associates?

I mean, maybe one of them is fronting for him.

Outside. Yeah, well.

Till death do us part, I never expected.

But cooperation is free decor.

All right, what started it?

We're incompatible.

Incompatible? Would you believe that they're incompatible, Mac?

And now that we know that's started, what does this belong to?

What do you mean? My man, Mac.

You made your face look like a subway accident.

Help me.

Come up here.

Except for Inez Wilde, I want you to hold all calls, right?

Okay, Lieutenant.

Sit down.

Saturday night.

And I thought Ryan was dumb. A rookie cop coming out of the academy knows

possession of an unauthorized weapon is immediate grounds for complaint.

It's a throwaway piece, Lieutenant. You know that. A plant, you.

Why not?

What do I care? I'm going downslope and I'm coasting.

In a couple of years, I'll get a pension.

What do you think, I'm the first cop that ever carried an extra piece?

You're chasing a suspect.

You have every reason to believe that he's armed and dangerous.

All right? Now, you don't want to hit a vital spot, but the bullet doesn't know

that. And what makes it worse, he's dead.

And he's not carrying any heat.

There goes the pension. There goes all my tomorrows.

Look, I'm going to ask you again on the MS.

What are you doing with that piece of pig iron? What the hell are you up to?

I gave you my answer.

Now, look.

You've got six weeks accumulated vacation.

Take it.

What if I refuse?

Do you want me to suspend you?

I thought you'd never ask.

Ben!

What's wrong?

Nobody's perfect.

Neil Kojak, how could you do a thing like that? Do?

Ellen, I had no choice.

Please sit down.

It's not enough that I'm a newly made widow.

I have to take from Ryan's partner his very manhood.

Fourteen years standing in my husband's shadow.

And now that array of sunlight has finally found him.

You snatch it back.

Death is cruel.

But at least death is democratic.

Yeah, well, don't tell me about democratic, Ellen Ryan.

My ancestors invented it. And lost it, too.

Oh, Theo.

Theo, he's blaming himself.

You can see that.

And it's killing him by inches.

You can listen.

You know, you're not the smartest guy on the block.

Somebody once asked T. Lawrence why men go to war.

And you know what he said?

He said because the women are watching.

Ben knows I'm watching, Theo.

Don't look for any shame because I don't have any time for that.

We're talking about a man.

And what's best to be done with what's left.

You love Ben, don't you?

You wouldn't like my answer, whichever way it goes.

Anyhow, my private feelings are not an issue here.

I owe him all those years doing for me, always for me,

and never a complaint, remembering the birthdays

and the anniversaries.

Even when our little Michael died, it was... It was Ben who made the funeral

arrangements. He was ever there, smoothing out the bumps.

I've had two husbands, Theo.

A first team and a backup.

Life has spoiled me, Shirley.

Now you know why you have to reinstate him.

I'm sorry, I... I can't.

What's that?

I call you expecting from a Miss Wilder?

Well, just forget about it.

Who discovered the bodies?

9 -11 got a call, anonymous.

9 -11 runs a tape on all phone calls they get. See if you can't get a copy,

can ID the voice.

Lieutenant. Yeah. Been dead about an hour.

You know, you got a real cheap shop here. What do you mean? One shot per

customer, small caliber.

Waste not one. Now, that Sully's a real conservationist. Hey, Lieutenant, did

Chico do this?

How could he? He's up in his penthouse there playing skin games with the Dolly

sisters. That's one for five on the morning line that he ordered the hit.

you call the squadron.

Get funny. Get every man down here from the charts and bring photos with them.

Sully's down associates.

I want a house to house.

Somebody must have seen the killer entering or leaving.

lousy deal.

19 years on the force.

19 years.

And I've been straight as an arrow.

And where does it get me, huh?

You know what calls me the most many?

They'll never nail that bomb, never in a million years.

And while I'm freezing my keister off in a warehouse as a watchman in Brooklyn,

you'll be riding around in a heated limousine.

But I can spoil that.

Spoil? How?

I want you to get word to Sully.

Tell him that Ben Fiore's coming after him.

You know what you're saying?

A threat like that must have meant my keeping these forever.

They're going to find me before they can waste me.

I got the advantage.

I know where the Chico is.

He's a parolee out on good behavior.

He can't run, he can't walk, he can't hide anywhere.

He could put a hundred cannons on the street looking for me. I still have the

upper hand.

What's the percentage?

So you blew him away, what then?

You're still a flop text cop filling out job applications, right?

He took my partner off.

And he got me busted.

Now something like that ain't on the house, he's gonna pay for it, Manny.

So sell him life insurance.

It's worth a try.

He turns you down.

That's his mistake.

In one hour.

Sully used to call me at this number.

One hour.

We've been over the entire block six times. If anybody saw anything, nobody's

admitting it.

What'd you expect?

Neighborhood like that?

Either they hate cops, they're afraid of reprisals, or they just don't want to

get involved.

What are you doing? You bringing your own lunch now?

It was intended for Fury. Ellen Ryan brought it in. Speaking of which, where

he?

Could have dropped through an open manhole, for all I know.

Crocker, you're a treasure.

Staros, get in here.

What'd I say?

Down the street from the Wilder apartment, some Con Edison equipment,

Lieutenant, there's Con Edison equipment everywhere.

I mean, it's like subway graffiti. I don't see it anymore.

You call all the time? Check with Con Ed. Find out if they had a crew working

the 400 block of B -16 today. And if so, what time they knocked off.

Yes, sir.

Yeah.

Yeah, this is Fury.

Sully? Hey, Paisan.

What's it say here? You want to peddle me some life insurance?

That's the message.

You must be suffering from brain damage.

Wait a minute. Let me get this straight.

I'm supposed to pay you not to hit on me, huh?

Hey, I'm not joking, Sully.

Maybe you'll believe me when they put the pennies over your eyes.

Hey, come on. I don't like that kind of talk. I don't care what you like. You

owe me.

I owe you. How do you figure that I owe you?

Come on, Sully.

Those shots I got off in that back alley, every one of them a miss. Think

it. Listen, I don't know nothing about any back alley.

Then that's too bad.

I'll be killing the wrong man, won't I? Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

I ain't said no, have I?

Let me get this straight. You know I don't know anything about any back

right?

But I heard you got a raw deal and that you're hurting for bread.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll lay off the ponies for a week or so. What are we talking?

25 Gs.

Cash.

Hand -delivered by you. Come on, come on.

We'll meet at Woo Kim's Shanghai Palace, South Bronx.

Your people got a plan on me. How am I going to shake them? That's your

You figure it out.

Okay, okay.

What time?

Judging by my present location, it'll take me at least a half hour to get

Look, just to play it safe, let's say a quarter to five.

He

says

it'll take him about 45 minutes.

I figure it should take you about 20.

Hello? Where are you? I can't hear you.

Well, both Con Edison men made positive ID. They were just knocking off when

Izzy comes flying out of the building, jumps into a bronze Nova and takes off

like a bat. You issue a pickup.

Check with the motor vehicle viewers. See if you can't get a license from the

Chevy Nova and put that on the airwaves.

Izzy Shugrue.

Yeah, it jives.

The price was right. He'd take off the Jolly Green Giant.

Sweatshop. Theo, this is Ellen Ryan.

I'm worried.

Welcome to the club.

No, no, listen to me, Theo. Ben just called.

I don't know, he... Maybe it's my imagination or something, but he sounded

he was saying goodbye.

Where'd he phone from?

That's just it.

I don't know. I couldn't hear him.

Couldn't hear? Why?

That's what I'm saying, Theo. There was a lot of noise, like a train or

something. What do you think, Ellen? Penn Station?

A subway stop? The L?

It sounded like the L. Ellen, let me get back to you, okay?

And don't worry.

The L. But which one? Brooklyn or the Bronx? And what's he up to now?

Sabastien just called in. The Chico's giving him the slip.

Thank you.

Shanghai pilot?

Yeah, I've got that. It's under the air.

They spotted Izzy's car.

Hold on a minute. I've got to go check with John.

Sir!

I'm going to save you a trip, Sally.

Your friend Izzy.

Your friend Dizzy, he checked out.

Cash in his chips.

Go ahead.

Pick it up.

Pick it up!

Pick it up! Pick it up!

Sally,

did you believe...

That for 25 Gs, 50, 100,

100, I would sell out my partner, my shield, my life.

Did you believe that?

You know, Sally, everybody has a price.

Everybody has a price.

But sometimes the price doesn't always mean money, Sally. Isn't that right?

Then what is it? What do you want?

That's what I want!

I had to get you out in the open somehow.

Somehow.

In a situation where there was no surveillance.

Where I could claim self -defense.

You're crazy. You freaked out.

Yeah.

I swear, my mother's eyes, it was self -defense.

When Fury came coming for me, there was nothing else I could do.

Listen, a citizen's got a right to protect himself even from the cops,

Like hell it was self -defense. Fury wasn't even armed.

Get an ambulance.

They'll be bringing him down to intensive care in a few minutes.

While his condition appears stable, it'll be several hours before the

wears off.

Was the operation a successful one or wasn't it?

In that we were able to remove the slug, yes.

Unfortunately, we couldn't do as much for the carcinoma.

You didn't know.

Detective Fiore has advanced stomach cancer.

How long has he got?

Optimistic estimate?

Eight months.

Dirty word and all falls into place, right?

Eight months.

I can squeeze a lot of living into eight months.

I'll make a good deal.

Home is where the heart is.

But when it comes to, uh... What did you miss?