Original subtitles

This is Rita, your talk show lady. And this week we're broadcasting from the

window of Racer's department store.

So you can see me, and I can see you.

We would be even closer, I swear to you. But my boss says, Rita, don't get too

personal. Rita, don't make it a love affair.

And you know bosses.

So if we don't seem as close from now on, blame him.

Please remember that. You and I, we're night people.

I want it to be meaningful.

I want it to be sensual.

Watson, listen, I'm telling you.

You're in trouble, and all you got on your mind is it brought.

You either got her on the radio or on that recorder. Here's your trip sheet.

Now, shape up.

You up your take, or I got to drop you, and don't tell me about your sister.

I can't put her on your dolly sheet.

I got somebody over me.

Come on down tomorrow.

They sell good, and they sell cheap.

You're on the air.

Rita, I got...

My boss makes passes. It's all in the game.

Well, you heard the girl. You tell me about your boss.

The lines are open.

And while we're thinking, a little night music.

Hi, babe.

So I dropped by to see how you were managing.

Well, thanks. For a while there, I was afraid we weren't going to find an

You always do.

Okay, Mr. Station Manager.

How about more money?

What?

I've always been good to you.

Be better.

I'd love to.

This is Rita, and you're on the air.

I just want to say that you're right.

Bosses.

I know how they are.

Mine is worse.

Believe me.

He's hanging over me now.

In person. But you just have to live with it.

And try to work it out.

We'll do it together.

Yes. It's like you always say.

Only the little people care.

We should stick together.

And he has no right to keep you from us.

The way you say.

That's it.

You and me and all the night people sticking together.

Oh, let's do something. Hear me out there. We have had our fill.

We shall rise up now.

Let's go.

Action, action.

Stamp out lousy bosses.

Do it. Somebody out there, help, please.

Where are you anyway? My heroes, all my night people.

Did I tell you that my other problem is, uh...

He digs me.

Bradford is my boss. Fact of life. He holds the old economic fingers on my

economic throat.

You out there, the little people, the night people, it's time to rise up and

take action.

Stuart Bradford, male, Caucasian, age 42, manages radio station WWRK. They're

doing a remote from races all week.

Any witnesses?

No, sir. Nobody that actually saw anything.

How about the lady with the microphone?

Just recall, I was wondering if you could actually... If there's one thing

police are good at, it's arriving after the damage is done.

Oh.

Mr. Bradford have any problems, you know, business, personal?

We weren't that close.

Do you have any idea why he was shot?

Why? Because the streets of New York aren't safe anymore.

Because you're in here grilling me instead of out there catching these

Now, if there's nothing else, Lieutenant... Not for the moment.

There isn't one decent job in here.

This is Rita. You're on the air. Don't you get enough of her?

Hour after hour.

I'm your sister.

She's nothing to you. You think she is.

She's nothing to you.

You listen to her like she's your guy.

You have to record her voice.

He tells me who I can take pot shots at and who I have to be careful with. You

out there, the little people, the night people, it's time to rise up and take

action now.

Sabros, Rizzo, everybody get in here.

All right, what do you got?

Talk to Brad Fitzroy. He only had one bite, gambling.

So I checked with his bookie, nothing heavy.

You check ballistics?

Yeah, Lieutenant.

The weapon was a .25 caliber automatic.

Well, what do we got here now?

We got a victim.

We didn't owe any money.

We didn't play around.

And a victim who wasn't robbed.

Maybe Bradford can help us ID him. The hospital called and they told us to let

us know when he's able to talk.

Very good.

Go, Jack.

Yeah.

When?

Right back here.

Bradford just went into a coma.

I was just on my way out.

I do not want you to think that I am in the habit of letting guys just walk in

off the street. I will make this one exception in your case. My mother did.

Guys came.

Guys went.

You're a talker, huh, baby?

I could have tried to stop it.

Should have.

I could have screamed.

That would have shook him up a bit.

The kid's screaming.

Keep talking, Judy.

She didn't want me to stop.

I should have tried.

But I didn't.

Just like nobody's trying to stop me.

But they should.

I'll tell you something.

If it wasn't for wives, you wouldn't have prostitutes.

It's understood.

Ever tried talking to the gal?

Ever seen...

They're

only good if you work at it.

Both of you.

Okay.

So you hung up on me.

But don't hang up on yourself.

Maybe she is a bad lady.

Maybe not.

You won't ever know until you take her hand and say, I'm in trouble.

One of her customers, Murray Talbot.

Except Steve, come on.

You want me to check this out?

You got it put under me? Yeah, she was shot.

One time.

Probably a small caliber weapon. How long ago?

Probably within the last hour.

Talbot, I'm Lieutenant Kojak.

Lieutenant Kojak.

I get in trouble? Well, I hope not.

Just tell me what you did.

What?

Well, I mean, you walked in.

Was she alive?

No. How do you know?

I touched her.

She was just laying there.

And that woman kept chattering.

What woman?

The woman on the radio.

She was talking about prostitutes then, too.

Why don't you shut it off?

No.

Thank you, Mr. Talbot. I mean, you've been a great help.

My lips are sealed.

Just go downtown and give a statement.

Cracker?

Yeah. Now, see what the street people are talking about.

Even hookers die for a reason.

Uh, substance.

Muscovites? I'll take care of it.

This is Rita, and you're on the air.

What you've been saying is true.

I only wish the cops would open their eyes and listen to us crying out. And

that we care.

You see, most... Most women are... Well... I can't hear what most

women are.

They're so... Bad.

But... I... I want you to know about... About a relationship

that exists.

That is special.

Between you and me.

That allows me to solve all mutual problems.

Bobby, I love you, but if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times,

don't mess with the merchandise.

Stella, I love you.

Oh, now that's cute. It's Marie when you're ordering beer, but it's Miss

when you're making eyes at my daughter. Bobby, my mother thinks that every young

man that looks at me wants to become my lover.

Uh -uh, uh -uh, don't say it. Oh, Mom, please.

You're a dear lady, but you're so wrong about so many things. Oh, sure I am.

Right? Of course, Mama.

Now, remember, dear, over the steam table, that's it. It'll do wonders for

your...

See what I mean?

He's up there again.

He's ordering food.

He's ordering all right, but it ain't food.

Well, a cop is a cop. Besides that, your husband was a cop. Sure he was a cop.

And I loved him.

And it hurt too much.

So please, Theo, keep your guys away from my girls, okay?

Oh, come on, Ma. Cool it, will you?

You see that? You send them to college, they come up with complex words like

cool it.

That was words like, move it.

Now, come on, dear. There's a big order out in the kitchen, okay?

Speed is not a strong point.

How about not to beat on you too much, okay? And that wasn't so hard walking. I

was telling her she's too young to get involved with any man.

Especially a cop.

Nice to see you got around to the food.

Don't be afraid when you come in here, huh?

Keep your eyes down.

I want to enjoy my beer in peace.

where the cops of Manhattan South come, you know, to relax in between shifts.

You wanted to see me?

Yes, you're a little early.

You could have waited in my office.

Too cheap to pop for a beer?

You know, you get a big mouth even when you're up here.

You deserve that.

Marie, bring a beer.

Please, sit down.

Your friend hit me with a zinger just now. Why?

Because I work you guys over when I think you deserve it? No.

Maybe because you're a psychiatrist without a couch.

You know, pumping up big people in order to pump up the ratings.

I go for ratings.

And you aim for promotions.

No, I give a service.

What the hell do you think I do?

Most of those callers who can't afford a visit to their friendly neighborhood

rip -off analyst turn to me.

I let them blow off steam with me.

What is wrong with that, and what the hell did you want to see me about?

Do you ever listen to them?

I mean, do you ever really listen?

Who are the talkers?

And who are the doers?

And do you really care?

Talk about unlicensed psychiatry.

Sit down.

I want you to tone it down until we find out what's going on.

Tone it down?

Mm -hmm.

There was a hooker shot to death tonight.

What did that got to do with me? Nothing.

But her radio was tuned to your program.

And you were talking about the evils of prostitution.

Dottie, tomorrow night there'll be a man outside your window.

One of mine.

And you can go now.

Cracker!

Put a man on the window tonight.

Right.

What a kick. My own bodyguard.

Hey, folks.

Don't mind the office. Officer Fusari.

You had to have a name like Fusari, didn't you?

Officer Fusari, standing there protecting me from real life. Hey,

you married?

Engaged. Oh, you're so cute.

The lines are open.

Look at this guy.

Lawson.

Okay.

Okay, Lawson, baby.

It is Rita. You're on the air.

I understand how it feels to have that officer there all the time.

It's like being a prisoner. Folks. First, a call from the slammer.

You know, there are all kinds of prisons.

But with your help, I'll be okay now.

What kind of prison is yours?

Empty. And your warden? My sister.

A sister?

A sister for a keeper.

You're all that keeps me going.

No one will come between us.

I can strike out for a purpose now.

It's also straight in my head.

How does that sound?

Sick.

This is Lieutenant Kojak, Manhattan South. I want an emergency trace on a

coming into radio station WWRK right now.

I want them all out now. The men in blue, the lieutenant, and any cover. You

know, Mrs.

McCall, we want to thank you very much for coming over. It saves us the trouble

of going to the FCC.

I'm not getting through.

I just found out that you are tapping my lines. You can't do that.

If word gets around that calling me can get the police to run you down, you are

intimidating a whole audience.

You are depriving them of their freedom of speech.

Mrs. McCall, you have a mouth.

What? Close it.

We're trying to catch a killer.

We think he might be one of your callers. Oh, I'm sorry.

We're not sure, but we don't know where else to start.

Now, if you want to cooperate, fine. If not, get out.

I don't want to have to call the commissioner, Captain.

Miss McCall, you already did call the commissioner. I mean, we know it. You

it. And we also know what the commissioner said to you. And the

same thing. Quote, goodbye.

Night, people.

You ought to hear something.

You ought to suspend belief.

The police are actually trying to tie this show in with the shooting of my

Can you believe it?

I'll leave it to you.

What's the problem in this city? Me?

The lines are open.

This is Rita.

Something ought to be done.

That's the voice.

That's the sick one. Be my guest.

This is 732.

We'll meet sector car at 23rd Street and 8th Avenue.

Phone booth.

The lines are still open.

We have about an hour before we call it a night.

A little reader music.

The lines are open.

Oh, it's the changing of the guard, folks.

Visari has to leave.

Oh, good night, Visari. You're real cute.

Bye. Want to have a little goodbye to Visari music?

Officer, if you'd sorry.

Neil. 24 years old, Frank.

Found this shell.

Looks like a .25 caliber.

I feel responsible in trying to build a case out of bubblegum. Why is this

happening? Come on, you night people.

Someone out there help me to get the fathers to tilt their swords at the

murderers, rapists, thieves.

Instead of pushing to hang it on to a gal just trying to do her job.

Lawson, what are you doing back here now?

Listen, I don't know what you've been doing, but it ain't up in your take, so

got the word. This is your last week. They're laying you off.

Get a chance, look around, okay?

I'm sorry.

I want you to listen to the voice this guy's been calling you.

Go ahead.

And threw the guy out.

It made me feel good.

Now, that's from a call that was made several nights ago.

Now, this is from a call that was made the night Bradford was shot.

I know how they are.

They don't sound alike.

You can put hot potatoes in your mouth. You can't fool a voice printer.

Okay, Lieutenant.

He was nothing.

He had no reason to live.

He had no reason to die.

But now he's got one.

And you gave it to him every time you opened your mouth.

But you admit you aren't sure there's any connection.

Kojak.

Here.

Okay, I'll tell her.

What is it?

Bradford just died.

Lieutenant, can I see you, please?

Yeah.

I located Officer Puzari's father. You said you wanted to talk to him. He's on

the phone.

Lieutenant Kojak.

Yes, sir.

What can I say? I know your boy, yes.

Not very well.

But I guess I know them all.

I do, sir.

Yeah, I... I would really like to come out and... Come out there and we'll

okay?

All right, Mr. Fusari.

to be elsewhere.

Uh, Lieutenant.

I gotta catch the assistant PA downtown.

How long since I asked you to check the prints from the phone booth in Queens?

They're on your desk, Lieutenant.

What's the matter? We don't talk anymore? You never heard of call your

It was a make.

The prints match.

Stavros. I gotta catch this guy before he leaves this office. Will you shut up?

We apologize for yelling at you.

Stavros. You let him make up before he kills you.

Lieutenant, I knew if you're sorry.

But even if I didn't know him, I don't know why he died either.

Remember me?

Sun is up, but it's my bedtime.

We were talking.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to have a drink.

Oh, thank you. I think I will.

Sleeps all day, works all night.

And I thought only gorillas like me stood up all night.

Some people work at night in order to avoid relationships.

Okay.

There were a couple of romances, yes.

All bad, yes. Mostly my fault, yes.

They wanted a relationship.

And what do you want?

What I want is to anchor a national primetime news show with world -famous

politicians and celebrities fighting to get on just to be exposed to the

millions who listen to me.

And when the president talks to the people, I want to be there with him at

fireside. And when the first spaceship takes its passengers to the outer limits

of our galaxy, I want...

To be chosen by unanimous acclaim, the first and only correspondent, along with

all of those highly qualified scientists.

That's what I want.

And I'm not going to do any of those things.

And I'll never make police commissioner.

Rita, do me a favor.

Lay off those hot issues, okay?

You do think that young officer was killed because of my show?

Well, what else is happening out there on those godforsaken streets that you

think you can dump on me? What else?

Well, I'll tell you what else.

There was that working girl, your own station manager in Fusario, killed by a

.25 caliber automatic.

Now, you want to cry, cry.

You've been wrapped up in that warm cocoon of yours a little too long,

behind that microphone, saying all kinds of naughty things, and not even having

to wash your mouth out with soap.

And you still remain uninvolved. Now, you listen. You may not be responsible

those people getting killed, but then again, maybe you are. So you let that

in, lady, and let it hurt.

Oh.

I thought you came here to apologize.

And tomorrow I've got to go see Fusari's father and tell him exactly how it

happened. It's a lousy trick to pull. But tonight, you're going to help us

the killer.

It won't be your bait.

All right.

I'll tell that to Officer Fuseri's father.

Tell me what is not ticking.

What is off? You think he's going to come to the party?

The lines are open.

And I've got company again.

Only this time I've been promoted.

They've sent the local head honcho down to babysit.

But he's not drinking coffee or taking a nap.

He's thinking about making a pass.

No kidding.

Those eyes. I can tell.

So where is my soft voice, huh? My avenging hero.

Hey, you said you understand.

What are you, just talk?

I am crying out in the night.

They are all over me. They are knocking me out of the business, these cops.

This is Rita. You're on the air.

I'm a businessman, and I'm lonely.

You know what I do when I'm lonely?

Go off by myself.

No kidding.

Crowded place.

Ballpark with all those thousands of people and nobody saying a word to me.

Oh, forget it.

The street's moving.

Sit on a bench. The front door.

Someone will sit down.

Say hi.

Lonely for one reason.

Close it.

The bars are closed.

I guess you had to quit early again. What with the weather?

What is it? You in trouble again?

Try to take the horn down more.

Get that lousy hack out of here!

There are all kinds of prisons.

Hack.

He's saying hack.

That's a cabbie.

Now, one of the calls was spread all over town.

Hammer and pizza.

Two guys having an argument at that phone booth here last night.

Two guys having an argument in that phone booth every night. What do you

Oh, that's something serious.

You'll give me a straight answer, huh? About three years.

What's this about?

That's an improvement.

There was one guy in the phone booth and another guy trying to get his car out.

There's no trouble.

I just want to talk to the guy in the phone booth.

Rectangle cab. The name of him, Ross.

They do that with that phone booth every night.

My parking place!

I get spit on!

Live here with somebody?

Yes, my brother.

Where is he?

He... he went out.

Where?

To see a girl.

What girl?

That one.

The one on the radio.

Stop, Ross.

Put out an alarm for Terry Lawson.

Your rectangle cab will fill you in.

I'm going over to Rita McCall's apartment. Call her.

Tell her to stay put.

Hello?

What do you want?

You called out to me tonight.

Like I called out to you so many times.

Ignore the rules.

No personal contact.

FCC regs.

Police.

All over.

I loved you.

I never met you, but I loved you just the same.

I thought you wanted me.

Okay, you want to talk?

So, uh, we'll break the rules. What the hell?

Why don't you sit down?

Last night.

And then you took it away.

I wanted to do some good.

I just wanted to do some good.

I just wanted to do some good.

I just wanted to do some good.

That's it.

Daytime only. If they don't like it, I'll get another job.

We'll make a deal.

You stay on your job and I'll stay on mine and I'll meet you at Stella's at 3

.m.

Those poor people.

I misled them.

You know, some people learn the hard way, Rita.

You, well, you just go a little too far sometimes.

You remember that and you'll be okay.

Good night, Lady Rita.

With you again.

And holding on to each other.

Hey, I'm in here and you're out there, but we're very much together.

And much closer from now on.

Because something happened to me.

I want to tell you, I knew what it was to be lonely tonight.

And afraid.

How about you?

Are you lonely?

The lines are open. Rita wants to hear from the loneliest tonight.

The tearjerkers.

I've got a great idea for a contest.

Starting next week and for the rest of the month, the name of the contest is

Cops I Have Known.