Original subtitles

Stephen? Yes, Harriet.

I think it came off well, don't you?

Indeed I do, sweetheart.

Did you hear how we came out?

No.

Well, the expenses were only about $600 and a little over $3 ,000 for the

orphanage. Wonderful.

I told you a dance would be better than one of those home talent plays.

Nobody cares about them anymore. Of course, the actors do.

You help me with this zipper. It's stuck.

In here.

Stephen, what are you doing?

I'm going to plaster up the vault.

But why?

Because I won't be needing it any longer.

But I thought you said you were expecting some money from Mexico. Some

I lied.

Darling, I don't understand. Why did you go to the trouble of building the vault

and putting the false wall in and...

I had to have some place to hide your body,

sweetheart.

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin Warner Brothers production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbliss Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott, Stephen Brooks, with

guest star James Daly, and special guest star Margaret Leighton.

Tonight's episode, The Chameleon.

The genuine security was produced by the Victoria Banknote Company.

On this one, 50 % of the lines in the seal are not printed.

The knife marks don't match those of the genuine, indicating the use of a

different cutting machine.

The black ink is glossy. On the genuine, a dull ink is used.

The vignette lacks the detailed parented lineation of the genuine instrument.

There are eight other discrepancies.

All significant.

There's only much room for doubt, does it, Vic?

You can presume forgery, Inspector.

$10 ,000.

I hope whoever sent this in can afford the loss.

The question is, can his bank afford it?

He's the executive vice president, and he's holding 99 more of these.

It's security for a cash loan.

A million dollars.

Quinlan? Yes, he's here.

Rhodes, for you.

That's him.

Lou, Harvey Scott called from the Nebraska Exchange Bank. He inquired

general electronics bond he sent.

It's fraudulent.

Wow.

Well, then Scott's afraid that his bank might be the center of quite a fancy

little swindle.

It seems the Nebraska Exchange has financed four new banks in that state

the last few months.

They're all holding the same securities.

Sounds like a pyramid.

Mm -hmm.

He also mentioned Stephen Fitzgerald who might be involved.

Seems he married the widow of the late owner about six months ago and took over

control of the bank.

Oh, Harvey, I'm glad I caught you before you left for the day. Have you got a

minute? Yes, sir, of course.

Come in.

Harvey, one of the General Electronics bonds is missing.

Would you know anything about that?

Yes, sir.

I took it.

I signed a receipt.

You took it?

Why?

Because I think it's a forgery.

I had it sent to the FBI to find out.

Well, that rather reflects on me a bit, doesn't it?

After all, I arranged for that loan. I accepted those bonds.

What are you trying to do to this bank, Mr.

Fitzgerald?

I'm trying to help it grow, Harvey.

With a little imagination, I've expanded one small -town bank into a statewide

chain. And not one of the links is solvent.

Harvey, you know what's wrong with you.

May I be honest?

Progress frightens you, I think. And it shouldn't.

I wish you could have seen what I did with the New England chain. Mr.

Fitzgerald, may I be honest?

I have friends in New England banking circles.

They never heard of you.

Friends? At least they never heard of you under the name of Fitzgerald.

What did you say?

What name were you using in New England? If you were ever there.

I was there.

I don't believe you.

Who are you? The question is, who are you?

I am Stephen Fitzgerald. Are you Stephen Fitzgerald?

And where is your wife? What happened to Harriet?

What did you do to her?

177, nonstop for Washington.

May now be boarded at gate 5. Inspector Erskine? Yeah.

I'm Wayne Hamlin, senior resident agent.

How are you, Hamlin? This is Jim Rhodes. Hello. Hi, Jim.

Inspector, I was able to get five agents from the Omaha office.

They're all accountants. They're here in Greenfield now.

Good. We'll move out to the other branches tomorrow.

We'll find anything here.

You accused him.

Mr. Erskine, I know I shouldn't have said anything, but I couldn't help it.

you had any idea of how I detested that man... Hamlin, get on it fast.

His house, highways, terminals.

Find him and keep him under surveillance until we confirm a charge.

I'll need a picture of him, Mr. Scott.

I don't have one. I've never even seen one. What about newspaper photographs?

He always made me represent the bank publicly.

Said he preferred to remain in the background.

I'll get a description.

Jim, get going with the examination of the books.

There's a case here. We've got to find it before we can touch it. Yes, sir.

You're sure?

Hold on.

Jim, what have you got so far?

Forged notes, cashier's checks issued under fraudulent accounts, all with

Fitzgerald's brand on them.

Hamlin, go ahead with the all points. Looks like just a start.

We've got enough for a warrant.

There won't be any trouble in catching him, will there, Inspector? I mean, with

the FBI after him. Trouble?

Do you realize that Stephen Fitzgerald doesn't even exist, Mr. Scott? And never

did, except for the time he spent in Greenfield? He's an actor playing a

And you can bet your life he's in rehearsal for his next performance right

You'd think, wouldn't you, Inspector, that a man smart enough to become

executive vice president of a bank would be smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

I'm sorry.

Is there anything I can do to help?

There may be.

The FBI maintains an extensive file on confidence men.

Thousands of methods of operation, bits and pieces of evidence, phony newspaper

clippings, theater tickets, toothbrushes.

Lists of aliases. You'll collect that sort of thing on Fitzgerald? We probably

already have from prior complaints, and that's where you can help us, by telling

us everything you know about him. Everything.

And maybe we can match it with a file in Washington, and maybe we can find out

who this man is we're looking for.

One way, Omaha to Delphi.

That's flight 21, gate 11.

Leave that 10 -47.

Have a pleasant trip, Mr. Stevens.

I suggested he had used another name in New England.

And when I asked him point blank who he was, that's when he hit me.

Is that important?

My identity's important to all of us, isn't it?

Did his, um... Did his wife tell you how they met?

It was a very emotional business, apparently.

He told her she looked so much like his first wife that he almost fainted when

he saw her.

And where was this?

At a charity function for the Greenhaven Children's Home, an orphanage.

It's ironic, you know.

Harriet's devotion to charity ultimately led to her death.

Oh, he killed her, Mr. Erskine.

I don't know how, and the police can't prove she's even dead, but he did it.

I know he did it.

And he planned to do it right from the very beginning.

Mrs. Hunter?

Yes?

Louise.

Oh, what is it?

Are you all right? I'm so sorry. Sit down.

Now, you just stay right there, and I'll go and find a doctor.

Oh, no, please, wait.

Like someone you know. Is that it?

My wife.

She died last year.

I'm so sorry.

Miss Hunter, my name is Stevens.

What I really came to see you about.

This.

Will you accept this in memory of my wife? Why, thank you very much, Mr.

Stevens.

Well, that's very, very generous.

Thank you so much.

Well.

Mr. Hunter, please forgive me, but... Is there some way we could meet again?

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm not.

Of course, I understand.

Sorry.

Oh, Mr. Stevens.

You know, there's a time for being proper and a time for being human.

Would you invite me for a cup of coffee at the stand?

Stephen Fitzgerald. All that's left of him. The fraudulent bond you examined,

phony clippings, some canceled checks, one of them a $3 ,000 donation to an

orphanage, and an envelope that once held a plane ticket from Greenfield to

Wayne, Indiana, June 12th.

Oh, he left a complete wardrobe behind where he brought along one outfit to

establish his size. Here's a report, Vic. The M .O. is pretty clear.

Mm -hmm.

That clipping file might give us a mate on this.

And I'll search security's file for a similar forgery.

If this wasn't Fitzgerald's first time out, and it certainly doesn't look like

it was, I'll print up a name for you.

If I can't, Carter Fox can.

She's got a memory that would make a computer turn green with envy.

Hope some of this rings a bell, Carter.

Well, he's no penny -ante shooter, is he? That narrows it down.

Met woman victim.

Married her.

Got control of her money.

Well, there's nothing exclusive there.

Donations to Orphanage.

That's a good come -on.

Wife disappeared.

No trace.

No trace.

Did he do something?

Maybe, maybe.

Let me study this a while, Inspector. I'll get it over to Vic Quinlan. I'll

compare notes with him, and we'll let you know.

Thanks.

What a wonderful evening.

Thank you again.

Where's the moon?

Down.

Down?

I haven't been up as late as this.

Since... Since your husband died?

We had 15 wonderful years.

But everything ends.

Even mourning.

Amy.

You like me.

Yes.

I'm glad.

I'd hate to be married to a woman who didn't like me.

Don't laugh. I mean it.

Before this week is out, I'm going to marry you.

Wasn't too difficult, Inspector.

We hit Peter to not have a dozen crossfires.

He's used the same flipping gag several times.

Used the same securities for you for ten years.

Been to Fort Wayne before, too.

Picked up a book of matches there.

Theater stub picked up a year later.

And you got quite a thing on orphanages.

Found three more checks for big donations.

Three different states.

Three different signatures.

How about the missing wife?

That's happened before, too. Twice that we know of.

That many wives can't stay missing and still be alive.

Meeting his victims at some charity affair for an orphanage. That's a

part of his M .O. That never varies.

Why orphanages?

Well, Vic, you haven't said anything about a true identity.

I was hoping you wouldn't ask.

I can give you a choice of around 20 aliases, beginning with Gerald Fitzroy.

Any pictures?

Hard as conception, that's all.

Wire a photo of this to Omaha. Get an artist to re -interview the people in

Brass Exchange.

Maybe you can improve on it.

Jim, boil down this MO and get it in the wire to all field offices.

Tell them to let us know the minute anything similar turns up. Here we go

Could be six months to a year before he repeats it. And it could be a week.

It's amazing how con men run true to form.

Yeah. Most of them can make a million, legitimately.

They never seem to be willing to settle for what they really are.

Always pretending to be somebody else.

Gives them a...

I don't know, an identity.

Carter, you're an expert. Let me ask you something.

Suppose Fitzgerald literally doesn't know who he is.

The orphanages?

That could be an obsession with him.

Yes, you know, that struck me, too.

It was when his name was challenged that he became violent.

Erskine, I'd like to talk to Mr. Harvey Scott in the Nebraska Exchange Bank in

Greenfield, Nebraska, please.

Fort Wayne, Indiana?

Why, no, Inspector.

He had no reason to go there that I know of.

You're sure you had no banking business there?

Positive.

Did he ever mention an orphanage in Fort Wayne?

Not to me.

Why?

Oh, nothing. Just a thought.

Oh, thanks, Mr. Scott.

Gene, would you get me the first flight to Fort Wayne, Indiana, please? Two

seats.

But why Fort Wayne?

There's a pattern forming.

Orphanages and Fort Wayne.

Two things keep reappearing.

I got a hunch they belong together.

It's quite a long shot.

Aren't most things in our business?

Uh -huh.

Even more than in Fitzgerald's.

Your friends aren't going to believe this.

It's my life.

I can just hear them now.

Married? You don't even know this character.

I know all I need to.

I know that this character's kind and intelligent and gentle.

And rich?

At least I thought so, until I was told I couldn't have a honeymoon.

You'll have your honeymoon as soon as my Mexican money gets in.

I don't know why they don't send you a cashier's check.

It's a matter of taxes, Amy.

You see, the money comes across the Mexican border in cash as straight

Then I invest it, build it up, and declare the returns.

That way I wind up with more, and so does Uncle Sam.

But isn't it dangerous?

Having all that cash around?

I mean, what do you do with it if you can't put it in the bank?

I'll show you when we get home.

I'd have thought a potential millionaire could afford a carpenter.

You don't like my work?

I think it's beautiful.

I had no idea you were so talented.

I'll never stop bragging.

No, Amy.

Nobody must know about this vault but you and me. Just us. It's too dangerous.

Promise? Of course.

John?

Are you really happy?

There's only one thing that could make me happier.

To have you all to myself.

Alone.

Forever.

I'm going to do it, too.

There's a place I know in Hawaii.

High above the ocean.

We'll build our home there.

You've sold me.

But what about my business property here?

Sell it.

Who do you love? Your business property or me?

You.

Always and forever.

Somebody ought to recognize him.

John, are you mad at me?

Mad at you?

Oh, no, no. I was just thinking, Amy.

Well, what about?

All right.

About Hawaii.

About our home.

Hawaii?

I was serious about that, Amy. We are going.

There's only one thing.

Well, don't stop now.

I want to retire, Amy.

I mean for good.

I mean in style.

An opportunity came to me today. One of those once -in -a -lifetime

propositions. I could triple my investment overnight.

Oh, but that's marvelous, isn't it?

It could be.

If I could raise the cash fast enough.

Well, what about the money from Mexico?

It's going to be delayed. There's been some trouble at the mines. A temporary

shutdown.

Well... Couldn't you liquidate some of the other holdings?

They're mostly long -term deals. I couldn't possibly jar enough loose to

it.

I'll need at least a quarter of a million.

John?

Maybe I could.

Could what?

Jar loose the money you need.

I mean, the property here in Dallas.

I've already had offers to sell it.

We always said we would when the time came.

Maybe now is the time.

No, Amy, I can't let you do that.

Absolutely not.

Absolutely not?

Absolutely.

We'll see.

One of my men just radioed in. He found your orphanage, Inspector.

Children's refuge.

Miss Gerald lived there for 15 years.

Did I say long shot?

years ago, I wouldn't have been surprised to learn the FBI was looking

Michael Mr. Erskine.

He was an incorrigible child.

A pathological liar. Ran away at 15.

Oh, sit down, gentlemen.

Thank you.

But I thought he'd changed so much through the years. I really thought so.

Came back a half dozen times.

Gave us the $1 ,000 donation.

Took the cash right out of his wallet.

Oh, here.

The young man said you'd like to read our records.

It's fairly complete. Gives the details of how he came to us.

Stefano, is that his real name?

No, we never knew.

He was a foundling.

Did that bother him?

Funny you should ask that, Mr. Rhodes.

Of course, that sort of thing bothers all the children.

But I never saw a boy so disturbed by not knowing who his parents were.

Nor a man so determined to find them.

Sometimes I think that's why he came back, just to see if we'd learned

I'd like to study this record, Miss Lawrence, if you don't mind.

Certainly, Inspector.

But there won't be much to help you there, I'm afraid.

As I said, we tried everything.

Of course, you are professional investigators.

Now, that could make a difference.

Black porch of the orphanage, February 27th, 1922, about one week old.

I don't see that would make Fitzgerald what, uh, 43?

New wicker basket, clothed in expensive garments, blue satin -trimmed blanket

with $500 in cash. I knew it. And for cat runs in the family.

It's a note.

God forgive me and protect my baby.

You know, Jim, this might just do it.

It's distinctive enough handwriting.

Although that note's 43 years old.

Parents obviously had money.

So the mother was probably cared for at a hospital.

And hospitals keep records.

Birth certificate?

No, the doctor filled that out.

I'm thinking the admission form.

Take my word for it, Arthur. If we can find out who he really is, wave it under

his nose, he'll show up at the county clerk's office to check on it. He won't

able to help himself.

Where do you expect to find his nose?

In a post office looking at identification orders, see if he's

or in a newspaper.

Look, if you can get Mr. Hoover to give us a priority on him, move him into the

ten most wanted list, ask the newspapers to give it a good coverage, he'll see

it.

All right, Lewis.

I suppose you want a handwriting expert.

Yeah. Brian Camp, if you can spare him.

Well, I can't.

And I'll put him on the next plane.

Thanks, Arthur.

Did you sell him?

Everything's fine.

Except for one little thing.

Yeah, I know, I know.

We still don't know who Fitzgerald really is.

That's the one little thing.

It'll be a dull town without you, Amy.

That's hardly good reason to object to anything that makes you this happy.

You don't think there'll be any difficulty about selling?

I don't think so. The Hamilton crowd is still interested.

And I do want cash.

Right. Then your bank here can transfer part or all of it to you when you get to

Hawaii.

You don't understand.

I mean, cash.

You mean that literally?

I mean, literally.

Amy, have you any idea how much cash you're talking about? It wouldn't be

Oh. Come on, Joe.

Don't go on about that.

Just tell the bank to have the money on hand.

Oh, and tell them to hurry.

Goodbye.

Feed is the order of the day, gentlemen. And Special Agent Brian Kemp is here to

give you a crash course in the specific peculiarities of this handwriting so we

can expedite the search.

Mr. Kemp,

do you all have copies of the note?

And we'll go over this several times until you've committed to memory each

individuality of all the letters I've marked.

Some of them should be included in almost any sample of handwriting you may

find.

You'll notice that the letter G in the word God begins high above the line of

the writing.

The D has a small loop near the beginning, which resembles the small

The F has a line rather than a loop at the bottom.

The R has two sharp points or shoulders.

It's the same in this word.

The M has a hook in the upper left.

The upper right -hand portion is sharp, almost to the extent of being a

retracing of the stroke.

Y has two small loops at the top.

The concluding stroke of the Y has a sharp angle to the left of the downward

stroke.

These are the principal points of identification.

By the time I get through with you, you'll be able to spot them at a glance,

they should turn up on a hospital record.

I kept my shame, even from my family, Mr. Erskine.

I hid away in Fort Wayne.

I confided only in my doctor.

Miss Raymond, can you give us the name of the father?

Andrew S. Cook.

Miss Raymond, did you ever name your son?

Yes.

I loved Andrew.

So I named his son for him.

Andrew S. Cook, Jr.? Andrew S. Cook, Jr.

There

we

are.

Now, when you bring the book of birth records for the subject to see, place it

here, right in line with the camera lens.

Then move aside, working with something over here, perhaps, and press this

button.

Now, this will activate the camera.

And that's about it.

Sounds simple enough.

I'll instruct the other deputies carefully.

You can depend on it. The name is Andrew S. Cook, Jr. That's the man.

Andrew S. Cook, Jr.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.

So quick.

All I did was mention the name. They were anxious to buy.

I need another one here.

It'll be another day at least before you get your money.

Not so easy to corral $380 ,000. Oh, dear.

Well, I hope, John.

Amy.

Was it your husband's idea to get this all in cash?

Why?

Well, I know you pretty well, and for the life of me, I can't understand why

don't leave it in the bank where it's safe.

All right, but I can't say I think it's any of your business.

John is a financier. His own money's tied up. He needs a certain amount of

to take advantage of a big opportunity.

That's all.

Are you sure that's all?

Oh, now...

Okay, but wait a minute, Amy.

You've known your husband for less than two weeks.

I know what I'm doing.

I'm a grown woman.

If I'd known him, ten minutes I'd have done the same thing.

I'm sorry I said anything, Amy, but... Yes, so am I.

As a matter of fact, John had no part of this idea.

It was mine.

Old. What's the matter?

Joe actually had the gall to suggest that you might not be entirely honest.

Oh, come on.

You misunderstood him. No.

Tell you what we'll do.

We'll go back and tell him to forget the whole thing.

Certainly not.

Amy, if there's the tiniest seed of doubt in your mind, believe me, it isn't

worth it.

John.

You know I've no doubts.

Oh, and it'll be another day before we can get the money.

Another day?

Well, now, that is a shame.

Because tonight was the deadline.

Oh, really?

If I could just talk with them.

Well, can't you?

They're out of town, and phoning's no good.

But, uh...

Maybe I could take a plane to meet them.

I'll go with you.

Oh, no, Amy, it'll just be overnight. I'll be back tomorrow.

You'd only spend the whole time by yourself in a hotel room.

The honeymoon's over.

The honeymoon is never going to be over between us.

Come on, now.

I'll even let you pack my bag.

Where are these men?

Where do you have to go?

Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Yes, sir. May I help you?

I'd like to see the record of a birth, please.

Yes, sir.

Name and date of birth.

Oh, yes.

February 21st, 1922.

1922. And the name?

Cooper.

Robert L. Cooper.

Robert L. Cooper. I'll get the book for you.

I think you'll find it in this volume.

Well, we finally meet.

It's a good picture.

Thank you very much.

I'm afraid I didn't call soon enough, but I was so nervous.

You did fine, all of you.

He's fast.

We covered this building like a blanket.

He just vanished like a... Like a chameleon, Sergeant?

Yes, sir.

If you'll have some prints made of that, we'll give you all the help we can,

Inspector. There isn't time. I'll leave this at the airport. Jim, it isn't too

much of a hurry getting here to use anything slower than a plane getting

Thanks again, all of you.

Final call.

Flight 77.

Departing at gate 5.

All aboard, please.

Well, if he left here by plane, he didn't look like that.

Or maybe he's still in town.

Either way, this is what he looked like when he came.

No, you're right. The place he bought us tickets. That's where they'd recognize

that picture.

Get a list of all incoming flights in the last, oh, eight hours. We'll wire

picture to the points of ours and have the field officers interview our

personnel. Somebody will recognize it.

Sublet. Yep.

Dallas. For you, Lou.

Erskine.

Yes?

John Stevens.

Address?

Get a warrant and put a surveillance in the house. If you see him trying to come

and go, arrest him. We're on our way.

Jewett has recognized the picture. Put a name, Jewett.

Reservation desk had the phone number and address.

Call the airport, Dan. We need a fast jet to Dallas.

Thanks for the hospitality.

Is that you?

Yes, darling. I'm home.

Oh. I have a surprise for you.

You better come up quickly.

My lord and master.

Here it is.

All of it? All of it.

I carried it home personally in a suitcase, and you've no idea how much

,000 weighs by the pound.

This is wonderful.

You just don't know how.

It's marvelous.

We only knew.

John, where are you? Dinner's ready.

In here.

Well, come on out.

We're playing house.

The servants are out and we're all alone.

Do you know, I'd forgotten how much fun cooking.

Good heavens.

What are you mixing in that bucket?

But I don't understand.

What are you talking about?

Of course you're John Stevens.

No.

No, no.

I'm Andrew S. Cook, Jr.

I was born on the 21st of February, 1922, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

And that's where I'm going as soon as I leave here to see my parents.

I've never seen them.

Did you know that?

Did you know that?

It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what happened to his other

does it?

A little wall tapping in the Greenfield house by the police should be very

instructive.

Get a photographer up here, Jim. Yeah.

Feeling better?

I don't understand how I could have...

To love a man like that.

How could I have believed him?

He was an expert at fooling people.

I'm still alive.

I suppose that's something.

I think I'd better go away for a little while.

To Hawaii.

Europe.

You can meet so many nice people.

Yes, Mrs. Stevens.

Certainly can.

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