All language subtitles for 19 - The Adventure of the Tyrant

A few minutes ago, this famous
composer stole his last song.

Who killed him?

Was it the talented fry cook?

I'll kill that crook!

The resentful stepdaughter?

Well, I didn't know what to say,
so I told the truth.

The frightened widow?

I had a perfectly dreadful life
with that man.

The glib disc jockey?

This is my show, remember?

The hillbilly song-plugger?

That boy has to be your killer.

The washed-up singer?

Do you want to know the real truth?

Or was it someone else?

Match wits with Ellery Queen

and see if you can guess
who done it

PARKER: Guys and gals
and midnight pals,

hoot owls
and other denizens of the dark,

all my night people out there,

this is Buddy Parker,
and I love you.

[ Applause ]

Thank you.

Thank you.
Thank you very kindly.

Tonight's special platter party
is a salute

to songwriter, song publisher,

composer of the tunes
that set a nation's toes a-tappin'.

Mr. Alvin Winer is here with us
in person tonight,

along with his lovely Mrs. Winer,

better known
to her multitude of fans

as the talented star of Broadway
and Hollywood musicals,

Miss Dinah Carroll.

And making her first
radio appearance

is Dinah's pretty daughter,
Penny Carroll.

So, stick with us tonight, folks,
because we--

[ Clears throat ]

Oh, by all means, do stay tuned

because we are also very pleased
to have with us in our studio tonight

the star of that popular
network radio series,

"The Casebook of Simon Brimmer,"

Mr. Simon Brimmer himself,
with a special surprise for us all.

Plus, a whole flock
of surprise celebrities

who will be dropping in
during the night

to pay their respects to the greatest
music maker of our time.

And before we hear
some of that music,

first let's hear from Vita-Creme.

♪ What's the tale, nightingale? ♪

♪ What's the deal, McNeal? ♪

Coffee.

♪ I got a dream guy,
Vita-Creme guy ♪

♪ With a shine... ♪

- Hi, Charlie.
- Hi. How are you?

- Hi, Danny.
- Hi, Ellery.

What happened -- you write
yourself into another corner?

Oh, you know, I just had
to get away from that typewriter.

- The usual?
- The usual.

Oh, I didn't tell you --
I took my new song to Alvin Winer.

To a songwriter?

Well, he's also got
his own music-publishing company.

I think he likes it.

Anyway, he hasn't sent it back.

Uh-huh.
Did he say anything?

No, I didn't talk to him.

A friend of mine got the tune to him.

I think it's pretty good.
It goes like this --

[ Clears throat ]

♪ Da-da-da duh-dum ♪

♪ Da-da-da duh-dah ♪

It's brand-new,
and this is a world premier.

I hope you like it.

And here it is,
ladies and gentlemen --

Alvin Winer's newest composition,
"Summer Girl."

[ Plays piano ]

♪ Dee-dee dee-dee ♪

♪ Ba-ba-ba bah-bah ♪

Danny, Danny --
Excu-- Excuse me.

Isn't that your tune on the radio?

- Danny --
- Take over, Charlie.

- Hey, Danny, where you going?
- I'm going to that radio station.

Danny, you watch your temper.

I'll kill that crook!

[ Applause ]

PARKER: Dinah, what's it like
to be married

to a man the whole country
loves and admires?

Well, if I said how wonderful it is,
Mr. Parker,

your listeners wouldn't believe it.

Folks, if you could just see
the rocks on her fingers.

Fingers? All the way
up to her elbows.

A wife like this comes along
only once in a lifetime.

Penny, is it like this
at your house all the time?

Oh, my stepfather's not home
all the time.

When he does come home,
he brings jewelry.

Well, Alvin, Dinah, you sound like
a very happily-married couple to me.

- Wouldn't you agree, Simon?
- Ideal, one might say.

Which leads us into one
for the collector's corner.

Here is Dinah Carroll singing
the Alvin Winer standard

"It Takes Two to Love
and One to Cry."

We're off.

Penny, what brought on
that dumb crack?

Well, I didn't know what to say,
so I told the truth.

What's the matter with you?

Herb.

Herb Morrow, come on in here.

- Hiya, buddy.
- Herb, where you been?

I thought I told you
to bring someone for the show.

Well, he did.

Hey, hey.

Gary Swift.
How are you, Buddy?

- Dinah -- hiya, beautiful.
- Hello, Gary.

- How are you?
- Mmm, fine. You?

- You look terrific.
- Thank you.

Is this the best you can do?

How are you, Alvin?

Get lost.
I don't talk to ingrates.

Oh, come on, now -- after I made
"Rain Flowers" a big hit?

You mean "Rain Flowers" made you.

I don't need a cheap band singer
to try to make one of my songs a hit.

Uh, Gar, is there anything
you want to plug on the air?

- Yeah, I brought my new record.
- Oh, good.

And a list of some dates
I got coming up.

Oh, good, good.
Let me take a look at that.

Oh.

Oh, darn it, I --
I left my glasses someplace.

I'll tell you what -- fill me in
on the air after the record, huh?

- Right.
- Hold it. Hold it.

You're not playing any record
made by this cut-rate Como.

- Alvin, it's your song.
- Makes no difference.

Play any other record,
but not Swift's.

- Give it to me.
- This is my show, remember?

You're the one
with the short memory.

Perhaps you'd like
to talk about it tomorrow

in the station manager's office.

Give it to me!

A bit overplayed, wouldn't you say?

- Excuse me.
- Where do you think you're going?

- Out of this madhouse.
- Penny.

I'll wait for you outside, Mother.

Hey, hey, hey!
Wake up there, hoot owls.

A brand-new guest just dropped by
our all-night platter party,

and he happens to be none other
than top recording star Gary Swift.

- Hi, Gar.
- Hi, Buddy.

Hey, what a big thrill it is
to be here to honor that --

that fine songwriter
and truly lovable human being,

Alvin Winer.

Gary, I understand Alvin played
an important part in your career.

Why doesn't somebody
tell the truth about Alvin Winer?!

That song he played
on the piano wasn't his!

- It was mine -- Dan Murphy!
- Parker, stop him!

It's okay. It's okay.
The mike's are dead.

We just went
to a transcribed commercial.

I'll wait.

Hey, Lou, can you hear me?

Play all the commercials,
go to a station break,

and then go right
to the records, okay?

Okay, Buddy.

How dare you come barging in here,
making crazy accusations?

I never saw you before in my life.
Get out!

How can you deny
that song is mine?!

I can recite it note for note!

He's assaulting me! Stop him!

- Here, let's--
- Call the police!

Why don't we--?

Quick -- follow him! Follow him!

Come on!

- Which way?
- Beats me.

Split up.

[ Up-tempo music plays ]

Thousands of records,
and I can't find the one I want.

This system's impossible.

What are you doing?!
No! No!

Fool's mate.

PARKER: Ladies and gentlemen,
something terrible has just happened.

I can't talk about it now...

- Dad?
- Yeah?

- What? What?
- You hear that?

...until I can furnish
you with further details.

[ Telephone rings ]

We return now to the music
of America's beloved tunesmith,

Alvin Winer.

- Ellery.
- Huh?

- Answer the phone.
- Yeah.

Hello?

Hello, Queen.
This is Simon Brimmer.

Simon. I'm listening
to Buddy Parker's radio show.

- Yes, I'm calling from the studio.
- What happened?

Murder, plain and simple.

Tell your father
to alert his minions.

Someone has killed
America's beloved tunesmith.

Didn't you leave something out,
Brimmer?

When did Alvin Winer
go to the record library?

A moment later.

He said he was going out to find
a better recording of his song

to replace the damaged platter.

You were left with Mrs. Winer.

She went out
to look for her daughter.

Oh, then you were alone
in the studio.

I hope you're not suggesting
that I'm a suspect in this murder.

Oh, no, no, no.

I was in full view
of the engineer at all times.

Nobody said you killed him.

Well, I should hope not.

The truth of the matter is,

Alvin Winer was able to identify
his killer before he died.

Before he --
You talked to him?

I did not say that, Queen.
I was most specific.

I said he identified his killer.

- A dying clue.
- Exactly.

If you'll look under the body,
you will see he fell on a record

he was just able to pluck
from the rack

before death overtook him.

Did you move the body?

It wasn't necessary.

Dad.

Most of the label is still showing.

- It's a Gary Swift recording.
- Swift, eh?

Yes, but you're missing the obvious.
Look at the title of the song.

"Danny Boy."

Don't worry, Inspector.

I can assure you
that everything is under control,

and I permitted no one
to touch anything,

including the murder weapon.

- Inspector.
- What is it, Velie?

25 automatic, Inspector.
It's called a purse gun.

Also easily concealed
in a man's jacket pocket.

Have it checked
for prints and ballistics.

Yes, sir.

You touch anything, Brimmer?

Of course not.

Though, of course,
I had a good chance

to take a look
around the murder scene,

and I can assure you
that nothing escaped my attention.

Then I'm sure you noticed
that the dead man

wore two different colored socks.

Really? How could that have
any possible significance?

We continue with the music
and the memories of Alvin Winer.

[ Applause ]

Buddy Parker, Inspector Queen
and his son, Ellery.

- Oh, hi.
- How do you do?

Mr. Parker.

Do you always broadcast
from this studio?

Yep, every night,
midnight till dawn.

That's funny. I could have sworn
you had an audience.

Mr. Parker, did you know the intruder
who broke in on your program,

this Dan Murphy kid?

No. No, I never laid eyes on him.

First I thought he was drunk,

then I decided
he was just off his rocker.

What did he look like?

Uh, well, let me see --
he was, oh, about average height--

Wavy hair, hazel eyes,
got a dimple on his chin.

Yeah, that's the guy.

How do you know
what he looks like?

He works nights at a diner
near our house, Dad.

I go there every once in a while
when I'm having trouble writing,

and I was there tonight,

when Dan Murphy heard Winer
playing his music on the air.

You mean the music
Murphy claims he wrote.

Yes, surely you don't believe
a celebrated composer

would need to steal
from a short-order cook.

I know that Dan was humming
his tune to me

before Winer started playing
his new composition.

Well, if that's true,
it provides a whale of a motive.

Yeah, well.

Mr. Parker, why didn't Alvin Winer

want you to play Gary Swift's record
on your show?

Oh, that was just some kind
of a quarrel between them.

It had nothing to do with me.

10 seconds, guys.

Though your other guests
have departed,

you can still rely on me, Parker.

I am still ready to do my part.

Oh, I don't want to impose.

Nonsense.
There's no earthly reason

why you should
have to carry on alone.

The music of Alvin Winer.

For those listeners
who just tuned in,

let me read a bulletin prepared
by our radio newsroom.

"Tragedy struck tonight

when America's favorite
melody maker, Alvin Winer,

was slain during a broadcast
devoted to his songs,

shortly after a wild-eyed young man

forced his way
into the radio's studio.

The identity of the young man
is still unknown.”

That's all we can tell you about
at this time.

Mr. Simon Brimmer,
the radio sleuth,

was with us this evening
as one of our special guests.

Simon, I understand that you were
Alvin Winer's last collaborator.

Yes, I prevailed upon Alvin
to write a new theme song

for my hit network radio series,
"The Casebook of Simon Brimmer."

I wrote the lyrics for it myself.

If I may, I should like
to recite them now,

in honor of a man who will be
sorely missed in the world of music.

I'm sure our listeners
would like that very much.

A foggy night --
the stars grow dimmer.

Murder's afoot.

Call Simon Brimmer.

Policemen snoop without a glimmer.

To solve the case,
call Simon Brimmer.

Dad, I think we ought
to talk to Mrs. Winer.

Tonight? She lives
all the way up in Westchester.

I know that, Dad,
but Parker hedged

when I asked him
about playing Gary Swift's record.

Now, if Mrs. Winer knew her husband
better than anybody --

she's probably got the answer.

You can sleep while I drive.

The way you drive,
we can both sleep.

[ Ominous music plays ]

I still can't believe he's gone.

I know, Mama.

There's so much to take care of --
the funeral, the flowers.

Don't think about it tonight.
Just close your eyes.

Gone. He's really gone.

Shh.

You get some sleep.

Pleasant dreams.

- Good night.
- Good night.

MAN: No, I am not the regular butler.
Dinah didn't expe--

Mrs. Winer didn't expect
to be home this evening.

She gave the servants the night off.

- Would you like a drink?
- No. No, thank you.

I'll pass. We'd like to speak
to Mrs. Winer, if we may.

You're too late.
My mother's gone to bed.

May I help you?

Penny, this is Inspector Queen
and his son, Ellery.

They're investigating
the death of your stepdad.

This is Penny Carroll.

- How do you do?
- Hello.

I can't say
that I'm pleased to meet you.

I don't know what to say.

You were
at the radio studio tonight.

Yes. So was Herb.

Oh, honey, I --
I hope you don't mind.

I was holding a one-man wake
for the boss with his own liquor.

That's all right. Finish it.

Well, I'm really not partial
to bourbon.

I got in the habit of sipping
corn liquors, fresh from the still.

Miss Carroll,

there's something I'd like to know
about your stepfather.

Well, you know, I think Herb can
probably tell you more than I can.

I went to work for Alvin in 1935,

when he first started
his music-publishing company.

He took me on
as number-one song-plugger.

Song-plu--
What does a song-plugger do?

Well, he talks people
into using a publisher's songs,

talks to recording stars
and bandleaders

and radio personalities
and Broadway star--

That's how I met Dinah.
I introduced her to Alvin.

Herb was best man
at their wedding.

Hmm. Now I'm fixing to be
his pallbearer.

[ Ominous music plays ]

Mr. Morrow, why didn't your boss
let that disc jockey

play one of Gary Swift's records?

Oh, that was just a little old
squabble -- didn't mean anything.

Didn't mean anything?
He smashed his record.

He didn't like Gary's arrangement.

Question is -- did he like Gary?

Oh, sure, Alvin liked everybody.

And everybody loved Alvin.

Even Dan Murphy, the boy
that horned in on the broadcast

and tried to slug Winer?

That boy has to be your killer.

Why do you say that, Mr. Morrow?

Well, it stands to reason.

A boy with that temper --
if he'd shove him, he'd shoot him.

[ Ominous music plays ]

Aah! Aah!

Aah! Aah! Aah!

Ohh, the murderer -- he was here!
He was here in the room!

Watch out!
He was here! Oh, my God!

Careful, son.

Oh, I was so frightened.
I was so frightened.

- How about there?
- It's all right.

Oh, I saw him --
the boy from the radio studio.

- He was here.
- It was just a bad dream.

No, I saw him. He was here.
He's not satisfied with one murder.

He wants to murder
everyone in the family.

Mama, it's okay.

[ Sobbing ]

No, Danny never did
come back here, Mr. Queen.

- Didn't call or nothing.
- Uh-huh.

Well, if he does, ask him to get
in touch with me, will you?

Sure.

Heard about what happened
at the radio station.

Boy sure got hisself
in a lot of trouble.

Charlie, do you keep a gun
in this diner?

- A gun?
- Yeah.

No.

Got a ball bat, though, just in case
anybody wants to get funny.

It's in the hands
of the Westchester Police now

till they find Dan Murphy
and hand him back to us.

They're combing the area.

Dad, if Danny killed Alvin Winer --

What do you mean, "if"?

If Danny killed Alvin Winer,
where'd he get the gun?

He didn't take it out of the diner.
All he did was grab up his jacket.

And he didn't have time to buy one

before he went
to that radio station.

Well, that's easy --
he already had it in his pocket.

Oh, really?
What did he intend to do --

shoot somebody
before the broadcast?

How do I know what he intended?

Charlie, come here a minute,
will you?

Did you ever see Danny with a gun?

- Danny?
- Ever?

No, never heard him
mention one, either.

Well, that doesn't mean
he didn't have one.

Why didn't he shoot Winer
in the radio studio?

In front of witnesses?

No, a record library is
a perfect place for a murder --

nobody around.

- What are you looking for?
- "Danny Boy."

All I've got is
a Morton Downey record.

Good. I like Morton Downey.

Here it is -- Gary Swift.

[ Music plays ]

Dad, if Winer had a choice,
why didn't he pick Morton Downey?

We know he didn't like Swift,
but he pulled Swift's record.

- Why?
- Ellery.

To indicate the singer,
not the song.

- Ellery, that's not "Danny Boy."
- So, I pushed the wrong button.

That's the other side of "Danny Boy."

Oh, really?

You can stand around
and shove nickels into that jukebox

all night long if you want to.

I'm gonna go home and go to bed.
Good night.

Good night, Dad.

I Carolina moon

- Good night, Mr. Queen.
- Good night.

"Dear Dad,
I wanted to get an early start

and decided to let you sleep.

Love, Ellery."

"Dear Ellery,

I wanted to get an early start
and decided to let you sleep.

Love, Dad.”

[ Whistling ]

♪ I got to tell you the truth ♪

♪ Just how I got my break ♪

♪ Working in the vaudeville show ♪

♪ I put my little feet down ♪

♪ One by one ♪

♪ While everybody's yelling,
"You son of a gun” ♪

I I've got to tell you the truth

♪ 'Cause I got my break ♪

♪ Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa
Men have named you ♪

♪ You're so like the lady
with the mystic smile ♪

♪ Is it only 'cause you're lonely
they have blamed you ♪

♪ For that Mona Lisa strangeness
in your smile? ♪

Stop. Stop.

Look -- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry,
but it just doesn't have it.

I mean, who wants to hear
a song about a painting?

Hey, Errol.

Errol, whatever happened
to those catchy novelty tunes

like "Chickery Chick"
and "Mairzy Doats,” huh?

Take this back to the publisher

and tell him to send me
the good stuff.

All right, next --
what do you got for me?

A question, Mr. Swift.

You're not a song-plugger.
Who are you?

My name is Ellery Queen.

I'm helping the police investigate
the murder of Alvin Winer.

- Oh, yeah?
- Wait a minute. I'll handle this.

I'm his agent, Errol Keyes.

Glad to know you, sir,

but I still have a question
for Mr. Swift.

Now, Gary's clean -- believe me.

What do you want to know?

I'd like to know
why Winer was so dead set

against Parker playing your record
on his show.

It was a personal matter.

It was just one of those things,
you know what I mean?

No.

- You want to know the real truth?
- Hey, Gary, come on.

See, Winer owned
a piece of a record company,

and he wanted me to record
his songs for his company

so he could have a big slice
off the top if it became a hit,

only I made a better deal
with another company.

He never forgave me.

Well, I can understand that,

but why did Parker let Winer stop him
from playing your record on the air?

- I'll tell you about that--
- Now, nix, nix. This is hot subject.

Now, drop it
before you get burned.

I got burned, or did you forget
how he shut me out?

Out? Out of what?

The marketplace,
the New York radio audience.

See, the buy was in, and I was out.

Listen to me, will you?

Look, what we're talking about
has a name, and the name is Payola.

- Singers.
- Payola?

- Singers.
- What's Payola?

Well, you know,

slipping a little something
under the table to disc jockeys

so they'll play certain records
over and over.

That's how hits are made.

Oh. So, when Winer told Parker
not to play your record--

That mean that Parker
was on the take,

which came as no big surprise

because who do you think
laid out the ready cash

for the all-Winer salute?

Tell him, Errol.

Herbie Morrow
made the arrangements.

Alvin Winer paid for his own tribute?

Made a nice going-away present,

only he didn't know
he was going anywhere at the time.

A little like looking under a rock.

Well, hi, gang.

I don't know why,
but my ears are burning.

Hey, Dracula, what are you doing
out in the daytime?

I thought sunlight killed you guys.

No, only a bad joke
driven through the heart.

Mr. Queen, what's a nice guy
like you doing in a place like this?

You're right, Mr. Parker.
We were talking about you.

Yeah, I was just telling them
how Winer had you in his pocket.

I don't believe you said that.

You got to be nuts
to talk that way to Buddy Parker.

Now, now, relax, Errol. Relax.

I know your boy here got a raw deal.
I'm here to make amends.

Gary, I want you
to come on the show.

I'll play all your records,
and you'll be my only guest.

How's that?

Really? How much will it cost?

[ Chuckles nervously ]

He's always kidding around.
I got a clown for a client.

All kidding aside, Gary.

You know I always spin
a clean platter --

no dust, no dirt, no grime.

I'm only here 'cause I like you.

Would you be here
if Alvin Winer was still alive?

Now, that's not fair, Mr. Queen.

Gary here didn't get along
with Alvin -- rest his soul --

but there was nothing that bad
between them.

I'd almost swear to that.

Payola?
Sure I know about it.

It's illegal,
and it's being investigated

by a special unit in the department.

But what's payola got to do
with Alvin Winer's murder?

Well, maybe nothing, Dad,

but the victim
and some of the suspects

were involved with it
up to their eyebrows.

Was Dan Murphy involved in Payola?

Dan? I don't see how.

Well, then I don't see how Payola
is involved in the murder.

We know who did it.
We just have to find him.

No luck, Inspector.

I talked to the Westchester police --
they couldn't find a trace of Murphy.

Are they watching the Winer house
in case he comes back?

Yes, sir.
They've put men on the gates.

They're patrolling the neighborhood.

I also checked with ballistics, and
the .25-caliber found at the scene

was confirmed as the murder weapon,
but there's no way to trace it.

- What about fingerprints?
- None.

Thank you, Velie.

Dad, have you checked
the record for prints?

"Danny Boy"? Yeah.

The only prints on the record
were the victim's.

The only prints?
How can that be?

That record is
in a library on a rack.

It must be handled by dozens
of people, maybe hundreds.

Ellery, the only prints they found
were Alvin Winer's.

- Dad, now, records--
- Don't ask me, Ellery.

Ask somebody who knows
about these things.

Yes, we do try and keep
our records dust-free, Mr. Queen.

Surface dust crackles
like static on the air.

Ah, you wipe every record
before you put it back in the rack.

-No': ?

When we take it off the rack,

before we send it
to the studio to be aired.

So, people do handle the records
in the racks?

Of course.

Does this chart have anything to do
with your filing system?

- Oh, it has a lot to do with it.
- I see.

If I wanted to find a recording,

Gary Swift's recording
of "Danny Boy,"

how would I find it?

Oh, it's very simple
with our new system.

First you look at the chart.

And you see
the standards are in green,

male vocals are in blue.

Go to the rack,
to the blue-and-green bin,

and under "D" for "Danny Boy" --

Excuse me,
but how simple would it be

for a man who is dying
of a gunshot wound?

That's a thought.

Ah, Queen, I see you've met
Miss Schramm.

- Hi, Simon.
- Good morning, Mr. Brimmer.

If you'll excuse me.

What are you doing here?

Duty -- I feel I owe it
to dear old Alvin

to find his murderer.

You know, Queen, I've been giving
some thought to his dying clue.

Perhaps we were hasty to assume

that he meant to point the finger
at Dan Murphy with "Danny Boy."

Simon, you surprise me.

Queen, do you know what is
on the other side of "Danny Boy"?

Yeah, "Carolina Moon."

Yes.

That could be equally incriminating

since there are two women
named Carroll involved in the case --

Dinah Carroll-Winer
and her daughter, Penny Carroll.

I don't think so.

You see, if Winer wanted
to leave a clue accusing his wife,

he could have pulled
a record of "Dinah.”

Or if he wanted to accuse
his stepdaughter,

how about "Penny Serenade"?

I'm sure they're both in the file.

Naturally, I took that
into consideration.

That's why I discarded
those possibilities.

Of course, there could be
another interpretation.

What interpretation?

Oh, another time, Queen.

I must run to a story conference
with my writers.

You know, they're so inadequate.

If I had the time,
I'd dash off all the scripts myself.

Excuse me, Mr. Brimmer,

are you by any chance
going by Buddy Parker's office?

Possibly.
Why do you ask?

Well, Mr. Parker's so forgetful.
He keeps leaving things behind.

A couple of days ago,
it was his car keys,

yesterday his glasses,
and today his fountain pen.

That's fascinating,
but what does it have to do with me?

I thought you might drop it
on the way.

I suggest you call a delivery boy.
Excuse me.

Good-bye, Queen.

Can you imagine anyone being
that absent-minded?

Huh?

Oh. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You see, sometimes a person
has so much to think about

that there's no room
for fountain pens

or car keys or glasses...

- Or hats?
- Or even hats.

Excuse me, Miss Schramm.

Bye.

Undersecretary of the Treasury
Fred McHenry, please.

This is Simon Brimmer calling.

Brimmer.

Hello, Freddy.

Simon.

[ Chuckles ]

"Simple Simon," indeed.

Ah, those were the halcyon days.

Who can forget the old frat house,
the camaraderie,

the oaths of eternal brotherhood?

Yes, I am calling to ask
for a favor -- how perceptive.

Freddy, I'm going to ask you
to check a name

against Treasury Department
records in two states --

North and South Carolina.

Well, there's no point in waiting.
We've planned on it.

There's nothing to stop us.

Why not go ahead and do it now?

Well, I just think
it's a might too soon.

Well, I am not going through
a period of mourning.

I had a perfectly dreadful life
with that man.

All I want to do is forget about it
as quickly as possible.

Well, even so, you announcing plans
for a Broadway show now --

folks are bound
to raise an eyebrow.

I don't care what people think.

I have myself to think of now.

Oh, Herb, I want to do
a show so much it hurts.

If you've changed your mind,

if you don't want
to help me with it --

Now, Dinah, of course
I want to help you.

It's just I don't want you

jumping into some silly
little musical comedy

that's going to close in Philadelphia.

I was thinking
of Rogers and Hammerstein.

Well, now, those folks are fine,
but you don't need them.

You got all of Alvin Winer's songs
to draw --

All I'm saying is wait a little bit
before you bust out into song.

What's the matter, Herb?

Are you afraid somebody
might make something

out of your sudden leap
from song-plugger to producer?

Oh, Dinah.

Mr. Queen.

Well, when did you come in?

Just now.
I don't mean to interrupt.

How do you feel today, Mrs. Winer?

Oh, I'm much better.
Thank you.

Do you like my widow's weeds?

Well, the truth is I've been planning
my return to show business

for the past year.

How did Mr. Winer feel about that?

Oh, he didn't know.

If he had, he would have
hated the idea.

Alvin didn't approve
of other men looking at my legs.

When Dan Murphy turned up
at the radio studio last night,

Mr. Winer said
he'd never seen him before.

- That's true.
- A stranger to me, too.

Yet Winer played Dan's music
on the air.

How do you account for that?

We can't.

I'm going to fix myself a bourbon
and some branch water.

- Care to join me?
- No, thank you.

Oh, I thought you were partial
to down-home corn liquor.

That's right, but these poor backward
city folk never did put in a still.

I have to take what I can get.
Excuse me.

Um, Mr. Queen,
what were you driving at just now?

How did Alvin get that boy's music?

Well, Dan said
he gave it to a friend.

It must have been someone
your husband knew.

Surely they didn't have
any mutual friends.

Is your daughter home, Mrs. Winer?

Penny? I haven't seen her all day.
We usually have breakfast together.

Penny?

Did the chauffeur who quit last week
live on the premises?

Yes, in a room over the garage.

[ Knocking ]

Who is it?

Open the door.
It's your mother.

Hello, Mama.

What are you doing
in the chauffeur's room?

Well, I thought maybe
I'd take up painting again,

and the light's really good.

There are trees
in front of the window.

Please step aside.

You can't come in!

No?

Mr. Queen.

Excuse me.

Hello, Danny.

How did you find me?

Oh, you weren't hard to find.

Now, I know that you didn't mean
to harm Mrs. Winer last night.

But I couldn't figure out
what you were doing in her room

till I realized that you were
in the wrong room.

You were looking for Penny,
not her mother.

Would you care to explain?

Isn't it obvious?

You can't be in love with that boy.

He's a murderer!
He killed your stepfather!

That's not true!

I didn't kill him, Mrs. Winer.
I swear it.

Well, Danny, you were pretty sore
when you left that diner last night.

Yes, because I was robbed.

I asked Penny
to take my music to Winer

because I wanted
an honest evaluation.

PENNY: Mr. Queen,
I knew it was good.

I was hoping Alvin
would want to publish it.

I never dreamed
he'd claim he'd written it himself.

That boy attacked Alvin!

He lost his temper.

He lost his reason!
Stop defending him!

Why? So nobody will suspect you?

Penny.

You had a better reason
for wanting Alvin dead.

I was with you.

No, Mother,
don't you use me as an alibi.

You didn't come back
to the ladies lounge

until after Alvin was dead.

But surely you don't think that I--?

Ask her, Mr. Queen.

Ask her if she didn't resent
all those years

of waiting on him hand and foot --

even laying out his clothes

so that he wouldn't look
like the pathetic clown that he was.

Oh, Penny.

Oh...

Mother, you're trying to hurt Dan.

He didn't kill Alvin.

I know he didn't.

I paid off new songwriters
when Alvin liked their stuff.

"Paid off" -- Well, I slipped them
a couple bucks,

I'd pat them on the back,

and I told them
how lucky they were

to be collaborating
with the great Alvin Winer.

If they looked like
they were gonna make a stink,

well, I just told Alvin,
"It's no deal,"

and I gave them back the music.

You didn't give Danny's back.

[ Sighs ]

No, I never saw it.

I just plain didn't know about it.

I wouldn't blame Alvin too much.

I mean, he was truly

one of the greatest songwriters
of the day --

the best.

But he just happened to run dry,
that's all.

He had a reputation to protect.

By stealing.

Mr. Morrow, he had you around
to protect his good name.

How far would you go
to preserve that image?

Well, not that far.

Mrs. Winer,
did you pick out the socks

that your husband wore
to the radio station?

No, I didn't.
I was behind schedule, and I forgot.

He picked them out
while I was getting dressed.

- They didn't match.
- I'm not surprised.

Fie! I should have caught on before.

Caught on to what?

Alvin Winer was colorblind.

Well, so was your Uncle Willy --
kept him out of the Navy.

What's so fascinating
about a piece of trivia like that?

That's why she was always
picking out his clothes.

[ Sighs ]

Why don't you go out for a walk
instead of wearing out the carpet?

A walk.

Yeah, walk.

What did I do with my hat?

I must have left it somewhere.

I'm not surprised.

You'd lose your head
if it wasn't fastened on.

Can't you get along without a hat?

I suppose so.

Of course.

That's it -- I can get along
without my hat.

Good.

[ Telephone rings ]

Now I know who killed Alvin Winer,
and I'll bet you do, too.

- Hello?
- I'll give you a little help.

- It wasn't Dan Murphy.
- Who?

- But if you think about the clues...
- Brimmer?

...they should all point
right to the killer.

Now, remember --
Alvin Winer was colorblind.

What is it now?

And this is the second time
I almost left my hat behind me.

All right, who's the guilty party --

Buddy Parker, Gary Swift,
Herb Morrow?

Or is it somebody closer to home?

- All right, where?
- Like Penny or Dinah Carroll?

RICHARD QUEEN:
We'll be there.

Maybe -- just maybe
it was someone else.

- It was Simon Brimmer.
- What?

On the phone.

He wants us to meet him
down at the radio studio.

He solved our case for us.

He knows who killed Alvin Winer.

Your hat.

Guys and gals and midnight pals,

hoot owls and other denizens
of the dark,

all my night people out there,

this is Buddy Parker,
and I love you.

[ Applause ]

No party tonight, gang.

Instead, I'm going to turn you over
to my co-host,

the star of "The Casebook
of Simon Brimmer."

Good evening.

This is Simon Brimmer,

a close and devoted friend
of that king of songwriters,

the late Alvin Winer.

Tonight, on the same program

where last his cheerful voice
was heard,

I'm going to expose his murderer.

I swear, he's waiting
for more applause.

Alvin Winer was not only talented,
he was also resourceful.

After he was shot
in the radio-station record library

and as he felt life ebbing away,

he still had the presence of mind
to pluck a record from the racks

which left a clue
to his killer's identity.

As luck would have it,

one side of that record
was called "Danny Boy."

Inspector Queen of homicide

erroneously leaped
to the conclusion

that it was meant
to point to someone

whose name was
Danny or Dan,

causing a youth to be arrested

whose only crime
was that his name was Dan Murphy.

Meanwhile, the real killer
went scot-free.

- Like a cat in a birdcage.
- Shh.

The truth is the "Danny Boy" side
of the record

was turned up only
because Winer fell forward.

But surely he didn't intend
to fall facedown.

If he had fallen back, he would have
been displaying the real clue --

the other side of the record.

"Carolina Moon"?

Yes, Mr. Swift, "Carolina Moon."

Alvin Winer knew something
about his killer

and was trying desperately
to convey it

in the two words of that song title.

What did he know?

He knew that his killer
was from Carolina, South Carolina,

and that, at the age of 19,

he was arrested for driving
a truckload of illegal corn liquor,

otherwise known as moonshine.

"Carolina Moon."

Okay, but why did he pick
my record?

Because, Mr. Swift,

Alvin Winer's murderer brought you
to this studio last night.

Only one of the suspects
has a Southern accent,

which is what set me on the trail.

Inspector Queen,
arrest Herb Morrow for murder.

You must have bought some
of that moonshine, Mr. Brimmer.

One of the things it did

was make people
a little strange in the head.

Simon, he liked Alvin Winer.

He's probably one of the few people
who did.

What possible reason
could he have for killing him?

As I see it, Morrow,
the song-plugger,

grew tired of walking in the shadow
of a towering talent

and struck out
to nurture his own ambition.

Congratulations, Simon.

Would you care to say that
into the microphone?

Congratulations, Simon.

I'm very impressed at the way
you developed the clue

and dug into Herbie Morrow's
background.

Very sporting of you
to say so, Queen.

Unfortunately,
there's only one trouble with it.

Don't say it.

I'm sorry, Simon,
but "Carolina Moon" was not a clue,

and Herb Morrow
didn't kill Alvin Winer.

Even if Winer decided to die
holding a record,

he couldn't have found
the one he wanted.

The records are color-coded.

Yes, and there's a chart on the wall.

Even a child could find any record
in a matter of seconds.

Oh, I'm sure it's a very fine system
and probably works very well

for people who aren't
fatally wounded or colorblind.

You see, Alvin Winer was both.

He couldn't have found
"The Star-Spangled Banner"

if Francis Scott Key
had been the killer.

Well, Queen, I presume you have
an alternative theory

to toss into the pot.

Yes, I'm working on one

that has to do with a form of bribery
called payola.

Go to a commercial, Lou.

I'm sorry, but this is radio,

and you've gotten
into a controversial area.

I don't want the legal department

to come down hard on me
in the morning.

The police department
will come down on you

like a ton of bricks
unless you let Ellery continue.

If he knows something
about Alvin's death,

I want to hear about it.

So do I

You'd better make up
your mind, Buddy.

It's only a 30-second commercial.

MAN: Stand by.

This is Buddy Parker.

We will continue
with Simon Brimmer

and his guest, Ellery Queen.

The opinions expressed
on this program

are not necessarily those
of station WPIQ or its management.

You were about to say, Queen?

I was talking about payola --

the real motive
for Alvin Winer's death.

I didn't find out about it
until just recently.

Gary -- Gary Swift,

what chance does a singer have
of a hit

if his record isn't played constantly
on the radio?

About as much chance
as a snowball you know where.

I see.

Buddy Parker, doesn't that give
a disc jockey an awful lot of power?

Well, yes, if you want
to look at it that way.

Some -- and certainly not all --

disc jockeys receive money
and other considerations

in return for playing
the songs of certain publishers,

the records of certain companies,
certain singers--

I believe we all get the picture.

What about Alvin Winer?

Well, he was one of the publishers
that used payola.

Last night, he came into conflict

with somebody who didn't want
to be under Winer's control,

someone forced to do
everything Winer's way

at the risk of a career.

And last night, in this studio,
a young man named Dan Murphy

was frustrated in his attempt
to tell the truth

about a piece of music
that he had written.

He had a scuffle with Winer,
and he ran out in the corridor,

followed closely at the heels
by three men.

But this is a big building,

and Dan was able
to outrun his pursuers

and slip out the way he came in --
through the basement door.

In the meantime, Alvin Winer
went to the record library

to find a replacement
for a broken record.

Someone saw him go into the library
and knew he'd be alone,

and that someone saw
an opportunity to kill him

and decided not to let it pass.

After the murder, the killer,
remembering that he had heard

Dan Murphy's name
here in the studio,

located a copy of Gary Swift's record
of "Danny Boy",

and, after handling it,
wiped it clean of all fingerprints.

The other side of the record --
"Carolina Moon" -- was facedown

because, as we all know,
a record has only two sides,

and the killer didn't want it
found faceup.

The killer's intention -- I believe --
was to throw the police off the track

by letting the victim be found
with a clue

implicating either Danny Murphy
or Gary Swift or both.

But then the killer made a mistake --
a small one,

but it caught him in a lie --

he didn't wear his reading glasses
before the murder.

Simon told us that.

But he had them after the murder.

He used them
to read that news bulletin.

Where did he find them?

In the record library,
where he'd left them.

Would you like to say good-bye
to your listeners, Mr. Parker?

Guys and gals and midnight pals,

hoot owls and other denizens
of the dark,

all my night people out there,

this is Buddy Parker,

and I wish I could say
I did it 'cause I love you,

but let's be honest for a change.

I did it because there was talk

of a wide-scale
police investigation into payola.

I begged Winer to let me off the hook
so I could run a clean show,

but he turned me down,

and he threatened to go
to the station manager

and swear that I asked for money.

But I never did.

He offered it,
and I was weak enough to take it.

His ego was so inflated
that he never believed

the police would involve
America's tunesmith

in a bribery and corruption probe.

[ Sighs ]

I was the one
that was gonna get it in the neck.

I-I had to set myself free.

Okay, hoot owls, this is the sign-off.

The old clock on the studio wall

says that the show's gonna be
around till dawn, but my time is up.

Be good people, will you?

- Velie, take him in.
- Yes, sir.

Simon, it's all yours.

Mine?
What am I going to do with it?

Oh, Simon, I'm very sorry.

Here. Here's your microphone.

Dinah Carroll, Mrs. Winer,

I'm sure there's much
you can tell our listeners.

I can't think of a thing.

- Can you, Herb?
- No. Let's go.

Mama? Mama, wait.

Gary, Gary Swift, come and say
a few words

to our radio audience, please.

Sorry, I'd love to,
but I got a club date.

Bye, Si.

Perhaps I can prevail upon
Inspector Richard Queen of homicide

to say a word.

The word is "good night.”

Ellery?

Simon, I'm gonna listen
to the broadcast at home, in bed.

This is Simon Brimmer,
inviting you to stay tuned

for several entertaining hours
of personal reminiscences.

I was a most delightful child --
a prodigy, one might say.

My only companion was a ragged
little teddy bear named Muffy.