DOC SAVAGE Program Number Six "Black-Light Magic" (Adapted from DOC SAVAGE MAGAZINE) CAST DOC SAVAGE................Deep, cultured voice. MONK......................Small, almost ludicrously falsetto voice. JOAN......................Pleasant voice, steno type. LEN.......................Medium voice. MACDAVID..................Querulous voice of aged man. BIZ: 1--Deep-throated bird whistle trilling. 2--Door slams. 3--Blows and fight. 4--Electrical hum. (Perhaps shrill buzzer away from mike) 5--Car motor. 6--Shots. 7--Metal pieces jangling together. 8--Metallic car door slam. Playing Time: 14 minutes. Script by: Lester Dent (Kenneth Robeson) EFFECT: (BIRD WHISTLE TRILLING) JOAN: (SCREAMS) Oh-h-h! What is that? MONK: Here, here, what's wrong? JOAN: That noise! MONK: That... aw, that's the sound of Doc Savage. JOAN: I've got to see him. Please quickly. Somebody just tried to kill me. MONK: Okay, okay. Doc's in the laboratory. EFFECT: (BIRD WHISTLE TRILLING) ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Cystex is presenting another episode from the life of Doc Savage, the man who helps others who are in danger or in trouble... Do you believe in fair play? The makers of Cystex do. And they believe in their product, as well. That is why they say Cystex must do the work, or it will cost you nothing. Cystex is a doctor's prescription which we recommend for the treatment of kidney disorders. Faulty functioning of the kidneys and bladder results in such symptoms as loss of vitality, backaches, nervousness, stiffness of the joints, and various forms of rheumatic pains and dizziness. If you have any of these symptoms, we say... try Cystex. Cystex is probably the most reliable and unfailingly successful prescription for poor kidney and bladder functions. It starts work in fifteen minutes... and Cystex contains no habit-forming drugs. Again, for kidney and bladder disorders, we say... try Cystex. All good drugstores handle Cystex. And remember, your druggist sells Cystex with the understanding that if it does not do the work, the purchase price will be refunded. That is how much the makers of Cystex believe in their product... Now we return to the young lady who is in such a hurry to see Doc Savage. BIZ: (DOOR SLAM) JOAN: Hurry, please! MONK: What's the rush? JOAN: I've got to see Doc Savage, I tell you. MONK: Sure... You said that once. Suppose you tell me what your trouble is. JOAN: Who're you? MONK: I'm Monk... one of Doc Savage's assistants. JOAN: Have you ever heard of John MacDavid? MONK: That old skinflint? Sure. JOAN: I am Joan Allen... John MacDavid's secretary. MONK: Yeah. JOAN: Oh, stop standing there like a big monkey and take me to Doc Savage. This is important. MONK: Hey... you've been hurt. JOAN: I want-- MONK: (INTERRUPTS) That cut on your head looks bad, young lady. Let me look at it. JOAN: Oh, don't-- MONK: (INTERRUPTS) Now, now, I want to examine this cut. Good night!... Did somebody slam you on the head? JOAN: Yes--if you must know. MONK: With what? JOAN: It was dark. I couldn't see. MONK: Looks like a gun barrel whacked ya. I'll get some bandages-- JOAN: (INTERRUPTS) Oh, let it go! I want to see Doc Savage. Where is he? BIZ: (LOW-THROATED BIRD WHISTLE) MONK: Hear that? JOAN: Of course. MONK: Well, that's Doc Savage... It's kind of a sound he makes once in a while when he's in the middle of some kind of a scientific experiment. He's in the laboratory, next door. JOAN: I'm going in there. MONK: But Doc don't like to be bothered when he's workinÕ. JOAN: Get out of my way, you big monkey. MONK: Okay, okay. BIZ: (DOOR SLAM) DOC: Well, good evening. JOAN: Are you Doc Savage? DOC: That's right. JOAN: This man Monk tried to keep me from coming in. MONK: Aw, Doc, I was just tryin' to find out what she's got on her mind. She says she-- JOAN: (INTERRUPTS) I am Joan Allen, secretary to John MacDavid. DOC: The art connoisseur? JOAN: Yes. John MacDavid collects paintings. MONK: He collects money, too the old tightwad. He's the guy they tried to soak for hoarding gold. DOC: What's on your mind, Miss Allen? JOAN: You help people who are in trouble, don't you, Mr. Savage? DOC: Something like that yes. JOAN: I want your help. DOC: Well, suppose you tell me about it. JOAN: Mr. MacDavid had an original Reubens painting in his collection. DOC: I know. The newspapers carried a story on it. JOAN: It was insured for a hundred thousand. DOC: What are you getting at? JOAN: The painting has been stolen. DOC: Stolen! But the newspapers haven't-- JOAN: (INTERRUPTS) I know. The papers don't know about it. You see, Len Small... the insurance company, I mean, is keeping it quiet. They hope the thief will be dumb enough to try to sell the painting. DOC: You mentioned Len Small... who is he? JOAN: The insurance company detective. DOC: I see. Now, where do you come in? JOAN: Well, I happen to know Mr. MacDavid will pay a thousand dollars reward for the return of the painting. MONK: Only a thousand!... the old pickle-squeezer. JOAN: Well, a thousand looks big to me. Anyway, I've been prowling around the house since the painting was stolen. DOC: Why the house? JOAN: I couldn't think of any better place to look for clues. You see, Mr. MacDavid keeps his paintings in a private gallery in his home. The gallery is really a big vault. Under the plaster there are steel plates. The door is also steel, and there are no windows. DOC: The painting was taken from the gallery? JOAN: Yes. It just--disappeared. Nobody seems to know how. DOC: How did you get that cut on your head? JOAN: I was coming to that. Tonight, I was watching the gallery door and some one crept up and hit me. I ran, or I guess they'd have killed me. DOC: Did you see who struck you? JOAN: It was too dark. DOC: Why didn't you go to the police with this? JOAN: I wanted some action. DOC: I don't get your meaning. JOAN: I've read a great deal about you, Mr. Savage. You are supposed to be a wizard at solving things of this kind. DOC: Hm-m-m I see. Well, we'll go out and look the place over. Wait just a moment. BIZ: (JANGLE OF METAL PIECES) JOAN: What are you doing? DOC: Getting this apparatus together. JOAN: What is that thing, anyhow? It looks like one of those magic lanterns they used to have when I was a kid. DOC: It's on that order... It's a lantern that projects a beam of ultra- violet light. JOAN: What's it used for? DOC: Many things. Here, I'll turn it on. BIZ: (SWITCH CLICK) (START HUM AND HOLD) DOC: Now, Miss Allen, hold that ring you are wearing in front of the lantern. JOAN: All right... Say, the diamond looks kind of funny now, doesn't it? DOC: Yes. You see, the ultra-violet light shows that the setting in your ring is not a genuine diamond. JOAN: The cheap bum! DOC: Who? JOAN: The man who gave me this--Len Small. DOC: The insurance company detective? JOAN: Yes. He told me it was a diamond. The big lug! BIZ: (CUT HUM) DOC: Well, you've seen one of the uses of this ultra-violet lantern. JOAN: I'll say I have. And wait until I see Len Small. DOC: I'll take the lantern with us. Let's go. BIZ: (DOOR SLAM) (CAR MOTOR AND HOLD UNTIL CUE TO CUT) JOAN: There's John MacDavid's estate. MONK: Want me to pull off in front, Doc? DOC: Yes, Monk. BIZ: (CUT MOTOR) (CAR DOOR SLAM) MONK: Well, here we are. Is that the house, away back in them trees?... Where you see the lighted windows? JOAN: That's the shanty. MONK: Say, it's a quarter of a mile across them grounds. Can't we drive? JOAN: Mr. MacDavid keeps the gates locked. MONK: Why? JOAN: Search me. He does lots of queer things. DOC: WeÕll walk it. MONK: Want me to carry that ultra-violet lantern, Doc? DOC: No. It's not heavy. EFFECT: (PAUSE) JOAN: Oh-h-h! DOC: What is it? JOAN: Nothing. I bumped into a bush. MONK: Plenty dark, ainÕt it? DOC: I have a flashlight... Here, I'll turn it on. JOAN: That helps a lot. The path is over this way. MONK: Yeah, there it is. EFFECT: (PAUSE) DOC: We're getting close to the house. It seems to be quite large. JOAN: Large! Say, I've worked here two years, and I'm not certain yet that I've been in all the rooms. EFFECT: (PAUSE) MONK: The bushes along this path sure need trimmin'. Man, ain't it dark in here. EFFECT: (PAUSE) DOC: Look out! BIZ: (TWO SHOTS) MONK: (EXCITED) Somebody shooting! JOAN: (EXCITED) Trying to kill us! DOC: Did anybody get hit? MONK: Naw. DOC: The shots were fired from over this way. Come on, Monk. MONK: Right behind you. JOAN: (SHRILLY) You're not going over there! MONK: Sh-h-h! Pipe down, sister! JOAN: You'll get shot! MONK: Pipe down, will ya! EFFECT: (PAUSE) DOC: (WHISPERS) Over here! EFFECT: (PAUSE) MONK: Hey, Doc! DOC: Yes, Monk. Some one in those bushes over by the house. MONK: Shall we crawl 'im? DOC: Exactly. EFFECT: (PAUSE) BIZ: (BLOWS OF FIGHT AND HOLD UNTIL CUE) MONK: (CALLING OVER FIGHT SOUND) Grab his gun, Doc! Oh, you've got it'... Lemme slam 'im on the jaw... Ow-w-w-w!... Kick me in the face, would ya... BIZ: (CUT FIGHT) DOC: I've got him. LEN: Get your hands off me! MONK: Lemme sock 'im once more, Doc. DOC: No, Monk. MONK: But he kicked me in the face! DOC: Get the flashlight out of my pocket and turn it on this fellow. MONK: (ASIDE) Aw, daggone it! (LOUDER) Okay. Here's the light. JOAN: (SCREAMS) Oh! It's Len Small! LEN: Joan! What's going on here? DOC: That's what we would like to know. You are Len Small, the insurance company detective? LEN: That's me. Now listen, what-- DOC: (INTERRUPTS) Why did you shoot at us? LEN: Me... Shoot at you? DOC: Did you? LEN: Of course not! I was in the house and heard the two shots and came out to investigate. DOC: You didn't see the gunman? LEN: I did not! Say, who are you? DOC: Doc Savage. LEN: (AMAZED) Doc... Well for... Say, I've read and heard plenty about you. I'm glad to meet you. MONK: (SARCASTIC) Yes... you are! LEN: Who's this bird? DOC: Monk, my assistant. LEN: I've heard of you, too, Monk. Famous chemist, aren't you? Sorry I kicked you in the face. MONK: You ain't the only one that's sorry. Ugh! My nose! LEN: Whoever fired that shot has gotten away by now. Let's go in the house. Old man MacDavid will be scared stiff... (PAUSE)... Why, Joan! There's a cut on your head! JOAN: Don't talk to me! LEN: What's wrong with you, sugar? JOAN: Nothing is wrong with me. But something is wrong with that diamond ring you gave me. LEN: I don't understand! JOAN: That diamond is phony! LEN: I didn't know that... Honest! Listen, we'll both take it back to the guy I bought it from... That chiseler... I'll make him give my money back. DOC: You three go into the house. LEN: What're you going to do? DOC: I'll look around the place some more. LEN: Say, if you want me to help... (PAUSE)... He's gone! Can't see him in this darkness. MONK: Doc knows what he's doing. LEN: I guess he does. He's got some reputation! What was that box he was carrying? MONK: An ultra-violet lantern. JOAN: Let's go inside. I have my key. LEN: Okay, sugar. BIZ: (DOOR SLAM) LEN: I'll turn on the lights. BIZ: (CLICK OF LIGHT SWITCH) JOAN: (SHRIEKS) Oh-h-h! MONK: That old man!... HeÕs got a gun! MACDAVID: Put your hands up, every blasted one of you! LEN: Mr. MacDavid... MACDAVID: (INTERRUPTS) Get them hands up! LEN: Put that gun down! MACDAVID: I'm a nervous old man, and I won't have you around my house shooting off guns in the night. Get out... all of you! Get out! LEN: You don't understand, Mr. MacDavid. Somebody just tried to kill Doc Savage. MACDAVID: Doc Savage, eh? Is that homely gorilla there Doc Savage? MONK: Listen, you old goat... LEN: (INTERRUPTS) No, no! That is Monk, Doc Savage's assistant. Doc Savage is outside, searching for the gunman. MACDAVID: Call him! Tell him to get out. All of you get out! I don't want you around! LEN: Mr. MacDavid, are you forgetting that I am the detective assigned by the insurance company to recover that picture? MACDAVID: I'm not forgetting anything. You may be a detective, but you havenÕt done anything. You're no account! You've spent all your time pawing my secretary. JOAN: (SARCASTIC) I like that! LEN: If I walk out of here, the insurance company won't pay up on the loss of that picture. MACDAVID: What? LEN: You heard me! MACDAVID: Won't they pay the insurance? LEN: Not unless I'm given a fair chance to recover the picture. MACDAVID: A bunch of welchers... that's what your insurance company is... welchers... won't pay an old man when he's robbed! LEN: Do we stay? MACDAVID: Oh, yes, yes! But I don't like it. BIZ: (DOOR SLAM) MACDAVID: Who're you? What're you doing in my house? DOC: I'm Doc Savage. MACDAVID: These people said you were outside. DOC: I came in through the back door. It was unlocked. MACDAVID: Been prowling in my house, eh? DOC: Let's not be unpleasant, please... Mr. MacDavid, will you come to the gallery from which your Reubens was stolen. MACDAVID: All right, all right. It's this way (PAUSE) (EXCITED)... Look! The door is open! DOC: Yes, I opened it. MACDAVID: But I had it locked! DOC: Well, you see, I picked the lock. I wanted to look the place over. MACDAVID: But it was supposed to be burglar-proof. MONK: The lock ain't made that Doc can't open. MACDAVID: You burglars! I'll have you arrested! DOC: Stop fussing and come into the gallery... (PAUSE)... Fine collection of pictures, Mr. MacDavid. MACDAVID: They should be. I've spent all my life gathering them. MONK: Whew! These are swell. DOC: Just where in the gallery was the Reubens hanging? MACDAVID: You see those eleven pictures along the wall? DOC: Yes. MACDAVID: See that empty place in the middle where another picture used to hang? DOC: I see it. MACDAVID: That twelfth picture was the Reubens. DOC: It was stolen from there? MACDAVID: Yes. It just disappeared. And now the insurance company is trying to welch. They don't want to pay. LEN: Oh, they'll pay, all right. But not unless you give me some cooperation in trying to find the picture. DOC: There seems to be hard feeling here. What's the trouble? MACDAVID: This detective hasn't been trying to find the stolen picture. He has spent his time cultivating my secretary. LEN: I'll admit I havenÕt found any clues. But I did find the prettiest girl in the world...Joanie, here. DOC: Mr. MacDavid. MACDAVID: Yes. DOC: In your youth, you were a rather good painter yourself. Is that right? MACDAVID: How did you know that? DOC: Were you a painter? MACDAVID: Yes. But how did you know it? DOC: I didn't know. I just asked you. MACDAVID: Trying to trick me, eh? DOC: I merely wondered if you were a good painter yourself. MONK: Say, Doc, whatÕre you tryin' to get at? DOC: Take this ultra-violet light lantern, Monk, and turn it on. BIZ: (CLICK, THEN HUM AND HOLD UNTIL CUE TO CUT) MONK: Okay, Doc. The lantern is on. DOC: Point it at that row of pictures. I might tell you that I did this same thing a moment ago when I picked the lock and got in here. EFFECT: (PAUSE) MONK: Hey! That picture on the end! DOC: Exactly, Monk. JOAN: That picture doesnÕt look right under the ultra-violet light. It's got a lot of queer places in it. DOC: We might compare it to the diamond in your ring, Miss Allen. JOAN: You mean... it's phony? BIZ: (CUT HUM) DOC: Not that, exactly. You see, that is really two pictures. JOAN: Two pictures! DOC: Yes. One is painted on top of the other on the same canvas. There is probably a film of collodion or some other substance between the two pictures. JOAN: I don't understand. DOC: To put it in a simpler way, the canvas is fixed so that the top painting can be peeled off, or removed with chemicals, leaving the first work of art intact. MONK: I get it, Doc! I get it! LEN: Darned if I do! DOC: The first painting on that canvas is the Reubens that was supposed to have been stolen. LEN: Then the Reubens wasn't stolen! DOC: In a manner of speaking, no. It was merely hidden. LEN: But why? DOC: Mr. MacDavid, you have been short of money lately, haven't you? MACDAVID: Are you trying to accuse me. Why, you-- DOC: (INTERRUPTS) Oh, the cat is out of the bag. You tried this trick in hopes of collecting the insurance. You struck Miss Allen when you found her outside the gallery. Afraid she would learn something, weren't you? And you tried to shoot me a while ago in the yard. Didn't want me around, possibly. MACDAVID: You... you... MONK: (YELLS) His gun, Doc! Watch out! BIZ: (BLOWS) DOC: I've got his gun. Hold him, Monk! LEN: MacDavid is guilty, all right. His tryin' to shoot you proves it. DOC: I should think so. MONK: Lemme sock him one, Doc! DOC: You wouldn't hurt an old man? MONK: (LAUGHS) Okay, Doc, okay. I'll let a judge and jury soak him. EFFECT: (LOW-THROATED BIRD WHISTLE TRILLING) ANNOUNCER: That, ladies and gentlemen, is the sound of Doc Savage, the man who uses his vast scientific knowledge and great physical strength to help others. These dramatized incidents from the life of Doc Savage are presented by Cystex, that remarkable doctor's prescription for the relief of kidney and bladder disorders. (PLUG) Next week at Cystex will bring you another episode from the career of Doc Savage. Cystex presents these dramas with the permission of Street & Smith, copyright owners of Doc Savage Magazine.