Original subtitles

Amazing how they can improvise.

Terrifying is the word for it. For someone who earns their living by

you'd receive my blessing because we are six characters in search of an author.

And speaking of authors, tonight we have a very big, big author

playwright with us.

Talking about Broadway's number one smashing years, Vibrations.

And like this is the chick responsible, Marsha Connell. Take a bow, Marsha.

to you who have been busted.

Infamous Chief Robert Ironside.

To Copper Bottom!

Copper Bottom!

Promise you won't bust me for what I'm about to do to you.

No deal.

Can I trust you with my bag of tricks?

Certainly.

Here's the crime wave.

Chief, cover by an officer. Roddy's been shot.

Oh, I heard.

Is he?

Right over 2 -2.

Over 7 -2 -2, officer.

Oh, our best meter made.

Chief, who could have done such a dastardly deed?

Rather obvious, isn't it?

Peace.

Peace.

And I didn't do it either.

Can't be certain without an autopsy, of course, but I'd say malleable stab

wounds from a sharp, thin instrument.

Such as?

Oh, an ice pick, something of that nature. I see.

I'll give you a call as soon as I finish the autopsy. Thank you.

What'd you find?

Archimedes. In $5 ,000.

$5 ,100 bills. A lot of mad money to tote around in a purse.

New and in sequence, fresh out of a bank. I'll check.

No, have one of the boys do it.

I want you to look for the murder weapon.

An ice pick? Or something of that nature. We'd better find it. Yes, sir.

luck.

We'd better find it, Mark.

Sorry to keep you waiting, but hopefully we won't be here too long. I think I'd

like to have my lawyer present.

None of you is under arrest.

Well, then, may I ask a question first, Chief? Yes.

Is this going to stop us from opening in Los Angeles next week? What does it

matter when we get to L .A.? Well, it matters to me.

Jamie's right.

The signs are perfect for next Tuesday night's opening. Just like tonight, the

vibrations were very hostile.

I had a premonition we should have canceled out tonight.

If we played only when your vibes were right, we'd all starve to death. You're

Mort Green?

That's right.

Can't tell the players without a scorecard, eh, Chief?

Oh, you, Jamie, I remember you from your movies.

Oh, yeah, yeah, I know.

Your mother took you to see me, Saturday matinees.

Let's see.

Steffi Parker, Seamus Brennan, and Myra St. John.

Right. The theater manager gave me a phone number and address for each one of

you, except Lenny. Do any of you know where he lived?

Nobody knew.

Lenny liked his privacy.

Whenever we needed to get a hold of him, we just left a message at the theater.

I see.

Before Lenny died, he said one word.

Vi. Vi?

V -I. Vi.

That mean anything to anyone?

I wonder if it could... No, I suppose not.

Go on, Jamie.

I was just thinking, how about Leo Holt?

Hey, that's a great vibe.

Who is Leo Holt?

Well, I was just thinking of a possible motive for the murder. Leo Holt had a

motive? So did Camille.

Camille? A jealous broad.

Yeah, Lenny fired her. Yeah, and what's the name of that other guy?

George Spelvin. Yeah, good old George.

Jealous George?

Remember, he threatened Lenny once.

Are you trying to tell me that Lenny had enemies?

Many people were jealous of Lenny. As an actor?

And a lover.

What do you mean by that?

I don't know.

All right. Who is Leo Holt?

Oh, he's just one of the crowd.

Gee, why don't you make a list of all the actors who worked with Lenny in the

past? I might do that.

Right now, I'd like to find Leo Holt.

Any suggestions?

No. Don't leave town.

I'll be in touch.

That's it?

Yeah.

That's it for now.

I presume you were all friends of Lenny's. Working together for all this

you must have developed a good relationship.

Sure. I noticed you all seemed terribly upset by his

death.

Good night.

Night.

Now, what's with that Leo Holt bit?

Well, you want to get to L .A., don't you? Sure.

But you started something, and now we've got to play it through right to the

end. Well, so?

I don't think Chief Ironside bought it.

Especially that George Spelvin bit.

I didn't think.

Well, then why didn't you keep your mouth shut?

Now, cool it. It's going to be okay. Now, believe me.

Just keep your cool.

Marcia. Oh, Bob.

Hasn't been a very friendly welcome to San Francisco, has it? I'm sorry.

Would you like to go to your hotel?

I'd love to.

Unless you're holding everyone for questioning.

I'm sorry I can't escort you, but I'll have Mark drive you back.

No.

I'm a New Yorker, remember?

Grabbing cabs is just a way of life.

Well, oh, may I call you in the morning to find out whatever it is you find out?

Of course.

Well, good night.

Dead? Mark?

Remember Poe's The Purloined Letter when everyone overlooked the obvious

except... Detective C. August Dupin, who found the crumpled letter in plain

sight. That's the one.

We can recognize a builder.

Would you say that one of those isn't the nature of an accident?

We appreciate it, sir, and thank you for your trouble.

We're running out of banks. So far, nobody's asked for $5 ,100 bills in the

week in any bank in the entire city. Still Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond.

I was afraid of that.

Two pornography charges, both dismissed for lack of evidence.

Mr. Lenny Blake wasn't exactly Mr. Simon Pure.

That's Jamie Shannons, the only other member of the group with an extensive

police record.

Mostly drunk driving.

With his background and figures.

Both Seamus Brennan and Steffi Parker were arrested during a peace

demonstration.

Mort Green was booked on assault and battery three years ago.

Nothing on Myra St. John, but I understand it's not her real name.

Find out who she really is. That would help.

What about Leo Holt? No such person in the area.

Then check into the other areas.

Wherever the impromptu has played in the past ten years.

Yes, sir.

Myra St. John and Leo Holt.

Mark, you mind?

Chief Ironside's office.

Ed.

Yes, Ed?

I'm down at the lab.

Those two darts from the theater?

Neither one is the murder weapon. No blood, no bits of cloth, nothing.

All right, then. Back to the club.

The manager gave me the address to Lenny's pad. I'd like to check it out

Good idea.

And he also asked me about tonight's performance.

It's completely sold out, and there's a line at the box office. I figured I'd

pick up any tickets turned in.

What do they expect?

Another murder improvisation? Lose a lot of actors that way.

Should I tell them to cancel the show?

No. Let's wait and see.

Okay.

I think your toast is done.

Not yet.

You know you always let it burn.

Don't we need a switchboard operator?

Chief Ironside's office.

It's for you.

Put it on the blower. I think it's personal.

A lady.

I like burnt toast.

Ironside.

Well, good morning.

No imposition at all. Come right over.

Coffee's perking.

And the toast is on.

I feel as though I'm imposing with you being as busy as you are, but I simply

couldn't rest until I knew more about what happened last night. Thank you. My

pleasure. Did you find the murderer?

Not yet.

Do you have any leads?

I mean, do you suspect anyone?

I'm afraid that would be classified information.

Something I couldn't tell even you right now.

I didn't mean to pry.

You're a writer. You're supposed to pry.

That's all right.

Oh, before I forget it, this is for you for the theater tickets and dinner last

night. I invited you, remember?

No.

All right.

Donate it to the Policeman's Widows and Orphans Fund if it'll make you feel

better.

Ironside. Yes, Ed. I'm in Lenny's apartment, Chief. It's very interesting.

I'd swear this place had its own individual earthquake.

Any idea what caused the earthquake?

The only manager said he saw a woman leave here early this morning.

According to him, Lenny entertained quite a few lady visitors, so he didn't

too much attention.

What do you suppose she was looking for?

The question is, did she find it?

So far, I haven't found anything you might call incriminating. So she found

I'm afraid you're jumping to conclusions.

Not exactly great literature.

Well, everybody doesn't read the classics.

No, but isn't it odd in a mountain of trash to find one literary peak?

War and peace.

for a safe deposit box.

It's promising.

And what's this?

Home movies?

With Mr.

Blake's record, I have my doubts.

Steffi.

And now for the final competition in the Miss America contest from Mouse Breath,

Idaho, the lovely Miss Myrna Fendishman.

Isn't she beautiful, folks?

Okay, Miss Fendishman will do a Charleston while she tells us why she

United States and what we can do about ecology.

Miss Fendishman.

I just love the USA of America.

Isn't she sweet?

Okay, now tell us what we can do about ecology, Miss Fendishman.

Some of my best friends are plants.

Some of her best... Okay, now say goodnight to the judges, Miss

I can't. What?

I can't close my mouth. What?

I've been smiling for four days. I can't close my mouth. I'll kill you.

I'm going to kill you.

What's that?

What are you doing?

Why doesn't it get a wink?

Jamie, I don't know where we go with it. Not in Miss America's sketch.

Would I be interrupting?

Not at all, Chase.

We're just rehearsing.

Improvisations.

Rehearsed. You peaked.

Do you want something, sir?

Yes, I'd like to speak with Dorothy.

Hello? I'll... Pop for the soft drinks.

On my expense again.

Neat.

This what you were looking for in Lenny's apartment?

I don't know what...

Where did you

find it? The only place you didn't look.

Oh, it wasn't me who turned that place upside down. It was a mess when I got

there. You do what you want with that.

I suggest burning it.

Thank you, sir.

You don't know how worried I've been about this.

Lenny had quite a hold on you.

You're very fortunate that someone broke that hold for you.

Somebody?

I want you to get rid of that film stick.

I'm sorry I interrupted your improvisation.

It's okay.

Back tonight, Chief.

Can we go on?

I can't say yet, but we'll let you know in time.

What did he want?

Leaving.

What did I talk to you about, huh?

What are you hiding, Steph?

Nothing. No!

What is this?

This is one of Lenny's dirty films?

When did you post this?

He said he was going to fire you if I didn't post it.

He's going to put somebody else in prison.

That dirty pig.

That sloppy.

I'm glad he's dead.

Jack gets mad enough, he could kill somebody.

They all love Lenny.

Still nothing on Leo Holt.

But I hit paydirt on Myra St. John.

She and Lenny Blake were married on September 13th, 1965, under her real

Six Braniuk. Six.

Number six?

Right. You've got to be kidding.

No. Her mother thought that six was a lucky number, so named her Six.

Only the county clerk put it on her birth certificate in Roman numerals.

V -I. Vi.

And that's what Lenny was saying when he died. Vi.

Where's that?

He's at the DA's office getting a court order to get into Lenny's safe deposit

box. All right, get hold of him. On his way back, I want him to pay a visit to

Miss Six Brannick or Mrs. Lenny Blake or Myra St. John or Roman numerals VI or

VI or whatever she chooses to call herself.

Right.

Come in.

Miss St. John?

Yes.

I'm Sergeant Brown, remember me? Oh, yeah.

Pull up a pillow, make yourself comfortable.

Or if you'd rather join me.

No, thank you. It's a nice place.

Comfortable. Very.

How's my boyfriend?

Che Guevara, you knew him?

That's no Cuban.

That's a wild Highlander named Peter Hall, and I miss him like crazy.

Such a sexy Sagittarius.

When's your birthday?

July 27th.

Oh, Leo.

Signs are right for us, you know.

No, I didn't know.

About your boyfriend.

Did he ever meet your husband, Lenny? You found out.

And your real name is Vi Braniuk.

Vi. Lenny's last word, I know.

But I don't believe he was thinking about me.

After all, he never thought about me when we were married. So why should he

think about me when he's dying?

He couldn't care less when Peter joined the group and we started our thing.

Peter Hall was a member of the impromptus?

Until he decided that writing was his bag, not acting.

Is he a good writer? Who knows?

Nobody ever read what he wrote.

So we started taking trips.

Airplane, boat, or drugs?

What do you think?

Where is he now?

Good question.

I was hoping he'd show up here soon.

Before they closed the casket, I took my door key under his folded hands.

Only one hitch.

I'm here, and the door is in the Weber Motel in Oakland, where I happen to be

staying at the time.

Peter Hall is dead.

Gone away from his present manifestation to a new awakening.

Death is only a state of mind.

He's around somewhere.

How did he die? How did he go wherever he's gone?

Too many pills at one time.

Strictly accidental, you know.

He phoned Lenny for help.

Lenny was too busy.

By the time I got to Peter's pad that night, he was gone.

Real sexy guy.

I suppose you blame Lenny, then.

What's to blame?

I'd offer you a drink, but I don't drink, so I don't keep the stuff.

That bottle I can't touch.

It's for Peter, in case he does show up some night, even though he doesn't have

the right door key.

And the razor is in case you need the shave.

So he can cut Lenny's throat if he feels like it.

Even in his new manifestation, it would serve Lenny right.

Statistical louse.

Leo, huh?

So, indirectly at least, Myra blames Lenny for the death of her boyfriend.

And Lenny's last word was by Myra's real name. Thank you.

Just got the word. According to the vital statistics clerk, Peter Hall, age

died August 9th, 1970 from an overdose of drugs.

That eliminates the possibility of Peter Hall and Leo Holt being one and the

same person.

I don't understand, Chief. Last night, Jamie Shannon mentioned Leo Holt as a

possible suspect.

George Spelvin was also accused.

George Spelvin?

That's the name actors use when they don't put their real names in the

Precisely. So if George Spelvin is a pseudonym, then Leo Holt could be one

Jamie mentioned another name during that rehearsal today.

Do you remember, Mark?

No, I don't.

Oh, that name.

Leah?

Shakespeare's? Is there another one?

I flunked anagrams one.

I'll try anagrams two.

See what you can make out of Leo Holt.

L -E -O -H -O -L -T.

L -E -O -C -E -L -O.

Othello.

I still don't get it, Chief. Was Jamie trying to tell us?

Jealousy was the motive for Lenny's murder?

Why don't we find out?

Are you sure you can't use one of these?

No, thank you.

Okay. Quite a collection.

Hmm?

You have quite a collection.

Oh, oh, yeah.

Yes.

And they are all of me.

Age 6 to 16.

That's when I outgrew the movies. So my agent said, or the movies outgrew me.

I've seen quite a few of your movies.

On the Late Late Show, I'll bet.

You must have hundreds of pictures.

Oh, yeah.

That may sound silly, but outside of my clothes, these are the only things I

take with me when I move from hotel to hotel.

Perhaps it's kind of stupid, but they're my family.

They are my kids.

You see, I never had any children of my own, so I adopted me. I can understand

it. Can you?

You don't think it's a little narcissistic, maybe?

That's what my ex -wife used to say.

She got tired of my living in the past.

She wanted me... She kept harping on me to go into real estate.

Me and real estate. Can you imagine? Real estate.

I am an actor.

And a good one.

Well, you say.

I say.

Let's hope those guys down in Hollywood say.

Which, of course, they will when I get back there again and show them what I

do.

Look, I am really going to hit them hard.

Here.

Very impressive.

I took one in both trades.

That's the way you do it. It costs a lot, but I tell you, it does pay off.

I wanted to open in Los Angeles three years ago, but Lenny, he said we had to

wait. We were ready.

Ready.

I have been ready for 20 years.

Who is Leo Holt?

Oh, he's a character.

You mentioned his name to Chief Ironside.

Oh, I was a mistake. Forget it.

Othello?

There is no Leo Holt, is there?

What makes you say that?

Is there?

No. So?

Well, you see, we have these key words when we do the improvisations that

tip us off what direction to take.

For instance, if you want to be jealous, that's Othello.

Leo Holt, Othello, see?

Or Gale Rink.

Gale Rink, that's King Lear.

Angry father, King Lear, see?

So? Why did you deliberately tip off the other to improvise in front of the

chief last night? Were you covering for someone?

Oh, no.

No, no, look, you must believe that.

You see, I thought that if... if your chief thought that one of us was guilty,

then he would hold us here. He wouldn't let us open in Los Angeles, and that

would ruin everything.

Everything.

I thought if he had other suspects to concentrate on that...

Oh, look, I know it was wrong. I do know it was wrong now.

But you see, you've got to understand how important it is for me to open in

Angeles. I mean, it's...

It's

just the most important thing in my life.

we don't blame the detective again or the district attorney, but we have to be

careful about opening a safe deposit box without the owner's authorization.

This owner is dead, Mr. Tracy.

And that's one aspect of the banking business I don't relish, prying into the

secrets of the dead.

You never know what you'll find.

A pair of baby shoes,

a block of hair, things like that. Once we even found the confession to a

murder. There you are.

All the worldly goods of the late Leonard Blake.

Letters.

Legal papers.

And a lock of hair.

I told you.

Well, just leave the box on the table when you finish.

Thank you for your trouble.

Leonard.

You said...

Myra's late boyfriend was a writer.

Would be.

Apparently, he did write a play.

There's a carbon copy.

By Peter Hall.

Doesn't make sense.

Beginning to.

My apologies, Mark.

I asked you to check out the banks in the wrong city.

Here, get on it, Ed. 5 ,000 in new bills.

And pick up Fran and meet me at the Purple Goatee. Half an hour? Fine.

Why the Purple Goatee?

Scene of the crime.

Rule one in the detective manual.

Criminal always returns to it.

Chief, would it be too much to ask? Why are we here?

Somewhere. Somewhere in this theater.

All right, come out of there.

I've got a right to be here.

I work here, you know.

Nobody's questioning your right to be here, Mr. Green, but you must agree it

does seem suspicious.

I was just checking the props in case we go on tonight.

Unless the performance has been canceled.

Hasn't been canceled yet. We'll let you know.

You mean I can go? Unless you'd care to elaborate on your admiration for Lenny

Blake. No, thanks.

You let him off pretty easy. Actor in a theater checking props? Since when is

that a crime?

You didn't really believe him. Yes, I believe him. And obviously he doesn't

what we're looking for. What are we looking for?

The murder weapon has to be somewhere.

Chief, we've searched the entire theater. Fran, all of you, mill around

around you? Yeah, circle around.

As though you were chasing each other. Mill!

I'm milling, man.

Milling. All right, faster.

Chief, what are we doing?

Improvisation. Of the murder?

The murder. Now, when I say blackout, all of you rush at me and pretend to

me three or four times and quickly go back to your present positions and

Ready? Ready when you are, CB.

Blackout.

All right, fine.

That weapon in your hand, it's the murder weapon. You've just killed me

How are you going to get rid of it? Hide it in my purse.

With blood on it?

Take a chance, you might be searched. No. Ed? I guess I'm stuck with it. Mark?

Could I be a sword swallow?

Ed, this show has to go on.

Tonight.

Thanks. We're on our way. Be there in five minutes.

Fake -out reports the whole passage of the club.

Well, either all feel pretty clean, or they're putting on a great act.

They're stock and trade, Mark.

If one of them really did murder Lenny, do you suppose the others know and are

covering up for him? Him or her.

Suppose they're all guilty.

All? One of them could have just been the hit man.

Whoever got the chance grabbed it.

Murder by committee?

They all had motives.

They all hated Lenny. And they all swung with their Shakespearean names.

Final possibility.

None of them know anything.

They're simply covering for each other out of mutual hatred and mutual loyalty.

So how do we find out?

Circulate before the performance.

Doctor them, probe, push, needle.

The anti -technique. No copyright law.

Hello, Jeremy.

Hello, Chief.

I know you're getting ready for your performance.

I want to hold you up, but... Oh, no, there's plenty of time.

You're not going on alone tonight?

Hmm?

Oh, no, no. They're gangs up on the roof doing their thing.

You know, deep breathing, getting their muscles toned up, sharpening the

perceptions.

They really are a crazy bunch of kids. You don't believe in it?

Hmm. It's just not my bag.

Won't give me the line, show me the business, then just turn me loose.

The old pro.

That's the word.

I guess everything must be okay, huh?

Okay?

Well, you're letting us go on tonight. That means you, uh, have to crack the

case.

Well, I haven't found Lenny's murderer yet, if that's what you mean.

Oh.

Jamie.

I didn't come here.

Just to socialize.

I had a definite question for all of you. Perhaps you can answer it.

I'll do my best.

Your improvisations, they're fairly well worked out, I gather.

Oh, the idea.

The bones.

We put the flesh on and we're out there. The copper bottom sketch.

How many bones, how much flesh?

Fifty -fifty. The characters you play?

The bones.

Your lines.

The chase in the dark. Your positions when the lights come up.

The flesh.

I mean, we can say what we want, be where we want.

Chief, is this kind of your routine, trying to pin one of us?

I play flesh and bones, too, Jamie.

How did you ever get involved with these young people?

You know, they're not that young.

No, they aren't.

What I meant...

Well, they have a different approach to the theater. You are an actor who works

with the script all the time.

Any actor can improvise.

Anytime. Like last night?

Hey, I don't know about you, but exercises got in the way. They were all

the roof. Doing their thing, I know. We got anything to go on?

A few cues dropped here and there.

Marshal, you're already here.

Naturally. Then she sent her Sergeant Brown to personally see to it.

Cabs are scarce this time of evening.

But why me?

Why do you want me here tonight, Bob?

You found it.

Where? Lenny's safe deposit box.

You wasted your time ransacking his apartment.

So now you know. I know you never wrote that play. I know Lenny was trying to

say vibrations last night. I know you withdrew $50, $100 bills from

your bank in New York and slipped them into Lenny's purse during the blackout.

know, or surmise, Lenny was blackmailing you because he'd found out Peter Hall

had written that play.

You may not know it, Bob, but Lenny was a most sadistic person.

He telephoned me in New York and told me to bring the money directly here to the

theater and try to find a way to slip it in his purse sometime during the

performance. I didn't know what to expect or what to think.

He seemed to enjoy making people squirm. He must have known he wouldn't stop at

$5 ,000.

I know.

As you all know, last night on this stage, a member of our little group died

very tragic circumstances.

Naturally, under these circumstances, our first thought was to cancel

performance.

Until we got to thinking, what would Lenny want to do?

Well, Jamie, Steffi, Myra and Seamus, and I all

agreed that what Lenny would say would be the show must go on.

So, Lenny, in your memory, we dedicate these improvisations tonight.

And as Lenny would say if he was standing here in front of you right now,

give me the word, brother! Give me the word! Play games!

Games!

Children's games!

Children's games!

it's a deadly game jamie i don't play with you no more

They say, would you give me your...

He said, last night backstage, just before he went on,

he said, we're not going to take you

to L .A., Jamie.

We found a new boy.

A new boy, Jamie, not an old man. A new boy.

Who can improvise.

Yet not an old man who can't think on his... Feet.

Yeah, he said that to me.

After all I've done for him.

He said that.

He said that to me.

You see, I hate him.

And the Andromeda's guilt.

And there's a review in here of the impromptu's opening in Los Angeles.

It was a smash.

Well.

Anagrams?

Derision?

Side iron.

Get to work.

Hey, wait a minute, Ed. How do you get Get to Work out of Ironside?

By breaking.