Original subtitles

Well, for heaven's sake.

Hello, John.

Lance. I knew it was you. I was right. I told him, I said, 15 years don't change

a man's walk.

You know, I recognized it from 45, 50 yards away.

Yeah, but where were I?

I was on a cruise boat going by. Can you beat that?

You know, I spent about, oh, I don't know how much money in the last 15 years

private detectives trying to find you. And here I am on my vacation, and there

you are, bingo, my little brother right in front of me.

Oh, come in, come in, Lance, come on.

Viv will be surprised, huh?

How's she found Mom? She's gone to a movie.

Where's the little girl?

Oh, Betty's working.

Betty?

Oh, how old is she?

She must be 20, huh?

You know, time flies.

Les.

Who did you tell?

Relax, little brother.

There's nobody chasing you.

I promised you I wouldn't tell the FBI, and I didn't.

So there's no need to be afraid. There's no need to be hiding.

So we got mixed up with a bunch of commies. We went along with them for a

But that's all in the past.

People forgive and forget, you know.

Is that right?

You... You didn't leave the party, did you, John?

Why, certainly I left it.

You told me you were going to inform.

The FBI never found my name on the roads.

You went underground.

Underground? You're that important to them.

What are you talking about?

Come on, John.

You know I know how the party works as well as you do.

You went underground.

Your records were destroyed. You changed your name. Instead of John Milton, you

became John Caldwell.

You gave up your friends, your relatives.

Let's quit it.

Did it ever occur to you that I just got tired of taking orders from my big

brother?

Orders? From me?

You told me to join the party, I joined it.

You told me to quit the party, I quit it.

It's always like that, ever since we were kids.

Well, I'm a big boy now.

I'm doing things my way, and I like it.

You like it, huh?

Well, what's the change?

The party still tells you what to do, who your friends are, where to work.

Where to live, what to think. Get out.

All right.

I'll get out.

And so will you one of these days, little brother.

When you tell them how I smoked you out, you'll have to move out of this hole

and find yourself another one.

With new friends, a new name, a new job.

Get out.

Right.

Well, maybe I stumbled on something a lot bigger than I thought.

How are you, Conrad?

I wouldn't make that call if I were you.

Must be big to bring a national commitment out here in person.

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin Warner Brothers production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

Stephen Brooks.

With guest stars Phyllis Thaxter, Julie Summers,

Arthur Fromm, and special guest star Michael Rennie.

Tonight's episode, The Conspirator.

The killing of Lester Milton so close to Oakland's military port of embarkation.

was a desperate gamble on the part of communist leader Conrad Letterman.

But Milton had enough information to destroy a plot against the United States

government that had been months in the making.

He had to be silenced.

The investigation under San Francisco FBI man Alan Bennett turned up several

strands of hair adhering to Milton's hand.

Further probing revealed a tiny piece of skin under the victim's fingernail.

Casts were made of footprints found at the scene.

and samples of soil were taken.

All evidence was dispatched at once to the FBI lab in Washington, D .C. for

analysis, along with a complete set of the victims' fingerprints for

identification.

These boys don't pull any punches, do they?

Not when they want to discredit the next member. Leaflets like that probably

flooded the city.

And if you look deep in that file, you'll find they went all the way with

Milton. They made his life miserable.

Picketed the stores where he shopped, shouted after him in the streets,

liar, Trotskyite, degenerate, toad.

I think in many ways he was a courageous man.

That was 15 years ago. Why wait till now to kill him?

Did you silence him?

Art, you know the warnings we've been getting to look for renewed militant

action from the communists?

You think this ties in?

I mean, uh... Party member murdered near a restricted military zone?

I think if you add to that the possibility of an underground cell in

Area, you're getting close.

I'm waiting for a call from the director now. He's on the phone with the

Pentagon. What's involved? Troop movements?

Cargo. Vital shipment of war material.

Not a hundred yards from where Milton was killed.

It's due to sail Saturday at noon.

For the Orient.

Ward.

Oh, yes, sir.

They're here right now.

Yes, sir, right away.

Well, we've got three days to find out who killed Milton and whether it had

anything to do with our shipment of war supplies.

Can't the sailing time be postponed?

No, it's too late.

The cargo is too badly needed to be delayed.

Well, three days.

Nobody seems to know any more about it than we do.

Someone was killed down the street and the police are keeping it quiet.

But the FBI was there.

That's why the party will want to know more about it.

Maybe Betty can find out about it at the restaurant.

Some serviceman talking about it over a beer.

Johnny, you're stalling.

There's time.

There won't be.

If the party finds out through somebody else that Les was here, they'll wonder

why you didn't report it.

So soon?

Janet wanted to get away from the cash register early, and I thought I'd hold

hands with Stan for a while first.

What is this?

Discipline or love?

An assignment, Mother.

After all, there's no party rule that says an assignment has to be a drag.

Is there?

Bye.

Betty?

Yes?

That's all right, baby. We'll tell you about it later.

John, make the call, please.

My doctor in public.

What if somebody reports you?

Well, it's all a part of my plot. I figure if I create a big enough scandal,

they'll have to send me overseas.

Oh, well, you can't possibly leave me unguarded over here.

With all the troops.

You wouldn't be completely unguarded. What do you mean?

Well, I thought I'd marry you first.

Judging from a lack of pigmentation in some of them, and assuming that the

discoloration is not premature, we can make an educated guess that the subject

is in his late 40s, 50s.

Any evidence of dye?

None. Male?

Caucasian. With a scratch on his head.

Come here. Take a look at this.

Serology took a blood sample of a piece of skin that was found under the

victim's fingernail.

Then they sent that piece of skin to us.

Here, take a peek.

Now, we've identified it as coming from a man's head, probably the hairline.

The count indicates that it was a full growth of hair.

Well, thanks, Al. You've given us something to go on.

Look at the blood type from serology.

I want to see what shoe print file can tell us about his size.

Thank you very much.

A message for Joe. He was out.

At least you made the call. It's on the record.

Excuse me.

Do I have facilities for hauling a 60 -foot sloop?

If I happen to have one, which I don't.

Conrad! Oh, John. For heaven's sake.

Come on in.

I'll see if the coffee's still hot. Come on in, Conrad. Come on in.

How long has it been?

Four, five years?

Oh, by George.

We haven't seen you since Florida.

Something important?

Johnny. Huh? Wally's here.

Oh.

Oh, yes.

We've got some bad news for you, Conrad.

We think we've been uncovered.

My brother found me.

Accidentally.

The toad? My old friend.

Well, he was passing on the harbor boat and he spotted me.

He was here last evening.

Congratulations.

Congratulations?

Well, you could hardly expect us to give the most important assignment of the

decade to a man who failed to reveal that his identity was known, could you?

You mean the assignment's here, even though Lester knows?

Lester's dead.

I killed him quite near here while he was on his way to inform again.

The man down the street?

My brother.

I killed a toad to prevent its croaking.

Wouldn't you do the same thing, John?

Wow.

Yes,

yes, exactly the same.

Yes, to the death of peaceful coexistence.

What's the matter? Are you shot?

Let me tell you something.

We're going to shock the whole world next.

Some of our comrades think it's time for militant action.

We need to sway public opinion to the point of demanding the complete recall

the troops from the Orient.

How?

There's an important supply ship leaving here soon.

Betty's doctor friend had to break a date to help vaccinate some of the new

crewmen. I forget the exact sailing time, Viv.

It's important.

We want everything on board.

When you blow up the ship.

According to the pathology report Bennett forwarded to us from San

the victim's blood was type O.

But the specimen taken from the piece of skin under his fingernail indicated

agglutinogen A and B.

So we can assume that it came from the subject who attacked him.

Type AB.

Thanks, Harry.

You'll note it has the pointed style of a dress shoe.

A little indication of wear.

Now, we were able to match it up with this one.

The soles and heels are manufactured in Lynn, Massachusetts by the Dobson

Company.

His foot size is 11B.

If he has a normal build, he would be slender and possibly as tall as 6 '3 or

4'. Now, this is confirmed by the depth of the shoe impression in relation to

the condition of the soil.

It could weigh about 180 pounds.

6 '3, slender, thick salt -and -pepper hair, 50 -ish, probably a known

communist. Blood type AB.

Right. We'll get that over to domestic intelligence right away.

I want an expedite search of every movie and party member picture we have. Take

as many men as you need, but get me some names first. All right.

Come on, baby, don't lose your cool. I'm not going to be gone forever.

I was going to have such a nice birthday party for you Sunday.

You surprised?

Oh, baby.

Hey, what's the matter with Friday night?

It wouldn't be a surprise, but we could... Will you still be here?

Oh, sure. We don't have to be aboard till midnight.

That's what we'll do, okay, baby?

Midnight Friday.

Sailing time?

Boarding the crew.

Baby, I told you that I... Oh, hold on, please.

Dad, you've never had to be this exact before. What's going on?

Well, I can't tell you. Not now. I've got to go to a meeting.

I, uh... Oh, never mind.

Just find out, huh?

Stan's going to pick me up after work.

Maybe I can get it out of him.

Oh, sweetheart, do your best. It's important.

Very important.

Let's see another picture of him without a hat.

How's it going out there?

I got a few of them.

Good. Over here are five more.

Put them on the wire. Have the local field officers check the party cells

those men are affiliated.

Yes, sir.

All right, let's come to order.

John, what can you tell us about the ship's sailing time?

Well, I, uh... We haven't been able to pin that down exactly yet.

But we do know that the crew must be aboard by midnight Friday.

That's not good enough.

We want the exact sailing time.

So it'll be too late for anyone to discover the bombs.

And I want the cargo on the ship, John, not on the dock.

All of it.

Yes, I know.

We'll have that information.

Don't worry.

John, I'm responsible.

There are other people concerned.

Everything depends on timing.

Explosives?

Ready to go.

I'm using a plastic.

Enough to blow that ship clear out of the water.

I've rigged it in five separate flat packages, each with its own magnet.

Herm can tell you about the timers.

Well, the timers are all...

preset to detonate 30 minutes after they're stuck to the hull.

It's all automatic. It can't be changed or stopped unless contact is broken.

Now, they'll explode at intervals equal to the time it takes John to place them.

You sure that will give you enough opportunity to get clear of the ship and

of the water?

Yes, yes, I think so.

I'll arrange to do some underwater hull work on a customer's boat.

Yes, I think I can make it.

All right.

What about printing?

I found an old duplicating machine that had been thrown out. I picked up the ink

and the paper in small purchases at 15 different stores.

I'm ready to go to press any time Amelia has the copy.

I have something good going, Conrad.

I'm writing a harangue against the war that should really shake up the public.

I'll have them demanding that we get out of it before the last echo of the

explosion dies away.

You can have a final draft before noon tomorrow if Conrad approves it.

Fine, fine. Thank you, Amelia.

You've all done extremely well.

With one exception, of course.

We'll have the information for you tomorrow. Our daughter's working it now.

Right this minute.

If you don't let me balance out these receipts, we'll never get out of here.

Look, honey, I've got a surprise, and I don't know how long I can keep it. Well,

why try?

All right.

Come here.

Stan!

Stan! What am I going to do?

Right here. Right here.

Okay.

Big question first.

Will you marry me?

Now, please say yes, because I don't know whether I can stand it or not over

there unless I know... You're not shipping out again.

It's Saturday.

Yeah, the ship's doctor came down with some kind of bug and I'm his

Look, being a doctor has one advantage anyway. I can get our blood test rushed

through. We can be married tomorrow night.

That doesn't give me much time to be Mrs. Stan Leonard, does it?

Just enough time to call myself a widow.

Nothing's going to happen to me over there.

How much time, Stan?

I know you said Saturday, but when Saturday?

I want to know. Exactly.

To the minute.

Well, it's not going to be that. I want to know.

Twelve o 'clock.

Noon.

But it won't be the end. It'll be the beginning.

Look, we'll write to each other every day and... Let me sleep on it.

Right now, I'm afraid I'll say yes.

And I want to be sure.

to the last of them on the wire.

I'll be weak.

How many possibles have you got altogether, Jim?

Uh, 53, sir.

Ward.

Oh, right.

Lewis. SAC Randolph, New York.

He's on.

Yes, Chet. How are you?

Sleepy. Your teletype got some overtime out of us tonight.

But I think we turned up a hot one for you.

Matches your description.

What is it?

Conrad Letterman.

Letterman?

Yeah, I remember. He's a party leader.

Committee man.

Heads up a dissenting faction at headquarters that's leaning toward the

philosophy.

According to our informant, Letterman's been holding secret meetings lately.

Something's brewing. Something big, he says.

He's not quite sure exactly what it is, but Letterman suddenly left New York

yesterday for Oakland, California.

Right. Anything else?

One thing.

Our informant said he's quite sure Letterman won't try to contact any

party members, just the underground.

And I don't have to tell you, they are hard to find.

Thanks, Chet. We'll run this down right away.

A man as important as Letterman ought to have a pretty thick file.

Maybe he can get a positive match.

Right, Art.

Hey, don't you two know it's 2 .30 in the morning? We want to talk to you,

sweetheart. Oh, Dad, can it wait? I'm beat.

What's the matter with you?

Your dad and I have had a very embarrassing situation tonight.

Just because of... We, uh... At the meeting.

They weren't very happy with us because we didn't have the information they

needed. I told you it was very important.

Oh, the sailing time. I'm sorry, Dad.

It's 12 o 'clock noon on Saturday.

Just a minute. Let her go, Viv.

John. Mother, I'll listen to you tomorrow.

Right now, I've got some... some thinking of my own to do.

John, you've got to tell her.

She's too young. She's not ready for this sort of thing yet.

Well, she better be.

And so had you.

Viv. John, I... I don't think Conrad would be very pleased to know how you

about this.

You might begin to wonder if you're man enough for the job.

Viv, there's a crew on that ship.

That's 45 lives.

Well, he likes expensive clothes. He stays at the best hotels.

He's the right height, weight, and age.

Good morning.

How's he check out?

Oh, just about everything here.

Drinks Aquavit and Danish beer exclusively.

Had an appendectomy last year. He went to... Hey, if he was a surgery, they'd

have a blood type on him.

I checked what I did when I came in.

They turned up a brother of the victim, John Milton.

He was a machinist. And 15 years ago, he just failed to show up for work.

There's been no trace of him since.

And that happens to be the same day that Lester Milton came to us.

Any other relatives?

No. Parents are dead. But John Milton had a wife and a baby daughter.

They also disappeared.

Now, does that have a familiar ring to you? A pattern?

The whole family?

They must have gone underground.

I just wonder if his brother knew.

They killed him, so he knew something.

Lou.

We're gonna have breakfast on the plane.

Blood type?

AB.

Well, I'll call Bennett.

Tell him you're on the way.

Wow.

Didn't expect to see you till noon.

Seemed so exhausted last night.

What was the matter?

Oh, nothing, nothing.

Come on now, sweets.

You know we don't keep secrets in this family.

I'm not sure you'd understand.

Try.

Stan wants to marry me.

He even took a sample of my blood for tests, just in case.

Well?

Well, what?

It's out of the question, you know that. Mother, I keep telling myself he's just

an assignment, but I... Listen to me.

We're different than most people.

We're lucky.

We have a purpose in life.

There's nothing more wonderful than dedication to a goal.

We have to make sacrifices, of course, but it's worth it.

I know that, Mother. I know. You don't know everything.

And no matter what your dad says, it's about time you face some of the hard

facts of life.

Then maybe you'd realize how insignificant this little romance is.

The sailing time, is that part of it?

Mother, what's going to happen at noon tomorrow?

Your father's going to blow up the ship.

What did you say?

Blow up the ship?

But the crew... Listen to me. This isn't a game. This is a revolution, a war.

The material on board that ship is being used against us, and we're going to

fight back. You, me, the whole party.

You've heard the speeches. You know the reason.

I've heard the speeches, all the words.

It doesn't matter if three -quarters of the people of the world perish. It only

matters that the remaining one -quarter is communist, but that's words.

A theory.

There's nothing in there about my father having to be a murderer.

You and Johnny.

I told you she was too young to understand.

To be honest with you, I'm not so certain I do myself.

Johnny, you don't know what you're saying.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe I don't know what I'm saying or doing.

The closer it gets to the time, the more monstrous it seems.

Daddy, Stan's going to be on that ship.

Stan? That's important to you, baby, huh?

I love him.

I think I love him.

That's how I got the sailing time.

I'd be his murderer, too.

John, will you... Viv, will you just please leave us alone for a minute?

We'll work things out.

I bet you will.

Good to see you, Inspector.

You know Jim Rhodes, SAC on men. Jim, I dug up a picture of Letterman from our

files. I found a stewardess to recognize him. His plane landed about 7 .08

Wednesday night.

7 .08, that's an hour before Milton was killed.

He must have gone to Oakland right from here.

Alan, I'd like to set up a briefing session in your office with as many

as you can spare.

Fine.

You think he wants to back out?

I think he needs encouragement, Conrad.

A little bolstering up.

I'll arrange an emergency meeting.

When it's set, I'll let you know.

Thank you, Viv.

You did the right thing.

I can't make any promises, honey.

I haven't even figured it out for myself yet.

But there's time, so just be patient and... Well, don't do anything that you

might be sorry for.

That's Stan.

Daddy, what can I say?

Well, do you think it's a good idea, under the circumstances, to marry a man

that you won't be seeing for a year?

I just thought you'd like to know that your blood is grade A1 and the law says

we can get married.

I can be over in five minutes.

Dad, I can't do it.

Oh, baby, look.

No.

It just doesn't make any sense.

To marry a man I won't see for a year, maybe longer.

Now, just take it easy. I can come right over and we'll talk about it.

No, Stan, I mean it.

I made up my mind and...

There's nothing you can say to make me change it.

I'm sorry.

Hello?

John?

Conrad?

Yes, yes, Conrad.

A meeting tonight, John. Seven o 'clock, same place.

Well, why? Did something go wrong?

No, John, I just want to make sure nothing does.

It's final meeting, John.

You and Viv be there, huh?

Oh, why, sure.

We'll be there.

Now, there's one thing you won't find in those photographs.

He'll have a deep scratch in his forehead, near the hairline, maybe a

We know he always insists on the best accommodations, so start with the most

expensive hotels and work down.

He'll be using another name, of course, false credentials.

He'll avoid drawing attention to himself. But there's one thing he's not

to change.

I want you to check all bellhops, bars, room services for a man who insists on

Danish beer and Aquavit.

that's about all he's here somewhere you only have a few hours to find him good

luck

I thought you said 7 o 'clock. I said you're late.

Wait a minute. What's going on here?

I don't like your company, John.

Why?

What did I do?

The sooner you confess, the better, John. You know that.

But I haven't done anything.

You're all absolutely right to turn your backs on me.

I permitted my personal feelings to invade my thinking.

I allowed myself to question the wisdom of my assignment.

I even permitted my own daughter to indulge her emotions.

I deserve every punishment that you're ready to give me.

My wife was right to tell you.

I was wrong.

Wrong.

It's to your credit, John, that you were quick to confess.

For this reason, there'll be no punishment, only a test.

You'll carry out your assignment tomorrow as planned.

Or you'll be expelled.

Good night, comrades.

Thank you.

Well, it doesn't look as if you had much luck. Well,

thank you.

We appreciate your cooperation.

At least intelligence failed to come up with anything either.

Have the standby. I'm going to check all liquor stores. You may be staying in a

private house. All right.

Daddy, you're going to do it, aren't you?

Yes.

Why?

Because I believe it's a necessity.

A necessity?

Betty, I'm a communist.

That means I've dedicated my life to an ideology that I believe will control

every square inch of this world someday.

And it's my sworn duty to bring that about in any way that I can.

Even by murdering? Is war murder?

Then I'm already a murderer.

You see, your uncle, my brother, was killed Wednesday night because he was a

threat to that plan.

Oh.

I accepted that.

Therefore, I'm a part of it.

I allowed it to depress me, affect my judgment.

You see, I was like a priest who questioned his faith.

I was wrong.

To sacrifice is to strengthen.

And we've got to be strong, baby, both of us.

Because what we're doing is right.

Even though it may seem cruel at times, it's right.

Is this what you... Don't touch that.

They're only separated by thin sheets of lead.

The timers begin when the magnets adhere to metal.

Like the hull of a ship.

how many liquor stores there are in this town.

Bennett.

Where?

Thank you very much.

Bar service at Langdon Hotel.

They just got an order for aqua -beaten beer.

We finally got thirsty.

273. Registered to who?

Charles Lawrence.

Put a tight surveillance on him. I'll check everybody who comes and goes. Jim,

we have a list of all his calls from the hotel switchboard. Yes, sir.

Radio room.

Oh, hey.

Keep everybody away from here for a while, will you?

I want to check the hull on this one.

I don't want anybody spilling the props over my head.

It's pretty busy on that phone. We've got quite a list here.

They're all being checked out, but I ran this one down myself.

Caldwell's Boatyard is practically next door to the port of embarkation.

John Caldwell, 45, been here six years, came from Florida, has a wife, Vivian,

daughter, Betty.

Daughter? How old?

She's 20.

She works as a hostess at the Luau. That's a restaurant in the bay.

If Milton had a daughter, she'd be about 20 by now.

It fits, Lou.

Milton found him and got killed for it.

Just a minute. There's more here.

The daughter, Betty, dates a Navy doctor, Lieutenant Stan Leonard. He

out. We could talk to him.

Senator, he'll be waiting for us in the CO's office at the port of embarkation.

He was already aboard. He's shipping out.

Communists?

Oh, come on. The Calwells?

Has the daughter ever tried to get information out of you, Lieutenant?

involving the war?

Of course not.

We talked about my work. Or rather, I did. But that doesn't make her a

communist. It's extremely important, Lieutenant. Just tell us what you

discussed.

Well, she wanted to know what time my ship was to leave.

She insisted on the exact time, as a matter of fact.

I told her, 12 noon.

Well, it's not as if we're on a war footing. I mean, that's not exactly top

secret.

Alert the Coast Guard. Ask him to stand by.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Is that Caldwell?

Yes.

FBI.

I'd like to talk to your husband, please.

He isn't here.

Is your daughter in?

No, I'm sorry. She isn't home either.

Miss Caldwell?

Or is it Miss Milton?

Betty, go back inside.

What do they want?

They had a talk with Dr. Leonard. He said you showed a great interest in the

sailing time of his ship.

Do you mind telling us why?

Don't answer that.

You have no right. Where is he now?

Stan, Dr. Leonard.

I imagine he's back on board. Why do you want to know?

Betty, they're going to blow up the ship.

You traitor.

Who is?

My father.

He's there right now.

Underwater with five bombs.

Frogmen, hold on.

Chief, can we get some frogmen?

Yes, Inspector.

And Al, there are five charges magnetically held.

Break that contact with the hull and the timer stop.

How much time do we have?

Not quite 11 minutes. Have somebody get the crew off.

We're on it.

Surveillance reports that Letterman left the hotel. He seems to be headed for

our position.

We're told that we'll follow him and apprehend him when he stops.

You've got to come with us, both of you.

FBI, you're under arrest.

Letterman, throw down your gun and come out with your hands up.

Inspector.

Riskin. Inspector.

We got him.

I'm looking at him right now.

All five of them.

Repeat, all five.

No, did you hear me?

I hear you, Al.

I hear you.

I had to tell them.

There wasn't any other way.

We all do what we have to do, baby.

I'm... I'm...

I'm going to tell them everything.

Everything I can possibly remember.

I love you.

And I love you, baby.

You know that.

Conrad Letterman died from wounds received while resisting arrest.

John Milton, alias Caldwell, and his wife, Vivian, were tried and convicted

attempted sabotage against the United States and are serving sentences in

federal penitentiaries.