Original subtitles

Gus!

Hi, man.

I thought you abandoned me.

Never, baby.

Come on.

Okay, Mr. Bones. You can peel out when ready.

Onward and upward.

You sure nobody saw you?

Yeah, positive.

Out the window, down the trellis, across the lawn.

It's up.

Here I am. No problems.

Those dumb folks of mine will never miss me.

What about you?

What about me what?

Who do you miss then?

Well, my crazy mother, maybe.

I really feel sorry for her.

I'm sorry I have to leave her alone with that dumb old man of mine.

Spence, what makes him so dumb?

No, I mean, you're older than me, but you're not like that.

I could communicate with you.

I feel like I've known you all my life instead of just a couple of weeks.

Spence? Hmm?

How come you... How come you talked to me down here that day?

I don't know.

I guess I felt sorry for you.

I mean, you were so out of it.

Poor little rich boy.

How'd you know I was rich?

One of the guys told me.

He said, you see that pitiful kid over there?

That's Gus Kohler, and this old man's a millionaire.

That got me.

You know, that got me.

So I thought I'd rescue you and show you where it's at.

Yeah, well, you say it, but you don't do it.

Are you sure you're ready for this trip, Mr. Kohler?

Mr. Lang, I've been ready for 17 years.

Then hang on, pal, because Haight -Ashbury's gonna freak you out.

Fill it up, will you?

Yeah, honey, I want 375 -7900 in Boise, Idaho.

Please deposit $1 .25 for...

Yes? I'm calling you about your son, Mr. Colner.

Why, have you found him?

Found him?

I'm in his room now. He's obviously run away.

You can tell him I had to call a doctor for his mother.

Where are you?

Well, we're quite a distance away.

Out of Idaho?

Yes.

All right. Put him on an airplane, and I'll send you a little reward for your

trouble. Well, okay. How about $150 ,000?

How about what?

I'll tell you where to drop the money later.

You see, Mr. Colner, your boy didn't run away. He's been kidnapped.

And unless you do everything I tell you to, he'll be killed.

The FBI.

A Gwen Martin production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott, William Reynolds, with guest stars

Andrew Pryne, Will Kaluva,

Bobby Sherman, and Lynn Barry as

Belinda. Tonight's episode, The Mechanized Accomplice.

17 -year -old Gustav Franz Kohler was missing.

Because he had no prior history of running away, and because of a

rumor that he had been seen in the presence of an ex -convict, FBI man

Ray, in charge of the Boise resident agency, had immediately contacted Bureau

headquarters in Washington.

This is his room.

Andy, how are you?

Good to see you again, Inspector.

Tom. Andy. That was a fast flight.

We've had no more ransom demands.

We still can't pin down the rumor of the ex -convict.

Mr. Colder seems to think this is all some kind of hoax.

One thing I'm fairly sure of. This boy left on his own.

We've been over the entire house, the grounds.

There are absolutely no signs at all of outside entry, forcible or otherwise.

He pulled these blankets up over the pillows.

Then he packed a suitcase, climbed out that window.

Mr. Colner, did you have the feeling that the voice on the telephone this

morning might have been disguised?

No, it wasn't Gus's voice. It might have been a friend.

It sounded young.

I don't understand him or his friends.

When I was his age, I already owned my own bakery in Munich.

I lost it all in the inflation. I came to this country with nothing. Nothing.

And I started all over again.

Well, what is he so unhappy about?

What is wrong?

He talks about the establishment.

I am not the establishment. I am his father.

He's an only child?

I was...

44 when I was married. My wife was 42.

The boy was born the next year.

We were too old, but I wanted children.

I'd like to talk to your wife, too, if I may.

She's in her room. I'll ask her to come into the study.

Look at that.

Pillows under the covers to fool me. Can you imagine?

I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Kohler. Why would the boy be out to think you'd

check on him?

I checked on him every night at 11.

I see. And how old is he?

17.

Excuse me.

Hello?

Motivation for a runaway?

You'll notice that it's a week old and hasn't been signed.

Did he have many friends, Andy?

No, sir, no close ones we could locate.

You've talked to his teachers?

Very briefly.

He got an A in music.

What sort of music was he interested in?

All kinds, all aspects, from performing to composing, primarily rock and roll.

Come on, don't stop now.

The concert's over. I'm tired.

Hey, why don't we go out and walk around town a little bit or something?

In a minute.

Drink your coffee.

Hey, what are you working on anyway?

This? Yeah.

I'm making a clock.

A clock?

Mm -hmm.

You just can't go out and buy one like everyone else.

Not this kind, man.

This is a Spencer Lang special.

Very valuable.

This clock is going to make my fortune.

Is that right?

Oh, yeah.

Would you believe a thing like this could be worth $150 ,000?

I wouldn't believe a thing like that would be worth a dollar and a half.

But I might not know the clock market as well as you do.

That's right, baby.

Hey, where'd you learn how to do that, anyway?

Oh, Washington State, Penn.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

You know, there's one good thing about being in the cage.

They always teach you a trade.

Come on, man.

So I did a little time. What's the difference?

There's no difference, man.

You know, it ain't a bad life.

Pretty good friends.

Good food.

Good hospital.

Hospital?

Yeah, I, uh... Blacked out one day.

They said it was my heart.

Kidding. What, at your age?

Ain't that something?

It don't seem right, does it?

So anyway, I thanked him for the warning and I said to myself, Spence, old man,

you better go out and make your fortune and spend it while you've got a chance.

So I thought of this thing and here I am.

Hey, what's it going to be?

That's a secret.

But you I'll tell.

It's going to be a time bomb.

Hey, Spence.

Okay, you know, you're a big boy. You can do what you're pleased. But, you

I left home to get out of trouble.

So whatever you got in mind, I'd just appreciate it if you'd count me out.

Count you out?

That's right. No hard feelings.

Just... Well, you see, old doll, there would be hard feelings.

Because I can't pull this off without you.

Hey, Spence, listen.

Look, Gus, will you just relax?

There'll be no problem. We'll talk about it later, okay?

Yes, come in.

Ruth, this is the FBI man in charge of the case. From Washington, Inspector

Erskine. How do you... How do you do? Won't you sit down, please, Inspector?

Thank you.

What's happened?

Have they called back again?

No, they haven't, Mrs. Kohler, not yet.

No, and they won't.

They know the trick isn't working.

He caught me off guard with that ransom foolishness.

He ran away with some friend, and they want some money, that's all.

I'm sorry I bothered the FBI with it.

Suppose it isn't a friend.

He could have met some bad boy somewhere, couldn't he? He didn't. But

did. What if he's in trouble?

What if he...

Scared.

What do you think?

He is all right, isn't he? Mr. Kohler, speaking of people he may have met, have

you heard him mention any new names recently?

No.

I understand he likes music.

Music?

Jungle stuff.

Bang, bang, bang. That isn't music.

Does he play any instrument?

No. Yes.

What do you mean, yes?

He plays the guitar.

He was afraid to tell you.

He's been taking lessons from somebody downtown.

Sometimes in the afternoon, he would bring his guitar home and play for me.

was very good.

One man told him he was the best young guitar player I'd ever heard.

And what man was that, Mrs. Coler?

Somebody who heard him where he took his lessons.

Where was that?

At a bookstore called Belinda's.

That place? You're joking.

No. This man who praised him, Mrs. Colner, did Gus ever mention his name or

anything about his background?

Well, if he did, I don't remember it.

But he was very impressed with this man.

He said that he understood what the world was all about.

Did I?

There's an instrument for the gods.

My grandfather was a concert violinist.

I begged Gus to take lessons. I bribed him. I ordered him.

Nothing worked.

The pieces he played for me were beautiful.

Couldn't you get beauty out of even a penny whistle?

If you loved it enough and listened for it?

Honey, you look a little lost. Can I help you?

Uh, yeah. I was wondering if you had anything on Eastern religions.

Does Santa Claus have toys? That whole middle section.

That's, uh, very interesting music.

Yeah. You like that?

Yeah. It almost makes me want to whistle it.

Say, you wouldn't want to take sitar lessons, would you?

No, I'm afraid I'm not very musical.

That's the trouble with it, Tom.

Everybody's a listener.

Nobody's a doer.

Oh, I don't know.

I heard a pretty good guitar player in here the other day. Who was that?

Some kid about 17.

I think his name was Gus.

Oh, Gus Colner.

Oh, yeah.

Gus has really got the touch. No question.

He's a nice boy. I'm going to miss him.

Why? Do you go somewhere?

Oh, you know, these kids. The grass is always greener someplace else.

They've got no home.

No, I guess not.

You know, I ask them, what do they think they're going to find in Haight

-Ashbury that they can't get right here at my place and they don't know?

But it's the promised land.

It's a pretty long trip for a boy alone.

I think he said this other older fellow was going to drive him.

Another musician?

Spence? I don't think so.

No, he was just one of my Walla Walla drop -ins. I get them all the time. They

stop by for a handout and then they move on. He was here for a couple of weeks.

He fixed all my clocks.

He really dug these kids. He dressed like them, let his hair grow.

Let me ask you something.

How do they know about you?

Who? Well, he said something about drop -ins from Walla Walla.

I thought maybe they were just out of the Washington pen.

Oh, yeah. My husband's up there.

Belinda?

Yeah, what's the title?

Spell it.

Spence, Spencer, or anything close.

I'll have the boy's description sent to San Francisco.

Hey, Spence.

Hey, Spence.

Thank you.

I'm looking for something.

It's a fence.

Come on.

Let's go back to the room.

You know, you've got the constitution of an ox.

I thought I put enough stuff in your coffee to knock you out for a week.

I was out getting some dinner. What did you do?

Did you climb out the window?

Gus, I'll kill you right now if I have to.

Now let's go.

Spence, look.

Is this the latest picture you have of him?

Yes, that is the latest.

Let's send it off to San Francisco, too. Yes, sir.

He went through his closet.

Yes. Anything else missing?

No.

So all he took was a green crew -neck sweater, a gray windbreaker, and a

of shirts.

Inspector, I just can't believe yet that this is anything but a trick.

Mr. Kohler.

Where is my son?

He's with me. He's all right.

Do you have the money?

Of course not. Not yet.

You'll have to get it by tomorrow.

Drop it in the emergency fire phone box just the other side of Thornhill on Coal

Canyon Road outside of Oakland.

Oakland?

California?

California. Got that?

Yes.

Listen, if... And I warn you, Mr. Conan, if you're late, or if there are any

slip -ups at all, my accomplice will take care of your boy.

There won't be any second chance.

Wait a minute.

Wait.

Andy was having a call trace when I came in. Was that, uh... What'd you find

out?

Well, the only ex -prisoner who fits all the requirements is a man by the name

of Spencer Lang.

He's 29 years old.

He was released about four months ago after serving eight years of a life

sentence. They tell me that he's read everything available about the Flower

Children. And the trade they taught him was watch repair.

What about past accomplices?

None listed in his records.

You're sure?

According to his M .O., he always worked alone.

on the telephone call, Inspector.

Well, what do we do now?

I mean, if they set it up somehow between them.

Mr. Kohler, why do you keep coming back to that?

Because I don't trust him.

I can't trust him. Why should I?

He's never given me any reason to.

It's just the sort of thing he'd plan.

Listen, your old man told me he left it by himself.

Nobody put a gun to his head.

Well, maybe they didn't have to.

Maybe all they had to do was offer him a lift. We don't know.

No, he's trying to worry us.

Worry you?

By having a friend tell you he's alive and well?

Wouldn't it have worried you a lot more to have heard he's dead or not to have

heard anything at all?

Well, maybe he wanted the money.

All right, let's examine that.

Does he need money?

Well, does he?

No.

At least he's never cared about it before, one way or the other.

And to be realistic, he could have gone to his mother, I suppose, for cash if

he'd been afraid to come to me.

She has her own accounts.

I'll see about the cash. I can arrange to have her waiting for me in San

Francisco.

What was he in prison for, by the way, this Spencer Lang?

Murder. Just like clockwork, huh?

There's one thing I don't want you to worry about, and that's accuracy.

I mean, this instrument won't gain or lose more than a minute within the next

six hours.

So you don't have to worry about her exploding before she's supposed to.

In fact, I don't want you to worry about her blowing up at all.

Because somebody will be here to turn it off before six o 'clock.

That is, if Daddy -O does everything he's told.

I'll call the police from the airport and tell them exactly where you are.

I'm in.

I stick to my ideals.

I always have.

If everyone else in the world did that, it'd be a pretty nice place to live in,

wouldn't it?

But some clowns always gotta get cute.

Let's just pray that your daddy ain't one of those.

Here comes the nasty part.

I'm going to leave and won't be back.

So I've got to have some insurance that you're going to stay quiet and stay put.

Feel that string?

Better tie the other end of it to the clock.

And if you flounder around, man, that's the one way you can explode before six.

It's a little after 12 now.

I'll pick up the money by 4.

I should be at the airport by 4 .30.

The police should be here about 5 o 'clock.

So, adios, man.

And good luck.

I have agents looking for them here in every club and coffee house in Haight

-Ishbury.

Generally a closed world, though. If a kid wants to vanish in there, he can.

Yes? Inspector Erskine is here now, Mr. Bennett. Oh, good.

Hello, Alan. What?

Arthur, I thought you were in Honolulu.

Just got in. Got a couple of hours between planes. Thought I'd see what was

happening with you.

Is Colner with you?

Oh, he's at the bank. They're making up the ransom package now.

How's he holding up?

He's nervous.

I think he's finally aware of the danger the boy's in.

He asked me to deliver the briefcase, and I said I would.

He's killed men carrying money before.

You just might think it'd give him a bigger getaway jump.

He might.

Any leads on him yet?

It's not a thing.

I was telling Mr. Ward, a man can disappear and hate Ashbury for weeks if

wants to, provided he conforms to the landscape. Looks right, talks right.

Think's right. It's only when he gets out he's noticeable.

Yes, sir, you're next.

Shape it up a little?

Cut it off.

All of it?

You mean the squarest cut in your book, man.

What'd you do, find a job?

Okay, my friend, when I finish with you, you're going to look so normal, you

could walk into a bank and get a loan.

Even your own mother won't know you.

Kind of like going underground, ain't it?

All new life.

That's what I'm after.

Well, I don't blame you.

You're a native?

Nope.

Where you live, one of those transient places over on Sherlock Street?

Maryland?

No.

I feel sorry for you people.

You ought to condemn those dumps.

They wouldn't be worth the rent even if they were free.

Come on, man. Cut the hair.

I've got a date.

All units, the package is being picked up.

Anybody in?

Rent receipt.

The manager.

H .T. Wonderwall units.

Subject is still in sight, but he hasn't moved.

I'm going up there.

SF -32 to dispatch him.

Go ahead, 32.

Please inform Bennett that the subject turned up at the rendezvous point, but

that he appears to me to have suffered a heart attack.

Lewis, this is Arthur.

Did you get a chance to talk to him at all?

He was dead when I reached him, Art.

Any sign of the boy?

Nope. Or the accomplice?

I'm not sure.

What do you mean?

I found a dynamite cap in one of Lang's pockets.

You suppose the accomplice isn't human?

It might be the kind of thing he'd think of.

I'm going to establish a grid search of the entire Haight -Ashbury area.

Private homes, apartments.

How many extra units are available to me here now?

How many?

Ten.

Ten. You better send them all, and as many more as Oakland can spare.

I've instructed the ones assisting me to initiate a search here. I'll stay with

the body till they arrive.

All right, Lewis.

32 clear.

No, tell them he's older than this. He's 17.

No visible scars or marks.

Yes?

All right, cover the whole grid system again.

Clubs, coffee houses, hotels, everything.

Right. But didn't he say anything? Didn't he give some indication of what

done with the boy?

As I told you, he was dead when I got there.

Suppose he brought Gus along.

Did you locate this car?

It was empty.

But we have agents combing the entire sector. If Gus is out there, they'll

him. But you don't think he's out there?

I don't know.

Frankly, I'd be surprised if a man with Lang's background would take a chance

like that.

It's far more likely that he would establish a hideout and see to it that

was kept right there.

You see, the more these people move around, the more apt they are to draw

attention to themselves, and that can be dangerous.

Then you don't have any leads at all? Nothing.

Know where to begin?

We have one lead, Mr. Kohler, maybe an important one.

Lang's appearance.

He was wearing conservative, new clothes.

Some with Haight -Ashbury labels.

He might have talked too freely to a clerk.

And he'd also gotten a haircut.

So the barber that did the job might be able to help us.

If these people can be found.

Every available law enforcement officer in San Francisco has been interviewing

barbers and clothing salesmen since 4 .30 this afternoon.

Of course, it might have been too late even then.

He didn't say how long we had.

He just said, beyond time.

No slip -ups.

All right, then. Keep expanding the search area.

Do you have enough photos?

Good.

Yes.

You take the clothing store. I'll try the barber shop.

Clothes! Thank you.

I'm sorry to bother you, but it's very important.

What's wrong?

Have you ever seen either of these men before?

This fellow was in today.

I gave him a haircut.

You're sure?

Positive. Did you ever see him before today?

No.

Any idea where he's living?

No. Like I said, he was just a stranger off the street, as far as I was

concerned. What'd he do?

We're trying to locate a friend of his, and we think they may be roaming

together. Well, I'm sorry.

How was he dressed?

Just...

Like all the hippies.

Did he mention anything to you about buying some new clothes?

No.

When he left here, did you notice if he went into any other shop on his street?

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

He, uh... He talked about a new life.

Starting a new life. Getting a job, something like that.

He looked fed up with the hippies, you know?

I asked him if he lived over in one of those trash heaps on Sherlock Street. He

said no.

And then... Now, look, this is just an impression on my part. No, you're doing

fine. Go ahead.

Well, I mentioned Maryland.

Asked him if he lived over there.

Those dumps are almost as bad.

And what did he say?

Well, he said no.

But I thought at the time, I guess I've hit it, and he's ashamed.

Maryland? Yeah, it's a little dead -end kind of a street up the hill.

Thank you very much. Sure.

I told

you

to get out of here. Now, I ain't going to answer any of your lousy questions.

Was this man ever a tenant of yours? His name is Lange.

If you think I'm going to help you Cossacks crucify some poor kid, go on.

poor benighted kid happens to be a convicted murderer.

And now we believe he's deeply involved in a major kidnapping.

And if you know this man's whereabouts and refuse to tell us, you may be

responsible for this boy's death.

Well?

Let me see the pictures again.

Yeah. Where is he?

Number seven. I'll show you.

I'm sure there were only two of them. Yeah, just the two of them. I saw the

older man leave, so maybe the boy is still in there. All right, please.

All right.

Mr. Ward, the plane just left.

Colby's on his way back now.

So then he just set the alarm and he cut out.

And that was around noon, as far as you could tell.

Yeah, he said it was noon, a little after.

Six hours, that's a long time.

I could start my own company at 17, but I... I don't think I could have waited

six hours to be killed without breaking.

I don't think I was mature enough for that.

I'm very proud of you, Gustav.

Dad, I'm... I'm sorry I put you and Mom through this.

I'm sorry I left without telling you.

I'm sorry you felt so alone.

But I think it'll be different from now on.

So do I.

I told his mother I'd be back as soon as we could charter a plane.

Are we through?

All through.

Oh, forget these.

Lou told me you played this very well.

I'd like to hear you sometime.

Thank you, Inspector.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Gus?

Spencer Richard Lang died of a coronary attack six months short of his 30th

birthday. The body was claimed by Lang's mother and taken to Spokane, Washington

for burial.