Original subtitles

You ask too many questions.

Well, if I want to know who to contact, I gotta ask questions.

You ain't contacted... Hello?

It's 4 .30.

It's all settled.

You positive it'll go along with me?

I said yes.

I know you can do it, baby.

I don't know.

It's all set. You're about to become a very rich man.

Gerald Askin?

Yeah. FBI.

We'd like to talk to you.

The FBI,

a Quinn Martin production, starring Ephraim Zimbalist, Jr.,

also starring Philip Abbott, William Reynolds,

with guest stars Ross Martin, Marge Ducey,

Norman Alden, Peggy McKay.

Tonight's episode.

The Wizard.

$37 ,419 .63.

You'll see.

One day you're going to be wrong.

Be my guest. We have calculators for those who need them.

Uh, George.

Yes, sir?

Everything, uh, up to date?

Bank exam, that'll be here tomorrow.

I don't know why they always have to fig my club day.

Did last time, too.

You write again, Mr. Barrow?

Yes, of course.

Just make sure everything is neat when you leave. Take an extra few minutes,

if the chair's straight, covers on the machine.

Yes. All right, Mr. Whitley.

I guess I don't have to tell you.

Ready, Miss Farrow?

Miss Farrow?

Ready.

Oh, yes, of course.

Here we are.

Here it is. I'm sorry to be so long.

It's all right, miss.

Like they say, the last is always best.

You always were my favorite guard, Tom.

Good luck, Tom.

Yeah.

Miss Miller?

Yes, sir.

We're expecting some very important people tomorrow. I'd appreciate it if

would wear something just a bit more conservative.

Why, sure, Mr. Barrow.

Thank you.

You just spoiled my day, Mr. Barrows.

What do you mean?

I've got nothing to look forward to tomorrow.

Yes.

Yes.

Hey, I'm glad you're early.

These days get longer all the time.

There we are.

Don't you ever go home, Mr. Barrows?

As soon as I'm finished, Tom.

Quitting time?

Yes.

Let me give you a hand with that thing.

You know, that's what I like about you, Mr. Barrows. You're always prepared for

a rainy day.

Yes, thanks.

Come on, I'll let you out.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, Tom,

would you be good enough, please, to just...

Stay one minute or so and cover those machines for me. Sure, I'd be glad to,

Barrow. Thank you very much.

Here we are.

How much you taking home?

That's what my wife always says to me.

Bring me samples home today.

That's very funny.

Good night, Mr. Barrow. Good night, Tom.

On June 5th, operations officers of the Minneapolis Trust Bank discovered that

$24 ,000 was missing from the bank's vault.

An audit by bank examiners underway since early that morning also revealed

an even larger sum was missing.

Efforts to reach George Stanton Barrows, head cashier of the bank, disclosed

that he had not been seen since the close of business the previous day. The

was notified.

and immediately began a bank embezzlement investigation.

Inspector. Morning, Alan.

It looks as though the total loss may run as high as six figures. They're

checking it.

Morris Ridley, he's the manager here, said that 24 ,000 of it is in cash, all

taken from this cash locker.

You still haven't been able to reach the head cashier?

No. I'd say George Stanton Barrows has made himself our prime suspect so far.

What about his wife?

Well, according to the manager, she called him last night worried about

was. She said she hadn't seen her husband since he left for work yesterday

morning. How did it happen?

Normal security makes a cash theft of that size almost impossible.

Well, I've talked to the custodian.

He said the time clock and alarm system isn't set until the vault door is closed

and this time lock dial turned.

He can't actually remember seeing Barrows turn that dial.

I see.

The other losses, they're all on the books?

The bank examiners are still going over it now.

I'd like to speak to the manager.

Oh, yes, sir.

Mr. Ridley?

Inspector Erskine?

Special Agent Colby.

Mr. Ridley? It's incredible, Inspector.

Absolutely incredible.

I understand you discovered the loss yourself.

Yes, when I arrived, the examiners were already working.

George wasn't here yet. Very unlike him.

Did you know him long?

Fourteen years.

An absolute genius for figures.

He could have gone to the top.

I thought this job was supposed to be in St. Louis.

It is.

But I don't like to recruit in the same city where I work. It's too risky.

You said you knew Kansas City.

I figured we'd do the hiring here.

That makes sense.

Of course it does.

So, how'd you make out?

I got some good men lined up, I think.

You think?

Well, you sprung this on me early, George.

We weren't supposed to go till the end of the month.

Didn't you get my letter?

I wrote you from Las Vegas.

No.

I had to move the schedule up suddenly.

One of the important things is that we get started right away.

Let me tell you something. This is a big job. Scares a lot of people off. When I

tell them how big, they get the scrammies. They want to know who's in

I can't give them a name they got any respect for.

What is that supposed to mean?

Well, let's face it, George. You're a civilian.

Does that bother you?

No, it doesn't bother me.

Look, if I wasn't sold, I wouldn't be within a thousand miles of you.

I like you, George. I like your brain. I like the way it ticks.

But I'm looking for guys who don't know from brains. All they want to know is

what's the batting average.

I see.

Well... I can't say I really blame them, you know.

Listen, Norm...

You think you might be able to get a meeting set up and have them come here,

say, by, oh, tomorrow, maybe?

I think I can put the lid on by tonight.

Cash in advance is pretty convincing.

Yes.

Isn't it, though?

All right.

I'll tell you what, Lou.

Why don't you try to set that up for two minutes?

Hello?

Ready on your call to St. Louis.

Oh, yeah, thanks.

Hello, Linda?

George? I shouldn't even talk to you.

Don't you get my message?

Hmm. Do you send all your girls messages in gold cigarette cases?

You like it?

Beautiful.

But are you sure it wasn't your guilty conscience that sent it?

Oh, I'm surprised at you.

You can't even tell the difference between a guilty conscience and a lonely

heart.

Oh, and I bet you've just been lost in Las Vegas without me, right?

I haven't even been back to Las Vegas since I saw you.

Cross your heart? Hope to die.

Don't do that.

George, when am I going to see you?

Well, now I'm going to have to tell you the truth about that cigarette case.

It's a bribe.

I'm going to be in St. Louis the day after tomorrow.

I want you to have dinner with me.

Well, you don't have to bribe me for that.

Well, I am a little suspicious of you, George.

It sounds like you're building me up for a line like, uh, we've got to stop

meeting this way.

Well, it's just that I have this sneaky suspicion in the back of my brain that

you just might be married.

Oh, come on now.

Do I act married?

Who does?

Mrs. Barrows?

Inspector Erskine, FBI.

Inspector Agent Colby.

Yes?

Well, I can't get it tighter, Billy.

Dad gets it real tight.

Maybe I can help. Excuse me.

Hi, Billy.

Here, let me give you a hand.

Do you know where your husband is, Mrs. Barrows?

No, I don't know. I thought he went away on bank business.

We just come from the bank.

I'm sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Barrows, but a sizable sum of money is

And so is your husband.

Oh, I knew this was building up to something.

Here you go.

What did you mean, building up to something?

Oh, phone calls at all hours.

Out of town trips on weekends. He said it was bank business, but we have

in the business. They never need to take trips.

Where did your husband go on these trips? He didn't take his second pair of

glasses.

George is very nearsighted. He always carries a second pair.

These phone calls, do you know who they were from? I found a card when I was

cleaning his desk.

It had a combination for a post office box registered his name.

I didn't want to look in it. I honestly didn't.

But I had to. He was acting so strange lately.

I thought I could help.

What was in it?

Bills from credit card companies for hotels and restaurants in Las Vegas.

that wasn't like George at all.

Anything else?

It was a strange letter.

It was just signed with initials.

N .F.

What did it say?

What? talked about odd things like recruiting the right staff,

finding a bellman, things like that. Well, I'm sure George would understand

He's a genius, you know. He has an IQ of 160.

He reads all the time.

He was always studying in hopes of getting a promotion, but he never got

Then he just took to reading books for pleasure, poor man.

Books of... On what, Mrs. Barrows?

Crime. Do you have the letter and credit card receipts?

Yes.

I hid them.

Maybe you can figure out where he's gone if I show them to you.

We'll also need the name of your husband's optometrist.

All right.

The house is a mess. I was up most of the night.

My skill as a movie maker leaves much to be desired, I'm afraid, but that's the

front of destruction.

That ain't a structure, it's a fort.

For us, it's not as impossible as it seems.

Tri -State Depository employs a firm of security specialists whose job it is to

devise systems to protect the building against forcible entry.

You couldn't get a dime out of that place to call a cop.

Until now, right, George?

One of these security specialists is going to be our key to getting us in and

out with no difficulty whatsoever.

Just like that? No.

Like that.

I've been working on that weakness in their security system for six months.

Complete diagrams of the depository plus an escort to guide us in and out will

be available to us in a very short time.

Well, you've seen the label on the merchandise.

How about it?

Uh, Norm, don't you think the third man, Vascom, should have been here as well?

Well, he's tied up.

Joey will join us in St. Louis when we get down to the bottom line.

Well?

One thing.

Are you planning on going into the depository with us?

Certainly I am.

I've planned this entire operation from start to finish.

That may be.

But when the heat's on, there's no telling what an amateur will do.

I'm not an amateur.

George can handle this. Now decide.

This is no job for a couple of hit -and -run car strippers. This is big.

And it's the best planned job either one of you have ever been in on.

You think I'd be in on this if I shook it and found one rattle?

Yes, I know.

All right, how about it? Are you in or out?

Orion. Good.

Lewis, the document section has examined the letter you got from Mrs. Barrows.

But it hasn't been able to match the handwriting with anything we've got on

file.

Well, Barrows has been doing some interesting reading. His wife showed us

library.

Books on crime, all carefully studied with marginal notes and underlinings. I

sent them on to you.

Well, I agree with you about the letter.

Recruiting the right staff for your company, bellman to handle an alarm

It looks as if the embezzlement might be designed to finance a big job of some

kind. Yeah, it's pretty obvious he's been leading a double life.

Anything from Las Vegas yet?

Agents there have developed a pretty interesting picture of Barrows.

He's known as a free spender who got around.

You got his lens prescription we sent in?

Yes. Flyers have been sent to all the ophthalmologists and opticians in the

area. And the U .S. attorney has authorized a warrant for Barrows'

I don't think we can count on the date mentioned in the letter. The surprise

audit may have forced him to move his schedule ahead.

That's right.

We haven't got much time.

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Well, it's a success in all our ventures.

Oh, I'd rather drink to the new George Barrows and may his old cocoon rest in

peace. I'll drink to that.

Same toast, really.

You know, you've been talking in riddles all evening. I don't know whether to

take you seriously or not.

Well, you'd better take me seriously tonight.

It's very important that you do.

You used to be just cute in a vase, even. Now you're dashing and mysterious.

I'm sorry.

Did I say something wrong?

Oh, no, no, no.

It's just... I just think it might be time to remove some of that mystery,

that's all.

Well, there has been something on your mind all evening. You know, I can tell.

How's your boyfriend these days?

Chuck? Mm -hmm.

Fine.

Well, after all, you can't expect me to sit home every evening waiting for you

to show up who knows when.

You still want you to marry him?

Why not?

Am I so bad?

Oh, no, oh, no.

It's just I thought you might have given in by now.

No, he's all right.

And he's crazy about me.

It's just that I can't see sharing my closet space with him.

You always ask me about Chuck, even in Las Vegas. How come?

I think he may be very useful to us.

Chuck?

What are you driving at?

He's a security specialist at Tri -State Armored Transport Company.

Well, what has Chuck's job got to do with us?

Everything. You and I go into business with the money.

He's in a position to make very rich people out of all of us.

Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't like it.

I'm talking about a little job that can make each of us...

Oh, wait a minute.

Just leave me out.

Frida can't leave you out of this, Linda.

You're much too important to the whole plan.

Look, I don't want to hear about any plans.

I think we better go.

I wouldn't leave just now if I were you, Laura.

Laura Dowling.

That was the name you used, wasn't it, when you cashed those phony checks in

Vegas?

When you used the credit cards in Dallas and Los Angeles?

Laura Dowling. It has a nice ring, doesn't it?

And the initials are the same as Linda Desmond.

You don't even have to change your monograms on anything.

You set me up. That idea shouldn't exactly be new to you.

Just what do you expect me to do?

Play a little game with Chuck, that's all.

You find the big deceptions are no more difficult than the small ones.

They're a lot more profitable.

How? Chuck's not going to... By breaking off with Chuck.

At once.

That ought to get his immediate attention.

Noel, did that optician say when he filled the prescription?

Six weeks ago.

That's why we were doubtful at first.

The man ordered contact lenses.

And he positively identified Burroughs? No doubt about it, he said.

Burroughs picked them up the day before yesterday.

Well, it sure fits, Lou.

He's had everything prearranged, even to changing his appearance.

Have you started checking hotels and motels?

Underway now, Inspector.

We picked up a rumor there's some recruiting going on in town.

It might tie in.

What kind of men are they looking for?

An alarmed man, an explosive expert, and a couple of hired guns.

Well, if that's Burroughs, it sounds like he's got big ideas.

Informant say a local character, Big Eddie, is pretty upset about not being

included.

He's being pretty vocal about it.

He drinks too much to be reliable.

We better talk to him. If we can find him.

He moves from one dive to another.

We're trying to locate him now.

You gotta squeeze it off.

You squeeze the trigger. One smooth squeezing motion.

Just like you're taking a picture.

Huh? Thanks.

You get everything all set?

I asked if you got everything all ready.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

Oh, what's happened? Oh, nothing. Nothing's happened.

George, when we go into that place... What?

What?

Well, look, what I'm trying to say is, why don't you let me handle that part

you? If anything goes wrong, nerves have steeled.

Whose idea is that? Barney's?

Flutex? No, no, not exactly.

Is it so important to you, George? Yes, it is.

It's more than the money, isn't it?

I just want to do it myself, that's all.

But why, George?

If I had your brain, I'd be glad to sit back and punch buttons and pull strings.

No!

I'm sick of people coming up and taking things out of my hands at the last

minute.

All my life they've done it.

That's very nice, George.

You just give that to me, huh?

I'll take that up to the board for you. Excellent report, George. Why don't you

let me finish it for you?

I'm tired of people picking my brains and then taking the credit for it. No

more!

George, nobody's trying to take any bows for this job.

It's just that I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want to see you be put

on a spot.

I brought in that front money, didn't I? That's different.

This is not your home ground.

What's different about it? Why is it so different?

I work my head off right up to the last day.

The last day, payoff day, never comes for me. Somebody's always walking in,

taking that out of my hands.

No, sir, I tell you, we do it my way. We don't do it at all. That's final.

George, it's not me.

Barney, Lucek, they're restless, mostly. Yeah, I know, I know. They've got a

shaky case of the weights. They want to know if you can really get us into that

place. I don't know.

I've been waiting for ten years, ten years of studying and planning, and I

know.

It all hangs on one telephone call.

It's all settled.

You positive he'll go along with me?

I said yes.

I know you could do it, baby.

You know a lot about people, don't you?

I'll talk to you later.

Well? Smile, woman.

It's all set. You're about to become a very rich man.

I hear you've been looking for me.

Yeah.

If you're Eddie.

I'm Eddie.

I'm looking for a job.

They say you know who's hiring.

Oh, yeah?

You got any money?

Yeah, I got five bucks or so.

Well, give me.

See, I talk better over a drink.

Don't buy us a bottle.

You wait here.

Unit 70, Unit 1.

Go ahead, Tom.

I made contact.

He's just left the alley.

You still here?

Like I said, I'm looking for a job.

Oh, yeah.

Anyone drink?

Yeah.

Well, you don't want to work for those bums, believe me. Bums.

Well, if it's small potatoes, I wouldn't be interested anyway.

It's big.

They say it's the biggest.

They're going to fall on their face.

Flat on their face.

Why is that?

Because I'm the best.

I guess they didn't think so, Eddie.

I'm... I'm a lot better than Bascom. Who?

Bascom! Jerry Bascom!

Punk! Punk kid!

You... You ask too many questions.

Well, if I want to know who to contact, I gotta ask questions.

You ain't contacted...

Now, the front entrance and four interior security doors are each locked

guarded.

Each lock is doubly controlled, both by the guard on duty and by electronic

impulse from the master control room right here.

You know, I did tell you it's easy as cracking an egg.

Yeah, who is it?

Vastum.

About time.

So you guys can fill me in, okay?

Barney Rollins, Steve Lucek. This is Joey Bassett.

Hey, is this it?

Hey, man.

Get him out of here.

Look, Chrome hired me.

I can't afford any mistakes.

I don't make mistakes.

You've already made two.

You're late.

And you're drunk or you're on something.

You hired him?

Yeah. You won't do.

Hey, Norm.

No, no, he's right.

Now, you're on something. What is it?

Nothing. Nothing. No, no, no. You're lying, Jerry.

That's your third mistake.

Now, you take this and you get out and you forget you ever saw us. You know

I'm saying? Oh, come on. As he said, get out!

Like the man said, forget everything.

I'm sorry, George. I thought I knew him.

All right.

We'd better get somebody else.

In a hurry.

No.

Look at this carefully.

This is exactly what's going to happen.

Those with Baskin?

Yeah?

Hi, Inspector Erskine, FBI, Special Agent Colby.

What's the FBI want with me?

What about your son, Jerry?

Something told me I shouldn't have got up this morning.

You'd like to talk to him?

Well, he should be here, but he ain't.

Nine jobs in one year, would you believe?

Me, I've had the same job for 22 years, not him.

Been working here with you?

I told him I'd knock his head off if he didn't stick this time.

But he says he's got a better job in St. Louis.

Has he left already?

Yes, sir.

He was in no shape.

He's on something.

I don't know what.

I told him he better straighten up or he's going to a new job.

What can you tell him?

Nothing.

Where's he staying?

Well, he'd be staying with his cousin, Bill Vascom.

Lives in a boarding house.

609 Frayer Street.

He's still there.

We might as well stop talking about this whole thing. I'm not going through with

it. What do you mean you're not going through with it? Oh, wait a minute, wait

minute. You got something on your mind? Speak right up. I'll tell you what's on

my mind.

I'm the only one in this whole thing anybody will be able to identify.

I know you, of course. That's why you were picked.

I want to pick someone else.

Anything goes wrong, you guys can run away and try again somewhere else. Me?

I'm dead.

I got a good job, and I am not going to throw it away.

You've already thrown your job away, Chuck.

Not yet, I haven't.

Oh, yes, you have.

The minute you gave us those plans.

Your career as a security specialist came to an abrupt end. You must realize

that, I'm sure.

You promised.

You said we could go anywhere in the world, live anywhere we want to.

What is here to you, anyway?

My interest in Miss Desmond is strictly business.

Very profitable business for all of us.

Don't be silly. It's for us.

You and me, Chuck.

Now, isn't that what we've always talked about?

Fine. What about that identification card you haven't made for me?

Excellent.

This should open a few doors for us, provided we all keep our heads.

You don't hold hand to this sort of thing.

I'm just an amateur.

I hope I can do it.

We'll all do just fine.

Gerald Askin?

Yeah?

FBI. We'd like to talk to you.

Thank you.

Yes, sir, Mr. Borden.

Open up, Carl. Got a man here to check out the alarm backup system.

Has he got a pass?

Yep.

Can I see that?

Nice day out, girl. You'd never know it in here.

Do you recognize any of those men?

Hey, look, I got nothing to hide. I got no part of this. Then you can feel free

to tell us if you've seen any of those men.

Well?

Him I won't forget.

Only he ain't wearing no glasses or mustache.

Where did you see him?

In a hotel room with some guys.

What hotel?

The Miller here in St. Louis.

Let me check it out.

What went on in that hotel room?

Who knows? I was only there for a couple of minutes.

The creep fired me.

What did he hire you for?

Look, I tell you, I don't know for what.

You left a job in Kansas City to come to St. Louis and you don't even know why?

It was big.

That's all I know.

Who else was in the hotel room?

A couple of guys, huh?

Barney, somebody, Leitchek, Luchek.

Look, all I know is they had these plans spread out.

What kind of plans?

Some big building.

Looked like a fort, all those gates.

It must have been a name, something to identify it by.

No, not that I... Wait.

The streets, they were marked.

River Street, uh...

Jarman Avenue.

All right.

What are the jobs set for?

Today.

That address, that's Bi -States Depository, an armored transport

They may be there by now.

How's the security?

The best.

Complete with tear gas.

Assemble a special squad, Ray. Notify the police and tri -state security.

And we'll need gas masks.

Okay, okay, Chuck.

What's the problem?

Well, we're not getting any immediate response on the alarm backup system.

you might, Chuck. Out the terminals.

1 -3 -8, Silicon State.

What's the matter with you?

This is a lie.

Lie.

The front gates are open.

Divert the guard at the holding cell.

Watch the hallway near Area B.

Guard heading toward you.

Yeah, we've been checking all the gates in the place, and it seems they're all

all right.

Now it's the lock!

Captain, leave one of your men with us, and you cover the actors for these four

agents.

Take care.

We made it, man.

Flip the switch. Open the vault.

What's the matter with you? Flip the switch. Open the vault.

Get away.

Get away.

The vault is open.

Let's go. Move.

I've got to get out of here.

FBI! Don't! Don't shoot!

Brain. Some brain.

Somebody help me. I can't see.

I can't see.

It's all right.

They'll take care of you.

He's been wearing contact lenses. You better check them.

They were right.

I'm an amateur. I should have left it to the professionals.

We might have gotten away with it.

I wouldn't give odds on that, Barrows.

George Stanton Barrows was tried and convicted in federal court of bank

embezzlement. Stephen Lucek, Bernard Rollin, and Gerald Bascom were found

of assaulting federal officers.

Barrows was also convicted in state court, along with Rollin, Lucek, Linda

Desmond, Norman Fromme, Daniel Chetty, and Charles V. Borden, of conspiracy and

armed robbery.