Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm considering taking up skin diving.

I've avoided it for a long time because of the name. The term skin

diving conjures up a very macabre picture to anyone but a mosquito.

However, since I have become bored with water skiing, fencing, wing walking and

the like, This might be an excellent way to work off excess energy.

And the moment I have any, I shall take it up.

One thing that strikes me is the necessity for good feeling among your

companions.

Now I understand why it is called skin diving.

It is because the skin is entirely covered.

And now, here is tonight's story.

Baby, won't you please come home Cause

your mama is so all alone

I have tried in vain never to

call your name.

When you left, you broke my heart.

Cause I never thought we'd part.

Every hour, every day.

Danny can cause me a lot of trouble.

They can always cause trouble.

The more rope you give them, the faster they hang you. But I don't want no

trouble. I can't stand it.

Business is good. A little trouble and... Until little Danny will lay off.

he's maybe just trying to be friendly.

Buying you drinks.

Georgia doesn't want any part of him and I second the motion.

He's been dogging her for two weeks.

It's time for him to creep back under his rock.

Good.

It's you and George I'm worried about.

Dandy's a real... I know, I know.

Look, you own this place, Joey. We just work here.

But it's us the customers come to see.

They're just sets of eyes and ears.

That goes for little Dandy, too.

Jason? Yeah, come in.

What did pal Joey want?

Nothing much. Any complaints about the numbers?

How could there be?

You're the most of anything that ever hit this joint.

I love you.

Your key is B -flat, not A -flat.

Hook me.

So then it was about little Dandy.

The working girl's nightmare.

Joey's worried.

What about me?

Shouldn't be.

I can take care of it. I'll take care of myself.

I love it.

I've got to get back on the stand.

I'll take you home tonight, like always.

Mr. Dorff wants you to accept this slight offering of his admiration and

the honor of your presence at his table.

Mr. Dorff?

I don't know any Mr. Dorff.

Bert, do you know any Mr. Dorff? I don't know any Mr. Dorff.

Mr. Dorr.

You know who I mean.

Oh, you mean that, Mr. Dorr.

Little Dandy Dorr.

You don't like to be called little.

I wouldn't do it, neither.

Oh, I get it. It's an alias.

I didn't know you was a comedian.

I thought you was a piano player.

Piano players come cheap.

Well, call him whatever you like.

But you take these flowers back and tell him they don't smell, they stink.

He don't want them back.

Cookie!

All right.

Then tell little Dandy he can eat them in a chef's salad with onions and

mayonnaise.

Okay, I'll tell him.

What's the matter? Too hurried to say hello to your friends?

I don't see any friends.

Maybe you're looking at one now.

I doubt it.

I have a show to do. Oh, now look, that can wait just for one drink.

Listen, nobody, dolls in particular, ever lost a thing drinking with me.

And what does that mean?

Well, you know, one drink leads to another.

I'll make it worth your time.

for giving me the chance.

Sorry. I've had better offers than that.

Not from me, you haven't.

I muddle her with every drink.

That's true. I've been playing club since I was old enough to get inside the

door. You handle a louse like a louse.

He wouldn't take no for an answer, so he got it. You idiot.

What Georgia did was bad enough.

You think it was?

You think I'll stand around watching her take his wraps all by herself?

You think that's the way it is?

I don't know how it is.

Then I won't try to explain it to you, Joey.

It's not tax -deductible, and you won't understand.

But I like you kids.

And the business we pull.

All right, Joey.

You won't understand.

Georgia didn't realize what she was doing, so she overplayed it, see?

And I barged in.

if little Dandy's going to hate her, he's going to hate me, too.

I don't think he won't.

Do it again with a double.

And no muddling.

I'm buying.

Make sure it's a full double.

That pleases me very much.

I'm happy for you.

Now what will we talk about?

There's no need for long conversation, not when you know someone.

But I don't know you.

But I know you.

You're Bert Haber.

So? It says so on the lobby card.

You also live in a fourth -floor walk -up on East 54th Street.

And you're only home during the daytime.

Is that right?

insurance. I'm not buying any this year.

You're not?

I would if I were you.

Little Danny recommends it.

I think we understand each other, Mr. Haber.

You're late tonight.

It's only 9 .30. What's the date?

Got a black coffee and some brandy, Bill?

Where's Georgia?

Still got 15 minutes to go.

Let your muscles sag.

Not much action tonight.

All right, I'll warm up what there is.

Look, Joy.

Three months ago when we came, you could have parked boxcars in this place.

Now you got reservations from Winchell, Mayans, the New Yorkers? I ain't denying

it, Bert.

You understand how it is. I'm with you.

She should be here by now. I know it.

What happened? I don't know what happened.

Well, is she going to be here, isn't she? Stop worrying about it.

good talk to that guy that just came in.

What's he want? I don't know. He wouldn't tell me.

But I know it's going to be something bad.

Real bad.

How do you know?

Oh, I can just feel it. You know how it is. I don't care how you feel. Stop

showing it.

Cut it out.

You know what's good for you and me and Georgia.

But Bert, I mean it.

You know how they are.

They?

I don't have to draw you a picture.

Now, you've got to have a cover for us.

But there ain't nobody like you in Georgia.

Amos and Alice are looking for work. You can get them.

Right now?

Right now. Here.

You'll find them listed.

I'll give them a call.

I don't know whether... They'll be all right.

They can get here in 15 minutes.

Well, that's the only thing you can do.

Now, get on the phone.

Don't worry about it. It'll be great.

Navy, who are you?

Jack Simpson, detective.

Manhattan East.

Are you acquainted with... Hold it. Let's see a badge or something, Chief.

Not that way.

So, turn me over to the table.

Are you acquainted with this woman?

Yes.

Do you have to do it that way?

There wasn't any other way.

We haven't made positive identification yet.

The only thing we could do under the circumstances was photograph her face

there.

Where? Where was right there?

In an alleyway.

Between two multiple dwellings. West 55th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue.

Did she live in that neighborhood?

Well, when was she found?

That's a good question.

What do you mean by that?

I think you know what I mean, Mr. Haber.

I see.

You mean I act as if I...

Knew it was going to happen.

Did you?

I thought maybe it would. I didn't know where, when, or how.

Can you account for your movements from the time you left here last night until

I came in just now?

Yes, I can.

I took Georgia home from here.

Where did she live?

E61st Street.

It was 4 .01 in the morning by the clock in the lobby of her building.

Wasn't that kind of early?

This place doesn't close until about four.

It'll take more than a minute to get uptown.

Yes, it was early.

But I felt responsible for her.

I've been getting her out before Joey closes.

See, there's a lot of business at closing time.

Nobody noticed there's somebody leaving.

They were home and said they'd be right over.

They told me to thank you.

You're welcome.

Anything about George, huh?

Mr. Simpson's a detective. He's asking questions.

Can I offer you gentlemen a drink? Anything?

No.

Get me a double rye on the rocks.

Make it a straight rye.

Listen, Simpson.

I went straight home when I left your apartment.

I slept until six o 'clock this afternoon.

Tried to get her on the phone, but it just kept ringing.

If the call wasn't completed, there'd be no record of it.

Bartender is flipping.

Creature of habit.

With a muddler and a drinker, there's nothing to stir but straight whiskey.

You say you made that call about six.

Wish you wouldn't do that.

Do what?

Be so obvious.

They know what happened.

Because they did it.

Don't you think that they'll be around, keeping an eye on me to see what I know

about it?

If you're going to take notes, let's go someplace private.

You mentioned a while ago about feeling responsible for her.

When did all this happen?

Well, actually, I feel responsible for all the girls I work with.

Maybe you don't know how it is, playing these joints, watching the jerks get

three drinks in them and turn into great lovers.

But there is one thing you're going to have to tell me.

Speaking of lovers, were you in Georgia?

In a way that nobody else could ever be.

When I was at the piano, and she really got with it, They all shut up to listen.

She'd look at me.

I'd look back.

Yes, there was a relationship there.

Oh, I see.

I don't think I made myself clear it was music.

Just music.

Mr. Haber, what would you say if I told you that we had reason to believe that

it was Little Dandy?

What reason?

The way she looked.

What they did to her.

I saw the picture.

Did she ever meet Little Dandy?

Yes.

You want to tell me about it?

No.

But I have to, don't I?

Yes.

All right.

It was just...

Two weeks ago, that little dandy and his gorillas walked in.

They caught her show and every show since then.

Did he ever get out of line?

Not at first.

Just sat there and sweated his eyeballs.

Then he started sending drinks over.

Flowers here to the club. A case of champagne to her apartment.

He wouldn't give up. Just kept pouring it on, trying to move in on her.

Then there was last night.

And?

The works, the complete works.

She poured a drink over his head.

Yeah, that would start him off. He's a bug about his clothes.

I didn't help much, I guess.

When I saw that she was in trouble, I charged right in without thinking.

Somehow he got shoved and ended up taking a pratfall.

Well, it all adds up.

The one thing that guy can never forgive is being made to look foolish in

public.

So you took her home.

Hi, Bert.

Thanks a lot for the call.

Sure was lucky we were between jobs.

Don't think nothing of it, Amos. Glad you and Alice could fill that in.

What's the matter, Bert? Is George sick?

I'll tell you about it later.

Come on, Simpson. The kids have to get ready.

After little Andy took his walk, I came over to the bar.

I was feeling proud of Georgia.

Myself too, I guess.

For putting little Andy in his place.

Yeah.

I felt good.

Then there was a man sitting next to me, minding his own business.

Started talking to me.

Bought me a drink.

Had you ever seen him before?

Never.

But he knew all about me. He had me pegged.

Staked out solid.

Did he threaten you?

Yes, he threatened me. How?

Suggested that I take out some insurance.

Well, that is no threat.

Said little dandy recommended it.

Oh, I see.

He didn't give you any kind of name.

No.

And I didn't have to ask him.

And after you talked to this man, you took Georgia home.

Yes, sir.

I told her I thought I ought to stay with her.

She could spend the night at my place or call the cops.

What'd she think of that?

She does.

Kissed me goodnight.

Hatted my cheek.

Don't worry, sweetie.

George is a big girl.

That was the last you saw?

That was the last I saw.

Well, Mr. Haber, you've given us quite a lot to go on.

I think maybe we can clear this up fast.

That'll give you some protection.

Is that guy needed?

Pretty valuable to us as a material witness when we put the arm on little

I'll be around.

We want to make sure of that.

You finished here?

Yeah.

Well, we'll see you home now, and tomorrow we'll put a man on you.

My partner.

Little dandy says hello.

A young skin diver, not him, was to come and explain this paraphernalia, but he

had to make a motion picture co -starred with an octopus.

Unfortunately, the young man won't be able to be here. In his movie with the

octopus, it turned out to be a tour de force for the octopus.

He stole the scene completely.

It's quite sad, really.

The young man was headed for stardom.

while the octopus is rather limited in the roles he can play.

Next time, I shall be back again with another story. Until then, good night.