Original subtitles

This is the city, Los Angeles, California.

With 280,000 cats

and over a quarter of a million dogs,

it's a city with a love for animals.

If you don't have one at home, you can visit the zoo.

There are 900 species here from all over the world.

In the heart of the city is a memorial

to prehistoric Los Angeles.

You can walk among the first inhabitants of the basin,

the saber tooth tiger, the giant mastodon.

They roamed this land long before man.

Now, they're extinct, unable to survive

within nature's delicate balance.

Some people try to upset today's balance.

When they do I go to work.

I carry a badge.

The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

It was Friday, June 28. It was warm in Los Angeles.

We were working the day, watch out a homicide.

The boss is Captain Brown.

My partner is Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday. It was 4:35 p.m.

We had spent the afternoon on the first progress report

of a homicide involving a male Caucasian.

His body had been found in an alley

behind the 5th Street barroom.

So far we had no identification, no witnesses, no leads.

How many customers in that bar?

- Nine. - Check your notes. I got 10.

Maybe you counted the bartender, Joe.

- Nine customers. - Yeah, that's what I did.

It wouldn't make much difference.

- Why? Maybe he'd be the one who wasn't deaf. - Huh?

Well, now, somebody dumped a body into that alley, didn't they?

Judging from the tire marks, the car skidded.

From the condition of those metal trash cans,

looks like the car slammed into them.

Yeah, that's got to make a racket.

The alley gate was open so how come

none of those people heard anything?

Deaf, drunk, or lying.

Deaf and drunk we can prove.

Yeah, well, we can start the legwork Monday.

Gannon, pick up 3-2.

It's your wife.

Thanks.

- Anything Eileen can do to help, Joe? - What?

With dinner. That's why she's calling.

You know why she's calling before you talk to her?

Nothing mysterious about that.

Is that right?

Just hang on a minute, dear.

Look, Joe, for the first time in all the years we've known you,

you're having us over to your place for dinner, right?

Yeah, but we've been to a restaurant a few times.

That's not the point.

You're entertaining us in your own apartment.

Naturally, Eileen is worried.

She's worried?

That's right, more than if it was her party.

It's just the way women are.

You never really know much about women until you marry one.

I know enough not to keep them waiting too long.

No, you don't.

You didn't mind my keeping you waiting, did you, dear?

That's what I thought. Hi!

Yeah?

I don't think so.

Yeah, I'll ask him.

Eileen wants to know if there's anything she can do to help.

No, not a thing.

He says not a thing.

Yeah, I know but that's what the man says.

Well, maybe you better talk to him.

Hello, Eileen.

Well, that's very nice of you,

but it's not going to be all that fancy, you know?

No, I'll just burn some steaks and throw a salad together.

No, dessert is all taken care of too.

A lady friend of mine is bringing that.

No, I don't think so.

Her name is Charlotte Page.

Mm-hmm. Well, we should be leaving here in about 10 minutes.

Okay, I'll tell him, but he probably already knows.

Eileen says she'll meet us in...

Lobby of the Biltmore Hotel.

You know, I don't even know why you bother with the telephone.

My wife and I don't keep any secrets from each other

and that's more than I can say

- for my partner. - What do you mean by that?

You might have said there'd be somebody else.

Well, I just thought it'd be nice to make it a foursome.

You could have given us a little notice.

Well, what's the difference?

I'd worn my other suit.

That's what's the difference

or had Eileen bring me a fresh shirt.

Well, you look all right to me.

To you, yeah. I'm stuck now.

Well, tell you what we'd better do is lay out a new schedule.

Why? What's the matter with the old one?

Well, for one thing you have to pick up your girl, don't you?

No, she doesn't get off work till 5:30.

She'll meet us at the apartment.

- What do you figure, six o'clock? - About that.

Okay. Now, if you don't bother

coming over to the Biltmore with me.

Well, that's no bother.

Well, it certainly is.

It's a duplication of effort is all.

Let's say I meet Eileen at 5:10.

We'd kill a little time

then a leisurely drive will get us over to your place

at 6:00, okay?

Sounds all right.

That gives you a good half hour

- to get organized. - Okay.

Anything we can do to help, Joe? Anything at all.

I don't know what it'd be.

Well, let's not risk any step-ups.

If there's anything we can do to make this a real success,

you just have to mention it.

No, all taken care of.

Okay, Joe. Good luck to you.

Friday, Gannon,

looks like we need a shooting team.

- Who's up? - We are, Captain.

Warehouse burglary on South Santa Fe.

The suspect is barricaded. Shots have been fired.

- Officers involved? - It looks that way.

You got anything on for tonight?

No, sir. Nothing special.

You might have now.

Well, we'd better make our phone calls.

You go ahead, Joe.

Aren't you going to call Eileen?

Joe, we are meeting in the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel.

You can have her paged.

She won't be there yet.

I thought you were supposed

to meet her at 10 after 5:00?

- That's right. - Well, that's the time right now.

Joe, there's one thing you might as well learn.

What's that?

No matter what time a woman says

she'll be somewhere, automatically add 20 minutes.

Is that right?

Then you won't have so long to wait.

DOB 3-5...

In Los Angeles, all cases in which an officer

or a suspect is killed or seriously wounded

have to be investigated by a two-man shooting team.

If an investigation were necessary in this case,

we would be working most of the night.

Until more information came in, we had to stand by.

Nothing yet. Get hold of your date?

Yeah, I told her if she didn't hear from me by six o'clock,

- the deal was off. - Why?

She's got to get used to it sooner or later.

Get used to what?

Well, a cop's wife does a lot of waiting,

isn't that right, Lieutenant?

Yes, sir, a cop's wife does a lot of waiting.

Charlotte is just a friend.

Oh, just a friend and how come

I never heard of her before?

Well, I don't know. Didn't I ever mention her?

No, Joe, you didn't.

- How'd she take the delay? - No problem.

She was going to be late anyway, pulled some overtime herself.

Do you hear who's involved?

Radio cart, don't know either of the officers.

1-Adam-26, to all units concerned,

the warehouse burglary on South Santa Fe

is now a Code 4.

Suspect in custody. Code 4.

Maybe we're off the hook.

- Let's check with the Captain. - Let's do it.

- You heard it, didn't you? - Yes, sir.

Well, then what are you hanging around here for?

- Just leaving, Captain. - What time do you got?

- Straight up six o'clock. - I better make my call.

Same schedule. Move back one hour, right?

Right. I'll sign us out.

Good luck to you.

You keep saying that.

I just want your dinner party to be a smash, Joe.

I wonder where everybody is.

Oh, we know we're not early.

Joe?

Come on in. I'll be right with you.

Hi, Joe. Anything I can do to help?

No, not a thing, Eileen.

Just make yourselves at home.

Ah-huh.

Mm-hmm.

How do you like the apartment?

It's very nice.

No, I mean really from a woman's angle?

That's really very nice, Bill.

Notice anything missing?

How do you mean?

- You don't notice anything missing? - No, I don't.

Well, there's no wallpaper, not a strip of it anywhere.

- Joe. - Hello, Eileen.

This is so nice.

Do you realize this is the first time I've ever been here?

Well, you know how it is in an apartment,

maid service once a week, things like that.

You're going to burn the steaks on your little hibachi, eh, Joe?

I'll try not to. Excuse me.

Oh, I'm just kidding. He's my partner.

Where do I park my iron?

Right here in this cabinet, top drawer next to mine.

Now, do you want to make a drink while I fix the steaks?

Sure, but you'll have to tell me what your date likes.

Yeah, well, maybe we'd better hold off awhile at that.

See, you put that half hour to good use, didn't you?

What are you talking about?

Well, setting up the TV tables and all.

I did that this morning before I left for work.

Then you don't miss it, huh?

- Miss what? - Wallpaper, Joe, wallpaper.

Well, they don't put much in apartments these days.

They didn't put any in here.

Well, I'll just have to live without it.

A strip or two sure wood pep up the place.

Honey, everybody does.

Who care for a wallpaper?

I do. It turns a house into a home.

Well, don't you think it's a little rude to criticize?

Who, Joe? Not a chance. He's my partner.

I see.

What do you think now?

About what?

Well, you know, Joe, old stone face.

Even if he was getting married tomorrow, he'd never show it.

Tomorrow? Don't you think that's a little soon?

What makes you so positive he wants to marry this girl at all?

- One, Joe doesn't have any relatives in Los Angeles, right? - Right.

- Two, we're the only family he's got, right? - Right.

Three, he's introducing his girl to his family, right?

You got to figure where there's smoke, there's fire.

That's the hibachi.

Excuse me.

Good evening, Joe.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company.

That's all right, Edie.

Well, I don't want to bother you when you have guests.

It's all right. Come on in.

Well, if you're sure I'm not intruding.

Not at all. Mr. and Mrs. Gannon.

Bill and Eileen, this is one of my neighbors.

Edie Augburn.

I'm happy to know you.

The new people, Joe, the Sellicks.

They moved in last week.

Don't tell me you haven't heard them.

No, I can't say I have.

Well, you don't live right below them.

They've only been in a week

and this is their third party.

Just listen.

You hear it?

Yeah, I do now.

It's no good going to the manager.

All he cares about is keeping his units rented.

Joe, I hate to ask you.

Well, that's all right, but there isn't much I can do at this hour.

You mean you're off-duty?

No, I mean it's only eight o'clock.

Now, they're entitled to make a certain amount of noise, you know.

Well, what do you call a certain amount?

In my apartment it's an absolute den.

I won't sleep a week all night.

Oh, why don't you just ask him to hold it down a little?

You know how it is in an apartment.

Sometimes you don't realize how much noise you're making.

I never make noise.

Well, I suppose it's all I can do.

I'm sorry I butted in, Joe.

It was nice meeting you folks.

Goodnight, Ms. Augburn.

Well, I just know I won't sleep

a wink all night.

Oh, that's all right, Joe. I know my way out.

Goodnight, Edie.

Hello.

Oh, hi. Yeah.

No, I just got home.

Yeah, the Gannons are here.

I'm just getting a charcoal started.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, can you hang on a minute?

It's Charlotte. She just got off work

says she'll be here as soon as picks up the dessert.

But we don't need dessert, Joe.

Why don't you tell her to come right over?

- She's right, Joe. - It might be a good idea.

Charlotte, the Gannons think you ought to

just come on over and never mind the dessert.

Oh?

Well, sure, that's all right.

No, whatever you want to do, it's all right with me.

Okay. Fine.

She said the dessert place is right on her way.

It shouldn't take a second to run in and pick it up.

- Oh, good. - She ought to be here in about 10 minutes.

- We're dying to meet her, Joe. - Can't wait.

The charcoal is ready. You think I ought to put the steaks on them?

Should time just about right.

Unless Charlotte wants a drink first.

Do you think she might, Joe?

I don't know. What do you think?

I'm surprised at you, Joe. Easy enough to figure.

Well, go ahead.

She's had to work overtime

so she'll probably want to unwind first.

But on the other hand, if she hasn't eaten since noon,

she's probably starving by now, right?

Yeah, I'll put steaks on.

Excuse me.

Hello, Walter. How are you feeling today?

No, no, just routine stuff mostly.

No, I worked on death reports most of the day.

No, that's the wrong number, Walter.

That's a Form 3.11.

Now, listen, Walter, would you mind if I call you back later?

I got my partner and his wife here for dinner.

No, no trouble at all. I'll call you.

How's that?

Well, sure, I think he liked to meet you too but...

All right, I guess this is good a time as any.

Hold on a minute, Bill.

It's a friend of mine who lives in the building here.

He calls me every day at the same time.

Would you mind saying hello to him?

- Well, sure, I'd be glad to. - Thanks.

Walter Scovel, this is Bill Gannon.

Hello, Walter.

Scovel, huh? How do you spell that?

S-C-O-V-E-L.

No, that's two N's, Gannon.

Yeah, N-N-O-N.

Well, it's nice to meet you too.

Oh, is that right?

Yeah, I work with Joe. Yeah, I'm his partner.

Yeah, that's right.

How's that?

No, sir, I work homicide, the same as Joe, about 25 years.

No, I started in patrol, black and white.

No, sir, we had one-way radios in those days.

I know, sir.

We could hear, but we couldn't call in.

Is that a neighbor on the phone, Joe?

Yeah, he lives on the first floor.

I had asked him up and he's not allowed to climb stairs.

- Oh? - He's a heart patient.

He hardly ever gets out of that apartment.

Well, we call that a DR number these days.

A DR number. That's right.

The detective division is on the third floor.

Oh, no, sir, all divisions, homicide, robbery, burglary.

Oh, what's that?

Yeah, I guess. He's got a hobby though.

He does police calls all day. He's a real buff.

And then wants to talk police work with you at night, huh?

- That's it. - I know what you mean.

We used to have one in Eagle Rock.

Nearly drove Bill out of his mind.

Does your buff give you tips?

- All the time. - And they're always wrong?

Well, so far.

The chief's office?

Oh, that's on the sixth floor, Mr. Scovel.

Yes, sir.

Well, it was nice talking to you.

You bet. Good, uh... Yes, sir. You bet.

Yeah, goodbye, Mr. Scovel.

Well, he talks more like a policeman than we do.

I guess every officer's got one.

We used to have one, old Andy Edwards.

They go with the territory.

Oh, hi, Edie.

Well, Joe, I took your advice like you told me.

I called the Sellicks and I asked them,

I asked them very nicely if they would please

be a little quieter up there.

And do you know what they said to me?

May I come in, Joe? I'll only stay a second.

Sure.

All right, Edie, now, what's the problem?

Joe, I thought there was a law

against people using language like that on the telephone.

Well, what did they say?

I wish I could tell you.

It was rude,

just absolutely disgustingly rude.

Well, that's all right.

I'm not making any complaint about that, but the noise, Joe.

They've gone out of their way to be noisier than before.

I honestly believe the ceiling could come down on my head.

All right, Edie, I'll see what I can do about it later.

Later?

Well, like after dinner.

I just put the steaks under onto broil.

Yes, I see.

I'm intruding.

It seems like I'm always butting in someplace

where I'm not wanted.

Just a minute, Edie.

Bill, do you want to take over for a minute?

You know how everybody likes the steak.

Oh, but Charlotte.

Well, medium rare, I guess.

Right. Don't worry about the other tenants.

What?

I'll handle the complaint board till you get back.

♪♪

Hi there.

Mrs. Sellick.

Virna. Come on in.

Well, come on. You're already three drinks late.

No, thanks. I wonder if you'd ask Mr. Sellick

to step out here for a minute.

I know who you are.

You're a neighbor.

Yes, ma'am, that's right.

Well, you can come in anyway.

- I'll vouch for you. - No, thanks. Not tonight.

Well, as the man said, if that's the way you want to be remembered.

Now, what man said that?

I wouldn't know. He didn't say it to me.

- Oh. - Would you ask Mr. Sellick to step out here please?

Roy, please!

Mr. Kettledrum Man, please! Mr. Kettledrum Man!

I'm the Kettledrum Man, Roy Sellick.

- You must be a neighbor. - Joe Friday.

- Downstairs? - Yes, sir.

What is it, Joe-Joe?

Are we making that much noise?

No, not for me.

The lady down below. For her you are.

Just so I don't make a wrong move,

are you and she...

No, nothing like that. We're just neighbors.

Well, why doesn't she do her own complaint?

Well, didn't you get a call from her?

Not me.

Come to think about it, the phone did ring.

One of those happy souls in there must have answered.

I'm sure.

About the noise, what can I say?

After all we live here too, you know.

And I it isn't all that late.

It's not even 8:30 yet.

You know, legally we're not even disturbing the peace yet.

All right, why don't you try to hold it down

by ten o'clock anyway?

That's when she calls the cops, huh.

How do you live with somebody like that?

Why don't you try the old apartment house system?

I never lived in an apartment before.

Always had our own house, Joe.

What's the system?

When they complain invite them to the party.

You get things all worked out?

Well, sort of.

I'm awfully sorry about the interruption.

No problem.

- Bill is a good barbecue man. - How are you coming?

Well, let me put this way.

If Charlotte walks in right this minute,

- she can sit right down, start eating. - Good.

Now, it's bad. She's not here.

You're not worried, are you, Joe?

Well, no, but I thought she'd be here by now.

You people must be starved.

Don't worry about us. We're happy to wait.

Sure, it's Friday night. We got the whole weekend.

- Bill. - Joe knows what I mean.

He's my partner. There's no hurry.

I think we ought to start.

A few more minutes isn't going

to make that much difference.

Well, if we wait any longer,

those steaks are going to be ruined, aren't they?

Well, I can keep Charlotte's steak hot,

but if you think she'll be hurt, Joe.

No, let's eat. She can catch up.

There she is right now.

I'll put them on the table on plates, of course.

Joe, I got to talk to you for a minute.

It's important.

You're all having dinner at this hour?

We're just sitting down, George. Won't it keep till later?

Okay, you want to give me a call when you're finished?

- Sure. - You won't forget that, will you, Joe?

I got appearance tomorrow, Claims Court, first thing Monday morning.

I won't forget.

Going to need some expert coaching, know what I mean?

- I'll call you. - Do that now.

All right. Let's all sit down.

Eileen you're here.

- Joe, you're back there. - What's wrong?

Just about everything.

Here I invite you people over to my place

and you end up doing all the work.

- Now, what kind of a deal is that? - It doesn't matter, Joe.

It's fun just getting together, isn't it, Bill?

Sure but I'll tell you what, now, if it would make you feel any better.

- Yeah. - You can do the dishes.

Hello.

Yes, Walter?

You did?

When?

How many?

Right. You're sure?

No, Walter, you did just fine. I'll take care of it.

Walter Scovel, he just saw a couple of strangers

walking into our laundry room downstairs.

What kind of equipment do you have here?

Four washers, four dryers.

- All metered? - Right.

I thought you said Walter's tips were no good?

I did. But he's about due.

9:15 p.m., the laundry room in my apartment building

had been burglarized once before.

Approximately, two months ago

the coin boxes on the washers and dryers had been forced open

and the money stolen.

The lights on.

How many ways in?

Just one.

Police officers. Get your hands up on that wall.

Come on, move. You too.

What do I do with this? The floor will hold it.

In the corner, move. Lean on those hands.

Get your feet back.

I know the route. I know the route.

What do you want to do, Joe? Phone from the apartment?

Hey, you guys got an apartment here?

I'll hang on to him. You want to call in?

Is that right? You really live here?

That's right.

Man, you're beautiful.

You know that? You're really beautiful.

How do I know cops lived here?

- You can really pick them. - Ah, shut up.

Stupid, that's what you are, chowder head.

Just plain dumb stupid.

All right, that's enough of that.

Can you imagine anyone as dumb as him?

Yeah, I can think of one other.

Uniform boys is going to make the report?

- Yeah, they said they'd handle it. - Good.

I'm sure sorry about everything.

It hasn't been much of a night, has it?

Will you get off of that, Joe? We've had a great time.

The food was wonderful.

I never barbecued steaks any better than that in my whole life.

- Oh, Joe, Charlotte phoned. - Where is she?

- At home. - At home?

She had car trouble not too far from a service station,

but there was no mechanic on duty this late.

It took the attendant an hour to get the car started.

And then she remembered the dessert.

- What about it? - It was all melted.

Anyway, we had a nice talk and the four of us

are going to get together soon.

- She's a nice girl, Joe. - Yeah.

♪♪

You got a band living here?

Sure ain't the Boston Pops.

- Hi, Joe. - Hi, Edie.

I just had to come down and tell you you're missing

a wonderful party upstairs with the Sellicks.

- It's a blast. - Is that so?

And they wanted to invite you too, isn't that right, Roy?

Yup, we'd love to have you come up and join us.

Well, thanks just the same, but I have guests.

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

Edie told me all about that, but we figured that

we owe Joe a little something for that good advice.

I'm going to need a little trumpet here.

♪♪

Ta-da, everybody in.

Have a drink on us.

Hold it band. Hold it band.

I got to tell you, Joe,

there's nothing wrong with that Edie.

We got a regular orchestra now.

Edie on trumpet, me on the kettledrum,

and the little woman on the gypsy symbol.

It's a swell sound.

Yeah, I see.

It sounds real good. You want to hear us?

- Maybe later. - Say Joey,

Edie has been telling us you're a cop, a detective.

- Is that true? - Yeah, that's right.

Okay, band I'll give you the old down beat.

Let's play one for Detective Joey

and his buddies.

What will we play now, Roy?

Let me think. Let me think.

Uh-uh-uh, I got it.

I got it.

Whatever you want I can play anything.

♪♪

Hello. I'm sorry, you'll have to speak up.

I can't... Yes, sir.

Yes, Mr. Towson.

I understand, sir. I'll take care of it.

Yes, sir.

Oh, your place is busier than Central Division.

It's the next door neighbor.

We got a problem?

He says it's after ten o'clock.

Yeah.

He wants to know if we can make a little less noise in here.

The suspects were found guilty

of burglary in the first degree.

A felony which is punishable

by imprisonment in the state prison

for not less than five years.