Original subtitles

This is the city. Los Angeles, California.

In 1907, two men stepped off a westbound train

with a motion picture camera.

They came to finish a 12-minute version of the "Count of Monte Cristo".

The winter had stopped the filming in Chicago.

Soon, the word spread...

Southern California had sunshine and warm weather

most of the year 'round.

Artificial lighting had not been perfected

and all filming had to be done outdoors.

The trend was set.

Thomas Ince arrived in 1911

and produced movies with William S. Hart.

A year later, Mack Sennett came to Los Angeles.

He brought a new kind of entertainment.

They called it slapstick comedy.

It was D.W. Griffith who gave this country its first serious film

and a camera angle known as the close-up.

Motion pictures grew into big business

and its headquarters still remain in Los Angeles.

It's a tough business.

It requires a lot of giving.

Some people figure they should only take.

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 Tuesday, March 14th.

We were working the day watch out of Burglary and Auto Theft Division.

The boss is Captain Mack.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday. It was 9:20 a.m.

Bill had his problems.

What's the matter? You got a stiff neck?

No, I always look this way. Of course, I've

got a stiff neck Joe and it's Eileen's fault.

- Is that right? - She's a fresh air fiend.

Claims she can't sleep unless the window is wide open.

It doesn't matter how cold it is, she's got to have fresh air.

You know that stuff can kill you?

What stuff?

What stuff? I'll tell you what stuff; fresh air, cold fresh air.

It gets right into the bone.

You know before you get married there's certain things you've got to find out.

After, it's too late.

Well now are you getting ready to tell me about the birds and the bees?

No, Joe. One, you've got to find out if she can cook.

Nowadays, girls can't cook. You find a cook, marry her.

Two, find out if you enjoy the same TV shows.

You think that's terribly important, do you?

Well, you bet. Joe, what do you do on a date?

We go out to dinner, maybe take in a movie or a play.

But wait until you get married and have a couple of kids,

then you wouldn't be floating around every night.

I don't go out every night.

Don't interrupt, Joe, I'm making a point.

The point is when you get married you'll stay home with your wife and watch TV.

And if you don't like the same shows, Joe, you'll be like two strangers,

you in one room watching your shows; her in another room watching her shows.

It's no good, Joe.

Friday? Pick up two.

This is Friday. Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

I see.

Uh-huh.

What were those theaters again? I understand, sir.

Yes, sir, we'll get right on it.

It was Captain Joe Piche, Wilshire Division.

They've been answering quite a few calls lately from movie houses out there.

What's the story? Somebody's been busting into theater display cases

and stealing movie posters and pictures.

What did they figure?

Well, the first couple of times, they thought it might be malicious mischief,

but it looks like a pattern is forming.

In the past couple of weeks, four theaters in other divisions have been hit...

The Carlton, the Mercury, the Violin, and the Rivoli.

Last night whoever it is hit the Rex Theater.

- Where's the Rex? - Over on Clarke near Foster.

The manager's name is Dave Breslin.

Remember to keep the window open your side of the car.

It was 9:50 a.m. when we arrived at the Rex, a neighborhood movie theater.

Mr. Breslin? Yes, that's right.

Police officers. This is Sergeant Friday and my name is Gannon.

You men detectives?

Yes, sir that's right.

Look at this mess. Just look at it.

Yes, sir. Would you mind filling us in?

I already told the uniformed men everything.

Yes, sir, but would you tell us?

Sure. All the display material for our current attraction...

You know, photos, silkscreen posters?

Somebody stole it all and that's all they took...

"Captain Lightning versus the Martian Devils."

- I see. - Yeah, he's on TV now.

One of those superheroes who can make himself

invisible and move at the speed of lightning.

Kids still go for that stuff nowadays, huh?

Well, they like 'em on TV. The show's a big hit.

But we're actually getting in more adults for the feature.

Yes, sir. Is there anyone you think might have done this?

Maybe some youngster you've been having trouble with?

No, not really. Oh, we get the usual horseplay at the Saturday matinees.

Kids throwing their popcorn boxes at the screen when the villain shows up

or booing when the good guy kisses the girl instead of his horse.

The kids still stick their gum at the bottom of the seats.

But we've never had any problem with them cutting up the seats

or clogging up the plumbing like some of the other theaters have.

No. We get a pretty good group of youngsters in here.

We've never had this kind of problem at the Rex, never.

Just last week I was talking to Jack Bell.

He's the manager over at the Carlton Theater

and he told me someone had busted in into his display cases.

He was really sore about it and I tried to calm him down just a week ago.

Now it's my turn and I'm really sore.

I mean what sort of punk would do all this damage just for a few crummy photos?

Somebody who wanted them pretty bad.

It was 10:45 a.m. when we got back to Burglary Division

to write a follow-up report.

You know something?

When I was a kid, I belonged to the Captain Lightning fan club.

It was called Captain Lightning's Light Brigade.

I still remember. For 25 cents you got a code

ring and your own personal coded message.

Know what our motto was... "Lightning strikes against the forces of evil twice."

Is that right?

Joe, don't you really remember Captain Lightning?

It was before my time.

Before your time? How old do you think I am?

I know how old you are.

Now what's that supposed to mean?

Just that I know how old you are.

- I'm hardly an old man, Joe. - I know.

A guy gets a stiff neck, you probably figured it's old age catching up with him.

Actually I'm in my prime.

Being mature isn't the same as being elderly.

I agree.

You really don't remember Captain Lightning? He was sensational.

He could make himself invisible.

The bad guys never had a chance.

Captain Lightning was the sort of fella a boy could look up to. You know what I mean?

We had heroes in those days.

Now the movies are full of what they call anti-heroes.

Today in the movies, the cowboy wearing a white hat rides into town,

the first thing he does is shoot a dog or rob a bank.

No wonder the kids are confused.

Burglary, Friday.

Uh-huh. I see.

May I have that address please?

And your name? Yes, sir, in about 15 minutes.

What do you got?

Hollywood Arts bookshop, window smashed.

We arrived at the Hollywood Arts Magazine shop

on West Melrose at 12:10 p.m.

The owner George Gurvey explained that on weekdays,

he didn't open for business until noon.

When he arrived at quarter to twelve to open up,

he discovered that someone had beaten him to it.

He came right through that window, busted it up.

Can you beat that? Right through a man's window.

- You don't have an alarm system? - No.

I've been thinking of putting one in, but I just never got around to it.

What have you found missing?

Well, I've been trying to figure that out. Come on in.

We can cry in my office.

I'm not complaining mind you, but as I close as I can figure

with just a spot check I got off pretty lucky.

How's that, sir?

Whoever it was didn't touch a copy of "Wonder Stories" or "Amazing Stories"

and they go for several dollars each.

And I got some books that are true

collector's items, autographed first editions.

Any collector would have gone through those first.

I don't understand it.

Well, just what is missing, Mr. Gurvey?

About 70, 80 comic books.

What sort of comic books where they? I mean the titles.

Oh, a few "Wizard Boys", maybe a dozen "Commander Jupiters"

and the rest all "Captain Lightning".

Captain Lightning?

Took all I had. About 60 of them.

- Anything else? - No.

Wait a second. Will you look at that?

At what?

I had a feeling there was something else missing.

Kept it right here. Nice bright colors.

Now it's gone.

What's that, sir?

I had a good sized poster up here, Captain Lightning big as life.

- Now it's gone, isn't it? - Looks that way.

Maybe Captain Lighting can make himself invisible,

but not his poster.

Sergeant Friday?

Yes, that's right. Can I help you?

Lieutenant Murrow suggested I talk to you.

My name is Bob Snow.

Sit down, Bob.

The whole thing is so nutty I'm not sure where to begin.

I go to UCLA, Business Administration major.

Weeknights I work at the Arcadia Theater.

It's over on Benson Avenue. I'm sort of the manager.

I take tickets, worked the candy counter, changed the marquee.

Well, last night after the last show,

I was changing the marquee and I remember I was just to the L in Harlow.

- Harlow? - Jean Harlow.

Oh, Jean Harlow.

We show a lot of old movies at the Arcadia.

Well, our next bill is "Grand Hotel" and "Dinner at Eight".

It opens tonight. And like I say, I was up there on the ladder

and I had already done Greta Garbo and John Barrymore

when this guy runs under my ladder, picks up all the display art

I've got piled on the ground and takes off like a big bird.

The display art?

I had already pinned up all the still photos and the posters

for "Grand Hotel" and "Dinner at Eight",

but I left all the stuff from the previous bill on the ground.

What was the previous bill?

"Perils of Astroman" and "Captain Lightning

versus the Martian Devils".

They're not all classics at the Arcadia.

Can you describe the man?

You're not going to believe me I'll tell you that.

- Try us. - I never saw anything like it.

For one thing, he was wearing a bright green cape.

- A cape? - And a three-cornered black hat.

You know, like Napoleon.

Only there was some sort of a design on it,

an insignia and a long white plume in the hat. Weird, I'll tell you.

Anything else?

He was carrying a little black bag, like a doctor.

I was so surprised I nearly fell off my ladder.

He held the cape up to hide his face.

You know like the Black Shadow.

You didn't see his face?

No, way. Not with the cape pulled up.

He was wearing that dopey hat and all the rest of that jazz,

and I didn't really see him.

Was he tall, short?

He seemed to be built pretty close to the ground.

I'd say he was short, I guess, and kind of chubby.

Joe, looks like super fan has struck again.

Somebody broke into the still department at Continental Studios last night.

Think it's the same guy?

Could be, we don't know.

We'll take a run out there.

Maybe you think it's funny that I didn't climb down off that ladder

and catch that goof, but there was no way I tell you... no way.

- Is that right? - Yeah, he moved like lightning.

We left Parker Center and drove out to the San Fernando Valley

to the Continental Studios.

When we arrived at the motion picture studio,

the guard directed us to the publicity office where the burglary had occurred.

Must be some nutty kid. There's a lot of them around these days.

It had to be a kid. The only photos he took were of Captain Lightning.

- Captain Lightning? - Yeah, we produce the TV series out here.

That's all the kid was after... Pictures of Captain Lightning.

How was entry made?

From that window.

Appears to me he jimmied it open.

How do you spell your name, Mr. Kelly?

- Two E's? - No one E. K-E-L-L-Y.

Looks like a pry bar.

A good 15-foot drop to the street down there.

No stand pipe. Must've had a job scaling that wall.

You didn't find a ladder outside that window?

No. But whoever did, they certainly could have used one.

They're all over the lot.

Joe, what's that look like to you?

- Red candle wax. - That's the way I make it.

A burglar with a candle.

From what we've heard of this guy, nothing will surprise me.

Do you mind if we take this along? We'll return it to you.

Oh, you don't have to return that. It's just a fixture in the back lot.

Thank you.

Say, Sergeant Friday, I just thought of something.

Yes, sir. What's that?

Well, maybe it doesn't mean anything, but it's been on mind

since we discovered the only thing that's missing are the Captain Lightning photos.

Yes, sir, go on.

Last Monday I think it was,

a guy came in to ask if he could buy some photos or posters of Captain Lightning.

I explained to him that we don't sell them to the general public,

but we supply them to magazines and newspapers

and theaters for publicity purposes.

He got pretty upset, became all unglued.

When I suggested he might find what he was looking for in some of those bookstores

and poster shops on Hollywood Boulevard,

he said he wasn't interested because anyone on the street could buy those pictures.

He said he was a collector, not a typical fan.

Those are the words he used. I gotta say though that he didn't seem the sort

to bust through windows. He was no Doug Fairbanks.

And what do you mean by that?

Well, he was a little guy, on the chunky side.

I just don't see him pulling a burglary.

How old would you say he was?

Maybe 22 or 23.

Can you remember anything else about him?

Well, his hair was dark and kind of curly

and I think he was trying to grow a mustache without too much success.

He had long sideburns like everybody's wearing.

Like I say, he was kind of on the chunky side and kind of short.

Maybe 5'7 " or 5'8".

Now, I'm not too good on guessing weights.

Any other identifying marks or scars?

No. Not that I recall.

Guys like that always strike me as kind of strange.

Getting so excited about Captain Lightning. A lot of nuts around these days.

I'd say he's a real pistachio.

- Yeah, sir. - I don't know maybe I'm wrong, but I get the feeling this guy's

entire thrust centered around this comic strip character.

Well, I mean he got so upset when I told him we couldn't let him have the pictures.

To tell you the truth I was afraid he was

going to have a breakdown right then and there.

He really teared up and started to sob.

Did he say anything else?

Yeah, he did.

I told him not to worry about it.

That Captain Lightning wasn't the only thing in life and he said, "He is to me."

And he turned and walked out.

I felt sorry for the guy.

He really had his heart set on getting

those pictures. What do you think, Sergeant?

Sounds a little psycho, doesn't he?

Maybe. Anything strange about the way he was dressed?

No, nothing strange. How do you mean?

Well was he wearing a costume or a cape?

No perfectly ordinary sport jacket, open collared sport shirt, dark trousers.

Still room, Kelly.

He's right here. It's for you, Sergeant.

Thank you. This is Friday.

Where?

Yup, I got it. We'll go right over. Thanks, Murph.

Super fan. They just collared him at the Variety Theater.

4:25 p.m. We drove back into Hollywood to the Variety Theater.

The suspect was captured by Mr. Webster here,

the manager of the theater.

That's right. Of course, I didn't do anything very heroic.

I was just coming to work when I heard the sound of glass breaking.

I saw this kid standing there with a brick or something in his hand.

I could see he was harmless so I walked over and grabbed him.

I told Duke our janitor to call the police and this fella arrived a minute later.

That's all there was to it.

He was cleaning stuff in his doctor's bag.

A lot of junk in it, all harmless except maybe for this grappling hook.

Did you get anything out of him?

No, sir. I gave him his rights and he waived them.

I just started to question him when you arrived.

What's your name?

Come on, fella, what's your name?

All the details will come out in due time.

It's due time now, fella. What's your name?

Well, gentlemen, you've captured the Crimson Crusader

and I'm powerless to act for you anymore.

The Crimson Crusader?

Me.

4:45 p.m. We again advised the suspect of his rights.

He freely confessed to breaking into the Continental Studios.

He admitted stealing pictures and posters from several movie theaters

over the past several weeks,

but he kept insisting that the Crimson Crusader was his true name.

How much longer are you gonna detain me here?

How much longer are you gonna insist your name is the Crimson Crusader?

My name is the Crimson Crusader.

Now, let me see if I've got this straight, fella.

Your family name is Crusader and your parents named you Crimson.

Is that what you're trying to sell us?

Come on. What's your real name?

You know I can't tell you that.

You gentlemen more than anyone should realize I can't disclose my true identity.

And what's that?

- Can't you tell? - Tell what?

I'm on your side.

- Is that so? - Of course.

Because it would destroy my effectiveness as a crime fighter

if my true identity were known.

- Come again? - We're on the same side.

I'm a crime fighter, but it's essential that the underworld

not know my everyday identity.

You wouldn't expect Captain Lightning or Commander Jupiter

to disclose their identities, would you?

Why do you insist on the Crimson Crusader doing it?

All right. Now, you've had your fun, Mr. Crusader.

Understand this, we didn't bring you down here to compare notes.

You're a thief and you're under arrest. Now, let's have your name.

Very well.

And I want you to realize that you'll be the only policemen

in this city who'll know my real name.

I'm putting you on your honor.

No one else in this whole world knows the Crimson Crusader's true identity.

There are gangland bosses who'd pay a fortune to know what I'm about to tell you.

I want you to swear now. I want your word of honor.

Here's the word, fella. We want your name and we want it right now

or we'll let you sit for a few hours until you feel like pulling it up.

- Stanley Stover. - What's that?

If you'd give me a pencil and paper, I prefer

writing it down rather than to shout it.

Why don't you just spell it?

Capital S-T-A-N-L-E-Y, Capital S-T-O-V-E-R.

Now don't repeat it, please.

How old are you, Stanley?

Softly please. I'm 23.

Why did you steal all those pictures and posters?

I didn't steal them. I'm a collector.

We call it stealing.

You broke into a movie studio, a bookstore.

You damaged half a dozen theaters.

Now is that your idea of fighting crime, Stanley?

I'd be willing to pay the damages.

I could save up and pay them off or I could go to work for the theaters.

What do you mean go to work for them?

Well, I'd give them protection.

There'd be very little crime around those

theaters with the Crimson Crusader on the job.

Why did you steal all those things?

I'm a collector.

Stanley, you've got to understand you're in trouble.

We want straight answers. We want to know why you've been

stealing all of this Captain Lightning stuff.

What makes it so important that you are willing to risk jail for it?

I wanted them. They were important to me.

Why only comic strip heroes?

How come you only collected their pictures?

Because... because they're great men.

They can fly and walk through walls and nothing can hurt them... nothing.

And do you want to walk through walls and fly?

Nothing can hurt them, and when I'm the Crimson Crusader,

I'm one of them, and nothing can hurt me.

And when you're Stanley Stover?

Then everything hurts.

What am I? Look at me.

I'm a short, ugly guy.

When I put on the uniform of the Crimson Crusader,

I wasn't Stanley Stover anymore.

I was 10 feet tall.

I had muscles of steel.

There wasn't anything I couldn't do.

Taking those pictures didn't seem wrong.

Captain Lightning, Wizard Boy, Super Flame...

They weren't just my heroes, they were friends.

And having their pictures... Pictures no one else had?

It made me feel closer to them.

It didn't seem wrong. I didn't hurt anyone. I never hurt anybody.

How long have you been stealing pictures and posters?

I started when I was a kid, 10 maybe 11.

Not too often, just once in awhile.

Just in the last month or so though, I couldn't control myself anymore.

I really admired those supermen.

I always went to their movies and bought their comic books.

It's my whole life.

Nothing else seemed very real or important, just them.

What about your parents?

I never knew my father.

He left home when I was a baby.

It's just me and my mother.

She supported me and gave me money, but we didn't have much.

I remember being on county relief.

My mother figured I bought all those stuff or traded it

with other kids, I guess, like a hobby.

You never heard from your father?

No. He left after I was born.

- And how old were you? - A year.

But I guess he didn't like me very much.

It was awful as a kid being the only one in class without a father.

Maybe if I'd been tall and strong and a good athlete,

that wouldn't have mattered so much.

But I was always fatso and butterball to the other kids.

They'd beat me up and throw my books in the garbage can.

It wasn't the pain I couldn't bear.

Even when they punched me in the stomach,

it wasn't the pain that made me cry.

What made me cry is that I hadn't done anything to anyone

and yet everyone hated me.

Why should anyone hate a kid just because he's fat?

I mean, being a fat kid

is bad enough without having people hate you for it.

It was only in the movies that I could stop being me.

When Super Flame or Commander Jupiter

captured a gang of outlaws single-handed,

that was me up there in the screen doing it.

I'd go to the movies every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

I use to take the bus into Hollywood 'cause that's where most of the theaters were.

I used to hate those buses.

It wasn't so bad going, but coming home,

you were dark and cold and lonely.

I was someone special when I was watching the movie,

but coming home I was just fatso Stover again.

Didn't you ever have any friends?

The only real friends I ever had were Captain

Lightning, Wizard Boy and Super Flame.

Where'd you get that outfit you're wearing?

I made it myself. Sewed it all myself,

made part of it out of some of my mother's old dresses.

These are hers too.

I always hoped that someday I could have enough money

to have a real good uniform made up.

I used candles. I couldn't afford a flashlight.

What did you use this for?

It's my climbing rope. I made it out of one of my mother's black dresses.

And this grappling hook?

That was for climbing too, but I never got around to using them.

Out at the studio, I used a ladder,

and after I got the pictures, I climbed back down

and put the ladder back where I found them.

How'd you get into the Continental Studios?

Over on the San Glen side bordering the studio. There's a hole in the fence.

All right, Stanley, what about all the rest of the stuff you stole?

Where is it?

In my room, out at my house.

Do we have to go there?

With or without a warrant?

You won't need a warrant.

I want to give back all the things I stole.

But I want you to know one thing.

What's that?

Captain Lightning, Wizard Boy,

Super Flame and all the others,

I only stole their pictures.

I never stole their name.

I want you to know that.

I made up the name of Crimson Crusader.

I didn't steal it.

There really is no Crimson Crusader.

That's right, Stanley.

6:35 p.m. We drove the suspect to his home

at 2185 Justine Avenue to pick up the stolen articles,

the pictures and posters he had taken over the years.

And you stole all this, did you?

- It's not really so much when you think about it. - How do you mean?

Would your entire life fit into one small room?

My mother! She's coming home from work.

Do you have to tell her?

Stanley, dear, are you home?

Oh, God, how I wish I were Captain Lightning.

Anytime he wanted to, he could make himself invisible.

It was the order of the court that Stanley Stover remain

under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Probation Department

for a period of two years,

during which time, he would receive extensive psychiatric care.