Original subtitles

- Glad to have you with us. - Thank you.

No hard liquor, you understand.

- Mostly teenagers here. - Of course.

I recommend the Killer Shark.

It's pineapple juice with tonic.

Sounds fine. We'll have two Killer Sharks.

All right.

What's going on? This was supposed to be a business appointment.

It is.

Here?

Does this look like business? It's $5,000.

Five thousand dollars?

What's going on?

You disappear with a client mysteriously and alone,

come back with all the cash, pick me up, and bring me to this.

All in the line of duty.

I can't hear you.

We're doing this for my client.

Ah.

And who is this cash-money client?

You've heard of Cameron McBain Burgess.

Who hasn't?

The kind of a man every girl wants as a father-in-law.

Millionaire, civic leader, philanthropist.

What kind of a problem could Burgess have

that would make him give his attorney a cash retainer?

Apparently he wants to become an angel.

You're putting me on.

No, and by the way,

Cameron Burgess' name is not to be mentioned outside the office.

He agreed that only my secretary and an investigator would know the facts.

Gentlemen.

Boys and girls, may I have your attention, please?

You know how one cat said to the other cat:

"How do I get to Carnegie Hall, man?"

And the second cat said:

"Practice, man, practice."

Yeah!

So here's one cat you dig the most, and he's been practicing.

So let's hear it for Sandy Chester.

Thank you.

Sandy Chester.

He's the boy Mr. Burgess wants to sponsor.

Thanks so much, mods.

You know, since I came to this country,

it's been Henny what's done everything for me.

Gave me this job and a chance to sing.

So this song's for Henny.

I'm walking the same road I used to walk you home

But this time, it's different I'm walking alone

Oh, why did you leave me To be by myself?

I feel like a millionaire Who's just lost his wealth

Oh, how dark and lonesome This road seems to be

It used to be sunny When you walked it with me

Since you've been away It has never been the same

Oh, come back, my darling And let's start again

Oh, lonesome road, lonesome road Why did she go?

Are you sure this is the boy your client wants to sponsor?

Unlimited backing. Any amount.

- Why? - I don't know, Della.

I honestly don't know.

No, Mr. Hawley. I can't give you my client's name.

But he says you're the best personal manager in show business.

And he wants you to handle the boy's career.

Your guy wants him put over, huh? Made big-time?

Well, he does wanna give him a chance.

Now, I'd imagine that first you'd like to hear the youngster.

Find out if he has any talent.

Ha. What's that got to do with it?

You think it's talent puts over these creepy kids today?

- Forget it. - What does it take?

Two things: guts and money.

Big money.

You look down there in that street.

Pick out a kid. Any kid.

Give me enough dough to do the job,

and in six months, I'll have him a national sensation.

Remember Archie and Shel? The Tongo Trio?

I did it for them. They were nothing when I took them.

Far as I'm concerned, they're still nothing.

Anyway, I can do the same thing for this what's-his-name of yours.

- Sandy Chester. - Yeah.

America's new singing discovery.

Did I tell you my terms?

Your man picks up all expenses, I get 25 percent and full control.

No dice without full control.

And a contract nobody can break.

I'll draw up an agreement between you and Sandy.

When it's signed,

I'm authorized to deliver $5,000 for a start.

That'll do, for a start.

When would you like to talk to the boy?

Right away. After all, America is waiting to see its new star.

It's just smashing, Henny. Think of it.

Clete Hawley, the Clete Hawley, calling me.

Well, it was sure to happen sooner or later.

- Go on. - It's true.

Besides brains, looks, personality, there's a certain, well, quality.

Star quality.

And I've got it?

You've been drinking too many Killer Sharks.

It's true.

If it weren't, why would a big manager like Clete Hawley be interested in you?

There is that.

Well, let's hope you're right,

because then that 10 percent of me that you have will be worth something.

Enough to fix this place up.

Your name's Sandy Chester?

Yes, sir.

You must be Mr. Clete Hawley.

I can't tell you what a thrill it is...

Oh, Henny, this is Mr. Clete Hawley.

Henny's real old-time show business.

She was a headliner in vaudeville for years and years.

Well, not actually a headliner, but, uh, feature billing.

I've sure been a lucky bloke having somebody like her.

She's taught me everything I know about singing, how to act.

Well, maybe it's not too late to undo the damage.

Look, kid, if you and I get together,

you're gonna forget everything you think you know.

You're gonna start over again from the top and learn it my way.

If you get together?

I thought you told the boy over the telephone...

All depends on his situation. All depends on his...

Oh.

All right, split, kid.

The lady and I have got something to discuss.

But if you're gonna talk about me, I ought to be here, shouldn't I?

Look, kid, there's one thing you ought to start learning right off.

I tell you something once.

Now split. I'll send for you when I want you.

It's all right, honey.

There's only one thing we three are interested in:

your career.

Mr. Hawley and I won't have any trouble.

Now,

first thing I wanna know is exactly where you and the kid stand.

I'll have perhaps 15 minutes before my case is called.

- Time for some coffee? - Sure.

Oh, what do you have on Sandy Chester?

- Who is he? - Nobody. Just another English kid.

His mother died about a year ago and he came over here.

In time, he showed up in Henny's Coop.

Why would a capable star-builder like Hawley

wanna bother with an unknown, untried kid like Sandy,

without even hearing him?

Surely not for the money.

Don't be too sure.

Hawley's often been on the verge of making it.

But so far, he's always just missed.

The, uh, rock 'n' roll business is a bare-knuckled racket.

Some kid makes a halfway name for himself

or hits a hit record, and the big boys snap him up.

That would explain why Hawley was so insistent on full control

and what he calls an ironclad contract.

I'm afraid I haven't been much help.

I still can't explain Burgess' interest in the boy.

That's not all that intrigues me, Paul.

There's also the fact that Burgess wanted Clete Hawley

and no one else to be Sandy's manager.

Now, why Hawley?

How would a man like Burgess have even heard of him?

All right, all right, once again from the top.

Go out and enter again.

Let's go, let's go.

All right. Applause, applause. Clap, clap, clap.

Wait a minute. Straighten your back.

And turn those feet in. You walk like a duck.

All right, come on.

Don't grab that microphone as though you're gonna throttle it.

Pretend it's a girl. Play up to it. Make love to it.

And straighten that back. You're gonna...

You're gonna be somebody, you gotta look like somebody.

Now, go out and make the entrance again.

Look, that's not singing.

Kid, you're so far from singing, you couldn't reach it in a sleeper jump.

- Then what do you got me here for? - You stay put, Riff. You stay put.

Now look, you, from the time you get up in the morning

till the time you hit the pad at night,

you're gonna learn to do things the Clete Hawley way.

Catch? You're gonna learn to walk into a restaurant, to give an autograph.

Yeah, to brush your teeth the way a Clete Hawley product does it. Catch?

All right.

Take five, take five. I'll round up your music.

Don't let him throw you, Sandy.

The only way to make it in this business

is to put up with the Clete Hawleys.

That's the sad part of it.

But that is how it is.

Did you hear what he said, though? I mean, about signing autographs.

You think I'll ever get that far?

I was just gonna ask you for your first one.

It's for my daughter, Sherry.

She's getting to be quite a fan of yours.

That's a bit of all right, that is. I'd like to meet her.

Hey, what's that?

Oh, it's one of mine.

"Da, da, da, Surfin' Moon."

- That's real boss. - Heh.

Cool cats are clinging Yeah, yeah, yeah

Wild waves are winging Yeah, yeah, yeah

Sand dunes are swinging Yeah, yeah, yeah

Cool it.

We were just noodling.

I said, cool it. Not his style.

Sandy, after a while, we're gonna work on these.

Right now I wanna smooth out that entrance.

Clete, there's not one of mine here.

And you said that we could...

You mean I'm gonna have trouble with you?

After everything I've done for you?

That's my boy, Riff.

All right, Sandy. Make that entrance again.

And this time, do it the way I told you.

Ready? All right, applause. Clap, clap, clap.

Applause, applause. All right, kid, make your entrance.

Come on, come on. Okay.

Bye-bye, baby Remember, you're my baby

When they give you the eye

Although I know that you care Won't you write and declare

That though on the loose You are still on the square

I'll be gloomy But send that rainbow to me

All right, kid, all right.

Take five. We got things to discuss.

Well, I just wanted you to see where the money goes.

That's quite a change.

Uh, tot that you didn't have potential, Sandy.

Don't you believe it.

That kid's a product. I made him.

All right, kid, split.

Well, that's the sample.

I had to give him a new hairdo, a bath, new clothes.

Now starts phase two, the buildup.

Here.

Dotty Merrill, publicity. Perry Mason.

- Hello. - Hello.

- You got those swoon shots? - Right here.

These are for the fan mags.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, a few months of these,

and that kid with the two left feet we saw at the Coop

will be the dreamboat of every chick in the country.

And that takes bread, Mr. Mason. Money, money.

From the vouchers you've been sending me,

I'd say you've been spending bread like water.

Make that bread on water.

I've got a few dates lined up for Sandy out of town.

Easy ones. When he gets back here,

then he'll be ready for the choicer spots, and a record.

I'm gonna get that record into the hands

of every disc jock in the country. See where the money goes?

You mean you have to pay them to play his records?

Of course not. That's illegal.

But we offer incentives.

Same for the fan mags.

Clete can get you top exposure for your dollar.

You wanted this kid on top, Mason?

Only one way to do it. My way.

Now let's talk serious money.

I sank 50 grand in my last project.

I'm talking the same kind of money here.

I want it up when we get back to town.

And no more vouchers.

I hate paperwork.

I'll report to my principal.

He'll wanna know precisely what he's buying for his money.

Well, among other things, he's leasing

one of the choicest collections of skeletons in show business.

I've made kind of a hobby of skeletons.

Oh, there's nothing like it when you're promoting new talent

to be able to pull out a nice choice skeleton and kind of rattle it around.

Or putting it another way, knowing where the bodies are buried.

Oh, ho, ho, ho.

You're with it, counselor. You're with it.

You tell your principal that.

On that, you have my word.

I think the counselor's chickening out.

Mr. Burgess, at the moment, Mr. Hawley has the boy on tour.

But when he gets back next week, he wants $50,000 free and clear.

No vouchers, no accounting.

Purely on good faith alone.

By, uh, what day?

You're not actually considering giving him the money on his terms?

Well, I was aware when I first came to you

there'd be considerable expense involved if we expected results.

Expense, yes, but let me come to the point.

If you're determined to go ahead with this,

I recommend very strongly you do it with another manager.

You mean fire Clete Hawley?

Oh, Mr. Mason, this is my wife, June.

A pleasure, Mrs. Burgess.

I'm sorry if I'm intruding, but I just happened to overhear...

Uh, my wife knows all about our arrangements, Mr. Mason.

- You can speak freely. - Of course.

Here's a full report on Mr. Hawley,

prepared by the Drake Detective Agency.

This report concludes that Mr. Hawley is less than exemplary

and hardly the person to be entrusted with a large sum of money.

Well, the point is, I don't know very much about show business,

but they tell me that if you want results quickly,

you've got to go through people like Hawley.

- And they all agree he's the best. - At getting results quickly.

But what about lasting results?

Mr. Mason, I'm sure that Cameron picked the best lawyer available

to draw up a contract that would protect the boy.

The contract can only protect Sandy financially,

it can't govern his day-to-day relationship with his manager.

And that's what concerns me most of all.

From our telephone conversation this afternoon,

I gathered you're not very happy with Hawley's attitude,

his manner of dealing with the boy.

But discipline, I'm sure, is just as important in show business

as it is in anything else and if...

Well, if Hawley is a little strict or hard,

I'm sure it's just his way of getting the job done.

It's not only that. It's his methods.

He suggested for instance that in promoting the boy,

he wouldn't hesitate to use, and I think he said:

"Skeletons in the closet."

But he meant a form of blackmail.

In fact, although he doesn't know who you are,

that's one of the messages he told me to give you,

that he knows where the bodies are buried.

Well, I'm sure you're able to deal with Hawley

and I'm certain I am.

Now let's get on with it, Mr. Mason.

Well, take a look at that report.

You'll note that the youngsters Hawley did put over

broke away from him at their first opportunity.

And all of them, to a man, said that Hawley did everything he could

once they'd broken away to destroy them.

Now, is that what you want for Sandy Chester?

Because with Mr. Hawley as his manager,

I'm afraid that's exactly what you'll get.

All hail the conquering hero.

Oh, Mr. Burgess' discovery.

Or Mr. Hawley's creation. Who knows which?

Sandy's late.

Now, if we're to believe those newspaper clippings,

the tour was an unqualified success.

Or Dotty Merrill is a great press agent.

- Why, Della, you're becoming cynical. - Heh, heh.

That's showbiz.

Well, Sandy, welcome home.

You look wonderful. How did it go?

First-rate, Ms. Street.

The audiences all seemed to like us.

Good to see you again, sir.

Della and I have just been reading about you.

You've become quite a celebrity.

Not really.

Well, maybe in a few small towns.

We're back in Los Angeles because Clete's setting up a recording date.

Well, that's good, isn't it?

Good? I think it's little short of a miracle.

Perry Mason's office.

Just a moment, please.

It's the police.

They're looking for Sandy.

Don't do anything foolish, now.

Just try to stay relaxed.

Stay right where you are.

Now, just take it easy up there, young lady.

We've got the Fire Department coming. We'll get you down.

Stay right where you are. Relax.

Don't make any moves. Stay right where you are.

That's right. Try to relax.

We'll have you down in a little while. Now, just be careful.

No, no, no. Don't make any moves. Stay right where you are.

That's a girl. Hold on to...

Now you're fine.

They're on the way.

No, no. Don't move around. Stay right where you are.

Dotty, what's going on? Take a look at the sign.

Don't try anything up there. Just stay where you are.

Be careful now.

Kids are crazy these days.

Why would she pull a stunt like that?

Tell me the truth, Sandy. Do you know that girl?

Honestly, sir, I've never seen her before.

We've been trying to talk her down for a half hour.

She could break her neck.

Sandy, I just hope this isn't a stunt.

We've got to get that girl down.

Do you know the song "Surfin' Moon"?

I think so.

- Can we use the microphone, please? - All right.

All right, honey, if you'll just sit still, I'm going to sing for you.

Cool cats are clinging Yeah, yeah, yeah

Wild waves are winging Yeah, yeah, yeah

Sand dunes are swinging Yeah, yeah, yeah

'Neath that surfin' moon

I know how you feel, Clete.

It was a crazy shtick, but we hit the front pages.

Well, don't blame me, it wasn't my idea.

What did you expect Sandy to do, just stand there and refuse to sing?

Let the doll get hurt?

Well, I don't understand why you're so teed off with me.

Sherry, if you ever, ever pull a stunt like that again, so help me, I'll...

Dad, I'm sorry.

It got so late, I wondered if you were coming to rehearse.

Miss Goof-of-the-Year here and I were detained in juvenile court.

The judge finally released her to my custody,

which may or may not have been a smart move on his part.

Now, Dad, you wouldn't have let them lock me up.

You know how much it's gonna cost me?

For those fire trucks and the police?

Well, maybe Clete will help out.

Clete?

Well, after all, you did get us a lot of publicity.

Oh, like, wow, didn't we, though?

Now everybody in the country wants to hear Sandy Chester

sing your song, "Surfin' Moon."

Everybody except one guy.

- And he's the only one that counts. - Clete?

He's in New York, pitching an album deal.

And you had to cut the ground right out from under him.

How?

The only tune the record exec wants to buy is a single called "Surfin' Moon."

Oh, tough. Dad, did you hear that?

So that's why you climbed out on that billboard

and had that crazy sign painted.

You don't wanna build Sandy.

You just wanna plug your father's song.

And it worked too.

Except that Clete didn't call the shots.

And when he doesn't, head for the bomb shelters, baby.

This check and letter are going back to Mr. Burgess by special messenger.

Cashier's check for $50,000. You sure don't see many of those.

I imagine Clete Hawley may be a little disappointed not receiving it.

He may receive it anyway, but not from me.

You mean Burgess is going to deliver it on his own?

Well, he says he's paying for results,

and Hawley apparently is getting results.

You'd think the last thing a man with Burgess' reputation would want

would be to associate with someone like Hawley.

Well, he hasn't actually associated with him.

The contract is between Hawley and Sandy.

And I've been acting for Burgess while he remained anonymous.

But not anymore.

Once he gets that letter, I'm through.

- I wash my hands of the whole thing. - And Sandy Chester?

No, Paul, I can't do that.

I still feel responsible for that boy.

- Anything I can do? - Maybe there is.

There are still some big, unanswered questions in this affair.

Why was Clete Hawley is so willing to take on an unknown boy

without ever hearing him?

And why was Cameron Burgess so anxious

to sponsor an unknown boy in the first place?

Well, I don't like to be threatened, Mr. Hawley.

Well, how did you find out about it?

What's it matter? Let's just say I got friends.

And when I smell a double-cross, I do something about it.

Now, nobody's double-crossing you.

All right, then where's the bread, the cash that was supposed

to be up for me the minute I got back from New York?

It's ready, but my attorney won't deliver it.

He's advised me against going any further with you.

Now listen, Clyde, I'm gonna level with you.

You think that kooky little girl on the billboard got newspaper space?

What kind of coverage you think they'd give the real story

of why Cameron Burgess, civic leader,

is playing angel to the career of Sandy Chester?

Think it over, friend. Think it over.

Mr. Mason, it's urgent that I see you right away.

Very well, Mr. Burgess. Within the hour.

Now, calm down.

I'm sure we can find Henny easily enough.

I don't know what's happened to her, Mr. Mason.

When I went down to the Coop, it was shut down.

A sign on it that it was closed for nonpayment of taxes.

And she's moved too and left no forwarding address.

Well, I suppose business became slack

and she couldn't meet her expenses.

But she had the money.

I knew she was worried about those taxes.

That's why I told Clete to send her the 10 percent right away.

Henny had 10 percent interest in you?

I told Clete it had to be like that when I signed with him.

And Clete Hawley agreed to that?

Of course.

So I've got to find out what happened, where she is.

Mr. Mason, Henny's about the last friend I've got.

I wouldn't let her down.

We'll check the court records.

I promise you'll be able to talk to her, certainly by tomorrow.

Good on you, sir.

Have her catch me in my dressing room at the recording studios.

We're doing "Surfin' Moon" tomorrow.

And Henny will get a great thrill out of that.

Now, how about you, Sandy?

Is everything else going well?

I don't really know, sir.

It seems as if...

Well, everything's happening just as Clete said it would.

The tour dates and now this chance to make a recording.

You're not happy about it.

It's just that everyone around me seems to hate everyone else

or compete with everyone else or envy everyone else.

And I can't understand why.

When Clete Hawley came out to Henny's and wanted to take me on,

I thought it was a whole new world opening up.

But now that I've seen it,

I'm not sure I want to be part of that world.

When I said "confidential," Mr. Mason, that's exactly what I meant.

I didn't tell Clete Hawley you were backing the boy, Mr. Burgess.

Then how could he possibly have found out about me?

That, I can't answer.

And you still refuse to deliver the check.

Absolutely, and my advice to you remains the same.

Get rid of him.

No, no, I can't do that now. I must turn over the money.

Mr. Burgess, I have the feeling that you're acting under duress.

If you care to tell me what it is, I might be able to suggest a course of action.

Is Clete Hawley threatening you?

No, no.

It's my problem.

I'll have to handle it myself.

Hello?

Oh, right. Right away.

I said I'd sell you "Surfin' Moon."

This gives you the rights to the whole song.

Look, that sand-for-brains daughter of yours crawling up on that billboard

cut the rug out from under me. I don't want to buy your song.

You two are forcing it on me.

Sherry's only a kid, Clete.

She was trying to help me.

- She doesn't know about... - Riff, Riff, baby,

there are a couple of things she doesn't know about.

Now, do we wise her up or do you sign that paper?

Hi, Dad.

Thanks, Riff.

You're supposed to be in school.

Oh, high school can get along without me for one afternoon,

especially when Sandy's taping a new hit song, our song.

Come on in.

That two-bit piano player.

What you got?

Oh, album covers.

This one's nice.

This one stinks.

Why don't you go easy on Riff, honey?

Why don't you let me take care of the business, honey?

We've got Burgess right where we want him.

He's coming through with a check for $50,000, no strings attached.

What will we do with that money?

We're gonna go places.

Okay, and reading me in two?

Two's clear. Try number three.

The wire's crossed over here somewhere.

It's murder to locate.

Who, Mr. Hawley?

Mr. Hawley wanted an echo chorus on the kid.

I think he went to the chamber to set it up.

- I knew about the 10 percent. - What did you give Henny?

The back of my hand. What else?

Pull these vultures out of the gutter,

they think they got a claw on you for the rest of their lives.

But Henny's my best friend.

She took care of me, gave me my first break.

Kid, I thought we understood each other.

A Clete Hawley property is a one-man show

and nobody but nobody cuts in.

I'm not your property.

Ten minutes. Recording studio.

Sandy Chester tape.

Clete, you're going to give Henny her 10 percent.

All the money due her so far or... Or what?

Or you and I are through.

Right now.

Walt, you can call it off. I'm not singing.

You little jerk. Eighty-six me out, will you?

You do that and you'll never work again. Never.

You can't afford to do that.

You've invested too much money on me already.

Me, invest in you? Ha.

It's your father's dough. He's your angel.

You're crazy. I don't have a father.

Yes, you do, Sandy.

Sandy, allow me to introduce your old man, Cameron Burgess.

I didn't know you existed, Sandy, until three months ago

when I received a letter from your aunt.

While your mother was alive, she forbid her sister to tell me.

And I wished it would have stayed that way.

Well, I didn't want you to find out.

Surely not this way.

Our deal was he wasn't to know.

Deals change.

Hey, Clete, how about that echo?

We roll in five minutes, echo or no echo.

I just wanted to help you have a career.

I was afraid if you knew about me, you wouldn't accept it.

Right, and whatever I have taken without knowing it,

I want you to give back.

And you can call off all this.

The session, our deal, everything.

Now listen, buster, you read me loud and clear

or I'll throw you back in the gutter where you came from.

When that tape rolls, you sing.

Because you've got a contract with me

to sing what I say, where I say, when I say,

or you don't sing at all ever.

- Now, just a minute, Mr. Hawley... - Stay out.

I don't want your help.

Five minutes, punk.

Be here.

Mr. Mason.

I'm in luck. I was hoping to catch you before you left your office.

I wanted to give you this.

Your husband is still determined to do business with Clete Hawley?

He asked me to give this to Clete, but I wasn't able to.

I want you to give it back to my husband.

That would be rather embarrassing.

I'd rather he'd be furious with his lawyer than with his wife.

Well, I'm off to San Diego to spend the night with my sister.

By the time I get back, he'll have cooled off.

Well, that's the first time I have seen a woman take three suitcases

and two fur coats for one overnight trip.

I know you're experienced in such things, Paul.

But maybe you just don't know how the other half lives.

Will somebody please snag Sandy Chester and Clete Hawley

and shoot them down to recording?

This crew's on salary here.

Hey, we're five minutes late...

Mr. Mason, could you help me get a seat?

Well, I'll try, Henny.

It is going to be all right, isn't it?

I mean, how could those squares even think a good kid like Sandy

could murder anybody?

They have a pretty strong case against him.

I just know it's gonna be all right.

And you'll tell him that I'm here, and, uh, what I said.

And, uh, tell him not to be so hard on his father.

That poor man has been through so much.

I'll tell him, Henny. Now, you wait right here.

I'll see about getting you inside.

Your Honor, the state intends to show

that this murder took place because the defendant in this case

fell into the familiar show business trap of believing his own press notices.

The decedent, Cletus Hawley, was a thoroughly established,

highly proficient trainer and manager of talent.

He took an unknown boy, Sanford "Sandy" Chester, under his wing,

signed him to a personal contract and then molded and trained him

into an exploitable personality

ready to be launched on a successful career.

This boy, however,

unfortunately developed an inflated sense of his own importance.

The star became too big for his mentor.

And when the manager, Cletus Hawley, now deceased,

became disgusted with the behavior of his new star

and threatened to wreck his career on the very threshold of success,

this boy, tragically and willfully,

stabbed his manager to death.

Then the defendant's apparent success, his so-called career,

was not based on any natural inherent talent or ability to perform,

but on a carefully engineered and completely false buildup

manufactured by you and the deceased, Cletus Hawley.

It's routine.

And Clete was a past master at it.

It's simple, really.

You hire a hundred screamers like those kids outside, plant a gig,

and you can make an overnight sensation out of a wooden Indian.

What about the girl on the billboard? Was that part of the buildup?

It turned out to be.

And it sure kicked the kid's career into orbit.

But it wasn't Clete's idea or mine.

The little chick ad-libbed the whole bit.

All right, now, according to your previous testimony,

it was that stunt that precipitated the final argument

between the defendant and the decedent, is that right?

The teeners were screaming for a disc of Sandy doing "Surfin' Moon."

On the recording date,

Sandy told Clete that he wouldn't sing under his management.

You just didn't do that to Clete Hawley.

Split on Clete and after that, nowheresville.

Clete would just pull the rug.

And Sandy Chester knew that, didn't he?

Knew that Clete was about to pull the rug from under his career?

Objection. Mr. Burger is leading the witness.

I'll withdraw the question, Mr. Mason.

Your witness.

I have no questions at this time.

You say you overheard part of the conversation

between the decedent and the defendant?

How was that possible if you weren't in the same room?

Uh, the engineers were having some trouble with crossed wires.

What sort of trouble?

Perry, I checked with the studio electricians.

With those wires crossed, there were only two places

Riff could have overheard that conversation over the monitors.

Sandy's dressing room and the echo chamber.

- Where Clete was murdered? - Right. Here, take a look at this.

And this conversation took place only a few minutes

- before the body was discovered? - Yes, sir.

Thank you. Cross-examine, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Lawler,

your daughter told the court

that in all the years you worked for Mr. Hawley,

he paid you a meager salary.

You wrote songs, turned them over to your employer for nothing,

to be published under his name.

Now, why, Mr. Lawler?

It was a job. Steady.

I, uh, show you this paper.

State's exhibit F.

A paper found in the pocket of the deceased.

An assignment of all rights to the song entitled "Surfin' Moon"

to the benefit of Cletus Hawley, for good and valuable consideration.

What was the good and valuable consideration Cletus Hawley paid you?

- Nothing. MASON: You gave him the song?

Why, Mr. Lawler?

What was the hold that Clete Hawley had over you all those years?

I refuse to answer the question

on the grounds that my answer may tend to incriminate me.

You're taking the Fifth Amendment?

You're afraid of incriminating yourself in Clete Hawley's murder?

- No. - Then answer the question.

- I refuse to answer on the grounds... - Now, one moment.

Mr. Mason, in view of this surprising turn in the witness' testimony,

I'm going to adjourn this court until 2:00 this afternoon

to give Mr. Lawler opportunity to obtain advice of counsel.

This court stands adjourned.

You sure put that guy over the jumps.

Has to be done, Paul, to get at the truth.

Yeah, but does it have to be done?

Perry, I've searched a lot of records.

I've had my people check old friends and relatives of Riff.

I've gone through old newspaper files.

It's clear to me what Hawley had on Riff.

It's all in the report I handed you.

A combination of circumstances.

Some people never learn to face the truth.

It all started at a drinking party.

On the way home Riff had an accident. His wife was killed instantly.

He wasn't arrested?

Clete was the first one on the scene.

It's my guess he told the police the wife had been driving.

Riff wasn't even held.

But the worst he might have faced was involuntary manslaughter.

Yes, but how could he face his daughter?

Well, she wasn't really his daughter.

She was born before Riff met her mother.

Then Riff must have lived in dread of Sherry finding out

how he'd killed her mother,

turning against him, probably leaving him.

You can see why he'd do almost anything to keep it quiet,

work for next to nothing, give away songs.

Or commit murder.

Good evening.

Maybe it's better to live with our mistakes than to try to correct them.

It was a wartime marriage, matter of a legal affair.

Sandy's mother knew it wasn't any good as quickly as I did.

She wrote me in France that she'd had it annulled.

Of course, the boy never knew about me

so I was trying to help him anonymously through you.

- Mr. Burgess? - And now... Yes.

- Your office is on the telephone. - Oh, thank you.

Well, it seems as if everyone who's come in contact with Hawley

- has suffered in some way for it. - That's right, Paul.

You know, I wanna help that boy.

But the only way I can do it is to implicate his father.

What do you mean?

I'd have to put him on the stand. - You can't do that.

Put me on instead.

For what purpose?

Because I was the one that brought him together with Clete Hawley.

Clete and I were...

Well, we were very close. It was before I met Cameron.

Then you told Clete that Sandy was Burgess' son?

- Why? - Well, the truth is,

Clete and I were going away together.

On your husband's $50,000?

You realize, don't you, if I do put you on the stand,

it'll destroy your marriage?

But I may be able to save my husband's son.

Now, Mr. Lawler, I presume you've had opportunity

to consult with counsel on your desire to plead the Fifth Amendment?

Yes, sir.

All right, Mr. Mason, you may now repeat your question.

Your Honor,

I wish to withdraw the question. I'm finished with the witness.

Very well. Witness may stand down.

I have nothing further, Your Honor.

I'm satisfied that the state has proved its case.

The prosecution rests.

Defense calls as its first witness Mrs. Cameron Burgess.

Thank you.

Raise your right hand.

Do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

State your name, please.

Then you pretended to be in sympathy with your husband's desire

to finance his son's career,

but actually this was only a means of getting money from him?

That's true, yes.

What did you intend to do with that money?

Clete and I were planning on running away together.

When you asked your husband for the cashier's check

ostensibly to deliver to Hawley,

you intended to go to the recording studio,

pick him up and never return home?

Yes.

Did you go to the studio?

Yes.

But I got there too late.

Clete was dead.

And she'd killed him.

- Who killed him? - Objection.

That little publicity woman who had been making such a big play for him.

She must have found out about Clete and me.

Order. I will have order.

You maintain under oath that it was you and not Mrs. Burgess

with whom Clete Hawley was planning to run away?

That's right, as soon as he got the money from her husband.

It's clear enough now,

as soon as she found out that Clete was using her,

that it was Burgess' money he wanted, not his wife, she killed him.

Mr. Mason, I'm not going to allow these unsubstantiated charges.

It must be as obvious to you as it is to me

that one of these witnesses is lying.

Do you have any evidence to offer

that would assist the court in discriminating?

Your Honor, there is a witness now present in the courtroom

who may be able to throw some light on the question.

Now, would you tell the court, please,

which of these ladies was telling the truth?

How should I know?

Didn't you hear Clete Hawley talking to one of them at the recording studio?

Well, uh...

Weren't you in Sandy's dressing room waiting to talk to him

when the technicians got the wires crossed

and fed the microphone signal into part of the public address system?

You must have been, Henny.

Otherwise how would you have known that Mr. Burgess was Sandy's father?

Well, I, uh, heard it here in court.

But you mentioned it to me in the lobby before court opened, remember?

Hasn't the time come for the truth, Henny?

When you heard over the PA

what Clete Hawley was going to do to Sandy,

destroy his career, his future...

Clete Hawley told me nobody cuts in on a piece of a Clete Hawley product.

So for Sandy's sake,

I gave him my 10 percent.

I said I wouldn't tell Sandy.

But I warned Clete, if he ever did anything to hurt him,

he'd have to answer to me.

That day in the studio,

when I heard Clete talking so vicious,

I went looking for Clete.

Clete was in the echo chamber.

I went in and...

I killed him.

Sandy's like a son.

If you hadn't been able to get him off,

I wouldn't have let anything happen to him.

Honest.

I'm leading my own one-man war against primitive noise

by organizing the society for the preservation of my kind of music.

And just what is your kind of music?

Good old sentimental ballads like "Flat Foot Floogie"

and "Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar"?

Clay's hit parade is made up of Strauss waltzes,

the two-step and Irish ballads.

And what's wrong with that?

Sandy?

- Hello, Mr. Mason, Mr. Drake. - Hi, Sandy.

Sandy is the best busboy I ever had.

Well, don't give him compliments, give him a raise.

Sandy, I understand you're keeping busy.

Well, let's see. In the morning, I take voice, dancing or acting class.

I work here all day, and when I've finished,

I'll go down to Riff Lawler's new club, maybe do a couple of songs.

Oh, Riff's opened a club?

Come on now, Mr. Mason.

I know you're supposed to act like it's a secret, but Sherry already told me.

You talked my fa... Mr. Burgess into advancing Riff the money.

Well, that's not entirely true, Sandy.

I made the arrangements, but it was your father's idea.

Well, if you're going to do any of that caterwauling tonight,

you better take off that jacket and get moving.

Thank you, sir.

Good night.

Shame about that boy.

Heart of gold and a tin ear.