All language subtitles for S04E05 The Pea

(theme music plays)

WALTER WINCHELL:
Chicago, December 18, 1930.

In a swank academy
on the north side,

a distinguished group competed

for the pocket billiard
championship of the world.

Thousands of dollars
hung on every shot.

And on Chicago's south side,

another contest--
Herbie Catcher

was playing eight ball
for 50 cents a game.

(sniffs)

The corner.

(sighs, clears throat)

Two bucks light.

I'll pay you tomorrow.

Uh, listen,
I got something going tonight.

Something big.

Tomorrow I'll have dough
coming out of my ears.

Just have my two bucks.

(sighs)

(sighs)

Easy shot like that,
and ... (chuckles)

Yeah, somebody moved,
that's what it was.

Nobody moved.

Some men can play
a money ball, some can't.

You got other things, Herbie.

You're nice.

Oh, sure.

I'm the nicest guy
you never saw.

You'd be surprised
at the things I can see.

I'm an owl in the dark.

I see plenty, Herbie.

Can you see that roll
I'm gonna have in my pocket?

-(chuckles): Oh...
-Hey, I'm not kidding,

I got something big going.

Just got to make this call.

Uh, Josh, I don't seem
to have any nickels.

Sure.

Thanks, pal.

(sighs)

Uh, Herbie Catcher.

I got something for you.

Yeah.

Tell Mr. Ness about 20 minutes.

ANNOUNCER:

"The Pea."

Starring Robert Stack
as Eliot Ness.

Co-starring Sally Gracie...

Albert Paulsen.

With special guest star
Frank Gorshin.

And narrated
by Walter Winchell.

WINCHELL: On December 18,
the office of the Untouchables

was invaded by a regular
visitor, Herbie Catcher.

Herbie, as always,
was in a selling mood.

HERBIE:
And so I say to myself,

the least I could do
is pass the information on

to my good friend,
Mr. Eliot Ness.

What do you got for us, Herbie?

Wally Marco's back in town.

He was in town.

He left on the 3:00 plane today.

By invitation.

Oh, well, you ask me, you did
the whole town a big favor.

(chuckles):
That Marco's poison, 14-karat.

Mm. Need anything
on Angel Podaris?

The Angel was in last night.

Word's around
he sold out to Rawlings.

But I guess you know about that.

Oh, yeah, yeah,
I was just gonna say.

Oh, hey, did I tell you?

There's a new place...

there's a new place
on Maple Street.

They're making bottles
for imported scotch.

Nothing, huh?

We knocked it over last week.

(exhales)

Well...

Appreciate your
coming in, Herbie.

Oh, it's nothing.
I had to be in the neighborhood.

Herbie.

Oh, no, I don't take
any handouts.

Cab fare-- you're entitled
to expenses. Go on.

Well... if it's expenses.

You know, it don't hurt
to have a five on you.

Them hackies never
got change for a 20.

-Never.
-Never.

Nice talking to you, Mr. Ness.

Anytime, Herbie.

-Well, hi.
-Hi, Herbie.

He come in
to tell you about Cusher?

-What about him?
- Just got knocked off.

Sitting at his own desk,
behind his own guns.

Rawlings.

Think he's starting
to make his move?

Well, he's been
waiting two years.

So have I.

You were late.

I had to wait for a call.

The Angel?

Is there anything special
you want for dinner?

No.

I was just wondering.

I heard about Cusher
on the radio.

Your job has
two simple functions:

to be decorative
and entertaining.

Let's not complicate things.

♪♪

Thank you.

You don't need a check.

Where's Zehner?

On the floor.

How do you do?

-Hello.
-So nice to see you.

(woman screams)

(loud clattering)

My dress!
-I'm sorry. I...

Please go upstairs.

(woman groans, yells)

Water'll take it off.

-Look at my dress!
-Mr. Hendricksen.

-I am so sorry, sir.
-Stupid!

The young lady will go

to Brenet's tomorrow
and order a new dress,

with my compliments.

No check.

You.

- (indistinct talking)
-(groaning)

-Mr. Zehner!
-You lousy little busboy!

WOMAN:
Max, leave him alone.

-I said leave him alone.
-You saw what he did.

He was looking
at that blond dame,

just like you've
been looking, Max.

Now, what is it,
you have a reservation, huh?

What are you talking?
She means nothing to me.

It's the third time in one week

that that blond sparrow's
been in here.

Sure, sure, she's with Rawlings.

Well, she better stay
with Rawlings, Max,

because if you get any notions,

I'm gonna blow the whistle
on you, but fast.

(door opens)

-(door slams)
-Are you all right?

Yeah. Hey, thanks, Mae.

Oh... he had it coming to him.

Mae?
-Hmm?

Uh, you wouldn't
do that, would you?

What?

You know, like you said,
uh, blow the whistle on Max.

Oh, I sure would.

And I got the wind
to blow the whistle with.

(door opens)

Beat it. Get lost.

Go on.

NESS:
Hello, Mae.

Just shows you,
I said my prayers last night.

Was hoping you wouldn't be here.

Well, it's a lousy life,
but I'm hooked.

Anyway, how else
would I get to see you?

-Three, gentlemen?
-Oh, Andre,

this gentleman you're
talking to is Mr. Eliot Ness.

-Mr. Ness?
-Well, now, you relax.

If he were here on business,

the front door
would already be broken down.

Mr. Ness loves
to break doors down.

I hate to carry keys.

Give him table five.

Let the suckers see him.

Then slap the five dollar
cover on the check

for the floor show.

♪♪

There's no Rawlings.

Guess it wasn't the food.

I wonder where he can be.

Haven't you ever heard
it's polite to knock?

You knock with Eliot Ness
on your back.

-Ness? Downstairs?
Mm-hmm.

-What did he want?
-Nothing.

-What'd you say? -I just told
you, he didn't ask me anything,

so I didn't say anything.

Half the time, you're
too boozed up to know, anyhow.

You're gonna let him
talk to me like that?

You're just gonna stand there

and you're gonna let him, hmm?

Look, Mae,
we don't want no trouble.

What he says to me,
that doesn't mean anything, hmm?

Mae, please.

12 years, and that's
all I am to you?

I'm just a dame
in a hatcheck room?

A dame that
any louse can insult.

I don't like such talk.

Well, you're not
gonna hear it anymore, Max,

because I'm about to pour you
out like a glass of stale beer.

-Mae!
-And I have got

the whole thing written down
in black and white.

Names, dates, amounts,
the whole thing.

And when I say names,

Mr. Big Mouth,
that includes you in.

In fact, you're number one,

-at the top of the list.
-Mae, please!

What are you trying to do?

MAE:
You keep your paws to yourself.

You drunken fool.

(excited chatter, gasps)

WINCHELL: Mae Denby
had died of a broken neck.

The inquiry was
little more than a formality,

particularly
since Herbie Catcher

supported the testimony
of his boss, Martin Rawlings.

No question about it,
it had been an accident.

You did very well.

Well, thanks, Mr. Rawlings.

Thanks.

(engine starts)

Twenty bucks!

(exhales)

Max, I hope you understand.

If there is a written record,
I'm vitally concerned.

There is no record.

If you've been lying to me just
because you've been foolish...

You tell me
what reason I got to lie.

(clears throat)

How could she write
what she doesn't know?

(engine starting)

Stop worrying.

(phone rings)

Poolroom.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, he just come in.

Sure.

You betcha.

Herbie?

Me?

Yeah.

Hello?

Well, yes, sir.

Now?

Uh, yeah, I guess so.

Yeah.

Hey, some guy of theirs,
he gets nervous, you know?

He wants to see me right away.

Save your money, though, Cooker,

'cause I'll take it from you
some other time.

So long.

Don't leave your change.

Huh? Oh, yeah, that's right.

That's two for you, Cooker.

For you, Josh. Thanks, pal.

Thanks, Herbie.

(door buzzes)

Hi.

Hi.

Boy, the traffic was terrible.

Hung me up a little, Mr. Zehner.

That's all right, Herbie.
It's all right.

You want a drink?

No, thanks.

Hey, you done all right
last night.

Hey, you think so?

Yeah, you got a start.

Maybe someday
you work up to something.

Well, it's nice of you to say
that, Mr. Zehner.

Yeah, I got to hand it to Mae.

She was smart, Mae was.

She could see
you was gonna be somebody.

Well, you know,
Mae was always good to me.

Oh, she was wonderful.

Twelve years with me.

Hmm.

So she takes
a couple of drinks in there

and tells Rawlings she got
things written down,

(laughing)

In a book.

Maybe she told you
about this book, eh?

No. No, no.

Maybe you seen it?

No, I couldn't say.

I tell you something, Herb.

This place don't come
easy to me.

A lot of work, huh?

A lot of work.

I started with a little speak,
a hole in the wall.

A lot of nights,
a lot of hard days.

I don't lose all this easy.

I don't fool with you, Herbie.

I want this book.

You find it,
you get a hundred bucks.

A hundred bucks?

Just remember
where you seen that book,

you'll get a hundred bucks
right in your hand.

I was gonna say, Mr. Zehner,

a hundred bucks, well,
that don't buy no yachts.

What do you want?

Well...

Well, let's say a waiter.

You know, a waiter makes
that much every week.

(laughs)

It takes me two years
to learn a waiter.

How to serve, how to carry,
even how to stand.

Well, that's too bad.

I was kind of hoping...

You're not big enough
to be a rat, Herbie.

(door buzzes)

Oh, you got company?

All right, you find the book,
I'll make you a waiter.

(buzzing continues)

And, uh, tonight,
you take the checkroom.

Sure.

Until I get a girl.

Sure.

Oh, hi, Mr. Rawlings.

I was telling him, uh,
how good he done last night.

Yes.

He lies very well.

Almost well enough
to own a restaurant.

You worried about him?

He's a nothing.

He's a nobody.

Maybe he can lie to Ness,
not to me.

I swear it.

(chuckles, clears throat)

Hey, wait.

No noise, no fuss.

Make it easy on yourself.

(tires screech)

NESS:
Hello, Herbie.

Oh, Mr. Ness.

I was in the neighborhood.

(laughs)

Wow, you guys
really gave me the willies.

Those two guys, I thought
(stabbing sound).

How come all this rigamajig?

In case your friends
had a tail on you.

What friends?

Zehner and Rawlings.

Maybe they're worried about you,
Herbie.

Maybe I'm worried.

Why?

Maybe you didn't say
all you know,

maybe you're holding out on me.

Aw, come on, what do you mean,
holding out?

You were there.

You were closer.

Mr. Ness, would I ever cross
a friend like you?

We had a man on you
in that poolroom today.

You were flashing
some important money.

Oh, yeah, $20.

Rawlings, he give me that
last night.

What for?

Well, you ain't the only one

that hands out cab fare,
Mr. Ness.

Only Rawlings, he can
hand it out a little bigger.

Okay, but that kitchen can get
pretty hot, Herbie.

Take my advice:
find yourself a new job.

Jobs ain't so easy to find,
Mr. Ness.

Besides, where am I gonna get
all them tips for you?

Hey, don't worry,
I can handle it.

Oh, uh, you mind
if I ask you something?

I don't know till you ask.

Suppose Mae had something
on Max and Rawlings.

Suppose she wrote it down,
like in a book.

She ever tell you
she had a book like that?

No.

Did you ever see the book? Did
you ever see her writing in it?

Wait, I said 'suppose.'

I guess you'd pay pretty good
for something like that, huh?

You bring it in,
then we'll talk price.

Okay.

Friday night, wild duck.

Let me know,
I put some aside for you.

Good night, sir.

So nice to see you, miss.

Good night. Good night, sir.

Bunch of pigs.

I got a girl starting
tomorrow night.

I won't need you in here
no more.

You ain't forgetting about
the waiter's job, are you?

You find that book,
we will have no arguments.

Mae's coat.

That dame.

Cost me a hundred bucks.

Mr. Zehner?

I, uh, I got this girl, see,

and, well,
she takes the same size

and I was wondering if, uh...

well, she could use a good coat,
you know,

and be hardly nothing
if you'd...

MAN:
Max.

Rawlings wants you upstairs.

Step on it, huh?

Mr. Rawlings is steamed up
about the book, huh?

That's why the Angel's
on your back.

Nobody's on my back. Nobody.

Okay.

(phone rings)

WINCHELL:
At 8:00 the following morning,

Max Zehner received
a telephone call.

Max had had a very bad night.

He was very sleepy.

The phone call woke him up
fast.

Where?

Where is it?

Now, don't worry, Max.
It's nice and safe.

I got it put away real good.

Where?

In an envelope,

and it's all ready to mail.

You know who to?

Eliot Ness.

Ness?

Now, if anything happens
to me, Max,

it goes straight to him.

You got to get up pretty early
to fool little old Herbie, huh?

Who's trying to fool you? Who?

I said I'd make you a waiter,
I make you a waiter.

No, I don't think so, Max.

I promised you.

Yeah, but I changed my mind.

What are you talking about?

We got a deal.

We got a deal for me
to be a waiter.

I don't want to be a waiter.

What else?

I want to be a captain, Max.

A captain.

(on phone):
A captain?

You're out of your mind!

You think I'm gonna let you
do this to me?

We got a deal...

WINCHELL: Zehner's customers
expected service.

In the next few weeks,
they were overwhelmed.

The new captain of waiters was
everywhere at once.

No lady ever took her chair
without help.

No man ever struck
his own match.

No table was ever without
his attention.

Herbie Catcher was suddenly
ten feet tall.

He did not go unnoticed.

Josh, three-ball combination.

Watch this.

Woo hoo, like it had wings.

Ball always drops
when you're practicing, Herbie.

What, are you kidding?

I got the angles down cold.

Cooker takes you regular.

Oh, so what?

A couple of lousy bucks?

We're gonna have that to burn.

I tell you
I'm gonna quit my job?

Quit?

Yeah, maybe two or three weeks.

How come?

I'm gonna be a partner.

How about a game?

Oh, you mean a game
of pool, sure.

Buck a point?

I work for the government.

Don't bother racking.

Oh, hey, Josh, I want you
to meet Mr. Eliot Ness.

You and him are the two best
friends I got.

Including Max Zehner?

Zehner?

Busboy to captain
in one easy jump.

That would make him
a pretty fair friend.

Oh, wait a minute, I'm good.

I've got a talent;
I can handle people.

You can handle Max.

What kind of a spot
have you got him on, Herbie?

Hey, come on, Mr. Ness.

That book of Mae's
you told me about?

Hey, wait a minute.

Here, Josh.

I didn't tell you nothing.

I said "suppose.”

I just suppose you know
where it is.

Suppose we talk a deal.

Rawlings has got
to be in it, too.

I want Rawlings, Herbie.

I want him bad.

Personal, huh?

Known the man for years,
ever since college.

Played cards with him,
go to ballgames,

go fishing together.

You talk him
into joining your staff,

you put him on Rawlings,

one week later, he's dead.

Yeah, you can call it personal.

Don't hold out on me, Herbie.

I'm not holding out, Mr. Ness.

I don't want to have
to hurt you.

Don't you hurt me.

Hey, how could I hurt
a good friend?

Just so you know
who your friends are.

Is it warm?

The janitor still thinks
he's in Russia.

This should help.

My father always used to say,

"Whiskey when you're cold
and gin when you're warm."

He could go from cold to warm
in ten minutes.

This is good.

You're good.

You make everything good.

You make everything right
for me.

Oh, you were just lonely, Max.

When you lose somebody close
to you like that.

Mae?

Close?

Like across the ocean.

Really?

I thought she meant
so much to you.

Nothing.

Dame hooks you,
you don't know better.

She digs in her claws,

and she don't let go.

Can you imagine,
and I thought it was love.

Love?

She had me over a barrel.

Oh, you mean with the book?

She wasn't kidding?

All them years,

I'm good to her.

And all the time,
she's writing everything down.

Forget her.

She was no good.

She ain't worth the time.

Oh, Max,

I hope you understand.

Understand what?

Mr. Rawlings.

Sometimes he doesn't phone,
just sort of drops by.

Know what I mean?

Sure.

I understand.

Sometimes I ask myself why,

how such a girl goes for me.

A girl likes a man,

and you're a man, Max.

I'll see you tonight.

Mm-hmm.

I heard.

But why would he lie
about the book?

'Cause he doesn't have the book.

Herbie does.

You mean that funny little guy?

This is Rawlings.

Tell the angel I want him.

WINCHELL: The following night,
a body was dumped

in an alley
in the Haymarket District.

A man, well-dressed, about 47.

He had been badly beaten
before he was shot.

Max Zehner.

Not very pretty to look at,
Mr. Ness.

He didn't die easy,
that's for sure.

Somebody was asking
him questions.

-Rawlings.
-About the book.

Looks like Zehner
didn't have the answers.

Maybe Herbie has.

Hey, that's terrible.

Terrible, Mr. Rawlings,
just terrible.

Hey, Max was good to me.

He gave me chance.

I was gonna build
myself up to somebody.

No reason you
shouldn't continue, Herbie.

I'll be taking over
the restaurant,

and I'm sure that we can work
out some deal.

Deal?

For that book that Mae left.

Her last will and testament.

Last will and testament?

You have it, Herbie.

You've got to have it.

That's why Max kicked you up
from busboy to captain.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Herbie, I took care of Max,

and I can take care of you, too,
if I have to.

Apparently, you underestimate
my intelligence.

Hey, honest, Mr. Rawlings.

And my persistence.

Wait a minute.

Hey, you got to believe me.

Hey, I'm not gonna try
nothing funny.

Honest.

You got that book?

No.

-Where?
-(punching)

Where?

(grunting)

Where?

No, I don't know.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Oh, stop it.

You have the book?

Yeah.

I want it.

I got to make a call.

Al right.

(phone clicking)

(sighs)

Um, Herbie Catcher here.

This the old owl?

Herbie?

You sound like...

Something wrong?

You know that, uh,
brown envelope we gave you?

The one made out to Eliot Ness?

Well, here's what I want you
to do with it.

If I don't check
in by the morning, mail it.

I don't believe you met
Miss Colton.

It's a pleasure, Miss Colton.

Believe me, a pleasure.

WINCHELL:
Max Zehner was gone,

but Rawlings had a new partner.

Herbie Catcher
had made the big time.

Partner's don't work,
and Herbie didn't.

There were too many
other things to do.

He did them all.

He did them with style.

He did them
in first-class company.

Well, he puts this punk away
in the second round,

and I pick up three easy C notes
for my one.

Wow.

Not bad for a little guy, huh?

There you go again
with that little guy.

Well, I ain't exactly a giant.

You can look down
on most men I know.

Besides, Herbie,
it's like I told you,

it's how a man thinks.

And you think big, honey,
you do.

I got some big ideas
about you, Bunny.

(door buzzes)

You expecting somebody?

No, honest.

(buzzing continues)

Yeah, who's there?

NESS:
Come on, Herbie, open up.

Hi, Mr. Ness.

Come in.

There's a house phone
in the lobby.

Bunny, I'd like you
to meet Mr. Eliot Ness.

Yes, I know who he is.

Let me return the compliment.

Bernice, alias Bunny, Colton.

Born Bertha Kusolik
in Akron, Ohio.

Three felony arrests by age 19,

served one year
in state prison for women.

Arrived Chicago, October, 1928.

Took up
with the Jenner brothers.

-The best. -With any hood
that could pay the price.

Shut up.

You're chilly; you'd like
to put on some clothes.

Oh?

Who says?

He says.

Go ahead.

Well, it's always nice
to see you, Mr. Ness.

Don't you worry
about your friends?

They might not like you talking
to a federal agent.

Oh, they worry.

You're the best protection
I got.

Not me, punk.

You don't hide behind me.

You forget something, Herbie.

You're in the middle.

Rawlings on one side,
me on the other.

We'll slice you down
like a stale salami.

That might be kind of tough.

You think a gun make you tough?

Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?

Picked it up for a C note;
I got a permit, too.

Don't kid yourself,
you're naked, Herbie.

You're wide open
and asking for it.

What do you want, Ness?

I told you, I want Rawlings.

I want that book.

Keep talking
about there's a book.

There's one and one makes two.

You came up too fast.

You got to be bleeding
Rawlings some way.

And you've got to be writing me
off for no brains.

All right?

You're calling it, little man.

No hard feelings, Ness.

As of right now,
you're just another hood.

I'll get you any way I can.

I'll squeeze you
till you're inside out.

No hard feeling, Herbie.

(door closes)

Bunny?

Well, I couldn't hear.

They made me get
out of the room.

Bunny?

Be right there, sweetie.

Yes, yes, Mr. Rawlings.

Yes, I will, I'll try.

WINCHELL:
As Ness had promised Herbie,

the squeeze was on.

First, he hit
at Martin Rawlings...

...using information
accumulated through months

of hard digging,

smashing at the rich north side
empire that had taken

so long and so much
to acquire.

At the same time,
Ness pressured Herbie,

making their meeting
seem prearranged,

keeping Herbie square
in the middle.

Got a minute, Herbie?

Alone?

Sure.

Hey, enough is enough, Ness.

What do you want now?

Got a match?

Well, money ball, Cooker.

Ten bucks?

You got a bet.

(clears throat)

Aren't you even gonna take
your coat off?

What for?

You don't sweat so much
on pay ball.

(chuckles)

I want

ten bucks, Cooker.

Hey, did you see that shot?

That was pretty good, huh?

Let's get out of here, Herbie.

Ten bucks, come on.

When the game's over.

It's over now.

We'll play it out.

Rack them.

Herbie ain't asked for no rack.

I asked you.

He's my friend, Cooker.

Don't ever touch him again.

It's all right.

Sit here for a while.

Are you sure they're friends?

Well, Herbie said so himself.

He'd have killed the punk.

Couldn't much blame him.

The man was blind.

Does that mean something?

Plenty.

Herbie made a call
from here one night.

He talked to someone
he called the owl.

(phone rings)

Yeah?

Yes, Jack.

When?

Good. Stay on it.

Jack Roselin at the pool room.

He's got company;
two of Rawlings' hoods.

(balls clattering)

Rack?

Yeah, he was a nice little guy,
that Herbie.

Got to figure the odds.

You start messing around
with the boys on top,

you're asking
to be cut down to size.

Excuse me, gentlemen?

You wouldn't be talking
about Herbie Catcher?

That's right.

I don't mean to be butting in,

but we're kind of friends.

Well, they found him
in an alley

about an hour ago.

Hey, uh, is that on the level?

Uh, what you said about Herbie?

He a friend of yours?

More like a living.

Somebody knock him over?

Yeah.

Who?

What table you using?

Right here.

Use it.

♪♪

CATCHER: Hey, no wonder
you're so good, Cooker.

You got a lot of time
to practice.

You're gonna need it, though.

'Cause I came back
to run out our game.

They told me you were dead.

You want to clown around

-or do you want to play a game
of pool? -No clowning.

These guys, they-they said
somebody knocked you off.

What guys?

Well, the guys that were playing
at that table here.

I heard the say, uh...

Look, ask Josh.

-They told him, too.
- Josh?

Where is Josh?

He's gone to his room, I guess.

Took it pretty hard.

Hey...

Josh?

Josh.

Josh?

Oh, Josh.

Josh...

No, Josh.

Josh?

Josh.

RAWLINGS:
Ain't up there.

It's here.

You're the one.

You killed him, huh?

Both grabbing for this.

He must have fell on my knife.

I guess you're gonna grab
for it, too, huh?

Wait, we could talk it over.

No talk.

Well, maybe we can work out
some kind of deal?

No deal.

(exhales)

You want this,
you ought to come and get it.

Maybe you want
I should bring it to you?

(chuckle)
Yeah.

Let me have it.

All of a sudden,
you're the boss.

(gunshot)

NESS:
I'll take it, Herbie.

There's nothing in it,
not a single line.

There never was.

I told you.

You were running a bluff
on a man like Rawlings?

Well, if...

He wouldn't
have believed the truth,

and I'd have ended up like Max.

It's funny.

You know, you say something
long enough,

you really start to believe it.

Then all of a sudden,
you're left with...

nothing.

You got something, Herbie.

A murder rap.

WINCHELL: Largely through
Herbie's testimony,

Martin Rawlings was executed
for Max Zehner's murder.

Herbie himself was allowed
to plead self-defense.

As for the book, it was
never introduced as evidence.

For many years, it could be
seen in Eliot Ness's home,

one of the most eloquent books
in his library.