Broadway's My Beat with Anthony Ross as Detective Danny Clover.
Broadway's My Beat from Times Square to Columbus Circle.
The gaudiest, the most violent, the loneliest mile in the world.
That's the street I'm walking.
I was heading for the courthouse one day thinking of a phone call I got from Judge Summers.
Said he could use a cop with the wisdom of Solomon.
I met the judge in his chambers wondering why he had picked me.
Why you Lieutenant Clover?
Because I have a problem for a cop who can think like a judge, Danny.
For a cop's pay or a judge's, your honor.
A young woman is in New York looking for her father, Danny.
He disappeared ten years ago.
She's applied to Missing Persons Bureau and she doesn't know it yet, but they've located
him.
They don't know what to do about it, so they've asked my advice and I'm asking yours.
Oh, I don't get it, Judge.
If, I mean, if they found him, what's the problem?
Human relations.
Her father was located a prisoner in Sing Sing, served ten years.
Tomorrow he comes out on parole.
He insists that his identity be kept from his daughter.
That she be told her father is dead.
But Judge, how does this, I mean, where do you or I...
Where do we come in, Danny?
Well, let's say through sheer sentiment.
You see, I was the judge who sentenced him and you were the arresting officer.
Who's the prisoner, Judge?
Nelson Jennings.
Remember the case?
Nelson Jennings?
Ten years ago?
Yes.
A writer, manslaughter.
Got in a fight with a drunk at a nightclub.
The drunk died of a heart attack as the result of the fight.
Yeah.
Yeah, it comes back.
He was nightclubbing with his wife and no good stew at the next table passes an insulting
remark to Mrs. Jennings.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, what guy wouldn't haul off, Judge?
I always did think you gave Jennings a pretty hard ride.
His victim died a pretty long death, Danny.
Yeah.
I'll admit, though, I may have been a bit severe then.
But today, Danny, in a similar case, I...
Well, I suppose I would be inclined to temper justice with mercy.
This daughter, Judge, who's looking for him now, you mean she actually hasn't known her
father's been in the big house for ten years?
That's right.
From what I'm told, she grew up believing her father dead.
That's the way that Jennings wanted it.
That's the way he insisted his wife play it.
Oh, what happened to the wife?
Ruth's mother died recently and on her deathbed changed the story, Danny.
Said Jennings was alive and somewhere in New York, but she still kept the real truth from
the girl.
How old is the girl now?
She's 20.
She was 10 when all this happened.
Judge, what is it you want me to do?
Danny, I want you to talk to them both.
Now, a daughter wants her father.
The father prefers to be dead, his past unrevealed, so his child won't be stigmatized.
He's paid his debt and feels that the law owes him this one request.
Now, where is our responsibility, Danny?
It's a hard decision.
You visit them both and decide.
Do what you think best.
I'm leaving it up to you.
Judge Summers, you told me you wanted a cop with the wisdom of Solomon.
Well, I'll sure need it.
You say Jennings is due out tomorrow?
Yes, and I hope he never violates his parole and that he's learned to control his temper.
Where can I find the daughter?
On your beat, Cleveland Hotel, Ruth Jennings.
Judge.
What was it Solomon finally did decide?
Lieutenant Clover, I beg you, let me have my way in this.
My child must not find me.
She mustn't, never.
Fellow, fellow, be reasonable.
I know how you feel, but after all, she came to New York to find her father.
She's better off without a father like me.
I won't ruin her life like I ruined her mother's.
A ten year stretch is a long time.
I'm an old man now.
I died for my family's sake ten years ago.
All I asked of them was that they bury me and live.
And you still think that made sense?
Yes, look at my daughter now.
Shortly before my wife died, she wrote me that Ruth's engaged to be married.
Do you know who to?
Let me tell you Lieutenant, to young Johnny Milton, who comes from a very prominent family
in Indianapolis.
Do you think that could have happened if the Milton's ever knew Ruth's father was a convict?
Do you think Ruth would go through with it if she knew?
You win, Jennings.
Lieutenant.
Yes.
You saw my daughter.
Yeah.
How does she look?
How?
Jennings, for a guy who insists he's dead, you're darn curious.
But I'll tell you anyway, in one word, sweet.
You're sure Lieutenant Clover?
There's no trace of my father anywhere?
I'm sorry Miss Jennings, nothing turned up yet.
But what made you think he was in New York?
Oh, just a feeling.
Mother used to take trips to New York.
Clover told me why, left me with Grandma.
And when she came back she'd be crying.
Well, then just before she died, she told me for the first time that father wasn't dead,
that he was somewhere and that he still loved us very much.
So you think your mother's trips to New York were to see him?
Yes, there's some mystery about it all.
Lieutenant, he's alive.
Don't ask me how I know, but I know it.
He's alive and he's somewhere in New York.
Oh please, please don't stop looking for him.
What if I do find him Ruth?
And what if he isn't, well, everything you'd like to, I mean let us say that something's
happened to him.
Oh Lieutenant, I love my dad no matter what's happened.
He's my father and even if he turned up with, oh, with one leg.
No, no, no, not in illness I mean, but something even worse than that.
What have you learned that he, well, this couldn't happen to him, but you never can
tell.
What if you found out say that your father's been in prison?
In prison?
Yeah, I mean would that make a difference?
Would you prefer to return home without finding that kind of a father?
Of course not.
I think I'd love him even more then because he'd need me more.
Oh, a father's a father.
What about the man you're going to marry?
What have he learned and his folks?
Maybe all your wedding.
Johnny and I are in love Lieutenant.
One of his parents would be shocked, it couldn't make any difference to him.
And if it did, I'd never want to marry him because, well then he wouldn't deserve my
love.
Oh, Ruth, you can't imagine how glad I am to hear you talk like that.
You've got a right to know Ruth.
You mean, you mean he's alive?
My father's alive?
Mm-hmm, he's been in Sing Sing for the last 10 years.
He got out just yesterday on parole.
10 years?
Oh, poor dad.
No, no, no, no, really an accident.
See your father's no criminal Ruth.
He hit a man who insulted your mother and the man died of a heart attack.
Any real husband would have done just what your father did.
You've got nothing to be ashamed of.
He just got a tough break.
You see, the judge...
Then we'll be together.
Something told me I'd see my father again.
No, Ruth, I'm afraid you won't.
What do you mean?
Why not?
He doesn't want to see you.
He wants to keep playing dead.
He's never told me.
Never to tell you.
I promised I wouldn't.
But after all these years, how can you even think of it?
No, I'm going right to...
Wade, Wade, it's his life.
And that's the way he wants to live it, for your welfare.
But now that I'm about to get married, all the while I thought I had no mother or father
to advise me.
And now that I have a father, oh, if he'd only see my Johnny, give me his consent.
Ruth, all I can say is that it would kill your father to know that you knew.
After these ten years, he's built it up in his mind.
And you've got to humor his wish.
Maybe someday he'll come to you on his own, but till then...
How does he look, Lieutenant?
Gray.
Daddy Gray?
Do you remember him at all?
Oh, yes.
How?
How do you remember him?
Young.
Oh, if I could only see him again, if just for a moment.
Lieutenant, isn't there a way somehow?
I can just get a glimpse of him without him knowing.
I don't see exactly...
Oh, please, please.
It would mean so much to me.
Can't you arrange it somehow?
Could be.
I know the rooming house he's staying in.
It's off-broadway.
I can't let you...
Please.
I've got an idea.
Listen, Ruth, now look, if you'll just do what I say, I think I can fix something.
What did you say, Lieutenant?
I said, would you like to just sort of catch a glimpse of your daughter, Mr. Jennings?
You know, sort of meet her, but without her knowing who you really are...
Yes, go on.
Well, then drop in at the Broadway Automat at 6.
I'm having a bite with her there.
Just stop at our table a minute.
I'll introduce you as an old friend of mine.
Make it Burt Freeling.
I'm afraid she's leaving town tomorrow.
She's giving up the hunt for her dad.
Here's your one chance.
She might recognize me, but I don't think she will do you.
She was only 10 at the time.
She's a young lady now.
That's right, Jennings.
It's been 10 long years.
I have changed a lot, Lieutenant, haven't I?
Yes.
You've changed a lot, Mr. Jennings.
So she'd never...
That is, I don't see what harm if I was just to sort of bump into you at the table for
a moment and you introduced me as someone else.
Exactly.
I don't know.
I don't think I could stand it.
Let me think it over.
My head's pounding.
Let me think it over.
Why doesn't he come?
Are you sure he said he'd come, Lieutenant?
Yes, Ruth.
He should be here any minute.
Now, easy.
Do you think you'd recognize him?
Yes, and I think I'm going to faint.
Oh, that must be him right now, that man coming this way.
Easy, easy now, Ruth.
Which man?
Oh, this.
He didn't stop.
No, that wasn't him.
Oh, I surely thought it was.
Well, Ruth, what sort of a picture do you have of your dad?
That fellow just went by.
He's still young.
You still remember him?
Still young?
Yes, that's right.
I couldn't imagine him as anything.
There he is, Ruth, your dad.
He's coming this way.
Now, take hold of yourself now and play it like I said.
Shh.
Well, if it ain't Bird Freeling, say hiya, Bird.
Hello.
Come on over and join us, Bird.
Well, if you two don't mind.
Not at all, sir.
Do join us.
Oh, Ruth, I want you to meet an old buddy of mine.
Bird Freeling used to be on the force with me.
This is Ruth Jennings.
How do you do?
Little ladies from Indiana, Bird.
Yeah, that's so.
Here on a pleasure visit, miss?
No, not exactly, Mr. Freeling.
A visit, but...
But it hasn't exactly been a pleasure, I guess you mean, Bird.
Why not?
Oh, it's just that I came to New York looking for someone and I can't find him.
Tomorrow I'm going back home.
And that's that.
I'd rather not talk about it, Mr. Freeling, if you don't mind.
I'm sorry, Miss Jennings.
She needs cheering up, Bird.
I'm taking her to a nightclub this evening.
Nothing fancy.
Hey, wait. What are you doing tonight?
Why not come along?
I'm sorry, Danny, I...
Oh, yes, Mr. Freeling, why don't you?
Why not the three of us?
What exactly is troubling you, Miss Jennings?
Who are you looking for?
Come along tonight and maybe I'll tell you.
Why do you want me along?
Well, because you're a friend of the lieutenant's and he's been so kind to me.
Because you've seen the type of gentleman that I'd like to talk to on my last night in New York.
You can't back out after that now, can you, Bird?
It's a date then, tonight.
The three of us.
Listen, Jennings.
She'll be back in a minute, so let me give it to you straight.
Tell her who you are now.
She's got a right to know.
It wouldn't make any difference.
She likes you.
She'd hate me if she knew.
I'd lose her altogether.
I'd ruin her life, Miss Jennings.
I'd ruin her life.
She's getting married.
If the boys' family ever knew...
Oh, no, Lieutenant, the important thing is...
You're her dad and she's your daughter.
Can anything be more important than that?
Here she comes.
Oh, Lieutenant, Mr. Freeling, notice what they're playing?
It's an old-fashioned waltz.
I'm a young man.
I haven't danced in years, I'm afraid.
All right, Miss Jennings, with great pleasure.
I'm so happy you came along with Lieutenant Clover tonight.
Why, Ruth?
Because somehow it's been so good to be with you.
I somehow felt that I'd known you all my life.
Ruth?
Yes?
I'd like to kiss you.
I'd like that very much.
Please do.
I hope you didn't mind.
I'm an old man.
I could have had a daughter your age.
I had a father your age.
I'm sorry about your father, Ruth.
I mean that story you just told me about your reason for coming to New York.
What do you think my chances are of finding him some day, Mr. Freeling?
From what you've told me, pretty slim.
I don't think you ever will.
I... I... I feel a bit faint, Mr. Freeling.
I'm sorry. Please take me back to the table.
Hey, now what happened?
You didn't finish that waltz.
Well, Danny, Ruth suddenly felt a bit faint.
It was silly of me.
I don't know what came over me for a moment.
I'm really perfectly all right now.
Well, Bert, you certainly seem to have made a hit with our little friend here.
Mr. Jennings is a charming gentleman, Lieutenant.
Oh, say, excuse me, folks. I clean for God.
I got a phone in at the station house.
Should have done it long ago.
There goes the kindest man I've ever met.
He certainly is.
Mr. Freeling, I...
I wonder if I could ask a favor of you.
What is it, Ruth?
I received a wire from my fiancé a few hours ago.
He's decided to fly to New York and join me here for a few days.
That means that I'll be staying on a while after all.
Mr. Freeling.
Yes, Ruth?
I... I'd like you to meet my Johnny and tell me what you think of him.
Me? But why me?
Because I've taken such a liking to you.
You see, I have no parents to advise me.
You seem like such an intelligent man.
You seem...
Well, everything that I'd like my father to be.
I wish you'd see my fiancé when he arrives and tell me whether you approve.
Yes, but see here, I'm hardly the one to do that, Ruth.
It's not my place after all.
I see. I'm sorry if I imposed...
Not at all, Ruth. It's not that I'm not flattered.
I do admire you so. The short time I've known you.
Such a lovely young lady. Everything I could wish a daughter of mine to be, but...
But?
Now, if you ask me anything else, I...
I do wish you all the happiness in the world.
And if there's anything else I could do...
No, Mr. Freeling. I... I just wanted your opinion about the man I'm going to marry.
But skip it. It's all right.
Uh... Is he... this young man of yours coming alone?
That is, his folks won't be with him?
Oh, he's coming alone.
Oh, I see.
Well, now, I'll tell you what, Ruth.
Since, as you say, you have no mother or father to consult,
and since it's only natural for you to want some friend whose judgment you rely on to...
Then you will?
Yes. I will.
Well, Captain, I got that matter that...
Clover, I understand you got that matter that Judge Summers called you about straightened out.
It was the best I could do, Captain. Don't you approve?
I'm not sure, Lieutenant. Hardly the way missing persons bureau would have tackled it.
But since Judge Summers seems pleased, then that's that.
Well, what angle's wearing you, Captain?
Clover, if the girl's boyfriend finds out who this Mr. Freeling is, he'll leave her flat.
And if Nelson Jennings ever learns you've wised up his daughter to his real identity
against his wishes, he'll flatten you.
Well, no solution could have been perfect, Captain. I believe that I found the...
Where's the, uh... Where's her boyfriend due in town?
Well, sometime this afternoon.
Oh, and now look, Captain, I've made two people happy.
You're still out in the limb, Clover.
A girl isn't entitled to know her own father.
And he isn't entitled to see his daughter after ten long years and stir.
I brought them together for a while, so what?
He doesn't know she knows, and they're real palsy.
It was the best I could do under the circumstances, but it was something.
Almost a happy ending.
Clover speaking.
You'll never guess who the pie wagon just blew in, Lieutenant.
Yeah? Who, Sergeant?
Friend of yours, Nelson Jennings.
Nelson Jennings?
Yep. Beat up a complainant named Frank Black.
Booked him on assault and battery.
Had five years for violation of parole, the poor guy...
Oh, no. This same thing happened ten years ago.
Now it's started all over again.
He'll go back to prison.
Tonight on CBS, you can hear about a man who believes you should never run to work when you can walk.
A man who believes you should never walk to work when you can just stay home
and think about it and keep your feet healthy.
His name is, of course, Mr. Jack Benny.
And he will be heard on the same CBS stations to no one's great surprise, but to everyone's delight.
And now back to Broadway's My Beat and Lieutenant Danny Clover.
Why did you do it, Jennings?
I'll leave me alone.
You must have had a reason why you invade a hotel room at the Cleveland.
Take a poke at a guest named Frank Black. He calls the police.
What happened? He claims he doesn't even know you.
Why did you go there? What did you have against him? Who is he?
What did he ever do to you?
Leave me alone. Leave me alone, Lieutenant.
Do you realize what a jam you're in?
It'll mean five more years for parole violations.
Come on, talk, Jennings.
Tell me for the love of heaven and maybe somehow I can help you.
Everyone's at me. Everyone wants to know, but it's no use.
Talking won't help. Send me back. Send me back.
Judge Summers, it's Bob Nelson Jennings I'd like to see about, sir.
I understand his case comes up before you tomorrow and I don't know why he did it,
but, Judge, if any guy deserves a...
Lieutenant Clover, we both wasted our time showing sympathy for that man.
He'll never learn a lesson with that hot temper of his.
But, Your Honor, if he just...
Just 10 years, it seems, wasn't enough.
I was beginning to think I'd been too hard on him.
But, Judge...
No use, Jennings, no use. My mind's made up.
You'll get the limit this time.
A couple of those perfecto, Sally.
Right, Lieutenant Clover. What's up? You look low.
No mood for conversation, lover.
Get that gratitude. And just when I was just about to throw you a little dirt
on that Nelson Jennings case, too.
Well, and I love you very madly. Come on, give.
Well, remember you were in here a little while ago asking me what do I know
about a guy stopping here named Frank Black?
Yeah, sure, I know that.
The guy who had Jennings arrested?
Yeah.
And I answered you. I didn't know anything about him.
Didn't even know what he looked like.
Go on.
Well, when you described him to me, nothing clicked.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on.
Well, now something clicks.
What?
A man of that description bought a cigar off of me here yesterday.
And he was very inquisitive.
So?
Well, I don't know whether this will help you any, Danny, or how it fits in,
but this guy asks me questions like, is Miss Ruth Jennings registered at this hotel?
What?
He did. Well, go on, Sally, I'm listening.
Well, I tell him, yeah, she is. And then he says, is her father named Nelson Jennings?
Naturally, I says, search me.
Oh, lover, I think I'm beginning to do a slow two and two.
Hey, where you off to, Danny? What's up?
I'll see you, lover, thanks.
I gotta add it up at the station house, see if it comes out four.
Well, Sergeant, did you check on Frank Black? Turned up anything?
Your hunch was right, Lieutenant Clober.
He ain't Frank Black. He's Frank Blakey, an ex-con
released from Sing Sing at about the same time Nelson Jennings was.
Yeah, well, how about that now? And the piece is fit all right.
I think I'll drop in again on friend Jennings.
Yeah, yeah, I think he'll be about ready to talk to me now.
Come on now, Jennings, fellow B, you may as well give now.
I got a pretty good idea why you did it, but I want it from you.
Jennings, Jennings, if I tell you that that scummy Blakey
was asking around about your daughter, will that make you talk?
Ah, then I guess you have it, Lieutenant.
Ah, he was trying to blackmail you, wasn't he?
Yes, and to think he was the one prison inmate I trusted.
He knew the secret I was trying to keep from my daughter.
Well, this morning I get a phone call from him threatening that unless I come across,
he'll tell my daughter just who her missing father is and to expose my prison record.
So I went to his room to argue him out of it.
I saw red, Lieutenant. Will I be sent up again?
I don't know, Jennings. I'm not the judge.
You should have reported to the police, but I'm with you 100%.
I'll see that all your evidence gets in. Who knows?
Maybe the judge will temper justice with mercy anyway.
Keep your fingers crossed.
But I want to attend this trial, Lieutenant Clover.
And I'm advising you against it, Ruth.
I can only go to Dad and tell him that I know everything and that no matter what happens...
If you did that, it would kill him, Ruth.
Do you think the judge will send him to prison again?
I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's in the cards.
I think the judge is his mighty disturbed about it all.
Oh, your father had plenty of provocation, but he shouldn't have taken the law into his own hands.
Suppose you just wait right here and pray for a miracle.
And so to sum up, Your Honor,
in view of this felonious assault by defendant Jennings against the person of this innocent complaining witness,
the state of New York feels confident that Your Honor will remand the defendant to state prison
there to serve his remaining five-year sentence as fitting punishment for this vicious,
this reprehensible violation of his parole.
Is that the state's case?
It is, Your Honor.
Is Detective Lieutenant Danny Clover in the courtroom?
Lieutenant Clover.
Yeah? Yeah?
Will you step up here to the bench a moment, Lieutenant?
Well, sure, Your Honor.
Yes, Your Honor.
Danny.
Recently I turned this man Jennings over to you for the judgment of Solomon.
Yes, sir.
You did a good job on that.
Now, I'd like to know your opinion of this case before me.
I'm inclined to discredit Blakey's story and to believe Jennings,
to hold Blakey on charges, to view the whole act as just provocation,
amounting to self-defense, as though a gun were being held at his head.
And with respect to defendant Jennings...
Yes, Your Honor.
...to temper justice with mercy.
What do you say, Clover?
What do I say?
You do that, Your Honor.
You do that.
This is where he lives, Ruth.
He's a free man now, like I said.
He asked me to bring you here. He wants to tell you something.
Lieutenant Clover, what shall I say? I mean...
Shh! Now, just let nature take its course. Shh!
Mr... Mr. Freeling...
No, Ruth. Not Mr. Freeling.
There's something I've decided to tell you at last.
You see, I'm...
Daddy!
Ruth!
Daddy, I've known all along.
Ruth, oh, my darling.
Lieutenant Clover. Oh, Danny, how can I ever thank you?
Oh, Lieutenant Clover, yes, you've been so wonderful.
Don't thank me.
Thanks, Solomon.
Like I said, I was betting on nature to take its course.
It always has and it always will.
A warm may breeze now filtering down the earth...
A warm may breeze now filtering down the side streets...
No, you won't see may flowers growing anywhere along Broadway,
but somehow other things do bloom once in a while, even here.
Like, well, kindness, where you least expect it.
Yeah, even here along the Gordius, the most violent,
the lonesomest mile in the world.
Broadway, my beat.
Columbia has just brought you Broadway's My Beat
with Anthony Ross as Detective Danny Clover,
Gene Carson was Sally, Nancy Franklin was Ruth,
Charles Penman was Jennings, and Julian Noah was Judge Summers.
Others in the cast were Paul Luther and Art Carney.
Today's broadcast was written by Joseph Roscoe,
produced by John Dietz and directed by Bruno Zirotto Jr.
The musical score was composed and conducted by Robert Stringer.
This is Bern Bennett speaking.
He may be a close neighbor of yours,
or at least he lives quite near you.
You go to the polls, you elect him, you bid him farewell,
trusting him to represent you in Washington.
From then on, what happens to your congressman in the nation's capital?
What pressures are brought to bear on him?
And how many hundreds of fields must he rapidly become an expert?
And how many hundreds of people are there to help him?
And how many hundreds of fields must he rapidly become an expert?
Why does he vote as he does?
Tonight on CBS, you'll hear Ralph Bellamy, star of radio, stage, and screen,
playing a typical freshman congressman in the 81st Congress.
His story will be a drama taken from interviews and talks with many regular congressmen,
with Washington experts, with politicians, with, yes, with voters like yourselves.
This CBS documentary unit drama, The People's Choice, starring Ralph Bellamy,
will come to you tonight over most of these same CBS network stations.
Now stay tuned for The Family Hour, starring Miss Ginger Rogers,
which follows immediately over most of these stations.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.