Singer Four Star Playhouse presents Dick Powell, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Frank Lovejoy.
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Dick Powell in The Squeeze.
Whiskey straight.
Yes, sir.
Is Willie Dante around?
Not yet.
He'll be here any minute though.
Good evening, Mary.
Good evening, Mr. Duncan.
Like the new outfit?
Oh, yes. Better keep moving though, dear. You'll catch pneumonia.
I'm not worried.
I am.
You're lucky. Here he comes now.
Mr. Danny, a gentleman here would like to speak to you.
Well.
Good evening.
We've met before.
Have we?
Maybe you don't remember. I came in one time with Vic Steele. I dropped a couple grand at your table.
What table?
Look, I'm a friend of Vic's. I came in with him...
Your name is Stanley Warren. You've been in my place a half a dozen times.
Yeah.
For dinner.
Well, certainly I've been in for dinner. But one time I came in with Vic.
No, you didn't.
I'm telling you, I came in with Vic Steele. I shot dice at your table. I dropped a couple of grand.
You got the wrong place, Mr. Warren.
I'm telling you, I came in with...
You shot dice with Vic Steele. You did it someplace else.
You see anything that looks like a table around here?
You've got a back room.
Maybe you like short term.
Maybe you don't know who I am.
Your father's the district attorney.
That's right.
He considers gambling illegal in this city.
Very. He'd close you up in two minutes if he knew about your back room.
Look, Mr. Warren, I told you...
Look, Mr. Dante, I know you've got a back room. I know that certain select people gamble there.
Okay, so I didn't come in with Vic Steele. I just used his name.
I promise not to mention it to Vic.
Oh, I don't care who you mention it to. I came into your place tonight to shoot dice.
Well, maybe you can drum up a game in the kitchen. A couple of cooks are real sports.
Look, are you going to keep this up or do I go home and tell Papa a bedtime story?
You know something? I don't like you.
Give me a little time. I grow on people.
So do warts.
Dante, you're going to take me to your back room.
You're going to extend me all the courtesies you would to one of your favorite customers.
You're going to let me shoot dice on your nice little green table.
Or...
So help me, I'll raise such a racket, you'll be entertaining cops from six neighboring counties.
I cross my heart.
All right, Mr. Warren.
But I think we should understand each other right from the beginning.
Sure.
If I get in trouble with the district attorney's office because I let you in, you know what I'm going to do?
What?
I'm going to cry my eyes out.
And I'm going to break your nose.
Cross my heart.
Four-nine.
Well, this is it.
I'll have to cash a check.
Come on.
Hi.
Hiya, Dutch.
Hello, Willie. A night, you're loose.
Well, I'll grin and bear it.
Barney, this is Mr. Stanley Warren. Cash his check for me, will you?
Any limit?
How's your bag of gunk?
I'll start with 500.
Make it out to cash.
Be nice to him, Barney. He comes from a very distinguished family.
I hope you lose your fillings.
500.
Thank you.
Want to cash those in, Dutch?
Huh?
Want to cash those in?
Um...
No, I think I'll play a little more.
Coming out for a new point. Place your bet.
Seven to one, I've paid the line. Coming out again. Here he comes.
Nine is the new point.
What are you doing?
I lose money at my own tables.
Yeah, but you're going to make me come out short.
I'll make it up to you.
Hey, uh, what happens if young Mr. Warren loses a whole lot of money?
I don't want to think about it.
He's a bad little boy. Throws his father's weight around too much.
His father's a big man. Got a lot of weight to throw around.
And if he drops a bundle, he goes running home to daddy and he tattles on that mean old Mr. Daddy who runs that nasty gambling place.
Oh, I don't think so, no.
Why don't you keep this place cleaner?
No towels.
Well, kid may squawk a little bit, but not to his father.
District attorney takes a short-sighted view of people who gamble in this city.
Well, then why let him in at all? Father or no father, he's the kind that makes trouble.
Insurance, you'll make less in than out.
Pardon me. Could you tell me where I may find the owner?
I'm Willie Dandy.
You're the owner?
Coffee is just for a sec.
Where's my brother?
Your brother?
That's right. I heard him tell the cab driver to bring him here. Now, where is he?
Well, now if you'll just tell me who you...
Stanley Warren.
I know he's here. I know he's gambling.
Now, where is he, Mr. Dandy?
Well, this...
Mr. Dandy, my father is the district attorney.
And if my brother is gambling in this place, and if he loses one red cent,
I'm going to get you into an awful lot of trouble.
Oh, look, honey, just stay right there, will you?
Just wait for me. Just wait right there, please. I'll just be a minute.
Don't move. I'll be just a second.
Now, would you mind coming over to my booth and telling me quietly what this is all about?
No, no. I want to see Stanley.
Please, now, don't talk so loud.
Now, would you take me to him immediately?
Quiet, quiet.
There are people here. Just...
Well, where is he, then?
Sit down. Sit down. Sit down.
Look, uh, Miss Warren, I don't want any trouble.
Well, then take me to my brother.
I can't do that.
Oh, well, I'm not going to sit here.
Now, please, please.
Just let me tell you my side of it, that you can do anything you want.
Go ahead.
Oh, I don't know how I get mixed up in these things.
I didn't ask your brother here.
He just came in, threatening to make trouble, just like you are.
And you let him gamble?
Miss Warren, up until tonight,
no member of your family could prove I operated anything other than a legitimate business.
Now, I'm no giant brain or anything,
but I am smart enough to know that I shouldn't hide the fact from you
that I do have a dice table on the premises.
And my brother is playing on that table right now.
Excuse me. What do you want?
Will you okay this check for Mr. Wolf?
Yes, Miss Warren, your brother...
I give my regards to Mr. Wolf.
Okay.
Your brother is playing on the table,
but believe me, I'd prefer he played in a sand pile.
Mr. Tanti, I can't help that.
You know gambling's illegal in this city.
Well, I think I'm more of an authority on that than you are.
Well, then you'd better go and get my brother right now.
Oh, just sit down, please.
Mr. Tanti, I don't think you're in any position to order me around.
Well, I think I am.
You want to cause trouble, your brother wants to cause trouble,
I could lose my whole business.
So this is the way it's going to be.
And you just stay right there until I'm finished.
Now, if you want to go to your father and tell him I'm operating an illegal gambling place,
go ahead.
You know what he'll do? He'll raid me.
If he raids me while your brother's here, it's going to be very embarrassing.
If he waits until your brother leaves,
he won't find anything around here that even resembles a dice table,
and I'll just be an indignant restaurateur.
If for any reason whatsoever he closes me down,
I'll just be forced to produce the check I cast for your brother.
Certain newspapers would love the story.
District Attorney's Son Gables While Father Crusades.
I'm sorry, but you just forced me to do it.
Mr. Dante, now wait. Now you sit down for one minute.
I have something I think you should know.
I really didn't particularly want to cause you any trouble.
You see, I just had to get Stanley out of here as quickly as possible.
Because in the last month, my brother has lost nearly $6,000 gambling.
That's too bad.
Yes, it is, because I had to make good his debts.
You had to?
He has no money of his own.
Why?
He went through his inheritance in a year,
and now he's nearly gone through mine, and I can't pay his debts any longer.
Oh, fine. I'll just go get a check for him for $500.
Well, if you make him stop, I promise I'll make it up to you.
I couldn't do it right away, but...
Well, hasn't your brother got a job?
No, he's had three jobs since he left school, but he lost them.
Daddy was very upset, but, well, he's busy, you know,
and he's always spoiled Stanley.
He wanted him to be a lawyer.
Please, I'm getting a lump.
I know it sounds rather dramatic.
Well, it certainly does fit in a little bit with heights and flowers,
but I'll tell you what you do, dear.
You run along home, and I'll send Stanley along as soon as I can.
Will you really?
Well, if I'm strong enough.
Well, thank you.
And please don't mention it.
No, no, I won't.
To anyone.
Seven to winner. Play the line.
Coming out again, here he comes.
He's sure to earn a good one.
Nine's the point. Make nine.
How much have you cashed for Warren?
Twenty-five hundred.
Point is nine. Neither nine or...
What do you do with all your money, Dancy?
It depends. What do you do with your sisters?
What are you talking about?
You know what happens to bad little boys who don't pay their debts.
Listen, if you've been talking to my sister, you can...
I'm in trouble, sonny. Your father can't help you out of this.
There's nothing wrong with those checks.
I hope so, for your sake.
Unless you're through until I check with the bank.
Listen, I dropped twenty-five hundred at your table.
Only if you say so.
But that's your limit.
Danny, I'm warning you, you can't just...
No, you're not warning anybody.
You're walking on eggs, Stanley.
Go yell to your father if you want him,
but just remember I'm holding these checks.
You can't blackmail me.
You've got a lot of nerve talking about blackmail.
Now go on, beat it and get out of here
before I have you hauled up for cashing bum checks.
Look, I'm in the clear. Those checks are for gambling.
You know gambling in this city.
A little confused.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm just an indignant restaurateur
who cashed these checks because I thought you were good for them.
Nice cab fare. Go on, beat it.
Distinguished family, huh?
Yeah, they stretch. I'll hold these by me.
Trouble?
Well, nothing I can't handle.
Hello?
Yeah.
Yeah, how are you, Dutch?
I'm at Willie Dandy's, and I think I got something for you.
Stan Warren just dropped a bundle at the table.
The DA's, huh?
Yeah, and he gave Willie a bunch of bad checks.
Yeah, that's right.
Oh, all of them checks was made out to cash.
Is that right?
Well, well, well.
I thought maybe you'd like to get your hands on them checks,
and maybe the DA might want to do you a favor.
Hey, I would have looked in the papers if they thought
the kid was doing business with Boris Derris.
Yeah, and passing me bum checks are that.
Dutch, you got a reward coming.
Drop her onto the office tomorrow.
Right.
Well, thank you very much, Boris.
Yeah, thanks.
Thanks again.
Ernie!
Yeah, boss?
Follow that and get the car out.
I think we're going to pay Mr. Willie Dandy a little visit.
Okay, boss.
Oh, hello, Miss Warren.
Yes, this is Willie Dandy.
That's right.
Uh-huh.
Oh, look, dear, if you care to come down here,
I can give you those checks of your brother's.
Uh-huh.
That's all right.
Oh, that's all right.
I'm glad to do it.
Fine.
All right.
Bye-bye.
What can I do for you, Derris?
Ask me to sit down.
Sit down.
You can sit down, too.
I got a business proposition for you.
Huh?
You got something I want.
I'll pay good money for it.
I understand young Warren was in here earlier,
and he passed you some bum checks.
I think it's about $2,500 worth of bad checks.
Will you cash Mr. Torres' check?
Excuse me, gentlemen.
You don't want to get stuck.
I'll take them off your hands.
You might take those checks and make a deal with the district attorney.
I understand he's got enough evidence against you to put you away for 100 years.
All right, Dante.
How much would you say the checks are worth?
Fort Knox couldn't make a down payment.
I don't think you understand.
I don't think you understand how much I understand.
You get those checks, you'll blackmail the district attorney.
Young Warren will scream all over town if he cashed them at my place,
and I'll be your roommate at Sing Sing.
I'll give you 10 grand.
Oh, you're wasting your time.
I'm awfully sorry.
Sit down.
Now, wait a minute, you...
I got a gun under the table.
As long as you don't feel like selling.
Supposing you just give me the checks.
Darris, you've got a grand jury investigation hanging over you.
You can't afford to get mixed up in anything like this.
I can't afford not to.
Now, give me the checks, or so help me, I'll have Ernie blow your insides out.
I mean it.
You heard what he said.
I'm sorry.
You're too independent, Dante.
One day you're going to get that for it.
Hello.
Where's Mr. Dante?
In his office.
He's expecting you.
Come in.
Mr. Dante.
Well, hello, hello.
Would you like a cup of coffee or something?
No, thank you, but I can't tell you how grateful...
I'm awfully sorry I had to call you so late at night.
It's quite all right.
Did I wake up the whole house?
Oh, no, you didn't wake up anyone.
Really.
Do you mind if I have a cup of coffee?
Of course not.
Listen, I'm never going to forget this.
It was such a long drive, though.
It was nothing, two minutes.
I haven't got the checks.
Why?
Well, it's very simple.
I was robbed.
Robbed?
Boss Darius, the man your father's prosecuting, brought a big gun with him.
Darius?
Mm-hmm.
You gave him the checks?
Well, I sort of had to.
I hate bleeding to death.
Oh, no.
Do you realize what Darius will do with those checks?
Yes, yes.
He'll probably try to blackmail your father.
Of course.
Mm-hmm.
Don't I just suggest terrible?
Yeah, yeah.
And you just gave them to him.
You just let him have them.
Well, it was...
I mean, I had a gun pointing right at my dinner.
You mean he walked in here in front of everybody, pointed a gun at you, and demanded the checks?
Well, it was really a little more dramatic than that.
In your very own restaurant?
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.
Yeah, it's absurd.
Do you realize what's going to happen to Stanley?
Yeah, I know.
My father's going to find out.
He's going to find out all about his gambling and everything else.
Oh, now, now, now.
Please calm down now.
Well, it's just awful.
What can I do?
I've done everything I could to help Stanley, to keep father from finding out what's been going on.
Oh, it'll work out, all right.
I'm sure it will.
It's just terrible.
Well, maybe I can do something.
Oh, what can you possibly do?
I don't know.
Maybe I can get the checks back.
Oh, really?
Well, now, I'm not sure.
I'm not promising anything, but there must be some way to get them back.
Oh, yes, I'm sure you can do it.
Well, I don't know.
I don't really know how.
I know Derriss pretty well.
Incidentally, I hope your old man puts him...
Your father puts him away for keeps.
Terrible fellow.
Is your father in town?
No, he's gone fishing.
Oh, where?
Oregon.
Oregon?
Oh, that's wonderful.
I fish up there a lot.
It rains all the time.
When's he coming back?
Friday.
That's good.
Because Derriss can't talk to him until then.
Yeah, I think it'll work out.
You know, I think you should go home.
Do you really think so?
Yeah, and when you get there, tell that lame-brained brother of yours to keep his mouth shut.
Okay.
And don't say a word to anybody.
Okay.
Because I got an idea.
Won't you tell me what you're going to do?
Can you keep a secret?
Mm-hmm.
What?
So if you find my body floating in the river, tell your father to add one more countless case against Boss Derriss.
Are you kidding?
Don't you think Mr. Derriss will put those checks in his safe?
Oh, yes, I guess so.
He'll only get mad if I ask him for them.
You really are serious.
Then you keep your pretty little mouth shut.
Well, I can't let you do this.
I'm saving my own hide, too.
Yes, but it's too dangerous.
Deadly.
Well, I'm not going to let you do this.
Beat it.
Go on.
Better be careful.
Your lipstick is smeared.
Won't you tell her about the checks?
Mm-hmm.
Did she kiss you for them?
She kissed me when I told her I was going to get them back.
Oh.
Well, I don't blame her.
It's like saying you're going to return Manhattan to the Indians.
You're going to help me?
Oh, me.
Oh, no.
Mm-mm.
Oh, come on, money, for old times' sake.
Oh, absolutely.
No, I'm retired.
Oh, but for me, just this once.
Mr. Danny, just this once could get me 15 years.
But I've got to get those checks in.
No, never again.
Oh, but you're the best safe man in the business.
Was the best.
All right, long as it takes an hour.
No, absolutely not.
I'm through, retired, finished, now and for always.
No, no, no, no, no.
Where else?
Let me go.
Are you sure the checks are in here?
No.
Oh, swell.
Get to work.
Listen, I can do this with handcuffs on.
What am I saying?
Will you hurry up?
Okay, okay, okay.
Like old times.
Come on.
Money, you're a genius.
Never got past the fourth grade.
Come on, let's get out of this fire, Kevin.
I'm with you.
Well, well, well.
Well, yes, yes, good evening.
We represent the real estate insurance company.
We come twice a month for inspections.
I'm surprised at you, Dante.
You should have more sense.
I guess we should.
Give me those checks.
What's going on?
Hey, get him over your head.
You can't get away with this, Dante.
Oh, I thought you'd come up with some original line like that.
Watch that first step with your pep.
You okay?
You mellow head.
Get the car out.
We got to get those checks back.
Hey, can't I go home now?
No, you're safe in here.
Sit down.
Safe in here?
Sure.
Suppose I went to your place first.
I don't like this.
We can have the whole army protecting us and I wouldn't feel safe.
Oh, relax, will you?
Darius will want those checks before he starts shooting.
Oh, swell.
How do you know?
Maybe he just comes in here and starts shooting everything in sight.
Trust me.
Trust you.
I do, I do.
But who's going to vouch for Darius?
Dig it.
Yeah.
How are you?
Give me those checks, Dante.
You better be more careful, Darius.
With an investigation hanging over you, it could be serious if someone caught you with that big gun.
You better give me those checks or do I kill you right here?
Threatening assault.
You hear me, Dante?
Marty, did you lock the front door?
Sure.
Breaking and entering.
You asked for it.
Drop it, Darius.
Now look, Waldo.
Lieutenant Waldo.
Now look, uh, this guy busted into my house, cracked my safe, and stole some personal property.
I ain't done nothing illegal.
You got a permit for this gun?
How about you, Ernie?
No permit.
Threatening assault.
Breaking and entering.
Now you listen to me, you two-bit flatfoot.
Resisting arrest.
You can't get away with this.
Shh.
Disturbing the peace and our supper.
Pass the wrapper, please.
I'm a citizen.
I've been robbed.
The DA's son passed some bum checks.
And Dante swiped them from my safe.
I've got a right to bring charges against the DA's son.
You know anything about some checks, Willie?
Don't know what he's talking about, pesto.
Now, wait a minute.
Shut up!
What he's telling the truth.
Shut up, both of you!
Thanks, Willie.
Oh, it's all right, Lieutenant.
Have a drink before you leave?
No, thanks.
I'll come back later.
Marty will scramble you some eggs.
I'll take a rain check.
Come on.
All right, let's go.
Well, these eggs are pretty good.
Where'd you learn to cook?
Sing-sing.
Good morning, Miss Warren.
Oh, hello.
Was that Darius?
Yeah.
What about the police?
Oh, Walt, there's an old friend of mine.
He won't say anything.
I'm sure your father won't pay any attention to Darius.
Oh, by the way, here are the checks.
Thank you.
Maybe you'd like to drive us home?
I'd love to.
Well, on second thought, maybe you'd just better drive me home.
Does Marty have a car?
Oh, the walk will do him good.
Get his heart started again.
Come on.
You'll have to lock up.
I know.
Don't forget to wash the dishes.
I won't.
Say goodnight to Marty, dear.
Goodnight, Marty.
Goodnight.
Throne by Four Star.