Mr. & Mrs. North: Murder by the Book 03/03/1943

0:00Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com. I love you so very much for you have the skin. I love you. The adventures of Mr. and Mrs. North, starring Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin, and brought to you by Woodbury Cold Cream. The beauty cream for the skin you love to touch.

1:00The beauty cream for the skin. Pam and Jerry Nords are house guests of Martha Gilroy. A young authorist who has invited the Nords to her uncle's place in the state of Long Island, for the not very subtle purpose of persuading Jerry to publish a novel. Pam and Jerry are in the upstairs city world. Oh, they're so nice. Oh, the curtain. You know, it's really a waste, Jerry. I could have five satin evening gals with a material that's in these things.

2:01Yes, I suppose it's like this. And these drawstrings would make a perfect rose girdle. The whole set would be fresh. Can be, please. I want to finish this book out on the U.S. take, don't worry. Oh, that's the best of all. Jerry, I couldn't start till I finished it. Then would you let me... Oh, of course, you're hiding in the interrupt. I think I'd like, Creations. It's so dignified. And if you're a Greek, you have a word for everything. It was the Greeks who had a word for it. Wasn't it, Jerry? Pam, honey, please. Oh, Jerry, just answer one question. All right. What is it? Would you love me if I were cold and off-ear like a Greek maiden? Pam, honey, I love you anyway. Even dressed in those curtains like a Greek maiden. Jerry, you're so nice. All right, darling. Now, just let me finish this day. Isn't it an exciting book?

3:02I'll say it is. You know what? Beyond me, how a gittlest cultured is Martha Gilroy. I have a dreamed-up murders like this. And it's so well written. Jerry, it'll be a best seller. You bet. I'm going to get this in the printer as fast as the type can be set. It's a goldmine. Isn't that just the way, Jerry? A girl like Martha writing a book that'll make money. And she's got so much already. She doesn't know what to do with it. She's got money, Pam. It's old Uncle Gordon. Oh, really? Well, I wish we could meet him. I just like to tell Beatrice Van Stickel that I was hard-nothing with Gordon Gilroy, the millionaire. Oh, she's sweet. Well, you won't meet him on this tip. Martha said he had to go to Chicago on business. Hey, Jerry. You think maybe we could wrangle another invitation? You know there are real silk sheets on the bed. No. Well, come on. Let's get downstairs and find Martha. She's probably anxious to hear all of her verdicts on the book. Oh, I told her already. When I finish reading at this afternoon. Why are you precocious, little brat? Oh, jeez.

4:02Well, come along. Let's go and tell her that I like it too. I think this is a library, Mr. Nar. Oh, thank you, Mrs. Nar. Sure, you need a map to navigate around this house. Yes, you set me up. Uh-huh. It's the library. Come on, Jerry. Martha said that she... Oh. Where? Excuse us, please. We really know that... One minute, young lady. Who are you? Good evening, sir. You're Mr. Gilroy, aren't you? Yes, I am. What's more to the point for you? I'm Joe North. This is my wife, Pamela. How do you do? My ass, Quarcher, do you remember my house? Why, we were invited by your niece, Martha. We understood you were in Chicago. This is a pleasant spot. We have the big front bedroom and the lovely sitting room with the white satin cake. Oh, a party, huh?

5:02Minute my back. We're not exactly party guests, Mr. Gilroy. We came on business. Business? What business? Your niece has written a book I'm interested in publishing. So you're not a publisher, huh? And you never have... I have. I have no information, Mr. North. I disapprove of authors. So core, Mr. Raviyabits. He writes very well, Mr. Gilroy. And you've read the book? Oh, yeah. North, that book is not for publication. But Mr. Gilroy... When I give an order to be a date, it seems to me, Mr. Gilroy, the business is between me and your niece. She wrote the book, I'm going to publish it. And I say the turn up. Mr. Gilroy, nobody tells me what I can and can't do. Why are you insolent? Poor peddler, you will say. We better go. Yes, I think we better. Wait a minute. I said that book was not to be published. I beg your pardon, sir, but I say it is going to be published. Good night. Come back here. Gary! I want that management. Don't give it to me. Oh. You better give it to him, Gary. It's a little difficult to log you against a gun.

6:02Hand it over. All right. You are certain? No, no, no. Let's go. Look how Gary said to my husband. Oh, it's gone. Oh, Gary! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Gary! You killed him! We return to Mr. and Mrs. North in just a moment. But first, let's listen to the story of Mary. Mary Mary Huston, Mary Never, Ever had a thing. Mary Mary often wondered what would be her fate. Would she be single forever? Will her last or would she hear? Mary darling, darling Mary, you're so lovely Mary me. Well, things look pretty sad for Mary.

7:03Then one day she saw the new Columbia picture, something to shout about, starring luscious Janet Blair. And just afterwards, as Mary was looking through a magazine, she found these words from Janet Blair bang in front of a ride. You'll never die for popularity if you follow Holly with in our new beauty discovery, Woodbury Beauty Nightcane. This three-minute bedtime care with Woodbury Cold Cream has all it takes to help skin look dazzling. I've never known any other cream so effective in giving a girl's face the luscious moodness that makes men pay attention. So Mary rushed out and got Woodbury Cold Cream. That night, she started giving her skin the Woodbury Beauty Nightcane. And listen, a certain young man, Mary had been secretly adoring, who never noticed Mary before, suddenly looked white, started pursuing, started wooing, and now they've named the day. Well, the marvelous simple girls, if your life is dull, manless and dateless, doubtless it's because your skin needs delicious smoothness

8:03that makes a man stop look and pursue. So... If you want the chance to say yes to romance it, you need a plan to captivate that man. If you wish he would woo you, Woodbury too. Why don't you tonight? That's Woodbury Cold Cream. And now back to Mr. and Mrs. Law. Twenty minutes to pass since the shooting in Gordon Gilroy's library. Police Sergeant Mullins has taken charge. The medical examiner is leaning over the body. Doc, are you sure he's dead? Well, Sergeant, when there's no breath, no pulse in the bullet hole, he's been be sure to be dead. Okay, Doc, Mr. North. Yes, sir. It's my unpleasant duty, Mr. North, on your own admission. The whole you for the murder of Gordon Gilroy. Oh, but Sergeant, it was an accident. Jerry didn't mean to do it. I know, I know, but he's admitted to shooting.

9:04I want to warn you that anything you say will be used against you. Just a minute, Sergeant Mullins. Jerry's just trying to protect me. I'm the one who's going to be in charge. You're not going to be able to take no complicated any more. Now, don't listen to anything he says, Sergeant. When Jerry and Mr. Gilroy were fighting, the gun dropped on the floor. And I picked it up and shot him. And we used to stop this, another dramatic nonsense. Oh, dear, this is terrible. I've got to hold the boat here. Oh, I say, hey, Mullins, will you come here a minute? Yeah, Doc, is there any sign of life? No, no, no, the rain, that's that. That's something else here. I'm going to go to the hospital. I know the rain, that, but there's something else here. What's that? I just turned the body over and look, a crying out load. Stabbed in the back. Yep, that's what did it. He was knifeed, after he was shot. And the bullet lives from the shoulder. But it wasn't fatal. Where's the knife? Where's the cross-hound? Yes, the doctor. You're the detective. Well, thanks. Heavens, he was stabbed.

10:04That clear is Mr. and Mrs. North. What does it? Uh, same as the North. Yes, ma'am. Did you use the knife under the seas? A knife. Oh, no. It wasn't any knife, Sergeant. Oh, my goodness, I'm glad to hear you say that. Of course, he was stabbed, is it? Well, just a minute. I'm going, ma'am. Now, your men can take pictures. Oh, thanks, Doc. And if you're a tenant, why can't one-spin when he gets here? I'll be at the laboratory. It's alongside you. It's alongside you, Dr.. Jerry, it must have happened while you were out calling the police. And I was getting the first aid kit from upstairs. Yes. How long was he out of the room? Not more than three or four minutes. Did you see anybody drifting down the halls of both in? No, the phones in the alcohol in the hall like to see the library door all the while. Nobody went in or out. Jerry, the murderer must have come in those French doors. Yeah, that's about the size of it. He could have come right in here and gone out again and nobody been the waiter. What does that door lead to, ma'am? There's a terrace out here that runs the lens of the house. The murderer must have been waiting out there. While we were in here with Mr. Guilro.

11:05That could be. The call is in his command, no, it's outside. Where did we better job in a hand? We've got to find that knife. May I come in? Oh, hold on, no, wait a minute. I told you to stay in the other room. Well, I can't say that with a pyramid. I'm so nervous I can't hit you. Mother, did your uncle have any enemies who'd want him out of the way? What do you mean? That shot didn't kill your uncle, mother. He was stabbed in the back. Oh, no. Have you any idea who could have done it? Well, I was hiding had a good many enemies. He was pretty ruthless and busy. Yes, I can imagine that. Well, whoever did it knew something about the house. It was an inside job. I could, alright. Of course I might. Only somebody known the terrace and... Stay wait a minute. Why did you say that? Well, it was just a... Nobody knew Uncle Gordon was here.

12:06He was supposed to be in Chicago or... Whoever did it must have known he was in the house. Alright, who was in the house? Well, the servant. And anybody else? There's my aunt. Mrs. Gilman. What is she? I don't know. She was up tears early on the evening. You never mentioned you ran to us, mother. We seldom mention her that anyone's family. She walked out on Uncle Gordon about a year ago. This afternoon she suddenly appeared and... And said she wanted to talk to him and was going away until he came back. I guess you'd have to look up this lady. Anybody else? No. Oh, wait. Norman Crossey. Who's he? Uncle Gordon. I've a secretary. He must have come back with Uncle Gordon. He was the first though in Chicago, too. Did you see him? No. I didn't even know Uncle Gordon was back. Till after the shoot.

13:06Well, there's another guy to round up. Where does he live? There's a room on the ground floor of the servant's way. And I... Well, there's something you'll find out about him from a lady. He embezzled $10,000 for Uncle Gordon. $10,000. Why didn't Gilroy turn him over to the police? He was going to, but he couldn't afford to. And until after the Chicago trip, because... Oh, Crossey had compiled some lists or papers. Well, there's your motive. I'm going out and find this... Or Lou and Glad you got here. Hello, Sergeant. My pal. Jere. Oh, Bill, I'm so glad you got here. Oh, what's the case, Molland? Over here, Lou, there's a body. It's Mr. Gordon, Gilroy, the banker. That guy owns his talent. Jere. Yes, pal. I'm going out for that night. All the servants are in the next room. We could go through their things. Oh, no. We can't take any chances. I'm serious. We mixed up a business, honey. But, Jere, we must find that night.

14:06There may be fingerprints. That's Bill Wyden's job. Now, our darling's don't say another word. We are going to the servant's room. I don't know, Jere. You don't have to knock. The servants are on the living room. But we can't just open doors. Yeah, I will. And the lights on. Come enjoy, Craig. What is this room? It's a man. Oh, there's a briefcase on the table. I don't open it there. I'm not going to, Jere. I just want to see these initials. I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see the... I'm going to see these initials. And see. And see. What? Norman Crosley. That's right, the secretary. This is his room. Now, let's see. Let's see what? If you were a murderer, Jere, where would you put your knife? Right next to my fork, folks. Now, Pam, we have many right to go through a knife. There's a window, see? That would be a family place.

15:07Jere. You go through the things that matter. And we should have looked between the shirts. That's why I always hide things at home. All right. The funny part is, we'll probably find that down knife. Jere. Jere, come here. What? Look, this window leads right out of a terrace. You can see the French doors of the library from here. Well, what about it? We don't just see the gear. Crosley could have climbed out this window, sneaked along the terrace and gone through those doors, into the library. Yes, that's what we could. And after... after he had done it, he came back here... You're certainly putting together a wonderful cave. But Jere, don't you see everything here? Crosley knew that Mr. Gilroy was in the library. And goodness knows he had good reason to want to get rid of him. Jere, you're not paying a bit of attention. Look, Pam. What? On the floor. Say about the dress. Jere, is it really blood? Yes, I think so. Say it goes over to this door.

16:07Jere, don't. Don't open that door. Wait a minute. Put the other way here. All right, Jere. Go ahead. Good for you. Mr. Crosley. Yes. He's been stabbed. Who? Who? Well, you didn't hear the shot? Or any report from here on the library. I didn't hear a thing, I tell you. A little bit old, Crosley. You see your moment? I'm a second, Jere. I come in, it's a noun. One more time. Honest, Mr. Gilroy. You've been separated from your husband for over a year, as you say. What are you doing here in this house? A little matter of money. Had it been supporting you? It wasn't support. Just a slight drop. And last month it fell down.

17:09And that's what I came to see in the house. Did you know he was going to Chicago? Not until I got here, Arthur told me when I arrived. Arthur? He's the butler. Oh, oh, yeah. So he went up your old room to wait until Gilroy came back? That's right, Detective. You'll fight my Zang, so... But there were strange women that were married to a banker like Mr. Gilroy. You mean he was a strange man to be married to a girl like me? And you're right. He took me out of the follies 11 years ago. But let me tell you, brother, although he spent on me, didn't come anywhere near pain to what I had to put up with. What do you mean? The conceited, double-dealing old hippocrypt? I... I don't like to say things about the dead. But if there ever was a guy that deserved a bullet, it was Gordon Gilroy. Oh, you gave him, was that it? I'm not that crazy. He was my muse. All right, Mr. Gilroy, excuse me.

18:10My time is your time. Do you want to see me, Jerry? I'm a knight at the farm, Cosby. He's dead. Gordon, I... I had him paid for the guilty party. I told Jerry. He could have sneaked out the window. Come here, Bill. I'll show you in the crash door. The pan, that whole deal is out now. He's dead. What the hell, isn't it, Bill? He could have done it, isn't it? Somebody could have murdered him. Now, look out this door to the left, Bill. See that room with a light? Look! Somebody's climbing out a window. What? My name is O'erre. I'm starting to run. Stop, stop. Come on, Jerry. Ham, stay here. That's all the way. It's not shooting back. No, no, he's hands are up. Gil's gone in. Hurry, Jerry. We'll miss everything. I love your hands now. I love your hands now. I got nothing to do with anything that's going on in his house. Where's the bill? Too good rack of ten on his red button. What are you doing here, Red? Nothing. Honest, I didn't take nothing. So Red, ready to hurt. No, honey, no.

19:10He was shooting, I tried for it. Wait a minute. This honey business. Oh, you know, no, I don't know. Well, Sally and me, we'll be going around together. Oh, I see. And what about it? You picked nice company, Mrs. Gil. The kind that leaves by the window. Sure, with the joint loaded with cops, I could stick around. Come on. Back to the house before we freeze. Okay, I got nothing to hide. I was just waiting for it to get finished with a power. Come along, Jerry. I'm beginning to shiver. Just a minute, then. What are you saying, then? Look, there on the side of the building. There. The rain's falling. Jerry, so that's why we couldn't find the knife. The fire. Listen, Lieutenant, I don't get you locked me up for what you do.

20:12I didn't have nothing to do with it. That was me all the time. You lost it. I was right. I'll be alive. I'd like to see you. Oh, just a second, Jerry. I want to... What's the matter? You haven't found another body, have you? No, we have to. But we may. What's up? The old one. I mean, can I go outside? I don't know how we'd go. Wait, Jerry. Wasn't Mr. Gilroy's gone on the death there? Huh? Well, it's gone now. I just a minute. Jerry. I went out after that button, but Mr. Gilroy left this room and I did. So... No, no. She followed us. Yeah. Do you think she picked up the gun? No. I'm counting it. And to take red in the next room, time over the mountains. Two follows. I want Mr. Gilroy to be here alone. What? What do you think she'll do? I'll see. Jerry, they'll follow the track. Well, don't spring it. Mrs. Gilroy, you wait here. Oh, why do you wait here? All right, Red. You can come with me. Surely, Jerry. Come along, Sam.

21:13Excuse us, please, Mr. Gilroy. You're not definitely, Jerry. That... That Mrs. Gilroy... You think I can hear the borrow a couple of sugar? Come on, Sam. Gil's gone in the living room. I wonder what that woman's going to do now that we... Jerry. What is it? Look, across the hall behind that screen. I can't see anything behind the screen. You can never see it. It's your mother. It's got a happy couple. We better stop it, Jerry. Lane Hyden's seat, mother. Oh, my. No, don't tell me one for you. I've got to get all this house. You can't leave now. If you run away, Martha, they'll suspect you. I can't stay. I'm going to go to bed and call the ambulance. I'm going to be next. I'll tell you. Leave me. You don't know what's going on in this house. I'm going to be next. I have a little chance.

22:13Martha, don't. Come into the car, Laura. You're shaking like a leaf. Laura, there's a nice big couch. You should get your house there. You're a dog. No, Martha. Who's frightening you? Don't be children. She's the one who killed Uncle Gordon. How do you know? He wouldn't give her a divorce. She wanted a married red box, but she'd let her kill him. You don't know her, son. She'd do anything to get what she wants. Wait a minute, Martha. Is she the woman you had in mind? What do you think? I don't know. Is she the woman you had in mind? And you wrote your book? Yes. She picked up a golden in the marriage. She spent his money like Walter. Why wouldn't you, Uncle D'Avarse? Uncle Gordon was no pain-giving. She had too much on him. If she went along, it would be the wife she's blackmailing. Martha, we're in last hands. Well, he couldn't let her go. For his own protection. I'm going to get to the wagon. You should do this. I'll be right back. Oh, Pam, I'm so fine to let.

23:13I know, like this, Petsis. You're going to try to put me out of the way. Pam, hold on. I don't know. Try to be hard. Oh, Pam. Damn it. Please get me some ass in the water. I've got to have some. Of course, you are. And I'll be back in a jiffy. Now you just close your eyes. Jerry will be here with Dylan. All right. Let's go. Martha. Martha! Great, help her go. Don't touch Annapé. I'll show you. Stop steady, Pam. Oh, I only planted. Oh, thanks. Look, Bill. The solpa. Right over ahead. Both of all. That was a close call. What a... you're all right. Yeah, she... she almost killed me.

24:13She? From the French doors. I... I saw the gun and I don't... Are you positive it was Dolly? Did you see that? Only your hand holding the gun. I've got to get out of here. She'll kill me. Oh no, she won't. I'll take care of her right now. Bill, wait a minute. Don't go. What is it, ma'am? There's something I'm going to ask Martha. Well, in that book you wrote, Martha, wasn't the character who did all the killing pat him down to Dolly Gilroy? Yes. And one of her victims was a political boss and unscrupulous man who controlled millions and killed others for money. Yes. Was that man your uncle? No, no. It's not an imaginary person. That's not truth, Martha. That man was your uncle? No. Damn, I see what you mean. You're right. Crossed you. That's why Gordon Gilroy didn't want the book published. What are you talking about? Every crime Gordon Gilroy ever committed was described in that novel. Detailed by detail. It was taken from real life.

25:16You wrote that book to blackmail your own uncle? Why? Damn. What? Damn me. You're not as sweet as you look, Martha, Gilroy. What are you driving at? You didn't expect your uncle back tonight, did you? And you didn't know that he was on to your black-newing scheme until you saw him fighting with Jerry through the French doors and the library. You're crazy. Oh, no, I'm not. When your uncle was shot and Jerry and I left the room to get help. You saw a good chance to come. But you needed a weapon, a gun or a knife. What are you saying? You grabbed the closest thing at hand. A heavy icicle hanging from the rain spout on the side of the house. How did you... You're crazy. You stabbed your uncle with an icicle. Oh, wonder we couldn't find a knife. She broke another one off to kill Norman Crosby. He saw her go into the library with the icicle. She killed him. You're so smart. Figure this out. I just don't know who got any of you. Oh, you took the gun to steal her off. I was very clever observation with him. Mother, you can't possibly get away. Give me that. I don't make matters worse. You probably had a good reason for killing your uncle.

26:17The court will take things into consideration. Yes, I had a good reason to kill him. He murdered my father. That's how he got all his money. He don't get his suicide and so everything. Gordon, you're right. The great solanthus. But now that gun... I'm not sure we'll get the tenants. There's one more death on the books of the Gioroi family. Not the death. I don't wanna have to kill you. Gary, somebody didn't do something. I'm the only one who could do anything. And here goes. So long, everybody. Down! We got a chance. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Also, give me that. Stop, stop it. Let me go. Let me go. Oh, let me do it my own way. Nice work, Jerry. You pulled that rock from under her. Just in time. Gary, how did you have a thinker that- Ellen, take care of it. Okay, Luke. All right, miss, come along with me. You take the pride. How did you know Martha was with the wife? Well, I knew she was lying, so I just put two and two together. Pure enough, she was a woman. How did you know she was lying? And what about trying to make sense to you? Well, it was right after somebody shot at Martha in this room.

27:20I was the first one in here, remember? Yes. Well, Martha said the shot came from the French doors. But when I ran in, I smelled very powder and saw smoke hanging in the center of the room. She stood right here in the middle of the room and fired that gun herself. What is going on? Call Martha. Oh, but, Jerry, now you can't publish that book. Yep. There goes the best seller right out the window. Ladies, a mink coat costs a lot. But the luxurious-looking luscious complexion that goes with it can be yours for soul-lifters. Use woodberry cold cream. You just can't give your skin better care at any price. A test by more than a thousand women proved that. They use woodberry in some of the costliest frames all in plain unlabeled jars.

28:22And a majority preferred woodberry cold cream. For beauty results, they found it outstanding. Now, don't be surprised. Remember, woodberry cold cream is made by skin scientists. Experts in skin care for more than 60 years. It contains four special softening and smoothing ingredients, plus an element that works to keep the cream in the jar pure to the last. The world's costliest frames don't bring you that. You can try wonderful woodberry cold cream for a mere 10 cents or buy the big economy jar. You get over 10 times as much for just 75 cents. If after using woodberry only seven days, your skin isn't softer and smoother, lovely. Then return the jar to woodberry at Cincinnati, Ohio, and you'll get twice what you paid. That W-O-O-D-B-U-R-Y. You'll save by switching from your expensive cream to woodberry by war stamp with that saving. Why not get woodberry cold cream right now?

29:27During again, next Tuesday evening at the same time for another adventure of Mr. and Mrs. Norse, when a barefooted cop manages to put his shoes on for thrills and for laughs, be sure to listen won't you. Mrs. Ben Grower saying good night for woodberry cold cream. The beauty cream for the skin you love to touch. This is the National Board Judge. National Board Judge, thank you.