Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Too Much Money Matter 09/11/1960

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is tasked with protecting the wealthy Rocky Rockwell from a perceived murder threat. Acting on informat

Key takeaways

• Rocky Rockwell admits to sabotaging his competitor, Adler Jacob, years ago to secure his wealth.
• Alvin P. Cartwright believes Marvin Ashley is planning to kill Rockwell as revenge for his father.

Main topics

• Insurance investigation
• Threat of murder

Notable quotes

I've had reason to think that maybe my life might have been in danger now and then.

Conclusion

A classic detective mystery showcasing how a professional observer can

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com. Speaker 5 (0:52) And the last time he called, it was about somebody who was trying to murder him. Speaker 2 (0:55) Exactly. Speaker 5 (0:55) But the time before that, it was just to give me a Christmas present. I Speaker 2 (0:58) know. Speaker 5 (0:59) Okay, George. His place in Beverly Hills? Speaker 2 (1:01) No, he... Speaker 5 (1:04) Rockwell. Also... Good. Maybe I can drag down a nice big fee on this one. Speaker 2 (1:11) Also, Johnny... Yeah? If this... Speaker 5 (1:19) Okay, George. I'll be in touch. Speaker 2 (1:21) CBS Speaker 5 (1:30) Radio brings you Bob, the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator... Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Speaker 5 (1:56) Expense account submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar. The Floyds of England, North American office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the too-much-money matter. Expense account item 117140 for a plane that got me to Los Angeles early the next morning. Item 250 dollars, deposit on a rental car. And the drive up the coast of Santa Barbara took me a little under two hours. A gas station attendant who gave me directions to the Rockwell place seemed quite impressed that I was going there. I found out why about 20 minutes later after driving up to the top of a high, densely wooded hill. Yeah, there must have been 10 acres, all of it beautifully landscaped. Broad, sweeping lawns. And on the wide, winding road up to the main house, I must have passed at least a dozen gardeners and nurserymen. Tending not only the vast lawns, but the well-ordered shrubbery and the magnificent trees, the myriad flower beds. As for the house itself, well, to call it a castle would almost be an understatement. All of it built of native stone with towers, turrets, and parapets. And purely incidentally, there must have been seven or eight expensive cars parked in the driveway. Yeah, I felt almost timid about raising the heavy iron knocker. Real impressive. Speaker 4 (3:19) I knew you wouldn't let me down. Yeah, I Speaker 5 (3:21) must have got it right. Speaker 4 (3:22) You're a good boy, Johnny. Speaker 5 (3:24) Only, uh, I expected nothing less than three or four uniformed butlers to let me into a joint like this. Speaker 4 (3:29) Isn't it a lovely little place? Speaker 5 (3:31) You call this little? Speaker 4 (3:32) Well, if Rocky Rockwell ever gives in to me and sells me this house, yeah. Or if, if anything happens to him. Oh, Speaker 5 (3:41) you think something may? Speaker 4 (3:42) Oh, now that's a silly question. Why else do you think I'd send all the way to Hartford for you? Oh, this is a terrible situation, Johnny. It's just terrible. Speaker 5 (3:49) Well, you better tell me all about it, then. Speaker 4 (3:51) Don't just stand here at the door letting in the flies. Come on inside and I will. Yeah, sure. Speaker 4 (3:59) Johnny, I've thought that I've had reason to think that maybe my life might have been in danger now and then. Oh, I know. But always, thanks to you, that danger's been removed. But in the case of Rocky here, oh, and he's an old friend. Well, Johnny, I honestly don't know what you can do about this, this whole terrible thing. But you will, won't you? I mean, you'll do everything you can. Speaker 5 (4:22) Well, where is Mr. Rockwell? Speaker 4 (4:23) Oh. brave, brave man that he is. Rocky is going right ahead with his parties. He's entertaining, just as though nothing was wrong. Speaker 5 (4:34) Entertaining of whom, Mr. Godreth? Speaker 4 (4:36) Of anybody, everything. Don't you understand, Johnny? That's all he does. He gives hunts and balls and parties and entertains people. What would you do if you had all his money and this beautiful place and all the time in the world to do it? Well, I Speaker 5 (4:53) don't know. Speaker 4 (4:54) Well, of course you would. So, right now, Rocky and his guests are out riding on a foxhound. You know, yikes and tally-ho and all the rest of it. You know. Speaker 5 (5:07) Oh, yeah? Speaker 4 (5:08) Yeah, just as though everything was all right. Speaker 5 (5:11) Uh-huh. But it is. Speaker 4 (5:12) Oh, no, no. No, it certainly isn't. And if this thing is this terrible, this tragic... This... This what, Mr. Cartwright? Speaker 5 (5:23) Well, you still haven't told me just what you're so worried about. Speaker 4 (5:26) What's the matter with you,