The Saint: The Chiseling Chimpanzee (EP5076)

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

The Saint investigates a bizarre case after meeting Roland Ames, who fears imprisonment due to his trained chimpanzee, Wenceslaus. After Ames is murdered and the monkey is subsequently killed

Key takeaways

• Roland Ames hires a trained chimpanzee named Wenceslaus to steal valuable jewels from inaccessible locations.
• After Ames is murdered and the monkey is killed in Simon's apartment, Templar suspects foul play involving hidden gems.

Main topics

• Old-time radio drama
• Jewel heist mystery

Notable quotes

Monkeying with murder.

Conclusion

The episode offers a tightly plotted vintage mystery that rewards atte

Transcript preview

Speaker 8 (0:11) © BF-WATCH TV 2021 Speaker 8 (0:28) Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of The Saint. But first, I want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one-time basis. Speaker 8 (0:55) at support.greatdetectives.net and become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters at patreon.greatdetectives.net. But now, from December 10th, 1950, here is The Chiseling Chimpanzee. Speaker 6 (1:34) The Adventures of the Saints, starring Vincent Price. Speaker 6 (1:49) The Saint, based on characters created by Leslie Charteris and known to millions from books, magazines, and motion pictures. The Robin Hood of modern crime now comes transcribed to radio, starring Hollywood's brilliant and talented actor Vincent Price as... Speaker 4 (2:05) The Sink. Speaker 4 (2:09) I'm out of town. He curled up in front of the fire with a good book. I haven't got a good book. Do you have a good book? Speaker 5 (2:18) Only the best. Can't wait till I learn how to read. Speaker 4 (2:20) Tonight I am not the illiterate's little friend. Good night. Hmm? Think. Hmm, it's too late. Speaker 5 (2:25) Think. Think of a black sky spring I'm Speaker 4 (2:30) trying. Another minute and I'll hear a coyote howling. Speaker 5 (2:32) Think of a small blonde with big eyes. Speaker 4 (2:35) You don't sound like a small blonde. I wouldn't know about the eyes. Her Speaker 5 (2:38) name was Maria. Speaker 4 (2:40) You were hiding in the rumble seat. When you Speaker 5 (2:42) got back with the Hollywood... Speaker 5 (2:45) Raleigh. Raleigh. How are you, Simon? Speaker 4 (2:47) I'm keeping up with my Social Security payments, and you? Speaker 5 (2:50) Oh, making... appearances all over the country in the shrinking flesh Speaker 5 (2:56) Simon, I know it's late, but I've got to see you right away. Well? The address is 39 Fitch Avenue. If you hurry over, I'll give you a shampoo. Speaker 4 (3:02) I already had a shampoo. Stop Speaker 5 (3:03) boasting and come on over. Speaker 4 (3:05) You sound worried. Speaker 5 (3:10) by a gorilla. Speaker 5 (3:27) Hello, Raleigh. Simon, come on in. Speaker 4 (3:30) It's good to see you. Speaker 5 (3:32) Oh, Marie still remembers you. Speaker 4 (3:33) Oh? Speaker 5 (3:34) I duck every time I meet her. Speaker 4 (3:36) Raleigh, I hate to get personal, but someone has confused you with Grant. This tomb is, um... Speaker 5 (3:43) Renting this moth-eaten mansion was the studio's idea. I Speaker 4 (3:45) tried to have them put in a small Speaker 5 (3:46) subway, but they got very snide about it. Speaker 4 (3:49) It's really a very nice mansion. When did Speaker 5 (3:52) Dracula move out? Keep this under your hat, but I think he's still around lurking. Let's start the long trek. All right. The idea is just set a steady pace and keep to it. Speaker 4 (4:03) Yeah, Speaker 5 (4:03) but how do you Speaker 4 (4:03) know you're going in the right direction? The moss on Speaker 5 (4:05) the moldings. Speaker 4 (4:06) Oh, yeah. Say, Raleigh, what about this gorilla you mentioned over the phone? Speaker 5 (4:10) Oh, I'd forgotten about him for a few fleeting moments. Simon, the next picture I'm doing is a jungle picture. Oh. You mean, whoa. Anyway, the studio got the broad idea of having me photograph next to one of our furry little brothers. So they issued a dozen memos, and a little man complete with gorillas showed up here about an hour ago, with 9,000 photographers. Oh, we veer to the left here. Oh, thank Speaker 4 (4:32) you. Speaker 5 (4:32) The photographers ran out of flashbulbs some time ago and left. The gent with the primate, his name is Preble. The primate? No, the gent. Oh. He seems to feel reluctant about leaving. Is he bigger than you are? No. Speaker 4 (4:43) Well, then why the desperation call to me? Speaker 5 (4:45) I don't know exactly, except that... Well, preble isn't some kind of a jam. He wouldn't tell me what it was, but... Shy? Speaker 4 (4:52) No. Speaker 5 (4:53) Terrified, I think. Ah, we've made it. Speaker 5 (4:58) The Speaker 4 (4:59) gorilla. Speaker 5 (5:00) He's only a very small monkey. And this is Mr. Preble. Mr. Preble, Simon Templer. Speaker 1 (5:05) How do you do? Speaker 5 (5:07) How do you do? Speaker 1 (5:08) Simon Templer? Speaker 4 (5:09) Yes. Speaker 1 (5:10) The saint? Speaker 4 (5:11) In a haphazard sort of way. Speaker 1 (5:12) You're the kind of man who might be able to help me. They'd be afraid of you. Who would be? I don't know if I should tell you, because maybe I'm guilty too. Guilty of what? I'd better go now. Perhaps after I think it over, may I... call on you for aid? Of course you may. Thank you very much. Wenceslaus, we're leaving now. Wenceslaus? Yes. He's a very talented monkey. I spent years training him. Now, perhaps he's going to be the reason why I'll go to jail. That is... Good night, Mr. Ames. You were very cooperative. Speaker 5 (5:46) Part of my job, but why don't you break down and tell Mr. Templer all? Thousands, nay, millions of people have. Oh, Speaker 1 (5:52) I'm sure of that, but I can't decide whether I can be helped. Please, I'll go now, if you don't mind. Speaker 4 (5:58) All right. Think you can find the front door all by yourself? Speaker 1 (6:00) I'm sure I can. Speaker 4 (6:01) I'm in the phone book, Mr. Crevel, and I'd suggest you don't wait too long. No, Speaker 1 (6:05) I won't. Speaker 4 (6:12) He was practically running when he left. Nothing much you can do for him if he won't open up. Perhaps not, but... Raleigh, let's go after him. Speaker 5 (6:19) But Simon... Speaker 4 (6:20) I've seen terror in people's eyes before, and I don't like it. It isn't pretty. Simon, have you got any idea about what's bothering him? Not much of one, but from what he said, I guessed it somehow, and probably innocently, he'd gotten himself involved with something or somebody highly illegal. The monkey figure's in it, too. He's made the front door. If my legs hold out and we catch up with him, I'd like to... Simon! Yeah, that was Prevost. Come on, we run for it. Speaker 5 (6:51) He turned Speaker 4 (6:52) the corner. Too far away to get the license number. Speaker 5 (6:55) Well, maybe... maybe there's someone playing a joke on people, Simon. Speaker 4 (7:02) It wasn't a very good joke, Raleigh. People died, but not laughing. Speaker 3 (7:09) Amen. Speaker 5 (7:16) I've phoned the police. They'll be here pretty soon. Speaker 4 (7:18) Good. There's not much point in my remaining. It'd only irritate them. Speaker 5 (7:22) All right, but, uh, Simon, take the monkey with you. Speaker 6 (7:25) Huh? Speaker 4 (7:26) What? Speaker 5 (7:26) I'm not the type on which a monkey looks good. Besides, I think Preble would prefer to have you hold onto the monkey rather than the police. Speaker 4 (7:32) Maybe you're right. If Speaker 5 (7:34) the Speaker 4 (7:34) monkey was involved in anything and wasn't under police guard, things might happen. All right. I'll take him. I liked Preble. Speaker 5 (7:43) You could be sticking your neck out. Asking for the axe, Simon. Speaker 4 (7:47) You don't mind that, do you? No, as a matter of fact, I like that, too. Monkeying with murder. Speaker 4 (8:06) What would the neighbors say? Speaker 2 (8:08) Hello. They'd Speaker 4 (8:08) say hello. Well, that is... I've Speaker 2 (8:10) been waiting for you. You have? Uh-huh. That's why I'm out of breath. Speaker 4 (8:14) Well, it would be fun believing that, but... I meant Speaker 2 (8:17) I ran up the stairs to be here ahead of you. Speaker 4 (8:19) Oh, it was you in that cab that followed mine, huh? Speaker 2 (8:22) Shouldn't we discuss this Speaker 4 (8:24) inside? Speaker 2 (8:25) Oh, Speaker 4 (8:26) perhaps we should. Speaker 4 (8:31) The light switch is to your right. Speaker 2 (8:33) Got it. Speaker 4 (8:36) Nice. Thank you. My name is Simon Templer. I know. Speaker 2 (8:40) I'm Lola. Speaker 4 (8:41) And this is Wenceslaus. He's a monkey. I Speaker 2 (8:43) know that, too. You're very Speaker 4 (8:45) bright. But what's on your mind? Speaker 2 (8:47) I'm afraid to tell you. Speaker 4 (8:50) Well, I wonder if I'm afraid to hear. Speaker 2 (8:52) Look away for a minute and... Well, it can't be that embarrassing. Please. I'm shy. Well, all right. Speaker 4 (8:58) I'm looking away.