Broadway Is My Beat: The John Elgin Murder Case 04/05/1952
episode
Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
29 min
10 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 2 months ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the premise of 'The John Elgin Murder Case'?
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Broadway's My Beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.
Broadway's My Beat, with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover.
The time comes to Broadway when the April day summons its warmth, its winds, its plumed sprays of sunlight, departs the avenue littered with its promises, and the defeated and the unfulfilled swarm back into the subway entrances and wait on the stifling platforms in the dim, sallow light reflected from walls of stained tile. Wait for the going home. Wait for the death of a day to happen in some other place, the hall bedroom, the front stoop, some other place where shock will be gentler. And suddenly, through the steel corridor, a hot, dry wind races in the depths of Earth. And on at the fury of hurtling steel. And they surge forward to meet it. Soon they will be home.
And in your office at headquarters, the April twilight drifts in. Somehow its touch startles the man you've been talking to.
What details emerge about the murder witnessed by Greenhalgh?
Hey, it's evening. It's evening already. What do you know? How long have I been spilling my heart out to you, Mr. Colvin? An hour, maybe more. Ah, time flies. A guy tries to clean up his conscience, ease the soul, and it takes longer than he thinks. I ain't keeping you from anything, Mr. Colvin.
No? You've got all the time you need, Mr. Greenhalgh.
Go on. Oh, not much more to tell, except what I told. I see a murder take place, I report it. Common decency, I figure.
What you call a murder took place over a week ago.
How does Detective Clover confront the widow about her husband's death?
How come it took you so long to give in to the call of decency? You got a point there, Mr. Clover.
Tell me. See if I can explain it to you. Try hard. With all my might. I was a bookie once, like I told you. You told me. Look, let me recap it, huh? So maybe it'll make sense to you it takes me a week plus to confess I saw a man push another man off a roof? You were a bookie, take it from there. Yeah, a bookie. Until you boys came up with a thing to throttle initiative, dull the pioneer impulse of it. So I pit my brain against society. Try to come up with a respectable dodge to earn my nut waffles and juice.
What suspicions arise regarding John Elgin's death?
But my mind has been in such a tight rut with 12 years of making book, all I can come up with is burglary.
And that's when you saw it happen, while you were robbing an apartment in the East 30s.
You got a whim that says I robbed? Uh-uh, I didn't. I tell you, this murder made such an impact on my conscience, I didn't rob, and I never will.
According to our books, what you saw was a suicide. The suicide of a man named John Elgin. How books can be mistaken? Ask me, I know. You could identify the man if we found him, the man you say pushed Elgin off the roof, the man you say is a murderer. Identify him?
I would draw my eyes into slits. Pretend I was in the emotional turmoil of over a week ago, witnessing the event from a fire escape across the airway. And I would try to identify him. You find him, and I sure would try.
What role does the character Greenhow play in the investigation?
But I make no promises.
Yeah. I ask your pardon, Mr. Greenhalgh. Oh, it's okay. But for what? I didn't let you finish telling me why it took you this long to come to us with what you saw. Forget it, kid.
It was like this. I had some washing to do. My conscience, my past, the foolish notion I could be a successful burglar, which I am obviously not equipped, too emotional. This washing took me such a time. I now give it to you to hang out to dry. All right, you can go for now. Forever I can go, Mr. Clover. I can forget I saw a murder with my own eyes.
How does the investigation reveal connections between characters?
Well, thanks for everything. You've been a dream.
And watch him as he moves to the door. Stops.
I'm glad I came here. What a load off the old jet.
And leaves. The complete man. The happy citizen. Then turn your swivel chair around to the window. Briefly watch the city leap into the night. And hear the sounds of it as quick and new and fleeting as spring wind on the strings of a harp.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the premise of 'The John Elgin Murder Case'?
0:00–1:44
2
What details emerge about the murder witnessed by Greenhalgh?
1:44–2:13
3
How does Detective Clover confront the widow about her husband's death?
2:13–2:48
4
What suspicions arise regarding John Elgin's death?
2:48–3:33
5
What role does the character Greenhow play in the investigation?
3:33–4:09
6
How does the investigation reveal connections between characters?
4:09–5:04
7
What evidence suggests foul play in Elgin's death?
5:04–5:45
8
How does the episode conclude with the resolution of the murder case?
5:45–29:50
Speakers
10 identifiedMore from Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
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