Dick Powell returns to the series and delivers a fine performance as a long-tenured and highly-trusted bank teller... at least he seems that way to everyone who works with him. His honesty is well-established in the bank, so he is asked to mentor new tellers. He explains the carefully developed procedures to keep tellers accountable and to prevent theft. We learn that two employees were fired because their handwriting in initialing their documents was incorrect (mild spoiler alert), so it is very important to be very careful and very precise in every task. The young man hangs on every word of guidance.
For nearly two decades, this master teller has been pondering how he can take some portion of the money that passes through his hands every day. The chaos of a bank robbery gives him the opportunity. While everyone is focused on the thieves and a badly injured employee, he’s taking advantage of their diverted attention and stuffs his briefcase with cash. He assumes that any missing money with be attributed to the bank robbers. No one sees him, except that new employee. Later, the young man visits him at home, in his apartment, in an attempt to blackmail him. That meek and patient teller will have none of it, and strikes him to the head… and kills him. Now he has to get out of town before the murder is discovered and the his theft is detected.
In 1951 terms, the teller was thrilled to get $28,000. That is almost $340,000 in US$2024 value adjusted for inflation. The robber asks for $1000 bills. That denomination of bills, with Grover Cleveland's portrait, were still being used at the time. They were discontinued in 1969.
The author of the original story was Robert Platt who produced other scripts for the series. The excellent Account Payable was one of them.
Blake Edwards, who was working with Powell on Richard Diamond, adapted the script. The Edwards and Powell collaboration was one of the most successful pairings in radio.
LISTEN
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https://archive.org/details/TSP510531
THE CAST
DICK POWELL (Robert Farley, alias Arthur Adams), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice / Train announcer voice / Pop), Mary Jane Croft (Betsy Clark / Girl), Dick Crenna (Graves), Norman Field (McPherson / Man 1), Ed Max (First bank robber / San Francisco Police Sergeant), Benny Rubin (Second bank robber / Detective / Agent)
COMMERCIAL: Stanley Smart, Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Sylvia Simms (Operator)
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