The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 2, Episode 15 - Ballad for a Ghost - full transcript

A singer, who bears a strong resemblance to Kimble's dead wife, arrives at a club he works at and offends everyone with her boorish behavior. He eventually discovers her rudeness is due to a personal and tragic secret.

Who is it?

Dan Martin.

They want Hallie out front.

I haven't seen her.

I'm sorry. I was sure
I heard her voice.

How are you on keyholes?

A QM Production.

Starring David Janssen
as Dr. Richard Kimble.

An innocent victim
of blind justice,

falsely convicted for
the murder of his wife,

reprieved by fate
when a train wreck



freed him en route
to the death house.

Freed him to hide
in lonely desperation,

to change his identity,

to toil at many jobs.

Freed him to search
for a one-armed man

he saw leave the
scene of the crime.

Freed him to run

before the relentless pursuit

of the police lieutenant
obsessed with his capture.

The guest stars
in tonight's story:

Janis Paige, Mark Richman.

A roadhouse several miles south

of Salisbury, Ohio.

Richard Kimble, wearing
the name Pete Glenn,



grows restless now.

He has worked here two months.

Long enough in one place.

Perhaps too long.

Time to move on.

Mr. Haywood.

I told you to have
that other banner up

by the time I got back.

I know, but...
Skip the buts, huh?

Just get it done, will you?

Yeah, I got it.

Thanks.

Well, they were
not on the train.

That was a wire from her.

They're driving
in later tonight.

One thing you can
always say about her,

she's got great timing.

Could of been held up
at the telegraph office,

I'll call. Don't bother, huh?

And you can bet it wasn't
the telegraph company.

Is this it?

We got stiffed by a
table of college kids.

That's great.

We'll make it up tomorrow night.

You know, I'm about ready
to forget the whole thing.

Look, Johnny, I
know it still hurts.

But you said she was gonna
cut an album here tomorrow night.

"Hallie Martin at the Log
Cabin" or something like that.

Yeah, that's what I said.

Her Royal Highness has
decided to throw some crumbs

to the peasants.

And we happen to be the
hungriest peasants on the block.

A half a million albums
floating around the country

with our name on it
could do us a lot of good.

I don't, uh, need
any favors from her.

Use your head, Johnny.

With a name like hers,

we'll have the press swarming
around here tomorrow night,

and not just those
freeloading saloon bums.

We'll get some real coverage.

Okay.

Okay.

But I'm not gonna wait
up for the royal coach.

Mr. Haywood, I'd
like to... Mr. Haywood.

I just wanted to tell you
I'm leaving tomorrow.

What do you mean you're leaving?

I'm taking off tomorrow morning.

Well, that's great.

That's just great.

I'm sorry.

Well, that's too
bad you're sorry.

But tomorrow night is a big
one and I need somebody

on that light who knows
what they're doing.

Well, like I told
you, I've got to go.

Okay, okay, walk. Walk.

But I want you out early.

I can't afford any
more free breakfasts.

Davey, bring out that old,
uh, lobby sign of Hallie's.

I don't want any complaints
when she gets here.

What's bothering him?

Don't you know?

Come on, give me a hand.

Do I know what?

Johnny was married to her
and she walked out on him.

Another man?

I guess you'd
call it another life.

She told him she
wanted to make it big.

She couldn't do it if she
had to drag him along.

Must have been a hundred
people standing around.

It sure wasn't pretty.

Rough way to get it.

Yeah. The trouble
is, she did make it.

She made it big and
Johnny's still here

sweating out the payroll
every Saturday night.

The whole thing shook
him up pretty good.

Well, there we are.

I guess that's
your last official act.

Hey, what's the matter?

Uh, I guess I'm tired now.

Get some sleep.

Good luck, Pete.

Yeah.

♪ I never thought I'd find you ♪

♪ There never come a day ♪

♪ When someone could
see The future life with me ♪

♪ But love has found a way ♪

♪ I've searched The
whole world over ♪

♪ When you were here All alone ♪

♪ And I have found
Someone who'll stick around ♪

♪ Now love is here to stay ♪

♪ Yes, love is here To stay ♪

Hello?

Hello.

I'm Hallie Martin.

I hope I didn't wake
you up or anything.

That's all right.

Come on, grab a chair. Sit down.

I'm afraid I don't
sleep much these days.

You work here?

Up until tonight.

What's your name?

Pete Glenn.

That was a nice song.

Your ex-boss wrote it for me.

Johnny fire you or something?

No, I quit.

What did you do for him?

Oh, I ran the, uh, spots,

uh, hung the curtains,
swept the floor. You know.

Mm.

Why did you quit?

It was about that time.

Hm.

I know what you mean.

When are you leaving?

There's a bus in
a couple of hours.

Did you, uh, run
the follow spot?

Yes.

Would you run it for me?

I can't.

I'd appreciate it.

I'd like to...

Please, it would just
be for the one night.

I'm sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

I guess sometimes I...

I get a little too pushy.

Still friends?

Still friends.

Good.

Good night, Miss Martin.

That's not friends.

The name's Hallie.

Good night, Hallie.

Good night, Pete.

Hallie.

Honey, we've been
looking all over for you.

They've got your room ready.

So?

Well, you better get some sleep.

I sleep when I'm tired.

It's 3:30 in the morning,

and tomorrow night...
Is tomorrow night.

Now, get off my back.

Hallie.

And now a word from
the crown princess.

Oh, come on, Dad, let
her do what she wants.

She's going to anyway.

And that, dear family, is
my message to the world.

You still here, huh?

I though I'd, uh,
stay through tonight.

Unless you've made other plans.

Don't do me any favors, huh?

I'm not doing you any favors.

I need the 15 bucks.

Okay. As soon as I can
I'll have you meet our star.

She'll, uh, give you her cues.

That is, uh, if she
ever gets here.

She's here.

How do you know?

I talked with her.

Oh, now you're staying, huh?

That's right.

Well, I guess she
hasn't lost her touch.

Pete, is the...?

Hello, Hallie.

Johnny.

You still, ruining the coffee
with those rotten egg shells?

Nice to see you too.

Johnny, we ought to be over
that by now, don't you think?

Yeah.

I guess we ought to.

Coffee hot yet?

What time are the record
people getting here?

Around 2 they said.

Then you and Glenn here

better, uh, run over
your cues before lunch.

Pete and I will take care of it.

Pete and you will
take care of it, huh?

Good.

Well, thanks for staying.

I need the money.

Is that the only reason?

Maybe not.

Johnny.

Hello, Nora.

How are you?

I'm fine, Johnny.

Nice to see you.

Come on, take a ride with me.

Oh, I... I think Dad's waiting.

Come on, it won't take long.

I just have to ask the sheriff
to let me off the hook tonight.

Hey, is Frank
Larson still sheriff?

Yeah. He'll get a
kick out of seeing you.

Come on.

What do you need from Frank?

Well, my permit's
only for 150 customers.

I want 200 there tonight.

Your sister's a
very big draw now.

Have you seen her?

Yeah, I've seen her.

I left her playing
Cleopatra with my light man.

I'm sorry, Johnny.

The wounds still show, huh?

That's funny, I thought I
stopped bleeding months ago.

I guess we all
have a few wounds.

And... off.

Applause, applause,
applause, and... on.

That's good.

Come on down.

For, uh, encores I do requests,

so I'm afraid you're just
gonna have to wing it.

You know, most clubs you
go into, you gotta rehearse

those cues, oh,
six or seven times.

Even then you're libel to end
up singing the last 16 in the dark.

What'd you do before
you took this job?

A lot of everything, I guess.

Around here?

Around every place.

Then you, uh...
Can't be married.

No.

Sort of like me, I guess.

Split weeks and one-nighters.

That's about it, huh?

Well, Frank, you wanted to
inspect. Go ahead, inspect.

I'd better check it with
Ira at the fire station.

You can use the
phone in my office.

I'll, uh, tell Hallie
you're here.

Good. Then you can fill
me in on all the local gossip.

I'm not sure there is any gossip

to fill you in on. Oh, come on.

Sometimes I think if I have
to pack one more suitcase...

I know what you mean.

Are you all right?

Whoa.

That's what I get for
drinking before breakfast.

Look, um... You
wait... You wait here.

I'll... I'll be back in
a couple of minutes.

You know, you're a nice guy.

Glenn.

I thought you were supposed
to be rehearsing the cues.

Oh, yeah, we just finished.

Yeah, I saw.

You better get rid of this junk.

I was going to.

I'll bet you were.

I don't know what I've
done but I think we ought to

get it out in the open.

It is out in the open.

You've been trying
to make it with Hallie

ever since she got here.

And you don't like it?

That's right.

Or you, mister.

Johnny. I think I convinced
our friend the fire chief.

You wanna start taking
me through this firetrap?

I'm glad you've got
an open mind, Frank.

I'll, uh, get this
stuff out of here.

Well?

Come on, Frank.

Come on in.

Well, it's not much, but, uh...

A man should never
turn down an invitation

to a lady's dressing room.

You know, I don't
think your ex-husband

even likes me talking to you.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know it
was still that bad.

Has it worked yet?

What?

The morphine.

What are you talking about?

Well, it could be
insulin or heroin.

But I'd guess
morphine or a derivative.

You know what you're saying?

You're carrying a hypodermic
syringe in your purse.

I'd say you just used it.

I also drink.

Have you got that down?

You don't sleep. Haywood
said you lost weight.

You got pain so bad that the
alcohol doesn't help anymore.

It only makes it worse.

That's why the morphine.

It's inoperable, isn't it?

Nobody knows.

How long have you known?

Uh... A year ago,
the 16th of last month,

at 2:35 in the afternoon.

I'm sorry.

Well, I'm sorry you found out.

I was hoping to
keep it my little secret.

Well, as far as I'm
concerned, it's still your secret.

Who is it?

It's me, Hallie.

I got an old friend out here,

uh, wants to say hello.

Frank Larson.

I'll be right out.

And now while, uh...

While you're keeping my
secret, I'll be busy keeping yours.

I don't follow you.

Don't you, Dr. Kimble?

Well, you just think about it.

Don't you think
you've had enough?

Why don't you mind
your own business.

"You shouldn't do this,
you shouldn't do that.

Why don't you do this,
why don't you do that?"

Why don't you go someplace
and grow roses or something?

You're disgusting.

I guess it runs in
the family, baby.

Hallie?

Why do you do it?

Leave me alone, Pete, I'm tired.

Let me take you back. Come on.

I can't go back.

All I want to do is go
someplace and rest.

Come on.

Come on.

Is this where he put you?

It's no wonder you quit.

We used to use this for storage.

Here, you can,
uh, sit, lie down,

anything you want.

Can't you stay?

All right.

Why did you decide
to stay tonight?

Well, I'm not sure.

I think I am.

I think I reminded
you of your wife.

I could almost tell the
way you look at me.

You see, during your trial...

It must have been a
couple of years ago, I guess.

Well, anyhow, I...

I took quite a ribbing
because of the resemblance.

So I suppose I followed the
trial closer than most people.

You've darkened
your hair and all that,

but your eyes are the same.

It was the eyes
that made me feel

that maybe you didn't do it.

I didn't.

Have you seen Hallie?

She's supposed to do one
of those radio interviews

on the phone.

She's probably in
her dressing room.

Hallie?

Why do you want all
this hate from everybody?

How often?

Whenever the pain starts.

Is it always bad?

Sometimes worse than others.

Well, why don't
you wait and see?

Why?

So you won't start needing
it when there's no pain.

She's not there.

I'll have to cancel
the interview.

Look, try and
find her, will you?

I'll look for her, Nora.

And now, doctor, what
was your question again?

Why do you want so
much hate from everybody?

Not everybody.

All right, not everybody.

Just the people who
should mean the most to you.

You've got it backwards.

Only the people I
mean the most to.

You understand?

I'm afraid not.

When my mother died,

I was 7 and Nora was 3.

If Dad could have crowned
me queen of everything

I think he would have done it.

Hey, you're right.

I didn't need it this time.

How about your sister?

Oh, Dad loves her, all right.

But it's always kind
of an afterthought,

you know what I mean?

So you're going to cushion
the fall for him and Johnny.

That's why I left Johnny.

He had me so far
up on that pedestal

that he forgot what
I was really like.

So you're gonna cut
the statue down to size.

I'm going to destroy it
before it destroys them.

Hallie... Look,
Pete, I didn't, uh...

I didn't tell you all this
because I need a shoulder.

I know.

But anytime.

Thanks.

But are you...?

Are you sure it's really
me you're worried about?

Who is it?

Dan Martin.

They want Hallie out front.

I haven't seen her.

I'm sorry.

I was sure I heard her voice.

How are you on keyholes?

How's the crowd?

It should be
sold-out by showtime.

Record people happy?

Far as I know.

And how far is that?

Hallie, it's so close to
showtime, don't you think...?

Are you starting with me again?

If you don't like the
way I live my life,

you can just get out of it.

I'm sorry, baby...

Dad, how can you just
stand there and take it?

If he wants a free ride
on the glamour train,

he can just pay for it.

No free rides for anybody.

Maybe you'd better go, Nora.

Nora doesn't want
to go, do you, baby?

Don't you know, Johnny?

Nora's had a crush
on you for years.

Well, Hallie, you've
come a long ways.

Johnny, please, I
only want... What?

What do you want now?

That's what gets
to you, isn't it?

That I've got it made
and you're just hanging on.

I always told you that
small time's a sickness

you're born with.

That never bothered me, Hallie.

A small-time saloon
keeper or king of the world.

It didn't matter.

Know why?

Because I had something
that nobody else had.

Yeah.

I had a woman

that made everybody
else seem second-rate.

And then one day,
this... This woman,

this beautiful woman
turned ugly and rotten.

Almost while I
looked at her face.

Almost while I
held her in my arms.

Just like a nightmare.

You know something, Hallie?

Seeing you again,

and listening to you just
now with Nora and Dan,

well, I think maybe...
maybe that ended it.

Understand?

Because all I can feel
right now is a kind of relief.

Relief that it's all over.

Over and dead, Hallie.

Not a mourner in the house.

Oh!

Hallie.

Well, where is she?

I don't know, Johnny.

She was here five minutes ago.

I know.

I got a $2,000 house
out there and she has to...

Davey, have you seen Hallie?

Well, no, I'm looking for Glenn.

It's almost showtime.

Thanks for telling me.

We have a drug addict
working for us, Davey.

Get me the sheriff on the phone.

I'm sorry, Pete.

For a minute there, I...

Even forgot you were here.

I'm glad one of us remembered.

I don't think I could have
gone through with it anyway.

I couldn't wait to find out.

Anyhow, if you had
gone through with it,

everything so far would
have been wasted.

What do you mean?

If something
happens to you, Hallie,

the public's gonna
want to know why,

and then everything comes out.

I suppose you're right.

Nobody wants to
die alone, Hallie.

Nobody wants to die at all.

But at least you can
do it the way you want.

Everything paid.

You really lay it
on the line, doc.

Maybe I was thinking of someone
who didn't have that choice.

A woman who must
have died angry...

hating, afraid.

You don't have
to be alone, Hallie.

Nobody's expecting me anyplace.

Both of us sitting
on death row, huh?

They'll be looking for us.

Yeah.

Well, I hope we're not
interrupting anything.

But you were supposed to
be in front of that audience

a half-hour ago. No kidding?

Look, you don't owe me any
favors and I don't want any,

but those people out there
paid good money to hear you.

I was just going, Mr. Ziegfeld.

I'll get on the light.

Why don't you do that.

Johnny, listen... Not now, Dan.

But Johnny...

Johnny, I've gotta talk to you.

Dan, it'll have to wait.

It can't wait.

Where is he?

He's up there.

Good, I'll take him right now.

Frank, how about letting
him work the show first?

He's not going anywhere.

Sure, if you don't mind.

I'll just alert my boys.

Thanks, Frank.

Johnny, you've got to know.

What, Dan, what?

That... That hypodermic.

It's Hallie's.

What are you talking about?

I found it in Glenn's room.

Then he probably knows
too, but believe me, it's hers.

Dan, what are you
trying to tell me?

That Hallie...?

It's not what you think, Johnny.

Hallie is sick.

What do you mean "sick"?

I mean real sick.

Why don't you
bring her on first,

then I'll tell you.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Ladies and gentlemen.

The Log Cabin is
privileged to present

a program of songs

by one of America's
most exciting personalities.

Miss Hallie Martin.

♪ I never thought ♪

♪ I'd find you ♪

♪ There'd never come a day ♪

♪ When someone
could see The future... ♪

You never told Nora.

I knew how hard it was
to keep quiet myself.

I just wasn't sure Nora
could carry it through.

I'll tell her at the right time.

You see, I... I always
felt I owed it to Hallie

to let her do it
like she wanted.

But Johnny, you won't... Shh.

I wanna hear the song.

♪ ...Love is here To stay ♪

She's, uh...

She's quite a performer.

Hold it, buddy.

That's right, you.

Let's go.

Frank.

Frank, uh... I don't
know how to apologize,

but, there's, uh,
been a mistake.

What mistake?

Well, that syringe I found

doesn't belong to Glenn here.

Well, then whose is it?

It's mine, sheriff.

I, uh... I'm a diabetic.

That syringe contains insulin.

I accidentally left
it in Glenn's room.

I guess I made a
fool out of myself.

Well...

Here you are.

Thank you.

I'll give you a little tip.

Next time somebody like
me grabs you on a bum rap,

don't look so guilty.

I'm almost ready to
take you in anyhow.

I, uh, need him
more than you do.

You could give him a couple
of extra bucks for the scare.

Well, we got a free
show out of you, anyhow.

See you later, Johnny.

Thanks, Frank.

You know about
Hallie, don't you?

She doesn't know
anyone else knows.

Why...?

Why did she tell you?

I don't know.

She just wanted to talk to
somebody and, besides, I'm safe.

How do you mean "safe"?

She doesn't love me.

Thanks, Glenn.

I'm, uh... I'm sorry.

Yeah.

I can't let her leave that way.

That's the way she
wants it, Johnny.

Dan, I'm still in love with her.

If she didn't know that,
she wouldn't be doing this.

That's crazy.

Makes sense to her, doesn't it?

Does it?

Makes no sense to me.

All right, who else matters now?

I'm sorry. I... I gotta see her.

Can I drop you somewhere?

I'm all packed.

Well, then I'll get on
my traveling clothes

and we'll travel.

Pete, is she in there?

Johnny, what are you gonna do?

I'm gonna tell her that I know.

No, don't do it.

Would you mind
getting out of the way.

Now, you always tell everybody:
"Don't do me any favors."

Maybe she feels the same way.

Well, if it isn't my
friend the impresario.

What are you doing
back here in the slums?

Making sure I don't skip
out with the company towels?

No.

I, uh, thought you had gone.

I just wanted to air
out the dressing room.

So long, Johnny.

So long, Hallie.

You coming, Pete?

Going someplace, Hallie?

Where are you off to this time?

Why, I'm going anywhere
Pete wants to take me.

And what do you care?

Oh, I don't care.

As long as you don't come back.

Don't, Nora. No,
I am sorry, Dad.

I am sick of this
phony goddess routine.

You are so selfish, sadistic.

Everything you
touch turns to dirt.

I am sick of the sight of you!

See you.

Nora, I... I wanna talk to you.

You sure you'll be all right?

Sure.

Was that for me?

I think so.

Thank you.

A chance meeting.

A thousand ghosts are stirred.

And a fugitive wonders how long

before they'll be at rest.