The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 2, Episode 27 - Runner in the Dark - full transcript

You even had me
fooled, Dr. Kimble,

and that is saying something.

And I don't want to spoil
what you did for Claire.

What are you going to do?

I'm gonna leave you
here, quietly, with Bob.

Look, Bob, I...

You're the one they're
looking for, aren't you?

Yes, I am. Brady
says you're a killer.

Well, there was a killing.

I was convicted. I couldn't
prove my innocence

and I still can't.



There's a station wagon
down in the garage.

He wants me to take
you downtown with him.

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:

Ed Begley, Richard Andersen,

Diana Van Der Vlis.

No job, for Richard Kimble,
is anything more than

a means to the end: survival.

The dignity of his profession
is a memory and a hope.

He can never know what
unexpected shift of fate

will send him running again.

Perhaps in pursuit of
the one-armed man.

Perhaps in flight for his life.

Maintenance.

Now, Mr. Burns,

this is Maude
Keller in Number 9.

You said you'd come up
and fix that faucet of mine

when you got a chance.

Uh, Mrs. Keller, uh,
I'm off in 10 minutes.

I-I have to catch a bus
for Cleveland this evening.

Oh, Mr. Burns, those
busses run every half hour.

I happen to know.

Now, I simply
will not put up with

this drip, drip,
drip another night.

All right.

I'll try and fix it.

Be right up.

And now we return
to the second half of

What's My Name?

Our second category
today is "Lawbreakers."

Ready? Ready? All
right. What's my name?

Now, if you'll
look at our screen

we have some photographic
clues for you. Ready?

I lived in this ordinary town.

I worked in this
ordinary building.

I was brought to trial in
this ordinary courthouse

for the crime of murder.

I was accused and
convicted of killing my wife.

Now, can you tell
me, what's my name?

Well, I'll give
you one final clue:

I am now at large, a fugitive,

and either of you contestants,
and our viewers too,

as far as that's concerned,
can do a great public service

by helping to
bring me to justice.

Give me the police, quick.

Your name and address, please.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.

All right, we'll... Yes, ma'am.

Uh, Luke, I'm
going to call it a day.

If anything turns up
I'll be at home, huh.

Just a minute, please.

A woman thinks the janitor
in her apartment building

is a Dr. Richard Kimble.
Murder one. A fugitive.

Ring any bells?

Where is this?

Who is it?

It's me, Mrs. Keller. Tom Burns.

The faucet you wanted
fixed. Where is it?

U-Uh, I, uh...

I changed my mind. It stopped.

You mean it stopped dripping?

Yes, yes. I-I changed my mind.

Well, Mrs. Keller,
what is the matter?

Nothing the matter with me.
Just keep away from me. Please.

No, please, what is the matter?

Just keep away, that's all.
Just keep away or I'll scream.

I'll scream my lungs out!

Car Number 22 to headquarters.
Come in please. Over.

Go ahead, Car 22.

We're at the Walnut
Street address, sergeant.

The woman is very emotional.
The suspect is still at large.

I have a witness here who
can assist with identification.

Request instructions. Over.

Roger, 22.

Units 9 and D-5 are on the way.

Is the suspect in the building?

I don't think so, sergeant.

Unit 22 stand by for assistance.

Units 9 and D-5. Code 6.

Call the county, call the
state. Request cooperation.

Order all off-duty
men to report at once.

Try to seal off the area
first, and then the town.

Cover the bus depot, the
train depot and the taxi service.

Take this over
to the duplicator.

Run off some copies.

Take one over to Walnut
Street for identification.

Now, call the
local radio station.

Take a copy of Kimble's
picture over to the TV station.

Ask the TV people
if they'll run his mug

on the air every
chance that they get.

Got all that, Luke? Yes, sir.

You going over to Walnut Street?

No, it's 5:00, I'll
go get some dinner.

Dinner? Now?

Just over at the Burger House.

I always work better
when my stomach's full.

Dan, is that you?

Uh, no, ma'am.

Oh, forgive me. I thought
you were someone else.

I need a little help.
Would you mind?

I didn't mean to startle you. I
guess I came in the wrong way.

I'm Claire Whittaker.
Do I know you?

Oh, I don't think so, I'm, uh...

What's your name?

Uh, Phil. Mead. Phil Mead.

Claire?

Where are you?

Here I am, Dan.

All right, Claire.

Just walk toward my voice.

It's all right, Dan. There's
someone here to help me.

Who's there?

I am, sir.

This is Mr. Mead.

Or is it Dr. Mead?

No.

You're not a student.

Your voice is too mature.

So you must be from the
Good Neighbor Society.

Mr. Mead? Yes, sir.

I want you to let her
do most of it by herself.

Don't hang onto her.

Just stay with her.

Be sure she doesn't fall.

Oh, Dan, for heaven's
sake, stop directing traffic.

You have to learn, Claire.

We all did.

He asks the continued
cooperation of the public

and feels confident
that the fugitive

will be in custody by nightfall.

You're not helping
her, are you, Mead?

No, sir. Just walking along.

I know I irritate
Claire Whittaker,

but she'll be a lot
better off, by George,

once she learns to
move around by herself.

An idle person's going to
waste away, it seems to me.

So I take it on myself to
try and keep folks busy here.

Come on, I'll show you.

Oh, who's this?

Mrs. Ferguson. Mr. Mead.

Where are you?

I'm right here, Mr. Brady. Oh.

Now, Mr. Mead, that's,
uh, that's Mrs. Ferguson.

Regardless of the noise I make,

it's really Mr. and Mrs.
Ferguson who run the place.

Mr. Mead is down from Cleveland.

Oh. Good Neighbor
Society. You alone?

Phil Mead, we're
going to call him Phil.

Mr. Brady, you call my husband,

and he'll show this
gentleman to the guest room.

Say, I can do that.

Guest room's right next to mine.

Come on, Phil.

I'll, uh... I'll show you.

Poor old Mrs. Ferguson,

I'm afraid we run
her half to death.

Tell the truth,
her husband is...

Well, he's a little
slow. Not much help.

If I wanted to watch
television later on?

Well, uh, now, I'm,
uh... I'm sorry, Phil.

There's not a... Not
a set in the house.

Now, there's one room on
the right and two on the left.

The guest room is
the second... Mr. Mead.

Miss Whittaker has some
letters she wants to write.

Would you go up and help her?

I'm needed in the kitchen.

Say, that's good.

Claire Whittaker
needs a little excitement.

I think you made an impression.

Want me to show you the way?

Well, no. I know how
to get there. Thank you.

Well, Luke, what's new?

The mayor's in your office.

I see his car outside.

Hello, mayor.

Barney, where have you been?

Didn't the sergeant tell you?

I was having dinner.

At a time like this? With
a killer loose in town?

When I got hungry,
Otis, I have to eat.

Don't you realize that
your position in this town

is only temporary until that
council meeting tomorrow?

Sure, sure, sure.

And half the members still
feel we ought to promote

one of the local
officers to the job.

Good idea.

Barney, I went way out
on a limb to bring you here.

Way out on a limb.

If you don't want the
job, why did you come?

I do want the job.

Then you'd better
start acting it.

Imagine what it would
do to my prestige here

if you let me down.

Stop worrying.

Stop worrying?

You get out there and
find that killer, Kimble,

and then I'll stop worrying.

Otis, I'm not running
a Wild West show.

I'm running a police department.

The machinery I've set in motion

is far more efficient
than any one man.

Do you understand that?

All right, I understand it.

Barney, why aren't
you out there?

Dan Brady wouldn't have
sat there. He couldn't have.

Dan Brady would have
been out there with his men.

I am not Dan Brady.

Therefore, I,
uh, think it better

to face the fact
that Dr. Jorgensen

is a disappointing and,
uh, obstinate old man.

I ask you again,
Ruth, to accept my fate,

as I have done.

Your loving sister, Claire.

That'll fix her. Heh.

That's, uh, Claude Jorgensen.

He's supposed to
be one of the best.

Oh, now don't you start being
full of hope and cheer, Phil.

I like you just the way you are.

What else?

Nothing.

How about some music?

Phonograph?

I never use the silly thing.

Why not? There's nothing
wrong with your ears.

I, uh, I can't read labels or
find switches with my ears.

Well, then get someone
to help you or find a system.

Why should I settle for that?

What do you mean, "settle"?

Phil, either you
see or you don't.

I don't and I never will again.

I have to be a burden
in essential things.

I've adjusted to that.

But I've never asked anyone
for anything I didn't need.

All right.

You're not going?

You don't need me.

Phil?

Phil?

Well, good evening, Mr. Mayor.

Hi, Mrs. Ferguson,

I'd like to see Dan Brady.

Thank you.

Mayor, right in here.

Dan, I've got to talk to you.

I don't suppose you know
what's taking place in town.

You've got no TV sets in here.

Remember a thing called radio?

My transistor keeps me in touch.

Oh, well, then you do know?

Dan, this town is
in the grip of fear.

Oh, come on, Otis.

If this killer isn't
caught... I know. I know...

If he's not apprehended.

Well, you can just imagine

what that will do to
my reputation as mayor.

Why come to me with it?

Dan, you kept law and
order here for over 30 years.

Folks still talk of Chief Brady.

Always will.

They respect you. And so do I.

Now, I-I need your advice.

Maybe your influence.

I thought maybe if
you'd go on the TV

and say a word
or two about, uh...

Don't be foolish.

You've got your Chief of
Police. This Barney Vilattic.

He's a college man.

He's only temporary chief, Dan.

Well, put him on the TV.

Let him make an
educated statement.

All I've got is 38
years' experience.

Experience doesn't
count anymore.

Dan, please, at
a time like this...

If Kimble isn't caught before
the council meeting tomorrow,

I'm gonna look
like a doggone fool

when I ask them to make
Vilattic permanent Chief of Police.

And suppose you... You
just make a statement.

T-That one of the reporters,

or one of the announcers
could read. Just to...

give the folks confidence.

Yeah, I'll make a statement.

I lost my eyes performing
my duty to this town

and you gave me a tin medal
and put me out to pasture.

I'm blind, Otis. Blind.

I'm still a better man than
you or your Barney Vilattic.

I want to place a call to
the Good Neighbor Society

up in Cleveland.

Oh, Mr. Mead?
Dinner's in 10 minutes.

Will you tell the others?

Say, Phil?

W-What's your secret, Phil?

What do you mean by "secret"?

Why you're the first person
who ever got Claire Whittaker

to play that phonograph.

How did you do it?

Well, I don't know,
but it's no secret.

Oh, you're like all the rest.

No. I take that back.

Everybody the Good Neighbor
Society sends down here is nice,

but you're a little different.

By golly, I wish we
could keep you here.

Well, you know, I have,
uh, other work to do.

I'd like to come
back, of course.

Oh, sure. I know.

But you are going to
stay overnight, aren't you?

Well, no, I hadn't
planned to, Mr. Brady.

Well, would it... Would it
put you out a lot to stay?

I'll tell you why.

You got through to
Claire Whittaker...

Well, I... Yes, you
did. Yes, you did.

And we've got
another resident here,

a young schoolteacher.

I wish you'd have a
try at reaching him.

He was blinded in
a highway accident.

Driving a school bus.

Two youngsters were killed.

The whole thing was
investigated and he was cleared.

Absolutely cleared.

He's the only person alive who
doesn't believe he's innocent.

And he never comes
out of his room.

Mr. Brady, I am
not a psychiatrist.

Well, just talk to him.

See how he feels.

Go on. Knock on
the door. Knock on it.

Bob?

Bob?

This is Phil.

Phil Mead from the
Good Neighbor Society.

Bob Sterne, Phil.

Mind if we come in?

Yes, I mind.

Uh, well, uh...

Mrs. Ferguson wanted me
to tell you that dinner is ready.

Thank you.

It was nice meeting you.

Oh, now, don't be rude, Bob.

Phil's heard about you from
some of the other Good Neighbors

who visited here, and, well,

he's just interested in
learning about your accident

and seeing if he can help you.

He can't help.

He can just get out of here.

We all know you were innocent.

There's no reason on Earth

for you to keep on
hiding in this room.

Mr. Brady, I think...

Well, there were
24 kids on that bus.

He saved 22 of them.

He went back into it four
times while it was on fire.

- And in spite of that...
- Mr. Brady,

I think you better leave.

Well, okay, Phil.

Try to talk some sense to him.

I'm, uh, sorry.

Thank you.

Can I help you to dinner?

Dinner is served.
Dinner, everyone.

Dinner, Mr. Mead.

Dinner, Bob.

Who's that tray for?

Mrs. Whittaker always
has her tray in her room.

Uh, I'll take it.
Save you the trip.

Well, thank you,
Phil, but don't bother.

I'm coming down
for dinner tonight.

By yourself?

Of course, by
myself. Don't be silly.

One step at a time, Claire.

Slow and easy.

Come on, Claire,
you can make it.

I always knew you could.

Do hush.

Leave me alone.

Leave me alone.

Come on, Claire,
you can make it.

Be still.

I want to go back to my room.

I'll help her.

Mr. Mead?

How is she?

She ate most of her dinner.

She's resting now.

Mr. Mead, I... I wonder
if I could talk to you?

All right. Where?

In... In my room.

Has Mr. Mead
come downstairs yet?

Yes, Mrs. Ferguson.

He says Claire's
fine now. Resting.

I hope the Good
Neighbors send him back.

He's a good one.

Mr. Mead, you, uh... You
know I'm not blind, don't you?

Yes.

Well, you're the only
one who does know.

I... was afraid
you'd tell Brady.

Why should I?

He told you about the accident?

You heard what he told me.

The accident was my fault.

He said it wasn't.

He doesn't know.

It was, uh... It was
after a football game.

It was... It was very cold.

It was a very, very
cold afternoon.

And I had a couple
of drinks of whiskey.

I had, uh, two drinks
to w-warm myself up.

Were you in control of yourself?

I thought so.

But I never drunk
much in my life.

I couldn't avoid the wreck.

Well, did it come out
at the investigation?

No.

Well, Bob, if, um,

you think you're
to blame, confess.

Ease your conscience.

Oh, have I ever tried
to tell myself that.

Have I ever tried, but I...

But everyone
thinks you're blind?

Yeah.

After the, uh...
After the accident,

I-I was burned.
Shocked, I guess.

But later in the hospital

my sight started to come back.

One thing I could always see

were those two kids
trapped in the back of the bus.

And I never wanted to
see again and I still don't.

I just want to be left alone.

To suffer with your guilt?

Look, Bob, you've got
to make up your mind.

Do you want to be punished, or
do you want to be worshipped?

What do you mean?

Well, it's nice to be a hero,

but you may have to give that
up to ease your conscience.

You might have to give it up.

Phil?

Yes?

He opened up to you, didn't he?

Well, we talked,
Mr. Brady, uh...

Say, if we could just
keep you here a while

it would do us all a
lot of good. I know it.

I thought I'd
take a little walk.

Oh, good. Good.
I'll go with you.

I used to really enjoy
an evening walk.

Unhappy with the
negative results

of the expensive
all-night manhunt.

So with the council
meeting this afternoon

to vote on his
permanent appointment,

an hour of reckoning approaches

for acting Chief
Barney Vilattic.

Who is it?

Hello, Dan.

Barney Vilattic.

Well. Well, well, well.

Dan, I've got a problem.

Get to it.

I'd like to take a look
around this place.

Officially? Yes.

Get out of here.

If I could get permission

I won't need a warrant.

Permission not
granted. You hear that?

Look for what?

Oh, come on now, Dan. I
know you've got a radio there.

You know who I'm looking for.

He's got to hide where
he can't be recognized.

Everybody in town has seen
his face on the TV screen.

This house doesn't
have a TV set, right?

You're insulting my intelligence
with your questions, sonny.

I'm not accusing anybody, Dan.

He might be hiding
on the grounds.

You're grasping
at straws, Vilattic.

Why anyone would
pick you to fill my shoes

is more than I can figure.

I'm not trying to
fill your shoes.

You're through, sonny.

I want you to know that.

For 38 years I've laid my
life on the line for this town.

No one has given
more to these people.

Don't you think that
everybody knows that, Dan?

Do they? Do they?

Hoodlums, gangsters,
delinquents run wild,

but not in this town.

Do the people really know why?

Because I kept them out.

Do they appreciate
what I did for them?

Look.

That's the price for
keeping this town safe.

Acid in the face by a
couple of hoodlums.

But they're in jail.

I wonder if anyone
remembers who put them there?

Dan, I'm sorry.

But I've got a job to do.
The same as you did once.

Maybe not the same way, but...

All right, if I need a
warrant, I'll come back.

You do that.

While you're
searching this house

the city council
will be meeting.

You do your job the
best way you know how

and we'll let the council decide

what kind of law enforcement
they need in this town.

Yours or mine.

I guess I should get downstairs.

You're coming back?

Sure.

May I say something?

Go ahead.

Last night when I fell down
the stairs I was humiliated.

But I... I will try again.

Oh, Mr. Mead.

I have some things
to do, Mrs. Ferguson.

Yes, but did you
see Mrs. Whittaker?

I called and called.

Well, she's up in
her room resting.

At least she was 10 minutes ago.

She's gone.

She's never done this before.

Well, she'll go just so far
and then she'll wait for help.

What's going on?

Oh, Miss Whittaker's missing,
Mr. Brady, but we'll find her.

Oh, let me help. No.
You stay put, Mr. Brady.

Mr. Mead and I can see.

But your husband, he can see.

He's off doing errands.

I'll get Cook to help us.

We'll find her.

Well, she can't
go very far alone.

Who else is in the room?

Oh, I don't...

Come on, you could go and help
them look for her, couldn't you?

I don't know what you mean.

Are we alone?

I-I guess so. I... You know so.

You're not blind, Bob.

I've tested you a dozen ways.

Tried to bump into you,
you always sidestepped.

Your eyes were
injured in the wreck,

but your sight came
back. Am I right?

Have you told anyone else?

Why should I spoil your fun?

You condemned yourself, boy.

If you didn't enjoy
your punishment,

you could put an end to it.

You don't know
what it's like. All right.

You don't know
what it's like. All right.

We'll argue about that later.

You ever listen
to your radio? No.

Do you know about the manhunt?

I'm going to tell you
who they're looking for.

Phil Mead is no more
Phil Mead than I am.

I called the Good
Neighbor Society.

They never heard of him.

I say that he's
Dr. Richard Kimble,

a fugitive and a murderer.

I don't believe that.

Our whole police force,
Mr. Acting Chief Vilattic,

state and county
reinforcements, combing the town,

and blocking the roads,
costing the town a fortune.

And they can't find him.

And I've got him.

I've got him.

Well, if it's true,
um... I mean...

Why don't you stop pretending
and call the real police?

The real police?

Until they find somebody
that measures up to me,

here, I am the real police.

All I need to prove
it is your eyes.

Here. Take this.

Take it or you'll go to jail

for helping a
criminal to escape.

Put it in your belt.

Put it in.

Out.

Mrs. Whittaker.
Claire. Where are you?

Phil, help me!

Didn't you hear us calling?

I was lost.

Yes, I could hear,
but I was lost.

I was so alone.

Well, you're all
right now. Come on.

Come on, let go.

Come on.

You can make it.

Oh, no. No. Hold onto me.

Well, you're either
totally blind and helpless,

or you're sliding down banisters
and running through the garden.

I don't need your opinion,
Mr. Mead, of anything I do.

Well, then, you don't
need me to hold on to.

No. Yes! Phil.

It's not that far, Claire.

Phil, please.

Come on, Claire.

Mind your own business, Dan.

Phil Mead is a pernicious man.

He makes people do their
best, in spite of themselves.

Come here, mister.

I want to shake your hand.

Yes, sir, you've done
wonders for Claire.

And for Bob here
too. Even for me.

You're no amateur,
are you, Mr. Mead.

No, sir, you're no amateur.

You even had me
fooled, Dr. Kimble.

And that is saying something.

And I don't want to spoil
what you did for Claire.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to leave you
here quietly with Bob.

Look, Bob, I...

You are the one they're
looking for, aren't you?

Yes, I am. Brady
says you're a killer.

Well, there was a killing.

I was convicted. I couldn't
prove my innocence

and I still can't.

There's a station wagon
down in the garage.

He wants me to take
you downtown with him.

Luke?

It's Dan Brady.

Has that council meeting
started yet? Next door?

Yeah, chief, about
10 minutes ago.

Well, I want you to break
it up and I'll tell you how.

Send in one of the boys

to Mayor Penfield
with a message.

All right, what is it?

Tell him Dan Brady
has something to say

about who's going to be
the new Chief of Police.

Tell him to bring
Mr. Vilattic over there

and meet me in the office.

And tell him I'm
bringing in a prisoner:

Dr. Richard Kimble.

Put a doctor in a doctor's shoes

and he's bound to sound
and act and smell like a doctor.

This Vilattic fella
dropped the ball

because computers
don't have instinct.

There isn't a man in
this state with the instinct

to do this job as
well as I can do it.

Today, even blind.

You know what he's
thinking about right now, son?

Escape.

The break he intends to try.

Be careful.

Convicted.

But you're innocent.

I wasn't even tried,
and you know what?

You're the lucky one.

No matter what
happens to anyone else,

try to straighten
out your life, Bob.

Get rid of some of that guilt.

That is right, sheriff.

We're calling off all
roadblocks as of now.

Yes. Yes, I have
notified the state.

Right, sheriff.

Thank you.

Well, that ends that expense.

I hope for your sakes
Dan Brady isn't...

Dan Brady doesn't play games.

All right, Bob.

Now handcuff the prisoner to me.

Mr. Mayor, they're here.

Barney, I think
you did your best.

And you know I was for you.

Maybe you'd like to stay on

as assistant or something

while you learn the
ways of this community.

Well, this puts Dan Brady
where he belongs, I guess.

Right back in the driver's seat.

Gentlemen.

Who's here?

We're all here, Dan.

Gentlemen, I've been a fool.

No, sheriff, he won't keep
the car. He knows it's too hot.

Yes, I have alerted
the state patrol.

Yes, I know he could
possibly be out of the city

or the county, or...

Yes, sheriff.

Yes, I know I did.

I made a mistake.

Thank you.

Well, boys, let's get back
to the council chamber

and make this
appointment official.

Congratulations, chief.

Shall we?

Vilattic...

I used to be good
at giving orders.

Not so good at apologizing.

I can also follow orders,
if you ever need my help.

Dan, let's talk.

Sergeant Eggins.

Sergeant, send
some coffee in here.

Book that young man
on a charges of aiding

and abetting a felon's escape.

Yes, sir.

Free once again,

with the rootless
freedom of the hunted.

Anonymous in a world
in which he must dread

the sound of his own name.

Richard Kimble continues.

Running. Searching.

A fugitive.