The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979): Season 2, Episode 11 - The Mystery of the Silent Scream - full transcript
A deaf girl in Las Vegas sees a man on a call and reads his lips about bombs at a hotel. She and a friend tell the manager who doesn't believe her. Joe and Frank try to help them. The man realizes she can identify him so she is in...
Frank, what is so exciting behind
us? Las Vegas is in front of us.
You ran us off the road this
afternoon, you know that?
You didn't stop. You didn't
wait to see if we were all right.
She can't hear you.
She's deaf.
I've got that casino
wired up real good.
And they'll never
find the bombs.
You were hot tonight,
Jesse.
I've got some special
performances lined up for this week.
NARRATOR:
Tonight on the Hardy Boys,
The Mystery
of the Silent Scream.
(IN FAKE ASIAN ACCENT)
She will wear beautiful kimono.
She will smile at you.
You will give her much money.
She is our cashier.
Thank you.
Listen. If we're still
in love...
If we're still in love
when this show is over,
I'll do a James Mason for you that
will absolutely stun you, you know.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you
You are wonderful. I love you.
And take care of each other.
Thank you very much.
What are they like?
Stuffed dummies,
and your singing
will put them to sleep.
That's what I like about
you, Jesse. You're all heart.
ANNOUNCER: The Seville Hotel
is proud to present Julio Ramirez.
(SINGING LA BAMBA)
WOMAN ON PA:
Telephone call for Mr. Walters.
Mr. Walters, please.
Telephone call
for Miss Nelson.
Miss Nelson, please.
Give me a marker
for 100.
No credit, Jesse.
Now, you know that.
You just put your job on the
line, buddy. Do you know that?
I'm the main attraction
here in this hotel.
You think all these people come
here to see that washed up singer?
Well, do you?
They come to gamble.
No credit. Sorry, Jesse.
He could have 100
tonight. It was a good house.
Whatever you say,
Mr. Chandler. It's your casino.
Forget it.
You were hot tonight,
Jesse.
Yeah, well, I've got some special
performances lined up for this week.
Telephone call for
Mr. Rafferty. Mr. Rafferty, please.
Las Vegas. The glitter, the
excitement. I think I'm ready for it.
Yeah, but is Las Vegas
ready for you?
It's a good question.
I could take the place
by storm.
You know, I was thinking, maybe I
should audition for one of those lounges.
What do you think?
Uh-huh.
Why bother with a lounge? I'd say I was
ready for the main showroom, wouldn't you?
Uh-huh.
JOE: I hear Julio Ramirez's
on his last legs.
They're looking
for a replacement.
Someone young with style,
excitement, you know.
I'd say I'm their man,
wouldn't you?
Wouldn't you say that, Frank?
Frank.
Frank!
Uh-huh.
Should have taped
this conversation
to use against him
at a later date.
Frank, what is so exciting behind
us? Las Vegas is in front of us.
Hold on.
You all right?
I'm still here.
I've been watching that car for over two
miles, weaving in and out of the traffic.
Someone's certainly in
a hurry to get to Vegas.
Well, if they keep driving like that,
they aren't going to get to Las Vegas.
Did you get a look at
who was driving?
No, but I caught the girl
in the passenger's seat.
She was so cute I decided
to forgive them both.
How could you tell? They
went by at 90 miles an hour.
You could tell.
Yes, I know you're excited.
I'm excited, too.
Calm down.
We'll get there.
If I drive any faster, I will
beat the police helicopter,
never mind the patrol cars.
Will you just be quiet
for five minutes?
I've never known anyone
who talked so much.
I know you can't help it.
I'm excited, too.
We're gonna
have a great time.
Fill it!
Okay.
And check under the hood.
Yes, sir.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Fill it up, please. As soon
as I'm done here, ma'am.
Do you have any soft drinks?
Yes. Right over there.
Everything is all set and
it's gonna work like a dream.
Nothing is gonna go wrong because I'm
going to make sure that nothing goes wrong.
I've got that casino
wired up real good.
And they'll never
find the bombs.
(INAUDIBLE)
(HORN HONKING)
SALLY: I'm coming,
I'm coming!
You're the most impatient
girl I've ever known.
What's the damage?
Five even. 7.2 gallons.
(CAR STARTING)
What's the matter? You know
you're not supposed to drive.
What's the matter with you?
(TIRES SQUEALING)
Alicia, what in the world
is going on?
What happened
at the gas station?
Alicia,
you've got to tell me.
Look out!
(HORN HONKING)
She did it again.
It's the same car.
Twice in an hour
is just too much!
I think I got
the license number.
Good. When we get to Vegas,
we're going to track those two down.
JOE: It's XJQ 492.
It's a red Firebird.
Any luck? No, not yet.
They got me on hold here.
Hello. Yeah.
You're kidding.
Okay, thank you
very much. Thank you.
You'll never believe it. They're
staying right here in the hotel.
Bomb? Ladies, I've working
around this town most of my life.
Now, I don't know where you're
from, but believe me Vegas is different.
But...
Please, let me finish.
People lose money here.
They get angry.
And sometimes they fantasize
ways of getting back at the casinos.
But they never come through
with their threats.
And if the authorities were
to follow up on every one,
they wouldn't have time to
write a parking ticket, would they?
Don't worry about
the threats you've heard.
So, please, ladies, while
you're here, enjoy yourselves.
As a matter of fact,
let me give you a couple
of complimentary passes
to our show tonight.
It's guaranteed to relax you,
and it's on the house.
We're not here for your
free passes, Mr. Chandler.
We're here because
we wanted to save lives.
Miss Kline, let me assure you,
there are no lives to save.
Stop worrying. It's going
to work like a charm.
I'm the one who's going to
have to walk in there.
All you have to do is what you are
doing now. Talk on the telephone.
I told you. The door to
the phone booth was closed.
No way she could have
heard me.
I'm sorry
I've been so long.
There's a terrific roulette
wheel in the gift shop.
You think we could put it
in the back of the car?
Come on, let's get
some sun while we still can.
WOMAN ON PA: Telephone
call for Nancy Boston.
Nancy Boston, please.
We've told the hotel manager.
What more can we do?
Excuse me.
Wait a minute.
I want to talk to you.
Don't walk away
from me like that.
You're going to listen
to what I have to say.
You ran us off the road this
afternoon, you know that?
You didn't stop. You didn't
wait to see if we were all right.
I mean, we could have been
really hurt.
What's the matter with you?
Answer me!
Wait.
She can't hear you.
She's deaf.
What?
I'm Sally Kline,
Alicia's cousin.
I'm very sorry for what happened
on the road this afternoon.
Alicia was driving. She's
not supposed to do that.
I couldn't stop her. She
was frightened by something.
I'll be happy to pay
for any damage to the van.
No, it's no trouble.
There's no damage.
I've gotta talk to her,
I've gotta apologize.
You were angry.
I don't blame you.
Alicia will be all right.
I'll tell her what you said.
Frank.
Come on.
The way I way I yelled at her, the way
I told her she was gonna listen to me.
You didn't know. Why don't you
just forget it? Try not to worry about it.
No, but I turned her around.
She looked at me.
I know she must
have been startled, but...
But what?
I really think
she was scared.
(PHONE RINGING)
Jesse Miller.
Yeah, well, make it snappy.
I've got a show
to do tonight, you know.
You need this just as badly
as I do. And your part is easy.
Well, all right. Meet me
backstage and we'll talk later.
Right. Goodbye.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies
and gentlemen, Jesse Miller.
Lieutenant Columbo.
My name is...
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
My name is Lieutenant Columbo.
And I arrest you, Paul Lynde,
for the murder. You are the
murderer, sir, and I'm right.
Because you see, sir,
what gave you away,
a real maharaja winds
his turban from left to right.
Yours was wound
from the right to the left.
Big house tonight.
Not bad.
Come on, you haven't played
to a sold-out house for years.
That's what I like
about you, Phil.
You've got a memory
that doesn't quit.
Look. I got a casino to run.
I need people to gamble.
I pay you
to bring them in.
Listen to them.
Those are my kind of people.
You don't think they came to
listen to that old hack, do you?
Thank you,
you're wonderful.
These jokes go
up and down the strip.
A guy, to his mother, "I don't
wanna go to school today.
"I hate the kids.
I hate the teachers."
And the mother says,
"You will go to school today.
"You're 45 years old.
"And you're the principal.”
Thank you, you're wonderful.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you
very much. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
What's the matter? You run
out of other people's material?
Drop dead!
ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies
and gentlemen, Julio Ramirez.
(SINGING LA BAMBA)
Jesse! Now, look, we've
got to talk Jesse. Not now.
But you said that we... I know
what I said. We'll talk later.
Damn.
Alicia, Alicia.
No, no, no. Don't be scared.
I just wanted to apologize
to you, and tell you how sorry
I am for what happened
this afternoon.
I didn't know.
Anyway, I'd like
to start again.
My name is Joe Hardy.
Maybe you two would like to
join us for the rest of the evening?
Telephone call
for Mr. Worthington.
Mr. Worthington, please.
I'm not such a bad guy
when you get to know me.
My brother, Frank,
will vouch for that.
A little headstrong at times,
but he's not all bad.
I really would like
to talk to you.
This vacation meant
so much to her.
I hated to see
her so disturbed.
Well, my brother
felt responsible.
Why don't we start over
again? I'm Frank Hardy,
and my brother and I, would like to
show you the sights of Las Vegas.
That'd be great.
But don't let your brother
get involved.
Alicia's a vulnerable girl. Sympathy
and pity, she can do without.
Is this your first time
in Las Vegas?
Boy, it's a nice night, huh?
What?
You talk
to me.
Yeah, you're doing
a good job, too.
Does your not talking
bother me?
Does my talking bother you?
Right.
Those were my exact words.
You know that witness
you were worrying about?
Well, you can start
worrying again.
She heard every word
I was saying.
The girl is deaf.
She read my lips.
That's why she took off
the way she did.
Now you pick the girl up
and take her out there.
I'll get Brock to watch her.
He owes me a favor. He doesn't
have to know what it's all about.
I got an idea.
You're going to enjoy this.
Come here. Come.
Alicia.
This is a wishing well.
I need a coin.
Do you have a coin?
Very funny.
That's it?
No, no. It's all right.
That's fine.
Okay.
Come on over here.
Stand like this. What
I want you to do is...
Take the penny.
Throw it over your shoulder
into the fountain,
make a wish.
Got a wish?
Close your eyes. Throw
the coin over your shoulder,
and wish as hard as you can.
Okay, close your eyes.
Terrific.
I almost forgot this. In order for the
wish to come true, you're supposed...
Well, your supposed
to kiss someone.
It's like, it's part of the
procedure, you know.
It seals the wish.
That's my kid brother.
Telephone call for Mr. Jameson.
Mr. Jameson, please.
Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.
Place your bets.
All bets closed.
We're rolling.
Paying 10 black.
That man
was talking about a bomb.
About blowing up the casino.
"They'll do
what we want,
"or we'll blow up every casino
on the strip sky high.
"We're gonna have them
right where we want them."
Would you recognize this
man again if you saw him?
But you could give
a general description.
Height, weight,
coloring, build?
We told the hotel manager.
He didn't seem
concerned at all,
he said this kind of thing
happens all the time.
She says it was real.
Then let's go to the police.
Telephone call for Mr. Simpson.
Mr. Simpson, please.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
MAN: Could I speak
to the manager please?
Yeah, this is the manager.
Mr. Tracy, there's a man sitting at
the roulette table at the front entrance.
He's dressed as a hippie,
wearing glasses.
He's at
the end of the table.
Sounds fascinating. What
do you want me to do about it?
You're gonna make sure
that he wins.
Whatever number that comes up,
you pay him off.
Whether his chips
are on that number or not.
Sure.
The first quarter
million's on the house.
We're not greedy. You can
stop when you get to 100,000.
And just what makes you think
I'm going to do this?
Because if you don't, he's
going to blow up your casino.
Sure he is.
Don't hang up, Mr. Tracy.
And don't let any
security officers near him.
He's carrying
a remote control device
that can touch off any one
of three bombs.
You don't think I'm going
to believe this, do you?
At exactly 11:00 p.m. we'll
give you a demonstration.
Put the rear parking lot on
section 4 on one of those monitors
you have in your office.
Now, don't call the police.
Just tell them
it was some kind of accident.
You use all your clout.
100,000, Mr. Tracy. And then
you let him walk out of there.
What was that?
It came from somewhere
up ahead.
Place your bets, ladies and
gentlemen. Place your bets.
Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.
Call Lieutenant MacKenzie
and tell him
the explosion was an accident.
Engine failure, anything.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is a closed game. Sorry.
Telephone call for Mr. Simpson.
Mr. Simpson, please.
Let him win up to
$100,000 and pay him off.
Yes, sir.
Paying 32 black.
(CROWD CHATTERING)
Paying 36 black.
WOMAN:
He's winning!
Let it ride!
MAN:
Let it ride?
(CROWD CHATTERING EXCITEDLY)
CROUPIER: All bets closed,
wheel rolling.
That car's been totaled.
(CROWD CLAMORING)
WOMAN: And they're still
paying him.
I'll cash in now.
(SIREN WAILING)
What kind of explosion
would have done that?
A deliberate one.
What is it?
What's the matter, Alicia?
What?
That's the man!
That's the man Alicia
overheard talking about the bomb.
Stay with the girls.
What are you doing?
I'll be back.
Where are you going?
That's it? That's all?
I can't give you
any more, Lieutenant.
That's because you didn't
call us in time.
Hey! I couldn't
take the chance.
If there's another bomb
in the casino...
The bomb squad's
checking that out.
I'll see you later.
I'll talk to you later.
Lieutenant,
can we talk to you...
Not now. I can't be...
It's about the explosion
and the man that was here.
We may have an eye-witness
who...
I have a whole casino full of eye-witnesses,
fellas, what are you doing to me?
Lieutenant, this is
Alicia Peterson. She's deaf.
She was in a gas station today and
watched a man in a telephone booth.
She read his lips.
He was talking about
blowing up a casino.
Can you understand
what I'm saying?
Can you describe this guy who was
talking about blowing up the casino?
What'd he look like?
Medium height, not too fat,
not too thin. Dark.
You see, he was wearing glasses
and she couldn't see him clearly.
Let me ask you
something.
Did he have a lot of hair?
Long hair? Dark mustache?
No, short hair.
Short hair?
That's a different guy.
This guy was a hippie.
Kinky hair and a mustache.
You see, losers
like to threaten the casinos.
They like to tell their friends how
they're going to get even with the casinos.
Nine times out of 10 it means
nothing. You understand that?
And what happens
on the 10th time, Lieutenant?
The 10th time, my friend, you
have a night like tonight. Okay?
I told you.
Just like a charm.
Sorry I couldn't talk
to you earlier.
There's just
one loose end.
Take care of that tonight.
Right.
W
X.
Y.
Z.
You're unbelievable.
How did you learn
to read lips so well?
Polishing?
Practicing.
And watching.
Hey, wanna
take a ride downtown?
Look at the lights
or something?
Yeah, you're tired.
Look, we did all we could today.
You feel better about it now, don't you?
Now that you've told
the police? Good.
Well, hello.
What does that mean?
Hi, how are you?
You're learning fast.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I feel good tonight because
I'm a winner.
And I wanna share
that success with all of you.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Look, I don't want you
to worry about anything.
Nobody's gonna hurt you,
you're safe.
How do you say,
"You're beautiful"?
(INAUDIBLE)
Mr. Hardy?
Yes.
About that little matter
we discussed.
I think I found
what you were looking for
on the near side of the
parking lot. Aisle 13, row four.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
What's that all about?
Come on,
I'll show you.
When I was chasing after
whoever it was,
I helped myself to some black
dye from Joe's fingerprint kit
and threw it at the car.
I figured I'd put the
word out to every bellhop
in every casino on the strip
until I found it, starting here.
I guess sometimes you
get lucky. Sometimes.
Hey, what's going on?
Don't hang around
Mr. Miller's car.
If you want to see him,
go to the show.
This is
Jesse Miller's car?
Yeah, that's right.
Now, both of you take off.
Thanks.
Jesse Miller.
I can't believe it.
Why would one of the most
successful comedians on the strip
start ripping off casinos?
Maybe he's not so
successful anymore.
JOE: Frank!
Frank!
Alicia's gone.
I just saw her being taken
away in the back of a car.
Huh?
What?
JOE: It all happened so fast. I
couldn't see the license plate.
That can't be...
I just don't know...
Hey, it's all right.
Lieutenant MacKenzie
is circulating her picture.
We'll find her.
Not one single mention about
the kidnapping. It's insane.
I don't even believe it.
A whole casino's ripped off and there's
not one word about it in the newspapers.
The casino's probably
trying to keep it quiet.
We should have told the
lieutenant about Jesse Miller, Frank.
You really think
he would have believed us?
Why not?
We have proof.
Proof? We do?
Tell me about it.
We saw a car pulling out of the
parking lot and chased after it.
So what? There were a lot
of cars pulling out of the lot.
It doesn't mean
it belonged to the thief.
And Alicia's story about
Miller being the "phone man,”
it wouldn't hold up
for a minute...
Okay, okay, okay, so the
evidence is a little circumstantial.
We've confronted criminals
on that kind of evidence before.
But never someone
like Jesse Miller.
He's admired, respected.
We need proof,
real proof,
before we can go into the police
department and tear down a legend.
Well, we have
to do something, Frank.
We've got to find her.
We will.
Yeah, that's what
you said to Sally last night.
How? Tell me how
we're going to find her.
Take it easy, Joe.
Tell me!
I will,
if you give me a chance.
I'm sorry, I just feel
a little helpless right now.
Well, we're not.
We still have the edge
on the Las Vegas police.
How?
We know who has Alicia.
Twenty fives.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
MAN: Good afternoon,
Mr. Bradshaw.
There's a gentleman sitting at
your black jack table number five,
an elderly gentleman.
You can't mistake him.
Gray hair and a mustache.
You're gonna make sure
that he wins $200,000
no matter what number
he bets on,
or he's going
to blow your casino sky high.
Al right.
I understand.
FRANK: Here it is. Jesse
Miller. Apartment 15B.
If we're wrong about this,
we're gonna be in a lot of trouble.
If we're wrong
about this,
we have no leads
to Alicia at all.
(CROWD CHATTERING)
DEALER:
House pays 18.
WOMAN: And the dealer's
doubling his money!
That's not right!
House pays 15.
MAN:
He doubled him again!
House pays 14.
Joe.
Look at the time this receipt
was stamped last night. 1:00 a.m.
Let's check it out.
This is the gas station.
This is the road to Las Vegas.
That's the road to Los Angeles.
What about this little thread of
road here, where does that go?
That doesn't lead
anywhere.
It was the trail up
to that old mining town.
There were a couple
of bauxite mines up there.
But, well, they've been
deserted since the 1920s.
And what about the town?
Well, what about it?
Is it still there?
For sure,
what's left of it.
That's all
we need to know.
MAN: Hey, did you guys hear
about the Pyramid?
Just got ripped off
for $200,000.
That's what I heard.
Something wild's
happening to this town.
Wild.
What do you think?
I think it's time Lieutenant
MacKenzie put in an appearance
before it's too late.
We'll split,
you take the van.
Okay. Good luck.
Joe, we know
Miller has an accomplice.
Whoever took Alicia
while he was on stage.
And whoever he talked to
from the phone in the garage.
So, be careful.
Aren't I always?
No.
I had a feeling you were
going to say that.
(WOMAN CHATTERING
ON POLICE RADIO)
Young man.
Mr. Miller has asked me to fetch
the contents of his safe deposit box.
And here is the note
authorizing me to do just that.
There.
Thank you very much.
That's it Jesse.
It's all over.
Thank you very much.
You've got style.
I'll tell you that.
Let me ask you
something, Jesse.
Why did you, flat-out, walk
into the casinos the way you did?
Why didn't you just extort
that money over the phone?
Why don't you tell me that?
Because!
This town owes me.
All those creeps
who thought they could
make me crawl, well!
They crawled to me.
And I enjoyed
every minute of it.
Where's the girl,
Miller? Where's Alicia?
You'll never find out.
And if I don't make
a telephone call
in one hour,
she's dead.
(POP MUSIC PLAYING)
Can you stop fidgeting?
You're making me nervous.
Just sit there and be still.
(CLATTERING)
What's that?
I'll be back.
Just stay there.
Who's there?
Don't move.
(THUDDING)
(MAN GRUNTS)
Come on. Come on.
Alicia, was that the man
who brought you here?
Was there
someone else?
Would you recognize him
again if you saw him?
(JULIO SINGING
I BELIEVE IN MUSIC)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Good night,
ladies and gentlemen.
I just want you to know that
these have been the best two weeks
I've ever spent in Las Vegas,
thanks to you. Buenas
noches, good night!
What are you doing here,
Mac? Business, business.
Mr. Ramirez,
I am Lieutenant MacKenzie.
We have Jesse
under arrest.
That's the reason
he didn't go on tonight.
We found out everything.
Do you mind?
Go ahead.
There are police all
throughout the showroom, okay?
But why would a successful
entertainer like Jesse Miller do it?
He owed the casinos a lot.
They owned him.
He would've been working
for them 100 years to pay it off.
I guess he really thought
he could get away with it.
And Julio Ramirez?
Same thing.
Debts. Big ones.
Ones he couldn't afford not to
pay and still stay alive in Vegas.
You remember when you warned
Joe not to get involved with Alicia
because of
her special problems?
Uh-huh.
Well, sometimes he doesn't
take advice too well.
us? Las Vegas is in front of us.
You ran us off the road this
afternoon, you know that?
You didn't stop. You didn't
wait to see if we were all right.
She can't hear you.
She's deaf.
I've got that casino
wired up real good.
And they'll never
find the bombs.
You were hot tonight,
Jesse.
I've got some special
performances lined up for this week.
NARRATOR:
Tonight on the Hardy Boys,
The Mystery
of the Silent Scream.
(IN FAKE ASIAN ACCENT)
She will wear beautiful kimono.
She will smile at you.
You will give her much money.
She is our cashier.
Thank you.
Listen. If we're still
in love...
If we're still in love
when this show is over,
I'll do a James Mason for you that
will absolutely stun you, you know.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you
You are wonderful. I love you.
And take care of each other.
Thank you very much.
What are they like?
Stuffed dummies,
and your singing
will put them to sleep.
That's what I like about
you, Jesse. You're all heart.
ANNOUNCER: The Seville Hotel
is proud to present Julio Ramirez.
(SINGING LA BAMBA)
WOMAN ON PA:
Telephone call for Mr. Walters.
Mr. Walters, please.
Telephone call
for Miss Nelson.
Miss Nelson, please.
Give me a marker
for 100.
No credit, Jesse.
Now, you know that.
You just put your job on the
line, buddy. Do you know that?
I'm the main attraction
here in this hotel.
You think all these people come
here to see that washed up singer?
Well, do you?
They come to gamble.
No credit. Sorry, Jesse.
He could have 100
tonight. It was a good house.
Whatever you say,
Mr. Chandler. It's your casino.
Forget it.
You were hot tonight,
Jesse.
Yeah, well, I've got some special
performances lined up for this week.
Telephone call for
Mr. Rafferty. Mr. Rafferty, please.
Las Vegas. The glitter, the
excitement. I think I'm ready for it.
Yeah, but is Las Vegas
ready for you?
It's a good question.
I could take the place
by storm.
You know, I was thinking, maybe I
should audition for one of those lounges.
What do you think?
Uh-huh.
Why bother with a lounge? I'd say I was
ready for the main showroom, wouldn't you?
Uh-huh.
JOE: I hear Julio Ramirez's
on his last legs.
They're looking
for a replacement.
Someone young with style,
excitement, you know.
I'd say I'm their man,
wouldn't you?
Wouldn't you say that, Frank?
Frank.
Frank!
Uh-huh.
Should have taped
this conversation
to use against him
at a later date.
Frank, what is so exciting behind
us? Las Vegas is in front of us.
Hold on.
You all right?
I'm still here.
I've been watching that car for over two
miles, weaving in and out of the traffic.
Someone's certainly in
a hurry to get to Vegas.
Well, if they keep driving like that,
they aren't going to get to Las Vegas.
Did you get a look at
who was driving?
No, but I caught the girl
in the passenger's seat.
She was so cute I decided
to forgive them both.
How could you tell? They
went by at 90 miles an hour.
You could tell.
Yes, I know you're excited.
I'm excited, too.
Calm down.
We'll get there.
If I drive any faster, I will
beat the police helicopter,
never mind the patrol cars.
Will you just be quiet
for five minutes?
I've never known anyone
who talked so much.
I know you can't help it.
I'm excited, too.
We're gonna
have a great time.
Fill it!
Okay.
And check under the hood.
Yes, sir.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Fill it up, please. As soon
as I'm done here, ma'am.
Do you have any soft drinks?
Yes. Right over there.
Everything is all set and
it's gonna work like a dream.
Nothing is gonna go wrong because I'm
going to make sure that nothing goes wrong.
I've got that casino
wired up real good.
And they'll never
find the bombs.
(INAUDIBLE)
(HORN HONKING)
SALLY: I'm coming,
I'm coming!
You're the most impatient
girl I've ever known.
What's the damage?
Five even. 7.2 gallons.
(CAR STARTING)
What's the matter? You know
you're not supposed to drive.
What's the matter with you?
(TIRES SQUEALING)
Alicia, what in the world
is going on?
What happened
at the gas station?
Alicia,
you've got to tell me.
Look out!
(HORN HONKING)
She did it again.
It's the same car.
Twice in an hour
is just too much!
I think I got
the license number.
Good. When we get to Vegas,
we're going to track those two down.
JOE: It's XJQ 492.
It's a red Firebird.
Any luck? No, not yet.
They got me on hold here.
Hello. Yeah.
You're kidding.
Okay, thank you
very much. Thank you.
You'll never believe it. They're
staying right here in the hotel.
Bomb? Ladies, I've working
around this town most of my life.
Now, I don't know where you're
from, but believe me Vegas is different.
But...
Please, let me finish.
People lose money here.
They get angry.
And sometimes they fantasize
ways of getting back at the casinos.
But they never come through
with their threats.
And if the authorities were
to follow up on every one,
they wouldn't have time to
write a parking ticket, would they?
Don't worry about
the threats you've heard.
So, please, ladies, while
you're here, enjoy yourselves.
As a matter of fact,
let me give you a couple
of complimentary passes
to our show tonight.
It's guaranteed to relax you,
and it's on the house.
We're not here for your
free passes, Mr. Chandler.
We're here because
we wanted to save lives.
Miss Kline, let me assure you,
there are no lives to save.
Stop worrying. It's going
to work like a charm.
I'm the one who's going to
have to walk in there.
All you have to do is what you are
doing now. Talk on the telephone.
I told you. The door to
the phone booth was closed.
No way she could have
heard me.
I'm sorry
I've been so long.
There's a terrific roulette
wheel in the gift shop.
You think we could put it
in the back of the car?
Come on, let's get
some sun while we still can.
WOMAN ON PA: Telephone
call for Nancy Boston.
Nancy Boston, please.
We've told the hotel manager.
What more can we do?
Excuse me.
Wait a minute.
I want to talk to you.
Don't walk away
from me like that.
You're going to listen
to what I have to say.
You ran us off the road this
afternoon, you know that?
You didn't stop. You didn't
wait to see if we were all right.
I mean, we could have been
really hurt.
What's the matter with you?
Answer me!
Wait.
She can't hear you.
She's deaf.
What?
I'm Sally Kline,
Alicia's cousin.
I'm very sorry for what happened
on the road this afternoon.
Alicia was driving. She's
not supposed to do that.
I couldn't stop her. She
was frightened by something.
I'll be happy to pay
for any damage to the van.
No, it's no trouble.
There's no damage.
I've gotta talk to her,
I've gotta apologize.
You were angry.
I don't blame you.
Alicia will be all right.
I'll tell her what you said.
Frank.
Come on.
The way I way I yelled at her, the way
I told her she was gonna listen to me.
You didn't know. Why don't you
just forget it? Try not to worry about it.
No, but I turned her around.
She looked at me.
I know she must
have been startled, but...
But what?
I really think
she was scared.
(PHONE RINGING)
Jesse Miller.
Yeah, well, make it snappy.
I've got a show
to do tonight, you know.
You need this just as badly
as I do. And your part is easy.
Well, all right. Meet me
backstage and we'll talk later.
Right. Goodbye.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies
and gentlemen, Jesse Miller.
Lieutenant Columbo.
My name is...
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
My name is Lieutenant Columbo.
And I arrest you, Paul Lynde,
for the murder. You are the
murderer, sir, and I'm right.
Because you see, sir,
what gave you away,
a real maharaja winds
his turban from left to right.
Yours was wound
from the right to the left.
Big house tonight.
Not bad.
Come on, you haven't played
to a sold-out house for years.
That's what I like
about you, Phil.
You've got a memory
that doesn't quit.
Look. I got a casino to run.
I need people to gamble.
I pay you
to bring them in.
Listen to them.
Those are my kind of people.
You don't think they came to
listen to that old hack, do you?
Thank you,
you're wonderful.
These jokes go
up and down the strip.
A guy, to his mother, "I don't
wanna go to school today.
"I hate the kids.
I hate the teachers."
And the mother says,
"You will go to school today.
"You're 45 years old.
"And you're the principal.”
Thank you, you're wonderful.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you
very much. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
What's the matter? You run
out of other people's material?
Drop dead!
ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies
and gentlemen, Julio Ramirez.
(SINGING LA BAMBA)
Jesse! Now, look, we've
got to talk Jesse. Not now.
But you said that we... I know
what I said. We'll talk later.
Damn.
Alicia, Alicia.
No, no, no. Don't be scared.
I just wanted to apologize
to you, and tell you how sorry
I am for what happened
this afternoon.
I didn't know.
Anyway, I'd like
to start again.
My name is Joe Hardy.
Maybe you two would like to
join us for the rest of the evening?
Telephone call
for Mr. Worthington.
Mr. Worthington, please.
I'm not such a bad guy
when you get to know me.
My brother, Frank,
will vouch for that.
A little headstrong at times,
but he's not all bad.
I really would like
to talk to you.
This vacation meant
so much to her.
I hated to see
her so disturbed.
Well, my brother
felt responsible.
Why don't we start over
again? I'm Frank Hardy,
and my brother and I, would like to
show you the sights of Las Vegas.
That'd be great.
But don't let your brother
get involved.
Alicia's a vulnerable girl. Sympathy
and pity, she can do without.
Is this your first time
in Las Vegas?
Boy, it's a nice night, huh?
What?
You talk
to me.
Yeah, you're doing
a good job, too.
Does your not talking
bother me?
Does my talking bother you?
Right.
Those were my exact words.
You know that witness
you were worrying about?
Well, you can start
worrying again.
She heard every word
I was saying.
The girl is deaf.
She read my lips.
That's why she took off
the way she did.
Now you pick the girl up
and take her out there.
I'll get Brock to watch her.
He owes me a favor. He doesn't
have to know what it's all about.
I got an idea.
You're going to enjoy this.
Come here. Come.
Alicia.
This is a wishing well.
I need a coin.
Do you have a coin?
Very funny.
That's it?
No, no. It's all right.
That's fine.
Okay.
Come on over here.
Stand like this. What
I want you to do is...
Take the penny.
Throw it over your shoulder
into the fountain,
make a wish.
Got a wish?
Close your eyes. Throw
the coin over your shoulder,
and wish as hard as you can.
Okay, close your eyes.
Terrific.
I almost forgot this. In order for the
wish to come true, you're supposed...
Well, your supposed
to kiss someone.
It's like, it's part of the
procedure, you know.
It seals the wish.
That's my kid brother.
Telephone call for Mr. Jameson.
Mr. Jameson, please.
Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.
Place your bets.
All bets closed.
We're rolling.
Paying 10 black.
That man
was talking about a bomb.
About blowing up the casino.
"They'll do
what we want,
"or we'll blow up every casino
on the strip sky high.
"We're gonna have them
right where we want them."
Would you recognize this
man again if you saw him?
But you could give
a general description.
Height, weight,
coloring, build?
We told the hotel manager.
He didn't seem
concerned at all,
he said this kind of thing
happens all the time.
She says it was real.
Then let's go to the police.
Telephone call for Mr. Simpson.
Mr. Simpson, please.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
MAN: Could I speak
to the manager please?
Yeah, this is the manager.
Mr. Tracy, there's a man sitting at
the roulette table at the front entrance.
He's dressed as a hippie,
wearing glasses.
He's at
the end of the table.
Sounds fascinating. What
do you want me to do about it?
You're gonna make sure
that he wins.
Whatever number that comes up,
you pay him off.
Whether his chips
are on that number or not.
Sure.
The first quarter
million's on the house.
We're not greedy. You can
stop when you get to 100,000.
And just what makes you think
I'm going to do this?
Because if you don't, he's
going to blow up your casino.
Sure he is.
Don't hang up, Mr. Tracy.
And don't let any
security officers near him.
He's carrying
a remote control device
that can touch off any one
of three bombs.
You don't think I'm going
to believe this, do you?
At exactly 11:00 p.m. we'll
give you a demonstration.
Put the rear parking lot on
section 4 on one of those monitors
you have in your office.
Now, don't call the police.
Just tell them
it was some kind of accident.
You use all your clout.
100,000, Mr. Tracy. And then
you let him walk out of there.
What was that?
It came from somewhere
up ahead.
Place your bets, ladies and
gentlemen. Place your bets.
Place your bets,
ladies and gentlemen.
Call Lieutenant MacKenzie
and tell him
the explosion was an accident.
Engine failure, anything.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is a closed game. Sorry.
Telephone call for Mr. Simpson.
Mr. Simpson, please.
Let him win up to
$100,000 and pay him off.
Yes, sir.
Paying 32 black.
(CROWD CHATTERING)
Paying 36 black.
WOMAN:
He's winning!
Let it ride!
MAN:
Let it ride?
(CROWD CHATTERING EXCITEDLY)
CROUPIER: All bets closed,
wheel rolling.
That car's been totaled.
(CROWD CLAMORING)
WOMAN: And they're still
paying him.
I'll cash in now.
(SIREN WAILING)
What kind of explosion
would have done that?
A deliberate one.
What is it?
What's the matter, Alicia?
What?
That's the man!
That's the man Alicia
overheard talking about the bomb.
Stay with the girls.
What are you doing?
I'll be back.
Where are you going?
That's it? That's all?
I can't give you
any more, Lieutenant.
That's because you didn't
call us in time.
Hey! I couldn't
take the chance.
If there's another bomb
in the casino...
The bomb squad's
checking that out.
I'll see you later.
I'll talk to you later.
Lieutenant,
can we talk to you...
Not now. I can't be...
It's about the explosion
and the man that was here.
We may have an eye-witness
who...
I have a whole casino full of eye-witnesses,
fellas, what are you doing to me?
Lieutenant, this is
Alicia Peterson. She's deaf.
She was in a gas station today and
watched a man in a telephone booth.
She read his lips.
He was talking about
blowing up a casino.
Can you understand
what I'm saying?
Can you describe this guy who was
talking about blowing up the casino?
What'd he look like?
Medium height, not too fat,
not too thin. Dark.
You see, he was wearing glasses
and she couldn't see him clearly.
Let me ask you
something.
Did he have a lot of hair?
Long hair? Dark mustache?
No, short hair.
Short hair?
That's a different guy.
This guy was a hippie.
Kinky hair and a mustache.
You see, losers
like to threaten the casinos.
They like to tell their friends how
they're going to get even with the casinos.
Nine times out of 10 it means
nothing. You understand that?
And what happens
on the 10th time, Lieutenant?
The 10th time, my friend, you
have a night like tonight. Okay?
I told you.
Just like a charm.
Sorry I couldn't talk
to you earlier.
There's just
one loose end.
Take care of that tonight.
Right.
W
X.
Y.
Z.
You're unbelievable.
How did you learn
to read lips so well?
Polishing?
Practicing.
And watching.
Hey, wanna
take a ride downtown?
Look at the lights
or something?
Yeah, you're tired.
Look, we did all we could today.
You feel better about it now, don't you?
Now that you've told
the police? Good.
Well, hello.
What does that mean?
Hi, how are you?
You're learning fast.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I feel good tonight because
I'm a winner.
And I wanna share
that success with all of you.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Look, I don't want you
to worry about anything.
Nobody's gonna hurt you,
you're safe.
How do you say,
"You're beautiful"?
(INAUDIBLE)
Mr. Hardy?
Yes.
About that little matter
we discussed.
I think I found
what you were looking for
on the near side of the
parking lot. Aisle 13, row four.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
What's that all about?
Come on,
I'll show you.
When I was chasing after
whoever it was,
I helped myself to some black
dye from Joe's fingerprint kit
and threw it at the car.
I figured I'd put the
word out to every bellhop
in every casino on the strip
until I found it, starting here.
I guess sometimes you
get lucky. Sometimes.
Hey, what's going on?
Don't hang around
Mr. Miller's car.
If you want to see him,
go to the show.
This is
Jesse Miller's car?
Yeah, that's right.
Now, both of you take off.
Thanks.
Jesse Miller.
I can't believe it.
Why would one of the most
successful comedians on the strip
start ripping off casinos?
Maybe he's not so
successful anymore.
JOE: Frank!
Frank!
Alicia's gone.
I just saw her being taken
away in the back of a car.
Huh?
What?
JOE: It all happened so fast. I
couldn't see the license plate.
That can't be...
I just don't know...
Hey, it's all right.
Lieutenant MacKenzie
is circulating her picture.
We'll find her.
Not one single mention about
the kidnapping. It's insane.
I don't even believe it.
A whole casino's ripped off and there's
not one word about it in the newspapers.
The casino's probably
trying to keep it quiet.
We should have told the
lieutenant about Jesse Miller, Frank.
You really think
he would have believed us?
Why not?
We have proof.
Proof? We do?
Tell me about it.
We saw a car pulling out of the
parking lot and chased after it.
So what? There were a lot
of cars pulling out of the lot.
It doesn't mean
it belonged to the thief.
And Alicia's story about
Miller being the "phone man,”
it wouldn't hold up
for a minute...
Okay, okay, okay, so the
evidence is a little circumstantial.
We've confronted criminals
on that kind of evidence before.
But never someone
like Jesse Miller.
He's admired, respected.
We need proof,
real proof,
before we can go into the police
department and tear down a legend.
Well, we have
to do something, Frank.
We've got to find her.
We will.
Yeah, that's what
you said to Sally last night.
How? Tell me how
we're going to find her.
Take it easy, Joe.
Tell me!
I will,
if you give me a chance.
I'm sorry, I just feel
a little helpless right now.
Well, we're not.
We still have the edge
on the Las Vegas police.
How?
We know who has Alicia.
Twenty fives.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
MAN: Good afternoon,
Mr. Bradshaw.
There's a gentleman sitting at
your black jack table number five,
an elderly gentleman.
You can't mistake him.
Gray hair and a mustache.
You're gonna make sure
that he wins $200,000
no matter what number
he bets on,
or he's going
to blow your casino sky high.
Al right.
I understand.
FRANK: Here it is. Jesse
Miller. Apartment 15B.
If we're wrong about this,
we're gonna be in a lot of trouble.
If we're wrong
about this,
we have no leads
to Alicia at all.
(CROWD CHATTERING)
DEALER:
House pays 18.
WOMAN: And the dealer's
doubling his money!
That's not right!
House pays 15.
MAN:
He doubled him again!
House pays 14.
Joe.
Look at the time this receipt
was stamped last night. 1:00 a.m.
Let's check it out.
This is the gas station.
This is the road to Las Vegas.
That's the road to Los Angeles.
What about this little thread of
road here, where does that go?
That doesn't lead
anywhere.
It was the trail up
to that old mining town.
There were a couple
of bauxite mines up there.
But, well, they've been
deserted since the 1920s.
And what about the town?
Well, what about it?
Is it still there?
For sure,
what's left of it.
That's all
we need to know.
MAN: Hey, did you guys hear
about the Pyramid?
Just got ripped off
for $200,000.
That's what I heard.
Something wild's
happening to this town.
Wild.
What do you think?
I think it's time Lieutenant
MacKenzie put in an appearance
before it's too late.
We'll split,
you take the van.
Okay. Good luck.
Joe, we know
Miller has an accomplice.
Whoever took Alicia
while he was on stage.
And whoever he talked to
from the phone in the garage.
So, be careful.
Aren't I always?
No.
I had a feeling you were
going to say that.
(WOMAN CHATTERING
ON POLICE RADIO)
Young man.
Mr. Miller has asked me to fetch
the contents of his safe deposit box.
And here is the note
authorizing me to do just that.
There.
Thank you very much.
That's it Jesse.
It's all over.
Thank you very much.
You've got style.
I'll tell you that.
Let me ask you
something, Jesse.
Why did you, flat-out, walk
into the casinos the way you did?
Why didn't you just extort
that money over the phone?
Why don't you tell me that?
Because!
This town owes me.
All those creeps
who thought they could
make me crawl, well!
They crawled to me.
And I enjoyed
every minute of it.
Where's the girl,
Miller? Where's Alicia?
You'll never find out.
And if I don't make
a telephone call
in one hour,
she's dead.
(POP MUSIC PLAYING)
Can you stop fidgeting?
You're making me nervous.
Just sit there and be still.
(CLATTERING)
What's that?
I'll be back.
Just stay there.
Who's there?
Don't move.
(THUDDING)
(MAN GRUNTS)
Come on. Come on.
Alicia, was that the man
who brought you here?
Was there
someone else?
Would you recognize him
again if you saw him?
(JULIO SINGING
I BELIEVE IN MUSIC)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Good night,
ladies and gentlemen.
I just want you to know that
these have been the best two weeks
I've ever spent in Las Vegas,
thanks to you. Buenas
noches, good night!
What are you doing here,
Mac? Business, business.
Mr. Ramirez,
I am Lieutenant MacKenzie.
We have Jesse
under arrest.
That's the reason
he didn't go on tonight.
We found out everything.
Do you mind?
Go ahead.
There are police all
throughout the showroom, okay?
But why would a successful
entertainer like Jesse Miller do it?
He owed the casinos a lot.
They owned him.
He would've been working
for them 100 years to pay it off.
I guess he really thought
he could get away with it.
And Julio Ramirez?
Same thing.
Debts. Big ones.
Ones he couldn't afford not to
pay and still stay alive in Vegas.
You remember when you warned
Joe not to get involved with Alicia
because of
her special problems?
Uh-huh.
Well, sometimes he doesn't
take advice too well.