Picture Snatcher (Warner Bros.) (1933)

Pegs (5H CRACKLING “PICTURE SNATCHER” SKETCH FOR A 10-MINUTE PROGRAM if you are already taking time on the air, this sketch will be your best bet for fan publicity. If you are not— begin with this graphic playlet assured of gratifying results. Members of your local dramatic society will take hours. parts. If not, artists at the station will play them, or members of your own staff. You will of course be sure that the time used does not interfere with your theatre SEVEN CHARACTERS DANNY, ex-convict ‘‘picture snatcher.”’ McLEAN, city editor scandal sheet. JERRY, Danny’s former gangster pal. of LEO, another the gang. GROVER, head of photographic staff. REPORTER, bloid. member of on the _ ta ALLISON, amorous sob-sister. Station Routine Announcement followed by ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, it is our privilege for the next few minutes to entertain you with flashes of the exciting action and dialogue of “Picture Snatcher,” the Warner Bros. production which Theatre next. Starring the dy GOMECS tothe ies tee seecc ree namic chin-chucking James Cagney —the cast also includes Patricia Ellis, Alice White, Ralph Bellamy, Robert E. O’Connor, George Pat Collins, Tom Wilson, Ralf Harolde and Robert Barrat. presents Cagney in what is said to “Picture Snatcher” be his most perfect vehicle, offering an opportunity for all the roughneck, riotous, hilarious, blonde-bait wax tah 2 wien me 1s famous, ine antiea fa» a gE and then some. A brief summary of the events leading up to the opening scene of the broadcast will now be presented to you by Mr. (name or his repre of theatre manager sentative). NARRATOR: Thank you (name of announcer). Danny, a youthful gang leader, has just returned to the city after doing a stretch in Sing Sing. He has decided to go straight and his big ambition is to get on a newspaper as reporter. His former pals meet his as he arrives and he accompanies them back to the old hangout, where they have planned a big celebration, with wine, all the thrown in, for good measure. Jerry, Leo and the rest present Danny with his share of their last hold-up women, and trimmings job before he was sent up. Jerry is speaking: JERRY: There’s the old throne, Danny ... and in this desk drawer here is something we’ve had in a vault for you . .. Old envelope’s pretty fat... hey boy? And here’s the wad! Count it! Your share of that last job we were in on... plus ... three years’ interest ... and listen, kid... up on a new job... we’ve just been we’re all lined waiting for you to get out... DANNY: Hold it a minute, Jerry, I’ve got a few things to say, too. I don’t know how yow’re going foMtakee it. 5 and it stands... give thanks... “ou .. quitting! (Murmur anyway... us-aCigarette .< see...Im. ing of disapproval) I’m going what . legitimate! sickly laugh) . what’s it all you guys call.. LEO: (With a Quit stalling, kid. . about? DANNY: Ever been in the stir, Leo? LEO: No. DANNY: You, Jerry? Page Fourteen se [iis voice ott). So long, fellows... but I’m saying it], . JERRY: No, and they’ll never send me there, either. DANNY: Well, I’ve been there and I ain’t going back. See this. | Some leg, huh? These are bullet holes. See these mitts. These are blisters and from swinging a sledge on a rock pile. And Ill tell you something else, Jerry, half of my scars belong to you. We were both in the same spot. You took it on the run and left me holding the sack. That’s the last rap I ever take for anybody. JERRY: You ain’t cracking that I turned canary on you, Danny? DANNY: Take it or leave it. You heard what I said and I don’t want no arguments ... I’m washed up. So I’ll pocket this wad, see. I’m taking my cut, because I earned it. DANNY: Don’t you remember? I took you to the baseball game... and through the garden remember you liked the geraniums? | McLEAN: (Surprised) Me? DANNY: Sure. Then we went through the shirt factory. McLEAN: Say! Where was this? | DANNY: Sing Sing. McLEAN: (Alertly). Oh, Sing Sing! 2 DANNY: You gave me this letWON ses (Sounds of phones ringing, ete., as ‘McLean reads). McLEAN: Oh, sure. . Kean, I remember now . . can I do for you, Danny? DANNY: reporter .. . Danny what I want a job here as a McLEAN: But you’re not a reporter. DANNY: I didn’t say I was, Mr. McLean. All I want is a chance. I know I’ve got what it takes. McLEAN: But this isn’t a mob, Danny. You don’t write with what it takes. You’ve got to carry the dictionary in your head ... you’ve (Silence as he moves toward door. LEO: (Sarecastically) What you gonna do? Open a flower shop? DANNY: (Again. nearer the mike) I’m going to do something I been wanting to do all my life... (Rather excited) This letter here. . I got from a newspaper guy when I was up in the stir... he’s going to give me a job... JERRY: (Sarcastically) Working at what? DANNY: Being a newspaper reporter on the Graphic News. LEO: (With a laugh) That’s no newspaper . that lives off dirty pictures... DANNY: (On the defensive) It’s a job on the up and up just the same. LEO: The other papers don’t think so. I got a cousin in the linotype business on the Herald and he says they and the rest of the big papers have been trying to put the Graphic News out of business for years... it gives journalism a black eye. DANNY: But they’re still in business. And I’m just smart enough to think I can be their star reporter. JERRY: Ever Morgue? hear of the DANNY: What was that crack? JERRY: Don’t get excited... I mean the Morgue on a newspaper ... you know ... where they file away all the old pictures and stuff... DANNY: I don’t like the word . and if you want to be a smart guy, Jerry. I wouldn’t use it when I’m around, see? Well .. . (voice off) be good... (Music and voice of Narrator). NARRATOR: Young Danny leaves the disgruntled gang and hotfoots it to the editorial offices of the Graphic News. He is standing before the man who wrote him the letter, after a visit to Sing Sing... McLean, the city editor. It is a ‘scene of wild commotion, phones ringing, boys rushing in and out. Danny is speaking: . it’s a tenth rate rag) got to know people... $< e, "DANNY: I know every mug and cop in this town. McLEAN: That’s the trouble. We can’t use notorious characters around here ... except... on page one. DANNY: (Pleadingly) It ain’t _| dough, Mr. MeLean. I’ve got enough. I only want to show you and myself and the whole world that I can be something beside a gorilla. See, look at this roll I got... NARRATOR: As McLean looks in amazement at Danny’s roll of bills . . . a photographer comes in with a shattered camera, his left sleeve torn out. He is holding his right hand over the arm, blood seeping from between his fingers. With the wounded man is Grover... ruthless head of the paper, McLean comes quickly around his desk to the hurt cameraman, saying sympathetically: | McLEAN: What’s Suthy? the matter, REPORTER: That fireman’s got a shot-gun. I set up my camera in front of the house and he let me have its. McLEAN: Hurt much? I ducked .. . is all. REPORTER: pills in the arm.. . few McLEAN: Forget the picture... lay up in a private hospital, we’ll stand the expense. GROVER: (In gruff tones, off) What do you mean forget the picture? McLEAN: I’m not killing any men for snap-shots, Grover. Beat it home, Suthy . . Listen, Grover. We’ve got the story covered. A fireman goes off duty for the night. There is a two alarm fire in his neighborhood . . . he takes a lift from the hook and ladder only to find it’s his own home and his wife has been burned to death... GROVER: (Snarling) Not to mention her boy friend who was * never mind the picture... | with her. (Voice raised almost to a 'shout) That’s news... and you say . the life blood of this paper is pictures... | McLEAN: (Interrupting) The | dirtiest we can got, GROVER: We serve the public. They demand to see what they read about! McLEAN: Perhaps, but I’m not going to serve them dead reporters. GROVER: That’s your job... I’ve stood about enough from you. You’ve been fired from every job you’ve ever had... no other sheet will have you because of your continual drunkenness! McLEAN: Lay off that, Grover. You’re getting your money’s worth! GROVER: You get a picture of the fireman and one of his wife... or there’ll be a new man in your chair tomorrow! Get that! (His voice off) Hey you, there... DANNY: Mr. McLean. McLEAN: (Surprised, speaking a bit woozily) you here yet? DANNY: (A little excitedly) Let me get that picture of the fireman, Mr. McLean. McLEAN: He’s got a gun... DANNY: That’s where I got the edge on the other guys. I’ve been playing with guns all my life... only don’t tell anybody ... Come on, give me a break... McLEAN: Well... go toit... eae ee your own... (Voice fades into music and then Narrator speaks). NARRATOR: 'l'hat’s how Danny’s spectacular career on the Graphic News began. It has led to the impossible assignment of getting a picture of an execution in the death house at Sing Sing. Will he get it? Can he? It never has been done! McLean, Grover and reporters are in a tense group in the city room... waiting for word. McLean is speaking: McLEAN: (Excitedly) I tell you, we can’t hold the edition much longer. Anyway, how do we know we got anything? Danny never took a good picture in his life... GROVER: But, if he’s got it and it’s good ... think of the blast we can make with it . .. we’ll double our circulation... McLEAN: (Sullenly) All right . all right ... Vl hold it up a few minutes more... but if you ask me, I wouldn’t'run it anyway... GROVER: If Danny gets a picture it’ll be the biggest scoop in the history of our paper... McLEAN: Our What? DANNY: (Off, ment) I GOT IT! GROVER: Lock and cover that door ... slam anybody with a typewriter who tries to come in. DANNY: I told you I’d get it and the old master never Tals; in wild excite McLEAN: (Calmly) That’s what I was afraid of. DANNY: I thought Id die laughing at those cops... GROVER: Leave that for later ... and give up that camera or Tll die ... you'll die... we’ll all die... But listen, kid... it’s gonna rip this little old village wide open... that picture! This is the biggest thing that ever hit us! Get out a plate the size of the master sheet .. . the whole front page is going to be this picture . .. but Danny ... you better go out by the window ... and don’t forget to lay | low. We got it! (Voice fades off) DANNY: What’s the matter with that guy ... don’t he think I know my business. . McLEAN: He’s right, Danny, you better lay low... Even if there is no law they can hold you on, the police can make it plenty uncomfortable. And it’s a cinch they will. This is more serious than you think. Say, I got an idea. Allison’s upstate to cover an assignment in Syracuse. You can hide in her apartment till it blows over... ~ DANNY: Darn nice of you to help me this way... but... McLEAN: Don’t mention it... what’s mine’s hers . .. here’s the key to her flat better get pone". (Music and Narrator). NARRATOR: Danny skulks from doorway to doorway till he reaches Allison’s apartment. He turns the key ... enters ... stalks about like a caged animal... finally throws himself on the davenport ... when to his amazement another key turns in the lock and Allison herself, enters ... blonde ... desirable . .-. She cooes sweetly: ALLISON: Hello... baby. . DANNY: Say ...I thought you were upstate on a job... She asia there was a swell love story right here in my own apartment. So I came right back... DANNY: You said it. And I don’t blame you for coming back. MeLean’s a great guy ... Well I better scram! ALLISON: (Seductively) There’s no hurry, Danny. DANNY: Tl have to find another hideout. I talked to Mae an hour ago on the phone... he says they’re hot on my trail... ALLISON: That’s why you can’t leaves. = SHOne ye 24.54 DANNY: I been going bugs around here... Say, does Mac make enough dough to put up for all this swell layout? ALLISON: (Laughing softly) Don’t get personal... Just stay put while I get these duds off. ’'m dead tired ... have you really been lonely? “Aren’t you glad I came? DANNY: yowre back? Sure. Does Mac know ALLISON: Will you stop harping on Mae all the time? DANNY: But I thought you two were going together steady... ALLISON: You might as well put your arms around me. I’m going to make you love me and like it... Mace’s safe at the good old Graphic News ... Love me... honey! Listen! That must be Mac. . fumbling at the lock ... Gosh! ... It is Mac... McLEAN: (Drunkenly) Once a ar Viale DANNY: Listen... Mac... you got me wrong...I... always arat... (Allison’s scream mingles with crashing music). NARRATOR: These thrills are but a taste of the sensational action of “Picture Snatcher” ... Jim Cagney’s toughest, tidiest, most devastating screen role—in which he and his clever fellow players will be seen at the Strand Theatre, beDUMB oramcpie ap ecrare next. Till ‘then... good night and good luck.