"Look Mr. Connell." "I just can't aford to be without work." "I've got a mother and two kid sisters." "More Good-luck telegrams..." "You know how it is." "I've just got to keep on working, see?" "Sorry sister." "I was sent down here to clean house." "I told you I can't use your column anymore." "I'll tell you what I'll do." "I get 30 dollars a week." "I'll take 25, 20 if necessary." "I'll do anything you say" "It isn't the money." "We're after circulation." "We need fireworks." "I can do that." "I know this town inside and out." "Oh, give me a chance!" "Come in, come in, come in..." "Cashier's got your check." "Who are these people?" "Gabs, Connie, Fonygan and Chiles..." "Hey sister, don't forget to get out your last column before you pick up your check." "Big, rich slob like D.B. Norten buys the paper and 40 heads are chopped off!" " Did you get it too?" " Yeah, you too?" "Oh Joe." "I'm sorry darling." "Why don't we tear the building down." "Before you do ma'm, perhaps you'd better finish this column." "Lavendar and Old Lace." "Wait Joe!" "Wait." "He want fireworks huh?" "Okay." "Here." "Below is a letter which reached my desk this morning." "It's a commentary on what we call a civilized world." "Dear Miss Mitchell." "Four years ago, I'd been fired out of my job." "Since then, I haven't been able to get a new one." "At first I was sore at the administration, because of all the politics here, we have all this unemployment." "But in looking around, it seems the whole world is going to pot." "So in protest, I am going to commit suicide by jumping of the City Hall roof." "Signed a disgusted, American citizen, John Doe." "Editor's note, if you ask this column, the wrong people are jumping off the roofs." " Hey, this is the old fake-a-roo," " Never mind that Joe, go ahead." "And it's because of all the slimy politics that we have all this unemployment here." "There it is." "There's D.B. Norten's opening attack on the Governor." " Why Jim, it's just a letter sent into a column." " No, no, I can smell him, that's Norten." " Good-morning gentlemen." " Good-morning Governor." " Governor, did you happen to see this in the New Bulletin?" " Yes, I had it served with my breakfast this morning." " Jim thinks it's D.B. Norten at work..." "Of course it is." "Oh come now." "That little item." "D.B. Norten does things in a much bigger way" "This is his opening attack on you Governor." "Take my word for it." "Why did he buy a paper for?" "Why did he engage a high-pressure editor like Connell for?" "'" "He's in the oil business." "I tell you Governor, he's after your scalp." "All right Jim." "Don't burst a blood vessel." "I'll look into it." " Yes sir?" " Get me Spenser of the Daily Chronical please." "Yes, yes I saw it Governor." "And if you ask me, that's a phony letter." " Why that gag has got whiskers on it." "Ok I'll get the Mayor and maybe the Chamber of Commerce to go after them." " Sorry the Mayor is busy on the other phone." "Yes I know Mrs. Brewster, it's a terrible reflection on our city." "I've had a dozen calls already." " Spencer from the Chronical." " Hold him." "Yes Mrs. Brewster." "I'm listening." "I insist that this John Doe be found, and given a job at once." "If something isn't done about it, I'll call the whole auxiliary." "Yes Spencer?" "Who?" "The Governor?" "Well what about me?" "It's my building he's jumping off of and I'm up for re-election too." "What are you doing?" "Get Connell at the Bullentin." " He's liable to go right past my window" " Get me Connell." " What was that?" " What?" " Out the window Something just flew by" " I didn't see anything." "Don't stand there you idiot." "Go and look." "Open the window." "Oh why did he have to pick on my building?" "Is there a crowd in the street?" " No sir!" " Maybe he's caught on the ledge, look again." " I think it must have been a sea gull" " A sea gull?" "What's a sea gull doing around City Hall?" " That's a bad omen, isn't it?" " Oh no sir." "The sea gull is a lovely bird." "It's all right Mrs. Brewster." "It was just a sea gull." "Nothing's happened yet." "I'm watching." "Don't worry just leave it all to me." "Spencer, I'll call you back." "Hello Connell?" "This is..." "What are you doing?" "This is the Mayor." "Yes Mayor Lovitt, how many times are you going to call me?" "Got everybody out looking for him." "Did you see the blacks I'm running?" "An appeal to John Doe." "Think it over John." "Life can be beautiful, says Mayor." "If you need a job, apply to the editor of this paper and so forth and so forth." "Okay Mayor." "I'll let you know as soon as I have something." "What?" "Well, pull down the blinds." " I just came from Mrs. Mitchells house, and boy is she in a bad way." " Where is she?" " Did you know that she supports a mother and two kids." " What do you know about that?" "Did you find her?" "No, her mother is awful worried about her." "When she left the house, she said she was going on a roaring drunk!" " Go out and find her." " Sure." "But the biggest thing I didn't tell you, is her old man is Dr. Mitchell." "You know the doc that saved my mother's life and wouldn't take any money for it." "You remember that?" "Okay boss, I'll go and look for her." "Holy smokes Commissionair, you've had 24 hours." "Okay, grab a pencil, here it is again." "About 5 foot 5, brown eyes, light chestnut hair, and a fine of pair of legs as ever walked into this office." " Did you want to see me?" " No." "I've had the whole army and navy out searching for you because it's a game we play here everyday." " I remember distinctly being fired." " That's right, but you have a piece of paper that still belongs to this paper." " What's that?" " The letter." " What letter?" " The letter from John Doe." "The whole town isin an uproar." "We've got to find him and the letter is the only clue." " There is no letter." " Then get a handwriting expert to..." "What?" "There is no letter." " Say that again." " I made it up." " You made it up?" " Yes, you said you wanted fireworks." "Don't you know there are 9 jobs waiting for this guy 22 families want to board him free." "Five women want to marry him and a man is ready to adopt him." " And you..." " Just called the ward boss and they said there's a girl..." " Ann!" "Say why didn't you..." " Benny!" " Only one thing to do Hank." "Drop the whole business quickly" " How?" "Run a story saying John Doe was in here and he was sorry for writing the letter..." "Sure." "He came in here and we got him to change his mind." "Bulletin editor saves John Doe's life." "Why it's perfect." "I'll have Ned write it up." " Oh Ned, I've got a story I want you..." " Wait a minute." "Listen you great, big, wonderful genius of a newspaper man..." "You came down here to shoot some life into this dying paper, didn't you?" "Well the whole town is curious about John Doe and just like that, you're going to bury him." "There's enough cirrculation in that man to start an ink shortage." " In what man?" " John Doe." " What John Doe?" " My John Doe!" "The one I made up." "Now look genius." "Suppose there was a John Doe and he walked into this ofice." "What would you do?" "Give him a job and forget about the whole business I suppose huh?" "Not me!" "I'd make a deal with him." "A deal?" "Sure, when you get hold of a stunt that sells papers, you don't drop it like a hot potatoe." "Why this is good for at least a couple of months." "Why, do you know what I'd do?" "Between now and let's say Christmas, when he's going to jump, I'd run a daily starting with his boyhood, schooling, firstjob." "Awide-eyed youngster facing a caotic world!" "The problem of the average man, of all the John Doe's in the world." "Now, then comes the drama." "He meets discouragement, he finds the world a feet of clay his ideals crumble." "So what does he do?" "He decides to commit suicide and protest against the state of civilization." "He thinks of the river but no." "He has a better idea." "City Hall." "But why?" "Because he wants to attract attention." "He wants to get a few things off his chest, and that's the only way he can get himself heard..." " So?" " So?" "So he writes me a letter and I dig him up." "He pours out his soul to me." "And from now on we quote:" "I protest, by John Doe." "He protests against all the evils in the world." "The greed, the lust, the hate, the fear All of man's inhumanities." "Arguments will start." "Should he commit suicide, or should he not?" "People will write in with pleading for him." "But John Doe will remain adament." "On Christmas Eve hot or cold, he goes!" "See?" "Very pretty indeed Miss Mitchell." "But would you mind telling me who goes on Christmas Eve?" " John Doe!" " What John Doe!" "?" " The one we hire for the job, you lunk-head." " Wait a minute." "Let me get this through this lame brain of mine." " Are you suggesting that we go out and hire someone to say that he is going to commit suicide on Christmas Eve?" " Now you're catching on." " Who for example?" " Anybody, Benny will do." " Sure... what, who me... jump of a... anytime but Christmas." "Miss Mitchell, do me a favor." "Go on out and get married and have a lot of babies, but stay out of newspaper business." " Better get that story in Hank, it's getting late." " You're suppose to be a smart guy If it was raining 100 dollar bills, you be out looking for a dime you lost some place." " Holy smokes." "Wasting my time, listening to this mad woman." " Look Chief at what the Chronical is writing on John Doe." "Why the no good!" "John Doe story amature journalism." "It's probably phony and it's a wonder that anyone is taking it seriously." "What do you think of those guys?" "That's fine!" "Now fall right into their laps." "Go ahead." "Say John Doe walked in and called the whole thing off." "You know what that's going to sound like on top of this." " That's all." " All right." " Amature journalism huh?" "Why those bunch of sophomores, I can teach them more..." " Hey boss, get a load of this." " What?" " Look." " What do they want?" " They all say they wrote the John Doe letter." " Oh, they all wrote the letter?" " Tell them all to wait." "Mr. Connell, one of those men is your John Doe." "They're desparate and will do anything for a cup of coffee." "Pick one out and you can make the Chronical eat their words." " I'm beginning to like this." " If you ask me Hank, your beginning to play around with dynomite." "No, no, no, the gal's right." "Can't let the Chronicel get the laugh on us." "We've got to produce a John Doe now." "Amature journalism!" " I'll show those guys." " Sure, and there's no reason for them to find out the truth, because naturally I won't say anything." " Kay sister, you'll get yourjob back" " Plus a bonus." " What bonus?" " Oh the bonus of 1000 dollars that the Chronicel was going to pay me for this little document." " You'll see it says, I Miss Mitchell, - do hereby certify that the John Doe letter was created by me..." "I can read, I can read." "Sorry..." " You think this is worth 1000 dollars do you?" " The Chronicel will consider it dirt cheap." "Packs everything, including a gun." "Okay sister, you've got yourself a deal." "Now let's take a look at the canidates." "The one we pick has got to be the typical average man." "Typical, American and can keep his mouth shut." "Show me an American who can keep his mouth shut, and I'll eat him." "Okay Benny, bring them in, one at a time..." "Did you write that letter to Miss Mitchell?" " No, I didn't." " Why are you here then?" "Well the paper said there was some jobs around." "Thought there might be one left over." " Have any schooling?" " Yeah, a little." " What do you do when you work?" " I used to pitch." " Baseball?" " Yeah." " Where'd you play?" " Bush leagues, mostly" " How about family?" "Got any family?" " No." " Oh, just travelling through huh?" " Yeah, me and a friend of mine." "He's outside." " He looks all right." " Oh, he's perfect and a baseball player What could be more American?" " Wish he had a family though." " Be less complicated without a family His face is wonderful." "They'll believe him!" "Come on." " What's your name?" " Willaby." "John Willaby they called me in baseball." "Would you like to make some money?" " Yeah... maybe..." " Would you be willing to say you wrote that letter and stick by it." "I get the idea." "Yeah, maybe." " That's our man, he's made to order." " I don't know." "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy that will fall in line." "When you're desparate for money, you'll do a lot of things Mr. Connell." "He's our man, I tell you..." " He's fainted." "Get some water, quickly" " Sit him up." " You all right?" " Yeah, I'm all right." "How many is that, six?" "Pretty hungry, weren't you?" " All this John Doe business is batty if you ask me." " Well, nobody asked you." "Trying to improve the world by jumping of buildings." "You couldn't improve the world, if the buildings jumped on you." " Don't mind him, he hates people." " He likes you well enough to stick around." "That's cause we both play doo-hickies." "I met him in a boxcar a couple of years ago." "I was fooling around with my harmonica and he comes over and joins in." "I haven't been able to shake him since." " All right boys, here he is." " No, no, no, you can't take pictures of him like that, eating a sandwich and with a beard." " But he's going to jump of a building." " Yes, but not because he's out of a job." "That's not news." "This man's going to jump as a matter of principal." " Maybe you're right." " We'll clean him up, put him in a hotel under bodyguards and make a mystery out of him." " Did you speak to Mr. Norten?" " He thinks it's terrific." "He says for us to go the limit." "Wants us to build a bonfire under every bigshot in the state." "Oh swell!" " Is that the contract?" " Yeah." " What's he doing here?" " A friend of his, they play duets together" " Duets?" "But can we trust him?" " I trust him." " Oh you trust him, well that's fine." " I suppose he trusts you too." "Oh stop it now He's all right." "Okay, but we don't want any more than a couple on this thing." "Now the first thing I want is an exact copy of the John Doe letter in your own handwriting." " I've got it already here." " That's fine." "Now I want you to sign this agreement." "It gives us an exclusive story under your name, day by day, from now until Christmas." "On December 26, you get one railroad ticket, out of town." "And they agree to have your arm fixed." "That's what you want, isn't it?" "Yeah, but it's got to be by Bone, Set or Brown." "Here sign it." "Meanwhile, here is 50 dollars, spending money." "That's fine." "Benny, take charge of him." "Get him a suite at the Imperial and some bodyguards." " He needs some new clothes Benny." " Do you think we'd better have him de-loused?" " Both of them?" " Yes, both of them, but don't let them out of your sight." " Hey Benny, grey suit huh?" " Yeah." "Okay fellows..." "Take it easy John Doe." "And you, start pounding that typewriter Oh boy this is terrific." "No responsibilites on our part, just statements from John Doe and we can blast our heads of." "Before you pop your head off, don't forget to make that check out for 1000." "You sit outside the door, to make sure no one comes in." "You two fellows sit in here." "Pretty nifty huh?" " He ain't going to get me to stay here." " Sure you are." "No sir, that spot under the bridge, where we slept last night, is good enough for me..." " Say, what do I do with this baggage?" " Stick them in the bedroom." "Give me mine, I ain't staying." " You know we were headed for the Columbia River Country before all this John Doe business came up, don't you?" " Sure, I remember." "Say, did your ears pop coming up in the elevator?" "Mine did." "Oh Long John, I tell you it's no good." "You're going to get used to a lot of stuf that's going to wreck you." "Why that 50 bucks in your pocket is beginning to show up on you already..." " Stop worrying." "I'm going to get my arm fixed out of this." " Hey, here are some cigars the boss sent us." "Have one." " You?" " No." "Say I bet you the Major Leaguer's don't rate an outfit like this." " Here make yourself comfortable." "Paper?" " I don't read no papers, and I don't listen to no radios either." "I know the world has been shaved by a drunken barber, and I don't have to read it." "I've seen guys like you go under before." "Never had a worry, then got a hold of some dough and went goofy." " Hey did you get a load of the bedroom?" " No." "The first thing that happens to guys like that is he wants to go into restaurants and sit down at a table and eat salads and cupcakes and drink tea." "Boy what that kind of food does to your system." "The next thing the dope wants is a room." "Yes sir, a room with steam heat!" "And he can't sleep unless he has a bed." "Hey stop worrying." "Fifty bucks ain't going to ruin me." "I've seen plenty of fellows start out with 50 bucks and wind up with a bank account." " What's the matter with a bank account?" " Let me tell you Long John that when you become a guy with a bank account they got you!" "Yes sir, they've got you." " Who's got him?" " The Heelots!" "Hey there's the City Hall's tower I'm suppose to jump off of." "It's even higher than this." " Who's got him?" " The Heelots!" "Hey, wait a minute!" "You're not suppose to jump until Christmas Eve." "Do you want to get me into a jam?" "If it's going to get you in a jam, I'll do you a favor I won'tjump." " And when they've got you, you've got no more chance than a road-rabbit." " Who'd you say was going to get him?" " Hey is this one of those places where you ring if you want something?" " Yeah, just use the phone." "Boy, I've always wanted to do this." "Look Doc, give me that again, will you?" "Who's going to get him?" " The Heelots." "Who are they?" " Listen sucky, ever been broke?" "Sure, mostly often." "All right you're walking alone." "Nota nickle In your jeans, you're asfree as the wind, nobody bothers you." "Hundreds of people pass you by in every line of business." "Shoes, hats, automobiles, furniture, everything." "And they're all nice lovable people." "And they let you alone, is that right?" "Then you get a hold of some dough, and what happens?" "All those sweet, lovable people become Heelots!" "A lot of heels." "They begin creeping up on you, trying to sell you something." "They get long claws... . then they get a strangle-hold on you." "And you squirm and you duck and you holler and you try to push them away, but you haven't got a chance." "They've got you!" "First thing you know, you own things." "A car for instance." "Now your whole life is messed up with a lot more stuff." "You get license fees, and number plates, and gas, oil, taxes, insurance and identifcation cards, and letters and bills and then flat tires, dents and trafic tickets and a million and one other things." "And what happens?" "You're not the free and happy guy you used to be." "You've got to have money to pay for all those things." "So you go after what the other fellow's got." "And there you are, you're a Heelot yourself." " You win, here take the 50." "Go on, get rid of it." " You bet I will, just as fast as I can." "I'm going to get some canned goods, a fishing rod and the rest, I'm going to give away." " Give away?" "!" " Hey, get me a pitcher's glove." "I've got to get me some practice." " Say, he's giving it away." "I'm going to get me some of that." " Hey come back here, you Heelot." "Will you send up 5 hamburgers with all the trimmings, 5 chocolate ice-cream sodas, and 5 pieces of apple pie?" "No, apple, with cheese." "Yep, thanks." "Hello there!" " Well, well, if it isn't the man about town." " All set Miss Anne." "Oh yes, let's go." "Let's see, we want some action in these pictures." " Action?" " Yes." "No, no!" "This man is going to jump of a roof." "Wait a minute." "Let me comb your hair." "Sit down." "There, that's better." " You know, he's got a nice face, hasn't he?" " Yeah, he's pretty." "Here sit down." "Quiet egg-head." " All right, now a serious expression." " Can't, I'm feeling too good." "Oh come on, this is serious." "You're a man disgusted with all of civilization..." " With all of it?" " Yes, you're sore at the world, come on now!" " Crabby guy huh?" " Yeah!" "No, no!" "No..." "Now look, you don't have to smell the world." " But all those guys in the pictures." " Never mind those guys." "All right, stand up." " Now let's see what you look like, when you protest." " Against what?" "Against anything." "Just protest." "You got me..." "Look I'm the umpire." "You just cut the heart of the plate with your fast ball, and I called it a ball." "What would you do?" "Why can't you call them right, you bone-headed..." "I PROTEST!" "AGAINST CORRUPTIOIN IN POLITICS" "AGAINST COUNTRY HOSPITAL SHUTTING DOORS TO NEEDY!" "I don't care whose picture they're publishing." "I still say this John Doe person is a myth and you can quote me on that." "And I'm going to insist on his being produced for questioning." "You know as well as I do, that this whole thing is being engineered by a vicious man with a vicious purpose Mr. D.B. Norten." " Connell and Mitchell are at the house." " Are they now?" "Come on." "Personally, I think it's just plain stupidity to drop it." "Now you should see his fan mail, thousands!" "This is going over like a house on fire." " Why are you afraid of Connell?" "It's doubled our circulation." " Eah, but it's got everybody sore." "Hands are bing pulled." "The Governor is starting a liable suit." "So let them see him." "We'll go one better, they can also hear him." "You own a radio station Mr. Norten, why not put him on the air?" "Watch out for this dame D.B., she'll drive you batty We can't let them get to this bush-league pitcher and they start pumping him." "No telling what the screw-ball might do." "I walk in yesterday, and here he is standing on a table with a fishing pole. '" " Ake my advice and get him out of town, before this whole thing explodes in our faces." " If you do that Mr. Norten, you're just as much of a dumb-cluck as he is." "You've got yourself a meal-ticket and you hate to let him go." "Sure he's a meal ticket and I admit it." "But, it is also a wind-fall for somebody like Mr. Norten who's trying to crash National politics." "That's what you bought the newspaper for, isn't it?" "You want to reach a lot of people, don't you?" "Put John Doe on the air, and you can reach 130 million of them." "He can say anything he wants, and they'll listen to him." "All right, we'll forget the Governor and the Mayor and all the small-fry like that." "This can arouse National interest." "If he made a hit around here, he could do every other place in the country And you'll be pulling the strings Mr. Norten." " Go down to the office and arrange for some radio time." " But D.B. You're not going to fall..." "I want it as soon as possible." "Okay, I just came in to get warm myself." "Come on, let's go." "Now don't you go, I want to talk to you." "Sit down." " So, this John Doe idea was yours huh?" " Yes." " How much money do you get?" " 30 dollars." " Hirty dollars..." "What are you after, I mean what do you want?" "Ajournalistic career?" " Money!" "Money, well I'm glad to hear somebody admit it." "Do you suppose you could write a radio speech for that fellow and hold him to it?" " Oh, I'm sure I can." "Do it and I'll give you 100 dollars a week." " 100 dollars?" "!" "That's only the beginning." "You play your cards right, and you'll never have to worry about money again." " Oh I knew it." " Hello." " Whenever there's a pretty woman around... my nephew Ted Sheldon." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" " All right Casanova, I'll give you a break." "See that Miss Mitchell gets a car to take her home." " Always reading my mind, aren't you?" " Thank you very much for everything." "Oh Miss Mitchell." "I think from now on, you'd better work directly with me." "Yes sir." "I thought you were asleep." " Oh you little brats!" "." " Come, come, come children." "It's past your bedtime." "I'm done." "I'll never get this speech right." " Oh yes you willAnne dear, you're very clever." " Yes, I know." " What are you looking for?" " Your purse, I need 10 dollars." " What for, I gave you 50 just the other day" " Yes I know dear, but Mrs. Burke had her baby yesterday." " And there wasn't a thing in the house." " And the community lady came." "And the 50 is all gone." "Who is the 10 for?" " Websters..." " Websters." "You remember those lovely people your father used to take care of." "I thought I would buy them some groceries." "Oh Anne dear, it's a shame those..." "You're marvelous!" "You're just like father used to be." "Do you realize that a couple of weeks ago, we didn't have enough to eat ourselves?" "Yes I know dear, but these people are in such need." "If you are thinking of that 1000 dollars forget it." "It's practically gone." "We owed everybody in town." "None you've just got to stop giving your money away" " Oh Anne..." "I'm sorry." " Don't pay any attention to me." "Here I am with a great opportunity to get somewhere." "To give us security for once in our lives and here I'm stuck." "If I can put this over, your Mrs. Burke can have 6 babies." " You mean this speech you're writing." " Yeah, I don't know." "I just can't seem to get it to gel." "I created somebody who's going to give up his life for a principal." "Hundreds of thousands of people are going to listen to him over the radio." "And unless he says something that is sensational, well, it's just no good." "Well honey, of course I don't know what kind of speech you're tying to write, butjudging from the samples I've read, I don't think anybody will listen." "What?" "Darling, there's so many complaining political speeches, people are tired of hearing of doom and despair on a radio If you can have him say anything, why not have him say something simple and real." "Something with hope in it." "If your father were alive, he'd know what to say." "Yeah, Father certainly would." "Wait a minute." " That's your father's diary Anne" " Father's?" "I never knew he had a diary." "There's enough in it for 100 speeches." "Things people ought to hear now-a-days." "You be careful of it, won't you dear?" "It's always help keep your father alive for me." "You bet I will Ma." "Wait a minute." "John Doe don't want to sign no autographs." " What does he do all day?" " What does he do all day?" "He's writing all these memories." "Sorry Eddie, you can't see Mr. Doe." "He wants to be alone." "No, he just sits around all day and commutes with himself." "I don't know how you're going to stand it around here until after Christmas?" "I bet you ain't heard a crying whistle in two weeks?" "Strike!" "I know why you are hanging around." "You're stuck on the girl." "That's all a guy needs, is to get hooked up with a woman." " What was that, a single?" " First baseman dropped the ball." "Butter-fingers!" "If a guy has a woman on his hands, first thing you know, his life is balled up with a lot more things..." "Did you get him?" " You're out!" " Swell." " What's this, the end of the eighth?" " Ninth!" "Hey Benny, there's a couple of mugs from the Chroncel snooping around out here..." "Come on angel-face." "What's the score angel-face?" "Three to two." " Hey you've got swell form there." " You must have been a pretty good pitcher Pretty good?" "I was just about ready for the Major League, when I chipped a bone in my elbow" " I got it pitching a 19 inning game." " 19?" "There was a Major League scout there watching me too." "He came down, after the game, with a contract." "You know what?" "I couldn't lift my arm to sign it." " I'll be Okay though, as soon as I get it fixed up." " It's too bad." " What do you mean too bad?" " Huh, or that's you'll never be able to play again." " What are you talking about, I just told you I was..." " Well you know how they are in baseball." "If a guy is messed up in a racket..." " A racket?" "What do you mean?" " I was just thinking about this John Doe business." "As soon as it comes out that it was all a fake, you'll be washed up in baseball, won't you?" "Yeah..." "I never thought about that." "And another thing." "What about all the kids in the country?" "Kids that idolize ball players." "What are they going to think about you?" "Yeah, hey Colonel!" " Did you hear that?" " I've got to figure some way out of this thing." "Elevators are still running." " I know one way you can do it." " How?" "Well when you get up there on the radio, all you've got to do is say the whole thing is a frame-up." "It'll make you a hero, sure as you're born." " Yeah but, how am I going to get my arm fixed?" " That's a cinch." "I know someone who'll give you 5000 dollars," " 5000 dollars?" " Yeah, 5000 dollars and he gets it right away" "You don't have to wait until Christmas." " Look out Long, they're closing in on you." " Say, who's putting up this dough?" "The fellow that runs the Chronicel." "Here's a speech you can make, and it's all written out for you." "5000 dollars." "Holy Mackeral, I can just see the Heelots coming, the whole lot of them." "It's on the level." " No I'm sorry." "Tickets for the broadcast are all gone." " Phone the Bulletin." " Hello John, all set for the big night?" " Turn around." " Big smile Mr. Doe." " Hold still." "Okay that's enough, take them out." "Here's the speech." "It's in caps and double spaced, you won't have any trouble reading it." "Not nervous, are you?" " No!" " Of course not, he wouldn't be." " Who?" " John Doe, the one in there." " Don't let your knees rattle, it picks up on the mike." " You don't need to be nervous John, all you need to remember is be sincere." " Take the phone Miss Mitchell." "It's for you." " Yes?" " Hello mother." " Oh thank-you darling." "Oh there he is, the poor dear man." " Have you got the speech I gave you?" " Yeah." "I'll give this money to the Colonel just as soon as you get started." "We'll have a car at the side entrance waiting for you." " How'd you get in here?" " Oh, I just came in to wish him luck." "Out." "My mother wishes you luck too." "John, when you read that speech, please believe every word of it." " He turned out to be a wonderful person John." " Who?" "John Doe, the one in the speech." "You know something?" "I've actually fallen in love with him." " All right, there he is" " Come on." "What's the idea?" "Not so much, that's it." " This is not the time for cheap publicity Mr. Connell." " Listen, if that guy lays an egg, I want to get something out of it." "Okay, that's enough." "Now everybody get out." "Come on." " How're you doing?" " Okay Benny, bring him in." " Here you are boss, just like you ordered." " Symbols of little people." "Okay get them up." "This is ridiculous Mr. Connell." "Come on, give me a chance." "The man in on the air in a few minutes." " Come on snucks, you'd better bail out." " Say good-bye Mr. Doe." " Better get ready, one minute to go." " One minute to go and the score is nothing to nothing." "Please John, you won't let me down, will you?" "Will you?" "Of course you won't." "If you think of yourself as the real John Doe..." "Listen..." "Everything in that speech, are things a certain man believed in." "He was my father John, and when he talked, people listened..." "And they'll listen to you too." "Funny you know what my mother said the other night?" "She said to look into your eyes, and I'd see father there." " Hey, what do you say?" " Okay, we're coming, come on." "Now listen John, you're a pitcher so get in there and pitch." "Good luck!" "Let him through." " Hey, let's get out of here." " There's a door right there." "Hey, what are you doing here?" " That's what I'd like to know." " Come on out now." "He's a friend of mine." "Let him alone, he's all right." "I'll be right over there, pulling for you." "No John, over hrere..." "Stand by..." "Phone the Chronicel, tell them to start getting those extras out." "Good evening ladies and gentlemen." "This is Kevin Fry speaking for the New Bulletin." "Tonight we give you something new and entirely different." "Standing beside me is the young man who has declared publicly on Christmas Eve he intends to commit suicide." "Giving as his reason and I quote:" "I protest against the state of civilization, end quote." "Ladies and gentlemen, the New Bulletin takes pleasure in presenting the man, who is fast becoming the most talked up person in the whole country..." "John Doe." "Ladies and Gentlemen." "I am the man you all know as John Doe." "I took that name, because it seems to describe..." ". because it seems to describe the average man." "And that's me." "Well it was me, before I said I was going to jump of the City Hall roof at midnight on Christmas Eve..." "Now, I guess I'm not average anymore." "Now, I'm getting all sorts of attention, from big shots too." " We've been double-crossed." " ." "The Mayor and the Governor for instance." " They don't like those articles" " I've been writing." "You're an imposter young fellow That's a pack of lies you are telling." "Who wrote that speech for you?" " Spencer..." " Ladies and Gentlemen, the disturbance you just heard, was caused by someone in the audience who tried to heckle Mr. Doe." "The speech will continue." "People like the Governor and that fellow there, can stop worrying." "I'm not going to talk about them, I'm going to talk about us." "The average guys." "The John Does." "If anybody should ask you what the average John Doe is like, you couldn't tell him, because he is a million and one things." "He's Mr. Big and Mr. Small." "He's simple and he's wise." "He's honest, but he has a streak of arsonary in his heart." "He seldom walks up to a public telephone, without shoving his finger into the slot to see if somebody left a nickle there." "He's the man the ads are written for." "He's the fellow everybody sells things to." "He's Joe Doks, the world's greatest stooge and the world's greatest strength..." "We're a great family, us John Does." "We are the meek who are suppose to inherit the earth." "You'll find us everywhere." "We raise the crops, we dig the mines, work the factories, keep the books, fly the planes, and drive the buses." "When a cop yells stand back there you, he means us, the John Doe's." "What kind of speech is that?" "Didn't you read it?" "We've existed since time began." "We built the pyramids." "We saw Christ curcified, pulled the oars for Roman Empires, sailed the boats for Columbus." "Retreated from Moscow with Napeleon, and froze with Washington at Valley Forge." "We've been in there, dodging left hooks since before history began to walk." "In our struggle for freedom, we've hit the canvass many a time, but you always bounce back, cause we're the people." "There's been a lot of talk about free people going soft, that we can't take it." "That's a lot of hooey!" "A free people can beat the world at anything, from war to tiddlely-winks, if we all pull in the same direction." "I know a lot of you are saying:" "What can I do?" "I'm just a little punk, I don't count." "You're dead wrong." "The little punks have always counted, because in the long run, because the character of our country is the sum total of the character of its little punks..." "But we've all got to get in there and pitch." "We can't win if we don't have the old teamwork and that's where every John Doe comes in." "It's up to him to get together with his teammate." "And your teammate, my friends, is the guy next door to you!" "Your neighbor, he's a terribly important guy that guy next door." "You're going to need him and he's going to need you, so look him up." "If he's sick, call on him, if he's hungry, feed him." "If he's out of a job, find him one." "To most of you, your neighbor is a stranger." "A guy with a barking dog and a high fence around him." "Now you can't be a strangerto any guy that is on your own team." "Tear down the fence that separates you." "Tear down the fence and you tear down a lot of hates and prejudices." "Tear all the fences down in the country and you'll really have teamwork." "I know a lot of you are saying to yourselves:" "He's asking for a miracle to happen." "He's expecting people to change all of a sudden." "Well, you're wrong." "It's no miracle because I see it happen once a year." "And so do you, at Christmas time." "There's something swell about the spirit of Christmas, to see what it does to people." "All kinds of people..." "Now why can't that spirit, that same warm Christmas spirit, last all year round?" "If each and every John Doe would make that spirit last 365 days of the year, we'd develop such a strength, we'd create a tidal wave go good, that no human force could stand against it" "Yes my friends." "The meek can only inherit the earth, when the John Doe's start loving their neighbors." "You'd better start right now Don't wait until the game is called on account of darkness." "Wake up John Doe, you're the hope of the world." "John, you were wonderful." " Let's get out of here." " Now, you're talking." "I knew you'd wake up sooner or later." "Boy am I glad we got out of that mess." "462." "I had the 5000 bucks sewed up." "I could have been on my way to Doc Brown." "You're a pitcher John." "Now go in there and pitch." "What a sucker..." "She's a Heelot, just like the rest of them." "Lucky you got away from her." "What was I doing up there making a speech anyway?" "Me huh?" "The more I think about it, the more I..." "Tear down all the fences?" "Why if you tore one picket off, he'd sue you." "5000 bucks, had it right in my hand." "What do you mean he ran away?" "Well go after him, find him." "That man is terrific." "Here we come!" "Jitterbug!" " How much money have we got left?" " A little bit." " Better make it doughnuts huh?" " Yeah" "What'll it be gents?" " Have you got a couple of steaks, about that big and about that thick?" " And with hash brown potatoes, and tomatoes and... . and doughnuts, yeah, I know Hey Mark, seekers." "On its way." "Hey, look!" "Join the John Doe club." "John Doe Club?" " You John Doe?" " Who?" " John Doe!" " Ah, you need glasses buddy" " Well, it's the spitting image of John Doe." " Yeah, well his name is Willaby" " John Willaby." "I'm a baseball player." " I'd know that voice anywhere." "You can't kid me." " You're John Doe." " John Doe?" "!" " Sitting right there!" "." " You mean he's alive?" "John Doe." "Right there." "Hey operator, tell everybody in town, John Doe was just in my place." "Yeah, he ordered doughnuts." " What did John Doe look like, Mr. Mayor?" " He's one of those outdoor-type men." "No, you can't see him, cause you didn't vote for me last time." "Shame on you!" "Has Mr. Norten come yet?" "He should have been here 15 minutes ago." "There he comes now." "Now everybody, on your dignity Don't do anything to disgrace the little town." " Better let me talk to him." " But present it to him as a great cause for the common man." "Here he comes." "How do you do Mr. Norten." "I'm the Mayor." "Let me go, you darn fool, I'm the Mayor!" "Mr. Norten!" " I'm the Mayor." "Your office told me to hold him." " That's fine, how is he?" "Oh he's fine." "He's right in my office there." "It's an honor having John Doe here." "The folks are so excited and proud." "Call the paper and tell them Mr. Norten is here." "Right inside Mr. Norten." "My office, very comfortable Mr. Norten." "I just had it air-conditioned." "Gang way." "Here he is Mr. Norten, well taken care of..." "Hello John..." "Mr. Mayor, if you don't mind, we'd like to talk to him alone." "Certainly, certainly, all right everybody, clear out." "Don't argue with me here, wait until we get home." "Don't you push me around like that, even though I am your wife." "Look Mr. Norten, I think you have a lot of nerve, having those people hold us here..." " There's nobody holding you here Mr. Doe." " Well, if there's no one holding us here, let's get going." " Incidently, my name isn't Doe, it's Willaby." " Look John, something terribly important has happened." " They are forming John Doe clubs." " We know of eight all ready and they say..." "John Doe clubs?" "Why?" "To carry out the principals you talked about in your radio speech." "I don't care what they're forming." "I'm on my way and I don't care for being stopped." "But you don't know how big this thing is." "You should see the thousands of telegrams we've received and what they're saying about you." "Look it started as a cirruculation stunt, didn't it?" "Well you got your cirrculation, so why don't you leave me alone." "Oh it started as a cirrculation stunt, but it isn't anymore." "Mr. Norten wants to back it, and start John Doe clubs all over the country He wants to send you on a lecture tour." " Me?" " With your ability to influence people, it might grow into a glorious movement." "Say, let's get something straight here." "I don't want any part of this." "If you've got some idea that I'm going around to lecture people, why you're crazy" "Baseball is my racket, and I'm sticking to it." " Come on Colonel," " Please, please, I just got rid of one crowd." "Please Mr. Mayor, tell him the John Doe club wants to talk to him" " Let them in Mr. Mayor, let them come in." " Okay folks, but remember your manners, no stampedeing." "Walk slow, like you do when you come to pay your taxes." " Give me a chance." " Come right in." "My name is Bert Hansen Mr. Doe." "I'm the head soda- jerkeratthe drug store." "Well sir, me and the wife heard your broadcast and we got quite a bang out of it, especially my wife." "Kept me up half the night saying:" "That man's right honey." "The trouble with the world is nobody gives a hoot about his neighbor." "And that's why everybody is sore and cranky to each other in town." "I kept saying that's fine, but how does a guy go around loving the kind of neighbors we've got?" "Old Sourpuss for instance..." "See Sourpuss Smithers is a guy lives all alone next door to us." "He's a cranky old man, runs a second - hand furniture store." "We haven't spoken to him for years." "I always figured he was an ornery old gent, who hated the world cause he was always slamming his garage door and playing the radio so loud, he kept half the neighbors up." "Well next morning, I'm out watering the lawn, and there is old Sourpuss on the other side of the hedge, straightening out a dent in his fender" "My wife yells to me out the window." "Go on, speak to him Bert." "I yelled over to him Good-morning Mr. Smithers." "He went right on pounding his fender..." "Was I burnt." "So I turned around to give my wife a dirty look and she said louder, louder, he didn't hear you." "So in a voice that you could have heard in the next county, I yelled, Good morning Mr. Smithers..." "Well sir, you could have knocked me over with a feather." "Old Sourpuss turns around, surprised like and puts on a big smile, came over and took my hand like an old lodge brother and he said, good-morning Hansen." "I've been wanting to talk to you for years, but I thought you didn't like me, and then he started chatting away ...like a happy little kid." "Well, before we were through, I found out Mr. Smithers is a swell egg, only he's pretty deaf." "And he says it's a shame, what little we know about our neighbors, and then he got an idea and says how about inviting everybody some place where we can all get together and get to know each other a little better?" "I'm feeling so good by this time, I'm right for anything, so, Smithers goes around the neighborhood, inviting everybody to a meeting at the schoolhouse." "And I tell everybody that comes in the store, including my boss..." "Oh, I'm talking too much." "No, no, tell more." "Over 40 people showed up." "None of us knew what to do, but we sure got a kick out of seeing how glad everybody was and to say hello to one another." " Oh yeah, we made Mr. Smithers Chairman." " And we decided to call ourselves the John Doe club." "Oh incidently, this is my wife." "Come here honey." " This is my wife Mr. Doe." " How do you do Mr. Doe?" " This is Sourpuss, or excuse me, Mr. Smithers, Mr. Doe." " That's all right, if you didn't call me Sourpuss, it wouldn't feel natural." "I guess everybody in the neighborhood came except for the Laneys." "The Laneys live in a big house, with an iron fence around it and they always keep their blinds drawn." "We always figured he was just an old miser, always keeping his blinds drawn, so why bother inviting him?" "Until the milkman spoke up and said, say you've got the Laney's all wrong." "And then he tells us how they cancelled their milk last week." "And when he found a note in the bottle, he got kind of curious and peeked in under the blind and found the house was empty..." "If you ask me, he says, they're starving." "Old man Laney has been bringing his furniture over to my place at night." "One piece at a time and selling it." "Half a dozen of us ran over there to fetch him and we brought him to the meeting." "What a reception they got." "Everybody shook hands with them and made a fuss over them and well finally Mr. And Mrs. Laney just sat down and cried..." " And then we started finding out about a lot of other people." " You know Grouble for instance." " Grouble is here." " Yeah, for sure." "Of course you don't know Grouble, but..." "He's a man that everybody figured was the worse no - account in the neighborhood." "He was living like a hermit." "Nobody would have anything to do with him." "That is until the postman told us the truth." "Grouble he says, lives out of garbage cans, because he won't take charity." " Just like you said on the radio Mr. Doe." " About a dozen families got together and gave Grouble a job, watering their lawns." "Isn't that wonderful." "And then we found jobs for 6 other people and they've all gone off relief." " And my boss found a job for old-man Laney" " And he gave you that 5 dollar raise." "Yeah, ain't that swell." " Well Bert, I feel slighted." "I would like to join, but nobody asked me." " I'm sorry Mr. Mayor, but we voted no politician could join." "Just the John Doe's of the neighborhood, cause you know how politicians are." "The reason we wanted to tell you this Mr. Doe was to give you an idea of what you started." "And from where I'm standing, I don't see any sense in seeing you jumping off any building." "No..." "Well, thank-you for listening." "Good-bye Mr Doe." "You're a wonderful man." "It strikes me that you can be mighty useful, walking around for a while." "Good-bye." "I'm Mrs. Laney, Mr. Doe." "May god bless you my boy." "I'm all mixed up." "I dont' get it..." "All those swell people think I'm going to jump of a building or something." "I've never had any such idea." "A man would have to be a mighty fine example himself, if he were going around telling other people..." "Say, what happened here the other night, was on account of Miss Mitchell." "She wrote the stuf." "Don't you see what a wonderful thing this could be?" "But we need you John." "You're hooked." "I can see that right now Well, I'm through." "For three years, I've been trying to get you up to the Columbia River Country, first it was your glass arm, then it was something else, now it's the John Doe club." "Well, I ain't waiting another minute." "Gang way you Heelots!" "Colonel wait a minute." "Colonel!" "Now I want you to go along with John Doe and Miss Mitchell to handle the press and the radio." " Me?" " Yes, I don't want to take any chances." " And Johnson." " Yes D.B." "Your crew will do the mop-up job." "They'll follow John Doe into every town and see that the clubs are properly organized and the charters issued." "There are only 8 flags up there now, and I want to see that map covered before we are through." "This has been growing like wildfire." "If they had been making demands, I would understand it, but the John Does ask for nothing." "People are going off relief." "If this keeps up, I'll be out of a job." "As soon as he gets strong enough, we'll find out what John Doe wants. 30 every Thursday, 60 at 60!" "Who knows what!" "I'm sorry boss, they just won't let anyone talk politics to them." "It's crazy!" "We've got to get to him." "He represents millions of voters." "I tell you ladies and gentlemen, this has been nothing short of a prairie fire." "We've received so many charters to the John Doe club, that we haven't been able to take care of them." "I don't need to have that many pins stuck in me." "This John Doe convention is a natural." "It's going to put our city on the map..." "Why over 2400 John Doe clubls are sending delegates." "Can you imagine that?" "You, Mr. Mayor, will be the official host." "You will make the arrangements for decorating the city the parade, and the reception for John Doe when he gets home..." " And don't wear your high hat..." " No high hat?" "No." "And from you Connell, I want a special John Doe edition everyday until the convention is over." "And now if you will please, step into the outer ofice and look your prettiest, because there are photographers there to take pictures of this committee." "Don't worry D.B. Everything will be taken care of." " Well I don't get it." " Get what?" "This John Doe has cost you a fortune." "Now this convention is going to cost plenty" " Well?" " Well, I'm stuck with 2 and 2 and I'm a sucker if I can make 4 out of it." "Where do you come in?" "I have the satisfaction of knowing, that my money has been spent for a worthy cause." "I say, I'd better stick to running the paper huh?" "I think maybe you'd better." "And Connell." "I'd have the John Doe contract, and all the receipts and the money we advanced him and the letter from Miss Mitchell that I gave 1000 dollars for." "Yes... sure." " Well, we leave for the airport in half an hour" " Is that Johnny boy's room, I'd better hustle him up." "He'll be ready on time, he's packing." " Did you see his picture on the cover ofTime?" " Yeah." "I've got to give you credit Annie Girl, I've handled some big promotions in my time, everything from a World's Fair to a channel swimmer, but this one certainly got me spinning." "And now a John Doe convention." "If you could only get him to jump ofthe City Hall roof on Christmas Eve, I'd guarantee you half a million people there." " Charlie... what do you make of him?" " Who, Johnny Boy?" "I don't know what angle you want, but I'll give you a quick..." "Number one, he's got great yokel appeal, but he's a nice guy." "Number two, he really beginning to believe that he wrote that suicide letter that you made up..." " Number three, he thinks that you're Joan ofArc or something." " Yeah, I know." "Number four, well you know what number four is." "He's nuts about you." "Yeah, it's running out of his ears." "You left out number five." "We're all heels, me especially." "Come in." " I'm all packed." " Good!" "I'll go and get Benny boy" "Okay Charlie boy." " Can I help you pack?" " No thank-you." " Do you care if I sit down, out here." " No." "I had a crazy dream last night..." " It was about you." " About me?" "It sure was crazy." "I dreamt I was your father." "There was something I was trying to stop you from doing." "So I got up out of bed, and I walked right through the wall here, straight to your bed." "You know how dreams are... and there you were in bed." "But you were a little girl, you know, about 10 and very pretty too." "So I shook you and as soon as you opened your eyes, you hopped out of bed and started running like the devil in your nightgown, and you ran right out the window there and you ran over roofs of buildings for miles..." "And i was chasing you." "And all the time you were running, you kept growing bigger and bigger and pretty soon you were as big as you are now." "You know, grown up." "And all the time I kept asking myself, what am I chasing her for?" "And I didn't know." "Isn't that an odd one?" "Well, anyway you ran into some place and I ran in after you." "When I got there, there you were, getting married." "The nightgown had changed into a beautiful wedding gown." "You sure looked pretty too." "And then I knew what it was I was trying to stop you from doing." "Dreams are sure crazy, aren't they?" "Would you like to know who it was, you were marrying?" "A tall, handsome man I suppose..." "It was that fellow that sends you flowers everyday What's his name?" "Mr. Norten's nephew." " Sheldon..." " Yes, him." "But here's the funniest part of it all..." "I was the fellow up there doing the marrying." "You know, the Justice of the Peace or something." " Were you?" "I thought that you were chasing me?" " Yes, I was, but I was your father then, you see." "But the real me John Doe, well that is, Long John Willaby, I was the fellow up there with the book." " Do you know what I mean?" " Guess so, then what happened?" "Well, I took you across my knee, and I started spanking you." "That is I didn't do it, I mean I did do it but, it wasn't me see, I was your father then." "I put you across my knee and said, Annie, I won't allow you to marry a man that is just rich or has a secretary that sends you flowers..." "The man that you marry has got to swim rivers for you, he's got to climb high mountains for you, he's got to..." "And all the time, the guy up there with the book, just stood there nodding his head and he said..." "Good Pop." "Whack her one from me, cause that's just the way I feel about it too." "He said, come on down here and whack her yourself." "So I came down and I whacked you a good one." "So he whacked you and then I whacked you another one then we were both whacking you..." "Well if you're through whacking her, come on, let's get going." "Okay fellows, right in here..." " Hej Benny." " When's our plane take off again?" "A couple of minutes." "How many people do you think we've talked to already?" "Outside the radio I mean." " I don't know." "About 300,000." " 300.000." "What makes them come Anne." "What makes them listen and then set up their John Doe clubs." "I've been trying to figure it out..." "What we're handing them is a platter It's been heard a milllion times." "Love thy neighbor, clouds of silver linings, turn the other cheek..." "I've heard it a million times too, but..." "There you are." "Maybe they're like me." "Just beginning to get an idea of what those things mean." "I never really thoughtabout people before." "They were justsomebody to fill up the bleachers." "The only time I worried about them, was when they didn't come in to see me pitch." "Lately, I've been watching them when I talk to them." "I can see something in their faces." "I can feel that they are hungry for something." "Do you know what I mean." "Maybe that's why they came." "Maybe they're just lonely and wanted somebody to say hello to them..." "I know how they feel." "I've been lonely and hungry for something practically all my life." "All aboard folks." " Somebody else sitting here?" " No, no, no, that's your seat." " And this is your coat." " Mine?" "A little token of appreciation." "It's beautiful D.B. I don't know what to say" "Well don't say anything." "Just sit down." "Go ahead, open it, open it." " Oh, it's lovely." " And a new contract goes with it." "Well, come on, spring it." "You've got something on your mind." "Must be stupendous..." "That's what I like about her." "Right to the point, like that!" "All right PracticalAnnie, here it is." "Tomorrow night, before a crowd of 15,000 people, I'm talking a nation wide radio hook-up, John Doe will annouce the formation of a third party." " A third party?" " Yes, the John Doe party." "Devoted to the interests of all the John Doe's all over the country." "Which practically means 90% of the voters." "He will also announce the candicy of the third party for President." "A man whom he personally recommends." "A great humanitarium." "The best friend the John Doe's have." " Mr. D.B. Norten..." " Yes." "Though the opening of the convention is hours away the delegates are pouring into the ball park by the droves." "These John Does are the people that have been laughed at and ridiculed, but here they are... gay and happy, having travelled thousands of miles..." "Their expenses paid by their neighbors, who have come here to pay homage to their hero, John Doe." "It's a simple idea that can sweep the country..." "An idea based on friendliness, on giving and not taking." "On helping your neighbor and expecting nothing in return." "And if a thing like this can happen, don't let any of your grumbling friends tell you that humanity is falling apart." "This is John B. Hues signing of now and returning you to our main studio, until 9 o'clock, when the convention will officially open." "John!" "Come in." " Say I'm kind of... it's raining out a little." " That's all right." "It's good to see you." " Sit down." "Thanks." " It's forAnne." " Oh how nice!" "Thank-you very much." " I'm terribly sorry she isn't here." " She isn't?" "No she just left." "I'm surprised you didn't run into her She went over to Mr. Norten's house." "Did you want to see her about something important?" "Yeah, well no, it will wait." "He's a nice man, Mr. Norten I mean." "He's done an awful lot for..." "My coat is pretty wet." "I'm afraid I may have wet the couch a little." " Well, I guess I'll see her at the convention later." " Yes of course, I'll see that she gets the flowers." " Good night Mrs. Mitchell." " Good-night John." "Mrs. Mitchell." "I'm kind of glad thatAnne isn't here." "I came over here hoping to see her alone." "Kind of hoping I wouldn't too, you know" "There was something I wanted to talk to her about." "It can wait, I guess." " Good-night..." " Goodnight John." "Say Mrs. Mitchell, have you ever been married?" "I'm sure you have." "That's pretty silly..." "I guess you must think I'm kind of batty..." "I guess I'd better be going." "John..." "John, my husband said, I love you, will you marry me?" "He did?" " What happened?" " I married him." "That's what I mean, see?" "It was as easy as all that?" "You see, I love Anne, and it's going to be awfully hard for me to say it..." "She's so wonderful and all I ever was, was a bush- league pitcher." "I think she is in love with another man." "The one she made up." "You know, the real John Doe." "That's pretty tough competition." "He would know what to say." "I get up to it, around it and back of it, but I never know what to say." "You know what I mean." "So, the only chance I've got, is if somebody could kind of give her a warning." "Sort of prepare her for the shock." " You mean you would like me to do it?" " Yeah, I was thinking, sort of break the ice." "Of course I will John..." "Thank-you Mrs. Mitchell." "You're Okay." "This John Doe meeting is going to be one of the biggest things that ever happened!" "They're coming from all over, trains, boxcars, wagons..." " Have you had your dinner yet?" " Not yet." " Go ahead and have your dinner." " Wait a minute John." " How are you Mr. Connell." " Hello John." "John I want to have a little talk with you." "What's the matter?" "Are you fallilng, come here." "Did you read that speech that you are going to read tonight?" "No I never read the speeches before I make them." "I get more of a kick out of it that way." "Just exactly what I thought." "Benny go down to the office and tell them to give you the speech." "There's a copy on my desk." " You know Mr. Norten told me not to leave him, not even for a minute." " Go and get it, we'll be at Jim's bar up the street." "You're a nice guy John." "I like you." "You're gentle." "I've always liked gentle people." "Me, I'm hard." "Yep, I'm hard, but you want to know something?" "I've got a weakness." "Never guess that, would you?" "Well, I have." "Want to know what it is?" "Star Spangled Banner." "Screwy huh?" "Maybe it is, but play the Star Spangled Banner and I'm a sucker for it." "Always gets me right here." "You know what I mean?" " Yeah, gets me right back here." " Oh, back there huh?" "Well, every man to his own taste." "You weren't old enough for the World War, were you John?" "No of course not." "You must have been just a kid." "I was." "I was young and raring to go." "Know what my old man did when I joined up?" "He joined up too." "Got to be a Sgt. And here's the kick for you." "We were in the same outfit." "Funny huh?" "He was killed John." "I saw him die." "I was right there and I saw it with my own eyes." "Me, I came out without a scratch." "Except for my ulcers..." "I should be drinking milk you know This stuff is poison." "Tommy?" "What do you say huh?" "Yep, I'm a sucker for this country I'm a sucker for the Star Spangled Banner and I'm a sucker for this country." "I like what we got here." "I like it." "A guy can say what he wants and do what he wants, without having a baonet shoved in his belly" " And that's all right, isn't it?" " You bet ya!" " And we don't want anybody coming around and changing that do we?" " No sir!" "When they do, I get mad." "I get boiling mad." "Right now John, I'm sizzling." "I get mad for a lot of other guys, besides myself..." "I get mad for a guy named Washington, and a guy named Jeffereson and Lincoln." "Lighthouses John." "Lighthouses in a foggy world." " You know what I mean?" " Yeah, you bet." " Listen pal." "That fifth column stuf was pretty rotten, isn't it?" " Yeah, it certainly is." "And you'd feel an awful sucker if you found yourself marching right in the middle of it, wouldn't you?" "You wouldn't know, cause you're gentle, but that's what you're doing." "You're mixed up with skunk!" "A no-good dangerous skunk!" " Say, you're not talking about Mr. Norten, are you?" " I'm not talking about his grandfather's pet poodle." " You must be wrong Mr. Connell." "He's been marvelous about the John Doe clubs." " You're really sold on this John Doe idea, aren't you?" " Sure." "Yes sir, I don't blame you, so am I. It's a beautiful miracle." "A miracle that could only happen right here, in the good old U.S.A." "I think it's terrific." "What do you think about that?" "Me, hard-boiled Connell and I think it's terrific." "Now suppose an unmentionable worm, whose initials are D.B., was trying to use that to shove his way into the White House?" "So he could put the screws on." "So he could turn out those lights in the lighthouses." " What would you say about that huh?" " They can't use the John Doe clubs for politics." " That's the whole idea." " Is that so?" "Then what's a big political boss like Haman doing here in town?" "And a labour leader like Bennet, and a lot of other big shots up at D.B.'s house right now" "Wolves!" "Wolves John, waiting to cut up the John Does..." " Wait til you get a gander at that speech you are going to make tonight" " Miss Mitchell writes those speeches, and nobody can make her write that kind of stuf." "They can't huh?" "Who do you think writes them?" "My Aunt Emma?" "I know she writes them and gets a big bonus for writing them too. 799." "A mink coat and a diamond bracelet." "Don't write them!" "A mink coat and a diamond bracelet." "Don't write them!" "Why that gold-grabbing dame would double-cross her own mother for a handful of Chinese yen!" " Lf you weren't drunk, I would..." " Hey boss!" " Here's the speech boss." " Go on and read it John and then start socking." "Hey wait a minute Mr. Doe." "Tommy, you'd better bring me a glass of milk." "I'm smoking too much." "Yes Charlie." "Got everything all set?" "Got John Doe taken care of?" "How many people do you think will be there?" "15,000!" "Oh, that's fine." "Listen Charlie, as soon as John Doe stops talking about me, I want you to start that demonstration." "Don't worry about that D.B. My boys are there." "They'll take care of it." "Yes, I'll be there 15 minutes after I get your call." " Why Mr. Doe." " Where are they?" "They're in the dining room sir." "Well gentlemen, I think we are ready to throw that great, big bombshell." "A conservative estimate says that we will get anywhere between 15 and 20 million John Doe votes" "Add to that, the labor board Mr. Bennet will throw in nothing can stop us." "As I said before, I am with you, providing that you can guarantee the John Doe vote." "You can count on me, on one condition." "Bennet has to be taken care of." "Didn't I tell you everybody in this room will be taken care of." "My agreement with you gentlemen stands!" "I'm with you D.B., but I still think it's a very daring thing we're attempting." "These are daring times." "We are coming to a new order of things." "There's too much talk going on in this country." "Too many concessions have been made." "What the people need is an iron-hand." "Discipline!" "May I offer a little toast to Miss Anne Mitchell." "The beautiful and brilliant lady who is responsible for all this." "Mr. Norten I would like to talk to you alone for a minute." " Miss Mitchell has something to say to us." " Say it!" "Hello..." "John I'm so glad to see you." "I was terribly worried." " Did you write this?" " Yes I did John, but I had no idea what was going on." " You didn't?" " No." "That's a swell bracelet you're wearing." "John, why aren't you at the convention?" " Is there anything wrong?" " No, no nothing is wrong." "Everything is fine." "So there's going to be a new order of things huh?" "Everybody's going to cut himself a nice fat slice of the John Does huh?" "You forgot one detail, Mr. Bigshot." "You forgot me." "The prize stooge of the world." "Why you or anybody else thinks he's going to use the John Doe clubs for his own rotten purpose, he's going to have to do it over my dead body." "Now hold on a minute young man." "That's rather big talk." "I started the John Doe clubs with my money" " And I'll decide whether or not they are being properly used." " No you won't." "You're through deciding anything." "And what's more, I'm going down to that convention and I'm going to tell those people exactly what you and all your fine-feathered friends here are trying to cook up for them." "And I'm going to say it in my own words this time!" "Wait a minute fellow." "My Uncle wants to talk to you." "Now listen to me my son." "Before you lose your head completely... may I remind you that I picked you up out of the gutter and I can throw you right back there again!" "You got a nerve accusing people of things." "These gentlemen and I know what's best for the John Does of America, regardless of what tramps like you think!" "Get off that righteous horse of yours, and come to your senses." "You're the fake." "We believe what we are doing." "You're the one that was paid the 30 pieces of silver." "Have you forgotten that?" "Well, I haven't." "You're a fake John Doe, and I can prove it." "You're the big hero that is suppose to jump of buildings and things." "Do you remember?" "What do you think your precious John Does will think, when they find out that you had no intention of doing it?" "That you were being paid to say so." "You'd be lucky they don't run you out of the country" "With the newspapers and radio stations that these gentlemen control, we can kill the John Doe movement deader than a doornail and we'll do it too, the minute you step out of line." "Now if you still want to go to that convention and shoot your trap off, you go ahead and do it." "You mean to tell me, that you would kill the John Doe movement if you can't use it for what you want?" "You bet your bottom dollar we would!" "Well that certainly is a new low" "I guess I've seen everything now." "You sit there smoking your big cigars, and think of deliberatly killilng an idea that has made millions of people a little bit happier." "An idea that has brought thousands of them here from all over the country." "By bus, by freight and jalopys..." "So they could pass on to each other, their own simple little experiences." "I'm just a mug and I know it." "But I'm beginning to understand a lot of things." "Why your types are as old as history If you can't lay your dirty fingers on a decent idea, and turn it and squeeze it and put it into your own pocket, you slap it down!" "Like dogs!" "If you can't eat something you bury it!" "Why this is the one worth while thing that has come along." "People are finally finding out that the guy next door isn't the bad egg." "Simple isn't it?" "And a thing like that has got a chance of spreading until it touches every dog-gone human being in the world." "And you talk about killing it." "Or when this fire dies down, what's going to be left?" "More misery, more hunger and more hate." "And what's to prevent that from starting all over again?" "!" "No one knows the answer to that one." "And certainly not you, with the slimy ideas you've got." "The John Doe idea may be the answer though." "Yet you sit on your fat hulks and tell me kill it if you can't use it." "You go ahead and try." "You couldn't do it in a milion years with all your radio stations and all your power... because it's bigger than whether I'm a fake, it's bigger than your ambitions and it's bigger than all the bracelets and fur coats in the world." " You bet it is John!" " And that's exactly what I am going down there to tell those people!" "Why you ungrateful rat." "My Uncle has been too good to you." "He's getting away." "John..." "I tried to warn you D.B. You played with dynomite." "Don't let him get away!" "I'll stop him cold." "Don'tworry, I've been ready forthisl" "John!" "Oh John please listen to me." "I didn't know what they were going to do." "Let me go with you John..." "Go ahead driver." "Mr. Norten wants to see you." "Listen to me Mayor and you do what I say." "I want them both arrested." "You tell the police to pick up Connell, I've got the girl here." "I don't care what you charge them with, but keep them in jail overnight." "Hello Bulletin, put your editor on." "Three cheers for John Doe!" " Ladies and Gentlemen." " One moment John." "We'll begin with a prayer." "Quiet please." "Ladies and gentlemen, let us have a moment of silent prayer for the John Does all over the world." "Many of whom are homeless and hungry" "Quiet please." "Everybody rise." "Newsboys, hundreds of newsboys are swarming into the stadium." "Yelling John Doe is a fake." "An investigation by the Chamber of Commerce." "Must be some kind of a gag." "Come on, come on, step on it." "You all know your places, so let's get going." " Will you autograph my balloon?" " Sure." "Ladies and gentlemen." "This is exactly what I came down here to tell you about." "Please, if you just be quiet for a few minutes, I can explain the whole thing." "As you know, this paper is published by D.B. Norten." "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute everybody." "My name is D.B. Norten." "You all know me." "I accuse this man of being a faker." "We've been taken for suckers and I'm the biggest of the lot." "I spent a fortune backing this man, in what I believed to be a sincere and worthy cause, just as you all did..." "And now I find out it nothing but a cheap racket." "Cooked up by him and two of my employees." "For the sole purpose of collecting dues from the John Does all over the country." " That's a lie!" " It's not a lie." "Nickles and dimes being stufed into thier own pockets." "You can read all about it in the newspapers." " That's a lie!" "..." " This man had no intention ofjumping of the top of a building." " He was paid to say so." "Do you deny that?" " That's got nothing to do with it." " Were you paid for it, or weren't you?" " Yes, I was paid, but..." " And what about the sucide note?" "You didn't write that either." " What difference does that make?" " Did you write it or didn't you?" " No I didn't write it." "You look in your papers Ladies and Gentlemen, and you'll find Miss Mitchell's signed confessioin that she's the one that wrote it." " Listen folks, it's true that I didn't write the letter, but." " See, he even admits he didn't write it." "You're a fake John Doe." "And for what you've done to all these good people, they ought to run you out of the country and I hope they do it." "Speak up John." "We believe you." "Listen folks." "Now that he's finished shooting off, I've got a few things to tell you." "Get him out of here." "I'm sorry folks, but we can't hear him anymore." "There is something wrong with the loud-speakers." " John Doe's a fake!" "Booooooo!" " Please, they can't hear me." "This thing is not working." "Ladies and Gentlemen." "This thing is bigger than whether I'm a fake..." "You believe me?" "Sure I believe you." "Walking my legs off, picking up 5000 signatures for a phony." "Well here you are Mr. Doe. 5000 names asking you not to jump off any roof." " It makes no difference!" "The idea is still good." " We don't have to give up our club." "Yeah, well you can have it." "They're starting to throw things." "Someone is going to get hurt and I'm afraid it will be John Doe." "Listen to that crowd!" " I've got to go there." " Sorry lady, orders." "Please let me go." "They are crucifying him." "I can help him!" " We've got orders to hold you." " Orders from who?" "Can't you see it's a frame-up?" "Oh mother, they won't let me go, they won't let me go." "Listen to me." "You've got to listen to me." "Back to the jungle, you hobo!" " Trust a low-racket?" " Why shoud we do that?" "Stick to your clubs?" "The idea is still good." "Believe me folks!" "Listen, John Doe is the only hope for the world." "They managed to get him out of the park." "If that boy isn't hurt, it's a miracle!" "This certainly looks like the end of the John Doe movement." "Well boys, you can chalk up another one to the Pontius Pilots." "I should have been there." "I could have helped him." "He was so all alone." "A lot of us are going to be mighty ashamed of ourselves after tonight." "We certainly didn't give that man much of a chance." " Would you like some more coffee Long John?" " No thanks Colonel." "John Doe Proven Faker!" "Liar!" "Cheat!" "Imposter!" "Why don't you jump?" "Cause it ain't midnight..." "Good-bye Mr. Doe." "You're a wonderful man!" "You are a wonderful man Mr. Doe" "Now get in there and pitch." "FAKE!" "You're a fake John Doe and I can prove it." "You're the hero that's suppose to jump of tall buildings and things." "What do you think your precious John Does will think, when they find out that you had no intention of doing it?" " That you were paid for the whole thing?" " Christmas Eve at midnight." " Silent Night." " Holy Night..." "John Doe?" "Is that screwball still around?" " Yeah, that dame has been calling all day" " Sure, sure, at midnight huh?" "We'll have the place surrounded with nets." "They're laughing at me." "You're a sick girlAnne." "You'd better take it easy." "Who are you calling now?" "You called that number, not more than 10 minutes ago." " Hello Mr. Connell, have you seen him yet?" " Now listen Anne, he can't possibly get in without our seeing him..." "I'm watching the side door and the Colonel is out front, so stop worrying." "Thank-you." "Ann!" "Don't be foolish." "If this isn't the craziest, the battiest, the looniest, wild goose chase I've ever heard of." " Oh shut up Bert," " Sourpuss is right." "Well if he is, I'm a banana split." "That man is going to be on that roof." "Don't ask me how I know, I just know and you know it as well as I do!" "Sure, sure, I'd like to believe in fairy tales, but the guy is a fake and he isn't going to jump of any roof." "I don't think he was any fake, not with that face!" "Anyway, what he stood for wasn't a fake." "Okay honey, Okay." "The elavators ain't running." "Colonel!" "You shouldn't have gotten out of bed Miss." " Has he been here." " Have you seen him?" "Nope, haven't seen him for a week." " Where's Connell?" " He's watching the other door." "You're swell." "No sense in going up there." "I've been here for hours and he ain't here." "Let me go!" "Now that's crazy." "It's 14 floors." "This is as far as the elavator goes." "We have to walk up to the tower." "That crank is probably full of Christmas cheer and is asleep in some flop-house." "Let's go, I've got to decorate my tree." "Well I give up." "I don't know what gave us the idea that he would attempt anything like this." "I guess you're right." "I guess the jokes on us." "Let's go!" "I hope nobody finds out we've been here." "I wouldn't do that if I were you John." "It'll do you now good." "The Mayor has policemen downstairs." "With instructions to remove all marks of identification that you may have on your person." "You'll be buried in Potter's Field, and you will have accomplished nothing." "I've taken care of that." "I've already mailed a copy of this letter to Mr. Connell." " John why don't you forget this foolishness." "Stop right where you are Mr. Norten, if you don't want to go over with me." "I'm glad you gentlemen are here." "You killed the John Doe movement all right." "But you're going to see it born all over again." "Now take a good look Mr. Norten." "John..." "John..." "Oh John..." "I won't let you do it." "I love you!" "Please don't give up." "We'll start all over again..." "Just you and I. It isn't too late." "The John Doe movement isn't dead yet." "You see it isn't dead, or they wouldn't be here." "It's alive in me!" "They kept it alive by being up here!" "Darling!" "It should have been killed but it wasn't." "We can start clean now." "Just you and I. It'll grow It'll grow big John, cause it will be honest and kind." "Oh John, if it's worth dying for, it's worth living for." "Oh please John!" "John look at me." "You want to be honest don't you?" "You don't have to die to keep the John Doe idea alive." "Someone already died for that one." "The first John Doe." "And he's kept that idea alive for nearly 2000 years!" "It was He who kept it alive in them and He'll go on keeping it alive in them." "For every John Doe movement these men kill, a new one will be born." "Oh don't you see darling?" "This is no time to give up!" "You and I John, we..." "Oh no, no John!" "If you die, I want to die too." "I love you!" "Mr. Doe... you don't have to..." "We're with you Mr. Doe..." " We just lost our heads, and acted like a mob..." " What Bert's trying to say is, we need you Mr. Doe." "There was a lot of us who didn't believe what that man said." "We were going to start up our John Doe club again." "Whether we saw you or not." "And there are a lot of others who are going to do the same thing..." " Mr. Sourpuss even got a letter from cousin inToledo and..." " Got it right here Mr. Doe." "Only it would be a lot easier with you." "Please come with us Mr. Doe." "John!" "Mr. Doe... she's Okay." "We'll take her down to the car." "They you are Norten, the people!" "Try and lick that!"