Meet McGraw – 1954

This is an episode of "Four Star Playhouse", which ran for 130 episodes between 1952 and 1956.

Frank Lovejoy is a private investigator who has just hit town from Chicago. He meets the client, Lila Lamont, in the hotel bar. Miss Lamont is played by Audrey Totter.

"What's the job?" Lovejoy asks. Totter smiles and hands him a fistful of cash. "I need protection from my husband. I am divorcing him and he is not happy." Totter tells Lovejoy. Lovejoy realizes that Totter's soon to be ex- is a rather famous mobster.

He shoves the money back at Totter and says he wishes to keep breathing. "People who annoy your husband develop problems in that area." Lovejoy finishes his drink and heads for his room. On his way to the front desk, he is bumped into by Ellen Corby. She apologizes and moves on.

The desk clerk (the one and only Percy Helton) gives Lovejoy his key and the bus schedule to Chicago. Lovejoy now discovers his wallet has been lifted. It must have been Corby. Oh, well. Up to his room he goes where he finds an unwanted visitor. A rather large, Peter Whitney "insists' he come with him to another room. Lovejoy decides to play along.

Whitney knocks on a door which is answered by Corby of all people. Also in the room is a gunsel (Paul Picerni). Whitney and Picerni "suggest" that Lovejoy reconsider his decision about not working for Totter.

Totter now enters the room and tells the boys to behave themselves. She also has Corby return Lovejoy's wallet. Picerni, Corby and Whitney are all former employees of Totter's husband. Lovejoy again tells Totter he has no intention of working for her. He is catching a bus back to Chicago.

Totter offers Lovejoy a ride to the station in her car, which Lovejoy accepts. After the pair jump in the car, Totter snuggles up to Lovejoy. The two engage in a spot of tongue wrestling.

This activity is interrupted by several shots through the car window. Lovejoy exits said car in a hurry, saying he knew Totter was going to get him in trouble. Totter steps on the gas and takes off.

Now, a Police detective, Steve Darrell, steps up and has a few words with Lovejoy. "What are you doing getting mixed up with her for?" Lovejoy tells the cop about the job offer. Darrell tells him Totter does not need protection from hubby. He is cooling his heels in an out of town jail.

"What does the job offer?" Lovejoy thinks to himself. He decides to have a talk with Totter about the matter. No giving away the end this time. Suffice it to say there are a couple of rather unexpected twists and turns. And of course some gun-play is involved.





Three years later Lovejoy would play McGraw again in the short run series, MEET MCGRAW. This series ran for 42 episodes in 1957-58.

The director here was Frank (THE BIG TIP OFF) McDonald. The d of p was master lensman, George Diskant. His work includes the noirs RIFFRAFF, THEY LIVE BY NIGHT, PORT OF NEW YORK, BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN, THE RACKET and BEWARE MY LOVELY. He would continue to work in TV as the resident photographer for THE DICK POWELL SHOW.