- A burlesque show producer drops dead of a heart attack, and leaves a post-humous tape asking Simon Brimmer to find his killer.
- George Burns (who receives "special appearance by" billing in the end titles) plays Sam Packer, a wisecracking theatrical producer who appears in his own funeral, via a film he made shortly before his demise from an apparent heart attack. Packer's monologue, in true Burns style, is a riff on his own death and how he believed he would be murdered. It turns out the Packer was indeed poisoned in the dressing room of a stripper queen. But she didn't have enough clothes on to smuggle the poison into the room, did she? In fact, nobody seemed to be able to get into the room with the poison. As Ellery says just before revealing the killer: "You'll know who once you figure out how."—Peter Harris
- A theatrical producer dies and at his funeral a film he made before he died is played and in it he suspects that he could have been murdered. And among the ones he names as the one who could have done it, are his wife, his backer, a director and a comic. The man then entrusts finding out who did it to Simon Bremmer. The wife then turns to Ellery to prove she didn't do it. Ellery asks his father to help but he refuses to because the autopsy that was performed after he died said he died of natural causes. But Ellery says that there are poisons that can't be detected in a routine autopsy. A more in depth one needs to be done. Ellery's father refuses to authorize it. But Brimmer who was given authority by the producer ordered one and it proves that he was poisoned.—rcs0411@yahoo.com
- At Sam Packer's Burlesque Theater, a customer is buying tickets for the new show "Take It Off" when a deliveryman brings in a RIP wreath. The ticket teller explains to the customer that it's for Sam Packer, who just died of a heart attack when the show opens in three days.
Inside, a coffin is on the stage. The mourners come by the coffin and pay their respects, then take seats in the audience section. Simon Brimmer is among them. Once everyone is seated, the funeral director has the curtain opened and a movie shows. It's Sam Packer, who filmed the movie before his death. Packer wonders how he died, but figures that didn't die of natural causes. He insists that he was murdered, and there were several attempts on his life before he filmed his final words. Packer didn't tell the police because he didn't want word of the murder attempts to get out and frighten away the backers.
Packer thanks his director Dick Bowie, and insists that Bowie didn't kill him. He goes over the list of people who could have killed him. First is his wife Jennifer, who Packer accuses of sleeping around. Packer admits that he's in debt, despite what Jennifer thought about his riches. The second suspect is Risky Ross, a comic who didn't want to get back into burlesque to play in the show so Packer twisted his arm. The third suspect is the big star, Veronica "Ronnie" Vale, who wants to be treated like a star even though she isn't, and Packer admits he treated her like a bum and says that she is.
The fourth suspect is Gregory Layton, wanted to back out of backing the show, so Packer twisted his arm into doing it. Finally, Packer talks about Simon, and says he's the man he's counting on to figure out who killed him. He tells Simon that a delivery service will deliver a sealed envelope one hour after the film plays. In it is all the information Packer has about everyone he thinks wanted him dead.
Once the film ends, Jennifer goes to her old friend Ellery and asks for his help figuring out who murdered her husband. She explains that she loved Packer, but over time he devoted all of his time to the theater and less time to her, and their marriage fell apart. Jennifer insists that she didn't want Packer dead, but Packer didn't believe it according to the film and she doesn't want the accusation hanging over her head. Ellery isn't convinced, and Jennifer presumes on their friendship. Packer listed her as the beneficiary on his $100,000 life insurance, but the company won't pay off because Packer identified her as a suspect. She needs the money to pay off Packer's debts, and begs Ellery to prove she's innocent.
Ellery points out that it hasn't been proven that Packer died of anything but natural causes, and Jennifer notes that Packer was convincing in the film. She mentions Sam has the list of suspects, and Richard goes to Simon's radio studio to talk to him. Richard barges into the rehearsal and demands Simon hand over Packer's envelope. Simon tells Richard that the envelope never arrived, and he points out that the medical examiner confirmed that Packer died of a heart attack and there's no evidence of murder. The radio host insists that it's a "private murder", and threatens to file charges of police harassment of Richard gets in his way. Richard backs off and storms out.
At the theater, the chorus line is going onstage for rehearsals. Ellery arrives and asks the doorman, Alexander "Pop" Denny" if he can see Ronnie. Ellery has a card with Jennifer having written an invitation on it. Ross is nearby and overhears, and Pop directs Ellery to Ronnie's dressing room. Ross introduces himself, insisting he's the show's star, and Ellery brushes him off and goes to Ronnie's dressing room where Packer died.
Ellery goes to the dressing room, and Ross follows him there. Ronnie says that she called the police about her missing parrot, which is part of her act. She explains that before Packer died, she left to make a phone call. When Ronnie came back, her parrot Galahad was gone and Packer was dead. Ellery notices a phone in the room, and Ronnie says that it doesn't work.
Ronnie goes to rehearsal, and Ellery looks around and finds that nothing works. He confirms that the window is stuck and doesn't open.
Later on stage, Ronnie does her burlesque strip tease for rehearsal. Ellery and Ross are watching, and Bowie interrupts to ask Ronnie if she's going to hold onto her veils for the whole number. Ronnie says that Galahad is supposed to take the veils and fly off into the wings, but he isn't there. She insists that they find Galahad because she isn't going to strip without him.
That night, Richard returns home to find Ellery watching Packer's film. Richard complains that Ellery took the film, and Ellery insists that Jennifer got it for him. Richard that whoever filmed Packer must have been someone Packer trusted implicitly, and explains that nine years ago Packer staged his own kidnapping as a publicity stunt. Four years ago, Packer disappeared in a plane as a publicity stunt, and Richard figures the film is Packer's last publicity stunt, and the deputy commissioner is going to tell the press the same thing the next day. Ellery suggests that his father exhume Packer's body and have it checked for poison, but Richard refuses.
Doc Steiner calls from the ME's office and tells Richard that he performed a bio-chemical autopsy on Packer, and someone came in with an authorization signed by Packer before his death. Steiner confirms that Simon brought in the authorization, and Steiner confirmed that Packer was poisoned. The ME admits that he already told Simon, and Richard hangs up in disgust.
The next day, the same customer as before buys more tickets. Meanwhile, Simon and Bowie are watching the rehearsal as Ronnie and Ross do a hospital skit. When Ronnie goes off into the wings, she finds Layton watching. He shows her a telegram that he got from Simon asking them to all come to the theater. Ronnie got a similar telegram, then goes back out on stage.
Bowie calls a short break and Simon notices Pop off to the side, drinking from a flask. Simon tells Ross, Ronnie, Layton, and Jennifer, who all received Simon's telegrams, that Packer had specific reasons for suspecting all four of them. Layton insists that he's a happily married man. As Jennifer starts to say something, Richard comes in and says he has a warrant to take the envelope.
Simon talks to Richard privately and readily hands over the envelope. There's nothing in it but blank paper, and Simon tell Richard that Packer's envelope was never delivered and Simon was trying trick the killer into confessing. Simon got the authorization from Packer's attorney. He explains that someone stole Packer's envelope from the messenger, and Simon didn't call the police because he figured they'd bungler it.
At the apartment, Ellery rewatches the film with Richard. After Richard shuts it off, Ellery points out that Sam walked in and out of camera frame while the camera was running. Ellery figured that Packer turned the camera on and off himself and there was no one else. Richard admits that Simon was right and he bungled the case, and didn't reopen the case initially because of political pressure, but he doesn't know who is applying the pressure.
Ellery points out that cyanide is water soluble, but there was nothing to drink in Ronnie's dressing room where Packer died. The writer figures Packer was poisoned in the room, and because of his agent could call for help or write a note. Layton arrives to see Richard, and says that he's there about Packer's letter to Simon. The financier says that what Packer accused him of, he was perfectly innocent. Richard plays along, and Layton admits that he was seeing Ronnie and urging her to try out for dramatic roles. Layton says that they've been reading plays together privately,
Layton explains that Packer found out when Ronnie left some incriminating letters in her dressing room. Packer threatened to tell Mrs. Layton that her husband was having an affair, and Layton thought it would be cheaper to back the show than risk scandal. Ellery points out that the city is buying land that Layton owns, giving him considerable influence with the city government. Layton admits that applied pressure to Richard's superiors to quash the investigation.
Velie calls Richard and tells him that Jennifer OD'd on sleeping pills, and was taken to the hospital. The Queens go there and asks Jennifer why she tried to kill herself. She insists that was in the letter wasn't true, and her husband thought she was having an affair but she wasn't. Jennifer explains that one night a friend took her to an illegal gambling casino, and the next night she went back by herself. Now she owes thousands, and the casino owner found out that Packer died in debt. Jennifer needs the insurance money to pay off her gambling debts. Richard points out that sounds like a motive.
Richard steps out and Jennifer apologizes to Ellery for asking him to do the impossible. He says that he'll keep working on proving she's innocent of Packer's murder and takes her hand.
The next day at the theater, Ross and Ronnie rehearse the hospital sketch again. Bowie interrupts to tell Ronnie to tone down her bumps and grinds, while the Queens watch from backstage. Ronnie, disgusted, does so and then asks Ellery if he's found Galahad. He admits that he hasn't, and Richard figures they should continue bluffing about the letter's existence and contents.
Another performer comes out and swats at Ross with a fly swatter, as part of the sketch. Ross shots him with an old bug sprayer. Richard figures that Ross looks familiar. After rehearsal, the Queens confront Ross and Richard tells him that when he worked a beat in Hell's Kitchen, he met a kid named Joey Flanders. Flanders talk his way out of a stolen car charge, then became a rackets runner for the mob. Richard has made the connection that Ross is Flanders.
Ross readily agrees and cheerfully admits that Richard is the greatest cop he ever knew. Ellery says that he read that Ross had a TV show, and Ross says that it fell through and his agent booked him in the show instead. Richard figures that Packer found out about Ross' history and blackmailed him into joining the show. Ross finally admits it, and says that he killed off Packer in his mind but didn't have the moxie in real life.
Ellery finds Pop backstage sneaking a drink, and when Ellery asks Pop says that there's a soda pop drink dispenser downstairs. Going into the women's dressing room, Ellery finds the machine but discovers that it doesn't work.
At his studio, Simon calls the New York Library's theater collection. He makes an appointment to do some "research" for his radio show, particular memorabilia relating to Packer.
Ellery looks on Ronnie complains to Bowie about her missing parrot, and tells the director to find it or she'll strip for real and shut down the show. Once Bowie leaves, Ellery talks to Ronnie and she leads him into her dressing room to talk while she dresses. Ronnie talks about how she got to NYC in 1937, and she insists on undressing behind a screen since she isn't on-stage. Ronnie says that she worked dives between '37 and now, in 1947. Then a sailor gave her Galahad, and Ronnie worked up an act with the parrot. Packer caught her act and hired her.
Ronnie admits that she thought Packer was a "spider" and told him so, when he threatened to drop her from the show. She admits that she threatened to kill Packer, but didn't mean it. Ronnie says that Layton is teaching her class, and she's teaching him how to spend money. Ellery points out that it's strange Galahad disappeared at the same time Packer was murdered, and considers the killer taking the bird. The writer wonders if the parrot knew the killer and might have squawked the killer's name. Ronnie says that it's a good idea, but Galahad only knew three words, "Take It Off".
Simon is performing his in show in his studio. Once the show is done, Simon convinces Brady on his performance. Simon has learned that Brady was in Packer's first hit, and invites the actor to come with him to have a drink and reminisce.
That night at the theater, Ellery looks around and Pop confronts him. Ellery says that the stage manager gave him a key, and confirms that Pop saw Packer go into Ronnie's dressing room the day he had his "heart attack". Pop says that Packer didn't have anything to drink on him and looked fine, and Ellery confirms that no one brought Packer anything to drink. Pop remembers that Ronnie went in and out of her dressing room, and Ellery has Pop go with him to the dressing room.
The two men go to the dressing room and Pop confirms that the faucet doesn't work. He points out to Ellery where Parker's body was, facedown near the parrot's cage. Ellery figures out from Pop's description where Parker was when he fell, next to the cage. Once Pop leaves, Ellery deduces how Packet was killed and why the killer took Galahad, and challenges the viewer to figure out who and how.
Later at the apartment, the Queens put on tuxedo for the show's opening. Ellery gets the call he's waiting for on the toxicology report. It's Velie, who tells Ellery that Simon has gathered all the suspects in the theater's green room, and is saying he has the case solve.
In the green room, Bowie is objecting to Simon about Simon's interrupting the show on opening night. When the other objects, Simon says that he's waiting for a lady. Jennifer arrives backstage at Simon's invitation. Velie arrives with the Queens and sees the customer lurking outside the stage door, and greets Sgt. Tolson. Tolson says that he's there with vice squad.
Jennifer and then the Queens enter the green room, and Ellery tries to warn Simon. Simon ignore Ellery sand says that Brody told him a story about how, 35 years ago, "Hot Stuff" opened and Packer drank too much at the party afterward. A drunk Packer drove home with an actor, crashed the car, and the actor was rippled and his career ruined. Simon identifies Pop as the former actor, and Ronnie goes out to do her number.
Pop denies killing Packer, and the Queens say that Pop put the cyanide in his flask and offered Packer a drink. Ellery points out that Packer said in the film that he had an ulcer and wouldn't drink liquor, and Jennifer confirms her husband's limitation. Velie comes in and tells Ellery that the lab called, and confirmed what Ellery knew they'd find.
Ellery explains that Packer inhaled the cyanide, and uses Ross' bug sprayer to demonstrate how Packer was killed. The writer accuses Ross, and says that Packer was standing in front of the cage. When Ross gassed Packer, he gassed Galahad as well. Ross is wearing baggy clown's pants, with enough room to stuff a dead parrot in them and go out, then dispose of the bird. When Ross says that he had another show, Ellery figures the answer is in the letter that Ross stole. Packer blackmailed Ross' career into a nose dive, and Ross was seeking revenge. Ross admits that he killed Packer, and Richard has Velie take the comic in.
Simon tells Ellery that he was lucky and leaves with Pop and Layton. Jennifer thanks Ellery for solving the case and clearing her name.
The vice squad arrives and arrests the cast, crew, and audience when Ronnie actually strips. Ronnie says that she got carried away as she'd loaded in the police truck. Simon gets picked up with the audience, and Richard stops Ellery from coming to the aid of the radio show host, happy to see Simon get his just desserts.
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What is the Spanish language plot outline for The Adventure of Veronica's Veils (1975)?
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