The Wall (Part One)

114 "The Wall, Part One"
(Original air date: February 1, 1997)

Written by Bob Brush; Directed by Michael Dinner
Fanscribed by earlydues

"The Wall, Part 1" -- Original Air Date: Feb 1, 1997

Gary uncovers a link between the former recipient of his predictive newspaper and the Kennedy assassination, in part one of a special two-part episode. As the current president's visit to Chicago approaches, the Secret Service advance man, in town to investigate any suspicious Chicago characters, targets Gary as a potential threat because of his unexplained ability to show up just when disaster is about to strike. With the Secret Service watching his every move, Gary unexpectedly discovers from a picture in a 34-year-old copy of the paper that Lucius Snow, the paper's former recipient, knew about and tried to prevent the impending assassination of President John F. Kennedy. On the eve of the current president's visit, Gary is further shocked when he reads in tomorrow's edition that his own heroics will backfire as he is set up to take the fall for a crime he could never commit and that will put him in the history books forever.

Opening Credits:
Kyle Chandler
Shanesia Davis
and Fisher Stevens

Developed by: Bob Brush

Created by: Patrick Q Page, Vik Rubenfeld, Ian Abrams

Guest Starring:
Josef Sommer
Ron Dean
John Watson, Sr
and Joe Grifasi as Hawks

Music by: W C Snuffy Walden

Edited by: Randy Roberts, A.C.E.

Edited by Warren Bowman

Production Designer: Gary Baugh

Director of Photography: Arthur Albert

Co-Producers: Julia Rask, Steven Heth and Norman Morrill

Co-Producers: Patrick Q Page & Vik Rubenfeld

Consulting Producers: Kerry Lenhart and John J Sakmar

Supervising Producer: Dusty Kay

Co-Executive Producers: Ian Abrams and Richard Heus

Written by: Bob Brush

Directed by Michael Dinner

Cast of Characters

Character (Transcription Code) Actor

Gary Hobson (GH) Kyle Chandler
Chuck Fishman (CF) Fisher Stevens
Monologue (M) Fisher Stevens
Marissa Clark (MC) Shanesia Davis
Snow’s Cat (SC) Panther
Spike (Spike) Trucker
John Dobbs (JD) Josef Sommer
Det Zeke Crumb (ZC) Ron Dean
Mr Morris (Morris) John Watson, Jr
Harry Hawks (HH) Joe Grifasi
Assistant Detective (AD) Stephen Cinabro
Phone Worker #1 (PW1) ??
Phone Worker #2 (PW2) ??
Phone Worker #3 (PW3) ??
Secretary (Sec) ??
Lady at Sun-Times (Lady) ??
Helpful woman (HW) ??
Cop #1 (Cop1) ??
Mike at Newsstand (Mike) ??
Reporter on TV (TV) ??
Voice on Radio (Radio:) ??
Walter Cronkite (WC) Walter Cronkite

% {Scenes from previous episodes are shown. Kyle’s voice: Previously on Early Edition...}

% {Scene: The bar. Gary showing Chuck the picture of Snow and the cat in the book, "Lost Chicago"}

GH: If that’s the same cat, then I figure all I gotta do is find out about this guy.

% {Scene: Hawk’s office. Gary’s first meeting with Hawks}

HH: What can I do for you?

GH: I was wondering if I could get a look at the archives.

% {Scene: Archives room at the Sun-Times. Gary with Mr Morris. Gary has just asked Morris if he recognized the cat in the picture}

Morris: Lucius Snow! That’s the fellow’s name. He set the Truman headline a whole day before anybody else knew. He had all the type all set before it happened.

% {Scene: Gary’s roof/balcony at the Blackstone. Gary is looking at the "Lost Chicago" book. The cat jumps up onto the book}

SC: Mrooowww.

*************************

% {Opening scene...Chuck’s monologue while we see time lapse film of Chicago Skyline}

M: The past is never over. The future never begun.

% {Slow motion view from the front of the El heading down the tracks}

M: That’s what someone said. Don’t ask me who. When you think about it, though, it kinda makes sense.

% {The El zips by platform. On the opposite side stands Gary waiting}

M: Like, yesterday’s dinners - tomorrow’s leftovers. Or somethin’ like that.

% {Close-up shot of Gary. A man is standing behind him with his back turned. Gary checks his watch as the El pulls in. Time is 7:33 am}

M: The thing is, most of us live in the now. You know, get up in the morning, brush your teeth, put on your socks - easy.

% {Gary hops onto the El and grabs a pole near the door. We see his view out the windows as the doors close.}

M: Until you start getting tomorrow’s news today. Then, everything changes.

% {The El goes past the man who was standing behind Gary. He turns so we can see his face - the man is John Dobbs}

M: And nothin’ will ever quite be the same again.

% {Opening theme music begins, then break for commercial....}

*************************

% {Scene: Chicago Sun-Times, Hawks walking through being editor-ish.}

HH: Come on, lets go to work! We got a newspaper to put out here.

Lady: Here’s the President’s visit story you asked for.

HH: Hanley, you missed your deadline again. No excuses. Walman, you put me to sleep again. Doesn’t anyone write the news around here? Who else is covering the Presidential story?

% {Scene: Sun-Times archives room. The Phone men are drilling in the wall to install new phone lines}

PW1: Put a little more slack on that cord.

PW2: Is that the new bit?

PW1: Yeah.

PW2: Keep Goin’.

PW1: Lookin’ good.

PW2: What’s takin’ so long?

PW3: Almost there.

PW2: Good, ‘cause we got 8 more lines to go.

PW3: Its through - I can feel it.

% {Phone worker #3 breaks a huge hole in the wall. Morris and the workers gather around to look inside}

PW2: What is that?

% {Scene: The Blackstone. Camera pans down the hall to Gary’s room. Chuck and Marissa are helping Gary make out a budget.}

MC: Ok, is that everything?

GH: Rent, utilities, clothes...

CF: Don’t forget the cat food.

GH: No, I got the cat food.

% {Chuck checks outside the door for the cat. Scene continues inside of Gary’s room.}

CF: Where’s the cat?

MC: What does it come to?

CF: Whatever it is, it isn’t enough.

GH: It is for me.

CF: Man, I have been comin’ here every month and having to watch you make a budget. A *budget*. When you could have more cash than the Prince of Brunei. Monks in Tibet make more money than you. Its startin’ to drive me crazy.

GH: Well then don’t go.

CF: Oh, no, no, no. Pathetic as it may seem, this is the one time in my life when I know I can actually beat the odds.

MC: That is pathetic.

CF: Thank you, Marissa.

SC: Meowwww. {thump} Mrrowww.

% {Gary goes to get the paper}

GH: ‘Morning.

SC: Mrowww.

CF: Look, all I’m suggesting is that we take a more prudent financial approach. Say, ah, throw in season tickets to the Bulls for a few years, huh?

% {Gary has been examining the paper, which has smudges on it. Headline reads "President to Visit Chicago," with sub-headline, "To give speech to union leaders"}

GH: What’s this?

CF: What?

GH: These marks all over the headline.

CF: So?

GH: So, its a sloppy headline.

CF: Wait a minute....let me see that. {grabs for paper}

GH: Get outta here.

CF: C’mon.

MC: You never give up, do you Chuck?

CF: How do you expect me to bet on a horse if I can’t see the race results?

MC: Just keepin’ you honest, if that’s not a contradiction in terms.

GH: Alright, here’s one. Third race at Pemblico. 3-6-2 Trifecta, pays 160.

CF: Ok. How much we puttin’ down?

GH: {Gary digs in his pockets for money, pulls out some crumpled bills} Here’s 10....here’s 16.

CF: 16 bucks? That’s it?

GH: Yeah.

CF: What if we do a little negotiation.

GH: No.

CF: Another grand.

GH: No.

CF: My own money.

GH: Do you want me to go?

CF: You know, its embarrassing what I have to do to help you pay your rent.

GH: Uh-huh. {yelling to Chuck as he leaves} 3-6-2, don’t get creative on me!

CF: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

% {Chuck leaves and Gary and Marissa settle down to go through the paper over a cup of coffee}

MC: Now that your finances are done, what’s next?

GH: I don’t know. I don’t know. Yes, I do.

% {Gary sees headline, "Letter Bomb Injures Sun-Times Editor"}

% {Scene: At Sun-Times office}

HH: What do you mean, the mail hasn’t come yet? Where are we, Timbuktu?

Sec: Mr Hawks, I, there’s...

HH: Never mind, I’ll get it myself. Stafford, you misspelled brassiere again. Little thing called spell-check, ok?

Sec: There’s someone here to see you, sir.

HH: Where?

Sec: He’s over there.

HH: I don’t know him. Ask him to wait. {continues sorting through mail} Junk. Junk.

Sec: He is from the government, sir.

HH: Who’s government?

Sec: Ours.

HH: Ok. Here, open this for me, will ya? On second thought, it might be personal.

% {Hawks walks over to the government man, while starting to open the package}

HH: ‘Morning. Harry Hawks. Lookin’ for me?

JD: I am.

HH: Well, what can I do for you?

GH: Don’t open that! Don’t open that!

HH: Hey, wait! That’s my mail!

% {Gary has grabbed the letter away from Hawks and looks around for a place to dispose of the it. He sees a filing cabinet and runs for it}

GH: Everybody get down! Everybody get down!

% {BOOM! Letter bomb explodes. People in background scream, ask "Are you all right? Are you hurt? What is that? Stay away from it. Call security."}

JD: Who the hell is that?

HH: You all right, Mr, ah...

JD: Dobbs. John Dobbs. Secret Service.

% {Scene: At police station}

ZC: Secret Service, huh? What are you doin’ here?

JD: Special Assignment. Washington.

ZC: What kind of special assignment?

JD: Well, you can call and check me out, Detective, ah...

ZC: Crumb.

JD: Crumb. I suggest you do that.

ZC: Oh don’t worry, I will.

AD: Detective?

ZC: So you got statements?

AD: Yep.

ZC: Well, what do we got?

AD: Letter bomb. At least that’s what *he* says. We’re runnin’ forensics.

ZC: You again? No, don’t tell me. You had another one of those...flashes?

JD: Really? What kind of...flashes?

GH: It’s kinda hard to explain.

JD: I imagine it is.

HH: I don’t get it. Who’d wanna kill me? I’m an editor - they’d just get another one.

ZC: Hey, don’t worry about it. Whoever this guy is, we’re gonna find him. In the meantime, you can go.

HH: {to Gary} Come on, I’ll buy you lunch. Near death experiences always make me hungry.

JD: Excuse me. First I’d like to talk to you two.

HH: Awwww.

GH: Me?

JD: It’ll just take a minute.

GH: Oh, no, I can’t, I...

JD: I insist, Gary. You mind if we use your office?

ZC: What? Oh, sure. Go right ahead. {he says sarcastically}

% {Scene: In Crumb’s office}

JD: First of all, I hope I can count on some discretion concerning what I’m about to say.

HH: How ‘bout we order lunch in?

GH: Ah, listen, I’m sure this is none of my business, so why don’t I...

JD: Oh, I think it is.

HH: Ok, we’ll wait on lunch.

JD: Gentlemen, the President is due in town the day after tomorrow. He’s here to make a speech. I’m here to make sure that everything goes well.

HH: One guy? I thought they had a whole team for that.

JD: Oh, they do. Protection, surveillance, security. They know what to look for. My job is different. I work in the background. I’m what you might call a...., a hunter.

HH: Hunting for what?

JD: Oh, most anything. People with grudges, people with plans, the odd schizophrenic, garden variety nut. The one who hasn’t shown up on the radar screen...yet. My job is to see that he doesn’t.

HH: And that’s why you came to see me?

JD: Its funny the things that pass through a newspaper editor’s office. For instance, ah, people who think that they know things that the rest of us don’t

ZC: {interrupting the "meeting"} This confab just about over? Some of us have work to do.

JD: I think we’re finished for now. I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon.

GH: Yeah.

% {Gary and Hawks leave}

ZC: So, where do I reach *you*? In the unlikely event that I should want to.

JD: Right here will do. Do you want to show me an office, or...shall I pick out one myself?

% {Scene: McGinty’s Bar. Gary and Marissa, joined by Chuck}

MC: So he called you a nut.

GH: In so many words, yes. Among other things.

MC: Well, he might be right. You are kind of, ah, different.

GH: There’s a booth over at table 2. The only reason I’m different is ‘cause I get this paper. Other than that I’m completely normal.

MC: You sure about that?

GH: Yeah, ah. Look, knock it off, will ya?

MC: You saved a guy’s life today. You should feel good about that. Sit Spike.

GH: Yeah, except for he probably thinks I’m the one that sent the damn thing.

MC: Who, Hawks?

GH: No, this agent Dobbs. What is wrong with this thing? The headline’s getting worse.

CF: Excuse me, Spike.

Spike: Grrrr....

CF: Well, I’m back.

GH: Did you make it to the racetrack?

CF: Yeah, I made it to the track.

MC: Did you make the bet?

CF: Yep.

GH: And?

CF: We have a little problem.

GH: What kind of a problem?

CF: Its not my fault. I was gonna do exactly as you told me. The 3-6-2 horse, the third race, trifecta, 16 bucks.

GH: So, what happened?

CF: Last minute scratch.

GH: What do you mean, "last minute scratch"? That’s impossible. Its in the paper.

CF: I don’t care *what* was in the paper, the paper was wrong. The three horse came up lame. So I had to bet on my lucky number - seven.

MC: And you lost.

CF: Au contraire.

GH: You won?

CF: Yep.

GH: Well, how much did you win?

CF: 42 Grand and change.

MC: Oh, my God.

CF: Hello. {Chuck pulls the money out of his coat} And not only that, look at the name of the seven horse. The one that won. Third race. Go ahead. Look it up.

MC: What’s it say?

GH: Number seven... "Mr Snow’s Cat." I don’t believe it.

CF: Told ya.

% {Dobbs has been secretly watching Gary, Chuck, and Marissa. He sees the pile of money and starts to dial the pay phone.}

% {Scene: Gary, Chuck, Marissa heading up steps in lobby of the Blackstone}

GH: So, its a coincidence. It coulda been anything.

CF: Exactly

GH: It just happened to be "Mr Snow’s Cat."

CF: Sure.

GH: The number you won. There’s nothing mystical about that.

CF: No. Could happen to anyone.

GH: That’s right.

MC: Except that the name of the horse happens to be the same name of a certain typesetter that got the paper before you did.

CF: And, ah, his cat, who you happen to share an apartment with.

MC: And...

GH: Look, enough already. If you find proof, great. Otherwise, coincidence.

Morris: Mr Hobson? Morris. From the Sun-Times, remember? The archives?

GH: Yeah, how are you?

Morris: I brought you something. Figured *you’d* be interested. Just turned up today - in a hole in the wall.

% {Morris hands the package to Gary. Package is labeled, "Property of Lucius Snow." Break for commercial...}

**********************

% {Scene: Gary’s room}

GH: How’d you find this?

Morris: Wasn’t me. Telephone guys. They were installing new lines, when the wall caved in. Being as how I’m the archivist, I...

CF: Wait a minute. It was in the wall? Why?

Morris: Got me. They renovated the place in ‘65. Maybe it got put in by mistake.

MC: Somehow I doubt that. Not when it comes to Lucius Snow.

Morris: Anyway, now that you got it, I’ll be going.

CF: Where you goin’? You just got here. Take a load off.

Morris: Let’s just say I’m superstitious. Last time I got involved in that stuff, it almost got me killed. Call me if you need me, which I hope you don’t. {Morris leaves}

MC: So, are you gonna open it?

GH: I don’t know. Maybe he’s right. Maybe its none of my business.

CF: Nah.

MC: Nah. Open it.

CF: Yeah, go ahead.

% {Gary opens up the package and finds an old newspaper}

CF: Another newspaper?

MC: What’d you expect? Old bones? Gary, what is it?

GH: {reading the paper} "Saturday, November 23rd, 1963. Kennedy Killed. John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, was shot and killed today in Dallas, 12:59 local time..."

% {We see clips of the Kennedy "Presidential Motorcade" in Dallas}

GH: {continues to read} "...The President, enjoying new popularity all through the south, was waving from his motorcade when the shots were fired..."

% {We hear shots: "boom...boom, boom" Scene cuts to a view of the 6th floor of the Book Depository, people crying, Kennedy’s casket, Oswald, etc.}

GH: {continues to read} "...24-year-old Lee Harvey Oswald has been charged with the crime, and is expected to be formally booked this afternoon. The nation has gone into mourning for its fallen hero."

CF: Ok, so the guy leaves a newspaper, some 30 years old. What’s the point?

MC: Don’t you see? He knew it was going to happen.

CF: What?

MC: He read about it - in his paper - the day before. Somehow he knew about it all. The when, the where, the how...

GH: {looking at an airline ticket} No, its more than that. He was there.

% {Scene: Police Station, Crumb’s office. Crumb enters to find Dobbs sitting at his desk.}

JD: Ah, Crumb. Mind if I borrow your desk?

ZC: Apparently not. Anything else I can do for you?

JD: Well, I’ve been browsing through some of your files. Interesting reading. I couldn’t help but notice a common thread running through a lot of them.

ZC: And what would that be?

JD: Well...., Hobson....., Hobson, Hobson...., and, ah...., Hobson. Kind of a theme, don’t you think?

ZC: You’re wasting your time. The kid’s harmless.

JD: Harmless? Seems like everytime something happens, he’s around.

ZC: I don’t know. He, ah, gets these feelings, I guess.

JD: He gets feelings and things blow up, and fall down?

ZC: What are you saying? He’s makin’ this up?

JD: Well, lets say he’s the, ah, fireman who sets the fires and then shows up to put them out. This doesn’t seem strange to you?

ZC: I see things different, that’s all.

JD: I think he’s trouble.

ZC: I think you’re making a mistake.

JD: I don’t make mistakes. I can’t afford to. Neither can you.

% {Scene: Gary’s room. Gary, Chuck, and Marissa are looking through the contents of Snow’s package.}

SC: Meowwww.

GH: Airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals.

CF: So, the guy took a trip, that’s all.

MC: There must be a clue in there somewhere. Some kind of message.

SC: Mrrrooowww.

CF: Maybe he meant to just throw all this stuff away.

GH: You don’t really believe that, do you? He hid the damn thing in a wall.

CF: Yeah? Well, why?

MC: Look, we knew the guy was in Dallas. We knew he was there the day it happened, so the question is, where did he go, what did he do?

GH: There, there’s somethin’ we’re not seein’. There’s.... What is that?

% {Chuck was taking a drink from a beer bottle, and Gary noticed there was a card stuck to the bottom of the bottle}

CF: Hmm?

GH: That!

% {Gary grabs the card off the bottle}

MC: What is it?

GH: Business card.

% {Chuck grabs the card from Gary and reads it}

CF: U.S. Secret Service. J.T. Marley.

MC: Bingo.

CF: Bingo?

% {Gary grabs the card back from Chuck}

MC: Snow needed help - that’s who he went to. We have to find this Marley guy.

GH: What, you expect to find this guy after thirty years?

CF: Yeah, what do you want us to do? Knock on the Secret Service’s door and say, "excuse me, is, ah, J.T. in?"

MC: Morris.

% {Scene: Archives room at Sun-Times}

Morris: Oh, no. Not me. I *told* you I’m superstitious.

GH: Come on, Morris. It’s a favor. Just a little research, that’s all.

Morris: That’s what you said *last* time. Why is this so important, anyway? Snow some kind of a crook?

GH: No, its not that. Its just, I need to know a little bit more about the guy, that’s all.

Morris: So *you* want *me* to break into government files, and find *you* a name, just like that?

GH: Oh, you’re right. You probably wouldn’t be able to figure that out anyhow.

% {Morris fell for Gary’s reverse psychology, and is now seated in front of a computer}

Morris: Probably should have my head examined for letting you talk me into this. Ok, here we go.

GH: You’re sure you know what you’re doin’, Morris?

Morris: You don’t work in the basement thirty years without learning’ some tricks. Lets see what happen.

MC: Well, you’re breaking into Secret Service files?

Morris: This is *not* the Secret Service. This is the I.R.S.

MC: Taxes.

Morris: By department zip code. Your bureaucracy at work.

% {A list of names pops up on screen}

GH: There.

Morris: Lets see...., Marley, Marley, Marley...

GH: I don’t see it.

CF: Maybe he never paid his taxes. That happens.

HH: What happens?

Morris: Whoops. {he quickly turns off the monitor}

HH: What’s goin’ on here?

GH: Research.

HH: Research on what?

GH: Uhh...

CF: Bolivian Finches. Bobtailed Bolivian Finches. White-breasted Bobtailed Bolivian Finches - very rare.

HH: Cute. Now get outta here. This isn’t a public library. Morris, check these out. Stop tying up my employees on company time, huh?

GH: Hey, Hawks. You remember a guy who used to work here, retired a few years ago, a typesetter named Lucius Snow?

HH: Yeah. White-haired guy?

GH: Yeah.

HH: Had a cat?

GH: Yeah.

HH: Crackpot.

GH: How’s that?

HH: Completely out of his mind. Why?

GH: I..., we..., nothin’, its, ah...

CF: Nothin’.

HH: Well, then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got tomorrow’s edition to deal with.

GH: Yeah, me too.

% {Scene: Gary on the El, looking at the Kennedy newspaper. A picture has been circled}

GH: What is it?

% {Scene: Gary’s room}

SC: Meowwww.

% {Gary enters room as phone is ringing}

GH: Hello.

Morris: Hope I’m not disturbing you. Just thought you might want to know. I *found* J.T. Marley. Took a while, but I did.

GH: Where is he?

Morris: In the obits. He’s dead.

GH: When?

Morris: January, 1964. Two months after Dallas. Went down in a plane, no survivors.

GH: You’re sure its him?

Morris: Oh, its him all right. Got his bio and everything. Too bad. According to this, the man was a hero. Sorry.

GH: Ah, uhh, thanks, Morris.

% {Gary looks at the picture in the Kennedy newspaper again}

GH: What the hell is this?

% {Scene: In Crumb’s car out in front of the Blackstone}

JD: So this is where he lives, huh? Rented room?

ZC: Unless he owns the hotel. Heh, heh.

JD: I’ve got a problem with people who live in rented rooms.

ZC: Oh, come on. He’s harmless. Let’s go home.

% {Dobbs grabs Crumb’s arm}

ZC: Hey!

JD: Did you check me out?

ZC: What?

JD: Did you call Washington?

ZC: Well, yeah.

JD: Did they tell you what I was doing here?

ZC: Sure.

JD: So do me a favor. Don’t get in my way, ok?

ZC: Yeah, sure.

JD: So.... lets drive.

% {Scene: Gary’s room. 3:01 am. Thunderstorm. A loud clash of thunder awakens Gary, who sits bolt upright in bed. Gary grabs the Kennedy newspaper and heads over to the desk to look at the picture with a magnifying glass.}

GH: Come on. There’s gotta be somethin’ here.

% {An exasperated Gary sets down the paper and the magnifying glass and starts rubbing his head}

GH: What am I doin’? Oh, what am I doin’?

% {Something about the picture grabs Gary’s eye. He picks it and the magnifying glass up again, starts scanning the picture and sees a cat.}

GH: It can’t be. Snow’s Cat.

% {the cat suddenly jumps onto the desk}

SC: Meowwww. Mroooowww.

% {Gary looks from the cat to the picture and back again. Cut to commercial....including the "Early Edition will continue" teaser.}

CONTINUE TO SECTION 2

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