The Port-O-Call Matter: Robbery, Ruses, and a Cabby’s Secret

Originally Aired: January 13, 1951When three San Francisco branches of the Port-O-Call Loan Company are robbed in a coordinated morning spree, insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is dispatched by Great Eastern Insurance to track down the culprits behind the $47,000 theft. As he delves into the case, Johnny discovers that witnesses recall a mysterious figure with a falsetto voice and stage makeup, and that no getaway cars were seen—hinting at a clever escape plan. The trail leads him to a missing cab driver, Joe Geyer, whose distraught wife insists on his innocence. As more bodies begin to surface—including that of Geyer and another cabbie—Johnny uncovers a carefully planned operation orchestrated by a trio of ex-cons and a handful of desperate locals. In a thrilling final confrontation during a fierce San Francisco storm, Johnny and the police close in on the gang, but not without loss. A gritty tale of loyalty, desperation, and justice unfolds in this suspenseful episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.