The King of Comedy Page #6

LANGFORD:

And that's where you come in.

PUPKIN:

Why not? Believe me, Jerry, I'd give you

the credit you deserve and I'll stick with

you. Anytime you need me, I'll be there,

doing a few minutes at Guild scale.

LANGFORD:

I'd be grateful, Rube. I really would.

EDDIE:

All finished, Mr. Langford.

EDDIE turns the caricature so PUPKIN and LANGFORD can see

it. It's a picture of the two of them, facing each other

and smiling.

PUPKIN:

Oh, Jerry, you sneaky ...

LANGFORD:

Looks good, Eddie.

The WAITER arrives with a bottle of champagne.

PUPKIN:

What's this?

WAITER:

Compliments of Mr. Sardi.

EDDIE hangs the picture of LANGFORD and PUPKIN on the wall

behind them among the hundreds of other caricatures --

from Bankhead to Sid Caesar to Bette Davis. The CAMERA

PANS over these. We hear the champagne pop.

PUPKIN'S VOICE

How does your afternoon look?

LANGFORD'S VOICE

What have you got in mind?

PUPKIN'S VOICE

Well, we've still got time to catch

the Cubs and the Mets out at Shea.

LANGFORD'S VOICE

Why not? But first, a toast. To you,

Rube and your success.

PUPKIN'S VOICE

Thanks, Jerry.

FADE TO:

5EXT:
U.N. PLAZA - NIGHT

PUPKIN:

Thanks, Jerry.

PUPKIN takes LANGFORD's handkerchief and folds it

reverentially, tucking it carefully into his breast pocket.

He claps his hands together a few times for joy and

dashes into the street to hail a cab.

CUT TO:

6INT:
LANGFORD'S APARTMENT

LANGFORD enters his apartment. It is tasteful, modern,

spacious and empty. A floodlight shines on a single

setting at the end of a long dinner table. He walks over

to a large aquarium and sprinkles some food for the fish.

LANGFORD:

(to the fish)

Say hello to Jerry.

On a shelf above the aquarium stand three pictures, one of

two boys, roughly eight and eleven, flanked by a shot of

each boy alone. LANGFORD walks to the end of the table

where a covered dish and a New York Post await him. He

lifts the covered dish which reveals a large, cold salmon.

LANGFORD:

(to the fish)

Say hello to Jerry.

LANGFORD begins poking at the fish with his fork. The

phone rings. He answers it.

LANGFORD:

Yeah.

GIRL'S VOICE

It's Marsha, Jerry. Did you get my note?

I left it on the back seat. Did you get it?

I dropped it there before they pulled me

out. Those guys hurt me, Jerry. (pause)

Jerry?

LANGFORD:

(icily)

Who gave you this number?

MARSHA'S VOICE

Don't be angry with me, Jerry. I didn't

know what else to do; I've been trying

you every five minutes, I miss you,

baby ... Jerry?

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