FICTION

THE HOMICIDE SCRIPT

Dee Raymond

"It's really the best script of the whole series," Jack Arnold was stubbornly clinging to a fact that was demonstrably true.

"I agree with that," said Vic Berin, the Executive Producer for the whole 'Homicide' series. "But there's no way we can get an actor to play the part of the female impersonator you've written in."

"How about an actress?" the series' best writer-director was pushing the issue much further than Berin cared to discuss.

Berin shook his head. “You ought to know it wouldn't work," he scowled. "You wrote the script." Arnold nodded. Well, that was it, he thought. He had spent more time than usual on this script in his desire to have it just right, to be authentic, after all, it was an area of police work that was commonplace in every precinct he knew, but the media, of course, studiously avoided mention of it.

Berin tried to cheer up the young writer. He didn't want a talent like this mad at him personally. "It's really a great script, Jack. But you know how the people are above me." He sighed. "They wouldn't accept such a plot unless there was some really well-known actress who would take the part."

Arnold frowned. Berin's neo-modern office with its violent black and white contrasts was beginning to depress him. "I'd have thought a young actor might be better," he said. "It's quite a juicy part."

"But they can't afford it," said Berin quickly. "Typecasting happens so quickly in this business; so you can imagine being typecast as a

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