Daddy-O

Truck driver Phil Sandifer is nearly run off a canyon road in Los Angeles by a sports car driven by beautiful, blonde Jana Ryan. Later that night at the Rainbow Gardens roadside club, Phil joins his friends Peg Lawrence, Duke Manion and Leonard "Sonny" DiMarco to listen to another friend, Ken, and his rock n' roll band, with whom Phil occasionally sings. Later, to Phil's dismay, Jana arrives and is introduced to the others by Ken. When Jana mocks Phil's driving skills, Sonny points out that he has won numerous drag racing trophies and Jana challenges Phil to a race. After Phil accepts, Jenny suggests holding the race in the park. While the group departs, Sonny confides in Phil his worry over his ailing mother and gives Phil a key to keep for him. As the others drive away, they do not notice that Sonny is followed by a mysterious older man. At the park, Phil and Jana agree to race to a local pizza parlor, but Phil is furious when Jana immediately cuts him off, forcing him off the road where he nearly hits a park security car. The officer takes down his license number and reports him to the police. The group is astounded when Jana arrives at the pizza parlor first, soon joined by an outraged Phil. Moments later, the police arrive and Phil is arrested. At headquarters Phil is stunned to be charged with hit-and-run manslaughter and devastated when he learns that Sonny has been killed in the incident. At Phil's hearing, charges are dropped when his car cannot be connected to the hint-and-run, but Phil is placed on probation and his license is revoked. The probation officer, Frank Wooster, assures Phil of his desire to help him at any time. A few days later, Duke suggests that Phil try a singing career, but Phil remains disturbed by Sonny's death and his race with Jana. Duke drives Phil to Jana's house where he examines her car and notices that the left fender has recently been repaired. Phil then angrily accuses Jana of having driven Sonny off the road during the race, but she points out that had she been involved, her right fender would have been damaged. Realizing that Jana is correct, Phil apologizes. After visiting Sonny's mother, Phil meets with Jana and reveals that he has learned that the key Sonny gave him unlocks his gym locker. Phil believes the locker contents may be connected with Sonny's death, as Mrs. Di Marco disclosed that Sonny had inexplicably provided her with five thousand dollars. Jana insists on accompanying Phil to the gym, but there, the attendant, myopic Bruce Green, informs them the locker room is off-limits to non-gym members and offers to retrieve the locker contents himself. Phil reluctantly surrenders the key, but later that night he and Jana return, intending to break into the gym. When Bruce unexpectedly appears, the couple hide and overhear Bruce and a heavy-set man discussing the contents of Sonny's locker. At Rainbow Gardens later, Duke encourages the club's owner, Barney, to hire Phil, but he refuses, worried about Phil's recent brush with the law. Phil is surprised when the heavy man from the gym appears and after introducing himself as Sidney Chillas, says he is interested in hiring Phil to sing at his club. Chillas then has his attractive associate, Martha Haye, drive Phil to his Hi Note club, which is having its grand opening the next night. Bruce, who also works for Chillas, recognizes Phil from the gym and tells Chillas about the locker key. Unconcerned by Phil's friendship with Sonny, Chillas offers to headline Phil as a singer with Ken's band and also offers him a sports car and a phony driver's license, as part of the deal. Phil accepts, convinced that he will discover the truth about Sonny's death. Jana follows Phil home and, worried about Phil's deal with Chillas, gets a job as a cigarette girl at the Hi Note the next day. That evening, Phil, billing himself as "Daddy-O," has a successful debut, but, annoyed by Jana's presence, flirts with Martha. Chillas then offers Phil $750 to take a package into Mexico, not telling him that it contains illegal drugs. A few nights later, Phil makes another delivery but is unaware that he is being trailed by the police. On his return, Phil is intercepted by two thugs who have mistaken him for Chillas's former driver, Sonny. Realizing their error, they return Phil to the Hi Note, where he confides in Jana that he believes Chillas had Sonny killed for attempting to two-time him. When Jana reports she has overheard that Chillas is planning to meet a man down by the pier, Phil concludes the man is Chillas' source for drugs. Phil and Jana follow Chillas and attempt to eavesdrop on his meeting, but are caught by Bruce. Chillas then take Jana hostage, thus forcing Phil to make a money pick-up with Bruce. After retrieving the money, Bruce attempts to take it for himself, but Phil escapes with the car, stopping to telephone Frank before returning to the Hi Note, where Chillas has locked Jana in an over-heated sauna. When Phil realizes the money is not in the car, he tells Chillas, who refuses to believe him. Phil escapes from an armed Chillas just as Bruce returns to the club and sets Jana free. When Jana tells Bruce that Phil did not have the money, Bruce realizes the packet fell out of the car at the pick-up site and forces Jana to drive him back. A police road block set up by Frank ensnares Bruce and Jana and they are returned to the Hi Note, where Phil has knocked out Chillas. Frank, having learned of Phil's suspicions from Jana, praises him for solving Sonny's murder. Phil announces that he will stick with singing from then on.