The Old Reliable

The Old Reliable is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 18 April 1951 by Herbert Jenkins, London and in the United States on 11 October 1951 by Doubleday & Co, New York. The novel was serialised in Collier's magazine from 24 June to 22 July 1950, under the title Phipps to the Rescue. The story is set in Hollywood, and follows the romantic and financial difficulties of various film stars, writers, movie moguls, butlers and safe-crackers. Plot Former actress Adela Cork owns the Beverly Hills property known as the Carmen Flores place, after the famous and tempestuous Mexican actress who previously owned the house. Flores was killed in a plane crash the previous year. The will of Adela's late wealthy husband Alfred says Adela should support his impecunious brother Smedley, though she merely lets him live in her house. Smedley dislikes living with Adela, who makes him drink yoghurt instead of cocktails. Adela's sister Bill, a former scriptwriter, is ghostwriting Adela's memoirs. Adela's impeccable butler Phipps is nervous that Bill, who was part of the jury that sentenced him to prison for safecracking a few years ago, will tell Adela about his past which he has kept secret, but she promises not to tell. Smedley hopes to find the late Carmen Flores's diary. He believes she wrote about her affairs with men who would pay to have it suppressed. Bill thinks Smedley needs looking after and wants to marry him, but Smedley has doubts about marriage.