Scandal Incorporated

When movie actor Brad Cameron is at Federated Studios in Hollywood for wardrobe fittings, he learns that Scandal magazine has published a false cover story about him being "caught in the act" with a young actress, June Trapping. Brad complains to his agent, Jerry Dexter, who believes that the story may have been planted by June's agent, Herman Todd. Despite Brad's declaration of innocence, his wife Marge remains unconvinced. When Brad goes to explain to Champ Winter, his best friend and June's boyfriend, Champ does not believe him and slugs him. To protect his client, Jerry goes to see June and Todd, and demands that June retract her story or he will use information he has to smear her. Meanwhile, at Scandal magazine, publisher Leland Miller assigns Jess Blancher, the writer who fabricated the story about Brad, to cover a new "exposé." At Federated, studio boss Sidney Wood tells Jerry and Brad that due to adverse public reaction, he is forced to postpone Brad's next picture and will not be renewing his contract. Unsettled by the disastrous turn of events, Marge leaves Brad, causing him great anguish. In a bar, a newspaper columnist takes Brad to meet Alice Yoland, one of his former co-stars, who is now an alcoholic due to her career being ruined by bad publicity. Later, Brad returns to the bar and learns from singer Billie Wayne, who is having an affair with Todd in hopes of advancing her career, that Alice has committed suicide. Alice's suicide prompts Brad and Jerry decide to sue the magazine and studio boss Wood agrees to support them. Brad then phones Blancher, posing as an informant in order to entrap him, and they agree to meet at the magazine's office. However, when Blancher is murdered, Brad is arrested and charged with the crime. Although Brad swears to his lawyer, Marty Ellis, that he is innocent and can not remember anything about shooting Blancher, he admits to carrying a gun, which is now missing. Later Marge tells Marty that Brad is not a murderer and gives him money for use in Brad's defense. Marty decides to try the case in front of a judge, instead of a jury. At the trial, Miller testifies about finding Blancher's body and admits that the writer frequently received death threats. Todd then testifies that Brad visited him the night of the murder and, after assaulting him, left in a violent rage to go to the Scandal office. Brad, now desperate, tells Marty that Billie might know something that could exonerate him. Marge is in the courtroom w