BONUS - Alfred Hitchcock Presents "Suspense"

Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

This bonus episode of Stars on Suspense concludes a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock by showcasing classic radio suspense stories that were later adapted for the television

Key takeaways

• Several stories originally aired on CBS's 'Suspense' were later adapted for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, demonstrating the lasting impact of radio theater on TV anthology series.
• The episode showcases how humor and dread coexist in classic thrillers like 'Wet Saturday,' where a family hides a corpse with dark comedic undertones.

Main topics

• Radio drama adaptations
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents television series

Notable quotes

"It's very complicated. Very." – Charles Laughton, reflecting on the moral and legal entanglements in 'Wet Saturday'.

Conclusion

This final bonus episode celebrates the legacy of suspense radio by highlighting stories that bridged the

Transcript preview

Speaker 8 (0:00) Would you hand me that, please? Thank you. Speaker 8 (0:04) Now, let's see. Survey, survive, Susanna, suspect. Ah, here we are. Suspense, meaning held in doubt, expressing doubt, the state of being uncertain, undecided, or insecure, state of anxious expectation or waiting for information, such as to keep one in suspense, therefore delay acquainting him with what he is eager to know. Speaker 8 (0:33) Suspense! Bonus Speaker 2 (1:08) episode of Stars on Suspense, a king-sized outing that wraps up our salute to Alfred Hitchcock. Over the past few weeks, we've heard several of his classic films recreated for radio, as well as a few of the attempts to build an anthology series around the director. And while none of those efforts were successful on radio, Hitchcock eventually got that show of his own on television. with Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The series, with its memorable introductions from Hitchcock and featuring several episodes directed by him, aired from 1956 until 1965. Like Suspense, it drew big guest stars, as well as up-and-coming Hollywood talent. And also like Suspense, it adapted great thrillers and mystery stories, including some shows, that originated on radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Today, we'll hear a collection of suspense stories that were later adapted as episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, beginning with Wet Saturday, John Collier's dark comedy about a wealthy family dealing with a pesky corpse. Hitchcock himself directed the TV episode, And we'll hear Charles Lawton in the radio version from December 16th, 1943. Next is Suspicion, based on the Dorothy L. Sayers story, Are Cooks a Treasure? On TV, it starred Everett Sloan, but we'll hear Charles Ruggles in an adaptation from February 10th, 1944. Next is Ray Bradbury's story, And So Died Rabushinska. a haunting story of a murder in a theater and an unusual ventriloquist's dummy. Before it was published as a short story, it was an original suspense script written by Bradbury. The TV episode featured Claude Rains and a young Charles Bronson. This suspense show from November 13, 1947, features an all-star cast of Hollywood radio players, including Wally Mayer, Lorene Tuttle, and Joseph Kearns. Speaking of Claude Rains, he co-stars with Vincent Price in The Hands of Mr. Otter Mole from December 2, 1948. The TV episode features Theodore Bacall, and both are based on Francis Cockrell's story of a murderer stalking the streets and of the newspaper reporter and policeman who try to track him down. Both Messrs. Rains and Price appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, as did our next star, Herbert Marshall. We'll hear him in The Long Shot, written for suspense by Harold Swanton, and later reworked by him into a teleplay starring Peter Lawford. And finally, we'll hear Stan Freeberg, the legendary comedian and satirist, playing it straight as a murderer in Alibi Me, from April 20, 1958. You can watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Amazon Prime Video or Peacock. You can also buy it on DVD, sadly no Blu-ray, from Universal Home Video. And you can listen to these suspense shows that thrilled listeners on the air before Alfred Hitchcock presented them on television. Speaker 8 (4:59) Suspense! Speaker 8 (5:06) Presented by Roma Wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Salud. Your health, senor. Roma toasts the world. The wine for your table is Roma, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Speaker 3 (5:24) This is the man in black, here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California, to introduce this weekly half hour of suspense. Tonight in Hollywood, Roma brings you the MGM star, Mr. Charles Lawton. The suspense play which stars Charles Lawton and which is produced and directed by William Spear is called Wet Saturday. This remarkable and sardonic story is rather difficult to describe. It, well, it most certainly isn't a whodunit, is it, Mr. Lawton? Speaker 5 (5:57) No, no, it definitely isn't. The question involved is not at all a matter of whodunit. It's a matter of whether or not the who-whodunit is going to get it in the neck. If not, then who is, regardless of who actually done it? It's very complicated. Very Speaker 8 (6:13) well put, sir. And before the curtain rises on suspense, will you eavesdrop with me a moment? Dinner is over. A delightful dinner in one of the great homes of a land far to the south. And one of the guests is complimenting his host. Speaker 4 (6:26) Ah, Raoul, your Speaker 5 (6:27) reputation as a host grows with each of your magnificent dinners. That superb wine tonight, where did you find such perfection? I will tell Speaker 2 (6:35) you a great secret. When I visited our good neighbor in L.A., the United States, I tasted the wines of their California and knew instantly it was Speaker 5 (6:44) a Speaker 2 (6:45) great wine country. Speaker 5 (6:46) And Speaker 2 (6:47) I learned Speaker 5 (6:47) that some of their very choicest vineyards Speaker 8 (6:50) produced the wine we enjoyed Speaker 2 (6:52) tonight, Roma wine. Speaker 8 (6:54) Our good neighbor to the south is right. Our own sunny California provides perfect conditions of climate and soil to produce some of the world's finest wines. And note this. What your wine connoisseur of another land prized as an expensive import, with import duties and high shipping costs included in his purchase price, comes to you from the great Roma wineries in California as an inexpensive American product. Roma's wide varieties of types and Roma's modest costs means that you can enjoy these fine wines often when entertaining guests as a pre-meal appetizer to serve with meals or for after-dinner enjoyment. You'll be amazed at how little your dealer will ask for an assortment of several types of these fine Roma wines. Visit your dealer tomorrow and ask him for Roma, R-O-M-A, America's largest selling wine. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Speaker 3 (7:55) And now, with Wet Saturday and with the performance of Charles Lawton, we again hope to keep you in suspense. Speaker 3 (8:17) On this rainy afternoon, we should like you to meet the Princey family and their visitor. They are, of course, at home. Mrs. Princey, daughter Millicent, George, the sun and air sprawled on a couch, and finally, Mr. Princey, biting on a dry pipe. Their living room is dull and overstuffed. Rain beats at the windows. They are any middle-class family at home on a wet day, except for one small item. As you sit with them in the living room, you can see through the door to the sun porch a pair of men's feet encased in high black shoes. They look like the feet of a curate. There is a tenseness in the room. The air is charged with excitement. But the feet are very still. Speaker 5 (9:10) Don't keep staring at them. Listen to me, all of you. Don't you see? They'd hang her. That's what they'd do. They'd hang her. Speaker 1 (9:17) Oh, Fred, Speaker 5 (9:18) it's too awful. Awful? It's catastrophic. A supposedly sweet, gentle, intelligent girl respected and loved by the whole village doing a thing like this. Think of the publicity and the disgrace. Do you think I'm going to resign from the bench, the vestry, and sell out and live in some foggy hotel abroad? Oh, no. No. I'll Speaker 1 (9:35) kill myself. I will, I will. Speaker 5 (9:37) Don't be a fool. Any more than you have been, the governor, me. Will you be quiet? Wouldn't Speaker 1 (9:42) be Speaker 5 (9:42) so bad if it were you, George. Everybody in the village knows you're not responsible. Speaker 5 (9:48) Get off that couch and sit up on your spine. You might be of a little use here, if you could think. What would I say, Governor? This isn't my funeral. Speaker 1 (9:55) Shut up. Speaker 5 (9:56) As long as I can remember, George, you've been a trial and tribulation to me. Oh, Speaker 1 (10:01) I can't stand it. I can't stand it. Speaker 5 (10:03) You've got to stand it, my dear. And keep that hysterical note out of your voice. Do you hear? Speaker 1 (10:09) Yes. Speaker 5 (10:09) Yes. We are... We are talking about the weather. Now, George. Yeah? George. If he fell down the old well, say, striking his head several times, what about that? I really don't know, Governor. What about it? Don't be an ass, George. I'm asking you to think. He'd have had to hit the side several times in 30 or 40 feet and at all the correct angles. No, no, I'm afraid not. I'm afraid that won't do it. Oh, we'll have to go over it all again, Millicent. Oh, no, Father. No, I couldn't. I couldn't. Millicent, we must go over it all again. Fred, you're torturing her. Oh, face facts, mate. With him lying there, no use pretending it's a picnic. We might hang you, Millicent. Oh, do stop that shaking. Stop it, Millicent. Stop it. You must stop it. You must keep your voice quiet, Millicent. We are talking about the weather. Now we will proceed. Speaker 1 (11:08) I can't. I can't. Not with those feet there. Speaker 5 (11:12) You should have thought of that, Millie. I'm Speaker 1 (11:15) not moving at Speaker 5 (11:15) all. Shut up, George. And stop shuffling your feet. Now, Millicent, look at me and answer me truthfully. Do you hear? Answer me. You were in the croaky court? Yes. Who knew you were in love with this wretched curate? Speaker 8 (11:30) The whole Speaker 5 (11:31) village knows. They've Speaker 8 (11:32) been Speaker 5 (11:32) sniggering about Speaker 8 (11:33) it in the pub for the three years past. Speaker 5 (11:35) Shut up, George. Millicent, we continue. You were on the croaky court? Speaker 1 (11:40) Yes. Speaker 5 (11:40) You were putting the croaky set into its box? Speaker 1 (11:42) Yes, it was starting to rain. I was carrying the balls and mallets into the sand porch. The box was there. You Speaker 5 (11:49) heard someone enter the garden gate and come across the yard? Speaker 1 (11:52) Yes. Speaker 5 (11:53) Could you see who it was? Speaker 1 (11:54) Not at first. I was going into the sun porch. I threw down all the mallets but the red one and turned round. Speaker 5 (12:01) And it was Withers? Speaker 1 (12:02) Yes. Speaker 5 (12:03) So you called him? Speaker 1 (12:04) Yes. Speaker 5 (12:05) Loudly? Speaker 1 (12:06) Oh. Did Speaker 5 (12:07) you call him loudly? Could anyone have heard? Speaker 1 (12:11) No, Father, I'm sure not. I didn't really call him. I just spoke his name. He saw me as I went to the door and... He just waved his hand and came over. Now, can Speaker 5 (12:21) I find out from you whether there was anyone about, whether he could have been seen? Speaker 1 (12:25) I'm sure not, Father. I'm quite sure. So Speaker 5 (12:28) you both went into the sun porch? Speaker 1 (12:30) Yes, it was raining hard there. What Speaker 5 (12:31) did he say? Speaker 1 (12:32) He said, hello, Millie, and excuses coming in the back way, but he'd set out to walk over to Liston. Speaker 5 (12:38) Yes. And Speaker 1 (12:39) he said, passing the park, he'd seen the house and suddenly thought of me, and he thought he'd just look in for a minute. He... It had something to tell me. Speaker 5 (12:49) Yes, go on. Speaker 1 (12:50) He said he was so happy he wanted me to share it. He'd heard from the bishop he was to have vicarage. And it wasn't only that. It meant he could marry. And he began to stutter and get all confused. And of course I thought it meant me. Speaker 5 (13:05) Don't tell me what you thought. Tell me exactly what he said. Nothing else. Yes, answer, Governor. Speaker 1 (13:10) Well... Speaker 5 (13:15) It's a luxury you can no longer afford. Tell me what happened. Speaker 1 (13:21) No, he said it wasn't me. It's Ella Bragdon Davis. Speaker 5 (13:27) And he Speaker 1 (13:28) was sorry and all that. Then he went to go. And Speaker 5 (13:32) then? Speaker 1 (13:33) I got mad. He turned his back. I had the red mallet of the croak he said in my hand. I'd forgot to drop it in the box when I came and I was just... Did Speaker 5 (13:43) you shout or scream? I mean, as you hit him. Speaker 1 (13:47) No, I'm sure I didn't. Speaker 5 (13:49) Did he? Come on, speak up. You've got a tongue in your head. Speaker 1 (13:53) No, Father. Speaker 5 (13:54) And then? Speaker 1 (13:55) I threw it down. I came straight in here to look for my... My poor baby. Speaker 5 (14:05) And you're sure no one else was about? Speaker 1 (14:07) No, no one, no one. Leave the child alone, Speaker 5 (14:10) Fred. You're Speaker 8 (14:11) not such a Speaker 5 (14:12) child, Speaker 8 (14:12) mate. Speaker 5 (14:13) Oh, Millie, I had no idea. George, will you keep quiet? I'm thinking. You see, George, he probably told people he was going to list, and certainly no one knows he came here, for he didn't decide until he crossed the park. He might have been attacked in the woods. We must consider every detail. A curate with his head battered in. Speaker 1 (14:34) Oh, don't, Father, don't. Oh, shut Speaker 5 (14:37) up. A curate with his head battered in. Speaker 1 (14:39) A Speaker 5 (14:41) curate with his head battered in. Well, who would want to kill widows? Speaker 8 (14:46) Who'd want to kill widows? Well, I would, with pleasure. How do you do, Mrs. Princey? Well, Speaker 5 (14:52) well, well, well. Sit down, Speaker 8 (14:54) sit down. Pray you mustn't get up for me, Mrs. Princey. You are the millicent, my word, but I'm just being naively on a bad day. I wanted to ask you about those Dahlia bulbs, Princey. I took a short cut on account of the rain and walked right in. I knew you wouldn't mind. Speaker 1 (15:08) He heard you, Father. Oh, my dear. Speaker 5 (15:12) We can all have our little jokes, can't we? Now, don't you pretend to be shocked. This way, Smollett. This chair facing the fireplace, old man. Sit down, Mother. Speaker 1 (15:21) Just straighten the curtain to the sun porch, dear. It looks so gloomy out there. Might as well shut the rain out. Speaker 5 (15:28) Well, we were just talking about a little theoretical cure at killing, Smollett. Young people these days like killers. Parasonicide? A Speaker 8 (15:39) justifiable personicide. Speaker 7 (15:41) You Speaker 5 (15:42) heard about Speaker 8 (15:42) Ella Bragdon Davis? I should be a proper laughingstock. Speaker 5 (15:47) Why should you be a proper laughingstock, Smollett? Speaker 8 (15:50) I had a shot in that direction myself. Did you? She half said yes, too. Didn't you heard? She told most people. Now I look as if I were jilted. Speaker 5 (16:00) Too bad. Oh, the fortune of war. Yes, the fortune of war. Yes, odd how that happens, isn't it? Speaker 4 (16:09) Sit Speaker 5 (16:10) down, Smollett, old man. Mother, Millicent, would you console Captain Smollett with your best light conversation? George and I have something to look at outside. The rain, you know. Very bad, very bad. Come along, George. Perhaps you will need raincoats. Oh, I don't think so, George. Just make yourself at home, Smollett. A cigarette Speaker 6 (16:30) to Captain Smollett. Speaker 8 (16:31) Thank you, thank you. Nasty day to be going out. Speaker 1 (16:35) Oh, it's something about the old well just off the sun porch door, you know. Speaker 8 (16:39) This Speaker 1 (16:39) terrible sudden weather seems to have loosened some of the stones. Speaker 8 (16:43) Too bad. Too dash bad. Spoils the tennis and the croquet. I mean, a day like this. Doesn't it, Millie? Speaker 1 (16:50) Yes, it does. She was practicing out on the croquet court earlier. But do pull your chair nearer the fire, Captain. It was so damp we thought it would be cozy to light it. Speaker 8 (16:59) Thank you. I'm quite comfortable. Speaker 1 (17:01) I... I hope you don't feel too bad about Ella Bragdon, David. Speaker 8 (17:05) Oh, can't always win, you know. Can't understand, though, what you women see in these bloodless clerics. Speaker 1 (17:12) Oh, I always thought Mr. Withers was a... is a very charming man. I Speaker 8 (17:17) quite agree, but why should anyone want to marry him? You wouldn't want to marry him, would you, Millie? Speaker 1 (17:21) Not now. That is, I... I used to... Oh, no, of course not. Speaker 8 (17:28) Yes, Prince, good Lord, man, you come on Speaker 5 (17:32) fairly suddenly. I suppose I did. You don't mind this old double-barrel shotgun, do you, Smollett? I've been working on it. May I have your attention for a minute? There's something on the sun porch I'd like to show you. Speaker 8 (17:47) Oh, yes, yes, of course. Speaker 5 (17:50) Smollett, George and I went out to see if we could shoot some rats which had been driven out of the old well by the high water. We were afraid they might get into the house. But you must listen to me very carefully, very carefully, or you'll be shot by accident. Princey, what's Speaker 8 (18:05) the matter with you? Speaker 5 (18:06) You heard me ask as you came in who would kill Withers. You also heard Millicent make a comment, an unguarded comment. Speaker 8 (18:12) Well, what of it? Speaker 5 (18:14) Very little, unless you were to hear that Withers had met with a violent end this afternoon. And that, my dear Smollett, is what you are going to hear. What? Withers... dead? Yes. Who Speaker 8 (18:28) killed Speaker 5 (18:28) him? Millicent. Speaker 5 (18:32) Good Lord. Oh, shut up, snivelling Millie. Yes, it's a mess. And of course you would have remembered and guessed. Maybe, yes, I suppose I should. Therefore, you constitute a problem. Why did she kill him? It's one of those disgusting things. Pitiable too, I think. She deluded herself that he was in love with her. Speaker 8 (18:57) Good heavens. Speaker 5 (18:59) Millie, yes, of course, I see. He told her about the Davis girl, Ella Bragdon Davis. Speaker 8 (19:05) I understand. Speaker 5 (19:06) I have no wish, as you will comprehend, that she should be proved either a lunatic or a murderess. I could hardly go on living here after that, could I? Besides, I'm rather fond of Millie. Speaker 8 (19:16) Quite. Speaker 5 (19:16) On the other hand, you know about it. Yes, I see that makes me a problem. You were wondering if I could keep my mouth shut, if I promised. I'm wondering if I could believe you. But... If I promised. If things went smoothly, yes. But not if there was any sort of suspicion or any questioning. You would be afraid of being an accessory. I don't know. I do. What Speaker 8 (19:39) are we going to do? I can't see anything else. I mean, you'll never be fool enough to do me in. You can't get rid of two Speaker 5 (19:46) corpses. Well, I regard it as a better risk than the other. It could be an accident, or you and Withers could both disappear. There are possibilities in that, of Speaker 1 (19:56) course. Listen, you can't... I Speaker 5 (19:58) can. But there may be a way out. There is, Smollett. You gave it to me yourself. Speaker 3 (20:04) I... I Speaker 5 (20:06) did? What? Well, you said you would kill Withers. You have a motive. Oh, look here now. I was joking. Now, Speaker 1 (20:14) listen, Speaker 5 (20:14) Smollett. I can't trust you. You must trust me. Or else I will kill you now in the next minute. I mean that. You can choose between living and dying. Go on. There's the old well just outside the sun porch door. That's where I'm going to put Withers. No one outside knows he's come up here this afternoon. No one will ever look there for him unless you tell them. Now, you must give me evidence that you have murdered Withers. I Speaker 4 (20:42) murdered him? Speaker 5 (20:45) Why do you want that? So that I shall be dead sure that you'll never open your lips on the subject. I... I see. What evidence? George. Yes, Governor? Hit him in the face. Sure. Speaker 1 (20:57) You Speaker 5 (20:57) keep out of this, man. Captain, you should be more careful. Look what your teeth did to my knuckle. Do it again, George. Okay. Speaker 1 (21:11) can you keep Speaker 5 (21:11) quiet millie stop sniveling i'm sorry smollett but there must be traces of a struggle between you and with us then it will be not altogether safe for you to go to the police Speaker 1 (21:21) now Speaker 5 (21:24) george uh would you get the croaky mallet and george take your handkerchief to it you'll find it there on the sun porch floor oh yeah yeah i got it that's right boy there captain there's the weapon she says i told you smile it there it was Now, if you please, just grasp the end that mashed wither's head. Speaker 8 (21:43) I Speaker 5 (21:44) shall shoot you if you don't. Good Lord, you can't. There. All right. That's it, old boy. That's right. Now, deposit it by the side of the house. Out of the rain, of course. Now, wait, George. First, you'd better pull a few hairs out of his head and put them under the nails of Withers' right hand. Wait a minute. I'm sorry to mess your hair up, Captain. Don't be a baby, Smollett. That's all we need. Speaker 2 (22:15) Enough of Withers and we'll fix it right up. I'll be right with you, Governor. Speaker 5 (22:19) Smollett, you may turn round now. Withers is just there in the sun porch. Draw back the curtain, old man. Yes. Speaker 5 (22:35) Messy. Now, you, Smollett, now you've just got to drag him through the door and dump him in the old well. Just beyond the door, Captain. I... I won't touch him. I won't. All right, all right. Stand aside, George. Out of range, George. Just over there. There's only one place I want this charge of shot to go to. Oh, Speaker 6 (22:52) Father. Speaker 5 (22:52) Now, Millie, you keep quiet and stop snivelling. My aim is... Wait a minute. Wait. That's better. That's better, Smollett. Much better. Now, go along now. Speaker 5 (23:04) In here. You've got to take him outside, old boy. Why, the shoulders ought to do it. You keep quiet, George. Now, go on, Smollett, go on. Under the arms. You've seen dead men before. Now, don't go green. Drag him out. Drag him, old boy. Do a little pulling. I'll just hold the gun here to make sure. Everything goes all right. Steady now. Mind the step there. Speaker 1 (23:23) Mother. Come away from the window, dear. Don't look. But, Smollett. Your father is a very resourceful man, Millicent. I'm sure what he's doing is a... But Speaker 2 (23:32) the Speaker 1 (23:32) captain... I can't stand it. You mustn't question your dear father. You Speaker 2 (23:37) two still had it. There's enough trouble around here Speaker 5 (23:39) without blabbering. Don't you Speaker 1 (23:41) call me blabbering, George Princey. Well, Speaker 5 (23:43) you see, Smollett, everything is perfectly safe. You remember, you see, that no one knows that Withers came here. Everyone thinks he walked off to Liston. He's got five miles of country to search. He'll never look in our well. Don't you see how safe it is? I know. I guess so. Good heavens, old boy, you're dripping wet. Why don't you slip your raincoat on? Is the tea ready, dear? Speaker 1 (24:06) In just a minute, dear. I'll Speaker 5 (24:08) ring for Bridget. It's exactly what you need, Smollett. A nice, hot cup of tea. It's the best thing in the world to ward off a cold. Sit down, won't you, old man? Don't you mind getting the chair wet. That's all right. Would you have a cigarette? No. I hope so, poor boy. See, I stick to my pipe. Funny how you get attached to pipes. My wife always says to me... Speaker 1 (24:25) Everything's hot, ma'am. Oh, Bridget, yes. Put the tray in front of me here on the table. That's Speaker 5 (24:29) it. Say, Captain. Why, you've cut your lip. Oh, I Speaker 8 (24:34) just knocked it. Speaker 1 (24:36) Why, how dreadful. Here, Bridget, give the Captain this cup. Speaker 8 (24:39) No, no, no, thank you. I'd rather think I'll be running along, if you don't mind. Why, Captain Speaker 1 (24:45) Smollett, without any tea... If you Speaker 8 (24:48) don't mind, Mrs. Princy, if I could... Just have my raincoat. Oh, I'll get it Speaker 5 (24:53) for you, Captain. This is very distressing, Smollett. Very odd. Speaker 8 (24:57) I'll be all right presently, I'm sure. Speaker 5 (24:59) Oh, here we are. Let me help you, sir. Speaker 8 (25:01) Thank you, young Speaker 5 (25:03) man. There. You'd better go out the front way, Smollett. The walk is drier. Oh, let me hold the door for you, Captain. And don't worry, old fellow. Don't worry at all. No, no, no. I... Good Speaker 4 (25:17) afternoon. Speaker 5 (25:19) It's nothing serious, I imagine, dear. A little rest, of course. You'll be as right as rain. Oh, by the way, Millicent, you're not looking any too well, dear. Speaker 1 (25:29) Not well at all. I'm sure it was that croquet caught. Being outdoors in weather like this is simply foolhardy. Mate Speaker 5 (25:36) is right, Millie. You saw what happened to Captain Speaker 1 (25:39) Smollett. Come along, dear. I shall give you a hot foot bath and put you to bed. A couple of days in bed and you'll be fine again. You Speaker 5 (25:47) get plenty of rest, Millicent, and don't you worry about a thing. That's the best cure for you, dear. Speaker 1 (25:52) I Speaker 5 (25:53) guess I'll have a little nap too, Governor. Fine afternoon for a nap. Yes, it is. Nice. Indeed it is, Sam. Well, enjoy yourself, boy. I'll see you later. I'll see you all later. Your number, Speaker 1 (26:15) please. Speaker 5 (26:15) Oh, would you get me the police station? Speaker 1 (26:18) Police station? Right away, sir. Speaker 5 (26:25) Police Speaker 3 (26:26) headquarters. Oh, Speaker 5 (26:29) hello, Sergeant. This is Princey of Abbots Road. I believe you know me. Speaker 3 (26:33) Indeed I do, Mr. Princey. Sergeant, Speaker 5 (26:35) a rather horrible thing has just occurred. Quite extraordinary. It's murder, in fact. Speaker 3 (26:38) Murder? Speaker 5 (26:39) I'm afraid it looks rather bad. Well, for a close friend of ours, unfortunately, we saw him do it. I think you'd better send someone over right away. Speaker 3 (26:46) I Speaker 5 (26:50) beg your pardon? Speaker 3 (26:51) I say, our man should be there now. Constable Martin has... Speaker 5 (27:00) Captain Smollett. Speaker 3 (27:01) We've reported some rather queer goings-on at your place. Don't touch anything, Mr. Princey. And don't worry. Don't worry at all. Speaker 5 (27:11) Now. Oh, now, now, now, Sergeant. Speaker 5 (27:18) Governor, where are you? Speaker 1 (27:19) Governor, Speaker 5 (27:19) where are you? I'm right here and stop shouting. We have some visitors, Governor. I can see that. Well, Constable, good afternoon. Hello, Smollett. Say, what a remarkable fellow you are, coming back like this. Here to reenact a crime. Only Speaker 8 (27:43) the one against me, Princey. The one against the curate I'll leave to you people. Extraordinary sense of humour you have. Mr. Princey, I just had a look Speaker 5 (27:52) at what's in your well. Not a pretty sight, that. Not pretty at all. Yes, Captain Smollett was thorough, if nothing else. You saw him when he did it, sir, out in the back? Oh, yes, yes, oh, quite. We were just returning from a walk and Smollett had evidently been laying for the curate, hiding out in those bushes by the road, I imagine. Speaker 1 (28:11) He Speaker 5 (28:11) was never inside this house. Never. Speaker 8 (28:15) And you say, Captain? I say that while I was inside this house, a guest of the family, I was coerced into dragging the curate's body outside and dumping it in the well. Well, there we are. Well, not entirely, Constable. I'll just remove my raincoat here and demonstrate how damp I got my clothes when I went outside without it. Speaker 5 (28:38) Now, that's interesting, isn't it? Yes, yes. He undoubtedly removed his coat at some point between here and your post. I might as well tell you that his weapon, a red croaky mallet, is out by the side of this house. I shouldn't be at all surprised that you'd find his fingerprints all over it. All Speaker 8 (28:54) over the end of the mallet, Constable. The end that mashed Withers' head. Not the end I'd have to grasp in order to do the mashing. That's a Speaker 5 (29:03) decent try, Smollett, but it won't work. There must be other evidence, Constable. You'll undoubtedly find it when you examine the body. He Speaker 8 (29:11) means the hair under Withers' nails. Well, sir, I happen to notice something when your young George there opened the door for me. If you'll carefully look, I believe you'll find a few of my precious hairs under his Speaker 5 (29:22) nails, too. Speaker 7 (29:23) What are you trying to say? Speaker 5 (29:25) Shut up, George, will you? Constable, this is a complete waste of time. So far as a violent struggle between Smollett and Withers is concerned, Smollett's face speaks for itself. Quite eloquently. But no more eloquently Speaker 8 (29:36) than your son's knuckles. As you see, Constable, a fresh abrasion. He did that on my teeth. Oh, uh, hmm. Or, uh, did he? What? I said, uh, or did he? He might have done that on Withers' teeth. Speaker 5 (29:57) Oh. Oh, I see. Yes. I see what you mean. But I didn't, government. He said that I did it. Okay, you keep still, you nitwit. Let me think. Let me think. As a matter of fact, George, the more I think of it, the more I'm convinced it was your voice I heard. Speaker 8 (30:12) Quite a vigorous quarrel. Something about the curate guilting your sister. Don't be ridiculous, Smollett. Very well, Pincey. If he didn't do it, who Speaker 3 (30:23) did? Yes, that's what I'd like to know. How about it, Mr. Princey? Speaker 5 (30:27) Yes, that is a sticker all right. George, my boy, it looks to me as if you're elected. Elected? What do you mean? I didn't do it. Keep your mouth shut. Well, I won't, sir. I'm not going to take the blame for her. Millie did it. She did it with the mallet. I saw her. Me? Why, yes. Speaker 8 (30:46) Millie, you could prove that. Speaker 5 (30:49) Prove it? Why, yes. Yes, her fingerprints on the mallet. Why, George, Speaker 8 (30:55) don't you remember when you made me touch the mallet when you picked it up with your handkerchief? George, I'm sure you wiped that handle clean. Oh, well, I can hardly expect you to remember that if you can't even remember killing the curate. Speaker 5 (31:13) I told you to keep still, George. I am thinking. You're not going to let him say this. As long as I can remember, George, you have been a trial and tribulation to me. Speaker 1 (31:27) What? Speaker 5 (31:27) You shouldn't have done it, George. Speaker 1 (31:30) You Speaker 5 (31:30) shouldn't have done it. Now let's all have a nice hot cup of tea. Warms the cockles of the arms. Very good for you. Speaker 3 (31:54) And so closes Wet Saturday, starring Mr. Charles Lawton, tonight's tale of... Suspense. Speaker 8 (32:05) In just a moment, we shall hear again from Mr. Lawton. But first, let me ask you a question. Isn't it true that things we most enjoy are so often the little extra things, and more often than not, something that pleases the taste? That suggests a bottle of really good wine, Roma wine. It's so easy for you to make certain of high quality in your wine, because all you have to do is to go to your dealer and ask for Roma, America's largest selling wines. They are made in California, one of the world's greatest wine-producing sections. You'll have your choice of Roma's great variety of types, from a delicious tangy sherry, a brilliant claret, or a hearty burgundy to a sweeter, heavier port. And you will be so impressed by the modest cost of Roma wines, you will want to enjoy them regularly at home, as well as when you entertain. For this traditional form of hospitality is smart, yet inexpensive. A full measure of enjoyment, yet moderation in its best sense. For wines with greatness of character, always ask for Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. But remember, before you buy wine, buy war bonds and stamps. Speaker 5 (33:25) Hello, this is Charles Lawton. I hope you enjoyed our play this evening. Next week, I'm told that suspense will bring you another of John Collier's stories. It's one of my very particular favourites. It's called Back for Christmas, and your star will be Peter Lorre. Speaker 3 (33:41) Charles Lawton appeared by courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producer of the Technicolor musical Thousands Cheer. Don't forget, then, next Thursday, same time for Peter Lorre in... Suspense! Speaker 8 (33:55) Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Roma Wines. Present... Suspense! Speaker 8 (34:46) Roma wine, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Salud. Your health, senor. Roma wine toasts the world. The wine for your table is Roma wine, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is the Man Speaker 3 (35:05) in Black, here to introduce this weekly half hour of suspense. Tonight from Hollywood, we bring you in a dramatic role and in a character different from those you are accustomed to seeing him portray, Mr. Charles Ruggles. But before we raise the curtain on this evening's suspense play, here is a message from your host, the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Speaker 8 (35:29) Distance lends enchantment, says the old proverb, and it seems borne out in this little episode that we might see taking place at the smart and handsome Pan-American Club, Havana, Cuba. An American visitor is amazed that his Cuban host can picture the marvelous climate and rich, fruitful soil of California without ever having been there. But the Cuban responds, one sip alone of wonderful Roma wine tells me all that. Only true perfection of climate and soil could produce the perfection of your splendid California wine, Roma wine. That's so. And as Roma wines become available to wine connoisseurs of more and more lands. the chorus of praise grows for the truly superb quality of these good Roma wines. No wonder, then, these wine experts of other lands are so eager to import Roma wine, no matter what the distance is from our own California. And no wonder, too, that these taste-delighting Roma wines, with no import duty to pay and without expensive shipping charges added to their cost here, are America's largest selling wines. With such richly rewarding enjoyment within your reach, why not get acquainted with your favorites among Roma Wine's many different delightful wine types? Remember the name, R-O-M-A, Roma Wine. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the Speaker 3 (36:52) world. And now with Dorothy L. Sayers' story, Suspicion, and with the performance of Charles Ruggles as Mr. Hubert Mummery, Roma Wines again hope to keep you in suspense. Mr. Mummery took the morning train down to business as he always did. He opened the door of his office, much as he always opened it, and saw his partner, Brooks, sitting at his desk as he always sat. And the world seemed perfectly orderly and dependable and sane. And then it began, very simply, out of a few chance remarks, the terror took shape and grew until it was a black mountain of fear and suspicion. Morning, Speaker 8 (37:44) Mama Ray. Pleasant morning, huh? Yeah. Oh, quite, quite. I've been looking through some back accounts. I have an idea they're trying to put us off until... Hubert, Mammery, what's the matter with you? With me? You gave me Speaker 2 (37:57) a start. Why, man, you're as white as a sheep. Oh, am I? Well, I'm not feeling quite myself this morning. Breakfast didn't agree with me. Didn't agree with me at all. Well, you'd better look after yourself. We're none of us as young Speaker 8 (38:09) as we once were. Yeah, always had a beastly stomach, always. I can't remember you having an attack like this in years, Mammery. That new missus of yours giving you proper food, good, mild, digestible things. Oh, I'm afraid Ethel knows nothing at all about a kitchen. Well, that's what you get for marrying a girl without showing it to a friend. Doing it in such a rush, ten-day Speaker 2 (38:30) courtship, and at your age, Mother. Well, you'll see why when you meet her. Besides, it doesn't matter in the least. After all, I was a bachelor up until a few weeks ago and rather used to taking care of myself, you know. Oh, my dear man, you're not telling me that you manage the household. Oh, hardly. No need for that. We've engaged a housekeeper who's a gem, really. Capable, motherly soul named Sutton. Ethel's delighted with her, and so am I. Exceptional cook and all that. Well, that's excellent. We can all do Speaker 8 (38:55) with that sort of thing, you know. I say you'd better take it easy and keep up your feet today. A man's health comes first, you know. Thanks, thanks. I'll be all right. I took one of my tablets on the train. Well, if you need anything, you let me know, huh? Yes. Oh, by the way, Marmery, I, uh... Suppose your wife doesn't know another of those cooking gems, does she? Well, I don't know. Speaker 2 (39:14) They aren't so easy to find nowadays. Don't tell me your cook is leaving you. Oh, good Lord, Lord, no, no, no. Perish the thought. It's for the Phillipsons. Their Speaker 8 (39:22) girl is getting married. Yeah, well, all we said, marriage is the graveyard of good cooks. Positively, positively. You know, I think it should be a criminal offense for cooks to feel the mating urge. Leaves the family high and dry. You know, I said to Phillipson, You mind what you're doing, I said. You get somebody you know something about, or you may find yourself landed with this poisoning woman. What's her name? Mrs. Andrews? Carolyn Andrews? I don't want to be sending wreaths to your funeral yet, a while, I said. Speaker 2 (39:49) Wasn't that a dreadful thing, though, that Andrews case? Ethel read some of it to me out of the newspapers. My, my. Gave me the cold horrors. Speaker 8 (39:56) Oh, that's a disgrace, I call it. Three people dead of poisoning. falling ill one by one, gradually getting worse and worse, and suddenly dying off like flies after a month or so of her cooking. And all the police say is they think she's hanging around the neighborhood and may seek employment as a cook. As Speaker 5 (40:11) a Speaker 8 (40:11) cook, now I ask you. Puts us all in the shadow of the grave, doesn't it? Well, rather. It's only to be hoped that they'll catch this charming Mrs. Andrews before she tries her arsenic seasoning on somebody else. And that's why I told Philipson to be careful about hiring a Speaker 2 (40:27) strange woman. Well, quite right, too. One can't be too careful about a thing like that. I'll ask Sutton if she knows of another cook as good as she is. You won't need worry about anyone she recommends. Oh, excellent. I suppose she's worked for the right sort of people, Mama, eh? Right sort? Well,