Stars of "Knute Rockne, All American"
Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)
This episode of Stars on Suspense features legendary radio actors Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan performing in various dramatic productions from
Key takeaways
- Ronald Reagan performs in the suspense play 'One and One's A Lonesome' as George Bellick.
- Pat O'Brien stars as Lieutenant Ben Kennedy in the investigative drama 'True Report'.
- The episode features a dramatic recreation of the life of legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne.
- Period commercials highlight historical brands such as Autolite spark plugs and Linex home brighteners.
- The broadcast includes a somber memorial segment dedicated to the real-life death of Knute Rockne.
Main topics
- Old Time Radio Dramas
- Knute Rockne Biography
- Golden Age Advertising
Notable quotes
Win One for the Gipper.
Conclusion
A nostalgic journey through classic radio theater that highlights the
Transcript preview
Speaker 2 (0:00) Would you hand me that, please? Thank you. Hmm. Now let's see. Survey. Survive. Susanna. Suspect. Speaker 8 (0:10) 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. Speaker 2 (0:27) Therefore, delay acquainting him with what he is eager to know. Suspense! Speaker 1 (0:51) Welcome to Stars on Suspense, with more Hollywood legends and radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Today, our stars are Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan, who shared the screen in Newt Rockne, All-American. O'Brien played Rockne, the legendary Notre Dame football coach, and the future president of the United States played George Gipp. the halfback who shines on the field before he succumbs to a fatal illness. It's the movie that gave us the classic and much-parodied line, Win One for the Gipper, a line and a nickname that resurfaced during Reagan's campaigns and his presidency. You can rent or buy Newt Rockne digitally through your preferred retailers. You can also find it on DVD. And as of this recording, you can stream it via HBO Max. Today, we'll hear Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan recreate their roles in a production of Newt Rockne from the Lux Radio Theater. But first, we'll hear both of them in episodes of suspense. First, we'll hear POTUS himself in One and One's A Lonesome from March 23, 1950. Then Pat O'Brien stars in True Report. from August 31, 1950. We'll take the field with the Fighting Irish under coach Newt Rockne right after these messages. Speaker 4 (2:29) Here's a poor chap who could be anyone you know, including you. Francis. Speaker 1 (2:33) So what are you doing stretched down on the couch? You'd better get ready if you're going to that meeting. Speaker 4 (2:37) I'll have to miss it tonight. Too much supper. My stomach's got me down. Speaker 1 (2:40) Well, don't blame supper. You stuffed yourself like a glutton. I'm not Speaker 4 (2:43) just stuffed. I feel awful. I Speaker 1 (2:45) can imagine. You've got a good old-fashioned upset stomach. And I've got just the thing for it. Pepto-Bismol. Speaker 4 (2:51) Oh, I don't want to take anything. I can't afford to stay home tomorrow. You Speaker 1 (2:53) won't have to. Pepto-Bismol's not like that. It won't add to your upset. but will help to soothe and calm it very quickly. Oh, Speaker 4 (3:00) nothing could be that good. Speaker 1 (3:01) No, just try it. Here, take a good swallow of Pepto-Bismol, and you'll begin to feel better in no time. Why, you might even get to that meeting tonight after all. Speaker 4 (3:09) Pepto-Bismol is a gentler, better way to help an upset stomach. In fact, it's better in many ways. Pepto-Bismol helps bring relief almost from the first moment. It begins to calm and quiet the upset right away. Then, because the Pepto-Bismol formula is gentle and soothing... It doesn't interfere with normal digestion and doesn't add to the upset. Yes, Pepto-Bismol is a dependable, speedy, pleasant-tasting way to care for common stomach disturbances. Remember this. When your stomach's upset, don't add to the upset. Take Pepto-Bismol to soothe it, calm it, and feel Speaker 2 (3:49) good again. Speaker 2 (3:54) All work and no play makes Jill a tired housekeeper. But any homemaker can have enjoyable leisure time to spend as she likes when she depends on the three great Linex home brighteners. Those efficient new shortcuts to the care of woodwork, furniture, and floors. Linex Clear Gloss, the modern brush-on finish. Linex Cream Polish for fine furniture. And Linex Self-Polishing Wax, the amazing new quick-drying wax product. Yes, the three great Lenox home brighteners are the modern way to save household drudgery. They'll do your work in record time and do it with spic and span thoroughness. So start now to enjoy new leisure. Ask your hardware, paint, or department store for the three great Lenox home brighteners, the efficient shortcuts to new home beauty. Inflation can work the same way in peace that it did in war. Prices rise when goods are scarce and people have money. Instead of making your dollars shrink by spending them needlessly when prices are high, why not make them grow with interest by investing in United States savings bonds? Here's the way it works. $75 invested now each month in U.S. savings e-bonds will in 10 years turn into an income of $100 each month for as long a period as you bought the bonds. It's as simple and as sure as that, and easiest when you use the payroll savings plan. Without missing a dollar, you'll be amazed how savings grow the E-Bond way. Four dollars for every three. Now it's winner's time again. Yes, sir, here are the two winners of the Carousel Contest for the week ending November 8th. Each of these listeners wins a gorgeous $100 17-jewel Harmon Gold watch just for writing an interesting letter about Carousel. The ladies' watch goes to Mrs. A.O. Nobles, Jr. of Gainesville, Florida. First suggestion tells you how to remove the printed die from sugar bags or white feed bags. She suggests you damp the bags with kerosene and sprinkle on Carrie's table salt. Then roll them up tight and let them stand overnight. Next day, just wash in soapy water and watch the dye rinse away. Sounds like a wonderful idea. And here's the winner of the man's watch. He is Mr. Sandy Rita of Cleburne, Texas. And he bases his suggestion on 30 years of experience. He says, the best thing I have ever found for smoothing rough gears and silencing their noise is the use of Carrie's salt mixed with gear grease or compound. Speaker 6 (6:10) Congratulations to both of the winners. And folks, if you'd like to win one of these beautiful watches, listen for the Speaker 2 (6:14) easy rules later in this program. Meanwhile, remember, there's a fine Kerry salt for every farm and home use. There's deep penetrating Kerry's table salt, Kerry's meat curing salt, Speaker 6 (6:24) Kerry's mineral supplement salt, and many others. Always look for the white bag box or cotton with Speaker 2 (6:30) a bright red band. And now, a tale well Speaker 8 (6:35) calculated to keep you in suspense. Speaker 2 (6:57) and its 96,000 dealers present Mr. Ronald Reagan in One and One's A Lonesome, a suspense play produced and edited by William Spear. Speaker 6 (7:11) Extraordinary! Extraordinary! Autolite spark plugs, I presume, Remingchester? No, the Australian Speaker 2 (7:17) platypus, Wilcox. Simply extraordinary! Speaker 6 (7:21) Why, it's not half as extraordinary as wide-gap autolite resistor spark plugs, the newest addition to the complete line of regular transport aviation resistor marine and model spark plugs. Ignition engineered by Autolite. You should have Speaker 2 (7:34) been on my big Australian Speaker 6 (7:36) platypus hunt. Remingchester, have you ever hunted for special money savings advantages? Well, you can find them in the wide-gap Autolite resistor spark plugs. You see, because of the built-in 10,000-ohm exclusive Autolite resistor, which makes a wider gap setting practical, you get double life under equal conditions compared to spark plugs without the built-in resistor. Greater gas saving, too. Smoother performance. and faster starts in cold weather. Speaker 2 (8:01) Evidently, platypuses do not interest you. Speaker 6 (8:04) Oh, yes, they do, they do. But I'm fascinated with the Wide Gap Autolite Resistor Spark Plug. So, friends, see your friendly Autolite Spark Plug dealer tomorrow. Have him replace worn-out spark plugs with ignition-engineered Autolite Spark Plugs. Whether you choose the resistor type or the regular type, you'll be right, because you're always right with Autolite. Speaker 2 (8:24) And now, with one and one's a lonesome, and the performance of Ronald Reagan, Autolite hopes once again to keep you in... Suspense! Speaker 8 (8:37) My name's George. George Bellock. Right now, I'm on a trip. Not alone. No, I've got company. She's a few days behind me, but we're getting off at the same stop. Her name's Marie, but don't let that tag fool you. She's as U.S. as the American League. I haven't seen her since yesterday, and I don't know what she's wearing. But five will get you ten. The outfit's silk and covers her body like a cellophane record. I met Speaker 2 (9:05) her about two weeks ago, right Speaker 8 (9:07) after she married the guy I work for, Henry Grover. He owns a lumberyard just outside of town. He'd been working hard and figured he was ripe for a vacation. He hired me to manage the place while he was away. I put him on a train one night, didn't hear from him for two months. I was sorry to hear from him then. I'd put a few improvements in and the take was making me forget I ever had any money troubles. I got a postcard saying he'd met a nice babe and married her. I tossed off a couple of drinks in honor of the occasion and relaxed. I figured she'd talk him into staying in the city and I could buy the shop. That was before I met her. I've never been so wrong. Speaker 2 (9:53) there, George. Welcome home, Henry. Good to see you again, boy. Well, here she is. Marie, this is George Bellick. George has been managing the office for me. Speaker 5 (10:01) Hello, manager. Speaker 2 (10:02) Hi. Here, Henry, let me help you with those bags. Speaker 5 (10:05) Oh, thanks. Speaker 2 (10:07) How's business? I told Marie all about the place and some of the things I got in mind. Pretty good. Guess you'll be building that new house now, huh, Henry? Oh, not this year. Thinking about painting the old one, though. Speaker 5 (10:18) I have a few ideas, too, you know. Speaker 2 (10:20) And pretty good ones, too. I wouldn't be surprised if the place didn't pick up and make some money. Speaker 8 (10:25) I wouldn't be surprised. Speaker 5 (10:27) I don't suppose you'll be staying on now Henry's back, will you, George? Speaker 8 (10:31) Of course he'll be staying. I don't know. I haven't thought much about it. Speaker 5 (10:36) Lumberyard doesn't need three managers. Well, Marie... It Speaker 8 (10:39) needs Speaker 2 (10:39) two. When Speaker 5 (10:40) two is one, that's different. Speaker 2 (10:42) That's right, George. One and one makes one, you know. Speaker 5 (10:47) That's when three's a crowd. You, come on in. Want some coffee? Speaker 8 (11:05) Yeah. Thanks. Speaker 5 (11:07) Thought you were with Henry. Speaker 8 (11:09) He's over in the warehouse. Speaker 5 (11:11) Alone? Speaker 8 (11:12) Yeah. I Speaker 5 (11:14) don't think you're glad to see us, George. Speaker 8 (11:17) Why should I be? Speaker 5 (11:18) My name's on your check. Speaker 8 (11:20) Your husband's name. Listen, tell me something, will you? Speaker 5 (11:24) Like what? Speaker 8 (11:26) Like how come you two got married. Speaker 5 (11:28) Love. Speaker 8 (11:29) It hits you fast. Speaker 5 (11:31) Sometimes. Speaker 8 (11:32) Planning to be with him long? Speaker 5 (11:35) No. Speaker 8 (11:36) It's a top-heavy contest and he's outclassed. That's nothing to me. Speaker 5 (11:41) That's good. Speaker 8 (11:42) How'd you happen to bring him back here? Why didn't you keep him at home? Speaker 5 (11:46) I felt like a change. Speaker 8 (11:47) He bailed you out? Speaker 5 (11:49) Yeah. Out of a dance hall. Speaker 8 (11:51) I suppose you just sold the tickets. Speaker 5 (11:54) Not exactly. Speaker 8 (11:57) Okay. Okay, slave to queen. How does it feel? Speaker 5 (12:01) Let me ask you one. What are you going to do for a job now? Speaker 8 (12:05) Manage this lumber business? Speaker 5 (12:06) No, you're not. Speaker 8 (12:07) You don't own it. Speaker 5 (12:08) Don't believe everything you read on a piece of paper. I own it. And there's no room for you. Speaker 8 (12:15) You know, your new husband's in for a kind of a surprise. Speaker 5 (12:18) What kind of a surprise? Speaker 8 (12:20) I mean, when he hits the warehouse. Speaker 5 (12:22) What about it? Speaker 8 (12:23) There's a room over in the back part. One of the walls is holding up a row of slot machines. A couple of tables on the floor that weren't made for checkers. Speaker 5 (12:32) Gambling? Speaker 8 (12:33) That's right. Speaker 5 (12:35) Henry didn't mention that. Speaker 8 (12:37) That's the surprise. Speaker 5 (12:40) I guess I don't have to worry any about getting rid of you. Henry will take care of that. Speaker 8 (12:45) You think so? Speaker 5 (12:47) How's business in the back room? Speaker 8 (12:49) Like a girly show on Iwo Jima. Speaker 5 (12:51) Where's the money? Speaker 8 (12:52) In the bank. Your bank? My bank. Speaker 4 (12:57) George, can I see you a minute? Speaker 8 (12:59) Sure, Henry. Speaker 5 (13:00) Come Speaker 4 (13:00) on in here, why don't you? Well, I'd rather handle this alone, honey, if you don't mind. Come on, George. Speaker 5 (13:05) Oh, you told me I could help you. Now something's come up and you're shutting me out of it. It Speaker 4 (13:10) has nothing to do with Speaker 2 (13:11) that. This is something new. Speaker 8 (13:13) You may as well let her in on it. She knows all about it anyway. Speaker 4 (13:16) You Speaker 2 (13:16) told her? Speaker 8 (13:17) Sure. I figured I was telling the manager. One and one makes one, remember? Speaker 2 (13:23) All right. George? I left you to run a lumberyard. I didn't want any improvements. Especially, I didn't want any improvements like I just saw over there. Dice tables, slot machines, I don't know what all. I don't see how you moved at all in two months. Speaker 8 (13:41) Two days. But you're right, it wasn't easy. Speaker 2 (13:44) George, when I came back, I thought we'd all work together. There's a place for you here, and I'll go on paying you the same salary. Wouldn't be much compared to what you've been making on the side, is that it? Speaker 8 (13:57) Business has been pretty good up till Speaker 2 (13:59) now. Well, then it's all over. And this is goodbye. I'm sorry. Speaker 8 (14:04) No easy money for you, huh? Speaker 2 (14:05) Not when it's breaking the law. You can stay on here tonight, but in the morning, get those machines and dice tables together and get out. Speaker 8 (14:12) They're not going anyplace, and neither am I. Speaker 2 (14:14) But you're breaking the law. Tomorrow morning, I'm throwing out all that stuff. Speaker 8 (14:19) Where are you going to throw it? Speaker 4 (14:20) Out. Anywhere. I don't know. I don't care where. If Speaker 8 (14:22) you throw it outside and leave it, somebody will see it and talk to the police. If you try and have it moved out, I'll call them myself. Any way you look at it, they're going to want the owner of this place for gambling. And you're the owner. Speaker 2 (14:34) George, you bought the stuff. I didn't know anything about it. I don't even know where you got it. I've been away. I can prove that. You don't scare me. In Speaker 8 (14:42) your name, I bought the stuff. And in your name, I ran the place. I'm just a hired man working here. They'll want the boss. And you're the boss, just like always, Speaker 2 (14:52) Henry. Well, then you're closing down tomorrow. If I can't run a decent shop, I won't run any. Speaker 8 (14:57) All right, close down. But if the police get a tip, they'll think all you do out here is gamble. Speaker 2 (15:03) Oh, what's got into you, son? Two months ago, I gave you a job, and you were glad to get it. What's got into you, anyway? Speaker 5 (15:10) He found a way to make some money. Speaker 8 (15:12) Yeah, a lot of money. The take is good here. When I got your postcard, I thought I'd seen the last of you. I was going to pay you for the place and let it go at that. How about it? What's the price? Speaker 2 (15:23) No price. I'm not selling it to you or anybody else. How about $15 Speaker 8 (15:27) ,000? Speaker 5 (15:28) In cash? Speaker 8 (15:29) Sure. Cash. Speaker 5 (15:31) You haven't saved that much from this place in two months. Speaker 8 (15:34) I'll get the money. Got about $8,000 now. Couple of months, I'll have the rest. Speaker 5 (15:37) I Speaker 2 (15:38) wouldn't trust you for a three-cent stamp. Speaker 8 (15:40) Never mind, Marie, honey. Speaker 2 (15:41) Look, I'm not selling, George, and that's the end of it. And Speaker 8 (15:44) we're partners. Speaker 2 (15:44) Not in anything like this, we're not. Speaker 8 (15:46) You'll like it fine when the money starts coming in. I Speaker 2 (15:49) don't want anything to do with it. Speaker 8 (15:50) Okay, you won't have anything to do with it. You take care of the lumber business. I'll handle the rest. Speaker 2 (15:55) I told you now, for the last time. Speaker 5 (15:56) Honey, listen, listen. We don't want any trouble with the police. Speaker 2 (15:59) There isn't going to be any trouble with the police. Speaker 5 (16:01) The way he tells it, there is. He's got us over a barrel. Speaker 8 (16:04) I've been clearing pretty near a thousand bucks a week. There isn't much I wouldn't do for that kind of money. Speaker 5 (16:10) We'd better think it over, honey. We'd better think over what to do. Speaker 8 (16:14) Well, that's the idea. Think it over. Think it over, both of you. Speaker 8 (16:25) The minute I saw her, I knew that was the way I was going to have to play it. I knew I wouldn't get far with him. But with her, it was different. There wasn't much I wouldn't do for that kind of money. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do. I knew I'd planted the seed and I knew how it'd grow. I knew how she'd go to work on him that night, almost as though I'd been in the room. Speaker 5 (16:47) Henry, what are you going to do about George? Speaker 2 (16:50) Oh, I don't know, honey. He's a good man. He must be in with bad crowd, that's all. Speaker 5 (16:56) Yeah, that's likely. He's played the angle so long they're around. Speaker 2 (16:59) I like George. That's why I hired him. If he's in with the wrong bunch, oh, that's all right. He'll come out of it. Speaker 5 (17:06) You going to let him go on gambling? Speaker 2 (17:08) I don't know what to say. You said yourself he had to Speaker 5 (17:11) do... Speaker 2 (17:12) Henry, Speaker 5 (17:12) you could take him up on it. Speaker 2 (17:14) On what? Speaker 5 (17:15) His proposition. At least for a while. Oh, Speaker 2 (17:18) but I... Speaker 5 (17:19) You could pretend to. Speaker 2 (17:20) Oh, no, I don't like that. Anyway, where would that get you? Speaker 5 (17:24) It'd get you a 50-50 cut on $1,000 a week in the meantime. Speaker 2 (17:28) No, Marie, I don't want it. I don't want any part of it. You Speaker 5 (17:31) heard what he said. He said he'd do anything for that kind of money. Oh, Speaker 2 (17:34) he didn't Speaker 5 (17:34) mean Speaker 2 (17:35) anything... Speaker 5 (17:35) No. I know what I'd do. I'd put a bullet in his head. Oh, Speaker 2 (17:41) now, Marie, don't talk that way. That isn't even funny. Speaker 5 (17:44) What are you going to do? Let him take over your business right out from under your nose? He's a gambler and a thief. Henry, if you called him on it, if you had it out with him and he started anything, it'd be self-defense. What story in the world would hold you on it? Speaker 2 (17:58) What are you talking about? Speaker 5 (18:00) I'm telling you. Speaker 2 (18:01) Don't be silly. I'm certainly not going to do anything like that. Speaker 5 (18:04) All right, all right, don't. See what happened. Speaker 2 (18:07) Wish I knew what was gonna happen. Speaker 5 (18:09) Well, I'll tell you. You wanna know? Oh, just let me Speaker 2 (18:11) try to think, can't Speaker 5 (18:12) you? Speaker 2 (18:12) Think? Speaker 5 (18:13) What do you suppose he's thinking about? Well, he said... I know what he said. Listen to me, Henry. It's him or you. Don't you see that? Freeze a crowd. That's what he's thinking about. Murder. Speaker 8 (18:32) Yeah, I knew pretty much what they were talking about in there. I knew this dame pretty well. It only needed a day of knowing her to know that a word like murder was part of her natural-born vocabulary. To know that she could cut a guy's throat and think no more of it than clipping one of her fingernails. I didn't know just then who was going to get murdered. I found out. Speaker 2 (19:04) Autolite is bringing you Ronald Reagan in One and One's A Lonesome. Tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Speaker 2 (19:22) I saw lots of kangaroos in Australia, too. Why, their tails are... You Speaker 6 (19:27) don't say why Remingchester the Kangaroo's tail is as unique in the animal world as the Wide Gap Autolight Resistor is in the spark plug world. It's the newest addition to the complete line of regular transport aviation, resistor, marine, and model spark plugs ignition engineered by Autolight. Speaker 2 (19:44) Wilcox! You ought to see the starting Speaker 6 (19:47) power Speaker 8 (19:47) of those critters. Speaker 6 (19:48) Man, they've got nothing on the wide-gap auto-light resistor spark plugs. They give fast starts even in cold weather. Smoother performance, too, on leaner gas mixtures. Greater gas saving. Even double life under equal conditions compared to spark plugs without the built-in resistor. And it's all because of the 10,000-ohm auto-light resistor built right into every auto-light resistor spark plug to make a wider gap. setting practical. Speaker 2 (20:12) I said you should see your Speaker 6 (20:14) friendly Autolite spark plug dealer tomorrow. Have him replace worn-out spark plugs with ignition-engineered Autolite spark plugs. Whether you choose the resistor type or the regular type, you'll be right, because you're always right with Autolite. Speaker 2 (20:28) And now, Autolite brings back to our Hollywood soundstage our star, Ronald Reagan, with Kathy Lewis in One and One's a Lonesome. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Speaker 8 (20:46) The night after Henry and his new wife came home, I didn't open up the back room in the warehouse. I put in the new table and counted out the profits for the week. I took a fair share over to Grover, but he read negative all the way. When he turned down that money, Marie tried on a face she must have been saving for Jack the Ripper. She knew he wasn't going to change his mind. She could see I was set to pocket big money on a four-hour schedule in the back room, while their take after 16 hours in the lumberyard would look like a piggy bank night before Christmas. I said goodnight and left them alone to what promised to be a rotten evening for both. I went over to the garage where I'd fixed myself up a little cot. I was mixing the paint we were using on the house the next day, but I hadn't been at it more than half an hour when I had a visitor. Speaker 8 (21:35) This is a surprise. Speaker 5 (21:37) I, um, I broke my fingernail. Thought you might have a nail clipper. See it? Isn't it pretty? Speaker 8 (21:47) Yeah. Speaker 5 (21:49) Do you have one? Speaker 8 (21:50) What? Speaker 5 (21:51) A nail clipper. On your keychain, maybe? Speaker 8 (21:55) Sure, here. Wait, let me do it for you. Hmm. Long and pointed, like a pussycat. Speaker 5 (22:04) They can scratch, too. Like them? Speaker 8 (22:07) Sure. Speaker 8 (22:09) There you are. What'll I do with the victim? Speaker 5 (22:12) Keep it for a souvenir. Do you mind my coming to see you? Speaker 8 (22:17) Not if your husband doesn't. Speaker 5 (22:19) He doesn't know I'm here. Speaker 8 (22:21) He will if he thinks real hard. Speaker 5 (22:23) I don't care. I wanted to see you. Speaker 8 (22:26) Need more light? Speaker 5 (22:28) No. No, this is fine. Speaker 5 (22:31) Henry's not strong, you know. Speaker 8 (22:33) Well, he wasn't wearing a lion skin when you married him. Speaker 5 (22:36) It all happened so fast and I wanted to get out of that dance hall. Speaker 8 (22:38) Oh, yeah, the dance hall. Well, that's the price of love. Or have you changed your mind? Speaker 5 (22:45) Yeah, I changed my mind. Speaker 8 (22:47) That's easy to do when it's all over. Speaker 5 (22:49) Is it all over? Speaker 8 (22:50) You married him. Speaker 5 (22:52) He's not strong. Maybe something will happen to him. Speaker 8 (22:56) Not likely. Nothing ever has. Speaker 5 (22:58) I did. Don't you like me? Speaker 8 (23:02) Huh? Speaker 5 (23:03) I like you. Speaker 8 (23:04) I like it here. I don't want to leave. Speaker 5 (23:07) I don't want to go anywhere. Speaker 8 (23:10) I don't want my head turning into a home for your husband's bullets. Speaker 5 (23:14) This, uh, paint you're using tomorrow? Speaker 8 (23:17) Yeah. Your healthy husband and I. Speaker 5 (23:21) Using ladders? Speaker 8 (23:22) No, we'll swing a couple of platforms on pulleys with ropes. Why? Want to learn to paint? Speaker 5 (23:28) No, thanks. I'm worried about Henry up on one of those things. He's not as strong as you are. Speaker 8 (23:36) Yeah, I know. Speaker 5 (23:38) Happened to fall off, he might be hurt. Speaker 8 (23:40) He fell on the cement drive, might break his neck. Speaker 5 (23:43) That's right. Do the ropes ever break? Speaker 8 (23:47) Not often enough to make the odds good for betting. Speaker 5 (23:51) Could you make him break? Huh? Could you fix the ropes so they'd break when he got to the top? Speaker 8 (23:58) Not on your life. I'm happy with my little racket. I'm not taking any chances killing anybody. Speaker 5 (24:04) Then he'll kill you. Take your choice. How long do you think he'll watch that money going into your pocket? How long do you think he'll take that gambling? Keep talking. It'll be accidental. No murder at all. When he's dead, I get the warehouse. And the house. You get me. Speaker 8 (24:21) What's in it for you? Speaker 5 (24:23) You are? Speaker 8 (24:24) As simple as that. Speaker 5 (24:26) And I'll take a cut on those backroom profits. Speaker 8 (24:30) Go on. Speaker 5 (24:32) Henry's been talking about painting the house. I got the idea when he told me about a fellow doing the same thing who fell and was killed. If anything like that ever happened to him, he said I wouldn't have to worry. Everything was taken care of. Speaker 8 (24:44) Why do you cut me in? Speaker 5 (24:45) I told you. Because I like you. Speaker 8 (24:48) And because you couldn't cut me out. Speaker 5 (24:52) Can you fix the rope so it'll break when you want it to? Speaker 8 (24:55) No. But I could fix it so it would break. There'd have to be somebody else here, a witness, to see it was an accident. I Speaker 5 (25:02) already thought of that. A friend of his, Jim Brandon. You've Speaker 8 (25:06) figured every angle, haven't you? Speaker 5 (25:07) You'll get your chance. Speaker 8 (25:10) Okay. The rope will break. Speaker 5 (25:13) Get it fixed up tonight? Speaker 8 (25:15) Okay. Speaker 5 (25:15) Where do you leave it? Speaker 8 (25:16) There'll be two platforms. One for me, one for him. I'll take them both over to the house tonight before I go to bed. Speaker 5 (25:21) Put the one for Henry by the office. Put yours by the house. Speaker 8 (25:24) Yeah. Speaker 5 (25:25) I don't want you to be around tomorrow when Henry and Brandon set him up. That way nobody can say that you had anything to do with it. Speaker 8 (25:30) Don't worry. We won't have any trouble. Speaker 5 (25:33) We better not. I'm risking a lot for you. Speaker 8 (25:38) I won't forget it, baby. Speaker 5 (25:40) Don't. Speaker 5 (25:42) This is what the movies call love. You like it? Speaker 8 (25:47) I'm getting to like it. It's easy learning. I hope I won't have to forget. Speaker 5 (25:53) I'll worry about that. Let's talk some more. Speaker 8 (25:58) You got more to say? Speaker 5 (25:59) Mm-hmm. Lots more. You're going to be different around here after tomorrow. Speaker 8 (26:11) Yeah, that's right. Just you and me and the backroom gold mine. Speaker 5 (26:20) Think we'll make you happy? Speaker 8 (26:21) I'm willing to take a chance. Speaker 5 (26:26) I'd better be getting back to the house. Speaker 8 (26:28) Sure. It's Grover's last night. Good Speaker 5 (26:32) night, Georgie. Don't disappoint me. Speaker 8 (26:36) Is that hard? Speaker 5 (26:38) Well, I had gloves with me when I came in here. Speaker 8 (26:40) You did? Here they are. Speaker 5 (26:42) Oh. Well? Speaker 8 (26:45) I think I'll keep them. Speaker 5 (26:47) What's the idea? I Speaker 8 (26:48) want a souvenir. I'm Speaker 5 (26:50) not going anywhere. Speaker 8 (26:51) Maybe I'll tuck them under my pillow. This is what the movies call love. Speaker 8 (27:01) After she left, I sat there thinking. Those gloves didn't help me clear my head any. They smelt like the powder room in the Club Paris. I liked the way she handled Grover. Sure, the kid was bright. The plan looked surefire. With a payoff in fancy living written especially for happy homes. I strung together a couple of ropes and a pulley on two wooden boards and called it a platform. The next one took more time. I spent a few minutes burning the rope where it'd rest on the pulley when the platform was up near the top. I pulled it apart a little with my fingers, made sure it wouldn't hold much weight for long. I fixed it just the way I wanted it. Then I slipped it through the pulley, anchored it on the boards, and had myself another platform, different from the first, but looking just the same. I put the good one by the house and the other next to the shop. By the time I was through, it was nearly daylight. I lay down in the cot. The next thing I knew, she was shaking me. Speaker 5 (27:54) Come on. Come on. Wake up. Come on. They're ready to start. Speaker 8 (27:58) Who? Him and his Speaker 5 (27:59) pal. They're out there now waiting for you. Speaker 8 (28:01) Oh. Oh, yeah. Where are they? Speaker 5 (28:04) Out in the yard. Speaker 8 (28:05) The platforms? Speaker 5 (28:06) Yeah, they've already got them set up. Speaker 8 (28:08) Okay. It won't be long now, baby. Are you nervous? Speaker 5 (28:11) Sure. Speaker 8 (28:12) Like a sack of laundry. Speaker 5 (28:14) Don't let me fool you. I'm scared when the time comes it won't work. Speaker 8 (28:17) Forget it. That rope won't hold 100 pounds five minutes. And anything that hits that concrete will be dead before you catch your breath. Speaker 5 (28:23) How did you fix the rope? Speaker 8 (28:24) I burned it. Nobody will notice it. I pulled it apart a little. It's just enough to hold it together while he's getting to the top. Speaker 5 (28:29) We'll let Brandon pull you both up. Speaker 8 (28:31) Nobody has to pull us both up. We can lift our own. There's a rope from the pulley that'll hoist her lower. Speaker 5 (28:35) Okay. Come on. A Speaker 8 (28:37) few minutes and you'll be the new owner around