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Transcript

Suspense - "Life Ends at Midnight" (Old Time Radio, 1944) · Suspense | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Mrs. Bates receives an unexpected visit from her troubled son, Walter,
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: who says he must have $ 1, 500 by midnight. It is
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: the situation at the center of suspense. Life Ends at Midnight,
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Episode 7, originally broadcast February.
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: 1st, 1944.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Faye Bainter plays Mrs. Bates with Dane Clark as Walter
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: and Ralph Morgan as Mr. Chalmers, the elderly lodger in
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: the Bates' home. Walter's urgent need takes on another dimension
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: when he learns that Mr. Chalmers carries a life insurance
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: policy and has no close surviving beneficiary. Robert Tallman wrote
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: this original radio play produced for CBS by William Spear.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: And now, the original broadcast.
• 0:58
  Speaker 3: Roma Wines presents.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: Suspense!
• 1:07
  Speaker 3: Roma Wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: Salud!
• 1:13
  Speaker 4: Your health, senor.
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: Roma Wines toasts the world. The wine for your table
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: is Roma Wine, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
• 1:25
  Speaker 5: This is the Man in Black, here for the Roma
• 1:28
  Speaker 5: Wine Company of Fresno, California, to introduce this weekly half
• 1:32
  Speaker 5: hour of suspense. Tonight from Hollywood Roma Wines bring you
• 1:38
  Speaker 5: Miss Faye Bainter, Mr. Ralph Morgan, and Mr. Dane Clark
• 1:42
  Speaker 5: in a suspense play dealing with a mother and a
• 1:45
  Speaker 5: son and a lodger who kept an appointment with death.
• 1:52
  Speaker 5: And so, with life ends at midnight, and with the
• 1:55
  Speaker 5: performances of Faye Bainter as Mrs. Bates, of Dane Clark
• 1:58
  Speaker 5: as her son Walter, and of Ralph Morgan as Mr. Chalmers,
• 2:02
  Speaker 5: we again hope to keep you in.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: Suspense! Suspense!
• 2:30
  Speaker 4: Walter.
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: Walter.
• 2:32
  Speaker 6: Is that you, Walter?
• 2:37
  Speaker 7: That's right, Mom. It's your little sonny boy, Walter. You
• 2:40
  Speaker 7: still remember my whistle, eh?
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes.
• 2:43
  Speaker 6: But what I.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: I didn't... Never know when I'll turn up, eh, Mom?
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: What's the matter? Do we have to stand here in
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: a hall?
• 2:49
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, no. Come in. It's just... Come in, Walter.
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: Well, it's the same old crummy joint.
• 2:58
  Speaker 6: I do my best to keep it clean, Walter.
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I know. A regular old mother hubbard.
• 3:02
  Speaker 7: You'll have to clean up the whole south side before
• 3:04
  Speaker 7: you get the magoo out of this fleabag.
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: Oh. Boy, am I tired.
• 3:09
  Speaker 7: Up all night in a stinking day coach full of
• 3:11
  Speaker 7: snoring jerks and squalling babies.
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: Babies are the worst. All they do is bawl and slobber.
• 3:16
  Speaker 6: You left Pittsburgh last night?
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: One in the morning. Didn't sleep a wink. Yeah, look
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: at my collar.
• 3:21
  Speaker 6: But tomorrow is Monday. You have to be at work
• 3:23
  Speaker 6: in the morning.
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: Sure, I... What's the matter? You worried?
• 3:26
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, no.
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: I just... Don't just.
• 3:28
  Speaker 7: Can't a guy come home and see his mother once
• 3:30
  Speaker 7: in six months?
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: That's a mother for you.
• 3:32
  Speaker 7: You break your back, you sit up all night to
• 3:34
  Speaker 7: see your mother for one day, and she tells you
• 3:35
  Speaker 7: you have to be at work in the morning.
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: How do you like that?
• 3:37
  Speaker 6: Walter, I'm sorry. I didn't miss you so. I just
• 3:40
  Speaker 6: worried about you.
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Well, don't worry so much.
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: It makes me nervous.
• 3:44
  Speaker 6: Here, sit at the table, dear. You must be starved.
• 3:48
  Speaker 6: All right.
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: Now it's like coming home.
• 3:50
  Speaker 6: Oh, my baby. I'm so glad to see you. You
• 3:53
  Speaker 6: did come just to see me, didn't you?
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Well, Sadie Lamar.
• 3:57
  Speaker 6: Well, of course you came to see me. It's just
• 3:59
  Speaker 6: that I always worry so about you.
• 4:01
  Speaker 7: Forget it.
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: Forget it. Well, what's to eat?
• 4:03
  Speaker 6: I was just making a chop for my lunch. That's all.
• 4:06
  Speaker 6: It seems to be in the house right now.
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: It'll be enough for me.
• 4:08
  Speaker 6: It'll be ready in a minute. Now tell me about yourself,
• 4:11
  Speaker 6: your job.
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: Never mind about me. How are you doing?
• 4:15
  Speaker 8: Well, I try not to complain, Walter. Things are not easy.
• 4:18
  Speaker 8: Prices high. Rents going up all the time. Even on
• 4:21
  Speaker 8: this old house.
• 4:22
  Speaker 6: Honest, I don't know what I'm going.
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: To do with things, don't... You had some bonds Papa
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: left you. You had about $ 2, 000 bonds he left you.
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: You still got them?
• 4:29
  Speaker 6: Well, I'm trying to tell you, Walter, things haven't been easy.
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: Always the poor mouth. Every time I see her, she's
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: putting on a poor mouth.
• 4:35
  Speaker 6: I'm just saying things aren't easy.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: And for me, do you think it's a picnic? I
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: got enough trouble, and for what?
• 4:40
  Speaker 5: For what?
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: All year I worked like crazy. For what?
• 4:42
  Speaker 6: A man must work, Walter.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: A man must work, Walter.
• 4:46
  Speaker 6: Yes, that's true.
• 4:47
  Speaker 8: A man must work and live like a person and
• 4:50
  Speaker 8: not be afraid so that he can sleep without worrying about.
• 4:52
  Speaker 6: About.
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: About what?
• 4:55
  Speaker 8: About a bell ringing at night or a knock on
• 4:58
  Speaker 8: the door in the morning or someone touching you on
• 5:01
  Speaker 8: the arm. Yes, it's a nice feeling and a free
• 5:04
  Speaker 8: feeling to be able to walk down the street in
• 5:06
  Speaker 8: the sun with your.
• 5:07
  Speaker 6: Eyes meeting another man's without wondering if he.
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: Shut up. Shut up. I ain't in trouble against you.
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: Stop mouthing at me. You're always mouthing at me.
• 5:13
  Speaker 6: You haven't... You know what the judge said the last time, Walter?
• 5:16
  Speaker 6: He was nice.
• 5:17
  Speaker 8: Now, he gave you another chance. He saw you were
• 5:20
  Speaker 8: really a good boy and he gave you another chance.
• 5:23
  Speaker 8: He got you a nice job and you promised to...
• 5:25
  Speaker 8: You must.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: Oh, you're.
• 5:27
  Speaker 6: All right, Walter. You didn't... Meatball.
• 5:30
  Speaker 7: A herring on a plate all your life, you're a
• 5:32
  Speaker 7: tomcat in the garbage.
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: You find a fish head and you say, thank you, mister.
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: You chew a fish gut and you smile pretty. Well,
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: not for me.
• 5:40
  Speaker 7: You take a chance and you throw away the fish heads.
• 5:42
  Speaker 7: You get one break and you're out of the garbage
• 5:43
  Speaker 7: can for life. You're through with time clocks and shiny pants.
• 5:46
  Speaker 7: You're in the higher brackets and nobody gets you. Yeah,
• 5:48
  Speaker 7: you're a mister with a future. You hold your nose
• 5:51
  Speaker 7: when you walk in the day coach of your compartment.
• 5:53
  Speaker 7: You leave the stinks behind in a port of dusty
• 5:55
  Speaker 7: air in front of you, and that's for me.
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: One break. One breaking you as hot as a rocket,
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: shooting diamonds for spots.
• 6:01
  Speaker 7: Walter!
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: You're a P-38 in a world full of flippers. A
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: buck gets you two, two gets you four. Walter! Good
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: for one blonde to kick her and a kiss her.
• 6:06
  Speaker 4: Walter! It's all right.
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: I took another chance. I tried to run it up.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: No dice. I gotta make it good. Tomorrow morning, I
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: gotta make it good. The books at the office will
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: show it, and I gotta make it good.
• 6:22
  Speaker 6: How much?
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Fifteen hundred.
• 6:24
  Speaker 6: $ 1, 500?
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: By midnight tonight, $ 1, 500. If I miss that $ 1, 220 for.
• 6:29
  Speaker 4: Pittsburgh, it's all up.
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: I might as well take gas.
• 6:33
  Speaker 6: $ 1, 500? By midnight tonight? Where am I going to get it, Walter?
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: The bonds. You got the bonds, Papa Lutheran.
• 6:40
  Speaker 6: The bonds. How do you think I got you out
• 6:42
  Speaker 6: of the last trouble? Bribes, bail, paying back every dime.
• 6:46
  Speaker 6: Where do you think I got it?
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: I'll get ten years. You heard the judge last time.
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: What can I do? What?
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: Ten years and start.
• 6:52
  Speaker 6: Ten years.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: There won't be no reform school this time.
• 6:53
  Speaker 6: Walter.
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: Walter. Please, Ma, please get me the money. Get it
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: for me. I'll be good. I'll work hard. I won't
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: give you no more trouble. But help me now. Please, Mama.
• 7:00
  Speaker 7: Please.
• 7:01
  Speaker 6: Where can I get it, Walter? I've nothing left.
• 7:03
  Speaker 7: Walter.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Enough. I don't care where you get it. It's your
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: fault and you've got to help me. I only wanted
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: to help you and now I'm going to.
• 7:09
  Speaker 6: Yes. It is my fault.
• 7:11
  Speaker 8: I've always protected you, but I can't protect you anymore.
• 7:15
  Speaker 6: I'll give you the few dollars I have. Go away.
• 7:17
  Speaker 6: It'll be enough to help you run away. That's all
• 7:20
  Speaker 6: I can do.
• 7:20
  Speaker 7: You're holding out on me. You're worrying about your old age.
• 7:22
  Speaker 7: You're making yourself a cushy little.
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 7:28
  Speaker 4: Oh, I'm sorry. I hope I'm not intruding.
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: Who... Who's this?
• 7:33
  Speaker 7: Mr.
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: Chalmers.
• 7:35
  Speaker 6: This is Mr. Chalmers, Walter. He has the back bedroom. This...
• 7:40
  Speaker 6: This is my son, Walter, Mr. Chalmers.
• 7:42
  Speaker 4: How do you do, Mr. Bates? I feel that I
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: know you very well. Your mother and I sit here
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: in the kitchen sometimes over a cup of tea, and
• 7:49
  Speaker 4: she talks about you for hours and hours. Yes, I
• 7:53
  Speaker 4: can see why Mother is so proud of you. How
• 7:55
  Speaker 4: do you do, Mr.
• 7:56
  Speaker 6: Bates?
• 7:57
  Speaker 4: Yes, you're a fine-looking young man.
• 7:59
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: Mrs.
• 8:00
  Speaker 4: Bates, if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to the
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: corner for my paper. I think that little man with
• 8:06
  Speaker 4: the tiny moustache, you know who I mean, the insurance agent,
• 8:10
  Speaker 4: I think he might call again to collect. Please tell
• 8:13
  Speaker 4: him to go away. You will do that for me, Mrs.
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: Bates?
• 8:16
  Speaker 6: Yes, Mr. Chalmers.
• 8:17
  Speaker 4: Thank you, Mrs. Bates. Tell him not to come back anymore.
• 8:21
  Speaker 4: I don't want to pay any more on the policy.
• 8:23
  Speaker 4: You remember I told you my nephew was very sick
• 8:26
  Speaker 4: in Spokane?
• 8:27
  Speaker 6: Yes, Mr. Chalmers.
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: Well, the poor young man passed away, yes. I was
• 8:31
  Speaker 4: going to leave him a few dollars when I died.
• 8:33
  Speaker 4: But now, well, I have no one left at all. And, well,
• 8:38
  Speaker 4: a dollar a week. You'll tell that to the little
• 8:41
  Speaker 4: man with the tiny moustache?
• 8:43
  Speaker 6: Yes, Mr.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: Chalmers.
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: Thank you, Mrs.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: Bates.
• 8:46
  Speaker 4: Good day, Mr.
• 8:46
  Speaker 6: Bates.
• 8:50
  Speaker 7: Walter.
• 8:50
  Speaker 5: Walter.
• 8:51
  Speaker 6: I have $ 40 in the house for the rent.
• 8:53
  Speaker 8: You can take that. Drop me a card when you
• 8:56
  Speaker 8: get settled someplace. Let me know where you are. I'll
• 8:59
  Speaker 8: send you some more as soon as I can get it.
• 9:01
  Speaker 8: Maybe later I'll be able to straighten it out. Maybe
• 9:03
  Speaker 8: later I'll be able to speak to your boss. I'll
• 9:06
  Speaker 8: promise to pay back every dime. But you must go away.
• 9:08
  Speaker 6: You must.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Tell me something about Mr. Chalmers. He interests me very strangely.
• 9:14
  Speaker 6: Walter.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: Don't be so nervous, Ma. We've got plenty of time.
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: We got till midnight.
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: Tonight, for suspense, Roma Wines bring you as stars Faye Bainter,
• 9:34
  Speaker 5: Ralph Morgan, and Dane Clark. You have heard them in
• 9:37
  Speaker 5: the prologue to our suspense play this evening, Robert Tallman's story,
• 9:42
  Speaker 5: Life Ends at Midnight. Before we return to the scene
• 9:54
  Speaker 5: of our play, let us journey in fancy to Havana
• 9:57
  Speaker 5: and sit at a table in the gay restaurant Paris.
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: At the next table, we see perhaps a farewell party
• 10:04
  Speaker 3: given for an American visitor. The American is wondering how
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: he'll be able to repay in his own country the
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: hospitality shown him in Cuba. Reassuringly, his Cuban host might remark,
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: Es muy facil, amigo. Just be sure to serve wonderful
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: Roma wine. It is wine imported by us from your
• 10:22
  Speaker 3: own country. Roma wine. Indeed, Americans can well be proud
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: that judges of fine wines in so many lands now
• 10:31
  Speaker 3: acclaim the wines of California among the world's most enjoyable
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: of all time. Of these truly superb wines, Roma wines
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: are especially honored by the number of countries now importing
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: them for enjoyment as rare luxuries. But Roma wines are
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: not lacking in honors bestowed them here in America, because
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: Roma wines are America's largest selling wines. If you aren't
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: already one of the millions enjoying Roma wines regularly, as
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: a delicious beverage any time, to add sparkle to any meal,
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: to smarten your entertainings, Make your own taste test to
• 11:05
  Speaker 3: choose your favorite, choosing from Roma Wines' many different wine types.
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: When you learn their modest cost here in America, with
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: no import duty to pay, no expensive shipping charges to absorb,
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: you'll know why we say Roma Wines are for your
• 11:20
  Speaker 3: daily enjoyment. I'll spell out the name for you. R-O-M-A,
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: Roma Wines. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
• 11:33
  Speaker 5: And now it is with pleasure that we bring back
• 11:35
  Speaker 5: to our soundstage Faye Bader, Ralph Morgan.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: And Dane Clark in Life.
• 11:40
  Speaker 5: Ends at Midnight. A tale well calculated to keep you
• 11:44
  Speaker 5: in suspense.
• 11:59
  Speaker 4: Yes, I do think I'll have another cup if you
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: don't mind, Mrs. Bates.
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: Now, Mr. Chalmers, suppose you look at it this way.
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: You've been paying one buck a week for how many
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: years now?
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: Hmm, I'd say 20 years would be a conservative estimate.
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: All right, 20 years. Now, let's see, that's 50 bucks
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: a year. Say that's 1,000 bucks you paid in, no?
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: Yes, 1,000 bucks. This coffee cake, Mrs. Bates, is excellent.
• 12:22
  Speaker 6: You like it? I made it yesterday when I.
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: Forget the coffee cake. Now, let's figure percentage. How many
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: more years do you figure to live?
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: Walter!
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: Oh, that's all right, Mrs.
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: Bates.
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: After all, I'm an old man, and at my age,
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: one rather, well, comes to terms with death. It's like
• 12:39
  Speaker 4: the end of a long, busy day. Life ends at midnight,
• 12:43
  Speaker 4: and a new day begins. Yes, Walter, I think you're
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: on the verge of making a very profound observation.
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: Yeah, you see?
• 12:50
  Speaker 4: My policy is for $ 2, 500. And in the days that
• 12:54
  Speaker 4: are left to me, I certainly will not be required
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: to pay in as much as I have already paid out.
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: That's the exact point. And if you drop it now,
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: will you get anything back?
• 13:02
  Speaker 5: No.
• 13:03
  Speaker 7: You got a straight life with no cash in value.
• 13:06
  Speaker 7: If you drop the policy now, the insurance company is
• 13:08
  Speaker 7: the winner. But say you live another couple of years.
• 13:11
  Speaker 7: You pay a couple hundred more. And you leave the $ 2, 500
• 13:14
  Speaker 7: to somebody.
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: Now... Which is a smart thing. I leave it to you.
• 13:19
  Speaker 4: Yes, I should like to think that when I'm gone,
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: I've left something behind for someone. Mr. Chalmers, oh yes,
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: I'll always remember him for this. It's nice to live
• 13:29
  Speaker 4: on in somebody's memory for a little while after we're dead.
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: But A, I have no one in this world. And B,
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: I must be very, very frank and tell you that
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: I can no longer afford to pay even the dollar
• 13:42
  Speaker 4: a week. You see, I live on a.
• 13:44
  Speaker 7: That's a problem of the most minor importance. For anybody
• 13:47
  Speaker 7: who invests in you now a buck a week would
• 13:48
  Speaker 7: be guilt-edged. I mean, for instance, well, take my mother here. Now,
• 13:53
  Speaker 7: suppose you made her the beneficiary. Now, suppose she continued
• 13:57
  Speaker 7: to pay the buck a week. Who can lose on
• 13:59
  Speaker 7: such a deal?
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: Who can lose? Nobody. You get the point?
• 14:02
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, no, I couldn't.
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: Why? Why? It's... Why not? It's simple, huh?
• 14:06
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, Mr. Chalmers. No, you mustn't.
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: Let Mr. Chalmers aside.
• 14:10
  Speaker 7: Huh, Mr.
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: Chalmers? It makes good sense, no? Makes everybody happy, no?
• 14:14
  Speaker 6: But we're practically strangers. We just.
• 14:16
  Speaker 7: What do you mean, strangers? Who's a stranger in this world?
• 14:19
  Speaker 7: We're just little people trying to make each other happy.
• 14:21
  Speaker 6: Huh, Mr.
• 14:22
  Speaker 7: Chalmers?
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: Now, Mr.
• 14:24
  Speaker 7: Chalmers here can die feeling he didn't waste a buck
• 14:26
  Speaker 7: a week for 20 years, and you know he'll live
• 14:28
  Speaker 7: in your memory.
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: That's what he wants.
• 14:30
  Speaker 7: Now, why shouldn't he have it? Ain't every man entitled
• 14:32
  Speaker 7: to at least live in somebody's memory?
• 14:33
  Speaker 6: Yes, but Mr. Chalmers doesn't have to do that. I'll
• 14:36
  Speaker 6: think about him anyway. I promise I will... He don't have.
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: Let him say something. You're always mouthing.
• 14:43
  Speaker 6: Now, what are you saying, Mr.
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: Chalmers?
• 14:47
  Speaker 4: Oh, that must be the little man with the tiny mustache.
• 14:51
  Speaker 4: I'll tell him I'm keeping the policy and changing the beneficiary. Oh,
• 14:56
  Speaker 4: could you let me have the loan of a dollar, Mr.
• 14:58
  Speaker 6: Bates?
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: Hey, hurry it up, will you?
• 15:13
  Speaker 7: The old man's coming home in a minute or two.
• 15:14
  Speaker 7: He takes a nap about this time. I want this
• 15:16
  Speaker 7: ready for him.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: Oh, relax, sonny, relax. I can't finish this job today.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: What are you giving me?
• 15:21
  Speaker 4: It'll take a joint and another length of pipe.
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: I'll fix it up. You're a good plumber. You can
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: fix it up for now.
• 15:26
  Speaker 4: Yeah, the room's pretty small. Why do you want the
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: heater so close to the bed for him?
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: Like I told you, he's got rheumatism. He needs plenty
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: of heat.
• 15:34
  Speaker 4: Well, I can run a rubber extension, but with gas.
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: I don't like it. Okay, so with gas, you don't
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: like it. But with gas, we gotta run this heater.
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: The old man's got rheumatics. He can take plenty of gas. Huh? Uh,
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: the heat, I mean. He needs plenty. What are you
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: doing now? Tightening this joint. Look, it's tight enough. Here's
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: your three bucks. Okay. Okay. Okay, you're the boss. Bring
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: your tools the next time. I won't be in here
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: next time, Sonny. What are you giving me now? You
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: can get somebody else to do your dirty work after this.
• 16:03
  Speaker 4: So long, Skippy. Skippy?
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: Oh, come on, Skippy. Pull yourself together. We got work
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: to do. What? Huh. Hiya, Pop.
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: Well, this is a pleasant surprise.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, this used to be my room.
• 16:31
  Speaker 7: The steam don't come up here so good, so I
• 16:33
  Speaker 7: talked the old lady into fixing this.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: Up for you.
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: Well, that was very thoughtful of you, Walter.
• 16:37
  Speaker 6: Thanks.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: I stepped up the cracks in the window, too. Zero weather.
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: It gets plenty of drafty in this room.
• 16:43
  Speaker 4: You thought of everything, didn't you, Walter? Huh?
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it ought to work out just fine.
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: It'll do the job, I think. I'm going to take
• 16:52
  Speaker 4: a little nap before dinner. Do you think the heater... Just.
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: Leave it on. I'll look in after a bit to
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: see if it's okay.
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: Well, now, you needn't go to all that trouble.
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: No, it's no trouble at all, Mr. Chalmers. When I
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: do a thing, I like to do it right.
• 17:14
  Speaker 4: Oh, who's there? Is that you, Walter?
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah, go on back to sleep, Pop. I'm just turning
• 17:25
  Speaker 2: the heater off. It's getting stuffy in here.
• 17:28
  Speaker 4: Oh, you're a good, considerate boy, Walter.
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: Ah, skip it. Go on, go on back to sleep. Hmm.
• 17:35
  Speaker 7: Hmm.
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: THE END.
• 17:57
  Speaker 6: Please don't walk so fast, Walter. My feet are hurting
• 17:59
  Speaker 6: me again.
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: You can buy new shoes tomorrow.
• 18:01
  Speaker 6: I'd like to know what with.
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: Maybe you'll have dough tomorrow. Maybe we'll both have some dough.
• 18:05
  Speaker 6: If a miracle happens.
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: Maybe miracles do happen. Maybe if you're smart.
• 18:09
  Speaker 6: Where are you taking me to, Walter?
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: Nowhere in particular. I thought we'd stroll around the old neighborhood.
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: I like old times.
• 18:15
  Speaker 6: Well, that's a nice idea, Walter. But my feet.
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: Hello, Mrs.
• 18:18
  Speaker 5: Beach.
• 18:19
  Speaker 8: Good evening, Officer Flanagan. This is my son, Walter. He's
• 18:22
  Speaker 8: just here from Pittsburgh.
• 18:23
  Speaker 4: Glad to know you.
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: How's business, copper?
• 18:26
  Speaker 4: Oh, much the same.
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: Vagrancy, petty larceny, once in a while, suicide.
• 18:29
  Speaker 4: Suicide?
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what they start out to do, but it's
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: harder to get bumped off than most people think.
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: Huh?
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: Case just last week over in the next precinct.
• 18:38
  Speaker 4: Dame turned on the gas in her room and lay
• 18:41
  Speaker 4: down on the bed.
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: What happened? Nothing.
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: Always bungled somewhere.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: Amateurs. Gas petered out.
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: She forgot to put a quarter in the meter. Ah,
• 18:56
  Speaker 4: seven o'clock. I've got to call in. Well, good night, Mr.
• 18:59
  Speaker 8: Bates.
• 18:59
  Speaker 6: Good night, officer.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: Nice to meet you, Walter.
• 19:03
  Speaker 8: Ma.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: Yes, Walter. When did you put a quarter in the
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: meter at home?
• 19:07
  Speaker 6: Why, I don't remember. Goodness, I'd better get some change.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: Never mind the change. Come on.
• 19:11
  Speaker 6: Walter, why did you ask about the gas meter?
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: What do you think?
• 19:15
  Speaker 6: Walter, you didn't... That isn't why you put the heater in, Mr.
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: Chalmers. What do you think?
• 19:20
  Speaker 6: I don't think anything. I just pray, pray that.
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: Quarter ran out before it.
• 19:24
  Speaker 5: Save your prayers.
• 19:26
  Speaker 7: Of course, if that didn't work, I'll try another way.
• 19:28
  Speaker 7: Either that old cluck is dead before midnight or I
• 19:30
  Speaker 7: spend ten years in stir. He's going to be dead
• 19:32
  Speaker 7: before midnight, see? And if you try to make any trouble...
• 19:34
  Speaker 7: She'll be pushing daisies right along with them.
• 19:36
  Speaker 6: Stop sniveling.
• 19:37
  Speaker 8: We're going in there now.
• 19:41
  Speaker 7: Now, look.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: If it took, scream your head off or I'll give
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: you a reason to scream.
• 19:53
  Speaker 7: The gas.
• 19:55
  Speaker 6: I can smell it.
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: Oh, I.
• 20:04
  Speaker 4: Oh, well, good evening, Walter and Mrs.
• 20:07
  Speaker 7: Bates.
• 20:08
  Speaker 4: I was just on my way out.
• 20:09
  Speaker 6: Oh, Mr. Chalmers, you're all right. You're all right.
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: Of course he's all right. What's eating you?
• 20:13
  Speaker 4: I have a slight headache, it's true. But a brisk
• 20:15
  Speaker 4: walk in the open air will cure that, I'm sure.
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: Hey, look at this.
• 20:19
  Speaker 4: What is it, Walter?
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: This hose on a heater. It got unhitched. No wonder
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: you got a headache.
• 20:26
  Speaker 4: I thought I smelled gas.
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: Boy, it's lucky for you, Mom forgot to put a
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: quarter in the meter.
• 20:30
  Speaker 4: Providence works in strange ways, doesn't it, Walter? Well, I
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: must be getting on. I'll be coming home rather late, Mrs. Bates,
• 20:38
  Speaker 4: so I'll just let myself in.
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: Uh, how late?
• 20:40
  Speaker 4: Well, I thought I'd stop at the neighborhood picture house
• 20:43
  Speaker 4: for dinner. That'll be around nine o'clock, so I imagine
• 20:47
  Speaker 4: I won't be home much before eleven.
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 20:49
  Speaker 6: Chalmers, there's something I've wanted to.
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: Yes, Mrs.
• 20:51
  Speaker 4: Bates.
• 20:52
  Speaker 8: Walter's a good boy at heart, you know, but he's
• 20:54
  Speaker 8: been in some trouble lately and.
• 20:56
  Speaker 4: Is there anything I can do to help, Walter?
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: Yeah, plenty. I'll tell you all about it when you
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: get back. Come on, you'd better run along now, Mr. Chalmers.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: You don't want to be late for that picture.
• 21:04
  Speaker 4: Yes, yes, of course. Well, good night, Mrs. Bates.
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 21:07
  Speaker 6: Chalmers, I.
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: Good night, Mr. Chalmers.
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: Yes, good night. Oh, Walter, I.
• 21:13
  Speaker 7: Walter!
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: Walter, no!
• 21:15
  Speaker 6: No, no, my boy, no!
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: You were going to tell him, weren't you?
• 21:18
  Speaker 4: Walter!
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: You'd like to send me to the chair, wouldn't you? No!
• 21:22
  Speaker 6: Give this truck to me, Walter. You struck your own mother.
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: I ought to have messed up your sad, mucky face
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: for good. It's your fault I pulled this up in.
• 21:30
  Speaker 7: The first place. Why didn't you remember to put a
• 21:31
  Speaker 7: quarter on that meter?
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: Why didn't you?
• 21:33
  Speaker 6: I'm glad I forgot. It wouldn't be a lie.
• 21:36
  Speaker 7: I shouldn't have messed around with gas, trying to spare
• 21:38
  Speaker 7: your feelings, making you look like an accident.
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: The thanks I get for it. She wants to blab
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: the whole thing. Turn me in, my own mother. No, no, Walden.
• 21:44
  Speaker 8: No, no, that's not true.
• 21:46
  Speaker 6: Don't strike me again, Walt. I can't stand it.
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 21:51
  Speaker 7: Maybe now you'll cooperate. Now, look, let's put it this way.
• 21:56
  Speaker 7: It's either you or him. If it's you, I don't
• 21:58
  Speaker 7: care whether they get me or not. Are you listening?
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes, yes, Walter.
• 22:01
  Speaker 7: Okay, now, like I said, I got very little time
• 22:04
  Speaker 7: to get this thing done. I ought to have done
• 22:05
  Speaker 7: it neat and clean in the first place, like I said.
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: He's old and weak.
• 22:08
  Speaker 7: You just push him over on a bed, hold a
• 22:10
  Speaker 7: pillow over his face for a few minutes, and the
• 22:11
  Speaker 7: job's done.
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: Nobody will ask any questions, a guy that old.
• 22:14
  Speaker 6: Walter, for the last time, I'm begging you.
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: Okay, make sure it's for the last time. Remember, it's
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: you or him, like I said.
• 22:19
  Speaker 6: What are you going to do?
• 22:20
  Speaker 7: Now, look. I'll be waiting in his room when he
• 22:24
  Speaker 7: comes home. I'm shot anyway, so I'll lay down and
• 22:26
  Speaker 7: get 40 winks. You wait up for him. Tell him
• 22:29
  Speaker 7: I've left to catch a train. That's in case he
• 22:31
  Speaker 7: suspects anything. When he comes to his room, I'll take
• 22:36
  Speaker 7: care of the rest of it.
• 22:37
  Speaker 6: How do you know I won't warn him?
• 22:39
  Speaker 7: Because it's him or you like I told you.
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: I don't think you'll warn Mr. Chalmers. And don't try
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: to stall him when he comes in. He's got to
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: be dead by midnight. Or else.
• 22:53
  Speaker 8: Good evening, sir.
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: Good evening, paper here.
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: Oh, good evening, Mr. Chalmers.
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: Good evening, Joe. I'll have the late edition of the
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: Daily News as usual. Oh, I saved one out for you, Mr.
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: Chalmers.
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: Thank you. Good night, Joe.
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: Good night.
• 23:19
  Speaker 4: Oh, by the way, Joe, I almost forgot. Can you
• 23:22
  Speaker 4: give me the change of a dollar?
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: Oh, sure, Mr. Chalmers.
• 23:26
  Speaker 6: Here you are.
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: Fifty, seventy-five, eighty-five, ninety. One dollar.
• 23:31
  Speaker 4: Well, thank you. I just happened to think of something
• 23:33
  Speaker 4: I need change for. A little good deed for a
• 23:37
  Speaker 4: friend of mine. Oh, Mr. Chalmers. Well, I didn't think
• 23:54
  Speaker 4: you'd be up so late, Mrs. Bates.
• 23:56
  Speaker 6: I waited up especially. I wanted to talk to you
• 24:00
  Speaker 6: about Walter.
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: Mrs.
• 24:01
  Speaker 4: Bates, your eye, it's all discolored.
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: Yes, I.
• 24:05
  Speaker 8: The light burned out in the bathroom, and when I
• 24:08
  Speaker 8: went to replace it in the dark, that is, I
• 24:12
  Speaker 8: bumped into the door.
• 24:13
  Speaker 4: Now, I would have thought Walter would have done that
• 24:15
  Speaker 4: for you.
• 24:16
  Speaker 6: Oh, no, Walter didn't. I mean.
• 24:19
  Speaker 8: Walter's left already. He had to catch the 12.20 for Pittsburgh,
• 24:25
  Speaker 8: you know.
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: But it's only 11 now. The clock is.
• 24:28
  Speaker 8: He had some things to do on the way, I mean.
• 24:31
  Speaker 4: Of course. Well, I'm afraid I must be getting on
• 24:35
  Speaker 4: to bed.
• 24:35
  Speaker 6: No, not just yet. I mean, won't you sit down
• 24:39
  Speaker 6: for a minute and have a cup of tea with me?
• 24:42
  Speaker 4: Well, I'd like to, but tea keeps me awake, Mrs. Bates.
• 24:45
  Speaker 4: I'll be getting long to my room now, if you
• 24:47
  Speaker 4: don't mind.
• 24:48
  Speaker 7: No.
• 24:49
  Speaker 6: No, don't go into that room, Mr.
• 24:50
  Speaker 4: Chalmers. Why, Mrs. Bates, whatever's the trouble?
• 24:52
  Speaker 6: My son, Walter, there's something I must tell you.
• 24:58
  Speaker 4: Forgive me, Mrs. Bates, but I'm an old man and
• 25:01
  Speaker 4: I need my rest. If it could possibly wait until morning.
• 25:04
  Speaker 8: No, no, no, it can't wait until morning. It's got
• 25:08
  Speaker 8: to be told before midnight.
• 25:12
  Speaker 4: What was that? Sounds like someone moving about in the
• 25:16
  Speaker 4: back of the house.
• 25:18
  Speaker 6: One of the shutters. It's loose. The wind.
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: Oh, you were saying, Mrs. Bates.
• 25:23
  Speaker 2: Nothing.
• 25:26
  Speaker 6: I can't tell you after all. I'm afraid. I'm afraid
• 25:32
  Speaker 6: to tell it.
• 25:35
  Speaker 4: Afraid. There, there, Mrs. Bates. Perhaps in the morning. Try
• 25:40
  Speaker 4: to get some rest.
• 25:42
  Speaker 6: You're going in there? Now?
• 25:45
  Speaker 4: I think that will be the best thing to do
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: all the way around. Don't you, Mrs. Bates? Good night.
• 25:53
  Speaker 2: No. No, wait.
• 25:55
  Speaker 4: Mrs. Bates, I... What is it, Mrs.
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: Bates?
• 25:58
  Speaker 6: That smell. Gas. Walter.
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: Walter. Walter!
• 26:06
  Speaker 7: Walter!
• 26:20
  Speaker 4: Why don't you lie down for a few minutes, Mrs.
• 26:22
  Speaker 6: Bates?
• 26:23
  Speaker 4: I'll call you when the ambulance arrives. Listen. It's striking twelve.
• 26:32
  Speaker 6: Dead before midnight. That's what he said. Dead before midnight.
• 26:41
  Speaker 4: Poor lad. Fell asleep. If only I hadn't remembered to
• 26:45
  Speaker 4: go back for that change.
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: You did it.
• 26:57
  Speaker 6: You put the quarter in the meter. That's what turned
• 27:03
  Speaker 6: on the gas that killed him.
• 27:06
  Speaker 4: Well, you mentioned the gas having gone off and forgetting
• 27:09
  Speaker 4: to put a quarter in the meter. So on the
• 27:11
  Speaker 4: way to the picture house, I just went around to
• 27:12
  Speaker 4: the back entry and dropped the coin. I suppose I
• 27:16
  Speaker 4: should have remembered about the connection being loose on the
• 27:19
  Speaker 4: heater in my room. But I wanted to surprise you
• 27:22
  Speaker 4: with my good deed. I didn't mean to do anything wrong, Mrs.
• 27:27
  Speaker 2: Bates.
• 27:27
  Speaker 4: Truly, I didn't.
• 27:30
  Speaker 2: No.
• 27:32
  Speaker 6: You didn't do anything wrong, Mr. Chalmers. You didn't do
• 27:39
  Speaker 6: anything wrong.
• 27:40
  Speaker 5: No. And so closes Life Ends at Midnight, starring Faye Bainter,
• 28:00
  Speaker 5: Ralph Morgan, and Dane Clark.
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: Tonight's tale of suspense.
• 28:07
  Speaker 3: Miss Bainter appeared by courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of Madame Curie.
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: Dane Clark is currently being seen in the Warner Brothers production,
• 28:15
  Speaker 3: Destination Tokyo. Before Ralph Morgan returns to our microphone, let
• 28:20
  Speaker 3: me give you a suggestion. The suggestion you will find
• 28:23
  Speaker 3: can add to the success of your next dinner party
• 28:25
  Speaker 3: at home. At one end of the dining table, place
• 28:28
  Speaker 3: a bottle of Roma Wines not sweet, not.
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: Dry, burgundy.
• 28:32
  Speaker 3: At the other table end, place a bottle of Roma
• 28:34
  Speaker 3: Wines delicately delicious sauternes. Then, let each of your guests
• 28:38
  Speaker 3: select the Roma Wine to his liking. You'll know that
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: whatever the individual choice of a guest, both of these
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: Roma California Wines will delight by their superb quality, the
• 28:49
  Speaker 3: quality that has made Roma Wines America's largest selling wines.
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: Whichever of Roma Wine's many different California wine types you
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: choose at your dealers, the small purchase price he asks
• 29:01
  Speaker 3: will surprise and delight you, while the superb quality of
• 29:05
  Speaker 3: these good Roma Wines will win your full accord with
• 29:08
  Speaker 3: the judgment of wine experts of many lands that Roma
• 29:11
  Speaker 3: Wines are truly magnificent. Let me repeat the name.
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: R-O-M-A.
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: Roma Wines. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
• 29:23
  Speaker 4: This is Ralph Morgan. First, I'm sure I speak for
• 29:26
  Speaker 4: all of us, Miss Bainter, Mr. Clark, and myself, in
• 29:29
  Speaker 4: saying how much we've enjoyed appearing on Suspense this evening.
• 29:33
  Speaker 4: We'll all be listening, as we hope you will, next
• 29:35
  Speaker 4: week when Miss Agnes Moorhead is your star in one
• 29:38
  Speaker 4: of the most talked-about... plays ever to be presented in
• 29:41
  Speaker 4: this series, called Sorry, Wrong Number. And now one more word.
• 29:47
  Speaker 4: Here's something our fighting men may never forget. The price
• 29:51
  Speaker 4: of victory is sacrifice. You help bring the victory nearer
• 29:56
  Speaker 4: when you make the sacrifices that make it possible for
• 29:58
  Speaker 4: you to buy more war bonds. Thank you.
• 30:03
  Speaker 5: Suspense is produced and directed by William Speer. Don't forget, then,
• 30:08
  Speaker 5: next Monday for Agnes Moorhead in... Suspense!
• 30:12
  Speaker 3: Presented by Roma Wines.
• 30:15
  Speaker 4: R-O-M-A.
• 30:17
  Speaker 3: Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is CBS,
• 30:27
  Speaker 3: the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: Suspense has concluded with Life Ends at Midnight. Good night
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: and thank you for joining us for this broadcast.