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The Whistler - "A Brief Pause for Murder Ep East Coast" (Old Time Radio, 1946) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: At a radio station, announcer Roger Wixon sees a way
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: to construct an on-air alibi around a pre-recorded segment and
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: the station's precise routine. That situation brings us to The
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Whistler and A Brief Pause for Murder, episode SUM 4611,
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: dated September 11th, 1946. Wixon's plan draws in a station
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: engineer whose past leaves him vulnerable, while Wixon's marriage to
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: wealthy Tisha supplies his motive. In this Chicago production, Everett
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Clark is The Whistler. The program was sponsored by Meister
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Brau Beer and performed before a live studio audience. We
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: now take you back to the original broadcast.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: Please your invitation to another Meister Brau mystery drama presented.
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: By The Whistler.
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: I am the whistler, and I know many things, for
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: in the hearts of men and women who've stepped into
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors which they
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: dare not speak. Meister Braw Beer, the master brew, served
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: more often in Midwest homes than any other beer, brings
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: you another.
• 1:37
  Speaker 4: Curious story by the Whistler.
• 1:39
  Speaker 5: Tonight, brief pause for murder.
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: Roger couldn't recall the exact moment when it ceased to
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: be a thrill to beam brightly at a microphone and announce.
• 1:56
  Speaker 4: This is Roger Wixon bidding you goodnight.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: He was sure, though, that the glamour and magic of
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: radio had gone out of his life the moment he
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: married Tisha. Yes, and she'd taken a lot of other
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: things out of his life, too. Things like pride and
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: confidence and self-respect.
• 2:14
  Speaker 4: And Roger couldn't recall either.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: The precise instant he decided to kill Tisha. When the
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: helper's frustrated hate for her blotted out any pangs of conscience,
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: left him frankly admitting to himself that all he wanted
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: were the moment and the means. Of course, there was
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: no plan in his mind on the night of the
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: dance at the country club.
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: No plan, just a decision. He'd come home first.
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: After leaving her there with Trent Crandall and had sat
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: alone in the living room patiently waiting for her. It
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: was after two when the door opened and she called
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: back to Trent.
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: Good night, Trent, darling. Thanks for the buggy ride. Well, Roger,
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: you waited up for me. How sweet of him.
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: Not at all. Just catching up on my reading here.
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: Oh, reading Trent's new book. He'd be so flattered, darling.
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: Had to fall back on something simple.
• 3:10
  Speaker 4: Started on the robber boys, but I got stuck on
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: the big words.
• 3:15
  Speaker 3: That's why you waited up, isn't it? You thought of
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: a clever remark all by yourself, and you wanted me
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: to hear it.
• 3:21
  Speaker 4: I only wanted to tell you, Tisha, that I think
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: you're being very stupid.
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: You mean about Trent?
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: It makes no difference to me if you want to
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: play footy with the town's most distinguished visitor.
• 3:29
  Speaker 4: But our fellow citizens have a way of talking, you know.
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: If you're implying.
• 3:33
  Speaker 4: I'm not implying anything.
• 3:35
  Speaker 3: Well, why don't you join us some evening? Play chaperone.
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: Trent Crandall is a.
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: Celebrity, Tisha, and whatever he does is news. If it
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: got back to his wife, she might possibly misinterpret. She
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: just might assume there was more to your association with
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Trent than a healthy interest in his books.
• 3:50
  Speaker 4: There is? I love him.
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: And it doesn't concern Mrs. Crandall the moment she's on
• 3:55
  Speaker 3: her way to Reno.
• 3:57
  Speaker 4: I see. And, of course, it doesn't concern me either. Shouldn't.
• 4:01
  Speaker 3: When the divorce is granted, I'll be leaving you naturally. Ah,
• 4:06
  Speaker 3: there it is again.
• 4:07
  Speaker 4: What?
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: Facial expression number 2A. The inscrutable smile. You were wearing
• 4:13
  Speaker 3: it at the club tonight. I was rather expected to
• 4:16
  Speaker 3: see the other one. Patient suffering, I believe it is.
• 4:21
  Speaker 4: Good night, Tisha. Good night.
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: You're glad I'm leaving you, aren't you? That's why you smiled.
• 4:27
  Speaker 4: Maybe.
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: Of course, you'll have to get along without my money.
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: I said good night, Tisha.
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: Just good night? No recrimination? You know, I couldn't sleep
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: a wink if I thought you were brooding over something.
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: Why, of course not. You were brilliant tonight, Tisha.
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: I enjoy being sneered at in front of a room
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: full of people. And it was an inspiration, you calling Mr. Gladney,
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: the man I work for, the program director of a
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: peanut whistle.
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: He's an incompetent, offensive stuffed shirt. Why shouldn't I tell
• 4:57
  Speaker 3: him so?
• 4:59
  Speaker 4: Very well, this is it.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: Is that all?
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: That's all.
• 5:04
  Speaker 3: All right, darling. This is Mrs. Roger Wixon bidding you
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: good night.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: So it is she leaves, and you sit alone in
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: the living room thinking. You've discovered a very important thing,
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: haven't you, Roger? The reason you've given yourself for wanting
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: to kill her is gone.
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: She's going to leave you.
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: Of her own accord and marry Trent Cranwell.
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: But it doesn't seem to make any difference, does it?
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: Nothing matters, not even her money.
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: You're going to kill her because you hate her.
• 5:41
  Speaker 4: That's all the reason you need. But how, Roger?
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: How? The next morning, shortly after you arrive at the station,
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: you run into another announcer in the corridor. Hi, Rod.
• 5:57
  Speaker 4: Jerry. How's the thing at the club? All right. Hated
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: to miss it. That's funny. I thought I saw you there.
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: Probably heard me. I had the remote last night. Van
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: from the Cedars. Yeah, that's right. I heard you. We
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: tuned in over at the club. Very simple. On the
• 6:11
  Speaker 4: air from the Cedars, can't be at the club. At
• 6:14
  Speaker 4: the club, can't be on the air from the Cedars. Conclusion,
• 6:17
  Speaker 4: Jerry wasn't there.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: Get it? Yeah.
• 6:19
  Speaker 4: Yeah. Ah, Jerry, I get it. See what a hard
• 6:32
  Speaker 4: life we radio announcers lead?
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: Well, it can't be helped. The show must go on
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: and all that sort of thing, you know. But honestly,
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: radio announcing is a lot of fun, especially if you
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: have a much-talked-about product like Meister Brow Beer to discuss.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: You see, the nice things we say about Meisterbrau beer
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: are just the same things that folks are saying every
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: day about this famous master brew. For instance, when we
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: tell you that Meisterbrau beer is better four ways, better taste,
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: better head, better body, and as a result, better value, well,
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: that's exactly what Meisterbrau drinkers said about their favorite beer
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: when they were interviewed recently by an independent research organization. Yes, Meisterbrau,
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: the beer that's better four ways, always. So, friends, remember
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: golden good Meisterbrau beer next time you're thirsty. You'll find
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: the pleasure is all yours when yours is Meisterbrau beer. Now,
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: back to the whistling.
• 7:35
  Speaker 4: Well, Roger.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: It doesn't matter that Tish here plans to leave you,
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: does it? The decision to kill her has been part
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: of you for so long, and nothing she does will
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: ever change it.
• 7:46
  Speaker 4: So you don't think of the.
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: Why of it anymore, just the how. And part of
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: the how took shape in your mind when Jerry Edwards
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: explained that it was impossible for him to be both
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: on the air from the Cedars and at the country
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: club at the same time.
• 8:00
  Speaker 4: Something to think about, isn't it, Roger?
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: And that evening, as you're doing your news broadcast.
• 8:05
  Speaker 4: You find something else to think about.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: Halfway through the show, someone hands you a late bulletin.
• 8:09
  Speaker 4: It could go a long way, Senator.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: With a local dateline. You're solving the housing problem. Here's
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: a late bulletin. Police in this city went on 24-hour
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: duty tonight, launching an all-out effort to capture the so-called
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: Quick Cord Strangler, who claimed his third victim last night.
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: The crime followed the grimly familiar pattern.
• 8:26
  Speaker 4: Mrs.
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: Dorothea Eckler was found dead in her apartment early this morning.
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: Medical reports indicate death had been caused by... strangulation with
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: a cord or thong. As in other cases, the apartment
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: had been looted. Police warned residents....
• 8:48
  Speaker 4: You hope your listeners will attribute that catch in your
• 8:50
  Speaker 4: voice to.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: Revulsion at the horrible crimes.
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: But it's something quite different, isn't it, Droucher?
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: Another part of a howl. You've decided now that tissue
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: will die in a way that will point to the
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: hip cord strangler as the only suspect the very moment
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: you are broadcasting.
• 9:05
  Speaker 4: From the studio. There'll have to be a recording, of course.
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: So there's another big problem. How can you get one
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: of the station engineers to play a.
• 9:13
  Speaker 4: Recording of your voice at the right time and you
• 9:15
  Speaker 4: keep it smart, sir? No matter what happens.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: Because a recording must always be announced as a recording.
• 9:21
  Speaker 4: That stops you, doesn't it, Roger?
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: For three more days, it stops you... Then fate steps
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: in again.
• 9:28
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: Gladney, the program director, called you into his office to
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: meet a new employee.
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: Want you to meet a new engineer, Wixon. Vern Stevens.
• 9:34
  Speaker 4: Hello there. Hi. Be working with you on the night shift?
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I?
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: I don't think so.
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: Your name is Stevens?
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Stevens.
• 9:44
  Speaker 4: Well, I've got to run along. Explain the setup to Stevens,
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: will you, Wixon? You bet, Mr.
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: Gladney.
• 9:49
  Speaker 4: You know, I'd swear I've seen you somewhere before.
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: Must have been a couple of other guys. Uh, haven't
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: you got a station break coming up?
• 9:58
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah. Let's do it.
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: As you give the station's call letters and the time signal,
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: you watch the new engineer through the glass of the
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: control room. Try to imagine what he'd look like without
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: the moustache. with a face a little less drawn.
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: Then something clicks.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: You do know him. Six years ago, at another small
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: radio station in the Midwest. You cut off your mic,
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: and the smooth voice of the network announcer booms from
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: the loudspeaker over your head, introducing a program of dinner music.
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: When you re-enter the control room, Stevens is showing elaborate
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: interest in the dials on the instrument panel before him.
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: Say, Stevens.
• 10:46
  Speaker 5: Yeah?
• 10:46
  Speaker 4: I'm sure we've met before.
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: I don't know.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: There are lots of faces like mine.
• 10:53
  Speaker 4: Not exactly like it. Huh? You just might be a
• 10:57
  Speaker 4: guy I used to.
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: Know at WSLR. I tell you, you're wrong.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: Will you let it go at that? Hey, cut that speaker,
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: will you? I can't hear myself think. That's better.
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: Look, Wigson, I'm new here. I don't want to be rude,
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: but I've got to study this panel layout. Sure. Sorry, Stevens.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: I didn't mean to bother you, but you're just like
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: a guy I used to work with at WSLR six
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: years ago.
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: Only his name was Spore. Vern Spore.
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: My name's up there on my license. Take a look.
• 11:30
  Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. Vern Stevens. Vern Spore. You and this guy could
• 11:36
  Speaker 4: have been brothers. Well, okay.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: I guess I'll write to the boys back at WSLR
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: and ask if they know what they... Yeah?
• 11:44
  Speaker 4: Okay, Wigson.
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: You win.
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: I don't want to talk to you. Sure.
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: Let me turn this thing off. You always were a
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: pretty good guy. How about forgetting you ever knew me?
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: Oh, I don't see why not. It's your business.
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: You probably heard about that jam I got into right
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: after I left WSLR.
• 12:03
  Speaker 4: What happened?
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: It didn't seem like anything at the time. Some smart
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: operators were rounding up some radio equipment, transmitter parts and stuff,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: and selling to stations below the border. I slipped them
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: some old beat-up junk from the station where I was
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: working and got caught.
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: That was tough.
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: A year in the clink. Had to change my name
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: when I got out.
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: Oh, what about the license?
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: A friend fixed it up.
• 12:26
  Speaker 4: I see.
• 12:27
  Speaker 5: You.
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: You won't say anything?
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: Hmm, why should I?
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: Oh, thanks, Wigson.
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: Gosh, when you walked in here tonight, I'd like to die.
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: If Gladney ever found out about my record.
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: Oh, sure, sure.
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: And listen, Wigson, if there's anything I can do... Oh, Vern,
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: don't worry.
• 12:44
  Speaker 4: I'll call on you.
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: Oh. So that's all there is to the how, isn't it, Roger?
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: Stevens is your man, and he'll play ball any time
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: you ask him. All that remains is when. And you
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: can name your time. At least that's what you think
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: until late that evening when you arrive home to find
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: Tisha talking on the phone to Trent Crandall.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: Why, of course, Trent, darling. Any time you say.
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: Well, go out to the mall.
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: Oh, that doesn't give.
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: Me much time to get ready. Roger. Oh, don't worry
• 13:21
  Speaker 3: about him. After all, darling, what is he to say
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: about it? Well, why should I talk it over with him?
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: If I want to go to Hollywood with you, that's
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: all there.
• 13:27
  Speaker 4: Is to it.
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: Well, I think you're being a little.
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: Unreasonable, dear.
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: All right. All right, if you say so, I'll talk
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: to him. Yes, yes, I'll call you back.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: Good night, darling.
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: Good evening, Tayshia.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: When did you come in?
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: Just now. How is the dear boy?
• 13:51
  Speaker 5: Trent?
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: Naturally.
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: Quite well, thanks. Are you concerned about Trent?
• 14:00
  Speaker 4: I seem to have good reason to be concerned about him.
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: I'm going to Hollywood with him, if that's what you mean.
• 14:05
  Speaker 4: Do you want to make something of it? Maybe I do.
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: I think you might have consulted me.
• 14:10
  Speaker 3: Suppose I told you you have nothing to say.
• 14:12
  Speaker 4: You intend to commit bigamy?
• 14:13
  Speaker 3: What do you mean?
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: I'm assuming you mean to marry him.
• 14:15
  Speaker 3: After his divorce is final, of course.
• 14:16
  Speaker 4: What about your own divorce?
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: I'll take care of that. Don't worry.
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: Did you ever stop to consider your grounds? You might
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: have something to learn about divorces. You see, I happen
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: to be the injured party. And there isn't a court
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: in the country that would award you a divorce if
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: I chose to contest it.
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: Well, I might have been a little rash at that.
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: You see, I assumed you had pride.
• 14:38
  Speaker 4: You've left me very little. But you're right. I do
• 14:42
  Speaker 4: have some pride. Tisha, you're not going to Hollywood with Trent.
• 14:48
  Speaker 3: Wait a minute, Roger.
• 14:48
  Speaker 4: You wait a minute.
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: You're going to stay here with me for the next
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: week after he leaves. Then we're going to leave town
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: for our vacation together. And you can go on to Hollywood.
• 14:58
  Speaker 4: I'll return alone.
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: I'm supposing I don't agree.
• 15:00
  Speaker 4: You can remain Mrs. Roger Wixon. It's all right with me.
• 15:05
  Speaker 4: You want to call Trent back?
• 15:09
  Speaker 3: Very well, Roger. I'll call him.
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: Yes, Roger. It's important that Tishius stay with you, for
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: the moment at least. Until the when they settle, of course.
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: The week should give you enough time, shouldn't it? The
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: answer to the when comes unexpectedly the next evening, when
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: Lieutenant Krasner.
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: Of the police department comes into the station to ask
• 15:42
  Speaker 4: a favor.
• 15:43
  Speaker 6: Mind if I interrupt you for a minute, Mr.
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: Wixon? Oh, Lieutenant, not at all. Come on in.
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: Thanks.
• 15:48
  Speaker 6: I've just been talking to Mr.
• 15:50
  Speaker 4: Gladney. He suggested I.
• 15:52
  Speaker 6: See you about some announcements on the police benefit next week.
• 15:55
  Speaker 6: Maybe you'd do them for us.
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: Why, sure. I'd be glad to. When do you want
• 15:58
  Speaker 4: them to start? Tonight, if you can.
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: Let's see.
• 16:00
  Speaker 6: I've got them right here.
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: Oh, tonight?
• 16:01
  Speaker 4: That's pretty short notice. The schedule's pretty full. Here they are.
• 16:05
  Speaker 6: Yeah, I know it's on your curve, but as you
• 16:07
  Speaker 6: probably see by the papers, we've been a little busy
• 16:11
  Speaker 6: these days.
• 16:13
  Speaker 4: Oh, you mean the strangler. Yeah.
• 16:15
  Speaker 6: It's been pretty rough.
• 16:18
  Speaker 4: Pretty rough guy.
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 16:22
  Speaker 4: Um... Your wife home alone while you're working here?
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: Tell her to keep the windows locked.
• 16:28
  Speaker 6: That's the way the guy gets in.
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: Oh, Lieutenant, you don't mean.
• 16:30
  Speaker 6: Nobody knows where he'll strike next.
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: And it doesn't pay to take chances. Got any leads?
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: Not for you.
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: I got a hunch or two. I think we'll get him.
• 16:37
  Speaker 4: I hope so.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 16:39
  Speaker 4: Uh, what about the... Well, now, let me check the schedule.
• 16:42
  Speaker 4: Here we are. First time we can give you is
• 16:44
  Speaker 4: a station break at ten tomorrow night. Is that soon enough?
• 16:46
  Speaker 4: I guess it'll have to be. Can you do it yourself? Yes,
• 16:48
  Speaker 4: it'll be on my shift. Thanks a lot, Wixon. I'll
• 16:51
  Speaker 4: tell the boys at the station. We'll be listening. And
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: that does it, Roger.
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: The when is complete, too. Police Lieutenant Krasner is going
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: to hear you read that announcement tomorrow night at 10 o'clock,
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: along with his friends down at headquarters.
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: And who could ask for a better alibi than that?
• 17:21
  Speaker 2: Late that night, when you and Verne Stevens are alone
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: at the station, you walk easily into the control room.
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: He's turned off the annoying loudspeaker, as usual, when the
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: boss isn't around, and glances occasionally at the dancing needle
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: on the volume indicator to assure himself that the network
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: program is going out to the listeners.
• 17:41
  Speaker 4: How'd I sound on 9 o'clock news, Vern?
• 17:43
  Speaker 5: Okay, why?
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: Can you keep something under your hat?
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: Try me. I'd hate to have the old man find out,
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: but I've got a chance to go to Hollywood.
• 17:50
  Speaker 4: Yeah? Yeah, a friend of mine with an agency out
• 17:52
  Speaker 4: there thinks he could use me.
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: I'll make more dough on one broadcast than I get
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: in a week around here. Gee, that's great.
• 17:57
  Speaker 4: Going big time, huh? Oh, it's not definite yet.
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: That's why I don't want anybody around here to know.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: You're the only one I've told. But I just got
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: a wire from the guy. He'll be going through on
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: a special tomorrow night. And if I didn't have to work,
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: I could talk to him for about 20 minutes while
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: the train is stopped.
• 18:12
  Speaker 4: And I've got to work.
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: Well, why not trade shifts tomorrow night with one of
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: the other guys? Well, I'd have to say why, and
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: I don't want anyone else to know about it, you know. Well,
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: won't the guy come up from the depot? You don't
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: ask guys like that to come up from depots.
• 18:23
  Speaker 4: Nope. Guess I'm sunk. Can't be in two places at once.
• 18:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: It's pretty important you meet this guy, isn't it?
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: But, Mike, I need to get out of this dump. Ah,
• 18:34
  Speaker 4: forget it. It's no use. Hey, wait a minute. Uh.
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: What time does the special get in? 9.55?
• 18:39
  Speaker 4: Let's see.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: At 9.45, we've got a band on the net from Hollywood.
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: At 10, we take Murder Manor from New York. Yes,
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: but there's a station break at 10 and that police
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: announcement and time signal. And I'm sunk because I've got
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: to be in front of a mic for 30 seconds.
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: What are you talking about?
• 18:54
  Speaker 4: Let's record it. Huh? Sure.
• 18:56
  Speaker 2: We can do it tonight right here in the studio.
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: Give the call letters, the time signal, and your announcement.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: I'll play the record for you tomorrow night at 10.
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: That means you can leave here at 9.45 and won't
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: have to be back until the 10.30 break. Gives you
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: 45 minutes.
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: What do you think, did it work? Why not? Well,
• 19:09
  Speaker 4: suppose Gladney finds out I left the station. I'll get canned.
• 19:11
  Speaker 4: How's he going to find out?
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: We'll be alone here, and after I play the record,
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: I'll destroy it.
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: Vern, did anybody ever tell you you were a genius?
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: Well, there's your mic.
• 19:31
  Speaker 4: You all set?
• 19:31
  Speaker 5: Yep.
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: Got your copy? Yep, right here. Okay, we're ready. I'll
• 19:36
  Speaker 4: cue you from the booth. Right. This is WTUX, the
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: voice of the wheat belt. It's 20 seconds before 10. p.m. Friends,
• 19:51
  Speaker 4: here's a chance for you to show your appreciation.
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: Cut. Hold it.
• 19:55
  Speaker 4: What's the matter?
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: Just got an idea. Start it over and purposely make
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: a mistake and then correct it. Mistake?
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: Why? Simple.
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: If you give the time wrong and then correct yourself,
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: it'll sound more than ever like you're actually in the studio.
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: Nobody'd ever dream it was a record.
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: Okay, let's try it.
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: Watch me for the cue.
• 20:17
  Speaker 4: This is WTUX, the voice of the wheat belt.
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: 20 seconds before 9 p.m. Correction, 10 p.m. Friends, here's
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: a chance for you to show your appreciation for the
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: men who protect your homes and loved ones 24 hours
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: a day, year in, year out. So it's done, Roger.
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: The record is made, ready to go. And you know
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: you can count on Vern Stevens to come through for you.
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: The next day is the big one, but you manage
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: to go through your normal routine at home during the
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: morning and early afternoon. As usual, you don't say much
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: to Tiff here, only enough to discover that since Trent
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: Crandall has left for Hollywood, she'll.
• 21:01
  Speaker 4: Be home all evening, alone. At 9.30 that night, you
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: call Lieutenant Krasner at the police station.
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: Just thought I'd remind you, Lieutenant. Your announcement goes on
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: in half an hour. Yeah. Yeah, I think it'll do
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: the job. At 9.45, you give the station call letters
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: and start out of the studio.
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: Okay, Vern. I'll see you before 10.30.
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: Right. And don't forget to bust that record if the
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: old man... Don't worry about that. I'll carry the secrets
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: to my grave. You're careful to take the back streets home,
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: keeping well within.
• 21:47
  Speaker 4: The speed limit. There's only one person.
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: In the world who'll know you're going to be in
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: two places at the same time tonight. And you know
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: Burns Stevens won't talk no.
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: Matter what he suspects.
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: It wouldn't be healthy for a man with a prison
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: record to expose himself to suspicion as a possible accomplice.
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: Ten minutes later, you've left your car in an alley
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: and walk up to the back door of your apartment.
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: You reach in your side pocket. Yes, the leather thong
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: is there, ready to go.
• 22:28
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 22:30
  Speaker 4: Oh.
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's you.
• 22:31
  Speaker 4: Hello, Tisha. What are you doing home so early?
• 22:35
  Speaker 3: You scared me to death.
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: Just thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing.
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: I've often wondered if you've missed me, Tisha.
• 22:43
  Speaker 4: During these long, lonely evenings.
• 22:44
  Speaker 3: Answer my question, Roger. Why aren't you at the station?
• 22:47
  Speaker 4: What's wrong? Nothing's wrong. I just got tired, so I
• 22:51
  Speaker 4: came home.
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: What are you talking about?
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: Tired, Tisha. Tired of station breaks. Tired of this dumpy
• 22:58
  Speaker 4: little town. What's the matter with.
• 23:00
  Speaker 3: You, Roger? Why are you looking at me that way?
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: I'm tired of you, Tisha. I'm tired of the farce
• 23:06
  Speaker 4: you've made out of this marriage. If you can call
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: it a marriage. Roger?
• 23:11
  Speaker 3: Roger, you don't know what you're... So, what do you mean, Roger?
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: It wasn't really a marriage, was it, Tisha? It was
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: only a means for you.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: A way you could ease that frustrated black heart of
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: yours when Trent Crandall married somebody else right under your nose. Roger. Roger. Roger,
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: what are you.
• 23:29
  Speaker 4: Yes, Tisha. I'm tired of humiliation.
• 23:33
  Speaker 5: Please, darling.
• 23:34
  Speaker 4: Ridiculous. I've been used for a doormat.
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: Get away.
• 23:37
  Speaker 4: Playing clown for that crowd of stupid.
• 23:40
  Speaker 2: You didn't think of that, did you, Tisha?
• 23:44
  Speaker 4: Never entered your head, did it? Too late now, though.
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: Too late. Too late.
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: In just a moment, the Whistler will return with a
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: strange ending to tonight's story. But suppose we turn for
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: a moment from this horrible scene in Roger and the
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: late Tisha's living room to the thousands of happy living
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: rooms around this country tonight. If we were able to
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: look into some of these homes, perhaps your own, we'd
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: find any number of people enjoying the refreshing goodness of
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: golden Meisterbrau beer right now. You see, more Meisterbrau is
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: served in Midwest homes than any other beer.
• 24:31
  Speaker 4: That means a lot of homes.
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: With a lot of happy, refreshed individuals in them. Now,
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: in case you haven't enjoyed sparkling Meisterbrau beer at your
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: house for quite a little while, why not lay in
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: a supply of this famous master brew? The beer that's
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: better four ways. With golden good Meisterbrau beer in the house,
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: you're always set for that evening of refreshing entertainment, either
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: for yourself or for those friends who drop in unexpectedly. Yes,
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: you'll find that the pleasure is all yours when yours
• 24:59
  Speaker 2: is Meisterbrau beer. Now, back to the whistler.
• 25:03
  Speaker 4: Well, Roger, it's done now, isn't it? If Tishy is dead,
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: then you're free.
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: It's over a half hour to get back to the station.
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: You leave her there on the floor, put on a
• 25:23
  Speaker 2: pair of gloves, and move quickly about the apartment.
• 25:26
  Speaker 4: Something that contents of drawers all over the room. Then
• 25:30
  Speaker 4: into the bedroom, where you open a window.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, Roger, it must look like a typical quick-cord strangler
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: crime with.
• 25:39
  Speaker 4: Robbery, the obvious motive. You're lucky, Tish, you have the
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: radio playing. It covers any noise you might make. Then
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: suddenly the music stops.
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: You stop dead in your tracks as you hear the
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: announcer give the interrupt cue.
• 25:52
  Speaker 7: We interrupt this program to bring you a flash from
• 25:55
  Speaker 7: the local police department.
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: Chief of police Thayer.
• 25:58
  Speaker 7: Has announced that a suspect arrested this afternoon has confessed
• 26:02
  Speaker 7: to the whipcord stranglings of three women in this city
• 26:05
  Speaker 7: during the past month. Larry, half the loot stolen from
• 26:08
  Speaker 7: the victims has been recovered. With this dangerous criminal now
• 26:12
  Speaker 7: in custody, citizens come down.
• 26:22
  Speaker 4: With a frantic gasp, you turn the radio down. This
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: is something you hadn't counted on, Roger. One of your
• 26:28
  Speaker 4: alibis is gone.
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: The fall guy is in custody. Stay at the littered room,
• 26:33
  Speaker 2: wondering if you have time to restore the place to order.
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: No, no time for that. The other alibi. That's the
• 26:39
  Speaker 4: one you'll have to be penned on now. Rush back
• 26:42
  Speaker 4: to the radio. It's just 10 o'clock.
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: If Verne Stevens.
• 26:47
  Speaker 4: Hasn't bungled, you've still got a chance. Her hand is
• 26:50
  Speaker 4: shaking so violently, you can hardly turn the dial to
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: the station's frequency.
• 26:54
  Speaker 2: Then.
• 26:57
  Speaker 4: WTUX, the voice of a wheat belt.
• 26:59
  Speaker 8: 20 seconds before 9 p.m.
• 27:05
  Speaker 4: Correction, 10 p.m.
• 27:07
  Speaker 8: Friends, here is a chance for you to show your
• 27:09
  Speaker 8: appreciation for the men who protect your homes.
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: And loved ones 24 hours a day, year in and
• 27:15
  Speaker 2: year out.
• 27:16
  Speaker 4: I'm speaking of the annual.
• 27:17
  Speaker 2: The station full of police officers are hearing it. It
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: doesn't matter how she died or who did it, but
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: that means a man can't be at two places at
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: the same time.
• 27:26
  Speaker 4: Find your friends there. Be sure to attend this great event.
• 27:29
  Speaker 4: Can't be at two places at the same time. And
• 27:31
  Speaker 4: at the same time, help the widows and orphans.
• 27:33
  Speaker 5: Good or evil.
• 27:33
  Speaker 4: Brave men who.
• 27:34
  Speaker 8: Live in your service and die for your protection. For
• 27:37
  Speaker 8: your protection. For your protection.
• 27:39
  Speaker 5: What?
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: For your protection.
• 27:40
  Speaker 4: For your protection. Stop it.
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: For your protection.
• 27:43
  Speaker 4: Turn him off! Turn him off!
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: For your listening pleasure, the Peter Hand Brewery Company of Chicago,
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: brewers of Meister Brau beer, bring you the strange tales
• 28:22
  Speaker 2: of the Whistler on the station every Sunday night at 9.30.
• 28:26
  Speaker 2: Next week, another exciting story by the Whistler. Tonight's story
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: was produced by Sherman Marks with music conducted by Hunter Kaler.
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: Tonight's story starred Faye Flynn as Roger, Beverly Younger as Tisha,
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: Ken Griffin as Stevens. All characters portrayed in tonight's episode
• 28:44
  Speaker 2: are imaginary, and any similarity to persons living or dead
• 28:47
  Speaker 2: is purely coincidental. If you would like to be in
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: the studio audience, address your request for free tickets to
• 28:53
  Speaker 2: radio station WBBM, Wrigley Building, Department A, Chicago 11, Illinois.
• 28:59
  Speaker 2: And by the way, the latest thrilling Whistler movie, The
• 29:01
  Speaker 2: Mysterious Intruder, starring Richard Dix, is now showing at the
• 29:04
  Speaker 2: LaSalle Theater.
• 29:05
  Speaker 4: Madison at Clark. Be sure to see it.
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: Remember, Meisterbrau means the master brew. This is the WBBM
• 29:25
  Speaker 2: Air Theater.
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: We bid good night to The Whistler and a brief
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: pause for murder. Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.