Episode 360: The Tip

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast welcome to the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Society. A podcast dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:36] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:00:36] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:37] Speaker D: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out. [00:00:43] Speaker C: Today we present an episode of my choosing. The Tip from Suspense. [00:00:48] Speaker A: Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills debuted on CBS in 1942 and ran for an astounding 20 years. During its heyday, Suspense featured many of Hollywood's greatest stars. In the mid to late 1950s, as radio hosts lost its sponsors to television. Suspense relied heavily on veteran radio and character actors, such as today's leading lady, Loreen Tuttle. [00:01:11] Speaker D: Known as the first lady of radio. Tuttle began her career in vaudeville before landing a role with Dick Powell on the radio program Hollywood Hotel. Over the next decade, Tuttle had regular roles in Dr. Christian, the Great Gildersleeve, Duffy's Tavern, One Man's Family, the Red Skelton show, and the Adventures of Sam Spade, Leading one newspaper columnist to declare her the most heard woman in America. [00:01:33] Speaker C: Although she never achieved stardom on the silver screen. Tuttle landed supporting roles in many notable films. Including Orson Welles, Macbeth, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. And two underrated Marilyn Monroe thrillers, Don't Bother to Knock and Niagara, just to name a few. As dramatic radio faded from the American soundscape. Tuttle transitioned to television, making over 100 appearances on the small screen from 1950 to 1986. [00:02:03] Speaker A: The tip was written by freelance radio and television writer Carl V. Abrams. The recording you're about to hear is the second radio performance of the script. The first, starring idol, Laino, was broadcast in 1950 and is one of only a handful of missing suspense episodes. A few months after its initial radio broadcast, the script was adapted for the suspense television program. And, unlike its radio predecessor, still exists today. [00:02:32] Speaker D: And now let's listen to the tip from Suspense, starring Lorraine Tuttle. Originally broadcast on July 6, 1954. [00:02:41] Speaker C: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music. And listen to the voices. [00:03:01] Speaker B: And now, tonight's presentation of Radio Outstanding Theater of Thrills, Suspense. Tonight, a story of devotion in which a woman risks her life in order that her husband might be spared. It's called the tip. Our star, Ms. Lorene Tuttle. Thanks for driving me to the station. Dear. [00:03:38] Speaker E: A pleasure. [00:03:39] Speaker B: Darling, you really shouldn't have. [00:03:41] Speaker E: Now, let's not start that again. [00:03:42] Speaker B: But the doctor told you to take it easy. [00:03:44] Speaker E: He didn't tell me to hibernate. My heart isn't that bad. We'll be together for a long time yet. [00:03:50] Speaker B: Thank God for that. Again. [00:03:52] Speaker E: I thank him daily. Here comes your train. [00:03:55] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Well, I'll be home as soon as I can. [00:03:58] Speaker E: Call me when you get here and I'll pick you up. [00:04:00] Speaker B: All right, if you must. [00:04:02] Speaker E: Just a minute, mister. [00:04:04] Speaker B: What? [00:04:04] Speaker E: Won't you tip the cabbage? [00:04:06] Speaker B: Oh, of course. Here you are. [00:04:11] Speaker E: Thank. [00:04:26] Speaker B: Eighth floor, Mrs. Stanton. [00:04:28] Speaker E: Thank you, Mr. Raymond. [00:04:38] Speaker B: Come in and shut the door. Sit down and be quiet. That's better. Just do as you're tall and there won't be any need for this gun to frighten you. [00:04:50] Speaker E: Who are you? [00:04:51] Speaker B: I was about to ask you that. [00:04:52] Speaker E: I'm Elaine Stratton, Mrs. Yes. [00:04:55] Speaker B: Funny, I never thought of him as married. [00:04:58] Speaker E: Who? [00:04:58] Speaker B: Mr. Stratton. Your husband. Where is he? [00:05:00] Speaker E: On his way to work. I just drove him to the station. [00:05:02] Speaker B: Guess I missed him. Hope you don't mind if I wait. [00:05:06] Speaker E: What do you want with him? [00:05:07] Speaker B: What do I want with him? I want to kill him. What? [00:05:12] Speaker E: What did you say? Well, why? What did he do to me? [00:05:17] Speaker B: He ruined me. [00:05:18] Speaker E: My husband. [00:05:18] Speaker B: Yes. [00:05:19] Speaker E: But that's absurd. [00:05:19] Speaker B: Not to me. I had my own business, a wife, two little girls. They're gone now. Everything. Gone since Mr. Stratton came into the picture. How could he have put me out of business, broke up my home? [00:05:31] Speaker E: Well, however it happened, I'm sure he'll straighten it out. If it's money you need, he's had his chance. [00:05:37] Speaker B: Only a week ago, I begged him to help me. But I'd had money then. My wife would have stayed. I told him that. He showed me out. [00:05:44] Speaker E: Well, maybe he didn't understand. How silly. [00:05:46] Speaker B: You understand now. [00:05:48] Speaker E: Well, I'll help you. I'll make out a check right now. [00:05:51] Speaker B: Sure. And call the police as soon as I accept it, I swear. No use, Mrs. Stratton. I'm going to be here when your husband comes home. And you might as well get used to the idea. There's nothing you can do about it. Absolutely nothing. [00:06:13] Speaker E: Maybe if I just talk, you'll understand. All right. I know you hate him. I know you don't care if you're hung for killing him. I care, though. I love him. George and I, we grew up together. I know him better than you ever could. We went to school together. If I speak to him, I'm sure I Can get him to do something if he was unfair to you. If you kill him, you might as well kill me too. I'd be lost without him. Try to understand. Whatever you can get by murder, you can do better. Otherwise, there won't be any need for revenge. I promise you I won't call the police if you'll give us this one chance. I promise. I promise. I promise. [00:07:04] Speaker B: I don't hear a word. [00:07:18] Speaker E: I promise. I promise. [00:07:20] Speaker B: Listen, lady, it's 12:30 now. You've been at it for two and a half hours. You can't possibly keep it up until your husband gets home. [00:07:28] Speaker E: You won't listen. [00:07:28] Speaker B: That should be obvious. [00:07:30] Speaker E: Listen. [00:07:30] Speaker B: That should be obvious. [00:07:32] Speaker E: It is. It certainly is. [00:07:33] Speaker B: Good. Maybe he'll be quiet now. [00:07:35] Speaker E: Quiet? You expect me to sit here and calmly wait to see my husband shot by a madman? [00:07:41] Speaker B: What else can you do? [00:07:42] Speaker E: Well, I can call the police and. [00:07:43] Speaker B: I can stop you. [00:07:44] Speaker E: You can try. [00:07:45] Speaker B: Get away from that phone. [00:07:46] Speaker E: Go ahead, fire. Don't point that gun. Use it. [00:07:49] Speaker B: Put that down. I said put it down. Get away. Oh. [00:07:57] Speaker E: I'll try it again. I'll keep trying and trying. [00:08:00] Speaker B: Not with the wires ripped out, you won't. One, two. All right. Now you can play with the phone all you want to. What's the matter? Not interested anymore? [00:08:15] Speaker E: Why didn't you shoot me? [00:08:16] Speaker B: It wasn't necessary. [00:08:17] Speaker E: Is that the reason, or were you afraid to? [00:08:20] Speaker B: Don't get any wrong ideas. [00:08:22] Speaker E: The noise might attract attention. Isn't that it? [00:08:24] Speaker B: Might. [00:08:25] Speaker E: Then for all your threats, you wouldn't use it? [00:08:27] Speaker B: Not until I had to. [00:08:28] Speaker E: Well, you have to right now. [00:08:30] Speaker B: No. All I have to do is tie you up, gag you until your husband comes home. Would you rather be tied up? Who's that? [00:08:39] Speaker E: I don't know. [00:08:40] Speaker B: Expecting anyone? [00:08:41] Speaker E: I ordered some groceries on the way home this morning. Could be the delivery boy. [00:08:46] Speaker B: All right, here's your chance to hear the gun go off. One wrong word out of you and I'll fire. But not only at you. At the delivery boy too. [00:08:55] Speaker E: You wouldn't dare. [00:08:55] Speaker B: Try me, then. I'll kill both of you, whoever it is. You say a wrong word, I'll kill both of you. You may involve an innocent party in your problems. If you wish, the choice is yours. Go ahead, open the door. Good afternoon, madam. I represent the Better Products Company, and I wonder. [00:09:17] Speaker E: Oh. Oh, come right in. [00:09:20] Speaker B: Why, thank you, madam. Oh, man of the house? [00:09:25] Speaker E: No, just a friend. [00:09:27] Speaker B: Oh, I see. Well, now, we're kind of busy right now. Maybe you better come back later. [00:09:32] Speaker E: Oh, not that busy. He may have Something I need. [00:09:35] Speaker B: Oh, I'm sure I have. Of course. I don't mean to intrude, but if you'll just take a moment. The Better Products Company, by way of introduction, is letting you have at no obligation to you one of these three items. We're busy. [00:09:45] Speaker E: Please. These are free. Is that right? [00:09:48] Speaker B: That's right, madam. Absolutely free. No obligation to you. Now, first, there's this handy little cuticle pusher. Second, this dandy plastic cover fits over any dish. And third, this beautifully carved letter opener. Take your choice, madam. [00:10:01] Speaker E: I think I'll take the letter opener. [00:10:05] Speaker B: A perfect choice. Yes, these are very popular. Now, if you'd care to look through this catalog, I'm sure you'll find many useful household products which you may want to order on this page. For example, we have many specials. And this is the last day you can save up to 30% by ordering. [00:10:20] Speaker E: Now, I do need some of these items. [00:10:22] Speaker B: Another time I deprived the lady, sir. Of course. I didn't intend to intrude this way. Wait. My sample case. Well, goodbye. I'll come back some other time. I didn't like that. [00:10:34] Speaker E: I don't like you. [00:10:36] Speaker B: Don't try anything like that again. [00:10:38] Speaker E: Stay away from me. [00:10:39] Speaker B: Don't try anything like that again. All right. [00:10:42] Speaker E: I'll said stay away. Wait. [00:10:44] Speaker B: Oh, by you. Now drop that letter. Open. [00:10:50] Speaker E: Take it from me. [00:10:51] Speaker B: I don't want to fire this thing, but I will. Drop that letter opener. Drop it. That's better. Now lead the way to your medicine cabinet. You're going to bind this cut for me. No. I said no. I'm not fooling Mrs. Tretton. [00:11:07] Speaker E: Ow. This way. [00:11:24] Speaker B: Oh, that hurt. [00:11:27] Speaker E: I'm glad. There. [00:11:32] Speaker B: Thanks. What's that bottle you take? [00:11:37] Speaker E: My pills. [00:11:37] Speaker B: You look healthy to me. [00:11:38] Speaker E: They're for my heart. [00:11:39] Speaker B: Oh, that's too bad. You shouldn't excite yourself. [00:11:43] Speaker E: Good advice. [00:11:45] Speaker B: Where are you going? [00:11:46] Speaker E: I'm following your advice. I'm going into the kitchen. I intend to calmly take my pills and calmly drink a cup of coffee. [00:11:56] Speaker B: I'll go along. [00:11:57] Speaker E: I was sure you would. [00:11:58] Speaker B: And brew an extra cup for me. [00:12:12] Speaker E: Here's your coffee. [00:12:14] Speaker B: Sugar? [00:12:14] Speaker E: I'll get it. Here it is. [00:12:22] Speaker B: It's hot. I like it hot. [00:12:25] Speaker E: Glad to. [00:12:26] Speaker B: Please drink yours. [00:12:28] Speaker E: Not at the same table, thank you. It's a little too chummy. I'll have mine over here. [00:12:33] Speaker B: Suit yourself. I hope you don't mind if I turn my chair around, though. I don't like to have my back to you. [00:12:41] Speaker E: Your manners, I'm sure that's right. [00:12:43] Speaker B: My manners. [00:12:55] Speaker E: What time Is it? [00:12:56] Speaker B: Look at the clock. [00:12:57] Speaker E: You're blocking it. [00:12:59] Speaker B: How's that? [00:13:00] Speaker E: Better. [00:13:00] Speaker B: What time is it? [00:13:01] Speaker E: Look at the clock. [00:13:02] Speaker B: My back is to it. [00:13:05] Speaker E: 2:10. [00:13:07] Speaker B: Maybe that's your delivery boy. [00:13:09] Speaker E: Maybe. [00:13:09] Speaker B: Go ahead, answer it. But don't forget what I said before. Still goes. The choice is yours. The wrong word. I'll kill whoever's at the door. [00:13:17] Speaker E: I know. [00:13:20] Speaker B: Elmwood 89325. George Stratton? [00:13:23] Speaker E: Yes. [00:13:23] Speaker B: I'm from the telephone company. An operator's report said they couldn't get through to you. May I look at your telephone? [00:13:29] Speaker E: Of course. Come in. [00:13:32] Speaker B: Someone's been trying to reach you, I guess. And reported. Say, how'd this happen? Accident. Accident? I tripped over the rug and grabbed the phone. As I went down, the wires ripped out. Must have been quite a fall. It was. That how you hurt your hand? Yeah. I will have to reconnect those wires. It'll take long. No. [00:13:51] Speaker E: I'm sorry you have to go through the trouble. [00:13:53] Speaker B: That's my job. [00:13:55] Speaker E: Do you get many ripped wires? [00:13:59] Speaker B: Oh, I imagine accidents happen. Oh, not this kind. The only ripped wire job I ever had. And I'm working for the company for a long time. Friend of mine did, though. He went to the apartment, fixed it. [00:14:10] Speaker E: Was it an accident? [00:14:12] Speaker B: That's what the guy said. My friend found a guy in a gallon there. When he read the papers the next day. Found out the gal had been murdered. [00:14:19] Speaker E: And I guess it wasn't an accident. [00:14:21] Speaker B: No. Came out in court later. The guy had ripped the wires out. [00:14:25] Speaker E: It could almost be the same here, couldn't it? [00:14:28] Speaker B: Yeah, it could. Imagine if you read the paper tomorrow and find out Mrs. Stratton is murdered. [00:14:34] Speaker C: Hmm. [00:14:35] Speaker B: That sure would be a coincidence, wouldn't it? There. That wasn't bad. I'll just test it. Balzac here. Elmwood 89325. Yeah, right. Thanks. All set. No trouble now. That party will be able to reach you. Thank you. Now, you have your telephone in working order. Silent at last. Or are you only sleepy? [00:15:15] Speaker E: Sleepy? No. No, I'm not. [00:15:18] Speaker B: You look sleepy. [00:15:20] Speaker E: No, I can't be the pill. [00:15:25] Speaker B: There's your party. Shall I answer it for you? [00:15:29] Speaker E: No, no. Unwell. I'll take it. Hello. Oh, Mr. Street, you were. My telephone was out of order. That's all right. Those things happen. How late? Oh, fine. I didn't plan to use them today. Thank you. [00:15:51] Speaker B: What was that? [00:15:52] Speaker E: My grocer. He was rushed so he couldn't make up my order. He's doing it now. [00:15:56] Speaker B: Does the delivery due soon? [00:15:58] Speaker E: I don't know. [00:15:59] Speaker B: You look tired, Mrs. Stratton. [00:16:02] Speaker E: No, I've got to stop you. [00:16:07] Speaker B: Can't blame you for trying. [00:16:11] Speaker E: Why are you grinning at me like that? [00:16:13] Speaker B: Are you sleepy, Mrs. Stratton? [00:16:15] Speaker E: No, no, it's just hot in here. [00:16:20] Speaker B: You look very tired. [00:16:22] Speaker E: Well, I'm not. And you are sleepy. Your coffee. I put pills on my sleeping pills. You fall asleep soon enough. I'll call the police. [00:16:42] Speaker B: I switched the cups when you went for the sugar. [00:16:46] Speaker E: Oh, no. [00:16:48] Speaker B: Why don't you stretch out on the couch? [00:16:50] Speaker E: I mustn't sleep. I mustn't. [00:16:54] Speaker B: You can't stay awake long. [00:16:55] Speaker E: I. I've got to wait. George. George will be here. [00:17:05] Speaker B: What a shame, Mrs. Stratton, to wake up and find your husband dead. [00:17:10] Speaker E: Sophia. Sophia. Here. Oh, the window. [00:17:16] Speaker B: Certainly. Go ahead and open it, Mrs. Trapp. [00:17:19] Speaker E: It'll clear my hair. You sleep. I'll call. Please call. Hi. [00:17:35] Speaker B: Sleep well, Mrs. Stratton? You are listening to Miss Lorene Tuttle in Carl Abrams story the Tip. Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, suspense. Later this evening on most of these same stations, John Lund makes his latest tour de force as yours truly, Johnny $$wades in when fraud, murder and double cross dovetail neatly with the reappearance of a long missing painting. Listen for the flowering Judas matter involving yours truly, Johnny Dollar up to his neck in trouble later this evening. And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Miss Lorene Twattle in Elliot Lewis production of the Tip, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. [00:19:01] Speaker E: Oh. Oh. Sleeping. I was sleeping. It was a dream. Nightmare. [00:19:14] Speaker B: I'm afraid not, Mr. Stratton. [00:19:16] Speaker E: You? [00:19:16] Speaker B: That's right. It wasn't a dream. [00:19:19] Speaker E: How long did I sleep? [00:19:21] Speaker B: Long enough. It's 5:30. No, he must be due home soon. [00:19:25] Speaker E: No, he's not coming home. I forgot to tell you. [00:19:28] Speaker B: That's true. About this time, I guess it takes an hour to get here. [00:19:33] Speaker E: Cut to get help. [00:19:33] Speaker B: Stay away from that door. [00:19:34] Speaker E: I won't let you kill anyone. [00:19:36] Speaker B: Away. [00:19:37] Speaker E: Oh, stop. [00:19:39] Speaker B: Maybe this will convince you. [00:19:41] Speaker E: You're joking. [00:19:41] Speaker B: You do as I tell you. [00:19:43] Speaker E: Let go. Let go. [00:19:48] Speaker B: Should have tied and gagged you while you were sleeping. [00:19:51] Speaker E: Why didn't you? [00:19:52] Speaker B: Because it's more interesting. This. [00:19:54] Speaker E: You are a madman. [00:19:56] Speaker B: No. Just a little bored with a full day of waiting. [00:19:58] Speaker E: Bored with murder? [00:20:00] Speaker B: No murder has been committed yet, Mrs. Stratton. I'm sure things will be more exciting when your husband comes home. [00:20:06] Speaker E: I won't let you. I won't. [00:20:08] Speaker B: Won't you? I don't think you can stop me. What have you done so far? You tried to drug me. A kid stunt. So it backfired. Worst of all, you've been trying to stop me with brawn. That might be brave, but let's face it, I'm stronger. All you've done is to earn yourself a few slaps and a throttling. [00:20:23] Speaker E: You won't get away with it. [00:20:24] Speaker B: Stop repeating yourself. Sit down. That's better. You see, I already have you taking my commands. But that's to be expected. You're a woman. Women are emotional. [00:20:35] Speaker E: And you're a man. A big, brave murderer who knows how to slap a woman. [00:20:40] Speaker B: It's natural for me to take advantage of my strength in this situation. [00:20:44] Speaker E: And your superior cunning, no doubt. [00:20:46] Speaker B: Oh, I imagine you're just smart. But not in this kind of setup. As I said, women are emotional. They can't think on a tight spot. [00:20:53] Speaker E: I suppose there's a moral to this little sermon. [00:20:56] Speaker B: Simple. Use your good sense and be still. [00:20:58] Speaker E: And if I refuse? [00:21:01] Speaker B: That's probably your delivery. Open the door. And shall I read it? [00:21:05] Speaker E: I know. Not a word. [00:21:07] Speaker B: That's right. No use dragging the delivery boy into this. [00:21:14] Speaker E: Good evening, Mrs. Stratton. Michael. Hello. I'm sorry this is so late. On top of everything, I forgot your bundle on my last rum. Had to go back for it. That's all right. Shall I bring it in for you? No need to, Doctor. Will you take this for me, please? [00:21:29] Speaker B: Sure. Right here, son. [00:21:32] Speaker E: There you are, doctor. One moment, Michael. I'll get some change. [00:21:35] Speaker B: Don't bother. I have some here. [00:21:38] Speaker E: Half a buck. Thanks, doc. [00:21:53] Speaker B: Five after six. Pretty soon now. [00:21:56] Speaker E: You don't know what you're doing. [00:21:58] Speaker B: Not much, I don't. Another five minutes. Ten after. [00:22:07] Speaker E: You can't do it. You can. Please. [00:22:13] Speaker B: He should be here in about 15 minutes. [00:22:16] Speaker E: Kill me instead. Kill me. No, I won't. [00:22:24] Speaker B: Open it. [00:22:25] Speaker E: No. Please. No. [00:22:36] Speaker B: Good evening, madam. I thought I'd stop back. You said you might want to make an order before. I told you another time. Oh, you're still here. Sorry. I had hoped you were gone. I didn't mean to intrude again. But where. Dubbing, isn't he? [00:22:52] Speaker E: He's dubbing. He's dub. [00:22:58] Speaker B: Come on, Mrs. Stratton. Come on. You don't want to miss the fun, do you? Here, have a cigarette. We'll calm your nerves. [00:23:10] Speaker E: I know. Thank you, Lion. [00:23:21] Speaker B: Doesn't look like you ever smoked before. [00:23:24] Speaker E: Or I thought I used to. I'm. I'm not accustomed to it anymore. [00:23:30] Speaker B: A Now drag deep, Mrs. Stratton. We've only got about 10 minutes left. [00:23:45] Speaker E: Hello? [00:23:46] Speaker B: Hi, Millie. [00:23:47] Speaker E: You have the wrong number. [00:23:48] Speaker B: Isn't this Evergreen 35964? [00:23:51] Speaker E: No. [00:23:52] Speaker B: You sure? [00:23:53] Speaker E: Positive. [00:23:53] Speaker B: Well, you sure sound like Millie. [00:23:55] Speaker E: I'm not Millie, whoever that is. [00:23:57] Speaker B: Okay, I'm sorry. [00:23:58] Speaker E: Goodbye. [00:23:59] Speaker B: But you sure sound like. [00:24:00] Speaker E: Goodbye. [00:24:02] Speaker B: Annoying at a time like this, isn't it? [00:24:04] Speaker E: What do you think? [00:24:05] Speaker B: I think. Hey, don't you smell something funny? [00:24:10] Speaker E: No. [00:24:10] Speaker B: Something burning. [00:24:11] Speaker E: I don't smell anything. [00:24:12] Speaker B: Well, I do. What'd you do with your cigarette? [00:24:14] Speaker E: It's my cigarette. [00:24:15] Speaker B: It's smoking. Well, threw your lit cigarette on the couch, didn't you? [00:24:19] Speaker E: Yes, I did. [00:24:20] Speaker B: Well, there's nothing like a fire to attract attention. [00:24:22] Speaker E: Oh, right you are. [00:24:23] Speaker B: Move. [00:24:24] Speaker E: What are you going to do? [00:24:25] Speaker B: Put your little campfire out? But first I got to be sure you're safely out of the way. Move. [00:24:30] Speaker E: But this isn't the way out. [00:24:32] Speaker B: I know. Right here. Into the clock. [00:24:35] Speaker E: No, I won't get in there. Let me out. Let me out. [00:24:44] Speaker B: I'll let you out if I can get that fire you started under control. If not, too bad. [00:24:51] Speaker E: Let me out. Please. Please. Please let me out. Beast. [00:25:01] Speaker B: Is that nice after I rescued you? [00:25:05] Speaker E: Beast. Beast. [00:25:06] Speaker B: Don't get hysterical, Mrs. Stratton. The fire is out. Raised more smoke when I poured water on it, though, than when it was burning. I hope it didn't frighten you. [00:25:16] Speaker E: I could kill you. [00:25:18] Speaker B: I guess I should have let it. [00:25:20] Speaker E: Burn if I had that good. [00:25:22] Speaker B: Shut up. [00:25:24] Speaker E: It's George. [00:25:25] Speaker B: Come now, Mrs. Stratton, your husband has a key of his own. Open the door and see who it is. And make sure you get rid of them fast. Mrs. Stratton, the neighbors, they say they smell smoke. [00:25:42] Speaker E: Smoke? [00:25:43] Speaker B: You better let me look around. [00:25:46] Speaker E: Really, Mr. Raymond, there's no need. [00:25:48] Speaker B: Oh, what's this? [00:25:50] Speaker E: Oh, that. It's all right now. [00:25:52] Speaker B: Cigarette slip behind the cushions. I see. Well, it's all out now. Only took one pot of water. I see. Oh, is Mr. Stratton home? [00:26:03] Speaker E: Not yet. [00:26:05] Speaker B: I see. You see too much. Why? I don't see anything. I see a lot, but I don't see anything. All right, you see? Now go. Huh? Oh, yes. Well, I suppose I'm in the way. [00:26:16] Speaker E: No, Mr. Raymond, you're not in the way. In fact. [00:26:18] Speaker B: Well, that's all right, Mrs. Stratton. I pride myself on not being naive. I understand how things happen. Just be careful not to set the building on fire, please. Good night. [00:26:32] Speaker E: What are you trying to do? What kind of ideas were you trying to put into his mind? [00:26:37] Speaker B: They were already there. I Can't help the way he thinks. That might be something, though. Husband slain in love nest. [00:26:47] Speaker E: Quiet. [00:26:49] Speaker B: All right. My apologies if I seemed rude, but don't try it again or I might use that alibi. [00:26:59] Speaker E: My pills. Oh, please, get me my pills. [00:27:04] Speaker B: Get them yourself. [00:27:05] Speaker E: Please. [00:27:05] Speaker B: I told you I wouldn't trust you alone for that long. [00:27:08] Speaker E: I'll be still. [00:27:12] Speaker B: Here. Take it. [00:27:15] Speaker E: Hello? Hi, George. [00:27:17] Speaker B: I'm down at the station now. You still want to pick me up? [00:27:19] Speaker E: Pick you up? [00:27:21] Speaker B: Careful. [00:27:23] Speaker E: I'd love to. [00:27:24] Speaker B: What's the matter? [00:27:25] Speaker E: Matter? Nothing. Nothing's the matter, George. [00:27:31] Speaker B: Get another attack. [00:27:32] Speaker E: No, no, George. [00:27:33] Speaker B: Hold on, darling. I'll take a taxi. [00:27:34] Speaker E: No, George. No. No, don't come home. Don't come home, George. Don't. Don't come home. Don't. [00:27:57] Speaker B: The cab just pulled away. He's on his way up now. [00:28:00] Speaker E: Let him talk to you. Give him that one chance. [00:28:04] Speaker B: He'll die as he steps through that door. [00:28:07] Speaker E: Oh, don't shoot him. Don't shoot him. [00:28:11] Speaker B: I can hear him now. [00:28:12] Speaker E: Oh, please. I beg you. Please. I'm not well. I'm not well. Run, George. Run. Don't open the door. Run. Run. [00:28:50] Speaker B: Well, Mrs. Ratten. Good work. She's dead. Took her long enough. I gave her a pretty hard time. I don't want to hear about it. Pretty smart idea you had. Yeah, yeah. I'll pay you off as soon as her insurance comes through. Sure. Anybody see you here? Anybody see me? This place is like Grand Central. All right, let's get our story straight then. We were both here when it happened. You're an old friend. An old friend. You spent the day here, right? Okay, I'll call the doctor. The doctor. I had her so scared, she even called me her doctor. What? She was so scared she covered my being here by calling me her doctor. When the kid was here with the bundle, she said to me, take these for me, Doctor. What kid? The delivery boy. Mike, I think his name was. Mike Michael Cort. That Delivery boy is Dr. Cort's son. Her doctor. The only doctor she's ever had. Shh. Mrs. Stratton? Mrs. Stratton? This is Dr. Court. Mrs. Stratton, is anything wrong? Mrs. Stratton? Open the door. Officer, open the door. Open up. In the Name of the Law Suspense in which Lorene Tuttle was starred in the tip. By 1960, our population will top 180 million. Every year there are more families and bigger families. Creating new consumer needs. Asking better roads and transportation. Seeking new communities with more elbow space. The future of America can look very bright. To you and your neighbors. When you think of the new roads, new factories, new services are increasing population demands. Have faith in the future of America. Next week, the story of a man who killed and a woman who helped him try to get away with it. It's called Run Sheep Run and it will star Kathy and Elliot Lewis. That's next week on Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morovic and conducted by Lud Gluskin. The tip was written for suspense by Carl Abrams. In tonight's story, Herb Butterfield was heard as the stranger and high ever back as George. Featured on the cast were Howard McNear, Jerry Hausner, Shep Menken, Dick Beals and Eddie Fields. And remember next week, Morton Fine and David Friedkin's new play Run Sheep Run, starring Kathy and Elliot Lewis. America listens most to the CBS Radio Network work. [00:32:06] Speaker A: That was the tip from Suspense here on the mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. [00:32:14] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:32:14] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:32:16] Speaker A: That was Joshua's choice as he brought that to the table for us to discuss this week. Why did you bring it, sir? [00:32:23] Speaker C: Well, I'm still carrying a lot of guilt for the Shadow Ape related trilogy and I was like, I want to dig into just a classic radio series and bring just a meat and potatoes thriller to the podcast. And so I dipped into suspense and this was the second episode I happened to listen to and I was like, yes, what hooked me. And I'm sure it struck you guys whether or not you enjoyed it, but that this had such a fascinating connection to Sorry Wrong Number in my mind and to a certain extent, long distance from the chase which we've listened to. Yeah. That this seems to be Sorry Wrong Number turned inside out with an invalid woman who's learned there's going to be a murder and she's trying to prevent it, only she's this heroic woman. And the fact that I made these connections to Sorry Wrong Number helped to hide a lot of the twists for me. So it was also, and I'll be interested to hear what you guys think, an episode that got me all the way through to the last moment. I saw nothing coming and I enjoyed it beat for beat throughout. [00:33:44] Speaker D: Could have used some gorillas. [00:33:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:33:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:48] Speaker D: I just felt like it was like a gorilla would have. Really kidding aside, I wish the delivery. [00:33:55] Speaker A: Boy had a jaw that triggered a trap door. [00:33:59] Speaker D: Maybe he did. Maybe we just didn't come into the narrative right. Starting listening to this, as you say, I kind of got all Right. I get the setup. This is comfortable. I get what this is. So to be as won over as I was by the end, it wasn't starting from zero, starting from less than zero kind of in my enjoyment to pull me out of that sense of like, I get it, I get it. This. I'm a little. I'm a little done with. Not done with, but like the. The classic cliche of tense woman trapped the situation. And like, like we've been saying to get me from there to like, I love this story. And probably to the same thing you said of all that. I thought it was going to be worked against me for being able to see surprises coming. So I didn't and really had a good time. [00:34:51] Speaker A: Yeah, I loved it for all the things he just said. Everything he just said. It was intense and suspenseful and well acted and had a lot of red herrings and had a lot of doors opening. That would be our path for this story, only to have them closed. And that is not a path. And not having any idea where it was going to end up, much like Sixth Sense. It wasn't until he got into the house and didn't say anything that I went, oh my God, he set this up to give her a heart attack. You know, like that moment of that. Aha. And I waited for him to go, what was her name? [00:35:38] Speaker C: Elaine. [00:35:38] Speaker A: Elaine, right. He opens the door and that you want immediate, who are you? Oh my God, Elaine. When you hear that silence, one second of it, I just went, aha. And so it was a great reveal that way. The very well could have ended that way. And I would have been just fine with it. Like, yeah, he did it and he. Him and this guy killed her. And suspense. Wasn't that terrible? You know, like, you know, it would have been fine. There was satisfaction for me that they didn't get away with it. There was a yes. And which one of the visitors. I was wondering the entire time, which one of the visitors and for what reason were going to thwart this plan. That at that point wasn't the husband's plan. In my head, it was just this guy's plan. [00:36:34] Speaker C: And to that point, I think it's particularly ingenious because when Elaine calls the killer doctor, that is out of the blue. But then you make you go, oh, wait, well, that seems like a legitimate cover because she has a health condition. We've established that. But then the fact that the killer just sort of lets it go and doesn't really comment on it immediately in that moment, I went, okay, well, clearly that's of great significance. The solution is going to revolve around that. As much as I was enjoying it up to there, I was like, well, this is a good episode. It's tense. But they kind of spotlighted what the solution is going to be. And I thought I'd figured it out. [00:37:21] Speaker A: Right. [00:37:21] Speaker C: And that was. I think what was masterful about it is that. Oh, no. Yes, that is a twist, but it's the secondary, lesser twist. And we've now put you at ease. You think that she has got a message out and this is going to be one of those suspense episodes where it's nerve wracking, nail biting, but she's going to save her husband and she's going to live. [00:37:44] Speaker A: Right. [00:37:44] Speaker C: And it's going to have something to do with calling him doctor. I don't understand how that really works out, but. And so I kind of relaxed and then was totally surprised by it. And then to your secondary point, that solution is a little pat. It's a little bit of a bow. That grocery boy was the doctor's son and he shows up with the cops and all that, but because you have just been forced to spend the final day with this brave, heroic, sick woman who sacrifices her life to save a husband who is not worth anything if you did not have that bow. I know that there is not always consolation in this world for suffering. [00:38:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:32] Speaker C: But in that moment, I think narratively I really wanted it. So even though it was a little tidy, I clung to it as you did. [00:38:40] Speaker D: And it depicts, like, she had several shots at this and this is the one. Like, I got it landed. [00:38:46] Speaker C: Yes. [00:38:47] Speaker D: The thing I loved the best about this and all the things you mentioned there are fantastic, but was the dark scenes of domesticity between these two. [00:38:57] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:38:58] Speaker D: With this sort of shadow of like his wife, at least in the narrative we know that is gone, has left him. Her husband now seemingly has some secret that she doesn't know about. So the truth of the matter aside, because I didn't know the truth at that point, it is this weird shadow spouse. [00:39:17] Speaker C: I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're absolutely right. Where? [00:39:20] Speaker D: Sitting in the kitchen together. [00:39:21] Speaker C: Yep. Making coffee. I know she's the one who cuts him with the letter opener, but then she's the one who bandages him. She wakes from a nap and he's there. Yeah, you're right. It has this sort of dark domesticity to it. And the neighbor shows up and he's like, oh, I guess I've intruded on something. Yeah, it Even ends on a really uncomfortable sexual note there. And a very creepy performance from the neighbor that sounded like. I know, the actor's name from Gunsmoke. And Floyd Barber. Wasn't that two different people? [00:39:57] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:39:57] Speaker C: No, that's the same actor who plays Doc. [00:40:00] Speaker A: He's not Floyd the Barber from Andy Griffith. [00:40:02] Speaker C: He's not? [00:40:03] Speaker B: No. [00:40:04] Speaker C: We'll find out, because people will tell one of us we're wrong. But I'm not gonna stop and look it up, because I look forward to hearing who's right and who's wrong. And maybe that's not even the actor, but anyway, he had that same creepy quality. [00:40:18] Speaker A: Right. Mr. Furley from downstairs. [00:40:22] Speaker D: I knew we'd get some more Three's Company in here. [00:40:24] Speaker A: Come and knock on my door. [00:40:29] Speaker C: But a play like this, it's just critical that you get the progression and reason correct. And that's where I think this excels at. She begins in a really rational way, like, you've got to be mistaken, or, oh, here, I'll just write you a check to, like, emotional, please. Then, you know, if you're gonna kill my husband, you might as well kill me. And, like, it just keeps going and it makes sense. And she's. Again, in contrast to something like, sorry, wrong number, where she's just really quite shrewd. She's smart. She takes advantage of every situation. There's not a moment where she's not thinking. [00:41:10] Speaker A: Yeah, right. [00:41:11] Speaker C: And so you just admire her, which just makes that twist all the worse. [00:41:16] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:41:17] Speaker C: It's such a dark, dark story, really. [00:41:19] Speaker D: Yeah. And then in retrospect, it's the reverse of what you thought it was of. This guy has been working so hard this whole time to try to. [00:41:27] Speaker C: Yes. [00:41:27] Speaker D: To rattle her, and nothing works. Nothing works. [00:41:30] Speaker C: Yeah. So then by the end, if there's any moment where, like, when he says, I should have tied you up, and in that moment, when I think my first listen, I was like, yeah, that would be a lot easier. But then the reason he didn't is given to you. He is trying to push and prod and distress her. [00:41:49] Speaker A: Right. When she referred to him as the Doctor, it didn't send any signal to me other than she was protecting the little boy. [00:41:59] Speaker B: Yep. [00:41:59] Speaker A: So I had no thought of that being anything other than just another visitor that she got rid of. [00:42:08] Speaker D: I swear. We heard some other episode you'll probably get off the top of your head, but where someone is being held hostage where I felt like the cops knew pretty quickly and they were just fishing on how to get inside. Like, when the. The Phone needed repairing. That was when, like, there's a crisis going on in there. [00:42:25] Speaker A: Right. I can't remember the episode. [00:42:27] Speaker D: Is that the one with Gene Kelly? [00:42:29] Speaker C: Oh, it might be. Define help. Yeah, that's from many years ago. Yes, but that was a common thing if your phone was off the hook and someone's trying to get through, particularly from an era in which there were shared lines. So you might also be preventing someone else in the building from using the phone. So the telephone company would just send a guy out to be like, hang up. I was with the phone bag on the hook. [00:42:54] Speaker A: I was assuming he was a cop. This is a cop being sent in. [00:42:59] Speaker D: Script playing us like a violin. [00:43:00] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. [00:43:02] Speaker C: It's a great moment, I think, when the telephone operator is like, yeah, it's happened once before and guy murdered his wife. Because obviously in that moment it seems really on the nose. But you're like, how likely is that to happen twice? [00:43:18] Speaker A: Right. [00:43:18] Speaker C: You know, and if you are as the killer in that moment, if you're super defensive about that or act weird about it, then it's just going to arouse suspicion. So I think it's just a nice moment when he's like, wouldn't that be a coincidence? [00:43:32] Speaker A: Right, Yeah. [00:43:33] Speaker D: I actually just think you're talking through this thing like his gun is almost certainly not loaded because if a gun gets fired, the whole thing is ruined. [00:43:43] Speaker A: Right. [00:43:44] Speaker C: But you also have from the very top, he has threatened to murder other people. So some of her communication is hampered by the fact that she could be condemning innocent people. So, like, it feels like the writer really worked so hard to cover every single angle and the few angles, again, as you're listening in real time that maybe make you raise an eyebrow or think about it again, are all answered by the final solution. [00:44:14] Speaker D: Yeah. This is an episode that the benefits of being able to listen to a second time are huge. [00:44:19] Speaker B: Of. [00:44:19] Speaker C: Yes. [00:44:20] Speaker D: You know, the first listen is what her part of the story was and then you can hear his part of the story going on at the same time. [00:44:27] Speaker C: From an old time radio nerd perspective. Laureen Tuttle played the spouse. And I think I brought this up before in some other radio episodes we've listened to, but played the spouse. In Death Robbery, the Lights out episode with Boris Karloff where he brings his wife back to life and she's barely there and you can hear it when she's. And she sounds exactly like the undead woman from the Lights out episode. Yep. Ruth loves David. I just think she did an amazing job in this. Yes, I love Agnes Moorhead. She deserves all the kudos she gets and all the respect and all her legendary status, but this gave me a lot of respect for Loreen Tuttle. And she's also. I'm forgetting her name. The ditzy secretary in the Adventures of Sam Spade. [00:45:30] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. [00:45:31] Speaker C: You would never think that listening to this. Those are not the same people at all. It's amazing. [00:45:36] Speaker D: And there's another suspense episode where you get to the end and like, ah, the tip. I get it. [00:45:43] Speaker C: Well, that's interesting. That's throughout. I love that they open with the line, tip the cabby. Yeah. Tip the cabbie. You thought you understood the whole story and you were literally just seeing the tip. Right, right. And actually, for a suspense episode, it's a very layered. Yeah, yeah. I love the old timey door to door salesman. Because what's great is that the killer can actually grab this guy and throw him out and there's nothing suspicious about it. That must happen to the door to door salesman, like eight times a day. Is he physically thrown from an apartment or house? [00:46:21] Speaker A: It's legal. Also the fact that it comes back. [00:46:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:46:25] Speaker A: Might as well try again. I was. Maybe he won't be there. [00:46:28] Speaker D: I want my sample case back. [00:46:30] Speaker A: Right. [00:46:30] Speaker D: You've got all my dish covers and cuticle things and letter openers. [00:46:36] Speaker C: I'm wondering how aware the writer was of the Sorry, wrong number and how intentional the mirroring was. There's a point because we just recently performed Sorry, Wrong Number live. So it's really in my head right now. But Elaine says, I'm not well. I'm not well at the end. Which is a direct line from sorry, wrong number. [00:46:56] Speaker A: I would imagine there's no avoiding the similarities and knowing what you're doing. It could even be inspired by it. And let's do that. Except put them in the house holding her hostage. [00:47:11] Speaker D: Yeah. It could be like, that story's good, but I could make it better. [00:47:15] Speaker A: Right. [00:47:16] Speaker C: And again, we've often commented on the fine line between comedy and horror. And I do appreciate, after going through this ordeal, how the writer has the killer acknowledge it took a long time for her to die. [00:47:31] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:31] Speaker C: This place was like Grand Central Station. So he provides that catharsis in that moment. But also, it's a time in the country where people coming to your door was far more common. I think from a contemporary point of view, it might seem like, wow, that's a lot. [00:47:46] Speaker D: Especially in an apartment which was its own. [00:47:48] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:47:49] Speaker A: And he didn't call ahead and ask permission to show up, I guess. [00:47:52] Speaker D: No. [00:47:53] Speaker C: You did not. [00:47:56] Speaker D: I guess I might have missed the details, but when he got on a train at the beginning, I thought, this guy's gonna be gone for like five days. They're gonna be together a long time. [00:48:05] Speaker C: Oh, he was just taking the train to work. Yes. But this also uses throughout the ticking clock. It is literally in the background of the entire episode. It's like 1950, mid. I don't know, 54, I think. So I imagine one of those fantastic mid century starburst clocks on the wall that just is ticking really loudly passes. [00:48:29] Speaker D: Out and wakes up and she's lost most of the day. [00:48:34] Speaker C: And so that was just a nice directorial touch to just keep that clock going as it gets closer and closer to her husband coming home. It's one of those things that it's so well done, it's almost hard to unpack everything about it. [00:48:45] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:48:46] Speaker C: And then that was great. And that was great. [00:48:48] Speaker A: Yeah. I'll start. I consider it a classic of old time radio shows. Of suspense, of performance, of production, of pacing, of everything. I consider that was a classic. And I haven't classic something for a very long time. [00:49:08] Speaker D: Yeah, I also classic it. And it was. It was a real pleasure to enjoy it so much, starting from like, you know, jaded. Oh, like I'm so familiar with how radio plays work. No, it's this. To get knocked off that high horse. [00:49:27] Speaker C: Peel me a grape radio show. Yeah. I was a lot like Tim as I was listening to this. I think I had. I was washing dishes and I kind of went like, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. And by the end, it was one of those things where I had stopped everything and was just leaning into my phone and just was totally focused on what was going to happen next. So, yeah, this is definitely a classic and one I had never heard of or seen. And as this podcast goes on, it's much harder to mine for classic radio shows that I was unfamiliar with. And I felt excited to bring this. And I'm happy that I have redeemed myself, perhaps in your eyes. [00:50:14] Speaker D: I enjoy Gorilla Man. [00:50:16] Speaker C: Yeah, I know. [00:50:17] Speaker A: I enjoyed the gorilla episodes immensely for what they were. [00:50:21] Speaker C: I offer this as a. I'm a serious podcaster. Yes. As a peace offering to anyone out in the audience who had maybe had their fill of guerrilla related episodes. So thank you, Tim. [00:50:36] Speaker A: Tell him stuff. [00:50:37] Speaker D: Hey, Please go visit ghoulish delights.com that is the home of this podcast. You'll find other episodes there, including the aforementioned shadow Gorilla episodes. You can vote in polls, you can leave comments, let us know what you think about these. You can also find a link to our store if you'd like a T shirt or like a coffee mug or some other bit of swag that has Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society logos and or related materials. I'm getting vague here, but there's some. There's T shirts. Get a T shirt. You also find a link to our Patreon page. [00:51:09] Speaker B: Yes. [00:51:10] Speaker C: Go to patreon.com themorals and support this podcast. It's like a tip that comes out of your bank account every month and we get to keep it and nobody dies. It's just perfect. It's just a wonderful pro social activity you can do. Give us money. And it helps to keep us doing this podcast because we don't have a really strong attention span. The fact that we get paid to do it really helps us a lot. So Please go to patreon.com themorals and become a member of the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society if you'd like to. [00:51:48] Speaker A: See us performing live. The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Theater group, that's us along with Shannon Custer. We perform monthly, sometimes more than once a month somewhere. And you can find out where we're performing and what we're performing and how to get tickets by going to ghoulishdelights.com we do recreations of classic old time radio shows and we do a lot of our own original work. So go to ghoulishdelights.com and if you can't make it and come out and see us. If you're a Patreon, that gives you access to the video and or audio recordings of those live performances. What's coming up next? [00:52:25] Speaker D: Coming up next, it's our annual return to Charles Dickens classic the Signalman. This is our eighth adaptation of the Signalman we've done. This one will be from the Weird Circle and they called theirs the thing in the tunnel. Until then. [00:52:50] Speaker B: Go ahead and open it. Miss Distract. [00:52:56] Speaker E: You sleep. I'll call. Please call Ruth loves David.