Episode 375: The Red-Headed Woman

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast welcome to the Mysterious Old Radio Listening 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. [00:00:38] 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. [00:00:42] Speaker A: This week, we're listening to an episode I chose. The Red Headed Woman from Suspense. [00:00:49] Speaker C: One of radio's most prestigious and longest running shows. Suspense premiered on CBS in 1942. And continued to thrill audiences until its final broadcast in 1962. Known for its big name stars, high production values and sophisticated scripts, Suspense raised the bar for dramatic radio. [00:01:10] Speaker D: The script was written by Nancy J. Cleveland, an author who I would love to know more about. But the Internet sometimes keeps its secrets. Is this the same Nancy Cleveland who appeared as an actress in a couple episodes of the Whistler? [00:01:22] Speaker B: Maybe. [00:01:23] Speaker D: Is this, much like Lucille Fletcher, an example of a talented woman whose scripts found their way onto the air as one of the most prestigious radio programs ever produced? Wouldn't it be great if I were telling you that information right now? For all I know, the name is a pseudonym used by a corgi. [00:01:37] Speaker A: When it comes to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, however, we know a lot. The husband and wife team became TV icons with their show I Love Lucy, first broadcast in 1951. This was 11 years after the two were married in real life. And only two years after they appeared together in this episode of Suspense. The Red Headed Woman with Lucille Ball and Desi arnaz. First broadcast November 17, 1949. [00:02:05] 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. [00:02:27] Speaker E: Suspense, AutoLight and its 96,000 dealers present Ms. Lucille Ball and Mr. Desi Arnaz in the Red Headed Woman, a suspense play produced and edited by William Speer. [00:02:48] Speaker B: Well, half of you over your cold. [00:02:50] Speaker F: Oh, no, Harlow. [00:02:51] Speaker G: I still feel run down. [00:02:53] Speaker B: Hey, watch your words. We're on for Autolight. Stay full. Batteries remember? And Autolyte has done everything to keep these brawny bundles of endless energy from running down. Why auto light stay full? Batteries have extra water reserve above the plates to foil failure from lack of liquid. Need water only three times a year in normal car use. They've even got fiberglass retaining mats at every positive plate for longer battery life. Why? In recent tests based on SAE lifecycle standards. Autolight stay full batteries gave 70% longer average life than batteries without. Stay full features. So, friends, see your Autolite battery dealer and get an Auto Light. Stay full battery for your car. You're always right with Auto Light. [00:03:35] Speaker E: And now with the red headed woman and with the performance of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, Autolight hopes once again to keep you in suspense. [00:03:52] Speaker F: Jensen Corporation. Hello? [00:03:55] Speaker H: Hello, Linda? [00:03:56] Speaker F: Yes? Oh, hello, Frank. Oh, look, darling, I thought I told you not to call. [00:04:00] Speaker H: I know I shouldn't call you at the office. I'm sorry, redhead, but I had to talk to you. You see, I. [00:04:06] Speaker F: Darling, you sound so grim. Is there anything wrong? [00:04:09] Speaker H: I. This is gonna be tough, Linda, but you see, I. Well, it's kind of hard to explain, but. [00:04:16] Speaker F: Well, go on, dear. You can tell me anything, you know that you're sure? [00:04:20] Speaker H: Swell, Linda. That's why it's so hard to tell you. [00:04:23] Speaker F: I. Frank, you haven't committed a murder or anything, have you? [00:04:28] Speaker H: Oh, no, no, of course not. [00:04:29] Speaker F: Well, what is it then? [00:04:31] Speaker H: Linda, please. I tried to tell you last night. I. I know it's hard to justify, but. [00:04:37] Speaker F: But what, Frank? You've met someone else, is that it? [00:04:43] Speaker H: Yes. Linda, I'm sorry. [00:04:45] Speaker F: Oh, it's quite all right. Is she blonde or brunette? [00:04:50] Speaker H: Oh, honestly, honey. Linda, I couldn't help it. It was one of these things. [00:04:54] Speaker D: It. [00:04:54] Speaker H: It just happens sometimes. Things do. [00:04:57] Speaker F: Well, you don't have to expose Frank. I'll send your ring back this afternoon. I hope it fits her. Good luck. Tears came, and then I tried to laugh it off. Then I felt myself getting good and mad. What a fool I'd been. For two years, my every thought, my every move had been patterned toward Frank's wishes and welfare. Other girls, the selfish type, were holding their men. It was. Well, I made up my mind that the future would be different. From that minute on, I'd think of myself first, last and always. Suddenly, I wanted to get away. Do things have beautiful clothes? Money? Especially money. I suppose it's the kind of independence any woman wants to grab for in a moment like that, when she's found out you can't depend on a man. [00:05:50] Speaker E: Good morning, Glinda. [00:05:51] Speaker F: Oh, good morning, Mr. Jensen. [00:05:55] Speaker E: Feeling all right? [00:05:55] Speaker F: Of course. Why shouldn't I? [00:05:58] Speaker E: I don't know. You seemed a little despondent. [00:06:01] Speaker F: No, I'm fine. [00:06:02] Speaker E: Good, good, good. Oh, will you put this away for me? [00:06:06] Speaker F: What? Payroll money? Well, it's only the fifth, isn't it? [00:06:09] Speaker E: I'm going to Florida for a couple of weeks, Linda. Oh, I drew the Payroll money today? Because I'm leaving tomorrow. [00:06:14] Speaker F: Oh, it sounds wonderful. [00:06:15] Speaker E: Yes, doesn't it? I've been thinking about it for years. Say, why don't you take a few days off while I'm gone? Linda? [00:06:23] Speaker F: What? [00:06:24] Speaker E: Why don't you, Linda? It's a good idea. Certainly. I won't be needing you. [00:06:28] Speaker F: Well, I. I could come in on the 14th and handle the payroll. [00:06:31] Speaker E: Ah, you needn't bother. I can get Walters. [00:06:34] Speaker F: Well, he's pretty busy, Mr. Jensen. I'll come back and handle it. I'll just be in the country somewhere close by. Thank you, Mr. Jensen. Looking back, I suppose I thought of stealing the payroll right then. I must have. For a few minutes after Mr. Jensen left, I visualized how easy it would be. Only he and I had the combination to the safe. He'd be far away in Florida for two whole weeks. I could leave the next day. I could have at least 10 days before anyone could find out anything was wrong. I thought about Frank and that brush off he'd given me. How easily I might forget him in new surroundings. Well, when I closed the office that evening, I took the envelope with $21,000 in bills and stuffed it into my handbag. Then I don't know why, I took the gun Mr. Jensen always kept in the safe. Next morning I left Kansas City and began driving west. By the next afternoon I was well into Texas on the inland route. I knew vaguely that I had to get across the border, but the actual fact that I was a criminal hadn't quite percolated yet. A few miles out of Big Spring, the weather changed and dark gray clouds replaced the blue skies. Then I came to a roadblock and I had to detour. It was a winding makeshift road of dirt that stretched on and on for miles. I hated going so slow, but there wasn't anything I could do about it. So I switched on the radio and tried to feed comfortable and forget what I had done. Then a few drops of rain splashed against the windshield and I hoped that I'd make the main highway before it really let loose. It was then that I heard the announcement. [00:08:20] Speaker H: This afternoon, in one of the most daring daylight hold ups in Texas history, the 7th bank of Abilene was robbed of $40,000. As far as is known, only two persons participated. A tall, dark complexion young man wearing a light gray suit and hat and an attractive red haired woman dressed in a green suit. In affecting their successful getaway, one of them shot and critically wounded an elderly bank guard, a veteran of World War I, the couple left in a green panel truck and are believed headed in the general direction of El Paso. More news after our next music. [00:08:53] Speaker F: Well, these were worse criminals than I was by far, and they'd made a getaway. I shut off the radio. To my right, black letters loomed suddenly against the yellow background of a sign. Midland, Odessa, Pecos. I slowed down to 30, rounding a series of blind curves. Coming around the last one, I saw a man standing in the middle of the road. I jammed down my brakes to keep from hitting him. He started walking toward me. [00:09:20] Speaker I: I'm very sorry to bother you this way, but my car is out of gas and I was wondering, could you perhaps let me siphon a little from your tank? [00:09:26] Speaker F: Well, sorry, but I'm low myself. [00:09:28] Speaker I: Oh, please, don't be like that. I've been waiting here for hours. You're the first car I've seen. I would just take a little. [00:09:33] Speaker F: I can't. Honestly, I. [00:09:34] Speaker B: All right, all right. [00:09:35] Speaker I: Then perhaps you would be so kind as to give me a little lift to the next gas station. Oh, come on now. Don't you believe in the good neighbor policy? [00:09:42] Speaker F: Well, all right. Get in. [00:09:45] Speaker I: Thanks. Thanks a lot. We'll find a gas station right down here someplace. I won't even take you out of your way. [00:09:53] Speaker F: That's all right. I'm going in the general direction of. Of. [00:09:57] Speaker I: El Paso. [00:09:59] Speaker F: El Paso. It all came together suddenly. The radio announcement and this man who was just sitting down beside me. He fitted perfectly. Dark complexion, light gray suit. I glanced at the car parked by the side of the road. Yes, it was a green panel truck. Well, senorita, look, I'm terribly sorry, but I don't think I can take you after all. You see, I. Oh, now, please. [00:10:26] Speaker I: I have been marooned here for two hours. It's very important that I get to Pecos in the next two hours. [00:10:31] Speaker F: Oh, and where are you going after that? [00:10:33] Speaker I: Me? I'm gonna travel all over after Pecos. I'm going to beat it down to Juarez. That's across the border. From. There we go. [00:10:40] Speaker F: That's what I thought. [00:10:42] Speaker I: Look, I would like to pay you for helping me. [00:10:45] Speaker F: He drew a sheaf of new bills from his pocket and dropped a fresh 20 into my lap. I opened my handbag and my fingers closed around Mr. Jensen's gun. He looked down at it. [00:10:55] Speaker I: Hey. What? [00:10:55] Speaker F: I said I've changed my mind. [00:10:57] Speaker I: Okay, okay, if that's the way you feel. I don't argue with a girl who's got a gun. [00:11:03] Speaker F: I didn't even wait for him to close the door. I Let out the clutch, stepped on the gas and got away fast. When I finally reached the highway, I speeded up still more. I'd had a bad scare. I wanted to talk to someone about anything and forget that man. Maybe that was why I was so relieved when I came to the little town of Pecos and saw the carnival a short distance ahead. And why I stopped to look at it. Even from the car, the bright lights and the people and the carousel gaily painted horses going round and round made me feel less lonely. I wanted to get out and mingle with the people and drink some pink lemonade and buy a red candied apple. Go in one of the midway tents and see Tortoro, the sword swallower and Lopez, the ventriloquist. But instead I ate a hot dog in the car and bought a silver ashtray from a little Indian girl. Then a sudden burst of thunder reminded me of the approaching storm. I started the car and left the carnival behind me. Soon afterwards, it began to rain. Then a cloud burst hit. Fifteen minutes later, I spotted an autocor. As I came to a stop, a gray mustached man in a rubber hat and raincoat came out to meet me. Hello there. Hello. How far to El Paso, please? [00:12:24] Speaker G: Not planning to go there tonight, are you? [00:12:25] Speaker F: Well, I. [00:12:26] Speaker G: Well, you never make it. A lot of bad spots in the road. I know, because in rainy nights I always pick up a lot of money pulling stall cars out of the mud. [00:12:34] Speaker F: Well, maybe I'd better spend the night here then. If you have a vacancy. [00:12:38] Speaker G: I got more vacancies than anything else. I'll fix you up with the best cabin on the place. Used to living in my shelf. Come on, I'll show you. It's number three. [00:12:45] Speaker F: It sounds fine. Do you mind if I use your phone first? [00:12:48] Speaker G: No, go ahead, go ahead. There's a booth over there, right next to the office. [00:12:50] Speaker F: Thank you. [00:12:51] Speaker G: I'll open your cabin door and leave the key on the pressure. You can put your car in the shed there. [00:12:58] Speaker F: I was going to phone the El Paso police and tell them where I'd last seen the man answering the description of the Abilene Bank. Robert. I dialed and waited for her to answer. Operator. Then I remembered something. There should have been a woman, too. A woman with red hair. But the man had been alone. Operator. After all, there was more than one green truck in the world. More than one dark young man. Operator. Besides, I thought with a shock, I'm in no position to risk their maybe tracing the call and finding out my name and investigating me. I hung up the Receiver. I went out and wheedled a cup of coffee and a donut out of my host. And then I went up to my cabin and went to bed. I woke up about 10 o' clock. A car had driven up and stopped right outside my window. The headlights were shining in. When I got up to pull down the shade, I saw the car. It was a green panel truck I'd seen on the road. And this time a woman was in the front seat. Then the proprietor and the other man came out of the cabin next to mine. I lowered my shade and then listened to him. [00:14:08] Speaker I: I'll wait till the storm is over and then I'll go on to El Paso. Is it all right if I leave my truck out here? [00:14:13] Speaker G: Sure. There's a garage in back if you want to use it. [00:14:15] Speaker I: No, thanks. I'll just park it here, near to the door. [00:14:20] Speaker F: I heard him enter his cabin. I locked my door and sat down on the bed. He's very quiet next door. Finally, I guess I must have dozed off. But then, all of a sudden, I was awake again. Voices, a man's and a woman's, were coming from the cabin next door. I got up, opened my window very quietly and listened. I don't think you had better forget that. If you do, you will be sorry. Very sorry. [00:14:47] Speaker I: You are wrong, Carmencita. It will not be me who is sorry. [00:14:50] Speaker F: What do you mean? [00:14:50] Speaker I: It shouldn't be difficult for you to figure that out. [00:14:53] Speaker F: You mean. Oh, but that is so funny. You couldn't get along without me. No. Not even for one week? Not one week? [00:15:04] Speaker I: I would not laugh if I were you. Carmen. [00:15:09] Speaker F: Wait. Jose, don't do it. You're just trying to be funny. No, you don't do it, Jose. No, please don't. After that, everything was quiet. I was stunned, frozen. Then I heard his door open. I hurried to my window and carefully raised the shade a few inches. It was quite dark, and at first I could only hear his footsteps. And then I saw him. He snapped on a flashlight, looked around with it. He was carrying a roll of blankets, and he put it down carefully in the wet grass. Then he opened the rear door of the green panel truck. There was a long, oblong box on the floor. He stooped over and lifted what I thought was the roll of blankets. But I was wrong. From one end a head was visible. A woman's head with red hair. I must have thrown up my hands and hit the window shade. It clattered to the top. In the tense silence of the night, it sounded like a machine Gun. The man outside spun around. He trained his flashlight on me. He took a long look. Then he turned around and dropped his gruesome bundle into the long box. I turned away. I couldn't look anymore. Finally, I heard him walk toward his cabin, go inside and shut the door. Then I took a chance. I threw on my raincoat and shoes and hurried to the proprietor's office. Knocked on his door and called to him. There was no answer. So I wrote a quick note and slipped it under his door and hurried back to my cabin. I closed my door and was just fumbling with the key when the lights went on. [00:16:39] Speaker I: No use to lock it now, senorita. And don't make a noise. [00:16:44] Speaker F: He was sitting in a chair, smiling casually pointing a gun at me. My gun that I'd foolishly left on the dresser. [00:16:53] Speaker I: You were not so very smart, were you, sweetheart? This gun, it looks nice. I think you handle it good, too. I almost found out this afternoon on the road, didn't I? [00:17:01] Speaker F: Now, look, I wasn't going to use it, honestly, but. Well, you know, you. You read a lot in the papers about the trouble people get into picking up strangers, and I. [00:17:09] Speaker I: Yes, yes, sure, sure. You're always careful. Stay out of trouble. Mind your own business. That is very good to remember, senorita. [00:17:17] Speaker F: That's all I was doing. Well, what do you want with me? [00:17:20] Speaker I: It's just too bad. You looked out on me just now. I wouldn't have known you were here. [00:17:24] Speaker F: I didn't mean to spy on you. I was awake. And when I heard a noise outside, I. I looked out. That's all. That was natural, wasn't it? [00:17:31] Speaker I: Maybe. But it didn't turn out so good for you, did it? Come on, now. We're getting out of here. And you are coming with me. [00:17:37] Speaker F: But where? Where are we going? [00:17:39] Speaker I: Just places, senorita. Just places. Come on now. [00:17:43] Speaker F: But what do you want with me? You don't want me. [00:17:46] Speaker I: Don't want you? Why, I'm crazy for you. I've been looking for you. I've been looking for somebody just like. [00:18:11] Speaker E: Autolite is bringing you. Ms. Lucille Ball and Mr. Desi Arnaz in the Red Headed Woman. Tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of Thrills, Suspense. [00:18:27] Speaker B: Feeling better, Hap? No, Harlow. [00:18:29] Speaker G: I think I'll take the vacation my doctor advised. [00:18:32] Speaker B: Decided where you'll go? Not yet. How about the Atlantic Ocean? Or the Great Lakes or the Mississippi River? [00:18:37] Speaker A: Say, that's a lot of water. [00:18:39] Speaker B: Right. It'll remind you of Autolyte. Stay full batteries that they have longer and larger liquid reserve above the plates as compared to ordinary batteries. Need water only three times a year in normal car use. Or hey, better still, hap visit the zoo, see the camels, tell em Wilcox sent you. [00:18:55] Speaker A: What, and get tossed out on my ear for suggesting that Autolite stay full batteries can go without water longer than camels can. [00:19:02] Speaker B: Well, tell them about those fiberglass retaining mats protecting every positive plate for longer battery life. Tell them that in recent tests based on SAE lifecycle standards, autolyte stay full batteries gave 70% longer average life than batteries without Stay full features. Well, wherever you go, hap take along and auto light stay full battery. You're always right with Autolight. [00:19:27] Speaker E: And now, Autolight brings back to our Hollywood soundstage our stars Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball in the Red Headed Woman. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. [00:19:43] Speaker F: It was quite a moment. Jose motioned with a gun for me to pick up my suitcase. And right then the door opened and the proprietor came in. [00:19:50] Speaker G: I got your note, miss. Well, what's all this? What's the gun for, mister? [00:19:55] Speaker I: Oh, it belongs to the lady. She was just showing it to me. [00:20:00] Speaker F: Oh, yeah. Well, yes. Yes, that's right. I'll take it back now. [00:20:07] Speaker G: This man bothering you, miss? Is that why you left the note? [00:20:11] Speaker F: I thought of the 21,000 in my handbag. I wanted this murderer locked up, but I didn't want to risk too much investigation. [00:20:18] Speaker I: I wasn't bothering her. [00:20:20] Speaker F: No, No. I just thought I heard someone at the window. And when I couldn't find you, I went next door and this gentleman was kind enough. [00:20:28] Speaker G: Guess I owe you an apology, mister. But when I saw you with a gun. [00:20:31] Speaker I: It's okay, it's okay. Forget it. Forget it, amigos. [00:20:34] Speaker G: Sure. Well, good night. [00:20:38] Speaker F: All right, you. You stand over there. [00:20:40] Speaker I: Well, I guess you must be crazy for me, eh? Too lie for me like you did? [00:20:46] Speaker F: No, I'm just fond of myself. Things have kind of changed, haven't they, Jose? [00:20:51] Speaker I: Oh, you know my name, too? [00:20:53] Speaker F: I know all about you. [00:20:55] Speaker I: Really? Yes. I guess things have changed. [00:20:58] Speaker F: All right. Now, that was a good idea you had before about leaving here. Come on, pick up my suitcase. [00:21:04] Speaker I: Yes, ma' am. Where are we going? [00:21:06] Speaker F: Like you said. Places, Jose, just places. Now, walk quietly. My car's right outside. [00:21:13] Speaker I: Anything you say, senorita. [00:21:20] Speaker F: He drove while I held the gun. After we'd gone about five miles, we came to a side road. I told him to turn. [00:21:26] Speaker I: It's a pretty deserted neighborhood, no? [00:21:29] Speaker F: Yes. [00:21:30] Speaker I: Please tell me, where are we going? [00:21:31] Speaker F: Oh, you're not going very far. [00:21:33] Speaker I: You know, I wish you didn't make me leave my truck back there. [00:21:36] Speaker F: Oh, you're worried about what's in that pile of blankets, huh? [00:21:39] Speaker I: Yes, that's right. Somebody might find her. Senorita, please. [00:21:43] Speaker F: Not a chance. [00:21:44] Speaker I: Oh, look, now, why don't we talk this thing over? I think maybe we could, uh. [00:21:49] Speaker F: Uh. I'm not buying a thing. [00:21:51] Speaker I: Well, I certainly hope you know what you're doing. Uh. Oh, I'm sorry, but we're stocking the mud. [00:21:58] Speaker F: Oh, well, that's a very fancy trick, but it won't work. [00:22:02] Speaker I: You don't believe me? [00:22:03] Speaker F: No. [00:22:03] Speaker I: Well, then get out and see for yourself. [00:22:05] Speaker F: And have you drive off and leave me? Oh, no, thanks. Come on. Start the car. [00:22:10] Speaker I: But I'm telling you the truth. We're stuck in this ditch. [00:22:12] Speaker F: You better start the car, mister. [00:22:14] Speaker I: Okay, okay. Anything you say. You see? [00:22:26] Speaker F: Try it again. [00:22:27] Speaker I: All right, but it only got us in deeper. [00:22:37] Speaker F: Well, what do we do next? [00:22:40] Speaker I: You're running the show. You tell me. [00:22:43] Speaker F: Okay, I'll tell you. Get out of the car. [00:22:47] Speaker I: What do I do now? [00:22:48] Speaker F: Pick up some broken branches and put them under the wheels. [00:22:51] Speaker I: Like I said, you are running the show. [00:22:53] Speaker F: No, no. Never mind. It's too dark. I can't see. You get back in the car. Here. [00:22:56] Speaker I: But you give up too easy. Why don't you think of using a flashlight? [00:23:00] Speaker F: I don't have one. [00:23:02] Speaker I: Well, maybe if you ask me real nice, I will let you use mine. [00:23:06] Speaker F: Where is it? [00:23:07] Speaker I: It's here. My coat pocket. All right, senorita, drop the gun. Quickly. [00:23:14] Speaker F: It was over in a second. Before I knew it, he'd reached in his pocket and jumped behind me. I'd forgotten the most important thing of all. I hadn't searched him. I could feel the gun against my back. [00:23:26] Speaker I: Now you're gonna get into the car. Hurry. [00:23:29] Speaker F: Yes, sir. [00:23:33] Speaker I: Now you will drive for a while. No. [00:23:35] Speaker F: But I thought we were stuck. [00:23:37] Speaker I: That is exactly what I wanted you to think. Good, huh? Start a. You know, senorita, you should have searched me before we started. [00:23:52] Speaker F: Yes, I've already figured that out. But this whole thing is kind of new to me. [00:23:56] Speaker I: Oh, come on. Let's quit the kitten. You know, I think you would have been very surprised if you would have searched me. You know why? [00:24:03] Speaker F: Nothing would surprise me. [00:24:05] Speaker I: Oh, I think so. Because you wouldn't have found any gun. Only this. [00:24:10] Speaker F: A flashlight. [00:24:13] Speaker I: It feels very much like a gun against your back, doesn't it? Especially when you're very frightened. [00:24:18] Speaker F: Look, let me go. I swear I'll never Bother you again. [00:24:21] Speaker I: You won't bother me. Not where you're going. You won't bother anyone. Drive a little faster, please. [00:24:28] Speaker F: I drove for several miles without saying a word. Then I took a chance. I speeded up to 60, then jammed the brake to the floor. Jose's head banged against the windshield. He dropped the gun. I grabbed it almost before it hit the floorboard. Now out again. Mr. Finnegan, we're gonna change seats. [00:24:47] Speaker I: Oh, my head. That was very smart, baby. Very smart. [00:24:51] Speaker F: Almost as good as your flashlight gun trick. [00:24:54] Speaker I: That's better. Your trick wins. Oh. Well, what goes now? [00:24:59] Speaker F: We're heading straight into El Paso Police Department. [00:25:02] Speaker I: But, but, but, baby, you can't do that. [00:25:05] Speaker F: Why can't I? [00:25:07] Speaker I: Because it's too foolish. And the senorita is not a fool. [00:25:10] Speaker F: No, the senorita isn't. That's why you're driving straight to El Paso. And the police. [00:25:15] Speaker I: Yes, ma' am. Whatever you say. I certainly hope you know what you're doing. [00:25:20] Speaker F: The senorita has learned a lot in the last few hours. Drive carefully. He shrugged his shoulders and settled back behind the wheel. I decided I'd been neat, needlessly concerned about the police. After all, no one knew I had the $21,000 in my handbag. No one even knew it was missing. When I handed the police the man they were looking for, they wouldn't bother about me. They would accept my statement that I was just a secretary on my way to Mexico for a vacation. As we entered the outskirts of El Paso, I switched on the radio and settled back to enjoy it. [00:25:56] Speaker H: And now, our Texas roundup of the latest Texas news. Texans who expect quick and speedy action when it comes to lawbreakers in our state won't be disappointed when they hear the outcome of the bank hold up and killing of a guard in Abilene two days ago. [00:26:10] Speaker F: What? What's that? [00:26:11] Speaker I: Big Choir, be quiet. Listen. [00:26:12] Speaker H: Manuel Milani, a non Texan, and Betty Murphy, a red haired Californian, were apprehended today in big spring. Only 61 hours after their spectacular holdup of the 7th bank of Abilene. Both freely confessed to the crime. The bravery of our Texas. [00:26:28] Speaker I: Hey, wait a minute. [00:26:30] Speaker F: You wait a minute. Stop the car now. I don't believe it. [00:26:35] Speaker I: Neither do I. [00:26:36] Speaker F: You don't? All right then. Who was it? You killed me. [00:26:40] Speaker I: I didn't kill anybody. [00:26:42] Speaker F: Stop it. It was your. Your accomplice. I heard the argument. And then you killed her. And then you. [00:26:47] Speaker I: Oh, you're crazy. [00:26:48] Speaker F: What do you mean I'm crazy? Right this minute? There's A red haired woman dead in the back of your. What the. [00:26:53] Speaker I: Oh. Oh, boy, that's a good one. You know, you're right. You did hear an argument. And you did see me put a red haired woman in the trunk. [00:27:07] Speaker F: She was dead. [00:27:08] Speaker I: Yes, that's right. She has been dead all her life. She's. The argument, as you say you heard went something like this. [00:27:19] Speaker F: The money, it is mine, Jose. I don't think you had better forget that. If you do, you will be sorry. Very sorry. [00:27:26] Speaker I: You are wrong, Carmencita. I will not be me that is sorry. [00:27:30] Speaker F: You couldn't get by without me. No. Not even for one week? Not one week. For heaven's sake. A ventriloquist? [00:27:39] Speaker I: What do you mean, a ventriloquist? I am the best, Jose Lopez. [00:27:44] Speaker A: The. [00:27:44] Speaker B: The great. [00:27:45] Speaker F: Oh, what a relief. [00:27:47] Speaker I: Your relief. What about me? I thought the whole time. Here I am traveling with a criminal. [00:27:52] Speaker F: Me? How could you think that I was a. [00:27:54] Speaker I: Why not? You got the red hair. You're wearing the green suit just like the description. Hey, listen, there's only one other thing that is confusing me. [00:28:08] Speaker F: What's that? [00:28:09] Speaker I: How come you carry such a big bankroll, all these thousands of dollars in your purse? [00:28:15] Speaker F: Well, I. Yes, well, you. Oh, what's the use? I might as well tell you the whole story. And you know, I found myself doing it. And Jose explained to me how silly I'd been to ever try such a thing. And then it struck us that it was still only the 13th of the month. So we drove back to Kansas City together. I put the money back and the payroll went off just like it always does. And. Oh, that Jose, he's so cute and so wonderful. [00:28:52] Speaker I: Hey, baby, come on, hurry up with that dinner. [00:28:54] Speaker F: Yes, Jose dear. [00:28:56] Speaker I: Hey, what are we gonna eat tonight, baby? And it better be something good. You know, a husband can testify against his wife. [00:29:02] Speaker F: Same as usual, amigo. Baby. Enchiladas with tacos and hot sauce. [00:29:07] Speaker I: Yum, yum. [00:29:08] Speaker F: Chili and tamales. [00:29:17] Speaker E: Suspense Presented by Autolight Tonight stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. [00:29:22] Speaker B: Lucille, I heard your radio show last Friday night. [00:29:25] Speaker F: Like it? [00:29:26] Speaker B: Sure. Swell show. [00:29:27] Speaker I: Mind if I get in? [00:29:28] Speaker B: Of course not, Desi. [00:29:29] Speaker F: I warn you, Desi. Harlow will try to sell you an auto light. Stay full battery. [00:29:33] Speaker I: Oh, me? I'm solid already. That's just what I was going to tell Harlow. His product is terrific. [00:29:39] Speaker B: Why, thanks, Desi. And Lucille. Auto light stay full. Batteries are, as Desi says, terrific. They need water only three times a year in normal car use. Yes, sir. Their extra liquid load above the plates as compared to ordinary batteries. Helps lick a leading cause of battery failure. Autolite Stay full batteries are just one of more than 400 products. Auto light makes for cars, trucks, planes and boats in 28 plants coast to coast. These include complete electrical systems used as original equipment on many makes of America's finest cars and trucks. Batteries, spark plugs, coils, distributors, starting motors, Bullseye Sealed beam headlight units all engineered to fit together perfectly, work together perfectly because they're a perfect team. So folks don't accept electrical parts supposed to be as good. Ask for and insist on Autolight original factory parts at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage or repair shop. Remember, you're always right with Autolight. Next Thursday for Suspense Burt Lancaster will be our star. The play is called the Long Wait and it is, as we say, a. [00:30:41] Speaker E: Tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. [00:30:46] Speaker B: Tonight's suspense play was produced and edited by William Speer and directed by Norman MacDonald. Music for suspense is composed by Lucian Morowek and conducted by by Lud Bluskin. The Red Headed Woman is an original play by Nancy J. Cleveland. Lucille Ball will soon be seen, co starred with Bob Hope in the Paramount picture Fancy Pants and may be heard in her own jello show, My Favorite Husband. Every Friday night over most of these same CBS stations. In the coming weeks you will hear such stars as Bert Lancaster, Mickey Rooney and Lana Turner. Don't forget, next Thursday, same time, Autolite will present Suspense starring Burt Lancaster. [00:31:24] Speaker F: You can buy Autolite staple batteries, Autolite Resistor spark plugs, Autolite electrical parts at your neighborhood Autolite dealers. Switch to Autolite. Good night. [00:31:33] Speaker B: This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System. [00:31:38] Speaker A: That was the redheaded woman from Suspense here on the mysterious Old Radio Listening Society podcast with once again, I'm Eric. [00:31:45] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:31:46] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:31:47] Speaker A: That was my pick for our podcast this week. The background on this is if you're a patreon of the mysterious old Radio Listening Society, there are perks. And one of the perks things that we do outside of just the podcast itself is we do a monthly happy hour live on Zoom where we pick some episodes that have a theme and a bunch of people sign on on the Zoom and it's it's book club for old time radio shows and we discuss those episodes with our patreons. It's a lot of fun and really cool people and all that. This month of April of this in 2025 whenever you're listening to this, our theme we decided at the end of happy hour for April was going to Be doing shows that had famous comedians doing dramatic roles. So I curated that and started listening to a bunch of them and put a bunch of them out there. And this one was left over, meaning I had more than we needed for the happy hour and decided, oh, let's just bring this to the podcast because it has Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and its suspense. And I also thought, I think there's a lot of room for some very interesting discussion of this episode. So that's why we're doing it. So if you're a Patreon and you're going to listen to this and you're going to get three more in the happy hour this month that I believe. Red Skelton, Fibbermagee and Molly, Bob Hope and Bob Hope. So that's what we're doing in the. [00:33:19] Speaker C: I mean, by the time this episode goes out, it's already happened and it's been amazing and people are still just basking in the glow of this happy hour as they hear this. [00:33:27] Speaker A: But so for those that listen, this is your extra one. [00:33:30] Speaker D: As I was listening through the first time, my initial reaction to the first half or so of the story was the stakes don't seem as high to these characters as the situation would indicate. [00:33:44] Speaker A: Right. [00:33:46] Speaker D: And then there's the ending where I go, oh, well, okay. And then after that I put together like, oh, you can't have these people, like edge of their seat, were crazed, were freaking out and then like, oh, silly us. It'll be that it doesn't work that way. So it was a really interesting script to me in retrospect of trying to balance these two halves and then getting through all that, listening to it, knowing what the whole arc is coming to realize. This is the most cold blooded ventriloquist I have ever seen represented. [00:34:23] Speaker A: So let's jump to that. I just want to point out that happy ending and they get married, that she's missing something very important. Yes. They mistook each other's identity and yes. Oh, what a. What a lark. What a lark. And let's get married and let's go back. Okay, all that's fine. The Lucille Ball character didn't stop to consider. Yes. But he still was outside your cab and having a full conversation. An argument with his dummy. That's a red flag. Red haired woman. [00:35:00] Speaker C: Well, or you could say he's just practicing his act. Why out there act is to argue with his redheaded female dummy and then murder her. [00:35:12] Speaker A: Also, she saw her in the car and being put in the car. Right. Which Means this is taken to a. [00:35:18] Speaker D: Room with got her gun. [00:35:19] Speaker A: And this is a full sized ventriloquist dummy, everybody. [00:35:23] Speaker C: I think it is a nice twist in this script to reveal that Jose thought she was the redheaded woman who had robbed the bank. So that papers over him holding her at gunpoint. But it does not forgive the ventriloquism bit. And I've heard other people critique this because they just thought it's too ridiculous that he's a ventriloquist. I don't care. I love ventriloquists. I love. I love the whole carny vibe. I'm down. [00:35:50] Speaker D: We all love ventriloquist. [00:35:51] Speaker C: The Ray Bradbury Tom surround ourselves. It's just that it is so thin as a clue. It's thin as a red herring because nobody would do the red haired red herring like murder act. It's so strained. And now I want to jump quickly onto Tim's arc with this, which is the exact same arc I had where I was like, why are they so unengaged? It kills all the suspense. They're treating it like they're Lucy and Desi doing a suspense episode. [00:36:28] Speaker A: That's exactly right. [00:36:29] Speaker C: And I got to the end, then re listened to it and I came to the same realization. Okay, if I'm going to be generous, if I'm going to steel man. Their performance. They are playing. I came to the same conclusion. Playing to the last beat. [00:36:43] Speaker A: Yep. [00:36:44] Speaker C: And so they want to create the characters that would realistically fall in love and get married. Now my response to that is change that ending, you idiots. [00:36:53] Speaker A: Yes. [00:36:54] Speaker C: Don't destroy an episode of suspense to justify that ending. And even that I question whether that was really what they were doing. [00:37:03] Speaker D: I think they got to what I came up with. Like, this is a good story, not good suspense episode. [00:37:08] Speaker A: First of all, I believe the popular Eluzer Desi. Somebody got involved with this script and said this is how it's got to end and this is how it has to go. And I feel like there is marketing involved in this. Let me give you some examples. Lucille Ball is a tremendous actor and it shows up again in this. Much like Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek. She's acting and everybody else is terrible. So. [00:37:39] Speaker C: She really isn't. I love Lucille Ball. [00:37:41] Speaker I: She is. [00:37:42] Speaker C: She is phoning it in in this episode. She's better than reading it. [00:37:46] Speaker D: Desi got some Star Trek. [00:37:47] Speaker A: I disagree. Desi is terrible. [00:37:49] Speaker C: I disagree. I feel Desi has a little life and joy to him. She's just. And I love Lucille Ball. In other Spence episodes. [00:37:56] Speaker A: But this is what I'm saying. The character that he's doing is the same in I Love Lucy. [00:38:00] Speaker D: He hasn't done it yet. [00:38:02] Speaker C: Zing, zing. He's doing Jose and I Love Lucy. Ricky's a ventriloquist. [00:38:09] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:10] Speaker C: Wake up in the last episode and she's in bed with a ventriloquist. [00:38:16] Speaker A: So it could have so much more meat, this ending. I agree with Tim. I love this twist that they both think that each other is the thing that you got a great script there. I think the ventriloquist part is not only hokey, but again, I'm making a joke, but it is a big hole for me. You are going to marry this person who's outside talking to a ventriloquist dummy. [00:38:38] Speaker C: And I think is someone thought it was adorable to do the meta thing, that it's Lucy and Desi, let's have them get married at the end. And I reached the same conclusion as Tim of like, well, maybe Lucy was trying to justify that character at the end, but she didn't need to. Like, she could have performed the tension of the scenario. It's just from the get go. She doesn't give us any sort of idea as to why she would be motivated to steal that money. And it's like she got broken up with. Yeah. But she's really mellow. It's the most civil, low key breakup ever. And I say this as a Lucille Ball fan. And her performances in other episodes of Suspense have been superb. [00:39:21] Speaker A: Correct. [00:39:21] Speaker C: She just had a bad week where she went, I'm just gonna go get that paycheck. I'm gonna read these lines and go home. [00:39:28] Speaker A: The point you're making about the breakup being mellow and not offering us motivation for her to commit that big of a crime, I agree with. Because we are told that this is not boyfriend, girlfriend, their fiance. [00:39:42] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:39:42] Speaker A: And he did it over the phone, jackass. And then she has to send him the ring back. Like, that's a huge thing. [00:39:49] Speaker D: She has to kind of get it out of him. [00:39:51] Speaker A: Which is supposedly on script. The motivation for her to go, well, then screw it. Life's not worth living. I'm going to go live this other life. But it doesn't come across and let me back up. [00:40:02] Speaker C: At first I thought it was fascinating how muted she was. I thought it was intentional. I thought like, oh, maybe she's psychotic. Right. Or just the we're gonna see her snap, tamp everything down until she freaks out. But she stays exactly at that level. Like the most life she Gives any line, is reading the menu that she's offering him at the end of tacos and enchiladas. Wow. Had you put a little of that into the rest of the script, Luc? [00:40:33] Speaker D: See the story that it sort of promises a little of this very nice, well mannered person who's gonna commit the one crime and get in so much trouble. There's so many good suspense and escape scripts. They're like, I did one thing wrong and it's spiral out of control. [00:40:48] Speaker A: Right. [00:40:49] Speaker C: I think also the suspense beats are very familiar by this time. It's sort of a muted on a country road kind of thing. [00:40:59] Speaker A: Let me ask you this. The beats of who's in charge? Did it feel like filler to you? Like, now I'm gonna get the gun back. Now you get the gun back. Now I get the gun back. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, is that essential to narrative? Is it suspenseful? Is it intriguing, or is it filler? [00:41:18] Speaker D: What's this line between marital farce and edge of your seat thriller? [00:41:25] Speaker A: I think it was intended. Yeah. [00:41:27] Speaker D: It doesn't do either of them really well. [00:41:28] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it's intended to create the suspense of, oh, now she's back in charge. But instead it just felt like, now what? Okay. [00:41:38] Speaker C: Yeah, it's like, oh, you got the gun again, right? It was like they were playing checkers. [00:41:42] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:41:42] Speaker D: Oh, you should have searched me. Ah, yeah, I should have searched you. [00:41:45] Speaker A: Yeah. Right. Okay, good. So it wasn't just me. One of the reasons I said yes. Let's bring this to the podcast is, yes, it's Lucy and Ricky. And let's hear this. And yeah, this is phenomenal as far as historical significance. But the other reason was I just wanted the three of us to rewrite this thing because it's really close to a. Cool. So here's the other thing it needs. Bank robbery. This is the center one. I'm using my hands on the podcast. That's the center story. There's a bank robbery, blah, blah, blah. Here's the description of the people. Here's a person that kind of matches that, who's also done commit a crime. We're still good. We got all that. Ricky's character, Jose needs to also have done something wrong, but not that he needs to be on the run. Also, Eric's ventriloquist, he has done something very wrong. He's arguing with a full sized. This is a blow up doll, people. This is not a ventriloquist act. And the carnival thing, Oh, I really want to go In. And here's a car. Wow, is that forced? Right. So that we can bring back the fact that he's from that carnival she saw. Do you know what I mean? It's forced in there. [00:43:05] Speaker C: And yet I didn't the first time I heard it, which wasn't for this part. I've heard it years ago, but I didn't make the connection. I didn't jump to the conclusion that he was a ventriloquist. Even though. [00:43:15] Speaker D: No, that's fair. I did not like. [00:43:17] Speaker I: Ah, this old chestnut. [00:43:18] Speaker C: Oh, boy. [00:43:19] Speaker A: I will. [00:43:19] Speaker C: Here we go. [00:43:20] Speaker A: I will say at the end, once revealed, by the way, when he's doing the voice, which he's not, of course, but when he's doing the voice at the end to explain to her. I thought we were in a flashback scene. So I still didn't know what was going on. So why aren't I was. [00:43:31] Speaker D: What I was trying to imagine of like, it's my conjoined twin, right. [00:43:36] Speaker A: So when he said she goes, oh my gosh, you're a ventriloquist. That was the first time that ever entered my head. So I will give him that. I went, oh, oh, that's stupid. But caught me off guard. [00:43:48] Speaker C: What should happen is that the conversation she overhears should be written in some way where because of the stressful situation that she is in and she is our perspective character that we hear it the way she hears it as a murder. But as soon as it's revealed that it's a ventriloquist, we go, oh, that could also be a ventriloquist act. But here it's like, that could never be a ventriloquist act. [00:44:16] Speaker A: Right? [00:44:17] Speaker C: Like that makes no sense. [00:44:18] Speaker A: It makes no sense at all. Because first of all, it's a full sized. When it's a full size, they don't say. [00:44:25] Speaker C: I just think it's a tiny, tiny woman's body. The giant full size. [00:44:30] Speaker A: She sees it in the car. She sees him putting it in the car. The organization. [00:44:33] Speaker C: Yeah, but it's rolled in blankets. [00:44:35] Speaker A: Yeah, okay. [00:44:36] Speaker C: Hiding its tiny dummy body. [00:44:43] Speaker A: The point being is two people on the lam or have done something wrong being falsely accused by each other of a third crime that neither one of them but they both fit is a really interesting premise. Do you know what I'm saying? Like that they're so close here. [00:45:00] Speaker D: And I think, I think the thing that is for me even harder than to get my head around than the ventriloquism is that she stole a sizable amount of money, a life ruining amount of money if she gets caught. [00:45:14] Speaker C: A quarter of a million dollars in today's money. I did look that up. [00:45:18] Speaker D: And at the end, it's almost like she has to be reminded, like, oh, you have all this money in your purse. Like, oh, yeah, yeah. [00:45:25] Speaker A: Also, now that they've realized this, that they falsely accused each other and she has all that money in her purse. Go to Mexico, you guys. Don't go home to that life. Keep the money and go. [00:45:41] Speaker C: Yeah, you get all the tacos and enchiladas and you can get against the ventriloquist code. [00:45:46] Speaker A: Well, he could get a regular sized ventriloquist tummy. Then he could afford. Not the full size works. Yes, full size or cheaper. [00:45:54] Speaker D: You're very wealthy. You get a very tiny venture stomach. [00:45:57] Speaker C: The other big script issue I have is everything is revealed with a radio announcement. [00:46:05] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:46:05] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:46:05] Speaker A: It's just really good timing of turning on the radio. [00:46:09] Speaker C: Yeah. And it would have been so much more interesting if after both suspecting one another, they actually stumble across the actual murderers and have to realize, oh, wait. [00:46:22] Speaker D: A second, these are identical twins. [00:46:27] Speaker C: They're also from the carnival there. [00:46:29] Speaker A: Right. Why are you dressed like us? [00:46:33] Speaker C: But it just goes and then stops. [00:46:36] Speaker A: Yep. [00:46:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:46:37] Speaker A: When you see suspense Red Haired Woman starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, the hope is high. But I think, and I'm gonna say it again, I know I said it, I think this got marred by someone or many people getting involved saying, this has to have this kind of ending and it has to have this cheese value. [00:47:00] Speaker C: If it had actually been suspenseful all the way up to that point, you'd forgive it. If Lucy had actually made an effort, then I would have thought that ending was really funny and a little cute button. And as long as it was suspenseful up to there, I wouldn't have cared. It's everything before for that ending that annoys me. [00:47:17] Speaker A: Right. [00:47:17] Speaker D: I theorize that a lot of how we perceive of Desi and Lucy in popular culture is based upon I love Lucy that didn't exist. That this might be a time when people like, we really want. We like these two people. We like that they're a real married couple. [00:47:36] Speaker A: Yes. [00:47:37] Speaker D: This sitcom like story was something that people wanted at the time that they'd be really happy to hear this. [00:47:46] Speaker A: I agree. [00:47:46] Speaker D: Yeah. After years and years of the TV. [00:47:48] Speaker A: Show like, eh, I agree that they were probably right and people liked it, but there's a lot of meat left on that bone that could have been explored. [00:47:57] Speaker C: Although I am and always have been a big defender of Desi Arnaz in that. I think he's underrated as a comedy straight. [00:48:08] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:48:08] Speaker C: I think he's really good. Obviously his role in the I Love Lucy show was not to be the comedian, but he's quite funny and his timing is impeccable. And like I said, I thought he had more life to his performance. Even though, again, it didn't seem to really jibe with the script. [00:48:27] Speaker A: Right. [00:48:27] Speaker C: But it at least wasn't a monotone reading. [00:48:31] Speaker A: Yes, I will give you that. I wanted to hear him sound scary. [00:48:36] Speaker C: And he does do the one Desi slash Ricky Ricardo like, guffaw. [00:48:43] Speaker A: Yeah, he does. [00:48:45] Speaker C: So that made me happy. [00:48:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:47] Speaker C: But you're right, they are kind of prisoners of I Love Lucy when you listen to this today. [00:48:52] Speaker A: That's exactly right. Great premise. Needed to not waste this premise on these two stars because you got handcuffed by that. [00:49:02] Speaker C: I also think there were script problems too. So this is like a perfect storm of problems. [00:49:08] Speaker A: Yes. [00:49:08] Speaker C: I also wonder how much like, Lucy and Desi say, hey, I'll do this script. And then they get it and they're like, this sucks. [00:49:15] Speaker A: Right. [00:49:15] Speaker C: And there's a little bit of petulance to Lucy's performance. Sure. Well, if you're gonna give me a crappy script, I'm not even gonna try. I'm now totally just backfilling revelations and behind the scenes gossip that I've created entirely. [00:49:32] Speaker D: This was written by a corgi. [00:49:35] Speaker A: What's that Internet myth that goes around about Lucy discovering a secret? Do you not know this story? It goes all over the. It's a lie, by the way. It's a lie that Lucy had a filling in her mouth that was receiving radio signals. [00:49:54] Speaker C: Yes. [00:49:55] Speaker A: And they were able to uncover a Japanese. [00:49:59] Speaker C: I have heard this. Yes. [00:50:00] Speaker F: That's awesome. [00:50:01] Speaker A: Oh, it's awesome. It's all bs. [00:50:04] Speaker C: I think it was based on an interview or some joke that she did hold. [00:50:08] Speaker A: A joke. [00:50:09] Speaker C: Yes. And so. But then it got turned into, you. [00:50:12] Speaker A: Can still find people telling this story as fact. And so they dug under the studio she was at and discovered an underground office where secret Japanese guys were spies were sending out signals that we only knew about because Lucy's tooth picked up the radio signals. Which is also an episode of Gilligan's Island, I believe. Anyway, voting. I'll start with highly disappointed. So much potential. That's all I got for this. The story has potential. And I will tell you that in all sincerity, I have notes on this premise of a story that I might write something that has that idea of criminals on the land, being accusing each other, being a third different crime. A different crime. [00:51:07] Speaker I: Yeah. [00:51:07] Speaker A: I just. There's something to that. [00:51:09] Speaker D: I kind of want to say this doesn't stand the test of time because in a lot of what the complaints are had to do with the span of time that it's been. It's just plain old. Like, there are parts of this story that I enjoy that are really interesting to me, but it kind of fails at the basic episode of suspense. It does not have me on the edge of my seat. [00:51:33] Speaker A: No. [00:51:34] Speaker C: Yeah. I also struggle with determining whether this stands the test of time or not, because I think the weaknesses of the script would have been a weakness at the time. However, at the time, Lucy and Desi performing it would have been more of a novelty than it is now. And so I do think it struggles to stand the test of time because that value that was there in 1940, whatever, is not there today because we have access to Lucy and Desi doing so many other things that are so much better, including another suspense episode, which will bring some other point to the podcast. Hopefully it's better. I can't remember if I've heard it or not. I've definitely heard this before, and I'm like, I'm not bringing this to the podcast. This sucks. Thanks, Eric. [00:52:22] Speaker A: You're welcome, Tim. Tell him stuff. [00:52:28] Speaker D: Hey, please go visit ghoulishdelight.com that's the home of this podcast. You'll find other episodes there, including some other Lucy episodes of suspense, which are really good. You'll also find links to our swag store, our spreadshirt store. [00:52:43] Speaker C: Bro, stop saying that. [00:52:45] Speaker B: That's what it's called. [00:52:47] Speaker D: Our spreadshop. [00:52:50] Speaker A: Gross. [00:52:50] Speaker C: Oh, my God. [00:52:52] Speaker A: That's something you get in the hospital. [00:52:53] Speaker D: You can get, like a spread sweater or a spread mug. It's all good stuff. And you could link to our. I won't even add spread to it, so keep it. Keep it pristine. Our Patreon page. [00:53:07] Speaker C: Go to patreon.com themorals and spread this podcast. No. Eric already did the best promotion for becoming a patron, and that is that you get to hang out with us. I mean, that is worth at least a couple bucks, right? [00:53:24] Speaker F: Isn't it? [00:53:26] Speaker D: I mean, a couple bucks of you giving it to us. [00:53:29] Speaker C: Yes, yes, yes. We've been told we're fun. So if you would like to determine how fun we are, Please go to patreon.com themorals if you'd like to see us performing live. [00:53:43] Speaker A: The mysterious old radio listing Society Theater Company does recreations of classic old time radio shows and a lot of our own original work live on stage. Come see us performing audio. [00:53:55] Speaker C: Come see us spread laugh live, live. Spread, spread, spread. [00:54:01] Speaker A: You can go to ghoulishdelights.com and that's where you can find out where we're performing, what we're performing and how to get tickets. And if you can't see us on any particular show on any particular month, we glasses, we, we do record the audio of those live performances and that we, if you're a patreon, you get to listen to those shows. [00:54:25] Speaker C: It's a perk, it's a spread per person to them. [00:54:27] Speaker A: Yes. Or we double your fee. Right? [00:54:31] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:54:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:54:32] Speaker C: What's a donation? [00:54:33] Speaker B: It's a fee. [00:54:36] Speaker C: It's a tariff. [00:54:40] Speaker A: What's coming up next? [00:54:42] Speaker C: Next is my choice and we will be listening to an episode of the Mysterious Traveler titled the Accusing Corpse. Until then.