Roma wines presents Suspense.
Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Salud.
Your health, Signor.
Roma wines toast the world. The wine for your table is Roma wine.
Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
This is the man in black here for the Roma wine company of Fresno, California.
To introduce this weekly half hour of Suspense.
Tonight in Hollywood Roma wines bring you the MGM star Miss Lucille Ball.
The Suspense play which stars Miss Ball, which is produced and directed by William Spear,
is called Dime a Dance.
It deals, as you will presently know, with Broadway life and sudden death.
Both set to music.
And so with Dime a Dance and with the performance of Lucille Ball as a red haired young lady
named Ginger Allen, Roma wines again hope to keep you in Suspense.
Have you ever danced to the murder?
It doesn't cost anymore for the extra thrill.
It's only a dime.
How could I do it, you say?
I had to to save my own life.
I'm a practice dancer in Joyland Palace.
One of the places just off Broadway in the 40s, you know the kind of place.
Second rate dance bands like Frankie Frohman's 15 Frolicers.
I was late to work that night.
I ran down Broadway scrambling through the crowd to the entrance of the Joyland.
Fifty beautiful girls upstairs, boys.
Come in and count them yourself.
No one makes it ten cents a dance.
The men will just get started.
The music is the very-
Hello, Max.
Hey, Ginger.
You better step on him.
Marina's looking for you.
You're late.
He's burning.
I know.
Has Julie come in yet?
Not yet.
Fifty beautiful girls waiting to dance with us.
Step right in.
Four seconds, please.
All three of you, step.
Good evening.
So you finally decided to come, did you?
Hi, I'm Marina.
Sorry I'm late.
Hey, Audubon.
It's okay, Julie.
All the cash customers are waiting.
I sent out the girls before all the years are here and you say I'm playing favorites.
Well, blame it on Julie.
She gave me a stand-up tonight.
All right, so I'll blame it on Julie.
Where is she?
Isn't she here?
No, she ain't home neither because I phoned her there 15 minutes ago.
I thought she was with you.
And I thought she was here.
Hey, if this is no gag, what happens if I call her?
I'll call her.
If this is no gag, what happens to her?
Well, that's what I'm beginning to wonder.
Go on in and get your stuff on.
Julie will be all right.
Yeah, maybe she slipped in while you were busy counting tickets or something.
See you right away, Marina.
Thanks for being late and being teacher's pet.
We've been entertained by Mom here while waiting for you.
All right, lay off.
Mom, throw me that foot powder.
Looks like a heavy night out there.
My feet still hurt from last night.
Here you are, dear.
That's the way I am, girlie.
What I like every once in a while is the good juicy moose.
I'm not a moose.
I'm a moose.
That's your, Marino. Think we're giving a free show in here?
Ah, you couldn't interest anybody in that chassis of yours even with a set of dishes thrown in.
All right, all of you, file out. I got something to tell Ginger.
Ah, come on, get out.
Uh, Ginger, what I wanted to see you about...
I know, I know, Marino. I put you in a spot. I'll be dressed in a minute,
and if you ward off those garlic eaters tonight, I'll work twice as hard and make it up to you, Honest.
I'm in no spot, Ginger, but you are.
Marino, what's the matter? What's happened?
The police want to see you, Ginger.
Police? What for? I didn't do anything.
I'm sorry, Ginger, but...
Something's happened to Julie.
That's what the police want to see you by.
Julie's dead.
Dead?
Moted.
Tonight in our suspense theater, death is a dancing thing.
Roma Wines is bringing you Lucille Ball, a star of suspense.
In the Cornell Woolwich story, dime a dance.
You have heard the prologue for tonight's tale of suspense.
Before we return to the scene of our drama, let me say just this.
Few spots on the globe boast the unique and perfect combination of nature's gifts,
which makes possible truly good wine.
Wine which the whole world can enjoy.
But wine experts will tell you that among those fortunate spots,
none can surpass the vineyards of our own California.
From these renowned California vineyards come Roma Wines.
Wines so perfect in flavor, so delightful,
that they are enjoyed in many countries of the world.
To us in America, Roma Wines are an everyday treat,
for we may buy them at an astonishingly low price,
since we pay no import duties or expensive shipping costs.
Do you enjoy a delicious, tangy sherry?
Tomorrow, treat yourself to a glass of Roma California sherry.
We're sure you will agree you've never tasted finer.
With your first sip, you'll understand why Roma Wines are America's largest selling wine.
Tomorrow, ask your dealer for your favorite type of Roma Wine,
made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
And now it is with pleasure that Roma Wines bring back to our soundstage,
Miss Lucille Ball in Dime a Dance.
A tale well calculated to keep you in...
...sustains.
All the way over in that police car with those two flat feet from homicide,
I could see Marino's face when he said, murdered.
Poor Marino.
We got out and walked up to the third floor of the building, the Julie's room.
Marino never said a word.
All right, sister, in here.
Is she... is she still in there?
No, you won't have to look at her.
Oh.
How did it happen?
Strangled.
Why didn't she yell out? There were plenty of people around.
Alec, Ginger, we're asking the question.
Yeah, but since you raise it, we figured the person who could get close enough to kill Marino
was someone she felt safe with.
She was murdered by someone she trusted, by a friend.
Well, I was the only friend she had.
Yeah, so they'd tell us.
Unless she had a boyfriend.
And who was her boyfriend?
Yeah.
If she was strangled, where did all the blood come from?
Flatfoot didn't answer Marino.
He shut up all at once as if he didn't have the heart to tell us the rest of it.
His eyes gave him away, though.
I got the whole score just following his gaze around the room.
First he looked at the little phonograph.
By using bamboo needles, she could play it late at night.
Soft, you know, so no one could hear it.
The needle was worn down halfway, all shredded as though it had been played over and over.
Then his eyes wandered to a flat piece of paper that had eight or ten shiny new dimes on it.
Some had little brown flecks on them.
Then his eyes went down to the rug, it was all pleated up in places, especially along the edges, as though something heavy, something lifeless, had been dragged back and forth over it.
You mean he danced with her after he killed her?
Gave her a dime a dance even then?
Now will you tell us?
Who was her boyfriend?
Play that record.
Maybe she'll remember some guy they both knew who was hept on the piece.
He was the only one he played.
You just must die for Butterfly.
Turn it off! Stop it! Stop that music!
That wasn't hers, she never had that record.
Poor Butterfly, she hated it.
She couldn't stand it. Someone brought that record here with him.
Sure someone did. Maybe her boyfriend sort of...
There was no boyfriend, it was someone who waited for her in that room in the dark and killed her before she could scream.
It was the same madman who killed those two other dance hall girls.
He pays a dime a dance. A dime a dance whether you're alive or dead.
Back at the grind. The flat feet let me go, nobody told me anything.
Sometime when you have nothing better to do you try dancing with a couple of hundred guys a night asking yourself each time one of them wraps his arms around you, is this the killer?
Has he a knife in his hand behind my back?
Say, can I see you a minute?
Got a ticket?
I'll be right back.
Yeah, but I don't want to dance Ginger, I want to talk.
Well it's your dime.
Say, how do you know my name?
What, just happened to?
Who are you anyway?
Recognize those two guys leaning against the wall?
The two flat feet?
And I'm the third, Nick's the name.
What about Merk, about her boyfriend?
Relax, we have proof it wasn't her boyfriend and it wasn't you.
Oh, then you expect him to show up again after what he's done already, huh?
We just got the report on those other two girls.
They were killed by a maniac who played poor butterfly.
Also the fingerprints in all three cases match.
He'll keep it up until we get him.
How do you know what he looks like?
We don't, we only know he isn't through yet.
That's why I was assigned to protect you.
Protect me?
Yep.
Keep my eye on you all night while you work and then take you home right to your door.
Now, Marina knows about the other two dicks, but no one knows about me.
In fact, this headquarters told me not to tell even you.
Then why did you?
I just saw how touchy you are.
I don't want you to misunderstand my intentions.
Well, what if someone asks me who you are?
Say, I'm your new boyfriend.
Oh, don't get smart, I never had a boyfriend.
Good, now you've got one.
Oh, 35 girls on this musical chain gang, why do you pick on me?
Because we found out one more thing about you.
Because we found out one more thing about the killer's habits.
The two girls that were murdered before Julie, both had red hair.
Julie had red hair?
Yeah, and so have you, baby.
So I was set up as victim number four.
Nice thought.
But every night like the milkman, just when the girls filed out to feast the arms and eyes of the wolves, there was Nick.
Now that was some comfort.
Nothing personal, you understand.
It was also a comfort to see those other two flat feet on the job night after night.
How's Ginger?
Fine, how's Nick?
You're four minutes late.
Miss me?
Oh, I'm just a tax payer that wants to see a public servant earn his money.
If the city got broke, I'd do this job for nothing.
Uh-oh, your straw boss, Marino, is giving you the high side.
I'll go see what he wants, you wait here.
It's on your mind, Marino.
Hey, who is that monkey hanging around you every night?
He pays for his tickets, doesn't he?
Yeah, but he never uses them. Who is he?
My boyfriend.
Oh, you know him long?
Long enough.
Take care of yourself, Ginger.
Don't worry, Marino, I know my way around, but thanks.
Besides, we're not running any matrimonial bureau around here.
You've got to spread yourself around a little more.
Share the wealth. There's other customers here.
All right, all right.
Now watch out, will you?
All right.
What did he want?
Oh, nothing.
Nick, is there any news?
You know, it's a month since Judy was...
No, no, no, no. Calm down, Redhead.
That's just it, that red hair.
Look, why won't you let me dye it?
Oh, I've got my reasons.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You great big silent strong cop.
That's right, those cops.
And then came that night, that horrible night.
I was late as usual, got to the dressing room
planning to dress in no-seconds flat
so I could get out on the floor and be with Nick.
Somehow I felt that I was going to need him that night.
Some instinct told me it was a matter of life or death.
It's been a whole month since the last one.
What I like every once in a while is a good, juicy murder.
Come on, snap it up.
What do you think I pay you girls for anyway?
Who are you looking out the door for, Ginger?
Now you take that killing machine.
There was a real juicy case.
Oh, shut up, Mom. Will you cut it out?
Oh, I'm sorry, dearie.
I keep forgetting you and she's been so cool.
That's all right. I'm jittery.
Laverne, have you seen my boyfriend?
Not tonight. Maybe he got bored.
Billy, have you seen Nick? You know, the tall, handsome...
Not tonight, Redhead. I guess he's giving you the air.
Come on, come on up. What am I paying you for?
Come on.
What's the matter, Ginger? You look like you've seen a ghost.
What are you looking for out there?
What's so fascinating about the clock?
Marino, they're not there. Where are those two flat seats?
How'd you know about that?
Never mind that now. Where are they?
Called off.
That sounds scurry to me, but police headquarters figures
they frightened off whoever they were looking for.
But that's crazy. I'm gonna fall...
I won't do no good. I told them anybody had to wait
till it cooled off before trying again.
Now is when we should have protection.
Well, come on. Get out on the floor. Come on, Ollie. Out on the floor.
All right, I'll be out in a second. Really, I will, Marino.
Laverne.
Yes, hi.
As soon as Nick comes in, tell him to come right here.
Tell him to tap on the door, will you?
Sure enough, sugar.
Hey, what are you looking at me like that for, Ginger?
Look, Mom, I gotta talk to you.
I can't go out there on the floor. I'm scared.
But what are you tearing holes in me for?
Mom, you and I were here in this room the last night Julie was alive.
The night she must have been killed, remember?
You poor kid. I always liked you.
Look, we gotta remember. We've just got to.
There was someone dancing with Julie that night.
Some rum-dum.
Julie said something about him. I can't remember what it was she said.
Oh, you mean the one that hurt her hand?
That's it. That's it. Hurt her hand.
Then her wrist back when they were dancing.
Yes, that's the guy. She said it was almost like as if he got a kick out of hurting her.
Yeah.
In a squint.
Yeah, I know. What else? What else?
Well, Julie called him a cement mixer.
Oh, now we're getting somewhere, Mom. Think hard.
Oh, he had Julie crazy, dancing like a slap-happy pug.
I remember her describing it.
He'd take three little steps to the right as if he was getting ready for a standing broad jump.
That was it.
Remember how Julie said she felt like screaming, for Pete's sake, if you're gonna jump, jump?
Yeah, three steps to the right, and if you're gonna jump, jump.
Hey, what are you doing, Ginger?
Some detective work? Getting some clues?
You know who we're talking about, Mom?
The killer.
Yeah. Oh!
If he enjoyed hurting her like that, Mom, as a hunch he was still alive,
he'd enjoy dancing with her after she was dead.
Oh, his wife's son, Prune Face. Why, that...
There's someone I gotta tell this to right away. Oh, where the...
Nick! See you later, Mom.
Hey. How's Ginger?
Oh, Nick. How's Nick?
Are you trembling? Sure it's me. Why not?
I thought you were called off the case.
We were.
Then what are you doing here?
Habit. Do you mind?
No, you dumb ape, I don't mind. Boy, how I don't mind.
And as long as it isn't duty anymore,
do you mind if I do something to you that I've wanted to do for days?
Well, it depends.
I want to take you in my arms.
All right, take me in your arms and dance. Anyway, for the time being.
I'm a rotten dancer.
You're telling me.
Nick, Nick, we gotta talk.
I just found out something about the killer that you ought to know.
Later. I paid Marina for all the dances to the end.
We can leave whenever you want.
After this song, they play Dinah, and then comes the break. We can leave then.
What makes you so sure?
Well, the band always plays the song in the same order.
Then they can sleep while they work. I tell time by them.
Slime House Blues means it's 10.45, Lady with a Tramp means 11.15,
Dinah means 11.30. Never changes except when there's a request number.
You know, I like everything about you.
I like everything about you, but you're dancing.
Light up on my hand, will you? You're bending it upside down. It hurts my wrist.
I told you I was a rotten dancer.
Well, for Pete's sake, don't dance like you were priming for a standing broad jump.
If you're going to jump, jump.
That's not Dinah.
No, certainly isn't. It's a request number.
Who requested it?
I did.
What's the matter, baby? You look sick.
I...I...I feel just awful. I...I do feel sick.
Am I dancing that bad?
No, no, I just...I...Nick, I'll have to stop at the air, I guess.
I'll go in to get a drink of water. Yeah, drink of water in the ladies' room.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'll wait here for you.
I'll just be a minute.
Operator?
Operator. Operator, give me the police department, Homicide Squad.
Police department, Homicide, right away.
Homicide?
Hello, Homicide. This is Ginger Allen at Joyland. The third man you assigned to our place is...
Third man? What third man?
Nick Ballester, the one you assigned to protect me.
We have no Nick Ballester, and there was no man assigned by us to protect you.
It's the killer. He's taking me out with him. I don't know where to.
Look, I'll leave a trail of ticket stubs. Please come quick.
Ginger.
Goodbye, Katie. Sorry you couldn't work tonight. I'll fix it with Marino.
How you feeling?
You shouldn't have come in here, Nick. Did you see the sign?
All that? Men keep out, violator subject to arrest?
Didn't say positively. Besides, they wouldn't arrest a cop.
Why couldn't you leave me in here alone?
You were gone so long, I thought something had happened.
Nothing's happened...yet.
Don't ask me how, but I kept up a patter while we walked.
All my brains were in my right hand to clutch those ticket stubs in my coat pocket.
I kept dropping those stubs, making sure he didn't see.
I tried to stay on the bright streets, but he led me to the lonely ones.
The one we were on now was like a graveyard. No lights, no people.
Suddenly I felt my blood run cold.
My fingers in that right hand pocket fished around like a drowning man clutching for straw.
The last ticket stub was gone.
Ginger.
Yes, Nick?
I'm hungry. Would you like some chop suey?
Like it? Oh, I'd love it.
He ate that chop suey with an appetite, like a guy who had work to do.
Work he was going to enjoy.
I side-sneaked a glance at the jukebox without turning my head, you know, just my eyes.
What a relief. All kinds of songs, but no poor butterfly.
Nick was beginning to act nervous. He'd guzzle a cup of tea, pour another, keep looking over his shoulder,
like he was worried somebody might be following him.
Then he'd grin like he used to and reach over for my hand.
He pressed my fingers till they hurt. Hard, like he never pressed them before.
I guess...I guess he couldn't wait.
And suddenly he stood up.
Ask the weight of the check, Ginger. I'm just going to wash my hands.
But it's time we left.
Waiter. Waiter, quick.
Yes, you men. What will you be?
I'm leaving. When my boyfriend comes out, tell him you think I went back to the powder room.
Gag. You know, he's a deadbeat. I want to shake him.
Maybe...don't understand.
Marino, how did you get here?
Mom saw me, and I followed your ticket stub. He almost saw me. Come on, quick.
Marino, thank heaven you got here.
I'm going to get you a new one.
Marino, I can't run anymore. I won't last the block.
You won't have to. There's a vacant house in the middle of the block.
Here, inside. Fair thought, I think I've seen him coming.
It's all dark in here.
No one lives here, that's why. Here, I'll light this search light.
There's a stairway leading upstairs.
Go ahead. Now watch it. Now don't trip. The stairs are broken.
Here. Now. Do this door.
Oh.
Here's a candle and a match.
Okay.
There. Now we can see each other. Wait.
Do you think we're safe?
We'll know in a few minutes.
Oh, Marino.
Good job!
Oh, damn.
Put out that candle. Now hide. Right there. I'll take care of him.
Ginger!
Jim!
All right, you ask for it!
See about that.
Marino. Who?
Who is it? Who is it? Answer me. Answer me, please.
Who?
Oh, my God.
Oh, go on. Kill me. Get it over with.
Oh, why did you stop the music?
We danced from the beginning of the record.
Marino!
Yeah. Yeah, Muriel. You think you can hide from me with different names and different faces?
Marino! Why do you call me Muriel? What are you doing? I'm Ginger, don't you remember? I'm Ginger Allen.
Each time you tell me a different name, Muriel, that you can't get away by changing names.
Marino!
The first time you changed your name was when you married me before I left for Europe with that operetta company.
You remember? You all got to play poor butterfly when you promised to love me forever.
Help me. Somebody help me.
Yeah, well, the next time you changed your name was when you thought I was dead.
Lived on my insurance and married another me. No matter how many times you changed your name, Muriel, I'll find you.
No, not me. You killed her. You killed her, Marino, again and again. You only killed her last month, Marino.
Next time I think I have, she rises again. This time I'm going to kill you and your lover. This is the last time.
Oh, Nick!
And now we dance. Now we dance. Dance. Whenever you're dying, the road you were going on, dance.
And now we dance. And then you...
How's Ginger?
Oh, Nick. Oh, Nick. I thought he killed you.
I got an awfully hard head. The police will be here in just a minute.
Oh, Nick. How do you fit into this? Headquarters never heard of you.
They were instructed to say that in case you called.
What was the idea? You scared me to death!
I figured Marino would follow Ginger and her boyfriend once he thought the police were off the case. And when he did, I had to have you thinking I was the killer, so you'd run off with him willingly.
Why, you no good...
It was the only way to find his hideout and the evidence we need. The phonograph, the record, and the attempted murder.
At my expense, you big piece of... Another thing. How'd you know about dancing like a broad jumper and turning up my wrist?
Oh, I listened outside the door to you and Mom talking about that in the dressing room tonight. Gave me a couple of neat pointers.
I put them together with poor Butterfly so I could scare the daylights out of you.
Oh, you did, too. Hang on, I'll ring your...
Oh, calm down. No wife of mine is gonna have a redhead of temper.
Wife of yours? You'll do anything to learn how to dance, won't you?
Yeah, it looks that way.
No wonder you didn't want me to dye my hair. You wanted that nice, premature gray color.
And so closes Dime a Dance presented by Roma Wines and starring Lucille Ball, tonight's tale of... Suspense.
In just a moment, we'll hear again from Miss Ball.
First, though, let's visit a glamorous casino somewhere on the sunny Caribbean.
Smartly dressed people stroll about the garden. The strains of a Cuban song float out.
Two men watch from a table on the terrace. One is a Cuban, the other a North American.
One is about to propose a toast...
To your beautiful country, Jose.
I drink to that. Now I propose a toast.
To this wine in which we drink our toast. It comes from North America, from California.
Its name is Roma.
Only a few places in the world produce wine so fine that many countries enjoy them.
And among these enjoyable wines are Roma Wines.
For they come from vineyard districts that are among the finest in the world, our own sunny California.
What better testimonial to the quality of Roma Wines could you ask than the wine of the world?
What better testimonial to the quality of Roma Wines could you ask than the fact that Roma Wines are made in California for the enjoyment of the world?
There is a fine Roma Wine for you, whether your taste calls for a sherry, a burgundy, or sotern.
And no matter what type of Roma Wine you buy, you know you're receiving a truly fine wine at a price made possible
because Roma Wines are the overwhelming favorite of Americans, America's largest selling wine.
I'll show you his assortment of Roma Wines tomorrow and choose your favorite.
Roma. R-O-M-A. Roma Wines.
Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Remember, this is the year of decision.
And that means that this year more than ever before, we should all buy more and even more war bonds and stamps.
This is Lucille Ball. It's been a great pleasure to appear on Suspense this evening.
Next week, I know you'll want to be listening, as I certainly will, to a very wonderful actor, Mr. Paul Lucas,
who will appear in a Suspense play called, A World of Darkness.
Thank you, Miss Ball.
Lucille Ball appeared tonight through the courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of Madame Curie.
Don't forget then, next Thursday, same time, for Paul Lucas in Suspense.
Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A.
Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.