Roma wines present.
Suspense.
Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
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 from Hollywood Roma wines bring you a star and old friend of these proceedings.
Mr. Peter Laurie and a newcomer, Mr. Richard Condon.
For their appearance tonight, Joe Isinger has written an original suspense play with sporting blood in its veins.
And in which death has a ringside seat.
Its title with apologies to Mr. Steinbeck is of Maestro and Man.
And so with the performance of Peter Laurie as the Maestro and of Richard Condon as the Man.
We again hope to keep you in suspense.
And the number is eight.
Ada from Decatur.
Get aboard boys.
Speculate so you can accumulate.
Put down a handful, pick up a handful.
And he throws a five.
The money is eight.
Make the point and break the joint.
Seven to one the hard way.
The man wants two fours.
He'll make it the hard way.
He's got a hunch.
He bets a bunch.
Get aboard boys.
And the dice read.
Days in the week.
Seven and the man's down.
Pass the dice and make some ice.
Everybody plays and everybody wins.
Lay it on the line.
We pay it on the line.
Three to two or six or an eight.
Even money ten or four.
I lay it and take it.
Right or wrong I go along.
Tough one to lose Maestro.
Mr. Crepe.
Did I frighten you?
No, no, no.
It's just that I didn't...
Maybe your nerves need looking over Maestro.
I think I'd have jitters too if I dropped a bundle like you did tonight.
What time is it?
Three in the a.m. Maestro.
Too late to play again.
Oh please another hour.
I don't mean the time.
I mean I think I got enough of your paper for one night.
My stick man just handed me these tabs.
15 G.
You know that my IOU's are good Mr. Crepe.
You know that.
That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
You ever see my private office Maestro?
Right this way.
Sit down Maestro.
Well it's growing late and I...
This will only take a minute.
How's Ricky?
Oh Ricky.
He's in the mountains.
He has a vacationer but a little rest.
You know it's a great little welter that Ricky Martin.
Punch like a heavy feet like a fly weight.
Yeah fine boy to have in your stable.
I don't have what you call a stable Mr. Crepe.
Ricky Martin is all I've got.
Yeah.
All my life I dreamed of having a boy like Ricky Martin.
Not for the money, not for what he'd bring just to own him.
Like a fast horse carrying your colors.
He leaves them all behind.
You know I'd be willing to trade you any three of my boys for Ricky Martin.
Well that's very generous of you Mr. Crepe.
But I don't think...
No I don't think you would.
Well you're a lucky man Maestro finding a boy like that.
Yes I am.
I sometimes wonder how you did it.
You haven't been in the fight game long in this town.
I remember the first time I see you and your boy hanging around the garden.
Yes that's right.
The fighting profession is still a little strange to me.
You see all my life I've been well in in Bressere you might say.
In Paris, in Brussels, Vienna.
Ballet, opera, plays.
And when I came to this country and found Ricky I...
Well I could see that he was a...
Yeah you could see all right.
Cigar?
Thank you.
There you are.
I always say there's nothing like a good cigar to promote good feeling in a business talk.
Business talk? What do you mean?
A little matter of 32G.
Oh.
Seventeen you dropped last week and fifteen tonight.
Yes my luck has been a little bitter.
You know that's a very impressive signature you've got Maestro.
Like a professor or something.
All those curls and loops very impressive.
Looks like a million bucks on these tabs.
I'm sure it's good for 32G.
Of course it is.
Yeah.
Of course.
I'm glad to hear you say that.
Well if that's all Mr. Cripper.
That's all Maestro.
Well then good night Mr. Cripper.
Just a minute my friend.
You're leaving something behind.
What?
Your IOUs.
I don't understand.
I figure I got enough of your paper.
I want my money now.
I can't I...
Then get it.
I must have time.
I run a cash business.
But you gave me credit.
You got assets?
What?
Ricky Martin.
No.
Then pay.
No.
I won't let you steal him from me.
He's mine. Do you hear me? He's mine.
I found him.
I billed him.
And you can't steal him from me.
I want that boy.
No.
I love him like a brother.
Not you swindle him on every fight.
I won't give him up.
Then you'll pay my collectors 32G.
But it's a gambling that you can't collect.
My collectors don't carry a summons.
A barrel and 50 pounds of cement.
All right Mr. Cripper.
You leave me no arguments.
And you've added greatly to my education.
I don't think there's much I can teach you maestro.
Only this time I'm out in front.
I'll show you I'm a generous man.
Honest John Cripper.
Run an honest game and I make a square deal.
50G for the boy.
32 in tabs, 18 in cash.
No beefs later.
Thank you.
I'm sure you'd be sensible about this maestro.
I had the contract drawn up.
Just put that impressive signature on the dotted line.
May I use your pen?
Sure.
Thank you.
There you are Mr. Cripper.
Ricky Martin now belongs to me.
Your pen writes very easily.
You can keep it part of the deal.
Thank you.
I shall treasure it as the most expensive pen in the world.
How soon will Ricky be back in town?
I expect him in my office tomorrow.
Good.
You'll tell him he now belongs to Honest John Cripper.
Yes I'll tell him.
You know Mr. Cripper, I don't think Ricky Martin is going to like being owned by you.
You just leave that worry to me maestro.
I have a way of making people like me.
Even if it kills them.
Night for Suspense, Roma wines are bringing you the play called
Of Maestro and Man.
You have heard Peter Laurie in the prologue to this study in
Suspense.
And now for a moment, let's conjure up a scene of our own.
Let's imagine ourselves in sun drenched Havana.
Let's imagine that we're dining in the gay Club Momart.
As you listen to the music, you put down your wine glass to tell our host how much you enjoy his hospitality.
Part of the credit belongs to Cuba, he smilingly acknowledges, but part of the credit belongs also to your country.
For producing this excellent wine which adds so much to our enjoyment.
For this is Roma wine from California in your own USA.
Now it is a fact that connoisseurs of many other lands know the excellence of Roma wines
made in famous wineries located in the heart of the choice wine districts of California.
But millions of Americans also know these things and have made Roma by far America's largest selling wine.
Here at home, Roma wines are truly inexpensive, no duty, no overseas shipping costs to pay.
And for only pennies a glass, your meals, your entertaining can have the added delight of superb Roma wines.
You will find them a truly excellent flavor and character.
Fine products of age-old winemaking skill perfected by modern quality controls and tests.
Ask for R-O-M-A, Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage Peter Laurie as the maestro
and Richard Conte as Ricky Martin in A Maestro and Man.
We'll well calculated to keep you in suspense.
See Ricky hasn't come yet.
Oh, oh no boss. I've been sitting here in your office like you told me but he ain't come and he ain't called.
I don't understand it. I can't. His train arrived two hours ago and...
Hello. Hello maestro, Sam.
Ricky. Who have you?
Maestro, this is Lynn Carter.
How do you do?
How do you do Miss Carter?
And this is Sam Lynn. He was my trainer.
Hello.
Ricky has told me so much about you during the past two weeks that I feel like...
You know how it is maestro. Out on a lake at night, the guy gets the rambling and...
I found it all very colorful.
Ricky, there's something I must tell you. Miss Carter will excuse us for it.
But there's something I must tell you maestro.
It's about Lynn and me. You see we...
What is it Ricky?
Well Lynn and me, we're gonna be married.
Married?
What?
Yeah, we just will. When I met Lynn I... I don't know how to tell you this maestro.
You know how I feel about you.
Ricky, Ricky what are you trying to say? Tell me.
It's just that I...
Ricky is trying to tell you maestro that he's quitting the ring.
Ricky's quitting the ring?
Ricky quit?
I must maestro. I'm going away with Lynn to South America. Her father owns a...
He wants us to live down there. I'm going to wake for him.
But Ricky... Ricky you can't. Not now. I just...
I'm sorry maestro but don't make it tougher for me. You know I always wanted to quit.
Always hated it. Now I have a good reason. We're taking a plane to Rio tonight.
But you can't Ricky. You can't run out on me like this.
I don't figure I'm running out on anybody.
But you don't know what's happened Ricky. You can't quit. I sold you.
What?
To Crip.
To Crip? To that? Why didn't you ask me first?
I couldn't Ricky. I had to.
Buying and selling me so much beef on the hoof is so much a pound.
Buy me and sell me until I can't take any more punishment and there's no buyer.
That's why I'm getting out. Lynn was right. Two, three years in the Crip stable.
I'm a punching bag for the new boys. A gibbering idiot like poor Sam here.
Who's that?
I'm sorry Sam. I just... Don't call me. I'll kill you.
Shut up Sam. So Lynn was right. I knew it was her fault.
I knew it the minute she walked in here. Smelling of her perfume.
Yes, it's all your fault. Why didn't you leave him alone?
My fault.
He's different from you. He's not your...
Cut it.
No, no. You like the way he looked in the sun in trunks. These muscles and that beautiful body.
Cut it off.
You, you just had to have him. You had to bring him back to show to your friends.
Great catch. You, you scheming, conniving, five cent...
Ricky, no. Sam, stop him. You'll kill him.
Ricky.
Ricky. Ricky, he's choking.
All right. I'm all right now.
Oh, Ricky. Ricky.
I should have killed him for that. Come on, let's get out of here.
Boss, you all right, boss?
Yes, sir. I am.
Well, he'll like to kill you then. Your face is a funny color.
Come, Sam. Help me through the car, will you?
Sure, boss. Sure.
Hey, are you all right now, boys?
Yes, sir. I'm all right now, Sam.
You're a good boy, Sam.
Sure. Sure, Sam's a good boy. Sam's no rat, but Ricky's a rat, huh? Huh, boss? Ricky's a rat.
Sam, we... we must do something. Sam...
Oh, sure, boss. That Ricky is a rat. He called me an idiot. I'll kill him, boss. Sam's a good boy.
He don't like for Ricky to do the boss no hate. I'll kill him.
No, no, no, no, no, no, Sam. Please, you must not get excited, Sam. We must think.
Sure, boss. Let's think. Your lip is all with bleed, boy.
Yes, you're a good boy. He called you an idiot, yes, but you're a good boy, Sam.
I like when you pat me on the head like that, boy.
We have a problem, Sam. Mr. Crip must not hear about Ricky quitting.
Ricky quitting, boys?
Something happened to Ricky. An accident. They happen every day, Sam.
Oh, sure, accidents happen. When I was a little boy, it's true.
I could go to Crip and say, it's a tragic thing, Mr. Crip. Fine boy like that. You're a boy, Mr. Crip.
You were a $50,000 boy, Mr. Crip. It's a tragic thing, huh? Yes. Tragic finale to a promising career.
Oh, yeah, boss. That would be some tragic, some... some finale, huh?
It would be an accident, Sam. Mr. Crip must never be able to say it. You understand that, Sam?
Sure, boy. When I was a little boy...
Sam?
Yeah, boys?
Sam, in Lantern's gym. You know what a main steam valve for the steam room is?
What, boys?
The valve, Sam. The one that lets the life steam into the steam room.
Oh, sure, boss. The gadget that the guy turns off and on the steam, right, huh?
That's right, Sam.
That's right, boys. It's under the stairs in the basement on the other side of the gym.
You know, on the side where the pipe is.
Yes, Sam, yes. Do you think you could get under the stairs into the basement?
Oh, sure. Nobody cares if I go to the basement. Sometimes I go down...
Yes, Sam. And do you think you could open the valve as wide as it'll go?
Open the... for all the steam to go fast into the steam room?
Yes, Sam.
Oh, boy, that's some hot, all that steam, boys.
You can't steam in there all that hot.
The Jew was up the gym when poor Sharky got all the hot because the valve broke and the door was stuck.
The Jew was there when they brung him out. Boy, that was some looking dead Sharky, all right?
Yes, Sam. A very tragic accident.
Some tragic, all right.
Sam, come here. Take my watch. Can you read the time?
Sure. What do you think? I'm a dumb...
The little hand is on a two and the big hand is on a six.
That's right.
And that means a half past two, no?
That's right, Sam. Now, look. When the little hand will be on a five, you see, and the big hand on a 12 here, it'll be...
Five o'clock.
That's right.
You see, I'm no dumb. Five o'clock.
Five o'clock, Sam, you must be in the basement at Langton's gym at a steam valve.
And exactly five o'clock, Sam, you'll open the valve all the way.
All the hot?
Yes, Sam, all the hot.
But you can't stay in... The Jew was up the gym one shot.
Being a steam room, Sam, but Ricky will. Alone.
Shortham Hotel.
Ricky, Martin's apartment, please.
One moment, please.
Hello?
Ricky? Hello, Ricky. This is...
What do you want?
Ricky, please, I don't know how to begin, but you've got... I've got to see you. There is so much I want to say to you.
I'm sorry, maestro.
Look, Ricky, please, just for a few minutes. Please, Ricky. Look, meet me at Langton's gymnasium, huh?
Look, you have all your old boxing things in the locker room.
I want you to give them to me. I want to keep them, Ricky, as a souvenir.
Well, okay, maestro, just for a few minutes, though. I have to meet Linda at the airport at six.
Oh, thank you, Ricky.
Forget it. Meet you at Langton's in a half an hour.
Fine. Goodbye, Ricky. You'll come.
Ricky? And you'll get them in a steam room?
Yes, Sam. Yes. I'll get him into the steam room. And I'll sit there with him and talk to him.
And talk to him about this and about that. With a steam thick around us, hiding us from each other.
And when I begin to feel the live heat, Sam, at five o'clock, Sam, at five o'clock, I'll be talking about old times.
As I quietly slip out of the room and he'll be sitting there alone, thinking of old times.
Not knowing I'm gone and that he's alone. Until it is too late.
He will hear the sudden rush of steam and feel the scalding heat.
And he'll run to the door, but it will not open.
And he'll pound and scream in agony. But the door will stick.
And his scream will draw burning steam into his lungs. And then they'll find him.
But it'll be too late.
Too late. It will be too late.
Oh, hello, Ricky. Hello. I'm so glad you came. See, I was just going to take my steam bath.
I had to wait until Lynn called me. I told her to meet us at the airport at six.
Oh, good, good, good. Come, Ricky, let's go to the locker room, huh?
Look, here is your old locker, Ricky. You have the key?
Yes. Here, you open it.
Thank you. But first, Ricky, please, I want to tell you how I feel.
I've been so miserable because you should have killed me, Ricky.
Maestro.
Yes, Ricky, I deserved it. You see, I wasn't myself. You know that.
Let's forget it, Maestro. Go ahead, open the locker.
Thank you. See? Look. Your punching bag. Look, your trunks. Your gloves.
And here, look here, Ricky, this pair. This pair you wore the night you beat Kit Foy.
Wasn't that a fight, Ricky? How can we ever forget the third round?
Remember what the newspaper said? Every word is burned into my memory.
Last night, a new star of the ring was born. Ricky Martin. Sensational new welter.
Cut it, Maestro. Here, sir. I'm sorry, Ricky. I know how you feel.
Ricky, Ricky, are you sure? Isn't there one chance that you'll change your mind?
No, Maestro. Not a prayer. What time is it?
It's only about quarter to five. Come on, Ricky, don't you want to have your last team with the old Maestro?
Well, I...
Come.
Well, okay, but remember, old Maestro, five o'clock's my deadline.
Well, Ricky, that I guarantee you.
Say, who's the runner this time of the day?
Oh, you.
Sam, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am.
Oh, sure, I'm sorry, all right. Call me an idiot. Put on a boss of slugs.
Come on, get going.
Oh, boy, sure gonna be some hot sorry, all right.
Sam, stop mumbling. Get going.
Some hot tragic finale, all right.
Get going.
Oh, that poor guy. See, Maestro, that's why I'm getting out now.
I don't want to look like that in five years. Here's your towel, Ricky.
Are you ready?
Yeah. I'm ready.
How much time we got?
Oh, it's just a couple of minutes before five. It's time for a quick steam and a shower, and then we meet Lynn.
Okay.
Ah, good old steam room.
It really got that steam up today.
Yeah, it's so thick you can't see your hand in front of you.
Yeah, but it's good for you.
Come on here. Feel your way over here, Ricky. Come sit here with me on a second chance.
Here.
Yeah, that's right.
Just keep your head down and your eyes closed and relax like me.
Yes. This feels fine.
Yes.
You'll begin to feel even better later.
Tell me, Ricky. Tell me how you met Lynn.
Well, she was staying at the same hotel with her mother and father.
He came up on business. A right guy, Maestro. You'd like him.
Yes, I'm sure I would.
One night I just found myself dancing with her. I don't know yet how it happened, but there we were.
And after that, well, it seemed like there was nobody else in the world but we two.
I don't know, Maestro, but suddenly I realized that what I wanted most in the world was right there.
Something I can't remember having. Something I wanted all the time and with all my heart.
I'm tired of hotel rooms and training camps and fight talk and knowing there's nothing to come home to.
I love Lynn. I love her family. They love me.
That's all there is, Maestro. I guess that's the crop for any man.
Hey, it's getting kind of hot, Maestro.
Remember, Ricky, remember the day we first met?
Maestro, the steam is getting a little too much.
Remember, it was backstage at the Met.
He wanted to be a ballet dancer.
I must laugh when I think of those days.
You had muscle and you had grace and you had power, but you didn't know what to do with them.
And I, I showed you. Not ballet. Years of sacrifice.
For what? I found you and I found the ring and I brought the two of you together.
One year you were near the top.
Yes, it was a long year, Ricky, but we went through it together.
Yes, I can't help feeling that your leaving is almost a tragic finale to a brilliant ring career.
What?
Yes, a tragic finale.
And then we got your first fight in New York.
How nervous you were.
Your New York debut.
Not at the Met to the music of, of Offenbach's Gaiete, Parisienne, no.
But at the Madison Square Garden to the roar of 15,000 trolls.
And do you remember the last thing you said to me before you went into the ring?
Remember?
Hey, Ricky.
Ricky, where are you?
Ricky, where are you, Ricky?
Ricky. Ricky.
Ricky, don't leave me here, Ricky.
Ricky, come back. Please come back, Ricky.
Open the door. Ricky.
Don't leave me. Ricky.
Ricky. Ricky. My, my life.
Ricky.
Attention please. Attention please. Will Colonel Joy please go to the reservation desk.
Colonel Joy. Attention please. Flight 17, Clipper to Rio, ready.
Flight 17, ready. Mr. Gluskin, Miss Thompson, Captain J. Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Martin.
Flight 17, board please.
Ricky. Ricky, here, hurry.
Hello, darling. Sorry I'm late.
Come on, we've only got, where's the maestro?
The maestro? I left him in the steam room at the gym.
Slipped out on a night. I couldn't take it. Poor guy's all broken up.
It feels like it's, well, what he'd call a tragic finale.
Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Martin, board Flight 17, please.
Come on, darling, let's go.
And so closes up Maestro and Man, starring Peter Lorre with Richard Conte, Knight's Tale of Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear.
It's my job, it's my privilege, to tell you how much pleasure and enjoyment you can add to everyday living by serving Roma wines with meals when entertaining or anytime.
And in hot weather, let me suggest Roma wine cooler offers.
Just put ice cubes in a tall glass, half fill it with your favorite Roma wine, then fill it up with sparkling water.
For a sweeter drink, add sugar.
Ah, that, my people, is really something. And it's so simple, so good, and so inexpensive.
It's a fact. The cost of Roma wines is only pennies a glass full.
Get Roma wines today. Enjoy them regularly. If your dealer is temporarily out, please try again soon.
Just be sure you ask for R-O-M-A, Roma wines, America's largest selling wines, made in California, for enjoyment throughout the world.
Richard Conte appeared through the courtesy of 20th Century Fox, producers of the Technicolor production, Wilson.
Next Monday, same time, you will hear two distinguished leading ladies, Miss Maureen O'Sullivan and Dame Mae Whitty, as stars of Suspense.
Presented by Roma wines, R-O-M-A, made in California, for enjoyment throughout the world.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
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