Suspense.
Tonight, George Murphy and Miss Nancy Coleman as stars of Too Little to Live On.
A suspense play produced, edited and directed by William Spear.
I don't know whether we ever thought about it before this morning or not.
It might have crossed our minds sometime, one or the other of us. I don't know.
But we never talked about it. Never. Never before this morning.
Then this morning everything just seemed to come to a head.
Every little thing that had happened all those months and years just seemed to pile up at once.
It just seemed as though this morning was the last straw.
Hi, honey.
Hello, darling. Breakfast is there, keeping warm on the back of the stove.
I'd get it for you, but I'm already late with his.
Oh, that's all right.
You better hurry, though.
Oh, I'm not going to the office today.
You're not?
No, he wants me to stick around.
Don't you remember his lawyer is dropping in sometime today only he doesn't know when?
At least that's his story.
Maybe he really doesn't know.
Oh, he knows all right. Not that it matters much.
I don't have any appointments today anyway.
People around here wouldn't have their teeth fixed if you paid them to.
They can't help it if they're poor, Dave.
I didn't say they could. I just said that they can't afford to go to the dentist.
It happens that I'm the dentist they can't afford to go to.
Darling, there ought to be some way we can move to another neighborhood
so at least you can start building a decent practice.
Sure. How? With what?
I know.
With Uncle Ed's money. When we get it.
At least that's what we've been telling ourselves for the past three years.
Couldn't we talk to him? Couldn't we make him see that?
Oh, you know how much chance there is of that.
He likes to see us having it tough.
He likes to have us depending on that money.
That's all he lives for. He'll probably live to be a hundred.
We've just got to be patient, Dave.
Oh, there he is. He's up. I've got to hurry.
I think at least he'd spend enough dough to have some decent tires put on that wheelchair of his
so it wouldn't bump around over our heads like a ten-ton truck day and night.
Well, I suppose we ought to be thankful he doesn't spend his money in the way.
Have you, uh, have you seen him this morning?
Uh-huh.
How's he feeling?
About the same, I guess.
He made me bring his lemon juice and water down and heat it up again.
He said it wasn't hot enough.
Willie almost bit me again.
Oh, that mutt.
Oh, doggy's getting old. I suppose he can't help her.
Any more than Uncle Ed.
They could both help her. He wants it that way.
He gets a kick out of it.
Because now it's gotten so even, we have to kowtow to a snarling little mutt.
And he sits there and laughs at us.
Well, we've just got to be patient, Dave.
Well, one thing, when we get that $30,000, we sure will have earned it.
Dave.
Yeah?
What about the lawyer?
Well, what about it?
Well, I mean, what do you suppose it means?
What should it mean?
He's always getting the old fool over every three or four months
and going into some kind of a huddle.
Why should he want you here?
How should I know?
Maybe he needs both of us as witnesses or something.
No, he's been talking an awful lot about that orphanage over in Brooklyn.
Oh, sure.
Last winter, all he could talk about was some filing home for stray dogs down in Pennsylvania.
Oh, he's just cracking the whip, that's all, to see us jump.
Oh, Dave, if he was to change his will now, after all we've been through, it...
Oh, don't worry, it won't.
There he goes, he's coming for his breakfast.
Coming right up, Uncle Ed.
Let's see.
Oatmeal, toast.
I hope he'll have his eggs right.
Get the coffee off the back of the stove, darling, when I get a cup.
Okay.
Oh, it's all right, it's all right, honey.
It was only a cup.
Oh, I know, it's only that, but sometimes he makes me so nervous,
I feel as though I was going crazy.
Take it easy, take it easy, honey.
Here, let me get the tray.
No, I'm all right now.
Let's see, there's a pan of milk warming on the stove.
Fill this bowl about half full and break up a handful of those little dog biscuits in it.
Okay.
Let's see, sugar, salt, pepper, cream.
All right, come on.
Open the door for me, will you, darling?
Here, I'll carry the tray.
Oh, no, he likes to have me bring it.
Well, what's the difference?
Oh, don't ask me, Dave.
Oh, the paper.
Oh, you've got it.
Well, look, I haven't read the paper yet myself.
Shh, you can read it later.
Come on.
Here's your breakfast, Uncle Ed.
All right, all right, all right.
I'm sorry, I was a little late.
Oh, set it down, set it down.
I heard what you said about the paper, David.
Getting so even begrudge a little thing like that to a helpless invalid.
I don't begrudge it, Uncle Ed.
So important for you to read the paper, why don't you subscribe for two of them?
Well, I'm afraid the budget in this family won't stand for little luxuries like that.
When I was your age, I had my first thousand dollars in the bank.
Well, things were a little different in those days, Uncle Ed.
I was a little different.
That's what the difference was.
Set Willie's breakfast down for him, Ira.
No, no, no, not there over by his bed where he can get at it.
Yes, Uncle Ed.
I'm afraid Willie doesn't like me anymore.
Here, here, I'll give it to him.
Hey, hey, stop that.
Hey, don't you dare strike that dog, David.
I wasn't going to hit him. I just want him to let go of my slave.
Myra, take him out once in a while. He wouldn't feel that way.
I take him out any time you ask me to, Uncle Ed.
I forget sometimes. You ought to do it without my asking.
Well, you can go now.
I know you don't want to stay any longer than you have to.
Hey, Myra, hand me my glasses. They're on the bureau.
Glass? Oh, yes, Uncle Ed.
Here.
Myra, you clumsy fool.
Oh, Uncle Ed, I'm so sorry. Maybe I can mend them.
Of course you can't mend them, the broken, you idiot.
Don't talk to her like that.
What was that?
I said don't talk to her like that.
Dave, please, please.
Oh, I see. Now you're trying to bully me.
A helpless old man in a wheelchair.
Well, I won't stand for it.
Oh, Uncle Ed, he didn't mean anything.
I made my bargain with you, David.
And I intend to keep it as long as you do.
I've never complained about the care you've given me,
although heaven knows it's been a little enough.
But don't think for a minute I'll stand for anything like this.
Well, I'm sorry, Uncle Ed.
I'm afraid that's scarcely enough.
Well, it won't happen again.
Look, I'll get the glasses fixed.
I know a guy can do it right away.
This will probably take a week.
In the meantime, I'll be as blind as a bat.
And don't expect me to pay for it.
Look, don't worry. I'll pay for it.
You'll have them back tonight.
This reminds me, David, be sure that you're here
when my lawyer comes today.
I'll be here. I stayed home from the office on purpose.
Well, that's all for now.
Oh, I suppose neither of you have taken the trouble lately
to find out which of my prescriptions need refilling.
Oh, yes. Yes, I was thinking of that yesterday.
Oh, are you? Well, let's do it now anyway.
The bismuth's entirely gone, and you know how I depend on that.
You'd better get another bottle of iron tonic.
The drops, well, that's all right for now.
And the thiocyanate, you'd better get that refilled too
while you're at it.
Take the bottle and the bismuth too.
I'll go right away, Uncle Ed.
Yes, do, and come right back.
You know, I must have my bismuth out
later than 20 minutes after you leave.
Yes, I know, I know.
Come on, Myra.
Oh, I hate myself, Myra.
Take it easy, Myra.
Take it easy. It's all right. Now it's all right.
Oh, Dave, I've tried, I've tried.
I can't go on like this.
Take it easy, Doc. Take it easy.
It won't be much longer.
But how long? How long?
I know.
We've been saying that for three years.
We're like prisoners.
We can't go out of the house together
because somebody has to be with him.
We can't have friends in
because they disturb him.
Oh, Dave.
Dave, we can't even have a baby.
I could kill him.
Sometimes I could kill him.
Darling, I...
I know it's just as bad for you as it is for me.
It's just that...
I'm here alone with him all day.
I'm sorry. I...
I shouldn't have let myself go that way.
I hate myself, Myra.
If I'd known it was going to be like this...
It's not your fault, darling.
I knew what we were doing.
I'm not even a man anymore, Myra.
I let him sit there and say things to my wife
that a man wouldn't take from anybody on earth.
But I take it. I take it and smile.
Dave, Dave, it's not your fault.
It is my fault.
Because if I was any kind of a man,
I'd do something about it.
But there's nothing to do, don't you see?
I should never have acted like this.
We...
We've just got to be patient and wait, that's all.
Wait. Wait.
Maybe another three years.
Maybe ten more years.
Oh, honey.
What's the use of kidding ourselves?
How do we know how long it's going to take him to die?
Sometimes I don't even think he's sick.
Sometimes I think he's just putting it on
to make us wait on him.
But the doctor says...
Oh, he could fool a doctor. It's been done.
And even when he does die,
how can we ever be sure?
Oh, Dave, you don't think...
I think he's just that mean.
He'd snatch the money away at the last minute
and die laughing at us.
And the lawyer's coming today.
Sure. Sure. He could do it today.
He could do it any time.
And we'd never know.
Not until he told us.
He wouldn't. He couldn't.
Why not?
He might just as well do it anyhow.
He'll hold it over us until the last minute,
like he did just now.
Until we probably will die of heart failure before he does.
But you said just a few minutes ago...
I know. I know.
I've been kidding myself for three years.
But not anymore.
Oh, Dave, Dave, what are we going to do?
What can we do?
I don't know, Myra. I don't know.
If only something could happen.
Nothing's going to happen, Myra.
Unless we make it happen.
Dave, we couldn't.
We can't go on like this either.
We could tell him to go.
And throw away three years of our lives,
the three years that we've waited.
We've earned that money already, Myra.
Ten thousand dollars a year is much for what we've done.
Oh, Dave, I don't care about the money.
Well, I do.
If it was anyone else, I'd feel different.
I don't have any more feeling about him
than I do that dog up there.
Dave, you don't really mean...
I don't know what I mean, Myra.
Listen, I've got to go over to the drug store
and get his medicine.
Well, hurry back.
I'll only be a minute. It's just across the street.
I'll watch out for the lawyer.
Yeah, and stall him off if he comes.
Hurry.
Hello, Mr. Herman.
Well, Dr. O'Connor.
You come for your regular batch of medicines, I suppose.
That's right.
How is he, Dr. O'Connor? Better, I hope?
Well, I'm afraid he's been having a little pain lately.
Oh, that's too bad.
He's such a courageous old man, so cheerful.
Every time I go by, sitting up there by his window, he waves.
Always, he sends his little remembrance at Christmas.
That's your uncle's real gentleman.
Yeah, yes, that's right.
Well, what'll it be today?
Well, the iron tonic and the bismuth, a hundred tablets.
And, oh, yes, would you refill the thiocyanate prescription?
Here, I brought the bottles.
All right, I'll get it for you right away.
You got a prescription for the thiocyanate?
No, no, but I'll sign it.
Oh, sure, that's right, you can sign it.
Now it is, Doctor, we gotta be careful of these things.
You better give me the big tablets this time.
Sure thing.
You reach just over the counter, you'll find a prescription blank.
Just below there, you got it?
Yeah, yeah, thanks.
Oh, there we are.
Don't bother to wrap it.
All right.
That's 487.
Here, I've got it even.
Thanks.
Oh, thank you, Dr. O'Connor.
Well, you taking the day off, Doctor?
Yes, that's right.
Dave?
Yeah, the lawyer come?
No.
Come on in the kitchen.
I got the medicine, Myra.
Oh?
Myra, do you know what these things are that he's been taking?
No, not exactly.
Well, this is bismuth, the stuff he takes after every meal,
three or four of them, the stuff he's due to take right now.
Dave.
Now, wait a minute.
These are thiocyanate.
He only takes these once in a while for his heart, just one of them.
Less than one now because I got the bigger tablets this time.
Dave, what are you trying to say?
I'm trying to say if he took three or four of these instead of his bismuth,
by mistake, it would kill him.
Dave, no.
By mistake, I said.
Well, it couldn't be.
Yes, it could.
Look at the tablets.
Can you tell them apart?
Hardly.
If they were in the wrong bottle?
But afterwards, they'd know they were in the wrong bottle.
They'd know that somebody must have...
No.
No, he'd think it was all right from the shape.
But afterwards, we'd put him back in the right bottle.
But then they'd know it couldn't be a mistake.
They'd know he could read right on the bottle from the label.
No, no, they wouldn't.
They'd know he couldn't read the label.
They'd know he couldn't read anything.
His glasses?
That's right.
His glasses and the oculus would have to swear to it.
Oh, Dave, are you sure you can't see?
He's as blind as a bat without them.
That much I know is real.
Oh, Dave.
It's the only way, Myra.
It's the chance of a lifetime.
No tampering of anything, no changing labels
so they can analyze the glue if they get suspicious.
None of that.
And don't forget, his lawyer's coming today.
Couldn't we just tell him to go?
What about the money?
Oh, Dave, I can't think.
Oh, the front door.
Must be lawyer Eldridge.
Yeah, it is.
I can see him standing outside.
What do we do?
Get rid of him.
Hurry before he rings again.
He might hear it.
What shall I tell him?
Say that he's had a bad turn.
We're calling the doctor.
Then if he asks any questions any time, we could say it was...
Yeah.
All right.
Good morning, Mr. Eldridge.
How do you do, Dr. O'Connor?
Let's talk out here.
I'm sorry you had to come way out here,
but my uncle has had sort of a bad turn.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Nothing serious, I hope.
Well, we're calling the doctor.
No, I don't think it's anything serious, Mr. Eldridge.
I don't see how it could be.
Why, no.
But he was wondering if you could come back some other day.
I see.
Well, it's just a matter of his signature on a document.
I'm really afraid he isn't up to it, Mr. Eldridge.
I see.
Well, perhaps I could phone him later in the day.
Could...
I say I could phone him.
There would be no objection to that, would there?
Oh, no, no.
But if there's any message that I could give him later...
Yes.
Well, you might say that I've made the changes that he requested.
He'll know what I mean.
All right.
I'll do that.
And thank you, Mr. Eldridge.
Thank you, Doctor.
And good day, sir.
Goodbye.
Has he gone?
Yeah.
Did he?
No.
No, it was all right.
What is it, Dave?
Did he say something?
He said that he'd made the changes, whatever they were, and that he'd understand.
He said that all he wanted was his signature on some document.
His will?
He didn't say that.
Oh.
It's now or never, Myra.
Oh, Dave, let me just think for a minute.
What's the use?
Yes, I suppose.
Well, what about it?
Yes.
All right.
Okay.
Oh, Dave.
All right.
Here are the two bottles.
Come on.
Oh, Dave, no.
You've got to come.
Why?
Because you have.
All right.
You don't have to say anything.
All right.
Can I hear someone at the front door?
No, there hasn't been anyone here.
Has there, Myra?
No.
Oh.
But it might have been Mr. Elrich.
I got your medicine.
You took long enough about it.
I'll put it over here by the bed where you can get it.
What do you want, Myra?
I just came to get your tray, Uncle Ed.
Oh, you did.
Didn't Willie like his breakfast?
It was too hot, of course.
I'm going to give it to him now.
Have you got water for your pills?
Yes.
And what about my glasses?
They'll be ready this evening.
All right.
Can you show Mr. Elrich up here the minute he arrives?
Oh, yes, I will, Uncle Ed.
Do you want me to take the tray?
No, I've got it.
Oh.
Oh, Dave, how could we?
What's the use of that?
It's done now.
It's so horrible.
Is it?
Don't you realize that we're...
Murder?
All right, it is.
And I'm glad.
Dave, don't say that.
What's the difference what you call it?
It's the only thing to do.
It's even better for him this way.
David, I'm afraid.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Listen.
Yeah.
He'd wheel himself over to take his pills.
Dave.
Hmm?
Does it...
Will it take long?
At his age, and if his heart is anything like what the doctor says it is, no.
Is it?
Painful?
No.
Like a heart attack, that's all.
What was that?
He must have fallen.
Denise.
Yeah, in a minute anyway.
We ought to go up.
No, wait a minute.
But the bottle...
There's plenty of time.
Shouldn't you wear gloves or something?
No, no, I thought of that.
It would look funny if there weren't any fingerprints.
Oh, Dave, we ought to go up even if...
It would look better.
All right, all right.
And in case.
Just in case.
We'll have to call the police.
Oh, Dave, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
We'll have to call the doctor.
We'll have to anyway.
Either way.
Suppose...
Don't worry.
It won't be like that.
The wheelchair's empty.
He's not here.
Quick, look in the closet.
No, under the bed.
Oh, Dave, look.
Willie.
He's dead.
The dog is dead, Myra.
But how?
Here.
Here's a note on the chair.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
Dave, what is it?
It's from him.
It says, My dear, dear niece and nephew, The thing has at last occurred which I have always
known would one day inevitably occur.
Poor little Willie has given his life to save mine...
It may interest you to know that from my window I saw Mr. Eldredge leaving the house.
I also suspect that the incident of breaking my glasses was not quite an accident.
And so, my dear children, I have gone to the police.
You?
David!
The little bottles with their transposed contents are in my pocket as final and conclusive evidence
of your murderous intent.
Oh!
You see, I have never been quite as helpless as I allowed you to believe, and have in fact
conserved my strength for precisely such an emergency, a circumstance to which it now
appears I owe my life.
For your further information, Mr. Eldridge was not coming to change my will.
And now my would-be heirs and assigns, a fond farewell.
I will see you in court, your loving Uncle Ed.
P.S.
Did you hear my body fall?
I thought you would like that.
I did.
How could he have gotten out?
He was on the front stairs while we were...
You said he couldn't read the label.
He didn't.
He tried it on the dog.
What can they do?
Attempted murder.
Twenty years to life.
But would they believe it?
They'd believe what everybody else believes.
A fine old gentleman.
Life.
There it is.
David.
Yes?
Are there any more?
What?
Of the pills.
Oh, my.
There isn't anything else to do with them, Dave.
No.
No, I guess not.
Are there more?
Enough?
Yes.
Of the little ones in my pocket.
These?
Yes.
How many?
Half a dozen.
You said it didn't hurt.
No, no, darling.
Not much.
I did so want to have children.
The front door.
They're here.
You'd better go down.
So they leave us alone.
Give us time.
All right.
Goodbye, Myra.
No, no, wait.
Go on.
Goodbye.
Yes, Officer.
Good evening, Mrs. O'Connor.
I'm sorry, but...
Yes, Clancy, I know.
Oh?
I'm afraid you don't, ma'am.
I got some bad news for you, Mrs. O'Connor.
It's about your uncle.
Yes.
I don't know how he could have got out there, but...
Well, he was just hit by a car.
Yes.
Hit?
Yes, ma'am.
He's dead.
Dead?
Yes.
Dead?
David!
That's all?
I tried, but they stopped me.
David had died before I got there.
That's all.
I'm sorry.
This is the Armed Forces Radio Service.