Suspense!
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And now, Schenley brings you radio's outstanding theater of thrill, Suspense!
Presented by Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, America's favorite wines.
Tonight by popular request, we bring back the brilliant young star who appeared with
us only a few weeks ago, Mr. Donald O'Connor, and in a play which was first presented on
Suspense two and a half years ago, and was the subject of considerable comments.
Donald O'Connor in The Visitor, a Suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Schenley
by William Spear.
It was around two o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon.
I was writing my usual groove.
Count of man and Al's coffee pot route 22 out of Baltimore.
Not a bad job for a green guy.
18 bucks a week in my meals.
I was aiming to be a short order cook when I really got the hang of things.
Well as I say, it was the usual afternoon.
Not especially busy, but busy enough.
Hey, no kidding, Mac.
Where's that western sandwich?
Oh, here you are.
What do you have, mister?
A ham on rye and a cup of coffee, bud.
Coming right up.
Ham on rye and draw one.
Look, kid, I'd like to talk to you.
Yeah?
What about?
Have you got a minute?
Yeah, I guess so.
Al, take the counter, will you?
I'm going to have some coffee.
Okay.
So what's on your mind, mister?
Look, can we go in here?
Yeah.
I've been looking for a long time for someone who looks like you.
Yeah?
Your name could be Bud Owen, couldn't it?
Why should it?
Well, I'm looking for a boy named Bud Owen.
For what?
Disappeared from his home about three years ago.
Boy from my town.
About your age now, about 18.
17.
Well, that'll do.
Well, his folks have just been worried sick about him.
Everyone else gave him up for dead.
And then I heard you were working here, Bud.
Yeah?
Who told you?
Oh, no one told me.
I got a note, anonymous.
You didn't write it, did you?
No, no, I didn't write it.
You know, I think I'd have recognized you anyway.
You're a lot taller, of course, and you look older, Bud.
Well, anyone would, wouldn't they?
Come here, though.
I call them wings.
You remember who I am, of course.
Mac Burl.
Used to be chief of police.
Pleased to meet you again, Mr. Burl.
Well, well, Bud Owen.
A lot of know-it-alls are sure going to be surprised.
Surprised at what?
Well, to see you.
Edgerton, certain to a man that you were drowned three years ago off White Pier.
I was drowned, huh?
Hey, look, Mr. Burl, just what is your proposition?
Well, Bud, I want you to come home again with me.
Oh.
Well, of course, things have changed some in Edgerton in three years, but not too much.
And if you take it easy and if you have a friend to help you over the rough spots, you'll
feel right back at home in no time.
I see.
Yeah, working in a diner.
Why, you're depriving yourself of everything a boy could want.
A good home, lovely parents, wealthy parents.
You, you make it sound kind of nice at that, Mr. Burl.
But what about you?
Well, Bud, didn't you know that your father has offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who
finds you?
No, I didn't know that.
$10,000?
And think of your folks.
Think how your poor mother has suffered.
Think how happy it would make them.
Uh-huh.
Well, Mr. Burl, if you really think it'll be all right for me to come home.
Sure it will.
Oh, maybe a little help at first, all excitement, people staring at you, but that won't last
long.
Well, you've got to expect some excitement.
Yeah, I suppose there was an event, having a homeboy drown.
Drown boy?
Why, they thought you were murdered.
After I talked to Mr. Burl for an hour or so, the whole thing sounded pretty darn good.
We took the five o'clock train for Edgerton on the way.
Mr. Burl gave me the lowdown on what had been going on in the town for three years.
How the town thought I was murdered and how my mother and David Cunningham, my stepfather,
just wouldn't give up hope that I was still alive.
And he told me how my mother hadn't changed anything in my room.
She was so sure I'd come back.
Although she'd bought new stuff for the rest of the house, new rugs, a couch, things like
that.
Mr. Burl described it so plain, I could almost see it.
Well, by the time we got to Edgerton, I was feeling pretty sad for my mother.
And I thought if I could make her happy, even if it was tough for me, it was worth, well,
it was worth a try.
Brace yourself, youngster.
This is it.
Yeah, sure.
I'm okay, Mr. Burl.
Is that you, Burl?
Yeah.
And look who's with me.
Oh, Bud.
Hello, hello, Father.
Come in.
Come in, Bud.
Come in, come in.
Here, let me take your suitcase.
Here.
Here's your mother, Bud.
Hello, Mother.
I, uh...
Bud!
Judith, Judith, this time it's really Bud.
He's come back to us.
Oh, Bud, Bud!
It's all right, darling.
It's all right now.
Oh, my big baby.
You're so tall, I can hardly kiss you.
Come on, Judith.
Let's go into the living room.
Come along, Burl.
I always knew you were here.
Here, let me put your hair down.
Now you look more like my Bud.
Oh, gosh, I wouldn't have recognized this room.
Isn't the couch new?
Yes, and the rugs and the drapes.
And the drapes.
I don't know how we'll ever be able to thank you, Burl.
Oh, I think Judith's so happy as, uh, reward enough.
Oh, yes, yes, that reminds me.
We'll drop into my office tomorrow and I'll take care of that other more tangible reward.
Well, Mother, I don't know how to begin.
I mean, to tell you how sorry...
Don't tell me anything, darling. Nothing matters except that you're back.
That's the spirit, Judith. That's the spirit.
Goodness, your right hand, Bud. It's all bandaged.
Oh, that's nothing much. I burned it working in the diner.
Oh, darling.
Well, folks, it's been a long day for an old man. I guess I'll run along.
Right away, Mr. Burrow? You just got here.
Oh, you'll be seeing plenty of me, Bud.
Right now, you should be wanting to get acquainted with your folks again.
I'll see you tomorrow, Dave.
Oh, yes. Yes, of course.
Well, have you noticed, Judith, how deep Bud's voice is now?
Why, yes. It was just a little pipe when he left.
It was beginning to break, wasn't it, Bud?
Oh, gosh, I guess so. I sure must have sounded awful.
And he shaves, David.
Every day, Snooki?
Well, gosh, not quite.
Now, really, David, I don't think that's so funny.
Well, I can't help it.
Why, that sounds like Ellen. Isn't that nice? Let her in, David.
Oh, certainly. Sure, sure.
Ellen Woods.
Why, who else, Bud?
Does she still live next door?
Of course, the Woods have always lived there.
Ellen, dear, we have such a surprise.
Oh, my God. Angelus, if we could have just let me kiss you, you little...
Hey, hey, ouch. Take it easy.
Bud, you're just gigantic, a regular beanpole.
Oh, but I can't wait for Joe to see you.
Joe?
I called him as soon as I heard he's coming over here.
It's all right, Mrs. Crane?
Oh, of course, Ellen, I've forgotten.
It'll mean so much to Joe.
You know about Joe, Bud?
Yes, Mr. Burrell told me. I didn't know before.
This town's got a lot to make up to that young man.
My folks wouldn't let me see Joe, Bud.
Yeah?
Well, they thought that Joe was the last person who saw you, and then...
Well, he admitted you'd called.
But your mother and I never had a moment's doubt, Bud.
Oh, no.
And I'm thankful for that.
There, that's Joe. That's Joe now.
Joe, it's true. Bud's here.
Ellen, don't. I ran all the way. She said it.
Yeah, yeah, Joe, it's me.
Yeah, I guess it is.
Well, pal, I hear I owe you an apology or something.
Skip it, pal.
Now, Joe, we know how hard it's been for you.
Only now it's over.
It didn't matter, Mrs. Cunningham. I've learned to put up with a lot.
Judith, dear, let's go upstairs.
Let's give the young folks a chance by themselves.
All right, David, but don't stay up too long, Bud.
No.
You'll need lots of sleep.
I won't, mother.
And don't forget to turn off the light.
Okay.
Good night, children.
Good night.
Well, what do we do? Cut a rug or chew the fat?
Suit yourself.
Joe, don't talk that way to Bud. You might remember he's my friend and he certainly was yours.
Yeah, I guess he was.
Now, look, Joe, I can see how you're sore at me, but don't take it out on Ellen.
Kindly don't start messing between Ellen and me.
Joe, please.
Okay, do I have to make a speech?
So you're home now, Bud, and I'm the last one to kick.
But when you toss it all off by saying you owe me an apology or something,
well, maybe it's not easy to remember we were friends.
Well, I... I didn't know what to say.
I know I tried to remember we were friends when the whole town was sure I killed you.
And I tried to remember it when the draft board listed me as undesirable because they thought I was guilty.
Yeah, but...
Yeah, I even tried to remember we were friends when for three years people crossed the street so they wouldn't have to speak to me.
And people got up and walked out of the room when I came in.
And when...
Oh, gosh, Joe, I...
I didn't realize that. I... I am sorry, Joe, honest.
Joe, you should be the first one to walk around town with Bud right tomorrow morning.
If you both like it, I'll go with you.
It's all right with Bud.
Is it?
Boy, I'm gonna need company.
Then it's a date, huh?
No kidding, Bud.
I'm glad you're home, fella.
No heart feelings?
Oh, gosh, no, Joe.
So long, Bud.
So long.
Bud!
Yes, mother.
Are you coming up to bed now, dear?
Yeah, I might as well.
You... you knew Bud about Trixie?
Trixie?
Do you realize you've never even asked about her?
Oh, Trixie, that's right, I didn't.
After all, she was your dog.
And you know what they say about a boy and his dog.
Oh, poor thing.
When you didn't come back, she just wandered off.
Oh, gee, that's tough, all right.
And you didn't even ask about her.
Oh, but I... I guess you can't be expected to remember everything.
No, I... I guess I can't remember everything.
I went upstairs to my room.
It was just like Mr. Burrow told me it would be.
Everything seemed to have gone all right so far.
I undressed and turned out the light.
But before I got into bed, I locked the door.
Just in case.
For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Donald O'Connor in The Visitor.
Roma Wines presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense.
Suspense.
Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, is presented by Roma.
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And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood Soundstage Donald O'Connor as The Visitor,
in a play well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Gosh, I guess I'm kind of late for breakfast.
Oh, that's all right, darling. We know you needed a seat.
Sit right in your old place, Barney.
Yeah, well, sure.
Your mother and I have been mooning over old pictures of your son.
Yes, really, Bud. Except for the ears and something around the eyes,
you've changed so that I can hardly recognize you.
Now, look, here's the last picture before you went away.
It's almost frightening the way you've grown.
Oh, Judith, darling, you wouldn't want the boy to be a midget, would you?
Sure, sure, he's taller. But look at his hair, the way he stands.
Yeah, I sure was a goon.
You should have been glad to get rid of me.
And look, Bud, what else I found.
All your school compositions from the first grade on.
Here's one you wrote on Alexander the Great.
Ouch, Mother, don't be so careless with those things or I'll die of blushing.
Why, Bud, I think this was very good for your age.
You were barely 14 when you wrote it.
See, it's marked B, so it can't be too terrible.
Oh, your least little scribble is a great thing to your mother.
Well, I'd better get off to the office.
Drop in to see me if you have time, Bud.
Why, sure, Father, I'll do that.
Good, good. Goodbye, Judith, darling.
I'll be home for dinner.
Goodbye, David.
How about some hot coffee, Bud?
Yes, thanks.
Yes, Snooki.
Oh, Bud, there's something important I want to discuss with you.
It's about my will.
Your will?
You know how your father...
Well, David is about my money, Bud.
He never wanted to touch it or even have me put him in my will.
He's so proud about things like that, and...
I do have so much more than he ever will.
Well, sure, I remember.
How much money is it, anyway?
Well, you know, Bud, there's about $150,000 your grandfather left.
Then there were the four houses on Elm Street that Aunt Carolyn left,
and the income from them, I haven't used any of it.
So it amounts to quite a lot by now.
Gosh, yes, it must have that.
Well, after you left, even though David didn't want me to,
I changed the will, leaving everything to him.
Why, sure, that sounds fine to me.
Oh, yes, but now you're back.
I think the best thing would be to just turn it all over to you now.
Set up a trust fund.
You could use the income when you start the college,
and later maybe you'd want to set yourself up on some kind of business.
And I know it'll please David.
But Mother, gee, it's well of you, but don't you think you should wait?
Wait for what, darling?
Well, until you know me better.
I mean, gosh, I would know what to do with all that money,
and maybe I'd mess things up.
Oh, silly, the bank takes care of everything it always has for me.
Now, all you have to do is to sign these papers here.
Sign, but I can't, Mother.
You see, my hand at the bandage.
Oh, isn't that a shame.
I forgot you couldn't write.
It ought to be all right in a couple of days so I can take the bandage off.
Oh, somebody's whistling for you, Bud.
My, that sounds like old times.
Oh, it's Ellen and Joe.
They're going to take me out and show me around the town.
I guess I'll have to face the music.
You know you'll love it.
You're going to be a regular hero.
Yeah, but I don't feel much like a hero now.
Hey, Bud, Bud Owen, wait.
Now you're in for it, Bud.
Oh, Bud, you're really real, and you've grown but divine.
Hey, hey, you're choking me.
Oh, I've just been telling everybody you're back.
It's too sensational.
It's like having a new boy in town, and do we need some?
Oh, gosh, I shouldn't think you'd have any trouble.
Why, you're cuter than ever.
Listen to him.
He's got a line.
Isn't that something?
Bud, the best thing you ever called her before was Buzzard egg.
Oh, gosh, I called her something besides that once in a while.
Oh, you did call her Mary Louise.
Well, of course I called her that.
Gee, it's swell to see you, Mary Louise.
Bud Owen, you bad boy, are you going to recognize me or aren't you?
Oh, gee, it's good to see you.
How are you anyway?
Well, you're not too grown up to kiss old Mrs. Callahan the way you always did.
Oh, I'll say I'm not Mrs. Callahan.
Here.
Oh, well, now that's better.
I heated enough bottles for you and washed enough of your diapers, too.
So don't let me catch you putting on air.
Oh, no, ma'am, I won't.
Well, goodbye for now.
Goodbye.
What's the matter?
Didn't you recognize her?
Oh, Mrs. Callahan?
Well, of course I did.
Well, then why didn't you call her what you always used to?
Couldn't you see she was sore?
Well, I...
Yes, I did.
Bud, you used to call her Aunt Sealy.
Well, well, well, I couldn't believe it.
But I dare not refute the evidence of my senses.
It's the Owen boy, Bud Owen.
Why, I'm glad to see you, sir.
I just saw your mother.
Heard you were back.
She told me she was bringing you down to my office in a day or two.
Oh, yes, she told me.
Your mother is one in a million, young man.
She thinks only of your welfare.
I hope you've learned to appreciate her.
Oh, yes, sir, I have.
Well, I just wanted to check on the news.
And no nonsense, my boy.
You do as your mother said.
Yeah, goodbye.
What did he mean, no nonsense?
Don't you know?
Yeah, I guess so.
Mother told me this morning we had to go to the lawyer's office.
Oh, Bud.
I've been waiting for you to outsmart yourself.
And this is it.
I don't get it.
You sure don't, Bud.
Give him a chance, Joe.
Because it happens that's not Mr. Reedy the lawyer,
but Dr. Sterling the dentist.
I talked fast and Ellen took my side and we got Joe calmed down.
But I knew he was going to watch me like a hawk from then on.
That afternoon, Ellen, Joe, and Mary Louise got the really snazzy idea
of going to the beach.
My father knocked off work and drove us down,
sort of to celebrate my homecoming.
It was really a hot day, so when we got there,
the others made a beeline for the water.
But I didn't because of my bandage tan.
I stayed around the beach club near the pool.
When it began to get dark, we all dressed
and went down to White's Restaurant for a seafood dinner.
Then we walked out on the pier,
the same pier where I was supposed to have been murdered.
I remember I said something about taking the button.
Everybody laughed.
Oh, Bud.
Gee, isn't it heavenly out here?
Yeah, gee, the breeze is swell.
Well, Bud, it looks like you and Joe are right back
where you were three years ago.
Yes, I guess so, Father.
This railing's just where we stood, isn't it,
when you and I had our fight?
Yes, yes, about.
Hey, what's the volume of people have looking down
from tall buildings?
Gee, I get it, looking down at the water from up here.
That shouldn't worry you, Ellen. You swim like a fish.
Now me, I should really feel funny.
Well, you about ready to go home, children?
I don't want Judith to worry.
Oh, yeah, all right, Mr. Cunningham.
She hasn't been away from me, Joe.
Bud, wait a minute.
Come on, Joe.
Wait a minute, there are a couple of things I want to say.
But now later, Joe. Ellen and Father...
Everybody knew Bud Owen couldn't swim.
That was why when you disappeared,
they thought I'd pushed you off the pier and you drowned.
Now...
Bud Owen couldn't swim.
But this afternoon, when you thought we were all
at a good, safe distance,
I walked up to the beach club looking for you.
And I saw you swimming in the pool.
But I learned...
And your bandage was off.
Well, start talking.
Or do I do the talking to the cops?
Now, listen, Joe, you've got to wait.
You've got to give me time.
No one in this town should be gladder to have Bud Owen
come back than me.
After all, I've taken plenty because he disappeared.
Rather than let Mrs. Cunningham be fooled.
Well, that's what I mean, Joe.
You've got to give me time to square things.
Just a little time.
Well, you better move fast, brother.
Now, Joe, no matter what you think you know,
I haven't hurt anybody.
Not yet.
And if you give me time,
maybe nobody will be hurt.
I went to Mr. Burrill the next morning
and talked about everything.
About how people were making cracks
in him about the $10,000 reward
and the whole mess.
I knew things were moving awfully fast,
and I told Mr. Burrill he had to help me.
That night when she finished her coffee,
my mother said she was awfully tired.
My father, David, saw her upstairs to bed.
I looked out the window and saw Mr. Burrill's car
pull up to the curb in front of Ellen's house.
I knew he was going to do everything he could,
but by this time I was scared.
Well, at bedtime, my stepfather fixed some sandwiches
and we drank some milk.
Then he came up to my room with me
and sat down to talk.
Well, I see your mother is changing your room around.
Yeah, I guess women like to fuss around and so forth.
That's a fact, and there's no use opposing them.
I guess that's right.
By the way, what is your real name?
Buttoon.
You don't need to be afraid of me.
I've protected you so far.
Why have you?
I ask you first, what's your real name?
Buttoon.
You're stubborn, aren't you?
You know, at first I thought you'd work this little scheme out all by yourself,
or with Burrill.
But there's someone else involved, isn't there?
Who do you think?
What about that bandage?
Well...
Take it off.
Well, well, well.
Not even a scar.
I don't suppose you'd mind writing with it now that it's healed?
No.
I don't mind. What shall I write?
Well, suppose we take this little composition of yours on Alexander the Great.
Here.
Would you copy this sentence, say, on the top of page three?
Why not?
Mm-hmm.
And to make it a fair comparison, write your name.
Bud Owen.
Here you are.
So she taught you Bud's handwriting, too?
Who did?
My wife.
You think I didn't know what was going on?
Every move she made gave her away.
Why is she in such a rush to change her will?
I don't know. Why?
She thought she was being so smart, trying to pass you off,
trying to trap me.
But I was one person who knew you weren't, Bud.
Yeah? What makes you so sure I'm not, Bud?
I know.
Isn't that enough?
I know.
I see. Well, don't you think we'd better get my mother in on this?
Yes. Yes, I think perhaps we'd better.
She's, um, she's asleep.
She'll have to wake up.
Mother. Mother?
Oh, she's...
Mother!
Oh, when I came to, I had an awful pain in my head.
I was in my room on the bed and Ellen and Joe and Mr. Burl were there.
For a minute I didn't know what had happened and then I remembered...
Mother! Where's my mother?
She's all right, Bud. She's in the hospital.
He gave her enough of those sleeping pills to kill a horse.
But she's all right now.
How do you feel, Bud?
All right, I guess.
Oh, it's a good thing you had us standing by tonight, son.
Why, he had you trussed up like a turkey.
He was gonna hang you.
Oh, gee, Mr. Burl, he must have been crazy.
I guess he wanted to get us both out of the way before Mother could change that will.
And for crying out loud, Bud, why didn't you let me in on this?
I thought that...
Oh, gee, I hated to do it, Joe, honest, but I had to.
Somebody had to be the guinea pig.
It was my idea, Joe. I sent the note to Mr. Burl.
I really found Bud in that hash house.
Yeah, but if you'd let me know...
We knew that if Bud could fool you, if you thought he was a phony, he could fool everybody.
Even David Cunningham.
Yeah, you see, Joe, for three years I suspected that guy.
He pushed me off the pier that night when I was only a kid.
But I knew I was a kid and it was just his word against mine, so I ran away.
I kept putting off coming here, but I swore that someday I'd trap him, and tonight I did.
Because when he said he knew, I wasn't Bud Owen.
I knew he thought he'd kill me.
You took one whale of a chance tonight, Bud.
He had you framed pretty.
Another half hour, we'd have found your mother dead.
You strung up and that suicide note you wrote popped up on the dresser.
Suicide note?
I just copied a sentence out of an old composition, something about Alexander the Great.
Alexander the Great? Well, listen to this.
It is terrible what awful crimes are done for greed and ambition, signed Bud Owen.
Oh, sure. Well, you see, I was writing...
What? I signed that? Holy...
Well, that's about all. I didn't know how my mother would take it,
having my stepfather to turn out to be such a heel.
But once she got over the dope he slipped her, she was fine.
As happy as a lark over me.
And Joe and Ellen? They got married but quick.
Mary Louise and I are going together now.
I've been playing hard to get, but gee, she can see through me in a minute.
I guess I never could fool anybody.
Suspense!
The Visitor starring Donald O'Connor presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines.
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Donald O'Connor may currently be seen in the Universal International Production, Something in the Wind.
Tonight's Suspense play, The Visitor, is from the novel by Carl Randow and Leanne Zugsmith.
Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Claire Trevor as star of Suspense!
Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Thank you for watching!