Suspense.
The Columbia Broadcasting System brings you radio's outstanding theater of thrills,
produced and directed by Anton M. Lieder and starring tonight, Miss Faye Bainter.
In Life Ends at Midnight by Robert Tallman. A tale well calculated to keep you in.
Suspense.
Nurtured in the cradle and carried to the grave, the love of a mother for her child is an emotion all pervasive, all forgiving.
Of all human relationships, this one which we celebrate on Mother's Day is among the strongest, most lasting.
And for most of us raised in the comfort and security of a happy home, no emotional tie is more warm and welcome.
But there are some few mothers for whom Mother's Day represents no joyful memories, no warmth, no tenderness.
Instead, there is heartbreak and regret, unhappiness, even terror.
Such a mother is the woman of our story tonight, Mrs. Bates. A poor, worn woman, kindly, gentle, forgiving, resigned, but not without spirit.
The story setting, a miserable tenement apartment in the slum section of a large city, the time today.
And now, with the performances of Miss Faye Bainter as Mrs. Bates, Tony Barrett as Walter Bates, and Norman Field as Mr. Chalmers,
and with Robert Tormann's story, Life Ends at Midnight, we again hope to keep you in suspense.
Is Walter? Walter! Is that you, Walter?
That's right, Mom. Your little sonny boy, Walter. Remember my whistle, huh?
Yes, I... Oh, but well, I didn't know...
Never know when I'll turn up, am I? What's the matter? Do we have to stand out here, Noah?
No, no, come in. It's just that... Come in, Walt.
Same old crummy joint.
I do my best to keep it clean, Walt.
Yeah, I know. Regular old mother of it, huh?
We'll have to clean up the whole south of Chicago for you to get the filth out of this flea bag.
Oh, boy, I'm tired. Up all night in a stinking daycoach full of snoring jerks and scalling babies,
and babies are the worst. All they do is bawl and slobber.
You left Pittsburgh last night?
Morning to morning. Didn't sleep a wink. Look at that collar, will you?
But tomorrow is Monday, and you have to be at work in the morning.
Sure. What's the matter? You worried?
Oh, no, no, I just...
Then don't just... Can't a guy come home to see his mother once in six months?
That's a mother for you. You break your back, you sit up all night to see your mother for one day.
She tells you you have to be at work in the morning. How do you like that?
I'm sorry, dear. I did miss you so, but I just worried about...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Don't worry so much, huh? It makes me nervous.
Here, dear. Sit at the table. You must be starved.
Well, all right. Now it's like coming home.
Oh, my baby. I'm so glad to see you. You did come just to see me, didn't you?
Who else? Hattie Lamar?
Of course you came to see me. It's just that I always worry so about you, I mean...
Forget it, forget it. What's the...
I was just making a chop for my lunch. That's all I seem to have in the house right now.
That'll be enough for me.
It should be ready in a minute. Now tell me all about yourself, your job.
Never mind about me. Come on, sit down, mama.
All right.
How are you doing?
Well, I try not to complain, Walter, but things are not easy.
Prices high, rents going up all the time, even on this old house.
Honest, I don't know what I'm going to do if...
You had some bonds Papa left. You had about $2,000 bonds he left you.
I'm trying to tell you, Walter, things haven't been easy and I just...
Always the poor mouth. Every time I see her, she's putting on a poor mouth.
I'm just saying that things aren't easy.
And for me, you think it's a picnic, huh? I got enough trouble and for what, for what?
All year, work like crazy and for what?
A man must work, Walter.
Yes, it's true. A man must work and live like a person and not be afraid so that he can sleep at night without worrying about...
About what?
About a bell ringing at night or a knock on the door in the morning or someone touching you on the arm.
Oh, yes. It's a nice feeling and a free feeling to be able to walk down the street in the sun with your eyes meeting another man's without wondering if he's...
Shut up! Shut up!
I ain't in trouble again, so stop mouthing at me. Always mouthing at me.
You haven't.
You know what the judge said the last time, Walter? He was nice. He gave you another chance.
He saw you were a really good boy and he gave you another chance. He got a nice job for you and you promised him. You mustn't.
You're... you're all right, Walter. You didn't do it.
A meatball, a herring on a plate. All your life you're a tomcat in the garbage.
Find a fish head and say, thank you, mister. Not for me. You take a chance, you throw away the fish heads.
You get one break, you're out of the garbage can for life. You're through with time clocks and shiny pants. You're in the higher brackets, nobody gets at you.
You're a mister with a future. You hold your nose when you walk through the daycoach to your compartment.
You leave the stinks behind in a pot of dusty air in front of you. That's for me.
One break, you're hot as a rocket shooting diamonds for sparks. You're a jet job in a world full of flivers. A buck gets you two, two gets you four.
Good for one, blonde, to kick her or to kiss her. Walter!
So, all right, all right, I took another chance. I tried to run it up, but no dice.
I gotta make it good. Tomorrow morning I gotta make it good. The books at the office will show I gotta make it good.
How much? Fifteen hundred. Fifteen hundred dollars? By midnight tonight, fifteen hundred.
I missed that twelve twenty tramp of Pittsburgh, it's swell up. Might as well take gas.
Fifteen hundred? By midnight tonight? Where am I going to get it, Walter?
The bonds, you got the bonds Papa left.
The bonds. How do you think I got you out of your last trouble? Bribes, bail, paying back, every penny. Where do you think I got it?
Don't give me that, you're holding out, you gotta help me. I'll give you my life, Walter. Walter, please, don't.
I'll get ten years, you heard the judge last time. What can I do? What? Ten years and stir.
There won't be no reform school this time, think it over, will you? Walter, Walter.
Oh, please, please get me the money, mama, get it for me. I'll be good, I'll work hard, I won't give you no more trouble, but help me now. Please, mama, please.
Where can I get it, Walter? I've nothing left, nothing. I don't care where you get it. It's your fault, you gotta help me.
I only wanted to help you and now I don't know. Yes, yes it is my fault. I've always protected you, but I can't protect you anymore.
I'll give you the few dollars I have, go away. It'll be enough to help you run away, that's all I can do.
Not me. I ain't gonna spend the rest of my life being old clay pigeon. Sure, run away. Don't find me.
Don't, don't you're hurting my arm. I'm not dope, I know you're holding on to me, you're worrying about your old age, making yourself a cushy setup.
Don't. I'm sorry, I hope I'm not intruding. Who's this? Oh, Mr. Chalmers. This is Mr. Chalmers, Walter. He has the back bedroom. This is my son, Walter, Mr. Chalmers.
How do you do, Mr. Bates? I feel that I know you very well. Your mother and I sit here in the kitchen sometimes over a cup of tea and she talks about you for hours and hours.
Yes, I can see why mother's so proud of you. How do you do, Mr. Bates? Yes, and you're a fine looking young man.
Yeah.
Mrs. Bates, if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to the corner for my paper. I think that little man with the tiny mustache, you know who I mean, the insurance agent, I think he might call again to collect.
Please tell him to go away. You will do that for me, Mrs. Bates? Yes, Mr. Chalmers. Thank you, Mrs. Bates. Tell him not to come back anymore. I don't want to pay anymore on the policy.
You remember, I told you my nephew was very sick in Spokane? Yes, Mr. Chalmers. Well, the poor young man died. Yes. I was going to leave him a few dollars when I died, but now, well, I have no one left at all and, well, a dollar a week.
You'll tell that to the little man with the tiny mustache? Yes, Mr. Chalmers. Thank you, Mrs. Bates. Good day, Mr. Bates.
I have forty dollars in the house for rent. You can take that. Yeah.
Drop me a card when you get settled someplace. Let me know where you are. I'll send you some more as soon as I get it. Maybe later I'll be able to straighten it out. Maybe later I'll be able to speak to your broths. I'll promise to pay back every cent. But now you must go away. You must.
Mama, tell me something about Mr. Chalmers. He interests me very strangely. Walter. Don't be so nervous, Ma. We got plenty of time. We got till midnight.
Yes? I do think I will have another cup if you don't mind, Mrs. Bates. Suppose you look at it this way. You've been paying one buck a week for how many years now? Well, I'd say twenty years. It'd be a conservative estimate.
All right. Twenty years. That's fifty bucks a year. Say that's one thousand bucks that you paid in. Yes, one thousand bucks. This coffee cake, Mrs. Bates, is excellent. You like it? I made it yesterday. Forget the coffee, can you? Let's figure a percentage. How many more years you figure to live?
Walter! Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Bates. After all, I am an old man, and at my age one rather well comes to terms with death. It's like the end of a long busy day. Life ends at midnight. And a new day begins. Yes, Walter, I think you're on the verge of making a very profound observation. My policy is for twenty-five hundred dollars. And in the days that are left to me, I certainly will not be required to pay in as much as I've already paid.
Well, that's the exact point, Mr. Chalmers. And if you drop it now, will you get anything back? No. You've got a straight life with no cash value. If you drop the policy now, the insurance company's the winner. But say that you live another couple of years, you pay a couple of hundred more, and you leave that twenty-five hundred to somebody. Which is the smart thing. I leave it to you.
Oh, yes. I should like to think that when I'm gone, I have left some things behind for someone. Mr. Chalmers, oh yes, I'll always remember him for this. It's nice to live on in somebody's memory for a little while after we are dead. But A, Mr. Bates, I have no one in this world. And B, I must be very, very frank with you and tell you that I can no longer afford to pay even the dollar a week.
You see, I live on very- That's a problem of the most minor importance. For anybody to invest in you now, a buck a week would be guilt-edged. I mean, for instance, take my mother here.
Oh, yes? Now, suppose that you made her the beneficiary. Now, suppose she continued to pay the buck a week. Now, who could lose on such a deal? Who can lose? Nobody. You see, you'll get your dearest wish to leave something behind, and my mother in lady here says, Mr. Chalmers, oh yes, I'll always remember him for this. You get the point?
Oh, no, I couldn't. Why, it's- Why not? It's simple. Oh, no, no, no, Mr. Chalmers, no, you must- Let Mr. Chalmers decide. Mr. Chalmers, it makes good sense, no? It makes everybody happy, huh?
Oh, but we're practically strangers. Now, we're- What do you mean, strangers? Who is a stranger in this world, Mr. Chalmers? We're all just little people trying to make each other happy, huh? Mr. Chalmers here can die feeling that he didn't waste a buck a week for twenty years, and he'll know that he'll live in your memory, Mama. That's what he wants. Why shouldn't he have it? Ain't every man entitled to at least live in somebody's memory.
But Mr. Chalmers doesn't have to do that. I'll think about him anyway. I promise I will- So let him say something always admiring. Oh, what are you saying, Mr. Chalmers?
Uh, that must be the little man with the tiny mustache. I'll tell him I'm keeping the policy and changing the beneficiary. So could you let me have the dollar, Mrs. Bates?
Hey, hurry it up, will you? The old man's coming home in a minute or two. He takes his nap about this time. I want this ready for him.
Relax, honey. I can't finish this job today. What are you giving me? It'll take a joint and another length of pipe. Fix it up. You can fix it up for now, can't you?
Well, this room's pretty small. Why do you want the heater so close to the bed? Like I told you, he's got rheumatism. He needs plenty of heat.
Well, I can run a rubber extension, but with gas, I don't like it. Okay, so with gas, you don't like it, but with gas, we gotta run this heater. The old man's got rheumatics. He can take plenty of gas.
Huh? Hey, heat, heat, I mean. He needs plenty. What are you doing now? Tightening this joint. It's tight enough here. Here's your three bucks.
Okay. You're the boss. Bring your tools next time. Yeah, won't be any next time, sonny. What are you giving me now?
You can get somebody else to do your dirty work after this. So long, Skippy.
Skippy. Come on, Skippy. Put yourself together. We gotta work today.
Hello.
Oh, hiya, Pa. Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Yeah, yeah, this used to be my room. Steam don't come up here so good, so I talked the old lady in the fixin' this up for you.
That was very thoughtful of you, Walter. Oh, thanks. I used to stuff the cracks in the windows till zero weather gets plenty drafty in this room.
You thought of everything, didn't you, Walter? Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I want to work out just fine.
It'll do the job, I think. I'm going to take a little nap before dinner. Do you think the heater...
Just leave it on. I'll look in after a bit to see if it's okay.
Wait till now. You needn't go to all that... Oh, no trouble at all, Mr. Chalmers. When I do a thing, I like to do it right.
Oh, yeah.
Huh? Who's there? Oh, that's you, Walter? Yeah. Yeah, go on back to sleep, Pa. Just turn the heater off. We'll get a little stuffy in here.
You're a good, considerate boy, Walter. Ah, skip it. Go on back to sleep.
Please, don't walk so fast, Walter. My feet are hurting me again. Ah, you can buy no shoes tomorrow, huh?
I'd like to know what with. Maybe you'll have dough tomorrow. Maybe we'll both have dough. If a miracle happens.
Maybe miracles do happen. Maybe. If you're smart. Where are you taking me to, Walter?
No place particular. I just thought we'd stroll around the old neighborhood like old times.
Well, that's a nice idea, Walter. But my feet are...
Okay, okay. So we'll turn in at the candy store in the corner and I'll buy you a dish of ice cream.
So close to dinner time, dear. Trouble with you, Mars. You're in a rut. Come on.
Howdy, Miss Bates. Hello. Howdy, Walter. When did you get back?
He came in on the train from Pittsburgh, Nick, this morning, just to see me. Yeah, I thought I'd give the old girl a break.
What? Well, what can I mix up for you folks? Mom will take vanilla and I want coffee. Black.
Coming right up. Evening, Nick. Oh, hello, Mike. Take a load off your feet.
You folks know Officer Flanagan? Miss Bates from Down the Block and her son, Walter?
Pleased to meet you, Officer. How's business, Cap'r?
Oh, much the same. Vagrancy, petty larceny, once in a while a murder. Murder?
That's what they start out to do, but it's harder to pull off a murder than most people think. Yeah.
A case just last week over in the next precinct. Family disconnected a gas heater in the old man's room while he was asleep.
That's what we were pretty sure he did, anyway. They took out a lot of insurance on him a few days before.
But you couldn't prove anything, huh? Didn't have to. They always bungle somewhere. Amateurs. Gaspetered out.
They forgot to put a quarter in the meter.
Seven o'clock. Sure and I got to call in. See you later, Nick. Okay, Michael.
Ma. Yes, Walter? When did you put a quarter in the meter at home?
Why don't we then? Goodness, I'd better get some change. Never mind. Come on, we're getting out of here.
What's the matter, Walter? Nothing. Come on. Come on.
Walter, why did you ask about the gas meter? Why do you think?
Walter, you didn't. That isn't why you put the heater in this hotel. What do you think?
I don't think anything. I just pray that that quarter ran out before...
Save your prayers and get a move on. If that didn't work, I'll try another way.
Either that old cluck is dead before midnight or I spent ten years in Sturr.
He's gonna be dead before midnight. You understand that?
If you try making any trouble, you'll be pushing daisies right along with him.
Stop that sniveling. We're going in there now.
If it took, scream your head off or I'll give you a reason to scream.
The gas. I can smell it. Come on.
Well, good evening, Walter.
I'm going to get some fresh air.
Good evening, Walter. Mrs. Bates, I was just on my way out.
Oh, Mr. Jones, you're all right. You're all right.
Of course he's all right. What's eating you?
I have a slight headache, it's true, but a brisk walk in the open air will cure that, I'm sure.
Hey, look at this. What is it, Walter?
A hose on the heater had got unhitched. No wonder you got a headache.
I thought I smelled gas.
Pop, it's lucky for you that Ma forgot to put a quarter in the meter.
Providence works in strange ways, doesn't it, Walter?
Well, I must be getting on. Mrs. Bates. Yes?
I'll be coming home rather late, so I'll just let myself in.
How late? Well, I thought I'd stop in at the neighborhood picture house after dinner.
That'll be around nine o'clock, so I imagine I won't be home much before eleven.
Mr. Chalmers, there's something I... Yes, Mrs. Bates?
Walter's a good boy at heart, you know, but he's been in some trouble lately.
Is there anything I can do to help, Walter?
Yeah, plenty. I'll tell you all about it when you get back.
You better run along now, Mr. Chalmers. You don't want to be late for that picture.
Yes, yes, of course. Well, good night, Mrs. Bates.
Mr. Chalmers. Good night, Mr. Chalmers.
Yes, good night.
Walter, Walter, Walter, Walter!
Oh, Walter! I'm your mother, Walter!
You were going to tell him, weren't you?
You'd like to send me to the chair, wouldn't you?
Oh, stop, Walter. You struck your own mother.
I ought to have messed your sad monkey face up for good.
It's your fault I pulled this thing up in the first place.
Why didn't you remember to put a quarter in a gas meter? Why didn't you?
I forgot. He wouldn't be alive.
You shouldn't have messed around with a gas, trying to spare your feelings,
make it look like an accident. The thanks I get for it.
She wants to blab the whole thing, turn me in. My own mother!
No, no, Walter, that's not true. No, please!
Don't hit me again, Walter. I can't stand it.
All right. Maybe now you'll cooperate.
Look, let's put it this way. It's either you or him.
If it's you, I don't care whether they get me or not. Are you listening to me?
Yes, Walter.
All right. Now, like I said, I got very little time to get this thing done.
I ought to have done it neat, clean in the first place, like I said.
He's old, he's weak. Just push him over on a bed,
hold a pillow on his face for a few minutes, and the job is done.
Nobody to ask any questions of a guy that old.
Walter, for the last time, I beg you.
All right, you just make sure it's the last time.
Remember, like I said, it's you or him.
What are you going to do?
I'll be waiting in his room when he gets home.
You wait up for him. Tell him I've left to catch a train,
just in case he suspects anything.
When he comes into his room, I'll take care of the rest of it.
How do you know I won't warn him?
Because it's you or him, just like I told you.
I don't think you'll warn Mr. Chalmers.
Don't you try to stall him when he comes in.
He's got to be dead by midnight, or else...
Good evening.
Good evening, Mr. Chalmers.
Joe, I'll have the late edition of the Daily News as usual.
Save one out for you, Mr. Chalmers.
Thank you. Good night, Joe.
Night. Oh, by the way, Joe, I almost forgot.
Can you give me the change of a dollar?
Oh, sure, Mr. Chalmers. Here you are.
$15.75, $85.90, $1.
Thank you.
I just happened to think of something I need change for.
A little good deed for a friend of mine.
Oh, no. No.
Oh, Mr. Chalmers.
Well, I didn't think you'd be up so late, Mrs. Bates.
I waited up especially.
I wanted to talk to you about Walter.
Mrs. Bates, your eye, it's all discoloured.
Oh, yes.
Well, the light burned out in the bathroom,
and when I went to replace it in the dark,
that is, I bumped into the door.
No, I would have thought Walter would have done that for you.
Oh, no, Walter didn't.
I mean, Walter's left already.
He had to catch the $12.20 for Pittsburgh, you know.
But it's only a little after 11 now.
Perhaps he had some things to do on the way, I mean.
Of course.
Well, I'm afraid I must be getting on to bed.
No, no, not yet.
I mean, won't you sit down for a minute,
have a cup of tea with me?
I'd like to, but tea keeps me awake, Mrs. Bates.
I'll be getting along to my room now, if you don't mind.
No, no, don't go into that room, Mr. Chow.
Why, Mrs. Bates, whatever's the trouble?
My son, Walter, there's something I must tell you.
Oh, forgive me, Mrs. Bates, but I am an old man,
and I need my rest.
If it could possibly wait until morning...
No, no, it can't wait until morning.
It's got to be told before...
before midnight.
What was that?
Sounds like someone moving about in the back of the house.
Gee!
One...
one of the shutters is loose.
The wind.
Oh, you were saying, Mrs. Bates?
Nothing. I can't tell you after all.
I'm afraid.
I'm afraid to tell you.
There, there, Mrs. Bates, and perhaps in the morning, eh?
Try to get some rest.
Oh, you're going in there now?
I think that would be the best thing to do,
all the way around, don't you, Mrs. Bates?
Good night.
No, no, wait!
Mrs. Bates, I...
What is it, Mrs. Bates?
That smell.
Gas.
Walter!
MUSIC
Why don't you lie down for a few minutes, Mrs. Bates?
I'll call you when the ambulance arrives.
BELL RINGS
Listen.
It's striking 12.
Dead before midnight.
Oh, lad.
If only I hadn't remembered to go back for that change.
You did it?
LAUGHS
You put the quarter in the meter.
That's what turned on the gas that killed him.
Well, you mentioned the gas having gone off
and forgetting to put a quarter in the meter,
so on the way to the richer house,
I just went round to the back entry and dropped the coin.
You did it.
I suppose I should have remembered
about the connection being loose on the heater in my room,
but I wanted to surprise you with my good deed.
I didn't mean to do anything wrong, Mrs. Bates.
Truly, I didn't.
You didn't do anything wrong, Mr. Chong?
No.
You didn't do anything wrong.
MUSIC PLAYS
Our thanks to Miss Faye Bainter
for her wonderful performance as Mrs. Bates,
to Tony Barrett, who played Walter,
and Norman Field, Mr. Chalmers.
Suspense is produced and directed by Anton M. Leder
with music under the direction of Lud Gluskin
from the original score composed by Lucian Morrowek.
Miss Bainter will soon be seen
in the Warner Brothers production, June Bride.
Next week, we return with 60 minutes,
a full hour of suspense,
and a story in which a boy and a girl find themselves...
and a story in which a boy and a girl
find themselves trapped in an apartment with a dead man,
with a short four hours to find the murderer
and prove that they are innocent.
How they do it, if they do it,
is the intriguing question in William Irish's
10th story, Deadline at Dawn,
a tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense!
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.