And now, Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present...
Suspense!
Tonight, Auto Light co-stars Miss Ethel Barrymore and Mr. Gene Kelly in...
To Find Help, a suspense play produced and directed by Anton M. Leeder.
Suspense! Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations.
Friends, when you buy an Auto Light stay-full battery, you're not getting just another ordinary battery.
No, sir, you're getting a battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use.
Yes, Auto Light stay-full batteries need water only three times a year in normal car use.
Why, a camel could drink its weight in water and a cactus could die of thirst...
before those tough, temperate, teetotaling Auto Light stay-full batteries would ask for an extra drop of H2O.
So, friends, switch to an Auto Light stay-full battery tomorrow.
Remember, you're right with Auto Light, always right with Auto Light.
And now Auto Light presents Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in a tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense!
My rumor, Mr. Armstrong, tried to warn me that morning he left on his business trip.
I remember we were just finishing breakfast and he was rather in a hurry.
I don't care what you say, Mrs. Gillis. I just plain don't like it.
You're alone here in the house all day, there are no close neighbors...
and after all, you know nothing about the man.
Good gracious, Mr. Armstrong, you think I was a pretty young thing of 20 to hear you tell it.
And another thing, it seems very strange to me that a young man should be job-hunting...
from door to door this day and age. Why, there are plenty of jobs to be had.
That's just why it's so difficult to find help these days.
You're a worrywart, Mr. Armstrong.
Now that I've found someone to do my heavy work, I'm not going to let your silly notions change my mind.
Well, all the same, though. I'm not leaving the house this morning till I get a look at the guy.
I remember I kept worrying about poor Mr. Armstrong missing his train...
because it was getting to be nine o'clock.
He dried the breakfast dishes for me and as he talked...
he kept looking out of the window toward the long driveway.
Hey, here he comes.
I guess I needn't have worried.
Mr. Armstrong was smiling when he'd seen my young man who was coming up the door...
and I smiled, too.
Even I had forgotten what a meek, harmless-looking lad he was...
and why he would hardly be called a man at all, I thought.
So that's the critter who's been causing me all this mental anguish.
There, you see, you and your silly ideas.
Well, the little guy's not strong enough to keep a regular job, I suppose.
Why, I believe Sarah's getting some of your foolish notions, Mr. Armstrong.
There, now, Sarah. Sarah.
I'm sorry that we made you nervous about him.
Why, if you could see the guy...
He'll hear you.
Good morning, lad. I've been expecting you.
This is my rumor, Mr. Armstrong.
I don't believe you told me your name.
I'm Howard Wilton, ma'am.
Hello, Howard. How are you? I'm glad you've come.
I know you'll be a great help to Mrs. Gillis here and you'll be company, too.
Well, I'm off, Mrs. Gillis.
Take care of yourself.
Take care of yourself. I don't think you'll have much trouble.
I don't think your dog likes me, Mrs. Gillis.
Of course she does. She's just getting a little old and peabish.
Oh.
Come along now, Howard. I'll show you where to hang your coat.
Oh, yes. I always like to hang my coat up.
He followed me in the closet storeroom at the back of the house.
Then I handed him a clothes hanger and a rough, heavy apron, which I kept for cleaning help.
Is this apron clean, Mrs. Gillis?
Why, of course it's clean. No one's worn it since it was laundered last.
There are spots on it. See?
Spots? Here. Let me look.
Why, that's paint. No dirt and dried paint, son.
If you don't mind, I'd rather not wear it.
What will you wear, then? You didn't bring other clothes.
I'm a neat worker, Mrs. Gillis. You needn't worry about my clothes.
I turned, and the light hitting his face from the small window made him look so different.
I was startled for a moment, and then I thought,
you're a silly old woman, Mrs. Gillis.
And then I smiled.
Are you laughing at me, Mrs. Gillis?
Why, no, son. I was laughing at myself. Come along. Let's get started now.
He'd only been at the den floor a short time
when I heard him walk back to the closet storeroom.
Can I help you, son?
I'm going after my coat, Mrs. Gillis.
I don't like it being out there in the storeroom.
It's a breeding place for moths, you know.
No, son. It takes longer than that for moths to do any damage.
Mrs. Gillis, perhaps you won't think it's quite so amusing
when I tell you that it's my best and only coat.
I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, lad. Where would you like to put it?
In the kitchen, perhaps?
No, the cooking fumes wouldn't be good for it.
I'll take it right in the den with me.
That is, if you don't mind.
Go right ahead, Howard.
If you don't mind.
Suddenly I was thankful that there was a phone.
He was such a peculiar boy. I wasn't really alarmed.
Not then I wasn't.
Still, it was good to know the phone was working.
And that old Sarah was still in the kitchen asleep.
MUSIC
I went on about my own work that morning.
But several times I went into the den to have a look at him.
He wasn't doing much. I could see that.
He seemed to keep polishing one small square in the corner of the room.
Is there anything you need, Howard?
I don't know.
I won't be spied upon, Mrs. Gillis. I won't put up with that.
See here, lad, I think we must have gotten off on the wrong foot.
I'm not spying on you.
Then why do you keep popping in like that?
Would you like me to go faster?
Would you like me to spill out my life's blood for you here on the floor?
Is that what you're after?
Howard, are you well? Are you well enough to work?
Of course I'm well.
If only you could bother me.
Are you well enough to work? Of course I'm well.
If only you could bother me and pester me and question me.
Is it too much to ask?
Howard, son, I'm interested in young men.
I had two boys of my own. They were in the service.
See, that's Bill on the desk there.
He was a Marine.
And on the table there, that's Dennis.
He was in the infantry.
So that's why you hate me.
I see it all now.
Hate you? Why, whatever gave you...
Yes, you hate me. I could tell at the moment I walked into your house this morning.
But Howard...
You hate me because I'm young and I wasn't in the service like your boy.
Why, it never occurred to me.
You must know I was grateful when you came looking for work.
Grateful? You resented me.
The only reason you have me here is to work my life's blood away.
To punish me for not being in the service.
Just because your sons were in the service and I wasn't.
Son, you're ill.
Let's put the work away now. I'll make you a cup of tea.
Oh, you don't want me to do the job. Is that it?
You're like the Army.
There was a job to be done and they wouldn't let me in.
Now you'd like me to stop in the middle of this.
I only want you to do whatever will make you feel better.
Leave me alone then.
Very well.
Mrs. Gillis?
Yes?
I'll tell you why I wasn't in the Army.
If you insist.
I don't insist at all, Howard.
If you must know, I'll tell you.
They said there was something wrong with my mind.
For Suspense, Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Gene Kelly co-starring with Ms. Ethel Barrymore
in Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills, Suspense.
Hap, I had a very embarrassing experience at New Year's Day dinner.
What in the world happened, Howard?
Well, the whole family was there, you see, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, outlaws.
I mean in-laws.
And during a lull in the conversation, I thought I'd tell them all about that wonderful,
abstinuous Auto Light Stay Full battery.
Oh, my.
So naturally, I told them about that extra large liquid reserve of Auto Light Stay Full batteries.
Even the Great Lakes, said I, are no great shakes compared to the reservoir in those Auto Light Stay Full batteries.
Why, those batteries need water only three times a year in normal car use.
I'm beginning to understand.
And then, of course, I told them that Auto Light Stay Full batteries give longer life
than batteries without the Stay Full features.
And then I explained...
Wait a minute, Harlow, did you say all this at your big family dinner?
Yes, and here's the funny thing, Hap.
Just as I was telling them how every smart car owner was switching to Auto Light Stay Full batteries,
two of my biggest cousins got up, came around to my chair, and carried me, chair and all, into the pantry.
By Cornelius, the pantry was where I finished my New Year's dinner.
Can you imagine my own relatives doing a thing like that to me?
Well, that certainly was a dirty trick, Harlow, but quiet.
Here's suspense again.
And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage,
Miss Ethel Barrymore and Mr. Gene Kelly in.
To find help, the tale well calculated to keep you in.
Suspense!
I just thought maybe you'd like to know, Mrs. Gillis.
They said there was something wrong with my mind.
The first thing that I thought of when I reached the hallway was the phone.
But it was in the den with Howard.
I ran quickly to the back door, but it was locked, and the key wasn't in its usual place.
The front door was locked, too, and I heard a crash.
It came from the den.
I rushed in to find Howard, peacefully polishing away at the same spot.
He hadn't moved an inch.
He didn't look up at me.
Then I saw the phone, which had fallen to the floor beside him.
But it hadn't just fallen.
The wires had been torn out of the wall.
The phone, Mrs. Gillis, it fell.
But the wires...
I suppose you think I ruined your phone.
The wires...
That happened when it fell to the floor.
It could have...
It happened when it fell to the floor.
I don't suppose you'll be able to use it anymore.
Not for a while, anyway.
No, I don't suppose I will.
Sarah, here! Sarah! Sarah!
Mrs. Gillis.
Yes?
Are you looking for your dog?
Yes, yes. I haven't seen her all morning.
She was in the kitchen.
Well, she's not there any longer.
I know. Where is she, Howard?
Where is she?
Yes, where is she?
She's gone.
Gone? If you've harmed her...
She didn't like me, you know.
See here, I've put up with enough.
You tell me where my dog is or...
Or what, Mrs. Gillis?
I'll...
You'll do what, Mrs. Gillis? What will you do?
Sarah!
She's gone, Mrs. Gillis. I told you that.
You've harmed my dog.
Have I?
You killed poor old Sarah, who never heard a thing.
She would have hurt me.
You're bad, Howard. You're wicked. You're a coward.
I'm not a coward, Mrs. Gillis. Cowards are afraid to kill.
Only a coward would kill a poor old dog.
If I were a coward, I'd be afraid of you.
And I'm not afraid of you.
Will you let me out of here?
I have strong hands, Mrs. Gillis. My fingers are like steel.
I've never harmed you.
No, and Sarah didn't need it, but she would have if I hadn't harmed her first.
Let me out of here!
You're getting very noisy, Mrs. Gillis.
Perhaps if I locked you in here, you'd calm down a bit.
Howard! Howard!
And then I heard the key turn in the lock.
For a moment I had the feeling of unreality. Was this really happening?
But I found out soon enough that it wasn't a dream,
for the dim light from the little square window
picked up a limp, lifeless object in the corner among the dusty mops.
I knew without looking further what it was.
Poor Sarah.
Sarah, who'd never harmed a soul.
I don't know how long he kept me there.
I could hear him moving about the house.
But he finally came.
He spoke to me through the door.
Have you calmed down, Mrs. Gillis?
Yes, Howard. Let me out.
Why?
Because it's warm in here.
Because I want to get out.
You were looking for your dog, weren't you?
Never mind about that, Howard.
Let me out.
Mrs. Gillis, if I kept you in there,
you wouldn't be able to spy on me ever again.
I won't spy on you, Howard.
Let me out.
Do you know what I've been doing, Mrs. Gillis?
No.
I've been doing your den floors, just like you asked me to.
That's fine, Howard.
It was fine being able to work peacefully,
knowing that you were someplace where you couldn't bother me.
I won't bother you, Howard.
It was very peaceful.
Nobody to bother me.
Let me out, Howard.
Will you promise to do as I tell you?
I promise.
Anything?
Anything.
Very well, then.
Now, no tricks.
No.
Feel my hands, Mrs. Gillis.
Are they nice hands?
Yes, they're nice hands.
You haven't felt them.
I haven't felt them.
Did your sons have as nice hands as these?
No.
No, they didn't.
But they didn't have any trouble getting jobs, did they?
I'm just as good as they were, you know.
Of course you are, Howard.
Wouldn't you like some food, lad?
You haven't eaten all day, you know.
Some food would be good, yeah.
Yeah, let me fix you some.
Mrs. Gillis, a woman I worked for once said my hands were weak.
She did.
I'm not allowed, however.
Here, now, lad.
I have some nice cold roast in the icebox.
I taught her a lesson.
It'll only take a minute to fix some salad.
Were your sons' hands strong, Mrs. Gillis?
Not as strong as yours, Howard.
I'll set the table right away.
Mrs. Gillis, feel my hands again.
They're like steel, you know.
I finally managed to get some lunch on the table.
Howard sat beside me.
He didn't say much.
And he ate very little.
I tried to appear casual, to engage him in conversation, anything.
Do you work often, Howard?
Not often.
Do you have trouble finding jobs?
People are anxious to find help these days.
Weren't you?
Yes.
Do you have any problems finding jobs?
No.
Weren't you?
Yes, to find help.
Mrs. Gillis,
they're looking for me.
Who, Howard?
I don't know exactly.
The people I worked for last, I guess.
Was that here, in this town?
No.
It was another town.
Everyone was looking for me,
so I went away.
It's horrible to be spied upon, Mrs. Gillis.
Do you know what it is to be spied upon?
No, no, I don't.
Would you like to know?
No, I wouldn't, Howard.
I think I'll spy on you the rest of the day.
Then you'll know how it feels.
No, no, please, Howard.
Whatever it is you want, take it and go away.
There's nothing I want, nothing.
I only want to stay here with you.
I can't stand it, Howard.
I can't.
I'm an old woman.
I'm not going away, Mrs. Gillis.
There's still a job to be done.
I'll go away after I've done
everything that's to be done.
Howard, I have some money here
in the kitchen cabinet drawer.
It's a great deal.
I'll give it to you.
I don't want your money, Mrs. Gillis.
Then go away.
That would be foolish.
Then you'd tell on me.
No, I wouldn't really, Howard.
Never tell a soul that you've been here.
I don't believe you.
And I don't trust you.
There's only one way of being certain
that you won't tell.
My heart jumped when I looked out the window.
I thought it was the milkman.
Tell him to go away.
I can't. I've ordered some extra things.
Then go into the store room until he goes.
I can't, Howard. He knows I'm here.
He'll expect me to pay him.
You promised to do as I told you.
When he pulled open the cabinet drawer,
tell him to take a knife out.
Will you tell him to go away?
If I tell him to go,
he'll think something's wrong.
Then you'll get caught for sure.
All right, Mrs. Gillis.
Take whatever you've ordered, but if you pull any tricks,
you'll be sorry.
Just a moment.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Gillis.
Good afternoon.
A lovely day, isn't it? Yes, it is.
Mrs. Gillis, I think I have good news for you.
You have? Yep.
The company's taking on some more help.
In the future, your deliveries will be made in the early morning.
That's nice.
I don't believe you ever did like these late deliveries, did you?
I never really minded.
If all of our customers were like you,
it wouldn't be such a bad world.
Here you are.
One quart of milk and a pint of half and half.
Goodbye, Mrs. Gillis.
The extra things. You forgot them.
The extra things?
Yes, the extra things.
Now, don't tell me you've forgotten them,
the butter?
Okay, I'll get them right away.
Mrs. Gillis,
I'm going to give you one more chance.
When he comes back, you're going to get rid of him, do you hear?
And if you give me away, I'm going to kill you.
I'll kill you before he can get inside this house
and I don't care what they do to me.
I won't give you away, Howard. I'll only pay him.
I have to do that. Shut up.
Remember. Here you are, Mrs. Gillis.
Thank you. Anything else?
No, that's all.
Mrs. Gillis, I was going to say...
I can't stop. I can't talk today.
I'm very busy.
You're very clever, aren't you, Mrs. Gillis?
What do you mean?
You thought you were going to put something over on me, didn't you?
I sent him away, didn't I?
The extra things you wanted.
There weren't any.
Yes, there were. You saw him. You heard him.
He didn't know what you were talking about.
The milkman had returned.
He stood outside the window. Howard looked at me.
I saw his knuckles grow wide as he clutched the knife.
This is your last chance. Get rid of him.
I will, Howard. I will.
I'm sorry to bother you again, Mrs. Gillis, but you forgot to pay me.
That is, unless you want to...
No, yes, yes. I'll pay you.
Here you are.
Sorry I had to bother you, Mrs. Gillis.
But you see, this is the day I have to come...
Yes, yes, I'm busy. Can't you see that I'm very busy?
Tell me when he's gone, Mrs. Gillis.
I stood by the window and watched.
He got under his truck.
Then he drove off.
So that was your scheme, was it?
So you wanted to give me away.
He's gone now, Howard.
You thought he'd save you, didn't you?
No, no, I sent him away like you asked me.
Do you know what would have happened to me?
Do you?
They would have taken me away.
Howard, leave me alone.
I'm going to punish you.
No, Howard, I've been punished enough.
No, you haven't.
Yes.
He was standing very close now.
I knew he still held the knife.
Suddenly everything was black.
I slipped to the floor.
When I came to, I was on the kitchen floor.
My head throbbed.
There I remembered everything.
But where was he?
And I heard a sound,
a soft, swishing sound.
Seemed like hours
before I could bring myself to move.
Suddenly,
the whole clock began to strike.
Why, it was five o'clock.
I'd been unconscious
for longer than I'd thought.
The room had already turned dark
in the late afternoon light,
but I could see him now.
He stood in the middle of the room.
He was pushing my heavy floor polisher
back and forth,
back and forth.
I tried to close the door quietly,
but he looked up.
He saw me.
What time is it, Mrs. Gillis?
About five.
Well, I guess I'll call it a day now.
I've done a nice job, haven't I?
Yes, Howard, very nice.
I think I'll be going now.
Doesn't it shine nicely, Mrs. Gillis?
Yes, yes, it does.
Is it worth five dollars to you?
Yes, Howard.
I have nice hands,
haven't I, Mrs. Gillis?
Yes, Howard, you have.
Here, take the money.
Thank you. It's a pity they have to be used
to polish floors.
You've done such a good job, Howard.
I'll give you an extra dollar.
Thank you.
You'll be needing me tomorrow, Mrs. Gillis?
No, thank you, Howard.
The door's locked, Mrs. Gillis.
Yes, Howard.
Do you have the key?
Yes.
Yes, I do. I just remember.
I just remembered
a lot of things.
Mrs. Gillis, there's someone at the door.
Yes, Howard.
Will you open it?
Should I?
Yes, Howard, you have the key.
I have?
Is this it, Mrs. Gillis?
Yes, Howard.
Open the door.
Open the door, Howard.
Open it.
All right, Mrs. Gillis.
I'm Mr. Stevens
from the phone company. Your phone's been
reported out of order.
Mrs. Gillis, is your phone out of order?
No, no, there must be a mistake.
That's strange. We've had several reports.
Maybe I'd better run back and check
my books.
Just a moment, Mr. Stevens. Could you do me a favor?
Why, certainly.
Mrs. Gillis.
This boy, he's worked here all day.
He's done a good job, but I don't think
he's well.
I'm all right, Mrs. Gillis.
Aren't you tired, Howard?
Doesn't your head ache?
Yes.
Yes, I am tired.
My head does ache.
Well, maybe Mr. Stevens will be kind enough
to drive you to the car line.
I'd be glad to, Mrs. Gillis, but I can't wait long.
Right away, and I'll go along, too.
I have some marketing to do.
And Mr. Stevens, as long as you're here,
would you mind checking the phone just to make sure?
Of course.
I'll show you where it is.
Mrs. Gillis?
No, Howard, you wait here. We'll be right back.
I move quickly
toward the den.
Mr. Stevens followed me.
Once inside, I closed the door behind me.
He spotted the torn
wires at once.
Say, this phone...
It's that boy. That man.
He's dangerous. Drive us to the police
station as fast as you can.
Well, I...
Before he could reply, I opened the den door and went out
into the empty room.
Howard!
He's gone.
It sure looks that way.
No, no, you've got to find him.
But, Mrs. Gillis, if you were afraid...
You don't understand. He's angry with me.
He wants to kill me, and now he's hiding here somewhere.
When you go, he'll come out and kill me.
Say that, ma'am. Take it easy.
You're getting yourself all worked up.
You don't believe me.
Look, Mrs. Gillis, maybe I'd better run down to the corner
and phone for somebody.
I'll go with you. Well, sure, if it'll make you feel any better.
My car's right outside in the driveway.
Yes. Come on.
Yes, and we'll call the police.
They'll come and get him.
Sure, whatever you say.
He looked like a nice enough
young fellow, though. Are you sure
that he...
Were you looking for me, Mrs. Gillis?
Why, yes,
Howard, I was.
Are you ready to go? Yes,
I'm ready. I just thought I'd wait in the car.
Sure, sure.
All right, Mrs. Gillis,
you get in the back here.
Thank you.
It's very kind of you
to do this for me.
I'm very tired.
Just relax, Howard.
We'll take care of you.
Already?
Already, Mr. Stevens.
Mr. Stevens.
Don't you think I have nice hands?
Why?
Yes, I guess so.
Yes.
They're strong hands, too.
Very strong.
Thank you, Gene Kelly
and Ethel Barrymore, for a splendid performance.
Our stars will return in just a moment.
Say,
Hap, I've got a wonderful
New Year's resolution here.
Don't tell me you're resolved to give up talking, Howard.
Give up talking? Me, auto light,
powder-packed Wilcox?
Will a pistol-packing cowboy give up his gun?
Will a power-packed auto light stay full battery
give up the ghost when you need it most?
Not on your life, by Cornelius.
No, sir, Hap, the New Year's resolution I've got
is for every car owner who doesn't already have
an auto light stay full battery.
And the resolution reads,
I resolve at the earliest opportunity
that is tomorrow morning
to drive down to my nearest auto light dealer
and get a brand new auto light stay full battery.
The battery that needs water only three times a year
in normal car use.
For remember, friends,
you're right with auto light.
And remember, too, auto light means
batteries.
Stay full batteries.
Auto light means spark plugs.
Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs.
Auto light means ignition systems.
The lifeline of your car.
And now here again is Mr. Gene Kelly.
It's always a pleasure to appear on suspense,
but it was especially wonderful playing opposite
a truly great lady of the stage and screen,
Miss Ethel Barrymore.
Why, thank you, Gene. It was a great pleasure for me, too.
Even though in the story I had a harrowing time.
Well, that's the specialty of suspense, Miss Barrymore.
That's why I try never to miss a chance
to be on the stage.
I'm glad you're here.
I'm glad you're here, Miss Barrymore.
That's why I try never to miss a program.
For instance, next week, Radio's Outstanding
Theatre of Thrills presents Danny Kay
in a new kind of role for him.
He plays a murderer in a story
titled The Two Perfect Alibi.
And you can be sure it's
another gripping study in...
Suspense.
Gene Kelly can currently be seen
in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer All-Star
Technicolor Musical, Words and Music,
based on the lives and music of Rogers and Hart.
Ethel Barrymore may currently be seen
in the David O. Selznick Production Portrait of Jenny.
Tonight's suspense play
was by Mel Dinelli, with music composed
by Lucian Morawek and conducted by
Lud Bluskin. The entire production
was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder.
Next Thursday, same time,
hear Danny Kay in The Two Perfect Alibi.
The Two Perfect Alibi
Remember, you're right
with autolight.
So switch to autolight.
Good night.
This is CBS,
the Columbia Broadcasting System.