Now, Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you Academy Award winner, Miss Claire Trevor in The Light Switch,
a suspense play produced and directed by Anton M. Leder.
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And now, Auto Light presents Claire Trevor in a tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense.
Every window was locked now.
Every jet of gas was on full.
There was nothing impulsive left in me.
My actions were purely mechanical.
I moved as if guided by a subconscious force.
I selected a light fixture near the door, tapped the globe with an ashtray until it
broke and the glass fell to my feet.
For an instant, the naked little wires that had made up the filament seemed to hypnotize
me.
At 730, when he switches on the lights, those tiny wires will cause the spark that'll blow
everything I despise in the world out of my life.
Everything I despise, everything I loathe, and yet everything I love.
The gas in the little room was beginning to make my eyes smart and I realized I had to
get out of there.
I started to open the door when something told me to stop.
It was lucky.
I pressed my ear against the panel.
I could hear voices outside.
People were talking in the hall.
I'd have to wait.
Wait.
Couldn't get panicky.
Just had to wait, that was all.
I thought of shutting off the gas, but they'd be gone in a second.
Seconds.
It seemed like hours before the vices finally died away.
I heard a hall door shut behind them.
Now I had to be fast.
Gas was beginning to make me feel strange.
I listened for an instant more, then turned the knob and started out just in time to see
two men getting off the elevator.
Stepped inside again and shut the door.
I have to wait.
I don't know how long I'd been waiting.
I tried to piece together what had happened.
How I'd gotten here.
I was getting dizzy.
The skit, web, it all started with skits.
My head was whirling.
Lights were flashing in front of my eyes.
Lights like the ones down on East Main Street on the burlesque marquee next door to Skit
Webb's office.
I'd never been down on Main Street before.
I remember it was a strange, dirty...
It frightened me.
I remember running upstairs to Skit's office.
Hello.
Is this the office of Mr. Webb, private detective?
That's what the sign says.
Who are you?
I'm Mrs. John Winston.
I'm in a hurry, so I'll make it clear exactly what I want.
There's a banker named John Winston.
Your husband?
Yes.
Now, Mr. Webb, I'm certain there is nothing wrong, you understand?
I just want to check, that's all.
I want you to watch John for a few days, then we'll just forget the whole thing.
Better start at the beginning.
I don't think that's important.
It is to me.
I call it background.
Mr. Webb, I came here to tell you what to do, not to be questioned.
Perhaps I should point out that I could certainly have afforded a more, shall we say, prosperous
agent.
Yeah.
Let's say prosperous.
I've been married a long time, and John has never given me any reason to believe that there
was anything or anyone else, you understand?
You mean until lately?
I mean never.
In other words, out of a clear sky, I begin to suspect something.
I'm here to hire a private detective, not to listen to your insinuations.
If you don't want or need the job, there are others.
Sure, I need the job.
We both know that.
Don't we, Mrs. Winston?
Hello.
Hello, Mrs. Winston.
Can you talk?
I mean, are you alone?
Yes.
Who is this?
This is Webb, Skid Webb.
Remember last week?
Who?
Skid Webb, the private investigator you hired.
Oh, yes.
I'd like to talk to you about something.
I'm sorry.
Oh, yes.
I'd almost forgotten about that.
I'm afraid I was acting quite foolishly that day.
I had some sort of a silly argument with John about his working so late.
You understand?
What I call about, Mrs. Winston, is that I've been tearing John Boy all week.
I think maybe you might have something after all.
You don't mean that.
You lie.
No, Mrs. Winston.
I really mean it.
You lie.
Do you hear me?
You lie.
You're a liar.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
Eight.
Hello?
Hello.
Hello, is this Mr. Webb?
Well, well, Mrs. Winston.
I didn't expect that hear from you again.
Mr. Webb, tell me.
Where was he?
What was her name?
Do you know that?
Take it easy.
Look.
First, you come into the office and give me no information.
Then when I dig something up for you, you throw a tantrum.
What's with that?
All right.
I'm sorry.
I'll try to be more sensible.
Now, tell me.
Well, it's going to take a little time before I can make a definite report.
A little time.
a little time and a lot more work.
But I hired you to do a simple...
Well, want your dough back?
No. No, I'd like you to find out anything you can.
Okay. I'd play it my way just for a short time.
As soon as I can, I'll give you some definite information.
All right. But I want you to tell me everything as it goes along, Mr. Webb.
Okay. And why not just call me Skip?
I'd rather leave it at Mr. Webb, if you don't mind.
No, I don't mind.
No, I never want to call you Skip.
I... my head... throbbing... splitting...
I was on the floor... gas...
730... 730, it would be all over.
The gas, I could smell it.
Horrible. No, it wasn't gas.
It was wisteria.
Yes, the odor of wisteria, as it was in the park that day.
I was standing on the edge of a walk near a bed of white tulips in the wisteria.
I love wisteria.
Have you been waiting long, Mrs. Winston?
No.
Now, come on, let's go over that bench.
What do you have?
Well, John Boy seems to have pretty well settled down on one gal.
Another woman? I don't believe you, Mr. Webb.
Girls, perhaps, but not another woman.
Okay. Well, you can't tell yet, anyway.
You're making the whole thing up.
Then forget it.
It's your type, that guy.
I said forget it. Look, Mrs. Winston, I don't take that from anyone.
You think just because you came down to the bench, I'm not going to let you?
Look, Mrs. Winston, I don't take that from anyone. You think just because you came down
Main Street and you were hiring a two-bit snoop?
Just a minute, Mr. Webb.
I'm not through yet.
Just because I don't have a plushie suite on the west side,
you think that's the biggest case I've ever had?
Sure, I've got a cheap office and a rundown joint.
Sure, I've had better times. Let me tell you about that.
I'm not interested in your past, and I thoroughly resent your insolence.
Ever hear of Juanita Cole, Mrs. Winston? No?
Well, I guess you wouldn't have. Juanita had an insurance deal.
Filled the room with gas and hooked up a cigarette lighter to an alarm clock,
so that at a certain time, the lighter would spark and blow the whole joint up.
Would have worked too, except the clock stopped.
Yeah, it was a clever stunt. You know who broke the case?
I did. Yeah, me, the two-bit snoop you wanted to hire.
And I can name other cases just as big.
Mr. Webb, I don't see what all of this has to do with me,
but if you're quite through now, I...
Oh, you don't, huh? Well, I'll tell you.
I'm sick of this high and mighty routine you've been giving me.
I've got you pegged, Mrs. Winston.
I know what's going on inside that head of yours.
You told me you were 32. In your case, that means maybe 40.
That's not true. You know, you're slipping.
You can't face it. What do you mean?
Your husband, he's lost interest. No.
You've been put on a shelf. He's found somebody else. You can't take it.
Shut up! Shut up!
Okay. I guess that covers it.
And don't bother firing me. I quit.
What? Get yourself another boy.
No. No, no, no. No, you can't quit.
I already have. But I'm depending on you.
You can't leave me now. I've got to find out.
Please. Please, I need you. I need somebody.
That's no lie. You've got to help me.
Well, maybe. That depends on you.
On me? Maybe if you were to climb down
off that high horse, I... Oh, I will. I will. Anything.
Okay. Okay. All I know so far is that instead of being at a board meeting,
like he told you last Wednesday night, remember?
Where was he? Had dinner at the Gourmet private room.
After that, I lost him. What... what did she look like?
Typical. On about 25. Theatrical looking.
Pretty well put together. Oh, stop it!
Why don't you ask me? What else?
She met him for lunch on Friday. I think she may be in a show downtown.
That's all I know now, but I'll keep checking.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Keep checking.
But you've got to promise not to get all hot and bothered until we're ready to move.
I promise, Mr. Webb, I'll be as cold as ice.
Mrs. Winston, Skid Webb. This is it. Oh.
John Boy's girlfriend is a dame named Terry Williams,
an ex-chorister from the Latin club. Ex, since she nailed on to John Boy, that is.
Go ahead. She's living at a hotel downtown.
Now, look, you can do one or two things. Either rush right down there, tip them off,
now clam up, or play it clever and wait for the kill.
I'll be clever. Okay.
It's a pretty good joint, sort of upper-middle, the Bren Carlton.
Thank you, Skid. Shouldn't be long now.
I'll let you know when at a crucial time, you know what I mean. Then we'll...
Hotel Bren Carlton. Oh, yes. Bren Carlton. Oh.
Do you have a Terry Williams there?
Uh, Terry Williams? Yes. Yes, apartment 504. I'll ring her.
Never mind.
After I hung up, all the strength seemed to drain out of me. I
leaned heavily against the nightstand and the lamp fell to the floor.
For one instant, after the globe had broken, the light glowed on.
That's how life was. There was always a final spark after the brightness was gone.
John. Now I knew what I was going to do about John and me. No long, drawn-out divorce.
I was going to kill him. I'd be clever enough even for Skidweb, but John would die.
For suspense, Auto Light is bringing you Claire Trevor in Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Hmm.
Say, Harlow, it's the ninth inning.
50,000 people have. I can't resist it. I'll tell them.
Tell them what, Harlow?
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Come on now, Harlow. We got to switch from baseball to suspense.
And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood sound stage, Claire Trevor as Mrs. Winston in
the light switch, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I could hear the steady hiss of gas, the gas filling the room. The trap I'd set for my husband,
John and his girlfriend wasn't working out the way I'd planned.
I had to get out of the room. My plan was falling to pieces. My life falling to pieces.
Like a person drowning. I was remembering.
You?
What were you expecting?
I told you not to come here. John hired a private nurse to be with me all the time.
Is that why I didn't get my husband?
Of course not. Come inside and be quiet. I'm all right, Mr. Webb. I've been trying to contact you
anyway.
To pay me? My expenses have been running up, you know. I figure maybe a couple hundred would be...
Oh, forget that. Do you want to make some good money?
You kidding?
Skit, I'm very clever now. Very clever.
Switch?
I'll play it any way you like. You say where and when and I'll stay quiet. But first I've got to
trust you. And I don't now. Why? I've given you the straight all along. When the time is right,
we'll be able to put John Boy right where he belongs.
Fine, but all I have gotten from you is hearsay. Certainly you gave me the name Terry Williams and
I checked myself.
You didn't?
I didn't do anything. Just found out she lived in 504. But still she could be any girl. I've got to know.
Oh. Well, uh, what do you want?
I want to see them myself.
Huh?
Well, now look, this is just about impossible. They're very cagey. The only reason I can tag
them is because I know my business. That is unless you want to take the chance of tipping the whole
thing off.
No, I just want to see them at the Bren Carlton.
Well, I haven't caught them there myself yet.
All right, Skit. Until then, you are off the payroll.
Well, it may not be as easy as all that.
How much if I can? I'm not a mind reader, you know. I can't tell what they're going to do before they do it.
500. And from then on, I won't question you.
I don't know. It may take a week, maybe a month. I don't have much to go on.
Please understand. I have to know myself.
How about last week's dough? Can you get it now?
Yes.
Huh. I'll do my best. You go get what you owe me.
You wait here in the hall.
Hello.
Skit, you told me you were going to call this morning. I've been sitting by the phone all day.
Well, I didn't have anything to report this morning, but I do now. I was just going to call you.
Tell me quickly.
You called me yesterday and said that John Boy was going away for a weekend.
Yes.
Well, get the 500 bucks ready. I was able to tap a phone conversation. Pretty tricky job, too.
Go ahead.
He's picking Terry Williams up in a taxi tonight at 715. They'll arrive at her apartment around 730 for dinner. Got that?
Yes.
Okay. You wait in your car across the street. I'll join you there.
All right.
Now listen, don't lose your head and mess up the whole deal.
No, I won't.
I may be a little late. I've got to tell them this afternoon to make sure everything runs right. So they may beat me there.
If they do, you can watch them go in. But wait for me. Be clever, Mrs. Winston. Clever.
Yes, get clever. You'll never know how clever.
I managed to get away from my nurse, came here, got the key from one of the pigeonholes when the desk clerk wasn't looking, and let myself in.
Apartment 504. Terry Williams' apartment. That's clever, Mr. Webb.
Then I locked the windows, turned on the gas, and cracked a light bulb so it would spark when the lights were switched on.
And now, now you'll see how clever I am at 730 when they...
730. I've got to get out. The door. The door. I've got to get to that door.
Are you kidding, Eva? Of course she's drunk.
I tell you, she ain't, Harry.
Oh, look at her eyes. She's loaded.
The lights. Don't turn on the lights.
They're already on, honey.
Where am I? How did I get here?
You got me there, baby. Eva and I just got off the elevator and there you were, stagging up and down the hall like a...
The hall? I got into the hall. What room is this?
Why, it's our room, honey. You fold it right in front of our door. I'm Eva and this here is...
Harry. Harry and Eva, honey. You remember Harry and Eva Vaudeville played all the big time, Palace Chicago Detroit, you remember?
No, she don't, Harry.
Well, why don't she?
Please, I mean, what's the number of this room?
505.
Oh, then 504 is next door.
Yeah, that's real smart. Yeah, 504 is next door. Then comes 503, 502, 50...
Please help me up. I've got to...
That's where you come from? 504? Terry having a party or something?
No, no. That isn't where I came from.
Oh, fine girl, Terry. She was overdue, you know.
Hey, hey, if Terry's having a party, maybe we ought to drop in.
Oh, no.
Why not? We haven't seen much of her since she started running around with her new boyfriend. Come on!
No, I mean, there's no party there and I didn't come from there.
Then how do you know there's no party there?
Please help me up. I've got to get out of here right now.
I don't know, honey. You don't look so good to me. Why don't you just lie down a few minutes and then maybe it's...
Four minutes? What time is it?
It's time for a drink. That's what time it is. Now you wait just right here and I'll get it.
Oh, please tell me what time it is.
Oh, about 7.30.
No, I mean the exact time.
See, you're pretty particular, honey. Okay.
It's exactly 7.26. Not good enough for you?
Four minutes. I've got to leave.
You've got to help me out of here right now. Do you understand? Right now.
Help me up, I tell you.
Well, okay, honey. Okay. Don't get so upset. Here.
Oh, thank you.
Well, here you are, girls. Here's your drink.
No, thanks. I don't care.
Come on, sit down and drink it. Do you do it?
No, please.
I said sit down.
Oh, why'd you want to push her, Harry?
Well, what's with this babe anyway?
I don't know, but she don't look so hot to me. Maybe we ought to send for a doctor.
I don't need a doctor.
Hey, wait a minute. I just figured out what's wrong with you.
What? You're unhappy. That's what's wrong.
And that's something I can't stand to see anybody unhappy.
Well, we've got just the thing for that, Eva and me.
We'll give you a little routine.
Yes, sir. It'll snap you right out of it in no time.
Come on, Eva.
Oh, I'm just wild about Harry.
Come on, Eva. Come on.
Oh, I'm just wild about Harry.
And Harry's wild about me.
Now watch this stuff, honey.
Those heavenly pieces.
Stop it! Stop it!
Well, how about that? How about that?
We're giving her class and all she can say is stop that now.
Look here, sister.
Oh, let her alone, Harry. Can't you see she don't feel s...
Here, honey. You let me help you.
There.
Now, the door. Maybe. Maybe what you need is a drink.
Well, what do you think I offered her a couple of minutes ago?
That ain't what she needs. She's loaded already. What she needs is air.
Air. That's right. Air. What I need is some air.
Let's go out and get some air.
Well, what's wrong with just opening the window?
Oh.
Ha-ha! Hey, Eva. Look.
Terry and that new boyfriend getting out of a cab.
Now we can have a party.
I don't want a party. I want to get out right now.
Can't you understand? Get me out of here.
Harry, maybe we better get her out of here.
I'm kind of worried about her.
Yes, we must get out.
We got to help her downstairs, Harry.
Oh, how come we always get tangled up with freaks like this?
Please help me.
Come on, Harry. Come on.
Oh.
And finally we were out in the hall,
and Harry started to ring for the elevator.
Only John would be coming up on the elevator.
I insisted we take the stairs.
Told them elevators made me dizzy.
I knew they thought I was crazy, but I didn't care what they thought.
Just as we reached the lobby, I caught sight of John's gray coat
disappearing into the elevator, and she was right behind him.
Even Harry tried to drag me with them to the bar down the street,
but I refused, and they went on without me.
I waited in the lobby.
The indicator over the elevator door stopped at the fifth floor.
They were just getting out of the elevator,
and now they must be walking down the hall.
I could almost see John fitting the key.
I walked quietly out of the hotel lobby to my car down the street.
I felt better now.
As I let myself in the front door, I knew I'd done everything right.
I'd been clever, and now there was only one thing to remember.
I must act shocked when they call me to tell me John is dead.
John!
Hello, dear.
John!
Yes, I came back for my coat.
Incidentally, where is it? The gray one.
I was positive it was in the hall closet, but I can't find it.
Who could have taken it?
Did someone borrow it?
Darling, what's the matter?
I thought you...
Where have you been, dear?
Oh, you shouldn't worry me like this.
You didn't have your coat?
But I just told you.
I started on my trip and discovered I left it behind, so I came back for it.
Please, dear, you mustn't get so upset about trifles.
You're not well, and here you go running around when you're not supposed to leave the house.
Really, I've tried to be considerate with you, but I...
You have been considerate, John.
Very considerate.
You've been a perfect husband.
The police will be here any minute.
When I called, they said they'd be right over.
It's strange how it all worked out.
He intended to make a lot of money off me, but I never had a chance to give him the 500.
He thought he was so clever, but all he made was expenses.
And I...
I thought I was being clever, too.
I killed two people.
Terry Williams and her boyfriend.
Skit web.
Thank you, Claire Trevor, for a splendid performance.
Oh, Miss Trevor.
Yes, Mr. Wilcox.
Remember what you said at rehearsal?
You mean that some women don't know a spark plug from a hill of beans?
That's right.
Well, just in case you're one of those women, I went out to my car and got a spark plug.
Oh.
Now, you see how you can tell the difference?
Oh, why, of course.
On this spark plug you handed me, it plainly says, auto light resistor.
And I doubt whether a hill of beans is marked at all.
I doubt it, too.
And besides, a hill of beans is not made by Auto Light, which makes more than 400 products
for cars, trucks, airplanes, and boats in 28 auto light plants from coast to coast.
Yes, sir, and Auto Light also makes complete electrical systems
for many makes of America's finest cars.
Batteries, spark plugs, generators, starting motors, coils, distributors.
All engineered to fit together perfectly, work together perfectly, because they're a perfect team.
So, folks, don't accept electrical parts that are supposed to be as good.
Ask for and insist on Auto Light original factory parts
at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage, or repair shop.
Remember, you're always right with Auto Light.
And now here again is Miss Claire Trevor.
It's been a pleasure to appear here tonight with this great cast of suspense actors and actresses.
And I'm expecting almost as much pleasure from listening next week
when radio's outstanding theater of thrills brings you Jimmy Stewart in Revenge,
another gripping study in...
Suspense!
Claire Trevor will soon be seen co-starring with Fred McMurray
in Borderline Productions forthcoming picture, Borderline.
Tonight's suspense play was written by Richard Vodra
with music composed by Lucian Morrowak and conducted by Leith Stevens.
The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder.
In the coming weeks, suspense will present such stars as Frederick March, Joan Crawford,
Agnes Moorhead, John Lund, and many others.
Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense!
Radio's Outstanding! Theater of Thrills.
And next Thursday same time here, James Stewart in Revenge.
You can buy Auto Light resistor spark plugs, Auto Light staple batteries,
Auto Light electrical parts at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light. Good night.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.