Auto Light and its 96,000 dealers present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you the story of a man who talked to death all those who stood
in the way of what he wanted.
A story we call Death Pitch, starring Mr. Jack Carson.
Hey there's Sam, my friendly Auto Light spark plug man.
Hiya Sam.
Shhh.
Hello Mr. Wilcox.
What are you doing?
Hunting.
Hunting for what?
For cars that have lost their pep and power.
Cars that are slow and jerky in traffic.
Cars that are not up to par on the hill.
Ah, you can't kid me Sam.
I know you're looking for worn out spark plugs because they're usually the cause of all those
troubles.
You bet I am Harlow.
And when I'm through, you ought to see those cars zoom out of here with the smoothness
of a trout going after a meal.
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So friends, look for your friendly Auto Light spark plug dealer this week.
And remember, you're always right with Auto Light.
And now with Death Pitch and the performance of Mr. Jack Carson, Auto Light hopes once
again to keep you in suspense.
That morning I decided to talk to death all those between me and what I wanted.
I would talk and they would listen and die.
Words.
Words are what makes the world go round.
People dangle on words like marionettes and a string.
Step a little closer folks and they step a little closer.
Each is skilled three chances per dime and they pay their dimes.
Hurry, hurry, hurry and they do hurry to obey.
Words.
That morning I was standing as I often stood just inside the entrance to the big top.
My head back watching and that's rehearsed.
I love to watch trapeze artists.
What ease, what confidence.
But so far above me, out of my reach in more ways than one.
But if I own the show, yes I Nick Arnold.
If I own the show.
Nick, Nick snap out of it.
Always dreaming all the time in the fog.
Meet Peter Falentin, Peter the Great.
He's with it now.
Pete, my brother Nick.
Hello there.
Peter the, oh yes, yes I think I caught your act in Dallas last season.
Escape artist, wriggle out of change in handcuffs.
That's a good act.
Pete's wagon ready for him Nick.
Well don't go blank on me.
Didn't I tell you to get a wagon ready for him?
Where's he gonna bunk if he has no wagon?
You didn't tell me Duke, you told Lee to take care of it.
If I don't do everything myself nothing gets done.
As if I didn't have my hands full already, now I have to drop everything and find an
empty wagon.
Pete, you wait here, we'll see about your wagon.
Come on, come on Nick.
See you around Pete.
Yeah.
Come on, come on walk.
Walk a little faster.
I don't have all day.
Lee, the fine partner that loopy rum hound is.
Gets half the profits and leaves me all the grief.
Yeah, he'd be lost without you Duke.
I gotta do this, I gotta do that.
Fire, fire, square the badges, everything.
And does he cooperate?
Bring back those wonderful things.
Hear that, he's barreled again.
Bring back those wonderful things.
Lee.
What's the matter Duke?
Are you mad about something?
You lush, you rum dumb.
The Star Rack joins the outfit and there's no wagon ready for him.
Oh man, I'm sorry about that Duke, it just slipped my mind.
Really, you're sorry huh, it's just dandy.
Look, I'm finished.
One of us has to get out.
I want you to sell your half to me.
Sell?
Yeah.
Why, I don't know I can do that Duke.
This show has always belonged to my family, my friends.
I'm sorry.
Well, well I don't know I can do that Duke, this show has always belonged to my family,
my grandfather started it.
It belonged to my father.
I broke into show business with his circus as a lion tamer.
Mr.pping the sore....
I couldn't sell it.
It don't impress me, the fine lion tamer you must have been.
You get claws once, your nerve breaks and you don't go near a cat for 15 years.
That's not true, I was a good lion tamer.
Why did you give it up then?
Because of my other responsibility, yes.
Running this show and looking after my wife and raising my son Robbie.
Not pro to the sparrows. You don't run this show. I do.
You don't look after Nora. She looks after you. Yeah.
She's a better tamer than you ever was.
Because she's got the muck.
No! Please leave me something.
Incredible. A few words, mere whims, and a grown man powers like a whip dog.
Oh, words.
Okay. You won't sell out to me? Buy me out.
No, Duke, please. Take your sloppy hands off me.
Oh, please. You're the only one who can run the show.
What's going on here?
Nora, Nora. I said what's going on?
I'm talking to you, Duke.
I don't talk business with them.
I've still got a performer out there waiting for a wife.
I'll see about that right now.
Go ahead, Lee. I'll take care of it.
I'll take care of it myself, but I have to get away.
All right.
No dice, Nora. He won't buy and he won't sell.
I told you he wouldn't.
Duke. Duke, don't bear down too hard on him.
He really used to be something at once.
I'm sorry. Working with him is like trying to crack a whip underwater. I lose my temper.
You look tired, baby.
Well, I've been trying to work Jezebel all morning.
It's no use. She's turned killer cat. We'll have to shoot her.
Come here and give me a kiss.
Duke. That's only Nick.
You're going to fade into the background once too often, brother.
Feed it.
Lee.
I decided then to start with Lee.
With Lee gone, Duke would have Nora and the show for himself.
It would fatten him like a chrysalis turkey.
And then, the axe.
Hi, Nick.
Oh, hello. Hello. And that way you're going?
To the cookhouse. Walk me over.
Was that you down there watching me rehearse this morning?
Yeah.
What do you think?
You're getting big.
I'm going to go get some food.
Here comes Robbie. Pretend we don't see him.
But if I own the show, I'd make you the...
Hello, dreamy eyes. You got a smile for Robbie?
You grab my arm again and I'll...
When are you going to give me the green light, dreamy eyes?
Come on.
I hate that... that...
Just because Lee's his father, he thinks...
Always trying to play footsie under the table in the cookhouse.
I hate that.
Always trying to play footsie under the table in the cookhouse.
Want me to take care of him?
You. I can take care of myself.
Look, they're rolling a new wagon next to mine.
Yeah, we have a new star act. Peter the Great. Escape artist.
Oh. Well, see you later, Nick.
Well, that night, sitting in the dark in the steps of my wagon,
I saw Laura and Duke pass arm in arm.
A little later, Robbie on his way to town.
I finished my cigarette and stretched.
It was time.
Bring back those wonderful days.
Hello, Lee.
Oh, you. Have a drink?
Thanks, thanks.
Hey, what's that? A photograph album?
Yeah, I'm looking through some old pictures.
Here's me the day I first did my lion painting.
Good-looking costume.
It wasn't a big success. Stopped so cold.
I'll bet you did. Did you join me?
Good.
See this picture? Me and my cat.
This big one's name was Rondo. Mean cat. But I tanned him.
How many did you work?
30 at one time. And then five tigers.
Greatest thing he ever saw. I think Nora's good.
Should have seen me. I'm as good as I ever was.
Matter of fact, want a note on it?
I'm thinking of going back to it.
Really? Let's have a drink on that.
You know, great, sir.
Never would have left it, you know, if I didn't have more important responsibilities.
Well, it's true. It's true, you'll see. I didn't lose my nerve.
Sure, sure, of course. Why, I bet you could even handle a killer cat like Jezebel.
Jezebel? I could have Jezebel purring inside of five minutes.
Used to work 30 at one time, I tell you. And then five tigers.
Give me that well.
I'd build him in a pyramid. It was me.
And it was me. Who hold it?
Now you. You five. And you. And you and you and you.
And there they'd be, with the audience screaming themselves crazy.
I'd like to see an action. Anytime, anytime at all.
Well, how about now? With just Jezebel.
Yeah, that's it, sure. Come on, here.
I'll show you.
You know something? When I'm done with Jezebel, gonna have a little talk with Nora.
Getting out of hand lately. Some women have to be tamed.
Well, I'm the bully boy who can tame them. I can tame anything. Anything, anything at all.
Look at that. Back and forth. Back and forth.
You Jezebel, you. Mean looking, isn't it?
They don't come too mean for you.
You watch me work her over.
I remember the way it used to be.
The ringmaster used to say, ladies and gentlemen, the greatest of them all, Lee Duncan.
And I'd be standing there in the spotlight, all shiny and proud.
Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest of them all, Lee Duncan.
Yeah. You Jezebel, you.
Go ahead, Lee.
I must.
No, no, no, that's not your fault. It's a loose board.
You watch me, Nick. Watch a man.
Take a good look, Jezebel. Take a good look.
I'm, I'm going.
Back, Jezebel. Back. Back.
What am I doing? No, no, Nora.
We buried Lee the next day.
The month later, Duke married Nora and became the sole owner of the circus.
The money made exhibiting Jezebel the man killer almost paid for the banners and posters advertising the Duke Arnold show.
The Duke Arnold show.
I'd see my brother staring at those four little words for minutes at a time, his eyes filled with their wonder and their glory.
Yeah, Duke was a happy man.
Except for one or two little things.
I could kill you, you little punk.
Mom, mom. Stop it, Duke.
What's Robbie done?
I'll tell you what your little Robbie has done. He's made three of the coach kids hand in their notices.
They're leaving. Walking out on the show in the middle of the season because he's been throwing his weight around.
Mom, I was only having a little fun.
Fun? Is that what you call it?
Putting me to the trouble and expense of bringing three more girls down if I can find them?
You stay away from my performance, you hear me, panty waist. Leave them alone.
And if I catch you annoying the night again, I'll.
Just calm down. They can hear you all over the lot.
Let them. I'm the boss.
Yeah, and how'd you get to be boss?
You little.
Duke! Duke!
Brother of the owner of the show, I was coming up in the world.
And that began to look at me as though say me for the first time, but it needed more. It wasn't enough.
And then a name popped into my head.
Robbie. Yes, Robbie.
Robbie and Duke's murderous temper.
The next afternoon I was in the office working.
Seen Mom?
Ah, come in, Robbie, come in.
Seen Mom?
You know, I've seen someone else. Come on in.
What's up?
I have a message for you from Annette.
No kidding. What?
Ah, you're a lucky guy. She wants to see you in her wagon after tonight's show.
No fool.
Huh?
What do you know about that?
Well, it's about time. That's all I have to say. It's about time.
She sure...
Wait a minute. Are you sure she said Robbie?
Last time I spoke to her...
That's the way some women are. Take their own sweet time. You know what I mean?
Yeah. Thanks a lot, Nick. See you around.
Don't mention it. So long.
In her wagon after tonight's show.
Words.
Autolite is bringing you Mr. Jack Carson in Death Pitch.
Tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
I stood in the shadows that night and watched Robbie get ready for his date with Annette.
He spent at least 15 minutes in front of his mirror tying the knot in his tie just so and plastering his hair down with goo.
There was no doubt about it. He was going to make an elegant corpse.
He even winked at himself in the mirror.
He put on his gaudy jacket, took a large box of candy from the table and put out the light.
He came down the steps whistling and swaggering down the line to Annette's wagon. I followed.
Come in.
Hello, dreamy eyes. Here's your Robbie.
Oh, feed it or I'll tell your mother on you.
Look, candy. For you. Five bucks worth. That's the way I am.
How about a little kiss for Robbie?
Go away, little boy.
Sure, sure. You don't have to pretend with Robbie.
See how I mean?
Pretend?
You know. The don't come near me act. For the others, yeah, sure. Why not? But not for little Robbie.
How about that kiss?
If you could only see how funny you look, trying to act like a grown-up man of the world.
Go away, Robbie. Go away.
Come on. Give me a kiss.
You little...
Come here.
Let me go. Let me go. Let me go.
Duke! Duke, over here!
What's going on?
Annette!
Who's your what?
Annette and her wagon. Robbie!
I'll kill that little punk.
Duke! Duke! Duke! Duke! Please! Duke!
Let Duke come back here!
Stop him! Stop him! Stop him!
I ran after them. In the lights of the wagons all down the line, I could see Robbie running, dodging, stumbling over tent ropes, heading straight for Nora and Duke pounding after him.
When I got to her wagon, Robbie was inside, hiding behind her while she tried to keep Duke back with her whip.
Duke, get back! Get back! Get back!
Don't hit me! Don't hit me!
I'll kill him! I'll kill him! Get out of my way! I'll kill him! Get out of my way!
Get off! I'm doing it!
I told you! I told you! I told you! I told you!
Please, please, help me!
Duke! Duke! Nora! Where are you going?
My gun.
You wouldn't listen! You wouldn't listen! You wouldn't listen!
Nora!
I couldn't help thinking. In the beginning was the word.
Robbie strangled to death, Duke shot to death, Nora in the jail for manslaughter. Bingo.
All good things come in threes.
That was good to be boss of the Duke Arnold Sergis.
You see, I kept the name in memory of my dear brother.
But Annette wasn't turning to me as I'd planned.
She was growing more and more attractive to Peter Villeneca, Peter the Great.
He had a sureness about him and a cockerous strut that some women find attractive.
If it were possible to describe Peter in one word, that word would be egotist.
He was top star of our show and aware of it.
It wasn't hard to think of the words to use.
You wanted to see me, Nick?
Yeah, yeah, sit down, Pete.
Pete, I was wondering how you'd feel if I gave Annette star billing along with you.
She's getting to be a big drawing card.
Sure, give it to her. She deserves it. I don't mind.
In fact, I'm glad for her.
Is she a bigger draw than me, do you think?
Well, she's right up there with you. You know how it is.
The Marks always like something new and different and she keeps adding new routines.
Yeah, I know. She's good all right.
You think I ought to change my routine a little?
No, no, no, you have a good routine, but...
Well, if I may suggest...
Sure, go ahead.
Your act isn't sensational enough.
After all, even though you are the best of them, escape artists haven't been too much of a novelty since Houdini.
You need some kind of a flash stunt.
Something that'll make the yaps ears flap back and forth with excitement.
Houdini? What did he do I can't do?
Underwater escapes? I can do underwater escapes.
You can?
Well, sure. Don't give me Houdini.
Well, say, how about something like this.
Now, let's say you're handcuffed and then after a thorough search for hidden keys, you get into a crate of some sort.
The crate is sealed and lowered beneath the surface of the water.
A couple of minutes later, your head appears above the surface.
You're out of the cuffs and you're free of the crate, something like that. Could you do it?
Oh, sure. It's just a question of chucking in the cuffs. The rest is only trimming.
Okay, let's do it that way.
Now, you're sure you can handle it? I don't want you to try if it's too dangerous.
I mean, maybe you're not good enough to escape from...
I can escape from anything.
All right, then. By the way, how will you get out of the cuffs, or is that a strict secret?
Master key. I use a master key.
Yeah, but you'll be wearing only bathing trunks. There'll be a search from head to foot.
What do you do? Hide it in your mouth?
They can look at my mouth all they want. No, there's one place they never think of looking, the soles of the feet.
I fasten the key to my arch with flesh-colored tape.
I always wanted...
Well, I'll start working on it right away. Some kind of advanced buildup.
Our next date is Scutterville.
Now, there's a bridge across a pretty large stream right across the street from the fairgrounds.
One of the most outstanding feats ever performed.
You will see Peter, Peter the Great, wild-hand-carved through the impossible right before your very eyes.
Now, folks, you have just seen your Chief of Police search Peter thoroughly.
Chief, come up here, tell the folks, did you discover any keys, pick-lots, or other concealed devices?
I did not.
Thank you. There you are, folks. And now, Peter, step into the casket.
All set, Peter?
Yeah. Nick, you double-check the winch and the rope. I don't want any slip-ups there.
That current's like a runaway horse.
Unless this casket is anchored to the bridge, I am a gun-bidgin'.
I attend it to it personally.
Okay. And remember, if I'm not above water in three minutes, pull me up fast.
Oh.
Hold it, brother, hold it. As you see, the casket containing Peter the Great is being lowered into the raging rapids below.
Will he be able to perform this stupendous feat? Will he be able to wake his self free?
If he does not, the joke is on us.
And there you are, folks. He is now below water.
The casket will soon be resting on the bed of the stream, 54 feet below water.
Notice the strong pull of the current. Let me draw your attention to the manner in which the rope from the casket to the winch is being straightened.
And also notice that...
Ah!
Do something, somebody! Do something! The rope's starting! Do something!
Of course the rope snapped. I attended to it personally.
I turned my back on the crowd and left the bridge a happy man.
There's no greater satisfaction than that afforded by the knowledge of a good job well done.
I had the show. There was only a question of time before I had Annette as well.
She would come to me for guidance, lean on me more and more, and...
Pleasant prospects.
Meanwhile, let us work, we've got it.
A letter to Billboard informing that Bible of the carny world of the unfortunate occurrence of the Scudderville Bridge.
And an ad for a new escape artist for the Duke Arnold Circus.
Ha, ha, words, words.
I draw them to me by words, move them like marionettes in the strings of words. By words I send them away.
It's words that make the world go round.
I sat back in my chair and looked into the future.
The possibilities were infinite.
Stretching far beyond the canvas walls of a small carny show, why I could conquer the world.
Time seemed always to be ripe for a man like me, a man who can manipulate people.
The earth is filled with fools who are open to...suggestion?
If one knows the proper words they listen.
Nick.
Peter?
Surprised, huh?
There's your rope.
The one you attended to personally.
Peter, listen to me, let me explain.
You're naturally upset and excited and I understand what you must be thinking, but please give me a chance to explain, will you?
I just did it to make it look good, I mean more exciting, you know?
You understand, don't you?
I knew the cask would hold a lot of air and enough to give you plenty of time to escape even without the rope, see?
You see what I mean?
Peter, Peter tell me you understand.
Well Annette, you understand, don't you?
Annette, tell him to listen to me.
He can't listen to you, Nick. He can't listen to anyone.
He can't hear at all.
The water pressure down there broke his ear drum.
You can't hear me? You mean my words?
I'm going to kill you.
No, no please stay where you are.
I'll give you half the show. You can have it all.
Don't come any closer. Can't you hear me?
The show, Peter, the show will belong to you.
The show I killed Leifor and Robbie and Duke.
Peter, can't you hear me? Listen to me.
Can't you hear me?
Suspense presented by Auto Light. Tonight's star Mr. Jack Carson.
Friends, this is Harlow Wilcox again to remind you that Auto Light makes over 400 fine products for cars, trucks, planes and boats in 28 plants from coast to coast.
These include complete ignition systems used as original factory equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars.
Generators, coils, distributors, electric windshield wipers, voltage regulators, wire and cable, starting motors and many more.
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So friends, don't accept electrical parts 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.
Next week on Suspense you will hear in his first appearance on this program and only dramatic appearance of the season, America's favorite comedian Mr. Jack Benny.
And in weeks to come you will hear such famous stars as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, James Stewart and Ann Baxter.
All on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
Death Pitch was written for Suspense by Walter Newman.
In tonight's cast, Ed Max was heard as Duke, Francis Chaney as Nora, Georgia Ellis as Annette, Dick Krenna as Robbie, Herb Butterfield as Lee and Joseph Kearns as Peter.
Others in the cast were Eddie Marr and Byron King.
Jack Carson may soon be seen in the universal international picture, The Groom Warspur.
And remember next week on Suspense, Mr. Jack Benny as a man who found $25,000 and death in Murder in G-flat.
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