WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:12.520 And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. 00:12.520 --> 00:21.400 Tonight, Suspense brings you a repeat performance of one of the most controversial plays ever 00:21.400 --> 00:27.680 presented over your radio. It is called Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury. After the initial performance, 00:27.680 --> 00:31.440 a great number of letters were received. Some comments were highly complimentary, 00:31.440 --> 00:35.760 and an almost equal number were not. However, because so many of you did write, 00:35.760 --> 00:40.960 asking to hear this provocative work of fiction again, we present it. And hope that those of you 00:40.960 --> 00:46.600 who have not heard it before will write us your opinion. So now, starring Miss Eaza Ashdown, 00:46.600 --> 01:15.400 here is tonight's Suspense play, Zero Hour. What a game. Such excitement they hadn't known in years. 01:15.400 --> 01:21.640 Mink talked earnestly to someone near the rose bush, though no one was there. Then the two little 01:21.640 --> 01:30.560 girls, shouting, laughing at each other, such fun, such tremulous joy. Mink ran into the house all 01:30.560 --> 01:38.440 dirt and sweat. For her few years, she was loud and strong and definite. And her mother, Mrs. Morris, 01:38.440 --> 01:42.680 peeling vegetables at the sink, watched with amusement as her daughter threw into a sack old 01:42.680 --> 01:49.640 pots and tools and things which were relegated to child play. Oh my goodness, Mink, what's going on? 01:49.640 --> 01:55.000 Oh, the most exciting game ever, just ever. Oh? It's all right, I take these things, Mom. 01:55.000 --> 01:59.520 Well, just don't dent them and it's all right. Thanks, Mom, we won't. Bye. All right, dear. Oh, 01:59.520 --> 02:04.840 what's the name of the game, dear? Invasion. Invasion? 02:04.840 --> 02:16.040 Invasion. And in the garden now, a serious concentration. Mink with an assortment of 02:16.040 --> 02:23.560 pots, pans and wrenches, forks, spoons, and her friend Anna, a little younger, tongue in teeth, 02:23.560 --> 02:32.560 taking notes on a pad. This, this, and this. What's it say next? Wait a minute, Mink. Well, 02:32.560 --> 02:46.960 hurry up. Four, nine, seven, A and B and X. Four, nine, seven, A and B and X. A fork and a string 02:46.960 --> 02:56.360 and a hex, hex, hexagonal. A fork and a string and a hexagonal. What do we do next, Mr. Drill? 02:56.360 --> 03:02.440 And then Mink talking to the rose bush again, and to her own satisfaction at least, receiving some 03:02.440 --> 03:07.640 kind of answer which she relayed to Anna. Triangle. How do you spell it? Oh, any old way, 03:07.640 --> 03:15.320 doesn't matter. Now write beam. I haven't got triangle yet. Well, hurry. Zero hours by five 03:15.320 --> 03:27.600 o'clock. We haven't got all day. Then time out from Invasion for lunch. Mink bolted down the soup and 03:27.600 --> 03:34.200 coincidentally crammed a sandwich into her mouth. Now you slow down, Mink. Whatever's waiting will 03:34.200 --> 03:39.600 wait a few minutes longer. But I can't. Drill's waiting for me. Drill? That's a peculiar name. 03:39.600 --> 03:44.160 Is he a new boy in the neighborhood, dear? He's new, all right. Well, I don't think I've ever seen 03:44.160 --> 03:51.880 him. Which one is Drill? Oh, he's just around. You make fun. Everybody makes fun. All the kids do. 03:51.880 --> 03:59.720 Well, I don't think that's very nice. Is Drill shy? Yes, in a way. I don't know. I gotta go now, 03:59.720 --> 04:05.080 Mama, if we're gonna have the invasion. Now you finish your milk, Miss. Who's invading what? 04:05.080 --> 04:14.280 Martians invading Earth from up there. Oh, I see. And Drill's a Martian? I think so. He's had a very 04:14.280 --> 04:19.520 hard time getting here. I should imagine. They couldn't figure out a way to attack Earth. How to 04:19.520 --> 04:25.800 get in or something. And Drill says they have to do it by surprise and even get help from your enemy. 04:25.800 --> 04:31.440 Oh, a fifth column, huh? Uh-huh. And all this time they haven't been able to figure out how to attack 04:31.440 --> 04:36.200 until one day they thought of children. Well, that was bright of them. And they thought of how 04:36.200 --> 04:41.680 grown-ups are so busy they never look under rose bushes or on lawns. Oh, that's where Drill is now, 04:41.680 --> 04:47.120 under the rose bush? Uh-huh. With all his friends, too. And there's something about kids under 11 04:47.120 --> 04:53.320 with imagination. It's real funny to hear Drill talk. Well, it must be. You better run along out 04:53.320 --> 04:58.640 if you want to have your invasion before dark. Oh, and bath tonight. School tomorrow, you know. 04:58.640 --> 05:03.960 Drill says I won't have to take any more baths. Oh, he does, does he? And we can stay up till 05:03.960 --> 05:09.360 10 o'clock. Well, your friend Mr. Drill had better mind his P's and Q's or I'm gonna call up his 05:09.360 --> 05:13.760 mother. That's just it. Drill says you're dangerous because you don't believe in Martians. Just like 05:13.760 --> 05:18.920 you think Drill's a kid. Well, he's not. And they're gonna let us run the world when they get in. All 05:18.920 --> 05:29.760 of us kids. And I might even be queen. Well, that's nice, dear. Now run along. Mom? What is it, dear? 05:29.760 --> 05:37.280 Mom, when the invasion comes, we'll have to get rid of you and Daddy. But I'll be sure it won't hurt 05:37.280 --> 06:00.000 very much. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. Hello? Hello, Mary. How are things in New York? Oh, Helen, 06:00.000 --> 06:05.520 how nice. Are you in town? Oh, no, I'm in Danbury. I was just thinking of you thought I'd call. Oh, 06:05.520 --> 06:10.880 it's long distance though. You shouldn't. Oh, I can afford three minutes. How's Henry? Fine. 06:10.880 --> 06:18.120 And Bill? Oh, just fine. What about Minx? Oh, wonderful. Noisier than ever. Oh, she's got a new 06:18.120 --> 06:24.640 game now. It's taken the place of hopscotch. Invasion. Is she playing that too? Well, yes. 06:24.640 --> 06:30.960 Are yours? Same thing. Some kind of geometric jacks, I suppose. Isn't it a scream? You know, 06:30.960 --> 06:35.640 all the kids their age are playing it up here. Timmy's got a crush on some guy named Drill. I 06:35.640 --> 06:41.680 think that's what it is. Oh, it must be a new password. Minx likes him too. I didn't know it 06:41.680 --> 06:46.920 got to New York. Word of mouth, I suppose. You know, kids. Funny thing, I got a letter from my 06:46.920 --> 06:52.600 sister in Boston. She says her kids are playing it too. It's just sweeping the country. Well, 06:52.600 --> 06:59.480 I wonder where they learned it. Don't ask me. All I know is what Timmy told me at lunch. Zero 06:59.480 --> 07:06.080 hours at five o'clock. When? Today. That's when the invasion's gonna be. Oh, these kids and their 07:06.080 --> 07:19.680 imagination. And they talked a little more. School girlfriends. Casual woman talk. But Mrs. Morris 07:19.680 --> 07:24.920 was thoughtful. She was thinking of other things, of adults, of children with imagination, 07:24.920 --> 07:30.680 rose bushes, dimensions. She thought of how much she had forgotten about being a child, 07:30.680 --> 07:38.640 and she wondered about Minx and all the kids who are at that moment playing invasion. I will, 07:38.640 --> 07:58.080 and to Bill and the kids. Thanks. Bye. Goodbye. An hour drowsed by. It was three o'clock. There was 07:58.080 --> 08:04.440 an occasional hum inside the coolness of the house as a car passed outside. The street was lined with 08:04.440 --> 08:12.320 good green and peaceful trees and all across the city in other gardens and other places. Children 08:12.320 --> 08:19.200 under 11 were excitedly playing a game, talking to rose bushes and grass lawns, trees and shrubs, 08:19.200 --> 08:26.720 even children in apartment houses high in the air conferring with potted plants, cactus and ivy. 08:26.720 --> 08:35.480 Mrs. Morris finished her housework and went to the kitchen. Oh, hello, dear. Hi, Mom. Can I have a glass of water? 08:35.480 --> 08:47.680 Of course, I'll get it. Pi R squared, 27, A over 56 to the seventh degree, XT7. What, dear? Oh, 08:47.680 --> 08:56.080 nothing, Mom. Oh, here you are. Thanks. How are things going? Huh? The invasion. Oh, 08:56.080 --> 09:02.160 that. Yes, that. Almost finished. When everything's right, Drill said we should be ready on time. 09:02.160 --> 09:09.440 Five o'clock? That's right. How'd you know? Helen called me from Danbury. She says that 09:09.440 --> 09:16.800 Timmy's playing it too. Hey, that's keen. I guess all the kids are, aren't they? No, not all of them. 09:16.800 --> 09:22.640 Not guys like Jimmy Wood and Bob Wilson. They're growing up and they make fun of us. They're worse 09:22.640 --> 09:27.760 than parents. They just won't believe in Drill. They're so smart just because they're growing up. 09:27.760 --> 09:32.880 You'd think they'd know better. They were little only a couple of years ago. Well, we'll get rid 09:32.880 --> 09:38.800 of them first. Drill says it's OK to kill them first. A mink. I don't like that kind of talk. 09:38.800 --> 09:43.440 Do you hear me? I don't like it at all. No, I mean it. You keep on that way and there'll be no more 09:43.440 --> 09:49.040 playing. You'll have to tell Anna to go home and you'll stay inside until bedtime. I'm sorry. Well, 09:49.040 --> 09:58.240 I should think so. Thanks for the water, Mom. Mink. Yes, Ma? What did those numbers mean? 09:58.240 --> 10:03.840 What numbers? Those numbers you were saying to yourself before. Oh, that. The other things we 10:03.840 --> 10:10.320 have to do to get Drill and his friends out. That's all. Look, dear, why don't you and Anna go down 10:10.320 --> 10:14.640 to the drugstore and get some ice cream? You don't even have to use your allowance. I'll pay for it. 10:14.640 --> 10:20.640 Haven't got time, Mom. Thanks. Well, I'd never believe I'd hear you say that. I gotta go now, 10:20.640 --> 10:32.560 Mom. Oh, wait a minute. Mink, I want you to tell me the truth. What is this invasion silliness? 10:32.560 --> 10:39.600 It isn't silly. It's just a game. That's all. Mom, we're just playing an invasion. 10:39.600 --> 10:45.600 Excuse me, I gotta get back now. I'll see you later. 10:51.120 --> 10:56.800 It was a game called Invasion. Mrs. Morris's little girl, Mink, was playing it. So was Mink's 10:56.800 --> 11:03.280 friend Anna and all the other children under 11. It was called Invasion and the zero hour was to be 11:03.280 --> 11:09.600 at five o'clock. Mrs. Morris was disturbed. She wasn't sure why, but there was something, 11:10.800 --> 11:14.320 something about parents shutting ears and eyes to what was happening. 11:15.360 --> 11:19.040 And because she was disturbed, she did something she didn't usually do. 11:19.760 --> 11:25.440 She called her husband at the office. Hello, dear. Oh, hello, Henry. I'm sorry to bother you, 11:25.440 --> 11:30.320 but Miss Maxson said you weren't busy. Oh, not too. I should be able to get home early today. 11:30.320 --> 11:41.040 Everything all right? Yes. You all right? I'm fine. Mink? Oh, she's... Henry. What? Oh, nothing. 11:42.160 --> 11:48.720 I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. That's all. Listen, are you sure you're all right? Oh, 11:48.720 --> 11:54.160 yes. Mink been getting on your nerves? Not really. Well, you tell her to behave or when I come home, 11:54.160 --> 11:58.400 she and I are going to have a talk. As a matter of fact, she's been a little fresh lately and I 11:58.400 --> 12:06.880 don't think it's good. Well, she's playing outside. She's fine. Honey, is something wrong? Why, no, I 12:06.880 --> 12:12.640 told you I was just thinking about you and wanted to talk. That's all. Nothing wrong with that. Not 12:12.640 --> 12:18.080 a thing. You go back to your work, dear. I'll see you soon. All right. What time do you think you'll 12:18.080 --> 12:28.640 be home? Oh, about five, maybe a little earlier. Five? Oh. Hey, what? Come on, what? Well, I... 12:29.680 --> 12:38.800 I was just thinking. Nothing really. Just Mink and you and me. Goodbye, dear. You are okay, 12:38.800 --> 12:56.080 aren't you? Yes, I'm fine. Goodbye. Goodbye. Another hour passed and it was half past four. 12:57.040 --> 13:04.240 The day began to wane. The sun lowered in the peaceful blue sky. Shadows lengthened on the green 13:04.240 --> 13:12.240 lawn. Outside it was quiet. The two little girls more intent than ever upon their endless movement 13:12.240 --> 13:19.280 of design and pattern with the implements before them. Mrs. Morris watched from the window and she 13:19.280 --> 13:24.720 had never known Mink to have such powers of concentration. She had turned on the radio and 13:24.720 --> 13:35.680 sat drinking a cup of coffee and turned over her thoughts. Children, children, children, 13:35.680 --> 13:42.400 love and hate side by side. Sometimes children love you, hate you all in half a second. 13:44.320 --> 13:52.320 Strange children. Do they ever forget or forgive the whippings and the harsh, strict words of 13:52.320 --> 14:03.200 command? I wonder, I wonder, how can you forget or forgive those over and above you? Those tall, 14:04.000 --> 14:14.960 silly dictators, those parents. Mom! Oh, what is it, dear? Have we got a piece of lead pipe and a 14:14.960 --> 14:21.040 hammer? Well, I don't know. They might be in the garage. What do you want them for? We just need 14:21.040 --> 14:26.800 them. Well, if you tell me what for, dear, maybe I can... I'll fix them. Thanks, Mom. Is something wrong? 14:27.440 --> 14:32.400 The room's stuck halfway. If we get them all the way through, it'd be easier. Then all the others 14:32.400 --> 14:39.440 could come through that room. Well, can I help? Thanks, Mom. I can fix it. You better get through, Mink. I want you to take 14:39.440 --> 14:46.080 your bath before your father comes home. All right. Now he's coming home early and Mink, Mink! 14:46.080 --> 14:52.160 Mink had disappeared behind the shrubs and Mrs. Morris knew it was ridiculous to make an issue of it. 14:52.160 --> 15:04.160 Besides, what was the issue? Invasion? Drill? Zero hour? Unaccountably, a cool breeze came up and although normally for that time of year would have been relief, 15:04.160 --> 15:08.160 Mrs. Morris felt a chill. She closed the window. 15:08.160 --> 15:17.760 Time passed. A curious waiting silence came upon the street, deepening. Then from the living room, Mrs. Morris heard... 15:25.760 --> 15:27.760 Five o'clock. 15:27.760 --> 15:35.360 Five o'clock. Zero hour. Zero hour. It had come and now it had gone. But was the clock right? 15:35.360 --> 15:41.360 And Mrs. Morris, knowing how foolish it was, knowing it, went to the phone and dialed. 15:43.360 --> 15:45.360 Oh, Sarah. 15:45.360 --> 15:58.160 Silly. It's silly. 15:58.160 --> 16:04.160 When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly as you expected. 16:04.160 --> 16:18.960 When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly four fifty-four and twenty seconds. 16:18.960 --> 16:34.960 Four fifty-four and twenty seconds. And Mrs. Morris knew that it wasn't as silly as she had thought because it wasn't five o'clock yet. 16:34.960 --> 16:40.960 Not zero hour yet. Then the car drove up into the driveway. 16:40.960 --> 16:44.960 Hi, me. How's it going? Hi, Anna. 16:44.960 --> 16:46.960 Hi, Daddy. Hi, Mr. Morris. 16:46.960 --> 16:49.960 Got a kiss for your old man? Having a time now, Daddy. 16:49.960 --> 16:53.960 Well, that's a nice thing. What are you doing? We're playing Invasion. 16:53.960 --> 16:55.960 Oh, swell. Your mother in the house? Uh-huh. 16:55.960 --> 16:59.960 Okay, be good. I will. Zero hour in a few minutes, Daddy. 16:59.960 --> 17:01.960 All right, I'll be ready. 17:01.960 --> 17:13.960 Mrs. Morris heard him chuckle, and he stepped up the walk to the front door. 17:13.960 --> 17:19.960 Mary? I'm in the living room, dear. 17:19.960 --> 17:25.960 Oh, hi. Our daughter didn't have time for a kiss. How about you? 17:25.960 --> 17:30.960 A hard day? Not particularly. 17:30.960 --> 17:34.960 Would you like a cocktail? You read my mind. 17:34.960 --> 17:36.960 Martini? Perfect. 17:36.960 --> 17:43.960 Anything exciting happen today? No. Oh, Helen called. 17:43.960 --> 17:48.960 From Danbury. I told her she was crazy, but she just felt like calling. 17:48.960 --> 17:53.960 Like you calling me this afternoon. Crazy, huh? What was that all about? 17:53.960 --> 17:56.960 Well, I told you. I just wanted to. 17:56.960 --> 18:01.960 Hey, incidentally, what's this new game the kids are playing? 18:01.960 --> 18:04.960 Invasion. That's a nice depressing thought. 18:04.960 --> 18:08.960 Is she all right? Come to think of it, she looked kind of funny. 18:08.960 --> 18:12.960 She's all right. What's the time, Henry? 18:12.960 --> 18:17.960 Couple of minutes after five. Why? No, no. The clock's wrong. By your watch. 18:17.960 --> 18:23.960 Oh, I've got two minutes, too. I'm probably slow. You got something on the stove? 18:23.960 --> 18:33.960 No, I just wondered. Honey, hey, look at me. What's the matter? 18:33.960 --> 18:37.960 Nothing, really. No, really. Mink's been up to something. 18:37.960 --> 18:43.960 No, of course not. Then what? I guess I'm a little tired, upset. That's all. 18:43.960 --> 18:46.960 You want to go out for dinner? Oh, no, I've got a steak here. 18:46.960 --> 18:51.960 I'll tell you what, I'll barbecue it. How'll that be? Oh, fine. What was that? 18:51.960 --> 18:55.960 What? Well, I thought I heard something. 18:55.960 --> 19:00.960 Well, I didn't. I must have been imagining it. 19:00.960 --> 19:03.960 You are jumpy. Why don't you have a drink? It'll do you good. 19:03.960 --> 19:06.960 No, I don't want one. What's the time? Mary, what is this? 19:06.960 --> 19:08.960 Now, I mean it. Something's wrong and I want to know. 19:08.960 --> 19:14.960 It's silly. It's so silly. I'm on edge. That's all. 19:14.960 --> 19:17.960 Mary. I am. I don't like this. That kid's done something, hasn't she? 19:17.960 --> 19:21.960 I'm going to get her in. No, no, Henry, please don't. She hasn't. 19:21.960 --> 19:27.960 It's nothing at all. I just... What's that? 19:27.960 --> 19:32.960 I don't know. Those kids haven't got anything dangerous out there, have they? 19:32.960 --> 19:37.960 I noticed a lot of junk lying around. I thought it was a game. 19:37.960 --> 19:41.960 She wouldn't have done it herself. They made her do it. 19:41.960 --> 19:45.960 What the devil? Well, maybe you better go out and tell them to stop playing now. 19:45.960 --> 19:50.960 It's after five. You tell Mink to put off the invasion until tomorrow. Tell her. 19:50.960 --> 19:54.960 It is coming from outside. What are they up to? I'd better take a look. 19:54.960 --> 20:00.960 Mink! Mink! Good luck! Bonds! Bonds, they're bombing! 20:00.960 --> 20:05.960 No, no, it's upstairs. I know it is. In the attic. That's where it is. 20:05.960 --> 20:10.960 Mary! Mary, it is not up there! Mary! 20:10.960 --> 20:14.960 He ran after her, confused, not a little frightened. She seemed to know something. 20:14.960 --> 20:18.960 In the attic. That's where it is? Her mind had worked that quickly. 20:18.960 --> 20:22.960 Any excuse to get him away from the outside, to get him upstairs to the attic in time. 20:22.960 --> 20:27.960 And outside there were more explosions, and they could hear the children screaming with delight. 20:27.960 --> 20:31.960 It is not in the attic. It's outside. Mink's out there. What's the matter with you? 20:31.960 --> 20:35.960 No, no. I'll show you. Hurry! 20:36.960 --> 20:38.960 Get inside, quick! 20:40.960 --> 20:44.960 Now we're safe until tonight. Are you crazy? Why did you throw that key away? 20:44.960 --> 20:46.960 Maybe we can sneak out later. Maybe we can escape. 20:46.960 --> 20:49.960 For heaven's sake, the kid's out there. Do you want her to get killed? 20:49.960 --> 20:54.960 No, no, you don't. We've got to stay here. We've got to. It's horrible. We've got to. 20:54.960 --> 20:57.960 You've got to stay here with me. At this point, I don't know how the devil I can get out. 20:57.960 --> 21:00.960 Where's that light? Oh, my God. 21:00.960 --> 21:03.960 Where's that light? Oh, be quiet. Please be quiet. 21:03.960 --> 21:06.960 They'll hear us. They'll find us. Henry, please. 21:06.960 --> 21:08.960 Well, who's going to answer the telephone? 21:08.960 --> 21:11.960 There's that noise again. It's in this house. 21:11.960 --> 21:15.960 Mary, what is this? Mary, what's happening? 21:15.960 --> 21:18.960 You know, and I'll answer me. Stop it, Mary. Stop it. 21:18.960 --> 21:21.960 Somebody's downstairs. Who's down there? Who? 21:21.960 --> 21:24.960 Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. 21:24.960 --> 21:30.960 Oh, hush. Please, please be quiet. They might go away. Please, please. 21:34.960 --> 21:39.960 And between his wife's terror and the electric humming from below, Mr. Morris felt a great fear. 21:39.960 --> 21:42.960 They trembled together in silence in the attic. 21:42.960 --> 21:46.960 Mr. and Mrs. Morris, parents of a little girl. 21:46.960 --> 21:50.960 Then they heard steps coming up the stairs. 21:50.960 --> 21:52.960 And a voice. 21:52.960 --> 21:58.960 Mommy, daddy, where are you? 21:58.960 --> 22:03.960 And a queer, cold light became visible under the door crack. 22:03.960 --> 22:10.960 A strange odor and the alien sound of eagerness in Mink's voice was almost more than they could bear. 22:10.960 --> 22:13.960 Each wanted to scream. 22:13.960 --> 22:18.960 Mommy, daddy. 22:18.960 --> 22:21.960 And another sound. 22:21.960 --> 22:27.960 And the attic lock melted. 22:27.960 --> 22:29.960 Mink. 22:29.960 --> 22:35.960 Mink with bright little eyes and tousled hair, peered inside. 22:35.960 --> 22:41.960 And behind her, tall, wavering blue shadows. 22:41.960 --> 22:44.960 Frightful shadows. 22:44.960 --> 22:47.960 Peek-a-boo. 22:47.960 --> 22:51.960 Ah! 23:05.960 --> 23:07.960 Suspense. 23:07.960 --> 23:12.960 In which Ms. Eaza Ashdown starred in tonight's presentation of Zero Hour. 23:12.960 --> 23:18.960 Next week, Suspense will bring you the story of a bomb and the man who carried it to its ultimate destination. 23:18.960 --> 23:21.960 We call it The Lunch Kit. 23:21.960 --> 23:27.960 Be sure to listen to Lunch Kit next week on Suspense. 23:37.960 --> 23:40.960 Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. 23:40.960 --> 23:44.960 Tonight's script was written by Ray Bradbury and adapted by Mr. Ellis. 23:44.960 --> 23:49.960 The music was composed by Leith Stevens and Lucian Morawick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. 23:49.960 --> 23:55.960 Featured in the cast were Parley Bear, Paula Winslow, Eve McVeigh, John Danaer, and Beverly Hanley. 23:55.960 --> 23:59.960 Sound patterns were by Bill James and Ray Kemper. 23:59.960 --> 24:11.960 This is the CBS Radio Network. 24:29.960 --> 24:31.960 Thank you.