 This is John Steele. This week, my files are open to the letter H for Harris, Kurt Harris. It's a story about a room with no windows that trapped a man with no heart. I like to call it counterpoint. The exact minute when an important change started to take place. I guess it's almost impossible. You know what you are today, and you've recognized him there. Some of the influences that have made you what you are. But it's hard to sit down and say, that influence started when I was six and a half years old. Well, I got that idea five minutes after 12. On Washington's birthday in 1922. They're roots all right, but roots without a name. No, no, no, no, no. Well, maybe it's better... Hold it, Kurt. Hold it. Where do you hold it? Now what? It's a matter of your body. You're not thinking. What do you mean? This guy's a killer. You're putting him like something from court. Well, it's the lines, kiddo. I can't do anything with these lines. Why not? Well, it takes too long to get into it. The line about Washington's birthday, it's all right, but there's nothing but garbage above that. What do you mean? Well, it's about the exact minute when an important change started to take place. It's a matter of... It's too silly. It's not the way this guy talks. All right, what do you say? I don't know. I'm an actor, not a writer. All right, how would you say it? I don't know. It's not like you're... it's hard. Like, trying to put your finger on the day you started liking vanilla ice cream. You look back over your life from... I don't know, I'm an actor. That's good. I cut the first four and a half lines down, it was hard to say. That cut down, I got that idea. Yeah, we're not writing... All right. I don't know where to stop, Ronnie. I want these footsteps to sneak in on the end of an aeration. Right, Phil? Right, said Kurt. Well, crying out loud. What's the matter? Nothing. I know, I know. What's the matter with you? Nothing, I said. You're the directive. You don't like what I'm doing. Go ahead, direct. Now, look, we've got our work together, buddy. What's the matter? I'm getting nervous. I did two soaps this morning, television rehearsal all afternoon. I'm getting nervous. I don't take it this seriously. Nobody's been listening anyway. All right, let's go from the top. It's hard. Like, trying to put your finger on the day you started liking vanilla ice cream. You look back over your life and it's hard to say I got that idea five minutes after 12. I watched you this first day in 1922. Their roots all right, but roots without an end, or maybe better without a beginning. They're the things that attach you to here. No, no, no, no. Hold on. Hold it. Will you? Are you gonna hurry? I don't know. What's your plan? Let's get the guy fit. Then we'll have him for peace. Twenty-five minutes to the last time, Phil. I know. We haven't even run those things down yet. I know, Ronnie. I know. I know. Okay. You're the boss. Now, look, we're trying to find the perfect killer. We don't want a typical end of the narration. Otherwise, you'll think of your loss. Yeah, I know. I want that subtle dislocation. The shadowy, suppressed violence. You know the character. You'll pay them for the end of the time. Yeah, I know. I'm not. Shocking about it. Normalcy, unless you've got something to compare it with. It's the fact that it's abnormal. It makes it interesting. I know. Okay, well, I'm gonna say that. Is that a thing? He's just a guy. He says, sure. You got it? Yes. Okay. Take it from Earth or your substance. The things that attach you to the Earth of your substance. They're there, and that's all you have to know. I guess it was that way with Marion. We've been married for five years, and I can't remember when the idea first occurred to me. Maybe even before we were married, but that's not important. I just looked at it one day, and I knew I was going to... I can't. Why? Well, it's only... Why? Because I don't believe it. I don't think a guy like this had even admitted to himself. He's psycho. Why wouldn't he? Because that's what's been wrong all his life, afraid to face the facts. Facts about himself, about his life, about life he's been hiding behind every door. He confines. Why would he suddenly say to himself, I'm going to kill her? Look, we haven't got time to argue. Either you're right, maybe you're wrong. I don't know, but it makes good travelable differences in me. I'm sick of playing this kind of trash. That's what. Sensational and inaccurate builds that saw something in the name of entertainment. It ought to be stopped. You wrote this thing. Why didn't you give it some thought instead of just working down the first thing that it did your head? Holy radio. It ought to be stopped. Yeah. Let's go back. It just looked better one day. I just looked at her one day and knew I was going to kill her. It was spring and I spent the afternoon sitting in the office dreaming about fishing. That night when I got home to the apartment, the smell of cooking was heavy in the hall. Placing dirty or noisier, more crowded than usual. Marion was in the kitchen, getting his supper. That's with you? Yes. Did something go wrong at the office? Why? You're home early. No. Nothing went wrong at the office? Sorry. For what? I didn't mean to cry. You weren't. I just thought that... Please, Marion, you weren't crying. I'm sorry. You'll always be so... So what do you... So what do you... So what do you... Nothing. You said it was sorry. I know. What more can I say? Nothing. Forget it. What is it? I'll get it for you. I didn't ask you to get it. I asked you where is it? Well, I only thought that... Where is it? I don't want to share. Argument. All I ever get. You thought that you would... Couldn't we go just five minutes without an argument? I'm sorry, dear. I'll get it for you. I'm not going to say the death. I'm talking about the thinking of badness. I said everyone was having trouble. First call we had before. He said when the building was built, the pommers did a bad job. I don't try to make him sick the first time. You tell him about the paint in the kitchen? No. Why not? Well, he had so much on his mouth. You forgot. No, it wasn't that. It was just... You forgot? Well, he had so much on his mouth. Didn't you? I don't know. Didn't you? Forget everything. I'm sorry. Can't remember anything. He's married. I had a cut today. Is that it, dear? No. That wasn't it. I can't see it, Bill. I can't. What's the matter? I can't do it. What are you talking about? We're just beginning to move. I saw them. Who? Those guys in the control room. Laugh them. They weren't laughing at you. I look and make a work with people laughing at them. Everybody pulling a gag in you that too. Well, I can't do it. What's the matter with you? I just can't. Now, look, buddy. We've got a show to put on in 20 minutes. You can't pull a temper out of me now. I'm sorry. I'm all over the air. I just can't do it. Sit her down. Her down from office. What's the matter with you? I saw them laugh. It's happened before. Yeah, I know, I know. Don't take it so seriously. I don't know. I don't see it, sir. Tell her we've got a show to do. Yeah, I know. Trying to get me gray hair. I'm sorry, Bill. You don't settle down this sponsor. I'll have me in a carpet, man. I'm nervous. Can't have any of the sponsors meeting? No. Want some water, sir? Yeah, maybe that. Mike Walton and no alliance case. I'll get it for you. Thanks. When you get through with it, yeah, you wish they were lying. Yeah, I know. No law against killing liens. I don't know what's the matter with me. I love you. Okay. All right. I'll just have to get it with you, buddy. A lot of dough left up in the show. Come on. No. You ever blow up like this before? No. Hey, want to sit down for a minute? Maybe. Come on, come on. This has just been working too hard. 18 minutes. That guy just had a laugh. I told you he wasn't laughing at you, would it? The other guy said he wouldn't blame you for killing her. Okay, go ahead. There's a lot of left. Yeah, he got a cigarette. Now they're inside. I thought the scene was going good. Why? Don't worry, kid. She'll get it. And that all electricity. It is. Wrackled all over the place. Don't worry, kid. Look, that place where she says, what are you looking at? Yeah. That place where he makes up his mind to kill her? Sure. One of these guys is a complete sadist. Well, not complete. Why? Because then he wouldn't have told her he was going to kill her. Yeah, I guess so. He said it's enough. Probably pulled wings off flies when he was a kid. Oh, please, Bill. You know what I mean? Why else would he have told her it wasn't her hair he was staring at? Sure. I said that they were slapping the face. He knows his women. Anyway, there's one woman. Isn't she kind of drippy, Bill? Why? I don't think so. Well, most gals would have said so long, but it was that joke a long ago. Ah, but that's the point. She can't. And he knows it. But really? Well, maybe she's an exception. But I don't know a woman like that. Oh, did he? I'll cut it out. Well, you know what I mean? This is the gal who's out of control. She's in a panic. She's losing the love of a man. She knows it. She doesn't know what to do about it. She reached that point. Everything she does is wrong. Sure, sure. She'd rather hang on in hope and walk out like she ought to. Exactly. Poor girl. And the point is that he knows it better than she does. He's in a spot where she'll take whatever he does. So he just goes on sticking in that old needle after needle. And she catches up. Nice guy. Better convinced that their failure is entirely her fault. And the tragedy of the situation, and it's something he probably doesn't even realize, is that it's all his fault. I know a gal like that one. They lock him up. They shut up that they couldn't. Why? We were in sixth grade. That was before I got hit. Oh, dear. It's been minutes, pal. Okay, run. Okay, okay. You feel better, Kurt? Well? You feel better? Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. All right, let's get back to work, huh? I want to have time to run the whole show down now. So let's jump to the murder scene on page 15. Okay, buddy? All right, ma'am. All right, stop it there. Start at the top of the page, right after the incident. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. All right, stop it there. Start at the top of the page, right after the incident. Michael. Oh. Page 15. Page 15. Yeah. Okay, Kurt? Uh, yeah, Bill. All right, let's go from the top. All right, first running. All right. It was raining the night I made up my mind. You'd add one of our endless arguments, and when I couldn't stand the sight of her anymore, I'd slammed out of her apartment and left to cry. All on the street, the rain slanted through the light and splashed on the puddles on the pavement. I started walking. I didn't know where I was going. I just wanted to be moving. The water felt fresh and clean on my face, and I remember being glad I hadn't worn a hat. Then I headed me in the blurbering. I saw the bright, noisy lights of the movie out shining through the stars. I didn't notice what was playing. Just wearing him in sat in the dark. Shivering around with clothes. But that exit light glowed in the shadows beside me. That's when I first got the idea. Why not? The manager of the theater spoke to me on my way in. He'd seen me there often enough. He'd remember me. He'd even come in on the fact that I wasn't wearing a hat. I looked up at the screen. It was a picture I'd seen before. Everything was going my way. All I had to do was get up, sneak out of the exit, be sure to leave it open and cry. Go home and kill Marion. He'd sneak back in at the end through the open exit. I'd have to be sure to speak to the manager at the end of the show. They'd be making a scene. They'd ask for my money back. Anything. As long as you remember me, it was almost too perfect. The exit door stuck a little when I tried to push it open, but at last it gave and I was out in the rain again. When I got back to the apartment, the lights were out in the living room, and I could hear Marion crying in the bedroom. In the past, the kitchen, I noticed the dishes were still piled in the sink. I wondered if Marion knew how I hated dirty dishes in the sink. So she went coming back. She came back. It was all my fault. Yeah, I know it was. I've been so upset lately. I don't know what I'm doing. I know. I'll get better. Just wait and see. I'll try so hard. Marion. It'll be just like it was in his first marriage. I don't think you know how upset I've been. Too late. I tried so hard and had to show it. I didn't want you to know how afraid I was. Stop it. I was afraid. I was losing you and I didn't know what to do. I love you so much, darling. Stop it, Marion. And now you come back and I know you're lovely. You wouldn't have come back if you didn't. Would you, darling? I don't understand. He made me whole again. Oh, I went so hard. I've been so sorry for you. But now it'll all be just like... Marion, it's too late. I don't understand. It's too late. What do you mean, dear? Can't you get anything through that? I said I'd work hard. It hasn't been your fault. It's too late. Don't you want to understand? It's too late. But you came back, darling. What else would you come back? I came back. No, don't leave me. You can't leave me. I need you. Oh, please. Please. I love you. I loved you so long. What on Earth is this? It's decided. I've never hated this sound of you. Oh, what have I done? I hated everything about you. I love you. Hated you. Hated you. Hated you. Why? Just you're weak. Because you're stupid. You're weak and you're stupid and I hate you. Let's go, bitch. How long can you make a scene? What? With your head. Put him away from me. Take it easy. I'll be right out. What do you think you're doing? What happened? We've seen this business a long time. I still don't understand. like you before. You're hurting me! Look at me! Look at me! Look at me! Let me have a look. I'm going to y'all to pay this part. All right, now take it easy. I'm through. Listen to me, Kurt. You all right? You think that I'm... Cool off, honey. You all right, Kurt? Sure. Yeah, I'm all right. All right. What happened? I don't know. You're going to find it all of a sudden. Well, you didn't tell me, money. I don't know. I remember I lost my head. I'll say you did. Bill's worth an actress. Quiet, baby. I get paid to act. Not to get reckled all over the studio by this big... Shut up! Don't you tell me to shut up! Don't understand it! I understand all right. You ought to be locked up instead of walking around the streets like a... Me! Me! Shut it up, you two! Cut it out, I said! Now, look. You're both been on the business long enough. I shouldn't have to tell you. We've got a show to do. We don't have much time to do it, Anita. Now, let's stop this nonsense and get to work. But he... I ain't no honey and he's sorry. Aren't you, Kurt? Yeah, I'm... I'm sorry. He let that guy get away. Yeah. He got him away all right in the fire. All right, now come on. I'll kiss and make you up. I'm sorry. Okay. What time was it, Ronnie? Ten minutes, Bill. All right, all right. Can we jump to the big stage? Yeah, we'll have to. Now, start at the top of page 25 after the music bridge. And Ronnie... Yeah? Keep these background noises low level. I don't want them to include on the scene. Yeah, that's right, Bob. Are you ready, George? Yeah, sure. And play this guy like a real cop. Now, will you? All right. I got you. All right, I'll catch you working. Time's the wait. You just keep your distance and get on here, White Cop. Yeah, I will. You okay, Kurt? Yeah, I'm all right. I'll take it easy for you. Yeah? I know how you feel. Okay, okay. Let's go. Top 25. What's the first? It was a Monday when they took me down to police headquarters. The way they'd take it was my arm. I had the feeling God was giving already. They took me to an outer office down a long ball to a back room. It was dark. Whatever light was out. I can't work over that sound. Phil, now take it down. We have to go to Browning Hood. Don't you say, Kurt? I can't work over that sound. It's right, Ronnie. It's too high. Okay, okay. You're a jerk. What did you say? I said you were a jerk. I fell. Too funny, Hamlet. Son of a light weight. Well, we're gonna go over it again. Hey, what's up with that? I said red face. I know. I know. But let's do something different. You want to play an Italian? We haven't to get in a dollar lake. Why not just a guy? Make up your mind, will you? What, Kurt? Play him anything, but let's get going. Oh, wait a minute. I can't work this way. That's all there is to it. He was here eight minutes before. He hasn't even got a count. Shut up. I hear one more piece of temperament that I want in this studio. I'm gonna... Sorry, Bill. Just a guy. Good job to him. He has a 365 days a year. Nothing glamorous to the job. Got a poor little apartment in the block. He rides a subway to work. All kids and a tired wife. And this is the way yours is living. He's not on a cruise. He's not on the plane of the city. A lot of his job is helping the ladies cross the street. A lot of us holding back crowds is buried. And part of it's stalking the criminals. We're gonna have to go pull a can out of the treats home plate. You got it? Yeah, I think so. Does he think this guy's guilty? You think he cares? Would you care? No, I guess not. Okay, play him. We've been over this all before. Yeah, right, Bill. We've been over this all before. We're gonna go over it again. I don't see what's good. If you're innocent, you've got nothing to worry about. Now, let's start at the beginning, huh, mister? On the night your wife was murdered, you had to fight it, right? Yes. What was it about? I don't know. Nothing important. Other than wife stuff. You and your wife had many fights? No. Sure? Yes. Good friend of yours testified that you and your wife didn't get along so good. We got along fine. Why'd he say you didn't? I don't know. You know he said it? That's what I heard. Why'd he say it? I don't know. He was responsible for what my good friend said. Was he lying? Yes. Why would he lie? I don't know. Was he a good friend of yours? I thought so. You changed your mind? I don't know. Why? Why what? Why'd you change your mind? I didn't say I did. You didn't say you didn't? I said I don't know. Why? Why what? Why don't you know? I don't know. Why? I just don't know. Because he gave some damaging testimony? No. Was that it? No. He was a good friend. Wouldn't he try to help you out? I think so. I don't know. What do you mean, mister? I mean, I don't know. Why'd you say yes? I thought he was. But now you don't know. That's right. Can we stop a minute, Bill? Very good. Oh, no. There's nothing here I don't understand, Bill. If this cop doesn't think that he's guilty, why? Why is he hounding? Come on. Come on. That's a very good guy, George. The cop would have known that he hits the nail harder. George will pass it. This guy knows that he's going to ask a question fast. He'll come up with some assistance. Let's go. Okay. Where do you want to go from? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go back to where I thought he was. Oh, yeah, all right. Let's go. Go on, Kurt. You take the line there. Yeah. Where? It's the third line down there. I thought he was. I can't. Come on. Come on. Team corruptions. I don't even know what I'm doing. It's the third line there. Yeah, yeah. I thought he was. But now you don't know, huh? That's right. Okay, the car and I fixed the time of death. The sometime between eight and nine o'clock. That's right. And you claimed that you were at the Lyric Theater that night. That was it. Anyone see you? You know they did. The manager? Yes. Was he a friend of yours? I know him. Was he a friend of yours? Yes. A good friend? I know him. Was he a good friend? I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? I mean, I know him. But you don't know him. He was a good friend. I don't know. He was a good friend. You'd expect him to help you out, though, wouldn't you? No. You sure? What? You said before that you'd expect a friend to help you out. How could he be sure that it was you? He was sure. But he wasn't a friend. You're trying to mix me up. He'd seen me before. How many people go in and out of the movie house every day? I don't know. 200, 500, 800, maybe? I don't know. And you expect us to believe that a man would pick you out of 800 people? He saw me. Maybe you weren't even there. I wasn't there. Maybe you were home choking the last drop of life out of the life that you hated because you never got along with her, huh? Thanks a lot. Of course, that was the only way that you could get back to this other friend of yours. Was he a good friend of yours? I did. What do you mean you don't know? I mean, that's all he said. You said before he was. Did you say he wasn't? I said I didn't know. But you admitted that this man was at your apartment at least twice a week over a period of two years. Wouldn't that make him a good friend? I mean, wouldn't it? What do you mean, yes? I mean, I don't know. Don't know what? What makes a good friend? But you want us to accept the testimony of the theater manager. Yes. And he only saw you a couple of times. Yes, yes. Does that make him a good friend? I get out, baby. That's the stuff. You don't understand, Phil. You want to take him to the control room until he settles down? Phil. Good idea. And let's sit down for a week. Sorry, it's been such a tough day for you. Oh, I don't understand. We couldn't let you in. I thought it might not work. What? That was defective steel. You mean, homicide? The guy with Kurt? Yeah. But why would he? I'll explain. There is a girl Kurt's wife died. Yes, I remember that. The police didn't have anything to go on, but they were suspicious. Oh, Kurt? Yeah. It was alibi. It was that tight. I couldn't crack it. That's what you don't crack. It is. Lots of ways. Who knows what makes a man do a thing like that. Yeah. Anyway, the detective got the idea that maybe if I wrote a show that was close enough to the actual circumstances. That's what I cracked. I didn't know, but it was worth a try. Play is the thing. The detective reads Shakespeare too. Oh, Kurt. It's tough. Ah, yes. Sorry. I let you in from this, but you know, I couldn't tell you about it. Well, we understand, though. Hope he didn't hurt you, honey. No, I'm all right. I suppose he knew what he was doing. No. Well, that's to cancel the show. Here's a stand-back. It would all get paid, of course. On routes sooner or later. To do that? I can't do it. You sure? You can sit in the control room. Do it slowly. No. You're a Shakespeare fan. What do you say? I don't suppose a half hour will make much difference. That's my boy. What about the rest of you? It's okay about me. How much time we got? One minute, bro. How do you feel, Kurt? Better. Sure you can do it? I can do it. Want some water? No. 30 seconds. I'm all right. Good luck, buddy. I don't know the plan. Don't worry. The finger on the day you started liking vanilla ice cream. You look back over your life and it's hard to say I got that idea five minutes after 12 on Washington's birthday in 1922. Yeah, there are routes all night. There are routes without an end. You may do better without a beginning. There are things that attach you to the earth, your system. Friends, if you like Kurt's story, why don't you plan on coming back again next week? I'm going to take you to the snowy forests of Newfoundland, where life, death, and a shadowy future were welded into one in the burning flame of a crashed airline. It's a story I like to call Act of God. In the meantime, remember, adventure is where you find it. So until next week, this is John Steele saying goodbye and good hunting. Steele Adventure is produced and directed by Robert Monroe and written this week by Elliot Drake. Don Douglas is John Steele and Ross Martin was heard as Kurt. Also in our cast were Lon Clark, Mary Ashworth, and Wendell Holmes. Your announcer has been Ted Malley. Remember, next week, Mutual Presents, Act of God, another story of suspense and action from the files of John Steele, Adventurer. This program came from New York. Mutual offers up to the minute news editions in different forms by different commentators for everybody to choose from. Every week to evening, you can hear Gabriel Heater with colorful and dramatic interpretations of the news as he sees it. Phil Henry, the past master of the concise news capsule, or Frank Edwards and his thought-provoking analysis. For weekend news information, the famed reporter Cecil Brown brings you his comments on news from home and abroad every Saturday and Sunday evening. Choose your favorite, and you'll always make Mutual your choice for news. Where the announcer says, this is the Mutual Broadcasting System.