 Dedicated to the strength of the nation, proudly we hail, proudly we hail, starring Yvonne de Carlo in Seven Candles, a United States Army and United States Air Force presentation. And now here is our producer, the well-known Hollywood showman, C.P. McGregor. Thank you, thank you, and greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to your Theater of Stars, where foremost names from the cinema world join us in plays written by the nation's finest authors. The lovely and popular actress, Yvonne de Carlo, stars in a deeply emotional love story, titled Seven Candles. In just a moment, we'll have the curtain for act one. But here now is Wendell Niles with a message of importance. Only the best can be aviation cadets. And now, because your United States Air Force is planning for the future and wants the best young men, special consideration is being given to this year's college graduates who want careers as leaders in aviation, as officers in your United States Air Force. If you're graduating this June, apply now for aviation cadet training. As a college graduate, your application will be rushed so that you can begin training as soon as you graduate. Visit your US Army and US Air Force recruiting station today to make certain you're accepted for one of this summer's aviation cadet classes. Remember, only the best can be aviation cadets. And now, once again, our producer. The curtain rises on act one of Seven Candles starring Yvonne de Carlo as Cynthia. This is the story of Seven Candles and of Cynthia, to whom each candle is a symbol of love and happiness and heartbreak. The candle stands seven tall slim tapers on lit before a portrait of a young man, a dark curly-haired young man with whimsical, tilted eyebrows and a gay flashing smile. Cynthia smiles back at the portrait, but there are tears in her eyes as she lights the first candle. Remember, David? You lit the first candle the night we met. Remember how it all began? It was early evening, April in New York, and the spring rain was beginning to fall in a gentle mist. I was riding alone on top of a bus, watching the city lights blink on softly. Then the bus stopped at a corner and you got on. I heard your footsteps as you ran up the stairs two at a time. Then came down the aisle to sit in the seat opposite me. I was annoyed with you because I wanted to cry alone and unnoticed, let my tears mingle with the rain. Now I couldn't. I didn't mean to, but I looked towards you. You smiled, that wonderful smile. Hello. Got any use for a penny? Why? Did I drop one? No, it's for your thoughts. Oh. Of course, I know they're worth more than that, but that's the accredited rate of exchange for thoughts. Mind if I sit next to you? No. Is that any kind of a welcome when two people are as congenial as we are? Are we? Oh, must be. There are 20 people inside that bus. We're the only two who chose to ride on top in the rain. I came up here to be alone. Oh. Well, it's all right for a pretty girl to be alone, but she shouldn't look lonely. Did I? Very lovely, but very lonely. You know, I like the rain in your hair. It makes it misty soft like a halo. But angels shouldn't have rain in their eyes. Well, I didn't think it would show up here. Couldn't we do something about it? We? Yes, we. Couldn't we get off the bus and have dinner to get somewhere? I don't even know you. Well, wait a minute. I'll get Aunt Mary to introduce us. Aunt Mary? Yes. Here, there she is, my wallet, Bostonian, very proper. Will she do? She looks very sweet. Yes, I think she'll do. It's a deal. Aunt Mary, this young lady, tell her that your nephew is David Brooks, recently of the Boston Institute of Technology, now magnificently employed as a draftsman. Aunt Mary, you can tell your nephew that the girl with the rain in your eyes is Cynthia Martin, recently of Ashland, Maine, and not magnificently employed at all. Well, now, we're formally introduced. Your Aunt Mary is a remarkable lady. You laughed. There's sunlight in your eyes now. You make a wonderful weatherman. You can do better than that. I can bring the stars out. You can? Well, you see where we're going for dinner. There are stars in the sky and a crescent moon, sawdust on the floor, red checkered tablecloth, and the best steaks north of the equator. How about it? The steak is delicious. Does Aunt Mary introduce you? Two young ladies on buses? No. I swear, this is the first time. First time on a bus? No. First time, period. Let's talk about you. You said recently of Ashland, Maine. How reasoned? Less than a week. Small town girl came to the big city to hunt for a job. Find it? Not yet. All alone? Mm-hmm. Ah, so that's why you were blue. Homesick? No. Since my mother died and my father married again, there's been no home for me. Oh, you poor kid. I came here to see if I couldn't start life over. Cynthia, your new life begins tonight. Anyway, a new year begins. I'm 19 today. You mean, this is your birthday? Mm-hmm. Oh, Cynthia, we've got to have a birthday cake and candles. We've got to celebrate right. Tony! Yes, sir. Tony, I want a cake, the fanciest one in the kitchen, and 19 candles. Oh, sir, the candles, we know it. And the cake, I think, she's almost gone. But Tony, this is the young lady's birthday. Oh, many a pair of turns to see your end. Thank you, Tony. I'll see what I find, eh? And don't come back with a lighted donor. Oh, no, no. Just leave it to me. You wait, Cynthia. Next year, I'll see you have a fine cake. Next year? That's a long time away. That's a long. Mommy, do you tell your fortune? Can you tell fortunes? I can tell yours. Now, there's a dark man in your life. You met him on your 19th birthday. And you'll never get rid of him, because he's going to stick around till you're 90. Your origin, you and I, fond of some Italian pastry. I fix it like a saw in a circular, just like a cake. Hey, not bad. But we know I have a candle to see in your over. The only thing I can find in a kitchen is this one big candle. Why, as well. We'll put it in the center of the circle. Now, we'll light it. Ah-ha. Oh, it's beautiful. Happy birthday. Thank you. Oh, that one big candle has to stand for 19. No, I want it to stand for one, the first year of the new life I'm beginning tonight. Now, make a wish, Cynthia. I'm wishing. And blow out the candle. Ready? Yes. One big puff. Get your wish. I hope so. I made a wish, too, Cynthia, that your wish would come true, and that I'd be in it somewhere to keep the rain out of your eyes. Now, I'm lighting a second candle, David. You were a good fortune teller, remember? The dark young man asked me to marry him, and I said yes. We agreed to be married on my birthday, because it marked the day we met. It was all so beautiful, so perfect. The ceremony in the little church, the solemn words of the minister, our reverent vows, the bright massing of flowers, and then the reception at Aunt Mary's lovely home. Our friends smiling their congratulations. That night, you carried me across the threshold of our honeymoon nest at Marblehead. And there on a table was a large white box and a small one by it. I looked at you. You were smiling like a happy little boy. Go on. Open them. Oh, David, what a beautiful cake. Happy birthday, sweetheart. Oh, darling, here's a big thank you hug. Now would you have an open the little box? Oh, candles, birthday candles. You put them on, sweetheart. That won't take long. I'll put on just two. You know, I told you my life didn't really begin till I met you. The first candle is for our meeting. The second... Our wedding. Yes, darling. The most wonderful wedding a girl ever had. Oh, I'm so happy. So happy I'm afraid. Afraid? What are you afraid of? It's too perfect. I don't say that. It's going to be perfect always. And now, sweetheart, make your wish. I've already made it. My dearest, most secret wish. And I'm wishing that your wish comes true. Take a good breath and blow hard, honey. There. You get your wish. And this, the third candle. A year had gone. But, darling, we still had stars in our eyes. No wonder. For there was even more to be happy about than the year before. You lighted the candles. We stood together in their glow, thinking of all they meant. Do you remember? Oh, David, I'm so proud of you. Chief aerodynamicist. I guess I have been pretty lucky getting so many promotions. David, my real break was meeting you, sweetheart. With you for a wife, a phallogist couldn't help making good. Isn't true. But I'll let you say it. Honey, do you love me as much as you did a year ago? Oh, more, much more. Same year. Now, make your wish, honey. I will, dear. But first, I want to tell you what I wished last time. It must have been a lovely wish, by the way your eyes shine. It was. I wished for a baby. And, David, but before I could say more, you clasped me in your arms and were covering me with kisses. The wish did come true. At our next anniversary, when we added the fourth candle, it was the symbol for junior. Remember? He lay in my arms while you lighted the candle. Looking a blink at the candle. Precious. I wonder what he's thinking. I know. He says when the stork was flying around, he told him to stop here, because this house had the sweetest, most beautiful moment. And the darling is dead. Now I'm lighting the fifth candle. But with all its shining, it stands for darkness. All through the evening, I'd waited for you, David. You'd gone to Washington on an important mission, regarding designs for a new army plane. But you'd arranged to return on time for our celebration. This time it was to be a party, a combination birthday and wedding anniversary, with our closest friends invited. I'll let nothing interfere with my getting back in time for our celebration. Order everything for a real party. Let's have Aunt Mary, too. I'll wire her right away. I did as you suggested. I ordered everything for a gay party. Our friends all came, and Aunt Mary arrived in high spirits. There was music, dancing, and laughter. 9 o'clock came, but you were not here. 9.30, 10, still you'd not come. The old nameless fear took possession of me. It had all been too perfect. I appealed to Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary, will you take charge of the party for me? I'm going to telephone the airport. Certainly, my dear, leave everything to me and stop that worrying. David will be here before long? The word from the airport added to my alarm. You were on the list, but you were not among the passengers. I called your company headquarters in New York. You'd not been heard from. Any word, Cynthia? Oh, Aunt Mary. He was not on the plane. Well, he must have missed it. Undoubtedly, take the next plane or the train and get here a little later. Hello, hello. Yes, this is Mrs. Brooks. Yes? What did you say? Are you sure? What is it, Cynthia? He's been in an accident. He's lying in a hospital in Washington unconscious. We pause briefly from our story seven candles starring Avon de Carlo to bring you an important message from our government. Ladies and gentlemen, our army and our Air Force are critically short of positions and dentists. Over 2,000 volunteers from these two professions are urgently needed today to safeguard and care for the health of the men and women who, as members of the United States Army and United States Air Force, are serving you and me at home and overseas. Young physicians and dentists, particularly those who did not serve in the armed services during World War II, have been asked by their government to act now to volunteer for duty at once. If you are one of these young physicians or dentists, please write or wire either the Surgeon General of the United States Army or the Air Surgeon of the United States Air Force at once and volunteer your services. If you know one of these young physicians or dentists, please call his attention to this urgent message. Thank you. This is on Act 2 of 7 Can Cynthia. Cynthia seen the fifth candle, lighting the flame that's... You never came to our anniversary party, David. Never saw the cake with its five candles, the candles that were never lighted. Because while we waited for you, you lay injured in a hospital. You never knew the turmoil in my mind on that flight to you, two hours of agonized fear that seemed an endless nightmare. And yet with all my fears, I never dreamed what lay ahead of me as I walked with the doctor down the corridor to your room. How is he, doctor? He's still unconscious, Mrs. Brooks. Doctor, you mean he's been unconscious ever since the accident? Yes, about 10 hours now, but that's to be expected. You see, with the concussion and fracture of the skull with hemorrhage, the patient may not regain consciousness for hours, sometimes even days. Doctor, he'll live, won't he? David will live. He has you and strength on his side, Mrs. Brooks. There's every chance that he'll pull through. Oh, he must, doctor. You've got to help him. Without David, I wouldn't want to live. I sat beside your bed, David, while you lay white and still. And the slow hours pressed on my heart like a weight of iron, and then suddenly you stirred and opened your eyes. Oh, oh. Oh, darling, it's so good to see you open your eyes. I've been so frightened. You, you have? How do you feel, David? Does it hurt terribly? No, just a headache. Oh, my poor darling, of course. But that will go away. You just relax and rest. Yes, sure. I flew down right away, dear. Soon as they phoned me, I left Junior with Aunt Mary. Junior? Yes, darling, the baby. Oh. What's the matter, David? You look at me so strangely almost as if you didn't know me. I don't. Oh, no, darling, no. I'm sorry, I guess I should know you, but I can't seem to remember who you are. I'm your wife, David. My wife? Yes, Cynthia, your wife. Don't you remember? No, I... And we have a son, a beautiful son named for you. We have? Yes. Last night was our wedding anniversary, my birthday. We had a party. You were coming home for it and then you had an accident. You were hit by a car when you were hurrying across the street. Oh, don't you remember? No, no, I don't. You're sure there isn't some mistake. You're sure I am your David? Of course you are, darling. You're my husband, remember? Perhaps later on, you seem a... My head feels sorry. Don't worry, darling. You'll be all well. And then you'll remember everything. I'm sure you will. You did get well, David, but still you didn't remember. Loss of memory. To me, it's always been something remote, something that could never happen to anyone I loved. And now it had happened to you, the one I loved best in all the world. When you were released from the hospital, I took you home. There, surrounded by all that was familiar and dear to you, surely you would remember. Most of all, I counted on the moment when you would see our child. He was sleeping in his crib when we arrived home. I wish he was awake. Oh, don't disturb him. Doesn't he look adorable? He certainly does. You're lucky to have such a beautiful child. Oh, David, your child too. Your son, David Jr. You did not answer. And there was a look of such pain in your eyes that I suggested we go out to the garden. Perhaps there, where you'd spent so many hours, something some least expected thing might provide the link that would join the present to the past. The past that was now dead to you. You surely have a fine garden. You planted these daffodils. I did. Oh, don't you remember, dear? I knelt by you and handed you the bulbs. You did. David, wouldn't you like to sit on the bench and look toward the hills? Be glad to. It's a fine view. The grandest view in all New York State you've always said. Yes. Oh, David, don't you remember how often we've sat here together, you and I, loving the trees and the flowers and the skyline and building our dreams? I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry, but I don't remember it. I don't remember any of it at all. It was no use. We tried for weeks longer to reach back into the past and recover what had been our life together, but in vain. You came to me one day, a suitcase in your hand. Your face set in white despair. Cynthia, I'm going away. No, you can't. Yes, Cynthia, it's the only thing to do. You're a very lovely person, and you've been most kind, but these weeks have been hard for both of us. I haven't mined it. Truly, I haven't. Yes, you have. I've seen your suffering behind the mask of good cheer you've been trying to win. But any hour, David, might be the hour when everything would come back to you. No, Cynthia, not here, not now. I feel more and more that it'll be better for me, for both of us if I go away. Oh, David, I watched you go. With you went my happiness, my very life. The year passed by on dragging feet. Finally it came once more to April 27th, now just a date on the calendar. Yet I could not let it go by without the ceremony of the candles. I must keep alive faith and hope. I took six tall tapers and arranged them by your picture, as they are now. I lighted them one by one. Your face, beloved, shone in the candlelight. I thought your eyes danced as of old. Your lips smiled, your dear, irresistible smile. I heard you saying, make your wish, sweetheart. My wish was a prayer. Oh, God, merciful Father, let David remember. Let him love me again. Give us back our life together. I sat looking at your face, dearest one, until the candles burned out, and I was alone in the darkness. The seventh candle, David, is for today. I stood them one by one here before your portrait, seven tall, slim tapers, each one a symbol of love and happiness. I was going to light them alone, and then suddenly, David. Hello. Oh, David, you've come home. I thought I ought to come and see how you and the boy were getting along, isn't here? You still don't remember? No, but. No, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters except that you're here. I've been so lonely without you. Well, I've been wanting to come, but I was afraid I'd only make it worse for you. And then somehow today. What about today? I don't know. I was riding on top of a bus, reading the paper, and I noticed the date, April 27th. Somehow, I couldn't read anymore. That date kept coming back into my mind, April 27th. Yes, and then what? I put the paper away, but I kept seeing that date over and over. And then it began to rain. There was something about riding on top of that bus in the rain and that date. Cynthia, does it mean anything? Oh, darling, it means everything. David, look. See these candles before your picture. I'll light them one by one. You lit the first candle the night we met. Remember how it all began? And now the seventh candle. Oh, darling, do you remember now? Make a wish, Cynthia. I'm wishing. Then blow out the candles. Ready? Yes. One big puff, you'll get your wish. I hope so. I made a wish, too, Cynthia, that your wish would come true and that I'd be in it somewhere to keep the rain out of your eyes. Oh, David, David. Yes, sweetheart, I remember. Curtain calls on the final act of seven candles. Our star, Obanda Carlo, will return for a curtain call after this timely message from Wendell Niles. This is important. This is urgent. Over 2,000 young physicians and dentists are needed as volunteers at once for service in the United States Army or United States Air Force. These physicians and dentists are required to safeguard the health of the men and women who are serving our country in the armed services. If you are a physician or a dentist, you are needed now. Write or wire the Surgeon General of the United States Army or the Air Surgeon of the United States Air Force at once, volunteering for active duty. Let me repeat that. Write or wire the Surgeon General of the United States Army or the Air Surgeon of the United States Air Force today, or see your local US Army and US Air Force recruiting station. And I'll once again, our producer. I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, that we won't have time for our usual chat with our star. The play has been long, and our time has almost run out on us. We'll extend another invitation to Avon de Carlo, and when she next comes our way, I assure you we shall have plenty to talk about. And now, Avon, and ladies and gentlemen, please make it a point to dial our way next week for a special dramatic story starring that youthful actor, Claude Jarman, Jr. The title of our play, written just for Claude Jarman, is High House. A story laid in the hill country of his native Tennessee. In our story, Claude becomes a very much misunderstood lead who is constantly bullied by a brute of a father. There are tense and dramatic moments when fire, floods, and disaster provide a series of emotional climaxes that bring young Jarman into truly dramatic heights. So be sure to join us next week for High House, starring Claude Jarman, Jr. Until then, thanks for listening, and cheerio from Hollywood. Avon de Carlo appeared through the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinating Committee, which arranges for the appearance of all stars on this program. Script was by Judith and Jacqueline Rhodes, with music under the direction of Eddie Skravanik. This program is transcribed in Hollywood for a release at this time. Wendell Niles speaking.