 Broadcasting system presents the mysterious traveler written produced and directed by Robert A Arthur and David Kogan And starring tonight to a radio's foremost actor Eric Vessler and John Sylvester in an original radio drama titled Murder is my business This is the mysterious traveler Inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying I Hope you will enjoy the trip And it will thrill you a little and cheer you a little So settle back get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable if you can Our story tonight begins in a huge white mansion overlooking the Hudson River some 50 miles above New York City In a large comfortable room David Phillips a slender nervous man in his early 30s is seated at a desk typing Dear Julia A year has passed since we last saw each other and I'm writing this letter with a hope that you will understand all that I'm about to reveal and Understanding will forgive me I'm a writer darling and yet I find it difficult to put into words the Horrible events of the past year As they flashed through my mind I can feel the quickening of my pulse and the hatred within me surges up as overwhelmingly as But I mustn't think of that It's much more important that you understand what has happened It all began the day I was in my study Writing a script for the dangerous adventure radio show Who is it Basil King Basil King? Dave wait a minute. I want to talk to you, but honey Basil King. I can't keep him waiting Yes, you can well we'll talk fast King's looking for a writer for his radio show, isn't it? Yeah, Sigrodman just quit quit You mean he had a nervous breakdown and so is every other writer who's ever worked for Basil King Dave I don't want you to write for him, but Julie his show pays six hundred bucks a week We could pay off all our debts with that kind of doll darling be sensible No amount of money is worth a punishment. You'll have to take from him. Now look. We'll talk about this later He's on the phone. Tell him no Hello, oh, yes, mr. King. I'd like to very much. Are you free for lunch and tomorrow? Yes, I am Shall we say one o'clock at the Algonquin? All right, mr. King. Just a good day Now honey, don't look at me that way Dave. I just don't understand you It doesn't make sense wanting to write for him everyone who's ever worked for Basil King to test him He's the most hated man in radio be reasonable Julie six hundred bucks a week This is a lot of dough if I can't get along with King. I'll quit Now what more can you ask next day as the head waiter led me through the crowded dining room? I Could see Basil King seated at a table in a far corner of the room King was a tall slender gray-haired man in his late 40s He had a cold impassive face and his movements were stiff and precise It suddenly occurred to me that he bore an amazing resemblance to Clifton Webb the Hollywood star As I reached King's table, he stood up How do you do mr. Phillips? I'm Basil King have a seat won't you thank you I suggest we talk first and order luncheon later. All right, mr. King Now mr. Phillips to begin with I'm a man who believes in frankness I dare say this frankness of mine has led to my making a large number of enemies and has given me the reputation of being an Extremely difficult person to get along with No doubt you've heard quite a few stories about me Yes, I have and believe me. They're highly exaggerated Great talents such as myself have always been misunderstood the petty minds in this world not understanding men of genius are forever seeking to destroy us I see I wonder if you do mr. Phillips. I wonder if you do I Asked very little of my writers merely a modicum of intelligence and the ability to accept constructive criticism That sounds reasonable enough. Yes, one would think so and yet I haven't been able to find a writer who understands me I'm sure you will sooner or later perhaps but to date. It's been very discouraging However, we mustn't dwell on the past Now mr. Phillips you come highly recommended and I trust that ours will be a happy and profitable relationship I hope so by the way, you aren't troubled by ulcers Are you who I know good for some unfathomable reason all the writers I've had in the past seem to have been afflicted with ulcers I can't stand people who are always taking pills and subsisting on bland diets Tell me are you familiar with my show Brad Barker private? I am oh, yes, I've heard it quite often good Then you're undoubtedly aware that there are two things I insist upon in my shows clever plots and gimmicks that work Bear that in mind mr. Phillips clever plots and gimmicks that work I understand it's on those two rules that I have single-handedly built the most popular detective show on the air You have only to look at the hoop or rating of Brad Barker private eye to substantiate what I'm saying Yes, I know you've got a terrific rating 18.6 Needless to add my sponsor the zestful chewing gum company has increased its sales tremendously Now mr. Phillips I'm prepared to pay six hundred dollars a week for the writing of Brad Barker is that satisfactory? Yes, that sounds fair enough. Yeah, when may I expect your first script? Well, let's see and today is Wednesday What about Monday morning that satisfactory Monday morning? It is now shall we order luncheon an hour later battle king And I separated in front of the Algonquin I went home and started work on the script Determined to turn out a show that would make King sit up and take notice After four days and nights of intensive writing I completed the script Monday morning. I went downtown to Basil King's luxurious office and Turned the script over to him as I sat by his desk watching him read it It was hard to tell what he thought of it His face was cold and impassive as he turned page after page It's last he finished reading it and looked up It won't do mr. Phillips. It won't do why not first of all you haven't caught the spirit of Brad Barker in your dialogue But more important the plot is weak and your murder gimmick won't work Well, I don't see why it won't would you mind explaining in this script? You have the victim What's his name Charles Riker? Yes You have this fellow Charles Riker whose life has been threatened barricade himself in a small cabin All doors and windows are locked from the inside and in addition He's armed to the teeth and has a watchdog with him That's right two days after this fellow Riker has barricaded himself Brad Barker breaks into the cabin to find him dead Dead of poison. Yes Your gimmick is that the murderer unable to get at Riker has tapped the water pipe Which ran from the spring to the cabin and poisoned the water. Yes. Well, what's wrong with it? My dear fellow Don't you think that when Riker drew a glass of water in the cabin need of tasted the poison in the water But I planted in the script that the poison was tasteless. Oh You did Well, and nevertheless it won't work. Oh, why not? It just doesn't ring true. I Don't feel it. Why not? We should stop asking why not? It's obvious that I don't like your gimmick And if I don't like it 15 million radio listeners won't like it If our relationship is to continue must learn to accept constructive criticism after all my dear fellow You you have merely to look at the rating of the show to realize that I am never wrong Furthermore, I should like to point out Yes, Julie, how did King like your script? He didn't like it. That's putting it mildly Oh, but that was a good script one of the best you've ever done. That's what I thought but mr. King didn't now wonder all his writers have Nervous breakdowns that man doesn't know what he wants. Well, I'll give it one more try You mean you're still gonna try to write for him now, honey There's no use in giving up so soon Maybe once I get to know King's likes and dislikes it won't be so tough to write for him Dave I've never interfered before but this is too much I want you to call that egomaniac King up and tell him you're through Julie I can't I told King that I'd turn in another script by Thursday. Oh Dave I promise you that if he doesn't like the second script, I'll give up Now that's fair enough, isn't it? Oh The next three days and nights I sweated over a new script As I worked out the plot and gimmick I I tried to anticipate Basil King's every possible objection Early Thursday morning. I went downtown to King's office and turned the script over to him As he sat reading it I began thinking of what I would say to him if he turned the show down. I Would tell him quite firmly that it was obvious. I wasn't the man to write the Brad Barker show At last King finished reading the script and looked up The plot mr. Phillips isn't exactly new and the dialogue needs rewriting here and there but on the whole it will do You mean you like it. I wouldn't go fast say that I like it rather. Let us say that it's Acceptable I trust mr. Phillips that with time your scripts will improve Good day. I left Basil King's office that morning convinced that I would succeed where other writers had failed I Felt it would be just a question of time until I learned the workings of King's mind But then I discovered it so many of my predecessors had that Basil King's likes and dislikes were not constant from day to day What he told you on Thursday didn't hold true on Friday Weeks went by and for every show that King accepted he'd reject to He would criticize every script from beginning to end Tearing it to bits relentlessly and coldly Any questioning of his criticism would lead to his redoubling his attack One week slipped into another and with each passing week my hatred for Basil King grew Life became a nightmare of deadlines Of writing endlessly with one eye constantly on the clock Darling, you just can't go on this way. You've got a quip. Julie. We've been over this a dozen times already We need the 600 bucks a week to pay off our debt. What good is that money if you have a nervous breakdown? Look at yourself. You've lost 15 pounds in these past weeks and you're smoking five packs of cigarettes a day Please Julia. I've had all I can take today. Now. Let's not talk about it anymore You're not kidding me Dave. The money is only part of it. It's your pride that won't let you quit my pride Yes, you can't stand the thought of quitting like the others did you've got to prove that you're better than they are That's enough. Well, it's the truth, isn't it? It's only your pigheaded pride That makes you go on when anyone with sense would quit. I said that's enough Dave we can't go on like this What do you mean? I'm not gonna stand around and watch you have a breakdown You'll have to choose between Basil King and myself. Now look Julie you're upset. You don't know what you're saying I know perfectly well what I'm saying. I'm asking you to choose between Basil King and myself stop trying to intimidate me I told you before I'm not quitting and I meant it. All right Dave If that's the way you want it, I'm leaving. Well, go ahead. No one's stopping you Basil King may be able to make you quit But not me you call it pride. Okay, but I wanted a louse like him beat me Somehow I'll get the better of him. You wait and see I was so emotionally worn out the night you left me Julian I Could scarce comprehend my loss at the time There seemed to be only two people in the world Basil King and myself As I traveled back and forth day after day between my typewriter and King's office My hatred for him increased a hundred four Feeling my hatred for him King redouble his sadistic attack Sensing that I was determined not to quit The week slipped by and the nightmare continued King insisted that I come to all rehearsals of the show so that the cast if he put it might see that culprit who wrote the script It was that a rehearsal that I first met mr. Pearson president of the Zestville chewing gum company He was sitting in the control room Watching with great respect as Basil King rehearsed the cat No, no, no My dear miss hunter. I assumed when I hired you that you were a radio actress if I'm wrong, please enlighten me What do I don't feel it? I just don't feel it try it again Gotta give me a chance to explain. It wasn't my fault honest it wasn't Rocky cut cut Miss Hunter you sound too young. I want you to age the role one year mind you just one year Scott Well, if that's the best you can give me it will have to do Mr. Cooney if you can't do better, I'll have to get another sound man take 15 minutes It's dreadful mr. King the incompetence you have to put up with it. Yes, mr. Pearson It often amazes me that I've been as successful as I have oh Speaking of incompetence mr. Pearson. I'd like you to meet the present writer of the show How do you do mr. Phillips glad to meet you sir? I have great hopes mr. Pearson of making a radio writer out of Phillips I'm sure if anyone can do it you're that person mr. King. Pardon me mr. King Would you like to hear the commercial now? Yeah, very well, Caruso go ahead Yes, ladies and gentlemen July 8th is the big day in just one month You'll be able to buy the latest discovery in chewing gum happiness. Perhaps so gum Made by the cesspool chewing gum company. Perhaps so gum is a new gum a gum with a jailed in flavor Designed to give you hours of chewing pleasure. Remember the big day is July 8th When perhaps a gum will be on sale at all candy counters. I don't feel it Caruso. I want more emphasis I want you to be so compelling that people will rush to their drugstores and place orders for this new gum Exactly. Yes, exactly rehearse it a few more times and I'll go over it with you later on. Yes, mr. King Well, I guess I'll be getting back to the office mr. King Most kind of you to allow me to watch your rehearsal. That's quite all right, mr. Pearson. It's a pleasure meeting you mr. Phillips I assume that you'll be at the factory for next week's broadcast the factory. Yes, Phillips We're doing the broadcast in the factory next week. Yes, it's the company's 25th anniversary You've no idea how our employees are looking forward to your broadcast. Yes, indeed Well, good day gentlemen. Goodbye Mr. Phillips, I have here the script you turned in for next week's show It won't do Why not there are so many things wrong with the script that it's hard to know where to begin Let's start with your murder gimmick. You have the victim. I believe his name is Roger Rodin Yes, that's right. Yes, you have this fellow Rodin picking up an envelope licking the flap and sealing the envelope a minute later He drops dead your gimmick is potassium cyanide powder has been mixed into the glue of the envelope flap Yes, and when Rodin licked the flap his tongue absorbed the poison. It just won't stand up Why not for the simple reason that Rodin's tongue wouldn't absorb enough potassium cyanide to kill him Oh, but it would potassium cyanide is a very potent poison. Just a few grains will kill a man possibly but I'm not convinced And if you can't convince me, you won't convince our 16 million listeners. It just won't do it will work Will work. I'm sorry, mr. Phillips, but I don't agree. How soon can you have another script for me? But at that moment I knew I was I was going to murder Basil King Perhaps all along it had been there buried in my subconscious For the first time in weeks my hand stopped trembling and I was able to think clearly of all that had happened. I Had allowed Basil King a man who was a psychopathic case Drag me down to his own level and what was worse. I had lost Julie My stupid pride had driven the one person I loved away from me Basil King would pay for that and all he anguished he'd caused so many people I Thought of King's rejection of my potassium cyanide gimmick And suddenly it came to me how ironic it would be if his death were brought about by potassium cyanide Yes, the great man dying by a gimmick which he declared wouldn't work Of course, I couldn't use the envelope flap, but there were other ways and I would think of one That night a plan began to form in my mind Plan which was completed a week later as I was being shown through the zestful chewing gum factory by mr. Morris the superintendent of the factory I had no idea the factory was so large mr. Morris We seem to have walked miles I'm afraid your radio ride is just unused to walking Probably ride in the taxi cabs all the time. I guess you're right. Oh, what's this place? This is the shipping room a lot about completes the tour I reckon you've seen just about everything say all these boxes have Pepsi gum marked on the side of them That's right. You're getting ready to distribute it all over the country. Yeah, you're gonna start shipping next week You know, I've heard so many announcements on the show about Pepsi gum that I'm I'm curious What's it tastes like? Well, it's hard to say is that sort of a sharp flavor sounds good You have any around I'd like to taste it well Like to give you some of the Phillips, but the old man I mean mr. Pearson. He's given out strict orders not to give any of it out Reckoning trying to keep it from the public till the last minute. Oh, but employees have tasted it. Haven't they? Oh, sure Well, mr. Morris, you're looking at an employee right now. I do write radio shows for the company Yeah, I guess you aren't employee after all I reckon I can give you a pack of Pepsi gum Hey, yeah, thanks Hmm an attractive looking pack of gum. Yeah, you got to catch the customer's knife. You want to sell gum? Already say if we go back to the auditorium fine I've seen the whole factory and I've got a pack of the new Pepsi gum. What more could I ask for? A few minutes later. I left mr. Morris in the auditorium With a great Basil King was rehearsing the cast for the show. I Walked across the street to the inn where we were staying and went up to my room There I took the pack of Pepsi gum from my pocket and withdrew one of the five sticks of gum I Very carefully removed the wrapper Then taking a dab and handkerchief. I wiped the candy powder off the stick of gum It took but another minute to evenly sprinkle potassium cyanide powder over the wet stick of gum In a very short time the gum dry It wasn't possible to tell that the fine powdery coating on it was a coating of death. I Rewrap the stick of gum and carefully inserted it in the center of the pack When I arrived at the auditorium 10 minutes before airtime The great man was relaxing in the control room With him were mr. Pearson and Bill the broadcast engineer. Oh There you are mr. Phillips. I was afraid you were going to miss the broadcast Mr. Phillips may not be a good writer, but he is a punctual one mr. Pearson. Haha, mr. King You're a great one for better You have a ready with thank you, mr. Look at that auditorium completely packed. I've never seen our employees so enthusiastic and it's all due to you mr. King I hope you'll say a few words to them after the broadcast why I should be delighted to Can you spare a minute mr. King? What is it that you remember that script? I turned in a week ago with the potassium cyanide gimmick You mean where the victim licked the envelope flapping with poison. Yes. I remember that deplorable script. What about it? Well, I was wondering what if we would have switched the potassium cyanide to something else instead of the envelope Perhaps the cyanide might be sprinkled on a piece of candy or something like that. No, no, no, it would never work I don't feel it. You really don't think it would certainly not Really mr. Phillips. You're showing less and less imagination from week to week. Well, I just thought I'd mention it Mr. Phillips at the pack of gum you have isn't it's not the new Pepsi gum. Yes, mr. Pearson. That's right But I gave strict orders that it wasn't to be given out. How did you get it? Yes, how did you get it? I found this pack in the shipping room. I hope you don't mind my having taken it Well, no After all we are just one big family. You see mr. Pearson I've heard so much about the new Pepsi gum that I was curious to find out what it tasted like Oh, what do you think of it? Well, I haven't tried it yet But I guess this is as good a time as ever. Have a piece. Don't mind if I do Thank you. What about you mr. King? No, thank you You mean you aren't even curious to know what mr. Pearson's new gum tastes like please mr. King I'm very good to know what you think of the flavor. I have great respect for your opinion Very well, mr. Pearson. There you are mr. King. Thank you. I understand it has a sharp flavor mr. Pearson. Yes, but delightfully so Hmm Delicious I have a feeling that Pepsi gum is going to be a tremendous success Go ahead mr. King put it in your mouth. I'm anxious to have your opinion. Yes Oh certainly has a sharp taste. Oh, not that sharp keep chewing it One minute there time mr. King. Thank you. I Watched the great man Basil King chewing a stick of Pepsi gum I knew that he found the flavor a bit sharp and if mr. Pearson hadn't been watching him he would have spat it out Yes, mr. King didn't like the flavor, but with the sponsor looking on he had to continue chewing. I Watched the minute hand sweep around the clock In 30 seconds, we would be on the air and according to my calculations mr. King would keel over 15 seconds after we were on the air Stand by I'll give you to go ahead mr. King very well Coming up Go ahead company presents Brad Barker private eye conceived produced directed and edited by Basil King My dear fellow the monitor is too high That's it. Take it down. You engineers just don't know My heart What's wrong my heart I can't catch him. I've got a miss Pearson. You better get a doctor. It looks like a heart attack Yes, yes, I'll get one immediate. I will turn down the monitor just do the best you can Okay, I'll take care of him and I'll take care of the show Can you hear me yes, you remember the potassium cyanide Yes, I just want you to know you're wrong. It does work. That's why you're dying. What that stick of gum I gave you it was covered with potassium cyanide powder A doctor can't help you. You're going to die Mr. King You just forgot one thing Murder is my business Julie darling That was a year ago and I've never ceased to regret you're leaving me I'm writing this in the hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me. I Admit that it was my stupid pride That wouldn't allow me to acknowledge defeat at Basil King's hand But he's gone now Julie And if you could only see your way clear to start all over Mr. Phillips remember me John Pearson Mr. Pearson, yes, you remember mr. Morris my factory superintendent. Hello We happen to be driving past and thought it'd be a nice gesture to drop in and find out how you were getting along Please please I I've got to finish this letter to my wife Julia. I've got to finish it It doesn't seem to be getting any better doesn't Mr. Pearson. No He doesn't Look at all these letters scattered around must be at least a hundred all addressed to his wife What a pity, huh? Yes. Yes, I'll never forget that day that Basil King died of a heart attack I came back to the control room to find poor mr. Phillips crying hysterically over the body He never has gotten over the shock of Basil King's death What a wonderful friendship that was Did you enjoy our little trip? Too bad about Dave Phillips isn't it? His mind snapped in his hour of triumph 16 weeks of life with Basil King proved to be just too much for him mentally as the Basil King used to say Being a radio writer calls for a weak mind However, it does seem that Dave Phillips did get in the last word Well, Basil King died of a gimmick He claimed would never work and the police Hardly enough never did suspect it was murder Now I recall another case in which a young man awoke to find himself dead and he decides You have to get off here. I'm sorry. I'm sure we'll meet again I take this same train Every week at the same time You have just heard the mysterious traveler a series of dramas of the strange and terrifying All characters in tonight's story were fictitious and any resemblance to the names of actual persons was purely coincidental In tonight's cast were Maurice Tarplin Eric Dressler John Sylvester Shirley Blank and Richard Cougan Original music was played by Paul Taubman sound was by George Cooney broadcast engineer Walter Payne Mysterious traveler is written produced and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Cogan Listen next week to a tale titled Queen of the cat another strange and suspenseful tale of the mysterious traveler This program has come to you from our New York studios Another program of tents and dramatic action will follow in just a minute Stay tuned to the station for official detective Carl Crusoe speaking This is the mutual broadcasting system