 Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. The names in radio, appearing each starring in a repertoire of flat, flat stories of their own and your choosing. Radios for most players, in radio for most players. Ladies and gentlemen, Elliot Lewis. Good evening. May I present my wife, Kathy? Good evening. It's been said that first novels are autobiographical, that are new writers' first efforts at storytelling concern himself. Although this is not historically true, it makes for a good conversational gambit. If it were completely true, a house painter that wrote a story would write a story about house painting. And the first effort of a bread baker would be a misty tale. Or to get down to what we're going to do tonight, the early efforts of a sound effects artist would contain all sound and no dialogue. Ross Murray has been doing the sound effects here on stage practically since we started. This is not his first script. He's been writing quite regularly, but it is a strange story, and that what people have to say is more important than the background sound. Well, you're going to hear what we've been talking about, because here is Ross Murray's new script, Penny Ante. It would be okay if we got a little Penny Ante poker game going tonight. Wait a sec, I'll have two, three, five. Who else is coming? Marvin and George. I just spoke to them, they said it was okay with them. What about the wives? Play bridge or something. So, I mean, did the guys ask them if it was okay? Oh, no, but they're sure it is. Friday night, where's the go? Well, those guys don't have to check with their wives, and I don't either. Tell me, what time? What, so as you guys can get home, pick up the ball and chain? Well, that's not neat when you get over to my place. Great. See you about seven o'clock. Yeah, okay, so long. Oh, hey, hey, uh, do me a favor, huh? Sure. What? Punch me out. I'm ducking out 15 minutes early. You know, I got to get things lined up, cards, food, beers, you know. Sure, sure go on, I'll take care of it. And, uh, don't let Allison see you. He's a company man. Yeah, no worries. I'll see you. What time is it? Four at the six. Did I start the coffee poking? Yeah, I think so. The guys should be getting home about now. What'd you fix to eat? Cold cards and potato salad. You getting a ride, Brad? Yeah, and pickles. You know I don't like pickles. I do. Where's the beer? I mean it's good. Fine, I want everything to be just right. You guys had a really run a poker party. Last time we had a phone. I got ears, I got ears. Marvin, yeah. Yeah? She has? But you, oh yeah, sure. No. Sure it's okay. Yes. Yeah, goodbye. Who was it? Marvin. His wife wants to go see her folks. Oh. So we'll play pinocchio. As far as I'm concerned, poker isn't a necessity. As long as congenial people... Hello? Hello, Georgie boy. I was just looking at the clock and staying at the door. What? She did? When? You were, huh? Oh, you are? That one for me, pal. Yeah, so on. I know, Georgie's wife had another thing planned for tonight. No, that's not it. They had a fight. She went to her mother's house and Georgie was going to go out and get drunk. I told her to have one for me. Then there were four. I know, I know. Look, when we play bridge tonight, it'll be husbands against the wives. There's anything I can't stand. It's a bridge partner who... Hello? You can't? Well sure, I'm mad. You just broke up the whole party. I don't want your apology. As far as I'm concerned, I'll never invite you here again. Goodbye. You like casino? Shut up. Don't have to take it out on me, Stan. No, I'm sorry, honey. It's just that... Well, you know. Yes, dear, I know. So, what do we do? Hungry? Not very. Let me fix your sandwich. No, I said I'm not hungry. Well, I can't spend the rest of the evening just sitting around not doing anything. Let's get out of the house. Where do you want to go? Let's get out of town. Where out of town? Las Vegas. You crazy? No, I don't want to get out of town. I want some excitement. Well, we can't afford a trip to Las Vegas. Only 300 miles or so. How much gasoline can that take? It's not the gasoline, dear. It's a place to stay, food. Maybe a nickel and so on and so on. We don't have to sleep. We can stay up all night just looking around. We have to eat? We'll make sandwiches out of cold cuts. It's like a picnic. Oh, Stanley, it's silly. I won't do it. Dora, do I ever ask you for the impossible, please? I just feel like going to Las Vegas. Don't ask me to explain it because I can't. I just want to go. That's all. Please, Dora, let's go. It's silly. It's impossible. I think you're crazy, but it'll make you happy. Let's go. Oh, Dora, you look at me. You're a wonderful girl. I never dreamed Las Vegas was like this. What'd you think it was like? I don't know. I don't know. All the talking stories I heard. I thought it was more like a... More like a... Moving picture? Yeah. That's why I wasn't so eager for us to come here. Well, some of the places out of town are kind of like a moving picture set. This here is the old part of the town. Oh. Yeah, let's go to this place. Okay, but now listen. You remember your promise. No gambling on the stock machines. We're here just to look. Okay. Maybe we'll take a chance with a couple of nickels. You promised them. I know I know, but a couple of nickels isn't going to break up. Is this only a couple of nickels? Let's try to eat one peanut or one potato chips. No, but that's only... What's the matter? Pick it up. I'm waiting for the guy at the slot machine to move. Well, if it is, you'd better... Yeah. That's with George Washington's face on it. This is a $1 good for 20 chances on the nickel slot machine. What about your promise? This is different. This don't count. If I lose this, it don't hurt the budget. Easy. Come. Easy. Go. All right. You can gamble. Come on. Let's go to cashier. Give me nickels for this. Okay, here we go, Dora. Here's the slot machine. Here goes. What's the difference? Put the nickels in that empty glass. Two nickels fell into the cup of your right trouser leg. You better get them before they put your pants out of shape. Dora, do you think it's possible? Yeah, I think what's possible? Tonight might be... Well, you know it. Tonight might be one of those nicest. Everybody dreams of... What are you talking about? Well, maybe this is my lucky night. Outside tonight I met you, of course. I don't know. We'll try another nickel and find out. No. How do you think this is your lucky day? No, no. I'm going for bigger stakes. What are you talking about? I'm going to take these nickels and cash them in for silver dollars and I'm going to do it at that dice table over there. See? Yeah, I see. Dora, please. Dora, I don't know how long I'm going to be lucky. Don't argue. I don't. Come on. I'll help you. Here's a glass full of nickels. Give me silver dollars for them. Here's one to start yours. Oh, well, we're counting on it. Yep. And the dice are yours if you want them to. Do I? Yeah, let me have them. All bets down. Make it bet, folks. We've got a hot man with the cubes now. Oh, here you are. Now let it ride. Let it ride. Okay, come on. Seven. Do it 11. Seven. Seven. We meet 200. I know it's more than that. But that limit is reserved for certain people. What people? Well, sir, it's hard to say. But I, uh... Please, everybody's looking at you. I don't care. I want to bet what I want to bet. If these guys are afraid to gamble, I will assure you, sir, that we're not afraid. Perhaps you would care to speak to the manager. I don't care to whom I speak, just so I can make the bet I want. Have a little trouble, old county. No, sir, it's just that this gentleman wishes to exceed the limit of a house on his next bet. Oh. How much did you get at that, Mr. Stanley Finstons, the name? I want to bet $1,000. Isn't that a little high? Not when I just took your table here for $5,000. I came here to do some gambling, and if you can't accommodate me, I could take my patronage elsewhere. Is that right, sir? I guess so, Stanley. Well, you care to follow me to my office. It's just the other side of the roulette table. We can speak more freely in there. Okay. I'll get the game going, Charlie. Yeah, yes, sir. All right, old... Are you sure that you know what you're doing, sir? I know, I know. This is the night for me. I can't waste time with $5,000 and $10 bets. It's never happened to me before in my whole life, and I'm going to ride this street for everything I can. We could quit now and have all the things we've been saving for since we were married. Well, we could keep on going like I am now and get things we never even dreamed of having. No, sir. I know what I'm doing. I just have to be alone for a while. Here we are, sir. Won't you sit down? Yeah, okay. Thank you. Oh, you want a bit of $1,000? I told you that out there. You didn't have to get me in here to find that out. Well, I'm merely getting the fact straight in my mind. So I want a bit of $1,000. Where do I do it? I have a private table in this building that caters only to people with considerable money. Now, have you any references? No, I've got my driver's license and my discharge papers from the Army. A photo of that, not the real papers. May I see them, please? Yeah, sure. Here you are. Mm-hmm. Well, these seem to identify you pretty well. Well, shouldn't they? They're mine. You realize, of course, that what I'm allowing you to do is highly... I don't care how irregular it is, as long as there ain't no limit on the game. Pretty cocky, aren't you? No, I'm not cocky. I only know I'm going to win, that's all. Well, I think in the long run, I may be doing you a favor by allowing you to get into the big game. Maybe it'll teach you a lesson in real gambling. Mister, you're making a big mistake. What? That's what I said. You're going to be sorry you ever let me into that room. I am? What? Because they ain't going to teach me a lesson. It's going to teach you a lesson because I'm going to leave this town a very rich man. This is my lucky night. You are listening to Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. Tonight's play, Ani-Anni. Look around the house. Everything's snug and secure. Look more carefully. If there are frayed wires in your house on lamps, on electrical fixtures, things are less secure than they seem. If there's burnable rubbish accumulating anywhere in your house, things aren't secure at all. Take stock of your home and eliminate fire hazards. The time you take to prevent a fire before it can happen is worth your life and property. Family, let's not get mixed up in this. I'm so scared. What's to be afraid? This is just like outside, only instead of a bucket. So they got chips for maybe a hundred a piece. I'll see you later. Hey, women. Yes? Confidentially. This game ain't crooked, is it? Frankly, no. They odd favor the house anyway, so I push a good thing too far. What's the matter? Played to play with a big boy? No, I just... Well, I just... You wait here for me, Dora. I'm going over the cashier. Oh, no, you don't. I'm going with you. Yeah, okay. See you later, Mr. Fine. Oh, by the way... Yeah, what? Let me know when you want to leave. I'll send an armored car around to get your money. Ah! Chips for this. How much is this, sir? Five thousand on the button. What? Count it? Not necessary, sir. I believe you. You do? Yes, sir. Here you are, sir. Five white chips. What? Five measly white chips for five grand? Please, sir, you're disturbing the game. You... You mean that five thousand dollars is only five white chips? Yes, sir. The smallest debt is a thousand dollars. Let's get out of here, Stanley. Dora, will you cut it out? I told you this was my night, and I'm not going to let anybody think I'm a penny-assy gambler. You would have been if we hadn't got stood up by your friends. That was before I got lucky. Now I'm lucky. Now I'm not penny-assy anymore, and I got five thousand dollars for this joint money to prove it. You mean you've got five white chips? Dora, it's all the same. It's the same thing. Come on. Here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Have you all made your bets? Here's a late come on. Would you like to bet before the next roll, Dora? Let him. I'll wait till I get the dice. That'll be after this, gentlemen, sir. Okay. Let's go. Here we go. Eight. Eight to the gentleman's point. Eight up on the cater. Make your bet. On the field. Five thousand on the phone path. Yes, sir. Here we go. No more bets. The dice are all yours, sir. Thank you. Okay, baby. Do it for Sam. Here we go, Dora. Don't you worry about thinking. I can feel these babies dying to go to work for me. The gentleman rolls a seven. A big natural. Here you are, Dora. Thank you, my man. Here we go again. Okay. Come to daddy. Keep the freckles right. Five to me. Four to three to me. Six to one to me. Just so long as you add up to... Time you put. I'm about to die of starvation. No. Wife of mine is going to die of starvation while I got ninety thousand dollars. Ninety thousand. Family, let's go. But I'm a hungry boy. Don't lie. Don't lie. But I can't quit now, not while I'm doing so good. Does money mean more to you than my life? Dora. Dora, will you please don't talk silly. Of course I love you more than money. Then why won't you buy me something to eat? Please, Stanley, take me to a restaurant. But Dora. Then take me to the car. I don't mind stale sandwiches and dried pickles. This one is so hard. Stanley. Dora. Dora, you sure this isn't a trick just to get me out of here? Pardon me, sir. But I see yours now. Oh, uh, look. I can't play no more. My wife's hungry. I gotta take her to a restaurant. Hungry? Let just tell us what you wish, sir. I'll have it sent in. Hey, did you hear that, honey? We don't have to leave after all. We can order and have it sent in, isn't that swell? I'm not hungry. I just want to lie down. For a while. Very well, madam. There's a lounge adjoining this room at your disposal. The matron in there will make you comfortable. There, there. That's a good idea, honey. You grab a few hours, shut eye, and rest up. We'll be leaving soon. All right, Stanley. I guess I'll go to sleep. Yeah, that's fine. You ready, Max? That's nice of yours, sir. You betcha they are. You just bet your sweet life they are. The blind folks make your bet. Coming out? Hello, Stanley. Oh, honey, how are you? Hey, have a good sleep? That's pretty good. Can we go home now? Yeah, just a minute. Hey, Max, call me when the dice come around to me, huh? Yes. What are you doing? All right, here we are doing it. Now, sit down. Sorry. Honey, I know you want me to go home, but right now I can't. Why not? Because right now I'm winning $180,000. What? Mm-hmm. Then why not quit now when you're here? Don't you see? My luck hasn't changed yet. And as long as it's going this way, I'm going to ride it for all its worth. Oh, well, you know when your luck changes. Look, Dora, I've got it all figured out. Remember what time it was when I found that dollar by the slot machine? No, I don't. I do. It was exactly 12 o'clock midnight Friday. But what have you got to do with it? You need a chance, Dora. I'm getting to it. Go ahead. Well, I figured that something happened to me that lots of guys dream about. Somehow, I can't tell you why, I'm going to be lucky for 24 hours. What are you talking about? What I'm trying to say is that up until midnight tonight, I'm going to be lucky enough to win. After that, I won't. But you haven't won every time you roll the dice, have you? No, I haven't. But I've won more often than I've lost. And that's why I'm $180,000 to the good. $180,000 and one coming the dollar you found. No, $180,000 even. That's included. So what you're trying to tell me is that you want to keep on like this until midnight? Is that it? On the button. But you'll be dead when you go back to work Monday morning. If things go the way they've been going, I may never go back to work again. Stanley. I mean, if you don't expect me to go back to that office and beat my brains out for 75 bucks a week, do you? That is such a good job. Steady with paid vacations. Amazing. We do. Not after midnight tonight, we won't. Yeah, I'll be right there. You see that, honey? You get a couple of bucks ahead right away. They're calling me Mr. Finston. Well, Mr. Allison at the office calls you. He always says Mr. Finston. Allison, that clock-watching company, man. He's just playing it safe. I'll bet you if we could look into his mind. That's already, Mr. Finston. Yeah, yeah, here I come. I looked to her. Don't you worry about a thing. When midnight comes, I'm going to be a rich man. Or a pumpkin. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50. That makes it an even $250,000. Is that right? Right, Mr. Finston. You must have done all right while I was off. I did good. Now that you're back, I got some bad news for you. Bad news? Yep, tell them, Dor. Mr. Finston promised me he was going to quit at midnight. That's your privilege, sir. Not midnight yet. I got time for one more roll. Stanley, you promised. Yeah, I promised. I promised midnight. I didn't promise two minutes, two midnight. What's the difference? I wouldn't want to hang by my neck for the difference. What can you do in two minutes? I can make myself a quarter of a million dollars. Stanley, you wouldn't... Wouldn't I? You just stand right there and watch me, Dor. This is the time in life in which the men are separated from the boys. Stanley, a quarter of a million dollars is a lot of money. A quarter of a million is twice that much. I'm going to make a half a mill, Dor. I'm going to be so rich I'll buy that old office building. I'll buy the whole accounting business. And when I do, I'm going to fire that old Alice. And so fast, he won't even have time to look at the clock on his way out. Please, Stanley, enough already. Take our money and let's go. Dor, my dear, I am very much in love with you. But this is a business for a man where a man makes the decision. A little bit, ladies and gentlemen. Mac? Here's a whole bundle. I'm betting a quarter of a million dollars on my next and my last roll. But, Mr. Finston, I don't know... What's the matter? You're afraid to play with the big boys, Mac? Can't stay, please. I'll have to check for the manager to see if I can cover that amount, Mr. Finston. Okay, check. Mr. Richards, this is Carl in the private room. Yes, yes. Mr. Finston wants the house to cover a bet of $250,000. $250,000. Mr. Finston. Yes, that's the one. I don't either. Yes, sir. Hey, Mac. Just a moment, Mr. Richards. Yes, Mr. Finston. Tell your boss in five minutes I want an armored car. It should be at the side entrance. Mr. Richards, Mr. Finston. Oh, you heard. Very well, sir. Very well, sir. You're done. All right, here we go. Come on, little babies. Make me a half a million dollars. Money. Money. Do it for me. Mr. Richards, come on, sir. The gentleman rolls the deuce. Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. In a moment, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis will tell you about next week's play. CBS, CBS Radio will fall. Now, once again, Kathy and Elliot Lewis. Because Byron Kane wasn't able to play poker with me, Peter Leeds was a coupier who cashed my first dollar bet. And when you continued winning, the manager of the club, Jay Novello, took you into a private room, and Edgar Barrier was the coupier in there. And Byron was waiting for me when I got back to the office Monday morning. So it was really his fault that it all happened. Next week, a lovely idea that turned out to be a lovely script that we think will play in a lovely manner. It's about love. Three short plays about love. It was written for us by Arthur Ross, and it's called Loving. Until next week, thank you for listening. Bye.