 It presents Edmund O'Brien and Gene Raymond from Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents Active Contrition starring Edmund O'Brien and now here is your host Gene Raymond. Thank you Tony LaFranco. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we're to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray, pray together as a family. And now to our transcribed drama Active Contrition starring Edmund O'Brien as Ralph. State of California, County of Los Angeles. Before the coroner of Los Angeles County in quest on the body of Nora Lee Samson. First and final hearing. Raise your right hand. Mr. Solomon, swear to tell the truth, whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help you've got. I do. Sit down. Thank you. What is your name and occupation, please? Ralph Stokes, theatrical agent. What was the full name of the deceased? Like you've got it on the witness sheet, Nora Lee Samson. But that was not her professional name. No, no, that was West, Delilah West. She was a client of yours? Since she first came out here, yes. When was that? About three years ago. And at that time she was still known as Nora Lee Samson? Well, she wasn't known at all. She was a car hop over on the brand. I mean, she had not yet taken the professional name of Delilah West? No, I gave her that. Same day she signed up with me. I wasn't doing too good back then. During the war, you know, there was no such thing as a picture wouldn't make money. But about, well, about late 51 it started to get awful tight for actors unless you were in strong. I'd been working a little a few bits here and there and I'd met most of the casting people, helped some friends of mine from the east find a couple of jobs. So I thought, why don't I open an office and get 10% I'd been about three months in business. And this kid came in one afternoon wearing her car hop slacks and canvas shoes and a polo coat that looked pretty beat up. Like all the rest of them, she had her scrapbook. And then here in the Chase County Playhouse, I did Nora in a doll's house. Are you still doing a doll's house in Chase County? I'm just kidding. You haven't been working pictures yet? No, but I was out at Warners the other day and the casting director said he was sure something would be coming up and he liked my face. Joey Bilton told you that? Yes, and he said I should come back Monday and he... Honey. Yes? There's no Joey Bilton at Warners. Well, I'm not sure that was his name. I'll bet you you're not. All right, it was a lie. You don't have to flip your lid. I'm sorry. I'm heartily sorry. I said I was sorry, but what do you do? You have to lie to everyone. Well, take it easy, take it easy. Sure, you've got to stretch the truth a little. You've got to lie. Okay, you've got to lie. At least you can get the lie straight. You're going to tell someone you've done a thing. Oh, come on. Come on. I'm sorry. Have you had any work at all since you've been out here? A little theater, anything? No. You got any pictures, posed, glossy prints? Yes, you're in the back here. Here. Uh-huh. Got anything after you cut your hair? No, I haven't had time. I know, they cost. That's what I meant. Norah Lee Samson. Is that the name you've left around where you've looked? Yes. No pictures. No, I couldn't afford it. Okay, okay. Oh, Samson, Samson. How about Delilah? Norah Delilah? No, no, Delilah something, not Samson. That's too much. West, you came west to get rich. Delilah west. All right. And get some new glasses. It'll be a few weeks until I... No, no, it won't here. Bring back the receipt and the change. You're going to sign me? And it's nothing for nothing. You pay back the glasses from your first job here. Sign this. Do I sign Delilah? No, no. Norah, whatever it is. Norah Lee Samson. That's right. And how long was Miss Samson one of your clients? Like I said, about three years. And during that time, you were her exclusive professional agent? That's right. She didn't do bad either. She worked pretty steady. First thing I got her in was a musical out of 20. She couldn't dance. She couldn't even stand pretty. But there was this part of a cigarette girl and had a couple of lines, so we grabbed it. I ought to tell you, I never did understand Norah. She was always going into a spin whenever she had to cut a corner. And yet she finally cut one I would have even drawn the line at with Jerry Whelan for that television job. Jerry was, well, a nice and offensive little guy who used to be a producer with one of the advertising agencies here in town. I say used to. I don't even know where he is now. Anyway, he was casting for this TV series, so I got an appointment with him for Norah. And while we were waiting in his outer office, I filled her in on the guy. Whelan has the final word on the casting? Well, in a way, but here's what you're up against. Whelan's father was the big man in the New York office. That's how come he's a producer. Don't get me wrong, Jerry's a nice guy, but he doesn't know from actors. He doesn't know from scripts. And he's smart enough to know he doesn't know. But he can't hire people who do, so he takes their advice. Marry the boss's daughter? Like that. Anyway, he's someone you've got to get by, but that doesn't mean you're home. Who comes next? Well, the director. They haven't set one yet, or I'd be trying there. So until they do, all we've got to work on is Whelan. They make it sound like a waste of time. Oh, don't kid yourself. Maybe this guy can't make you, but he can break you. And lots of these jobs turn out to be elimination contests. You think he'll ask me to read? If he does, you read. He won't know whether it's good or not, but do what he tells you. Or something else. Mr. Stokes. Oh, yeah? Mr. Whelan, we'll see you now. Thanks. Come on, honey. Go ride in. Thank you. All right, how are you? Fine, Jerry. Fine, you? Oh, great. Just great. Delilah Jerry Whelan, best producer in the business. How do you do, Mr. Whelan? Second best. It's a pleasure. Who's the first? Oh, I never tell that. Well, you see, everybody gets comfortable. Well, sit down, won't you? Sit down. And if this jazz is as comfortable as it looks, I'll never get up. I've got a Derek for guys like you. Well, Jerry, when do you want Delilah to go to work? Yeah, I wish it was that easy, Ralph. I understand. You got nothing but money, great material. Oh, how right I wish you were. No kidding. The words out, you've got to find in that bird who did the first script. No, I'm really not so sure, Ralph. No, I'm just not sure. Oh, come on, boy. I hear it's very funny stuff. Well, the returns are a little divided. Some like it, some don't. Do you think it's funny, Mr. Whelan? What? Me? Oh, yes, funny? Yes. I think amusing's a better word, you know? Beneath the superficial amusement, there doesn't seem to be anything there. No substance, no heart, no. Well, you know what I mean, Ms. West, huh? Yes, yes I do. Well, Jerry, I just wanted you to meet Delilah. Look her over. Yeah, she looks fine. And if you're planning to do any tests, eh? You can count on it, Ralph. You'll hear from me. I, I hope I'll hear from you, too. Don't you worry. Just in case, Mr. Whelan, you can't get ahold of Ralph. Here's my home phone. Well, thank you very much. Any time after six. And to your knowledge, that was the first time the deceased ever met Mr. Whelan. I know for a fact it was. She didn't know anybody in town I hadn't introduced her to. At that time, about how long had she been a client of yours? Almost three years. Would you say her professional career was advancing satisfactorily? Well, I would have, but Nora didn't think so. That's, that's how the trouble with Whelan started. A lot of it was my fault, I guess. It never occurred to me that I worked a lot harder to get jobs for Nora than for any of my other clients. Or that the reason I worried so much about her wasn't purely professional. It just never occurred to me. Until one night last summer, about six weeks after that day in Whelan's office, and I stopped by her apartment to drop off a script for another thing I was working on. She wasn't in, so I shoved the envelope under the door and started back downstairs. And I heard voices in the vestibule on the first floor. Oh, you will not come out. Oh, I just want to make sure that my town's living in comfortable surroundings. Oh, no, I'm your town. You just called me the proprietor and producer. Oh, no, really. It is late, Terri, and I've got a big day tomorrow. Well, OK. About 7 o'clock Thursday. 7 o'clock. All right. Good night, Nora. Ralph? What did you think it was, a private detective? Don't give me a sermon. I don't need one. You keep this up and you're going to meet a lawyer. I don't want to talk about it. Well, we're going to talk about it. It's not what you think it is. Then what is it? Do you try to keep your voice down? I thought I had you figured for something sort of special. I didn't know you went in for figuring people. A little girl who doesn't like to tell lies or hurt feelings. That's right. Now who's yelling? I don't like lies. So what do you think Waylon's going to be telling his wife about a half an hour from now? He won't be lying any more than when he sits in that plush office and bakes it for $30,000 a year. And I don't like that either. That's not the point. I think it's just the point. He's a funny little faker. And he's married. And he can stay married. I don't want him. All I want is that job. All the morrows. We're all the big morrows tonight. Don't talk to me that way. Slapping people make you feel better? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Ralph. Sit down, honey. All I've done is have dinner with him a few times. He's such a terrible little fake. Won't get you the job. Does it still hurt? No, no. I was just thinking I need a shave. You always need a shave. Nora, he's just stringing you along. There's too many people who can change his mind. Not the way I've got it planned. Now listen! Why are you so concerned? Because you're talking crazy. I get any crazier than when a phony little fathead like Whelan can sit and look at a script and say it's nothing but funny. Nora. It has no substance. All it does is make me laugh. You run into that every day. And it's that life and death of everybody who comes near him for a reason. So write a letter to your congressman. This is how things are sometimes. A lie. That's a lie. All right, then get away from him. I'll get away from him when I get that job. How many girls do you think throw themselves at a guy like Whelan in a week? One week. I'm not going to throw myself at anybody, not for anything. And what is it? I'm going to put him in a spot where he has to make up his mind. About you for the job? That's right. Nora, Nora, you're wrong for this business. It's going to tear you to pieces before you're through. I've got talent. That's not what I mean. It's given to me. It's a gift. You're born, and God gives you this thing to use. All right. Not to throw away because some fake fathead can't do anything but sit in his office and look wise. I'm not talking talent. I'm talking you. I came out here to be somebody. You can't be somebody that you're not. You can be whoever you are. No, you can't. You got to be who you are and then work from there. Like a car. You're Nora Lee, Samson, and you've got talent. I'm Delilah West, and I've got nothing. So just leave me. Don't be in love with me anymore. Just be my agent. Did you know at the time, Mr. Stokes, what it was that the deceased had in mind? The plan, I mean, for securing the television job from Mr. Whelan? No, no. I thought she was just, oh, you know, just talking through her hat. Did you manage to get her other work in the meantime? No, no, not too much. It sort of knocked me down when she told me just to be her agent. I understand. When was it then that you were finally contacted by Mr. Whelan? Just the end of December. I thought the whole deal was dead. There hadn't been a murmur on the series for almost six months. And that morning, I think it was the Wednesday before Christmas, I saw in the trade papers where Whelan's agency had signed a sponsor to go to buy for a pilot film. So I put in her call to him. The secretary got back to me about noon. Whelan wanted to see me at 1.30. When I walked into his office, the last person I ever expected to find there was Nora. Well, I was the best producer in the business. We can skip all that, Ralph. I would just like to know what's going on here. You tell me. Mr. Whelan's being put in the uncomfortable position of having to decide something all by himself. This girl is your client, isn't she? You know she is. And you're in on it? You're in what? Oh, don't give me that. Well, I'm not giving anything in on what. Are you trying to convince Jerry he should use me in that pilot film? Well, that's what I'm here for. Oh, that's very funny. Well, Nora, are you trying to save 10%? Not exactly. You just look at this letter she handed me. It's not a letter. It's a carbon. Now is that what you call ethical stocks? Who's this to? That is to my wife. And it's full of a lot of lies. Jerry's an expert on lies. Oh, shut up, you little scum. Ralph, you didn't say it. Well, she's trying to blackmail me. Take it back. Don't call her scum and get away from that buzzer or I'll break your neck. Oh, you big fat slob, let go of her. What am I, Jerry? Got any more tough talk? Let go of me, I apologize. Keep your mouth shut for a minute, and I'll settle as we get out of here. Now you're sorry again, is that it? He's such a fake. What are you going to do with this thing? You want to send it to his wife? No, no. Then you're as big a fake as he is. All I want is a job. And you don't like liars. I'm me alone. How do you feel about two-page single space liars? I want a job. Maybe I could have got you one, maybe even here. But you got to be a maniac. All right, Ralph. Don't say anything. No, I'm just going to say, let's forget it. Just thanks, and let's forget it. Forget it, and really forget it, Jerry. Yes. I'm sorry. And you're sorry, oh, you two are such a pair. One with a job and no talent, then the other just backwards. Now why don't we all just forget it? I'll buy that. I'll buy every share of it. As of now, I forget both of you. And don't think I'm sorry. And that was the last time you saw the deceased? Until last night, yesterday morning, I got a call from a casting director at one of the independents. He said they wanted to sign Nora for a partner picture. And did I still represent her? Ms. Samson had not contacted you about this herself. No, not a word. Continue. Well, I figure we still had a contract, so I went out to the studio and set the deal. It wasn't a big part, but it might have been good for a week, 10 days, because there was some location involved. And you still had not heard from nor spoken to Ms. Samson? Oh, no, like I said, not until last night. I've been trying to get her on the phone since early afternoon, but no answer. So about 9.30, just on a hunch, I decided to drive over to her apartment. Nora, Nora, are you in there? Nora, you here? I thought I asked you to leave me alone. What are you doing sitting in the dark? I said you were going to forget me. Well, you got a job. Where's the light switch? I don't want a job. Ah, a grieve sitting in here like an owl? I'm tired of looking at myself. It's this mess all over the floor. My scrapbook. What's the idea of tearing it up? I'm tired of looking at Delilah West. She isn't anybody at all. I tried to reach you this afternoon about this job. I don't want it, Ralph. Oh, it'll be good for a couple of hundred bucks. If I took it, I'd be sorry. And just be one more thing for me to be sorry about. What are you going to do? I'm getting out. For good? For good. Pittsburgh? Maybe. Eventually. Sorry, Ken. Don't you be sorry. The only person out who has ever told me the truth about myself. I never told the truth in my whole life. You told it to me. You said a person can't be someone he's not. Well, I didn't exactly think that one up, you know. You ought to print it on little cards and pass it around. To my clients? Everybody. Everybody in the world. Won't change your mind about the job. Well, I guess that gets it. Drop me a line from Pittsburgh sometime? Not much of a line, Dropper Ralph. OK. So long, Nora. You do me a favor before you go? Sure. Turn out the lot. After I left Nora's, I stopped in a couple of places just looking for companies I want to talk to. It was after midnight when I got home. I was almost an hour trying to get to sleep when the phone rang, and I looked at my watch. It was almost 2.30. Keep your shirt on. Keep your shirt on, will you? Hello? Nora? What's the matter? Nora? Nora? It didn't take me 15 minutes to get dressed and get over there, and I had to route out the land lady because Nora's door was locked and I couldn't break it down. Nora? What's she done? Get on that phone. Get her, doctor. She's tried to kill herself. Get on the phone. Nora. Nora. It was an accident. I tried to call someone. Here, let me get you up in the bed. Hi. Oh, Dr. Mayne? Don't lie about it. I'm going to sit like that. Take it easy. Now take it easy. You're going to be all right. I wouldn't lie. I'm not a lily at waste anymore. I wouldn't lie. We're getting a doctor over here right away, aren't we? Couldn't sleep. My throat was sore, so I went into some medicine. I wouldn't lie about it, Ralph. I know. I know. And I didn't turn on the light because I'm tired of looking into lily waste. Don't talk. Don't. You don't have to talk. And I just wanted some of this stuff on my throat, but I got something else. The doctor just up the street. He said he's on his way to give her some olive oil. Well, get it. Get it. Why? Why don't you? You didn't know I'm sorry. I know. I know, honey. You're going to be all right now, but you've got to be quiet. Sorry about Whelan. He didn't lie. I wanted to write it down. I couldn't find anything. Shh. So I found my lipstick. I tried to... Come out with that oil. How did I cut it? Bring the bottle. Here. Here. Nora, come on, honey. Now, open your mouth. Open your mouth. That's it. Here. Come on. Drink it. Drink it all. My lipstick. Nora? Nora? According to the signed statement of Dr. Henry Reid, when he arrived at Miss Samson's apartment at approximately 3 a.m., she was dead now. Does that coincide with the facts of the best of your knowledge? That's right. The statement of the coroner's position is as follows. In my opinion, death was due to internal poisoning. The name and nature of such poison here and under described. And that death can be classified as accidental. Does that coincide with the facts of the best of your knowledge, Mr. Scott? Yes, it does. Thank you. Thank you. Is there any member of this coroner's jury duly and paneled and sworn who can show cause why this inquest should not be closed? Let the record show no response. It is so recorded. Would you sign here, Mr. Stokes? Sure. Land 19. Here, address right below here. Hey, aren't you going to include anything in the record about the lipstick? What was that? Well, I told the policeman about it when he came up to Nora's after the landlady called him. Is it in the testimony that the officer gave this morning when he was called as a witness? Well, I didn't hear him mention it. Maybe he didn't think it was important. If you consider it pertinent to the inquest, it's probably washed off now. Off the wall, I mean. I haven't been back there, but part of it was something Nora said to me that first day she was in my office and I tripped her up lying. Well, she said, I'm heartily sorry. I never knew what kind of language that was, but then the night she died, I remember she said something about she wanted to write something down and that she found her lipstick. So I went into the bathroom and there she had it scrolled all over the wall. I could hardly make it out. But she wrote with the lipstick, I'm heartily sorry for having offended thee. I see. Well, it's probably been washed off since then, but I think the landlady must have seen it. I don't know what it meant. It's part of the act of contrition. The what? The Christian prayer of repentance. Asking God's forgiveness for sin. Oh, I just thought you might want it in the record. Thank you. Do you have that clerk? It is so recorded. This is Gene Raymond again. Once upon a time there was a farmer and it happened that one half of his land was very good for farming, but the other half gave him no yield at all because it was on the side of a mountain. This was a great cause of worry to the farmer. So one night he got down on his knees and he prayed very hard. He prayed that God would flatten the mountain and make it a nice green pasture so that he might use all of his land for planting. When the daylight came, the farmer looked out of his window and the mountain was gone. Before his delighted eyes were acres and acres of green metal, God had given him exactly what he had asked for. For a time he was very grateful. But when the fall came and brought its winds, the mountain which had served as a windbreak was gone and the farmer's barn was blown down. When winter came the rain caused his grain to mildew because he had no barn in which to store it. Then in the spring he had nothing to plant because the rain in the mildew had spoiled his seed grain and when summer came there wasn't any drinking water and the rivers were dry. Now you see how much better off the farmer would have been if God had said no to his prayer? Most of us are like the farmer. We often pray for the wrong things too. It's fortunate for us that God doesn't answer yes to prayers that are asking for the wrong things. His wisdom is dependable. Our wishes need to be screened and sometimes rejected. There are however prayers that are right beyond any doubt and one of them is for world peace unity in the family of nations. If all the families of the world would faithfully pray for that which would be for the eventual good of all mankind God could not help but say yes to that prayer and when you direct this prayer to him, pray together as a family then you'll be accomplishing something else too for the family that prays together stays together. More things are ought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theatre has brought you transcribe Act of Contrition starring Edmund O'Brien. Gene Raymond was your host. Others Narcaste were Virginia Gregg, Margaret Brayton, Pat McGeehan and Lawrence Dobkin. The script was written and directed by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theatre broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theatre stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theatre may God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theatre will present After the Ball starring Stephen McNally. Gene Hagan will be your hostess. Join us, won't you? Family Theatre has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.