 You're twice as sure with two great names Frigidaire and General Motors. Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, the man called X. To most people, a rest or massage would mean only calm and relaxation. But for the man called X, it's only the calm before the storm. Listen. I'll tell you a little easier there, will you, Olaf? Yes, sir, Mr. Thurston. You know, sing like a Turkish bath in a good rub down to get you on your feet again. This will make you feel like a million dollars. Well, just make me moderately wealthy, will you? Yes, sir. You must ahead yourself at night. Ain't no some sea-night dogs that would have turned you down. Yeah, over here. That is my business. It's the name you gave us. I just wanted to know in case a bet came up. Now, let me rest a bit now. Yes, sir. Can't see a thing through all this steam. Where are you, Anna? No. Oh, Chief. Oh, Ken, I've been looking all over town for you. Yeah, I was doing the same thing myself last night, yeah. Oh, too many martinis. I think the onions in them gave me indigestion. Well, look, there's work to do. There's trouble in the Middle East. When isn't there trouble in the Middle East? Well, this concerns us. You know, the Acme refineries? Not personally, but I've run out of some of their gas. Well, they've been having serious trouble the last two weeks. All of it in the same fields. Over in the Middle East, near Lana Volok. What kind of trouble? Big explosions. No explanation, no reason. They all take place in the main tanks in the heart of the refineries. Why don't they put on more guards? Well, they threw a complete ring around the refineries. They've had three bad fires since. They're getting a little frantic. Don't their dividends make them happy? How do they concern us? Well, a lot of American citizens have been killed in those explosions. Oh. Now, Washington sent an agent over there just last week. What did he find out? He found out what heaven's like. They picked up his body the next morning. When he got word of his death, I thought of you right away. Thanks. I'll think of you sometime. He must have been on the trail or something, Ken. I want you to pick up that trail. Yeah. Yeah, better start it right away. Now, you can go by plane, as far as Kuwait, and take a boat from there. Boat from Kuwait. You know what happened to the other man. They'll be waiting for somebody else to show. So, every move's got to be undercover. Everything you do's got to be secret. Chief, I'll get right on it. Well, wait a minute. Don't worry that much. Huh? You walk into the street in that towel. Nothing's going to be secret. Ticket for me, I believe. Uh, your name, Monsieur? Ken Thurston. Mm-hmm. Ah, we, we, both tickets are here. Oh, you made a mistake. I only ordered one ticket. We, Monsieur, but the other man, he said you would require another ticket. What other man? I don't know anybody here. Hello, Mr. Thurston. Take on Zoschman. Oh, no. I couldn't let you embark on a dangerous mission without my unesteem health. But the course of finding where you were going already owe me money. Oh, shut up just for a second. Did you, uh, did you order this ticket? I bow to your wishes. Well, then bow low enough to get the money out of your pocket. I won't pay for it. But, Mr. X, you must. I gave the men your word. What? And when I give a man somebody's word, it's as good as his bond. This is because I'm so honorable. Oh, well, let's have the two tickets. Uh, we, Monsieur. Come on now. We'll just have time to get aboard. But I'm going to charge you for the... Well... Well, what's the matter? We're going to have a nice company, at least if that girl over there gets aboard. Uh, what does she accept, Freddie? Well, that's enough, isn't it? But you won't like her, Mr. Thurston. She's a crook. What's her name? Many names, many. But mostly Eleanor Whitzel. Uh-huh. She's no good, Mr. Thurston. The kind of a woman who lives by her wits. Well, for my money, she could keep those in reserve. Yeah, but she'd take the shirt right off your back. Well, let's go. Time to get aboard. Wait, Mr. Thurston. We'll run into her. Now, come on. Why are you so worried about it? Oh! Oh, that's a good one. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I bumped into you. Don't be sorry. I was going to suggest we do it again. Hello, Pagan. Hello. You've, uh, lost something, Pagan. She means your manners. You're supposed to introduce us. That's right. I'm Eleanor Whitzel. Hmph. This is Mr. Ken Thurston. You do? Are you going all the way to line up all up to Mr. Thurston? Yes. On business? Well, I'm not so sure now. Why? I wondered. Business is a pleasure. I don't suppose it makes any difference in the long run. Perhaps we're neighbors. I'm in, uh, Cabin 327. Oh, and I'm in, um, 326. Oh, well, then we are neighbors. Good. We'll probably see a good deal of each other. I always think to see makes people such good friends. Don't you think so, Mr. Thurston? Yeah, yeah. In this case, I hope so. You just speak to the captain. A little along faster than this, Mr. Thurston. Oh, sorry. That's all right. I was just leaning against the rail, having a... Well, having a smirk myself before going to bed. I'm Acley. Frederick Acley. He's British. What's your name? Ken Thurston. Yes, yes. Nice to have a chat. Yes, meet somebody aboard who's civilized. Uh, my name's Frederick Acley. Or did I mention that? Oh, yes, you did say that. Can't ever remember. My daughter says I'm losing my memory. She's a very rude girl. Rude girl, indeed. I heard a chat from Baltimore in the state. Never a mountain much. Society crowd. I think his mother signs soap ads. Are you writing on to Lana Bullock, Mr. Acley? Yes. Have interest there. How about you, Mr... I say you must have a name. Yes, it's Thurston. Oh, quite a coincidence. Once met a chat named Thurston, name was Ken Thurston, I think. You know, Mr. Acley, I think your daughter was right. Ah, good guess. Yes, I do have a daughter. Clever of you to have hit on it, though. Married a bounder, bought him more, never a mountain much. Society has. What's your business, Mr. Thurston? Travel, Mr. But the answer you want is oil. Hmm, in oil myself. Coincidence. In fact, I helped organize them. Acme refineries, all over the east. Chairman of the board, too. Worst job I ever had. Doesn't sound like a bad job. I don't have it anymore. Relieved, and I feel a lot better about it. Don't blame you. Acme's beginning to look more like a furnace than a refinery. Yes, fires all over. Serves him right. I'm not a bit sentimental. I ought to lay hands on this fellow Blackmore. Blackmore? Yeah, the spy. Never saw him before, but his name's Blackmore. Of course, a lot of trouble around the other fields. And I heard he was hanging around Lana Volok. They should catch him and hang him up for a spy. Do him good. He'd stop spying. The ship seems to be slowing down. I'm not surprised. I found out something about this ship. Why should we come to a stop out here? To discover the captain's Dutch. I want to watch out for those fellas. They have a hand with boats, submarines, and all that sort of thing. Wouldn't be surprised to see us go right under water. There's a small boat coming alongside. Steward. Yes, sir? What are we stopping for? What's wrong? It's a doctor, sir, with some insulin. One of the ladies had an attack, so he radioed a shot. Oh, too bad. Anybody on this deck? Yes, sir. In the cable next to yours, Miss Whitson. Oh. Hello! Here, Dr. Fertig. Of course, of course. People never seem to get sick in the basement. She's down this way, Dr. Fertig. Mr. Steward. Oh, yes, sir? I'm going to my cabin. I'll show the doctor Miss Whitson's space. Oh, very good, sir. Would you like to launch hell, doctor? No, and I'll stay aboard. Ready? Yeah, come on. Good night, Mr. Actley. Yes, sir. Nice to... Nice to meet you. Very nice to meet you. Bad hour to get you out, doctor. Yes, I just turned in. You're a South American. I am. Uh-huh. Where'd you study it from? Let me ask. Uh, Fordham. This is our cabin, 327. Thank you. I'm sure she'll be all right. You're a very clever doctor. Oh, why do you say that? Well, you must be if you've got a degree at Fordham, because Fordham has no medical school. Good night, Dr. Fertig. Oh, yes. Why is it? I'm the sixth captain. Please open the door. He's not dead. Just a moment. Unless I've been tricked. What's the matter? I came to you because you're an American agent. Aren't you a little nosy? Well, at least my friends don't betray the fact. Oh, good old pay gone. What time is it? I need your help, Mr. Thurston. A few minutes ago, we found a story aboard an American. What if I'm mad at him? You better talk to him. I can. He's dead. Well, now, can I? I think he was murdered. He found marks on his arm from a hypodermic needle. Whoa. And he may have been strangled. His face is purple. That may mean something. Unless he brushed a lot. But I don't understand you. Be right with you, Captain. As soon as I can do some clothes. In time, you'd better hold that doctor who came aboard for questioning. Oh, we can. Don't tell me he's dead. He left the ship an hour ago. He said he'd be going to stay aboard. He sent him ashore at his request. He must have changed his mind. Oh, on the other hand, Captain, maybe he didn't change his mind. Yeah, Mr. Thurston. Ah, Mr. Thurston. Now, Pagome, what are you doing here? I'm inspecting the corpus delectus. Here. All right, Pagome. Where's his stuff? On the table here. Oh. Want it? Name William Habermann, age 39, American citizen. No money in the wallet, you'd think. Pagome? Oh, no, Mr. Thurston. I wouldn't rob a dead man. Besides, he was flat broke. Nothing to help us. Passport. No American references. Relatives, none. Oh, what's this? You found some money? Employed. Acne refineries. Middle East Division. Everybody belongs to the club. Captain, you'd better see that no one leaves the ship. When it knocks in the morning, we can screen the passengers. Yeah, and strike the ship's officers right away. Now, why doesn't obscure man die a violent death without reason or cause? A king or the head of a state? Yes, their deaths are predictable or explainable, but there's... He took the words right out of my teeth. A man nobody ever heard of. But he must have died for a reason. Pagome, those are the important deaths because sometimes the reason is big enough to alter boundary lines or make a star tremble. That's why it's important. Because nobody bothers to investigate. Nobody bothers to ask why. What time is it? About 4 a.m. Metron. You don't mind filling in the drink? Come in. Sit down. Thanks. Well, what's on your mind, Mr. Thurston? A couple of things. One of them's about the way we met. Or you're right. It wasn't accidental. I wanted to meet you. Why? If I told you it was personal, you'd be shocked. If I didn't, you'd go hang yourself. So stop worrying, Ken. You don't mind my calling you, Ken. It's much shorter than Mr. X. Oh. Pagome has a big mouth. Yes. Even bigger pockets. What else? What do you know about a man named William Harbourman? He sounds dull. He's dead. Oh, I'm sure he's dull. Somebody found it interesting. He was killed of all this ship tonight between the time your doctor arrived and left. That involves you. Not enough to prove anything. Someone used the harperdemic on him. I traded mine for a rifle. Better find someone else, darling. Your, uh, first guess isn't a bad one. Maybe the doctor came aboard and killed him. Maybe I planned it that way. But you're too smart to cut out a job that big. Try it my way, darling. Maybe I can learn. What's your way? Give me the package Harbourman was carrying and I'll tell you who killed him. Oh, you're as bold as I am. I don't have the package and you don't know who killed him. I know this much. You knew he was aboard. You knew he worked for ACME. Now, may I have the package? I didn't know you had one. You're too stubborn, darling. Somebody ought to cure you. They ought to cure you or kill you. I bet you could do either. Make too much noise if I tried to kill you. I'd probably scream if you tried to cure me. Oh, no, you wouldn't. Well, I, uh, I might delay the scream. Then scream or relax, darling. How can I need your help? I'll help you when I can. I need that package. You can help me by giving it to me now. You'll make it sound very valuable. Do I get it, Ken? You've got the right talent, but the wrong guy. Suit yourself, darling. I wanted to make it easy for you. You did? Yes. But from now on, Mr. X, it's going to be tough. Now to continue with Frigidaire's Man Called X starring Herbert Marshall. Investigating the mysterious blowing up of oil refineries in the Middle East, Ken Thurston hopped a ship to the port of Larnabolak. During the trip, he's run across a phony doctor and a very beautiful girl who seems to know more than she will tell and who knows that Ken is the man called X. Now still aboard the ship, we find Mr. X in the dining saloon talking to his ubiquitous shadow, Pagan Zalschmet, who is obvious, has a mouthful. But, Mr. Thurston, I've got to finish my breakfast. Your stomach can wait, Pagan. There are both dots and I want you to get down to the cable office for me. And leave this oatmeal? Send this dispatch to the London office of ACME refineries. I need a complete dossier on one of our passengers. Oh, all right. Mr. Thurston. Oh, good morning, Captain. Have you listed passengers? Yeah, they've all gathered on the after-bake. The mates started rounding up people as soon as we darked. You got them all? Well? Er, all except two. Oh, you don't have to tell me who they are. I don't understand how it happened, Mr. Thurston. I warned the mate. Never mind. Let the rest of them go. Hey, Mr. Thurston, I'm afraid I've bonkled. I'm afraid you have the best case of butterfingers in the Middle East. Did you radio back about Dr. Thurston? Yeah, and you were right. The station there has no Dr. Thurston on record. But a man answering his description boarded the Quartan Express, bound for line of Warlock. Then he got here ahead of us. By now, he's no longer Dr. Fertig. Mr. Thurston, I can look for him. I have many friends here. No, no, Pagan. You tour the town and see what you can find out about El-Norwitzel. Report to me at the hotel. Where are you going? To see what made William Hunterman tick. But the trails are cold now. I've been lucky to find anything. I'm sorry, Mr. Thurston. I bungled. Yes, you bungled. Is there anything I can do? Would you do it, Captain? Thank you, operator. Now, how about the cablegram? No answer to the London message? No, no, no. Keep it at the desk. I'll figure it out. Thanks. Well, say it. Mr. Thurston, I have much information. Yes, Pagan? The girl is staying at the El Mundo. It is right down the street. Good boy. But she isn't there now. What? She's gone. She stayed a couple of hours and then rented the car and left. Where'd she go? For a slight consideration, the carman said she mentioned the Dalmain Road. What's on the Dalmain Road? Why should she go there? I can find out. No, no, thanks. I can't afford it. But, Mr. Thurston, I'm starving to death. I'm starving by the interest. When you get up around three feet, let me know. What are we doing in this place? Who lives here? A man named Harry Slupkin. Is he dead? Will you please get over the idea that everybody will be able to see he's dead? Then why are we going to see him? Harbourman shared this apartment with him. I checked his record and asked him where the farmer is. Hmph. He's out. Well, that's our story. Come on. Let me have a look around. No. Mr. Thurston, you wouldn't open that drawer. Of course not. Nothing here, Pat. Well, what about this? What kind of writing is that? Chemical formulae. That would make Slupkin a plant chemist. And this one, powerful explosive. He sure has lots of dates. Very popular. Huh? This calendar, so many days circled. Let me see. March 1st, March 19th, April 2nd. And the last one's today, pay gone. The dates of those explosions. Oh. Come on. Let's see what else is in this apartment. What's that? Water running. In the bathroom. Bath tub. Overflowing. Well, doesn't he look pretty? Is, uh... Is he dead, Mr. X? Well, if he isn't, he better come up for air. He shouldn't have taken a bath. It's deadlock. Deadlock. But who is he? Could be Harry Slupkin. I'll vote that way, too. Who? Well, Dr. Fertig. Or have you stopped being Dr. It doesn't look like a scalpel in your hand. The man's dead. The girl says you killed Harbourman, too. I got the both of them too late. It's not the way I got it from the girl. And she says you got the package Harbourman with Kenny. Give me that formulae, first. Formulae? Well, send the dates, give it to me. Empty your pockets. Sure, yeah. Empty your pockets. I refuse. I agree. Too late again, eh? Somebody got the chemical mixed from Harbourman. Now somebody's got the formulae from Slupkin. Why not find the girl? Yeah. I'll give you a push. Shoot up a dummy road. It's bad. What's out there? What if I didn't know? Don't waste a guess. The main pipeline? Right to the main ACME plant. It doesn't make sense, Mr. X. Nothing makes sense, Pagan. Especially Frederick Antley. Doesn't matter. He forced the conversation to talk about a spy named Blackmore. But why? What about the cable grab? The description tag is all around. Age 65. Former board chairman. Let up because of fading memory, advanced age. He was afraid of this Blackmore? Either that or he is Blackmore. Whoop. What's the matter? The girl's car. There by the little shack. Come on. I hope she didn't see our headlights. Quiet now through this brush. I don't see her anywhere. Shh. The latch is on the other side of that shanty. You're bad on directions, darling. I'm over here behind you. Oh, no. What is this? National pistol week? Oh, no. I want that package of chemicals. Would I have it? Yeah, to junction with the main pipeline here. But you've blown up enough oil tanks. I want it. Don't we all? I'm going to take it away from you. Stay back. Stay away, Ken. I'm the ugly type. Stay away from me. Can't stop now, lady. All right. Big shot. You take the gun. Here. Now you shoot somebody. Watch out, Mr. Certain. It's a trick. I don't think so. Would I be standing out here in the cold if I had that package? That of the formula means a lot of money to me. What do your doctor friend do? You talk to him. He did the talking. You told him I'm out here? Well, darling, we've got to move fast. Why? I wasn't lying to you. I don't have that package. I was waiting out here to take it away from him. Now you've made it easy for him to double-cross me. He'll go to the secondary pumping station. Well, come on. And when you talk to him, darling, you can call him Mr. Blackmore. He'll understand. There he is over by the pump. There's somebody with him. Luckily, of course. And come on. Well, there's no hurry in now. Hello, Acley. I see you've found a man, Blackmore. Yes. Indusively obliging, he came to me. Wretched way to die, though, begging. Where's that chemical mix? Already in the pump line. A few minutes ago. Here. You can see better from over here. Now. Over that way. The last of the Acme properties. Yes. I started them, built them up from nothing. And I destroyed them. What about Harlem and Flutkin? Those wretched people, they were made to be destroyed. They agreed to do this thing for me. I paid them well for it. But then they tried to hold me up for more blackmail me instead. Then the doctor and this girl tried to get in on it. Tried to get hold of the chemicals for blackmail evidence of their own. So you stole the chemicals to do it yourself? Yes. When did you know the first time? Not at first. Then I began to wonder which of you people was out of character. You were. I know the clues, and yet you insisted on a lot of conversation for no good reason. A fading memory that you remembered to the other two. Yes, yes. But more than that, a motive. The others had greed. But what was greater than greed? What was a darker sin? Pride. Yes, enough to touch one with madness, I suppose. I built these fields and they took them away from me. Said I couldn't run them anymore. Yes, pride. Such a big sin for such a small world. The biggest of sins actually, because it touches people in the highest places. It once caused disorder in the heavens and sent an angel sprawling into the darkness. So what could it do but touch us? Here below. Herbert Marshall will return in just a moment. Here's to their star, Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. And next week I promise you another story filled with suspense and mystery. As usual, there'll be Leon Velasco along with Pegg on Thelschmidt. So join us, won't you, when next I return as the man called X. Good night. Michael Jackson directed by Jack Johnstone with music composed and conducted by Johnny Greene. So until next week, same time, same station, this is Wendell Niles speaking for Frigidaire, made only by General Motors. All characters and incidents used are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.