 X minus five, four, three, minus one, fire. Tonight, George Leffert's original radio drama of the 21st century, Perigee's Wonderful Dolls. The doll shop stood on a quiet Washington side street, not too far from the sprawling Pentagon building. A woman and a child waited outside, the little girl peering eagerly through the window at the doll's inside, and the woman glancing impatiently at her wristwatch, as if expecting someone who was late for an appointment. And there was nothing about the doll shop to warn them that they were waiting to keep an appointment with Doom. Oh, Mommy, look! Yes, what is it, dear? In the window of the shop, the tiny dolls. Oh, Mommy, do you think Daddy will buy me one? Well, we'll ask him when he comes, dear. He said three o'clock on this corner. I see him. Hello, dear. Hi. Sorry I'm late. Oh, you didn't. I'm afraid I'll have to call off the shopping, Elmer. Oh, Henry, we promised. I know. I'm sorry. It's just one of those things. You've been the wife of an Army colonel long enough to know his life isn't his own. What is it this time? Oh, it's a more of that flying sphere nonsense. The pilot who says he sighted it last month crashed and was killed a day, so the general wants a full report. Dear, what in the... Daddy! I don't have a staff meeting at the Pentagon at 3.50. Daddy, look in this window. I haven't time, dear. Just for a minute, Daddy, please. I haven't time to stop and watch a bunch of six-inch dolls parading around in the shop. There they are, lifelike, aren't they? Look at that, Elmer. Dolls are marching around like a regular review. They've even got their own little band. Henry, your staff meeting. Oh, yeah, yeah. Guess I've got to run. Now, look, don't go spending a lot of money on that nonsense, Elmer. No, dear. Bye. Bye, dear. Bye, Cindy. Bye, Daddy. Aren't they wonderful, honey? You know, it's funny. I've never stood on this corner a thousand times, and I've never even noticed this shop before. Good evening, children. Oh, well... Well, good evening. Mummy, he talks off of plenty. Gosh, Cindy. Would you like to step inside the shop of Santor Perigi? Well, yes, we would. This way. Here in the shop of Santor Perigi, creator of Perigi's Universal Wonderful Dolls, the world of adult reality is blended with the world of child's fantasy. This is a new shop, isn't it, Mr. Perigi? What is new and what is old? Come this way. Would you like to meet one of my little ones? Oh, yes. This one in the red jacket is Toto. Speak, little one. How do you do? How do you do? How do you do? Wonderful. Mummy, he talks... It's absolutely amazing. That is nothing for Perigi's wonderful dolls. Listen, sing, Toto. Sing for the little girl. Cindy, listen. Sing, Toto. Mr. Perigi. How do they work? That is the secret of the great Perigi, greatest of all doll masters. To make an ordinary doll is nothing. To make a perfect replica, that is something. But to make a doll with intelligence, that is the work of an artist, eh? Well, yes. They must be very expensive. Madam, when I construct a doll like Toto, I cannot bear to be parted from him permanently. So instead of selling, I rent my little people. You rent dolls? Precisely. Ten dollars. I have but one request. When you grow tired of my dolls, you must return them to me in good condition. Mummy, could we take him home? Take him home! Take him home! Going and dancing. Oh, Mummy, he wants to come. Please. I'll take such good care of it. Please. Well, honey, we'll... We'll have to deal with your father later, but... Well... Oh, Mummy! All right, wrap him up, Mr. Perigi. Oh, dear, I have a feeling when your father comes home, we'll be sorry. I'm sorry, but... Oh, Toto. My room is. And you're going to sleep right here next to my pillow. Toto, don't laugh like that. To teach you some manners. All right, because my daddy will be home soon and he's a colonel in the army. And he'll bust you to private if you don't behave. You wait here. I'm going to introduce you to my puppy dog, Mr. Blister. To be good now. Bester, come over here and shake hands with Toto, Mr. Blister. Come on now. What happened, dear? Mr. Blister tried to bite my doll. Look how frightened Toto is. Dolls don't get frightened, Cindy. You just imagined it, honey. Well, he did. He did. Well, Mr. Blister didn't mean it. You know he's the gentlest little pup alive. Yes. He's nasty and I hate him. Cindy, you've hurt his feelings. He tried to bite my new doll and I don't ever want to see him again, ever. Oh, dear. All right, Mr. Blister. You come downstairs with me. Come on now. Cindy's angry at you tonight. I'll kill him. Why, Cindy, where did you... where did you hear a thing like that? Toto said it. Well, I see. Well, you've had an exciting day, honey. Your brush teeth now go to bed. Daddy's coming home late, so we'll see you in the morning. Good night, darling. Sleep well. Hey, Mr. Toto, I hate him. Horrible boar, as usual. Where's the little one? Oh, sir, remind me to take some papers back to the ward apartment, will you? I left one in my strongbox. Henry? Hmm? He told me it was against regulations to bring secret papers home. Well, I had to finish some work for the old man. Nobody will have another difference. Well, I suppose not. Can you feed the puppy before we sit down? His bowl's under the sink. Where is he? See, that's funny. He's a supper from last night, only half eaten. He's getting fussy. Blister. Here, Blister. Blister. Where the dickens is that mutt? Maybe. Here, Blister. Here, Blister. Alma. What is it, dear? Alma, look. Is he... Yes, he's dead. But how? What happened? From the looks of it, he might have been poisoned. Poisoned? Who on earth would do a thing like that to an innocent little pup? I don't know. Let's see his dick. Oh, Henry. I don't understand this at all. Say, what's this? What's what? Look, there are pieces of broken glass in his food. Blue glass. Glass? Henry. Huh? Well, I just remembered something. What? It may just be coincidence, but in the bathroom this morning... What about the bathroom? ...tendies blue glass. You know the one with the Mickey Mouse on it. It was broken, Henry. I found pieces in the wastebasket. I meant to ask her about it. Oh, well, Mother Heaven's sake, you weren't suggesting that our little girl... Why, she looked blister more than anyone. Not last night, she didn't. Why not? Well, he... Oh, he went after Toto. Well, who's Toto? Oh, her new doll. You bought her one of those dolls? Well, I just rented it. Rented it? Yes. Look, Al, Mike. Oh, no. Oh, well, all right. What's this got to do with blister? He went for the doll, and Cindy... Well, Cindy said... Henry, she said she'd kill him. What? Well, that's ridiculous. True. But Heaven's a nine-year-old child putting ground glass and dog food. She'd have to be a monster. Mommy. Now, don't say anything. I'll talk to her. Good morning, dear. Good morning, Mommy. Good morning, Daddy. Hello. Nothing, Cindy. Sit down, dear. Cindy, your mother tells me you broke your blue drinking glass. Oh, no, I didn't break it. Now, Cindy... I didn't. Well, now, somebody broke it. It wasn't your mother, and it wasn't me. Well, then it must have been Toto. Isn't it? Cindy, you know Toto was only a doll. Now, a doll couldn't have broken your glass, could he? Well? But he must have done it, Daddy. Cindy, you know how Daddy feels about little girls who tell them truths. I'd hate to think you'd done something you knew was wrong and you were blaming it on a doll. What's the matter with Mr. Blister? Is he sick? He's dead, Cindy. Oh, no. He can't be dead. He isn't dead, Daddy. No, he isn't. He isn't. Mommy, I... Yes, dear. But he'll come back. He has to come back. No, he won't come back, honey. No, Cindy, not ever. Now that we've told you, Cindy, do you want to change your mind about the glass? Let me let her know. Daddy, you think I cute? I'll see what you've done. The child feels guilty about Henry. Dear, this is no time for feelings to interfere. Feelings don't really come when they come. When they come, they just come. You go up to your room, honey. Daddy and I'll be up in just a minute. I don't want to. Please, Cindy. We'll be right up. Please? No, that's a good girl. You close the kitchen door behind you. It was you. It was you. I'm listening to NBC Radio's award-winning science fiction series X-1. Now we return to X-1 and Perigee's Wonderful Dolls. Eat your supper, dear. I'm not hungry. Cindy, you scarcely touched your lunch. I don't feel like eating. Is it, Mr. Blister? Oh, you owe me. Cindy, answer your mother. Now, Henry, she'll work it out in her own way, dear. Oh, I don't know. When I was a boy, there was such a thing as discipline. Where this child is being brought up. Henry. Well, it's true. There's no respect lying. Oh, I don't know. Alma, what's happened to us? We were a nice, peaceful, happy family until you bought that cursed doll. Now who's blaming things on the doll? Well, it's true. You wanted to get some papers from your strongbox. What? Oh, yes. Excuse me. Will you try to eat something, Cindy? Now, darling. Yes, yes. Alma. Alma. Yes, Henry. What is it? Alma, it's gone. What's gone? The box. The strongbox is gone. But it can't be. The door to your study is always locked, and you and I have the only key. I know all that, and I tell you what isn't there. Well, who would... I don't know, Alma. Those confidential reports, if they ever get into the wrong hands. Oh, I warned you about keeping them here. Oh, whatever that came out in the open. Can't you see the papers? Army colonel, derelict in duty. Call the police, Henry. I know my career in the wastebasket after 17 years, and we've got to find it ourselves. But it was there when I went in to clean this morning. But what about your key? Well, it's right here. I always keep it right with me. Oh, no. But my other keys are all in the room. You've lost it. I don't see how. Alma, how could you do it? Henry, please. Come on. We'll search the house. I can't think of anything else to do. Oh, dear, you're going to miss your staff meeting? Well, all right. Never mind the meeting. My whole career goes up in smoke if we don't find those reports. Now, somebody get hold of your key and open that room. I know Cindy. You've left the child alone. She's been through enough. You know she wouldn't do a thing like that. I don't know anything anymore. I don't know my own child. I don't even know you. Henry. All I know is that strongbox is gone with papers that are dynamite if the wrong person gets them. The question being who? What's that? Coming from upstairs. All right. Stop it. How do you do? How do you do? Lasted little imp. There. But since we've got this thing. Henry. What? Look. Where? Where's Nick? The key. The key to your study. It was. Cindy, after all. I don't believe it. Ever since she got this fool down, she's been acting half insane. First the dog, now this. I think she hates herself. Henry. Cindy is my child, and I know her. I know she's a good, sensitive little person with no malice in her. You're just simply refusing to face the facts, dear. What are you going to do? I'm going downstairs and have a talk with that young lady. Cindy, you're not telling me the truth. All I'm asking is that you tell me the truth. What is it? I didn't. I suppose you're going to tell me now that a little six-inch doll took my strongbox and hid it. Well? Cindy, I'm speaking to you. I didn't take a date. You don't understand. Total dating. Oh, he's terrible awful. He says things. He says he's going to kill everybody. Cindy, you're inventing things. It's true. At night when I'm sleeping, he stands next to my pillow and whispers things to me. Awful things. He told me he'd kill me too if I told him. Elma, I think this child is sick. I think she needs a doctor. It's frightened Henry. She's trembling like a leaf. Come on, darling. We'll go up to your room. I don't want to go up there. No honey. Mommy'll stay with you. I'm afraid he's up there. Oh, Cindy. Total. Well, he won't be up there for long. Mr. Total was going right back to Perigee's wonderful doll shop before I lose my sanity, which means right now. Colonel Grayson. Welcome to the home of Perigee's wonderful doll. Are you Perigee? Santor Perigee, creator of the universal doll. The doll with the mind. Yes, well, I'm returning one of your masterpieces. Oh, if you will step into the rear of my shop. Now, what is the complaint? There's no complaint. Here's your doll. Good riddance, my little total. Rejected you found the world of men too filled with hate. Hate, hate, hate, hate. We will change all that later on. Return to your comrades in the window, little one. And now? Colonel Grayson. I think we have no further business, sir. Ah, but we do, Colonel. Let me see. Ah, yes. Here it is. Do you recognize this, Colonel? That's my strongbox. Quit it. My little total is very clever, sir. Are you trying to tell me your doll stole that from me? Let us not say stole. I'm merely keeping it in custody. What's your game, Perigee? Blackmail. You give me what I want, I do not ruin your career. What do you want? Information. We already know something from the reports of the war department reported by one of your pilots. What government do you represent? I represent Perigee's wonderful dolls. None of that. I'm not so naive, sir. Perhaps I should explain. Each man hides something from the world. Each man loves something more than life. With the help of my wonderful dolls, I obtain personal information which enables me to control the men who control the world. Men like you. Hand over that strongbox. I warn you, I have a gun. Give it to me. You are being foolish. Put down that walking stick. Now. No closer. Now? Hello. Give me the police. Hello. This is Colonel Henry Grayson. I've just killed a man. Perigee's doll shop. Corner of 4th and Lexington. The body is in the rear. I'll wait for you. Shut up. Shut up, you little fiend. I hear you speak. What can't be. I must be going out of my mind. A six-inch doll. Shut up. The master's dead. What do you mean? Never lived. He's a man. He talks. He walks. Amiratrix. Doll-builder. Who are you? I am. Regents. Planetoid. And you are human. I can't believe this. I'm having hallucinations. I've got to get out of here. Let's go. I phone the police. I'll be here soon. Right. Okay, Sergeant. You're the guy who turned in the call. Yes, that's right, Sergeant. Where's the body? Well, you see, it isn't exactly a body. What do you mean? It's a doll. What? Now, wait. You've got to let me explain. I know this sounds fantastic, but I've stumbled onto an unbelievable plot. Yeah? Keep talking. You see these little dolls? They aren't really dolls. They're tiny people. Now, there's a big doll named Santor Perigee. They're using him as a front to run the shop. He's off his trolley, Sergeant. Now, look here. We've got to call it. There was a murder here. Now, if there was one, where is the body? Well, it's behind the curtains in the back. You see, it isn't really a body. It's a big, waxed dummy. It's all part of their plot to gain control of the world. Holy smoke. He's really off his rocket. Now, look. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you. Come here. Look behind this curtain. You'll see the dummy lying on the floor. Very good, gentlemen. Are you looking for something? Perigee. This is impossible. I smashed his skull. Do you know this guy? That's the one, the doll. What's your name, Mr. Perigee. Danter Perigee, creator of the Universal Dolls. Do you ever see this man? Never until just now. That's not true. He's lying. I tell you, he's nothing but a big doll. The real masters of the little dolls. Ryan, are you getting this? He's wacko, Sergeant. No, he's a fruitcake. I'm not crazy. I tell you, I can prove it. They must have fixed up his head where I smashed it in. Touch him and you'll see. Mr. Perigee, do you know what this guy is talking about? The man is the mentee. Obviously. No, that's not true. I tell you, there's a plot to control the earth. I've got to call the War Department. They want to know about the flying sphere. Holy mackerel, this gets worse every minute, Ryan. Take him to the headquarters. Now save some time. Take him down a psycho ward. Okay, all right, buck. I'll just come along nice and quiet. No, don't just see. He's nothing but a man-sized doll. I assure you, the little ones are going to take over the earth, and you're all going to wait and cut out some more. Listen to me. You've got to... Sorry, I had all this trouble, Mr. Perigee. Poor chap is obviously suffering from delusion. Well, he's not the only one in Washington today. You know, we've been getting a whole string of crack-ups lately. Big wigs blowing their tops under pressure. If you could see some of the names in our confidential files. You keep confidential files on cases like these? Certainly. Believe me, they'd be dynamite if they ever got in the wrong hands. Well, I'd better be running along. I'll be. My little girl would be nuts for that. So? Then please accept the doll for saving my life. That madman might have killed me. Yes, but I... Take Toto home with you as a gift. Well, I don't know, Mr. Perigee. It's against regulations for us to accept favors. But this is not for you, it is for your little daughter. And if you will only take the doll and give him a good home, you will be doing me a great favor. Well, and if you insist, and thanks very much. When my kid sees this, will she be surprised? Yes, Toto will come as a great surprise. A very great surprise. Hey, Toto? This was from the world of X-1. Tonight's story, Perigee's Wonderful Dolls, an original drama written for NBC Radio by George Leffards. Featured in the cast were Denise Alexander, Joan Alexander, Les Damon, Joe DeSantis, and Leon Jani as The Doll Toto. Music by Al Bearman, narration by Norman Rose. Tonight's program was directed by Edward King,