 James Cagney in First With Our End on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. But first, here is Gain Whitman. Now that the new cars are beginning to come through, their bright newness will make your old faithful suffer by contrast. But it needn't because throughout the country there are thousands of DuPont authorized refinishers, body repair and paint shops. Many of these shops are specialists in smoothing out bumps and dents that mark the good looks of your car. They put on a factory finish, again available in DuCole and Dulux, so that you won't be able to find the places that have been repaired. And best of all, the cost is moderate in comparison with the protection and beauty it affords. DuCole and Dulux automotive finishes are examples of the DuPont pledge, better things for better living through chemistry. The DuPont Company presents James Cagney as Robert Corbyn in First Without End on the Cavalcade of America. There weren't enough drugs in the world to cure Bob's disease. But it wasn't a disease of the body, not at first. It attacks the mind and then the home, the job, the children. And not only Bob, but thousands of Americans have it. An insidious lingering malady. Bob had it, but he recovered. It wasn't easy, though. Treating an alcoholic is a long, tough job. Heartbreaking to wives and mothers like me. But it can be done, and many American homes can be saved. I know. Yes, Freddie. I'm hungry and it's pretty late. We'll eat as soon as Dad gets home, dear. Hey, he's not usually this late. Well, he's probably busy. I wonder if he... No, I don't mean that. Don't mean what? Nothing, nothing. Freddie, don't ever say that again. I didn't say it. Don't even think it. Hey, that's somebody at the front door. Yes. Freddie, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for dinner? You have to wash. But if that's Dad, I want to see him. Dear, I told you to go upstairs. Hello. Hello, Bob. Freddie. Hiya, Dad. Bob, you're all right. I mean you'll want dinner, won't you? Yeah, yeah. I want dinner, Elaine. I'm all right. Good. I'll have dinner on the table in a few minutes. Freddie, don't forget to wash. Oh, I won't. Well, what did you do today, son? Nothing much. It was raining most of the time. Yeah, it was. It's all right. Sorry, I didn't see you last night, but I got home late and had some work to do. Sure. I know, Dad. Freddie, I want to ask you a question. What about? Oh, well, it's just that for a couple of days now you've been looking like a stranger. What's the matter? Well, last Thursday it was Father and Sunday at the Scout Club. Yeah. Oh, I should have remembered. Oh, Mom said, well, said you were busy. Yeah, that's right. Sure. All the other fellas had their dads there, except Johnny Ward. Oh, well, where was his dad? Oh, don't you remember? He got killed in France. Oh, yes, that's right. Yeah. Johnny and I, well, we kind of sat together. Look, Freddie, forget it, will you? It won't happen again. The next time something like that comes up, I'll be on the spot, right with you. Cross your heart? Cross my heart in honor's engine. That's the right thing to say, isn't it? Yeah, sure. That's the thing to say. Sure. I thought you liked that program. Yeah, I like it, but not on. Oh, you see, you see the, oh, I'm sorry, honey, I'll turn it on again. Oh, no, if it makes you nervous, leave it off. Nervous? What makes you think I'm nervous? It was just an expression, darling. I didn't mean anything by it. Oh, look, if you want to say it like you think I need a drink, go ahead and say it. Don't beat around the bush. Let's have it. I can't stand hints. But, Bob, I didn't have anything like that in mind. You did? No, I didn't. Well, you, oh, I'm sorry. I know I've given you nearly crazy. Well, I've done about the same thing to myself. I know what I am. I know what I'm doing to you and Freddie and to myself, but it's, it's something I can't explain it. The guy makes a bad mistake in business. He remembers it and doesn't pull the same boner again. But this, oh, it happens over and over and over. Please don't, don't talk about it now. And oh, Zana, I did the work of three men. I felt I needed a drink now and then to pet me up and get me going when I was dog tired. I did, depended on a drink doing that. Well, now the war's over. There's not enough work for me, but I still need that drink, not one, but a dozen, 50. I don't like it any more than you do. I know, dear, but you can try to help yourself. Try? Sure, I'll try. I know, but I love you. Always will, Elaine. What's the matter? Dad came home. Oh, well, where is he now? Upstairs. He's sleeping. He was going to take me to the ballgame, but he didn't show up. And now he'll drop it. It's all right, dear. I can't help him upstairs. Mom, I wish I never saw him that way. I was ready. Stay here. Yes, Bob. I'm here. It's dark. I... Yes, it's two o'clock in the morning. Oh, I don't remember coming up to bed. Freddie helped you up. Freddie helped me? What do you say? Oh, no, never mind. Bob, do you want anything? No, nothing, nothing. I'm sorry, Elaine. It just happened again. I was going to take him to the ballgame. I had half an hour before I was to meet him, and, well, it was just one drink again. The one that's always going to be the last. Go back to sleep. Cat, cat. I don't even remember driving home. I... Except for one thing. Oh, no, no. It was a dream, I guess. What was a dream? I... I thought I, uh, thought I had an accident. Accident? Bob. Oh, no, no. Don't worry. It must have been a dream or a nightmare or something. Don't turn on that light. Bob, you've got to remember. You've got to. I... Elaine, why are you saying it like that? Come on, tell me. There was an accident, Bob. A hit and run accident. It was in the evening paper. What are you talking about? You weren't home until after seven. Well, after. It was dark. Well, if you're going to say something, say it. What are you getting at? The driver in that hit and run accident struck a little girl. It was... Where are you going? Go take a look at the car. Mr. Carbon, start talking. You called me here. I, uh... Go ahead, Bob. Well, uh, we're trying to write here. You're looking for a hit and run driver. Who hit a little girl about... About seven o'clock last night? Yes, we are. I think I'm the man. You just think. Why don't you know? I don't know, Elaine. Bob, you've got to. What's this all about? You get me here at three in the morning and then Hem and Ho around. You're the other guy we wanted. You're not. Well, I'm telling you, I don't know. I... I was drunk. Oh, I see. Where's your car? In the garage. Were you out at seven o'clock? Yes. Remember anything? Nothing. Remember anything vaguely? That's just it. I thought it was a... It was a dream that I had an accident. And then I... Then I looked at my car. And what? The right fender is dented. A dent wasn't there before you took the car out? No. You sure of that too, Mrs. Carbon? Ah, yes, I'm sure. Carbon? Yes. You realize you're letting yourself in for something very serious? I know, but... But I had to... Okay, don't touch that car. Don't go near it. What are you going to do? Make tests. A little girl was hit just about fender height. Medical examination shows it might have been a fender. How bad is it? Clearly. If she gets well, if. She'll never walk without crutches. Yeah, it's me. Oh, anything new? Yes, they question me again, but I can't tell them a thing, Elaine. Not a thing. I'm out on bail. Oh, darling, no. Listen, you've got to listen. The bail they fixed was high. I had to take a mortgage on the house to meet it. A mortgage on our house? I couldn't help it. I'm booked on suspicion. Where's Freddy? I haven't seen him for a while. I guess he's up in his room. He knows about it, doesn't he? It was in all the papers. I wonder if he'd... I wonder if he'd talk to me. I mean, maybe if I said a few things I've been wanting to say. Why don't you go up and see? We'll. Freddy. Can I come in? Freddy. Freddy. Freddy. Well, isn't he here, Bob? No, I guess he... Oh, wait. Here's an envelope addressed to you. To me? Yeah. It's Freddy's handwriting. No. All right, let me have that. Dear mom, everybody says dad's the hit-and-run driver. Everybody says he'll go to jail. Now, all the kids will even say worse thing about him than they did before. I don't want to hear those things. Not about my dad. So I'm going away. I love you and... and dad too. I love you and... and dad too. Oh, we can stay here all night, Jackie. But it's awful dark, say. Ah, we got a fire? Well, my dad... Oh, I've stayed here overnight lots of times on camping trips. Yeah, but it's awful dark. Well, if you're afraid, you can go on, but I'm going to stay. Freddy. Freddy. Hey. Freddy. That sounds like your dad. Did I not hear? Don't you ever say anything like that. Freddy. Freddy, where are you? I... Oh, right here, dad. Oh. Well, I'm going home. You got coffee, Jackie? No, I... Well, here, take this. The last car is leaving in about ten minutes. Thanks. Well... Hold on. How'd you know I'd be here? Did you think I'd forget our old camping spot? No, I guess not. No, come here, son. Freddy, you've got to believe me and you've got to try to understand what I'm about to say. See, never before tonight did I realize what... what was happening to you. To... to me? Yes, to you and mother. Well, I don't care about me. It's what they say about you. Guys, I want to be proud of you. I've got a right to be that, haven't I? Yes, you have. If you... if you come home, I'll try to make you proud. Please come home, Freddy. Not for me alone, but with your mother. All right. Sure, dad. I didn't leave because I wanted to. It was just that... that I thought you didn't care anymore. We're listening to James Cagney as Robert Corbyn in Thirst Without End on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the second part of our story opens, Robert Corbyn, fully aware of the tragic results of his excessive drinking, sits before the fireplace and is home, slumped in despair, while his wife Elaine sows in sympathetic silence. Did Lieutenant Wright talk to you today, Bob? Yeah, yeah. The test didn't prove a thing. It was raining that night. No tire tracks, no broken glass, nothing to prove anything one way or another. Bob, I... I've been wanting to talk to you about something, but I didn't know where to begin. Please don't be angry. Well, where should I be? I... I called Alcoholics Anonymous today. You what? Yes, I called them. I wanted them to help. And they will, Bob. They will, but you've got to see them. Well, give me that. You call them about me? To help me? Yes, give them a chance. Oh. You don't know what you're talking about. But they do, Bob. I know it. They'll help you. Listen, I'll tell you what it's like to be me. You start out in the morning promising yourself, no drinks, not even one. And then... and then something happens. Your throat gets dry. You think people are looking at you, looking at your shaky hands, and you want to crawl into a hole and not face the world, but you know that's impossible. You've got to face it out. There's only one way to do it. Take a drink. So you get it. You drink it slowly. It feels terrible going down, but it feels good, too. There's no explaining it except that your nerves in your body are hungry for alcohol. You drink it in. Every fiber and nerve drinks it. But you don't stop at one, or two, or three, or a dozen. And pretty soon numbers don't mean a thing. And you don't remember. And that's it, Elaine. That's what it is. And you think anyone can help? Alcoholics Anonymous can help me? Try, Bob. Just try for Freddie and me. You're a stranger, aren't you? Yes, I am. My wife called, and this is the address. Sure, sure. This is our clubhouse. Oh, from Noondale Midnight. Say, let's sit down over here. Oh, let me introduce myself. You don't have to tell me your name. That part about being anonymous? Why, that's only true as far as the public is concerned. My name's Palmer, Fred Palmer. My name is Bob Corbin. Oh, yes. You, too? You know, Bobby. Yes, I know what you're going through. You? Bob, eight months ago I was like you are now. I know the symptoms. Well, I can help you, and you can help me. Help you? How? You see, I won't feel I'm square with myself unless I help another fellow. Would you like me? Would you let me help you? Look, right now I want a drink and want it bad. Now, if I don't get it, I'll go crazy. My hands are shaking, my throat is dry as cotton, and... Oh, no, you couldn't help going on. Oh, wait a minute. My hands should like that. My throat felt like dry cotton. But now, look at me. Look at the rest of the people here. That's why we have this clubhouse, Bob, so they can come here and not be alone. You see, we know how strongly urge is to have a drink when you're alone. So anytime we feel that way, we drop in here and talk. It helps, Bob. Helps plenty. Well, I... Dry it, Bob. I did. Oh, and one thing more. Here. Here's a nickel. Never. What for? If you ever feel you're slipping, use this nickel to call me. Look, Bob, the thing to remember is you just don't take a drink today. Tomorrow's another story, but listen... It's all right. I'll keep that nickel. Someone gave me a nickel like this, and it saved my life. More tea, Dorothy? No, thanks, Elaine. The reason I dropped in was to tell you... Elaine, you won't feel hurt if I talk to you about Bob. No, why should I? He hasn't taken a drink for weeks. I know. Greg and I were talking about it last night, and he said he'd be glad to defend Bob on the hit-and-run charge. Oh, that's wonderful. Of both of you. Oh, that must be Freddy. He loves the doorbell. Excuse me, Dorothy. Of course. I'll have to be going in a minute anyway. Freddy, you know better than... Oh, Bob. Bob. How do you feel? Bob, why did you do it? Why? Oh, I was all right until I went to the hospital to see that kid. I've been going there every week, bringing little things. I started home today, and I got to thinking about the whole thing. I called Lieutenant Wrighton. He still got nothing but my statement. And then? And I couldn't stand the uncertainty, Elaine. I thought that if I had one drink, one, it would help me hold my nerves together when I thought about that sweet little girl. Bob, we're going to call Fred Palmer right now. What for? The damage is done. No, it's not. You didn't touch a drink for weeks. But now you need him again. You've got to go to the clubhouse. Bear one thing in mind. You're not going to take a drink tonight. Just give me one. Will you? One. My head's coming apart. No, Bob. One won't stop your thirst. One drink is too many, a thousand and not enough. What time is it? Nine o'clock. That's what you said an hour ago. Come on, Bob. Deal the cards. Why don't you get that clock out of here? Johnny, me nuts! Take it easy, Bob. Look, let me have one drink, will you? And I promise you I'll come right back. No drinks tonight, Bob. What time is it? It's 4.30. I'm getting light outside. You'll feel better when the sun comes up. Feel better? You know the only thing that'll make me feel better. It's all right now, Mrs. Corbin. You can come and get him. He's fallen asleep. Exhaustion. But he didn't have a drink. It's just a moment. Hello, Mrs. Corbin. Oh, Lieutenant Drydie. Please come in. Thanks. Your husband in? Yes, upstairs. Is he going to talk to him? He hasn't taken a drink since he went to the hospital that day a week ago. But you... is there anything wrong? Who was that at the front? Hello, Corbin. Oh, hello, Lieutenant. Well, Corbin, you've got a break. A man spotted your picture in the paper. Read the story. He hadn't seen it before. Came into us and told us that you couldn't have been the hit-and-run driver because that dented fendery of yours was the result of a little accident you had with him. Then I did have an accident. Well, yes and no. The man said his car wasn't damaged and you were so roaring drunk he didn't stop to argue about it. So, you're in the clear. Thank you, Lieutenant. You know, thanks for coming in. Sure, sure. Of course, you've still got a drunk driving charge to face, but you can thank your lucky stars. It wasn't what you were afraid of. Well, I guess I'll be going. I, uh, I'm not drinking anymore. So your wife tells me. I think it's swell. Good luck. Oh, Bob. I can't believe it. Hey, Dad, I thought we were going fishing. There's a... What's the matter? Is there anything wrong? Oh, no, son, nothing at all. And I never will be again. Come on. Elaine, we're going to bring home a string of fish a yard long. Well, in case you don't, I've ordered them from the market. Now, have a good time. Yeah, hey, that won't be any boat slap. We'll be back by six, Elaine. Bye. Goodbye. And so, Bob is fine now. The nights when he doesn't come home until late, Freddie and I don't worry, because we know he's working, working hard. We know he's all right. That's why I'm thinking now about other women, wives or mothers who went or are going through what I did. They're wondering if their husbands or sons can have the faith that the patience and the willpower to do what Bob did. They can, and it's worth the fight. I can tell you because I know. It's advocate microphone in a moment. Now, here is Gaines Whitman. Somebody, somebody with a queer sense of humor, once referred to weeds as the only perfect plants. If you've ever tried to get weeds out of an orchard or a lawn, you've probably thought of several other names to call them. They're a nuisance and tiresome chore to anyone with grass to be kept smooth and green. And they're much worse than a nuisance to the farmer. Bindweed, for instance, has been known to reduce the farmer's crop reduction by as much as 80%. In some regions, it has even made farmlands worthless. For many years, scientists have hunted for improved weed killers. Tonight, we want to tell you about two we believe to be the best so far developed. Dupont Amate weed killer quickly, permanently destroys some of the toughest woody perennials, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and many others. The second and newer compound is Dupont 24D. Dupont 24D weed killer is selective against lawn weeds. Spray it on your lawn spring and fall, and it kills chickweed, dandelions, plantain, and wild onion without harming the grass at all at certain concentrations. It kills plants by making them use their reserve food supply too fast. It destroys pigweed, bullfistle, and ragweed, cause of much hay fever. For the farmer also, 24D weed killer is wonderful news. Wild onion and radish, which give milk a strong flavor if cows graze on them, are also destroyed by 24D. It kills trumpet vine, Virginia creeper, wild carrot, sassafras, and sumac, a troublesome enemy of the farmer in some parts of the country. Dupont 24D weed killer is also made in convenient tablet form under the trademark CARMEX. It can be applied quickly and conveniently as a coarse spray, even from a sprinkling can. Once it dries on the weeds, it kills them roots and all, and keeps its effectiveness despite rainstorms. This easier, more efficient way of destroying weeds is an example of the kind of problem the sciences of biology and chemistry solve. Saving time and work, actually saving valuable acreage for the farmer, 24D weed killer is one of the newest of the Dupont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. And now our star, James Cagney. Jimmy, as you can tell, we'd all like to thank you and congratulate you on doing a swell job tonight. Thanks, Cain. That job was really worth doing. It certainly was. By the way, be sure to listen next Monday. Won't you? To our program, we have a wonderful story and a great star. Well, give him to me one at a time. First, who's the star? Helen Hayes. Just that's enough. And she's going to play the part of Molly Brown, better known as the Unsinkable Mrs. Brown, which is the title of the story. The Unsinkable Mrs. Brown. Sounds like good listening. All right, count me in. That we will, Jimmy, and thanks again. Thank you and good night. James Cagney's next starring vehicle will be Thorn Smith's comedy, The Stray Lamb, a William Cagney production. The music for tonight's Dupont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. A Cavalcade play was written by Henry Denker. With Mr. Cagney, we're a B-benadirate as Elaine, Conrad Binyan as Freddie, and Bill Johnstone as Palmer. Others in the cast included Tommy Bernard, Virginia Gregg, Will Wright, and George Sorrell. This is Tom W. Collins inviting you to listen next week when our broadcast will originate from New York City, starring Helen Hayes in The Unsinkable Mrs. Brown on The Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.