 Now we present Herbert Marshall as the man called X. The Saturday Night feature on NBC's five-show festival of comedy, music, mystery, and drama brought to you by your local Ford dealer, who is now displaying the new 1951 Ford, the car that's built for the years ahead. By RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television. And by the makers of Anison for fast relief from pinup headache, neuritis, neuralgia. 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. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you an invitation. An invitation to examine the fine new Ford for 1951. It's on display now at your neighborhood Ford dealers, and we want you to see it. We want you to drive it, because this is the finest Ford ever produced. It's a quality car, a car that's designed and built to give you lasting satisfaction in the years ahead. When you inspect the 1951 Ford, you'll find that it offers 43 look-ahead features. Features that will keep it young in performance, young in style for years to come. Among them, you'll find the new automatic ride control for an easy ride, a level ride. The automatic mileage maker for real fuel economy, and new luxury lounge interiors with rich color harmonized Ford craft fabrics. We invite you to see all 43 look-ahead features of this great new Ford for 1951 at your Ford dealers tomorrow. Under the frowning volcanoes of Guatemala lie the ruins of a once proud city, Santiago de los Caballeros La Nefa. The walls of a more than 100 churches and convents crushed by an earthquake in 1773. Now even her name is almost forgotten. The tourists who pass through call it only Antigua, the old, the ancient, and a thin half-hidden road that forks off the highway from Guatemala City leads not to the past, but to the present, perhaps even the future. A small blue roadster hesitates and then turns up this crude trail. Americano. That's right. The senor has taken the wrong road. You'll return to the highway at once. This isn't the road to Dr. Alvarez Laboratory. Laboratory? I don't know what you mean. Who are you? My name's Ken Fursten. Fursten? Oh, yes, yes, yes. Of course, Dr. Alvarez is expecting you. I am Capitan José Tavoso, chief of the guards assigned to the doctor. You may drive on. I will ride on the running board. That won't be necessary, Captain. I can find my own way. On the contrary, senor Fursten, the guards ahead have orders to kill any intruder if you are ready. It's to see you. Hello, Dr. Alvarez. Dr. Alvarez. Oh, come now. You know me better than that. It's been quite a while, Fernando. How are you? Much too long, it has been. You, uh, you had no trouble getting to Guatemala. The only difficulty I had was getting to this place. Just what are you doing? What are you doing here, Fernando? Guards all around, a laboratory in a ruined convent. I could not explain in the wire I sent to your bureau, Ken. I could not trust this matter even to the usual diplomatic channels. Oh? Ken, have you ever heard of Professor Zender? Professor? You mean Hilda Zender, the German bacteriologist? Yes. Of course, one of the most promising young scientists in Europe. Why, there was even talk of awarding her the Nobel Prize about ten years ago. Yes. Professor Zender is here. Oh. During the war, she escaped from Germany and fled to Brazil. Yeah, yeah, I know that. After I became head of the Guatemalan Public Health Service, I invited Professor Zender to continue her research under the auspices of my government. I see. She has been working on ways of combating German warfare. Unfortunately, this work has quite by accident produced a new and terrible means of bacteriological attack. A virus cholera. A virus cholera? Yes, Ken. A cholera that spreads through the air, rather than by the usual media of infection. A cholera for which there is at present no immunization, no cure. No cure? Fernando of the wrong country got hold of this. That is why I have sent for you. Phew. You must take the virus culture back to the United States. Perhaps your scientists will be able to develop a preventive or a cure. At least, it will be safer there. There have already been two attempts to break into my laboratory. Why not destroy the culture? Because, fantastic as it may sound, this cholera virus is apparently indestructible. All right, Fernando. I'll get a plane out in the morning. Good. I've just discovered that the test... Oh, I did not know you were busy. I must see you alone at once. It is of the utmost importance. This is Mr. Thurston, Professor Zender. Mr. Thurston. Oh, it is good that you have arrived. You see the test tube containing the cholera culture? It has disappeared. Was it? I have searched everywhere. Someone must have broken in and stolen it. Come with me. I will show you. Ah, look here, Fernando. This window latch has been forced. Ah, see? Yes. I wonder how whoever did it managed to sneak past your guards. Professor Zender, where was the test tube of cholera virus kept? In this rack at the end. Uh-huh. Anything else, Missy? No, I do not think so. I have not had time to check, thoroughly. I thought it more important to notify you and Dr. Elver as at once. Yes, of course. The test tube is sealed. Certainly, Mr. Thurston. Labeled? Yes, yes. In my handwriting, like all the others in the racks. Oh, in German. Who else knew about this cholera discovery? No one. No one. Only the doctor and I. Pedro? Why, yes, I had forgotten him. Pedro? My secretary, Ken. Pedro Martinez. Ah, but no. He knows nothing about science, which is why I employed him. I even have to spell out the scientific terms for him. Is he around? He has been away all week on a vacation at Lake Atitlan. Hmm. Could be a very convenient vacation, couldn't I? Uh, Mr. Thurston, this is such a serious matter that I must be completely frank. Roger Sibley was here with me last night. Sibley? He is my fiance. He drove me out here from my home in Guatemala City so that I could check on an experiment. Could you have seen the tube of the virus cholera? Yes. Yes, he did see it. I had to warn him against picking it up. I am acquainted with Mr. Sibley, Ken. He is a young Englishman and a very fine person. There would be no reason to suspect him. Obviously then, Mr. Thurston, it must have been someone we do not know, someone from the outside. If whoever has this test tube does not realize exactly what it is, does not understand. Yes. There could be a cholera plague down here inside of three days. I'll check with you later at your office in Guatemala City. So long, Fernando. Professor Zender. The operation developing in Formosa, and I think that you'd better... Sorry, Chief. Afraid I'll have to stay here a little longer. Why? Anyway... He wanted to introduce me to a friend of his. Hilda Zender. My hotel room in Guatemala City. What? Hilda's engaged to Roger Sibley. You'll remember him, Chief. Sure, he's the son of Ford Sibley, the man who... Yes, right. Well, anyway, Hilda is working down here with Alvarez. Something similar to the Westbrook project. Oh. She is doing quite well. Too well. But her best work is missing. So I'm going to help her look for it. All right, Ken. I'll leave it up to you. Let me know what happens. Sure, Chief. Say hello to Miss Books for me. So long. Operator. Operator, is someone else on this line? Sure, Mr. Thurston. It's me. Bacon. Where the devil are you? The hotel switchboard. Making some good connection. Work I was caught up for. But my cousin Angela isn't feeling so hot. So I'm taking over in her place. I'm being what you might call a big operator. Hey, Mr. Rex? Listening in on private conversations. Mr. Rex, how can you talk to me like that, especially when you owe me so much money? I owe you. Of course. I hope you don't think it was cheap finding out where you were going and getting all the way down here. Like I was telling you. Wait a minute, Mr. Thurston. Something is making a noise. Don't hang up. Hotel St. Carlos Grand, what do you want? Yes, Mr. Sibley? A plane to Lisbon? You've been a bar, OK? I'll let you know when the next one is leaving. Like I was saying, Mr. Thurston, if you... Mr. Thurston. I'm saying so. When a man drinks this early in the afternoon, it's usually because of a woman. Eh? I'm afraid I wouldn't know. Sorry. My name's Thurston. How'd you do? I'm... Sibley, Roger Sibley. Now, if you'll please excuse me. Roger Sibley? More than I was wrong about a woman driving you to drink. What do you mean by that? I was fortunate enough to meet your fiancee this morning. She's very charming. You met Hilda? Yes, through Dr. Alvarez. You're a very lucky man. You didn't know her before. No, should I? I just wondered. I understand your plan is to get married soon. No. No, I don't think so. Engagement's off. I'm leaving Guatemala as soon as I can get out of here. Oh, isn't this a little sudden? Roger, darling. I've been looking all over for you. Hello, Hilda. And Mr. Thurston, you've met each other. How nice. Come along, Hilda. I want to talk to you. Of course, dear, and I want to talk to you. After all, I haven't seen you since last night, and you promised to call me early this morning. Did you forget? Come along, Hilda. All right, darling. Don't be so impatient. Goodbye, Mr. Thurston. We will see you again. Sure, sure. You'll see me. I'd like to talk to Dr. Alvarez. His name's Thurston. Oh, yes, Mr. Thurston. The Doctor Left Award. He has been called to a conference at the Presidential Palace. He will be back later this afternoon. If there is a message... Another important. You're his secretary? Yes, sir. I understood you were on a vacation. I came back quite suddenly this morning. Mm-hmm. Yes, the weather at Lake Attila suddenly changed. It became most unpleasant. Oh. You are enjoying your stay in Guatemala, Mr. Thurston? I'm afraid I haven't been here long enough yet to draw any conclusions. If I may give a word of advice. Why not? The weather here may change quite suddenly, too, and become most unhealthy. If I were you, I would leave before that happens, Mr. Thurston. We will continue with the man called X in just a moment. Here's a word from RCA Victor. If you've ever built a house, you know it costs far less to include all the rooms you'll ever want at the start than to add them on separately later. Well, the same things true about buying home entertainment equipment today. You saved tremendously in the end by shooting the works in the beginning, by buying a complete combination set, including console radio by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, console phonograph by RCA Victor, first in recorded music, and, of course, console television by RCA Victor, first in television. You get three worlds of entertainment in one beautiful, beautiful cabinet for one beautiful, beautiful price. Visit your RCA Victor dealer soon and experience for yourself the matchless glories of sight and sound pouring from the 16 and 19 inch screens and the golden tone systems of RCA Victor's magnificent console combinations, each built with RCA Victor's most powerful television chassis. Its famous RCA Victor million proof television proven in well over a million homes. Now act two of the man called X starring Herbert Marshall with Leanne Balasco as Pagan Zelschmitt. A test tube of virus cholera dangerous enough to threaten whole peoples with the dread Asiatic plague has been stolen from a laboratory in Guatemala. Ken Thurston, searching desperately for the missing disease culture, receives a thinly veiled warning at the Department of Public Health. The weather here may change quite suddenly, too, and become most unhealthy. If I were you, I would leave before that happens. There may be something in what you say, Pedro, but a man may become very unhealthy for a lot of people, even you. I do not think so. I'm a native and accustomed to the climate. Suppose there were cholera epidemic. Cholera? I do not understand you. It's too bad. I understood you. Well, please tell Dr. Alvarez I'll call him later. Of course. Are you home, Mr. Thurston? I've been looking all over for you. What happened to your job at the hotel, Pagan? You called that a job? Paid hardly nothing. Anyway, how was I to blame when the manager was talking to that cute little chick in 314? And his wife got cut in on the same lie. Oh, no. Boy, did I tell him off. I said my good friend, Mr. Thurston, was in Guatemala and he'd be like a lost shepherd without me. I sure was right, too. Who else could tell you about that pretty little Petunia who came to the hotel asking for you? Pretty? You mean blonde with a German accent? No, a local type. Brunette with a figure like the hands on an hourglass. So, you see how much you need me, Mr. Thurston? I could find out everything about her for just a couple of bucks, say 50. Oh, never mind. You don't want me to find out about who she is and where you can meet her? If it's important, she'll turn up again. Well, if you're going to act that way about her, her name is Maria Santos and she makes with the rumba at the Casablanca Dance Hall. She wants you to come there before 8 o'clock tonight and see it's almost 8 now. Any idea what it's all about, Pagan? Oh, I don't know. Some double talk about germs or bugs or something. Oh, the Casablanca. Come on, Pagan. There she is, Mr. X, that fancy little flower sitting at the table in the corner. Wait here, Pagan. Good evening. Do I know you, senor? Do you? There are so many men who come to the Casablanca. It's hard to remember them all. But I don't think I would have forgotten you. Thanks. May I? Oh, please, please, sit down. Well, senor? I thought perhaps you do the talking, Maria. Who are you, senor? My name is Thurston. Why did you not say so before? I look all over for you. It's most important. You must leave here and go to a place... Ah, Mr. Thurston, we meet again. How pleasant. Oh, Professor Sandra, Mr. Sibley. I see you're still with us. Yes, a bit of difficulty with plain reservation. May we join you and your, uh, friends? Uh, sorry, I was just about to leave. So early? Well, perhaps we will run into you later. See you today. I'll see you today, Professor. Listen, senor Thurston. A small house in Antioa, a cross from the monastery ruins by the main square. Bring Dr. Alvarez there at midnight. Oh, wait a minute. What's all this about? José Toboso will explain. I can't... Since you're leaving, Thurston, I thought I might ask the young lady for dance. If Professor Zenda doesn't object. As matter of fact, it was her idea. I should be most happy to dance with you. Buenos noches, senor Thurston. It must be the house that girls described to you can. It is the only habitable building near the main square. Hmm, nobody around. Let's get out of here, Mr. Thurston. All these ruins around here, it gives me the creeps. Why the door-pig? Why bother? It's sure to be locked. Nobody goes off and leaves. How do I like that? Looks like I'll need this flashlight. Why would anybody want to live way out here? Nothing but a bunch of ghosts for company. Hey, speaking of ghosts, Mr. X, under the bed, under the sheet. That's no ghost, Pagan. He's dead like a doornail. Yeah, it's Captain Tabusso. Why, why is he all purple-like? What happened to him? Colour isn't different under... His skin. Colour. How much longer are we going to tramp around these old ruins, Mr. Thurston? I don't know, Pagan. All this fuss for a little test, you... What difference does it make? You saw Captain Tabusso's body. Well, sure, but, uh... You mean that that's what killed him? The test, you? Why don't we come back in the morning? It'd be easier to find it then. If we haven't found it before morning, this whole area will have to be quarantined. Ask along with it. Tim, over here quickly. Maybe he's got a test, you, huh? Maybe. No, not by risk-culture, but this. Roger Sibley. Don't tell me this character got the colic, too. No, he was lucky when Captain Tabusso, a bullet through his brain. Well, if you ask me, there's enough ghosts around this joint already. There will be more. What's that? Look out, Mr. Thurston! Give me that gun, will you? No, I kill you just as you kill Jose. I said, give it to me. You're a murderer, son of you! You deserve to die! There. That's better. I got the gun, Mr. Thurston. You kill him. You kill my Jose. No, Maria. He's dead. I just came from his house. He was dead when we got there, too. I don't believe you. Would you believe Dr. Alvarez? Mr. Thurston is speaking the truth. Captain Tabusso died of the cholera. I hope you did not touch him. Cholera? The plague? How did this happen? That's what we're trying to find out. When did you last see Jose alive? About noon. He came to my room and asked me to find you. Where had he been before that? I don't know. I understand. You don't understand. I was his wife. I would not let him tell anyone. An army officer married to a girl from the Casablanca. He would have been left dead. Try and remember, Maria. Where had he been this morning? I'm not sure. Pedro. Why does it matter now? It won't bring him back to me. Where does Pedro live, Fernando? Guatemala City, 13 up in the north. Come on, Pagon. But, Mr. Thurston, you're just letting this little black-eyed Susan go loose. Maybe she shot this other character with this. Simply. Not with that gun. It's too small a caliber. Whoever murders him, use a .38. Come on, Pagon. And that does it. What's going on in here anyway? Breaking into a man's house in the middle of the night. Shut up and start looking for the test tube. Oh, that thing again. I wouldn't look for it if you paid me. Well, maybe if you paid me enough. But even that, I wouldn't look very high. Quiet. All right, all right. Hey, Mr. Thurston. Hello, Pedro. Is this what you're looking for by any chance? Hey, he's got the test tube. And a gun. Two very dangerous weapons. Glad you realize that, Pedro. The gun is for you. And the test tube? For a country that would never use such a horrible means of warfare. A peace-loving country, unlike the warm-mongering United States. Hmm. Well, I'm der Einerschlange Steyler. Veerd Manchmal auch gebissen. Talk English, Mr. Thurston, or Spanish, so that I can understand you. It's an old German proverb. Surely you're familiar with it. I do not speak German. It means that if a man steals a snake, he may get bitten. I was wondering if that might apply to you. But of course, that's wishful thinking. You've had a series of inoculations against cholera, your immune. Immune? Oh, you must be. Or you wouldn't be so foolish to stand there holding that test tube. I am sure it puts me in no danger, Mr. Thurston. Pagan, remember how Captain Toboso looked? Captain Toboso? He died of cholera tonight. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, you should have seen him. All purple in his face twisted the... Oh, very horrible death. Shut up, both of you. But of course, you have nothing to worry about, Pedro, unless... Pagan. Huh? Yes, Mr. Thurston? Speak up so I can hear what you're saying. His face. The cholera is faced. You see? What's wrong with it? Yes, yes, yes. I think so, too. Whatever you do, don't go near him. Mr. Thurston. You mean, he's got the colic? Oh. Mr. Thurston. With that much color, there should be other symptoms, too. Dizziness, pains in the legs. He don't look too steady to me right now. Listen to me. He'd feel a tightening of the throat, too. No. Stop. You're lying. There is nothing wrong with me. Hey, look at his face. There is nothing wrong with me. That mirror on the wall, Pedro. What? Perhaps you better look for yourself. I will. What you say is not true. All right, Pedro. The best tube. He's going to drop it. Grab it. Oh. Now, then, Markiness. All right, Mr. X. You've knocked him out. But what about me? I'll be catching the colic. Mr. X. As long as that tube is sealed, you haven't a thing to worry about. Huh? But you told him. You said I thought. Hey. Oh, I get it. Mr. X, you were just stringing him along? Oh. But wait a minute. That Captain fellow, he really had something wrong with him. To both of us solve the test tube here, he must have opened it. Then when he realized it was from the lab, he sealed it up again and tried to get in touch with me. He was too late. Oh, sure, Mr. X. You're absolutely right. That's just the way I forget it happened. Oh, sure. You don't know how relieved I am. This whole thing, I have felt responsible. Yeah? Ken, I think Roger may have told you. We aren't engaged any longer. A few days ago, I would have felt so alone without him, but now, since I've met you... Roger is dead, Hilda. What? That shouldn't be such a surprise, since you killed him. You are not serious. Pedro. That gun we took from Pedro has been fired for at least 24 hours. Oh, this is too ridiculous. I do not even have a gun. Why do you do it, Hilda? I cannot lie to you, Ken. I did kill Roger. I was sure that Pedro had stolen the test tube, and when I found out that Roger was planning to take it to Europe, I had to stop him. Roger Sibley. I've worked with his father in England, Hilda. And I know all about the fine job Roger was doing for his government. Ken, I... Roger found out what you were doing. That's why he tried to get away from Guatemala. That's why you had to kill him. No, no. Roger was working with Pedro. He ordered him to steal the test tube from the rack and the laboratory. A rack of tubes all marked in German. A language Pedro didn't understand a word of. No, Hilda. He wouldn't have known which tube to steal. He was just a messenger for the color of a culture you stole and passed on to him. And if I did, you will do nothing to me. I am the only person in the world who understands how that culture was developed. You will need me to develop more. I am a scientist. The most valuable scientist in the world. No, Hilda. You're a murderer. I just can't believe it, Mr. X. Such a pretty petunia and with all her brains to do a thing like that. Boy, did she look sick when Dr. Alvarez in the cups took her off to the cling. Sick or even the dead friend of hers who thought he had the colic. She was sick, Pega. What? Not with Conor. There are other diseases more terrible and more dead than those that attract the body. Sicknesses of the soul and spirit. But at long last we are learning how these diseases can be treated and cured with large doses of truth and justice and freedom. Our star, Mr. Herbert Marshall will return in just a moment to tell you about next week's story. No matter what you now take for headache relief, we urge you to try Anacin for the incredibly fast relief these tablets bring the next time you're suffering from a headache. Now, the reason Anacin is so wonderfully fast-acting and effective is this. Anacin is like a doctor's prescription. That is, Anacin contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients in easy-to-take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anacin tablets from their own dentist or physician, and in this way discovered the incredibly fast relief Anacin brings from pains of headache, neuritis or neuralgia. So the next time a headache strikes, take Anacin for this wonderfully fast relief. Anacin, A-N-A-C-I-N. Anacin at any drug counter in handy boxes of 12 and 30. Economical family size bottles of 50 and 100. Now, here again is our star, Mr. Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. Next week, Mr. X goes to Syria, where he learns that every inch of the new international oil pipeline holds danger, not only for him, but for the peace of the entire world. And there's no help from Leon Bolasco as Pagan Zelschmitt. So join us, won't you, where next I return is the man called X. It's a Saturday night feature on NBC's five-show festival of comedy, music, mystery and drama, brought to you by our local Ford dealer, who is now displaying the new 1951 Ford, the car that's built for years ahead. And by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television, and by Whitehall Pharmacal Company, makers of Anacin, Colinus, Bicidal, and other fine drug products. Good night. The man called X, starring Herbert Marshall, is a J. Richard Kennedy production, with music composed and conducted by Felix Mills. Tonight's story was written by Robert Libet and Frank Burt. All characters and incidents on this program are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual characters or incidents is purely coincidental. Be sure to listen tomorrow evening for The Big Show with Tallulah Bankhead, Margaret Truman, Fred Allen, Danny Thomas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Mindy Carson, The Sons of the Pioneers, and Meredith Wilson. And until next week, same time and same station, this is Jack Latham saying, Good night for The Man Called X. Remember, Margaret Truman visits Tallulah Bankhead and The Big Show Sunday on NBC.