 presents Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and Roddy McDowell. The mutual network in cooperation with Family Theatre presents the leading lady, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan. To introduce the drama, here is your host, Roddy McDowell. Thank you, Johnny 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 are 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 drama, the leading lady, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Judith and Robert Ryan as Phil. I'll get it, Judith. Hello? Who? Oh, sure, sure, put him on. No, wait a minute. Judith, it's the police commissioner. How nice for us. It's probably about the tiara. Do you want to talk to him? It's probably about a dozen free tickets for the Saturday matinee. I do not want to talk to him. He's a great fan of yours, Judith. Doesn't do any harm to be nice. I am nice. I'm as nice as pie. I'm just not here. Well, I'll say you're rehearsing or something. OK, Jenny, put him on. Hello, commissioner. Good to hear from her. Well, yes, good to hear your voice. Yeah, we're back at the same old stand again. Sorry you missed opening night. Great, she's great. Yeah, I was just telling her. No, no, Judith isn't here right now. No, they're running lines just to brush up downstairs. Yeah, yeah, I consider myself the most honored producer on Broadway, having Judith Carter as a leading lady. Oh, yes, yes, about the tiara. Well, the insurance company is afraid it might be stolen. No, no, Judith just wears it on stage during the play. I see, I see. Well, maybe that is our best bet. No? Well, all right. Sure, sure, we'll be glad to talk to him. Thanks again, commissioner, bye. Well, Mr. Mitchell, you honored producer? They're sending us a private detective. Oh, this is very silly, Mitchell. I'm beginning not to like it. Oh, well, it's all we can do, Judith. They can't put a policeman on this kind of a job. It had set a precedent. You and your publicity, man. Why must it be a real tiara I wear in the play? People don't go to the theater to look at jewelry. It was just an idea. Bad idea, I admit it. But now the publicity's out on it. Well, then run an ad saying I won't be wearing a real tiara. It's very simple. No, it's not, Judith. A lot of people have bought tickets. To see the tiara, I suppose. To see you, of course not the tiara. But some smart lawyer could pick us up for misrepresentation. All right, who's the detective? What does he do, guard me? Only for a week or so, just to keep the insurance company quiet. Then I will run an ad saying we're not going to have the real tiara anymore. I'll explain it, and the thing will be settled. A watchdog? Just while you're wearing it on stage. It won't kill you, will it? With a derby and a big cigar. All right, shoot me. I made a mistake. Mitch, you can get yourself into the craziest situations, and me. Well, anyway, you'll get to meet yourself a real, live, private eye. He's on his way over now for approval. How much do you suppose that old thing is really worth? The tiara? Make $10,000. It's diamond. Well, I'm off to the hairdresser. What time is it? 4.30. Who's it tonight, the account executive? No, no more account executive. He went to the coast. Good. He was wrong for you. He was, Mitch. I'm beginning to think they all are. Judith, if you were my 32-year-old daughter, I'd send you to Memphis to get married. I'm 29. Besides, I've never played Memphis. That's what I mean. I'd like that explained. I'd really like a step-by-step explanation of that crime. Yes? OK, OK, send him in. Who is it? The private eye. Goodbye. Now, stay, stay for the last. You'll have to meet him anyhow. Mr. Mitchell? Yes, come in, come in. My name's Wheeler, Phil Wheeler. Well, sit down, sit down, Wheeler. Of course, you know, Miss Judith Carter. Yeah, yes, it's a pleasure. You're a very nice-looking watchdog, Mr. Wheeler. What? Oh, nothing, I'm being funny. Have you been a private detective very long? No, no, not long, a year or two. The commissioner tell you what this is all about? I didn't talk to him. Captain Ahern down at the fourth precinct said it was about an attempted jewel robbery. Oh, it isn't that big. No one's tried to steal anything. But Judith wears this diamond business on her head during the second and third acts of the play. Yeah, I read about that in the paper, the tiara. Real diamonds. Don't you think it's a clever idea, Mr. Wheeler? Imagine real diamonds right on my head. Doesn't it make you want to dash up to the box office? I don't know. Maybe it's. That's what I like, Mr. Wheeler, a man of conviction, a man who will make a decision and stick by it. Say, what's the rib for? I just came here to do a job. Yes, turn it off, will you, Judy? All right, Mr. Wheeler, I'll turn it off. What do private detectives charge? By the day, at $20 in expenses. That's ridiculous. We'll pay you $15. Now, Judith, I'm the one who's picking up the check. And you'll pay him $15. That's equitable. He only works three hours a night. Why make such a big thing of it? It's $15, Mr. Wheeler. Do you take it? Looks like I'll have to. The curtain's at $8.20 sharp. Be outside my dressing room by $8.15. All right. I guess that's all. See you this evening, Mr. Wheeler. Yeah, $8.15. So long, Mr. Mitchell. So long, Wheeler, and good luck. He's cute. Say, what's gotten into you? That guy probably needs every dollar he can lay his hands on. I wanted to see if he'd fight for it. Sometimes I don't know what goes on in your head. You're a wealthy woman. You walk down the street. People recognize you. Pay him the $20. Pay him $25. No, no, I'll pay it. What gets into you? What are you searching for? I don't know. Some sort of a man. Foy. He is cute. Cute, but spineless. Isn't that the way you like him? And he's worried about something, too. Did you notice that? Probably his bank balance. No, no, no. He's got something on his mind, some problem. Judith, you're getting that look on your face. Am I? Remember, I've got a run-of-the-play contract with you. Judith. Judith. Oh, you're not listening to me. Me, Ms. Carter. Wheeler. Come in. Come in. Well, right on time, Mr. Wheeler. Very good. Thanks. Oh, this is the object of all the excitement, the tiara. I thought it was supposed to stay in the box office safe until I picked it up. Yes. Yes, it was. Pretty, isn't it? It was pretty expensive. You shouldn't have taken it out of the safe, Ms. Carter. Oh, don't play private detective so hard, Phil. It is Phil, isn't it? Yeah, it's Phil. Really, Ms. Carter, that's an expensive piece of jewelry. If someone wanted to grab it. This? Nobody would have it. I guess you don't read the papers. In the last three months, right here in the New York area, there have been almost half a dozen jewel robberies. Impending disaster. Oh, I love it. Is it a gang? Do the police think it's all the work of one gang? Maybe very funny to you, Ms. Carter. A gang of international jewel thieves led by a tall, dark man with a black beard and a Malacca cane. OK, OK. But you're paying me $15 a day. $20. What? I mean $25. $25? But this afternoon, you said. Ah, that was this afternoon, Philip. You've been promoted. But I don't get what. You can use the extra money, can't you? Use it. I'll say I can use it, but. I thought so. Philip, what's worrying you? Well, nothing. Now, don't lie to me. Something's worrying you. What is it? Do you have a family to support? Well, in a way. You mean you're married? No, but I live with my mother. She's sick, isn't she? No. Carter, in two minutes, Ms. Carter. Yes. Well, what's wrong with her? My mother? Nothing. Well, then, what's bothering you? Maybe I can help. I'd like to help. There's nothing you can do, Ms. Carter, and nothing anyone can do. It's about money, though, isn't it? In a way, yeah. But I've got to work it out myself. Well, I'm on now. We'll talk about this after the show. But really, Ms. Carter? No, but it's about it, Philip. Oh, you're in trouble, I can tell. You don't understand, Mitch. I understand the whole thing perfectly. This handsome chamois with the blue eyes has got you on a merry-go-round. Are you wrong, Mitch? The tiara was supposed to go back a week ago. It's still around, and so is he. Phil is all mixed up inside. He needs help. That's why I want to keep him on. Steak sandwiches at Armond's every night after the show. Is that help? Well, I'm just trying to give him a breath of air, a look at our world. You've fallen for him, haven't you? No, absolutely. Positively, no. I like him. Mm-hmm. Baby, you're going to be sorry. Take my word for it. Oh, Mitch, can't you see? I see, I see, fine. That private eye of yours is a phonus balonus. He's a sweet confused guy. He's fishy, baby. He's fishy as an aquarium. Mitch, I've never had to tell you to mind your own business. Well, then don't start now. Something else about your Mr. Wheeler. He's buck hungry. Mitch, I've heard enough. He hasn't got a problem. He just loves that dollar. That's all, Mitch. OK, OK. I don't expect you to understand this, Mitch. I can even see why you think it's, well, maybe even foolish. But I want to help Phil find himself, if I can. I'm out of this, Judy. I've said my piece, and now I'm out of it. You can waltz this guy around any way you want. Don't worry, Mitch. I will. I, uh, I guess Mr. Metzelin, you had some kind of a scrap, Judith. Oh, we have them all the time. I just wanted to bring you up to date, Phil. You mustn't mind him. Or I guess you'd call him suspicious. Of me? Of you, of anyone, everyone. He fathers me. I'm, I'm his galateer. Is what? That's sure. That's a play, Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion. He got the idea from a man who made a statue, galateer, and then fell in love with it. Pygmalion made the statue. Much later Shaw wrote the play. You see? Yeah, I see. Well, I'm Mitch's galateer, except that he's not in love with me. I'm old enough to be his daughter. You mean he's old enough to be your father? That's right. You want to dance? No, I already have. It's a snare and a delusion. Tell me about your mother, Philip. Eat your sandwich and tell me about your mother. She's my mother, that's all. But you love her? Sure, I love her. Oh, mother love. My mother lives in Chicago with my father. Are you buck hungry, Philip? Am I what? Mitch says you love that dollar. Do you love that dollar? Like anything else, I guess the things you love most are the ones you don't have. Oh, Philip, that scans. You're a poet. The things you love most are the ones you don't have. You and Nick Kenny. What about your sandwich, aren't you hungry? Chicken salad, that's my sandwich. And no, no, I'm not. You know, I don't get this, Judith. I don't get it at all. What are we doing here? You're my private detective. They might steal the tiara. The tiara's back in the box office safe. Even so, they might steal it. I'm glad you realize it. Philip, two weeks ago, you walked into Mitch's office with a look on your face, a funny look on your face. What are you chasing? What are you after? Maybe that dollar you were talking about. You're fishy, Philip. You're very fishy, as an aquarium. Look, if you don't like- Mr. Philip Wheeler? Yes? Excuse me, sir, you wanted to borrow a gentleman. Oh, sure, sure. I'll be right back, Judith. Yes, of course. Which way is it? Right this way, sir. I won't be a moment. Oh, yes, you will. You'll be a couple, maybe three. That gentleman, sir, wearing the gray hat. Thanks. Here. Thank you, sir. Hello. Any action yet? Nothing definite. What about the girl? Well, that's really a great question. I could write a book about the girl. I mean, does she suspect anything? No, I don't think so. You had a good look at those diamonds? A good long look, just right. Play along another week or so. We don't want to fumble the ball. We won't. OK, I'll see you. OK, see you. Well, there she is, Mr. Wheeler. Locked up for the night again, good and tight. Yeah. Even if someone wanted to bust into the box office here, they'd never crack that safe. She's a beauty. Mm-hmm, yeah. Hey, can I give you a lift? You'll drown in that rain. No, no, thanks, Harry. I'll walk. I'm just over on 48. Well, if you don't mind getting soaked. Oh, night air will do me good. Good night, Harry. Night, Mr. Wheeler. Yeah? Let's step into the doorway here out of the rain. I'd like to talk to you. Sure. This is my pal. How do you do? Hi. We want to talk to you about those diamonds you're standing around all the time. Yeah? Can we talk to you? Depends on what you got to say. Well, we was thinking maybe we could talk money to you. All right. Yeah, we're all talking the same language thing. You don't know, I think. I don't know your names. We've been very busy in this town. We come in from Cleveland. Yeah, Cleveland, Ohio. What's your proposition? We got a fence that'll take that tiara if we can get it. Yeah, but we ain't no good at safe something like that, see? Who sent you here? How do I know this isn't a phony? You put the word out, didn't you? Your own guy sent us. What guy? Oh, you know, big guy over on 3rd Avenue. Where's the gray hat? Name or who? Name or nothing. We don't ask no names. How do I know you can handle a job like this? You have to do it during the show. All sorts of people, backstage. Well, look, look. You read the papers. Yeah. You read them last month about that high stove on east side. Big party going on downstairs all the time. Yeah. Papers said $18,000 bucks were taken. And I remember. Malaki. Didn't bring four. What do you think this will bring? Oh, the fence will go $3,500. Can't look as if I'm in on it. Don't worry. It won't. You're figuring to have a boat ways, huh? Do you blame me? No, I don't blame you. That car, the name's nice. OK, we've got a deal then, huh? We've got a deal. Come on up to my place and we'll work it out. Yeah. Come in, crown jewels. Hello, Willie. Good evening, Mr. Mitchell. Let me have that filled with you. I'm running a little behind schedule. Sure, here. How's the private detective business, Wheeler? Oh, getting along. How many other clients you got besides us? A couple. None of them this steady, though. I'll bet they aren't. Mitch. What's going on, Judith? Did I walk in on something? In a way, yes. We were talking about you, Phillip. She was talking about you. I was just listening. We were wondering, have you ever thought about going on the stage? You mean acting? Oh, don't look so shocked. You might be very good. You look good. You're tall. So is our dorm. Mitch. I've never been on a stage in my life, Judith. Thanks, but I don't think it had worked. Oh, man. Mitch, you promised to let me handle it, and I'm going to. I'll get it. Hello? I'm not here. Yeah? Oh, OK. Sure, I'll be right out. Who was it? Stage door, a couple of baskets of flowers for you. Flowers? From whom? I didn't say. I'll go out and have them brought in. Wasn't there a note? Didn't say. I'll be right back. Those are the flowers for Mr. Carter? Yeah, that's right. Now, we're supposed to deliver them personal. All right, follow me. You've got the money with you? Yeah, we got it. Well, come on. Come on, let's have it. Uh-uh. After we get the tiara. There won't be time, then. Oh, there'll be time. Don't worry. This dressing room? Yeah. Hold it a second. OK, no one's looking. Get your masks on. You ready? Yeah, go ahead. Open it up. And it's not even opening. All right, lady. Let's have that thing on your head. What is this? Clam up up. Come on, lady. Come on, come on. Philip, who are these men? They put a gun on me, Judith. What could I do? That's it, lady. Take it off and hand it to us. Somebody guards you are. You want me to get myself killed? No, Philip. Of course not. Here, take it. Wow. What's your blinds, Miss Carter? Now, everyone just stay put till we're out of here, and there won't be no trouble. Philip, don't try any heroics. It isn't worth it. Don't worry, Judy. He won't. I don't see you sticking your neck out, Mitchell. I'm not paid. OK, OK. Simit down all of you. Five minutes, Miss Carter. Five minutes. Say OK. Yes, all right. Now, keep this straight. I'm only going to say it once. It'll take us about a minute to get clear of this place. It can go real smooth if you want it to. But if you don't, someone might get hurt. Not you, but someone out there you'll like. Everything clear? OK, come on, Turk. They got it. Wait a minute. Forget it, Shamus. You're out of luck. Phil, what are they talking about? Why, you dirty double-crossing. Easy, Mr. Easy. You should have collected first. This is beginning to add up. Phil, you knew about this? You were in it with them? All right, what of it? But you didn't have to do that. I would have helped you. Miss Carter, can I see you for a moment? Who's that? Well, it's, uh, uh. It's the callboy, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, the callboy. You, uh, you better let him in. No, no, no, Turk. Stay put. I ain't the same guy knocked before. I tell you, it's the callboy. Shut up. Miss Carter, she'll be right out. I think someone's tipped off. I don't know. Come on, lady, you're going with us. Me? You, get over here. Don't do it, Judy. Look, we're getting out of here, Pop. She goes along to make sure we do. Use your head. You can't both hide behind it. I don't figure too pretty, boy. You're coming too. Get over here. Look, give me a break. Over heaven's sake, Phil. At least throw a little backbone. Ah, Shamish, you're letting the lady down pretty hard. Maybe not. Hey, what are you doing? Let go of my hand. Get down, Judy. Turn, take her out. You're a little rusty, Henry. Yeah, we're OK, Lieutenant. Lieutenant? What, Lieutenant? What's going on here? Lieutenant Wade Mann, police department. All right, boys. Take him down and book him. What's the story here, Wheeler? Are you a cop? I mean, a real cop? That's right, Mr. Mitchell. But the commissioner said he couldn't give me a real cop. We had to do it this way, Mr. Mitchell, to get Turk and his pal out in the open. So you had Wheeler pose as a private eye. Yes. Worked out pretty good. We've been trying to pin something solid on these two ever since they had turned. Well, how do you like them? I'm very sorry we had to cut it so close, Miss Carter. It'll be all right, Lieutenant. Yeah. Well, I got to get down to the station and book these birds. Coming along, Phil? In a little while, I'll see you down there. Goodbye, Miss Carter. Goodbye. I'll see you out, Lieutenant. I take it all back, Wheeler. Don't mention it. Well, Judy, I, uh... Don't talk to me. Get out. Get out. I've never been so humiliated in my whole life of all the deceitful, underhanded... What's going on here? And I thought you needed help. I thought you were weak and confused. I had to put on some kind of an act. Some kind of an act? You were laughing at me all the time, laughing your head off. That's crazy. I was doing a job. Shoot, but spineless. That's what I thought you were. And all the time you were nothing but a big, flat-footed cop. Where do you get that nothing but stuff? Get out. Get out of my sight. Kurt, in two minutes, Miss Carter, you want us to hold it? No, I'll be there. I thought I told you to go away. I'm not going anywhere. Do I tell you something, lady? I won't listen. Oh, yes, you will. I just now figured you out. I was even going to make an actor out of you. Isn't that rich? You're not sore because I did this behind your back. That's exactly why I am so. I can't stand to sneak. You can't stand anything else. I'll prove it to you. You're insane. Get out. As long as I measured down to your estimate of a man, I was in good. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. Now will you please get out? I'll be late for my entrance. Oh, no, you won't. That's one thing you'll never miss. That's part of what's wrong with you. I'm not listening. You don't mind being deceived. For all you knew up to a few minutes ago, I deceived you about that robbery. You thought I was in on it. You were even willing to forgive me, just as long as I didn't do anything out of character. As long as I was weak, and sick, and spineless, you could stand it. Rock. That's rock. That's when I turned out to be a cop, instead of a quivering neurotic. That's when you got mad. I thought I was helping you. I thought you needed me. Is that wrong? I just wanted to help. What's wrong with helping somebody? Stop clobbering. Oh. You do everything on cue. All the world's a soap opera. You're a vicious brute. I notice you've stopped crying. Now I'm a vicious brute. All men are either helpless weaklings or vicious brutes. Only women can be both good and strong. Oh, shut up. You've been playing Sean Ibsen too long. What do you know about Sean Ibsen? Plenty. We'll talk about it some night. You know something else? I'm in love with you. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on Earth. Look around you. Maybe I am. I could scratch your eyes out. Could you, Judy? Oh, Phil. Oh, Phil. Judy, don't. Don't cry. You saved my life tonight. Yeah, I figured I might be able to use it sometime. You are a vicious brute. Pete's being a helpless weakling. You know, maybe it's the other way around. I think I know what you mean. Oh, Phil. You said you thought you knew what I meant. About things being the other way around? Yeah. But it only works in pairs, honey. If I could be the helpless brute, would you? Oh, yes, Phil. I'd love to be the vicious weakling. On behalf of Family Theater, our thanks to Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, and the entire cast. This is Roddy McDowell again. Now, it is true that Family Theater's only purpose is to urge us all to pray. Although as a rule, the play presented each week steers clear of any kind of preachment with the reminder of prayer confined to what might be called the commercial. Now, that's what I'm here for. However, in the comedy we've just heard, I think Judah's attitude came close, very close, to precipitating an emotional tragedy by reason of a very common form of pride. She'd have forgiven Philip for being a weakling, even a thief, which is all well and good, for giving us being a fine thing, too. But her egotism nearly got the better of her when he turned out to be a decent man. She had painted a mental picture of herself, the great forgiver, the strong-willed woman. And she couldn't face the truth, pride. By contrast, the basis of prayer is humility, which has been defined not as false self abasement, but simply as facing the truth, the truth in action, which Judith was unwilling to do. Again, she wanted to be the dominant partner, unwilling to marry a man not abjectly dependent upon her, although that could hardly form the foundation of a balanced family life. Families, and I speak as a member of a close one, seem to thrive best on mutual cooperation, everyone close to each other, trying to understand the other, his nature and his needs, and working together in order to help each other. And in all humility, depending on our Heavenly Father. That is why, each week, not so much in the play itself, as in this part of the program, family theater repeats week in and week out. And untiringly, it's true and tremendous slogan that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood, family theater has brought you the leading lady, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan. Roddy McDowell was your host. Others in our cast were Ted DeCorsia, Ken Christie, Jack Krushen, Charles Smith, Pat McGeehan, and Michael Hayes. The script was written by John T. Kelly, with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman, and was directed for family theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home, and inviting you to join us next week when family theater will present Curtin Call for Genesius, starring Tyrone Power, Billy Burke, and Betty Lin. Join us, won't you? The broadcast throughout the world originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.