 RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television, proudly presents Screen Directors Playhouse star Jane Wyman, production A Kiss in the Dark, director Delmer Dave's The Hollywood Screen Directors presents some laughter on a love song The motion picture comedy A Kiss in the Dark starring Jane Wyman in her original role of Polly Haynes Although few of you are familiar with Miss Polly Haynes I assume that most of you are familiar with her legs On magazine covers and billboards, you've seen them encased in nylon Miss Polly Haynes is a model Miss Polly Haynes is, to put it bluntly, quite a dish The orchestra will now play a brief passage while the gentlemen of the audience record the fact that she lives at the Cleopatra Arms apartment house The Cleopatra Arms Mr. Willoughby, you can't mean it It's happened, Polly After all these years, the old girl and I have parted Oh, you poor darling Here, sit down on the couch She belongs to somebody else now, Polly I wonder if they'll treat her as well as you did I hope they'll keep her warm in the winter And paint her balconies every three years And keep her plumbing in good shape Golly, Mr. Willoughby, I just can't believe that you've sold the apartment house I tried to make the Cleopatra Arms a real home for the 53 tenants, Polly But I went broke doing it But you're going to stay on as manager, aren't you? If the new owner will permit it Mr. Willoughby, you didn't sell it to a... A businessman Oh, no, Polly I couldn't do a thing like that I sold it to an artist A man with a soul A man with a heart to understand her drainage problems Well, who is he? Eric Phillips, the concert pianist Of course I didn't meet him I closed the deal with Mr. Danilo, his business manager Mr. Willoughby, come on You and I are going to pay a call on Mr. Eric Phillips Mr. Danilo, are you or are you not my business manager? No, no, please, Eric, don't upset yourself Upset myself? Every time I sit down at the piano You come slamming into my apartment, shoveling papers in my face Is it your investments? You manage my investments, I want to practice If you'll only sign these papers Practice? Why won't people let me practice? Practice, Mac, to sign the papers Mr. Danilo, I've come to a decision I have to work harder, improve myself I want you to cancel the summer concert to... Cancel? What about my 10% commission? Cancel that, too Very well I hope you have time to sign these papers What are they? Your latest investment I bought you an apartment house, the Cleopatra Arms Alright, alright, I'll sign Thank you And good afternoon Backstabber Peace Mr. Phillips Mr. Phillips Mr. Phillips I'm Mr. Willoughby, and this is Polly Haynes Well, how interesting Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm very busy Oh, Mr. Willoughby has a question to ask Very well, Mr. Willoughby Uh, it's just that Now that you've got her What are you going to do with her? Who? Cleopatra Much too old Oh, but Mr. Phillips, she's yours now I knew I shouldn't have entered that soap contest Oh, there's so many things you ought to know about her You'll find it difficult to keep her warm on winter nights Please, don't be vulgar I'm afraid she needs a new foundation Ms. Haynes, I refuse to be intimidated by a girdle A girdle? Mr. Phillips, we're talking about your apartment house, the Cleopatra Arms Oh, oh, yes And I'm one of the tenants Mr. Willoughby is the manager and former owner Yes, well, you can take everything up with Mr. Danilo, my business manager Aren't you interested in the Cleopatra Arms? I'm a pianist, I must practice I don't want to be concerned with the Cleopatra Arms But that's absentee ownership And that's life Good day, Mr. Willoughby Ms. Haynes Dear me, he isn't interested Mr. Willoughby, in a situation like this A woman always has a last resort Thank goodness I'm a model Oh, Mr. Phillips Please, Ms. Haynes Sometimes I envy Beethoven Why? He was deaf Oh, oh, Mr. Phillips The apartment house needs you The apartment house will have to get along without me Oh, dear, I just got a run in my stocking The apartment house will... The apartment... Well, don't be embarrassed, Mr. Phillips If you want to look at my legs, go right ahead Yes, I... Oh, thank you They're kind of my stock and trade, you might say Ms. Haynes is a model Wearing stockings is what I do best, Mr. Phillips Yes, well, I can't tell you how much I admire your career Mr. Phillips, what were you saying about the apartment house? Apartment house? Of course, yes Well, I was just thinking that it would be nice if all five of us ran over and took a look at it Five of us? Yes You and me, Ms. Haynes and her two... Don't say it, Mr. Phillips I'll bring them Mr. Phillips, there before you stands a clear patch of arms What? Oh, the apartment house, yes Well, it's substantial Why don't you inspect the premises? I've been doing that ever since you walked into my apartment If Polly means why don't you inspect the building, Mr. Phillips? Oh, well, if that's what you want But I really should be practicing Polly, I don't think I made a very good impression on her Well, I did And if I can get Mr. Phillips interested in me I can get him interested in the Cleopatra arms But what about Bruce Arnold? Oh, well, he does get awfully physical when he's jealous, doesn't he? Well, well, we'll get him on our side Bruce sells insurance And Mr. Phillips ought to have something he can insure He's a pianist His hands are very precious His hands? I'll tell Bruce that I'm trying to get Mr. Phillips to insure his hands with Bruce's company Excellent Miss Haynes My name is Polly Polly, the building is very nice But now I must get back to the piano Oh, dear, I just got another run in my other stocking I... Yes, well, I... I really should get back to my work Yes, Mr. Phillips Well, aren't you going to show me the lobby? Right this way, Mr. Phillips I want you to particularly notice the potted palms The tenants are very proud of them Well, I'm happy for the tenants You'll find it a pleasant place We're all friends here All just one happy family Except... Hey, you! Except for him Yes, Mr. Bot What's the idea of world noise? Hey, Mr. Bot We know you have to work at night and sleep during the day Nothing but noise Noise and clear the cladding The man can't sleep Who owns the cat that keeps stomping up and down outside my door? Now, see here, Mr. Bot Quiet! Who's this swimmer? That's the new landlord Yeah? Well, keep it quiet Bot, if I didn't have to protect my hands, I'd teach you some manners Well, there ain't nothing wrong with my hands One big happy family That bot He hit you right on your potted palms Oh, Eric, just look at your eye You ought to put some steak on it, Polly Well, I don't have any steak Would some chicken salad do? Please, just let me up Now you just lie here and rest your head in my lap Polly Hello, Bruce Oh, Mr. Owl Polly, what's the meaning of this? Who is this man? What? Practice Why won't people let me practice? You aren't practicing anything with your head in Polly's lap Now, you see here, young man Stand up Bruce, don't, don't You don't understand His hand Here, sport Go There goes my other eye There goes the rest of the potted palms There goes the rest of my chicken salad Have you got a pencil, Polly? Oh, yes, there in my purse, Mr. Willoughby Oh, Eric, you look awful Practice Why won't people let me practice? Mr. Willoughby, what are you writing? An order for another set of potted palms The tenants have become quite attached to them, Mr. Phillips And as managers Who's going to pay for them? You are, you are the owner That's fine, fine I get hit in the right eye, hit in the left eye Battered, bruised and insulted And I end up paying for potted palms Oh, poor Eric Does it hurt much? No, nothing hurts me anymore I'm numb And Mr. Willoughby, do you know what you are? What, Mr. Phillips? Fired Eric Potted palms Why won't people let me practice? Polly, don't you think you owe me an explanation? Bruce, you melonhead, he's the new landlord And he's a famous pianist I was only trying to get him to take out an insurance policy On his hands from you Oh, gosh, Polly, I'm sorry Oh, and poor Mr. Willoughby here Out of a job That's all right, Polly It's the clear pattern of arms I'm worried about Well, don't you worry, Mr. Willoughby When I get through with Mr. Eric Phillips He'll wish he was back in the potted palms Fired You are listening to the screen director's Playhouse production Of A Kiss in the Dark, starring Jane Wyman And presented by RCA Victor Baseball is sure in the air these days And we mean actually in the air Flying through space on those television channels And when you can't be there in person There's RCA Victor Eyewitness Television Take, for example, the big handsome T-164 The very biggest direct-view table model In Eyewitness Television Big 16-inch pictures that are brilliantly clear And wonderfully steady And these big pictures are framed in a beautifully Finished wood cabinet of striking design Which can stand either on a table Or on a matching consulate base There is an antenna built into this RCA Victor T-164 The sound comes to you through the famous RCA Victor Golden Throat Tone System Yet all this television is yours For only $299.95 Suggested less price Slightly higher in some locations Plus a small federal tax The consulate base at extra cost See it at your RCA Victor dealers See why the RCA Victor T-164 Is just about perfect for your home And now back to screen director's Playhouse production of A Kiss in the Dark Starring Jane Wyman in her original role Polly Haynes with Olan Soleil as Eric Phillips The shadow of absentee ownership Has fallen over the Cleopatra Arms Apartment House And Mr. Willoughby, gentle Mr. Willoughby Was fired yesterday But what is this? Can this be Polly Haynes? She has the lovely legs Striding down the corridor Leading to Eric Phillips' door Her face set in grim determination It can be and is Polly Haynes Oh, it's you You heal You rat Oh, I wish I could think of a nasty word Pianist? Yes Thank you I suppose you've come in connection with Mr. Willoughby I have He's heartbroken over what you've done to him Well, after all, he did sell the Cleopatra Arms Do you know why? Because he went broke taking care of people in it Oh That's right Oh Eric Phillips, you're so occupied with yourself That you don't even know what world you're in Or what kind of people are in it with you Eric, is this you? Yes Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm leaving But where are you going? I'm going out to make more trouble for myself I'm beginning to like it I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm beginning to like it Yes, I'm beginning to like her, too Can I make you a cup of coffee or something before you go? No, thank you, Polly That jerk genius I told him a thing or two Come in, dear Phillips How dare you? I just came to apologize, Polly To you, Mr. Willoughby I want you to stay on and run the Cleopatra Arms for life Thank you, Mr. Phillips I'll tell everyone the news immediately Oh, Eric You don't know what you've done for him You don't know what I've done for myself I feel wonderful Boss again He's in the next department What? I'd like to... Oh, you can't Your hands That's the answer to the whole problem Wow Well, you're worried about not being able to practice All right, practice here Here Mr. Willoughby has a piano We'll move it right next to that wall Six inches away from Boss's bed The noise will drive Boss out of his mind And out of the Cleopatra Arms Noise? I mean, you're music, Eric Right I'll do it Tomorrow... Yes, tomorrow we declare war Watch us synchronized Watch us synchronized I make a ten a.m. Check The target is taking to his bed Do you think Boss would appreciate a few Strauss waltzes? Are they loud? Very loud I think he'd love it Fire away He stopped pounding It took all day, but exhaustion has finally set in Time for a change of pace Let's try something different That's beautiful, Eric Just the kiss in the dark It's very convenient Two people meet, kiss, and bingo Only, it doesn't happen that way How does it happen, Polly? Propinquity I beg your pardon? Propinquity It means nearness I've got a theory about it What's your theory? Well, propinquity is really the thing that starts romance You know, when two people are together for a long period of time Like us sitting here playing the piano for hours? Something like that That's how people fall in love? Well, it helps, I guess Propinquity Propinquity It's just a theory Oh, it couldn't possibly work on us, could it? Not possibly Unless we wanted it to Of course, if we wanted it to I'd probably kiss you like this I'd probably kiss you back like this It works, propinquity Does it work? Polly Yes, Eric What about that fellow who hit me in the eye? Bruce, I wonder what happened to Botz Sleeping, probably Don't squeeze the back of my neck so hard Oh, Eric Yes, darling I've got some terrible news for you What? I'm not even touching the back of your neck Genius Oh, I forgot to lock the door Play the piano, will you? Botz, I'm going to... Eric, your hands Your hands I'm gonna beat you soon Darling, come to the bedroom I'm not the jealous type What with one guy in the bedroom And another one practicing the piano out here Especially Mr. Phillips Because he's got lipstick on his face You just think she is Polly was putting in time with you to set a sale For an insurance policy What? Sure, a policy on your hands And I can prove it I've got the policy right here I worked it out with your business manager And all it needs is your signature I see Well, I seem to have made a mistake Oh, Eric I love you, Eric The first thing you said was Eric You said you loved me Well, of course I love you That's all I want to know Well, you double-crosser Stand up and fight like a man Isn't this before a pleasure? You want me to sign that insurance policy? Fight like a man be... Sure, I want you to sign it Where's the payment? Right here And here's the policy All right, I'll sign it Now then, let me get this straight My hands are insured against anything That's right Fine Here Bots has expressed an intention to vacate his apartment Eric, we've won All the way around Eric It is Danilo it most certainly is Eric, I had to call you I can't sleep nights You aren't serious about cancelling the summer tour Oh, darn There goes another run in my stock The summer tour Mr. Danilo I just had a wonderful idea Cancel the winter tour, too I'm going to be very busy You, young lady You know what I'm going to be busy with? Propinquity Sweet propinquity This is Jimmy Wallington speaking You have just heard the last act of a kiss in the dark And our star, Jane Wyman With our guest screen director, Delmer Dave's Will be with us in just a moment Next Friday, another great star Brings the excitement of a memorable performance To the screen director's playhouse Our story is Rope of Sand And recreating his original role will be Bert Lancaster With screen director, William Dieterley Now, here to get us tonight's star, Jane Wyman You know that character, Mr. Bots Made things very difficult for me For you, Jimmy? How was that? Well, he made fun of music, that's what And he socked that nice guy, the musician Oh, why, Jimmy, you act as though he'd hit you Well, he did hit me in a sense, Jane You see, I was planning to make a beautiful comparison Between the beautiful live music in the play And the beautiful recorded music you hear When you own an RCA Victor 45 RPM Automatic record changer and records I was going to point out that recorded music Actually sounds alive on the 45 That's what I was going to say if Bots hadn't spoiled my mood But you have said it, Jimmy Well, I have said it, haven't I? And what's more, I agree with you completely About that live quality, it's marvelous Well, now we're clicking Which model 45 do you own, Jane? The plug-in model for $12.95 Or the $29.95 complete photograph The Victorola 45 The Victorola 45 And I love its looks, Jimmy It's so small and cute and streamlined And I love those tiny 4-5 platters That change automatically Platters? Well, maybe saucers would describe their size More accurately Oh, yes, the records are only 7 inches across That handy record size, Jane, is one reason Why the 45 in just one year on the market Has become the fastest selling record system in history Those RCA Victor 45s are fairly Flying out of the factory Say, maybe those flying saucers Are 45 records Don't be surprised, Jane! And speaking of surprises, you know RCA Victor has come up with a honey To celebrate the first birthday of the 45 They brought out a special first Anniversary album of 10 records By America's favorite artists and bands And they're offering it, along with the Victorola 45 For the usual price of the Victorola 45 alone Only $29.95 Friends, don't miss this wonderful value It's at your RCA Victor dealers For a limited time only A matchless Victorola 45 Plus a delightful 10 record First anniversary album With selections by top artists such as Perry Como, Vaughn Monroe, Tommy Dorsey And The Boston Pops All for only $29.95 Ladies and gentlemen, I confess I wondered a little when I learned That a kiss in the dark was to be directed By the creator of such films as Destination Tokyo, Pride of the Marines And Task Force After all, a girl is entitled to wonder When she's directed by a man who specializes In making submarines and aircraft carriers Look good But believe me, he's a man to wonder at A wonderful director, Delmer Davis Thank you, Jane But if all battleships Looks as wonderful as you do on the screen A lot more men would be running off to join the Navy Sarah, you flatter me Now enough of your winning ways And for goodness sakes, tell us how You turn from high adventure films To a picture like a kiss in the dark Oh, that's easy, Jane, propinquity Propinquity? It means nearness I know, Del, I heard the show Well, that's the thing That starts the motion picture, you know When a director gets alone with a script And he knows that Jane Wyman is going to be the star Oh, but there's no adventure Just propinquity and a barrel of fun Mr. Davis, it takes much more Than just propinquity to make a motion picture It takes a director to show us how And why So here's my thanks, Del, to you And to all the directors Thank you, Jane, and good night Good night, Del, good night, everyone And good night to you, Jane Wyman and Delmer Davis Remember next Friday, Burt Lancaster In Ropes of Sand With screen director William Dieterley Brought to you by RCA Victor World leader in radio, first in recorded music First in television A kiss in the dark was presented Through the courtesy of Warner Brothers Caged, starring Eleanor Parker Jane Wyman can currently be seen In the Warner Brothers production stage fright Delmer Davis' latest picture Is the 20th century Fox production Broken Arrow, starring Jimmy Stewart You're invited to listen again next Friday When RCA Victor presents Screen director's play house Star, Burt Lancaster Production, Rope of Sand Director, William Dieterley Stay tuned for Jimmy, the great Rupert Karate On NBC