 suspense. The highest honor that a California sherry can win has just been bestowed upon C-R-E-S-T-A, B-L-A-N-C-A, Cresta Blanca, Cresta Blanca. Yes, at the recent California State Fair in the keenest judging of California wines ever held, Cresta Blanca triple cream sherry was the judge's choice to receive the gold medal, top award for outstanding excellence. This is another tribute to Cresta Blanca triple cream by America's leading connoisseurs of fine wines. Proof indeed that when you poor distinguished Cresta Blanca, you serve the best. Shanley's Cresta Blanca wine company, Livermore, California. And now Shanley brings you radio's outstanding theater of thrill. Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines for your everyday enjoyment. Tonight Roma Wines of Fresno, California bring you Michael O'Shea in the twist. A suspense play produced, edited and directed for Shanley by William Spear. Listen Gus, you've got to do the show. I can't do it. You've written for all the big comedians. You'd turn out a hit. I don't have the time. Oh, but, look, I don't have the time. Anyways, I couldn't do it. Ridiculous. A guy with your reputation. Yeah, a guy with my reputation. Yeah. What do you know? Listen, twelve years ago I was under cabs. Gus Staff Green, the hack lice in red, cripes how I hated the cabs. Worked like a slob, 12 or 14 hours a day for a lousy 27 bucks a week. Now do you blame me that I took the daydreamin'? Like, like maybe it was my limousine and I was driving because my chauffeur had a day off? I used to sit at the wheel figuring out the down to situations. Like I'd pick up some rich old daemon. She'd leave me a million bucks or, or I'd save a guy. All, all kinds of situations. But all I got was 27 per a week. Until the night I met Ben. Take me home, driver. Home? Your home or my home, wise guy? Well, you got talent, you're driving a cab. Where can I get a job driving a cab? You want the radio on? Now definitely no. Oh, now don't let's be bitter, shall we? You know, radio was quite immediate. Just think, some guy says a few words into a microphone and you can hear it as far west as Georgia. Mr. Green? Well, Mr. Green, meet Van Hauser, the best gag man in the radio business. Currently freelancing, unemployed, on the beach. Well, if you're so good, why aren't you in there writing to meachs, wise guy? Why? Because words I know, rib tickling words, gags, yeah, jokes to make a corpse laugh. But plots. Situations, situations. Yeah, that's another story. I could, I could coin a million if I could figure them out. Well, well, look, situations. Now let me tell you, I am a veritable shaharazadi on situations. I got a million. Now look, for instance, the guy who says that if I were a funny guy. I don't know, something clicked between me and Van Hauser. From the beginning, I always hated his guts, the way he talked to me like I was dead. But up in his room, I started feeding him stories, stuff I dreamed up on the cab. He put in, put it into good words and it came out very funny too. Well, inside a couple of years, I was getting 1500 bucks a week, but I was tied to that guy. I couldn't work with nobody else. I'd sit down with another gag writer and nothing would happen. Yeah, I knew it was Van or 40 bucks a week in some broken down job. So, so I hung on to him like a barnacle. I worked with him, ate with him, played with him. My place was just down the hall from his at the hotel. Sometimes I thought I'd go nuts if I had a look at his sneer and ugly puss another day. And the only satisfaction I had was that he needed me and hated me just like I needed and hated him. But one day while we were writing a spot for Schmo for a day, he chose me a very unfunny line. Gus, my good boy, you may be interested to know that I'm going to marry Julie Phelps. Julie Phelps, a dancer? That's right. She used to be the club Catalina. She, uh, making trouble for you? Cut it. All right, all right. I didn't say nothing against her. All right, you better not. Okay. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. Thanks. So, Gus, my cornball colleague, we, uh, we may not be seeing so much of each other hence. Oh, now look, you don't mean that, but hey, now wait a minute. What's going to be with our partnership here? We'll see. I'll, uh, I'll talk it over with Julie. No, no, Van. Now, look, I mean it. We've always done what we wanted to. Loafed all day, worked all night, hadn't slept at any crazy hour. Now, no dame is going to stand for that. Uh, Julie is different. No dame is different. Yeah, she knows how we operate. And, uh, she knows you, Gus. Yeah, and she's not exactly crazy about me, neither. Uh-huh. I was just coming to that. Now, uh, if you want to stay in with me, be nice to her, huh? It won't do no good. Listen, Van, she'll make trouble between us. See, she'll work on that as soon as the knot is tied. I said... Now, listen to me. I'm your pal, Van. A dame like that is bad. Busy. You know what? The club catelita... Well, Gus, she wasn't exact... Gus, Julie is one in a million. A jokeman like you comes a dime a dozen. Okay, okay. If that's the way you feel. The way I feel. Pardon me for having any feet, hey. Well, just be nice to her. No cracks. Okay, so I'll be nice. Now, look, about Sunday show... I said be nice to her. If you're not, Gus, we're finished. Yeah, I said I'd be nice, but I knew it wouldn't do no good. Julie was a small town girl who sowed on Broadway after she had a bust up with Nick Edwards, the mug who runs the club catelita, and she wanted out, and she was going to take Van with her, too, so it came to me that I'd better figure out a situation in Pronto. She didn't like me because she was a scare to me. I knew about her and Nick Edwards, and Van didn't, so I says to myself, I suggest Gus, maybe the dame will scare away, hey. Where's it, Van? Oh, Gus Green, what a surprise. Hello there, Julie. Yeah, this is for you. Flowers? Yeah, yeah, Van told me about you, Tussi, and I figured... They're lovely. Come on in, Gus. Thanks. I miss flowers so much in the city. Back home, the garden's always full of them. Yeah, yeah. Say, this is a nice place you got here. Thanks. Yeah, very swanky. Wasn't that chair once in the lobby of the club catelita? Well, I bought it when they redecorated the place. Oh, sure, sure you did, honey, but it just reminded me. About what? I just happen to see your friend Nick Edwards today. I haven't seen Nick in months. Oh, sure you haven't, honey, but he's still carrying the torchola for you. I'm not interested. No, I didn't say you were, but you might be interested in the fact that Nick said, if Van Houser marries Julie, so help me, I'll kill him. Did he say that? Now, would I lie, honey? Well, that settles it. I've had enough of show business. Van and me are going back home. Oh, no, no, you can't do that to Van, Julie. This is his life. What's he going to do in a small town? I don't care. I'm sick of it. Sick of all the cheap characters, the bums, and the hangers on. If I want him to, Van will come with me. Oh, look, maybe he would. Well, I'm sure he would, but Julie, what I really wanted to say was, why don't you give me a few days? I'll go talk to Nick, and who knows? Maybe I can fix the whole thing up. Would you guess? I'd like to stay for Van's sake. I'd like to see him get a good job with regular hours, maybe an advertiser. Sure, sure. Nick will listen to me. Well, at least I can try, huh? Thanks, Gus. You're nice. I didn't know. And then I got another idea. What's that? Maybe the three of us could all work together. Oh, I can't write. I can tie. Well, we need a secretary. We could dictate our stuff to you. Well, I don't know shorthand. Ah, you don't have to. After all, what is a comedy script? Along the left-hand side of the page, you put the name of the character, and then you write out what he's supposed to say. Simple? Sounds simple. You could spend more time with Van. How would you like to try? I'd love to. Gus, it would be wonderful. Sure, it'd be wonderful. For me. When she said she'd work with us, Julie was playing a part in a situation that I dreamed up. And let me tell you, it was a good one. Because it ended with me still making a grand and a half per week in Julie Phelps. Well, Julie Phelps was just not there. Music chaser and a commercial. Credits and sign-off. Got that, darling? Every word, Mr. Halsey. Well, Van, how do you like our new secretary? Oh, she's good, Gus. How come you had such a swell idea, huh? Gus, if this works out, I'll be the happiest person alive. Oh, no, you won't, Julie. I will. Now, come on. I'd like to try dictating. Mm-hmm. Ready? Okay. Take a clean sheet of paper. Here's a gag sequence for the Fred Benton show. Look who's writing gags. Don't laugh. Genius. Now, look, Fred's talking to Mrs. Mishmash, and she starts reading the wrong page of the script, you see? Yeah. Okay, let's go. Mrs. Mishmash. Please don't laugh at me. I think we've made a mistake. Mistake, uh-huh. Now, Fred Benton, I know I have. Mrs. M, let's start all over from the beginning. All over from the beginning. Fred, if you love me, you will. That's funny. No, no, that's charming. No, this is Mrs. Mishmash. Am I going too fast? No, no, that's good. Okay, this is Mrs. Mishmash again. I would do anything for you. Anything for you. Fred, he says, he says, I would like to see you. Oh, I'm bored. Mrs. M again. Let's talk this over. How about tonight? How about tonight? Yeah. Fred, when? At midnight. Mrs. M, come, come. I'm waiting for you right now. You're right now. Did you get it all? Mm-hmm. Type it right now. Oh, wait, wait, wait. What's the matter? Don't bother, Julie. We couldn't use that corn even on the Benton show. All right, wise guy. Give it to me, Julie. I'll file it under sustainers. Look, if you're going to fight, I'm not going to work for either of them. Van, be a dear and get me a pack of cigarettes downstairs, will you? All right, huh. But, Gus, don't try to write any more of those charming gags. Get lost. Gus? Yeah? Did you get anywhere with Nick? Well, yeah, Julie. He's soft enough, but he wants to see you. Gus, I don't want that man near me. Oh, look, you don't see him. You better start wearing black for Van. You know Nick Edwards. I know Nick wouldn't stop it killing, but I- Now listen, Julie, I haven't got time to argue with you. Now, Van will come back. But why don't you come to my place tomorrow night at 11? I'll run into Van for sure. Well, then come before eight and wait for me. We'll have rehearsal till then. What about Van? Tell him you're going to sleep earlier, son. What if he calls anyway? I'll cover you. I'll probably be with him anyhow. He must never know about Nick. I get it, I get it. Now listen, Julie, you just leave everything to me and in a couple of days, you won't have to worry about Nick Edwards again. Yeah, just leave everything to me and you won't have to worry about anything anymore, Julie Phelps. Not even your own funeral. Come eight o'clock the next evening, I paid a little visit to my apartment. Long enough to see that Julie was comfortable and also to get the keys to her place out from her handbag. I drove over there and went upstairs to do some interior decorating. My kind. Gonna take Van away for Broadway, are ya? Gonna send me back to 40 bucks a week and a pig's ear you are, Julie Phelps. Get that? And a pig's ear. Now, just one more touch to complete the situation. A little business outside the club, Catalina. Hey kid, hey kid, come here. Hey listen now, here's a dime, kid. Take this note and this here envelope and give it to Nick Edwards. And if anyone asked ya, say a game, a dame gave it to ya. You got that? A beautiful dame. You got it from a beautiful dame, right? Look, Gus, Gus, no more work. Let's knock on. What's the matter, Van? You tired? No, no, no. Well, what's eating ya? Well, you wouldn't understand. All right, so don't tell me I don't care any. All right, it's Julie. Said she had to go to bed early the night. So what, it ain't legal? I called a half dozen times, no answer. Uh-huh, afraid she's too timey, huh? I didn't say that. Yeah, but I know how you feel. Yeah, well, mind your own business. Look, my friend, I'll do ya a good turn. Leave me dialed the number for ya. The number's on the pad. I'll see what your fat fingers can do. You could talk to her while I go down to my room to get my hat and coat. I'll take ya for a drive before we hit the sack. Sometimes you're even human. Okay, here, take it. It's ringing now. I'll be right back. I'll see ya. Hello? Julie, darling? Van? Honey, I'm sure glad to hear your voice. Where you been? Why? What, I've been trying to get you all evening. No answer, then. Then, best try. Van, dear, I told you. I was going home to get some sleep. When I phoned, you must have... Maybe, maybe it didn't wake me. Well, now, baby, that's hardly likely with a phone right near your bed. Sometimes I sleep. Julie, I can... Julie, is there someone there with you? Of course not, Van. I'm alone. I'm by myself. I'm... Julie? Van! Julie! Van! A very neat situation. You granted Wharton? Sure. Julie being killed in her apartment two miles away. Van hearing it over the phone and me in the next room to him at the hotel. You like it, Han Wharton? Yeah, I like it, so and I did it. That was a very sensational situation. More suspense? Roma Wines are bringing you Mr. Michael O'Shea in the twist. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre Thrill's Suspense. Suspense. Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill's is presented by Roma. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. Selected from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines. Have you discovered how much Roma California wines add to your everyday enjoyment? For example, millions of American homemakers serve delicious Roma wines to dress up everyday dishes. To make even the simplest meals really delightful events. Yes, good food does taste better with better tasting Roma wines. And there's a delicious Roma wine to compliment your enjoyment of every dish. Juicy steaks and roasts taste their best with robust Roma burgundy. Fish, fowl, or any light meat become exciting treats with delicate Roma sautern or pale golden Roma rind wine. For entertaining too, you'll find better tasting Roma wine adds the gracious festive note that charms guests and makes any dinner a rousing success. So for extra mealtime enjoyment, that's inexpensive. Always serve Roma. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. America's favorite wines. And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Michael O'Shea as Gus Green with Sidney Miller as Van Hauser in the twist. A play well calculated to keep you in suspense. Van was still screaming into the phone when I came down the hall from my place a minute later with hat and coat draped over my very shaking arm. I opened the door. Gus, Gus, something's happened to Julie. Something's happened to Julie. Well, how do you know? Did you get her? Yeah, yeah, she answered the phone so. Well, she sounded funny like there was someone in the same room and then suddenly she sounded like she was hit or choked or something. Well, maybe it's just a gag she was pulling. You know, dames do that sometimes. You think so? Why, sure. No, no, no, it couldn't be. I heard her, Gus. Gus, what should I do? Now come on, keep your shite on, Van. The way she screamed. Did you call her back? No, no, I didn't. Well, why don't you? That's right. So I call her back. That's what I'll do. Sure. Of course I'll call her. Hand me the phone. Yeah, yeah. What just happened? I know it has. Line busy. Oh, no, no answer. Yeah, but you just spoke to her a minute ago. Gus, I'm worried. I'm worried sick. Forget it. She's all right. Come on out for a ride. Oh, no, I couldn't. Look, tell you what I'll do for a pound. I'll drive you over there. You can check up for yourself. Van looked pretty grim as we drove over to Julie's place in the West 70s. I checked over everything I'd done and figured how I'd work out the rest of the situation. And we turned off Central Park West into the side street where Julie lived on the second floor of a converted brownstone. Hey, look, there's a guy coming out of the house. What? That's probably nobody's. He's making a getaway. Gus, follow him. I never catch him now. Oh, gosh, Gus, if you'd only got close enough to see his license number. Well, I did. What was it? LK573498. LK573498. All right, Sam Spade. Now let's go upstairs and visit Julie, huh? The door to Julie's apartment was wide open when we got upstairs, and the place was just like I left it. Like to have been some kind of a fight. And then, then I saw where I'd made a mistake. The telephone where Julie was supposed to be strangled was as neat as a pin. I watched Vann's face to see if he noticed it, but, well, he was too broken up to notice anything. Julie, Gus, she was a sweet kid. What do you mean, was? I know. She's dead. What do you know? All you see is that her apartment is all busted up. I heard her scream, didn't I? Gus, I waited 20 years to meet a girl that I could marry, so help me, I'm not going to die till a guy who did this is in his grave. You'll see. You'll see, Gus. I'm kind of mixed up now. In a little while I'll be able to think. I'll know what to do. Sure, I'll know what to do. Look, that's the telephone. What about the telephone? I'm going to call the police. You know, Vann, now, wait a minute. Don't be crazy. What? Look, put that telephone down. Why shouldn't I call the police? It's very simple. You got no evidence. She was murdered. But I heard a scream. Use your eyes, Vann. Will you use your eyes? Julie said she was in bed. Has the bed been slept in? And where's her coat? Where's her poise? And where's her hat? They're not here, but she said she... You're right, Gus. You're right. I won't phone. Maybe she's still alive. That's better. Now, look, Vann, sometimes we haven't felt too good towards each other, but after all, we've been partners for a long time, kid. Now, tell you what? I'll do anything. Anything you say to help you out. All right, then, look. Look, just on an off chance, Gus. Trace that license plate, will you? Let's find out who that guy was. We went back to our hotel. I slept like a log because I knew that Julie was 10 feet from my bed in the closet. Very dead. Where she couldn't come between me and Vann anymore. Next morning, I told Vann I'd checked at the license bureau. Whose car was it? Nick Edwards. Kathleen Edwards? That's right. Why that dirty goon? Look, you don't think that he... I don't have to think. I'll let the police... Now, wait a minute. Hold it. Look, Vann, I never told you this before, but I knew all along that Julie was playing around with Nick Edwards. With Nick Edwards? Yeah. That's why I never liked it. Now, yeah, better not call the cops. Maybe we was just busting in on a private little party last night. No, no, no, I can't believe it. No, not Julie. Well, we gotta find out where she is. And the guy who knows is Nick Edwards. What makes you think he'll tell? I'll tell you what. I'll call him at the club tonight and ask him over. I think maybe he'll accept me invitation. Well, Nick arrived at 11 p.m. and from my window I watched him park his black car in a dark side street near the hotel, just like I told him to. Then I carried Julie's body down the back stairs and put it in the luggage compartment of Nick's car. Nobody saw me. And a few minutes later, I knocked on Vann's door. That's you, Gus. Come in. Hi, Vann. Hi, Nick. Good evening, Gus. Nick was just telling me, Gus. Look, I'm just as worried about Julie as you guys are, see? Yeah. That's easy to say. Okay, okay. Don't take my word for it. But I've had her house called every half hour all day. Why'd you go there last night in the first place? You haven't been around long, have you? Never mind that, wise guy. Why'd you visit my girl? Who said she was your girl? She was engaged to me. She was tired of you. Why, you... Sit down. She told me so herself. When? Yesterday. Then you saw her yesterday, Nick? No. No, I ain't seen her since she quit working at the club and started to pile around with your friend here. But you just said that... Julie was the only girl who ever had me on the rope, see? But when she called it quits, I went along. She was too good for an ex-con like me anyway, I forget. But last night someone gives me a note in her handwriting. Oh, what did the note say, Nick? It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I read it over and over until I knew it by heart. Please don't laugh at me. I think we made a mistake. I know I have. Let's start all over from the beginning. If you really love me, you will. I love you. I'll do anything for you. I'd like to see you. Let's talk this over. How about tonight? When? At midnight? Come. Come, I'm waiting for you right now. As soon as Nick Edwards left, I told Van I didn't believe anything he said. And as far as I was concerned, Nick either killed Julie or had taken her away. Van agreed with me and we called the police. Ah, yes, it all made a perfect situation. The best I'd ever dreamed up. All of Nick Edwards' high-powered lawyers couldn't save him from being sentenced to the chair. Yes, sir, life looked pretty sweet, but there was just one thing wrong. Van's comedy was getting worse and worse. Fred Benton told us we'd have to get better or else. Now, we sat in Van's room sweating out a Benton program that was a day overdue. Van, Van, for the love of Mike, will you pull yourself together? I can't think. You don't have to think. I gave you the whole situation. All you gotta do is write the gags for it. Gags? Now, look, in the first scene, Fred and Mrs. Mishma steal a horse. But here's the twist. The horse is blind. You get it? Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, come on, Van, give. You know hundreds of horse gags. Now, just give them a twist and fit the situation. I can't. They just won't come. Look, if we don't get this script in tomorrow, Fred will can us. Now, come on, guy, will you write? Oh, write yourself. Van, you know I can't write. I'm no good without a gag, Van. But get yourself another gag, Van. I'm through. Look. Watched up. You know it won't work, Van. You know that. You write it on a QT. I was afraid that someday it would break up, but it never worked. With you and me, Van, something happens. We're a great team. Without me, you're just another guy making with words. Without you, I'm just another Joe. Now, don't you see, kid? That's why we gotta stick together. Even if we do hate each other's guts. That's why nobody can't never break us up. Now, come on, guy, write, will you? I can't think of anything. Look, how we got something in the files. Files? Files. You had a senior dictator to Julie. What was that? That Mrs. Mishmash and something. Fred, was it please don't laugh at me or something? I think we made a mistake. No, no, Van. Look, that's a no-good situation. That's dead. Let's get something new. Gus, it's a good situation. No. A very clever situation. All I need are the lines. Please don't laugh at me. Now, Van, I'm telling you it's no-good. The lines. The lines. Please don't laugh at me. I'm telling you it's no-good, Van. Of course. Why didn't I think of that before? Those lines you dictated to Julie. They fit. No, they don't fit. And besides, I can't write gag. You know that. That was a situation. The most desperate situation you ever invented. Now, wait a minute. What are you beating your gums about? You'll find out. What are you going to do? Operator, I want to speak to Inspector Martin at Police Headquarters. Get away from that door, Gus. I got a gun. Now, don't shoot, Van. Wait a minute. Listen to me. Don't move. Police Headquarters, Inspector Martin. Inspector Martin, this is Van Hauser of the Julie Phelps case. Hey, I've been trying to get... Edwards didn't kill Julie. Gus Green did. And I got proof. That makes it even worse. Edwards says you framed him. Green did. Nick's note was a script dictated to Julie minus the character names. How about his alibi? He dialed his own number, Inspector, not hers. And killed her while she was speaking on the phone. To make things look right, he messed up her apartment. I never could quite figure out why there were no signs of struggle around her telephone. Now I know. He must have stowed her body in Nick's car. Better send some cops over right away before I shoot him. They're coming over, Hauser, to protect you. Edwards broke out about an hour ago. Watch out for him. Nick Edwards? Yes. Yes, Nick Edwards. All right, Hauser, come across with that gun. Nick, you heard what I said, didn't you? So what? I didn't frame you, Gus did. He's a guy with a situation. So what? You took my girl away from me, didn't you? No. All right, give me that gun. Now, Nick, wait a minute. What are you going to do with it? Nothing, except to give me that gun, Hauser. Gus, stop fooling him. Get that gun, Gus. I'm a little too quick for you, Gus. Now, Nick, please. Now, don't shoot me. Let me tell you how this was all... Cut it, you. I've had a belly full of your stories. They put me in jail, remember? They're all stuffed to me now, see? But like they say, there ain't no situation that can take a new twist. Here's the twist to this one. You ain't going to die for the murder of my poor Julie. No, no. You're going to die for something you didn't do. What do you mean, Nick? Just this. The murder of Van Hauser. Well, they didn't believe me at the trial. So I'm up for killing my late, unlimited partner. But you know me, I always like a twist. They got Nick for killing Julie. Now I guess you can understand why I can't write the prisoner's annual show, can't you, Warden? Not without Van. And besides, like I said, I don't have too much time, do I? Before I go to the chair. Suspense. The twist. Starring Michael O'Shea. Presented by Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A. Roma California Wines. America's largest selling wines. When your family and friends enjoy glorious gold and amber Roma sherry, or ruby red Roma port, you share the rich reward of choicest California grapes, selected and gently pressed at peak taste richness, with ancient skills and wine making resources unmatched in America. Roma master ventiners guide this grape treasure unhurriedly to full taste perfection. These choice wines then are laid down with mellow Roma wines of years before. And from these, the world's great reserves of fine wines, Roma later selects for your taste pleasure. Tomorrow and every day, enjoy this naturally better taste of Roma wines. Whether your favorite Roma wine is not like Roma sherry or rich Roma port, you'll find that every Roma wine is better tasting wine. That's why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wines. Tonight's Suspense Play was by Beth Blau. Next Thursday, same time, you'll hear Donald O'Connor as star of Suspense. Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Claire Trevor, Kirk Douglas, and others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.