 And now, the Mollay Mystery Theater. Presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mollay. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. Tonight we bring you, as a return engagement, one of the most successful plays ever presented on the Mystery Theater. It's entitled, Murder Without Crime, and was written by J. Lee Thompson and Jack De Leon. Barry Kroger, featured recently on Broadway in the play Tires, is the star of tonight's story and will be heard as Matthew. John Sylvester plays Stephen. And by the way, a most important element in tonight's play is a piece of furniture and ottoman. Not like the usual footstool, but quite large. Large enough in fact to hold firewood or perhaps a body. Say, look here, Dan Seymour. How can you laugh at such a grim thought? Well, a man can laugh at worse things. For instance, shaving torture. You know a lot of men can laugh at that because they use Mollay, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes, sir. With Mollay, it's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mollay. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. That's right. Mollay is the shaving cream that's heavier. The cream you need if you have a wiry, hard to cut beard or tender skin. Because Mollay is heavier, it not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straighter and makes it easy for your razor to cut them off. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly with Mollay. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Now for tonight's Mollay mystery. Murder without crime. I can only stay a few minutes, even it's 1 a.m. Then the wrong number will probably get tired of waiting. What are you staring at, darling? That picture on the mantelpiece. It wasn't here the last time I was here. That jan, your wife, isn't it? Ah, it's a picture jan taken just before she left me. Oh, well, I'm not going to worry about her. Turn on the radio, darling. I feel like music. Something soft and sweet to fit my mood. Sure. Come and sit on the ottoman with me. Oh, darling, this is so wonderful. Soft, light, sweet music. Who do you love? You. Oh, let me hear you say it. I love you. Say it with small passion. I love you, I love you, I love you. I wanted you to act more like a lover, not like a caveman. You keep that up. I'll go upstairs to your landlord for protection. Ah, Matthew will do you no good. You are entirely in my power. Oh, darling, I love you more than anything in the world. More than you loved your wife? Jan? She means nothing to me anymore. Oh, no. Turn off the radio, darling. All right. Jan, matter nothing, nothing at all. Are you alone? Yes, yes, of course. Darling, speak louder. I can't hear you. I said I am alone. Then could you meet me? Where are you? I'm at the Nelson Hotel. All right, I'll be right over. You know I do, I always have. Do you want me to come home? Yes, dear, but I'll come and get you. Goodbye. Goodbye, Stephen. I'll be waiting. Why, uh, who was that? Hey, was Jan wasn't it? Yes. Is she coming back to you? She wants to. Oh, she does. And all she has to do to have you running in dizzy circles is drop on dick or let pay telephone. Look, darling, I hate to have to ask you to do this especially tonight, but I'm afraid we'll have to call it off. Really? Please don't make a scene. I won't get you back. I won't give you back to her without a fight. I won't leave. Perhaps I can change your mind. I'll write out a check for you. A check? You, you think you can buy me off? No, all you have to do is to run to your checkbook. Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was rotten only. Granna, what are you doing? Don't take that dagger off the wall even along. All right, Steve. Go ahead, go ahead, meet your wife. Tell her how you love her. I'll be back. I'll be dead. My dear, you're not doing your nightclub act now, you know. And be careful with that dagger. It's sharp even if it is old. I said I'd rather die than give you up. Well, I meant it. If you're thinking of taking such a step, I'd suggest another method. This might be bad, you know. Men don't like their women scarred. Oh, sure, you? Granna, Granna, Granna. Must be Matthew. What'll I do? I must do something, but what? I'll put her in the abdomen. Nobody will know. I'll take the dagger. I'll clean the blood off the dagger. There. I'll put it back. Yes, I'm coming. I'm coming, just a minute. Hello, Matthew. Stephen, I was just leaving my apartment upstairs when I heard something. And there's your landlord, I thought... What on earth have you been doing? Doing? Nothing. Are you sure? You didn't answer the door. In fact, I had to sum up all my courage to come in at all. Good heavens, why? I don't know. I should have said I wondered if you would answer the door. Why shouldn't I answer the door? I thought perhaps you might have got tired of it all, or whatever people get tired of when they make up their minds to blow their brains out. I was quite prepared to find you dangling someplace. Why should I want to hang myself? Well, I heard a rather loud gasp, almost a scream. You know, the kind of a scream you expect a woman to give when she finds her lover dead. Oh, it's probably a wild party across the street. Strange. I could have sworn it came from here. Well, it didn't. Well, Matthew, I don't want to turn you out. By the way, is Granna here? Granna, good lord now. I could have sworn I heard you coming in with her a few minutes ago. Well, you're wrong. Now, Matthew, you must go. Oh, must I? You're so fast, don't you think? Anniversary? Anniversary? What anniversary is this? I'm sure. Four years ago tonight, you came to live here. Remember? Four years ago tonight, necessity forced me to become a landlord. And I rented you this bottom apartment. Well, this house was certainly too big for one person. Who are you staring at, man? A knife. A dagger you've got on the wall there. What about it? I don't know. It's clean there, polished it or something. Shining so brightly. It's your imagination. Now, Matthew, I do wish you'd get out. Well, I must say you're most inhospitable. I've got to meet Jan. Jan's coming back? Oh, my dear Stephen, you should have told me I'd... Well, what's this? What's wrong? That handkerchief in your breast pocket. It's covered with blood. I cut myself on a glass. You cut yourself rather badly from the looks of the blood. Let me look at it. You know these things can be dangerous. No, no, I'm all right. Let me alone. Well, if you insist. Good night, Matthew. Good night. Oh, thank heavens he's gone. I'll have to go meet Jan first. Then I can get rid of the body later. Stephen? Stephen? I must find out why that man was so nervous and why he kept staring at the ottoman. Ah, let's have a look. Screener! Lord! As the curtain falls on Act 1 of tonight's play, Matthew runs into a bad situation. As for Stephen, it looks as if he's gotten into even worse trouble. Wouldn't you say so, Dan? Yeah, Mr. Barnes, he's as bad off as the fellow with the TWs. TWs? What's that? Well, that's when the fellow has tough whiskers. That kind of fellow can be in real trouble every time he shaves. But not if he shaves with Mollet. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Yes, Mollet is a heavier cream. The cream that not only softens your whiskers, but holds them up straighter and lets your razor cut them off close and clean. With Mollet, you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Try it. See if you don't say, It's smooth. So smooth. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mollet. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Now back to Jeffrey Barnes and act two of Murder Without Crime. Stephen has accidentally stabbed his sweetheart Brenna and hidden her body in the outermost. Unknown to Stephen, Matthew, his landlord and neighbor and discovered the body. And now Stephen returns home with his formerly estranged wife, Jan. Come on in, dear. Oh, Stephen. Home at last. Well, it doesn't look too bad, darling. Oh, you know it's a mess. I wish you'd given me a few hours to clean up a bit. Men aren't good housekeepers, you know. Stephen, you'll have me thinking you didn't really want me to come home. Oh, that's ridiculous. Oh, Jan, if you would only never go. Wonderful. Jan, I love you. I really do, you know that. How could that be? Hello. Hello, Matthew. Jan, my dear. You're looking even more beautiful than when you went away. Well, I know, Stephen, because I'm so happy to be back with Stephen. Has he been bad while I was gone? Jan, much as I hate to drive that light of ecstasy from your eyes, Stephen has had a ravishing blonde up here every night of the week. Oh, what more I believe you. Well, Stephen, you and Matthew chat while I freshen up a bit. I won't be too long. She's beautiful. Perfectly beautiful. You know, Stephen, if I were ten years younger, I'd take her away from you. No chance. Am I as bad as all that? I came down, Stephen, because I seem to be hearing too many things tonight. Remember how I thought I heard Grena with you earlier? There's nothing worse than an imagination, unless it's a conscience. Stephen, what's the matter? Nothing. Oh, there's something wrong. I tell you, there's nothing wrong. Well, Matthew, I must write some letters. I must say, Stephen, you're not at all the genial host tonight. Whenever I'm alone with you, you spend all your time thinking of schemes to get rid of me. I really brought you an important message. Well, what is it? I have a friend who has lots of money. He said you always wanted to get rid of that Ottoman, and he wants to buy one. Oh, I sold him yours. Why? But I'm afraid I couldn't... Don't be silly. You've always complained about that Ottoman being an eyesore. You can't have any reason for not wanting to sell it. Can you? Of course not. As far as I'm concerned, you can take the thing out tonight. Oh, what's this book lying on it? Crime and its consequences. What a pedantic title. But interesting, isn't it, Stephen? Listen to this passage. No murderer can boast he has committed the perfect crime if the body of his victim is discovered. Stephen doesn't murder fattening children. Well, of course he does. Everyone loves a murder. And shall I tell you why? It's because they think that murder can never touch them. You, for instance, you can't possibly imagine yourself being involved in a murder. I suppose not. But why not? Stephen, why did you tell me that Granna wasn't up here tonight? Why? Because she wasn't here. Shall I tell you how I know she was up here, Stephen? By her scent. Jasmine. Well, as a matter of fact, she was here, but only for a few minutes. And then I made a leave. I thought it wiser what with Jan coming home. And she left without a scene. Then she must be waiting for you somewhere else. Oh, that's what you suspect. I'm sorry, Matthew. Oh, I feel better. That's a big joke. I've just accused your husband of planning to lead a double life with another woman. And apparently he finds it amusing. Oh, the ravishing blonde. Where do you think he's keeping her, Matthew? Well, from the way he's been acting tonight, you'd think he was keeping her right here. Perhaps in that ottoman. I've had all your idle talk. I can stand, Matthew. You refuse to take a head to leave, so now get up. Stephen. It's all right, Jan. I can understand how a man becomes irritable, except in circumstances. Well, I'll see you both later. I'm sorry, Jan, but he does get on my nerves. Besides, I'm upset tonight. I gave my wrist quite a gash. Oh, darling, let me see. Oh, how did you do that? The refrigerator, you know how those ice trays jam. It bled a good deal, and the way it aches, I think it's become infected. Well, let's put some iodine on. There isn't any. Yes, there is, dear. At least there was some in the medicine cabinet. Oh, well, it's gone. Well, let me take a look. Oh, I look. There isn't any, Jan. I guess I'd better find a drugstore and get some, although I don't feel much like going out. Well, I'll go, darling. Oh, Jan, would you? Yes, of course. Oh, you could take the car. I hate to ask you to do this, Jan. I'm sorry. I know you hate to drive at night, and I'm quite good at it. I don't want my new-found husband to die on me. Oh, darling, you're wonderful. I'll be back in 20 minutes. Now, don't drive too fast. No, I won't. 20 minutes. Now, I've got to get Grinner's body out of here. I'll get that old trunk out of the back room, put the body in it, and carry the trunk down to the car. I've got to hurry. The trunk is heavy. Maybe you'll go away. Here to my door. Well, Stephen, after all, I am your landlord. Get out! Get out! I don't like your attitude, Stephen. My attitude? Yes, Stephen, your attitude. I think you're up to something, and I want to know what it is. What's more, I don't intend to leave here until I find out. All right. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, what am I up to? That I won't know until I find a clue. But I... Oh, well, I think I found a clue. Of course, there's a trunk over there against the wall. The proverbial trunk. Still think I'm moving in somewhere with Grinner? No, no, not exactly. But the trunk is there, ready to receive the body. How grim and ominous. Oh, really, Matthew, you are poor. Yes, Stephen. And perhaps you're a murderer. Perhaps I arrived just in time to keep you from removing the body of the girl from its present hiding place and putting it into that trunk. You'd better go sleep it off, Matthew. You've had too much to drink. No, no, no, no. Let's reconstruct our problem. Let's see. I have it. A husband is entertaining his girlfriend in his apartment. Suddenly the husband learns that his wife is returning. There's a quarrel and a loaded revolver. No, no, a knife. Perhaps that very knife there on that wall, that dagger. You certainly do suffer from imagination. No, the fear in your eyes betrays you. Confess, Stephen. Confess that you're keeping the body of Grinner in that ottoman. Yes, yes, yes, it's poor body. I'm not concerned about the number of bodies, but with one body, the body of Grinner, is it in the ottoman? Yes, if you like. Yes. I know it is, Stephen. Because I came back here while you were out meeting Jan, and I did look inside the ottoman, and it gave me quite a scare. You... You looked. Yes, Stephen. I suppose I could have saved you a certain amount of fear and anguish, but I must confess I enjoyed watching your emotions. Now, I'm going to call the police. Matthew. Matthew, you wouldn't kill me. Send me to the electric chair. Why not? I pay taxes to provide, among other things, for a state executioner. Matthew, I'm asking you for my life. Your life? And what of the life of that poor girl there in that ottoman? One moment she was warm and alive. The next she lay cold and dead. You sit there whining and cringing for your miserable life. Oh, no, Stephen, I will not spare you. No, wait, wait, Matthew. I didn't mean to kill her. It was an accident. Accident? Who believed that? A man stabs his sweetheart the same night as a strange wife returns. Oh, really, Stephen? Really? Matthew, think of Jan. You once said you'd do anything for her. Has this occurred to you that perhaps Jan might find consolation with me? You? Yes. Is that so fantastic? You mustn't send me to the chair, Matthew. I'm afraid. What of it? We're all afraid. I can remember as a small boy thinking about death. I used to lie in my bed and wonder what it would be like if I didn't wake up the next morning. It gave me a peculiar sensation to frighten myself. Then you couldn't turn me in. No, but I could. Matthew. To my mind, the greatest of all emotions is to feel other people suffer. No, I'm a sort of a man who likes to stand outside a prison and the gray mist of an execution morning to see the poor wretch taken from his cell and hear the prison clock chiming the hour of his deliverance. Don't you dare have mercy! But you're wrong, Stephen. I don't have to have mercy. You listen to me. You're going to die, Stephen. You're here. You're going to die. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll bring you Act 3 of Murder Without Crime. 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If you're not completely satisfied, return the empty bottle and get your money back. Buy double dandering at your drugists. Matthew, you can turn me over to the police. I'll kill myself, sir. I'll kill myself. What? And keep me from the pleasure of seeing you squirm in court? Oh, no, Stephen. You're going to die properly and legally. And after that, Jan and I will... Matthew, can't we talk this over like civilized human beings? Of course. Let's sit down and be rational. Let's have a drink. Drink? That's a wonderful idea. Shall I fix them? No, I shall. I'm the host. I'm the guest and it's about time you treated me like one. Wait. No, wait. It's not like you to be so generous pouring your drink, Stephen. It's just occurred to me that I can't see exactly what you're doing. You're not putting deadly nightshade into my drink, are you? Don't be silly. Here's your drink, Matthew. Well, I don't like to appear to have a suspicious nature, Stephen. But I think I will feel better if we exchange glasses. But, no, I insist. Here, if you take my glass, I'll take yours. There. I insist on having my glass back, Matthew. You must not drink from that glass. And I insist that I must drink from that glass. Your health. Matthew, no. It's excellent, Stephen. Now I feel a generous mood coming on me. Perhaps I shall leave off tormenting you soon. You know, I've enjoyed myself more in the past hour than I have in years. Have you, Michael? And would you like to know why? Because Stephen, I've hated you for as long as I can remember. Hated you and envied you. Because you've always had the things I wanted. Plenty of money. Jan. Even Grena. But you, you never showed it. Especially I hated you for your way with women. They like you. They've never liked me. Yet I love women. And I desire them. And I'm strong. You weak, cowardly. Have you quite finished, Matthew? Something's wrong. Stephen, you've poisoned me. No, Matthew, you poisoned yourself. You insisted on switching the glasses. I tried to stop you. You can't. It's all a horrible mistake. Save me, Stephen. Save me. You mustn't let me die. They'll hang you for murder. They'll hang me anyway for killing Grena. But Grena's not dead. Look. Look. In the ottoman. Not dead? What are you talking about? No. She's gone. Her body's not hit. Yes. Yes, I know. You only wounded her last night. I... I found her and took her to my apartment. And the two of us thought we would teach you a lesson. You... You got a murderer, Stephen. You... You... I... I... You just... Matthew. Matthew. I wanted to speak to you when you're dead. Now, this is Jeffrey Barnes again inviting you to be with us next week when we present the further adventures of Kenny Andrews. A few weeks ago, we introduced a funny little smart guy named Kenny Andrews. He made a great hit and we've received floods of mail demanding his return. So next week, smart little Kenny, who thinks he has an angle for any situation, returns in a mad adventure when he becomes entangled with big-time gangsters and a lovely girl named Nicky Passions. The original music for the Mollay Mystery Theater is composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler, Murder Without Crime, written by J. Lee Thompson and Jack De Leon. Barry Kroger and John Sylvester were featured in tonight's program. This is Dan Seymour saying goodnight until next Friday at the same time when the Mystery Theater presents the further adventures of Kenny Andrews. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.