 And now, Autolight and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present... Suspense! Autolight brings you William Bendix in break-up, a suspense play produced and directed by Anton M. Lieder. Suspense, Radio's outstanding Theatre of Thrills, is presented for your enjoyment by Autolight and its 60,000 dealers and service stations. And friends, today is the very first birthday of Autolight resistor spark plugs. Yep, and a more popular one-year-old you never saw. That's why car owners everywhere are switching to Autolight resistor spark plugs, and no wonder. For when you replace your narrow gap plugs with wide gap Autolight resistor spark plugs, your car will idle smoother. You'll have better luck with lean gas mixtures, actually save gas dollars. What's more, wide gap Autolight resistor spark plugs cut down spark plug interference with radio and television reception. So friends, don't debate, delay, defer or defray, but drive down tomorrow to your nearest Autolight dealer and switch to a set of sensational Autolight resistor spark plugs. You'll be glad you did. And now, here is William Bendix in a tale well calculated to keep you in... Suspense! Let him alone, Chick. Max, tell Chick to let him alone. All right, Chick. Just use him for a foot rest. It ain't often a fella gets a chance to wipe his feet on a cup. Where we taking him, Max? Oh, to the end of the line, Marty. Then we give him a transfer. A steel jacket transfer. Get the picture, Chick? Chick gets the picture. When, Max? When we get over the bridge. Yeah, we'll make Kevlahan a good cop. And then we'll dump him. Chick, I said enough's enough. Make it stick this time, will you, Max? You're awful sensitive for an ex-cop. You with us, Marty? What do you think? I think maybe you're remembering that before they bounced you off the force, you and Kevlahan once teamed together on the homicide squad. Eh, once had long red curls, too. No, Max, what I'm remembering is the raw deal that Captain Brandt gave me. And the little murder rat Kevlahan's been just sweating to pin on me. Marty, tell you what. Yeah? You're all the time asking for a chance to climb up in the organization. I'm going to give it to you now. I'll let you combine business with pleasure as a personal favor. I'm listening. I'm going to let you put the quiet on Kevlahan all by yourself. How's that? I didn't hear you, Marty. I said, how's that? How's that, he says? How's that? I leave it to you, Captain Brandt. You dug the cards for this hand. How is it? Me, Marty Connors, turning cop killer. Are you satisfied, Brandt? We're on the Queensborough Bridge now. Me and Kevvie. Remember your tough team of Connors and Kevlahan? Only this time he ain't my partner, Brandt. He's my gun meat. I guess I should have expected anything. Anything at all once I started to roll on my own. No holds barred since the breakup. Just a lot of dirty infighting from the day Brandt put the skids under me in front of those newspaper vultures. Morning, Chief. Hi, Kev. Hi. What are those reporters doing outside? Hand me a shield, Connors. What? I said hand me a shield. You're suspended on decision of the board. What? You hurt me. You're going up on charges. But Brandt, give me a break. I'll give him a break, Captain. Break? Tell me, Connors, where were you last night? I was... I had a date. At a bar, huh? With a dame you never saw before? Well, we had a few drinks and... And what happened after that? Well, I... You see... I'll tell you. You're the only one who doesn't seem to know because everybody else read it in this morning's paper. Strange dame got you dead drunk at a bar, rode you for your gun when you passed out, tried to stick up, shot the joint to Splendors and was collared still carrying your gun. Now you know do you still expect a break? Sure I expect a break. In the first place, I was off duty at the time. And in the second place, I've been on the force 11 years. And third place, if it was 111, Connors, I'd still bounce you and bounce you hard. You want to hand me that posse of yours or do I tear it off your chest? Here. Edit to your collection, Captain Brandt. I'm sorry about the verdict, Marty, but don't blame Brandt. Oh, sure. Don't blame Brandt. Blame me. I'm the first cop ever get drunk, huh? Brandt, don't drink. You don't, huh? Well, I... Not a one of you knows what liquor smells like, I suppose. It's a laugh. Oh, stop it, Marty. What are you going to do? Going out to Taiwan on. What did you think I was going to do? What are you trying to prove? Oh, Marty, look, you didn't get jammed up because of a drink now, and then it was a dame. With you, it's always a dame. You lose your head, Marty. You let him make a sucker out of it. Lay off, kid. It's the truth, Marty. I said lay off! Lay off! Okay, then. Marty, let's not... I mean, you and me, we... How... how are you fixed for money? I got enough. And pretty soon, maybe, I'll have a lot more. Big bundles of it. I've already got a call from Doc Williamson and Max Shale. What? Nibble on that one, kid. Marty, are you crazy? Steer clear of them. Why? Show me why. You know as well as I do. If you don't, well, just ask any of the boys on the Narconic Squad. Oh, Marty, stop. Shorter, I can see where your head is just as plain as... Listen to me, Marty. No, uh... No, no, listen to me. You tangle with Williamson and Shale and no telling what can happen. One of us might one day have to go after you. It might be me. You ain't on narcotics. Narcotics and homicide don't mix, huh? Mercy me. It gives his Sunday school. After the deal I got... Look, if you'll only mark time for a while and not lose your head, the newspaper blast will die down and I'm sure the commissioner will give you a... Nuts to the commissioner and nuts to Brent. This to him. Look, all five fingers. And to you, Kivaland. Can you stay away from me here? Stay away. I mean it. I'm gonna go line up that job right now. So you're Marty Connors, huh? I can use you. I can be used? It pays a hundred and a half a week. I need a guard. You know the setup Max and me are in? We got a nice club, nice customers. A lot of them rich. It attracts cheap guns. And they figure maybe they can knock the place over and take all the door on the gambling tables. Now you have a reputation for being hard. That might stop the trouble even before it begins. That would be part of your job. And the other part? I carry a lot of money and one or two other things. I want personal protection. Well? It's a contract. Is that all I do? Don't I get in on the big stuff? Not the gambling, the big stuff. I don't know what you're talking about. The dust, Doc. The dust. That's what pays off. I still don't know what you're talking about. But when I think you're worth more, I'll see that you get a chance to earn it. Until then, don't let your nose get dirty. You know what I mean? I'm a too hanky man. Hey, who's the long-legged redhead at the piano? Do I get a chance to protect her too? I handle that myself. Leave it strictly alone. Understand? Sure, sure. I don't blame you. Not the least little bit. So I went to work as a stocker for Doc Williamson and Max Shale. I'd call for Doc every night at one, take him to the club, and then walk around the tables. And that was a bottom of the heap for weeks. I wasn't making any headway in that direction. But I wasn't another. Rita, I learned her name was Rita. Sometimes she'd be there when I called for Doc. But I might have been collecting the laundry for all the attention she paid. Until one time I rang Doc's doorbell, and she answered it. Hello, big seller. Tell Doc I'm here. He's not in. When will he be back? Not soon. Maybe. Won't I do? Didn't he leave word? He didn't leave anything, except me. I'll wait for him in the lobby. What's the matter, Marty? Don't you like me? I like Doc's watch and chain, too, but I don't heist it. Why not, you big enough? Maybe you take better care of it than he does. Maybe he treats it bad, leaves it around lonesome in the satin line case. Don't you need a watch, Marty? You can't tell. Might come a day when I'll need the right time, bad. I thought about that watch a lot the next few days. The next time I rang Doc's doorbell and she answered it and said... Hello, big seller. Tell Doc I'm here. He's not in here. You lovely lousy long-legged redhead. Marty, Marty. Marty, Doc will be back in a minute. Where can we meet? I gotta see you. My place tomorrow. Yeah, your place tomorrow. And the next day, and the next. I'm afraid of him. I'm afraid of him. Right, Doc, he's just a yellow slop. I think he knows about you and me, that we've been seeing each other the last few weeks. I'm scared. Marty beats me once he threatened to kill me. Well, the next time he tries and flash this, you'll see how quick you'll fall here. Take it, it's only a little 25 automatic. Put it in your purse. No. Go on, take it. Do as I say. Hold it in reserve. He raises a finger till you draw fast and watch him retreat. You know, I feel better already. Yeah, that's why they call me the old equalizer. Was it about me he threatened to kill you? No. Oh, another big fella? No, no, nothing like that. He once found me going through his bureau. What's the secret? He wears a girdle? Alright then, don't tell me you have another drink. Marty, you know what Doc and Max do for their really big money? Sure, they peddle dreams. That's no secret, not really. Why? You know the setup? Well, I'm just an arm, a yard and a half a week. Well, I know the setup. I'm the only one who does aside from Doc and maybe Max. Oh, well go on. Max does most of the work. He's distributing the stuff, but he gets a smaller cut than Doc does. You know why? Because before you can distribute the stuff... You've got to have it to distribute. Doc's the buyer. He has the contacts all over the world. And guess where he keeps what he knows? The address is cold shipping dates. Well, how would I know? In a little green notebook in a chamois bag hung around his neck. That's why I hired you, Marty. Oh, Marty... Marty, do you know what it could mean to us if we had that notebook? Yeah... He wears it on him, huh? Uh-huh, around his neck. Rita... Rita, listen hard. This evening before I come to pick him up, snuggle up to him. See if he can feel that chamois bag. If he's wearing it, give me the nod when I call from at one. Do you follow me? Oh, yeah, Marty. I follow you. Maybe I'm even ahead of you. I went up there at one. I rang and rang, but no one answered. When I tried to knob, the door swung open. Rita wasn't there. But Doc was. He would never be deader. He was lying face down, what was left of the face on the bedroom rug. The room still smelled of cordite. A 25-shell lay near his feet. His body was still warm. I know because I felt it when I reached for the chamois bag. Which wasn't there. For suspense, Auto Light is bringing you William Bendix in Radio's outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense. Chris, hello, down. Did you invite Mary and me to the studio just to hear you talk about Auto Light Resista Sponkler? Look about him. Why, by conniving Cornelius, we're going to celebrate him. Because, Hap, you have the honor of being present at the first birthday party of those super sensational Auto Light Resista spark plugs. Gee, you know, have you got a birthday cake, too? Have I got a cake? Well, I've got a cake studded with Auto Light Resista spark plugs instead of candles. Hey, pull the card off that nearest plug, Hap, and read what it says. Well, let's see. It says, replace your narrow gap plugs with me if smoother idling you would see. If you want more miles to cost less money, cuddle up and be my honey. Signed, A-L-R-S-P. Guess who? A-L-R-S-P, Auto Light Resista spark plugs, of course. Try another one, Hap. Many happy returns of the day Auto Light Resista spark plugs say, PS, to cut down interference on your radio and television, see that your car we is in. That's a rhyme. Well, now, you wouldn't accuse me, would you? Well, you wouldn't accuse me, would you? Well, anyhow, Hap, now that we've had our fun, let's get back to suspense. And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage William Bendix as Marty Connors in Breakup, a tale well calculated to keep you in. Suspense. I got out of Doc's apartment fast, left it just as I found it, him dead on the floor with a shell beside him. I had to find Rita, poor kid. She'd really been a mess now. Everybody knew she was Doc's girl. I had to locate her in the chamois bag. I took a cab to her flat and let myself in. No, Rita. That meant I would have to go hunting, but not without a gun, not now. I went home to pick up my police positive. It was in my bureau drawer and snuggling next to it among the socks was Rita's little 25, with one chamber empty and a smell sharp as incense. So I was being suckered again. Givvy. Givvy, your son of a gun. Come in. Come on in. Can I fix you a drink, Giv? I ain't here as social, Marty. No. Remember I told you I might be sent after you one day? Well, I'm sent. What are you talking about, Giv? The elevator boy found Doc dead a few minutes ago. So? I've been on that floor since 10 o'clock. Well, Giv, you know what to expect from a sleepy elevator kid. Why ain't you with Doc tonight? Well, it's just my night off. Giv, you don't really think I've turned killer? Why not? Oh, by the way, I know about you and that redhead. Come on, let's go, Marty. Brant, what's to talk to you? Brant, huh? I should jump at that. I don't hop belts for Brant now, Giv. You know that. As far as I'm concerned, you and Brant both... Shut up, Marty. You don't make me. If Brant wants to talk to me, he comes here with a warrant yet. And I'll have to take you... If you want it, copper! You drawn on... Stay where you are, Giv. You ain't bringing me in. You big ape. You're trying to nerve yourself up to it? Oh, Marty, Marty... Back, Giv! A guy would think you meant it. I didn't know it was out of it for a while, Giv. Six. Six floors, sir. Huh? Oh, okay. Mr. Shale's apartment is just around there. Thanks. Marty, I've been so worried about you. I've been sitting here dying by inches, Marty. I didn't know... A sweet frame you and Dale together, a sweet one. Isn't that what you said? And I swear it. I swear it by all that's holy to me. Such as what, a dollar bill maybe? Marty, listen to me. When I got to Doc, he was waiting for me. He knew all about us. He began to hit me. I did what you said, Marty. I took out your gun. I think it must have slipped. Oh, yeah. It wasn't a frame, Marty. I love you. Lots of men would like me to say that to them, but I love you. All right. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. I didn't mean to hurt you. After I lost my head, I went to your place, but you weren't there. I put the gun in the drawer. I thought it would be safe and I waited for you, so I came here. I thought maybe Max would let me. It's all right, baby. It's going to be all right. Now, shh, quiet. Let me have the chamois bag. Rita, the chamois bag. Let me have it. I haven't got it, Marty. I didn't even look for it. I couldn't have touched him. You're not lying to me now. It wasn't on him when I found him. He was clean. Rita, shh. Who would that be? Max, maybe? Max would have come right in. Who is it? Elevator boy, sir. What do you want? The lady, Miss Carter, lost the gloves in the elevator. You were wearing gloves? I don't remember. All right, boy. Give them to me. Hold it, Marty. That's embarrassing. Now you're covered. Okay, son. Thanks. Get back to your elevator. Yes, sir. Back in, Marty. Go on. Both of you, get back in. Well, you've lost a lot of savvy since you left the squad, Marty. Taking a cab here from the hack stand in front of your place. Marty Connors and Doc's baby together. Well, the DA won't have much of a job with this one. No, I don't know anything about it. Easy, baby, easy. He's got nothing on you. A copper gun, Ratsy. Who'd have figured it? Get away from that phone, Marty. No. You little sucker, Kiv. We're getting a lawyer. You've got things to ask. Wait for him. You move again without I see. Moving, I'll plug you. You wouldn't, Kiv. Try me. You're just a cheap hood, and I'm tricking you like one. The palsy stuff is true. You'll see Brant first you and the girl, And then you can call a lawyer. Let me at that phone. Drop it, copper. You're covered. Hand him, chick. Make sure he's clean. OK, Marty, relax. This'll get you nothing but tears and moans, Shale. Is he clean, chick? OK, cold cocking. Oh! All right now, what's it all about? When I call for Doc tonight. I'll get to you in a minute, Marty. Talk, Rita. Doc's dead. Good. Who did it? I did. He showed fight when I told him a hand over the notebook. Rita, you. Shut up. Go ahead. That's all. Except here's the notebook. Nice going, baby. Got it at last. Rita, you've been stringing along with him? Sure she has. If it's any of your business, which it ain't. You lousy redhead. What's he so heated about? Well, I used his gun and planted it on him. You gave her your gun for the job? That guy's getting to be a habit with you. Framed spotting the frame and then torqued out of the spot by a lousy redhead. Forget it, Marty. The frame is out. I need an arm like you, now that Doc is dormant. All sorts of guys will get ideas about moving into the business. Look, here's the pitch. You gave Doc your gun last night. Because he asked for it. He was afraid of something. Didn't say what. That's your story. Stick to it. I'll set up an alibi for you for the rest of it. Leave it to me. OK? OK. You lousy redhead. What does this copper know? Too much. We dump him right now. You can't. I mean, he came in with the elevator, boy. Chick, take care of it. Eh, baby, you'll leave in town in a hurry before they grab you. Start packing. All right, Maxie. Now give me a hand with the cop, Marty. We'll take him out the back way. I said give me a hand, Marty. Going to play it smart or not? Yeah. Yeah, sure, Max. I'm going to play it smart. Well, I'm still waiting for your answer, Marty. I've been waiting all the way across the bridge. Cut hard to the left here. Now. Hey, when you cut hard, you cut hard, don't you? How's Kivelin, chick? Nice and dark, ain't it, Marty? Yeah, this'll do. Pull up here. Cut the lights. I guess we're ready. Well, Marty, Chick will do it if you won't. OK, stay a small time hood. Chick, roll out the cop. Wait a minute, Max. Kivelin is. Kivelin goes. You don't pull that stuff, Marty. It's too late. Not Kivelin, Max. Chick, roll him out. Max! Take your hand out of your pocket, Chump. We're two guns to your one. You're with me now. I'll help you go with Kivelin. Not Kivelin, Max. Chick, get him! Kiv, are you all right? OK, Marty. Didn't touch me. You? I'm OK. Help me get Max's overcoat off. I'm cold. You don't need it no more anyway. Let's dump them both in the backseat. OK. That does it. You want to take the wheel, Kiv? Yeah, sure, sure. This is almost like old times, Marty. You wouldn't need to gather. Yeah. But I'm still going to have to take you in to see Brandt. It's a good trick if you can swing it. Huh? I told you if Brandt wants to see me, let him come. Marty, Marty! How's he going to be, Doc? Matter of minutes. If Captain Brandt wants to talk to him at all. I phoned him. He should be here now. Kiv. Right here, Marty, right here. You're going to be OK, Chump. Kiv. I heard that Doc is the top coat I was wearing. The one I took off, Max. It's right here, Marty. Yeah, here it is. There's a little notebook in one of the pockets. Doc Cuttick saw it to see it right away. Yeah, that one. Holy cow. Marty, you know what this is? What's in it? You see, Kiv, I told you Brandt would have to come to me if he wanted to see me. Marty. Marty! He can't hear you. He gave me this, Captain. You know what it is? It would have put him right back on the force. He was never off it. What? That's right. It was a plant right from the time he let the dame shoot up the saloon with his gun. You planted him with that gang? Don't look at me like that, Kiv. It was a good idea, and it worked. And I ain't ashamed of having thought of it. It was the only way to get the goods on these dope runners. Yeah, but, Doc. For Marty, well, he was a good cop. And after all, this is what he was paid for. Thank you, William Bendix, for a splendid performance. Mr. Bendix will return in just a moment. I don't know. Have you got any more birthday banter about auto-light-resistor spark plugs? No banter, Hap. Just facts. For the fact is, those white, gaff auto-light-resistor spark plugs are wonderful. They're sensational. They're ignition engineered. And there's a type for every make of car. Why, by Cornelius, everyone ought to switch to a set of auto-light-resistor spark plugs right away. And now, Hap, here's one more rousing spark plug rhyme. Let's read it together. OK. You can tell the difference in your car with auto-light-resistor spark plugs, Thar. Well, Hap, you certainly ought to remember this auto-light-resistor spark plug birthday. And friends, here's something for everyone to remember. Auto-light means spark plugs. Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs. Auto-light means batteries. Stay full batteries. Auto-light means ignition system. The lifeline of your car. And now, here again, is William Bendix. Thank you. It's always a pleasure to appear on suspense. This is probably every actor's favorite program. And I know that. Help! Help! Let me out! Hey, there's someone in that closet. Well, Jack, Benny, what are you doing in there? Oh, hello, Bill. I am glad somebody let me out. Well, I don't get it. What's the idea, Jack? Well, you see, Bill, I'm moving my program to CBS Sunday nights, and I thought I'd drop in and look over the studio, take one out, and then all of a sudden, all that shooting started, and I hid in the closet. I'm sure glad you didn't stop any of those bullets, Jack. We all want to hear you next Sunday night on CBS. Your program has always been on my must list, along with suspense. Well, thanks, Bill. By the way, what about next week's suspense? Next week, Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills presents Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in To Find Help, another gripping study in. Bill, wait a minute. Let me say it, will you? You know, that one word. Let me say it. Oh, sure, Jack. Next week, hear Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in To Find Help, another gripping study in suspense. Who said I can't do grammar? William Bendix appears through the courtesy of his own radio show, The Life of Riley, sponsored by Prell, and will soon be seen in the Paramount picture, The Streets of Laredo. Wally Mayer was heard as Kivlahan. Tonight's suspense play was adapted for radio by Joseph Ruskall and Walter Newman from the original story by Thomas Walsh. Music was composed by Lucian Morawek and conducted by Ludbloskin. The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder. In the coming weeks, suspense will present such stars as Danny Kay, Robert Montgomery, Dana Andrews, and many others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills. And next Thursday, same time, hear Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in to find help. This is the AutoLite Suspense Show. Take advantage of high prices for steel scrap. Turn in yours to your local scrap dealer. Good night. Happy New Year from AutoLite. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.