 From Hollywood, California, the Lux Radio Theater presents William Powell and Claudette Colbert in the X, Mrs. Bradford presents Hollywood Romance laughter and mystery are combined for your entertainment tonight in the X Mrs. Bradford starring Claudette Colbert and William Powell Our music is directed by Louis Silbert and between the acts you'll meet the physician criminologist. Dr. Ronald W. McCorkle Mr. DeMille steps to our microphone in just a moment. Meanwhile, a brief reminder to all the ladies listening in 9 out of 10 screen stars use Lux Toilet soap. That certainly is significant It means that the loveliest women in the world, the beautiful stars of the screen, to whom an attractive complexion is so necessary use safe, gentle Lux Toilet soap. I wonder if you found out what a luxurious Delightful aid to beauty this fine white soap is and what a grand thing it is to make a daily beauty bath with this richly Lathering white soap a regular part of your beauty ritual You'll be sure of dating it and sure of skin that's sweet Lux Toilet soap has active lather that carries away every trace of dust and dirt and perspiration leaves the skin fresh and soft perfumed with a delicate clinging fragrance and when you're tired You'll find a beauty bath with this luxurious white soap just as relaxing just as refreshing as a beauty nap Try it, won't you? Ladies and gentlemen the producer of the Lux Radio Theatre, Mr. Cecil V. DeMille Greetings from Hollywood ladies and gentlemen Cain and Abel were the principles and the first murder case recorded in history In this country the first murder mystery occurred in 1630 It was solved by the law and written off the books with the length of rope The gentleman who paid the penalty was John Billington who gained the dubious distinction of occupying the first hangman's noose in America Since then mystery has always had a particular attraction in this robust land Inspiring some of our greatest authors to write some of their greatest stories men like Washington Irving Hawthorne and Edgar Allen Pole Tonight's play comes out of the school which they established Flavored with a modern touch of dry humor and sophisticated romance and employs the distinguished talents of William Powell and Claudette Colbert As Dr. Bradford, Mr. Powell repeats the part he played in the picture and again as Dr. Bradford He has the sympathy of all patient and obedient husbands who crawl out of bed in the middle of the night to assure their wives That the noise they hear is nothing more deadly than the dripping of a faucet Likewise all those good women who at least once in their lives have been able to say I told you so Because it really was an intruder. We'll say it again with Claudette Colbert as Mrs. Bradford Miss Colbert's latest picture is Metro Golden Mayors. It's a wonderful world Mr. Powell's detective experience certainly qualifies him for the role of the unwilling Sherlock tonight He created Pile of Vance on the screen was the Nick Charles of the thin man and he appears through the courtesy of Metro Golden Mayor Where he's preparing another thin man picture To feature players from the new RKO film career also join our cast John Archer as Nick Martel and Alice Eden as Mrs. Summers and now Let's dust off our magnifying glass put on our gum shoes and raise the curtain in the Lux Radio Theater as we present the ex-Mrs. Bradford starring Claudette Colbert and William Powell It's a living room in the home of Dr. Bradford It's just before dinner and the prominent surgeon sitting at ease in his favorite chair before a comfortable fire Listen to the news reports on the radio as the butler enters the doctor holds up his hand for silence Yes It was a strange tragedy that took the life of Eddie Sands today at the Imperial racetrack War cloud and luxury with Eddie Sands up were racing neck-and-neck down to the line of finish Luxury was pulling away when suddenly Sands fell from the horse the field doctors rushed to the jockey side But he was already dead an examination disclosed that the famous little jockey had died of heart failure News from Washington today is concerned What is a stroke I beg your pardon, sir, but are you in in? Yes, I think so. Oh physically of course, sir, but socially so she'll bring up a very interesting point If it's anybody I don't want to see obviously. I'm not in then sir. You are not in I shall tell her so at once Don't bother so Hi, Brad Paula Brad darling kiss me Paula. Dr. Bradford is not in man. Oh, I'm afraid it's too late stokes Sorry, sir Well Paula No one need to ask how you are. Oh, I feel grand how you brand you look terrible. Well, I was all right I thought you were in China. I hope I almost forgot I brought someone with me come in, please How are you Brad? This is Mr. Frankenstein. Mr. Frankenstein. How do you do sir? Are you Dr. Bradford? Yeah, you're sure you're dr. Bradford. Well, I don't know. I am dr. Bradford Paula. Yes He's definitely dr. Bradford and dr. Bradford. I hereby serve you with a subpoena Do answer a suit for non-payment of alimony bought by Paul Bradford. Here you are a subpoena For a minute, I was glad to see you Paula as for you mr. Frankenstein. Oh my gonna be thrown out again soaks Show mr. Frankenstein the door come along Now dr. Bradford you're going to pay me my alimony or aren't you a fair question and it deserves a fair answer in a word No, oh, yes, you are the judge said so Paula. I hate to introduce mundane matters into our idyllic relationship But you already have about two-thirds of the money in California that has nothing to do with it It's a matter of principle. You agreed to pay it and I'm going to make you if I have to spend all my own money doing it Well soaks mr. Frankenstein has been thrown out dinner is served Dinner oh, huh nice of you Brad lay an extra place stokes. Yes, and lock up the silver It's been lovely, but I don't know when I've enjoyed anything more very kind You know Brad, I've reached a great decision. I'm going to marry you again Paula That's the thing. I love about you. You're so subtle. Oh, but you see I'm doing it for your sake Then you won't have to worry about the alimony. No Paula I think you're the swellest girl in the world if we could have made a go of it I would never let you divorce me, but our life together was intolerable Oh, I thought it was fun fun. You're making nervous wreck of me Almost had me convinced that the coffee always had poison in it scramble eggs are always filled with ground glass And there were murders going on all around me for an intelligent man, Brad You have a very narrow mind now I never tried to interfere with your career as a surgeon and you had no right to interfere with my career The writer of mystery story writing a mystery's never bothered me. It was you're insisting on living them that got me down You realize at the last three months We were married you kept me so busy running down clues that I spent more time in the morgue than I did in my office And none of them are my patients either of each of that one What don't move I'm not moving You got a gun Staring at the wall behind you in the living room. It's moving. Oh is that all control yourself Paula Stokes Yes, sir already, sir. Never mind Stokes. No movies tonight. No movies Very well, sir. Well, what is this all new since you've been here Paula that wall moves a few feet from the left That hole you see up there is our projection boost. What have you done turn this place into a neighborhood movie? No, it's just that Stokes and I don't like standing in line. We find this much simpler. Oh Say Brad speaking of murders, which we weren't Speaking of murders that was a marvelous setup at the racetrack this afternoon. Now you mean Eddie Sands. Yes What a melodrama an unfortunate accident Paula not melodrama not melodrama. You're crazy Well, think of it the horse is thundering down the stretch luxury the favorite 12 length in the lead Millions of dollars riding on his nose the villain hidden behind the three-quarter pole with a rifle with a maximum silencer He shoots the jockey for my dear ex-wife Luxury wasn't 12 lengths in the lead. There was no rifle fired. The jockey was not shot. The coroner said it was heart failure I don't quite see how excuse me, sir. Yes, Stokes. Mr. North is here, sir. No Well, this is a coincidence send him in Hello, Mike Say, I'm awfully sorry about this afternoon. Oh, this is mrs. Bradford. I didn't know you Well, I didn't know you were married. I'm not we're going to be. Oh, no, we're not Sit down Mike Paula mr. North is the trainer of luxury. He's the man who taught Eddie Sands everything he knew Oh We were just talking about the murder of that poor jockey this afternoon. What? What do you know about it? He was murdered wasn't he? Yes, he was what you see Brad? I told you but the report was heart failure Mike doc you examined that he not two weeks ago Did you ever see a finer boy? Was there anything that mattered with your heart? No That's why I couldn't understand Say have you uh been to the police for this Mike? No, this is my job Mr. North did any have any enemies some organization of spies possibly that were will you shut up? What makes you so sure it was murder Mike? Jockeys have fallen from horses before you know. Yeah, but Eddie was dead before he fell How do you know that the boy didn't have a bone broken doc? You don't fall limp and relax like that if you're conscious Then I found this note in his locker after the race. Oh, please. Let me see You do as I've told you keep your mouth shut. No one would take your word against mine Throughout this Mike. I don't know but I'm going to find out and you're going to help me I want you to examine Eddie's body. Oh, that won't be necessary. The coroner will perform an autopsy and I want you to examine it Oh, of course, you'll do it. Mr. North here. We go again Well, all right Mike. I'll examine the boy if that'll make you any happier. Thanks doc. You keep the note I'm going to do a little scarring around on my own. I'll meet you back here later About 10 30 Mike Brad isn't exciting. I'll go get my rap Paula. We're not going to a party like we're not going anywhere I'm going to the morgue. What a coincidence. That's where I'm going Thank you. No, Brad. This doesn't look at all like a morgue. You know why we're not in the morgue yet behind that door Paula, please go home. No, look This is definitely no place for a woman All right, I'll make you a proposition if I don't go in will you marry me again? No, but in we go Open the door, please. Yes, ma'am Paula Paula Joe yeah, my assistant has just resigned You mind getting her out of the air. Oh sure, you know my wife's the same way least little thing frightened Find anything doc. I don't see anything out of line here. There's not a mark on the boy. He couldn't Wait a minute. Let me have a scalpel. Will you yeah something on his back here your little scraping What do you make of that? Could it be chewing gum? It could be but I'd be very much surprised Let me have a tube with a scalpel. Will you examine what's on it when I get home Eating stokes What's that package on the table? It's for mr. North. He lived an hour ago. Mr. North. Why was it left here? I don't know sir No, I'd give it to me. Yes, sir now, sir. I regret to tell you that I have to wait stokes Hello, oh How are you Mike? I say Why yes, okay, all right Mike Please don't not now later. I'm going to be busy Hello, darling what? What's all this luggage in here? That's what I was trying to tell you so wait a minute. What is this Paula? What are all these grips? Oh, did I forget to tell you dear? I'm moving in you oh now Paula This is ridiculous All that this means is that I'll have to move out. You'll do nothing of the kind You're my bread and butter bread either by marriage or alimony and the only way you're any good to me is alive Now you've got yourself mixed up in a murder case against my advice mind you and it wouldn't surprise me if you got bumped off Unless I look after you Paula. You're a menace to civilization. I'm very serious Brad You've got to exercise every precaution don't eat anything unless you've had it tested don't open the door and above all never go Anywhere alone not that you'll have much chance to yeah, I can understand that Hello Why you just Uh Yes, yes, it came. Okay. Look. Yes. Yes, sure Mike and bring the package with it. Okay, Mike Goodbye Mike. Well, I guess that was Mike And that's where you're wrong my sweet that wasn't Mike. It was someone pretending to be Mike. Oh What did he say? He wanted me to meet him with this package. What's in it? I don't know. Let me see No, no, no, don't don't do that. Oh now, but let me alone. Give me the package Well, will you please let go I want to see what's in it. Listen Paula you should Money money Scared of it. Isn't it beautiful? 60 70 80 $100,000 and you were just going to walk out with that and get clunked over the head by a phony Mike North Well, it's a lucky thing. I'm here dr. Bradford. Yes very Listen carefully Stokes It was a scalpel a little knife and it had a little gummy substance on the blade and I left it right here on my little desk last night Now do you understand? Yes, sir. Well, where is it? I don't know sir. It must have disappeared All right, never mind. Has mr. North called yet? No, sir. Did you try to reach him? Yes, sir His phone doesn't answer try him again. Yes, sir. Did you call those other numbers I gave you? Yes, sir. No one has seen mr. North since early last evening Hello One moment, please. I'll take it. Hello Mike Hello, is this is this Mike North? Paula what are you doing over there? Where's Mike? That's fine, and I see him. I'll tell him you're looking for him I can go home from the ward. That's me like old boy. Consider yourself Bust twits. Oh you look tired. I am six operations in one day. Hmm. Yeah, come on put this on My smoking jacket say where did that come from? Well, I've hunted everywhere You're going to dig into my girlish heart That has been in Honolulu Bali China and Point West. It went with me. Well Confidentially, I have missed you both Hey, we're on the verge of getting sentimental How about some dinner? Stokes is day off now if you were the right kind of an ex-wife you'd have dinner ready at home But it is as it is I am the right kind of an ex-wife and I've got dinner ready at home Are you serious anytime I fix dinner at home? It's serious. Look in there. Oh Folly a swell You know, it's little touches like this to make a man appreciate a woman about the house Coming home tired sitting down for a good dinner. Hmm. This is hey What is it? What's the matter? Everything looks like jelly. No darling gelatin. Jellyed consomme aspix salad chicken and jelly. Go on. I get the idea It's all gelatin. Well, I'll stop complaining try some of that jellyed consomme Define Mike. No. No, neither did I Brad, please. Let's not talk about detecting Let's just have a nice quiet evening for one the ex Bradford's at home Yeah, how do you feel all right funny? Yeah, try some of that chicken in aspect. Thanks. How do you like it? All right Sleepy no, not tickling me. Well, neither am I. I'm not even dizzy Well, that's something Paula What are you doing? I always rub gelatin on my arm. Yeah, put them on your face. It feels good Do I look all right? You look pretty silly to me Well, hold out your hand. What for hold it out. All right now what there a little gelatin on the hand is good for you Oh, thank you Paula. Thank you very much. Now hang on to it. I can't it loses out Do you still feel all right? All I feel fine except I'm getting mad Well, it's very funny. We ought to be dead. What? What was in that stuff just gelatin, but it should have killed us all you're crazy. They think that's not a baby It may be all right for babies, but it killed Eddie Sands. That's what was on the scalpel the scalpel What do you know about the scalpel? Oh, I took it. Didn't you know? Oh Heaven give me strength. Well, certainly. I took it over to the laboratory last night and had it analyzed It was just gelatin Paula. You're sensational for a while. You had me interested in this detecting business If someone else has stolen the scalpel and but no, oh, you took the scalpel and prove that the poison was not poison It's very effectively ruins any help I could have been to Mike North Except finding him and we are now going to let the police worry about that. Oh, I think you're a sissy calling the cops There's something very strange about Mike. I Want to know what's become of him. Who could that be? Wait here Paula. No, no, no, I want to go on beat it now. Will you beat it wait Brad? What listen to that bell? Just a minute red. Don't open the door. Just look out the people all over you Oh, but you don't know who it might be. Please look out the people all right get away Who is it? Who's up? What do you see? That's funny The man at the back up against the door. He's leaning on it. Get away Paula. What are you going to do? Open it Mike North Mike even shots with a forehead Is he dead? Yes, red. There's a note on his sleeve What does it say This guy wouldn't turn over the money either That's one of the ex-mrs. Bradford with a few moments William Powell and Claudette Colbert will return for act two Meanwhile in this short intermission time. Let's look in on a family scene Why so dear? What energy must you play the piano before you even take your hat and coat off? Oh, I don't know mother. I I just feel so good today That China wants because she's got a date with John Lane tonight. Oh mother make him stop it. Oh, so that explains it Yes, sue has a date tonight and she's happy as girls are when they're popular and sought after Sue isn't beautiful, but she's lovely to look at because she has the charm of smooth radiant skin She's clever too. She doesn't risk spoiling her good looks She cares for her complexion the hollywood way with gentle lux toilet soap It has active lather that removes dust dirt stale cosmetics thoroughly It helps guard against choked pores the choked pores that cause unattractive cosmetic skin Dillness tiny blemishes enlarged pores Use cosmetics all you like but use lux toilet soap regularly as nine out of ten lovely women of the screen do As lovely women all over the country do use this gentle soap before you renew makeup during the day Always before you go to bed at night Here's mr. DeMille The lux radio theater brings you the second act of the ex mrs. Bradford Starring claudette colbert and the title role and william powell as dr. Bradford A few minutes have passed just inside the door of bradford's home mike north lies on the floor Inspector corrigan and his staff have arrived Flash bulbs are exploding and fingerprints are being taken as the machinery of the law gets underway Suddenly the inspector turns to bradford and eyes him coldly All right doc. Why did you kill him? Why did? Don't be ridiculous. What would I kill him for? Yeah, there you got me But if you didn't how did his body get here? I don't know I saw someone leaning against the door. I opened it His body fell into the room. Mm-hmm pretty good man that can walk up to a door and ring the bell after he's dead Just a minute inspector Why would I kill mike north? Oh, I don't know but look doc You've been a mighty suspicious character these last 24 hours mighty suspicious First of all, we got a report that you visited the morgue last night You found something on eddy sands body and took it away with you now. What was it? Well, it turned out to be gelatin gel Yeah, that makes as much sense as the coroner's report He performed an autopsy on the body and says the left ventricle was completely collapsed left ventricle collapsed Well, that's funny. That's symptomatic of drowning or strangulation kind of kaka and ended drowning strangulation or gelatin Why did you go down there doc because of mike north? He came to me. Yeah, and that brings me to another interesting point We just sent a man down to his hotel and he found this a woman's purse You recognize it No, that's funny. It's your wife's Now look doc. There's no sense kidding you. You're in a tough spot I'm beginning to think you're right Yes, I'd say you were in a tough spot brad. You're now public suspect number one You've got to find the murderer to clear yourself Which is exactly what i'm going to do. You won't find him on the sports page Paula I don't want to tell you your business But in most murders The motive is money Now who stood to make the most out of yesterday's race the owner of the winning horse exactly see here Sixth race winner war cloud owner laroi hutchins odds four to one hutchins That's the man who called mike last night What? Yes, I found slips at mike's place this morning. He had three calls last night hutchins john summers and nick martel In case of fire run do not walk to the nearest exit. Where are you going? Find out who killed eddie sands brad. You're working on the wrong murder. It's mike north. They think you killed Paula It should be obvious even to you that if mike was killed It was because he had confirmed his suspicions about yesterday's race and was coming close to the murderer So if I can follow mike's trail last night, no, wait a minute If you find out what he did you may get bumped off too. Maybe tell carlin. I'll be back soon brad going to be killed. I want to be there my mr. Hutchins I'm going to be very frank with you I'm investigating. Yes, that is race. I've seen investigating for the track officials I'm sorry mr. Hutchins, but I can't tell you that Tell me mr. Hutchins What sort of a trainer is mike north? Well, one of the main reasons I wanted to buy the summer staples was because mike would go with it Oh, then the deal didn't go through no summers wanted 20 000 extra for luxury and I couldn't see it It's very interesting. Will you have one of these cakes doctor? They're very good Oh, yes, thank you Well, is that uh, is that what you called mike about last night, mr. Hutchins? Oh, you're mistaken doctor. I didn't call him. I saw him at summer's house. Hmm. I see These cookies are good. What are they little idea of my husband a gelatin filling That's a very cute colt mr. Summers I'll buy him from you right now. Sorry. I never sold one of my horses in my life sick or sound Oh, I thought you were considering selling your staples I of course not I've told my trainer mike north not even to bother me with any offers Really, won't you come into the house doctor? Oh, no, no, I feel right at home here You see mr. Summers I'm investigating yesterday's race. You mean eddie's death. Yes Oh I'm sorry John you explain We were both very fond of eddie doctor His death was a terrible shock to us But to her particularly I can understand that of course I imagine mike was upset too very Is that why he came here last night last night? Oh, yes, and uh to pay me some money. He owed me Oh, he made a killing at crack yesterday. Oh, he couldn't have done that luxury lost He might have better on war cloud dr. Bradford. I resent that implication My trainer is an honest man. I'm sorry Well, thanks for your help mr. Summers About time you got home. What did you find out there? And I'm not a detective I've dug up a lot of very promising suspects from whom I've gathered a very interesting array Of complete misinformation But which are lies and which aren't I don't know look Brad stop worrying. I've got an idea To probably mean I get in more trouble. No, don't be silly. We've overlooked our most important clue the note holy You're right paul of a note That threatening note that was sent to eddie sand So all we've got to do now is find which one of those men wrote it and we've got the murderer What do you suppose that is there's only one way to find out how I'll open the door Oh, mr. Bradford, I'm sorry to well hello hello again, mr. Summers Won't you come in? I hate to bother you doctor, but Oh, I beg your pardon. Well, not at all. Uh, mr. Summers, uh, mrs. Bradford. How do you do, mr. Summers? How do you do? Dr. Bradford, could you I mean if I could see you alone? Of course in my office. No, no, don't bother. I'll go. Thank you paul Well, doctor, where is mic north? Uh, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't but I've got to find him mr. Summers You evidently want me to help you How about you're helping me? How Did you talk to mic north last night? Yes at my house What about about a threatening note eddie received before the race? Mike told me he'd given it to you and if you think eddie was killed you must think that the person who wrote that note is the murderer Exactly You see I wrote it Well Is this a confession? Oh, no I promise you that note had nothing to do with it What did it mean, mr. Summers? This isn't very easy to say doctor But I've been a very stupid woman My husband was suspicious eddie knew that there was someone else Eddie loved my husband as he would a father and out of loyalty to him threatened to tell him I wrote eddie that note and he died And so you see the note must be destroyed. Please give it to me. I promise you well, don't be a sad friend Paula, will you please give me that note? What do you want it for now? Don't argue just give it to me Now mr. Summers will you please write write what on this pad right you do as I tell you and keep your mouth shut Now give me the pad Yes, it's the same writing. Well, I just had to make sure you weren't protecting somebody else good girl Here's your note mr. Summers bless you both. I'm so grateful. Oh, don't mention it. Brad. Brad was glad to do it Good night. Good night, mr. Summers Well, that got us a long way. I can feel the noose around my neck right now Brad, what's the name of that bookie you used to know? Bookie? Why? Oh, uh nick something Nick martel? That's it martel. What's he got to do with it? Oh, nothing except that mr. Summers mentioned something about her husband being suspicious Well, and this afternoon I saw her and martel together at the hill gate bar You did? She and martel? I'm sure of it. They sat right next to me and martel was yelling about losing a lot of money when war cloud won Which means somebody placed a big bet with him So long paula. Well, wait a minute now. Where are you going now? I'm going to call a mr martel And I hope he isn't home. I'd like to take a look at the records and his safe. I didn't expect you Yeah, hardly thought you would Didn't know you went in for opening safe stock. Oh, we surgeons open anything. Hmm Very funny. Keep your hands up Didn't think you'd find north in there. Did you I found him nick not here He's dead. Well that figures You start double crossing it if I know who did it the police think I did no kidding You're certainly behind the eight ball on the spot with the cops and with me look nick They're hang people in this state for murder And I have no intention of being hanged if I can avoid it If the only way out for me is to pass the buck to someone else I'm going to pass it. Well, you can't get ruled off for trying. I can do better than try nick I have an appointment with carigan in the morning I can tell him a lot of interesting things You kill me doc Well, what makes you think you're going to see carigan in the morning or anybody else? Yes, there's that to consider Well, shall I answer get back over there certainly Hello Oh, yeah Yeah, wait a minute It's carigan for you carigan Well, tell him everything's all right bradford Is it? Yeah Hello inspector Thanks inspector. Everything's fine Oh, uh, yes Oh, yes, I'll be there By All right doc, you win for the time being thanks. Don't thank me. Thank your friend carigan Now that you've seen my books, you understand how I felt about mike north. He'll rest his soul in peace. Oh sure I'm still a little puzzled. Can't you read look mike north? He bet 25 grand on war cloud to win paid off at four to one and I'm stuck for 100 grand every cent I own That's what I don't understand You knew mike was betting on war cloud You must have known that luxury couldn't win Uh mike didn't make the bet himself. He was too smart for that sent some guy to place the bet Who was he searched me some little guy with a scar on his face He was going to call me after the race and tell me where to send the winning and did he sure he said to send it to mike north apartment k 717 cosco street But mike lived at hotel merton. I know that he was using his other addresses of blind But I wanted to tell mike myself what I thought of him so I phoned his hotel and he came over here What did he say what he is supposed tried to bluff me said he never made the bet Why would he do that search me but when I told him about the little guy with the scar he came through quick enough Took the dough and beat it Question union, please Where were you supposed to send the money apartment k 717 cosco street? Hello? I want to send a telegram, please. This is beacon 7 9 4 2 The message is to dr. Lawrence bradford 614 harland's harland drive city Meet me in my apartment 717 cosco street Signed mike north What's the idea of that? Oh just in case i'm not around in the morning. I want car again to know where I am Is that you brad come on in paula What are you doing here? Oh, I read that phony telegram you sent yourself. I knew you wouldn't let me come down here So I filled it up again and came anyway How did you get in? If you're going to keep on house breaking doctor, you should never be without a hairpin Now what did we come down here for a quick look around and then you're going to get out I don't like to look to this place. Well, it's very cozy. Now. Here's all I've been able to find a box of pills Capsules they're so big. I don't see how a person could swallow one Mike didn't give medicine to people paula and horses have very big throats but Mike never lived here. How do you know? Well, I asked the janitor. He said the fellow that had this room had a scar on his face a scar. Mm-hmm. He said I've got it Got what look Martel claims that mike north made a better on warcraft, but he didn't And he didn't rent this apartment either. It was the little fellow with a scar pretending to be mike. He had it all worked out Martel was supposed to send the winnings to this address and the little fellow would have got them But martel gummed it up by calling mike the real mike and giving the money to him That's how mike found out about this place and paula move What is this spider just over your head? Oh Oh, thanks Well, then it was the little fellow that was pretending to be mike that killed him and called you it's obvious Paula it must be obvious that you got it Now all we've got to do is to find him and we've got the murderer Oh, well, there's no you staying down here. I've looked all over the place Still, you know, there's one thing very funny about it. What there isn't any bed And you imagine running a room without a bed my dear protected paula. Have you ever heard of a wall bed? Oh, oh, that's right. Well, where is it? Right in the wall there take it down before I want to look under it Very well my sweet Now you can look at your heart Look out I don't know I'm not going to do anything about it Unfortunately I'm going to get the guy out of my car but I'm going to get him out of my car But I'm going to get the guy out of my car But if he sees a Scaram, he's going to kill him And he'll be killing me And he'll have to kill me Yeah, let's see what's up Broadcasting systems. William Powell and Claudette Colbert continue shortly in the ex-Mrs. Bradford. Our brief pause between the acts tonight brings you an unusually interesting intermission guest. But before he appears, I'd like to say just a word or two to you ladies. May I tell you something, frankly? If you neglect your skin, if you go to bed at night with stale cosmetics, dust and dirt, not thoroughly removed, you're running the risk of seeing your skin grow dull, unattractive. But if you use luxe toilet soap regularly, you are helping your complexion to stay smooth and radiant, lovely to look at and soft to touch. So use luxe toilet soap before you renew makeup, always before you go to bed at night. Don't risk spoiling the natural soft beauty of your skin. It needs the thorough gentle cleansing. Luxe toilet soaps active leather gives. Begin tonight to use the soap the screen stars use. Then use it regularly. You'll discover very soon what a really fine complexion soap can do for your skin, for your charm, for you. Our producer, Mr. DeMille. Our special guest is a practicing physician in Hollywood who, like Dr. Bradford, is also a detective. Dr. Ronald W. McCorkle is a family doctor who also spends many thrilling hours looking through a microscope to see whether two bullets match, or tensely watching a test tube while a blood precipitant test is underway. For 20 years, the police have consulted him in major criminal cases. And we'd like to know, Dr. McCorkle, how a physician like you became a criminologist. It was mostly a hobby in the beginning, Mr. DeMille. I became interested in criminology just as someone else might take up skeet shooting or stamp collecting. Now it's part of my profession. Well, the layman respects the criminologist's positive identification of bullets or fingerprints, but he always has a suspicion in the back of his mind that you may be wrong. What are the chances of you being wrong? It would be practically impossible to be wrong on a fact like a bullet or a fingerprint identification, although, of course, anyone can make wrong deductions from a fact. Take a concrete example. Suppose when the third act of this play begins, we find Dr. Bradford on the floor with a bullet in his body. Suppose the police find a man running away from the house with a gun in his pocket. How would you prove that the bullet in Bradford's body is a man's gun? We fire another bullet from the gun, then compare this bullet with the one removed from Dr. Bradford's body under comparison microscope, one through which one can look at two objects at once. The chances of such an examination giving the wrong answer are roughly one in a trillion or so. Does a scientific criminologist go to the scene of the crime or does he usually stick to his laboratory? Both. In fact, certain police departments now use traveling lavatories for immediate investigations. When he arrives, I suppose the traditional thing is to pick up the gun with his handkerchief and put it in his pocket. Mr. DeMille, I'm looking for a movie or a mystery story where the detective does not pick up the gun with his handkerchief. Actually, that would erase fingerprints. Almost as effectively as wiping the gun. The proper way is to pick up the gun by placing a pencil through the trigger guard where the criminal would not have left his prints. But yet, better yet, tie an identification tag to the trigger guard and pick up the gun by the string. However, I don't recall a major case in many years which has been solved by means of fingerprints on a gun. They're usually wiped off or smudged. The fingerprints that catch criminals are the ones he leaves on furniture or glass and forgets about. Doesn't scientific criminology also play a part in the defense of persons accused of crime? Yes, that's becoming more important. Twenty years ago, I was unable to establish the innocence of two boys in queues of murder. A bloodstained knife found near a man who had been stabbed to death was traced to these boys. They said they had been hunting for life for dressing birds. There weren't any feathers on the blades so their story seemed doubtful. I used a new test just then being developed and established that it was the blood of a bird and not of a human. A few months later, a man confessed to the crime. Tell me, doctor, have you got a case under consultation now? Yes, there's one I expect to solve very shortly. A murder case? Quite the contrary. I expect to pay a visit with a stark any moment now. Thank you, Mr. DeMille. Don't forget the fingerprints of others. Claudette Colbert and William Powell in act three of the ex-Mrs. Bradford. Miraculously escaping the assassin's bullets, the two amateur sleuths made their way safely home from the apartment. It's morning. Dr. Bradford, suffering only from a slight graze along the side of his head, lies asleep on the couch. Paula in a traveling dress bends over him and speaks sadly. Goodbye, Brad. What's the matter? What's going on? I just came in to say goodbye. Well, where are you going? I don't know. Oh, Brad, I'm so sorry. Well, it's fine. Sorry for what? Well, this, it's all my fault. I got you into it. I thought it was going to be fun, but when you got hurt, well, I'm wrong, that's all. I'm getting out. You won't be bothered with me anymore. Not even the alimony? Oh, Brad, that was just a gag to get near you again. Well, it worked. Will you marry me again, Paula? Well, oh, lie down here. You've got a fever. Getting shot, even grazed, often makes people delirious. No, I'm all right. I mean it, Paula. I've been a chump. I found that out as soon as I let you go. I mean, you came back. Well, there it is. I want you to stay. What do you say? Will you marry me? Dr. Bradford, in a word, yes. Yes. What in the world are you doing? Packing for our wedding trip. What's all this junk on the floor? Oh, just some things I figured on using for murder mysteries. This was the crowbar mystery. Nothing more mysterious than a crowbar. This was the life preserver mystery. Oh, yes. That ought to drown a man very nicely. What are these? Oh, that was the cutest idea I ever had. A mystery for children, murder with toys. I still think if it had worked, it would have been a great idea. Oh, what's this? A toy spider. It's in the wrong buck. That was another story I had. Give me that. Well, don't lose it. I may use it yet. Look, I killed a spider at Costco Street last night. What else do we find there? A wall bed. A wall bed? No, that's not good. Oh, I've got it. Capsules. Capsules are gelatin. Paula, I've been blind. I had it in front of me all the time and I couldn't see it. Paula, get me those capsules. Right away. Inspector Corgan is here, sir. Good morning, Doc. You're looking pretty lively for a man who's almost dead. How are you, Inspector? Sit down. Thanks. Oh, this is Mr. Curtis, president of the Jockey Club. How do you do, Mr. Curtis? How do you do? Here you are, Brad. The capsule. Oh, hello, Inspector. Good morning, Mrs. Bradford. Well, Doc, we performed an autopsy on Lou Pender. That's a little fellow with a scar. Exactly the same symptoms as Eddie Sains. Left ventricle collapsed. Now between his death and Eddie's, I notified Mr. Curtis here. This has been a terrific shock to me, Doctor. Horse racing is a clean sport and we intend to keep it so. I'm sure you will, Mr. Curtis. Now, I've something really interesting to show you and the Inspector. What does that look like? Why, a toy spider and a capsule. Something much more dangerous than that. Now, I like a match. Place it under the capsule. The capsule melts. Now what do you see? A toy out of a capsule. No, you don't. That is a weapon. The weapon with which Eddie Sains and Lou Pender were murdered. What? That's a black widow spider, Inspector. The murderer put the spider in a capsule which was then placed on the victim's body. I've used a match so as not to waste time, but body heat, particularly at a time of excitement, would melt the capsule, leaving the spider free to bite. A black widow spider. A black widow spider, Inspector. The collapse of the left ventricle, the symptoms of strangulation or drowning. Well, that's a new one on me. Now all you've got to do is to catch this spider breeder. The next time he goes to work. The next time? Say, wait a minute. Is this going to be an epidemic? Well, he has to commit at least one more murder. I'm sorry, Doctor, but I don't understand. Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought the Inspector would have explained everything to you. You see, Mr. Curtis, the murderer was working to get money. Thank you. Mike North was suspicious of the whole affair. He started investigating. He got too close for comfort so the murderer killed him. Thank you, Paula. Then Lou Pender, who was working in Cahoots with him, knew too much. So he polished Lou off just as he did Eddie Sand. Thank you, Paula. Go on, dear. That's as far as I can go. Oh. Well, anyhow, Inspector, the only fly in his ointment is that he still needs money. Not only has he not won his bet, but he's lost the $25,000 he put out the day before yesterday. So the murderer must strike again, hm? Inspector, the case in a capsule. Then that means the same thing is likely to happen at the track at any time. But that's what we've been explaining to you. Inspector, you've got to stop this thing. It might happen again today. The Barton handicap, the luxury and war cloud are entered. Well, there you are, gentlemen. You're going, Inspector. Yeah, but where? Where would you suggest? I've got the murderer. I've got other work to do. I should say he has. We're going to get married. Huh? Oh, that'll have to wait, Paula. What? I've got to save that jockey's life. Believe me, Doctor. You can be assured of my full cooperation. Anything that I can do to help you. Thank you. I'll need your help. Number one, I want eight or ten motion picture cameras to be placed at my disposal at the track. Yes. Number two, I want to inoculate the jockey who rides luxury against black widow poison. And number three, this is for you, Inspector. I'd like the following ladies and gentlemen in my living room this evening. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins, Mr. and Mrs. Summers, and Nick Martell, agreed? They'll be here. Good. I've got to run. Oh, Brad, our wedding. Goodbye, Paula. This will make a very interesting lawsuit, non-payment of alimony plus breach of promise. Hi, sweet. Did you inoculate luxury's jockey? Yes, with a little difficulty. I always thought you used a hippodermic. Well, what do we do now? Nothing. I've done everything I can. The boy will not be killed. You think Cargan will catch the murderer? I know Don well, he won't. Get off, Paula. Brad, roll up your sleeve. Luxury's running sixth. What? Roll up your sleeve. What for? I'm going to inoculate you. Paula, what? Now, use your head, Brad. There have been two attempts on your life already. I hadn't thought of that. I don't want you killed, Brad, and believe me, when somebody catches that murderer, you're not going to have one minute free from danger. There's nothing I can do about it now. I brought only one dose of antitoxin. I gave that to the jockey. Oh, oh. Well, in that case, let's enjoy the race. Everything on the up and up. It's a moral victory for you, Inspector. Into the victory below. Oh, oh, look out there. Holy smoke, it's luxury. He's running away. The jockey's off. He's lying out on the track. Stand back there. Get back. Give the duck a room to work. Get back, I say. Get his shirt open. Oh, there it is. The black widow on his chest. Look out. Get it off him. There's your murderer, Inspector. Black widow's spider. I gave spiking antitoxin before. This is an antidote. Spike, you'll be all right. Mara, you'll never know this happened. Oh, I apologize, duck. I'd give a month's pay to know who put that on him. That won't be hard to find out. Wait till tonight. Boy Hutchins. Present. Mrs. Hutchins. Yes. Nick Martell. I'm here. Paula Bradford. Oh, that's me. Here. Uh, Mr. Summers. Right here. And Mrs. Summers. Here. I know if you don't mind, Inspector, Dr. Bradford, I'd like very much to know why we are here. Well, the, uh, duck here had an idea. We figured out that you're all suspect, so we invited you all here. The one that didn't show up was our man. Oh, a woman. But unfortunately, you all showed up. Mm-hmm. So that lets the police out of the party. Sorry they'll trouble you folks. Good night. Well, I guess we can all go now. Yes? You wish? Oh, please don't go with such a nice, cozy little groove. Say, I'll tell you what. I've got something that might interest you. How'd you like to see some pictures? Movies? Right here in the house? I think you might be interested. You're all racing people, and I've got some fine track scenes. I think you'll enjoy this. Good down, everyone. Won't you? Make yourself comfortable. All right. Soaks, uh, turn on the machine. Why, that's today's race in the paddock. There's luxury. And there's war clothes. Exactly. Which is what you're really here to see. I still believe one of you to be guilty. Today, one of you planned another coup. Again, one of you tried to murder luxury's jockey. We've proven that Eddie Sands was murdered. The same method was tried on Spike Salisbury this afternoon. The murder was committed by placing a capsule on the jockey's body, containing a black widow's spider. The heat of his body melted the capsule. The spider was released to bite the jockey, and the murder was completed. And in just a moment, you'll see the murderer himself. Just before the race. Putting the capsule on the jockey's back. That's you up there, Hutchins, leaning against the wall. Yes, yes. I went in for a moment. But he's nowhere near Spike, is he? Oh, look, there's Mr. Martell. He's close all right. He's putting his hand on Spike's shoulder. Ah, wait a minute. Don't try to pin anything on me. Mrs. Summers is padding Spike on the shoulder now. I didn't put anything on him. You can see. Look at Mrs. Summers. It's all right. Why is he fixing Spike's shirt in the back? Lights. Chair's empty. I'm over here, Doctor. I was leaving, but I noticed your friends are still outside. Now, if you'll all just move down to that end of the room, please. I've got you covered. That's fine. Congratulations, Doctor. Very clever of you. But you slipped up on one point, the motive. I wanted to ruin you, Martell. Because I knew what you'd done to me. You took away from me the only thing in the world I cared for. I'd fix every race there was until you lost every cent you own. But that's all over. I swear. I'm going to kill you, Martell. And you too, my dear wife. And you, Doctor Bedford, for your inquisitiveness. I don't think you're going to kill anybody with that gun. It's loaded with blanks. Yes. Well, we'll see. I hope that statue over there isn't valuable. Oh, that's totally Brad. I'll cut him. Cram Thomas. Cram Thomas. Where's the doc? Hey, hey, doc! Doc! Where's the doc? He's here. What happened to him? Oh, I went to hit something. You look all thick, cute, Brad. I like your bandage. Thanks. The bow looks wonderful. What bow? On the bandage. It was all my idea. Yes, I imagine it was. No. No one else would bother with it. Well... Well... Now what about us getting married? Uh... Paula, I wouldn't walk across this room. Any other time I'd be glad to. But tonight I wouldn't walk across this room to marry you. Well, would you walk halfway across? Uh... Now you're quibbling. Yes or no, would you? Halfway, huh? Well... All right. Just to prove that the age of gallantry isn't dead. Yeah, I'll walk halfway. All right, come on. There. I walked halfway. That lets me out. Not yet. Stokes, start the movies. Very good, ma'am. That's another idea of mine. See, talking. That fellow's a real justice of the peace. My friends, we are gathered here to join together this man and this woman in the state of matrimony. Do you, Paula Bradford, take this man to be your husband? I do. And do you, Lawrence Bradford, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? I do. And may heaven have mercy on my soul. Casting off their detective disguises, William Powell and Claudette Colbert return for a curtain call. Bill has a forgotten man. How do you... What? That shadow over there in the corner. It looks like a man. Oh, wait a minute. Just a minute, Claudette. I'll do no more detecting tonight. Oh, but it may be a dangerous prowler of some kind. Where's the shadow, Claudette? There, by the curtain. Doesn't it look like a man? Oh, it does. He works here. Oh. Well, you can't be right all the time, but, Claudette, I think you have a suspicious nature. No, not in most things. But among the things I don't like are strange shadows on the wall or strange soaps. That's why I've used luck soap for years. I know I can depend on it. Now, but what was that? I interrupted a while back, CB. You were saying something about Bill as a forgotten man. I was about to ask him how he liked working for me in a picture. Working for you, Cecil? I worked with just about every director in Hollywood except you. You have a scene in my last picture. Did Bill play one of the Indians? No. No, Bill plays a tramp who lives in the city dump, a very charming tramp. Oh, yes, that was my man, Godfrey. Only you didn't direct that, Cecil. No, but I used a scene from it in Land of Liberty, the picture which will be Hollywood's contribution to the New York World's Fair and the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. What else is in the picture, CB? Well, it's made of scenes dramatizing American history, taken from 124 pictures dating back as far as 1910 and a good deal of modern history as seen through the eye of the newsreel camera. Land of Liberty will not be shown anywhere for profit and for the present only at the two fairs. A picture like that should be a pretty valuable document, CB, even if I am in it. And I think it will still be more interesting 20 years from now. I hope I can see that one of the fairs. Well, good night, CB. Good night, Cecil. Now, you'll hear from us again the moment we meet a couple of good detectives. Mr. DeMille returns in just a moment with news about next week's stars in play. Heard in the ex-Mrs. Bradford were John Archer as Nick Martel, Alice Eden as Mrs. Summers, Norman Field as Mr. Summers, Colin Campbell as Stokes, Ray Appleby as Mike North, Ross Forrester as Mr. Frankenstein, Frank Nelson as Morgan Tendent, John Fee as Mr. Hutchins, Martha Wentworth as Mrs. Hutchins, David Kerman as Mr. Pender, Lou Merrill as Inspector Corrigan, and Bob Berluson as Mr. Curtis. Tonight's play was filmed by RKO Studio, producers of the new picture, Career. Louis Silvers appeared through courtesy of 20th Century Fox Studio. He directed music there for Susanna of the Mounties. Be sure to listen to the Lux Daytime radio program. It tells you the enthralling story of the love and problems of a young attractive woman doctor. Look in your newspapers for the time and station every afternoon, Monday through Friday. The life and love of Dr. Susan comes to you in addition to the Lux Radio Theater. Mr. DeMille. On the eve of her wedding, her girl makes a wish that she may never grow old. From that day on, she watches time leave its mark on all that she loves, while she herself never changes. This is the theme of the play you'll hear next Monday night, a play called Mrs. Moonlight with two splendid artists in the starring roles, Janet Gaynor and George Brent. Since the beginning of time, men and women have searched for the secret of eternal youth. Listen next Monday and learn of one who finds that secret and of how she uses it. We have just been advised that the readers of Radio Guide Magazine have selected the Lux Radio Theater as the best dramatic program on the air. We are grateful to all who participated in this poll. And a Radio Guide Magazine for the medal symbolizing the honor. Our sponsors, the makers of Lux Toilet Soap, join me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night, the Lux Radio Theater presents Janet Gaynor and George Brent in Mrs. Moonlight. This is Cecil B. DeMille saying goodnight to you from Hollywood. The announcer has been Melville Roy. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.