 dedicated to the strength of the nation we hail hail starring and blight in there is no escape the United States Army and United States Air Force presentation and I'll here is our producer the well-known Hollywood showman CP McGregor thank you thank you and greetings from Hollywood ladies and gentlemen welcome to your theater of stars for each week the outstanding stars of motion pictures join us for your entertainment in plays we know you'll enjoy beautiful talented and blithe is our star the title of our story of mystery and suspense there's no escape in just a moment we'll have the curtain for act one here now with a brief but important message is our announcer Wendell Niles only the best can be aviation cadets and all because your United States Air Force is planning for the future and wants the best young men special consideration is being given to this year's college graduates who want careers as leaders in aviation as officers in your United States Air Force if you're graduating this June apply now for aviation cadet training as a college graduate your application will be rushed so that you can begin training as soon as you graduate visit your US Army and US Air Force recruiting station today to make certain you're accepted for one of this summer's aviation cadet classes remember only the best can be aviation cadets and I'll once again our producer the curtain rises on act one of there's no escape starring and blithe is Martha Morgan in a lonely hilltop farmhouse the short three hours drive from New York City Martha Morgan by the light of a single dim bulb is writing a farewell note to her fiance Jim Harris Jim my dear I want to tell you again how much I love it within an hour I'll be dead murdered and there's no escape nothing anyone can do my only purpose in writing this note is the hope that you or Rachel Hawkins or someone will find it and use the evidence I'm leaving to convict this killer I'm not in a windowless storage closet across the hall from mother's bedroom doesn't seem possible that just three days ago we were together in my apartment planning our future we'll have a place in Connecticut a half dozen kids well how's that sounding so far it sounds wonderful Jim only don't you think we should be married first well it might keep the neighbors from talking I'll tell you what we'll do just as soon as I get back from this trip we'll drive up to your mother's farm we'll talk it over with her and we'll set the date oh she'll like that how long do you expect to be away well just a couple of days three at the most I wish we had time to drive up and see mother before you leave according to her letters she hasn't been herself lately well I'd like to darling but I'm afraid I can't oh I know it's impossible why you should be leaving for the station now oh gosh I didn't realize it was so late you know I think we're in love hurry back darling I'll be waiting less than an hour after I got a wire telling me that mother had died naturally I took the first train up here my stepfather Walter Burke met me at the station and drove me out to the house he wouldn't discuss mother's death until after he had a drink and we were comfortably seated in the living room there can be no mistake Martha the result of the autopsy was a verdict of suicide from an overdose of sedatives I just can't believe it Walter why should mother do anything like that she never had any serious illness she was happily married had plenty of money you're thinking of your mother as she was when you last saw her Martha you didn't see her after she changed changed perhaps you'll understand if you let me tell this from the beginning oh I want you Walter unfortunately I don't have your father's business ability during the years your mother and I were married I made several mistakes in my investments finally about a month ago I was forced to tell your mother that except for this farm and a few securities in your name there was nothing left I know but the shock of that financial loss was more than her mind could stand she became by turns listless moody extremely eccentric it was quite pitiful poor mother yes even our old Rachel couldn't stand it and and left in time I was forced to have the phone taken out because she was calling everyone in the village in making wild erratic statements to the point where the village schoolboys began coming out here to throw stones at the house I wondered at the broken window that happened last night why didn't you let me know about mother immediately because at first I had hopes it would be a temporary thing that the sedative she was taking would accomplish their purpose but she would forget the money and no one would ever need no after mother's funeral I started to clean up the house beginning in the storage closet across the hall from her bedroom the one in which I'm now held prisoner it was filled with the sentimental accumulations of 30 years including my bronze baby shoes for years mother and I had left notes for each other in those old toddlers as I picked them up automatically almost unconsciously I ran my hands into them and found an out dearest mother had written I hope you never find yourself living in fear as I am it's a horrible feeling especially when you fear someone you love as I fear water there's nothing tangible no overt act to which I can point yet whenever he touches me I feel that death is brushing my shoulder it's been like that ever since I found out about the money what are you reading where did you come from what are you reading it's a note from mother I found it my baby shoes may I see it please why yes of course thank you how much of this had you read why most of it I guess to where she mentioned finding out about the money well that should convince you there had been any doubt in your mind doubt of what that she was insane can you imagine anyone living in fear of me it doesn't seem very reasonable thank you my dear may I have the note back I wasn't quite finished all she said after that was that she loved you oh don't burn it please I wanted to keep it it could only make you unhappy my dear let's go downstairs and try to forget all this unpleasantness we can clean this place tomorrow together after water burned the note for mother I felt the same fearful nervous sensation she described intangible but terribly weird and I had to get out of the house away from me I told him I had to go to the village to get some things I'd forgotten in my rush to reach mother then he wanted to drive me I insisted I needed to walk and hurry down when I reached the village I went directly to dr. Higgins office he'd been our family physician for years and I wanted him to tell me how mother could have broken down so completely in such a short space of time sit down Martha thank you dr. Higgins your mother's passing was a great shock to me my dear why would she do such a thing doctor I don't know no one does your mother probably felt that she had a very good reason I can't think of any other explanation was this mental illness of mothers a gradual thing doctor or did it strike her suddenly I understand it's been developing for about a month of course all I know is hearsay hearsay weren't you treating her dr. Higgins oh no I haven't seen your mother in months as a matter of fact after hearing of her illness I stopped by to volunteer my services and your stepfather very bluntly told me he didn't need a country quack I believe is the word he used oh I can't imagine mother permitting that from what I've heard your mother didn't have much to say about that or anything else what doctor did care for her I don't know it's my opinion though that he should never have prescribed any sort of sedative for her she was allergic to even the smallest dose her husband should have known that yes yes he should shouldn't be are you will mark no no I'm not ill dr. Higgins I I just remembered something please excuse me after talking with dr. Higgins my intangible fear of water began to take real form a terrible form which grew to monstrous proportions after I met Rachel in the general store I heard you was in town mother did Jim come up with you know Rachel he was out of town on a business trip when I got the news nice boy when you're going to marry him we were planning to drive up and talk it over with mother this weekend and then oh he's still working at the same place yes good I've been meaning to drop him a note and ask him and you to come up here and look into things ever since Mr. Burke fired me I just didn't get around to it did you say Mr. Burke fired you Rachel well you don't think I'd have left your mother for any other reason do you I know no of course not been with mother ever since I can remember I reckon that's why fired me though the excuse was that your mother needed to train nurse nobody ever saw one though I wish you'd stayed Rachel well so do I now she tried to call me once on the phone but I was out didn't you call back certainly but the first time Mr. Burke said she was sleeping in the next time the phone had been disconnected and when I went out of the house so he wouldn't let me see her you never saw her again never you and Jim going to live up here after you get married no we're going to sell the farm well you sure need some cleaning done then I'll come out tomorrow and help you oh thank you Rachel I'll feel better if you're there do you want me to go out with you now no no but I would like you to send a wire to Jim for me I want to get back to the house as soon as possible anything I can do to help you just send the wire to his office that way he'll get it as soon as he returned tell him I need him and ask him to come up here right away I'll make it plenty strong thank you Rachel I'll be expecting you tomorrow you can't possibly get my wire and time but it was my only hope my suspicions had become a conviction although I lacked conclusive proof I felt certain that Walter Burke was responsible for mother's death his attitude when he found me reading mother's note he's discharging Rachel when mother needed her most he's telling me that she'd quit his refusal to admit dr. Higgins into the house the sedatives the evidence was all there but why I should have killed mother as I was thinking these things I saw Walter driving slowly down Main Street apparently looking for me so I hurried back to the house to search for an answer I found it at the bottom of a handkerchief box in Walter's wardrobe it was a bank book registered in Walter's name the account hadn't been opened until after Walter married my mother and it showed deposits which roughly told the amount of money my father had left there was the motive clutching the bank book I ran downstairs but I was too late just as I reached the front door where you're going Martha get out of my way you're not leaving this house you can't push me I said you're not leaving this house report briefly from our story there is no escape starring and blinds to bring you an important message from our government ladies and gentlemen our army and our Air Force are critically short of physicians and dentists over 2,000 volunteers from these two professions are urgently needed today to safeguard and care for the health of the men and women whereas members of the United States Army and United States Air Force are serving you and me at home and overseas young physicians and dentists particularly those who did not serve in the armed services during World War War II have been asked by their government to act now to volunteer for duty at once if you are one of these young physicians or dentists please write or wire either the surgeon general of the United States Army or the air surgeon of the United States Air Force at once and volunteer your services if you know one of these young physicians or dentists please call his attention to this urgent message thank you the curtain rises on act two of there's no escape starring and blind as Martha Morgan when Martha was told that her mother had committed suicide her first reaction was shocked the shock was soon replaced by suspicion suspicion at her stepfather Walter Burke was responsible for her mother's death suspicion which Martha now knows will result in her own death locked in a windowless storage closet in a lonely hilltop farmhouse which was her mother's home Martha continues her story I ran downstairs but I was too late just as I reached the front door where are you going but get out of my way they're not leaving this house I'd like to have a little talk but I don't want to talk with you really why not you killed my mother you appear to be suffering from the same illness she had let me give you a sedative no thank you what's the name of the doctor who cared for my mother when she was ill I don't really remember was a doctor in the city he specializes in the care of mental illnesses well if you don't know his name how are you able to locate him and get him to come up here as a matter of fact he didn't come up here I went to the city described your mother's symptoms to him and brought back the medication he prescribed no doctor would prescribe sedatives without seeing the patient now look Martha I don't know what the people in the village have been telling you but I can guess the lines that followed because they all hate me but if you'll check with the corner he'll tell you that your mother's death was a clear case of suicide will he also tell me that mother was allergic to even a small dose of sedative Dr. Higgins will testify to that and that you knew it and gave them to her regularly I don't know what you're talking I think you do after all my dear as you yourself pointed out earlier your mother and I were very happily married yet you murdered her murder there can be no murder without a motive you had the motive and I have the proof right here in this bank book I'm terribly sorry that you found this book Martha I can understand that can you then perhaps you can understand that I was equally sorry when your mother found it what are you going to do you've let me no choice if you don't die I will and I have much too much to live for you don't dare kill me that's why you're mistaken I don't dare let you live you don't dare I think we'd better go upstairs Martha would you go quietly or must I resort to unpleasant measures I'll go quietly good girl but don't forget I'm right behind you I told you you don't dare kill me and if you remember my answer was that I don't dare let you live however it is a matter which requires considerable thought your death must appear to be a regrettable accident and how do you expect to get away with that that my dear is the point which requires thought come along where are you taking me I just want to know that you'll be safe may take me a day or two to think of a satisfactory accident for you it's me Martha Rachel Hawkins make her sound and I'll kill you right now what's she doing here I asked her to come well she'll go away if she does she'll be suspicious I hadn't thought of that well come on you're going to let me see her yes you're going to tell her that you've changed your mind that you don't want her out here why I'll tell her nothing of the kind oh yes you will have a gun in my pocket Martha and if you don't send Rachel away completely satisfied with their story I'll shoot you both do you think you could get away with that it's safer than letting her go back to the village and talk I'll at least have a running start and a chance to get out of the country are you going to send her away satisfied well what else can I do there's no reason why Rachel should die too that's very sensible and very loyal come on my dear and remember at the first indication that Rachel suspicious I'll kill you both what's come over you Martha not an hour ago you said you wanted me to help you clean now you say you'll do it yourself are you sick or something she's had a very trying day Rachel she needs a chance to rest is that it Martha I guess so Rachel oh my mind so confused well then why don't you and me take a walk down to the old well when you was a little girl and wanted to think things out used to go down there remember yes the old rocky well let's go down there you feel better Martha really needs to be alone today Rachel hell why don't you come back tomorrow you can go to the well then in fact we'll all go and take a picnic lunch what do you say Martha yes yes of course all right then I'll be back tomorrow that is if you're sure you don't want me to stay I'm sure Rachel goodbye goodbye oh this is wonderful I didn't realize that we were quite that funny oh but you are in the first place I don't have a gun in the second place you establish this your mind was confused and you and Rachel supplied the perfect accident how how what did we say the old rocky well where you spent so many hours as a little girl when you wanted to think things out well my dear it'll be dark in another four or five hours and tomorrow when Rachel arrives we'll both be shocked to discover that sometime during the night you went to the well stumbled hit your head on a rock and drown all the evidence is here Jim my last hope and prayer will be that you find this letter within a few minutes as soon as he thinks it's safe you'll be coming upstairs he's coming now Jim I can hear his feet on the stairs he's at the top of the stair now I'll hide this note before he sees it it's time Martha please water please I'm sorry it's nothing personal simply self-defense window those kids from the village are broken another window don't try anything like that again I'll be back for you as soon as I get rid of those kids I don't want to die Jim how did you get here Rachel telephoned me after you sent her away she knew there was something terribly wrong but Walter where's he downstairs with Rachel and she has the biggest shotgun I ever saw Rachel remembered that Walter went wild when the kids broke a window so she threw a rock and he charged out and ran into my left hook now he won't wake up for some time he killed mother he was going to kill me there's nothing to worry about now darling I thought I'd never see you again I'll never leave you again please don't take me in your arms and hold me tight so they can be no escape the curtain falls in the final act but there's no escape our star and Blize will return for a curtain call after this important message from Wendell Niles this is important this is urgent over 2,000 young physicians and dentists are needed as volunteers at once for service in the United States Army or United States Air Force these physicians and dentists are required to safeguard the health of the men and women who are serving our country in the armed services if you are a physician or a dentist you are needed now right or wire the Surgeon General of the United States Army or the Air Surgeon of the United States Air Force at once volunteering for active duty let me repeat that right or wire the Surgeon General of the United States Army or the Air Surgeon of the United States Air Force today or see your local US Army and US Air Force recruiting station now back at the microphone our star and blight and our producer welcome back to proudly we hail and it's good to have you with us again well it's good to be back with you oh my how time flies it must have been a hundred shows ago since I was here 99 to be exact that sounds like a golf score and by the way how is your golf these days well maybe under a hundred I'm not ready for you at Lakeside yet I'm still working on my hitting power of course you experts never worry about things like that I'm the club expert in being too close to the ball after I hit it but I'm I want to ask you about your starting pictures well before signing with Universal International I was in the stage play of watch on the Rhine with Paul Lucas Mady Christians and Lucille Watson I know maybe it's a coincidence but Whitfield Connor who played the lead opposite you is Jim and our story today also played the same theaters over the country in Hamlet about two weeks after your show and left each city really and in every theater he was assigned the same dressing room you had but how did he know that because you had written and blithe watch in the Rhine 1942 on every dressing room wall look what I saved is my own press agent I did enjoy working within here and then you came to Hollywood yes but my first big break came when I was cast as the wicked daughter and noted peers she was a brat but you've always be remembered for that fine portrayal thank you now tell us about your latest picture from Universal International this one is in Technicolor a Western called Red Canyon with Howard Duff and George Brent it had its premiere last month in Salt Lake City I've read some of the nice reviews about Red Canyon and I'll be sure to watch for it you do that CP and I hope you like it now who's playing here with you next week next week and and ladies and gentlemen that capable and beautiful star of the European continent and the United States stage and screen alone a massive will join us in a romantic adventure as the lady from Luxembourg this is the story of new world love and old world customs that come into natural conflict with Dan Cupid winning the final and most important round oh that sounds wonderful I'll be listening goodbye CP goodbye and we should have done it next week ladies and gentlemen and we bring you alone a Massey and the lady from Luxembourg until then thanks for listening and cheerio from Hollywood and life according to the courtesy of the Hollywood board committee which arranges for the appearance of all stars in this program stripped of by Bill Hampton the music only direction of Eddie's prevent the program is transcribed in Hollywood for release at this time Wendell Nile speaking