 dedicated to the strength of the nation proudly we hail United States Army and United States Air Force presentation and now 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 where the finest talent of the motion picture world join us for your entertainment in plays we know you'll enjoy our star is that popular and capable actor Edmund O'Brien and the title of our comedy romance take a letter Miss Devlin in our story Eddie becomes an assistant to an apartment store tycoon and has business secrets that make him a target for the opposition strategy to learn the plans when an Adam powered blonde goes after him for the secrets Eddie calls on his secret weapon his secretary will have the curtain for act one of take a letter Miss Devlin immediately after this important message from your announcer only the best can be aviation cadets and if you can qualify and are selected you'll receive the finest pilot training in the world with United States Air Force to qualify you must be between the ages of 20 and 26 and one half you may be either married or single you must have two or more years of college or be able to pass an equivalent examination after one year of thorough training you will win your silver wings and receive a reserve commission in the United States Air Force apply tomorrow at your nearest Air Force base or US Army US Air Force Recruiting Station remember only the best can be aviation cadets now once again our producer the curtain rises on act one of take a letter Miss Devlin starring Edmund O'Brien as Joseph Cooper the third weaver's department store stood directly across the street from King's department store which made their rivalry through the years rather intimate but as a matter of record weavers had been there first and as a matter of fact W. L. Weaver venerable owner of the store which bore his name would never forgive his arch business rival Clarence King for having built directly across the street from him all of which is well known to the mild mannered the speckles young man who approaches W. L. Weaver's office at this moment 40s Joseph Cooper the third Princeton class of 38 weaver's general manager from his looks he had never dreamed that he had once been intercollegiate boxing champion you sent to me Mr. Weaver I most certainly did sit down Joe thank you say what the devil have you gotten your buttonhole that's that's one of my prized committees care for it no I don't care for it well I'm concentrating on committees these days quite proud of the way mine are doing well if you'd think a little less about those camellias and a little more about this store I'd be a lot happier don't understand Mr. Weaver when I get production on these I plan to put one in the buttonhole of every floor walker well not a bad idea of course that bandit across the street King will immediately copy us but you've got something there I always keep this door uppermost in my cogitation just see that you continue to do that now I have news for you oh really news of the utmost importance and the utmost secrecy well I better shut this window oh yes of course we are on the 10th floor but one never knows what sparrows may be delivering information to King how true that character that horn in my side that weasel masquerading as a man oh no not now Mr. Weaver we must remember to temper anger with with compassion I just can't help it for years he's tricked I know first he had to build across the street from yes knows I always pick the best spots so that he could spy on my operation and steal my customer I know I know and you have my sympathy Mr. Weaver believe me then he starts undercut yes now I fell men's long underwear for the dollar fifty he sells them for the dollar and a quarter unspeakable I go to a dollar fifteen he goes to a dollar ten horrible finally in order to get rid of my underwear and I have to give it away flap and all he's quite a competitor all right yes when he's wearing the brass knuckles he is but I've got him now that's the news I have for you we're going to break ground next month for our new Westview store oh well well that's remarkable Mr. Weaver surprise oh yes I certainly am you didn't have any idea did you know no idea whatsoever we've really got the jump on Mr. King this guy oh yeah you know that communities really growing they're going to town out there in Westview but the most important factor is that we're going to be situated precisely where the two new highways will cross going through town why Mr. Weaver that's quite a location I should say it is of course it's misleading present not much out there now but in a year's time when we'll have our new store ready for operation it'll be the center of towns to either I congratulate you thank you Joe thank you of course we'll have to keep this very quiet over the course can't wait to see the look on King's face when he wakes up some morning to see our store going up yes I was doing quite well a moment ago weren't we Mr. Weaver yes we were you don't even stop to knock on the door these days do you keep all your toys always open to an old friend isn't it weaver I just dropped in to confirm a bit of news I just received a bit of news yes that you're going to build a brain store in Westview why who who told you who told you thanks for confirming my little news we were confirming it I deny oh stop it there's confirmation written all over that sour pussy is now if you'll tell me where you're going to build we could kind of go in together build a shopping center out of here won't tell all right I'll find out good morning weaver and straighten up your merchandise won't you it looks sloppy get out of my office now now you see he knows I'm going to build before my own general manager knows he knows well now actually Mr. Weaver too much harm hasn't been done so long as he doesn't know where you plan to build say that's right sure and it's comforting well where are we going to build in Westview where yes by a ninth and Bond Street yes now don't tell another soul Mr. King will never get this priceless bit of information good morning Mr. Cooper Mr. Evelyn are you alone yes and why are you looking so secretive this morning well I had just talked to Mr. Weaver he doesn't want Mr. King to know something something he told me well people are telling people things every day no you don't understand this is dynamite if it ever gets out well if Mr. Weaver told you something confidential just keep it to yourself don't tell anyone button your lip never thought of that simple things always seem to escape the complex mind yes and don't you think I've been your secretary long enough to be called Ruth yes forgive me it just seems so informal wonder it's only been four years seems only yesterday the first day you stepped into my office how you do make me feel better always take a letter Ms. Devlin roof and Ms. Ruth Devlin city would you care to accompany me to the Camelia show this coming Sunday at the auditorium we could even have dinner afterwards how nice of you yes I thought it showed a considerable imagination phrasing it to you in the form of a letter oh it did and it's the first time you've asked me out well I'd love to go out with you you would to the Camelia show or anywhere your eyes have a rather hypnotic look which I hadn't noticed before who knows maybe patience is having its reward yes well I I think that'll be lovely having you join me at the Camelia show and you won't let any thoughts of the store here spoil our afternoon thoughts of Mr. King oh no no King doesn't worry me now not not in the least well Mr. King will I do honey you'll do but good I'm glad you approve now you understand what you're supposed to do I think so but let's check I'm to go to the Camelia show that's right you look for a fellow with horned rim glasses that's Cooper the general manager of Weaver store across the street you can't miss him he looks like a football player wearing a Camelia I won't miss him and now all you want is a sight of the new store in Westfield right that's all honey but that's enough now remember I don't think Cooper has ever been out with a woman in his life so take it easy I'll handle him as if he were a rare piece of crystal and if I'm successful 500 bucks good luck judging of the professional class hot house from Camelia's will come in set the south end of the building in five minutes oh Joseph yes you don't mind if I call you Joseph do you know that you call me Ruth and I'm here walking along beside you with my arm on yours well no thank you Joseph oh stop looking at those Camelia's a minute and look at me what no go on and look at your Camelia's let's just walk and look it's heavenly this way too I don't I don't quite follow you you will sometimes I'm very patient you are oh well then you'd be very good with Camelia's oh I would be oh he has think of it though this is our first afternoon together couldn't be more delightful here with the flyer it's simply couldn't I know that today history is being created and tonight tonight you promise to take me to dinner remember oh oh of course I couldn't forget that now could I pardon me aren't you mr. Cooper why oh why yes I thought I recognized you perhaps at the weaver store in town I'm the store manager oh no no no nothing so mundane is that oh no no no this isn't your approach oh what was that oh don't mind me continue oh no mr. Cooper I've seen so many of your glorious Camelia's in the flower shows the past year or two well really yes I thought your entry in the state show last year should have taken the prize why why thank you had I been judging the class you would have won the prize hands down well then you're a Camelia fancier yourself oh I should say I simply don't know you do well forgive me I haven't asked your name to reach the lead a miss to reach the lead that's not what was that nothing I'm Mr. Devlin how do you do flower lover yes also well acquainted with the various forms of poison ivy how nice well now we've all met isn't it a family though I think it's fascinating well mr. Cooper I don't want to keep you only a moment oh you don't have to rush your time I'm with Petal the horticultural magazine well isn't that splendid well I don't know about that but my publishers have been very anxious for me to do a yarn on you I mean well that's a surprise now you're just being modest and so charming along with it she spreads it on with a trowel I beg your pardon the woman demonstrating the piece more so over how fascinating but mr. Cooper good I have an interview with you I'd be very honored when well there's some time next week well I have a deadline to meet you know how that is what time would be convenient with you well how about that well yes oh oh you wouldn't mind would you rule oh no I wouldn't mind not at all of course we could all go to dinner together well that's what I know but then mr. Cooper we wouldn't have an opportunity to talk well I'll drop out put me in a cab Joe goodbye miss Lee really Ruth I hate to do this isn't anyone who has a chance to be written up in Petal no that's true besides there'll be other days there will be won't there Joe well sure tomorrow the next day besides such a patient fool the course briefly from our story take a letter miss Devlin and starring Edmond O'Brien to bring you an important message from your government ladies and gentlemen our army and our Air Force are critically short of positions and efforts over 2,000 volunteers from these two professions are urgently needed today to safeguard and care for the health of the men and women who has members of the United States Army and United States Air Force are serving you and me at home and overseas young positions and that is particularly those who did not serve in the armed services during World War two have been asked by their government to act now to volunteer for duty at once if you are one of these young positions or dentists please write or wire either the surgeon general of the United States Army of the air surgeon of the United States Air Force at once and volunteer your services if you know of one of these young positions or dentists please call his attention to his urgent message thank you the curtain rises on act two of take a letter miss Devlin starring Edmond O'Brien Joseph Cooper the third mr. Cooper Camelia fancier erstwhile Xboxing champion at Princeton and general manager of weaver's department store is in possession of a bit of priceless information this consists primarily the fact that weaver's new store in Westview will be built at ninth and Bond streets destined to be the center of this fast-growing community in order to gain this information Clarence King owner of the opposition store has put a blonde Teresa Lee on the trail of bashful young mr. Cooper miss Lee it seems has quite captivated our Camelia fancier so much that his lovely secretary Ruth is almost at wit's end as our scene opens W. L. weaver owner of the store steps into Cooper's office Joe miss Devlin he's out mr. weaver out he's up in men's clothing buying a new suit but he just bought a new suit last week he's getting them by the day now why the blonde oh so it's a woman not a woman a blonde now now miss Devlin you seem rather upset I am you are naturally loyal to Joe more than that I'm in love with the fool mr. weaver I don't know what to do there there there now sit down all he does is talk about her and buy new suits when did she come into his life at the Camelia show and you know what there's something phony about her sure sure no there is she's supposed to be with Petal the horticultural magazine the other day I called over there trying to reach Joe they'd never heard of her well if she's posing as someone else maybe she is up to something I'll instruct Mike of our police force here at the store to check up on her see who her friends are and so forth thank you mr. weaver if I hear anything I'll let you know now don't you give up the battle oh I won't and thanks how do you like my new suit you really want to know why by all means it's atrocious oh you're joking any self-respecting awning maker would turn down that fabric why I thought it was quite sharp matter of fact as she did too who Teresa she picked it out say no more I guess we all don't coincide in our taste I guess we don't I'll be leaving a little early tonight again why Ruth must I gain your permission before leaving the store I'm sorry I have a rather early engagement with her if you are referring to Teresa yes ask her when your write-up is going to appear tell her I called the magazine over there to order the first copy off the press good evening Teresa Joe come in thank you oh oh you dear dear boy you look tired tonight I do yes come over here and sit in this chair let me rub your forehead all right you are tired aren't you I really wasn't that is not until you mention that now I'm really tired oh you poor boy you've just been working so hard haven't you well not really I think you should have more help in your office or perhaps that girl you have shouldn't she be replaced oh no not Ruth she's a wonder Joe dear you're so tired I'm dead by the way when will my story come out a story yes Ruth my secretary was wondering she told me to tell you that she called the magazine to order yeah call the magazine mm-hmm well that and that was very considerate of her oh boy does that feel better oh it's worse I think I better go home and go to bed I know you've been so busy I understand you're planning a new store in Westview who told you that my dear a brother who lives out there oh yes a camellia fancier too oh really oh yes why in his more affluent days he used to import canedia some Hong Kong Hong Kong yes but now with a wife and a family of ten children ten children yes he assumed to be 11 well now he counter for the luxury of a plant well I shall send him some blossoms oh Joe how kind of you you know he often felt my brother that if he just knew which way the town was going to move there in Westview with the few dollars he has to invest he could make out and of course your new store will certainly point the way listen I wouldn't say this to anyone except a man with with ten children but you tell your brother there will quite possibly be considerable activity in the vicinity of ninth and bond streets did you say ninth and bond streets mm-hmm that's right oh you are a dear Joe oh I suddenly have the most horribly splitting headed Joe I'm sorry oh you you will forgive me if I trouble you on home oh certainly certainly and you you've talked me into the desire for some rest myself yes well good night good night dear boy get rest won't you oh yes oh and say don't mention that address in Westview to to anyone will you my dear perish the thought oh yes mr. weaver you in yet no but I imagine he was out late last night unfortunately yes incidentally I have some oh thanks mr. weaver good morning roof well good afternoon oh it is rather late isn't it anyone call no one in particular here's your mail thank you did you ask miss Lee about your story I did what did you say she was noncommittal oh I understand miss Lee is a very good friend of Clarence King's that's a what what did you say I said I'm surprised you haven't bumped into Clarence King over at miss Lee's who told you that I have it on very good authority why well because if she's a friend of Clarence King's I'm afraid I've been double-crossed what do you mean Joe you look scared I am scared I I gave her the address of our new store in Westview oh no let me talk to Teresa Lee please checked out thank you I've been taken in but good good morning tell you it's mr. King so it is just stopped in for a minute on my way up to weaver's office to tell him about some building I'm going to do in Westview I'm just bursting so with joy sunshine and good cheer this morning I had to pass a little of it along then then the world is all right with you mr. King oh my boy if you only knew how all right it is well I'll be bustling along just a minute mr. King I haven't done anything like this for a long time but I'm afraid I'm impelled to add to your morning what was that for as if you didn't know I'll sue you you can sue me but don't get off that floor I'll deposit you right back on it all right Joe you you're I'm a fool well come on I've got to tell mr. Weaver mr. Weaver King has your address in Westview that's great huh great as a matter of fact I think you deserve a bonus for this I do why sure after all the trouble I've had with King knowing my every move I deliberately gave you a wrong address then you're you're not going to build the store at ninth and bond no I'll build a parking lot there and if King gets any customers I'll charge them two dollars ahead just to park their cars take a letter mr. Devlin roof uh dear mr. Devlin I have been both a fool and an idiot please know that I realize that and I I only wish that may I continue this letter for you by all means come here I'm going to kiss you shall I continue by all means I mean you just can't end the paragraph there the turkey falls in the final act to take a letter mr. Devlin our star Edmond O'Brien will return for a curtain call after this timely message from Wendell Niles this is important this is urgent over 2,000 young physicians and dentists are needed as volunteers at once for a 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 U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force recruiting station now back at the microphone our star Edmond O'Brien Eddie for your debut here I don't know whether I should welcome you as a film personality and star as Hollywood's proudest father the proudest dad in Hollywood and how is little Bridget Eileen O'Brien and her lovely mother Olga sent one they're both wonderful and CP my wife and I both want to thank you for that beautiful little silver cup not at all you know Eddie if I may I'd like to go back a few years to your work in summer theater I hear you were a very dynamic Othello I don't know about dynamic but that was in Roxbury with the Columbia lavatory players our Othello got Tomane so I got my big chance and after the play I ran over to the voice coach's house two blocks away she was ill with Tomane too I told her about the ovation I got she said I heard it and I heard you too you may not be the best Othello but you're the loudest that was a subtle bit of sandbagging yes but I managed to stay in Shakespeare that and the experience you had with Orson Welles Lawrence Olivier and as Prince Hal in Henry the fourth was the best in the world you know CP after the first night of Prince Hal I got my name in lights the next night I blew my lines and gave the worst performance in my life couldn't stand the lights those are the bumps in show business but you have done all right well I got a contract with RKO after the Prince Hal thing I was doing all right and then I moved to Universal I went in the army and afterwards I came back to Universal to finish my contract I recalled some of your pictures there the killers the web double life and then yes and then I went over to Warner Brothers and I'm very happy things look pretty good too I should say they did get off to a good start at Warner Brothers with Fighter Squadron that was a fine picture now well what is your latest one well it's called backfire it's a bang-up adventure drama lots of shooting has a great cast I hope you catch it if you like action I sure will well fair enough now what will we be looking forward to in your theater next CP next week Eddie and ladies and gentlemen we bring you a story of a little British war orphaned who comes to the United States to live with a rant when the child loses her only prop her aunt searches for a method of understanding and finds it when she can see the world through the child's eyes beautiful gale storm is our star in the title of our story where the heart is that should be great we'll be listening so long CP goodbye Eddie we should have done this next week ladies and gentlemen we bring you a gale storm in a dramatic story where the heart is until then thanks for listening and cheerio from hollywood Edmund O'Brien appeared for the courtesy of the hollywood court in the committee which arranges for the appearance of all stars in this program script was by rich hall of music by eddie dunce program was transcribed in hollywood for at least his time wendell niles speaking