 Your attention, please. During this program, Frigidaire will make a very important announcement. Please listen for it. Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Whatever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, and all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. You're twice as sure with two great names, Frigidaire and General Motors. For Frigidaire refrigerators are made only by Frigidaire, a division of General Motors. And it is this association of Frigidaire and General Motors, this association of experience with experience, of skill with skill that makes Frigidaire America's favorite refrigerator. Remember this when you choose your new refrigerator. Remember that millions of Frigidaires in millions of American homes have established Frigidaire's reputation for complete dependability for lasting satisfaction. Yes, you're twice as sure with two great names, Frigidaire and General Motors. For Frigidaire refrigerators are made only by Frigidaire, a division of General Motors. For Frigidaire refrigerators serve in more American homes than any other make. And our Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, the man called X. Listen to this news dispatch from Rome, Chief. The Italian government today announced the beginning of an all-out drive to destroy the secret Sicilian organization known as the Mafia, whose systematic terrorism against the Sicilian people has defied Italian law enforcement agencies throughout the years. It's been rumored, Ken, that the guns and ammunition the Mafia are using have been smuggled in from America. Yeah, that means a special responsibility in finding out how the Mafia is getting those guns and since this is out of the bill as jurisdiction, I'd like to take on this assignment on my own. Okay, but it's a tough one. The Mafia is hard to put a finger on. They've existed for generations, terrorizing their victims to the point where they're afraid to go to the law for protection. I'm sorry, but officially we won't be able to give you any help. Well, something done up this morning that might be a lead. Take a look at this. A pair of tickets for the Circus at Madison Square Garden tonight. Chief, look at what's written on the back of the tickets. Importante, Parelli. Importante. Who's Parelli? Here's the report I just received on him. Alfredo Parelli, famous Italian acrobatic clown, owner of a bankrupt circus, just arrived from Palermo, Sicily. Came to this country to earn money to keep the circus going. Palermo, Sicily? What's the base of the Mafia organization? That's right, Chief. It's only a hunch, but fear of making a direct contact with me could be a clue. Well, I think I'll pick up Pagon, stop him at Madison Square Garden to see the circus. Look at it, Mr. Therson. It's more like a musical comedy than a circus. Even the clowns are wearing nylon costumes. Now, when I was in the circus... Look, going up to the top. That's Parelli in the clown suit. That trapeze is six stories up and no net. I get dizzy just watching him. What's he going to do? Parelli swings from a two-bees bar by his mouth. He uses a steel and rubber bit and has been noted to as many as fifty-four loops, hanging by his teeth. The guy could get pink toothbrush from doing that. Now he's up on top now. There must be an easier way of making a living. To the office entrance. May I have a word with him? It's very important. You better hurry. He just has a few moments. Yes. Now, really, this is Mr. X. You wanted to tell me something? Please, Mr. X. They shame on it. The mafia. What about the mafia? Did they try to murder you on the trapeze? No, no. It wasn't accident. What about the mafia, Parelli? They're laughing at me. Mafia. What about the laughing lady? The mafia. They're laughing at me. Parelli. Parelli. It's dead playground. Was he murdered, Mr. Therson? Everybody told me it was accidental. Accidental murder, he means. Pagan, pick up a ticket to Palermo tonight. Me? Alone? What'll I do in Palermo, Mr. Therson? Go find out about the laughing lady. Then call me in Rome. I'll be at the embassy. Hello? Hello, is that you, Mr. Therson? Yes, Pagan. I found the laughing lady right here in Palermo. Go on. The laughing lady is the name of Parelli Circus. It's called that because the main attraction is a laughing lady clown. What about her? There's a price of 10,000 lira to anyone who can insult her and makes her stop laughing. Boy, the things I've said to her... What about the mafia? Any signs of it or all the guns? I've taken a job running the shell game and the sideshow, but I've seen nothing suspicious yet. Well, keep your eyes open. And remember, not a word to anyone about who is dead. To buy a circus. Mr. Therson, in Sicily, it's practical or old-joys. Lucky I was able to swipe. I mean borrow it. Sicily knows real poverty. 20 years of being robbed by Mussolini, and now the mafia is pitting its bones. You can't say that again. And Parelli Circus is the first good love they had in years. I wonder. The report I got in Rome indicates that after the laughing lady circus leaves the village, the mafia terror begins. Well, maybe Parelli could have been killed because he found this out and wanted to tell you. There's no more about that when I hear from the chief. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Therson. This radiogram came for you this morning, and I didn't even take a peek this time. And this time I know you're telling the truth. I am? How can you tell? Because you still think Parelli was murdered. Of course he was murdered. The chief's wire says new evidence established. Positive proof, Parelli, death was suicide. Suicide? But it couldn't be. Well, why should he? What was that? Someone over there on the olive tree just missed welcoming you with a slug of steel. Where? I don't see anyone. Besides, nobody knows you're here. Look. The bullet landed here on the back end of this tree. Maybe we should leave. I don't think they like strangers here. Look at this. I'd rather keep my head down under the seat. An American-made bullet, 22. The mafia were probably going to be killed. Oh, let's go home. This is no place for a brave man. Keep going to the circus, Pagon. We can't turn back now. I think the laughing lady is expecting us. You don't think she had anything to do with that shot? Parelli's last words were... mafia, laughing lady. I don't think it would make sense, her being with the mafia. Why not? Because the laughing lady is Parelli's sister. Parelli's sister? Yeah. I told you the whole thing didn't make sense. First, this Parelli kills himself. Then he sends us after the mafia with the clue that it's the laughing lady that's connected with it. Then we find her. What have we got? His sister. It's crazy. You're wrong, Pagon. Parelli's suicide is just beginning to make some sense. He must have found out something between the time he sent with the tickets and the time I arrived at the circus. Found out something he'd rather die than live with. There's the circus. You mean he must have found out that someone in the circus connected to the mafia was close to him? Someone near and dear. You mean maybe like a wife or a brother or...? Oh, a sister. Ken Thurston, senor Parelli. I knew your husband in New York. Alfredo! Mi casa! Mi Alfredo! I'm afraid cold, Mr. Thurston. Come on the show. I'm afraid senor Parelli is too upset to talk. I'll come back later. Oh, please. Please, you stay here. Why do you come here? Oh, please. If the American is a friend of Alfredo's, he is welcome. Senor Thurston, this is my sister-in-law. I'm a senor Parelli's sister. Oh, the laughing lady. In this hour of grief, must we talk to strangers? I'm sorry, senor Parelli, but I understand your brother made great sacrifices to keep the circus going. Sent money from America. What the business is that of yours, senor Thurston? Please, please. The gentleman speaks the truth. Alfredo went to America, so the circus might bring joy to his people. No, I don't know how he will carry on. This show never made me money. It's an awkward time to speak of it, but I came to offer to buy the circus. Buy it? What would you want with a circus that has no profit? No, no, no, please. That I cannot speak of now. Excuse me, please, senor Thurston. I do not know who you are or what you want, but my advice to you is to get out of Sicily now while you are still alive. I'll think over your advice. Say, Mr. Thurston. Yes, Col. Sure good seeing other American here in Sicily. I have a surprise as an American here myself. I feel I ought to tip you off, Mr. Thurston. This circus isn't anything you ought to buy. You'll lose your shirt in it. Think so? Worse than that. These people here don't take the strangers. Col, if there isn't any money in this circus, and if it's tough for strangers here, why do you stay? Can't go back to the States. Federal indictment. Thanks for the advice, Col. At least I could do for a countryman. Drop around to see my act, pistol rifle expert. Use a human target for my finale. Kind of sensational. I was snooping around the side shows like you told me when this gypsy dame came up and said she wanted to see you. Read your fortune-free. Her wagon is at the top of this hill. That'd be a good idea. I'd like to ask your gypsy friend, wife of Lily's widow and his sister, who owned this banquet circus, won't sell. Well, maybe it's sentiment. My family have owned the circus for years. Could be. It could be the circus is bringing in money from another source. Mafia, for instance. Here we are. Knock on the door of this wagon. She's inside. You wait outside. I was told you wanted to see me, Signorina. Never mind that, Signorina, Mr. Thurston. What's the gag about buying this broken-down circus? Well... That's right. Jane Bishop, Miss Omaha of 1937. I sell fortunes with a show. And what makes you think, Miss Bishop, that my wanting to buy this circus is a gag? Because buying a circus is a pretty expensive way of finding out how the mafia's using it. And who in the circus is working with the mafia? You know a cheaper answer to those two questions? Much cheaper. For the price of two tickets to New York. A ticket for you and who else? That's my business, Thurston. Fair enough. How soon do you talk? In an hour, say three o'clock. Meet me here in the wagon. I'll sneak away from the show just before the pistol act goes on. Pistol act? Yeah. I've got another job besides telling fortunes. I'm the human target in the pistol act. Must be a good racket telling fortunes. No overhead. A crystal ball and a new bunch of suckers every day. I got five minutes after three. She said she'd meet us here in the wagon at three o'clock sharp. I told you to leave the dames to me, Mr. Thurston. Step outside. See if you can see her. Hey, there's door. It won't open. Maybe it's stuck. Kick it. It's locked from the outside. The wagon. It's moving. Someone's taking the brakes off and pushing us down the hill. Well, our goods are cooked this time. We're heading for those olive trees at the foot of the hill. Hold on, Peyton. Mr. Thurston. Mr. Thurston. You all right, Peyton? On your feet? Yeah. Where are we going? Back to the circus to find Jane Bishop. The only person who knew we'd be in that fortune telling wagon. In just a moment, we will continue with a man called X created by J. Richard Kennedy. This is Wendell Niles speaking. Every good cook knows how much trouble it saves to have everything handy right where it belongs and easy to get at. Frigidaire engineers know that, too. That's why Frigidaire refrigerators are designed the way they are. The Frigidaire deluxe, for example, has a super-freezer chest that holds up to 50 pounds of frozen foods. For fresh fruits and vegetables, there's the big Frigidaire hydrator. Glass topped so you can see what's on hand. Easy rolling so you can get at things quickly. A sliding basket drawer stores eggs in other small articles. And as for all the other foods you keep in a refrigerator, well, Frigidaire's new design gives up to 50% more storage space in the same kitchen space. And think what you could do with all that extra room. Of course, foods must be safe as well as handy. And that's where the famous Frigidaire meter miser comes in. It's the simplest coal maker ever built. So simple, it uses only a trickle of current. So powerful, it keeps even the biggest Frigidaire's filled with cold. Remember how Frigidaire refrigerators keep everything handy. And remember, for all the advantages you want, ask to see the name Frigidaire when you ask to see a new refrigerator. In a few moments, Frigidaire will tell you about a great new radio show that starts next week. Be sure to listen for the announcement. And now to continue with Frigidaire's Man Called X, starring Robert Marshall. Ken is in Sicily trying to find out how a small circus is being used to supply the dread mafia terrorist organization with American-made arms. His only clue, two words, Laffing Lady, spoken by a dying clown, leads him into a dilemma. For he finds the circus is called the Laffing Lady and its star performer, a woman clown, is called the Laffing Lady. Ken and Pagan are returning to the circus after an attempt has been made on their lives while they were waiting to meet a Miss Jane, the human target in the pistol act. Hurry, Pagan. We've got to get to Jane Bishop before she goes on. If she offers some information to us, she could just as easily get a higher price from the mafia, not the sale. Well, business is business. If she comes now, grab her, Mr. Therson, quick. We can't get to her now. The mafia would identify us. She won't look this way. I swear I didn't. I couldn't kill Jane. A thousand people see him bump off the dame and listen to him. I didn't. I couldn't. Believe me. Please, Signora, it was an accident. You lie. It was no accident. He killed her. He wanted to get rid of her. Why did you want to get rid of her? I hated her. I wanted to get rid of her, Therson, but I couldn't. I couldn't miss my target. Please, Signora Thurston. Have pity. Leave him alone. It's your fault, Signora. For years I'd tell you to get rid of this foreigner. Always you say no. Now we are in trouble. The police will come. Oh, Fred, though. He insisted that your call stay. I still want to know why Cole wanted to get rid of Jane Bishop. This is not your affair, Signora. He'll go, please. It is my affair. Someone tried to kill me a few minutes ago. I swear I didn't kill her. I wanted to be free, but I didn't kill her. She was my wife. But, Mr. Thurston, they've tried to kill us twice. And you're out here in this dark, looking at trees. Let's get back close to the circus line. Quiet, Pagan, and hold that flashlight. There we are. What is it? A bullet. The American 22. At the same time, someone let go at me in the jeep. But the tree's 50 feet from the tent, and Cole was... It may not have been Cole's shot. You mean Cole didn't kill Jane? Someone else plowed a shot at precisely the same moment he did. Someone's coming. Have you not caused enough trouble, Signor Thurston? Oh, Signora, really? Did you ever see cartridges like this before? Oh, they are the kind we used in the pistol act and the shooting gallery. You're sure? Certainly. I have a charge of the circus ammunition. Before it is too late, Signor, get out of Sicily. Perhaps I'm still interested in buying your circus. If that is what you're staying for, you may leave now. The widow of my brother and I sold the circus today. Signor Thurston, this is the bullet taken from the dead woman. Another American 22. Thank you. Matches the other two. Now, would you take me back to Senior Cole's cell? Cece, follow me, please. It's just like an American to help a countryman in trouble. Thanks for coming. I'll try to help you, Cole, but I want the truth. How could I lie to you now? We did all right with that cock and bull story about a federal charge keeping you from going back to the States. I checked and found you were lying. I love Alice Pirelli. That's why I don't go back to America. Alice Pirelli? Alfredo's widow? Yes. She needs me now. The laughing lady hates us both. What do you know about the mafia? How is it using the circus and who's connected with it? The mafia? I don't know. I swear. You're lying. Your wife Jane knew about the mafia and was going to tell me. She made the mistake of telling someone else and got killed. But I didn't kill Jane. I couldn't. If you didn't, whoever did is using you for a fall guy. Who was it, Cole? I don't know, so help me. I don't. Okay. You'll have to sit in jail here until I find out. No. Don't leave me here. Senior Thurston, a stranger just came with 50,000 lira for Senior Cole's release. 50,000 lira? The only one around here with that kind of money is the mafia. You think Senior Cole is with the mafia? I don't know. But I'm sure the mafia is getting guns tonight from the circus. I'm going to need you and your men. Why wait till tonight, Mr. Thurston? Grab the laughing lady. I have no proof she is the mafia agent yet, paper. But Parili said she was the mafia agent. She has chartered the circus ammunition and now she sold out her share of the circus. Yes, but Parili's widow sold out her share of the circus too. Oh. And someone in the mafia just bailed Cole out of jail. Well, maybe all three of them are in the mafia. You can find out how much each of the women got for her share of the circus. I'll know which of the three is the mafia agent. Well, that's easy to find out. But please, Mr. Thurston, arrest the laughing lady now. I can't. I've got a few questions I want to ask you in front of the townspeople tonight. You'll never make her stop laughing, never. No one will ever get the 10,000 lira prize. You find out how much each of the women got for the circus and I'll stop the laughing lady. Let me get inside to you, Mr. Thurston. Here, on this paper, the amounts the two women got for the circus. Paper right up, folks. A win at 10,000 lira. Make it a lady stop for laughing. Thanks, Pagon. Stick close to Cole. You are it! Terror is being planned by the mafia for the people of this village. You and the widow, Alice Parili, know that the mafia is using your circus to distribute arms. You laughing lady, are permitting this crime. Out of fear of the mafia. You think your partner, Alice Parili, also fears the mafia. Your brother knew the truth and killed himself out of shame. When he found out it was his wife, Alice, who was connected with the mafia. You lying! Out of fear you sold your circus for a few hundred dollars. But Alice got one hundred thousand dollars in gold from the mafia. You and your brother will trade. Tell the citizens here where the guns were hidden before it's too late. Ah, in a livestock tent buried in the bails of a hay. Pagon, grab the widow. Alice, the mafia? No, she couldn't. The widow killed your wife because James was going to tell me about the mafia. You were blamed for it. But she, she bailed me out of jail. To make the story stick with the laughing lady. Your beloved Alice was leaving for Rome alone. Mr Thurston, you won the prize. Ten thousand a year. What a way to stop the laughing lady. I'll forfeit my winnings this time, Pagon. The laughing lady is going to need it. Don't tell me she's going going with that phony laughing gang. I hope so. Now that the false laughter, the mask of terror is cleared away, the people can get the joy of laughter. They'll really try to give them. Here's the big announcement Frigidaire wants you to hear. Next week, Sunday, October 3rd, Frigidaire will present the new London Abner show. A full half hour of comedy with those two delightful, pine-rich characters. Yes, London Abner, the favorites of millions of American families will bring you a new half hour show starting Sunday night, October 3rd. Listen to Frigidaire's new London Abner show over most of these same stations Sunday, October 3rd. See your newspapers for the exact hour. Now, in saying goodbye to the man called X, we say goodbye to our good friend, Herbert Marshall. Bart, on behalf of our sponsor, Frigidaire Division of General Motors Corporation, thanks for the grand job you've done and for the fine performances of the entire cast. Leon Bellasco, Ted Von Elsall, the rest. And I'd just like to add, for all of us here in the studio, thanks Bart, thanks for being such a swell person. Oh, thank you, Ben, thank you. Thank you for myself, for Johnny Green who composed and conducted our music, for the many writers who contributed scripts for the man called X, and for our director D. Engelbach. Will you please express our appreciation to Frigidaire for the most happy association? It's been a great pleasure to be with you. The best of luck from all of us to you on your new show. So long, Bart, and so folks, this is Wendell Niles saying good night for Frigidaire. See you all on the new London Abner show next week. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.