 presents Ed Sullivan and William Gargan. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents William Gargan in The Latest Thing. To introduce the transcribed drama, here is your host returning to the Mutual Network on which he made his radio debut exactly 27 years ago. Ladies and gentlemen, toast of the town's Ed Sullivan. Thank you, Tony Lafano, and thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Tony, you're right. It was back in 1926 that I first stepped... Well, Bill Gargan said I stepped up smilingly. Actually, I stepped up rather nervously to the W.O.R. Mutual Mic after an introduction by Basil Reisdale. And on that first broadcast, I had the privilege of introducing to the country a nightclub trio from Broadway's Silver Slipper, Clayton, Jackson, and Schnauzola Durante. Lou Clayton has since died. I was talking to his widow, Ida Clayton, a few nights ago here in Hollywood, and she recalled that Lou was one of Family Theater's greatest fans. Lou Clayton, great Broadway hooverer, believed as we do, that prayer is the only way to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, peace for our world. And in pursuit of that thought, Family Theater urges you all to pray, particularly to pray together as a family. I'll tell you more about that later. Right now, the curtain opens on our drama, The Latest Thing, starring my good friend and your good friend, William Bill Gargan. What are you pacing up and down for? Getting your bunk and go to sleep. I can't sleep. I think I'm getting stuck crazy. Kid, listen. I know what's going through your head. Don't do it. Those guys haven't got a chance to break out of here. What do you mean haven't got a chance? Scully's got the whole thing worked out. That guy's got a head on his shoulders. He knows the angles. Sure, sure, he knows the angles. He's so brainy he's gonna bust out of here and spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. Oh, take it from me, kid. Do your time. Get out of here the right way. Sure, sure. It's easy for you to talk, cold dope. You're gonna be a free man in a week and you just sat it out like a bump on a log so now that's what everybody should do, huh? You're wrong, kid. I didn't sit it out. What do you mean? When I first got sent up here, I was just like you. I was always looking for a chance to break out. But the chance was a long time coming, Jimmy. I'd already served eight years. This was back just before the war and I only had three more to go on that wrap. One afternoon, Grady, the guard in our block, tells me there's a lady no less who wants to see me down in the visitors room. I didn't know you had any girlfriends on the outside, cold dope. Well, to tell you the truth, Grady, neither did I. Maybe she's an old acquaintance of one of your buddies. I don't have any buddies. I'm like you gods. Everybody hates me. The trouble with you, menophys, you got too good an opinion yourself. Cold dope. That's a good nickname for you. Think you know everything. I know enough not to cultivate this bunch of mutton heads in this pen. They're mutton heads. But you're so smart. I'm so smart. Then how come you're doing time? Law of averages, Grady. Law of averages. A man can't figure everything every minute. Every ten stoopes that get set up here, they take a smart guy with them. Average is, that's all. Yeah. Well, I'm just a not so clever prison guard. But I figure you ain't gonna be so smart yourself when you finally get out of here. Well, that's where you're wrong, Grady. You can lock a guy up for a long time, but if he keeps in touch, keeps up with the lingo, the features, the pitches, the new frisks, he comes out all ready to sail. Yeah? Yeah. Things change, sure, but not that much. A blade, a sharpie, he'll get by in or out. Maybe. No, maybe about. Well, here we are. That's your visitor over there, the blonde. See? You got 15 minutes. I'd never seen her before, the blonde. She was maybe 30, tall and a quiet dresser. I'll never know for sure, Jimmy, but I think this was the first time she ever visited anybody in prison. Mr. Minofee? Yeah. You don't know me. My name's Pringle, Doris Pringle. How do you do? My husband's a lawyer on the West Coast. You're a long way from home. What can I do for you? He's interested in your case. He'd like to help you. Why me? Well, you can talk. This is a peanut's prison, no microphones, nothing. Unusual. Behind the times, they don't keep up with the new improvements. Go ahead, why me? On account of the bonds, my husband thinks you know where they are. The bonds? You got the wrong man, lady. I wasn't even in on that Brixton caper. Oh, I see. You were framed? Yeah. Sorry to hear it. I thought we could do business. Like I tell you where the bonds are and then you spring me later? That kind of business? Of course not. We'd make the first move by helping you get out of here. Time enough after that to work out the other details. Sorry, lady. I don't know anything about any bonds. Ask around in here. My husband's pretty well known. You can trust us. With what? I'm a poor man. Think it over, Mr. Minofee. I'll drop back next week, in case you change your mind. After the Pringle woman left, Grady took me back to the block where I was able to do some uninterrupted thinking. My cellmate, Dink Baker, was over to the library as usual and he didn't get back until it was almost time for supper. Good evening, Cole Dope. How you doing, Dink? I located that book on investments you were inquiring about. Thanks. Is anything wrong? Oh, no, no, I was just thinking. You're a lawyer, Dink. Was a lawyer, Gough Cole Dope. I've been disbarred. Yeah, but you know the business. Are you seeking legal advice? Not exactly. I was wondering. You ever heard of a West Coast lawyer named Pringle? Pringle? Pringle. Criminal lawyer, mouthpiece. Yes, Roscoe, Roscoe Pringle, I think. Thoroughly disreputable. You sure? The man is a disgrace to his profession. A real crook, huh? Of the lowest order. Good. Good. I don't think I understand. I just wanted to be sure I could trust him. I spent the rest of the week thinking it over. It was going to be three years before I'd even be eligible for parole. And seeing how the state still had had it in for me, since they'd never recovered the bonds, I didn't figure the board would give me much of a break. Then too, Jimmy, I'd been studying the financial reports, keeping up as usual with the latest developments. And never was the foreign market for those bonds going to be as good as it was right then. Like I say, I keep up to date on things. So I thought it over hard. And by the next Thursday, when the Pringle woman came to see me, I'd made up my mind. Well, Mr. Minofee, what's your answer? You got a deal. I thought you'd come around. I haven't come around so far that I can't go back. This is going to be done my way or there'll be no game. Anything you say. First of all, what kind of help will you need to get out of here? Not a bit. I can handle this and fine. It's once I'm outside the walls, I'm going to need help. Just name it. I want a car, lights out, motor running, full gas tank, change of clothes in the back seat, 38 stout, a week from tomorrow night. You get a gas station map and find the Cornwall Road. It's about a half mile out opposite the north wall of this place. Leave the car there sometime before midnight. And then what? Go back to LA. I'll contact your husband there as soon as I can. Now who's trusting who? Suit yourself, lady. I didn't send for you. Don't fly off the handle. For a man behind bars, you're pretty sure of yourself, Mr. Minofi. They call me cold dope, Mrs. Pringle. On account of I keep up with the new changes, I got the latest dope on things, cold. So we got a deal? A week from tomorrow night. The car will be there. Cold dope, Minofi. That was me, smart. Figured all the angles, all the new twists. So I'd been in for eight years. What's eight years when you don't let any grass grow under your feet? Yeah. Are you making that noise? Yeah. Get back to sleep, Dink. I thought it was mice. What are you doing? Just making something. Get back to sleep, huh? You're using sandpaper, aren't you? You should have been a detective. You'll find out anyhow. Here. How does it look? How can I tell in this dark? What is it? Feel it. Say, did you carve this right here in the cell? After I made the pattern over in the shop. What do you think of it? I think if you're going to try breaking out of this place, you'll need more than a wooden gun. Not the way I'm planning it. Yeah. I'm using the old bean, counselor. You really going out cold dope? 48 hours from now and I'll be a free man. You seem very confident. Yeah. Maybe you shouldn't be telling me all of this. Maybe. But you get to know a man pretty well in six years. That's how long we've been cellmates, Dink. Yeah. Six down and nine to go. Is that how they say it in the Ivy League? The Ivy League and the Big 10. It's the Big 9 now, Dink. You do keep abreast of the times, don't you? Got to. Got to. Well, you're safe cold dope. I won't say anything. I've been thinking, Dink, would you like to come along? Wouldn't that slow you down? Might do just the opposite. Might speed me up. How do you mean? I'm going to need a lawyer, someone that knows law. Anyhow, especially about banking and foreign exchange and like that. I thought you had a lawyer, that Pringle person. You told me yourself he's a crook. You know what they say, it takes one to know one. It's a big piece of money, Dink. I'd rather cut it up two ways than three. What do you say? I want to go. Well, if you change your mind at the last minute, just speak up. It's OK with me. No, don't worry. I'm with you. Thursday night, we came back from Chow about 6.30 and sat down in our cell to wait. The time seemed to crawl. Dink read for a while. I tried to take a nap, but neither of us could get anywhere. About 8.30, we started to shoot some casino. We played right up to lights out. After that, there wasn't anything to do, but lie there in the dark and count the seconds. It was about midnight when we finally heard what we'd been waiting for. There it is, the guard switch. Yeah, I heard it. Can you see who it is? Oh, it'll be Grady. Yeah, here he comes down the catwalk. You going to try it now? No. Let's have him go down to the end and come back. I want to be sure that guard he's just relieved is out of the picture. I hope he's got sense enough not to give us any trouble. Shh. That mutton head flat foot. Well, he looked as if he were half asleep. More than half. He's got no more sense than a pop of bear. He's almost down to the end. Yeah, he's turning around. On his way back? Uh-huh. You better get up in your bunk. Grady sees both of us on our feet. Even he might suspect something. All right. You got the gun? Yeah. Stay up there quiet until I give you the word. Hey. Hey, Grady. What's wrong with you, Menefe? I don't know. I got some kind of a stitch in my side. Uh-huh. I don't know. It feels like. OK, Grady. Shut up and don't move. Say what's the matter? You move it to your funeral. OK. OK, I ain't moving. OK, Dick. You guys are crazy. I'm trying to be quiet. Dick, get his key ring. In five minutes, he'll be after you. Grady, will you be quiet? Got it, cold oak. OK. Here, hold around on him. I'll take the keys. And I had you figured for a smart app. Grady, you're going to have to shut up. I'll get in here. Right out of the lower bunk. You're making a big mistake. All over, put your hands behind your back. You're making a big mistake. Dick, hand me that towel before you start tying up his legs, will you? Hey, what are you going to do? Open your mouth, Grady. Now look here. Yeah, that's the boy. What a chatterbox. Hold your hands together. All set, cold oak. His legs are bound. Yep. There, that gets his hands. Come on, let's go. pleasant dreams, flat foot. We started along the wall of the catwalk down toward the door at the end of the cell bank. It was midnight. By now, the Pringledame would have left the car. This was the only hard part. The door led to the guard room. If we got through there OK, we could cross the compound outside and be over the wall before anyone would know what was happening. Sounds as if anyone's in there. I can't hear anything. What can we expect? One guy at the most. Supernumerary, cooling his heels. Perhaps we should have taken Grady's gun after all. Dick, a heater is nothing but dead weight. All right, but what if there's someone in there? I'll hit him and then you hit him. Just like that. Close to it as we can. Ready? Ready. I put my hand on the knob of the door leading to the guard room and turned it slowly. Maybe the man in there was asleep, Jimmy. Maybe he was goofing off down in the kitchen for some coffee. Or maybe he was standing six feet on the other side of the door with his gun train on it. But it was too late to turn back. He's goofed off. All right. That makes two guards are going off the payroll tomorrow. We're not out yet. We still have to cross the yard. OK, so come on. Let's do it. We started across the empty guard room. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling. I snapped it off and swung open the heavy door in the prison yard. See anything? Nope. How about the watchtowers? Nothing. Dark and quiet. Shut up for the night. That wall looks pretty high. It's built like a vegetable grater. Find one foothold and you're set. What do we do? Crawl or make a run for it? Run. You all set? I think so. Let's go. We ran out across the yard. Our feet slamming the ground. The breath wheezing out from us. Three feet from the wall, we both left the ground and jumped as high as we could. The impact almost knocked me out, but I managed to get a grip on the brick-facing and I started to climb. Deep was right beside me, scraping and clawing his way up the wall like an alley cat. We bumped into each other, rolling over the top and crashed down to the darkness under the gravel plain below. Come on, Deep. Come on, right behind you. There goes the alarm. They must have found Grady. We'll make it. The car's going to be parked just the other side of these woods. Look, they've turned on the searchlights. They still don't know which way we went. I'm telling you, we're all right. Come on. We ran. Do not. Their eyes half-blind from the slap of brushes and twigs are hands-raw from swinging into them. I figured the Cornwall Road about four city blocks from the north wall. We were just about there. What are they stopping for? Is that buggy's got to be around here somewhere? I can't see it. Hold up. Look, back by the wall. Flashlights. Coming out after us. Where did she park that heat? I'm blind as a bad man. There. There, isn't that something down that road? I can't tell. That's it. Come on. Come on. Brother, brother, I thought we'd been crossed. It's sure enough a car. Get in the back and keep your head down. The motor's running. Yeah, we're making it. Well, let's get moving. All right. Now, let's see how two dozen walking flat feet are going to slow up this spaceship. But what's wrong? I can't find. What's the matter? How did that wrangle that? Cold dope, will you get us out of here? I tried to. Maybe it's up by the dash. Man, what are you turning on the headlights for? Are you crazy? Are you set up, Dink? Get going. I can't. I can't. We're late. Brady, stop shooting. We quit. That's how I broke out of here, Jimmy, for 20 minutes. Cold dope, Minnify, the guy who kept up with all the latest developments. So take my advice and serve out your time. But what happened? How come they caught you? They caught me because I hadn't figured all the angles. Nobody can figure all of them. Yeah, but I don't get how. All I want you to get is the one point I'm trying to make. You can't figure all the angles. So don't waste your time trying to live by them. I'm smart now. Give back those bonds. Look, kid, you got to live straight. Forget about angles. Yeah. And I want you to promise you'll have nothing to do with that break. OK. That's better. But now tell me how they caught you. What was the angle you hadn't figured? Well, I didn't even know myself until the shooting stopped. The whole mob of guards came boiling out of the woods onto the road and surrounded the car. When Grady threw open the door and pulled me out of the front seat, I was almost as sore as I was scared. Yeah, but why couldn't you drive off? That was the angle I hadn't figured, the gear shift. The gear shift? Yeah. That was a new wrinkle in, the latest thing. They had it coming out from the steering wheel instead of the floor. It was all the latest thing. This is Ed Sullivan again. While enjoying Bill Gargan, these other fine performers, I was thinking to myself that there is no business like show business. Certainly in no other area have I, as a newspaper man, found such, well, you might call it, a crystal clear understanding of charity. Such an instinctive reliance on prayer or so complete an expression of love neighbor. You know, we might all remember that here in Hollywood, performers of all faiths have adopted more children than any other town its size in the whole wide world. When Helen Hayes lost her young daughter, her only child, she almost went insane with grief. Helen told me that the only thing that saved her mind was prayer, daily visits to a tiny New York church on Lexington Avenue. In another expression of spirituality, Charles Lawton one night distinguished our show by introducing his readings from the Bible in our stage. And consider what Bing Crosby and Leo McCary accomplished, almost as missionaries in Going My Way. And Crosby has done it again in his newest picture, a sensitive moving little boy lost. You know, no other generation so plainly has seen the futility of worldly material power, kings, dictators and even nations have passed from the face of the world. There is only one enduring headliner, only one permanently entitled to top billing, God. And because the people of show business recognize that, stars of the stature of William Gargan appear eagerly on this program to give wider circulation of the family theater slogan, the family that prays together stays together. So pray to God with your family and you'll find that he listens to every word just as lovingly and just as attentively as well as if there were nobody else in the universe but you. And never forget the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. To Wood Family Theater has brought you the latest thing starring William Gargan. Ed Sullivan was your host. Others in our cast were Gene Bates, Fred Shields, Howard Culver and Eddie Firestone. The script was written by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed and transcribed for family theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our family theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lafranco expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theater will present Uncle Jim starring Jane Wyman and Jack Haley. Join us, won't you? Family Theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.