 Suspense. For the perfect prelude to gracious dining, for distinguished entertaining, for rare taste pleasure, serve a Cresta Blanca California sherry. That's C-R-E-S-T-A, V-L-A-N-C-A, Cresta Blanca, Cresta Blanca. Yes, the knowing tongue has discovered that the world produces no finer sherry than Cresta Blanca. And there's a Cresta Blanca sherry for every taste, for every occasion. Yes, it's smart before dinner to pour delightfully dry Cresta Blanca dry watch, and after dinner to serve creamy rich Cresta Blanca triple cream. Shanley's Cresta Blanca wine company Livermore, California. And now, with Mr. Donald O'Connor a star, Shanley brings you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines for your everyday enjoyment. Tonight Roma Wines of Fresno, California bring you Donald O'Connor in Smiley, a suspense play produced, edited and directed for Shanley by William Spear. For 22 years I was without trouble. I got along with people. They liked me. They called me Smiley, because that's the way it was with me. My eyes, I mean, laughing, the way I always was inside. And then I had this thing with a woman, and the laugh went out of my eyes and out of my insides. That's when I learned that thing or two, especially about women. That's when I learned that some women don't even have the right to live. It was on my day off and so delayed at night. And I was just walking along the street, not going anywhere in particular, or even thinking anything much. Just sort of whistling to myself and walking along the street. Well, me, why, why nothing, nothing at all. You've been following me. Oh no, I haven't been following you. What are you looking at me that way for? What are you looking at me and smiling that way for? I just smile at everybody, lady. Go away. Don't come near me. Oh, shut up. Shut up. That was when the cop grabbed me and they threw me into jail just because she lied about me. She said I was bothering her. She said I hit her. She said I was staring at her. She said I was following her, probably going to rob her. And they all believed it too. They didn't say so, but they were all thinking about those women that got killed lately. I know. So they believed the woman and about my hands. They didn't believe that either. They thought it was funny about my hands, about hands nobody understands, nobody. Will rise. Gerald Smyth, do you have anything to say before this court pronounces sentence? Well, I'm a decent man, judge. I got a job. I'm a decent working man. I didn't follow or I didn't hit her. I didn't do anything she says. A jury has disagreed with you, Mr. Smyth. You say you have a job? Yes, sir. What kind of a job? I'm a dishwasher. Dishwasher, huh? Let me see your hands. Oh, sure. They're nice. I keep them that way. Order, please. Order. Yes, I see. They're long and smooth and white. I keep them this way. Mr. Smyth, you will find that lying does not help you in this court. Your hands may be indeed are everything you say, but they are certainly not the hands of a working man, least of all a dishwasher. I sentenced you to two years and six months in the county prison. I didn't blame the judge. I was there in the first place because of the woman, only because of her. And I worked out my time with my hands. My hands are still long, but they're not smooth. They're not white. They're not pretty anymore. It was November when I got out. Cold. Cold outside, and I was cold inside. I had no place to go except back to the Busy Bee Cafe in Curly. All the way back to town, I thought of Curly. His hands weren't like mine. They were short and stubby, but golly, they were good. The way he used them, I mean. Whatever he was doing, slapping pie door, handling a side of beef, or choking the life out of a chicken, he was purely good. I walked into the kitchen, and there he was working. He didn't see me because I was behind him, but after a while, he must have felt me because he jumped like he was shot. What do you want? I want my job back. I want your job. Smiley. Smiley. Good Lord, man. I didn't know. Yeah, Curly. It's me. How about that job? You remember you ran out on me once. Yeah, I drew a blank. Yeah, yeah, you sure drew a big one. You look different somehow. Wait a minute. Your face, your eyes, they changed, Smiley. Well, what did you do? Quit laughing? You might say that. You purely might. I changed. My hands, too. See? They're better, huh? Yeah, they're not the same either. Hey, remember how you used to ride me about that hot water, and how I even bought rubber gloves once? Well, look. Look, Curly. Hot water. Now, that's hot. Now, watch. Hey, you fool, that's pure steam. Now, what are you trying to do? Kill yourself? Just proven. I'll keep the water hot. I don't need to worry about my hands now. Yeah, well, look, you better have something to eat, huh? We'll talk about hot water later. Say, can I have one of you? Uh, Smiley, don't feel good cooking. Now, you better get back in front. We might get a customer. You don't want me around. That's all right. Smiley, what's with you? You haven't changed that much, have you? You and Cookie used to be... She reminds me of a dame. Well, why not? She is a dame. I've been in jail, Curly. Oh. A dame sent me there. Yeah? I don't like dames, Curly. I don't like dames. I tried to tell him about it, but I knew I couldn't make him understand. Still, I couldn't get it out of my mind. It was still there while I was talking to him, while he was taking me up to his rooms to show me where I could stay all the time. It was there for good now. I knew that. Home. And there's the extra bed I was telling you about. Yeah, be it ever so humble, this is it. Now, look, you had a rough ride. Sure. But you stay here with me as long as you want. Get some rest, then we start fresh, huh? Hey, maybe you want to be a fry cook now. Well, thanks. Hey, maybe if you could teach me to use your hands, I mean, the way you do, I mean, maybe I can learn to use them right. Ha-ha. Yeah, you betcha. Look, you forget what's happened, we get the work. Check. It's all over. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. Look here. Out there on the street. Well, look here, this housing purchase is rough. If you're looking for scenery, you ain't going to get it here. What do you see out there? Ah, a view that's worth just about one tenth what I paid for it. It stinks. I don't mean that. You see that, Dane? Yeah. You know something about her, Curly? She could get dead. Huh? There's maybe a thousand windows around here and a bullet from any one of them would get her dead. And it'd be pretty hard to find out who did it. And I look, kid, you don't like women and I don't blame you, but you can't go around putting slugs in people, even Dane. That'd pay off like keeping your water too cool did. Only it'd get more than any two and a half years. Yeah. But all I'd have to do is raise the window, aim, and have dead Dane. Get away from that window. I don't know about you. I just don't know. What's the matter with you smiling? I told you. I just don't like dames. Curly's face was as white as a clean apron. He was mad a little and scared, but I still couldn't explain to him what it took me two and a half years to figure that a man works hard. And when he works, he's got some pay coming. All the time I was in jail. I knew I wasn't about to get a nickel for all the work of digging and shoveling and laying concrete. And the one thing I was proud of was ruining my hands. And I figured to collect some pay for that work if it was the last thing I ever did. And I figured it out good. Just what the pay ought to be. One woman. One dead Dane. I couldn't explain it to Curly. I guess I didn't have to. He thought I was nuts. Anyway, he drove me like a slave, but I didn't mind. I was learning. Let's see now. Two apples. One peach. Better make it two. Two coconut. One shot. Put that out of the hole. How many of those peaches, Smiley? Are we sure, Curly? Here you are. Yeah, thanks. Boy, oh boy. Cheek, Curly. The way you handle things. What do you mean? Well, the way you pour fruit from that can and the way you're putting the rim on that pie crust and the way you knead the dough and... Oh, you know how to use your hands. Your hands are the most important things you've got in the kitchen. You've got to learn to squeeze hard and you've got to know just when to use the most delicate touch. Hands are important. Oh, I wish I could use mine the way you use yours, Curly. You're good. Yeah, well, it takes a long time, Smiley, but you'll learn. Your hands got strong when you're up here. Yeah, what I mean is you'll learn how to use them, kid. Yeah. I get along all right only... Only what? Cookie. Oh, you're letting that Dane get you down? Oh, forget it. I wish he was gone, Curly. I'm afraid. Yeah, fine. Well, you better get that front-end lined up chicken. It's time to open. Sure. Oh, Smiley, honey. Smiley, say hello to the pretty lady. Beat it. Smiley. Okay, Cookie, take her off. Curly, Smiley didn't say good morning. My day will be ruined. Oh, nuts. Better whip. Hey, Cookie, why don't you leave the kid alone? He's had a tough time. He doesn't feel good. Well, why doesn't he smile anymore? That's all... The last time he smiled at Dane, he picked up a fistful of stretch at the county farm. Now you remind him of her. He quit smiling. How was that so? Cookie said, I stood right outside the door and heard her. Someday it'll be him or me. And there was a weight like a two-story building in my stomach. And my hands were going open and shut, open and shut. And I knew she was right. Me or her. For Suspense Roma Wines are bringing you Donald O'Connor in Smiley. Roma Wine's presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense. Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills is presented by Roma. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines. Have you ever thought how easy it is to turn a casual call by friends or neighbors into a delightful party? Simply set out some fruit, cheese or nuts, and delicious Roma California Wine. Yes, these are the inexpensive ingredients of real enjoyment. The simplest occasion takes on a festive note when you pour a better tasting Roma wine. So enjoy Golden Roma Muscatel or Glowing Roma Port after dinner or whenever guests drop in. As you savour the mellow goodness of these delicious Roma Wines, you will understand why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. So for an everyday family treat or for smart hospitality, serve better tasting Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, America's largest selling wines. And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Marine Tuttle as Cookie, Sidney Miller as Curly, and starring Donald O'Connor as Smiley, who continues a narrative well calculated to keep you in suspense. It added up. I was going to get my pay, but now it wasn't just some dame, some time. It was a particular day, Cookie, and soon, when I went inside, my hands were still going like that, open and shut, open and shut. And all day, I just watched Curly and the way he used his hands. His technique, is he called it, the way he squeezed when he had to. It was so important, the technique, I mean. You had to squeeze just right, just right. Oh, I'm just squeezing mashed potatoes out of this bag, making designs like you do on cakes. Ah, that's great, great. What kind of design do you call that? Oh, it's just a hand, I guess. A hand? Oh, brother, that hand couldn't do much. Look how fat you got it up at the thumb. Oh, that I, I guess I squeezed too hard. Smiley, you'll be all right, kid. You stay with it. Pastry cook. Lay off the kid, Cookie, lay off, I told you. I know Curly, I know when I told you, let the boy take care of himself. Yeah, Curly, take it easy, it's all right now. Well, how do you like that? It's all right. We can try. How do you like this design, Cookie? It's a hand. Oh, sure. See, these are the fingers here. See? Look at my hand, my fingers are long. It's just that you don't notice. People don't notice dishwashers' hands. That's why I'm going to be a fry cook and a pastry cook. Then they won't be cracked and dirty like they are now. They'll stay soft and strong too, as soon as I get to be a cook. Sure, sure they will, Smiley. Yeah, well, now that you two are very lovey-dovey, how about breaking it up, huh? I want to get home. You mean you really go home when you're through here? Of course I go home. What do you go? Oh, lots of places. Tonight I got a date with Johnny Mack, the singing sensation out at the Natural Pass. I got to go out there and meet him. The Natural Pass? Yeah. That's a joint at 7-Eleven, Green Grove. 7-Eleven, Natural Pass. Get it? What kind of guy is he? You got to go to him. Oh, he's working. He can't come in here. He must have a peel. You ain't kidding, running. How do you get out of this joint? You hitchhike? You kidding? The line, call a cab from the drugstore? Without that Smiley class yet? I guess a crooner would rate it. Yeah, yeah. Well, you better get that front-end clean-up cookie if you're going to meet this Johnny Songbird. I guess I'll better. Have a good time, Cookie. Have a good time. It would all depend on why you quit slinging hash. Bling, being glad about it, I mean. When an idea puts a saddle on your brain and starts writing it, it's purely funny how many other ideas it picks up. Like Cookie going to the Natural Pass. It just fit in with everything. I quick finished my work and told Curly I had something to do and took off like a kid on the last day of school. You know, sort of slow until I got outside. And then I wanted to whoop and jump up and down like I had springs instead of muscles. I couldn't do all that, but I could walk fast. And I did. I went up to the room and got my money and changed clothes. And I went down and rented a car and drove out to the end of the bus line. I stopped and waited. Guess I waited an hour and a half watching all the buses, hoping that that dame wouldn't cross me up. She didn't. It's me, Smiley! Oh, I just wanted to get out of town for a while, so I rented a car. When I got out here, I remembered what you said about coming out. I thought I'd just wait for you. Oh, I bet you planned it, didn't you? You could be a sweet guy, you know that. Come on, I'll take you to the club. How far is it? About a mile and a half. Let's go. I guess you could be a sweet guy. I guess I added you up wrong. It's possible. You're a funny guy, Smiley. You think so? Yeah, I don't quite get you. You're making cracks again. No, you don't smile like you used to, and usually it seems to... Well, anyway, I didn't expect this from you. I lost the smile, I guess. Maybe for good. No way, you're always talking about your hands. What about my hands? You make life to the most important things in the world. And they're not, is that it? Well, according to how you look at it. Now, look, Smiley, no passes. No. No passes. I wanted to hear this. Well, I didn't say nothing just about your hands. I remember. You said they aren't important. Well, not exactly. Good, if you know what I mean. But after all, they're just hands like anybody else's. No. They're good hands, and since I came back, I've learned how to use them right. Yeah, Smiley. Women. That's a laugh. Cookie, do you know why my hands are rough and red now? Do you know why I don't smile? Women. Cookie, there's only one way to find out of hands are more important, or if a woman is. You have to make the test, Cookie. What's more important? You said no passes, Smiley. I'm not passing, Cookie. I'm not passing. I mean this. Wait a minute. Take a... Two years in jail. One dead dame. The whole world changed. For a minute, my hands were going open and shut like this. My technique was perfect. Absolutely perfect. They weren't satisfied my hands, but they'd have to get used to it. All I wanted inside like was payday, and this was the day. I looked around to be sure no cars were coming. I took her out of the car and dragged her into the bushes, where she wouldn't be found for a while. I left her there. I felt good. Purely good. Like I worked very hard for something and finally got paid. All debts were paid. Everybody, including Smiley, was even with the world. It was wonderful. Just plain wonderful. The only thing was I couldn't tell Curly because even though he'd understood the technique part of it, the rest of it was something he wouldn't get. But could he have seen me use my hands? He'd have been proud. I know it. I took the car back to the U-drive, paid the man collected my deposit and went home. It was still early, and Curly was up. Well, just around I got some fresh air. I didn't think you'd be up. Yeah, better get the bed, though. Big day tomorrow. Okay, I'll be with you in a minute. Hey, you know, Smiley, I've been thinking. I've been thinking that you should maybe move over to the stove, eh? Oh, swell, I won't have to work in hot water anymore. Is that hard, Pro Diver? You can come over with me. Hey, look at you. What's the matter with me? Well, nothing. I just noticed you're making with the eyes again the way you used to. What happened, fella? I don't know. I didn't think about it. Why? Well, this is wonderful, yeah. I'll bet Cookie'll be surprised to see you. Cookie? Yeah, sure. One of her beefs is, you don't smile. Dames don't like you to be grouchy. Wait till she sees you like this. Yeah. Yeah, who could that be this time of night? How do I know? Mr. Smith, look. Oh, you're here. Hello, Mr. Smith. Smith, not Smith. I'm from the U-Drive. When you brought the car back tonight, you left this pocketbook in it. Had 15 fish in it. Thought the lady might want it. Oh, yeah, hey. Thank you very much. Ah, forget it. Come see us again. Hey, what's this? A U-Drive yet? A Dames purge. You were on the town, weren't you? Yeah, yeah, I guess so. I'll give it back tomorrow. Who is she? Do I know her? Just a Dame. At least she could make you smile again. Come on, I'll turn out the lights. Yes, you're asleep. Yes, uh, Smiley. You're the one all right. You stick to your work and we'll make a real team. Remember the technique. Technique. Hey, Smiley, will you answer me something now? I'm sure, Curly. What is it? What happened to that crazy idea you had when you got out of the poke? You remember you was telling me how you could put the blast on a Dame? Hey, Smiley, look at me. Smiley, you didn't. Ah, oh, that's crazy. What, Curly? I always said you had to be whacked up to get in the restaurant business. I'm just proving it. I thought for a minute you'd... Ah, I'm nuts. Bad feels good. I really need to sleep. Imagine me thinking you'd be crazy enough to bump off a Dame. Well, good night, Smiley. Good night, Curly. Good night. Sweet dreams. Hey, what are you doing? Hey, come on, Smiley. Take your hands off my face. What are you doing? Stop it! Hey, Smiley, what are you... I didn't mean to do that. I hadn't planned on it at all. I didn't want to hurt Curly. He was my friend. We were going to go places together, him and me. I was learning his techniques. And then I got scared and did that. All on account of a woman. Every bit of it. It was a woman who started it. But hadn't been for her. I wouldn't have had to show my hands to that judge. And he wouldn't have looked at him. And maybe he wouldn't have sent me up. My hands. Look at them. They're back in condition. I've had over six months to sit here and do nothing. Just watch Pop out there pace up and down. He's been keeping track of the days for me. He told me this morning. Two more days, son. Two more days. Just two more days. I wish it was longer. My hands are so pretty again. And now they're strong. And they got a lot of technique. If I was out there, no telling what I could do with hands like these. A Spence Smiley starring Donald O'Connor and brought to you by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines. America's largest selling wines. When the weather is so hot and humid that everybody feels like a rag, try this wonderful cooler offer on your thirsty family and friends. A tall, refreshing Roma wine and soda made with better tasting Roma California wine. Simply half filled glasses with robust Roma burgundy, delicate Roma sautern or any Roma wine of your choice. Add ice cubes. Fill up with sparkling water and sweetened to taste. In just seconds, you beat the heat with the coolest, tastiest summer drink that ever soothed a parched throat. Roma wine and soda is so cool to come home to. You'll want to enjoy this delicious refresher often. Remember for cool enjoyment at its delicious best. Serve Roma wine and soda made with Roma R-O-M-A. Better tasting Roma wines. Donald O'Connor may soon be seen in the universal international production, Something in the Wind. Tonight's suspense play was by Charles Glenn. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear John Lund as Star of Suspense. Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.