 presents Audrey Totter and Claude Aikens from Hollywood the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents Captive Audience starring Audrey Totter and now here is your host Claude Aikens. Thank You Tony LaFranco. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we're to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray, pray together as a family. Now to our transcribed drama Captive Audience starring Audrey Totter as Irene. My gracious Miss Irene one day I looked out my window and there was one of my hounds chasing a rabbit and they were both walking and the potato crop. I want to tell you about that. Some of them was biggest peas, some was biggest marbles and then there was an awful lot of little ones too on a kind of all of the heat. You know the way sickness can follow a drought? Well we was trying to beat it. I bought one of them sanitary drinking cups and I made everybody on the plantation use it. But you know we all got sick anyway? Yes sir, but you know there ain't nothing so bad you can't get a little good out of it. At least all during the drought we didn't have a bit of trouble getting salt out of the shakers. Oh come on now Colonel you can do better than that. I don't know that was pretty good. Well now you'll have to admit Miss Irene I was doing better earlier in the evening. Didn't have a bit of trouble getting salt out of the shakers now really. Well now Miss Irene some of these stories I haven't even thought about since. Well I'd hate to tell you how many years. Not since I was just a tad riding my pony around the old plantation. Then too Miss Irene the presence of such a beautiful woman as yourself tends to make a man forget a number of things. Oh now Colonel. Isn't that so Mr. Sergeant? True, very true. But perhaps I'll be in better form tomorrow. Oh you're leaving us Colonel? That's just a shank of the evening. Only for young people such as yourselves. But perhaps I might look forward to enjoying more of your charming company tomorrow. Well I certainly hope so. It's been a delightful evening Colonel. Miss Irene. Mr. Sergeant. Good night. Good night Colonel. I wish you all a pleasant evening. Thank you. Good night. Quite a character. Did you just meet him tonight? That's right. Right here in the lounge car a little before you came in. Incidentally I never did catch your first name. John. John Sergeant. Oh mine's Irene Leeds. Yes I know. You do? I saw your picture on a playbill. June I think it was in that little theater on 43rd Street just off Broadway. The play was. The last day of summer. That's right. You wrote and directed the play. It was good. Yes it was quite good wasn't it. So you're going to Hollywood now. Yes oh don't you get the wrong idea. I'm not giving up the theater for films or anything like that. Well I happen to think some films are pretty good theater. Oh really now Mr. Sergeant. Films are. Well really I haven't been able to sit through one in years. Of course some they've been doing for television are adequate but do you think motion pictures can ever compare with an adult medium. Pardon me but if you feel that way why. Why go to Hollywood. Yeah why should you. Well Mr. Sergeant I like to feel that it's sort of well sort of a contribution to the growth of television. They really come closer doing some clever theater on television recently you know. I can see that but what do you mean contribution to the growth. I'm going to be directing the producing a big series. T.C. stuff T.C. transcontinental. Oh yes go on. I say contribute because I know how to do it right. That's all a good solid Broadway background and then I'll be importing my actors from New York. If you want to do a really good dramatic show you know you have to use New York Actors. Oh yes I remember reading something along those lines. In fact if I remember correctly your name was on the article. You certainly are well informed Mr. Sergeant. In my business it's necessary. What is your business. You were one of the people this producer sent for to contribute to the growth of TV. It's all pretty much the way I wrote it. The way you wrote it. Well I didn't actually write it I dragged in some little hundred and fifty dollar a week writer to ghost it for me as strictly the same time you understand. Let's not knock a hundred and fifty dollars a week. Now if I remember correctly you wrote that you decided on the idea of bringing actors from New York to Hollywood because and I think I remember your exact wording because the Hollywood people can't really sustain real drama that they can't really fool people because the movie industry is an artificial medium. Mr. Sergeant you have a wonderful memory. I've never seen anything like it. That's what you wrote. Word for word. I don't know Miss Leeds it seems to me like a man in a forest sending out for trees sending away for actors. Oh I suppose it might seem that way to an outsider at any rate. By the way what is your line Mr. Sergeant. Oh it's a farm machinery sales but let's talk about something else. You made a remark about the Colonel. Oh yes isn't he a character. You said you met him for the first time tonight. That's right. You were you didn't see him before you boarded the train. Well I don't believe. Why do you ask. Oh no reason I just curious I suppose. Curious you ask a lot of questions for a man who's just curious. Well we all have different ways of passing the time on a long trip. I just try to figure my fellow passengers just wondering about your impressions of the man. Well I suppose I just took him at face value for what he's worth to me personally and that. A few laughs. Look didn't it strike you as. Well never mind I really shouldn't bring it up. Bring what up. You haven't brought anything up and frankly I wish you would. I mean I wish you'd finish what you were going to say. Don't you think he well to use your own terminology was overplaying it a little overplaying it. Oh my gracious Miss Irene I haven't heard that story since I was a mere tad riding my pony around the old plant. We might have been a little bit old people sometimes dress things up. I mean his pony probably had long years and pulled a plow in his off hours but I don't think any real there wasn't any pony at all or any plantation. How could you possibly know that. It's not important. I mean it how could you let's leave it there shall we leave it there. I shouldn't have brought it up at all but I thought well I thought you could see through him you're in the theater I thought you'd know a bad performance when you saw it so so he's putting on an act for some reason you can be sure of that he's got a reason you know more about this than you're saying don't you I'm not at liberty to not at liberty to say but you're trying to warn me about him aren't you why you're a nice girl that's all and you said something earlier what you only think he's good for laughs that means your guard is down all I can say is be careful careful careful of what have you been reading the papers I haven't had the time say you actually look worried you're no traveling salesman for any farm equipment company are you well just between us I'm not you're with the police not so loud easy easy I'm sorry what has he done now misleads you can be certain that if the New York Police Department had enough evidence to be really sure what he'd done he wouldn't have been allowed to board a departing train the New York police that's what I said and misleads yes you will keep this between us of course of course I wouldn't be the word of it not a word what has he done I wouldn't even have brought it up except well seeing him lull you into thinking of him as an old friend trying to make you forget that he's just a stranger you met on a train well it it made me think I should say and believe me I'm grateful but what has the man done misleads supposing you were a chief of detectives I just want to put this hypothetically supposing you were a chief of detectives and there was a criminal at large whom you could pick up on a bunco charge anytime you want yes yes but you knew that by just following the man and letting him roam free you could get him for a string of much worse crimes what would you do why I suppose I'd let him roam a little give him more rope that's aptly put give him more rope is that what you're doing misleads I'm trying to protect you now if a certain man on this train tries to sell you some oil well stock don't turn him down you don't have to buy it but don't turn him down you know what I mean I string him along don't let him get you alone and above all don't let him get suspicious you mentioned a string of worse crimes what might those worse crimes be what do you think now you don't really mean the current I mean would I be on this train if I didn't think so murder this is simply too ridiculous mr. sergeant I cannot believe anything so terrible about the Colonel all right don't believe it forget I said anything at all but remember this you were warned now you go right on thinking of him as good for a few laughs as a clown and I hope misleads you never look around and suddenly find your clown with a knife in his hand good night misleads and pleasant dreams if this isn't a grand surprise may I wish you the very best of the morning thank you won't you join me for breakfast charmed I'm sure yeah trust you had a pleasant night I'm afraid I'm the type who never sleeps well on trains oh that's a shame a shame yeah I wonder if you pass me the menu certainly I must confess miss Irene I find it a relief not having to share your charming company with that what's his name that mr. sergeant I didn't like that man didn't like him I mean I what I saw of him not at all I'm sorry to hear that as a matter of fact I haven't seen mr. sergeant this morning good riddance pardon me doesn't seem to be much choice of food on this menu does it well I'm having bacon and eggs myself waiter waiter yes I wonder if you could serve me up some black-eyed peas with cream gravy on them and little corn pole I'm sorry sir but we don't have it don't have it greens and sour belly with corn bread and potlicker I'd sure like to help you sir but we just don't have any of those things all right then you just bring me a stack of hush puppies and some blackstrap I'm sorry sir but if it isn't on the menu we just don't have it well why don't you have it I don't know sir we just don't have it take oh yes sir you got an egg yes sir I'd bring me steak and eggs yes sir how do you want your steak blood rare yes sir sorry we couldn't accommodate you on those other things all right not your fault son didn't mean to get my dander up that way remember that steak is blood red oh yes sir and I filled in your order now if you'll just sign the check well right here here's a pencil sir thank you sir I'll have that order in just a moment Colonel you know miss Irene I feel I owe you an apology for conduct which to say the least was unseemly of me but if there's one thing I just cannot abide is being turned down I see you were about to say something it's it's not really important I suppose but didn't you introduce yourself last evening as Colonel Finneas tea called pepper well I must say I'm flattered that's such a beautiful woman as yourself should remember my name so well I believe that is how I introduce myself why do you ask when you signed the check you signed it James T Morgan yeah did I of course I might have been mistaken as a matter of fact my dear you ought to be commended for being so observing you see very close I do sometimes travel under an assumed name an assumed name yes you see in some parts of this vast country the name of Finneas tea called pepper attracts too much attention I'm afraid I don't quite understand all miss Irene ma'am all you see I made a practice in the past few years of allowing some of my close friends to invest my all holdings oil well stock naturally I must be selective even among my closest and dearest friends and offered only to those whom I feel great wealth will not spoil naturally I make nothing or at most take token payment for the transactions it's just my way of well miss Irene I suppose you could call it my way of sharing what I have with my friends I see naturally when people see my name they immediately try to unveil their way into my friendship that's why I use an assumed name I have no use for sunshine friends oh gracious I seem to have left my pills I wonder if you excuse me a moment I say miss Irene excuse you oh yes yes of course of course thank you now don't you go away no no no I'll be here no they can't be happening the whole things too oh wait are you startled me I'm sorry I thought you spoke to me I was bringing your order orange juice and coffee oh yes waiter yes ma'am the gentleman I'm with yes do you notice anything well strange about him well he I mean no if a fence but well he was awfully short tempered I mean anything else well yes ma'am now that you mentioned it a couple of things ma'am I don't think he's what he seems to be I never heard of anybody wanting to insult good black eyed peas with cream gravy and I never heard of greens and sour belly for breakfast and when he asked for a stack of hush puppies oh yes I remember little innocent puppies no ma'am not that kind of puppies these were made out of corn meal when he asked for a stack of them with blackstrap well I almost had to leave the room he's not what he seemed and the other thing ma'am there's more we asked the patrons to sign the check so that we can call him by name the next time we see them ma'am I just don't know what to call your friend he's been in here three times and signed three different names three and each one in a different handwriting why didn't I listen why didn't I listen pardon me ma'am nothing nothing look would you do me a favor yes if I can miss well when he comes back would you tell him would you tell him I had to leave that I'm not feeling well would you do that oh yes ma'am as a matter of fact you do look a little pale if your waiter had turned him down one more time the Colonel would have killed him look ma'am did he kill the waiter no but then there's really nothing I can do now if you'll excuse me but I tell you conductor he's a dangerous man he suspected of all sorts of terrible murders by who by the police who else then may I suggest ma'am that you take it up with them you said you'd been warned by a policeman in the lounge car last night a mr. sergeant but but I can't find him I told you that that's why I've come to you mr. sergeant may have been well I if the Colonel has found out who knows what might have happened well I don't know what you expect me to do well can't you turn the Colonel over to the police at the next town thought you said this man was wanted in New York well he is is he wanted in Nevada how should I know I'm sorry madam there's nothing I can do you're being very foolish about this can't you understand my life's in danger at this very moment mr. sergeant may be lying a hundred miles back gasping for his madam I've been on this road for 35 years there's never been a murder on this road in my memory if a mr. sergeant got on this train in good condition I assure you he'll get off in good condition and the same goes for you and you're being very stupid about all this madam you read too many dime novice now I have work to do in the next car the least you can do is investigate lady I think you're out of your mind miss Irene if you'll just carry a moment oh the Colonel I am I just been wondering where you were as matter of fact miss Irene I've been considerable of my time just looking for you looking for me yes I seem to remember an observation platform right at the end of this car I heard you weren't feeling well this morning perhaps a breath of air oh no I'm I'm feeling fine now really I am well we'll be able to enjoy the air a little better then you know something miss Irene no Colonel I've formed quite an attachment for a charming young lady on this very train oh a paternal attachment that is I don't suppose you could imagine who I mean I really couldn't guess for you miss Irene for you why I almost feel as though I'd known you since you were just a sweet little thing and gingham and pigtails yeah let me get the door I don't I don't know whether I want me or just know I really think I was like cold coming in and Colonel shares the best thing in the world for a cold I am I don't suppose you've seen mr. Sergeant Colonel I'm proud to say I haven't miss Irene yes getting back to the subject I find myself thinking of you my dear as a very very dear friend miss Irene a beloved friend that's nice Colonel well I think I've had enough fresh air should we go in and thinking of you as a friend miss Irene makes me want to do something for you know Colonel I couldn't let you do no miss Irene I've made up my mind you look like the type of person who wouldn't be spoiled by wealth but I am I am I really I am why a couple of years ago I inherited $2,000 to my grandmother and it almost ruined me really it did oh but I can see you've done a lot of maturing since then I've made up my mind miss Irene I'm going to make you a wealthy woman I'm going to give you some of my oil stock oh at a token cost just a penny a share just to make it a legal transfer you understand only a penny a share yes ma'am I'm going to give you 200,000 shares 200 but that's $2,000 I couldn't do it you aren't turning me down are you miss Irene turning you down heavens no certainly not I wouldn't think it's that good thing I think it's a wonderful offer just wonderful well I'm glad you feel that way you can give me the money now and I'll set the deal up right away well Colonel I just don't seem to have that kind of money you know traveling how much have you got most a couple of hundred well as a gesture of friendship I'm willing to cut the price a little give me the money but you you haven't even got the stock ready miss Irene my word is my bond I swear in the face of my generosity you seem suspicious suspicious oh no see here Colonel you need miss Irene you see a train must be going 80 miles an hour I don't like having people flaunt their ingratitude in my face I might just lose my temper with you that's enough Colonel don't make a move I've got you covered with my 45 cold automatic oh mr. Sargent covered with a cold 45 automatic pistol I'm not moving don't shoot don't shoot I thought you were dead you saved my life he tried miss Leeds he tried but not quite hard enough your troubles are over now come on Colonel I arrest you on 268 counts of murder 268 I didn't mean to do it let's go Colonel let's go fat lot of help you were I was nearly murdered on your train are you on that one again lady I'll never as long as I live right on your train on behalf of myself and the railroad lady I want to thank you for that small blessing which way to the street right down the ramp thank you forget it lady I never know my ears miss Leeds oh miss Leeds mr. Sargent oh I was afraid we'd miss you and you you despicable man miss Irene you all mr. Sargent should you have handcuffs or something on him handcuffs I don't need handcuffs for him but 268 counts of murder maybe I better show you my credentials and Jimmy maybe you better do the same sure thing credentials that maybe you better take a look at this card card SAG look SAG you're paid up members in the screen actors guild that's right ma'am mine says the same thing then you're not a killer me well as far as I know ma'am I've never even made anybody sick we yeah we kind of took exception to your theory about importing actors yeah quote Hollywood people can't really sustain a performance because ours is an artificial medium that conductor must have thought I was completely mad you went to all of this no trouble no we were both coming back from a location in New England when we heard you were on the train we just couldn't resist the temptation to teach you what a terrible thing to do despicable utterly despicable no no hard feelings in fact I was kind of hoping you'd let me take you to lunch yeah that's right ma'am I thought maybe I might go along as a shaper owner something Jimmy don't you have to go on an interview or something me no no I'm free as a bird well I'll fix that from now on I'm going to see that you're both too busy to get into that kind of mischief you are how could I keep from hiring you after that audition was very very good now John that's what I call my tea good sport she sure now did somebody say something about lunch yeah we did yeah matter of fact I know the nicest little place robotic and get the best is southern fried sour belly and greens and hush puppies and black eyed peas and you all wait wait wait wait wait a minute I think John I better stop and call our agents call your agents yes ma'am but why why would she said a minute ago she said very very good and I meant it too that's what I mean that's why we all call our agents boy if we're that good don't you think we ought to be getting more money this is Claude Akins again every one of us has several friends acquaintances or relatives of whom we can say they bring out the very best of nearly everyone who may meet in other words some people draw us up make us feel finer more human more kindly more inclined to merciful and understanding interpretations it's a treat to come into their presence and to be associated with them they're just extremely honest natures and something genuine in them brings out by association and contact something genuine and therefore fine in us I thought I'd mention this observation not because it's an original remark of my own but because it has a relationship to family prayer the little prayer of one kind or another that a family group says together at meal times or in the evening or when some crisis necessarily calls for our praying together when we actually pray to God we're always revealing to ourselves and the others of our family all that is best in us this revelation is a byproduct of prayer but it's important because it's contagious it affects their confidence in each other it restores to the family what may have been lost by the or by the friction of living close to each other and so as we're drawn up to God by prayer we're drawn together by prayer also the vertical threads in our life fabric locked together the horizontal threads and family life profits by this closely woven texture no wonder then is it that the family that prays together stays together more things are lost by prayer than this world dreams of Hollywood family theater has brought you transcribed captive audience starring Audrey Totter Claude Acons was your host others not cast were Paul Freese Howard Culver and Mel Manow the script was written and directed for family theater by Robert Hewell Sullivan with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman this series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you feel the need for this type of program by the mutual network which is responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who gives 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 Lofano expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting to be with us next week when family theater will present ladies man starring Lyle Betger Kathleen Crowley will be your hostess join us won't you family theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network this is mutual the radio network for all America