 Patience. Proudly, we hail Louise Albrighton in a day in Connecticut, the United States Army and United States Air Force presentation. And now, here is your producer, the well-known Hollywood showman, C.P. McGregor. Thank you, thank you. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to your Theater of Stars, where your motion picture favorites appear in stories we hope you'll enjoy. Fast-becoming a rising young star in her own right is our proudly we hail star Louise Albrighton. You'll hear Louise as Helene Johnson, the girl with an overweight fiance, a handsome former boyfriend, and a dilemma in the story titled A Day in Connecticut. We'll raise the curtain for Act I right after this brief message from Wendell Niles. Each man in your Army and Air Force is an ambassador of goodwill. The uniform of the United States Army and United States Air Force is respected throughout the world. For these men in service are doing important work. They are maintaining the peace, and they are bettering themselves too through vocational training and education. So whenever you see a soldier or airman, remember his job is to provide the best possible future for himself and for you. Now once again, our producer. And now Act I of A Day in Connecticut starring Louise Albrighton as Helene Johnson. When Helene Johnson became engaged to William Dexter Van Orton III, the William Dexter Van Orton III that is, William asked her to give up modeling, and since she insisted upon working until they were married, accepted job in his office, where he could keep his protective eye on her. So Helene gave up modeling and became William's receptionist. Right now, employer and employee are having dinner together. The food, the wine, the atmosphere, everything is just perfect, William. I try to please you, Helene. Well, you certainly know how. Thank you, dear. If you'd only let me continue modeling until we were married. I'm sorry, but I don't want other men embracing you. What? Even with their eyes, I'm quite jealous, you know. I'm afraid you don't understand the relationship between artists and models, William. I understand the relationship between men and women, Helene. That's quite sufficient for me. Anyway, you have a much better job now. Better? In what way? It's respectable. Well, so is modeling. It's regular. So is modeling. And the salary. Doesn't compare with what I could make modeling. Oh, come now, you're paid $50 a week. Well, I could make that in one day, modeling. Please don't exaggerate, Helene. I'm not exaggerating. I could make $50 in one day, any day. I have half a mind to take you up on that. What do you mean? I'll make you a wager, Helene. About what? That you can't make $50 any day. What's the wager? You may take tomorrow off and try to make $50 modeling. If you succeed, I will permit you to return to modeling. And if you fail, you will return to work as a receptionist, and we will never mention modeling again. Is that agreeable? Well, well, now look, William. When I said any day, I didn't mean just any day. Just as I thought. Well, from now on, we'll forget modeling. I didn't say that. You accept the wager? Yes. At dinner tomorrow, you will have $50 you earn by modeling? Yes. Very well. We'll meet here for dinner tomorrow night. See, Miss Towers, I simply have to have a modeling job today. Oh, I'm afraid I can't help you, Helene, if I'd known last night. Well, I didn't know until last night. The only job I have open is when I know you wouldn't take. Well, I'll take any job today. Even posing for Ronald Claiborne? Even... No. No, I didn't think you would. That's why I didn't mention it. Well, I'm sorry. Helene, but that's the only sitting I haven't filled. Looks like you've lost your best. I'm darned if I have. I can stand almost anything but William's smug I told you so. Even Ronald Claiborne. I'll take it, Miss Towers. I can stand it if Ronald can, because he still had the same studio. No, no, after you and he had your fight. He moved up to a farm in Connecticut. How did you know we had a fight? Well, you quit modeling. The papers announced your engagement to William Dexter Van North and the Third, and Ronnie told me that he didn't want you to pose for him anymore. It wasn't hard to figure that out. Oh. Well, if he doesn't want me to pose for him, what point is there in my going? Ronnie has a deadline, too. When he called for a model, he told me he was desperate. Well, it'll serve him right. How do I get up there? Do you have a car? Yes. Good. The farm he's living on is pretty isolated. Now, you take highway number six. Miss? If you were trying to run away and hide, you certainly picked the place for it, Ronnie. Jane, what are you doing here? Miss Towers sent me up here to pose for you. If you'll get out of the doorway and let me in. Towers sent you? I told Towers. I know what you told Towers, but you needed a model, and I needed a job, so here I am. Will you please get out of the way? No. You can go back to Towers and tell her... That you're so stubborn you'd rather miss a deadline and work with me? All right. Sophomore. Come in. What? If you can stand it, I can. Where do I change? In any of the rooms upstairs. Did Towers tell you that this was a bathing suit job? Naturally. What's your stuffy fiancée going to say about that? Well, I wasn't planning on telling him. Still two-timing, huh? What do you mean by that? If there's nothing wrong in my posing for you in a bathing suit, is there? Then why not tell him? Because William just doesn't understand this business. That's all. I can't see an old point in causing him any unnecessary unhappiness. You're so thoughtful. That's what you'd mean to buy, still two-timing. Let's give it. You never had any claim on me, you know. We were practically engaged. But not quite. We went around together for months, but you never asked me to marry you. I was going to. But you didn't. Oh, I forget it. I didn't have any claim on you. You're engaged to a big stuffed shirt. And I have a deadline to meet. Let's get to work. Can't we rest for a minute, Ronnie? My neck's practically out of joint from holding this pose. Sorry, Helen. When I'm working, I forget everything else. Cigarette? No, thanks. Did you have to give those up for William, too? No. He didn't ask me to. Just suggested it would be more refined if he didn't. How did you know? I know William backwards. And even backwards, he doesn't look good. Come in. Isn't the door locked? No, I got tired of locking myself out and having to break windows to get in, so I took the lock off the front door. Oh. Howdy, Ronnie. Hello, Lem. You were slinging that rain down, ain't it? Yeah. Working or planning on going swimming? Working. That bathing suit is Miss Johnson's costume. Well, introduce us, Ronnie. Oh, sorry. Miss Johnson, Lem Hopkins. How do you do? I do. Lem's the local upholder of the law, Helen, constable for this township. Oh, really? Yep. Right now I'm looking for an escape convict. Killer, they say. Oh, do you think he's in this vicinity? Well, I hope not. For his sake, of course. You, Ronald's girlfriend, Miss Johnson, are just a hired model. Uh, she's just a model, Lem. Hmm. Good-looking. You two make a fine-looking couple. Miss Johnson's engaged to another man, Lem. Yeah? Well, engagement has been broken. Um, couldn't we talk about something else, Mr. Hopkins? Well, yes we could. What about this escaped convict? Uh, don't know much more than I told you. A thousand dollars' reward for his arrest. You two know each other long. Long enough. Look, Lem, Miss Johnson and I have to get back to work, and I imagine you better be getting back to town. Oh, I ain't no hurry. Besides, that convict might turn up here. Say, I hadn't thought of that. I reckon I had better get back to town, Ronnie. If you notice anything suspicious, give me a ring, will you? Oh, he was certainly anxious to straighten out our relationship, wasn't he? Oh, now let's get back to work. All right. I have to leave here by five if I'm gonna be in New York in time for dinner. Couldn't you stay here for dinner? No thanks. I have a date with William. Oh. Well, stop talking, then, so we can get this finished. Well, thanks for the job, Ronnie. It's okay. You won't have to worry about Miss Tower sending me out here again. So I'll ride with me if you want to come. Well, we'll see. And Ronnie... Yes? I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't know that. Let's give it. The next time I fall in love, I'll tell the girl before I start running around with her. Well, oh, goodbye. Give me your bag and hold the umbrella. Oh, get back in the house before you get soaked, Ronnie. I'll wait until you're started. Suit yourself. Hold it. The hood's unfastened. Let me hook it down. Okay. Oh, darn. What's wrong? I didn't turn it on. Let it rest a second. You probably flooded it when you used the starter before. Hmm, maybe. Pull the hood lock. I'll watch while you turn her over. All right. Now try it. It can't start. The ignition wires are soaked. Well, what can we do about it? Take him into the house and dry him over the cook stove. How long would it take? I don't know. Maybe a couple of hours? A couple of hours? So it can't take that long. I had to be in New York in a couple of hours. You can't make it. But I have to make it. What about your car? Or a taxi or something? I don't have a car. There are practically no taxis out here in the country. Well, what am I going to do? The only thing you can do, wait until I get the wires dried. Well, where's your phone? It's on the wall in the kitchen. Gonna call William? Certainly. I can't. I didn't think I'd well to turn our bed. Are the wires drying? Slowly. What would you like for dinner? Nothing. Oh, I can't understand why William's not calling back yet. Maybe he had to sit up at the office with a six-denographer. Oh, you don't know William. Oh, that's it? Speaking. New York calling, please. Yes, go ahead. Hello, Helen. Hello, William. What in the... My ignition wires are wet, William. I can't hear you. Good, William. You did what? Earned $50 modeling. Then what? Well, I earned the $50. In Connecticut? Yes, William. But I'm trying to tell you, William, that I can't get back to New York immediately. The ignition wires in my car are soaked, and the car won't run until we get them dried out. We? Who's we? Ronald Claver, and the artist I was posing for, and myself. Is it a man? Yes. I'll bet he soaked the wires himself. Oh, William. It's a lucky thing. Oh, I don't think your grandfather could do it, or you either. Helen. I'm sorry, William. I'll get back to New York just as soon as I can. You're the one that's wet. We'll pause briefly from our story, a day in Connecticut, starring Louise Albritton, to bring you an important message. Men, there's opportunity to go lower in the United States Air Force. And if you can measure up to high Air Force standards, you can make the most of these opportunities. First of all, if you're a high school graduate, you can choose the type of training you wish. Yes, you can outline your career in the Air Force even before you sign up. Schooling in such fields as radio, airplane maintenance, diesel mechanics, and many more is yours for the asking. Once you've been accepted for the Air Force School of your choice, you can enlist and be assured of attending that school. Chances for advancement are mighty good for wide-awake young men, too. So high school graduates, take advantage of this chance for an interesting career in aviation. Find out all the details of the aviation career plan at your local United States Air Force recruiting station. And do it right away, won't you? Now act true of a day in Connecticut starring Louise Albritton as Helene Johnson. When Helene Johnson finished posing for Ronald Claiborne, earning $50 in one day, she prepared to return to New York and collect her bet from her fiancée, William Dexter Van Norton III. But a day-long rainstorm had soaked the ignition wires of Helene's car, and she was forced to call William and try to explain. She had just completed her call. I take it that William wasn't altogether happy. Well, why should he be? I'm not very happy myself. I am. In fact, I'm really beginning to enjoy myself. Oh, you. I can just imagine what William's thinking. Well, then you have a very low mind. How much longer will it take those wires to dry? You're not in a hurry to leave, are you? I certainly am. Well, that shouldn't be long. Fire's roaring now. Sure, you don't want something to eat. Ronny! What? I smell smoke. The wires get them out of the oven. Are they burned? Uh, I'm sorry, Helene. Sorry. Oh, you idiot. You did this intentionally. You let those wires burn just to cause trouble between William and me. You know me better than I am. I know you well enough for that. Well, it won't work. Now I'm going to call William and ask him to come up here and get me. And if he's half the man I hope he is... That's a pretty fair estimate. He'll beat you within an inch of your life. Now please get out of my way and let me use that phone. Go ahead. Operator. You have to turn the handle to ring the operator. Oh. Hang up that phone, lady. What? I said hang up that phone fast. Oh! What door did you come in? Oh, it's stay where you are, mister. I ain't carrying his gun for an ornament. Who are you? The name is Grassid, if that means anything to you. Now get away from that phone. Well, couldn't I make just one call first? It's very important. Yeah, it's important that you keep living, ain't it? Well, yes. All right, then get away from that phone. That's better. Now just so you won't get any foolish ideas and maybe get yourself hurt, I'll move the temptation. Hey! Yeah? You got something to say? You can't go around pulling people's phones off the wall. This rod says I can. Be careful, Ronnie. Well, you're a bright day. What do you want? The keys to that car standing out there. Well, why didn't you just ask for them? I've given them to you. Huh? Certainly, here they are. All right, keep your distance. Put them on that table. I'll step back. Thanks, lady. Maybe I can do as much for you sometime. Now don't come out of the house until after I've driven away. Well, then we'll have to stay here for the rest of our lives. Huh? What do you mean by that? The car won't start. He just burned up the ignition wires. You what? Here they are. Are you? No. I can see you weren't kidding. Do you mind if we sit down? No, stay where you... I'm thinking. Have you seen any cops around here? No. Well, that's a break for all of us. I don't guess they'd be doing much hunting on a night like this. Are you the escaped convict they've been looking for? That's right. Just behave yourself and you won't get... Say, how did you know they was looking for an escaped convict? I thought you said there hadn't been any cops around. Well, you see, if you're double crossing me, you'll be the first to get it. The only one who's been here is the constable very anxious to find you. A smart man. He ought to live a long time. What do you plan on doing with us, I mean? I don't know yet. I gotta think. Well, take your time. We don't want you to rush into something we might not live to regret. Get me some dinner. I'll figure out something while I'm eating. Oh, 11 o'clock. Poor William must be frantic. Poor Ronnie isn't exactly enthusiastic about the situation. Shut up and let me think. You've had plenty of time to have thought of something. Well, I thought of it all right, but there ain't any point in that yet. I'm trying to think of something else now. Oh. Well, why don't we go to bed? There are plenty of rooms upstairs. We can each have one. Maybe in the morning, after a good night's sleep, you'll be able to have a really brilliant idea. How stupid do you think I am? Well, to tell the truth. Oh. Oh, no, no, no. That isn't a fair question when you're pointing a gun at me. Now, we're all going to stay right here in this living room where I can keep my eyes on a bothias. Well, it's going to be awfully dull with a chaperone. Oh, say it. I hadn't thought of that. What? A chaperone. Well, you won't feel nearly as unhappy when he learns that we've been chaperoned. Isn't that just Danby? I hope that you and William and Mr. Grassett will be very happy together. Why don't you two shut up and go to sleep? Sleep? Yeah, I made up my mind I ain't going to do nothing till tomorrow morning. All right, you two, get up, hit the floor. Oh. Come on, come on, come on. It's after eight o'clock. I want some breakfast. Well, have you decided what you're going to do? Yeah, as soon as I've had something to eat, I'm going to wrap you two up so you'll stay put for a while and then I'll be on my way. Can't say I'll be sorry to see you go. Look, wise guy, one more crack out of you and the lady being here. Sorry, I'm not at my best before breakfast. All right, shut up. Now what did I say? Shut up, shut up. I think I hear a car coming. If it comes here, you two stay right in this room. I'm getting down behind that sofa. If you say anything about my being here, it'll be the last thing you ever say. You put a chair against the door. They can't get in. Well, let them stay out. Okay, but it's going to make them suspicious. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. Hey, lady. Yes? You go to the door. Your boyfriend can stay here with me for security. Yeah, yeah. I'd rather have him here than have him go away and start thinking. Well, what if it should be the police? Then you better fall right flat on the floor so you don't get accidentally killed. You wouldn't start shooting. I ain't given up unless I got the drop on me cold. You can introduce me as your friend, Mr. Jones. That's imaginative. Yeah, if anybody wonders why I keep my hand in my pocket like this, see, I heard it. Hmm, we understand. Okay then, go on. See who's at the door. Let me in. Come in. Well, just a second. I'm coming. Will you? So you're still here? Well, why the devil didn't you answer the phone? I spent the entire night trying to call you. Well, the phone has been temporarily disconnected, will you? A likely story. You wouldn't call this lady a liar, would you, mister? You keep out of this, Claiborne. My name ain't Claiborne. It's Jones. Jones? Elaine, you didn't tell me you were here with two men. Say, who is this big bag of wind? My fiance. Well, if I was you, sister, I would drop him like a hot potato. Now, see you here, Jones. Shut up. What? You heard me, Fatso. Fatso? Did you drive up here alone? That's any of your business. Why, give me the keys to your car. Why should I? Because I and this heater say so. What sort of people are you associating with, Elaine? Well, Mr. Jones is an escaped convict. Escaped convict? Well, goodness me, why doesn't someone call the police? Are you going to give me them keys or do you want me to blow a hole right through that shirt and let all the stuff in out? Oh, no, you wouldn't. Yes, I believe you would. Here, here, take the keys. Thanks. Now, the three of you back over against that wall. Come on, get going. All right, now, don't move because I'm backing out of here. See, so as I can keep my eyes on you. Now, if you move a muscle before I get away. Put up your hands. Huh? Here, scattergun, don't play no favorites. Check that stranger, Ronnie. See if he's got a gun on him. He has one all right. Give it to me, Gracid. I'll see you. That's a double barrel shotgun lens carrying. Oh. Thanks. Hey, Ronnie, that ain't the fella I mean. Huh? The fella I chased out here is the other one, the fella in the black suit carrying the umbrella. Will you? You mean you came out here chasing? Will you? What's funny about that? Well, William's a respectable businessman. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Well, he went sailing through town like he was an escaped convict with the law after him. That's why I followed him out here. The other one's the escaped convict. Huh? Oh. Matt, are you sick? Oh, the boys at Sing Sing will never let me live this down. Nabbed by a town clown. Accidental. Oh, the ignominiousness of it all. Well, don't feel too bad, fella. There's a thousand dollar reward for your arrest. There is? Yeah. Well, that ain't so bad. That'll shut them guys up. There ain't one of them who has worked more than 500. Come on, put the bracelets on me. You're a real accommodating. Goodbye, Mr. Grassy. So long, lady. Get smart and dump that bag of wind and marry the other guy. I'll see you here, you criminal. See you later, Ernie. Yeah. Well, now we can get down to more serious matters. What do you mean by that, William? I am referring to your reputation. What? There's nothing wrong with her reputation. Oh, don't worry, don't worry. I'll go through with the marriage. But you must understand, Helene, that it will take a long time to erase the specter from my mind. Oh, no, it won't. I'll have to be the judge of that. In that case, William, start judging because I'm pleading guilty, waving trial, and here's your ring. Hmm. Oh, very well, Helene. Perhaps under the circumstances, it's just as well. Spoken like a true gentleman and a heel. Now, William. Yes, Helene. Please get out of here before I forget that you think I'm a lady. Um, now that you're no longer engaged to him, will you marry me? Why? That criminal took my car keys. Oh, William. What am I going to do? We'll think about that, lady. Later? Yes, right now, Ronnie and I have something very important to discuss. You go wait in the car. Oh, now see here. Wait in the car. Or... Well, all right. Try again, Ronnie. Hmm? Ask me again. What? Oh, oh. Well, will you marry me? Can you think of any reason I should? Well, hundreds of them. Name what? Well, it'd save me thousands of dollars in modeling fees. Hmm, that's reasonable. We, uh, we wouldn't have to buy another set of ignition wires for the car. We could just let it stay where it is. Hmm, that's economical. And... And I love you. And that's wonderful. The curtain falls in the final act of a day in Connecticut. Our star, Louise Albright, will you marry me? And I'll make it. Our star, Louise Albright, will return for a curtain call after this timely message from Wendell Niles. Veterans, you can now choose assignment to any one of eight Army outfits now in the United States. If you served outside the U.S. after September 1, 1945, and qualify otherwise, you're eligible for this special Army enlistment feature. These units are the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 9th Infantry Divisions, the 2nd and 3rd Armored, the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, and the 82nd Airborne. And here's where they're stationed. At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fort Ord, California, Fort Dix, New Jersey, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Fort Warden, Washington, and Camp Hood, Texas. Yes, sir, veterans, a lot of men would like to be a member of these outfits, but only you ex-servicemen who have had duty overseas since September 1, 1945 are eligible to apply directly. Put your application in first thing tomorrow at your local U.S. Army Recruiting Station. Now, once again, is our star, Louise All-Breton, and our producer. It's a traditional part of the theater, the curtain call, and it's most certainly an order for our proudly-hailed star, Louise All-Breton. Louise, thank you for a delightful performance you've just given us. You're very kind. It was loads of fun. Now that the egg and I has become cinema history and a very enjoyable part of that history, I might add, what have you been doing, Louise? I've been keeping house, mostly, C.P. Oh, yes. I understand your favorite hobby has become a certain newscaster. Well, if you're referring to my husband, Mr. Charles Collingwood, guilty. I'm trying a new role, C.P., that of being the perfect wife. Wonderful, Louise. What do you do to be a perfect wife of a distinguished newscaster? Well, I have to read a lot of things. You know, be up on names and dates and places, so I can kind of hold my own. Good enough. How do you manage to find time for all that reading? What, with your picture commitments and everything? Well, that makes a rather interesting story, C.P. My husband was a Rhodes Scholar, you know, and when he was at Oxford, he learned an amazing system, which he's now teaching to me. It's called remedial reading. Sounds intriguing. How does it work? Well, you learn to read only the nouns and verbs in sentences. And in so doing, you can read a page in a fraction of the time. It takes when every word is read. But still, you gain all the sense of the context. Sort of a visual shorthand, isn't it? Yes. Yes, you might call it that. Right now, I'm a noun-verber, and the next move is to hold sentences, and end up an entire paragraph. Think of reading the entire works of Dumont in afternoon. Oh, I guess it's possible. Very amazing and very fine, too. And, Louise, we can always count on a fine performance from you. It was a particular privilege, C.P., to appear on the program, which voices great opportunities in our peacetime army. But now, before I get away, what's on your playbill for next time? Next week, Louise, and ladies and gentlemen, we present the emotional and dramatic love story, Birthday for Martha, and appearing in the title role will be that fine young dramatic actress, Angela Lansbury. That's a must, C.P., I'll be listening. Now, goodbye. Goodbye, Louise Albritton, and thanks again for a delightful performance. Join us next week, won't you, for an impelling dramatic story, Birthday for Martha, starring Angela Lansbury. And until next week, this is C.P. McGregor saying thanks for listening and Cheerio from Hollywood. Louise Albritton appeared with the courtesy of the Hollywood coordinate and connected with the ranges for the appearance of all stars on this program. The story was by Bill Hampton, with the orchestra directed by Eddie Skravanik. Remember, proudly we hail, presents Angela Lansbury next time. This program is transcribed in Hollywood for release at this time. Wendell Niles speaking.