 From Hollywood, California, the Lux Radio Theater presents Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Edward Arnold, and Peter Holden in the return of Peter Grimm. Lux presents Hollywood. This is the drama of faith and love stronger than death. The story of a man who came back from beyond to the ones he loved when they needed him most. Bringing it to us are Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Peter Holden. Louis Silvers conducts our music. We bring you this program with the good wishes of the makers of Lux Flakes, those gentle flakes known the world over as the thrifty care for silks, rayons, woolens, and pretty cottons. With Lux, there's no rubbing to weaken threads, no harmful alkali to fade or streak colors. You'll find your underthings and all other washables. Yes, anything safe in water alone will stay new looking longer when you give them regular Lux care. And remember, a little Lux goes so far, it's thrifty. And now, the producer of the Lux Radio Theatre, who, with David Belasco, wrote tonight's play, The Return of Peter Grimm. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. When the return of Peter Grimm, in which David Belasco starred David Warfield for many seasons, but at the height of its run on Broadway, tonight's Peter Grimm, Mr. Lionel Barrymore, was already a motion picture favorite. Appearing with Lillian Gish in a biograph epic called The Northwoods Romance. Not once during the many intervening years has the popularity of this distinguished actor waned. He made Peter Grimm live on the screen and is here tonight from Metro Golden Mayor Studio, where he's starring with Nelson Eddy and Let Freedom Ring. In the wings of our stage, gripping the hand of this beloved veteran, is Peter Holden, the seven-year-old boy who amazed Broadway audiences last season with his remarkable performance in unborrowed time. Now with the RKO Studios, Peter is heard tonight as William. We're indebted to MGM a second time for the presence of Moreno Sullivan, whose winsome personality is all I had in mind when I first pictured the character she plays tonight, Catherine. And we're delighted to have one of our best friends back with us in the role of Dr. MacPherson. He's Edward Arnold, a great character actor and a splendid citizen. Alan Ladd plays James and Gavin Muir is Frederick. Our curtain's rising now and the Lux Radio Theatre presents Lionel Barramore, Edward Arnold, Moreno Sullivan, and Peter Holden in the return of Peter Grimm, the darkened living room of Peter Grimm's home. The blinds have been drawn against the afternoon sun and in the semi-gloom, five people are seated around the table, their hands clasped together. There's a breathless silence as one of them leans forward and wraps quietly. Are you in this room? Is your spirit among us? We are calling the spirit of Peter Grimm's grandfather. Are you in this room? There's no answer from the other world. The elderly man who wrapped leans back in his chair, waiting. My name is Dr. MacPherson. I am conducting a seance here in the home of Peter Grimm. Not a very successful seance I'm afraid for my old friend Peter is not a believer. He won't join us in our circle. Look at him sitting over there by the window. I'd like to know what he's thinking. Probably what an old fool I am. Fool MacPherson, always was a fool. Always will be. Are you there? Is your spirit among us? I've lived in this old house for 60 years and never saw a spook in my life. I only hope Catherine isn't taking this all too seriously. Oh, she's a pretty level-headed youngster. MacPherson, stop this. I'm getting more and more nervous. I'm sure Uncle Peter's getting angrier by the second. Dear old Uncle Peter, I wonder how I started calling him uncle. Why not father? Of course, he's no relation at all to me. But since he adopted me, he has been more like a father. Was it James who coughed? He's getting as restless as I am. I wonder what's the matter with James lately? He was avoiding me. I wish he wouldn't. I always liked James. I've got to be more careful. But I wish I'd sat next to her when this thing started. I'd be holding her hand now instead of Mrs. Bartholomew's. James Hardman, you're a darn fool. What chance have you got with Catherine Grimm? You're Peter Grimm's secretary without a dime to your name. Still, sometimes I think she does like me a little. Oh, here goes Doc MacPherson. He's going to try to raise his spirits again. Are you in this room? Is your spirit among us? If you have come back, make your presence known. Give us a sign. Oh, stop it, stop it. What's the matter with you, Peter? This thing's gone far enough. Put up those blinds, James. Do you mean this experiment has ended? I certainly do. I've been sitting over there laughing so long it made me mad. And that's exactly what is wrong. No wonder I can't get in touch with your grandfather. Well, maybe you're calling him in the wrong place, Doctor. Try below. Doctor MacPherson's been trying so hard all afternoon. Perhaps that's what's wrong. Spirits never appear in the afternoon. Oh, day or night, Mrs. Bartholomew. The doctor's spirits never show up any time. The laziest bunch of spooks have ever seen. He's been snubbed by every ghost from Julius Caesar Down. Doctor MacPherson, please go on. I'm very interested. I'm sorry, Mr. Bartholomew. It's impossible to carry on a scientific experiment with an atmosphere of doubt and skepticism. And I don't like to waste my time on fools. Well, neither do I. This is the third afternoon I let you steal from me with your mumbo-dumbo. I raise flowers, not spirits. I run a nursery for tulips and roses, not an asylum for demented medicos who believe in ghosts and such things. Some mighty smart people believe in such things. Well, then they're crazy, too. How easily you say that, Peter. I'd like to lay hold of one of your ghosts. I'd take him along to the lock-up where he belongs. I don't wish to argue the point any further. Good. Mr. Grimm, I'm afraid we must leave. Lawrence, come along. Oh, yes, dear. Good day, Mr. Grimm. Good day, good day, good day. I'm awfully sorry that we can't leave. James. Yes, Mr. Grimm? Go and get the proof of the new seed catalog. I want Kitty to help me correct them before dinner. Yes, sir. And you, Kitty, go and ask Marta to set an extra place at the table for Doc staying for dinner. No, I'm not. Oh, please do, Doctor. Oh, go on. He's staying all right. Make it two extra places. We have a guest coming. A guest? Who? Well, never you mind. A very nice young man. Shouldn't James go to get him? No, no, no, no. Williams is down at the station. He'll bring home that guest. That most welcome guest. All right, Uncle Peter. Well, by the way, Peter, how is young William? Well, I thought you weren't on speaking terms with me. In a purely professional capacity, I'm asking after Williams' help. Oh, the boy's all right. I kept him in bed a few days last week. He's fit as a fiddle. You want to come along and check the new seed catalog with me? Well, well, if you want me to. Well, I could do very well without you, but I have to be polite to my guests. Uncle Peter! Uncle Peter! Hello there, William. You've just come from the station? Yes, sir. Hello, doctor. Hey, William, don't you know you mustn't run like that? Look how flushed you are. I'll have to send you to bed again, William, if you don't behave. Gosh, I'm all right. Uncle Peter, the guest got here. He did, eh? Where is he? He's walking. See, I didn't know he's your nephew. Nephew? Well, that's what he said. Uncle Peter, it's not Frederick. Yes, it's Frederick. Now, why did you have to go and spoil it, William? I wanted to surprise Kitty. Well, I guess I am surprised. Well, I'd better go and see about his room. Come along, William. Okay. Good, then, Kitty, put on your prettiest dress. I want Frederick's eyes to pop out of his head when he sees you. Oh, Uncle Peter. Now, what's this all about, Peter? Nothing much. I wrote Fred to come home. Oh, so? Why all of a sudden? Wasn't all of a sudden? Fred's been abroad long enough. Time he came home, that's all. Well, what else? That last remark to Kitty meant something, if I know you. What last remark? Oh, yes. Well, Fred's going to marry her. Marry her? Does Kitty know it? No. Does Fred know it? Not yet. Oh, you've just decided for them, is that it? Well, something like it. Oh, don't look so shocked. A good gardener doesn't always wait for nature. When spring arrives and the buds appear, he does a little bit of grafting. Aren't human beings supposed to have a little more to say about such things than trees? A little more freedom? No, no. Freedom's a dangerous thing to monkey with, Doc. Look at little William. Now, if his mother hadn't had so much freedom, nobody watching would. William's mother is in altogether different case. He was a maid in your house. Yeah, a maid in my house who ran off to Europe and married some worthless scoundrel nobody knew and then came home with her baby. Came home to die after her husband deserted her. Why did she ruin her life? Because there was no hold on her, no check. Women need watching, I tell you, and then I'm going to watch Kitty. She'll be married to Frederick and live here, and they'll have their children here. And I suppose you've already decided how many. Then why not? I'd like to see him grow up one by one, go out into the world with the care and heritage I can give him. That's what I'm looking forward to. Oh, my, oh, my, another 20 years. Do you expect to live forever? Most people die, ultimately. Well, I'm not ready to die yet, so don't look at me so greedily. The machinery is wearing out, Peter. I thought I ought to tell you, when I chased that brun kindess out of you last year. Oh, boss, you can't make me sit. I'll outlive you yet, Andrew. I'll bet on that. You wouldn't want to make my kind of a bet, Peter? Any bet. What's your kind? That whichever one of us does go first will come back and apologize to the other fellow. Oh, so if I stay behind, I jump every time a knock sounds or a chair squeaks and say, oh, there's the doc again. No, sir, I don't intend to be one of your spooks. I don't even intend to die. And when I do, I'll do it without the benefit of a doctor. All right, at least you won't do it without a lawyer, I hope. What? Yes, a lawyer. You've never made that will of yours, have you? Oh, leave me alone. What do I need a will for? Uncle. Look, look, there's Fred coming up the path. There's my will. He'll carry out my wishes. He'll raise my tulips. He'll continue my house. I'll need no will for Kitty. She'll be provided for. She'll be married to my own flesh and blood. Hello, Uncle Peter. Well, Frederick, tell this old fool of a doctor I'm right. What about? Well, tell him. Well, he usually is right, Doctor. Oh, you'll make me tired. Good boy. Welcome home, Frederick. Welcome home. All right, James, let's get on. Ever since Frederick got in this house, I haven't done a good day's work. What's next? Well, you still haven't answered that letter from Hicks. Oh, all right, I'll answer it. The L.B. Hicks Esquire, Rochester, New York. Dear sir, you're a low, unprincipled upstart, and I have nothing but contempt for your insulting offer to buy my nurseries. They're not for sale, and they never will be. You black-livered, conniving thief of a robber. Cordually Peter Grimm. There. That's courteous and diplomatic. Look out there, James. Out the window. The tulips are doing nicely, sir. Not the tulips, not the tulips. Frederick and Catherine. See them? He's getting a nice setting for it out there, isn't he? I wonder why he doesn't kiss her. What's that, sir? Things must have changed since I was a young man. We usually kissed a girl occasionally when we got engaged to her. Engaged? Are Catherine and Mr. Grimm engaged? Well, not yet. What soon? Yes, sir. Any day now they'll be engaged. Frederick, did you say engaged? Do you know you're very pretty when you look surprised like that? But Freddie couldn't have said that, not without asking me. Not, Uncle Peter. He relied on me to get your answer. No, I suppose he didn't. It was a dream that anybody would object to his plans. And you're really not objecting, are you? He used to like me when we were young. Oh, I still do, but... But what? Oh, that was when we were young. We used to play together. You were fun. Oh, Frederick, that marriage is different. It has to be more than just liking. There is more on my part. Kitty doesn't it mean anything to you that this has always been Uncle Peter's dream? We owe it to him, Kitty. Oh, you're Uncle Peter my whole life. But somehow, I don't believe he'd ask for it. No, Fred, I'm sorry. Well, hand me that spray, will you? Here you are. Thanks. Bordeaux mixture. Yes, sir. That's all we can do to fight black spots. That and pray to God. And if you don't use Bordeaux mixture and don't pray, what happens then to the roses? Well, what happens is they die. Then what do you do with the dead roses? Burn them together with the diseased shoots and the ashes are good to enrich the ground. Ah, and out of the ground come new roses. But then the roses don't really die, do they? They continue to be with us. Have I made my point? No, because never in all my born days have I seen a spook rose. No, no, the ghost of Bordeaux mixture either. All right, laugh, laugh. Just the same, I know that one... Uncle Peter! Uncle Peter! Oh, that's all the excitement. Circus, Uncle Peter! Circus where? Don't you hear? They're parading down Malmo Street. Can we go, Uncle Peter? Can we go? Sure we can go. I never missed a circus in my life. Nor a parade either. Go get my hat, will you? Okay. Peter, do you think you should? Oh, now don't start with that heart-strained business again. I'm going to have some fun before I give up the ghost. Look at them, look at them, Uncle Peter. Boiled animals and everything. Here comes the clown, will you? Hello, kids. Hello there, youngster. Hello. Gee, look at him. Oh, he went down a-ha-ha-ha-ha. Well, well, well, here we are again, son. Billy Miller's big show, laughter, fun and great revision. One-ring show and no confusion. Don't forget, son, tonight at the big show I'll be waiting for you. There he goes, will you? Will we see him tonight, Uncle Peter? Sure we will. Here, you run along and get the tickets. I'll see you up at the house. Okay. William. William. Why? Mr. Grimm, what's the matter? Is there something wrong? Mr. Grimm. I-I gotta... Well, let me... Get back. Get back and give him air. Mr. Grimm's waited. What's the word, big doctor? You're going to get a chance to win that bet? I don't know, Peter. No, I do. You know, Andrew, I'm going to miss you. You were such a good friend to fight with. And say, if you know so much about the hereafter, will there be flowers there? There will always be your flowers here, Peter, if you come back to see them. It'd be worth the trip, no matter how long. Only that's a lot of foolishness about being able to come back. Perhaps. I wouldn't even know how to let you know I was back. Oh, you'd find a way, somebody who was very close to you here in this life. Well, all right. It's a bet, Andrew. The only thing I regret is I won't be here to collect it. Is that you, Kitty? Yes. Come here, child, and Frederick. Yes, Uncle Peter. Sit here just a little while. Kitty, you know what I've been writing in this Bible? It's about you and your husband and your children. I want to see you married, happy. And will that make you happy, too? Yes, Kitty. If I just knew, if I were just sure, oh, Kitty, it's hard to ask. Shh, don't, Uncle Peter. I know. It's Fred, isn't it? You want me to marry Fred? Has he told you? Yes. And I've already given him my answer. I've already told him that I would. Then it'll be a June wedding. That's the way I planned it. All my life, all my life, I've wanted only this. Yes. It'll be a June wedding. I promise. Well, this'll be the wedding ring, my mother's. Well, I never was so happy. Never before. It's not, it's not such a bad way. Uncle Peter, Doctor. Stand back a little. Uncle Peter, look, I got him. I'm madder. Well, Doctor. He's gone, Kitty. Dad? Oh, gee. No. He can't be. I've got the tickets to the circus. In a moment, you'll hear act two of the return of Peter Grimm, starring Lionel Barrymore, Marino Sullivan, Edward Arnold, and Peter Holden. But first, I'd like to say something to the women in our audience. These February days, your hands are apt to chap easily, aren't they? And that's so unpleasant. No woman likes to have coarse red hands. So let me give you a hint. Won't you be careful of the kind of soap you use in your dish pan? Strong soaps have harmful alkali in them. This dries out the natural oils in your skin. Your hands chap easily, get coarse and old looking. And really, that's needless. Nowadays, your hands don't have to take that kind of punishment, not when it's so easy and so inexpensive to use lux flakes for your dishes. Lux is kind to your hands. It has no harmful alkali. Just remember that, won't you? There's no harmful alkali in lux. Nothing to dry out the natural oils of the skin. It helps your hands stay soft and smooth, lovely to look at and to touch. So be beauty-wise. Begin using lux flakes for your dishes tomorrow. It costs so little, especially if you buy the thrifty big box. And now, Mr. DeMille. Back to of the return of Peter Grimm, starring Lionel Barramore, Edward Arnold and Moreno Sullivan with Peter Holden. It's three weeks since Peter Grimm passed on. And the old house has seen many changes. The flowers are neglected. And upstairs, William lies sick, tossing feverishly on his tiny bed. The night is warm and heavy with the scent of roses. In old Peter Grimm's study, Frederick, closing the windows against the threat of rain, turns to James. So you're going to leave us, James. Why? My work is finished here. I can't see that it makes much difference whether I stay or go. But there's one thing I'd like to ask you. Well, what about this property? You don't really expect a salad, do you? What gave you that idea? You've been corresponding with Hicks. Oh, have I? You're no right to sell this place. You know how your uncle felt about it. Unfortunately, James, or perhaps fortunately, my uncle died without making a will. Naturally, I'm heir to the estate. And I'll do with it as I want. When's your time up here? Day after tomorrow. Until then, please attend to your own affairs and leave mine to me. Would you find Catherine for me, please? Ask her if I may see her downstairs. Just as Uncle Peter wished. Yes. Just as he wished. We could leave right after the ceremony. Any place you'd like, Catherine. You mean you want to leave here? Of course. You wouldn't want a honeymoon in this place, would you? Why not? Oh, Frederick, I love this house. Besides, we couldn't possibly go out while William's so ill. Oh, you know, there are such things as nurses. He'd be miserable without me. I think you'll be very sentimental, darling. After all, we have to face the problem sooner or later after we're married. After we're married. You make it sound as though everything ended with our marriage. I don't feel that way, Frederick. And there's going to be no problem about William. He'll stay here with us. Is he? I've no reason to suggest otherwise, of course. But the boy can be rather annoying at times. He has a peculiar way of staring at people, as though there were some mystery he wanted to explain. There is. You know that he never knew his father. Yes, I've heard of it. It's pity, of course. But I hardly see why we should be burdened with his troubles. Oh, you're strange, Frederick. I don't understand you. You will, Catherine. I've been away a long time. Is that Toby again? He's been barking like that all night. I wish the heaven needs to stop. Martha! Martha! He misses Uncle Peter, I think. Martha! Yes, you call me, Mr. Frank? Martha, go and find that dog and tell him to take him to the kitchen with you. Yes. I had him in the kitchen all day long, but he keeps running up and down like he listens for something. Go and get him and try to keep him quiet. Yes, I go right away. Had to see me back. I've been gone a long time, Toby. Lots of things have happened to me. The funniest things you ever heard of. But I certainly owe an apology to old Doc McPherson. Yes, he was right. You can come back. And here I am. I guess I ought to create quite a stir around this house, Toby. Toby! Toby, here! Come in the house. Toby! What's that into you, Toby? Come back now. Come on now. Come on, come on. Good evening, Martha. Toby, you hear me? Martha? Look. Look over here. It's me, Martha. Peter Grimm. I've come back. Toby, what's the matter with you? What are you looking for? There's no one here, Toby. Now come on. I'm here, Martha. Martha, can't you see me? Can't you hear me, Martha? Toby knows me. Don't you, Toby? He can see me? Why can't you? All right, Toby. Now you come with me. And don't go looking for things which aren't there. Oh, Martha! Why can't you see me? This is the nice how to do. Come all the way back here, and they can't see me. Well, Catherine will see me. She'll know I'm here. She's got to know. Hello, operator. I was disconnected. Hi. Hello! Oh, hello, Lawton. We were disconnected. Where were we? Oh, yes. Well, I need a lawyer, Lawton, and I thought I'd give you a ring. Yes, that's right. What? Good evening, Fred. Hello, hello, operator. What's the matter with this line? I said, good evening, Fred. Hello, Lawton. The storm's raising cane with the wire. Why are you calling Lawton, Fred? Can't you hear me, either? That's the idea, Lawton, and I want you to draw up a nice, tight agreement for the sale of this house and property. Property? You're trying to sell my gardens? Yes. Hicks of Rochester's ready to close. Why that black-livered, conniving thief that... All right, Lawton. I'll call you tomorrow. Good night. Now, you listen to me, Frederick. You're not going to sell this property. Do you hear? I've learned some things about you since I've been gone. Things I wouldn't have believed while I was alive. But now I... I put down that phone and listened to me. Can't you hear me? Can't you see me? Hello. This is Frederick Grimm calling. I'd like to speak to Mr. Hicks, please. No! All right, I'll wait. No, you can't do it. You can't do it. I'll stop you. I'll find a way. Katherine will help me. Katherine, you can't see me either, can you? Why are you crying, Kitty? Are you thinking of me? Oh, don't cry, dear. Dying's not so hard. I just had a good nap. I was old, and I needed it. But now I'm awake and rested and young again. That's right now. Don't cry anymore. Why did you pick up that book of all the books here? Because James gave it to you, huh? Because you're thinking of him? Yes, sure. That's why you look so sad. Oh, I know. I know. But listen to me, Kitty. Please listen to me, dear. Try to hear. I want you to break that promise you made me. And I'll take the journey back in peace. But I can't do it until you do that. Oh, I can't reach her. Not yet. I wish Doctor told me more. Where is he anyway? Never around when a fella needs him. Did you call me, dear? I certainly did. But don't go calling me, dear. No. I didn't call, Doctor. I could have sworn I heard somebody. Oh, come on, Andrew. I thought you had such a good nose for spooks. That's strange. Strange? It's a miracle, a double miracle, because you're going to hear Peter Grimm apologize for the first time in his life. I'm sorry. I didn't mean life. Doctor, I do. A few moments ago, I felt I thought there was someone. Catherine, you know I have a firm conviction that in a very short time, we'll hear from Peter. You hear from him? What do you think you're doing now? I want you to get my message across to Kitty, and I'll get busy. Kitty. Yes, Doctor? I don't wish to be contankerous, and I don't want to be a busybody. But have you thought over what I said about this marriage? You caught that, did you? Yes, Doctor. I should be married, just as he wished. Oh, Andrew, talk to her. She's a girl. Isn't she the right to change her mind? I'm sorry you feel that way, Catherine. Oh, fight, you coward. Fight. Well, there's nothing more I can say. I'll be going back to William. Oh, don't run away. Tell her what a fool I was when I made a promise. Andrew, if you fail me now, you'll be sorry forever. Good night, Kitty. Good night. Oh, he's failed me too. Kitty, will I ever be able to accomplish what I came to do? Kitty, I want you to look for James. Now, let's go together, you and I. He's waiting for us. Waiting for you. Come, darling, outside. In the garden, the storm's stopped now. Outside. That's right. Keep walking into the garden. Open the door. There's moonlight too to help us. It almost makes me wish I had a lady's poop with me. There he is. Over by the roses. Turn around, James, and see her. You can't see me or hear me, but you'll turn around now. Kitty, I felt you were out here. I wanted to see the garden and the moonlight before I... before I go away. You're not going anywhere, my girl. You're staying right here to raise your children. Only there'll be a little change in father's. Do you want to go, Catherine? Yes. Tell the truth. The truth. Oh, no, I don't. I don't, James, I don't. That's fine. Now, James, press her hand real hard. Have you told Frederick that you don't love him? I can't. You're going to be wretched for life to please a dead man who doesn't know it. Or if he does know it, we wretched bitterly. Bitterly? How bitterly? Oh, James, don't say anything against him. I... But it wasn't right to ask this of you. It wasn't fair. The whole thing was the mistake of an obstinate old man. Stubborn, tyrannical. It was the Amsterdam Dutchening. Rotterdam? Speak no evil of the dead. And now do what I told you to do. Kitty, you love me. Don't make me say it. I will make you say it. You do love me. If I did, even if I did, that couldn't change things. I promised Uncle Peter. I gave him my word. Or do you think I wanted to? But if I broke it now, he'd never rest. And neither would I. He died happy. He smiled. I'll always remember that smile. Oh, what if I smiled? I feel like crying now. Calvin, I'll take you with me. I don't know where, but that doesn't matter. Spoken like a man. You love me. You can't do anything else. I won't let you. Go back to the house, please, James. Let me stay here alone. No, Kitty. This is right. Nothing else is. You say you love me. Why do you make it so difficult? Kitty. James, James, do you hear me? I'm Peter Grimm, your old boss. I'm ordering you to stay here and make love to her. To take her away. I'm sorry, Kitty. Good night. Oh, Kitty, Kitty. Let me make myself heard for just for a single moment. I'll tear off that wedding dress. Burn it. You're free. I'm freeing you now, here. Tell me you know it. Give me a sign, Kitty. Oh, I can't reach her. I can't reach her. Why did I come back? I failed you. I can't help you, darling, no matter how I hope. How I try. We pause for station identification. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. The curtain falls on act two of the return of Peter Grimm, starring Lionel Barrymore. In just a moment, we bring you our customary information guest. But first, here's a hint that will save you a lot of money. Use luxe flakes to cut down on stocking runs. Yes, a quick dip in luxe suds every night will help your stockings stay elastic. And that means they can give when you bend your knee or climb the stairs. The threads won't break into runs all the time. Don't spoil this elastic quality by rubbing your stockings with cake soap or using soaps that have harmful alkali. Use luxe. A little goes so far it's thrifty. Not only for stockings, but for everything safe in water. Your silks and woolens, your rayons and colorful cottons. Get the generous big box tomorrow. And now we have reached the time when it's Mr. DeMille's custom to present his guest of the evening. But tonight, we've prevailed upon him to be his own guest on his own program, since Mr. DeMille played such an important part in creating the return of Peter Grimm. There's an interesting and human story behind the origin of Peter Grimm, and here's Mr. DeMille to tell it to you. Well, we flash back to the time when David Belasco commissioned me to get an idea for a new play for David Warfield. I went to Maine, loaded down with pencils, paper and enthusiasm. But ideas often come slowly, and the inspiration which I hoped would come like a bolt of summer lightning failed to strike. Then one day, lying in a canoe very close to shore, I was reading a book when a big black beetle came out of the water, crawled up on the gunnel and sat there blinking at me. While he sat, I noticed a score of his relations grubbing in the muddy bottom of the lake. I felt rather sorry for them, those lowly creatures that might never know any other world, except gloom and mud and water. Under the heat of the sun, the beetle proceeded to die. Then a strange thing happened. His glistening black shell cracked down the back. Out of it came a shapeless mass, whose hideousness was transformed, as I watched, into beautiful, brilliantly colored life. Out of the mass gradually unfolded four iridescent wings, from which the sunlight flashed a thousand colors. The wings spread wide as if in worship of the sun. The blue-green body took shape. Before my eyes had occurred a metamorphosis, the transformation into another world of a hideous beetle to a gorgeous dragonfly, which started dipping and soaring over the water, but the body it had left behind still clung to the gunnel of my canoe. And while the dragonfly happily explored its wonderful new world, darting in an instant over a space that a short time before would have taken it months to crawl, the other beetles still plodded and lumbered below in the mire. And I wondered if they were conscious of the glorious creature flitting over their heads, or if the dragonfly, which so recently had been one of them, could look down and see and understand its fellow beetles crawling along the bottom of the lake. I'd witnessed what seemed to me a miracle. Out of the mud had come a beautiful new life. And the thought came to me that if the creator works such wonders with the lowliest of its creatures, what may be in store for the human spirit? I didn't know that distract me then, because the beetle had given me the idea for the play, a play about a man who died and returned. A year later, I brought the script of the return of Peter Grimm to David Belasco, who was kind enough to rewrite it himself and bring it to Broadway. So tonight as I listen to it, I'm grateful to three bees, Belasco, Barrymore, and the beetle. And ever since that day in Maine a long time ago, I've had a deep abiding faith in immortality. I have any doubt that there is a hereafter. Thank you, Mr. DeMille, for telling us the origin of Peter Grimm. And now I want to announce that at the end of our play tonight, we shall present an unusual, almost unique event. We'll flash to another part of the country to introduce to you a new radio program our sponsors are putting on the air this week. This new program is in addition to the Lux Radio Theater. It is fresh and dramatic. Remember a preview of the new Lux Radio program after Act III. Our play, The Return of Peter Grimm, our stars Lionel Barrymore, Moreno Sullivan, and Edward Arnold with Peter Holden. Later the same night, and the ghost of Peter Grimm still walks the halls of the old house, unable to make his presence known. In desperation he turns to William, the one person left who might see him. Up the stairs comes Peter Grimm, through the door, and into the sick boy's room. Little William, don't turn away from me. You're my last hope. I failed with all the others. You must help me. Oh, isn't there any help anywhere? There must be something. Something? The circus, William. The circus. The clowns and the elephants. Do you hear the circus? The circus. Yes, and I'm here too. Welcome to see you. That's the clown. You remember how we stood at the fence and heard him together, you and I? I, Peter Grimm. Your Uncle Peter. Uncle Peter. Say it. Say it out loud. Uncle Peter. There. There. Can you see me? No, sir. Here, take my hand. You'll see me then. Have you got it? No, sir. There's nothing there. What you hear me, William? I can hear you. Oh, it's a dream, I suppose. And the circus is going away. What did you come back for, Uncle Peter? Wasn't it nice where you were? Oh, yes. Nicer than I can ever tell you. But I had to come back. There were many things I'd left undone. Oh, it's too bad you died before we went to the circus. Are you going to stay here now? No. No, no. I'll have to be going back soon. Uncle Peter, when you go back, please take me with you. You are not ready to go. Not just yet. Not until you see me. William, do you think you'd like to do me a favor? I want you to. And you can. Listen, William, there must be many things you can remember. Way back before your mother brought you to this house when you were very young. Do you remember when you lived way, way off in Europe, across the ocean? I was little. Yes, yes, of course you were little. But you remember, you remember your mother? Mother? Mother? Yes. Yes. Now, William, before you came here, there was someone that used to live with you and your mother, and then he went away and he never came back. Now, who was that, William? He, he went away. Who? I'm afraid. Oh, who was it? I don't remember. I don't want to remember. William, you can if you want to. I know his name now. Yes. Your mother told me before I came back. She's there. I've seen her. But his name must come from your lips. If it's true, if your mother told me the truth, you'll be able to name him. I can, I can. Well, you'll see now. We're ready. You call the doctor. You go and call him loud. Doctor! Dr. McPherson! Louder! Doctor! What is it? He's here, in this room. Who? Uncle Peter. He's back. Easy, son. Have you seen him? No. Then what makes you think he's here? The things he said to me. Said to you? What, William? What did he say? He, he asked me questions. What about? I don't know. Peter. If you're really in this room, if you've come back, try and send your message through, William. Tell him. He asked me about my mother and that other one. What other one? The man who went away. What man? The man that made my mother cry. And who was that? I don't know. Yes, you do, William. Now, don't be afraid. I can't remember. Yes, you can, William. You're just frightened. William, is your Uncle Peter still in this room? Yes. He just spoke to me. Oh, Peter Grimm, if you've come back for a purpose, I'm doing my part. I'm waiting for you to do yours. I will. Think, William. Think. No, you'll make me cry, too. I'm afraid of him. No, you're not. He can't hurt you anymore. We won't let him. Now hurry, William. He's coming here now. I'm making him come. He's right outside the door. Did someone call me? No, Frederick. Why? Say it, William. Say it. Doctor, he's the one. What? It was he. It was Frederick. He's the one. He. He. Go on, Frederick. You might as well tell me the whole story. The man that William's mother married, weren't you? The man who deserted her, left her to come home by herself. All right, so it was I. What of it? She followed me to Europe. I didn't ask her to come. Like a fool, I married. And you weren't man enough to stand by her, was that it? I was young. That's no excuse. She came back here to die. She never even mentioned your name. You were well out of it, weren't you, except for William? How he recognized you, I'll never know. But he did, and I'm glad of it. What do you intend to do? Humiliate me? Tell Kitty? Yes. Wait a minute. Do you realize what will happen? The wedding will be off. She'll be left without a cent. She'll have no place to go. I couldn't have to stay here even if I wanted to. The property is going to be sold to Hicks of Rochester. Sold? Doctor, don't let him. Don't let him. Well, what are you staring at? I don't know. I thought I heard that. I'm selling tomorrow. Frederick, you've no right to do this. You can't. It's mine to sell or keep. Not yours. Never was. It belongs to Kitty. Kitty. Andrew, it isn't his. I didn't give it to him. Wait. The Bible. It's all in there. I wrote it myself. Pick up the Bible, Andrew. Pick it up. Frederick, your ancestors. How hard they worked, how they watched every blood. That long list of names in the Bible. Yes, yes, yes. In the front. Pick it up. Pick up the Bible. Turn to the front page. Oh, you must, Andrew. Turn to that page. Read what it says. You must. You must. Look, Frederick, all those names. Below that. Below. Read what it says, Andrew. Read. Why... Why, what's this? Ah, no, you got it. Frederick, you don't own this property. Don't own it. Your math. Here in the Bible in Peter Grimm's own handwriting. This is what he wrote. To my beloved Ward Catherine and to her worthy husband and children I leave all my property. May they enjoy it in peace and prosperity. Let me see that. He left it to Catherine's husband. But that won't be you, Frederick. No, no, that won't be you. Oh, thank you, Andrew. Thank you. Here, James, and here. Well, he's gone. I just took him to the station. Things seem different already. I feel as though a boy should have been lifted from me. I wonder if Uncle Peter knows. I think somehow he does. And I hope you'll know something else soon. He will. He was with us out there in the garden. I've felt it. And he's here with us now. Smiling, I think. Because he knows I love you, James. Kitty. My work's done now. Except for one thing. Goodbye, Kitty. Goodbye, James. God bless you. I'm coming, William. I am coming. Uncle Peter. Uncle Peter. Where are you? Here, William. Uncle Peter. I thought you went away. Not yet, son. There's just one thing I have to wait for. So you won't be lonely. I feel funny. It'll pass off. I felt like that, too. Are you going to take me with you? I think so, William. You must be tired of being sick all the time. Yes. Can you see me yet, William? Just a little. Like you were a long way off. Yes. I'm coming closer to you now. Can I go with you? Very soon, son. Thanks, Uncle Peter. I couldn't find a way without you. Oh, yes you could. It's a bright, wide way. And, William, there are flowers all along the road. I don't know why I should feel so sleepy. I would have taken that first. Do you dream on? No. I wish you the pleasantest dream that a little boy can have in this world. And now, you're ready, William. Wake up, son. Here comes the circus. Morning, Uncle Peter. Happy, huh? Sure, I feel great. Good for you. You'll never be sick again, William. Come on, let's get started. A long way off, William. A beautiful place. The most beautiful place you've ever seen. Where there's rest for the old folks like me and circus is galore for kids like you. You'll like it there, son. Everybody does. I can hear the circus now. Sure. Look up there and you can see it. Pretty good sight, huh? Gee, come on, Uncle Peter. I don't want to miss anything. I don't want, William. You won't. That presentation of the return of Peter Grimm. Before our stars take their curtain call, we switch across the miles to Validale to let you meet the people in the new Lux Radio Daytime Show, the life and love of Dr. Susan. It's a story that seems to me so vital and dramatic that no woman in America should miss it. It comes to you in addition to our Lux Radio Theatre. And now to Validale and the life and love of Dr. Susan. Gentlemen, to Validale, where you will follow the life and love of Dr. Susan. To Validale, a small American town to which young Dr. Susan Chandler has just returned, bringing with her from South America high medical honors and extraordinary record of achievement, bringing to an unforgettable memory of tragedy, tragedy that robbed her suddenly and mysteriously of a husband deeply respected, dearly loved. To Validale then comes Dr. Susan, to face a future filled with problems, to work, to love, to hope. Starts lay behind her in her struggle, stands her husband's father, doubty, lovable old Dr. Howard Chandler. What's that, Dr. Brown? You say my daughter-in-law can't take over my clinic for me? Because she's a woman? Why, it can't be found that she's a doctor, isn't she? And a fine one too. What's being a woman got to do with it? Things are coming to a pretty pass in this town when anything like that can go on. Carrying tenderly for the old doctor, mourning for her lost son, the doctor's wife, Miranda. We mustn't let Susan see how we miss him. We mustn't make it any harder for her. But it will be strange seeing Susan without him. Adjusting themselves gradually to strange new surroundings, Susan's 12-year-old children, the twins, Marilyn and Dickie. Now, Marilyn, for Pete's sake, we're home now. Will you quit feeling sorry for yourself? I'm not crying because I'm sorry. I'm mad. Gosh, Mother, she's mad because they were you all yelling, their mother is a doctor, like it was a freak or something. And I told them- Still jealous of Susan, who married the man she hoped to win, the mayor's daughter, Annabelle Waite. Well, I do hope I haven't changed as much as Susan these last five years. But they do say the tropical sun brings out lines on a person's face. Where, after all, you can't tell- Scornful of all things local, the big businessman, Samuel Blodgett. Let a woman doctor operate on me? I should say not. I want the best doctor in the country, and I want him quick. And I don't care what the cost, you hear me? I don't- Indedited to Susan for restored self-respect, a new grip on life, and in love with her, Arnold Briggs. Is it your husband who stands between us, Susan? Aren't you sure yet that he's never coming back? Susan, please, when will you realize the fact that you- And faithful to the husband she may never see again. Loyal, tender, strong Dr. Susan. I'm fond of you, Arnold. I really am. But no matter how many other people give up hope, no matter how many years go by, my husband will ever be dead to me. And so the intricate pattern of the lives of the people of Valladay weaves its way toward destiny. You can follow this thrilling drama tomorrow and every weekday, Monday through Friday, on most of these stations. Remember the life and love of Dr. Susan in the Eastern Time Zone at 2.15, in the Central Time Zone at 1.15, in the Mountain Time Zone at 12.15, and on the Pacific Coast at 2.15. Be with us then, won't you? And thank you, Mr. DeMille, very much indeed. Back now in Hollywood for a brief word with Lionel Barramore, Moreno Sullivan, and Edward Arnold. I don't know how many in our audience, Mr. DeMille, can recall Peter Grimm from the time it was the biggest hit on Broadway. But those who do will certainly remember the fuss you and Bellasco stirred up with your idea of having a dead man return to the world, even on a stage. I believe the words they used most frequently in describing it were revolutionary and provocative. There must be a source of great satisfaction to you, Mr. DeMille, to have seen the success of other plays along the same general lines, like Barclay Square and Houseward Bond and Death Takes a Holiday. But the story of Peter Grimm, Mr. DeMille, remains as gripping today as it must have been then. I'm sure it will always be a great play. I think you're right, Maureen, because the subject that deals with it is so fascinating, filled with so many possibilities. I wonder if we'll ever know what's waiting for us beyond. Well, probably not, Eddie. But one of the most inspiring things about life can be our thoughts of what lies ahead when life's done. Such thoughts can be a shield against all misfortune and the kindness of teachers, whose only lesson is the golden rule. Years ago, I lost a friend. His name's familiar to many of you, Charles Froman. He was one of the hundreds who went down in the Lusitania, and he left behind a message I'll never forget. Why fear death? It's the most beautiful adventure in life. Well, good night. Good night. Good night, C.B. Good night, pal. We hope you'll free return again. Good night. Listen for the announcement of next week's Stars in Play. Mr. DeMille brings it to you in a moment. Maureen Nisullivan is now starring in a new Tarzan picture with Johnny Wasmoller. Edward Arnold, who appeared through courtesy of B.P. Schulberg, is seen next in Paramount's Man About Town. Peter Holden's current R.K.O. film is The Great Man Votes. Louis Silver's is from 20th Century Fox Studio, where he directed music for the Three Musketeers. Here's Mr. DeMille. Among the recent hits of stage and screen, none met with greater acclaim than the drama awaiting you here next Monday night. Written for Broadway by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, its title is Stage Door. Based on the struggle of a group of young girls seeking theatrical careers, you'll hear this brilliant play with the same two stars you saw in the film version. Ginger Rogers and Adolph Mongeau. And co-starred with them the girl who's making such a hit in the sedative, Rosalind Russell. Our sponsors, the makers of Lux Flakes, join me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night when the Lux Radio Theatre presents Ginger Rogers, Rosalind Russell and Adolph Mongeau in Stage Door. This is Cecil B. DeMille saying good night to you from Hollywood. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.