 Could you use a three thousand five hundred dollar vacation trip a new four deluxe sedan or a television set? Then listen to the Mollay mystery theater for details of Mollay's big new $25,000 contest Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes Welcoming you to the Mollay mystery theater the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction Tonight's mystery entitled the close shave was written by Frederick Mato and stars the beautiful motion picture and stage actress Katie Stevens and the role of Ellen Thomas Now most of us lead fairly tranquil lives But some of you listeners may have narrowly escaped disaster and will understand the fear and terror Experienced by Ellen Thomas when she finds herself helpless in the face of death In a few moments, you'll hear the story of Ellen's close shave But now Dan Seymour and friends we want to hear about your close shave too Because the story of your closest shave your narrowest escape may win Mollay's great new contest may win you a $3,500 vacation later in the program. We'll bring you the full details of Mollay's contest my closest shave This is Jeffrey Barnes again and act one of tonight's Mollay mystery close shave starring Katie Stevens as Ellen Thomas Roommate should be here any minute come on in Ellen's boss is away on her vacation. I guess that's why she's late Ellen's running meat and companies payroll department herself these days Yeah, she's done swell with a new job Say you remember old mr. Bruno at the barbershop the one who gave Ellen that job as a manicurist when she first came to New York Yeah, well, that's what I came to tell Ellen about he died yesterday. Oh, I'm sorry Larry I want to show you I found the most divine had it. Oh Hello Larry. Hello, Ellen Larry says that nice old mr. Bruno died yesterday. Oh, I am sorry Larry Yeah, the funeral is tomorrow afternoon. I was thinking I could stop by for you and we could go together What I just couldn't make it tomorrow Larry. I'm sorry. Oh You sent some flowers for me. Will you Larry? Ah, sure sure Ellen I I don't suppose I Wondered if yes, I Don't suppose you'd have dinner with me tonight. Thanks, but I I've got a date Okay Well, I'm gonna go Bye Ellen. Bye. So long Larry Ricky would you iron my blouse? I'm late. Are you going out with Tony again? Yes Little rough on Larry aren't you? Well, I'm not obligated to Larry besides. He's just a barber Oh, nice going one year in the big city and our little girl from Grand Rapids has already learned how to be a snob Now Ricky just because I prefer Tony to Larry doesn't mean that I sure honey Anthony Drexel great fancy stuff, but they be graduating from manicurist to assistant cashier Doesn't give you a diploma to hob-nob with the social register But you were the one who encouraged me to take that business course that means I want you to get hurt by some rich playboy Oh, honey break it off. Don't see him. Call it off. I couldn't not tonight anyway. Why not? He's in trouble Tony Drake in trouble the banks for closing on his polo ponies made. Oh, he hasn't said anything But something's wrong. I know now Ricky. Please help me get dressed. I'm so late now You've ordered already and all my favorites too favorite foods for my favorite girl then for me too, of course The condemned man ate a hearty meal Tony Is something wrong? Oh, no, what could be wrong? Come on have some more champagne, but you said that I love you Tony What did I ever say that? No, you you never did well I do darling. I Love you too. Don't say it But Tonya get it. What's the matter? Nothing only Well, Ellen I I Won't see you again after tonight. Oh Your family is forbidden you my family It's all right. I understand. I'm not good enough for you. Not good enough Good Lord, honey. You you've got it backwards. You're too good. I don't believe you your parents. They be holding Now will you listen listen hard? Yes, I Had an intended to tell you this but don't if I'll let you go off believing a lot of nonsense. You're in some kind of trouble. Yes Before I met you there was a girl Not a very nice girl I'll skip the sordid details. I Lost my head and she knew how to make it pay off go on I Don't think you're gonna like me anymore when you hear the rest. I Took some diamonds from the wall safe at home Stuff dad had given mother when they were married I pawned them, you know to pay her off Well tomorrow's their anniversary and mother always wears the diamonds then You'll find out what I did and That'll be the end of everything. What'll they do to you? Oh dad wouldn't send me to jail, but I'll be packed off somewhere And I hate to think what this will mean the mother couldn't you borrow the money somewhere look darling I've been a pretty respectable character since I met you But my former reputation doesn't exactly enhance my credit rating. There's no one who can help Was always been my sister Stella. She used to bail me out of scrapes when I was too scared to tell dad. Oh And that's the irony of it. She was due tomorrow on the Queen Mary. I know she'd have helped me for mother's sake, but Oh now the ship's delayed by storms and won't be in until Sunday How much money do you need Tony? Huh $10,000 gosh, that's a lot of money well tonight's Friday I could pay it back Sunday at the latest as soon as I could see Stella all I need is a loan for two days Well, I can't get it. I tried everywhere So there's nothing to do but face the music honey, I deserve it, but if mother Though I'll I'll feel like a murderer Tony Yes Tony if you did have the money by tomorrow, you're sure you could repay it before Monday. Oh by Sunday at the latest I know Stella would help but oh Anyhow, let's let's make our last day fun. Let's dance. What do you say? No, no wait Tony? I'm in charge at my office now. I've got the whole week's receipts in the safe and I know But our office is closed Saturday and Sunday. We'd put it back before Monday. You said you're selling that you I wouldn't think of you. I'm letting you do such a thing, but it wouldn't be stealing Tony. We'd put it right back Please Tony, please let me help Darling I'll never forget you for this Well, I didn't meet a soul here. Thanks, darling Come on. We'd better walk over to 3rd Avenue get care Tony Someone's coming step back into the doorway. He's going into the building. Let's get What's wrong that man? He was one of the night watchman. Thank you sauce. He must have before we stepped back in the shadows But wouldn't he say hello to you? Maybe he was suspicious Would he find out the money's gone? No one could know until Monday morning and don't worry. I'll tell Stella Sunday and definitely have the money for you Sunday morning. Nothing will go wrong. Nothing can possibly go wrong And believe me darling if it does I'll take the blame You know that is your drink Tony. Oh, oh, thanks Stella. You going to call her now? Yes I think I'd better she's probably pretty upset. I promise to call her this morning, you know Probably half out of her mind by now Ellen it's Tony Why didn't you call me this morning? I've been at the phone all day waiting for you Oh, I'm awfully sorry darling, but it being Sunday Stella couldn't get the money around town So we had to go up and see her husband in Stanford. Did you of course? Stella and I just got back. That's why I didn't call you until now. Oh sure honey now listen I want to get the money back to you. Can you meet me right away? Yes, where are you? Well, I've taken a room at the Harker hotel Oh, I thought it would be better if we weren't too ostentatious about all this Don't ask for me at the desk. Just come right up to 802. All right Tony Stella's with me now And she's dying to meet you so hurt. I'll be right over. I've done without her give her a kiss for me Sure thing. Bye darling. You heard what the lady said honey. Give sister a great big brotherly kiss Well Not exactly what I'd call brotherly. I don't like that girl Tony After this I don't think I'll let you make love to anybody but me even for business Stella For 10 grand you'd let me make love all that's different Sure was a lovely day for us the day you spotted little Ellen working behind that cashiers window But tomorrow it'll be all over. It'll be in all the morning papers real human interest story Trusted employee dips into company funds then gets panicky can't face the music So she gets herself a hotel room and takes an overdose of sleeping pills Yes, just couldn't resist the temptation of easy money poor girl Looks as if poor Ellen stands to lose her faith in Tony her $10,000 and possibly her life We'll continue with her story close shave in act two of tonight's mole mystery But first here's Dan Seymour who wants to know the story of your closest shave That's right friends because the story of your closest shave your narrowest escape from peril embarrassment or failure May win the grand prize in Mollay's big new contest called my closest shave a $3,500 vacation for yourself and your immediate family or the cash if you prefer well That's certainly a grand prize Danny. Yes, mr. Barnes And that's only one of the prizes the next five winners each get a new 1949 Ford sedan the next ten winners get either an emerson table model television set installed or emerson's new Radiophonograph also 25 cash prizes of a hundred dollars each and 50 cash prizes of $50 each How do you enter the contest and get the printed contest rules and suggestions from your druggist? Then write the story of your closest shave in not more than 200 words The originality of the story is what counts not the literary quality and the judge's decision will be final Send your entry with the two-end flaps bearing the name Mollay from any Mollay carton mail it to Mollay post office box 49 New York 8 New York with your own name and address Send your entry to Mollay box 49 New York 8 New York Send as many entries as you wish friends including two Mollay carton-end flaps with each entry remember there are $25,000 worth of wonderful prizes 107 prizes in all including trade prizes your close shave may be the big winner So send your Mollay contest entry soon This is Jeffrey Barnes again returning you to the mystery theater and act two of close shave Starring Katie Stevens as Ellen Thomas Darling, this is my sister Stella the time she doesn't spend at the races. She spends listening to my troubles Stella this is Ellen How do you do? Hello? I hope I'm not intruding darling. No, I'm intruding when Tony told me it was in love I just had to see yeah, and you are pretty you're terribly pretty and I'm glad for your bow. Thank you I'm very glad to meet you too wherever Stella goes so goes the bottle Well, let's all have to drink to celebrate your first meeting. Oh, Tony I don't think I want and steer you can I need to worry about with me here go ahead one Stella Ellen has nothing to worry about anyhow What you know of my past is just that past Ellen is my future Hey, what darling? Drink Ellen. I drink to your future and a Tony as well Any girl who can put that critter on the straight away as a girl with lots of what it takes Here's how darling what happened? I went down the wrong way Tastes so funny. You're not used to Manhattan's dear you go like them darling. Come on. Let's sit down and chat a while Good idea Here Ellen sit here comfortable Thank you. I am a little tired. I didn't sleep any too well last night You do seem a little drowsy darling Put your head back Ellen dear rest a bit That's better Ellen Are you all right there? Yes Take a nap dear Nice long nap Ellen Ellen dear Ellen dear Goodbye Cut it out Stella. Don't you have any feelings at all? Oh, Tony You are Speaking oh, yeah, hello Ricky. She made things pretty plain. You know where this Tony Drake lives Okay, Ricky if it'll make you feel better I'll go over to the University Club and see if I can talk to this Tony Drake Grown she should have kicked in hours ago. She's coming to why didn't you give her more shut up? How did I know I gave her plenty? Well give her some more now. Will you pipe down? I'm going to give her more So as she comes out of it enough why wait pour it into her this and Stella You're a lovely doll a wonderful partner, and I love you, but if you don't shut up you too will go to sleep People who are unconscious can't drink now. Let me handle this should have died. She's messing things up Ellen Ellen darling Ellen Yes, dear, I know Here I am Yeah, darling Drink this it'll make you better. No drink. No drink drink this It's to make you better. Thank you. No want Where's Ricky? How do I know drink this? Please Ellen Ellen darling It's your Tony Ellen darling. It's your Tony drink that you little tram Tony Tony where am I what what's wrong? Tony darling. Oh darling you you little Tony oh die. Why don't you die? Stella you dizzy dumb Are you really fix it you green-eyed witch killer so we can beat it. We've got the dough now nuts. We can't lay a finger on her She's supposed to die from an overdose of sleeping pills Killing me all the view you tried it worked on it worked. She's dead shut up She's only passed out We're right back where we started Only now she's wise It's got to be murder now. Oh and your big mouth coming out of it again. Not a good that'll do if she won't drink this stuff. Oh Brothers tell her you're sure foul this up. Maybe not Look Tony did you take a room next door in her name? Sure? I figured after she died we could take her in there and no one could trace it to us No one here has ever seen me with all right How about the window what she's loaded with sleeping pills? She wakes up She's still scared of facing her boss on Monday, so she jumps out of the window. This is cleaning out for us Stella. That's it Her windows over this same court toss her out here then fix the window in her room to look like she fell from there. It's good Ricky Play along now. I've got an angle Ellen Ellen, can you hear me? Ellen listen, we decided not to go through with it if you do just as I say don't shout Behave yourself. I will I will yes good. Now first you need air Got to have some air to keep come out of this You've had an overdose of sleeping pills get her over here. I'll open the window and let the breeze is in Come on Hang on to me and try to walk over That'll wake you up. Yeah, that's it No, you're on get the blood going move Breathe deeply Yes Yes, it's good. My head's clearing What do you do to me? Will you let me go? Please will you Tony never mind for now? Just stay close to the window breathe deep feeling better now. Yes a lot better Okay, Tony Now baby, what are you doing? Oh Probably one of the hotel employees sit tight Maybe they'll leave see is Jeffrey Barnes again in just a moment We'll bring you act three of close shave starring Katie Stevens Now a word from George Putnam Every day more and more people are discovering that to get real relief from the most common kind of dandruff They must destroy the germ called Pity Ross formal Valley, which many outstanding authorities say is its cause You see merely washing or brushing away loose dandruff has no effect whatsoever on this germ But one thing that does work is double dandereen for double dandereen actually kills this germ on contact Even in severe cases results with double dandereen have been amazing and the reason for double dandereen's Astonishing effectiveness is a special ingredient an active antiseptic so remarkably efficient many hospitals use it in double dandereen We call it alzan So stop trying to combat this dandruff with ineffective methods that actually are no better than plain water They can't compare with double dandereen for double dandereen destroys the cause if you're not completely satisfied You'll get your money back get double dandereen tomorrow Assistant whoever he is. Yeah Look Stella you see who it is and Ellen you see this. Yes, a gun You better say the right things. Do you understand? Well, yes, okay Stella. Mr. Tony. I'm Tony come in. What can I do for you? I wanted to Ellen Larry oh friend of yours darling Larry what brings you here Ricky was worried about you and called me and I found out plenty Listen Ellen this guy's a phony. I check at the university club. This guy's not Anthony Drexel Drake His name is Tony sumac. He's the gym instructor at the club. You'd better explain to him About our marriage Larry you should mind your own business. I know all about Tony and I don't care We're going to be married. Oh Isn't that wonderful as an old friend of Ellen's you should be happy for her. I think she's a darling I love her to death already. I see Well Okay, that takes care of that Along Larry. Yeah Will you do me a favor? What I I had a date. I want to call it off and I'm too busy as you can see and Bruno is waiting for me Bruno but how yes poor boy. He's waiting for me. Tell him. I'm sorry You understand Larry up. I'd rather not see him Yeah, I I Understand You should have your head examined Tony now what why'd you let him go? And you see the suicides out when her body's found you'll know about us Sure, right the whole thing shut Look, let's just tie her up and get out of here. We've heard a shooter mouth off later But I won't say anything if you'll just let what Get it Stella. Yeah Forget something yeah, I guess you'd say I did I Got to think and I acted kind of sore and all Look, I'd like both of you to know Larry feels there's no saw head. Oh, sure. We know that don't we Ellen? Yes, of course Course Larry. I mean Well Congratulations. I hope your marriage will be very happy Let's shake on a Tony. Are you bet? Hard luck on you, but here's my hand on it That's how things go. It sure is Okay, I Got it you sister just stand still You all right Ellen. Yes, okay grab the phone and call the desk What'll I tell them tell me get the police up here to get the police up here Harry? Yes, 802. You sure you're okay Ellen Guess I am but I was so frightened you weren't coming back. Well, I was so mad at you I got halfway down the hall before I remembered Bruno was dead Sure was a close shave You'll never know how close And now this is Jeffrey Barnes again ringing down the final curtain on tonight's mystery theater production close Which has starred Katie Stevens Now before I tell you about next week's story Dan Seymour has an important reminder Friends don't delay sending your entries in the mystery theater's Sensational $25,000 contest get the printed contest rules from your druggist tomorrow The more entries you send in the greater your chance to win And now here again is Jeffrey Barnes our story next week an unusual one That's very well suited to the man. We've chosen to play the leading role The story is solo performance by George and Gertrude Fass and our star The well-known stage screen and radio personality Everett Sloane Will play the part of an actor who is called upon to play the most difficult role of his career The original music for the moley mystery theater is composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler Bill Quinn and elspeth Eric were featured in tonight's performance Any resemblance between the names and characters used on this show and any actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental And now this is Dan Seymour saying good night until next week of this same time when the mystery theater Presents solo performance starring Everett Sloane. This is NBC the national broadcasting company