 This is Christopher Isherwood. The story you're about to hear was written by Aldous Huxley and myself. It's based on a true incident, and it has never before been told. It concerns a man who had a gift greater than he could understand, a gift so unique that when it was shared by others, it destroyed them. CBS Radio, a division of the Columbia Broadcasting System and its 217 affiliated stations present the CBS Radio Workshop dedicated to man's imagination, the theater of the mine. Tonight, Jacob's Hands, an original news story by Aldous Huxley and Christopher Isherwood. We are proud to have Mr. Isherwood as our narrator, original music composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. On a small ranch in the Mojave Desert, not far from the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, is the home of Professor Arnold Carter, his sister and his daughter, retired now to this medically approved climate, nourished by the warmth of the sun. The professor lives quietly with his family and his bitterness. Shut the door! Look, Father, where have you been? Aren't they lovely? Halman Blossom's the first of the year. Get them out of here. You want to bring on another attack on my asthma? I'm sorry, Father. Do you mind if I practice my singing? I can stand it if you can. Where were you at lunchtime, Sharon? Outside, looking for flowers. With Jacob, Marl Wager. Good afternoon, Aunt Annie. Were you with Jacob, Sharon? What's wrong with that? Jacob wouldn't hurt a flea. Jacob is a hired hand and you're the daughter of a fine scholar. Don't you ever forget it. That silly is just a friend. What your aunt means, Sharon, is you're a grown lady now. You've got to learn to be cautious. Things can happen. Do a cripple? Do a girl who walks around on crutches? Annie, see if there's some lunch left over for Sharon. Self-pity. Look at her. Dirt on her shoes. Wash up, young lady, if you expect to eat in this house. Well, who is it? Oh, right. I'm coming. I'm coming. It's me, Professor Tom Pierce. Oh, I'll come out. You're here to look at my calf, Tom? Whatever looking I can do. The way you talk, Professor, it's a waste of time. Yeah, I'll come along. We'll see. All right. What kind of shape is she in? Her hind legs are paralyzed. She's got a high fever. Yeah, couldn't be the black quarter. She's over here, Tom. Tried to keep her away from the other animals. We never can be sure. Jacob, what are you doing with that calf? I'm just looking after her, Professor. Didn't I tell you to leave her alone? The disease might be contagious. Yeah, let me have a look, Jacob. She's been collapsed like this long since yesterday. Well, I guess that's it, Professor. Black quarter, all right. All right. Jacob, get the rifle. Jacob. Sharon, stay back at the house. You can't shoot a thing just because it's lame. You hear me? I said go back to the house. You'd better go back, Sharon. Before you do it, Professor, can I... Can I keep her for a minute? What? Can I hold the calf? Are you crazy? Get my gun. Let's not hear any more of this claptrap. Die. I won't let you die. What? Why are you touching her, Jacob? I won't let you die. I won't. Take your hands off my calf. Do you hear? You won't die. You won't die. The calf's on her feet. What did you do to that calf? I demand a new. I don't know. You must have done something, Jacob. She's on her feet now. Her hind legs move. It's not anything I did. It just came to me a feeling, something I could feel moving into my hands. That's ridiculous. That calf wasn't sick to begin with. Oh, I examined him. I say he was sick. Jacob here, he's a healer. He's no such thing. You think as a scientist I could accept... Just the same. I'm going to try him out. Listen here, Jacob. I got me a lame dog down in my place. You tried on him? I guess so, if you want. Yeah, and there's others around here might like to see this thing more. Nonsense. You're making too much of it. Jacob, give that calf some water. And you, Sharon, come in the house. And Jacob healed the dog and a cat from another nearby ranch. And the following week a colt said to be suffering from an incurable disease. And the editor of the local newspaper. Jacob, open the door. There's a man here to see you. Ed Burton from the paper. I'd like to speak to you, Mr. Erickson. All right. There's a lot of talk around. Some of our folks seem to think that you have the power to heal. Is that right? Well, Jacob, answer Mr. Burton. I... I guess so. Sometimes it happens. I touch an animal, a dog, or a calf, and he seems to get well. I see. And do you charge money for this healing? No, sir. I couldn't do that. Why not? Because, well, it isn't mine. Whatever this thing is, it just comes over me. Strange feeling. I don't know. First I feel it in my hands, then it passes on to the animal. It's quite a story, Mr. Erickson. I'd like to write it up. I think everybody should know about this power. All right with you? Sure. If that's what you want to do, I don't mind. Thanks, Mr. Erickson. Good day. I'm going to write some friends of mine in L.A. to drive up. Prominent doctors, both of them. I think they could settle this whole business once and for all. Good idea. I'd like to do a follow-up piece when I get here. And do you really believe in this nonsense? Now, Professor, do I believe in Santa Claus? Jacob, this is Dr. Marlar and Dr. Carruthers. How do you do, Mr. Erickson? Pleased to meet you. Now, Jacob, these gentlemen merely want to talk to you. As doctors, they're naturally curious about your... power to heal. We certainly are, Mr. Erickson. Dr. Carruthers is an outstanding psychiatrist. My field is neuropathology. Professor Carter and I were at Chicago University together. Before the loss of my health, I was professor of biology at Chicago. You didn't know that, did you, Jacob? No, sir. Mr. Erickson, I'm frankly skeptical about so-called miracle cures. I have to be in my profession. I'm sure you understand that. Well, I just don't know. All this talk and everything. If you don't mind, I'd just as soon... Now, Jacob, no one is going to hurt you. Of course not. Well... All right, Doctor. You may proceed. Mr. Erickson, here we have a rabbit. Oh, not just any rabbit. This poor little fellow happens to be quite ill. Cancer of the lung. But, sir, I... Please, let me finish. In most cases of so-called faith healing, we find the illness to be hysterical in nature. That is to say, though there is an actual and very real physical illness, its basic origin is in the mind of the sufferer. Release the tension and you often release the illness, hence a so-called miracle cure. Now, Mr. Erickson, we obtain this rabbit from a laboratory. We know the animal's disease. It is entirely organic in nature. We ask you to cure it. But I don't cure things. It's this feeling that comes into my hands. Yes, we understand all that, Jacob, but whatever it is you seem to impress some people of our neighborhood. Why not let these two gentlemen in on it? They're men of science, Jacob. Yes, sir. Only I don't know if anything will happen. Sometimes it doesn't. There was a hen last week up at Tillman's and I... We understand, Mr. Erickson. You just do it any way you like. We have plenty of time. Here you are, Mr. Erickson. Go ahead, Jacob. Talk to it. You're going to get well. You're going to get well. I won't let you die. I won't let you. Well, Jacob... You're going to get well. You're going to get well. I won't let you die. I won't let you die. I won't. Gentlemen. May I examine the rabbit, Mr. Erickson? Yes, sir. Thank you. It's very interesting how you stroke the back of the animal. You have a great gentleness in your hands. Everyone around here says Jacob is a very talented young man. They believe in him. If there is any difference, I can't detect it. Of course, we'll have to dissect the animal when we get back to LA to be sure, but it appears... You're not going to cut him open. Naturally. You want to be absolutely sure before we pass judgment? But to kill the rabbit just to find out... Mr. Erickson, the rabbit will die anyway. Well, Arnold, we appreciate your letting us in on this. Yes, it was a wonderful opportunity. You don't often get to test these things first-hand. Have you better be getting back? Long drive, you know. I certainly do appreciate your coming out. It's been a real pleasure for me. And I feel a lot better. Yes, I'm sure you do. You boys go on out to the car. I'll join you in just a moment. Jacob? Yes, sir? I think you'd better pack your things. You're fired. It's me, Jacob. Sharon, can I talk to you? I guess so, only it's kind of messy in here. Oh, I don't mind. Your father wouldn't like it if he knew this. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. I heard what happened today. I'm sorry, Jacob. They don't understand. They wouldn't listen. I understand. You do? It wasn't your fault. It just didn't happen, that's all. Where will you go now, Jacob? I don't know. You knew where I'd go if I could. Where? To Los Angeles. I didn't like it. Well, when I was in the army, they shipped me overseas from New York. It was noisy and crowded. So was Paris. Paris? Oh, they have the opera there, Jacob. Imagine if I could sing in Paris at the opera. A great stage and people and fancy clothes. And a girl on crutches singing opera. What's wrong with that? Everybody in the audience would laugh. I wouldn't think of your leg at all. I'd be listening to your voice and looking at your face. Jacob? Yes? What if you could cure my leg? Sharon. It isn't as though it was deformed or anything. It isn't. It's just lame. Like the dog you cured. Please, will you try for me? Why? Don't you see? Because they're not the same. I loved animals all my life. I understand that. Do I mean less to you than a dog? But that was different. Why? Because animals can't talk back to you. Do you like me, Jacob? Yes. I mean a real whole lot. Yes. Then cure me. I don't know how. Kneel down. Take my foot. Take it in your hands. Do what you did to the calf and to the dog and to the colt. Jacob, don't you see? You have the power to make me well. I'm begging you. I want to walk. Do it for me, Jacob, please. Don't let her wimp anymore. She's going to get well. She's going to get strong and well. I'm going to get well. I know it. She's going to get well. She won't be lame anymore. She'll walk like everyone else. She'll walk again. She's getting well now. The lameness is leaving her and she's getting well. Jericho! Oh, it's the happiest, happiest night of my life. This tower is all shining for me. I own this night. I own the world. Jacob, it's mine now. I can heal. I can heal, people. I'm going to walk and run and dance the rest of my life. Jacob. When you leave here tomorrow, I'm going with you. I'm going with you. Sharon, no, you can't. You're going to take me to Los Angeles, and I'm going to sing and dance the rest of my life. Sharon and Jacob left together for Los Angeles. But once there, they went their separate ways. For Sharon had only one goal. The opera. The weeks passed and audition followed audition. And the response was always the same. Well, it's a pleasant enough voice, but a bit light for our needs. Why don't you try the popular field? And at the broadcasting and recording companies, audition followed audition. And the response was always the same. Yeah, okay, okay, Miss Connor, thank you very much. We'll call you if something turns up. For Jacob too, there was only one goal now. To heal the sick. But he chose another direction. A small mission near downtown Los Angeles in an area called Skid Row. And a year passed. I want you to get well. I want you to get well. I won't let you stay sick. You feel my hands on your foot. Now you're well again. You're feeling better. You see? Now you can walk. What do you think of that, huh? Well, Lou. Doc, that boy's got an axe. He's for us, ain't he, Lou? Would that pull him into the art theater? Would that pull him in? I tell you, we should hire that guy. You put him on top of the bill. After Flossie does the strip number, we get it made. Lou, you're crazy. It's something we'd pack to house. This boy's too big for a bellicure house. Now, I got other plans for him. Such as? Doc, we're gonna go into the healing business in a big way. You and me and this here boy Jacob. Now listen. You go up there after this bit is over and you bring that guy back to the theater with you, see? I don't care if you have to open time, but you bring him. Lou, listen, I need money. Honest, I'm broke, I tell you. Baby, you're always broke. Will you stop trying to make like a diver or whatever? I got dames who can sing better and live on the salary, you know? What's the money? Okay, Mr. Lawrence. Lay off the Mr. Lawrence, will you? What's the money? You don't like class? Okay, Lou, here he is. Wow, wow, Mr. Jacob. We're ever glad to see you. Step right in. Jacob! Jacob! Sharon, what are you doing here? You know, this brought an old home away. Oh, Jacob, it's really you. I didn't recognize you. The costume... is a star of our show. Well, then you're singing. Well, that's wonderful, Sharon. Give us a knockdown, baby. Oh, Jacob. This is Lou Zaccone, the owner of the theater, and this is his assistant, Doc Waldo. I'm pleased to know you, Mr. Zaccone, doctor. Yeah, I'm sure. This is the man who... this is my oldest friend. Was I right? You're just the girl to tell him what a deal he's got coming, huh? Oh, Lou, no, not Jacob. Mr. Jacob, the doctor here and me, we got a little, uh, proposition we was wanting to talk about with you. It's a very high-class ethical kind of operation. Yeah, it's very ethical. Uh, baby, you're forgetting where the tin spots are coming from. Mr. Jacob, now, what we got in mind is a sort of a clinic, see? Now, with a doctor's medical education and my business management, this here clinic could help everybody. Not just a few bonds. I don't know... Ain't that right, Sharon? Why don't you tell Jacob? Yeah. I guess that's right. You see? Well, now you sit down, Mr. Jacob, so we can talk. Psychomagnetic Medical Center. Mr. Erickson? I'm sorry, he can be seen by appointment only. Yes. Thank you for calling. Why is Mr. Erickson? Isn't he in his office, doctor? Listen, there's half a dozen patients waiting to see him. Well, shall I try to locate him, Dr. Waldo? Call the art theater on Main Street. Ask for Mr. Laura, she might be... Jacob, for heaven's sake, where you been? Don't you know there's people waiting to see you? Good afternoon, doctor. Miss Reed. Good afternoon, Mr. Erickson. Now, listen, we're putting our blood, sweat, and tears into this operation, Lou and me. You treat it like you couldn't be bothered. Come on into the office. Now, sit down and listen. I want to talk to you, doctor. Listen, Lou and me sunk a bundle into this place. We hucked the art theater up to our ears, and now it's beginning to pay off and big. You're in on the take. Am I, doc? You got 10% of the giant, haven't you? And you didn't put up a stinkin' dime. Doc, today I sat in the park and a man came up to me. A man who'd seen me at the mission. He was sick, doc. And I asked him to come to me and I'd help him. And do you know what he said to me, doc? What did he say? He said I came to you, Jacob, but they wouldn't let me in. I didn't have enough money. Yeah? Is that right? Doc, didn't we have an agreement anybody could come to the clinic, anybody? Now, don't get on your high haul. Didn't we agree to charge only people who had the money to pay? Sure, Jack, you know. I must have been asleep, Bob. And this man, this man who'd seen me at the mission, said others had been coming here, too. Others who couldn't pay and that they were turned away. Now, is that right, doc? You answer me, doc. Well, after all, Louis... You answer me. Well, sometimes it depends. It doesn't depend. I have lived with this until my heart can't stand it any longer. I've seen goodness turn to thin. I've seen it... Hey, doc, break out the bottle. This is a celebration. This is one grand celebration. Hi, Jacob. Hello, Jacob. We're here to celebrate, kids. It's been a while, Louis. Some other time. Some other time? You're out of your mind. Today, right now. You want to tell him, baby, or you want me to... Lou, you and the doc, go on out. I want to talk to Jacob alone for a minute. What? You heard me. Listen, kid, this ain't no secret. Get out. Both of you. Okay, okay, but watch it, baby. I've bruised these things. Come on, doc. Jacob. Yes, Sharon? I've always believed in you, Jacob. I want you to know that. What is it, Sharon? Is something wrong? Did they hurt you in some way? Listen to me, Jacob. This is a tough thing for me. I didn't make it the way I thought I would. Once I said I wanted to stand on an upper stage in Paris, but I couldn't because everybody would look at my crippled leg. And you said you wouldn't. You'd look at my face and hear my voice. Isn't that right, Jacob? I guess so. Where am I now? They are looking at my legs, Jacob. Both of them. And they want more. A lot more. I just can't take that anymore. I just can't. If I had money, Sharon, you could have it. You could always have it. Your money? You give it back to the patients, don't you, Jacob? They shouldn't have to pay. I've known that for a long time, Jacob. What? I'm going to marry Lou. Lou? Lou's a conee? I've got to. Don't you see? There's nowhere else I can go. There's nothing else I can do. Sharon. Sharon, if you'd have me... Spend the rest of my life without a dime. Living in flop houses. Watching you get taken by every sucker. Now, don't say that. Well, isn't it the truth? Isn't that what you are, Jacob? A sucker for every con man who ever came along. I was the first one. I got you here. Then Doc and then Lou. You always took care of the other guy, Jacob. But what did you ever do for yourself? But... I thought you understood. I've got to marry Lou. He's made a lot of money out of this place. And I need money, Jacob. I'm through with flop houses and cheap clothes. Jacob, wait! Hey, what's that, Jacob? You saw or something? Jacob. Ain't a lessonous one too far. Jacob. All of it. It's quiet. It's quiet. It's sinful, don't you see? What I've been doing is sinful. I was wrong. I didn't do these things. I'm to blame. It's not your fault, any of you. I did it. These hands are mine. Doc, get the police. Lou, no. Let him alone. He built it. He can tear it down if he wants to. Jacob. These hands. These hands. Please, let me alone. Let me alone. Jacob returned to a ranch in the Mojave Desert to work that he knew. And he cared for the animals. And sometimes he healed them. But never again would he minister to a human being. For now, he understood how dangerous it is to heal the body if you cannot also heal the spirit. He knew the meaning of Christ's question. Whether it is easier to say to the sick, thy sins be forgiven thee. Or to say, arise and take up thy bed and walk. Tonight, the CBS Radio Workshop has presented Jacob's Hands, while Aldous Huxley and Christopher Isherwood with Mr. Isherwood is our narrator. Jacob's Hands was adapted for radio and directed by William Frug. Vic Parran was featured as Jacob with Virginia Gregg as Sharon. Others in our cast were Her Butterfield, Helen Clebe, Larry Dopkin, Harry Bartel, Parley Baer, John Dana, Hans Conrad, Bill Conrad and Janet Stewart. The CBS Radio Workshop is produced in Hollywood by William Frug. This is Hugh Douglas inviting you this week when from New York we present Living Portrait, an unusual study of one of the nation's most imaginative businessmen, Mr. William Zekendorf. Whatever your own views on religion may be, CBS Radio believes that you'll be pleased to know that much time, thought and effort is being devoted to giving children a strong spiritual foundation in Sunday schools throughout America. If your children are not attending Sunday school now, this week, Sunday School Week is a good time to enroll them. Stay tuned for five minutes of CBS News to be followed on most of these stations by My Son Jeep. America listens most to the CBS Radio Network.