 Family Theater presents Richard Denning and Bob Hope. From Hollywood, the mutual network in cooperation with Family Theater presents Thinking Makes It So, starring Richard Denning. And now, here's your host, Bob Hope. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world, Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. And now to our transcribed drama, Thinking Makes It So, starring Richard Denning as John Bender. And so, Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, in the course of this hearing, we intend to show that John D. Bender is incapable of administering the estate left him by the late Bartholomew Carter. And we will prove, from the testimony of witnesses, that not only is Mr. Bender incapable of administering the estate, but that it might be better for him and for the public at large if he were confined in an institution. And we're sure you'll agree that the action of the petitioner, Miss Adelaide Grindinger, is more than justified. For our first witness, Dr. Martha Day. Dr. Martha Day, to the stand, please. Dr. Martha Day. I swear to tell truth, whole truth, not with the truth. I do. You say it. Thank you. Counsel for the petitioner may proceed. Thank you, Your Honor. Your name is Martha Day. That's right. And you've been practicing for two weeks since your internship, I mean. That's right. You realize, of course, Doctor, that this is not a criminal court, that we are only trying to ascertain the mental fitness of Mr. Bender. Yes, I understand. You're a psychoanalyst, are you not? I'm a doctor of medicine and of psychology. I happen to specialize in the field of psychopathology. If you mean a psychiatrist. That's what I meant. You have an office at 104 West 183rd Street? Yes, in the medical and dental building. I see. Now, Dr. Day, I'd like you to tell the court about your first meeting with Mr. Bender. Well, it... I just opened my office that morning when John... I mean, Mr. Bender came in. He seemed in a highly nervous state and asked if I might give him some test to see if there was anything wrong with him. With his mind, you mean? Yes. Was there anything wrong otherwise? Yes, he had a black eye. Said he ran into a door in the dark. Yeah, now about these tests. Well, he said that things had been happening to him lately that didn't happen to other people. He thought he was different than anybody else. Most of us do. Oh, yeah. Did you give him the tests? It seemed a little irregular, but I gave him the tests. Horse. Race. Dog. Cat. Worry. Um... Just the first thing that comes into your mind, Mr. Bender. Nothing came. Well, then let's get on with it. Money. Trouble. Mother. Father. Father. Mother, naturally. Bread. Butter. Dough. Trouble. Well, that about does it. How am I? Well, I'll have to take a little time to study the results of some of the tests, but offhand, I'd say your mind is as sound as a dollar. There is one thing I'd like to ask you about. In that last test, I said money. Trouble. Yes, that's the problem. Money's a problem to a lot of people. No, not the way it is to me. What do you mean? I've got it. And because I've got it, I've got trouble. Oh, you feel oppressed by your new responsibilities. No. No, I feel just fine, except for a couple of things. Just two? Just two. First, a lady is trying to get me committed to an institution. She could never do it if I'm any judge. No, maybe she could. You haven't heard the other reason yet. Things keep happening to me. Things? What do you mean? Accidents, if you want to call them that. Oh, you think perhaps someone is trying... No, no, not someone, no. You see, five days ago, I inherited $5 million from an uncle I'd never even met. Now, from what I've heard, he was a very mean man. Go on. So mean that he got upset over the fact that he couldn't take it with him and put a curse on the money. A curse? Oh, surely you're kidding. No, not at all. Oh, but this day and age, Mr. Bitt, you don't mean to tell me that you believe in things like that. Oh, certainly not. Well, I'm certainly glad day of that. But my luck does seem to have taken a change for the worse. Mr. Bender, a curse. Five days ago, I got the money. Four days ago, I wrecked my car and into a light pole. Doctor, I'd never even had an automobile accident in my life before. Three days ago, I hear that my late uncle's housekeeper has a claim on the fortune and is trying to have me committed to an institution. Oh, that certainly would never be enough. Wait. Yesterday, I stepped in front of a motorcycle policeman and was run over. This morning, this very morning, my house caught on fire. Well, that is a remarkable series of coincidences. Yes, isn't it, though, Doctor? In fact, they sound a little too strange to be true. Is this some joke, Mr. Bender? Joke. Who put you up to this? Nobody put me up to anything. A perfectly sound mind without a trace of psychosis. Who put you up to this? One of those smart Alex over at City General? Oh, yes, they did. Well, you can go right back and tell them that I didn't fall for it. That I'm through interning and that they can... But look, this is no joke. I'll thank you to leave my office. But don't you understand it? Now, this very minute. Look, if you don't believe me, come with me and find out for yourself. Out. What about your oath? Into every home I shall enter and all that. No. Please. This joke has gone far enough. I absolutely, positively and categorically refuse. And oh, no. What did you do? I went with him. You went with him? In spite of what he said, I couldn't help thinking that... Mr. Bender believed there was a curse subconsciously. In other words, Dr. Day, you weren't quite sure of Mr. Bender's sanity. Objection. Your Honor, counsel for the petitioner is leading the witness. Sustained. Oh, Mr. Bender, didn't the court appoint a guardian to represent you? Yes, Your Honor. I excused him. You excused him? Your Honor, I'm a member of the bar and was a practicing attorney before the inheritance. Oh. Well, it's a little irregular in hearings of this nature, but I suppose it'll be all right. Mr. Glass, will you rephrase your question? Yes, Your Honor. Dr. Day, if Mr. Bender were a rational human being and your profession is treating those with mental ills, then why... Objection, counsel for the petitioner is still leading. Sustained. Would you like to try again, Mr. Glass? Thank you. Now, Miss... Dr. Day, why did you go with him? Well, I told you. I thought he really believed in the silly curse business, and I thought I could help him see just how ridiculous it was. Besides that... Uh-huh. He wanted to go to Ms. Grindingers, and he thought maybe I could help her give up the idea of this hearing. Was that the only reason, Dr? Objection, on the grounds? Never mind the grounds. With the court's permission, I would like to call other witnesses before continuing with the doctor. Granted. Your witness, Mr. Bender. No questions. At this time, as to the matter of Mr. Glass recalling the witness, I have an objection, Your Honor. Objection! Mr. Bender, Your Honor, I find Mr. Bender the most... The most objecting? The word I was speaking of was objectionable. I'm sure it would have been. Mr. Bender, counsel for the petitioners, well within his rights in reserving further testimony from Dr. Day. Your next witness, Mr. Glass. Thank you. I would like to call Mr. Armond Morton. Mr. Armond Morton calling Mr. Armond Morton to the stand. Yeah, here, present, present. Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me. Oops, sorry. Pardon me. Sir, tell truth, tell truth, not with truth. I do. Yeah. Your name is Armond Morton. That's right. And you're employed by the polka dot cab company. Five years. Mr. Morton, I want you to telecourt your experience with Mr. Bender. Well, I was waiting at my stand by the medical and dental building, not doing nothing, just sitting on a fender, taking it easy, reading the magazine. Yes, yes, yes, go on, go on. Yeah, yeah, well, like I said, I wasn't doing nothing, just sitting on a fender, reading a book, taking it easy. When I see this guy in the doll, I mean Dr. Day, come out of the building and climb out of the back of my hat. So I climbs into the front. What do folks? Just a minute, driver. You're wrong, doctor. I don't really believe it. A curse. Ridiculous. Curse? But you've got to consider the things that have happened. Accidents. They would have happened whether you'd gotten the money or not. They're certainly not the result of any curse. Curse? What's this curse? I know. I told you I didn't believe it. But subconsciously. Hey, what about a curse? What are you people talking about? Give the man the address, Mr. Bender. First, what's all this about? Yes, that brings up a point. Now, before we move an inch, you may be taking a chance just being with me. Oh, I thought you said it. I don't believe in it, but why take chances? Oh, maybe I'll believe in it. Well, you've got a right to know, anyway, as long as we have to travel together. Now, a few days ago, I inherited some money. It's got a curse on it. No kidding. So far, I've had, well, a little bad luck. A little? You don't believe in things like that, do you? Who? Me? You kidding? What kind of a curse? I don't know. Just general bad luck, I suppose. Oh. Surely you don't think... Oh, now, lady, please, things like that, don't bother me. Besides, I haven't had an accident in five years. You're safe with me. It's funny, though. I was just reading a story about this Arab king, Tutankhamer, or something like that. Of the ten guys opened his tomb, every single one of them got it the hard way. But I figured it must have been a coincidence. Look out! And then what happened? Then? Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, Benda and the lady get up. No one was hurt? No. After he gets out, he has to be some bills from a roll he's got in his pocket. Did he say anything when he gave you the money? Yeah, he says, uh, I'm sorry, my friend, here. He gives me the bills. That all? Then he says, pay for the damage and get your wife a new dress and a new suit for yourself. Then he says, uh, I'm sorry I caused you the trouble. Then he's gone. How much did he give you, Mr. Martin? 1,150 bucks. 1,150 dollars? For an accident which couldn't possibly have been his fault. Is this the working of a rational mind? That will be all, Mr. Martin. Thank you. Would you care to examine this testimony, Mr. Benda? Not at this time, Your Honor. Very well. As counsel for the petitioner, any further witnesses? Yes, Your Honor. I would like to call Mr. Felix Brogan. Mr. Felix Brogan to the stand, please. Felix Brogan. Come on, the way, on the way. Raise your right hand, Swerve. No, your right hand. Oh, sorry. Swerve, tell truth, tell truth, not but the truth. I do. You are Felix Brogan. I am. And you are in the employ of Ms. Adelaide Grindinger, the petitioner in this case. I am. And if you ask me, the Nutty House is the place for that Bender fella. He belongs in the Lappin Academy, as sure as my name is Felix Brogan. Objection! Sustained. Strike that from the record. The witness will confine himself to answering questions. Sorry, Your Honor. Just why did Ms. Grindinger employ you? Well, I'm a sort of private investigator, and she wanted me to help her prove that... I mean, to say she was interested in finding out whether he was off of his trolling. I found out. And what do you base your findings, Mr. Brogan? I followed him for three straight days. Watched him like a hawk. Fine. And just what led you to believe that there was just might be something wrong with Mr. Bender? Well, you don't mind if I consult me notebook here? Then I'll go right ahead. Monday morning, 9.30 a.m. in the morning. He left his house, proceeded to walk. Walk, mind you, downtown. He lives on 23rd Street East, at the intersection of 23rd and Worthington Road. He was run over by a... Wait, let's turn the page. The motorcycle policeman. And then? He talked with the policeman for a few minutes, and they went into a cafe together. A few minutes later, they came out and parted company. After shaking hands like a couple of old friends. Now, shortly after that, Bender hops on his streetcar and hits downtown. I tried to follow, but I lost him in the traffic. You saw this yourself? I did, Your Honor. Why did you see Mr. Bender again? That night when he came home, nothing happened. But the next morning... Oh, what happened then? Mr. Bender burned his house down. Order, order, order. Objection, Your Honor. Mr. Brogan is a very serious accusation. Your Honor, I don't think he meant to phrase it in quite that manner. Would you care to rephrase your statement, Mr. Brogan? What I meant was, Mr. Bender's house burned down a little bit. Under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Proceed. I was watching outside the house. 7.30 it was. When I see smoke billowing out of one of the downstairs windows, quick as a wink, I think to myself, something's wrong here. Then I see Bender come running out of the house in his bathroom, grab up a garden hose and start spraying at the fire. Then, after a minute, he starts squirting the water, not at his house, but at the roof in the house next door. Now, if that ain't a nutty thing to do, I don't know what is. Objection. Sustained. Mr. Brogan, the court is not interested in your opinion. Just your facts. Now, for instance, did the fire produce any sparks? It did, Your Honor. Did any of them settle on the house Mr. Bender was spraying? Thousands of them. Did the house catch fire? No, Your Honor, it didn't. Oh, I get it. You may continue with your questioning, Mr. Glass. Thank you, Your Honor. I may not be wise in asking this, Mr. Brogan, but then what happened? Oh, the fire department came and took care of everything. When they were through, all the firemen go into the house, and when they come out, a few minutes later, they was eating sandwiches and joking with Bender like it was a party. Then, he climbs into the cab at one of the fire trucks, and they head downtown. I tried to follow them, but I lost them in the traffic. Fire truck? Yes. I know now that he went to Dr. Day's office. Well, we know what happened there. When did you see Mr. Bender again? At Miss Grindinger's when I went to make my report. A couple of hours later. Miss Grindinger, she's the one that should have inherited the old boy's millions, but she didn't. Continue, Mr. Brogan. Well, I'm about to go up her front walk when I see them. Bender and the lady doctor coming out. That's about all. Your Honor, I would like to ask a witness one more question, and then request that further examination be held up until I call another witness. Mr. Bender has no objections. Mr. Bender? No objections. Well, that's refreshing. Now, Mr. Brogan, you followed a great many people during your career as a private investigator. I would like to ask you from your observation of Mr. Bender's actions, you know, enormous gifts to cab drivers, asking for sanity tests, whining and dining the police in fire departments. Would you say Mr. Bender's actions were those of a rush? Objection. I mean average human being. I would say he has definite psychological tendencies. Psychological? Definitely. Oh, thank you. You may leave the stand. Your Honor, I had hoped to call the petitioner, Miss Satellite Grindinger, at this time, but I have received word that she's been involved in a motoring accident while en route to the hearing. I have been assured, however, that she will be here in a short time. I would like, therefore, to request a brief recess. Your Honor, I have a suggestion. Yes, Mr. Bender? If Council for the petitioner has no objection, it might save the Court's time if I were allowed to introduce my witnesses. Mr. Glass? No objections. Proceed. I would like to call Mr. Ormond Morton. Mr. Ormond Morton. Right here, right here. Pardon me. Excuse me. Oops, sorry. Pardon me. Right here. The Court wishes to remind you, Mr. Morton, that you are still under oath. Yes, sir. Hi, Mr. Bender. Hello, Mr. Morton. Nice to see you again. Nice to see you. How's the taxi? Oh, it's swell. Better than it was before. Say, I hope I didn't say nothing wrong. I mean, I hope everything comes out okay. Oh, I think it will. Thanks. Ah, it's nothing. Say, the wife, would you please... Hey, Your Honor, may I request that these two stop scratching each other's back and get on with the questioning? You may. Mr. Bender? Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Morton, I gave you $1,150. Now, would you mind telling the Court how much you had to pay to repair the damage to your cab? $480. Hmm. And the damage to the other car involved in the accident? And even $600. And for your trouble, I told you to buy a new suit for yourself and a new dress for your wife. How much were they? Well, let's see. I got a blue pinstripe for $3,150 and a dress for Mrs. Morton for $3,350. Hmm. So, all in all, the cost was $1,145. That's right. If you want my opinion, pretty good figuring for a guy supposed to be out of his head. Objection, sir. Sir Sting, the recorder will strike the opinion of the witness from the record. Mr. Recorder, that was when I said pretty good figuring for a guy supposed to be out of his head. You're out of order, Mr. Morton. Oh, sorry, Judge. I was just trying to get the point across again. That, Mr. Morton, was fairly obvious. Continue, Mr. Bender. I have just one more question. Mr. Glass feels that the blame for the accident does not in any way rest with me. Now, you testified that you were not busy before Dr. Day and I got into your cab. Oh, nothing. Sitting on a fender, getting a little sun, reading a magazine. Nothing. Then, if I hadn't taken your cab at that particular time, you would not have had an accident. Right. Thank you. Your Honor. Counsel for the petitioner has a question. Just one, Judge. Mr. Morton, would you call Mr. Bender's gift to you of over $1,100 a rational act? I mean something you'd expect from anything, but a psychopathic... Let me answer, Mr. Bender. Go ahead. If you mean that I think he was nutty, Mr. Glass, the answer is no. And I'll tell you another thing. My mom brought me up to believe that the nice people in the world are the normal ones. She didn't bring me up to look no gift horses in the mouth. And when I was a kid, I didn't stay up Christmas Eve waiting the buttonhole Santa Claus either. For my dough, Mr. Bender is a fine gentleman and the nicest guy I ever had for a fare, I thank you. Does that answer your question, Mr. Glass? I think so, Your Honor. No further questions. Go on, Mr. Brogan. Then what did your private investigations reveal? Then when you and the lady doctor come out of the Hall of Records, you walked up to me. And I said... To quit following you or you'd poke me in the nose. But you didn't, quit. No. Tell the court what you saw. You took Dr. Data Dinner in the movie, and then you took her home. And then? You kissed her good night. I mean after that. Didn't I walk over to you? You did. Then? You poked me in the nose like you promised. And didn't I tell you something? Didn't I tell you that your license had expired? Oh, I've got you there. I don't even drive a car anymore. Your license is a private investigator, Mr. Brogan. Your testimony is no more valuable than the testimony of a peeping Tom. That will be all, Mr. Brogan. Oh, that license. Wait now, I can explain. That will be all, Mr. Brogan. This can ruin me. I wouldn't have brought it up if you hadn't tried to ruin me. Glass, you got me into this. Oh, get lost. Will you get lost? Mr. Bender, for a man who believed himself to be living with a curse, you seem to be doing rather well. Your Honor, I think the reason for my change in fortune will come out in the testimony of my last witness. You have another witness? Yes, Your Honor. Who? Me. You wish to make a statement? I do, Your Honor. Baylor? Raise your right hand. Swear, tell truth, tell truth, not with the truth. I do? Salaam. Your Honor, Dr. Day and I had quite a talk about the real nature of my problem, superstition. Now, in some parts of the world today, people hearing that some witch doctor has put a curse on them will obligingly lay down and die. But it's not the power of the witch doctor. It's the power of suggestion. It's a psychological fact that we actually try to make our superstitions bear fruit, usually not on a conscious level, but sometimes we are aware of it. Now, who can break a mirror or walk under a ladder, a spilled salt, without secretly quietly expecting to pay for it with a little bad luck? Some people expect it so strongly that they'll subconsciously bring it on themselves just to get it over and done with. Now, that's what's happened to me. Although I said I didn't, I really did believe there was a curse on that inheritance. And a little of my superstition brushed off on my suggestible friend, the taxi driver, Mr. Morton. Together, we made it come true. In other words, you base the victim what erratic pattern of your life in the past few days on your own gullibility? Not so much gullibility, Your Honor. True faith is based on love. Superstition is based on fear. So you could say for a while I was a victim of my own fear. I'm not anymore. And this accounts for your change in fortune. That's right, Your Honor. To be victimized by a curse, you have to believe in it. I hope Miss Grindinger doesn't believe in it. What do you say that? Well, I got to thinking about her claim to the fortune. For her to gain anything at all would take years of litigation, perhaps more years than she has. Now, during that time, the entire estate would be tied up. So last night, I sent her a special delivery letter and enclosed a check for half of the inheritance. Two and a half million dollars. Order, order in this courtroom. You see, Judge, if she wins her case, the check will be worthless. No bank will honor a check made by a psychopathic. Now, if she loses the case, the money and all she may believe goes with it will be hers. And I'm inclined to think she deserves it. Your Honor. Yes, Mr. Glass? We wish to withdraw our petition. We concede Mr. John Bender to be sane. Is that awful, Mr. Glass? Oh, he's not so bad, but I'm surprised he's still talking to me. Hello there! Say, it occurred to me that you might want to go back and to practice one of these days. Well, I think I would, yes. I wish you'd stop by my office when you get a chance, and we'd like to have you. See, I told you he wasn't bad. It certainly is a nice gesture. It's more than a gesture, Dr. Day. Perhaps Mr. Glass would like to join us, John. Oh, certainly. We're just going down to have a bite of lunch. Why don't you come along? Oh, here, I'll ring for the elevator. I'd like to come along, but I'm afraid I have a few things to attend to. By the way, I don't think you'll be taking that elevator down. No. It's really quite safe, you know. Well, I am sure it would be, but it isn't that. The elevator's stuck between the seventh and eighth floors. Doc. How do you know that? I ought to know. My client, Miss Adelaide Grindinger, has been at it for almost two hours. Very superstitious woman, Miss Grindinger. This is Bob Hope again. Our kids are just as much a part of the family as we are, and they need prayer as much as the rest of us. Pick up your tabloid. What do you read about? Kids. And some of them pretty far gone. Kids who've been duped into dope. Kids who've pushed that hot rod out of there is just a notch too far, and at the last minute, couldn't stop in time. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those guys who thinks the younger generation's getting worse every year, but I do think there's a way we could all help that generation to get a lot better. That's right. Through family prayer. The whole family. Dad, mom, sis, brother, all hands, folded just long enough to thank God they're a family. And Dad, good example is a mighty powerful thing. None of our old bones can take the punishment they used to, but if we pick out a soft spot on the carpet and let ourselves down easy, well, after all, God built our legs to bend at the knees, so he must have wanted us to spend some time in that position. And it works. The family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you transcribed, Thinking Makes It So. Starring Richard Denning, Bob Hope was your host. Others in our cast were Lou Krugman, Leo Curly, Lynn Allen, Frank Gerstle, Ken Christie, and Jason Johnson. The script was written and directed for Family Theater by Robert Hugh O'Sullivan, with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen, and radio who give so unselfishly their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing a wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home, and inviting you to join us next week when Family Theater will present Me For You, starring Alan Young. Jim Bacchus will be your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.