 Autolight and its 96,000 dealers present suspense. Tonight, Autolight brings you a tale of jealousy and hate on the stage of a deserted opera house. Arya from Murder. Starring Mr. Aetsio Pinza, who is appearing tonight by arrangement with MGM producers of the technicolor picture Kim. Starring Earl Flynn, Dean Stockwell, Paul Lucas, and Robert Douglas. Before our play begins, here is a word about Autolight from our good friend, Harlow Wilcox. Hi, Hap, where are you going? To the zoo, Harlow. Oh, why bother, I'll give you the zoos who on the Autolight stay full battery. The battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. Why, that even beats the record of camels. Yes, but... And when it comes to starting a bear of an engine these cold winter mornings, the Autolight stay full battery is the cat's pajamas. Harlow. Why, Hap, the stay full is kept strong as an ox by fiberglass retaining mats protecting every positive plate. They prevent shedding and flaking, keep the power producing materials in place, and give that Autolight stay full battery a life longer than an elephant's memory. Why, that eager beaver, Autolight stay full battery, gives 70% longer life as proved by tests run according to SAE minimum life cycle standards. Harlow, please. So friends, please see your neighborhood Autolight battery dealer and ask him for an Autolight stay full battery. The great battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. As the lion says, Roar always right with Autolight. And now with Aria from Murder and the performance of Mr. Ezio Pinza, Autolight hopes once again to keep you in suspense. You are singing as you have never sung before. How wildly the patrons applaud. I wonder if they would applaud so tremendously if they knew the thing that you suffer in your heart. I will call now. There is time. Intermission, Mr. Mazzini. You've got about 15 minutes. Thank you. I wish to speak with the policeman in charge of the homicide department, please. Yes, tomorrow. I'm aside Lieutenant Morgan. This is Niccolò Mazzini, Lieutenant Morgan. Yes? I am the base baritone with the Grand Yea Opera Company. I should like to make a confession at this time. A confession? Yes. I would like to confess to murder. Where are you now, Mr. Mazzini? I am calling from my dressing room here at the Grand Yea Opera House. In just a very few moments, I will step up on the stage and finish my performance in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. It is my last performance. I shall try to explain. About the confession you wanted to make, Mr. Mazzini, my explanation, Lieutenant, becomes the confession. Your law books tell you that murder begins with reason. This murder that I had committed did not begin with the reason. It began with a weakness, a weakness. My weakness was a woman, not the woman I married, but rather the woman I loved, Leola Dante's. I was successful in hiding my association with Leola from the people around me, except in the eyes of one man, Felix Levine, the general manager of the company. Two weeks ago, after a performance of the Marriage of Figaro, Felix encouraged that he wanted to see me. I finished dressing and started across the stage on my way to his office. The opera house was deserted, and I was quite surprised to find him standing there on that barren stage under that single work light staring out into the darkened auditorium. Oh, I would like to talk to you, Nicolo, if you have a few minutes. Of course, Felix. There's something very important we must discuss. By all means, let's discuss it. May I be very frank with you? I would have it no other way. Good. I am happy you feel that way. First, I have known for some time about you and Leola Dante's. So, you know about Leola Dante's? And who else besides you, Felix knows? I have tried as best I could to keep it from the others. And my wife? Have you told my wife? No, no, Nicolo. I did not have the heart. I wanted to spare Irene's feelings. You? You wanted to spare her feelings? This touches me deeply. I don't know what you mean. This concern of yours, it really is not so much for me as it is for Irene. Oh, don't be ridiculous, Nicolo. Or you want to spare her feelings. Don't read meaning where there is no meaning, Nicolo. I think that you've been waiting for something like this for a long time. Tell me, Felix, are you masking your love for Irene with pity? Your reason has gone. What else can I believe? What other possible reason can there be for this threat? Do you know what these are, Nicolo? Papers, pieces of paper. They are bills, hundreds of them. Look at them, Nicolo, bills. Bills that you have run up. Almost $5,000 worth of flowers, champagne and gifts. What are you doing with these? They were sent here to the company as attachments on your guarantee for the present season. So? So, it turns out, Nicolo, that there isn't any more guarantee. You've already been advanced way over your guarantee. At the moment, you owe the company almost an entire season. Oh, I don't believe you. It's impossible. It's not impossible, Nicolo. But, Felix, this question of the money can so easily be solved. This creditors know me. They know that next season I will take care of... Nicolo, Nicolo, there won't be any next season for you. I don't understand. I have a contract. I am going to break it. You waited for this moment for a long time. Haven't you? You're being very stupid now, Nicolo. I am being much more realistic about this than you can possibly imagine. Are you really? My reason hasn't gone is just that you have made a stupid mistake. I have a mistake? I am not a violent man. I dislike violence very much. But you really haven't given me any alternative. You have only given me one choice to make. What do you mean? The opera house is so quiet at night when no one is here. Listen, Felix, not a sound. Nicolo, what is wrong with you? Look at the enormous shadows we throw upon the stage from this work light. Are you trying to frighten me? You won't, you know. No, I am not trying to scare you, Felix. That would do no good at all. Then what are you talking about? The money problem was your business. But my association with Leoladantes was no concern of yours, Felix. Not whatsoever. Nicolo! I grabbed this shirt and twisted the collar. And this grew red. And then I yanked at the work light, lifted it high, and with all my strands brought it crashing down on his head. I released my hand from his collar. He swayed for a moment and then fell awkwardly down upon the stage. I reached over and picked up the beers lying on the table. Then I heard it. A sound from out in the auditorium. A sound of something or someone. It was too dark to see anything. I rushed over to the electrician case through the house light switch and rushed back on the stage. There, sitting in the sixth or seventh row, staring at me in complete bewilderment, was a beady-eyed man wearing a brown jacket with a head of flaming red air. You! You! Out there! Who are you? What are you doing out there? Don't sit there looking at me. Say something! Oh, so you are scared, is that it? Did you see everything? No, no, don't move. Wait, wait, I want to talk to you. Come back now, I won't hurt you, I promise. Are you afraid of me? Why don't you answer me? You are afraid of me, aren't you? Come back here. You come back, I want to talk to you. He was gone. I stood there and could feel the perspiration roll down off my face. I realized that a red-headed man had just witnessed the murder that I had committed. Mr. Ezio Pinza in Aria from Murder. Tonight's production in Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills. Suspends. The zoo has a giraffe with the longest neck in the world. Ah, but it can't be as long as the life of an auto-light-stay-full battery, the battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. Why, that world-famous-stay-full battery gives 70% longer life, and this is proven by tests conducted according to SAE minimum life cycle standards. Harlow, when this giraffe takes a drink, the water doesn't get down for a month. But half the auto-light-stay-full battery only needs a drink three times a year in normal car use. This giraffe's neck is so long that when his head is in Tuesday, his tail is still in last week. Now there's a guy who needs fiberglass retaining mats to keep all the energy in one place. That's what they do for the auto-light-stay-full battery because fiberglass retaining mats protect every positive plate to prevent shedding and flaking and keep the power-producing materials in place for fast, dependable starts. So see your auto-light-battery dealer. Have him install in your car an auto-light-stay-full battery. And remember, you're always right with auto-light. And now auto-light brings back to our Hollywood sound stage Mr. Eziel Pinza and Harriet Lewis' production of Aria from Murder. A tale well-calculated to keep you in... suspense. I've been in the alley next to the opera for a long time. My mind was confused and I felt numb with pain. Not an abnormal reaction for a man who has just committed a murder, I believe. This witness of flaming red air that moment might have been on his way to the police. Ah, that man sees refuge. My weakness was my refuge. And I went to my weakness. He, darling. Leola, Leola. Sit down, darling. I'll fix your drink. I need it. Recognize the record, girl? Yes. One of your best, I thought. It seems so long ago. Is there something wrong, Nikki? Wrong, Leola. Why, no, no. There is nothing wrong. Ah. Here. Here's your drink. Thank you. I know there's something wrong. Why? Whatever gives you that idea? Because. Forgotten. And it's not likely for you to forget, Nikki. Forgotten? You've forgotten to bring me something. And you never forget unless there's something wrong. Oh, Leola. I am sorry. Nikki, please. I know something is wrong. Now, tell me what it is. Something to do with your wife? Has she found out? No, nothing, nothing. Well, then tell me, please. Leola. What is it, Nikki? Tell me. Please. Leola. Leola, tell me. You love me, tell me. Nikki, you know I do. Oh, darling. Nikki, no, wait. Now, wait, please. First, tell me what it is. Tonight, just after the performance, Felix Levine sent word that he wanted to see me on stage. Go on, Nikki. He knew all about us. Had to come out sooner or later, didn't it, Nikki? He threatened to go to Irene, my wife. He threatened to tell her everything. And then he threatened to go to the newspaper. Oh. Do you see what that would have meant? I'm afraid I don't quite follow you. Oh, don't you understand, Leola? What it would involve? The scandal? The effect it would have on my reputation? I see. He offered to bargain with me. Bargain? Yes. If I would stop seeing you, it would remain silent. He became very adamant in his demand. And when I refused, he became violent. I, too, became violent. And in a rage, I hit him with a stagework light. He... What are you trying to say? Oh, Leola, I killed him. Nick? And Leola, while I was standing over his body, I heard the noise from out in the auditorium. Someone out there in the auditorium had seen the entire thing. What? I rushed to turn the house lights on. A man wearing a brown coat with beady eyes and flaming red air was sitting there looking at me. Who was he? Oh, I don't know. I had never seen him before in my life. Are you sure he saw everything? Oh, there is no doubt of it. Well... I really don't know what to say. I... Guy suspected that something like this would happen. Oh, what are you talking about? Who am I supposed to condone what you did, Nicky? Oh, I need your help, Leola. My help? How can I help you, Nicky? Oh, Leola, darling, please! This isn't something I asked you to do. It's best it happened this way. Because you'd have to wake up sometime. It's a hard, cruel world, Mr. Opera Singer. Am I supposed to comfort this thing? Am I supposed to become involved in this whole rotten mess all because you made a mistake? Well, don't you understand that what I did, I did for us to keep us together? Take your last bow, Nicky. The curtain's about to ring down. Just like it falls on one of those operas you was singing. Oh, don't you realize that if Felix had gone through with what he threatened to, it would have meant losing you? It's funny to see you standing there. So strong and yet so weak. So much like a little boy. And yet so very much an old man. Did you ever actually believe that I was capable of loving you? Leola, I won't believe this. I won't believe it! Put the key to the apartment on the table as you leave, Nicky. I left Leola's apartment in a daze and I went home just as a condemned man goes to the gallows and waited for the police. But the police never came. At least they didn't come the first day after the murder. The second day I did receive a call from the police. It was a routine check. They told me they wanted to know if I knew anything about the crime or if I suspected anyone. My answers were vague. I was safe. Safe from the police. Finally, not being able to contain myself any longer, I decided to call Leola. Just before my Saturday morning, your parts were done off. That's the overdure, Mr. Mazzini. Yes, thank you. It looks like the police made this miss the case. What happened, flaming red hair, Nicky? I don't know. There was such a man, Nicky. I swear there was such a person, Leola. I swear to you. Why does he wait? Why doesn't he go to the police? I don't know. Oh, Leola, please. May I come to see you? Not yet. At least not until this whole thing is over completely. Leola, please. Let's say at least until we're sure that this man in the brown coat and red hair doesn't put in an appearance. Let's wait, Nicky. Shall we? Yes, Leola. We'll wait. So I waited. Waited for I didn't know what. Possibly I was waiting for a knock at the door or the ring of the phone, expecting at any moment it would be the police. At the end of the second week, I found myself beginning to regain my composure. But yet, beneath that composure, I still waited. On Friday night, I was to sing as Camilo. While potting on my makeup, in my dressing room, I received a phone call. Hello? Please, I am busy. I was just telling my friends my... Talking about... Barbers, tell me how receptionist. You? Who are you? I don't know what you're talking about. Ah, let's not be corny, Nick. Why didn't you go to the police? Why didn't you... You were saying what? I sing very well. Listen to me. I haven't got the time right now, Nick. I think I'll call you in a day or so and let you know just how well I want you to sing. But listen to me. It's gonna be an expensive song. Just remember that. A real expensive song. Wait! Wait! Please, please! The man in the brown coat and flaming red air had finally come out from his hiding place. And now I knew the reason why he had remained silent. He was going to blackmail me. He had seen everything. There was no escape for me now. I was helpless. How was I going to pay any demands he might make? As for the other creditors, I could easily have taken care of them. But this new creditor, he was a demand that could not be taken care of. Yes, this man in the brown jacket with flaming red air had my life in his hands. And he knew it. That evening my performance in Carmen was a mockery. I sang as Camillo as if in a trance. I think that even the cast around me suspected something was wrong. Saturday I waited for his phone call, but it didn't come. Then in the afternoon, I received a call to report to the opera house wardrobe room for a costume fitting. I went down. I walked down on the long side alley entrance to the opera house. I opened the door and stepped in. Hello, Mr. Marzini. The doorman greeted me and I nodded to him. And as I lifted my head, there sitting next to the doorman, he's back to me, was the man in the brown coat and flaming red air. I walked rapidly across the stage. I made my way back to a darkened corner from where I could watch the two of them. What was he doing here? Had he purposely exposed himself to me? It must have been a phenomena and the doorman received the phone call and left. Now, the man with red air was sitting at the stage door alone. He's back to me. I fell behind me and my hand closed upon a wooden stage brace. Then I made my way carefully against the back brick wall of the opera house. I was only a few feet from him now. I looked around. There was no one inside. And then I was upon him. I brought the stage brace crashing down in his head. He did not cry out and I caught him before he fell out of the chair. I held him in my arms waiting. No sounds, no one at all. I lifted him upon my shoulders and in darkness made my way back to my dressing room. I kicked the door closed behind me, emptied my traveling trunk and deposited the body in it. In the morning I could have the trunk delivered to my home and dispose of its contents. I left the opera house. A great weight had suddenly been lifted from my shoulders. As I arrived at the opera house tonight, I knew that I was to give a performance of opera that the patrons would never forget. A few minutes before I was to go on stage, I was putting the finishing touches on my make-up. Hello? Nova, what I said, Nick, have you thought about singing for me? But you, you're dead. Very much alive. This is a joke. Tomorrow I dozen't, Alice. That should keep me from singing. I don't, don't... I'll phone you to... Playing that trunk was the man who had seen me kill Felix Levine. No. I had not made a mistake, Lieutenant. I am sure you can guess the obvious. Be all the dotties. Yes. She was the only other person besides the man with the red hair who knew about Felix Levine. There's another guy who called you. It must have been somebody she hired. The woman for whom I had killed twice had betrayed me. We call it blackmail, Mr. Mazzini. Oh, it matters so little now. Well, we'll pick him up and then we'll be down for you. I shall be ready. Your own, Mr. Mazzini. Coming. With your permission, Lieutenant Morgan, I go to give my finish, my final performance. Sing well, Mr. Mazzini. What a voice. Eh, far and few between. Where's Red? Don't worry, I saw him around this afternoon and he just disappeared. He wanted to hear Mazzini, didn't he? Are you kidding? Mazzini's his whole life. I don't think there's anything in the world he wouldn't do for Mazzini. Well, that's because he wanted to be a singer himself. Probably. A singer? That crazy red-headed singer? How could a guy who was born a mute be a singer? Hence, presented by Autolite. Tonight's star, Mr. Ezio Pinza. Well, Harlow, if you're through horsing around, I'll go now. Nay, nay, hap, not till I tell you that Autolite makes more than 400 products for trucks, cars, planes and boats in 28 plants coast to coast. These include complete electrical systems used as original equipment for many makes of America's finest cars. Electric windshield wipers, spark plugs, starting motors, batteries, bullseye-sealed beam headlights, coils, distributors, generators, wire and battery cable. All engineered to fit together perfectly, work together perfectly because they're a perfect team. So friends, don't accept electrical parts supposed to be as good. Ask for and insist on original factory parts at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage or repair shop. And because all Autolite parts are original factory parts, you're always right with Autolite. Next week on Suspense, Mr. Paul Douglas in Fragile Contents Death. And in weeks to come, you'll hear Fred McMurray to be followed by the First Lady of Suspense, Miss Agnes Moorehead. And then on February 22nd in answer to your many requests, backseat driver repeated for you with its original stars, Mr. McGee and Molly. All on Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Elliott Lewis with music composed by Lucian Moraweck and conducted by Lud Bluskin. Portions of this program were transcribed. Mario from Murder was written for Suspense by Richard George Pedaccini. Included in tonight's cast were Joseph Kearns, Kathy Lewis and Wally Mayer. And remember next week on Suspense, Mr. Paul Douglas, as a postmaster who knows what's going on in the mail and has only five hours to find them. The story we call Fragile Contents Death. You can buy auto light, stay full batteries, auto light standard type or resistor type spark plugs, auto light electrical parts at your neighborhood, auto light dealers. Switch to auto light. Good night. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.