Roma wines present suspense. Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Salud! Your health, senora. Roma wines toast the world. The wine for your table is Roma wine
made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is the Man in Black here for
the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California to introduce this weekly half hour of suspense.
Tonight in Hollywood, Roma brings you the young American actor whose sensational rise to stardom
has been unparalleled in recent seasons, Mr. Alan Ladd. The suspense play which stars Alan Ladd and
which is produced and directed by William Spear is called The One Way Ride to Nowhere. So with
this play and with the performance of Mr. Ladd as an adventurous young man named Tom Dwyer,
Roma wines again hope to keep you in suspense. Right this way ladies and gentlemen, the thrill
of a lifetime. It's safe and sensational and the price is only a dime. A dime ten cents for the
fastest and the fanciest ride in Ocean City. It's not a roller coaster ladies and gentlemen,
it's an experience. We give you the breathtaking dip over Moonlight Bay. We give you the tunnel
of love and it's the longest and highest and the very finest scenic railway in the world.
How many good looking? Two tickets. No listen Tom is this really necessary? What's the matter with
you? Come on you're scared? Well I just don't like these things that's all I never have. Don't be
silly it's no worse than riding to a stick-up in a prowl car. Yeah well I never liked that either.
Go on go on get in. Oh no not in the last seat that is definitely up. Okay okay so we'll ride in
the last seat the next time when you're over your stage fright. You'll ride in the last seat
the next time for me this is strictly a one-shot proposition and don't expect anything different.
Safety belt Mack everybody got their safety belt buckled? Okay folks you're on.
Oh hey hey Tom are we still alive? Well can't you tell? All right folks who's gonna ride again?
What do you say Benny? Wanna try it again? Are you crazy? Come on come on it'll do you good.
Don't tell me. This thing is a menace to health and sanity. What did I tell you? Look there's
a guy passed out back there. Come on snap out of it. Hey come on get up mister. Hey somebody
give me a hand with this guy. Yeah yeah I'll help you. All right you get his legs I'll take
his head. Oh I don't know why guys ride this thing if they're gonna pull a fade out. Oh
this guy didn't pull any fade out. Yeah well he ain't exactly the life of the party. You're
right there pal he's dead. He's what? He's dead. Holy gee. I better call a boss. All right folks
you'll have to step outside the gates please. I'm sorry there's been a little accident here.
Everybody out please go on everybody out. What's the matter Johnny? A guy passed out. Man that
says he's dead. Oh every season it's something. Please folks outside the gate. Yeah go on. All
right stand back there stand back everybody. What's the matter Terry? That guy just died
honestly. Yeah how come? I don't know this man here looked him over. How do you know he's dead? You a
doctor? No officer but it's uh not too hard to tell. Where is he? Back in her last seat. Come on
keep the mob outside will you Terry? Sure. Come on break it up now will you? Break it up.
This the guy? Yeah. Looks like it must have been heart failure. It doesn't look to me like heart
failure. Say who are you? Dwyer's a name Tom Dwyer. Yeah well. Hey I've never seen this dead guy.
He never bought a ticket for me. That's right he never had a ticket. You mean he rode for free? How
could he? He rode for free all right. Say how come you know so much about this? Me? Oh I'm just kind
of nosy. Hey you. Yeah? Do you remember seeing this man get on the car? How do I know to get on to get
off? I just work here. Don't you remember that my friend and I were going to get in that last seat
and then we didn't? Hey that's right. Hey who's this? Ben Duffy's a friend of mine. Yeah? Yeah. Now
listen my friend and I were the last ones to get in that car. We were going to take the last seat
and then we didn't. Then the car pulled out and when it pulled out that last seat was empty. Hey
that's right. That last seat was empty. This dead guy never even got on the car. Now you're getting
someplace. All right Dick Tracy I'm listening. A rolly coaster car starts out from this platform
all hunky dory and rips around the tracks about 90 miles an hour and when it gets back here there's
a dead guy on it that wasn't on it when it started. How do you think he got on there? Dropped out of
the sky? Well figure it out for yourself pal. If he wasn't in the car when it started then some place
along the line he was dumped on it and guys who have been dumped are generally guys who have been
murdered. Murder is a rude and terrible customer always but seldom indeed has this unwelcome
guest intruded more incongruously than on this particular evening when he chose to be the extra
passenger on a roller coaster ride. Alan Ladd is our star of suspense in Robert L. Richard's story
the one-way ride to nowhere. You have heard the prologue for tonight's tale of suspense.
Before we return to Ocean City the scene of our drama let's take you for a moment to a pleasant
spot to the south. Where are we now? Along the Caribbean looking into a smart cafe. Captain,
Captain. Si senor. You have a fine port wine? I should like something special. Perhaps you uh...
Si senor. In Paltes from California. A wine? Excellent. Roma California port.
It's true that in many countries of the world distinguished Roma wines are imported. Red wines,
white wines, dessert wines, sparkling wines. Prized and enjoyed by wine lovers of these countries as
rare delights. In many parts of the world it's been discovered that our own California's sun and soil
plus the skill of Roma's vintners are to be thanked for some of the cruelly fine wines.
Yet to Americans Roma wines cost little for we pay no excessive import duty or shipping costs.
Yes you can serve Roma wines often and proudly your most knowing most critical guest. For Roma
wine is America's largest selling wine and at only a few cents a glass. Why not let Roma wines add
their delight to your family meals and your family's enjoyment. Buy wine to the
tomorrow and specify Roma. R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
And now it is with pleasure that Roma wines bring back to our sound stage Mr. Alan Ladd
in the one-way ride to nowhere. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Hey Tom where you been? We're all supposed to be waiting in here for the chief of police.
I'm making a phone call that's all. Anybody I know? Jefferson Hotel. You know him? Huh? Hey what's
this all about? Oh about four hundred thousand dollars and a lot of people's lives. Uh-oh here
comes the chief now. All right quiet everybody. Chief Haynes wants to say something to you.
A man died under peculiar circumstances on the Ocean City roller coaster tonight
and all of you here were either on the car in which the body was found or in the immediate
vicinity like on the platform. Now cause of death has not yet been determined but all of you might
be needed as witnesses so we want to know where to get a hold of you. Have all these people been
identified and left locations where they can be reached? Yes sir. Well then that's all you can go now.
Oh uh chief Haynes. Well I'd like to ask a couple of questions. Are these the two fellows you told
me about Johnson? Yes sir. You're a pretty inquisitive young fellow aren't you? Well that's
my business. By the way chief Haynes haven't we met somewhere before? Not that I know of.
What did you want to ask about? Well for one thing you said just now the cause of death have not yet
been determined. That's right the man was blue in the face and apathetic but there were no marks of
violence on the body. The coroner's working on it now. Maybe the coroner should look at the man's neck.
At what? At his neck. Listen you're no doctor and neither am I. The coroner of this city knows his
business. Okay Haynes okay I just thought I might save him a little time. Well you're wasting my time.
If you think I'm going to give you an inside track so that you can go to this poor man's family with
some sales talk that you can help him get some kind of illegal action. Oh he's got a family has he?
Yeah he's got a family. Now get out of here. And his name is Richard Elliston Brighton and he's
professor of psychology. He comes from Chicago right? So you went through his pockets before
my men got there. How did I say that? Listen to me young fellow you know entirely too much about this
case for your own good. You're from Chicago too aren't you? That's right. What are you doing here?
On a vacation visiting my friend here. Well you better take it. Oh hello doctor. What about it?
Uh murder. He was strangled. Strangled? Mm-hmm. We got a good look at him. We found a thin red
mark around his neck. He was strangled with something like uh picture wire. Now isn't that
a funny way for a middle-aged professor to be knocked off? Yeah funny way for anybody to be
knocked off. And isn't that a funny thing for a professor of psychology with uh with a family
and all to be way out here all alone so far from home hanging around an amusement park? No funnier
than what you're doing hanging around here. And that's quite a coincidence by the way Mr. Tom Dwyer
of Chicago. Chicago's a big place Chief Haines. Lots of people live there. Uh say chief what I
think of it here is the stuff we took out of his pockets and nothing much wallet and a few things
and oh drop something there. I got it. Hand that over Dwyer. Well well well a souvenir postcard.
What? Sheila Kennedy. Ocean City. Hey she's quite a cutie too. I said hand it over. It's material
evidence. Sure sure sure here you are. One of the local tent show girls I take it. Know anything
about her chief? Now listen Dwyer. I got enough on you already to hold you on suspicion. Take my
advice and keep your nose out of this. Come on Tom this isn't doing you any good. Yeah that's right
Ben and anyway we got a date with a lady. They're lovely. They're luscious. They're delightful and
they're daring. The most gorgeous girls. Hey Bud can we go in now? Yeah what did she say? What's that?
I said can we go in now? Oh yeah okay fellas down there the second door. I told her about you and
she says it's okay. Thanks. Make it snappy she goes out in a couple of minutes. Hey lovely. Room of
her own. Sheila must be all right. Hey I thought you said this was business. It is. Wait out here
will you Ben? Oh so when it's dames I wait outside. I said this was business. Well I don't know you.
Well maybe we've both been missing something. How did you know I came from Chicago? You'd never
have gotten in if you hadn't pulled that. It was a good guess wasn't it? Well I don't know you and I
don't want to know you so beat it. Now look Sheila I didn't come here to cause you any trouble. My
name's Tom Dwyer and I. Are you going to leave or do I call a bouncer? Sheila a man was murdered in
the amusement park tonight. Murder? Well hadn't you heard? Everybody has but I didn't know it was.
He was from Chicago too and Sheila he he had your picture in his pocket. My picture? That's right.
So so what? There must be 50,000 old goats from one end of this country to the other with my picture
in their pockets. They sell them at the show. How do you know how old he was? I don't. I was only.
Professor Brighton didn't come around in the last two or three days to talk to you about
about anything did he Sheila? No I don't even know what you're talking about. You got no right to
question me. You know what I think Sheila? I don't know and I don't care. I think you're in a tough
spot and you'd like to be out of it. Only you uh don't know quite how. Well what if I am?
Well maybe I can help you. Nobody can help me. This is murder Sheila. That's not so good.
What's your angle in all this? I wouldn't kid you. I'm a private detective. I make my living in things
like this. Aside from that and as a general rule I I just don't like murder. Listen mister
what'd you say your name was? Dwyer. I'm proud of you. All right. I don't know why but you seem like
a nice guy. I am. Well you know me better. Might have been nice at that. Keep out of this. It's for
your own good. You'll get nothing but grief. What kind of grief? The worst kind there is.
You saw what happened to the professor. Poor guy. Get out of the amusement park. Get out of Ocean City
and stay out. Thanks Sheila. Maybe you're right. I know I'm right. But I'm in kind of deep already.
Is there anything particular I should look out for? Come on Sheila you're on. Okay.
Listen Tom just remember that roller coaster isn't the only one-way ride to nowhere around here.
One-way ride to nowhere.
There.
Yeah what did she mean by that? Maybe.
One-way ride to nowhere. That's what the professor got all right for free but how?
He was dumped on. I still say how. Well that little problem doesn't bother me but.
She's the one and only the bulletproof automobile that took three men on a one-way ride to nowhere.
One-way ride to nowhere. Come on. Hey I think it's around there to the right.
Yeah. Bulletproof automobile. Where? That can't show next to the roller coaster. Take it easy now.
Okay but. Then you worry me sometimes. Did you know this thing was here? Well it wasn't here last week.
How am I supposed to know what you want? If you'd tell a guy something once in a while it wouldn't.
Boy you never heard of Dwyer's McGuire either. No. Skip it. Guy's going into his routine again.
Ladies and gentlemen step right up. Inside you will see the actual bulletproof automobile
in which the famous Jarvis gang sped from the scene of the four hundred thousand dollar
Springfield mail robbery. The most daring hold up in modern times. Now this is the very limousine
in which they were pursued for 50 miles. Three of them died. The fourth became a raving maniac
on that last fatal one-way ride to nowhere. Step right in ladies and gentlemen.
Benny. Benny now I know I'm right. Is this what you came down here for?
Not exactly but there's been some funny talk lately about this mail robbery job in some funny
place. I still don't get it. There were four guys in on that. Three of them dead and the others in
the bug house. That kind of closes the books don't it? I'll give you a little tip Benny.
They never found the money. And the insurance company's got a standing offer of a 10% reward.
40,000 bucks. Step right over gents the original bulletproof automobile.
Okay maybe we'll at that. How much? Two bits. Okay. Yeah yeah. Step right inside gentlemen.
Now the car that you see before you. You don't have much business do you?
And what are you a couple of public accountants? No offense it just seems too bad. It's a small
exhibit. You're telling me. These hicks down here they don't appreciate nothing.
It must be pretty hard judging what the public will go for. Yeah I thought this
motor automobile would be a sensation. Something modern you know. My brother found it in a junkyard
in Indiana. Cops must have sold it at auction or something. Look would you really like to get rid
of this heap? Like to. Don't worry I already have. Yeah? Listen brother the minute I found out that
I had to take you I went out and found me a sucker but quick. Well how did you find him?
Well I didn't exactly find him. He come by you see. He's making some sort of a collection for some
cops museum. Capone's bulletproof car. Dillinger's artillery. You know I got my price though.
Oh no isn't that too bad Benny? Oh yeah sure it is. What's too bad about it? Well I'll tell you the
truth. We're making sort of a collection ourselves for a big New York exhibitor. Sure. I thought
maybe we could do a little business. Oh I'm sorry mister. Just close the deal tonight if you'd only
come around just a couple hours sooner. Well do you suppose this man you sold the car to would be
interested in selling at the right price? I don't know. It'd cost you plenty though. Confidentially
he paid me a thousand bucks cash. Where could we find this guy? Well he should be here any minute.
He's gonna pick up the papers and things. Hey you want to come out and back and wait from there?
I was just gonna knock off anyway. Well thanks. You know I had a hunch maybe I should have held on.
How's a guy supposed to know in this crazy business? Well hey yeah. Wow quite a cozy little
place you got here. That's all right. Sit down make yourself at home.
Hey hey what's that? Huh? Oh them rolly coasters. The tunnel goes right under the floor here.
It's enough to drive you nuts. Yeah I can imagine. That door over there must open up right where the
tunnel comes out huh? Yeah I guess it does at that. I never looked. It's all nailed up. Hey there used
to be another wing on this building in the old days wasn't there? That was the door to it. It might
have been. Yeah I guess it was. Say does this mister uh. The guy I sold the car to? McGuire.
McGuire. Oh does he have a sort of a business manager with him or anybody like that? Well he's
had a couple of guys with him once in a while. He really didn't pay no attention. I suppose he's
been hanging around here fairly steady the last few days huh? In and out you know. He ought to
be here any minute. Oh here he is now. What's the matter? Dad I don't. Hello Mr. McGuire we was just
talking about you. Yeah? Who what? Well me and these two gentlemen they want to see you but.
Is this the guy that came to see you Sheila? I don't know. Sure I am Sheila come on tell him.
Well I guess that's him. Okay you can run along to the hotel honey. Head listen please don't. Who
like I tell you? Harry you stay here with me. Okay I got all your papers and things Mr. McGuire.
Everything's here in this amf. Thanks. Now what you two fellas want to see me about? Just a little
business proposition. My name is Tom Dwyer and this is Ben Duffy. Hiya Mr. McGuire. Here's McGuire.
Pleased to meet you. You can beat it now for ever. We'll take care of everything. Okay well uh.
Salam. Salam. Watch the door Harry. Now what's your proposition? Well I understand you bought
McGuire's car. That's right. You interested in used cars? Some used car. How interested?
Enough to make an offer. Your uh your friend here in on the deal? No he just came along for the ride.
Well I got a partner. Where do we find him? We don't. He'd have to come here and we'd have to
send somebody after him. Somebody like uh like your friend. Okay. Now listen Tom I don't. What's
his name and how does my uh my friend find it? Name is Johnson. George Johnson. He's at 2854 Drexel
Boulevard. Just tell him I sent you. Uh Tom I don't think I ought to leave. Take it easy.
While you're out I I wish you'd do something for me first. What? Take up my mail. It won't be out of
your way. Your mail? Yeah that's right. Do that first. I'm expecting a very important special
delivery and I want you to stop by the Jefferson Hotel where I'm staying and ask for a bellhop
named uh Ted Martin. He takes care of all my stuff. The Jefferson? That's right and be sure to see Ted
Martin. He's the only one who can help you so ask the clerk for him and hurry back then.
Ted Martin and Jefferson. Well okay.
You want me to go Ed? No you stay here. Now that he's out of the way what do you know?
Enough. You're a pretty bright boy aren't you? You gonna talk? Why not? I know for instance why you
bought that car. I think you know too much. Let me handle this. Keep talking bright boy. After that
Springfield mail job nobody ever found the money. 400,000 bucks is a lot of letters and you think
it's still somewhere in that car. Did you figure it out all by yourself or did you get a tip when
you were in the federal pen along with Duke Jarvis? You know any more cute answers bright boy? Sure
I come from Chicago. I know that around there you got a nickname and they call you
wires. I told you too much. On account you got a reputation for being very handy disposing of
troublesome guys with the length of picture wire twisted around the neck. Any idea what you've
just talked yourself in for bright boy? I know what I'll talk you in for if you don't play ball.
What do you think of that? I think we're wasting time. Listen McGuire I not only know how you
killed Professor Brighton I know why. Sure you do bright boy sure you do. You think I'm kidding
huh? Professor Brighton was a psychiatrist. They used to call him into the federal pen to examine
guys who were wacky. They called him in to examine Duke Jarvis. Duke was the last of the Jarvis gang
the rest were all killed in the hold up. He was wacky all right. So wacky they let stuff about the
money being still hidden in the car. So when the professor heard about the car showing up he thought
he could pick up a piece of change. Poor guy only you caught up with him first huh? You got it all
figured out haven't you? Yeah all but one thing I don't think you're smart enough to pull this all
by yourself. I think you do have a partner. I tell you we're wasting time. No we're not.
Now listen Bright Boy who are you working for? What difference does that make?
Plenty. Don't you think I want to know who else is in on this? What do you say Bright Boy? There's
nobody I'm working alone. Cover him Harry. Okay. You'd better talk Bright Boy. There's nothing to say.
Who else knows about this? Nobody. This ain't gonna do your face any good Bright Boy. Talk. Got him.
Watch him Harry. I think he's coming out of it again. Yeah this ain't getting us no price.
Suppose his pal comes back. He'll never come back but the time he finds out there ain't no such guy
as George Johnson. Take a look Harry. It's me. It's Chief Haynes Ed. Okay open up. Hey I thought I
told you. How did he get here? He walked in. He knows plenty. How much? It worked. We've been
trying to sweat out of him who he's working for. Haynes. I know where I've seen you before.
Your picture. You were a guard at the federal pen when Jarvis McGuire were there. That's how you
heard about the money. When McGuire came down here he had to play ball because you were chief of
police here. He's got the gold McGuire. Yeah I know. So we give him the business and dump him out of the
side store there into the roller coaster like we did the prep. Are you crazy? You can't get away
with two jobs like that same night. So what do we do? Anything. Dump him in the bay. Make it look
like an accident. Anything. Hey there's an idea. Don't try to get fancy about it this time. But you
just gave me quite an idea Haynes. Quite a good idea.
The fastest and the fanciest roller coaster. Keep that hat down over his face and hold him up straight.
Yeah I got him. What seat do we want? What's the difference? Car's almost empty anyway. Get him in.
Take the middle one. All right. I'll tell your safety vows. Keep that belt loose. Okay everybody
you're off. There we go.
Going into the tunnel now. Tie his hands and feet while we're in the dock.
Yeah I'm doing it now. Got the search weights on him? They're on him.
We're out now. Watch him. Hey what was that? What's the difference? Hang on. We're starting up.
We're coming to the top. You know what to do Harry. Yeah. When you hit the bottom of the dip over the bay.
Okay. I'll yell and we both heave together. He'll go down into that bay and sink like a...
Okay McGuire. Put up your hands both of you. Put them up.
Okay McGuire. Put up your hands both of you. Put them up.
Ben. Ben you made it. Tommy you okay? Yeah sure. What do you think you're doing here?
The federal pinch McGuire. I'm Ted Martin, Department of Justice. Staying at the Jefferson Hotel.
Get it McGuire? Hey Tom you ought to get to a dock. No no I gotta get down to the police. Hey Ted.
Ted listen never mind about these guys. Get Haynes, Chief of Police. We've got a couple of men down
there already Tom. When you phoned I figured you might get mixed up with him. We've had our eye on
the Chief for quite a while. Well I'll see you later. So long. Thanks Ted. Hey you were taking an
awful chance Tom playing so cagey. I had to be sure first. I bet Dame hadn't stuck around and
tipped us off. We just about made it when the car went through the tunnel. That Sheila Dame huh? Uh
huh. Say Ben I uh I think I got a date with a lady. Oh so what do I do? Well I'll tell you.
Here's a dime advance out of your twenty thousand dollar reward. Go take a ride on the roller coaster.
And so closes the one-way ride to nowhere starring Alan Ladd. Tonight's tale of
The Fiend. In just a moment we'll hear again from Mr. Ladd. First though may I pass along this
thought. Spotted about the globe wherever wine grapes grow there are a few wineries whose products
are made for world enjoyment. Among such wineries right here in California are those of Roma. And we
who live in America have the pleasure of enjoying Roma wine at exceptionally low costs. And we
have the opportunity to enjoy Roma wine at a very low cost. For we buy it free of beauty and free of
excessive shipping costs. Try for instance Roma California Sherry. Here is the queen of appetizer
wine. And not only that a wine so delicious it is suitable to serve at any time cool or chilled.
But no matter what your preference may be you will find a Roma wine costing far less than you
would buy. So if you have not already tried Roma wine tomorrow make your first purchase. Select
the type of wine you love best. Then you too will know why Roma wines have a universal appeal.
Why they are America's largest selling wine. But remember before you buy wine buy war bonds and
stamps. This is Alan Ladd. I can't tell you I enjoyed working on suspense this evening.
And next week I know you'll want to be listening as I certainly will to Lucille Ball in a very
exciting story called Dime a Dance. Thank you Mr. Ladd. Alan Ladd is currently working in the
Paramount Picture and now tomorrow. Don't forget then next Thursday same time for Lucille Ball in
Suspense. Presented by Roma Wine. R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
So
bend
This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.