Now, Roma Wines present...
Suspense!
Tonight, Sell Me Your Life, starring Lee Bowman.
Suspense is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines.
Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live,
to your happiness and entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals.
Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you...
Suspense!
This is the Man in Black, here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California.
Who tonight from Hollywood bring you as star, Mr. Lee Bowman,
who is currently being co-starred with Rita Hayworth and Janet Blair
in the Columbia Technicolor musical, Tonight and Every Night.
He appears this evening as a rather embittered young man,
whose life really began in spite of himself,
at the very moment when he had planned to take leave of it.
And so with Sell Me Your Life, and with a glass full of wine,
he began to take leave of it, and so with Sell Me Your Life,
and with the performance of Lee Bowman as Joe Bland,
we again hope to keep you in... Suspense!
All right, all right, quiet down. I want to hear this guy's story.
Go ahead, Bland.
No. Why waste any more time?
Because I'm going to hear your version of what happened. I'm going to hear it now.
Listen, Lieutenant, less than two hours ago I was ready to kill myself.
You think I'm going to spend any time now trying to convince you I ought to live?
What difference does it make? Come on, let's get out of here.
Let's have the story.
I don't get it. You're not going to believe any part of it, and you know it.
So far as you're concerned, I'm already in the chair.
We'll see. Go on with the story.
Do you believe that tonight I was standing on top of the railing
of the Grand Street Bridge ready to jump? Do you?
No. No, of course you don't.
All right, keep going. Let's hear it all.
Well, that's where I was.
And that's what I was about to do.
Do you know how it feels, Lieutenant? Standing there?
Then all of a sudden making your decision?
I didn't worry too much about being seen.
It was too late at night. And the mist was too heavy.
I looked down at the black water.
I closed my eyes. I caught my breath.
And then... then the headlights hit me.
And the next second, I knew the driver had seen me.
I heard the car stop and the door open.
I couldn't move. I couldn't jump on over and I couldn't climb back down.
I just stood there and listened to the footsteps come toward me and stop.
What do you think you're doing?
A woman. The footsteps should have told me that, but they didn't.
I wonder if you know how silly you look, pitched up there.
I got my first good look at her then. Dark hair, about 30, and yeah, a knockout.
Come on. Come on down.
Why don't you get back in your car and go on about your business?
I'm waiting for you to come on down or else jump over.
You.
That's right. A gesture as big as that deserves an audience.
I'll see that you have one.
Well, I'm waiting.
That's more like it.
Okay, the place is yours.
No, no, wait. Don't you understand? I want to help you.
Why? What difference does it make to you?
Here, let's get in the car.
There's nothing you or anybody else can do.
Can't you see I...
Oh, you're tired, aren't you?
How long have you been walking?
I... I don't know.
Hours, I guess.
Then come on. At least I can give you a lift to your next bridge.
I can't explain it, but I guess I just didn't have much fight left in me.
Because there I was, driving on off the bridge.
And all of a sudden I found myself spilling the whole thing.
I told her how a certain pal of mine juggled the company books,
my books as well as his,
about how he could never admit I was innocent
because he dropped over dead this morning,
about how the auditors would be through by tomorrow
and I'd be up for embezzlement.
Yeah, I can see by your face.
You think that old corny story, but it's true.
Well, I told her about it,
about how that would put me away for good
because it would make my third conviction.
Then I told her, and I knew she wouldn't believe that either,
but I told her just the same.
I was innocent of those previous crimes,
as innocent as I was of this one.
Innocent of all of them, is that right?
Yes.
Well, why don't you let me out here.
Thanks very much for everything.
Wait, wait. That money they think you took.
Wouldn't it help if you could somehow make it good?
Sure. All I gotta do is walk in tomorrow morning
and plank down a thousand dollars.
Only a thousand?
Only a thousand.
And I've got $4.62 in my pocket.
Well, there's someone I want you to meet.
What? Who?
Your future employer, I hope.
His name is Andrew Bodine.
Bodine?
The banker?
Yes.
You see, I'm Mrs. Bodine.
That won't work.
Well, you've no reason to say that.
My husband has helped hundreds of people.
It can't work.
The breaks I've been getting will go right on
and there's nothing you can do to stop them.
My life's over, I tell you. It's spent.
No, no, not yet it isn't.
And if you don't want it, I'll take it.
Oh, please.
For just one hour, sell me your life.
What have you got to lose?
She took me into the Bodine place
and we came straight to the library here.
That's where Mr. Bodine would be, she said.
But then, when she opened the door...
I saw a young-looking guy.
He was over there, working at the desk.
Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Foraday.
It was just that I expected my husband.
Oh, another one of those conferences, I'm afraid.
He was called away only a few moments ago.
That's unfortunate.
Oh, this is Mr. Foraday, my husband's secretary.
I didn't know you.
Well, thank you.
I don't believe I heard your name, Mr.
If you don't mind, Mr. Foraday, I wonder if you'd excuse us.
Why, certainly, certainly.
My work's pretty well cleared up, anyway.
Good night, Mrs. Bodine.
Good night.
You see, the fact that my husband isn't here right now
isn't really going to matter too much.
I'm appealing to you for help.
Appealing to me for help?
Yes.
During the time you've been under sentence,
you've naturally had considerable contact with,
well, criminals.
I want you to identify just such a person.
I... I guess I don't get what you...
My husband's life is in danger.
I'm sure of it.
In danger? But from what...
No, no, I shan't tell you whom I suspect.
I want you to find that out.
I want you to give me proof.
Most important, I...
I want you to give my husband protection.
How?
By watching him.
By observing everyone who comes in contact with him.
Whether casually or regularly.
Oh, yes, would you just step over there to the desk?
No, no, no, no, behind it.
Now, that first drawer on the left.
This one?
Yes, that's it. Open it.
Why, it's...
It's filled full of bills.
Hundred dollar bills.
My husband calls it his trust fund.
It's always there to help those he feels deserve help.
Cut off ten of them.
Please, please, go on.
Why, I... I can't do that.
We just... charity?
In your case, it's salary.
And it will settle up that difficulty at your office.
Now, won't it?
If it doesn't, we can always add to it.
But... but you don't know anything about me.
You don't even know what I...
I was coming to that.
You'll probably start work for us tomorrow and...
Oh, oh, yes, here's a pad.
If you'll just jot down where we can reach you.
Do you mind?
No, of course not.
It's the Rex Hotel.
They've got a pay phone in the lobby.
I put the number down there.
Good. That should do it.
Well, you're forgetting something, aren't you?
Forgetting something?
My name.
I put it down too.
It's Bland. Joe Bland.
Well, I'm happy to know you, Joe.
Haven't you forgotten something?
Me? Oh, what?
A thousand dollars.
Oh.
You're a wonderful person, Mrs. Bodine.
I wish I knew how to thank you.
I'll tell you.
Just stay alive.
I took the slow way home tonight
because, well, whether you believe it or not, Vance,
there was a lot of thinking I wanted to do,
mostly about that woman I'd met.
And while I was climbing upstairs to my room,
I realized what she'd really done.
All because of her, I'd sort of been born again.
I let myself into my room
and switched on the overhead light.
All right, Joe, just put your hands up.
There you were, Vance, sitting in a chair across the room.
I'd never seen you before.
That's it.
Now, just keep them up.
I'm Vance, police headquarters.
Now, stand still while I check you over.
The office.
I didn't think they'd get to that till tomorrow.
Oh, well.
That's so.
Here we are.
A thousand bucks.
Serial number, G, six, that's it.
All right, where's the rest?
The rest?
That's all there is.
Get it, huh?
That's what I thought.
Took you long enough to get here.
I was going to turn that over to the company in the morning.
The company? What company?
My company.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Just tell me where you put the gun.
The gun?
You hid that too, huh?
Wait a minute, I never had any gun.
What is this? I don't know what you're...
I guess you are as dumb as you act.
Anybody who'd leave his name, address, and phone number
on his victim's desk can't be very right.
They just posted a reward for the guy who robbed
and then murdered Andrew Bodine.
Looks like I'm the guy who's going to collect it.
What?
Andrew Bodine murdered?
As if you didn't know, sweetheart.
Come on, we're going back out there.
Tonight for Suspense,
Roma wines are bringing you a star,
Mr. Lee Bowman, whom you have heard
in the first act of Sell Me Your Life
by Emile C. Tepperman.
Tonight's tale of Suspense.
This is Truman's
This is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines.
Elsa Maxwell is recognized internationally
as an authority on gracious living.
You will be interested in something she said the other day
about wine and wartime food rationing.
Listen.
I find that people who know one simple secret
of serving delicious meals
aren't bothered much by food rationing.
That secret is to enjoy good Roma wine with food.
For instance, I reached out to a woman
who was a farmer,
and she said,
for instance, I recently had dinner with some old friends.
The main dish was kidney bean casserole.
And to give this simple food a delightful party flavor,
my hostess served cool Roma California burgundy.
Everyone remarked about its wonderful bouquet and aroma,
and about the way that good Roma burgundy
added enjoyment to our plain meal.
Such added enjoyment is one of the reasons
why more and more people serve delightful Roma wine.
That's a grand suggestion from Elsa Maxwell.
So why not try Roma California Burgundy
with your dinner tomorrow night?
You'll enjoy its tart piquancy,
its fruity, robust taste,
the happy result of selecting luscious wine grapes
from California's choicest vineyards,
guided to perfection by the ancient wine skill
of Roma's famed wineries.
Good Roma wines never vary.
They're always enjoyable,
yet cost only pennies a glass.
Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine.
R-O-M-A, Roma wines.
And now it is with pleasure that we bring back
to our sound stage Lee Bowman as Joe Bland,
who has been saved from death by suicide
only to face a murder charge,
a situation well calculated to keep you in suspense.
We came back here to the Bodine's library.
The room was packed, loaded with police and reporters.
It was full of Andrew Bodine, too.
He was stretched out behind the desk,
covered with a sheet.
Hey, Bland, look over this way, right into the camera.
That's it.
I bought this guy's fingerprints, Lieutenant.
We got him off his police record.
Yeah?
They mashed the prints on the desk drawer, all right.
Where the money was, I mean.
I know.
He admits taking the money, a thousand of it.
Says Mrs. Bodine told him to take it.
Anything else?
Yeah, admits he needed the dough.
Says he's about to be stuck on an embezzlement charge.
Has he admitted shooting Lincoln yet?
Looks like you.
Oh, here's that secretary.
For a day. We've been waiting for you.
I'm very sorry, Lieutenant, but I...
I was with Mrs. Bodine. She's rather hard hit.
Yeah? Well, here's the guy.
Can you identify him?
Well, I should be able to.
It was less than an hour ago that I saw him.
Here?
Yes, in this room.
He was with Mr. Bodine.
Mr. Bodine?
Well, that's a dream.
Quiet. You'll have your chance.
Go on for it, eh?
Well, Mr. Bodine was talking with him,
trying to work out some way to help him.
Why, you...
Shh. You probably know of the old man's habit
of picking up, well, bums, giving them money,
trying to get them work.
I'd want him time and time again...
Yeah, we know about that. Just go on with the story.
Yeah, just go on with your lies.
I told you to keep still.
What for? So we can fill up that phony story?
Listen, Vance, I want to see Mrs. Bodine.
She was with me all the time. I told you that.
She can stop this whole thing in two minutes.
She...
She can if Faraday here hasn't done something to her.
Well, this fellow must be insane.
I want to see Mrs. Bodine. Now.
She's in no condition to be disturbed.
Furthermore, she has no connection, whatever, with this case.
Oh, no?
Let me give you some advice, Bland.
Keep your mouth shut until I tell you to talk.
Well, the old man, Mr. Bodine, asked me to leave them alone.
So I went right to my room down the hall.
There was nothing else I could do.
And then?
Well, it must have been about 15 minutes that I heard a shout.
I rushed in here and...
And there was Mr. Bodine.
He was dead.
What about Bland?
Gone.
That's pretty fast. Since you were only down the hall,
you'd have seen him leave, wouldn't you?
Well, not if he left by that window there.
And that's just what he did. It was wide open, just as it is now, sir.
No sign of the gun, huh?
No, nor the money.
Almost $21,000 missing.
Uh-huh.
You don't fool around, do you, Joe?
You know something?
You're going to tell me where the rest of that dough is.
You can find that out from Faraday.
You're also going to tell me about that gun.
You can also find that out from Faraday.
Can't you see it? He's the killer.
You can forget that right now. You're dead, Bland.
You haven't a chance. You haven't any kind of a case at all.
Well, get Mrs. Bodine in here.
You'll see what kind of a case I have.
You'll see what kind of a case he's got, too.
I've had enough of this.
I'll get her myself.
Hey, come back here. You're not going anywhere.
Get your hands off me. I'm going to find Mrs. Bodine.
Mrs. Bodine.
Oh, dear. Oh, Mrs. Bodine.
I didn't want you to be disturbed.
Now, please, please, you'd better go back to your room at once.
It's all right, Mr. Faraday.
I kept hearing my name called.
I'm Lieutenant Vance, Mrs. Bodine.
This man here beside me, do you happen to know who he is?
This man?
Yeah, me.
I've never seen him before in my life.
She'd never seen me before in her life.
Well, I did it, Vance.
After that, I was with you,
sitting between you and your pal Tannen
in a police car bound for headquarters.
Not even hearing those stupid cars from the car...
Car 64, Raymond.
Go to the corner of Hill and 20th.
At 229, that is O.
Doing some thinking, are you, Blaine?
Well, I'm afraid it's a little too late.
I was doing some thinking.
I wasn't going to let it be too late.
I couldn't let it be too late.
How about it, kid?
Anything you want to say?
Yeah, I'd like a cigarette.
Give him a cigarette, Tannen.
Me? I gotta watch the road.
Okay, but keep your eye on him, too.
Hey!
Hey, what are you...
My gun, Tannen!
Look out! Get your foot off that, Blaine!
You'll wreck us!
He's after my gun!
Get him, Tannen!
Look out!
I can't!
Okay, okay, Tannen.
Just pull the car to a stop and don't reach for your gun.
Because I'm taking it.
Now, I might need to.
You're a jerk, Blaine.
This'll never work.
I'll try anything.
Even suicide, didn't you know?
Now stay there.
Till I get...
The van's out!
Okay, now you come out.
No, no, don't touch the keys.
Just come out.
It'll never work.
We'll be shot down on sight.
Not for a while, baby.
Not in a police car.
Car 82.
Ruben and Malone.
Check under 13.
10-100 Block Forest.
That is all.
Attention, all cars.
Attention, all cars.
Joe Bland, accused slayer,
has just stolen police car 46.
Then I heard it.
Over the car radio.
This man must be apprehended.
He is desperate.
Shoot to kill.
That is all.
Attention, all cars.
Report from police car 13.
Bland has just been sighted passing Serrano Street.
Speeding northward on Fountain.
All cars proceed toward Northern End Fountain.
Intercept.
That is all.
Now crossing Selmer and Riverdale.
Car 19.
62.
Form roadblock next intersection.
Cars 20.
13.
Cut off rear escape.
Attention.
Attention.
Bland just sighted abandoning car.
Running east on Selmer.
Stop him.
This man must not escape.
And somehow, someway, by running up alleys,
by hitching rides, I got back to the boating place.
The library window, the one they said I'd used to escape,
was still open.
I climbed into the room that way.
My luck still held.
The party was there, filling with papers at the desk,
listening to the radio.
OK, turn it off.
Huh?
Oh, you...
I said turn it off.
...all civilians are urged to be on the...
Now, stay where you are.
Why, you...
How... how call the police?
Put that down.
You dial one number and I'll blow your head off.
Well, it doesn't matter.
You heard what they said.
The police have picked up your trail.
They'll be here any minute.
This won't take long.
What... what are you going to do?
Give you the best break you ever had?
The gun you used to kill Bodine.
Also the $20,000.
I'm taking them off your hands.
Why, you're not only a killer, you're a lunatic.
I told you I was giving you a break.
No, not because I like you.
It's because I hate somebody else more than I hate you.
You're just like me, a fall guy, a sucker, a pigeon.
Huh? What do you mean?
Do you really think she's going to split with you?
Share the old man's will and insurance money?
Why should she?
You see, why should she?
Why shouldn't she have it all?
I... I don't get your point.
Why shouldn't she turn you over too?
See where that would put her?
Then there'd just be her.
I don't have to listen to this. You're...
Figure it out.
Did she have anything whatever to do with murdering that man?
Anything except working on how you'd be the guy who'd do it
the minute I left here tonight?
Well, I...
How did you know? Did Lenore...
Lenore, is it?
Suppose you were nailed by the cops.
Would Lenore be loyal to you?
I...
I didn't hurt her to be loyal to anybody.
If Lenore Bodine had a choice between being sole owner of a million bucks
and sticking her neck out with yours,
what do you honestly think she'd do?
All right. Where's the money?
I...
I don't know what to do.
Where is it?
Okay. There they are, the cops.
Are they gonna find that money on you or her?
You've got less than a minute, Faraday.
Oh.
What's it gonna be?
I...
Stop! Where are you going?
To get the money. It's in my room.
Just a minute. You're staying here, my friend.
Lenore.
Toss your gun on the floor, Mr. Bland.
I think we can get along with mine.
Okay. But you're a couple of seconds too late.
You see, I can tell the cops where to find that dough.
Oh, no, you won't tell the cops anything.
You won't be able to talk.
You're an escaped murderer, and I killed you.
I shot you in self-defense.
Stand over there.
You're too late.
They're already here, and they'll know it wasn't self-defense.
Faraday, that window there. Close it.
Don't move.
If she kills me, you're as good as dead,
because you'll take the rap alone.
She'll tell the cops where to find that dough and...
Wait. Wait, Lenore. Wait.
Get away from him. Get away. I'm gonna shoot.
No. You tell the police. You'll sell me out.
Oh, you fool. Why don't you listen to him?
Nobody's gonna tell the police.
Nobody's gonna... Get away from him! Get away from him, I tell you!
I won't let you sell me out. I'll kill you first.
Get away from me! Stop it!
I'll shoot! I'll...
I killed him.
I killed him. I killed him.
All right. All right, Lenore.
I killed him.
I killed him.
Mrs. Bodine.
You've got the gun.
Yes, I've got the gun.
But I was too late.
I tried to get it out of his hand before he shot Farley.
But I was too late.
No, that's not true, Vance.
Don't even budge.
All right, the rest of you men, come on in.
Yeah, why don't they come?
This guy Blaine's killed another one.
There you are, Vance.
That's the story.
And like I said, you don't believe it.
Doesn't matter anyway. I can't win.
It's a use of trying.
Come on. Let's go on back to headquarters.
Lieutenant, please see that he stays in the car this time.
Don't worry, Mrs. Bodine. He won't be back here again.
You all set, Tennant?
Yeah. Want me to bring this gun along?
Yeah, exhibit A.
Careful you don't smudge any of the prints on it.
Right. Okay, boys.
Prints. Prints. Fingerprints.
Huh?
Yeah, fingerprints on that gun.
Well, that's it, Vance.
My prints aren't on it. They never were on it.
Only hers.
Because she's the only one who ever used it.
That's not true.
Look, prints. No fingerprints on the gun.
No fingerprints on...
Yeah, the window. That window over there, Vance.
The one you said I opened.
Listen, the catch on that window, it doesn't have my fingerprints.
It only has Faraday's.
Or yours, Mrs. Bodine.
Oh, he's lying. Don't listen to him.
Yeah?
Look, Bland, so it doesn't have your fingerprints on it.
Maybe you wore gloves, huh?
If I... If I had, I...
I wouldn't have left prints on that desk drawer, Vance.
That's the drawer where the money was.
And incidentally, you'll find that dough in Faraday's room.
How about it, Lieutenant?
Convinced?
I'd rather think I am.
What about you, Mrs. Bodine? Are you convinced?
Yes, yes, I suppose I am.
Well, it looks as though Mr. Bland will have company on his trip to headquarters.
Are we ready?
I'm afraid I won't have the pleasure of joining you.
Thanks very much anyway.
Haven't you forgotten something, Mr. Bland?
It was a little matter of embezzlement, I believe.
I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help you on that.
Oh, you did all right.
That five grand reward you posted.
I think I've won it, don't you?
Now, wait a minute.
The guy's got a point, Mrs. Bodine.
The way I see it, that reward ought to take care of the embezzlement charge
with quite a nice sum left over.
Looks like you got gypped, Lenore.
You asked me to sell you a washed-up life.
I think you'll pay for it with your own.
And so closes Sell Me Your Life, starring Lee Bowman.
Tonight's study in Suspense.
Suspense is produced, edited and directed by William Spear.
And now, here's a brief message from that noted authority
on smart and pleasurable entertaining, Elsa Maxwell.
Most of the parties I'm giving these days are simple affairs.
And when I entertain, I always serve well-chilled Roma California sherry
before dinner and later in the evening.
You'll find that glorious amber-golden Roma sherry is a gracious touch
that's sure to get the meal off to a good start
and adds to the evening's pleasure.
And don't worry about fancy glasses.
It's the wine that's important.
So be sure it's that good Roma wine,
because Roma wines are so reasonably priced,
any family can afford to serve them regularly.
Yes, Roma wines cost only pennies a glass, so enjoy them often.
Serve Roma with your everyday meals.
Roma wine is delicious, for Roma quality never varies.
Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine.
R-O-M-A, Roma wines.
And the next time you use vermouth, either sweet or dry,
choose Roma vermouth.
Zestful, full-flavored, blended, mellowed,
and developed with all the traditional quality
winemaking skill of Roma wineries, yet surprisingly low-priced.
Try it soon, will you?
Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Mr. Thomas Mitchell
as star of Suspense.
Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A.
Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Please listen to this.
Male from home can mean the difference between a good soldier and a poor soldier,
between a man who knows why he is fighting
and a homesick boy who knows only bitterness and indifference.
Write short, frequent letters.
Never mind about that great big long letter that never seems to get written.
And always use V-MAIL.
It is the surest way to get your letter overseas.
V-MAIL.
Music
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.