In just a moment, Auto Light presents Suspense, starring Miss Agnes Moorhead in
radio's most famous play, Sorry, Wrong Number.
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You got it all off your chest, Harlow?
Sure have, Hap.
You're not going to hear one more word out of me till we've heard the whole suspense
show.
No?
No middle commercial tonight, Hap.
Auto Light doesn't want us to interrupt Agnes Moorhead's performance in that famous drama,
Sorry, Wrong Number.
Okay, Harlow, let's hear suspense.
Suspense.
Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations bring you radio's outstanding theater
of thrills.
Starring tonight, Miss Agnes Moorhead in Anton Lido's production of Lucille Fletcher's famous
suspense play, Sorry, Wrong Number.
That tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Oh dear.
Your call, please.
Operator, I've been dialing Murray Hill 40098 now for the last three quarters of an hour
and the line is always busy.
I don't see how it could be busy that long.
Will you try it for me, please?
I will be glad to try that number for you.
One moment, please.
I don't see how it could be busy all this time.
It's my husband's office.
He's working late tonight and I'm here all alone in the house.
My health is very poor and I've been feeling so nervous all day.
Ringing Murray Hill 40098.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, is Mr. Stevenson there?
Hello, hello?
Hello, hello, George?
Yes, sir.
Hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, George?
Hello?
Hello, sir, this is George speaking.
Hello, who's this?
What number am I calling, please?
I'm here with our client, George.
Oh, good.
Is everything okay?
Is the coast clear for tonight?
Yes, George.
He says the coast is clear for tonight.
Okay, okay.
Where are you now?
In a phone booth.
Don't worry, everything's okay.
Hey, well, you know the address.
I know, I know.
At 11 o'clock, the private patrolman was leaving.
At 11 o'clock, the private patrolman was leaving.
What do you mean?
We've got to get out of here, George.
Everything's okay.
Hey, well, you know the address.
I know, I know.
At 11 o'clock, the private patrolman goes around to the bar on Second Avenue for a beer.
That's right, 11 o'clock.
Okay.
Now, be sure that all the lights downstairs are out.
There should be only one light visible from the street.
Okay, okay.
Just a minute, George.
Oh, our client tells me that at 11.15 a train crosses the bridge.
It makes a noise in case a window's open and she should scream.
Oh, hello, what number is this, please?
Okay, I understand.
That's 11.15, the train.
Yeah, you remember everything else, George?
Yes, I'll make it quick, as little blood as possible.
Because our client does not wish to make her suffer long.
That's right, you'll use a knife?
Yes, the knife will be okay.
Then afterwards, I remove the rings and bracelets and the jewelry in the bureau drawer because
our client wishes it to look like simple robbery.
Don't worry, everything's okay.
I never...
Oh, how awful, how unspeakably awful.
Your call, please.
Operator, I've just been cut off.
I'm sorry, what number were you calling?
Why, it was supposed to be Murray Hell 40098, but it wasn't.
Some wires must have got crossed.
I was cut into a wrong number and I've just heard the most dreadful thing, something about a murder.
Operator, you simply got to retrace that call at once.
I beg your pardon, may I help you?
Oh, I know it was a wrong number and I had no business listening, but these two men,
they were cold-blooded fiends and they were going to murder somebody,
some poor innocent woman who was all alone in a house near a bridge.
And we've got to stop them, we've just got to.
What number are you calling, please?
Well, that doesn't matter.
This was a wrong number and you dialed it for me and we've got to find out who what was immediately.
What number did you call?
Oh, why are you so stupid?
What time is it?
Do you mean to tell me you can't find out what that number was just now?
I'll connect you with the chief operator.
Oh, I think it's perfectly shameful.
Now, now, now look, it was obviously a case of some little slip of the finger.
I told you to try Murray Hill 40098 for me and you dialed it,
but your finger must have slipped and I was connected with some other number
and I could hear them, but they couldn't hear me.
Now, I simply failed to see why you couldn't make that same mistake again on purpose.
Why you couldn't try to dial Murray Hill 40098 in the same sort of careless way.
Murray Hill 40098.
I will try to get it for you.
Well, thank you.
I am sorry.
Murray Hill 40098 is busy.
I will call you in 20 minutes.
Operator, operator.
Your call, please.
You didn't try to get that wrong number at all.
I asked you explicitly and all you did was dial correctly.
I am sorry. What number are you calling?
Well, can't you for once forget what number I'm calling and do something for me?
Now, I want to trace that call.
It's my civic duty and it's your civic duty to trace that call
and apprehend those dangerous killers.
And if you don't...
I will connect you with the chief operator.
Well, please.
This talk can't make everyone understand.
This is the chief operator.
Chief operator, I want you to trace a call, a telephone call immediately.
I don't know where it came from or who was making it,
but it's absolutely necessary that it be tracked down
because it was about a murder that someone's planning.
A terrible cold-blooded murder of a poor innocent woman tonight at 1115.
I see.
Well, can you trace it for me?
Can you track down those men?
I am not certain. It depends.
Depends on what?
It depends on whether the call is still going on.
If it's a live call, we can trace it on the equipment.
Well...
If it has been disconnected, we cannot.
Disconnected?
If the parties have stopped talking to each other.
Oh, but of course they must have stopped talking to each other by now.
That was at least five minutes ago
and they didn't sound like the type who would make a long call.
Well, I can try tracing it.
May I have your name, please?
Mrs. Stevenson. Mrs. Albert Stevenson.
But listen...
And your telephone number, please.
Applausa 32099.
But if you go on wasting all this time...
Why do you want this call traced, please?
Why? Oh...
Well, no reason.
I mean, I merely felt very strongly that something ought to be done about it.
These men sounded like killers.
They're dangerous. They're going to murder this woman at 11.15 tonight.
And I thought the police ought to know.
Have you reported this to the police?
Well, no, not yet.
You want this call checked purely as a private individual?
Yes, yes, but meanwhile...
I am sorry, Mrs. Stevenson,
but I am afraid we couldn't make this check for you
and trace the call just on your say-so as a private individual.
But...
We will have to have something more official.
Oh, for heaven's sake!
You mean to tell me I can't report that there's going to be a murder
without getting tied up in all this red tape?
Why, it's perfectly idiotic!
Well, all right, I'll call the police.
Thank you. I am sure that would be the best way...
Oh, ridiculous!
I never heard of such noises.
Police department, I can't see why you have to go through all this...
business.
Oh...
Your call, please.
The police department!
Get me the police department, please!
Thank you.
Ringing the police department.
Oh dear, do you have to dial?
Can't you ring them direct?
All this time wasting...
Police department, precinct 43, Sergeant Martins speaking.
Police department, um...
This is Mrs. Stevenson, Mrs. Albert Smythe Stevenson
of 53 North Sutton Place.
I'm calling up to report a murder.
Huh?
I mean, the murder hasn't been committed yet,
but I just overheard plans for it over the telephone.
Over a wrong number that the operator gave me.
I've been trying to trace down the call myself,
but everybody is so stupid!
And I guess in the end, you're the only people who could do anything.
Yes, ma'am.
It was a perfectly definite murder.
I heard their plans distinctly.
Two men were talking,
and they were going to murder some woman at 1115 tonight,
and she lived in a house near a bridge.
Are you listening to me?
Uh, yes, yes, ma'am.
And there was a private patrolman on the street.
He was going to go around for a beer on Second Avenue,
and there was some third man,
a client who was paying to have this poor woman murdered.
They were going to take her rings and bracelets and use a knife.
Well, it's unnerved me dreadfully, and I'm not well.
I see. Now, when was all this, ma'am?
About eight minutes ago.
Oh, then you can do something. You do understand.
What is your name, ma'am?
Mrs. Stevenson. Mrs. Albert Stevenson.
And your address?
53...
53 North Sutton Place.
That's near a bridge.
The Cleansborough Bridge, you know,
and we have a private patrol on the R Street,
and Second Avenue is the next street...
And what was that number you were calling?
Murray Hill 40098.
But that wasn't the number I overheard.
I mean, Murray Hill 40098 is my husband's office.
He's working late tonight,
and I was trying to reach him to ask him to come home.
I'm an invalid, you know, and it's the maid's night off,
and I hate to be alone even though he says I'm perfectly safe
as long as I have the telephone right beside my bed.
Well, we'll look into it, Mrs. Stevenson,
and see if we can check it with the telephone company.
But the telephone company said they couldn't check the call
if the parties had stopped talking.
I've already taken care of that.
Oh, you have?
Yes, and personally, I feel you ought to do something
far more immediate and drastic than just check the call.
Well, now you see...
What good is checking the call do if they stop talking?
By the time you track it down, they've already committed the murder.
Well, we'll take care of it, don't you worry.
I'd say the whole thing calls for a search.
A complete and thorough search of the whole city.
Well, I'm very near the bridge, and I'm not far from Second Avenue,
and I know I'd feel a whole lot better
if you sent around a radio car to this neighborhood at once.
And what makes you think the murder's going to be committed
in your neighborhood, ma'am?
Well, I... I don't know.
Only, the coincidence is so horrible.
Second Avenue and the patrolman and the bridge.
Well, Second Avenue's a very long street, ma'am,
and you know how many bridges there are in the city of New York,
well, not to mention Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx.
How do you know there isn't some little house on Staten Island,
on some little Second Avenue you've never heard about?
How do you know they were even talking about New York at all?
But I heard the call on the New York dialing system.
Well, maybe it was a long distance call you overheard.
Telephones are funny things now.
Now, look, lady, why don't you look at it this way?
Supposing you hadn't broken in on that telephone call,
supposing you'd got your husband the way you always do,
you wouldn't be so upset, would you?
Well, I know, I suppose not, only it sounded so inhuman, so cold-blooded.
A lot of murders are plotted in this city every day, ma'am.
We manage to prevent almost all of them.
The clue of this kind is so vague,
it isn't much more used to us than no clue at all.
But surely you...
Unless, of course, you have some reason for thinking this call was phony
or that someone may be planning to murder you.
Me? Oh, no, I hardly think so.
I mean, why should anybody?
I'm alone all day and night.
I see nobody except my maid, Eloise, and she's a big girl.
She weighs 200 pounds.
She's too lazy to bring up my breakfast tray,
and the only other person is my husband, Albert.
He's crazy about me. He just adores me.
He waits on me hand and foot.
Has scarcely left my side since I took sick 12 years ago.
Well, then, there's nothing for you to worry about.
Now, if you'll just leave the rest of this to us, we'll take care of it.
But what will you do? It's so late. It's nearly 11 now.
We'll take care of it, lady.
Well, will you broadcast it all over the city and send out squads
and warn your radio cars to watch out,
especially in suspicious neighborhoods like mine?
Lady, I said we'd take care of it.
Just now, I've got a couple of other matters here on my desk
that require immediate attention.
Good night, ma'am, and thank you.
Oh, you, you idiot!
Oh, no.
Why did I hang up the phone like that?
Now you'll think I am a fool.
Oh, why doesn't Albert come home?
Oh, why doesn't he?
I'm the operator again.
Your call, please.
Operator, for heaven's sake, will you ring that Murray Hill 40098 number again?
I can't think what's keeping him so long.
I will try to get it for you.
You will try, try. I don't see why he doesn't answer.
I am sorry.
Murray Hill 40098 is busy.
I will call you.
I can hear it. You don't have to tell me.
I know it's busy.
Oh, if I can only get out of this bed for a little while.
If I can get a breath of fresh air and just
lean out of the window and see the street.
Hello, Albert? Hello? Hello? Hello?
Oh, what's the matter with his phone? Hello? Hello?
Hello? Hello? Oh, for heaven's sake, who is it?
Hello? Hello? Hello?
He's trying to call me. What are they trying to tell me?
Oh!
Your call, please.
Hello, operator. I don't know what's the matter with this phone tonight,
but it's positively driving me crazy.
I've never seen such inefficient, miserable service.
Now, look, look, I'm an invalid, and I'm very nervous,
and I'm not supposed to be annoyed.
But if this keeps on much longer...
What seems to be the trouble?
Well, everything's wrong.
I haven't had one bit of satisfaction out of one call I've made this evening.
The whole world could be murdered for all you people care,
and now my phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing every five seconds,
and when I pick it up, there's no one there.
I am sorry. If you will hang up, I will test it for you.
I don't want you to test it for me.
I want you to put that call through, whatever it is, at once.
I'm afraid I cannot do that.
You cannot? Well, why? Why, may I ask?
The dial system is automatic.
Oh, I...
If someone is trying to dial your number,
there is no way to check whether the call is coming through the system or not,
unless the person is trying to reach you,
complains to his particular operator.
Oh, of all the stupid...
And meanwhile, I've got to sit here in my bed,
suffering every time that phone rings, imagining everything.
I will try to check the trouble for you.
Check it! Check it! That's all anybody can do.
Oh, what's the use of talking to you? You're so stupid.
Oh, I'll fix her.
Of all the idiot... How dare she speak to me like that?
I can't do any sad things.
Why does it take so long?
Your call, please.
Young woman, I don't know your name,
but there are ways of finding you out.
And I'm going to report you to your superiors
for the most unpardonable rudeness and insolence
that has ever been my privilege.
Give me the business office at once.
You may dial that number direct.
Dial it direct?
I'll do no such thing. I don't even know the number.
The number is in the directory,
or you may secure it by dialing information.
Listen here, you...
Oh, what's the use?
Oh, dear.
Oh, for heaven's sake, I'm going out of my mind.
I'm going out of my mind.
Hello? Hello, stop ringing me. Do you hear?
Answer me. Who is this? Do you realize you're driving me crazy?
Who's calling me? What are you doing it for?
Now, stop it! Stop it! Stop it, I say!
Hello? If you don't answer, I'll call the police.
Hello? If you don't stop ringing me, I'm going to call the police.
Do you hear? The police!
Oh, Albert, would only come home.
Oh, let it ring. Let it go on ringing.
It's a trick. At some point, I won't answer it.
I won't, even if it goes on ringing all night.
Just ring all night! I don't care.
What's the matter?
Why did they stop ringing all of a sudden?
Oh, what time is it? Where's my clock?
Where is it? When did I put it?
Five to eleven?
Oh, they've decided something. They're sure I'm home.
They heard my voice answer them just now.
That's why they've been ringing me. Why? No one is answering me.
Oh, call the operator again.
Oh, where... Oh, where is she?
Why doesn't she answer?
Your call, please.
Where were you just now? Why didn't you answer it once?
Give me the police department!
I am sorry. The line is busy. I will call you.
Busy? But that's impossible.
The police department can't be busy. There must be other lines available.
The line is busy. I will try to get them later.
No, no! I've got to speak to them now or it may be too late.
I've got to get to someone!
What number do you wish to speak to?
Well, I don't know, but there must be someone to protect people beside the police department.
The detective agencies...
You will find detective agencies listed in the classified directory.
But I don't have a classified...
I mean, I'm too nervous to look it up and I don't know how to use it.
I will connect you with information. Perhaps they will be able to help you.
Oh, no! No!
Oh, you're being spiteful, aren't you?
You don't care, do you, what happens to me?
I could die and you wouldn't care.
Oh, stop it! Stop it! I can't stand anymore!
Hello! What do you want? Stop ringing with me! Stop it!
Hello, is this Plaza 32099?
Yes. Yes, I'm sorry.
This is Plaza 32099.
This is Western Union. I have a telegram here for Mrs. Elbert Stevenson.
Is there anyone there to receive the message?
I am Mrs. Stevenson.
The telegram is as follows.
Mrs. Elbert Stevenson, 53 North, Sutton Place, New York, New York, darling.
Terribly sorry, tried to get you for last hour, but line busy.
Leaving for Boston 11 p.m. tonight on urgent business.
Back tomorrow afternoon. Keep happy, love, signed Elbert.
Oh, no.
You wish us to deliver a copy of the message?
No. No, thank you.
Thank you, madam. Good night.
Good night.
No. No, I don't believe it.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't do it.
Not when he knows I'll be all alone in some trick, some phony trick.
It's so...
Your call, please.
Operator, try that Murray Hill 40098 number for me just once more, please.
You may dial that number direct.
Oh.
Emma.
You.
4...
Oh.
Oh.
Sorry.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh, no.
Oh, he's gone.
Oh, Elbert, how could you?
How could you?
Oh, but I can't be alone tonight. I just can't.
If I'm alone one more second, I'll go mad.
I don't care what he says or what the expense is.
I'm a sick woman.
I'm entitled to some consideration.
This is information. May I help you?
I want the telephone number of Hinchley Hospital.
Hinchley Hospital? Do you have the street address?
No, it's somewhere in the 70s.
It's a very small private and exclusive hospital
where I had my appendix out two years ago.
Hinchley H-E-N-C-A...
One moment, please.
Please hurry. And please, what is the time?
You may find out the time by dialing Meridian 7-1-2-1-2.
For heaven's sake, I have no time to be dialing.
The number of Hinchley Hospital is Butterfield 89970.
You...
Eight...
Nine...
This is nine...
Seven...
Oh...
Hinchley Hospital, good evening.
Give me the nurse's registry.
What is it you wish to speak to, please?
I want the nurse's registry at once.
I want a trained nurse.
I want to hire immediately for the night.
I see. And what is the nature of the case, madam?
Nerves. I'm very nervous.
I need soothing and companionship.
You see, my husband is away and I'm all alone.
Have you been recommended to us by any doctor in particular, madam?
No, but I really don't see why all this catechizing is necessary.
I want a trained nurse.
I was a patient in your hospital two years ago
and after all, I do expect to pay this person for attending me.
I understand that, madam,
but registered nurses are very scarce just now.
Our superintendent has asked us to send people out
only on cases where the physician in charge
feels it is absolutely necessary.
Well, it is absolutely necessary.
I'm a sick woman. I'm very upset. Very.
I'm alone in this house and I'm an invalid
and tonight I overheard a telephone conversation
that upset me dreadfully.
A woman's going to be killed when a train comes.
In fact, if someone doesn't come at once,
I'm afraid I'll go out of my mind.
I see. Well, I will speak to Miss Phillips as soon as she comes in.
Miss Phillips?
And what is your name, madam?
When do you expect her in?
I really couldn't say. She went out to supper at 11 o'clock.
Eleven o'clock? Oh, but it's not eleven yet.
Oh, my clock has stopped. I thought it was running down.
What time is it?
Just fifteen minutes past eleven.
What was that?
What was what, madam?
That click just now in my own telephone,
as though someone had lifted the receiver off the hook
off the extension telephone downstairs.
I didn't hear it, madam. Now about the nurse.
But I did. I did.
There's someone in this house, someone downstairs in the kitchen,
and they're listening to me now.
I won't pick it up again. I won't let them hear me.
I'll be quiet and then they'll feel...
What if I don't call someone now while they're still down there?
There'll be no time. I've got to get to that operator.
I've got to get to that operator.
That operator.
Oh, answer.
Your call, please.
Operator, I'm in desperate trouble.
I am sorry. I cannot hear you. Please speak louder.
I don't dare. There's someone listening.
Can you hear me now?
I am sorry.
Oh, but you've got to hear me. Oh, please.
Please, you've got to help me. There's someone in this house,
someone who's going to murder me,
and you've got to get in touch with the police.
Oh, there. There it is. Did you hear it?
He's put it down. He's put down the extension phone.
He's coming up the... He's coming up the stairs.
Oh, give me the police department.
Give me the police department.
One moment, please. I will connect you.
Hurry. Hurry. Oh, hurry. I can hear him.
He's coming. He's coming here.
Oh. Oh, no.
Oh, what are you going to do to me? Oh, no.
Oh, no. Don't come near me. I haven't done anything. Please.
Oh, don't hurt me. Don't. Don't.
Help. Help. Help.
Oh, no.
Police department, precinct 43, Sergeant Martenspiegel.
Police department, precinct 43, Sergeant Martenspiegel.
Hello, police department, precinct 43, Sergeant Martenspiegel.
Police department? Yes.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Must have got the wrong number.
Don't worry. Everything's okay.
Thank you, Miss Agnes Moorhead, for another memorable performance.
Miss Moorhead will return in just a moment.
Say, Harlow, you got so wound up on auto light resistor spark plugs a while back,
you never told me whether you saw the state football game last week.
You bet I saw it. And say, did you notice the big gaps that state knocked in that enemy line?
Yes. Reminded me of that wide gap in auto light resistor spark plugs.
Now, Harlow.
You know, when you replace your old narrow gap spark plugs with wide gap auto light resistor spark plugs,
by Cornelius, your engine idles smoother, you have better luck with lean gas,
and by luck with lean gas mixtures, actually save gas.
Harlow, I'm talking about football.
Oh, by the way, how'd you like the way states line cut down enemy interference?
Great. Almost as good as the way auto light resistor spark plugs cut down spark plug interference with radio and television reception.
What a team. What a team.
Yes, friends, when it comes to team play, you really get it with those sensational new auto light resistor spark plugs.
And other auto light engineering first.
No wonder, for auto light resistor spark plugs are one of over 400 automotive, aviation, and marine parts
made by the 26 nationwide auto light plants.
All famous for auto light engineered dependability.
So friends, don't dilly dally, dawdle, or delay, but hop down tomorrow to your friendly auto light dealer
and get a set of wonderful new wide gap auto light resistor spark plugs.
He's got just the type and size to fit your car.
And friends, remember too, auto light means spark plugs.
Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs.
Auto light means battery.
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Auto light means ignition system.
The lifeline of your car.
And now here again is Miss Agnes Moorhead.
My thanks to producer Tony Leader for affording me this opportunity to play Lucille Fletcher's wonderful story once again.
And my thanks to the cast and the musicians and sound men who helped make it successful.
The Suspense program will always hold a special place in my affections.
And I'll be listening with great interest next Thursday when radio's outstanding theater of thrills
brings us little Margaret O'Brien starring in Ray Bradbury's story, The Screaming Woman.
Another gripping study in Suspense.
Agnes Moorhead has recorded Sorry Wrong Number in album form. Miss Moorhead may currently be seen in the Warner Brothers picture, Johnny Belinda.
Music on tonight's Suspense play was composed by Lucian Moorweck and conducted by Lut Bluskin.
The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Leader.
In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Ronald Coleman, Rosalind Russell, Claude Rains and William Bendix.
Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills.
And next Thursday same time, hear Margaret O'Brien in The Screaming Woman.
This is the Auto Light Suspense show.
Volunteers are needed for the armed forces of the United States.
Your nearest recruiting station will have complete information.
Good night. Switch to Auto Light.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.