In just a moment, Auto Light presents Suspense, starring Rosalind Russell.
Hello, Harlow. How is Mr. Auto Light by Cornelius Wilcox's fine December evening?
Well, by Cornelius, fit as a fiddle, ha? How's yourself? All set for winter?
Yep.
Overcoat dada mothballs?
Yep.
Storm windows up? Snow shovel on the back porch?
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Suspense.
Suspense.
Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations bring you
Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills.
Starting tonight, Miss Rosalind Russell in Anton Leder's production of The Sisters.
A tale well calculated to keep you in.
Suspense.
Suspense.
Now, here is one I think would be very lovely.
It has a far superior lining, pure silk, much heavier than the others we've looked at.
Do you care for this one, Miss Haskell?
Yes, that's very nice.
But I believe I'd like to see something, perhaps even a little better.
Of course. If you would just step over this way, Miss Haskell.
Now, here, here is an exquisite casket.
Something that really does honor to the departed.
Yes, it's beautiful.
Now, the interior is just the same as the last, but the casket itself is a bronze, solid bronze.
Won't that be rather heavy?
Oh yes, but not too heavy. Will there be six pallbearers?
I don't know.
Well, it doesn't matter really. Four men can carry this very easily, very.
Miss Haskell, I want you to notice the floral design here. All hand-wrought, every bit of it.
And, oh yes, notice the seams in this casket. Airtight and watertight, guaranteed.
You know of course how important that is.
Yes.
Yes. But this casket, in a hundred years or even two hundred years, will be just as strong
and will look just as beautiful as it does on this stand today.
You couldn't buy a finer piece of workmanship.
How much would this one be, please?
This casket, a durable, by the way, durable for durability, we say in the trade,
this casket is priced at $775.
We can't bring back the departed. Our only solace is the knowledge that we have done them the last possible honour.
Very well. I'll take this one.
Oh, I'm sure you are making a very wise choice.
In all my years as a mortician, I've never found a family that regretted money spent on a durable.
Now, let me see.
I'll give you a check.
Oh, that won't be necessary. Not immediately. After the funeral will do.
Oh, by the way, we haven't mentioned it. Are we handling the funeral arrangements?
I don't know yet.
Oh. Well, you want the casket delivered somewhere?
No. I'd like you to hold it for a while, please.
Hold it? But for how long?
For three weeks.
Three weeks? I don't understand. Who is the party, the deceased? Who is the casket for?
It's for me.
Lydia? Lydia? I thought I heard you come in. Where have you been, Lydia? You've been gone all afternoon.
I've been shopping.
What did you buy? Did you get the ribbons I asked for?
No, I didn't have time.
Oh, I wanted some new ribbons. These are all I have.
Oh, I see.
I'll give you a check.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'll give you a check.
I'll give you a check. See, Lydia?
I wish you'd stop putting ribbons in your hair like a schoolgirl. You're almost 40 years old.
I know, Lydia. I know.
Then try to act like it. Hand me my sewing. And light the lamp. It's getting dark.
I wonder why we have to grow old. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had always stayed young like we used to be?
Oh, Lydia. Remember when Mother used to send us out to school with our ribbons matching and our dresses matching?
And at the end of the day, no one would even guess we were sisters because I was always so must and you were always so clean.
Oh, I wish we were young again, Lydia.
Stop talking nonsense, Ellie.
It is nonsense, isn't it? Oh, the doorbell rang while you were out, just before you came home.
You didn't answer us.
Oh, no. You told me never to answer. I just looked out of the upstairs window.
Did you see who it was?
Oh, yes. Yes, it was a man, a rather big man. He rang a long time and then he went away.
He didn't see you, did he?
Oh, no. I just peeked ever so carefully from behind the curtains. Then I came down here and watched him going down the walk.
You came downstairs? Yes.
I told you never to come down those stairs when I'm not in this house.
It was all right, Lydia. I held on very tight to the banisters all the way and I didn't once look down the stairwell.
So I didn't get dizzy and I didn't want to jump.
Well, don't do it again.
It was just that I was lonely. I couldn't think you were ever coming home.
Lydia, you didn't tell me what you bought.
A durable.
What's that? What's a durable?
Don't ask so many questions, Ellie.
All right.
Lydia, I think I'll sew too. I could fix up one of these old ribbons here.
May I, Lydia?
Yes, you sew. It will be good for you.
Thank you.
Lydia.
Yes?
Lydia, could I go shopping some day?
Don't be a fool.
Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought that...
No, I suppose you're right. It wouldn't do. Not yet.
Lydia, sing with me.
You know I never sing.
There wasn't any mail today.
Wasn't there?
No. I thought perhaps there'd be a letter from David.
It's been such a long time since he's written, hasn't it?
I haven't noticed.
Oh, yes. He used to write every week on Tuesday.
And I'd get the letter on Thursday.
But there wasn't one this week or last the week before that.
Strange, isn't it? But perhaps he's been busy.
Perhaps.
Still, he never used to be too busy to write.
I can't understand it.
Do you suppose there's some other reason?
What are you trying to say to me, Ellie?
Are you hinting perhaps I'm keeping your mail from you?
Oh, no.
Well, you certainly seem to be.
Why should I keep David's letters from you?
But I didn't say that.
I just said it was strange that David hasn't written, that's all.
You wouldn't keep David's letters. I know that, Lydia.
Go on with your sewing.
Yes. I want to finish this ribbon.
HUMMING
Stop singing that. Stop it.
But Lydia, it's a hymn.
I don't care. I said stop.
I'll learn something else. That's all you sing day and night, day and night.
Same tune over and over and over.
Now, stop it.
Lydia.
Lydia, sometimes you frighten me.
The way you look at me, you make me think that...
that perhaps I'm not getting well.
That perhaps I'm still...
crazy.
I'm not.
I'm not still crazy.
Am I, Lydia?
No, Lydia.
Enough.
Yes?
Evening, are you Miss Lydia Haskell?
Yes.
Can I speak to you for a minute? I was here this afternoon, there was no one home.
We had a call from Doane Brothers, the undertakers.
I'm from the police department.
Oh, really?
I don't see what the police could want with me.
Come in, if you wish.
Thank you.
Sit down.
Thank you.
There's nothing we want, Miss Haskell,
except it's sort of unusual for a woman
to order a casket for herself.
Unusual?
I've heard of many cases of that kind.
People who are alone in the world.
There's no one else to look after things.
Oh, yes, sure, I know.
Only it's a little more unusual when you can name the date.
The undertaker said you wanted the casket held for three weeks.
Why three weeks?
There must be some reason for it.
There is.
I'm going to die.
I shall die in three weeks,
perhaps even before.
There's no date in my mind about it,
and that's why I've ordered the casket.
You may call it a premonition, if you want.
Maybe I could also call it suicide.
That's why I'm here, Miss Haskell.
I don't know whether you know it,
but suicide's a crime in the eyes of the state.
A crime for which there is no punishment.
Not if it's successful, no.
But there is prevention.
I know I'm going to die. I feel it.
But I have no intention of taking my own life.
There's no need to do so.
Miss Haskell, this premonition, as you call it,
have you any idea what brought it on?
No.
Have you been speaking to anyone?
No fortune tellers or anything like that?
No.
What makes you so sure?
How do you know you can trust this premonition?
You're not an old woman.
I'd say you're in pretty good health.
You've got a lot of good years ahead of you.
I have a religion, not a church religion.
It preaches that people go on living
until they've outgrown their usefulness.
Then they die from one cause or another.
When that time comes, the desire to live is gone.
And only desire keeps the body and soul alive and breathing.
I don't understand that.
I'm sorry.
Miss Haskell, do you live alone here?
Yes.
No relations, no housekeeping?
I live alone here.
It's a pretty large house for a person living alone.
There are three floors and far too many rooms.
But it's on the outskirts of town.
It's quiet and it gives me the privacy I've been looking for.
A privacy which you are invading for the first time
since I moved here five years ago.
I'm sorry, Miss Haskell. I'm only doing my job.
I was told to look you up and find out why you bought that casket.
Then I think we may assume your job is over.
I guess so, but the office might ask me to drop back once in a while.
Just to keep in touch and all.
I won't be at home.
Why?
You don't go out very much, I ask.
The folks in town say they don't even see you more than once a week.
When you come, I won't be at home.
All right. Sorry to bother you.
Good night.
Good night.
Oh, Miss Haskell, how are you going to die?
I don't know, nor do I consider it important.
Why should you?
Good night.
Good night.
For Suspense, Autolite is bringing you Miss Rosalind Russell
in radio's outstanding theatre of thrills, Suspense.
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And now, Autolite brings back to our Hollywood soundstage
Miss Rosalind Russell as Lydia, with Miss Loreen Tuttle as Ellie
in The Sisters, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
MUSIC
After he'd gone, I stood there in the hall thinking.
Perhaps I'd made a mistake.
Perhaps I shouldn't have gone to the morticians.
I had thought it would be so clever, but I hadn't thought
he might become suspicious and a policeman.
Since someone's snooping around, asking questions,
trying to find out things, I was so upset thinking about it,
I hadn't heard her come down the stairs.
Lydia.
Ellie, what are you doing down here?
What are you doing sitting on the steps in the dark?
Lydia.
Haven't I told you never to come down here at night?
Lydia.
What do you want?
I heard that man who was here.
Lydia, why did you buy the casket?
Why are you going to die?
Yes, Lydia, you mustn't die.
I'd be alone if you died.
And you know what would happen.
They'd send me away like they did once before.
The people in the town would come and find me living here,
and they'd send me away.
Go up to bed, Ellie. Go to sleep.
How can I sleep?
Oh, Lydia, you won't die. Promise me you won't.
I promise you. Now go to bed.
But why did you buy the casket?
And the things you said to that man is if you wanted to die.
Why, Lydia? Why do you want to die?
I don't want to die. No one does.
You have such a lot to live for, haven't you, Ellie?
Yes.
I've been happy, Lydia. You've made me happy.
And someday when I'm well again, I'll go back home.
And David will be waiting for me.
You know he'll be there. You've always told me he'd be waiting.
And he'll see that I'm well again, and he'll take me back.
I'm not so old, am I?
David won't see me as old.
He told me that when I was well,
no matter how long it took, he'd still see me as a young girl.
That's why I've been happy.
Just waiting for the time I can go back to David.
Haven't you heard yet?
And haven't you learned it?
Don't you know yet that you're mad and you'll always be mad?
No, don't say that. I'm getting better, Lydia.
You know I'm getting better.
Yes, of course. Putting bows in your hair, sewing ribbons all day long,
sneaking about the house at night, spying on me,
singing the same hymn over and over and over until I think I'm going mad, too.
Is that why you want to die?
To get away from me? Why, I thought you loved me, Lydia.
Why should I love you?
Look what life has given me, and tell me why.
You've always spoiled everything for me,
even from the time we were children.
Why, how could I spoil everything?
We were just like the same child, Lydia, twins.
You were I, and I was you.
We looked the same, yes.
We were born the same day, yes, and that's where it ended.
You were the nice one. I used to hear them say so.
You were even the prettiest, they said,
as if they could see any difference between us.
Well, whatever you wanted, you had.
You smiled so beautifully, and I never smiled.
I was the sullen one, the dark cloud in the house.
You made it so, Lydia. We all loved you.
When your doll was broken, they gave you mine.
When you tore your dancing dress, you took mine.
You gave it to me, Lydia. I remember you gave it to me.
You gave it to me. I've always given things to you.
I've given you my whole life. I even gave you David.
Lydia.
You were in love with David.
He came to our house.
Was it you he came to see?
Oh, Lydia, I didn't know.
You never knew. No one did.
I had to stand by and watch you take him from me.
And when you had your first attack, I was glad.
People said it was a shame, but I was glad.
Because I knew that he could never have you.
Oh, yes, you were going away and be cured.
He was going to wait. It wouldn't matter how long he waits.
He'll never be cured, and he'll never have you. Never!
You hate me. You've always hated me. I see it now.
Even when you've been taking care of me.
When we came to this town, you didn't bring me here, so I'd be cured.
You wanted to keep me this way.
Man, that's why you took me out of that place.
Because they might have made me well again.
Go upstairs. You hate me.
And now you're going to die. I told you.
Leave me without anyone. I will not die.
Oh, Ellie.
Ellie, I'm sorry we had this quarrel.
I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that I'm upset myself and tired.
I didn't mean the things I said. You bought a casket.
It was only an idea I had in case anything ever happened to me.
You bought a casket.
Lydia, was it for yourself?
Or is it for me?
Ellie!
You wouldn't. You wouldn't, would you, Lydia?
What are you talking about?
Hold the lamp up. Hold it close to you.
I want to see your face.
Go up to bed.
Yes. I can see it in your eyes.
It is for me. You're going to kill me.
You're going to murder me.
Don't be a fool, Ellie.
It's true. You want to get rid of me.
Because you hate me.
Oh, no, I see. I see.
You love David.
And you're going to kill me.
And they'll come and find me and bury me.
And they'll think it's you who...
Be quiet.
That's why you bought the casket.
They'll think it's you who is dead because no one knows I'm living here.
And then you'll go away and you'll go back to David.
And you'll say that Lydia has died.
And he'll think you are me and that you're well again.
And he'll marry you.
You'll have him. You'll be Ellie.
You'll have David in my place.
Did you hear what I said? Be quiet.
Now go upstairs and get to bed.
Oh, Lydia. Lydia.
How can you be so wicked?
Ellie.
Ellie, are you awake?
Ellie.
Dear, you mustn't think anymore about what we said tonight.
Do you hear?
It's not so, Ellie. It's just your imagination.
You mustn't think about it.
It will be bad for you.
Are you asleep, Ellie?
She's not asleep.
She's lying over there on the other side of the room staring at me through the dark.
She knows it was the truth tonight.
She's going to die. I'm going to kill her.
That quarrel. I shouldn't have let her know.
I lost my temper, stupid.
Now I must...
Oh, I must think clearly.
What was my plan?
How was I going to kill her?
It mustn't look like murder. They'll suspect things then.
It must be suicide.
And it must be soon, now that she knows.
There. Listen.
She's starting again. She's singing again.
That hymn. That hymn.
No, no. I must be calm.
Don't get excited.
Think clearly.
How was I going to kill her?
Oh, I wish it were over.
I could go back then.
Back to David.
How quickly she saw through that.
That I'd go back in her place.
But he'll never suspect.
I'll be Ellie to him.
Ellie cured and happy again.
I'll learn to smile.
At first she must die.
Now, which way is best?
The stairs.
Of course, the stairwell.
She gets dizzy if she looks down into the stairwell.
Yes, it will be so easy.
In a day or two, that policeman will come back to the house.
They'll find her and they'll think it's me.
The stairwell.
Three floors from the attic here.
Three floors straight down.
It's so easy when you think clearly.
Of course.
Ellie.
Ellie.
You mustn't cry anymore.
Do you hear me?
Are you afraid of the dark?
I'll light the lamp for you.
There, dear.
That's better, isn't it?
Why, you're shivering.
Are you cold?
Come.
Put your wrapper on.
We'll go down to the parlor in light of fire.
And I'll make a nice cup of hot milk for you.
Come, Ellie.
Ellie, stop acting like this.
Now, come, dear.
Here's your wrapper.
Put it around your shoulders.
That's a girl now.
Get up.
Get up now.
I'll carry the lamp.
Give me your hand, dear.
You're cold as ice.
Now, be careful.
Walk slowly.
There we are.
Now, hold on to the banister, dear.
That's right.
I'll hold the lamp up high so you can see better.
I'm afraid.
The stairwell.
It's right here, dear.
You see?
I'm afraid.
Ellie, you must get over that, dear.
Look, Ellie.
Just look down.
There's nothing to frighten you.
Look down the stairwell, Ellie.
No.
I'm holding you, dear.
Now, just lean over and look down.
You can see all the way.
No.
Don't make me look.
Don't make me.
You see?
It's nothing.
It's nothing at all.
Are you dizzy?
I'm holding you.
Let me go.
I can't stand it.
Come closer, dear.
Come closer.
No.
Lean over.
Lean over.
No.
Do you hear, Ellie?
Let me get back.
Ellie, look down.
No.
Around.
Oh yes, a very strange thing, yes.
It was brought to my mind, of course, because this is the house just here.
This one?
The next one we're coming to, yes.
She was in Tisias just a few days ago, came in to order the casket.
She saw a casket she wanted, and then she told me it was for herself.
She must have had a premonition.
I notified the police, of course, why she said she wanted me to hold the casket three
weeks.
Then, just the day before yesterday, the police came back to the house here and found her
lying at the bottom of the stairwell, dead.
She'd been dead about two days.
Funny how she knew.
The banister up on the attic floor broke away and she fell.
Did she have any people?
No, lived alone, they tell me.
We're going to bury her tomorrow.
Haskell, the name was.
Haskell?
Strange, living all by herself here in a big three-story frame house.
Yes, isn't it?
Say.
So, what is it?
My imagination, I guess.
I could have sworn I saw a light in the attic window just now.
Oh, it couldn't have been.
The police have shut it up.
Yes, of course.
That story of yours really gave me the creeps.
Let's walk on.
What a queer thing the power of suggestion is.
You've conveyed it to me.
Well, you know, just now I thought I could hear someone upstairs in there.
A woman.
A woman singing.
A woman?
Yes, sort of crooning to herself.
Some kind of hymn.
But it seemed right.
Say, uh, Hap.
Yes, I am.
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And now here again is Miss Rosalind Russell.
It has been a great pleasure to appear here tonight on Suspense.
And I want to thank Tony Leader and his fine cast, and especially Loren Tuttle, for her
splendid performance as Ellie.
I know none of you will want to miss James Cagney's appearance next week on radio's
outstanding theater of thrills in a story called No Escape.
Another gripping study in...
Suspense.
Miss Rosalind Russell may currently be seen in the independent artist's production, The
Velvet Touch.
Tonight's suspense play, The Sisters, was written by George Wells with music composed
by Lucian Morrowak and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Leader.
In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Ronald Coleman, William Bendix,
Ethel Barrymore, Frank Sinatra, and many others.
Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills.
And next Thursday, same time, hear James Cagney in No Escape.
This is the Auto Light Suspense show.
Auto Light salutes the automotive industry on the occasion of the observance tonight
in Detroit of the production of the 100 million motor vehicle.
Good night.
Switch to Auto Light.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.