And now, Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present...
Suspense!
Tonight, Auto Light brings you William Bendix in Break Up, a suspense play produced and
directed by Anton M. Lieder.
Suspense!
Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Auto Light
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And now, here is William Bendix in a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Let him alone, Chick.
Max, tell Chick to let him alone.
All right, Chick, just use him for a foot rest.
It ain't often a fellow gets a chance to wipe his feet on a cop.
Where are we taking him, Max?
Oh, to the end of the line, Marty.
Then we give him a transfer, a steel jacket transfer.
Get the picture, Chick?
Chick gets the picture.
When, Max?
When we get over the bridge.
Yeah, we'll make Kevlaran a good cop, and then we'll dump him.
Chick, I said enough's enough.
Make it stick this time, will you, Max?
You're awful sensitive for an ex-cop.
You with us, Marty?
What do you think?
I think maybe you're remembering that before they bounced you off the force, you and Kevlaran
once teamed together on the homicide squad.
Once had long red curls, too.
No, Max, what I'm remembering is the raw deal that Captain Brandt gave me.
And the little murder rap Kevlaran's been just sweating to pin on me.
Marty, tell you what.
Yeah?
You're all the time asking for a chance to climb up in the organization.
I'm going to give it to you now.
I'll let you combine business with pleasure as a personal favor.
I'm listening.
I'm going to let you put the quiet on Kevlaran all by yourself.
How's that?
I didn't hear you, Marty.
I said, how's that?
How's that, he says.
How's that?
I leave it to you, Captain Brandt.
You dealt the cards for this hand.
How is it?
Me, Marty Connors, turning cop killer.
Are you satisfied, Brandt?
We're on the Queensboro Bridge now.
Me and Kevvie.
Remember your tough team of Connors and Kevlaran?
Only this time he ain't my partner, Brandt.
He's my gun meat.
I guess I should have expected anything, anything at all once I started to roll on my own.
No holes barred since the breakup.
Just a lot of dirty infighting from the day Brandt put the skids under me in front of
those newspaper vultures.
Morning, Chief.
Hi, Kev.
Hi.
What are those reporters doing outside?
Hand me your shield, Connors.
What?
I said, hand me your shield.
You're suspended on decision of the board.
But...
You heard me.
You're going up on charges.
But Brandt, give me a break.
I'll give him a break, Captain.
Break?
Tell me, Connors, where were you last night?
Well, I was...
I had a date.
At a bar, huh?
With a dame you never saw before.
Well, we had a few drinks and...
And what happened after that?
Well, I...
You see...
I'll tell you.
You're the only one who doesn't seem to know because everybody else read it in this morning's
paper.
Strange dame got you dead drunk at a bar, rolled you for your gun when you passed out,
tried to stick up, shot the joint to splinters and was collared still carrying your gun.
Now you know, do you still expect a break?
Sure I expect a break.
In the first place, I was off duty at the time.
And in the second place, I've been on the force 11 years.
And in third place, if it was 111, Connors, I'd still bounce you and bounce you hard.
You want to hand me that potty of yours or do I tear it off your chest?
Here.
Add it to your collection, Captain Brandt.
I'm sorry about the verdict, Marty, but don't blame Brandt.
Oh, sure.
Don't blame Brandt.
Blame me.
I'm the first cop ever gets drunk, huh?
Brandt don't drink.
You don't, huh?
Well, I...
I mean, the liquor smells like, I suppose, it's a laugh.
Oh, stop it, Marty.
What are you going to do?
Going out to Taiwan.
What did you think I was going to do?
What are you trying to prove?
Oh, Marty, look, you didn't get jammed up because of a drink now and then it was a dame.
With you, it's always a dame.
You lose your head, Marty.
You let him make a sucker out.
Lay off, kid.
It's the truth, Marty.
I said lay off, lay off.
Okay, then.
Oh, Marty.
Marty, let's not...
I mean, you and me, we...
How...
How you fix for money?
I got enough and pretty soon maybe I'll have a lot more.
Big bundles of it.
I've already got a call from Doc Williamson and Mack Shale.
What?
Nibble on that one, Kiv.
Marty, are you crazy?
Steer clear of them.
Why?
Show me why.
You know as well as I do.
If you don't, well, just ask any of the boys on the narcotics squad.
Oh, Marty, stop shorter.
I can see where your head had just as plain as...
Listen to me, Marty.
No, no, listen to me.
I'm not going to do it.
I'm not going to do it.
I'm not going to do it.
I'm not going to do it.
Listen to me.
You tangle with Williamson and Shale and no telling what can happen.
One of us might one day have to go after you.
It might be me.
You ain't on narcotics.
Narcotics and homicide don't mix, huh?
Mercy me.
It gives here Sunday school.
After the deal I got...
Look, if you'll only mark time for a while and not lose your head, the newspaper blast
will die down and I'm sure the commissioner will give you...
Nuts to the commissioner and nuts to Brent.
This to him, look.
All five fingers.
And to you, Kivaland.
And you stay away from me here.
Stay away.
I mean it.
I'm going to go line up that job right now.
So you're Marty Connors, huh?
I can use you.
I can be used?
It pays a hundred and a half a week.
I need a guard.
You know the set of Max and me are in.
We got a nice club, nice customers, a lot of them rich.
It attracts cheap guns.
And they figure maybe they can knock the place over and take all the dough around the gambling
tables.
Now, you have a reputation for being hard.
That might stop the trouble even before it begins.
That would be part of your job.
The other part?
I carry a lot of money and one or two other things.
I want personal protection.
Well?
It's a contract.
Is that all I do?
When I get in on the big stuff?
Not the gambling, the big stuff.
I don't know what you're talking about.
The dust, Doc.
The dust.
That's what pays off.
I still don't know what you're talking about.
But when I think you're worth more, I'll see that you get a chance to earn it.
Until then, don't let your nose get dirty.
You know what I mean?
I'm a too hanky man.
Hey, who's the long legged redhead at the piano?
Do I get a chance to protect her too?
I handle that myself.
Leave it strictly alone.
Understand?
Sure, sure.
I don't blame you.
Not the least little bit.
So I went to work as a stalker for Doc Williamson and Max Shale.
I'd call for Doc every night at one, take him to the club and then walk around the tables
and that was all.
I was at the bottom of the heap for weeks.
I wasn't making any headway in that direction, but I was in another.
Rita, I learned her name was Rita.
Sometimes she'd be there when I called for Doc, but I might have been collecting the laundry
for all the attention she paid.
Until one time I rang Doc's doorbell and she answered it.
Hello, big fella.
Tell Doc I'm here.
He's not in.
When will he be back?
Not soon.
Maybe.
Won't I do?
Didn't he leave word?
He didn't leave anything except me.
I'll wait for him in the lobby.
What's the matter, Marty?
Don't you like me?
I like Doc's watching chain too, but I don't heist it.
Why not?
You're big enough.
Maybe you take better care of it than he does.
Maybe he treats it bad, leaves it around lonesome in a satin lined case.
Don't you need a watch, Marty?
You can't tell.
Might come a day when I'll need the right time bad.
I thought about that watch a lot the next few days.
The next time I rang Doc's doorbell and she answered it and said...
Hello, big fella.
Tell Doc I'm here.
He's not in.
You lovely, lousy, long-legged redhead.
Marty, Marty.
Marty, Doc will be back in a minute.
Where can we meet?
I've got to go.
My place?
Tomorrow?
Yeah, your place.
Tomorrow.
And the next day.
And the next.
Marty, I'm afraid of him.
I'm afraid of him.
Right, if Doc, he's just a yellow slob.
I think he knows about you and me.
We've been seeing each other the last few weeks.
I'm scared.
Marty, he beeps me.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
Marty, he beeps me.
Once he threatened to kill me.
Well, the next time he tries to flash this, you'll see how quick he'll fall here.
Take it.
It's only a little 25 automatic.
Put it in your purse.
No.
Go on, take it.
Do as I say.
Hold it in reserve.
He raises a finger till you draw fast and watch him retreat.
You know, I feel better already.
Sure, that's why they call you the old equalizer.
Was it about me he threatened to kill you?
No.
Who?
Oh, no, nothing like that.
He once found me going through his bureau.
What?
What's the secret?
He wears a girdle?
All right, then don't tell me.
Here, have another drink.
Marty, you know what Doc and Max do for their really big money?
Sure, they pedal dreams.
That's no secret.
Not really.
Why?
You know the set up?
Yeah, I'm just an arm, a yard and a half a week arm.
Well, I know the set up.
I'm the only one who does aside from Doc and maybe Max.
Oh, well, go on.
Max does most of the work.
He's distributing the stuff, but he gets a smaller cut than Doc does.
You know why?
Because before he can distribute the stuff...
He's got to have it to distribute.
Doc's the buyer.
He has the contacts all over the world.
And guess where he keeps what he knows?
The address is cold shipping dates.
How would I know?
In a little green notebook in a shammy bag hung around his neck.
That's why he hides you, Marty.
Oh, Marty.
Marty, do you know what it could mean to us if we had that notebook?
Yeah.
He wears it on him, huh?
Around his neck.
Rita, listen hard.
This evening before I come to pick him up, snuggle up to him.
See if he can feel that shammy bag.
If he's wearing it, give me the nod when I call from at one.
Do you follow me?
Oh, yeah, Marty, I follow you.
Maybe I'm even ahead of you.
I went up there at one.
I rang and rang, but no one answered.
When I tried the knob, the door swung open.
Rita wasn't there.
But Doc was.
He would never be deader.
He was lying face down, what was left of the face, on the bedroom rug.
The room still smelled of cordite.
A 25 shell lay near his feet.
His body was still warm.
I know because I felt it when I reached for the shammy bag, which wasn't there.
For suspense, Auto Light is bringing you William Bendix in radio's outstanding theater of thrills,
Suspense.
Okay, Harlow, give us a lowdown.
Did you invite Mary and me to the studio just to hear you talk about Auto Light Resistor
spark plugs?
Talk about them?
Why, by conniving Cornelius, we're going to celebrate them.
Because, Hap, you have the honor of being present at the first birthday party of those
super sensational Auto Light Resistor spark plugs.
Gee, Harlow, have you got a birthday cake?
Have I got a cake?
Well, I've got a cake studded with Auto Light Resistor spark plugs instead of candles.
Hey, pull the card off that nearest plug, Hap, and read what it says.
Let's see.
It says, replace your narrow gap plugs with me, if smoother idling you would see.
If you want more miles to cost less money, cuddle up and be my honey.
Assigned ALRSP.
Guess who?
ALRSP, Auto Light Resistor spark plugs, of course.
Try another one, Hap.
Many happy returns of the day, Auto Light Resistor spark plugs say, PS, to cut down
interference on your radio and television, see that your car we is in.
That's a rhyme.
Well, now you wouldn't accuse me, would you, Hap?
I don't know.
Well, anyhow, Hap, now that we've had our fun, let's get back to suspense.
And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, William Bendix as Marty Connors
in Break Up, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I got out of Doc's apartment fast, left it just as I found it, him dead on the floor
with a shell beside him.
I had to find Rita, poor kid, she'd really be in a mess now.
Everybody knew she was Doc's girl.
I had to locate her in the shammie bag.
I took a cab to her flat and let myself in.
No, Rita.
That meant I would have to go hunting, but not without a gun, not now.
I went home to pick up my police positive.
It was in my bureau drawer and snuggling next to it among the socks was Rita's little 25,
with one chamber empty and a smell sharp as incense.
So I was being suckered again.
Give me.
Give me your son of a gun.
Come in.
Come on in.
Can I fix you a drink, Kiv?
I ain't here as social, Marty.
No?
No.
Remember I told you I might be sent after you one day?
Well, I'm sent.
What are you talking about, Kiv?
The elevator boy found Doc dead a few minutes ago.
So?
So you're the only one he took down from that floor since 10 o'clock.
Well, Kiv, you know what to expect from a sleepy elevator kid.
Why ain't you with Doc tonight?
Well, it's my night off.
Kiv, you don't really think I've turned killer.
Why not?
Oh, by the way, I know about you and that redhead.
Come on, let's go, Marty.
Brandt wants to talk to you.
Brandt, huh?
I should jump at that.
I don't hop bells for Brandt now, Kiv.
You know that.
As far as I'm concerned, you and Brandt both...
Shut up, Marty.
You don't make me.
If Brandt wants to talk to me, he comes here with a warrant yet.
Then I'll have to take you...
If you want it, copper.
You drawin' on me?
Stay where you are, Kiv.
You ain't bringin' me in.
You big ape.
You're trying to nerve yourself up to it.
Oh, Marty.
Back, Kiv.
A guy would think you meant it.
I do mean it.
I swear I'll let you have...
Not you, Marty.
Not a next guy.
I ought to keep your nose out of it for a while, Kiv.
Sixth.
Sixth floor, sir.
Huh?
Oh, okay.
Mr. Shale's apartment is just around there.
Thanks.
Oh, no.
No, no.
Max, I...
Marty.
Oh, Marty, I've been so worried about you.
I've been sittin' here darned by Inge's, Marty.
I didn't know...
A sweet frame you nailed together.
A sweet one.
Is that what you think?
Marty, honey, it wasn't.
I swear it.
I swear by all it's holy to me.
Such as what?
A dollar bill, maybe?
Marty, listen to me.
When I got the docs, he was waitin' for me.
He knew all about us.
He began to hit me.
I did what you said, Marty.
I took out your gun.
My finger must have slipped.
Oh, yeah.
It wasn't a frame, Marty.
I love you.
Lots of men would like me to say that to them, but I love you.
All right, stop it, stop it, stop it.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Shh.
After I lost my head, I went to your place, but you weren't there.
I put the gun in the drawer.
I thought it would be safe, and I waited for you, but you didn't come.
So I came here.
I thought maybe Max would help me.
It's all right, baby.
It's gonna be all right.
Now, shh, quiet.
Let me have the chamois bag.
Rita, the chamois bag.
Let me have it.
I haven't got it, Marty.
I didn't even look for it.
I couldn't have touched him.
You're not lyin' to me now.
No.
It wasn't on him when I found him.
He was clean.
Rita, shh.
Who would that be?
Max, maybe?
Max would have come right in.
Who is it?
Elevator, boy, sir.
What do you want?
The lady, Miss Carter, lost her gloves in the elevator.
You were wearing gloves?
I don't remember.
All right, boy, give him the...
Hold it, Marty.
Nothing fancy now you're covered.
Okay, son.
Thanks.
Get back to your elevator.
Yes, sir.
Back in, Marty.
Go on, both of you.
Get back in.
Well, you've lost a lot of savvy since you left the squad, Marty.
Takin' a cab here from the hack stand in front of your place.
Marty Connors and Doc's baby together.
Well, the D.A. won't have much of a job with this one.
No, I don't know anything about it.
Easy, baby, easy.
He's got nothin' on you.
A copper-gun rat, see.
Who'd have figured it?
Get away from that phone, Marty.
Ah, those sucker kids.
We're gettin' a lawyer.
You got things to ask, wait for him.
You move again without I say move and I'll plug ya.
You wouldn't, kid.
Try me.
You're just a cheap hood.
And I'm treatin' you like a dog.
You're just a cheap hood, and I'm treatin' you like one.
The palsy stuff is true.
You'll see brand first you and the girl, and then you can call a lawyer.
Let me at that phone.
Drop it, copper.
Huh?
You're covered.
Max.
Oh, Max.
Find him, chick.
Make sure he's clean.
Okay, Marty, relax.
This'll get you nothin' but tears and moan, shale.
Is he clean, chick?
Okay, cold cock him.
Oh!
All right, now, what's it all about?
When I call for Doc tonight...
I'll get to you in a minute, Marty.
Talk, Rita.
Doc's dead.
Good.
Who did it?
I did.
He showed fight when I told him to hand over the notebook.
Rita, you...
Shut up.
Go ahead.
That's all.
Except, uh, here's the notebook.
Ah, nice goin', baby.
Got it at last.
Rita, you've been stringin' along with him?
Sure she has, if it's any of your business, which it ain't.
You lousy redhead.
What's he so heated about?
Well, I used his gun and planted it on him.
You gave her your gun for the job?
That guy's gettin' to be a habit with you.
Frame spotting the frame and then torqued out of the spot by a lousy redhead.
Forget it, Marty.
The frame is out.
I need an arm like you, now that Doc is donning me.
All sorts of guys will get ideas about moving into the business.
Look, here's the pitch.
You gave Doc your gun last night.
Because he asked for it.
He was afraid of something.
Didn't say what.
That's your story.
Stick to it.
I'll set up an alibi for you for the rest of it.
Leave it to me.
Okay?
Okay.
You lousy redhead.
What does this copper know?
Too much.
We dump him right now.
You can't.
I mean, he came in with the elevator boy.
Chick, take care of it.
Hey, baby, you're leaving town in a hurry before they grab you.
Start packing.
All right, Maxie.
Now, give me a hand with the cop, Marty.
We'll take him out the back way.
I said, give me a hand, Marty.
Going to play it smart or not?
Yeah.
Yeah, sure, Max.
I'm going to play it smart.
Well, I'm still waiting for your answer, Marty.
I've been waiting all the way across the bridge.
Cut hard to the left here.
Now.
Hey.
When you cut hard, you cut hard, don't you?
How's Kivalin, Chick?
Nice and dark, ain't it, Marty?
This will do.
Pull up here.
Cut the lights.
I guess we're ready.
Well, Marty, Chick will do it if you won't.
Okay.
Stay a small time hood.
Chick, roll out the cop.
Wait a minute, Max.
Kivalin is...
Close.
You don't pull that stuff, Marty.
It's too late.
Not Kivalin, Max.
Chick, roll him out.
Max!
Take your hand out of your pocket, chump.
We're two guns to your one.
You're with me now or else you go with Kivalin.
Not Kivalin, Max!
Chick, get him!
Kiv, Kiv, are you all right?
Okay, Marty, didn't touch me.
You?
I'm okay.
Help me get Max's overcoat off.
I'm cold.
You don't need it no more anyway.
Let's dump them both in the backseat.
Okay.
That does it.
You want to take the wheel, Kiv?
Yeah, sure, sure.
Oh, this is almost like old times, Marty.
You and me together.
Yeah.
But I'm still going to have to take you in to see Brandt.
It's a good trick if you can swing it.
Huh?
I told you, if Brandt wants to see me, let him come.
Marty.
Marty!
Brandt, how's he going to be, Doc?
A matter of minutes.
If Captain Brandt wants to talk to him at all, I'll...
I've phoned him.
He should be here now.
Kiv.
Right here, Marty, right here.
You're going to be okay, shall I?
Kiv, I heard the Doc.
Where's the topcoat I was wearing?
The one I took off Max.
It's right here, Marty.
Here it is.
There's a little notebook in one of the pockets.
Narcotics ought to see it right away.
Yeah, that one.
Holy cow.
Marty, you know what this is?
What's in it?
Hello, Marty.
You see, Kiv, I told you Brandt would have to come to me
if he wanted to see...
Marty.
Marty!
He can't hear you.
He gave me this, Captain.
Do you know what it is?
It would have put him right back on the force.
He was never off it.
What?
That's right.
It was a plant right from the time he let the dames
shoot up the saloon with his gun.
You planted him with that gang?
Don't look at me like that, Kiv.
It was a good idea and it worked,
and I ain't ashamed of having thought of it.
It's the only way to get the goods in these dope runners.
Yeah, but I...
For Marty, well, he was a good cop.
And after all, this is what he was paid for.
Thank you, William Bendix, for a splendid performance.
Mr. Bendix will return in just a moment.
Well, I don't know, have you got any more birthday
banter about auto light resistor spark plugs?
No banter, Hap, just facts.
For the fact is, those wide-gaff auto light resistor
spark plugs are wonderful. They're sensational.
They're ignition engineered.
And there's a type for every make of car.
Why, by Cornelius, everyone ought to switch to a set of
auto light resistor spark plugs right away.
And now, Hap, here's one more rousing spark plug rhyme.
Let's read it together.
Hap, you can tell the difference in your car
with auto light resistor spark plugs, Thar.
Well, Hap, you certainly ought to remember
this auto light resistor spark plug birthday.
And friends, here's something for everyone to remember.
Auto light means spark plugs.
Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs.
Auto light means batteries.
Stay full, batteries.
Auto light means ignition system.
The lifeline of your car.
And now, here again is William Bendix.
Thank you.
It's always a pleasure to appear on Suspense.
This is probably every actor's favorite program,
and I know that...
Help! Help! Let me out!
Hey, there's someone in that closet.
Well, Jack Benny, what are you doing in there?
Oh, hello, Bill.
I, uh, glad somebody let me out.
I don't get it. What's the idea, Jack?
Well, you see, Bill, I'm moving my program to CBS Sunday nights
and I thought I'd drop in and look over the studio, take one out.
And then all of a sudden all that shooting started
and I hid in the closet.
I'm sure glad you didn't stop any of those bullets, Jack.
We all want to hear you next Sunday night on CBS.
Your program has always been on my must list, along with Suspense.
Well, thanks, Bill.
By the way, what about next week's Suspense?
Next week, radio's outstanding theater of thrills
presents Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in To Find Help,
another gripping study in...
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let me say it, will you?
You know, that one word. Let me say it.
Oh, sure, Jack.
Next week, hear Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in To Find Help,
another gripping study in...
Suspense!
Who said I can't do grammar?
William Bendix appears through the courtesy of his own radio show,
The Life of Riley, sponsored by Prel,
and will soon be seen in the Paramount picture,
The Streets of Laredo.
Wally Mayer was heard as Kivlehan.
Tonight's Suspense play was adapted for radio
by Joseph Ruscall and Walter Newman
from the original story by Thomas Walsh.
Music was composed by Lucien Morawek and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder.
In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars
as Danny Kay, Robert Montgomery, Dana Andrews, and many others.
Make it a point to listen each Thursday to
Suspense! Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills.
And next Thursday, same time,
hear Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in To Find Help.
This is the Auto Light Suspense show.
Take advantage of high prices for steel scrap.
Turn in yours to your local scrap dealer.
Good night. Happy New Year from Auto Light.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.