Suspense.
And the producer of Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, the master of mystery and adventure, William N. Robeson.
Life is a series of choices, many of them uncomfortable, as when one is compelled to choose between what he wants to do and what he ought to do.
The child learns through tears, chastisement, an example, to curb his compulsive desires and cooperate in his society.
And in this he is assisted by the grown-ups around him. But what about the grown-up?
Who is there to assist him when he is caught between the horns of the ancient dilemma love or duty?
Caught also 8,000 feet above the earth with the lives of 47 people depending on his decision.
Listen, listen then, as Bartlett Robinson stars in The Crowded Void, which begins in exactly one minute.
Another visit with Joe and Daphne Forsyte.
Joe, Joe.
Huh?
Come on, Joe, get up, it's two o'clock.
What do you want?
Joe, you gotta get off that couch and fix up the yard.
Oh, Saturday, let me sleep.
No, we've gotta keep the place in good shape. Now rise and shine.
Oh, come on, Daphne, I'll do it tomorrow.
Tomorrow, always tomorrow. You can't keep putting things off.
I don't. Who was it about the savings bond to take care of our future?
Who suggested the idea?
Well, who read the story in the paper that told about bonds being a good investment because they pay off $4 for every three?
And who pointed out the article for you to read?
Well...
Right, and now I'm pointing out the yard to you. Our bonds are guaranteed by the government. Our grass isn't. Mow.
That proves it.
What?
A little knowledge in the hands of the wrong person can be dangerous.
What does that mean?
You know one plain simple fact. Bonds are a good investment.
Now you not only use it to get me to buy a bond a month on a payroll savings plan, but you'll probably use it against me the rest of my life.
If it gets you to mow the yard, I will. Move out, boy.
I'm going, I'm going. But understand this. My next wife is going to show more respect for my hard work.
So would I if I ever saw any. Bye.
Murder.
And now...
The Crowded Void, starring Bartlett Robinson. A tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
Your attention please. Pacific Central Airways announces the immediate departure of southbound flight 17 for Los Angeles. Now loading at gate number two.
I stood on the ramp at San Francisco Airport and watched my passengers string out to the plane. And the telegram in my jacket pocket felt like a sheet of lead.
Usually it made me proud to think that these strangers would trust their lives to me in the blackness overhead. Tonight, I was scared.
Hey, Sam.
Yeah, Mel?
I've got our Los Angeles weather.
Oh, how is it?
Not much better than it is here. Fog and drizzle, 500 foot ceiling, lowering, half a mile visibility, extreme turbulence.
Anything else?
Yeah, they got planes stacked up to 5,000 feet over LA International waiting to land.
Oh, brother.
The Spachy wants to know if you're going to cancel.
Well, I'd sure hate to.
I know. You heard anything more?
No, not since the telegram. I should never have taken this flight.
Oh, look, Sam, you didn't know when you left LA that she would...
I shouldn't have left her.
Well, there's no use beating yourself for it now.
Yes, and there's no use bouncing around over LA with a plane full of passengers.
Well, we'll cancel for a while and wait it out here until the traffic thins out down south.
Captain Bradley of Pacific Central Airlines.
You have Sally tell the passengers.
Captain Bradley of Pacific Central Airlines.
Hey, that's me.
You have a long distance call at the dispatcher's desk. A long distance call at the dispatcher's desk for Captain Bradley.
Yes, yes, I'm coming.
Your Northern Airlines passenger, R.T. Eckler, please report to the county.
I hear you are, Captain. It's Los Angeles.
Thanks.
Hello.
Sir, this is Dr. Lambert.
Yes, doctor.
You getting my wire?
Yes.
When are you getting in, son?
Well, I don't know. We're canceling the flight.
The weather's all socked in down there, doctor.
Oh.
What's wrong?
Well, she's in labor. I'm with her now.
Is she all right?
I don't like it. Not after the last one.
Well, doctor, she'll pull through, won't she?
She's afraid she won't. She's afraid she'll die, Sam, without seeing you.
Now, you get down to the sun just as soon as you can.
Yes, yes. Can I talk to her?
Well, all right.
Sam.
Oh, Jeannie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left.
It's all right, darling. I guess the stork caught a tailwind.
Sam, Sam, I'm scared. I'm so scared.
Jeannie.
What if I never see you again? Oh, darling, get here quick. Please get here.
I'll be there. You hang on. I'll be there.
Dispatcher.
Yes, sir?
Flight 17 will go out on schedule.
This is the last call for Pacific Central Airlines flight number 17 for Los Angeles.
All aboard, please.
Hi, Sam. Is we is or is we ain't?
We'll go, Sally. Where's Mel?
In the cockpit.
Sam, would you stop and talk to the woman in seat 11 with the baby?
Oh, all right. Why, first flight?
Yes, she's terrified. Her name's Gordon.
Okay. Oh, pardon me, sir. Excuse me. May I get through, please?
Well, Mrs. Gordon?
Yes.
What's this little character's name? Hi there, butch.
She's a little girl, Captain. Her name's Nita.
Yes, she sure is cute. Hey, Nita.
She likes you, Captain. Do you have children?
No, no, no, not yet. My wife's expecting now.
She, well, she lost the first one.
Hey, look at that yawn.
She's not about to let an airplane ride interfere with her sleep.
Captain, are we going in this fog?
Why, sure. It's perfectly okay.
Well, good night, Nita. You sleep tight.
Oh, Mrs. Gordon? Yes?
Don't worry.
All right, Captain. Thank you.
You bet.
Now, Sally. Yes, sir.
Come on forward, please.
You're right. That woman's scared to death.
Keep an eye on her. It's going to be rough over L.A.
All right, Sam.
And you'd better get dinner cleared away by the time we make pass-a-robles.
I'll start serving as soon as we're lost.
Sam, the dispatcher's on with the nine o'clock weather.
Oh, hand me my headset, huh? All right.
Bakersfield report ceiling 500, one mile visibility.
Los Angeles weather. Los Angeles International now 300 feet.
One quarter mile visibility, light drizzle.
Situation deteriorating, extreme turbulence.
This is a specific sample.
Not so good, Sam. You going to cancel?
Nope. Let's crank them up.
Well, whatever you say.
Number three, prop clear.
Turning number three.
H-blade switching boost on.
Bring in mixture on number three.
Flight.
Number four clear.
Clear.
Turning number four.
Pacific Central 462, this is your dispatcher.
This is Pacific Central 462. Go ahead.
462, San Francisco Center advises possible delay over Los Angeles
due to weather and extremely heavy airway traffic.
Do you wish to cancel?
Sam, you catch that?
Tell him negative. We're going.
Negative, 462 departing on schedule. Out.
In a moment, we continue with the second act of suspense.
Memo on medals, interesting information about our military awards and decorations.
For almost the first half century of its existence from 1862 till 1904,
the original design of the Medal of Honor was identical for both the Army and Navy.
A five-pointed star with a large medallion in the center showing the goddess of wisdom, Minerva,
warding off the figure of discord.
The Navy Medal of Honor hung suspended from its ribbon by a small anchor.
The Army Medal of Honor by an eagle resting on crossed cannons.
Originally, the ribbon was the same for both branches of service.
Thirteen vertical stripes of red and white topped with a blue border.
In 1904, the Army changed its medal to the present design
with just the head profile of Minerva in the center of a smaller star
backed with a green enamel laurel wreath.
In 1913, the Navy changed its Medal of Honor service ribbon,
and in 1919 made an additional change resulting in the present day design.
Five white stars on a field of blue.
The Medal of Honor today as in the past remains the highest military decoration
that can be earned by an American serviceman for devotion and valor
above and beyond the call of duty.
It is an inspiring call to great sacrifice and dedication
undimmed throughout the long years of our history as a free people.
And now...
Starring Bartlett Robinson, act two of The Crowded Void.
The Crowded Void
Awful rough out there.
You getting tired, Sam?
No, I'm okay.
Hey.
What's the matter?
I forgot to make our Santa Barbara position report.
Relax, boss. I made it.
Oh. I don't know what's wrong with me tonight.
I do.
Gene, you'll be okay, Sam.
I hope so, Mel.
I have us at Malibu intersection in 30 seconds. We're four minutes late.
Okay. Call Los Angeles Approach Control.
Roger.
Los Angeles Approach Control, this is Pacific Central 462, over.
This is Los Angeles Approach Control. Go ahead.
This is 462, over Malibu intersection at 2255.
8,000 feet, instrument flight plan to Los Angeles International.
Estimate Los Angeles at 2302.
You have an approach clearance for us, over.
Negative. Hold on the Los Angeles range. Maintain 8,000 feet until further instructions out.
Oh, no.
Ask him how long we'll have to wait.
Okay, Sam. Approach Control, this is Pacific Central 462.
Can you give me an estimate on how long we'll have to hold, over?
462, at least 20 minutes delay.
Request you hold your radio transmissions to a minimum.
There are five other commercial airliners and a flight of Air Force jets stacked below you. Out.
I guess he told us...
20 minutes.
I'm sorry, Sam.
Yeah.
Well, at least we're in line.
Hmm?
Rough there. That's rough.
Better put on the seatbelt light, Mel.
It's been on for five minutes.
What?
Well, thanks.
Sam. Sam, how long until we land?
About 20 minutes more. Why, have you got a date?
Oh, Sam.
Oh, I'm sorry, Sally. What's the trouble?
It's Mrs. Gordon.
Mrs. Gordon?
The woman with the baby. She wants to speak to you.
She knows we're late and the rough air doesn't help, and now the baby senses it and it's howling its head off.
The others are getting nervous too, and I just can't handle it.
Take it easy, Sally. Mel, go on back.
Yes, sir.
No, Sam. You, she wants to talk to the captain.
She wants me to leave the cockpit now? Don't be silly.
Please, Sam, please.
Go on back, Sam. I can handle it.
I know you can, but...
Okay, Mel. But hold our assigned altitude.
You wait here, Sally, until you get hold of yourself.
Well, here, here. What's this?
Now, what's the matter, Neeta?
What do you suppose is the matter? She's scared to death.
Now, now, Mrs. Gordon, why don't you let the stewardess take her and give her some warm milk?
No. If we're going to crash, I want her with me.
Mrs. Gordon, nobody's going to crash.
How do you know? You don't even know where we are. We're lost, that's why.
Mrs. Gordon, if we were lost, you'd think I'd be back here with you.
Well, no.
Oh, Captain, I'm sorry. But when you talked to me before, you seemed worried yourself, and I got thinking about it.
Well, you thought I was bothered about the weather?
Yes.
Well, it wasn't that. I'll tell you why I looked worried.
My wife is in the hospital having a baby right this minute.
The doctor called me just before we took off.
How awful. And you're flying anyway?
Well, she's in Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles?
In Los Angeles.
Yes.
And that's why we came?
What do you mean?
That's why we came, isn't it, Captain? You wouldn't have tried it otherwise, would you?
Mrs. Gordon, this is a scheduled flight. My wife's condition has nothing to do with it.
It does too. You're afraid for her and you brought us with you. Now we're all going to be killed.
You have no right to leave me.
I'll try to get her to take a step again.
Well, you'd better, Sally. I don't know how much more I can take tonight.
Oh, Sam. Mel wants you in the cockpit. Something's gone wrong down below.
Yeah, Mel, what's wrong?
Put on your headset. We got trouble.
What?
Air Force Jet 439. Any Air Force jet in the flight at 7,000 holding on Los Angeles radio. Do you read me? Over.
He's been trying to contact a flight of F-100s for five minutes.
At 7,000? We're still holding eight?
Yes, sir. Listen.
Attention all aircraft holding on Los Angeles range. We've lost contact with a flight of three F-100 jets holding at 7,000 on Los Angeles radio.
All aircraft above 7,000 maintain present altitude until further advice.
Oh, Mel, we've had it. They can't get them out of there until they contact them. They'll never clear us through a flight of jets.
Clear us through them? I hope to tell you they won't. If they do, I get out and walk.
Ask approach control for the estimated delay.
Sam, how is he going to know until he contacts the jets? Ask him.
You're the boss.
Los Angeles approach control. This is Pacific Central 462. You have an estimated approach time for us. Over.
This is approach control. Negative, negative. The delay is indefinite. Repeat. The delay is indefinite. Indefinite.
Indefinite. It couldn't be indefinite. Give me a time. Something to wait for. Don't just say indefinite.
Suppose I let down anyway. It's a big sky. They're fast and I'm slow, but it's a big sky. What are the odds? What are Jeannie's odds?
Oh, darling, get here. Please get here quick. Please get here.
I'll be there, Jeannie. You just hang on. I'll be there.
Sam. Hey, Sam, what's wrong? I got the controls. No, no, Sam, let me fly, will you? I got...
Tell him I'm letting down. You what? Get your hands off. Tell him.
Approach control. This is 462. We're... Sam, we can't... Tell him.
This is 462. We're... We're commencing descent from 8000. Out.
Say again. 462. 462. Maintain your altitude. Do not descend. There is jet traffic at 7000. Do you read me?
Start the landing check-off list. We can't do it, Sam. Those jets will clobber us. Check-off list.
Mixtures full rich. Mixtures full rich. Carburetor air direct. Carburetor air direct.
Throttle's coming back. Throttle's coming back. Sam, don't do it.
In just a moment, we continue with the third act of... suspense.
We have together ample capacity in freedom to defend freedom.
This is NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The military organization of NATO has four major components.
The Military Committee, consisting of the Chief of Staff of each member country.
The Standing Group, which represents the Chiefs of Staff from France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Commands, by geographic location.
And the Canadian United States Regional Planning Group.
Of these, the Military Committee is the senior authority.
The United States of America is a part of NATO.
You should be aware of and alert to the programs and objectives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
And now...
Starring Bartlett Robinson, Act 3 of The Crowded Void.
Air Force Jet 439. Any Air Force Jet at 7,000...
What's our altitude?
7,500 feet.
Sam, you just can't do this.
Dropping into a flight of F-100s and this monster will want to start a suck-up.
Just read me my altitude.
What is your altitude? Are you descending...
Don't answer him. And keep your eyes open, Mel.
Keep my eyes open? I can't even see our wingtips.
Sam, for the last time, you're at 7,300 feet.
300 feet more and we'll be in them.
Close my cowl flaps.
Sam, are we landing?
Yes.
Oh, wonderful.
Altitude, Mel?
7,200, all, brother.
Sam, I tried the sedative on that woman. It worked.
Mrs. Gordon, the baby, the other passengers, they're all as calm as clams now.
What? What did you say?
Mrs. Gordon and the baby and the other passengers are just as calm...
7,100.
Mrs. Gordon, the baby, the passengers...
Mrs. Gordon and the baby, the passengers...
47 human beings, 49 counting Mel and Sally.
They're depending on me.
And I'm gambling their lives.
Down there somewhere beneath those lost, screaming jets,
one human being depending on me.
The odds?
They're too great.
Mel!
Yeah, Sam?
Give me climbing power, quick!
Bringing in climbing power.
Let's get up out of here.
Oh, let's get up out of here.
Altitude, 71, lift the climbing.
Whoa!
You hear that, Sam?
Yes, I heard.
Genie, darling, hang on for a little while longer.
Hang on, Genie.
I'll get there as soon as I can.
The Pacific Central Airlines announces the arrival of flight number 17 from San Francisco.
You taxied up to the ramp, Mel.
I've had it.
Just follow that last jet.
Okay, Skipper.
Pacific Central 462, this is Los Angeles Tower. Is your captain's name Bradley, Sam Bradley?
Uh-oh.
There goes your license, Sam.
Mine too, probably.
No, no, not yours. Just answer him.
This is 462.
Affirmative.
I have a man waiting at your spot with a message.
Don't miss him.
A message?
It's Genie.
I know it.
I'm going back.
You shut her down, Mel.
Oh, pardon me, sir.
Please, ma'am, will you excuse me?
Move, will you, please?
Hey, it was a nice landing, Captain.
I'm sorry. Let me through, please.
Hey, you from approach control?
Yes, Captain Bradley?
Yes.
Captain, I'm sorry I blew my top at you on the radio. Everybody's jittery tonight.
We thought you said you were letting down.
There's a message.
They said you had a message?
Oh, yeah, the hospital called.
Yes.
You got a little boy.
Seven pounds, three ounces.
What about my wife?
Well, now, take it easy, Captain. Take it easy.
She's all right.
Are you positive?
Well, that's what the man said.
She's all right.
Sally, she's all right.
Oh, Mrs. Gordon.
She had a little boy and she's all right.
Oh, I'm so glad. You were frantic about her, weren't you?
Oh, God, I guess so.
I had to be so silly. I'm sorry, really, I am.
No, no, Mrs. Gordon, you were all right.
No, I wasn't. I wasn't.
But I'm glad we came.
Yes, Mrs. Gordon.
I'm glad you came, too.
Suspense.
In which Bartlett Robinson starred in William N. Robeson's production of
The Crowded Void by Michael Frost.
Supporting Mr. Robinson and The Crowded Void were
Ellen Morgan, Shirley Mitchell, Dee Tatum, John Dana, Barney Phillips, and Sam Pearce.
Listen.
Listen again next week when we return with another tale
well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
Suspense has been brought to you through the worldwide facilities
of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
Suspense.