Radio City Playhouse - Blackout

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1:00And with great deals across the lineup, now's the time to find yours. But hurry, these deals won't last long. Toyota's easy choice sales event ends soon. We make it easy. Toyota, let's go places. The national broadcasting company presents Radio City Playhouse, attraction 51, Blackout, as written and directed by Harry W. Junkin. Ladies and gentlemen, here is Harry W. Junkin. Good evening. Tonight we are very happy indeed to welcome Ms. Jan Minor back to Radio City Playhouse after an absence of almost 10 weeks. To our regular listeners, she needs no introduction.

2:02To our new listeners, may we say that she is one of the busiest, most talented, most charming, and most sought after actresses in New York. She has heard regularly over NBC and Laura Lotton, Road of Life, and the eternal light to name only a few. Co-starring with Jan Minor tonight is Mr. Arnold Moss, who will shortly be seen in a featured role in the new Eagle Lion picture, Rain of Terror. Mr. Moss, too, is a veteran NBC actor. And in between many radio and television engagements, he is at the moment working on the part of Malvolio in 12th Night, which will open on Broadway this fall. Here then is Jan Minor as Jane and Arnold Moss as Johnny in Blackout. Attraction 51 on Radio City Playhouse.

3:17Roger, this is Jane Burhamon. Roger, was Johnny with you last night? Yes, why, why? Because he isn't home yet, nice. I'm worried. I thought meeting you. No, Jane, it was sort of a celebration, you know. Murdoch being made editor and everything, I really... Roger, he didn't take a drink, did he? Yes, honey, I'm afraid he tied one on. Roger. He promised. He knows what happened when he drinks. He promised me. Roger, hadn't you had any idea what he might be? Oh, Jane, go back to bed and relax. Johnny will be all right. Roger, I... hello. Hello? Jane Burhamon's face is drawn and worried.

4:24She looks out the window, sees nothing, and returns to the center of the room, where she stands uncertainly. At this exact moment a man turns off Lexington Avenue on to 71st Street. For most people a new day is just beginning, but for Johnny Burhamon an evening has just ended. His expensive suit is wet and torn, one sleeve of his overcoat is missing entirely. His nose has been bleeding and the blood is caked on his shirt front. His face is very dirty and he's lost his hat. Oh, Johnny doesn't care about any of this because... Johnny is a pathological drinker, a dip so many act in the most literal sense of the word. Nobody seems to mind this except his wife because Johnny is charming. He loves people and everybody. And when he's drunk he thinks everybody loves him. It never occurs to him that anyone would be revolved by his appearance or his smell.

5:25He throws his arm around the dormant and the dormant doesn't protest. He's used to Johnny. He's a little nauseated by Johnny's closeness, but he's very kind as he helps him into the elevator. The dormant understands that Johnny is just Johnny. tienes lads. ∞∞∞R here. ∞∞ Let's go get some food. ∞ ∞∞ The Y Salesibly Have You Been U couidden to sytu the idea of borrowing children? The Y傢class has earned away from us – right? The Y傢class has earned away from us. Hey, where am I? You're almost in your apartment. Yeah, I know, but what city? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Yeah, yeah, it's a better man. I just take that easy. Thanks. Oh, God, he was dying of fight.

6:25Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, you're a good fellow, Paterson. And was I in a fight? I took Frank Murrach, you know? And no, I don't, Mr.ga, I want you out. Yep. That's it. Jump up and down on his face until I kick all his brains out. Yeah, he doesn't have any brains. I said I killed my abs. Lutely murdered him. That little teaching. Hey, hey, hey, hey, Mr. Christmas again. James the Burma, you sure know how to do it. Madame, you have just won the Nobel Prize. Good morning, Mrs. Burma. Thank you, Paterson. I'll get him in. Oh, yeah, you're sure you can manage, Mrs. Burma? Yes, Paterson, I can manage.

7:26Thank you. Come on in, Johnny. No, I don't think I should. He's your field's fine, Mrs. Burma. That's all, Paterson. Come on, honey. Say, please. Please? Some peas and some old kids. If you need me, Mrs. Burma, just bring the buzzer. I'll come right up. Thank you, Paterson. Give me a kiss, James. Don't listen nonsense and come make sure. Sure. This is quite a joint. Stop it. You're not that drunk. How are you now? Because you're trying to be funny. Next, you're asking, what city this is? And expect me to lie. All right, what? Well, I don't think you are funny. I think you're disgusting. Don't let the bedroom and take off those clothes. Thank you very much. Well, you stop playing the fool. Well, you mad. You mad. Come on, James. Give me a kiss. Oh, not in the head. Not in the head. And want me to beat you up? I snapped my fingers. You would fall over. Now, will you please get him dressed and get to bed? I'll beat up Frank Murdock. Oh, boy, oh, boy. As I beat him up, I murdered him. I absolutely murdered him.

8:27Very cheap. Think of it. Jumped up and down his face until I kicked his... Will you please go to bed? Yeah. Oh, sure. I'm sure of that, though. I had to get Patterson back up again into the bedroom. Then we took off his shirt and shoes and covered him with a blanket. Patterson thought it was amusing. He thinks Johnny's a sport that he's very gay and charming. And Patterson left, I wiped the blood off his Johnny's face with a wet wash rack. He was asleep instantly and I sat there beside him and walked through the morning. What do you do with men like Johnny? He has a funny little black curl that falls over his forehead. He has a good look. And Johnny. Hi. Well, anyway, it was almost five in the afternoon when he woke up.

9:33The showers and the shave drank six glasses of water, four glasses of orange juice and three cups of coffee. Then he sent me out to the paper. When I came back, I could smell the bourbon again. It had to have a dream to steady himself. He sat there reading the paper. And I sat there looking at him. Aren't you reading the papers? Nope. Don't sit there looking so holy. Sorry? So I promised I wouldn't and I did. I got drunk and I'm an alcoholic. Let's drop it. I didn't say anything. No, but you'd like to. Not anymore. If there's no, you're talking about it anymore. Well, why don't you quit? I'm just about ready to. Always preach. I wish I'd had a camera this morning. You were a grand-looking thing when Patterson brought you upstairs. Mark, still.

10:34Street dirt. Get your phone in it. Within your hair. That grey overcoat you wanted once and now there's a sleeve missing. Show her by another coat. You want to buy another wife? Why do you want to leave? Well, there are all sorts of women you can hire to wash your face and clean you up after you've had a good roll in the bar. Go away. Johnny, there's no use talking about it anymore. We just can't go on this way. Heaven knows I love you. I do. But I just can't stand it anymore. The way you were this morning. I can't stand it. Jane, please. I'm crying more to any good. I know I've been crying for six years. I wanted to stop. Wres his cars, his apartment. Maybe if we were poor, it'd be better. Maybe you had to work for a living instead of dabbling in an odd magazine, writing stuff at nobody. Always you lay off, whining, whining, always whining. All right. What about dinner? What about it? I don't want to eat in or go out somewhere. I don't think I could stand a domestic evening. When I put on my feathers, I just go straight. It's a simple little life with a cafe drunk.

11:34If you're so determined to be unpleasant, you can go to the devil. What did like? Why? Going to the devil, you want to know. You shut up here. Here, read the paper. Would you mind handing me the whole thing? A reach for it. You're not a cripple. Thank you. My hero. I look, Jane. I'm sorry I was rude. Let's drop it. Do you get tickets for Liberty? Yes. For when? September the 8th. The Thursday. That's good. Jane, I am sorry. Really, really, I am. All right. I feel a little tough. I just sort of lost my temper. I am. And what is it? Murdoch. Frank Murdoch. Or what? He was murdered last night. What do you say? It's here in the paper. You're kidding. No, he really, really. There, at the top. Eugene Franklin Murdoch, prominent in New York Literary Circles, was found in an unconscious condition in an alley on East 50th

12:35Street early this morning. What? He died. He died shortly after admission to a Midtown hospital of head injuries, which resulted in severe hemorrhages. The dead man had been celebrating his recent appointment as editor of True Arts magazine. Jane, I couldn't have done it. It's absolutely ridiculous. But you said you jumped up and down on his day. I did. To me and the Patterson. To Patterson. He told me. When I went out to get the papers, he remarked that you had a pretty big evening, that you told him you'd beaten some fellow up. Did I say it was Murdoch? Yes. Yes, you did, Jane. I don't fight with people I never get in that city. And you fought with somebody last night, you were covered with blood and your nose had been bleeding. What's ridiculous? It's absolutely ridiculous. Where isn't it Jane, isn't it? I don't know. What do you want me to do? Well, can't you remember anything?

13:35Do you expect me to go down to the police and tell them I think I killed Frank Murdoch? Can't you remember, John? Can't you remember anything that happened? No, not much. Not much toward the end. I know. I know. Larry Oathweith, which joined Frank and Roger. I'd say maybe Roger would know I'd write. Why didn't you seem to know much when I spoke to him? What did you phone him? I've found him this morning. It was seven o'clock. I thought maybe you'd been killed or something. Oh, Jane. Oh, what am I supposed to think when you don't come home in the morning? No, seven in the morning. Am I just supposed to go to bed as if nothing was in that. I haven't taken a step. Don't start crying. Well, that's what I do now, Johnny, is cry. I can't help it. It's all supposed to be so gay and charming. I'm sorry. Phone, Roger. And say if he knows anything. I can't just ask him if he thinks I killed Frank. Well, make something. Please, phone him. All right, give me the phone. You know, his number? Yes. Doesn't the answer?

14:35Wait a minute. Hello. Oh, Roger. Oh, hello, Johnny. How do you feel? I can make you think you're quiet. I'm fine, Roger. How are you? I don't know. I was literally to tell. What time do you and Murdoch get home? Well, we, the last. You sure were. I left you some joy on 52nd Street. I bet Murdoch is dead. Dead? Yes, you sure had a load last time I saw him. Well, I...well, I... Anything wrong, Johnny? No, no, no, no. I just thought I'd call. So long, Roger. What did he say? So that Murdoch and I wound up the party in the... Left us some joy on 52nd Street. Wait. If that he was killed in an alley, all 52nd Street. What, Jane Jane, I couldn't. I couldn't have killed him. I...I never want to fight when I'm drunk. Never, I never hit anybody. Never. You've hit me. I have it. This summer, don't squeeze in. Spread out. Find homes big enough for your whole guest list on Verbo.

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16:36Small hot coffee and hash frowns for just fixed stars. Price and participation may vary. Promotion pricing may be lower than meal pricing. There's your hand. Don't you see what this sort of thing does to you? You don't remember anything. You behave like something out of a stock chain. Do you think I killed him? You said so. You said so twice. The Patterson and the I don't know. I don't know what to think. I'm frightened. Could you phone Mrs. Murdoch? Why? What could I say? Well, maybe she knows more than. Well, it doesn't involve you, Goldiflone. You could ask for fame. Maybe she knows something. I can't ask to speak to him when I know you. Dead I couldn't keep it out of my voice. Well, then, what do we do? All right, I'll phone her. No, no, I can't. I can't do it. I'll call Roger and tell him. I should have asked him the place and name it. I'd place on 52nd Street. You think you did it, don't you? I can tell someone look on your face. You think you killed him? I couldn't. I could not find out. We'll sit. We'll just sit tight and wait. No.

17:36But we won't. We'll get out of town. No. Yes, yes. We'll go somewhere. We'll go someplace where nobody can fly. No. But what do you want me to do? Sit around in the cops. Come and drive me up and have a stop for the neck. If I did do it, I'll find the sleep from my overcoat. Maybe in the morning. You can't run away from it. I can't wait for it. Please. Don't get panicked, please. Let's make it for a minute. Let's not do anything crazy. If you didn't have anything to do with it, running away will only make it look twice as bad. And if you did do it, they'll find you. You'll never be able to hide from them forever. So, phone rodger and... and asking right out, look on. God. Phone in. You asking? No. I can't. I can't. You know with anything about it. It sounds funny. Now, Roger, this is the last time you've seen me. I've never seen you. You're the one who's been there. You're the one who's been there. I'll ask you. I'll ask you. You're the one who's been there. Oh, I can't. I'll ask you. I'll ask you. I'll ask you. I'll ask you. I'll ask you. Hello. At Roger this journey again. Jane and I are having a little discussion.

18:36And, well, what was the name of that place that Murdock and I ended up in last night, huh? Don't you remember? Well, you know how it is, Roger? Oh, no, I don't. What do you mean? I've, uh, I've seen the paper. You have? Yes. Well, what was the name of the place? Silver Moon Bar. On 52nd Street. Mm-hmm. Well, Roger, we're frank and I getting along all right. I mean, did we fight or anything? If you've seen the paper, you know what I mean. I'm just trying to make up my mind. I've come to the conclusion that if anybody asked me, I'd have to say you weren't getting along all right. Goodbye, Johnny. No, Roger. Wait, wait, Roger. Listen, listen. He hung up. What did he say? He said that if anybody asked him, he'd have to say that Murdock and I weren't getting along very well. Oh, dear Lord. We were in the Silver Moon Bar on 52nd Street.

19:38Do you want to go down there? Do you think we should? No, I don't know. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go. I said, let the Marine know. Think we're not in and go away. Shh, shh. Listen. Johnny, please let me go. Let the Marine go away. Let the Marine go. We can't just pretend we're out every time. The bad. Shh, shh, shh. There they've gone. We're going to catch a plane for Canada. No. We're going to plan for Montreal every hour. I can't get out of here. I'm not going to stay here and have a murder pinned on me that... Well, if I did do it with a knife... I won't let you leave. I won't let you leave. I won't let you leave. Johnny, please. Please let me go. Please. Hey. They're coming in. This is Bermond. Patterson. Anything wrong? What is it? I have a positive here for Maysys. It came this morning. I forgot to bring it up. I thought you warned him when you didn't answer the bell. Just... Just leave it in the hall. All came this is Bermond.

20:39Johnny, you've got the face. Every time the bell rings we can't jump like this, we've got to find out. We've got to go down to the headcam. Johnny, you've got the face. Find out. We've got to go down to that cafe and find out. Yes. Oh, Johnny, if you'd see me through this... I promise I'll never, never, ever take a drink again as long as I lived. So help me, God. We knew then that even if Johnny had done it, we'd have to find out the truth. Patterson got the car out for us and just as we pulled away from the front of the apartment, we saw a precinct car slide into the space we just left. We stopped for a red light at the corner of Fifth Avenue and I looked bad. Can you see anything? They're talking to Patterson.

21:40For one in uniform, the other not. I'll go over the east with a drive. No, go down there. It's easier to get lost and have a track. Of course, everything's for me. I don't know. I couldn't have done it. I couldn't. Be careful. Don't go too fast. What's the number on this effect? I don't know. We'll have to look for it. The silver moon bar should be so hard to find with a name like that they probably got a neon sign six feet high. Now that we're here, I have quite no what we're supposed to do. I suppose we could order something. So you want to drink? No. Go ahead. If you want to. What would you mind? No. But, no, no.

22:40Well, I have coffee. Jane, Jane, I'm finished. I'll never ever take another. I'm finished. I quit. No, you haven't. Oh, yes. Yes, Jane. I promise I promise I'm on the way. Don't make promises, you can't believe it. I don't see this time. I mean it. Do you recognize any of the waiters? Yeah, little dark fellow. Oh, I'm not sure. I don't even recognize a place like it on the waiters. But you're sure you were here? Well, I just said we were. But don't you remember it? No. Couldn't you ask me the waiter if you could? Here he comes. All right, folks, why don't we tonight? What do you have here? I have plain ham sandwich and coffee. Yes, I could too, please. Toe plain ham sandwiches to coffees, okay? Oh, waiter. Yeah, what is it, Mack? Do you remember me being in here last night? That's all right, Mack, you were plastic. No hot female. No, no. What did I do? You sucked that guy you were with, huh? That's all right, I didn't like him neither.

23:40It's okay. Lots of guys get a little rough. Forget it, Mack. We're used to characters. Johnny. I'm frightened. Can't be true. It's okay. Oh, shit. Roger said you quarrel. This waiter says you sucked him. You said you beat him up. You were covered with blood. Your nose was bleeding. I'm afraid, Johnny. I'm afraid that this time... What is it? A waiter's phone. Look behind you. The fellow that took our order was using the tape on the corner. Maybe it's a friend. No, watch out. He's looking at us. He knows we're watching him. Let's get out of here. No. He's following the cops. I can tell he's being very casual. Where are we going to go? We can't go home now. Where can we go? Let me go. You should have let me go to Canada. Sorry, no money. No, no, no. Johnny, we've got to go down and face it. We've got to leave here and drive to a police station. That's face it. No, no, I'm going. I'm getting up now and I'm working right out of that door. Are you coming? Please, the money on the table. Are you coming? What do you think?

24:41We can't go on driving all night, Johnny. It's nearly 11 o'clock. I'm not going back. I didn't do it. They're not going to hang something on me. I didn't do it. But where are we going? We feel cold. It's hardly anyone. We've got a hotel room somewhere. I don't know. Somewhere in a little town. How long forever? They'll chase you forever. For as long as you live. I'll run. I'll run for as long as I live. I'm not. What's that? The fire. Can you see anything? I can't see anything. Through the rear window. Stupid look. No, I can't. It's too dark. That's his light. No. No, Johnny, stop. Please stop. No, no, Johnny. Please. No. I'm going to drag me off the chair. Johnny, you can. That's what I said. You can't go on without facing him. I'll help you. I'll help you. I'll help you when you've got it facing him. Please. I'll help you. No. Johnny, look out. No. Get your guilt. Please, Johnny, slow down. Please. Take a hand on that key, Johnny. No, Johnny. I'm going to turn off the ignition. Get home. Where you want to go? I've been going to a tree or something. Go ahead. But I'm going to turn it off, Johnny. Go over the edge of the road.

25:41I'm telling you I'm meeting you. Go ahead. Go ahead. Kill it. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. No. Johnny. Johnny. Don't be afraid. I'll help you when you're... I'll help you, Johnny. I'll help you when you're... I'll help you when you're... Trying to kill somebody? No. No, I'm not. Let me have your license. Come on, step on it. I haven't got all night. I haven't got all night. Here you are. Thanks. I'll take you in right now. Got me idea how many people are killed by guys like you who go crazy on highways? Yeah. And the speed limit's 45. Remember that. Okay. Okay, officer.

26:42Now what? Oh, my guess. What else is there? Johnny. There's no use making promises, you can't keep. No, I won't. I tell you I'm through with drinking never, never ever again. I'm going to call the police and tell them they won't get me from murder at the most. It'll be man's slaughter. Certainly it wasn't premeditated. We'll get the best lawyer in town and fight will fight like mad. And Jane, if you'll stick with me, I swear I'll never take a drink again. Do you believe me, Jane? Do you? You said that so many times before. Oh, no, no, no, never, never like this.

27:44There's never been anything like this. Jane, do you believe me? Yes, Johnny. I think this time I do believe you. No, leave the radio off. I thought there might be some news. Lately in depth, the use of Senator Arthur Van Den Berg of Michigan, the principal Republican spokesman on fire and affairs. And of the local news, tonight Don Edges, a truck driver, walked into the central park police station and confessed to the killing of Frank Murdock. Poor man. A very short magazine whose body was found in an alley off 52nd street early this morning. Edges stated that Murdock was lying asleep or drunk in the alley and that his truck had passed over him before he could stop it. Edges stated that he had not reported the accident because of his fear that... Johnny, please don't.

28:48Please. Johnny, you promise. You have just heard blackout, attraction 51 on Radio City Playhouse. Jan Minor was Jane Burmont. Arnold Moss was her husband, Johnny. Other players included Louis Van Roten, Eugene Francis and Larry Blighten. The music was composed and conducted by Dr. Roy Shield. The script was written, directed and produced by Harry W. Jocken.

30:00This is Harry Jocken again. Please join us this Thursday for our final show in the 8 by Request Series, Elizabeth Scott in Machines. Next week on Radio City Playhouse, Joey was different, starring Louis Van Roten and Edith Gresham, a starring Vignette on juvenile delinquency. That's next week, attraction 52 on Radio City Playhouse. Tonight everybody. This is Fred Collins speaking. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company. This is Fred Collins speaking. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.

31:08This is Fred Collins speaking.