June 6, 2024 • 29 mins
Delve into the "Radio City Playhouse Collection," a comprehensive anthology of some of the most gripping and heartwarming episodes from this iconic radio series. Each story is a masterclass in dramatic storytelling, featuring compelling characters and unforgettable plots. Whether you're revisiting old favorites or discovering these gems for the first time, this collection offers a rich listening experience that captures the essence of classic radio drama. Perfect for fans of vintage entertainment and captivating narratives.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
The National Broadcasting Company presents Radio CityPlayhouse Attraction eighteen, Ladies and Gentlemen,
(00:32):
here's the director of Radio City Playhouse, Harry W. Junkins, to tell
you something of tonight's play. Thankyou, Bob One, ladies and gentlemen.
In response to your many hundreds ofletters asking to hear him again,
we're very happy to welcome mister JohnLarkin back to Radio City Playhouse. Two
weeks ago he played the part ofLloyd Bruckner in The Door and gave a
(00:53):
performance which drew rave notices from allover the country. Tonight, mister Larkin
appears in a similar type of play, but in a diametrically opposite type of
role, the role of a writer, an intellectual who is a little cynical,
a little disillusioned, and highly indignantat society over the conviction of a
twenty year old boy from murder.The script is called five Extra Newses and
(01:17):
was written by Charles Lee Hutchings,a writer new to Radio City Playhouse and
from whom we hope to receive moreplays in the very near future. We
like this particular script because it isboth entertaining and socially significant, a combination
of ingredients, which few writers achieve. Here then is John Larkin as the
writer in five extra newses by CharlesLee Hutchings Attraction eighteen on Radio City Playhouse.
(01:59):
Nice jail you got here, Warden? Yeah? All these cells empty?
Yeah, maybe you got an answerto the housing shortage. Look.
I don't like reporters, and Idon't think that was funny. I'm not
a reporter. I write for magazineand I don't particularly care what you think.
This kid's done a murder and he'sgonna hang in the morning, and
(02:19):
you come nosing around like a dog. Stick to your job, Warden.
You know I got permission from wayup top where I wouldn't be here tonight.
All the kids in this cell here, Hi, Jake, it's the
writing guy I was telling you about. What's the type? Nah, you
don't have to talk to this guyif you don't want to see That's what
(02:42):
the boss told me. He said, you don't have to hold it,
Bob, hold it. Look,kid, here's the setup. I went
to a lot of trouble to getthe okay to see you. I want
to get in that cell and talkto you a few minutes. I'm gonna
write a story. For a magazine. Was he here before? No,
No, I'm not a newspaper reporter. I just want to talk to you
for a few minutes. Now,you don't have to you don't have to
even talk to him if I waita minute. Look, kid, I
(03:05):
got permission from the top guy tocome and see you tonight. I'll just
come in there and you can well, you can watch me write my story.
Did you ever see anybody write astory? Won't do any harm,
might do some good for somebody.I don't know. I guess it'll be
all right. I mean, youdon't have the kid open the door and
let me. And you heard thekids say it's okay. Hmm. Don't
(03:38):
go in for space. Not enoughroom in here to swing a cat.
I'll sit on the edge of thiscot and get going. What's that?
What's what? What you got ina black bag? You're a doctor?
Who are you? Anyway? Takeit easy now, that's not a black
bag. That's my typewriter in ablack case. Hey see, it opens
(03:59):
up, that's up on its ownlegs like this. I've set that baby
up on the deck of a battleshipand then a tent in Holland and Berlin
and Tokyo. I never seen notypewriter like that. Was you at the
war? Yeah? Yeah, warcorrespondent fought the Battle of the Space Bar.
What were you doing while the warwas on? Oh? Moving around?
They said. I wasn't old enoughto get in the air force.
(04:20):
Hey, you heard anything about butme? What do you mean? You
know what I mean? Yesterday theytold me. He said, No,
Oh, you mean about your sentence. I heard that No, was final
tomorrow morning. What's the time nowit's about ten thirty. Now, let's
(04:41):
get going. What's the time?I asked you twenty five minutes to eleven,
and that's right by radio. Now. Look, I'm here to write
a story. I can watch ifyou like. Tonight, I am sitting
(05:06):
on the edge of a prison cotin the cell of a condemned murderer.
Between him and the rope which willbreak his neck and choke the breath from
his throat are nine hours of tortureddarkness. Soon, the collective hand of
(05:26):
society will reach out and pull thelever that will spring the trap and send
his feet kicking in mid air inthe death struggle. Perhaps the collective conscience
of society will permit itself a slightqualm. As I write, the murderer
watches me. He is nothing morethan a big, bone hulking, somewhat
(05:50):
dull kid who continually trembles, Andhe will die in the first light of
the morning. I shall write themabout the court which should have fried him.
It is a purely imaginary court,a court that exists only in this
(06:11):
article that I write. But itis a special court, a very special
court. This is a special court, a most unusual court, sitting tonight
(06:38):
in judgment on the ordinary people,you and you, and you, who
lead what might be called a blamehis life. But now you see a
new American law is being past,which reads, in part quote, whereas
the state decrees that no one lackingtwenty one full years age can now alone
(07:00):
be held responsible for any murder.It is ordered that a minimum of six
shall then be hanged if one suchyouth is condemned to die. Now that's
the law. And suddenly we findthat such a youth, coming under the
requirements of the Act, is tobe hanged tomorrow morning. And so this
(07:26):
court's been called to quickly find thenecessary five the five additional newses which you
wait along with the one society's decreedfor the young murderer acting for the state
in this emergency, A young manor writing fellow, I believe, will
now address the court ur honor.There is little time. The crack of
dawns are deadline, and there seemsto be a wealth of candidates for those
(07:46):
five extra mooses. Your officers arerounding up some prospects. Now I must
request a brief recess while I investigatea few and gather evidence to find the
next Which do most rightfully? Youbelong in those five extra belong in those
(08:15):
five extra nuss? What time isit's about? It's exactly twenty one minutes
to eleven. What's all that stuffyou're putting down there? That's what we
call a lead on my story.It's about an imaginary court that doesn't really
exist in that Look, kid,you don't need to be afraid of me.
(08:37):
I can't do any harm or anygood. I'm not scared of you
or anybody. What time is it? Look? Here, you why don't
you go away? Here? You? Look kid? Take it easy.
Now tell me about where you wentto school, things like that? What
four? Oh, never mind?What for? How do you get along
(08:58):
with the teacher is okay, exceptfor old lady pastness. She put me
out of class one day, hosonthrough and nothing, she just jumps me.
Then, the first person we shallcall in this imaginary court of mind,
this very special court, is theteacher of this boy who is to
(09:20):
hang tomorrow a the You're the teacherof the boy who is to hang tomorrow?
What if I was? Is anyreason to haul a president in the
(09:43):
public court? We don't know yet. We'll see if your indignant neck will
fit into one of our five news. Will our write prosecutor state the facts.
You didn't like this boy. Youput him out of class one day.
That day I think was chapter onein this particular story. Did six?
He was a bad one? Bad? I well remember him here bother
(10:09):
little girls. If you know whatI mean, fare is the details,
and get on. You tossed himup? What then? I don't have
time at trifle with his type?Do you know what happens when one apple
in the basket is not good?It isn't headline news? Now then,
as inspector of this human fruit,how did you dispose of this bad apple?
(10:30):
Which I think was only slightly bruised? About that time? I sent
him to the principle and got onwith the lessons. I remember I wrote
a note. It said I willnot have this youth fat in my class.
He is a potential murderer. Didyou write that? I know he
(10:52):
could not, but he was justa boy the honor. We waste time,
I think with her, this teacheris no better and no worse than
others. And it's true she hasno time to spend on battered fruit.
Let's have the principle. I amthe principal, and I consider it an
(11:13):
imposition to be summoned intercourse. Ihave more important Let's share what the prosecution
thinks. We've got to find sunnecks for these five newses. How then
did you dispose of this unworthy applecast out from the perfect company? You
mean, this fellow that they're goingto hang? Now, let's have no
nonsense. I simply strapped him soundadding yet another brules or driving deeper the
(11:37):
same blemish. And what then?I sent him home? I gave him
a sharp note to show his parents. Look, do you know I have
six hundred pupils in my school,and there's no time for nonsense with just
one. He tore that note topieces and wandered to a racetrack, where
an older fellow told him how tobeat this little rap. I did my
duty to my pupil and helped theboy to graduate to murder. Your honor,
(12:03):
I would say, we have butsympathy for this, and all for
work. And under bestowed official whosees his simple beauty, he has no
time. He says, it happensall that through his minor punishments, justly
and sternly meet it out for minorcrimes. He did set the rigid pattern
for the larger crime, and soas he must share the larger punishment.
(12:26):
I find it so. In thatenclosure, we have set five places for
five people. Those to fill thefive additional news is now decreed by our
new law. You, sir,the principle, may take your place in
the first of these, and mayGod give you full marks and pass you
on. So we hang the principle. How many were there in your family?
(13:03):
Me, Tom and Harry, andIsabelle and Sarah. Were you afraid
of your father? Nah? Iwasn't afraid of him or anybody else.
He used to come home stinking onSaturday nights. We'd all run out and
hide in the dump behind our house. Did he ever catch you? Yeah?
Mostly he'd go back in the houseand pass out. Has your father
been to see you here? Hahhah. I ain't seen him since the
(13:26):
cops ran him out of town.And so to this imaginary court about which
I write, we will summon thisyouth's parents, his mother and his father.
Let them be heard in this strangeand special court. First, we'll
call upon the mother. Quiet,you are the mother of this youth.
(14:05):
Yes, there you're an He wasone of mine. I've always done my
best, but Jake was too muchfor me. I looked him all right,
proper, but Jake had never bore. He'd stand and kind of shiver
(14:26):
as I whack him with a strap. He never was no good. But
once he stood up to his pawand he was kicking little Sarah I I
I kind of liked the way hehe heed that rock and hit his paw.
(14:48):
Rana were wasting time with his poortravesy of motherhood. That's the moment
when this woman's hands were needed tocaress with tenderness and loving care. They
were filled with scouring wolves and busywith the corridors in someone else's house and
when her understanding might have torn awaydark fears, permitting her poor brood to
see the light, her mind wasoccupied with pennies dropping in the jar to
(15:13):
pay the rent and buy the jug, the liquid equalizer that made her just
as good as anyone. Take itaway and send her home, Bring us
the father and the peace. Thenthey do something. Then, I ain't
been in trouble now for years.He ain't got not on me. See
(15:37):
I want about I'd jake in thepapers. I was three hundred miles away
from here. I can prove itall. If your small confession for a
court which has more time, thereare four nooses left to fill. One
morning comes so very soon, fournooses. He what is this? I
ain't never done, no waste insome receiving. You can string up a
(15:58):
guy for that. Now. Look, I know my rights. I'm white
told the angels not killing you.You can't mix mean any mode, red
by some quaint caprice of nature.You are in it. It seems to
me that we can save some timehere by nominating for a noose. This
bright eyed dodging rodent, to whomfatherhood was but an odious consequence of turning
(16:22):
in his bed one wretched knight.He hangs, remove him to the place
mark number two, and may Godfinds something where your soul should be.
(16:45):
What are you putting down all thatstuff for? About extra noosis? He
wrote something about my father. Heain't even here, skipper. It's just
a magazine article about a court thatdoesn't even exist. So you went to
industrial school and you worked as anexercise boy at the track. Did you
ever get into court, that isbefore before? Now? Nah? They
(17:07):
didn't catch me, but once thatwas just a juvenile court. All I
had to do was report, Saywhere did you learn how to use a
gun? What do you mean?Say? What are you trying to do?
Anyway? I don't have to eventalk to you, like the warden
said, Hey, okay, Ijust wondered if he used to practice on
a rock or a bottle or something. Nah. I never even fired a
gun before in my life. Inever even seen a real gun before.
(17:33):
When you fired that first shot,did it seem to make a lot more
noise than you'd seen in the movies. Yeah? Yeah it did, and
it sort of jumped in my hand. I'd never seen that neither. And
there was a funny burning smell.Hey, what you're getting at huh.
I don't have to tell you.I don't even have to cut up,
(17:56):
sit down, or even smelled powder. And so we'll call upon a social
worker in my imaginary court. You, sir, are a social worker.
(18:26):
Let us hear from you. Ido my work, and that's all I
know. These theorists who build uppedestals for petty crooks. They talk and
talk of recreation centers and flower boardedplaygrounds where there is no sin, and
boys will all be boys or captainsof the local nine. I think if
they would step outside and see theirprecious little heroes happily engage in gouging eyes
(18:51):
or picking locks, then they mightdo some good. And further all on,
my little man, and we'll explainyou are a candidate for our next
news, and we will see howwell you fit it. Let's have the
evidence. The facts are playing yourhonor, that this embittered civil servant is
employed in juvenile affairs, and thushe specializes in the task of bending the
(19:12):
twig so that the three shall growup fine and straight. I feel that
he's not to blame. It's justthat he has not the time, the
wit, nor the weight for sucha monumental task. Take him away.
Let's have words with his superior,his legislator. You call on me.
(19:33):
I represent the people and can saywithout the fear of contradiction, that I
do my duty by those pine upstandingsouls who vote for me. O,
what is this a farse and mockeryin the name of justice? A court
without a prisoner, a trial whichbrings out honest people from their beds.
A politician, We've no time forspeeches. Our job is finning news,
(19:57):
is not extracting votes. You figurein this piece by having hired such little
men as these, who juggled juveniledelinquents and fill out the necessary forms,
give us the facts. They areall directed at this man, who was
elected by the people who speak upfor the rights of all the families in
the very district from which our youthin waiting sprung. I nominate him for
(20:21):
a noose, your honor, forhe did nothing when the need for action
screamed out loud from every dirty hoveland dead end. He voted thousands for
a waterway and kept his eyes upliftedas he cried for all to see how
well he carried out his solemn pledgeswon by little What What is this arrant
nonsense? Didn't I applaud the moveto build more parks and carry out my
(20:45):
promises? Why I even voted fora grant to beautify the waterfront? And
if our appointed courts cantled their start, a buck is swiftly, deftly passed
along without more time. I'll statesufficient reason why this man should rate a
noose. He sees the value oftransplanting shrubs and trees to where they'll get
more chance. What shuts his eyesand leaves a human being to twist and
(21:08):
struggle, and perhaps to rock amongthe garbage in which fell the sea.
We have no time to belabor ourdecisions in this court. You take place
three and wait until we have theother two. You, the politician,
are elected next the man who hatchedthe murder plot, the one who gave
the lesson on the guns. Ah, look, your honor, I'm a
(21:33):
movie producer, but radio magazines areall the same guns murder plots. What
else? I'm sick to death ofamateurs who make a couple of bucks a
day and yet can tell me howto run my business. How I make
pictures forced our pictures that you seeby making up your mind that you will
pay to go into the show.I don't drag you in this time.
You've gone too far, m maybenot quite far enough. Your picture showed
(22:00):
the youth that he could scare abig man with a little gun. And
did you see the picture to myfriends? And did you see the criminal
at last waiting, waiting with fearfor his reward in jail? And so
again crime did not pay what picturespay. And Bogart lived again, and
Robinson and Ladd again next week willswagger with their rods and set a million
(22:22):
youthful trigger fingers twitching. Sure youshowed the criminal and irons, but in
full grease painting, with lights pickingthe romantic sweat beads on his brow.
I'll show you a murderer in acell and send you creeping out with crawling
flesh. His drooping mouth wouldn't takewell. He whimples, and then he
throws out on the floor. Ohyou can't show that now. Now,
(22:45):
look, I've got to get away. We're shooting at each minute costs a
foe. Stay here and I'll supportthe lead In this particular piece. You
got a young man started up towhere the gun went off. Then He
was on his own, no lines, no lights, no pattern. Now
you direct him to the end.Number four now has an eck, And
so we move along and hope thecritics will approve your closing sequence. There
(23:11):
is but one noose left to fill. Who is this candidate, your honor.
He's an average citizen and far removedfrom any part of crime or sin.
Heh you're done right, and I'llhave you know. I'd pay my
taxes and plenty those. We putan office own enough, why throw out
and put some others in. Wefound him in his slippers by the fire,
(23:32):
listening to the radio, and hishand was on the knob so that
he could turn it down and airhis views in no uncertain term. You're
done right. I'm not a politician. If I were, you'd see some
action. You can bet it's crimewave. Now, don't spare the rod.
It's good old fashioned discipline. Weneed the lash and things like that.
You're somewhat in coherent, like theheadlines, but you study firstily to
(23:56):
gain your meager knowledge of your times. Do you know I assisted in the
murder for which a youth will hangtomorrow morning. All I know is that
we need protection, that the honestmay sleep safe within their home. Perhaps
there's been too much of this soundsleeping. Perhaps you'd better stay awake and
take a look, because, myfriend, you figure in this murder.
(24:18):
If I may make a joke rightup to your neck. Now, first
we'll have the Institute of Learning,a man you hired to educate the boy
his school principal. I trapped himsoundly, and I sent him home.
I have no time. I havetoo many pupils. I did my duty
and I threw him up. Andhere all, citizen, your chosen speaker,
(24:40):
who carries out your business, makesyour laws, your legislator. Oh,
enough of this. I have notime for trifling. You know my
stand on crime. I'm against it. Still no time, mister, citizens.
These men you hire are burden downwith matters of great importance. Who
is then to turn a hand tohelping this fellow He was tossing in that
(25:00):
giant stream which flows by your frontdoor. Now look at it here.
I know you're angled, but Iwonder if you've heard about the outfits which
go round doing things to help thepoor. We've all seen in the plot
of that brave, slim trickle ofhuman kindness which drips so gallantly into an
arid, deserted in humanity. Waita minute, where's the kid's father.
(25:22):
He's the one I always say thatcrime begins at home. Now you take
my two boys. We know themwell. They shine and glow and grow
up, all surrounded by the fenceswhich you built to keep them safe from
nasty things like crime. Here isthe father. I ain't been in trouble
now for years. Jake shot thisguy. I was even here in my
wrath. So there, you,citizen. That's how you got another son.
(25:47):
Not one so bright or well behavedas those two you have mentioned,
but one abandoned, one kicked out, bruised and battered, one not quite
so well endowed in the beginning.He is a son of yours, not
by an act of father but orlove, but by a greater principal example
some two thousand years ago. Heis your son, your honor. The
(26:11):
time is getting on. I saythat this citizen should sit the final news
that's file. I do agree.Since he does cries so long and lustily
for the rewards which do arise frommembership and our fair state, then he
must help to put the bill.With this citizen the fifth and final,
(26:42):
hey you and your time's up,come on out, okay, Warden,
Well let's all kid tell and pickthis typewriter. And then and how you
fix the smokes? I do smoke? Are you gonna do anything about but
me? No, nothing I cando. How about? How about all
(27:06):
that stuff you put down? Wasthat just just a story? Yeah,
just a story. That's why.Hey you, yes, you have just
(27:55):
heard. Radio City Playhouse attracts ineighteen five Extra Noises, written by Charles
Lee Hutsings and directed by Harry W. Duncan. John Lockin starred as the
writer. Others in the cast werePaul Nugent, Jack Lloyd, Adelaide Klein,
mart Lawrence, Eugene Francis and JoeHelgerson. The music was composed and
(28:18):
conducted by doctor Roy Shield. RadioCity Playhouse is supervised for the National Broadcasting
Company by Richard P. McDonough.This is Harry Juncan again. Next week
(28:49):
The Heritage of Wimpole Street, thestory of what happened when the son of
Elizabeth Barrett Browning returned to England afterhis mother's death in Italy. It's a
warm and beguiling story and we're sureyou'll enjoy it be with us next week
for the Heritage of Wimpole Street Attractionnineteen on Radio City Playhouse, Robert Warren
(29:33):
speaking, This is NBC, thenational broadcasting company
The National Broadcasting Company presents Radio CityPlayhouse Attraction eighteen, Ladies and Gentlemen,
(00:32):
here's the director of Radio City Playhouse, Harry W. Junkins, to tell
you something of tonight's play. Thankyou, Bob One, ladies and gentlemen.
In response to your many hundreds ofletters asking to hear him again,
we're very happy to welcome mister JohnLarkin back to Radio City Playhouse. Two
weeks ago he played the part ofLloyd Bruckner in The Door and gave a
(00:53):
performance which drew rave notices from allover the country. Tonight, mister Larkin
appears in a similar type of play, but in a diametrically opposite type of
role, the role of a writer, an intellectual who is a little cynical,
a little disillusioned, and highly indignantat society over the conviction of a
twenty year old boy from murder.The script is called five Extra Newses and
(01:17):
was written by Charles Lee Hutchings,a writer new to Radio City Playhouse and
from whom we hope to receive moreplays in the very near future. We
like this particular script because it isboth entertaining and socially significant, a combination
of ingredients, which few writers achieve. Here then is John Larkin as the
writer in five extra newses by CharlesLee Hutchings Attraction eighteen on Radio City Playhouse.
(01:59):
Nice jail you got here, Warden? Yeah? All these cells empty?
Yeah, maybe you got an answerto the housing shortage. Look.
I don't like reporters, and Idon't think that was funny. I'm not
a reporter. I write for magazineand I don't particularly care what you think.
This kid's done a murder and he'sgonna hang in the morning, and
(02:19):
you come nosing around like a dog. Stick to your job, Warden.
You know I got permission from wayup top where I wouldn't be here tonight.
All the kids in this cell here, Hi, Jake, it's the
writing guy I was telling you about. What's the type? Nah, you
don't have to talk to this guyif you don't want to see That's what
(02:42):
the boss told me. He said, you don't have to hold it,
Bob, hold it. Look,kid, here's the setup. I went
to a lot of trouble to getthe okay to see you. I want
to get in that cell and talkto you a few minutes. I'm gonna
write a story. For a magazine. Was he here before? No,
No, I'm not a newspaper reporter. I just want to talk to you
for a few minutes. Now,you don't have to you don't have to
even talk to him if I waita minute. Look, kid, I
(03:05):
got permission from the top guy tocome and see you tonight. I'll just
come in there and you can well, you can watch me write my story.
Did you ever see anybody write astory? Won't do any harm,
might do some good for somebody.I don't know. I guess it'll be
all right. I mean, youdon't have the kid open the door and
let me. And you heard thekids say it's okay. Hmm. Don't
(03:38):
go in for space. Not enoughroom in here to swing a cat.
I'll sit on the edge of thiscot and get going. What's that?
What's what? What you got ina black bag? You're a doctor?
Who are you? Anyway? Takeit easy now, that's not a black
bag. That's my typewriter in ablack case. Hey see, it opens
(03:59):
up, that's up on its ownlegs like this. I've set that baby
up on the deck of a battleshipand then a tent in Holland and Berlin
and Tokyo. I never seen notypewriter like that. Was you at the
war? Yeah? Yeah, warcorrespondent fought the Battle of the Space Bar.
What were you doing while the warwas on? Oh? Moving around?
They said. I wasn't old enoughto get in the air force.
(04:20):
Hey, you heard anything about butme? What do you mean? You
know what I mean? Yesterday theytold me. He said, No,
Oh, you mean about your sentence. I heard that No, was final
tomorrow morning. What's the time nowit's about ten thirty. Now, let's
(04:41):
get going. What's the time?I asked you twenty five minutes to eleven,
and that's right by radio. Now. Look, I'm here to write
a story. I can watch ifyou like. Tonight, I am sitting
(05:06):
on the edge of a prison cotin the cell of a condemned murderer.
Between him and the rope which willbreak his neck and choke the breath from
his throat are nine hours of tortureddarkness. Soon, the collective hand of
(05:26):
society will reach out and pull thelever that will spring the trap and send
his feet kicking in mid air inthe death struggle. Perhaps the collective conscience
of society will permit itself a slightqualm. As I write, the murderer
watches me. He is nothing morethan a big, bone hulking, somewhat
(05:50):
dull kid who continually trembles, Andhe will die in the first light of
the morning. I shall write themabout the court which should have fried him.
It is a purely imaginary court,a court that exists only in this
(06:11):
article that I write. But itis a special court, a very special
court. This is a special court, a most unusual court, sitting tonight
(06:38):
in judgment on the ordinary people,you and you, and you, who
lead what might be called a blamehis life. But now you see a
new American law is being past,which reads, in part quote, whereas
the state decrees that no one lackingtwenty one full years age can now alone
(07:00):
be held responsible for any murder.It is ordered that a minimum of six
shall then be hanged if one suchyouth is condemned to die. Now that's
the law. And suddenly we findthat such a youth, coming under the
requirements of the Act, is tobe hanged tomorrow morning. And so this
(07:26):
court's been called to quickly find thenecessary five the five additional newses which you
wait along with the one society's decreedfor the young murderer acting for the state
in this emergency, A young manor writing fellow, I believe, will
now address the court ur honor.There is little time. The crack of
dawns are deadline, and there seemsto be a wealth of candidates for those
(07:46):
five extra mooses. Your officers arerounding up some prospects. Now I must
request a brief recess while I investigatea few and gather evidence to find the
next Which do most rightfully? Youbelong in those five extra belong in those
(08:15):
five extra nuss? What time isit's about? It's exactly twenty one minutes
to eleven. What's all that stuffyou're putting down there? That's what we
call a lead on my story.It's about an imaginary court that doesn't really
exist in that Look, kid,you don't need to be afraid of me.
(08:37):
I can't do any harm or anygood. I'm not scared of you
or anybody. What time is it? Look? Here, you why don't
you go away? Here? You? Look kid? Take it easy.
Now tell me about where you wentto school, things like that? What
four? Oh, never mind?What for? How do you get along
(08:58):
with the teacher is okay, exceptfor old lady pastness. She put me
out of class one day, hosonthrough and nothing, she just jumps me.
Then, the first person we shallcall in this imaginary court of mind,
this very special court, is theteacher of this boy who is to
(09:20):
hang tomorrow a the You're the teacherof the boy who is to hang tomorrow?
What if I was? Is anyreason to haul a president in the
(09:43):
public court? We don't know yet. We'll see if your indignant neck will
fit into one of our five news. Will our write prosecutor state the facts.
You didn't like this boy. Youput him out of class one day.
That day I think was chapter onein this particular story. Did six?
He was a bad one? Bad? I well remember him here bother
(10:09):
little girls. If you know whatI mean, fare is the details,
and get on. You tossed himup? What then? I don't have
time at trifle with his type?Do you know what happens when one apple
in the basket is not good?It isn't headline news? Now then,
as inspector of this human fruit,how did you dispose of this bad apple?
(10:30):
Which I think was only slightly bruised? About that time? I sent
him to the principle and got onwith the lessons. I remember I wrote
a note. It said I willnot have this youth fat in my class.
He is a potential murderer. Didyou write that? I know he
(10:52):
could not, but he was justa boy the honor. We waste time,
I think with her, this teacheris no better and no worse than
others. And it's true she hasno time to spend on battered fruit.
Let's have the principle. I amthe principal, and I consider it an
(11:13):
imposition to be summoned intercourse. Ihave more important Let's share what the prosecution
thinks. We've got to find sunnecks for these five newses. How then
did you dispose of this unworthy applecast out from the perfect company? You
mean, this fellow that they're goingto hang? Now, let's have no
nonsense. I simply strapped him soundadding yet another brules or driving deeper the
(11:37):
same blemish. And what then?I sent him home? I gave him
a sharp note to show his parents. Look, do you know I have
six hundred pupils in my school,and there's no time for nonsense with just
one. He tore that note topieces and wandered to a racetrack, where
an older fellow told him how tobeat this little rap. I did my
duty to my pupil and helped theboy to graduate to murder. Your honor,
(12:03):
I would say, we have butsympathy for this, and all for
work. And under bestowed official whosees his simple beauty, he has no
time. He says, it happensall that through his minor punishments, justly
and sternly meet it out for minorcrimes. He did set the rigid pattern
for the larger crime, and soas he must share the larger punishment.
(12:26):
I find it so. In thatenclosure, we have set five places for
five people. Those to fill thefive additional news is now decreed by our
new law. You, sir,the principle, may take your place in
the first of these, and mayGod give you full marks and pass you
on. So we hang the principle. How many were there in your family?
(13:03):
Me, Tom and Harry, andIsabelle and Sarah. Were you afraid
of your father? Nah? Iwasn't afraid of him or anybody else.
He used to come home stinking onSaturday nights. We'd all run out and
hide in the dump behind our house. Did he ever catch you? Yeah?
Mostly he'd go back in the houseand pass out. Has your father
been to see you here? Hahhah. I ain't seen him since the
(13:26):
cops ran him out of town.And so to this imaginary court about which
I write, we will summon thisyouth's parents, his mother and his father.
Let them be heard in this strangeand special court. First, we'll
call upon the mother. Quiet,you are the mother of this youth.
(14:05):
Yes, there you're an He wasone of mine. I've always done my
best, but Jake was too muchfor me. I looked him all right,
proper, but Jake had never bore. He'd stand and kind of shiver
(14:26):
as I whack him with a strap. He never was no good. But
once he stood up to his pawand he was kicking little Sarah I I
I kind of liked the way hehe heed that rock and hit his paw.
(14:48):
Rana were wasting time with his poortravesy of motherhood. That's the moment
when this woman's hands were needed tocaress with tenderness and loving care. They
were filled with scouring wolves and busywith the corridors in someone else's house and
when her understanding might have torn awaydark fears, permitting her poor brood to
see the light, her mind wasoccupied with pennies dropping in the jar to
(15:13):
pay the rent and buy the jug, the liquid equalizer that made her just
as good as anyone. Take itaway and send her home, Bring us
the father and the peace. Thenthey do something. Then, I ain't
been in trouble now for years.He ain't got not on me. See
(15:37):
I want about I'd jake in thepapers. I was three hundred miles away
from here. I can prove itall. If your small confession for a
court which has more time, thereare four nooses left to fill. One
morning comes so very soon, fournooses. He what is this? I
ain't never done, no waste insome receiving. You can string up a
(15:58):
guy for that. Now. Look, I know my rights. I'm white
told the angels not killing you.You can't mix mean any mode, red
by some quaint caprice of nature.You are in it. It seems to
me that we can save some timehere by nominating for a noose. This
bright eyed dodging rodent, to whomfatherhood was but an odious consequence of turning
(16:22):
in his bed one wretched knight.He hangs, remove him to the place
mark number two, and may Godfinds something where your soul should be.
(16:45):
What are you putting down all thatstuff for? About extra noosis? He
wrote something about my father. Heain't even here, skipper. It's just
a magazine article about a court thatdoesn't even exist. So you went to
industrial school and you worked as anexercise boy at the track. Did you
ever get into court, that isbefore before? Now? Nah? They
(17:07):
didn't catch me, but once thatwas just a juvenile court. All I
had to do was report, Saywhere did you learn how to use a
gun? What do you mean?Say? What are you trying to do?
Anyway? I don't have to eventalk to you, like the warden
said, Hey, okay, Ijust wondered if he used to practice on
a rock or a bottle or something. Nah. I never even fired a
gun before in my life. Inever even seen a real gun before.
(17:33):
When you fired that first shot,did it seem to make a lot more
noise than you'd seen in the movies. Yeah? Yeah it did, and
it sort of jumped in my hand. I'd never seen that neither. And
there was a funny burning smell.Hey, what you're getting at huh.
I don't have to tell you.I don't even have to cut up,
(17:56):
sit down, or even smelled powder. And so we'll call upon a social
worker in my imaginary court. You, sir, are a social worker.
(18:26):
Let us hear from you. Ido my work, and that's all I
know. These theorists who build uppedestals for petty crooks. They talk and
talk of recreation centers and flower boardedplaygrounds where there is no sin, and
boys will all be boys or captainsof the local nine. I think if
they would step outside and see theirprecious little heroes happily engage in gouging eyes
(18:51):
or picking locks, then they mightdo some good. And further all on,
my little man, and we'll explainyou are a candidate for our next
news, and we will see howwell you fit it. Let's have the
evidence. The facts are playing yourhonor, that this embittered civil servant is
employed in juvenile affairs, and thushe specializes in the task of bending the
(19:12):
twig so that the three shall growup fine and straight. I feel that
he's not to blame. It's justthat he has not the time, the
wit, nor the weight for sucha monumental task. Take him away.
Let's have words with his superior,his legislator. You call on me.
(19:33):
I represent the people and can saywithout the fear of contradiction, that I
do my duty by those pine upstandingsouls who vote for me. O,
what is this a farse and mockeryin the name of justice? A court
without a prisoner, a trial whichbrings out honest people from their beds.
A politician, We've no time forspeeches. Our job is finning news,
(19:57):
is not extracting votes. You figurein this piece by having hired such little
men as these, who juggled juveniledelinquents and fill out the necessary forms,
give us the facts. They areall directed at this man, who was
elected by the people who speak upfor the rights of all the families in
the very district from which our youthin waiting sprung. I nominate him for
(20:21):
a noose, your honor, forhe did nothing when the need for action
screamed out loud from every dirty hoveland dead end. He voted thousands for
a waterway and kept his eyes upliftedas he cried for all to see how
well he carried out his solemn pledgeswon by little What What is this arrant
nonsense? Didn't I applaud the moveto build more parks and carry out my
(20:45):
promises? Why I even voted fora grant to beautify the waterfront? And
if our appointed courts cantled their start, a buck is swiftly, deftly passed
along without more time. I'll statesufficient reason why this man should rate a
noose. He sees the value oftransplanting shrubs and trees to where they'll get
more chance. What shuts his eyesand leaves a human being to twist and
(21:08):
struggle, and perhaps to rock amongthe garbage in which fell the sea.
We have no time to belabor ourdecisions in this court. You take place
three and wait until we have theother two. You, the politician,
are elected next the man who hatchedthe murder plot, the one who gave
the lesson on the guns. Ah, look, your honor, I'm a
(21:33):
movie producer, but radio magazines areall the same guns murder plots. What
else? I'm sick to death ofamateurs who make a couple of bucks a
day and yet can tell me howto run my business. How I make
pictures forced our pictures that you seeby making up your mind that you will
pay to go into the show.I don't drag you in this time.
You've gone too far, m maybenot quite far enough. Your picture showed
(22:00):
the youth that he could scare abig man with a little gun. And
did you see the picture to myfriends? And did you see the criminal
at last waiting, waiting with fearfor his reward in jail? And so
again crime did not pay what picturespay. And Bogart lived again, and
Robinson and Ladd again next week willswagger with their rods and set a million
(22:22):
youthful trigger fingers twitching. Sure youshowed the criminal and irons, but in
full grease painting, with lights pickingthe romantic sweat beads on his brow.
I'll show you a murderer in acell and send you creeping out with crawling
flesh. His drooping mouth wouldn't takewell. He whimples, and then he
throws out on the floor. Ohyou can't show that now. Now,
(22:45):
look, I've got to get away. We're shooting at each minute costs a
foe. Stay here and I'll supportthe lead In this particular piece. You
got a young man started up towhere the gun went off. Then He
was on his own, no lines, no lights, no pattern. Now
you direct him to the end.Number four now has an eck, And
so we move along and hope thecritics will approve your closing sequence. There
(23:11):
is but one noose left to fill. Who is this candidate, your honor.
He's an average citizen and far removedfrom any part of crime or sin.
Heh you're done right, and I'llhave you know. I'd pay my
taxes and plenty those. We putan office own enough, why throw out
and put some others in. Wefound him in his slippers by the fire,
(23:32):
listening to the radio, and hishand was on the knob so that
he could turn it down and airhis views in no uncertain term. You're
done right. I'm not a politician. If I were, you'd see some
action. You can bet it's crimewave. Now, don't spare the rod.
It's good old fashioned discipline. Weneed the lash and things like that.
You're somewhat in coherent, like theheadlines, but you study firstily to
(23:56):
gain your meager knowledge of your times. Do you know I assisted in the
murder for which a youth will hangtomorrow morning. All I know is that
we need protection, that the honestmay sleep safe within their home. Perhaps
there's been too much of this soundsleeping. Perhaps you'd better stay awake and
take a look, because, myfriend, you figure in this murder.
(24:18):
If I may make a joke rightup to your neck. Now, first
we'll have the Institute of Learning,a man you hired to educate the boy
his school principal. I trapped himsoundly, and I sent him home.
I have no time. I havetoo many pupils. I did my duty
and I threw him up. Andhere all, citizen, your chosen speaker,
(24:40):
who carries out your business, makesyour laws, your legislator. Oh,
enough of this. I have notime for trifling. You know my
stand on crime. I'm against it. Still no time, mister, citizens.
These men you hire are burden downwith matters of great importance. Who
is then to turn a hand tohelping this fellow He was tossing in that
(25:00):
giant stream which flows by your frontdoor. Now look at it here.
I know you're angled, but Iwonder if you've heard about the outfits which
go round doing things to help thepoor. We've all seen in the plot
of that brave, slim trickle ofhuman kindness which drips so gallantly into an
arid, deserted in humanity. Waita minute, where's the kid's father.
(25:22):
He's the one I always say thatcrime begins at home. Now you take
my two boys. We know themwell. They shine and glow and grow
up, all surrounded by the fenceswhich you built to keep them safe from
nasty things like crime. Here isthe father. I ain't been in trouble
now for years. Jake shot thisguy. I was even here in my
wrath. So there, you,citizen. That's how you got another son.
(25:47):
Not one so bright or well behavedas those two you have mentioned,
but one abandoned, one kicked out, bruised and battered, one not quite
so well endowed in the beginning.He is a son of yours, not
by an act of father but orlove, but by a greater principal example
some two thousand years ago. Heis your son, your honor. The
(26:11):
time is getting on. I saythat this citizen should sit the final news
that's file. I do agree.Since he does cries so long and lustily
for the rewards which do arise frommembership and our fair state, then he
must help to put the bill.With this citizen the fifth and final,
(26:42):
hey you and your time's up,come on out, okay, Warden,
Well let's all kid tell and pickthis typewriter. And then and how you
fix the smokes? I do smoke? Are you gonna do anything about but
me? No, nothing I cando. How about? How about all
(27:06):
that stuff you put down? Wasthat just just a story? Yeah,
just a story. That's why.Hey you, yes, you have just
(27:55):
heard. Radio City Playhouse attracts ineighteen five Extra Noises, written by Charles
Lee Hutsings and directed by Harry W. Duncan. John Lockin starred as the
writer. Others in the cast werePaul Nugent, Jack Lloyd, Adelaide Klein,
mart Lawrence, Eugene Francis and JoeHelgerson. The music was composed and
(28:18):
conducted by doctor Roy Shield. RadioCity Playhouse is supervised for the National Broadcasting
Company by Richard P. McDonough.This is Harry Juncan again. Next week
(28:49):
The Heritage of Wimpole Street, thestory of what happened when the son of
Elizabeth Barrett Browning returned to England afterhis mother's death in Italy. It's a
warm and beguiling story and we're sureyou'll enjoy it be with us next week
for the Heritage of Wimpole Street Attractionnineteen on Radio City Playhouse, Robert Warren
(29:33):
speaking, This is NBC, thenational broadcasting company
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