December 29, 2023 • 29 mins
The Sealed Book was a radio series of mystery and terror tales, produced and directed by Jock MacGregor for the Mutual network. Between March 18 and September 9, 1945, the melodramatic anthology series was broadcast on Sundays from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.Each week, after "the sound of the great gong," host Philip Clarke observed that the mysteriously silent "keeper of the book has opened the ponderous door to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:08):
The seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:31):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept the Great sealed Book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:56):
I would know what tale we tellthis time. Open the great book
and let us read. Slowly.The great Book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story of
(01:22):
a beautiful young actress who tried themost difficult role of her life when she
impersonated death to win a prize ofmillions of dollars, A tale titled Death
Wrings down the Curtain. And hereis the tale Death Brings Down the Curtain,
(02:36):
as it is written in the pagesof the Sealed Book. In the
darkened bedroom of Martha Richard's, aroom where the blinds are always shut,
young doctor Smith is listening intently throughhis stethoscope to the laboring heart of his
elderly quatchety patience. Well, howmuch longer are you going to keep pumping
(02:57):
me with that stethoscope. Your quackfinished examining you. Now, Well,
don't just stand there without saying aword. How am I? How much
time about that left? Well that'sdifficult to say. If you will avoid
all excitement, I think I cansay a year, possibly two m a
year possibly two, yes, butonly if you do as I say.
(03:19):
There's no reason at all why youshould insist on remaining in this darkened bedroom
month after month. Well it's beena year since you've been out of this
room. Oh, you're going tostart on that again. And what's more,
missus Richards, is living in utterseclusion is bad for your health.
You should leave this room and seepeople. Oh doctor, Oh, I
won't have my maid pushing me aroundin a wheelchair, the object of everyone's
(03:39):
pity. I prefer to remain inthis room and have people think of me
as I was, not as Iam. Hey. Well, only I
can see why you refuse to havevisitors. It'll give you some interest in
life. It may surprise you toknow, doctor that I'm expecting two visitors,
though it isn't because of anything you'vesaid. I'm sure it isn't that
The way my heart is. Ithink it's about time I was growing up
(04:01):
a will for I do so.I want to get acquainted with my only
living relatives, a niece and anephew from my husband's side of the family,
and they're the two visitors you're expecting. Yes, I haven't seen Gerald
and Mildred since there were children.I'm very curious to see what they grew
up to be. Like I understand, Mildred's an actress. An actress,
(04:23):
you don't mean that Millia Richards isyour niece, do you? Yes?
Have you heard of her? Ofcourse everyone has. She's one of Broadway's
leading actresses. I saw in aplay recent Lane thought she was excellent.
Hmmm. Probably drinks and smokes andhas been married three or four times.
And her brother Gerald is probably anair de wheel who's never worked aday in
his life. Aren't you being abit unfair judging the two of them before
(04:45):
you've even seen them? That remainsto be seen. Doctor. Before I
draw up my will, I intendto learn everything about them. I'll give
them both every opportunity to prove they'reworthy of part of the Richard's fortune.
When do you expect I said they'dbe here in time for dinner, which
means they should be on their wayhere now. Oh my head, how's
(05:18):
the hangover? Brother dear? Painful? I hope? What d What am
I doing in this car? Wherewe going? Have you forgotten? Darling?
This is the day we were invitedto visit Aunt Martha. You remember,
dear old Aunt Martha. She's theone with all that lovely money.
Oh, save it with you.I'm in no mood for your witticisms,
(05:41):
considering that I spent half of lastnight looking for you on the night club
tables, Gerald, you might bea little more grateful. Oh my head,
what a night? Yes, wasn'tit dolling? Every place I went
looking for you? They gave meio usually left behind. Exactly how much
do you owe around town? Eleventhousand dollars? Millie? You gotta help
me. If I don't pay upsoon, I'll be in real trouble.
(06:01):
What exactly am I supposed to do? You've got to lend me enough money
to hold off my creditors. Lendyou money. You may not know it,
brother dear, but I'm far deeperin death than you are. When
you were getting a thousand a weekas the lead and let us be married.
How can you possibly be in debt? It's all very simple, Darling.
I was getting a thousand a weekand spending two thousand a week and
(06:23):
makes everything just perfect. Both ofus so deeply in debt, we probably
don't dare go back at town.Perhaps after our visit to Aunt Martha we
will be able to go back totown. What do you mean by that?
Why do you think Aunt Martha sentus an invitation to visit her?
Your guess is as good as mine. Aunt Martha's getting on in years.
(06:44):
Unless I'm very much mistaken. She'sdecided to draw up a will. Naturally,
before doing so, she wants tosee what her only living relatives are
like, MILLI, do you reallythink you'll leave us some money? We
play our cards right. All we'vegot to do is convince them author it.
We deserve it. How are wegoing to do that by showing her
that we're lovable, simple and unspoiled. Eh? Huh, Gerald? Do
(07:11):
you remember the ancient role I playedin I Dream of Love? Yes?
Of course you weren't half bad?Half bad? Why was superb? The
critics were mad about me? Howdare you say I was only half amad.
All right, you were superb.What about it? I think I
should play that role for Aunt Martha, just a simple, unsophisticated girl untouched
(07:32):
by success. Am I supposed tobehave? I'm no actor. You just
play the strong, silent type childand leave all the talking to me.
When the curtain rings down on myspecial performance for Aunt Martha, the Richard's
fortune will be ours. Come in, Hello, it's her saint Martha.
(08:01):
Come in, Mildred Gerald. Hasbeen quite a number of years since we've
seen each other, hasn't it.Yes, it has been, Aunt Martha.
I've been meaning to call on youfor ever so long, Aunt Martha,
but something always interfered at the lastmoment. Mmm. Well what finally
brought you here? Well, whenyou mentioned in your letter that you were
(08:22):
ill and would like to see us, I simply couldn't stay away. I
dropped everything to come here. I'mextremely grateful. Of course, the fact
that you might possibly get an inheritancehad nothing to do with it. Why,
Aunt Martha, what a thing tosay? Martha Millie doesn't need moneyway,
She's one of the finest actresses onBroadways. So I've heard, So
(08:43):
I've heard. What do you dofor a living? Gerald? Humh what
do I do? Yes, Jerald, what do you do? Gerald works
for a Wall Street firm, AuntMartha. Yes, he works so hard
and they pay him so little.Unless I'm very much mistaken, Gerald was
left quite a sizeable inheritance by hisfather. Whatever became of that, the
(09:03):
inheritance, well, that was thelast in poor investments, Aunt Martha.
I see. Well, I'm afraidthere's a good deal about you too that
I don't know. I haven't donevery much. I haven't gotten very far,
Aunt Martha. But Milly has reallybeen a credit to the family name.
Everyone's heard of her. Now seehere, I want you and Milly
(09:24):
to be my guest for a week. Frankly, I want to know what
you're like before I draw up mywill, of course, Aunt Martha,
and I do hope that you'll takecare of yourself so that you'll live for
years and years. Thank you,Milly. Now I'm afraid I must ask
you too to leave us. I'ma bit tired, but certainly, Aunt
Martha, if we can do anythingfor you, please don't hesitate to ask.
(09:46):
Thank you. I'm glad we're outof here. The old lady stares
at a person as though she cansee through him. The room's so dark
it was difficult to see her that. You can tell she won't last much
longer. That's what the main pointis. Did she fall for a little
act? If you ask me,your performance hardly swept her off her feet?
Nonsense. I played my role perfectly. Just give me a week,
(10:09):
darling, you and I will bethe sole heirs to the Richard's fortune.
(11:52):
And now, to continue the story, death rings down the Curtain as it
is written in the Sealed Book.For a week, Millie and Gerald have
been living with their aunt Martha,trying to convince her that they are worthy
of inheriting her great fortune, andMilly, sure that they have succeeded,
is waiting for Gerald to return totell him the news. Hello, Millie,
(12:18):
Jerald, where have you been allnight? I've looked everywhere for you.
I spent the night in town.Well you've been drinking, so,
oh, you fool? What ifAunt Martha were to hear about it,
just when everything's working out perfectly?So everything's working out perfectly, is it?
Yes? I told you, ifyou'd leave it to me, it
would. Last night, Aunt Marthamade a phone call to New York Jerrold.
(12:39):
It was her attorney she was calling, and he's coming here tonight to
draw up her will. You don'tsay, well, well, well,
you don't sound very enthusiastic at beingnamed one about Martha's airs. My dear
Milly, it may interest you toknow that the greatest performance of your career
has gone for nothing. What doyou mean You may be able to sweep
a Broadway audience off at speed,but not Aunt Martin. Oh? Why
(13:01):
I tell you? She believes inme utterly. Oh, she yes,
she does. It may come asquite a shock. But while Aunt Martha
was listening so devoted lady or everyword, she had a private investigator in
New York at work investigating a privateinvestigator. You mean, Aunt Martha's been
checking on our past. That's thegeneral information I received by that double crossing
(13:22):
old hag. Yes, and nodoubt you can guess what she'll do when
she learns that I haven't a jobon Wall Street and that I gambled my
inheritance away. And what do youthink she'll say when she hears you were
named as correspondent in three divorce actionsand were involved in the Wainwright scandal.
Oh, I'd like to scratch outthose staring eyes of hers playing with me
(13:43):
like a cat with a mouse agame seven. May as well go up
to our rooms and pack what walkout on a four million dollar inheritance?
I should say, not, theremust be something we can do about it.
Yes, well, what for example? I don't know yet. Let
me think I won't go back tothe said he'd beaten deeply in debt.
Martha may think she's clever, butshe won't beat me before she cuts me
(14:07):
out of her will. I'll yes, what are you planning, Milly Gerald?
If we play our cards right,you and I will inherit the entire
Richard's fortune in spite of anything atMartha can do. Now, as Milly
(14:31):
explained her idea, Gerald's face becamewhite, but in spite of his fears,
he finally agreed to do exactly asBilly asked. Then, in the
hours that followed, Milly locked herselfin her room and practiced her aunt's signature
over and over until she was finallysatisfied. And that evening, as the
clock struck eight, Millia and Geraldsilently stole down the hall to the door
(14:54):
of their aunt's room. Well,let's not go through this. It's mac
that's quiet. You will tell youthe only way out. What if we
caught? You know what that means. I'll tell you we won't be caught
if you do exactly as I say. I've everything worked out perfectly to the
last detail. Get hold of yourself. I'm going to knock you know exactly
what you're to do. Yes,good evening at Martha. I hope you're
(15:20):
feeling well at Martha, old erleh, come in, thank you.
It's quite dark in here, AuntMartha. Would you like me to turn
on a light? You know,Derld, that is necessary. I'm quite
used to being in the dark,of course. How are you feeling this
evening? Much better? Thank you, Darld. Perhaps you ought to fix
Aunt Martha's pillows. She doesn't seemvery comfortable. No, no, you
(15:41):
needn't bother I'm quite comfortable. Iassure you. Gerald fix that and Martha.
I can't go through that, youhear, I can fool I should
have known Bethervan to come on you, Mildred. What's Gerald talking about?
Nothing important? At Martha here?Let me fix this pillow. Tell you
I don't want you don't, Mildredpaly. Don't you suffocate him? Quiet
(16:03):
here? You haven't got the nerveto go through with it. I have
there. I think that's enough tobring on a heart attack. How do
you feel, Aunt Martha? Younothing murderous? My heart is she?
(16:27):
She did? Yes, Gerald,and not from suffocation, but from a
heart attack. I told you itwould work out. I had nothing to
do with it. Do you hearyou murdered it? I didn't. In
the eyes of the Lord, Gerald, you're on my accomplice. Nothing you
might say can make it otherwise.We haven't time to discuss that, and
Martha's attorney should be here in anhour. Now. Will you do as
I say? Or won't you?I have no choice in the matter.
(16:48):
No, you're acting sensibly, exactlyas I say, and we can't fail.
The car just stop in front ofthe house. It must be mister
Jordan met Martha's attorney. M certainlyis punctual. Are you ready? I
(17:10):
need a little more shading here undermy eyes? Worry. He'll be up
here in a minute. Gerald.I've never been late for a curtain yet,
and I won't be late for thisone. There, Now, help
me on with Aunt Martha's bedrobe rightthere? Now? How do I look?
Gerald? You? You look exactlylike Aunt Martha. If I didn't
(17:33):
know her body was in that closet, I'd swear you were in the dim
light of this room. No onecan help but take me for Aunt Martha.
Yes, but what about your voiceand the things you may have to
know? Just listen to this.Don't be ridiculous. Gerald is mistress of
this house. I answer only thosequestions which I wish to answer, and
I assure you I shall not betripped up. Does that convince you?
(17:56):
Yes, I'm convinced. Not quickgetting bad. Here's someone coming. All
right, Jarrold, please stop shaking. I tell you we can't fail.
I shall give the greatest performance ofmy career. And now, to continue
(19:52):
the story, death rings down thecurtains. As it is written in the
Sealed book, Milly made up tolook like her dead aunt Martha, slips
indoor Aunt's bed, and then,as Gerald lights a cigarette with trembling fingers,
someone knocks at the door. Comein, good evening, mister Jordon,
(20:15):
Come in, won't you well?Well? Missus Richards? How are
you bless me? It's been overyears since I've seen you, really,
mister Jordan. Has it been thatlong? Certainly has How are your eyes
still traveling? You? My eyesare much better, thank you. That's
fine, Missus Richards. Oh,by the way, this is mister Wilson,
my secretary. How do you do. I'm happy to meet missus Richards.
I don't think, mister Jordan you'vemet my nephew Gerald Richards Gerald.
(20:38):
This is my attorney, mister Jordon. Well, how do you do,
mister Richards, And mister Jordan.I want to have a well drawn up
and sign tonight tonight. Surely youcan't be serious, Missus Richards. After
all, your your vast holdings requirea will that will take you days to
draw. Nonsense. I'll have noneof your involved, forty page wills.
(21:00):
All I want is a simple willdividing my entire estate equally between my nephew
Gerald and my niece Meldredd. ButMissus Richards, there are so many other
details that enter into the matter ofa will. For example, we must
keep sister. You do as Isay, must I get another attorney to
draw up my will? Very well, missus Richards. Mister Wilson, please
draw up a will dividing the entireestate between Gerald Richards and Mildred Richards.
(21:25):
He's Gerald's sister. Yes, thankyou, I'll take care of it at
once, mister Jordan's you mean,mister Jordan, you've never heard of my
niece, Mildred Richards, the Broadwayactress. Oh you mean Millie Richards.
Yes, of course, I've seenher in quite a number of plays.
Oh really, what do you thinkof her? Well, frankly, missus
Richards, I think your niece hasa tendency to overact. Oh you do,
(21:48):
do you? Yes? Take thislast place she was in let Us
be Married? I think she playedit far too hard for comedy. I'd
have preferred to see an actress likesay John Walker play that role. Well,
that's only your opinion. She'd likeyou to hear what the critics had
to say about her performance, Gerald, Will you please hand me Milly's scrapbook.
You'll find it on my desk there, don't you think you please?
(22:11):
Gerald very well? I can understandcriticism, and it's justified, mister Jordan,
but it seems to me you're goingagainst my niece's huge public scrapbook.
Thank you, Gerald. Ah,just a moment mister Jordan, and I'll
read you what the critics had tosay about Milly's performance and let Us Be
Merry. Ah, here we are. This is what Martin Walter, is
(22:34):
dramatic critic of The Evening Sentinel,had to say. Rarely in thirty years
a theater going has this reviewer seensuch a fine player for comedy as was
displayed last night by Millie Richards andher new hit let Us Be Merry.
And that, mister Jordan, isthe opinion of one of the finest critics
in the country. Well, Imay be wrong, missus Richards. Naturally,
(22:56):
I was only venturing a personal opinionwhen I said, I have missus
Richard prepared, mister Jordan, Iuse the standard phone. Oh yes,
let's have a look at it.Hmm, yes, it seems to be
all in order. You're sure thatwill mister Jordan will stand up in court?
Oh? Yes, only you'll beleaving a good many unsettled problems to
your ears squad. All right,I'm sure they're capable of taking care of
(23:19):
them. Your secretary can be oneof the witnesses, can't you, Yes,
Miss Richards, and your maid canbe the other. Very well,
now, I'll sign first. Thereyou are. That's fine. Now I'll
have the two witnesses sign it,and everything will be in order. Good.
I'm quite happy now that it's allsettled. You look tired, Aunt
(23:40):
Martha. I am, Gerald,I am, and you finished, mister
Jordan. Yes, Miss Richards.Good. Mary'll show you and mister whitson
to your rooms. I'll see youin the morning. Good night, good
night, Miss Richard, good night. They're gone. Well, Gerald,
I told you it would work.We aren't through this yet. Be a
fool. The money is as goodas our house. All we have to
(24:02):
do is put Aunt Martha back inthis bed. Tomorrow morning, her maid
will discover her dead body, andyou and I will inherit everything. The
next morning, things went exactly asMilly had foreseen. The maid found the
(24:22):
old woman's body in her bed,as if she had died in her sleep,
and doctor Smith was summoned at once. After a brief examination, he
was satisfied that Martha Richard's tired hearthad simply given out during the night.
I can't believe it. Somehow,doctor, and mother was such a dear
(24:42):
It's impossible to believe she's really dead. You mustn't feel too badly. Miss
Richards was all over quite quickly.I'm sure your aunt's heart simply gave off.
She seemed so strong and well whenwe left her last night. Why
when she and I were arguing,it was just like old time. You
mean you and missus Richards had anargument last night, Or not really an
(25:03):
argument, doctor, They were justdebating over my sister's ability as an actress.
Yes, that's all it was.I hope you won't mind, Miss
Richards. But when I told youraunt, I thought that you overplayed your
roles. Oh that's quite all right, mister Jordan. What did she say
to that? She almost hit theceiling when I criticized you. She claimed
that you were the finest actress inthe country. Martha was always a dear
(25:29):
streams that she should have said that, considering that she never saw missus Richards
perform. Well maybe she hadn't.But she pulled out a book of clippings
about miss Richards and read me whatone of the critics had said about her
niece. She did what. Sheread me what one of the critics had
said about Miss Richard's ability as anactress. See, mister Jordan, I
(25:52):
think your criticism of Miss Richards thatshe overplays is justified. I beg your
pardon. I never overplayed a rolein my life. I'm afraid, Miss
Richards, that you overplayed one lastnight. Last night? What do you
mean? Your aunt Martha was anextremely proud woman. She couldn't stand to
be pitied. Exactly a year agoshe became blind, and when she did,
she refused to leave her room andallow people to know she lost her
(26:14):
sight. Only two people knew herblindness, her maiden myself. But if
missus Richards was blind, how couldshe have read me that notice last night?
She didn't, Mister Jordan, anego maniac actress disguised as Missus Richards
read her own notice to you.Isn't that so? Miss Richards? Go
ahead tell him Elly, you're soclever. You're the greatest actress in the
world. You had everything worked outof the smallest attention. Quiet, you
(26:37):
fool. They can't prove a thing. No joy in the world would believe
them. I'm too great an actressto be convicted of murder. Do you
hear? I'll give a performance littlesweep for jely office speech. They'll never
forgive me. I'll and That isthe story as it is written in The
(26:59):
Sealed Book, of how an actresstried to impersonate death and failed. Millie
Richards had one more opportunity to actupon the witness stand at her trial,
but again she failed, for thejury found her and her brother Gerald guilty
and sentenced them to life imprisonment.Strange are the secrets of the human heart
(27:26):
and the ways of fate in trappingmen and women in their own evil schemes.
(28:34):
And now, keeper of the Book, before you close the great volume,
show us the tale we tell nexttime. This one, yes,
a weird and amazing story of awife who loved her husband too fondly,
and of another wife who came fromthe grave, a tale titled Tale Death
(28:56):
Do Us Part? Be sure tobe with us again next time when the
sound of the Great Gong harolds anotherstrange and exciting tale from the Seal Book.
(29:30):
The Sealed Book, written by BobArthur and David Cogan, is produced
and directed by Joff MacGregor.
The seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:31):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept the Great sealed Book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:56):
I would know what tale we tellthis time. Open the great book
and let us read. Slowly.The great Book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story of
(01:22):
a beautiful young actress who tried themost difficult role of her life when she
impersonated death to win a prize ofmillions of dollars, A tale titled Death
Wrings down the Curtain. And hereis the tale Death Brings Down the Curtain,
(02:36):
as it is written in the pagesof the Sealed Book. In the
darkened bedroom of Martha Richard's, aroom where the blinds are always shut,
young doctor Smith is listening intently throughhis stethoscope to the laboring heart of his
elderly quatchety patience. Well, howmuch longer are you going to keep pumping
(02:57):
me with that stethoscope. Your quackfinished examining you. Now, Well,
don't just stand there without saying aword. How am I? How much
time about that left? Well that'sdifficult to say. If you will avoid
all excitement, I think I cansay a year, possibly two m a
year possibly two, yes, butonly if you do as I say.
(03:19):
There's no reason at all why youshould insist on remaining in this darkened bedroom
month after month. Well it's beena year since you've been out of this
room. Oh, you're going tostart on that again. And what's more,
missus Richards, is living in utterseclusion is bad for your health.
You should leave this room and seepeople. Oh doctor, Oh, I
won't have my maid pushing me aroundin a wheelchair, the object of everyone's
(03:39):
pity. I prefer to remain inthis room and have people think of me
as I was, not as Iam. Hey. Well, only I
can see why you refuse to havevisitors. It'll give you some interest in
life. It may surprise you toknow, doctor that I'm expecting two visitors,
though it isn't because of anything you'vesaid. I'm sure it isn't that
The way my heart is. Ithink it's about time I was growing up
(04:01):
a will for I do so.I want to get acquainted with my only
living relatives, a niece and anephew from my husband's side of the family,
and they're the two visitors you're expecting. Yes, I haven't seen Gerald
and Mildred since there were children.I'm very curious to see what they grew
up to be. Like I understand, Mildred's an actress. An actress,
(04:23):
you don't mean that Millia Richards isyour niece, do you? Yes?
Have you heard of her? Ofcourse everyone has. She's one of Broadway's
leading actresses. I saw in aplay recent Lane thought she was excellent.
Hmmm. Probably drinks and smokes andhas been married three or four times.
And her brother Gerald is probably anair de wheel who's never worked aday in
his life. Aren't you being abit unfair judging the two of them before
(04:45):
you've even seen them? That remainsto be seen. Doctor. Before I
draw up my will, I intendto learn everything about them. I'll give
them both every opportunity to prove they'reworthy of part of the Richard's fortune.
When do you expect I said they'dbe here in time for dinner, which
means they should be on their wayhere now. Oh my head, how's
(05:18):
the hangover? Brother dear? Painful? I hope? What d What am
I doing in this car? Wherewe going? Have you forgotten? Darling?
This is the day we were invitedto visit Aunt Martha. You remember,
dear old Aunt Martha. She's theone with all that lovely money.
Oh, save it with you.I'm in no mood for your witticisms,
(05:41):
considering that I spent half of lastnight looking for you on the night club
tables, Gerald, you might bea little more grateful. Oh my head,
what a night? Yes, wasn'tit dolling? Every place I went
looking for you? They gave meio usually left behind. Exactly how much
do you owe around town? Eleventhousand dollars? Millie? You gotta help
me. If I don't pay upsoon, I'll be in real trouble.
(06:01):
What exactly am I supposed to do? You've got to lend me enough money
to hold off my creditors. Lendyou money. You may not know it,
brother dear, but I'm far deeperin death than you are. When
you were getting a thousand a weekas the lead and let us be married.
How can you possibly be in debt? It's all very simple, Darling.
I was getting a thousand a weekand spending two thousand a week and
(06:23):
makes everything just perfect. Both ofus so deeply in debt, we probably
don't dare go back at town.Perhaps after our visit to Aunt Martha we
will be able to go back totown. What do you mean by that?
Why do you think Aunt Martha sentus an invitation to visit her?
Your guess is as good as mine. Aunt Martha's getting on in years.
(06:44):
Unless I'm very much mistaken. She'sdecided to draw up a will. Naturally,
before doing so, she wants tosee what her only living relatives are
like, MILLI, do you reallythink you'll leave us some money? We
play our cards right. All we'vegot to do is convince them author it.
We deserve it. How are wegoing to do that by showing her
that we're lovable, simple and unspoiled. Eh? Huh, Gerald? Do
(07:11):
you remember the ancient role I playedin I Dream of Love? Yes?
Of course you weren't half bad?Half bad? Why was superb? The
critics were mad about me? Howdare you say I was only half amad.
All right, you were superb.What about it? I think I
should play that role for Aunt Martha, just a simple, unsophisticated girl untouched
(07:32):
by success. Am I supposed tobehave? I'm no actor. You just
play the strong, silent type childand leave all the talking to me.
When the curtain rings down on myspecial performance for Aunt Martha, the Richard's
fortune will be ours. Come in, Hello, it's her saint Martha.
(08:01):
Come in, Mildred Gerald. Hasbeen quite a number of years since we've
seen each other, hasn't it.Yes, it has been, Aunt Martha.
I've been meaning to call on youfor ever so long, Aunt Martha,
but something always interfered at the lastmoment. Mmm. Well what finally
brought you here? Well, whenyou mentioned in your letter that you were
(08:22):
ill and would like to see us, I simply couldn't stay away. I
dropped everything to come here. I'mextremely grateful. Of course, the fact
that you might possibly get an inheritancehad nothing to do with it. Why,
Aunt Martha, what a thing tosay? Martha Millie doesn't need moneyway,
She's one of the finest actresses onBroadways. So I've heard, So
(08:43):
I've heard. What do you dofor a living? Gerald? Humh what
do I do? Yes, Jerald, what do you do? Gerald works
for a Wall Street firm, AuntMartha. Yes, he works so hard
and they pay him so little.Unless I'm very much mistaken, Gerald was
left quite a sizeable inheritance by hisfather. Whatever became of that, the
(09:03):
inheritance, well, that was thelast in poor investments, Aunt Martha.
I see. Well, I'm afraidthere's a good deal about you too that
I don't know. I haven't donevery much. I haven't gotten very far,
Aunt Martha. But Milly has reallybeen a credit to the family name.
Everyone's heard of her. Now seehere, I want you and Milly
(09:24):
to be my guest for a week. Frankly, I want to know what
you're like before I draw up mywill, of course, Aunt Martha,
and I do hope that you'll takecare of yourself so that you'll live for
years and years. Thank you,Milly. Now I'm afraid I must ask
you too to leave us. I'ma bit tired, but certainly, Aunt
Martha, if we can do anythingfor you, please don't hesitate to ask.
(09:46):
Thank you. I'm glad we're outof here. The old lady stares
at a person as though she cansee through him. The room's so dark
it was difficult to see her that. You can tell she won't last much
longer. That's what the main pointis. Did she fall for a little
act? If you ask me,your performance hardly swept her off her feet?
Nonsense. I played my role perfectly. Just give me a week,
(10:09):
darling, you and I will bethe sole heirs to the Richard's fortune.
(11:52):
And now, to continue the story, death rings down the Curtain as it
is written in the Sealed Book.For a week, Millie and Gerald have
been living with their aunt Martha,trying to convince her that they are worthy
of inheriting her great fortune, andMilly, sure that they have succeeded,
is waiting for Gerald to return totell him the news. Hello, Millie,
(12:18):
Jerald, where have you been allnight? I've looked everywhere for you.
I spent the night in town.Well you've been drinking, so,
oh, you fool? What ifAunt Martha were to hear about it,
just when everything's working out perfectly?So everything's working out perfectly, is it?
Yes? I told you, ifyou'd leave it to me, it
would. Last night, Aunt Marthamade a phone call to New York Jerrold.
(12:39):
It was her attorney she was calling, and he's coming here tonight to
draw up her will. You don'tsay, well, well, well,
you don't sound very enthusiastic at beingnamed one about Martha's airs. My dear
Milly, it may interest you toknow that the greatest performance of your career
has gone for nothing. What doyou mean You may be able to sweep
a Broadway audience off at speed,but not Aunt Martin. Oh? Why
(13:01):
I tell you? She believes inme utterly. Oh, she yes,
she does. It may come asquite a shock. But while Aunt Martha
was listening so devoted lady or everyword, she had a private investigator in
New York at work investigating a privateinvestigator. You mean, Aunt Martha's been
checking on our past. That's thegeneral information I received by that double crossing
(13:22):
old hag. Yes, and nodoubt you can guess what she'll do when
she learns that I haven't a jobon Wall Street and that I gambled my
inheritance away. And what do youthink she'll say when she hears you were
named as correspondent in three divorce actionsand were involved in the Wainwright scandal.
Oh, I'd like to scratch outthose staring eyes of hers playing with me
(13:43):
like a cat with a mouse agame seven. May as well go up
to our rooms and pack what walkout on a four million dollar inheritance?
I should say, not, theremust be something we can do about it.
Yes, well, what for example? I don't know yet. Let
me think I won't go back tothe said he'd beaten deeply in debt.
Martha may think she's clever, butshe won't beat me before she cuts me
(14:07):
out of her will. I'll yes, what are you planning, Milly Gerald?
If we play our cards right,you and I will inherit the entire
Richard's fortune in spite of anything atMartha can do. Now, as Milly
(14:31):
explained her idea, Gerald's face becamewhite, but in spite of his fears,
he finally agreed to do exactly asBilly asked. Then, in the
hours that followed, Milly locked herselfin her room and practiced her aunt's signature
over and over until she was finallysatisfied. And that evening, as the
clock struck eight, Millia and Geraldsilently stole down the hall to the door
(14:54):
of their aunt's room. Well,let's not go through this. It's mac
that's quiet. You will tell youthe only way out. What if we
caught? You know what that means. I'll tell you we won't be caught
if you do exactly as I say. I've everything worked out perfectly to the
last detail. Get hold of yourself. I'm going to knock you know exactly
what you're to do. Yes,good evening at Martha. I hope you're
(15:20):
feeling well at Martha, old erleh, come in, thank you.
It's quite dark in here, AuntMartha. Would you like me to turn
on a light? You know,Derld, that is necessary. I'm quite
used to being in the dark,of course. How are you feeling this
evening? Much better? Thank you, Darld. Perhaps you ought to fix
Aunt Martha's pillows. She doesn't seemvery comfortable. No, no, you
(15:41):
needn't bother I'm quite comfortable. Iassure you. Gerald fix that and Martha.
I can't go through that, youhear, I can fool I should
have known Bethervan to come on you, Mildred. What's Gerald talking about?
Nothing important? At Martha here?Let me fix this pillow. Tell you
I don't want you don't, Mildredpaly. Don't you suffocate him? Quiet
(16:03):
here? You haven't got the nerveto go through with it. I have
there. I think that's enough tobring on a heart attack. How do
you feel, Aunt Martha? Younothing murderous? My heart is she?
(16:27):
She did? Yes, Gerald,and not from suffocation, but from a
heart attack. I told you itwould work out. I had nothing to
do with it. Do you hearyou murdered it? I didn't. In
the eyes of the Lord, Gerald, you're on my accomplice. Nothing you
might say can make it otherwise.We haven't time to discuss that, and
Martha's attorney should be here in anhour. Now. Will you do as
I say? Or won't you?I have no choice in the matter.
(16:48):
No, you're acting sensibly, exactlyas I say, and we can't fail.
The car just stop in front ofthe house. It must be mister
Jordan met Martha's attorney. M certainlyis punctual. Are you ready? I
(17:10):
need a little more shading here undermy eyes? Worry. He'll be up
here in a minute. Gerald.I've never been late for a curtain yet,
and I won't be late for thisone. There, Now, help
me on with Aunt Martha's bedrobe rightthere? Now? How do I look?
Gerald? You? You look exactlylike Aunt Martha. If I didn't
(17:33):
know her body was in that closet, I'd swear you were in the dim
light of this room. No onecan help but take me for Aunt Martha.
Yes, but what about your voiceand the things you may have to
know? Just listen to this.Don't be ridiculous. Gerald is mistress of
this house. I answer only thosequestions which I wish to answer, and
I assure you I shall not betripped up. Does that convince you?
(17:56):
Yes, I'm convinced. Not quickgetting bad. Here's someone coming. All
right, Jarrold, please stop shaking. I tell you we can't fail.
I shall give the greatest performance ofmy career. And now, to continue
(19:52):
the story, death rings down thecurtains. As it is written in the
Sealed book, Milly made up tolook like her dead aunt Martha, slips
indoor Aunt's bed, and then,as Gerald lights a cigarette with trembling fingers,
someone knocks at the door. Comein, good evening, mister Jordon,
(20:15):
Come in, won't you well?Well? Missus Richards? How are
you bless me? It's been overyears since I've seen you, really,
mister Jordan. Has it been thatlong? Certainly has How are your eyes
still traveling? You? My eyesare much better, thank you. That's
fine, Missus Richards. Oh,by the way, this is mister Wilson,
my secretary. How do you do. I'm happy to meet missus Richards.
I don't think, mister Jordan you'vemet my nephew Gerald Richards Gerald.
(20:38):
This is my attorney, mister Jordon. Well, how do you do,
mister Richards, And mister Jordan.I want to have a well drawn up
and sign tonight tonight. Surely youcan't be serious, Missus Richards. After
all, your your vast holdings requirea will that will take you days to
draw. Nonsense. I'll have noneof your involved, forty page wills.
(21:00):
All I want is a simple willdividing my entire estate equally between my nephew
Gerald and my niece Meldredd. ButMissus Richards, there are so many other
details that enter into the matter ofa will. For example, we must
keep sister. You do as Isay, must I get another attorney to
draw up my will? Very well, missus Richards. Mister Wilson, please
draw up a will dividing the entireestate between Gerald Richards and Mildred Richards.
(21:25):
He's Gerald's sister. Yes, thankyou, I'll take care of it at
once, mister Jordan's you mean,mister Jordan, you've never heard of my
niece, Mildred Richards, the Broadwayactress. Oh you mean Millie Richards.
Yes, of course, I've seenher in quite a number of plays.
Oh really, what do you thinkof her? Well, frankly, missus
Richards, I think your niece hasa tendency to overact. Oh you do,
(21:48):
do you? Yes? Take thislast place she was in let Us
be Married? I think she playedit far too hard for comedy. I'd
have preferred to see an actress likesay John Walker play that role. Well,
that's only your opinion. She'd likeyou to hear what the critics had
to say about her performance, Gerald, Will you please hand me Milly's scrapbook.
You'll find it on my desk there, don't you think you please?
(22:11):
Gerald very well? I can understandcriticism, and it's justified, mister Jordan,
but it seems to me you're goingagainst my niece's huge public scrapbook.
Thank you, Gerald. Ah,just a moment mister Jordan, and I'll
read you what the critics had tosay about Milly's performance and let Us Be
Merry. Ah, here we are. This is what Martin Walter, is
(22:34):
dramatic critic of The Evening Sentinel,had to say. Rarely in thirty years
a theater going has this reviewer seensuch a fine player for comedy as was
displayed last night by Millie Richards andher new hit let Us Be Merry.
And that, mister Jordan, isthe opinion of one of the finest critics
in the country. Well, Imay be wrong, missus Richards. Naturally,
(22:56):
I was only venturing a personal opinionwhen I said, I have missus
Richard prepared, mister Jordan, Iuse the standard phone. Oh yes,
let's have a look at it.Hmm, yes, it seems to be
all in order. You're sure thatwill mister Jordan will stand up in court?
Oh? Yes, only you'll beleaving a good many unsettled problems to
your ears squad. All right,I'm sure they're capable of taking care of
(23:19):
them. Your secretary can be oneof the witnesses, can't you, Yes,
Miss Richards, and your maid canbe the other. Very well,
now, I'll sign first. Thereyou are. That's fine. Now I'll
have the two witnesses sign it,and everything will be in order. Good.
I'm quite happy now that it's allsettled. You look tired, Aunt
(23:40):
Martha. I am, Gerald,I am, and you finished, mister
Jordan. Yes, Miss Richards.Good. Mary'll show you and mister whitson
to your rooms. I'll see youin the morning. Good night, good
night, Miss Richard, good night. They're gone. Well, Gerald,
I told you it would work.We aren't through this yet. Be a
fool. The money is as goodas our house. All we have to
(24:02):
do is put Aunt Martha back inthis bed. Tomorrow morning, her maid
will discover her dead body, andyou and I will inherit everything. The
next morning, things went exactly asMilly had foreseen. The maid found the
(24:22):
old woman's body in her bed,as if she had died in her sleep,
and doctor Smith was summoned at once. After a brief examination, he
was satisfied that Martha Richard's tired hearthad simply given out during the night.
I can't believe it. Somehow,doctor, and mother was such a dear
(24:42):
It's impossible to believe she's really dead. You mustn't feel too badly. Miss
Richards was all over quite quickly.I'm sure your aunt's heart simply gave off.
She seemed so strong and well whenwe left her last night. Why
when she and I were arguing,it was just like old time. You
mean you and missus Richards had anargument last night, Or not really an
(25:03):
argument, doctor, They were justdebating over my sister's ability as an actress.
Yes, that's all it was.I hope you won't mind, Miss
Richards. But when I told youraunt, I thought that you overplayed your
roles. Oh that's quite all right, mister Jordan. What did she say
to that? She almost hit theceiling when I criticized you. She claimed
that you were the finest actress inthe country. Martha was always a dear
(25:29):
streams that she should have said that, considering that she never saw missus Richards
perform. Well maybe she hadn't.But she pulled out a book of clippings
about miss Richards and read me whatone of the critics had said about her
niece. She did what. Sheread me what one of the critics had
said about Miss Richard's ability as anactress. See, mister Jordan, I
(25:52):
think your criticism of Miss Richards thatshe overplays is justified. I beg your
pardon. I never overplayed a rolein my life. I'm afraid, Miss
Richards, that you overplayed one lastnight. Last night? What do you
mean? Your aunt Martha was anextremely proud woman. She couldn't stand to
be pitied. Exactly a year agoshe became blind, and when she did,
she refused to leave her room andallow people to know she lost her
(26:14):
sight. Only two people knew herblindness, her maiden myself. But if
missus Richards was blind, how couldshe have read me that notice last night?
She didn't, Mister Jordan, anego maniac actress disguised as Missus Richards
read her own notice to you.Isn't that so? Miss Richards? Go
ahead tell him Elly, you're soclever. You're the greatest actress in the
world. You had everything worked outof the smallest attention. Quiet, you
(26:37):
fool. They can't prove a thing. No joy in the world would believe
them. I'm too great an actressto be convicted of murder. Do you
hear? I'll give a performance littlesweep for jely office speech. They'll never
forgive me. I'll and That isthe story as it is written in The
(26:59):
Sealed Book, of how an actresstried to impersonate death and failed. Millie
Richards had one more opportunity to actupon the witness stand at her trial,
but again she failed, for thejury found her and her brother Gerald guilty
and sentenced them to life imprisonment.Strange are the secrets of the human heart
(27:26):
and the ways of fate in trappingmen and women in their own evil schemes.
(28:34):
And now, keeper of the Book, before you close the great volume,
show us the tale we tell nexttime. This one, yes,
a weird and amazing story of awife who loved her husband too fondly,
and of another wife who came fromthe grave, a tale titled Tale Death
(28:56):
Do Us Part? Be sure tobe with us again next time when the
sound of the Great Gong harolds anotherstrange and exciting tale from the Seal Book.
(29:30):
The Sealed Book, written by BobArthur and David Cogan, is produced
and directed by Joff MacGregor.
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