December 31, 2023 • 29 mins
The Zero Hour (aka Hollywood Radio Theater) was a 1973–74 American radio drama anthology series hosted by Rod Serling. With tales of mystery, adventure and suspense, the program was broadcast for two seasons. Some of the scripts were written by Serling.
The radio series debuted on September 3, 1973, in syndication, and was picked up by the Mutual Broadcasting System in December. The original format featured five-part dramas broadcast Monday through Friday with the story coming to a conclusion on Friday. Including commercials, each part was approximately 30 minutes long. Mutual affiliates were free to broadcast the series in any available time slot that they wished.
In 1974, still airing five days a week, the program changed to a full story in a single 30-minute installment with the same actor starring throughout the week in all five programs. That format was employed from late April 1974 to the end of the series in July 1974.
The radio series debuted on September 3, 1973, in syndication, and was picked up by the Mutual Broadcasting System in December. The original format featured five-part dramas broadcast Monday through Friday with the story coming to a conclusion on Friday. Including commercials, each part was approximately 30 minutes long. Mutual affiliates were free to broadcast the series in any available time slot that they wished.
In 1974, still airing five days a week, the program changed to a full story in a single 30-minute installment with the same actor starring throughout the week in all five programs. That format was employed from late April 1974 to the end of the series in July 1974.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening toThe Zero Hour. Rest your eyes exercise,
You're imagine this week. Kenneth Fearingstudying deadly in session Desperate Witness,
(00:35):
starring Richard cram action and with andJulie Adam. In Elliott Lewis's production of
(00:57):
The Zero Hour, the Mutual BroadcastingSystem presents the Zero Hour sponset in Part
five General Motives in Contact. Thisis the Zero Hour on Mutual Radio.
(01:32):
George Stroud, husband, father,executive editor of Crimeway's magazine, A restless
man never quite satisfied with what hehas. Earl Johnath arrogant, pedantic publishing,
Local Stroud's boss, Pauline Dellow's iceblonde cool, the Boss's mistress.
(01:56):
George Stroud, Earl Johnath, PaulineGillows. Three sides to the eternal triangle
that meet, but for one moment, the formula is timeless. The connection
is murder, and for George Stroud, like the taut mainspring of a clock,
overwhelmed, life itself is about toexplode on the hour. Our story
(02:23):
Desperate Witness continues after this word.A message from the Council for Financial Aid
to Education and this station College studentsnow march to a different drummer, and
(02:43):
sometimes it seems to no drummer atall. But what matters most is that
colleges continue educating students, and theirparents pay tuitions to make this possible.
But the money they pay just doesn'tgo far enough. Two thirds of college
costs must come from other sources,including contributions from friends of colleges. How
(03:05):
can you be the friend of acollege. You can believe that educating young
people is the main thing, notwhether they're singing football songs or folk songs.
You can be willing to back upyour belief with a gift. Because
colleges need money to march ahead,A lot of that money must come from
people like you. Give to thecollege of your choice. Now. I
(03:35):
intended going straight home, but afterI saw Janet go into the apartment with
Pauline, I felt the need towander a while in limbo. Up to
that point, I meticulously kept mywife and my family in one niche in
my life, and Pauline sealed offfrom them in another. To go home,
irritated with the thought of Pauline andJanet being together was to somehow overlap
(03:55):
the two spoil the waters, soto speak. So I went back to
Gills where I could have an anonymousdrink and dull the churning within me that
Janet had set off. The nightwas a couple of hours older when I
drove into my garage on Marble Roadand went into the paneled, comfortable suburban
house with all this little scars offamily living, the painting I'd bought,
(04:16):
the Temptation of Judas, I simplylaid down on the dining room table.
It would have to be cleaned,repaired, and framed. I met a
pot of coffee, and I thoughtabout my wife and daughter, who'd be
returning tomorrow Sunday, so help me. That's all it was on my mind
when I fell asleep, not knowingthat Pauline was dead, murdered. If
(04:41):
I'd known what was happening back inthe city, in Steve Hagen's apartment,
I wouldn't have closed my eyes.Holly, come in, what is it,
Praw Close the door in the place, hurried is it? Sit down?
I'll get you a drink. Steve, I just killed Pauline. You
(05:09):
should have killed her years ago.When I do, if I go to
prison, Steeve, stop it.Who saw you come here? Huh here?
Anyone see you? Well, Idon't know, I don't think.
So I hit her over the headwith something at the counter, I think
maybe three, maybe ten times fingerprints, Oh, and I wiped them off
(05:30):
and off the dorm arm. Thedoorman wasn't on duty when I went in
there. When I came out,I kill her. I did tender.
It's just how it's the pressure.I didn't get anyone in Washington. Jenny
Fender Prizes. This is real trouble. What am I going to do?
Steve? Yes, he sees afterme. Jenna Downhue's trying to force me
(05:53):
to merge and sell it all aboutthat for now? You sure nobody saw
you go into her apartment? SteveHagen here, Oh, mister Hagen,
I hate to body at all.This is Emery Mafferson. What can I
do for you? Emory? Well, I just heard a disquieting rumor that
the magazine's gonna fold. Uh,mister Janet's right here. We've been in
(06:17):
conference over the same stupid rumor.Hold a minute, I'll let you talk
to him. Go on, we'lltalk. Who is it? Who is
he? He works for us?Future ways? Tell him the rumor he
heard is false. Everything's okay.His name's Mafferson, Emory, Hello Emory.
Oh, mister Janet, look alot of false rumors floating around all
(06:42):
I have talk. I don't wantyou to believe a being Oh great,
I feel relieved, mister Janet.Well, it's good to talk to Emory
any time, and keep up thegood work. Oh what was that all
about? You just establish your alibiwhen the police investigates you, as they
will when your relationship with Bells comesout. We had the testimony of Maperson
(07:03):
that he talked to you in myapartment. What time did you kill her?
No, I don't know, tenthirty, ten minutes of eleven,
and they'll have your chauffeur's testimony.He dropped your here right from the airport
at ten and mine that we've beenin conference ever since, and since no
one can identify who's having been inthe building where. Oh someone someone did
(07:23):
see me saw you go in.Yes, yes, a stranger. He
was just leaving paul in. They'dbeen away together, good evening, maybe
for the weekend. That's why wequarreled. That's what started the whole thing.
Did he recognize it? I don'tknow. Did you recognize him?
No, he was in the shadows. I couldn't tell much. But she
(07:44):
said his name was George Chester.Oh man in the world saw you go
into her building, And you don'tknow who he was, Whether he knew
you or recognize you, I don'tknow. I don't got to find him
before the police. How can wedo that? What do we employ two
thousand people for? Well, ifwe find this man, then what all
(08:05):
depends? When the story breaks,he may go straight to the police.
In that case, our alibi standsin our line is this he says he
saw you on the scene. Whatwas he doing there? That makes him
as hot as you are? Willmake him even warmer? Of course you
mean only to scare a month,but he doesn't scare the case goes to
trial. You've got an alibi.But if he doesn't go to the police
(08:28):
the minute this breaks, then whathe's a constant threat to your safety,
your position in life, your placein the world. Can you put up
with an intolerable situation like that?I don't like it. There's a really
good one tragedy. I don't wantanother, not if I know what you
mean? You know what I mean? Well, I won't say a man
(08:52):
children called blood. I won't takeany part of it. Let me ask
you, earl, are you readyto retire to a penitentiary and write your
memoirs? Are you ready to takeyour full responsibilities along with the rewards?
Now? We never went to murderbefore, but we will this time if
we have to. Childer, Iturned you about our own mind. Shoog
(09:16):
pull in. When you break,a lot of other people break too.
Whenever an entity like Jennef Enterprises goesunder. And that's what this could trigger
a lot of innocent people. Theirplans, homes, dreams, aspirations,
the future of their children, allof that can go to pieces with it.
Myself, for instance, client standsto all everyone has to be,
(09:37):
has to be. Ah, let'sget to work. Any sure, drink
and we'll start from the top again. I want every step, every word.
You got out of your car,you sent your chauffeur on, you
went into the apartment with her.I knew none of this when it was
happening. I awoke in the morningand went to the train to pay.
(10:00):
I got my wife and child.I hadn't even dreamed in the night,
and my world was coming apart.It was summer in the evening. In
the evening, after the rain.We were driving, she and I.
The road was winding as rivers wind. We were speeding like birds, like
(10:26):
incredible birds, feeling the wind,speeding into the wind. It was summer
in the evening, in the evening, after the rain. We were passing
crowds, passing clouds faster than themoon, driving huncring, she and I
(10:50):
faster and faster. Our car waslike a comet. We were speeding through
our lives. There was no wayto stop. Can you hear me?
Can you hear me? This messagewas brought to you by the General Motors
Corporation. We'll return to our storyin a moment. Harriet Cicco is seventy
(11:15):
one years old and reaping the benefitsof what she sews at Sol the Children's
Hospital. Make baby clothes for thebaby in the hospital. We make nighttowns,
We make little jackets, we makepants. I like to sew,
so I love it. Alan Gordonis eighty two years old. He's useful,
needed and appreciated. I'm outlining amonthly loose. I wanted to do
(11:39):
some work for people of my ageor older, her younger. You have
the opportunity to share the experience ofa lifetime yours as a volunteer in a
school, hospital, museum, whereveryour talents and the needs of your community
can best be served. Join RSVP, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. RSVP
(12:01):
is one part of action. Actionis doing something. Monday morning and Georgette
came back to the breakfast table fromtaking our daughter to the bus. Sure,
have you seen the paper. There'sa dreadful story about a woman we
(12:24):
met. I think good. Joanna'ssitting there in the sunny breakfast room,
fresh picked yellow roses on the table. I've read it, understanding it,
not believing it. I had toread the headline twice, but the picture
was of Pauline. Her body hadbeen discovered at about noon on Sunday.
Her death had been fixed at aroundten thirty the night before Saturday. I
(12:48):
just left her minutes before. Isn'tthat the same warman? Yes? Yes,
she was beaten to death with aheavy detanter I'm reading. I was
grateful to have the paper to hidebehind. My hands were shaking as I
(13:09):
read the words. No rests havebeen made. The paper said our immediate
friends were being questioned Earl Janet,among them, that the publisher had not
seen her for several days. Hejust returned that night from Washington, had
gone straight from the airport to abusiness associates where he spent the evening in
discussion. The business associate was notnamed George. Something the matter? What?
(13:35):
Oh? No, no, no, daring nothing, don't look so
grim by the way. I didn'ttell you I liked that new painting you
brought home, the one of thetwo hands. But it's in terrible condition.
It's not a Protestant, isn't it. And perhaps, George, you
don't have to be so monosyllabic.Can't you say anything? But yes?
(13:56):
No? Perhaps where'd you get it? Just picked it up? Tunney,
I'm trying to read the paper.Pauline and ear Old Janath went into that
building at ten o'clock on Saturday night. Now, he cleaned. He hadn't
seen her for days. He hadto have been the one who killed her.
(14:18):
Had he recognize me? If hehad seen me that night, it
would all come out for weeks withPauline, the lying, the whole sordid
story, my life, my career, my marriage, family, a little
threatened. He killed her. Hehad to have been the one. How
strong was his alibi? Could hemake it stick? And if he did
(14:41):
win it? That put me onthe train going into town. I read
every newspaper, virtually memorizing what wasknown of the murder, but gathering no
real information. It was warm inthe city, unseasonally warm, but I
was in this cold hands, Inoted, were white, and my fingertips
(15:01):
bloodless. In the marriad elevator,I found myself staring at the strange face
that was my own, not aface, really, but a caricature,
lines like deep cuts that hadn't beenthere yesterday, pallor mouth slightly open,
breathing shallow, all unmistakable signs offear of a man in a desperate,
(15:26):
desperate panic. I had twenty sixfloors to gain control. When I stepped
out of the elevator, I waswearing the mask, the facade of the
confident, secure executive smilal sealed andhe calls for me, Steve Hagen's call
(15:46):
twice. Better get right up there. Why what's up? I don't know,
but you know Hagen. Nobody knewHagen. He was a hard little
man. His soul had been hitby lightning. His mother was a bank
called his father a computer. SteveHagen was almost as loyal to Janet as
(16:08):
to himself, from what I knewof their backgrounds. Hagen was the king
maker, Janet the publication's genius,but Hagen was the steel foundation that held
things together. Everything about Hagen's officewas designed to throw you on the left
foot if I hadn't been privileged toenter his sanctorum office. But every time
(16:29):
the same thing happened, a lossof confidence. He opened the door and
you saw him across an acre ofoffice, a small man sitting at a
huge, raised desk. He didn'tlook up, which was part of his
style. I started across to him, trying to remember exactly where the drop
was. You couldn't see it fromthe door. The carpet was patterned and
(16:52):
disguised it, but there was astep down. And always it came as
a joke, right across in confidence, and suddenly abruptly found yourself walking out
into space and grabbing at the air. And you spent the rest of the
distance trying to regain your equilibrium,and you're poise. You lost on both
counts. Morning Strout, Morning,Morning, Steve Strout anything on your agenda
(17:18):
at the moment, you're to dropeverything. Your staff can handle things.
I have something more important for you, if you say so. Oh,
by the way, I've just readabout that Pauline Delos murder. It's pretty
awful. Any idea, Yes,it's bad. No, we have no
idea about it. Oh, Isuppose Janeth is who health is? Yes,
(17:41):
but I don't know any more aboutit than you do. Now I
have some prepared notes here, Solet's get to work. Huh. We
have a job on our hands,not hard, but delicate, it seems
sure about the best man in thestaff to direct it. Yes, In
essence, the job is this,we want you to locate somebody the unknown.
Really, it's a missing person's job. That'd be all right with you.
(18:06):
Well, missing person seems to fitin with the essence of crime ways,
and that's my job crime ways.Of course. Of course, who
is it that you want me tolocate? We don't know. Oh,
ob me see now, let's startat the beginning. So the person we
want I went into some third avenuebar and grill called Gills last Saturday afternoon.
(18:29):
It's a weird kind of bar Moremuseum. He wasn't looking at me.
He was studying his notes. We'dhave seen a sweat that popped out
on my face. I could feelthe trap being sprung for me. Your
(18:56):
hand to a grid, your heartto you. What need you pull best
to can five? Don't just standaround and sniffle. Do something about that
cold early to get the relief youwant up to twelve hours of continuous relief
just your sneezing, running nose andcongestion. You need six cold tablets,
(19:19):
two every four hours, or threeounces of nighttime liquid one every four hours,
or only one contact. Figure itout six or three or one take
contact, get all day, thenall night. Relieve your pull to carn
(19:40):
five, six or three oh one. When you catch a cold, take
contact only as directed contact number onein the world. The zero hour continues
after this. Were many good bookslately, well eighties. If you're trying
(20:00):
to find the official government studies onthe cost of pollution versus the cost of
cleaning up the environment, you'll haveto do some looking. You and I
know what pollution is doing to us, disintegrating hose, damaging our health,
making the washed gray, the coffeeblah. So what's the cost of making
it go away. Some people havesaid it's too high. Oh come on,
(20:21):
now, I see we can actuallysave money by cleaning up pollution.
And I must be on the righttrack because the National Wildlife Federation says it
too in their new report on pollution. As a matter of fact, they
come right out and say that everyfamily can save two hundred dollars a year
by pushing for a reasonable, justa reasonable national pollution clean up. Now,
(20:45):
this has been another feature report onthe cost of pollution. For more
information on what pollution's costing you,right Department nine B, National Wildlife Federation,
Washington, d C two double threesix. I thought a rising nausea.
My cheek muscles formed a slight smilethat froze into place and gave me,
(21:07):
I cooked a look of complete concentration. But my mind was racing at
light year's speed as he reeled offmy actions. On the day of the
murder, this men were looking forStroud was a companied by a rather striking
blonde also unidentified. They later wentto a Third Avenue antique shop. In
fact, they browsed through several,but in one he bought a painting from
(21:30):
a dealer overbidding another customer, awoman who also wanted to buy it.
The picture was my an artist namedPatterson. According to our mored, he
or somebody had done a quick andthorough research job on Patterson. He had
all the details. How ten twelveyears back, she'd been hailed as a
meteor in the art world. Thatshe'd never fulfilled her promise in recent years
(21:55):
was totally unheard of, although herwork maintained value. He had all the
details of my transaction. He knewthe painting depicted two hands was in rather
bad condition, and that I boughtit for fifty dollars. After they bought
the painting, the man and thewoman with him went to a cocktail lodge
when Van Barth for a few drinks. It's possible he checked the picture there.
(22:17):
He may have had it right withhim. What do you want this
man, Steve? We think ourparty is a vital figure in a business
and political conspiracy that's reached colossal proportions. You mean threatening Janet Enterprises exactly.
But this man represents could destroyer oldJanet and we can't let that happen,
canly? So what do we do? Well, we just have to find
(22:44):
this man. We can't have himlose, threatening all our existences? Can
we oh? As we understand thathis name is George Chester. I understood
it all now. Pauline had givenJennet's the full rundown of our Saturday night
activities, and had she told himwhere we spent the night Friday. They
(23:07):
probably had a violent fight about it, and he'd killed her and gone straight
to Hagen. Then. Steve Hagenwas the business associate the newspapers mentioned who
provided Janet's alibi. It was plainJanet knew he'd been seen and was afraid
he'd been recognized. The ground Iwas on felt Land mind, one step
(23:27):
the wrong way. It's pretty vague, Hagen. Can't you give me more
to go on? You're right,Stroud, it is vague. Our information
is based entirely on rumors and tipsand certain well striking coincidences. When we
locate our man, then we'll havesomething definite for the first time. We
wants it to be a story forCrimeways. No, no, I don't
(23:48):
think so. I don't know rightnow just what our angle will be.
When we have it. We mightwant to give it a big play in
one of our books. Eventually.A good story should never be wasted.
Right, Well, we might decideto use it in some entirely different way.
It's all up in the air.Tell me who else is on this?
Should we cooperate with anyone the cops, for instance, No, of
(24:11):
course, not absolutely not. Thisis our story exclusively. Must stay that
way. You'll have to go toother agencies for information, naturally, But
you get it, you don't giveit. Is that perfectly clear? Yes?
I understand. Now do you thinkyou can knock together as staff as
large as you want locate this prison? It would be easier if I knew
(24:34):
more about this mystery guy, whathe looks like. Somebody must have described
him well, not too well,but we do know he's of average build
and height, weight one fifty toone eighty under six feet. It's possible
he's an advertising But your best betis this place called Guilds, or the
shop where he bought the picture,or the bar than barth Oh in that
(24:57):
picture he bought perhaps the artist.I have a feeling that picture alone might
give us a break. Not impossible. We want this guy in a hurry.
Can you do it? You sayhis name is Chester, George Chester
might be, he might not.Oh, it's a start, then you
go to work, Immed. Allright, Steve, I'll take the assignment.
(25:21):
I have absolute carte blansh, absoluteexpanse personnel, everything in every way
except time. We want him now. He got up from the high back
throne and wandered to the huge plateglass windows that looked out over about ten
million people. I hadn't suspected thiscold, dried man would have had such
(25:45):
a sense of drama. He tooka long pause, and he swept his
hand out, indicating the city farbeneath us. Our man is out there
somewhere Stroud may even be very close. For all you know. It's a
simple job for mine, like yours. Get him. I looked out the
(26:06):
window myself. Get him, hesaid, find him. I had found
him. The man I saw waslooking back at me, my own reflection
in the plate glass. I've beenassigned to set myself up to be murdered.
(26:29):
You are listening to Mutual's presentation ofthe zero Hour. Your American Cancer
Society presents Peter Falk and Lee Grantas patient and nurse. A nurse.
I'm senten singling there. I havean appointment for a check up of doctor
Whirley your nurse skanky. Remember mewhen I was here after getting hit them
out to a hockey puck. Ohsix stitches. I recall right, it
(26:51):
wasn't too clever of me to playhockey at my age anyway, Oh you
very. I feel young and everything, but I think of this. I
bring my car in for regular checkso I should do the same for myself.
Oh true, true, A regularcheckup lets you know if you're really
as well as you feel like.I had this car and I kept noticing
all underneath what I ignored. It. I ended up burning out the transmission.
(27:11):
It was only a loose little drainplug. It's the same with people.
The annual checkup. That's the doctorto take minor elements before they become
major. You're just going to makethat point. Has anybody ever told you
you look terrific? Oh well,my husband does a lot. Oh terrific.
Help your doctor, help you withan annual checkup. Help your American
Cancer Society with a generous check.We want to wipe out cancer in your
(27:33):
lifetime. Ozia, I had adelicate ear operation. Maria gave birth to
a premature infanence. Rafael had atoothfold, and Angelica underwent cataract surgery.
Each one came to the SS Pulp, the famous White hospital ship for care
(27:56):
and treatment. Each left healthier,happier. But Hope does more than treat
patients. At the side of ProjectHope's professional medical personnel, there was a
counterpart position nurse, dentist or medicalassistant from the patient's country who was working
and learning. These medical trainees andprofessionals will continue to treat other Hosiahs and
(28:19):
Maria's in their own country as ProjectHopes Living legacy, Help Hope Live on.
Write Project Hope Room A, Washington, DC tomorrow. At this time,
rest your eyes and listen here tothis week's continuing study and suspense Desperate
(28:45):
Witness. I'm Rod Serling. Today'sepisode brought to you in part by General
Motives and Contact. This is aZero Hour on YouTube Radio. You have
(29:07):
been listening to the Zero Hour,a presentation of the Mutual Broadcasting System in
association with Hollywood Radio Theater, heardevery weekday at this time. Rod Serling
is your host. Zero Hour isproduced and directed by Elliot Lewis. The
Hollywood Radio Theater theme was played byFerranti and Tysher and is now available on
(29:30):
United Artists records and tapes Qan Douglasspeaking. Tune in tomorrow and once again
rest your eyes and listen here tothe zero hour. This is the mutual
broadcasting system.
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening toThe Zero Hour. Rest your eyes exercise,
You're imagine this week. Kenneth Fearingstudying deadly in session Desperate Witness,
(00:35):
starring Richard cram action and with andJulie Adam. In Elliott Lewis's production of
(00:57):
The Zero Hour, the Mutual BroadcastingSystem presents the Zero Hour sponset in Part
five General Motives in Contact. Thisis the Zero Hour on Mutual Radio.
(01:32):
George Stroud, husband, father,executive editor of Crimeway's magazine, A restless
man never quite satisfied with what hehas. Earl Johnath arrogant, pedantic publishing,
Local Stroud's boss, Pauline Dellow's iceblonde cool, the Boss's mistress.
(01:56):
George Stroud, Earl Johnath, PaulineGillows. Three sides to the eternal triangle
that meet, but for one moment, the formula is timeless. The connection
is murder, and for George Stroud, like the taut mainspring of a clock,
overwhelmed, life itself is about toexplode on the hour. Our story
(02:23):
Desperate Witness continues after this word.A message from the Council for Financial Aid
to Education and this station College studentsnow march to a different drummer, and
(02:43):
sometimes it seems to no drummer atall. But what matters most is that
colleges continue educating students, and theirparents pay tuitions to make this possible.
But the money they pay just doesn'tgo far enough. Two thirds of college
costs must come from other sources,including contributions from friends of colleges. How
(03:05):
can you be the friend of acollege. You can believe that educating young
people is the main thing, notwhether they're singing football songs or folk songs.
You can be willing to back upyour belief with a gift. Because
colleges need money to march ahead,A lot of that money must come from
people like you. Give to thecollege of your choice. Now. I
(03:35):
intended going straight home, but afterI saw Janet go into the apartment with
Pauline, I felt the need towander a while in limbo. Up to
that point, I meticulously kept mywife and my family in one niche in
my life, and Pauline sealed offfrom them in another. To go home,
irritated with the thought of Pauline andJanet being together was to somehow overlap
(03:55):
the two spoil the waters, soto speak. So I went back to
Gills where I could have an anonymousdrink and dull the churning within me that
Janet had set off. The nightwas a couple of hours older when I
drove into my garage on Marble Roadand went into the paneled, comfortable suburban
house with all this little scars offamily living, the painting I'd bought,
(04:16):
the Temptation of Judas, I simplylaid down on the dining room table.
It would have to be cleaned,repaired, and framed. I met a
pot of coffee, and I thoughtabout my wife and daughter, who'd be
returning tomorrow Sunday, so help me. That's all it was on my mind
when I fell asleep, not knowingthat Pauline was dead, murdered. If
(04:41):
I'd known what was happening back inthe city, in Steve Hagen's apartment,
I wouldn't have closed my eyes.Holly, come in, what is it,
Praw Close the door in the place, hurried is it? Sit down?
I'll get you a drink. Steve, I just killed Pauline. You
(05:09):
should have killed her years ago.When I do, if I go to
prison, Steeve, stop it.Who saw you come here? Huh here?
Anyone see you? Well, Idon't know, I don't think.
So I hit her over the headwith something at the counter, I think
maybe three, maybe ten times fingerprints, Oh, and I wiped them off
(05:30):
and off the dorm arm. Thedoorman wasn't on duty when I went in
there. When I came out,I kill her. I did tender.
It's just how it's the pressure.I didn't get anyone in Washington. Jenny
Fender Prizes. This is real trouble. What am I going to do?
Steve? Yes, he sees afterme. Jenna Downhue's trying to force me
(05:53):
to merge and sell it all aboutthat for now? You sure nobody saw
you go into her apartment? SteveHagen here, Oh, mister Hagen,
I hate to body at all.This is Emery Mafferson. What can I
do for you? Emory? Well, I just heard a disquieting rumor that
the magazine's gonna fold. Uh,mister Janet's right here. We've been in
(06:17):
conference over the same stupid rumor.Hold a minute, I'll let you talk
to him. Go on, we'lltalk. Who is it? Who is
he? He works for us?Future ways? Tell him the rumor he
heard is false. Everything's okay.His name's Mafferson, Emory, Hello Emory.
Oh, mister Janet, look alot of false rumors floating around all
(06:42):
I have talk. I don't wantyou to believe a being Oh great,
I feel relieved, mister Janet.Well, it's good to talk to Emory
any time, and keep up thegood work. Oh what was that all
about? You just establish your alibiwhen the police investigates you, as they
will when your relationship with Bells comesout. We had the testimony of Maperson
(07:03):
that he talked to you in myapartment. What time did you kill her?
No, I don't know, tenthirty, ten minutes of eleven,
and they'll have your chauffeur's testimony.He dropped your here right from the airport
at ten and mine that we've beenin conference ever since, and since no
one can identify who's having been inthe building where. Oh someone someone did
(07:23):
see me saw you go in.Yes, yes, a stranger. He
was just leaving paul in. They'dbeen away together, good evening, maybe
for the weekend. That's why wequarreled. That's what started the whole thing.
Did he recognize it? I don'tknow. Did you recognize him?
No, he was in the shadows. I couldn't tell much. But she
(07:44):
said his name was George Chester.Oh man in the world saw you go
into her building, And you don'tknow who he was, Whether he knew
you or recognize you, I don'tknow. I don't got to find him
before the police. How can wedo that? What do we employ two
thousand people for? Well, ifwe find this man, then what all
(08:05):
depends? When the story breaks,he may go straight to the police.
In that case, our alibi standsin our line is this he says he
saw you on the scene. Whatwas he doing there? That makes him
as hot as you are? Willmake him even warmer? Of course you
mean only to scare a month,but he doesn't scare the case goes to
trial. You've got an alibi.But if he doesn't go to the police
(08:28):
the minute this breaks, then whathe's a constant threat to your safety,
your position in life, your placein the world. Can you put up
with an intolerable situation like that?I don't like it. There's a really
good one tragedy. I don't wantanother, not if I know what you
mean? You know what I mean? Well, I won't say a man
(08:52):
children called blood. I won't takeany part of it. Let me ask
you, earl, are you readyto retire to a penitentiary and write your
memoirs? Are you ready to takeyour full responsibilities along with the rewards?
Now? We never went to murderbefore, but we will this time if
we have to. Childer, Iturned you about our own mind. Shoog
(09:16):
pull in. When you break,a lot of other people break too.
Whenever an entity like Jennef Enterprises goesunder. And that's what this could trigger
a lot of innocent people. Theirplans, homes, dreams, aspirations,
the future of their children, allof that can go to pieces with it.
Myself, for instance, client standsto all everyone has to be,
(09:37):
has to be. Ah, let'sget to work. Any sure, drink
and we'll start from the top again. I want every step, every word.
You got out of your car,you sent your chauffeur on, you
went into the apartment with her.I knew none of this when it was
happening. I awoke in the morningand went to the train to pay.
(10:00):
I got my wife and child.I hadn't even dreamed in the night,
and my world was coming apart.It was summer in the evening. In
the evening, after the rain.We were driving, she and I.
The road was winding as rivers wind. We were speeding like birds, like
(10:26):
incredible birds, feeling the wind,speeding into the wind. It was summer
in the evening, in the evening, after the rain. We were passing
crowds, passing clouds faster than themoon, driving huncring, she and I
(10:50):
faster and faster. Our car waslike a comet. We were speeding through
our lives. There was no wayto stop. Can you hear me?
Can you hear me? This messagewas brought to you by the General Motors
Corporation. We'll return to our storyin a moment. Harriet Cicco is seventy
(11:15):
one years old and reaping the benefitsof what she sews at Sol the Children's
Hospital. Make baby clothes for thebaby in the hospital. We make nighttowns,
We make little jackets, we makepants. I like to sew,
so I love it. Alan Gordonis eighty two years old. He's useful,
needed and appreciated. I'm outlining amonthly loose. I wanted to do
(11:39):
some work for people of my ageor older, her younger. You have
the opportunity to share the experience ofa lifetime yours as a volunteer in a
school, hospital, museum, whereveryour talents and the needs of your community
can best be served. Join RSVP, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. RSVP
(12:01):
is one part of action. Actionis doing something. Monday morning and Georgette
came back to the breakfast table fromtaking our daughter to the bus. Sure,
have you seen the paper. There'sa dreadful story about a woman we
(12:24):
met. I think good. Joanna'ssitting there in the sunny breakfast room,
fresh picked yellow roses on the table. I've read it, understanding it,
not believing it. I had toread the headline twice, but the picture
was of Pauline. Her body hadbeen discovered at about noon on Sunday.
Her death had been fixed at aroundten thirty the night before Saturday. I
(12:48):
just left her minutes before. Isn'tthat the same warman? Yes? Yes,
she was beaten to death with aheavy detanter I'm reading. I was
grateful to have the paper to hidebehind. My hands were shaking as I
(13:09):
read the words. No rests havebeen made. The paper said our immediate
friends were being questioned Earl Janet,among them, that the publisher had not
seen her for several days. Hejust returned that night from Washington, had
gone straight from the airport to abusiness associates where he spent the evening in
discussion. The business associate was notnamed George. Something the matter? What?
(13:35):
Oh? No, no, no, daring nothing, don't look so
grim by the way. I didn'ttell you I liked that new painting you
brought home, the one of thetwo hands. But it's in terrible condition.
It's not a Protestant, isn't it. And perhaps, George, you
don't have to be so monosyllabic.Can't you say anything? But yes?
(13:56):
No? Perhaps where'd you get it? Just picked it up? Tunney,
I'm trying to read the paper.Pauline and ear Old Janath went into that
building at ten o'clock on Saturday night. Now, he cleaned. He hadn't
seen her for days. He hadto have been the one who killed her.
(14:18):
Had he recognize me? If hehad seen me that night, it
would all come out for weeks withPauline, the lying, the whole sordid
story, my life, my career, my marriage, family, a little
threatened. He killed her. Hehad to have been the one. How
strong was his alibi? Could hemake it stick? And if he did
(14:41):
win it? That put me onthe train going into town. I read
every newspaper, virtually memorizing what wasknown of the murder, but gathering no
real information. It was warm inthe city, unseasonally warm, but I
was in this cold hands, Inoted, were white, and my fingertips
(15:01):
bloodless. In the marriad elevator,I found myself staring at the strange face
that was my own, not aface, really, but a caricature,
lines like deep cuts that hadn't beenthere yesterday, pallor mouth slightly open,
breathing shallow, all unmistakable signs offear of a man in a desperate,
(15:26):
desperate panic. I had twenty sixfloors to gain control. When I stepped
out of the elevator, I waswearing the mask, the facade of the
confident, secure executive smilal sealed andhe calls for me, Steve Hagen's call
(15:46):
twice. Better get right up there. Why what's up? I don't know,
but you know Hagen. Nobody knewHagen. He was a hard little
man. His soul had been hitby lightning. His mother was a bank
called his father a computer. SteveHagen was almost as loyal to Janet as
(16:08):
to himself, from what I knewof their backgrounds. Hagen was the king
maker, Janet the publication's genius,but Hagen was the steel foundation that held
things together. Everything about Hagen's officewas designed to throw you on the left
foot if I hadn't been privileged toenter his sanctorum office. But every time
(16:29):
the same thing happened, a lossof confidence. He opened the door and
you saw him across an acre ofoffice, a small man sitting at a
huge, raised desk. He didn'tlook up, which was part of his
style. I started across to him, trying to remember exactly where the drop
was. You couldn't see it fromthe door. The carpet was patterned and
(16:52):
disguised it, but there was astep down. And always it came as
a joke, right across in confidence, and suddenly abruptly found yourself walking out
into space and grabbing at the air. And you spent the rest of the
distance trying to regain your equilibrium,and you're poise. You lost on both
counts. Morning Strout, Morning,Morning, Steve Strout anything on your agenda
(17:18):
at the moment, you're to dropeverything. Your staff can handle things.
I have something more important for you, if you say so. Oh,
by the way, I've just readabout that Pauline Delos murder. It's pretty
awful. Any idea, Yes,it's bad. No, we have no
idea about it. Oh, Isuppose Janeth is who health is? Yes,
(17:41):
but I don't know any more aboutit than you do. Now I
have some prepared notes here, Solet's get to work. Huh. We
have a job on our hands,not hard, but delicate, it seems
sure about the best man in thestaff to direct it. Yes, In
essence, the job is this,we want you to locate somebody the unknown.
Really, it's a missing person's job. That'd be all right with you.
(18:06):
Well, missing person seems to fitin with the essence of crime ways,
and that's my job crime ways.Of course. Of course, who
is it that you want me tolocate? We don't know. Oh,
ob me see now, let's startat the beginning. So the person we
want I went into some third avenuebar and grill called Gills last Saturday afternoon.
(18:29):
It's a weird kind of bar Moremuseum. He wasn't looking at me.
He was studying his notes. We'dhave seen a sweat that popped out
on my face. I could feelthe trap being sprung for me. Your
(18:56):
hand to a grid, your heartto you. What need you pull best
to can five? Don't just standaround and sniffle. Do something about that
cold early to get the relief youwant up to twelve hours of continuous relief
just your sneezing, running nose andcongestion. You need six cold tablets,
(19:19):
two every four hours, or threeounces of nighttime liquid one every four hours,
or only one contact. Figure itout six or three or one take
contact, get all day, thenall night. Relieve your pull to carn
(19:40):
five, six or three oh one. When you catch a cold, take
contact only as directed contact number onein the world. The zero hour continues
after this. Were many good bookslately, well eighties. If you're trying
(20:00):
to find the official government studies onthe cost of pollution versus the cost of
cleaning up the environment, you'll haveto do some looking. You and I
know what pollution is doing to us, disintegrating hose, damaging our health,
making the washed gray, the coffeeblah. So what's the cost of making
it go away. Some people havesaid it's too high. Oh come on,
(20:21):
now, I see we can actuallysave money by cleaning up pollution.
And I must be on the righttrack because the National Wildlife Federation says it
too in their new report on pollution. As a matter of fact, they
come right out and say that everyfamily can save two hundred dollars a year
by pushing for a reasonable, justa reasonable national pollution clean up. Now,
(20:45):
this has been another feature report onthe cost of pollution. For more
information on what pollution's costing you,right Department nine B, National Wildlife Federation,
Washington, d C two double threesix. I thought a rising nausea.
My cheek muscles formed a slight smilethat froze into place and gave me,
(21:07):
I cooked a look of complete concentration. But my mind was racing at
light year's speed as he reeled offmy actions. On the day of the
murder, this men were looking forStroud was a companied by a rather striking
blonde also unidentified. They later wentto a Third Avenue antique shop. In
fact, they browsed through several,but in one he bought a painting from
(21:30):
a dealer overbidding another customer, awoman who also wanted to buy it.
The picture was my an artist namedPatterson. According to our mored, he
or somebody had done a quick andthorough research job on Patterson. He had
all the details. How ten twelveyears back, she'd been hailed as a
meteor in the art world. Thatshe'd never fulfilled her promise in recent years
(21:55):
was totally unheard of, although herwork maintained value. He had all the
details of my transaction. He knewthe painting depicted two hands was in rather
bad condition, and that I boughtit for fifty dollars. After they bought
the painting, the man and thewoman with him went to a cocktail lodge
when Van Barth for a few drinks. It's possible he checked the picture there.
(22:17):
He may have had it right withhim. What do you want this
man, Steve? We think ourparty is a vital figure in a business
and political conspiracy that's reached colossal proportions. You mean threatening Janet Enterprises exactly.
But this man represents could destroyer oldJanet and we can't let that happen,
canly? So what do we do? Well, we just have to find
(22:44):
this man. We can't have himlose, threatening all our existences? Can
we oh? As we understand thathis name is George Chester. I understood
it all now. Pauline had givenJennet's the full rundown of our Saturday night
activities, and had she told himwhere we spent the night Friday. They
(23:07):
probably had a violent fight about it, and he'd killed her and gone straight
to Hagen. Then. Steve Hagenwas the business associate the newspapers mentioned who
provided Janet's alibi. It was plainJanet knew he'd been seen and was afraid
he'd been recognized. The ground Iwas on felt Land mind, one step
(23:27):
the wrong way. It's pretty vague, Hagen. Can't you give me more
to go on? You're right,Stroud, it is vague. Our information
is based entirely on rumors and tipsand certain well striking coincidences. When we
locate our man, then we'll havesomething definite for the first time. We
wants it to be a story forCrimeways. No, no, I don't
(23:48):
think so. I don't know rightnow just what our angle will be.
When we have it. We mightwant to give it a big play in
one of our books. Eventually.A good story should never be wasted.
Right, Well, we might decideto use it in some entirely different way.
It's all up in the air.Tell me who else is on this?
Should we cooperate with anyone the cops, for instance, No, of
(24:11):
course, not absolutely not. Thisis our story exclusively. Must stay that
way. You'll have to go toother agencies for information, naturally, But
you get it, you don't giveit. Is that perfectly clear? Yes?
I understand. Now do you thinkyou can knock together as staff as
large as you want locate this prison? It would be easier if I knew
(24:34):
more about this mystery guy, whathe looks like. Somebody must have described
him well, not too well,but we do know he's of average build
and height, weight one fifty toone eighty under six feet. It's possible
he's an advertising But your best betis this place called Guilds, or the
shop where he bought the picture,or the bar than barth Oh in that
(24:57):
picture he bought perhaps the artist.I have a feeling that picture alone might
give us a break. Not impossible. We want this guy in a hurry.
Can you do it? You sayhis name is Chester, George Chester
might be, he might not.Oh, it's a start, then you
go to work, Immed. Allright, Steve, I'll take the assignment.
(25:21):
I have absolute carte blansh, absoluteexpanse personnel, everything in every way
except time. We want him now. He got up from the high back
throne and wandered to the huge plateglass windows that looked out over about ten
million people. I hadn't suspected thiscold, dried man would have had such
(25:45):
a sense of drama. He tooka long pause, and he swept his
hand out, indicating the city farbeneath us. Our man is out there
somewhere Stroud may even be very close. For all you know. It's a
simple job for mine, like yours. Get him. I looked out the
(26:06):
window myself. Get him, hesaid, find him. I had found
him. The man I saw waslooking back at me, my own reflection
in the plate glass. I've beenassigned to set myself up to be murdered.
(26:29):
You are listening to Mutual's presentation ofthe zero Hour. Your American Cancer
Society presents Peter Falk and Lee Grantas patient and nurse. A nurse.
I'm senten singling there. I havean appointment for a check up of doctor
Whirley your nurse skanky. Remember mewhen I was here after getting hit them
out to a hockey puck. Ohsix stitches. I recall right, it
(26:51):
wasn't too clever of me to playhockey at my age anyway, Oh you
very. I feel young and everything, but I think of this. I
bring my car in for regular checkso I should do the same for myself.
Oh true, true, A regularcheckup lets you know if you're really
as well as you feel like.I had this car and I kept noticing
all underneath what I ignored. It. I ended up burning out the transmission.
(27:11):
It was only a loose little drainplug. It's the same with people.
The annual checkup. That's the doctorto take minor elements before they become
major. You're just going to makethat point. Has anybody ever told you
you look terrific? Oh well,my husband does a lot. Oh terrific.
Help your doctor, help you withan annual checkup. Help your American
Cancer Society with a generous check.We want to wipe out cancer in your
(27:33):
lifetime. Ozia, I had adelicate ear operation. Maria gave birth to
a premature infanence. Rafael had atoothfold, and Angelica underwent cataract surgery.
Each one came to the SS Pulp, the famous White hospital ship for care
(27:56):
and treatment. Each left healthier,happier. But Hope does more than treat
patients. At the side of ProjectHope's professional medical personnel, there was a
counterpart position nurse, dentist or medicalassistant from the patient's country who was working
and learning. These medical trainees andprofessionals will continue to treat other Hosiahs and
(28:19):
Maria's in their own country as ProjectHopes Living legacy, Help Hope Live on.
Write Project Hope Room A, Washington, DC tomorrow. At this time,
rest your eyes and listen here tothis week's continuing study and suspense Desperate
(28:45):
Witness. I'm Rod Serling. Today'sepisode brought to you in part by General
Motives and Contact. This is aZero Hour on YouTube Radio. You have
(29:07):
been listening to the Zero Hour,a presentation of the Mutual Broadcasting System in
association with Hollywood Radio Theater, heardevery weekday at this time. Rod Serling
is your host. Zero Hour isproduced and directed by Elliot Lewis. The
Hollywood Radio Theater theme was played byFerranti and Tysher and is now available on
(29:30):
United Artists records and tapes Qan Douglasspeaking. Tune in tomorrow and once again
rest your eyes and listen here tothe zero hour. This is the mutual
broadcasting system.
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