In this thrilling episode of Mystery Theater, hosted by EG Marshall, we delve into the chilling tale of "The Ghost Driver," written by George Lothar. The story unfolds at Gormley Lodge, a ski resort on Manitou Mountain, Colorado, where Mel and Liz Stout face the terrifying legend of a ghost driver responsible for the deaths of the previous owners. As they prepare for their first guests, the Duncans, they are visited by the mysterious Mrs. Gormley, who warns them of the ghostly danger. Despite the ominous warnings, Mel and Liz are determined to make their business a success, even as the legend becomes a horrifying reality.
As the story progresses, the ghost driver strikes again, claiming the lives of Liz's brother Rory and Mrs. Duncan. Mel and Mike Duncan, the grieving husband, embark on a perilous mission to uncover the truth behind the ghostly apparitions. In a suspenseful climax, they confront the spectral driver, only to discover a shocking twist involving Mrs. Gormley's son, Jason. This episode masterfully blends elements of mystery, horror, and suspense, leaving listeners on the edge of their seats as they unravel the secrets of Gormley Lodge.
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[00:00:20]
Unknown:
Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. Welcome to our world of mystery and the macabre. Sit back and lend us your fears. Have you ever seen a ghost? It is an experience of such horror as to turn your blood to ice. Oh, I know. I know. There are those who scoff, but they have never met a ghost. Our mystery drama, The Ghost Driver, was written especially for the mystery theater by George Lothar and stars Augusta Dabney and Mason Adams. It is sponsored in part by Anheuser Busch Incorporated, brewers of Budweiser, and by the Kellogg company, makers of Kellogg's special k cereal.
I'll be back shortly with act one.
[00:01:21] Unknown:
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[00:02:20] Unknown:
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[00:02:27] Unknown:
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[00:03:23] Unknown:
Do ghosts exist? Mel Stout doesn't think so, but his wife, Liz, feels differently. If it had been up to Liz, they'd never have bought Gormley Lodge on top of Manitou Mountain in Colorado. Why? Because according to a local legend, the former owners, the Putnam's, had been sent crashing to their death by a ghost driver who came at them head on.
[00:03:49] Unknown:
Now in the living room of the lodge Liz, I've had it up to here with that brother of yours. Now may I I mean, he promised to help finish painting his living room before the Duncans arrived tonight. And where is he? No. I'll tell you where he is. He is out on the slopes skiing, enjoying himself as usual. Well, do you just be reasonable now? If we didn't have Rory,
[00:04:07] Unknown:
where would we get a ski instructor? I'd like to know. We certainly can't afford to hire one any more than we could afford to have this place painted.
[00:04:14] Unknown:
I'm sorry. It's just that I've got so darn much on my mind. Liz, I
[00:04:20] Unknown:
I just hope that I haven't made the mistake of my life and yours. We'll make a go of the lodge. We're off to a pretty good start. The Duncans arrive tonight and they're booked for a full week. And the Todds and the Morgans arrive next week. Yeah. And after that? Well, darling, our newspaper ads ought to get us more customers. Just ask yourself, darling, what would you rather be doing now? Painting the living room of your own ski lodge with paying guests arriving tonight or slaving away at your old accounting job in Aspen. Well, at least that brought a check-in every week. Oh, now you wanted to be your own boss for years. And so we bought this old mansion on top of Manitou Mountain to start our own ski lodge.
The old Gormley Mansion. And we're gonna keep at it until we make a success of it.
[00:05:10] Unknown:
Liz, you're marvelous.
[00:05:12] Unknown:
Oh, there's somebody at the front door. I'll get it. Oh.
[00:05:18] Unknown:
Oh, missus Gormley. You've come to pay your visit, miss Stout. My first formal visit.
[00:05:24] Unknown:
Well, that's very good of you, missus Gormley.
[00:05:27] Unknown:
Well, won't you come in? Alright, Jason. You heard the lady. Wheel me in. Yes, mother. You know my son, Jason. You've met? Yes. Yes. Briefly.
[00:05:38] Unknown:
Mel, the Gormleys have come to pay a visit. I see you, missus Gormley, Jason.
[00:05:43] Unknown:
Hope you don't mind if I finish this painting. Oh, go right ahead. I'd give you a hand. Old as I am, but my arthritis keeps me in this wheelchair.
[00:05:52] Unknown:
Jason, why don't you Thanks. I couldn't think of asking a fine arts painter to paint. Fine art. You hear that, Jason?
[00:05:59] Unknown:
Mister Stout complimented you. Call the mountain scenes you paint fine art. Well, they are. Well, I saw some of them in the ski shop in town. They're very good.
[00:06:09] Unknown:
Do you sell many? A few. Oh, just enough to cover the cost of the painting canvas. Oh, yes. And a quart of whiskey now and then. Mother, please. What out there? If they don't hear it from me, Jason, they'll hear it from others. Well, to drink now and then. Now and then. Tell the stats how you play Russian roulette with the old revolver of your fathers when you're drunk. Stop it, mother. Stop it. Or perhaps you'd like some coffee, missus Grandley, or or tea. It won't take a minute. No. No. No. Thank you. We won't be here that long. Now I've come to do for you what I did for the Putnam's.
Them that bought my house out from under me three years ago. Out from under you? Missus Gormley, are you saying that that we have done that? Forced you out of your house? Well, haven't you? Oh, it's not your fault. Jason's father left us destitute, left me destitute, I should say, with a son too lazy to support his old mother. So I had to sell this beautiful place. Mother, the Stouts aren't interested in all this past history. Well, they better be if they value their lives. Value our lives? Well, mister Heller, they didn't tell you. Of course. Tell us what? About how the Putnam's met their death. Why, yes.
The real estate man told us about the accident. That was no accident. No more in my husband's death was an accident. He died in the same way. His car crashed off the bridge into the gorge? Right. 800 feet down into the gorge to the rocks 800 feet below, but no accident. Suicide. The Putnams didn't commit suicide, not them. My husband, Jason senior, raving drunk and suicidal, but this was no accident either, the Putnams. He drove them off that bridge.
[00:08:02] Unknown:
Who? My husband? Now wait a minute, missus Gormley. If your husband was dead Hi. I am back. Oh, sure. Naturally, Rory. Now the painting job is nearly done. Come on. Now don't get uptight, Mel. I I just didn't remember till I was out on the slopes. Hi, missus Gormley. Jason, paying a little social call? It's anything but social. Missus Gormley,
[00:08:24] Unknown:
are you saying that your husband, even though he was dead,
[00:08:29] Unknown:
somehow killed the Putnam? Liz, come on now. Alright. I'll tell
[00:08:33] Unknown:
you. After my husband's death, when I realized I'd been left penniless and that I'd have to sell this place, I fell into a state of depression. When the Putnam's bought Gormley Lodge oh, they were gonna use it as a winter home, not turn it into a ski resort like you. When they bought it and I had to move into the little guest house, I was so sad I thought I'd die. For days and days, I sat and wept and and then in one night, my husband come to me. Your husband? You dreamed? It was no dream. Oh, it was my husband. His ghost. Oh, for the moment. Worried. Stood at the foot of my bed, and he begged my forgiveness for leaving me a pauper and breaking my heart.
And he said, Jessica, I promise you'll live in Gormley House again. And then he he vanished. The very next night, the Putnam's crashed through the bridge over Gormley Gorge. Well, accidents do happen. It Now the real estate man didn't tell you the whole story. Missus Putnam lived long enough to tell just what had happened. Well, you can ask for Sheriff. The Putnam didn't go off the bridge by accident. They were driven off it, forced to swinger off it by an oncoming car, a car driven by a skeleton. That's what I wanted to tell you. And now you know.
[00:10:09] Unknown:
Good day. Well, what kind of a put on is this? She's trying to scare us out of here. I'm trying to save your lives. You're trying to get back into this house. That's what you're doing. Just the way you moved back after the Putnam's got killed and lived here a full three years until now. Laurie has some respect. Respect. No way. She may be old but she's as shrewd as they come. She frightens you off then moves back in again and stays until some other sucker comes out. I warn you here. Just let us know when your husband's ghost shows up again. It did. What? Last night. Oh, man. This is the neatest rip off I've ever heard. Lloyd, will you
[00:10:47] Unknown:
your husband's ghost
[00:10:49] Unknown:
last night? Yes. And he used the same words. Jessica, I promise you'll live in Gormley Lodge again. Oh, I beg you listen to me. The Putnam's wouldn't and went to their desk. Oh, missus Gormley, you're really out of sight. Do you know? Oh, so smart. You're so sure of yourself. You think he isn't watching and listening, my husband? Do you think he doesn't know how you insulted me? And you think he'll not repay you? Oh, yes. If people are to die this time too, you will be the first. Now be warned. Jason, wheel me back.
Be warned.
[00:11:36] Unknown:
Rory, you shouldn't have talked to Mrs. Gormley like that. You didn't spring for that crazy story, did you? I don't know. I wonder.
[00:11:46] Unknown:
What, Liz?
[00:11:48] Unknown:
Mel, call the sheriff.
[00:11:50] Unknown:
Find out if missus Gormley's telling the truth. Oh, come on, Liz. I look like a fool. Anyhow, I've gotta finish this paint job. What? Liz, you're not I must find out. Suit yourself. You always do.
[00:12:12] Unknown:
Sheriff Harper speaking. Oh, sheriff.
[00:12:15] Unknown:
This is Elizabeth Stout calling. We're the new owners of Gormley House. Oh. Oh, yes. What can I do for you, missus Stout? Well, we just had a visit from missus Gormley. Oh. What do you mean oh?
[00:12:29] Unknown:
Oh, nothing, missus Stout. Only she can be a little hard to take. I'm getting on here. Yes. Well, what I wanted to ask you,
[00:12:38] Unknown:
of course, you remember the accident to the Putnam 3 Years ago crashing off the bridge over Gormley Gorge. Yes. Yes. I remember. Well, according to missus Gormley, missus Putnam lived long enough to tell you what had caused the accident. Is that so?
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Yes. It is. And what did she tell you? Well, no, missus Stroud. She was near death. Maybe out of her head was pain and shock. What did she tell you, sheriff?
[00:13:08] Unknown:
Did she tell you that they had been forced to swerve off the bridge because of another car that came straight at them? A car with a skeleton driving it?
[00:13:18] Unknown:
Well, as I said, she was out of her head. Did she? Yes. That's the story she told me.
[00:13:27] Unknown:
Thank you.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Goodbye.
[00:13:32] Unknown:
So? Missus Gormley
[00:13:35] Unknown:
told the truth. The putting a woman was dying. Anybody in that condition is liable to say anything. I suppose. Now look, just just just get off it, Liz. We put our life savings, every cent we've got in this place, and I'm not leaving ghost or no go. Well, speaking of leaving, I better get on down into Manitou and pick up the Dunkin's at the airport. Must be early, isn't it? Or if you've got some cute chick in town that you'd like to spend an hour or so with. Mel, you put me away. Don't give me any ideas, Rory. It's a bit early, isn't it? Or have you got some cute chicken town that you'd like to spend an hour or so with? Mel, you put me away. Don't give me any ideas, Rory.
[00:14:27] Unknown:
This is some road, Rory. You drive it often? In the dark, I mean. A few times, mister Duncan. Well, it's frightfully steep and curvy. Now don't push the panic button, missus Duncan.
[00:14:38] Unknown:
I'll get you to the top of Manitou Mountain safe enough. You'll be enjoying a hot toddy in front of the fireplace at Gormley Lodge before you know it. Uh-oh. Maybe, maybe you better slow down a little? It's okay. That was just a patch of loose shale.
[00:14:55] Unknown:
You much of a skier, mister Duncan? Oh, I do okay. My wife will need some lessons though. I, take it Gormley Lodge has a pro. Oh, the best. Me. Well, fine. Fine. Say this road is steep and curvy. Must be pretty spectacular.
[00:15:12] Unknown:
Views, I mean, in the daytime. It's spectacular enough right now what I can see in the headlights. We've got some views, alright. Here's one. It's real cool from the bridge over Gormley Gordon. Steep? 800 feet straight down. It's too bad there isn't a moon tonight. I'd stop on the bridge and let you have a look. What's that sound? We're crossing the bridge now. A wooden bridge over Gormley Gorge, about 500 feet across. Hey. What's up? Lights of a car coming fast. That damn fool is coming
[00:16:00] Unknown:
I'll be back shortly with act two
[00:16:02] Unknown:
if you have the nerve to return, that is. Hello, Fox. It seems like only yesterday that I was a little girl tasting porridge. You know, this one's too hot. This one's too cold. And now I conduct taste tests on diet drinks. And there's one I must tell you about. Sugar free diet seven up. It has a fresh natural delicious taste. It drives my caser meter crazy. Sugar free diet seven up. This one's just right.
[00:16:38] Unknown:
Hey, mom. What's
[00:16:43] Unknown:
How about a no cook dinner for a change? Serve a delicious spread of sliced meat, cheeses, salads, and crisp rolls in ShopRite's appetizer counter. You'll love the freshness, the fine quality, and the pleasing variety. This week's best buys in ShopRite freshly sliced chicken roll, half pound 69¢. Imported Switzerland Swiss cheese, half pound 89¢. ShopRite liverwurst, 99¢ a pound. Fresh macaroni salad, 39¢ a pound. So relax. Cook up a ready to eat dinner at the ShopRite appetizer counter.
[00:17:36] Unknown:
Hello, Amco. My automatic transmission just got automatic a. I was wondering, do you serve a Chevrolet? Do we service those sensational Chevrolets?
[00:17:46] Unknown:
Ma'am, Amco has serviced over 3,000,000 automatic transmissions of all kinds. Nearly 900,000 Chevrolets alone. Oh. Do we service Chevrolets? George, pitch pipe, please.
[00:17:57] Unknown:
Chevy Nova and Impala and Impala. I'm Camaro and the Chevy too.
[00:18:05] Unknown:
A whole month. Yep. We know them. Every Chevrolet automatic make and model on the road today from the oldest Biscayne to a bright spanky Caprice. By the way, what sort of Chevy did you say you had? A Chevy Mustang. Well, no matter. Nobody knows your automatic transmission better than AMCO. Double a, MCO. There are over 500 AMCO centers coast to coast. Consult your yellow pages for the AMCO center nearest you. Double a m c o, AMCO. This is W O R New York, an RKO general station.
[00:18:51] Unknown:
Terror, unless you have experienced it, is only a word. I could employ all the art at my command, my voice, the words I choose to convey to you the full impact of terror. Yet, I know I should fail even as Michael Duncan fails now in telling his story to Sheriff Harper on the bridge over Gormley Gorge the next morning. Terror?
[00:19:13] Unknown:
You say you experienced terror? What would you experience, sheriff? Delight? Mister Duncan, I'm only trying to get at what happened here last night. Excuse me, sheriff. Yes, mister Stout. What is it? Will it be much longer before they get the the bodies up? Hard to say. Why? I'd like to get back to the lodge. My wife is alone, and you can imagine her condition after hearing of her brother's death. Say nothing of how it happened. Sure. Sure. You go ahead. I'll let you know when you're needed to identify the bodies. I'm sorry about your brother-in-law, mister Stout, and the publicity.
Publicity? This is the second time the ghost driver has struck. Ghost driver? And the news has got out. I hear they're sending reporters over from Aspen. That's great. That's just what I need. That'll end my ski resort business for good.
[00:20:05] Unknown:
Not that it ever got started. Wait a few minutes and I'll ride back up with you. Nothing I can do either till they recover Jill's body? Oh, yes, sir, mister Duncan. You can give me your full account. Oh, look, sheriff. I've told you all I know. We were driving across this bridge when we saw this other car coming straight at us. Stout's brother-in-law was driving. He swerved to avoid the oncoming car and went through the guardrail. In the split second between swerving and going through the rail, I let clear and save myself. I wish I could say the same for that boy and
[00:20:38] Unknown:
and Jill, my wife. About the skeleton at the wheel of the other car Why do you keep harping on that? Because it's something to harp on. If you saw a skeleton driving that car I didn't.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
You said I know what I said, but but I've gotta be wrong. I couldn't have seen what I thought I did. Why not? Because I don't believe in skeletons driving cars. I don't believe in goats. Now take it easy, mister Duncan.
[00:21:04] Unknown:
All I'm after is a complete report.
[00:21:07] Unknown:
The fact All you're after is the publicity you're gonna get out of this. Put you on the map, won't it, sheriff? Why, you might even get a job in one of the big Colorado ski resorts like Aspen or Vail That'll be enough, mister missus Duncan.
[00:21:18] Unknown:
You can go. I'll phone the lodge when I need you.
[00:21:35] Unknown:
Missus Gormley.
[00:21:37] Unknown:
Well, invite me in, miss Stout. Oh, yes. Of course. I'm I'm surprised to see that you're not in a wheelchair. Oh, it depends on how bad my arthritis kicks up. Sometimes I can walk with a cane, like now.
[00:21:54] Unknown:
I see. Is your husband home? No. He's down at the bridge
[00:21:59] Unknown:
with mister Duncan. Oh, the fella whose wife got killed. Yes. And I'm sorry about that. Sorry about your brother too. Even though he asked for it. He was just going there. I I I Your brother's dead because he wouldn't listen. He wouldn't heed my warning. Now you listen, child. You heed my warning. Make your husband listen and take warning too. You leave this place. Leave it today.
[00:22:28] Unknown:
Don't think I wouldn't. We wouldn't if we couldn't. We can't. Oh, our savings are tied up with Gormley Lodge. Listen to me. Listen.
[00:22:40] Unknown:
Now my dead husband came to me again last night and he promised me again I'd return to this house. You love this old house, don't you? Well, it was my life. You're a woman. You understand how that is.
[00:22:57] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:22:58] Unknown:
I came here a bride forty years ago. And Jason, senior that is, he was just starting his career as a painter. Jason, my son, was born here. There was another child, a little girl. She died here. No. This house isn't made of wood and stone. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
[00:23:22] Unknown:
Oh. Oh, I think they've come back. Yes. My husband and mister Duncan are back. I'll go then. Oh, well, missus Gormley, I'm gonna put some coffee on. You stay. Have a cup. No.
[00:23:38] Unknown:
I can't bear to go on looking at people who I know are going to die. What's this? Die? Who who who's gonna die now? You are, mister Stout. You and your wife. If you don't heed my warning and leave
[00:23:54] Unknown:
as soon as possible. Now what's all this stuff? Who is this woman? Jessica Gormley used to own this place. Oh, the woman you told me about. The one who claims her husband's ghost visits her. I don't just claim it. It's true
[00:24:06] Unknown:
for you. My name's Michael Duncan. Oh, yes. Yes. The one whose wife went to her death in the gorge last night. Well, you take my advice too. You leave here. Leave as fast as you can. How about a drink, Stout? Oh, so you two won't listen. The ghost driver killed your wife last night, and yet you won't listen. Well, let me warn you once and for all.
[00:24:33] Unknown:
You what was that? A shot. It was a gunshot. Jason,
[00:24:36] Unknown:
oh, it's happened. He's killed in the valley.
[00:24:41] Unknown:
She's fallen. Liz, help her up and keep her here. Duncan, you come with me. Here. Here. Carmen. Yeah. Mister Stout, what do you want? You're okay, Jason. We heard a gunshot. Why not? Well, we've heard of you and your little games like Russian roulette, and we thought that you shot myself?
[00:25:07] Unknown:
No such luck. Come in if you want to. Oh, the,
[00:25:11] Unknown:
the gunshot we heard. I fired it deliberately. You fired that shot deliberately?
[00:25:18] Unknown:
You ask a lot of questions
[00:25:21] Unknown:
for someone I haven't even met. It's Mike Duncan. He and his wife are to be my first guest. It was his wife who got killed last night.
[00:25:30] Unknown:
I'm sorry. How did you escape?
[00:25:32] Unknown:
How did you escape?
[00:25:33] Unknown:
Pulling myself from the car just before it went through the guardrail.
[00:25:37] Unknown:
Well, you better keep an eye out for the old man's ghost. He'll be after you. Mister Gormley, I don't believe in ghosts.
[00:25:44] Unknown:
Now why did you fire that revolver? What business is it? Alright. I'll tell you. You don't think it's nutty? I'm sure.
[00:25:54] Unknown:
I've been playing Russian roulette with this gun for years, ever since my father died. And I always win or lose depending on how you look at it. And how do you look at it, Jason? I give it here straight, mister Stuck. I wanna lose. For years now, I picked up the gun like this. Oh, no. Not every day. Maybe once a week. Once every other week. Whenever the mood comes on me, I might put it to my temple like this. Wait a minute.
[00:26:31] Unknown:
Don't worry. Gun's empty.
[00:26:33] Unknown:
I haven't put in a fresh bullet yet. You see, the reason I deliberately fired that bullet I had in this gun was to find out if the thing was a dud. It wasn't.
[00:26:44] Unknown:
Too bad.
[00:26:47] Unknown:
May I shake your hand, mister Duncan? You're the first man I've ever met who says what he thinks. You wanna kill yourself, go ahead. I like you. You do speak your mind. And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to this painting of mine. By the way, what do you think of it? Pretty rude, isn't it? It's just the right word for it, mister Stout. See? There's the car swerving and crashing through the bridge, the oncoming ghost car with the skeleton at the wheel, all in flaming color. I knock out one an hour. I slap a frame on it, and I sell it in Manitou for $20. So excuse me, will you?
Business is gonna pick up, thanks to last night, and I wanna be ready to supply the demand.
[00:27:46] Unknown:
It's been a rough twenty four hours, miss Stout. It's a nice chair. Just right for sitting in front of a fire. Cost you plenty, I bet.
[00:27:57] Unknown:
Yes. Plenty. But that isn't what I'm thinking about.
[00:28:01] Unknown:
You're thinking about your brother and my wife lying in their coffins of the undertakers in Manitou?
[00:28:08] Unknown:
Yes. And also that even a small village like Manitou has an undertaker.
[00:28:14] Unknown:
Birth, death, taxes. The only sureties in life, missus Town.
[00:28:19] Unknown:
Liz.
[00:28:20] Unknown:
Mike. I, I liked your husband. Me too. He told me about everything. About what getting this ski resort means to you. Your life savings invested all that.
[00:28:34] Unknown:
All down the drain, I'm afraid.
[00:28:36] Unknown:
The publicity?
[00:28:37] Unknown:
What else? Every reservation's canceled. Well, all except one, but that'll come in too. It has, Liz. Yes? Here it is.
[00:28:47] Unknown:
Please cancel my reservation for next week, Frank Norton. As a family of four, telegram phoned in from Aspen. Anybody got a sponge? A sponge? So I can throw it in.
[00:29:02] Unknown:
I'll throw it, Mike. Do you always give up this easy? What do you mean easy? Just that. Do you always fade when the going gets tough? Well, this is the time to start fighting. Does it make good sense to let all this go down the drain because somebody's playing a trick on you? A murderous trick? Do you think it's a trick? What else could it be? A skeleton driving a ghost car? What else but a trick?
[00:29:25] Unknown:
Well, what else? You were in that car last night. You saw. And it was a skeleton behind the wheel of the oncoming car. You told a sheriff that. You can still say that That it was a trick. Yes. What kind of trick? Damn it, Mike. You admit you saw a skeleton driving a car, but you can still call it a trick?
[00:29:46] Unknown:
See? I see you don't answer. Look, Mel. I'm a practical man, a businessman. You think being a businessman is simple? No. No. I've had troubles that would make yours look like like nothing. Today, you won't find anybody more successful than me, but I've been bankrupt twice. Yes. And paid off every cent. How? Well, not by running away the way you want to, but by standing up and fighting. And that's what you've gotta do right now. How? You tell me how and I'll do it. No. We'll we'll do it together. I've got a stake in this too, you know? My wife is dead.
Murdered. Yes, murdered. Not by a ghost, but by a trick. And if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna find out who played that trick and make him pay. And you don't think it's a ghost? Do you? Answer me. Do you believe in ghosts?
[00:30:36] Unknown:
Did you believe before you came here and ran into this mess you're in?
[00:30:40] Unknown:
Well, no. I didn't. Then why start believing now? Ghosts my foot. Now this is a trick. Somebody wants to stop you from turning Gormley Lodge into a ski resort. And if you ask me, it's the Gormleys. One or the other or both is behind all this. Or that sheriff down in Manitou. The sheriff? Oh, Mike. You don't really think that the sheriff I don't know what to think, Liz. All I know is that somebody's behind this and those of our three likelier suspects. Now look, I'm I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but I've got a brain and I've got guts and and, well, my wife is dead. My my Jill.
Well, I I'm just gonna find out who killed her. That's all. Tough as they are. You like a drink, Mike? No. No. No. Thanks. I'll be okay. Especially when I nail that murderer. What what what have you got in mind? Well, it'll be dark in about an hour. We take the car, Mel. You and me. We take the car and we drive up and down that road all night if necessary to meet up with this so called ghost driver. And when and if we meet up with him. Yes.
[00:31:50] Unknown:
If and when you meet up with him, what?
[00:31:54] Unknown:
We don't turn aside. We don't swerve out of his path and off the bridge. We drive straight at him and keep driving at him. If he's a ghost in a ghost car,
[00:32:05] Unknown:
we'll drive through him. And if he isn't?
[00:32:07] Unknown:
If he isn't? Well, if he isn't, it'll be one hell of a crash.
[00:32:19] Unknown:
You, you out there listening, what would you do? If you were Mel Stout, would you accept Mike Duncan's challenge? I'll be back shortly with act three.
[00:32:35] Unknown:
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Remember, brewing beer right does make a difference. Next time, pour that Budweiser right down the middle and see for yourself. Anheuser Busch, St. Louis.
[00:33:52] Unknown:
If you thought you couldn't afford to fly to California this summer, TWA has some good news for you. You can. Thanks to TWA's demand schedule service, you can fly to California for only $125 Just make your reservations ninety days before you wanna go and put down a $20 deposit for each way. For all the details, call your travel agent. TWA's demand scheduled service. Now you can afford to fly to California.
[00:34:47] Unknown:
Two men are now driving the twisting precipitous mountain road that leads to Gormley Lodge. 1, Mike Duncan, believes that the ghost driver they hope to meet is nothing but a trick. Mel Stout, his life savings, every penny at stake, has had no choice but to go along.
[00:35:08] Unknown:
Mike, I'm bushed. Let's make this the last trip. Uh-uh. Uh-uh. We're gonna drive up and down this road till dawn. Yes, and night after night if we have to. Until we meet up with our so called ghost driver. This is the sixth time we've been up and down this mountain road. Okay. Pull over. I'll drive. Get out to your side. I'll slip behind the wheel. Yeah.
[00:35:32] Unknown:
Hey.
[00:35:33] Unknown:
The car coming up behind it's spread light, light. That must be the sheriff. Sheriff. Alright. And this is Stoud. Oh, and you, mister Duncan. What are you doing here, sheriff? Well, that's what I wanna ask you. I got a report from Mountain View House across the valley there that they were seeing headlights going up and down this road. Guess I don't have to tell you everybody around here is on edge after what happened last night.
[00:36:01] Unknown:
Now what are you up to? We're not up to anything, sheriff. We're driving this road in hopes of meeting up with whoever or whatever killed my wife and mister Stout's brother-in-law.
[00:36:11] Unknown:
Get yourselves killed in the bargain? Oh, no. You drive on up to Gormley Lodge and when you get there, stay there. You make us sound like an order, sir. That's what it is, mister Stout. Well, I I guess we better do like he says, Mike.
[00:36:30] Unknown:
I don't think so. Oh, you don't? No, I don't. This is a public road. We've got a right to be on it unless we're doing something that breaks the law, and we're not. You're a kind of troublemaker,
[00:36:41] Unknown:
mister Duncan, aren't you? Sheriff,
[00:36:43] Unknown:
I never go looking for trouble, but I know how to handle it when it comes my way. Now either you arrest us for breaking some law or other, in which case you'd better be prepared to back it off or I'll sue the town of Manitou and you for false arrest, or get off our backs. I'm not on your backs.
[00:36:59] Unknown:
I'm trying to save your lives. Take my advice. Advice, I thought it was an order. Alright, wise guy. Have it your way. Go ahead and get killed and and be damned to you.
[00:37:17] Unknown:
Alright. Let's go, Mel.
[00:37:22] Unknown:
You can sure sound tough, Mike.
[00:37:25] Unknown:
No small town sheriff pushes me around. Wow. He's only trying to do his job. Maybe. And maybe not.
[00:37:33] Unknown:
What do you mean?
[00:37:35] Unknown:
I don't know. But that's what we're gonna find out. Tonight, tomorrow night, or whenever.
[00:37:40] Unknown:
Oh, there's the bridge ahead. Yeah, maybe you better slow down. No.
[00:37:45] Unknown:
If it's a ghost, we'll go through it. If it isn't Mike, headlights coming towards us. Now look, don't lose your nerve. Coming closer.
[00:37:51] Unknown:
We're gonna crash if you're Mike!
[00:37:53] Unknown:
Drive in that car, it's Rory! Your brother-in-law, my God!
[00:38:07] Unknown:
But, Mel, Mike, I can't believe it. Can't believe it myself, Liz.
[00:38:12] Unknown:
Not only what we saw, but getting out of it with our lives. The fates were with us, Mel.
[00:38:17] Unknown:
I I lost my nerve. I have to admit that. I just couldn't keep driving straight at that that awful thing coming towards us. I I couldn't help myself. I I swerved at the last second. Thank god we hit that stanchion instead of going off the bridge. Rory driving the other car? It's impossible. Rory's dead.
[00:38:37] Unknown:
We're burying him tomorrow. Rory's dead. That's for sure. But it was Rory driving that car. That's for sure too.
[00:38:45] Unknown:
Then then ghosts do exist? Mel?
[00:38:50] Unknown:
That's what?
[00:38:51] Unknown:
After the funeral tomorrow. Let's get out of here. Let's go away from this place as fast as we can. And go where?
[00:39:02] Unknown:
Oh, back to Aspen, of course. Liz, we're broke. We haven't enough dough left for a motel room. Where would we stay? How would we live? Mel, I I I didn't know things were that bad for you. Putting this place back in shape cost me just about every penny I had. Well, look, would a loan help? You you'd be willing to Oh, sure.
[00:39:23] Unknown:
I I like you too and, well, the way things turned out, we've gotten to know each other real fast. Practically friends. So well, if you can use a loan That's generous of you, Mike. It is it is generous of you, Mike. And I appreciate it, but no. Thanks. What'll you do? Do what you said I ought to do. Fight this thing. Liz, Mike, if you ever come east, be sure to look me up. We will, Mike. Yes. Of course. You you won't change your mind about the loan? Can't.
[00:40:03] Unknown:
Would only be putting off what's bound to happen unless Unless what? Unless I can find the answer to what goes on here. There's something bothering me, something I feel that I saw somewhere but didn't pay much attention to at the time. What about it? This this something? It's just something that's bothering me is all. Something that just could give me the answer to all of this.
[00:40:28] Unknown:
Well, good luck. You deserve it. Oh, there's the taxi that's gonna take me to the airport.
[00:40:33] Unknown:
Goodbye, Liz. Goodbye, Mike. Bye bye, Mike. And thanks. Well, we'd we'd better get our back, Liz. Liz, are you coming?
[00:40:45] Unknown:
Yes. Mel, you better know it now. No matter what you intend to do, I won't be staying. No. We've got to face the facts. Buying this place was a big mistake. I admit it now. But there's no sense in crying over spilled milk. What's done is done. So darling, let's just turn our backs on it, walk away from it, and start again. Start what again? The treadmill of office work?
[00:41:22] Unknown:
The dreary day to day monotony of auditing accounts, toting up figures? I can't bear to go back to that kind of life. I have got to make a goo of this. I don't have any other choice. What if it worth your life?
[00:41:34] Unknown:
Ghost or no ghost, Mel, it's killed four people. It would have been six if you and Mike Duncan hadn't been lucky enough to hit that stanchion. And it will be six if you insist on driving that road again tonight. Six? How how do you make it six? You don't think I'm gonna let you do it alone, do you? But at the funeral, you said that you said that that you weren't even gonna stay. Because I hope that would change your mind, but it hasn't. So you see, I have no choice either.
[00:42:09] Unknown:
It's just like last night with Mike. From the top of the mountain down to Manitou then back up again and again and no sign of me. But he did show, finally. And Mike lost his nerves, swerved aside at the last second. Let's hope I don't lose mine. Will it matter?
[00:42:26] Unknown:
What do you mean?
[00:42:28] Unknown:
If you lose your nerve, we'll go off the bridge. If you don't, and the ghost car isn't a ghost car,
[00:42:35] Unknown:
we'll be killed in a crash. If there is a crash, but there won't be.
[00:42:39] Unknown:
You seem awfully sure of that. I am.
[00:42:42] Unknown:
Remember at the cemetery, I told Mike there was something I had seen but hadn't paid any attention to? Yeah. That if I could only remember what it was I'd have the answer to all of this? Yes. Well, it's come to me. Driving up and down the mountain tonight, it suddenly came to me. See, it wasn't something I'd seen. It was something I'd heard and paid no attention to. Something I knew but didn't realize what it meant. And if I'm right, Liz, if I'm right
[00:43:08] Unknown:
What is
[00:43:09] Unknown:
what did you remember? We're on the bridge now. Let me concentrate on driving.
[00:43:14] Unknown:
No. No. No. There it is. The ghost car is coming straight forward. Yes. And behind the wheel driving it. It's Rory.
[00:43:21] Unknown:
Oh my god. It's Rory. Oh, we buried Rory. But then it's a ghost, Get your hands off the wheel. Don't try to turn the wheel. We're gonna cry. Oh, smell.
[00:43:40] Unknown:
What?
[00:43:41] Unknown:
What? This time he swerved and he went off the bridge just as I know he would. How? How did you know? Later, Liz. Right now, we better get up to the lodge and phone the sheriff. Oh.
[00:44:03] Unknown:
Oh. Come in, missus Gormley. Mel? Missus Gormley's here. Please, won't you sit down? Yeah. Thank you.
[00:44:15] Unknown:
Hello, missus Gormley.
[00:44:17] Unknown:
I'm sorry about last night.
[00:44:20] Unknown:
I'm not. This is Gornley. Jason was your son. Oh, he was the torment of my life. Every day I lived. Of course, I'm sorry he's dead, but, I can only be glad it's over for me.
[00:44:35] Unknown:
Did you know that your son was the ghost driver?
[00:44:38] Unknown:
I suspected, but I was never sure. You see, it was Jason who wanted to go on living here in this house far more than I did. Oh, you can understand. He was born here. He grew up here. Started his painting career here in a fine, big studio upstairs.
[00:44:58] Unknown:
Tragic. Just tragic.
[00:45:00] Unknown:
Even more tragic if it hadn't been for you. How did you come to know? What made you realize that my son was the ghost driver?
[00:45:12] Unknown:
A gunshot.
[00:45:14] Unknown:
A gunshot?
[00:45:16] Unknown:
The shot he fired to see whether the bullet he used for playing Russian roulette was live or not. Well, I don't I don't thought of you. You see, something kept bugging me, missus Gormey, but I I couldn't nail it down because I kept thinking it was something that I'd seen. But then suddenly, I realized it wasn't something I'd seen, but something I'd heard at gunshot. I I still do that. It it got me to thinking about Jason playing Russian roulette, playing with life and death, and that got me to thinking a step further. Sure, Russian roulette, only a fool or a would be suicide would play it, but the fact remains that the odds are in his favor. Every time Jason spun the barrel of that gun and pulled the trigger, the chances were five to one against firing a bullet. Oh, but but what was the connection
[00:46:06] Unknown:
between that and and the ghost driver?
[00:46:09] Unknown:
Driving a car straight at another car is just another form of Russian roulette.
[00:46:14] Unknown:
Yes. I see. Well, Sheriff Harper came to see me and he said Jason was wearing a mask,
[00:46:23] Unknown:
a paper mache mask of your brother's. Yes. And it wasn't a very good likeness of my brother, but it didn't have to be. It looked enough like him to fool you when you saw it under those awful conditions. The night and the headlights and and the car coming straight at you.
[00:46:41] Unknown:
Fear did the rest. There must be another mask, the skeleton face. Oh, there is. We we we searched the studio and we found it, Sheriff Harper and me. Yeah. Well, it's all over. Jason's at peace at last. God knows I soon shall peace. Well, good day. Fart knees, oh. What, missus Gormley? Well, we've searched and we've searched, but we couldn't find a mask of my husband's face.
[00:47:15] Unknown:
What made you think there was one?
[00:47:17] Unknown:
Well, you see, when I heard about the masks, I thought it must have been Jason who came and stood at the foot of my bed, not my husband's ghost. But if it wasn't Jason, who was it? What was it?
[00:47:45] Unknown:
An interesting question. What was it indeed? I'll be back shortly. Hi.
[00:47:51] Unknown:
Miss Goldilocks here. Professionally taste testing diet drinks can be very difficult, but I just had to bear with it. Then I found sugar free diet seven up. It doesn't taste like other diet drinks. It's fresh, light, natural, delicious. Sugar free diet seven up tastes so good that I've tasted it hundreds of times and each time I've given it my seal of approval. Yes. This one's just right.
[00:48:23] Unknown:
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[00:48:54] Unknown:
Hey, Pat. How tall do you think she is? Three hundred feet of she's an inch Luigi, and a fine lady she is.
[00:49:01] Unknown:
The year 1886, while most New Yorkers were enjoying their first look at the Statue Of Liberty, a few were enjoying their first taste of Thomas' bread, and discovering it was every bit as delicious as Thomas' English muffins. Today, there's still never been a lady to equal the lady or a bread to equal Thomas' protein, whole wheat, and white bread. Thomas' promises.
[00:49:24] Unknown:
Here's news from Queen Elizabeth two. Now you can sail to Europe on Queen Elizabeth two and fly home free. I'll repeat that. Sail to Europe on Queen Elizabeth two and fly back to New York free. She reaches Europe in five luxurious days. You have ample time for touring because you fly back. Meals and entertainment on board are included. A whole new crowd of people are discovering Queen Elizabeth two because she's affordable and she's fun. She has nine bars, four swimming pools, three nightclubs, a discotheque, a gymnasium, a sauna, a casino, and three of the finest restaurants in the world. Sail first class grades a to h and fly home free. Sail tourist grades l to q and s to u and fly home half fare. Flights are British Airways economy. You can stay in Europe up to sixteen days. Call your travel agent or Cunard at (212) 983-2510.
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[00:50:24] Unknown:
Our cast included Augusta Dabney, Mason Adams, Mary Jane Higbee, Norman Rose, Nick Pryor, and Leon Janney. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by new sugar free diet seven up. This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasant dreams?
[00:50:54] Unknown:
The preceding mystery theater program is furnished by the CBS Radio Network. This is WOR New York.
[00:51:03] Unknown:
I'm Fulton Lewis in the Mutual Broadcasting System Studios in Washington DC. Now, my commentary. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said today, he expects his panel to go along with President Nixon's request of today. A request for an additional five days to reply to a subpoena for 42 Watergate tapes. New Jersey Democrat representative Peter Rodino said that he and the ranking Republican member of the committee had agreed to the postponement. And in Rodino's words, I am quite confident the members of the committee will go along with it too. He told a news conference the matter will be taken up formally by his committee on Thursday. That's the day the response to the committee subpoena was due.
The delay requested by the White House today would put off the response until next Tuesday. At the White House, Deputy Press Secretary Gerald Warren attributed the White House request to the pressure of business at the White House and the demands on the president's time. Chairman Rodino said that the delay was requested by James St. Clair, the president's chief Watergate attorney. It was requested in a telephone call yesterday to John Doar, the chief counsel of the impeachment inquiry. The chairman said that he and representative Edward Hutchinson of Michigan, the ranking Republican member of the committee, instructed Doar to ask Saint Claire why at least some of the subpoenaed material could not be furnished on Thursday.
Saint Claire told Dorn that the president wanted to review all of the material at once before sending it to Capitol Hill Rodino said Saint Claire though gave no assurance that all of the subpoenaed material would be given to the committee asked about reports of the White House plan to give the panel transcripts rather than tapes Chairman Rodino replied transcripts would not be satisfactory White House Deputy Press Secretary Warren said a lot of work is has been and is being done to compile the material necessary to prepare a response The President himself has spent many many hours reviewing the response and has determined that he would like some extra time to review the response in its entirety. Warren would give no clue as to the likely nature of the eventual reply to the subpoena.
He said only the president has not finally decided on the form and content of the response. Asked if the request for a delay might not be considered inconsistent with repeated White House calls for a speedy resolution of the impeachment question Warren said quote it is consistent with our position and with the president's position to deal responsibly with the House Judiciary Committee and that is what we are doing. Back on April 11, the committee voted 33 to three to subpoena the tapes that it had been seeking since February. The president also faces a second subpoena.
That one has a May 2 deadline. That one is for additional tapes and other materials that are being sought by special Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski. Asked if the president might not also seek an extension of the May 2 deadline Warren said today I know of no such requests Now this
[00:54:03] Unknown:
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[00:54:14] Unknown:
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What a Sheraton
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[00:55:02] Unknown:
White House officials say privately that they're not really sure how they should interpret. Vice President Gerald Ford's remarks to 1,300 newspaper and broadcast industry leaders yesterday. One school thought is that he was not taking any potshots at the president. Others however read into his comments a significant break from mr. Nixon on the Watergate tapes issue The vice president said that the president might have tried harder to get the story of Watergate out sooner and that he should begin cooperating as fully as possible to clear the issue up now A committee subpoena for tapes and documents of course was due Thursday but the request has been made now to postpone that till Tuesday Ford in his speech yesterday said it's pretty hard to put yourself back into the shoes of somebody else in a situation like this I do read the newspapers very extensively I could not have been oblivious to some of the things that were going on that has taken place or has transpired It would be my technique, he said, if I were in those shoes which I hope and trust does not take place but it would be my technique to want to find out as quickly as possible I assume that the president did in fact I have good reason to believe that he did Unfortunately, the vice president added Unfortunately, some of the people who should have known obviously did not give him the full story Now, whether there should have been a more vigorous prosecution of all the details that's a matter of judgment and in my case I think I could have tried to nudge some of my employees about as hard as I possibly could Ford went on to say that the president knew nothing in advance about the burglary and bugging of the Democratic Party headquarters in Washington's Watergate Complex during the nineteen seventy two presidential campaign.
The vice president also said that he is confident the president had not committed any impeachable offense under the constitution. But he nonetheless urged the president to make every effort to settle the issue once and for all. The vice president said I have indicated to him on a number of occasions that I thought he should do anything reasonable in order to clear up the problems that have developed subsequent to Watergate itself. I have consistently said the sooner any and all relevant evidence was made available, the better the Congress could consider and the American people evaluate whether or not the president was involved prior to at the time of or subsequent to the Watergate break in.
The vice president added, I hope and trust that sometime in the next forty eight or seventy two hours, the White House will cooperate to the maximum and making available to the House Committee on the Judiciary the relevant material that the committee has requested. He drew applause from his audience when he added, I strongly believe that to be the right course of action and I hope and trust the decision follows that pattern.
[00:57:52] Unknown:
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Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. Welcome to our world of mystery and the macabre. Sit back and lend us your fears. Have you ever seen a ghost? It is an experience of such horror as to turn your blood to ice. Oh, I know. I know. There are those who scoff, but they have never met a ghost. Our mystery drama, The Ghost Driver, was written especially for the mystery theater by George Lothar and stars Augusta Dabney and Mason Adams. It is sponsored in part by Anheuser Busch Incorporated, brewers of Budweiser, and by the Kellogg company, makers of Kellogg's special k cereal.
I'll be back shortly with act one.
[00:01:21] Unknown:
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[00:02:20] Unknown:
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[00:03:23] Unknown:
Do ghosts exist? Mel Stout doesn't think so, but his wife, Liz, feels differently. If it had been up to Liz, they'd never have bought Gormley Lodge on top of Manitou Mountain in Colorado. Why? Because according to a local legend, the former owners, the Putnam's, had been sent crashing to their death by a ghost driver who came at them head on.
[00:03:49] Unknown:
Now in the living room of the lodge Liz, I've had it up to here with that brother of yours. Now may I I mean, he promised to help finish painting his living room before the Duncans arrived tonight. And where is he? No. I'll tell you where he is. He is out on the slopes skiing, enjoying himself as usual. Well, do you just be reasonable now? If we didn't have Rory,
[00:04:07] Unknown:
where would we get a ski instructor? I'd like to know. We certainly can't afford to hire one any more than we could afford to have this place painted.
[00:04:14] Unknown:
I'm sorry. It's just that I've got so darn much on my mind. Liz, I
[00:04:20] Unknown:
I just hope that I haven't made the mistake of my life and yours. We'll make a go of the lodge. We're off to a pretty good start. The Duncans arrive tonight and they're booked for a full week. And the Todds and the Morgans arrive next week. Yeah. And after that? Well, darling, our newspaper ads ought to get us more customers. Just ask yourself, darling, what would you rather be doing now? Painting the living room of your own ski lodge with paying guests arriving tonight or slaving away at your old accounting job in Aspen. Well, at least that brought a check-in every week. Oh, now you wanted to be your own boss for years. And so we bought this old mansion on top of Manitou Mountain to start our own ski lodge.
The old Gormley Mansion. And we're gonna keep at it until we make a success of it.
[00:05:10] Unknown:
Liz, you're marvelous.
[00:05:12] Unknown:
Oh, there's somebody at the front door. I'll get it. Oh.
[00:05:18] Unknown:
Oh, missus Gormley. You've come to pay your visit, miss Stout. My first formal visit.
[00:05:24] Unknown:
Well, that's very good of you, missus Gormley.
[00:05:27] Unknown:
Well, won't you come in? Alright, Jason. You heard the lady. Wheel me in. Yes, mother. You know my son, Jason. You've met? Yes. Yes. Briefly.
[00:05:38] Unknown:
Mel, the Gormleys have come to pay a visit. I see you, missus Gormley, Jason.
[00:05:43] Unknown:
Hope you don't mind if I finish this painting. Oh, go right ahead. I'd give you a hand. Old as I am, but my arthritis keeps me in this wheelchair.
[00:05:52] Unknown:
Jason, why don't you Thanks. I couldn't think of asking a fine arts painter to paint. Fine art. You hear that, Jason?
[00:05:59] Unknown:
Mister Stout complimented you. Call the mountain scenes you paint fine art. Well, they are. Well, I saw some of them in the ski shop in town. They're very good.
[00:06:09] Unknown:
Do you sell many? A few. Oh, just enough to cover the cost of the painting canvas. Oh, yes. And a quart of whiskey now and then. Mother, please. What out there? If they don't hear it from me, Jason, they'll hear it from others. Well, to drink now and then. Now and then. Tell the stats how you play Russian roulette with the old revolver of your fathers when you're drunk. Stop it, mother. Stop it. Or perhaps you'd like some coffee, missus Grandley, or or tea. It won't take a minute. No. No. No. Thank you. We won't be here that long. Now I've come to do for you what I did for the Putnam's.
Them that bought my house out from under me three years ago. Out from under you? Missus Gormley, are you saying that that we have done that? Forced you out of your house? Well, haven't you? Oh, it's not your fault. Jason's father left us destitute, left me destitute, I should say, with a son too lazy to support his old mother. So I had to sell this beautiful place. Mother, the Stouts aren't interested in all this past history. Well, they better be if they value their lives. Value our lives? Well, mister Heller, they didn't tell you. Of course. Tell us what? About how the Putnam's met their death. Why, yes.
The real estate man told us about the accident. That was no accident. No more in my husband's death was an accident. He died in the same way. His car crashed off the bridge into the gorge? Right. 800 feet down into the gorge to the rocks 800 feet below, but no accident. Suicide. The Putnams didn't commit suicide, not them. My husband, Jason senior, raving drunk and suicidal, but this was no accident either, the Putnams. He drove them off that bridge.
[00:08:02] Unknown:
Who? My husband? Now wait a minute, missus Gormley. If your husband was dead Hi. I am back. Oh, sure. Naturally, Rory. Now the painting job is nearly done. Come on. Now don't get uptight, Mel. I I just didn't remember till I was out on the slopes. Hi, missus Gormley. Jason, paying a little social call? It's anything but social. Missus Gormley,
[00:08:24] Unknown:
are you saying that your husband, even though he was dead,
[00:08:29] Unknown:
somehow killed the Putnam? Liz, come on now. Alright. I'll tell
[00:08:33] Unknown:
you. After my husband's death, when I realized I'd been left penniless and that I'd have to sell this place, I fell into a state of depression. When the Putnam's bought Gormley Lodge oh, they were gonna use it as a winter home, not turn it into a ski resort like you. When they bought it and I had to move into the little guest house, I was so sad I thought I'd die. For days and days, I sat and wept and and then in one night, my husband come to me. Your husband? You dreamed? It was no dream. Oh, it was my husband. His ghost. Oh, for the moment. Worried. Stood at the foot of my bed, and he begged my forgiveness for leaving me a pauper and breaking my heart.
And he said, Jessica, I promise you'll live in Gormley House again. And then he he vanished. The very next night, the Putnam's crashed through the bridge over Gormley Gorge. Well, accidents do happen. It Now the real estate man didn't tell you the whole story. Missus Putnam lived long enough to tell just what had happened. Well, you can ask for Sheriff. The Putnam didn't go off the bridge by accident. They were driven off it, forced to swinger off it by an oncoming car, a car driven by a skeleton. That's what I wanted to tell you. And now you know.
[00:10:09] Unknown:
Good day. Well, what kind of a put on is this? She's trying to scare us out of here. I'm trying to save your lives. You're trying to get back into this house. That's what you're doing. Just the way you moved back after the Putnam's got killed and lived here a full three years until now. Laurie has some respect. Respect. No way. She may be old but she's as shrewd as they come. She frightens you off then moves back in again and stays until some other sucker comes out. I warn you here. Just let us know when your husband's ghost shows up again. It did. What? Last night. Oh, man. This is the neatest rip off I've ever heard. Lloyd, will you
[00:10:47] Unknown:
your husband's ghost
[00:10:49] Unknown:
last night? Yes. And he used the same words. Jessica, I promise you'll live in Gormley Lodge again. Oh, I beg you listen to me. The Putnam's wouldn't and went to their desk. Oh, missus Gormley, you're really out of sight. Do you know? Oh, so smart. You're so sure of yourself. You think he isn't watching and listening, my husband? Do you think he doesn't know how you insulted me? And you think he'll not repay you? Oh, yes. If people are to die this time too, you will be the first. Now be warned. Jason, wheel me back.
Be warned.
[00:11:36] Unknown:
Rory, you shouldn't have talked to Mrs. Gormley like that. You didn't spring for that crazy story, did you? I don't know. I wonder.
[00:11:46] Unknown:
What, Liz?
[00:11:48] Unknown:
Mel, call the sheriff.
[00:11:50] Unknown:
Find out if missus Gormley's telling the truth. Oh, come on, Liz. I look like a fool. Anyhow, I've gotta finish this paint job. What? Liz, you're not I must find out. Suit yourself. You always do.
[00:12:12] Unknown:
Sheriff Harper speaking. Oh, sheriff.
[00:12:15] Unknown:
This is Elizabeth Stout calling. We're the new owners of Gormley House. Oh. Oh, yes. What can I do for you, missus Stout? Well, we just had a visit from missus Gormley. Oh. What do you mean oh?
[00:12:29] Unknown:
Oh, nothing, missus Stout. Only she can be a little hard to take. I'm getting on here. Yes. Well, what I wanted to ask you,
[00:12:38] Unknown:
of course, you remember the accident to the Putnam 3 Years ago crashing off the bridge over Gormley Gorge. Yes. Yes. I remember. Well, according to missus Gormley, missus Putnam lived long enough to tell you what had caused the accident. Is that so?
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Yes. It is. And what did she tell you? Well, no, missus Stroud. She was near death. Maybe out of her head was pain and shock. What did she tell you, sheriff?
[00:13:08] Unknown:
Did she tell you that they had been forced to swerve off the bridge because of another car that came straight at them? A car with a skeleton driving it?
[00:13:18] Unknown:
Well, as I said, she was out of her head. Did she? Yes. That's the story she told me.
[00:13:27] Unknown:
Thank you.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Goodbye.
[00:13:32] Unknown:
So? Missus Gormley
[00:13:35] Unknown:
told the truth. The putting a woman was dying. Anybody in that condition is liable to say anything. I suppose. Now look, just just just get off it, Liz. We put our life savings, every cent we've got in this place, and I'm not leaving ghost or no go. Well, speaking of leaving, I better get on down into Manitou and pick up the Dunkin's at the airport. Must be early, isn't it? Or if you've got some cute chick in town that you'd like to spend an hour or so with. Mel, you put me away. Don't give me any ideas, Rory. It's a bit early, isn't it? Or have you got some cute chicken town that you'd like to spend an hour or so with? Mel, you put me away. Don't give me any ideas, Rory.
[00:14:27] Unknown:
This is some road, Rory. You drive it often? In the dark, I mean. A few times, mister Duncan. Well, it's frightfully steep and curvy. Now don't push the panic button, missus Duncan.
[00:14:38] Unknown:
I'll get you to the top of Manitou Mountain safe enough. You'll be enjoying a hot toddy in front of the fireplace at Gormley Lodge before you know it. Uh-oh. Maybe, maybe you better slow down a little? It's okay. That was just a patch of loose shale.
[00:14:55] Unknown:
You much of a skier, mister Duncan? Oh, I do okay. My wife will need some lessons though. I, take it Gormley Lodge has a pro. Oh, the best. Me. Well, fine. Fine. Say this road is steep and curvy. Must be pretty spectacular.
[00:15:12] Unknown:
Views, I mean, in the daytime. It's spectacular enough right now what I can see in the headlights. We've got some views, alright. Here's one. It's real cool from the bridge over Gormley Gordon. Steep? 800 feet straight down. It's too bad there isn't a moon tonight. I'd stop on the bridge and let you have a look. What's that sound? We're crossing the bridge now. A wooden bridge over Gormley Gorge, about 500 feet across. Hey. What's up? Lights of a car coming fast. That damn fool is coming
[00:16:00] Unknown:
I'll be back shortly with act two
[00:16:02] Unknown:
if you have the nerve to return, that is. Hello, Fox. It seems like only yesterday that I was a little girl tasting porridge. You know, this one's too hot. This one's too cold. And now I conduct taste tests on diet drinks. And there's one I must tell you about. Sugar free diet seven up. It has a fresh natural delicious taste. It drives my caser meter crazy. Sugar free diet seven up. This one's just right.
[00:16:38] Unknown:
Hey, mom. What's
[00:16:43] Unknown:
How about a no cook dinner for a change? Serve a delicious spread of sliced meat, cheeses, salads, and crisp rolls in ShopRite's appetizer counter. You'll love the freshness, the fine quality, and the pleasing variety. This week's best buys in ShopRite freshly sliced chicken roll, half pound 69¢. Imported Switzerland Swiss cheese, half pound 89¢. ShopRite liverwurst, 99¢ a pound. Fresh macaroni salad, 39¢ a pound. So relax. Cook up a ready to eat dinner at the ShopRite appetizer counter.
[00:17:36] Unknown:
Hello, Amco. My automatic transmission just got automatic a. I was wondering, do you serve a Chevrolet? Do we service those sensational Chevrolets?
[00:17:46] Unknown:
Ma'am, Amco has serviced over 3,000,000 automatic transmissions of all kinds. Nearly 900,000 Chevrolets alone. Oh. Do we service Chevrolets? George, pitch pipe, please.
[00:17:57] Unknown:
Chevy Nova and Impala and Impala. I'm Camaro and the Chevy too.
[00:18:05] Unknown:
A whole month. Yep. We know them. Every Chevrolet automatic make and model on the road today from the oldest Biscayne to a bright spanky Caprice. By the way, what sort of Chevy did you say you had? A Chevy Mustang. Well, no matter. Nobody knows your automatic transmission better than AMCO. Double a, MCO. There are over 500 AMCO centers coast to coast. Consult your yellow pages for the AMCO center nearest you. Double a m c o, AMCO. This is W O R New York, an RKO general station.
[00:18:51] Unknown:
Terror, unless you have experienced it, is only a word. I could employ all the art at my command, my voice, the words I choose to convey to you the full impact of terror. Yet, I know I should fail even as Michael Duncan fails now in telling his story to Sheriff Harper on the bridge over Gormley Gorge the next morning. Terror?
[00:19:13] Unknown:
You say you experienced terror? What would you experience, sheriff? Delight? Mister Duncan, I'm only trying to get at what happened here last night. Excuse me, sheriff. Yes, mister Stout. What is it? Will it be much longer before they get the the bodies up? Hard to say. Why? I'd like to get back to the lodge. My wife is alone, and you can imagine her condition after hearing of her brother's death. Say nothing of how it happened. Sure. Sure. You go ahead. I'll let you know when you're needed to identify the bodies. I'm sorry about your brother-in-law, mister Stout, and the publicity.
Publicity? This is the second time the ghost driver has struck. Ghost driver? And the news has got out. I hear they're sending reporters over from Aspen. That's great. That's just what I need. That'll end my ski resort business for good.
[00:20:05] Unknown:
Not that it ever got started. Wait a few minutes and I'll ride back up with you. Nothing I can do either till they recover Jill's body? Oh, yes, sir, mister Duncan. You can give me your full account. Oh, look, sheriff. I've told you all I know. We were driving across this bridge when we saw this other car coming straight at us. Stout's brother-in-law was driving. He swerved to avoid the oncoming car and went through the guardrail. In the split second between swerving and going through the rail, I let clear and save myself. I wish I could say the same for that boy and
[00:20:38] Unknown:
and Jill, my wife. About the skeleton at the wheel of the other car Why do you keep harping on that? Because it's something to harp on. If you saw a skeleton driving that car I didn't.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
You said I know what I said, but but I've gotta be wrong. I couldn't have seen what I thought I did. Why not? Because I don't believe in skeletons driving cars. I don't believe in goats. Now take it easy, mister Duncan.
[00:21:04] Unknown:
All I'm after is a complete report.
[00:21:07] Unknown:
The fact All you're after is the publicity you're gonna get out of this. Put you on the map, won't it, sheriff? Why, you might even get a job in one of the big Colorado ski resorts like Aspen or Vail That'll be enough, mister missus Duncan.
[00:21:18] Unknown:
You can go. I'll phone the lodge when I need you.
[00:21:35] Unknown:
Missus Gormley.
[00:21:37] Unknown:
Well, invite me in, miss Stout. Oh, yes. Of course. I'm I'm surprised to see that you're not in a wheelchair. Oh, it depends on how bad my arthritis kicks up. Sometimes I can walk with a cane, like now.
[00:21:54] Unknown:
I see. Is your husband home? No. He's down at the bridge
[00:21:59] Unknown:
with mister Duncan. Oh, the fella whose wife got killed. Yes. And I'm sorry about that. Sorry about your brother too. Even though he asked for it. He was just going there. I I I Your brother's dead because he wouldn't listen. He wouldn't heed my warning. Now you listen, child. You heed my warning. Make your husband listen and take warning too. You leave this place. Leave it today.
[00:22:28] Unknown:
Don't think I wouldn't. We wouldn't if we couldn't. We can't. Oh, our savings are tied up with Gormley Lodge. Listen to me. Listen.
[00:22:40] Unknown:
Now my dead husband came to me again last night and he promised me again I'd return to this house. You love this old house, don't you? Well, it was my life. You're a woman. You understand how that is.
[00:22:57] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:22:58] Unknown:
I came here a bride forty years ago. And Jason, senior that is, he was just starting his career as a painter. Jason, my son, was born here. There was another child, a little girl. She died here. No. This house isn't made of wood and stone. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
[00:23:22] Unknown:
Oh. Oh, I think they've come back. Yes. My husband and mister Duncan are back. I'll go then. Oh, well, missus Gormley, I'm gonna put some coffee on. You stay. Have a cup. No.
[00:23:38] Unknown:
I can't bear to go on looking at people who I know are going to die. What's this? Die? Who who who's gonna die now? You are, mister Stout. You and your wife. If you don't heed my warning and leave
[00:23:54] Unknown:
as soon as possible. Now what's all this stuff? Who is this woman? Jessica Gormley used to own this place. Oh, the woman you told me about. The one who claims her husband's ghost visits her. I don't just claim it. It's true
[00:24:06] Unknown:
for you. My name's Michael Duncan. Oh, yes. Yes. The one whose wife went to her death in the gorge last night. Well, you take my advice too. You leave here. Leave as fast as you can. How about a drink, Stout? Oh, so you two won't listen. The ghost driver killed your wife last night, and yet you won't listen. Well, let me warn you once and for all.
[00:24:33] Unknown:
You what was that? A shot. It was a gunshot. Jason,
[00:24:36] Unknown:
oh, it's happened. He's killed in the valley.
[00:24:41] Unknown:
She's fallen. Liz, help her up and keep her here. Duncan, you come with me. Here. Here. Carmen. Yeah. Mister Stout, what do you want? You're okay, Jason. We heard a gunshot. Why not? Well, we've heard of you and your little games like Russian roulette, and we thought that you shot myself?
[00:25:07] Unknown:
No such luck. Come in if you want to. Oh, the,
[00:25:11] Unknown:
the gunshot we heard. I fired it deliberately. You fired that shot deliberately?
[00:25:18] Unknown:
You ask a lot of questions
[00:25:21] Unknown:
for someone I haven't even met. It's Mike Duncan. He and his wife are to be my first guest. It was his wife who got killed last night.
[00:25:30] Unknown:
I'm sorry. How did you escape?
[00:25:32] Unknown:
How did you escape?
[00:25:33] Unknown:
Pulling myself from the car just before it went through the guardrail.
[00:25:37] Unknown:
Well, you better keep an eye out for the old man's ghost. He'll be after you. Mister Gormley, I don't believe in ghosts.
[00:25:44] Unknown:
Now why did you fire that revolver? What business is it? Alright. I'll tell you. You don't think it's nutty? I'm sure.
[00:25:54] Unknown:
I've been playing Russian roulette with this gun for years, ever since my father died. And I always win or lose depending on how you look at it. And how do you look at it, Jason? I give it here straight, mister Stuck. I wanna lose. For years now, I picked up the gun like this. Oh, no. Not every day. Maybe once a week. Once every other week. Whenever the mood comes on me, I might put it to my temple like this. Wait a minute.
[00:26:31] Unknown:
Don't worry. Gun's empty.
[00:26:33] Unknown:
I haven't put in a fresh bullet yet. You see, the reason I deliberately fired that bullet I had in this gun was to find out if the thing was a dud. It wasn't.
[00:26:44] Unknown:
Too bad.
[00:26:47] Unknown:
May I shake your hand, mister Duncan? You're the first man I've ever met who says what he thinks. You wanna kill yourself, go ahead. I like you. You do speak your mind. And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to this painting of mine. By the way, what do you think of it? Pretty rude, isn't it? It's just the right word for it, mister Stout. See? There's the car swerving and crashing through the bridge, the oncoming ghost car with the skeleton at the wheel, all in flaming color. I knock out one an hour. I slap a frame on it, and I sell it in Manitou for $20. So excuse me, will you?
Business is gonna pick up, thanks to last night, and I wanna be ready to supply the demand.
[00:27:46] Unknown:
It's been a rough twenty four hours, miss Stout. It's a nice chair. Just right for sitting in front of a fire. Cost you plenty, I bet.
[00:27:57] Unknown:
Yes. Plenty. But that isn't what I'm thinking about.
[00:28:01] Unknown:
You're thinking about your brother and my wife lying in their coffins of the undertakers in Manitou?
[00:28:08] Unknown:
Yes. And also that even a small village like Manitou has an undertaker.
[00:28:14] Unknown:
Birth, death, taxes. The only sureties in life, missus Town.
[00:28:19] Unknown:
Liz.
[00:28:20] Unknown:
Mike. I, I liked your husband. Me too. He told me about everything. About what getting this ski resort means to you. Your life savings invested all that.
[00:28:34] Unknown:
All down the drain, I'm afraid.
[00:28:36] Unknown:
The publicity?
[00:28:37] Unknown:
What else? Every reservation's canceled. Well, all except one, but that'll come in too. It has, Liz. Yes? Here it is.
[00:28:47] Unknown:
Please cancel my reservation for next week, Frank Norton. As a family of four, telegram phoned in from Aspen. Anybody got a sponge? A sponge? So I can throw it in.
[00:29:02] Unknown:
I'll throw it, Mike. Do you always give up this easy? What do you mean easy? Just that. Do you always fade when the going gets tough? Well, this is the time to start fighting. Does it make good sense to let all this go down the drain because somebody's playing a trick on you? A murderous trick? Do you think it's a trick? What else could it be? A skeleton driving a ghost car? What else but a trick?
[00:29:25] Unknown:
Well, what else? You were in that car last night. You saw. And it was a skeleton behind the wheel of the oncoming car. You told a sheriff that. You can still say that That it was a trick. Yes. What kind of trick? Damn it, Mike. You admit you saw a skeleton driving a car, but you can still call it a trick?
[00:29:46] Unknown:
See? I see you don't answer. Look, Mel. I'm a practical man, a businessman. You think being a businessman is simple? No. No. I've had troubles that would make yours look like like nothing. Today, you won't find anybody more successful than me, but I've been bankrupt twice. Yes. And paid off every cent. How? Well, not by running away the way you want to, but by standing up and fighting. And that's what you've gotta do right now. How? You tell me how and I'll do it. No. We'll we'll do it together. I've got a stake in this too, you know? My wife is dead.
Murdered. Yes, murdered. Not by a ghost, but by a trick. And if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna find out who played that trick and make him pay. And you don't think it's a ghost? Do you? Answer me. Do you believe in ghosts?
[00:30:36] Unknown:
Did you believe before you came here and ran into this mess you're in?
[00:30:40] Unknown:
Well, no. I didn't. Then why start believing now? Ghosts my foot. Now this is a trick. Somebody wants to stop you from turning Gormley Lodge into a ski resort. And if you ask me, it's the Gormleys. One or the other or both is behind all this. Or that sheriff down in Manitou. The sheriff? Oh, Mike. You don't really think that the sheriff I don't know what to think, Liz. All I know is that somebody's behind this and those of our three likelier suspects. Now look, I'm I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but I've got a brain and I've got guts and and, well, my wife is dead. My my Jill.
Well, I I'm just gonna find out who killed her. That's all. Tough as they are. You like a drink, Mike? No. No. No. Thanks. I'll be okay. Especially when I nail that murderer. What what what have you got in mind? Well, it'll be dark in about an hour. We take the car, Mel. You and me. We take the car and we drive up and down that road all night if necessary to meet up with this so called ghost driver. And when and if we meet up with him. Yes.
[00:31:50] Unknown:
If and when you meet up with him, what?
[00:31:54] Unknown:
We don't turn aside. We don't swerve out of his path and off the bridge. We drive straight at him and keep driving at him. If he's a ghost in a ghost car,
[00:32:05] Unknown:
we'll drive through him. And if he isn't?
[00:32:07] Unknown:
If he isn't? Well, if he isn't, it'll be one hell of a crash.
[00:32:19] Unknown:
You, you out there listening, what would you do? If you were Mel Stout, would you accept Mike Duncan's challenge? I'll be back shortly with act three.
[00:32:35] Unknown:
Ever see a beer drinker pour his beer real easy down the side of the glass? Maybe you do it yourself. If so, the Budweiser brew master thinks you're missing something, especially if you're a Budweiser drinker. You see, bud is brewed, so it will kick up a healthy head of foam. Exclusive beechwood aging and natural carbonation make it a lively brew. Well, anyway, pouring bud plunked down the middle of the glass helps bring out the best in a clean white Budweiser foam and real beer aroma. It also helps you get the full benefit of a taste, smoothness, and drinkability you'll find in no other beer at any price.
Remember, brewing beer right does make a difference. Next time, pour that Budweiser right down the middle and see for yourself. Anheuser Busch, St. Louis.
[00:33:52] Unknown:
If you thought you couldn't afford to fly to California this summer, TWA has some good news for you. You can. Thanks to TWA's demand schedule service, you can fly to California for only $125 Just make your reservations ninety days before you wanna go and put down a $20 deposit for each way. For all the details, call your travel agent. TWA's demand scheduled service. Now you can afford to fly to California.
[00:34:47] Unknown:
Two men are now driving the twisting precipitous mountain road that leads to Gormley Lodge. 1, Mike Duncan, believes that the ghost driver they hope to meet is nothing but a trick. Mel Stout, his life savings, every penny at stake, has had no choice but to go along.
[00:35:08] Unknown:
Mike, I'm bushed. Let's make this the last trip. Uh-uh. Uh-uh. We're gonna drive up and down this road till dawn. Yes, and night after night if we have to. Until we meet up with our so called ghost driver. This is the sixth time we've been up and down this mountain road. Okay. Pull over. I'll drive. Get out to your side. I'll slip behind the wheel. Yeah.
[00:35:32] Unknown:
Hey.
[00:35:33] Unknown:
The car coming up behind it's spread light, light. That must be the sheriff. Sheriff. Alright. And this is Stoud. Oh, and you, mister Duncan. What are you doing here, sheriff? Well, that's what I wanna ask you. I got a report from Mountain View House across the valley there that they were seeing headlights going up and down this road. Guess I don't have to tell you everybody around here is on edge after what happened last night.
[00:36:01] Unknown:
Now what are you up to? We're not up to anything, sheriff. We're driving this road in hopes of meeting up with whoever or whatever killed my wife and mister Stout's brother-in-law.
[00:36:11] Unknown:
Get yourselves killed in the bargain? Oh, no. You drive on up to Gormley Lodge and when you get there, stay there. You make us sound like an order, sir. That's what it is, mister Stout. Well, I I guess we better do like he says, Mike.
[00:36:30] Unknown:
I don't think so. Oh, you don't? No, I don't. This is a public road. We've got a right to be on it unless we're doing something that breaks the law, and we're not. You're a kind of troublemaker,
[00:36:41] Unknown:
mister Duncan, aren't you? Sheriff,
[00:36:43] Unknown:
I never go looking for trouble, but I know how to handle it when it comes my way. Now either you arrest us for breaking some law or other, in which case you'd better be prepared to back it off or I'll sue the town of Manitou and you for false arrest, or get off our backs. I'm not on your backs.
[00:36:59] Unknown:
I'm trying to save your lives. Take my advice. Advice, I thought it was an order. Alright, wise guy. Have it your way. Go ahead and get killed and and be damned to you.
[00:37:17] Unknown:
Alright. Let's go, Mel.
[00:37:22] Unknown:
You can sure sound tough, Mike.
[00:37:25] Unknown:
No small town sheriff pushes me around. Wow. He's only trying to do his job. Maybe. And maybe not.
[00:37:33] Unknown:
What do you mean?
[00:37:35] Unknown:
I don't know. But that's what we're gonna find out. Tonight, tomorrow night, or whenever.
[00:37:40] Unknown:
Oh, there's the bridge ahead. Yeah, maybe you better slow down. No.
[00:37:45] Unknown:
If it's a ghost, we'll go through it. If it isn't Mike, headlights coming towards us. Now look, don't lose your nerve. Coming closer.
[00:37:51] Unknown:
We're gonna crash if you're Mike!
[00:37:53] Unknown:
Drive in that car, it's Rory! Your brother-in-law, my God!
[00:38:07] Unknown:
But, Mel, Mike, I can't believe it. Can't believe it myself, Liz.
[00:38:12] Unknown:
Not only what we saw, but getting out of it with our lives. The fates were with us, Mel.
[00:38:17] Unknown:
I I lost my nerve. I have to admit that. I just couldn't keep driving straight at that that awful thing coming towards us. I I couldn't help myself. I I swerved at the last second. Thank god we hit that stanchion instead of going off the bridge. Rory driving the other car? It's impossible. Rory's dead.
[00:38:37] Unknown:
We're burying him tomorrow. Rory's dead. That's for sure. But it was Rory driving that car. That's for sure too.
[00:38:45] Unknown:
Then then ghosts do exist? Mel?
[00:38:50] Unknown:
That's what?
[00:38:51] Unknown:
After the funeral tomorrow. Let's get out of here. Let's go away from this place as fast as we can. And go where?
[00:39:02] Unknown:
Oh, back to Aspen, of course. Liz, we're broke. We haven't enough dough left for a motel room. Where would we stay? How would we live? Mel, I I I didn't know things were that bad for you. Putting this place back in shape cost me just about every penny I had. Well, look, would a loan help? You you'd be willing to Oh, sure.
[00:39:23] Unknown:
I I like you too and, well, the way things turned out, we've gotten to know each other real fast. Practically friends. So well, if you can use a loan That's generous of you, Mike. It is it is generous of you, Mike. And I appreciate it, but no. Thanks. What'll you do? Do what you said I ought to do. Fight this thing. Liz, Mike, if you ever come east, be sure to look me up. We will, Mike. Yes. Of course. You you won't change your mind about the loan? Can't.
[00:40:03] Unknown:
Would only be putting off what's bound to happen unless Unless what? Unless I can find the answer to what goes on here. There's something bothering me, something I feel that I saw somewhere but didn't pay much attention to at the time. What about it? This this something? It's just something that's bothering me is all. Something that just could give me the answer to all of this.
[00:40:28] Unknown:
Well, good luck. You deserve it. Oh, there's the taxi that's gonna take me to the airport.
[00:40:33] Unknown:
Goodbye, Liz. Goodbye, Mike. Bye bye, Mike. And thanks. Well, we'd we'd better get our back, Liz. Liz, are you coming?
[00:40:45] Unknown:
Yes. Mel, you better know it now. No matter what you intend to do, I won't be staying. No. We've got to face the facts. Buying this place was a big mistake. I admit it now. But there's no sense in crying over spilled milk. What's done is done. So darling, let's just turn our backs on it, walk away from it, and start again. Start what again? The treadmill of office work?
[00:41:22] Unknown:
The dreary day to day monotony of auditing accounts, toting up figures? I can't bear to go back to that kind of life. I have got to make a goo of this. I don't have any other choice. What if it worth your life?
[00:41:34] Unknown:
Ghost or no ghost, Mel, it's killed four people. It would have been six if you and Mike Duncan hadn't been lucky enough to hit that stanchion. And it will be six if you insist on driving that road again tonight. Six? How how do you make it six? You don't think I'm gonna let you do it alone, do you? But at the funeral, you said that you said that that you weren't even gonna stay. Because I hope that would change your mind, but it hasn't. So you see, I have no choice either.
[00:42:09] Unknown:
It's just like last night with Mike. From the top of the mountain down to Manitou then back up again and again and no sign of me. But he did show, finally. And Mike lost his nerves, swerved aside at the last second. Let's hope I don't lose mine. Will it matter?
[00:42:26] Unknown:
What do you mean?
[00:42:28] Unknown:
If you lose your nerve, we'll go off the bridge. If you don't, and the ghost car isn't a ghost car,
[00:42:35] Unknown:
we'll be killed in a crash. If there is a crash, but there won't be.
[00:42:39] Unknown:
You seem awfully sure of that. I am.
[00:42:42] Unknown:
Remember at the cemetery, I told Mike there was something I had seen but hadn't paid any attention to? Yeah. That if I could only remember what it was I'd have the answer to all of this? Yes. Well, it's come to me. Driving up and down the mountain tonight, it suddenly came to me. See, it wasn't something I'd seen. It was something I'd heard and paid no attention to. Something I knew but didn't realize what it meant. And if I'm right, Liz, if I'm right
[00:43:08] Unknown:
What is
[00:43:09] Unknown:
what did you remember? We're on the bridge now. Let me concentrate on driving.
[00:43:14] Unknown:
No. No. No. There it is. The ghost car is coming straight forward. Yes. And behind the wheel driving it. It's Rory.
[00:43:21] Unknown:
Oh my god. It's Rory. Oh, we buried Rory. But then it's a ghost, Get your hands off the wheel. Don't try to turn the wheel. We're gonna cry. Oh, smell.
[00:43:40] Unknown:
What?
[00:43:41] Unknown:
What? This time he swerved and he went off the bridge just as I know he would. How? How did you know? Later, Liz. Right now, we better get up to the lodge and phone the sheriff. Oh.
[00:44:03] Unknown:
Oh. Come in, missus Gormley. Mel? Missus Gormley's here. Please, won't you sit down? Yeah. Thank you.
[00:44:15] Unknown:
Hello, missus Gormley.
[00:44:17] Unknown:
I'm sorry about last night.
[00:44:20] Unknown:
I'm not. This is Gornley. Jason was your son. Oh, he was the torment of my life. Every day I lived. Of course, I'm sorry he's dead, but, I can only be glad it's over for me.
[00:44:35] Unknown:
Did you know that your son was the ghost driver?
[00:44:38] Unknown:
I suspected, but I was never sure. You see, it was Jason who wanted to go on living here in this house far more than I did. Oh, you can understand. He was born here. He grew up here. Started his painting career here in a fine, big studio upstairs.
[00:44:58] Unknown:
Tragic. Just tragic.
[00:45:00] Unknown:
Even more tragic if it hadn't been for you. How did you come to know? What made you realize that my son was the ghost driver?
[00:45:12] Unknown:
A gunshot.
[00:45:14] Unknown:
A gunshot?
[00:45:16] Unknown:
The shot he fired to see whether the bullet he used for playing Russian roulette was live or not. Well, I don't I don't thought of you. You see, something kept bugging me, missus Gormey, but I I couldn't nail it down because I kept thinking it was something that I'd seen. But then suddenly, I realized it wasn't something I'd seen, but something I'd heard at gunshot. I I still do that. It it got me to thinking about Jason playing Russian roulette, playing with life and death, and that got me to thinking a step further. Sure, Russian roulette, only a fool or a would be suicide would play it, but the fact remains that the odds are in his favor. Every time Jason spun the barrel of that gun and pulled the trigger, the chances were five to one against firing a bullet. Oh, but but what was the connection
[00:46:06] Unknown:
between that and and the ghost driver?
[00:46:09] Unknown:
Driving a car straight at another car is just another form of Russian roulette.
[00:46:14] Unknown:
Yes. I see. Well, Sheriff Harper came to see me and he said Jason was wearing a mask,
[00:46:23] Unknown:
a paper mache mask of your brother's. Yes. And it wasn't a very good likeness of my brother, but it didn't have to be. It looked enough like him to fool you when you saw it under those awful conditions. The night and the headlights and and the car coming straight at you.
[00:46:41] Unknown:
Fear did the rest. There must be another mask, the skeleton face. Oh, there is. We we we searched the studio and we found it, Sheriff Harper and me. Yeah. Well, it's all over. Jason's at peace at last. God knows I soon shall peace. Well, good day. Fart knees, oh. What, missus Gormley? Well, we've searched and we've searched, but we couldn't find a mask of my husband's face.
[00:47:15] Unknown:
What made you think there was one?
[00:47:17] Unknown:
Well, you see, when I heard about the masks, I thought it must have been Jason who came and stood at the foot of my bed, not my husband's ghost. But if it wasn't Jason, who was it? What was it?
[00:47:45] Unknown:
An interesting question. What was it indeed? I'll be back shortly. Hi.
[00:47:51] Unknown:
Miss Goldilocks here. Professionally taste testing diet drinks can be very difficult, but I just had to bear with it. Then I found sugar free diet seven up. It doesn't taste like other diet drinks. It's fresh, light, natural, delicious. Sugar free diet seven up tastes so good that I've tasted it hundreds of times and each time I've given it my seal of approval. Yes. This one's just right.
[00:48:23] Unknown:
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[00:48:54] Unknown:
Hey, Pat. How tall do you think she is? Three hundred feet of she's an inch Luigi, and a fine lady she is.
[00:49:01] Unknown:
The year 1886, while most New Yorkers were enjoying their first look at the Statue Of Liberty, a few were enjoying their first taste of Thomas' bread, and discovering it was every bit as delicious as Thomas' English muffins. Today, there's still never been a lady to equal the lady or a bread to equal Thomas' protein, whole wheat, and white bread. Thomas' promises.
[00:49:24] Unknown:
Here's news from Queen Elizabeth two. Now you can sail to Europe on Queen Elizabeth two and fly home free. I'll repeat that. Sail to Europe on Queen Elizabeth two and fly back to New York free. She reaches Europe in five luxurious days. You have ample time for touring because you fly back. Meals and entertainment on board are included. A whole new crowd of people are discovering Queen Elizabeth two because she's affordable and she's fun. She has nine bars, four swimming pools, three nightclubs, a discotheque, a gymnasium, a sauna, a casino, and three of the finest restaurants in the world. Sail first class grades a to h and fly home free. Sail tourist grades l to q and s to u and fly home half fare. Flights are British Airways economy. You can stay in Europe up to sixteen days. Call your travel agent or Cunard at (212) 983-2510.
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[00:50:24] Unknown:
Our cast included Augusta Dabney, Mason Adams, Mary Jane Higbee, Norman Rose, Nick Pryor, and Leon Janney. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by new sugar free diet seven up. This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasant dreams?
[00:50:54] Unknown:
The preceding mystery theater program is furnished by the CBS Radio Network. This is WOR New York.
[00:51:03] Unknown:
I'm Fulton Lewis in the Mutual Broadcasting System Studios in Washington DC. Now, my commentary. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said today, he expects his panel to go along with President Nixon's request of today. A request for an additional five days to reply to a subpoena for 42 Watergate tapes. New Jersey Democrat representative Peter Rodino said that he and the ranking Republican member of the committee had agreed to the postponement. And in Rodino's words, I am quite confident the members of the committee will go along with it too. He told a news conference the matter will be taken up formally by his committee on Thursday. That's the day the response to the committee subpoena was due.
The delay requested by the White House today would put off the response until next Tuesday. At the White House, Deputy Press Secretary Gerald Warren attributed the White House request to the pressure of business at the White House and the demands on the president's time. Chairman Rodino said that the delay was requested by James St. Clair, the president's chief Watergate attorney. It was requested in a telephone call yesterday to John Doar, the chief counsel of the impeachment inquiry. The chairman said that he and representative Edward Hutchinson of Michigan, the ranking Republican member of the committee, instructed Doar to ask Saint Claire why at least some of the subpoenaed material could not be furnished on Thursday.
Saint Claire told Dorn that the president wanted to review all of the material at once before sending it to Capitol Hill Rodino said Saint Claire though gave no assurance that all of the subpoenaed material would be given to the committee asked about reports of the White House plan to give the panel transcripts rather than tapes Chairman Rodino replied transcripts would not be satisfactory White House Deputy Press Secretary Warren said a lot of work is has been and is being done to compile the material necessary to prepare a response The President himself has spent many many hours reviewing the response and has determined that he would like some extra time to review the response in its entirety. Warren would give no clue as to the likely nature of the eventual reply to the subpoena.
He said only the president has not finally decided on the form and content of the response. Asked if the request for a delay might not be considered inconsistent with repeated White House calls for a speedy resolution of the impeachment question Warren said quote it is consistent with our position and with the president's position to deal responsibly with the House Judiciary Committee and that is what we are doing. Back on April 11, the committee voted 33 to three to subpoena the tapes that it had been seeking since February. The president also faces a second subpoena.
That one has a May 2 deadline. That one is for additional tapes and other materials that are being sought by special Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski. Asked if the president might not also seek an extension of the May 2 deadline Warren said today I know of no such requests Now this
[00:54:03] Unknown:
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[00:54:14] Unknown:
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[00:54:25] Unknown:
What a Sheraton
[00:54:28] Unknown:
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[00:55:02] Unknown:
White House officials say privately that they're not really sure how they should interpret. Vice President Gerald Ford's remarks to 1,300 newspaper and broadcast industry leaders yesterday. One school thought is that he was not taking any potshots at the president. Others however read into his comments a significant break from mr. Nixon on the Watergate tapes issue The vice president said that the president might have tried harder to get the story of Watergate out sooner and that he should begin cooperating as fully as possible to clear the issue up now A committee subpoena for tapes and documents of course was due Thursday but the request has been made now to postpone that till Tuesday Ford in his speech yesterday said it's pretty hard to put yourself back into the shoes of somebody else in a situation like this I do read the newspapers very extensively I could not have been oblivious to some of the things that were going on that has taken place or has transpired It would be my technique, he said, if I were in those shoes which I hope and trust does not take place but it would be my technique to want to find out as quickly as possible I assume that the president did in fact I have good reason to believe that he did Unfortunately, the vice president added Unfortunately, some of the people who should have known obviously did not give him the full story Now, whether there should have been a more vigorous prosecution of all the details that's a matter of judgment and in my case I think I could have tried to nudge some of my employees about as hard as I possibly could Ford went on to say that the president knew nothing in advance about the burglary and bugging of the Democratic Party headquarters in Washington's Watergate Complex during the nineteen seventy two presidential campaign.
The vice president also said that he is confident the president had not committed any impeachable offense under the constitution. But he nonetheless urged the president to make every effort to settle the issue once and for all. The vice president said I have indicated to him on a number of occasions that I thought he should do anything reasonable in order to clear up the problems that have developed subsequent to Watergate itself. I have consistently said the sooner any and all relevant evidence was made available, the better the Congress could consider and the American people evaluate whether or not the president was involved prior to at the time of or subsequent to the Watergate break in.
The vice president added, I hope and trust that sometime in the next forty eight or seventy two hours, the White House will cooperate to the maximum and making available to the House Committee on the Judiciary the relevant material that the committee has requested. He drew applause from his audience when he added, I strongly believe that to be the right course of action and I hope and trust the decision follows that pattern.
[00:57:52] Unknown:
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