Joseph Cotten stars in a script by Morton Fine and David Friedkin as a frustrated and resentful carnival entertainer. He is being blackmailed by the carnival owner over a murder he committed years ago. The owner holds that crime over his head and forces him to be in a humiliating act as “Rene the Robot.” He pretends to function as a mechanical doll, devoid of personality. He is required to speak in flat and expressionless tones, respond automatically to commands, and move his arms and legs jerkily in simple but awkward dance routines. When each carnival day is over, it is clear that he is a tortured by his circumstance and bitterly hates the carnival owner. But wait… there’s more! Aside from the demeaning act, it is clear that the owner is in love with Rene’s beautiful wife, an aerialist in the show. Rene convinces his wife that he can never be free of his degrading job until the carnival owner is dead and he persuades her to join him in a plan.
There is no “actual events” or similar expression used in the opening of the broadcast.
Charles Boyer was scheduled to star in this broadcast; newspaper reports indicated that illness required Cotten’s filling in for him. Cotten was a go-to replacement for Suspense in the Spier years, and continues that availability for Lewis. He was a quick and astute study in these situations. He was one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood and part of Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater starting in New York.
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https://archive.org/details/TSP520128
THE CAST
JOSEPH COTTEN (Rene Orlando), Mary Jane Croft (Gabrielle), Joseph Kearns (O’Mara), Dick Ryan (Giant), Charles Calvert (Man), Sylvia Simms (Girl), Larry Thor (Narrator)
COMMERCIAL: Jim Hayward (Oscar Auto), Sylvia Simms (Operator), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer)
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