Frank Lovejoy makes another fine Suspense appearance. He portrays a gambler named Joe, whose debts are so deep that he starts embezzling from his employer. He is rattled when he learns that the company records will be audited soon, and realizes he has to move quickly to cover his tracks. He starts placing more and bigger bets to win back the money, and fails miserably. He soon owes $4600 (more than $50,000 in US$2025), and has no way to pay it. He tries to bet again, but his bookie cuts him off. He says he’s really placing bets for his boss, not for himself. That seems to be okay! Eventually, the head of the gambling scheme contacts the boss and demands payment; he has no clue what he’s talking about. Joe’s boss is curious… he says he wants to meet anyone to whom it is claimed he owes money. Joe sees the situation getting worse, and starts formulating a plan, but it needs an alibi to work. Joe’s personal life is not the best, but he thinks his best chance to get away with it is to see his estranged wife. He will pretend he wants to get back together with her, then ask for her help to take care of a situation. She agrees. He asks her to tell anyone who wants to know where he was this night, that he was with her. He surprises his boss outside the address arranged for the meeting with the man who claims he is owed money. Joe says he wants to help him, and leads him aside to talk privately. This is where the state of everything gets out of control: he shoots his boss in an alley, planning to frame the gambling boss for the act. It works (at least for a little while). Now he can go back and fix the books, but his plan starts to unravel.
The script is by veteran scripter Joel Murcott. He previously used the title concept “Win, Place and…” format for the 1947-04-24 Suspense script Win, Place or Murder. It was a different plotline, but also about gambling on horses.
The program was recorded on Wednesday, April 2, 1958. Rehearsal began at 2:00pm and concluded at 5:00pm. Recording began at that time and ended with in-studio edits at 7:00pm. Additional edits and the insertion of music was completed on Thursday, April 3, 1958.
The only surviving recording is an edited aircheck of an Armed Forces Radio broadcast. It is listenable, but has narrow range.
The network broadcast had advertising spots for O’Brien Paints and Shinola show polish, and two other spots to be allocated as the date for broadcast approached.
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mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP580413
THE CAST
FRANK LOVEJOY (Joe Harper), Joan Banks (Rita), Ellen Morgan (Jeannie), Joe de Santis (Sid Kurtz / Announcer), Bill Quinn (Randolph / Detective), Jack Kruschen (Charlie Harrell), George Walsh (Narrator)
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