Radio City Playhouse - Strange Identity

The last real broadcasting company presents Radio City Playhouse Attraction twenty one. Ladies and gentlemen, here's the author of tonight's play and the director of Radio City Playhouse, Harry W.

Duncan thank you, Bob Warren.

Good evening everybody. Although this is not by any means her first appearance on our show, we are very happy, indeed to welcome miss jan Minor back to Radio City Plans. It was this talented young actress who opened our series last July third with a sensational performance in a play called Long Distance. So stirring was the impression created by Miss Minor in this play that we repeated it some

Here is Jan Miner in.

Strange Identity Attraction twenty one on Radio City Playhouse.

Somehow I got out of that room. I don't know how that I did. I got down the stairs and across the street and stumbled into the same dull, dirty little Hamburger joint down in one of the bulls. That's where I am now numb. I'm incapable of any thoughts. My mind refuses to function in the face of anything so fantastic, so incredibly evil. I've just seen something that no man or woman has ever seen before, and I'm stunned.

Thanks, Hey, weren't you in here yesterday afternoon?

Say, honey, you are right listen to this. Do you gonna please go away? I'm not going to faint. I I've got to decide what to do.

Yeah, well, don't do it in here, honey.

It began four weeks ago. I was riding in a taxi going north on Fifth Avenue at seventy second Street. We stopped for a red light, pulling up alongside of a Fifth Avenue bus. We waited for a few seconds, and just as the light changed to green, I happened to look up. He was sitting on the bus. We were so close we could have reached out and touched each other. I looked right into his face, right square, smack into his face. There's no possibility that I made

Drink that Janet you'll feel better. Brandy cure is anything. Thanks, Grace, scare the living daylights out of me painting and taxis.

What's the matter with you? Anyway? Grace? Hand me Clinton's picture party, good picture on the table there, Hand it to me. Why sure, honey, sure there? Thanks? You never knew him, did you? Nope? I wish you had. Well, that's war. Yes, it's funny that you know me so well and yet that you've never known Clint.

I don't want to be brutal, Janet, but there's no use brooding over Clint.

He's been dead for five years and it's over.

And that's that he's not dead, I know, honey, and it's fine to think of him that way.

I saw him in a Fifth Avenue bus this afternoon. That's why I fainted, Janet. I took a cab home from shopping. We came to seventy second Street and stopped, and we pulled up alongside a bus. I looked up and saw him in the bus. He wasn't more than three feet away from me. I looked right into his face, and then I fainted. Janet's baby, you mustn't talk that way. I know it's been tough getting over Clint. I know you were.

Pretty gone on the guy, but Honey, this isn't healthy. He's been dead for five years, and you've just got to face it. You've got to stop brooding. Um, he will start seeing him out of every street corner. That's the way people start going nuts.

You've dice the top that you're behaving like a right into his face, Janet stopped. I did. I saw him. I looked at him for at least five seconds. I'm going to call it. I can call all the doctors you like. I saw him. I was as calm and cool as could be. I wasn't even thinking about him. I'd been shopping and had my hair done that I looked up the bus and there he was. You can call all the doctors in New York, but there's nothing neurotic or double vision or queer about this, Janet.

Baby, it's so easy to be fooled in things like this. You saw somebody that looked like Clinton, and just the way the lights fell or something of the shape of his head. I mean, it's so big alive. Janet's a war department. Never makes mistakes like that. Never they sent you his belongings, his letters. He made a mistake, baby, and it's upset you.

He was the strongest man I ever knew he was so big. He taught me so much. He took me up into the mountains, and in two weeks I was skiing like an expert. He taught me to shoot, to ride. When he was with me, I could do anything, Janet. I began to get part of his mind inside mine. He took up painting one time. In four months later he gave a one man exhibition. More than half the pictures were sold. That's what he's like, Janet. Please. He used to say that only geniuses were normal, that the

And you'd better get some rest or you'll break up. You look terrible. I called to it Grange, my lawyer.

He recommended a man named Powell, a private detective company. I made an appointment with mister Powell for the next afternoon, and then I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't. Over and over and over, I asked myself, why, why, why? Why? Why would he be alive and in New York and not get in touch with me? Why? There was no answer, no reason. Why would he be alive and let me go on thinking he was dead? That's the first question mister Powell would ask me.

Why would he be alive and let you go on thinking he was dead?

Why?

What reason could there be?

I don't know, all right?

Could he be ill? I don't know, I mean mentally ill?

Perhaps, I don't know.

Have you checked with the War Department?

No.

Five years ago they sent me his belongings and some letters. He's buried in the military cemetery in Pyrol. That's what they said. If I went to see them, they well, you know how far I did.

Have you collected his insurance?

Yes, in a lump sum. I also have a war pension.

What would he be using for money?

I don't know.

Did he leave you reasonably well fixed? I mean, would the money be of no inter to him? Or how you understand I'm.

Not trying to He let me thirty five thousand insurance, about five thousand cash and the pension.

It's a very baffling thing. You know, you could have the caskets.

It's the Powell. I'd like to start with the fact that I saw him alive yesterday.

Well, and we've got to find a reason.

Not yet.

We've got to find Clinton first, and then he'll tell me the reason.

I don't think.

Please help me. Can you imagine how I feel? I'll pay pay anything you have.

He isn't important, it's we've so little.

To go on.

I brought you his picture, surely.

Missus Wood. We often have missing person cases.

But usually not one where there's such incontrovertible proof that the person is dead. The War Department never makes mistakes like this. They'd have every widow and mother and wife and the country raising the very devil. They absolutely never could declare a man dead until they've absolute and final proof.

I think you've made a mistake, missus.

Will you stop treating me as if I were feeble minded? I saw him. I tell you stop talking to me about the War Department. I saw him. I'm asking you to find him. I'm not asking for psychiatric help. I'm insane and as sharp witted.

As you are.

If you can't be of any please, missus Wood, I'm sorry if it makes me so furious.

We got to start with the assumption that he's alive. We can't prove he's alive. We've got to believe he is alive, and then we've got to try to find him.

Could there be any sort of secret mission, any reason why the government wishes your husband to be thought that?

I don't know. It doesn't sound very likely.

Could he be Uh could be having any sort of affair you mean a woman? Yes, I suppose he could.

But can you imagine a man pretending he's dead just because he's married and wants to live with another woman? But he'd come back and ask for a divorce. Well, I've asked myself every possible question as to why there isn't any answer. You just got to find him.

Well, missus Wood, I'll put some men on it at once, and, believe me, will the very best we can. I'll go home and write me a list of every place he ever mentioned.

Or ever went to. We'll get busy right away.

How long does this sort of thing usually take?

Oh, two days, two weeks, maybe two years, maybe never.

I see.

We'll keep in touch with you, all right, missus Wood. Yes, you realize, of course that if we do find him, there may be something behind his.

Well, behind this his strange behavior.

That will make you wish you'd never tried to find him at all.

I'm quite prepared for anything, anything. For three weeks I heard nothing. I'd go to bed at nights and it would start, Why why, why? What? Why? Over and over? Why should he want me to think he was dead? Why when we were so in love, so happy, so completely wonderful to get us? Why would he do this? Then I began to get sick, I couldn't eat. I began to go over our life together, wondering what I

You want to be down there right away.

One of my men located him in a cheap walk up on West fiftieth Street. He's apparently spending a lot of time in Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Yes, does that surprise you?

Yes, it does rather. But I don't think I better wait, would.

Wait a minute, don't go yet.

I'm quite sure there's something, well, something sinister about this. I don't know why, but it's not like any case I've ever had before. I was wondering if you'd like me to go and see him first.

Then let you know what.

No, No, I'll go give me the address.

It's written down.

Thanks. You've been very kindly to Powell, very understanding.

You look very tired. Try to get calm down little before you see him.

All right, I'll go in somewhere and have some coffee. I'll be all right. That was yesterday. I came into this frowzy little hamburger place yesterday afternoon. Yesterday it looked exactly the same way it looks now, and it looked the same way tomorrow. I came in here because it was right across the street from the address that mister Paul had given me. That was yesterday, less than twenty four hours ago. I've got to go over everything very careful in my mind, because I don't dare forget. I

Why sure, honey, Yes, five coffee, fifty cents.

Listen, Darie, are you sife? Here's a dollar? No, I'm all right, well, you don't look so good. I'm all right. The change.

Well, thanks baby, thanks a lot, and take care of yourself.

Tell what where you're going?

What it sounds dirty? So horrible? Yeah, Dear God, whatever this is, give me the strength to be, give me the strength to take it. Please God, Please, I can't go on. It would make him hide in this dirty, horrible house to be.

There's nobody home, quin, good God, let me.

I'll tell you. You're gonna help me, help you understand this, help me.

Come in, Janet, don't say anything, just to me. Please, don't say anything.

Yes, is it really you?

Oh, Janet, Janet Darling.

Never it is.

It doesn't matter. It's so long as you're alive. I don't care. I want to hear anything. I just want old you like this and not care about why, what's happened? You love me? There's nothing, nothing else. It's it's morning, Clint. Yes, we've got to talk about it now. Yes, you've got to tell me. I know I'm waiting, j.

Jane.

I can't tell you.

Listen, there's absolutely nothing you can't tell me. I'm your wife. I love you. I love you so much that I forgive anything. There isn't anything you could have done that I wouldn't forgive. There's no crime, no wickedness, no nothing that I but you've got to tell me if we're ever to have any life together again, you've got to tell me why you let me think you were dead for.

Five years where we're not going to have any life together.

You're sick, that's it. You're sick and you've been through something. You need rest, rest and a good food and a good bad and me you need manna. Boy. Is there some sort of secret mission that you're on that I well, has it something to do with the war?

No?

Yes, then tell me.

I can't tell him.

Please don't touch yourself. Whatever it is, I can take it. I'm not afraid. I'll look after you. I want you to come home with me now, away from this dreadful, dark apartment.

I'm not going home with you, chatny y, you're what This is my last day here. HI may have to leave at any minute.

I just can't understand anything worse. Nothing could be worse than this, nothing, not knowing, not knowing what's behind this fantastic and tell you. I demand that you tell me. You've got to tell me. I can't you understand? Look you're go on like this. I go crazy. I lost my mind.

I saw you that day on the bus. I should have left New York and gone away. I knew you'd trying to find me. I knew it would be like.

Now, tell me it.

Happened. In Cairo. I was hungry forty eight hour pass.

A taxi i'd hired for the day went over an old man. He was a funny, tiny, wistened old man, a beggar, an Egyptian. He didn't seem to be hurt very much, but he was so old that I made him come back to my hotel and lie down.

For a bit. He was very clean, but so old that his bones.

Were like like little bits of stick. I made him lie down on my bed for a few minutes. I gave him a sip of wine, and he closed his eyes for about ten minutes, then opened them, looked up at me, and told me he was dying.

He seemed read.

His whole face lit up as though it were the most tremendous relief. He told me not to be worried, not to try to help him, that he was very old and quite ready to die. Then he reached into his clothes and handed me this. What is it?

It's the holder?

What the holder?

It's a little wheelbarrow made of the finest cold, a tiny little golden wheel bar and the green stone inside it as an emerald. He said it would be of no use to anybody but me. I didn't understand what he meant. He said I'd been picked, picked, chosen. I asked him what he meant, but he wouldn't say. He told me the howls had brought good luck and bad luck. He said, if I held it over my heart and wished that I get my wish.

Then he sort of breathed once, and I can't.

I can't go, Wader, I can't, Janet, please don't make me.

Well.

In just a few seconds, there was nothing left, nothing but a thin, fine, silvery powder. He he just disintegrated in front of my very eyes, to dust, dry fine gray dust.

Is old as old this forever, like poor mis power. I didn't know what to do.

I I called the manager, but he wouldn't believe that anybody had just died in my bed.

There was nothing there, just half a cupful of dust, dry white dust.

And then I.

Went on with my leave.

I was a little shaken, so I went out and got drunk. The next night I reported back to camp. I blurted out the story in the mess. One night, I passed the haul around and everybody wished. Some wished for money, some for girl something. Of course, nothing happened.

Did you expect something? What? Oh? Not? Really? I I don't know then what? Then?

I took it and wished that you standing in front of me. Everybody laughed. We knew there was nothing in it. Nobody believed the story. I certainly didn't. I felt sort of sheepish. That night I went to bed, I got the hauled out and looked at it again.

It sort of fascinated me.

I began to imagine all sorts of.

Wishes I could make.

I wished that I could be made invisible, that I could move my body from one place or another instantly, silly day dreaming kids, Stop Clinton.

Please come home? Knew not well, you'll let me finish.

Days passed by January. This was nineteen forty three. The advance in an issue was told German dive bombers were continuously in action. It was a time of horror and death, and and all through those terrible days, the feeling gradually came over me that the halder would for some time when I was in desperate trouble, that.

It would help me.

This feeling became very strong. I can't describe it, but it was very strong. One night, with ten men, I was ambushed in a small mountain pass. We knew that it was the end. We knew we would all be killed. It was letterally rained death, and I suddenly became terrified. I'd always been nervous in action, but never before I lost control of myself.

There were German plains everywhere.

I stood up, scream at the scream at the world. I wish for just one month.

I begged for a month.

If I have to die, give me a month, just one month, any time in five years and ten years, what a month? Give me back a month to see my wife again.

Goddon, Darling, Please come on me. You're so thick, you for so terrible. Please, Janet, you may not believe this. I got my wish.

I was instantly killed that night, instantly killed.

Yet I'm here with you in this room. Don't you understand I'd got my wish and I'm leaving. I've got to leave Clinton.

Stop.

Where are you going, Jennet, get away from my door.

Please, I don't want you to see this.

What Clinton? What is it?

My month is up?

Janet?

I wished through a month back here again.

I got it. I followed you in the daytime. I've watched you and seen you. But there was no use my coming back into your life. You made the adjustment, you were set, you were happy.

I've never been happy without you. Never. Clinton. Please, please come on, get away door. This is a nightmare.

It didn't.

JENEDI who Clinton?

Glennon, don't do it?

Clinton? Wait, No, no.

Clinton, dust up, just thin Greg silver dust. Somehow I got out of that room. Somehow I fought down the hysteria, the terror. I stumbled down the stairs, crossed the tree, back into this horrible little Hamburger place. I've got the halt of with me. I want to go with Clinton. If it worked for him, perhaps it will work for me.

I'm gonna try it.

I just can't live without him. Oh, a loving Father God in heaven. If this is just sin, forgive me, Please, please.

God, forgive me.

But I've got to go with him. I've got to go with Clinton if I can. Hey, Joe, did that gang? It was backing so queen.

Without pay her checks, the fancy dresses with the chief cake, Hey, Joey, Dad Camia and bring a rag his great kind of dust stuff fall over the floor.

You have just heard Strange identity and original radio drama written and directed by Harry W. Duncan. Jan Minor starred in the difficult role of Janet Wood. Clinton was Bernard Grant. Other players were Etha Laubert and Lyle Sudrow. The music was composed by doctor Roy Shield and conducted by Joseph Garner. Radio City Playhouse is supervised for the National Broadcasting Company by Richard P.

McDonough.

This is Harry Johnson Agham. Next week Radio City Playhouse will not be heard. In its place a special news program called Plans for the New Congress, presented under the auspices of the Democratic National Committee. The week after, Radio City Playhouse will be back as usual and we very much hope you'll join us. Good Night, everybody.

This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.