Wheaties presents Dimension X. Adventures in time and space transcribed in future tense. Dimension X. On stage tonight Dimension X. Another in the Wheaties big parade of exciting half hour presentations. I'm thinking of a girl, very pleasant person, very attractive too. She has cool hands, a nice voice and a gentle manner. She's crisp and efficient, but she needs help badly. She's the American nurse and her problem is this. There just aren't enough like her to go around. Not enough nurses for the hundreds of important nursing careers now open in hospitals, industry, research, the armed forces and private duty. Now you may not know the girl I mentioned, but perhaps you know someone very much like her. A young girl with at least a high school diploma of good health and character. If you do, tell her this. America needs 50,000 student nurses this year. Tell her you think she might be one of them. If she agrees, have her stop in at the hospital nearest to her. She'll never regret it and neither will you. Now tonight's adventure into the world of the unknown. The world of Dimension X. The doll shop stood on a quiet Washington side street, not too far from the sprawling Pentagon building. A woman and a child waited outside. A little girl peering eagerly through the window at the dolls inside. And the woman glancing impatiently at her wrist watch as if expecting someone who was late for an appointment. And there was nothing about the doll shop to warn them that they were waiting to keep an appointment with doom. Oh, mommy, look! Yes, what is it, dear? In the window of the shop, the tiny dolls. Oh, mommy, do you think daddy will buy me one? Well, we'll ask him when he comes, dear. He said three o'clock on this corner. I see him, mommy. There he is. See? Oh, Henry, here we are. Hello, dear. Hi. Sorry I'm late. Well, we've been waiting for you. Cindy's been so... Yes, I'm afraid I'll have to call off the shopping, Alma. Oh, Henry, we promise. Yes, I know. I'm sorry. It's just one of those things. You've been the wife of an army colonel long enough to know his life isn't his own. What is it this time? Oh, it's more of that flying sphere nonsense. The pilot who says he sighted it last month crashed and was killed today, so the general wants a full report. Oh, dear, what next? Daddy! Well, I have a staff meeting at the Pentagon at 3.50. Daddy, look in this window. I haven't time, dear. Just for a minute, daddy, please. Cindy, I haven't time to stop and watch a bunch of six-inch dolls parading around the shop. Say they are lifelike, aren't they? Look at that, Alma. Dolls are marching around like a regular review. They've even got their own little band. Henry, your staff meeting. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yes, I've got to run. Now, look, don't go spending a lot of money on that nonsense, Alma. No, dear. Bye. Bye, dear. Bye, Cindy. Bye, daddy. Oh, mommy, look. Look, the band's going to play. Aren't they wonderful, honey? You know, it's funny. I must have stood on this corner a thousand times and I've never even noticed this shop before. Good evening, children. Oh, well, good evening. Mommy, he talks awful funny. How silly. Would you like to step inside the shop of Santor Perigi? Well, yes, we would. This way. Oh, mommy, it's like... It's like fairy land. Here in the shop of Santor Perigi, creator of Perigi's universal, wonderful dolls, the world of adult reality is blended with the world of child's fantasy. This is a new shop, isn't it, Mr. Perigi? What is new and what is old? Come, this way. Would you like to meet one of my little ones? Oh, yes. This one in the red jacket is Toto. Speak, little one. How do you do? How do you do? Isn't that wonderful? Mommy, he talks. The doll talks. Amazing. It's absolutely amazing. That is nothing for Perigi's wonderful dolls. Listen. Sing, Toto. Sing for the little girl. My name is Toto. Cindy, listen. Sing, Toto. Men are big and tall. Dolls are very small. When men begin to fall, their dolls will rule them all. Oh, Lord, Mr. Toto, Lord. How do they work, Mr. Perigi? How do they work? That is the secret of the great Perigi, greatest of all doll masters. To make an ordinary doll is nothing. To make a perfect replica, that is something. But to make a doll with intelligence, that is the work of an artist. Well, yes. They must be very expensive. Madam, when I construct a doll like Toto, I cannot bear to be parted from him permanently. So instead of selling, I rent my little people. You rent dolls? Precisely. Ten dollars. I have but one request. When you grow tired of my dolls, you must return them to me in good condition. Mommy, could we take him home? Take him home! Take him home! Take him home! Oh, look, Mommy, look. He's bowing and dancing. Oh, Mommy, he wants to come. Please, I'll take such good care of it. Please. Well, honey, we'll have to deal with your father later, but... Well... Oh, Mommy! All right, wrap him up, Mr. Perigi. Oh, dear, I have a feeling when your father comes home, we'll be sorry. Be sorry! Be sorry! Be sorry! Be sorry! Oh, no! Now, Toto, this is my room. And you're going to sleep right here next to my pillow. Oh, Toto, don't laugh like that. I'm going to have to teach you some manners. You be quiet, because my daddy will be home soon, and he's a colonel in the army, and he'll bust you to private if you don't behave. Now, you wait here. I'm going to introduce you to my puppy dog, Mr. Blister. It'll be good now. Here, Blister! Here, Blister! Come on, Blister! Mr. Blister, now, this is Toto. Oh, dear, I don't think Mr. Blister likes you, Toto. Stop it, Mr. Blister. Come over here and shake hands with Toto, Mr. Blister. Come on, now. Blister, let him go! Let go! Let go! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Cindy, Mr. Blister, come over here. Why, what happened, dear? Mr. Blister tried to bite my dog. Look how frightened Toto is. Dogs don't get frightened, Cindy. But he is, Mommy. He screamed. You just imagined it, honey. But he did. He did. Well, Mr. Blister didn't mean it. You know he's the gentlest little pup alive. Yes, and he's nasty, and I hate him. Cindy, you've hurt his feelings. He tried to bite my new dog, and I don't ever want to see him again, ever. Oh, dear. All right, Mr. Blister. You come downstairs with me. Come on, now. Cindy's angry at you tonight. I'll kill him. Why, Cindy, why did you... Why did you hear a thing like that? Toto said it. Well, you... I see. Well, you've had an exciting day, honey. Brush your teeth now and go to bed. Daddy's coming home late, so we'll see you in the morning. Good night, darling. Sleep well. I hate him, Mr. Toto. I hate him. I hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him. I hate him! Good morning, Alma. Breakfast ready? Just a minute. How was the staff meeting last night, dear? Oh, horrible bore, as usual. Where's the little one? He's in the room. He'll be down in a minute. Oh, say, remind me to take some papers back to the ward apartment, will you? I left them in my strongbox. Henry? You told me it was against regulations to bring secret papers home. Well, I had to finish some work for the old man. Nobody will have another difference. Well, I suppose not. Oh, dear, would you feed the puppy before we sit down? He's bowled under the sink. Where is he? That's funny. Here's his supper from last night, only half eaten. You're getting fussy. Lester! Lester! Where the dickens is that mutt? Maybe he's on the back porch. Maybe. Here, Lester! Here, Lester! Alma. What is it, dear? Alma, look. Henry! Is he... Yes, he's dead. How? What happened? From the looks of it, he might have been poisoned. Poisoned? Who on earth would do a thing like that to an innocent little pup? I don't know. Let's see his dish. Oh, Henry. I don't understand this at all. Say, what's this? What's what? Look, there are pieces of broken glass in his food. Blue glass. Glass? Henry. I just remembered something. What? It may just be coincidence, but in the bathroom this morning... What about the bathroom? Cindy's blue glass, you know the one with the Mickey Mouse on it. It was broken, Henry. I found pieces in the wastebasket. I meant to ask her about it. Oh, Alma, for heaven's sake, you aren't suggesting that our little girl... Why, she loved Lester more than anyone. Not last night, she didn't. Why not? Well, he... He went after Toto. Oh, you bought her one of those dolls? Well, I just rented it. Rent it? Look, Alma. Oh, no. Well, all right. What's this got to do with Lester? He went for the doll, and Cindy... Well, Cindy said... Henry, she said she'd kill him. What? Well, that's ridiculous. Heaven's a nine-year-old child putting ground glass and dog food. She'd have to be a monster. Mommy! Now, don't say anything, I'll talk to her. Good morning, dear. Morning, Mommy. Morning, Daddy. Hello. What's the matter? Nothing, Cindy. Sit down, dear. Yes, sir. Cindy, your mother tells me you broke your blue drinking glass. Oh, no, I didn't break it. Now, Cindy... I didn't. Well, now somebody broke it. It wasn't your mother and it wasn't me. Well, then it must have been Toto, Cynthia. Cindy, you know Toto was only a doll. He could have broken your glass, could he? Well? But he must have done it, Daddy. Cindy, you know how Daddy feels about little girls who tell on truths. Now, did you break your glass and maybe accidentally get some pieces into Mr. Blister's dish? To sort of punish him for biting your doll? Oh, no, Daddy. I'd hate to think you'd done something you knew was wrong and you were blaming it on the doll. What's the matter with Mr. Blister? Is he sick? He's dead, Cindy. Oh, no, he can't be dead. He can't be dead. He isn't dead, Daddy. No, he isn't. He isn't. Mommy... Yes, dear? But he'll come back. He has to come back. No, he won't come back, honey. Not ever. No, Cindy, not ever. Now that we've told you, Cindy, do you want to change your mind about the glass? Let alone... Daddy, you think I killed? I'll see what you've done. The child feels guilty. Oh, dear, this is no time for feelings to interfere. Feelings don't know any time. When they come, they just come. You go up to your room, honey. Daddy and I'll be up in just a minute. I don't want to. Please, Cindy. We'll be right up. Please? There, that's a good girl. Close the kitchen door behind you. Mr. Buster's dead. He isn't coming back. Ever. Ever. Daddy thinks it was me, but... It was you. It was you! It was you! It was you! Dimension X will continue in just a moment. Dimension X will continue in just a moment. You know, friends, breakfast of champions is a whole lot more than a phrase written across a package of wheaties. There's one thing I could tell you. I could tell you that it means champions in the world of sports eat wheaties. And it's so true. You bet it is. But I've got a better idea. One I think you'll like. I think perhaps you'd rather get the story from a champion himself. So, here is a champion. Will you introduce him, Ed Prentiss? Now, young man, will you tell us what you do for a living? I pitch. You what? Pitch, pitch. You know, baseball. We have a baseball team, you have to have a pitcher. I'm a pitcher. I pitch. And are you on a team? Yes, sir. I'm on the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland Indians? What is your name, young man? I'm Bob Feller. And you know it as well as I do, Ed. Sure I do, Bob. It's good to see you. This makes you a 14th season playing with the Indians, doesn't it? Yeah, Ed. 14 years. Well, tell me, Bob, how long have you been eating wheaties? Oh, about 20 years, give or take a couple. You mean you started eating wheaties before you started playing ball? Oh, of course. What's so strange about that? Most people start eating wheaties before they get to playing ball. In fact, most people never start playing baseball. You don't have to be a ball player to enjoy the lift you get from wheaties with milk and fruit. You're right as rain, Bob. No champ ever said a truer word about wheatie. Breakfast of champions. Eat your supper, dear. I'm not hungry. Cindy, you scarcely touched your lunch. I like eating. Is it, Mr. Blister? Oh, Mom. Cindy, answer your mother. Now, Henry, she'll work it out in her own way, dear. Oh, I don't know. When I was a boy, there was such a thing as discipline. Where this child is being brought up... Henry! Well, it's true. There's no respect lying. Oh, I don't know. Alma, what's happened to us? We were a nice, peaceful, happy family until you bought that cursed doll. Now who's blaming things on the doll? Well, it's true! Henry! You wanted to get some papers from your strong box. What? Oh, yes, excuse me. Will you try to eat something, Cindy? Now, darling. Alma! Alma! Yes, Henry, what is it? Alma, it's gone. What's gone? The box, the strong box is gone. Well, it can't be. The door to your study is always locked, and you and I have the only keys. I tell you, it isn't there. Well, who would take... I don't know, Alma. Those confidential reports, if they ever get into the wrong hands... Oh, I warned you about keeping them here. Oh, whatever ever came out in the open. Can't you see the papers? Army Colonel derelict in duty. Call the police, Henry. What, and throw my career in the wastebasket after 17 years? And we've got to find it ourselves. But it was there when I went into clean this morning. Well, what about your key? Well, it's right here. I always keep it right with me. That's funny. Oh, no. But my other keys are all in the room. You've lost it. I don't see how. Alma, how could you do it? Henry, please. Come on, we'll search the house. I can't think of anything else to do. Oh, dear, you're going to miss your staff meeting. Well, all right, never mind the meeting. My whole career goes up in smoke if we don't find those reports. Somebody get hold of your key and open that room. I know Cindy. Oh, let the child alone. She's been through enough. You know she wouldn't do a thing like that. I don't know anything anymore. I don't know my own child. I don't even know you. All I know is that strong box is gone with papers that are dynamite if the wrong person gets them. The question being who? What's that? Coming from upstairs. What's that blasted doll again? Something must have set it off. I don't know how the mechanism works. Well, for heaven's sake, let's go up and shut it off. Right. Dodo, dodo, dodo. Kill him, kill him, kill him. How do you do? Stop it. Blasted little imp. There. Henry. Henry. Look. Where? What? Around the doll's neck. The key. The key to your study. It was Cindy after all. I don't believe it. Ever since she got this fool doll, she's been acting half insane. First the dog, now this. I think she hates us, Halma. Henry. Cindy is my child and I know her. I know she's a good, sensitive little person with no malice in her. You're just simply refusing to face the facts, dear. What are you going to do? I'm going downstairs and have a talk with that young lady. Cindy, you're not telling me the truth. Oh, yes I am, daddy. Now all I'm asking is that you tell me the truth. Now where is it? I didn't take it, daddy. Honest, I didn't tell you. I suppose you're going to tell me now that a little six-inch doll took my strongbox and hid it. Well? Cindy, I'm speaking to you. I didn't take it, daddy. You don't understand. Toto did it. Oh, he's terrible, awful. He says things. He says he's going to kill everybody. Cindy, you're inventing things. It's true. At night when I'm sleeping, he stands next to my pillow and whispers things to me. Awful. He's a good boy. He's a good boy. He's a good boy. He whispers things to me. Awful things. He told me he'd kill me too if I told you. Alma, I think this child is sick. I think she needs a doctor. He's frightened, Henry. She's trembling like a leaf. Come on, darling. We'll go up to your room. I don't want to go up there. No, honey, mom, he'll stay with you. I'm afraid he's up there. Who, Cindy? Toto. Well, he won't be up there for long. Which means right now. Ah, Colonel Grayson. Welcome to the home of Perigee's wonderful doll. Are you Perigee? Santor Perigee, creator of the universal doll. The doll with the mine. Yes, well, I'm returning one of your masterpieces. Oh? I will step into the rear of my shop. Now, what is the complaint? There's no complaint. Here's your doll. Good riddance. My little Toto, rejected you found the world of men too filled with hate. Hate, hate, hate, hate. We will change all that later on. Return to your comrades in the window, little one. And now, Colonel Grayson? I think we have no further business, sir. Ah, but we do, Colonel. Let me see. Ah yes, here it is. Do you recognize this, Colonel? That's my strong box. My little Toto is very clever, sir. Are you trying to tell me your doll stole that from me? Let us not say stole. I'm merely keeping it in custody. What's your game, Perigee? Blackmail. You give me what I want, I do not ruin your career. What do you want? Information. We already know something from the reports of the War Department concerning a certain strange looking sphere reported by one of your pilots. What government do you represent? I represent Perigee's Wonderful Dolls, none other. I'm not so naive, sir. Perhaps I should explain. Each man hides something from the world. Each man loves something more than life. With the help of my Wonderful Dolls, I obtain personal information which enables me to control the men who control the world. Men like you. Hand over that strong box. I warn you, I have a gun. Give it to me. You are being foolish. Put down that walking stick. Now. No closer. Hello. Give me the police. Hello. This is Colonel Henry Grayson. I've just killed a man. Perigee's Doll Shop, corner of 4th and Lexington. The body is in the rear. I'll wait for you. Shut up. Shut up, you little fiend. Colonel Grayson. Did I hear you speak? Colonel Henry Grayson. It can't be. I must be going out of my mind. A six inch doll... Shut up. Your master's dead. You are mistaken, Colonel. I, Toto, am the master. What do you mean? If you will examine the body of Santo Perigee, you will see that he does not bleed. And he does not bleed, Colonel, because Santo Perigee never lived. Never lived? Santo Perigee is a doll. A doll? But... He's a man. He talks. He walks. The people of Meritrix are skillful doll builders. Meritrix? Doll builders? Who are you? I am Xanthus Imperator, commander of the legions of the third planetoid, Meritrix. Legions? Planetoid? My people and I, whom you regard as dolls, come from a tiny planet beyond the moon. What? So small that it cannot support our population. That's true. We landed one of our space spheres on Earth three months ago with the intention of colonizing. Unfortunately, one of your pilots intercepted us. So that's why you wanted our information? Precisely. And you are human? Quite human. Of course, in order to deal with Earth people without suspicion, we were forced to construct Perigee, a man-sized doll. No, I can't believe this. I'm having hallucinations. I've got to get out of here. That will be impossible. We have weapons of destruction quite unknown to us. I've found a place. I'll be here soon. By the time they arrive, my people will have prepared something quite shocking. Keep me covered, Brian. Okay, Sarge. All right. You're the guy who turned in the call? Yes, that's right, Sergeant. Where's the body? Well, you see, it isn't exactly a body. What do you mean? It's a doll. What? Now, wait, you've got to let me explain. I know this sounds fantastic, but I've stumbled on to an unbelievable plot. Yeah? Keep talking. You see, these little dolls, they aren't really dolls. They're tiny people. Now, there's a big doll named Santor Perigee. Now, if there was one, where is the body? Well, it's behind the curtains in the back. Only, you see, it isn't really a body. It's a big wax dummy. It's all part of their plot to gain control of the world. Holy smoke, he's really off his rocker. Now, look, if you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you. Come here. Look behind this curtain, you'll see the dummy lying on the floor. Welcome, gentlemen. Are you looking for something? Perigee! This is impossible. I smashed his skull. Do you know this guy? What's your name, mister? Perigee, Santor Perigee, creator of the universal doll. Uh-huh. You ever see this man? Never until just now. That's not true. He's lying. I tell you, he's nothing but a big doll. The real masters of the little dolls. Ryan, are you getting this? He's wacko, Sarge. No, I... That is a fruitcake. I'm not crazy, I tell you. I can prove it. They must have fixed up his head where I smashed it in. Touch him and you'll see. Mr. Perigee, you know what this guy is talking about. The man is demented, obviously. No, that's not true. I tell you, there's a plot to control the Earth. I've got to call the ward department. They want to know about the flying sphere. Holy macrolous gets worse every minute. Ryan. Take him to headquarters. Now save some time. Take him down to Psycho Ward. Okay, all right, Bucklewriters. Come along nice and quiet. Now don't you see? He's nothing but a man-sized doll. I assure you, the little ones are going to take over the Earth and you're going to wait and cut out some nice paper dolls. Please, listen to me. You've got to listen to me. You've got to... Sorry you had all this trouble, Mr. Perigee. Poor chap. He is obviously suffering from delusions. Well, he's not the only one in Washington today. You know, we've been getting a whole string of crack-ups lately. Big wigs blowing their tops under pressure. If you could see some of the names in our confidential files... You keep confidential files on cases like these? Certainly. Believe me, they'd be dynamite if they ever got in the wrong hands. Well, I'd better be running along. Hey, is that a talking doll? Yes, Sergeant. My name is Dr. I've been trying to find a way to get you to the hospital. I've been trying to find a way to get you to the hospital. I've been trying to find a way to get you to the hospital. I've been trying to find a way to get you to the hospital. Dr. Toto, I dance and sing. Dr. Toto, I dance and sing. Well, I'll be... Hey, my little girl would be nuts for that. So? Then please accept the doll for saving my life. That madman might have killed me. Yes, but I... Take Toto home with you as a gift. Well, I don't know, Mr. Perigee. It's against regulations for us to accept favors. But this is not for you. It is for your little daughter. And if you will only take the doll and give him a good home, And if you will only take the doll and give him a good home, you will be doing me a great favor. Well, then, if you insist, and thanks very much. you will be doing me a great favor. When my kid sees this, will she be surprised? When my kid sees this, will she be surprised? Yes, Toto will come as a great surprise. Yes, Toto will come as a great surprise. A very great surprise. A very great surprise. Hahahaha! Tonight, Dimension X has transcribed Perigee's Wonderful Dolls, an original radio drama written by George Lefferts. Less famous appeared as Colonel Grayson and Joan Alexander as Alma, with Ninis Alexander as Cindy. Joe DeSantis played Santor Perigee, and Leon Ganti was Toto, the talking doll. Engineer Bill Chambers, your narrator was Norman Rose. Music by Albert Berman. Dimension X is produced by Van Woodward and directed by Edward King. In a moment, we'll tell you about next week's show. And now, here is your Wheaties man, Frank Martin. Look at your Wheaties in a cereal bowl, and... Well, they look pretty innocent, don't they? They're crisp, alright, and gold and brown. And you know they've got that wonderful Wheaties nut-like taste. But where does all that energy come from? What is it about Wheaties that give you all those vitamins and minerals and proteins? I'll tell you what it is. There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake. Not just a portion of a kernel, mind you, but a whole kernel of wheat. Now, that begins to explain things, doesn't it? Tells you why Wheaties energy helps you feel good all morning long, like I keep saying. No wonder they're America's favorite whole wheat flakes. Breakfast of champions and all that. Now you know why Wheaties at seven can help at eleven. Wheaties. Next week, the strange story of a curse that came true. It's the story of the Castaways, their adventure into the unknown world of tomorrow. The world of... The Mansion Axe. And this is the Wheaties man, Frank Martin, inviting you to listen Saturday, that's tomorrow night, to Joel McCray in Tales of the Texas Rangers on the Wheaties Big Parade. Thank you.
