And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. Good evening, this is Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. Tonight's story is a modern tale of suspense entitled, The Doctor and the Lunatic. It was written by Richard Connell, author of that well-known classic, The Most Dangerous Game. And in it you are going to meet a most dangerous killer, an unknown madman with a strange obsession. Oh, say, speaking of madmen, Mr. Barnes, ever hear of a fellow who went raving from shaving? Why, no, Dan, you mean absolutely mad? Well, not exactly. You see, shaving used to make him awful sore. That is, until he shaved with Mole. Now he's raving over the smooth, slick shave he gets. Yes, sir, men, it's smooth, so smooth. It's slick, so slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. Yes, mole is the shaving cream that's heavier, the cream you need if you have a wiry, hard-to-cut beard or tender skin. Because mole is heavier, it not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straight while your razor cuts them off close and clean. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly with Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. And now for tonight's Mole mystery, the doctor and the lunatic. Ah, isn't it, how a man will take his own sanity for granted, harder still that he will never question the sanity of his neighbor. In the very midst of civilization, we live in a jungle, never knowing when or where a warped mind may flip its shackles and turn the well-disciplined body into a volcanic eruption of lustful hate. Tonight's story began a few moments before twelve on a soft spring night. Where it began was in the North Shore home of Oscar Barton, wealthy playboy who prized with equal warmth his collection of women and his collection of rare porcelain pieces. Through Barton's open French doors, there stole a shadowy substance that stabbed a circle of light unerringly at Barton's prized porcelain fock. Beautiful, beautiful, so fragile, so soft and silky to touch, and I will be the last to see it. It's only right beauty was made for me. I must find all beauty. Then, since I looked at it last, it'll be mine. Mine! Who's that? Who's there? I said, who's there? Speak up or I'll fire. Is that you, Jeff? Who are you? Answer me. Don't move. Let me go. Mr. Barton, sir, are you in there? Mr. Barton, sir, you're bleeding, sir. Jason, Jeff, he went out the French doors. Get after a man. Oh, good Lord, my clock. My clock smashed to pieces. Where's that gun? Had it when I came down. Find that gun, Jeff. I'll plug that fiend between the eyes. Yes, sir, yes, sir. Who the foes are, shall I get it? No, no, I will. Take that gun and look around outside. Hello. Yes, this is Barton. What? What who? You're talking too fast. Tex is dead. Listen, Garner, I... I... hung him from a tree. Good heavens, man, I'm... I'm coming over. Something's happened here, too. Jeff, Jeff. Yes, sir. Garner just came home to find his prized colleague, Tex Anner, hanging by the neck from a tree. I'm going over to his place. Hang on to that gun and watch the rest of my porcelain. Here, I'll pour you a stiff one, Barton. We all need a stiff one. How about you, Hildon? Oh, no, Garner, thank you. I... I can't drink since my illness. So this vandal visited your home, too, Hildon, eh? What did he do to you? My rose. My beautiful rose. I spent 11 years developing it. Most beautiful rose the world has ever seen crushed to a pulp. The petals mashed and ground into the mud. You're so lovely, Jeff. Such a triumph. Hmm, yeah, well, sad. Sad, of course. But my Tex hanged like a common murderer. What kind of a man would do such a thing? And what are we going to do about it? For the police. That half-wit constable? What do you make of him, Hildon? We may never find him. He's hiding in the safest place in the world because he's someone we know. What? The man or beast, if you will, who committed these outrages is someone who knows us well and positively. And worse than that, gentlemen, he's a madman whose obsession is the destruction of beauty. Wait, wait, Garner. Kelton's got an angle there. But how do you know so much about it, Kelton? Before my nervous breakdown, I taught psychology at the university. Besides, it's obvious. How so? The man chose for his order of destruction the most beautiful of our possessions. He must have visited our homes, known how I cherished my roses, how you worshipped your matchless collie, Mr. Garner, how you prized your porcelain clock, Mr. Garner. What makes you think I'm a lunatic, Hildon? What else? Revenge? Can you conceive of a common enemy? No. Robbery? Nothing was stolen. No. This is the work of a warped mind. A man whose hands burn with the urge to destroy beauty. A man who knows and appreciates beauty much as we do. Destruction of beauty? Good Lord, Lily. Lily? Lily Price, my actress friend who lives on Hilltop Road. Call her. Yes, call her. I have a suggestion, Mr. Garner. Let's have it, Kelton. My wife and I have become friendly with a Dr. Canfield who moved to the Point a few months ago. Perhaps you know him too? The fellow who was the famous brain surgeon on the West Coast? House on the tip of the Point? Yes. I'm sure he could be of great value to us and advise us properly. I propose we say nothing of this to avoid alarm, that all three of us pay him a visit in the morning. Good idea. No answer at Lily's house. I left her there at 10.30. I'm going to drive up there. I'll go with you. Kelton, will you excuse us? Call me in the morning and we'll go and see your friend Canfield. Come on, Garner. Right with you. The lights are still on. Watch the back door, Garner. I'll take the front. Right. I'll cover the back door. Show them if you need me. Lily! Lily! It's Oscar Lily! Open up! Open up! Open up! Open up! Open up! Open up! Open up! Open up! Lily! Lily! Good Lord. Garner! Garner! Come inside! Is she... No, no, no. She's breathing. No blood, no signs of struggle. Give me your hand here. Get her on the couch. No signs of struggle, eh? Look. A painting. Good Lord, the madman's been here. The canvas has slashed her ribbons. It's worth a fortune. Painted by Michelli. Let's get some brandy into her bottle here somewhere. She's coming too, Barton. Good. Here, this will help it along. Oscar. Oh, Oscar. Look. My painting. There, there, Lily. Take it easy, darling. Listen to Mr. Garner, my neighbor. Hello. How do you do, Miss Price? We ran up when Barton could get no answer on your phone. What happened here? I'm not sure. I woke up hungry and came downstairs with some milk. My maid is away tonight. I put the light on and saw the painting. I painted, I guess. Get your things on, Lily. I'll drive you to your aunt's for the night. Would you, Oscar, that's fine. I'll just be a moment. Aren't you going to tell her, Barton? Tell her what? That there's a madman loose around here? That he might be anybody? Someone aching right at this minute to sink his fingers into her throat? Why scare her? Besides, maybe Dr. Canfield can help us when we see him. Yes. Canfield seems to be our only hope at the moment. Let's get to Dr. Canfield as early as we can in the morning. I am glad you came to me, gentlemen. How much help I can be, I don't know. If this were 14 years ago, I could give you the name of the poor creature who might have done the outrages you speak of. You mean you have an idea who the man is, Doctor? Oh, no, no, Garland. I mean that I had such a patient committed to me 14 years ago on the coast. He's still there, incurable. But my experience with that case has taught me much about the strange, insane lust for the destruction of beauty. Is he the one you mentioned to me once on the train, Doctor? Yes, Kelton. Man named Gabriel Fenwick. I worked hard to help him, operated several times. Just as I felt that Fenwick was cured, he embarked upon an orgy of destruction similar to that which occurred last night. Are you certain he's not at large, Dr. Canfield? Oh, yes, I am, Mr. Barton. Of course I will contact the institution which has him at once to satisfy you all. You do agree that this is the work of an insane person? Oh, yes, Kelton. Is there personal danger involved, Doctor? I mean, if a beautiful woman were about, would he... We found Fenwick standing over the horribly battered body of the woman he was to have married. She had been a very beautiful woman. Good heavens. Is there anything you can do to help us find this devil, Doctor? Well, possibly, Mr. Garnet, but only insofar as I may detect him from talking to him. There are symptoms which are recognizable to a trained mind. Would you advise going to the police, Doctor? Legally, Kelton, I imagine you should. However, that might stampede the remaining vestiges of sanity in the man and cause him to abandon all restraint. How will you go about finding him? Well, Mr. Barton, I've been thinking it over as we discussed it. It won't be easy. For instance, two of you three gentlemen have already exhibited symptoms of latent obsession. Two of you could be the poor creatures. Oh, please, gentlemen. I only said that to point out how normal such a man might seem. By the same token, you're as free to suspect me. The Doctor's right. It could be anyone. You won't say which one of us you've absolved, would you, Doctor? No, if you want me to help, you must allow me to work in my own fashion. Go to it, then, Doctor, and at once. You know how to reach us all. Yes, I'll go right to work. Yes, that would be best. Thank you, Dr. Kempf. Oh, oh, yes, a final word of caution, gentlemen. I must warn you to be on guard against yourselves. Ourselves? You are all potential murderers because you fear and suspect one another to a dangerous degree. If the lunatic is in this room, I alone must find him out. As the curtain falls on Act One of tonight's play, it looks as if the Doctor has already done a little psychoanalyzing to determine the guilty person. You know, Mr. Barnes, that's the method I use, too. For instance, when a man feels like murdering someone because he can't get a comfortable shave, I can snap him out of it as quick as I can say, mole. Yes, men, mole. The heavier brushless shaving cream is the cream you need if you have wiry whiskers or a tender skin. Because mole is heavier, it softens your whiskers, stands them up straighter, and makes them easy to cut. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Try it and see if you don't say, it's smooth, so smooth, it's slick, so slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. Mole. And now back to Jeffrey Barnes and Act II of The Doctor and the Lunatic. A lunatic whose obsession for destroying objects of beauty has victimized three men on the North Shore has caused the victims to seek the advice of their neighbor, Dr. Canfield, the noted brain surgeon. They leave Dr. Canfield's home now with his promise to help them find the madman. In the heart of each man is a seething panic that one of them is the very fiend they seek. As the last of the three men starts to climb into the car, he flaps his coat pockets frantically. The man who killed him, you lose something? Gracious, I've left my glasses on Canfield's mantle. Well, run in and get him. We'll win. Oh, really, Garnet, no need to. I'd like a bit of walking. Besides, I meant to ask Canfield to dinner and I forgot to. You, you, you chaps run along. Okay, Calvin, we'll keep in touch with you. You do the same? Yes, yes, of course I will. Imagine forgetting my glasses. How silly. Maybe Canfield will take that as a symptom of insanity, too. Goodness, come from Canfield's, someone's in stress. It's true. Canfield lives here alone or so I thought. I'll go and get some water. Have you been here long? I was upstairs. I'm sorry to trouble you. I left my glasses on your mantle. Oh, I see. Come in, come in. I'm not intruding? Intruding, Calvin. How? I am sorry. I heard someone scream as I came up. It was a scream, are you sure? Could have been my imagination, but I hardly think so. I heard nothing? I... All right, it was a scream. It wasn't your imagination. It was a scream and I'm through lying about it. My goodness, Canfield, you're terribly upset. Something I can do? Please count on me. Kelton, I... Yes. You are the only man I know who can help me. Why didn't I think of that before? You must help me. A strain's too great for one man, too much. By all means. What can I do? Follow me upstairs. Very well. What I'm about to show you has been my secret for 14 years. I've lived in a tortured, lonely world. Sometimes I wonder that I'm sane myself. Why? A vault? No, Kelton, not exactly. The steel door is set by a combination. Here, see? Five inches of steel. Smooth as glass inside. Do you admit it couldn't be opened from the inside? I should say so. Now, come inside. There. There is my secret, Kelton. Who? Who is he? Gabriel Fenwick. The lunatic? A lunatic, Kelton, not the lunatic. He's just had a master planal injection. It's a restraining drug. I've had him under for five days because of a recurrence he suffered then. He's been here all the time? On my solemn word. He's not left this room for 18 weeks, nor has he risen from his bed for five days. Couldn't he have slipped out while you weren't here? Look at the windows. Solid steel frames, set in concrete. Steel bars, not a scratch on them. Amazing. You get it. You're so sure. Then there must be... Another lunatic? Hardly. Whatever will we do? Come. Now you'll know, Kelton. Well, you can do what you like. I'm tired and I... I feel better when it's out. I... I shouldn't keep this to myself, you know, Canfield, unless... Unless what? Unless you had a sound reason for keeping Fenwick as a private patient all these years. I have such a reason, Kelton. Oh? I was intoxicated and driving the car when we had the accident that deranged Fenwick. He was legally committed to my care. I can show you the papers if you like. No, no, no. No need of papers, doctor. I believe you. But I am as guilty of murdering the woman Fenwick killed as he was. No, I don't agree with you. But I respect your loyalty, Canfield. Furthermore, I believe, as you do, that Fenwick is not the man we're looking for. Hmm. Bless you, man. Ah? What do you propose to do about this? Do? Just what I came to do. Invite you to dinner tonight. Martha's roasting a chicken. Oh, I'm fine. But you've made me feel like a new man, Matt, as though I'd given you half my load to carry. I'll be there. Thank you, man. Tosh and Piffle, man. I'll see you about seven. All met? Yes. When I said this morning that one of you three could not be guilty, I meant you. That, Martha, is the most beautifully browned chicken I've ever seen. Probably because you don't see many cooking for yourself in that big house, doctor. Ah, perhaps. Here, doctor. Ah, what's that for? Oh, you want me to carve? This I haven't done for some time, carving. Have you made any progress yet, doctor, in your inquiries? Yes, Matt, I did. I was fortunate in learning something of great bearing on things. I believe now that someone knows the story of Gabriel Fenwick, and that this knowledge is to be used for an elaborate plan to swindle a large insurance payment. What? You don't think there's a lunatic involved? Oh, look what I've done on your lovely linen, too, Martha. Oh, how clumsy. Why, it's nothing at all, doctor. Don't give it a thought. Go on with your theory, doctor. Well, Matt, Miss Price's Mochelli painting was insured for $90,000. Barton's porcelain clock was insured for $120,000, and Garnet's collie was insured for $20,000. Good gracious. But, doctor, that's hardly proof of anything. No, but tomorrow morning I will have a credit report on all three people. That may give us a real clue. Oh, dear, I hope you're wrong, doctor. I hope I'm not, Martha. Better that than the other possibility. Why don't you marry me right now, darling? Then I could protect you every night from vandals. Oh, silly. Oscar, it's late. I'm going inside the bed. It's the maid's home tonight. I'm not afraid. Lily, you're going to turn me down once too often. All right, go on into that stuffy house. I'm sitting right here in the car until you change your mind and come back out to marry me. I'll listen to this radio all night if I have to. You're going to be awfully cold in the morning. Good night. Good night. There he sits. His hands have touched her, defiled her hair. She's mine because she's beautiful. And he has defiled her. How beauty is for me to take. He's stolen it with his eyes. He never will again. Hey. This is your night owl announcer. Say, I've had lots of complaints from my listeners lately. They tell me the music I pick keeps them awake on the job. Now, I like to blind you night owl. So here's a little number you could like. Never again. This might disturb Mr. Price's sleep, but it won't disturb his. Oscar, you go right home. Oscar, do you hear me? I won't have you sitting there all night. Oscar. Oh, you. I'm coming down. Oscar, now you wake up and take off. Oscar. Oscar. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll bring you Act Three of The Doctor and the Lunatic. When you have dandruff, you might just as well try to combat it with plain water as with many ordinary hair preparations. For such products, simply remove loose dandruff and you can do that with plain water. To do more to fight dandruff effectively, use double dandrine. For double dandrine is a scientific product that does what most ordinary hair preparations can't do. It goes to work on your scalp and actually kills on contact the germ that many outstanding authorities contend is a cause of a common type of dandruff. Now the reason for double dandrine's astonishing effectiveness is that it contains a special ingredient called alzheimer's an active antiseptic so amazingly efficient many hospitals use it. Among hair preparations, double dandrine and double dandrine alone contain alzheimer's. So stop trying to combat dandruff with preparations that can't compare with double dandrine. If you're not completely satisfied, return the empty bottle and get your money back. Try double dandrine at your drug ends. Dr. Canfield! Dr. Canfield! Doctor! Doctor! Why are you on this place? What's the matter? I think he's dead. He's all blood in the car. Oscar, Oscar Barton. He was beaten in his car in front of my house. You were the closest doctor until I drove him here. It's Helton. Yes, doctor. He's fainted. Helton! Helton, what are you doing here? Pick her up, doctor. A gun? What's the meaning? I said pick her up. Of course. Now, carry her inside. Put her on the sofa, doctor. And be very gentle. I warn you, very gentle. Good. Now, Helton, what's this all about? I couldn't have been all wrong about you. I know you aren't insane. Put that gun down and let's discuss this. You're right, doctor. I'm not insane. My only obsession is a love of beauty. She is beautiful, isn't she? Yes, she is. You think so too, Helton? Yes. As beautiful as my rose was and as crushable. Feel her hair. How soft. Don't do that. I'll let you get closer to her, doctor. Come. Feel her hair. Stop. Don't do that, Helton. Don't. Don't say those things. Why? Do you love beauty enough to kill it too? Here it is. Kill it. All right, Helton. You've told me what I want to know. Gun or no gun, I'm going to... Dr. Manta, everything is all right. Call Garnet and have him bring the constable. Yes, and better have Garnet bring a crew of workmen to break into the steel room and rescue Dr. Canfield. Yes. Yes, Gabriel Fenwick is dead, darling. I had to. He attacked me. No, darling. We never knew the real Dr. Canfield. Fenwick, the lunatic, posed as Dr. Canfield. Yes, dear. I'm all right. How did I know the doctor was the lunatic? Well, for gracious sakes, who ever heard of a brain surgeon hacking a chicken apart the way Fenwick did? Now, this is Jeffrey Barnes again inviting you to be with us next week when we present another thrilling story. Remember, mystery fans, this is the program that brings you the unique, the unusual, stories that are the best in mystery and detective fiction. The original music for the Mole Mystery Theater is composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler. The Doctor and the Lunatic was written by Richard Connell and adapted for radio by Frederick Matho. Louis Van Rooten and Alan Hewitt were featured in tonight's program. This is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday at this same time when the Mystery Theater presents another exciting study in crime. Daylight Saving Time goes into effect Sunday, April 28th in most communities. Check the radio column of your local newspaper for the time this program may be heard. Tonight's Mystery Theater presentation, The Doctor and the Lunatic, came to you from New York's Radio City. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.
