- 7 months ago
Santa Claus has a gun and is out for revenge. He's really an ex-con out to get the rat who testified against him, and his girl who ran off with him! Joe Wharton didn’t expect to be out of jail for Christmas but with his good behaviour he was out and Christmas was as good a time as any for what he had to do. He planned on killing the cop who testified and got him convicted and finds he has more reason to do it when he discovers the cop has fallen in love with and married his girl Lucile. Lucile had promised she’d wait for Joe and now Joe plans to kill them both.
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00:00Suspense and the producer of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, the master of mystery and
00:12adventure, William N. Robeson. We who are in the business of keeping you in suspense
00:18find ourselves in a quandary at this time of the year. The elements of suspense, murder,
00:24mayhem, and macabre mischief are awkwardly out of place at this festival of peace and
00:30love. Yet that first Christmas was full of suspense. There was the problem of lodgings
00:36for the delicate mother that chill evening when there was no room at the inn. And there
00:40was great mystery when suddenly the star appeared in the east. Finally, there was the magnificent
00:46climax and happy ending when the three kings of the Orient arrived at last bearing gifts
00:52of gold and frankincense and myrrh. We feel that we cannot improve upon this tale, so we
00:59will bring you another, along with our best wishes for a most merry Christmas. Listen, listen
01:05then, as Mr. Raymond Burr stars in Out for Christmas. And now, Out for Christmas, starring Mr. Raymond
01:15Burr, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. I hadn't figured on being out for Christmas,
01:29but my prison record paid off. Takes a lot of good behavior to knock time off and an armed
01:35robbery and assault rap, but I was a good boy, model prisoner. Took everything they threw at
01:40me with a, not exactly with a smile. I don't smile much. I took it without griping, so I'm out for
01:48Christmas. And Christmas is as good a time as any for what I gotta do. The town looked cruddy.
01:59We got phony tin Christmas trees and the lampposts along the main drag and colored lights all over
02:04the joint. And Christmas carols screeching at you from loudspeakers everywhere. Even the saloon's got
02:10red and green streamers all over the place and the bar mirrors all frosted like snow. A big bowl of slop
02:17called Tom and Jerry they're pushing. Merry Christmas. Yeah. Yeah, wouldn't it be, a little Christmas cheer,
02:25a hot Tom and Jerry, maybe? Ain't you got any whiskey? Oh, sure, we got whiskey. Give me a straight shot.
02:30Okay. Can't you get anything on that jukebox but them Christmas carols? What's the matter? Don't you like
02:37carols? Oh, they stink. You won't think so after you get a couple of belts under your belt. Do you think
02:43so? Sure, it's Christmas, man. That's all I heard. It tastes good. Real good. Say, you look sort of familiar.
02:54Don't I know you from someplace? I was wondering how long it'd take. The voice is familiar.
03:00Your eyes sort of... Joe. Joe Watson. Joe! I heard you was going to get out soon. Charlie
03:06Jones told me. But I didn't know you'd be out for Christmas. Yeah, they got big-hearted.
03:10Say, you put on a little weight. Yeah, that's why I didn't recognize you. 30 pounds. Prison
03:15child. But you look real good, Joe. Real good. Yeah. Hey, where is Charlie? He been in tonight?
03:21Not yet, but he'll be around probably. Gotta see him. Know where he's living at? Yeah, he's got a room
03:26over on 4th Street. Room? I figured he'd be living in a flop house. Oh, now, Charlie. He's doing okay
03:32since he got out. Got a steady job. How about you, Joe? You got a job lined up? Yeah, I got a job
03:38lined up. A good job? It'll be good. As good as I can make it.
03:44And now, starring Mr. Raymond Burr, Act 2 of Out for Christmas.
04:02They even had this room and house where Charlie was staying, loused up for Christmas. There
04:16was a mouth-eating poinsettia wreath in the door and red and green lights in the landlady's
04:20window. Charlie's room was on the fourth floor at the back.
04:24Joe! Yeah. Oh, so they let you out for Christmas. Yeah. Well, come on in. Gee, it's good to see
04:38you, Joe. Good to see you, Charlie. Say, what the... What you got there? Oh, that's an electric
04:45train. Just a minute, I'll turn it off. Electric train? What for? Oh, my sister's kid. That's
04:50all he talks about for Christmas. An electric train. So I got him one at a discount at the
04:56place where I work, but I wanted to see if it works okay. You know how it is. Yeah. So
05:03what's the idea of the Christmas tree? Well, living by myself and all, I thought I'd have
05:07my own tree. It's just a little one. You lost your marbles? Well, it's Christmas, Joe.
05:14The guys in cell block four ought to see you now playing with electric trains into your own
05:19Christmas tree. And I bet they'd like to be doing the same thing. Not me. Did you check
05:23up on Malloy like I asked you to? Yeah. Yes, he's still on the police force. Good. You got
05:30a gun? No, no. I don't have no use for guns anymore. Know where I can get one? Well, sure,
05:35I guess I could locate one. I told you to. In my last letter, I told you. Get a gun for
05:40me, I said. I know you, but look, pal, I thought that... Well, I hope maybe you'd change your mind.
05:45Charlie, from the day he testified against me, I swore I'd get him. His testimony did
05:52it, you know. That's what convicted me. He sent me up. He had to testify the way he did.
05:56He didn't have to be so convincing. But Joe, what good will it do? You'll only get the
06:00chair. I'm not afraid of the chair. I've seen enough of life. It stinks. I ain't in love
06:05with it. I'd just as soon leave it so long as I take that rat with me. But it ain't only
06:12him, Joe. What do you mean? He's married now. Are you kidding? What kind of a dizzy broad
06:20would want him? You ain't gonna like this, Joe. Ain't gonna like what? The dizzy broad
06:26that married him was Lucille. Lucille. My Lucille. That's right. I'm sorry, Joe. Funny. It's
06:41real funny. She wrote me. She couldn't wait for me no longer. You remember when I got the
06:47letter. I remember. But she didn't say who it was. She never answered my letters after
06:52that with a lousy double cross. Well, you went up for ten to twenty, Joe. Yeah. Yeah.
06:59I guess she never counted on me making it an eight and time off for good behavior. But
07:03eight years is a long time for a young girl to wait, Joe. Mike Malloy's a fine guy to throw
07:08me over for. Well, makes it dandy. Double dandy. It'll be a pleasure to kill them both. Oh, how
07:19can you talk that way, Joe? It's Christmas. Christmas is for people who don't know no
07:24better. Kids and idiots. Now, Joe, listen to me now. Forget all about my lawyer and Lucille.
07:29You got a chance to make a new life for yourself. Like I'm doing. I can get you a job where I'm
07:34working. I'm sure I can. What are you doing? I'm Sandy Claus in the toy department at Brighton's
07:38department store. Ain't no future in that. You're gonna be out of work day after tomorrow. No,
07:42I'm not. They promised to keep me on. Doing what? Minding the reindeer? Well, Mr. Brighton believes
07:46in giving guys like us a chance. Now, that's why I'm sure that you can get a job there.
07:50You come down tomorrow and talk to him. I'll talk to him after Christmas. Hey, good. Or
07:54say, how about coming over to my sister's house for Christmas dinner day after tomorrow? Yeah.
08:01Yeah, I might even do that. Good. You see, Joe, there ain't no sense in carrying around
08:06hatred in your heart, especially at Christmas time. So let Malloy and Lucille have their Christmas
08:13and peace. They'll have their Christmas all right. Their last Christmas. But then it'll
08:20be your last one, too. I just gotta figure different. Never mind the gun. I'll get my own gun tomorrow.
08:28But there is one thing I want from you. What's that, Joe? Tomorrow night, I want to borrow your
08:36Santa Claus suit. And now, starring Mr. Raymond Burr, Act Three of Out for Christmas.
08:54Next day, I did my Christmas shopping for a gun. That night, I wrapped Charlie Santa Claus suit
09:14into a bundle, took a bus out to the subdivision where Malloy and Lucille had a house. I ducked
09:20into an alley behind the supermarket and pulled on the red suit, whiskers and all. It was
09:25going to be so easy I had to laugh. I couldn't want a better disguise on Christmas Eve for
09:32murder.
09:39I didn't have any trouble finding the house. A little box of a house like all the others
09:43in the street and decorated with colored lights like all the others. Nobody saw me. Even if
09:49they had, who is a better right than Santa Claus to be on the streets Christmas Eve? A gun
09:57felt cold in my pocket as I closed my fist around it and pushed the bell. Even it was
10:05wired for Christmas.
10:06Yes? Merry Christmas.
10:10Why, it's Santa Claus.
10:13Aren't you going to ask me in?
10:14Well, my husband isn't home yet.
10:16That's all right. I'll come in and wait for him.
10:18I don't understand.
10:19You don't believe in Santa Claus anymore, Lucille? You ought to...
10:23Who are you?
10:24Don't you recognize my voice?
10:28You... you sound like...
10:29Joe.
10:31Oh, no.
10:31Good old Joe. He was going to wait for me, no matter how long it took.
10:37Joe, I thought you were...
10:38In the cooler for keeps? Uh-uh. I told you I'd come back for you. Here I am.
10:47Well, you're too late, Joe.
10:49Yeah, so I hear. How come you didn't wait, Lucille?
10:55I... I fell in love.
10:58With the guy who sent me to prison? With a no-good cop?
11:00He didn't send you to prison, Joe. You were guilty.
11:02I'd have beat the rap if he hadn't testified the way he did.
11:05He had to testify that way. He was only telling the truth.
11:07Yeah, so you could get me out of the way and steal my girl.
11:10Joe, you've got things all twisted.
11:12It all happened afterwards. I only met him at your trial. We fell in love afterwards.
11:16When I couldn't protect myself.
11:19Oh, Joe, I'm sorry.
11:22It just happened.
11:24You're telling me.
11:25Where is the fuzz?
11:27Who?
11:28The copper, your old man.
11:29He's still on duty.
11:31Working overtime to put the arm on some stiff on Christmas Eve?
11:34When will he be home?
11:35I expect him any time now.
11:36Good. I'm going to be glad to see him.
11:39Why, when you hate him so?
11:42You see, I...
11:43I promised him something.
11:46Didn't he ever tell you?
11:48No.
11:49I promised to kill him when I got out.
11:52Joe.
11:52Tonight's the night, see?
11:54Well, you mean it. You've got a gun.
11:57Sure, I got a gun.
11:58And I'm going to use it.
12:02I'm both of you.
12:04Both of us?
12:05You both double-crossed me.
12:07I could kill you first, but...
12:10I think I'll wait till your old man comes home.
12:15Ought to be interesting to see how he acts.
12:18I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he tried to make a deal with me.
12:21A deal?
12:22Yeah, like shoot my wife, but let me go free.
12:24Joe.
12:25What a terrible thing to say.
12:27You'll see what kind of a creep you married.
12:29Joe, do it then.
12:30But do it because I ask you.
12:32Kill me and let him go.
12:33Ah.
12:34I come to get you both.
12:37And I'm going to get you both.
12:40Together.
12:44How about some music while we're waiting?
12:47Turn on the radio.
12:48Go on, turn it on.
12:50Hmm.
12:54He...
12:55He made you happy, Lizzie?
12:58Yeah, Joe.
13:00Very.
13:02He made him happy?
13:05I hope so.
13:06That's nice.
13:09Because tonight you're both going to make me happy.
13:12By becoming very dead.
13:15It's too loud.
13:18What's that?
13:19Oh, little Lucy, the radio woke her.
13:21You got kids?
13:21Yeah.
13:22Where are you going?
13:23I had to look in on her and quiet her.
13:24Don't try nothing funny.
13:25I'll be right behind you.
13:26Oh, there now, honey.
13:28There, there.
13:29It's all right.
13:30Mommy just turned the radio on too loud.
13:32I'm scared, Mommy.
13:35Mommy.
13:37Look behind you.
13:38It's Santa Claus.
13:40Yes, dear.
13:41Santa Claus.
13:42Oh, Mikey.
13:43Mikey, wake up.
13:45Mikey, look.
13:46It's Santa Claus.
13:47Uh-uh.
13:48Santa Claus.
13:49Santa Claus.
13:51I want to see Santa Claus.
13:53And now, starring Mr. Raymond Burr, act four of Out for Christmas.
14:11I just had time to jam the gun back into my pocket before those two kids were wide awake
14:24and all over me, grabbing at my red suit, pulling at my phony whiskers, pushing me into
14:28a chair.
14:28Did you bring me a present, Santa Claus, did you?
14:30Why are you rangers, Santa?
14:32Get down, Mikey.
14:33I want to sit on his lap.
14:34Let's see.
14:34We'll get rid of these kids.
14:35I can't.
14:36Where's my present, Santa?
14:38Well, I...
14:38What did you do with the rangers?
14:40What did you do with the rangers?
14:41Well, they're, they're parked outside, Mikey, on the roof.
14:45Did you come down the chimney?
14:47Oh, yeah, sure.
14:48Then why aren't you close to me?
14:50Did the fire burn you?
14:51Well, no.
14:52You see, it's an asbestos suit.
14:55Now, listen, you, you kids ought to go back to bed.
14:58Oh, no, Santa Claus.
14:59We want our presents.
15:00I want to see the reindeer.
15:02See, you've got to get them off me.
15:03They're so excited, Joe.
15:04They've never entertained Santa Claus before.
15:06I hate no Santa Claus.
15:07To them you are.
15:08Yeah.
15:09Santa Claus?
15:10What?
15:11I want to kiss you.
15:14Me, too.
15:15Me, too.
15:17Darn.
15:18All right, you kids.
15:19Now, now, now, listen to me.
15:21Yes, Santa Claus.
15:22I'm listening.
15:23Me, too.
15:23You've got to go back to bed now.
15:25Oh, well, my presents.
15:27Me, too.
15:28You'll, you'll get your presents in the morning when you wake up.
15:31There, they'll be under the tree.
15:33You promise?
15:35I promise.
15:36Now, now, you run off to bed.
15:41Now, Con, I, I got to get going.
15:44Now, you, you wouldn't want the other boys and girls to miss their presents,
15:47because I, I've been goofing off with you, would you?
15:50Oh, no, that won't be fair.
15:52All right, then.
15:54Off the bed you go.
15:55All right.
15:57Come on, Mikey.
16:00Merry Christmas, Santa Claus.
16:01Me, too.
16:03Yeah.
16:04Merry Christmas, kids.
16:06And, um, good night.
16:09Good night.
16:10Come on, Mikey.
16:14Oh, Joe.
16:15They'll never forget that.
16:18Yeah.
16:18Neither will I.
16:21Merry Christmas, honey.
16:22I'm sorry I'm late.
16:24Hey, what's this?
16:26It's Joe Watson, Mike.
16:28Joe Watson?
16:30What the devil are you doing here?
16:32He came to kill us.
16:34Well, I get it easy, Mike.
16:35Here's my gun.
16:39You, you changed your mind?
16:43Uh-uh.
16:46Your kids changed my mind.
16:49They thought he was really Santa Claus, darling.
16:51They, they were so excited.
16:53Oh, Mike, you, you can send me up again.
16:56Better to go back for parole violation, I guess, than for murder.
17:04Well, uh, wait a minute.
17:08We gotta have a complaining witness.
17:11You wanna make a complaint, Lucille?
17:14No, Mike.
17:16I wanna thank Joe for giving the kids the best Christmas of their lives.
17:22Well, I haven't any complaint, then.
17:24Merry Christmas, Joe.
17:28I still say Christmas is for people who don't know no better.
17:33Like kids and idiots.
17:37Yeah.
17:39Merry Christmas.
17:53Suspense.
17:55In which Raymond Burr starred in Out for Christmas.
17:59Written, produced, and directed by William N. Robeson.
18:03In just a moment, the names of the supporting players and a word about next week's story of suspense.
18:09Supporting Raymond Burr in Out for Christmas were Joan Banks, Lillian Biaf, Charles Seal, Carl Swenson, Howard McNair, and Dick Beals.
18:17Listen.
18:17Listen.
18:19Listen again next week when we return with Mr. Frank Lovejoy starring in The 32nd of December.
18:27Another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
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