Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome
to the exciting world of your own imagination.
The live body, muscles rippling, seems suspended
in air, twisted in its last agony. The goat legs
flexed in their last spring. The beautiful boy's
face transformed by a snarl of agony as the arrow
bites through the back flesh to bury itself deep
in the heart. This is a legendary bronze statue
called the Dying Fawn. Legendary in more ways
than one. Jameson? Miss Harpett. Not any longer.
This is my husband, David Kidnelli. How do you
do, sir? I've heard so much about you. It's my
pleasure, James. Congratulations, Miss Abbott.
I mean, Mrs. Time for that afterwards. Are the
others here? Mrs. Abbott and Mr. Pierce arrived
this afternoon. Are they with my... Are they
with him now? No, Miss Sarah. Like you, they...
They were too late. Oh, no. You mean he's...
Dad? It was to be expected. When? The statue
started to bleed the night before last. Our mystery
drama, The Bleeding Statue, was written especially
for the Mystery Theater by Ian Martin and stars
Patricia Elliott, and Tony Roberts. I'll be back
shortly with act one. What is more mystical than
a statue? The wounded fawn. No one is sure that
it was not originally chiseled in marble. That
the bronze we know today was not taken from a
long -lost original. Where it comes from, no
one knows. Where it was perhaps best known to
the public at large was in its last appearance,
or disappearance, on the stage of the Palace
Theatre as the climax of the farewell tour of
prior Abbott, the Merlin of the Magicians. And
now a few ladies and gentlemen will permit my
greatest illusion, the death of the wounded pawn.
Park the curtains, please. There he is for the
last time on any stage. I beg your pardon, dear
audience, the second last time. For if I'm to
make him disappear, I would have to make him
reappear. and both in front of your very eyes.
Observe the dying fawn. One thousand four hundred
and forty pounds of cast bronze. I invite any
member of the audience who questions this assessment
of weight to join me on the stage. I only wish
to know that all of you are ready to believe
that this statue does have a life and volition
of its own. For it is about to disappear before
your very eyes. Concentrate. Observe. Be aware.
And beware. That was back in 1936, David. Fifteen
years before I was born. 18 for you. How do you
know about that final performance? You weren't
there. No, there was my mother. She was about
five then. Strange. What? I can't connect to
your grandfather. Now what do I call him? Not
what you do. A wizard. That's kind of corny.
Not for me. It was my mother's second marriage.
I was five years old. Mother was about 28. He
was 57. Much as I loved him and as full his life
as he was, I never could call him Dad, and Grandpa
would have been an insult. So because of all
the marvelous tricks he did, he became the wizard.
Oh, David, you never saw anyone so young as the
wizard, in body as well as in mind. That's why
I can't believe... Easy, easy does it, baby.
You've done your crying for him. It's awful to
think of him lying in that coffin, dead. I can't
believe it isn't just another illusion. When
we go down to dinner that he won't have escaped
like Houdini and be sitting waiting for us with
a big smile. I'm afraid even the wizard can't
spring himself loose from this one. I'd better
get my best bib and tie on to greet your relatives.
I wouldn't worry about them. Well, I don't want
to make too bad an impression. Your stepbrother's
a pretty important man in my life. Because he's
president of Abbott's Tool and Machine. Piers
is just a figurehead. There's only one man who
could... Come on now, Sarah. I just can't believe
he's dead. He was... Oh, David. You just had
to have known him to understand. He was... He
was indestructible. Darling, he was going on
76. But he didn't look or act more than 50. Well,
you hadn't seen him in more than two years. Well,
yes. You're right, of course. But even then,
even with a heart attack and my mother dying...
You don't have to tell me, Sarah. God knows he
was a giant to me. But not as a magician. As
an industrialist, an enhancer, an innovator.
I never knew all that came from being a... Well,
it sounds crazy to put it this way, but a plain
magician. Oh, he was no plain magician. I've
seen blueprints of some of his illusions, and
they're more complicated than splitting the atom.
Hey, hey, hey, it's almost 7 .30. Now look, I've
got to have at least a clean shirt. Yes? Excuse
me, madam, but dinner will be served in half
an hour. We'll be right down, Jamie. He's always
so formal. Well, he kind of gives me the shivers.
What was that bit about the statue starting to
bleed? Oh, that's a silly old legend. You want
to tell your silly young husband what? I think
the wizard probably made it up for the act. Well,
I'm persistent if nothing else. Made up what?
Well, it's a very old statue, you know. Quite
priceless. Well, since it happens to be my hobby,
I know as much about it as you. It's either fired
from a mold of a Greek original and marble, or
else it was commissioned by Cosmo de Medici in
the early 1600s and is possibly by Benevenuto
Cellini himself. Right? Right. But impossible
to authenticate? That's right. But it did belong
at one time or another to the Domenici's and
to some later kings of France, they say. Whoever
they are. And what exactly do they say? Whenever
the head of a household to whom it belongs is
marked for death, the statue starts to bleed.
I don't want to be late for dinner. No, we won't
be. I just had to see this fabulous statue. Well,
there he is. Wow. What a setting. He's magnificent,
whoever the sculptor was. He's sad. Poor wounded
God. God? Come closer. Look at him. He's not
just a fawn. He has to be panned himself. Without
the horn. Ageless. Deathless. The spirit of youth
and life. Just like the wizard. I never thought
he could really die. Hush, hush, baby. It's the
only thing none of us can sidestep. Hey, where's
this blood supposed to come from? From the air
wound, of course. Right here? It's between the
shoulders? Oh, I suppose. I've never seen it.
It's... It's just the story, David. What is it?
It's nothing. Let me see your hand. You touched
the statue. Look, it's just rust, darling. That's
all. Bronze doesn't rust, David. That's blood.
Are you sure this is Sherry Pierce? As advertised,
and as always, nothing but the best. It doesn't
taste right, somehow. I doubt if anything will
until we all find out just where we stand. It's
upsetting that he died so suddenly and unexpectedly.
You don't suppose he could have left everything
to Sarah? He couldn't do that to us. Suppose
he has. I'll fight it to the nail. I'm his daughter.
Daughter -in -law, to be exact. I'm the last
best hope. At least my father, your husband,
was his son. I hope he's recognized that in the
will. And how do we handle this new husband Sarah
has sprung upon us? I've no idea. It's too bad
the wizard didn't know about him before he kicked
off. I doubt if he'd have reacted too well to
some European opportunist who wanted to pick
up a nice American girl with a lot of money in
the family. Well, he isn't here to react. It's
up to us. Pardon me, madam. Yes, Jefferson, what
is it? Mr. and Mrs. Cavalli have returned from
the garden. Dinner is set. Thank you, Jefferson.
We'll be right in. Well, shall we start reacting?
Kiss the bride and meet the groom? Well, since
we all seem to have finished dinner, shall we
retire to the drawing room for coffee? And the
moment of truth. You can clear if you wish, Jameson.
Yes, Mrs. Abbott. Oh, thank you, Jameson. I can
pour the coffee and Pierce will serve the liqueurs.
And Jameson, you can make your arrangements about
the tape, whatever they are. Very good, madam.
Will we have to come to the study to hear it?
No, madam. There are speakers in every room in
the house. And I was instructed by the late Mr.
Abbott that the tape would activate itself at
exactly nine o 'clock this evening. Activate
itself? Aye, Mr. Cabelli. You see, I don't know
where it is. You never knew my father, Signor
Cavalli. In his later years, he was somewhat
eccentric. Will you escort me to the drawing
room? Of course, Mrs. Hanna. Nutty as a fruitcake,
she means. Don't talk about the wizard like that.
You know, Sarah, you weren't around in the past
few years. I saw him two years ago. Well... Well...
Well, that was right after his heart attack,
and Mother's death right on top of that naturally
was knocked out. But nothing could ever keep
him down for long. That's what you think. He
buried himself alive here with Jameson. None
of us saw him since the day you went back. But
he wrote me in Italy. That's more contact than
Mother and I had with him. It's a pity you went
back to the art school. Don't. Don't make me
feel any worse than I already do. He made me
go. I thought you were the apple of his eye.
I also happened to be a carbon copy of my mother.
And the reminder was too poignant. You think
I'd have gone back to Italy otherwise? There
seemed to have been other attractions. You mean
David? I hadn't even met him then. I wish you
never had. I'd always hoped, I think the wizard
hoped too, that you and I... Why, Pierce! For
my older brother? Not quite. Not by blood, just
by accident of the wizard's many marriages. Older?
Yes, guilty as charged. Is 16 years or whatever
it is all that important? Oh, come on, Pete.
Oh, it didn't matter a hoot to the wizard, and
your mother was damn near double that with them.
It hadn't anything to do with age or family.
Just choice. Well, all right. Oh, well, let's
go in and... On our way, why don't you tell me
more of the man you did choose? I suppose we
really should have had espresso for you, Signor
Cavelli. No, no, no. Plain American coffee, Mrs.
Abbott. Really? I thought all Italians like...
Mrs. Abbott, I'm not Italian. Oh? Sarah met you
in Rome? Florence. Well, Florence. And your name
is Cavelli? Well, that's right, but Italian -American.
My father and I were both born in this country.
How nice, but you lived in Italy. Well, my father
was an engineer with United States Motors two
years ago while I was studying to be an engineer
at MIT in Boston. The company moved him to their
plant in Torino. When I graduated, I went over
to join them and met Sarah. You said in Florence?
Yes, at the Piazza della Signorina looking at
the statues. You knew of course who Sarah's father
was Well, I knew who prior Abbott was but I never
guessed that Sarah was his daughter stepdaughter
The wizard actually only had one child Your husband
which makes you prior Abbott's daughter -in -law
What time is it David? It's just about nine.
Well people the moment of truth is almost upon
us I don't know about the rest of you, but I
think I could do with something to calm the nerves.
Brandy for anyone? I have my coffee. I don't
know. Why don't you, darling? I might join you.
Why not? Oh, Senior Cavalli, would you help?
Since we are family, may we make a David? Very
well, David. I'll help Pierce get the brandies.
I'll pour the coffee. As you wish. Tell me, Sarah,
did the wizard know about this hasty marriage
of yours? It wasn't. All that hasty. Except at
the last moment. You haven't answered my question.
No. The answer is no. But let me explain exactly
what... Art is the witching hour. Well the whole
thing is a bit spooky, mother. And in seconds
all of us are going to face our futures. Just
where each of us is going. And all manipulated
like puppets from beyond the grave. I wonder
what particular trick the wizard has up his sleeve
this time. We're about to find out. Pierce Abbott
termed it the moment of truth. Are we to hear
it from a disembodied voice speaking out of the
past? And what will the truth mean for the four
people sitting, awaiting that voice? I'll return
shortly with Act Two. Built in the late 20s,
Abbott House is a Gothic castle perched on a
promontory that juts out into the mouth of the
Connecticut River. Now bathed in fitful moonlight,
Its flying buttresses and ornamental gables seem
almost as much of an illusion as any of the great
ones that made the immortal PJ Abbott the beginnings
of his fabulous fortune on the stage. An illusion
of immortality fostered at this moment as his
voice speaks from the grave. seems like the good
old days when I stepped out behind the footlights.
Of course, in those days, I never dreamed that
I would one day exercise my powers from beyond
the grave. When you hear this, I shall be dead,
my will signed, sealed, attested, and delivered
to the hands of my attorney. It leaves everything
I have completely and totally to my beloved Sarah.
without let nor hindrance, now that she is 21
years of age. Everything! How dare he! God, what
am I going to do? Oh no, I don't want it all!
Subject to these provisions, in the event that
my daughter -in -law and her son will sign papers
prepared by my attorneys waiving all right or
claim to my estate, or legal moves to contest
it, They will receive jointly an income yearly
till their deaths of what I shall call 30 pieces
of silver, the equivalent of $30 ,000. I further
make it a condition that until the will is probated,
that all three of you shall stay here at Abbott's
house, nor shall any of you leave the grounds
for any reason whatsoever. He's crazy! Don't
ever say that about the wizard! And just in case
any of you question my sanity, my will is attested
to by three objective psychiatrists who have
found me sound of mind. And now for a few personal
messages. Can someone turn that off? I don't
want to hear anymore. I've arranged there's no
way for you to turn this recording off. I want
you all to hear. Sarah, you and your mother were
the two bright spots in my life. Your mother
was taken from me. I don't think it was an accident.
But I can't prove otherwise. So the best I can
do is what I have done. But please, Sarah, whatever
the others do, you stay here. For here, I promise
you, you are safe. If ever you need help, run
to the statue and ask for it. You will find it.
A last good night. salute the mad as a hatter
what was all that about sarah's mother he's trying
to suggest that we had something to do with her
death oh sarah i hope you don't think yes i don't
want to think at all at the moment i've been
traveling for something like 16 hours and my
head is splitting i'm a bit cross -eyed myself
if you'll excuse us i think we'll turn in yes
we're all a bit rocky come on sarah yes david
will you excuse us mrs habbit of course we're
both really bushed Good night, Uncle. Good night.
I'm not going to let him get away with it, Pierce.
Take it easy, Mother. Not in your life. For that
matter, on both our lives. That's what we're
going to have to fight for, baby boy. Oh, would
you please stop that? I'm sorry, Pierce, silly
habit, but you're all I've ever had. Well, let's
not start down that road. No, no, you're quite
right. That isn't what has to concern us at the
moment. That little witch, that someone from
nowhere, just like her mother. She's not going
to take away Abbott's house and the business
and everything else from us without a fight.
It's ours. Not if the wizard left the will, he
said he did. Wills can be voided. I wouldn't
count on it. I'll take odds his can't be overturned.
He sure to have covered every angle. Except one.
What's that? The air. has got to be alive to
succeed to the estate. I think I'm too tired
to get ready for bed. David? What? What are you
staring at out the window? That damn statue.
It haunts me. Why? Oh, a lot of reasons. Sarah,
I don't like this. I don't like any part of it.
What, David? It's all so crazy. Statues that
bleed and disembodied voices on hidden tape recorders.
Your stepsister, whatever relation she is to
you, and Pierce. The suggestion that your mother's
death was... How did she die, darling? Well,
I was away. So I only know what I was told. The
wizard has had a heart attack and she'd been
nursing him She came downstairs and told them
that she wanted a breath of air and she went
wait a minute. Wait a minute. Who is them? then
Pierce and Rose and Jamison Where were they?
Rose and Pierce were in the drawing room Jamison
was in the pantry and none of them followed your
mother followed her How did she die? She... I
guess she had a sort of fainting spell. And she
fell and hit her head somewhere on the statue.
And while she was unconscious, she drowned in
that little pool behind the statue. You're sure
of that? Well, what else could have happened?
There was a coroner's inquest, a lot of newspaper
stories, of course. Then what do you make of
your... father's obvious accusation that they
were responsible I don't know maybe they're right
that the wizard was was never really himself
again oh David I wish you could have known him
he was marvelous the most marvelous person I
ever knew before you holy smoke The statue, it's...
it isn't there anymore. It's... gone. What do
you mean? Where? Wait a minute. Cloud just drifted
across the moon. As soon as it clears, you'll
see. But it couldn't just disappear. But it did.
There's nothing there but the empty pedestal.
And the grotto and that little pool rippling
in the moonlight. Wait a minute. That cloud's
just about to clear and we'll... I don't believe
it. Well, you have to. There it is. Largest life.
But it wasn't there a moment ago. Darling, there
must have been a tree branch in the way. How
could it disappear? David, David, I'm just wrung
out. I've got to go to bed. I... I just want
to sleep away today. Do you mind if I use the
bathroom first, dear? Of course, darling. I want
to run downstairs for a moment anyway. Where
are you going? I won't be a minute. I just left
something in the car. I want to get it. Oh, thank
you for bringing me upstairs, Pierce. That's
all right. What are we going to do about Sarah?
What do you mean? Oh, now, don't play games with
me. Are we just going to sit still for her taking
over everything? What else can we do? We didn't
when we thought it was going to be her mother.
Look, we got away with it once. We're not going
to get away with it again. We're going to have
to. And within the next few days if we're going
to. Not here. We don't have any chance anywhere
else. The girl has got to die. What good would
that do us? The estate would go to her husband.
Her husband? That's very interesting, Pierce.
This young upstart. ambitious carefully marrying
a young girl without her family's knowledge obviously
anxious to make profit out of it what do you
have in mind mother why wouldn't he be just as
anxious to get rid of Sarah as we are I would
never be able to get away with convincing anyone
of that now there's only one way how now that
grandfather's dead and we know the secret of
the statue I can fix it so it will seem to kill
them. Both of them? Was that necessary? It's
the only way. There's nothing there now. Heaven
knows it seems solid enough. I wonder... Who
is that? It's Jameson, sir. Miss Sarah was asking
for you. Oh, yeah, sure. I'll be right in. Jameson.
Yes, sir? You've been with the family a long
time. With Mr. Abbott, I was, sir. Nearly 55
years. I started out with him as an assistant
in his magic days. He was about the grand illusionist
of all time, I guess. No one better, sir. He
was beyond peer. And this statue was one of his
better ones, huh? Before it got cemented into
place here at Abbot House, I thought that's nearly
40 years ago. But he used to make it disappear
right on stage, didn't he? Well, in a manner
of speaking. What does that mean? An illusion,
don't you see? It never moved. It took 11 tons
of mirrors and 14 helpers to make it happen.
That was the oldies. They won't come again. Magic's
all gone. What about the rigamarole of the statue
bleeding? That's something else again, sir. That's
way out of the past. I don't know. I thought
I found blood by the arrow wound earlier tonight.
It's dry now. It's been wiped off. I don't know
by whom, sir. What shall I tell Miss Sarah, sir?
You don't have to tell her anything. I'll...
I'll go in with you. When you're tired, fancy
play strange tricks, Mr. Cabelli. I was thinking
of making a toddy for Miss Salah if she'd like
it. There's nothing better for putting you off
to sleep. I'm sure I don't have to ask her. She'd
love it. And yourself, sir? No. Oh, I'll skip
the hot drink. Maybe you'd like to join me in
a nightcap, David. Where did you spring from?
The wall? No, as a matter of fact, I was headed
for the pantry here to ask Jameson to make one
of his famous tardies for Mother. And for you,
Mr. Habit. Oh, no, thank you. I'm a cigar freak.
Oh, Jameson, when you've made the drinks, I'll
take them up. Oh, that's all right, sir. I'm
happy to be of service. I'll bring them up when
they're ready. Want to join me in the nightcap
while we're waiting, David? Okay. Just a quickie,
though. Then I'll walk you upstairs. Come on,
Mother. I took the rest of the powder out of
the sleeping pills for Jane. It's right here,
Pierce, but how are you going... Sheer luck.
Jamison is making a hot toddy for both of you
girls. With this, I can fix Sarah's so she'll
never wake up. We can't get away with it. Leave
it to me. David and I just had a good night drink.
I only had some chloral hydrate to slip in that.
But he's going to wake up with a large headache
tomorrow. Dare we risk it. We have no choice,
mother. We've got to go for broke. If we don't,
I'm dead. And as you well know, I'm just selfish
enough to make sure that everyone else goes before
me. David? Oh, thank the Lord, it's you. Come
here, darling. Quickly. Sorry. I don't know.
I gotta get to bed. What is it? I just looked
out the window again, and you're right. The statue
just isn't there. It's completely disappeared.
Statue? Statue? Something about a statue. Darling,
I'm sorry. What's the matter, David? I'm down
on one drink. I guess I've undrinked too many.
I've just, um... I'm blind drunk. That was the
one who was sleeping before. Now I'm wide awake
and you're... Jameson, bring you a nice hot toddy.
Put you to sleep, like me. David? No, David.
Don't leave me alone. I'm scared. David! David,
I don't know what I'm scared of, but I'm scared.
And well, she should be scared. For with David's
collapse, the forces of evil, real and unreal,
swarm about Sarah, threatening her very life.
Perhaps most terrifying of all is the absence
of the statue. For with it gone, and David drugged
in sleep, Where can she run to for sanctuary?
I'll return shortly with act 3. Those scudding
clouds that alternately mask and unmask the moon
play a ghostly light across the long curving
staircase as Pierce Abbott descends it. The file
of lethal powder spilled from the sleeping pills
hidden in his hand. Silently, he crosses to the
swinging door of the pantry, edging it open slowly,
disappointed to find Jamie facing him. Yes, Mr.
Rabbit. Oh, just wondering if the drinks were
ready to take, huh? You'll just have to add the
hot water. Anything I can do for you, sir? Oh,
uh, yes, um... Excuse my back, sir. Oh, that's
quite all right. Just getting the kettle? That's
fine, that's fine. What did you say before? I
wondered what brought you down again, sir. Anything
I can help you with? I thought perhaps I might
have left my lighter down there. Indeed you did.
I put it right here on the tray with the glass
for your mother. Yes, thanks. Jameson, it's all
right. I might as well take this tray up with
me. If you wish, sir. All set, mother. Here you
are. What is it? One of Jameson's nice, uncomplicated
toddies mixed by his own hand. As of this moment,
he's delivering the same to Sarah. The same?
He couldn't testify, otherwise his back was turned
when I sorted it. Is Margo Vittre? Enough to
kill a gorilla. We can't get away with drowning
them the way we did her mother. We won't even
try to. No, they'll die quite differently. How?
I've been experimenting with a statue and I've
made a discovery. It moves on hinges and counterweights
and escapes into the pool. Take those hinge pins
out, reduce the counterweights, and it will collapse
and crush anything in the way of its fall. The
secret room would be exposed. Oh, no. There's
a false base which slides into place. The whole
thing will seem nothing but a tragic accident.
Another chapter to add to its legend. When will
you get them there? Tonight, when everyone's
asleep. Sarah may be dead already. David is dead
weight, but I can drag them through the secret
tunnel. It's mostly downhill. Come on, drink
your toddy, go to sleep, and leave this to me.
I won't draw an easy breath all night. By tomorrow,
you'll be able to. We both will. Oh, it's you,
Jamie. I thought you might like a little toddy
before you turn in, Miss Sarah. The Scottish
panacea? Not exactly, but it does make for a
long, peaceful sleep. I could use that tonight.
Your new husband didn't want any. No, he's sound
asleep already. Well, see you tomorrow, Jamie.
You'd better, or the old wizard would never forgive
me. I only wish you were here. So do I, Miss
Sarah. But don't you worry. Wherever he is, he's
looking out for you. Turn the key in the door
after I leave. You'll sleep sounder. Maybe I'll
do that. Good night, Jamie. Good night, Miss
Sarah. All locked up, Jamie. Aye, Mr. Rabbit.
And off to bed then. Are you off yourself? Hardly
keep my eyes open. You've given Miss Abbott her
drink, all right? Oh, yes. Did... As did I once.
Did you get your mother's to her? Oh, yes, yes,
indeed. Well, this is where I leave you. Up the
wooden staircase? My nightly climb. Sleep sound,
Jamie! Sorry, Jamie, old boy. I just have to
make sure. What? Who is it? Don't turn on that
- Pierce! What are you doing with that bell?
You're going awake! Keep away from me! Pierce,
keep away! I'll scream! Don't do you any good.
There's no one to hear. use the gun and don't
Did you get the police? Aye, Miss Sarah. They're
on their way. On an ambulance. How is Mrs. Abbott?
I'm afraid she's... she's... Oh, poor Rose. I
wouldn't spare her much sympathy. She only got
the drink that was meant for you. Thanks to Jamie.
Aye, I switched them. Is Mr. Abbott? He's alive.
Pierce is dead. Oh, Sarah. Yes, Wissett? I have
a lot of apologies to make. Don't worry about
that now. Police, doctors, they're coming. To
raid? No, no. Look, David, Jamie, if all three
of us try, we can... You couldn't move it an
inch. But why would they want to? them responsible
for Sarah's mother's death? None. And you dreamed
up this this this crazy masquerade just to bring
them out in the open? No. I tell them, Jamie.
A few months ago Mr. Abbott discovered he had
a carcinoma. The prognosis was very bad. So since
I was scheduled to die I decided to advance the
date a little he was worried about you miss Sarah
and he wanted to protect you he was afraid of
mrs. Abbott and mr. Pierce after what happened
to your mother in this house from his secret
vault there's a system of reflecting mirrors
that lets you see what's happening in any room
A hand equipment to here. He knew he could protect
you here and maybe unmask Mr. Pierce and his
mother. Oh, Wizard. I didn't need your money.
I couldn't have left it to them. Rest here. Please.
The ambulance will be here soon. Great. For me,
child. This is my real farewell appearance. Wizard.
Please. Sing no sad songs for me. I had it all.
I leave it all. And I'm glad that in the final
grand illusion my old partner shares it for me.
The day before you came. I cut my hand on this
arrow buried in my chest. It was blood signaling
the death of the head of the house. Now, Sarah,
this statue will never bleed again. We die together,
he and I. I am about to disappear before your
very eyes. Concentrate! Observe! did not disappear.
Restored, it still occupies the grotto. Abbott
House is a curiosity. Its periscope mirror system,
its intricate sound wiring, its secret passages
in subterranean vault, a mecca for tourists.
And the statue doesn't bleed. Enough blood has
been let, one hopes, to still the legend forever.
I'll be back shortly. A sober reflection. One
can't be too sure, of course, that a legend will
die. They tend to persist. But since the head
of the Abbott household is now Sarah, and she
has at least 50 years ahead of her, few of us
will be around to find out. Still, circa 2025,
if you have nothing better to do, you might visit
Abbott House. Our cast included Patricia Elliott,
Tony Roberts, Grace Matthews, Kurt Benson, and
Paul Hecht. The entire production was under the
direction of Hyman Brown. This is E .G. Marshall
inviting you to return to our mystery theater
for another adventure in the macabre. Until next
time, pleasant dreams.