Countdown for blastoff. X minus 5, 4, 3, 2, X
minus 1, fire. From the far horizons of the unknown
come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time
and space. These are stories of the future, adventures
in which you'll live in a million could -be years
on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting
Company, in cooperation with Street & Smith,
publishers of astounding science fiction, presents
X minus 1. Tonight, a Ray Bradbury story, Marionettes
Incorporated. By the year 1990, we should see
many amazing technological advances. And yet,
in many ways, life will be very much the same.
A husband will stop off at a bar on his way home
and perhaps unburden himself a little to a friendly
bartender. That's good. Almost feel as if I could
go home and face Nettie now. Wife trouble, Mr.
Smith? Wife trouble, Sam. If only she'd relax
a little bit. Look, you see this bruise on my
lip? She kisses me. For an hour every night when
I come home. Can you do anything for it? Well,
I try, Sam. He can't figure them out. Well, I
guess I'll go home and feed myself to the lioness.
I tell you, Sam, when Nettie gets finished demonstrating
how much she's missed me... I feel like a man
who's been stuffed into an electronic washing
machine with the dial set at rinse dry. How much
do I owe you? Well, if it isn't Henry Smith.
Huh? Breiling! Well, as I live and breathe. Walter
Breiling. What are you doing here? Having the
night out. Say, does Gloria know about this?
Things have changed, Henry. I thought she kept
you chained to the bedpost most of the time.
Not anymore, Henry. Not anymore. Say, you aren't
divorced, are you? Don't know. Glory's home.
What did you do? Put sleeping powder in her coffee?
Oh, goodness, no. That would be highly unethical.
Well, now, look, I can't believe you just walked
out on her. Ten years of marriage, Henry, and
I never had a night to myself. But it will be
different from now on. By the way, what time
is it? Uh, ten o 'clock. I guess I'd better be
going. Scared? Don't want to crowd my luck. Although,
really, there's nothing to worry about. Well,
I'd sure like to know how you do it, Walden.
Would you really? Yes, I would. All right, Henry,
since you've always been a friend of mine, I'll
let you in on it. Come on, my car's outside.
I'll drive you home and let you see how it's
done. Well, now, that's nice of you, Walter.
Oh, no, not at all. We fellas have to stick together.
I don't suppose you know how Gloria and I came
to be married in the first place. No, I don't.
One evening, she threatened to tear off her clothing
and call the police unless I married her. No.
Oh, yeah. Well, that's a bit extreme, isn't it?
Gloria's a nervous girl. Oh. I bet you've had
a pretty wretched time of it, huh? Yeah, yeah.
Didn't take long for me to become the laughingstock
of the neighborhood. Henpecked Brayling, they
used to call me. I know that. But, uh... Things
are changing now. See this? What's this? A single
ticket to Rio on the morning rocket. I have hotel
reservations there for a month. A whole month,
Henry, to have a fling. Well, won't Gloria make
trouble over there? Well, that's the amazing
part of it, Henry. She won't even know that I'm
gone. And I'll be back in a month and knowing
the wiser. You don't believe it, do you? Well,
frankly, no. Just how are you going to swing
it, Walter? That's the secret, Henry. I tell
you, it is the most wonderful thing ever invented.
Worth every cent I paid for it. Well, what is
it? I'm going to show you. Now, here's my house.
You notice the lights are all out? Uh -huh. Shh,
shh, shh. Now, we'll wait here on the front porch.
Say, Walter, you haven't gone off your rocker,
have you? Shh, shh, shh. Let me see. Oh, I meow
twice. That's it. Meow. Meow. Now watch the window
in my bedroom. It looks as if somebody's... Hey,
there's a man up there. He's looking loud. Good,
he sees me. Now he'll be down directly. Oh, now
look, isn't this a bit embarrassing for you,
Walter? No, no, not at all. You'll find out.
Here he comes. Hello, B2. Good evening, Mr. Braley.
Either I'm going out of my mind or there are
two of you. You never told me you had a twin
brother. I don't. Well, if this fellow were in
his pajamas, I couldn't tell you apart. Well,
that's the secret, Henry. Uh, everything go all
right, B -2? Uh, just fine, Mr. Braley. I suppose
my wife was in her usual good form this evening?
Well, as a matter of fact, we spent the evening
playing gin. No screaming, shouting, accusations?
Uh, no, sir. It was a very quiet evening. Well,
but this is even better than I thought. Marionette's
incorporated aims to satisfy, sir. Did he say...
Marionettes Incorporated? That's right, and now
look him over. Isn't he excellently fashioned?
You wouldn't dream he was a robot, a marionette.
No, I don't believe it. Well, it's against the
law, of course, to duplicate a human like this,
but it's well worth the opportunity. I still
don't believe it. You can't tell him from a human.
Well, only one way. Put your ear next to his
chest. Huh? That's it. Now listen. It's machinery.
Walter, old man, how long has this been going
on? Well, I've had him a month. I keep him in
the cellar in my toolbox. And tonight I told
Gloria that I'd like to be excused for five minutes
to run down to the cigar store. She agreed. I
went down to the cellar, took out Brayling, too,
and sent him back upstairs to sit with my wife
till I got home. That's miraculous. Of course,
Walter, it, uh... Well, it doesn't seem quite
ethical somehow. Oh! Nonsense. Highly ethical.
I've been home all evening. I shall be home with
her for the next month. In the meantime, another
gentleman named Walter Brayling will be in Rio
having the time of his life. Can he walk around
without fuel for a month? He refuels himself.
He's built to do everything. Eat, drink, sleep.
you'll take good care of my wife, won't you,
B2? Well, your wife is rather nice. I've grown
quite fond of her. You see? Yeah, Walter, old
man, how long has this Marionette's Incorporated
Outfit been in business? Secretly for two years
now. Why? Well, I wonder, I suppose there's a
possibility that I might get in touch with him.
You? But your Nettie is madly in love with you.
Well, I know that, but even so... Just a little
respite, you know, a night or two once a month,
huh? But she loves you dearly. So much she can't
bear me to leave her for half an hour. You know
that lately she's taken to calling me up at work
10 or 12 times a day, talking baby talk? Your
Nettie? My Nettie. So now what do you say, old
man? As a favor to an old buddy, huh? A fellow
lodge member? Well, I could put you in touch
with the man who makes them. Because you'd be
pledged to secrecy once you learned where he's
located. Oh, naturally, naturally. Very well,
then. Here's his card. Marionettes Incorporated.
W. Zeig, proprietor and owner. New humanoid plastic
1990 models guaranteed against wear. Our motto,
no strings attached. Address, the Jumbo Shop,
43 South Wesley Drive. Mr. Zeig will take care
of you. He's a charming fellow. Real craftsman.
Say, that's wonderful, Walt. I'll see him first
thing tomorrow. Well, I'd better be getting home
now. Nettie is probably splitting a gasket. Well,
see you around, old man, after I get back from
Rio. Oh, while I'm gone, you might drop around
regularly, just as you always have. Treat Brayling,
too, here, as if he were me. Otherwise, Gloria
might be suspicious. Yes, fine, I'll do that.
Oh, before I go, these marionettes, they're safe,
aren't they? Oh, absolutely. Tell him, Beto.
Oh, we're guaranteed. Well, that's fine. Well,
good night, Walter. Good night, B -2. Good night,
Mr. Smith. Good night, Henry. Well, I'm glad
someone else will have a chance at a little happiness
and freedom. All right, Brailing 2, it's back
into the cellar box for you. Come on, down the
steps. That's it. It's very damp down here, Mr.
Brayling. Bad plumbing. Here we are. Brayling.
Yeah? Before you put me back into the toolbox,
could we have a word? Certainly, old man. Now,
this toolbox. Yes, what about it? Well, I don't
like it, Mr. Brayling. Why not? Well, it's cramped.
Oh. Well, I'll try to fix up something more comfortable
when I get back from Rio. All right, now, before
Gloria gets worried back into the... Marionettes
are made to move, not keep still. Now, how would
you like to lie in a stuffy old box most of the
time? Well, I didn't realize you fellas were
that sensitive. Well, you wouldn't like it at
all. I keep running. There's no way to shut me
off. I have my feelings, you know. Well, a day
after tomorrow, I'll be off to Rio, and you won't
have to stay in the box for a whole month. You
can move upstairs. But when you come back from
Rio, I'll go back into the box. Mr. Zeig didn't
tell me at Marionettes Incorporated that it was
possible to get a difficult specimen. Oh, well,
there's a lot he doesn't know about us. Look,
look, look here, B2. This has gone far enough.
I'll never get to real. Come on, come on now,
into the box. And another thing. Well? Your wife.
Yes, what about my wife? I've grown quite fond
of her. I'm glad that you enjoy your employment.
You'll have the whole month. I'm afraid you don't
quite understand, Braylon. I've fallen in love
with her. Yes, well, all right. You what? Well,
you see, you just don't appreciate it. Maybe
if you hadn't acted so meek and apologetic about
everything, well, she'd have a little more respect
for you as a man. You aren't supposed to behave
like this, you know. I think I could be very
happy if I were married to Gloria. Aren't you
forgetting that you are nothing but a big, overgrown
puppet? Now, careful, Brayling. I'm sensitive.
I'm sorry. Look, you wouldn't mind waiting here
a moment, would you? I have to go upstairs and
make a phone call. To whom? Nobody important.
I have to call Henry Smith about something. You're
lying. Now, you're going to call Marionettes
Incorporated and tell Mr. Tsai to come and get
me. No, really, I'm not. I was... B -2, stay
away. Now, stand where you are, Brayley. No,
B -2, take your hand off my arm. No, Brayley.
What are you going to do? Nothing much. I'm just
going to put you in a toolbox, lock it, and lose
the key. Then I'll buy another ticket to Rio,
and Gloria and I can have a wonderful vacation.
You're insane. Oh, am I? Now, wait a minute.
Hold on, B2. Don't, don't, don't be rash. Now,
let's talk this over. Goodbye, Braylon. Now,
B2, stop it. Don't, don't. Let's, let go. Into
the box, Braylon. There. Let me out. Let me out.
Walter? Walter? Yes, Gloria? Well, nothing, lover.
The pipes were knocking, and I'm just making
sure the boiler hasn't exploded. Now, you go
to bed, and I'll be up soon. Hurry, won't you?
We had such a nice evening. I'm lonesome for
you. You won't ever be lonesome again, darling.
Never again. Good morning, Nettie. Good morning,
darling. How are you? Have a nice time last night?
I missed you so. Is breakfast ready? Well, aren't
you going to kiss me good morning? Oh, yes, I
suppose so. You're so wonderful, Henry. I guess
I'm the luckiest person in the world. Now, here's
your coffee. How would you like your eggs? Oh,
any way at all. But I want to please you. Look,
skip the eggs this morning. But you have to eat
to keep well, darling. I'm very healthy. I have
an early business appointment this morning. Oh?
Yes, it's a friend of Walter Brayling's. I met
Walter last night. Oh. Yes. So I'd better be
off. Now, Nettie, don't look as if I were on
my way to Rio or something. Well, it's... It's
just that I miss you so. I want to be with you
all the time. Oh, dear, do I have to go through
this every morning? I'll be back at supper. Now,
there's no need to cry now, is there? No, darling.
You... you aren't displeased with me, are you?
I try so hard to do everything just as I think
you'll like it. I know, I know. I'm not displeased.
Now, goodbye, dear. Henry. Yes? You forgot to
kiss me goodbye. No strings attached, no strings
attached. A very nice puppet with no strings
attached. Let's see now. Jumble Shop. 43 South
Wesley. Well, that should be about... Ah, here
it is. Yes? Mr. Zeig? Yes? Walter Brayling recommended
me. Enter. Thank you. Your name? Henry Smith,
55 Evergreen Place. And what can we do for you,
Mr. Smith? Well, Mr. Brayling showed me his marionette
last night. I was intrigued with the idea. Not
that my wife is anything like that female meat
grinder he's married to, you understand, but,
well, I'm a man who... Enjoys an occasional evening
with the boys, you know, without complications.
Naturally. Yes, so I thought... That I could
duplicate you? Exactly. Oh, I think it might
be a ring. Uh -huh. Oh, yes. How much? $9 ,000.
$9 ,000? Oh, I have an inferior model at 75.
No, no, no, no, no. If I go through with this,
nothing is too good for Nettie. Nettie's my wife.
We've been putting money aside to buy a summer
home in Westport, but... Yeah, sometimes we must
choose. Yeah, yes. Well, perhaps I could just
slip out 9 ,000. It's a joint account. How soon
could I have it? Oh, I could construct a mannequin
in about two months' time. Good. Shall I consider
the order, please? At once. Of course, you'll
have to report here for a body mold, color index
of your hair. lips, skin, etc. And I'll have
to do a complete electro -emotional calibration.
Uh -huh. Now, you guarantee that these models
are foolproof? As foolproof as I can make them,
Mr. Smith, and I've had years of training. And
there's no chance of detection? None whatever.
I've never had to complain. Uh, very well, Mr.
Zeig. I'll get the money from the bank and send
it to you. I'm sure you won't be sorry, Mr. Smith.
You will be. Just as satisfied as Walter Brayling.
Oh, uh, tell her. Yes, Mr. Smith? I'd like to
cash this draft in my joint account, please.
Yes, sir. $9 ,000, sir? That's right. Oh, I'm
afraid that's impossible, Mr. Smith. Impossible?
My wife and I have a good $15 ,000 in our account.
You're mistaken, Mr. Smith. Well, I know. Here's
your card, sir. You see, Mrs. Smith withdrew
$10 ,000 recently. $10 ,000? Without even telling
me? I remember it distinctly, Mr. Smith. She
said it was for a surprise for you. Oh, good
Lord, she's bought that house in Connecticut.
My birthday is next week. She... Oh, no, no,
no. I've got to borrow it somewhere. I've already
contracted... Yes, sir. Quite a surprise for
you. Hmm, Mr. Smith? Yes? Oh, hello, Henry. Hello,
Gloria. Is Walter home? I'd like to speak to
him. He should be back soon. Will you wait? Yes,
yes, I better. Oh, say, Henry, as long as you're
here, maybe you can help me with something. What?
I went downstairs to get an old suitcase a little
while ago, and I heard the strangest noises near
that old tool chest of Walter's. He mentioned
that the boiler was acting up, and, well, I'm
afraid to go down there again. I wonder if you'd
take a look. What kind of noises? Like a thumping
sound. Well, maybe I'd better go down, Gloria.
You stay up here. Should I call a plumber, do
you think? No, no, no, I'll take care of it.
Well, it's right down those stairs. All right,
I'll have a look. Hello? Hello in there. Let
me out! Let me out! Shh, just a minute. Keep
quiet, for goodness sake. Let me out! I'll have
to smash the lock. Now, what... Henry, thank...
Thank God you've come. What's the meat? I've
been in there all night. I thought I'd suffocate.
He tried to kill me. He tried to murder me. Who?
Which one of you? No, don't be an idiot. I'm
Walter. What happened? B -2, the marionette.
He stuffed me in a toolbox and left me to suffocate.
What? Fortunately, I found an old file in there
and managed to get an air hole through the wood.
He's taking Gloria with him to Rio. Have they
left yet? No, he's gone downtown for the tickets.
Good. We may have time. For what? To get down
to Marionettes Incorporated and tell Mr. Zeig
to stop him. You're in no condition. Don't worry
about me. We can't waste any time. Come on. What
about Gloria? I'll sneak out. Tell her that you
fixed the plumbing. Tell her anything. I'll meet
you outside. All right. What a fool I've been.
What a fool I almost was. I went down and ordered
one of those things today. Gloria, Gloria, love.
Yes, darling. Did you get the tickets to Rio?
Right here in my wallet. A honeymoon for two
under the pampas moon. Oh, Walter, it's so nice
to have you like this. Oh, you like the change?
I don't know what did it, but whatever it is,
I'm in favor of it. I hope it's permanent. Well,
I intend to see that it is. By the way, darling,
do you happen to remember where that old pistol
of mine is? Pistol? Yeah, I just thought, since
we're going to be traveling in strange countries,
it wouldn't hurt to bring it along. Well, I think
it's here in the sideboard. There. You know how
frightened I am of these things. Well, I'll be
very careful of it. In fact, I think I'll go
down to the basement and practice. Not really
shooting it, of course, just to make sure it's
in good working order. Now, do be careful, darling.
Oh, I will. If you should hear a shot, now, don't
be frightened. I may fire it into a block of
wood just to test it. Perhaps I'll fire it into
that old tool chest of mine. That should absorb
it. Oh, speaking of that tool chest... What about
it? It reminds me that Henry Smith was here.
Oh? Yes, I heard some noises downstairs, and
he went to fix the plumbing. Is he still down
there? No, no, he left. I really don't understand
it. He seemed so anxious to see you before he
went down to the cellar. And then he just left.
Did he stop the noises? Well, he must have. I
don't hear them. Yeah, I see. What is it, dear?
Well, I have to go out for a while, darling.
But, Walter, we have to pack if we're leaving.
Well, I'll be back soon. There's something very
important I have to attend to. What is it? Well,
just some personal business with Henry Smith.
Now, please excuse me, darling. Now, don't worry.
When I get back, everything will be fixed once
and for all. We can enjoy the rest of our lives
just as though the old Walter Brayling never
existed. Oh, Mr. Brayling and Mr. Smith. Come
in, gentlemen, come in. What brings you? Mr.
Zeig, you told me your marionettes were foolproof.
They are. My personal guarantee goes with each
one. We know all about your personal guarantee.
except that Mr. Brayling's dummy knocked him
out, stuffed him in a toolbox to suffocate, and
is making plans to run away with his wife. Oh,
dear. Yes, well, Mr. Zeig. Well, I really don't
know what to say, gentlemen. What Mr. Brayling
and myself would like to know, Mr. Zeig, is exactly
what are you planning to do to stop this... Over
-ambitious robot. Well, of course, we shall have
to recover B2 first, and then I'll simply dismantle
him. Yes, but he doesn't seem to want to be dismantled,
Mr. Zeig. In fact, I think that you'll have trouble
catching him. Maybe I can save you the trouble,
gentlemen. B -2. Look out. He's got a gun. I
thought I'd find you here when I discovered the
tool chest empty. Now, you look, B -2. Whatever
you're planning, you won't get away with it.
Oh, I think I will. Mr. Cy, can't you do something?
I'm afraid I can't think of anything. I'll save
you the trouble because I'm going to kill the
three of you. No, you won't get away with it.
No? Now, you forget that Gloria and I will be
on a plane to Rio in a few hours. All right,
Mr. Cy, you first. Now, see here. This isn't
fair. I created you. I... You can't. You... Grab
him. I've got him. Quick, that hammer. Look out.
Well, that's the end of Brayling, too. He got
Zyg, though. Right through the... Holy chump
and catfish. Look at him. Look at Zyg. It's nothing
but a mass of coils and springs, just like Brayling,
too. He's nothing but a marionette. He's no different.
Brayling? Do you know what this means? Oh, this
is incredible. A marionette building other marionettes?
But someone must have built Mr. Zeig originally.
I wonder... Perhaps Mr. Zeig turned on whoever
built him the same way Brayling II turned on
you? Well, at any rate, we'll never know. Oh.
Say, I wonder how many of these things are walking
around among us. Oh, I shudder to think of that.
You know, some of our best friends might be.
Ooh. Yeah. Come on, we have to get out of here.
But the police... Now, don't be a fool, Brayling.
There's been no crime committed here. All the
police will find is two oversized puppets with
the springs coming out of them. And they seem
so... so lifelike. Yes, I know, and they were
only machinery. You've got to remember that.
Yes. Well, what will I tell Gloria? Well, if
I were you, Brayling, I wouldn't tell Gloria
a thing. I'd simply pick up that other ticket
to Rio and take her on a honeymoon, just as she's
expecting. What about you, though, Henry? What
are you going to do? Me? Well, I'm going home
and giving Eddie a kiss that'll send your hair.
Oh, you know, when I think of what might have
happened if I'd gone through with this marionette
thing, it makes a fellow realize how lucky he
is to be married to a decent woman. Oh, come
on, let's go. Eddie! Eddie! Where are you, sweetheart?
In here, darling. Oh, I've missed you today.
Come here. Oh, Henry. Oh, you look tired, darling.
Can I do something for you? Just tell me I'm
yours to command. Oh, man's a fool to jeopardize
a nice home and a loving wife like you. Oh, you
do love me, don't you, Nettie? Oh, you know I
do. Here, let me get your slippers on. Oh, it
feels good to sit back on the sofa and relax.
Oh, you don't know what a trying day I've had.
Oh, I can see you're all upset. It isn't anything
I've done, is it, dearest? Oh, no, no. Well,
in a way, something you've done is connected
with it, yes. What's that, darling? The money.
Money? I know you wanted to surprise me with
the house, darling, but really you shouldn't
have taken that money out of the bank without
consulting me. Henry, I don't even know what
you're talking about. No, no, Nettie. But I don't.
Nettie. Oh, you're so upset, darling. If it's
anything important, let's talk about it later.
Meanwhile, why don't you just put your head on
my shoulder and rest? Well, I must admit that
sounds enticing. Here. Let me make you comfortable.
There. Now you just close your eyes. That's it.
Maddie. Yes, darling? You hear something? No,
darling. You sure? Like what? Like the ticking
of a clock? No. Strange. I don't hear it now,
but when I had my ear against your chest... Oh,
no. No, she couldn't have done that to me. Not
Nettie. What are you talking about? I'm talking
about... No, I won't believe it. You're my Nettie,
aren't you? You're real live flesh and blood.
But I hear it. It's coming from you. It's coming
from you. You have just heard X -1, presented
by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation
with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding
science fiction. Tonight, by transcription...
X -1 has brought you Marionettes Incorporated,
written by Ray Bradbury and adapted for radio
by George Lefferts. Featured in the cast were
Les Damon, Dick Hamilton, Carl Swenson, Tao Goetz,
Arthur Cole, Bob Hastings, Freddie Chandler,
and Ginger Jones. Your announcer, Fred Collins.
X -1 was directed by Daniel Sutter and is an
NBC Radio Network production. Pro Football Championship
Los Angeles Rams versus Cleveland Browns Monday,
NBC Radio.