The First Major "Days" Death: May
1967: Baby Dickie Martin With:
&
The First "Days" Murder: May
1967: Susan Hunter Kills Her Husband, David Martin
From "Days of Our Lives: The Complete Family Album" (1995),
here is the way the first major death in "Days" history (that of Susan
& David Martin's son, Dickie) was described: "One early summer day,
David took Dickie to the playground. There were other children, new sights and
sounds, swings, slides and a sandbox. Innocently thinking the swing would be
safe fun, David placed the baby in the harness that was too big to keep the
younger children securely in place. Within a short time, Dickie slipped out of
the swing and struck his head."
However, that description is not too
accurate. It was not summer, they were not at a playground, nor around any other
children...but in their own backyard. Now, for the first time online, here is
how the first major death on "Days of Our Lives" really took place on Monday,
May 15, 1967. Be sure to check back over the next week as additional episodes
detail the fallout from baby Dickie's death...and find out what Susan
decides to do to her husband, David!
Denise Alexander (Susan Hunter Martin)
Clive Clerk
(David Martin)
K.T. Stevens (Helen Martin)
Sheila Bromley (Mrs.
Riley)
Budd Stewart (Dickie Martin)
Telecast Report:
Note
that "Days" aired just six 1-minute commercials per episode
back in 1967.
In this episode, four commercials were from Proctor
& Gamble, one from General Foods, and one from Miles.
Also note that an
ad for "I Dream of Jeannie" was featured at the end of the
episode.
Script Cover:
Episode #
386
Air Date: Monday, May 15, 1967
Written by:
William J. Bell
Directed by: Joe Behar
The episode begins with Susan rocking baby Dickie in his baby buggy. She flashes back to episode # 385/Act IV (OAD: 5/12/67): the argument she had with David. She wanted David to go with her and Dickie to the church carnival, as a family. David went off on her telling her that she was "forcing this kid down my throat," and "We aren’t a family, you and I aren’t parents. When are you going to wake up to that fact?" Then he says shes over-protective and smothering Dickie. Out of the flashback, Dickie wakes up. Susan him up and tells him that she loves him. Susan
embraces him. [Let’s see deep feeling here by Susan. No smiles. Then, if somehow, show the baby drawn to the swing set nearby]. She tells him that he’s too young to go on the swing set and talks about David not listening to her about that. Then she asks him if he wants to go inside in his playpen. They go inside and she places him in the playpen. She sits nearby contemplating whether to give David a divorce, whether she should just let him off the hook with Dickie. She keeps saying if she had an hour by herself, she could figure things out. She goes to call Mrs. Riley to baby sit for an hour. Susan decides to feed Dickie and Mrs. Riley agrees to be there at 1PM.David tells his mother, Helen, that he has decided to leave Salem. He can’t take it anymore. He says the next time he sees Susan will be in divorce court. Helen agrees with her son saying that Susan is not thinking in a logical and rational way. He tells her that he’s on the 4PM flight to New York City. He quit his job and Julie is going to find an apartment for him. He talks about his father, John, being on Susan’s side. John had wanted Dickie's best interests put ahead of whatever needs both Susan and David have- but now John has come around to understanding David’s position. John was worried about Julie and her position with regards to Dickie. He’s glad that his dad has had a change in opinion. Now he asks his mom to ask his dad about finding a position in the New York office. David tells her he’s on that plane regardless of anything, as soon as he goes talks to Susan. He kisses Helen and leaves.
David enters Susan’s living room as Mrs. Riley is playing with Dickie next to the playpen. He asks where Susan is. Mrs. Riley tells him that she asked for an hour or so to go out. She left about fifteen minutes ago. He tells her that he’ll be upstairs packing for a trip. He asks if Susan told her where she was going and she says no.
Susan is at a park bench. She’s thinking how this all happened to her. She has a flashback to episode # 330/Act II (OAD: 2/22/67): Susan remembers that was the day that they were going to get Dickie from the hospital. The day that she told David that she couldn’t give Dickie up for adoption. She recalls telling David about her broken home and not having her father around. That broke her and she didn’t accept her mother’s love. It affects her greatly now. She now thinks that even though her parents divorce affected her, there are now some things worse: especially with what's happening to her now. She tells herself that David doesn’t love Dickie, just Julie. She’s made up her mind to give David a divorce.
David comes back to the living room with his
suitcases. He’s impatient and asks Mrs. Riley to leave. She protests saying that
she doesn’t think it’s a good idea and that she promised Susan that she’d take
care of Dickie until she came back. David says he doesn’t care what Mrs. Martin
wants, this is his home, his baby, and he wants her to leave. Mrs. Riley [note:
show that she doesn't like David] finally agrees to leave. He offers to pay her
but she says that Susan can give her the money next time. David goes to the
playpen and Dickie is staring at him. He tells Dickie that he’s made a mess out
of his life...but not for too much longer. David
thinks Dickie shouldn’t be inside on such a beautiful day and picks him up and
heads to the back terrace.
[David picks Dickie up. In these speeches with the baby, David’s
talking to him as almost as though he were a grown boy- in other words, a little
hard. Take David and baby across the living room and out the back
terrace. Note: The baby buggy is no longer there. It’s nowhere in
evidence...Susan having moved it to the garage or wherever before she left.
Note also that there’s a baby swing on the swing set. It has a seat with a
back and sides and a bar across the front [$5.00 at Montgomery Ward’s] As they
come out to the back terrace, of course the swing set confronts
them.]
DAVID: How’d you like to take a ride in the swing? Of course you would.
You’re a boy. Althought your mother can’t seem to get that into her head. Okay,
here we go.
[David helps him into the swing]
DAVID: How do you like it? If I didn’t do anything
else, at least you have a swing set. And your mother’s going to end up with a
pretty nice home.
[A BEAT]
DAVID: There. You all set? How do you like it? Pretty great, don’t you think?
[David starts to push Dickie, somewhat gently, one
hand on the child’s shoulder. He pushes Dickie a couple of times, then stops.
Then another push to keep the swing moving. Continue this business as David has
the following train of thought:]
DAVID:
Just as well I didn’t get too attached to him.
It’ll be easier this way all the way around. Sorry it had to work out like this,
fella, but if I’d had my way, you’d be with people now, a home where they’d
really take good care of you. People who would have adopted you. It would have
been the answer for all of us. So now I’ve found my own answer. We’ve got to do
that some times, Dickie. Do what’s best for us.
[Double beat; He looks at his watch)
DAVID: A couple more hours...I’ll be on my way to New York. A couple more hours. And Julie...never again will anything or anyone keep us apart.
[Without interruption of dialogue here, David reaches
for a cigarette, lights it. And without being too evident, he takes a step away
from the swing set.]
DAVID: Susan’s got to give me a divorce now. If she never knew it
before, she knows it now- that I’ll never be a father to her son. You and I,
Julie...we’ll have our own children. Maybe we’ll decide to live in New York. One
thing I know...I don’t want to come back here. If I never see Salem again, it’ll
be too soon. I’ll make it up to you, Julie darling. Everything I’ve put you
through. Not because I wanted to. But because of a night I was alone, never more
alone, a night I happened to meet Susan. One lousy mistake- and a year and a
half of hell. But...
[At which point we hear a faint squeal from the
baby…Just for a brief instant. The child is immediately unconscious upon hitting
the flagstone below. As David’s head turns, the camera becomes his eyes. First
he sees the empty swing slowly going to and fro. Then, if you can get the child
on the ground, pan down. If not, take David as he looks towards the
child.)
DAVID: Oh, my God! Dickie! Dickie, are you alright?
[NOTE: If we see the child on the ground, delete "Are
you alright?" from the closing speech. And take it out.]
Episode # 387
Air Date: Tuesday, May 16, 1967
Written by: William
J. Bell
Directed by: Joe Behar
With:
Denise Alexander (Susan Hunter Martin)
Macdonald
Carey (Tom Horton)
Marie Cheatham (Marie Horton)
Clive Clerk (David
Martin)
Sheila Bromley (Mrs. Riley)
Ed Prentiss (Dr. Ralph Dunbar)
Budd
Stewart (Dickie Martin)
UNKNOWN (Nurse Martha, U/5)
The episode begins in Tom’s
office where Marie knocks and tells him that they have a lunch date.
TOM: If
you can just give me another minute or two to finish up these
notes-
MARIE: Take your time Dad. I doubt that
the coffee shop will be to crowded at- (She looks at watch) –it’s almost one
thirty.
TOM: Sorry about that—but I told you I had a patient coming
in-
MARIE: If it were two thirty, I’d still be waiting. After all, this is a
rather special occasion. The first time we’ve had lunch together since I came on
staff.
TOM: And I’m sure you’ve found- no two patients alike.
MARIE:
You’re so right. I think that’s one of the things I like most about my work.
Being able to be with patients. It’s interesting how most of them want a little
attention- sometimes reassurance.
TOM: Sometimes those- little attentions-
are most important to a patient- his recovery- than many of us realize.
MARIE: You certainly get to know about their families. I’m sure I’ve seen
the snapshots of Mrs. Farlow’s grandchildren a half dozen times. I can give you
their names, ages-
TOM: (He smiles)Let me see now. Christopher is nine, Peggy
is seven-
MARIE: (She smiles) I should have known.
[Marie and Tom continue
to chat and talk about Bill leaving today. Neither of them know where he’s
going.]
TOM: At least he’s trying to come to grips with a situation, a
problem, he’s trying to find an answer for his future. How he goes about that,
how he feels he has to go about it—that’s got to be his
decision.
MARIE: It just seems—well—a little extreme to me. Not letting
us know where he is. It’s as though he’s cutting himself off from—from
everything and everyone.
TOM: That’s really what he is doing.
Tom and
Marie are finally going to go to the coffee shop for lunch when he gets a call
from Dr. Dunbar. He tells him that his patient’s father asked him to come down
to see what he can do. Tom asks if it is David Martin and he answers yes. They
are taking x-rays and Tom asks if it is serious. He tells him it's hard to say
but the kid is still unconscious. Marie overhears and asks if it's David. Tom
tells her it's Dickie, that he fell and is still unconscious. He leaves.
Susan has come back from the park and passes by the swing set. She doesn’t know what has happened and calls for Mrs. Riley. No one is home. She thinks that Mrs. Riley took Dickie out for some fresh air. She gets herself some coffee and waits, pensively, about the decision she just made to divorce David. She has no idea what has happened with Dickie. She talks to herself about hiring Mickey Horton to get the divorce right away. Have it filed uncontested like Marie’s, so it will be faster. Then she talks about Julie having him and hopes he can be a better father than he was to Dickie. Then she talks about sparing her son the effects of divorce and now she’s doing the same, but a home without love is worse. Now she looks out the window to see if Mrs. Riley is coming. She thinks of maybe going to the park, but decides to wait at home. She starts talking about building a good life for Dickie and maybe finding a man like Bill Horton, who will love them both. Then he’ll have a father that can teach him stuff like baseball, swimming, etc... She says that she’ll make it up to him. The phone rings. It is Mrs. Riley calling to say that she’s glad she’s home. Susan asks about Dickie and Mrs. Riley tells her that she left him at home with David. He insisted the she go and she left Dickie with him. Susan asks how long ago this was and Mrs. Riley tells her about a half hour. She thanks Mrs. Riley and hangs up. She wonders why David would take Dickie anywhere...he’s never done that before. Susan decides to call her mother-in-law, Helen. She makes a one-way calls and gets their housekeeper, Emma, who tells her that they haven’t stopped by. Susan wonders where they could be.
[Cut to hospital corridor outside of Dickie’s room.
He’s now been admitted. As we look into the room we see Tom, Dr. Ralph Dunbar
and a Nurse gathered around the hospital crib. David is in the foreground
looking at them, deeply concerned.]
David meets with Dr. Horton and Dr.
Dunbar. He asks if Dickie is still unconscious and Dr. Dunbar says there’s been
no change. He also asks David to explain how the fall happened. David tells him
that he was with him a couple of feet away. He was distracted—preoccupied with
something, for less than a minute. The he heard a brief scream, and looked to
see the swing empty and the baby lying there. They ask if the child cried. David
tells him no, he was unconscious the minute he hit the terrace. Then he picked
him up, put him in his car and drove him here. Then they ask him a very
important question: Did at any time, from the time Dickie fell until the time
they got to the hospital, he regain consciousness? David answers no. Tom
and Ralph look at each other, then they thank him and tell him that x-rays
should come back soon. Dr. Dunbar goes back to checking on Dickie while Tom and
David talk in the corridor. David asks Tom if there’s a chance (without saying
the exact words) that Dickie will die? Tom tells him that they need to get the
x-rays back and that Dr. Dunbar is a fine neurologist. Tom asks about Susan.
David tell him about Mrs. Riley and Susan not being at home. Tom tells her that
she’s probably worried and maybe you should call her.
[David’s face shows the full weight of having to make
this call and break the news to Susan. He goes to phone, on the corridor wall,
inserts a dime, dials. Cut to Kicthen. Susan’s been looking out the back window,
she’s more anxious. As phone rings, she hurries to get it, picks it up]
David
tells her that Dickie has been in an accident.
Later, Tom and Martha the nurse are inside Dickie’s room taking his pulse. Dr. Dunbar enters and they talk. Tom asks if he saw the x-rays. Dr. Dunbar says he has no fracture. Tom then guesses...shock? Dr. Dunbar checked his movement and it's subnormal, so it's not shock. Tom then asks...hemorrhage? Dr. Dunbar says that’s his guess. Tom says Dickie's vital signs are good. Dr. Dunbar concurs and says his breathing is good. He wants his vitals checked every 15 minutes. He’s ordered other tests but all they can do is wait and see. Tom notices Susan over his shoulder in the background. She is running towards the doctors and asks Tom where Dickie is. He tells him that he’s in the room. She goes straight to Dickie and calls his name. Then she asks Tom what happened. He tells her that Dickie fell, there's no fractures but that he hasn’t regained consciousness. She asks why everyone is just standing there doing nothing. Tom tells her that they’re doing everything possible for her son. He introduces her to Dr. Dunbar and he tells her that they are running tests and doing everything possible for her son. She asks if he’s going to be alright. He tells her that they hope so. She says “hope?”...That means you don't know for sure.
[Susan looks at Dickie, then at Tom—stunned to the fiber of her being. Then almost in terror she looks at her baby—and begins to break, her face becoming grotesque and tortured]
SUSAN: Oh no…noo…nooooooo. Oh, no, please, God,
Oh, dear God, no. Don’t—please don’t let anything happen to my baby. Please
don’t take my baby from me…Please…Please…Please…
[Take reactions,
including David’s. Then Tom goes to her side to help support and comfort this
frantic young mother. She continues sobbing as we take the baby in closeup—a
very still baby—hold....and fade out]
Episode # 388
Air Date: Wednesday, May 17, 1967
Written by:
William J. Bell
Directed by: Richard Sandwick
With:
Denise Alexander (Susan Hunter Martin)
Robert
Brubaker (John Martin)
Macdonald Carey (Tom Horton)
Marie Cheatham (Marie
Horton)
Clive Clerk (David Martin)
K.T. Stevens (Helen Martin)
Jeanne
Bates (Nurse Jean Perkins)
Budd Stewart (Dickie Martin)
The episode begins with Helen and John. John has
come back from a business trip in Los Angeles. Helen looks like she
has something on her mind and he asks her about
it. Helen tells John that David has left Susan and that she
expected to hear from David. She fills him in on David’s plan to live and work
in the New York office of the company. John seems pleased about that. John tells
her that he should have waited it out until they come to an agreement on a
divorce. John tells Helen that Susan is unpredictable and who knows how
she’ll react about David’s news on his plans to leave Salem. They agree
it’s a mess but at least David has come back to the family business. She tells
him that David hasn’t called. John thinks that maybe David changed his mind
about Dickie. It is just strange to her that no one’s answering the phone when
she calls. ?>
David finally calls and Helen picks up. He
tells her that there’s been an accident with Dickie. She asks if its serious and
he tells her yes. He tells her he’s at the hospital and what they've already
done to Dickie. David tells her that it is best to stay home until he
hears any news.
[David hangs up. He turns, looks toward Dickie’s room in the distance. Cut to interior of room. Nurse Jean Perkins is at the head of the crib, a stethoscope around her neck, slowly straightening up—she has just taken the baby’s pulse and heartbeat.]
Susan is watching the nurse take the
pulse/blood pressure and she’s closing her eyes asking God not to take her
baby from her. As Jean is finishing taking the blood pressure,
Susan asks her if there’s a change and she says no. She asks what that
means. Jean tells her that Dickie is holding his own. Susan is
bargaining with Jean telling her that Dickie is all she has. Jean keeps
reassuring her that everything that can be done has been, and all they can do is
hope. Susan now asks Dickie to open his eyes for her. She sees that he’s so
still. She now asks Jean about the fall. Susan blames David and tells Jean it is
all his fault...he doesn’t care. Jean is worried about Susan’s state and asks if
she wants a sedative. Susan keeps saying it is all his fault. Jean goes to the
phone to ask for a sedative and Susan says she doesn’t want it. Susan talks to
Dickie again trying to get him to reply. David is watching this, standing by the
doorway. Jean comes back to the crib and moves Dickie. Susan asks
why they move him and she tells him it is important that he not stay in one
position too long to help his breathing. David slowly enters the room and Susan
asks how the accident happened.
[Slowly let David walk to the crib. He’s there a few moments before Susan turns, looks at him. It’s a hard, penetrating look. She’s quiet but very intense, bitter, accusing]
David tells her that he fell and hit
his head at home. She wants to know where. She tells him that this never would
have happened if Mrs. Riley was taking care of him. She asks why he sent Mrs.
Riley away. David tells her that he would be looking after Dickie. She says
“you really looked after him, didn’t you?” She insists on knowing where this
accident happened. David finally says the terrace. She’s now aware that he put
him in the swing and she mentions that Dickie was too young and how
she told David that she didn’t want him there. She wants confirmation
that it happened on the swing set. David confirms it. She asks him if he held
him. He says he did- most of the time. He says that he turned away for a moment
and that’s when it happened.
SUSAN: You let go of him! You let him fall!
You didn’t care.
DAVID: Susan, it was an accident. I’m sorry.
SUSAN: (vehement, but inside) Sorry? No, you’re not. He was the only thing that stood between you and a divorce. Between you and that—other woman.
DAVID: Now stop it! Stop it, Susan!
JEAN: Please. The baby!
SUSAN: (very quietly but building to
tears) Well, you got what you want. You got what you want. But did you have to
do this to my baby? Did you? (breaking) Did you have to do this to my
baby?
[Susan collapses on the floor or to a nearby chair—quietly
hysterical]
Tom is on the phone with
Dr. Dunbar asking about surgery. Marie walks in wanting an update on her
godson. Tom tells her what happened and then Marie tells him that Susan was
always afraid of that swing set and that it was David’s idea. Tom asks how she
knows all this. Marie tells him that she stayed with her after the christening.
Tom had forgotten that Marie is Dickie’s godmother. Marie thinks back and has
chills because Susan has said that she was glad that she christened him. She
said that she had put it off for too long. She tells him that Dickie is her
whole world. She asks what his condition. Tom tells him they’re almost sure it’s
a hemorrhage near the brain. They are hoping that the leak will heal itself,
he’s stable for now, but that could change. Marie asks if his status does change,
what then? Tom says then Dr. Dunbar has to operate but it’s a risky
surgery. She asks about Dickie’s chances and he says 50/50. As he’s saying this
they cut back to Dickie’s room where Susan’s at the side of the crib and David’s
by the doorway. He’s looking at his watch—4 o’clock. He missed his plane. He has
to call Julie…but it has to wait.
Tom comes to the room. Jean has just
checked the vitals- still good. Tom looks at the chart. He tells Susan that Dr.
Dunbar will be here in a few minutes to check. He wants to run another
neurological test on him. Susan asks they do those tests to check reflexes,
right? Tom says yes, and Dickie’s are not good, but they could correct
themselves. Susan is frustrated with words like "could"..."possibly." Tom says
they are words that they have to use because nothing’s definite. Susan tries to
get Dickie to react by calling him again and holding his hand. She asks how long
this can go on. Tom tells her for days. She tells him a few hours ago, he
was full of life. Susan tells Tom that she didn’t want that swing
set. David comes into the room asking for the best
neurologist and Tom tells him that Dr. Dunbar is the best in the country. Susan tells David he has no say in
Dickie’s care.
Episode # 389
Air Date: Thursday, May 18, 1967
Written by:
William J. Bell
Directed by: Richard Sandwick
With:
Denise Alexander (Susan Hunter Martin)
Macdonald
Carey (Tom Horton)
Clive Clerk (David Martin)
Jeanne Bates (Nurse Jean
Perkins)
Sheila Bromley (Mrs. Riley)
Budd Stewart (Dickie
Martin)
Susan is begging her son to wake up.
Nurse Jean Perkins comes in and is moved by her pleas. She checks the chart.
Susan is still begging Dickie to get better. She asks Jean if he hears
her. Jean says no, not yet. Susan goes back to talking to Dickie
and asking him to smile. Then, as tears fall, Susan promises that nothing
like this will happen to him again. Susan tells Dickie that it's his
father's fault and some day something like this will happen to him. Jean goes to
her and tells her that she should calm down...go home and rest. Susan notices
that Jean takes the baby's blood pressure and pulse very often. She
asks if the doctors are concerned. Jean tells her that the slightest change in
condition is very important. Susan wishes she could only help her son. She turns
and looks at the doorway where David is talking on a payphone. She's full of
anger and tells herself that he did this to her son.
David is on the
payphone talking to Julie and giving her an update. He has to stay here until
they hear something. He hangs up and walks with Tom, who is coming to check on
Dickie. David asks about Dickie and Tom tells him all we can do is wait.
The only thing that's in his favor is that he's stable. Tom enters the room and
Susan wants to speak to him. Tom first asks Jean for an update and she tells him
no change. Susan tells him that Jean thinks it is best that she go home. As
she's telling him that, she spots David in the doorway. She intensely tells him
GET OUT and that she doesn't want to see him anymore. She doesn't want him
anywhere near her son. She asks Tom to ask him to leave and she also tells
him she doesn't want him at the house. Tom nods to Jean and she distracts Susan
as Tom talks to David and tells him to go home. He'll call him as soon as
there's a change. Susan stares at the window and says that
someday David will pay for what he's done.
Later, Tom and Susan are in Dickie's hospital room. She asks him if David has left and Tom tells her yes. She wants him to promise her that David will never be allowed to see Dickie. Tom tells her that it's late and she should get some rest. Susan tells him that she can't get rest until she knows Dickie is going to make it. Tom tells her he needs the sleep and that Nurse Perkins will take good care of him. They take about the hemorrhage and Tom explains why it happened. She asks if the leak doesn't heal by itself, what will happen then? Tom says that Dr. Dunbar will have to operate. Susan talks about the suddenness of the whole thing- Dickie was so happy, laughing, playing in the nursery. She questions herself as to why she left him. Tom finally convinces her to go home...he will give her a ride since he's headed home too. She wants to take a cab but Tom insists. She also wants him to call Mrs. Riley because she doesn't want to be alone in her house. Tom offers to take her to his home, but she wants to be close to the nursery. Tom asks about her parents and she tells him that she hasn't called them yet but will do it first thing in the morning. Susan gives Tom the phone number for Mrs. Riley. She then goes to him and cries. Tom consoles her.
In the next scene, Susan has just left
and Tom and Jean are talking. Jean tells Tom that she's glad that she left and
that Mrs. Riley is there for her. Jean tells him that the strain is too
much for Susan to handle alone. Tom tells Jean that Susan
is pretty self-sufficient and can handle it. Jean tells him that she's been
with Susan for a while today and she looks tortured. Jean is worried
about Susan's mental state. Tom says they both have seen grief before. Jean
tells him it is different with Susan...she seems, at times, to lose
control. Jean asks Tom to rate the
chances of baby Dickie surviving. He tells her all we can do is hope. She says
those are familiar words and can remember him saying them when he was an intern.
She tells him that he needs to get
home. Tom notices something about Dickie. His breathing is labored. He listens
to his heart and tells Jean to bring in the oxygen.
[As Jean hurries out of the room, take Tom,
straightening up, knowing this may be the beginning of the end for baby Richard
John Martin]
Susan is back at the house talking with
Mrs. Riley. Susan seems like she's in a trance. Mrs. Riley is blaming herself
for not standing up to David when he told her to leave. Susan tells her it is
not her fault. Mrs. Riley then recounts what he told her: that he wanted to
spend some time with Dickie before he left. Susan picks up on that and asks Mrs.
Riley about it. She tells her that he was packing for a trip. Susan tells her
that David is a horrible man. Susan says that he did this because he's in
love with another woman. Susan tells Mrs. Riley that David never wanted
Dickie and that's why he did this. Mrs. Riley tells her to calm down...don't get
upset over him. Susan keeps on telling Mrs. Riley how awful David was to
her since the beginning and now she is going to make sure that he's out of her,
and her son's life, forever. Mrs. Riley says she did notice some things:
separate bedrooms and the times David would be nasty to her. She
tells Susan that she's too good for him. Mrs. Riley says that she's talked
too much and wants her to drink the tea and maybe run a nice hot bath. Susan
refuses. Mrs. Riley says that she told her husband that she can stay the night
if she wants. Mrs. Riley tells her that her husband understands that
she may need her for more than a night. Susan notes that Mrs. Riley's husband is
so loving and that's what Dickie needed but David only could think of himself.
As they are getting ready to retire for the evening the phone rings. Tom tells
her to come back to the hospital- there's been complications with
Dickie.
[Hold on Tom
as we hear the phone click on Susan's end of the line. Tom hangs up. Take him as
he turns, then take the crib with the oxygen tent over it...and fade to
black]
Episode # 390
David and his father, John, are in the den and John is
asking about Dickie. David tells him there still is no change. David
tells him about the hemorrhage and what will happen if it doesn't close on its
own. John tells David that he called the top neurologist in Chicago and told him
of Dickie and he explained that Dr. Dunbar is doing all he can do. David asks if
he's coming here to consult. John says that he'll fly out if they want him to
but right now everything that the doctors are doing is what he would have done.
He tells then if anything changed he can fly out to consult with Dunbar. David
asks about his mother and John tells him that she's asleep- exhausted. David
then asks to spend the night there. John asks about Susan being all alone in
that house. David tells him that she doesn't want him around and that's
fine by him. John asks if he told her about leaving Salem. John asks if that's
still what he wants. David says that the accident doesn't change anything. David
recounts that Susan hates him and was raving like a mad woman about the accident
all being his fault. David tells John about the accident happening on
the swing set and how Susan never wanted Dickie on that thing. John asks him if
she thinks he wanted the accident to happen. David tells him that Susan
blames him for it. John tells him that people say things in the heat of the
moment. The phone rings...it is the hospital. Tom tells David that Dickie
has developed pneumonia.
In the next act, John asks about the phone call and David tells him that Dickie has pneumonia. John tells him to go to the hospital right away. David looks hesitant and John asks why. He tells him that Susan doesn't want him there. John says he's the father! David tells him that being there would be like waving a "red flag" in front of Susan. He tells him that maybe he owes it to Susan to not be there.
Now Jean and Tom are
in Dickie's room. Jean is reading a thermometer and his temperature is going up.
Tom is saying it's one thing to just have a hemorrhage, but now
with pneumonia... He says it'll take a miracle for the baby to survive.
JEAN: How do these
things occur, Tom?
TOM: Hmmm?
JEAN: (still low) I mean the patients. How
can two people with such a lovely child, be so-so far apart?
TOM:
Circumstances. (Beat; sigh) David and Susan just started off wrong.
JEAN:
And this is where it brought them. (Beat) There are people who say,
everything that happens, it's meant to happen. Do you believe that, Tom?
TOM: No, Jean...I believe we usually create our own problems.
JEAN: Like
David and Susan did? Strange the child didn't bring them together. They could
have been so happy with Dickie.
TOM: You'd think so. But then you don't know
the whole story of these two young people. Happiness was something beyond their
reach. [Tom looks at baby]
JEAN: (looking at Tom; beat) There was nothing you
could do? I know how close you are to both of them…
TOM: No. There was
nothing I could do. I only wish there were more we could do to help their son.
[Take Tom as he
gets out his stethoscope, lifts the side of the tent and moves in to check the
baby's lungs. We, of course, do not see the baby. Take reactions here. Then,
bring Tom out as he removes the stethoscope and Jean replaces the
tent.]
Tom
notices more congestion in the lungs and calls for antibiotics. He also asks if
Jean called Dunbar and the pediatrician. She says that they're both on their
way. Susan comes to the doorway and asks Tom about Dickie's condition. Then she
steps into the room and sees Dickie in the tent. Tom comes next to her and tells
her about the temperature. Susan wants him to promise that he won't let him die.
Tom tells her that it is out of his hands. Tom tells her that Dickie's
chances are not good. Susan states that Dickie's going to live and that Tom is
wrong.
In act three, Susan
and Jean are talking. Jean pulls down the blinds and Susan notices that its
morning. Jean tells her it is 11AM. Susan tells her that she's been
wonderful to her and Dickie. Jean tells her it is what nurses do. Susan asks
Jean if Dickie made it through the night- if that's a good sign . Jean tells her
he's still a very sick boy. Susan is out of it- she's asked the same question of
Jean twice. Tom comes in and wants an update. Jean tells him Dickie's
temperature is 105.2, his respiration is labored. He asks if Dunbar and Andrews
have arrived. Jean tell him yes and still nothing. Susan tells Tom that if
David would have listened to her, this wouldn't have happened.
Then Susan tells Tom that David hasn't bothered to show up. She
asks if Tom called him last night. Tom says he did. Susan says David
doesn't care and he never has. Tom tries to tell her that maybe David's not here
because she kicked him out before. She ignores this and tells Tom
that David only cares about Julie. Tom tells her that he thinks
that David cares. Susan tells Tom that he's wrong and doesn't
know David like she does. They will be fine without him. Susan asks
about Dickie. Tom tells her that he's sorry to tell her that there's very little
hope.
[This
doesn't seem to register for Susan although it does as she turns towards
the crib.]
Susan talks to Dickie and tells him that she needs to talk to someone and will be right back. She goes to leave and Tom asks her where she's going. Susan tells him that she won't be gone for long. Jean notices that Susan hasn't cried- like she's in shock. Tom believes she is and she's beginning to insulate herself for what she has to face. Jean thinks she's convinced herself that Dickie will be alright. Tom, looking at Dickie, is suddenly alarmed and moves in closer. Jean goes to the chart to make a notation. Tom turns quickly to Jean, half shouting:
TOM (with great urgency): Jean-the adrenalin-hurry!!
[Jean moves quickly and efficiently moves the tray on table across crib from Tom. Takes syringe and adrenalin vial and crosses to Tom, filling syringe on the way…take it out fast]
In the final act, Susan is in the chapel and is saying a prayer (recorded voiceover) She looks at the Bible and continues praying (recorded voiceover) She drops to her knees and asks God…
SUSAN: Oh God, I don't know how to pray-help me-help my baby-Oh, please-I can't search for the right words, but I can only say-please-please, give me back by baby-his life has just begun-please don't take it from him-Take my life-Take David's-It's we who've sinned-Oh, God, please-I have no one else to go to-Only you can help him now…I beg you-I beg you-punish David-punish me-but let my baby live…let my baby live...
Jean and Tom are looking for Susan right outside the corridor to Dickie's room. Jean says that she was in the chapel but not there now. Maybe she's on her way back. Tom says he'll wait for her. Jean leaves.
[Jean looks at Tom for a long moment, then he turns and leaves. Tom waits outside the room a moment, then turns as he hears Susan approaching. Bring Susan in.]
TOM: Susan-I'd like to
talk to you.
SUSAN: Talk to me?
TOM: Yes-come over here…Let's sit
down.
SUSAN: Talk to me about what?
TOM: About-you son.
SUSAN:
(suspecting) Wh-why can't we talk in his room? Why out here, Doctor
Horton?
TOM: Because it would be...better out here. I...(stops, finding it
difficult to go on)
[Susan gives a long look at Tom]
TOM:
Susan...
SUSAN: (knowing without being told) NO!...No, he can't be! You're
wrong, doctor Horton! He can't be...I just...I don't believe it!
No!...No!
[At this point, Susan pushes past Tom and runs into the room. She
stops as she sees the empty crib, the oxygen tent removed. Now the full weight
of it hits her]
SUSAN: NO!...Oh, God, No!
[Susan walks slowly toward the
empty crib, reaching out for the baby that isn't there]
SUSAN: Oh, it's not
true (she sinks to her knees beside the crib) No...no...he can't be dead! He's
all I have! He can't be dead!
[Tom moves in behind her to comfort
her]
TOM: Susan...Susan..
SUSAN: Oh, God...what have you done? You didn't
hear me...You didn't hear me…
[Take it out and fade to black]
Episode # 391
Air Date: Monday, May 22, 1967
Written by: William
J. Bell
Directed by: Frank Pacelli
With:
Denise Alexander (Susan Hunter
Martin)
Macdonald Carey (Tom Horton)
Clive Clerk (David Martin)
Jeanne
Bates (Nurse Jean Perkins)
Sheila Bromley (Mrs. Riley)
Norman Burton (Cab
Driver)
Amanda Ghetti (Nurse)
Master Telecast Report of Episode #
391
[A short time after close of preceding script. Open tight on empty crib, hold, then a very slow dissolve or pan to Susan who's sitting stoically on a chair next to the crib. The well of tears has run dry. She's locked up most of the outward emotion tight within herself. But there's more than numbness-Something within her mind has "snapped." She's in many ways out of touch with reality...although what we see now could very well be her expression of grief, an outgrowth of great personal tragedy. Tom stands a few steps from her, deeply moved, compassionate. Susan, who appears in a trance, does little more than mumble her words. She looks towards the crib and speaks very slowly-in broken speeches. Take a long pause. Susan is just sitting there. She can't believe her baby is gone]
In the next act, David arrives at the hospital. He looks inside Dickie's room and no one's there. He asks a nurse about the patient. She asks if he's the baby's father. She wonders if she should tell him. She offers to call a doctor. David asks if she knows if he's dead to tell him. The nurse tells him that Dickie died. David asks about Susan and she tells him that she left about half hour ago.
Susan is walking aimlessly and comes to a taxicab. The driver asks if she needs a ride. She says yes. He asks her where she wants to go. She says anywhere. The driver is talking about his vacation and asks her if she's decided where she wants to go and then he notices that she doesn't look good. He asks her if she wants to go to the hospital. She breaks out of her trance and tells him that sometimes doctors don't know everything. Then she tells him to speed up because she needs to get the Christening suit ready. He asks her if her baby is going to be christened. She says that she doesn't have a baby. Then the driver thinks that she's drunk. She tells him that it's a horrible day and she doesn't drink. Then she recalls the night that David made her a drink and that's when Dickie was conceived. She then tells the cab driver not to drive fast. The driver asks her if maybe it is best to stop the ride, so Susan pays and gets out. She gets mad and tells him that she'll call a policeman. He again asks her if he can take her to the hospital. Susan threatens to call the police again. The cab driver tells her that he'll be happy to drive her home. She says she already told him. He pretends that he forgot and she tells him "787 Oakbrook Drive" He asks her if she's sure and says it's a nice neighborhood. Susan says it's a horrible neighborhood with horrible people. Then she says everyone turned on her and she hates them.
In the next act, Susan opens the door to her house and tells herself that she'll never ride with that strange cab driver again. Mrs. Riley is there and Susan tells her that her baby is gone. Mrs. Riley starts crying. Susan tells her not to cry...that she is being punished. Susan keeps saying that there's only one person to blame- David. Mrs. Riley asks if the doctor gave her anything and she says she didn't want anything. She goes upstairs to pick out an outfit for Dickie. Mrs. Riley stays downstairs.
Susan goes into Dickie's room and talks to him like he's napping in his crib. She tells Dickie that she needs to find his Christening suit because she wants him to look nice. After that, she says she'll give him dinner. As she's pulling out the suit, she knocks over the music box that Helen gave her. It begins to play music and she lets it play. She tells Dickie about her grandmother giving this to them but that they don't like them anymore and wont be seeing them again. She talks about him looking so nice in the suit. She recalls the christening and how he looked that day but can't remember why he's going to wear it now. She now hears some voices downstairs and starts to eavesdrop. It is David and Mrs. Riley. David asks where Susan is and Mrs. Riley tells him Susan is upstairs. At this moment, Susan remembers that Dickie is dead. She keeps mumbling "your father…your father." [Her face becomes very stern. She thinks for a moment, then goes to the desk drawer mumbling over and over again "Your father…your father." She opens the drawer, digs under a few things, and reveals a 38 caliber pistol. She looks at it, then towards the door, as she slowly takes it in her hand]
SUSAN: (quietly, to herself) Your father gave it to me, David. When I was alone here. He said there were prowlers. That I might need it someday. I didn't want it. But he was right. [beat] I do need it. I do need it.
[She takes it in her hand and walks slowly towards the bed]
[As Act Four begins, take it up immediately as Susan sits on the edge of the bed, looking toward the doorway. With her left hand, she shields the gun somewhat so that it is practically out of sight. She begins another vigil-another that will lead to death. David appears in the hallway. He looks inside, is very hesitant to enter, then finally takes just a few steps into the room. Please play this slowly...both are very quiet...Susan intense]
DAVID: I'm sorry, Susan.
SUSAN: No, you're
not. You did that to him.
DAVID: It was an accident. (David is no way
irritable. Let situation indict him.)
SUSAN: I told you not to buy that swing
set. I begged you not to put it up. I told you I didn't want Dickie on it.
DAVID: All I can say is that...it was an accident.
SUSAN: (beat) I told
you I never wanted to see you again. That you weren't to step foot in this house
again. I didn't ever want to see you again. Why did you do this to me? You
shouldn't have come, David. I told you that.
DAVID: I...just came to pick up
a couple of things.
SUSAN: You mean your suitcases. I understand they're all
packed, were packed the day Dickie had his accident. You were leaving.
DAVID:
Yes, Susan, I was leaving.
SUSAN: To go to Julie.
DAVID: Susan, I don't
think this is time to...
SUSAN: Answer me, David.
DAVID: Yes. I was
going to Julie. It wasn't working out here, it could never work out...you must
know that. But I don't think this is the time to get into that.
SUSAN: And
your son, David? You were going to leave him too. You didn't care. You never
wanted him.
DAVID: Please Susan, not now.
SUSAN: Give him away for
adoption, that's what you said. Tell everyone he's dead, that was your plan.
Well now, David, he is dead. My little baby...he's dead. Everything the way you
wanted it. And now you think you can run to Julie. Because everything's worked
out for you. But you're so wrong.
[And for the
first time she reveals the gun. Make this a very long moment as we take his
reaction]
DAVID: Where did you get that?
SUSAN: From your father. He said
I might need it. He insisted I take it. That was when he still liked me. Before
you poisoned his mind. Your mother's mind. Everyone. That's what you've done to
me, David. You're taken everything and everyone from me.
DAVID: (he takes a
step or two forward, slowly): Susan, put that away. You're very upset about
Dickie. I can understand that but...
SUSAN: Don't
you move David. Don't you come near me.
DAVID: Then put away that
gun.
SUSAN: You want your way about everything,
don't you. Well, this time you're not going to get your way. You're bad David.
And things balance out. Bad things happen to bad people.
DAVID: (taking a
final step or two) Susan...
[Susan fires
the gun, one shot, breaking the glass, three more in rapid succession, a fifth
shot with more breaking glass. A sixth shot...]
[Hold on Susan as her head
follows David's fall. But we don't see him. He falls almost to a point
where his head is at her feet and so that the body will be hidden by the bed
from the doorway. Now she stands, holding the gun limp in her
hand.]
SUSAN: He can't hurt you
any more, my baby. He can't hurt you any more.
COMING SOON: Episode # 392...The aftermath of David's
murder.