ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR, THE: A PIECE OF THE ACTION {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this dramatic anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock.
In this drama, investment counselor John Marsden, who uses the nickname "Duke" when engaging in his double life as a professional gambler, spends the entire weekend playing poker with unsavory characters, including Allie Saxon, who is soon caught cheating. John heads to his office early on Monday morning, where his secretary warns him that his wife of five years, Alice, is rumored to be "headed for Reno" for a quickie divorce, apparently tired of his frequent long absences. John sends a congratulatory message to his younger brother Chuck, who has just graduated from law school, aided by a $10,000 "loan" from John. John returns home to Alice and begs her forgiveness, vowing to stop gambling and suggesting that they take a trip to Hawaii for their fifth anniversary.
Later, John learns that Allie has been found shot dead, and he informs fellow gambler Ed Krutcher that he is quitting for good, planning to win back his outstanding $30,000 debt in one final game of craps. Elsewhere, Chuck comes to town and tries to find a high-stakes game, explaining that he has "a bundle" to play with, unaware that John's chauffeur Danny has overheard him. Chuck surprises John and Alice at home, revealing that he has fallen for a high-society girl and is frustrated with his lowly law clerk job. When Danny tells John what he overheard, Chuck admits that he used John's loan for gambling in Florida and turned it into $50,000. John sternly advises his brother to "quit while he's ahead" and avoid their late father's serious mistakes; Chuck leaves the home in anger. John, assuring Alice that he still plans to take her to Hawaii on Friday, calls Ed and offers him Chuck as a "present," confident that his brother will learn a harsh-but-valuable lesson when he is cleaned out by the more experienced gambler.
John takes Alice to dinner as Chuck accepts the invitation to Ed's game; Ed then calls "Duke" late at night, angrily reporting that Chuck is actually winning. John hurries to the game, where Chuck and Ed are both surprised to find that "Duke" is in fact John; the tense game carries on for many hours. Alice grows worried and impatient, and Chuck panics when he realizes that he is about to lose it all. John coolly beats Ed's full house with four of a kind. He quickly ousts the humiliated Chuck, but Ed and the other players soon discover that John may have cheated in order to save his brother. John heads for home, determined to catch the flight to Hawaii, though Alice, angered that he has once again abandoned her for a days-long game, informs him that it is "too late" and that she is leaving him for good. John then collapses in a bloody mess, revealing that he has been fatally shot by Ed. A shocked Alice comforts him as he dies. Hitchcock notes that all of the characters "learned their lessons." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:15
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: 136879
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Gambling; Siblings
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1962-1964; NBC, 1964-1965
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Norman Lloyd … Producer
- Gordon Hessler … Associate Producer
- Bernard Girard … Director
- Alfred Hayes … Writer
- Oliver H.P. Garrett … Based on a story by
- Lynn Murray … Music by
- Alfred Hitchcock … Host
- Gig Young … Cast, John "Duke" Marsden
- Martha Hyer … Cast, Alice Marsden
- Gene Evans … Cast, Ed Krutcher
- Robert Redford … Cast, Chuck Marsden
- Nick Dennis … Cast, Danny
- Raymond Bailey … Cast, Allie Saxon
- Roger De Koven … Cast, Nate
- Kreg Martin … Cast, Smiley
- Dee J. Thompson … Cast, Kelly
- Robert Reiner … Cast, Pete
- Jack Sahakian … Cast, Gambler
- Ralph Smiley … Cast, Waiter