Suspense Television

For the Love of Randi

"For the Love of Randi" stars Darrin McGavin in a story that is a cross between an episode of Suspense and an episode of General Hospital. At the center of the drama is Randi, a plumpish brunette sexpot with a husky voice.

When we first see Nurse Randi Sloan, she is in the dispensary looking for something. What is she looking for? It is a bottle of white powder. From this, she takes a small amount and wraps it in a piece of paper. Hmmm, what does she have? Dr. Dave Bonnell comes in and catches her at this, but it is OK with him. He doesn't seem to mind the drug stealing, he just wants a kiss. Specifically, he wants her to "kiss him like she used to." Randi doesn't want to. To be nice, she gives him a peck -- but that only inflames his desire for more! He insists that Nurse Randi "kiss him like she used to." She doesn't. Instead she bolts out the lab as fast as she can.

In the hallway, Nurse Randi's boyfriend, Dr. Ted Larson, is looking for her. When he finds her, he can see that she is upset. Randi doesn't want to talk about it, she just wants to leave. Ted tells her that he knows something is wrong. Just then, Dr. Dave Bonnell strolls out of the dispensary.

At this juncture, we find out that Ted and Dave are not just rivals for Randi's love but that they are also roommates and best friends. (Uh-oh!)

After Ted and Randi leave, the cleaning boy, Walter, asks Dr. Bonnell if those two are going to be married. He skulks away without giving Walter a definite answer.

When we next see Dave and Ted, they are at home having their morning coffee. (On the table we see coffee, bread, jam and an ashtray.) The neighbor girl, Daisy, comes in and brings them a package. It is a box of homemade candies for Ted from Randi. He shares them with Dave and Daisy, but doesn't have one himself. Then, while Ted and Dave prepare to leave for the hospital, they have a little chat about Randi. Dave says that he refuses to play second fiddle. Randi used to be his gal, and he sees no reason why he should not to try and win her back. It doesn't matter that they are best friends. All that matters is who gets Randi. Ted agrees.

Not long afterwards, Daisy falls ill and has to be taken to the hospital. Dave becomes ill as well and complains to Randi that it is probably because of those awful candies she made. She tells him that she never made any candies! Ted and Randi save Dave's life but Daisy dies.

In the second act, we find out what was in the candies. Arsenic! Nurse Randi is head nurse, so the sheriff questions her while he eats his lunch. He tells her that the district attorney considers her a suspect because she has access to so many drugs and chemicals. Then, suddenly, the sheriff is distracted by a plate of delicious sweet corn that was hiding behind a stack of papers on his desk. Hmmmm! Sweet corn. The sheriff can barely stay focused on Randi as he butters, salts, and peppers his corn cob.

Not distracted by the corn, Randi pleads with the sheriff to find the person who sent the poisoned candies. She swears that she didn't do it. It was some crazy person out there. The sheriff tells Randi that she and her two suitors need to sit down and try and come up with a solution before someone else gets hurt.

In the next scene, the three of them try to sit down and find a solution, but within minutes, they are drinking, smoking and fighting. Randi tries to calm the tension by presenting them with a big plate of cookies that she baked with her own little hands. Dave and Ted pass on the cookies. (She should have tried corn!)

Back at the hospital, Randi chats with Walter, the cleaning boy. He tells her that there is a rumor that she and Dr. Larson have called off their engagement. Then, the sheriff arrives and tells Randi that the district attorney has built a case against her. He tells her that he needs to go over a few things again and then disappears into the dispensary.  Does the sheriff know something that will help him catch the guilty one?

"For the Love of Randi" starred Darren McGavin as Dr. Ted Larson. Jack Manning played Dr. David Bonnell and Rita Lynn played Nurse Randi Sloan. This episode aired on July 15, 1952. It is available on Disc 3 of Suspense: The Lost Episodes Collection 2.

Woman in Love

"Woman in Love' was adapted from a story by the British mystery writer Geoffrey Household, but that isn't what makes this Suspense episode interesting. The real value of this episode lies in the casting. More specifically, the casting of Paul Newman in one of the minor roles.

This is a story about the oppressiveness of communism and of life behind the Iron Curtain. In it, we meet Alexia Constancia, a young Hungarian woman about to travel to Sweden to meet her fiance. She appears to be a good patriot, but her true allegiance is with the underground. The superintendent of the security police quizzes her, and she passes his test.

The resistance forces want to get Constancia out of Hungary so that she can deliver vital information to the United Nations.  Their concern, however, is that she is a woman in love, and as such, she is vulnerable and prone to doing foolish things. Even though she is told this -- it doesn't stop her from doing something foolish.  Something like... losing the piece of paper on which the vital information was written.

So, where does Paul Newman come into this? When she gets on the train for Sweden, we get our first glimpse of Paul.

He plays Captain Radetski of the security police. From this point on, the story is all about the missing piece of paper--and watching Paul Newman. The security police are suspicious of her, and most of the drama revolves around them coming close to finding the piece of paper. The superintendent of the security police, Fulco, doesn't believe Constancia is just an innocent woman in love, but he can't rattle her or find anything to implicate her involvement in the resistance.

When Alexia boards the train, the security police request to examine her luggage.They don't find the paper and she is allowed to continue her journey. The underground agent who helped her pass, isn't as lucky.

The superintendent then tells Captain Radetski to stay with the bride. So, Captain Radetski and his buddies go in to chat with Constancia. Captain Radetski is much too friendly, and Alexia isn't happy about that. She is annoyed, until he sends the other guards away and reveals that his true purpose is to help her.

In the end, with Captain Radetski's help, she safely crosses the border. Incredibly, she decides to continue on to Sweden despite the handsome resistance-fighter who saved her life.  

Does she have any doubts about that decision? Perhaps that is why she is in tears at the end, but we'll never really know.

"Woman in Love" (episode #160) was adapted for television by Victor Wolfson. Arnold Moss played Theotaki, Gaby Rogers played Constancia, and Fulco was played by Berry Kroeger. This episode aired on August 26, 1952.