Tue 16 Mar 2010
A TV Review by Mike Tooney: KRAFT SUSPENSE THEATRE “Nobody Will Ever Know.”
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[6] Comments
“Nobody Will Ever Know.” An episode of Kraft Suspense Theatre (Season 2, Episode 19). First air date: 25 March 1965. Tom Tryon, Pippa Scott, Myrna Fahey, Liam Sullivan, Robert Quarry, David Lewis, Frank Maxwell. Teleplay: Richard Fielder and Harry Essex. Story: Roger H. Lewis. Director: Don Weis.
Tom Banning (Tom Tryon) seems to have it all: a well-paying research position at Continental Plastics, being married to the boss’s daughter, and the prospect of a promotion.
So why is he skulking around a chemical laboratory with a camera photographing secret bench experiments, engaging in industrial espionage?
Could it have to do with the fact that he’s not making enough money to cover the bills? That he resents his father-in-law’s intrusions into their private lives? That although he’s due for that promotion soon, he’s afraid he might not get it?
That there’s an extremely attractive woman, part of the evaluation team, with whom he’s having an affair? That the money he’s getting for his spying would solve all their financial difficulties? Or could it be that the people he’s working for have guns and won’t hesitate to use them?
How about all of the above?
As Thomas Tryon, Tom Tryon made the bestseller lists with his written fiction (The Other, Harvest Home, Lady, etc.).
Liam Sullivan specialized in playing villains almost entirely on TV, with three appearances on Perry Mason (1961-62), a Western series (The Monroes, 1966-67), a nice turn as a sadistic overlord in Star Trek (1967), as well as several primetime TV soaps.
Frank Maxwell could be seen on TV just about anytime during the ’50s through the ’70s, including Perry Mason (1960-61), a comedy series (Our Man Higgins, 1962-63), two other episodes of Kraft Suspense Theatre (including “Leviathan Five”, reviewed here ), one Banacek (“Now You See Me, Now You Don’t”), five Barnaby Jones episodes, and four appearances on Quincy, M.E.
Editorial Comment: Tom Tryon was born in Hartford, the city around the corner and up the street from me, and as something of a native son, all of his accomplishments, both in TV and the movies, then later as a bestselling author, were always written up in the local paper — the one I used to write mystery reviews for — but I’ve never read any of his fiction, I’m sad to say.
The photo is only a publicity shot. It has nothing to do with the TV show that Mike just reviewed, but it’s how I remember him as an actor the most, with a solidly sculptured face and lots of hair.
March 16th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Other than Tryon, most of the other names in the cast are only names to me, except for David Lewis, an actor (no relation) whom some of you may remember also for his long run as Edward Quartermaine on GENERAL HOSPITAL.
March 16th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
C’mon folks, Robert Quarry, DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN and everyone’s second favorite vampire, Count Yorga? Shlock deserves some respect.
Tryon’s film credits include the cult classic I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE and THREE VIOLENT PEOPLE as Charlton Heston’s brother. He was also Disney’s Texas John Slaughter.
Steve
There is at least one Tryon that should be read, THE OTHER, which was also a fine and very spooky film. HARVEST HOME was a pretty good spook fest too. His novella was the basis for Billy Wilder’s film FEDORA. Over all he was a better writer than actor, though he was a perfectly acceptable leading man.
March 16th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I agree with what David posted.
Tom Tryon’s novel “Harvest Home” is a favorite of mine–far better than the TV miniseries version starring Bette Davis. The novel reminded me of a British ghost story (though without spectral ghosts) with its stately descent into horror.
(No real plot surprises to anyone who’s read Sir James Frazer, but elegantly written, I think.)
Just the reverse is true of Tryon’s novel “The Other” . The Robert Mulligan-directed film is a near-forgotten gem, far more affecting than the book it’s based on. The film has a great performance by Uta Hagen…
March 17th, 2010 at 8:00 am
Rick
I liked THE OTHER better than you, but agree that HARVEST HOME is a great book, much more frightening than many more visceral books. The theme, as you say, is nothing new. Out of THE GOLDEN BOUGH and Graves THE WHITE GODDESS with nods to Buchan’s THE DANCING FLOOR, WITCH WOOD, and Shirley Jackson’s’The Lottery’ and a much superior precursor to King’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN.
Uta Hagen is indeed wonderful in the film of THE OTHER, as are the child actors.
March 17th, 2010 at 8:00 am
Myrna Fahey and Pippa Scott had many movie and TV credits too, from the ’50s on. Fahey played Vincent Price’s entombed-alive sister in THE HOUSE OF USHER, and Scott’s first film role, per IMDB, was Lucy Edwards (Natalie Wood’s Debbie’s sister) in THE SEARCHERS.
March 17th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Don Weis is something of a cult director, especially for 1950’s comedies like I LOVE MELVIN.
People are still trying to dig through his TV work, and see what good stuff might be in it.