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Run For Your Life
Starring Ben Gazzara
Episode:
This Town for Sale
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To contact us, click Homepage link above
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Synopsis: If tried in the town where the victim's father is the leading employer, Paul seems certain to face a long prison sentence after the young man is found dead following a small altercation with him. With James Whitmore as Jim Holland, Mary Ann Mobley as Clarke Newell, R.G. Armstrong as Edward Loomis, Sharon Hugueny as Mary Ellison, Paul Fix as Joseph Farrell, Anthony Hayes as Neddie Loomis, Nick Colasanto as the Bartender, Alan Reed Jr. as George Mund, William Banewell as County Attorney Lassiter, Charles Irving as the Judge, Lindsay Workman as the Coroner, Charles L. Conrad as the Bailiff, Claudia Bryan as Loomis' Secretary, Ernest Anderson as the Jury Foreman, George Dockstader as the Highway Patrolman
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Episode 9
First broadcast on
November 15, 1965
Teleplay by George Kingo
Story by Chester Krumholz
Directed by Richard Benedict
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SEE INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS OF ENTIRE CAST AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Creative Team
Producer
Jo Swerling Jr
Associate Producer
Paul Freeman
Music
Pete Rugolo
Director of Photography
John L. Russell A.S.C.
Art Director
Frank Arrigo
Film Editor
Douglas Stewart
Unit Manager
Willard H. Sheldon
Assistant Director
Michael Messinger
Set Decorators
John McCartey &
Perry Murdock
Sound
Robert Bertrand
Color Coordinator
Robert Brower
Color by Pathe
Editorial Dept. Head
David J. O'Connell
Musical Supervisor
Stanley Wilson
Costumes by Burton Miller
Makeup
Bud Westmore
Hair Stylist
Larry Germain
Links to Other Episodes
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Neddie offers to buy Mary grapefruit juice
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The Plot:
Driving east in the United States, Paul's fuel pump breaks down in the town of Pine Grove on a Saturday night. He makes it to a spot where the local young people are dancing and drinking. The bartender gives Paul the number of a nearby garage, and after making arrangements with them, Paul has a drink. A fight among two of the patrons breaks out, and the bartender separates them. In hopes of getting his date, Mary Ellison, drunk on what she imagines to be grapefruit juice, Neddie Loomis orders a vodka drink for her at the bar.
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Neddie bumps into Paul before dipping his drink on him
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He's rude to Paul, then even purposely spills drink in his lap. Paul gets up to retaliate physically, but Loomis knocks Paul onto the dance floor. Neddie is asked to leave, and Paul is offered drinks on the house.
Mary's friend Clarice, as an apology for the way the stranger has been treated by Neddie, invites Paul to dance a slow number with her.
She goes back to her own date, and after sipping some more of his drink, the phone rings that the garage is ready to help Paul with his car.
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Chief Holland says that he's taking Neddie to the station
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Outside, Neddie is making unwanted advances toward Mary, and in her struggles, she falls on the ground and screams to be let go of, but he doesn't stop, just tells her to be quiet.
All this is seen by the Pine Grove police chief who's just arrived on the scene. He grabs Neddie, and Mary gets up and goes inside. The chief tells Neddie that he's going to take him to the station and book him for assault.
Holland then goes inside, looking for Mary .
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Chief Holland asks Mary if she's all right
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He goes over to ask if she is all right, and says that he sent Neddie Loomis home on foot, asking his friend George Mund to drive Neddie's car home. The chief says that Neddie had too much to drink, and that was the best remedy. Chief Holland goes away from the table then, and Clarice says with great amusement that she'd love to see the look on Neddie's face just now. Meanwhile,Paul, having bid his farewells to the bartender, starts for the garage on foot, quite unaware as he goes down the road, that he has passed the dead body of Neddie Loomis.
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Loomis tells Chief Holland to find his son's killer
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The following Monday a coroner's jury declares that persons unknown caused Neddie Loomis to die of a broken neck. After the court is adjourned the victim's father, owner of the paper mill employing the majority of people in Pine Grove, asks Chief Holland about the case, and the possibility that he is handing a pay check over to the murderer of his son, but the chief says that, despite the number of people nearby, there were no witnesses to the crime.
After the quiet insistence that Chief Holland finds the culprit, a warrant goes out to pick Paul up.
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Paul asks the bartender about his testimony
The bartender asks if Paul is calling him a liar
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He is arrested the following day and brought back to Pine Grove by Chief Holland. After being introduced to his lawyer Joseph Farrell, Paul is arraigned and given bail. He then goes out to do a little investigating on his own.
The bartender is reading an account of his own testimony in the newspaper when Paul sits down, and his former friendliness has vanished. He says nothing when Paul orders a drink, and after serving it, goes back to his newspaper, despite Paul's effort to make pleasant conversation.
Then Paul comments on the fact that, at the coroner's hearing, the bartender couldn't remember what time Paul left, but a day later, at the arraignment, he recalled that Paul departed exactly at 1 am.
“And Harry's Garage remembers that I got there at 1:45,” Paul adds, meaning that it took him 45 minutes to complete a 20-minute walk.
“Are you calling me a liar?” the bartender asks. Paul snaps his fingers and replies, “that's exactly the word I was groping for.” Paul says that they both lied, and their lies could send him to prison for life.
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Paul continues asking why he changed his story
Clarice says that Loomis threatened shutting down
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The bartender retorts that Paul should have thought of that before hitting Neddie Loomis, but Paul asks him whether he saw him hit Neddie, and why he's decided that he did. The bartender merely says that a jury will decide, but Paul interjects, “with your help.”
Paul continues asking why the bartender had suddenly remembered things he couldn't the day before, but the response is merely to tell Paul not to order another drink.
Clarice calls out to Paul from a table where she is sitting with George Mund. She is friendly, but George is reluctant to ask Paul to join them, but then orders drinks for all. Clarice explains that George is purchasing manager at the Loomis Paper Company, and that Neddie was his best friend. Paul says that he is sorry about George's friend, and that he neither killed him or even saw Neddie after leaving the bar.
Clarice adds that she too works for the paper mill, and there's a rumor going around that if Chief Holland didn't find his son's killer, Edward Loomis threatened to shut down the company, putting most of the town out of work.
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Paul and his lawyer ask about Loomis' threat to Holland
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When Paul asks the Chief of Police about her remark, Jim Holland admits that it's true, and says that under the circumstances, Paul should easily get a motion granted to have his trial moved to another jurisdiction.
Holland also comments that it's a wonder that Loomis keeps the mill open at all, since it loses money more years than it is in profit, and he could have retired years ago. Joseph Farrell responds that the whole town is grateful - and they let Loomis know it whenever he passes, adding the he believes Chief Holland to be a little afraid of Loomis as well.
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Chief Holland says that respect is not fear
Clarice offers to assist Paul
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The chief declares that respecting a man is quite a different thing than fearing him, and then states that a change of venue to give Paul a chance at a fairer trial is more than likely, even if he has to help get it. Paul says he thinks that the chief doesn't believe he's guilty, and wonders why he's different from everyone else in the town. Holland replies that he has no opinion, but arrested Paul only because he was the most logical suspect.
That evening Paul takes Clarice Newell to dinner in appreciation for sharing the information about Loomis' threat about closing the mill. She replies that it's a celebration meal, as she's been released from her job there for saying provocative things about her employer in public. Paul apologizes, but Clarice says that she regards it as an opportunity, and wishes that she could help him. He asks her about Chief Holland, and Clarice tells him that he had the world's perfect marriage until his wife died two years earlier, and that his reputation as a nice human being is well earned. When Paul tells her that he was unsuccessful in getting Mary Ellison to speak to him, Clarice gets her to unwittingly come to Paul's car, but again, Mary refuses to tell him anything.
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The chief asks why Paul won't accept a trial in 14 weeks
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The next day Paul's lawyer appeals to the chief to try and convince his “spooky” client to accept a trial date in 14 weeks time in another town, which Paul has turned down. Paul arrives, and tells the chief things might even be cleared up at the local hearing the next day, and he just might accept the Pine Grove trial date in two weeks time.
“To avoid losing 12 weeks, you're willing to risk losing 12 years. Why?” Holland asks, but Paul is evasive, and asks the chief why his own inquest testimony failed to mention that he had put Neddie Loomis under arrest the night he was murdered.
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A drunken Holland comes to Paul's room at 3 am
Paul guesses the chief accidentally killed Neddie
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Holland replies it was because he changed his mind, and instead, just kept Neddie's car keys, and sent him home on foot. Then the chief points out that, due to insufficient evidence, Paul will surely not be convicted - if he is tried elsewhere, but if he insists on a trial in Pine Grove, he will lose his gamble.
In the night an inebriated Holland comes to Paul's door. He says that Paul doesn't act like a normal human being. Paul says that he heard that the chief didn't drink, and Holland confirms that's right. Paul then asks him what's caused his problem, and the chief says that it's he, because, guilty or not guilty, Paul would be acquitted in any jurisdiction outside Pine Grove. When Paul nods to Holland's question about planning to stand trial here, the chief says that Pine Grove will give him the same chance a coyote gives a chicken.
“We both know why you're drunk,” Paul replies, adding, “it was an accident, wasn't it?” Holland pretends that Paul is speaking of himself, but Paul puts it plainly that it was the chief who killed Neddie. Holland scoffs, but Paul takes the reaction for a confirmation, and suggests that the chief made a compromise - keep silent and keep his job.
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Paul reveals that he has little time left
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Holland says that he can live with whatever Paul does, since Paul has no problems but the ones he makes himself. He accuses Paul of making three months seem like three years.
“More than that!” retorts Paul, “three months could be 20% of my life.” Holland doesn't believe him, but Paul says that he has only 20 months to live, maybe less. So he is opting to have his trial in Pine Grove in two weeks on the gamble that he will get off, rather than wait around for three months for sure acquittal. “I'll fight for every second I've got left,” he adds.
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Holland declares that he is not Paul's keeper
Paul once again changes his application
Holland declares that he killed Neddie Loomis
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Holland says Paul's bluff won't work, and that if he refuses the change of venue, he'll be digging his own grave. As the chief goes out the door, he adds that it will be no one's fault but Paul's.
“You got that?” he shouts. “I'm not your keeper. That's what I came to tell you.”
Before the hearing the next morning, Farrell advises that he has been unable to arrange for a trial elsewhere any earlier than three months time. Paul keeps turning to look at Chief Holland sitting behind him. Then, acting as his own counsel, though Farrell is with him, Paul withdraws his application for a change of venue, though the judge advises that he is perfectly entitled to the application.
A constant cat-and-mouse game is going on between Paul and Holland, and the judge sets the trial for two weeks time. As soon as he has made the announcement, Paul then asks to have his application for a change of venue reinstated.
The perturbed judge informs Paul that this decision will be final, and adjourns the hearing. Paul again stares into the eyes of Chief Holland who then calls out to the judge that he wishes to make a statement about the case. The judge says that the session is over, and that the case is no longer under his jurisdiction, but Holland walks up to the bench and declares, “I killed Neddie Loomis.”
The judge tries to deter Holland from making a statement without counsel, but he is determined, so after advising him of his rights, the chief declares that he hit Neddie Loomis when the young man resisted arrest, saying that he didn't hold himself criminally responsible for Neddie's death, but that he did hold himself criminally responsible for what had happened to Paul.
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The chief explains the circumstances of Neddie's death
Holland offers his apology
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He goes on to declare that he thought his job and position in the town were secure until he realized that night that he could lose everything he'd worked a lifetime for.
Holland steps down and apologizes to Paul, as does the judge who offers Edward Loomis the opportunity to make a statement. The mill owner says that he doesn't own the town, and never thought he did.
Chief Holland refers to his challenge the previous night that Paul was running a bluff about the diagnosis, and wants to know if he was right. Paul asks if he'd like to be, and when Holland replies affirmatively, Paul declares that he was correct, and declares, “I was running a bluff.”
Paul leaves the court room, and Farrell asks the chief about the meaning of the last exchange. Holland answers, “he said he was running a bluff, but I'm afraid he wasn't.”
Clarice is waiting outside to congratulate Paul, and he offers her a ride out of the town to begin her new life.
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  Notes & Comments: While this starts out looking like one of those episodes where Paul goes to a small town in America, and ends up getting hassled, jailed, beaten up, imprisoned, kidnapped or a combination of all and more, this actually developes into a fine drama.
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James Whitmore
as Jim Holland
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Mary Ann Mobley as Clarice Newell
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R.G. Armstrong
as Edward Loomis
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Sharon Hugueny
as Mary Ellison
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Paul Fix as
Joseph Farrell
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Anthony Hayes as
Neddie Loomis
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Nick Colasanto
as the Bartender
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Alan Reed Jr.
as George Mund
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William Banewell as County Attorney Lassiter
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Charles Irving
as the Judge
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Lindsay Workman
as the Coroner
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Charles L. Conrad
as the Bailiff
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Ernest Anderson as
the Jury Foreman
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George Dockstader as
the Highway Patrolman
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