In "The Man Who Couldn't Lose," a gambling man finds himself on a run of good luck that seemingly has no end.
Leonard Snell is a lazy insurance agent who gambles all of his money and treats his hard-working wife badly. She works, cleans, cooks, and pays all the expenses while her husband does little else. As the episode opens, Mrs. Snell is reminding Leonard of all of this, but he doesn't want to hear it.
Leonard tells her that he has been working hard, but now he is in trouble. He has to cover his gambling debts and he needs the money she has put away in her safe-deposit box. She refuses, and so he kills her to get it.
Shortly afterwards, he finds himself on an incredible run of good luck. Will it last long enough for him to escape a conviction for murder?
"The Man Who Couldn't Lose" was written by Emile C. Tepperman and produced/directed by William Spier. Gene Kelly, in the third of his four appearances on Suspense, starred as Leonard Snell. This episode aired on September 28, 1944.
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This story aired again on December 12,1947. Dan Duryea starred. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns Hans Conried, Frank Albertson, Jerry Hausner, Frank Goss, Jack Kruschen, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, John McIntire, Edwin Max, Lucille Meredith, Jeannette Nolan, Dick Ryan, and Jack Webb.
I heard the for the first time recently and was transfixed. Gene Kelly is cast against type but gives a convincing performance, and the script by veteran pulp writer Emil Tepperman is gripping. Great stuff.
Posted by: Michael O'Brien | January 05, 2016 at 02:48 AM