Dead Weight (22 Nov. 1959)

Married Courtney Masterson and his girlfriend are parked at a lover's lane when a young thug tries to rob them. Courtney overpowers the thief and wants to turn him over to the police but is... See full summary »

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Herb Golden (story), Jerry Sohl (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Joseph Cotten, Julie Adams

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Joseph Cotten	...	Courtney Masterson
Julie Adams	...	Peg Valence
Don Gordon	...	Rudy Stickney
Ted de Corsia	...	Inspector Salva
Angela Greene	...	Mrs. Masterson
Claude Stroud	...	P.I. Lester Elleridge
Gail Bonney	...	Secretary
Reita Green	...	Reita - Receptionist
George Dockstader	...	Motorcycle Cop

Storyline

Married Courtney Masterson and his girlfriend are parked at a lover's lane when a young thug tries to rob them. Courtney overpowers the thief and wants to turn him over to the police but is afraid the resulting publicity might tip off his wife to his extra-marital affair. In the end, he decides to set the thief free, but things don't quite go as planned and he shoots the thug. Courtney manages to convince the police that the shooting was an accident. It turns out however, that he has much to worry about.

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Plot Keywords:

shot in the belly | pocket knife | held at gunpoint | shot point blank | necking in a car | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 November 1959 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

If you think that knife is faster then this gun slice away!

***SPOILERS*** It's when married advertising executive Courtney "Court" Masterson, Joseph Cotten, is out necking with an old flame of his Peg Valence, Julie London, in he Hollywood Hills that he's caught with his pants down by "Lover's Lane Bandit" Rudy Stickney, Don Gordon, at the most improper and unguarded moment! With Rudy pointing a gun at his and Peg's head and about to both rob and murder them Court's cat-like movements catches Rudy by surprise and in a split second disarms him.

Not knowing with to do with his "prize catch" Court stuffs Rudy into the trunk of his car an drives around town, after dropping off Peg, looking for a place to dump him. Finally releasing Rudy alive Court is about to let the guy go but in an instance, with Rudy saying that he'll get even with him for what he did, changes his mind and and blasts the guy away! Claiming to the cops that it, gunning down Rudy, was in self-defense it seems like Court is getting away with his crime. That's until the next day when private detective Lester Elleridge, Claud Stroud, shows up at his office.

***SPOILERS*** Court thought that he covered all the bases in gunning down Rudy and covering up, which he thought was far worse, his relationship with Peg! As we soon find out it was non other then Court's old lady or wife Mrs. Masterson, Angela Green, who was keeping tabs on him in suspecting that he was cheating on her! And with her now having the goods on her cheating husband goods that could very well land him in the San Quentin gas chamber you can bet your bottom dollar that Court's cheating days are over!