The Cheney Vase 

When Lyle Endicott is fired from his job at an art museum, he comes up with a plan to take advantage of a trusting invalid whom he befriended at the museum.

Director:

Robert Stevens

Writer:

Robert Blees

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Patricia Collinge, Darren McGavin

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Patricia Collinge	...	Martha Cheney
Darren McGavin	...	Lyle Endicott
Carolyn Jones	...	Pamela Waring
George Macready	...	Herbert Koether
Kathryn Card	...	Bella
Ruta Lee	...	Ruby Boyenton

Storyline

Lyle Endicott is a smooth manipulator, but he's not smooth enough to save his job at a Manhattan art museum. And his talent doesn't seem to have gotten him anywhere in life. "Why not just once can something go right for me?" he wonders. Luck finally seems to shine on him when he overhears his boss, Mr. Koether, talking to one of the museum's patrons, Martha Cheney, an invalid who uses a wheelchair. She and Koether call each other by their first names, but their friendship isn't enough to persuade Miss Cheney to sell him the famous Cheney vase. Lyle realizes the heirloom is worth a lot of money -- money that can be his if he manages to insinuate himself into the old woman's life.

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Plot Keywords:

1930s to 2020s | invalid | letter | vase | art museum | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1955 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The small white sink mounted on the wall in Martha's room has no drain or trap under it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alfred Hitchcock: [holding a voodoo doll and a hypodermic needle] Oh, oh, good evening. I was just about to send greetings to an old friend. I'm sure modern, civilized methods of homicide are much more efficient, but I don't care for them. I abhor violence. That is why on this program, we use stabbings, shootings, and garrotings only when they are absolutely essential to the plot, or when the whim strikes us. Tonight's play begins in a museum. And the title is "The Cheney Vase." That's all I intend ...

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Connections

Featured in Alfred Hitchcock: More Than Just a Profile (2005)

User Reviews

Clever little take on the Kind Lady theme

The play and later film of KIND LADY was an interesting piece of writing. The imprisoning of a helpless wheelchair bound old woman in her mansion, systematically cutting off all means of communication with the outside world - for nefarious purposes - was borrowed for this half hour adaptation and although the premise is different, so is the twist at the end.

The production belongs to Patricia Collinge, who is excellent as the matron, so good that one wanted it to last an hour so she had more time to show her stuff. McGavin plays the kind of role he was always good at - a sleaze. Carolyn Jones is impressive as his disapproving girlfriend.

Worth a look!