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	...	Self - 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 | gaslighting someone | invalid | letter | vase | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

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)

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Soundtracks

Funeral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod

User Reviews

Charming Patricia Collinge

After he is fired from a New York City art museum for lateness (and not showing up at all), womanizing drifter Darren McGavin (as Lyle Endicott) moves in on one of the museum's patrons, elderly and disabled Patricia Collinge (as Martha Cheney). Quickly, Mr. McGavin takes over Ms. Collinge's home. He gets rid of her loyal maid, and cuts Collinge off from the world outside. Next, McGavin plots to run off with shapely blond Carolyn Jones, after selling Collinge's most valuable possession: "The Cheney Vase". It being Christmas, presenter Alfred Hitchcock sells several unbreakable replicas of the $45,000 "Cheney Vase" during his closing remarks. Collinge and a great cast make this "Kind Lady" swipe a nice way to spend your half hour.

******* The Cheney Vase (12/25/55) Alfred Hitchcock : Robert Stevens ~ Patricia Collinge, Darren McGavin, Carolyn Jones

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