The Cheney Vase

Episode aired Dec 25, 1955
Not RatedNot Rated
25m

7.0/10

S1.E13

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Patricia Collinge, George Macready, and Darren McGavin in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)

Comedy Crime Drama

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.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.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.

7.0/10

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Carolyn Jones and Darren McGavin in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)

Ruta Lee in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)

Patricia Collinge and Darren McGavin in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)

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. —J. Spurlin

gaslighting someone invalid letter vase art museum 21 more

Trivia
This episode is included on certain DVD editions for Alfred Hitchcock's 'Young and Innocent' (1937).

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

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 to tell you. You'll have to figure the rest out for yourselves. And now our sponsor wishes to say a few words designed to send you rushing out immediately to buy his products. But please endeavor to restrain yourselves. I don't want you to miss our story.

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

Soundtracks
Funeral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod

Top review

7/10

Don't Mess with Little Old Ladies!

When you have someone in a wheelchair being taken advantage of, you know that at some point the bad guys are going to pay. In this case a man finagles his way into a vulnerable woman's confidence in order to steal a valuable vase. He manipulates her every way he can, employing a confidante, and getting ready to strike. The old girl isn't dumb and evidence begins to build. As with many of these people, the man has a flaw and doesn't play things out to the end. The episode has a satisfying ending where justice is served. The acting is reasonably good and the story has some credibility. It calls for some pretty drastic action and things like this often get in the way, but it's a pretty good Hitchcock effort.

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