BIG TOWN – Child for Sale – 1952
BIG TOWN was a series that ran for 249 episodes from 1950 to 1956. It is about the managing editor of a "Big Town" newspaper. The city is never named. For the first four years the editor was played by Patrick McVey. For the last two seasons the lead was played by Mark Stevens. This episode is from 1953 with Patrick McVey. It is episode 80 of the production run.
The people at the Illustrated Press are feeling great. They just helped the Police bust up a baby farm racket. Paper editor, Patrick McVey and his girl Friday, Jane Nigh, are about to call it a night when they get a call. It seems that there might be another side to the baby game.
John Doucette and his wife, Joan Miller, had adopted a little girl and are now in a spot of trouble. They are being bothered by a woman claiming to be the child's real mother. The woman, Adrienne Marden, says that for several thousand in cash, she will give up any claim on the child.
Doucette contacts McVey and tells him his story. McVey tells the man to call the Police. Doucette tells McVey that he had lied on the adoption papers. He is really an ex-con. He is frightened that the State might void the adoption because of his record. Doucette has turned his life around in the years since his release. He is married, has his own TV repair shop and has become a good citizen. Unable to have children themselves, Miller and Doucette had adopted.
McVey's assistant, Jane Nigh, convinces him to look into the matter. McVey checks up on the birth mother and discovers that Marden is not the actual mother. She had "acquired" the records of the adoption agency and is pulling a scam on the people on the list. She hits them up with the mother wants the child back, or some cash instead line. Most couples pay off. It is a sweet little racket for Marden.
McVey ponies up some cash himself as bait, and calls Marden. As soon as Marden takes the cash, the Police are called. Blackmail is not taken lightly by the boys in blue. Marden is going away for an extended vacation on the State's nickel.
The series was based on the long running radio series of the same name. The radio program ran from 1937 to 1952. There were also several low budget films made in the 40's like, BIG TOWN, BIG TOWN AFTER DARK and BIG TOWN SCANDAL based on the same source.
(B/W)
BIG TOWN was a series that ran for 249 episodes from 1950 to 1956. It is about the managing editor of a "Big Town" newspaper. The city is never named. For the first four years the editor was played by Patrick McVey. For the last two seasons the lead was played by Mark Stevens. This episode is from 1953 with Patrick McVey. It is episode 80 of the production run.
The people at the Illustrated Press are feeling great. They just helped the Police bust up a baby farm racket. Paper editor, Patrick McVey and his girl Friday, Jane Nigh, are about to call it a night when they get a call. It seems that there might be another side to the baby game.
John Doucette and his wife, Joan Miller, had adopted a little girl and are now in a spot of trouble. They are being bothered by a woman claiming to be the child's real mother. The woman, Adrienne Marden, says that for several thousand in cash, she will give up any claim on the child.
Doucette contacts McVey and tells him his story. McVey tells the man to call the Police. Doucette tells McVey that he had lied on the adoption papers. He is really an ex-con. He is frightened that the State might void the adoption because of his record. Doucette has turned his life around in the years since his release. He is married, has his own TV repair shop and has become a good citizen. Unable to have children themselves, Miller and Doucette had adopted.
McVey's assistant, Jane Nigh, convinces him to look into the matter. McVey checks up on the birth mother and discovers that Marden is not the actual mother. She had "acquired" the records of the adoption agency and is pulling a scam on the people on the list. She hits them up with the mother wants the child back, or some cash instead line. Most couples pay off. It is a sweet little racket for Marden.
McVey ponies up some cash himself as bait, and calls Marden. As soon as Marden takes the cash, the Police are called. Blackmail is not taken lightly by the boys in blue. Marden is going away for an extended vacation on the State's nickel.
The series was based on the long running radio series of the same name. The radio program ran from 1937 to 1952. There were also several low budget films made in the 40's like, BIG TOWN, BIG TOWN AFTER DARK and BIG TOWN SCANDAL based on the same source.
(B/W)