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Inner Sanctum Mystery, also known as Inner Sanctum, is a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941, to October 5, 1952.
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00:01Lipton Tea and Lipton Soup present Inner Sanctum Mysteries, starring Boris Karloff.
00:25Good evening, friends of the Inner Sanctum.
00:28This is your host.
00:30Welcome again through the squeaking door to another session of mystery, murder, and madness.
00:37Oh, excuse me if I don't get up, but I'm all worn out.
00:41Yes, I've had a hectic few days with an old friend who just blew into town.
00:46He's one of those earnest souls who insists on doing everything for himself.
00:51Consultations with the monument makers, the grave diggers, fittings of the coffin makers,
00:58Yeah, it's quite a busy body.
01:02But then we only die once, you know.
01:06Our story is called The Corridor of Doom.
01:10And our star tonight is a man who gives even me the shakes.
01:15The famous star of stage, screen, and radio, Boris Karloff.
01:20Have you thought about death lately?
01:25Not the fact that it's inevitable, that it must come to all of us someday,
01:30but rather how it will come.
01:33Do you think of it as a sleep and a waking?
01:36Of a sudden transition from one state of being to another?
01:40Or to a state of non-being?
01:43John Clay was one of those people who never thought about it at all.
01:47Until he found himself walking down that dim and endless passage which...
01:53But suppose we let Boris Karloff and the role of John Clay tell you about it himself.
01:58If your blood pressure will take it,
02:01put out the lights and come on a little trip down the corridor of doom.
02:06When I woke up, I had no idea of where I was or how I'd gotten there.
02:16I was lying on a hard white bed in a clean white room.
02:23There was a dull pain in my abdomen.
02:26Touching it tentatively, I felt a bandage.
02:30So that was it.
02:32An operation.
02:33But for what?
02:34And where was I?
02:37At that moment, the door opened.
02:40And she came in.
02:44Good afternoon.
02:46Or is it evening?
02:48Whichever you prefer.
02:50It doesn't matter.
02:51My name's Clay.
02:53John Clay.
02:55Yes.
02:55And yours?
02:57You can call me Nader.
02:59Exactly.
03:00Where am I?
03:02In what hospital?
03:03It has no name.
03:05What?
03:06That's ridiculous.
03:08I'd like to speak to Dr. Rogers.
03:10If you'll get him for me, please.
03:12There is no Dr. Rogers.
03:15At least, not here.
03:17Then who operated on me?
03:19And for what?
03:21Listen, I'm not a well man.
03:24I've a very bad heart.
03:26Will you get someone who can talk to me?
03:28If you wish.
03:31I'll call Dr. Stone.
03:37A chill crept through my bones.
03:41It wasn't cold.
03:43It was fear.
03:45Unreasoning and abysmal fear.
03:48The door opened again.
03:51And there stood a heavyset man, his hair flecked with grey.
03:54And with him, my son-in-law, Alex Barclay.
03:58Alex, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you.
04:02Hello, Father.
04:03But why are you standing out there?
04:05Why don't you come in?
04:06Oh, no.
04:06No, I shouldn't advise it, Mr. Clay.
04:08And why not?
04:09And why...
04:11Oh, is it you who operated on me?
04:13Yes.
04:14I'm Dr. Stone.
04:16Why wasn't Dr. Rogers called in?
04:18He's taken care of me for years.
04:19There wasn't time.
04:21It happened during the night.
04:24Acute appendicitis.
04:26And even as it was...
04:28Even as it was?
04:29What?
04:31And why are you dressed that way, Alex?
04:33All in black?
04:34Well, it's customary.
04:37After all, you are my father-in-law.
04:40Of course I am, but...
04:42Now, look, Alex.
04:44You've got to stop being so mysterious.
04:46You know about my heart, what any sudden shock will do.
04:50I don't think you need to worry about that anymore, Mr. Clay.
04:53And as far as the mystery is concerned,
04:56this initial period of adjustment is always a little difficult.
05:00Difficult?
05:01Do you realize what it's like lying here helpless,
05:04completely isolated as if I were all alone in the world?
05:07Or...
05:08Isn't there someone I can talk to?
05:11Some of the other patients?
05:12Yes, not just yet.
05:14When the time comes, you will meet them.
05:18But...
05:19Look, Doctor.
05:20I can't stand much more of this.
05:22I can't.
05:23If I don't find someone who really cares about me,
05:26who'll treat me like a normal human being...
05:28My dog.
05:30How about my dog?
05:32What do you think, Doctor?
05:33Yes, that's possible.
05:35Well, we'll see what we can do, Mr. Clay.
05:38Come along, Barker.
05:40Goodbye, Father.
05:41You...
05:41You'll be back, won't you, Alec?
05:43I don't know.
05:46I'll try, but it's difficult.
05:49Very difficult.
05:50Then...
05:51Then don't go, Alec.
05:52Don't leave me here all alone.
05:54Come back.
05:55Come back!
05:55Come back!
05:56I waited and watched.
06:05Watched and waited.
06:08Then the door opened and there was the doctor again.
06:11There was a small, thin-faced man with him this time,
06:15wearing the white coat of an orderly
06:17and carrying a black box with a handful.
06:20My dog!
06:21You brought my dog!
06:23All right, Martin.
06:24Give it to him.
06:25Yes, sir.
06:25In your seat.
06:26Oh, thank heaven.
06:27Now, at least.
06:28Come on, Kerry.
06:29Come on, boy.
06:30Get up.
06:30Wake up.
06:32Why, what's the matter?
06:34Kerry!
06:36He...
06:37He's not asleep.
06:40He's dead.
06:41You wanted him, Mr. Clay.
06:44But...
06:45But why didn't you tell me?
06:47When did he die?
06:49And how?
06:50How old was he?
06:51Eleven and a half.
06:54Maybe twelve.
06:56Pretty old for a dog.
06:59That's probably why he could come.
07:02What do you mean?
07:03What are you trying to do to me?
07:05Don't you realize?
07:05I'm a sick man.
07:06Easy, easy, Mr. Clay.
07:07I won't take it easy.
07:08I won't stay here another minute.
07:10I'm leaving right now.
07:11Sorry, but I don't think we can permit that.
07:12Oh, well, we'll see about that.
07:14You're getting yourself all upset for no reason, Mr. Clay.
07:16Making it very difficult for the rest of us.
07:18Martin, you'd better let me have some of that bottle there.
07:23About ten cc's.
07:24The red medicine?
07:27Yes.
07:28I...
07:28I don't want any medicine.
07:30I won't take it.
07:31Now, please, Mr. Clay.
07:32I won't, I tell you.
07:33No, I don't want the...
07:35I...
07:36It's...
07:38Oh, it's awful.
07:40Salty.
07:42It...
07:42It tastes like...
07:44Yes.
07:44But I think you'll find that it will make things much easier for you.
07:48Very much easier.
07:50Yeah.
07:50You're doping me up.
07:52That's what you're doing.
07:55Putting me to sleep.
07:57No.
07:58You think that when I wake up, I'll forget about everything.
08:05Yes, Mr. Clay.
08:07You'll forget about everything.
08:11Everything.
08:11Everything.
08:14I was somewhere deep down under the earth.
08:24It was a passageway, stone-flagged and with stone walls, and I was walking slowly down it
08:30in my bare feet.
08:32I could feel the chill of the cold stones through the thick layer of dust.
08:38The passageway stretched ahead of me endlessly.
08:41And suddenly, I noticed that there were doors set into the walls on either side.
08:49Closed doors.
08:51And on each door there was a name.
08:54Abel.
08:55Abercrombie.
08:57Abington.
08:59Where was I?
09:01What was this place?
09:02What was behind those awful, homilessly closed doors?
09:09Something seemed to be drawing me on.
09:12On down the terrible passageway.
09:16Addison.
09:17Aga.
09:18Alan.
09:18I could feel the cold creeping up my legs higher and higher, my heart pounding faster and
09:26faster.
09:27And suddenly, I knew.
09:30Knew where I was and where I was going.
09:33Knew what was waiting for me there ahead of me down the passage.
09:37In the room, inserting all my will, I turned, tried to go back.
09:40For the world in my ears, I was falling through the darkness.
09:44Oh, oh.
09:52When I opened my eyes, I was in that cold, white room again, clutching the blankets with
09:58trembling hands.
10:00How do you feel now, Mr. Clay?
10:02You cried out, sir, as if I dream the most awful, horrible nightmare I ever had.
10:08A dream?
10:10The doctor will be very interested.
10:12Would you care to tell me all about it?
10:14Oh, I don't even want to think about it.
10:16It was about your former life.
10:20Former life?
10:21Oh, I'm sorry.
10:21I shouldn't have said that.
10:22I meant...
10:23Here, where are you going?
10:24Get my clothes to get out of here.
10:25I won't stay here for another minute.
10:26But you can't go.
10:27You can't.
10:27Martin, help me.
10:28Oh, let me.
10:29Oh, don't you realize that if I do stay here, if I dream that dream again...
10:34Listen.
10:35Well, I was in a passageway, an endless, eternal passageway like a corridor of doom.
10:42It stretched on and on to infinity with doors, closed doors on either side.
10:47And on each one of the doors in alphabetical order, there was a name.
10:51The name of all those who had died since the beginning of time.
10:55I was walking down that corridor on my bare feet and...
10:59Why?
11:01Why are you looking at me that way?
11:03You mustn't talk about that.
11:05You mustn't, do you hear?
11:06But you asked me.
11:07You didn't dream that dream.
11:08You couldn't have.
11:09And you've got to get it out of your mind.
11:11We'll help you.
11:12We'll give you a massage.
11:13That should make you relax.
11:14The alcohol, Martin, right over there.
11:16A massage?
11:17You think that'll help?
11:18If it doesn't, we'll call Dr. Stone.
11:20Try something.
11:21Yep.
11:23Martin.
11:24I see.
11:25Now what?
11:26What are you staring at?
11:28Your feet.
11:32And the soles.
11:35Dust.
11:36Thick, gray dust.
11:39Dust.
11:42Like the dust in the passage.
11:45The corridor of doom.
11:47And that means...
11:49It wasn't a dream.
11:51It means...
11:52I wasn't really there.
11:58Dirty feet on those nice, clean sheets.
12:09No wonder our friend the nurse seemed so upset.
12:12Or was that the reason?
12:14Maybe she was just disappointed that he still hadn't told her about his operation.
12:19That always has them in stitches.
12:21Great big stitches.
12:24Like the ones they take in a shroud.
12:28Well...
12:29Now I think it's about time to take another little walk.
12:33Yes, down the corridor of doom.
12:36With our star, Boris Karloff.
12:39And by the way...
12:40Don't be concerned about getting too tired...
12:43Because you'll only have to walk one way.
12:46That's the nice part of a trip like that.
12:48You don't have to worry about coming back.
12:50He he he he.
12:54I lay there, staring down at my feet.
12:59No, it had not been a dream.
13:01But there on my feet...
13:04Was the thick, heavy dust from the corridor of doom.
13:07I had been there.
13:09Walking down its awful silence.
13:10Not in my mind...
13:12But in the flesh.
13:15My heart clenched like an icy fist...
13:17That I threw the blankets aside...
13:19Started to get up.
13:20Mr. Clay, what are you doing?
13:21Where are you going?
13:21Let me go.
13:22But you can't get up.
13:23You can't leave.
13:23Oh, let me go.
13:24Quick, help me.
13:25Please, Mr. Clay.
13:26Oh, for heaven's sake, let me go.
13:27Don't you realize what this means?
13:29If it wasn't a dream...
13:31And if I stay here...
13:32Go down to that horrible place again...
13:33We've got to make him quiet down.
13:35Some more of that medicine, Martin.
13:36Another 10 C.C.
13:37Right on.
13:37Oh, no, no more of that.
13:38It's here, Mr. Clay.
13:39You must take it.
13:40You must.
13:41It will make you sleep.
13:43Sleep so soundly...
13:44That you won't be able to go down there again.
13:46No, no, no.
13:48All right.
13:50Give it to me.
13:52Here.
13:54You stay here, Martin.
13:57I'll go get Dr. Stone and tell him.
13:59Better, Mr. Clay.
14:04I don't know.
14:06The color.
14:08The dark red.
14:09The taste.
14:11It's like...
14:12Yes, I know.
14:13And it makes me sleepy.
14:16My eyes get heavy and...
14:19Have you been here for a long time, Martin?
14:23No, that long.
14:24What...
14:25What is it like...
14:27Outside of this room?
14:32It's...
14:32Strange.
14:34Like no place else.
14:36And the other patients.
14:37What are they like?
14:39They're strange, too.
14:41Listen, Martin.
14:42I'm a rich man.
14:44You're the only friend I've got here.
14:45You...
14:45You've got to help me.
14:47Whether you're rich or poor doesn't matter.
14:48As for helping you, that's what I'm here for.
14:50You've got to stay here.
14:52Watch me.
14:54Every minute.
14:56My heart.
14:58I don't think it'll stand much more.
15:02My first sensation was one of cold.
15:12Numbing cold.
15:14Creeping up my limbs.
15:16I reached for the blankets.
15:18Couldn't find them.
15:19And I opened my eyes.
15:21And I was there again.
15:22Back there in that awful endless passage.
15:25That corridor of doom.
15:27The same stone wall.
15:29Stone floor.
15:30Covered with a thick layer of dust.
15:32The same doors for the name on each one.
15:35On both sides of me.
15:36But now...
15:37Now I was up to the bees.
15:40That one there.
15:41Barber.
15:41Next with Babbitt.
15:42And then Bacca.
15:43I tried to cry out.
15:44But I couldn't utter a sound.
15:46I tried to stop.
15:47Check myself.
15:49My muscles didn't respond.
15:52Slowly.
15:53Heavily.
15:54I continued walking on.
15:56Down that endless passage.
15:59Past Madger.
16:00The Baffin Bagley.
16:02Past the bees.
16:04And towards the seas.
16:06Towards a door.
16:08With my name on it.
16:11My heart pulsed.
16:13Pounding of terror.
16:14My breath rasked in my throat.
16:16Compulsively.
16:17I thrashed at the wall.
16:19Forced myself completely around.
16:22Then.
16:23As if I was fighting against a roaring gale.
16:26I drove myself back.
16:29One step I took.
16:31Two.
16:32Three.
16:33And I stumbled.
16:35I was falling again.
16:37Falling through darkness.
16:39Complete.
16:40Absolute.
16:41Unending.
16:41Even before I opened my eyes.
16:52I knew where I was.
16:54Back in my room.
16:55The sheets crumpled in my sweating hands.
16:58I lay there for a moment.
17:04I knew that this was my last chance.
17:08Slipped out of bed.
17:09Dipped over to the door of the room.
17:11Opened at a crack.
17:12And peered out a hospital corridor.
17:15And sitting at a desk.
17:16Halfway down at the nurse.
17:19Could I slip past her?
17:21Then at a table next to the door.
17:23I saw the telephone.
17:24A telephone.
17:27How I could get help.
17:28It's someone who would save me.
17:30Take me out of this place.
17:32Begin it up quietly.
17:33I dialed my daughter's number.
17:35Alec Bartlett's wife.
17:42Hello?
17:43Jane.
17:43Oh, thank goodness.
17:45Hello?
17:45Jane, it's your father.
17:47Listen, you've got to help me.
17:48You've got to come and get me.
17:49I'm at the hospital.
17:50Alec, here is where I am.
17:51Hello, is anyone there?
17:52Yes, can't you hear me?
17:53Didn't you hear what I said?
17:54It's your father.
17:55Jane, Jane.
17:58I'm up.
17:59I heard her, but she couldn't hear me.
18:02Something wrong with the phone.
18:04Her phone.
18:05I've got to get hold of somebody.
18:07Somebody but who?
18:08Dr. Rogers?
18:10Oh, might be out.
18:11And if they come in while I'm phoning.
18:13Oh, I know, of course.
18:23Oh, police headquarters.
18:25Ryan speaking.
18:26Hello, police.
18:27This is John Clay of Riverside Road.
18:29I'm at the hospital.
18:29I don't know where.
18:30Hello?
18:31Can't you hear me, officer?
18:32For heaven's sake, listen.
18:33It's a matter of life and death.
18:34John Clay at a hospital.
18:36My son-in-law, Alec Bartlett, can tell you where.
18:38Hello?
18:38Officer, officer, listen.
18:39Don't hang up.
18:40Don't.
18:40Oh, nuts.
18:41Officer, officer.
18:42Hello?
18:42Hello?
18:42Hello?
18:42Anything the matter, Mr. Clay?
18:49Dr. Stone, your telephone, there's something wrong with it.
18:56No, Mr. Clay, there's nothing wrong.
19:00Not with the telephone.
19:00But I tried to make two calls.
19:03Two different numbers and...
19:05I know.
19:07And you should have known.
19:09Nurse, you should have known what?
19:11Why couldn't they hear me when I could hear them?
19:13Why?
19:14Yes, Dr. Stone?
19:15Will you put Mr. Clay back into bed?
19:17I'm awfully sorry, sir.
19:18I only went out for a minute.
19:19Come on, Mr. Clay.
19:20No, no.
19:20Leave me alone.
19:21Please let go.
19:22No, no.
19:22You're struggling.
19:23You know that, don't you?
19:25Yes.
19:26I know.
19:29Doctor, I won't have to go back down there again, will I?
19:35Down to the collie door?
19:37That's not up to me.
19:39All right, nurse.
19:40I think we're ready for another dose.
19:42The final one.
19:43Yes, doctor.
19:44No, doctor.
19:46No.
19:46Not that red medicine.
19:48Not again.
19:49I'm sorry, but you've had a lot of time.
19:50All the time we can give you.
19:52All right, Mr. Clay.
19:53No, I won't take it.
19:54You know what it means, doctor.
19:57I'll go back down there again to the corridor.
20:00It'll be to the letter C.
20:02To the place where my name is.
20:05If he won't take it by himself, perhaps you'd better help her, Martin.
20:08Yes, sir.
20:08No, no, no.
20:09I won't.
20:10I won't.
20:10I won't.
20:16Again, I knew where I was before I opened my eyes.
20:20I could feel the dust under my bare feet and through the dust, the biting chill of the
20:26cold stones.
20:27I was there, back in the corridor, walking down its silent length past the blank, closed
20:33doors.
20:35But the names on the doors, now they were all C's.
20:38Cabot, Caden, Cajon.
20:41On I walked, the beating of my heart, the pounding of my pulse loud in my ears.
20:46On down the passage, no longer even trying to fight against what I knew was eventing.
20:51Suddenly, on past Cameron, Chelsea, Chiswick, and then, suddenly, terribly, one door.
21:01A door with my name on it, gaping, waiting for me.
21:05I tried to stop to turn, but my legs carried me forward.
21:09I was but two doors away.
21:11I could see into it now.
21:12See that it contained nothing.
21:15Absolutely nothing, not even a coffin, just stone walls and a flat stone stab.
21:23I was turning, turning to step over the threshold.
21:28I made a last, a massive effort.
21:31Most of your heaven, help me!
21:33Save me!
21:41All right, Martin.
21:42Pick him up.
21:43Yes, sir.
21:43Is it all over?
21:46Hello, Bartlett.
21:47In at the death, eh?
21:49I don't see if there's any pulse, of course, but I should think it is all over.
21:53It is stone, but not the way you think.
21:56Clay!
21:57He's not dead.
21:58No, thanks to you.
21:59All right, get him up, both of you.
22:00Here, Mr. Clay, let me help you.
22:01It's all right, Martin.
22:02I'll be fine from now on.
22:04But how...
22:05Don't look so surprised, Alec.
22:07Mr. Martin is a detective.
22:08I hired him some time ago.
22:10You see, I had a feeling that something was wrong when that railing broke accidentally and I took that bad fall.
22:19So I decided I should investigate.
22:22You can't prove it.
22:23You can't prove anything.
22:24The first results of Martin's investigation showed me what bad financial shape you were in.
22:30And it was then that I realized that you had actually been trying to murder me to get hold of my money.
22:35So I faked that story of having a very bad heart.
22:39You mean that I thought it would give you the idea of trying something more subtle and less dangerous.
22:46And it certainly did.
22:47But you still can't prove anything.
22:49Not a thing.
22:49No, don't you worry about that.
22:51Don't forget.
22:52Come back here, Bartlett.
22:52You'll never have a chance to prove it.
22:54Come back, Bartlett.
22:55You shot him.
22:56Killed him.
22:57Well, I couldn't have.
22:58I fired up in the air to get him to stop.
23:00Come on.
23:01I don't understand.
23:05There's got a mark on him.
23:07But he is dead.
23:10He was the one who had the bad heart.
23:13That's what gave me the idea of Pritchett.
23:16Good heavens, look.
23:18At what?
23:19This hallway was supposed to be the corridor of doom.
23:24When I reached the door with my name on it, I was supposed to die.
23:27Look.
23:28Look at the name on that door there.
23:31The one right next to him.
23:35Bartlett.
23:36His name.
23:39So what?
23:41Nothing, Martin.
23:43Nothing at all.
23:44Now, where do you think old Dr. Stone got the idea for that little alphabetical graveyard?
24:10That's right.
24:11For me.
24:12Huh?
24:12You don't believe me?
24:14Then come on home with me tonight and I'll show you the one in the cellar of my house.
24:19What's more, I'll show you a door and a neat stone slab with your name on it.
24:26And now a word of advice.
24:35If you should wake up tonight with a sudden chill, find yourself walking barefoot down a dusty stone corridor with doors on both sides of it, don't get excited.
24:46Just insist on a doom with a view.
24:48Next week's story is about women.
24:55There's two women who like to be treated rough, choke them to death, shoot them, murder them.
25:03They'll love you for it.
25:05And who do you think is going to be their boyfriend?
25:08Hmm?
25:08Yeah, that's right.
25:11Boris Karloff.
25:13Boris Karloff will be with us again next week because who else could love such women?
25:20So, if you're in a tender mood, tune in next Tuesday.
25:24Until then, good night.
25:27Pleasant dreams.
25:29Hmm?
25:31Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh.
25:33Hmm?
25:42Hmm?
25:43Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:43Ha, ha, ha.
25:43Ha, ha, ha.
25:43Ha, ha, ha.
25:44Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:44Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:45Ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:46Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:47Ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:48Ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:49Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
25:49Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
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25:55ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
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