Mary Stevens MD (Warner Bros.) (1933)

DBAMA TICKET SELLING 10 MINUTE RADIO SKETCH FROM “MARY STEVENS, M. D.” This sketch, taken from bits of the thrilling drama of the great Kay Francis picture, may be used with the assurance that it will arouse wide fan interest. SIX CHARACTERS MARY STEVENS, M. D. A professional in medicine but a novice in love. DON ANDREWS, M.D. Her partner in business and love; father of her baby. GLENDA. Mary Stevens’ hard-boiled and humorous pal, a nurse. RISING. Big shot in the political world; Don’s temporary father-in-law. VOICE: Page in the mountain resort where Mary and Don renew their love. VOICE. Sailor as _ plane nears ship on which Mary Stevens returns. Routine Station Announcement followed by ANNOUNCER: It is our privilege, ladies and gentlemen, to entertain you with flashes of the exciting action of “Mary Stevens, M.D.,” the Warner’ Bros. production which COMES” FOCHNE Son cgiccsse cin. Theatre next with the glamoro.s Kaj@rran cis in the title role. | For the first time teamed with Miss Francis is Lyle Talbot, the handsome and engaging young man whose work on the screen is so favorably commented on by critics and fans. Then there is the hard-boiled and amusing Glenda Farrell, Thelma Todd, Una O’Connor, George Cooper, Charles Wilson and Sidney Miller. Lloyd Bacon directed. Mr. (Name of theatre manager or his representative) will now give you a brief summary of the story. NARRATOR: Thank you (Name of Announcer). The office of the ‘lady doctor,’ Mary Stevens, is in a poor district of the big city. The miserable crowd its narrow confines. Her fame among them increases daily. With her is Glenda, her hardboiled but good-hearted nurse—and in an adjoining office is Dr. Don Andrews—who has been Mary Stevens’ pal from their childhood. Young Andrews, has the ability and personality to make himself a success but for reasons which will be made clear in the following sketch, he does not. Mary Stevens is treating her last patient for the day in her private office—while in the anteroom Glenda, the nurse, yawns and fidgets to be on her way home. Doc. Andrews Swaggers in, flings himself in a chair, saying casually: DON: Hello, Glenda. Is Mary... busy? GLENDA: (Kiddingly) Have you an appointment? DON: That’s what I want to find out. GLENDA: Oh, I see. DON: I don’t suppose you .. professional ladies . . for sentiment... much... GLENDA: Ya don’t, huh? Might fool “ya. a5: DON: Speaking of sentiment... do you know this day’s a sort of anniversary. . GLENDA: Yeah? What? DON: Guess. GLENDA: Lemme see . . . Not Lincoln’s Birthday? No? Not Washington’s? Not Alligator Pear Week? Not Own-Your-Own-Home Week? DON: Nope. Yow’re still cold. ’l tell you what it is. It’s just ten months today since Mary and I hung out our shingles as doctors. er go in GLENDA: (Flippantly) Two months more and the furniture’ll be paid for. DON: Not sorry you came here with us, are you, gal? GLENDA: With Mary? And YOU? Don’t be sill. After all, I might just as well be here with you folks, as back in the hospital, saying ‘NO’ to a flock of internes. Oh, here she comes. Look, Mary ... what the cat brought in.... DON: Howdy, Doe. MARY: Hello, Don. Have a busy ayivien. DON: Nothing much. Five patients I guess it was. Oh, by the way, Mary, do you mind if I bust our dinner date, for tonight? MARY: (Calmly, with shade of disappointment in her voice). Why? What’s Happened? DON: Walter Rising’s daughter just invited me to dinner again. You know Rising... the big politician. AnGeeliek teal. acre cle am. OD scects I thought it might maybe be... smart ... to accept, see. MARY: (Quietly) I understand. DON: Of course you do. MARY: You and I can eat at home, then, Glenda, can’t we. What do you say? GLENDA: Sure thing. wield 2 wicked can opener. IT sure do And | boy oh, boy.......V’m.on.my way right now .. . believe me. So long, you two. Be good... (Off) Bye bye. (Door slams). DON: You don’t feel hurt or anything, Mary ... about that Rising girl ee ONL OW eee MARY: Not if it makes you happy. But it doesn’t seem to, does it? What is it, honey? What’s got you so down. .. .? DON: Down? Oh, I don’t know... a lot of things. Our punk little offices here. This punk neighborhood of greasy, shabby slobs of patients . and darn few of them. Few, as far as I’m concerned, anyway. I guess I’m getting sick of it... that’s all. ... MARY: Listen, Don. DON: I’m listening. MARY: We’ve been buddies since we were kids, haven’t we? DON: Sure have. MARY: Went through the grades, college and medical school together . and so... Why don’t you come straight out with it, Don. . . and tell me what you’re trying so terribly hard NOT to tell me? DON: I suppose I could... get out of this... even yet... if I MARY: The Lois Rising affair, you mean? DON: Yes. But her old man’s the political big shot of this town, you know that, Mary. He could finagle me a swell job on the City Medical Board. And Lois is his only child. She can wind him around her little finger. No telling how far I could Ou aeositaelkee. te MARY: If you were his son-inlaw. DON: Well.... MARY: There are different ways of looking at things. Some people believe in working for a career... some people in... Marrying one... DON: Oh, it isn’t that I’d just marry Lois, fora career, Mary. She’s a swell girl. She’s feminine. . . and osott.-.-. sand ... ; well’; .. em crazy about her... if you understand what I mean... I’m crazy about her... .. MARY: (Quietly, but with trace of a tremble in her voice). Of course, Don ... of course I... understand. ... The (Music, one of the modern ‘blues’ numbers). NARRATOR: Don marries Lois Rising, gets his appointment as surgeon in the Compensation Depart ment, takes graft, drinks, drives big cars, and in many ways exasperates Mary Stevens, whom he has taken with him into the City employ. We’ll let you listen in. MARY: Don, you chump, you’re simply throwing away a career! Don’t you know that? DON: Who wants a career? The less attention I pay to my job... the more money I make... . MARY: Im not talking about money ... I’m talking about you . your self-respect, your professional standing. You’re at the head of the most important medical department in the country... even if it is run by a lot of dirty politicians. You were getting somewhere, and NOW you toss it all away on liquor and women. I’m disgusted with VOU, sce MARY: (Indignantly) You’re riding high now because your father-in-law’s party is on top... but when another party takes over the town .. then what’ll you have... DON: About half a million smackers tucked away in my safe deposit vault, | MARY: If that’s all you’re inter |ested_in, I’m getting o 2 changed so, that I hardly know you. You, a doctor... I'll tell! you what you are: youre a cheap, politician! I’m through with you. Good bye!... (Music and voice of Narrator). NARRATOR: Mary goes back to her work among the poor. Time passes swiftly ... but her heart is heavy, for she cannot forget Don... the one great love of her life. She and Glenda are in their office after a long day. Glenda is speaking: Six weeks later. GLENDA: Well, I see by the morning tab that Father-in-Law Rising has gone up to the Capitol . and poor old Don is to be made Chief Surgeon, or something, of the State. D’ye know, Mary, I’m scared that ex-boy friend of yours is going up too fast. lLet’s hope he don’t come down the same way ... What are you going to do with that serapbook when you get it filled.... MARY: I don’t know. It’s. . sort of interesting to follow a person’s... progress... through newspaper clippings. GLENDA: Yeah? Maybe so. ll still take parchesi. Heavens, girl ... you look as if you’re going into a faint. . . How long do you think you’re going to keep this up? MARY: This? GLENDA: I mean working at the clinic all morning ... the office all afternoon ... and the hospital half the night. All day, every day... work ... work... work. You’re somebody now... you're what you wanted to be. Why don’t you start thinking of Number One for a change? MARY: (Wearily) I guess... Number One’s all I think about... GLENDA: You poor kid... you’re worked out. ... MARY: (Her voice breaking) It Sb JUS GAG coca cte rs Men ens GLENDA: I know, honey, I know ... it’s Don... I’ve always known. The nitwit. One of these days he’ll eome to his senses ... you see if he doesn’t. ... MARY: I can’t stand it any longer. JI miss him more than I did a year ago..: ’m... Vm GOING TO CATT SE Me ti Pao... GLENDA: (Sharply) Say, if you do, girl, Yl break this phone right over your head. Gosh, Mary, don’t weaken now. Haven’t you got any pride at all? MARY: I guess not... concerned. ... GLENDA: Listen, Mary. You’re going to close up this office right now, this minute ... and go somewhere for a rest . .. before you start playing with blocks. ... NARRATOR: Mary Stevens takes Glenda’s advice and goes to a place in the mountains and there, much to her amazement, she meets Don . . who for some unexplained reason has left the city in great haste. Mary tries to conceal her love for him .. . and insists that she is leaving the next day. They have dinner together, dance and as the music fades go out in the moonlight. DON: You're absolutely beautiful, Matyian ci MARY: Patou gown. 1 eae DON: I have. I’ve been blind... but I’m not any more. Yow’re not going tomorrow ... I won’t let you ... Pm wild about you... always have been since we... MARY: Don’t . . . don’t touch me. I’m trying to be sane... rational. The whole thing is hopeless. I’ve done nothing but think about you... want you... for so long . . I left, town because I ‘an’t control my desire to see ... be near you... then the when he’s It’s the music and this I haven’t changed at you first person I run into here is you... DON: But darling, It’s not hope less. I’ve always loved you...I just realize it now... MARY: Now. That’s fine... that’s lovely ... after you’re married. DON: That’s all over. Lois and I flon’t care anything for each other has every legal and human right to you. Ihave none. I’m getting away from here before I do something that both of us will regret. ... DON: Mary, I love you... you give me a chance to.... Voice of page boy, off, calling) VOICE: Calling Dr. Andrews... Calling Dr. Andrews... . DON: Here I am, son... . VOICE OF BOY: You’re wanted on the long distance, sir. ... MARY: What can it be... . DON: Rising’s in trouble with the Grand Jury.... MARY: And you.. .? DON: Come with me to my room. (Music) NARRATOR: Though the Grand Jury returns an indictment against Don, Rising has it quashed ... but when Don explained to Rising that he wishes to get a divorce the big shot refuses to sanction it for political reasons. . . . Rising is speaking: RISING: Quit? No you don’t, Andrews. Only yesterday we were lucky enough to quash an indictment against you... and I ain’t going to let you quit now... You want to tell the world you’re guilty. You want the whole party in a jam over you again. ... No, my boy, you ain’t walking out on us for a while. . DON: How long before you'll accept my resignation... . RISING: If you feel the same way about it in a couple of months... and the thing has blowed over. . we might listen to you.... DON: Suppose I defy you... and publicly resign today? RISING: The minute you do that, you make your debut in Sing Sing. DON: A threat, huh? RISING: No, a promise ... and you can have it in writing... . won't parts can be played by members of a local dramatic society, artists at the station, or persons on your staff. You will, of course, see to it, that the time used on the radio does not conflict with your theatre hours. (Changed tone, sarcastically) Have a smoke? (Music) NARRATOR: Things go on as usual as the lovers wait until Andrews can get his divorcee. Mary and Glenda are in their office. Mary is elated, having just talked to Don over the phone. As she smiles happily Glenda, says, over her shoulder: GLENDA: That’s the first time the boy friend has come up for air in a long time, isn’t it? MARY: You're telling me! Six whole weeks—forty-two days—over a thousand hours... and I’ve counted every one of ’em. Would you like a little inside information? GLENDA: I'll rub if\in my hair. Spill it. MARY: Well, you know that Don and I agreed not to see each other until he was free. He wasn’t even to phone me. GLENDA: Yes, yes. Go on. MARY: He’s coming to dinner tonight. GLENDA: So, my dear Watson, we deduce that he’s lost the balland-chain. MARY: Something like that. He wouldn’t tell me over the phone— but I am pretty sure everything’s set for us to get married. GLENDA: Gee, Mary. swell. MARY: NOW! Get a good grip on that desk. Plant your feet firmly 1. and pespare for the shock —~ of your life. GLENDA: What? MARY: I’m going to have a baby. GLENDA: Would you mind saying that again... slowly ... in words of one syllable. . MARY: It’s a pleasure. I said ’m going to have a baby. GLENDA: I think I’ll sit down before I fall down. MARY: Why all the astonishment? I didn’t invent the idea. Women have been becoming mothers for quite a long while. GLENDA: But listen, darling, there’ll be a terrible scandal... . MARY: What scandal? I'll go to Europe. Have my baby. And simply come back with an adopted ehild.-.).. .. GLENDA: You’ve got me talking to myself. ... NARRATOR: Mary Stevens goes abroad ... and in due time boards a liner to return to this country with her baby. One day sickness develops in the steerage. Two children are stricken, and, Mary is called into service. She finds that it will be necessary to have the special serum for the small patients. New York is called from the ship and the serum is at once forwarded by plane. In the midst of the wild excitement Mary Stevens’ own baby is attacked by the scourge. Mary, her child in her arms, is rocking back and forth in agony. Glenda and the ship’s nurse are by her, the parents of the other children hovering over their little ones. Mary is speaking: MARY: Will the plane never get here? Oh, God, don’t let him die... . What good is all my work... all my study? For years I’ve been saving other people’s children .. . now my own baby. ... (Sound of nearing plane) VOICE: Here comes the plane with the serum... (off). Hey, throw me a line MARY: Oh, hurry ... hurry.... (Nearing sound of plane) : NARRATOR: What happens to Mary Stevens ... to the children That’s to Don! What has fate in store for them all... will be revealed at the Strand... . next, when the most brilliant:«of alt the characterizations of Kay Francis is offered in “Mary Stevens, M.D.” Till then, ladies and gentlemen, good bye and good luck. Page Nineteen