Monday, August 9, 2021

LIGHTS OUT / :The Upstairs Floor" - 1952

Here's a sad tale from this creepy series, it stars Josephine Hull as Mrs. Hawkins and a young John Forsythe as Bill Holloway. Josephine Hull, with only 14 acting credits, well, she was the 34th actress to win an Academy Award, as best supporting actor in the movie HARVEY in 1951. John is probably best known for BACHELOR FATHER airing from 1957-62, and is in two other LIGHTS OUT episodes.

In this story (written by Lucille Fletcher, so, it has a woman's touch) a man rents the same upstairs apartment where him and his late wife lived. He claims that he has remarried and that his new wife will be moving in with him, the elderly landlady half-heartedly agrees and that's when things start getting a little weird...

Here's one for Eegah!! He'll know what I'm selling.

A few months after his wife died and he moved out, Bill Holloway shows up and wants to rent the room again!

He tells Mrs. Hawkins that he has remarried and wants to rent the room again. She thinks it's a bad idea but he has the money, so, she agrees.

Mrs. Hawkins visits Bill in his room, he's furnished it with the same items that him and his wife had when they lived there. When the landlady asks him the name of his new wife, he says... Josephine.

Mrs. Hawkins starts freaking out... Hmmm, now let's see... Oh yeah, Josephine was the name of his dead wife!

After weeks, Mrs. Hawkins has not seen Bill's new wife, in fact, she has not even heard one sound coming from the upstairs floor. The landlady calls to the wife after Bill has left, but still, no response.

She confronts Bill about his wife and he tells her that his wife isn't feeling well and she should not bother her.

Mrs. Watkins calls the plumber and makes up an excuse so that he can snoop around for her. Love those old telephones, what a contraption!

Bill is upset about the plumber and accuses Mrs. Watkins of spying on him. She says... You and your wife have to leave... Tonight!

Then, Bill tells Mrs. Watkins that Josephine wants to meet her, come on up and have some tea with her...

But, Mrs. Watkins still can't see anyone! Bill keeps talking about his wife being there and the landlady is getting creeped out about the whole thing.

She wants to leave but Bill gets animated after she tells him that he's insane, there's no wife there. She even tells him, I have to go, I have a pie in the oven!! But the door's locked.

Stuck in the room, she goes over to the window and sees a horrifying sight in the yard.

Bill has dug up his wife and put her in the yard. He hangs his head and tells Mrs. Watkins, crying... She died and they took her away... Poor Bill.

1 comment:

Robert M. Lindsey said...

Josephine Hull had only 14 acting credits! That's amazing! Between Harvey and Arsenic and Old Lace she certainly cemented her legacy. She must have really loved the stage. But it is too bad she didn't do more film.

Monster Music

Monster Music
AAARRGGHHH!!!! Ya'll Come On Back Now, Y'Hear??