"The Ledge" is a 1953 episode from the anthology series, SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE.The series ran from 1951 to 1959 with 300 plus episodes produced.
Skip Homeier plays a small town kid who moves to the big city for fame and fortune. Needless to say that is not what he finds. On top of all his problems, Homeier now believes he is going blind. He decides to end it all.
He climbs out on the ledge outside his 16th floor hotel room. He is soon seen and John Law is called. Regis Toomey plays the Police Detective who draws the assignment. A quick look out the window and he knows there is no way to grab Homeier.
The police do a search of Homeier's room and come up with a prescription bottle. Toomey calls in the doctor on the bottle label. The doc, Herbert Lytton, and his secretary (Allene Roberts) soon arrive. The doctor tells Homeier that the problem with his eyes will get better over time. Homeier does not believe a word of it and says he is going for the long step.
The secretary says she is sure she can talk him in. She talks calmly with Homeier about her childhood, hope and life. Homeier rants about life not being fair and such. Roberts finally tells him to jump if that is truly what he wants. Homeier comes back into the room and is grabbed up by the police. Homeier then discovers that Roberts knows all about losing her sight. She is blind.
(Note that the YouTube episode erroneously lists a different cast.)
A quick and to-the-point thriller with nice work from cast and crew. Toomey is good as the slightly world-weary cop who has seen it all before. Toomey had roles in THE HUMAN JUNGLE, CRY DANGER, UNDERCOVER GIRL, THE GUILTY, RAW DEAL, HIGHT TIDE, I WOULDN'T BE IN YOU SHOES, THE BIG SLEEP, SPELLBOUND, and many others. " You will likely remember Roberts from her roles in SIGN OF THE RAM, KNOCK ON ANY DOOR, UNION STATION, THE HOODLUM and THE RED HOUSE. Joseph Mell and Kenneth Alton make up the rest of the cast.
The episode was directed by vet television helmsman Ted Post. The only films of note he made were a pair starring Clint Eastwood: HANG 'EM HIGH and MAGNUM FORCE. "Hang 'em High" and "Magnum Force".
The d of p was six-time Oscar nominated Russ Harlan. Harlan shot RED RIVER, THE THING, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11, SOUTHSIDE 1-1000, GUILTY BYSTANDER and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
A better episode than my account might make it seem...
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