Can't get enough of this episode! 10 Stars.
Robert C. Dennis wrote this fantastic dark comedy. Dennis had the imagination. He wrote for years at Warner Brothers/ABC tv, all the top shows of the 50s and 60s, later for BATMAN. Our hero.
Enter the "quiet man", aka Mr. Crabtree (well played by John Qualen), who needs money (fast!) to pay for his wife's operation. He turns to the help wanted ads and meets Lorne Greene, known to him as MR. X? And with a remarkably sinister voice... Greene was a radio announcer back in the day.
The secret here is Mister X needs someone to casually "kill" another someone --no questions asked, but done in such an ingenious way. Of course, the payout is not a sure thing, unless Crabtree accepts the terms of the agreement. Mr. X is a smart cookie, as he also has dirt on Crabtree. Get it?
John Qualen appeared in more than 100 films in his long career, often as a chump who is taken advantage of. Sound familiar? He became famous in the 30s playing the father of the Dionne Quintuplets in several films about their extraordinary lives, also one of the legendary cast of CASABLANCA.
By the way. The $100 a week salary for the job, equals about 1200 dollars today. Not bad!
About as good as it gets for ultra black comedy, and one memorable installment in the classic tv series. If you haven't seen this one, it's must see tv. Best of SEASON 1, which is a box set to treasure. Episode 27 remastered/Universal Studios. 2005 release.