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Alfred Hitchcock Presents Season 5 Episodes
Season 5 Episode Guide
38 Episodes 1959 - 1960
Episode 1
Arthur
Sun, Sep 27, 195930 mins
When his fiancée Helen leaves chicken farmer Arthur for another man, he accepts her decision by conveniently enjoying the life of a bachelor. A year passes and Helen pays him a return visit, asking for forgiveness. It seems her love interest didn't work out and she wants to rekindle an old flame, against Arthur's wish to remain a bachelor. Accustomed to strangling chickens for a living, Arthur angrily applies the same method to Helen, then hides her body. The police suspect him of murder, but can do nothing for lack of evidence.
Episode 2
The Crystal Trench
Sun, Oct 4, 195930 mins
Stella Ballister is still in 'honeymoon mode' with her husband of six months, holidaying in the Austrian Alps. She stays in the hotel while he goes mountain climbing and several hours later receives the tragic news that her husband has died of exposure and exhaustion, and his remains may or may not be recovered (due to the danger) until the next day. While securing ropes to the body, it accidentally slips out of the grasp of the recovery team, and Mr Ballister slides hundreds of yards down into the glacier crevasse, seemingly never to be seen again. Mark Cavendish, the fellow British hotel guest who had to break the terrible news to her (and has now fallen in love with her) must accept that Stella, (who has consulted a Glaciologist) is so devoted to her dead husband that not only does she reject Marks' marriage proposal, but intends to wait the forty years for her husbands' body to hopefully resurface. He stays a close friend, and the day finally arrives and they return to Austria - Stellas' heart swells with joy, as indeed her beloved husband is found beneath a thin layer of ice, the handsome young man she has so adored for so long - but her joy is short lived..
Episode 3
Appointment at Eleven
Sun, Oct 11, 195930 mins
David Logan lives at home with his mother and he's still upset that his father left them many years before. He is haunted by an event when he was twelve years old and he came home to find his father with a blue-eyed blond. He tells his mother he has an appointment at 11:00 so he skips dinner and heads to a bar. There he meets a girl and repeats several times that something big is going to happen at 11:00. He gets into a fight with a sailor in the bar and tells him the same and then again with a patron in an Irish pub, now saying someone is going to die at the prescribed hour. When the 11 o'clock news come on the air, you learn the full story.
Episode 4
Coyote Moon
Sun, Oct 18, 195930 mins
Driving to California to take a new teaching position, a good Samaritan stops at a gas station, where he agrees to give a ride to a young female hitchhiker. Then he learns that the girl's father and brother are also coming along--and are con artists.
Episode 5
No Pain
Sun, Oct 25, 195930 mins
Dave Rainey was once a healthy, successful individual. He now finds himself struck down in the prime of his life and confined to an iron lung. He has a full-time nurse and his pretty wife is attentive, but he is concerned at her friendship with Arnold Barrett. One evening, she gives their full-time nurse the evening off and Dave concludes this must be the evening that she will finish him off. He confronts her and she admits that she had been planning this for some time but in the end, she is unable to complete the task. Little does she know that Dave has his own plans for her.
Episode 6
Anniversary Gift
Sun, Nov 1, 195930 mins
Myra Jenkins has quite a menagerie in her home: birds, a turtle, a monkey, a chameleon and so on. She's quite devoted to them, usually at the expense of her exasperated husband, Hermie. Their neighbor, George Bay, is always telling Hermie how much he misses his late wife and that, since she died, all he ever does is travel, go fishing on his boat, and drink beer. All of this sounds pretty good to Hermie who hatches a plan to gift his wife a new pet - one that may not be very cuddly and lovable but may give him the way out that he desires. Little does Hermie realize the predicament he's getting himself into.
Episode 7
Dry Run
Sun, Nov 8, 195930 mins
The head of a business tells a young employee that he's being considered for promotion to a more important position. To ascertain how well the young man does in the field, he's given a special assignment to take care of first. However, things get complicated when he attempts to turn the tables on his employer.
Episode 8
The Blessington Method
Sun, Nov 15, 195930 mins
In the future year of 1980, life expectancy has increased dramatically and J.J. Bunce provides an essential service for those in need. He approaches John Treadwell and informs him that the octogenarian mother-in-law who lives with him will live at least another 32 years. Bunce's offer is quite simple; he will dispose of her for a fee. Treadwell initially rejects the offer out of hand, but the old lady is becoming more and more demanding, further eroding Treadwell's tolerance of her constant aggravation. In the end, he accepts Bunce's offer but then ponders what his own children might do when the time comes.
Episode 9
Dead Weight
Sun, Nov 22, 195930 mins
Married Courtney Masterson and his girlfriend are parked at a lover's lane when a young thug tries to rob them. Courtney overpowers the thief and wants to turn him over to the police but is afraid the resulting publicity might tip off his wife to his extra-marital affair. In the end, he decides to set the thief free, but things don't quite go as planned and he shoots the thug. Courtney manages to convince the police that the shooting was an accident. It turns out however, that he has much to worry about.
Episode 10
Special Delivery
Sun, Nov 29, 195930 mins
Young Tom Fortnam is thrilled when he receives his guaranteed to grow mushroom seeds by special delivery mail. His father Bill is then approached by a friend, Roger, who thinks people are disappearing. Bill isn't quite sure what to make of it all until Roger's wife calls him to say that Roger has vanished, as has all of his clothes. When he visits Roger's house, he sees that Roger's son, who is the same age as Tom, is also busy growing mushrooms in the basement. Convinced there is a connection, Bill confronts his son - with fantastic results.
Episode 11
Road Hog
Sun, Dec 6, 195930 mins
Ed Fratus is a traveling salesman specializing in novelty items sold in bars and saloons. He's also a mean and arrogant type who isn't all that well-liked by almost everyone he comes across. Driving along a narrow road, Fratus refuses to let a pick-up truck pass him. Little does he know that local farmer Sam Pine is trying desperately to get his severely injured son to a hospital. When the boy dies, Sam and his two surviving sons devise a plan to ensure Fratus understands there is a cost to be paid for his arrogance and selfishness.
Episode 12
Specialty of the House
Sun, Dec 13, 195930 mins
Mr. Laffler invites Mr. Costain to join him for dinner at a private club that he describes as a very special experience. To his disappointment, Laffler is informed that the house specialty, a lamb dish, is not being served. They continue to visit the club and one evening, the famous dish is served. It also happens that a long-time member has resigned. What, if anything, do the two events have in common?
Episode 13
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Sun, Dec 20, 195930 mins
In the Civil War, Union soldiers are about to hang a defiant Confederate planter from a bridge, for sabotage. The noose is placed around his neck, but the rope breaks and he plummets from the bridge into a river. Dazed, he swims the rapids downstream, while the soldiers fire at him. He clambers on a river bank, and excitedly starts his journey back to his family plantation.
Episode 14
Graduating Class
Sun, Dec 27, 195930 mins
While on a date, a new teacher of European literature at an all-girl college observes one of her students leaving a nightclub with a man and follows them. What could go wrong?
Episode 15
Man from the South
Sun, Jan 3, 196026 mins
A man (Peter Lorre) bets a gambler (Steve McQueen) a gambler he can't light his cigarette lighter ten times consecutively. If he wins, the man gives him his new car. if he doesn't, the cost isn't in money.
Episode 16
The Ikon of Elijah
Sun, Jan 10, 196030 mins
Carpius owns an antique shop in Cyprus and is quite excited to hear that a local monastery may be in possession of a very valuable icon. Knowing that a client would pay a fortune for it, he arranges to visit the monastery to steal the icon. During the robbery, Carpius kills a praying monk but claims it was an accident. The Abbot says he will forgive him, but as he has sinned he must pray for forgiveness. Only then does Carpius understand what the Abbot has in mind.
Episode 17
The Cure
Sun, Jan 24, 196030 mins
Living in the remote tropics are two oil explorers, one of whom is married to a very attractive woman. One night, she tries to stab her husband and he is convinced by his partner that she is sick with tropical fever. They agree that she needs to see a head shrinker. En route to the doctor however, she convinces her husband's partner to help her kill the husband. Fortunately, the husband's trusted manservant is also with them and protects his master's interests in a very unusual way.
Episode 18
Backward, Turn Backward
Sun, Jan 31, 196030 mins
Matt Thompson is bludgeoned to death with a pipe wrench and suspicion immediately falls on 59-year-old Phil Canby. The wrench belonged to Canby and he was there that evening fixing a leaky sink. The real problem however is that Canby is in love with Thompson's 19-year-old daughter, Sue, and they plan on getting married; everyone knew Matt Thompson was violently opposed to their relationship. Canby maintains his innocence throughout and the local Sheriff, who finds it very hard to believe that the mild-mannered Canby would do such a thing, investigates. In the end, the true culprit is revealed.
Episode 19
Not the Running Type
Sun, Feb 7, 196030 mins
When Capt. Ernest Fisher learns that Milton Potter has been released from prison after serving his 15-year sentence, he tells his subordinates about this very strange case. Potter was a bookkeeper for a bank. He did his work well and was reliable but people knew very little about his private life. When it's determined that he embezzled $200,000 he is eventually sent to jail. No one can quite believe that he was really the type to steal, and he never tells anyone what happened to the money. After his release, Fisher visits him and incredibly, Potter tells him he's not the type to run and returns the stolen money. Only later, aboard a cruise ship does he explain to a fellow passenger that there is "method" to his apparent madness.
Episode 20
The Day of the Bullet
Sun, Feb 14, 196030 mins
[SPOILER:] Iggy Kovacs, a Brooklyn hoodlum is gunned down and his childhood friend remembers the day, 35 years before, that had a profound impact on Iggy and set his future course in life. Iggy and his pal see the local gangster, Mr. Rose, beat up someone. They try to report it to the police but no one, including Iggy's father, seems to have the courage to take on the local gangster.
Episode 21
Hitch Hike
Sun, Feb 21, 196030 mins
Anne has just been acquitted in court and her uncle, Charles Underhill is not a happy man. He feels that her brush with the law will reflect badly on him and is of the view that the only reason she got off was because of his reputation as an upstanding citizen. Underhill doesn't think much of young people, questioning their constant attempt at rebellion. On the way home he has a problem with his car and is assisted by a teenager, Len, who then asks for a ride to the next town. Len is constantly talking about reform school and his "friend" who is good with a knife. Underhill becomes alarmed and purposely speeds in order to be stopped by the police. He tries to explain to the officer that Len is threatening, but there is no evidence to support that claim. He does however get a summons for court and is now really worried about his reputation. Len however presents him with an easy solution to his problem that tests his moral resolve and his self-righteous attitude.
Episode 22
Across the Threshold
Sun, Feb 28, 196030 mins
Sofie Winter hires mediums in an attempt to contact her late husband, who died six years previously. Her son Hubert, who feels somewhat overwhelmed by his doting mother, decides to ask his actress-girlfriend to impersonate a medium and she convinces Sofie that her husband misses her and the time has come for her to join him. Sofie meticulously plans her departure and on what is intended to be her final evening, lets her son in on the final elements of her plan.
Episode 23
Craig's Will
Sun, Mar 6, 196030 mins
Thomas Craig is feeling pretty good about himself. His rich uncle has just died and knowing that he is the only living relative, expects to inherit the family fortune. He's thrown for a loop however, when his uncle leaves everything to his pet dog for the balance of its lifetime, with the inheritance going to Thomas only after the dog's passing. Thomas' gold-digging girlfriend, Judy, decides it's time to speed up the dog's demise, with humorous consequences. Visiting a psychiatrist, she comes to the conclusion that there is only one way in the current circumstances for a girl to nab a millionaire.
Episode 24
Madame Mystery
Sun, Mar 27, 196030 mins
Steven is working on his novel when into his apartment walks an attractive woman, soaking wet. She's with Steven's neighbour, Jimmy Dolan, who's a bit of a playboy. Jimmy is a PR man for a major studio but has only limited talent so he needs Steven's help to write material about Betsy Blake, a long-time Hollywood star who recently drowned and who has a major movie being released. Steven's work gets Jimmy a big raise from the studio and ensures Betsy's last movie will be a big hit. But it turns out Betty hasn't drowned. What's a PR man to do?
Episode 25
The Little Man Who Was There
Sun, Apr 3, 196030 mins
Jamie and Ben McMahon have brought a civilized attitude to a rough and tumble mining town. Although both strongmen in their own rights, they preach brotherly love and turning the other cheek. One day, in walks the Little Man, a strange little fellow who challenges the McMahons and says that his powers are far greater than theirs. To the shock of everyone present, he proves his point and the local folk think they are dealing with the devil incarnate. There is however, far more to this than meets the eye.
Episode 26
Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?
Sun, Apr 10, 196030 mins
John Crane is attending a coroner's inquiry and remembers the events that brought him there. John lives with his mother Claire and they are obviously very close. While on holiday, he meets Lottie and falls in love for the first time in his life. When his mother visits, it's obvious she and Lottie do not like one another. Lottie suggests that they take Claire up to the waterfalls to enjoy the view. He knows exactly what Lottie has in mind, and resolves the situation. He awaits the decision of the coroner's jury.
Episode 27
The Cuckoo Clock
Sun, Apr 17, 196030 mins
Mrs. Blythe goes to spend a weekend at her cottage. She hasn't been there since her husband died the year before. Stopping at the general store, she's told that a patient has escaped from the local mental institution. Once at her cottage, she meets Madeleine who says she had seen a dangerous looking man nearby. Madeleine is obviously upset and wants to leave, but Mrs. Blythe begs her to stay. She agrees, but with dire consequences.
Episode 28
Forty Detectives Later
Sun, Apr 24, 196030 mins
For twelve years, Munro Dean has hired private detective after private detective to find the man who murdered his wife. When the murder occurred, Dean caught only a glimpse of the killer, which has not helped either the police or the private investigators he's hired to find the man. Dean is now onto detective number #41, William Tyre, Dean's reputation preceding him before he walks into Tyre's office. However, Dean's request for Tyre differs from the previous 40. Dean has found the killer working at a used book store. So Dean's job for Tyre is solely to lure the killer to Dean's hotel room, on the expectation that Dean will kill the man himself. Tyre is the type of man who makes no moral judgment, his priority being the size of his bank account, so he agrees to take the case. Tyre eventually learns that the presumed killer's name is Otto, and the two profess a mutual love of jazz. But as Tyre is eventually able to lure Otto to Dean's hotel room, Tyre begins to have second thoughts about sending a man to slaughter, especially as Dean has provided no evidence that Otto is the killer and does not want the police involved. Would conclusive evidence of Otto indeed being Mrs. Dean's killer affect Tyre's final decision?
Episode 29
The Hero
Sun, May 1, 196030 mins
Richard Musgrave, a business man of middle years, starts a sea voyage and recognizes one of the other passengers as his partner of many years ago who was presumed dead. However, the gentleman is going by the name of Mr. Kyser and not Mr. Jan Vander Klaue. Musgrave works himself into a frenzy of guilt over a mistake he made all those years ago and takes drastic steps to try and force Kyser into admitting his real identity.
Episode 30
Insomnia
Sun, May 8, 196030 mins
Charles Cavender suffers from terrible insomnia. He hasn't had a good night's sleep in months and has lost a number of jobs as a result. He visits a psychiatrist and recounts a recurring dream he has about the death of his wife, who died in a house fire. Cavender's brother-in-law, Jack Fletcher, blames him for his sister's death and it's determined there is a link between that and the insomnia. Cavender feels threatened but decides to pay him a visit to clear the air. However, things don't quite go as planned.
Episode 31
I Can Take Care of Myself
Sun, May 15, 196030 mins
Bert Haber is an old-time piano player, and he and Georgia who sings, have proven to be a very popular nightclub act. Problems arise when a gangster, 'Little Dandy' Dorf, takes a liking to Georgia but she wants no part of him and pours a drink over his head. Soon after, Bert is threatened when someone suggests he get an insurance policy. Things come to a head a few weeks later when Bert is approached by a police officer who has information and suggests that he is in need of protection. Bert doesn't quite realize who he needs protection from, however.
Episode 32
One Grave Too Many
Sun, May 22, 196030 mins
Joe Helmer is having serious financial problems. He's been out of work for some time and his unemployment insurance has run out. Walking home after unsuccessfully trying to get a loan, he comes across a well-to-do gent, apparently dead on the sidewalk. Joe takes the man's wallet and flees. It's only when he gets home that he finds a revealing note in the man's wallet.
Episode 33
Party Line
Sun, May 29, 196030 mins
Helen Parch shares a party-line telephone with several others. She likes to talk on the phone quite a bit but also listens in on others. She's warned by the police one day that a Mr. Miller, with whom she once shared the party line, has broken out of prison and that her life may be in danger. Years before, Miller needed to contact a doctor when his wife was ill, and Helen refused to get off the line. Miller's wife died and he turned to a life of crime. Now he may be after Helen.
Episode 34
Cell 227
Sun, Jun 5, 196030 mins
While most of his fellow prisoners on death row spend their time hoping for a stay of execution, the occupant of Cell 227 waxes philosophical about the role of the prison system and the difference between a person murdering another and the State murdering someone. The professor says he's innocent and has told his lawyer not to pursue a stay of execution as he will only accept a full pardon.
Episode 35
The Schartz-Metterklume Method
Sun, Jun 12, 196030 mins
Charlotte Hope arrives into the peaceful lives of the Wellington household to act as a governess of their children. She's a somewhat brash, opinionated and iconoclastic lady who boldly announces she uses the "Schartz-Metterklume method" for teaching.
Episode 36
Letter of Credit
Sun, Jun 19, 196030 mins
Henry Taylor visits the town of Kirkland where, three years before, a bank employee, Arnold Mathias, had been convicted of stealing $200,000 from the bank where he worked. None of the money has been found and Mathias always maintained his innocence. It would appear that Mathias had recently been killed in an attempted prison escape and Taylor visits the bank manager telling him he's an author researching a book on the robbery. It turns out that Taylor is after something altogether different and all is not altogether what it seems.
Episode 37
Escape to Sonoita
Sun, Jun 26, 196030 mins
Bill and Andy Davis are driving an old tanker-truck across the desert when, 85 miles from their destination, the truck develops engine problems. A passing car gets stuck in the sand and it turns out the occupants have kidnapped a young woman in Phoenix and are on the run with the $100,000 ransom they've collected. They decide to take the truck to continue their escape but fight over the limited water available. One kidnapper shoots the other, but he eventually dies of thirst. Turns out he was much closer to water than he thought.
Episode 38
Hooked
Sun, Sep 25, 196030 mins
Ray Marchand is married to a much older woman, but he becomes quite enamored of Nyla Foster, a sexy young college student spending the summer working for her father at the fishing camp where Ray and his wife are vacationing. She tells Ray that her father would never leave her alone with him, so he should join her only on Mondays when her father goes to town for supplies. When Nyla learns that Mrs. Marchand can't swim, they start thinking that an "accident" might be in order, so Ray decides to take up fishing, his wife's favorite pastime, as a ruse to get her out on the lake in a boat. However, there's a surprise in store for Ray.
