Seven Keys to Baldpate: Benny, Livingston, and a Locked-Door Laugh Riot

In Lux Radio Theatre’s madcap mystery-comedy Seven Keys to Baldpate, Jack Benny and Mary Livingston trade wisecracks, bullets, and ghost stories in a snowbound house with more “one-of-a-kind” keys than anyone expected. When Benny wagers he can write an original drama in 24 hours at Cecil B. DeMille’s remote mountain lodge, he finds himself tangled in a whirlwind of shady characters, hidden treasure, and a possibly homicidal hermit. Adapted from George M. Cohan’s stage hit (itself based on Earl Derr Biggers’ novel), this riotous romp turns suspense inside out as crooks, heirs, and alleged ghosts parade through the front door—each with their own key and their own scheme. With rapid-fire banter, self-deprecating jabs, and a violin interlude courtesy of special guest Ephraim Zimbalist, the evening’s “thriller” proves to be as much a send-up of melodrama as it is a love letter to it. Cast Members: Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Cecil B. DeMille, Margaret Brayton, Ted Osborne, Ross Forrester, Gail Gordon, Lou Merrill, John Fee, Martha Wentworth, Eddie Waller, Joe Kearns, Victor Rodman, Mary Lansing, Frank Nelson, Dorothy Griewatz, Katherine Carlton, Louis Silvers Special Guest: Ephraim Zimbalist (violinist)