Quiet, Please – "The Ticket Taker"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: November 7, 2025
Original Broadcast: June 29, 1947
Writer: Willis Cooper
Starring: Ernest Chappell

Episode Overview

This episode presents "The Ticket Taker," the fourth entry in the classic series "Quiet, Please." Blending noir crime with supernatural suspense, the story follows a guilt-haunted gangster and his cohorts after a mob killing and botched getaway. As they hide out, fate closes in—personified by a mysterious old ticket taker—blurring the line between chance and supernatural justice.

Key Discussion Points and Narrative Progression

1. Hiding Out After the Job (00:24–05:00)

• Three associates—narrator, Jock, and Ruby—hide out in a Chicago apartment after a violent mob killing, with $22,418 in cash laid out before them.
• Paranoia and tension run high as they await news on whether a frame job on their rival, Dee Dee Brangis, will hold.
• Anecdotes about gangster life in Chicago, the ever-present connection between crime and death, and the symbolic use of flowers at mob funerals set a tense atmosphere.

Quote:
"I keep listening for that mingling, his shuffling footsteps and that flying voice. And I know I won't be ready for him when I do hear him. You know, you're never ready for the guy with the bad news. And he has bad news."
— Narrator (00:42)

2. Waiting and Worrying (05:00–13:00)

• The trio strategizes about splitting up and leaving town when things cool down.
• Ruby grows increasingly anxious to leave, constantly counting the money.
• Discussion of how violence cycles through the city, and the danger isn’t just from the law, but from betrayal within.

Quote:
"Just like we don't want to take expenses. We don't have to get out of here. Shut up and let us read the papers. They'll be out soon enough. Yes, we'll count the money again."
— Jock (12:05)

3. Departure Into the Night: The Encounter (13:00–22:00)

• Eventually, it's agreed Ruby will leave first, traveling via the L train to start his escape.
• Late at night, as the two remaining men shadow Ruby to his departure, they have a chilling encounter:
  • A cryptic, otherworldly old man appears, wrapped in an overcoat, transcending the summer heat—he knows someone’s taking the train and asks for a “ticket.”
  • Unsettlement and confusion reign, as Ruby (now traveling under the name Mr. Masterson) departs, the old man “punches” his ticket.

Memorable Moment:
"One of you gentlemen going on the elevator. How did he know that I know? One of you gentlemen going on the elevator. Who was he? How did he know? Was he?"
— Narrator (16:38)

4. Aftermath: Death's Rendezvous (22:00–27:00)

• The next day’s newspaper reports an airliner crash—everyone aboard was killed. At the top of the passenger list: J.P. Masterson, Ruby’s alias.
• Panic and superstition surge as the men try to reason whether the ticket taker’s eerie presence was just coincidence or an omen.

Quote:
"It couldn’t be. How could a crazy old man have anything to do with an airplane crashing? Impossible, isn't it? Well, who was he? What does that ticket that Ruby have?"
— Narrator (24:40)

5. Flight from Fate: The Bus Station Encounter (27:00–30:00)

• The remaining duo—narrator and Jock—decide to avoid fate, traveling by bus instead of plane.
• While waiting, the ticket taker reappears, demanding tickets and causing confusion. In the commotion:
  • Jock attempts to evade and is reported killed in an accident outside the station.
  • The narrator, unhinged, tries to shoot the old man—only to find himself firing into thin air.
  • Police detain the now-delirious narrator, who insists the old man was real.

Quote:
"I shot him right through the chest. Twice. I was six inches away from him and I couldn't miss... You know what? He wasn't there at all. There wasn't anybody there at all. Except a copper..."
— Narrator (29:07)

6. Haunting Conclusion (30:00–31:00)

• The episode ends with the narrator tormented by the sound of the ticket taker, now imagined or real, signifying that fate—or guilt—relentlessly dogged him.

Memorable Closing:
"You have to have a ticket to get knocked off. And I haven't got any tickets. You're not gonna get me, old man. I haven't got any tickets."
— Narrator (30:44)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

| Time | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |----------|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:42 | Narrator | “You know, you're never ready for the guy with the bad news. And he has bad news.” | | 16:38 | Narrator | "One of you gentlemen going on the elevator... How did he know? Was he?" | | 24:40 | Narrator | "It couldn’t be. How could a crazy old man have anything to do with an airplane crashing? Impossible, isn't it?"| | 29:07 | Narrator | "I shot him right through the chest. Twice... There wasn't anybody there at all. Except a copper..." | | 30:44 | Narrator | “You have to have a ticket to get knocked off. And I haven't got any tickets.” |

Analysis: Tone and Atmosphere

The episode is a masterclass in noir suspense, filled with paranoia, fatalism, and superstitious dread. The casual gangster banter sharply contrasts with an ever-present sense of foreboding, especially as the supernatural elements emerge. The dialogue maintains a period-appropriate blend of wiseguy slang, Chicago references, and folksy wisdom.

For New Listeners

This episode stands out for its blend of gritty crime drama with a supernatural, almost Twilight Zone-esque layer. On one level, it’s a tense story of criminals evading retribution; at another, it becomes a meditation on fate, guilt, and the inescapability of one's misdeeds.

You don’t need prior knowledge of Quiet, Please or the era—but fans of moral ambiguity, urban atmosphere, and gently chilling twists will find “The Ticket Taker” a memorable listen.