I hate the stories that end like this!

Interesting episode with an unexpected twist. The ending was not very happy though.

Definitely one of my favorite CBSRMT episodes so far. Well-written/well-acted, with a surprise ending that I never saw coming...

I have to agree with Mike. Terrific acting on the part of all, so that I did NOT expect the ending whatsoever. Loved the voice of Derry especially!

A hit man is hired to kill a gangsters competitor. The hit man has a heart and looks for a way to avoid the killing but things aren't as they seem and could backfire.

A hitman has a change of heart after meeting his intended victim's wife. However, his mercy comes back to haunt him.

A hitman is hired to take out a bookie who has gone into business for himself, thus taking profits away from his boss, who has hired the hitman. He does so partly to support his handicapped wife who apparently broke her back after an argument in which her husband critically injured her. The hitman takes pity on the beautiful woman and bargains to stage a phony murder to satisfy the boss, and allowe the two to escape. Surely such kindness and compassion will be handsomely rewarded. But this is CBSRMT…

The hit man DID commit crimes, though. Desecration of a corpse. And fraud: he took money from a mob boss under false pretenses. Still sad ending for him.

This is a fantastic episode--5 stars. 2 aspects of the writing and acting made this episode distinct. First, the starring role was a hit man for the mob. So crafty was the writing that you actually end up cheering for the unsavory killer. Earl Hammond, who played the part of the hitman did a great job gaining the listeners' trust as a "good guy." The second distinction was the ending. The true "bad guy" in this episode is a shocker.

I agree with you that is episode is quite good. However, the voice of Derry (the hitman) was played by Mike Kellin. He played the roll of the the “killer” in an Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode titled “And the Desert Shall Bloom”. His voice is unique. Wish he would have done more episodes of CBS RMT.

A very good episode. Interesting how quickly they get you to root for the "bad guy" and feel sorry for him at the end (even though you probably shouldn't for all the things he's probably gotten away with). Both the husband and wife were good actors, he saying how he's devoted to taking care of her and she saying how wonderful he is for doing so (not to mention her act in front of the police). In the end you don't feel too bad for the husband from what we find out about him nor bad about the wife as we know what she's truly capable of. Completely turns your idea of good/bad around.

What happened to the car with the burned corpse in it ?

Great episode. I recall this story played out during an episode of Alfred Hitchcock presents. Eventually, the police will have to reconcile the issue of the other corpse that was burned in the car. When they investigate, they will find that the hit man told the truth and the wife will be arrested. The story would have been better if the hit man had fallen in love with the victim's wife and then was jilted by her at the end.

I'd like to add one of my personal favorites 'The Hit Man' (#126) to the list, please--it was the only episode starring Mike Kellin, who I think had a terrific radio voice...

Agreed. Mike Kellin had a terrific voice and could have been used more frequently in CBSRMT and TV shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and so forth.

one of my personal favorites 'The Hit Man' please--it was the only episode starring Mike Kellin, who I think had a terrific radio voice...

'The Hit Man' (#126) to the list, please--it was the only episode starring Mike Kellin, who I think had a terrific radio voice...

Hired to kill a minor gangland figure, Jim Derry figures it will be just another job, until); he meets his “mark,” Eddie Breech, and hears Breech’s story that he stole money from the mob to pay for his wife’s medical treatments. Derry decides to fake the killing to give the couple a chance to get away, but he underestimates Connie Breech’s desire for revenge against the husband who crippled her for life.

Very good episode all the way through. The ending had an unexpected, but logical twist.

Really good episode! Story draws you in and then whiplash, surprise ending. Will done acting. This would be a good one for any first time listener.

At the end of 'The Hit Man,' episode 126 from 1974, E.G. Marshall did not mention Marian Seldes as part of the cast, though she clearly appeared...

There's a handful of hiccups like this. My impression is that E.G. Marshall only mentions the actors/actresses who actually star in the episode, at the beginning of the episode, not at the end. Mentioning the whole cast would would take way too long.

Definitely one of my favorite episodes! Some women really are that hateful and vindictive, not caring who they screw over to get revenge!🤣

Excellent cast and script, one of the best for certain and an ending I never saw coming. How can you go wrong with lines like “give the kid a quarter and send him to the moves”. Good stuff!!!