Wow... I just heard the Suspense episode (19591108) The Last Trip that was written by Ralph Bell and Eugene Francis. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever noticed Ralph Bell as a writer. It was quite a clever episode, too. Lots of CBSRMT actors are starting to appear in 1959 Suspense episodes... Ralph Bell, Mason Adams, Elspeth Eric (as a writer, too, of course), Teri Keane, Joe DeSantis, Ian Martin, Paul McGrath, Robert Dryden, Leon Janney, Larry Haines... they all seem to have suddenly popped on the scene in that year. Maybe it had something to do with the departure of William N. Robson as producer. That’s the one really big change I have noticed in recent episodes around that time. It looks like one other episode was written by Bell and Francis... Sleep is for Children... Suspense episode from 19600306.

A private detective is brought in by an unattractive woman's brother to investigate her fiance'. Her brother suspects that he really wants her money.

A mighty fine episode -- but, my gosh, the detective was such a sassy, condescending you-know-what. If I'd gone to hire her for something and she talked to me the way she did to the client in this episode, I'd tell her to get lost big time. Sheesh!

This has got to be my favorite episode so far - and I completely disagree with Tracy, I LOVED the detective. The actress is great and the character is great - and the story is interesting, too.

If he had a rich wife, why did he have debt with a loan shark?

I agree with Tracy. Right from the start when the brother was trying to hire the woman detective, she had such a haughty air to her client that she didn't want to dirty her hands taking this case, that I right away didn't identify with this private eye, and I couldn't care less about this case. She (whatever her name was) was no Sherlock Holmes or Sam Spade, or even Columbo! I made it to about the 15 minute mark where the woman detective was talking about the ugly bride really marrying for love, that I couldn't take it any more. This episode has been deleted from my hard drive!

Julia Hoffman, private eye, is unable to stop the marriage of Matilda Bascomb, whose face is blemished by a large blue birthmark, to playboy Paul Darrieux, who admits he likes her money. Matilda’s brother Edward, who has squandered his half of the family fortune on fast women and slow horses, also likes his sister’s money. With her dead, he would get it. But now that she's married, her husband would get it -- unless he dies first.

This whole episode is so stupid that I have to think that Ian Martin was half asleep when he wrote it. Did he crank them out at the last minute, or what? It's true that he wrote many, many episodes and was the most prolific writer of the series. Many of the shows he wrote were good, but he certainly failed with this one! First of all, I don't know why Matilda couldn't have the "birthmark" removed, especially since she was rich enough to afford it. That part makes absolutely NO sense at all! She seemed desperate and starved for love, yet she didn't think it was worth spending her money on surgery?!?!? That is just not believable, even in a story! Not only that, but she could always cover the mark with makeup, even if she couldn't get surgery. On top of that, many people fall in love and get married, and "looks" are overrated. The lady detective isn't as annoying to me as she was to some people here, but I don't understand why she didn't want to convict the crook. Detectives are supposed to pursue justice and help law enforcement catch crooks. That is their first priority, so it seems like she was neglecting her duties. But then, why should that part make sense when the rest of the story doesn't, lol!

The "crook" I am referring to was the guy that Matilda married. he obviously had a record and the detective didn't seem to care about that. I found that part strange, as well as the rest of this story.

I have often wondered, did they get the name Julia Hoffman from DARK SHADOWS, lol?

Oops! I should have mentioned Sam Dann wrote this episode, not Ian Martin. Sorry, Ian, lol! :D

What FANTASTIC and suspenseful episode this was! I loved Frances Sternhagen's character! She played it with aplomb and genuinely clever casting Ralph Bell, it was really an engaging who dunnit. Least of all, always, Bryna Raeburn . I normally avoid anything she's in, as I loathe her shrills. Nuff said, but def my least favorite actor of all.

What a great episode! Fantastic writing and acting. Works as both an interesting character study and gripping mystery trying to figure out exactly what all these people are up to. This is definitely in my top 10 of episodes.

☆☆☆☆ Excellent episode! Loved the chemistry between Frances Sternhagen & Ralph Bell. "The only lessons of lasting value are the ones we pay for."