PEYTON PLACE
Episode 16.
11-10-64
Betty takes magazines up stairs to her new mother-in-law,
Catherine.
WA: The Harrington mansion in Peyton Place. Haunted by its
present. Betty Harrington, who used to be Betty Anderson,
lives there now, haunted by her past.
Intro: In the Harrington mansion, Betty looks at the portrait of
Samuel Peyton (1845-1912), the father of Martin Peyton.
[Samuel Peyton was said to have founded Peyton Place.
Peyton Place was said to have been founded 315 years ago.
Samuel Peyton was also said to have been Martin Peyton's
father. We haven't been able to resolve this apparent
discrepancy.]
Written by Robert J. Shaw
Directed by Walter Doniger
Scene 1: Betty turns and speaks to Christine Gordon, the maid, who
has come into the foyer carrying magazines. Betty takes
the magazines upstairs to Catherine. Catherine is
extremely cool to her. Betty tells Catherine that she
hopes she is feeling better. She tries her best to be
nice. Norman knocks and comes in. Catherine greets him
warmly. Betty uses this as an excuse to leave. Catherine
expects Norman to stay but he turns, calls to Betty, and
follows after her down the stairs. Betty tells Norman and
says that she is going out. They talk a bit and Norman
goes back upstairs to talk with his mother.
Scene 2: On the street, Betty runs into Constance. Constance
extends her best wishes. They talk a moment about Allison.
Betty goes into the Peyton Professional Building where
Rossi and other professionals have offices upstairs. This
also is the entrance to the Clarion on the ground floor.
Betty goes into Dr. Rossi's office and waits for Laura to
finish a phone call. Betty chats briefly with Laura
Brooks, the widow of the doctor that Rossi had replaced.
Betty tells Laura that she would like to wait for the
doctor.
Scene 3: Dr. Rossi comes into the Book Gallery and chats with
Constance. He asks her out on a date. He says he'll be
right back. He asks her to wait in his car to save time.
He says that he needs to go up to his office for just a
bit.
Rossi arrives in his office to discover Betty waiting for
him. Laura asks if she should get Betty's file. Rossi
says he already has it on his desk. They have a short
conference. He congratulates her on her marriage. She
admits to the doctor that she has not yet told Rodney that
she lost their baby. She says, "What do you think of
that?" Rossi responds, "What do you think of that?"
Betty leaves, Laura waits a moment, then goes in to talk
with the doctor.
She tells him that Leslie wanted her to go to New York and
have the baby privately. Rossi asks how she feels. Laura
invites Rossi to the country club. He declines. Laura
looks downcast. [The country club is never shown in the
series.]
Scene 4: Dr. Rossi comes out of the Peyton Professional Building and
gets in the car with Constance who has been waiting for
him. Laura is watching from the window in the office.
Constance asks where they are going. He says it is a
surprise.
Scene 5: Dr. Rossi and Constance arrive at the beach house. They go
in and he tries to tell her about it. But she already knows.
Rossi tells her that he rented the cabin from Eli Carson who
has chronic bronchitis. He is unaware of the cabin's sad
history. Constance said she was unaware that Rossi lived in
the house where Elizabeth was murdered. She becomes more
uncomfortable. She phones home to check on Allison.
The only phone in the Mackenzie house rings and Allison goes
downstairs to answer it. Constance tells her she won't be
home for dinner. Allison guesses that her mother is having
dinner with a dark romantic stranger. Constance tells her
daughter there is a pot roast in the oven, and that she can fix
herself a salad.
Rossi helps Constance off with her coat. He offers her a
drink. He tells her to relax. Rossi says that she looks
as though she had seen a ghost. She says she did. He asks
her to tell him about it. She is reluctant to tell him.
Scene 6: Meanwhile, back at the Anderson house, George comes in and
talks with Betty. He says that he wants to take Betty and
Julie out to dinner. The chimes ring. Rodney has shown up
to collect Betty. George welcomes Rodney warmly. He says
they are expected at the Harrington mansion at 7:00 that
evening. She asks if they have to go. Rodney indicates
that they must. George bids Betty and Rodney a goodnight.
Scene 7: Meanwhile, back at the cottage, Constance tells Rossi that
she should go home. She tells Rossi that a woman was
murdered in the beach house. He asks the details. He asks
how long ago that happened. She is evasive and says after
the war. She says she was in New York and doesn't know the
details. He continues to press her. She continues to be
evasive. Rossi says that he doesn't believe in ghosts. He
gets her coat and they leave.
Scene 8: Rossi walks Constance home. Allison is reading as
Constance comes in. Allison asks her mother if they went
to the Inn. Allison is shocked when she is told that went
to the old Carson place. Constance starts to say that they
had a perfectly nice evening. They say goodnight.
Preview: In the Book Gallery, Allison tells Matthew and Constance
that she just doesn't care. Dr. Morton asks Rossi if he is
aware that Betty has not yet told Rodney that she lost the
baby.
AM: I don't need anything. I'm not going anywhere, and
I'm not crying over Rodney Harrington. I don't care
about him. I don't care if I ever see him again. You
don't seem to understand. I just don't care.
RM: Are you aware that the Harringtons don't know what's
happened?
MR: Yes, Betty came in to see me yesterday.
RM: Have you made any effort to tell the Harringtons?
MR: Of course not. Betty's medical history is privileged
communication.
Country Club.
Christine Gordon, Harrington maid-uncredited
Laura Harrington Brooks is still a member of the country club.
It wasn't explained what became of Christine after Leslie was ousted
from the mill and the mansion. [Christine had inherited $1000
from Catherine so she may have retired in luxury.] David Schuster
hired a domestic named Janet. [episode 80] Schuster retained Alma
Chernak to work for him when Leslie left. He apparently didn't
know that her husband Gustav Gus Chernak worked at the mill as
a night watchman. Gus had formerly been a loom operator. Alma
Chernak was hired part-time by Leslie Harrington shortly before he
resigned from the mill and was hired full-time by David Schuster.
The actress who played Laura Harrington Brooks, Patricia Breslin, was in
two Twilight Zone Episodes.
She was in episode 43, Nick of Time, with William Shatner.
She played the role of Pat Carter.
She was in episode 112, No Time Like the Past, with Dana Andrews.
She played the role of Abagail Sloan.
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