PEYTON PLACE
Episode 20.           
11-24-64
    
          Betty Anderson Harrington almost leaves on the bus. 

WA:       Rodney and Betty Harrington dined out tonight for the first 
          time since their marriage, with Betty's parents.  Everyone 
          was tense and uncomfortable.  The evening ended abruptly 
          with Betty close to tears. 
         
Intro:    Betty runs in the Harrington mansion and up the stairs.  
          Rodney follows close behind. 
    
Scene 1:  Betty and Rodney had dined at "The Old Post Road Tavern, 
          Antiques," as shown in the previous episode.  Betty starts 
          rearranging the furniture.  Rodney tries to calm her.  Betty 
          doesn't like the room.  Christine Gordon comes in and informs 
          Rodney that his mother has been taken to the hospital.  
    
Scene 2:  Dr. Rossi is taking Catherine Peyton Harrington's blood 
          pressure as Laura Brooks and a nurse observe.  Leslie 
          Harrington tells Dr. Rossi that it will be another half 
          hour before Dr. Morton will arrive.  Rossi presses Leslie 
          for permission to operate.  Leslie eventually consents.  
          Laura again tactfully warns Dr. Rossi that he should not 
          offend Dr. Morton. 
    
Scene 3:  In the waiting area, Laura assures Leslie that Rossi is a
          good doctor and surgeon.  

          Norman comes in.  Laura backs off.  Leslie assures Norman that 
          his mother will be okay.  Norman goes over to the fountain and 
          gets a drink.  Norman talks with his aunt. 
    
Scene 4:  Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Betty comes downstairs and 
          telephones for a taxi.  
          
Scene 5:  An Interstate Bus pulls into the Peyton Place Bus Terminal 
          across the street east from the Peyton Place Pharmacy.  Betty  
          is carrying only one suitcase and is about to get on the bus 
          as Allison walks up and begins to talk with her.  Allison 
          asks Betty why she is leaving.  Betty just tells her to go 
          away.  Allison tells Betty that she is worried about her.  
          Betty tells Allison says that she is going to Boston.  
          Allison asks, where to after that.  Betty says that she 
          will be all right.  Betty almost gets on the bus but is 
          dissuaded by Allison's words.  

          The Interstate Bus Lines coach pulls out without her.  In the 
          background is the Pillory and the bandstand. 

          [Later in the series the Interstate Bus Terminal is 
          transmorgrafied into the PEYTON movie theater.] 
          
Scene 6:  Leslie is pacing the floor at the Doctors Hospital.  
         
Scene 7:  Heart monitor.  The operating room at Doctors Hospital, [a 
          scene much like the Twilight Zone "Eye of the Beholder" 
          episode, with Donna Douglas.]  The nurse adjusts Rossi's mask. 
          The operation to save Catherine's life begins. 
    
Scene 8:  Outside, Leslie is still pacing.  Dr. Robert Morton finally 
          arrives.  Morton asks Leslie to come with him while he 
          scrubs up.  Leslie asks Morton what he is going to do.  He 
          scrubs up and then enters the operating room.  He tells 
          Rossi to stand aside and let him take over.  Rossi asks for 
          three minutes.  Morton declines.  Morton insists on taking 
          over.  Rossi declines and continues to operate.  Rossi asks 
          for pure oxygen.  The heart monitor indication goes flat.  
          They come to the realization that Catherine has expired.  
          The doctors glare at each other.  Dr. Morton comes out and 
          announces to Leslie, Rodney, and Norman.  "I'm sorry.  I 
          arrived too late."  Leslie opines, "I should have made him 
          wait."  Morton says, "You should have.  Go home, Leslie." 

          Morton goes to Rossi and informs him that the family has 
          been told.  Rossi says that he'll write a report.  Morton 
          says that Rossi intends to write about a perforated ulcer.  
          Morton says that the tests were inconclusive.  Rossi asks 
          for an autopsy.  Morton says that an autopsy isn't 
          necessary.  Morton says that he will brand Rossi as a 
          willful egotist.  Morton says that he intends to drive him 
          out of town. 

Preview:  Allison talks with Norman.  Dr. Rossi talks with Dr. Morton.  
          Rodney talks with Allison. 
    
          AM:  Norman, what happened?  
          NH:  Nothing, go away.  Just go away.  
          MR:  Let me see that. 
          NH:  Don't touch me.  You let my mother die.
    
          MR:  It's the autopsy.  When was it rescheduled.  
          RM:  The autopsy was scheduled for 9:30 o'clock this morning, 
               and that's when it was performed.  
          RH:  I'm married now.  I'm going to be a father.  But 
               nothing's changed.  You know it and I know it.

Dr. Robert B. Morton-Kent Smith
Kent Smith's real life wife plays his wife in this series.

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