PEYTON PLACE
Episode 513.
05-26-69
WA: Dr. Michael Rossi had planned to marry Marsha Russell on this
day. But the death of Marsha's former husband, Fred Russell,
and the arrest of Michael Rossi, charged with murder, has
demolished those plans. The evidence against Michael Rossi is
highly circumstancial, and to Marsha and most of the residents
of Peyton Place, it is a combination of events which simply put
Michael Rossi in the wrong place at the wrong time. Be that as
it may, Michael Rossi is today facing a very different kind of
life sentence than the one he had hoped a judge would pronounce
for him and Marsha.
Intro: In his jail cell, Dr. Rossi impatiently runs his hand along the
chain which supports the cot. The guard brings him a
newspaper. It is probably a Clarion but it appears to be
larger than a normal Peyton Place Clarion.
Scene 1: In the Peyton Courthouse, Marsha comes to visit Dr. Rossi. The
jailer admits her to Rossi's cell. They kiss and talk. Marsha
says she wants to get married right away. She wants them to go
to Owen's Ridge. Rossi explains that this is a hearing, not a
trial.
Scene 2: Eli comes to visit Maggie Riggs. He kisses her on the lips.
She invites him in for some hot cereal. She tells him that if
they are going to be Mr. and Mrs., they must share the good and
the bad. She offers to watch the General Store while he is in
court. He declines. He talks about the townfolk in the Cider
Barrel making wagers on the outcome of the hearing.
Scene 3: Meanwhile, back at the Cider Barrel, Charlie serves coffee to
Dr. Miles. His son comes in and talks with him for a while.
Lew mentions that he knows that there are only five black
neuro-surgeons in the entire country. Lew leaves.
Sgt. William Wilson Walker comes in and talks with Dr. Miles.
Sgt. Walker says that the New York police talked with a man
named Larry Burrows.
Scene 4: Inside the church sanctuary, Tom Winter comes in and talks with
his ex-spouse, Susan. She says that she has wanted to talk to
Tom. She begins to rant and rave. She says that she hated
him. Tom slaps her and she begins crying. She leaves the
church.
Scene 5: Back in his cell in the Peyton County jail, Dr. Rossi washes
his hands in a lavatory just below the barred windows. Rita
Harrington is let into his cell to talk with the doctor. She
has brought him a small transistor radio. [They didn't have
Bose Wave® radios back then.] She tells Rossi that she
will not testify against him. He admonishes her to be honest
in her testimony. Not to lie. She tells Rossi that she has
been having nausea. He asks if it is in the morning. He asks
her if she is pregnant. She says that she thinks so. Rossi
tells her to go see Dr. Morgan. He scolds her for not seeking
medical advice sooner. Rita kisses Rossi. Rossi calls to
George, the jailer. He lets Rita out.
Norman, wearing dark slacks and a sports coat, joins them just
outside the cell and asks if Rita is sick. Norman says that
they are behind him all the way. Norman and Rita leave.
Scene 6: Outside the courthouse, Norman and Rita walk to the bandstand
in the square. In the background is the Jewelry store which is
the first store to the east of the Clarion, with an intervening
grassy alcove about eight feet wide. Norman picks a flower for
Rita. Rossi is seen watching them through the bars of his
cell.
Preview: Marsha testifies. Police Sgt. William Wilson Walker talks with
Lew Miles. Norman answers questions of Steven.
Ju: I want a direct answer, Mrs. Russell. Did your
ex-husband tell you that Dr. Rossi was responsible for
his skull wound?
Ma: Yes, that's what he said. He accused Dr. Rossi.
WWW: And, I don't have to worry about you, do I?
LM: Hey, I'm not going to take off, if that's what you mean?
SC: Did he say anything else?
NH: He said it was a good thing that he didn't hit Mr.
Russell, or he would have been in a lot of trouble.
Judge-Michael Strong.
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