Never Follow a Banjo Act

Originally Aired: February 1, 1954 Suspense #537, "Never Follow a Banjo Act," stars Ethel Merman as Rosie Jones, a veteran nightclub singer whose career has seen better days. When legendary agent Ray Cram offers her a lucrative contract to perform with his hot new discovery, teenage heartthrob Terry Dane, at a Las Vegas casino, Rosie jumps at the opportunity. However, Cram delivers a stern warning: stay away from Terry off-stage. The young singer is moody and shy, still recovering from the tragic death of his girlfriend Constance Green, who died in a bizarre shower door accident during Cram's "My Darling Died" publicity campaign. As Rosie and Terry begin performing together at the Cactus Retreat, tensions simmer beneath the surface. Terry displays an unsettling charisma with audiences, particularly women, yet seems strangely fixated on Rosie's apparent immunity to his charms. When Cram catches Terry whispering to Rosie backstage and reinforces his warning for her to keep her distance, it becomes clear that something sinister lurks behind the glamorous Vegas showbiz facade. The episode's ominous title takes on new meaning as Rosie finds herself in increasingly dangerous territory.