The Chain

Originally Aired: April 27, 1950

Suspense #382, "The Chain," stars Agnes Moorhead as Leonora Cofferner, a bitter housewife who receives an ominous chain letter warning that whoever breaks the chain will meet with evil. Consumed by jealousy over her husband George's relationship with his secretary, Betty Holden, and resentful of her social rival Abby Reynolds, Leonora sees the superstitious letter as an opportunity for petty revenge. She dutifully sends copies to both women, then watches as her already crumbling marriage deteriorates further.

When George confronts her about sending the foolish letter to Miss Holden, their argument escalates into a devastating confrontation about trust, respect, and the state of their marriage. George moves out to the guest room over the garage, leaving Leonora alone with her resentment and the growing realization that her actions may have consequences. As the townspeople begin to whisper and Leonora tries to justify her behavior, she insists she merely followed the letter's instructions out of fear—but the question remains whether the evil that follows will come from supernatural forces or from the poison of her own making.