The Storm

Originally Aired: March 2, 1953

Suspense #502, "The Storm," presents Frank Lovejoy as Larry Weston, half of a successful dance team with his wife Joyce. When old friend Al Morgan calls asking them to perform at his new Gulf Coast hotel in Sea Beach, Larry agrees—demanding $3,000 plus percentage and making the decision without consulting Joyce. The tension in their marriage mirrors the approaching hurricane gathering strength over the Caribbean. Larry's ego has grown with their success, and he treats Joyce more like a business asset than a partner. At the hotel, Larry's arrogance surfaces again when he discovers a dog act is also performing. He immediately threatens to break their contract rather than share the bill, believing himself too important to work alongside such entertainment.

As storm warnings circulate and some guests check out, Al Morgan desperately needs the Westons' star power to keep his remaining customers. Joyce grows increasingly frustrated with Larry's inflated sense of importance and their deteriorating relationship. The atmospheric disturbance building offshore seems to echo the personal storm brewing between the couple, setting the stage for a confrontation where Larry's conviction that he's bigger than anything else in the world will be tested.