Ninth Guest
by Owen Davis

Ninth Guest Book Cover — Ninth Guest Cover

Highlights

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Male

105 mins 1930s Interior Set Period Costumes

Synopsis

Two hours of mad mystery and thrills start with the arrival of a group of persons at a penthouse, atop a building otherwise deserted at midnight.

They are a queerly assorted lot, all intellectuals, and each violently detesting somebody else in the party for a cause bitter enough to lead persons with less restraint to murder.

They are indignant and are about to leave when a voice from the radio informs them of the purpose of bringing them together: to create situations that will force their self-inflicted deaths, one by one during the course of the evening.

They are warned that attempted escape will result in sudden tragedy.

Death is the "Ninth Guest."

The only possibility of survival is that their respective wits will be sharp enough to forsee and resist the influence of suggestion by the voice of the unseen host.

Around this fertile situation the play is built.

The climax is reached with but three of the original eight surviving.

The solution is a surprise and wholly unexpected.

Press Reviews

"The patrons had a fine time gripping their neighbors' arms, oohing and aahing."
— Philadelphia Evening Bulletin

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
MRE. MARGARET CHISHOLM The leader of New Orleans society. A woman in the forties, although thanks to modern cosmetics and the assistance of expert dressmakers, she appears much younger. She is charming, well-poised and cultivated, and has the calm air of assurance of a woman whose position cannot be challeneged.	female	—	The leader of New Orleans society. A woman in the forties, although thanks to modern cosmetics and the assistance of expert dressmakers, she appears much younger. She is charming, well-poised and cultivated, and has the calm air of assurance of a woman whose position cannot be challeneged.
DR. MURRAY CHALMERS REID Distinguished scholar and the head of a great university. He is a forceful man in the early fifties, quite sure of himself and rather positive and dogmatic in his manner.	male	—	Distinguished scholar and the head of a great university. He is a forceful man in the early fifties, quite sure of himself and rather positive and dogmatic in his manner.
JASON OSGOOD An extremely wealthy banker of New Orleans. All his life he has had the handling of a great fortune and of late years he has gone into politics on a reform ticket. He is well-dressed, dignified, a little of a snob.	male	—	An extremely wealthy banker of New Orleans. All his life he has had the handling of a great fortune and of late years he has gone into politics on a reform ticket. He is well-dressed, dignified, a little of a snob.
PETER DALY About thirty years old. He is a pleasant, healthy, attractive young fellow who has had some success as a novelist and whose first play has recently been triumphantly produced on Broadway.	male	—	About thirty years old. He is a pleasant, healthy, attractive young fellow who has had some success as a novelist and whose first play has recently been triumphantly produced on Broadway.
SYLVIA INGLESBY She is of the modern American business woman type. An extremely successful lawyer who has become a power in local politics. She is good looking, but her manner indicates more force and authority than is usual with young women of her age.	female	—	She is of the modern American business woman type. An extremely successful lawyer who has become a power in local politics. She is good looking, but her manner indicates more force and authority than is usual with young women of her age.
HENRY ABBOTT Commonly called "Hank." He is about thirty years old, artist, radical, free-thinker. A brilliant but erratic genius who has never been able to accomplish his ambition.	male	—	Commonly called "Hank." He is about thirty years old, artist, radical, free-thinker. A brilliant but erratic genius who has never been able to accomplish his ambition.
JEAN TRENT A very pretty girl of twenty-five. She is at present a moving picture star whose popularity is just beginning to make her an important figure. Prior to this she has been a stock company actress and Broadway ingenue. She is born of an old aristocratic family and might well have a trace of Southern accent.	female	—	A very pretty girl of twenty-five. She is at present a moving picture star whose popularity is just beginning to make her an important figure. Prior to this she has been a stock company actress and Broadway ingenue. She is born of an old aristocratic family and might well have a trace of Southern accent.
THE FIRST GUEST A man about thirty-five years of age, dressed in ordinary business clothes. He speaks no lines.	male	—	A man about thirty-five years of age, dressed in ordinary business clothes. He speaks no lines.
HAWKINS A grave, respectable butler. Might well be a white-haired man of thin and rather severe aspect.	male	—	A grave, respectable butler. Might well be a white-haired man of thin and rather severe aspect.