O. Henry relates to his housekeeper the strange tale of Charles Spencer James (Gerald Mohr), a safecracker who by day poses as a doctor. One fateful night, a policeman stops James on his way home from a burglary to aid an upscale family that needs immediate medical attention. The husband lies paralyzed from a seizure, while his battered wife needs much more help than it appears. When "Doc" James learns there is $10,000 in cash to be had, only the paralyzed husband stands in the way.

"The O. Henry Playhouse" is a 1957 single season, 39-episode TV series. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) is considered one of America's greatest writers of short stories. His writings are laced with humor and irony and often end with a sly twist ending. Veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell stars in each episode as writer O. Henry himself as he relates his stories to his publisher, his housekeeper, a barber, a bartender, or the cop on the beat. In some episodes, O. Henry meets his characters as he discovers firsthand the story he will later write. This unique storytelling method gives great insight into the famous author's creative process.

You can read the original literary version of "Marionettes" HERE and compare it with the many changes in the film adaptation. "Marionettes" is one of 13 episodes in volume one of "The O. Henry Playhouse." The films have been beautifully restored on DVD by the home video label ClassicFlix!