The evil Edith Landers
Edith Landers (Susan Oliver; 1932-1990) is the main villainess from "Choose a Victim," episode 1.19 of Thriller (airdate January 24, 1961).
Introduction[]
Edith Landers is the niece of wealthy Phil Landers, and she was shown being approached by petty criminal Ralphie Teal, who was planning to con and rob her. She is charmed by Ralphie in the early scenes, but it was later in the episode that Ralphie snuck into Edith's bedroom with plans to rob her, only to suddenly back out, with Edith showing affections for Ralphie.
Ralphie responded in kind; though the episode also established Edith as being controlled by her uncle, which included setting Edith on a date with a man who she despised. Ralphie later suggested planning to kill Phil, with Edith acting shocked at the thought before agreeing to the scheme. However, their original plan of Edith running her uncle off the road after Ralphie stopped him doesn't go through, as Edith backs out.
Climax & Arrest[]
Edith attempting to set up Ralphie in her uncle's murder
After a second attempt fails due to a friend of Phil's being in Phil's car, Edith warned Ralphie, who had long decided to act on his own. Edith phoned Ralphie about her uncle's appearance at the bridge, after which Ralphie knocked out Phil and turned on the engine of his car, sending him to his death. Ralphie and Edith celebrated the success of their plan, which would result in Edith inheriting her uncle's wealth. On the following day, Ralphie was encountered by detectives Sid Benajain and Hazlitt, who took him into custody for Phil's murder.
During the interrogation, the detectives presented Edith as a character witness, and it was at that moment that Edith claimed that Ralphie had stalked her and her uncle, with Ralphie expressing shock over Edith's statements. After Phil's wallet was found in Ralphie's jacket pocket, Ralphie realized that the murderous plan was Edith's all along, and she planted the wallet to make sure that Ralphie would go down on his own for the murder. Edith's heel turn was cemented when she flashed a confident and sinister smirk after leaving her co-conspirator's interrogation, but she quickly realized that she left one of her gloves at Ralphie's place.
The villainess rushed to get the glove, only to see that Ralphie's girlfriend, Fay, got there and located the glove. Afterwards, the evil Edith followed Fay and overheard her and Sam discussing Ralphie's arrest, after which she went for the glove once Fay left. However, Benajain arrived and caught Edith, as they had suspected and known that she was the true mastermind of the murder of her uncle, and after Edith was taken into custody, Benajain revealed what connected her to Ralphie: Edith's perfume on Ralphie's clothes.
Trivia[]
- Susan Oliver later appeared on The Andy Griffith Show as a villainous female prisoner, and on Circle of Fear as the evil Ellen Pritchard.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Boris Karloff s Thriller Choose A Victim