The Millionaire (TV Series)

The Regina Wainwright Story (1957)

Marvin Miller: Michael Anthony

Quotes 

• Michael Anthony : [Anthony enters Tipton's den and finds Tipton seated in a high-backed chair, examining three miniature totem poles on his desk. Only Tipton's left arm is visible to the viewers]  You sent for me, sir?

  John Beresford Tipton : Mike,

  [Tipton waves at the poles] 

  John Beresford Tipton : you know what these are, of course.

  Michael Anthony : They're totem poles, sir.

  John Beresford Tipton : Quite right.

  Michael Anthony : It's amazing, isn't it, sir, that so-called primitive people should have such pride of family that they'd create these monuments to their ancestors?

  John Beresford Tipton : [Chuckles]  That's not really amazing, Mike, when you consider that perhaps they had reason to be proud.

  [Tipton hands over an envelope to Anthony] 

  John Beresford Tipton : When you deliver this, you may see a rather startling example of just such pride in a so-called civilized person.

  [Anthony bows and, with another glance at the totem poles, departs] 

• Michael Anthony : [to the viewers]  My name is Michael Anthony. For many years before his death, I was fortunate enough to be executive secretary to John Beresford Tipton. John Beresford Tipton, man of many millions and much mystery. This is Silverstone, the 60,000-acre estate he preferred above all his other properties, where he lived actively with his varied interests, pursuing his different hobbies, one of which was giving, tax-free, a million dollars to people he'd never even met. And another one of his hobbies was adding to his fabulous art collection.

• Michael Anthony : [Reviewing a case history, to the viewers]  Regina Wainwright was a prisoner of her wheelchair, unable to leave it. Still, she was very conscious of a world outside her room. But it was, perhaps, not the world as you and I imagine it.

• Colonel Farnsworth : [Anthony knocks at the door of Regina's large parlor. Her brother answers the door]  Yes?

  Michael Anthony : Is Mrs. Wainwright in, please?

  Colonel Farnsworth : Whom should I say is calling?

  Regina Wainwright : Oh, brother, do stop acting silly.

  [to Anthony] 

  Regina Wainwright : Come in, come in. I'm Mrs. Wainwright. How do you do?

  Michael Anthony : My name is Michael Anthony.

  Regina Wainwright : And this is my brother, Colonel Farnsworth.

  Michael Anthony : [to Farnsworth]  How do you do?

  Colonel Farnsworth : [Nods]  Mr. Anthony.

  Michael Anthony : [to Regina]  Ah, I have something rather important to discuss with you, Mrs. Wainwright. I wonder if I could talk to you alone.

  Colonel Farnsworth : Perfectly all right, Mr. Anthony, perfectly all right. By the way, would you have a cigar?

  [Searches his suit and pockets] 

  Colonel Farnsworth : Hmm, I seem to be out of them. Very strange. Ah, I don't suppose you happen to have an extra one?

  Regina Wainwright : Brother, will you please run along?

  Colonel Farnsworth : Oh, of course, sister, of course.

  [to Anthony] 

  Colonel Farnsworth : I bid you good afternoon, sir.

  [the Colonel departs] 

  Regina Wainwright : Won't you sit down, Mr. Anthony?

  Michael Anthony : Thank you.

  [Sits and opens his briefcase to withdraw a check] 

  Michael Anthony : Mrs. Wainwright, I have some very good news for you. A gift from an anonymous donor.

  Regina Wainwright : I rather imagine I could guess who from, if you give me several guesses.

  Michael Anthony : I'm afraid you couldn't Mrs. Wainwright. It's from someone you don't know, from someone I don't believe you ever heard of.

  Regina Wainwright : How strange. Well what is it?

  Michael Anthony : [Holding the check up to Regina]  One million dollars.

  Regina Wainwright : One million dollars. Now look, young man, I'm not a fool.

  Michael Anthony : Please, look at it. It's a cashier's check drawn on your local bank.

  Regina Wainwright : One million dollars. But who would give this to me, and why?

  Michael Anthony : I cannot answer those questions, but I assure you the money is yours, free and clear,

  [Presenting a document] 

  Michael Anthony : providing you sign this agreement. You merely pledge yourself not to tell anyone the exact amount of this gift or the way you got it. If you do, you forfeit what's left.

  [Regina signs the paper] 

  Michael Anthony : Thank you.

  [Anthony returns the pledge to his briefcase] 

  Regina Wainwright : Young man, do you know what is means to live on pride for fifteen years? I wasn't born to this, but to that

  [indicating a wall painting of an Antebellum mansion] 

  Regina Wainwright : .

  Michael Anthony : [Anthony steps closer to inspect the artwork]  Beautiful! It has an elegance that survives passing fashions.

  Regina Wainwright : Hasn't it? It was my husband's home, and his father's home before him, and his father's home before that.

  [Regina places the check inside a book she had been reading before Anthony arrived] 

  Michael Anthony : I should think you'd run to cash that.

  Regina Wainwright : All in good time, young man. It's rather difficult for me to run, but... All in good time.

  Michael Anthony : I've never seen a cashier's check for a million dollars used as a bookmark. Happy reading, Mrs. Wainwright. Goodbye.

  Regina Wainwright : Goodbye.