Trouble loading a record from client script

I'm almost positive this used to work:

 function OnInit(type)  {      try      {          var entityId = nlapiGetFieldValue('entity');          alert('about to load the customer ' + entityId);          var customer = nlapiLoadRecord('customer', entityId);          alert('customer loaded');      }      catch(e)      {          HandleClientScriptException(e);          alert('An Error has occurred.  The administrators have been notified via email.');      }  } 

The alert after nlapiLoadRecord() is never called.  I have verified that the entity ID is valid.  I'm running this script from a Sales Order.  I can't think of what else to tell you.

Anyone think why nlapiLoadRecord would fail?  It's not throwing an nlobjError exception so I can't get any details.