Escape and Suspense!

Suspense - Salvage

In "Salvage," Van Johnson plays a pilot hired to help retrieve a fortune in gold from the bottom of the ocean.

Danny Connor's troubles began when he received an unexpected visit from his former girlfriend, Gloria. Her husband, Wendell H. Davis, wanted to hire a pilot, and she suggested that Danny would be right for the job. Her husband's company planned to search for sunken treasure in the Carribbean, and they needed a pilot to scout the waters by plane.

Danny accepted the job but soon realized he had become involved in more than he had agreed to. Now, he is at sea on an old, badly-equipped ship that belongs to his ex-girlfriend's shady husband..."What sense was there to taking a job like that? No sense."

"Salvage" was written by Sidney Renthal, produced by William Spier, and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Van Johnson, in the third of his five appearances on Suspense, starred as Danny Connor. Joseph Kearns played Wendell H. Davis.  Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Sam Edwards, and William Conrad. This episode aired on April 6, 1950.

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Escape - Flood on the Goodwins

In "Flood on the Goodwins," a fishing boat in the English Channel is hijacked by a desperate Nazi saboteur.

As the episode opens, Captain Mac and Mr. Dundas are on their fishing boat searching for the victims of a tanker destroyed by Nazi sabotage.

When Captain Mac and Mr. Dundas return home they are met by a strange man claiming to be a government agent. He wants to be taken to Belgium, but they find it suspicious that he wants to travel there in a fishing boat. When they refuse his offer, the man forces Captain Mac, Mr. Dundas, and Mrs. Dundas onto their boat at gunpoint and demands that they take him to Belgium. Soon they find out that he is a Nazi agent on his way back from a completed mission. Can they find a way to outsmart him before they reach the Goodwin Sands?

"Flood on the Goodwins" was adapted for Escape by James Poe from a story by David Divine. William N. Robson produced/directed. This episode aired on November 1, 1949. Jack Edwards played Dundas, Will Geer is perfect as Captain Mac, and Barton Yarborough played the Nazi. Also appearing were Betty Lou Gerson and Eric Snowden.

.  Download Escape.1949.11.01_FloodontheGoodwins.mp3

Escape presented this story again on July 24, 1954. Morton Fine and David Friedkin produced/directed. Vic Perrin, Ben Wright, Joseph Kearns, and Betty Harford were featured.

.  Download Escape.1954.07.24_FloodontheGoodwins.mp3

William N. Robson presented this story again on Suspense on July 14, 1957. Herbert Marshall starred as Dundas. Hans Conried, Ellen Morgan, and Richard Peel also appeared.

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Suspense - Sequel to Murder

"Sequel to Murder" is the story of man who lacks imagination. So, he uses someone else's.

Frank Gault is a successful editor at a large publishing house. One day his boss assigns him a murder-mystery to evaluate called "Death on My Hands." On that same day, Frank's girlfriend, Bess, tells him that she is tired of waiting and that he must divorce his wife. Frank doesn't know how to solve his problems until he reads the mystery that his boss gave him and decides to murder his wife by imitating the crime. Afterwards, no one suspects that Frank had anything to do with his wife's death, but the writer who dreamed up the story knows better.

"Sequel to Murder" was written by E. Jack Neuman and produced/directed by Elliott Lewis. Whitfield Connor starred as Frank. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns, Jack Kruschen, Charlotte Lawrence, and Betty Lou Gerson. This episode aired on June 22, 1954.

. Download Suspense_1954.06.22_SequelToMurder.mp3

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Escape - The Adversary

Escape's "The Adversary" takes place among the pearling fleet that once flourished on Thursday Island (Waiben), Queensland. It is based on the short story of the same name by John Russell, which is available in the book The Red Mark: And Other Stories (1919).

John Wetherbee, master of the lugger Fancy Free, arrives on Thursday Island and quickly takes offense at the local jest that the only honest man there...came by land. He challenges anyone to call him dishonest, and in no time, everyone accepts him as an exceedingly honest man. Though there are things about him and his crew that are questionable...

Captain Wetherbee appears to be a friend to all, but soon he runs into an old acquaintance who knows better. Mr.Selden, a former deacon, wants Wetherbee to include him in his latest "enterprise" and Wetherbee agrees. Soon however, the two are at odds over Wetherbee's plans to sink a ship carrying a fortune in pearls.

"The Adversary" was adapted for radio and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Lawrence Dobkin, John Dehner, and Ben Wright were featured. Also appearing were Alec Hartford, Charlie Lung, and Barney Phillips. Vic Perrin was the narrator. This episode aired on May 6, 1954.

. Download Escape_1954.05.06_The Adversary.mp3

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Suspense - The High Wall

In "The High Wall," Robert Young plays a man who suddenly finds himself locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane.

Mr. Lewis wakes up in a hospital with no memory of events that have happened within the last six months. He thinks it is December, but then realizes it is summer when he looks outside. The last thing that he does remember was returning home to his wife after being away for three years. He was in a hotel room and there was a knock at the door, but he doesn't remember what occurred after that. What happened between then and now? His friendly nurse Amy is willing to break the rules to help him remember.

"The High Wall" was written by Bradbury Foote and produced/directed by William Spier. This was the third of Robert Young's seven appearances on Suspense. English character actor George Zucco, in the last of his five appearances on Suspense, played the Professor. Cathy Lewis played Amy and Wally Maher played Dr. Dunlap. This episode aired on June 6, 1946.

. Download Suspense_1946.06.06_TheHighWall.mp3

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Suspense - A Killing in Abilene

"A Killing in Abilene" stars Alan Ladd in a western saga about a man determined to bring his brother's murderer to trial.

Jeff Mander has spent two years in pursuit of the man who murdered his brother. As the episode opens, Jeff rides into the small town of Pleasant Valley. There, he finds the townspeople gathered around a pit where they have just uncovered a body . As it turns out, the man whom they believe has committed this murder, Lee Burrage, is the same man that Jeff is looking for.

Jeff wants to bring the accused man back to trial in Abilene, but the townspeople have their own ideas about justice. Will he be able to convince the townspeople that Lee Burrage deserves a trial?

"A Killing in Abilene" was written by Gil Doud and Antony Ellis. Elliott Lewis produced and directed. Appearing with Alan Ladd were Parley Baer, Jeannette Nolan, and Barton Yarborough. This episode aired on December 14, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950.12.14_AKillingInAbilene.mp3 

Suspense presented this tale again with Parley Baer in the lead role on February 3, 1955.

. Download Suspense_1955.02.03_AKillingInAbilene.MP3

This story also made it to the Suspense television show in 1951, but that episode, if it survives, is not available at this time.

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Escape - Zero Hour

Escape's "Zero Hour" is an adaptation of a Ray Bradbury story about a peculiar game played by young children.

It is a typical day in the New York home of the Morris family, and Mrs. Morris is busy with her usual routine. Her daughter, Mink, as well as all of the other young children, are intensely occupied by new, mysterious game called "Invasion." Mrs. Morris isn't bothered by the game until she gets a call from her friend in Connecticut and finds out that all of the kids are playing it there as well. When she learns that the game's "zero hour" is to be at 5:00 p.m. that day, she does begin to wonder what the kids are really up to. None of the other parents are worried about it, but they should be. The children have learned the game from the Martians that are planning to take over the Earth.

Escape's "Zero Hour" was adapted for radio and directed by Anthony Ellis. Paula Winslowe played Mrs. Morris and Isa Ashdown played Mink. John Dehner narrated. This episode aired on October 4, 1953.

. Download Escape_1953.10.04_Zero Hour.mp3

According to Martin Grams in Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills, "Zero Hour" disturbed many listeners when it aired on Escape and CBS received thousands of letters and phone calls in response. Suspense brought the story back to the airwaves two years later on April 5, 1955. Isha Ashdown and Paula Winslowe returned to play the same roles. John Dehner again appeared as the narrator. Antony Ellis again produced/directed.

.  Download Suspense_1955.04.05_Zero Hour.mp3

Suspense aired the story again on May 18, 1958. William N. Robson produced/directed. Evelyn Rudie played Mink and Lillian Buyeff played Mrs. Morris.

. Download Suspense_1958.05.18_ZeroHour.mp3

Suspense aired this story for the last time on January 3, 1960. Francie Meyers played Mink and Ginger Jones played Mrs. Morris. Stuart Metz was the narrator and Paul Roberts produced/directed.

. Download Suspense_1960.01.03_Zero Hour.mp3   

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Suspense - Don't Call Me Mother

"Dont' Call Me Mother" is the story of a woman grasping to keep her son in her life--and her daughter-in-law out.

Agnes Moorehead plays Lori, a domineering single mom with a 25 year-old son named Larry. Lori thinks that the life that she and her son share is wonderful, but then Larry ruins it by getting a girlfriend. When he brings Roberta home to meet his mother, the meeting doesn't go well. Lori immediately begins a campaign of emotional blackmail to break them up, but it doesn't work. Larry and Roberta marry over his mother's objections, but when Larry has doubts about his new bride, he makes the mistake of going back to mother for advice.

"Don't Call Me Mother" was written/produced/directed by William N. Robson. Agnes Moorehead starred as Lori. Also featured were James McCallion and Cathy Lewis. This episode aired on January 4, 1959.

. Download suspense_1959.01.04_Don'tCallMeMother.mp3

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Suspense - Song of the Heart

"Song of the Heart" is the story of a stifled man and the suffocating, passive-aggressive aunt who raised him.

Van Heflin plays Neil Wilson, a young guy with an overburdened life. Neil was raised by Aunt Alice and as the episode opens, he is turning himself into the police. Neil tells them he has just killed his aunt.

The trouble started when Neil met Muriel Jones at the company picnic. Neil and Muriel fell in love instantly and wanted to marry, but his aunt refused to accept what was really happening. She didn't like Muriel, and she tried in a not-too-subtle way to communicate those feelings to Neil. Did he understand what his Aunt Alice was trying to tell him?

"Song of the Heart" was written for Suspense by Elliott Lewis and produced/directed by Anton Leader. Van Heflin starred as Neil and Betty Lou Gerson played Muriel. Lurene Tuttle played Aunt Alice.

. Download Suspense_1948.08.26_SongoftheHeart.mp3

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Escape - Present Tense

Escape's "Present Tense" has similarities to "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" but takes the story in a more nightmarish direction. In the introduction to this episode, the story is billed as James Poe's "seething tale of violent death." That it is.

Vincent Price plays a poet turned ax murderer named Roger who escapes while being transported to prison. When he returns to his home, Roger finds his wife Mary and her lover. He thought he had murdered them, but clearly they had just tricked him into believing that he did! So, Roger grabs a cleaver and gets his revenge. Then, he is convicted again, sent to prison again, sentenced to death again, escapes again, returns home again...

"Present Tense" was written for Escape by screenwriter James Poe and was produced/directed by William N. Robson.  Vincent Price starred as Roger, the cleaver-wheeling poet. Also appearing were: Charles McGraw, Joan Banks, Harry Bartell, and Ben Wright. This episode aired on January 31, 1950.

. Download escape_1950.01.31_ PresentTense.mp3   

Seven years later, William N. Robson presented this radio-play again on Suspense. The peppy music that accompanies this episode is distracting and the pace of the story is much faster. Vincent Price again played the role of Roger. Also appearing were Daws Butler, Jack Kruschen, Peg La Centra, Ellen Morgan, Sam Pierce, Charles Lavalack, and Joe DiSantis. This episode aired on March 3, 1957.

. Download Suspense_1957.03.03_PresentTense.mp3

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Suspense - Muddy Track

"The Muddy Track" is a radio noir about a bookie who is framed for the murder of a model.

Harry Clark is new in town and down on his luck. He is alone in a bar sipping a Coke when he is descended upon by Brandy. She takes a liking to him, buys him a bourbon, and soon his luck begins to change. Her "friend," Mr. Persian, arrives shortly afterwards and offers Harry a job as a bookie. Mr. Persian buys Harry another round, but this time Harry asks for a brandy. Mr. Persian warns Harry that, "Brandy lovers often die young."

Harry goes to work the next day, but when he finds Brandy murdered, he realizes he was set-up. Now Harry is on the run for a murder he didn't commit, but he can't get out of town without some help.

"The Muddy Track" was written by Buckley Angell and Bob Shelly. Anton M. Leader produced and directed. Academy-award winner Edmond O'Brien, in one of his four appearances on Suspense, starred as Harry. Ann Blyth starred as Eleanor Grayson. This episode aired on November 11, 1948.

.  Download Suspense_1948.11.11_Muddy_Track.mp3

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Suspense - The One Millionth Joe

In "The One Millionth Joe," a publicity stunt turns deadly when things don't go off as planned.

Al is a public relations man in Los Angeles. He came up with a promotional stunt for his client, the Bureau of Better Business Promotion, wherein the one millionth passenger through the airport would win an all-expenses paid whirl through the city.

As everyone gathers at the airport for the one millionth visitor to step through Gate 5, the surprise is on Al when two passengers arrive through the gate at the same moment. Then an argument ensues over who actually deserves the prize, and Al has to come up with an arrangement that will keep both of the prize-winners happy. As he gets to know the two winners, Al finds he has to negotiate a much more complicated deal than he expected.

"The One Millionth Joe" was written for radio by Sylvia Richards, produced by William Spier, and directed by Norman Macdonnell. Jack Carson, in one his five appearances on Suspense, starred as Al. This episode aired on June 22, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950.06.22_TheOneMillionthJoe.mp3

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