Escape and Suspense!

Escape - The Outer Limit

"The Outer Limit" by Graham Doar was first published in The Saturday Evening Post on December 24, 1949. It was first adapted for radio by Escape and later by Dimension X, Suspense, and X Minus 1. The story was also adapted for the pilot episode of the early science fiction television series Out There  in 1951.

As the episode opens, a test pilot named Major Bill Westfall is about to embark on a mission to take the experimental craft RJX-1 up to the outer limit of the Earth's atmosphere. At first, everything goes well, but a few minutes into the flight, the RJX-1 disappears. With only enough fuel for ten minutes of flight, the ground crew has to face the reality that the craft and its pilot have been lost.

Oh, but they aren't lost. While orbiting the Earth, Major Westfall is briefly captured by galactic representatives. They tell him that they have chosen him to relate a message to the inhabitants of Earth about their use of atomic weaponry. They explain that they have placed a force screen around the Earth, and if the people of Earth continue to create and use atomic weapons, they will be destroyed by the screen. The Earth's atomic bombs are a danger to the universe, and they must be contained. 

Westfall is then returned to Earth, but will anyone believe the warning he was sent to deliver?

"The Outer Limit" was adapted for radio by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. William N. Robson produced/directed. Frank Lovejoy starred as Major Westfall. Also appearing were Charles McGraw, Jeff Corey, Stan Waxman, and Ian Wolfe. This episode aired on February 7, 1950.

.  Download Escape_1950.02.07_The_Outer_Limit

Suspense presented this story, with a few modifications to Escape's script, on February 15, 1954. Elliott Lewis produced/directed. William Holden starred.

.  Download Suspense_1954.02.15_OuterLimit

Suspense presented "The Outer Limit" a second time on March 17, 1957. William N. Robson produced/directed. Frank Lovejoy starred as the colonel in this version.

. Download Suspense_1957.03.17_TheOuterLimit

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Suspense - The Thirty-Second of December

In "The Thirty-Second of December," a man discovers that his new watch can transport him through time.

As the episode opens, it is the the thirty-first of December, 1958, and Joe and Molly are having breakfast.

He asks her, very casually, to give him her engagement ring so that he can take it to the jeweler and have the loose stone repaired. She aks him if he has been gambling again and if he intends to pawn her ring to pay his debts. Joe laughs off Molly's silliness, -- but of course, that is exactly why he wants it. He needs a thousand dollars by midnight to pay off the mob.

Joe takes the ring to the pawn shop but then becomes spellbound by an odd watch on display there. He decides to buy the watch with the money he got for the ring and find another way to pay off his debt. Not long afterwards, he discovers that his new watch can control time, but can he control the watch?

"The Thirty-Second of December" was written by Morris Lee Green and William Walker.  William N. Robson produced an directed. Frank Lovejoy starred. Also appearing were Joan Banks, Norm Alden, Barney Phillips, and Sam Pierce. This episode aired on December 28, 1958.

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Suspense - The Clock and the Rope

In "The Clock and the Rope," a man makes a date, gets in a fight with his date's ex, and winds up being convicted of murder.

As the episode opens, Henry Gilford describes how his problems began, why it is that he doesn't like to be indoors, why he hates clocks... 

It had all started when he made a date with a girl who frequented the gas station where he worked. They had agreed to meet late the following evening, but she drove off before Henry could get her name.

When Henry arrived to meet his date the next night, her angry ex was there also, and a fight was already in progress. Henry had to knock the man out to protect himself and Henry's date told him to leave before her ex woke up. He did, and two hours later, the cops picked him up on suspicion of murder. Unfortunately for Henry, the girl disappeared, and the police didn't  believe his story.

Now Henry has been convicted of murder, and the only thing that can save him is the girl. Will she reappear, or will he hang?

"The Clock and the Rope" was written by Louis Pollack and produced/directed by William Spier. Jackie Cooper starred as Henry Gilford. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Wally Maher, Junius Matthews, John McIntire, Paul McVey, Joseph Kearns, Lester Jay, Elliott Lewis, and Jack Kruschen. This episode aired on December 5, 1947.

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Escape - Snake Doctor

Escape's "Snake Doctor" was based on a short story by American author Irvin S. Cobb about jealousy, superstition, and water moccasins. "Snake Doctor" was published in 1923 and can be found in The Works of Irvin S. Cobb: Snake Doctor and Other Stories. It is also available online at Horrormasters.com.

The story is set in Cashier Creek, somewhere in the backwoods of the American South. It centers on a reclusive man known as the "Snake Doctor," who makes his living selling snake oil and capturing the local cottonmouth water moccasins for collectors. He appears to live among the snakes without fear or injury, and for that, most people in the community eye him with suspicion. (He is also said to be a miser who hides a great stash of money in his home.) The only person who is kind to him is Kizzie Morner, the wife of his neighbor. When she risks the wrath of her abusive husband to help the "Snake Doctor" when he is ill, her husband's jealousy becomes murderous.

Escape chose not to adapt the story exactly, but mostly. They added in the character of the son, Finnie.

"Snake Doctor" was adapted for radio by Fred Howard, who also appeared in this episode. William N. Robson produced and directed. William Conrad played Jafe Morner. Paul Frees played Finnie. Also appearing were Ruth Barret, Barton Yarborough, and Louis Van Rooten. This episode aired on February 8, 1948.

. Download Escape.1948.02.08_Snake_Doctor

Escape aired this story again on August 18, 1949. Norman MacDonnell produced and directed. William Conrad and Paul Frees again played Jafe and Finnie. Also appearing were: Ira Grossell, Bill Lalli, Ruth Barrett, Wilms Herbert, and Edgar Barrier.

.  Download Escape.1949.08.18_Snake_Doctor

Suspense - A Murder of Necessity

In "A Murder of Necessity," a man kills his blackmailer but then realizes that there is a witness to his crime.

Herbie Sachs is a private investigator and a blackmailer. As the episode opens, Mark is on his way to Herbie's office to murder him. Mark walks in, chit-chats a little, and then shoots him.

Afterwards, he realizes that Herbie had been in the middle of a phone call. The phone was off the hook, and somewhere out there, a stranger heard what he did.

Mark decides to try to find out who was on the other end of that call by going through the list of people that Herbie was in contact with that day. As he does, Mark realizes that he may have done them all a favor by killing Herbie.

"A Murder of Necessity" was written by Richard Pedicini  and produced/directed by Elliott Lewis. Robert Young starred. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns, Charlotte Lawrence, Joe Gilbert , Howard McNear, Lou Merrill, and Paula Winslowe. This episode aired on March 24, 1952.

.  Download Suspense_1952.03.24_A Murder Of Necessity

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Suspense - Murder Aboard the Alphabet

In "Murder Aboard the Alphabet," the crew of a deep sea tugboat fears that their captain is a madman.

As the episode opens, the chief officer of the Alphabet, Mr. Marchland, explains what happened during their voyage from Liverpool to Boston.

The ship was under the command of Captain Walker for the first time, and it soon became apparent that their new captain had intense peculiarities and a maniacal need to organize everything alphabetically. At first he seemed harmless, but when members of the crew began to mysteriously disappear in alphabetical order, they realized that their captain was more dangerous than odd.

"Murder Aboard the Alphabet" was written by Charles Turrell and produced and directed by William Spier. John Lund starred as Mr. Marchland and Joseph Kearns played the captain. Also appearing were Wiliam Johnstone and Ben Wright. This episode aired on August 21, 1947.

.  Download Suspense_1947.08.21_Murder Aboard the Alphabet

Suspense did this story a second time in 1955, but no recordings of that broadcast are known to exist at this time.

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Holiday Fun at Escape and Suspense!

Hi Folks,

We've been having lots of holiday fun here at Escape and Suspense!, and the imaginary staff has been working hard to make things merry. Well, they wanted the weekend off to do their holiday shopping, and frankly, after a few cups of hot buttered rum at our Christmas party, I couldn't say no.

Since they aren't here to stop me, I thought I would post some of the pictures I have taken of our holiday frolics.

Here is Mr. Johnson, our accounts payable manager decorating our office Christmas tree. That's the spirit, Bob! Of course, it takes him hours and hours to painstakingly decorate the tree from the top down, but in the end, it really looks great.

Hey, what do you know! It's Santa! (Well, actually, it's Mr. Hernandez, head of our marketing department.) Here he is spreading holiday cheer at our office Christmas party--after a few too many!

Well, look, it's Mrs. Selkirk and the ladies of the research department representing Escape and Suspense! on our float in the holiday parade.  It was our first time in the parade, and boy were we proud! Don't they look great!

Speaking of the research department, they have been doing a lot of work to get ready for the coming year. There is much more to come in 2009! In the meantime, we will be posting on our normal schedule over the Christmas and New Year's holiday, so be sure to drop by.

Happy holidays!

-Christine  

Bill Cosby and Lights Out

Below is a clip from Bill Cosby's 1966 comedy album Wonderfulness in which he talks about an episode from the radio series Lights Out. (He also briefly mentions Suspense and Inner Sanctum at the very beginning.)

"Chicken Heart" is one of Cosby's most famous monologues, but even if you have heard it before, take a few minutes to appreciate his childhood reminiscences about waiting for the radio to warm up, being terrified by Lights Out, and smearing Jell-o on the floor to keep away monsters. (Better still, buy his album because the sound quality of this clip is not the best.)

Cosby's monologue is based on the Lights Out episode "Chicken Heart" which aired on March 3, 1937. (*update -see comments below about this audio file.)

Download LightsOut_1937.03.10_Chicken_Heart

 Below is a video clip:

Rev. 12/14/08

Woody Allen's Radio Days

For those of us who grew up in the age of television and the internet, Woody Allen's 1987 film Radio Days is a window into the bygone era of radio. Allen's nostalgic masterpiece recounts many of the legendary stories of radio, while also depicting the importance that radio played in his family's home.

Not long ago, I met a young man in his early twenties who was stunned to learn that people once listened to shows and stories over the radio. ("You mean like plays and stuff?") He thought that my fellow dinner companions and I were making this up, so I recommended that he watch Radio Days.

Well, many of us who appreciate the golden age of radio didn't actually experience the era. Fortunately, Woody Allen did, and he put his storytelling skills to work to show us what we missed. The clip below comes from the beginning of the film.

Escape - Yellow Wake

In "Yellow Wake," a ruthless first mate takes over a whaling vessel and sails toward a lost gold treasure in Panama.

Jonas Love was in a San Francisco saloon when he met Sanford, the first mate of a whaling vessel. In a drunken boast, Sanford had told Love about a buried treasure trove of gold, and how he intended to retrieve it. Love didn't believe him, but when Sanford showed him proof, he decided to go after it himself.

Now, after murdering Sanford, Love has taken over his position as first mate on the whaling vessel, and the course he has charted for their ship takes them where he wants to go.

"Yellow Wake" was written by Bud Nelson. William N. Robson produced and directed. William Conrad, in one of his better performances on Escape, played Jonas Love.  Also appearing were John Hoyt, John Dehner, Will Geer, Paul Frees, Stacy Harris, Harry Bartell, and George Offerman, Jr.

.  Download Escape_1950.07.21_Yellow Wake

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Suspense - Very Much Like a Nightmare

In "Very Much Like a Nightmare," an employee falls asleep at his desk and wakes later in the night to discover a robbery in progress.

Mr. McLean works on the seventh floor of the The Nugent Building. He has been out for a few days with the flu, but now, with the help of some pills from the pharmacy, he is back at work. 

Toward the end of the day, he decides to take one of his little pills to help him wake up, but instead, he nods off to sleep at his desk. When he wakes, he is in the pitch black silence of an empty office...and he isn't the only one working late. 

"Very Much Like a Nightmare" was written by M. Carl Holman and John Michael Hayes. William Spier produced and Norman MacDonnell directed.  Dennis O'Keefe, in the second of his two appearances on Suspense, starred as Mr. McLean. This episode aired on May 25, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.05.25_Very Much Like a Nightmare

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Suspense - The Wages of Sin

In "The Wages of Sin," Barbara Stanwyck plays a tough-talking beauty who makes a risky deal.

As the episode opens, the police are inspecting the apartment of Ruby Miller, a somewhat notorious tabloid darling.  A man was murdered in her living room, and though Ruby was not at home, the police are certain that a deal was made in advance to use her apartment as the scene of the crime.

When Ruby does return to her apartment, she insists that she knows nothing about the dead man lying on her rug. The police don't believe her, but they can't prove her story wrong or her alibi false. 

Of course, Ruby does know more, and now that the police have let her go, she intends to profit even further from the deal she made.

"The Wages of Sin" was written by E. Jack Neuman and John Michael Hayes. Elliott Lewis produced and directed. Barbara Stanwyck, in her only appearance on Suspense, played Ruby Miller. Also appearing were John Dehner, Jerry Hausner, John Hoyt, and Lou Merrill.  This episode aired on October 19, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.10.19_The Wages of Sin

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John Michael Hayes (1919 - 2008) - Suspense Scriptwriter

Prominent screenwriter John Michael Hayes passed away on November 19, 2008, in New Hampshire at the age of 89. He was best known for his collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock on the films Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, but his other screen credits include Peyton Place, Butterfield 8, and many others. 

In 1955, Hayes received an Academy Award nomination for Rear Window, which he had adapted from the short story by Cornell Woolrich. He was nominated a second time in 1958 for his adaptation of the novel Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. 

John MIchael Hayes, like many other screenwriters, began his career as a scriptwriter in radio. His work was presented on a number of popular programs including Suspense, Inner Sanctum, My Favorite Husband, and others.

In all, Hayes is credited as a writer on ten episodes of Suspense and most fans of the show have probably heard an episode written or co-written by him. Those episodes include: "Very Much Like a Nightmare," True Report," "Lady in Distress," "The Wages of Sin," Vamp Till Dead," The Well-Dressed Corpse," "The Windy City Six," The Gift of Jumbo Brannigan," "Early to Death," and "Death on my Hands."

Hayes also co-wrote the script of the Escape episode "Two if By Sea," which was adapted from the novel Came the Dawn.

For more information about the life of John Michael Hayes, and his association with Hitchcock, click here to read his obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle (11/28/08). 

Click below to watch the trailer for Rear Window.

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)