Escape and Suspense!

Escape - He Who Rides the Tiger

Escape's "He Who Rides the Tiger" is based on the 1948 novel The Nightwalkers by James Norman, which is set in post-World War II China. The title of The Nightwalkers refers to foreigners who were not in China during the war, and who do not understand the subsequent changes. Their lack of memories of wartime events prevent them from understanding the consciousness of new China.  Escape's adaptation includes a number changes to the story, some for the better.

As the episode opens, David Armour wakes from a fevered dream of disconnected images. He is in a mission hospital, but he doesn't remember how he got there. He explains to the doctor that he is an archaeologist, and that he is in China to help protect national treasures from the advancing Japanese armies. The doctor informs him that he arrived at their hospital two months ago sick with fever and wearing a Japanese uniform. The last thing David remembers is having lunch...in 1941. Somehow, he has lost his memories of the last eight years.

David also has a visitor named Quinto, who is very interested in his problems and his missing years. Quinto explains that there is no record of David during the war years. What was he doing? Working for the Japanese? David doesn't believe it. 

So, what does Quinto want from David? Four missing T'ang bronzes. They are national treasures but they were hidden away during the war. Now, they appear to be lost. Quinto believes that David knows where those bronze treasures are. Does he?

"He Who Rides the Tiger" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and Norman MacDonnell produced and directed.  William Conrad starred as David Armour. Berry Kroegerplayed Gimiendo Quinto. Also appearing were Maria Palmer, Jack Kruschen, Ben Wright, and Edgar Barrier. This episode aired on March 12, 1949.

.  Download Escape_1949-03-12_He Who Rides the Tiger

This is a high quality episode of Escape from Tennessee Bill's OTR. It is a large file, so it may take longer to download. 

Suspense - Weekend Special-Death

In "Weekend Special-Death," Agnes Moorehead stars as a secretary who becomes trapped overnight in her local supermarket and ends up in a death match with two robbers.

As the episode opens, an attorney named Lee Stanley has arrived at the police station. He is there because his secretary, Rita Dorsey, has been picked up by the police. What has she done? The police aren't sure. They found her locked up in a supermarket with two dead men, but she won't explain what happened.

Mr. Stanley is brought to Rita, and she starts talking... She had worked late, so she had arrived late to the supermarket. The store was closing for the night, but a clerk had told her to quickly go in and get her items. While she was still shopping, they turned off the lights and closed up! If that wasn't bad enough, a few hours later, two men showed up to rob the safe...

"Weekend Special-Death" was written by E. Jack Neuman and produced/directed by Elliott Lewis. Agnes Moorehead starred. Tony Barrett played Tony and Joseph Kearns played Fred. Also appearing were Hy Averback, Whitfield Connor, Mary Jane Croft, and Barney Phillips. This episode aired on May 24, 1954. 

. Download Suspense_1954-05-24_Weekend Special Death

(Image of Agnes Moorehead from Wikipedia)

Suspense - Six Feet Under

In "Six Feet Under," a crabby carnival performer is convinced that his wife is in love with another man.

Jack works in a side-show at the carnival. His job is to lie in a coffin six feet underground so that patrons can view him through a glass window--ten straight hours a day with no food, water, exercise, or conversation. As the episode opens, he describes the hum-drum routine of being buried alive everyday.

Jack's job also makes him cranky, rude, paranoid... and particularly suspicious of Cliff, the barker. He is convinced that Cliff has joined the carnival because he wants to steal Miriam, Jack's wife. Cliff doesn't deny that he loves Miriam, but he tells Jack the reason that he joined the carnival was because of his bad heart. He only has a year to live.

Jack loves Miriam, but he is concerned that she does have feelings for Cliff. Does she? When Jack overhears Miriam and Cliff making secret plans, he convinces himself that he has been betrayed! Has he?

"Six Feet Under" was written by Joel Murcott. William Spier produced and Norman MacDonnell directed. Dan Dailey starred. Also appearing were Hy Averback, Barbara Eiler, John McIntire, Joseph Kearns, and Jeannette Nolan. This episode aired on April 13, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950-04-13_SixFeetUnder

(Image of Dan Dailey from Wikipedia)

Escape - The Silent Horror

Escape's "The Silent Horror" was adapted from a short story by pulp fiction writer Hugh B. Cave, which was first published in The Saturday Evening Post (April 28, 1951). Escape made almost no changes to this peculiar love story in their adaptation.

The episode opens in a hotel bar in Port Moresby, New Guinea, where a man's watch hangs on the wall. The bartendar points out the watch and begins to tell the tale behind it. The watch once belonged to a painter named Tom Dorson...

Tom had married a woman named Elizabeth and to everyone's surprise, brought her to Port Moresby to settle down.  Elizabeth was clearly the sort of girl who got about, and everyone seemed to know that except Tom. When he finally realized that she was secretly visiting a trading captain on the side, he left her.

To escape the pain and humiliation, Dorsan disappeared into the New Guinean jungle. There, he found a tribe with a chief, Ramabu, who allowed him to settle there-- on the condition that he didn't cause trouble. Dorson made a home for himself with the tribe, but then he met a young woman named Giri, and the trouble started...

"The Silent Horror" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Harry Bartell and Georgia Ellis starred. Also appearing were Jack Kruschen, Ben Wright, Don Diamond, Stanley Waxman, and Lou Krugman. This episode aired on August 22, 1951.

. Download Escape_1951_08_22_The Silent Horror

(Illustration by Bill Fleming. Saturday Evening Post 4/28/51)

Suspense - The Moment of Darkness

In "The Moment of Darkness," a niece tries to protect her wealthy aunt from a medium, who she believes is a fake.

As the episode opens, a train from Paris to the French Riviera is about to leave the station. Marjorie Gray boards at the last moment and heads for the compartment occupied by her family's solicitor, Mr. Stephens. When she finds it, he isn't there. Instead, she meets Mr. Ken Blake, an American who is sharing the compartment.

Blake surprises Marjorie by asking about her Aunt Hester and the suspicious medium in Monte Carlo. She is annoyed by his impertinence, but just then, Mr. Stephens arrives. He assures Marjorie that he will prove that the medium, George Ravel, is a fraud. She isn't sure that he can. Ravel does seem to have special powers...

Mr. Stephens doesn't believe a word of it. He knows Ravel's tricks and he is determined to expose the truth. Can he? Or, will someone else be exposed as a fake?

"The Moment of Darkness" was written by John Dickson Carr. William Spier produced and Ted Bliss directed. Peter Lorre, Wendy Barrie, and George Zucco starred. This episode aired on April 20, 1943.

. Download Suspense_1943-04-20_Moment_Of_Darkness

(Image from Wendie Barrie)

Suspense - The Bride Vanishes

In "The Bride Vanishes," a married couple must solve a mystery involving a disappearing bride and a haunted sea cave.

As the episode opens, a steamship is chugging along on its way to the island of Capri. Onboard are two Americans, Tom and Lucy Courtney. They are happy newlyweds who have come to spend a month in an oceanside villa.

Everything appears to be wonderful, but Lucy is worried about one thing. All of the other passengers stare at her and mutter. In fact, they seem to be frightened of her! Tom tells her that she is being silly, but soon they realize that the problem is real.

When they take a side-trip to visit the famous Blue Grotto, a boatman explains that Lucy looks just like a young bride who mysteriously disappeared on her wedding day. He also tells them that the villa they have rented is the same one where the strange disappearance occurred. He warns them that they must not stay there or Lucy may disappear too!

Will Tom and Lucy listen to the boatman? Or, will they unravel the mystery with the help of their friends...

"The Bride Vanishes" was written by John Dickson Carr. William Spier produced and John Dietz directed. Hanley Stafford and Lesley Woods starred. This episode aired on December 1, 1942.

.  Download Suspense_1942-12-01_The_Bride_Vanishes

(Image of Capri's Blue Grotto from Wikipedia)

Escape - The Man with the Steel Teeth

Escape's "The Man with the Steel Teeth" was written by radio actor John Dehner, but there doesn't appear to be a recording of this episode that is of decent audio quality. Fortunately, Suspense recycled this story in 1955 with Dehner in the lead role, and there is a good quality recording of that broadcast.

As the episode opens, newspaper correspondent Arthur Henderson Luttrell is picked up at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, arrested by the Soviet secret police, and taken to Lubyanka Prison. He is asked to confess to a number of outrageous crimes, including espionage.  Although they beat him and try to wear him down psychologically, he refuses to confess.

Later, Arthur awakens in his cell, and he realizes that the door is open. He expects that someone will stop him before he escapes, but nobody does. Someone has allowed him to escape, but Arthur doesn't know why...

"The Man with Steel Teeth" was written by John Dehner and produced/directed by Antony Ellis. Harry Bartell starred. Also appearing were Jack Kruschen, Charlotte Lawrence, Steve Roberts and Paul Dubov. This episode aired on March 15, 1953.

. Download Escape 53.03.15 themanwithsteelteeth

Suspense presented this story on February 17, 1955. Antony Ellis produced/directed. John Dehner starred. Also appearing were Edgar Barrier, Robert Boone, Jack Kruschen, and Maria Palmer.

. Download Suspense_1955-02-17_ManWithTheSteelTeeth  (Good audio quality)

(*Revised 4/16/10 - Thanks to Shannon B. for providing a better quality recording of Escape's version.)

(Image of radio actor John Dehner)

Suspense - The Merry Widower

Suspense's "The Merry Widower" was adapted from a short story by Roy Vickers called "The Rubber Trumpet," which was first published in Pearson's Magazine in September of 1934. It can also be found in Fiction Parade and Golden Book, October 1935. 

Vicker's story is about Scotland Yard's Department of Dead Ends and shows how a murder case was solved by connecting two separate crimes, both involving a toy rubber trumpet. (In Suspense's version, the rubber trumpet is changed to a music box.) This was the first of many stories that Vickers would write about the fictitious Department of Dead Ends.

As the episode opens, George Muncey and his wife are arguing. Ethel is upset because they have so little money. George is annoyed with Ethel and her petty complaints.  After he tells her that she isn't fit to share his life, he storms off.

George then goes off to see the popular operetta that is playing in London, The Merry Widow.  He believes that the story being played out on the stage is his own and that the main character, Prince Danilo, is him. George doesn't feel that the time is right to make an announcement about this to anyone, but he suspects that there is one person who knows, Miss Callemere, a lady who also frequents the show.  She understands his true importance.

Now, George has two women in his life. One sees his greatness and the other doesn't. He must rid himself of the one who doesn't. Nothing then will stand in the way of his rightful place in society...

"The Merry Widower" was adapted for radio by Robert L. Richards. William Spier produced/directed. Reginald Gardiner starred. This episode aired on October 12, 1944.

. Download Suspense_1944-10-12_The Merry Widower

(Image from Wikipedia )

Suspense - After the Movies

In "After the Movies," Ray Milland stars as a juror who finds an envelope full of bribe money.

Al Benig is a juror on an important trial. He has been residing, along with the rest of the jury, at a hotel, but suddenly they have been given a few days off. Al and his wife, Ann, decide to go the movie theatre across from the hotel and then go back to their home.

After the movies, they stop in for ice cream at the drug store. There, on the floor, they find an envelope containing $10,000 and a cryptic note.  Where could it have come from! Ann and Al don't understand, but they feel responsible. So, they take the money home with them and tell the druggist to forward any inquiries.

Back home, Ann deciphers the meaning of the note. It has to do with the trial! Al calls the police, but before they arrive, some very unpleasant gangsters arrive to collect their money...

"After the Movies" was written for Suspense by Jack Finney, who is best known for the 1955 science fiction novel The Body Snatchers (which led to The Invasion of the Body Snatchers movies). "After the Movies" was adapted for radio by David Ellis and Robert L. Richards. Elliott Lewis produced and directed. Ray Milland starred. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis and William Conrad. This episode aired on December 7, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950-12-07_After The Movies

Suspense presented this story again on September 6, 1959, starring Kevin McCarthy, one of the stars of the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Paul Roberts produced/directed.

. Download Suspense_1959-09-06_AfterTheMovies

(Image from Wikipedia )

Escape - The Killer Mine

Escape's "The Killer Mine" was adapted from the 1947 novel by English author Hammond Innes (1913-1998). For radio, the story was shortened considerably, and as a result, the high tension of the novel and some of the characters, are missing. If you like this episode, then do yourself a favor and read the book.

The story is set in England, three years after the end of World War II. Jim Pryce, a miner by trade, but  a deserter from the British army, has just returned to England from Italy. He has made his way to the Cornish coast in the hopes of securing a "no questions asked" mining job through his friend, Dave Tanner.

When Jim finds Dave, his friend is in trouble with the law for liquor-running. Nevertheless, Dave follows through on his promise and sends him over to talk to Captain Manack, the owner of a local mine. When he does, Jim discovers that Captain Manack doesn't want to work the old tin mine for profit, he wants Jim to blow a hole through the top of an undersea shaft and flood it. That way, they can create an underwater entrance for illegal liquor to be unloaded into the mine. Will Jim take the job?

The radio version leaves out Kitty, the brave and good-hearted local girl he falls in love with, as well as the storyline about how Jim avenges his mother's untimely death.

"The Killer Mine" was adapted for radio by Antony Ellis and directed by Norman MacDonnell. John Dehner starred as Jim Pryce. Also appearing were Eileen Erskine, Tony Barrett, Ray Lawrence, Wilms Herbert, Jay Novello, and Lou Krugman. This episode aired on February 11, 1951.

. Download Escape_1951-02-11__The Killer Mine

(Image from the cover of the 1968 Avon Book edition)

Suspense - Blind Date

Suspense's "Blind Date," pairs Charles Laughton and June Havoc in a cautionary tale about dating a stranger.

As the episode opens, Gloria LaFey, an acrobatic dancer in a vaudeville act, is preparing to leave the theatre for the evening. She is expecting the arrival of her blind date, but the call-boy tries to convince her to go out with him instead. She then dismisses the overly fresh call-boy and invites her date into her dressing room.

Gloria's date, Vincent Hawthorne, enters in a flourish of poetry and chablis. Gloria explains to Vincent that she doesn't normally go out on blind dates, but as a vaudevillian, it is hard to meet people. Vincent understands. The world is full of lonely people! He leads a lonely life, too. Vincent then takes out a big knife to open the bottle of chablis, and Gloria gets her first clue that there may be something wrong with her gentleman caller.

"Blind Date" was written by E. Jack Neuman. William Spier produced and Norman MacDonnell directed.  Charles Laughton starred along with June Havoc, who really was a well-known vaudevillian in her childhood. This episode aired on September 29, 1949.

. Download Suspense_1949-09-29_Blind Date

Suspense presented this story a second time on November 18, 1954. Shirley Mitchell and Victor Perrin starred. Norman MacDonnell produced/directed.

. Download Suspense_1954-11-18_Blind Date

(Image of June Havoc)

Suspense - You Can't Die Twice

In "You Can't Die Twice," Edward G. Robinson stars as a milkman who plays dead so that his wife can collect the insurance money.

As the episode opens, Sam Brown wants to explain how it all happened... on April Fools' Day the year before...

Sam and his wife, Katie, were having breakfast that Sunday morning. While Katie was berating him for not making enough money, she received a phone call. It was the police calling to inform her that Sam had just died in a hit-and-run accident!

At first, Katie thought it was an April Fools' joke, but then she realized that it wasn't a gag. Sam's wallet had been stolen, and the thief had been killed in the accident. So, when their insurance agent called to discuss Sam's policy, Katie suddenly saw a golden opportunity.

Now, it is a year later. Has their foolproof plan worked? How trustworthy is Katie?

"You Can't Die Twice" was written by James Ruscoll and adapted by Walter Newman. Anton M. Leader produced and directed. Edward G. Robinson starred. Betty Lou Gerson played Cleo. The name of the actress who played Katie isn't given. This episode aired on March 31, 1949.

. Download Suspense_1949-03-31_You Cant Die Twice

(Image of Edward G. Robinson)