Escape's "A Rough Shoot" was adapted from the 1951 suspense novel of the same name by Geoffrey Household, but it is quite different. Household's novel should have a made a perfect Escape episode, but the adaptation is a disappointment. Escape went way off the mark with this one. If you get the chance, read the book.
The episode begins as Roger Taine returns home after an evening of shooting on his leased game preserve. He confesses to his wife, Cecily, that he has accidentally killed a man and buried the body. There were two other men there, but they turned and ran away. What Roger can't understand is why they would leave. Obviously, they had a greater fear of their activities being discovered than concern for their companion. Were they poachers? Or, something more sinister.
When Roger returns to the scene of the crime, he finds even more trouble...
In "Last Night" Margo stars in a Cornell Woolrich story about a wife who is suspicious that her husband has murdered their wealthy guest.
This episode was adapted from the short story "The Red Tide" (Detective Story, September 1940), which was later expanded into a novelette called "Last Night". There is some confusion about this episode because the name of the person who adapted the story for radio isn't given, only Woolrich is named as the author. This uncertainty in mentioned by Francis M. Nevans in his 1988 biography Cornell Woolrich:First You Dream, Then You Die. He states that: "Whether or not Woolrich wrote the Suspense script himself, he seems to have fallen in love with the changes in the radio version, for that same year, when he revised "The Red Tide" for inclusion in his first story collection, I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes, he took over both the radio play's title and its toned-down though still quite suspenseful plot."
As the episode opens, it is morning, and Jackie Blaine and her husband, Gil, discuss their guest, Mr. Burroughs. They invited him to their Hudson Valley dude ranch with the hope that he would lend them money to keep their enterprise going, but he didn't seem cooperative. To Jackie's surprise, Gil tells her that, last night, Mr. Burroughs did give them the money they need. Then, he mysteriously took the early morning milk train back to the city.
Jackie is confused about his leaving so suddenly, without luggage, and without his secretary?
Is Gil telling Jackie the truth? She thinks something very strange must have happened...
"Last Night" was directed by Ted Bliss and produced by William Spier. Margo and Kent Smith starred. The names of the supporting actors aren't given. This episode aired on June 15, 1943.
In "Sell Me Your Life" a suicidal man is saved from a bridge by a rich woman looking for trouble.
As the episode opens, Joe Bland is in police custody. He is suspected of murdering Mr. Boudin, but he denies it. Joe tells the police there is no point in explaining what happened because they won't believe him. The lieutenant tells him to try. So, Joe begins his explanation...
Hours earlier, he had been on top of the Grand Street bridge ready to jump. Joe was certain that he would take the blame for his co-worker's embezzling, so he decided to end his life. It was then that a woman drove by and stopped. She refused to let him take his own life and offered to help.
She believed his story about being framed for a crime he didn't commit--even though he had already gone to prison twice before for crimes he didn't commit. She believed in him.
Now, Joe is facing the death penalty. Will he be able to convince the police he was the victim of a set-up?
Escape's "The Man From Tomorrow" tells the story of a former fighter pilot who trains to develop extraordinary sensory powers. This is a weak episode of Escape, (and kind of a downer), but technically it was well done. This episode was written by screenwriter Irving Reis, and it aired not long after his death in 1953. Suspense recycled this script in 1957, and in the intro, William N. Robson mentions that this radio play was the last one written by Reis.
As the episode opens, Dix reads a job announcement in the newspaper requesting an ex-fighter pilot to participate in a series of tests as part of a "daring experiment." When he arrives to apply for the position, there are sixty other unemployed ex-pilots already waiting. The applicants wait over two hours, and then they are subjected to a harrowing screening process that involves machine guns and a simulated plane crash. Afterwards, the traumatized veterans are abruptly given a token monetary compensation for the inconvenience and told to leave. Dix is the only one they want to talk to.
The doctors in charge of the experiment then explain to Dix that he will undergo tests over three years to develop and expand his sense of sound, hearing, taste, touch, etc. The purpose is to develop his powers of awareness beyond those of normal perceptions. For this he will be compensated $20,000 and signed for five more years at that salary. He also has to give up everything else in his life.
In "The Lie," Mickey Rooney stars as a young man who frames himself for murder in order to protect his father. This episode was adapted from the Cornell Woolrich short story of the same name, which was first published in Detective Fiction Weekly, October 9, 1937.
As the episode opens, Marty Delavan is on the train home after being kicked out of school for drinking--for the third time. He knows his father will try to cover up his son's disgrace, and that his stepmother will give him hell for wasting their money. Nevertheless, he heads for home.
When he does arrive at their house, he finds a completely different situation. His stepmother is in the bedroom with her neck broken! His father is nowhere to be found. Marty decides that if he can do nothing else for his dad, at least he can take the rap for the murder he has committed. His stepmother obviously drove him to it with her wayward behaviour! So, Marty calls the police and confesses.
Will Marty be able to succesfully take the blame for the murder of his slutty stepmother?
In "Date Night" a father learns a valuable lesson about trusting his teenage daughter.
As the episode opens, Cathy is trying to convince her parents that they do NOT need to meet Jerry, her date for the school dance. That would be embarrassing for her and unnecessary--but her father disagrees. The dance is her first big night out, and he wants to make sure that Jerry is worthy of her.
Cathy relents, and on the night of the dance, Jerry arrives to pick her up. Her father isn't impressed with sixteen year old Jerry and his conversational skills, but he allows his daughter to go--as long as they come back shortly after midnight. Cathy and Jerry reluctantly agree and then leave for the dance.
Then as her father waits for them and the night stretches on, he becomes more and more disturbed by the things that could be happening...
In "The Prophecy of Bertha Abbott" two boys steal some fruit and end up being cursed to die a horrible death.
As the episode opens, Ernie and Whitey are riding the rails in an attempt to get away from their bungled robbery attempt. They are hungry, tired, and have nowhere to hide.
Their story started years earlier, when they made the mistake of stealing peaches from the tree in Bertha Abbott's front yard. All of the local children regarded Abbott as witch, but that wasn't enough to stop Ernie and Whitey from stealing her peaches. She caught them, and it was then that she told them that they were "bad ones" that would someday die like rats.
Now, years later, they have become criminals on the run. Will the law catch up to them? Or, will it be the prophecy of Bertha Abbott?
Escape's "The Fortune of Vargas" was adapted from the 1937 novel The Third Hour by Geoffrey Household. The story, being too long for a half-hour show, was considerably trimmed and altered for radio.
The episode opens in Panama City, where Toby Manning is arguing with his boss about quitting his job as a mining machinery salesman in Latin America. Toby is discouraged about his life, but three days later, he is confronted with a new opportunity. While out for a drink, he strikes up a conversation with the bartendar, Manuel Vargas. Toby asks Vargas if he would like to help him start a revolution, but Vargas declines because he has already done that. Years ago, he fought alongside General Lara in a revolution...and that is how he knows about a fortune in gold hidden in the Mexican mountains.
Manuel decides that Toby is the right man to help him with the difficult task of retrieving the fortune. If Manuel enters Mexico, he will be executed. That is why he needs a partner. Toby agrees to retrieve the gold and split the half million dollars.
Will their plan succeed? Or, will Toby be back selling mining equipment in a few weeks?
"The Fortune of Vargas" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and produced/directed by Gordon T. Hughes. Victor Mature starred as Toby Manning. William Conrad also appeared. The names of the other actors aren't given. This episode aired on September 21, 1949.
Suspense's "Tom Dooley" stars Joseph Cotten in a dramatic interpretation of a famous folk song. It is one of a group of episodes in which Suspense created an original radio drama from a popular American folk/blues song. (See also "St. James Infirmary Blues").
Suspense first presented this story in 1953, but then brought it back again in 1958 when the Kingston Trio's rendition of 'Tom Dooley" became a major hit.
This episode is Suspense's unique interpretation of the song and not an account of the events in the 1866 criminal case of Tom Dula in North Carolina. Wikipedia has more information about the history of the folk song and the true events on which it is based.
As the episode opens, Tom Dooley has returned home to North Carolina after his service in the Confederate Army and is on his way to see his girl, Laura Foster. When he tries to rekindle their romance, Laura puts him off. She was told that Tom had died in battle, and after grieving for him, started a relationship with a new man. Now, she wants Tom to leave her in peace, but he won't have it. He threatens her, but he is stopped by his cousin.
Tom doesn't want to let go of Laura, and he doesn't like the Yankee she is involved with. Unwilling to change or accept what has happened, Tom kills Laura and then tries to flee...
Suspense presented this story a second time on December 7, 1958, but it is shorter and with some minor changes. The Kingston Trio's song is played as narration during this episode. William N. Robson produced and directed. Robert Horton starred. Also appearing were Robert Esson, Hilda Hart, Norm Alden, Karl Swenson, and Joe DiSantis.
In "The Man Who Threw Acid" Tony Barrett stars as a punk who tries to prove himself to the mob but ends up becoming the most hated man in town.
As the episode opens, a young assemblyman on the rise has successfully persuaded his fellow city politicians to stand up to organized crime. The local bosses don't like the intrusion, and quietly order a hit on the upstart politician. The man picked to do the job is a middle-aged punk named Steve Kleiber. All he has to do is throw acid in the face of the assemblyman and not get caught doing it. For that, he will receive $200 and a possible chance to get in with mob.
Steve gets the job done with no problems, but afterward, things start to go wrong. The attack has the opposite effect it is supposed to, and now Steve must escape all of the people who are out to get him...
Escape's "Beau Geste" was adapted from the classic adventure novel of the same name by Percival Christopher Wren, which was first published in 1924. Beau Geste is a long and complicated novel to shorten for a half hour radio program and Escape's adaptation reflects that difficulty. Beau Gestehas been adapted for the screen several times and has also been parodied in many ways. The full text of the novel is available online at Google Books.
The opening scene of the Escape's version is essentially the same as it is in the the 1926 silent film starring Ronald Colman and the 1939 remake starring Gary Cooper. A squadron of French Legionnaires arrives at isolated Fort Zinderneuf in the Saharan desert. At first there is no response from inside the lonely fort, but then, suddenly, shots are fired! When the squadron comes closer, they find that the soldiers who appear to be protecting the fort...are dead. When they send a man over the wall of the fort...he doesn't come back. Finally, the commandant and his sergeant climb the wall and search the eerie fort themselves. Inside, they find two more dead bodies. One is a young man, and the other was the commandant of the fort. They also find a signed confession by Beau Geste stating that he was the one who stole the famous sapphire known as the "Blue Water". Before they can make sense of what they have found, they discover that someone has set the fort ablaze.
In "Double Identity," a man steals a fortune from his employer and then does a particularly bad job of getting away.
As the episode opens, George Lockman and his co-worker are going through the routine of distributing pay envelopes from the cashier's window. He knows every move of their routine, but this time, he makes one change. When his co-worker is distracted, Lockman leaves the company safe open. When his coworker leaves, Lockman steals $50,000 in cash.
Lockman then takes the bus to the airport. His getaway to Paris seems to go smoothly at first, but then one thing after another keeps Lockman from getting...anywhere.
In "Stand-in for Murder" a husband asks his wife to provide him with an alibi by posing as his girlfriend.
As the episode opens, Jim arrives at the home of his estranged wife, Kay. She assumes that he has come to ask her again for a divorce. So before he can, Kay tells him that she knows all about his girlfriend, Laura Morgan. Everyone is talking about her, and they all say she looks just like Kay...
Jim interrupts and tells Kay that he doesn't want a divorce. He still loves her! He tells her that he tried to explain the truth to Laura, but then, things got out of control. Now, she is dead.
Jim asks Kay to help him set up an alibi. Then, they will be free to be together again! Kay then agrees to assume the identity of Laura Morgan--to help save her man. Their plan is to fool everyone into thinking that Laura has gone off to Europe.
Should Kay give him another chance? Will their clever plan work?
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