Suspense - One Hundred in the Dark

Suspense's "One Hundred in the Dark" was adapted from a short story by Owen M. Johnson (1878-1952). The original text can be found online in a collection of Johnson's short stories called Murder in Any Degree (1907), which is available at ManyBooks.net. It is also available in the 1918 collection Modern Short Stories: A Book for High Schools, which is available online through the Internet Archive and Google Books. More recently, "One Hundred in the Dark" was published in the 2007 book Uncertain Endings: The World's Greatest Unsolved Mystery Stories.

Suspense made only minor changes in their adaptation and took something of a risk in presenting this story because it does not have the traditional twist ending. This is a sophisticated episode, one that may require pondering.

The episode opens at the fashionable Writers and Artists Club in New York, where a group of gentlemen have just settled in for their after-dinner drinks. They are discussing the evolution of stories and how the basics of human relations are played out and re-interpreted in an endless number of ways. In that regard, thousands of stories are generated from just a few possible scenarios.

Then they pause, while their drinks are being poured.

On they go, but now, one member of the group disagrees. He brings up a conflicting example, a detective story. The others then debate "curiosity" and "intellectual vanity" as the true motivating factors behind detective fiction. 

As their discussion continues, one of them brings up the story of the "rare coin and the visitor at club." That leads to the similar story of Rita Kildair, a hostess who had her sapphire ring stolen from one of her guests and the clever way in which she got it back...

"One Hundred in the Dark" was adapted for radio by Jack Anson Fink, directed by John Dietz, and produced by William Spier. Berry Kroeger was the announcer.  Eric Dressler, Alice Frost, and Ted Obsborne were featured. Also appearing were Helen Lewis, Joan Shay, Henriette Kay, Paul Luther, Ian Martin, Frank Readick, and Stephan Schnabel. This episode aired on September 30, 1942.

. Download Suspense_1942-09-30_One Hundred In The Dark

Suspense presented this story a second time on November 20, 1947. This time, the after-dinner drinks are changed from whiskey to coffee. William Spier produced and directed. Howard Duff played Mr. Peters. Other club members: Joseph Kearns, Frank Albertson, John McIntire, Dick Ryan and Horace Willard. Theresa Marshall (pseudonym for June Havoc ?) was Rita Kildair. Her party guests were: Jeannette Nolan, Wally Maher, Mary Jane Croft, Jerry Hausner, and Grace Givern.

. Download Suspense_1947-11-20_One Hundred In The Dark

Comments

[Grigs]

Different, but good

[Christopher]

Surprisingly low key, but excellent production values on the 1942 version. I'm downloading the 1947 version now for comparison. Thanks for sharing!

[Christopher]

Forgot to add that I am surprised Suspense was a sustaining program. It never dawned on me that something that became so big and famous started out without a sponsor. Interesting.