Escape's "She" was adapted from the novel She: A History of Adventure by H. Rider Haggard, which was first serialized in The Graphic magazine between October 1886 and January 1887. It is one of the most popular books of all time and has never been out of print. Sheis available online at Wikisource. It is a rather long novel, and Escape's version of the story is considerably shortened.
As the episode opens, Horace Holley, an archaeology professor, is with his ward, Leo Vincey. It is Leo's 25th birthday, and he is surprised to receive an ancient bronze chest and a letter from his late father, Roger Vincey. Inside of the chest is a 2,000 year old Greek tablet. The message on the tablet, from a mother to her child, tells of her dramatic adventure in a lost civilization and of "She who must be obeyed." The child's father, Kallikrates, died there and the message urges the child to seek out the place where these events occurred. So, Leo and Holly decide to do just that.
Three months later, Holly and Leo are in East Africa trekking miles through jungle towards a mountain, one of the landmarks mentioned in the message. After 6 days, they are overtaken by natives and brought to a cavern inside of the mountain. There, they are rescued from being eaten by an elder named Billali, who takes them to meet She.
She explains to them that she has lived over 2,000 years, and that she remembers the Kallikrates. She was the one who killed him because he wouldn't leave his wife and accept immortality to be with her. Now, however, she has Leo Vincey, to take his place...
"She" was adapted for radio Les Crutchfield with editorial supervision by John Dunkel. Norman MacDonnell produced and directed. Featured in the cast were Berry Kroeger, Lawrence Dobkin, Kay Brinker, Ben Wrightand Wilms Herbert. This episode aired on July 11, 1948.
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