Escape and Suspense!

Suspense - Turnabout

In "Turnabout" a man holds a district attorney hostage in order to ensure the outcome of a murder case.

As the episode opens, Walter Carlton commits a murder and then returns to his comfortable home and casually sets his plan into action...

He calls up his friend, Martin Ross, and invites himself over for the evening. Martin agrees, and promises that his wife, Emily, will cook Walter's favorite meal.

After a pleasant dinner with the Ross family, Walter kills their cat and tells them that their son, Billy, is next if they don't do exactly what he wants.

What does Walter want? Martin is the district attorney, and Walter wants him to frame an innocent man for the murder he just committed....or else!

"Turnabout" was written by Jay Bennett and produced/directed by Paul Roberts. Leonard Stone played Walter Carlton. Melville Ruick played Martin Ross and Ginger Jones played Emily Ross. Also appearing were Peter Lazer, Larry Haines, Katherine Emmet, and Raymond E. Johnson. This episode aired on January 24, 1960.

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(Image of Leonard Stone)

Screen Director's Playhouse - The Dark Mirror and The Lady Gambles

While the Film Noir Foundation's annual festival goes on at the Castro Theatre this week, let's all take a trip down to the Screen Director's Playhouse for a double-feature!

Two of the films in this year's Noir City line-up were once performed on Screen Director's Playhouse, so if you can't get to San Francisco this time around, you can kick back and enjoy these intense radio adaptations of the same films.

The Dark Mirror (1946)

Olivia De Havilland stars as twin sisters under scrutiny during a murder investigation. One of them is crazy, but which one? 

Jack Rubin adapted for radio, Howard Wyley produced and Bill Karn directed. Also appearing were David Ellis, John Dehner, Frances X. Bushman, Helen Andrews, and Frank Barton. This episode aired on March 31, 1950.

(30 minute episode)

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The Dark Mirror can be found on YouTube.

 

The Lady Gambles (1949)

Barbara Stanwyck stars as a woman who becomes obsessed with gambling. Can the love of her husband save her? Will she escape the control of her bitter unmarried sister? Stephen McNally also starred. Featured in the cast were Tony Barrett, William Conrad, Georgia Backus, Byron Kane, Hal Avery, Ruth Barrett, and John Dehner. Jack Rubin adapted for radio, Howard Wyley produced and Bill Karn directed. This episode aired on December 14, 1950.

(Hour long episode)

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Noir City 9

Noir City, the ten day film festival presented by Film Noir Foundation, returns to the Castro Theatre in San Francisco between January 21 and January 30th, 2011.

This year's festival focuses on characters who are pushed to the brink of madness...and then fall off. Evil twins, unstable women, haunted men...and all the rest...will be showcased in a noir frenzy of dramatic breakdowns.

The highlight of the festival, for us, will be the chance to see Sorry, Wrong Number on the big screen.

For more information about the festival and to view the program, you can visit the website for Noir City.

 

Suspense - Door of Gold

In "Door of Gold," a pair of newlywed archaeologists brave the dangers of a subterranean Incan temple in order to retrieve a fortune in gold.

As the episode opens, Phillip explains that he and his bride, Janice, are honeymooning in the Peruvian jungle while excavating Incan burial mounds. Accompanying them are Dr. Clayton and their native guide, Juan. They are all searching for the famed Porto de Oro because Phillip believes that it is a real doorway to a fortune in gold and not just a legend.

One morning, they find the Porto de Oro inside of a burial mound built against a mountainside. After discovering the trick to the entrance, Phillip and Janice enter alone. He cautions her about the danger, but Janice tells him that she knows all about the "flip-flop" stones and other traps inside the subterranean passageways.

Will Phillip and Janice find the gold the Incas hid from the Spanish four centuries ago? Or, will they become trapped underground forever?

"Door of Gold" was written by E. Scott Fleur and produced/directed by William N. Robson. Myron McCormick starred. Also appearing were Shirley Mitchell, Ramsay Hill, and Jay Novello. This episode aired on February 10, 1957.

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(Image from Stock.xchng)

Suspense - The End of the String

In "The End of the String," a costume jeweler successfully steals a million dollar necklace but then discovers he is stuck with an item he can't sell.

As the episode opens, a parcel containing a strand of pearls worth a million arrives in the office of Sam Hiler, fine jeweler. He brags about the necklace to his friend, Mark Hendricks, who also has an office in the building. Sam opens the package only to find...eight cubes of sugar inside. What happened to the pearls? No one can figure that out. The pearls, sent by registered mail, were stolen from a sealed package.

As it turns out, Mark does know, because...he is the one who stole the necklace! He confides in Miss Cummings, Sam's assistant, and the two of them set out to make a fortune from the sale of the pearls. The problem is that neither of them can come up with a buyer...

"The End of the String" was written by David Williams and produced/directed by Antony Ellis. Stacy Harris starred. Also appearing were Benny Rubin, Mary Jane Croft, Jack Kruschen, and James Nusser. This episode aired on January 17, 1956.

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(Image of Stacy Harris from Wikipedia)

Suspense - My Wife Geraldine

In "My Wife Geraldine," Edward G. Robinson stars as a man who is accused of murdering his wife...and that forces him to admit that she never really existed.

As the episode opens, Mr. Graham is locked inside of his room. His landlady, Miss Barton, knocks at the door but then opens it with her key. Mr. Graham is sitting in the dark...alone.

What does Miss Barton want? She wants to know if he really killed his wife! The detective is on his way, and she needs to know the truth. Is he the "Black Widow" murderer?

Mr. Graham laughs when she tells him that they have found the body of his wife, Geraldine. He admits to Miss Barton that...Geraldine never really existed.

"My Wife Geraldine" was written by Robert Tallman from a story by Larry Marcus. William Spier produced and directed. Edward G. Robinson starred. Also appearing were Jeanette Nolan, Harry Lang, Elliott Lewis, Wally Maher, John McIntire, and Howard McNear. This episode aired on March 1, 1945. 

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Suspense - Voyage Through Darkness

In "Voyage Through Darkness," Olivia de Havilland and Reginald Gardner star as two lovers on a cruise ship, brought together by the search for a stowaway criminal.

The episode opens in 1939, before the war, as Judith Webster explains that her position as a traveling companion to an elderly, wealthy woman now only involves that woman's final burial arrangements. She is to escort the body back to America by ship for a burial-at-sea.

Judith dutifully follows through on her somber responsiblities and is relieved to board the ship at Southhampton. Once onboard, her mood lightens, despite the news that a criminal called "the Blackout Killer" is loose and possibly on board.

She goes out on deck to watch the lights of the city disappear against the horizon, when a man appears from behind one of the lifeboats...

"Voyage Through Darkness" was written by Joel Malone and produced/directed by William Spier. Olivia de Havilland and Reginald Gardner starred. Also appearing were Herbert Rawlinson and Joseph Kearns. This episode aired on September 7, 1944.

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At the end of this episode Olivia de Havilland delivers a message on behalf of the government about the need for women to engage in war work.

(Image of Olivia de Havilland from Wikipedia)

 

Suspense - The Chain

In "The Chain," Agnes Moorehead stars as a housewife who doesn't break a chain letter, but ends up in trouble anyway.

As the episode opens, Leonora explains that all she did was to follow the instructions of a chain letter. She was afraid not to! She remembers the morning that letter arrived in the mail. Leonora was fixing breakfast for her husband, George... 

She was also complaining to him about Abby Reynolds, who kept rubbing it in that her husband, Burt, had been appointed district manager, and not George. What with all of the difficulties of Leonora's daily life, Abby's good fortune was more than she could take!

She then opened her morning mail and discovered the chain letter. It had been started by a holy man in Tibet to end all evil, and those who did not forward the letter were subject to the dangers of breaking the chain!

Leonora considered the people she could send it to....particularly Abby Reynolds...

"The Chain" was written by Joel Murcott, produced by William Spier, and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Agnes Moorehead starred. Also appearing were William Conrad, John McIntire, and Alan Reed. This episode aired on April 27, 1950.

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Suspense presented this story a second time on March 9, 1958. Agnes Moorehead starred. The recording of the second episode is not complete

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Suspense - Mr. Diogenes

In "Mr. Diogenes," Ozzie and Harriet Nelson star as themselves in a story about a couple who have their anniversary plans upset by a radio game show.

As the episode opens, Ozzie explains how he was set up for trouble...it all started when he stepped on a scale/fortune telling machine to find out his weight. Out popped a card that predicted "Today will be the most memorable day of your life."

As Ozzie was leaving the store, an older gentleman bumped into him, and in doing so, dropped his wallet. Ozzie returned the wallet, and the man, Hector Diogenes, admitted that he had dropped it on purpose. He routinely dropped his wallet in seach of the honest man who would return it.

Diogenes then announces that Ozzie is the honest man he has been searching for and that today is the most memorable day of his life!

He then promises to reward Ozzie with the wisdom and knowledge of his ancient Greek ancestor, Diogenes the Cynic. All Ozzie has to do is memorize a book on the discourses and then return the follow morning to recite what he has learned. If he passes the test, he will be rewarded with great wealth.

Is Mr. Diogenes an honest man?

"Mr. Diogenes" was written by Harold Swanton, produced by William Spier, and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard starred. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns, Jeannette Nolan, John McIntire, and Sidney Miller. This episode aired on January 26, 1950.

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