Escape and Suspense!

Suspense - Trial by Jury

In "Trial by Jury," Nancy Kelly stars as a criminal defense attorney who gets outwitted by a client.

As the episode opens, Hilda Warren, the top criminal lawyer in the state, is being escorted to the jail cell of her new client, Tommy Esterman. She informs him from the get-go that he is lucky to get her and that she expects to be well paid for taking him on as client. Tommy isn't pleased, but he agrees to her terms.

Hilda lives up to her reputation, and Tommy avoids a murder conviction. After the trial, Tommy informs her that they are going to marry. Hilda laughs, but Tommy isn't joking. He has plans, and Hilda soon realizes that Tommy is smarter than she thought. She also decides that Tommy is going to have to die!

The first time Suspense presented this episode was on March 27, 1947, but there is no known recording of that broadcast. Nancy Kelly starred in that version, and returned to Suspense in 1957 to play the lead role again.

"Trial by Jury" was written by Robert L. Richards and produced/directed by William N. Robson. Nancy Kelly starred. Kenny Delmar played Tommy Esterman. Also appearing were Shirley Mitchell, Lawrence Dobkin, Byron Kane, Parley Baer and Jerry Hausner. This episode aired on June 16, 1957.

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 (Image of Nancy Kelly from Wikipedia)

Suspense - The Visitor

In "The Visitor," a young man reappears three years after he was believed to have been murdered by his friend. But is it really him?

This episode was adapted from the 1944 novel The Visitor by American playwright and journalist Carl Randau and his wife, Leanne Zugsmith, a journalist, writer, and activist. Suspense made a few changes, but for the most part, the story presented is the same as the book.

The episode opens at a lunch counter outside of Baltimore, where a man named Burrell has come to talk to the teenager behind the counter. He was given an anonymous tip that the young man was really Bud Owen, and now Burrell discovers that this is true. Bud disappeared three years earlier, and almost everyone in their small hometown of Edgerton believed that he had been murdered. On that fateful day, Bud had gone to Ocean Isle with his friend Joe, but after a quarrel, only Joe had returned. Although no one could prove a crime had been committed, everyone believed Joe was guilty.

Now, Burrell is bringing Bud back home to Edgerton, but will everyone be happy to see him?

"The Visitor" was produced, directed and adapted for radio by William Spier. Eddie Bracken starred as Bud Owen. Also appearing were Kenneth Christy, Hans Conried, Jeannette Nolan, and John McIntire. This episode aired on May 11, 1944.

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Suspense presented this story a second time on September 18, 1947 with Donald O'Connor in the role of Bud Owen. Also appearing were Verna Felton and Wally Maher.

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Suspense - The Great Train Robbery

In "The Great Train Robbery," Fred MacMurray stars as a man who takes a chance on improving his life through crime.

Walter Beaumont lives in Oakland, California, with his wife, Bess. For the last sixteen years, they have struggled to get by but hope that one day their circumstances will improve. Walter gets tired of being short on money.

One day, cousin Eugene arrives and talks Walter into taking a trip to Reno. Bess thinks they are going  fishing in Lake Tahoe, but Eugene has bigger plans that involve robbing a train. Walter agrees to the plan. He believes that his bland appearance makes him nearly unidentifiable and that gives him confidence that their plan can't fail.

"The Great Train Robbery" was written by Richard Pedicini and produced/directed by Elliott Lewis. Fred MacMurray starred. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns, Paula Winslowe, Hy Averback, and Jerry Hausner. This episode aired on April 13, 1953.

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Hey, hey, hey! Let's Head Over to Jimbo's OTR Buffet!

This week, Jimbo interviewed me about Escape and Suspense! and how I innocently wandered into the online realm of old time radio. How did this website begin? Why do I keep summarizing episodes?  Do I ever listen to other shows? Jimbo tried to find out... 

You can read our interview over at Jimbo's OTR Buffet!

Suspense - You'll Never See Me Again

Suspense's "You'll Never See Me Again" was adapted from the Cornell Woolrich novella of the same name, which was first published in Detective Story, November 1939. Today, you can find it in the book Four Novellas of Fear (2010). Suspense's version has a different outcome than the original, but most of the story remains the same.

As the episode opens, Ed Bliss and his wife, Janet, have just had their first big argument after three months of marriage. She storms out, claiming that he will never see her again! Ed plays it cool. He doesn't want to give in to her too soon, so he waits three days, and then calls her at her mother's home. When Mrs. Alden answers, Ed discovers that Janet isn't with her mother.

Where is she? What happened to her?  Ed rushes off to the bus station to pick up the trail of his missing wife...

"You'll Never See Me Again" was adapted, produced and directed by William Spier. Joseph Cotten starred. Also appearing were Lurene Tuttle, Wally Maher, and John McIntire. This episode aired on September 14, 1944.

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Suspense presented this story a second time on September 5, 1946. Robert Young starred. Also appearing were Verna Felton, William Johnstone, Cathy Lewis, and Wally Maher.

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Suspense - A Load of Dynamite

In "A Load of Dynamite" an ex-con decides the easiest way to a better life is to steal everything that belongs to his brother.

As the episode opens, Dave arrives at the home of his younger brother, Hal, after being incarcerated at San Quentin for many years. At first, Dave is an unwelcome surprise, but soon, Hal welcomes him into his home.

But Dave didn't really come to mend fences.  He just wants to see what he can get from his brother. When he sees Hal's wife, Terry, he decides he wants her!

Hal trucks dynamite around the mountains for a living. So, it doesn't take Dave long to figure out an easy way to get rid of Hal...

"A Load of Dynamite" was written by Richard Wilde and produced/directed by William N. Robson. Bartlett Robinson starred. Also appearing were Ellen Morgan, Paul Dubov, and Barney Phillips. This episode aired on June 23, 1957.

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(Image of Bartlett Robinson)