Escape and Suspense!

Escape - Journey Into Fear

Escape's "Journey Into Fear" was adapted from the 1940 novel by Eric Ambler, which tells of a British engineer attempting to flee German enemy agents who want to kill him. The novel is too long for a half hour radio show, so parts of the story were cut. In the book, the main character becomes involved in an ongoing flirtation with a beautiful but scheming cabaret dancer named Josette. She and her petulant husband/business partner, Jose, take up a good portion of the novel, but aren't included in Escape's version. Other changes were made to the story as well.

In 1943, Journey Into Fear was made into a film by Orson Welles which starred Joseph Cotton. Edgar Barrier appeared in both the film and Escape's 1950 adaptation.

The episode opens in Instanbul as Graham enters his hotel room. Suddenly, someone shoots at him! The intruder crawls out of the window and Graham is relieved to discover that his only injury is to his hand. He calls his business associate, Kopeiken, and explains what has happened. Kopeiken takes him to Colonel Haki of the Turkish secret police. Graham thinks that it is all of lot of fuss over a burglar, but Haki warns him that the man was not just a thief. He was sent there to murder him!

Colonel Haki explains to Graham that his work in Instanbul is important to Turkish military efforts and there are enemy agents who want to see that work stopped or delayed. The only way to leave Instanbul without danger is to sail on the cargo ship Sestri Levante. Graham agrees to the plan, but he soon realizes that the boat isn't as safe as Haki said it was.  

"Journey Into Fear" was adapted for Escape by Antony Ellis. Norman MacDonnell produced and directed. Ben Wright starred as Graham. Also appearing were Wilms Herbert, Edgar Barrier, Rolfe Sedan, Ann Morrison, Jack Kruschen, Lou Krugman, and Shimen Ruskin. This episode aired on November 19, 1950.

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(Image of first edition cover from Wikipedia) 

Rev. 1/11/10

Escape - Confidential Agent

Escape's "Confidential Agent" was adapted from the 1939 novel The Confidential Agent: An Entertainment by Graham Greene. In this instance, they chose not to adapt the book as it was written, and so changed the story and characters that there is little resemblance between the radio version and the source work. The question is...why? The novel (which Greene wrote with the help of benzedrine) is the sort of desperate, gritty story that Escape normally didn't shy away from.

Was it because Greene's novel about a middle-aged, traumatized, war-weary, beaten-down agent who is relentlessly pursued by enemies and police--was just too depressing? Probably. Escape, instead, chose to punch up the excitement by making the agent younger, the story less perilous, and the romance standardized.

Escape's adaptation was written by a man named Kendall Foster Crossen (1910-1981). Crossen was a prolific radio script writer, pulp fiction writer and an editor of Detective Fiction Weekly. He wrote more than twenty novels featuring Milo March, an insurance investigator.

So, Escape's "Confidential Agent" is really a radio play by Kendall Foster Crossen within the basic framework of Greene's novel.

Confidential Agent was also made into a movie in 1945 by Warner Brothers. You can find a review of both the novel and the movie over at Mysteryfile.com.

As the episode opens, a boat has just arrived in Dover harbor. David, a secret government agent, has come to England on a mission to obtain industrial diamonds. He is suspicious of everyone, but when fellow passenger Rose Cullen offers him a ride from Dover Harbor to London, he accepts. Is she one of them? Will the two of them make it to London without trouble? If they can, will David be successful in his mission?

"Confidential Agent" was adapted for radio by Ken Crossen with editorial supervision by John Dunkel. Norman MacDonnell produced and directed. Berry Kroeger starred as D. Also appearing were Edgar Barrier, Constance Cavendish, Herb Butterfield, Parley Baer, Olive Deering, Ben Wright, Wilms Herbert and Alec Harford. This episode aired on April 2, 1949.

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(Image of Kendall Foster Crossen from Wikipedia)

Escape - Sire de Maletroit's Door

Escape's "Sire de Maletroit's Door" was based on the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, which was first published in 1877. The full text is available online at Wikisource.

Escape made minor changes to the beginning, and their presentation is nicely done, but "Sire de Maletroit's Door" is not well-suited for an adventure program. The drama consists of courtly dialogue between two people who must decide whether or not to get married. If you like the story, you will appreciate Escape's presentation. If you don't like the story, their version probably won't change your opinion.

The episode opens in Paris in 1429 on a dark night. Denis de Beaulieu is running from the soldiers on patrol and ducks into an open door to hide until they pass. When he tries to leave...he can't get out.

Denis finds a staircase that leads him to the Sire de Maletroit--who appears to have been waiting for him! He then tries to explain that there must be a misunderstanding, but the Sire de Maletroit doesn't think so. He believes that Denis is the young captain who has been pursuing his niece, Blanche. 

The Sire de Maletroit makes the situation clear to Denis: marry his niece or die.

"Sire de Maletroit's Door" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and produced and directed by William N. Robson. Elliott Lewis played Denis de Beaulieu and Peggy Webber played Blanche. Ramsay Hill played the Sire de Maletroit. This episode aired on August 4, 1947.

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(Image from Robert Louis Stevenson from Wikipedia)

Escape - The Notebook

Escape's "The Notebook" is set in the Dakota Terrritory during the Black Hills Gold Rush in the mid 1870's. It is a tale of two prospectors who are stalked by claim jumpers...and that's about all that happens until the end of the episode. "The Notebook" is a story about pursuit and, ultimately, escape, but does not include a happy ending. It isn't that kind of story.

"The Notebook" was transcribed under the direction of Antony Ellis from a story by William J. Radcliff. No short story under this title by that author can be found. So, it is possible that it was scripted for radio from an unpublished work.

As the episode opens, two prospectors, Robbie and Mac, have broken camp and are on their way to Deadwood to file their claim. Suddenly, a whiskered man in the distance shoots at them...and it isn't the first time. He wants their claim and he will kill to get it. 

Mac asks Robbie if he is ready to kill protect their claim, but Robbie can't give him an answer. Is the gold worth it? The whiskered man and his boss seem to think so. They are relentless in their pursuit.

"The Notebook" was produced and directed by Antony Ellis. John Dehner starred as Robbie, Joseph Kearns as Mac, and William Conrad as Jack Morris. This episode aired on July 26, 1953.

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Image of Deadwood, South Dakota from Wikipedia.

Escape - Robert of Huntingdon

Escape's "Robert of Huntingdon" is based on the legends of English folk-hero Robin Hood. It has been suggested that if Robin Hood was an actual historical figure, he may have been Robert, Earl of Huntingdon. The first reference to this name in the Robin Hood legend appeared in the stage plays The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntington and The Death of Robert Earl of Huntington by Anthony Munday, published in 1601.

A critical analysis of Escape's adaptation of the Robin Hood legend won't be attempted here. Enjoy this episode for what it is--a romp in the forest with a bunch of talented radio actors who aren't even pretending to have English accents.

As the episode opens, the Sheriff of Nottingham offers a reward for the outlaw Robert of Huntingdon, known as Robin Hood. Additional rewards are also offered for the capture of Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and the other known members of his band of followers.

In a meeting of noblemen to discuss the situation, Sir Martin of Matlock offers his services to the king and the sheriff. He thinks that stealing from the rich to give to the poor is just an excuse to be outlaws. Sir Martin proposes to stop Robert of Huntingdon and his gang by gathering a force of men to storm into Sherwood forest and exterminate them.

When told that his idea isn't feasible, Sir Martin volunteers to go into the forest alone. He will join the outlaws by pretending to be a yeoman who has been wronged by the sheriff. Then, he will gain their confidence and discover where they are hiding.  

It doesn't take long for Sir Martin to accomplish just that. Everyone accepts him into the gang except Little John. Will Sir Martin's plan cause Robin Hood and his gang to be captured? Or, will Robin Hood become suspicious, too?

"Robert of Huntingdon" was adapted for radio by Antony Ellis and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. William Conrad played Robin Hood. Also appearing were Lawrence Dobkin, Edgar Barrier, Herb Ellis, Jack Kruschen, Vic Perrin, John Stevenson, Harry Bartell, and Peter Leeds. This episode aired on October 26, 1952.

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(Image from Wikipedia)

Escape - S.S. San Pedro

Escape's "S.S. San Pedro" was adapted from the 1931 short novel about a doomed ship by James Gould Cozzens. The novel was loosely based on the true story of the S.S. Vestris in 1928, a preventable disaster that caused significant changes in safety at sea. 

Cozzens' book doesn't retell the story of the S.S. Vestris, but adapts some of its elements for a story about duty and the puzzling way in which safety measures aren't taken on ship that is clearly in trouble.

Escape's episode is adapted from Cozzens' novel but with some further changes. They created a supernatural storyline by expanding the character of Dr. Percival, the corpse-like visitor who first notices the S.S. San Pedro has a problem. 

This Escape episode is unusual because the two main characters don't escape the dying ship. As for the true identity of Dr. Percival, they leave that up to the listener.

As the episode opens, the S.S. San Pedro is about to sail from New York to Argentina. Mr. Bradell, the first officer, is called into the captain's cabin and introduced to Doctor Percival. The captain asks him to take the doctor on a quick tour of the ship before they sail. Doctor Percival takes an interest in the port cabins and then points out that ship is not floating level.

Mr. Bradell is disturbed by his guest and happy to say goodbye to him at the end of the tour. However, later one of the passengers claims to have seen Doctor Percival on board..after they set sail.

"S.S. San Pedro" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. Featured in the cast were John Dehner and Charlotte Lawrence. Also appearing were Jeff Corey, Don Diamond, Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, and Jay Novello. This episode aired on August 22, 1948.

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(Image of S.S. San Pedro 1968 paperback edition)

Escape - The Grove of Ashtaroth

Escape's "The Grove of Ashtaroth" was closely adapted from the 1910 short story by John Buchan, First Baron Tweedsmuir (1875-1940). Buchan was a British novelist and politician who is best known for the book The Thirty-Nine Steps.

This is an episode that is helped along by reading the original work, which is available online at Feedbooks. The short story was written as one long narrative by a character who doesn't give his name. So, in the radio version, Escape assigned the character the name of the author. 

"The Grove of Ashtaroth" is not an environmentally-friendly story. It involves destroying an ancient grove of trees to undo the spell it has placed on one man. While this is being done, a goddess begs them to stop. Apparently, they think she is scary and evil, so they don't stop until they have killed and destroyed absolutely every living thing in the grove. 

As the episode opens, John Buchan and his friend Lawson are exploring Africa when they come to a place so perfect that Lawson decides to settle there. John is surprised by his friend's reaction, but doesn't believe his idea to be a bad one.

Three years later John returns to find Lawson in terrible condition and in bad humor. He appears to have arrived at a bad time, but Lawson won't say why. His foreman, Mr. Jobson, knows that it has to do with the grove of trees on the property. The grove summons Lawson in the night...

Can the two of them find a way to release Lawson from the spell he is under? Or, will they destroy a beautiful thing forever?

"The Grove of Ashtaroth" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield. William N. Robson produced and Norman MacDonnell directed. Paul Frees played John Buchen and William Conrad played Lawson. Also appearing were Kay Brinker, Raymond Lawrence, and Eric Snowden. This episode aired on February 29, 1948.

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(Image from Wikipedia)

Escape - Pollock and the Porroh Man

Escape's "Pollack and the Porroh Man" was adapted from the 1895 short story by H.G. Wells. In their adaptation, a few changes were made to the story, but the essentials remain intact. The original work is available online at Horrormasters.com.

If Escape had presented the story as written, they may have had a better result. Instead, the episode starts with a retelling by Pollock of the events that have driven him mad...which means that we know from the start that he goes mad.

As the episode opens, Pollock is visited in his London flat by Waterhouse, who is surprised to find his old acquaintance in such bad condition. When they travelled in Africa together some months earlier, Pollock was an arrogant and robust man, but now he is a broken and disturbed. Waterhouse is shocked to discover that he is still haunted by the events that occurred on their expedition.

Pollock's health problems began when a Porroh man put a curse on him for stealing an idol. Unfortunately, Pollock didn't know that to have the curse removed, he must ask the Porroh man to remove it or kill the Porrah man himself. Instead, he paid someone to kill him.

Afterward, when the Porroh man's head was brought to him, Pollock tried to get rid of it...but it wouldn't go. No matter how he tried to dispose of it, the head returned.

Now, he tells Waterhouse, the Porrah man's head follows him everywhere. Can he escape it?

"Pollock and the Porroh Man" was adapted for radio by John Dunkel and produced/directed by William N. Robson. Barton Yarborough played Pollock. Also appearing were Louis Van Rooten and William Conrad. This episode aired on October 28, 1947

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(Image from Wikipedia)

Escape - The General Died at Dawn

Escape's "The General Died at Dawn" was adapted from the 1936 novel of the same name by Charles G. Booth. The central character of this story, Gerald O'Hare, was inspired by a man named Morris "Two Gun" Cohen (1887-1970), who was a gun runner for Chinese warlords in the early 1930's and lived an all-around colorful life. In 1936, this story was also released as a film starring Gary Cooper that was nominated for several Academy Awards. Booth cowrote the film's script with Clifford Odets, but the plot differs from that of the novel.

Escape tried to present The General Died at Dawn as it was written, but it was condensed down, down, down, to a manageable size. They dropped the dramatic beginning, dumped two of the younger characters, and though they kept the female lead, Mrs. Mallory, she is reduced to a standard love interest. This atmospheric novel is just too long to fit into a half hour radio format.

As the episode opens, Gerald O'Hare is an adventurer in Shanghai with nothing to his name. He wants to leave China altogether, so he goes to the office of an old acquaintance named Ramsgate to collect a debt. While he is there, a beautiful woman enters and, mistaking O'Hare for Ramsgate, she asks for his help. It is then, that O'Hare becomes involved in a dangerous undertaking to retrieve the stolen funds of the feared outlaw, General Yang.

"The General Died at Dawn" was adapted for radio by Walter Newman with editorial supervision by John Dunkel. Walter Newman produced and directed. William Conrad starred as Gerald O'Hare. Also appearing were Estelle Dodge, Lawrence Dobkin, Ben Wright, John Dehner, Jack Kruschen, and Peter Prouse. This episode aired on April 16, 1949.

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(Image from the 1941 edition by Pocket Books, Inc.)

Escape - The Footprint

Escape's "The Footprint" was adapted from a 1908 short story by Gouverneur Morris (1876-1953), a pulp fiction author who was the great grandson of American founding father Gouverneur Morris (1752-1816).

Escape probably chose this particular adventure story for radio because it involves a small, menacing snake, and to them, any story about a snake was a good story. That is true of "Poison,""Serenade for a Cobra" and "A Shipment of Mute Fate," but "The Footprint" falls short. The original work, which is available online at Google Books, contains all of the elements for a great Escape episode--but that didn't happen.

As the episode opens, a group of men set sail from San Francisco to northern Mexico. They have banded together because of a treasure map they hope will direct them to a hidden fortune in rubies. When they arrive at their destination in the Gulf of California, they find another ship is there as well. They watch as a fat Chinese man with a yellow parasol leaves the ship and then begins to walk across the desert. 

The men follow his footprints and eventually, catch up to him. The man, Sang-Ti is on his way to the hidden outpost of Chen Chan because it has been prearranged that his life will end there. Sang-Ti warns them to turn back, but the men say they can't. They have come too far. Sang-Ti also warns them not to steal the holy ruby box-- but they do. When the men try to return to their ship, they are pursued across the desert by a strange priest wielding a nasty little snake. 

"The Footprint" was adapted for radio by Richard Chandlee and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. Featured in the cast were William Conrad, Charles Davis, Lou Krugman, Tom Holland, and Ramsay Hill. This episode aired on August 18, 1950.

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(Image of Gouverneur Morris in his study from Google Books)

Escape - Plunder of the Sun

Plunder of the Sun (1949) is a novel by David Dodge about an American in Chile, who smuggles a mysterious package into Peru and then ends up discovering a lost Incan treasure.

The episode opens in Valparaiso, Chile, where an antiques dealer named Don Alfredo Berrien and his nurse, Ana Luz Benavides, meet  an American named Al Colby. Berrien asks Colby to smuggle a package into Peru. It is a valuable Peruvian artifact that was taken out of the country, and now he wants it smuggled back in. Colby isn't allowed to know what is inside the package, but he agrees to the job anyway.

He travels with them on a boat to Peru, but midway through the voyage, Berrien dies. Due to his age, the police assume that it was from natural causes, but when Colby and Anna Luz found Berrien, there had been someone in his room. Was it Jefferson, the American tourist that Berrien was afraid of?

When the boat lands in Peru, Colby opens the package and finds a quipa, an Inca message cord and pages of pergamino (parchment). The pages are written in a Spanish translation of the Incan language, Quechua. Supposedly, the pages give the location of a fabulous treasure of Incan gold that was hidden from the Spaniards. Colby travels to Arequipa, to visit Don Ubaldo Naharro, an antiques dealer even more devious than Berrien.

Will Colby have the message deciphered and find the treasure? Will he help Anna Luz, the beautiful nurse who wants to buy her way out of indentured servitude? Will Jefferson, the American tourist, get the package from Colby? Or, will Don Ubaldo Naharro find a way to get the package away from both of them?

The last part of the book is summarized too quickly, and the final parting of Ana Luz and Colby is very different. If you get the chance, read the book.

"Plunder of the Sun" was adapted for radio by John Dunkel. William N. Robson produced and directed.  Paul Frees played Al Colby, Gerald Mohr played Jefferson, and Lucille Meredith played Ana Luz. Also appearing were Harry Bartell, Charlie Lung, and Tony Barrett. This episode aired on November 8, 1949.

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(Image from 2005 reprint by Dorchester Publishing Co.)

Best or Worst - The Morrison Affair

One can only wonder what the people at Suspense were thinking when they presented this episode.

"The Morrison Affair" starts out well and keeps us interested until the second half of the episode. Then we realize it is a stupid story. By the end of it, we are certain that it is a stupid story. How does it keep us until the end? Well, it has something to do with the small child who appears to be in constant danger throughout the last half of the show. We can't help but be worried.

As the episode opens, Mrs. Morrison is calling upon a divorce attorney. She explains that she needs help, and then she tells him the story of how she met her husband, Dr. Paul Morrison. She is English, and he is American. They met in England and stayed there during the first two years of their marriage. She desperately wanted a child but was unable to have one. On their last day together, before Dr. Morrison left to serve in the war, she tried to convince him that they should adopt a child. Her husband flatly rejected the idea, and Mrs. Morrison was heartbroken.

After her husband left, Mrs. Morrison was alone and unhappy in London, but her situation changed the day she took a train to the country. She shared a train compartment with a widowed woman and her several children. The mother seemed overwhelmed by her burden, and Mrs. Morrison felt that the woman was indirectly asking her for relief. So, she stole the woman's baby.

After creating a birth record for their son Jaimie, and lying to her husband, Mrs. Morrison felt confident that her plan had worked. Had it? When her husband returned from the war, he had doubts about their "miracle kid." In fact, he seemed to hold grudge against the little guy.

"The Morrison Affair' was written for Suspense by Pamela Wilcox. British actress Madeleine Carroll, best known for her role in Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps, starred as Mrs. Morrison. Gerald Mohr played Mr. Morrison. This episode aired on September 2, 1948.

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(Image of Madeleine Carroll from Wikimedia Commons)

Best or Worst? - Pages From a Diary

"Pages from a Diary" is a peculiar episode of Suspense. The story opens in the bedroom of of a farmer named John. His fiance, Janet is looking for something that will help her understand what has happened to him. She opens his diary and starts reading. From there, John's disembodied voice takes over and reads aloud. The narrative takes us into the mind of a man is suffering from mental illness. It is filled with dream-like imagery and confusion. In the background, the music adds to the mood of turmoil.

This episode's weakness is that it is one long narrative and relies on the listener to stay intrigued. Not everyone will be. At the very end, we learn something that explains the narrative we just listened to. 

This episode works because Jim Backus plays the role of John. Why does Jim Backus keep our attention? Who knows, but he does. Perhaps because this isn't the kind of role he typically played. His wife, Henny Backus, played the role of Janet. Normally, the two authored humor books together, but this episode of Suspense shows a different dimension of their talents. "Pages from a Diary" was written for Suspense by Virginia Bolland.

This episode aired on August 19, 1962.

.   Download Suspense_1962.08.19.PagesFromADiary.mp3

(Image from Morgue File)

Best or Worst? - Riabouchinska

Suspense's "Riabouchinska" is introduced with some narration. It continues with more and still more narration. There is too much narration.

"Riabouchinska" is the story of a ventriloquist, the woman that he once loved, and the ventriloquist's dummy that he created in her image. There is also his wife, her boyfriend, and a blackmailer. Wally Maher plays the police detective who investigates the murder of the blackmailer. Joseph Kearns stars as John Fabian the ventriloquist and Lurene Tuttle stars as the high-pitched voice of Riabouchinska, the ventriloquist's dummy.

The version of this story done for television by Alfred Hitchcock Presents is the better version of the two. Claude Rains plays the tragic and deluded John Fabian, and a young Charles Bronson plays the detective who uncovers the sad truth between Fabian and his puppet. Both episodes were based on the short story "And so Died Riabouchinska" by Ray Bradbury. Suspense's radio-play and the tele-play for Alfred Hitchcock Presents were both written by Mel Dinelli.

The narrator is Armana Fargey, a pseudonym for actress June Havoc. This episode aired on November 13, 1947. A different version of "Riabouchinska" appeared on television in 1988, for an episode of Ray Bradbury Theater.

Download Suspense.1947.11.13_Riabouchinska.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Best or Worst? - Lady in Distress

Suspense's "Lady in Distress" showcases Ava Gardner. The radio-play was written by John Michael Hayes, who also wrote the screenplays for the Alfred Hitchcock films Rear Window, The Trouble With Harry, and The Man Who Knew Too Much. So why isn't this episode better? It could have been a neatly packaged radio noir but it isn't.

"Lady in Distress" begins with a hitch-hiker, which is always a good start, but then Ava Gardner's character, Mrs. Harris, and the hitch-hiker named Sullivan start talking while she is driving. We find out that he is an escaped criminal, and that now she is in danger. They keep talking and driving, driving, driving. The humm of the motor, the sound of rain, the endless dialogue...zzzz. Suddenly, they stop in a diner for hamburgers and coffee in a completely unnecessary scene. Then there is more talking, driving...motor humming...rain sounds...zzz...zzzz.

When we wake up again we find out that the escaped convict wants revenge on the policeman who put him in prison. That man just happens to be the husband of Mrs. Harris! Of course, that's no accident. She hates her mean, crabby husband and wants to help Sullivan accomplish his revenge. They arrange to put a bomb in her husband's car but things don't go as planned.  It would be a surprise if they did because neither of these two seems that bright. In the end, the bad people get their come-uppance through their own evil work.

So, that's that.

You really have to listen closely to this story to appreciate it but due to the somnolent sound effects, this is hard to do. "Lady in Distress" was Ava Gardner's only appearance on Suspense. The previous year she had starred in the film noir The Killers by Ernest Hemingway. Also featured in this episode were Howard Duff as Sullivan and Wally Maher as the husband. It was produced and directed by William Spier, who later worked with Gardner on the film Tam Lin. "Lady in Distress" aired on May 1, 1947.

.  Download Suspense.1947-05-01_Lady_In_Distress.mp3

Best or Worst? - In Fear and Trembling

"In Fear and Trembling" answers the question, "how badly can you screw up your own life?"  This is an episode with little suspense, but it does has something to say about jealousy.

Mary Astor, in her only appearance on Suspense, plays Lucia Durant. Lucia's husband of four years is Gilbert Durant, and they live in his windswept mansion on a cliff..., we don't know exactly where. Her half-sister Beverly came to live with them around the same time that Lucia started to not feel well. Around the time when, "an insidious horror began to gnaw at her happiness..."

Lucia doesn't eat much and is haunted by a terrible dream. Is it a dream, or a premonition?  Gil  suggests a tonic for her that just happens to have strychnine as one of the ingredients. Beverly complains that Lucia is a hypochondriac with no "pep", but Lucia thinks her sister is out to steal her husband. The only person Lucia seems to trust is the housekeeper.

Verna Felton plays Mrs. Benson the housekeeper. You may not be familiar with the name Verna Felton, but her voice is recognizable to people of all ages as the fairy godmother in Disney's Cinderella. In this role, she isn't as helpful. When Mrs. Durant goes missing, Mrs. Benson calls the police and blames Gil and Beverly for Lucia's disappearance based on what she heard while eavesdropping.

This story borders on being funny because of Lucia's character. The story concludes into a "big lesson" that comes down on Lucia's head. Although she has suspected her sister and her husband of being involved, she finds out her suspicions were wrong. Even better, it had never occurred to Gil and Beverly that they might be in love until Lucia mentions it to them. Then, they realize she might be right. In her final act of stupidity, Lucia makes it possible for them to be together.

This episode was written by J. Donald Wilson and aired on February 16, 1943. The names of the supporting cast aren't given on the recording.

Download Suspense_43-02-16_In_Fear_And_Trembling.mp3

(photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Best or Worst? - Summer Storm

In the Suspense episode "Summer Storm" we enter the world of a man named Eddy, a guy with a sensitivity to weather changes. He also likes to talk to himself - and talk he does!  He chatters to himself so much that after a while you just can't help but drift off. That might be understandable if it was any ol' actor playing him, but this is Henry Fonda, one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.

In this episode we meet Eddy as he is leaving his boarding house and skipping out on the rent. When his landlady's husband, Mr. Waters, tries to stop him, Eddy attacks. When the neighbors respond to the cries for help, he is unable to flee and hides in the house. When Eddy escapes, he discovers that events aren't going to play out the way that he thought.

Why we are supposed to care about what happens to Eddy? Honestly, he seems pretty screwed up. The story lacks a worthwhile point and a satisfactory resolution at the end. It is a bad episode with a great actor.

"Summer Storm" is not to be confused with the movies of the same name. Not much information about this episode is available on the recording, but according to Suspense:Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills, it was written for Suspense by William Spier. Verna Felton, Elliot Lewis, Wally Maher, and Lou Merrill appeared. "Summer Storm" aired on October 18, 1945.

.  Download Suspense.SummerStorm.10.18.1945.mp3

Five years later, this episode was performed on the Suspense television show with much better results. Visit Suspense Television for more information about how they improved it.

Best or Worst? - El Guitarrero

"El Guitarrero" is the story of an American poet in Mexico who is tormented by a guitar player. It is an episode of Escape that has aged poorly, and it seems that the only Latin American involved in this production was the actual guitar player, Jose Barroso.  The Spanish spoken in this episode sounds similar to what I sound like in Spanish class, and the English has become dated.

The recording of this broadcast includes an interruption for a CBS news report from Freedom Village in Korea. For about three minutes, the names of the American soldiers involved in a prisoner of war exchange are announced. These few minutes are far more emotionally powerful than anything else in "El Guitarrero."

When we are returned to the story, the American poet and the Mexican guitarist are about to have drinks. From there it launches into a drama of hatred between the two. The question at the heart of this story asks, does the poet writing about love and pain really understand the emotions he writes about, or do the words just sound pretty? The guitarist thinks that the poet is only standing on the sidelines of life, watching. I won't ruin it for you by telling you what happens after that.

This isn't a bad episode but you may have to listen to it more than once, or have a shot of tequila, to figure it out. The guitar playing in the background is lovely.

"El Guitarrero" was written by E. Jack Neuman, who later went on to have a long career in television. Eddie Firestone Jr. starred as the poet. He went on to have a very successful career as a character actor in movies and television. The man who starred as the guitarist, Jack Kruschen, also had a successful career in movies and television. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1960 for his role in The Apartment.

Download Escape.53.04.19_El_Guitarrero.mp3

Best or Worst - Perigi's Wonderful Dolls

This is an episode from the science fiction series X Minus One, which ran on NBC from 1955-1958.  It is the story of a doll named Toto and a little girl named Cindy. The story is set in Washington D.C. where Cindy's father works as a government official at the Pentagon. On an afternoon shopping trip, Cindy and her mother discover Mr. Perigi's Toy Shop, and Cindy's mother is talked into taking home a doll named Toto. He walks, talks, laughs maniacally, and performs a little song about dolls taking over the earth--but none of this worries Cindy and her mom.

They get Toto home and right away there is a showdown between the family dog and the doll. One of my issues with this episode is the name of the family dog, "Mr Blister".  Am I hearing that right? The name is distracting, but the family dog doesn't last too long with this doll in the house.

This episode was broadcast on June 5, 1955 and it is entertaining and memorable despite its essentially silly plot and Toto's laughing. Really, Toto does a lot of maniacal laughing in this episode.

Download xmin1.1955.06.05_Perigi's_Wonderful_Dolls.mp3

"Perigi's Wonderful Dolls" had previously been presented on the series Dimension X  on August 4, 1950. The story is the same but there are some differences in the script. I prefer the X-Minus One version, but the fight scene between the doll and the dog is better in the earlier version.  Dimension X's Toto seems scarier at first, but his tinny voice loses any fright value long before the episode ends.

Download Perigis_Wonderful_Dolls-DimX.1950.08.04_.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Best or Worst?-Evening Primrose

What can one say about "Evening Primrose"?

It is the original story about people who dwell in department stores at night, as well as, the first story about mannequins actually being real people covered in wax. The author, John Collier (1901-1980) was a prolific writer, but "Evening Primrose" is his best known short story. The Twilight Zone episode "After-Hours" is reminiscent of "Evening Primrose".

The basic plot is that a poet named Charles Snell escapes from the harsh reality of the world by going to live in a department store.  On his first night, he finds a society of creatures lives there as well.  The only other human with them is a servant girl named Ella. Charles falls in love with Ella but from there trouble ensues.

So you might think that turning this story into a musical for television would be a bad idea -- but you would be wrong. A television musical version of this story was done for ABC Stage 67 in 1966.  Written by Steven Sondheim and James Goldman, it starred Anthony Perkins as Charles. Charmian Carr (Liesl from the Sound of Music) played Ella. Unfortunately, this production is not commercially available at this time. The first professional stage presentation of this musical was performed in 2005.

What can one say about Escape's version of this story? I personally don't feel that Escape excelled at stories about poets. This wasn't the only one they did that came out with chuckle-worthy results. Their version of "Evening Primrose" is interesting only because of the greater success of the short story and of Sondheim's musical.

This episode was broadcast on November 5, 1947.

Download escape.1947.11.05_Evening_Primrose.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Best or Worst? - The Doll

Ask me to single out the worst episode of Suspense and my mind immediately jumps to the episode "The Doll".  Is it the worst - or is it one of the best ever?  I can't tell anymore. It is one of my all time favorites. Unintentionally funny and surreal, "The Doll" can't be pinned down into any one category.  Suspense began their fifteenth year on the air with this episode on October 23, 1956.

"The Doll" stars Patty McCormack of the movie The Bad Seed and her performance is fine but everything else about this episode is out of whack.  The sappy, lilting music interferes by making it impossible to take anything that happens too seriously. Even worse are the sound effects for the beating heart of the doll which are SO LOUD and distracting that the actors have to strain to be heard over it.

The story begins this way:

A seven year old girl named Val gets a doll from her new stepmother for a birthday present. The doll has "a gadget". You wind it up and its heart beats. Val names the doll after her dead mother (who died of a heart condition). Val becomes convinced that the doll will die too if she doesn't keep it constantly wound up.  Val's father and stepmother argue about the doll because it may have been a bad idea and decide to burn it in the incinerator after Val goes to bed. Val overhears this and runs away but can't get very far because she has always has to keep the doll wound up and...well, from there it just gets better and better!

Suspense broadcast this episode on October 23, 1956.

Download the_doll.mp3