Escape and Suspense!

Back-to-School Kick-Off!

It's that time again! So, let's kick off the school year Suspense-style and enjoy a few cautionary tales.

Students, beware! These things could happen to you, too!

First, let's listen to a creepy episode from Lights Out. In "Call Her Jean," we learn that if you are a student on a class trip to a foreign country, you should never, ever, ever decide to strike out on your own. If this story isn't already an urban legend, it should be.

"Call Her Jean" (a.k.a. "It Happened") was written by Arch Oboler and starred Mercedes McCambridge. This episode aired on May 11, 1938.

. Download LightsOut.1938.05.11_Call_Her_Jean.mp3

On a much more light-hearted note, here is an episode of Fibber McGee & Molly wherein Fibber decides to sign up for night school. Unfortunately, no one seems to take his ambitions of higher learning too seriously. Neither does he, really.

Kids, don't end up like Fibber!

"Night School" was written by Don Quinn and Phil Leslie. Jim and Marian Jordan starred This episode aired on November 14, 1944.

. Download Fibber.1944.11.14_Night_School.mp3

Last, but not least, here is an episode of Suspense about the importance of teaching teenagers to drive safely and respect the rules of the road. This episode has a strong message about traffic safety and listening to it will make you a safer driver and a better person. (Just keep down the giggling when Auto-Lite president Royce G. Martin starts talking.)

"The Empty Chair" was written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin . Elliott Lewis produced/directed and Agnes Moorehead starred. Sam Edwards played Bobby. Also appearing were Michael Chapin, Herb Butterfield, Joseph Kearns, and Paula Winslowe. This episode aired on September 21, 1953.

. Download suspense_1953.09.21_The Empty Chair.mp3

Remember, Suspense warned you.

(Image from Morguefile)

Love, Marriage, and Suspense

June is a month for weddings, happy couples, and cake. Yes, once again, it is that romantic time of year when many couples commit to a life of love and domestic bliss.

What could possibly go wrong? Suspense can answer that.

Before you head down the aisle, take the time to learn a few lessons from the great storytellers of old time radio.

While most of Suspense's cautionary tales were about crime and traffic safety, they also delved into the subject of dangerous relationships.

In "Everything Will Be Different," a woman marries a man who loves alcohol more than her, and the results are deadly. Cathy Lewis starred. This episode aired on August 9, 1959.

.  Download Suspense_1959.08.09_EverythingWillBeDifferent.mp3

In "End of the Road," a model marries a man who beats her, yet she can't tear herself away from him. Bernard Grant and Rita Lloyd starred. This episode aired on January 31, 1960.

.  Download Suspense_1960.01.31_EndoftheRoad.MP3

Then, there are the marriages that never should have happened...

In "A Ring for Marya," Cornel Wilde shows off his flair for accents while portraying one of the most despicable husbands in all of Suspensedom. This episode aired on December 28, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.12.28_ARingForMyra.mp3

"When the Bough Breaks" tells the story of a woman who marries a man that she "picked up" on a beach to help her murder her grandfather. Not surprisingly, their relationship is plagued by trust issues. Rosalind Russell starred.

. Download Suspense_1951.05.03_WhentheBoughBreaks.mp3

"Please Believe Me" is the story of a marriage between a bohemian and a rich girl that starts out badly and then gets worse. Joan Lorring and Robert Readick starred. This episode aired on January 28, 1962. (The sound quality of this recording is not the best.)

. Download Suspense_1962.01.28_PleaseBelieveMe.mp3

So, whether you are about to make your first trip down the aisle or your fifth, don't make excuses for your doubts. Remember, Suspense warned you.

(Image from Stock.xchng)

Suspense - The Whole Town's Sleeping

"The Whole Town's Sleeping" was closely adapted from the Ray Bradbury short story of the same name, and it will make you think twice about walking home alone at night.

As the episode opens, Lavinia Nebbs is sitting on her porch waiting for her friend, Francine, so that they can go to a movie. When Francine arrives, they start walking towards the movie theater downtown. To get there, they must cross a dark and steep ravine that cuts through the middle of their town.

It would seem that crossing the ravine would be the most dangerous aspect of their trip, but it isn't. Their small Illinois town has been traumatized by a series of murders, each one a month apart, by a strangler called "The Lonely One." Lavinia isn't afraid of "The Lonely One," but Francine is. Lavinia says "Bosh!" to all of it and insists that it will be safe for her to walk home alone after the movie. Will it?

"The Whole Town's Sleeping" was produced, directed, and adapted for radio by Antony Ellis. William Conrad narrated and Jeannette Nolan played Lavinia. Also featured were Eve McVeagh and Paula Winslowe. This episode June 14, 1955.

. Download Suspense_1955.06.14_TheWholeTownsSleeping.mp3

This story was presented again on August 31, 1958. William Conrad narrated and Agnes Moorehead played Lavinia. (The sound quality of this episode isn't the best.)

. Download Suspense_1958.08.31_WholeTown's Sleeping.MP3

(Image from Stock.xchng)

Suspense - Snow on 66

"Snow on 66" is a story about a drunk driver named Leroy, who enjoys scaring tourists on the road. Suspense did a number of shows about traffic safety and this episode addresses the dangers of red-neck drunks in pick-up trucks. 

What makes this episode more than just a radio-play about road safety is that it features Grayson Hall, an Academy-award nominated actress. To many she is primarily known for her role as Dr. Julia Hoffman on the 1960's gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, but she was also an accomplished stage actress. "Snow on 66" was the first of her two appearances on Suspense.

Charlie and Flo are newlyweds traveling on Route 66. They have stopped for the night at a motel in a remote town in Arizona, but they need to find a place to have dinner. As they are driving to a nearby restaurant, they run into trouble on the road with Leroy. As the night progresses, they find that they can't seem to resolve the trouble no matter what they do.

"Snow on 66" was written by William N. Robson and produced/directed by Fred Hendrickson. Also appearing were Jimmy Blaine, Gwen Davis, James Dimetree, William Mason and Sam Raskyn.  This episode aired on July 15, 1962.

. Download suspense__1962.07.15_SnowOn66.mp3

(Image of Route 66 from Wikimedia Commons. The Burma-Shave signs read: "Big Mistake -- Make Many -- Rely on Horn -- Instead of Brake -- Burma-Shave.")

Suspense - Inferno

With "Inferno," Suspense reminds us to be careful when driving through a long stretch of desert.

Lester and his wife Sheila are driving across the country to his new job in California. As the episode opens, they drive right past a sign advising them to have their vehicle checked before traveling any farther into the desert. The highway in front of them is a lonely one, with no service stations for the next 50 miles, but Lester isn't worried. He tells Sheila that they have enough gas to go twice that distance...but do they have water?

A little farther into their trip, they take a five mile detour down an old road to find a place to eat their picnic lunch. Lester and Sheila assume they are alone in their isolated picnic spot, but two old miners working nearby are watching them...and their car.

"Inferno" was written by Peter Fernandez and was produced/directed by Paul Roberts. Ellen McRae played Sheila and Richard Holland played Lester. Mandel Kramer and Robert Dryden played the miners. (The sound quality of this episode isn't perfect but it was the best recording that could be found.) This episode aired on October 16, 1960.

.  Download Suspense_1960.10.16_Inferno.mp3   

(Image from Morguefile)

Suspense - Melody in Dreams

"Melody in Dreams" was Suspense's idea of an anti-drug cautionary tale.

The episode begins with an overwrought father, named Mr. Graf, who has made a citizen's arrest of his 16-year old daughter, Joanie. He found marijuana in her room, and not just a little. The police arrive and question Mr. Graf and Joanie. The narcotics division has been trying to find the source of the drugs that are permeating the local high schools and they hope that Joanie's arrest will lead them toward that source. It isn't just marijuana that is being sold to the local kids, but opium and heroin as well.

At first, Joanie plays the tough little minx when interrogated, but then she realizes the pain she has caused her father, and starts to 'fess up. She now seems adorable and innocent.

Joanie tells the police about her boyfriend, Nicky Malone. He's the no-goodnick who has been supplying her with the stuff. She remains innocent and adorable through the rest of the episode, which is a let-down.

"Melody in Dreams" was written by Richard George Pendicini. It is more of a police drama than a show about the dangers of drugs, but overall, it is an interesting time-capsule from 1952. The background music throughout this episode is nicely done. John Lund and Joseph Kearns starred as the detectives. Junius Matthews played Mr. Graf. Also appearing were Sam Edwards, Howard McNear, Shepard Menken, and Anne Whitfield.

This episode aired on December 29, 1952.

.  Download Suspense_1952.12.29.MelodyInDreams.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Pretty Girl

To kick off the new school year, here is an episode of Suspense about a college girl who fools around with her professor. "Pretty Girl" is one of Suspense's better cautionary tales.

At the center of the story is a vixen named Emmy. We learn right away that she is pretty and that she easily exerts power over all men. Her prettiness makes her irresistable to them. Unfortunately, she is too young to understand all of the dangers that go along with physical attractions. Emmy has been dating her economics professor, Ray Hamilton, to get a passing grade, but when she tries to break it off, he doesn't take it well. This episode teaches us that girls who play games with men's feelings can wind up with more trouble than they bargained for.

Lynne Allen starred as Emmy and Vic Perrin as Ray. "Pretty Girl" was written by E. Jack Neuman and aired on December 16, 1954.

Download Suspense.1954.12.16_Pretty_Girl.mp3

(Image from Morgue File )

Escape - The Game

Escape's "The Game" involves two young men, a bottle of whisky and a game of Russian roulette. It appears to be a cautionary tale based on some unnamed true story or urban legend. We don't find out what or who inspired this episode but that doesn't diminish the impact. Escape presented this episode in 1953, but apparently the lure of the game continues.

In "The Game" one of the young men reads about Russian roulette and taunts the other into playing it. Today, there is a contemporary urban legend about the movie The Deer Hunter that warns that the movie is responsible for inspiring a number of "unplanned suicides" from Russian roulette. But that urban legend is based on fact. One step beyond that is the true story of the guy who didn't realize that Russian roulette has to be played with a revolver and not with a semi-automatic pistol.

"The Game" was an unusual choice for Escape. This story, written by Antony Ellis, was better suited for Suspense. It lacks the high adventure and exotic locations that Escape was supposed to deliver to its audience. Instead, it is set in Anytown, U.S.A. and the story drives home a message about guns and alcohol. The entire episode is a tense dialogue between the two young men, and listening to this story will probably make you wince and remember all of the dumb things you did when you were young.

Although different from their usual fare, this episode lived up to Escape's standards for story-telling. Two years later, this radio-play was presented on Suspense with minor differences, but both versions are good.

Escape's version of "The Game" aired on August 30, 1953. The ending of the broadcast is clipped so the names of the two actors and narrator aren't given.

Download Escape.1953.08.30.The_ Game.mp3

Suspense's version of "The Game" stars Gil Stratton and Sam Edwards. John Dehner was the narrator. It aired on March 15, 1955.

Download suspense.1955.03.15. The_ Game.mp3

(Images from Morguefile.com and Amazon.com)

Suspense - To Find Help

Suspense's "To Find Help"  is so plausible that it is genuinely scary. 

The casting of this episode is what makes it intriguing. The role of a menacing young man who has "something wrong with his mind" was originally performed by Frank Sinatra, and later by Gene Kelly. Appearing in "To Find Help" is an unexpected choice for a musical star, but that is the hook. Both actors gave the performance their own flair but played it differently. The same year that this episode first aired, Sinatra starred with Kelly in the movie Anchors Away.

This is a World War II era cautionary tale about an older woman who hires a young man to do some handywork around her house. She doesn't know the man well, but help is hard to find because of the war. She doesn't see any reason to worry because he seems so meek. The female role, Mrs. Gillis, was first played by Suspense's favorite actress, Agnes Moorehead. Ethel Barrymore played the role opposite Kelly in 1949. This episode was written for Suspense by Mel Dinelli.

The episode starring Frank Sinatra and Agnes Moorehead aired on January 18, 1945.

Download Suspense.1945-01-18_To_Find_Help.mp3

The episode starring Gene Kelly, Ethel Barrymore and William Conrad aired on January 6, 1949.

Download Suspense.01.06.1949.To_Find_Help.mp3     

(Image of Gene Kelly from www.classicsavers.com)

Suspense - Deep, Deep is My Love

Suspense producer and announcer William N. Robson introduces the episode "Deep, Deep is My Love" by stating that it is a story about skin divers, "intruding upon a world for which nature never intended them." Here we learn about the dangers of narcosis, or as Jacques Cousteau called it, the "rapture of the deep."  The story takes place at Point Dume, a beach located near Santa Monica, California.

Lloyd Bridges was the star of the television show Sea Hunt (1958-1961) when he appeared on this episode of Suspense. He plays Don, a diver who wants to investigate an unusual experience that occurred during his previous week's dive. Don and his clingy wife Joyce are at odds because she does not want him to go on the dive without her. He wants to be alone but Joyce wants them to do everything together. She relents and he escapes to a tranquil underwater realm where there is a golden girl who really understands him.

The radio play was written by novelist and screenwriter Hank Searls, who later wrote the best selling books Overboard, Jaws II, and Sounding. This episode also stars Marie Lynne, Tracy Roberts, and Bill Quinn. It was broadcast 48 years ago on April 26, 1959.

Download Suspense-59-04-26DeepDeepIsMyLove.mp3

Escape - The Dark Wall

Escape's "The Dark Wall" is a cautionary tale about European car trips and the dangers of marrying someone you haven't known long. This drama about a schizophrenic honeymooner begins on a mountain road in the Pyrenees somewhere between northeastern Spain and the principality of Andorra. "The Dark Wall" may not be the best advertisement for tourism in Andorra but it does peak one's curiousity.

This episode was written by Kathleen Hite and stars Joyce McClosky and John Dehner, who later played Paladin on the CBS radio show Have Gun Will Travel.

This episode aired on July 1, 1954.

Download Escape.The Dark Wall.7-1-1954.mp3

Suspense-Somebody Help Me

Last week's episode, "Drive-In," warned of the dangers of getting into a car with a stranger. This week's episode, "Somebody Help Me," warns of the dangers of getting "picked-up."  Based on a true story, this cautionary tale is still a good one. Which true story this is based on, they don't say.

"Somebody Help Me" was written for Suspense by Morton Fine and David Friedkin, who later collaborated on many television projects. Movie actor Cornel Wilde (pictured) starred as Eddy Franklin, and Suspense regular Cathy Lewis starred as Eileen.

Eddy is an unctious, chatterbox with a temper who uses his Southern gentleman's charm to pick up Eileen. The audience knows that Eileen is in trouble as soon as she gets into his car but she doesn't. This is a simple crime drama that makes its point easily. Keep in mind while listening to Wilde's performance that he was born in Hungary and spoke five languages: Hungarian, French, German, English, Italian, and Russian.

This episode was broadcast on March 29, 1954.

Download suspense1954.03.29 Somebody Help Me.mp3

Suspense-Drive In

If you need a reminder as to why it is you should never accept a ride from a stranger -- then "Drive-In" is for you! This episode belongs to a sub-genre of Suspense stories that are also cautionary tales. These dramas are still convincing because their warnings are still valid.

Judy Garland stars in this episode but do not expect to hear singing. Here she demonstrates that she was just as compelling as an actress on radio as she was in movies. In 1946, the year this show aired, she also appeared in the films: The Harvey Girls, Ziegfield Follies, and Till the Clouds Roll By.

"Drive-In" was written for Suspense by Mel Dinelli and Muriel Ray Bolton.  It was broadcast three times but Garland only appeared in the lead role once. Raymond Lewis played the driver. This version was heard on November 21, 1946.

Download 461121_drive_in_w_judy_garland.mp3