Escape and Suspense!

Escape - The Running Man

Escape's "The Running Man" is a tale about a Caribbean plantation owner named Owen who likes to gamble and live fast. He is indebted to the local casino owner through gambling losses but wants to keep playing. He is involved with Selena, the local voodoo priestess, although everyone has warned him to stay away.

The story is set in the port of Tela, Honduras. Owen's friend, Mr. Loomis, works for the fruit company that ships bananas from the local plantations. He lends Owen money and tries to convince him to change, but Owen doesn't listen.

When Mr. Loomis introduces Owen to a new arrival named Betty, he falls for her in a snap. Owen agrees to stop gambling when Betty asks him to, but his circumstances soon change. At home he finds Selena in his living room hovering over seven candles, three ripped-up chickens and a lots of blood. She has bestowed upon him the "Curse of Fortune" and now he can't lose.

As it turns out, Selena's curse isn't as damaging as his own greed.

The radio-play was written by Herb Purdham and stars Vic Perrin. Also appearing are Michael Ann Barrett, Jeanne Bates, Ralph Moody, Don Diamond, Barney Philips, and Byron Kane. This episode aired on November 2, 1952.

The fictional "American Fruit Company" appears to be based on the monopolistic United Fruit Company. Its subsidiary, the Tela Railroad Company, built the railroads to the port and controlled the banana plantations for many years.

Download escape.11.02.1952. The Running Man.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Escape - Papa Benjamin

Escape's episode "Papa Benjamin" is based on the short story by William Irish (aka Cornell Woolrich). It is set in the French Quarter of New Orleans where a struggling bandleader named Eddie uses a sacred voodoo chant as a gimmick to help save his failing nightclub act. Unfortunately, Eddie doesn't take the threat of a voodoo curse too seriously.

This is an interesting story that will keep your attention. There is a moral here about what can go wrong when an artist steals a sacred work from its creators. In this case, Eddie steals then exploits a sacred voodoo chant that he does not fully understand and can not control. In the end, it all kind of backfires on Eddie.

The sound effects are good and the music is more impressive than the average episode of Escape. There do not seem to be any actual African-Americans performing in this episode but that is typical of the era in which it was made. This show was broadcast on January 24, 1948.

"Papa Benjamin" was also an episode of the television series Thriller in 1961. The short story also appears under the titles "Dark Melody of Madness" and "Music from the Dark". The 1965 horror movie anthology Dr. Terror's House of Horrors used this story as well.

Download Escape.1948.01.24_Papa_Benjamin.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)