Escape and Suspense!

Suspense - The Voice of Company A

When William N. Robson was the producer and director of Suspense, he would begin the show by giving the audience a brief introduction to the story that was about to be performed. His monologues were always intriguing but his introduction for the episode "The Voice of Company A" speaks volumes. He described the episode this way: "During its long and distinguished career on the air Suspense has never taken an editorial stand, until now. Now we state unequivically that this program is against murder. Oh, we play around with the more titallating and entertaining aspects of murder from time to time, but fundamentally we are against it as a personal, national or international policy. Only those in favor of murder will find anything objectionable or controversial in the next half hour. The story you are about to hear is but a tiny word of protest, perhaps it is too little, but please God, let it not be too late."

This is a story about "celestial propaganda" that begins in a lab at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The world is on the verge of war and at midnight the United States is planning to launch a screamer satellite that will jam all of the radio and television transmissions on Earth. Dr. George Grieg has been put in charge of the satellite's message but he is haunted by his own experiences as a lieutenant in WWII. Not long before the satellite's launch, he is visited by the ghost of one of the soldiers who served with him. The ghost explains to George that he and all of the other soldiers who died in WWII would like him to put that screamer satellite to a better purpose.

"The Voice of Company A" was written by Michael Frost and starred Everett Sloane. Also appearing were Lillian Buyeff, John Dehner, Jack Kruschen, Barney Phillips, Sam Pierce. This episode aired on August 3, 1958.

.  Download Suspense_1958.08.03_TheVoiceofCompanyA.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Escape - Crossing Paris

Escape's "Crossing Paris" takes place during the Nazi occupation of France. It isn't so much a war story as it is a suspense story about two men who have to cross Paris on an icy winter night without getting caught by the German police. Food rationing is in effect and they are carrying four suitcases containing a slaughtered pig that is worth a fortune on the black market. The main character, Martin, makes his living this way but not his new assistant, Grandgil, whom he had only met earlier that day. Out of the compassion felt during hard times, Martin had asked Grandgil to join him on this job to earn 450 francs, but as the night passes he soon regrets his goodwill. Grandgil is difficult, dishonorable, and condescending from the start. Martin is non-confrontational at first, but as the truth about Grandgil comes to light, their trek together takes a bleak turn.

Escape's radio-play was adapted by John Meston from the 1950 short story "Crossing Paris" by the French novelist Marcel Ayme (1902-1967.) Their version stays close to the original work but makes a few changes at the end. Ayme's story is available in English in the anthology Stories in the Modern Manner (1953). In 1956, the short story was the basis for the movie La Traversee de Paris, but the movie version was a comedy with a happy ending. In 1957 Escape's radio-play was performed again for an episode of Suspense.

"Crossing Paris" starred Jay Novello and William Conrad. It also featured Howard McNear, Barney Phillips, Edgar Barrier, Vivi Janiss and Paul Frees.  Unfortunately, none of the actors have convincing French accents. This episode aired on August 25, 1950.

Download Escape.8.25.1950_Crossing_Paris.mp3

Suspense's version made a few changes and has better French accents. It starred Hans Conried, John Dehner, Ted Di Corsia, Joe Di Santis, and Paul Dubov. This episode aired on June 2, 1957.

Download Suspense.06.02.1957.Crossing_Paris.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Escape - The Thirteenth Truck

"The Thirteenth Truck" is a suspenseful World War II story set in North Africa and it rates as one of Escape's all around best episodes.

The story is narrated by Captain Paul Brown, the only American in an Allied group of six desert commandos who specialize in sabotage. His job is to lead them on a mission across Nazi lines to find and then destroy a hidden airbase.

They start out from their headquarters at El Kabrit, Libya, circle Tobruk and head into Nazi territory with a truckfull of dynamite. Their plan is to wait for a convoy of Nazi trucks to come along so they can join in and follow them into the hidden airbase.

"The Thirteenth Truck" was adapted for radio by Gus Bayz, from the story of Captain Douglas M. Smith, as told to Cecil Carnes. A story called "We Dynamite a Nazi Airfield" by Smith appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943, and he is the author of American Guerilla Fighting Behind Enemy Lines (1943). Smith is also one of the authors listed in the book Combat: European Theater, World War II (1958). This broadcast starred Hy Averback as Captain Brown and Richard Peel as the seargent. Alistair Duncan, Charlie Lung, Alec Harford and Jack Kruschen also appeared.

Escape presented this episode on August 16, 1953.

Download Escape.53.08.16_The_Thirteenth_Truck.mp3

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-You Were Wonderful

In honor of Black History month, here is the Suspense episode "You Were Wonderful" with Lena Horne.

True to the title, Lena's singing is wonderful despite the bad sound quality of this recording. She sings "Embraceable You", a little bit of "One Dozen Roses" and "America" (My Country 'Tis of Thee). This is a very patriotic WWII era episode that touches on the racial issues of the time. The story is set in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to her biography on the Kennedy Center's website, Lena Horne often performed for the troops in Europe during WWII but on the condition that the audience would be desegregated. She was also the most popular pin-up girl of African-American soldiers!

"You Were Wonderful" aired on November 9, 1944. According to Martin Grams in Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills, she was the first professional singer to appear on Suspense.

Download Suspense.1944.11.09_You_Were_Wonderful.mp3

Image of Lena Horne from (www.classicsavers.com)