Escape - Zero Hour

Escape's "Zero Hour" is an adaptation of a Ray Bradbury story about a peculiar game played by young children.

It is a typical day in the New York home of the Morris family, and Mrs. Morris is busy with her usual routine. Her daughter, Mink, as well as all of the other young children, are intensely occupied by new, mysterious game called "Invasion." Mrs. Morris isn't bothered by the game until she gets a call from her friend in Connecticut and finds out that all of the kids are playing it there as well. When she learns that the game's "zero hour" is to be at 5:00 p.m. that day, she does begin to wonder what the kids are really up to. None of the other parents are worried about it, but they should be. The children have learned the game from the Martians that are planning to take over the Earth.

Escape's "Zero Hour" was adapted for radio and directed by Anthony Ellis. Paula Winslowe played Mrs. Morris and Isa Ashdown played Mink. John Dehner narrated. This episode aired on October 4, 1953.

. Download Escape_1953.10.04_Zero Hour.mp3

According to Martin Grams in Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills, "Zero Hour" disturbed many listeners when it aired on Escape and CBS received thousands of letters and phone calls in response. Suspense brought the story back to the airwaves two years later on April 5, 1955. Isha Ashdown and Paula Winslowe returned to play the same roles. John Dehner again appeared as the narrator. Antony Ellis again produced/directed.

.  Download Suspense_1955.04.05_Zero Hour.mp3

Suspense aired the story again on May 18, 1958. William N. Robson produced/directed. Evelyn Rudie played Mink and Lillian Buyeff played Mrs. Morris.

. Download Suspense_1958.05.18_ZeroHour.mp3

Suspense aired this story for the last time on January 3, 1960. Francie Meyers played Mink and Ginger Jones played Mrs. Morris. Stuart Metz was the narrator and Paul Roberts produced/directed.

. Download Suspense_1960.01.03_Zero Hour.mp3   

(Image from Stock.xchng)

Comments

[Christopher]

Versions of "Zero Hour" were also done for "Dimension X," "X Minus One" and another one of those anthology shows which I cannot recall at the moment. It was one of those scripts that sold to different shows over the years.

[Grigs]

I heard one of the Suspense versions a few years ago and it was an absolute classic. I can see why some people would be disturbed!

I have to go. I play Invasion on Monday nights and I mustn't keep Trill waiting! :)

[Gary Digital Williams]

I believe the other anthology series might have been NBC Short Story.

[Grigs]

There was also a story called "Zero Hour" on The Mysterious Traveler, but it was totally different than this one and not as good. It was worth listening to, though.

[Grigs]

I could have sworn that the kid's "imaginary friend's" name was Trill, but in the episode that I downloaded(the Suspense episode from '58), they were callin him "Drill". Either I misheard the first time or they changed it....

Regardless, this was a very chilling program. Thanks for posting it for us.

[Dennis W.]

By the way, it was none other than Parley Baer who played the husband/daddy in the 1955 repeat version on Suspense. He was a long time character actor in radio, TV and film who may be best remembered today as the mayor on The Andy Griffith Show during the '60s. He also acted in the theatrical feature Two On A Guillotine, directed by old Escape regular William Conrad.

A huge thanks for clearing up that reference in Dehner's opening comments for the 1955 show to the previous broadcast of Zero Hours having caused an uproar. I had looked for years for the first Suspense presentation, and could never find no earlier one than the 1955. ...But of course! It was first on Escape!

Thanks again for the post and the nice clarification.

[Mike]

It's interesting that each script had slight revisions. The 1952 Escape episode is structured the most differently and the 1955 Suspense episode includes the character of "Anna". It is more specific that "Mink" is collecting pots and pans(?) in her assistance of "Drill". My personal favorite version is the 1959 version as I think it is the best acted by both Evelyn Rudie whose "Mommy? Daddy?!" was truly threatening and terrifying and Lillian Buyeff, incredibly effective as the horrified "Mrs. Morris". A significant alteration in the 1960 version alone is that it is narrator, Stuart Metz who says the though provoking "Children, children..." monologue which takes much of the "camp" effect from it. This is one series that really changed in it acting/presentation style to reflect the era of the broadcast. You cannot mistake one of the 1940's shows for the more sophisticated and subtle late 1950's episodes. A great, great show.

[Mike N.]

The 1960 version played today on ABN radio.macinmind.com It really pales in comparison to the original. It seems like they dumbed it down a bit, giving away the facts of the invasion in the first few minutes of the broadcast. I could have sworn Margaret O'Brien played Mink in a version of Zero Hour, but I guess not.

[Philippa]

I think this is superior to "The Thing On the Fourble Board" (from "Quiet, Please"). In fact, TTOFB seemed silly to me whereas this was truly chilling. I can understand why people wrote in about this.

For Evelyn Rudie fans, look for her, age nine, appearing in an episode of "You Bet Your Life," with host Groucho Marx.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfRgyO_pSY