Escape - Letter from Jason

Escape's "Letter from Jason" tells the story of an unusual bargain between an uncle and his nephew.

Jason has lost everything in life that has meaning. He left his wife and baby because he was no longer able to provide for them. He squandered his inheritance and now he is in debt. He has sunk lower than ever before because he can not stop drinking.

Alone in his cheap rooming house in a San Francisco slum, he tries to commit suicide, but fails at that, too. Shortly afterwards, his Uncle Jeff comes to visit him. His uncle offers him a deal that will pay off his debts and provide for his wife and child. What does he have to do? Travel to a South Seas island to perform a murderous act of revenge on his uncle's old enemy, Jake Finch.

"Letter from Jason" was adapted for radio by Seelig Lester, Merwin Gerard, and William N. Robson from the 1926 short story "Sunk" by George F. Worts. Frank Lovejoy appeared as Jason, Will Geer as Jeff, and Kay Brinker as Ellen. William N. Robson produced and directed. This episode aired on November 29, 1949.

. Download Escape_1949.11.29_Letter_From_Jason.mp3

* At the end of this episode, there is a short comedic sketch where Gracie Allen explains to Paul Frees why George Burns should appear on Escape. 

(Image from Stock.xchng)

Comments

[shonokin]

Just another note of a suspense-related item of interest. This guy has several Suspense records from the AFRS (now AFRTS). He has transcribed them and put them on his blog. The one I sampled sounded very clear.
http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/category/afrs/

[cmillinsf]

Thanks! Rand's Esoteric OTR is an interesting site. I will add it to the reference links page. Best - Christine

[Kevin]

I have a lousy lousy job now but it allows me to listen to an mp3 for most of the work day. Of course I'm back to listening to OTR and back here grabbing some.

The other day I listened to Letter From Jason. It was as promised a wonder half hour of escape. I have heard this before, possibly long ago on late night OTR which we're lucky enough to get 2 hours of most nights, or from a cd of otr mp3's I purchased or maybe from here and I never commented on it.

A good story, gives you a climactic finale at the start to build up to and when you get there, well it's an interesting and somewhat happier ending than a lot of the protagonists get on the series.

And I love Gracie Allen at the end. She said the meanest things about George, sometimes I'm think "ouch".

[atoz]

A different kind of episode. I think it's good to have episodes like this so that the series doesn't become predictable. The tv version of Tales from the Crypt became predictable because all you had to think was "What is the worst and most suitably ironic way for the main character to be killed?" and 9 times out of 10 you'd be right. Episodes like "Letter from Jason" occasionally popping up keep you from reaching the point where you ask yourself "Hmm...how is the main character going to be bitten by a snake and/or a Gila monster this week?"