Escape and Suspense!

Escape - The Second Class Passenger

Escape's "The Second Class Passenger" was adapted and expanded from the short story by Perceval Gibbon. The original tale is available online at Open Library and in The Second Class Passenger and Other Stories (1913).

As the episode opens, Mr. Dawson is on a cruise that has stopped for the day in Mozambique.  He and Miss Patterson are in town for lunch, along with a couple of the other gentlemen from the ship. On their return, Miss Patterson realizes that she left her souvenir back at the restaurant. Mr. Dawson doesn't want to retrieve it, but to save face in front of the other gents, he agrees to go.

After he picks up her souvenir, he gets caught in a terrible rainstorm. When he asks for shelter from one of the local residents, he soon becomes tangled in a web of intrigue.  With the help of a mysterious woman, he faces one danger after another...but will he get back to his ship?

"The Second Class Passenger" was adapted for radio, produced, and directed by William N. Robson. Harry Bartell played Dawson. Jeannette Nolan played the woman. Also appearing were William Conrad and Cathy Lewis. This episode aired on January 7, 1948. 

. Download Escape_1948.01.07_Second Class Passenger(EC)

Escape presented this story a second time on July 28, 1949. Parley Baer played Dawson. Also appearing were Georgia Ellis, Paul Dubov, Ben Wright, Vivi Janiss, John Dehner, Edgar Barrier, and Nestor Paiva.

. Download Escape_1949.07.28_Second_Class_Passenger

William N. Robson later presented this story on Suspense on January 20, 1957.  Character actor and "Disney Legend" Sterling Holloway, the voice of Winnie the Pooh, starred as Mr. Dawson. This was his only appearance on Suspense. Also appearing were William Conrad and Hans Conried.

. Download Suspense_1957.01.20_SecondClassPassenger

(Image from The Second Class Passenger, Dodo Press 2007)

Suspense - No More Alice

In "No More Alice," a man shelters an escaped criminal in order to get him to commit a murder.

Frankie Tattum has just broken out of the state prison. Dr. Wright was driving through a lonely strech of road near the prison when he heard the news on his car radio. He stopped and decided to let the escaped murderer come to him. 

Frankie finds his car, and Dr. Wright offers to help him, but he wants something in return. The doctor tells him that he wants to study him, but that isn't what he really wants. 

The truth is that the doctor is in love with his wife's best friend, and he wants his wife out of the way. He plans to let Frankie take care of that for him.

"No More Alice" was written by Martin Ryeson and produced/directed by William Spier. Paul Henried starred. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Wally Maher, and Joseph Kearns. This episode aired on March 14, 1946.

. Download Suspense_1946.03.14_No More Alice

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Escape - Typhoon

Escape's "Typhoon" was adapted from the 1903 short story by Joseph Conrad. It can be found in Typhoon and Other Tales, and online at Wikisource. It is one of two Conrad stories adapted for radio by Escape. (See also "The Brute" ) To read more about Escape's presentations, click here, to read an article published in Conradiana (3-22-06).

The episode is narrated by Mr. Jukes, first mate of the Nan-Shan. As the story opens, the ship is about to set sail for three years of cargo-hauling in the China Seas. The commander is Captain MacWhirr, a man whose lack of imagination easily frustates Mr. Jukes.

When the ship arrives in Singapore, the captain takes on an unusal cargo, two hundred Chinese workers on their way to Fu-Chau. As the ship sails toward the next port, Mr. Jukes has an ominous feeling.

Soon, the barometer drops and the swells start to grow. Is it just "some dirty weather knocking about", or is there something more serious on the horizon?

"Typhoon" was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and produced/directed by William N. Robson. Frank Lovejoy starred. Also appearing were Raymond Lawrence and Cy Kendall. This episode aired on July 28, 1947.

. Download Escape_1947.7.28_ Typhoon

Suspense - Fly by Night

In "Fly by Night," Joseph Cotton stars as a man framed for murder and on the run from the law.

As the episode opens, Mickey Manning has been kept awake by the police for seventy-two  hours in order to sign a confession. They believe he murdered his business partner, Leo Garvin, and they have a witness named Venutti, who saw Manning the night of the murder. Manning signs the confession, but as they are on their way to the courthouse, he escapes from the police. 

First, he asks for help from his wife, but gets none. Next he turns to her cousin, an attorney named Charles Borden, who does offer to help.

Then, Manning visits the office of Venutti, only to find a drunken woman and Venutti's dead body. Next to Venutti's body, he finds his own gun.

Who killed Leo Garvin and Venutti, and why do they want to frame Manning?

"Fly by Night" was written by George Fass and Gertrude Fass and adapted for radio by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. Elliott Lewis produced and directed. Joseph Cotten starred. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Tom Bernard, and Jeannette Nolan. This episode aired on September 28, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950.09.28_FlyByNight

(Image from Wikipedia)

Suspense - Blood on the Trumpet

In "Blood on the Trumpet," William Holden plays a New Orleans musician who gets in trouble with the law.

As the episode opens, two police sergeants arrive at Victor's hotel room to arrest him for the murder of his wife, Sarah.  Victor is relieved to see them and not ...him.

This  story began when Victor met Luana at a nightclub in the French Quarter. She liked " his look" and his trumpet playing. They went out for coffee, and by early morning, the two of them were planning to run off together.

Not long after that, Victor's wife was found with her head beaten in by a trumpet.

Will Victor go to jail for the murder of his wife, or is there another suspect?

"Blood on the Trumpet" was written by Richard Pedicini and produced and directed by Elliott Lewis. William Holden starred as Victor. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Joseph Kearns, and Barton Yarborough. Trumpet music provided by Ziggy Elman. This episode aired on November 9, 1950.

. Download Suspense_1950.11.09_Blood On The Trumpet 

(Image from Wikipedia)

Suspense Nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame!

It is about time! Suspense has been nominated for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2009.

Anyone can vote in this online election, so I hope that all of you Suspense fans out there will take a few minutes to register and cast your vote.

Suspense is nominated under the category of "National--Pioneer." 

Online voting is taking place now and will end at midnight on August 1st.

To see the list of nominees and to vote, click below: 

 http://www.radiohof.org/2009_nominees.html

Vote today! Tell your friends! Hurray for Suspense!