1960-07-31 End Game

Santos Ortega stars in an unusual David Karp story about an eccentric sheriff whose hobby is chess. A teacher, a noted chess expert, Charles Victor, takes a wrong turn on a dark, stormy night and accidentally runs over a man. The sheriff’s home is near the accident, and Victor learns that when knocks at the door and a man in his rain slicker and walks down to the car and the victim. It is there he is revealed as the sheriff. Victor assumes the man he hit is dead, and the sheriff acts as though that is correct. They move the body into the home, which is probably confusing to Victor, and the listeners, and is a clue that things are not what they seem. It is very disturbing that the sheriff is strangely nonplussed about the entire event. When the town sheriff learns Victor’s identity as a famous chess expert, he becomes far more interested in playing chess with him than prosecuting him for possible vehicular homicide. The sheriff has Victor sit down, and compels him to join in a toast to chess, even as the victim lays on a couch in the room. He tells him he will dismiss any charges and prepare a report that says he witnessed the accident and that there was no indication of crime. The sheriff explains his plight, trapped in the small town. He is angry about his years of loneliness because he cannot find anybody in town with whom he can enjoy his hobby. He demands that the teacher remain for a long period of time, and even take residence in the town to do do. He threatens him with a jail sentence if he refuses to play chess upon his request. His lack of chess players means he cannot display his intelligence; his deep disdain for his fellow townspeople. Forced to stay, the chess expert and the sheriff play what Victor hopes is one final game. The sheriff is counting on Victor staying in town and playing five or six games a week, hoping Victor lives to “a ripe old age.” Their relationship is like a chess game, each testing the other, the sheriff intimidating Victor and each time revealing how deranged the sheriff is. The accident victim stirs, and is not dead as Victor presumed. The sheriff taunts the man, relating a very disturbing story that the victim was, at one time, the town doctor. The doctor’s life became broken with alcoholism after a poor medical outcome of a patient. A farmer, whose farm equipment accident required skilled medical attention that the doctor could not offer, left him severely crippled. The sheriff implies it was malpractice, but it is not stated as such. It is also implied that the doctor may have been the sheriff’s last challenging chess partner of years ago, until Victor arrived. The sheriff’s knowledge of the farm accident was likely used against the doctor, and he crushed his spirit and dignity. The sheriff was trying to blackmail Victor in the same way he did the doctor. The ending is somewhat of a surprise. This is one of those Suspense episodes where you really have to be attentive to the dialogue or you’ll miss some key clues to the story. The production could have been more powerful and menacing under prior producers Robson or Lewis. Overall, it is one of the better psychological dramas of the New York period.

David Karp was a very successful novelist and television writer in the 1950s and through the 1970s. This was his only Suspense script.

With the mention of the fictional Lewiston College and other aspects of the geography, it is likely that Karp was describing a small town in Maine.

The program was recorded on Wednesday, July 20, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 5:00pm. Recording was done from 5:00pm to 5:30pm.

There are two surviving recordings. The network aircheck is the better recording. It is listenable but has narrow range and some minor defects. It is a better recording than what has been circulating among collectors for many years. A mid-show commercial is likely edited out. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#795) has similar sound with a slightly wider range, There are some minor digitization defects that can be annoying when listening. Perhaps a better transfer of the disc or a different disc may be located in the future.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600731

THE CAST

Santos Ortega (Sheriff Van Allen), Michael Kane (Charles Victor, chess expert), Jack Arthur (Berger, the accident victim), Allan Manson (The Trooper)

Bill Adams was originally cast as Berger.

###

1960-07-24 Cold Canvass

William Redfield stars in a Walter Black story about an insurance salesman who conspires with a client to murder her husband for the insurance money, then flee to another country. He met her making a cold call visit (a sales call without setting up an appointment), and he starts to pitch the importance of life insurance. She talks to her husband, they have a meeting, and the husband dismisses the idea. When the sale seems lost, she calls the sales representative and says that the husband has changed his mind, and wants a larger policy than they had discussed! With their lawyer, they determined that he could have his business pay for the policy and could afford more than they had thought: $250,000. (That is worth almost $3 million in US$2025!) The policy is purchased, and includes a double indemnity clause in case of accidental death. (This is Suspense, so it is clear what’s about to happen next and there’s no need for a spoiler alert). The wife arranges for the husband to be in a fatal accident. When the insurance investigation is done, she and the lawyer head off to the Mexican border. The sales representative, whom she played for a patsy because she was always interested in the lawyer, learns about it and hides on the floor of the back seat of the car (back when cars were bigger and had legroom in rear seating). He’s willing to let it go for a share of the proceeds. But the insurance rep’s boss suspected something was up and is part of the (moderately) surprising conclusion.

The title of the story has always been misunderstood or at least misspelled by collectors. The word is “canvass” and not “canvas.” The latter is a manufactured material used in making various goods like bags, tarps, and other items. The former, however, is the process of soliciting orders or support, or to gather information (such as police do in neighborhoods where they are looking for witnesses) or pollsters conducting research.

The program was recorded on Wednesday, July 20, 1960. Rehearsal began at 12:30pm and ended at 4:30pm. Recording was done from 4:30pm to 5:00pm.

One recording has survived, and it is in low quality. The aircheck recording is affected by weather interference. It is likely there were storms in the area when it was being recorded. The closing announcements are clipped. It is hoped that a replacement recording may be found in the future, especially an Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) transcription.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600724

THE CAST

William Redfield (Bud Phillips), Ginger Jones [replacing Charlotte Manson] (Madeleine Fouche), Les Damon [replacing Paul McGrath] (Howard Rigby), Guy Repp (Victor Fouche), Walter Black (Roger Whittier)

Damon and Jones were one of the few married couples to appear together on Suspense multiple times.

###

1960-07-17 Memorial Bridge

Robert Dryden stars as “Charlie,” a public works engineer who kills his nagging wife and disposes of her lifeless body in a concrete support (bridge pier) of his town’s new and highly trafficked new bridge that he helped design and construct. He tells acquaintances, confidentially, knowing they would gossip, that she has disappeared and never said where she was going or what she was doing. She was a wealthy woman who had the financial means and independence to go and do whatever she wanted. Since no one ever hears from her, the gossip reaches the police who become suspicious. They can’t arrest him because they can’t produce her body or any evidence of foul play. Charlie is so proud of his accomplishment in this new bridge and is always pleased to talk about it. Much time passes, and he gradually begins his social life again with new relationships. One night, while driving with a date over the bridge, there is a serious accident with another vehicle. Of course, there is damage to the bridge, and it reveals a small part of his deceased wife’s body.

It’s a fairly obvious storyline as it is clear that Charlie will get caught. The surprise is how long he will get away with it, and that it will take a near-tragic incident that will expose his wrong-doing. It is hard to believe that Charlie can manage the pouring of the pier without detection about what he was doing with the body. Set the implausibility aside, enjoy the story.

The story is by William N. Robson. There were eleven Robson scripts used in the New York period (from August 30, 1959 to September 30, 1962). Some were repeats of Suspense scripts he authored and others were re-worked from prior series he produced, such as The Modern Adventures of Casanova. This script appears to be original for this broadcast.

The program was recorded on Thursday, July 14, 1960. Rehearsal began at 4:30pm and ended at 7:30pm. Recording was done from 7:30pm to 8:00pm.

Two recordings of this episode have survived. The network recording is an aircheck, has some minor issues with the AM signal, but is very listenable despite some slight muddiness in the sound. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#794) has cleaner sound, but has narrow range. It is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600717

THE CAST

Robert Dryden (Charlie), Charlotte Manson (Clara), Sam Grey (Steve / Foran), Ralph Bell (Foreman), Roger De Koven (Man / Voice), Larry Haines (The Detective), Pat Hosley (Lady / 2nd Lady), Lawson Zerbe (Cop)

###

1960-07-10 Report from a Dead Planet

George Bamber had a favorite genre for his writing, “enviro-disaster,” and this episode fits that category with a background of Cold War atomic annihilation playing a big role in the storyline. A group of scientists aboard a space ship set out to explore the mysteries of an unknown planet. As they circle the celestial body, they spot an island, surrounded by water on four sides. They manage a safe landing and begin to make their way around. Finding no living persons around, they conclude that the place has not been inhabited for perhaps a thousand years. None of the party can unravel the mystery except Dr. Siddons whose explanation of the phenomenon is both interesting and startling.

The story is predictable, but even so, you still want to hear how the predictable ending plays out and what clues are provided. It must be remembered that the story may not have seemed as “predictable” then as it does to modern ears who have had a steady diet of science fiction as social commentary and surprise endings. Star Trek was not on the air yet, so this story may have had a greater sense of novelty in 1960.

Much of Bamber’s influence was derived 1950s science fiction (he was a big X Minus One fan) and Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone was a favorite television program for him. This story gave him the opportunity to do so with a story based in Cold War tensions and fears of atomic annihilation, and a twist ending. The script was used again on Theatre 5 on 1965-07-26 as In Absence of All Intelligent Life.

“Dr. Siddons” was planned to be played by Richard Kendrick but he was replaced by Les Damon. The “Captain” was originally to be played by Al Hodge (early TV’s star of the sci-fi show Captain Video, was replaced by Les Damon, but changed to John Larkin; Hodge was one of the actors who starred as The Green Hornet in its radio heyday). 

Not a real spoiler alert: there are so many hints in the dialogue that they are over Manhattan Island and that their landing spot is Central Park. The crosshatches they keep mentioning are the network of streets and avenues they see from above. The “monuments” are apartment buildings and office skyscrapers (the dialogue “Such crude dwellings. They must have lived absolutely one on top of the other” is quite funny). No spoiler alert is necessary.

The real question is if the characters are from 1,000 years after the annihilation of the Earth’s population, are the characters descendants of Earth humans who traveled to other planets? One would think not, since they express disgust at the way Earth people look based on their reaction to a sculpture of one.

The dialogue mentions some devastation “one hundred miles south and west of here” which would be the Philadelphia area.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, July 7, 1960. Rehearsal began at 4:300pm and ended at 7:30pm. Recording was done from 7:30pm to 8:00pm.

There are two recordings that have survived. All of the network recordings are airchecks that have been heavily edited. The one for this episode is well edited and is in superb sound. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#793) is preferred because of its better sound quality. It is new to circulation among classic radio enthusiasts.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600710

THE CAST

Les Damon (Doctor Siddons), Phil Meeder (Collins), John Larkin (The Captain), William Mason (Lieutenant Jeffries)

Warren Sweeney substitutes for Stuart Metz as the announcer.

###

1960-07-03 Bon Voyage

Bob Readick stars in a Murray Burnett story about an embezzler, Alec Thompson, who takes his money to a cruise ship, but has to race back to cover up his crime. There’s a problem: when he tries to return, he meets a thief who wants the money. Alec is a not-too-clever bank teller who removes $200,000 in cash from a huge estate (about $2.2 million in US$2025). His plan is to abandon his wife and child, and sail for Europe and a new, exciting life in France with his girl friend, Celia. Just before sailing time he remembers a scrap of paper that he left behind that could be used as evidence against him. It was the calculation of the cost of the cruise tickets. After frantically returning home, having an uncomfortable interaction with his wife, he finally locates the paper. He says goodbye, and heads back to the ship… well, he thinks he has time for a drink at the bar around the corner. Dumb move: a man with a gun tries to hold him up! Now what?

Ira Ashley substituted as director for Paul Roberts for this episode. Ashley was a longtime director of Grand Central Station.

This episode was teased at the end of the prior week’s episode with a different title: “End of the Line.”

Getting on and off a cruise ship was much easier at that time, with very little screening. Today, the identity checks and verification required take a significant amount of time. The speed of Alec’s nefarious logistics, even with the ship’s announced delay, might have been plausible then, but definitely not in modern times.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, June 28, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

There are two surviving recordings. The network aircheck from WROW has narrow range and some static. There may have been some active storms in the Albany, New York area during recording. The preferred recording is Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS#792) which has less noise, but also has narrow range.

Burnett and Joan Alison wrote the play Everybody Comes to Rick’s that eventually became the classic movie Casablanca. Burnett wrote seven scripts for ABC Radio’s Theatre 5 series (1964-1965).

In the cast is "Mary Moore." She is actress Mary Alice Moore who appeared in many New York television productions in the 1950s. In 1973, she married Broderick Crawford.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600703

THE CAST

Robert Readick (Alec), Joseph Julian (Hank), Rita Lloyd (Celia), Mary Moore (Helen), Dan Ocko (Man), Alan Manson (Voice 1)

The cast was changed before the recording session. Joe Julian replaced Alan Mason as “Hank,” the bank guard, and Alan Manson replaced Bill Mason as “Voice 1.”

###

1960-06-26 The Daisy Chain

Joan Lorring stars as a young British woman named Sharon. She and her father, believe they know a young man who might be London’s infamous Daisy Chain serial killer. Things start to get strange when they take in a mysterious woman boarder into their London home. She’s been widowed for over three decades. While boarding, her son Jimmy comes to visit, and Sharon suspects that he is the serial killer the police are hunting for. The killer leaves a “daisy chain” at the scene of the murders, a string of daisies threaded together by their stems. When he is with his mother, he asks her to tell him about the Sharon. The mother is dismayed with the idea that she might be hurt by him. Sharon’s father is suspicious of the woman and of Jimmy. Sharon and Jimmy become friendly. As the story moves along, it is clear that the son is not the killer, but, surprise, it’s Mom! This is not the best of scripts, with one of the problems being that there are not enough characters to spread healthy servings of suspicion and doubt to keep listeners engaged.

This is the second John R. Forrest script on the series. The first was the superb Mission Completed and starred Jimmy Stewart. These may have been the only scripts written by this Seattle radio personality to have been performed on network radio, or any radio format.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, June 21, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived, and both are listenable but have narrow range and minor problems. The network aircheck recording from WROW is the better of the two and includes the five-minute 7Up soda program with the Kingston Trio follows the show. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#791) has some audio defects and some tape wow and flutter especially at the conclusion of the recording during the “Suspense March” filler music.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600626

THE CAST

JOAN LORRING (Sharon), John Clark (Jimmy), Jane Rose (Mrs. Grimes), Bret Morrison (Mr. Pittsfield), Marvin Peisner (Bobby), Mercer MacLeod (Inspector)

###

1960-06-19 60 Grand Missing

Bernard Grant stars as police detective Dresser in a Robert Arthur story about a police officer who may have grabbed $60,000 from the perpetrators of robbery and hid it away until an opportunity to retrieve it presents itself. Since arrests were made but the money was never found, suspicions about where it may be taints Dresser’s reputation because he might have kept the money for himself. By the end of the story, after we meet characters with odd names like his fellow officer “Sloppy Peters”, crooks like “Nick the Pick,” “Big Man,” and, of course, “Little Man.” It is an entertaining story in a B-movie kind of way that has a surprise ending as the money is found and reveals an honest side of Dresser and Peters that was not expected.

The story might have been presented on The Mysterious Traveler in the later 1940s or very early 1950s, though detective stories were not always typical of the program. It did appear in the short-lived Mysterious Traveler Magazine edition of March 1952. It was published as “Sixty Grand Missing.” That amount of money would be about $725,000 in US$2025. If it was performed on the radio series, it may have had a different title.

The title published in the 1952 magazine was “Sixty Grand Missing.” The title on the script is “60 Grand Missing.” Newspapers likely followed CBS publicity releases, but there is inconsistency there as newspapers had “Sixty Grand Missing” but also “$60 Grand Missing.”

The program was recorded on Tuesday, June 14, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

There are several network aircheck recordings available, all of them incomplete in some manner. It is believed that the core recording is from WROW. A reconstructed broadcast recording has been created. It has the WROW station ID and the Suspense open from a different but contemporary program. Most recordings do not have the introduction mentioning the episode name and a few words to set the scene, but a recording that had that section intact was found. It is not known if a commercial followed the introduction; some earlier reconstructed recordings used a Pepsi commercial from a different episode. That was excluded from this reconstruction because it is not known if there was a commercial, and if there was, what the commercial might have been. The first few minutes of the story were missing from several recordings, and that was found in listenable sound quality. At 3:25 the reconstructed recording continues to the ending announcements in very good sound. It is hoped that a complete and original aircheck, or an Armed Forces Radio Service recording, can be found in the future to replace this composite recording.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600619

THE CAST

Bernard Grant (Dresser), Ralph Bell (Sergeant Bronson), Leon Janney (Sloppy Peters), Sam Raskyn (Ace), Joseph Julian (Nick the Pick), Mason Adams (Big Man), Michael Kane (Little Man), Nat Polen (Commissioner)

###