This is the first performance of the Edgar Allan Poe classic story about the Spanish Inquisition, adapted by John Dickson Carr. It is also the first appearance of “The Man in Black” as the signature voice of Suspense. The story would be used on Suspense two additional times.
Why did Suspense need a “Man in Black”? They obviously didn’t, because the character only lasted for 26 months. Every major mystery program had such a figure. The Witch’s Tale had “Nancy, the Old Witch,” Inner Sanctum had “Raymond, Your Host,” Molle Mystery Theater had “Geoffrey Barnes,” and The Whistler had… well, … “The Whistler”! It was all part of the branding of radio series, designed to make each series distinctive. While it was the style of the times, Suspense let it go after its Roma Wines sponsorship was in over a year old and let the Roma spokesman and a show announcer handle making the show sound distinctive. Having a “Man in Black” just complicated things by that point.
The lead actor for this episode was Henry Hull. He was an accomplished actor whose first Broadway role was in 1911. He went to Hollywood for movie work and was in touring companies, and Broadway for decades. Horror fans recognize him as the lead actor in the 1936 Werewolf of London.
Hull’s Wikipedia has the details of his long career https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hull
It is fitting that Hull is in the lead for this Poe story. Hull played Poe on Broadway in the short-lived biographical “Plumes in the Dust” in November 1936… which lasted only 11 performances.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP430112
THE CAST
HENRY HULL (Jean D’Albret), Berry Kroeger (Espila the Inquisitor), Mercedes McCambridge (Beatrice), Alfred Shirley, Luis Van Rooten?, Ted Osborne (Man in Black)
The script was also used in the BBC Appointment with Fear series 1943-09-18.
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