This episode is based on the 1936 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie. Her novel featured famous detective Hercule Poirot, but he is nowhere to be found in this adaptation. Instead, the story is told in first-person-narrative, the style that would make Suspense so unique. The narrative is supplied by Charles Laughton, who portrays a traveling salesman who suffers from blackouts. He worries that he might be the one committing the murders during these events, with no memory of his actions.
Laughton was on Suspense ten times in the 1940s and 1950s, but his wife, Elsa Lanchester, was on Suspense twice in 1943 and did not appear again. Both had very long and successful careers, with Charles’ ending with his death in the early 1960s at age 63. She continued her acting in movies into the 1970s.
Keith Scott notes that Robert Tallman is the scriptwriter for this episode. He had worked with William Spier many years earlier when he worked on March of Time in the 1930s. Tallman would become a regular contributor to Suspense but was noted more for his work with Spier on The Adventures of Sam Spade. Spier also contributed to this script.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP430518
THE CAST
CHARLES LAUGHTON (Alexander Bonaparte Cust), ELSA LANCHESTER (Miss Lily Marberry), BRAMWELL FLETCHER (Franklin Clark), Raymond Lawrence (Librarian / Man at newsstand / Bartender), Robert Harris (Inspector Mackenzie), Hans Conried (Newsboy / Train call), unknown (Olivia Asher), Vicki Marsden? (Mary Barnard), unknown (Louise Clark), unknown (Cameron Clark), Joe Kearns (Man in Black / Second Newsboy / Butler)
There are two recordings for this episode. The best sounding one is the network recording. There is also a lower quality recording that is from a disc of the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) release. It is marked as Suspense #9.
The tease for the next week’s show is announced as “She Overheard Murder Speaking,” one of the many titles used for Sorry, Wrong Number until that spark of genius title was found just days before broadcast.
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