What happens when you’re happy in your job and it seems your managers are happy with you… and then another employee comes along and starts undermining and questioning your work? Wilson decides he’s had enough, and decides to get even.
This was author John Shaw’s first script for Suspense. William Spier took a liking to him and used his work multiple times on the series and the year he was producer of Philip Morris Playhouse. The script was adapted for Suspense Magazine #3 as “Fool Proof” and for the Suspense comic book as “The Corpse Came Back.”
Gene Lockhart plays Wilson. His Broadway career began in 1916, and his Hollywood one began in 1922 in silent movies. He was an actor, singer (popular and opera), playwright, and teacher (Julliard School) and found his way into all those roles in New York and California for his entire and very long career. He was nominated for an Oscar as a supporting actor in Algiers and was one of film’s busiest and most reliable actors.
His daughter was June Lockhart, a Tony and Emmy award winner, known for beloved television roles in Lassie and Lost in Space. Gene played the lead role in this script in 1943 and when it was repeated in 1946. June starred in the 1957 Suspense episode Shooting Star.
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https://archive.org/details/TSP431102
THE CAST
GENE LOCKHART (Henry Wilson), Bill Johnstone (Detective Lewis), Hans Conried (Dodds), John McIntire (Larkin / Judge), Joe Kearns (Man in Black / Jim, the elevator boy), Jay Novello (Tom Higby), unknown (Mrs. Dodds)
The plan for separate day broadcasts for East & Central on Thursdays and Mountain & Pacific the following Mondays beginning 1943-12-02 is announced at end of program
This story was included in Suspense Magazine #3 with the name “Fool Proof.”
Shaw corresponded with collector Randy Eidemiller in 1997 after the publication of the Suspense log co-authored with collector Chris Lambesis. Shaw did not pursue a career in radio writing, though obviously good at it. He wrote to Eidemiller “I wrote while single. Once married it became advisable to get a more predictable job….to do what Twain suggested...'When at first you do not succeed, get a civil service job.’ I am retired now and think of radio writing as having been done on another planet.” Shaw did take a job in Rhode Island state government, and lived past 100 years old.
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