This episode is one of the attempted tie-ins of a Suspense episode and a movie release. The first was Donovan’s Brain (and the Republic Pictures release as The Lady and the Monster), this episode, and Crossfire in the 60-min period of Spring 1948. The original plans for the hour-long shows included the movie Pitfall with Dick Powell in August 1948, but that never happened. Both Brighton Strangler and Crossfire have the original movie cast while Donovan’s did not.
This production was originally scheduled for 1944-11-16 but was delayed for an unknown reason, likely the availability of a cast member. This broadcast was essentially a tease for the movie, but that release was not until 1945-05-10. The film was in production at the time of this broadcast. The original plan, according to some news items, was to have the Suspense production coincide with the movie’s release. It obviously did not work out.
The plotline has a headlining stage actor suffering from what would likely be identified as PTSD today. It started when he suffered a concussion in the Nazi bombings of London. He starts confusing reality with his role in the play, and believes he is the real “Brighton Strangler.” This confusion makes his actions all the more creepy.
Some of the Suspense production is a bit confusing, too, as it’s hard to figure out what’s the storyline and what’s the stage play storyline even though an effort is made to have them sound different. In some way, that’s the point of the story, but it could have been handled better at the beginning of the episode. We have relatively crisp copies of the production, but listeners at home with weaker or staticky AM radio signals might not have detected the difference in the settings or may have attributed changes to problems with the signal or their radio.
Surviving recordings have two different endings. As part of a Christmas greeting, the production staff are mentioned by name. One of versions mentions assistant Milt Stark, and the other does not. The assumption is made that the one that does not mention Stark is the east broadcast and that his exclusion was an error. It as assumed that the west broadcast, which does mention him, is the correction of that oversight. The assumption might be wrong, but it is plausible. The east recording has no closing network ID, but there is an east recording that does have it, and it sounds like an aircheck. The best sounding recording is the west broadcast.
The movie is occasionally available on YouTube but is always removed shortly after it appears. Watch it if you find it.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP441221
THE CAST
JOHN LODER (Reginald Parker / Edward in the play), JUNE DUPREZ (April Manby), Joe Kearns (Man in Black / Policeman in play / Dr. Manby), Wally Maher (Shelton / Theatre Usher), Herbert Rawlinson (Police Sergeant), Raymond Lawrence (Inspector Allison / Ticket clerk), unknown (Actress in play), unknown (News announcer)
Keith Scott notes that Michael St. Angel played Bob Carson in the movie, was announced for this production, but his character doesn’t appear.
Duprez appears in the next week’s broadcast as guest star. She replaces Ida Lupino, who was the planned star, and was announced at the close of these Brighton broadcasts.
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