This is one of the most famous episodes of this series. Occasional radio author Sally Thorson provides a fine story for Suspense and Tony Leader’s casting of Jim and Marion Jordan boosts its entertainment value. Fibber and Molly are nice and well-intentioned characters, which carried over to the public perception of the Jordans. Having a threatening stowaway in a vehicle with them adds more tension to the production. Listeners can’t help thinking it’s Fibber and Molly in real danger. They are held hostage by an armed killer, but calmness of Jim Jordan’s character and the astute police who sense that things are out of sorts end up bringing the story to a safe and happy conclusion. This is considered one of the most beloved Suspense episodes because of the of the Jordans. Jim seems more comfortable in his dramatic performance, while Marion sounds a bit tentative. Heavenly days! They get a some goodwill and leeway for any rough spots because they’re Fibber and Molly, for goshsakes. Enjoy the listening fun.
This is the second story in recent episodes where the size of a 1940s car was important context for the story. Passenger compartments of cars were big in the 1940s compared to those of the 2000s. Fuel economy, ergonomics, amenities, and other factors have affected the nature and feel of a car ride. Sedans, especially, had more legroom at the time of this story. Someone of evil intent could possibly hide on the floor in the rear of a car and avoid detection, especially if someone kept a blanket or some other materials in the rear seating area of the car. In current vehicles, it would be very difficult to get away with such a maneuver. This storyline would not be possible today. The author would have to use something like a carjacking to achieve the same effect since hiding in the car would not be a viable story element.
Sally Thorson might be close to being considered a “one hit wonder” Suspense writer, but she was actually an atypical radio veteran. This was her only Suspense script and she had two scripts performed on The Whistler. She was active in local dramas in Chicago and San Francisco area early in her career, and then took a job selling production equipment. In her case, she sold the Sonovox. The special effects technology was used to make the sound of the train in Dumbo sound like a voice. Advertisers were experimenting with it in the 1940s. It was likely used on the Bromo Seltzer commercials that are in some Inner Sanctum episodes. This ad in Broadcasting featured Sally in the 1942-06-13 issue:
Thorson’s script received a positive review in Variety of 1949-02-09:
… Sally Thorson turned out a top- drawer script, Back Seat Driver, which provided an excellent vehicle for the McGees. The story was that of a husband and wife driving home after a night at the movies and finding a desperate murderer in the back seat. Situation built up plenty of suspense, at the same time allowing F&M scope for good dramatic acting. It was pretty much all the McGees and they handled the assignment masterfully. It showed, once again, that comics can play it straight and that switch casting can put some spice into the radio diet.
Back Seat Driver was produced three times on Suspense. The first two performances were with the Jordans. The final time it was presented was after the Suspense star system ended, when it starred Parley Baer and Vivi Janis.
Sally was married to Russ Thorson, who was also active in radio in San Francisco prior to their moving to Hollywood. It has not been determined if Russ is a different person than actor Russell Thorson of I Love a Mystery and numerous supporting TV roles through the 1970s. The research in newspapers and trade press and other resources implies they are different persons, but it is not definitive. Perhaps there is a classic radio researcher or enthusiast who can shed some light on this topic.
The title of the script is Back Seat Driver. Two words, “back” and “seat” is the proper way to spell the title. It is this way in all three of the scripts. Years later, as language adapted to more new words to describe cars, it became acceptable to have a compound noun, “backseat,” rather than a separate adjective and a noun. It is common nowadays to see this show’s title as “Backseat Driver.”
Many thanks to Paul McGehee at the Old Time Radio Researchers Group Facebook page who noted, with a news clipping, that the Jordan's son was robbed by two hitch-hikers on January 1, 1948. The pair took his wallet, $6 (equal to more than $75 in US$2024), and his car. Paul commented that this may have given the Jordans a special interest in the story.
At the end of the program, the cast teases the next Suspense story, De Mortuis. It is an adaptation of a John Collier short story of the same name. They mispronounce the name as “De Mortius,” transposing the “i” and the “u.” Because of the way it is consistently mispronounced in the closing announcements, it is likely transposed in the typed script. The phrase de mortuis means “of the dead.” The title comes from the Latin de mortuis nil nisi bonum, which literally means “Of the dead say nothing but good.” In everyday English it has become “Don't speak ill of the dead.”
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP490203
THE CAST
JIM JORDAN (Detective Joe Charles), MARIAN JORDAN (Ellie Charles), Jack Edwards (Lloyd Matthews [alias Lewis Matrick]), Will Wright (Bill / Policeman), unknown (News Reader / Kennedy), unknown (Miranda), Paul Frees (Signature Voice)
COMMERCIAL: Bill Johnstone (Hap), Sylvia Simms (Operator), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer)
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