Jim and Marion Jordan triumphantly return for another performance of the Sally Thorson script. Details about the original 1949 broadcast and Thorson’s interesting background are at:
https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/01/1949-02-03-back-seat-driver.html
https://archive.org/details/TSP490203 which is where recordings can be streamed or downloaded
The CBS publicity department injected more levity into their releases with this second appearance since the first one was so successful. These items were in the PR for the episode:
Fibber confided to Molly when the directors of Suspense asked them to repeat their initial broadcast of the thriller Back Seat Driver: “Imagine me standing up there reading lines for half an hour without getting a single laugh.” But Molly squelched him. “Don't be too sure, dearie.”
and...
McGee already has an ending for a later thriller. “The killer could be closing in on us at the end, see,” says Fibber, “when we trick him into opening our closet. What a horrible way for justice to prevail! But then again, a guy's gotta have SOMETHING to fall back on.”
Only an AFRS recording (#542) has survived.
Why was this second performance scheduled at this particular time? News of serial killer Billy Cook’s arrest was prominent in the January 1951 news. At that time, Cook was referred to as a “spree killer.” His modus operandi was getting into cars with strangers. The manhunt and capture renewed interest in Back Seat Driver. CBS and Elliott Lewis took advantage of the situation and added it to the schedule knowing Cook was safely behind bars.
NOTE: The Cook story led to the 1953 film noir classic The Hitch-Hiker that starred Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman. It was directed by Ida Lupino. Background on Cook is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Cook_(criminal) with great Life Magazine photos at https://www.life.com/people/billy-cockeyed-cook-portrait-of-an-american-spree-killer/
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP510222
THE CAST
JIM & MARIAN JORDAN (Joe & Ellie Charles), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice / Bill / Cop), Larry Thor (Newscaster), Jeanette Nolan (Miranda), Tony Barrett (Matrick), David Ellis (Mike)
