William Bendix returns to the series as a freshly released convict named “Jumbo.” He sadly realizes that his teenage son idolizes him and is enthusiastic about pursuing a life of crime just like he did.
Before Jumbo is released, it seems like the prison authorities are doing whatever they can to set Jumbo in the straight and narrow and give him a head start with an honest life for him and his son. They’ve even lined up a job for him in the shipping room of a large department store. Jumbo's mind, however, works along the lines of “once you can fake sincerity, the rest is easy.” He feigns gratitude for everything that is being done for him but is already and devising plans to crack the company safe. His new job is like getting paid to “case the joint.” His plans are almost complete but he realizes his son has plans, too.
It’s another E. Jack Neuman and John Michael Hayes script, but it is less complex than their others and you can sense the way it will conclude. There were many movies in the 1930s to 1950s that included a theme of young kids believing that local criminals had it made and they wanted to emulate them. Near the end of the story there is a moment that the criminal realizes they have to fess up that things are not as glamorous as they might seem. In this case, Jumbo calls the police to tip them off about the plan because he does not want his son to be inspired by a successful heist. Officers arrive in time to break it up, but Jumbo is caught in a crossfire, is shot, but has just enough time to tell his son that a life of crime is not worth it. (Yet another late spoiler alert, but you’d sense it coming when you listen anyway.)
A few minor changes to the story could transform it to a Christmas season production. Just let Jumbo get a close call where he delivers the lesson, then have him and the son survive together happily ever after.
Like many of the 1951 recordings there may be some issues with wow and flutter and some missing dialogue. The recording is in otherwise fine shape.
The drama recording session began on Friday evening, 1951-02-23. Rehearsal was at 8:00pm, with recording from 12:30am (Saturday morning!) to 1:00am. Did Tommy Bernard, who plays the teenage son, have permission to stay up that late?
Tommy was 19 at the time of this broadcast. He started in theater as a young child and had appeared in many productions of Cavalcade of America, Dr. Christian, Family Theater, Lux Radio Theatre, and many others. He was the second actor to play David Nelson on radio’s Ozzie and Harriet until David assumed the role himself in 1949. He worked on many television series through the 1950s. His final movie role was Rebel Without a Cause in 1955. He did some television work after that. IMDb lists his final TV appearance as 1958. Bernard left acting for business and progressed to a successful and lucrative management career. He worked his way up in the bus manufacturing industry where he became president of Rohr Flxible Bus. His career then took a new turn that led him to eventually become a top executive in the computer and telecommunications industry with Qualcomm. The company was a key developer of technologies behind mobile phones and the growth of the Internet. His happy retirement began in 2001; he passed away in 2018.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP510301
THE CAST
WILLIAM BENDIX (Jumbo Brannigan), Tommy Bernard (The Kid), Jay Novello (Froggy Quinn), Ed Max (Ralph Petrucci), Leo Cleary (Binnsey / Padre), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice / Warden), Junius Matthews (Julius the bartender), Herb Butterfield (Mr. Bishop / Captain Cross), Charles Calvert (Night Watchman)
COMMERCIAL: Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Sylvia Simms (Operator)
