Herbert Marshall stars in an Antony Ellis adaptation of a portion of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein novel. It is a story about the nature of human life and man’s control over it. Marshall plays the brilliant scientist who creates a living monster. He is awed and frightened by the first stirrings of the monster's arms and legs and, before proceeding further, summons a minister friend to advise him in the existential questions the situation creates. The minister is horrified by the creation of a “man without a soul,” and urges him to bury the monster and burn his formulas. By this time the scientist is so fascinated that he cannot turn back. After an injection, the monster’s heart begins to beat and the panicky doctor straps the monster down before leaving the laboratory. When he returns, he discovers that the heavy leather straps have been broken and there, standing before him, is the awesome thing he has created, who escapes the laboratory.
The production is well done. Marshall’s naturally pained delivery fits the internal struggle his character has as he creates the monster. Kearns is excellent as the minister.
Shelley’s Frankenstein https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein is not fully adapted here, and the 1931 movie with Boris Karloff strayed from her long novel. It is likely that most listeners had only seen the famous movie. They possibly wondered where all of the movie’s lab gadgets and assistant Igor were, and the famous table brought up to a roof opening in an electrical storm. This production, however is faithful to the original story, literally to a point where the monster is created, and the rest of the novel is untouched, mainly because of time. The monster escapes the lab, and the broadcast drama ends. Those who saw the movie probably assumed that those scenes occurred after this part of the story related in this broadcast.
Modern readers and listeners might be too dismissive of the aspects of transplants and grafts in the Frankenstein story. We know today that such things are very difficult but were made to seem comparatively easy in Shelley’s story. It’s important not to let current medical facts get in the way of the greater questions that the story poses. The first successful heart transplants were done 15 years after this broadcast, and the idea of any transplant of a major organ was likely considered just a dream when this was broadcast in 1952. Understanding Rh factors in blood was only about 10 years old, and it was not until 1953 that the structure of DNA was beginning to be understood.
The CBS publicity for this episode took the opportunity focus on actor Paul Frees, who plays “The Monster” in the broadcast:
The actor who plays the title role in the Suspense production, Frankenstein... doesn't get a chance to speak a single word—and this is radio, remember, not television.
He is, moreover, one of the most articulate and skillful radio actors in the business— Paul Frees, whose versatility ranges from romantic leads to screwball impersonations tor Spike Jones recordings.
What saves Frees’ paycheck on this production, and makes it worth while for him to show up for the broadcast, is his excellent repertoire of grunts, groans and stentorian breathings, which will be used in lieu of words in his role as the monster created by a scientific genius—played by Herbert Marshall.
“I had to talk fast,” kidded Frees, “to keep them from giving the part to Gorgeous George.”
Keith Scott, voice actor and international entertainer, had the opportunity to talk to Frees about this role when he met him in the 1970s or 1980s. Frees said he kept Boris Karloff’s 1931 film performance as the “Monster” in mind as he prepared for the show. (Keith’s Suspense cast information is included in each of these blogposts).
Frees’ reference to “Gorgeous George” may be unfamiliar to many. He was a wrestler who changed the perception of professional wrestling matches to become entertainment event, and became an important television personality. His antics became broader than wrestling, influencing many entertainers and sports figures. George embellished what was happening in the ring with his dramatic entrances, clothes, catch-phrases, and grunts and groans to make wrestling moves seem more intense than they were. The Wikipedia pages describes his influence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgeous_George A film of one of his matches is at YouTube https://youtu.be/K5sGN1j23hI
The dramatic portion of the program was recorded on Wednesday, October 22, 1952. Rehearsal began at 12 Noon, and the tape recording began at 5:00pm.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP521103
THE CAST
HERBERT MARSHALL (Victor Frankenstein), Joe Kearns (Gibson), Paula Winslowe (Elizabeth / Mrs. Gibson), Paul Frees (The Monster), Larry Thor (Narrator)
COMMERCIAL: Dal McKennon (Johnny Plugcheck), Ken Christy (Senator), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Sylvia Simms (Operator)
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