Broderick Crawford stars in a Ross Murray story about a paroled ex-con whose former associates believe he turned state’s evidence against them. On his release after two years incarceration, he wants to make amends to his wife and find a decent job. After arriving home, he learns that several members of the gang he belonged to intend to kill him for what they regard as “ratting” on them. Some of the gang members were never arrested, but want revenge for the others who were. After a threatening phone call, the ex-con and his wife pack hastily and leave town. After only a few miles drive, they realize that their car is being followed. Desperately, they try to lose their pursuers. After stopping for gas, they realize they’ve been spotted. They scramble, and leave before the gas attendant could put the cap on the tank, which luckily results in a small spill on their drive that assists attentive police find their location when they are rescued later… but much happens in the meantime. Well, almost much. The ending is not all that exciting to everything that led up to it. It’s an entertaining listen, but lets down a little in the end, even though it has a happy conclusion.
It is funny to hear names of characters be the same as those of celebrities much later on. Hy Averback plays “Roger Miller.” That’s the same name as the highly popular country music composer and entertainer of the 1960s and 1970s.
The dramatic portion of the episode was rehearsed and recorded on Sunday, April 4, 1954. The session began at 11:00am, and recording started at 3:30pm. It concluded at 4:00pm.
At the close of the broadcast, Betty Goode, Editor of Radio-TV Mirror magazine, gives Elliott Lewis a gold medal and a scroll to mark the magazine’s readers selection of the series as their favorite mystery program. Goode’s remarks were pre-recorded, as was Lewis’ acceptance.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP540412
Alternative download site for FLAC and mp3 files
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/2uoe17pacpkpa/Suspense_-_Parole_to_Panic
Stream the episode at YouTube starting at 9am US ET on October 16, 2024
https://youtu.be/pb-ntzjuUIM
THE CAST
BRODERICK CRAWFORD (Paul), Paula Winslowe (Jenny), Joseph Kearns (Warden / Police Lieutenant), Junius Matthews (Mr. Miller), Hy Averback (Roger Miller), Barney Phillips (Voice / Gas Station Attendant), Larry Thor (Narrator)
COMMERCIAL: Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Bob Emerick (on-the-spot interviewer)
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