1955-08-09 Love, Honor or Murder

William Conrad and Charlotte Lawrence star in the second broadcast of a Larry Marcus script that is about greed. They deliver another excellent performance.

Conrad portrays a cab driver who is dominated by his unscrupulous wife. He found a wallet in the cab that had $12,000 in cash. He wants to return the money, but she demands that he keep it. He realizes that he knows who left it and when, and that it will be reported. This is Suspense, so the solution seems simple. She wants her husband to find him and kill him before he has a chance to report the loss of the wallet. Things get a bit out of control at that point.

The original broadcast starred Elliott and Cathy Lewis. Details about that broadcast, the original title of the script, the current value of the lost money, and how today’s mobile phones would change the elements of the plot are at:

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/04/1950-06-29-love-honor-or-murder.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP500629 which is where the recordings can be downloaded or streamed.

Stool Pigeon was originally planned for this date, but was held until later in September.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550809

THE CAST

William Conrad (Harry Blake), Charlotte Lawrence (Helen Blake), Barney Phillips (Dave Harris [voice 1]), Charles Seel (Garage Man [voice 3] / Walker), Helen Kleeb (Housekeeper [voice 2]), Jack Kruschen (Cab Driver), Bill Justine (Sergeant Graham), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-08-02 Black Death

Lawrence Goldman offers another script for the series, this one about a laboratory cat that was accidentally infected with black plague bacteria. The script was originally used on Hollywood Star Playhouse on 1950-10-30 with the same title. It starred Robert Cummings; a recording of that broadcast has not been found. The script is interesting, but has some implausibilities that make it less enjoyable because they are so obviously unlikely.

Edgar Barrier portrays the doctor at that lab, the Biological Institute, who must track down the cat, with police assistance, and prevent a plague outbreak. They know the possibility of infection is real, because a laboratory assistant was scratched by the cat, and died suddenly. One of the subplots is that his daughter became very attached to the cat, named Jerry, and wants to see and play with him again. The other question is how much about the incident will be revealed to the public.

The story gets going when a lab assistant calls Barrier’s character worried that he has caught the plague. He mistook the symptoms as something else and did not inoculate himself soon enough. He dies right in front of him after he says that he was scratched by Jerry, the cat. He goes to see the chief of police to help track down the cat but prevent a panic. He explains that the cat has to be found, and the chief explains the size and scope of the city, and how difficult it will be to find it. They worry about a panic, and that worry intensifies when a tabloid reporter who overheard some of the conversation might be the one who causes it. A plot twist occurs when there is a report that Jerry was spotted in a nearby park where the doctor’s daughter likes to play, and was playing that day. Police were going through the park shooting animals that might be infected. (Really? Was that plausible at that time? The many gunshots would cause panic in the area and clog the phone switchboards of the local precincts). A shot is fired near where the daughter was playing. The daughter finds the cat and will not let anyone near it. She was upset when the doctor tries to approach her because he was wearing a surgical mask (Really? We’re supposed to believe that? She probably saw him in a mask in the lab many times). He removes the mask, and chloroforms the cat to remove it from the scene. When he gets home with his daughter and she starts asking what will happen to Jerry he will have a lot of explaining to do. Jerry won’t be back.

It is a fair question to ask why a cat would be allowed to roam a laboratory. There is always a possibility of contaminating lab samples or a curious cat could get into something by accident. But then… there would not be a story…

This story is similar to the rabies story that Suspense broadcast, 1954-03-01 The Barking Death. That story was far more realistic in comparison.

This Suspense broadcast was promoted with the name “Black Magic,” obviously changed before the broadcast date. It could have been a typographic error in the publicity department. If it wasn’t, it was likely changed because the 1942 song Old Black Magic was still very popular at this time and was released as a single by Sammy Davis, Jr. and was still being performed by others and used in movies.

There is another Suspense episode with this title, but the plotline is very different. That 1962-07-01 broadcast was about a mad scientist working on a disintegrating ray.

Goldman was author of other Suspense scripts, notably A Case of Nerves, Chicken Feed, and Alibi. Those were each better than this one. He was a freelance writer who was working on the staff of the Los Angeles Times as his full time position.

The mid-show promo was for the CBS coverage of the Hambletonian trotter race. It was a very big story at the time. Details of the race are at https://www.hambletonian.com/hambletonianhistory/1955

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550802

THE CAST

Edgar Barrier (Doctor Gebhardt), William Conrad (Police Chief Williams), Merry McGovern (Patty Gebhardt), Gil Frye (Dr. Mac / Police Radio voice), Jack Edwards (Ryan the reporter), James Nusser (Desk Sergeant), Joe Cranston (Intercom voice / Officer), Barney Phillips (Voice / Officer Blanchard at Washington Park), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-07-26 The Greatest Thief in the World

This is the second broadcast of an Antony Ellis script likely drawn from the exploits of Joseph Grizzard who eluded capture by Scotland Yard until one final heist known as “The Great Pearl Heist of 1913.” This production stars Ben Wright. He was in the 1951 production that starred James Mason, and is in the starring role for this broadcast. Others who were in that debut performance and are in this cast are Joe Kearns and Raymond Lawrence.

Details about the 1951 performance with background about the thief Joseph Grizzard are at:

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/06/1951-06-21-greatest-thief-in-world.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP510621 has the recordings that can be downloaded or streamed.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550726

THE CAST

Ben Wright (Peter Marriot), Joe Kearns (Hyde, the narrator), John Dodsworth (The Man, aka The Squire), Ellen Morgan (Lady Joan Leddington), Raymond Lawrence (Sir Leslie Banbridge / Waiter), Betty Harford (Ginny), Edgar Barrier (Detective), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-07-19 Back Seat Driver

This is the third broadcast of the script that was the very popular Suspense story that brought Jim and Marion Jordan to the series. This time, it is presented with Parley Baer and Vivi Janiss. The author was Sally Thorson who was a radio veteran, mainly involved in production and production equipment. The Jordans performed the script twice. It’s a good story. The listener affection for the Jordans overcame some of their minor stumbles performing the dramatic roles. At the heart of this script is that it is very good on its own and does not need prominent stars to carry it. Baer and Janiss do very well with it, but it will always be considered as a special showcase for Fibber McGee and Molly.

The initial 1949 broadcast and background about Thorson can be found at:

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/01/1949-02-03-back-seat-driver.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP490203 has the recordings that can be streamed or downloaded.

The 1951 performance was scheduled for its date because of the recent capture of a serial killer! Details are at:

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/05/1951-02-22-back-seat-driver.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP510222 has the recordings that can be streamed or downloaded.

There are two recordings of this episode. The network recording is good, but the Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#542) is slightly better.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550719

THE CAST

Vivi Janiss (Ellie), Parley Baer (Joe Charles), Larry Thor (Newscaster / Narrator), Tony Barrett (Matrick), Jack Edwards (Mike), Joe Cranston (Bill / Cop), Helen Kleeb (Miranda)

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1955-07-12 Kaleidoscope

This Ray Bradbury story first appeared in Thrilling Wonder Stories in 1949. Its first radio version was on Dimension X in 1951. It’s one of those outer space stories that doesn’t need to be set in space. It’s a story where the participants are facing their imminent demise from an explosion of their craft, they end up in conversations examining their lives and relationships, knowing that they are having last conversations with others. Those conversations aren’t in-person, but by their audio communications in their space suits, which makes them even more poignant. The dialogues are filled with wide ranging emotions of anger, resignation, regret, hope, animosity, friendship, gratitude, and in the end are quite stunning when heard and pondered. The fact it is set in the emptiness of space adds a deeper loneliness and meaning to the tragedy and the end of their lives. You get the sense that some of the characters led lives that did not include much introspection about the nature of their behavior or decision or actions until confronted with this situation. The Socrates quote “The unexamined life is not worth living” is quite interesting here as they are examining their lives knowing they are near an undesired end.

Science fiction has always tackled existential and philosophical issues in creative and insightful ways. It often does that without being explicit, luring you into weighty topics that might not otherwise be considered. This episode does that.

The writing by Bradbury and its adaptation by Antony Ellis are excellent. The cast was already used to working with each other since they were already on Gunsmoke week after week for almost three years. They are superb together. It might not have worked without that binding experience. William Conrad might be identified as the star, but this is a true ensemble performance. The production had a special construction to make it more realistic and duplicate the alone-ness of floating in space. In the June 22, 1956 issue of TV-Radio Life in the article Serve Well Chilled by Jon Bruce (p. 46), Ellis said:

This is a story of six men blown out of a rocket ship who float around in outer space. Each philosophizes what will happen to him. To help create the desired effect, we had our six actors play their roles in six different isolated booths so that they were entirely alone. They couldn't even see each other. This helped to give them the proper mood and it made for a highly successful show. This sort of thing—even this type of production—could not have been done half as well on TV.

The episode had no consistent or even viable publicity. It seems that, for a time, the CBS Radio publicity department had no idea what the program was about. They used a dictionary-style description of what a “kaleidoscope” is for the episode. This is what they sent to the newspapers:

Changing patterns fall into an exciting design in Kaleidoscope on Suspense Tuesday at 8pm. Antony Ellis produces and directs the series. Wilbur Hatch conducts the program's music.

Really? No mention of Bradbury, science fiction, or anything else! There were some closer to air time, that mentioned an outer space wreck of some sort, but did not even mention Bradbury.

There is, however, something that makes this episode extra special. The Ellis family is in the production: Antony, Georgia, and six-year-old Jonathan. Antony was directing, and Georgia and Jonathan are heard at the very end of the broadcast. At least one newspaper listed Jonathan as the star! Some newspapers had this listing:

Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope, story of a rocket wrecked in outer space, with Jonathan Ellis.

The Ellises would divorce a few years later, with Georgia remarrying in 1961.

Despite the uniqueness of the play and the nature of the staging, and the presence of a six-year-old actor, this show was broadcast live, with no prerecorded segments. By today’s standards, that would seem to be astonishing.

The sound of this episode is excellent. For many years, collectors had unsatisfying recordings with much noise, narrow range, and other problems. Some 1970s collectors, however, had access to a personal 15ips reel that Antony Ellis had for himself. It is exceptional.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550712

THE CAST

William Conrad (Hollis), Howard McNear (Lespere), Stacy Harris (Applegate), Parley Baer (Stone), John Dehner (Captain), Sam Edwards (Stimson), Georgia Ellis (Mother), Jonathan Ellis (Sonny), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-07-05 The Cave-In

A murder underground is the subject of this script by Antony Ellis. An accident in a South Wales coal mine traps four miners. Other miners escaped to the surface. The mine’s private phone line to the surface is still working, and the mine’s superintendent learns three men are alive. The fourth, Evan Williams, is reported dead, murdered, and a police inspector has been called to investigate. Williams was reported as having stomach problems, making it seem likely he was poisoned. It seems Williams was a womanizer and his reputation with the wives of the miners made some of the men happy he was dead. This means there are many suspects, and one of those suspects may still be trapped in the mine. The inspector is told that there may be as many as a dozen men who wished him dead. A miner suggests that it may be easier to say that Williams died in the cave-in rather than disrupting so many lives with an investigation about a murder.

The inspector decides to go into the shaft. After digging down they hear a sound that assures them that the trapped men are still alive. After taking turns digging, it is the inspector who reaches them first, but there is another collapse that closes off the newly created escape tunnel. The inspector is now trapped with them, and the mine’s telephone has stopped working. As the men talk among themselves, it gossiped that Williams’ wife might be the poisoner, adding a new dimension to the suspect list. They sit together after nearly two days, without water, usually in the dark, taking turns trying to tunnel out with their hands, chattering about what might have happened, and the dead man in a corner. One of the men turns out to have some tea in a bottle from when he entered the mine and refuses to share it with the others. He refuses to drink it himself, which becomes an admission that it was that tea which was used to administer the poison! Knowing that may have solved a crime, but they’re still trapped! Will they use the poison on themselves rather than wait to die if they can’t be reached and rescued?

The script was used earlier on 1952-03-04 on the series Pursuit as episode #61: Pursuit at the Clynewidd Mine.

The network recording and an Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS#817) have equivalent sound quality. There may be a preference for the network recording because it is the complete and original broadcast.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550705

THE CAST

Ben Wright (Inspector Glidd / Emlyn Thomas), Jay Novello (Evan Lewis), Joe Kearns (Mr. Flowers), Richard Peel (Will Vaughn), Tudor Owen (Dave Owen), John Dodsworth (Hugh Davies), Charles Davis (Constable), Larry Thor (Narrator)

It appears from the script cover that Antony Ellis may have been originally cast as Hugh Davies but was replaced by John Dodsworth. Ellis did play that role in the Pursuit broadcast.

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1955-06-28 The Holdout

Sound effects artist Gus C. Bayz turns in yet another fine script, this one a jury room drama likely inspired by the success of the September 20, 1954 Studio One television play Twelve Angry Men. Bayz’ insight was that the story could be turned on its head.

Legal dramas that focused on jury room machinations were not done often and were rarely done on radio or television or the stage, especially with the focus and intensity of that telecast. Most legal dramas focused on the lawyers or the defendants. While people knew about juries, most considered what happened inside the jury room to be a mysterious process. The Studio One broadcast pulled back the curtain and created great interest in the genre. Interest was heightened especially after it won three Emmys in April 1955 for writing (Reginald Rose), direction (Franklin Schnaffner), and best actor (Robert Cummings).

An active jury room can be difficult to stage on radio. Characters talk over each other, and then a single conversation comes to the foreground and the others go to the background, and then another conversation takes its place, again and again. There are monologues, discussions of one character to the rest of the jury, as well. It can be difficult for the listeners to keep track of it all. This script, direction, and cast are successful in the presentation with an excellent broadcast.

The basic structure of the story is that a single juror is intent to stop a guilty verdict that they believe is wrong and will be a miscarriage of justice. That one person works to convince the others that the majority is wrong, and goes step by step through the evidence. The discussions slowly turn the jury, juror by juror, toward exoneration.

This Bayz script has a wonderfully executed turn at its conclusion, and is in, a sense, a warning against busybodies taking over jury rooms just to be contrary and be admired as heroic. Everyone listening would have believed they knew exactly how this story would end, making the surprise ending much more effective.

The surviving recording of this episode is not the best. It’s not clear what the origin is, but it seems to be an aircheck of some sort. It is not known if it is from a network broadcast or if it is from an AFRS or AFRTS broadcast that has been edited. This particular recording has been cleaned and enhanced, and is likely the best quality recording that classic radio fans may ever hear of this episode.

The reason for the recording’s unknown origin is that the opening and closing of the broadcast, and mid-show announcement, have been edited out. At around the 11:00 mark in the recording there is an extended musical bridge that sounds too long, indicating a middle announcement was removed and the bridges were joined together. It is hoped that an AFRS transcription may be found one day. The drama is definitely intact and can still be enjoyed without hearing the announcements.

The script for the program has survived. These are the openings and closings, with exact spellings and punctuations preserved:

Introduction

MUSIC: OPENING THEME

THOR: And now, tonight’s presentation of radio’s outstanding theatre of thrills...

MUSIC: WOODWIND CHORD

THOR: SUSPENSE!

MUSIC: TO SHOCK CHORD

THOR: Tonight the story of twelve men and women and the fate of an accused murderer. We call it, “The Holdout.” So now, starring Mister Harry Bartell, here is tonight's SUSPENSE play, “The Holdout.”

MUSIC: UP AND OUT

Closing

THOR: SUSPENSE! (MUSIC CHORD)

THOR: ...in which Mister Harry Bartell starred, in tonight’s presentation of “The Holdout.” Next week, the story of murder in a sealed coal mine. We call it, “The Cave-in.” That's next week on……...

MUSIC: KNIFE CHORD

THOR: SUSPENSE!

MUSIC: CHORD UP AND TO THEME UNDER

THOR: SUSPENSE is produced and directed by Antony Ellis. Tonight’s script was written by Gus Bayz. The music was composed by Rene Garriguenc and conducted by Lud Gluskin. Featured in the cast were: Parley Baer, Joyce McCluskey, Helen Kleeb, Dave Young, Will Wright, Jean Howell and Joe DuVal.

MUSIC: FILL TO 23:50

ANNCR: Saturday Nights, Join us in the "21ST PRECINCT" on ---- the CBS…. RADIO…. NETWORK.

For more background about the Studio One broadcast, the Wikipedia page has important details https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Angry_Men_(Westinghouse_Studio_One) The kinescope that was created for the west coast broadcast is available at the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/StudioOne-TwelveAngryMen and at YouTube https://youtu.be/HlaXebUi72A The program was never aired again except for its initial broadcasts. Years later, it was featured and broadcast in the PBS Golden Age of Television series.

The Reginald Rose play was adapted to the stage and became an award-winning feature film starring Henry Fonda. There have been numerous productions and adaptations through the years, often changing the composition of the jury to reflect whatever social and demographic attributes were current of that time. Rose’s underlying story is resilient and such changes can be made without undermining the basic plotline. But the power of the breakthrough Studio One broadcast cannot be duplicated.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550628

THE CAST

Harry Bartell (Gabe Donavan), Parley Baer (Muncy), Joyce McCluskey (Miss Keller), Helen Kleeb (Mrs. Carmichael), Dave Young (Mr. Vale), Will Wright (Mr. Smith), Jean Howell (Mrs. Medina), Joe DuVal (Bailiff), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-06-21 Over the Bounding Main

Tony Barrett and Charlotte Lawrence star in the second production of this Gloria Elmore and Jimmy Barnett story. A man with employment problems has an unhappy wife. She is jealous of other couples and wants some of the better things in life that everyone else seems to have. The household tension leads him to agree to some weekend relaxation time to get away from their problems and get a fresh start at solving them. He thinks he’s on a fishing trip with friends, but the friends aren’t there. He soon realizes his wife and the captain are having an affair, intent on collecting his life insurance by staging an “accident” while at sea. His only hope is the first mate, but the captain has drugged him so he won’t resist the plan. The husband realizes he is alone. Since the staged “accident” did not work, things are about to take a more deadly turn.

The first broadcast of this script starred Dan Dailey. Background about the authors and other aspects of the production can be found at:

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/04/1950-09-14-over-bounding-main.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP500914 has the recordings for download or streaming

There are two surviving recordings of the broadcast. The network recording has some defects and has some signs of wow and flutter issues, especially at the end. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#815) has much better overall sound. It is new to circulation.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550621

THE CAST

Tony Barrett (Marty Evans), Charlotte Lawrence (Claire Evans), Don Diamond (Ignacio), Jack Kruschen (Captain Moran), Larry Thor (Narrator)

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1955-06-14 The Whole Town's Sleeping

Antony Ellis adapts this Ray Bradbury story that first appeared in the September 1950 issue of McCall’s. It’s a good but somewhat predictable plotline, made better by the engaging narration of William Conrad.

Two unmarried women, Lavinia and Florence, decide to take in a movie in the downtown area near where they live. Another friend, Helen, joins them. There’s a shortcut across a ravine that will take them there. It’s not usually a problem using that route, but there’s been a serial strangler in the area. Known as “The Lonely One,” he seems to space his attacks about a month apart. Lavinia knows about it, but is not concerned about it. Francine and Helen, however, are, especially for the after-movie walk home.

When they get inside the theater, they spot a man who might be the killer. He fits the description of someone who had asked a storekeeper where Livinia lived. It turns out the man was the theater manager’s brother on a family visit; the hubbub created an embarrassing situation. But it passed and they enjoyed the movie. They leave and start walking home. First, Livinia and Helen walk Francine home. Livinia promises to call when she gets home so they don’t worry. They continue in the quiet town as the clock strikes midnight. Livinia then walks Helen home, again reiterating that she’s not concerned about walking home alone because the police were on the lookout for the killer. She promises Helen she’ll call when she gets home. On her way home, she meets a policeman she knows. He offers to walk her home, but she turns it down. She starts her solitary walk through the ravine and gets to the other side, distracted by a man she sees, but she continues. A man may be following her, but she realizes there was no one. She had told everyone she was not concerned about “The Lonely One,” but it’s clear that she really was and did not want to admit it. She finally makes it home, relieved… but then… someone is in the house.

There are two surviving recordings, with the network recording as the better of the two. The other recording is from the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) repackaged series, Adventure Theater. It is a bit noisy and has a narrow range.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP550614

THE CAST

Jeanette Nolan (Lavinia Nebbs), William Conrad (Narrator), Eve McVeagh (Helen), Paula Winslowe (Francine), Tom McKee (Kennedy / Manager), Florence Walcott (Grandma Hanlon), Tom Brown (Police Lieutenant), Will Wright (Druggist), Larry Thor (Suspense Narrator)

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