This William Froug script was used for the audition of a new program, Action 80, in 1952. Froug was a long time CBS employee starting early in the radio era and rising through the ranks to become a top company executive. At the time of the audition he was director of program writing. By the time the script was used on Suspense he was head of west coast programming.
The script was adapted for Suspense to tell the story of an experimental atomic submarine that is a target for sabotage. It seems the sub has been captured and communications with it are no longer possible. What will happen to the nuclear warheads that are on board?
The working title of the script was “X-915” and the words “Report on the” were handwritten on the script cover and throughout. The script certainly does not “feel” like a Suspense script. Why the script was used at this particular time is not known. It may be in response to the news cycle as the first nuclear-powered ship, the USS Nautilus was commissioned on September 30, 1954. The Nautilus started operating in 1955 and visited many east coast ports and bases that summer. It was in the news often for much of the year.
The surviving recording is a home aircheck that is listenable but low quality. The audition recording of Action 80 has much better and richer sound. Both recordings are included on the Internet Archive page. It is hoped that an Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) recording of the Suspense broadcast might be found in the future.
Hollywood Hostages was originally planned for this date. That script would not be broadcast until 1956-02-21.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP551108
THE CAST
Stacy Harris (Commander Richards), Jack Kruschen (Admiral Carruthers), Parley Baer (Lt. Commander Linden), Sam Edwards (Sailor / Voice), Herb Ellis (Red Dog One), Tom Hanley & Bill James (Ad-Libs), Larry Thor (Narrator)
Jim Nusser was originally cast as Admiral Carruthers, replaced by Jack Kruschen.
Kruschen was originally cast as “Red Dog One” and was replaced by Herb Ellis.
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