William N. Robson selects the second of the “Suspense musicals” from the Elliott Lewis era for a repeat performance. This time, it stars Margaret Whiting playing the woman “done wrong.” Five years earlier, it was Dinah Shore. It follows the ballad of “Frankie and Johnny” that was based on an 1899 incident in St. Louis. Script authors Morton Fine and David Friedkin shifted the locale to New Orleans. Whiting had a very long and successful singing career. The overall production is very good, and Whiting’s performance is excellent. Her star was beginning to fade around this time, but she really did not stop recording or touring until many years later.
Just a few weeks earlier, Margaret’s younger sister, Barbara, starred in Rim of Terror on the series. They were also featured in a television program, Those Whiting Girls, at this time. A few weeks earlier, she played Sophie Tucker in the 1957-01-13 CBS Radio Workshop in No Time For Heartaches. Margaret starred on Suspense three times. Barbara appeared twice, starring one of those times.
Details about the 1952 Shore appearance, the folk song and the real events that shaped it are at
https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/07/1952-05-05-frankie-and-johnny.html
https://archive.org/details/TSP520505 is where the 1952 recordings can be streamed or downloaded
This episode was recorded on Friday, February 1, 1957. Rehearsal began at 5:00pm and ended at 10:30pm. The program was recorded from 10:30pm to 11:00pm.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP570203
THE CAST
Margaret Whiting (Frankie), Shepard Menken (Johnny), Amanda Randolph (Miss Willie), Roy Glenn (Jellycake), Joe de Santis (Man / Drum), Jay Novello (Cabbie), Corny Anderson (Bartender / Cop), Daws Butler (Tissot), Shirley Mitchell (Nellie Bly / Girl), George Walsh (Narrator)
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