Raymond Burr plays a revenge-seeking paroled convict who wants to kill the policeman whose work and testimony sent him to prison. When he learns that his ex-girlfriend did not wait for his incarceration to be over and married the officer, his desire for revenge broadens to include her. The Christmas season gives him the perfect cover: he dresses as Santa Claus, and gets into their house. The wife soon realizes it’s him. He will force her to wait for the husband to come home. At that time, he will get his payback for the lost prison years and for stealing the affection of his girlfriend. The story takes a good turn when their kids, who should be sleeping on Christmas Eve, see Santa in their very own house. His instinct for revenge starts to turn into remorse. His cold heart begins to melt, and he sends them back to bed. The husband comes home and the awaited confrontation happens in a way the ex-con could not have imagined.
It is a somewhat predictable change-of-heart story appropriate for the holidays, and certainly more appropriate than Back for Christmas. For whatever flaws this William N. Robson story might have, it is a favorite of many Suspense and classic radio fans that they play year after year at Christmas time.
Burr’s popularity as an actor was rising because of the successful Perry Mason series. Though a very experienced and versatile radio actor, his Mason character places this despicable criminal role as being cast against type. Many listeners might not have been aware of his radio pedigree and his newfound celebrity likely created great listening interest for this broadcast.
The program was recorded on Tuesday, December 16, 1958. Rehearsal and recording were done in the evening to accommodate Burr’s obligations on the set of the Perry Mason TV series. Rehearsal began at 7:30pm and concluded at 11:00pm. Recording began at that time and ended at 11:30pm. Music was added on Friday, December 19. Last production edits were probably completed on that date.
The only surviving recording is a network broadcast, and it might be an aircheck. It is fully intact with all commercials and in pleasing sound.
The night before this broadcast, the Perry Mason episode aired on television was The Case of the Perjured Parrot. The cast included Joe Kearns and Mel Blanc supplied the chatter of the parrot.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP581221
THE CAST
RAYMOND BURR (Joe Watson), Howard McNear (Charlie), Joan Banks (Lucille), Lillian Buyeff (Luie), Charles Seel (Warden), Karl Swenson (Mike Malloy / Bartender), Dick Beals (Mikie), George Walsh (Narrator)
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