IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS TITLE WAS USED BEFORE ON SUSPENSE. THIS 1960 PRODUCTION IS A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY THAN THE CLASSIC AVIATION PLAY BY LOWELL BLANTON THAT STARRED FRANK LOVEJOY.
Bill Adams and Ellen McRae star as a married couple whose home is invaded by an escaped psychopathic killer. The script was by Walter Black, who is also in the cast. Shortly after an alarm is spread through an isolated community that warns citizens that a psychopathic killer has escaped from a nearby institution, a man claiming to be a sheriff's assistant enters the home of an elderly, reputedly wealthy farmer and his young wife. Once inside, the man identifies himself as the armed maniac and demands shelter and money to escape. Another couple having car trouble was already innocently at the home to call for help. The maniac terrorizes them all and threatens them to cooperate or else he will become violent. He has heard that the farmer has a lot of money saved and his prudent and simple life belies significant wealth. Everything begins to unravel as the truth about the intruder is realized with a radio news report. The tension of the situation leads to an unexpected climax.
The program was recorded on Tuesday, January 5, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:00pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.
“Uncle” Bill Adams was the “chief pretender” on the long-running popular radio children’s series Let’s Pretend.
Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#768) has richer sound and is the preferred one of the two.
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https://archive.org/details/TSP600110
THE CAST
Ellen McRae (Betty Lou Meeker), Bill Adams (Vern Meeker), Sam Gray (“George Porter” / Bill), Charlotte Manson (Patricia Jeffries), Herb Duncan (Tom Jeffries / newscaster), Walter Black (sheriff)
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