Kermit Murdock stars as fashion business owner “Frank Wineglass” in a Jules Archer story with an interesting backdrop for the scenes, that evil intent takes hold of the main character. The plotline is driven by blackmail, and a homicide is planned to be its cure. Frank’s evil side narrates the story that shows how his business partner, Harry, has had a dalliance with one of their company’s very attractive advertising models. She demands $200 a week blackmail for the next 10 years to keep quiet and not tell Harry’s wife. Then Frank learns that his son, Douglas, is planning to marry the blackmailing model. It’s not just money between the model and Harry anymore, but now if Harry (or even Frank) warn Douglas about what she’s doing, she will send incriminating photos to Harry’s wife. She has the blackmail noose wrapped tightly around the necks of both Harry and Frank. Harry believes he can buy her off rather than resort to murder. Harry has no money to spare, but Frank will lend it to him. She demands a substantial sum based on the value of the business. She feels entitled because her modeling is one of the reasons why their product line has done well. Harry declines, and Frank’s suggestion of a more permanent solution suddenly seems like a good idea. Alibis are arranged, Frank makes a payoff that is mostly fake money, she objects, and Frank kills her. Frank’s plan is to frame Harry for the murder. He figures that having Harry and the model out of the way so she could not marry Frank’s son is a big advantage to him and the future of the business. Frank’s alibi planning did not go as planned. Harry’s alibi falters, and so does the son’s. What will “Evil Frank” and Frank do now?
The story is adapted by Joseph Cochran. The “Evil Frank” narration gimmick takes a little getting used to, but it is a novel approach to the story that works… if you’re ready for it. Some listeners may have found it confusing at first. There’s a lot of pieces to the story, making careful listening important to catch all the details. It’s worth doing.
Ian Martin is hilarious as the irascible old man Colonel Dover who is an easy target for Frank and Harry’s practical jokes and constant interruptions.
The story first appeared in Dime Mystery Magazine October 1948. The first radio production was on the series Radio City Playhouse broadcast of 1949-07-04. It was re-titled as Murder Is The Easiest Way and adapted by Harry W. Junkin. Archer was not really happy with that adaptation because Junkin changed it to a straightforward mystery story without the “Evil Frank” device. This Suspense broadcast was a new adaptation, and is presumed to be more to Archer’s liking because Joseph Cochran followed the structure of the original short story. Details about the development of original story can be found in Archer’s 1950 book I Sell What I Write which can be accessed at https://archive.org/details/isellwhatiwrite00arch/page/68/mode/2up
The program was recorded on Tuesday, August 22, 1961 in a session that started at 11:00pm and concluded at 2:30pm.
The title may be misleading as in current language it may imply a story involving the occult. The phrase “sold to Satan” and variants of it were more common in conversation at the time of broadcast, and especially decades and decades before when religious observance was more pervasive than today. The phrase means that a person would do anything it takes, even selling their soul, to get what they want, regardless of downside consequences, whether they be temporal or spiritual.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP610827
THE CAST
Kermit Murdock (Frank Wineglass / Satan), Robert Dryden (Harry Feeney), Ian Martin (Colonel Dover), Richard Holland (Douglas Wineglass), Dick Hamilton (Police Officer), Elizabeth Lawrence (Diane Rodell)
###
