Ivor Francis and Walter Greaza star in a Jack Johnstone story (as “Jonathan Bundy”), that involves psychic phenomena and the delivery of a complex mathematical formula from a person who was killed in an accident. It is a very strange story, but it holds some attention despite how implausible the premise is. At this time in the 1960s, there was much interest in ESP in general and there was general awareness that the military was investigating ways of understanding and harnessing it. Overall, this is not Suspense at its best.
Colonel Humboldt, played by Greaza, represents a demanding defense department program involved in celestial observations using guided satellites. They need to develop unique and advanced lens-making technology to work. The project has been delayed, and Humboldt is furious about it. The formula was being developed an eccentric and reclusive scientist, Dr. Hoffman. Humboldt is skeptical about Hoffman because he holds beliefs in supernatural and psychic phenomena (so you, as a listener, are tipped off early on that the “surprise” ending will rely on that). Dr. Fernald (played by Francis) explains that the project has to tolerate his quirkiness because he is the only one capable of developing the complex formula correctly. In the meantime, Hoffman successfully completes the formula, a complex string of mathematical equations, and needs to deliver it. There’s a risk, however: he is paranoid about security, and memorizes the formula rather than writing it down or sharing it with a colleague. Hoffman plans to deliver it in person to Humboldt and Fernald. Since Hoffman is paranoid about security, he goes around the security procedures that Humboldt and Fernald have arranged. Instead, he sets up a deception for his travel to make the delivery. Hoffman disguises his gardener to look like him, and sends him in his car in the security detail to act as a decoy. Hoffman and the assistant use the gardener’s car, without security, and they start heading to the meeting, with Hoffman driving. Hoffman did not count on this: the assistant is a spy, betraying his trust, but also affirming that his paranoia was well-founded. The assistant demands the formula at gunpoint, but Hoffman resists. He decides to drive aggressively, deliberately missing a curve in the road, and heading down a cliff. Hoffman is killed, but the assistant, injured, survives. He is found, later, and brought to the meeting.
News of the crash is devastating to Humboldt and Fernald. The decoy gardener arrives at the meeting and explains what happened. The assistant, found shortly thereafter, suffers from head trauma, but is brought to the meeting. Then there is a strange turn in the story: the assistant is acting and sounding like Hoffman! He starts dictating the complex optical formula, exactly as Hoffman would have done it. The formula makes sense… and seems brilliant and accurate. How can this be? Only Hoffman knew the formula! Once the formula is written down, Hoffman’s personality leaves the assistant, and he admits who he is. He insists he does not know the formula, and never knew it. Humboldt and Ferndal realize there must be some other explanation. They wonder about Hoffman’s beliefs in psychic phenomena were true, and that Hoffman’s spirit facilitated a “thought transference” at the moment of his death. The formula was saved by an inexplicable transfer of knowledge from the dying scientist to his unwitting assistant. Instead of being an assassin who stopped the program, the assistant became the unknowing conduit to move the program ahead.
Jack Johnstone submitted this script to Bruno Zirato, Jr. with a cover letter, dated March 12, 1962. He opined:
Is Walter Greaza still around and working? He could make a damn good Humboldt… if held down from any hamming.
Zirato and Hendrickson followed through, casting Greaza as Humboldt. Greaza was a well-known character actor, and was in the television soap opera Edge of Night from the time of its debut until he passed away at age 76 in 1973. He was in one of the most popular radio mystery series of the late 1930s and early 1940s, Crime Doctor. He was in that series as supporting character “Inspector Ross” for eight years, and also played the crusading newspaper editor “Steve Wilson” in the series Big Town for two years. His Broadway career included many supporting roles from 1927 to 1960.
The program was recorded on Thursday, May 31, 1962. The session began at 1:30pm and concluded at 6:00pm.
The surviving recording is an edited aircheck with some minor defects that is very listenable. It is an improvement over what has been in circulation for decades. The opening of the program has some overmodulation defects, but they pass quickly. The close of the recording is slightly clipped.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP620610
THE CAST
Ivor Francis (Dr. Fernald), Walter Greaza (Colonel Humboldt), Herbert Duncan (Stephan), Luis Van Rooten (Dr. Hoffman), Guy Repp (Gardener), David Kerman (Sergeant), Robert Readick (Man)
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