O

Fourble

Escape

Old Time Radio suspense show, all episodes
from archive.org

In the Golden Days of Radio, back in the 1930s to the 1950s, most popular radio series had a set time for going out each week. Occasionally, there might be a change in the schedule, but on the whole a consistent time-slot was something that helped build a large audience and so was something the big networks aimed to achieve.

One exception to this rule was the dramatic adventure anthology series called Escape, whose time-slot shifted an incredible eighteen times in its seven-year run from 1947 through to 1954. To make matters even worse it had a habit of coming and going and sometimes disappearing off the schedules altogether at short notice for weeks on end only to resurface weeks later in a completely different timeslot.

The quite flagrant disregard CBS paid to having a regular timeslot for Escape could make you think that it was just a run-of-the-mill series that was nothing but a lightweight filler for those times when the regular show was off-the-air, such as during the quiet summer months. In my opinion, and that of many old radio aficionados, this couldn't be further from the truth. Escape is probably the best adventure anthology ever broadcast.

Escape brings together everything that was good about old-time radio drama rolled into one. The title itself almost sums up the very essence of what radio drama is all about. Each of the episodes was a micro drama carefully planned to capture the listeners attention for thirty minutes. Over two-hundred episodes were made and almost all of them are as good today as they were over half a century ago. For the first few years the series was on air the announcement at the start of the show varied almost every week, but by the 1950s it had settled down to be the now famous:

Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you ... ESCAPE!

This may give the wrong impression as Escape was far more than a swashbuckling adventure yarn. It was a brilliantly scripted and superbly produced series that brought to listeners adaptations of classic works by famous writers as well as brand new work by unknown talent. Many of the stories were later reused by more high profile shows such as Suspense, but on the whole the Escape versions were of equal quality and sometimes more dramatically focused and atmospheric.

When Radio Life wrote "These stories all possess many times the reality that most radio writing conveys", it hit the nail on the head. This is a quality show in every way.

If you've never listened to this wonderful series it's well worth taking the time to listen to it. Whether you listen in the car on your daily commute, whilst doing the housework, relaxing in your favorite easy-chair, or snuggled up in bed - you really will be thrilled!


This Article courtesy of www.educations4u.com.

OTRR Certification Information:

Series Name: Escape
Certification Status: OTRR Certified Complete
Certification Date: November 27, 2011
Certification Version: Version 1
Number of CDs: 11


From the Old Time Radio Researchers Group. See "Note" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

  1. Out Of This World (Audition) (10.2Mb)
  2. Dead of Night (Audition) (22.4Mb)
  3. The Man Who Would Be King (Raymond Lawrence) (27.1Mb)
  4. Operation Fleur De Lys (27Mb)
  5. The Diamond as Big as the Ritz (27Mb)
  6. Typhoon (27Mb)
  7. Sire De Maletroit's Door (27.1Mb)
  8. Ring of Thoth (27Mb)
  9. The Fourth Man (Paul Frees) (27Mb)
  10. The Most Dangerous Game (27Mb)
  11. A Shipment of Mute Fate (Jack Webb) (22.4Mb)
  12. The Fall of the House of Usher (27Mb)
  13. Pollack and the Porroh Man (27Mb)
  14. Evening Primrose (Elliott Lewis) (27Mb)
  15. The Young Man with the Cream Tarts (27Mb)
  16. Casting the Runes (27Mb)
  17. The Country of the Blind (27Mb)
  18. Taboo (27Mb)
  19. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (27Mb)
  20. Wild Oranges (William Conrad) (27Mb)
  21. Back for Christmas (27Mb)
  22. Confession (27Mb)
  23. The Second Class Passenger (national broadcast) (27.1Mb)
  24. The Second Class Passenger (a different production) (27Mb)
  25. Leiningen vs the Ants (national broadcast) (27.1Mb)
  26. Leiningen vs the Ants (a different production) (27Mb)
  27. Papa Benjamin (national broadcast) (27.2Mb)
  28. Papa Benjamin (national broadcast) (27.1Mb)
  29. Escape_48-01-24_-024-_Papa_Benjamin_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (27Mb)
  30. Three Good Witnesses (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  31. Escape_48-01-31_-025-_Three_Good_Witnesses_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (27Mb)
  32. The Vanishing Lady (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  33. Escape_48-02-07_-026-_The_Vanishing_Lady_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (27Mb)
  34. Snake Doctor (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  35. Escape_48-02-14_-027-_Snake_Doctor_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (27Mb)
  36. Ancient Sorceries (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  37. Escape_48-02-21_-028-_Ancient_Sorceries_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (27Mb)
  38. How Love Came to Professor Guildea (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  39. Escape_48-02-28_-029-_How_Love_Came_To_Professor_Guildea_-national_broadcast,_different_productio (27Mb)
  40. Escape_48-03-06_-030-_The_Grove_Of_Ashtaroth_-national_broadcast,_different_production- (26.6Mb)
  41. Escape_48-03-07_-031-_Jimmy_Goggles,_the_God_-national_broadcast- (25.7Mb)
  42. The Log of the Evening Star (national broadcast) (27Mb)
  43. Escape_48-03-21_-033-_Misfortune's_Isle_-national_broadcast-_-1- (13.4Mb)
  44. Escape_48-03-21_-033-_Misfortune's_Isle_-national_broadcast-_-2- (25.8Mb)
  45. Shipment of Mute Fate (Harry Bartell) (26.8Mb)
  46. Action (Berry Kroeger) (27Mb)
  47. The Brute (27Mb)
  48. Escape_48-04-18_-037-_The_Drums_of_the_Fore_and_Aft_-Gil_Stratton,_Jr- (27Mb)
  49. The Fourth Man (Berry Kroeger) (27Mb)
  50. John Jock Todd (27Mb)
  51. The Time Machine (Jeff Corey) (27Mb)
  52. The Match (27Mb)
  53. Escape_48-05-23_-042-_Leiningen_Versus_the_Ants_-William_Conrad,_Jay_Novello- (27Mb)
  54. Beau Geste (27Mb)
  55. Escape_48-06-27_-044-_Country_of_the_Blind_-Paul_Frees,_William_Conrad- (27Mb)
  56. A Tooth for Paul Revere (27Mb)
  57. She (27Mb)
  58. Habit (27Mb)
  59. The Man Who Would Be King (Ben Wright) (27.1Mb)
  60. The Man Who Would Be King (Ben Wright) (27Mb)
  61. The Fugitive (27Mb)
  62. SS San Pedro (27Mb)
  63. The Diamond as Big as the Ritz (William Conrad) (27Mb)
  64. Dream of Armageddon (27Mb)
  65. Evening Primrose (William Conrad) (27Mb)
  66. The Man Who Could Work Miracles (27Mb)
  67. The Lost Special (27Mb)
  68. Orient Express (27Mb)
  69. Red Wine (Jeff Chandler) (27Mb)
  70. Escape_49-03-05_-058-_Conqueror's_Isle_-David_Ellis- (27Mb)
  71. He Who Rides the Tiger (27Mb)
  72. A Shipment of Mute Fate (John Lund) (27Mb)
  73. Finger of Doom (27Mb)
  74. Escape_49-03-20_-062-_The_Country_of_the_Blind_-Edmond_O'Brien- (27.4Mb)
  75. The Adaptive Ultimate (27Mb)
  76. Escape_49-03-27_-064-_The_Diamond_as_Big_as_the_Ritz_-Sam_Edwards,_Helen_Thomas- (27Mb)
  77. Confidential Agent (27Mb)
  78. Escape_49-04-09_-066-_When_the_Man_Comes,_Follow_Him (27Mb)
  79. The General Died at Dawn (27Mb)
  80. The Great Impersonation (27Mb)
  81. The Fourth Man (Wilms Herbert) (27Mb)
  82. The Drums of the Fore and Aft (Ben Wright)) (27.7Mb)
  83. Action (Joseph Kearns) (27Mb)
  84. Second Class Passenger (Parley Baer) (27.1Mb)
  85. Second Class Passenger (Parley Baer) (27Mb)
  86. Leiningen Versus the Ants (Tudor Owen) (27Mb)
  87. Red Wine (Willard Waterman) (27Mb)
  88. Snake Doctor (Ira Grossel) (27Mb)
  89. Evening Primrose (Harry Bartell) (27.3Mb)
  90. The Fortune of Vargas (27Mb)
  91. Wild Oranges (Van Heflin) (27Mb)
  92. The Sure Thing (William Conrad) (27Mb)
  93. Night in Havana (27Mb)
  94. Night in Havana (27Mb)
  95. Flood on the Goodwins (Jack Edwards) (27Mb)
  96. Plunder of the Sun (27Mb)
  97. Three Skeleton Key (William Conrad) (13.5Mb)
  98. Three Skeleton Key (William Conrad) (27Mb)
  99. Maracas (27Mb)
  100. Letter from Jason (27Mb)
  101. Command (Elliott Reed) (27Mb)
  102. Border Town (27Mb)
  103. Figure a Dame (27Mb)
  104. Seeds of Greed (27Mb)
  105. The Pistol (27Mb)
  106. Vanishing Lady (Del Castillo) (27Mb)
  107. The Sure Thing (Anthony Ross) (27Mb)
  108. The Sure Thing (Anthony Ross) (27Mb)
  109. Treasure Incorporated (13.4Mb)
  110. Treasure Incorporated (27Mb)
  111. Present Tense (27.1Mb)
  112. Present Tense (27Mb)
  113. The Outer Limit (27Mb)
  114. Two If by Sea (27Mb)
  115. The Red Mark (27Mb)
  116. The Man Who Won the War (26.5Mb)
  117. The Man Who Won the War (27Mb)
  118. Port Royal (27Mb)
  119. Three Skeleton Key (Vincent Price) (27Mb)
  120. Danger at Matecumbe (27Mb)
  121. Green Splotches (26.6Mb)
  122. The Ambassador of Poker (27Mb)
  123. The Golden Snake (27.4Mb)
  124. The Shanghai Document (27Mb)
  125. Something for Nothing (27Mb)
  126. The Man Who Stole the Bible (Ben Wright) (27Mb)
  127. The Rim of Terror (27Mb)
  128. Pass to Berlin (27Mb)
  129. Command (Harry Bartell) (27Mb)
  130. Mars Is Heaven (27Mb)
  131. Serenade for a Cobra (27Mb)
  132. Sundown (27Mb)
  133. Blood Bath (27Mb)
  134. A Shipment of Mute Fate (David Ellis) (27Mb)
  135. Shark Bait (27Mb)
  136. Yellow Wake (26.9Mb)
  137. Poison (27Mb)
  138. Two Came Back (27Mb)
  139. The Red Forest (Ben Wright) (27Mb)
  140. The Footprint (27Mb)
  141. Crossing Paris (27Mb)
  142. A Sleeping Draft (John Dodsworth) (27Mb)
  143. Roulette (27Mb)
  144. The Power of Hammer (27Mb)
  145. The Time Machine (John Dehner) (27Mb)
  146. The Time Machine (John Dehner) (27.1Mb)
  147. Seven Hours to Freedom (27Mb)
  148. Earth Abides Part 1 (27.4Mb)
  149. Earth Abides Part 2 (27.2Mb)
  150. Journey into Fear (27Mb)
  151. Funeral Fires (27Mb)
  152. This Side of Nowhere (27Mb)
  153. A Passenger to Bali (27Mb)
  154. Wild Jack Rhett (John Dehner) (18.8Mb)
  155. Wild Jack Rhett (John Dehner) (27Mb)
  156. The Cave (27Mb)
  157. The Man Who Could Work Miracles (27Mb)
  158. The Man Who Could Work Miracles (10.1Mb)
  159. Conquest (27Mb)
  160. A Bullet for Mr Smith (27Mb)
  161. A Bullet for Mr Smith (26.9Mb)
  162. The Killer Mine (27Mb)
  163. The Follower (27Mb)
  164. The Island (Harry Bartell) (27Mb)
  165. Macao (27Mb)
  166. The Earthman (27Mb)
  167. The Gladiator (27.2Mb)
  168. Up Periscope (26.8Mb)
  169. Rough Shoot (27Mb)
  170. The Silent Horror (26.7Mb)
  171. The Man Who Stole the Bible (Sam Pierce) (26.9Mb)
  172. Gringo (27Mb)
  173. The Price of the Head (William Conrad) (22.6Mb)
  174. Robert of Huntingdon (25.7Mb)
  175. The Running Man (26.6Mb)
  176. The Return (25.7Mb)
  177. The Return (13.5Mb)
  178. The Return (26.3Mb)
  179. The Loup-Garou (26.7Mb)
  180. Incident in Quito (6.8Mb)
  181. Incident in Quito (27Mb)
  182. Four Went Home (27.2Mb)
  183. The Man Who Liked Dickens (26.5Mb)
  184. Escape_53-01-11_-165-_Conqueror's_Isle_-Harry_Bartell- (24.6Mb)
  185. A Matter of Conscience (26.1Mb)
  186. A Matter of Conscience (26.5Mb)
  187. Diary of a Madman (27Mb)
  188. A Study in Wax (24.3Mb)
  189. Jetsam (27Mb)
  190. Wild Jack Rhett (Harry Bartell) (13.1Mb)
  191. I Saw Myself Running (26.7Mb)
  192. I Saw Myself Running (12.8Mb)
  193. The Tramp (27Mb)
  194. The Island (Stacy Harris) (12.8Mb)
  195. The Island (Stacy Harris) (49.2Mb)
  196. The Man with the Steel Teeth (27Mb)
  197. Pressure (27Mb)
  198. The Invader (27Mb)
  199. A Sleeping Draft (Alec Harford) (27Mb)
  200. Classified Secret (27Mb)
  201. El Guitarrero (27.1Mb)
  202. The Derelict (26.3Mb)
  203. Lili and the Colonel (26Mb)
  204. The Vessel of Wrath (26.9Mb)
  205. North of Polaris (25.1Mb)
  206. A Good Thing (27Mb)
  207. The Voyages of Sinbad (27Mb)
  208. Clear for Action (26.5Mb)
  209. The Far-Away Island (26.5Mb)
  210. A Source of Irritation (27.1Mb)
  211. The Out Station (26.9Mb)
  212. The Open Boat (27Mb)
  213. The Notebook (27Mb)
  214. The Red Forest (Tom Tully) (27Mb)
  215. Three Skeleton Key (Antony Ellis) (27Mb)
  216. The Thirteenth Truck (27Mb)
  217. The Man from Tomorrow (26.7Mb)
  218. The Game (26.6Mb)
  219. Train from Oebisfelde (12.4Mb)
  220. Train from Oebisfelde (25.9Mb)
  221. The Abominable Snowman (26.6Mb)
  222. The Log (26.6Mb)
  223. The Untouchable (27Mb)
  224. Zero Hour (20.9Mb)
  225. Elementals (26.9Mb)
  226. The Bird of Paradise (26.6Mb)
  227. Violent Night (27.1Mb)
  228. The Second Shot (repeat) (26.7Mb)
  229. The Return (26.6Mb)
  230. The Scarlet Plague (22.1Mb)
  231. Affair at Mandrake (21.5Mb)
  232. The Adversary (22.4Mb)
  233. An Ordinary Man (27Mb)
  234. Benscelina and the Fisherman (27.1Mb)
  235. Bloodwaters (26.9Mb)
  236. Judgment Day at Crippled Deer (26.1Mb)
  237. The Dark Wall (27Mb)
  238. The Birds (26.8Mb)
  239. Eye of Evil (27Mb)
  240. Flood on the Goodwins (Vic Perrin) (26.1Mb)
  241. Night of the Guns (22Mb)
  242. The Price of the Head (Hans Conreid) (27Mb)
  243. The Coward (13.5Mb)
  244. Two and Two Make Four (27.1Mb)
  245. The King of Owanatu (26.6Mb)
  246. The Boiling Sea (27.1Mb)
  247. Carnival in Vienna (26.6Mb)
  248. Carnival in Vienna (27.3Mb)
  249. The Target (27Mb)
  250. The Heart of Kali (last show) (27.3Mb)

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