1944-4-09 A Date With Death

Broadcast April 9th 1944 on Mutual at 5:30 p.m. EST sponsored by D.L. & W. Coal Company "Blue Coal" and syndicated for the summer by Goodrich Tires

This is a lost episode and no recreation of it has yet been made. If you have a copy of the script please let me know.

Written by: Max Ehrlich

Announcer: Ken Roberts

Cast: Bill Johnstone (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow) Marjorie Anderson (Margot Lane)

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Marty McCoy, one-time henchman of Big Ed Carter, almost goes stir-crazy while serving a two-year sentence, having been put in jail by Carter’s mortal enemy, Lamont Cranston. When Carter offers Marty a job as triggerman, the ex-con rejects the offer, claiming he’d rather starve while going straight. Lamont arranges for Marty to get a job as an elevator boy at Lamont’s apartment complex. When Big Ed Carter learns of Marty’s new fortune, he blackmails the ex-con to become a triggerman and shoot Cranston — or else papers verifying a previous crime will be delivered to the police. Carter wants Cranston dead because he has been breaking up his gang piecemeal. When Marty wastes a week doing the job, Carter takes control of the elevator by shutting off the power with Marty and Margot inside. Marty suffers from claustrophobia, and dreads being closed in. Before Carter can murder Margot, The Shadow forces his hand. Attempting to escape, Carter jumps out a window leading to the roof, but discovers the opening is on an outside wall seven stories above the street so he must wait for police to arrest him. At the request of Lamont, the district attorney agrees to suspend all charges for Marty and put him on probation.

Note:

This episode would later be re-written as “The Dark Cellar” broadcast March 22nd 1953. The only difference between versions are the names of the fictional characters.