1944-2-06 A Pass to Death

Broadcast February 6th 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

At the time of posting I cannot fin an official release for this episode.

Written by: Brian J. Byrne

Announcer: Ken Roberts

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

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Fred Ardyce has a grudge against the state. As state executioner, he served longer than any employee. Having recently been relieved of his duty, Ardyce was demoted to the job of tour guide. Humiliated, he rigs the electric chair to an old dynamo once used for electrocutions, now long forgotten because the main power line has been the energy source for several decades. When Lamont arranges a pass through the death chamber for the son of a close friend and the boy turns up dead from an apparent heart attack, he suspects something foul. Under an assumed name, Lamont becomes the next visitor and Margot goes crazy when she learns that Lamont, strapped to the chair, became the latest victim after he learned how Ardyce committed his crime. At Ardyce’s cliffside house, The Shadow tortures the former executioner — even appearing as Lamont to make Ardyce believe he is a ghost. Frightened, Ardyce races out of his house and plunges over the cliff to his death. Later, Lamont explains to Margot that as The Shadow, he discovered how Ardyce created the voltage for his chair and, as Lamont, worked with the prison electrician and the warden to rig the power line so he would be safe and fake his death.

Listen to this episode

Note:

This episode was a rewrite of a previous episode “Guest of Death” broadcast December 18th 1938. The plot and dialogue remained the same but the names of the fictional characters were changed.