1942-11-01 Death Keeps a Deadline

Broadcast November 1st 1942 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 episode is included in Radio Spirits CD Set The Shadow: Dream of Death

Written by: Jack Hastings, Max Ehrlich and/or Sidney Slon

Announcer: Ken Roberts

Cast: Bill Johnstone (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow) Marjorie Anderson (Margot Lane) Kenny Delmar, Alan Reed, Arthur Vinton, Paul Huber

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Released after serving a year for attempted robbery, Rabbit Eddie Burke, a hanger-on to gangster Tony Morello, discovers that he has only six months to live. The underworld holds Rabbit in contempt as a cheap crook who could never summon enough nerve to pull a trigger. With a guiding hand, Tony offers Rabbit a chance to gain the respect he always wanted by becoming a first-class trigger man. Six months later, Morello is hauled into police headquarters but Commissioner Weston is unable to pin any of the recent murders (including that of a policeman) on the gangster, because Morello has a perfect alibi every time. Lamont sets out to learn the identity of the triggerman. The Shadow questions Dr. Bryan and learns that he was paid by Morello to fake Rabbit’s health records. Rabbit isn’t dying. Seeking revenge against Lamont Cranston for serving a year in prison, Rabbit kidnaps Margot, but Lamont discovers the location of the hideout and The Shadow exposes the truth. Rabbit, however, shoots and kills Morello. After firing bullets at The Shadow’s voice and discovering he failed, Rabbit cheats the hot seat by shooting himself in the heart…six months after being given the fake medical verdict.

Listen to this episode