1941-4-13 Death on the Rails

Broadcast April 13th 1941 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: Bitter Fruit*

Written by: Jerry Devine

Announcer: Ken Roberts

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

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

While spending the weekend at her cottage in the country, Margot and her new maid, Katy, find themselves intruded upon by a man named Portlass, who commits a cold blooded murder by shooting a stranger to death. After Margot and Katy race out of the house, they meet Lamont, recently arrived from New York, and explain the situation. Lamont faces an old man named Nordoff, who was recently shot and is dying from loss of blood. It doesn’t take long for our heroes to discover that Portlass and his gang have recently wrecked and robbed a train and are trying to make a getaway while avoiding both the law and cutthroats who know about the money. Lamont becomes The Shadow in an effort to prevent Nordoff from escaping with the stolen money and is shot by the criminals. Margot faints and later awakens to discover the entire ploy was a little hoax by Lamont intended to be a lesson for her not to leave the city alone without his company. It backfired, however, and Lamont had no idea she was going to faint. Lamont hired actors to play the roles, and he faked being The Shadow (not invisible, of course). He was never shot and no one really died in the scheme of things.

Listen to this episode

Note:

*This episode is also available on The Murray Hill Anthology of The Shadow - The Shadow: Radio's Greatest Man of Mystery