1944-3-19 Drums of Doom (Voodoo Drums)

Broadcast March 19th 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 episode is included in Radio Spirits CD Set The Shadow: Evil Lurks

This episode was adapted and recorded for broadcast in Australia by Grace Gibson Productions and is included in The Shadow Volume 2

Written by: Eric Arthur

Announcer: Ken Roberts

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

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Stage dancer Louise Renaldo is plagued by the sounds of voodoo drums. After a couple failed attempts on her life, Lamont suspects a third party is involved. The initial suspect is Zara, the Haitian maid, but after dodging a knife and witnessing the death of a fence, The Shadow discovers the true culprit. Louise secretly married her manager, Ralph Henderson, a modern-day Bluebeard. Knowing she had a weak heart, he deliberately terrorized her with a series of cleverly planned events that killed her. Having married into a wealthy family, Henderson got his wife to sign over her interests to him. Recently returned from a trip to Haiti and aware that Louise stole a bracelet from the top of a tombstone, he used recordings of tom-toms and a witch doctor’s costume in his plan. He murdered Zara and the fence because they would not assist in his scheme. Confronted with the truth, Henderson attempts to kill The Shadow with his knives but, unable to see the man behind the mysterious voice, becomes a victim of his own power of suggestion. Believing The Shadow to be a form of black magic, he jumps to his death from the catwalk.

Listen to the original broadcast

Listen to the Australian broadcast

Note:

An episode with the same title was broadcast on January 11th 1942, this plot involved the family of a notorious judge and executioner.

No comments:

Post a Comment