1940-3-17 Murderer's Vanity

Broadcast March 17th 1940 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: Strange Puzzles

Written by: Sidney Slon

Announcer: Ken Roberts

Cast: Bill Johnstone (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow) Marjorie Anderson (Margot Lane) Richard Widmark, Kenny Delmar, Everett Sloane, Alan Reed, Arthur Vinton

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Peter Elston tries to convince Commissioner Weston that his mother never died from natural causes — she was murdered by his stepfather. Lamont suspects Peter committed the crime and is attempting to blame his stepfather. When young Mary Elston dies and her body vanishes, the police arrest Dr. Martin for murder. The doctor dies, however, and with his last breath claims Peter poisoned the water. After the trial, Peter waits in the death house, convicted of killing his relatives since he is the sole survivor. Remembering there was a will in the family safe, The Shadow steals the papers and delivers them to Weston just hours before the scheduled execution. Dr. Martin did kill his wife and stepdaughter and cleverly attempted to blame his stepson, Peter. Dr. Martin was dying from an incurable disease, so he left details of how he committed the perfect crime in his will — a murderer’s vanity — with strict orders not to be read until one year after his death. Thanks to The Shadow, Peter is released from the death house.

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Note:

This episode would later be rewritten for the episode “Murder Marriage” broadcast on February 9th 1947.