1944-3-05 The House Where Madness Dwelt

Broadcast March 5th 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 is a lost episode and no recreation of it has yet been made. If you have a copy of the script please let me know.

Written by: Sidney Slon

Announcer: Ken Roberts

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

Music: Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

Lamont and Margot spend the night at Stella Fulton’s gloomy mansion, rumored to contain at least a dozen murderous spirits. Stella’s father was found hanging from a beam, and she is the sole beneficiary. At the request of the shrewish Stella, Aunt Katherine and Uncle Dexter make preparations to leave as executors of the estate. Late that night, Uncle Dexter is found dead in a locked room and a servant named Emil is found dead in the attic. Lamont dismisses murderous spirits when he learns that Stella’s mother was mentally ill and confined to a hidden room in the center of the house for fifteen years. Stella inherited the mental strain and attempts to lock Margot in the same room. The Shadow tricks Stella into thinking she is hearing voices and saves Margot from a long torture in solitary confinement. Lamont later explains that Uncle Dexter died from the fumes coming from the candles in the study. Imbedded in the wax of the tapers was the crystallized juice of the Haitian “Fleur de Mal” (Flower of Evil) plant. As the candles burn, the crystals give off a poisonous vapor. Almost falling for the same scheme, Lamont foils Stella’s plot and reveals to Margot that Emil hanged himself out of guilt, as he played the role of a spirit at Stella’s request whenever she had visitors at the mansion.

Note:

This script would later be dramatized with very few changes as “The Secret of the Hidden Room” broadcast September 11th 1949. The names of the characters were changed but for the most part, the script remained intact.

This episode was adapted and recorded for broadcast in Australia by Grace Gibson Productions. This episode has not been released by Grace Gibson Productions.