1939-1-22 Valley of the Living Dead

Broadcast January 22nd 1939 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: Weird Adventures

Written by: Frederic Dannay and/or Manfred B. Lee

Announcer: Ken Roberts

Cast: Bill Johnstone (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow) Agnes Moorehead (Margot Lane)

Music: Rosa Rio or Elsie Thompson

Synopsis:

A desert valley cut off from the outside world shelters a community of decay — a stagnant pool covered with green slime and a thousand people walking around listlessly or sprawled on the grass with nothing for mind or muscle. Hoarding a gold mine, Ingram A. Maxim takes comfort in his castle-like estate, knowing he bought the freedom of the people and in return forced them to their knees before him like a god. With no need of work, the community has become a society of living dead — fulfilling Maxim’s dream. The Shadow privately meets with Maxim’s son and helps the boy regain his strength so he can walk again — as does Serena Maxim, Ingram’s wife. After strengthening the will of the community, the inhabitants start mining again — against Maxim’s wishes. Out of desperation, Maxim opens the floodgates to the dam, but realizing he is going to commit wholesale murder, he uses brute force to close the gates at the cost of his own life. The town cheers when the gates are closed — cheers from people free to do their own will.

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