THE SHADOW Episode 1: Death House Rescue

Episode Summary

The story follows Paul Gordon, an innocent man who is hours away from execution for a murder he didn’t commit. Gordon’s only "crime" was being desperate for work and unknowingly accepting a job as a getaway driver for a pair of bank robbers, Red Sloan and Lefty. During the robbery, a policeman was killed, and Gordon was framed as the triggerman.

As the clock ticks toward 11:00 PM—the time of the execution—Lamont Cranston visits the "Death House" in disguise as a prison guard. Using his hypnotic power to "cloud men's minds," The Shadow infiltrates the prison to interview Gordon. Convinced of the man's innocence, The Shadow races against time to track down the real killers and extract a confession. The climax involves a tense confrontation where the Shadow uses his "invisible" presence to terrify the guilty parties into admitting the truth just as the switch is about to be thrown.

Trivia & Fun Facts

• A Series Premiere: This was the very first episode of the "new" Shadow series where the character became the protagonist rather than just the host of a detective anthology.

• The Birth of Invisibility: In the original pulp novels, The Shadow was a master of disguise and stealth but not literally invisible. The "power to cloud men's minds" was invented for the radio show because it was easier (and cheaper) to explain why the characters couldn't see the Shadow than it was to describe elaborate hiding places every week.

• Orson Welles’ Debut: A 22-year-old Orson Welles made his debut as Lamont Cranston in this episode. His success here helped pave the way for his "Mercury Theatre on the Air" and his infamous War of the Worlds broadcast just a year later.

• Introduction of Margot Lane: This episode marks the first appearance of Margot Lane. Interestingly, she was created specifically for the radio show to give Lamont Cranston someone to talk to (avoiding long, awkward monologues), though she was eventually added to the pulp novels later.

Credits

• Narration and Production by Gizelle Erickson
• Executive Producer Jon Hagadorn
• Music: Thanks to Sound Gallery By Dmitry Taras "Scary Horror Music"
• The Shadow sourced by AcousticMonster on Internet Archive
• Cast & Voice Actors
  • The Shadow / Lamont Cranston: Orson Welles
  • Margot Lane: Agnes Moorehead
  • Announcer: Ken Roberts
  • Opening/Closing Voice: Frank Readick Jr. (The iconic "Who knows what evil lurks..." voice)
  • The Warden / Bank Robber: Various supporting cast members often including Bill Johnstone (who would later take over the title role)