Suspense - August Heat (#142)
Channel: Old Time Radio Researchers
Date: 2023-06-07

Suspense - 05/31/45, episode 142
Brought to you by the Old Time Radio Researchers, courtesy of The Suspense Project

This is a popular Suspense episode and stars Ronald Colman in his first of six appearances on Suspense. It is an adaptation of a 1910 short story by W.F. Harvey. An artist is strangely compelled to draw a picture of a very large fat man who is on trial. Later, he goes for a walk on that same hot August afternoon, and sees the same fat man inscribing a gravestone with the artist’s name and epitaph!

The story is adapted by Mel Dinelli and follows the original text of the story very closely. 

The story was originally announced in CBS publicity as “Summer Heat” and changed back to the original title. Listen for Dennis Hoey, better known as “Inspector LaStrade” in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies.

There are two surviving recordings. The east broadcast has an extended appeal by Colman for the Seventh War Loan Drive. It began two weeks prior to this broadcast and raised $14 billion, which is about $230 billion in US$2023. The war loan drive was focused on the Pacific front since Victory in Europe was at the beginning of May. Victory in Japan Day would not be until September. Just the evening before this Suspense episode, Colman appeared in a special program on NBC that featured many stars from around the country in support of the war drive.

The west recording does not have the appeal. Neither recording is flawless, but the west recording is better with a fuller sound.

The cast: RONALD COLMAN (James Clarence Withencroft), DENNIS HOEY (Charles Atkinson), Gloria Gordon (Maria Atkinson), Peggy Rea (Cockney girl), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice)

For more information, visit https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/06/1945-05-31-august-heat.html