Episode 326: Storm Over the Alps

[00:00:27] Speaker A: Welcome to the mysterious old Radio Listening Society, a podcast dedicated to suspense, crime, and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. I'm Tim. [00:00:36] Speaker B: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:37] Speaker C: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out. [00:00:42] Speaker A: I chose this week's episode storm over the Alps from the Man Called X. The series features Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, aka the man called X, an international espionage agent who operated with the help of his sidekick, Pagan Zeldschmidt, played first by Hans Conrad and then Leon Belasco. [00:01:05] Speaker B: The series began in 1944, but the end of World War II didn't diminish the show's popularity. Over the next eight years, it continued to produce tales of adventure and intrigue, originally on CBS, then the Blue Network, which became ABC, then NBC, and finally back to CBS after its final episode on May 30, 1952. The Man Called X was adapted for television briefly from 1956 to 1957. [00:01:35] Speaker C: Herbert Marshall was no stranger to real life danger. While serving in World War I, he was shot in the knee by a sniper, and as a result, doctors were forced to amputate his leg. Despite this, he continued to enjoy success as a stage and film actor. [00:01:48] Speaker A: The series was directed by Jack Johnstone, who may be better remembered for his contributions to yours truly, Johnny Dollar, when it changed to a five days a week format in 1955. But today's episode is six years prior to that. From the man called X, this is storm over the alps, first broadcast February 20, 1948. [00:02:12] Speaker B: It's late at night, and a chill has set in. You're alone, and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:28] Speaker D: You're twice as sure with two great names, frigidaire and General Motors, Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. More Frigidaires serve in more american homes than any other refrigerator. And our frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, the man called X. Shouldering upward into the clouds, looking out over the plains of four countries of Europe, are the great tumbled ranges of the Alps, birthplace of the wind. A roman poet once called them those high mountain valleys of Switzerland, and so they are even today birthplace of the wind. But when the man called X is concerned, they can also be the birthplace of death, which is exactly what two men are talking about in a hotel room in Paris? [00:03:57] Speaker E: No, sir, Ken. The whole thing's a frame up, and it's too dangerous. You ought to know that. [00:04:01] Speaker F: Maybe so, chief. What else have we got to work on? Yeah. [00:04:04] Speaker E: Millions of dollars in counterfeit United States bills pouring into France and Italy. And after ten days over here, we haven't been able to turn up a lead. [00:04:12] Speaker F: This may be the lead, chief. I know von Armstein. I know his work. He made the plates these bills are being printed from. There's no question about it. [00:04:20] Speaker E: That still doesn't mean you've got to accept his invitation to Switzerland and get yourself killed. [00:04:25] Speaker F: No, it's just that I think he's conceited enough to believe he can get me up there and convince me he's really going straight. [00:04:30] Speaker E: Well, you know, he might be at that. The swiss authorities didn't find a thing when they raided him. He never has any visitors and never goes anywhere himself. [00:04:38] Speaker G: Ken. [00:04:39] Speaker E: Maybe he has retired. [00:04:41] Speaker F: You want a bet? [00:04:42] Speaker E: Well, he seems to be a pillar of the community up there. Even a check on his outgoing mail hasn't turned up anything outgoing, eh? If he is the brain behind this counterfeiting, then how's he doing it? [00:04:53] Speaker F: That's exactly what I'm going to Ballak in Switzerland to find out. [00:04:56] Speaker E: I don't know if there were any other way. Say, I can't figure what the Sam Hill happened to Zelschmidt. [00:05:03] Speaker F: Oh, he may turn up yet. [00:05:05] Speaker A: Yeah, but you sent him over here. [00:05:06] Speaker E: Two weeks ago to contact some of his crooked pals. He's apparently dropped out of sight. [00:05:10] Speaker F: Yeah, well, I've got to get on out to the airport then. [00:05:14] Speaker E: You're still going to see for an Armstein. [00:05:16] Speaker F: It's our best bet. Well, it's our only bet, chief. I'll call you from Switzerland. I'd like to pick up my ticket, please. Reservation on the next flight to Geneva. The name's Ken Thurston. We. [00:05:42] Speaker H: Mr. Thurston. [00:05:42] Speaker F: He planned to Switzerland. Wait a second, monsieur. I'll be right back. [00:05:47] Speaker H: But, monsieur, I do not understand. [00:05:50] Speaker F: Well, pegon. [00:05:51] Speaker H: Mr. Rex. [00:05:52] Speaker F: How do you like Paris? By this time, Mr. Thurston, I was. [00:05:55] Speaker H: Just going to call you or wire you or something. Only right now. [00:05:59] Speaker F: What's that package you're trying to hide behind you? [00:06:01] Speaker H: Mr. Rex, I'm innocent. No matter what anybody says, I'm innocent. How should I know? It's counterfeit money in this little package? [00:06:08] Speaker F: I'll bite. How do you know? [00:06:10] Speaker H: Well, Mr. Thurston, you gotta believe me. I don't know nothing from nothing. [00:06:14] Speaker F: Where'd you get the package? [00:06:15] Speaker H: From a guy named Smith at the little french hotel by the swiss border. And right now I gotta go and deliver it to her. [00:06:20] Speaker F: The only place you're going is Switzerland with me. You can't be trusted alone. [00:06:25] Speaker H: But I got to deliver this first. My dear friend Pierre Cornet is going to be awful mad if I don't. [00:06:30] Speaker F: Cornet? [00:06:31] Speaker H: Yeah, you know him, Mr. X. Pagan. [00:06:34] Speaker F: Cornet is the only one of the gang we've been able to track down in ten days. [00:06:37] Speaker H: Oh, then he's been arrested. You got him? [00:06:40] Speaker F: No, somebody else got him. We found him in his room last night, stabbed to death. [00:06:46] Speaker H: Mr. Thurston, how soon can we get to Switzerland? [00:07:12] Speaker G: And this again, gentlemen, is my study, which, of course, you've already seen. [00:07:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:17] Speaker H: Nice little place you've got here, Mr. Von Ormstein. [00:07:19] Speaker G: My thanks, Mr. Zelschmid. [00:07:21] Speaker F: This completes the tour then, is that it? [00:07:23] Speaker G: In a manner of speaking, yes. Mr. Thurston. Please consider yourself at liberty, however, to look through any part of the grounds or through the chalet itself at any time you wish. [00:07:32] Speaker F: Thank you. Mr. Von Ormstein. [00:07:33] Speaker G: I only wish to convince you that I am no more than I seem, a man who has now retired from what may have been, at times, a somewhat evil life. [00:07:42] Speaker F: I see. By the way, I've been noticing your radio over there. Quite a powerful transmitter, isn't it? [00:07:48] Speaker G: Oh, fairly so. As you know, I've always been interested in amateur radio, though I seldom find time to use it anymore. [00:07:54] Speaker F: I'm glad to hear that. A man could open it up once in a while and send a quick message in cold without much chance being found. [00:08:00] Speaker G: Yes, yes, I suppose one could. [00:08:02] Speaker H: Just look at that view, Mr. Thurston. Mountains all over the place, waterfalls. Boy, what a spot for a vacation. [00:08:10] Speaker F: How did you happen to pick Switzerland, Mr. Von Ornstein, when you decided to retire? [00:08:13] Speaker G: Well, it's a beautiful place and out of the way. My sister has owned this estate for many years. [00:08:19] Speaker F: You know your sister? I'd like to meet her. [00:08:23] Speaker G: Certainly. I'll go find her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll only be a moment. [00:08:27] Speaker F: Pagan, get over there by the door. Listen for anybody coming. [00:08:31] Speaker H: Okay, Mr. X. What are you going to do? [00:08:33] Speaker F: Take a look at this telephone. Von Armstein was listening on it first time he came in here. When he saw me, he hung up without saying a word. Something screwy about that line. Goes under the edge of the desk here. [00:08:46] Speaker H: You found something, maybe. [00:08:47] Speaker F: Yeah, the way switch. Let's see. What it does. [00:08:53] Speaker I: And probable light snowfall to be expected in the jungfral sector after 09:00 p.m.. Tonight. Present wind velocities over this station are as follows. At 1500 meters, none. At 2000 meters, eight to 12 km/hour direction variable to all points. Predict falling velocities of wind at all. [00:09:13] Speaker F: You are Mr. Von Omstein, aren't you? [00:09:16] Speaker I: Yes, I am Nashka. [00:09:17] Speaker A: Mr. [00:09:17] Speaker I: Von Olmstein is my brother. What are you doing here? [00:09:21] Speaker F: We're visiting your brother. [00:09:22] Speaker I: Oh, you shouldn't. You should go away now. That would be the best thing. Yes, really it would. What? [00:09:28] Speaker F: Come now, Miss Nashka. Go away. And miss all the lovely things to see around here? [00:09:31] Speaker I: Oh, yes. Yes, they are lovely, aren't they? Have you seen them all? The covered bridge and the rock garden and the weather station? [00:09:39] Speaker F: The weather station? Where's that? [00:09:40] Speaker G: Up there on top of the ridge. Mr. Thurston. Mr. Vanormstein, any reason why you should be particularly interested in it? [00:09:47] Speaker F: I'm interested in meteorology, that's all. Any reason why I shouldn't? [00:09:51] Speaker G: No, of course not. Onashka. I've been looking for you. Mr. Thurston's a kind of a policeman, you know. You mustn't tell him any of our guilty secrets. [00:10:01] Speaker I: I've only been talking about the beautiful scenery here. Yes, and our waterfall, Mr. Thurston. I call it the Rhine maiden. [00:10:12] Speaker G: You must forgive her imagination, Mr. Thurston. Its real name is that sorky Allen. [00:10:16] Speaker I: But I like Rhine maidens so much better. [00:10:18] Speaker F: It's easier to pronounce too. Mr. Von Olmstein, how does one go about getting up to the weather station? [00:10:23] Speaker G: Well, there's a trail leading out of the valley here, though I hardly think you would find it interesting. [00:10:28] Speaker F: Oh, I don't know. I can't think of any better place to find out which way the wind's blowing. [00:10:54] Speaker I: The slight wind that you hear blowing around the building is nothing more than a surface gradient, Mr. Thurston, 300 meters over our heads. The air is standing in a very dead calm. I happen to be the. What is the matter? [00:11:09] Speaker F: One other thing. I'm listening. Only I'm still surprised at finding a girl up here, Miss Rayner, running this station all alone. [00:11:16] Speaker I: Oh, yes, but I love it. It is the most beautiful view in the world out across those peaks. I can't see half of Switzerland from here. [00:11:23] Speaker H: Makes me dizzy just to look down. [00:11:26] Speaker I: Would you like to see some of the windmad? [00:11:28] Speaker F: Yeah, very much. [00:11:29] Speaker I: Here we are. This happens to be one of the very few spots in the world where wind velocity and direction is entirely. Oh, yes, yes, and quite dependable too. You see this one here, it is a wind that blew steadily for three days earlier in the week straight into eastern France. [00:11:46] Speaker F: I see. Miss Rayner, what about reports? You phone them in? [00:11:52] Speaker I: Oh, yes, yes, to Geneva four times a day. [00:11:54] Speaker F: Any chance the phone line could be tapped? [00:11:57] Speaker I: But I do not understand, Mr. Thurston. Who would wish to do anything like that? [00:12:02] Speaker F: Ms. Rayner, aren't you forecasting a dead calm overhead for the next 48 hours? [00:12:06] Speaker I: Yes, but. [00:12:07] Speaker F: Good. Now listen, I want you to contact the authorities in Geneva and give them my name. [00:12:12] Speaker I: What? [00:12:13] Speaker F: Ask for their permission to cooperate with certain instructions that I'll give you later. You got it? [00:12:16] Speaker I: Yes, but I fail to see what. [00:12:18] Speaker F: Never mind. You will. Come on. [00:12:19] Speaker H: Pegoning up mountains, running down mountains. Wish I knew what was going on around here, Mr. Thurston. [00:12:38] Speaker F: Getting an appetite for dinner, peg, huh? [00:12:40] Speaker H: Yeah. [00:12:40] Speaker F: Should be ready pretty soon. [00:12:41] Speaker G: I'm afraid dinner will be delayed. Gentlemen. [00:12:44] Speaker H: Mr. Look, he's got a. [00:12:45] Speaker G: Yes, yes, I've been waiting for you. Step inside. [00:12:48] Speaker F: Well, Mr. Von Armstein, things seem to be moving out into the open. [00:12:53] Speaker G: I'll take your gun, Mr. Thurston. Thank you. Very clever of you to find my little arrangement with a telephone. But you should have remembered I might be using it when you had Miss Rayner call Geneva. [00:13:04] Speaker F: Yeah, maybe I should. Well, the next move seems to be up to you. [00:13:08] Speaker G: I've made it already. We are waiting now for the arrival of the police. [00:13:12] Speaker F: The police? Where do they fit in? [00:13:13] Speaker G: As a respected member of the community, I felt it my duty to call them. You see, Mr. Thurston, I happened to look into my sister Nashka's room. Found it ransacked. Blood on the carpet. I'm charging you with murder. [00:13:51] Speaker D: And now we continue with Frigidaire's man called x, starring Herbert Marshall. When Ken accepted von Ornstein's invitation to Switzerland, he was reasonably certain of the man's guilt in flooding France and Italy with counterfeit us bills. The only question being how the scheme was worked. He was certain, too, that von Ornstein was dangerous. And now the duel has come out into the open and a criminal charge has been filed against Ken. The charge of murder. [00:14:20] Speaker H: This way, monsieur. [00:14:22] Speaker F: I have the police conveyance waiting there at the edge of the driveway. You are pleased to walk ahead of me. Okay, inspector. Right now you're the man with a brass hat, Mr. Thurston. [00:14:29] Speaker H: This little jundarm is going to throw us in the who'sgal. Hey, what's the big idea. We didn't kill anybody, did we? [00:14:35] Speaker F: Wait a minute. That waterfall. I think my Olmstein sister was trying to tell me something about that waterfall, so help me. That's got to be it. [00:14:45] Speaker H: What are you talking about, Mr. Thurston? I don't get it. [00:14:48] Speaker F: Here we are, monsieur. We're pleased to stand there until I unlock the conveyance. [00:14:52] Speaker H: Look at it. Nothing but a dog catcher's truck. [00:14:54] Speaker F: Pagan. Pagan. [00:14:56] Speaker A: Yeah? [00:14:56] Speaker F: Do you want to make a quick. [00:14:57] Speaker H: Hundred bucks in real money? Yeah. [00:14:58] Speaker F: Now listen, tell this cop you want to confess to the murder. I'll straighten it out later. [00:15:03] Speaker H: Well, I don't know if I. Pagan. [00:15:04] Speaker F: I've got to get up to that weather station and then to the waterfall. I'll go ahead. [00:15:07] Speaker H: Well, it's only for the money, you understand. [00:15:09] Speaker F: You're pleased to enter, monsieur. [00:15:11] Speaker H: Mr. Inspector, sir, I want to confess. I've done it all by myself. [00:15:17] Speaker F: Sure. [00:15:18] Speaker G: You are the murderer. [00:15:19] Speaker H: Sure. Tell you all about it down in the headquarters. Now, Mr. Thurston didn't have nothing to do with it. See, I'm climbing in with my own free will. Lock the door and take me. [00:15:29] Speaker F: Well, congratulations, inspector. A confessed murderer. This will mean promotion for you. Does Monsieur really think so? Oh, sure. Stand back. [00:15:38] Speaker H: I must take this killer to justice immediately. Hey, don't forget to fix it up, Mr. Thurston. Hey, what did they do to murder in this country anyhow? [00:15:44] Speaker F: I'm not sure, Pagan, but I think it involves a firing squad. [00:15:47] Speaker I: What? [00:15:47] Speaker H: Oh, no. Let me out of here, Mr. Zayn. [00:15:57] Speaker I: And if I understand you correctly, Mr. Thurston, you wish me to send this false weather report over the telephone in place of the real one, is that it? [00:16:07] Speaker F: That's right, Miss Rayner. The people in Geneva said to follow my instructions, didn't they? [00:16:11] Speaker I: But this report is not true. It is not true. It predicts a 40 kilometer wind blowing into northern Italy for the next 48 hours. Actually, there will be a dead calm during that time. [00:16:22] Speaker F: I know, but there's a good reason for it. Now. Excuse me. I got a date with a waterfall. Mr. Thirst Hagar. Thought you were in jail. [00:16:41] Speaker H: I only agreed to confess. I wasn't going to get myself shot. [00:16:43] Speaker F: How'd you get away? [00:16:44] Speaker H: With my special Zeldsmith skeleton key. The lock on that birthcage was a sin. Hey, where we're going now, Mr. Thurston? [00:16:51] Speaker F: Von Ornstein's sister was really trying to tip me off. We're going through this waterfall through depth. She kept calling it the Rhine maiden. And the Rhine maidens are best known as guardians of gold. They kept it underwater. So wait till I get this flashlight under my raincoat. [00:17:07] Speaker H: Mr. X, I hope you know what you're doing walking through a waterfall. [00:17:11] Speaker F: Well, we'll soon find out. Take a deep breath now. All right, let's go. [00:17:22] Speaker H: Where are we now, anyhow? [00:17:23] Speaker F: I don't know. Let's try the flashlight there, Mr. Thurston. [00:17:29] Speaker H: Look. It's a cave. A cave in the back of the. [00:17:33] Speaker F: Yeah, yeah. Complete with the turbine generator operated by the water pagan. Yeah, the printing press. [00:17:43] Speaker H: And there's where he's been making that. No good money. [00:17:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:46] Speaker H: I don't see any, though. [00:17:48] Speaker F: No. Looks like the floor has been dug up here. [00:17:52] Speaker H: Hey, what are all these gadgets piled up over here? [00:17:55] Speaker F: Weather balloons. [00:17:57] Speaker H: Balloons? [00:17:57] Speaker F: Yeah, special kind with an automatic timer. Controls the height and the time in the air. And look here. A small built in radio transmitter to send out a continuous signal. Quite a scheme. [00:18:10] Speaker H: How about letting me in on the lowdown, Mr. X? How does he do it? [00:18:14] Speaker F: Not too hard to figure out. Now. By tapping the phone line from the weather station, von Ommstein gets a continuous report of air movements across the ridge here. [00:18:22] Speaker H: No kidding. [00:18:23] Speaker F: Whenever a favorable wind was forecast, he took some counterfeit money onto a balloon, set the control for the right time and altitude, and then release it, probably after dark. [00:18:33] Speaker H: But how could an agent over in France or in Italy even find the balloon when it did come down? [00:18:38] Speaker F: That's where the automatic radio unit came in. The agent could use a portable receiver and find the balloon without much trouble. I doubt if he lost many shipments. Not any. [00:18:47] Speaker G: As a matter of fact, Mr. Thurston. [00:18:49] Speaker H: Olsen. Oh, me. [00:18:50] Speaker G: Get your hands up, gentlemen. Very clever, Mr. Thurston, though you really should have looked around the cave before you became careless. [00:18:57] Speaker F: One thing bothers me, von Olmstein. What happened to the plates you've been printing from? [00:19:02] Speaker G: I sent them out by balloon an hour ago, right after I heard Miss Rayner's last weather report. You see, they might have provided, shall we say, evidence. [00:19:11] Speaker F: I see. Well, where do we go from here? [00:19:14] Speaker G: You and your friend aren't going anywhere. This cave is the end of the. [00:19:17] Speaker F: Uh huh. What's the plan? [00:19:19] Speaker G: I'm going outside, Thurston, and drop the gates of the little dam you may have noticed out there. [00:19:23] Speaker F: Fine. Go on. [00:19:24] Speaker G: It diverts a part of the water to flood this cave and seal off the entrance. [00:19:27] Speaker H: Mr. Thurston, he's going to drown us like rats. [00:19:30] Speaker G: Yes, gentlemen, I bid you at me. [00:19:34] Speaker H: Come on, Mr. X. We got to get out of here. [00:19:36] Speaker F: Pagan. He'd shoot you before you got clear of the waterfall, so we better listen. Move back. Here it comes. What? [00:19:43] Speaker H: We gotta do something. [00:19:44] Speaker F: All we can do is run or be drowned. So come on. Let's run. [00:20:00] Speaker G: I can understand your concern, but I've already told you that Ken Thurston, Mr. Zellschmidt, haven't been heard from since they left to go hiking two days ago. [00:20:07] Speaker E: Yeah, for Normstein, I suppose. You listen to me. I warned Ken about that invitation of yours before he left here. If you don't have him on this phone in 30 minutes, I'm coming up there and tear that joint apart. [00:20:18] Speaker G: I can understand how you must feel, sir. As a matter of fact, I was beginning to worry a little myself. I'm planning to send out a search party. [00:20:25] Speaker E: Search party? It's no job for a search party. You know what's happened to him. [00:20:29] Speaker G: I'm sorry, sir, but I really don't know what to say to you. After all, you let me talk to him Firston. [00:20:35] Speaker E: What did you say? [00:20:36] Speaker H: You thought you bumped us off, didn't you? Pigeon? [00:20:40] Speaker F: I'll take that phone for normal time. Thanks. Keep your hands up. Go on, move back. Hello, chief. [00:20:48] Speaker E: Ken, what the Sam Hill's going on up there? [00:20:51] Speaker F: Never mind. Everything's okay now. I'll call you later. [00:20:53] Speaker E: But why didn't you. [00:20:54] Speaker G: How did you get out? [00:20:56] Speaker F: Oh, the cave opens on the surface a couple of miles back of the ridge. I thought it might when I noticed a current of air blowing through. [00:21:01] Speaker G: All right, so you've broken up my scheme. But I got the plates sent off, and without them, you have no case against me. [00:21:07] Speaker F: I have the plates. [00:21:09] Speaker G: You're bluffing. They should have been picked up by my agent in Italy nearly two days ago. [00:21:13] Speaker F: Yeah, and they might have been if you hadn't sent them up in a dead calm. [00:21:16] Speaker A: What? [00:21:16] Speaker F: All? The balloon went up all right and came down over here on the ridge about 2 miles away. Pegel and I picked it up after we got out of the cave this morning. [00:21:24] Speaker G: The weather report. [00:21:25] Speaker F: You can't always trust the weather report, especially when it's been tampered with. [00:21:28] Speaker G: You still won't convict me. You can't prove I ever used the plates. [00:21:32] Speaker F: Somehow, I don't think the court's going to worry too much about counterfeiting. They'll be trying you for murder. [00:21:38] Speaker G: My sister. You can't file a murder charge without a body, Thurston. [00:21:43] Speaker F: I got a pretty good idea that when we drain that cave and dig up the floor, we'll have a body for Armstein. You want to bet? [00:21:50] Speaker G: You you're not going to take me. [00:21:50] Speaker F: Even if I jump back here, too? [00:21:55] Speaker H: Right on a button, Mr. [00:21:56] Speaker A: Egg. [00:21:57] Speaker H: Colder than the mountain climber's nose. Well, that takes care of that. [00:22:05] Speaker F: Yeah, pagan, that takes care of that. Until the next time. And there'll be a next time. Other men like this one, men who can live right in the shadow of eternity, look up every day of their lives at that clean, white snow on the peaks, and still wallow in greed and prejudice. Hate. What's the matter with us anyway? Aren't we ever going to grow up and all? [00:22:53] Speaker D: Frigid? Air star Herbert Marshall. [00:22:55] Speaker F: Thanks for being with us. And I'd like you to know that Carla tonight was played by Kathy Lewis. Ladies and gentlemen, America's production depends on steel. Jobs depend on it. And steel depends on scrap metal. Help increase the production of the things you need. Help to keep employment high. Collect scrap iron and steel around home, turn it into your local drive, or call your local scrap dealer right away. Now, next week we're doing a story called passport to danger. I think it'll really keep you on the edge of your seats, as usual, Leon Belask will be along as pig on Zelschmidt. So join us, won't you, when next I return of the man called x. Good night. [00:23:40] Speaker D: Frigidaire's man called X is directed by Jack Johnstone, with music composed and conducted by Johnny Green. Tonight's story was written by Les Crutchfield. So until next week, same time, same station. This is Wendell Niles speaking for frigid air made only by General Motors. All characters and incidents used on this program are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental. Remember, every Sunday night brings you two popular dramatic shows on CBS. The man called X and the Adventures of Sam Spade. Yes, for the best in entertainment, tune in and stay tuned to CBS, the biggest show in town. This is CBS, the Columbia broadcasting session. [00:24:24] Speaker A: That was storm over the alps from the man called X, here on the mysterious old radio listening society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. I'm Tim. [00:24:34] Speaker B: And I'm Joshua. [00:24:35] Speaker A: So that was my selection this week, and I have so many things I need to tell you both. First of all, are we breaking up? Yeah, this is it. I listen to a lot to bring my choice, and in that I now have five or six on hold that I was like, oh, these are going to be great. But I came across this and submitted this, and here's why. First of all, I wasn't looking for anything in particular. Oh, how about something Joshua would like? Ooh, how about something Tim would like? Oh, how about this? How about that? What about something that we haven't heard before? So I was all over the map listening to everything, and then I decided after I had this list and I couldn't quite decide which one to send to you guys, a man called X popped up, and I realized I've never sat down and listened to this. I've never taken the time. What is this? And it was a delightful rabbit hole of learning so much that I didn't even know what this was. I mean, I hit play and went, what is this? What is this show? And was so taken by so many things, I decided in the end that I wanted to bring something that for me, right, something that I love. [00:25:57] Speaker B: Selfish bastard. [00:25:59] Speaker A: And I was like, oh, I love, I love a mystery. Can't do that. They're serialized, and adventures by Morris is pretty good, but that's serialized. And then there's that other Carlton E. Morris. I love adventures, and they're self contained. And there's 13 episodes. So I re listened to all 13. I love adventures, which 01:00 a.m.. I because. And a weird thing happened, like meeting your hero sometimes. Oh, no, I love adventures. Terrible. I just listened to all 13 and went, do you know that each one of those ends with a four minute wrap up of Jack hitting on the lead female in those? They're terrible. And I was like, oh, because 13. [00:26:42] Speaker C: Tries at it, four minutes each. And he's like, I don't think she's going for me. [00:26:46] Speaker F: Well. [00:26:46] Speaker A: And each one ends with, it's going to work. And then someone shows up and says, you got another assignment, and he has to leave the woman. [00:26:53] Speaker C: He could just go for four and a half minutes and be in the bag. [00:26:56] Speaker F: Right. [00:26:56] Speaker C: I know we're off topic here, but. [00:26:58] Speaker A: Kind of, except I'm wrapping this back around now. I love a know, I love Carlton E. Morris and the writing of that, and a lot of them are missing. So we want, as I love, a mystery fans, please, someone discover these so I can hear more of these. But there isn't. So you go to adventures by Morris. You go, okay, that'll help. And then you go to, I love adventure. Okay, that's some phoned in stuff. And I have been desperate for a long time to find something that fills that void of that style. Right? So I'm listening to this and I went, could it be. Could it be that I've accidentally discovered someone that writes in that style and I listen to a bunch of them. I'm going to tell you something. Wow, they're so good. They are so up my alley now. When I say they're so good, I realize what they are. They're not deep pieces of layered storytelling. [00:28:01] Speaker B: Quite a pedigree, right? [00:28:03] Speaker A: Anyway, point is, I was so excited to find this, and as I listened to more and more, I kept waiting for it to be like, okay, this is terrible. And it wasn't. Next. I was also then fascinated by the lack of information that's out there about this really popular show, the shadow companion. Everything you know about the shadow, I love a mystery companion. Like, there's a book some nerd has written about everything that was. I think the Green llama has a book. There is no information about a man called x. Very few print ads that you can find from newspapers. There's very few pictures from it. There's no giveaways like the man called x ring. There's nothing out there about this show that was so popular. And we, in eight years of doing this, or however long it's been, we've never talked about it. It's never been brought up. It's never been a recommendation from a listener that I know of. How did this get under our radar so fast? And then the last thing, then I'll be done with my monologuing. I am so excited either way to find out what you guys thought of this. I am busting. Here's my guess. Well, it definitely is an Eric thing. So that's everything. That's how this came about. Oh, and I can't wait. These episodes I found from these other shows, they're gifts for you too. They are absolute gifts. SF 68 from South Africa, by the way, is on my list of. That's a cool show. Yes, I discovered that by accident. Anyway, go. [00:29:49] Speaker C: One. Although there's a lot to really like and praise about this show. Herbert Marshall, I love him. I love him to bits. I could listen to him do any kind of storytelling, and he's just ideal for this character. And he really, really shines and made me enjoy this a lot. [00:30:09] Speaker B: This show has come up with our patrons. We should recognize that a lot of them have recommended it. I think it has been thrown out a couple of times and we've never listened to it on one of our Patreon happy hours always responded, shut up, stupid. So I think there will be some patrons at least listening who are very happy that we have finally featured it. [00:30:33] Speaker C: I told you. [00:30:35] Speaker B: Well, first of all, okay, yes, I did listen to this. And just smile the whole time because I thought, this is just Eric crack. I have never listened to a man called x either, so this was my first time listening to it. It's interesting that you bring up. I love a mystery because the first thing that struck me is that the quantity of exposition at the top felt like I was tuning into the third part of a serial. It comes so fast and furious, and I'm kind of on the fence of that. I think ultimately it is a good thing and it gets the story where it wants to be really fast. But I honestly went back to the website and looked and made sure because I saw it was 21 minutes long. It's a little shorter than usual. I completely thought after listening to the first five minutes that I had missed a part of it. And then as the story goes on, you go, okay, yeah, this is the equivalent of the James Bond talking to. [00:31:35] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:31:35] Speaker B: And this made me think a lot of James Bond. [00:31:38] Speaker A: Very much so. [00:31:39] Speaker B: He is kind of a sexless, super humorless James Bond. And we even have a strange villain lair, like, behind a waterfall that's rigged to flood in case of an emergency. So it came up a lot when I was listening to it. I have not enough knowledge of the spy genre to know if this was grabbing those new tropes and running with them or if it was helping to create them. [00:32:12] Speaker A: So the very little information I could find on this, which, again, someone write a book, please. I couldn't find interviews. You know what mean, like, there's nothing out there. [00:32:23] Speaker B: It's definitely before Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond. [00:32:26] Speaker A: Yes, there was an infatuation in american culture with the OSS at the time. And starting in about 1944, there was an increase in spy and secret government organizations that had not a negative connotation. When you said that, it was like, good. There's secret organizations out there protecting us. Good. I'm glad they're operating off the grid, but that's where this spawned from is that idea of they were tapping into that. [00:33:02] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:33:02] Speaker C: And I saw that there was a suggestion that when this first started, he was more of an FBI kind of figure, not so much undercover international, but it changed pretty. [00:33:12] Speaker A: Now, the sidekick guy in here, just so you know, if you've never listened to this, the thing is, it's not really his sidekick that travels around with him. He is a nefarious thief who shows up wherever he is with some weak excuse, like, yeah, I'm here to see my cousin, or whatever. He's more of a hindrance. And then when he gets involved, he uses them. So it's an interesting sidekick, too. [00:33:40] Speaker C: He actually just calls an x. Yeah. [00:33:42] Speaker A: Hey, X. I also love that it's an indistinct accent. Like, it doesn't really come from anything. I can't even picture it. Also, you need to know that pagan adapts the accent of wherever he is as his undercover. So in this one, you actually hear what his real quote, unquote, character's voice is. He's not really doing that, but there are some that, oh, you know, don't really stand the test of time with that accent. But I love that concept. Look, this is something that I would write. My shades brigade or my floor tens. This is right up my alley. Yeah. Weather balloons, dropping, counterfeit things, like, all of it. Secret waterfall layers. God, I love it. It's exactly what I would write. And I was astonished how easy it would be for someone to listen or read my writings and accuse me of plagiarism. I had never heard this before. Secret government organization code names, all of it. Infallible heroes, all of that. It's like I listened to all these and wrote my own. So I was a little taken aback by that. [00:35:07] Speaker C: I loved the plot progression and writing of walks in, notices that this guy's on the phone, puts it down, sneaks over afterwards to pick up the phone. Here's the weather thing. It conveyed so much information without having to stop and explain anything. [00:35:24] Speaker A: I also love how they directed, produced and acted that scene. There's a great moment in radio drama where you're not analyzing and you're just there. Them whispering, watching the door, checking out the phone, finding the switch, all that. Forget plot points and everything. It was just really well done scene where we were, hurry up, hang up the phone. [00:35:45] Speaker B: Jack Johnstone knows what he's doing. This is really well directed. It's clips along, it's well performed, well directed, for sure. And I thought that whole weather balloon thing was rather clever. Yeah, it was fun. It had that nice marriage between plot and setting. Gave a good excuse for an exotic locale that is tied to the plot. Instead of just picking a random place in the map and setting the story you already had in mind there. I can't tell if it was intentional or not. I did laugh when we heard the weather lady on the phone making her broadcast. And the wind will move at such and such a speed and be this. And then we cut to her talking and she's like, hello, man, call that. She wasn't doing it for effect. That was just her voice, which is why she was chosen. [00:36:33] Speaker A: To be the weather lady, which is also why she had that long career on NPR. [00:36:42] Speaker C: I enjoyed that, how the weather aspect of it and the weather balloons unfolded was that's. You see it coming. It's kind of by design, but the Rhine maiden and secret thing behind a waterfall like that. Awesome. See it coming. [00:36:58] Speaker A: It's kind of a little bit all of the episodes, not just this one that I've listened to so far. It just has a very Indiana Jones quality to it. And this isn't a murder mystery. This isn't a mystery in general. That takes a lot of clues. And then you go, ooh, interesting. They solved it. It's not horror. It's not scary, it's not suspenseful. It literally is just action adventure. And I think if you like that genre, so far in five episodes, I'm really impressed and flabbergasted that I haven't listened to this before. Right. My question to you two is, do you like that genre? Like, just that straight? [00:37:46] Speaker C: I cannot like it as much as you do, but I do like it very. [00:37:51] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:37:51] Speaker C: Yes. [00:37:52] Speaker B: Yeah. I enjoy it. It's good radio. It's not my comfort radio. Sure. I honestly found Herbert Marshall's unironic, deadly serious performance far funnier than the intentional comic relief. Like when he says with just deadly seriousness, which is the best line of the entire play, I have a date with a waterfall. [00:38:17] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:18] Speaker B: I just have the feeling that that was written more like a throwaway. James Bond had not been created yet, but had more of a sly twinkle in your eyeline. But he was, like, deadly serious. It's going to be awkward. I haven't met this waterfall yet, and we have a date. I'm picking up the tab. No expectations, though. [00:38:41] Speaker A: Going Dutch with the waterfall. [00:38:47] Speaker B: And his monologue at the end, he goes from counterfeiters to, like, everybody grow up living in the edge of eternity. The ending monologue, you foreigners, get off my lawn. [00:39:03] Speaker A: Right? The ending monologue is the only part of this. I was like, okay, you could have wrapped this up without chastising us all. And when are we going to grow up? And everybody's like, yeah, we need to grow up. That was weird. [00:39:19] Speaker C: I thought I dreamt that. [00:39:20] Speaker B: When are we going to grow up, Tim? [00:39:25] Speaker A: This is done in front of a live audience, and there are episodes where the comedy relief pagan does things and it throws you because they're usually very quiet audience. This is know action oriented and on the edge of your seat, and you hear the laugh and the titter in the audience go, oh, right. They're in front of an audience, you. [00:39:48] Speaker B: Occasionally heard, and again, unintentionally funny, you occasionally heard people coughing, an awkward pause. [00:39:53] Speaker A: And someone just goes, there were some things that I saw online researching this. There are people that went out of their way to rip this by saying, oh, how many times are they going to stumble over words in this one? Stumble over names or over each other's lines? And the thing is, and they do in this one, there's a couple of them. [00:40:18] Speaker C: Weird. [00:40:18] Speaker B: I didn't even notice. [00:40:19] Speaker A: They're very quick. And I was like, wow, what a petty thing to get into. First of all, this is done live. We have now done shows on stage for eight years. Can we name one where we didn't stumble a line or a word live? [00:40:33] Speaker B: Were they relations of Basil Rathbone making? [00:40:37] Speaker A: But there were these people that were commenting in different areas, like, oh, what's his name? [00:40:42] Speaker B: Herbert Marshall. [00:40:43] Speaker A: Herbert Marshall keeps getting their names wrong, and he keeps screwing this up. And, yeah, they're doing it live. There's a moment in here where a line is jumped by pegon. He jumps a line, marshall finishes his line, and he goes back to the line. But this is live. And I thought that to be really petty. And in fact, it kind of scared me, like, oh, is this terrible? And then I'd listen to it anyway. And then, did you guys, were you taken in as much as I was by the score and the music? I was blown away by the musical score and the live orchestration, and it sounds like an epic movie is going on. And I just loved it. [00:41:27] Speaker B: I don't know that I tuned in that much, but music is one of those things that I tend to. It's awful. I tend not to compliment the music that works. And I remember when it's something like nightfall, where it makes no sense. [00:41:38] Speaker A: Right. [00:41:39] Speaker B: And so I should tune into the music more because it's not fair. I don't compliment it enough when it works. I just go, good. [00:41:46] Speaker C: I forgot that the music was live. Oh, I enjoy live radio episodes, but. [00:41:51] Speaker A: Not only that, we didn't have it in the intro, and I don't have it in front of me, but the composer is a big deal, and we should look that up before the end of this. He's a big deal. And I can't remember. [00:42:01] Speaker B: Jerry Goldsmith, is it? No, I don't know. [00:42:04] Speaker A: I can't remember a lot of radio. [00:42:05] Speaker B: And later did a lot of movies. He's always my go to for a. [00:42:09] Speaker A: Music composer guest, every show, original score. [00:42:12] Speaker C: Oh, wow. [00:42:13] Speaker A: And I'm sure there's things they pull out of their sack of tricks. Like do this d minor into an accented. I'm making up things. But cool, right? I was taken in by the music. I hear music a lot in all shows, be them. Tv shows, movies, radio shows. Music can greatly affect me. And when it's good, I hear it. Right. We just watched Fargo season five, and this is a great example of every ten minutes. Like, God, the music. Really nice job, you guys. That's a fantastic choice. So, yeah, I hear it. [00:42:52] Speaker B: Music can ruin it, though, when it's. [00:42:54] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:42:56] Speaker B: When it tells you how to feel, particularly. We're in an era, I think, of really bad music and television, so when it's good, it stands out. [00:43:05] Speaker A: I agree with that. [00:43:06] Speaker B: More into sort of like, just constantly wants to tell you how to feel in every moment, which always irks me. Don't tell me how to feel. [00:43:14] Speaker A: Fargo season five. [00:43:15] Speaker C: Yet I've not seen it. [00:43:16] Speaker B: No. [00:43:18] Speaker C: I missed some seasons, so I feel like I want to see the seasons in order, but I know it's. [00:43:21] Speaker A: We're way off topic. Let me just say it's quick to you and all the listeners. You can pick up any season of Fargo and watch the whole thing and not know what happened in the season. [00:43:28] Speaker B: You're talking to a nerd, Eric. [00:43:30] Speaker F: I know. [00:43:30] Speaker C: It's the same with true Detective. I feel like started season one. [00:43:35] Speaker A: I've only seen season five of Fargo. Anyway, moving on. Music's great. [00:43:39] Speaker B: You've listened to a number of these? [00:43:40] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:43:41] Speaker B: Does this have a lot of commercials excised? Is that why it's 20 minutes? Or did they change the great question when they move to other networks? [00:43:50] Speaker A: Some go to 27 minutes, some are 21 minutes. They're all over the map. I have no explanation for that. A lot of commercials possibly do. [00:44:00] Speaker B: The longer ones have commercials that this. [00:44:02] Speaker A: Remember, this was a Bob Hope show replacement for a summer replacement before it caught on. There's a possibility that they were doing shorter versions for different time frames or different years. But again, there's no information on this show. One of the most popular radio shows ever. Why is there. Oh, grab the Encyclopedia of old time radio. Behind you. Get it, Tim. [00:44:29] Speaker B: In case anyone couldn't. It didn't pick up on the microphone. Tim made an excellent old man sound as he reached for the encyclopedia of old time radio. While you're looking it up, one of the reasons it struck me as being shorter is that maybe just me, it seemed like if they'd had more time, there were a couple exciting action scenes that they skipped over. We could have seen the murder of the sister or the murder of Pierre, who's mentioned at the top kind of as a throwaway joke to get pagan on board. Or even spend a little more time with them, trying to find their escape from the waterfall. That just struck me in a show that's about action and adventure, that they skipped over some potentially exciting scenes that would be rich with sound and different dynamics than what we've been hearing. I agree. And I wondered if that was for time. [00:45:25] Speaker A: It seems like a time thing. Them going through the waterfall I thought was great. Although I kept thinking, physics of a waterfall. I bet you that really hurts. And if it's heavy and probably beats you to the ground, I don't think a waterfall is like a shower. [00:45:42] Speaker C: Have you ever been back behind Minnesota? Like Minnesota Falls? [00:45:46] Speaker A: Oh, you can do that. [00:45:47] Speaker C: There's a path. [00:45:48] Speaker A: Yes. [00:45:48] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:45:48] Speaker A: Oh, I didn't know that. [00:45:49] Speaker C: Do it in the winter when it's frozen. [00:45:52] Speaker A: Wow. I've done that at Gooseberry Falls. Oh, such Minnesota talk going on right now. [00:45:57] Speaker B: This will all be cut. So which waterfall have you climbed? [00:46:04] Speaker A: Yeah, that's where I buried somebody. [00:46:07] Speaker B: Now back on topic. [00:46:08] Speaker A: Even in the encyclopedia of old time radio, the segment on the man called x is relatively short. It's only a few paragraphs. [00:46:19] Speaker B: It just might be that it is what it is. It doesn't have a lot of anecdotes attached to it. [00:46:24] Speaker A: Oh, Gordon Jenkins. [00:46:26] Speaker B: Oh, yes, he worked with Sinatra. Gordon Jenkins did all of sad albums. [00:46:31] Speaker A: Yep, yep. Gordon Jenkins did the music. So I knew it was a big shot. [00:46:34] Speaker B: Stop laughing at all feel good only for the lonely closing time. They really are what Tim just did. There's like the song version of. [00:46:49] Speaker C: Musically they are incredible works of art. [00:46:52] Speaker A: But I also brought this to the table because I thought it'd be a nice diversion a little bit from. We do suspense, crime and horror crap. [00:47:03] Speaker B: You guys watch. [00:47:07] Speaker A: Just to throw in a regular old adventure thing. To me, if you say, what is the stereotype of what you think of when you think of old time radio shows? Right? I now know, after twelve years of whatever we've been doing this, I now know there's a whole lot of audio drama out there. But stereotypically, when I think about it and the capsule, I put it in the parameters of platonic ideal radio episode. This is it. This is old time radio. To me, this is what got me on board in the first place. [00:47:45] Speaker B: Maybe we should vote. Sounds like you're coming into the voting barn. That doesn't work. [00:47:50] Speaker A: Really. [00:47:51] Speaker C: Behind the voting waterfall. [00:47:55] Speaker B: You got the Rhine Maidens protecting your vote from Wagner's ring cycle, anyone? [00:48:02] Speaker A: I'm not going to stop. I'm not going to talk until you guys run out. [00:48:06] Speaker F: Oh, boy. [00:48:08] Speaker B: Extra long special episode. [00:48:10] Speaker A: This is classic stands the test of time. It is wonderful. It is a warm blanket of everything I love. And yes, we have some episodes of some things that I discovered that you'll guys that aren't this but there will be more. A man called X coming to our podcast. [00:48:28] Speaker B: Awesome. [00:48:29] Speaker A: In fact, I would like to propose the next year is just a man called X Podcast. [00:48:35] Speaker C: A year called x? [00:48:36] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:38] Speaker B: It was going to be called the man called something mysterious and cryptic that draws unwanted attention, but they just shortened it to x. [00:48:49] Speaker A: It's the man called ten. [00:48:51] Speaker F: Oh, come on, you guys. [00:48:55] Speaker A: So I love this so much and it was a really great, joyful Christmas moment for me. [00:49:02] Speaker C: Even though it's not Christmas, I think this abundantly stands the test of time. It's super fun, well produced, well performed. All the bits and bobs are awesome. I don't know why it's braced like that. I won't call it a classic. I don't know that this is leaping to a must listen. If you're going to listen to one radio episode, I'm just going to say it's not a classic. I don't have to justify sort of. [00:49:31] Speaker B: Redefining classics so that this couldn't possibly be a classic. [00:49:34] Speaker A: That's what I'm trying to do, trying. [00:49:35] Speaker C: To get myself off the hook. So I guess you don't love Eric. [00:49:41] Speaker A: Wow. [00:49:42] Speaker C: This is how I find out. But it's excellent and stands the test of time. [00:49:48] Speaker B: Yes, it definitely stands the test of time. They're still cranking out spy thrillers like this. This is a standard genre. It's well done. It is not my go to comfort thing. So I don't quite have the joy you have, but I can totally recognize that this is a well put together piece of entertainment and it has that quality. You can see why it ran for a long time that I've heard one episode and you feel confident that if you want that warm blanket, if you want that kind of background entertainment, you can be very confident you're going to have this quality. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's not going to drop below a certain level with these talents that it's just going to be good adventure fair straight through and I would totally be curious to listen to more. [00:50:41] Speaker A: It is a tutorial in Carlton E. Morse's style. It really is. It's very similar, for sure. [00:50:48] Speaker B: Like I said, I thought it was a cereal, right? [00:50:51] Speaker A: Tim, tell him stuff. [00:50:52] Speaker C: Please go visit ghoulishtolites.com, home of this podcast. There you can comment episodes, you can vote in polls, you can send us messages, you can communicate in a wide variety of ways. You can also link to our social media pages. You can visit our online store and get some swag. And you can link to our Patreon page. [00:51:14] Speaker B: Yes, go to patreon.com themorals and become a member of the mysterious old radio listening Society. [00:51:20] Speaker A: Why are you talking like a robot? [00:51:22] Speaker B: So exciting. Just because I can't get those. What's the weather like in the Alps? The weather in the Alps will be cold and blowy. It will be friendly to counterfeiting. Yes. Go mysterious, mysterious, mysterious, mysterious, mysterious old radio listening society. Patreon.com slash themorals and become a member today. [00:51:45] Speaker A: And if you'd like to see the mysterious old radio listening society theater company, that's us, and the talented and amazing Shannon Custer performing live audio drama on stage. We perform somewhere every month, and you can come see us doing recreations of classic old time radio or a lot of our own original work. And you can find out where we're performing, what we're performing, and how to get tickets. Just go to ghoulishdelites.com. And if you can't see us, you can't make it. If you're a Patreon, we film them, or at least have an audio version of those live performances that you can see because you're a Patreon or listen to. All right, what are we doing next? [00:52:28] Speaker B: Next is an episode of my choosing. I don't know why I laughed menacingly, but we will be listening to an episode of lights out entitled the Coffin in Studio B. [00:52:39] Speaker A: Until then, anyway, point is, I am now listening to these. Like, this is my go to bed. I was doing. What's that? [00:52:50] Speaker C: Heroin? [00:52:51] Speaker A: Yeah, I was doing heroin. And that didn't go well. [00:52:57] Speaker H: No. [00:52:58] Speaker B: What's drug called x? I think there is one. [00:53:00] Speaker F: You could maybe switch to that.