Episode 335: Wild Jack Rhett

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The mysterious Old Radio Listening Society podcast. [00:00:25] Speaker B: Now 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. [00:00:36] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:00:37] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:38] 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. [00:00:43] Speaker D: Today we present an episode of my choosing, wild Jack Rhett from Escape. [00:00:49] Speaker B: Escape premiered on CB's radio July 7, 1947, and ran through September 25, 1954. Much like its sibling series suspense, the name of the series told listeners what to expect. While suspense presented primarily edge of your seat thrillers, Escape told stories of adventure set in strange and exotic lands. [00:01:10] Speaker C: Wild Jack Rhett was adapted by John Meston from a short story by western writer Ernest Haycocks. Many of Haycocks classic pulp stories were adapted to film, most notably staged to Lordsburg, which became the basis for John Fords groundbreaking 1939 film, Stagecoach. Old time radio fans will recognize John Meston, along with escape producer Norman McDonnell, as the future creators of radio's most famous western, Gunsmoke. [00:01:33] Speaker D: In a 1967 interview, McDonnell cited Escape's production of Wild Jack Rhett as one of two productions that had an outsized influence on the style, the color, and feel of Gunsmoke. The other production was Pagosa from a series called Romance, also written by Messton and starring William Conrad as Jeff Spain, a retired lawman disturbed by his own. [00:01:58] Speaker B: Affinity for violence, wild Jack Rhett features two familiar voices known for their work in popular radio, Parley Bear and John Danner. Bear played Marshall Dillon's lovable sidekick Chester in Gunsmoke, and Daner was the lead in two late era radio westerns, frontier gentlemen and have Gun will travel. [00:02:18] Speaker C: And now let's listen to Wild Jack Rhett from Escape, first broadcast December 17, 1950. [00:02:25] Speaker D: 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. [00:02:41] Speaker A: You finding life rather dull? Dreaming again of exotic places, wishing you were somewhere else? We offer you escape. [00:03:09] Speaker E: Escape with us now to the old west and the unusual story of a merciless professional killer. As Ernest Haycocks tells it in wild Jack Rhett. [00:03:33] Speaker F: Red Mesa, a little town springing out of the hot, dry prairie beside the Chisholm trail. A saloon, a hotel, two general stores, and a tiny church where the decent citizenry might pray for salvation while a wilder element, trail driver and teamster and buffalo hunter, restlessly searched out, friend and enemy along the dusty main street. A small hill rose on the western edge of red mesa plagued with a rash of graves, some marked and cared for, others sinking and forgotten. Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. [00:04:27] Speaker A: He flieth, as it were a shadow. [00:04:30] Speaker F: While we're praying a couple you boys start throwing some dirt on the sheriff. O Lord, with whom do live the spirits of them that be dead and in whom the souls are there and that saint? Same evening, a committee of the leading citizens of Red Mesa gathered together at Mayor Wayne's home to decide upon a new sheriff. [00:05:02] Speaker G: All right, gentlemen, sit down and let's get this settled. Gentlemen, to make this town a decent place for our women folk and children we've got to have a sheriff. Todd Mallon and his kind can't kill. We need the toughest gunfighter available. And I want to propose. [00:05:22] Speaker A: Just a minute, Mayor Wayne. Let me speak. [00:05:25] Speaker G: All right. Go ahead, Bohlen. [00:05:28] Speaker A: I don't think we should get all upset just because we lost another sheriff. Jim's speed worked out fine for Red Mason. All we need is another sheriff just about like him. [00:05:37] Speaker G: I expected that, Bohelan. All you look out for is to keep that saloon of yours full of anybody who'll buy whiskey and gamble. I still propose we reform this town by sending for a man. Some of you may have heard of Jack Rhett. [00:05:55] Speaker A: Gentlemen. I do want my saloon full and full of the only men who'll bring any money at all into Red Mesa. Cowpunchers coming up the Chisholm trail with Texas cattle. Thirsty men on the prod from a long drive. But you give them Jack Rhett instead of a little fun and this town will go broke. [00:06:13] Speaker G: We'll chance that, boy, Helen. We'll chance that. [00:06:16] Speaker H: What about Matt Travner? What's he got to say? [00:06:19] Speaker E: I've nothing to say. Gentlemen, as us deputy marshal for the district, my job is strictly outside Red Mesa. You run your town any way you like. I'll handle the surrounding territory. [00:06:28] Speaker H: Know anything about Jack Rhett Ravener? [00:06:31] Speaker E: Just by reputation. Professional town tamer. And I've heard he's the most cold blooded killer ever drew a gun. [00:06:39] Speaker A: Ravener's right. We can't afford a man like that here. [00:06:42] Speaker G: Let's put it to a vote, gentlemen. All in favor of sending for Jack Rhett raise their right hand. Five to one. The matter is settled, gentlemen. Good night. [00:06:54] Speaker A: Good night. [00:06:55] Speaker H: Hi, Wayne. [00:06:56] Speaker G: You'll wait and see Mary Traviner. [00:06:59] Speaker E: If you don't mind, mayor. [00:07:00] Speaker G: Of course. Sit down. She'll be out in a minute. Well, boy, Ellen was pretty mad. But after Jack Redd is here for a while at least, there'll be less gun fighting. [00:07:12] Speaker E: Be less, anyway, if Todd Mallon were out of the way. He sets a bad example. He's a hard man to catch. [00:07:18] Speaker G: Well, if it's all you can, Ravener. There's just too much territory around here for Mallon and his gang to lose themselves in. He'll have to be taken by a town officer, and I think Rhett is the man to do it. If Mallon comes to town again. [00:07:32] Speaker E: He'll come, mayor. The word gets out that Rhett is sheriff here, Mallon will have to face him or lose his reputation with his own men. [00:07:41] Speaker I: Good evening, Father. Hello, Matt. [00:07:42] Speaker G: Good evening. [00:07:43] Speaker E: Hello, darling. [00:07:44] Speaker I: Well, Matt Travner, aren't you going to kiss me? [00:07:48] Speaker E: Course. [00:07:49] Speaker F: Sure, Mary. [00:07:52] Speaker G: What a shameless wench you are. [00:07:55] Speaker I: Oh, father, you're old fashioned. After all, we're engaged. [00:07:58] Speaker G: Your mother, God rest her, stole didn't behave like that when we were engaged. [00:08:02] Speaker I: The war changed things, Father. [00:08:05] Speaker G: I know, but not for the better. Well, I'm off to bed. Don't stay up too late, now. Good night. [00:08:12] Speaker C: Good night, Father. [00:08:14] Speaker I: You look worried, Matt. [00:08:16] Speaker E: Do I? [00:08:17] Speaker I: Tell me about it. [00:08:18] Speaker E: Well, it's just that they're sending for a new sheriff. A legal killer named Rhett. He has quite a reputation, and there'll always be men to challenge it. [00:08:29] Speaker I: That means more gunfighting. Was that it? [00:08:32] Speaker E: I'm afraid so. It's a bloody way to peace, Mary. [00:08:36] Speaker I: I know. Let's not worry about it now. Come on. I'll pick some coffee for us. [00:08:50] Speaker F: Three weeks later, wild Jack Rhett rode into red mesa. He was 38, and at the peak of his reputation he stood well over 6ft. Better than 200 pound a plate. Sinew tawny blond hair grew long in the frontier style and his features, fair and tinted like a girl's, were boldly aquiline. He was a picturesque man till one looked at his eyes, which were large and pale blue and had the disconcerting trick of remaining too steadily on people. There was to be seen in him the suggestion of inhumanity. He sent word to the committee that he'd meet him at the mayor's office that evening. It's 08:00 now. [00:09:36] Speaker A: Where is he? He's in town, and that's bad enough, dear sport boy. [00:09:40] Speaker G: Helen, we took a fair vote on rip. [00:09:42] Speaker F: Here he comes now. [00:10:00] Speaker H: My name is Jack Rhett, I have your offer. [00:10:05] Speaker G: I'm Peter Wayne, mayor of Red Mesa. Do you accept? [00:10:09] Speaker H: It depends on what you want. Tell me. [00:10:14] Speaker G: All right. This is a difficult town. The Chisholm trail lies just across the river and we get most of our money from the riders passing through Texas cattle. Now, we want them to have a decent time for their money, but we don't like a lot of gunplay and killing. [00:10:30] Speaker H: I've always been accustomed to complete authority, mayor. I presume to know my job and I won't have interference. [00:10:39] Speaker G: That's agreed, Rhett. By the way, the last sheriff had a rule that riders leave their hardware at his office. He had trouble enforcing it. [00:10:47] Speaker H: A poor rule. Let them pack their guns. [00:10:50] Speaker G: That gives the wild ones a fair chance at you. [00:10:53] Speaker H: I never give a man a fair chance at me. Is that all, gentlemen? [00:11:08] Speaker F: Bo Helen's saloon was the usual deadfall with a huge bar along one side of the room and gaming tables toward the rear. Next morning, Bo Helen stood tapping the mahogany of the bar with his fingertips, staring thoughtfully at nothing. [00:11:26] Speaker A: Good morning, Bohellen. It's noon, Samus. Huh? [00:11:30] Speaker F: Oh, sure. Hey, draw me a beer, Mike. Yeah. [00:11:35] Speaker A: Where's the new sheriff Bohelen? Over there at the corner table. Came in just before you did, huh? [00:11:41] Speaker H: Barkeeper, bring me a cigar. A glass of rye. [00:11:46] Speaker A: Now he's gonna clean and reload his six guns one at a time. [00:11:51] Speaker G: By golly, he is. [00:11:53] Speaker A: How'd you know? It's an old gunman's trick to impress the citizens. [00:11:58] Speaker F: But there's no one here except you and me. [00:12:00] Speaker A: Then it's to impress me. [00:12:03] Speaker F: Don't. Goodbye, bohemian Mike. [00:12:24] Speaker H: You've got something to say to me, Bo Helen? [00:12:27] Speaker A: Yes. Yes, I have. You're smart, Red. I recognize that. But your record for killing is too severe. And my business depends on an open town. The reform element got you, and I'll go along for now. But just remember one thing. I can break your rhett any time. [00:12:46] Speaker H: I was waiting for that, Bo Helen. [00:12:48] Speaker A: Well, and I guess we understand each other. [00:12:51] Speaker H: Hello. [00:12:53] Speaker A: Oh, any luck, Matt? [00:12:54] Speaker E: Just a morning's ride. [00:12:56] Speaker A: Matt. Here's Jack Rhett. Rhett, this is Mac Traviner, us deputy marshal for the district. [00:13:02] Speaker E: Glad to know you, Rhett. [00:13:04] Speaker H: You're young. [00:13:06] Speaker E: Don't be misled, Rhett. Your job is in town. Mine is everything outside. So I'll either back you up here in Red Mesa or leave you strictly alone. [00:13:16] Speaker H: I'll handle Red Mesa all right. [00:13:19] Speaker E: One more thing. I want Todd Mallon. If he comes to town again, he'll have to be taken. Will you do that or shall I? [00:13:26] Speaker H: What is he? [00:13:27] Speaker E: Outlaw. His main line is plain robbery. Now I want him for killing Jim Speed. [00:13:33] Speaker H: Let me handle him, Alan. [00:13:34] Speaker E: Why? [00:13:35] Speaker H: Killing's my trade. Man doesn't live with enough animal instinct to get me. [00:13:41] Speaker E: Maybe. But killing you would build a man's reputation considerable. [00:13:47] Speaker H: Just so. [00:13:49] Speaker E: Well, good luck, Rhett. [00:13:59] Speaker F: There was peace for a full week in red Mesa. And then on Saturday night, Matt Travner's prediction came true. Jack Rhett was at his customary post just opposite Bohelan's saloon in a chair on the porch of the Chinook hotel obscured by the shadows and watching the crowd his cold, pale eyes half concealed by cigar smoke. Trouble found him thus. [00:14:28] Speaker B: Evening, sheriff. [00:14:30] Speaker H: Evening, ma'am. [00:14:31] Speaker A: Keeping an eye on the boys, huh? [00:14:33] Speaker D: Shoot. [00:14:42] Speaker H: Where'S the sweat? [00:14:43] Speaker B: That used to be an avalanche? [00:14:45] Speaker H: Where's he hiding? Where's that great man, Wild Jack? [00:14:49] Speaker A: Red, bring him out. [00:14:52] Speaker H: Hello, cowboy. [00:15:12] Speaker A: That's a lot of killing for one sheriff. Three men. I don't like it. Forget it, friend. Have a drink. You're bohelian, ain't you? That's right. Come on now. Have one on the house. Mike, fix them up. I can pay for my liquor. You never gave him a chance. What kind of sheriff you got stands in a shadow and kills one man and then jumps 50ft from his gun flash and shoots down two more? Those boys never had a chance at him. Drink your drink, cowboy. That was the most merciless killing I ever seen. He's a butcher. I wish I'd gunned him up. Those kids better be still now. [00:15:55] Speaker H: This is my game. They were fools to play it. Never buck a man who's spent his life learning to kill. Son, get out of town. Get out now. [00:16:10] Speaker F: Red. [00:16:11] Speaker H: What if I don't try it, son. Don't let your anger destroy you. Drift. Go on, drift. [00:16:24] Speaker A: Blast you, town. I can hold my thirst another 200 miles up the trail. Come on, boys. We'll send word back to Texas to go around Red Mesa and let it dry up. How to? Yeah, I'm sure we will. It won't do, Rhett. [00:16:40] Speaker H: It'll do, Bo. Ellen, barkeep, bring me a glass of rye. On the house. [00:16:54] Speaker F: Rhett stood with his back to the bar holding his drink and a thin black cigar carefully in one hand. He stood there for about ten minutes. Then trouble came again. [00:17:11] Speaker D: Todd Mellon. [00:17:12] Speaker E: He's riding in with four men. [00:17:13] Speaker A: Close the games. Open up the back doors. Well, jack Rhett. Now let's see you shoot down Todd Mallon and four men from the shadows. [00:17:24] Speaker H: Good night, Bo Helen. [00:17:40] Speaker E: Escape under the direction of Norman MacDonald. Returns in just a moment. Sorry, but if you think schoolteachers have it easy, you've got another think coming. Just ask our Miss Brooks. As played by Eve Arden on most of these same CB's stations this evening. And now back to escape. [00:18:11] Speaker F: When word came to Bo Helen's saloon that Todd Mallon was riding into red Mesa with four men, Jack Rhett simply walked out, crossed the street to his office, sat down and waited. 20 minutes later, Todd Mallon had arrived and departed. Not a shot fired. Then Jack Rhett went quietly to bed. But early Sunday morning he was back in his office. [00:18:39] Speaker H: Come in. [00:18:42] Speaker E: Morning, Rhett. [00:18:44] Speaker H: Well, Travner, let's talk. [00:18:47] Speaker E: Rhett. I expect that all right. You told me you'd handle Mallon if he came to town. [00:18:53] Speaker H: Yes, Travner. [00:18:54] Speaker E: Well, they say Mallon rode into town last night with four men. Rode right up to this office, got down, came inside that you and he stood here with this desk. Between you talking and that. A few minutes later, Mallon left and rode out of town. [00:19:08] Speaker H: I play the game my own way, Travner, and I don't want interference from anybody. [00:19:15] Speaker E: People are saying maybe you and Mellon made a deal of some kind. [00:19:21] Speaker H: Well, now somebody's breaking the Sabbath. Know who could be traveling? [00:19:26] Speaker E: No, I don't. [00:19:27] Speaker H: That's a rifle. Sounds like one of those seven shot spencers. [00:19:33] Speaker E: It's old hack crow. [00:19:34] Speaker H: Who is he? [00:19:35] Speaker E: An old trapper. Comes to town every few months, sells his furs, gets drunk, goes a little crazy. Jim speed always laid him away in jail to sober. [00:19:45] Speaker H: I'll take a look. [00:19:49] Speaker E: You better stop him, Rhett. [00:19:51] Speaker H: He's only got two shots left. That'll satisfy him. I doubt if he'll reload. [00:19:56] Speaker E: And if he notices us and decides to shoot? [00:19:58] Speaker H: Then I'll have to kill him. Hey, who's that coming out of Bohem's? [00:20:05] Speaker E: Ewald Bay gambler. [00:20:07] Speaker H: He's a fool. [00:20:10] Speaker E: I've got this horse. You gonna stop him, Rhett? [00:20:13] Speaker H: Oh, let him go. [00:20:17] Speaker E: Rhett. The town is your territory, and I want him to. But why did you refuse a fair shot at Hack Crow? Ewald Bay is dead. [00:20:27] Speaker H: Which is the more useful citizen, Trabner, crow or bay? The west is full of gamblers. [00:20:45] Speaker D: Robert. [00:20:46] Speaker F: There was considerable talk that day in red Mesa over Jack rats, aloof and cruel, calm in condoning a shooting that had occurred under his very eyes and within reach of his formidable guns. Then, mid afternoon, a rider came up from the prairie and reported finding old hack Crow dead. In a coulee, dry gulched and robbed. Mary Wayne heard about it and went to Bo Helen's saloon to hear more. [00:21:14] Speaker A: Well, good evening, man. [00:21:16] Speaker G: Hello, Bohellen. [00:21:19] Speaker A: And what do you think of your great Jack Rhett now, mayor? [00:21:22] Speaker G: It looks bad. [00:21:24] Speaker A: I look mad. Everyone knew hat Crow carried his profits in his pocket. He always did that. So Rhett allowed him to leave and Todd Mal and his men were waiting for him in the cooling. It's as simple as that. [00:21:37] Speaker G: You have no proof of that, Bohellen. [00:21:39] Speaker A: No. And why didn't Rhett take Mallon when he rode in here last night? Because they made a business arrangement, that's why. [00:21:46] Speaker G: Well, it doesn't look good, but sh. There's Rhett now. [00:21:52] Speaker H: Barkeep, glass of rye. [00:21:55] Speaker G: I don't want to talk to him yet. I'm leaving. Goodnight, Bo Helen. [00:21:58] Speaker A: Good night, man. Mike, give me that ride. I'll take it over the sheriff myself. Here's your drink, sheriff. Mind if I sit down? [00:22:18] Speaker H: Game never changes, Bo Helen. I know what you're gonna say. [00:22:23] Speaker A: I warned you I could break your rhett. [00:22:25] Speaker H: It's an old story to me. Every town's got one insider who plays along with the outlaws. And I knew you to be that one here when I first saw you running a saloon. You'd know when a cattle buyer was riding out of town carrying a specie. When the overland stage was loaded with gold. There was a quarrel over the split of profits between you and Mallet, and you fell apart. That's always the way. [00:22:52] Speaker A: Very shrewd. Right. [00:22:53] Speaker H: It's an old story, Bo Helen. I know it by heart. [00:22:56] Speaker A: Very shrewd. But you can't play the same game. [00:23:00] Speaker H: All sheriffs are supposed to be crooked. [00:23:03] Speaker A: Ewan Mallon had an agreeable little chat last night. Did he make a good offer, Rhett? [00:23:09] Speaker H: Maybe I should accept his offer, Bo Helen, just to keep you two split. Maybe I should do that. [00:23:17] Speaker A: Rhett, I've seen sheriffs come and go. It's a chancy trade. [00:23:21] Speaker H: Sheriffs die, they all die. It's only a question of time. [00:23:28] Speaker A: You're a hard one, Jack Rhett. [00:23:29] Speaker H: You might make your peace with Mallon. It'd have to be that way. Otherwise you'll have little chance of getting rid of me. [00:23:36] Speaker A: Bo Helen, it may be that way. [00:23:39] Speaker H: I wouldn't be surprised. I always expect the worst of men and am seldom disappointed. [00:23:56] Speaker F: It was turning dark as Jack Rhett left Bo Helen's saloon crossing the street. He walked into his office but continued on out through the back door a few minutes later, he stood in the gathering shadows opposite the ok stable and watched Bohelan ride out and drift into the prairie to the south. He knew now what to expect. It would happen soon, perhaps tomorrow. He returned to his office and slept the night there. [00:24:33] Speaker H: Come in. [00:24:37] Speaker E: Well, morning, Brett. I want you to meet Mary Wayne. [00:24:42] Speaker H: Miss Wayne. Very proud. [00:24:44] Speaker I: I wanted to know you. [00:24:46] Speaker F: Hmm. [00:24:47] Speaker E: To meet him, Mary, not to know him. Rhett lives in a closed world. [00:24:53] Speaker H: See that I have no friends. [00:24:56] Speaker I: We're to be married on Thursday, Mister Red. I should like you to be there. [00:25:01] Speaker H: I'd be most happy. Thank you. [00:25:04] Speaker E: Now, Mary, would you wait outside? I got some business to discuss with the sheriff. [00:25:07] Speaker I: Of course, Mat, but don't be long. Goodbye, Mister Red. [00:25:10] Speaker H: Bye, Miss Wayne. [00:25:13] Speaker E: Brett, this afternoon I'm leaving to find Todd Mallon. You had your chance, but you let him go. [00:25:18] Speaker H: Wait, Ravener, wait. [00:25:20] Speaker E: I've tried patience, Rhett, and I'm a poor hand at it. [00:25:23] Speaker H: Kravner, you have a fine girl. If it's not presuming, let me congratulate you, compliment her. [00:25:31] Speaker E: Thank you. Was that all? [00:25:36] Speaker H: I'll take care of Mallon. Give me a little time. It's my job, Redo. [00:25:43] Speaker E: I want to believe you. [00:25:44] Speaker H: No man wearing a star should believe anybody. It's a weakness. Haven't I told you? [00:25:49] Speaker E: Blessed if I quite understand you, Red. [00:25:51] Speaker H: And understand this. Every man has his time. When it comes, he knows it. There's no turning back. Nothing makes any difference, then, except to stand up to the finish and go out in decent style. [00:26:08] Speaker E: And yet you're the man never believes in. Give another man a break. [00:26:11] Speaker H: Don't try to understand me. [00:26:13] Speaker E: You want help with Melon. [00:26:16] Speaker H: I have no faith in help, Mel. [00:26:18] Speaker E: Come and marry. [00:26:19] Speaker H: Await Traviner. I'll suggest this much. Take one man ride due north to where the cattle trail crosses Tempest Creek. Be there tonight. Understand. [00:26:37] Speaker E: Red. I'd hate to oppose you. [00:26:40] Speaker H: If you did, you'd lose. I've been 15 years at this, Travner, which is five years beyond average luck. [00:26:55] Speaker F: That evening, Jack Rhett took up his on the porch of the Chinook hotel dressed in his best a hard white shirt, a blood red winsor tie, and a suit of black broadcloth swelling around the big, uncompromising shoulders. He sat there, calm behind the smoke of his cigar, waiting. [00:27:18] Speaker A: Full moon tonight, Jeff. [00:27:20] Speaker H: That's right. [00:27:22] Speaker A: No offense, mind you. [00:27:28] Speaker G: Good evening, Rhett. [00:27:29] Speaker H: Hello, Mayor Wayne. Mayor, have you seen Travner? [00:27:33] Speaker G: He rode north this afternoon. Be back tomorrow, he said. [00:27:37] Speaker H: Good. [00:27:42] Speaker D: Where's the sheriff? [00:27:43] Speaker H: Here I am, Riff. [00:27:46] Speaker E: Rhett listen, I just come up south. [00:27:48] Speaker H: Creek and Todd Mallon and six men. [00:27:49] Speaker E: Were only a quarter mile behind me heading into town. [00:27:52] Speaker H: All right, friend, take cover. Yeah, yeah, sure. [00:27:56] Speaker F: Brett stood up and moved into the shadow at the end of the hotel porch. Across the street, Boheln appeared in the full glow of the doorway of his saloon. [00:28:06] Speaker A: Come out in the dark and meet your prince, Jack Ray. What are you afraid of? It's only Mallon riding in to see. [00:28:14] Speaker H: You thieves fall out. But the urge for profits brings them together again. [00:28:21] Speaker A: You should have known it, Rhett. [00:28:26] Speaker H: Nothing surprises me. [00:28:30] Speaker A: Oh. Oh, there you are, Rhett. Surprised to find you exposing your great reputation out there in the middle of the street. [00:28:39] Speaker H: Every man has his time. You want to try it, Bo Hillen, or will you wait for help? [00:28:47] Speaker A: I'll wait. [00:28:51] Speaker F: The arriving horses came up into the moonlit street and halted at the corner of the saloon. Bo Helen's hand lifted toward the group, and at that order the horsemen spread out until they were flank to flank. All across the street. Todd Mallon advanced from the line and stopped square and alert above the saddle. Jack Rhett stood alone in the middle of the street, his eyes flashing a hard fury. Then he dropped his cigar and ground it beneath the boot. It was a final gesture. [00:29:27] Speaker H: Are you Mallon? Goodbye, gentlemen. [00:29:46] Speaker F: Next day, Red Mesa buried some more men out on the hill and talked of Jack Rhett who was more of a mystery to them now than when living to all of them but one, Matt Travner. [00:29:59] Speaker E: Nobody knows a killer's world, Mary wasn't any room in Jack Rhett for much pity, but he sent me away to save me from what he knew was coming. I think that was a kindness, although I had no fear. [00:30:12] Speaker I: It was a fine thing for him to do, Matt. But they say he stood in the middle of the street to face them all in the moonlight. Why, it wasn't his style as long. [00:30:24] Speaker E: As he was sure of himself. He never gave anybody an even chance, Mary. But killers live and die by instinct, and somewheres along the evening he got the warning. After that it was just a matter of pride. He killed Mallon and Bo Helen before he died standing up and in good style. And that's sort of a greatness, isn't it? Under the direction of Norman, escape has brought you wild Jack Rhett by Ernest Haycocks, especially adapted for radio by John Meston. Jack Rhett was played by John Daynor, with Larry Dubkin as Matt and Lou Krugman as Bo. Helen Parley Bear was the narrator. Featured in the cast were Junius Matthews, Russell Simpson, Gene Bates, Paul Dubov, and Sam Edwards. The special music for Escape was composed and conducted by Ivan Detmars. [00:31:28] Speaker A: Next week, we escape with the story of two small boys who discovered the most fabulous Christmas ever dreamed of, as Anthony Ellis tells it in his delightful tale, the cave. [00:31:45] Speaker E: Stay tuned now for make believe town, which follows immediately on most of these same CB's stations. Roy Rowan, speaking for CB's, the Columbia Broadcasting System. [00:32:05] Speaker B: That was wild Jack Rhett from Escape here on the mysterious old radio listening society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. [00:32:12] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:32:13] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:32:14] Speaker B: And Joshua picked that episode this week, and I will tell you, I am so happy that I had some questions and a lot of it was answered in the introduction. [00:32:25] Speaker C: What's the name of this? What series is this from? [00:32:29] Speaker B: I now know. [00:32:29] Speaker C: What's that guy's name? [00:32:30] Speaker D: Why is Joshua sending me old time radio shows? [00:32:35] Speaker B: Who are you? What do you want? No, I was going to come out, like, tell me why you picked this. Because I don't understand why you picked this. That was where I was at. Like, I don't understand. What are we listening this for? Because I was left empty at the end of this. At the end of this. Now I know. [00:32:52] Speaker D: By empty, what do you mean? Like, you didn't like it? [00:32:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I was like, that was a bunch of. Right? Please don't get mad. You look mad. Don't be mad. [00:33:01] Speaker D: It's so bizarre how much you love Gunsmoke. But like any western, that is not gunsmoke, despite its high quality and excellent performances. [00:33:08] Speaker C: You're like, man, I can get that vibe of, you're not my gunsmoke. You're just pretending to be my gunsmoke. [00:33:14] Speaker B: No, I see it now. Like, oh, yes, absolutely. This influenced gun smoke. [00:33:19] Speaker D: We also did Pagoza on our I just Patreon only podcast. Read this entire intro, only in reverse, and talked about how there was an escape episode. [00:33:30] Speaker B: I don't remember. I don't remember last week's episode. The story didn't go anywhere for me. The arc of this was very flat for me, like where it was going and where it ended. But I can tell by your reactions you loved it. [00:33:52] Speaker D: I chose it. I really love it. I'm prepared to lay the groundwork for a classic vote. I'm just gonna get out in front of it. I will put the tracks down so the classic train can drive on through, let's be honest. [00:34:05] Speaker C: So when Jefferson bought the Louisiana purchase. [00:34:09] Speaker B: We sometimes bring stuff to the podcast that we know is we hate. [00:34:15] Speaker C: So I understand. When you say we, you mean me. [00:34:19] Speaker D: Oh, no. Tim often knows that he hates it, that we'll hate it, that half of the listeners will hate it, and he still brings it. Anyway. [00:34:26] Speaker B: I have two words for you, milwaukee deep. I knew exactly what I was doing to all of us, and I didn't care. Yeah, man, bring me the classic turn. [00:34:38] Speaker D: Me around on this, because I don't mean to presume that you're wrong. Cause maybe I'm a weirdo. I know I'm a weirdo, but maybe I'm an extra special weirdo in these circumstances. [00:34:47] Speaker E: I don't know. [00:34:48] Speaker C: We'll see. To split the difference, a little mixed reaction. This character compared to Dylan is difficult. [00:34:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:34:57] Speaker C: It's hard to feel bad for him at the end or noble. You made a lot of dumb choices that led you here. [00:35:04] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:35:06] Speaker C: That being said, as the plot went, as the story went, and I thought it had a lot of interesting nuances and twists and elements that I really enjoyed. It was the character of the sheriff that I thought sometimes, like, ooh, really cool. I like that. Dumb, right? [00:35:26] Speaker D: Dumb as in you yourself don't feel any connection to his actions? Or dumb as in you think it's written poorly to the personality of the. [00:35:33] Speaker C: Character and not the script of, like, you're establishing. Like, I was a sheriff for 15 years, and I decided it's my time to die, so I'm just gonna walk out, and after an initial showing of I can kill three guys before they know I'm there. [00:35:48] Speaker B: Right. [00:35:48] Speaker C: But if I decide, like, that's too many, so I'm just gonna walk out and let them. I'll get the two I want and then die. [00:35:53] Speaker D: I think what you're forgetting there, I'm jumping ahead a little, is that he did the math, minus the marshall. And so he is, to some degree, realized that this is going to be a tough fight, no matter what his odds would be better with the marshall. But he makes this inexplicable action inexplicable from what we know about the character to, in his final moments to ensure that this young marshal, and who is soon to be wed, is out of harm's way when this ball goes down. But it is also egotistical because it's a dramatic death for him. [00:36:34] Speaker C: Yes. As opposed to, is there, like, one or two other guys here that I could give a gun to, like, just hide behind a trough and help? It was a little bit that, knowing it's my time, so I'm gonna go. I didn't go along for that ride. But yes, to the point of I don't think that was necessary. Like, this is a poorly written story. It's the character that I didn't agree with him. [00:36:58] Speaker B: For me, it was the unintentional and my mistake of assuming what I was being set up for. It felt like I was being set up in an episode of suspense. He's aloof and weird. And why is he. Why did he let that guy leave town? And why did this? And why is he doing. And I was waiting for the crazy twist. I was waiting for the reveal of, oh, he's a witch. I don't know. [00:37:29] Speaker C: I can see why you're disappointed he's not a witch. [00:37:32] Speaker B: But that character and his decision making and his aloofness and his. Never mind. And don't you ask. Was leading me down a path of we're going to discover exactly what's motivating him or what's in his past or some kind of piece of information. Instead, what happens is he has a change of heart, as Joshua said, to save this man, which is not in character for his. [00:37:58] Speaker D: I'm not saying that that's. That's a reading of it. [00:38:02] Speaker B: I think it's. I think that's exactly what was intended. Like, oh, I'm a tough guy, gonna kill people, don't ask me no questions, oh, love, I'm gonna save this guy's life. [00:38:12] Speaker D: Let me give you my take on it, which may or may not persuade you, and that's fine. But more to explain why I enjoyed it so much, part of what drew me to this is starting at the top. I love that narration. To me, I think, is beautiful, and it captures the western genres emphasis on duality, at least at this time, because we know that Messen, as a writer was sort of frustrated by the black and white depiction going on in western genre at the time. [00:38:44] Speaker B: The Zane Greys. [00:38:45] Speaker D: Yes. So the top sets up at that duality of the honest, God fearing citizenry who have scratched out this decent living in this tough frontier. And then there are the wild outlaws who are going to take advantage of the fact that they have a morality that's going to keep them from crossing certain lines. And these are sort of the classic poles of westerns. And then I think what Messen will do in the future, as well as what he does in this episode is introduce someone who blurs those two poles in the form of Jack rat. Now, none of that is really subtle or deep. That's pretty obvious from. From the story, I think. But it reminds me of the. What song is it? Absolutely sweet Marie. The Bob Dylan lyric, to live outside the law, you must be honest. And what I think is fascinating about Jack Rhett is that he is super honest with himself. He knows his abilities. He knows the odds, and he can do the math and know when those odds are very much against him. Right. [00:39:59] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:40:00] Speaker D: And so in this really fascinating way, to me, and this kind of speaks to Tim's reasons why he didn't like some of Jack's choices. But to me, he's this fascinating contrast to Dylan. He's almost an inverted Dylan in which he is a black box both to the town and, to a certain extent, the listeners. But he knows himself very well, but we don't at all. Whereas I think in a lot of the gunsmoke stories, Matt Dillon lacks self knowledge or, at best, lacks the ability to articulate anything he knows about himself, whereas the people who know him best and understand him are the town folk, his friends, kitty, Chester, Doc, even the outlaws that are fighting him often seem to know him better. And we, as listeners, feel we know him better. And I just find that fascinating both sides of it. And I personally loved how much Meston kept us outside of wild Jack Rhett, where he laid down enough to know how he works and operates and thinks. But I was just drawn in by the fact that, is he colluding with the outlaw? Is he not? Is this a long game? Is it a short game? And the fact that it's never really explicitly said he keeps us on the outside throughout, it's also reflected by we never, which I think is brilliant about the other thing I love. We never hear the outlaw he's spoken of, and he shows up and people talk to him, but we never hear that voice. [00:41:40] Speaker B: He has interesting point. [00:41:42] Speaker D: Supernatural presence. Like he's this elemental force coming in, which, to me, strengthens this idea that as impressive as Rhett is depicted in here, this is this force that is out here and is greater than him. [00:41:57] Speaker C: I just want it. Parenthetically, the narrator's description of Rhett borders on erotic sometimes. [00:42:03] Speaker B: Right. [00:42:06] Speaker C: Should I leave you people alone? [00:42:08] Speaker B: Right. With his pouty lips. That's fascinating. Joshua, first of all, kudos for picking up that we don't hear the outlaw's voice. I never thought about that till just now. [00:42:22] Speaker C: And you don't hear the gunfight? [00:42:23] Speaker B: We don't. [00:42:25] Speaker D: There is a gunshot. There's maybe a groan, but it's really unclear. It's not played out. Something that is identified gunfire that we. [00:42:32] Speaker B: Didn'T know what happened until the narrator. [00:42:33] Speaker D: Tells us it might have been. I can't remember. But to Tim's point is, it's not played out in the moment. [00:42:44] Speaker C: Yeah. It's not the. The fight is not the point. [00:42:48] Speaker D: Yes. And that is not where the suspense is, because I feel at that point, we know. And so I guess the fact that Jack Rhett is so closed off to us, we can make all these surmises as, oh, he softened up. Oh, he was egotistical and he just wanted this romantic gesture to die as a famous legend, all these things. But we don't know what his motivations were. [00:43:11] Speaker C: That's interesting, because the part of it that I really liked was the one time that he lets you see how he thinks. Now he operates when he's like, I know I came into this town. You're the one guy who voted against me to the bartender. And I know that these bandits can't operate in this town without somebody on the inside. I know it's you. And my entire, my entire understanding of the story just swapped. Like, I thought that the sheriff was a dubious person in this bartender, and he was, like, the one upstanding person who was kind of, I want a decent, peaceful town. [00:43:45] Speaker D: Oh, up to that point? [00:43:47] Speaker C: Up to that point, yeah. [00:43:47] Speaker D: Oh, that's interesting because I didn't, I immediately thought, oh, well, he relies on wild business. And if some guy is shutting down every wild party or every time some cowboy lets off his guns, or at. [00:44:00] Speaker C: The very least that he, he thought it would be a danger and a threat to bring this guy in, as opposed to, this is a problem for my criminal activities. [00:44:08] Speaker D: And you're right, because we are also given that point of view from the marshal. He feels the same way. But then we do learn that they have different motivations. They agree, but from different points of view, which I also think is fascinating. [00:44:22] Speaker C: And I also liked the, I mean, the description of how he operates. He said, like, I don't let people get a shot at me if I don't have to. Of, like, I'll one shot from the roof. When they're looking at form up on the roof, he's down on the ground and he shoots two more. And that was interesting to me of it both. It is. That's cold blooded and horrible. And if these three people are gonna die, like, that's a pretty efficient way of doing it without putting a threat to anybody. I mean, and I kind of missed that at the end of, like, you were awesome earlier. [00:44:55] Speaker B: Right. [00:44:58] Speaker D: But what I found was interesting is this portrayal of it. He's so badass that he can predict when he's going to lose, and he's gonna make sure he loses on his terms. And also, he made sure that he shot the saloon owner and the leader of the outlaws. I'm blanking on their name. Bo, Helen and someone else. Yeah, that was still this badass. Way to die. [00:45:23] Speaker B: Was it just me, or is the saloon guy that owned the saloon? Was it his first and last name every single time? [00:45:30] Speaker C: I think so. [00:45:31] Speaker B: Or was that his. [00:45:32] Speaker C: I kept thinking it was the brand of a sofa. [00:45:36] Speaker B: I can't remember his name. Bo, Helen, Bohellen. And I kept thinking, are they saying his full name or is that his last name? Okay. We don't know. [00:45:44] Speaker D: I don't. [00:45:45] Speaker C: I think it's Chesterfield or Ethan Allen. Yeah. [00:45:50] Speaker B: Home furniture. [00:45:54] Speaker D: But there was the early version of the Gunsmoke episode, bloody hands in the DNA of this. And listeners, if you would like to become a patron of this podcast, you can hear our discussion of that episode of Gunsmoke. But it is essentially the story of Matt Dillon coming to the realization that he just has too many. Too much blood on his hands. And he behaves a lot in that episode, like wild Jack Rhett does here. And that just thought it was fascinating. It's a bloody way to peace is what. [00:46:28] Speaker B: Yeah, I love that line. [00:46:29] Speaker D: And that is pretty much the premise of bloody hands. And some of the dialogue from the other outlaw when he shoots. When Jack Rhett shoots down the guys early on, he says, what kind of sheriff you got? Stands in a shadow and kills men. I mean, that stuff is straight out of bloody hands. So this not just influential in general to Gunsmoke. I feel like Messin revisited this idea, but again, from the point of view of a very different character. [00:46:55] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:46:56] Speaker D: Than wild Jack rat. I also like that the trapper hack crow is just Otis from Andy Griffith. Heard the shotgun, right? Comes into town, gets drunk in. The old sheriff used to just put him in jail to sober up overnight. [00:47:15] Speaker B: Right. And then Aunt Bee brought him some. Some dinner. [00:47:21] Speaker C: So this is if Andy Griffith shot Otis, is that. [00:47:24] Speaker B: Ooh, I'd watch that. Bring on that fan fiction. [00:47:30] Speaker D: I also really enjoyed the catch 22 that they set up for the marshal in that he was after the outlaw who he only had the legal power to catch if he were out in the territory. But the territory is too vast to find him in. He could only find him when he enters Red Mesa, where he doesn't have the authority. And so it builds this nice narrative tension as well as an interesting type of moral tension in that, you know, narratively it gives this outlaw the upper hand. And when he comes to town, it's gonna be scary. But morally, it's interesting because his feeling about that maybe the ends don't justify the means. He doesn't have to test it against real life. He has the luxury of believing that he doesn't have to behave like wild Jack Rhett because clearly he's not going to be in a position to do it and he can't do it. [00:48:34] Speaker C: There is something in me, too. When they first introduce Jack, he just walks in like, you called, I'll do it. I do things my own way. I don't take any advice. I don't follow the law. I increasingly don't like this character the more he talks. [00:48:54] Speaker D: But that was really me in my last interview at Whole Foods. [00:48:58] Speaker B: I just came in, look, I related to two in the sense of, as. [00:49:05] Speaker C: I get older, shot someone. [00:49:08] Speaker B: They get older. [00:49:09] Speaker D: Drop the cheese. Right, sorry, go ahead. [00:49:12] Speaker B: No, no. As I get older, I just. I've been doing whatever it is for so long that I get more and more. Please just let me do my job. Please don't interfere. Just let me. My process my way. I got it. I got this far. And I. And I would love to be able. [00:49:30] Speaker C: To say I've been a theater director for 15 years. That's five years longer than most of us. [00:49:38] Speaker B: Step out. Let me. Let me do it my way. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear your advice. [00:49:44] Speaker D: You're the wild Jack ratio of high school theater director. I love the sound. It's just simple. It's just a western cliche, but it just is so gorgeous to listen to when they're all waiting for him to show up and he's late. You just hear the spurs walking in the otherwise silent room. It's just a great use of radio. Tells you everything you need to know. That combined with the erotic description, it's like he's just wearing chaps. [00:50:17] Speaker C: He was just on a horse. [00:50:22] Speaker B: Any other thoughts? [00:50:24] Speaker D: Oh, so many, but that's enough. [00:50:27] Speaker B: Well, you've already told us your vote. You find this to be a classic, right? [00:50:32] Speaker D: Yeah. I mean, I think it's obviously of historical significance because of its influence on gunsmoke and because gunsmoke itself was so influential to the western genre, I think even to present day, it's influential. I think by definition, then it stands the test of time. See, I'm being really hardcore. And a more subjective vote is, yes, I do think it's a classic. For all the reasons I already said, I kind of experienced it. The opposite to some of your criticisms, in that I really appreciated how Messen and it's rare in radio and it's rare today. Meston did not condescend to the listener. He assumed some intelligence that we would connect dots that maybe he didn't have to connect for us. And yes, I am saying that by liking this, it makes you smart. So I am setting a trap for you guys. Surprise. But yeah, there's just a lot of. [00:51:32] Speaker C: Dots in this episode. Nothing connecting them. I don't get it. [00:51:36] Speaker D: I also really appreciate it. It stands alone in a way that if you found somebody who said, I like rated shows, but I don't like westerns, I think this might be a good one to start him on even before Gunsmoke, in that it is self contained and grapples with some of the same themes and ideas that Gunsmoke eventually will. So to me, I would recommend it to others. I loved it. That's a classic. [00:52:04] Speaker B: I will say that I, after listening to you, Joshua, I like it. [00:52:09] Speaker D: Ready to give up? [00:52:12] Speaker B: I like it a lot better than at the beginning of this recording. You have convinced me of its nuances and its merit and things that I've missed. And I went, huh? I will still raves, Eric. [00:52:28] Speaker D: That'S a poll quote. [00:52:29] Speaker B: I don't think it's a classic and I'm not going to go that far. But I definitely don't want to fall into the trap of being stupid for not liking it. So, no, I do. I think I like it a lot better than I did. And it was really interesting to hear your take on it. I think also I did fall into a trap listening to this. [00:52:49] Speaker H: It's a trap. [00:52:50] Speaker B: I think what I fell into was I was expecting it to go somewhere else or be something else than what it was, and that was unfair to it. [00:53:00] Speaker D: I want to just say that I don't think that's unfair. That's part of the subjective experience of entertainment. If you were thinking it was going to go somewhere and it didn't, and where it went was more disappointing than what your expectation was, then it, you know, that's didn't work for you. For me, it went somewhere I didn't expect and that was more exciting to me than it was for you. [00:53:19] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:53:20] Speaker B: You just described star discovery. [00:53:24] Speaker C: Sorry, that's a sensitive topic. I, as you say, it's stands to test the time abundantly. It is in the context of Gunsmoke, so groundbreaking, even in the absence of Gunsmoke it's still a very sophisticated story in the Old west, which for a lot of movies and other formats of media to come is a milestone. The contrast you drew between him and Dylan is really for me why I had a hard time enjoying this and why I love Dylan so much. The character of Dylan is really appealing to me, and you could not base. [00:54:09] Speaker D: A series on Wild Jack rat. Yeah, he's a one off character for that reason. [00:54:14] Speaker C: Yes, what if? [00:54:16] Speaker B: Watch me, I'm gonna. [00:54:20] Speaker C: But yes, to the credit of that character. Part of the things that frustrate me about him were the parts of him that eventually got that I did see. Like, that is awesome. I love that part of this guy and I wish he was more consistently awesome. [00:54:32] Speaker B: Right? [00:54:34] Speaker C: So I would not call it a class, but Sansa, test of time. Groundbreaking. Pretty good. [00:54:40] Speaker B: Keep telling him stuff, Tim. [00:54:43] Speaker C: Pasta. [00:54:46] Speaker B: It's not a word association improv game. [00:54:51] Speaker D: I like how he goes from western to pasta. [00:54:54] Speaker B: It's always from whatever to pasta it is. [00:54:56] Speaker C: I went out to dinner last night and had some rigatoni. [00:55:02] Speaker D: Tell me more. [00:55:04] Speaker C: There's some spicy sausage in there. It was really good. It's like an hour wait. [00:55:10] Speaker D: Did Parley Bear describe the spicy sausage in great detail to you? [00:55:17] Speaker C: Just like right by my ear. So please go visit ghoulishdelights.com. That is the home of this podcast. We like to keep you up to date with what we eat for dinner. And you can also find more episodes of this podcast. Not only will you find more episodes, because you can find those anywhere places just lousy with podcasts, but you can comment, you can vote in polls. Let us know what you think about these episodes. Let us know. Hey, what do you think? You can also link to our social media pages. You can find a link to our merchandise store. You could go buy some mysterious old radio listening society merchandise, including some fan made art, which is awesome. And you can link to our Patreon page. [00:55:58] Speaker D: Yes, go to patreon.com themorals and become a member of the mysterious old Radio Listening Society. We have so many benefits for those who are willing to fork over the cash. For example, as I mentioned earlier, we discuss a really phenomenal episode of Gunsmoke Bloody Hands. I think I'll be honest, I think it's one of our best Patreon only podcasts. And I'm not just saying that because I want your money. But I do want your money. So go to patreon.com themorals and support us, please. [00:56:34] Speaker B: And the mysterious old radio listening society theater company does live on stage audio drama productions, where we do recreations of classic old time radio shows and a lot of our own original work. And also occasionally we are performing these podcasts live to a live audience. If you want to see us doing any of that, go to ghoulishdelights.com. [00:56:57] Speaker D: And they serve food there. So you might be able to catch a glimpse of Tim eating pasta live. [00:57:03] Speaker C: Odds are real good. [00:57:04] Speaker B: Listen, if we reach $100 more, Tim will eat how much pasta? [00:57:12] Speaker C: I could do like a live stream of just eating pasta. [00:57:16] Speaker B: But go to goulashtilize.com and please come see us and buy tickets. And if you're not able to come see us, buy tickets anyway. [00:57:26] Speaker D: You still get the money. [00:57:27] Speaker B: But it's part of Patreon, right? Because we record stuff and put it up for our patreons. And then. But also, he's right, though. Go see us because everywhere we perform is great food. Really good food. So we'd like to see. [00:57:40] Speaker C: We're part of our contract. [00:57:42] Speaker B: Perform somewhere monthly, all the time, constantly. There's no breaks. All right, what is coming up next? [00:57:51] Speaker C: I think I'm next. We are listening to an episode called the Shadow of Huntley House, also known as on the wild Seas, from a series we've only listened to once before, obsession. Until then, without. [00:58:04] Speaker B: Not just that, though. Like, in everything in my life, like, I find myself going, I've been. Whatever it is, I've been doing that a long time. [00:58:11] Speaker C: Like when a cop pulls you over. I've been driving a long time. [00:58:14] Speaker B: I have been driving so long, this is how I drive. Deal with it. [00:58:21] Speaker D: I have a ticket for you, officer.