Suspense Sundays (93) The Signalman

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.

"The Signalman"

Air date: February 15, 1959
Starring Ellen Drew

>>Episodes here<<

In this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic short story, an enterprising female reporter visits a train signalman to interview him about his work.  The signalman was very surprised to see the reporter because as he explains to her, for the past week he's seen her on the hill waving at him and crying at him to get out of the way.  The reporter calmly explains all the reasons he could have only thought he saw her before.  But she doesn't find out the true reason until the end.

This is an excellent suspenseful story - perhaps the listener can guess what is going to happen, but the horror of the ending still carries a lot of impact.  I haven't read the Dickens' story in awhile - in the beginning of this episode the announcer suggests reading the story to compare it to this adaptation which changes some things - so I don't remember any changes.  But Suspense did a great job adapting this story judging from the effect of listening to it!