Radio's Escape To Adventure

Old time radio had a few distinct purposes. One of those was to allow the listener an opportunity “Walter Mitty” their routine life. Just as Mitty daydreamed his days away, so programs like Escape gave the radio audience a chance to become part of the drama. Take for example the episode “Shipment of Mute” the listener became part of the cruise as the narrator shared about his time in South America and seeking to get back to New York. The voice of Jack Webb as Chris Warner shared the adventure of capturing the BushMaster snake... the deadliest snake in Venezuela. He was planning on removing the specimen he captured to take back to the museum in NYC. Now was this going to be a simple cruise travelling back to the states, or a travel of terror? (I don’t want to give it away.)

This type of programming was the trademark for Escape  s the audience member would crane their ear closer...to hear the screams, gunfire, sound effects creating the storm to start their active imaginations into overdrive. The one word that could be called a constant with this show was “anxious”. Anxious listeners...anxious actors. Everyone was anxious to know the final act. That is adventure.