ESCAPE -- HQ version (entire series)

[Executive]

If anyone wants the entire run of ESCAPE (1947 to 1954), I have a digitally remastered version of well over 200 episodes. They aren't perfect, but a lot of these seem to be in very good to excellent condition. and most are 13+ MB each.

Just provide your MediaMax ID and I'll send them.

I'd be interested in the Sears Radio Theater in return. :) My MediaMax ID # is Executive3


Thanks,

JEFF

[Vergergc]

Jeff,

The Sears Mutual Radio Theater is on the way.

I'd appreciate the ESCAPE series being sent to Vergergc.


Enjoy,
Kent

[Executive]

In spite of how slow MediaMax is this morning....

....You got it, Cyrano de Vergergc. ;)

Thanks for the Sears / Mutual Theater series.

[Charlie]

Jeff,

Tell us about this series.

Charlie

[Executive]

OK, Charlie! :)

ESCAPE is a classic adventure series, which for 7 years often aired back to back on the CBS Radio Network with their megahit SUSPENSE.

Although the two programs are often different in tone, a lot of the same guest stars turn up....including William Conrad throughout the entire ESCAPE series, and later on all regular cast members of the radio version of GUNSMOKE appeared in multiple episodes. There was one story set in deep space that featured Conrad, Howard McNear, and Parley Baer as astronauts!! I think Georgia Ellis (Kitty in the radio GUNSMOKE) was in that too.

The connection between this was after GUNSMOKE producer Norman McDonnell replaced original producer William N. Robson, although Conrad had worked for Robson too both here and later in the 1950s when Robson became the producer of SUSPENSE.

I noticed that with the earliest 8 episodes, when ESCAPE began as summer series in 1947 that the show had an elaborate budget for both original musical scores (including terrific theme music) and sound effects. Unfortunately, because ESCAPE didn't have a sponsor for a long time CBS cut corners, and the show was given a lower budget for extended periods. Gone was the beautifully orchestrated music. Instead Ivan Ditmars was brought in to play the organ! Although he did it quite well, organ music is far less effective in any action show. So eventually the organ was again replaced by an orchestra full-time.

But there were periods of sponsorship. For example, Ford Motor Company sponsored a few shows. Then Richfield Oil signed on for five months in 1950.
At various times before and after, CBS would air promos for their other shows as well as public service announcements.

The stories presented on ESCAPE could take place anywhere in the world and in any time period past or present. Unlike SUSPENSE, this series frequently ventured into science fiction and fantasy territory. The famous H.G. Wells story "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" is one of the lighter tales, and the sound effect of the title character making his wishes was re-used by the sound man on TV's The Wild Wild West in 1966 and 67 (in the 2 episodes with magician Count Manzeppi played by Victor Buono).

The acting is first rate, and Harry Bartell was in about 56 of the 230 episodes, includinng a version of "Three Skelton Key" (remade on SUSPENSE with Vincent Price). John Dehner was another favorite of listeners, so McDonnell had him in a lot of episodes too.

Ray Bradbury's "Mars is Heaven" was one of the more repeated tales, as were "Leiningen vs. the Ants", and "Country of the Blind". Some of these and several other stories were either remade on SUSPENSE or were remaking SUSPENSE episodes.

Beginning with Season 2 in 1947 until the end in 1954, there was an intro to every episode:

"Tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure?
Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!”

The above introduction would later become the most often used, but it would be modified several times even in the same month for variety (such as mentioning income tax, screaming kids, overdue bills, and Christmas shopping!!).

Paul Frees was the original intro guy, replaced around the 11th or 12th episode by William Conrad. Both men continue to act on the series, appearing together in some of the stories early on. Ironically, Conrad was soon replaced by another narrator (but he eventually returned on a permanent basis). There must have been a lot of behind the scenes turmoil in the way this show was produced!

Although SUSPENSE was the best of the best, ESCAPE can hold its own and frequently matches it in quality. Both shows are often more entertaining than CBS Radio Mystery Theater, because neither had a host....or for that matter a host constantly appearing in between acts giving you his opinions the way E.G. Marshall did. ;)

[Executive]

As I've been listening to ESCAPE for this second go-around, I noticed that a few from this collection were corrupted on the Mediamax site. I'm well into the 2nd Season, and I noticed that neither the East Coast or West Coast versions of "The Grove of Ashtaroth" (episode 30) and "Log of the Evening Star" (episode 32) can't be downloaded. The same with "Jack John Todd" ( # 39 ) and "The Match" ( #41 ) No doubt there will be others that I just haven't gotten to yet. Anyone have copies of either of those 4 stories? :)

Also: Even though the a lot of these are HQ, some are the lesser-quality copies that have been previously circulating.

[Executive]

Well, since I'm on a roll typing to myself with no responses I'll continue just in case somebody is actually enjoying listening to ESCAPE and reading these posts. :)

I found this partial review on another site:

ESCAPE, as a series, started as a summer replacement for half of the
hour normally occupied by THE LUX RADIO THEATER. It then aired for
the 1947-1948 season, on Sundays. During the early half of 1948,
broadcast day was different on east and west coast. Although the
same scripts were used for both east and west cost shows, the opening
was different. The west coast versions used organ music in place of
the full orchestra of the east coast versions. The series again went
to different days for east and west coasts in 1950, but in this case,
the show was the same for both broadcasts.

Unlike the other CBS adventure series, SUSPENSE, which ran from June
1942 to September 1962 almost without interruption, ESCAPE seemed to
have a rough life. It was frequently moved to different days through
out it's run. There were even a couple of long gaps where ESCAPE
left the air, for example, from August 30, 1951 to October 12, 1952.
Still, thanks to solid scripts, excellent acting and high production
values, ESCAPE is remembered as one of the best radio action adventure
series.

ESCAPE was sustained by CBS for all shows, except for April 21, 1950
through August 25, 1950, when it was sponsored by Richfield Oil.

[MTVEngineer]

Sounds like this is a show I would really enjoy. Can you send a set to my MediaMax account at Lionelh2? Thanks in Advance

[Executive]

You have it, Lionel. :)

[julieta001]

I love Escape! That's right up there with CBSRMT as my favorite show to listen to. Can you send the files to my MediaMax account (which is julieta001)?

Thanks!

[Executive]

One of my favorite episodes of ESCAPE is "Pressure", in which William Conrad plays a troubled captain of a submarine that is severely damaged in combat. That story had some of the best sound effects the show ever offered, and it is one of the high-quality recordings in this collection.

The SUSPENSE series was great too....although not so much in the primitive early seasons. That series started getting good around 1946 or 1947, and hit its creative peak throughout all of the 1950s. I finished listening to all of the 900+ episodes last year, which was pre-MediaMax for me.

[leroy]

I would like to listen to these great shows again. my account is leroyleroy. many thanks friend.

[Executive]

I would like to listen to these great shows again. my account is leroyleroy. many thanks friend.
Sent it. Sent it. :)

[Executive]

Hey, guys.... Somebody sent me another ESCAPE HQ set of episodes this evening, but many, many more of these are in excellent condition. I spend about an hour & 1/2 tonight sifting through the ones that I previously skipped on the last go-around, either because the audio was so poor last time and / or were episodes I never heard before. Out of 230 I came up with 57, and I'm sure about 95% of them never sounded this good before!

To name a few, that includes "The Derelict", "The Voyages of Sinbad", "Robert of Huntington" (another version of Robin Hood), "The Heart of Kali", "The Boiling Sea", "The Target", "The Man with the Steel Teeth", and "The Birds" by Daphne DeMaurier -- a story which 9 years later would be made into a major motion picture by Alfred Hitchcock.

One of the other missing episodes from earlier collections is "I Saw Myself Running", which is a unique story about a woman's horrifying descent into insanity as she hallucinates and it's told from her point of view in the form of a very lucid dream! That was later remade as a SUSPENSE episode. The remake was slightly superior because of its original score by Jerry Goldsmith.

There are still a few here and there which are just as poor as every other copy I heard such as the sci-fi tale "Green Splotches" and one I still haven't heard all the way through, and probably never will because the audio is awful: "Carnival in Vienna".

If you want me to send this batch to you, let me know. Just a word of caution: There are 481 of these, so there are lots of duplicates. In many cases some are East Coast and West Coast broadcasts of the same CBS shows. In others they may be reruns or Armed Forces versions. To avoid confusion in most cases, download the version titled in all lowercase: those are usually the ones with the best audio!


JEFF