Inner Sanctum Halloween Month: day 17 of 31: "Elixir Number Four"

Aw, yeah! Richard Widmark! This episode of Inner Sanctum is sometimes called "Elixir Number Four" and sometimes called "The Man Who Couldn't Die," depending on whom you ask. I first heard the story introduced as "Elixir Number Four," so that's the title I'm sticking with. Whatever you call it, it was originally broadcast February 12, 1946.

Richard Widmark -- who could always be counted on for a playing a great smarmy character (as in The Colorblind Formula) -- portrays a young man who learns his girlfriend's father has invented a formula which grants eternal life to the one who uses it. But really, the formula is merely a MacGuffin to get the plot rolling -- really the story is about Widmark's growing interest in the formula, plot to murder the professor and then how his scheme comes undone.

This episode was hosted by Paul McGrath and starred Richard Widmark. This marks the last episode of Inner Sanctum Mystery I'll be featuring in this series which includes Lipton commercials with Mary Bennett. "Good riddance," say most listeners. You can listen to this episode at archive.org by clicking here.