Comedy Stars on Suspense, Day 1: Jim and Marian Jordan!

Often at Halloween, I like to spend each day of October looking at a single episode of a terrific old-time radio program that falls into the horror or suspense genre. And what series better fits that descriptor than Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills?

But this year, I'm looking at 31 episodes of Suspense that feature a leading performance by an actor best known for their work in comedy. This was an innovation Suspense fell into very early on, to use their program as a showcase for comedic talents to flex their dramatic muscles and demonstrate more of their range than what their ususal radio/film roles provided. Did it always work? That's one of the questions I'll be asking!

Let's start with: "Backseat Driver" (February 3, 1949). featuring the husband/wife duo Jim and Marian Jordan, better known as Fibber McGee and Molly, a pair of radio comedians (their show ran from 1935-1959). The Jordans play a married couple coming back from the movies who find themselves held at gunpoint by an escaped criminal who forces them to transport him in their car.

The Jordans come off very well in this story. I think it helps that as Fibber McGee and Molly they were always very laid-back homefolk- they're very similar people in "Backseat Driver."

The script was performed two more times on Suspense (February 22, 1951 and July 19, 1955), but without the Jordans.

Tomorrow: Phil Harris and Alice Faye!