Thursday, October 2, 2025

Comedy Stars on Suspense, Day 2: Phil Harris and Alice Faye!

Today's Suspense episode is "Death on My Hands" (May 10, 1951) with the husband/wife radio comedy couple Phil Harris and Alice Faye, stars of their own series the Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show (1946-1954)!

In this episode, Harris plays a character very much like himself - a jazz musician named "Dixie." While stopped in a small town, Dixie's gun accidentally goes off and kills a teenage girl. With no police in town, Dixie intends to wait until they return so he can clear up the situation-- but then a lynch mob forms outside his hotel, intent on storming the building!

The script was written by John Michael Hayes, a long-time Suspense writer, but after Alfred Hitchcock listened to the program he hired Hayes to work on his film Rear Window; Hayes left radio behind for the movies, meaning this episode of Suspense was a little too good for the show! I think Phil and Alice came off very well in this program; it's definitely a rarity to hear Harris in dramatic role, especially a story with such a daunting situation.

Tomorrow: Henry Morgan!

No comments: