Escape | Old Time Radio
byOld Time Retro Radio
ArtsPerformingFictionDrama
Escape | Old Time Radio brings you gripping adventure, suspense, mystery, and psychological drama from the golden age of radio. Each episode transports listeners into dangerous situations, distant places, desperate struggles, and unforgettable stories of survival and the unknown. Each episode is an Old Time Retro Radio production, presenting the original broadcast with gently cleaned and mastered audio, a newly produced introduction and closing, and custom episode artwork. Escape became one of classic radio’s most acclaimed anthology series, adapting powerful stories of adventure, danger, horror, and suspense. Rediscover classic old time radio adventure, suspense, mystery, survival stories, thriller drama, and vi...
Episodes(40 episodes)
Escape - "Ancient Sorceries" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “Ancient Sorceries,” originally broadcast on CBS Radio Network on February 15, 1948. Episode 28 of the series adapts Algernon Blackwood’s supernatural short story, with Paul Frees, William Conrad, and Jeff Corey featured in the cast.A traveler’s overnight stop in an isolated Welsh village turns unsettling when its quiet, watchful residents seem to know him—though he is certain he has never visited before. Adapted by Les Crutchfield and directed by William N. Robson, this eerie tale gradually draws its stranger deeper into the village’s uncanny atmosphere.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produc...
Published: Oct 24, 2026Duration: 30m 29s
Escape - "The Man with the Steel Teeth" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Man with the Steel Teeth,” originally broadcast on CBS on March 15, 1953. This is episode 174 of the series, written by John Dehner and directed by Antony Ellis.In Moscow, American newspaper correspondent Arthur Henderson Luttrell is seized after an evening at the Bolshoi Ballet and taken to Lubyanka Prison. Under the scrutiny of Inspector Max Golovin, he faces a tense Cold War interrogation and a desperate struggle to understand what his captors want. The cast includes Harry Bartell, Jack Kruschen, Charlotte Lawrence, Stephen Roberts, and Paul Dubov.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newl...
Published: Oct 23, 2026Duration: 30m 31s
Escape - "Jimmy Goggles the God" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “Jimmy Goggles the God,” originally broadcast on CBS on March 7, 1948. Episode numbering varies by catalog: it is often listed as episode 31, while performance-count listings identify the March 7 broadcast as number 40. The drama adapts an H. G. Wells short story, written for radio by Les Crutchfield and directed by William N. Robson.On a remote South Seas island, a deep-sea diver becomes separated from safety and finds that his strange equipment has given the islanders a startling impression of who—or what—he might be. Paul Frees stars as George Herbert, with Jack Webb, Luis Van Rooten, and Parl...
Published: Oct 22, 2026Duration: 29m 1s
Escape - "Green Splotches" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “Green Splotches,” originally broadcast on CBS on March 31, 1950. This is episode 104 of the series’ Richfield Oil-sponsored Friday run, adapted by William N. Robson from T. S. Stribling’s science-fiction story “The Green Splotches.”A scientific expedition in the Andes encounters an unsettling mystery marked by strange green traces. As the explorers press farther into the South American wilderness, their assumptions about intelligence, technology, and the unknown are tested. William Conrad and Paul Frees head the cast.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered aud...
Published: Oct 21, 2026Duration: 29m 53s
Escape - "The Power of Hammer" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Power of Hammer,” originally broadcast on CBS Radio on October 15, 1950. Commonly listed as episode 128 of the series, it was the third episode of Escape’s 1950–51 season.In the Belgian Congo, safari guide Sam Kelly joins an official expedition into dangerous jungle territory controlled by Hammer, a fugitive white ruler whose influence over a remote tribe has made him a serious outlaw. Harry Bartell stars as Kelly, with Jack Kruschen as Hammer; the script was by Antony Ellis and Gil Doud, and Norman Macdonnell directed.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextu...
Published: Oct 20, 2026Duration: 30m 27s
Escape - "How Love Came to Professor Guildea" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “How Love Came to Professor Guildea,” originally broadcast on CBS on February 22, 1948, as episode #36. Adapted by Les Crutchfield from Robert Hichens’s 1900 supernatural story, the production was directed and produced by William N. Robson.In London’s West End, the fiercely rational Professor Guildea dismisses love, compassion, and faith—until an unsettling, unseen presence seems to enter his home and challenge everything he believes. Luis Van Rooten stars as Guildea, with Parley Baer as Father Murchison, the troubled professor’s friend and confidant.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short clos...
Published: Oct 19, 2026Duration: 30m 34s
Escape - "Operation Fleur De Lys" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “Operation Fleur De Lys,” originally broadcast on CBS on July 14, 1947. This early Escape episode is identified as episode 2.In occupied France in 1944, American OSS agents Duke and Hill parachute behind enemy lines to aid a small Maquis resistance force and disrupt German supply routes ahead of the Allied invasion. Adapted for radio by William N. Robson from a story by Stewart Alsop and Thomas Braden, the tense espionage drama stars Jack Webb, Elliott Lewis, and Harry Bartell.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently clea...
Published: Oct 18, 2026Duration: 30m 33s
Escape - "05 a Sleeping Draft" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “A Sleeping Draft,” originally broadcast April 5, 1953. Cataloged as episode 5304, this CBS Escape drama is adapted by S. A. Bolte from a short story by Weston Martyr and directed by Antony Ellis.A British convict transport sails from London toward Australia with hundreds of dangerous prisoners locked below deck. As sickness, stolen money, hidden weapons, and mounting distrust threaten discipline, the captain and his stern guard must contend with the formidable Jonathan Abbey. Ben Wright stars with John Dodsworth and Richard Peel.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short clos...
Published: Oct 17, 2026Duration: 30m 34s
Escape - "The Sire De Maletroit's Door" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Sire De Maletroit’s Door,” originally broadcast on CBS on August 4, 1947, as episode 5. This sustaining broadcast adapts Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1878 story, with Elliott Lewis and Peggy Webber featured in the cast.In France in 1429, young cavalier Denis de Beaulieu seeks refuge from a nighttime patrol through an inviting open door—only to find himself in the forbidding home of the Sire de Maletroit. Les Crutchfield’s radio adaptation, directed by William N. Robson, turns a desperate escape into a darkly romantic confrontation of mistaken identity and noble authority.Escape presents the original broadcast wi...
Published: Oct 16, 2026Duration: 30m 19s
Escape - "The Most Dangerous Game" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Most Dangerous Game,” originally broadcast on CBS on October 1, 1947, as episode 8. Adapted by Irving Ravetch from Richard Connell’s celebrated short story, the drama stars Paul Frees as Sanger Rainsford and Hans Conried as General Zaroff.After becoming separated from his yacht near a remote Caribbean island, renowned hunter Rainsford reaches shore in search of help. What begins as refuge in an isolated estate becomes a tense test of nerve, ingenuity, and survival against an unnervingly sophisticated host.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and ge...
Published: Oct 14, 2026Duration: 30m 32s
Escape - "The Red Mark" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Red Mark,” originally broadcast on CBS on February 21, 1950. Often listed as episode 111, this tense drama was adapted by Les Crutchfield and Manny Grotnik from a short story by John Russell, and directed by William N. Robson.At a French penal colony in New Caledonia, convict-barber Dumai and his young friend Bijou find themselves caught in the shadow of the colony’s feared executioner and his troubled wife. William Conrad stars as Dumai, with Harry Bartell, Will Geer, and Barbara Whiting.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closin...
Published: Oct 13, 2026Duration: 30m 29s
Escape - "El Guitarrero" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “El Guitarrero,” originally broadcast on CBS on April 19, 1953. Episode numbering varies among surviving guides, which list it as either episode 172 or 179. Written by E. Jack Neuman and directed by Antony Ellis, the drama features Eddie Firestone and Jack Kruschen.In Mexico, an American poet seeks the help of El Guitarrero when the poet’s wife is kidnapped for ransom. Their uneasy alliance leads into a tense confrontation, with guitar music lending the story much of its distinctive atmosphere.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently...
Published: Oct 12, 2026Duration: 30m 33s
Escape - "The Bird of Paradise" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Bird of Paradise,” originally broadcast on CBS on March 11, 1954. Common sequential listings identify it as episode 205, though numbering varies among surviving catalogs. John Dehner stars as fortune hunter Andrew Harben in this adaptation by John Meston of a short story by John Russell, directed and produced by Norman Macdonnell.Harben’s pursuit of a rare bird-of-paradise takes him through the East Indies and across the Solomon Sea to a remote tropical island. There, the promise of a valuable prize brings competing ambitions into uneasy conflict.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produc...
Published: Oct 11, 2026Duration: 29m 57s
Escape - "The Country of the Blind" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Country of the Blind,” an archival episode of the CBS Radio adventure series Escape. This local archival recording is one of several Escape adaptations of H. G. Wells’s classic short story, dramatized for radio by John Dunkel.After surviving a fall in the high Andes, mountain guide Juan Nuñez finds a hidden valley whose people have lived without sight for generations. Certain that his vision gives him an advantage, Nuñez struggles to explain a world the villagers neither know nor need—while becoming drawn to Medina-Saroté, the daughter of an elder. Paul Frees, Edmo...
Published: Oct 10, 2026Duration: 30m 30s
Escape - "The Man Who Won the War ALT1" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Man Who Won the War,” originally broadcast on CBS on February 28, 1950 (episode 100). This alternate archival recording features Ben Wright, John Dehner, and Paul Frees in a William N. Robson adaptation of Robert Buckner’s story.In October 1914, British destroyer commander Edward Bradman patrols the North Sea near the Flanders coast when a desperate signal from shore forces him to weigh a difficult wartime decision. Set amid the uncertainty of World War I’s opening months, the drama brings naval danger and divided responsibilities into sharp focus.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly pr...
Published: Oct 9, 2026Duration: 29m 54s
Escape - "The Man Who Liked Dickens" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Man Who Liked Dickens,” originally broadcast on CBS on December 21, 1952 (episode 162). Adapted by John Meston from Evelyn Waugh’s 1933 short story, the drama stars Terry Kilburn and Joseph Kearns.In the remote Brazilian jungle, a weakened English traveler, Paul Henty, finds refuge with the isolated Mr. McMaster, whose devotion to Charles Dickens is as remarkable as it is unsettling. This darkly ironic tale of survival and hospitality was directed and produced by Antony Ellis.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio...
Published: Oct 8, 2026Duration: 29m 52s
Escape - "Misfortunes Isle ALT2" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “Misfortunes Isle ALT2,” originally broadcast March 21, 1948, and generally listed as episode 33. This CBS seafaring adventure was adapted by Les Crutchfield from Richard Matthews Hallet’s story “Misfortune’s Isle,” with William N. Robson producing and directing.In 1790 Manila, American trader Captain Arad sees opportunity in the pirate threat near Borneo. With his friend Yang Po and their crews, he sets out toward Misfortune’s Isle on a dangerous voyage shaped by colonial politics, uncertain alliances, and the perils of the sea. Paul Frees stars as Arad, joined by Virginia Gregg and William Conrad.Escape presents the o...
Published: Oct 7, 2026Duration: 29m 14s
Escape - "The Country of the Blind" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “20 the Country of the Blind,” episode 4903, originally broadcast March 20, 1949. This CBS adaptation of H. G. Wells’s “The Country of the Blind” was written by John Dunkel and produced and directed by Norman Macdonnell, starring Edmond O’Brien as mountain guide Juan Nuñez.After surviving a perilous journey in Ecuador’s high Andes, Nuñez finds an isolated valley community whose understanding of the world challenges everything he knows. Berry Kroeger and Peggy Webber co-star in this fantastical adventure of discovery, communication, and belonging.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual intro...
Published: Oct 6, 2026Duration: 30m 56s
Escape - "The Return ALT1" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “The Return,” originally broadcast on CBS on April 1, 1954, as episode 208. This Kathleen Hite drama was directed by Norman Macdonnell and features Lawrence Dobkin and William Conrad.In a walled North African city, a weary traveler confides in a blind beggar about his wish to leave hardship behind and find a perfect refuge. The beggar offers a path toward that dream, setting the traveler on an unsettling, parable-like search for the life he believes he wants.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audi...
Published: Oct 5, 2026Duration: 28m 59s
Escape - "Leiningen Vs the Ants" (Old Time Radio)
Escape presents “23 Leiningen Vs the Ants,” originally broadcast May 23, 1948. This archival recording is identified as episode number 4805. William Conrad stars as Leiningen in Robert Ryf’s radio adaptation of Carl Stephenson’s “Leiningen Versus the Ants,” directed by Norman Macdonnell.At an isolated Amazon jungle plantation, Leiningen receives a dire warning from a district commissioner: an immense army of deadly ants is advancing. Determined not to abandon his land or the people depending on him, he prepares to face an unstoppable force of nature with nerve, planning, and every resource available.Escape presents the original broadcast with a newly...
Published: Oct 4, 2026Duration: 30m 33s