 Hello and welcome to Behind the Mic from otrpodcast.com. I'm your host, Austin Vaak, and on this podcast we'll explore the history behind many of Oltime Radio's greatest performances. We'll be jumping around from series to series, picking one episode each week, and together we'll learn about the actors, producers, sponsors, and more before listening to that full episode as it was originally broadcast. If you have feedback for today's show or have a great idea for a future podcast, please send me an email at contactatotrpodcast.com. I'd love to hear from you. Today's episode will begin after a brief message from our sponsor. My introduction to Oltime Radio began at a young age after my parents got a few cassette tapes featuring popular radio programs like Dragonet, Lights Out, Inner Sanctum, and Suspense. My brother and I shared a room with the time, and we both loved falling asleep listening to those old radio shows. Of all the episodes we listened to, one of the most memorable for me was the House and Cypress Canyon from the radio program Suspense. I remember being terrified while listening to that episode, but I couldn't stop listening because I had to know how it ended. While preparing for this podcast, I did some research, and it appears that it wasn't the only one who thought it was scary. According to John Dunning, known in OTR circles for his encyclopedias on Oltime Radio, the episode is frequently cited as one of the most terrifying programs broadcast during radio's golden age. The plot is presented as a story within a story, framed by a meeting between Detective Sam Spade, a character who also appeared on his own radio program, which we'll cover in a future episode, and a real estate agent named Jerry who has discovered a manuscript in a currently unfinished house in Cypress Canyon. After brief introduction, the narrative shifts to the story presented within the manuscript. I won't go into further detail because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't already heard it, but trust me it's worth a listen. As you listen to the episode, listen for the voice of the real estate agent. He's played by Hans Conreed, who voiced Captain Hook in Walt Disney's Peter Pan. The characters of the detective Sam Spade and the main character Ellen Woods are performed by Howard Duff and Kathy Lewis. Now, being from Seattle myself, I found it interesting that both of those actors were born in Washington State. Howard Duff was born in what is now Bremerton, Washington, and Kathy Lewis was, I believe, born in Spokane. This episode first aired on December 5th, 1946, and despite being very popular was never performed again. On that same day in history, President Truman issued executive order 9808, creating a 16-member presidential committee on civil rights and José Carreras, a Spanish opera singer and one of the three tenors, was born in Barcelona. Now without further ado, please enjoy The House in Cypress Canyon. And now Roma Wines, R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, present. Suspense. Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Robert Taylor in The House in Cypress Canyon, a suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense. Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine, for friendly entertaining, for delightful dining. Yes, right now, a glassful would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you Robert Taylor, star of Metro Golden Mayor's undercurrent, in a remarkable tale of suspense. Merry Christmas, Jerry. How's the real estate business? Kind of early with your greeting, aren't you, Sam? Well, I gotta get them in sometime. I mean, I'll see you again until next Christmas. This real estate racket gets any crazy, I'll be dead by next Christmas. I'm glad you could get up here, though, Sam. What's on your mind, Jerry? You'll probably shoot me when you hear it, Sam, because I'm probably nuts. But, Dargon, you're a detective and you're my pal, and I just had to tell somebody. You sound like it's serious. That's just it. I don't know what it is, Sam, but listen, you know we're agents for a group of houses up in Cypress Canyon, those places that were started before the war never got finished. All they got in were the foundations, just concrete and a couple of beams. Well, they've been finished now. In fact, I'm putting up the for rent on the last of them today. What do you want? Police protection from the mob? Yeah. Listen, Sam, this house that I'm talking about, it's got a number now, 2256. But before when the men went back to work on it about three months ago, well, they just started when the foreman on the job brought me a shoe box that he'd found up on a beam. And this box had a, what do you call it, a manuscript in it, a story kind of, all written out. Yeah. Well, he gave me the thing. I read it. I didn't think much about it. I put it in my desk. But the other day, and I happened to drive by there, I saw the number on the house and what the house looked like. I thought of this manuscript and, well, I don't like it. That's all. There's something funny about it. What's funny about it? Well, mind you, this thing was found in an unfinished house in Cypress Canyon. Cypress was only just started building. All right. Well, listen, Sam, I want to read it to you if you've got the time and you'll see what I mean. Oh, I should. Well, here's how it begins. To whom it may concern, my reasons for setting down on paper what follows here will be abundantly clear to anyone into whose possession it may fall. First let me say that I'm a very ordinary person. My name is James A. Woods. I'm 35 years old. My profession a chemical engineer. My wife, Ellen, was a school teacher when I met and married her in Indiana seven years ago. There's nothing in the past life of either one of us to suggest remotely any cause or reason for the dreadful thing that has invaded our lives. Our married life has been in no way different from that of millions of other average, reasonably happy and congenial families. Three months ago, I was ordered by my firm to take charge of a rather minor project in Los Angeles, Hollywood, to be exact. The order was a sudden one. There had been no time to secure accommodations and conditions being what they are. The inevitable result was that until day before yesterday, we'd been living in the cramped quarters of one of those characteristic California motels. Needless to say, most of our spare time had been devoted to a search for something more permanent and comfortable, but the fruits of these efforts had been, financially and in every other way, a geometrical progression of discouragement. Until last Saturday afternoon, only four days before Christmas, we were driving into town on our way to a movie when Ellen saw it. Jim, look. What? That sign in front of that real estate office. Oh, yeah. But don't you see what it says? Forent, furnished, two-bedroom house, close in, immediate occupancy. Yeah. Aren't you going to stop? Oh, Ellen, you know a sign like that. It'd mean right out in plain sight in front of a real estate office. Oh, yeah, but Jim. Either they want $600 a month. We'll never know until we ask. If it's any good at all, there are probably 50 people fighting for it right back there now. Well, honey, there's no harm in trying. Now, is there? You really want to go back? Oh, it's probably foolish. But what can we lose? Oh, OK. Oh, darling. Come on. Cheer up. How do you know? Maybe our luck's changed. Maybe fate's going to give us a nice new house for a Christmas present. We're sorry to bother you, but we just happened to see that for rent sign outside. Oh, yeah. I hung it outside just this minute. Is the house available? Why, sure. Sure it is. Let me introduce myself. My name is James A. Woods, and this is my wife, Ellen. How to dole. Wow. Looks like it's fixing to rain. Yes. So it does, doesn't it? Well, it was one of those things the real estate agent had just been authorized to rent the place by mail that morning. And he'd hardly had time to look at it himself and put up his sign when we drove up. It was just an ordinary little California house about halfway up Cypress Canyon. Number 2256. That's an ordinary, undistinguished little house. The agent didn't know much about it. Construction on it had been stopped by the war, and it had just been completed and furnished lately. Been vacant while somebody's estate was being settled, and now it was owned by a bank in Sacramento. Of course, we didn't come out of it. We got this key in the mail along with the authorization to rent. Only one there is, of course you can have duplicates made. It seems to stick a little. Oh, no, there it is. The sound as though that door had ever been opened. Well, a little oil on the hinges would fix that, all right. Oh, sure. Now, here's your living room. Furniture's a little dusty, of course. You've got to expect that. It's good furniture, though, you see? Benson Brothers. Yes, uh-huh. Now, over here's a little den. Panel, you see? Radio, fireplace, really a very attractive little room, particularly for a man. Uh-huh, yep. Now, the bedroom's off the living room here. Everything's all on one floor, you understand? Uh-huh. It's quite nice, I think. Yes. Uh-huh. You can see you get the morning sun here. There's a view of the canyon through these front windows. You've got to cross that way. That's about all there was to it. It wasn't the best place in the world. It was small and badly built, but what would you have done? We took it with as little inspection as that. It was the Saturday before Christmas. And the very same evening, we were struggling up the steps from the road with suitcases and boxes and arm loads of clothes and all the endless brick of rack that people collect and never know they have until they move. Ellen began unpacking, and I began moving things around and taking the worst of the pictures off the wall, doing all the little things that everybody does when they move into a new place and try to give it something of their own personal. Don't be such a sour-puss. You know, it's a roof over our heads for Christmas. That's more than we ever thought we'd get, isn't it? Now, what in the world are we going to do with those two pictures? Why don't we just leave them where they are? Jim, we can't. They're too awful. Well, all right. Put them in the closet then. I can't. Both the closets are jam-full. No, I mean the other one and the little alcove off the den. At least there's a door there. I suppose it's a closet. Yeah. That isn't a commentary on the housing problem, huh? A woman moving into a house without even knowing where all the closets are. Take the pictures down. What do you, honey? Bring them in here. Okay, okay. All right. I guess you'll have to help me with this door. I can't get it open. Let me see it. Well, of course you can't, silly. It's locked. Where are those keys we found on the desk? Here they are. Not this one. I'm sure this one won't work. Well, it feels like an awful solid door for a closet. Oh, and that's one solid door in the house. Well, this one won't do it either. Well, we'll just have to get a locksmith up here on Monday. I'll put the pictures behind the desk, okay? Yeah, yeah, all right. Jim, if you could just help me move this armchair, huh? Oh, Ellen, will you let it go until tomorrow? You know what time it is? Oh, but, honey, I'd like to get the place looking just a little bit. Yeah, but it's almost midnight. In fact, it's exactly... What was that? Tomcat, I guess, out in the brush somewhere. Sounded near. Oh, hope that doesn't go on all night. There's as much we can do about it. Come on, Ellen, I'm dead tired. All right, Jim, all right. Where'd you put the toothpaste, honey? It's right in the medicine cabinet. Oh, yeah. Jim, we ought to get some firewood tomorrow. You know, a fire in that living room would make all the difference in the world. Make a camp Sunday. Well, Monday then. Jim, I think red curtains are what we need, don't you? Mm-hmm. You know, just at least for the living room. Anyway, the ones in there now have just got to come down. Yeah, I suppose they do. Well, I guess it's... Jim. It's some Tomcat. Jim, it sounded in the house. Well, how could it be in the house, Ellen? We've been over every inch of the house. Except the closet. How could a cat or anything else be in the closet that's been locked up for over a year? Oh, I don't know. It's probably under the house of Wildcat or Mountain Lion or something. I hear they have them in California. Jim, I don't like it. Well, neither do I like it, but there's nothing we can do about it tonight. Well, maybe we ought to call somebody, the police, or some neighbor. Oh, don't be silly, Ellen. You act like a kid. Come on, let's go to bed, huh? All right, I suppose it is silly. Jimmy, did you lock the door? Yeah, yeah. Can I turn out the lights now? Yeah. All right. Good night, Ellen. Sleep tight. Good night, Jim. I don't know what time it was, perhaps an hour, or perhaps only a half hour later. My mind was in that hazy borderland between sleep and a dream that's still part of consciousness. Then I was awake. Ellen, are you all right? Yes. Did you have a nightmare or something? I heard it, too. Well, that didn't sound like any cat. Put on the light. Yeah. I wish it. It seemed to be out there, Jim, in the house somewhere. I'm going to look into this. Jim, you be careful. Come on. Where's my shotgun? In the den, I think. Jim. What? There's something wet. What? Wet? Running from under the closet door. Sticky. Ellen, don't. Don't touch it. I had to. Jim, it's blood. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Robert Taylor in the house in Cyprus Canyon. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. Suspense. Between the acts of suspense, this is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. These days before Christmas are busy ones indeed, yet smart hostesses everywhere find time for shopping and distinguished home entertaining later. The secret? Magnificent Grand Estate Wines. Presented by Roma, America's greatest vintner, Grand Estate Wines add distinction to your hospitality on a moment's notice. Make your holiday welcome, effortless and in perfect taste. The brilliant clarity, full fragrance and mellow taste of Grand Estate Wines, please discriminating people everywhere. For Grand Estate Wines, limited bottlings by Roma are born of choicest grapes, then patiently guided to superb taste richness by Roma vintner skill, necessary time, and America's finest winemaking resources. Delight your guests with Grand Estate California Wines for entertaining, medium sherry, ruby port or golden muscatel. For dining, burgundy or so-turn. So insist on grand estate wines enjoy the crowning achievement of vintner skill. And now, Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Robert Taylor as James A. Woods with Kathy Lewis as his wife Ellen in the house in Cyprus Canyon. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. It cannot be too difficult to understand from the foregoing why I've taken the pains to sit down and writing the events related here. To find in one's newly rented house a closet which cannot be opened is in itself certainly no great cause for alarm. But to be awakened in the stillness of the night by unearthly cries within that house to find oozing from under that closet door something that is unquestionably blood. That's another matter. Perhaps others might have been braver than we. Suffice it only to say that we got out of the house in something very close to a panic and only returned when we had the moral support of the English police. You just moved in here, you're saying? That's right, officer. You can see we're still unpacking. And the place has been empty right along before that? I don't know much about that part of it. You could check all that with the real estate agent, though. Well, where is this closet? Oh, it's right in here, officer. And the blood, the blood is... Where? Where's the blood? Jim? Officer, I swear to you, there was blood on the floor less than an hour ago. I saw it. It was running out from under that door. You heard that noise and we got up and then we saw it. The door was locked. Locked, huh? Well, it seems to be all right now. Hey, uh... You folks aren't trying to be funny, are you? Is...isn't there anything in it? No, ma'am. There is not. Look, officer, we're reputable people. You can call my firm. They'll tell you all about me. There's nothing wrong with this closet. Walls are solid. No trap doors. You think I'm lying? I didn't say that, mister. Oh, you probably did hear some sort of a noise and you got a little panicky and, uh... What about the blood? It...it got on my hand. It isn't there now, is it? Yes. Where? I feel it. Now you folks, just take it easy. You know you're liable to hear all kinds of noises up in these canyons at night? You're, uh, from the east, you say? Uh, yeah. I'm sorry, officer. Ah, that's all right. That's all right. If you have any real trouble, call on us any time. All right. Well, good night. Good night. Good night. Hey. You ought to have this door fixed. That's enough to scare you. Yeah, we're going to have it fixed. We didn't say much about it after that. There wasn't much that could be said. The next day, I went down to a lot and bought a little Christmas tree and some trimmings and we tried to pretend we were cheerful, but there was an uneasiness between us that had never been there before. Ellen seemed tired and listless. Several times during the day, I noticed her washing her hands with a... with a brush, scrubbing the one that had touched the blood. That night, we each took a sleeping pill and went to bed. There was some time after midnight when I was suddenly wide awake and staring into the darkness. In some way, I knew at once and instinctively what had awakened me. Ellen was not in her bed nor in the room. The nameless thing I feared gripped at my heart until I could scarcely breathe. I opened the bedroom door and started through the house, putting on every light that I could find. There was not much to search, but I searched thoroughly. The living room, the kitchen, bathroom, day and even the garage. And all the time, the dread of looking where I knew at last I must look. For I think I knew from the very first time where I'd find her. It must have been a full minute that I stood before that closet door. Then, I opened it. She stood there rigid, her arms at her sides. Her fingers extended like claws. Her hair was over her face. Her eyes stared out of it. Her lips were drawn back in a grin like an animal at bay. For a moment, I was frozen with the horror of it. I stretched out my hand. Very deliberately, she turned her head and sunk her teeth until they met into the flesh of my forearm. I'd raised my hand to strike at her, but already she'd relaxed her hold and gone utterly limp. She would have fallen unless I'd caught her. I carried her into the bedroom or later on the bed. Strangely, at that moment, my only thought was how I might revive her. Until I saw that it was... it was not a faint but a sleep that she'd fallen into. A sleep as deep and heavy as though she'd been drugged. And so I left her. That night... there was no sleep. Yes, Ellen? Oh, I got a little restless. I'd make some coffee. Oh, and I feel so rested. Do you? Jim. What? What's the matter with your arm? Oh, I just heard it. Well, honey, it's terribly swollen. Let me see it. No, it's all right, Ellen. Oh, it isn't all right? You've got to see Dr. Wesley right away. Sure, I will. No, now you promise me, Jim, that you'll go the first thing this morning. Oh, I... there was a dog. A dog? Yeah, I... I heard him trying to chew through the screen door. I went out to chase him away and he bit me. Oh, is all that racket? I didn't even wake up. No, Ellen, you didn't even wake up. It was clear to me that Ellen knew nothing of what had transpired the night before. I went to my office that morning and made a pretense of going over routine business if only to restore my mind to some semblance of calm and sight and sound of common, familiar things. Pain in my arm had become a persistent, dull throbbing. I made a late appointment with Dr. Wesley. He treated my arm with something of an arched eyebrow and he said... Well, I've never seen anything quite like it before. That is such a rapid onset of infection. It was dark when I left his office. I hadn't realized it was so late. Driving home, my car seemed sluggish until I saw the needle on the dashboard and realized that I was pushing it to the utmost of its speed. I was racing home to prevent... prevent something before it was too late for the darkness that inspired against me. For somehow, I already knew with certainty that it was the darkness and the night that I had to fear. The curves of the canyon seemed endless. And then the cold fear leaked up inside me. My house, too, was dark. I went slowly up the stone steps in the road, looking, praying for some kind of light or light. There was none. The house was empty. Ellen was gone. I looked with the same self-touching thoroughness and in that closet, first of all, knowing as I did so, there was hopeless. And so, alone in that empty house, I waited. Powerless and helpless now. Deadened in thought and will. Empty as the house itself. Save only for the overwhelming sense of a terrible foreboding. There's some time in the early hours of the morning when I snapped on the radio, shortwave. Why, surely a minor question now. I only know that I did. And then I heard it. Car 58, car 58, go to Laurel Canyon, the 4000 block. A report that a man has been injured or attacked. Conditions thought to be critical. Ambulance will follow. That is all. I was there almost before the police, edging my way through the little crowd, staring down at the man lying there in his white uniform under the street light. Yeah, the milk man for a guy. I heard him scream, but when I got here, just like this. Stand back, stand back. Please, please stand back. Well, you again. I heard it on the radio. I lived just down the road. Yeah, yeah, I remember. What happened? Well, take a look. You can tell us. He was dead. He was lying on his back. And his throat had been torn out as though by the fangs of some wild animal. It is now Christmas Eve, or rather Christmas morning, for it's a little after midnight. I've been waiting here. Here in the stillness of this empty house for nearly 24 hours, waiting for the end. Already once tonight, I've heard that dreadful wailing cry somewhere in the hills. I've nailed up the closet door, but that I know was childish and useless. My arm is horribly swollen and turning black, but that's nothing. It's another end that I foresee, as surely as other men foresee the rising of the sun. I hear the cry again. It's nearer now. I shall leave these notes in a sealed envelope and put it in a shoebox in the hope that someone will give credence to these dark and terrible events. If indeed such nameless horrors can ever yield to mortal understanding. As for myself, I feel no longer any fear or even sorrow. Only a desire that the end and the thing that I must do may come soon, and it will be soon. I know. Yes. But there is someone left to go. Ahh! It's quite a yarn. But what of it? That's what I thought. Now listen, that's not quite all of it. Clip to it's a newspaper clip. Listen. Hollywood December the 26th. Police reported what was apparently a case of murder and suicide in Cyprus Canyon sometime in the early hours of the morning. The victims were James A. Woods, a chemical engineer, and his wife Ellen. Preliminary investigation indicates that Mrs. Woods was killed by the blast of a shotgun in the hands of a husband who then turned the weapon upon himself. That she fought desperately for her life, however, was evidenced by the disorder of the room and the severe lacerations inflicted upon her husband about the neck and arms. This is the second tragedy to be reported in Cyprus Canyon within 24 hours. The other being the unexplained death of Frank Polanski, a milkman. Well, no such murders or whatever they were ever occurred if that's what's worrying you. The clipping. Yeah, those things printed up, you know. No, no, it's not that, Sam. That story was found in an unfinished house in Cyprus Canyon, no number, no nothing, just a framework. Now that house is finished. When I drove by it today, but that's what stopped me, Sam, because it all fits. Now that it's finished, it is the house and the story, the same construction, the same vines and creepers on the lawn, even the same number. So what, a guy who knows roughly what this house is going to be like, writes a yarn and loses it or something? Did he know the place was going to be listed for rental today, the Saturday before Christmas? Jerry, coincidence. Two bits you find the guy next door as a ghost story writer or something and he's been wondering for a year what happened to that thing he wrote. Okay. Okay, coincidence. Well, I'm sorry I bothered you, Sam. Don't be silly. I liked it. It's a good yarn. That the, uh, for rent sign you were talking about? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm going to put it up outside now. Uh-huh. Well, so long, Jerry, and Merry Christmas again. Well, thanks, Sam. I guess I was kind of zillio. Listen, when a guy named, whatever it is, Woods with a wife named Ellen comes in to rent that place from you, then you can start worrying. Yeah. Well, so long, Sam. So long, Jerry. Oh, we're sorry to bother you, but we just happened to see that for rent sign outside. Well, yeah, I hung it out just this minute. Is, is the house available? Oh, sure, sure it is. Let me introduce myself. My name is James A. Woods, and this is my wife, Ellen. How do. Wow. Looks like it's fixed in her... Right. Yes, it does, doesn't it? Suspense. Resented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, selected for your pleasure from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines. Tonight show marks the third birthday of Suspense on the Air, and this is Ken Niles asking our star of the evening, Robert Taylor, to help us celebrate. Why didn't you tell me before, Ken, if I'd only known I'd have baked a cake? Well, Bob, all suspense parties are surprise parties. As an old hand on suspense, you know that in our plays, the tables are usually turned on the star. So tonight, although it's our birthday, we're going to give you a present. Here it is, a gift basket of Grand Estate California wines from Roma, America's greatest vintner, to our distinguished anniversary guest, Robert Taylor. Thanks, Ken, you turn a nice table. And you can set a nice table with Grand Estate Burgundy in your basket, Bob. For Grand Estate Burgundy means rare dining pleasure, adds memorable distinction to holiday dinner. Even everyday meals are outstanding in taste when Grand Estate Burgundy is served. Yes, all Grand Estate wines presented by Roma are limited bottleings of outstanding taste excellence. That I know about Grand Estate wines, Ken. But did you know that for Grand Estate wines, Roma selects only the choicest grapes? Then the ancient skill of Roma master vintners, necessary time and America's finest winemaking resources guide the cuvee of this grape treasure to rich taste luxury. That's why discriminating wine users everywhere looked to Grand Estate wines as the crowning achievement of vintner skill. Reason enough. And now, Ken, who's all set to star on suspense next Thursday? It's that very wonderful actress and wonderful girl, Miss Susan Peters. Susan will appear as a young lady in straightened circumstances, and is herself mistaken for a very rich young lady and who is forced into continuing the deception with murder as a result. I'll certainly make it a point to listen. Before I go, I'd like to thank this really great company of actors who have played with me tonight, and particularly Kathy Lewis who played Ellen. Thank you, Bob. Tonight's original suspense play was written by Robert L. Richards. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Miss Susan Peters as star of suspense. First by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. Thank you for listening to that episode. If you would like to listen to more suspense, please visit OTRpodcast.com. That's OTR for Old Time Radio, and podcast with an S. OTRpodcast.com. On the website, you can register for my mailing list, and as a thank you, I will send you 14 different links to podcasts that each feature every available episode of a popular radio program. In addition, I'll send out an email each week when I release a new episode of Behind the Mic, this podcast, so that you never miss a single one. If you have enjoyed today's episode, please take a moment to subscribe and give it a five-star rating in whichever podcast app you use. Thanks for tuning in.