Suspense: 05/03/59, episode 798 Brought to you by the Old Time Radio Researchers, courtesy of The Suspense Project

Jackie Cooper portrays a young man who witnesses a hit-and-run accident. He doesn’t plan to do anything about it. When he is identified as the sole witness in a newspaper report, and finds a license plate with what is likely the victim’s blood on it, he has a choice. Does he go to the police with it? Or, does he, with a little encouragement from one of his neighborhood cronies, to try a little blackmail. He decides to turn the plate over to the driver in exchange for money to keep his mouth shut. It doesn’t work out that way. He soon gets in over his head, and it’s not the license plate that is wanted, but the supply of heroin that was in the car that is suddenly missing. He had no idea, but the gangsters don’t believe him. It’s a basic B-movie style story that fits into the traditional Suspense mold. The script by Robert Juhren won’t be in the top Suspense broadcasts, but it is very entertaining with some light moments that maintain engagement to the end. Cooper delivers a fine performance.

The story is assumed to be in a state, likely New York in this case, that requires cars to have a front license plate. As of this writing, 29 states require front and rear plates, and 21 require only a rear plate.

No recording information is available at this time; no script for this episode has been located.

The surviving recording is an excellent network broadcast.

The cast: JACKIE COOPER (Jerry), Tommy Cook (Boots), Peter Leeds (Edward Keller), Berry Kroeger (Giacomo / Cop), Norm Alden (Neighbor / Henchman), George Walsh (Narrator)

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