The Shadow – The Voice of Death (December 26, 1937)

The Shadow – The Voice of Death (December 26, 1937)
Runtime: ~30 minutes (typical for The Shadow episodes of the era)
Cast: Orson Welles (Lamont Cranston/The Shadow), Agnes Moorehead (Margot Lane), and supporting actors for other roles.
Sponsor: Blue Coal (as was common for the 1937–38 season).
Plot Summary:
The Voice of Death is a suspenseful crime drama with supernatural undertones, characteristic of The Shadow’s radio run in the late 1930s. The episode centers on a nefarious scheme to manipulate a wealthy widow, Ms. Eugene Van Dek, through fraudulent spiritualism. The villainous Ronald Langford, Van Dek’s son-in-law, conspires with a fake medium named Zeta and two accomplices, Dude and Paddy, to drive the widow insane. Their plan is to convince her to change her will in Langford’s favor before pushing her toward suicide, exploiting her grief and vulnerability.
The episode opens with a haunting atmosphere, likely underscored by dramatic sound effects like drumbeats and eerie music, setting the stage for a tale of deception. Zeta, posing as a spiritualist, uses tricks to simulate supernatural voices or messages, preying on Ms. Van Dek’s emotional state. The conspirators’ plot is cold and calculated, creating tension as the widow’s mental state deteriorates.
Enter Lamont Cranston, the wealthy criminologist who secretly operates as The Shadow, a vigilante with the power to “cloud men’s minds” and become invisible. Accompanied by his companion Margot Lane, Cranston uncovers clues pointing to the spiritualist’s fraud. Using his hypnotic abilities and keen detective skills, The Shadow infiltrates the scheme, likely confronting Zeta and the thugs in a series of tense encounters. Commissioner Weston, a recurring character, may appear as a skeptical authority figure whom The Shadow must outmaneuver to deliver justice.
As the plot unfolds, The Shadow unravels the conspiracy, exposing Langford’s greed and Zeta’s manipulations. The climax likely features a dramatic showdown where The Shadow uses his invisibility and psychological tactics to terrify the villains into confessing or fleeing. By the end, Ms. Van Dek is saved, the will remains unchanged, and the criminals face justice, reinforcing The Shadow’s mantra: “The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay… The Shadow knows!”
Themes and Style:
The episode blends psychological horror with detective noir, a hallmark of The Shadow