Death Robbery (LOUT)

A scientist attempts to bring his wife back from the grave. Should he succeed, what about her soul?

David: "... if I succeed, I'll have Ruth back. Don't you see how much it means?" 

Ed: "Well, Yes. If you're successful." 

David: "Oh I've no doubt that. Look I've got my laboratory records. 714 times I've performed the experiment, on guinea pigs, rabbits, monkeys. 714 times it's been successful. Don't you see!" 

Ed: "But David, THIS is no laboratory experiment. Ruth was your wife." 

David: "She IS my wife. The only woman I ever loved. That's why I want to bring her back here and start her breathing and living again." 

Ed: "There's an ugly name for the thinking you are asking me to do, David." 

David: "I know. Grave Robbery. But there's a better name for it, Ed. Death Robbery! We'll rob Old Man Death."

Though this program comes highly recommended by other vintage radio drama enthusiasts, it was thirty minutes that felt like an hour to me. I found the show to be corny and plodding, though undeniably disturbing. The pacing was off and some critical things, Ruth's accident for example, were glossed over while others, like the operation, were drawn out too much. Boris Karloff was the headline talent, but Lurene Tuttle, as one online source puts it, "romps through her part, leaving Boris in the dust" (RadioGOLDINdex). It's true; Lurene's post-operation Ruth was extremely uncomfortable to listen to (in a good way).

Lights Out #?
Death Robbery
16 July 1947
19470716(xxx)_LOUT_DeathRobbery.mp3
Sponsored by: Schick Razors, Schick Pens. Boris Karloff, Lurene Tuttle, Paul Pierce (writer), Wyllis Cooper (writer), Bill Lawrence (producer, director), Leith Stevens (music), Ken Niles (announcer)

Lurene Tuttle