Podcast Summary: The Saint: The Sinister Sneeze (Original Air Date: 06/11/1950)

Episode Overview

In this classic radio detective episode, Simon Templar—known as "The Saint" (voiced by Vincent Price)—is drawn into a mysterious boxing world plot when a seemingly second-rate fighter, Benny the Battler, is positioned as a surprise favorite in a rigged match. When murder intervenes, The Saint must untangle threads of deceit, gambling, and sudden death. This episode’s charm is elevated by rapid-fire wit, a clever mystery, and a colorful supporting cast.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

1. A Sneezing Introduction – [01:04]

• Peggy, a nervous, pretty woman with a sneeze reflex, meets Simon Templar on a bus. She quickly invites him to meet her boyfriend, Breckenridge, a fight manager who’s in trouble.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • Peggy: "I sneeze enough for two." (01:49)
    • The Saint: "The question is, can two sneeze as cheaply as one?" (01:50)
  • Peggy reveals her odd habit: she only sneezes on buses and can’t help it.

2. The Setup – [03:30]

• At Breckenridge’s apartment, it’s revealed that his "lousy" fighter, Benny the Battler, is somehow the heavy favorite among gamblers for an upcoming bout despite lacking skill.
• Mr. Sweeney, a polite but dangerous gambling boss, is named as a man to fear should things go wrong.
  • Notable Exchange:
    • Simon: "Is he the spot you're on?"
      Breckenridge: "If you see my boy in a ring, then you'll know why I'm disturbed." (04:29)
  • Breckenridge’s concern is for their lives if Benny loses, with Peggy hoping The Saint’s mere presence will serve as protection.

3. The Fight & Mysterious Death – [09:00 – 12:48]

• At the stadium, Benny is expected to lose badly.
• Sudden twist: Benny delivers a feeble punch to "Soldier" Jones, who then collapses and dies. The crowd is stunned.
  • Quote:
    • Louie (driver): "That punch Benny landed couldn’t have cracked a defective eggshell." (11:37)
    • The Saint (blankly): "Benny, and I say this in some blankness of mind, has just won." (11:47)
• Medical examination shows Jones wasn't killed by the punch but by ether—found on Benny's gloves. Suspicion immediately falls on Benny.

4. Suspicions and Blackmail – [14:16+]

• Simon investigates further, eventually visiting Sweeney’s nightclub office, discovering Breckenridge oddly flush with cash.
  • Saint confronts Breckenridge: "You could have smeared that ether over Benny’s gloves." (16:16)
  • Sweeney, who handled Soldier Jones for the fight, appears, exuding dangerous calm.
  • Sweeney: "Let us say, off the record, mind you, that Breckenridge is delicate." (17:49)

5. Murder and Reveal – [19:41 – 24:28]

• The Saint and Louie find Breckenridge dead, staged as a suicide, but Templar quickly deduces it was murder.
  • Saint: "His hand was loose on the gun… there must be a back door to this apartment off the kitchen." (19:59)
  • They deduce someone wanted Breckenridge silenced. Simon tracks the killer back to Sweeney.
• In a showdown at Sweeney’s club:
  • Simon flips the story: The ether, he realizes, came from Soldier Jones's face, not Benny's gloves. Jones's handler (Sweeney) wiped his face with an ether-soaked towel just before the fight. When Benny’s glove touched him, the glove was contaminated after the fact.
  • Crucial insight:
    • The Saint: "Suppose the ether got onto Benny’s gloves from Soldier Jones’s face." (23:56)
    • "First, from a towel used by his handler on him. And you were his handler, Mr. Sweeney." (24:30)

6. The Final Confrontation & Justice – [25:00 – end]

• Sweeney pulls a gun but is quickly disarmed. Peggy, hiding in the closet, emerges ("Who sneezed in time. Saved, too.").
  • Simon Templar: "Now, you better take a look at the closet there. Hello, Peggy. Who sneezed in time. Saved, too." (25:23)
• With Sweeney’s plan unraveled, justice is poised to be served.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Saint’s wit:
  • (on Peggy’s sneezing): "Gesundheit." (01:41)
  • (when invited to meet Breckenridge): "I rarely sneeze, though." (01:45)
  • (on the murder’s smell): "What you're smelling is ether. Ether?" (13:34)
• Louie's comic side:
  • "All the little tables covered up with their little white shrouds." (22:19)
  • "I read that in my comic book." (21:03)
• Peggy’s charm:
  • "I sneeze enough for two." (01:49)
  • "You caught my sneeze." (26:22)

Key Timestamps (MM:SS)

• 01:04 – Peggy meets The Saint and reveals her compulsive sneezing.
• 03:30 – The real issue for Breckenridge emerges: fears of murder tied to a boxing fix.
• 09:00 – Benny’s fight begins. The mood: comic resignation to Benny’s imminent loss.
• 11:33 – Benny, against all prediction, “wins” with a weak punch, and the opponent dies.
• 13:34 – Discovery of ether on Benny’s gloves, shifting the suspicion.
• 15:35 – Breckenridge found counting money at Sweeney’s club—suspicion deepens.
• 19:41 – Breckenridge is found murdered, staged as a suicide.
• 23:56 – Simon reveals how the real killer smeared ether on the victim’s own face, not Benny’s gloves.
• 25:23 – Sweeney is unmasked and subdued; Peggy emerges, sneezing heroically.

Tone and Style

The episode is infused with screwball banter, noir undertones, and classic radio flair, courtesy of Vincent Price's sardonic yet warm portrayal of Simon Templar. Comic relief from Louie and Peggy balances suspenseful plot twists and danger.

Conclusion

The Sinister Sneeze is a smartly plotted detective mystery. It highlights the clever deduction style of The Saint, his knack for playful repartee, and the perils that lurk beneath the world of rigged prize-fights. With a conclusion hinging on a single word—"turnabout"—it keeps even veteran mystery fans on their toes right up to the last sneeze.

For classic radio fans and newcomers alike, this is a quintessential example of The Saint’s blend of humor, intrigue, and sharp dialogue.