(22) Magic Island - Trapped In An Elevator

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold’s Old Time Radio

Episode 22: Magic Island - Trapped in an Elevator
Release Date: June 7, 2026
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Runtime: ~13 minutes (excluding ads)

---

Episode Overview

In this episode of Harold’s Old Time Radio, listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio with a classic episode of the sci-fi adventure serial Magic Island. The story centers on Jerry and Joan, who find themselves trapped in an elevator deep beneath the mysterious “Euclidea”, an artificial island filled with secrets and dangers. As technical malfunctions and floods threaten, the tension rises, providing a thrilling glimpse into the golden age production style and its timeless adventure storytelling.

---

Key Discussion Points & Story Developments

1. Setting the Stage (00:30–01:06)

• Recap: The island’s rescue attempts are foiled by its advanced technology, including magnetic and chemical barriers.
• Setup: Mrs. Gregory and Captain Bradford are busy on the yacht, while Joan takes Jerry on a tour of the island.

2. Entering the Elevator (01:06–05:00)

• Joan warns Jerry to follow instructions closely and not to touch anything, highlighting the island’s strict rules and surveillance.
  • "You must do just as I tell you and do not touch anything without permission." — Joan (01:06)
• Jerry’s skepticism and humor provide comic relief amid the ominous setting.
  • "Why don't you learn to talk English? All those big words are just a waste of time." — Jerry (01:34)
• The sophisticated elevator system is introduced, protected by voice recognition and controlled by guards and scientists.

3. The Technology of Euclidea (05:00–07:19)

• Joan explains the silent, magnet-powered operation of the island and its elevators, emphasizing the advanced science of the Euclideans.
  • "All elevators on the island are run and controlled by electromagnets." — Joan (04:44)
• Security and surveillance are paramount; even the elevator’s access and operation are tightly monitored and controlled.

4. Unexpected Trouble in the Elevator Shaft (07:19–09:23)

• Jerry and Joan descend towards the submarine locks (fifth level, ~50ft below the island surface).
• The elevator unexpectedly stalls, and the doors fail to open, indicating something is wrong on this level.
  • "The door should be opening now. I've never seen it take this long." — Joan (08:36)
• Joan suspects a security lockdown or emergency is underway.

5. Realization and Rising Danger (09:23–10:59)

• Repeated attempts to move the car fail; thumping sounds signal permanent electromagnetic locks engaging.
  • "Those are the permanent magnets being set into place to hold this car... so the electromagnets will not drain the current supply." — Joan (09:39)
• Power begins to fade—lights go out, the elevator is completely dark and silent.
• Water is heard rushing past the elevator, suggesting a catastrophic failure of the submarine locks.
  • "Water rushing around the elevator shaft... Oh, Jerry, in this awful dark with the water rushing around, what will happen" — Joan (10:46)

6. Peril and Cliffhanger (10:59–12:13)

• The seriousness of their predicament dawns on both: no electricity, airtight elevator, dwindling air supply, and no immediate hope of rescue.
• Joan, usually composed, is distraught and scared, amplifying the dramatic tension.
  • "Yes, the air will be shut off. Oh, Jerry, I'm afraid..." — Joan (11:56)
• Jerry tries to maintain resolve, but both face the real fear of being trapped and running out of air.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joan’s Caution to Jerry:
  “You must do just as I tell you and do not touch anything without permission.”
  — Joan (01:06)

• Jerry’s Humor Amidst Tension:
  “Why don't you learn to talk English? All those big words are just a waste of time.”
  — Jerry (01:34)

• Revealing the Technology:
  “All elevators on the island are run and controlled by electromagnets.”
  — Joan (04:44)

• Realization of Imminent Danger:
  “Those are the permanent magnets being set into place to hold this car. You can hear them taking hold.”
  — Joan (09:39)

• The Cliffhanger:
  “The submarine level emergency signal, Jerry. The lock must have broken. The ocean is flooding into this level. Oh, Jerry. Jerry.”
  — Joan (11:12)

---

Key Timestamps by Segment

• 00:30–01:06 — Recap and setup for the elevator tour.
• 01:06–03:10 — Jerry and Joan begin tour, elevator entrance explained.
• 03:10–05:00 — Elevator advanced security, system activation.
• 05:00–07:19 — Elevator technology and island infrastructure explained.
• 07:19–09:23 — Elevator ride stalls, initial confusion.
• 09:23–10:59 — Realization of a security or technical emergency.
• 10:59–12:13 — Blackout, flooding, and the dire threat of being trapped.
• 12:13–12:24 — Episode ends on a dramatic cliffhanger as alarms sound and air fades.

---

Overall Tone & Style

• Classic radio drama: Rapid dialogue, suspenseful music, dramatic pauses.
• Jerry’s youthful sarcasm contrasts with Joan’s formal, scientific precision, adding humor and tension.
• Atmosphere: High-concept science fiction blends with a tightly plotted survival thriller.

---

Conclusion

“Trapped in an Elevator” delivers a riveting, suspenseful cliffhanger—showcasing both the era’s inventive science fiction plotting and dynamic character interplay. The episode embodies the spirit of Golden Age radio storytelling: a mix of high-stakes adventure, ingenious tech, and relatable human fear, all paced for maximum suspense.

---

Transcript

[SpinQuest Announcer]

Whether it's slots or live dealers, Spinquest.com has the fun and action you're looking for with Spinquest exclusives. Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and even live dice. With craps and bubble craps, the games never stop so you don't have to. And right now, new users get $30 coin packs for just 10 bucks.

[SpinQuest Disclaimer Voice]

Play [e-mail] SpinQuest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Narrator]

When Jerry released a homing pigeon with a message to Johnson on the rescue boat, it was stopped by gas in the fog ring surrounding the island. G47 is now working on the formula taken from the message. The formula he believes to be Captain Tex Bradford's universal solvent. The other pigeon has been covered with magnetic paint to make it impossible for him to fly through the fog around the island. It is daylight, and as there is no chance of planning anything further toward their escape or Rescue until dark, Mrs. Gregory and Captain Bradford are working in the chart room of the yacht while Joan takes Jerry on a tour of the magic island.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Now, Jerry, you must do just as I tell you and do not touch anything without permission.

[Jerry]

This is going to be some sightseeing to her, like letting two of the prisoners in jail go around and look at the other prisoners.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

You're supposed to be a clever boy, Jerry.

[Jerry]

Supposed to be? I am clever.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Then if you are, you should appreciate the opportunity of going through some of the laboratories and control chambers on the island and perhaps observing something which will facilitate our ultimate plan of escape.

[Jerry]

Hey, look, why don't you learn to talk English? All those big words are just a waste of time. And besides, I'm too busy for that.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

You would find the larger words more expressive, Jerry, if you would only learn to employ them more frequently.

[Jerry]

Okay, okay. Well, where do we start looking at all this stuff? We've been all over this island now, and I haven't seen anything but these little steel houses on top of the.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

We are nearly to the general elevator shaft entrance. I will take you down into the subterranean observation chambers.

[Jerry]

Well, take me where something makes a little noise, will you? This walking around on concrete that sounds like carpet is getting on my nerves.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

There are not many places on the island where you will hear noise, Jerry. It is made silent deliberately and has proven the best method of protection yet discovered. I don't see how anything foreign to the island and its people, any boat, device or method of communication which has any sound is recorded instantly. While if there were local noises, it would be Difficult to distinguish sounds emanating from an outside influence.

[Jerry]

Never mind. I'll figure out the next one myself.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Here we are, Jerry.

[Narrator]

Here we are where?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

At the elevator entrance.

[Jerry]

Maybe you're right, but I can't see anything except this little platform of steel on the floor of the island.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

That is the elevator.

[Jerry]

Gee whiz.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Cleostra at the main elevator shaft. Cleostra at the main elevator shaft.

[Jerry]

Hey, what is this? Your name's Joan. Now cut out that cleostra stuff.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

I am called Cleo Astra here on Eupydia, and it is the only name they will ever recognize.

[Jerry]

Oh, all right. But what was that hocus pocus you started to recite?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

When I identified myself, my voice was recorded in the main control chamber in the center of the island. One of the guards looked out to see if it was really. I saw you with me, communicated with G47, secured his permission to allow you to enter and started the machinery which is raising the top of the elevator shaft.

[Jerry]

Oh, there wasn't time enough for all that to happen.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

When you have been longer on Euclidea, you will learn the reason the Euclideans speak of time in seconds. Minutes are too long for the speed and accuracy of things on this island.

[Jerry]

Everything on this island is nutty. Boy, look at that thing come up out of the island. It's pretty near as tall as we are now.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

It will soon be ready to enter.

[Jerry]

But say, when I ran after those fellows who went down inside the island when they thought someone was escaping. That was a regular building. It stuck up out of the island all the time. We didn't have to wait for it to grow like this thing is doing.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

That was the elevator in the control chamber. Only the trusted members of the scientist group are allowed to use that.

[Jerry]

Then why didn't they stop me when I tagged along with them?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Douglas, they thought you would foolishly say something or do something that would be of use to them. Remember, these men want very badly. Something that Captain Bradford and only Captain Bradford has.

[Jerry]

Keep quiet. If they heard you asking for this elevator. They can hear all we can say now.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Certainly they can. But we will talk about nothing that is not already known. Now the chamber has stopped rising. We may enter.

[Jerry]

Okay, but that wall looks kind of solid to me.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

It is opening now.

[Jerry]

How does that thing run? Compressed air?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

No, Jerry. All elevators on the island are run and controlled by electromagnets.

[Jerry]

Gee, a magnet strong enough to lift that elevator.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Were not the magnets strong enough to pull my mother's large yacht to the island?

[Jerry]

That's right. Boy, what a place.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Now we will enter.

[Jerry]

Hooray. Something makes noise. Boy, I'm gonna stay in this elevator just so I can hear the noise of our field.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Stop that, Jerry. The Euclideans will not like it. The vibrations will be so heavy, they will overload the delicate recording instrument.

[Jerry]

Anyhow, I found a place I can come to for a little noise when the quiet on the rest of this island drives me crazy.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Now we will descend to what floor would you like to go?

[Jerry]

Make it easy on yourself, kid.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Jerry, I do not know what you mean.

[Jerry]

I'm sorry. What I meant to say was it will be my pleasure to leave the choice of points of interest on this tour completely in your hands.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Why, Jerry, you can speak properly when you want to.

[Jerry]

Oh, I can do a lot of things that I don't show off about all the time. Well, let's get going.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

I think you would enjoy seeing the submarine locks. We will go down to the fifth level, 50ft below the ceiling of the island. You may press the indicator button there. The numeral five.

[Jerry]

Okay, it's pushed. Boy, this is slick. The door is closing all by itself.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Nearly everything on the island is automatic.

[Jerry]

Now we're starting down. This sure runs nice and smooth. What happened? We've stopped.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Only for a moment. That is a check on the 10 foot level.

[Jerry]

And that happens on every floor?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Every level on this elevator? Yes. Some of the private elevators of the scientists and the escape elevators will drop rapidly and continuously.

[Jerry]

But this one, that's the second level, huh?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Yes. Now it will release again. You see, this elevator is made so it may only be run one floor at a time, as it is in general use by everyone on the island and can easily be stopped at each floor from the control chambers in the event of escape.

[Jerry]

There it is again. The third level. Now, but I don't see how all this is done by magnets, of course. I can feel them take hold and then let go of the car. Like that one just. Then let go. But how do they pull it up and control it all by magnets.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

They employ both types of electromagnets. The tractive is used to move the car through the shaft and the portative to hold and release it at the various levels.

[Jerry]

You sure learned a lot from these guys. Now we're at the fourth level. The next one will be ours, huh?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Yes. The car will automatically stop and the door open at the fifth level.

[Jerry]

I wish Captain Bradford and your mother could see all this.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Oh, they will. I wanted them to come with us today. But Mother and the captain had something to work on in the chart room of the yacht. And I think they wanted to be alone while working it out.

[Jerry]

We're at the fifth level now, and this is 50ft below the top of the water. 50ft below sea level?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Hardly that, Jerry. At high tide, the surface of the island is well above the water level. Remember that you stepped from the deck of the yacht directly onto the island pier.

[Jerry]

Oh, sure. That's right. But we're 50ft below the top of the island. And maybe 40ft below water level.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

That is right, Jerry. Now, when this door opens, I will take you on an inspection tour of the island submarine locks. This is the level at which they are anchored.

[Jerry]

And you can get into the subs down here in more than six fathoms of water.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Naturally. G47 has always said it was very stupid to call a boat a submarine when it had to be loaded on the surface. These boats have never been on the surface.

[Jerry]

Oh, where do they build on that?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

On this level, you will see one under construction when we. Well, that is strange. The door should be opening now.

[Jerry]

Maybe we're supposed to push something to make it open.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

No, it will open automatically or not at all. I've never seen it take this long.

[Jerry]

Something's wrong with it. Then what'll happen if I try to open it?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Nothing. You will simply not be able to open it.

[Jerry]

Well, I'm gonna try anyhow. No, nothing doing while this is your party. Where do we go from here?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

It must be that something secret is being done on this level. And the door checks are set. Push the indicators for one of the other levels. We will go there for the time.

[Jerry]

Okay, I'll try number six. There we are.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

On the sixth level, you will see the. Jerry, something is very wrong here. The car does not move.

[Jerry]

Why, Ginger, you're right. We're stuck. I guess their electricity has failed them.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Jerry, that thumping noise. This car is going to be held here.

[Jerry]

What do you mean? What's that noise?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Those are the permanent magnets being set into place to hold this car. You can hear them taking hold.

[Jerry]

What does that mean, Joan?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

I'm afraid, Jerry, it may mean something terrible. There's an emergency of some kind. All the electrical energy is needed someplace on the island. That is why they're placing the permanent magnets to hold this car. So the electromagnets will not drain the current supply.

[Jerry]

Well, what can we do? What can happen to us here?

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

I am not sure, though. I think we are in no danger. But what is happening?

[Jerry]

Well, whatever it Is. I don't like it. I'm going to try pushing some of these buttons for the other levels.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

That will do no good. Jerry. I'm sure the current has been taken from the electromagnet. Yes, and it is being taken from the lighting system.

[Jerry]

Golly whiskers, the light's going out.

[Joan (distressed)]

It's gone. Oh, Jerry, what will happen?

[Jerry]

Now, now, don't act like a girl. We've got to. Hey, what's that noise? Water.

[Joan (distressed)]

Water rushing around the elevator shaft. The submarine lock must have broken. Oh, Jerry, in this awful dark with the water rushing around, what will happen

[Jerry]

if this car is airtight? We'll be all right, I guess. There's that alarm gong again. What's that mean?

[Joan (distressed)]

That is the submarine level emergency signal, Jerry. The lock must have broken. The ocean is flooding into this level. Oh, Jerry. Jerry.

[Jerry]

Gee whiz, Joan. You act just like any other girl when something's gone wrong. You ought to know all about these things. Can't you do something to get us out of here?

[Joan (distressed)]

No. The electricity is turned off. The car can't be moved. And if we could open the door, we would be drowned.

[Jerry]

But somebody will come and get us out. They know we're in here.

[Joan (distressed)]

That would make no difference to the Euclideans. Their island comes first with them. And we will be looked for only after the damage is repaired and the instruments checked.

[Jerry]

But gee, we can't stay in here. This thing's airtight. I know it must be. And we'll run out of air to breathe pretty soon.

[Joan (distressed)]

Yes, the air will be shut off. Oh, dearie, I'm afraid. Listen. Listen to the water. The elevator shaft is shaking with it.

[Jerry]

Yeah, it's getting kind of hard to breathe in here.

[Joan (distressed)]

Oh, Jerry, listen.

[Joan / Cleo Astra]

Hey, everybody.

[Lady Luck]

Lady luck here. And we're celebrating America's 250th birthday. Now, all summer long, I'm going to be celebrating by playing on finquest.com, which is an American owned social casino. It obviously features over a thousand slot games and live blackjack, live craps, live bubble craps. Head on over to spinquest.com get yourself a $30 coin pack for just 10 bucks.

[SpinQuest Disclaimer Voice]

Spin Quest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[American Express Announcer]

You never know where your next unforgettable experience will pop up. That's why bringing along an American Express card opens the door to rewards wherever you go. Morning coffee run with an old friend. Earn cash back. Weekend getaway, Earn miles. Dinner at the hottest restaurant in town. You get the idea. No matter the place or the plan, Amex rewards your inner explorer. Learn about card options at americanexpress. Com. Terms apply.