(48) Magic Island - Escape From Guard

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Magic Island – Escape From Guard

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: (48) Magic Island - Escape From Guard
Date: June 9, 2026

---

Episode Theme & Purpose

This episode of "Magic Island" continues the suspense-filled adventures on the mysterious island of Euclidea. The main focus is on Jerry and Joan's daring attempt to outwit their Euclidean captors and escape, while plotting to take control of the critical radio and power rooms. The story balances tense action with moments of humor and clever dialogue, characteristic of classic radio drama from the Golden Age.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

A Daring Ruse and a Narrow Escape

• Joan and Jerry are discovered by a guard while examining a scale model of the island. Joan quickly pretends to incapacitate Jerry with a ray gun to avoid suspicion.

  • Joan: “That was the only thing I could think of to tell him. And he knows this ray gun I have is one of the 302nd type. So he expects you to sleep for five minutes.” (00:53)

• The duo discusses their slim window to escape before the guard returns.

  • Joan notes: “We must hurry and do something now. We have not more than two minutes. Then the guard will return to take you to the confinement cells as I requested.” (01:19)

Strategies and Shortcuts

• The room they're in proves fortuitous, as it lacks direct communication to the control room, giving them extra time.

  • Joan: “It is the only room on the island without direct communication to the control rooms. If we had been found in any other room, the guard would have used the speaker...” (01:41)

• Forced to move, they make use of a noisy, unmonitored elevator which, while drawing attention due to its sound, is not tracked by central control—giving them both risk and cover.

  • Joan: “This noisy elevator may help us... No one can hear us talking in here. And the progress of this elevator is not recorded in the control room.” (03:04)

Planning the Confrontation

• Joan proposes taking over a guard post by playing on the Euclideans’ carelessness in applying their anti-ray paint.

  • Joan: “They hardly ever bother to put it on the backs of their necks or behind their ears. We could easily put the guard to sleep if he would turn his back.” (04:41)

• She devises a plan where Jerry distracts the guard with a clumsy ruse, hoping to present an opening for Joan to incapacitate him.

Unexpected Complications and Quick Thinking

• Plans must change rapidly when a guard pursues them via the elevator, causing Joan to suggest capturing the guard coming out of the elevator shaft instead.

  • Joan: “We must stand on either side of the door... remember to keep as nearly flat against the wall as possible.” (07:20)

• Tensions rise as the elevator passes by, with both thinking the pursuit is coming to a head.

  • Jerry: “Oh, boy. He went right on past. I thought for a minute he was coming out on this floor.” (08:11)

Risky Descent and Cliffhanger

• To avoid further detection, Joan decides they must climb down the emergency ladder inside the elevator shaft, ingeniously disabling the elevator with a piece of her dress.

  • Jerry: “Maybe not by the time he wants it, but he'll see it's been moved...” (09:04)
  • Joan: “I'm going to tear a piece out of my dress and put it in the contact stop. Then the electrical circuit will not close and the car cannot be operated.” (10:25)

• As they descend into the darkness, tension peaks when it becomes apparent the elevator car is descending above them, and the escape route door at the next level is jammed.

  • Joan: “I cannot open this door. We cannot get out of here, Jerry.” (11:31)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Light-hearted banter under pressure:

  • Jerry: “Oh, cut out that personal chronometer stuff. That's the wristwatch to you from now on. Personal chronometer.” (01:13)
  • Joan (dryly): “You cannot listen to quiet, Jerry. Silence is complete absence of sound.” (03:42)
  • Jerry: “Golly whiskers. Here we are in the middle of this crazy island with Euclideans hunting us with ray guns. And you stop to give me a lecture on how still is quiet.” (03:49)

• Tension and bravery:

  • Jerry: “Well, if you do [miss], don't stay there five minutes for me to wake up. Get yourself out of this and run for the yacht.” (06:12)
  • Joan: “I will stay with you, Jerry.” (06:18)

• Dramatic cliffhanger:

  • Joan: “I cannot open this door. We cannot get out of here, Jerry.” (11:31)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:42: The ruse with the ray gun and quick thinking to deceive the guard
• 03:04: Use of the noisy, untracked elevator
• 04:41: Explanation of the Euclideans’ weakness with protective paint
• 07:20: Plan to ambush the elevator guard
• 09:13: Joan’s plan to use the elevator shaft and disable the elevator
• 10:25: Preparing to disable the elevator with a piece of Joan's dress
• 11:31: The cliffhanger – locked in the elevator shaft as the car approaches

---

Summary Flow & Listener Value

Listeners are drawn into a classic radio drama filled with quick-witted characters, moments of suspense, and resourceful problem-solving. The episode’s brisk pacing, humor amidst danger, and evolving strategy keep the audience on edge. The cliffhanger ending effectively hooks listeners, promising even more intrigue in the next installment.

The tone is classic, mixing earnest peril with light sarcasm and camaraderie, making it a perfect representation of 'Golden Age' radio adventures. This episode is a must for fans of vintage radio, adventure serials, and clever plotting.

---

Transcript

[A]

It is just before dark on the magic island of Euclidea. Captain Bradford and Mrs. Gregory are on the captive yacht, secretly transferring their valuables and navigation instruments to the diesel motored cruiser which Johnson brought to the island to rescue them with. However, the boat was captured, but not Johnson, who transferred to another boat and is waiting somewhere north of the island for word from the prisoners. Jerry and Joan have gone into the lower levels of the island, trying to find a way to gain control of the Euclidean radio and power rooms. As they examine a scale model of the island in the sound channel, someone enters. Joan fires her ray gun and Jerry falls as if the ray had put him to sleep. It is one minute later.

[B]

Was that the door?

[C]

Yes, Jerry. The guard is gone. You need not whisper boy.

[B]

Was that a close call? And did you think fast when you told him you'd caught me in here and put me to sleep with a ray gun?

[C]

That was the only thing I could think of to tell him. And he knows this ray gun I have is one of the 302nd type. So he expects you to sleep for five minutes.

[B]

How long is it since I had to take a tumble when he came in the room?

[C]

Exactly 59 seconds from the time I fired the ray gun. Until you heard the door close. I was looking at my personal chronometer when the guard came in.

[B]

Oh, cut out that personal chronometer stuff. That's the wristwatch to you from now on. Personal chronometer.

[C]

Very well, Jerry, but we must hurry and do something now. We have not more than two minutes. Then the guard will return to take you to the confinement cells as I requested.

[B]

Yeah, and you sure fixed it fine for me, telling that mug I'd stay asleep all right until he could go and get permission about putting me in a cell.

[C]

There was nothing else to do, Jerry. And we are fortunate in being in this particular chamber.

[B]

What's so good about it?

[C]

It is the only room on the island without direct communication to the control rooms. If we had been found in any other room, the guard would have used the speaker to the control room and taken you off at once.

[B]

Well, let's get a move on or he'll have a swell chance to catch us here and toot me off. Anyway, where can we go?

[C]

We have no choice. We must use the noisy elevator we used to leave this room before.

[B]

Okay, come on. We can talk some other place if we can find a place where they can't hear us. Hey, hey. I don't like my voice changing like that.

[C]

It is because we are crossing Another sound zone in this room, Jerry.

[B]

Well, I know why it is, but I don't have to like it, do I?

[C]

Here is the elevator, Jerry. We must hurry.

[B]

Yeah, we have to yank this door open, don't we?

[C]

You open it yourself, if that is what you mean.

[B]

That's it. Here we go. Now where?

[C]

I must think a moment, Jerry.

[B]

Think fast. Then when that guy comes back and finds we're gone, he'll know this elevator is the only place we could possibly be.

[C]

That is right, Jerry. Push the indicator for the fourth level. We will go up and leave the car there. I think I know where we may find a room in which to discuss our plans further.

[B]

Here goes. Boy, they sure skipped the soundproof gag on this one.

[C]

This noisy elevator may help us a great deal, Jerry. No one can hear us talking in here. And the progress of this elevator is not recorded in the control room.

[B]

I don't mind the noise, but what if that guard has come into the room we just left? Won't he hear this thing going up?

[C]

He will know we used it even if he does not hear it.

[B]

Yeah, and if he heard that, he'll know what floor we stopped it on, too.

[C]

Get out quickly, Jerry. I will sell the car on up to another level.

[B]

Okay, Boy, listen to the quiet.

[C]

You cannot listen to quiet, Jerry. Silence is complete absence of sound. And you cannot hear an absence of sound.

[B]

Golly whiskers. Here we are in the middle of this crazy island with Euclideans hunting us with ray guns. And you stop to give me a lecture on how still is quiet.

[C]

If you are not more quiet, we will soon meet those ray guns.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Sorry, Joan. Well, where do we go now?

[C]

We will hardly be heard here unless someone comes this way searching for us. Now, Jerry, I think this is what we must do.

[B]

Go on.

[C]

Just around this curve in this channel is one of the tiny cubicles occupied by a guardian. We must take that station over.

[B]

And the guard's got a ray gun.

[C]

Yes, Jerry. And his ray gun is not just one of these harmless sleep producing ones. We have.

[B]

Gee whiz, Joan, how do we do it?

[C]

We will have to catch him off his guard for an instant and put him to sleep with one of our ray guns.

[B]

Yeah, but even if we get a chance to do that before he uses his gun on us, won't he have that protective paint on his hands and face so the rays won't hurt him any?

[C]

Yes, he will undoubtedly have that. But I have noticed the Euclideans many times putting the paint on. They are very careless, Jerry. They hardly ever bother to put it on the backs of their necks or behind their ears. We could easily put the guard to sleep if he would turn his back.

[B]

Yeah, and if we only had a few minutes more down in that sound room, we could have covered ourselves with that paint. And by this time, that guard will be down there looking for us.

[C]

And we must hurry, Jerry. Now, we will walk quietly around the first turn in this wall. Then I have it. You will go and speak to the guard. Tell him who you are. Explain that you are looking for the laboratory to wake the scientists up with a formula Captain Bradford has given you.

[B]

Yeah, Then what?

[C]

Pretend to be very stupid, Jerry. Even more so than you seem at times. Hey. Then you will get the guard to come out of his little niche in the wall and turn to point the way for you. He will naturally point toward the general elevator as none of the Euclideans ever think of using this noisy one.

[B]

I'll hurry it up, Joan. Then what?

[C]

Then he will have his back turned this way, and I shall use my 302nd ray on him. In that way I will be sure of hitting the back of his head. And we can only hope he was careless in putting on the protective paint.

[B]

Wait a minute. How straight do those guns shoot?

[C]

You have seen them work, Jerry.

[B]

Well, I mean, how much does the beam scatter? How far do I have to be away from the guy so you won't hit me with a ray?

[C]

You may be within inches of him, Jerry. The beam will not be wider than his head, and I will not miss.

[B]

Well, if you do, don't stay there five minutes for me to wake up. Get yourself out of this and run for the yacht.

[C]

I will stay with you, Jerry.

[B]

Hey, listen. That elevator we just got out of, it's running again.

[C]

So it is. It is going down again. That means the guard in the sound channel has decided we came this way and will come after us.

[B]

Listen a minute, Joan. It just passed this floor going down. He'll be in it in a minute and and be up here. We'd better hurry and get to get to this other guard.

[C]

No, wait, Jerry. We must not try that now.

[B]

Why not?

[C]

We wouldn't have time to dispose of the other guard before this one would come along and find us. And if we were seen with ray guns in our hands and the Euclidean guard on the floor in front of us, I'm afraid we might never get back to my mother's boat.

[B]

Okay, but what can we do about this fellow coming up in the elevator?

[C]

It is nearly 100ft to the other guard. If we are very quiet, we may possibly be able to capture the one who comes out of the elevator without alarming the lookout.

[B]

Okay, we're on our way. What then?

[C]

Then we must stand on either side of the door. You over there. Jerry and I will stand here. So now remember to keep as nearly flat against the wall as possible.

[B]

Okay, I'm all set. And remember about the back of his head.

[C]

The elevator is starting now.

[B]

Yeah, and he's only got one floor to come.

[C]

When you hear the magnet sketch again, the car will be at this floor.

[B]

He's getting nearer now.

[C]

Have you your ray gun ready?

[B]

Yeah, if I don't get nervous and shoot myself.

[C]

Hush, Jerry. Ready?

[B]

Oh, boy. He went right on past. I thought for a minute he was coming out on this floor.

[C]

He did open the door just a crack, But I think he remembered the guard on this floor. And he knew that we could not have passed him.

[B]

Listen. There he goes. He didn't stop on the third level either.

[C]

Then we have more time than I had hoped for.

[B]

We don't need time. All we need is nerve enough to get after that guard up there.

[C]

I am not sure we need even do that, Jerry. I think I see how we may reach the power control room in comparative safety.

[B]

But I thought we didn't want to get there first.

[C]

We no longer have any choice, Jerry. They will search every inch of the upper levels for us now.

[B]

But we can't get off this level without going past that guard.

[C]

Yes, we can, Jerry.

[B]

How?

[C]

This elevator shaft.

[B]

But that guard's using the elevator. And it sounded to me like he'd stopped on the second level. So he'll be coming back and using the elevator some more when he finds out we're not on that level.

[C]

But we will not be in the elevator, Jerry.

[B]

Maybe not by the time he wants it, but he'll see it's been moved and then we're going shore.

[C]

We will use the elevator shaft, but not the elevator, huh?

[B]

Did you ever try using an elevator without an elevator in it? Nothing doing.

[C]

You can climb, can you not, Jerry?

[B]

Oh, sure, I can climb.

[C]

Then we will climb down the side of this elevator shaft. There is a narrow steel ladder inside the shaft for emergency.

[B]

Yeah, and when we're about halfway down, that guard takes a notion to make a quick trip to the bottom. And when the car drops, it'll knock us off the ladder like mosquitoes.

[C]

But the car will stay just where it is, Jerry. I know how to fix that. And we must go down. We can no longer Go up, because that guard is sure we are on the higher level.

[B]

You're right about that. And we'd better do something quick. It's about seven o' clock and we've only got until eight to fix things so the boat can get away.

[C]

Very well. Then I will open this door. Now, if you will feel around just inside the door on the right, you will feel the little ladder set into the wall of the shaft.

[B]

Oh, just inside here, huh? Yeah, yeah. Here it is.

[C]

You start down it at once, Jerry. I will follow you and go quietly and fast. Do not use your flashlight. Hurry, Jerry.

[B]

Okay, Jo. Wait a minute, Joan. What's going to stop that elevator from being run down in our heads?

[C]

I'm going to tear a piece out of my dress and put it in the contact stop. Then the electrical circuit will not close and the car cannot be operated.

[B]

Okay, but hurry up.

[C]

Yes, Jerry. Now, I think I have a piece large enough. Go on down the ladder, Jerry, so I may step on it and partially close the door after me.

[B]

Going down, Joan?

[C]

Keep going, Jerry. I'm closing the door softly, so now I will come down after you.

[B]

How far are we from the bottom of this thing?

[C]

More than 50ft.

[B]

50ft from the bottom? On this little steel ladder in the dark? Aren't you afraid, Joan?

[C]

No, Jerry. If you use the ladder carefully and think about nothing except going down, it is no more dangerous at 50ft than it would be at 5.

[B]

You may be right. Hey, we've passed. We've passed a level already.

[C]

Yes, that was the fifth level where the laboratory is.

[B]

Joan. Joan, can you hear me?

[C]

Yes, Jerry.

[B]

Did you. Did you hear that? The elevator car is coming down on us.

[C]

But here's the sixth level. We were going here and. Jerry.

[B]

Oh, Jerry, what's the matter?

[C]

I cannot open this door. We cannot get out of here, Jerry.