Blackstone 48-11-28 (09) The Ghost That Wasn't

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Blackstone 48-11-28 (09) The Ghost That Wasn't

Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Main Cast: Blackstone, Rhoda Brent, Mortimer Weldon, Narrator

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Overview

This episode transports listeners to a bygone era when families gathered around the radio for tales of wonder and suspense. The featured show, "Blackstone, The Magic Detective,” presents the intriguing mystery "The Ghost That Wasn't." Blackstone—a magician and detective—along with his assistant Rhoda Brent, is called upon to investigate a supposed haunting and a puzzling death in an old mansion. The episode mixes mystery, detective work, and magic, concluding with Blackstone teaching a magic trick to listeners.

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Key Discussion Points and Story Breakdown

The Setup: A Spooky Mansion and a Mysterious Death

• Blackstone, Rhoda, and the Narrator joke about punctuality, then recount a strange incident involving “two minutes” that proved fatal for Mortimer Weldon's brother, Clarence.
• Mortimer Weldon invites Blackstone and Rhoda to his ancestral mansion, specifically seeking Blackstone’s expertise with supposedly supernatural occurrences (01:52).
• Atmosphere: The mansion is depicted as eerie—“turrets and cupolas and great winding stairways”—and notably lacks electricity (02:19–02:53).
• Weldon admits the family ghost was always a fun legend until his brother’s sudden, fatal “fall” from the locked tower room (04:11).
• Weldon's Challenge: “That’s why I called you, Mr. Blackstone. I wondered if perhaps you couldn’t explain our ghost.” (03:35, Mortimer Weldon)

The Investigation: Search for Rational Explanations

• Blackstone, with Rhoda and Weldon, inspects the supposed haunted room for secret doors or hidden traps (05:09–05:18).
• Focus is drawn to a grandfather clock that is “right to the second” (05:34).
• After leaving Rhoda alone briefly, a terrifying incident occurs: the clock stops, the candle goes out, and something drags her toward the window—where Clarence met his end (06:51–07:38).

The Reveal: The Trick Behind the Ghost

• Blackstone notes, “That clock is two minutes slow... yet, last time we checked it, it was exactly right...” (07:46).
• Rhoda attests the clock stopped just as the ghost “attacked” (07:55–07:59, Rhoda Brent: “Just before the ghost grabbed me, the clock stopped. I remember it.”)
• Blackstone quickly deduces the real mechanism: Weldon used a secret door hidden in the back of the clock, accessible when its pendulum was removed—causing the clock to stop (08:32–08:57).
• Weldon is unmasked as the culprit who killed Clarence and attacked Rhoda, hoping to perpetuate the ghost story and outsmart Blackstone.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the supposed ghost:
  “But no one has ever shown me a haunted house or a ghost that I couldn't explain.”
  —Blackstone (03:29)
• Weldon's slip:
  “There was only one mistake that Weldon made. You had to take the pendulum off in order to get in and out, and that stopped the clock.”
  —Blackstone (08:45)
• Rhoda, with deadpan irony:
  “I’d say you were a teeny, tiny, wincy bit scared. I keep hearing things. The clock stopped and the candle's gone out. I don't like it here.”
  —Rhoda Brent (06:06)
• The Detective’s Confidence:
  “You had to take the pendulum off in order to get in and out, and that stopped the clock.”
  —Blackstone (08:45)
• Wrap Up:
  “Lucky you know so much about escapes, Blackstone, we might never have discovered how Clarence Weldon was killed.”
  —Rhoda Brent (09:22)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:54] – Introduction of the crucial “two minutes” tied to the mystery.
• [04:20] – Revelation of Clarence’s death: locked-room mystery.
• [05:34] – Focus on the grandfather clock.
• [06:06–06:51] – Rhoda’s spine-chilling encounter in the haunted room.
• [07:46–07:59] – Discovery that clock is two minutes slow; the clue is revealed.
• [08:45–08:57] – The secret of the clock and Weldon’s exposure.

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The Magic Trick: Bottles and the Dollar Bill (09:34–12:17)

Concluding the episode, Blackstone teaches a magic trick involving two bottles and a dollar bill:

• Rhoda is invited to place a dollar bill between the necks of two bottles stacked vertically (09:54–10:25).
• The challenge: remove the bill without disturbing the carefully balanced bottles (10:45).
• Rhoda fails at her attempts; Blackstone explains the secret:
  “Just draw the dollar bill tight, hit it in the middle, and out it comes.” (12:15, Blackstone)
• The trick works due to the sudden force pulling the bill out before the bottles can react, a classic example of inertia.

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Style, Tone, and Atmosphere

The episode is light-hearted, witty, and brisk, exemplifying the storytelling style of radio drama from the 1940s. Banter between Blackstone and Rhoda is playful—serving both comic relief and exposition. Blackstone’s firm skepticism and methodical thinking provide a reassuring anchor in the face of apparent supernatural events.

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Conclusion

Classic Golden Age radio comes alive in this episode, with its mix of locked-room mystery, haunted mansion intrigue, and a demystification of magic—inviting the audience to experience suspense, fun, and wonder. The revelation of subterfuge behind the “ghost” underscores the rational, skeptical outlook of Blackstone, and the magic trick segment closes on an interactive, educational note. It’s a delightful showcase that demonstrates the enduring appeal of radio drama and old-school detective work.

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Transcript

[Announcer]

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[Narrator]

The Magic Detective. Starring the world's greatest magician, Blackstone. He tells you the inside story of the ghost that wasn't. And right after the story, Blackstone will explain tricks that you yourself can perform, reveal the guarded secrets of the world's greatest living magician. And now stand by for Blackstone, the Magic Detective. Well, Rhoda, I thought you weren't going to get here.

[Rhoda Brent]

Me? I'm never late.

[Narrator]

Then you're the only girl in the world who isn't.

[Rhoda Brent]

I'm exceptional. I am.

[Narrator]

But your boss is late. Where's he?

[Blackstone]

Sorry to be held up, but even magicians get caught in traffic jam.

[Narrator]

Well, it's only a couple of minutes.

[Rhoda Brent]

A couple of minutes? You shouldn't say that.

[Blackstone]

Remember Rhoda?

[Rhoda Brent]

Oh, I certainly do.

[Narrator]

Hey, this sounds like double talk.

[Blackstone]

Remember? What?

[Rhoda Brent]

I guess we've never told you the story of what two minutes meant to Mortimer Weldon.

[Blackstone]

It meant a great deal to him. His life.

[Rhoda Brent]

If it hadn't been for those two minutes, we might still believe in his grandfather's ghost.

[Narrator]

Okay, okay.

[Blackstone]

What's the story? Well, it all started out at the old mansion that was owned by Mortimer Weldon. It was a funny old place, with turrets and cupolas and great winding stairways. Flora and I got there about 9 o' clock on a dark, windy evening.

[Rhoda Brent]

What did Weldon want to see you about? Blackstone. Did he say?

[Blackstone]

No, he didn't. But I think that.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Mr. Blackstone?

[Blackstone]

Yes. Good evening. You're Mortimer Weldon. Won't you come?

[Mortimer Weldon]

Come in.

[Blackstone]

Thank you. Well, this is an interesting place you have here, Mr. Weldon.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Yes, I've always liked it. Until recently. I've tried to keep it just as it was in my father's time. I've never put in electricity. Won't you come into my study?

[Blackstone]

Certainly.

[Mortimer Weldon]

I'll go ahead, if I may, with the candle.

[Blackstone]

Yes, do.

[Rhoda Brent]

Blackstone. It's kind of spooky.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Won't you sit down? It's funny you said that, miss.

[Blackstone]

Oh, I am sorry, Mr. Weldon. My assistant, Rhoda Brent.

[Rhoda Brent]

How do you Do?

[Mortimer Weldon]

How'd you do? Funny. I said what about this place being spooky? It is. You know it's haunted.

[Rhoda Brent]

Oh, wonderful. I've always wanted to meet a ghost.

[Blackstone]

Mr. Weldon, you can't be serious.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Oh, but I am. Oh, I know it sounds fantastic, but. Well, I want to give you the whole story, if I may.

[Blackstone]

Please. But no one has ever shown me a haunted house or a ghost that I couldn't explain.

[Mortimer Weldon]

That's why I called you, Mr. Blackstone. I wondered if perhaps you couldn't explain your ghost.

[Blackstone]

Well, I'll try. Tell me all about it.

[Mortimer Weldon]

We've always known that the house was supposed to be haunted, especially the tower. But none of us ever gave much thought to was just a nice family tradition. Until last week.

[Rhoda Brent]

What happened last week?

[Mortimer Weldon]

I was having a house party for my brother Clarence. We started talking about the ghost and Clarence was dared to spend the night in the tower room.

[Rhoda Brent]

Don't tell me he saw the ghost.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Mr. Weldon, we will never know. The next time we saw Clarence, he was dead.

[Rhoda Brent]

What happened?

[Mortimer Weldon]

Late that night, after all of us had been asleep for hours, I was awakened by a scream, as were my guests. It seemed to come from the tower room.

[Blackstone]

Your brother Clarence was found lying in.

[Mortimer Weldon]

The courtyard with his neck broken. The door to the tower room was locked from the inside.

[Blackstone]

Well, Mr. Weldon, what do you want me to do?

[Mortimer Weldon]

I want you to see if you can find. Find an explanation for all this.

[Blackstone]

May I see the room?

[Mortimer Weldon]

I'm afraid you won't find anything there. It's been searched again and again.

[Blackstone]

Nevertheless, I would like to see it.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Very well. I'll lead the way.

[Blackstone]

Well, the walls seem to be solid enough.

[Rhoda Brent]

There doesn't seem to be a secret door.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Yes, that was my first thought, but I couldn't find a trace of one.

[Blackstone]

Well, the next thing for us to do is measure the place. Sometimes there's a difference in measurement that will show up a secret door where tapping won't. Oh, 10 o'.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Clock.

[Blackstone]

Is that clock right, Mr. Weldon?

[Mortimer Weldon]

Oh, yes. It has always kept excellent time.

[Blackstone]

So many of those old grandfather clocks do. This is a very beautiful example.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Yes, yes, I've always been very fond of it.

[Blackstone]

Yes, it's the right time to the second, according to my watch.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Shall we go down and get a yardstick? We want to get on with this very unpleasant business.

[Blackstone]

I've got a tape in the car. I'll get it.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Oh, I ought to go with him. These old corridors are tricky. Sometimes he may get lost. Coming, Miss Brent?

[Rhoda Brent]

No, thanks. I'll wait here and see if the ghost will come out and talk to me. Hello, ghost. Hello, ghost. Come out and talk to me. I died down like an idiot. You know, Rhoda, my girl, if you weren't known from coast to coast as the very spirit of bravery, I'd say you were a teeny, tiny, wincy bit scared. I keep hearing things. The clock stopped and the candle's gone out. I don't like it here.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Get away.

[Blackstone]

Rhoda. Rhoda, open the door.

[Mortimer Weldon]

What's the matter, Blackstone?

[Blackstone]

I heard a scream. Rhoda's voice. And now the door is locked. Why did you leave her alone?

[Mortimer Weldon]

I went after you to see that you didn't get lost.

[Blackstone]

Open a door.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Very well.

[Blackstone]

Rhoda. Rhoda, are you all right? Light the candle, Weldon. Rhoda. Oh, thank heaven. She's alive. What happened, Rhoda?

[Rhoda Brent]

Something dark and clammy hit me. That tripped me, dragged me to the window.

[Mortimer Weldon]

The window that my brother was thrown from.

[Rhoda Brent]

It was the ghost, Blackstone. I swear it was.

[Blackstone]

Where were you standing, Rhoda, when you were dragged?

[Rhoda Brent]

Over there. Right near the clock.

[Blackstone]

That's funny. According to my watch, that clock is two minutes slow. And yet, the last time we checked it, it was exactly right, Blackstone.

[Rhoda Brent]

Just before the ghost grabbed me, the clock stopped. I remember it.

[Blackstone]

You're sure?

[Rhoda Brent]

Perfectly. I could swear to it.

[Blackstone]

Mr. Weldon, you and I have a little trip to make to the police.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Blackstone, have you lost your mind?

[Blackstone]

I'm afraid not. The police will want to ask you a few questions about your brother's.

[Narrator]

But was he really guilty? Did Weldon kill his own brother and grab Rhoda? And was Weldon a ghost?

[Blackstone]

Yes, to all those questions.

[Narrator]

But how did you know?

[Blackstone]

It was very simple, really. Once Rhoda pointed away, I knew that there had to be some exit and entrance to that room. There had to be.

[Rhoda Brent]

And there was only one place in that room that we hadn't searched the clock.

[Blackstone]

Right. We found later that there was a secret door built into the back of the clock. There was only one mistake that Weldon made. You had to take the pendulum off in order to get in and out, and that stopped the clock.

[Rhoda Brent]

Weldon was in too much of a hurry to reset the clock after he got through with slugging me.

[Blackstone]

But why did he slug you, Rhoda?

[Rhoda Brent]

Well, that puzzled me for a little while, too. But we finally figured that it was to blur out his story of the ghost. The same reason, really, that he called.

[Blackstone]

Blackstone in he had heard that I had never found the ghost. I couldn't explain. And he was so confident of himself and his scheme that he felt if I failed to discover the secret, no one could.

[Rhoda Brent]

Lucky you know so much about escapes, Blackstone, we might never have discovered how Clarence Weldon was killed.

[Narrator]

And so another mystery was solved by a knowledge of magic. Well, Blackstone, you got a new trick for us today?

[Blackstone]

Yes, I. I have a very baffling one, but I'll have to borrow some money.

[Narrator]

It seems to me that all of the tricks start that way when I'm around. What do you want this time, another quarter?

[Blackstone]

No, no. It's time we were playing with bigger money. I need a dollar this time.

[Narrator]

Well, there you are.

[Blackstone]

Thank you.

[Rhoda Brent]

Where do I come in on this?

[Blackstone]

Well, you see those two bottles roller?

[Rhoda Brent]

These? Yes.

[Blackstone]

And those glasses.

[Rhoda Brent]

Right.

[Blackstone]

Okay. Just pour the contents of the bottles into the glasses.

[Rhoda Brent]

This sounds interesting. Let's see. Didn't you do a trick with glasses one time before?

[Blackstone]

Yes, but this time we aren't using the glasses. Were using the bottles. That's why Rhoda's emptying.

[Rhoda Brent]

Oh, there they are.

[Blackstone]

Now, take John's dollar bill and set one end of it on top of a bottle. Hold it there.

[Rhoda Brent]

There you are. What do I do next?

[Blackstone]

Just keep it there while I set the other bottle upside down on top of it.

[Narrator]

Oh, I see. You're going to trap my dollar bill right between the tops of the two bottles.

[Rhoda Brent]

You mean he's going to try to. It isn't easy to balance one bottle on top of another.

[Blackstone]

Why, it's very easy, Rhoda.

[Narrator]

See?

[Rhoda Brent]

Praise done it.

[Narrator]

And there's my dollar bill sticking out from between the two bottles. Well, is the trick over?

[Blackstone]

Oh, the trick is just beginning. What I want you to do is to remove the dollar bill from between the bottles without disturbing either one.

[Rhoda Brent]

You expect us to leave the bottles balanced just as they are?

[Blackstone]

That's right.

[Rhoda Brent]

But that's impossible.

[Blackstone]

Well, you think it over, Rhoda, and maybe you'll find a way to do it. If you don't, I'll be back in a few minutes to explain it to you. Well, Rhoda, how are you making out with the bottle trick?

[Rhoda Brent]

Well, I've upset the top bottle three times already. @ least I've learned how to put it back.

[Blackstone]

Well, that's a move in the right direction.

[Rhoda Brent]

I've got them balanced for you with a dollar bill between them. Now you show me.

[Blackstone]

All right, here we go. But first, Rotor, how did you try to remove the dollar bill.

[Rhoda Brent]

I just grabbed the long end and tried to pull it out from between the bottles.

[Blackstone]

But the top bottle always came with it.

[Rhoda Brent]

Yes, that was the trouble.

[Blackstone]

No, the trouble was that you didn't use the right system. Now watch carefully and I'll show you. First, you take the long end of the dollar bill and draw it tightly.

[Narrator]

But carefully without trying to pull it from between the bottles.

[Blackstone]

That's right. Just hold it extended with one hand.

[Rhoda Brent]

And then what?

[Blackstone]

Raise the other hand above the dollar bill and hold the hand sideways like this.

[Rhoda Brent]

I see. Well, now what?

[Blackstone]

I'm going to drive my hand straight downward when I say three.

[Rhoda Brent]

So you'll strike the center of the dollar bill.

[Mortimer Weldon]

Correct.

[Blackstone]

Now watch 1, 2, and 3.

[Rhoda Brent]

How you snap the bill right from between the bottles.

[Narrator]

The bottles are standing exactly the way Rod affects them.

[Rhoda Brent]

The top bottle didn't even move.

[Blackstone]

And that's how the trick is done. Just draw the dollar bill tight, hit it in the middle, and out it comes. I hope, ladies and gentlemen, you enjoy that trick. And now, until next week, this is Blackstone wishing you good magic and goodbye.

[Narrator]

Be with us next time when the world's greatest living magician, Blackstone, tells us the story of the icy touch and explains more tricks that you yourself can perform. Listen in again to Blackstone, the world's greatest living magician.