Podcast Summary: Sears Radio Theater 79-02-07 (003) – "Hostages"
Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Title: "Hostages"
Original Air Date: February 7, 1979
Summary Date: September 13, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode features the classic "Hostages" from the Sears Radio Theater, a dramatic crime story full of tension, emotional conflict, and social commentary. Hosted by Vincent Price, it exemplifies Golden Age radio's knack for suspense and character-driven drama. The story centers on a hostage situation at a suburban bank, where marital strife, desperation, and police procedures intersect, leading to a tragic showdown.
Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown
1. Setting the Stage: Suburban Tensions, Family Division
- [00:18-02:09] The small town of Farrington is introduced as tranquil and well-to-do, masking deeper social problems. The tone is immediately tense, shifting from domestic discord to the threat of violence.
- Frank and Carol Mason are estranged spouses in distress:
- Frank is desperate, angry, and feels betrayed by Carol and her attorney, Ted Brock.
- Carol is fearful and defensive, setting boundaries ("No, I can't trust you. Not after the last time." [02:23])
- Frank accuses Carol of being manipulated by her lawyer and vows never to grant her a divorce.
Quote:
- Frank (to Carol): "I'll never give you a divorce. I mean it." [03:01]
2. At the Bank: Personal Crisis Turns to Public Danger
- [04:08-07:56] Carol, now at her job as bank manager, is visited by her attorney, Ted Brock, to discuss her fears and Frank’s threats.
- Ted urges Carol to file for divorce; Carol hesitates out of fear for Frank’s reaction and professional repercussions.
- The bank robbery abruptly interrupts their conversation.
- The robber, armed and volatile, herds employees at gunpoint.
- An employee attempts heroism and is seriously wounded.
Quote:
- Robber, asserting control: "Everybody just stay nice and orderly. No fuss, no sudden moves." [07:34]
3. The Hostage Standoff: Escalation, Negotiation, and Desperation
- [08:00-15:13]
- Hostages are forced to comply. The police surround the bank, with tense exchanges between the robber and law enforcement.
- Frank, revealed to be a police lieutenant and Carol’s estranged husband, is thrust into demanding negotiation, personally affected.
- The robber’s demands: a plane to Cuba, money, safe passage.
Quote:
- Robber (on the phone with police): "I'm calling the tune. You got that, huh? You're my ticket out. I get out, then you get out. Otherwise... there better not be an otherwise." [10:29]
4. Psychological and Emotional Trauma
- [16:25-27:27]
- Carol is manipulated and threatened; the robber doubts the truth of her situation but uses her as leverage.
- The wounded bank employee ("Captain Heroic") is released—revealed to be Ted Brock, not just a random hero.
- Miscommunication and guilt ripple among the hostages. Frank’s personal and professional identities blur as he attempts to resolve the crisis and save his wife.
- Carol reveals deep scars from emotional and physical abuse in her marriage, highlighting long-term damage and fear.
Quote:
- Carol, to robber: "My husband tell you how I got that beautiful scar? ... he did it in one of his rages. He attacked me with a steak knife." [27:38]
5. The Final Confrontation and Tragic Resolution
- [27:27-34:59]
- Frank attempts a solo rescue through the air ducts as the robbery unravels.
- Carol and the robber engage in psychological chess—Carol tries to convince the robber that she is not simply a hostage but a target for her husband.
- The robber, worn down and fearing for the hostage’s health, surrenders; the hostages are released except for Carol, whom the robber holds as a last shield.
- Frank enters, leading to a tense stand-off. In the chaos, Frank is shot dead, the robber is killed by police marksmen, and Carol is left emotionally shattered.
Quote:
- Carol, after Frank's death: "It's wrong. It's wrong." [34:59]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Frank (threatening Carol): "If you see that lawyer Brock again, you'll live to regret it. And that's only the beginning of our story." [03:16]
- Robber, negotiating for his life: "Listen, get the plane in a half hour or I start throwing corpses out of the bank." [14:08]
- Carol, on her marriage’s history of abuse: "Nobody means dirty... he attacked me with a steak knife." [27:54]
- Police Commissioner (trying to manage Frank): "Let's not turn this into a massacre. I don't want to see innocent people get killed." [25:54]
- Carol, at the end, in disbelief and grief: "It's wrong. It's wrong." [34:59]
- Police Officer (attempting to comfort her): "I know how you feel. Frank was a devoted husband. All he could think about was you. He died a hero." [35:04]
Important Timestamps
- [02:09] – Domestic dispute, setting personal stakes
- [07:34] – Robbery begins, hostages taken
- [09:04] – Police arrive, standoff initiated
- [10:29] – Criminal issues demands
- [13:05] – First negotiations and false information
- [16:25] – Ted is taken out, Frank bargains
- [21:12] – Confusion over Ted Brock's fate
- [27:27] – Carol’s abuse history is revealed
- [32:10] – Robber signals surrender
- [33:44] – Final confrontation, deaths of Frank and the robber
- [34:59] – Aftermath and emotional close
Themes and Tone
The episode is rich with classic radio drama suspense, emotional complexity, and dark social realities: marital breakdown, cycles of violence, psychological trauma, and the flawed heroism of embattled authority figures. The tone swings from noir tension to melodrama, driven by strong performances and tightly spun dialogue, all in an era before the comfort of video or visual distractions.
Conclusion
"Hostages" is a vivid, harrowing portrait of domestic tragedy and the explosive results of private turmoil becoming public crisis. The episode’s careful pacing, authentic period dialogue, and unflinching look at human flaws make it a standout in the Sears Radio Theater canon—an unforgettable example of radio’s power to capture the extremes of drama and emotion within the theater of the mind.