Podcast Summary: Relic Radio Thrillers – "The Missing Witness" (The Man Called X)

Release Date: September 19, 2025
Original Broadcast Date: March 24, 1951
Host: Jack Latham (RelicRadio.com)

Episode Overview

This episode of Relic Radio Thrillers revisits the classic espionage drama, "The Missing Witness," from the old-time radio series The Man Called X. The story centers on Ken Thurston (aka Mr. X), who races against time and international enemies to locate and protect a vital witness, William Crile. Crile is the only man capable of convicting notorious foreign agent John Verander, but is now on the run in Ecuador, with both the law and lethal criminals in pursuit. The narrative is packed with suspense, shifting allegiances, and the moral imperative of standing up for justice.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Framing the Mystery (00:11–04:57)

• Context: Host Jack Latham introduces The Man Called X, highlighting its storied history in radio and setting the tone for the classic thriller.
• The Case: In an office high above Manhattan, Chief and Ken Thurston discuss the press and public pressure over failing to deport John Verander, an internationally known spy.
  • Chief: “Everyone knows Verander's a foreign agent...and we haven't got one blessed shred of legal evidence to hang it on him.” (03:56)
• The Lead: Thurston reveals a potential breakthrough—William Crile, an insider ready to testify. Crile, however, has disappeared, and Thurston relies on the resourceful (if shifty) Pagon Zelschmitt to find him.

2. The Search Begins (04:57–08:14)

• Pagon's Intel: Pagon channels information that Crile has fled to Guayaquil, Ecuador, to escape Verander’s assassins.
  • Pagon: “He figured this Vernder character would have been bumped out if he told the government what he knows about him...So Krile took himself a fast brush out Powder.” (05:26)
• Dilemma: Verander's killers are hot on Crile's trail, and Mr. X must reach him first.

3. Arrival in Ecuador and New Suspects (07:33–10:23)

• Atmosphere: Thurston and Pagon land in Ecuador, already feeling the tension and surveillance from mysterious figures, including a suspicious professor, Savadel, who seems to know more than he lets on.
• Key Interaction: The eccentric Professor Savadel introduces Desolation Island as a clue, sparking Mr. X’s suspicion.
  • Prof. Savadel: “You'd be surprised at what can be found on some of its islands. Such as San Cristobal, Santa Maria, Desolation Island.” (09:21)

4. Danger Closes In (10:23–15:12)

• Double Crosses: Savadel appears to have a heart attack after an ominous encounter at the airport, but Mr. X suspects foul play.
• Hospital & Apartment: Thurston tracks Savadel to his apartment, only to encounter Carla Reiner, a tough and crafty woman with her own agendas and a gun.
  • Carla: “So long as I have the gun. You will answer the questions, not ask him.” (13:23)
• Revelation: A corpse in the closet (Bruno Nasto, Verander’s henchman) raises the stakes, and allegiances are suspect on all sides.

5. Unlikely Alliances and Further Betrayal (16:57–20:54)

• Motives Laid Bare: Carla admits she tried to obtain Crile's location to sell for profit. She denies killing Nasto, but the truth is murky.
  • Carla: “I have made it My business to know many things about many people in many places. I have found it to be a most profitable vocation.” (17:04)
• Pagon’s Trouble: Following Carla puts Pagon in danger—he's knocked out by a thug with a bloodhound after seeing Carla depart via speedboat.

6. Desolation Island Showdown (21:02–26:28)

• Climax: Mr. X and Pagon travel to Desolation Island, a desolate outpost in the Galapagos, to find Crile.
  • Ken Thurston: “What else would you do if you wanted to hunt a turtle on the Galapagos Islands, huh? There it is, Pagon. Desolation Island.” (21:05)
• Crile Found: Crile, paranoid and desperate, pulls a gun on the newcomers, thinking they’re working for Verander.
  • Crile: “You're wrong, Krile. I'm on government business.” (22:37 – Ken)
• Moral Choice: Thurston persuades Crile that isolation is no escape from duty—or from oneself.
  • Ken Thurston: “You can't hide from yourself. How did you find me...?” (23:08)
• Villains Arrive: Carla, with Savadel captive and the bloodhound-handler, corners Thurston’s party, using Savadel as a shield and sending the dog to finish the job.
• Counter-trick: Thurston defeats their tracking with an old subterfuge: “I used the old trick of spreading blood plasma and cocaine across the trail.” (25:45)
• Final Confrontation: Carla’s duplicity is revealed—she’d used Nasto’s gun to commit murder. Crile decides to return and testify, realizing there’s no true escape.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Moral Responsibility:
  • Ken Thurston: “We’ve only got two choices to make these days. To stand up against the villains of the world or try to run away. And the earth’s just too small to h[ide].” (26:40)
• On Espionage:
  • Chief: “Everyone knows Verander’s a foreign agent...and we haven’t got one blessed shred of legal evidence to hang it on him.” (03:56)
• Comic Relief:
  • Pagon: “The closer we get to where we’re going, the farther away I think we should ought to be.” (07:33)
• On Deception:
  • Carla: “I have made it My business to know many things about many people in many places. I have found it to be a most profitable vocation.” (17:04)

Important Timestamps

• Host’s Introduction and Show Setup: 00:11–01:06
• Case and Chief’s Frustration: 03:17–04:57
• Pagon Reveals Crile’s Whereabouts: 05:13–05:59
• Arrival and Suspicious Professor: 09:10–10:23
• Savadel’s Collapse and Clues: 11:31–12:17
• Carla’s Confrontation: 13:17–15:12
• Moral Dilemma on Desolation Island: 22:16–23:08, 26:40

Tone and Style

The episode blends classic cloak-and-dagger suspense with moments of lighthearted banter (mostly through Pagon), a sense of moral gravity, and hard-boiled, fast-paced dialogue emblematic of vintage radio thrillers. Mr. X’s determination is juxtaposed with both the villains’ ruthless cunning and secondary characters’ self-interest or fear.

Conclusion

"The Missing Witness" is a tight, suspenseful classic of espionage, offering listeners not only an action-packed quest across borders but also a reflective ending about courage, responsibility, and the impossibility of running from conscience. Ken Thurston’s victory isn’t just about capturing a criminal, but about persuading a crucial witness to do the right thing—no matter the cost.

For more old-time radio adventures, visit RelicRadio.com or check out their Shoutcast stream.