Podcast Summary

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Escape: Operation Fleur De Lys (Encore) (A0052)
Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Adam Graham

Episode Overview

This episode features an “encore” presentation of the radio drama Escape: Operation Fleur de Lys, with Jack Webb in the starring role, accompanied by host Adam Graham’s expert commentary. Part of a series celebrating the Jack Webb Centennial, the episode transports listeners to Nazi-occupied France via a suspenseful WWII tale rooted in the files of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). After the drama, Adam Graham reflects on Webb’s performance, the realism of the story, and the ensemble cast.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Introduction and Context [01:06–07:07]

• Adam Graham provides context for this special episode:

  • The podcast is sharing adventure-themed stories during a break before resuming with new material.
  • Sets up the “Jack Webb Centennial Series,” focusing on Webb’s early radio career and rise to prominence, noting Webb’s history as a frequent participant in radio anthologies like Suspense and Escape.
  • Explains how Escape provided significant dramatic roles for up-and-coming actors like Webb, unlike the marquee-actor-driven Suspense.

  Quote at [05:03]:

  "In Escape, Jack Webb got probably some of the best material in his acting career, certainly in his radio acting career."

• Adam teases a three-episode run featuring Jack Webb's roles in Escape and connects this episode to Webb’s trajectory towards Dragnet.

2. The Radio Play: “Operation Fleur de Lys” [07:07–35:29]

Premise and Cast

• Set during WWII, the story follows two American OSS agents, Lt. Duke (Jack Webb) and Lt. Hill, on a clandestine mission to assist the French Resistance by disrupting Nazi supply lines ahead of the Allied invasion.
• Companion characters include French resistance leader Alcine and the enigmatic Rene.

Key Scenes and Developments

• Mission Briefing ([08:13–10:00]): The agents receive assignment details—sabotage critical highways and rail lines in German-occupied France—only to learn the mission’s enormity and their limited resources.

  Quote at [09:57]:

  "Just the two of you."
  —OSS Commanding Officer

  Quote at [10:00] (Duke):

  "Just the two of us. And all we had to do was organize an underground army, disrupt the supply lines of a half a dozen Nazi divisions... Just the two of us."

• Landing in France ([11:00–13:15]): Parachuting into France, the agents link up with Alcine and discover their resistance “army” numbers only three.

  Quote at [14:05]:

  "But now that the Americans are here, we can do anything." —Alcine

• Resistance Organization ([14:31–15:48]): The Americans begin organizing a larger Marquis (resistance group), providing arms and food. Recruitment is slow but gradually grows.

• Security Compromised ([16:57–18:30]): The Americans grow wary of Alcine’s repeated trips to the village and his secret meetings with his lover, Rene—a potential security threat.

  Quote at [17:32]:

  "You're endangering the whole Marquis by disobeying my orders!" —Lt. Duke

• Personal Loss and Suspicion ([20:14–21:39]): Alcine’s family is executed by the Gestapo after a tip-off, raising suspicions about leaks in the network. Letters mailed by Rene for Marquis members become a critical clue.

  Quote at [21:48]:

  "2 and 2 make 4 in occupied France, just the same as anywhere else." —Lt. Duke

• Ambush and Retreat ([22:14–24:05]): After German troops descend, the resistance is forced to scatter; casualties result from Alcine's disobedience.

  Quote at [24:14]:

  "I got two of them! I killed two Bosch." —Alcine
  "Your orders were not to shoot." —Lt. Duke

• Crisis of Loyalty ([24:42–25:58]): Fear of reprisals against families prompts several men to consider quitting; Duke convinces them to stay a little longer, promising to fix the security leak.

• Investigation and Seduction ([26:03–33:01]): Lt. Duke arranges a meeting with Rene under an assumed name, intending to verify her loyalties. A romantic drive and candid conversation ensue.

  Quote at [29:15] (Rene):

  "Don't you think that love is bigger than war or hate or anything?"

• The Trap and Betrayal Revealed ([32:49–34:29]): With Rene incapacitated by a drugged drink, evidence reveals her as a Gestapo informant responsible for multiple resistance deaths.

  Quote at [33:45]:

  "A letter from Gestapo headquarters—confirming receipt of three addresses." —Lt. Hill

  Quote at [34:13] (Duke):

  "She's responsible for the death of six people whose only crime was being born French. She'd wrecked our Marquis, snafu'd our mission, and turned me over to the Gestapo— with her lipstick still on my collar, that gorgeous hunk of double cross."

• Justice and Aftermath ([34:14–35:29]): The Americans dispose of Rene’s body; the story closes on a bittersweet note as the mission succeeds, but at a moral cost.

  Quote at [35:24]:

  "The operation was successful, but the patient died." —Lt. Duke

3. Host’s Commentary & Analysis [36:54–38:50]

• Adam Graham praises the adaptation’s realism and tight plotting.

• He highlights the interplay between Jack Webb and Elliot Lewis, noting both actors’ future broadcasting achievements.

• Adam acknowledges the episode’s mature portrayal of ambiguous morality, especially in Duke's closing reflection.

• He briefly questions the dramatic logic of Rene’s fate (both shot and her car sent into the river), but grants that, being drawn from OSS files, it likely reflects a real historical incident.

  Quote at [37:25]:

  "Webb did bring some of his hard boiled characterization to his portrayal of Duke, but… it was just the right tone and tempo for this character. It’s a very realistic story."

  Quote at [38:00]:

  "The operation was successful, but the patient died."

• He encourages feedback and notes that a further Jack Webb episode of Escape will follow after this.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Just the two of us. And all we had to do was organize an underground army, disrupt the supply lines of a half a dozen Nazi divisions..." —Lt. Duke ([10:00])
• "But now that the Americans are here, we can do anything." —Alcine ([14:05])
• "You're endangering the whole Marquis by disobeying my orders!" —Lt. Duke ([17:32])
• "2 and 2 make 4 in occupied France, just the same as anywhere else." —Lt. Duke ([21:48])
• "Don't you think that love is bigger than war or hate or anything?" —Rene ([29:15])
• "She's responsible for the death of six people whose only crime was being born French..." —Lt. Duke ([34:13])
• "The operation was successful, but the patient died." —Lt. Duke ([35:24])

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Host Context & Series Background: 01:06–07:07
• Mission Briefing and Jump: 08:13–13:15
• Organizing the Resistance: 14:31–16:35
• Security Leak and Alcine’s Loss: 16:57–21:39
• Attack, Retreat, and Dissent: 22:14–25:58
• Undercover with Rene: 26:03–33:01
• Betrayal Revealed and Showdown: 33:31–34:29
• Finale and Aftermath: 34:29–35:29
• Adam Graham's Commentary: 36:54–38:50

Tone and Language

• Radio Play: Hard-boiled, noir sensibility with brisk, witty exchanges and deep emotional undercurrents—the classic era war drama style.
• Adam Graham: Informed, enthusiastic, and warmly nostalgic, with an appreciation for history, craft, and character nuance.

Summary

In this gripping WWII espionage drama, the personal and political stakes collide: two American agents strive to forge a French resistance from scratch, but the cost of betrayal bites deep. Jack Webb’s brooding, understated performance grounds the tension, while the script delivers sharp dialogue, sudden violence, and a finale as haunting as it is morally ambiguous. Adam Graham’s commentary enriches the context, making this episode a standout entry for fans of both golden age radio drama and the ongoing Jack Webb retrospective.