The Relic Radio Show – "Escape: The Sure Thing" & "The Six Shooter: The Double Seven"

Episode Date: November 25, 2025
Podcast: The Relic Radio Show (RelicRadio.com)
Host: RelicRadio.com

Episode Overview

This episode of The Relic Radio Show unearths two gems from radio's golden age:

• “The Sure Thing” from Escape (aired October 15, 1949) – A suspenseful adventure set aboard a Caribbean schooner involving deception, danger, and a hidden fortune.
• “The Double Seven” from The Six Shooter (aired May 13, 1954) – A Western morality tale with James Stewart as Britt Ponsett, caught in a simmering conflict between ranchers and farmers.

Relic Radio’s host guides listeners through 60 minutes of classic radio drama that “still stands the test of time.”

Segment 1: Escape – "The Sure Thing"

Original Air Date: October 15, 1949
Starts at 00:11

Main Theme

A seemingly routine SOS pulls a ship's doctor into a web of greed, lies, and murder as he tends to a wounded man on a mysterious schooner in the Caribbean. The promise of two million dollars lies at the heart of intrigue, betrayal, and deadly intentions.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• Setting the Scene

  • [00:11] Host introduces "The Sure Thing", framing Escape as a program designed to "free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure."
  • [01:13] The story opens aboard a lonely schooner in the Caribbean night, with a fortune and a cast driven by "heedless passions of reckless men."

• Ship’s Doctor Answers an SOS

  • [01:57] A mysterious SOS leads the ship’s doctor to board the schooner, Sidon, to treat an “accident case.”
  • [02:59] "SOS latitude 23 north longitude... Accident case on board schooner Sidon... Urgently need Doctor."
    • The urgency and ambiguity set a tone of unease.

• Suspicion and Deception

  • [05:44] The doctor discovers the patient’s wound is from a bullet, not the supposedly accidental fall with a marlinspike.
  • [06:01] “You're like a parrot I used to own – your sea talk is too glib.” – Doctor (to Stephanie)

• The Doctor Becomes Involved

  • [07:47] The doctor realizes he is being lied to by everyone aboard—the owner Felix, the patient Joseph, and Joseph’s "secretary" Stephanie.
  • [09:49] Attempted murder: The doctor is nearly shot while adjusting the schooner's course.

• Unraveling the Plot

  • [15:19] Stephanie confesses that Felix shot Joseph in a fit of rage and forced her to lie.
  • [16:24] The wounded man Joseph Ingram is revealed to be an aviation tycoon presumed dead in a recent plane crash—he’s escaping indictment for war contracts by faking his death.
  • [17:22] Stephanie claims she was forced along as the only one who knew Joseph was alive.

• The Fortune

  • [20:28] The motivation becomes clear: $2 million in a bearer draft hidden on the boat, with ever-shifting alliances and murder attempts as the stakes.

• Climax and Resolution

  • [21:08–24:00] A fight breaks out; Felix is tossed overboard, and Stephanie offers to partner with the doctor. He refuses.
  • [23:23] Joseph confronts Stephanie. Both tumble overboard in a death struggle, each trying to secure the fortune.
  • [24:22] The doctor finds the $2 million draft hidden in the heel of Joseph's shoe.

• Bitter Irony

  • [26:37] In Havana, Joseph's wife exposes the doctor's involvement; nobody believes his tale. A "sure thing" turns into a murder accusation, showing that greed inevitably leads to one's downfall.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Suspicion:

  • “You're like a parrot I used to own – your sea talk is too glib."
    – Doctor, 06:01

• On the Motivation:

  • “Two million dollars. Now it began to make some sense. Now everything made sense.”
    – Doctor, 20:53

• On Betrayal & Greed

  • “You wanted too much, Stephanie. My money and Felix's.”
    – Joseph, 23:22

• Cynical Closing:

  • "It had seemed like such a sure thing. And it was murder. Payable to bearer."
    – Doctor, 27:36

Important Timestamps

• 00:11 – Host introduces the episode and Escape.
• 01:57 – Doctor boards the mysterious schooner.
• 05:44 – Doctor discovers the wound is a gunshot.
• 09:49 – Doctor nearly shot; realizes course is set away from Havana.
• 15:19 – Stephanie confesses the truth about Joseph and Felix.
• 23:23 – Joseph and Stephanie’s fatal struggle.
• 24:22 – The $2 million draft is found.
• 26:37 – Twist ending: the doctor is accused of murder in Havana.

Segment 2: The Six Shooter – "The Double Seven"

Original Air Date: May 13, 1954
Starts at 30:25

Main Theme

A classic Western tale exploring land disputes, suspicion, and justice. Britt Ponsett, “the Six Shooter,” is caught between rancher Gid Bascom’s growing paranoia and the desperation of small farmers, culminating in a cycle of violence and redemption.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• Opening & Setting

  • [30:25] Halfway Creek is a small, isolated town, symbolic of the wider tensions brewing in the new West.
  • [32:53] Britt crosses paths with Gid Bascom, who is hiring extra men, including the mysterious gunman Clint Sutton, to protect his expanding ranch.

• Seeds of Conflict

  • [36:14] Gid suspects “nesters” (small farmers) of stealing cattle and possibly attempting to kill him, prompting him to hire a gunfighter for protection.
  • [37:24] “My tallies are short. After the roundup, I'll know for certain how many they got away with.” – Gid

• The Farmer’s Perspective

  • [40:29] Perry Waddell, a farmer, pleads with Britt to help stand up to Bascom and Sutton.
  • [41:32] “My farm's all I've got in this world. Nobody's gonna take it away from me now.” – Perry

• Cycle of Violence

  • [42:25] Rufe Lovett warns of a plan to burn out the farmers, prompting a retaliatory scheme against Bascom’s ranch.

• Britt Ponsett’s Wisdom

  • [43:17] “I sure don't see what you'll accomplish by that, Rufe.” – Britt redirects the townspeople away from vengeance, advocating for dialogue and reason.

• Turning the Tide

  • [47:28] Britt confronts Gid and his crew, persuading Bascom to avoid violence after warning him that the farmers might burn his ranch in return.

• Ambush and Tragic Backstory

  • [50:00–54:44] Britt is ambushed in the dark by Rufe, who mistakenly sees violence as his last option. Wounded and delirious, Rufe recounts how his previous farm and wife were burned by another rancher in Texas, haunting him ever since.

• Resolution

  • [55:00] Rufe’s pain and vendetta are revealed to stem from trauma, not wickedness. Britt, compassionate yet firm, takes Rufe into town, de-escalating the violence.
  • [57:00] Gid Bascom, upon reflection, agrees to let bygones be bygones, fires the gunman Sutton, and seeks a more peaceful coexistence with the farmers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Compassion:

  • "It just goes to show you there's differences in ranchers like anything else."
    – Britt Ponsett, 57:00

• On Nonviolence:

  • "I told Gid I'm not a hired gun. I'm gonna tell you the same thing."
    – Britt Ponsett, 41:35

• On Cycle of Grief:

  • “They're all the same, Poncet, with their grabbing, burning, killing. I figured if I stirred up enough trouble to force Gid out in the open... I'd be paying Gid back for what he'd done to Nancy.”
    – Rufe Lovett, 54:46

Important Timestamps

• 30:25 – The Six Shooter episode opens; Britt enters Halfway Creek.
• 32:53 – Gid Bascom offers Britt a job; friction with Clint Sutton emerges.
• 36:14 – Gid explains growing tensions over land and cattle.
• 42:25 – Rufe reveals plans for violence; Britt tries to calm both sides.
• 47:28 – Britt intervenes as both groups near violent confrontation.
• 50:00–54:44 – Ambush: Britt survives, and Rufe’s tragic story unfolds.
• 55:00–57:00 – Resolution and lessons learned; empathy prevails.

Summary: Tone and Language

Both stories showcase radio’s golden age flair for suspense and drama. Escape’s "The Sure Thing" is hardboiled, cynical, and filled with fatalistic wit (“It had seemed like such a sure thing. And it was murder. Payable to bearer.”), while The Six Shooter is reflective and humane, with James Stewart’s gentle authority and the weary wisdom of Western justice.

Why Listen?

For modern listeners, this episode of Relic Radio illustrates:

• The enduring appeal of gripping, character-driven drama.
• The way motifs of greed, redemption, and moral ambiguity remain relevant.
• Classic storytelling and performances from mid-twentieth century radio, recreated with all the atmosphere and tension of the originals.

For more classic radio and to support the show, visit RelicRadio.com.