Friday Night Noir - The Hitchhiker - Orson Welles

Vintage Classic Radio presents Friday Night Noir where we bring to life timeless classic detective noir, mystery and  suspense from the golden age of radio between the 1930s and the 1960s. 

Episode description: "The Hitchhiker" is a radio play written by Lucille Fletcher and directed by Orson Welles, aired on the CBS radio show "Suspense" on September 2nd, 1942. The play tells the story of a man named Ronald Adams, who is driving from Brooklyn to California when he sees a hitchhiker on the side of the road.

As the play progresses, Ronald realizes that the hitchhiker seems to be following him no matter where he goes, and that no one else can see or hear the hitchhiker. Ronald becomes increasingly anxious and paranoid, convinced that the hitchhiker is a ghost or some other supernatural being that is haunting him.

The role of Ronald Adams was played by Orson Welles himself, and the rest of the cast included Eustace Wyatt as the hitchhiker, William Alland as the voice of the radio announcer, and a small ensemble of other actors in various minor roles.

One interesting fact about the production is that it was originally broadcast just a few weeks before the infamous "War of the Worlds" broadcast, also directed by Orson Welles, which caused widespread panic among listeners who believed that a real alien invasion was happening. "The Hitchhiker" is often cited as an example of Welles' skill as a radio dramatist and his ability to create a sense of suspense and terror through the use of sound effects and other audio techniques.

Suspense was a radio drama series that aired on CBS Radio from 1940 through 1962. It was one of the longest-running and most popular radio programs of its time, known for its thrilling and suspenseful stories that kept listeners on the edge of their seats. Each episode featured a different story, ranging from crime dramas to horror tales to psychological thrillers, and often featured well-known actors and actresses of the day. The show was renowned for its use of sound effects and music to create a sense of tension and atmosphere, and many of its episodes are still considered classics of the genre. Suspense helped to define the medium of radio drama and set a high standard for storytelling that would continue to influence popular culture for decades to come.

Broadcast air date: September 2nd, 1942

Home station: CBS  

Notable Cast:

Orson Welles as Ronald Adams

Eustace Wyatt as The Hitchhiker

William Alland is the radio announcer