Summary
A chilling tale unfolds in a remote Swiss alpine valley, where Jim and Laura Mason, along with friends Mona Williams and Peter Bennett, embark on a mountain holiday that quickly turns ominous. The group is met with romantic and financial tensions, as Jim grapples with his feelings for Mona while being married to Laura, who dreams of danger during their trip. The tension escalates when Laura has a nightmare about someone cutting her climbing rope, foreshadowing the perilous events to come.
As the climbing party ventures higher into the mountains, Jim's jealousy and resentment toward Laura and Peter grow. A near-fatal incident occurs when Laura nearly falls from a ledge, but Jim saves her, deepening his internal conflict. The narrative takes a dark turn as Jim, consumed by his desires, sabotages Laura's climbing rope, setting the stage for a tragic outcome. The story culminates in a harrowing descent where Jim's fate hangs in the balance, leaving the group to grapple with the consequences of his actions and the haunting question of why he chose not to save himself. The episode concludes with a shocking revelation about the rope that was meant to support Laura, leaving listeners to ponder the depths of betrayal and the fragility of life.
Show Notes
The Whistler presents “High Death,” originally broadcast on CBS on March 11, 1951. Episode 458 was written by Edwin Spangenberg and sponsored by Signal Oil.
In a remote Swiss Alpine valley, Jim and Laura Mason join Mona Williams and Peter Bennett for a mountain holiday. Romantic and financial tensions simmer as the group prepares to climb, where the unforgiving heights—and the ropes connecting them—raise the stakes. The cast includes John Dehner and Marvin Miller.
Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.
Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:48 Original Broadcast 27:23 Closing
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