CBSRMT Episode Information Next Episode

Title

Breakout

Plot

Holland is the destination two French soldier escapees from a German POW camp make for as they cross the German countryside during World War I.

Episode

1139

Air Dates

  • First Run - November 26, 1980
  • Repeat - February 10, 1981

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

49
36     13


9 Responses to Episode 1139

First heard this one shortly after it was originally broadcast back in 1980. My neighbor recorded it and I still have that cassette with all of the original commercials. An excellent true-life dramatized story about W.W. I pilots Roland Garros and Ansalme Marchal. There is not a whole lot of contemporary information about this escape, but it did happen with both of these fliers. I had to research it using period published books and articles. Program is excellently written and portrayed by the actors. Perfect music and sound effects as well. Definitely one of my RMT favorites of all time. I give it 5-Stars.

Ross

I listened to CBSRMT from the mid 70's to it went off the air in the 80s. It remains one of the bright sides of my life. E.G. Marshal was a great host and voice for the show. I just want to thank you for the opportunity to listen to this great radio show again. I an 61 years old and I listened to CBSRMT while working full time and going to college full time at the University of Texas. I am retired from AT&T. it was a part of my life. Thank you again,

Ronnie Joe

. My dad always had tapes of these radio shows that he played for us. He pays for a channel to hear them now, and I love them still! I grew up with them, too. Someone got me an Ipod and I found this website.

Christy

What other voices do you think would have been great in CBSRMT that never starred? I would have loved to hear Ernest Borgnine, Angela Lansbury, Patrick Magoohan, Vincent Price (who was appearing I the PRICE OF FEAR), Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Gerald Mohr, Ciaran Hinds, Roscoe Lee Browne, Peter Lorre, James Garner, Walter Brennan, Kate mulgrew, Roddy McDowall, and entire cast of Maltese Falcon would have all been great assets to CBSRMT during its run!

Benson

I might be a little obsessed, I listened in the 70s and 80s as my mother shared it with me and the rest the family, later it disappeared for many years until I was able to buy it on CDs all episodes.I'm pretty sure I listened all them more than once, it's amazing how I don't remember, but do in other ways. And now once again I use them to fall asleep to on this site here.

Tony Talevich

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. James Agate, Jr. never ceased to amaze me when wrote CBSRMT episodes based on true events such as #0760-THE MISSOURI KID, #1266-THE WHITE RABBIT, and #1355-ADOLPH AND EVA. Another way to title this WW-I story would be “Make Friends, Make Observation, Make Haste” which is exactly what our leading characters did. SPECIAL NOTE: This episode that plays on the CBSRMT website, the last several minutes were cut short. Fortunately, I got to download all 1,399 episodes from the ARCHIVE website: https://archive.org/details/cbs_radio_mystery_theater and I got to hear how this story ends. E.G. Marshall as Host was outstanding and informative. In his Prologue, he brings up the topic of the Love of Liberty and the greatest helping hand is chance. In ACT-1, our story begins in WW-I where our 2 main characters are trapped in Germany’s Scharnhorst Prison and they plan to escape. He informs the fans that in WW-I it was one’s duty to escape. In ACT-2, he informs us again about prayers that go out to lovers hoping they’ll return and the war will be short. Best of all, he quoted Napoleon who said, “We are doomed forever to repeat our follies; for War is the business of barbarians.” In ACT-3, after the 2 make it to the climax in this story, our Host gives us the resolution about their deaths. But finishes the final Act with words of wisdom by saying, “To try when there is little hope is to risk failure. Not to try at all is to guarantee it.” Now here’s the missing Epilogue: E.G. Marshall explains that CBSRMT’s concern is to delve into the mystery of what makes people tick. And he ends it by saying that courage is not in blindly overlooking danger, but in seeing it and conquering it. Nicely done! The music had the right tunes in this war story. Music themes that expressed danger, suspense, agony, melancholy, tension, fear, and paranoia. And great sound effects as well: engine of the plane, aircraft fire, howling wind, storeroom keys, soaking the coats, board cutting, moving the medal stone, doorknob locked, opening the window, taking the silverware, opening the barriers, walking on the footbridge, train whistling, dogs barking, climbing the ladder to the attic, opening the trapdoor, the rooster, the cow, breaking of the door, dumping the bodies in the water, bell ringing at 11 o’clock, cathedral bell at 1 o’clock, river flowing, gunfire, and the whistle signal. Made it felt like you were there, nearly a hundred years ago. And an outstanding job to our cast: Paul Hecht (as Anselme Marchal), Robert Kaliban (as Roland Garros), Bryna Raeburn (as Renata Maya) and Ray Owens (as Niccoli & the Colonel). All 4 of them were terrific in playing roles with different accents. They were so good; these 4 actors should’ve played these roles on stage or on film. CBSRMT listeners, who are history buffs, should really listen to this WW-I story. If you get the chance to download it from the ARCHIVE website, it has radio commercials of The Jeffersons, Alice, The Price Is Right on CBS-TV, Preparation H, C.A.R.E. box 576 NY 10156, constipation & laxatives ads, True Value Hardware stores, March of Dimes Foundation, Whitman’s Sampler of Valentine’s Day chocolate candy, Dom Deluise with Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, Kenny Rogers’ anti-smoking tips from the American Heart Association, Whitman’s Sampler again, Buster Crabbe’s pain reliever cream, and Minute Maid orange juice. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =^D

Russel

Loved this one! I loved the acting, the sound effects, and especially the story. Graet one check it out. and COMMENT! smile emoticon

Chris

I had heard the name Roland Garros before in relation to the French tennis complex. But until I heard this episode, I had no idea who Mr. Garros was. This episode is a good adaptation of a true event.

Ron

A good jaunt across enemy land in Western Europe by shot down pilots like Snoopy dreams of.

Scooter D & last of the Greens


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