CBSRMT Episode Information Next Episode

Title

Death On Skis

Plot

Every year, at similar time periods and during a full moon, blonde women are brutally murdered at a famous ski resort. When a renowned author takes his blonde wife to that dangerous slope to complete his book, she starts to suspect him.

Episode

0217

Air Dates

  • First Run - February 3, 1975
  • Repeat - April 19, 1975
  • Repeat - July 18, 1980

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

199
170     29


28 Responses to Episode 0217

Excellant show and totally twisted ending!!

Chris

Several twists and a suspenseful ending...definitely worth a listen!

Mike

An older writer with a younger carefree wife journey together to a remote location with the purpose of having a little holiday and finishing a book. For the past two years he has gone alone, this year, he invited his wife to come along. The wife is a risk-taker and thrill-seeker, and will pretty much do whatever she is dared, or warned against. Their destination is a ski resort with a remote little cabin in which, for the past two years, beautiful blond women have been murdered. They learn more from a gentleman she befriends at the resort while her husband is in the hotel writing. You can see where this is going… This episode packs a punch at the end with some great suspense and twists.

Mr. Bridges

This episode is one of the first ones I recorded back in the day so it became one of my favourites. It's perfect for a cold, snowy, icy winter day. Excellent acting and atmosphere

James Rutherford

A great episode. I've been listening to the CBSRMT since middle school & I listen to this day. I love this program. Thank goodness these episodes are preserved. History well deserved to be shared throughout the years.

Kat

Liked this one. George Lowther's script is "theatrical" but in a good sense (it would make a good stage play). Those stories which confine a small cast in an isolated location always have a lot of potential, as Dame Agatha would tell you. This one had me guessing all the way. Good clear sound is a plus too.

Bagget

"He's not the killer, because I am. Ski instructing pays the bills but I'm on a mission to rid the world of Helgas. But I must kill each one of you. First, the girl, because she is Helga: a hideous, selfish creature with no right live. Then the too of you, for assisting a Helga. In a way that makes you all Helgas. I'll call her Helga one, and you Helga two, and you can be Helga three. Prepare to die!" "Shoot me first" "What, a Helga wants to do a selfless deed? I don't understand. Have been mistaken about Helgas? It can't be! NOOOOOOO! I'm melting, I'm melting...aarrgghh....uuhhh." "Look there's nothing left but a puddle of water." "He was a snowman. A murdering snowman."

Jerome Juggs

I would rate this as one of the better murder mysteries RMT produced. Norman Rose is always good. The script was well done and the story well paced. I wasn't overly fond of the ending but overall a good effort. EG Marshall is the glue that held the show together. His comments, such as the quotations that he opened this episode with, always seemed to be appropriate and effective. If RMT was ever resurrected who could replace him? Probably no one, but James Earl Jones would be my pick.

Roy

Don't think there's much to say after Confusacat's review!!!! (I completely missed the fact that the villian was actually a snowman!!! Hee hee hee). Never really liked this one. It's okay for its type of genre. I guess I'm just biased toward the more supernatural RMT's. I did like Norman Rose-- he's always enjoyable. This was definately the right time of year to listen to this one. If you want a suggestion for a great "winter" RMT-- try "The Ghost Driver" -- it has a ski resort (though no one gets to ski during the tale) and also stars Norman Rose. I agree James Earl Jones would make a great host if they ever brought RMT back (Oh, Please! Please! Please!) I did like Himan Brown on the NPR reissues. Did anyone else? Another great voice would be Leonard Nimoy-- ever hear him in the "Alien Voices" radio dramas? Definately worth a listen! Until next time..........................................

Ruthie

I hated Himan Brown on the reissues; I think his voice is totally wrong for introducing radio dramas. His voice is too weak and reedy.

Dwight

RMT's writers seemed to have a problem with stiff punishments for criminals. I recall an episode in which a Nazi killer was arrested years after the war but the protagonist refrained from killing him. I suspect some writers for RMT may have thought the death penalty uncivilized.

Mike

George Lowther's script is "theatrical" but in a good sense (it would make a good stage play). Those stories which confine a small cast in an isolated location always have a lot of potential, as Dame Agatha would tell you. This one had me guessing all the way. Good clear sound is a plus too. This is totally an Agatha Christie special! I would agree that EG was the glue and that the ending was meh.. But a fun little show all in all. James Earl Jones...hmm .. That would be something to hear!

Mr. Benjamin

Just catching up with this one; cool story! There is that sexism element that often enough creeps into RMT plays; not to ignore it, but I acknowledge it and move on. I really like the well-written aspect of who-is-it in this show. We're given three totally plausible possible villians and not until the very end do we get the answer; that's excellent. I remember in the old days, hearing live radio personalities who had to follow RMT with local news . . . complain that a particular RMT ending was too vague or unsatisfying. Not so with this episode, and I agree, Ms. Agatha would have approved of the tale; enough misdirection to keep everyone spinning along. Actually I'm not overly impressed by EG's comments throughout this show; to me they wander too far afield and are too disconnected from the tale itself.

R. Stevens

What a great thriller/suspense episode. This is probably the best suspense episode I have heard on CBSMT yet. Lots of twists and turns and the plot was great. I loved the he is, no he is, no I am triangle!! WOW!!

1nicolem

This is a good tale to listen to on a cold, snowy night. I thought the voice of Rosemary Murphy who played Kay, was older sounding than the part she was playing. She was only supposed to be in her twenties and her husband Dan was around forty. She came across as more older and matronly sounding than a young woman. It would NOT be wise to try and revive CBSRMT today. What's the point anyway- isn't the orginal CBSRMT good enough? Listen to the way people talk today-actors included- their speech is TERRIBLE! What with the endless "like's", "uh's" and "you knows"-plus, the fact that most have irritating voices, use too much foul language and can't speak in complete sentences. The only ones left would be pompous sounding 'Veddy British"actors. No Thanks! REMAKES AlWAYS STINK!!!!- Be it movies or tv shows.

Kristin

This was a pleasant listen and although I didn't see the ending right away, it became apparent to me a little over half way through. It was still enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it.

Alec

This is a Drama-Mystery with plot twists in every act, a whole lot of character development that will keep you on the edge of your seat, a plausible reason as to why the killer murders the victims during the full moon, and a satisfying climax & resolution for all 4 characters. Another way to title this CBSRMT episode would be "The Last Risk" because that's exactly our female character does. PHENOMENAL would be the best word to describe the acting talents of Rosemary Murphy (as the 26 year old risk taker Kay Wylie), Larry Haines (as the 41 year old profound novelist), Ralph Bell (as Tony Shaw the Security Officer), and Norman Rose (as Otto Hornbach the ski pro). Larry Haines is skilled on how his voice changes from acting sincere at 8-minute 26-second mark, to acting sinister at the 12-minute 55-second mark, to one-split second of acting demented at the 26-minute 21-second mark when he says, "Hello, Kay." Now THAT will keep you on the edge of your seat. And if you want to know who the real killer is, the answer is at the 35-minute 11-second mark. The sound effects of the wind blowing in the mountains, the skis moving down the south slopes, the typewriter, the piano melody at the inn, the thermos, the footsteps at the mountain hut, the gun cocked and then dropped, and the killer firing at the 40-minute 52-second mark were all suitable. The music, however, had suspenseful tunes in ACT-1 and ACT-2, but there was no music in ACT-3 at all. For a mystery story such as this, they should've used the music from Ep. #0167-THE BLACK ROOM or even the frightening Violin music at the 27-minute mark from Ep. #1241-THE SENIOR PROM. By the way, these 2 episodes star Larry Haines. And as for our Host, E.G. Marshall did everything great except for one part. When he names the list of actors after the Epilogue, he said, "Rosemary Harris" instead of "Rosemary Murphy". He said her name correctly after the Prologue, but messed up at the very end. But the other things he said in his narration were terrific. In his Prologue, he mentions 3 proverbs that fit the main character's persona. One proverb that should've been added is, "Look before you leap." In ACT-1, he mentions that everyone must "pay the piper." In ACT-2, he informs us that our main character is close to a deadly situation. In ACT-3, E.G. Marshall asks what would you do in this situation. In the Epilogue, all 4 characters have moved on to better things. One is in a rest home, one goes back to work in San Francisco, one is writing mystery stories, and one is raising kids. To know who's doing what, you must tune in. This is one of George Lowthar's best writings for a radio series and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Russell

I rate this episode ★★★★☆ for GOOD

Russell

Great story. We've lost a great actors and an ever greater men.

Aaron

Wonderful memories of a great man. Watched every Star Trek episode when it originally aired & have been a fan ever since too. Thank you so much for sharing.

Cathy

My favorite episode to listen to when I was snowbound this winter!

Scott

Good episode, great actors. But, about half-way through I was hoping the woman WOULD get hacked up. She was such a dip, doing dangerous things, just to buck her husband. Beyond headstrong, just a moron.

Madge

A good listen on a winter night. Unfortunately something is lost in the female voice of this and other episodes. A much younger, vibrant voice would be preferable.

Tom aaron

I just finished listening to Death On Skiis. Norman Rose is my favorite RMT actor and he did such a good job with the German/Austrian accent of the ski instructor that I didn't realize it was him until I heard the closing credits

John

That was almost good, but two fatal flaws. First, it was clear that when there's Man A, Man B, and Man C in the cast and we're certain it's either A or B, clearly it's going to turn out to be C. That and the insufferable paternalism of all the men (and obviously the writer) make it really evident why the ERA was (still is) needed. "My wife is beautiful and blonde, but she's a child." And EG at the end: "Not to worry; she's no longer a fun young woman. She's a settle mother and wife." Glad the act of self sacrifice fixed her (she wasn't broken, other than being married to a condescending jerk).

Gilly

The episode is not condescending towards women. It's called the natural world. God made man then woman. There are roles for each. Nothing wrong with paternalism as long as it's done the Godly way. You're just one of these femanazis that won't be satisfied until all men become women and women become men! Men and women are different. God made us that way. We are equal, but different, but somebody has to be the leader, and God created Adam first. There is nothing wrong here. So take your postmodern poppycock elsewhere, like maybe Antarctica!

Kade

I love Russell's comments.

Gemini lady Jackson

A very good episode.

Gemini lady Jackson


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