A traveler - a man of adventure, runs into a former business partner in the Caribbean that operated a tour boat (The Laughing Maiden) and finds out that he and his employee have abandoned the business to look for a legendary treasure on an island. Problem: An unknown "syndicate" is apparently monitoring every move in the area of the supposed treasure to snatch it away from anyone that finds it.

Three fishermen hunt buried treasure in the Carribean. They have to contend with the curse of the pirate who buried it and "the syndicate" who mirror their every step.

Well put and simplistic! Now why can't everyone be that smart!? Lol

Set (apparently) in the Florida Keys, this story features Norman Rose as "Jason Hainsworth", a man who met up with some former partners in a charter boat company in a bar. After exchanging small talk, the former partner invites Jason to his boat ostensibly to renew old acquaintances. The men seem to be hiding something, then finally open up and say they believe they've found treasure buried by Captain Kidd himself on one of the Caicos Islands south of the Bahamas. Hainsworth, initially a skeptic, becomes convinced that there is something there. (He's unaware that each time the men have gone out a mysterious boat has appeared on the horizon, watching them. His former partners are convinced the boat belongs to a member of "the syndicate" - organized crime.) However, before finding this out he asks "Hey, this isn't one of those treasures that's guarded by some pirate's ghost, is it?"

"If you can dream - and not make dreams your master..." From "If", written by Rudyard Kipling to his son HIMAN BROWN: "Hi, Norm, remember that show we recorded a week back about that "down-on-his-luck" guy who gets caught up with an old friend who thinks he's going to get rich because of something from the past?" NORMAN ROSE: "sure, Hi...and the guy's lied to by his 'friend' as to what's really going on, and the friend like a fool is willing to risk everything including his own life to get the treasure?" HIMAN BROWN: "Yes, that's it. Percy Grainger did such a good script that Fred Lewis and I thought we'd do it again, right down to you introducing yourself at the beginning over that "oboe-and-bassoon" melody we used in "Hickory Dickory Doom". NORMAN ROSE: "Oh, wow...who will I say I am THIS week?" Imaginary conversation in January 1978 between Himan Brown and Norman Rose

Three things on this episode: 1. I'll give 5 points to the first person who can correctly identify the song playing in the bar on the island of "Monte Christi" when "Jason Hainsworth" meets "Ernie Chowders". (Our 7th grade choir teacher used to have us sing that song.) I'll give 10 points to anyone who can identify the song playing in the bar when Jason meets "Old Tom". 2. If you've not read my previous blah blah, without scrolling to the end did you recognize who was playing "Old Tom"? 3. There's an amusing, obvious error made in the otherwise top notch performance by William Griffiths as "Ernie". (He and the actor who plays "Old Tom" are twin RMT dynamos in this, IMO. Rose is almost the weak link...he and Paul Hecht (who could be a working class stiff if he had to) are almost too aristocratic sounding for their own good at times. Listen closely in the second segment...can you pick out the error?

It is one of my favorites from the original broadcast. I first heard it as a teenager on a family vacation, driving on a dark and stormy night (actually). This show moves beyond mystery (although there is a mystery) to adventure. The series did that with a number of genres - comedy, romantic adventure etc. One of the interesting things about listening to these shows again is the reminders of the 70's - in this show there is the "syndicate", a pretty lame mob compared to who is lurking in the Caribbean these days. I wonder if Jason had begun to suspect what was going on when he went to take a look at the mobster's yacht. Well keep up the good work on the Shows.

I love listening to this, and the biggest reason is that the actors (including Rose) do an absolutely DYNAMITE job, IMO. "Yesterday's Giant" I heard at my home in my original RMT days, but this one I downloaded last year before I was about to move from Georgia, and immediately thoroughly enjoyed the program.

This is a fun program to listen too. Treasure, intrigue, suspense, mystery, secrecy, syndicates, pirates, legend ... it's all in there and that makes a good story. Good acting... surprise ending... enjoying listening. Not a lot more to say in my initial analysis. I shall see what you folks have to say about it.

This was an excellent treasure hunt story. It stuck to the old formula, but the strong script with complex characters made it a pleasure to listen to. The all male cast gave a superb performance. Bravo!

(BTW, I figured someone would have guessed the song by now, but that must mean I really am advancing in age. ) BTW, Jeremy, since you're a "radio man" I think you'll take a special interest in the flub I was talking about. Unfortunately, I'm not at the computer that has this program available for listening, but I can tell you it's several minutes into the second act where "Old Tom" is serving coffee to Jason and Ernie. Listen closely as he asks each guy if they want a cup. This was not edited out (they may not have used digital recording back in '78 but I know they had razor blades and splicing tape available then) so that tells me the act went on as scripted after the error, and that in turn means Norman Rose did a manly actor's job of keeping his cool due to the word he had to say right after the flub took place. I think "Yesterday's Giant" was indeed one of Rose's best performances (he still did well enough here) yet this episode belonged to William Griffiths with a great assist from Arnold Moss.

I thought the story was well told with an ending that I did not see coming. I found the dialogue between Jason and Ernie to be much more natural in this tale. I also thought the role of Old Tom was very well acted. He did a very fine job of making Ernie’s insanity over not being able to get at the gold all the more believable Overall I thought this was a fine tale and again was pleased that the end came as a surprise. Every time I heard “The Syndicate” I could not help thinking of Dennis Connors and Stars and Stripes. Too much America’s Cup I guess.

I enjoyed the acting in this program and can certainly see similarities in the twinbill (great pitches, Kurt). For one, the three men in each program were all former acquaintences. They had gone their own ways and time had defined their moral/value differences. We learn once again the greed never carries the day and the stories are both told from the protagonist's perspective. The sound effects in this program were very good and professional (ringing bell and "aoooga" sounding horn in the distance) whereas the sound effects in the "Giant" story were campy and fun in a very different way.

I wish I knew the second one (guess either no one else does or it might have been some kind of music bed) but the first music that was playing when Jason ran into Ernie during the first act was "Yellow Bird". Well, on from the Caribbean to the Blizzard (of Terror).

This is one of those episodes where listening to it twice gives you the full effect. It still just didn't do it for me. Too many convoluted lines that randomly ran throughout that were somewhat knotted together at story's end. Just OK. 3 stars.

Should have added: it's amazing how similar they are without being boring. (Perhaps because one uses a mysterious "syndicate" and pirates; the second uses nuclear explosions and pre-historic men. ) Kenny, I wish someone could do something similar today, but I fear with the modern crop of script/screenwriters and producers they'd fall on their face. Plus, there just don't seem to be the character actors to do these things. "Laughing Maiden" had three guys: Rose, Dr. Arnold Moss and William Griffis in (IMO) his best ever RMT performance; as did "Yesterday's Giant", which had Rose, Ralph Bell and Howard Ross. Nearly all of them were in their 50s by this point. Yet in each episode, combined with the wonderful RMT/CBS music beds and some timely sound effects, there was a richness that I don't think a modern ten-character cast could capture. Hope I'm wrong.

I will have to re-listen to both episodes & compare. I just love having to listen to CBSRMT for "homework".

last decade there was a web site for the RMT that was run by a person as friendly as the folks here. He had to "retire" from it given his own work. That website, too, had "Show of the week". I think 2-3 times they "double dipped" on the SOTW when there were two episodes that were worth comparing. I can remember three (maybe the only three); 1. "The Laughing Maiden"/"Yesterday's Giant" (for the reasons above) 2. "Time and again"/"The Vampire Plant" (for the reasons above minus Norman Rose plus Ian Martin as a secondary player; both were excellent Ian Martin plays that were very similar vampire stories using very unconventional "vampires"), and; 3. "The Memory Killers"/"The Ghosts of Yesterday": Both of these dealt with survivors of Nazi atrocities, and were fascinating in that: A) the first was written by the wonderful Sam Dann, the second by his daughter Victoria, and; B) the first dealt with an American bomber crew member (Ralph Bell) who spent time in a stalag, the second an American upper middle class housewife (played by Teri Keane) who as a child survived an entire village massacre by the WWII Germans, with each confronting someone who gave them immense pain in the past. Not trying to give "information overload" here (don't think I ever could to an RMT listener). Just remembering the special distinction we gave these plays "back then".

Great story - forget about all the analysis - just enjoy

Great show. I believe this script was also used for the Mutual Radio Theater in late 1980.

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. Percy Granger wrote a terrific mystery story that defines “Audacious.” An exceptional treasure hunt story, with a lot of character development, a variety of plot points, and an astonishing climax, followed by a fitting resolution. This kind of story would be suitable for other Old Time Radio series like SUSPENSE, ESCAPE, THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER, or INNER SANCTUM MYSTERY. The title is good, an alternate title for this could be called “The Would-Be Treasure Hunters.” The sound effects of the Caribbean music, buoys, seagulls, footsteps on board of the ship, howling wind during low tide, boat horns, photographs, tableware, coffee pot, boat engine, shoveling, breaking the lock, opening the treasure chest, writing on the notepad, and water splashing by the lifeboat were outstanding. It makes you feel like you are there during their expedition. The music was hands-down suspenseful! Great music tracks during the main character’s narrations. But the best tunes were in the 3rd Act, especially during the 34-minute 7-second mark. In our Host’s Prologue, E.G. Marshall starts the show off by explaining that there are some who seek adventure, hinting that this is going to be more than just a Drama-Mystery or a Fantasy-Mystery. In ACT-1, he goes deeper on those who seek adventure; those who take risks and some that are Soldiers of Fortune. Later on, he defines that a true adventurer takes genuine risks, plays for keeps, and doesn’t count the costs. In ACT-2, he goes deeper still as to what is larger: The Universe or Mind of Man, in which Man is the only animal who inflicts pain on himself. After our characters found the treasure, our Host explains that it’s one thing to find a treasure, but another to keep it. In ACT-3, our characters got through a difficult dilemma where only one of them made it out alive (SPOILER ALERT). In his Epilogue, E.G. Marshall explains that our would-be treasure hunter was rescued by another group of would-be treasure hunters. Our Host was methodical, yet kept us all entertained. And that goes the same with our stupendous cast: Norman Rose (as Jason Hanesworth), William Griffis (as Ernie Chowders), and Arnold Moss (as Tom Cooper). Arnold Moss was perfect as the antagonist’s comrade. Norman Rose is good in every role that he plays, like in #210-SLEEPY VILLAGE and #0334-NIGHT OF THE HOWLING DOG. As for William Griffis, he played one of his best roles on CBSRMT. My favorite line of his was at the 36-minute 34-second mark when he hollered, “No, no, no, no! I will not accept this! This isn’t possible! I will not!” You can sense by the tone of his voice that he was really into the role. I highly recommend this to all CBSRMT fans that are interested in stories about treasure hunting. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =^D

EXCELLENT EPISODE!!!

☆☆☆☆☆ Love this one...the actors, story & foley setting are great.