The Dark Tower: A Role to Kill For

Suspense - Radio’s Outstanding Theater of Thrills

Originally Aired: May 4, 1944

The Dark Tower: A Role to Kill For:

In this richly layered psychological thriller from Suspense, Orson Welles delivers a mesmerizing performance as Damon Wellington, an aging stage actor drawn into a murder mystery that threatens to destroy his family—and career. When Jessica Wellington, Damon’s sister and co-star, begins rehearsals for her return to the stage after a mental breakdown, her former husband, the manipulative and sinister Stanley Vance, unexpectedly returns from the dead.

Claiming to have been merely "ill," Vance wastes no time regaining psychological control over Jessica, casting a dark shadow over the production of The Dark Tower. As the cast gathers in the Wellington home to rehearse, tensions flare and secrets emerge—including Jessica’s belief that she may have murdered Vance during her breakdown.

But when Vance turns up truly dead—murdered this time for real—the finger once again points toward Jessica… until a stranger named Max Hartsfeld arrives, eager to invest in the play. In one of radio’s most unforgettable twists, Hartsfeld reveals his true purpose: revenge. He is no investor, but a calculated executioner—with Damon Wellington behind the disguise.

Cleverly plotted, brilliantly performed, and steeped in theatrical satire, The Dark Tower delivers suspense, misdirection, and one of the most satisfying endings in the Suspense catalog.

Keywords: "Suspense The Dark Tower episode," "Orson Welles dual role radio," "May 1944 Suspense radio drama," "Jessica Wellington murder mystery," "Max Hartsfeld twist ending," "Roma Wines suspense series," "stage play thriller radio classic."

Cast: Orson Welles, Hans Conried, George Coulouris, Joseph Kearns, Agnes Moorehead, William Spier (producer/director).