One Hundred in the Dark

Originally Aired: November 20, 1947 In Suspense #272, “One Hundred in the Dark,” a group of sophisticated clubmen debate the nature of crime and storytelling over after-dinner coffee. To illustrate his point, their mysterious guest, Mr. Peters, recounts a remarkable incident involving the alluring New York hostess Rita Kildare and a glittering dinner party of fashionable guests. When Kildare’s priceless sapphire ring suddenly disappears, she locks the doors, extinguishes the lights, and announces a chilling ultimatum: she will count to one hundred in total darkness, giving the thief a single chance to return the jewel unseen—otherwise, everyone will face a humiliating police search. As the tense seconds tick away in the pitch-black room, suspicion falls on every guest: gamblers, socialites, desperate opportunists, and old friends alike. The ring is returned… but the true identity of the thief remains forever hidden, leaving behind a tantalizing mystery about guilt, courage, and human nature. A brilliantly structured psychological puzzle adapted from Owen Johnson, this episode of Suspense turns a simple theft into a haunting riddle with no solution. Cast: Howard Duff, Joseph Kearns, Frank Albertson, John McIntyre, Dick Ryan, Horace Willard, Teresa Marshall, Jeanette Nolan, Wally Mayer, Mary Jane Croft, Jerry Hausner, Grace Gillern Tags: Suspense, thriller, mystery, whodunit, psychological, HowardDuff, OwenJohnson, hundredinthedark, oldtimeradio, radiodrama, classicradio, vintageradio, 1940sradio, suspensepodcast, crimemystery, dinnerparty, lockedroom, unsolvedmystery