Icebound

Great scenes from great plays with your host Walter Hamden and starring tonight Cornell Wild in Icebound. On behalf of the families of the Protestant Episcopal Church in your own community and the Episcopal Actors Guild, we welcome you to another half hour of great scenes from great plays transcribed by famous artists of stage screen and radio.

Now your host, the distinguished actor manager, Mr. Walter Hamden. Thank you and good evening. Tonight's play is the Pulitzer Prize drama, Ice Bound, written by Owen Davis and adapted for radio by Alan Sloan. And here to play the part of Ben Jordan, I'm happy to present the talented young actor, Cornell Weil.

Our play is set at the chill atmosphere of way down east in the state of Maine. It's the story of a New England family and the way the hard, bleak life up there can creep into people's souls.

What's the story of one member of that family? It's Ben Jordan's story. Coming down the road towards the Jordan house, seeing like... like I've never been away. Like I still belong. First and eight years I'd walk this road, turn this path, pass this gate.

Long time. Same old place like when I left. I was thrown out that is. Disgraced the family, Mott said, shame the Jordan name, run in a while, trouble making, just no good. So it was get up and get out. But now Ma was upstairs dying, and I'd come back to see her just once more.

And downstairs, the family, sitting and waiting her out in the parlor. Family. I could nearly hear them, know what they'd be saying. First my brother Henry. Dr. says she's put her low. Wonder if we could just run down to the store for a minute and then hurry back.