The Witch Doctor Escapes: Tarzan (November 23, 1932)

“The Witch Doctor Escapes” is an episode of Tarzan, the old-time radio show, first broadcast November 23, 1932. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Professor Porter and his party, searching for his lost daughter Jane, are captured by cannibals and take refuge in a sacred temple cave, bringing the native witch doctor with them. Tarzan, who has rescued Jane from the jungle's dangers, tries to help but is driven off by arrows. Inside the cave, Lieutenant Darnot tries to force the witch doctor to reveal the way out, while the air grows stale and the party begins to fear suffocation. Outside, Tarzan and Jane keep watch over the natives guarding the cave, and Tarzan works to thin their numbers. This episode of the Tarzan series, first broadcast on November 23, 1932, is based on the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

A jungle near a native village, and a volcanic cave used as a sacred temple by a tribe of cannibals.

Characters: Tarzan, Jane Porter, Professor Porter, Lieutenant Darnot, Donald

Listen for: Tarzan's jungle call as he makes a kill, and Jane's shot that saves him from a poisoned arrow.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.