Old TIme Radio Thrillers

Lights Out "Rocket Ship" (07-28-45)

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:06:19 -0700

Lights Out was an American old-time radio program featuring "tales of the supernatural and the supernormal." It was immensely popular, and was one of the first horror programs, predating Suspense and Inner Sanctum. In its heydey, Lights Out rivalled the popularity of those shows. Lights Out ran through several series and networks, from January 1, 1934 to August 6, 1947. The principal sponsor was Ironized Yeast. Most episodes were broadcast at midnight. Lights Out then made the transition to television in 1949, where it was broadcast until 1952. Created in Chicago by writer Wyllis Cooper in 1934.

Lights Out was created in Chicago by writer Wyllis Cooper in 1934, and the first series of shows (each 15 minutes long) ran on a local NBC station, WENR. By April 1934, the series was expanded to a half hour in length and moved to midnight Wednesdays. In January 1935, the show was discontinued in order to ease Cooper's workload (he was then writing scripts for the network's prestigious Immortal Dramas program), but was brought back by huge popular demand a few weeks later. After a successful tryout in New York City, the series was picked up by NBC in April 1935 and broadcast nationally, usually late at night and always on Wednesdays. Cooper stayed on the program until June 1936, when another Chicago writer, Arch Oboler, took over. By the time Cooper left, the series had inspired about 600 fan clubs.

Crime Classics "Madeline Smith Maid Or Murderess" (01-20-54)

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:14:12 -0700

Crime Classics was a U. S. radio docudrama which aired over CBS from June 15, 1953 to June 30, 1954. Created, produced, and directed by radio actor/director Elliott Lewis, the program was basically a historical true crime series, examining crimes, and especially murders, from the past. It grew out of Lewis's personal interest in famous murder cases, and took a documentary-like approach to the subject, carefully recreating the facts, personages, and feel of the time period. Comparatively little dramatic license was taken with the facts and events, but the tragedy was leavened with humor, expressed largely through the narration.

THIS EPISODE:
January 20, 1954. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Madeline Smith, Maid Or Murderess...Which?". A lovely lady is also a liberal user of arsenic. Lou Merrill (host), Betty Harford, William Johnstone, John Dehner, Bernard Herrmann (composer), Wilbur Hatch (conductor), Florence Wolcott, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Gil Warren (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Mysterious Traveler "Dark Destiny" (04-13-47)

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:34:56 -0700

THIS EPISODE:

April 13, 1947. Mutual network. "Dark Destiny". Sustaining. A man need $1500 for a surgoen to save his wife, but the money is not that easy to get! The story has a fine ironic ending. The script was used on the program three years earlier (with some changes) and on "The Sealed Book" on September 9, 1945. Elaine Kemp, Palmer Ward, Ken Lynch, Bill Smith, Maurice Tarplin, Joseph Julian, Charles Paul (music), Robert A. Arthur (writer, producer, director), David Kogan (writer, producer, director), Carl Caruso (announcer). 29:43.

The Witch's Tale "Rockabye Baby" (07-25-32)

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:24:53 -0700

The Witch's Tale - A seminal series which established the standard of a host-based anthology series, and the first horror series produced for radio. WOR, New York origination, Air Features Syndicate syndication. Music fill for local commercial insert. 9:30 P. M. lonzo Deen Cole (writer, producer, performer), Marie O'Flynn, Adelaide Fitz-Allen (as "Old Nancy"). John Dunning in his "On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio," relates the odd tale of getting the replacement for the original Nancy, Adelaide Fitz-Allen, who died at 79 in 1935. A radio veteran, only a mere 13 years old, Miriam Wolfe by name, was then on the fine children's program, Let's Pretend. Of course, she wasn't considered for the part. She stayed in the studio during a late-night broadcast by Witch's Tale writer/director, Alonzo Deen Cole, and began her "Nancy" without warning. Cole was so chilled by her mimicry of an ancient crone that she got the part on the spot. Later in the show's run, the role was taken by Martha Wentworth.

THIS EPISODE:

July 25, 1932. WOR, New York origination, Air Features Syndicate syndication. "Rockabye Baby". Music fill for local commercial insert. 9:30 P. M. "Spooks in the house"?? A couple accepts the challenge to sleep there. This story program was "produced by "Air Features Syndicate" but was advertised and distributed by "All-Star Broadcasts" (which was owned by Billy Jones and Ernie Hare). Alonzo Deen Cole (writer, producer, performer), Marie O'Flynn, Adelaide Fitz-Allen (as "Old Nancy"). 30:33.

Diary Of Fate "Keith Raymond" (07-06-48)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:00:13 -0700

Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where “Fate” narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their ‘Fate’. In This Episode, July 6, 1948. Program #30. Finley syndication. "Keith Raymond". Commercials added locally. Book 31, page 512. Not auditioned. An actor's insatiable ambition leads him to evil. The date is subject to correction. Lurene Tuttle, Lawrence Dobkin, Herb Lytton, George Neise, Ray Ehrlenborn, Hal Sawyer, Clay Sanders, Larry Finley (producer). 26:37.

Nightwatch "Hammer" (07-10-54)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:26:43 -0700

Night Watch - January 7, 1954. CBS network. Real police recordings, no actors are used. Car 54 and police reporter Donn Reed answer the first all, a Code 2 alert that a burglary is taking place. A woman is pushed in the bathroom by an alcoholic young man wearing a tie. He's captured in another house...wearing no clothes! A patrol through Culver City. Later, two witnesses to a homicide are interviewed. The suspect is captured and confesses on the air. Chief W. N. Hildebrand tells how the cases were resolved. Sterling Tracy (supervisor), Donn Reed (police reporter), W. N. Hildebrand. 25:34

THIS EPISODE:
July 10, 1954. CBS network. Sustaining. The first call is about a liquor store hold-up. The clerk is attacked by a man with a hammer. A marijuana leaf is found in a man's jacket pocket when he takes the coat in to be dry cleaned. Donn Reed (police recorder), Sterling Tracy (producer), Jim Headlock (producer). 27:43.

The Lux RadioTheater "Panic In The Streets" (03-05-51)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:41:48 -0700

Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network, 1934-1935; CBS 1935-1955), adapted first Broadway stage and then (and especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations and became the standard by which future radio and early television anthologies would be judged. Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936 until January 22, 1945.

THIS EPISODE:

Panic in the Streets from Lux Radio Theater aired March 5, 1951. After brawling over a card game in the wharf area of New Orleans, a man named Kochak, suffering visibly from a flu-like illness, is killed by gangster Blackie and his two flunkies, Kochak's cousin Poldi and a man named Fitch. They leave the body on the docks, and later when the dead man, who carries no identification, is brought to the morgue, the coroner grows suspicious about the bacteria present in his blood and calls his superior, Dr. Clinton Reed, (played by Richard Widmark) a uniformed doctor working for the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Reed and a police captain (Paul Douglas) have only a day or two in which to prevent an epidemic. Can a doctor turn detective? Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas give one of the most outstanding performances you will hear in a radio drama.

The Haunting Hour "Hands Of Mr. Smith" (1945)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:40:30 -0700

The Haunting Hour - The shows are classic chills from the old school, with creepy organ, overwrought women and over the top men. Perhaps not the highest of melodrama, but obsessively workmanlike. After all, they might have known they were a skeleton staff toiling relentlessly without a ghost of a chance of fame. Thanks to transcription, these unknowns are still with us. John Dunning, succinctly states in "On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio," "There were no credits, so casts and production crews are unknown."

THIS EPISODE:
1945. Program #3. NBC syndication. "The Hands Of Mr. Smith". Commercials added locally. A fine story with an unexpected ending about Tiny, a big guy whose hands have a mind of their own! The date is approximate . 28:10.

The Clock "Gus Fowler" (07-21-47)

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:54:57 -0700

The Clock, Imported from Austrailia, was a dramatic thirty-minute suspense and mystery series. It was written by Lawrence Klee and was first broadcast in November 1946. The story always began the same; “Sunrise and sunset, promise and fulfilment, birth and death … the whole drama of life is written in the sands of time”. This is a great series where the main theme seems to be Retribution. Stories as told by Father Time.

First Broadcast November 3rd 1946
Last Broadcast May 23rd 1948

THIS EPISODE:
July 21, 1947. Syndicated, WRVR-FM, New York aircheck. "Gus Fowler". Participating sponsors. A man with a month to live and a strange bargain. WRVR rebroadcast date: August 31, 1973. The date above is the date of the first broadcast on ABC. . 1/2 hour.

Lights Out "It Happened" (05-11-38)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:38:36 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
May 11, 1938. NBC network, Chicago origination. "It Happened". Sustaining. A young woman visiting Paris is kidnapped by a man claiming that her father owes him $150,000. Her adventures in the sewers of Paris include a madman who makes jewelry from the bones of the dead bodies floating past. Arch Oboler (writer), Mercedes McCambridge. 29:29.

Murder At Midnight "Death Tolls Requiem" (1946)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:40:41 -0700

The Murder at Midnight series was a thirty-minute broadcast featuring tales of the supernatural. The actors included Mercedes McCambridge and Lawson Zerbe and the show was narrated using the spooky, creepy voice of Raymond Morgan and always opened using the same gripping signature; “the witching hour, when night is darkest, our fears are the strongest, our strength at its lowest ebb… Midnight! … when graves gape open and death strikes!”

THIS EPISODE:
October 26, 1946. Program #19. Syndicated. "Death Tolls A Requiem". Commercials added locally. After a man kills the bell ringer in his belfry, he hears the sound of bells wherever he goes. Albert Buhrman (music), Anton M. Leader (director), Max Erlich (writer), Michael Fitzmaurice, Louis G. Cowan (producer). 27:16.

In The Name Of The Law "I Didn't Do Nothing" (08-02-36)

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:10:41 -0700

In the Name of the Law was a True Crime radio show from 1936. It says "In the name of the law, we bring you another of the thrilling stories in this exciting series, taken from actual police case files. "In the name of the Law, we bring you another of the thrilling stories in this exciting series, taken from actual police case files."Two home invaders pick the wrong house and force the home owner (John Snyder) to take them to the targeted neighbors, two elderly brothers who were rumored to have cash and bonds. During the hold up, one of the brothers was shot to death. An angry town insisted on immediate results. The State Police joined the local Sherif and the search was on.

THIS EPISODE:
August 01, 1936 - Program #13. Syndicated. "I Didn't Do Nothing". Commercials added locally. Two robbers take the life savings from two old farmers. One of them is killed, the other is beaten unmercifully. . 26:29.

Nightfall "Breaking Point" (4-17-81)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:27:06 -0700

Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio ( Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ) from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall's episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

THIS EPISODE:
April 17, 1981. Program #36. CBC, Toronto origination. "Breaking Point". Not auditioned. A thoroughly great horror story. Mikhail Bulgako (author), Mirra Ginsberg (translater), Arthur Samuels (adaptor), Douglas Campbell, Neil Dainard, David Calderisi, Nonnie Griffin, Marian Waldman, John Stocker (doubles), Arch McDonnell, Jon Granik, Keith van der Clay (recording engineer), Bill Robinson (sound effects), Nina Callaghan (production assistant), Earle Toppings (script editor), Bill Howell (producer, director), Henry Ramer (host). 29:27.

Inner Sanctum "Strange Passenger" (05-23-49)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:07:27 -0700

Inner Sanctum Mysteries was a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941 to October 5, 1952. Created by Himan Brown, the anthology series featured stories of mystery, terror and suspense. The tongue-in-cheek introductions were in sharp contrast to shows like Suspense and The Whistler. A total of 526 episodes are known to have been produced. The early 1940s programs opened with Raymond Edward Johnson introducing himself as, "Your host, Raymond," in a mocking sardonic voice. A spooky melodramatic organ score punctuated Raymond's many morbid jokes and playful puns. Raymond's closing was an elongated "Pleasant dreaaaaammmmssss!" His tongue-in-cheek style and ghoulish relish of his own tales became the standard for many such horror narrators to follow, from fellow radio hosts like Ernest Chappell (on Cooper's later series, Quiet, Please) and Maurice Tarplin (on The Mysterious Traveler) to EC Comics' Crypt-Keeper in various incarnations of Tales from the Crypt. In interviews, EC publisher Bill Gaines stated that he based EC's three horror hosts not on Raymond but on Old Nancy, host of radio's earlier The Witch's Tale (1931-38). When Johnson left the series in 1945, he was replaced by Paul McGrath, who did not keep the "Raymond" name and was known only as "your host" or "Mr. Host." Beginning in 1945, Lipton Tea sponsored the series, pairing first Raymond and then McGrath with its cheery commercial spokeswoman, Mary Bennett, whose pitches for Lipton contrasted sharply with the subject matter of the stories, and who would primly chide the host for his dark humor and creepy manner.

THIS EPISODE:
May 23, 1949. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Strange Passenger". Not auditioned. The story name and date are subject to correction (the story seems to have no connection to the story title. A man inherits a decaying old house, supposed to have a fortune hidden somewhere. Following the clues, not even murder will keep him from his goal. Paul McGrath (host), Mason Adams. 23:09.

The Diary Of Fate "John Haines" (07-13-48)

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:32:50 -0700

Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where “Fate” narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their ‘Fate’. In This episode, July 13, 1948. Program #31. Finley syndication. "John Haines". Commercials added locally. Book 82, page 509. Not auditioned. A man shoots his brother-in-law to get $50,000. Beware the stray cat. The date is subject to correction. Herb Lytton, Lurene Tuttle, Benny Rubin, Tyler McVey, Michael Stewart, Lou Lane, Ray Ehrlenborn, Hal Sawyer, Larry Finley (producer). 26:20.

The Line-Up "Gas Station Robbery" (09-23-50)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:14:05 -0700

The Lineup is a realistic police drama that gives radio audiences a look behind the scenes at police headquarters. Bill Johnstone plays Lt. Ben Guthrie, a quiet, calm-as-a-cupcake cucumber. Joseph Kearns (and from 1951 to 1953, Matt Maher) plays Sgt. Matt Grebb, a hot-tempered hot plate who is easily bored. The director and script writer often rode with police on the job and sat in on the police lineups to get ideas for The Lineup. They also read dozens of newspapers daily and intermeshed real stories with those that they used in the show. With Dragnet a smash hit, realism in police dramas was popular at the time this show aired. Don’t be caught without this radio show in your collection!

THIS EPISODE:
September 23, 1950. CBS network. Sustaining. A gas station robbery results in the attendent's death. The search for the killer is on. Jaime del Valle (producer, director), Eddie Dunstedter (music), William Johnstone, Jack Moyles, Sidney Marshall (writer), Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Bob Sweeney, Hy Averback, James Nusser, Herb Ellis, Sidney Miller, Robert Griffin, Virginia Gregg, Dan Cubberly (announcer). 23:15.

The Unexpected "Rematch" (08-15-48) and "The Winfield Diamond" (09-04-48)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:08:03 -0700

The Unexpected - The fifteen minute format lends itself to quickly drawn weird stories, with a twist ending, so that the listener gets a sudden shock, like all good scary tales should deliver. The trick is to make the "unexpected" something the listen doesn't expect. Excellent actors like Barry Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle and Virginia Gregg, who played Helen Asher in The Adventures of Richard Diamond, make the quickie a little less abrupt. Director Frank Danzig kept the show, for the most part, on the highroad to thrilling, like Suspense, Lights Out, or Quiet Please that came before The Unexpected.

TWO EPISODES:

Program #110. Hamilton Whitney syndication. "The Winfield Diamond". Music fill for local commercial insert. An American is involved in a planned revolution is El Hondas. The date is approximate. Barry Sullivan, Frank Burt (writer), Frank Danzig (director), Robert Libbott (writer). 15:03

Program #118. Hamilton Whitney syndication. "Rematch". Sponsored by: Music fill for lcoal commercial insert. A story with a surprise ending. A boxer takes a dive and gets away with it, almost. The date is approximate. Jackie Cooper. 15 minutes.

Big Town "I Remember Murder" (11-30-48)

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:08:11 -0700

Big Town is a radio show that aired from 1937 to 1952. Edward G. Robinson had the lead role of Steve Wilson from 1937 to 1942. Claire Trevor was Wilson's society editor sidekick Lorelei Kilbourne, with Ona Munson taking over that role in 1940. Edward J. Pawley portrayed Wilson from 1942 until 1952 when Walter Greaza was heard as Wilson in the final episodes in the radio series. When Big Town moved to television, the program was telecast live, but in 1952 the production switched to film after the move from New York City to Hollywood. The television series ran on CBS from 1950 through 1954, continuing on NBC from 1955 through 1956. Repeat episodes aired on the DuMont Network (under the title City Assignment) while Big Town was still showing first-run episodes on CBS. Reruns were also shown under the titles Heart of the City, Headline and Byline Steve Wilson.

THIS EPISODE:
November 30, 1948. NBC network. "I Remember Murder". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso. A band-leader steals $50,000 from The High Hatters Club and leaves town in a hurry. After he's "taken for a ride," the girl singer who was with him developes amnesia. "Harry The Hack" finds her...and the murder victim too. Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Mason Adams, Jerry McGill (writer, director). 29:55.

The Haunting Hour "Second Chance" (08-09-48)

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:23:38 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
August 9, 1948. Program #25. NBC syndication. "Second Chance". Commercials added locally. "The Duke," on his way to "The Chair," thinks back on how it might have been. 27:08.

The Devil & Mr. O "Official Killer" (01-07-72)

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:33:03 -0700

The Devil and Mr. O - A transcribed syndication of original broadcasts from Lights Out. With its premiere on the nationwide NBC hookup in 1935, Lights Out was billed "the ultimate in horror." Never had such sounds been heard on the air. Heads rolled, bones were crushed, people fell from great heights and splattered wetly on pavement. There were garrotings, choking, heads split by cleavers, and, to a critic at Radio Guide, "the most monstrous of all sounds, human flesh being eaten." Few shows had ever combined the talents of actors and imaginative writers so well with the graphic art of the sound technician. Wyllis Cooper, who created, wrote, and produced it, was then a 36-year-old staffer in Chicago's NBC Studios. Cooper created his horror "by raiding the larder." For the purposed of Lights Out sound effects, people were what they ate. The sound of a butcher knife rending a piece of uncooked pork was, when accompanied by shrieks and screams, the essence of murder to a listener alone at midnight.

THIS EPISODE:
August 17, 1943. Program #17. CBS network origination, syndicated rebroadcast. "State Executioner". Commercials added locally. The hangman's last client. Syndicated program name: "The Devil and Mr. O." The story is also known as, "Official Killer". Arch Oboler (writer, host), Mercedes McCambridge, Byron Kane. 25 minutes.

The Black Mass "Rats In The Walls" (1962)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:40:49 -0700

The Black Mass was a horror-fantasy radio drama produced by Erik Bauersfeld, a leading West Coast radio dramatist. The series aired on KPFA (Berkeley) and KPFK (Los Angeles) from 1960 to 1965 on an irregular schedule. Bauersfeld was the Director of Drama and Literature at KPFA from 1962 to 1991. After John Whiting began at KPFA in 1960, he subsequently became the listener-supported station's production director, presenting dozens of programs about the arts and current affairs over a 14-year span. Whiting was the sound designer on The Black Mass, and his collaborations with Bauersfeld were later credited as "keeping radio drama alive in America in the 1960s. "Bauersfeld's Black Mass productions were an influence on writer-producer Tom Lopez (ZBS), who noted, "In the 1960s, I was inspired by someone at KPFA in Berkeley, Eric Bauersfeld. who did a series called The Black Mass, adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft and such. He helped me a lot. I consider Eric my mentor. He also did some fine Eugene O'Neill plays for radio."

Murder At Midnight "The House Time Forgot" (10-19-46)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:16:55 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
October 19, 1946. Program #18. Syndicated. "The House That Time Forgot". Commercials added locally. A couple buy a house with invisible tenants, and time runs backwards too! A good story of the supernatural. Albert Buhrman (music), Anton M. Leader (director), Elsie Hitz (?), Sigmund Miller (writer), Vinton Hayworth, Louis G. Cowan (producer). 26:53.

The Black Museum "Glass Shards" (1952)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:54:29 -0700

The Black Museum - Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques. A number of famous people have visited the musuem including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Orsen Welles hosted and narrated the shows. Following the opening, Mr. Welles would introduce the museum's item of evidence that was central to the case, leading into the dramatization. He also provided narration during the show and ended each show with his characteristic closing from the days of his Mercury Theater on the Air, 'remaining obediently yours'.

THIS EPISODE:
Harry Alan Towers syndication. "Glass Shards". Sponsored by: Commercials added localy. A man and his son find an intruder in their apartment. The older man is shot by a small man. Orson Welles, Ira Marion (writer), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor), Harry Alan Towers (producer). 29:46.

Dark Fantasy "Curse Of The Neanderthal" (01-02-42)

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:33:43 -0700

Dark Fantasy was a series dedicated to dealings with the unknown. Originating from radio station WKY, Oklahoma City, it was written by Scott Bishop (of Mysterious Traveler and The Sealed Book fame) and was heard Fridays over stations. Tom Paxton served as announcer. The shows covered horror, science fiction and murder mysteries. Although a short series, the shows are excellent with some stories way ahead of their time. The following is a news promo promoting the show: Every since Lights Out went out several years ago, fans of the fiendish have been clamoring for more good old goose-pimple horror drama on the air. Now they have it. One of the programs that currently freezes the airwaves with its chilling stories is Dark Fantasy comparatively new to the networks. In the late hours of Friday nights these shivery, shocking stories go out over NBC - right straight from Oklahoma City, which you might not have thought of as headquarters for haunts. Station WKY is the home of the Dark Fantasy plays, and the writer is Scott Bishop, who lives in the midst of mystery and the supernatural, represented by the innurnerable volumes of thriller fiction, fantasy lore and all kinds of horror literature that fill his home andhis office. Bishop has long contributed to network broadcasting and to magazines. He says, "Give the listener enough material to let his imagination go to work, and he'll supply his own goose-pimples." Dark Fantasy has been furnishing plenty of such material since last November. And judging from enthusiastic comment, the horror fans are responding with goose-pimples galore! Tune in every Friday on Station WKY Oklahoma City.

SHOW NOTES From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
January 9, 1942. Program #8. NBC network, WKY, Oklahoma City origination. "The Curse Of The Neanderthal". Sustaining. Not auditioned. "The story of a grave forty thousand years old, and the awesome secret that it contained." Scott Bishop (writer), Tom Paxton (announcer), Ben Morris, Eleanor Naylor Corin, Murillo Scofield, Fred Wayne, Daryl McAllister. 26:55.

The Strange Dr. Weird "Secret Room" (02-13-45) and "Knife Of Death" (02-20-45)

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:34:02 -0700

The Strange Doctor Weird - Robert A. Arthur was the writer of these grisly, macabre fifteen-minute thrillers. Maurice Tarplin played Dr Weird, the narrator of these fantastic tales. The closing line was always the same: “Oh, you have to leave now – too bad! But perhaps you’ll drop in on me again soon. I’m always home. Just look for the house on the other side of the cemetery – the house of Dr Weird!”

TODAY'S SHOW:

February 13, 1945. Program #15. Mutual network aircheck, syndicated on an RCA transcription. "The Secret Room". Sponsored by: Adam Hats. Nazis find the perfect place to hide out...for Nazis that is! . 12 minutes.

February 20, 1945. Program #16. Mutual network aircheck, syndicated on an RCA transcription. "The Knife Of Death". Sponsored by: Adam Hats. The knife that Jack the Ripper used turns up during the Blitz.. with an evil force behind it! . 12 1/4 minutes.

The Mysterious Traveler "Strange New World" (02-21-53)

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:08:16 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
February 19, 1952. Mutual network. "Strange New World". Sustaining. A shipwreck survivor on a British sub tells the story of being stranded on a desert island, being made to fight a war against giant crabs. David Kogan (writer, producer, director), Maurice Tarplin, Robert A. Arthur (writer). 1/2 hour.

Nightfall "The Stone Ship" (10-03-80)

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:15:54 -0700

Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio ( Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ) from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall's episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

THIS EPISODE:
October 3, 1980. Program #14. CBC, Toronto. "The Stone Ship". Not auditioned. A chilling horror story. Henry Ramer (host), William Hope Hodgson (writer), Len Peterson (adaptor), Chris Wiggins, Arch McDonnell, Graham Haley, Eric House, John Jessop (recording engineer), Bill Robinson (sound effects), Nina Callaghan (production assistant), John Douglas (script editor), Earle Toppings (script editor), Bill Howell (producer, director). 28:00.

The Clock "Only Death Is Timeless" (05-11-47)

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:24:38 -0700

The Clock, Imported from Austrailia, was a dramatic thirty-minute suspense and mystery series. It was written by Lawrence Klee and was first broadcast in November 1946. The story always began the same; “Sunrise and sunset, promise and fulfilment, birth and death … the whole drama of life is written in the sands of time”. This is a great series where the main theme seems to be Retribution. Stories as told by Father Time.

First Broadcast November 3rd 1946
Last Broadcast May 23rd 1948

THIS EPISODE:
May 11, 1947. Syndicated, WRVR-FM, New York aircheck. "Only Death Is Timeless". Participating sponsors. A couple with an injured son face a long auto drive on a stormy mountain road. The very strange Mrs. Crocker goes along for the ride. WRVR rebroadcast date: October 19, 1973. The date above is the date of first broadcast on ABC. Harp McGuire (narrator), Lawrence Klee (writer), John Million, Gordon Glenwright, Grace Gibson (producer), Joan Lord, Anita Carr Glynn (?), John Saul (director). 1/2 hour.

Diary Of Fate "Rollie Andrews" (08-03-48)

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:44:41 -0700

Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where “Fate” narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their ‘Fate’. In This episode, August 3, 1948. Program #34. Finley syndication. "Rolly Andrews". Commercials added locally. Book 74, page 659. Not auditioned. An archeologist choses riches and evil with "fabulous jewels." The date is subject to correction. Herb Lytton, Tom Brown, Cynthia Corley, William Johnstone, Lou Krugman, Gene Twombley, Ray Ehrlenborn, Hal Sawyer, Larry Finley (producer). 26:41.

Big Town "The Mask Of Evil" (01-04-49)

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:44:11 -0700

Big Town is a radio show that aired from 1937 to 1952. Edward G. Robinson had the lead role of Steve Wilson from 1937 to 1942. Claire Trevor was Wilson's society editor sidekick Lorelei Kilbourne, with Ona Munson taking over that role in 1940. Edward J. Pawley portrayed Wilson from 1942 until 1952 when Walter Greaza was heard as Wilson in the final episodes in the radio series. When Big Town moved to television, the program was telecast live, but in 1952 the production switched to film after the move from New York City to Hollywood. The television series ran on CBS from 1950 through 1954, continuing on NBC from 1955 through 1956. Repeat episodes aired on the DuMont Network (under the title City Assignment) while Big Town was still showing first-run episodes on CBS. Reruns were also shown under the titles Heart of the City, Headline and Byline Steve Wilson.

THIS EPISODE:
January 4, 1949. NBC network. "The Mask Of Evil". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. Mystery writer Hannah Harper, and her nervous companion, summon Steve Wilson and Lorelei to the lighthouse in which they're living. They are hearing noises and explosions. Listen for a monosyllabic moron, a 7 foot rabbit, a Chinese dentist named Dr. Fu, and a real red herring! Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Jerry McGill (writer, producer), Hugh James (announcer). 29:35.

The Shadow "The Tomb Of Terror" (08-28-38)

Wed, 28 May 2008 18:07:41 -0700

The Shadow - On July 31, 1930 a sinister voice came over the radio into American Homes. The voice of the Shadow appeared for the first time. In the beginning the Shadow was not a crime fighter. He was a mysterious narrator of mystery tales taken from the pages of Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine. The publisher Street & Smith began to use radio as an advertising medium to promote their fiction publications. The Shadow was a perfectly creepy teller of tales promoting Street & Smith. This format continued until 1935 when creative differences between Street & Smith and NBC called a halt to the Shadow on the air. On September 26, 1937, the Shadow reappeared on radio with the voice of Orson Welles playing the part. The Shadow was now a full-fledged character on radio, not just narrating and introducing stories. The Shadow had an identity as Lamont Cranston, a wealthy man about town. He was accompanied by Margo Lane, originally played by Agnes Moorehead. Margo Lane was the only person who knew that Lamont Cranston and the Shadow were one and the same. No other agents assisted the Shadow, as did in the Walter Gibson fictional accounts. This radio Shadow had hypnotic power to make himself invisible to those around him and he possessed mental telepathy to read minds. Orson Welles played the Shadow from 1937 through March 1938. The Shadow became the highest rated radio show on the air at that time. In September of 1939, a new voice of the Shadow appeared in the form of radio actor Bill Johnstone. Later in 1939, Agnes Moorehead left the show and was replaced by Marjorie Anderson as Margo Lane. The plot lines began to follow the standard formula of Margo Lane being in danger and the Shadow rescuing her from the clutches of evil. Bill Johnstone would be the voice of the Shadow for five seasons, until March 1943. Bret Morrison took over the Shadow role in 1943 for one season. John Archer and Steve Courtleigh took the Shadow role through the 1944-45 season. Bret Morrison then returned to be the Shadow for the duration of the program's run which lasted until December 26, 1954.

THIS EPISODE:
1938. Syndicated. "The Tomb Of Terror". Sponsored by: B. F. Goodrich Tires. A mummy's curse seems valid when a strange ray kills those who enter the room. Extended closing theme music indicates a local commercial insert. Orson Welles, Margot Stevenson, Ken Roberts (announcer). 30:04.

The Black Museum - "Mandolin Strings" (1952)

Mon, 26 May 2008 21:30:04 -0700

The Black Museum - Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques. A number of famous people have visited the musuem including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Orsen Welles hosted and narrated the shows. Following the opening, Mr. Welles would introduce the museum's item of evidence that was central to the case, leading into the dramatization. He also provided narration during the show and ended each show with his characteristic closing from the days of his Mercury Theater on the Air, 'remaining obediently yours'.

THIS EPISODE:
1952. Syndicated, WRVR-FM, New York aircheck. "Mandolin Strings". A woman marries twice, and both times her husband falls down a flight of stairs and breaks his neck. The date is approximate. Syndicated rebroadcast date: November 27, 1974. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Ira Marion (writer), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor). 1/2 hour.

Murder At Midnight "The Cabala" (10-05-46)

Fri, 23 May 2008 21:50:20 -0700

FIRST BROADCAST: September 16th 1946
LAST BROADCAST: September 8th 1947
CAST: Elspeth Eric, Mercedes McCambridge, Berry Kroeger, Betty Caine, Carl Frank, Barry Hopkins, Lawson Zerbe, Charlotte Holland
NARRATORS: Raymond Morgan
MUSIC: Charles Paul
PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS: Lewis G Cowan, Anton M Leader
WRITERS: Robert Newman, Joseph Ruscoll, Max Ehrlich, William Morwood

THIS EPISODE:
October 5, 1946. Program #16. Syndicated. "The Cabala". Commercials added locally. A dying Arab passes on an ancient scroll with the ability to see into the future. A good story. Albert Buhrman (music), Anton M. Leader (director), James Van Dyke, Robert Newman (writer), Louis G. Cowan (producer). 27:02.

Arch Oboler's Plays "Another World" (7-29-39)

Wed, 21 May 2008 21:34:54 -0700

Arch Oboler's Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

THIS EPISODE:
July 29, 1939. NBC network. "Another World". Sustaining. An eerie story about a woman's battle with the voice inside her...trying to take over her body! The story is also known as, "The Voice Within Me." Arch Oboler, Arnold Moss, Betty Garde, Frank Lovejoy, Gilbert Mack, Hester Sondergaard, John Brown. 29:28.

The Chase "Murderer's Row" (3-29-53)

Mon, 19 May 2008 17:20:57 -0700

The Chase is an exciting Old Time Radio series in which every episode contains, well, a chase. Tales, highly melodramatic and often improbable, of people on the run. The concept of "hunter and hunted" was built into the signatures. with the lone bugle of a fox hunt, the braying of dogs, the sounds of a man running, a gunshot, and the slowing footsteps and eventual fall of the victim. It may be an adventure story, a crime story, or even science fiction, but there will always be a suspense filled chase.

THIS EPISODE:
March 29, 1953. NBC network. Sustaining. The curator of a museum of murderers tells the story of a British chap who marries ladies of wealth for his own mercenary purposes. Doris Smith, Fred Collins (announcer), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), Ivor Francis, John Stanley, Cathleen Cordell, Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Leona Powers, Ted Osborne, William Podmore. 29:52.

The Haunting Hour "Unidentified Body" (1945)

Fri, 16 May 2008 18:02:02 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
1945. Program #24. NBC syndication. "Unidentified Body". Commercials added locally. An amnesiac found by a gang of crooks is told he's a professional murderer and is told to go out and kill! The date is approximate. 28:00.

The Mysterious Traveler "Symphony Of Death" (9-08-46)

Wed, 14 May 2008 21:43:31 -0700

The Mysterious Traveler - Written and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan, the series began on the Mutual Broadcasting System, December 5, 1943, continuing in many different timeslots until September 16, 1952. Unlike many other shows of the era, The Mysterious Traveler was without a sponsor for its entire run. The lonely sound of a distant locomotive heralded the arrival of the malevolent narrator, portrayed by Maurice Tarplin, who introduced himself each week in the following manner. This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable -- if you can! Cast members included Jackson Beck, Lon Clark, Roger DeKoven, Elspeth Eric, Wendell Holmes, Bill Johnstone, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Santos Ortega, Bryna Raeburn, Frank Readick, Ann Shepherd, Lawson Zerbe and Bill Zuckert. Sound effects were by Jack Amrhein, Jim Goode, Ron Harper, Walt McDonough and Al Schaffer. "Behind the Locked Door," a popular episode which took place in total darkness, was much requested and was repeated several times during the years. The story involves two archaeologists who discover an old wagon train abandoned over one hundred years ago in an old cave. After a landslide traps them in the darkness, they are attacked by apparently human assailants and conclude that the descendants of the wagon train are still living in the cave. A panel by Steve Ditk from "Escape" in Tales of the Mysterious Traveler #4 (August, 1957) Only 75 of the original 370 Mysterious Traveler episodes still exist. The popularity of the series spawned other supernatural shows, such as The Sealed Book and The Strange Dr. Weird, which was nearly identical in that Tarplin was the host-narrator, and it employed one the scripters for The Mysterious Traveler.

THIS EPISODE:

September 8, 1946. Mutual network. "Symphony Of Death". Sustaining. Shortly after a composer buys three tombstones for his sisters, all three die of "unfortunate" accidents. Maurice Tarplin reads a public service announcement urging the public to save food. Robert A. Arthur (writer, director), David Kogan (writer, director), Inge Adams, Russ Dunbar (announcer), Eric Dressler, Maurice Tarplin, Doc Whipple (music), Hester Sondergaard, Ann Teaman, Martin Wolfson. 29:45.