Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 31: "The Demon Tree"

Happy Halloween!

Today I close my theme month with another episode of Scott Bishop's Dark Fantasy, this time "the Demon Tree" from December 5, 1941. This program features a tree which is not simply a living thing, but a moving, vengeful, killing thing as well!

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Thank you for indulging my interest in old-time radio; I hope I've exposed you to some quality shows over the course of this month; perhaps I'll feature more programs in the future.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 30: "The Headless Dead"

With Halloween almost upon us, I've saved the last two days for an unusual program: Dark Fantasy. This odd series featured no major talents in any sense (every episode written by Scott Bishop and usually cast with the same players) and ranged in tone from gentle fables (ie, a man possessed by a ghost solves the problem of an inheritance), to all-out horror (werewolves and mad scientists)!

What have I selected for you today? All-out horror, naturally! I give you "the Headless Dead," from January 23, 1942. A visitor to an old cathedral accidentally happens upon a choir of headless men. There's only way they'll allow him to live... if you can call it living...

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 29: "Tanglefoot"

Having visited an obscene spider, why not an obscene fly? The Quiet Please episode "Tanglefoot" from June 4, 1949 concerns a man with a pet fly. Harmless as a fly, you may suppose? Not when your fly has grown to a ludicrous size.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 28: "Mars is Heaven"

I think Ray Bradbury's "Mars is Heaven" is one of his best short stories, it's a terrific thriller. However, this is a rare case where the adaptation outdoes the original, in my opinion; when the tale was adapted to Dimension X on January 7, 1951. This version includes an extra character, a doctor who was in Dachau as a child and has tried to bury his past. When the rest of the explorers on Mars discover their deceased loved ones now live on the red planet, the doctor is the one man who has no one to meet him.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 27: "Evening Primrose"

John Collier wrote many sly tales with occasional diversions into the realm of fantasy, but less frequently ventured into the weird. Such a weird tale is "Evening Primrose," a somewhat notorious tale beloved by some, derided by others. I feel the Escape adaptation from November 5, 1947 is top drawer entertainment.

A frustrated poet decides to live inside a department store to allow himself the freedom to explore his art. However, the store turns out to be populated by many refugees who can't handle the outside world; to live amongst them, the poet must adapt to their rules. Matters are complicated when he falls in love with a fellow outcast.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 26: "My Son John"

Resuming a look at the great monsters of horror stories, we come to vampires as Dracula himself is referenced in this episode of Quiet Please. "My Son John" (broadcast November 28, 1948) studies a lonely man who wishes to bring his dead son back to life. By turning to the occult, his wish is granted, but he soon has reason to regret it; his son isn't the same person he remembered, especially as he's now a vampire. It's a macabre story which doesn't play by the vampire "rules" you might be familiar with; it's even a little funny.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 25: "Spider"

Arch Oboler's Lights Out often demonstrated how one could be economical with actors, yet effective at building terror. "Spider," from June 8, 1938, casts just two men, but their dialogue carries all the horror required. In this tale, these men have ventured into the jungle to capture butterflies for money when they find a spider "as big as a dog." This could be a valuable discovery, they assume; however, while it's possible to capture the spider, holding it is another matter.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 24: "The Werewolf"

Halloween isn't complete without at least one of the classic monsters - thus, "the Werewolf." This Weird Circle broadcast from May 7, 1944 was adapted from a portion of Frederick Marryat's 1839 novel the Phantom Ship.

A German hunter living in the wilderness takes a new wife to help raise his three children, but she's our titular fiend; doomed by his own vows, the hunter's children are menaced by their bloodthirsty new stepmother.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 23: "Ancient Sorceries"

We return again to Algernon Blackwood, but this time in a decidedly supernatural vein; Blackwood's fiction excelled at creating environments of dread, places which feel uneasy, unreal with something terrifying just beyond what's visible. Such a tale is "Ancient Sorceries," which Escape adapted on February 21, 1948.

On a whim, a traveler disembarks his train at an obscure English village. He's never visited the locale before, yet the locals treat him with an odd sense of familiarity. Perhaps it's his imagination, but they all seem to be watching him and somehow mill around him without making a noise.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 22: "Whence Came You"

We visited one ancient god on Saturday; how about another?

An archaeologist working in Egypt invites a friend to his dig location. However, an unfortunate mishap on site leads to death; there's something still alive inside the crypt...

This is one of the better-known episodes of Quiet Please, a series which was short-lived, but beloved by those who heard it. It was a cheaply-made program with few actors, limited music and audio effects. And yet, the quality of the stories almost always surpassed the show's limitations.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 21: "The Trial for Murder"

When I first heard this broadcast of the Weird Circle from April 30, 1944, I was surprised to learn Charles Dickens had written a ghost story. I hadn't read much Dickens at the time (I've since read most of his fiction), but it's always fascinating to discover authors have broader ranges of style than what you first imagine (see also: Roald Dahl).

This is a pretty simple and straight forward tale, but it has one terrific closing line. A juror serving on a murder trial finds himself possessed of inside knowledge on the case when the ghost of the murdered man begins feeding him information!

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 20: "The Grove of Ashtaroth"

I became an Alfred Hitchcock fan while I was still in junior high, thanks to rebroadcasts of the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents and occasional viewings of his motion pictures. Having enjoyed his film the 39 Steps, I was interested to discover the original novel by John Buchan when my uncle gave me the Complete Richard Hannay. So began an equal fascination with Buchan's stories.

Outside of adaptations of "the 39 Steps," the only other old-time radio program adapted from Buchan is his short story "the Grove of Ashtaroth," as heard February 29, 1948 on Escape. This tells the tale of a man who builds an elaborate home in Africa by a grove of trees. A visiting friend soon discovers terrible things transpire in the grove by night. Buchan's biographers have pointed to this tale being inspired by Buchan's adulation and later disappointment in T.E. Lawrence.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 19: "Kaleidoscope"

Today, we make a sudden jolt from the supernatural terrors of Earth and ascend to the horrors of space. The recently-deceased Ray Bradbury was adept at writing horror stories, the like of which I've presented already, but his tales of space could be just as terrifying. I give you "Kaleidoscope," as presented on Suspense July 12, 1955.

The last time I listened to this episode, I had been taking a nap while old-time radio streamed over my computer. As "Kaleidoscope" began its drama of men cast adrift in space after losing their ship, my semi-conscious mind was a little confused by the audio and began to write me into what I was hearing. It's a testament to how intense this program is.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 18: "Papa Benjamin"

A man three years younger than I once had this to say:

"I woke up in the night to hear voices coming from my radio; it was New Orleans and a bandleader was taking the police through a dank back alley, guiding them to the place where he murdered a man. I had fallen asleep with the radio on and happened to draw myself from my slumber near the start of the program, missing little more than the opening theme and introduction. Consequently, I didn't know what exactly I was listening to and in that state my mind was in - still half-asleep - this weird tale of voodoo weaved a spell around me. In my state of partial consciousness, it was as though the story was happening to me, like it was a dream I was having instead of a 50 year old drama being replayed over the wire. Every time I hear it, I recall that first time and the mental pictures I saw then return to me."

"Papa Benjamin" was adapted to Escape on January 21, 1948; it was based on a story by Cornell Woolrich and would later be adapted to Boris Karloff's TV series Thriller in 1961 and as a segment of the film Dr. Terror's House of Horrors in 1965.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 17: "the Horla"

Returning to Peter Lorre's program Mystery in the Air, we have an episode from August 21, 1947: an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's "the Horla." You may recall this as one of the tales Ernie Colon adapted into comic book format in his Inner Sanctum graphic novel, as I blogged here.

This episode's story of a man haunted by an invisible presence was my first exposure to Maupassant and led to my reading two collections of his short fiction; he didn't write much in the supernatural vein and I found his cynicism to be overwhelming at times, but I was fascinated by the notion of a man who wrote tales of madness, then ultimately succumbed to madness himself. Many of his stories are quite clever, like a subdued Saki. I recommend investigating his bibliography.

There's an anecdote about how during one broadcast of Mystery in the Air, Lorre's performance became so intense that he accidentally flung his script away and had to ad-lib the rest of the program; I don't know which episode it would be, but based on the intensity of this program's finale and his sudden closing apology, this may be the show in question.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

If it didn't bear repeating, I wouldn't be repeating myself

This year's release of the Avengers motion picture was a catalyst for me to make some hard decisions about what I was willing to financially support in the comic book market; I refused to see the film in theaters, but just recently borrowed a copy of the DVD from a friend. Having finally seen it, it occurs to me since my primary issue with comics today is the lack of compensation given to those who created the stories and characters, wouldn't it be interesting to identify where elements in this movie originated from?

If you see something I overlooked or identified incorrectly, do let me know. Updated 11/21/2013: thank you Steven & Neil!

The Avengers, a team of super heroes including Thor, Hulk & Iron Man, banded together as "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" because of the instigation of Loki, who plans to turn the heroes against the Hulk: Derived from the Avengers#1 (1963) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

The Tesseract, a glowing cube possessing massive cosmic power: derived from the Cosmic Cube of Tales of Suspense#79 (1966) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Loki, Thor's evil brother who possesses the power to cast illusions; Asgard, home of the Norse Gods which connects to Earth via Bifrost; Odin, father of Loki & Thor: derived from Journey into Mystery#85 (1962) by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby.

The Chitauri, an extraterrestrial army who battle the Avengers: derived from the Ultimates#8 (2002) by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch, but based on the Skrulls of Fantastic Four#2 (1962) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

S.H.I.E.L.D., an international espionage agency, headed by a council and directed by Nick Fury; Nick Fury wearing an eyepatch; Life Model Decoys; the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, their mobile headquarters designed like a flying battleship; the enemy group Hydra: Derived from Strange Tales#135 (1965) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Nick Fury, an experienced soldier: Derived from Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1 (1963) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Nick Fury as an African-American man: Derived from Ultimate Marvel Team-Up#5 (2001) by Brian Michael Bendis & Mike Allred.

Nick Fury depicted as Samuel L. Jackson with visible scars around his left eye; the Avengers as a team organized and run by S.H.I.E.L.D. under Fury's guidance; the Hulk resulting from an attempt to recreate Captain America; Iron Man's eyes & unibeam glowing light blue; S.H.I.E.L.D. presenting a new costume to Captain America after his revival: Derived from the Ultimates#2 (2002) by Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch.

Maria Hill, next in line to command S.H.I.E.L.D.: Derived from Secret War#5 (2005) by Brian Michael Bendis & Gabriele Dell'Otto.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia, an eagle within a circle: Derived from Strange Tales#154 (1967) by Roy Thomas & Jim Steranko.

Hawkeye, an expert marksman who wields trick arrows (such as explosive arrows and cable line arrows) and has a personal relationship with the Black Widow; Iron Man's chief weapon, repulsor rays: Derived from Tales of Suspense#57 (1964) by Stan Lee & Don Heck.

Hawkeye's real name, Clint Barton: Derived from the Avengers#64 (1969) by Roy Thomas & Gene Colan.

Hawkeye & the Black Widow as fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agents recruited into the Avengers; Hawkeye's costume: Derived from the Ultimates#7 (2002) by Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch.

Loki's power of mind control: Derived from Journey into Mystery#88 (1963) by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby.

Thor, Norse god of thunder, defender of Earth, wields hammer Mjolnir which can control storms, can only be lifted by those who are worthy and always returns to his hand; Thor's blue costume with plated chest, bare arms and red cape: Derived from Journey into Mystery#83 (1962) by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby.

The Avengers logo with enlarged "A": Derived from the Avengers#96 (1972) by Gaspar Saladino.

The Black Widow, alias Natasha Romanoff, a Russian spy, originally a villain: Derived from Tales of Suspense#52 (1964) by Stan Lee, Don Rico, Don Heck & Jack Kirby.

The Black Widow as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Derived from the Avengers#38 (1967) by Roy Thomas & Don Heck.

The Black Widow as an Avenger: Derived from the Avengers#111 (1973) by Steve Englehart & Don Heck.

Iron Man, alias Tony Stark, a playboy philanthropist and former weapons designer who wears a high-tech suit of armour which includes enhanced strength and the power of flight; has shrapnel embedded in his heart and needs pacemaker to survive, pacemaker also powers his armour: Derived from Tales of Suspense#39 (1963) by Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

The Hulk, alias Bruce Banner, an expert in gamma rays who took a massive dose of gamma radiation which causes him to transform into a superhuman monster; Banner and/or the Hulk seen wearing the colour purple; the Hulk describing others as "puny": Derived from the Incredible Hulk#1 (1962) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Bruce Banner as a physician: Derived from the Savage She-Hulk#1 (1980) by Stan Lee & John Buscema.

Bruce Banner's transformations into the Hulk caused by extreme stress or anger: Derived from Tales to Astonish#60 (1964) by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko.

The Black Widow wielding handguns: Derived from Bizarre Adventures#25 (1981) by Ralph Macchio & Paul Gulacy.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Council seen as shadowy figures on monitors; the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier falling out of the sky: Derived from Marvel Graphic Novel#18 (1985) by John Byrne.

The "Avengers Initiative," a government-run program used to operate the Avengers: Derived from Civil War#7 (2007) by Mark Millar & Steve McNiven and Avengers: the Initiative#1 (2007) by Dan Slott & Stefano Caselli.

Captain America, alias Steve Rogers, a World War 2 super hero wearing a red/white/blue costume with star on chest and "A" on mask; Captain America's original triangular shield: Derived from Captain America Comics#1 (1941) by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.

Peggy Carter, Captain America's war-time love interest: Derived from Tales of Suspense#75 (1966) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Captain America frozen in ice during World War 2, revived in contemporary times, joins the Avengers: Derived from the Avengers#4 (1964) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Howard Stark, father to Tony Stark: Derived from Iron Man#28 (1970) by Archie Goodwin & Don Heck.

Howard Stark's past connection to Captain America: Derived from Captain America Annual#9 (1990) by Randall Frenz & Mark Bagley.

Iron Man's armour coloured red & gold: Derived from Tales of Suspense#48 (1963) by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko & Jack Kirby.

Iron Man's unibeam in the center of his armour: Derived from Tales of Suspense#40 (1963) by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein & Jack Kirby.

The design of the Iron Man armour: Derived from Iron Man#75 (2004) by Adi Granov.

Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's assistant and romantic interest: Derived from Tales of Suspense#45 (1963) by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, Don Heck & Jack Kirby.

Stark Tower, Tony Stark's New York skyscraper: Derived from New Avengers#3 (2005) by Brian Michael Bendis & David Finch.

Iron Man's armour applied using mechanical apparatus: Derived from Iron Man TV series (1995) by Tom Tataranowicz.

Jarvis, Iron Man's artificial intelligence assistant who helps design the armours: Derived from HOMER of Iron Man#298 (1993) by Len Kaminski & Tom Tenney and named after Edwin Jarvis of Tales of Suspense#59 (1964) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Tony Stark & Pepper Potts in a romantic relationship: Derived from Invincible Iron Man#15 (2009) by Matt Fraction & Salvador Larroca.

Abraham Erskine and his Super-Soldier Serum which empowered Captain America: Derived from Captain America Comics#1 (1941) by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby and Tales of Suspense#63 (1965) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents dressed in blue jumpsuits: Derived from Strange Tales#139 (1965) by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott.

Captain America's round shield; Captain America's mask fastened to his costume: Derived from Captain America Comics#2 (1941) by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.

Captain America throwing his shield so that it ricochets and returns to his hand: Derived from the Avengers#5 (1964) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

The wings on Captain America's mask drawn flat on the sides of his head: Derived from Captain America: Reborn#1 (2009) by Ed Brubaker & Bryan Hitch.

Thor's beard: Derived from Thor#367 (1986) by Walter Simonson.

Captain America's belief in God: Derived from the Avengers#113 (1973) by Steve Englehart & Bob Brown.

Odin called "the All-Father" Derived from Journey into Mystery#97 (1963) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Loki as Thor's foster brother: Derived from Journey into Mystery#112 (1965) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Thor called "Odinson": Derived from Namor the Sub-Mariner#13 (1991) by John Byrne.

Iron Man's armour absorbing energy: Derived from Iron Man#3 (1968) by Archie Goodwin & Johnny Craig.

Captain America & Iron Man having a tense, argumentative relationship: Derived from the Avengers#153 (1976) by Gerry Conway & John Buscema.

Jane Foster, Thor's love interest: Derived from Journey into Mystery#84 (1962) by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby.

The Black Widow's all-black costume with Widow's Bite wrist weapon; the Black Widow's red hair: Derived from the Amazing Spider-Man#86 (1970) by Stan Lee & John Romita.

The red widow icon on Black Widow's belt: Derived from Journey into Mystery#517 (1998) by Scott Lobdell & Randall Green.

Bruce Banner attempting suicide but failing because the Hulk won't let him die: Derived from the Incredible Hulk#467 (1998) by Peter David & Adam Kubert.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell: Derived from Strange Tales#144 (1966) by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Howard Purcell.

The Hulk having green skin: Derived from the Incredible Hulk#2 (1962) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Hulk battling Thor and attempting to lift Mjolnir: Derived from the Avengers#3 (1964) and Journey into Mystery#112 (1965), both by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

The Destroyer: Derived from Journey into Mystery#118 (1965) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Black Widow being redeemed and rescued by Hawkeye: Derived from the Avengers#30 (1966) by Stan Lee & Don Heck.

Thor's modified costume with chainmail sleeves: Derived from Thor#1 (2007) by J. Michael Stracynski & Olivier Coipel.

Hawkeye's modular design arrows: Derived from Hawkeye#1 (1983) by Mark Gruenwald.

Captain America as Avengers leader; Hawkeye as an Avenger: Derived from the Avengers#16 (1965) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

"Hulk smash" quote: Derived from Tales to Astonish#88 (1967) by Stan Lee & Gil Kane.

The Hulk performing massive leaps through the air: Derived from the Incredible Hulk#3 (1962) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby.

Captain America's motorcycle: Derived from Captain America Comics#27 (1943) by Alex Schomburg.

Thanos, an extraterrestrial villain: Derived from Iron Man#55 (1973) by Jim Starlin & Mike Friedrich.

Thanos questing after the Cosmic Cube: Derived from Captain Marvel#27 (1973) by Jim Starlin & Mike Friedrich.

Thanos in love with Death: Derived from Captain Marvel#28 (1973) by Jim Starlin & Mike Friedrich.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 16: "Mark My Grave"

Being halfway through the month, the "weirdness" factor of the old-time radio shows I'm presenting are about to ratchet up. Straddling the line between full-on supernatural horror is "Mark My Grave," an episode of Inner Sanctum from January 17, 1949. In this tale, a reporter investigating a couple's disappearance meets an odd family who claim to be haunted by their own father, whose ghost will be coming to claim each of them. This being Inner Sanctum, you may assume it's all a plot with no real ghosts involved. Don't be too sure.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 15: "The Black Cat"

Let's turn today to one of literature's classics: Edgar Allan Poe's short story "the Black Cat," as it was dramatized on Mystery in the Air September 18, 1947 with Peter Lorre.

Personally, I find Lorre one of the most fascinating actors of his era; here, he's perfectly cast in the lead role of a man who's inclined to violent rages which he takes out on his pets and his wife. Like most episodes of Mystery in the Air, the highlight is hearing Lorre dramatize the rantings of a frantic madman.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 14: "Little Old Lady"

Note: the image to the right has nothing to do with this program. Except for the cats.

I'm finally returning to Arch Oboler's Lights Out, this time with "Little Old Lady" from November 17, 1937. A young lady brings her friend out to the woods to see her aunt. The aunt just might be the quintessential crazy old cat lady... or the most sinister old woman who ever lived. Unlike the more reserved Inner Sanctum, you could always count on Lights Out to delve head first into something utterly weird; such is the case here.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 13: "The Devil's Workshop"

I suppose day 9's "the Lonely Sleep" just whet your appetite for another mannequin story, eh? How about wax statues? We delve into a creepy episode of Inner Sanctum from October 19, 1949: "the Devil's Workshop," again starring Mason Adams. Adams plays a wax sculptor who becomes forced into serving a man with no face, someone eerily similar to his statue of the Devil...

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 12: "Track of the Cat"

Today's tale delves into Walter Van Tilburg Clark's novel "Track of the Cat," as adapted to Suspense on February 18, 1952 with Richard Widmark in the lead. A wildcat is preying on a ranch run by three brothers; one brother ventures alone into the wilderness, initially confident in himself. However, as he faces the snow, darkness and deadly cat, his nerves begin to fail.

This was adapted into a movie in 1954, starring Robert Mitchum in the lead (seen above). I was pretty eager to own the film, but it was a little disappointing - it isn't a suspense film and Mitchum is absent for much of the picture; the filmmakers were more interested in the dysfunctional family life back at the ranch. It does, however, have utterly gorgeous photography.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 11: "Pollock and the Poorah Man"

Today's Halloween-theme program brings us to one of my favourite authors, H.G. Wells, via his 1895 story "Pollock and the Poorah Man," which you can read online here. It's a tale of African curses, murderous revenge and a descent into madness; it was presented on Escape October 29, 1947.

It's taken me years to realize it, but this story is set within Sierra Leone! Some of you may recall I visited Sierra Leone in April, 2012 and consequently, I have a better idea now of what Wells was trying to establish in this story. I don't know if Wells ever visited Sierra Leone, however. If you'd like to read an authentic account of mysticism in Sierra Leone, I recommend Tim Butcher's Chasing the Devil: the Search for Africa's Fighting Spirit (Chatto & Windus, 2010).

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 10: "Death of a Doll"

A while ago on this blog, I reviewed Ernie Colon's Inner Sanctum graphic novel; it just so happens today's program is "Death of a Doll," one of the radio episodes Colon revised for his novel.

Originally broadcast October 18, 1948, this is a very effective program, although it does fulfill the Inner Sanctum "rule" I hinted at yesterday, in that it's not really a tale of the supernatural, despite suggestions otherwise. Frequent Inner Sanctum star Mason Adams has the lead role and puts in a terrific performance.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 9: "The Lonely Sleep"

Today's program is an episode of the Inner Sanctum (or Inner Sanctum Mysteries, if you like). The Inner Sanctum has a reputation among fans of radio horror shows because they would supposedly hint at supernatural menace, but ultimately their stories veered away from using real ghosts, real vampires, real magic, etc.

The truth about Inner Sanctum is that most episodes (of those which still survive) are stories about murder. Such is today's offering, "the Lonely Sleep" from September 25, 1945. In this tale, a department store employee commits a murder, then discovers he can dispose of the body by simply leaving it in plain sight.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 8: "Too Hot to Live"

Richard Widmark stars in an episode of Suspense today: "Too Hot to Live," from October 26, 1950. Widmark was an awesome radio performer, superbly gifted at creating intense performances, which is just what we have here.

Widmark is a veteran reducing to wandering aimlessly through the USA. Arriving at random in a small town, he has his shoes repaired, leaving him barefoot. A local woman becomes interested in him, but it's an immensely hot day; if you recall your Ray Bradbury, you know how heat increases the likelihood of murders occurring.

There's one moment in this story which made a particular impression on me during my first listen. I'll simply say it's a surprisingly gross moment by the standards of 1950s radio.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Science fact: comic books save lives!

Above: panel from Joe Kubert's Fax From Sarajevo, a true account of the Bosnian War

This is information you'll hopefully never have to use, but isn't it nice to know some strategically-placed comic books might stop a bullet? Heck, pad yourself with foil covers and you can probably deflect small arms.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 7: "The Death of Me"

Today I'm looking back to Suspense and a memorable episode from May 26, 1952: "The Death of Me." It's from a point a little late into Suspense's run, but it resonates a nervous atmosphere well.

Our protagonist, Harry Sawyer, begins work at a logging camp in the hopes of dealing with his psychological problems. Consequently, when he witnesses a murder, it's difficult for him to make sense of what's happened. The murder scene (halfway through the program) is the highlight of the program.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 6: "It Happened"

The titles of Lights Out episodes seldom give you a strong sense of what the story is about; so it is with the May 11, 1938 installment, "It Happened."

At times, Lights Out's stories were fables wherein characters suffer penalties for their transgressions. In this instance, a young woman runs away in Paris to have a good time and winds up in the catacombs being forced by a wicked man to manufacture bone necklaces. It happens.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 5: "Confession"

Writing during the first half of the 20th century, Algernon Blackwood is remembered today mainly for his otherworldly weird fiction, the type of stories enjoyed by H.P. Lovecraft fans. However, there was more to his fiction than that.

On December 31, 1947, Escape presented "Confession," which is definitely one of the most well-realized chillers in all of old-time radio. It's the story of a recovering veteran wandering through the foggy streets of London, doubting his own senses. William Conrad stars as the veteran; pay attention while listening to this one, the pay-off is well worth it.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Across my desk: Devil's Advocates - Saw

"Like all game changers within the horror genre, it was an independent success, a low-budget champion that flourished without the patronage of a big studio."

Apparently Psycho wasn't a studio film? Frankenstein was low budget? Jaws lacked big studio patronage?

There's nothing wrong in this quote changing "all" to "most" wouldn't have fixed.

It's come to this though, eh? Critical appreciation of Saw. If I stay with the university long enough, I'll be receiving appraisals and course materials for the study of Michael Bay's Transformers.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 4: "The Storm"

You're alone in the house. A storm rages outside. You keep imagining a nearby presence. You hear a noise in the cellar. When you investigate, you discover...

Malmar McKnight's "the Storm" was a popular short story, although you may not be familiar with it. Nelson Olmsted brings it to you on today's offering, the December 19, 1956 episode of Sleep No More.

Sleep No More came about very late in the days of radio; Olmsted was the only performer on the show and used canned music for atmosphere in what were essentially audiobook-style programs. It should have been terrible, but instead the series stands as one of the better latter-day shows, thanks to Olmsted's terrific voice. "The Storm" is one designed to get under your skin; keep the lights on!

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 3: "A Terrible Night"

Today's program recounts a nightmarish hunting trip in the Northwest Territories: "A Terrible Night," adapted from an 1856 short story by Fitz-James O'Brien for Weird Circle on January 23, 1944.

I wish I knew more about the Weird Circle; most of my education on old-time radio came from John Dunning's On the Air: the encyclopedia of old-time radio and he didn't include an entry for the program. It was evidently syndicated and drew on unfamiliar (uncredited) actors, appearing in stories adapted from literature. Each of the stories had a supernatural bent and came from what was in the public domain. Fitz-James O'Brien's stories turned up on the program several times. However, the adapations often diverged from the original material. In this instance, the original tale was set in New York, not the NWT.

The one failing I have with this otherwise creepy tale is that it runs too long; after the great moment of horror is passed, it carries on for another 3 minutes to explain what happened to the characters afterward, to no great effect. The original tale was much more succinct in its summary.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 2: "Drury's Bones"

Today's Halloween-themed offering is an episode of Suspense: "Drury's Bones," from January 25, 1945. It's the story of an amnesia victim who becomes a Scotland Yard detective. After years of service, he investigates what could be an old murder case and suddenly finds his memories returning.

It isn't a terribly complicated piece of radio drama, but it stands out for one reason: the starring player, Boris Karloff! Karloff's cultured voice adds depth to any role and even hints at menace where another actor (say, frequent Suspense star Herbert Marshall) wouldn't have succeeded. When I heard this program for the first time as a teenager in the 1990s, my imagination was working frantically to predict where this story was going, mainly because Karloff's presence suggested something truly terrifying.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.

Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 1: Richard Diamond, Private Detective

All this month, I'll be posting an old-time radio show every day as we come closer to Halloween, the best time of year to be listening to old radio dramas! As the month progresses, the shows will become weirder and darker.

Accordingly, I'm kicking this series off with a very light hearted program: the December 10, 1949 episode of Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Starring Dick Powell, this show was unlike most radio detective programs because of the strong humourous tone (albeit not as humourous as Howard Duff's Sam Spade); this particular episode involves Diamond with a supposedly haunted house. The butler is played by Paul Frees, of whom more will be heard from as the month continues. Frees is the real reason I remember this episode - his melodramatic, ghoulish butler is an awful lot of fun!

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.