Some of my earliest memories in regard to entertainment have been classic radio programs. In observation of this spooky time of the year, I would like to share my all-time, top five, creepiest classic radio programs. I also will be giving some background information about the radio series from which my picks were drawn.
Number 5 : CBS Radio Mystery Theater , The Church of Hell (Aired 1978-02-17): A vacationing couple returns home to find out the tenant and caretaker of their home has been murdered by a supernatural being. The place is riddled with evidence of Satanic activity. The couple must do battle with the forces of Hades to reclaim their home. This episode is extremely well written and gripping. It definitely has enough of the creepy factor to satisfy. CBSRMT happens to be my all-time favorite series and I recently obtained all the episodes of this program.
Series Background : CBS Radio Mystery Theater (aka Radio Mystery Theater and Mystery Theater , sometimes abbreviated as CBSRMT ) was an ambitious and sustained attempt during the 1970s to revive the type of audio drama familiar to listeners of old-time radio. The series was created by Himan Brown, a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries, The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and other shows dating back to the 1930s.
On CBS affiliates, the series began its long run January 6, 1974 . The final episode was broadcast on December 31, 1982 . The format was similar to that of classic old time radio shows such as The Mysterious Traveler and The Whistler, in that the episodes were introduced by a host (E. G. Marshall) who provided pithy wisdom throughout. Unlike the hosts of earlier programs, Marshall is fully mortal, merely someone whose heightened insight and erudition plunge the listener into the world of the macabre.
The program began with the ominous sound of a creaking crypt door, slowly opening to invite listeners in for the evening's adventure, accompanied by Marshall's disturbing utterance, "Come in. Welcome. I am E. G. Marshall." This was followed by one of Marshall's other catchphrases, usually either "The sound of suspense" or "The fear you can hear." At the conclusion, the door would swing shut, followed by Marshall's classic sign off, "Until next time, pleasant... dreams?" Marshall hosted the program from January, 1974, until February, 1982, when actress Tammy Grimes took over for the series' last season, maintaining the format.
CBSRMT was broadcast each weeknight, with three or four episodes being new originals, and the remainder was reruns. There were 1,399 original episodes (Source: Wikipedia).
Number 4 : Quiet, Please, Let the Lilies Consider (Aired 1948-06-28): James is suspected of murder, and is being questioned by the police. His interrogator is convinced that he buried his wife under an especially tall lily in the garden. James denies it, insists he is innocent, and tells his story. His love of flowers, and especially lilies, has taken up most of his time. His wife Gretchen hates flowers, and is jealous of them. James tells of how he expressed his love for the lilies in his garden, and of how they expressed their love for him. The final minute or so of this episode is particularly haunting, surreal and well just creepy.
Series Background : Quiet, Please aired from June 8th of 1947 through June 20th of 1949. Until September 13th of 1948 it was featured on the Mutual Broadcasting System, and after that it moved to ABC. It is considered by many to be among the most uniquely creative series in history.
The creative forces behind the series were Wyllis Cooper (creator, writer, director) and Ernest Chappell (featured actor). Cooper was not at all new to radio drama when he began work on Quiet, Please. He teamed with John Houseman in writing the scripts for the final season of Mercury Theatre on the Air (by then called Campbell Playhouse), and in 1934 created the popular horror series Lights Out. Although significantly different in style, and although Arch Obler took over in 1936, Lights Out had a similar goal.
Both series sought to chill the listener through a completely immersing personal experience. The titles and introductory sequences of each series indicate the desired immersion -- the listener is expected to shut off distracting outside stimuli, such as light and sound, in order to fully concentrate on the unfolding story (Source: QuietPlease.org) .
Number 3: Escape, Evening Primrose (Aired 1947-11-05): The basic plot is that a poet named Charles Snell escapes from the harsh reality of the world by going to live in a department store. On his first night, he discovers that a society of creatures lives there as well. The only other human with them is a servant girl named Ella. Charles falls in love with Ella but from there trouble ensues. The very first plot of its kind and it does not fail to keep the listener engaged. I guarantee that you will never look at store mannequins the same way again!
Series Background: Escape was radio's leading anthology series of high adventure, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947 to September 25, 1954 . Since the program did not have a regular sponsor like Suspense, it was subjected to frequent schedule shifts and lower production budgets, although Richfield Oil signed on as a sponsor for five months in 1950.
Despite these problems, Escape enthralled many listeners during its seven-year run. The series' well-remembered opening combined Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain with this introduction, as intoned by Paul Frees and William Conrad: "Tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!" (Source:Wikipedia)
Number 2 : Dimension X, Dr. Grimshaw's Sanitarium (Aired 1950-09-22): A note in a fountain pen is the account of a detective telling how he came to investigate a phony burial . He infiltrates the strange goings-on at an asylum for the insane, where the patients are undergoing bizarre physical transformations. This nail-biting and heart-pounding episode is excellent from beginning to end. It wastes no time drawing the listener in --- escalating the creepiness to the finish!
Series Background : Dimension X was an NBC radio program broadcast on an unsponsored, sustaining basis from April 8, 1950 to September 29, 1951 . The first 13 episodes were broadcast live, and the remainder was pre-recorded. Fred Wiehe and Edward King were the directors, and Norman Rose was heard as both announcer and narrator (Source: Wikipedia)
Number 1 : Escape, Three Skeleton Key (Aired 1950-03-17): Rats, Vincent Price, and a lonely lighthouse...this episode is a classic of vintage radio. First made famous by Escape, this radio-play was then broadcast two more times on Suspense after Escape went off the air.
Based on a 1937 Esquire magazine short story by the French writer George Toudouze, the story was adapted for Escape in 1949 by James Poe.
The creepiness of Three Skeleton Key is, in part, due to it being set on the coast of French Guiana in South America --- this is a coastline that is also famous for its penal colony on Devil's Island. Vincent Price does a first-rate job in narrating and the supporting cast is great as well (especially the mildly psychotic Louie). The king of creepy and rats ... a hard combination to beat!
I hope you enjoyed reading my top-five list, because I sure had fun sharing it with you. I have constructed a website for the occasion. It contains clips from classic horror films and classic radio programs --- I will also be adding a special section that contains this top five.
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How fun! Back when we could use our imagination and well, imagine! I remember the squeeky door of the Inner Sanctum program (I think that's the name) but no one episode in particular. Thanks for this creative piece Edward - keep them coming! Marijo
Thanks Marijo! Yes, the name is Inner Sanctum and I have every one of those programs. I have grown up on them and my children as well --- my 20 year-old still likes listening to them. I wanted to try something a little different as far writing goes --- a little less serious and more entertaining.
I am so happy you enjoyed it and took the time to comment.
I am pleased this article played a part in taking you back down memory lane - in a good way I'm guessing - and thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
Radio was once wonderful,intelligent,so private and delicious in imagination compared with television which is primarily banal .
America's I.Q. has plumeted since those early years of radio such that every other T.V. show today must have a gun as a central prop to tell the predominate crime or courtroom story and to hold a simian like rapt audience's attention.
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