You should get the
Horror font for this page. If you have Windows 95 or later, it goes in
the "c:\windows/fonts" directory. The word Horror
will change once you install the font and refresh/reload the page.
As I countdown to Halloween below, each day is also in the Horror Font.
There are ALOT of scary Old Time Radio Shows that are perfect for Halloween.
There are SO many that you couldn't possibly listen to half on them in one
night, let alone ALL of them! So what I decided to do is take my list of OTR
shows and pick out 2 Scary ones to listen to for each weeknight, and 4 to
listen to for Saturday and 4 for Sunday, culminating on Halloween, when I'll
listen to several. I decided to share my playlist online.
The limitations are that the shows in my collection won't necessarily be
the shows in your collection. That and I ONLY have about 2,000 shows in my
collection altogether. Feel free to e-mail me about shows that I should
try to get for next year, and other scary shows that you like that I don't
have on my list. I would be happy to put your playlists on my site too.
This is the third year that I have done Shocktober, you can read
Shocktober 1999 and
Shocktober 2000.
I did another list for Christmas OTR Shows.
Feel free to send in suggestions for either the Halloween List or
The Christmas List.
Monday, October 1
Unsolved Mysteries: Rue Morgue Murders: 1936
Unsolved Mysteries: Mystery of the Zombie: 1936
Unsolved Mysteries: The Witch Doctor: 1936
Unsolved Mysteries: Writing on the Wall: 1936
Four 15 Minute Shows to start the month off. Lyle Talbot stars in Silver Fox.
Tuesday, October 2
The Whistler: Smart Girl: September 4, 1949
The Whistler: Smart Boy: April 15, 1946
The Whistler knows many things for he walks by night.
Wednesday, October 3
X Minus One: Mars Is Heaven: May 8, 1955
Think: Mars Is Heaven:
Two different scripts for the Ray Bradbury Story "April 2000: The Third Expedition" from the
book "The Martian Chronicles." Think is more true to the Bradbury story.
Thursday, October 4
Suspense: Sorry, Wrong Number: August 21, 1943
Suspense: Sorry, Wrong Number: October 20, 1957
Two different versions of Sorry, Wrong Number both starring Agnes Moorehead. Sorry, Wrong
Number was written by Lucille Fletcher.
Friday, October 5
Macabra: Final Resting Place: November 13, 1961
Macabra: Weekend: November 20, 1961
Macabra was presented by The Armed Forces Radio Network.
Saturday, October 6
Inner Sanctum: Musical Score: May 29, 1945
Inner Sanctum: Ghosts Always Gets The Last Laugh: September 23, 1946
House Of Mystery: A Gift From The Dead: August 3, 1947
Murder At Midnight: The Island of the Dead: August 8, 1947
Inner Sanctum was sponsored by Lipton Tea and Lipton Soup. The commercials offer a contrast
to the scary shows and Mr. Host and Mary are almost as scary as the show in their own way.
House of Mystery is a kids show, and features Post Corn Toasties as a sponsor.
These were four of the first OTR shows that I ever heard.
Sunday, October 7
The Shadow: Death House Rescue: November 26, 1937
The Shadow: The Silent Avenger: March 13, 1938
The Shadow: The Firebug: June 19, 1938
The Shadow: Vengeance of Angela Nolan: June 27, 1954
"Death House Rescue" is the first modern episode of The Shadow. In the early days, The Shadow
read stories from Street and Smith Publications and then later The Shadow assumed a role not
unlike The Whistler and The Mysterious Traveler. Death House Rescue is the oldest surviving
episode of The Shadow, and The Vengeance of Angela Nolan is the "newest" episode of The Shadow.
Monday, October 8
Witch's Tale: Graveyard Mansion (Part 1 of 2): 1930's
Witch's Tale: Graveyard Mansion (Part 2 of 2): 1930's
Hermit's Cave: House of Purple Shadows: 1930's
Old Nancy is the host of Witch's Tale and The Hermit is the host of The Hermit's Cave.
Witch's Tale is a 15 minute show.
Tuesday, October 9
Inner Sanctum: Musical Score: September 23, 1946
Mysterious Traveler: Symphony of Death: August 8, 1946
Inner Sanctum was on from January 7, 1941 until October 5, 1952.
Mysterious Traveler was on from December 5, 1943 until September 2, 1952.
Wednesday, October 10
Suspense: Donovan's Brain: (Part 1 Of 2): May 18, 1944
Suspense: Donovan's Brain: (Part 2 Of 2): May 25, 1944
This episode of Suspense was later done when Suspense was a 60 minute show. It became a movie
in 1953.
Thursday, October 11
Tomorrow: with Orson Welles as Narrator: January 4, 1954
Tomorrow is a Civil Defense Public Relations Program. After 9/11/2001, we might need to
bring back Civil Defense.
Friday, October 12
Mysterious Traveler: Behind The Locked Door: November 6, 1951
Mysterious Traveler: Visiting Corpse: August 10, 1948
Maurice Tarplin played The Mysterious Traveler.
Saturday, October 13
Lights Out: Ugliest Man In The World: June 1, 1943
Lights Out: Bathysphere: June 29, 1943
Lights Out: Darrell Hall's Thoughts: March 23, 1938
Lights Out: Fast One: January 5, 1943
Lights Out was on from June 10, 1936 until August 6, 1947. It was later a TV Show.
Sunday, October 14
Lights Out: Devil's Due: April 26, 1939
Lights Out: Poltergeist: October 20, 1942
Lights Out: Visitor From Hades: July 13, 1943
Lights Out: The Author And The Thing: September 28, 1943
Wyliss Cooper created Lights Out, and Arch Oboler was the head writer and producer.
Monday, October 15
Escape: Conquerer's Isle: January 11, 1953
Escape: Misfortune's Isle: March 21, 1948
The Audition show of Escape was on March 24, 1947. The show lasted from July 7, 1947 until
September 25, 1954.
Tuesday, October 16
Escape: Log Of The Evening Star: March 14, 1948
The Whistler: Escape On Skull Island: January 15, 1950
Jack Webb stars in Log of The Evening Star. Alan Reed is the Captain of The Evening Star.
Yes, Fred Flintstone is a bad guy in this show. The Whistler was on radio from May 16, 1942
until September 22, 1955.
Wednesday, October 17
Devil And Mr. O: Alley Cat: September 17, 1971
Devil And Mr. O: The Hole: December 3, 1971
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 1 of 15: October 31, 1949
Mr. O was Arch Oboloer, and Devil And Mr. O was a 1970's revival of Lights Out. It was on
from September 10, 1971 until March 10, 1972. I Love A Mystery was one of the greatest
radio programs of all time, but the vast majority of the show are missing and may be lost
for all time. It's really a shame.
Thursday, October 18
The Shadow: The Creeper (Tunnel Version): August 7, 1938
The Shadow: The Living Head: February 10, 1946
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 2 of 15: November 1, 1949
Orson Welles was The Shadow in "The Creeper" and Bret Morrison was The Shadow in "The Living
Head."
Friday, October 19
Suspense: The Most Dangerous Game: September 23, 1943
Suspense: The Hunting Trip: September 12, 1946
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 3 of 15: November 2, 1949
Two tales well calculated to keep me in... Suspense.
Saturday, October 20
The Whistler: The Body Wouldn't Stay In The Bay: January 8, 1945
The Whistler: What Makes A Murderer?: April 7, 1948
Suspense: House In Cypress Canyon: December 5, 1946
Suspense: On A Country Road: November 16, 1950
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 4 of 15: November 3, 1949
Gale Gordon, Joseph Kearns, Bill Foreman and Marvin Miller all played The Whistler. Joseph
Kearns was also the "The Man in Black" on Suspense. The Man in Black started as the narrator on
Suspense on October 27, 1942, but I don't know when the Man in Black narrator ended.
Sunday, October 21
Escape: Leinnegan Vs. The Ants: August 4, 1949
Escape: Three Skeleton Key: March 17, 1950
Lights Out: Revolt Of The Worms: October 13, 1942
Lights Out: Spider: May 18, 1943
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 5 of 15: November 4, 1949
An army of ants or an army of giant worms? Which is worse?
Monday, October 22
The Whistler: Retribution (Premiere Episode): May 16, 1942
The Whistler: Shrunken Head: June 13, 1942
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 6 of 15: November 7, 1949
Gale Gordon was The Whistler in the very first show and Bill Foreman was The Whistler on
the fourth show. I don't think copies of Shows #2 and #3 survive, nor do I know who The
Whistler was for those two shows.
Tuesday, October 23
Suspense: Around The World: April 6, 1953
Suspense: The Great Train Robbery: April 13, 1953
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 7 of 15: November 8, 1949
Two more tales well calculated to keep me in... Suspense!
Wednesday, October 24
Mysterious Traveler: Locomotive Ghost: July 6, 1947
Suspense: The Signalman: March 23, 1953
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 8 of 15: November 9, 1949
Two different shows about trains.
Thursday, October 25
The Shadow: The Werewolf of Hamilton Mansion: January 5, 1947
The Shadow: The Terrible Legend of Crownsheild Castle: December 28, 1947
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 9 of 15: November 10, 1949
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Knows!
Friday, October 26
Night Owl Radio Mystery Theatre: Rattle Rattle: May 21, 1998
Night Owl Radio Mystery Theatre: Shopping For Murder: August 27, 1998
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 10 of 15: November 11, 1949
The Night Owl Radio Mystery Theatre is made by my friend
Jim Sedgwick.
See his website for more information.
Saturday, October 27
Mercury Theatre Of The Air: Dracula (First Episode): July 11, 1938
Favorite Story: Frankenstein: December 13, 1947
Arch Oboler's Plays: Night: June 7, 1945
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 11 of 15: November 14, 1949
I just had to listen to Dracula! Fred Allen picked Frankenstein as his favorite story.
Arch Oboler is the king of radio, and he is worthy of being played on the same day as Dracula
and Frankenstein.
Sunday, October 28
War of The Worlds: October 31, 1995
The Curse of Dracula: October 29, 1998
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 12 of 15: November 15, 1949
I had to listen to a little New Time Radio. Both shows are an hour long.
Monday, October 29
War of The Worlds: October 30, 1988
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 13 of 15: November 16, 1949
Leonard Nimoy takes over Orson Welles role in this 50th Anniversary recreation.
Tuesday, October 30
Mercury Theatre on The Air: War of the Worlds: October 30, 1938
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 14 of 15: November 17, 1949
Isn't is obvious that I would pick War of the Worlds, 63 years after it was first
aired? This is the most famous radio show of all time.
Wednesday, October 31
Lights Out: Scoop: December 8, 1942
Lights Out: The Coffin In Studio B: July 13, 1946
I Love A Mystery: The Thing That Cries In The Night: Episode 2 of 15: November 1, 1949
I've left off SO many good shows, nevermind the ones I don't even have. Below is a PARTIAL
list of shows that I left off that I may or may not have time to listen to on Halloween Day.
Escape: The Diamond As Big As The Ritz: July 21, 1947
Escape: Wild Oranges: December 17, 1947
Escape: Grove Of Ashcaroff: March 6, 1948
Escape: Drums Of The Fore And Aft: July 14, 1949
Escape: Snake Doctor: August 18, 1949
Escape: Seeds Of Greed: December 27, 1949
Escape: The Time Machine: October 22, 1950
Hermit's Cave: The Story Without End: 1939
Hermit's Cave: The Search For Life: 1939
Hermit's Cave: It Happened On Sunday: 1939
Hermit's Cave: Notebook On Murder: 1940
Hermit's Cave: Blackness Of Terror: 1941
Hermit's Cave: The Author of Murder: 1940
Lights Out: Special To Hollywood: 1944
Drop Dead: The Dark; I Like To Eat Brains; Taking Papa Home, Etc.: N/A
Lights Out: Come To The Bank: November 17, 1942
Lights Out: Scoop: December 8, 1942
Lights Out: Meteor Man: December 22, 1942
Lights Out: Until Dead: February 2, 1943
Lights Out: The Archer: April 13, 1943
Lights Out: Organ: 1943
Lights Out: The Little People: July 27, 1943
Lights Out: Murder Castle: August 3, 1943
Lights Out: State Executioner: August 13, 1943
Lights Out: Lord Marley's Guest: September 7, 1943
Lights Out: Battle Of The Magicians: July 27, 1946
Suspense: The Thing In The Window: January 27, 1949
Suspense: I Won't Take A Minute: December 6, 1945
Suspense: The Screaming Woman: November 28, 1948
The Whistler: Return Engagement: March 10, 1948
X Minus One: The Parade: May 1, 1955
X Minus One: Universe: May 15, 1955
Click Either Envelope To Send Questions & Comments to Tony D.
