Horror On the Radio: 31 Favorite Inner Sanctum Mysteries Episodes

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

As we celebrate this spooktacular day, I wanted to share 31 of my favorite episodes from the classic horror radio show Inner Sanctum Mysteries. The show originally aired on the Blue Network from January 7, 1941 to October 5, 1952. Listeners entered the creaking door and were welcomed by the show’s host Raymond Edward Johnson who acted as “Raymond” a character known for his chilling introductions and morbid puns, and his infamous closing “Pleasant dreaaaams, hmmmmmmm?” He was often accompanied by the bouncy Lipton Tea representative Mary Bennett.

While there were a total of 527 episodes, a good number of them are missing from the archives. However what remains doesn’t disappoint. It’s from the surviving episodes that I pull my 31 favorites that I hope you enjoy.

Horror On The Radio: DONOVAN’S BRAIN

Tales of horror come in various media formats and one that has kept fans up at night are radio dramas. For Halloween Month, I’ll share some of my favorite horror/mystery/thriller stories from classic radio dramas.

Congratulations, you’ve survived last week’s entry! But are you prepared for this week’s terrifying installment? You are? We shall see dear follower, we shall see. But enough of this prattle, let’s get on with our story.

This week’s tale is from the classic radio drama Suspense and is titled Donovan’s Brain. The show’s adaption is based off of author Kurt Siodmak’s novel of the same name and stars Osrson Wells in multiple roles! As you can see there’s only story instead of two this week, and that’s because this story originally aired in two parts-a significant departure from Suspense’s format-on two consecutive Mondays back in May 18th, 1944.

Here’s the synopsis and the story:A determined scientist plans to keep Mr. Donovan’s brain alive in a jar…not such a good idea!

Horror On The Radio: Coincidence and Dead Earnest

I have returned my dear followers with two more tales that’ll keep your hair standing on end. Today’s frightening tales are from the classic radio shows The Whistler and Suspense.

We begin with The Whistler and this episode’s titled Coincidence. It first aired on November 19th, 1945.

Here’s the synopsis: A woman commits suicide when her sister Elise steals her husband. When he rejects her, having learned the truth about his wife francia’s death, Elise burns the suicide note so it looks like murder. Occurrences transpire in such a way, coincidentally, so that a murderous thug is seen, but the husband, Ross is fingered. But at the inquest, she gets tripped up!

And here’s the our strange tale:

The following story will definitely keep you in suspense till the end! This Suspense episode’s titled Dead Earnest. This episode aired on March 24th, 1949.

Here’s the synopsis:”Ernest Bowers suffers an attack of catalepsy while crossing the street, lapsing into a coma that resembles death. Believing he was killed by a passing car, his body is sent to the city morgue… to be embalmed.

And here’s the story:

Enjoy this week’s frightening tales for they may be your last!

Gif Guess: Halloween Month Edition

We’re counting down the days till Halloween. As the celebration continues here’s a new entry for my blog that I called Gif Guess. Can you guess the following 31 horror/scif-fi/fantasy/gothic films by their gifs? Take a whack at it!

Horror On The Radio: The Sub Basement (Going Down) and Murder Castle

Welcome back ghastly followers, did you enjoy last week’s stories? Don’t worry I’ve got two new tales that’ll intrigue and frighten! First up it’s another episode from Lights Out!

This episode’s titled The Sub Basement (Going Down), and it first aired on August 24, 1943. Here’s the synopsis and episode: Something horrific occurs when a couple become stuck in their office building basement.

If you survived hearing this tale you’ll need to take extra precautions for this next one! Another Lights Out! episode, this tale is titled Murder Castle and it aired on February 16th, 1938. It’s based on the true story of H. H. Holmes — the mass murderer who haunted Chicago during the time of the 1893 world’s fair.

As for the synopsis, all I’ll give you is the following: The story opens with a young woman who’s been picked up by police. She’s muttering the word “revenge” over and over and over again and the police are baffled as to what could have happened to her.

Listen to the story here.

Enjoy and remember, Lights Out… everyone.

Horrific Listen: Wondery’s Inside Series

You’ve seen the movies, now hear the stories of how these terrifying tales came to life on the big screen and the real horrific stories that influence them. Introducing Wondery’s Inside Series!

With only three entries in the series so far, these podcast episodes are first person tales that’ll leave listeners intrigued, terrified and just outright spooked!

Inside Psycho

A deep dive into the mysterious and peculiar happenings that occurred during the filming of the legendary film Psycho. Mark Ramsey Media and Wondery create a magical mix of fact and fiction which transports you into the world of Hitchcock. Psycho is among the greatest thrillers in movie history–and it nearly didn’t happen!

Inside The Exorcist

In 1973 Hell came home and invaded the body of a young girl. This is the story of a movie and its makers. It’s a tale of dark and light, of loss and love. A story of faith and fury, of causes and curses, of horrors real and imagined, of unbridled ego and brute force filmmaking. It’s the movie critics called “religious pornography” and “occultist claptrap.” The movie that left audiences…hysterical. Decades later, it remains perhaps the most frightening movie we will ever see. From Wondery, this is a seven-part deep dive inspired by the story behind an unforgettable, classic movie. This is…Inside The Exorcist.

Inside Jaws

From the creators of Inside Psycho and Inside the Exorcist comes a new story about a classic movie and its inspirations. A tale of a modest thriller that became an ordeal and then a disaster and then a phenomenon and then a classic. A story of one man, a fresh-faced, inexperienced director who nearly wrecked his promising career and became the most important filmmaker of our era. This is Inside JAWS.

You can listen to these shows for free on Spotify or any podcast app of your choice.

Horror On The Radio: The Voice On The Wire & Little Old Lady

This week we’ll listen to two of my favorite episodes from the classic radio shows Inner Sanctum Mysteries and Lights Out!

First up is The Voice On The Wire from Inner Sanctum Mysteries. It first aired on November 29, 1944. There’s also an alternate version of this story where the main character’s a man. In my opinion it’s not as good as this version. Here’s the synopsis:

Trapped on an island, a voice on the telephone warns a woman that she has only four hours to live. “No doubt the telephone is an ingenious invention but as far as I know no one as yet has been able to commit murder over it although many people have wanted to. Still there are worse things you can get on the phone than the wrong number especially if you happen to call the voice on the wire…”

We end this post with Little Old Lady from Lights Out! It first aired on May 25, 1943. Here’s the synopsis:

In a treasure hunting expedition in the jungle, the hunters catch spider which has been silently staring at them since they arrived.. + This is a strange story about ordinary people, two girls just like you or your daughter or the girl that sits next to you in the office. Alice and her friend Lona have been diving for sometime to Alice’s Aunt Harriet’s for their vacation. Alice hasn’t seen her aunt for ten years and is surprised by how old she seems. But they are more surprised by the cat that Aunt Harriet has in her shed.

Lights Out everybody….

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

1.The Voice On The Wire

2. The Black Seagull

3. A Corpse For Halloween

4. The Corpse In The Taxi

5. The Corpse Laughs Last

6. Dead Man’s Deal

7. The Deadly Dummy

8. Death Has Claws

9. Eight Steps To Murder

10. House of Doom

11. The Judas Clock

12. The Edge of Death

13. A Lady With A Plan

14. The Magic Tile

15. Murder Comes At Midnight

16. Musical Score

17. Night is my Shroud

18. No Coffin for The Dead

19. Over My Dead Body

20. The Silent Hands

21. Skeleton Bay

22. The Song of the Slasher

23. Strands of Death

24. Study for Murder

25. Terror by Night

26. Till Death Do Us Part

27. The Undead

28. The Wailing Wall

29. Make Ready My Grave

30. The Lonely Sleep

31. Dead Man’s Vengeance

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