Originally a local series out of Utah that found its way on to the airwaves sporadically from 1947 to 1952, this anthology was picked up for national syndication by the Mutual network and broadcast from mid-52 through mid-53. Written and directed by Richard Thorne, a prolific and talented writer and producer, this series is often overlooked, even by fans of OTR. It is unfortunate, since it provides some very unique and dramatic material; the acting in particular was superb. Early on, the series concentrated on murder mysteries, but later shows were devoted to horror and some Sci-Fii. Sadly, not all episodes have survived—only about 40 of perhaps over a hundred shows still exist. All episodes were standard half-hour format.
Currently this archive contains 37 of 38 plotlines
See the CD cover art for this series.
WEBMASTER RECOMMENDS:
The Shadow People; Return from Death
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A brilliant scientist creates a robot that interprets its self-defense program as an excuse to go on a murderous rampage.
See also 'Beware of Tomorrow' (Mysterious Traveler).
Another story that tries to tell us that machines, in particular robots, have a nasty habit of killing people. Imagine a malfunctioning metallic Frankenstein monster that breaks people's necks when they turn it on because it thinks it's a "master of men," and you'll have this story in a nut shell. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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After reading some Ancient mystic books, Robert Jennings begins seeing a small sinister beast following his every move. Can his friends save him from the beast, or will they succumb themselves?
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A dying man speaks his mind to those who will inherit his fortune. In addition to the estate, he vows to come back from the grave to right wrongs done to him by his family. The instrument of his revenge is a strange, black figurine. When a black figurine is found at the side of a victim, the others investigate the crypt to make sure the patriarch of the clan is truly dead.
This is an atmospheric little horror tale, perfect for a Halloween party or other scary occasion. Good example of this fun little series. --- Brian Lane.
The classic story of "Family returns to their dead uncle's home to claim his money," only with a supernatural twist. Very atmospheric, and very spooky. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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Here is another adaptation of an story. In it, Fortunato, a loudmouth drunkard, insults the family honor of Montresor on several occasions. When Fortunato does so in the presence of a lady fair, he has finally gone too far and Montresor vows revenge. Montresor picks the one weakness Fortunato cannot resist - wine. He uses the lure of the best and most rare wine in all of Italy - Amontillado! With the promise of such a rare cask of wine, Fortunato cannot resist temptation. The nefarious plot Montresor imagines to exact revenge is chilling.
This is a good version of the story, doing it justice in a comprehensible manner. If you have a paper on Poe due in school, this is an excellent way to cheat and listen to an audible Cliff's notes. Even if you don't have a paper due, it is a fun story to hear. --- Brian Lane
This is a poor interpretation of Poe's classic story. It is far too ambitious and comes off as silly. The whole point of Poe's story is that the protagonist is sane enough to do something that is quite insane. And the reason for him doing this is to avenge "injuries" caused him by another character. But Poe never reveals what these injuries actually are! In the Hall of Fantasy version, we get nothing but obnoxious attitude from the antagonistic Fortunato. It strips the original story of its great power and falls quite flat. Very Poor. --- Tony Comly
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A creepy old Romanian castle harbors a dark, sinister secret out of the past, and an evil portent of the future.
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An ambitious scientist invents a formula that, when injected into a tarantula, causes the critter to grow really, really big. Can't be too long before it goes on a homicidal rampage.
See also 'Strange New World' (The Mysterious Traveler), 'Tanglefoot' (Quiet, Please) and 'The Insect' (2000 Plus).
If you were to sit in the dark and listen to this drama, you would think to yourself that it is real because of the way the cast presents it. Some people if they were to hear this could say that this is indeed a way of playing God. Emery Bolton is hired to work within a lab to make animals grow and find out the results of what happens to them. This is a great drama if you like the horror genre. I like it and give a good ten on the scary scale. --- Duyahn Walker
Liked it for the most part. It reminded me of the B-movies of the 1950s. Pretty straight forward as far as story telling goes, I would have liked a slightly different ending. The sound quality was pretty good although the characters' screaming at one point drowned out some of the other things that were going on. --- Will Todd
An excellent episode. The classic story of "overreaching scientist creates monster, and then has to deal with it." In a way, the ending telegraphed itself a bit, but in another, it was a bit of a departure from the usual Hall of Fantasy ending for such stories such as, "The Automaton," and "The Return From Death." All in all, a good listen. Don't listen to this one if you have spiders in the house! --- 'Fallen Angel'
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While on a fishing trip, 2 men return to their cabin to find a man who is looking for a special doll he needs for the "dance"... A little while later, while their in bed, they hear the man talking to a shrill, demon voiced thing which kills him...
A very scary story, which has moments of unbeaten terror. Overlooked, and macabre, maybe to hard to stomach for some people. Watch out for the haunting ending. --- Luc L'Heureux
Extremely scary. A highly original treatment of the concept of voodoo being practiced in secret in the 20th century. The talking, walking, dancing dolls were very creepy, and the "doll woman" was an extremely worthy opponent for the forces of light to battle. The resolution, however, was a bit rushed, and unsatisfying, but it was made up for by the dark final moments of the episode. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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Freshly married, a couple spend their honeymoon on the estate of the wife's former suitor, a man whose Southern gentleman exterior masks a jealous and cruel nature without bounds.
Blecch. This was not just bad, it was atrocious and offensive - cardboard characters speaking laughable dialogue to drive a plot that desperately tries to plug gaping holes in logic with melodrama thick enough to smother a gator, not to mention being extremely racist. Avoid at all costs. --- Jeff Dickson
Blecch. Bleech. I should have listened to Jeff. (1/10) --- zM
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An enigmatic recluse purchases an old mansion on the outskirts of a small town and, soon after, a woman is found torn gruesomely apart. Yet clearly the stranger cannot be responsible - the evidence would point to a rabid wolf.
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A group of treasure hunters ignore warnings about death following the violators of a cult shrine in the African jungle, and set out to steal its cache of diamonds.
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Two archaeologists unearth the lost tomb of an Egyptian queen, removing a bracelet despite the curse placed on any defilers who would disturb the tomb's contents. The results are both predictable and unfortunate.
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According to his friends, Simeon Botar is a most remarkable man, destined and determined to leave his mark upon the world, despite suffering from the strange affliction known as 'alien hand'. Simeon's right hand seems to have a will of its own. Can he achieve his goal before he dies, literally by his own hand?
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Two brothers are plagued by spectral visions of Jack Ketch, the infamous 18th century executioner who served the English royalty.
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A traveling couple innocently venture into an open mausoleum, and in so doing incur the eternal wrath of its occupant.
An excellent, macabre gem. Shows the great work that came from this series. The Dead Man is creepy, I can just picture him in my mind. A truly Great OTR classic, a must listen for any one who likes creepy tales. --- Luc L'Heureux
Really creepy story, but I'm not really sure about the ending. Overall, a very good episode of this underrated series. --- Clarence Grigsby
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Three people vacationing in the Appalachians run afoul of a pagan cult looking for human sacrifices to offer to their stone idol.
See also 'The Temple of Huitzilipochtli' (Hall of Fantasy).
An odd, frightening, and quite different episode of HOF. It's a very creepy story, it has a perfectly disorientating suspense build up, and has great acting. It sounds like it could be one of HOF's greatest episodes, right? Well, I'm sorry to say it's only great up to it's rather disappointing ending, where the good guys win (!). Other than that, it's good. --- Luc L'Heureux
The ending works for me, mainly because I didn't expect it. This might be the best episode that I've heard of this series. --- Clarence Grigsby
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Archaeologists steal the jewels off a statue of the Hindu goddess Kali. When they return to the States, they are killed off one by one. Now, the last survivor makes his final stand as somebody....or something is coming to reclaim the jewels.
Pretty decent episode, but sorta predictable. --- Clarence Grigsby
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An aspiring mathematician, looking for a solitary retreat to study for the tripos, rents a house reportedly haunted by the specter of its former occupant, the infamous 'Hanging Judge'. Story by .
A version of this story also appeared on CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
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An alien disregards protocols and contacts
See also 'Out of the Sky' (Hall of Fantasy')
When radio contact is made with an alien civilization, an unwitting scientist gives away Earth's location, and soon an envoy arrives to take measure of our world for - what?
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Two men on a nighttime stroll through the park cross paths with a woman desperate to find the Man in Black. A few minutes later she is murdered and their search for the man in question turns into a macabre and unreal nightmare.
A sinister, disturbing, terrifying little gem; along with 'He Who Follows Me' and 'The Shadow People', the best effort of the series. And the climax... listen for yourself! --- Luc L'Heureux
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A man and wife seeking peace and quiet in the Scottish hills instead run afoul of a medieval vengeance enacted by two statues of 12th century knights.
Another version of this story appeared on CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Based on a story by .
This adaptation is fairly close to the original E. Nesbit story; the acting, however, is overdone. And the organ music, far from accenting the dialog, seems to mock it. The result is just plain silly. (4/10) --- zM
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Cousins fight a fatal duel over a woman, and the loser vows to have his vengeance from beyond the grave.
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Looking to impress his impatient fiancee, a young man seeks out a dealer of rare items and soon finds himself spiraling into a dark well of murder and madness. Story by .
Another version of this story appeared on CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
"They said that Markheim's first great crime was that he had committed murder. That's hardly true, for no man can kill his fellow until he first twists the knife in his own heart?" So begins this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale. However, the adaptation is not as true to the original as I'd hoped. The original tale is about the internal struggle between good and evil and raises questions about free will versus predestination. It is a pychological tale similar, in some ways, to Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Many minor changes have been made in this adaptation... and they all tend to muddy the plot and weaken the characterization. Still, this is a good tale, strongly performed. (7/10) --- zM
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Two American brothers residing in France find themselves involved in aiding the locals against a noblewoman returned from the dead as a vampire.
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A young couple receive the gift of two golden masks from a relative who was apparently unaware that they belong to Ashor, the Spirit of Death.
Horrifying dark gem of an eerie specter and his "hound", summoned from the underworld to claim two masks, and the lives of their owners ... the ending is quite creepy. --- Luc L'Heureux
Spooky story. The ending is a classic! --- Clarence Grigsby
Another story of "person, or in this case, people obtain object, or objects with legends attached to them," in this case, two gold masks that only happen to be the personal property of a death demon, who travels the world of men accompanied by a huge dog, and who is hell bent on getting back what is his at any cost, including the lives on anyone who stands in his way --- 'Fallen Angel'
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Two scientists are horrified to discover a microscopic aquatic life form that can travel overland in the fog and is fatal to all who come into contact with it. Should they fail to destroy it, it could spread from its origins in the marshes of Lake Superior across the globe.
Instead of monsters or ghosts, the menace in this one is fog, but the result is the same: A good, solid thriller. --- C. Grigsby
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An alien descends to Earth on a scout mission to test our capability to defend ourselves against the forces of his planet.
See also 'The Man from the Second Earth' (Hall of Fantasy').
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An alien disregards protocols and contacts
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A scientist accepts an offer from his former professor to assist him in an effort to restore the dead to life. He has had success with small animals, but is eager to experiment on a human being.
See also 'The Search for Life' (Hermits Cave) and 'Death Robbery' (Lights Out).
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Two friends, one an artist, the other a writer, rent a remote seaside house to find a quiet place to work, but instead find themselves haunted by unearthly cries for help from a ghost ship in the bay.
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Convinced that malignant entities born of the darkness murdered her father, a young woman seeks help from a renowned expert on the paranormal. But what defense can there be against elementals that rise from the very shadows?
The character of Dr. Hesselius is borrowed from the writings of .
A grim and dark tale if ever I heard one, this is one of the most macabre radio dramas I've yet come across. Although there is no motive mentioned for the creatures' malevolence, this only serves to accentuate the sense of mystery and horror. Leave the lights on for this one. --- Jeff Dickson
A better than average story of good vs evil, and a highly original idea, i.e. beings composed of pure darkness, intent on claiming the life, and possibly the soul of a young woman, and the attempts of those around her to ward off the ever advancing threat. Don't listen to this one alone, and especially not in the dark. After all, you never know what may be behind you. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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Two rival collectors become obsessed with owning an ancient flask, rumored to have supernatural powers.
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An American couple unexpectedly inherit an old English castle, only to find that its previous long dead occupants are not willing to vacate the premises.
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The old Monroe place seems to be an idyllic fishing retreat in the woods. The cabin is picturesque and remote, but haunted by the ghost of Jeff Stone. When a trio of city-folk rent the place for a weekend, they get an earful of warning from the local sheriff slash general store clerk prior to their arrival. Not heeding the warning, the group continues onto the cabin in the woods. The good news is, the fish are biting. The bad news is, a mental patient has escaped close to the cabin. The group must fend off something either natural or supernatural, but undoubtedly deadly.
A remote cabin in the woods, a stormy evening, and a stranger in the midst of friends makes for a creepy and suspenseful tale. Excellent story that really comes together, despite all the seemingly opposing plot twists. --- Brian Lane
A story that tries to be scary, but doesn't quite make it. Although it had all the elements of a classic, I.E. people in a cabin in the woods, an oncoming storm, a legend concerning itself with a vengeful ghost who kills anyone who rents the place, and the escape of a madman from a local hospital, it fell somewhat flat. The plot was predictable, and although you were supposed to wonder who was in the cabin, the escaped lunatic, or the ghost of Jeff Stone, it was obvious who it was. They must have done that one at the same time as they did "The Man From The Second Earth." --- 'Fallen Angel'
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A pale blue, vulture eye haunts a man until he can take it no longer. He rids himself of the eye by murdering it's owner, all the while insisting on his own sanity. The eye is the least of his troubles, though. Soon, the beating heart of the murdered man cries out for justice from beneath the floorboards. In this version, the sanity of the protagonist is never in question; he is an outright loon from start to finish! Story by .
This is not the best rendition of the famous tale. A better version can be found in the Nightfall series. Try that before hearing this adaptation. --- Brian Lane
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Two geological surveyors searching for uranium in remotest Brazil find themselves the intended victims of human sacrifice perpetrated by a modern day Aztec cult hiding in the jungles.
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An American couple, lured into aiding a Persian treasure hunter in his search for the fabled lost treasure of Kublai Khan, accompany him into the remote Iranian wilderness, undeterred by legends of the Mongol general who guards the treasure against all defilers.
A somewhat below average story for Hall of Fantasy. When I first heard "Treasure," I thought, "There's nothing new here." The ending of this one didn't just scream, "look at me," it jumped out in front of you during the first five minutes of the story with a sign saying, "this is how it ends," written in bright red letters a foot high, pasted on its forehead. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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A teenager returns from a supposedly haunted house on the seashore with a tale for the local sheriff about witnessing the murder of a young woman there; but there has been no such murder - at least not for twenty years, anyway.
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A hunting party hires a guide who leads them into an encounter with the legendary Huntsman, a spectral figure who preys on those who would trespass in his woods.
Oh my goodness! Another story of "old, somewhat untrustworthy man leads unsuspecting victims out into the big empty, and then proceeds to try handing them over to forces that want nothing more than to kill them." Not the best example of that type of story. The only thing that was different about this one was the cliffhanger ending. --- 'Fallen Angel'
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