The Witch's Tale

was a seminal series which established the standard of a host-based anthology series, and was the first horror series produced for radio. Exact numbers are difficult to nail down, but there were likely in the neighbourhood of 190 stories produced, some in two or three parts, most of them original to the series.

The series ran 1931-1938 in the U.S. and, with a different cast and production crew, 1938-1943 in Australia. 55 episodes are known to exist—two-thirds of which are from the Australian runs and one-third from the 1934 U.S. run [nightkey]. The dates below are taken from nightkey's research. Among the surviving episodes are adaptations of Frederick Marryat, Prosper Mérimée, Ambrose Bierce, Mary Shelley, Honoré de Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Nikolai Gogol, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Created, written and directed by Alonzo Deen Cole, these stories were hosted by a Salem witch, Old Nancy, and her wise black cat, Satan. Old Nancy was so ancient she could never remember how old she was: 103 years old one week, 110 the next, and 105 the following. Nancy was played by Adelaide Fitz-Allen until she died in 1935 at the tender young age of 79. Cole tried several replacements without much success. Then one night after the midnight broadcast, Cole noticed a 13-year old girl who said she'd come to audition for the part of Old Nancy. Cole laughed and said, 'Go ahead!' He was so impressed, however, he hired her on the spot! Her name was Miriam Wolfe, aka Wolff. She went on to perform in at least 135 broadcasts.

The above story is probably apocryphal because, according to David S. Siegel, The Witch's Tale never aired at midnight and Miriam Wolfe was brought to the attention of Cole by Nila Mack, the producer-director of Let's Pretend (where Wolfe had been playing witches for several years). I include the story here because it's a good story and it's one that Wolfe, herself, told. I would guess that the truth is a blend of both stories: that Wolfe, uninvited, showed up late one night after a live broadcast of The Witch's Tale to audition, but that Mack had already alerted Cole to Wolfe's existence and recommended that he listen to her with an open mind.

Unfortunately, most recordings of Miriam Wolfe were lost when Cole destroyed his recordings in 1961.

EDIT - A listener (Dr S) recently wrote to tell me he heard a version of "The Knife of Sacrifice" starring Miriam Wolfe on XM Radio's Classic Radio Channel. So, apparently, some recordings of Miriam Wolfe do exist! (Note: my copy of "The Knife of Sacrifice", 1935, seems to have the same actress playing Old Nancy as "The Physician of the Dead", 1934. If the dates are correct, then the 1934 episode should have been Adelaide Fitz-Allen. I suspect the dates are wrong and both are actually from one of the Australian runs cited by nightkey and not from the U.S. run at all. But then again... a really good witch should be able to disguise her voice, shouldn't she?)

I have included an identificaton guide to help you identify which actress is playing Nancy on your recordings.

Sources used to create my own log and double-check titles, dates and cast members: The Witch's Tale: Stories of Gothic Horror from the Golden Age of Radio (David S. Siegel), Terror on the Air!: Horror Radio in America, 1931-1952 (Richard J. Hand), Recorded interview with Miriam Wolfe, Radio Horror Hosts, RadioGOLDINdex, Nightkey's OTR Errors, Generic Radio Workshop, and Project Gutenberg.

Currently this archive contains 38 of 54 plotlines and 42 reviews

Webmaster Recommends:
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Altar of Hate, The

A tale of murder and revenge set in France during the Reign of Terror, toward the end of the French Revolution. Jean-Baptiste Carrier (1756-1794), known as The Butcher, was responsible for the death of perhaps 9,000 citizens in the Nantes region through starvation, firing squad executions, deliberate drownings in the Loire River, and the guillotine. It was a grisly time. In this fictionalized account, Carrier captures Monsieur le Comte and Comtesse des Lauriennes and Monsieur le Chevalier des Lauriennes. The comte and comtesse plead for the life of their 16-year old boy and, in a macabre turn of events, The Butcher agrees... so long as the boy agrees to operate the knife that drops his parents' heads into the basket!

A 1933 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop. It is obviously the same story as the recording I have, but much of the dialogue is slightly altered. I suspect my recording is from the later Australian production.

Old Nancy is 103 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see the town of Nantes, in France. The time is that of the Reign of Terror and [the ruling man] is a man named Carrier who history calls, 'The Butcher'. Outside a handsome house where soldiers of the revolution are battering down a door you'll see a mob of maddened men and women. And there our story, 'The Altar of Hate' begins." --- Old Nancy

Bells, The

Possibly based on an anecdote in The Phantom Ship, but I will need to find an audio copy before I can tell.

Boa Goddess, The

Three men—Morgan, Dutch, and Frenchy—lost in the Yucatán jungle, are found by a long-lost Aztec tribe. The High Priest's daughter, in a show of affection, tells Morgan where sacred emeralds can be found... adorning a stone statue of the Boa Goddess in a hidden temple.

A 1931 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 122 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a land of jungle, for we're going into Mexco, to a place called Yucatán. There the grass and vines is so thick and tall that whole cities are hid among them. Big, forgotten cities. The old Indians used to live there long before the white man came. Soon we're going to hear three white men talking in that jungle. And so begins our yarn about 'The Boa Goddess'." --- Old Nancy

Bronze Venus, The

Five days before Georgette is scheduled to marry Henri, Georgette's father, an archaeologist, uncovers a bronze statue of Venus—the Roman goddess of Love and Beauty. Henri, also an archaeologist, rhapsodizes over such a perfect illusion of Life in metal... with such a cruel face and such heartless beauty! Henri's attention, torn as it is between Georgette and the bronze idol, does not bode well for a happy and contented marriage.

Also adapted for the CBS Radio Mystery Theater as "The Venus D'Ille". See also: "The Manikin".

Old Nancy is 102 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Soon you'll see inside a happy home, across the sea, in France. It's down in the country whar them old heathen Romans used to live, 2,000 year ago. And whar they left some funny things, lying buried in the Earth—funny things, heh-heh—that men today sometimes discover. Gaze into the embers deep and hear our yarn of 'The Bronze Venus'." --- Old Nancy

Bulldog, The

Cage, The

Confession, The

A priest, summoned to attend a dying Chinese woman, is startled to find her in perfect health. The woman's husband calmly explains that she is not ill... and that the reason she requires a priest is that he is about to slowly murder her.

Old Nancy is 113 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be in Californy, the land of the setting sun, and thar you'll meet some people from the land where the sun gets up. [?] to the [Chinatown of San Francisco]. And thar to the house of [do-good 'cross the street] begins our yarn of 'The Confession'." --- Old Nancy

Dangerous Curve

Deserter, The

Devil Doctor, The

After purchasing an historic manor house in England, an American discovers that one of the promised 106 de Caseract family portraits is missing. He summons a local expert, the Reverend Mr Roberts, for an explanation and discovers the portrait isn't missing... it is hidden. For a very good reason.

See also: "The Devil's Number"

A 1934 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 116 years old today. "Make it nice and dark, and draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see inside a big old handsome house in little old Merry England. There begins our story which we calls 'The Devil Doctor'." --- Old Nancy

Devil Hands

Devil Mask, The

Phyllis is in a quandary. She feels responsible for her child-like, alcoholic husband, Alec (whom she will never leave), but is still in love with Lt Harlan Laurence: a man she was attracted to before she met Alec. The three are preparing to leave Africa, when Alec, in a drunken binge, disrupts a religious ceremony. Not the brightest thing to do.

"Here that chantin, and them savage drums? With them begins our story of 'The Devil Mask'." --- Old Nancy

Devil's Number, The

According to this episode, Friday is a day of evil because it was the day of the Crucifixion—the day when evil triumphed over good, when the devil triumphed over God. And thirteen is the devil's number because a devil was always the chief of each coven of twelve witch's and wizards. This story takes place on Friday, 13th—the devil's day. The head of a manor house in England, Mr. Rockwell, tells his dinner guests the legend of a distant family member... a man who was burned at the stake by King James I for witchcraft... a man whose charred bones line the inside of an iron chest which is still stored in the North tower against the day he will return!

See also: "The Devil Doctor"

Old Nancy is 103 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see the Dining Room of a fine old house in England. And there, on the evening of the 13th of May begins our yarn about 'The Devil's Number'." --- Old Nancy

Entomologist, The

Aboard a ship bound for Cape Town, South Africa, budding bug enthusiast Roy Bolton proposes to his sweetheart Edith, who eagerly accepts. World-renowned entomologist, Dr. Sternoff, does not approve however, and openly declares his own intention to pursue Edith.

[Note: "In the past the term 'insect' was more vague, and historically the definition of entomology included the study of terrestrial animals in other arthropod groups or other phyla, such as arachnids, myriapods, earthworms, land snails, and slugs. This wider meaning may still be encountered in informal use." --- Wikipedia]

Old Nancy is 123 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be upon a ship that's bound for Africa. Africa! [?] aboard that ship begins our yarn about a man who studies insects, our yarn of 'The Entomologist'." --- Old Nancy

Fallon's Folly

Firing Squad, The

A captain, worried about his young cousin's mental health, gives him a three-day pass to Paris, but extracts from him a promise not to visit his lover, Vera Courday. Courday has been implicated during the court martial trials of five young officers for treason, and the captain worries that she may have some means of enslaving the minds of men.

Old Nancy is 107 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a ruined village behind the Western front in war-torn France in 1918. Heh-heh-heh-heh. And so begins our tale about 'The Firing Squad'." --- Old Nancy

Flying Dutchman, The

In the 1600s, a dutch sailing vessel attempts to round the Cape of Good Hope against fierce headwinds. The crew plead with the captain to turn back, claiming the will of God is against them, but Captain John Vanderdecken is adamant—the will of God must change!

A 1932 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

"I am a messenger, God has deigned to answer thee John Van Der Dekken.... Thou shall not die, to live shall be thy curse. In the teeth of a gale shalt thou fly forever, always seeking harbour, never reaching port. A phantom ship of death shall be thy home and your crew shall be the blackened souls of sinners of the sea. Thou their master and their slave shall be alone of flesh and blood. Behold thy living tomb as it rises from the depths." --- the angel

Old Nancy is 111 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see the hands of time turn back 400 year. Soon you'll be upon the ocean, off the Cape of Good Hope, that's down in Africa. Thar upon the stormy waters, rolls a ship whose captain's name is Van Der Dekken. That's his name now, heh-heh, but soon he'll be called, by sailor-men, 'The Flying Dutchman'." --- Old Nancy

Four Fingers and a Thumb

Burke Daily, a man without prejudice, is a gambler who is in love with Cash's wife. Cash knows this and, between beating his wife, works out a plan to get rid of Burke once and for all. Burke is invited to a friendly card game at Cash's place. When he arrives, he finds a Chinaman waiting to play cards with them. Burke extends a hand in friendship to the Chinaman... knowing full well that other members of the community will run him out of town when they discover he is friendly with Chinese and treats them with respect.

"Four fingers and a thumb extended in friendship...
...greater than 10,000 hands coming with swords."
                                          --- Chinese proverb

Old Nancy is 117 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a dusty road, way out in Californy, in the year of 1852. Now down that road you'll hear a horseman riding. As he rides into our story, we'll begin. And it's what we calls 'Four Fingers and a Thumb'." --- Old Nancy

Frankenstein

A young scientist named Victor Frankenstein conducts experiments into human anatomy, physiology, and electro-chemistry. He is intent on improving the human race—a race he claims is weak due to its reliance on delicate foods, need for long hours of rest, susceptibility to sickness, and fear of heat and cold. Body parts are delivered to Dr Frankenstein's lab from slaughterhouses and morgues and eventually Dr Frankenstein creates life—life which when compared to men, makes them seem as 'flies living out a summer day'. Dr Frankenstein, however, is repulsed by his creation and attempts to destroy it, but the monster escapes. Dr Frankenstein pursues...

A 1931 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 111 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be with us in Switzerland. Soon you'll hear our yarn of 'Frankenstein'." --- Old Nancy

Gipsy's Hand, The

A doctor surgically removes the infected left hand of Michael Gagino, one of the world's greatest pianists. Gagino strenuously objects and, as he is being anaesthetized, vows revenge on the doctor and casts a gypsy's curse.

There are two copies of this floating around: a 1934 episode of The Witch's Tale with Adelaide Fitz-Allen and a 1941 episode of The Star Spangled Theater, with Isabel Jewel, Bert Lytell, Alonzo Deen Cole and Miriam Wolfe. Both feature "Funeral March of a Marionette" by Charles Gounod (Alfred Hitchcock theme music).

See also: "Crimson Hand, The" (The Hermit's Cave), "Dead Hand, The" (Murder at Midnight), "Death by Whose Hands?" (CBS Radio Mystery Theater), "Gipsy's Hand, The" (The Witch's Tale), "Hand, The" (CBS Radio Mystery Theater), and "Hand of Botar" (Hall of Fantasy).

Old Nancy is 122 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see the operatin' room in a big New York hospital. A cheerful room it is—heh-heh—where they cut folks up. And thar begins our yarn about "The Gipsy's Hand'." --- Old Nancy

Graveyard Mansion

Two brothers arrive in Louisiana after inheriting a mansion that's been vacant for over 100 years. The locals refer to the place as "the house of the living dead" and refuse to give the brothers a lift so late at night. As the brothers approach the house on foot, they notice something moving in the darkness beyond the family burial ground... something white. A mist that rises from the bayous? Or something more ghastly?

A 1933 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 103 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be down South with us in old Louisiany. Heh-heh. It's strange country down thar. Ghost country. And outside a little railway depot thar, begins our yarn 'bout 'Graveyard Mansion'." --- Old Nancy

Guardian of the Tomb, The

Hairy Monster, The

After five years of legal battles, Barbara Turner inherits a mansion from from the deceased Mrs Hawker—a woman known for her love of magic, alchemy, and Tibetan arcana. But fulfilling the conditions of title transfer might be difficult—Barbara is required to sleep in the Master bedroom every night for a year... she cannot spend a single night away... and she must remain alone for at least three hours every night between midnight and sunrise.

Old Nancy is 110 years old today. Or maybe 118. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see four people at the door of a fine, big house; soon you'll learn about the hairy monster. That's our tale for tonight, 'The Hairy Monster'." --- Old Nancy

Hand of Glory, The

Hangman's Roost, The

Loosely based on the Bram Stoker tale, "The Judge's House".

Happy Ending, A

Clint returns home after being away 5 years at college in response to a telegram from his ma: "They killed your pappy. Bring your gun." He's a 'Greenway', they are 'Morrows'; the two families don't exactly get along. En route from the train station, young Clint is offered a lift from young Bessie. He falls in love... only to discover she is a Morrows.

Old Nancy is 113 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be with us in Old Kentucky. Thar amongst the mountains, folks knows how to Hate. And thar hain't no law except The Gun. A yarn about a feud [?] be telling ya tonight. A feud between the [Greenways] and the [Morrows], who've been killin' one another for a hunnerd year. We calls this story be the title of 'A Happy Ending'." --- Old Nancy

Haunted Crossroads, The

Over the past 70 years, five people (all police officers) have been found dead at a deserted crossroads in Massachusetts... the most recent just last week. All had been stabbed in the back by unknown assailants and no clues have ever been found. Rumour has it that the crossroads are haunted, but Sergeant McGee and patrolmen Fallon and Hardy don't believe in ghosts. At least, not yet.

A 1932 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 122 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon, by the light of the moon and stars you'll see a barren stretch a land where two roads meet in old Massachusetts State. Three policemen stand a-talkin' there, beside them motee-cycle bikes, and soon you'll hear the story of 'The Haunted Crossroads'." --- Old Nancy

Honeymoon Cottage

House of the Bridegroom, The

Mrs Sheridan inherits a house that has been handed down through four generations of her ancestors. Rumour has it the house is haunted by the man her great, great aunt was engaged to, but jilted -- Dr Drummond, a researcher who was known for mixing witchcraft with scientific studies.

Old Nancy is 122 years old. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. While we takes ya across the sea, to Merry England, land of ghosts and haunted castles. Gaze into the embers deep while we spins ya a yarn about 'The House of the Bridegroom'." --- Old Nancy

In the Devil's Name - part 1

This is a two-part story; as far as I know only part #1 exists. --- webmaster

Mistress Goldie, the wife of a miserly man, is ashamed to be seen in public in her ratty clothes and refuses to leave her house. When she misses three Sabbaths in a row and a special prayer meeting, she is accused of being 'upon the Devil's business'. Her husband attempts to beat her; a male friend tries to seduce her and then slanders her when he fails; her younger sister does nothing but watch. In a fit of anger she curses all three... in the Devil's Name.

See also: "The Power of Lucifer".

Old Nancy is 115 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see back through time to the year of 1662. Soon you'll see inside the kitchen of a farmhouse. Soon you'll hear a angry man a talkin'. Soon you'll know what happens when you call "In the Devil's Name'." --- Old Nancy

King Shark God, The

A missionary in Kahala is warned to stay away from a half-caste girl named Irene McLennan. Ever since Irene's mother, Kalima, was tossed aside by her husband, strange things have happened to any white man who pursued Irene. It is said that Kalima still believes in the old gods and isn't shy about issuing a curse or two.

A 1935 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 108 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a boat that's coasting up the shores of the island Hawaii, oh, Hawaii. Where the flowers are finest perfume and weeds are rankest poison. Where there's happiness and life from sunshine and where there's darkness, fear and death. Hawaii, that's the setting for our perky tale we call 'The King Shark God'." --- Old Nancy

Knife of Sacrifice, The

Two archeologists, a spouse, and an engineer discover an obsidian sacrificial knife while searching for buried Aztec treasure. One of the archeologists believes the knife may have been used to sacrifice a victim to the gods of Hate and War to gain their favor so they would watch over the treasure.

See also: "The Priest of Sekhmet".

Old Nancy is 107 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see inside a house way down in Mexico. Mexico, where once a bunch of Indians lived. They're all dead now, them old Aztecs, but they is [?]. Sometimes the Dead are very much Alive. And now begins our story about 'The Knife of Sacrifice'." --- Old Nancy

Magic Skin, The

Manikin, The

This script is very similar to "La Mannequinne" which, according to David S. Siegel aired on 1933-09-11. However almost all of the lines are slightly different (with the elimination of many French words and phrases), and that suggests a major rewrite rather than an edit during rehearsal. I'm guessing that Cole significantly edited the script and it became "The Mannekin" which according to Siegel aired on 1936-08-25. However, since the recording I have is actually an Australian broadcast, the edits could have been made by an Aussie script writer. In any event, I can't get my head around Siegel's spellings, so I'm calling this episode "The Manikin" --- webmaster

An artist wanders into a curiosity shop. When he is shown a life-like manikin (an anatomical model of the body used in art instruction), he feels strangely compelled to make the purchase and take her home. His girlfriend is not amused.

See also: "The Bronze Venus".

Old Nancy is 113 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see inside a little shop across the seas in Paris, France. A little 'curiosity shop' it is, full of odd and old and funny things for sale. And there begins our story of 'The Manikin'." --- Old Nancy

Physician of the Dead, The

Context: The year is 1793; the place is Paris. Georges Danton (the leader of the 1792 uprising against the Louis XVI) is marginally in control of the French revolution, and is consolidating his power by exterminating the 'enemies of the revolution' through the public use of terror, i.e., by execution via guillotine. So far, perhaps 10,000 people have died. Robespierre is waiting in the wings, itching to overthrow Danton and take the revolution to its next phase.

The story begins with a crier, crying out the names of those to be executed. 'Vive la guillotine!' can be heard in the background. Dr René Ledieu (who is a close friend of Danton) is discussing with another friend the barbarism of the guillotine. It is Monsieur Ledieu's opinion that when a head is severed from its body, it remains conscious for a time, before death eventually overcomes. Each evening, Dr Ledieu carries out experiments with that day's freshly-severed heads.

As Dr Ledieu and his friend walk past the guillotine, a young woman, remarkable for her clean and uncalloused hands, cries out to Dr Ledieu (whom she calls 'Citizen Albert'). Doesn't he recognize her? Won't he testify that she is a common citizen and not an aristocrat? To save the life of this woman he has never met—and has instantly fallen in love with—Dr Ledieu exclaims his surprise at seeing 'Solange' here. She is released into his custody.

The rest of the story deals with Dr Ledieu's effort to get passes for Solange and her father to leave Paris and travel to London, and with the growing danger they all face as Danton's influence fades and Robespierre's rises.

~~~~~

A tip-of-the-hat to alert listener/reader, Noelle, who noticed that "The Physician of the Dead" is largely based on the Alexandre Dumas, pere, short story "Solange". "Solange: Dr Ledru's Story of the Reign of Terror" is the title of the story as it was published in America in a book of short stories in 1910. The book itself was entitled: International Short Stories, compiled by Francis J. Reynolds, French, 1910 and is available at the Project Gutenberg.

However, the story was originally published in a collection of supernatural horror stories called Les Mille-et-un fantômes: Une Journeé à Fontenay-aux-Roses, in 1849. It seems that this collection is alternatively known as A Thousand and One Phantoms or The Pale Lady or Horror at Fontenay when published in the US or UK. The collection is a series of stories told within a frame, with one of those stories being "Solange".

Reading Link: "Solange: Dr Ledru's Story of the Reign of Terror", by Alexander Dumas, available at Project Gutenberg.

Old Nancy is 106 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers deep. And soon you'll see this old world roll back to the year of 1793. Soon you'll be in Paris, France. And the time of Danton, and of Robespierre. A time folks called the Reign of Terror. And there in the shadow of the guillotine begins our tale of 'The Physician of the Dead'." --- Old Nancy

Power of Lucifer, The

A married couple at a party fall victim to Mr Olaf, a man who has a strange hypnotic power over their wills and who drones on about 'devil worship'. He belong to the 'Cult of Lucifer'... and is recruiting new members...

See also: "In the Devil's Name".

Old Nancy is 106 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a crowded ballroom in a fine big house in New York City. And there, 'midst happiness and laughter, begins our tale about 'The Power of Lucifer'." --- Old Nancy

Priest of Sekhmet, The

Archeologists digging up a 2,000 year old temple in the Egyptian desert discover a huge statue of the lion-headed goddess, Sekhmet, The Destroyer, to whom young virgins were allegedly sacrificed, and, in the same chamber, the bones of young woman and the perfectly preserved body of an ancient priest.

See also: "The Knife of Sacrifice".

Old Nancy is 104 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a famous land, that's fer across the sea: a land of sphinxes, and the pyramids... the land of Egypt. And there, far out upon the desert some modern Englishmen are digging up the buried temple of an old-time god who's been forgot 2,000 years. And so begins our story about 'The Priest of Sekhmet'." --- Old Nancy

Puzzle, The

Young Willis Holmes unexpectedly meets his future father-in-law, Theodore Olmeroyd, on the train and receives some puzzling advice: "He who Loves must solve life's problems for others". When Holmes arrives at his in-laws' house, he discovers that Olmeroyd vanished two weeks previously and nobody has seen him since.

Old Nancy is 117 years old today. "And draw up to the fire so that ya can gaze into the embers. You'll need a fire to warm your blood after ya listen to this perky tale. You'll gaze into the embers deep and soon you'll see a big railway depot in the town a London, England—heh-heh-heh-heh—[you hear] them funny little engines the English peoples got? Heh-heh-heh-heh. Soon you'll see a funny little coach, like the ones they pull behind 'em. And soon you'll hear the yarn about 'The Puzzle'." --- Old Nancy

Rappaccini's Daughter

Rat in a Trap

A young lawyer receives a frantic call from his wife, Lucy. She is alone at their summer place, deep in the woods, and three men are breaking into their house. She called to say she loves him... and to say goodbye, for she is caught, caught like a rat in a trap, and there is no escape.

Old Nancy is 102 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be a-way out West in the [?]. And there, in a fine big house where there's a party going on, begins our yarn called 'Rat in a Trap'." --- Old Nancy

Reunion

Rock-a-Bye Baby

A married Kentuckian couple, Robert and Susie Christie, visit England looking for adventure, and find themselves agreeing to spend the night in a haunted mansion. The owner of the mansion claims one of the rooms is haunted by an ancestor of his who was sadistic murderer.

Old Nancy is 105 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll be across the sea, in England. Thar begins our yarn of 'Rock-a-Bye Baby'." --- Old Nancy

Share and Share Alike

Pirate captain Dandy Burgess, and his First Mate, Jack Gorr, swear a solemn oath to split equally the spoils from the next vessel they capture, to 'share and share alike', but tension and distrust run high when they discover only a single woman is left alive.

Old Nancy is years 111 old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see the hands of time turn back 200 year, back to the days of pirates, stolen gold, and sudden death. Soon, you'll see a crossroads by a little bay. A crossroads where a gallows stands from which two corpses hangs in creaking chains. Below it, men are coverin' up a hole which looks like a new-made grave. Through the darkness of the night, offshore shines the light of a pirate ship, where men are singing. [Here and thar] So begins our story of 'Share and Share Alike'." --- Old Nancy

Spirits of the Lake, The

A husband, bored and frustrated with his invalid wife, sneaks off to visit his potential mistress. She, however, refuses his advances and demands he marry her first... even if he has to hasten along his current wife's demise. Meanwhile, local Indians convince the current wife that the spirits of the lake, the Neeba Nor Wegs, take terrible vengeance on those who affront the lake or harms its friends.

A 1933 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 117 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a island in the center of a lake, in Michigan. Not so long ago, the red injuns owned that land out thar and worshipped the spirits of its waters and its skies. And they're what we're going to hear about hear tonight, 'The Spirits of the Lake'." --- Old Nancy

Statue of Thor, The

Neil, a man of leisure, sculpts merely as an amusing diversion even though he has considerable talent. He is a supercilious prig, a selfish snob, and a conscienceless libertine, who continually insults his muscle-bound model, Olaf. Olaf is dim-witted, but good-natured... until Neil tries to steal his girl.

Old Nancy is 102 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a tremendous [bom]-like room in New York City. It's called a 'studio'. At one end stands a great big ugly man who's posing. In the center, a little handsome man is modeling an enormous [hump] of clay into the statue of a god: the old Norwegian god of strength and thunder. And that's what we're telling yer about tonight. 'The Statue of Thor'." --- Old Nancy

Suicide, The

Finally fed up with the mocking, insulting, disrespectful, drunken behaviour of her husband—the man she still loves—Martha kills herself before his eyes. In her dying breath, she vows to reach from beyond the grave and exact his punishment.

Old Nancy is 103 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see into the parlour of a fine big house in a great city. Soon you'll see a woman sitting there afore a table on which there lies an open letter... and a knife. She's a crying. Crying as if her heart is break. And blending with her sobs, you'll hear the ticking of a clock—a clock whose hands are moving toward the hour of four in the morning. And so begins our story of 'The Suicide'." --- Old Nancy

Tourists Accommodated

An exhausted young couple driving to Denver to look for work, reluctantly stop for the night at a lodging house with a sign that reads "Tourists Accommodated". The windows are shuttered... the drawing room, dusty and untidy... the proprietor, pale and helpless... The couple want to drive on, but they are tired. Oh so tired.

Old Nancy is 101 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a fine smooth highway running through the prairie state of Kansas. Driving along it through a night of pelting rain, you see a little autee-mobile, that's as old and battered looking as the man and woman in it are young and fresh looking..." --- Old Nancy

Treasure, The

Possibly inspired by a Nikolai Gogol story... but I'll need to find a copy before I can tell which one.

Troth of Death, The

A young couple pledge their love in a pagan ritual, not only to the faeries of the glen and hills and the spirits of the oceans, earth, and sky, but also to the son of God and all the saints. It is a serious pledge... with terrible consequences if it is broken.

Old Nancy is 117 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a moonlit patch of woods in county Clare, soon you'll hear a boy and a girl a-talkin'. Heh-heh-heh-heh. And there begins our story of 'The Troth of Death'." --- Old Nancy

Violin, The

In an English castle 200 years ago: The lady of the house, Nell, often looks to other men than her trusting husband for her evenings' entertainment. When a handsome violinist refuses her advances, she feels insulted and vows to dishonour him. He, in turn, vows his own revenge.

A 1934 script for this episode can be found at The Generic Radio Workshop.

Old Nancy is 108 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a noble castle in old England as it was 200 years ago. Soon, in a room in that castle, you'll see a perky woman with hard and selfish eyes, and you'll here the story of 'The Violin'." --- Old Nancy

Wedding Gift, The

A young Egyptologist shows great agitation on his wedding eve... but not for the usual reasons. At times he drifts into a trance, when he emerges he finds that a strange force has used his own hand to write himself a note. The latest note reads, "You swore an oath by the tomb at Pea-lock to love me through eternity." (Pea-lock was the old name for Fee-lay. It was revered as the burial place of the great green god, Osiris, lord of the netherworld.)

Old Nancy is 109 years old today. "Now, draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a famous city that's fer away across the sea, the city of Alexandria, in Egypt. It's the town of today, you're gonna see. Street cars and automobiles roll along the ancient streets where chariots once passed, the chariots of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony and the great Queen Cleopatra. In a handsome modern building there, you see inside a room with a book-lined wall. And behind the desk a young man sits, a young man who gazes into space with worried, haunted eyes. And so begins our story of 'The Wedding Gift'." --- Old Nancy

Werewolf, The

Largely unintelligible plot due to extremely poor audio quality. I gather there was a werewolf in there somewhere. Probably some throats ripped out, lots of spilt blood, and quite a few screams, too. Maybe even a silver bullet. Who knows? Quite possibly based on the classic story by Frederick Marryat.

Old Nancy is 107 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a forest across the sea, in France. Thar begins our yarn about the werewolf. Hear his howl? Half-man, half-beast. It's 'The Werewolf'." --- Old Nancy

Will, The

Wonderful Bottle, The

Two destitute travellers are invited into the home of a wealthy Argentinian who offers to sell them a magic bottle. The bottle has the power to grant any wish. However, if the owner does not sell the bottle, for less than the purchase price, to some other soul before he dies, then the owner will spend eternity in Hell.

Reading Link: "The Bottle Imp", by Robert Louis Stevenson, contained in the collection Island Nights' Entertainment, available at Project Gutenberg.

Old Nancy is 111 years old today. "Draw up to the fire and gaze into the embers. Gaze into 'em deep. And soon you'll see a dusty road, way down in South America in the wilds of the Argentine. On that road begins our tale of 'The Wonderful Bottle'." --- Old Nancy

Which Witch?

How can you tell which actress is playing Nancy on your recordings?

• Split your recordings into two groups based on the intro music.
  • Frenetic violin -- U.S. transcription [1934], Adelaide Fitz-Allen
  • Mournful wind with a tolling bell -- Australian transcription [1939, 1943]
• Listen to the openings, paying close attention to Old Nancy, you should be able to notice the following differences:
  • Adelaide Fitz-Allen
    • slurs the word hundred as "hunner"
    • lower pitched voice
    • a throaty laugh
  • Australian Nancy
    • pronounces the 'd' in hundred, but it is very subtle
    • higher pitched voice
    • a cackling laugh
• Once you've got these differences set in your mind go back and listen to "In the Devil's Name".
  • Miriam Wolfe
    • While the Australian Nancy and Fitz-Allen contrast sharply, Wolfe lies somewhere in between.
    • If you listen closely you'll hear that her voice is distinct from both the Australian Nancy and the Fitz-Allen.
    • Her laugh sometimes sounds like a seagull.
    • She is good, better than Fitz-Allen, but to me she sounds like someone trying to sound like a witch. The Australian Nancy is a witch.
• Now go listen to "The Gipsy's Hand". There are two versions floating around.
  • One is a broadcast from Star-Spangled Theater which features Miriam Wolfe.
  • The other is from the 1934 U.S. transcription series and features Fitz-Allen.
• Can you tell the difference?

For fun, I've cut just the intros from (6) episodes. See if you can identify which actress plays which witch! Hint: It sounds to me like each actress appears in (2) episodes.

• Nancy #1
• Nancy #2
• Nancy #3
• Nancy #4
• Nancy #5
• Nancy #6

My collection (38 of 55 episodes)

Nancy: Adelaide Fitz-Allen (1934 - 15 episodes)

• Bronze Venus, The
• Confession, The
• Entomologist, The
• Flying Dutchman, The
• Frankenstein
• Gipsy's Hand, The
• Graveyard Mansion
• Hairy Monster, The
• Happy Ending, A
• House of the Bridegroom, The
• Rock-a-Bye Baby
• Share and Share Alike
• Spirits of the Lake, The
• Werewolf, The
• Wonderful Bottle, The

Nancy: Miriam Wolfe (2 episodes)

• Gipsy's Hand, The (1941, Star-Spangled Theater)
• In the Devil's Name - part 1 (1937)

Nancy: Australian (22 episodes)

• Altar of Hate, The
• Boa Goddess, The
• Devil Doctor, The
• Devil Mask, The
• Devil's Number, The
• Firing Squad, The
• Four Fingers and a Thumb
• Haunted Crossroads, The
• King Shark God, The
• Knife of Sacrifice, The
• Mannequin, The
• Physician of the Dead, The
• Power of Lucifer, The
• Priest of Sekhmet, The
• Puzzle, The
• Rat in a Trap
• Statue of Thor, The
• Suicide, The
• Tourists Accommodated
• Troth of Death, The
• Violin, The
• Wedding Gift, The

• Bells, The
• Bulldog, The
• Cage, The
• Dangerous Curve
• Deserter, The
• Devil Hands
• Fallon's Folly
• Guardian of the Tomb, The
• Hand of Glory, The
• Hangman's Roost, The
• Honeymoon Cottage -- probably with Miriam Wolfe
• Magic Skin, The -- probably with Miriam Wolfe
• Rappaccini's Daughter
• Reunion
• Treasure, The
• Will, The

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