"This is the witching hour! It is an hour when dogs howl, and evil things are let loose on a sleeping world. Want to hear about it? Then turn out your lights!"
Lights Out debuted in 1934 and was radio's premier horror series. Director and writer, Wyllis Cooper's writing was characterized by grisly stories always matched with the appropriate acting and sound effects, he conceived in 1933 the idea of writing a dramatic midnight mystery serial catchy enough to the listeners' attention at a time when the competition was mostly airing music. It was however dropped in favor of an anthology emphasizing crime thrillers and the supernatural. He stayed with this program until June 1936 when another Chicago writer, Arch Oboler, took over. By the time Cooper left, the series had inspired about 600 fan clubs.
Arch Oboler was eccentric and ambitious when he took over and picked up where Cooper left off, following the latter's general example but investing the scripts with his own concerns using streams of conscious narration and sometimes social and political themes that reflected his commitment to anti-fascist liberalism. Although Lights Out would be closely associated with Oboler later on, he would always credit Wyllis Cooper as the series' creator and spoke highly of him as "the unsung pioneer of radio dramatic techniques" and the first person he knew who understood that radio drama is an art form.
"Burial Service", Oboler's first script in 1936, was initially flooded with outraged response but was followed with the more accepted and frequently repeated "Catwife" and Caligula-inspired "The Dictator". This set the pattern for Oboler's run of two horror episodes followed by a drama on more serious subjects dealing with moral, social and political issues Click here to read more about Lights Out
- Radio Shows
- Comments
- Photos
Please enjoy these 91 old time radio episodes:
| Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06.22.1943 | nature study | ||
| 06.15.1943 | prelude to murder |
Listeners hear the thoughts of a Dracula-inspired man is jealous of his wife's new male friend.. + A... | |
| 06.08.1943 | organ vacation with death |
+ They are happy when they find a mansion to spend the next two months of their vacation in for only... | |
| 06.01.1943 | ugliest man in the world |
In a treasure hunting expedition in the jungle, the hunters catch spider which has been silently sta... | |
| 05.25.1943 | little old lady |
In a treasure hunting expedition in the jungle, the hunters catch spider which has been silently sta... | |
| 05.18.1943 | spider |
In a treasure hunting expedition in the jungle, the hunters catch spider which has been silently sta... | |
| 05.11.1943 | murder in the script department |
Two office clerk-typists become trapped in office after working hours. They notice that equipments a... | |
| 05.04.1943 | heavenly jeep |
When the jeep the soldiers are riding is blown up by a landmine, the soldiers realize they are event... | |
| 04.27.1943 | execution |
During WWII, a German Officer reports being fired upon by a woman in a French village. In retaliatio... | |
| 04.20.1943 | kill |
"Kill". Sponsored by: Ironized Yeast, Energene Shoe White. A story told through the thoughts of the... | |
| 04.13.1943 | archer |
A girl finds a tool which saves her from the gangsters who are hiding her away.. + “Lights Out br... | |
| 04.06.1943 | super feature |
A guy travels with his assistant guy showing movies to interested audiences. When an audience clamor... | |
| 03.30.1943 | money money money |
"Money, Money, Money". Sponsored by: Ironized Yeast, Energene. Tony the diver doesn't stop at murde... | |
| 03.23.1943 | the flame |
Two conversationalists discusses fire comparing it to a living organism. The first man takes out an ... | |
| 03.16.1943 | the dream | ||
| 03.09.1943 | ball paris macabre |
Two party-going men find themselves in a strange Parisian party.. | |
| 03.02.1943 | the sea |
+ Sharing her miserable confession with Father Donahue on her deathbed the mother told of her two so... | |
| 02.23.1943 | they met at dorset |
Unsure of his location, the German rescue mission tries to free Rudolf Hess from his English captors... | |
| 02.16.1943 | oxychloride x |
Program #12. CBS net origination, syndicated rebroadcast. "Oxychloride X". A young crackpot colleg... | |
| 02.09.1943 | we dug it up | ||
| 02.02.1943 | until dead |
A murdered girlfriend’s voice torments her boyfriend as if asking for justice. Her boyfriend sets ... | |
| 01.26.1943 | protective mr drogan |
A report to the police claims that a man just killed someone. Scenes flashes back to a party where t... | |
| 01.19.1943 | devil mr alleycat | ||
| 01.05.1943 | fast one |
A man consumes a formula that speeds-up humans and starts a criminal spree.. Who among us has not ha... | |
| 12.29.1942 | valse triste |
Two girls on a camping trip, and while rowing docks their boat on an island to pick some flowers whe... |
Daniel
Daniel
Bob
Daniel
Susan
LIGHTS OUT
Dan
Mike
Leave a comment