The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

This week is our first encounter with Philo Vance, the radio series based on the iconic detective created by S. S. Van Dine. In this episode, “The Cheesecake Murder Case,” the police think a deadly crime has already been solved, but Vance suspects the murderous thief is still on the loose! What details of the investigation are the source of Vance’s suspicion? What happens when you pair an old-fashioned detective with a present-day detective structure? Has this episode left room for dessert? Listen for yourself and find out!

We’re paying another visit to our Listener Library this week, checking out “Battle of the Magicians” from the legendary series, Lights Out! Our thanks to our Mysterious Listener Tim for the recommendation! This recording is a revival of an earlier Lights Out script written by Wyllis Cooper about a mysterious occult figure known as Saladin who fights to save an airline from the mystic machinations of the villain known as Ehrlich! What is the evil plan for crashing a plane? Can Saladin do anything to save the passengers? Is Joshua’s trivia about da Vinci’s The Last Supper true? Listen for yourself and find out!

UPDATE: The date we give for the episode’s initial broadcast is incorrect! The actual date was March 11, 1950 and was rebroadcast on October 26, 1953. Richard Thorne adapted M.R. James’ ghost story “Count Magnus” for this episode of Hall of Fantasy, entitled “He Who Follows Me!” In this installment, a husband and wife apparently incur the wrath of a vengeful being from beyond the grave. No matter what they do to try to escape, it hounds their every step! Is there any way for them to outrun their doom? What will happen if this thing should catch them? Will Gary be able to help? Listen for yourself and find out!

This episode is the fourth of our four-part series featuring one of our Patreon members who supports us at the highest level! This time, we welcome Evan as we listen to an episode of his choosing, “The Louis Spence Case” from the series Richard Diamond, Private Detective! In this installment, the legendary singing detective must overcome a mad bomber who threatens to blow up the police station in less than an hour! What strange mix of psychology and technology will Diamond use to try to thwart this madman? What were neighborhoods like back then? Which of your hosts won't make it to the end of the conversation? Listen for yourself and find out!

Our thanks to Christian, a Patreon supporter at the highest level, who joins us as we listen to an episode of his choosing, “Meshougah” from the classic Western series, Gunsmoke! Wait, we’re listening to Westerns now? Well, this story does have crime, horror, and suspense! (For some great background on Gunsmoke, check out Episode 90 of the fantastic Breaking Walls podcast!) In this story, Marshall Dillon wanders into an isolated town that seems to have been abruptly abandoned. Where are all the people? Will Dillon be able to escape the fate that befell everyone else? Can anyone explain why this episode is called “Meshougah”? Listen for yourself and find out!

For this episode we are joined by Kelly, a Patreon supporter at the highest level! Kelly has chosen this week’s selection, “The Night Man,” written by Lucille Fletcher for Suspense! In this story, a woman tries to convince a prison warden that one of his prisoners, a man she convicted of murder with her testimony, has escaped and is now tormenting her. Has this inmate somehow managed to evade the law? Is this woman only imagining the threat? Is operating an elevator really that hard? Listen for yourself and find out!

This episode features special guest David, a Patreon supporter at the highest level! David has chosen the CBS Radio Workshop adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, told in two parts. Thanks, David! Huxley himself narrated this version of his classic dystopic vision. In the future, industry has completely eclipsed morality, and hedonism has replaced emotional connections. But opportunity knocks when an outsider is introduced to this world. Do the horrors of this Brave New World actually hold some appeal? Which parts of the novel’s predictions have come to pass? Were there radio artists who specialized in butt foley? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week’s episode corresponds to the second installment of our Mysterious Old Radio Watching Society! After listening to “Only the Dead Die Twice” from Inner Sanctum, head over to our YouTube page to watch “Dead Level,” the adaptation of this story used for the unaired pilot of the Inner Sanctum television series! In this tale, a hearse driver is offered an unsavory deal to dispose of a corpse. What could possibly go wrong? What’s a reasonable price to charge for getting rid of a dead body? What is the ratio of puns per plot twist? Listen for yourself and find out!

No special event this week! We’re just listening to Candy Matson for the sheer pleasure of it. In this episode the San Francisco-based detective is called in to investigate a dead body discovered in a restaurant. Some time after that, she goes to the opera! Is that essentially the whole story? Is the food any good? Who writes this stuff? Listen for yourself and find out! Then vote and let us know what you think!

We’re listening to another episode of Escape featuring Vincent Price! This time it’s “Present Tense,” the story of a man on the way to his execution after being convicted of murdering his wife. But before being put to death, he will go to any lengths to avoid his predicament. Is his wife truly dead? Can a man elude the law using only his skills as a poet? How did Paul Frees get so much radio work? Listen for yourself and find out! Then vote and let us know what you think!