The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

We follow up last week with another episode written by Lucille Fletcher! This time we are listening to “Remodeled Brownstone” from Columbia Workshop. While her husband renovates their newly purchased Victorian home, a woman fears that their brownstone is haunted by a ghostly child. Is she simply imagining this spirit? How much renovation does it take to completely change a home? How on earth did the post-show conversation get to Matt Berry? Listen for yourself and find out!

Our thanks to Scott for this week’s visit to the Listener Library! Scott recommended an episode of Suspense entitled, “Fugue in C Minor!” Vincent Price and Ida Lupino star in this story written by Lucille Fletcher about a woman whose widowed suitor lives in a home built around an enormous pipe organ. She soon discovers that his children believe their mother haunts the house after their father murdered her. Are the children delusional? Is the house haunted by a vengeful spirit? Would a pipe organ be the worst household appliance to malfunction? Listen for yourself and find out!

Can you solve the mystery in this episode of The Adventures of Ellery Queen? This week, we’re listening to “The Adventure of the World Series Crime,” a story of baseball sabotage and the disappearance of a very special bat! This time, famed detective Ellery Queen only has three hours to find the culprit! Will he find the lost bat in time to restore the Eagles’ chances in the World Series? Wait, the Eagles are in the World Series? Are Tim and Joshua really attempting to have a discussion about the history of baseball with Eric? Listen for yourself and find out!

It’s time for another visit to the Listener Library! “Til Death Do Us Part” is an episode of Inner Sanctum recommended to us by Marc. Thanks, Marc! In this tale, a couple’s honeymoon is cut short when they witness a murder! Soon the newlyweds are on the run and making desperate decisions. Just how bad can their honeymoon get? How long can Mr. Host continue to say things that sound like jokes, without actually telling any real jokes? Wait, what was the killer’s plan? Listen for yourself and find out!

Happy Father’s Day! We’re celebrating with a paternally themed episode of Quiet Please, entitled, “My Son John.” A doting father aches for the return of his son who has been lost overseas. In his desperation, he turns to the occult, but soon discovers, “there’s always a catch.” Will what he finds truly be his son? Will his love for his child carry him past the point of no return? Do we have any acting tips to infuse mustard with menace? Listen for yourself and find out! (Like many episodes of Quiet Please, the audio on this one can be challenging. You might wish to follow along with this transcript of the show.)

This week, we listen to an episode of Obsession entitled “The Silver Cord,” in which a young woman longs to leave home. But an overbearing matriarch is determined to keep her near. Soon, a dark secret forever changes the bond that connects the two of them. Will the young woman ever escape to begin a new life? Why does the older woman find lightning storms so entertaining? Would this have been improved if they were connected by a literal silver cord? Listen for yourself and find out!

We’re paying another visit to our Listener Library! This time we’re checking out “The Golem,” an episode of CBS Radio Mystery Theater recommended to us by our mysterious listener, Clare! (Thanks, Clare!) This World War II-era tale features a married couple who must choose between protecting their own family and sheltering a young Jewish woman and her grandfather. As the story unfolds, the grandfather acts strangely, collecting all the necessary elements to create the legendary entity known as the Golem! Will the couple help the fugitives or betray them? Is the Golem only a figure from folklore or might it truly come to life? How will our conversation incorporate both Johnny Carson and Superman? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week, we listen to an episode of X Minus One, “The Cave of Night,” which tells the story of messages sent from an astronaut trapped in orbit. Presented as an unfinished news report, this unique tale depicts the world’s desperate attempt to rescue the man before his oxygen runs out! Can they reach this brave explorer’s ship in time? How does the story compare to genuine historic events that followed this broadcast? How exactly does this essay about Game of Thrones relate to the story? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week’s installment features another visit to our listener library with an episode of Favorite Story, recommended to us by our mysterious listener, Tim (author of numerous books including Radio by the Book: Adaptations of Literature and Fiction on the Airwaves)! In this case, the series is presenting Fred Allen’s “favorite story,” an adaptation of “Frankenstein.” How will this version of the frequently-adapted tale distinguish itself from others? Is the story improved by including all the murders? How different were the police back then? Listen for yourself and find out!