The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

The Society pays a visit to Cabin B13 to hear one of Dr. Fabian’s dark mysteries! John Dickson Carr created the series and provided its ingenious scripts. In this story, entitled “The Sleep of Death,” a young suitor dares to spend the night in the deadly Tapestry Room to win the hand of his beloved. What horror kills those who dare to sleep in this room? Do all eccentric Hungarian counts play the glasses? Would this story benefit from a haunted foosball table? Listen for yourself and find out!

The stage is set for this week’s episode, “Broadway, Here I Come!” Our thanks to Ryan who suggested that we feature another story written by Robert A. Arthur (we’ve already heard his work with The Good Die Young and his adaptation of Return Trip). We’re happy to oblige with this creepy episode of The Sealed Book. Will the young lovers successfully get to New York? Will their crimes catch up with them? How does Joshua manage to listen to so many old radio shows? Listen for yourself and find out!

Have your ticket ready for a bus ride with madness! The Society has discovered Murder by Experts, in which an author recommends a story by a different different author which is then hosted by John Dickson Carr, yet another author! This episode, “Return Trip,” tells the story of four people on a bus, one of whom may be an insane killer! Can you guess who is not what they appear to be? Who will survive the ordeal? Why would Tim mistakenly claim that he learned about this show from The Monster Club when he clearly just searched archive.org for files posted by the Old Time Radio Researchers Group? Listen for yourself and find out!

Thank you to Keara who suggested that we listen to this episode of Suspense entitled “To Find Help,” featuring Ethel Barrymore and Gene Kelly. A woman hires a young man to clean her house, but soon discovers something strange and threatening about his behavior. Will she be able to survive his visit to her home? Did anyone mention how strong Gene Kelly’s hands are? Is there more to the ending than just a clean house? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week, the Society is listening to the nightmarish sound of “The Screaming Skull” from the enigmatic series, Theatre 10:30. This adaptation of Francis Marion Crawford’s short story tells the tale of a husband and wife whose deaths leave behind a mysterious skull and a blood-chilling legend. Is that screaming sound just the wind? Can a dinner conversation go so badly that it leads to a lifetime of guilt? Are we really wanting people to watch Mystery Science Theater 3000 at the witching hour? Listen for yourself and find out!

Once again the Society strolls down the Hall of Fantasy for this adaptation of E. Nesbit’s “Man Size in Marble.” A young couple moves into a small village and encounters two ominous statues in the local church. Is there any truth to the grim legend surrounding these sculptures? Do two people really need a maid so badly? What does it sound like when Minnesotans disagree with each other? Listen for yourself and find out!

Thank you to Lionel for recommending “The Man Who Sold His Soul” from the South African series Beyond Midnight! This story explains the strange stain eight feet off the ground on the wall of an abandoned ruin in an Irish countryside. It is the tale of Sir Dominic, a wastrel nobleman who strikes a diabolical bargain. Is there any hope for his redemption? Will your pants fly off at midnight? Do you need to hear this BioTex dance remix? Listen for yourself and find out!

Lucille Ball is keeping the Society in Suspense! Before her career as the zany Queen of Comedy, she played a cold, ambitious manipulator in “A Shroud for Sarah.” Will her plotting backfire? How simple does a crime have to be before the police are willing to investigate it? How many times does a husband need to be shot by his wife before considering couples counseling? Listen for yourself and find out!

The society attends a masquerade with this episode of The Haunting Hour entitled “Murder Wears a Strange Mask”! A costume party turns into a murder mystery and everyone is a suspect. At midnight the masks come off and the culprit will be discovered! Can you figure out who the killer is before the police arrive? Why does everyone insist on poking at all the evidence and trying to solve the crime before the police arrive? Is the clown costume actually creepier than the dead body? Listen for yourself and find out!