Old-Time Radio for All Hallows' Eve

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A Favorite Story was chosen by prominent personalities of the day and was hosted by Ronald Colman.





“Frankenstein” was chosen by Fred Allen as his favorite story. Favorite Story, Frankenstein, December 13, 1947.

Favorite Story recommended by Frank Capra was Lord Dunsay's Jest of Habalaba (10-26-48), Narrator & Star: Joseph Kerns.









The Strange Mr. Bartleby is based on a story by Herman Melville, the favorite story of Robert Montgomery. Two old time radio favorites - Hans Conreid and William Conrad - in a rather unusual story that’s part mystery and part character study. The Strange Mr. Bartleby - Favorite Story - April 22, 1947








Bergen & McCarthy - Chase & Sanborn Hour - Haunted House Special with guest star Madeleine Carroll, October 30, 1938. Host: Nelson Eddy. Bergen & McCarthy were on air at the same time as War of the Worlds (Mercury Theater) so if you tuned in late you may thought martians were landing in the USA.






Bergen & McCarthy, Chase & Sanborn Hour (10-22-39) - The Headless Horseman with guest star Olivia de Havilland. Host: Nelson Eddy









Author's Playhouse - H.G. Wells, The Inexperienced Ghost (1944-4-12):

Authors' Playhouse was an anthology radio drama series, created by Wynn Wright, that aired on the NBC Blue Network from March 5, 1941 until October 1941. It then moved to the NBC Red Network where it was heard until June 4, 1945. Philip Morris was the sponsor in 1942-43.[1]

The playhouse featured adaptations of stories by famous authors, such as “Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobbies” by Nelson Bond, "The Snow Goose" by Paul Gallico, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, "The Piano" by William Saroyan and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber.

Cast members included Curley Bradley, John Hodiak, Marvin Miller, Nelson Olmsted, Fern Persons, Olan Soule and Les Tremayne.


Smilin Ed's Buster Brown Gang - Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1952-10-25):

From September 2nd, 1944 on NBC radio every Saturday morning at 11:30 through April 11, 1953.

There was an adventure story to open the show, plugs for Buster Brown shoes, and Froggy the Gremlin might sing a song or annoy a guest, such as Shortfellow the Poet or Alkali Pete the Cowboy. The character Midnight the Cat actually spoke a few lines on the show and Smilin' Ed was always prone to sing a novelty song or two by plunking his magic twanger.

The full cast of the radio show had included June Foray, Wendall Noble, Conrad Binyon, John Dehner and Jimmy Ogg. All of them took part in the adventure stories. Foray was called upon to voice Midnight and Bud Tollefson, the sound effects engineer, growled the voice of Tige the Dog.



Houdini's Final Seance, October 31, 1936 with Mrs. Harry Houdini, family and friends.




Johnny Presents the Rudy Vallee Show (10-22-46) - Pre-fabricated Woman with Bela Logosi and Billie Burke.

America's First Crooner, introduced the first variety show to radio in 1929 on NBC. It became known as "The Rudy Vallée Hour and several different titles over the years. Megaphone-totin' Rudy and his Connecticut Yankees band were mainstays on radio into the late 1940s.

























Requested Performance (11-11-45) - Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe with Jack Benny, Mary Astor, Katharine Grayson, Sidney Greenstreet

Requested Performance was a spin-off series of Command Performance. It only last one season.

[katydidit]

Frankenstein, Strange Mr. Bartleby, Jest of Habalaba

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Bergen & McCarthy Haunted House, Inexperienced Ghost, Houdini Seance

[Christina]

Wish I had stopped here on Halloween for some good shows! :)

[katydidit]

Rudy Vallee with Pre-fabricated Woman, Requested Performance, and Bergen & McCarthy - The Headless Horseman

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Smilin Ed's Buster Brown Gang - Legend of Sleepy Hollow

[calfkillerotr]

Nice page

[abby]

Thanks, Katy!

[katydidit]

Hello Abby:

Hope everything is well. A good mix of shows for you to choose from.

Happy listening,

katy