Creepy Tales Radio - Old Time Radio Horror

Inner Sanctum was a hugely popular Old Time Radio series created by producer Himan Brown. It was based on the popular Inner Sanctum mystery series of books. It aired from January 7, 1941, to October 5, 1952. Inner Sanctum featured tales of mystery, horror and suspense, with a mix of humor. That humor was what made Inner Sanctum different from similar horror and mystery series like Suspense, or The Whistler aired during the golden age of radio. Each episode started with the sound of a creaking door, some creepy organ music, followed by the opening narration. It's been said that listening to the show was like celebrating Halloween every week. Many established stars played roles or were guest stars in the series, including Peter Lorre, Helen Hayes, Mary Astor, Frank Sinatra, Bela Lugosi, Orson Welles, and many more. Of the several hundred episodes of Inner Sanctum that aired, only about 150 survived.

Hope you enjoy this episode of Inner Sanctum! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon

The Shadow was a fictional character created by American magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. He was an invincible crime fighter who possessed many gifts which enabled him to overcome any enemy. In addition to his great strength, he defied gravity, spoke any language, unraveled any codes and most notably, he became invisible with his ability to "cloud men's minds." The Shadow was originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator but developed into a distinct literary character. The Shadow has been adapted in many forms of media, such as American comic books, comic strips, serials, video games, and at least five feature films.

Hope you enjoy this episode of The Shadow! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Podcasts @ Apple | Spreaker | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon

Suspense was one of the most popular and successful radio series during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1940-1962. Guest stars included Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Agnes Moorehead, Marlene Dietrich and Humphrey Bogart. The plots were mostly engaging crime dramas, science fiction and some horror - usually with a surprise ending.

Hope you enjoy this episode of Suspense! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart

Dark Fantasy was a supernatural anthology radio series that ran for only 31 episodes during 1941-1942. Every story in the series explored the mysteries of the unknown. Created by Scott Bishop (a pseudonym for writer and director Scott Dyche), the series was produced in Oklahoma City and featured eerie tales of the supernatural, psychological terror, and the macabre. Bishop, known for his work on The Mysterious Traveler and The Sealed Book, expertly merged the supernatural with science fiction. Dark Fantasy is remembered for drawing significant interest to the horror genre during the golden age of radio.

Hope you enjoy this episode of Dark Fantasy! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Podcasts @ Apple | Spreaker | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon

• Narrator/Host: The show was introduced by a mysterious, unnamed host who set the mood with ominous narration, often beginning with the line: "Dark Fantasy… dedicated to the supernatural, the unusual, and the unknown."
• Atmosphere: The program was known for its unsettling sound effects, moody music, and well-crafted scripts that leaned into gothic horror, ghost stories, and twist endings.
• Content: Episodes included classic horror elements—haunted houses, vengeful spirits, cursed objects, and psychological horror—often with a twist or ironic conclusion.
• Notable Writers: Scott Bishop (Dyche) wrote many episodes, and some scripts were reportedly influenced by H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror themes.

The Weird Circle was a supernatural & fantasy, and some mystery and horror, old time radio series which aired between 1943 and 1945. Most all of the stories came from famous authors of the Victorian Age and later. It featured stories from authors such as Charles Dickens, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allan Poe and Victor Hugo.

Hope you enjoy this episode of The Weird Circle! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Podcasts @ Apple | Spreaker | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon