Suspense never chose to present an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," but some other notable radio programs did, with good results.
The challenge of presenting "The Tell-Tale Heart" on radio is obvious. The original short story is so brief that there isn't enough material for a half hour show. Still, Inner Sanctum Mysteries, The Weird Circle and The Hall of Fantasy all took a crack at reworking Poes' masterpiece.
All three shows lengthened and changed the story, but retained the essential components of Poe's work. The result was three unique versions of "The Tell-Tale Heart." Each one oddly different from the other.
The original "The Tell-Tale Heart" is available at www.poestories.com and many other places on the Internet. A recording of Poe's story being read aloud, which takes about 18 minutes, is available at http://librivox.org.
Read "The Tell-Tale Heart' again and then listen to these imaginitive radio adaptations:
Inner Sanctum's version strayed the farthest from the original story, but Boris Karloff's performance made it worthwhile. This episode aired on August 3, 1941. (Their version has the added entertainment, or distraction, of commercials for Carter's Little Liver Pills.)
. Download isan.1941.08.03_Tell_Tale_Heart,_The.mp3
The Weird Circle's modernized version is tense and strange, but excellent. They presented "The Tell-Tale Heart" on January 30, 1944.
. Download weir.1944.01.30_Tell_Tale_Heart.mp3
The Hall of Fantasy presented their version, a gripping one, on June 1, 1953. The story was adapted for radio by Richard Thorn.
. Download hfan.1953.06.01_The_Tell-Tale_Heart.mp3
(Image of Edgar Allan Poe from Wikipedia)
Check your spelling! His name is Edgar Allan Poe, not "Allen"!
Posted by: Rob | November 27, 2007 at 06:55 PM
You are right.I have corrected it now. Thanks, -c
Posted by: cmillinsf | November 27, 2007 at 08:22 PM