For some Halloween fun this year, let's take a brief journey over to The Hall of Fantasy, a radio series that pronounced itself to be "dedicated to the supernatural, the unusual, and the unknown."
The Hall of Fantasy was created in 1947 by Richard Thorne, who also wrote, produced, and directed most of its shows. The series aired locally in Salt Lake City and then in Chicago during its first few incarnations. In 1952-53, The Hall of Fantasy aired on national radio through the Mutual Broadcasting System, and most of the series' surviving episodes are from its 1953 run.
The Hall of Fantasy had a campy but likeable style that reflected its obviously moderate budget. The surviving episodes demonstrate that this series had problems with repetition in its scripts, a style of presentation that was repetitive, and stories that didn't resolve the plot with impact.
Nevertheless, when they got most of the elements right, The Hall of Fantasy knocked out some good episodes that are still fun to listen to.
So now, come with me, my friends. Let's enter The Hall of Fantasy, a series with one of the best introductions in all of Old Time Radio. (Richard Thorne is the narrator beckoning you to join him.)
"The Shadow People" tells the story of what is waiting in the darkness...to get YOU! This episode aired on September 21, 1953.
. Download HallofFantasy_1953.09.21_The_Shadow_People.mp3
"Stone's Revenge" takes place in a cabin in the woods that is cursed by a ghost. Don't think it through too much. This episode aired on August 17, 1953.
. Download Halloffantasy.1953.08.17_Stone's_Revenge.mp3
On a different note, "The Hand of Botar" is supposed to be scary but it is too campy to take seriously. Go ahead and laugh, this suspenseful episode about a hand that has a murderous mind of its own is a hoot! This episode aired on June 8, 1953.
. Download HallofFantasy_1953.06.08_TheHandofBotar.mp3
(Image from Morguefile)
"The Masks of Ashor" is my personal favorite from this series.
Posted by: Grigs | October 29, 2008 at 05:30 PM