Showcase Sundays, today on the Mutual Audio Network. The following audio drama is rated PG for parental guidance recommended. Oh, alright everybody, into the time machine. Hey, what's up? What's up? Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic. Get off my mic.
And you see Ya wee uh. Wait a minute. Sixty-three audio presents the Old-Time Radio Essentials podcast. B cubed. Greetings all who gather here and welcome back to season four of old time radio essentials. this is your first time joining us and even if it ate I must inform you that this is episode 44 also known as our fourth episode of 2024 aka episode seven of season four. My name is Pete. I'm Pat. And this is Paul. We are fans of old time radio and if you're tuning in, you probably
are also. We gathered together occasionally like today to present an episode from a particular old time radio series. Is it indeed essential? Well, that's what we hope to discover. Last time we presented my pick, which was an episode of Bold Venture from 1951 called Black Tie Affair in case you missed it. Today is Pete's choice. And what's in the radio drama mausoleum sparty? Uh-huh, I see what you did there Paul, but it was a rather lame hint at what
season it is. So I'll forgive you for that. Forgive me. You wrote it. I'm just reading words off a script. Ah, that's not Quibble pal. This time, especially for Halloween, it's an episode of the Hall of Fantasy called The Black Figurine of Death. The Hall of Fantasy started as a local series out of Utah. It found its way onto the airwaves sporadically from 1947 to 1952. Then the series was picked up for national syndication by the Mutual Network and broadcast from
Mid-52 through Mid-53. Well, maybe I should do the rest of my talk. Okay. Written and directed by Richard Thorn, a prolific and talented writer and producer. This anthology series is often overlooked. Even by fans of OTR. This is unfortunate. Okay. Since it provides some unique and dramatic material, early on the series concentrated on murder mysteries, but later shows were devoted to horror and some sci-fi. Sadly, not all episodes have survived. Less than one quarter of some 200 shows
still exist. You shouldn't be giving your opinion away so early in the game. I don't know what you're talking about. So now, without further delay, we present The Hall of Fantasy, the Black Figurine of Death, from Mutual, first aired on January 26th, 1953. And now friends, adjust your radio dials to the proper frequency. The frequency gets comfortable and lear-sen. And now, The Hall of Fantasy. Welcome to The Hall of Fantasy. Welcome to the series of Radio Problems,
dedicated to the supernatural, the unusual and the unknown. Come with me, my friends. We shall descend to the world of the unknown and forbidden. Down to the depth, to the very long time, as witness, and the supernatural reigns as king. Come with me and listen to The Hall of Fantasy. The Black Figurine of Death. Is that you, David? Yes, I heard a shot. So did we. I thought it was one of you. It was on you. It came out late tonight. I found him out in the
Mausoleum about an hour ago. Here's his room. Try the door. It's open. Oh, it's on the floor. Is he? Yes. He's dead. In just a moment, The Hall of Fantasy will present The Black Figurine of Death. And now for our story, An Original Tale of Fantasy by Richard Corn entitled The Black Figurine of Death.
Through all the years of man's existence, no matter what he has learned, or been taught from generation to generation, still he carries in the innermost depths of his mind a certain fear of the darkness, a fear of the night, which is somehow associated with death, and which in actuality is the fear of death itself.
Each of us in his lifetime will probably come in contact with some psychic phenomenon, either directly or indirectly through the experience of a relative or acquaintance, an experience never to be forgotten, and about such an experience is my story tonight. I was there with the others the night he died. We stood at the foot of the bed, Joyce and Harold and I. Amos Jansson's head was cushioned on a pillow and in his handy held a little figurine. You sent for us, Uncle Amos? Of course I did.
And the way she wouldn't be here in my room, Harold. No, Uncle Amos is no. Be quiet. Be quiet all of you. Ah, you're here too David. Yes sir, I didn't ask for a speech young man. I'll do the talking if you don't mind. I must speak to all of you when I still have time. Why don't you rest Uncle Amos? Rest. You'd like to see that, wouldn't you Joyce? David, Harold's. Well, no answer from any of you. I know why you can't say anything, because it's the truth. Now see here Uncle Amos.
You don't want to listen to me young man. His last years of my life, you all left me alone. You've had more important things to do. That is, until tonight. Tonight you're all here because you know I'm dying. You've come here like a pack of worms waiting for me to die, waiting for your chance to inherit my estate. That's not true Uncle Amos. Oh, isn't it? I think it is. Don't worry. You inherit the estate. The three of you, but in the end you'll wish you'd never had. What do you mean Uncle Amos?
And though I die, you'll see me again. All of you who've hated me. And you know of my presence when you seize this. Ah, that's just a little figurine, Uncle Amos. I wish you'd never seen it before I'm through. You wish that you'd never know me. That you'd never been born. Before you die, you'll all learn what fear is. You'll learn how it feels to be. Will to be... ...a long... ...or a... ...cleaner. He's dead, Joyce. Oh, no. Oh, no, he can't be. He's dead, all right. What's that?
Something dropped out of his hand. I... ...my... ...the little figurine. The little figurine lay there on the floor. It had fallen from Uncle Amos's hand just as he died. And when it struck the floor, it had broken into three pieces. I picked them up and held them in my hand. The pieces fitted together perfectly, much like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. It was a queer little figure. Its arms raised in supplication. A look of fear upon its face. There was something frightening about it.
Three days later, Uncle Amos was buried in the family Mosul-Emm at the north end of the estate. A week after that, we had gathered again in the library of the old house with Carl Seier, the executor of the estate. As you know, your uncle appointed me as executor of the estate and left instructions at the three main heirs. Ten days following his demise. They gathered together in this house, for the reading of the will. You told us that earlier, Mr. Seier. So I did. I was seated comfortably.
Quite comfortably, Mr. Seier. It's a rather long will, you know. I shall begin. I am, as John's being of sound mind and body, and published this instrument as my last will. Mr. Seier, why don't you just tell us about the will? That's a rather unusual procedure, David. Well, David's right, Mr. Seier. It'll save a lot of time and trouble. Well, perhaps you're right. Let me see. Now, referring to the disposition of the monies and property, it's to be divided equally amongst the three of you.
Of course, there are certain gifts to the servants. Naturally. Yes, naturally. You need to be divided even after taxes. Each of you will be independent for life. I can understand, Uncle Amos, willing us the entire estate. The mighty dad. Country, do you know what you may think? Your uncle Amos was really quite fond of you. Is that all to the way, Mr. Seier? No. Of course, you realize that if one of you were to die, his or her share of the estate would be divided between the two remaining heirs.
And there is one other provider which I cannot quite understand. Yes. Your uncle made one condition, referring to the disposition of the monies. Yes, we see if I can find that. Oh, yes, yes, there it is. May I read it please. The heirs are to reside in the family house on the estate for a period of one year. If this is not done, their claim to the estate is to be nullified and they are to be left without a penny.
Unfortunately, they were present very infrequently during the last years of my life. And as a rather strange provision, guess isn't it? However, as executive of your uncle's will, it is up to me to make sure the provisions are carried out. And believe me, I feel a deep sense of duty to your law. Late. The four of us discussed the will until the early hours of the morning. We persuaded Sawyer to spend the night with us to return to the city in the morning. The house became quite silent.
And the only sound I heard was the ticking of the clock on my dresser. I wondered about the provision of the will and which uncle Amos ordered that we make our residents in his house. I was lying awake in bed thinking of that when... Standing outside my door on the hallway was a housekeeper. Mr. David? Yes, Emily. I found this in my bedroom tonight. Oh, let me see it. Here. Hmm, hmm. It's a little black figurine, just like the one my uncle had. Hey, you can have it back now, Emily.
It frightened me, so I came to you, Mr. David. How do you think it got there, Emily? Well, there's something strange going on in this house, Mr. David. And I have an idea. I know who's in back. Who's talking out there? Oh, it's you, David. And Emily. And your brother, later on too? Yes, Mr. Sawyer. I was just going to bed. He looks, excuse me. Good night, Emily. Good night, sir. I'll see you in the morning. Well, I suppose I'd better get back to bed, too.
Good night, David. Good night, Mr. Sawyer. I watched him go back into his room. Then I turned and went back into mine. Emily had been on the point of saying something to me. Something that was important enough to her to make a special trip to my room. I got back into bed there. And did what she wanted to tell me. Little by little, a sleep clouded my brain. And I was half asleep. Back now to our story. An original telephanesy by Richard Thorn entitled, The Black Figurine of Death.
I had been just on the point of falling asleep. Sawyer, I heard someone scream. So did I, David. You know what's the battery top? I know, I did. There's David, Mr. Sawyer, but they can tell us what happened. Did you two hear anything? With a scream? First, I thought it might have been you, Joyce. Zika came from the servants' quarters. Emily. What did you say, David? It'll keep. Come on. You think it was the housekeeper, David? It has to be here. Maybe she was just startled, is it?
Well, we'll see in a moment. No, that's a room, just down the hall. I hope it's nothing serious. It was serious enough to make her scream. Emily. Emily, is anything wrong? We'll try the door, David. Right. It's unlocked. The light's on in there. There's nothing there, she's... Oh, I'm a fool. Maybe she faded. No. She's dead. And look. There's a little broken, black figurine. The police came out and went over everything. There were no clues to follow.
They said that Emily had been strangled, but there was nothing to indicate who might have done it. The police continued their investigation for almost a month. But at the end of that time, all they could write down in their case book was murder. Unsaw. One evening, about six weeks after Emily's death, Harold Joyce and I were in the living room. The police said they'd never be able to find out who did it, unless something new turned up. And it probably won't. Oh, all the whole thing frightens me.
I still remember Uncle Emily's death. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember that. I remember Uncle Emis's dying words. At Bow I die, you'll see me again. All of you who have hated me. And you'll know of my presence when you see this. What makes me shudder every time I think of it? I've been thinking about what he said, too, Joyce. I wonder if he could come back.
You mean, come back after death? Yes. Don't be a fool, Harold. Once a man dies, he's dead. Is he? I'm not so sure of that. I shouldn't talk that way, Harold. It's frightening. Would you come out with me to the muscle, Amdave? Why? Then I came in. Probably won't looking over there. I wasn't either. Now there's little black figurine. Broken just like the others. It gave me an airy sensation. The little figure was broken into three pieces. I looked at Harold. And he seemed to be as afraid as I was.
He locked up the muscley and again and went back to the house. At that time, I began to wonder if perhaps Uncle Amos was striking back at us from beyond the grave. We said goodnight about 11 and retire to our rooms. I couldn't get to sleep. I couldn't fall into a half-dose and then snap out of it again. I felt as if someone were watching me. That there were unseen eyes and a dark waiting for me to fall asleep. I knew it was only my imagination. Yeah, that feeling would not go away.
About three o'clock I got out of bed. I decided to return to the Marcellain. As I went out front door, I noticed a light drizzle had sprung up. Something drew me toward the Marcellain, a compulsion and inner force of which I had absolutely no control. I walked slowly up the gravel walk leading to the Marcellain, not even noticing the light rain which fell on me. When I was close enough to see the doorway, I received a distinct shock.
For the door was open and there was a circle of light behind it. I walked to the door. I tried to get through the door quietly. I jared a little and the noise made the man inside world around in his handy-held gun. What are you doing here? I might ask you the same question, Mr. Seier. Back now to our story, an original telephamacy by Richard Thorn entitled, The Black Figurine of Death.
I had gone into the Marcellain, standing there with a gun in his hand with the executor of the estate, Carl Seier. David! What are you doing here? I might ask you the same questions, Mr. Seier. I began to wonder. I don't believe in people coming back after they die, but if that's the reason for the gun, I didn't know what I'd find. I wanted to be safe, that's all. Now that I see it, you will put it back in my pocket. By the way, David, what are you doing out here? I was restless.
Harold thinks everything that's happened has some supernatural significance. All his talk made me nervous. I see. And do you think that there is something supernatural about the way Emily died? I don't know, Mr. Seier. Where are I? Just don't know. Soier and I returned to the house. I asked him to spend the remainder of the night with us. Besides, I wanted to keep an eye on him. I didn't feel much like sleeping, so I went down to the library, kicked out a book, and sat down to read. David? Yes?
Mr. Seier told me you were down here. What's the matter? I can't sleep. David, I... I talked to Mr. Seier for almost 10 minutes. He said he thinks that you're in back of everything. What did you say to that? I told him I thought he was wrong. Thanks for your confidence, Joyce. But more I think about it. More I think that Harold's right in what he says. You mean that Uncle Amos has come back to life? Yes. I'll keep an eye on Seier if I were you. Do you think he's in back of everything?
I'm not sure. But you must have some reason for it. I went out to the Mosulium tonight about an hour ago. Seier was out there. He had a gun in his hand. You told me he was just cured? Why should he suddenly get curious at 3 o'clock in the morning? Does he know there are? Yes. I don't want to move. That was Seier. What happened? I have to make an excuse. Did you make it, David? Yes. I heard it, Charlie. We're so did we. I thought it was one of you. I came out late tonight.
I found him out in the Mosulium about an hour. Try the door. It's open. On the floor. Is he? Yes. He's dead. Sorry, early there on the floor is sprawled in the grotesque position of death. I went out stretched and was a gun then by the other, broken into three pieces. There's a little black figurine. Harold called the police. They said they'd be out as soon as they could. The three of us went downstairs to the living room. I was right. It is Uncle Amos who's behind us.
I must be doing no other explanation. I told you before that there are certain things which can never be explained. The deaths of Emily and Sawyer prove that. You don't still think that Sawyer wasn't back of it, do you, David? Hardly. We'll know. I'm leaving here now. I'm not going to stay around here and be killed like the others. I'm going upstairs and back. I'll be done in a while. I'm going to leave, too, David. What about you? I don't know. I still can't make myself believe it. Stay here.
Oh, no. I'll go with you. Harold, get up here. It has to be all right. Harold! Harold! Harold! Don't answer. Harold, where are you? Harold! Harold! Harold! Harold! Your door is open. You'll be dead. Your dead is like the others. I'm so joyous you're not here. I'm not the way. I'm claiming it's coming back to the muscle. We went into Sawyer's room. Harold wasn't there. Nor was Sawyer's gun. I suppose the Harold had picked it up on this way to the room.
I decided to go out to the muscle and see if Joyce was right. To see if Harold's dead body would be found there. Joyce wouldn't remain in the house alone. So together we started out through the rain show night. Not when we went into the police some day. If this is something supernatural, then they wouldn't be able to help us anyway. David! What's the matter? Musseling doors. You can stay here if you want. I'll go with you. Stay close to me, Joyce. I will. I don't like it in here, David.
Neither do I. What you're going to remain here for so long is I. That was Harold's voice. That's right. But in the flash laddhan. You can see me then. We thought you... Then? Hardly. But you too will be very soon. Is it gone, David? That's right, so is gone. Plan this very carefully, David. When the police arrive, they'll find the three of you dead and I'll be wounded. Tell them that Sawyer was behind it all, but he killed both of you. And he came into the house searching for me.
Who was a fight? The gun went off? And he died. And you killed Emily and Sawyer. Yes. I'm going to kill both of you, too. You don't think I believe all that hookah might fed you but Uncle Amos is coming back to you? Of course not. It's served as purpose. Now you'll serve yours. I'll look out and back up. How stupid do you think I am? Uncle Amos is calling and slipping. He's dead, Joyce. Uncle Amos. What did you say? Remember what Uncle Amos said when he was dying?
But he'd come back and settle with us. The coffin. I wonder if it was just an accident that it slipped out of the crypt? Or whether Uncle Amos really did come back? So runs the night tale of the unusual, the terrifying, the unknown. Join us again when next week journey down the corridors of the Hall of Fantasy. To hear another strange tale of the supernatural. All characters and events portrayed in these programs are fictional.
And any similarity to actual events or persons living or dead is purely coincidental. And we're back with old-time radio essentials. This is Paul with Pete and Pat. And that was an episode of the Hall of the Hall of the Fantasy. Originally broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System on January 26, 1953. And now, Pete, since this was your pick, please tell us why you chose the Hall of Fantasy. And why you chose this particular episode?
Well, I chose it mainly because we haven't talked about the Hall of Fantasy yet. And it's Halloween. We're releasing this on actually on Halloween, the 31st of October, 2024. So I had promised I know an episode of Sherlock Holmes. But since we're in October, I thought we skipped that for the time being. Postpone that and go with a scary, scary, in quotation marks episode. I have a long history with the Hall of Fantasy.
And especially this particular episode, this paired with the shadow people were my very first two episodes of Hall of Fantasy that I heard back in about 1987 or so. I was home on leave to Central Illinois and was visiting my folks and went to see my cousin. My cousin was married to a guy who also liked old time radio. And he listened to a show on the public radio station called Do You Remember These on WCBU, the public radio station.
And he had made a bunch of tapes recordings of these various shows. And then let me borrow them so I could dub them myself. And so two of them were these episodes of The Hall of Fantasy. And at the time, I thought they were kind of corny, but I enjoyed them. And especially the black figurine of death. So that's why it chose this. And so we're here today to talk about this episode that I first listened to nearly 40 years ago. So it was your entry drug. Well, not too narrow one.
My entry drug to The Hall of Fantasy, but not to old time radio, which I've been listening to since the 70s. So that's how old I am. My origin story with old time radio begins with the war. The world's my parents bought an LP of the radio show from the Longine Symphony Net Society. But that's all I'm going to say about that. So, and I borrowed that record, a copy of it from my local library, and the one thing that stuck in my mind about war the world was where he meets the squirrel.
Yeah, the little wild animal that that was the one thing that really stuck in my kid brain for some reason. My favorite bit was when he met the soldier, the National Guardsman. Yeah, but anyway, we're not talking about the war the war. This one. So, let me get in my opinion to this overall. The Hall of Fantasy is. How should I put it? Contrived. Corny. Stop me if you have any arguments.
I'm not sure if you've been impacted badly written with a lot of leaps that you have to kind of say, OK, that shouldn't be happening, but OK, the stories keep the stories moving on. So just forget about that for a second and we move on. And then we just read this episode with this particular one, it's like so weird because the lawyers there, right, and he's trying to explain everybody that you have to live in the house for how long wasn't a year, a year, a year in the house.
And if anybody dies, then the remainder goes to the room. And then we're going to be living, which is never a good, never ever a good sign. It's just asking for somebody to die within the first couple of minutes, but who dies first, elementary guns, who dies first, the housekeeper for some reason she dies first, but that's just that's like a taste. And look, there's a little black figurine of death right next to her and it's broken. Oh my gosh.
And as the story moves on, it just becomes more and more, it just rises to this level of ridiculousness and then boom, it's over and you say, huh, wow, wow. So anyway, it was very low budget when you have one guy writing a whole series and he's the only writer, then you're going to get a lot of similarities, you're going to get a guy is just pretending to rapidly type and moving his hands,
but two fingers typing back and forth. That's the case you don't have the visual as what he's doing. Yeah, it's just a, well, will it be for could do it and our chowler could do it and our chowler, although our chowler had his own problems. Oh, yeah, he did. But these guys Cooper and Obler are like number one and number two Richard Thorne is down there with 12 14. The same guy who wrote dark fantasy was a great bishop or something like that. Something like that. Yeah, so he's down there.
And I mean, if people in Utah probably really enjoyed it when it first came out and they thought, hey, we got our, hey, we got our own radio show here in Utah, however they talk in Utah. And then it moves to Chicago. Then we lost it. And the problem with Chicago is that's where lights out originated. So Chicago and knew how it's supposed to sound. You got to compete with stuff like that.
And so in my opinion, it was sorely lacking back when I first heard it in the 80s. I was younger and wasn't as jaded. The thousands of thousands and wasn't writing my own scripts. So before you became a connoisseur. This before I became an award reading audio, drop of this. Yeah, but you know, when you write a lot of stuff, it actually does change how your mind perceives stuff like working in professional theaters and seeing the best of the best.
And I can't just sit back and watch a show or listen to a radio show or something because my brain is saying, no, no, no, this is what should be do it. This is what should be done. And that's the way I feel about a lot of modern audio drama. They try to introduce so many of the of the factors of old time radio with the third person narrator and things like that.
And using the narrator as a crutch when sound effects or music or better dialogue could tell the story. So I just wasn't impressed with this. I brought it so that we could have something to discuss because we usually agree and really like what the other people bring. And so here, you know, I wanted to change things up a bit. So that's all I have to say about that.
Okay, I got notes here and yeah, we do agree about just the quality of the writing and all that. And this I was listening to it. And there are so many logical flaws. Number one, Uncle Amos, who is dying. Like I've been at somebody's deathbed. I've seen a lot of old movies with deathbed scenes. This guy sounds healthy as a horse. No way this guy is suddenly dying unless somebody gives him some serious tranquilizer shot or something like that. And it's so arbitrary that he just suddenly.
And he's done. It was it was the black figurine of death. Speaking of which, how many of those damn figurines are there? Like the housekeeper, you know, first there's the old guy and he dies. And oh, it's broken in three pieces. Oh, symbolism. Nice. There's three of us. And the housekeeper finds the thing and she's freaked out and she takes it. But only hers. It's all in one piece. So now we've got two of the damn things.
And then she dies and it breaks. Okay. But then another one turns up like what did somebody buy a whole bunch from a carnival supply place? Like what? A cute doll or something? He's going to buy these figurines and you move. They make such a big deal of, you know, the old guy saying, oh, well, you didn't visit me until now. And I'm going to come back.
Okay, that's just way too convenient. And then it doesn't make any sense at all. Even, you know, at the end where the casket falls. Oh, well, he said he'd come back. What? It was a rainy night. Hello. You know, like there is no explanation of this and there should be something like even if it does work out. It's a coincidence that. Oh, that the foundation was rotting and it was raining and that, but you know, I did listen to a few other episodes and there are way better episodes than this.
The shadow people, which I think is a man. It's a little bit better. I think it's a little bit better. I listened to the night the fog came, which is really reminiscent of an art, a little bit or thing. It reminded me of the dark.
Oh, they of course, there's no people flipping inside out and stuff like that. So yeah, the night the fog came and the final episode, the castle of Levoca, which that one, that one, they think it was actually a repeat of an episode done previously with another title, but the storyline sounds very much the same.
So it, you know, just the whole concept of this couple goes and that they're in the visit place in Romania, Transylvania and they are warned that this, you know, this count comes from the castle when he goes riding at night in the wolves follow and how all war always breaks out after that. Well, guess what? The American tourists were visiting there at the end of August in 1939.
Oh, the war came. It was another foreshadowing, but these two are actually passively good. Although, again, the writer's brain in the castle of Levoca, they are listening to a villager, an older villager who has experienced this thing before he's telling the story. And yet he uses the word luminescence and luminescence comes up in a number of these scripts, like, I listened to four of them and word luminescence comes up in, I think, three or maybe all four. Yeah.
The $1 for that word, I'm going to use it. Yeah, but you know, I'm thinking, okay, this is a present he talks in the accent of the village or he is so scared and he is talking about the end of a sudden there was a luminescence in the air. The accent. He didn't even he didn't even he didn't even couch it and I'll you say luminescence. It's almost like you could do a drinking game. Listen, okay, when's he going to say it when so we're going to come up in the sepposite.
There it is. Now we can have a shot. I mean, waiting to say this, this would have been a much better episode. It had been called the black cupidol of death. Yes. You mentioned cupidol is about 10 minutes ago. But it's, you know, and the other logical holes, like, you know, it's all set up. He's going to haunt me. It's going to get his revenge. You're going to wish that you would never inherited this.
How did he know that the psychopathic sibling was going to try and off the other two? Like, how did you know you set up all this great stuff and then no, you've got nothing to do with it. You're dead. You're not coming back. It's the psychopathic sibling there. Harold. Harold powered. What's his face that I told you he knew because you was the black figurine of death. Which one of them? Okay, the black figurines of death.
Yeah. And other stuff like, the reading of the will, he starts reading it and they say, oh, no, no, you don't have to tell us all this. You told us all this before. Just tell us what we're doing. Okay, yeah, get to the good stuff. Also, the reading of the will takes that long. You're doing it at the house. You're not doing it in the lawyer's office. Number two, you're doing it. So it runs really late at night. Like you skipped past the other stuff.
You're just getting to the good stuff and it's late at night already. So late that it takes forever to read it and it's best if the lawyer spends the night there. And why is the lawyer creeping around just because the housekeeper comes around like that that's too blatant. Oh, will it throw some suspicion on the lawyer he's creeping around. Why does he just happen to be there again, it's, you know, Willis Cooper wouldn't have done that. Our trouble or wouldn't have done that.
And the cops like some of that may have been padding. Maybe he had like a 15 minute program that he had to head out to the 30 minute. Yeah, and co incompetent were the cops like, you know, it's been six, six weeks. Who is at the house that could have committed the murder like, you know, even the most dumb ass cop would, you know, just come up with a warrant, hold them in custody, break them over the
calls, all the rest of it, like, who could possibly have done it? Well, you got your three possible suspects right there. It's taken you six weeks and you said, well, no, that's something comes up. There's nothing we can do. We got no idea. What else have I gotten here? Oh, yeah, and you've got here lines like the guy mentions that when he goes out to the mausoleum there, it is drizzling a bit.
And yet he he a few like minute or so later says, I walked not noticing the light rain falling on me. Okay, if you didn't notice it, how can you even mention it in your narration? What's the point of thinking about that? Like, he was saying he was purposefully ignoring it. I don't think he said purposefully, no, he was just walking and what he meant to say was that he he ignored it, did not let it bother him.
Yeah, or he ignored is the word you want, not, you know, I did not notice, especially because a line earlier, he had mentioned, you know, and it was raining, but you don't say not noticing when you mean ignoring. Like, there is a difference between the words, I know this is semantics, but it bugs me. Yeah, it is just it leaves a great deal to be desired and also even worse, the fact this was done out of Chicago this episode.
And he used the gong. I'm sorry, but you hear that gong and it's so linked with lights out. Yeah, it is. Yeah, it's almost like you are deliberately making people think of my, and comparing, I don't think so. I think it was a different network, because I think this was mutual. Yeah, although, and DC, yeah. And then later on, they did it again, and it was mutual, I think, but you know, at this point, it's.
It's like they tried, and I think this episode would have been better if it hadn't been like this whole murder mystery thing. It's almost like, well, I've got this murder mystery idea. Yeah, but we got to make it super nice. I know I'll put in this bit about the the uncle saying he'll haunt them in the little statues and things. It just it feels like someone tried to jam it together and it didn't really fit. It is a camel of a script.
The idea that a camel was like all these different elements just thrown together. Right. And you get this bizarre thing or the platypus. I was just going to say platypus. The other episodes I listened to really where it was pure supernatural, like the castle one, the castle of La Volca. And the night the fog came, those are more supernatural. You don't have like this murder mystery idea that you're trying to jam in there. Those two episodes are far better than this.
The shadow people is is actually supernatural as well. About people who don't exist during the day, but they come out at night and they can only be seen in complete blackness somehow. Yeah. God. That's a good that's a much better one. And I'm sorry I had meant to reach out and say let's change it to the shadow people, but. But I said what the hell doesn't make any difference. We're going to have a this will present a more lively discussion. Yes, it will. Yes, it will. Anything else Pat?
No, no. It's supposed to say. Wow. All I can say is thank God I don't do my own radio drama. And thank God. Pat's not my editor. Ernie entrails leaving. Everywhere. But you'd have a much better story if she was. Yeah, I just wouldn't be around to see it because I'm dead. Yeah, it was like you said a little campy when it starts off the whole. I was like the fun to see. I was kind of like, oh my god, what are we getting into? And it just keeps going. It's like, wow, they're.
They're just keep going forward with that whole field. Aren't they? Oh, and right to beginning. I'm sorry. Whoever the hell is their fully artist needs to get fired. Yeah. Yeah, the opening echo footsteps. They sounded like wet farts. I'm sorry. I just lost it listening to that. Like it sounds like really wet, really love farts. And that's a pre-rewarding opening. It's the same every episode. So it's just it was really. And we hear that nowadays with modern sound editing. If you.
If you over process it, then it's out. Then everything sounds like that. So it must be what the situation was. They just applied too much echo to it. I think they're in the 1950s era. Sound. I don't think they knew it too much echo meant. Back then probably not. Yeah. But really, I'm surprised nobody listened to it and said, um, guys, that that sounds kind of rude. Are we sure we want to go with that? I don't know. I didn't get hurt the first time. Sorry, I'll listen to it again.
The whole of fantasy. Yes. Brought to you by Bini Weenie. My bushes baked B. But yeah, it was. I felt good for some of the picks I've had in my past now. Especially. I'm not sure if you're going to be a friend Bieber. Exactly. Exactly. I think it sounds like cake spear suddenly. And so yeah, it was very. It's almost like, hey, I can't come up with a script for this week. How about little Tommy, the male boy, you know, the paper delivery boy. You got a story. I got something I've been working on.
All right. Let's see what you got. That'll work. What the hell? It's only one episode. We've got a contract. So nobody will ever hear it again. Yeah. Exactly. Burn that script when you're done. But yeah, it was. Not pleasurable. I said, Patrick, I'm better man than I am. Gun good in because you listen to more of the episodes. I couldn't bring myself to it. I was like, maybe someday if I have enough to drink and this happens to be sitting there. Oh, what the hell will listen to the whole fantasy?
Oh, there were a few I tried to listen to and just I gave up pretty fast. Like, this is crap. This is car. I this is cringe worthy. I can't stand this one. Let me see if there's another episode that looks a bit better. And that's how I found, you know, those those ones that I found were better. Mind you, it's not that difficult to find a better episode than this one. I feel like I've been automatically mugged. It's going to wake up in the corner, slaver, and you're like, what the hell happened?
And what's this funny little black statue? Just for that, I'm going to snap your black figurine in the past. So I think that's about it for my input on the thing. It wasn't great. No, no, it wasn't great. We ready to vote. Is that it for everybody? Everybody good? Good. Okay. Let's vote. Were we voting on dear listener? As a reminder, we are voting on one.
Whether this particular episode is a true representative installment of the overall series and B. That it is a true essential standalone show that belongs in every radio efficient out of his collection. And again, Pete, since this was your bastard, Gile, you go. Okay. Well, first let me apologize. Although although it did it did promote some lively discussion, which is what you know what we're all about here.
And not only bring the good, but also the bad and the questionable so that we can either offer it to our listeners or warn our listeners. So I would have to say one. Yes, this is representative over the overall series. And it's nearly all of them that I've heard are corny, poorly written, full of logical fallacies. And if that's good, if that's a good description. And, and then questionable endings, et cetera, et cetera.
So and then B, of course, it does not belong in any radio efficient out of his collection. Unless they're just trying to get the full set of a particular series. So they have it. It's it's not a good show. It's got a couple of close ones like Pat said, there are a couple of close ones that nearly fit the bill. But with the overall production value, the near lack of sound effects, the the cheap sounding organ music and so on.
It's just a, it's a child of its time, the late 50s, when radio was dying down and budgets were small. That's probably what we're, what why we're hearing what we're hearing with this particular series. And that's here end of the sermon. What do you go to say? Well, I do agree with what Pete said about it. It is not the best. I would say it's kind of something you listen to to teach you how not to do it. It's sort of a cautionary example, but you learn from mistakes.
So if you can learn from somebody else's mistakes, great. It saves you a lot of trouble. The other episodes that I've found, you know, they are better things to have in your collection. But overall, I'd say with this, you might want to have it sort of as examples of bad old time radio or old time radio where, you know, it just proves that the best of the best, not everybody can do it like that. In fact, it is a rare talent and then to be able to put in the work to make it work.
So yeah, it does leave a lot to be desired. Massacus might like it in their collection. Massacistic writers. But yeah. Please, sir, we'll have another. Play it faster, play it faster. Oh, the fires are so good. It is definitely a no for me, except as a cautionary tale or for literary musclekists. Okay, great. Well, I give it two thumbs up. I thought it was one of the better pieces of radio I heard my entire life. I am. You are you are a luminescent to me now. Wait, let me check.
No, my the check didn't clear yet. Screw them. This thing sucked. It was. Yeah, like, like I told you earlier, it made me feel much better about the choices I have made. I have been in shows that I have painted for a few years. And I just couldn't believe it when it first started. And it's like the. The echo was so renounced on the thing. And then they start coming in with the shoes. You know, with the foli artist with the feet coming in. It's like.
They got a box of boots and threw them down the stairs or something. I'm not. Well, you think he's a hall of fantasy isn't like a long hallway. Yeah, you know, it's like a room like a meeting hall, you know, or a mausoleum or a. Just a large space echo. We place, but here it's apparently a corridor. Is it called it the corridor or fantasy? And that heavy echo reminded me of, you know, Stan Freiberg spoofed that with it's heartbreak hotel. Yeah, the one.
Yeah. And it's just the echo, the echo, the echo. But yeah, I mean, and you're listening to it going, these are trained professionals, the scriptwriter. I mean, it just wasn't a very good story. And it was almost like everything that you would expect to happen. If you set your sights low enough, happened, you know, or if you have no idea what the hell to expect from old time radio, you would still probably go, well, I'm going to guess this is probably what happens in old time radio. I was right.
I'm never listening to this shit again. Yeah, this essentially would turn people off from audio drama period. And it's stuff like this, stuff like this is why you get people who think that doing old time radio means yes, and then we've got to go into the mausoleum now. And you know, that kind of over the top. Yeah, it's because remember. You have trained professional like us to show this to you in the matter of which it should be received.
So you don't take it with too much sincerity, you know, you don't take it too serious. You just realize that even back then they were doing things just for the accountants, you know, it's like we got to get a story out. No matter what the hell it is, that's what I'm saying. I have the special effects because that costs more money. This is Richard's story. And the other thing you got to remember is this was done in what 1953 54.
Now was the time when you had a lot of network shows that were sustained, sustaining because sponsors had pulled their money out of radio. We're putting it in TV. And that left a lot of creative freedom so they could do things they could take creative risks and story risks that they couldn't when you had a sponsor breathing down your neck saying, Oh, you can't say that or you can't do that. You're going to offend somebody. You know, the League of scared men.
It is what I think it was Elliott Lewis called advertising men like the sponsors reps, you know, the League of scared gentlemen because they're always terrified. Oh, you can't say that. But you know, what if somebody gets offended because they're missing a finger, you can't have this character missing a finger or something like that. So they're taking these incredible creative risks and it's amazing the stuff they were doing and then you got this.
Yeah. At the same time, the same point in radio history. Seriously Pete, your script writer, start writing a parody called the League of the League of scared gentlemen, the League of frightened men. Yeah. And the corridor of fantasy. Yeah, that sounds like it would really be funny. Seriously. Yeah. If I could write, I would start on that right now. Well, you can't say it's lucky that bullet missed us because our sponsors Chesterfield, you don't want to say lucky because you're doing a proper.
Honest to God that did happen. Why did that happen? No, yeah, not shocked at all. Okay, is there a cigarette brand called fortunate? No, okay, then use that word. Where were you in the page with blank? Is there a brand is a grant called 45 revolver? Okay, well, that was interesting. Well, after make notes on that, we got to make notes on that. That could be funny. Okay, so I think we're all in agreement here for one in for B. That's good. That's good.
So we can't recommend the Hall of Fantasy and we can't say anything good about it. So if you do listen to it and you find something that you like out there, keep it to yourself. I like the farty sound effects. Okay, I'm like an episode, an episode that if a listener finds an episode, let us know about it. You know, I think how much better everything else will sound after this. True, true. Yep. You don't know light without dark. True. Absolutely true. So we're getting really deep here, folks.
Put your boots on. Put your boots on. This brings us to the end of episode 44 or if you live in a parallel universe, episode seven of season four, with Paul RBC, Pat Rosemank and me, Pete Lutz. Next go around, it'll be Pat's pick and what show will you be bringing us Pat? Good question. I do. We put that table that for now and we'll let everybody know in the time. Yeah, let's table that for now. Okay. I've got a few possibilities, but yeah, think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.
My next line starts sound like a good one, Pat. Sorry. I think it would be that. And now Paul, Pat, tell the masses what they need to know. Old time radio essentials is a production of 63 audio, a proud member of the mutual audio network. Subscribe on any pod catcher you may use by searching under mutual audio network and or Narada radio company. You can also find all of our episodes on the moonlight audio theater feed, which is Canadian A. Okay, whatever.
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So be sure to drop us a line and thank you. Okay. Sure. I think we've wasted enough of these fine people's time. So let's wrap things up. Hey, thanks, Paulie. Thanks, Pat. And please, dear listener, join us next time. Won't you for another fun installment of all time radio essentials. Happy Halloween and bye bye for now. Goodbye, siblings. See you later. Bye bye. We silly people. Ha ha ha! Wait a minute. Gets comfortable and lear-son. Did it suddenly get cold in here? Ha ha ha ha!
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