Terror on the Air!: Horror Radio in America, 1931-1952

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The macabre world of monsters, killers on the loose and revenge from beyond the grave existed not only in the movies, but also on the radio before television’s dominance in American homes. One of many distinct genres born of early broadcasting, horror radio thrilled millions. Creeping out of the speaker night after night came stories that chilled the listening public–everything from creature features to sophisticated noir suspense. So eager were Americans to be scared that nearly 80 horror programs aired every week in the late 1940s. This first full-length study of golden age horror radio focuses on six representative programs, starting with The Witch’s Tale in 1931 and ending with The Mysterious Traveler in 1952. Each chapter provides the reader with a critically and historically informed study of one series. The book ends with a look at the demise of horror radio and its influence. Photographs are a delightful revelation, revealing the previously unseen (but much heard) work of stars like Agnes Moorehead and Orson Welles as they broadcast famous tales of terror.