From Radio & TV Horror History… to The Darkroom (1981)

Step into the shadows with Forgotten TV as we uncover the eerie history behind ABC’s short-lived 1981 anthology series Darkroom, hosted by James Coburn. In this feature-length episode, we trace the chilling lineage of radio and television horror—from the crackling terror of The Witch’s Tale and Lights Out to the haunting glow of TV anthologies like The Twilight Zone, Thriller, and Night Gallery. You’ll hear the story of how Darkroom was hastily developed in the wake of a Hollywood writers’ strike, explore its behind-the-scenes production struggles, and revisit its twisted tales—each one a macabre snapshot from television’s forgotten gallery of nightmares. Along the way, we’ll shine a light on creators Peter S. Fischer, Robert F. O’Neill, and Christopher Crowe, and examine how Darkroom bridged the gap between old-time radio horror and the TV anthologies that followed—culminating in the 1980s boom of syndicated horror offerings. 🎙️ Into The Darkroom: A Forgotten TV Podcast — turn out your lights… if you dare. Forgotten TV is reader/listener supported. These podcast notes may contain affiliate links to Amazon or other retailers. As an affiliate, Forgotten TV earns royalties from these purchases, at no extra cost to you.  Researching and producing podcasts and articles is extremely time consuming. Please consider financially supporting Forgotten TV in any of the following ways: SUPPORT FORGOTTEN TV ON PATREON Support Forgotten TV with Paypal Buy Me a Coffee Shop the Forgotten TV Merch Store Original audio clips included are for the purposes of historical context, review, commentary, and criticism only and are not intended to infringe. Some music used under license from Epidemic Sound. If you need music for your podcast or YouTube channel, please visit Epidemic Sound.  Be sure to check out new partner Q106.5, the home of 80s and 90s hits at Q1065.com Forgotten TV is not affiliated with or authorized by any production company or TV network involved in the making of any TV show or film mentioned. All TV series, films, and characters are copyright and property of their respective rights holders. Copyright 2025 Forgotten TV Media