Dark Fantasy | Old Time Radio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Thing from the Darkness,” episode 20, originally broadcast April 3, 1942. This sustained NBC production was written by Scott Bishop.Freelance pilot Donald Thurman accepts a paid desert flight to Mantilla, only to be forced down by a blinding sandstorm. Rescued into the isolated settlement of Santea and left temporarily unable to see, he encounters Princess Ilana, King Tinasi, and the warrior Eivan amid forbidding customs, mounting suspicion, and the menace of a royal leopard pit. Ben Morris stars as Thurman, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Princess Ilana.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast24:42 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Sea Phantom,” episode 12, originally broadcast February 6, 1942. This supernatural seafaring drama was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of series writer George Marion Hamaker, and produced and directed by John I. Prosser for the NBC Red Network.A voyage in search of the legendary Sea Phantom’s lost gold takes a disturbing turn when Isaac discovers an impossible visitor in Captain Strong’s locked cabin—and a cryptic message written on the captain’s slate. As Captain Strong and Mr. Wilson follow its directions, they draw closer to a silent vessel from another time.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:50 Original Broadcast26:55 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Edge of the Shadow,” episode 21, originally broadcast April 10, 1942. This original radio play was written by Scott Bishop and produced and directed by John I. Prosser for the NBC Red Network.On a Vermont dairy farm, Steven Fuller is troubled by a vivid nightmare whose details seem to reappear in his waking life. As strange signs gather around the barn, his marriage and the low-flying aircraft overhead take on an increasingly ominous significance. Ben Morris stars as Steven Fuller, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Martha Fuller.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:45 Original Broadcast25:34 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Death Is a Savage Deity,” episode 11, originally broadcast on January 30, 1942. This NBC production, originating from WKY in Oklahoma City, was adapted from Scott Bishop’s novel of the same name.After tragedy strikes a wealthy household, Dolores and those around her face a mounting series of unsettling misfortunes. Attention turns toward her stern Aunt Juana, whose years in Haiti are shadowed by whispers of witchcraft and black magic. As the family’s lawyer searches for answers, fear and suggestion deepen the menace.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:41 Original Broadcast25:19 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Curse of the Neanderthal,” episode 8, originally broadcast January 9, 1942. This 25-minute supernatural drama aired on the NBC Red Network and was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker.When artist Amanda Loveland is stranded by a landslide in haunted Nanaw Canyon, a mysterious apparition leads her toward safety—and an unsettling figure begins to appear in her unfinished painting. Joined by her husband and a friend, Amanda returns to the canyon, where prehistoric remains and a cryptic stone tablet draw anthropologist Dr. Gustaf into a discovery with ominous implications. Directed and produced by John I. Prosser.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:55 Original Broadcast24:49 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Superstition Be Hanged,” episode 17, originally broadcast on March 13, 1942. Written by Scott Bishop, this Friday-the-13th tale was produced at WKY in Oklahoma City for the NBC Red Network.At a traveling circus, famed trapeze artist Flyer Samson prepares a dangerous new act without a safety net. When a fortune-teller warns Samson, Ruby Brooks, and Barker Kilby of a grim fate—and gives them a strange white feather marked with dove’s blood—superstition, spectacle, and suspicion gather beneath the big top. Ben Morris, Erma Rae, Garland Moss, and Murillo Schofield star.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast25:57 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “I Am Your Brother,” episode 29, originally broadcast on June 5, 1942. This NBC Red Network sustaining production was written by Scott Bishop, a pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker.At a medical college, Dr. Julius recounts the troubling history of Stephan, a gifted surgeon whose intellect and knowledge appear to reach beyond ordinary human limits. Featuring Ben Morris as Dr. Julius, Bloyce Wright as Stephan, and Muir Hite as Dr. Carl Miller, this science-fiction-tinged weird mystery moves from childhood memories to the shadowed confines of a medical laboratory.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:44 Original Broadcast29:43 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy, “Men Call Me Mad,” originally broadcast December 19, 1941, is episode 5 of the NBC supernatural anthology originating from WKY in Oklahoma City.Scientist Dr. Charles Terhune believes he has found evidence of another world hidden within a moonbeam. As he struggles to prove his astonishing discovery, he is drawn toward a realm beyond ordinary human understanding. Written by Scott Bishop, the episode stars Ben Morris as Terhune, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Princess Elena and Fred Wayne as King Londolier.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:39 Original Broadcast25:28 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy, episode 3, “The Thing from the Sea,” originally broadcast November 28, 1941. This early 24-minute installment was produced and directed by John I. Prosser for WKY in Oklahoma City, before the series became an NBC network production.Hollywood star Philip Hayward sails for New Zealand aboard his private yacht with actress Judy Johnson and her film-director father. When the yacht is mysteriously immobilized despite its sound engines, troubling dreams and an uncanny presence from the deep draw the passengers toward an uncharted remnant of an ancient undersea civilization. Written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George M. Hamaker.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:51 Original Broadcast25:28 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “A Delicate Case of Murder,” episode 14, originally broadcast on February 20, 1942. This NBC supernatural drama originated from WKY in Oklahoma City and was written by Scott Bishop, a pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker.At the Winsteds’ home, Laura Winsted conducts a late-night séance for a small, uneasy gathering. Her skeptical husband Harvey, along with guests Frederica Keaton and Rogers, finds old tensions and divided loyalties rising as the sitting turns increasingly unsettling. Georgianna Cook and Ben Morris star.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:44 Original Broadcast26:04 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Funeral Arrangements Completed,” episode 26, originally broadcast on May 15, 1942. Written by Scott Bishop for NBC, this Oklahoma City production was retitled shortly before broadcast from an earlier Crime Patrol version, “A Coffin for Two.”Richard and Emily Longacre set out to claim an unexpected inheritance: the long-shuttered Merryvale estate of Richard’s late aunt, Priscilla. But a stop at a lonely inn brings disturbing warnings about the estate, the doctor who summoned them, and what may be waiting beyond Merryvale’s boarded windows. Alf Daniels and Eleanor Naylor Corin star as Richard and Emily Longacre.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:45 Original Broadcast24:45 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Letter from Yesterday,” episode 24, originally broadcast May 1, 1942. Written by Scott Bishop and directed by John I. Prosser, this NBC Red Network production originated from WKY in Oklahoma City.Inventor Adam Chase meets librarian Cecily Marshall while researching hydrokinetics, and their shared work soon becomes something more personal. But a troubling break in their correspondence—and the discovery of a long-hidden cache of undelivered letters—draws their future into the shadow of a decades-old mystery. Ben Morris and Eleanor Naylor star.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:49 Original Broadcast25:05 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Debt from the Past,” episode 9, originally broadcast on January 16, 1942. This NBC sustaining production was produced and directed by John J. Prosser and features guest star Jane Wyatt as Mary Billings.Seeking work in 1942, young stenographer Mary Billings answers an unusual classified ad that summons her to Room 1313 of the Temple Building at midnight. What begins as a promising interview with the enigmatic Mr. Gibson becomes an eerie encounter with an office—and an obligation—that seem to belong to another time. Written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George M. Hamaker.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:47 Original Broadcast25:34 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy, “Demon Tree,” originally broadcast December 5, 1941, is episode 4 of the NBC Red Network supernatural anthology. Written by Scott Bishop—the pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker—and produced and directed by John I. Prosser, this WKY, Oklahoma City production was carried nationally as a sustaining program.While awaiting a stage to London at a gloomy English inn, four holidaying friends hear a troubling local warning and discover an old account of deaths tied to Barlow Forest. When Crane finds a possible connection to his own family, the group follows a narrow woodland path in search of the legendary strangling oak. The cast includes Eleanor Naylor Caughron, Ben Morris, Garland Moss, and Murillo Schofield.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:47 Original Broadcast24:25 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Spawn of the Subhuman,” episode 15, originally broadcast on February 27, 1942. This NBC sustaining drama was written by series creator Scott Bishop and originated from WKY in Oklahoma City.Acclaimed soprano Adela Rhodes and her companion Michael Brock charter a plane for Mexico, but Adela’s growing sense of dread recalls the unexplained disappearance of her former fiancé years earlier. After an unsettling stop along the way, their journey leads toward an isolated encounter with the mysterious Dr. Luther and his disturbing musical ambitions. Eleanor Naylor Caughron stars as Adela, with Ben Morris as Michael Brock and Garland Moss as Dr. Luther.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:52 Original Broadcast25:22 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Man with the Scarlet Satchel,” episode 16, originally broadcast on NBC on March 6, 1942. This WKY, Oklahoma City production was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker, and features Fred Wayne as Peter Craig and Ben Morris as Sam Willard.An aging electrical engineer’s affairs become the focus of growing unease when his lawyer and nurse confront a suspicious will, a child’s modeling clay, and Peter Craig’s unforgettable scarlet satchel. Set amid a wealthy home, an inventor’s laboratory, and the shadow of a mausoleum, this uncanny tale turns secrets, guilt, and revenge into something far beyond the ordinary.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:56 Original Broadcast26:16 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “W Is for Werewolf,” episode 13, originally broadcast February 13, 1942. This NBC Red Network production originated at WKY in Oklahoma City and was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George Marion Hamaker.Jim Howard, his wife Angela, and their infant daughter visit Jim’s old friend Dr. Bill Andrews at Cape Howe, crossing to Andrews’s isolated island cabin for what should be a holiday. But books on lycanthropy, a troubled young son, ominous warnings from the household servant, and strange sounds in the night soon make the island feel far from welcoming. Ben Morris stars as Jim Howard, with Garland Moss as Dr. Andrews.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:58 Original Broadcast26:04 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The House of Bread,” episode 6, originally broadcast December 26, 1941. This unusual Christmas-season installment was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George M. Hamaker, and originated on the NBC Red Network from WKY in Oklahoma City.After an uncanny evening at his typewriter, writer Scott Bishop is drawn into a dreamlike search for the meaning of the cryptic “House of Bread.” Joined by Sonya, he follows a trail shaped by faith, doubt, and the possibility of finding a profound truth. Ben Morris stars as Bishop, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Sonya and Garland Moss as the mysterious Word.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:51 Original Broadcast25:58 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Rendezvous with Satan,” episode 28, originally broadcast on May 29, 1942. This NBC sustaining drama was written by Scott Bishop and produced by WKY in Oklahoma City.At Carl Fisher’s funeral, a disturbing sign suggests that death may not have settled his accounts. Confronted by Satan, Fisher is offered a narrow chance to escape damnation—one that draws him back into the resentments, relationships, and moral debts of his ruthless life. Ben Morris stars as Carl Fisher, with Fred Wayne as Satan.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:40 Original Broadcast29:28 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Resolution” (also cataloged as “Resolution, 1841”), episode 7, originally broadcast January 2, 1942. This New Year-themed supernatural drama was written by Scott Bishop, a pseudonym of George M. Hamaker, and directed by producer John I. Prosser for the NBC Red Network.On New Year’s Eve 1941, Laura Cabot and her friends gather at her centuries-old family cabin near Quincy, Massachusetts, where newcomer Duke Tobac seems strangely familiar with both Laura and the house. As snow and wind seal them in, an old Cabot family promise begins to shadow the holiday celebration. Minnie Jo Curtis stars as Laura Cabot, with Charles Carshon as Duke Tobac.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:42 Original Broadcast25:00 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Convoy for Atlantis,” episode 19, originally broadcast March 27, 1942. This NBC Red Network production originated from WKY in Oklahoma City and was written by Scott Bishop from an idea suggested by Ken Wright.Reporter Harvey Adams and yacht owner Winston Everly investigate a baffling series of Atlantic ship disappearances. The missing vessels’ passengers are found alive in lifeboats but cannot recall what happened, leading the pair toward an unsettling encounter and the enduring legend of Atlantis. Ben Morris stars as Adams, with Murillo Schofield as Everly and Garland Moss as the enigmatic Siegfried. The surviving recording is damaged in places.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:37 Original Broadcast21:50 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “Pennsylvania Turnpike,” episode 18, originally broadcast on NBC on March 20, 1942. Written by Scott Bishop, this supernatural roadside drama originated from WKY in Oklahoma City.At a filling station on the then-new Pennsylvania Turnpike, an elderly hitchhiker unsettles the attendant with his old-fashioned ways, a curious gold coin, and one unwavering demand: he will ride only with a red-haired driver. When Ken Miner arrives looking for Pine Knob, Pennsylvania, a long-delayed journey—and an old mystery—begins to stir.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast27:46 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy episode 27, “Dead Hands Reaching,” originally broadcast on NBC on May 22, 1942. This original radio tale was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George M. Hamaker, and directed and produced by John I. Prosser.Office worker Alan Blaine begins to hear an unseen voice offering unsettling guidance about his career and personal life. After a painful rejection sends him into Chinatown, an opium den, and a drug-shadowed encounter with an ancestor’s diary, Alan is drawn toward an ominous legacy of buried secrets and dread. Ben Morris stars as Alan Blaine, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Judith West.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:47 Original Broadcast25:12 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy, “The Sleeping Death,” originally broadcast June 12, 1942, is episode 30 of the NBC Red Network supernatural-horror series. Written by Scott Bishop and directed by series producer John I. Prosser, it was adapted from the earlier Tales of the Witch-Queen story “The Deathmaker of Shillingham Road.”Mr. Wentworth arrives at the isolated Fairchild Sanitarium with a worsening numbness in his leg and is told that surgery may be his only hope. Yet the sanitarium is said to have been closed for ten years, and its physician—played by Ben Morris—has an unsettling connection to Wentworth’s past. Only the first half of this broadcast is known to survive.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:41 Original Broadcast16:25 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy presents “The Cup of Gold,” episode 25, originally broadcast on May 8, 1942. This NBC sustaining broadcast from WKY in Oklahoma City was written by Scott Bishop, the pseudonym of George M. Hamaker, and produced and directed by John I. Prosser.At a golf championship, a newly victorious player is shot moments before receiving a solid-gold trophy. Sportswriter Lee Saunders investigates the troubled Ruth Candish, a strange mailed parcel of incense, and an ornate cup bearing mysterious writing as a murder case takes an increasingly fantastic turn. Ben Morris stars as Lee Saunders, with Eleanor Naylor Caughron as Ruth Candish.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast25:06 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy, episode 1, “The Man Who Came Back,” originally broadcast November 14, 1941. Written by Scott Bishop and produced by John Prosser, this premiere installment originated from WKY in Oklahoma City for the NBC Red Network.At a masquerade ball in wealthy Keith Granger’s mansion, police officer Casey meets an evasive guest concealed behind a black domino mask. The stranger’s unsettling account of Granger, playwright Philip Blake, and Sylvia suggests that betrayal and violence have left a dangerous past unfinished. Eugene Francis appears as the masked stranger, with Ben Morris as Granger and Fred Wayne as Casey.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:50 Original Broadcast26:06 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Dark Fantasy episode 10, “The Headless Dead,” originally broadcast January 23, 1942. This NBC supernatural thriller was written by Scott Bishop and produced and directed by John I. Prosser.At the Tower of London, skeptical visitor Frederick Holman dismisses tales of ghosts until night watchman Mr. Swifte leads him into the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, where the Tower’s headless dead are said to rest beneath the flagstones. When Holman’s curiosity draws him toward the shadowed choir loft and its pipe organ, history and superstition begin to feel alarmingly close.Old Time Retro Radio presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:50 Original Broadcast26:06 ClosingSupport Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio