Show notes
This Friday on "Friday Night Noir" on Vintage Classic Radio, we'll journey back into the shadowy corners of classic radio drama with two chilling episodes that have kept audiences on the edge of their seats for decades.First up, we delve into the eerie world of "Murder at Midnight" with the episode "The Dead Hand," originally broadcast in 1946. This gripping tale weaves a narrative around a strange and macabre discovery—a man's severed hand, which becomes the centerpiece of a dark and twisted murder investigation. As detectives dive deeper, they uncover a story of revenge, betrayal, and a curse that haunts those who come into contact with the dead hand. While specific cast information from this era can be elusive, "Murder at Midnight" episodes typically featured voice talents like Raymond Morgan, who also served as the announcer, with music by Charles Paul enhancing the spine-tingling atmosphere. This episode, like many from the series, is a masterpiece of suspense and horror that embodies the essence of noir.Following "The Dead Hand," we'll switch off the lights for "Lights Out," presenting the episode titled "The Author and The Thing" from September 28th, 1943. This story brings us into the world of Arch Oboler, the creative force behind "Lights Out," both as its writer and director. In this self-referential tale, Oboler dramatizes his own struggle with writer's block in a uniquely horrifying way. The episode centers around an author, presumably a stand-in for Oboler himself, who is tormented by a monstrous creation of his own imagination. The creature, intended to be the subject of his next horror tale, takes on a life of its own, threatening to escape the confines of fiction and enter the real world. The cast for this episode included well-known voices of the era, such as Frank Lovejoy, Mercedes McCambridge, and Arch Oboler himself, providing a meta-commentary on the nature of creation and the power of the mind. "The Author and The Thing" stands out for its inventive storytelling and its blurring of the lines between creator and creation.Both "The Dead Hand" and "The Author and The Thing" are exemplary instances of vintage radio drama that continue to thrill and engage listeners with their atmospheric storytelling and unforgettable characters. Join us this Friday on Vintage Classic Radio for a night of mystery, horror, and suspense that will transport you back to the golden age of noir radio drama.