Suspense and Horror – Retro Radio Podcast

A tyrant, and commandant of what amounts to an island prison, enjoys the life of comfort and ease. He talks with Marina about the possibility of being replaced soon, and having to give up his reign over the prisoners who act as his personal servants. Yacov is not looking forward to losing his cushy position to return to the mundane life in the bureaucracy at large. A ship sails his way, but an accident… that happened on purpose… causes it to sink. Lifeboats are manned, but all aboard are said to have gone down with the ship. Is the commandant still safe in his position? Apparently not, when his successor has swam the distance from the open sea, quite well, and invigorated. The subtle power struggle continues as pretenses are made to show the newcomer around. How far will Yacov go to ensure his position is secure? Might his best laid plans back fire on him in this island power struggle?

Phil Putnam and Henry Drake had built their factory, and with war demands production has tripled. Henry has been absent minded, forgetting where important papers are, and where he has been in his evenings. Has Drake done something that his mind is suppressing? After a visit to his doctor, Henry follows the suggestion to take time off, and relax his mind from the stresses of the job. Even after time goes by, how will Drake’s memory be? What if his wife, Rita goes away for a few days instead? Soon after, he rushes to his doctor before the scheduled follow up appointment. Has he remembered something? A complete battery of psychological tests are administered. Then it happens. Is it a case of revenge? Has this all been a set up to get away with murder, by leading into a plea of insanity? Regardless, the Whistler knows a secret that is sure to return balance to the universe, and deliver fitting justice.

Convicted of killing a gray headed woman, and her simpleton son, John is sent to prison. With ten years into a life sentence, and with nothing to lose, he takes part in a jail break. On a stormy night, on a lonely country road, a young couple stop when their car has trouble. The old roadside inn looks deserted, but George and his wife Find a strange woman who lets them come in. The creepy, dark inn doesn’t seem to have any lights… or rooms… and their car seems to have disappeared. Is it going to be worth it to stay in the dusty inn for free? Later, another car arrives, with John. When he sees the woman with her simple son, heads covered in blood, their spooky demeanor strikes the fear that is intended. What retribution do the ghostly figures demand? When the cops arrive, will George and Joan be able to explain the body? What about the presence of the strange woman? Do such seemingly supernatural happenings have any natural explanation? The Whistler shares the reality behind the strange events, and the justice that came of it. Bonus Tracks: * Keith compares the method of the spooky voice narrator style to a few other popular shows from the same general era. * Helen O’Connell & Bob Eberly – If You Build A Better Mousetrap 1942

Convicted of killing a gray headed woman, and her simpleton son, John is sent to prison. With ten years into a life sentence, and with nothing to lose, he takes part in a jail break. On a stormy night, on a lonely country road, a young couple stop when their car has trouble. The old roadside inn looks deserted, but George and his wife Find a strange woman who lets them come in. The creepy, dark inn doesn’t seem to have any lights… or rooms… and their car seems to have disappeared. Is it going to be worth it to stay in the dusty inn for free? Later, another car arrives, with John. When he sees the woman with her simple son, heads covered in blood, their spooky demeanor strikes the fear that is intended. What retribution do the ghostly figures demand? When the cops arrive, will George and Joan be able to explain the body? What about the presence of the strange woman? Do such seemingly supernatural happenings have any natural explanation? The Whistler shares the reality behind the strange events, and the justice that came of it. Bonus Tracks: * Keith compares the method of the spooky voice narrator style to a few other popular shows from the same general era. * Helen O’Connell & Bob Eberly – If You Build A Better Mousetrap 1942

Ernest Chapel is your host, and narrator with some of the creepiest shows of the week. He recounts a tale of a recent encounter with a blind man. The blind man claims he can hypnotize a man, even against his will. He has a little audio device, which is very annoying if you ask me, but soon he proves his point. Ray, our narrator, still has trouble believing it. When he returns to talk to the blind man, his secrets aren’t safe. Ray has been putting the moves on the blind man’s wife, and hypnotizes Ray to kill his wife when a certain part of a Symphony is played. As Ray is with her, and confident of his abilities, the blind guy calls the cops. However, due to an accidental blown fuse, their record player stops and the cops don’t find the body that was reported. Ray comes to his senses, and realizes what was intended, then makes his own fool proof plan to kill the blind man. His plan is fool proof, right?

Ernest Chapel is your host, and narrator with some of the creepiest shows of the week. He recounts a tale of a recent encounter with a blind man. The blind man claims he can hypnotize a man, even against his will. He has a little audio device, which is very annoying if you ask me, but soon he proves his point. Ray, our narrator, still has trouble believing it. When he returns to talk to the blind man, his secrets aren’t safe. Ray has been putting the moves on the blind man’s wife, and hypnotizes Ray to kill his wife when a certain part of a Symphony is played. As Ray is with her, and confident of his abilities, the blind guy calls the cops. However, due to an accidental blown fuse, their record player stops and the cops don’t find the body that was reported. Ray comes to his senses, and realizes what was intended, then makes his own fool proof plan to kill the blind man. His plan is fool proof, right?

A radio production crew work on perfecting a murder scene. What’s wrong with the ending? The scipt has been hacked down, and the disgruntled writer is out to write the perfect murder scene if he has to kill somebody to do it. With his final script done, he calls the crew together for a read through. Mr Avery, Lois, and sound affect tools are lined up. The writer, Mr Turner, describes in voiceover, the scene setting in his office. Has Lois ever had a close brush with death before? Her account seems to excite and interest Mr Turner. He spills out his plan, and feelings about being crushed as a creative writer, but will Lois be able to detect that his words are more than hypothetical? The climactic moment arrives when Mr Avery enters. Is the fate of Lois sealed along with her father? Even facing his dead, Avery is still the editor, suggesting a twist to the ending. There’s a struggle, a gunshot, and… the twist ending. Bonus Tracks * Keith shares a brief recap of the harried main character in the show, and a tidbit of trivia about how Suspense fares in popularity pols. * Phil Harris 1950 The Thing. * Abbott and Costello get a fun, but scary visit from Peter Lorre.

A radio production crew work on perfecting a murder scene. What’s wrong with the ending? The scipt has been hacked down, and the disgruntled writer is out to write the perfect murder scene if he has to kill somebody to do it. With his final script done, he calls the crew together for a read through. Mr Avery, Lois, and sound affect tools are lined up. The writer, Mr Turner, describes in voiceover, the scene setting in his office. Has Lois ever had a close brush with death before? Her account seems to excite and interest Mr Turner. He spills out his plan, and feelings about being crushed as a creative writer, but will Lois be able to detect that his words are more than hypothetical? The climactic moment arrives when Mr Avery enters. Is the fate of Lois sealed along with her father? Even facing his dead, Avery is still the editor, suggesting a twist to the ending. There’s a struggle, a gunshot, and… the twist ending. Bonus Tracks * Keith shares a brief recap of the harried main character in the show, and a tidbit of trivia about how Suspense fares in popularity pols. * Phil Harris 1950 The Thing. * Abbott and Costello get a fun, but scary visit from Peter Lorre.

A couple of thugs check out the railroad yard. Old Boomer, the king of the bums, believes in the motto, “Live and let live.” He tells of a ghost train, and the mournful sounds of far off train whistles. Tom is curious, but his partner thinks it’s all baloney. The Heaven Express approaches, and Boomer learns too late of their plan to wreck the tracks. Should they heed the warnings about killing a train as they kill the old tramp? After the wreck goes down, Joe and Tom split their ill gotten gains, but Tom begins to worry over the death and damage. Is the train that seems to pursue them real, or is it a ghost train? A ghost train can’t wreck a car, or kill them… can it? Tom is soon on the run, and having close brushes with death on the ghost train’s rails. Is there any escaping it? Bonus Tracks: Keith discusses the concept of the format of this classic spooky anthology series. Betty Hutton 1947 Papa Don’t Preach to Me

A couple of thugs check out the railroad yard. Old Boomer, the king of the bums, believes in the motto, “Live and let live.” He tells of a ghost train, and the mournful sounds of far off train whistles. Tom is curious, but his partner thinks it’s all baloney. The Heaven Express approaches, and Boomer learns too late of their plan to wreck the tracks. Should they heed the warnings about killing a train as they kill the old tramp? After the wreck goes down, Joe and Tom split their ill gotten gains, but Tom begins to worry over the death and damage. Is the train that seems to pursue them real, or is it a ghost train? A ghost train can’t wreck a car, or kill them… can it? Tom is soon on the run, and having close brushes with death on the ghost train’s rails. Is there any escaping it? Bonus Tracks: Keith discusses the concept of the format of this classic spooky anthology series. Betty Hutton 1947 Papa Don’t Preach to Me

Linda has been out revelling with her friends, but John isn’t happy with his wife when she gets home. All John wants is a little loyalty and respect. Has Linda pushed him to the limit, and to the point of divorce? The no good woman only married John for his money, and has already done her work to clean John out of cash. The catty woman, with her cackling laugh, makes John think of Linda as a giant white cat. That’s not possible… is it? A doctor is called, Linda is sedated and resting, but has John’s beautiful wife turned into a four footed, furry critter? Should the authorities be called… scientists called on hand to study the supernatural event? The embarrassment may be too much for the frazzled John. What lengths will John go to to cover up for his wife? Will she change her ways, and stop catting around town with friends? How will Linda bear up as the pampered household pet? Note: also aired as: Lights Out – Cat Wife (Repeat). ep37, 370217

In this replay of a Retro Vault episode, Keith and the Retrobots present this suspense, sci-fi, comedy blend. Word comes that a rocket from earth is to land on Mars. Calling on lowly escalator factory worker, Zeno,who works in the tread department, he is selected to carry out Plan X. What is plan X? As important as the mission, clearly even a lowly factory worker can handle it against the likes of the incoming earthlings. Zeno, Jack Benny, greets the astronaut crew, who are stereotypically full of bravado, and just paranoid enough to think there could be a trap. Will they warm up to the mild mannered Zeno? Is he being softened up by the aliens from earth, and not inclined to carry out Plan X? The supervisors are assured that Zeno has it under control. Nearing the end of the mission, the astronauts think Zeno will be a push over to take back to earth for what? To study… to hold as leverage in case the Martians aren’t so nice next time? And what about Plan X? How harmful can it be if little Martian kids are invoved? Bonus Track: Keith shares a little about the episode, comparing it to Jack’s infamous film, the Horn Blows at Midnight. Also he reads an article found at tralfaz.blogspot.com that deals with some of Jack Benny’s biggest frauds and myths about himself. How similar is the on air Jack Benny to the real Jack Benny? There probably isn’t time, but the old fashioned Retrobot, who has been missing from the show for a long time, takes time to present a few moments with Abbott and Costello, with their guest Frank Sinatra, and cast member, Connie Haines.

In this replay of a Retro Vault episode, Keith and the Retrobots present this suspense, sci-fi, comedy blend. Word comes that a rocket from earth is to land on Mars. Calling on lowly escalator factory worker, Zeno,who works in the tread department, he is selected to carry out Plan X. What is plan X? As important as the mission, clearly even a lowly factory worker can handle it against the likes of the incoming earthlings. Zeno, Jack Benny, greets the astronaut crew, who are stereotypically full of bravado, and just paranoid enough to think there could be a trap. Will they warm up to the mild mannered Zeno? Is he being softened up by the aliens from earth, and not inclined to carry out Plan X? The supervisors are assured that Zeno has it under control. Nearing the end of the mission, the astronauts think Zeno will be a push over to take back to earth for what? To study… to hold as leverage in case the Martians aren’t so nice next time? And what about Plan X? How harmful can it be if little Martian kids are invoved? Bonus Track: Keith shares a little about the episode, comparing it to Jack’s infamous film, the Horn Blows at Midnight. Also he reads an article found at tralfaz.blogspot.com that deals with some of Jack Benny’s biggest frauds and myths about himself. How similar is the on air Jack Benny to the real Jack Benny? There probably isn’t time, but the old fashioned Retrobot, who has been missing from the show for a long time, takes time to present a few moments with Abbott and Costello, with their guest Frank Sinatra, and cast member, Connie Haines.

The young movie starlet, with the million dollar face, Sandy Dane recovers after an accident on the movie set. Weeks of hospitalization after plastic surgery has everyone hopeful, but a guarded tension hangs in the air. Her under study stands to win the part in the movie if things shouldn’t turn out well. Though the surgery has left her looking normal enough, Sandy doesn’t see her million dollar face staring back at her from the mirror. A secret is revealed that plays into hidden jealousy, and Sandy begins to plot a murder. Janet films on location for the western, and a booby trap is set for her horse along the trail. Nothing elaborate, just enough to make it appear to be a subtle accident, that the horse has stumbled in a dangerous part on the trail. There’s a snag that Sandy didn’t count on. Cameramen know a few tricks of their own in special affects, and in getting the shot. Will Sandy be found out? Will she be so desperate to cover up one murder with another? Murder is also an easy answer to get rid of blackmail. Stand by though, since the Whistler won’t let justice slip by unpunished.

A group of young women are enjoying a girls night out on a sleigh ride. Singing songs from holiday tunes to the racy, new, swing music… gasp! They encounter trouble as they ride through a cemetery, with most of the grave stones buried under the blanket of white. Unnerved by their irreverent behavior, especially in such a hallowed place for the dead, worries creep in that bad things will happen. Those are just superstitious thoughts… right? Everybody knows there are no such things as ghosts. An accident means the girls will need to seek medical help, and fortunately there’s a doctor near by. Strange things keep on coming, spiraling out of control, but it’s all just in their minds… isn’t it? There’s a perfectly logical and scientific explanation for the weird events… right? Maybe in the real world, but this is… rights Out. Bonus Track: * Keith tells about the coming streamlining of the archived shows, and the need to downgrade the server. Don’t worry. The bills are paid, and there’s a budget to keep things going, just not on the higher capacity server that has hosted the podcast lately. Want to help keep things going, or even improve? Click that piggy bank ico, or use the Amazon search boxes when you’re in the mood for doing your regular online shopping. * Benny Goodman 1930 Ten Cents a Dance. (Vocals: Ruth Etting)