The 5 Scariest Old Time Radio Shows for Halloween

Don’t Listen to These Stories in the Dark !

You are listening to the scariest old time radio ever. The rain is heavy on the windows. The wind whistles across the eaves. A single candle is lit on the table. As you sit in the dark, the voice on the radio cries: “Lights Out, Everybody!” and the sound of a creaking door grates against your spine…

If you’ve ever enjoyed listening to a scary story around the campfire, you’ll love these frightful tales from the golden days of radio. These five stories, classics of the genre, represent the most frightening of the shows.

Was that a shadow in the corner? When the lightning just struck, I thought I saw…
 

5. Death Robbery

by Lights Out!
Original Broadcast: July 12, 1947
Starring: Boris Karloff

A scientist cannot bear the death of his wife… so he brings her back. But something isn’t right.

The woman’s crazy laugh will keep you awake in the dark for hours!

 

4. Knock at the Door

by Lights Out!
Original Broadcast: December 15, 1942

A woman’s mother-in-law stifles her marriage until she takes matters into her own hands… but Mom keeps coming back from the cellar!

It’s no accident that the creepiest chillers are all from Lights Out. The show was produced by Arch Oboler, one of the most skilled playwrights on radio. He penned the infamous “Chicken Heart” episode made famous by Bill Cosby.

 

3. Poltergeist

by Lights Out!
Original Broadcast: October 20, 1942

Three ladies think it’s a lark to dance on a grave. They chose the wrong grave.

No relationship to the movie of the same name, this story is as cheesy as the rest of the scariest old time radio. The poltergeist, a stone-chucker, gets rather violent toward the end.

 

2. Three Skeleton Key

by Suspense
Original Broadcast: November 11, 1956
Starring: Vincent Price

Trapped on a ship infested with flesh-hungry rats!
But wait, what’s that on the horizon? A lighthouse! Land!

There were two versions of this story produced. The first was so popular they re-used the script with Vincent in the lead role.

 

1. The Dark

by Lights Out!
Original Broadcast: December 29, 1937

A short-but-sweet vignette about a doctor and a policeman, and an old, dark house. You won’t ever forget the sound of flesh churning.

This is a re-make of the original broadcast made for a record album released back in the 70s. 10 Minutes is all it will take to turn your nerves to jelly.