The Witch’s Tale
1931-1938
Known Episodes: 300 scripts exist (59 Circulating Shows)
Written by Alonzo Deen Cole, the show was hosted by Old Nancy, the Witch of Salem. The role of Old Nancy was created by stage actress Adelaide Fitz-Allen, who died in 1935 at the age of 79. Cole replaced her with 13-year-old Miriam Wolfe. Cole himself provided the sounds of Old Nancy’s wise black cat, Satan. Cole’s wife, Marie O’Flynn, portrayed the lead female characters on the program. The Witch’s Tale is also credited as the inspiration for the infamous EC horror comics, including Tales From The Crypt.
Sources:
Radio Horror Hosts
Wikipedia
OTRR
All Hallows Eve
A scorned woman in Salem, Massachusetts long after “witchcraft has gone out of fashion” turns to a friend who is said to be a witch. The witch makes a voodoo doll. Her rival dies! When she asks the witch to carry her love back to her… such unholy work can’t fail on Devil’s Night!
Altar of Hate
At a guillotine run by “The Butcher” during the French Revolution, a boy is offered leniency… if he pulls the lever to hang his parents. His sworn revenge is an altar of skulls!
Boa Goddess , The
A misogynist calls all women “Mary Ann”, finding it too hard to remember their names. He steals emeralds from the Temple of the Boa Goddess, and the men from his expedition begin to be found crushed to death. Then Mary Ann appears.
Bronze Venus, The
A beautiful statue is discovered by an archaeologist. His daughter’s fiancee places her wedding ring on the statue while cleaning it… and finds himself in the heathen goddess’ embrace!
Bulldog, The
Every copy I have found is just a false re-naming of the episode The Haunted Crossroads.
Confession
A priest is called to Chinatown to hear a woman’s last confession… before her husband murders her! Pretty racist, extremely poor sound quality. (Great story would rate an A or B otherwise.)
Devil Doctor, The
A blow-hard American starts changing a mansion once owned by a Satanist, and wakes him from the dead. Once the Devil worshiper regains his body from a painting, he kidnaps the American’s daughter as a sacrifice for a Black Mass. Creepy laughter!
Devil Mask
A drunk missionary in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) kills a witch doctor who curses him with a sacred mask. It follows the blowhard all the way back to England… where it kills him.
Devil’s Number, The
Thirteen drops of blood fall on the skull of a wizard and re-animate his body! The woman whose blood was spilled becomes his slave! She is only saved by dum-dum bullets, a cross cut into their head.
Entymologist, The
A dirty old man, (and scientist,) has discovered an insect that will make him master of the world… but now he has eyes only for Edith. His African plantation is infested with giant spiders!
Firing Squad, The
During World War I, a soldier is warned to stay away from a beautiful woman believed to be a spy. He ends up committing treason and his unit is slaughtered. The ghost of his captain only asks for what’s right…
Flying Dutchman, The
A ship captain blasphemes against God while rounding the Cape and is cursed to live among the dead, to set foot upon dry land once every seven years. Will a preacher’s daughter cleanse his soul with love? Or will she become his vengeance upon a wrathful, heartless God?
Four Fingers and a Thumb
A cowboy extends a hand of friendship in a world of racism while his new Asian friend loses his hand in a knife fight. The hand gets revenge and saves the cowboy from the bad guy’s burning cabin! [Motif: Hands of Orlac]
Frankenstein
A scientist’s gruesome experiments come to a head when he gives life to a corpse. When the horror begs a companion, Dr. Frankenstein refuses… so it kills his wife on their wedding night! Locked in mutual hate, the scientist pursues his creation across icy wastes.
Gipsy’s Hand, The
Amidst crazed screams of horror, a Romany maestro loses his hand and swears revenge on the amputating doctor. Alfred Hitchcock theme song. A dog is killed.
Graveyard Mansion
Two brothers inherit a mansion and discover a woman inhabiting the surrounding churchyard. Soon one of them dies of anemia. Then a tomb is discovered in the basement…
Hairy Monster, The
A woman will inherit a mansion if she can sleep there every night for a year. The female occultist benefactor’s corpse comes inside to steal the woman’s body.
Happy Ending, A
Clint Greenways returns home when his father is shot by his rival from the feuding Morrow clan. Clint falls in love with Bess Morrow, who anonymously gives him a ride When the Romeo & Juliet predicament is realized, they try to write themselves a happy ending. Will their families let them?
Thar’ amongst the mountains, folks know how to hate…
Haunted Crossroads, The
Police are killed at a rural intersection where witches were once hung. A death-pyre curse against all police until her body is laid to rest!
House of the Bridegroom
An occultist curses his mansion when the woman he build it for leaves him at the altar. He discovered a way to leave his hate behind to kill anyone who lives there. A lot of shouting, but a great story!
In The Devil’s Name (Part I)
In 1660s Scotland, a woman ashamed of her husband’s treatment of her refuses an advance by Mr. Gordon, who then accuses her of witchcraft. This time she sends her prayers to the Devil, and things begin to change for the better. Luckily, Part II has been lost, and the story ends on a high note. (Except she’s cursed her sister, a misunderstanding. Oh well.) A full 30 Min. Episode.
King Shark God
A Hawaiian priestess jilted by an American designates her daughter as taboo. When a preacher from California falls in love, he unearths a long history of lovers who jumped off ships to answer the call of a huge shark!
Knife of Sacrifice, The
The descendant of an Aztec king is possessed when his archaeological expedition discovers a ritual obsidian blade. The gold of the Aztecs will not be revealed until the blade receives a blood sacrifice!
Mannequin, The
An artist buys a dummy for his studio, a beautiful female with glass eyes and realistic hair. When it comes to kill his wife in jealousy,they discover its hideous secret!
Physician of the Dead
During the French ‘Reign of Terror’, a citizen attempts to radically prove that the brain lives on after the guillotine while avoiding the crazed mobs!
Power of Lucifer, The
A high priest of the Cult of Lucifer sets his sight on a woman, but when her husband makes a scene, the couple finds themselves hypnotized and the wife dies. Can Orloff, the high priest now bring her back from the dead?
Priest of Sekhmet, The
Clive proves he’s not a boobie by going back into the temple alone. Then the mummy of the ancient priest disappears, and Clive starts acting funny.
Puzzle
A father-in-law to be joins his daughter’s fiancee on a train and gives him a cigarette case. Dad is found murdered, but which house-guest did it? Can the son-in-law solve the puzzle for the one he loves? No. The ghost has to do it.
Rat in a Trap
A defense lawyer listens as his wife kills herself over the phone when men break in. Dedicated to revenge, he prepares to put the killers’ heads in a sack with a hungry rat.
Rock-a-bye Baby
A blowhard American bets a hundred dollars he can spend a night in a room haunted by a strangler’s ghost. Another rube for the scam. His pet-name for his wife is Rock-a-bye Baby. He sings it after she dies.
Share and Share, Alike
Two pirates agree to share a treasure, but when it comes to sharing a woman, the gallows-oath they made is broken. More pirate adventure than horror.
Spirits of the Lake
A kept man’s mistress gets impatient waiting for the rich wife to die. When the wife is drowned on the rocks of a lake revered by a native tribe, she calls to the spirits for revenge! The sludge comes by night!
Statue of Thor, The
A sculptor finds it a welcome challenge to steal his hulking model’s girl, then kill him in the forge. When the statue is cast– it has his victim’s face! (Similar to Quiet, Please: Tap the heat, Bogdan)
Suicide, The
A womanizer’s wife kills herself for want of a better life. The jerk ends up saving a beautiful french woman from drowning. But there is a special ability reserved for the spirits of suicides… they can possess another body at the time of death!
Tourists Accommodated
A couple visit a bed & breakfast that hasn’t been cleaned in five years! The owner is so old as to be helpless. When an expected guest finally arrives, the sweet old lady and her son murder him with an ax and butcher knife!
Troth of Death
A young Irish couple speaks an oath upon a fairy mound, but when the boy’s disapproving, wealthy father sends him off to sea, the vows are considered broken. His ship sinks to the bottom of Galway Bay.
Violin, The
When a musician shuns the advances of royalty, he is murdered– but curses the family’s descendants! Will the last of their line be able to escape the refrains of his romantic love song from beyond the grave?
Wedding Gift, The
A man loses control of is hand and its automatic writing tells that he cannot marry his fiancee. Osiris brings a wedding gift… and a flashback! The man once swore himself to love only Cleopatra herself!
Werewolf, The
Suspicious of his monthly disappearances, a red-haired man’s wife waits for him. Her servant gets dragged back into a dark secret passage by a blood-soaked, crazed red wolf with glowing eyes. Renee’s crazy mother cackles, “The werewolf lives!” The poor recording is mostly unintelligible.
Wonderful Bottle
A down & out man buys a wishing bottle that exacts a curse for each wish. It must be sold for less than purchased for. After it is lost and regained, a final buyer knocks at the door with a penny.
