The Haunting Hour was a mystery-horror radio anthology series that aired in the mid-1940s, known for its psychological thrillers, supernatural themes, and eerie organ music. The show was a syndicated production with high production values and featured a mix of detective dramas and "whodunit" stories, with many episodes surviving thanks to efforts by the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). Today, it is remembered as a "gem from the golden age of radio.".
A half-hour anthology, with each episode presenting a different standalone tale of suspense and horror.
The
show is notable for its mysterious origins, with the names of the cast
and crew never publicly revealed. This is due to the nature of its
syndication, where scripts and production notes were sent to local
stations, but acting credits were often dropped to make time for local
sponsors.
Veteran
radio announcer Berry Kroeger was responsible for the show's ominous
opening, often accompanied by eerie organ music from Rosa Rio.
With a known run of at least 52 unique scripts and more doubtful further 39 to 52 scripts, it would appear that the series was in demand for at least four years--in and out of syndication. Given the high quality of NBC Network voice talent in the circulating episodes, one can well imagine that the remainder of the yet alleged, undiscovered, or uncirculated episodes have at least as much to recommend them.
Thankfully, as with many other examples of Golden Age Radio productions, many of the existing episodes in circulation can be directly attributed to the efforts of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
True to its genre, the circulating episodes provide some highly compelling supernatural dramas--as well as a subset of fascinating mysteries and detective dramas. There's no reason to expect any less of any new episodes that surface in the coming years. Indeed, we've identified at least eleven previously uncirculated AFRTS-transcribed episodes among our own yet-to-be digitally transferred holdings of over 37,000 electrical transcriptions and reels. Certainly as we continue to wade through them and complete their transfer, we'll continue to update the log below, and the contents of these holdings.
With a known run of at least 52 unique scripts and more doubtful further 39 to 52 scripts, it would appear that the series was in demand for at least four years--in and out of syndication. Given the high quality of NBC Network voice talent in the circulating episodes, one can well imagine that the remainder of the yet alleged, undiscovered, or uncirculated episodes have at least as much to recommend them.
Thankfully, as with many other examples of Golden Age Radio productions, many of the existing episodes in circulation can be directly attributed to the efforts of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
True to its genre, the circulating episodes provide some highly compelling supernatural dramas--as well as a subset of fascinating mysteries and detective dramas. There's no reason to expect any less of any new episodes that surface in the coming years. Indeed, we've identified at least eleven previously uncirculated AFRTS-transcribed episodes among our own yet-to-be digitally transferred holdings of over 37,000 electrical transcriptions and reels. Certainly as we continue to wade through them and complete their transfer, we'll continue to update the log below, and the contents of these holdings.
Approximately
41 of the 52 or more episodes are in circulation today, with many
surviving thanks to the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service
(AFRTS).
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