Hall of Fantasy

started as a local series out of Utah. It found its way onto the airwaves sporadically from 1947 to 1952. This anthology was picked up for national syndication by the Mutual network and broadcast from mid-52 through mid-53. Written and directed by Richard Thorne, a prolific and talented writer and producer, this series is often overlooked, even by fans of OTR. It is unfortunate, since it provides some very unique and dramatic material; the acting in particular was superb. Early on, the series concentrated on murder mysteries, but later shows were devoted to horror and some Sci-Fi. Sadly, not all episodes have survived—only about 40 of perhaps over two hundred shows still exist. All episodes were standard half-hour format.

Digital Deli Too lists the titles of nearly 150 "lost" episodes. The only titles I am including here are those for which I know the author or plot. (Plots for 'lost' episodes are taken from the Digital Deli Too).

Sources used to create my own log and double-check titles, dates and cast members: Digital Deli Too, RadioGOLDINdex, Radio Horror Hosts, Nightkey's OTR Errors and Internet Speculative Fiction Database.

Currently this archive contains 39 of 50 plotlines and 39 reviews

See the CD cover art for this series.

Webmaster Recommends:

Jeff Dickson Recommends:
Return from Death | The Shadow People

Automaton, The

A brilliant scientist creates a robot that interprets its self-defense program as an excuse to go on a murderous rampage.

See also: "Almost Human" (Dimension X and X Minus One), "The Automaton" (Hall of Fantasy), "Beware of Tomorrow" (Mysterious Traveler and Sealed Book) and "The Doom Machine" (Suspense and 2000 Plus).

Beast with Red Eyes, The

After reading some Ancient mystic books, Robert Jennings begins seeing a small, sinister, monkey-like beast following his every move. He seeks the help of Dr. Hesselius, an expert in metaphysical medicine, but it may be too late for the good doctor to help!

Black Cat, The    *LOST*

Black Figurine of Death, The

A dying man speaks his mind to those who will inherit his fortune. In addition to the estate, he vows to come back from the grave to right wrongs done to him by his family. The instrument of his revenge is a strange, black figurine. When a black figurine is found at the side of a victim, the others investigate the crypt to make sure the patriarch of the clan is truly dead.

Cask of Amontillado, The

Here is another adaptation of an Edgar Allen Poe story. In it, Fortunato, a loudmouth drunkard, insults the family honor of Montresor on several occasions. When Fortunato does so in the presence of a lady fair, he has finally gone too far and Montresor vows revenge. Montresor picks the one weakness Fortunato cannot resist - wine. He uses the lure of the best and most rare wine in all of Italy - Amontillado! With the promise of such a rare cask of wine, Fortunato cannot resist temptation. The nefarious plot Montresor imagines to exact revenge is chilling.

Castle of La Voca, The

A creepy old Romanian castle harbors a dark, sinister secret out of the past, and an evil portent of the future.

Crawling Thing, The

An ambitious scientist invents a formula that, when injected into a tarantula, causes the critter to grow really, really big. Can't be too long before it goes on a homicidal rampage.

See also: "Strange New World" (The Mysterious Traveler), "Tanglefoot" (Quiet, Please) and "The Insect" (2000 Plus).

Creatures in the Shadows

Dance of the Devil Dolls, The

While on a fishing trip, twe men return to their cabin to find a man who is looking for a special doll he needs for the "dance"... A little while later, while they're in bed, they hear the man talking to a shrill, demon-voiced thing which kills him...

Death in the Bayou

Freshly married, a couple spend their honeymoon on the estate of the wife's former suitor, a man whose Southern gentleman exterior masks a jealous and cruel nature without bounds.

Demon of the Night, The

An enigmatic recluse purchases an old mansion on the outskirts of a small town and, soon after, a woman is found torn gruesomely apart. Yet clearly the stranger cannot be responsible - the evidence would point to a rabid wolf.

Diamonds of Death, The

A group of treasure hunters ignore warnings about death following the violators of a cult shrine in the African jungle, and set out to steal its cache of diamonds.

Footprints in the Snow    *LOST*

A story about werewolves.

Gold Bug, The    *LOST*

Golden Bracelet of Amoniris, The

Two archaeologists unearth the lost tomb of an Egyptian queen, removing a bracelet despite the curse placed on any defilers who would disturb the tomb's contents. The results are both predictable and unfortunate.

Hand of Botar, The

According to his friends, Simeon Botar is a most remarkable man, destined and determined to leave his mark upon the world, despite suffering from the strange affliction known as 'alien hand'. Simeon's right hand seems to have a will of its own. Can he achieve his goal before he dies, literally by his own hand?

See also: "Crimson Hand, The" (The Hermit's Cave), "Dead Hand, The" (Murder at Midnight), "Death by Whose Hands?" (CBS Radio Mystery Theater), "Gipsy's Hand, The" (The Witch's Tale), "Hand, The" (CBS Radio Mystery Theater), and "Hand of Botar" (Hall of Fantasy).

Hangman's Rope, The

Two brothers are plagued by spectral visions of Jack Ketch, the infamous 18th century executioner who served the English royalty.

He Who Follows Me

Loosely inspired by the classic story, "Count Magnus", by M.R. James. A traveling couple innocently venture into an open mausoleum, and in so doing incur the eternal wrath of its occupant.

See also: "The Steps That Follow Me"

Reading Link: "Count Magnus", by M.R. James, available at The Project Gutenberg, Canada.

Note: My copies titled "He Who Follows Me" and "The Steps That Follow Me" are identical except for the opening and closing credits. This suggests that one, or both, of the recordings have been 'doctored' for unknown reasons. I'm not sure if the original stories utilized the same plot or not, or even if the following reviews match the plot listed above. If anyone has a recording with a different plot, please let me know. --- webmaster

Idol of Crom Cruach, The

Three people vacationing in the Appalachians run afoul of a pagan cult looking for human sacrifices to offer to their stone idol.

See also: "The Temple of Huitzilopochtli"

Jewels of Kali, The

Archaeologists steal the jewels off a statue of the Hindu goddess Kali. When they return to the States, they are killed off one by one. Now, the last survivor makes his final stand as somebody....or something is coming to reclaim the jewels.

Judge's House, The

An aspiring mathematician, looking for a solitary retreat to study for the tripos, rents a house reportedly haunted by the specter of its former occupant, the infamous 'Hanging Judge'.

Versions were produced for CBS Radio Mystery Theater, Fear on 4, Hall of Fantasy, and Haunted.

Man from the Second Earth, The

When radio contact is made with an alien civilization, an unwitting scientist gives away Earth's location, and soon an envoy arrives to take measure of our world for - what?

See also: "Out of the Sky" (Hall of Fantasy')

Man in Black, The

Two men on a nighttime stroll through the park cross paths with a woman desperate to find the Man in Black. A few minutes later she is murdered and their search for the man in question turns into a macabre and unreal nightmare.

Man Who Returned, The    *LOST*

Man-Size in Marble

A man and wife seeking peace and quiet in the Scottish hills instead run afoul of a medieval vengeance enacted by two statues of 12th century knights.

Other versions of this story aired on Beyond Midnight as ("The Marble Knights") and CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

Mark of Shame, The

Cousins fight a fatal duel over a woman, and the loser vows to have his vengeance from beyond the grave.

Another version aired on Beyond Midnight (as "A Beautiful Viper")

Markheim

Looking to impress his impatient fiancee, a young man seeks out a dealer of rare items and soon finds himself spiraling into a dark well of murder and madness. Story by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Another version of this story appeared on CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

Marquise of Death, The

Two American brothers residing in France find themselves involved in aiding the locals against a noblewoman returned from the dead as a vampire.

Masks of Ashor, The

A young couple receive the gift of two golden masks from a relative who was apparently unaware that they belong to Ashor, the Spirit of Death.

Night the Fog Came, The

Two scientists are horrified to discover a microscopic aquatic life form that can travel overland in the fog and is fatal to all who come into contact with it. Should they fail to destroy it, it could spread from its origins in the marshes of Lake Superior across the globe.

Out of the Sky

An alien descends to Earth on a scout mission to test our capability to defend ourselves against the forces of his planet.

See also: "The Man from the Second Earth" (Hall of Fantasy').

Perfect Script, The

A radio producer invites a hack writer to his seaside home, to give the writer the chance to write 'The Perfect Script'. The writer doesn't realize that he will become the main protagonist in the story he is to write.

Return from Death, The

A scientist accepts an offer from his former professor to assist him in an effort to restore the dead to life. He has had success with small animals, but is eager to experiment on a human being.

See also: "The Search for Life" (The Hermits Cave) and "Death Robbery" (Lights Out).

Room Beyond, The    *LOST*

Saladin's Mind    *LOST*

Sea Monster, The    *LOST*

"Nobody knew "The Sea Monster." Nobody ever saw her. But all could hear her cries for help and see the ghost ship anchored in the bay, a skeleton lashed to the wheel. Townfolk knew she's come to their harbor looking for a crew. And each man feared he'd be called by "The Sea Monster." That's the unusual and weird tale dreamed up by producer-writer Richard Thorne for KBWD-Mutual's Hall Of Fantasy broadcast tonight at 8:30." - 1953-08-24 Brownwood Bulletin as quoted at The Digital Deli Too.

Sea Phantom, The

Two friends, one an artist, the other a writer, rent a remote seaside house to find a quiet place to work, but instead find themselves haunted by unearthly cries for help from a ghost ship in the bay.

Shadow People, The

Convinced that malignant entities born of the darkness murdered her father, a young woman seeks help from a renowned expert on the paranormal. But what defense can there be against elementals that rise from the very shadows?

The character of Dr. Hesselius is borrowed from the writings of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.

Signal-Man, The    *LOST*

Silver Flask, The

Two rival collectors become obsessed with owning an ancient flask, rumored to have supernatural powers.

Spectre of Denston Castle, The

An American couple unexpectedly inherit an old English castle, only to find that its previous long dead occupants are not willing to vacate the premises.

Steps That Follow Me, The

Loosely inspired by the classic story, "Count Magnus", by M.R. James. A traveling couple innocently venture into an open mausoleum, and in so doing incur the eternal wrath of its occupant.

See also: "He Who Follows Me"

Reading Link: "Count Magnus", by M.R. James, available at The Project Gutenberg, Canada.

Note: My copies titled "He Who Follows Me" and "The Steps That Follow Me" are identical except for the opening and closing credits. This suggests that one, or both, of the recordings have been 'doctored' for unknown reasons. If anyone has a recording with a different plot, please let me know. --- webmaster

Stone's Revenge

The old Monroe place seems to be an idyllic fishing retreat in the woods. The cabin is picturesque and remote, but haunted by the ghost of Jeff Stone. When a trio of city-folk rent the place for a weekend, they get an earful of warning from the local sheriff / general store clerk prior to their arrival. Not heeding the warning, the group continues onto the cabin in the woods. The good news is, the fish are biting. The bad news is, a mental patient has escaped close to the cabin. The group must fend off something either natural or supernatural, but undoubtedly deadly.

Tell-Tale Heart, The

A pale blue, vulture eye haunts a man until he can take it no longer. He rids himself of the eye by murdering it's owner, all the while insisting on his own sanity. The eye is the least of his troubles, though. Soon, the beating heart of the murdered man cries out for justice from beneath the floorboards. In this version, the sanity of the protagonist is never in question; he is an outright loon from start to finish! Story by Edgar Allen Poe.

Time Machine, The    *LOST*

Temple of Huitzilopochtli, The

Two geological surveyors searching for uranium in remotest Brazil find themselves the intended victims of human sacrifice perpetrated by a modern day Aztec cult hiding in the jungles.

See also: "The Idol of Crom Cruach"

Thing in the House, The    *LOST*

Treasure of Kublai Khan, The

An American couple, lured into aiding a Persian treasure hunter in his search for the fabled lost treasure of Kublai Khan, accompany him into the remote Iranian wilderness, undeterred by legends of the Mongol general who guards the treasure against all defilers.

Twisting Weeds of Death, The

A teenager returns from a supposedly haunted house on the seashore with a tale for the local sheriff about witnessing the murder of a young woman there; but there has been no such murder—at least not for twenty years, anyway.

Wild Huntsman, The

A hunting party hires a guide who leads them into an encounter with the legendary Huntsman, a spectral figure who preys on those who would trespass in his woods.

Copyright © 2000-2024 www.otrplotspot.com