Though he personally considered himself foremost an actor, radio veteran Jackson Beck—born in New York City on this date in 1912—remains best known for announcing in his unmistakable, deep voice: “Yes, it’s Superman—strange visitor from the planet Krypton who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men!” Beck joined Mutual’s […]

One hundred and ten years ago on this date, a son was born to Alajos Löwenstein and Elvira Freischberger in an Austria-Hungarian village that is now located in present-day Slovakia. His name was László Löwenstein…but we’re much more familiar with his stage name: Peter Lorre. Audiences are also well acquainted with his status as a […]

When radio’s popular family sitcom The Aldrich Family came to television in the fall of 1949, it soon established a reputation as being a sort of “revolving door” as far as acting talent went.  During its four-year run on NBC, they went through five Henrys, three Mrs. Alice Aldrichs, three Mary Aldrichs and three Homer […]

Born on this date in 1887, William Henry Pratt no doubt had little inkling that he was destined to become a horror film icon and one of the silver screen’s most beloved performers.  After being educated at various London schools, he intended on studying for the consular service at King’s College London.  He dropped out […]

He was a respected Broadway thespian who depended on radio to pay the bills…and for Raymond Edward Johnson, born on this date in 1911, his contributions to the aural medium would make him immortal in the eyes of old-time radio fans.  Of particular interest was an over-the-top horror program known as Inner Sanctum Mysteries, which […]

If you really wanted to nitpick…celebrating the 71st anniversary of the anthology program Suspense would have to be put off until July 22 of this year—and we’d also have to add a few years, making it the 73rd birthday.  July 22, 1940 marked the official debut of “radio’s outstanding theatre of thrills,” when it premiered […]

My introduction to the man who would have been celebrating his 103rd birthday today goes all the way back to 1982.  In listening to a local public radio station while attending college at Huntington, West Virginia’s Marshall University, I happened upon a dramatic excerpt in which two men encounter a mysterious fog…that turns people inside […]

Some time back, a PR representative was nice enough to send me a promotional copy of a DVD box set entitled Dark Crimes: a collection of fifty films and television episodes centering on the subject of mystery and murder—many of which might be described by film buffs as “film noir.”  A few of the titles […]