Arts
My introduction to Old Time Radio began at a young age after my parents got a few cassette tapes featuring popular radio programs like Dragnet, Lights Out, Inner-Sanctum, and Suspense. My brother and I shared a room at the time and we both loved falling asleep listening to those old radio shows. Of all the episodes we listened to, one of the most memorable for me was "The House in Cypress Canyon" from the radio program Suspense. I remember being terrified while listening to that episode but I couldn't stop listening because I had to know how it ended! While preparing for this episode, I did some research and it appears that I wasn't the only one who thought it was scary. According to John Dunning (known in OTR circles for his Encyclopedias on Old Time Radio), "the episode is frequently cited as one of the most terrifying programs broadcast during radio's Golden age." The plot is presented as a "story within a story," framed by a meeting between detective Sam Spade (who also appeared in his own radio program which will cover in a future episode) and a real estate agent who has discovered a manuscript in a currently unfinished house in Cypress Canyon. After a brief introduction, the narrative shifts to the story presented in the manuscript. I won't go into further detail because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't already heard it. But, trust me, it's worth a listen. As you listen to the episode, listen for the voice of the real estate agent Jerry. He's played by Hans Conried who voiced Captain Hook in Walt Disney's Peter Pan. The characters of the detective Sam Space and the main character Ellen Woods are performed by Howard Duff and Cathy Lewis. Both of whom were born in WA state. I find that particularly interesting consider I live in Seattle. The episode first aired on December 5th, 1946 and, despite being very popular, was never performed again. On that same day in history: President Truman issued Executive Order 9808, creating a 16-member Presidential Committee on Civil Rights José Carreras, Spanish opera singer, and one of The Three Tenors; was born in Barcelona Now, without further ado… please enjoy "The House in Cypress Canyon" --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/otr-behind-the-mic/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/otr-behind-the-mic/support