Blog-o-ween 2022: Inner Sanctum

It should go without saying that the strength of many an old time radio horror play comes down to the effective use of sound effects and music. The script may be meh, and the acting my be blah, but if the sound design and music are top notch, then the listener tends to remember little else. The right sound at the right time is worth a thousand words.

Of all the old time radio shows, Inner Sanctum Mystery stands head and shoulders above the rest for its use of sound -- a single sound in particular. When listeners tuned to the NBC Blue Network from 1941 to 1943 (and later to CBS from 1943 until 1952), they were greated by one of the scariest sounds ever: the creaking door. Producer Himan Brown (who would go on to create the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre in the 1970s) said that the creaking door was a sound from his childhood. There was a door in the basement of his family's house that creaked and that always frightened him.

Beyond the creaking door was the Inner Sanctum host, Raymond. Actor Raymond Edward Johnson was hired simply to introduce each week's show, but he soon became as intregal a part of the festivities as the tale. Raymond's tongue-in-cheek manner, his terrible dad joke puns, and his sardonic laugh are very recognizable to any fan of Svengoolie and other TV horror hosts. Certainly William Gaines and the rest of the EC Comics crew were fans of Raymond and Inner Sanctum, and when it came time create a host for their line of horror comics, The Crypt Keeper took a page from Raymond Johnson's book.

For tonight's old time radio thrills, lets put our shoulders to that door, force it open and see what waits for us in...the Inner Sanctum!

First up, a young woman is home alone with her child. She is waiting for her husband to make the long trek home from the city after working late. She hears someone at the door, but when she opens it, she is confronted by an injured man who is not her husband. Thus begins a battle of wills. Who will prevail when "Murder Comes at Midnight?"

Next is the story of Johnny Thompson and his rather poor decision making skills. It seems l' Johnny is out driving and sees a young woman hitchhiking. Her picks her up, and she is attractive, friendly, and talkative. The problem is...she may also be a..."Strange Passenger!"

Our last tale concerns a ship, the Mary Kay. (I wonder if it's pink?) The ship crashes on a reef in the Caribbean. Everyone on board dies, except five men. One of the men is dying, and he blames his death on the captain. The dying man curses him with his last breath. A series of strange events unfolds, and the survivors begin to realize that it might have been better had they gone down with..."The Death Ship!"