"In this cave by the restless sea, we are met to call from out of the past, stories strange and weird. Bell keeper, toll the bell, so that all may know that we are gathered again in The Weird Circle."
And with those words, the listener was encouraged to huddle close to their radio set and enjoy another bizarre tale of horror from one of the spookiest show around: The Weird Circle.
The Weird Circle was produced in New York City. It originally ran for two seasons from 1943 to 1945 and gave the world 78 strange and weird adaptations of classic horror literature. These episodes were syndicated and rerun many times over the following decades, including the 1970s when interest in old time radio was re-kindled.
Production values were kept to the bare minimum. While other programs laid it on thick with organ music and sponsorship hullaballo, The Weird Circle forewent the usual accoutrements that old time radio listeners expect to hear. Most episodes begin with the above incantation and then jump right into the story. Kinda like The Ramones. You get the count-off from Dee Dee, then you're right into the music. No foolin' around!
The first of tonight's episodes is based on a short story by Guy de Maupassant. "The Horla" is the story of a man who believes that he has discovered an invisble vampire-like creature that he claims follows him about, haunting his life.
Next up is another a tale concerning itself with unseen phenomena. "What Was It?" by Fitz-James O'Brien presents a group of people who are trying to determine if the world of spirits is real or not. To prove or disprove the existence of the invisible world around us, they perform a seance and inadvertantly invite something into their circle.
The last story for tonight is from a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. "The Burial of Roger Malvin" is about an unkept promise and a strange revenge from beyond the grave.
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