Top Five Scariest Old Time Radio Broadcasts

Young and old people enjoy Old Time Radio alike. People who grew up during the Radio Age are naturally fans of OTR. It isn't a surprise when kids from the Age of Television discover Radio, and the fact that it is often a superior storytelling medium. When we hear about folks who grew up in the age of the Internet professing their enthusiasm for old radio shows, we choose to just put on a smug and satisfied smile.

A lot of young fans find they laugh at themselves for actually liking radio drama, but they are fascinated by how effective the speaking voice can be in conveying a story. As long tie OTR fans know, rarely do we see how effective this is as in the scariest Horror and Thriller radio programs.

5) “The Yellow Wall Paper” starring Agnes Moorehead on Suspense, 1948. Orson Welles called Moorehead one of his favorite actresses to work with. 

4)“The Walking Dead” from Creeps By Night, 1944.  Rise of Zombie Apocalypse in popular culture for this one, while recognizing that the episode deals with the more classic, Haitian Voodoo Zombies. “It's Marxist and frightening, and those are two big ticks under the win column for me.”

3) “Little Old Lady” from Lights Out!, 1937.  The utter simplicity of this episode has great appeal with the two college aged girls being tormented by the sounds of monstrous black cats mewling and meowing.

2) “The Hitchhiker” starring Orson Welles on Suspense, 1941.  This broadcast starred Orson Welles and is great for listening to OTR during late night travels just adds to the creepiness factor of this particular episode. The Hitchhiker is what Orson Welles does best.  He makes the rational part of our brain quiet down and makes us doubt that we are entirely safe.

1) “The Rats In The Walls” adapted from H.P. Lovecraft for Black Mass.  No disconnect- nothing is standing between you and those sounds. This direct-to-your-and-nightmares transmission lends itself so perfectly to a tale about hearing sounds that you really wish you were imagining.

Old Time Radio Drama is a terrific form of entertainment, because it demands less attention than video, yet it creates deeper and more penetrating images. What a great combination while traveling!