MYSTERY AT MIDNIGHT
[RADIO-SERIES]
[Pittsburgh Press—Thursday, December 14, 1939—“Playhouse and Broadcast Casts Plan Eerie
Series”]
“Pittsburgh is to have its own ‘Lights Out’ radio program.
“Beginning tonight at midnight (sometimes known as the witching hour) KDKA will present the
first of a series of radio dramas to be known as ‘Mystery at Midnight.’
“Program director Derby Sproul and members of the Pittsburgh Playhouse have dire plans
afoot. They intend to scare the daylights out of listeners—and from all indications said listeners
will love it.
“Recent surveys reveal that mystery and horror stories have the strongest appeal.
“Year in and year out such hair-raisers as ‘Dracula,’ ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘Tell Tale Heart’ and
‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’ continue to head the list. Recently the cycle of horror pictures from
Hollywood reached a peak of public acceptance.
“…Taking parts in the ‘Mystery at Midnight’ series will be Tallye Dunston, Charles Bruskey and
Simon Gerson. Frederick Burleigh will be narrator and commentator, as well as director of
tonight’s show.”]
MYSTERY AT MIDNIGHT (KDKA, PITTSBURGH)
[Thursday—12:00 MIDNIGHT-12:30 AM]
December 14, 1939 “The Sacrifice”
[PITTSBURGH PRESS: “…At midnight tonight KDKA brings to dialers a
cute little pulse-raiser entitled ‘The Sacrifice,’ positively guaranteed to be
gory in a ghastly sort of way. The story is laid in England in the time of
the Druids when human sacrifices were the order of celebrating special
events such as the coming of Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. The play
was written following a horrible nightmare by Tom Wilmot, who also will
direct succeeding horror spasms. The story is reported to be so eerie that
Wilmot and the actors need escorts home after each rehearsal. They even
get scared themselves…”]
December 21, 1939
December 28, 1939
[missing issues in early January; no program on January 25]
MYSTERY IN THE AIR
JUNE 29, 1947:
[Pittsburgh Press—“Lorre Turns To Classics”]
“Peter L