CREEPS BY NIGHT

[RADIO-SERIES]

“This is Boris Karloff, joining with you once again for another exploration into the unknown

darkness of the human mind.”

After the BLUE network lostInner SanctumMysteriesto CBS in the fall of 1943, they developed

this replacement series and lured Boris Karloff away from his guest slots onSanctumto be the

permanent host and star. Actually, they didn’t have to do much luring. Karloff was now back in

Hollywood after three years of performingArsenic and Old Laceon Broadway and on the road. So

his association with the New York-originatedSanctumwas, for the time being, effectively ended.

Karloff was introduced as “?????,” although on one broadcast a tongue-tied announcer referred

to him as “the mastery of mystery.”

[NOTE: is that Lurene Tuttle and Harry Bartell in “The Hunt.”??]

[Winnipeg Free Press, June 12, 1944] “A new series of stories, taken from the book, The World’s

Finest Mystery Stories, edited by Dashiell Hammett… guest stars will include Bela Lugosi, Peter

Lorre, Laird Cregar and Raymond Massey.”

[Variety] “New York origination resulted in dropping Karloff and replacing him with ‘Dr. X,’

program’s annotator whose identity is unknown even to other members of the cast. ‘Dr. X’

gimmick is obvious attempt to build up audience interest in a narrator who has little or no public

appeal when appearing under his own name.”

[Program information]
ORIGINATION:

KECA, Los Angeles, California, and WJZ, New York City, New York (BLUE).

DURATION:

February 15-May 9, 1944 (Los Angeles series), May 16-August 15, 1944 (New York

series).

PERSONNEL:
[KECA] Robert Leslie Bellem (scriptwriter, script editor), Alonzo Deen Cole

(scriptwriter), Dave Drummond (director), Ruth Fenisong (scriptwriter), Boris Karloff (host),

Robert Maxwell (producer), Albert Sack (musical director), Gene Wang (scriptwriter).

CASTS: Harry Bartel, Boris Karloff, Lurene Tuttle, et al.

[WJZ] Hector Chevigny (scriptwriter), Jesse Crawford (organist), Paul Creston (music composer),

Robert Maxwell (producer), Ted Osborne (voice of “Doctor X”), Joseph Stopak (musical director).

George ????? (announcer).

GUEST STARS: Edmund Gwenn (5/23/44), Peter Lorre (6/6/44, 6/13/44, 8/8/44), Florence

Reed (6/20/44).

CASTS: Eleanor Audley, Jackson Beck, Ed Begley, Juano Hernandez, Abby Lewis, Gregory

Morton, Ted Osborne, Mary Patton, Everett Sloane.

EXTANT RECORDINGS:

“Those That Walk In Darkness” (4/11/44; AFRS re-broadcast on

Mystery Playhouse, missing opening identification), “Final Reckoning” (5/2/44), “The Hunt”

(5/9/44), “The Walking Dead” (5/16/44), “The Strange Burial of Alexander Jordan” (5/23/44),

“The Three Sisters” (6/20/44), “The Six Who Did Not Die” (7/11/44; AFRS re-broadcast on

Mystery Playhouse, missing opening identification).

[Program log]

CREEPS BY NIGHT (KECA, LOS ANGELES—BLUE)

[Tuesday—10:30-11:00 PM]

February 15, 1944The Voice of Death

[“…a widow is impelled by the voice of her deceased husband to

commitseveral murders…”]

February 22, 1944The Man with the Devil’s Hands

[“…

Boris Karloff, boogie-man of the stage and screen, will be starred in

the role of a great musician who has no control over his hands, whether

for creating beauty or causing death…”]

SCRIPT:

Alonzo Deen Cole.

March 7, 1944

[TITLE UNKNOWN]

March 14, 1944Dark Destiny

[“…deals with superstition and its power over so many credulous souls…a

story of a man possessed by fear of a curse that has come down in his

family from father to son…a man determined the curse shall not be

passed to his son…Boris Karloffwill be heard as an artist who will

even kill to break the family curse.”]

March 21, 1944

[TITLE UNKNOWN]

March 28, 1944String of Pearls

[“…

Boris Karloffplays the role of a man who lives two different

lives…”]

April 4, 1944The Unwelcome Visitor

[“…a chiller-thriller with a dash of insanity, a dab of murder, and a

soupcon of mayhem… Boris Karloff will portray a maniac who escaped

from a state institution…”]

SCRIPT:

Robert Leslie Bellem.

April 11, 1944Those Who Walk inDarkness

SCRIPT:

Robert Leslie Bellem.

EXTANT RECORDING

April 18, 1944The Permanent Guests

SCRIPT:

(Robert Leslie Bellem)

April 25, 1944Appointment With Death

SCRIPT:

(Robert Leslie Bellem)

May 2, 1944Final Reckoning

SCRIPT:

(Robert Leslie Bellem)

EXTANT RECORDING

May 9, 1944The Hunt

SCRIPT:

(Robert Leslie Bellem)

EXTANT RECORDING
CREEPS BY NIGHT (WJZ, NEW YORK—BLUE)
[Tuesday—10:30-11:00 PM]

May 16, 1944The Walking Dead

SCRIPT:

(adapted from passages inOf Mules and Menby Zora Neale Hurston).

EXTANT RECORDING

May 23, 1944The Strange Burial of Alexander Jordan” (HectorChevigny)

[

VARIETY:

“…It was the story of a man who is afraid of being buried alive

after being pronounced dead because he suffers from a sickness that

produces comatose symptoms readily diagnosed as death. He leaves

elaborate instructions as to his burial and these instructions coupled with

his will, which leaves his possessions to his nephew’s wife, ultimately

leads to the death of both…”]

SCRIPT:

Hector Chevigny.

EXTANT RECORDING

May 30, 1944

[TITLE UNKNOWN]

June 6, 1944

[Possibly canceled due to D-Day reportage.]

June 13, 1944“Big Top”

[“…Peter Lorre will be a trapeze artist…”]

June 20, 1944The Three Sisters

[“…a woman looks beyond the grave…”]
SCRIPT:

Hector Chevigny (adapted from the story by W. W. Jacobs).

CAST:

Florence Reed, et al.

[Tuesday—11:30 PM-12:00 MIDNIGHT]

July 4, 1944

[TITLE UNKNOWN]

July 11, 1944“The Six Who Never Died

[

BERKELEY DAILY GAZETTE:

“…A pearl-fishing boat in the South Pacific

will be the setting… The story will deal with a man whose greed forced

him to stand trial before a jury of the dead…”]

[“…The eerie proceedings will be dominated over, as usual, by the

program’s baffling narrator, the mysterious ‘Dr. X’…”]

SCRIPT:

Hector Chevigny.

July 18, 1944

July 25, 1944

August 1, 1944

August 8, 1944“Beyond the Grave”

August 15, 1944

GENERAL ELECTRIC PROGRAM (WRGB-TV, SCHENECTADY)

[Thursday—8:00-10:15 PM]

September 14, 1944The Tomb of Alexander Jordan

[

THE BILLBOARD:

“…Mysteries seem destined to become as popular on

the tele screen as they now are on radio if the vivid scanning of The Tomb

of Alexander Jordan, video version of a Blue Network psychological radio

drama, can be viewed as writing on the wall.

[Sources]

PERIODICALS:Atlanta Constiution, Miami Herald, New York Herald Tribune, Hollywood

Citizen-News.

[Gallery]
WARNING!

Persons suffering from heart trouble and those

whose blood has a tendency to curdle and hair

to uncurl under the stress of great excitement

are urged NOT to listen to

Boris Karloff

in "Creeps By Night"

TONIGHT at 9:30

—and Every Tuesday Night

The station disclaim!, all responsibility for th«

health of rhosa^ho insist on hearing thii thriller

IT'S A BLUE NETWORK PROGRAM
THE CRIME IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE
[RADIO-SERIAL]

Cited in the 1938-39 edition ofVariety Radio Directory; no further information is known.

[Program information]
ORIGINATION

: CHRC, Quebec, Quebec.

DURATION

: Circa 1930s.

PERSONNEL

: Unknown.

EXTANT RECORDINGS

: None.

THE CRIMSON FANG
[RADIO-SERIAL]

The last of the Fran Striker mystery serials, written while he was in the thick and flurry of

churning out Lone Ranger episodes.

[Program information]
ORIGINATION:

WXYZ, Detroit, Michigan.

DURATION.
[July 24-31], 1935.
PERSONNEL:

Fran Striker (scriptwriter).

EXTANT RECORDINGS:

None.

[Program log]
THE CRIMSON FANG (WXYZ, DETROIT)
[Wednesday—10:00-10:30 PM]

July 24, 1935

[?]
[“…The Egyptian god of death and darkness, Anubis, which tradition says

has the body of a man and the head of a jackal, will be the center of the

plot…”]

July 31, 1935

[?]
[“…Doctor Fang will display his powers by taking two G-men through the

innermost chambers of his stronghold…”]

THE CRIMSON STAR
[RADIO-SERIAL]

Further research is needed; this mystery serial followedJewelled Skullson WEBR in 1933.

[Program information]
ORIGINATION:

WEBR, Buffalo, New York.

DURATION:

Feburary 12-[March 26], 1933.

PERSONNEL:

Unknown.

EXTANT RECORDINGS:

None.

[Program log]
THE CRIMSON STAR (WEBR, BUFFALO)
[Sunday—9:00-9:30 PM]

Feb. 12, 1933

[1]

Feb. 19, 1933

[2]

Feb. 26, 1933

[3]

March. 5, 1933 [4]

March 12, 1933 [5]

March 19, 1933 [6]

March 26, 1933 [7]

THE CRIMSON WIZARD
[RADIO-SERIAL]

“The program was to feature the adventures of Peter Quill, a hunchback who used his scientific

ingenuity to defend America against a Communist spy ring.”

The Quill series was the closest that radio in the 1930s ever came toward duplicating theuber-

frenzied doom-laden thrills of over-the-top pulp magazines such asOperator 5orThe Spider.

[Big Spring Daily Herald, June 1, 1939] “In many a radio show, a six-foot heroine sighs while a

five-foot-three hero whispers soft words of romance. The radio is funny that way. There is one

program, however, ‘Peter Quill,’ that is different. The characters look as much as possible like

what they are supposed to represent.

“Alice Hill, who plays the heroine, is a petite blonde. Ken Griffin, the hero, is six feet tall and

weighs 175 pounds.

“The part of ‘Peter Quill’ is more difficult. Qull is supposed to be a distorted, ugly genius. Actor

Hugh Studebaker is not only one of Chicago’s best actors, but a master at make-up.”

[Time, October 14, 1940—“Defender”] For the past year the most ingenious defender of the U. S.

on the air has been an inventive wizard named Peter Quill. Against the machinations of foreign

agents he has thrown the resources of a laboratory that would startle even Jules Verne. He has

discovered a substance called therminite which burns at 6,000 degrees, melts all metals, renders

water explosive by breaking it down into hydrogen and oxygen. He has invented a delayed-action

"explosive" which explodes so gradually that it can be used on sinking submarines to expel water

and chlorine. He has devised a magnetic screen so powerful that when it is struck by bombs it

shatters them to fragments. Last week he was back on the air for Chicago's WGN and other

Mutual stations after a summer pause, still busy saving the U. S. from doom.

“Peter Quill is the joint creation of Bill Lee, late managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and

radio Writer-Producer-Director Blair Walliser. Originally Quill was known as The Crimson

Wizard, and in the beginning neither Lee nor Walliser was certain whether their man was a

menace or a hero. Last fall it was decided he ought to be a stanch American, and ever since then

Walliser has held him on the patriotic line.

“Walliser's show is distinguished from rivals by the fact that his inventions are all based,

however remotely, on real discoveries. Walliser is now considering a sleep ray for Peter Quill,

which will paralyze an enemy's hypothalamus, send him off into a gentle doze.

“Small, slight, 32-year-old Walliser is a Phi Beta Kappa from Northwestern University, despite

the fact that he was nearly thrown out three times before he graduated. As an editorial writer on

the Daily Northwestern, he wrote a bitter editorial criticizing the library, was forthwith fired from

the paper. Next he tried his hand at the Purple Parrot, Northwestern's comic sheet, turned out a

parody American Mercury, with a story about prostitutes, that resulted in the Parrot's

suppression. As his farewell to collegiate belles-lettres, Walliser took over the high-brow Scrawl,

had that suppressed when he tried to build up circulation with an article attacking marriage.

“Walliser has written, directed and produced scripts for the past eleven years—more than 3,000

scripts, 12,000 shows. Nearly all have followed the soap-opera pattern. Just Plain Bill, Backstage

Wife, The Romance of Helen Trent are among those he has directed. For three years he provided

ideas for The Gumps for Sidney Smith, quit soon after Smith died. He now writes his stuff so fast

he can't remember any of his sequences. After listening to three-quarters of a Peter Quill episode

of last year, he admitted he had no idea how it would turn out.”

PETER QUILL, THE CRIMSON WIZARD

America's Radio Hunchback Hero

by Karl H. Schadow, © 2004

(From Radio Recall, October 2004)

For one to have invented invisible lightning, a stethometer, and even an insomnia germ, this

individual must have been a scientific genius or wizard. In fact, there was such a person; his name

was Peter Quill. Known as The Crimson Wizard, Quill's exploits originated at WGN and were

aired over the Mutual Network.

Previous research of this series has been limited because to date, no scripts or recordings have

been located; and the notion that the program aired for only one season, 1940-41. A 1997 article

by Bill Kiddle that appeared in Chuck Schaden's Nostalgia Digest reported that Marvin Mueller

played the lead with support from Alice Hill, Ken Griffin and Olan Soulé. Although the plots were

bizarre, the inventions incorporated into the stories were all based upon scientific fact. This

program information was gleamed from the radio columns of the Chicago Tribune, owners of

WGN. An October 1940 review in TIME indicated that the program had returned to the air after a

summer hiatus. It was this clue that lead to the discovery of not one, but two additional seasons of

the spy-thriller, melodrama.

© 1938 WGN Radio (Reprinted with permission) Above ad from 10-07-38 issue of Chicago

Tribune

Readers of the Color Graphic Section of the September 25, 1938 Chicago Sunday Tribune were

enticed to listen to WGN at 8:00 p.m. the following Friday for the initial installment of The

Crimson Wizard. The program was to feature the adventures of Peter Quill, a hunchback who

used his scientific ingenuity to defend America against a Communist spy ring, The Red Circle. A

unique aspect of this series was that the events of each episode were aired "live" over the radio

and "permanently recorded" in the newspaper the following Sunday. This documentation was the

result of the program's creators, Robert M. Lee and Blair Walliser who were at the time, Chicago

Tribune Managing Editor and WGN Program Director, respectively.

The first season ran twelve weeks and starred Hugh Studebaker, one of Chicago's radio soap

opera veterans as the lead. Maida Travers played by Donna Reade was a vocalist whose singing

inspired Quill to give purpose to his life. Born a frightful hunchback, Peter Quill never ventured

outside his laboratory. His discovery of invisible lightning involved him in a plot against The Red

Circle to recover stolen battleship plans. The blueprints were drawn by naval architect, Eric

Lambert (Olan Soule). The investigation was lead by Secret Bureau Chief Allan Tyler (David

Gothard). Members of The Red Circle included: Sonya Danilo (Irene Lorraine), Michael Raclov

(Leslie Spears) and Comrade Petrovich (Henry Saxe). The story begins in Washington, DC with

the theft of the plans. The action moves to New York and the Jersey Coast, then across the

Atlantic to the British Isles. The final showdown occurs in the Mediterranean Sea with a

treasonous Peter Quill on a Red Fleet battleship. How did he get there? Was he a traitor? This was

all a clever ruse to deceive The Red Circle who wanted him to use his invisible lightning against

the free world.

The program with the title simply, Peter Quill, resumed just a few weeks later with the second

series commencing Friday, February 24, 1939. Once again, the focus was thwarting the insidious

Red Circle. Hugh Studebaker continued as the lead. Quill was assisted by his friend, Sharon (Betty

Lou Gerson) to whom he confided that he had survived a terrific explosion aboard a Red Fleet

vessel and was no longer a hunchback. The second season lasted twenty weeks and featured many

of the same characters (and cast). Several new inventions of The Crimson Wizard were introduced

and used throughout this season. The most significant of these was thermion, a substance that

could generate intense heat and be incorporated into devices of various shapes and sizes. Other

notable gadgetry included: silent anaesthetic pellet gun, thermoradiant condensator,

electromagnetic force gun, and a delayed-action explosive. Quill's pursuit of The Red Circle took

him from Coast to Coast and also to various islands off the Atlantic Seaboard. It was in Havana

that Quill acquired the assistance of the romantic team of Gail Carson (Alice Hill) and Captain

Roger Dorn (Ken Griffin) both members of the Secret Bureau who would continue their vigilance

throughout this and the following 1940-41 season.

The third and final season which began on Sunday, October 6, 1940 featured Marvin Mueller as

Peter Quill. Mueller, a talented actor was also heard during the week in various roles from Santa

Claus, and the Mutual Monikers quiz show emcee, to commentator for Chicago Opera broadcasts.

Quill continued his fight to destroy The Red Circle with his latest inventions: stethometer, electric

bullet and a cerebroscope. Experiments with various chemicals availed him to control extreme

cold and devastating fires. His travels took him to the far reaches of the African jungles where his

adversaries were not only spies but black panthers.

The Chicago Sunday Tribune ended its full page Graphic Section coverage with the 1939 season.

Thus, there is less information of the 1940-41 season available to OTR historians. Moreover, to

compound problems, not all geographic editions of the Chicago Sunday Tribune (as well as other

newspapers) included program publicity in their respective radio columns.

With each season, Peter Quill was heard on an ever-increasing number of stations. Of special

note is that the program was only aired during 1941 in New York. WOR featured Peter Quill as

part of it's daily 3 O'Clock Playhouse. Each day, a different program was broadcast in this

afternoon slot. Some of these other programs included: Lew Loyal, Mystery Hall, Ned Jordan-

Secret Agent, and The Green Hornet. Produced from various Mutual outlets, they could not be

aired at their original time because of scheduling conflicts at WOR. Perhaps WOR recorded Peter

Quill on ETs each Sunday as it came over the wire from WGN? This is one hope that an episode

maybe found in the future.

© 1941 Hubbard Broadcasting Inc. (Reprinted with permission) Above ad from 1-6-41 issue of

Minneapolis Star-Journal

Another possible opportunity to chance upon a transcription may have come as a result of the

program aired on a non-Mutual station. During the first half of the 1940-41 season, listeners in

the Minneapolis-St. Paul area tuned in the local Mutual outlet-WLOL on Sunday afternoons to

hear Peter Quill. Starting on Monday, January 6, 1941, the program was broadcast at 6:30 p.m.

over KSTP, the NBC-Red affiliate in that market. How did KSTP negtiate to air the program? Did

this station record it directly from Mutual, or were ETs provided from a syndicator?

A most intriguing item is that KSTP promoted "easy-to-get" premiums associated with the

program. As none of these are mentioned in any radio premium book, it's unknown if these were

rings or perhaps a miniature stethometer. Were they offered on a Nation-wide basis or solely

through KSTP? Was a sponsor involved?

During the first two seasons, the program was a sustainer over Mutual. By the third season, the

Paul F. Beich Company was sponsoring the program promoting its Whiz Candy Bars. The ad

agency handling the account was N.W. Ayer & Son, Inc. The archives of these companies may

provide additional information on the premiums and other aspects of the program. Production

costs of only $800 per week were expended for each episode. This was similar to the $850 for

Inner Sanctum Mystery, but much less as compared to The Shadow ($1,600) and Mr. District

Attorney ($2,800).

The standard OTR reference books note that the opening signature was produced by having

Marvin Mueller "wail into the strings of a piano while the sostenuto pedal was held down," a most

unusual effect. How were sound effects made for the invisible lightning, radiosonic compass and

other inventions? The artist performing these amazing feats was Russell Raycroft who was

required to work behind a screen per the orders of Director Blair Walliser. Thus, even the 600

who attended the weekly performances left the studio wondering how the unique sounds were

accoplished. Moreover, the audience enjoyed the live music provided by the WGN Concert

Orchestra under the direction of Henry Weber.

RADIO LOG: Peter Quill - The Crimson Wizard

Created by: Robert M. Lee & Blair Walliser; Writer/Producer/Director: Blair Walliser; Sound

Effects Artist: Russell Raycroft; Music: Henry Weber Conducting WGN Concert Orchestra.

The Crimson Wizard - Season 1

September 30, 1938-December 16, 1938.

Friday 8:00-8:30 p.m. (CT)

WGN and other Midwest Mutual stations only.

CAST: Hugh Studebaker (Peter Quill), Donna Reade (Maida Travers), David Gothard (Allan

Tyler), Olan Soule (Eric Lambert), Irene Lorraine (Sonya Danilo), Henry Saxe (Comrade

Petrovich), Leslie Spears (Michael Raclov).

September 30, 1938 "The Crimson Wizard"

October 7, 1938 "Murder in the Dark"

October 14, 1938 "Drama at Sea"

October 21, 1938 "Atlantic Flight"

October 28, 1938 "Radio Warning"

November 4, 1938 "Peter Quill Escapes"

November 11, 1938 "Thunder Over London"

November 18, 1938 "Escape from The Reds"

November 25, 1938 "Mobilization"

December 2, 1938 "Armada of Death"

December 9, 1938 "Armageddon"

December 16, 1938 "Veil of Mystery"

Peter Quill - Season 2

February 24, 1939-July 7, 1939.

Friday 8:00-8:30 p.m. (CT)

WGN and other Midwest Mutual stations; various days and times on West Coast, Don Lee

Network.

CAST: Hugh Studebaker (Peter Quill), Betty Lou Gerson (Sharon), Olan Soule (Allan Tyler),

Reese Taylor (Stephen Blade), Irene Lorraine (Sonya Danilo), Henry Saxe (Comrade Petrovich),

Leslie Spears (Michael Raclov), Alice Hill (Gail Carson), Ken Griffin (Captain Dorn), with Bob

Barron, Clare Baum, Frank Behrens, Charles Calvert, Kay Campbell, Fran Carlon, Ken Christie,

Leo Curley, Frank Dane, Patricia Dunlap, Chris Ford, Murray Forbes, Genelle Gibbs, Dolores

Gillen, Stanley Gordon, Hilda Graham, Percy Hemus, Doug Hope, Barry Hopkins, John Larkin,

Burr Lee, John Matthews, Don Merrifield, Bob Middleton, Marvin Mueller, Vernile Murrin, C.

Henry Nathan, Herb Nelson, George Noise, William Rath, Olga Rosanova, Wally Seitz, Dan

Sutter, Arthur Van Slyke, Peggy Wahl, John Walsh, Sam Wanamaker, Duke Watson, Joan

Winters, Leslie Woods.

February 24, 1939 "The Return of Peter Quill"

March 3, 1939 "The Red Circle's Cruel Trap"

March 10, 1939 "The Red Circle Grasps for 10 Billion Dollars"

March 17, 1939 "Red Ghost of Washington"

March 24, 1939 "Red Dawn Over Panama"

March 31 1939 "Red Rain of Death"

April 7, 1939 "Under the Red Mask"

April 14, 1939 "The Red House of Terror"

April 21, 1939 "The Captain Conquers Death"

April 28, 1939 "The Riddle of The Red Imposter"

May 5, 1939 "Detour to Doom"

May 12, 1939 "The Revenge of The Red Circle"

May 19, 1939 "The Isle of Terror"

May 26, 1939 "Attack and Counter-Attack"

June 2, 1939 "The Phantom Ship"

June 9, 1939 "The Spy School"

June 16, 1939 "Caught in the catacombs"

June 23, 1939 "The Devil's Work"

June 30, 1939 "The Red Sunset"

July 7, 1939 "Deep Sea Death"

Peter Quill - Season 3

October 6, 1940-March 30, 1941.

Sunday 3:00-3:00 p.m. (CT)

WGN and most of the Mutual Network, sporadic coverage on East Coast. Sponsored by Paul F.

Beich Company for Whiz Candy Bars. Produced by N.W. Ayer & Son, Inc. (Advertising Agency).

CAST: Marvin Mueller (Peter Quill), Alice Hill (Gail Carson), Ken Griffin (Captain Dorn), Olan

Soule (Allan Tyler), Irene Lorraine (Sonya Danilo), Leslie Spears (Michael Raclov), with Louise

Fitch, Jim Goss, Ann Kuper, John Walsh.

October 6, 1940 "The Thing That Couldn't Happen"

October 13, 1940 ...experiments with Uranium...

October 20, 1940 "The Child Giants"

October 27, 1940 "The Phantom of The Navy"

November 3, 1940 "The Creeping Plague"

November 10, 1940 ...use of atom-smasher...

November 17, 1940 "Flight Without Wings"

November 24, 1940 "Red Devil of Catamount Ridge"

December 1, 1940 "Sigma Ray"

December 8, 1940 Pre-empted by NFL Title Game

December 15, 1940 "The Frozen Terror"

December 22, 1940 "The River of Flame"

December 29, 1940 ...Naval base sabotage...

January 5, 1941 "A Night of Terror"

January 12, 1941 "Case of The Convivial Corpse"

January 19, 1941 "Devil's Magic"

January 26, 1941 "Death After Dark"

February 2, 1941 ...lycanthropy, werewolvery...

February 9, 1941 "An Eye for an Eye"

February 16, 1941 Title/plot unknown

February 23, 1941 Title/plot unknown

March 2, 1941 Title/plot unknown

March 9, 1941 "All Roads Lead to Madness"

March 16, 1941 "Life After Life"

March 23, 1941 Title/plot unknown

March 30, 1941 Title/plot unknown

[Program information]
ORIGINATION:

WGN, Chicago, Illinois.

DURATION:

September 23, 1938 (pilot episode onCurtain Time), September 30-December 16,

1938 (first series), February 24-July 7, 1939 (second series), October 6, 1940-March 30, 1941

(third series).

PERSONNEL:

Robert M. Lee (scriptwriter), Donald Spatz (scriptwriter—pilot episode on

Curtain Time), Blair Walliser (scriptwriter, producer, director).

CASTS

:

Ken Griffin (hero), Alice Hill (heroine), Irene Leben (Sonia), Donna Reade (Maida

Travers), Hugh Studebaker (Peter Quill).

EXTANT RECORDINGS:

None.

[Program log]
CURTAIN TIME (WGN, CHICAGO)
[Friday—9:30-10:00 PM]

September 23, 1938Kovar the Wizard

[“…a weird thirty minute drama written by Donald Spatz, will be

presented on the W-G-N and Mutual dramatic show Curtain Time from

W-G-N’s audience studio… Hugh Studebaker will be starred with

Margery Hannon appearing opposite him. Blair Walliser will direct the

program…”]

THE CRIMSON WIZARD (WGN, CHICAGO)
[Friday—8:00-8:30 PM]

September 30, 1938The Crimson Wizard

October 7, 1938Murder in the Dark

October 14, 1938Drama at Sea

October 21, 1938Atlantic Flight

October 28, 1938Radio Warning

November 4, 1938Peter Quill Escapes

November 11, 1938Thunder Over London

November 18, 1938Escape from the Reds

November 25, 1938Mobilization

December 2, 1938Armada of Death

December 9, 1938Armageddon

December 16, 1938Veil of Mystery

PETER QUILL, THE CRIMSON WIZARD (WGN, CHICAGO)

[Friday—8:00-8:30 PM]

February 24, 1939The Return of Peter Quill

March 3, 1939The Red Circle’s Cruel Trap

March 10, 1939The Red Circle Grasps for 10 Billion Dollars

March 17, 1939The Red Ghost of Washington

March 24, 1939Red Dawn Over Panama

March 31, 1939Red Rain of Death

April 7, 1939Under the Red Mask

April 14, 1939The Red House of Terror

April 21, 1939The Captain Conquers Death

April 28, 1939The Riddle of the Red Imposter

May 5, 1939Detour to Doom

May 12, 1939The Revenge of the Red Circle

May 19, 1939The Isle of Terror

May 26, 1939Attack and Counter-Attack

June 2, 1939The Phantom Ship

[“…a new exciting episode in the eerie locale of Scarab Island, off the

Atlantic seaboard…”]

June 9, 1939The Spy School

June 16, 1939Caught in the Catacombs

June 23, 1939The Devil’s Work

June 30, 1939The Red Sunset

July 7, 1939Deep Sea Death

PETER QUILL (WGN, CHICAGO)
[Sunday—3:00-3:30 PM]

October 6, 1940 “The Thing That Couldn’t Happen

October 13, 1940

October 20, 1940The Child Giants

October 27, 1940The Phantom of the Navy

November 3, 1940The Creeping Plague

November 10, 1940

November 17, 1940Flight Without Wings

November 24, 1940The Red Devil of Catamount Ridge

December 1, 1940Sigma Ray

December 15, 1940The Frozen Terror

December 22, 1940The River of Flame

December 29, 1940

January 5, 1941A Night of Terror

January 12, 1941The Case of the Convivial Corpse

January 19, 1941Devil’s Magic

January 26, 1941Death After Dark

February 2, 1941

February 9, 1941An Eye for an Eye

February 16, 1941

February 23, 1941

March 2, 1941

March 9, 1941All Roads Lead to Madness

March 16, 1941Life After Life

March 23, 1941

March 30, 1941