M U R D E R A T M I D N I G H T ----------- --- --------------- 1946 - 1947 First Show: Sep 16, 1946 Last Show: Sep 08, 1947 Number Shows: 51 Audition Show: none known Series Description: This series was produced in New York and was heard first heard over the Mutual Network between Sept. 16, 1946 and Sept. 8, 1947 on radio station WJZ. MURDER AT MIDNIGHT, frequently using scripts borrowed from THE INNER SANCTUM, featured tales of the supernatural and the macabre by radio's top writers and stars. Listeners heard wild tales of death at midnight, "the witching hour, when night is darkest, our fears the strongest, our strength at it's lowest ebb. Midnight when the graves gape open and Death strikes". Robert Newman, Joseph Ruscoll, Max Erlich and William Norwood handled the writing. The show was hosted by Raymond Morgan. The cast featured Elspith Eric, Mercedes McCambridge, Barry Kroeger, Betty Kane, Carl Frank, Barry Hopkins, Lawson Zerbie. Charles Paul played the creepy organ music, and Anton M. Leader directed. In 1950, 10 shows from the series were again syndicated under the same title and were heard on Mutual stations. Log Comments: The information in various catalogs was sparse at best. Only a few mentioned a few broadcast dates. The series was syndicated, which accounts for lack of or differences in dates from various references. The earliest dates found are used here. Jerry Haendiges log (see "Other Logs or Books" section below) provided many titles from missing shows. Cast member names came mainly from Jerry's log and Steve Kelez's Radio Showcase catalogs. Chronological Log: Date Num Title Avail ------------ --- ------------------------------------------ ----- ...... shows aired on Mondays ...... Sep 16, 1946 1 "The Dead Hand" yes with Betty Caine, Carl Frank, Barry Hopkins, Lawson Zerbe Sep 23, 1946 2 "The Man Who Was Death" yes Sep 30, 1946 3 "Secret of XR3" yes Oct 07, 1946 4 "Wherever I Go" yes Oct 14, 1946 ... Pre-empted ... Oct 21, 1946 5 "Curse of Death's Goblet" yes with Eric Dressler Oct 28, 1946 6 "Trigger Man" yes Nov 04, 1946 7 "The Heavy Death" yes with Frank Readick Nov 11, 1946 8 "Nightmare" yes with Elspeth Eric, Walter Vaughn Nov 18, 1946 9 "The Dead Came Back" yes with Joseph Julian, Wendall Holmes Nov 25, 1946 10 "The Creeper" yes with Ann Shepard Dec 02, 1946 11 "The Man Who Died yesterday" yes Dec 09, 1946 12 "Till Death Do Us Part" yes with Elspeth Eric, Eric Dressler Dec 16, 1946 13 "Murder Is a Lonely Business" yes with Wendell Holmes, Helen Shields Dec 23, 1946 14 "The House Where Death Lived" yes with Barry Kroeger Dec 30, 1946 15 "The Caballah" yes with Jane Van Dyke Jan 06, 1947 16 "Ace of Death" yes with Karl Swenson, John Griggs Jan 13, 1947 17 "The House That Time Forgot" yes with Vinton Hayworth, Elsie Hitz Jan 20, 1947 18 "Death Tolls a Requiem" yes with Michael Fitzmorris Jan 27, 1947 19 "The 13th Floor" yes with Ann Shepherd Feb 03, 1947 20 "Man With the Black Beard" yes with Mercedes McCambridge Feb 10, 1947 21 "The Black Curtain" yes Feb 17, 1947 22 "The Outcast" Feb 24, 1947 23 "Terror Out of Space" yes Mar 03, 1947 ... Pre-empted ... Mar 10, 1947 24 "Death's Worshipper" yes with Bess Johnson, Carl Emery Mar 17, 1947 25 "Death Tolls a Requiem" (dup of #18) yes Mar 24, 1947 26 "Red Wheels" yes Mar 31, 1947 27 "Ape Song" yes with Raymond Edward Johnson, Raymond Morgan Apr 07, 1947 28 "The Line Is Dead" yes with Raymond Edward Johnson Apr 14, 1947 29 "Death Ship" Apr 21, 1947 30 "We Who Are About To Die" yes Apr 28, 1947 31 "The Living Dead" May 05, 1947 32 "Island of the Dead" yes Alt: "Isle of the Dead" yes May 12, 1947 33 "Corridor of Doom" with Santos Ortega May 19, 1947 34 "City Morgue" with Santos Ortega May 26, 1947 35 "The Dark Chamber" Jun 02, 1947 36 "Death Is No End" Jun 09, 1947 37 "The Dark Cellar" Jun 16, 1947 38 "Murder Is Not Enough" Jun 23, 1947 ... Pre-empted ... Jun 30, 1947 39 "The Man Who Died Yesterday" (dup of #11) yes Jul 07, 1947 40 "The Face Of The Dragon" Jul 14, 1947 41 "Fatal Interuption" Jul 21, 1947 42 "The Dispossessed" Jul 28, 1947 43 "The Appointment" Aug 04, 1947 44 "Glory Train" Aug 11, 1947 45 "The Face" Aug 18, 1947 46 "The Black Swan" yes with Betty Caine, Carl Frank, Barry Hopkins, Lawson Zerbe Aug 25, 1947 47 "Deadman's Turn" Sep 01, 1947 48 "Memory of the Dead" Sep 08, 1947 49 "The Mark of Cain" 50 "Death Across the Board" yes with Eric Dressler (recorded but never broadcast) 51 "Murder Out of Mind" yes with Charlotte Holland, Alan Hewit (recorded but never broadcast) Alphabetical List: Title Date Num ----------------------------- -------- --- 13th Floor, The 47-01-27 19 Ace of Death 47-01-06 16 Ape Song 47-03-31 27 Appointment, The 47-07-28 43 Black Curtain, The 47-02-10 21 Black Swan, The 47-08-18 46 Caballah, The 46-12-30 15 City Morgue 47-05-19 34 Corridor of Doom 47-05-12 33 Creeper, The 46-11-25 10 Curse of Death's Goblet 46-10-21 5 Dark Cellar, The 47-06-09 37 Dark Chamber, The 47-05-26 35 Dead Came Back, The 46-11-18 9 Dead Hand, The 46-09-16 1 Deadman's Turn 47-08-25 47 Death's Worshipper 47-03-10 24 Death Across the Board none 50 Death Is No End 47-06-02 36 Death Ship 47-04-14 29 Death Tolls a Requiem 47-01-20 18 (repeat) 47-03-17 25 Dispossessed, The 47-07-21 42 Face Of The Dragon, The 47-07-07 40 Face, The 47-08-11 45 Fatal Interuption 47-07-14 41 Glory Train 47-08-04 44 Heavy Death, The 46-11-04 7 House That Time Forgot, The 47-01-13 17 House Where Death Lived, The 46-12-23 14 Island of the Dead 47-05-05 32 Isle of the Dead 47-05-05 32 Line Is Dead, The 47-04-07 28 Living Dead, The 47-04-28 31 Man Who Died yesterday, The 46-12-02 11 (repeat) 47-06-30 39 Man Who Was Death, The 46-09-23 2 Man With the Black Beard 47-02-03 20 Mark of Cain, The 47-09-08 49 Memory of the Dead 47-09-01 48 Murder Is a Lonely Business 46-12-16 13 Murder Is Not Enough 47-06-16 38 Murder Out of Mind none 51 Nightmare 46-11-11 8 Outcast, The 47-02-17 22 Red Wheels 47-03-24 26 Secret of XR3 46-09-30 3 Terror Out of Space 47-02-24 23 Till Death Do Us Part 46-12-09 12 Trigger Man 46-10-28 6 We Who Are About To Die 47-04-21 30 Wherever I Go 46-10-07 4 References: * "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, 27436 Desert Rose Ct., Leesburg, FL 34748 * OTR club and vendor catalogs or web sites: * Crabapple Sound, Henry Hinkel, 254 Florida Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010 * Edward J. Carr, 216 Shaner Street, Boyertown, PA 19512 * Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 * North American Radio Archives, 134 Vincewood Dr., Nicolasville, KY 40356 * Radio Memories, Ted Davenport, 1600 Wewoka St., North Little Rock, AR 72116 * Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 * The Sci-Fi Guy, Gordon R. Payton, 118 E. Palmer Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108 (no longer sells shows) * Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety And Comedy, PO Box 7177, Van Nuys, CA 91409-7177 * Vintage Broadcasts, Andy Blatt, PO Box 50065, Staten Island, NY 10305 Other Logs or Books: * MURDER AT MIDNIGHT log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com) Reader Feedback: * Andrew C. Green supplied a correction for the director's name. * Jerry Shnay sent his Murder at Midnight log, incorporated here. * Max Schmid supplied corrections for the author's and director's names. * David Johnson corrected the production location (NYC, not LA). He also commeted that some of the scripts came from THE INNER SANCTUM and provided the New York Times radio column listing for Sept 1, 1947. Last Update: Jul 25, 2007 This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows may still be protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from authorized dealers. The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis. Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M. Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).