The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

Once again, we’re checking out a series we haven’t listened to before. This time it’s The Adventures of the Falcon! This episode, “The Widow’s Gorilla,” features private detective Michael Waring’s hunt for a suicide note that might or might not exist which could prove or disprove a murder that may or may not have happened. How much money could this note be worth? Who or what is the widow’s gorilla? Does the pronunciation of Miracle Whip change depending on how it’s being served? Listen for yourself and find out!

There’s an episode of The Shadow that’s been waiting for us in the Listener Library and this week our Patreon supporter James has sent us to go get it! Thanks, James! “Hypnotic Death” features Lamont Cranston stumbling on to a madman’s plot to combine hypnotism, murder, and insurance fraud. But even the Shadow might be overwhelmed by this opponent. Can Lamont save an innocent man from an accusation of murder? If the Shadow cannot stop this criminal hypnotist, who can? What do Tim and Eric have in common with George Clooney? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week is a double-feature exploration of Anthony Boucher’s story, “They Bite,” featuring a reading of the original by our own Joshua and the adaptation produced by Nightfall! The story features a mysterious loner in the desert camped out by an adobe ruin. The locals claim this ruin is the home to some mysterious entity that kills those who come to close. Folks cannot give this threat a name, but ominously warn, “They bite!” What is the cause of these strange deaths? How do these two different audio presentations compare in capturing the story? Will Joshua be reading to his co-hosts on a regular basis after this? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week, we’re listening to an episode of Suspense entitled “Fragile Contents Death,” recommended to us by our Patreon supporter Cole! Thanks, Cole! The story features a postmaster who receives word that a time bomb is hidden somewhere in all the items passing through his post office. He and his staff only have a few hours to find the explosive, and it will detonate if the package is opened! How can they possibly find the bomb in time? Why would someone put a bomb in the mail? What’s the right way to punctuate the title of the show? Listen for yourself and find out!

As we discussed in episode 405, "The Hat, the Bed, and John J. Catherine," from Quiet Please, our first attempt at a secret episode for our Patreon supporters was featured “Hat on a Bed,” from the series Origin of Superstition. Unfortunately, the recording had a few sound issues (including Tim having a cold) so we redid our inaugural episode with a different show to discuss. For the curious who are willing to overlook these flaws, we offer this abandoned alternative which tells the tale of an uninvited guest, an accusation of murder, and a truly outlandish courtroom stunt. Thank you again for your support of the podcast and we hope you enjoy this strange cautionary tale!