Inner Sanctum Mysteries, Vol. 2

Taking its name from a popular series of mysterynovels, Inner Sanctum Mysteries debuted over NBC’s BlueNetwork in January 1941. It featured one of the most memorable and atmosphericopenings in radio history: an organist hit a dissonant chord, a doorknobturned, and the famous “creaking door” slowly began to open. Every week, InnerSanctum Mysteries told stories of ghosts, murderers, and lunatics.Produced in New York, the cast usually consisted of veteran radio actors, withoccasional guest appearances by such Hollywood stars Boris Karloff, PeterLorre, and Claude Rains. What made Inner Sanctum Mysteries uniqueamong radio horror shows was its host, a slightly sinister sounding felloworiginally known as “Raymond.” The host had a droll sense of humor and anappetite for ghoulish puns, and his influence can be seen among horror hostseverywhere, from the Crypt-Keeper to Elvira. Raymond Edward Johnson was theshow’s host until 1945; Paul McGrath took over as host until the show left theair in 1952. Producer Hiram Brown would utilize the creaking door again in the1970s, when he produced and directed The CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Episodes include “Blood of Cain”“Skeleton Bay”“The Man Who Couldn’t Die”“I Walk in the Night”“Death Is a Double-Crosser”“Strands of Death”“Lady with a Plan”“Make Ready My Grave”“You Could Die Laughing”“Detour to Terror”“Eight Steps to Murder”“I Want to Report a Murder”