Dark Fantasy was a short-lived horror antholgy program -- just 31 episodes -- that aired from November 14, 1941 through June 19, 1942 for NBC Radio, originating from Oklahoma City's WKY. The show was the brainchild of Scott Bishop, who had also written for The Mysterious Traveler and ; a press release at the time claimed that Bishop was the "father of hundreds of mystery novels" -- an assertion that has never been proven.
Bishop's script writing tended to be over the top. Case in ;point, "Spawn of the Subhuman," acknowledgeed by some as one of the strangest of the old-time radio horror episodes, which I have included here because there were just never enough horror shows featuring gorillas. Yes, this is an ape-centric horror program.
A famus soprano takes a chartered flight with her partner-manager. only to discover that the plane is being piloted by an ape! Not just any ape, mind you, but an opera-singing gorilla...with the voice of her ex-fiancee! Of course, there is a mad scientist behind the plot. Things get a little weird...
The episode features the vocal talents of Eleanor Naylor Coughron as the singer, Ben Morris as her manager, Garland Moss as the mad doctor, and Muir Hite as the gorilla.
Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImJXWNmIyFU
And, as a lagniappe, here is the full script for the episode:
https://www.genericradio.com/show/556FWTWUO3
I knew of DARK FANTASY, but haven't heard many--thanks for digging these out!
ReplyDeleteIt does fail the Mason Primate Test, as one protagonist refers to the gorilla as a "monkey", and no one so far has corrected her (perhaps given here understandably startled response).
ReplyDeleteRarely has the comeuppance for the villain been so amusing, and over-the-top without serial explosions.
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