Starring Boris Karloff

Starring Boris Karloff was an American radio and television anthology series broadcast for 13 weeks, September–December 1949, on the ABC Television network. Boris Karloff was the host and occasional star, with music by organist George Henninger. Produced and directed by Charles Warburton, the series adapted short stories of mystery and suspense.[1]: 634 

Starring Boris Karloff
Also known asMystery Playhouse Starring Boris Karloff
Presenting Boris Karloff
GenreSuspense
Directed byCharles Warburton
StarringBoris Karloff
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
ProducerCharles Warburton
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 21 (1949-09-21) –
December 15, 1949 (1949-12-15)

Production

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Starring Boris Karloff aired as an ABC Radio series. In a practice that was then becoming prevalent, the radio show was doubled on television on ABC-TV. The same script was used for both programs, but was adapted and altered for each medium.[2]

Beginning with the October 27 broadcast, the title of the series was changed to Mystery Playhouse Starring Boris Karloff.[3]: 710  The 30-minute program was also known as Boris Karloff Presents[4] and Presenting Boris Karloff.[1]: 634 [5]

Episodes

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Radio historian John Dunning described Starring Boris Karloff as a horror anthology series that adapted well-known short stories by Arch Oboler, Cornell Woolrich and others.[1]: 634  Sources for episode information include Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs.[6]

Number Title Radio + TV Broadcast Cast
1 "Five Golden Guineas" September 21 + 22, 1949 Boris Karloff, Mildred Natwick
2 "The Mask" September 28 + 29, 1949
3 "Mungahara" October 5 + 6, 1949
4 "Mad Illusion" October 12 + 13, 1949
5 "Perchance to Dream" October 19 + 20, 1949
6 "The Devil Takes a Wife" October 26 + 27, 1949
7 "The Moving Finger" November 2 + 3, 1949
8 "The Twisted Path" November 9 + 10, 1949
9 "False Face" November 16 + 17, 1949 Jean Muir
10 "Cranky Bill" November 23 + 24, 1949
11 "Three O'Clock" November 30 + December 1, 1949
12 "The Shop at Sly Corner" December 7 + 8, 1949 Mary Malone, Oliver Thorndike
13 "The Night Reveals" December 14 + 15, 1949

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Dunning, John, On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1998 ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3 hardcover; revised edition of Tune In Yesterday (1976)
  2. ^ Butterfield, C. E. (September 17, 1949). "Radio Day by Day". The Register-News. Illinois, Mt. Vernon. p. 2. Retrieved March 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946–Present. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988 (fourth edition), ISBN 0-345-35610-1
  4. ^ Bojarski, Richard; Beale, Kenneth (1974). The Films of Boris Karloff. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-0396-3.
  5. ^ Hickerson, Jay, The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide to All Circulating Shows, 1992, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514, page 321
  6. ^ Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
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