The Shadow | Old Time Radio

The Shadow presents “The Ghost Wore a Silver Slipper,” originally broadcast on April 7, 1946. This Mutual Broadcasting System episode, sponsored by Blue Coal, is listed as program 366 and stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Lesley Woods as Margo Lane. When Lamont and Margo offer a ride to a young woman near a cemetery, she vanishes before they reach her destination—leaving behind a disturbing clue. Their search for an explanation draws them into a shadowy criminal mystery. Written by Lawrence Crowley, this atmospheric 1946 adventure balances graveyard unease with a contemporary crime investigation. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:45 Original Broadcast 29:52 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From The Shadow: “The Ghost Walks Again,” originally broadcast March 16, 1941. Episode 219 follows Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane into a small New England town haunted by reports that its long-dead colonial governor, Sir Roger Mathus, has returned. Victims are found clutching death warrants bearing Mathus’s signature, and the local sheriff seeks Cranston’s help. As midnight approaches at the town’s old meeting hall, The Shadow investigates a deadly legend while refusing to accept a supernatural explanation too quickly. Written by Jerry Devine, the episode stars Bill Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Marjorie Anderson as Margot Lane, with future film star Richard Widmark in a supporting role. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:47 Original Broadcast 25:56 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “A Mask for Murder,” originally broadcast on October 10, 1948. This Mutual Broadcasting System episode, sponsored by Blue Coal, is program 455 and stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Grace Matthews as Margo Lane. When a man appears to seek out a professional assassin to arrange his own death, Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane are drawn into a perilous web of deception, hidden motives, and possible double-crosses. Written by Edward J. Adamson, this tense mystery challenges The Shadow to uncover what is truly being planned. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:46 Original Broadcast 27:55 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From The Shadow: “The Ghost That Gleams,” originally broadcast April 4, 1948 (episode 442). This late-run Mutual Broadcasting System mystery stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Grace Matthews as Margo Lane, from a script by Louis Vittes. At his isolated Oceanside cottage, Max Hale is haunted by a tall, pale-faced figure that appears outside his window. When police and psychiatrists fail to explain the terror, Lamont and Margo spend the night investigating clues in the windswept dunes—including a troubling trace of wet seaweed—to learn whether the visitor is a ghost or a more earthly threat. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:58 Original Broadcast 30:25 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Murderer’s Vanity,” originally broadcast on March 17, 1940. This surviving Mutual Broadcasting System episode, sponsored by Blue Coal, is generally listed as episode 191 and stars Bill Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow alongside Marjorie Anderson as Margo Lane. When a man faces the electric chair after being accused of murdering his mother for money, the Shadow and Margo race to uncover the truth behind a deadly scheme. This local archival recording captures the suspenseful Bill Johnstone-era series at its tense, fast-moving best. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:41 Original Broadcast 25:32 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Scent of Death” (also known as “The Scent of Death”), originally broadcast on February 2, 1947. Episode 395 of the Mutual Broadcasting System series stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Grace Matthews as Margot Lane. A woman’s sudden death after opening an apparently empty perfume bottle draws Cranston and Margot into a dangerous investigation involving exclusive perfume sellers, counterfeit goods, and a mysterious chemist. Written by Frank Kane and directed by John Cole, this archival recording also preserves the era’s Blue Coal commercials. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:50 Original Broadcast 29:25 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Dragon’s Tongue Murders,” originally broadcast October 12, 1941. This is episode 227 of the series, starring William Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Marjorie Anderson as Margo Lane. When Margo accepts a women’s-magazine feature assignment at the wealthy Post family estate, she and Lamont Cranston find themselves amid financial pressures, long-held resentments, and unsettling secrets. As the household’s tensions turn dangerous, the Shadow begins to investigate. Written by Sidney Slon and Peter Barry, the Mutual Broadcasting System drama was sponsored by Blue Coal. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:49 Original Broadcast 30:30 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Makeup for Murder,” originally broadcast December 1, 1946. Bret Morrison stars as Lamont Cranston, with Joe Bates Smith credited as writer; the Mutual Broadcasting System broadcast was sponsored by Carey’s Salt. After a terrified beggar dies on Beggar’s Road, Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane investigate a troubling pattern of deaths at Mike’s Flophouse, a grim shelter known as “the graveyard.” With the authorities unconvinced, the Shadow goes undercover as an acrobat called Flipper to uncover the danger facing the flophouse’s desperate residents. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:49 Original Broadcast 29:41 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “The Man Who Murdered Time,” originally broadcast on Mutual on January 1, 1939. Episode 153 features Bill Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Agnes Moorehead as Margot Lane. On New Year’s Eve in New York, Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane find themselves trapped in a day that keeps repeating while nearly everyone around them remains unaware. Their investigation leads to the gravely ill Dr. Willard and a dangerous experiment that may leave the world permanently caught in December 31. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:46 Original Broadcast 29:46 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Prelude to Terror,” originally broadcast January 29, 1939, and commonly cataloged as episode 145. This Mutual Broadcasting System drama stars William Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Agnes Moorehead as Margot Lane, with Blue Coal as sponsor. After a professor’s murder, a dangerous colorless gas is used to transform ordinary light bulbs into hidden weapons, spreading fear across the city. As panic creates openings for organized crime, The Shadow follows the trail from a laboratory to the criminals’ remote headquarters. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:47 Original Broadcast 29:11 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From The Shadow, “The Ghost Without a Face” originally aired on March 10, 1946, as episode 362 of the Mutual Broadcasting System series. Written by Joe Bates Smith, it stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Lesley Woods as Margo Lane. A troubled theatrical production turns frightening when an actor mutilates his face before the third act, then dies—and reports of his return begin to haunt the company. Lamont and Margo investigate the unsettling events amid the shadows of the theatre and its backstage corridors. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:37 Original Broadcast 30:13 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Murder in E Flat,” originally broadcast December 4, 1938. Episode 149 of the Mutual Broadcasting System series features Bill Johnstone as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane. A series of baffling explosions leaves a city fearful of even the loudest sounds. As danger spreads from public places to the world of music, Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane investigate a deadly scheme tied to an unusual musical note. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:43 Original Broadcast 29:29 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “The League of Terror,” originally broadcast January 9, 1938. Commonly cataloged as episode 102, this surviving Mutual Broadcasting System drama stars Orson Welles as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane. When a frightened grocer withdraws testimony against counterfeiters, The Shadow discovers a neighborhood held hostage by intimidation. From a corner grocery and courtroom to New York’s waterfront, Lamont Cranston follows the counterfeit ring’s trail while a determined young woman fights to protect her family. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:45 Original Broadcast 30:13 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Murder on Approval,” originally broadcast June 12, 1938, as episode 124. This Mutual Network installment stars Orson Welles as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Margot Stevenson as Margot Lane. When a mysterious illness strikes American soldiers, Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane follow the danger from an Army post into a tense web of espionage and threats to military security. A brisk prewar mystery shaped by late-1930s fears of sabotage, the episode was sponsored by B. F. Goodrich Tires. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:41 Original Broadcast 30:05 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From The Shadow, “The Three Ghosts,” originally broadcast October 31, 1937. Episode 6 of the 1937–38 Mutual/Blue Coal season, this Halloween installment stars Orson Welles as Lamont Cranston and Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane. A newly married woman fears that her isolated country mansion is haunted as strange apparitions unsettle the household. With the supernatural atmosphere mounting, Lamont and Margo investigate the eerie events for a human explanation. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:52 Original Broadcast 30:27 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Terror at Wolf’s Head Knoll,” originally broadcast February 15, 1948 (episode 435). This late-period Mutual Broadcasting System installment was sponsored by Blue Coal and stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Grace Matthews as Margo Lane. A drive through the Rutland Hills leaves Lamont and Margo stranded near an isolated mansion on Wolf’s Head Knoll. As Margo’s injured ankle requires help from the mansion’s unsettling resident, a series of suspicious roadside hazards suggests the hills conceal a more dangerous design. The story draws on a Peter Barry script lineage also adapted for earlier radio dramas. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:55 Original Broadcast 30:20 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Mind over Murder,” originally broadcast March 31, 1946, as episode 365. Bret Morrison stars as Lamont Cranston, with Lesley Woods as Margo Lane, in this Mutual Broadcasting System mystery written by Joe Bates Smith. When unsettling deaths strike the home of three elderly sisters, Lamont and Margo find suspicion gathering around a troubled estate, strained family ties, and those with a stake in the household’s future. The investigation leads from the old mansion to the estate lawyer’s office as the Shadow races to prevent another tragedy. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:54 Original Broadcast 29:35 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “Murders on the Main Stem,” originally broadcast December 15, 1946. In episode 388 of the Mutual Broadcasting System series, Bret Morrison stars as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Grace Matthews as Margo Lane. When an actress and a singer are murdered, Cranston traces a troubling connection through insurance policies and the people surrounding a theatrical-world mystery. Written by William Morwood, this noir-tinged case leads from an insurer’s office to an actor’s eerie residence—while Margo faces danger of her own. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:49 Original Broadcast 30:14 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From The Shadow, “Reflection of Death” originally aired on May 9, 1948, as episode 447. This Mutual Broadcasting System presentation was sponsored by Blue Coal and stars Bret Morrison as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow and Grace Matthews as Margot Lane. When newlywed Nancy Craig begins seeing the faces of people marked for death in an antique mirror, she turns to Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane for help. Their investigation moves from a shadowed antique shop to the Craigs’ old house, where the mirror’s chilling reflections may conceal a very real danger. Written by Louis Vittes. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:45 Original Broadcast 27:33 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Shadow presents “The Death House Rescue,” originally broadcast September 26, 1937. This premiere of the 1937 Mutual dramatic series stars Orson Welles as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow, with Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane. When a desperate father takes what appears to be a simple driving job, he is pulled into a criminal case with dire consequences. As time runs short, the Shadow works to uncover the truth in this early adventure, which introduces Cranston’s secret crime-fighting identity and his extraordinary ability to cloud men’s minds. The Shadow presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience. Chapters: 00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction 00:50 Original Broadcast 30:03 Closing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shadow-old-time-radio--7217858/support . Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio