The Weird Circle
1943 - 1947
Artist depiction courtesy of Tune In For Terror © 1992
"THE WEIRD CIRCLE was a syndicated series that was heard on Mutual stations November, 1943 through October, 1947 and very briefly in September/October of 1947 on ABC.
"THE WEIRD CIRCLE presented 30 minute tales of horror, frequently inspired by classic horror or ghost stories, frequently done by French authors." - Frank Passage, Old-Time.com
Ed. Note: The Weird Circle was syndicated years later to various radio stations via real to real tape. I know this because I found boxes of the tapes stored at KZSU in the early 1990s hidden deep within a forgotten basement tunnel that ran under the auditorium. We ran the series soon thereafter. (They were probably originally sent in the 1970s when there was a resurgence of interest in OTR created by Zero Hour and The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre.) I cannot swear that the series we aired were the original recordings from the 1940s. They were crystal clear, so there is a chance that someone had re-recorded them using the original scripts but different actors. I was a little disappointed that their was no music (other than a strumming of piano cords to signal a transition) and the sound effects were rather sparse, so although the stories were interesting, it didn't sound like the production standards were as high as other shows. (However, if they were re-recorded with a limited budget years later, this would be an unfair assessment.) Regardless, they were fun in a campy sort of way, and the hammy acting only added to the charm. Finding them was like discovering a long lost treasure... Which, now that I think about it, is exactly what it was.
The Standard Intro:
(SFX: Running water, perhaps a sea surf. Bell tolls)
Old Man: "In this cave by the restless sea, we are met to call from out of past, stories strange and weird. Bell keeper, toll the bell, so that all may know that we are gathered again in The Weird Circle."
(Alternate opening)
Announcer: Out of the past, phantoms from a world gone by speak again the immortal tale (story name)."
(Alternate opening)
Old Man: "We are met in this cave by the restless sea to reveal the horror in man's minds. Listen to the Weird Circle!"
An Opening Narration:
Host: "Listen to the waves. Listen closely, for you will hear the crying of lost souls. Our story discloses the horror in man's mind. This is the tale of The House and Brain. Come with me to London, though the heavy fog of the city to a large house in the suburbs. A young couple enter the portals of that house to attend an art auction... "
An Ending Narration:
Host: "From the time worn pages of the past, we have recalled, The House and The Brain. Bell Keeper, toll the bell!"
The Standard Closing:
SFX: (Bell tolls)
Hear An Actual Episode!
(Courtesy of the The Monster Club)
Mad Monkton - A man goes in search of his uncle's dead body, coffin in tow, to end a family curse.
The Wooden Ghost - A 300 year old ghost seeks to hear three words that will set him free.
The Ghost Touch - A woman's scientist relative invents a serum that causes people to become impervious to pain, but the ghost of her dead fiance interferes.
The Case of Monsieur Valdemar - The famous Poe story. Vincent Price played Valdemar in Corman's version.
The House and the Brain - A man and his wife can't resist a night in a haunted house. They soon find out the bizarre secret behind the haunting.
The Werewolf - A boy discovers the terrible truth about his strange new stepmother.
What Was It? - An invisibe flesh eating beast haunts a bording house.
The Doll - A greedy man and a gypsy set out to create a living doll that will murder and rob.
Frankenstein - Weird Circle's version of the classic tale.