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Mysterious Traveler (radio series)

From Kook Science

Mysterious Traveler
Creators Robert A. Arthur, David Kogan
Directors Robert A. Arthur, David Kogan, Jock MacGregor
Writers Robert A. Arthur, David Kogan
Performers Maurice Tarplin (as the Mysterious Traveler)
Network(s) Mutual Broadcasting System
Country United States
Language English

The Mysterious Traveler is an American radio anthology series that was originally broadcast by the Mutual Broadcasting System and its affiliates from December 1943 through September 1952. The series consisted of half-hour long episodic dramas, each narrated by the titular Mysterious Traveler (Maurice Tarplin). The show was created by Robert A. Arthur, Jr. and David Kogan, who also served as producers, principal writers, and directors, and inspired a fiction magazine and a comic book series.

Episodes

Ep. Broadcast Date Title Runtime (M:S) Notes
1 1943-12-05 The Hands That Killed
2 1943-12-12 Death at Storm House
3 1943-12-19 The King of the World
4 1943-12-26 Devil Island
5 1944-01-02 The Clock Struck Midnight
6 1944-01-09 The Visiting Corpse
7 1944-01-16 The Strange Journal of Prof. Drake
8 1944-01-23 Murderer Unknown
9 1944-01-30 The House of Death 28:40
10 1944-02-06 The Man Who Knew Too Much
11 1944-02-13 To Have and Hold
12 1944-02-20 The Ugliest Woman Alive
13 1944-02-27 The Good Die Young 28:50
14 1944-03-05 Design for Death
15 1944-03-12 Statement by the Accused
16 1944-03-19 Welcome Home
17 1944-03-26 Stranger in the House 29:00
18 1944-04-02 Out of the Past 24:18
19 1944-04-09 Beware of Tomorrow 28:20
20 1944-04-16 The Accusing Corpse 28:41
21 1944-04-23 Escape by Death
22 1944-04-30 Murder Spins the Web
23 1944-05-07 I'll Die Laughing
24 1944-05-14 The Ghost Makers
25 1944-05-21 The Man Who Could Vanish
26 1944-05-28 In Loving Memory
27 1944-06-04 Murder Must Be Paid for
28 1944-06-11 Death Spins a Web
29 1944-06-18 The Man With the Stolen Face
30 1944-06-25 Blood on the Moon
31 1944-07-02 Queen of the Cats 29:42
32 1944-07-09 Broadway Here I Come
33 1944-07-16 Death Rings Down the Curtain
34 1944-07-23 The Man Who Couldn't Die
35 1944-07-30 Till Death Do Us Part
36 1944-08-06 My Beloved Must Die
37 1944-08-13 Flight From Fear
38 1944-08-20 Time on My Hands
39 1944-08-27 The Unknown Enemy
40 1944-09-10 The Bell of Life
41 1944-09-17 A Dream of Death
42 1944-09-24 Death Laughs Last 26:59
43 1944-10-07 The Man the Insects Hated 28:07
44 1944-10-14 Mind Over Murder
45 1944-10-21 Voice of the Dead
46 1944-10-28 Invitation to Death
47 1944-11-11 She Shall Have Music
48 1944-11-18 Journey With Death
49 1944-11-25 Footsteps of Fate
50 1944-12-02 The Cat and the Mouse
51 1944-12-09 Murder Without Crime
52 1944-12-16 You Only Die Once
53 1944-12-23 Christmas Present
54 1944-12-30 Embarrassing Corpse
55 1945-01-06 They Who Sleep 27:06
56 1945-01-13 Escape Through Time
57 1945-01-20 Letter From the Dead
58 1945-01-27 Death Needs a Witness
59 1945-02-03 Farewell Appearance
60 1945-02-10 Murder is So Fatal
61 1945-02-17 Wanted for Murder
62 1945-02-24 Concerto for Death
63 1945-03-03 Murder is No Accident
64 1945-03-10 The Case of Charles Foster 29:33
65 1945-03-17 Blood Money
66 1945-03-24 Death Comes to Adolf Hitler 29:12
67 1945-03-31 Murder Goes Free 27:49
68 1946-07-14 Seven Years to Wait
69 1946-07-21 It Might Be You
70 1946-07-28 Summer Heat
71 1946-08-04 Death is My Companion
72 1946-08-11 Mortal Clay
73 1946-08-18 Dynasty of Death
74 1946-08-25 Death is the Visitor 29:03
75 1946-09-01 No One on the Line 29:57
76 1946-09-08 The Symphony of Death 29:30
77 1946-09-15 As I Lie Dying
78 1946-09-22 The Strange Death of Charles Duvall
79 1946-09-29 Death Plays the Tune
80 1946-12-01 Friend of the Dead
81 1946-12-08 Death is in the Wind
82 1946-12-15 Death is a Dream
83 1946-12-22 Between Two Worlds
84 1946-12-29 If You Believe 29:04
85 1947-01-05 New Year's Nightmare 29:28
86 1947-01-12 No Grave Can Hold Me 29:34
87 1947-01-19 Death is the Dealer
88 1947-01-26 You Won't Escape Me
89 1947-02-02 Voice From Tomorrow
90 1947-02-09 Five Miles Down
91 1947-02-16 Murder in Masquerade
92 1947-02-23 The Cat Died Twice
93 1947-03-02 Dig My Grave Deep
94 1947-03-09 The Woman in Black 29:23
95 1947-03-16 Death Wears My Face
96 1947-03-23 Voice of Murder
97 1947-03-30 Death is My Pursuer
98 1947-04-06 You Only Hang Once
99 1947-04-13 Dark Destiny 29:26
100 1947-04-20 Flight From Fear
101 1947-04-27 The House of Silence
102 1947-05-04 Destination Death
103 1947-05-11 Design for Death
104 1947-05-18 Die, She Must
105 1947-05-25 Mind Over Murder 29:36
106 1947-06-01 She Walks With Death
107 1947-06-08 I Died Last Night
108 1947-06-15 Death is the Judge 29:17
109 1947-06-22 Meet Me at the Morgue
110 1947-06-29 Murder Without Crime
111 1947-07-06 The Locomotive Ghost 29:29
112 1947-07-13 Dark is the Night
113 1947-07-20 Their Cold Companion
114 1947-07-27 The Man the Insects Hated 29:03 Rebroadcast of ep. 43, 1944-10-07
115 1947-08-03 I Dreamed of Dying
116 1947-08-10 Nightmare
117 1947-08-24 Murder Goes Free 28:51
118 1947-08-31 Murder at Their Heels
119 1947-09-07 Vacation From Life 30:30
120 1947-09-14 Big Payoff
121 1947-09-21 Island of Fear
122 1947-09-28 Deep is My Grave
123 1947-10-07 Death Rides the Storm
124 1947-10-14 Death is My Host
125 1947-10-21 Death is My Caller 30:21
126 1947-10-28 Invitation to Death
127 1947-11-04 Murder at the Dawn of Time
128 1947-11-11 My Date is With Death
129 1947-11-25 Death Guides My Hand
130 1947-12-02 Death Cancels All Debts
131 1947-12-09 Death Must Have Revenge
132 1947-12-16 Christmas Present Rebroadcast of ep. 53, 1944-12-23
133 1947-12-23 Mr. Trimbles Christmas
134 1947-12-30 Escape to 2480
135 1948-01-06 Death is at the Throttle
136 1948-01-13 Death Must Wait
137 1948-01-20 The Man in the Black Derby 27:56
138 1948-01-27 Death Has a Vacancy
139 1948-02-03 Life is but a Dream
140 1948-02-10 I'll Dance on Your Coffin
141 1948-02-17 Chance of a Lifetime
142 1948-02-24 The Man Who Died Twice 30:24
143 1948-03-02 The Ivory Elephant
144 1948-03-09 Alibi for Murder
145 1948-03-16 They Struck It Rich 28:25
146 1948-03-23 Seven Years to Wait
147 1948-03-30 Death is a Dream
148 1948-04-06 When Killers Meet
149 1948-04-13 They'll Never Believe Me
150 1948-04-20 Murder in Jazztime 25:55
151 1948-04-27 The Little Man Who Wasn't There
152 1948-05-04 They Who Sleep 27:09 Rebroadcast of ep. 55, 1945-01-06
153 1948-05-11 I Won't Die Alone 28:36
154 1948-05-18 Death Writes a Letter 28:28
155 1948-05-25 Death is My Co-Pilot
156 1948-06-01 Strange Voyage
157 1948-06-08 Murder is My Business 29:08
158 1948-06-15 Queen of the Cats 29:22
159 1948-06-22 Zero Hour 26:35
160 1948-06-29 You Only Die Once
161 1948-07-06 The Man Who Vanished 28:22
162 1948-07-13 Bury Her Deep
163 1948-07-20 The Chase
164 1948-07-27 The Unexpected
165 1948-08-03 Terror by Night
166 1948-08-10 The Visiting Corpse 28:27
167 1948-08-24 Murder by Proxy
168 1948-08-31 Murder Has a Price
169 1948-09-07 Unsolved
170 1948-09-14 Dance of Death
171 1948-09-21 Death Has a Thousand Faces 26:41
172 1948-09-28 Hideout
173 1948-10-05 Death Rings Down the Curtain 27:21 Rebroadcast of ep. 33, 1944-07-16
174 1948-10-12 Broadway Here I Come Rebroadcast of ep. 32, 1944-07-09
175 1948-10-19 Death Has a Voice
176 1948-10-26 Welcome Home
177 1948-11-11 Till Death Do Us Part
178 1948-11-18 Death Wears a False Face
179 1948-11-25 Agreement to Die
180 1948-12-02 Farewell Appearance
181 1948-12-09 Signed in Blood
182 1948-12-16 The House of Death Rebroadcast of ep. 9, 1944-01-30
183 1948-12-23 Town Named Christmas
184 1948-12-30 It's Later Than You Think
185 1949-01-06 The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 24:22
186 1949-01-13 The Accusing Corpse 28:41 Rebroadcast of ep. 20, 1944-04-16
187 1949-01-20 Death is My Partner
188 1949-01-27 The Ghost Makers
189 1949-02-03 Death Spins a Web Rebroadcast of ep. 29, 1944-06-11
190 1949-02-10 Tonight I Die
191 1949-02-17 Collector's Item
192 1949-02-24 Time is Running Out
193 1949-03-03 Murder at the Mardi Gras
194 1949-03-10 The Dead Can't Testify
195 1949-03-17 Murder Points a Finger
196 1949-03-24 I'll Die Laughing
197 1949-03-29 Death Has a Cold Breath 25:48
198 1949-04-05 Murder Makes Music
199 1949-04-12 They Died Screaming
200 1949-04-19 Out of the Past 25:16 Rebroadcast of ep. 18, 1944-04-02
201 1949-04-26 The Hot Seat
202 1949-05-03 Murder Begins at Home
203 1949-05-10 Escape Unto the Future
204 1949-05-17 The Corpse Comes Home
205 1949-05-24 Behind the Locked Door 28:24
206 1949-05-31 Meet Me at the Morgue
207 1949-06-07 Die Once, Die Twice
208 1949-06-14 No Grave Can Hold Me 30:12
209 1949-06-21 Murder Has a Voice
210 1949-06-28 She Walks With Death
211 1949-07-05 The Case of Charles Foster 29:24 Rebroadcast of ep. 64, 1945-03-10
212 1949-07-12 The Locomotive Ghost Rebroadcast of ep. 111, 1947-07-06
213 1949-07-19 Murder is So Fatal
214 1949-07-26 Voice From Tomorrow Rebroadcast of ep. 45, 1944-10-21
215 1949-08-02 Planet Zevius 29:06
216 1949-08-09 Brain Guy
217 1949-08-16 Murder Spins the Plot
218 1949-08-23 Why Don't You Die?
219 1949-08-30 Treasure of Superstition Mountain
220 1949-09-06 Flight From Fear
221 1949-09-13 The Cat Died Twice
222 1949-09-20 Destination Death
223 1949-09-27 You Only Hang Once
224 1949-10-04 The Knife
225 1949-10-11 The Last Survivor 28:41
226 1949-10-18 Nightmare House
227 1949-10-25 No One on the Line 28:45 Rebroadcast of ep. 75, 1946-09-01
228 1949-11-01 The Witness
229 1949-11-08 Appointment With Death
230 1949-11-15 Mirror of Count Cagliostro
231 1949-11-22 Mortal Clay
232 1949-12-06 Why Don't You Stay Dead?
233 1949-12-13 The Man No One Knew
234 1949-12-20 Luck of the Irish
235 1949-12-27 Death Comes at Night
236 1950-01-03 Golden Future
237 1950-01-10 Survival of the Fittest 29:21
238 1950-01-17 Shadows in the Sky
239 1950-01-24 A Dead Man's Story
240 1950-01-31 Extra! Extra!
241 1950-02-07 The Man Who Tried to Save Lincoln 29:30
242 1950-02-14 The Big Hand
243 1950-02-21 Double Sixes
244 1950-02-28 Journey Into the Unknown
245 1950-03-07 Death Rides the Wind
246 1950-03-14 The Big Brain 29:56
247 1950-03-21 Dark Underworld
248 1950-03-28 No Grave So Deep
249 1950-04-04 The Man From Singapore 29:35
250 1950-04-11 Flight From Tomorrow, a.k.a. Operation Tomorrow 29:19
251 1950-04-18 Death at Fifty Fathoms 29:42
252 1950-04-25 I Died Last Night 29:29
253 1950-05-02 S.O.S. 29:44
254 1950-05-09 The Big Dive
255 1950-05-16 Voices at Midnight
256 1950-05-23 The Lady in Red 29:13
257 1950-05-30 Beyond the Law
258 1950-06-06 Murder Without Crime, a.k.a. Killer at Large 29:06 Rebroadcast of ep. 110, 1947-06-29
259 1950-06-13 Death Has Two Faces
260 1950-06-20 Die, She Must Rebroadcast of ep. 104, 1947-05-18
261 1950-06-27 Journey Through Time
262 1950-07-04 Five Miles Down Rebroadcast of ep. 90, 1947-02-09
263 1950-07-11 Ring Twice for Death
264 1950-07-18 Killer Come Home 29:22
265 1950-07-25 Gun for Hire
266 1950-08-01 Footsteps Behind You
267 1950-08-08 Blood Money Rebroadcast of ep. 65, 1945-03-17
268 1950-08-15 Vacation From Life Rebroadcast of ep. 119, 1947-09-07
269 1950-08-22 Nightmare House Rebroadcast of ep. 226, 1949-10-18
270 1950-08-29 Murder Has a Price Rebroadcast of ep. 168, 1948-08-31
271 1950-09-05 Mind Over Murder Rebroadcast of ep. 44, 1944-10-14
272 1950-09-12 Tomorrow is Forever
273 1950-09-19 Design for Death Rebroadcast of ep. 103, 1947-05-11
274 1950-09-26 Into the Unknown
275 1950-10-03 What's in It for Me?
276 1950-10-10 The Final Hour
277 1950-10-17 The Cat's Paw
278 1950-10-24 The House of Silence
279 1950-10-31 Their Cold Companion
280 1950-11-14 The Big Money
281 1950-11-21 Escape to 2430
282 1950-11-28 13 Steps to Death
283 1950-12-05 Two Lethal Ladies
284 1950-12-12 Present for Santa
285 1950-12-19 The Survivors
286 1950-12-26 Between Two Worlds Rebroadcast of ep. 83, 1947-12-22
287 1951-01-02 Never Say Die
288 1951-01-09 Death Cancels All Debts
289 1951-01-16 Diamond Fever
290 1951-01-23 Easy, Easy Money
291 1951-01-30 I'll Dance on Your Grave
292 1951-02-06 Death is but a Dream
293 1951-02-13 Money in the Bank
294 1951-02-20 When Killers Meet Rebroadcast of ep. 148, 1948-04-06
295 1951-02-27 The Ivory Elephant Rebroadcast of ep. 143, 1948-03-02
296 1951-03-06 World of Tomorrow
297 1951-03-13 The Knives of Death 29:46
298 1951-03-20 Coffin for Charlie
299 1951-03-27 The Man Who Died Twice Rebroadcast of ep. 142, 1948-02-24
300 1951-04-03 X Marks the Spot
301 1951-04-10 50,000 Bc
302 1951-04-17 The Little Man Who Wasn't There Rebroadcast of ep. 151, 1948-04-27
303 1951-04-24 Chance of a Lifetime
304 1951-05-01 The Planet Zevius 29:06 Rebroadcast of ep. 214, 1949-08-02
305 1951-05-15 Death in the Swamps
306 1951-05-22 Judgment Day
307 1951-05-29 Fatal Mistake
308 1951-06-05 The Unexpected
309 1951-06-12 Big Jackpot
310 1951-06-19 Another Man's Murder
311 1951-06-26 I Won't Walk Alone
312 1951-07-03 Restless Skeleton
313 1951-07-10 Death Writes a Letter
314 1951-07-17 They'll Never Believe Me
315 1951-07-24 Visitors From Infinity
316 1951-08-07 Terror by Night
317 1951-08-14 The Chase
318 1951-08-21 When the Dead Return
319 1951-08-28 Fire in the Sky 29:23
320 1951-09-04 Death Has a Thousand Faces
321 1951-09-11 Strange Destiny
322 1951-09-18 Some Only Sleep
323 1951-09-25 Four Fatal Callers
324 1951-10-02 What Happened Last Night?
325 1951-10-09 The Man Who Knew Everything 30:12
326 1951-10-16 Death Needs a Substitute
327 1951-10-23 This is Murder Calling
328 1951-10-30 Miracle on 10th Avenue
329 1951-11-06 Behind the Locked Door 30:07 Rebroadcast of ep. 205, 1949-05-24
330 1951-11-13 Speak of the Devil 29:02
331 1951-11-20 The Most Famous Man in the World 25:50
332 1951-11-27 Murder Has a Price Rebroadcast of ep. 168, 1948-08-31
333 1951-12-04 Token of Friendship
334 1951-12-11 Hideout 30:20 Rebroadcast of ep. 172, 1948-09-28
335 1951-12-18 Make Mine Murder
336 1951-12-25 Christmas Story 26:28
337 1952-01-01 Stamps From Eldorado
338 1952-01-08 It's Only Money 28:14
339 1952-01-15 Key Witness 27:30
340 1952-01-22 Change of Address 26:30
341 1952-01-29 Stranger in the House 28:29
342 1952-02-05 Man Who Frightened Himself
343 1952-02-12 Death Plays the Tune
344 1952-02-19 Strange New World 30:08
345 1952-02-26 Appointment to Die
346 1952-03-04 The Betrayer
347 1952-03-11 Man of Destiny
348 1952-03-18 The Black Door
349 1952-03-25 Two of a Kind
350 1952-04-01 April Fool
351 1952-04-08 Money Isn't Everything
352 1952-04-15 Murder in Haste
353 1952-04-22 The 4th Dimension
354 1952-04-29 Murder in 2952 29:30
355 1952-05-06 The Gun Fighter
356 1952-05-13 Death Rides the Storm
357 1952-05-20 In the Depths
358 1952-05-27 Wheels of Murder
359 1952-06-03 Haunted Trailer 30:02
360 1952-06-17 The Green Death, aka The Green Plague 27:12
361 1952-06-24 When Dead Men Speak
362 1952-07-01 Bird of Prey
363 1952-07-15 Sands of Death
364 1952-07-22 Time is Running Out
365 1952-07-29 The Big Fog
366 1952-08-05 Death Points a Finger
367 1952-08-12 Temporary Corpse
368 1952-08-19 Day of Reckoning
369 1952-08-26 The Big One
370 1952-09-02 Treasure of Superstition Mountain Rebroadcast of ep. 219, 1949-09-30

Format

Each episode would open with the sound of a train whistle, followed by an introduction by Maurice Taurpin as the Mysterious Traveler:

"This is the Mysterious Traveler inviting you to join me for another journey into the realm of the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip and it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So, settle back, get a good grip on your nerves, and be comfortable — if you can!"

The story of the week would then be introduced, performed by radio actors Lyle Sudrow, Bryna Raeburn, Jackson Beck, Roger DeKoven, Bill Zuckert, Bill Johnstone, Lon Clark, Wendell Holmes, Jan Miner, Frank Readick, Joseph Julian, Elspeth Eric, Santos Ortega, Lawson Zerbe, Ann Shepherd, and others, while the sound effects were performed by Jack Amrhein, Jim Goode, Ron Harper, Walt McDonough, and Al Schaffer.[1]

At the close of the episode, Taurpin's Mysterious Traveler would say their farewells to the listener, suggesting that they'd perhaps see them again on the train the next week at the same time.

Resources

References

  1. Dunning, John (1998), "The Mysterious Traveler", On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, Oxford University Press, p. 476