The Lunatic Hour: Suspense (June 17, 1962)

“The Lunatic Hour” is an episode of Suspense, the old-time radio show, first broadcast June 17, 1962. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Tom Hawley, the stationmaster at San Ventura, is haunted by guilt over the wreck of the 11:55 train ten years earlier, in which engineer Cully Reeves died on the night before Tom was to marry Jenny. During the anniversary week Tom believes the dead are returning, with open graves and voices urging him to watch the rails at Jericho Bend. He calls on town supervisor McHale, who first doubts him and then begins to see the same strange things. Tom is left troubled and uncertain about what is real.

San Ventura, a small railroad town with a cemetery and a stretch of track at Jericho Bend

Characters: Tom Hawley, Cully Reeves, Billy Reeves, Jenny, Mr. McHale, Will, Bob

Listen for: Tom's conversations with McHale about the ghostly visitations and the open grave

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.