Podcast Summary: "Operation Nightmare 54-02-03 (19) Hollow Footsteps"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Original Air Date: February 3, 1954 (re-broadcast November 10, 2025)
Featuring: Peter Lorre

Episode Overview

This episode of Nightmare is a suspenseful psychological thriller from radio's Golden Age, featuring a chilling tale of guilt, haunting, and the power of the mind. Peter Lorre guides listeners through the story of Jeff Martin, a man plagued by an inescapable sense that he is being followed — not just by any person, but by Gloria, a woman from his past who has been dead for 15 years. As paranoia grows and reality blurs, Jeff is driven to desperation, seeking help from both friends and a dubious “scientific” medium, only for the truth to shatter perceptions at the story's conclusion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Peter Lorre's Introduction to Fear & Dreaming

• Peter Lorre opens the episode with a reflection on the nature of nightmares and the mind’s inability to let go of certain memories, setting a moody, introspective tone.
  • Quote: “The eye of the mind never closes in slumber. It never tires of seeing things, thoughts and ideas. Some of these things seen by the mind are in turn caught by the memory. And we awake with a start. Did it really happen? Or was I dreaming?” (00:30)

2. Jeff’s Haunted Existence

• Jeff Martin awakens deeply unhappy and cannot shake the feeling he is being followed.
• His marriage to Ellen is strained by his preoccupation with Gloria, his former fiancée, whom he accidentally mentions in conversation, escalating Ellen’s suspicions and jealousy.
  • Memorable Moment: Jeff accidentally says “Gloria” to Ellen, leading to a tense confrontation. (02:40–03:01)
  • Quote:
    • Ellen: “She’s in your mind, isn’t she?” (03:06)
    • Jeff: “Yes.” (03:08)

3. The Specter of Gloria

• Jeff’s experiences intensify: he sees Gloria in the street and tries to chase her with Sam, his friend, but she always vanishes.
• He confides in Sam about his suspicions and the feeling of being pursued by a ghost, further fueling his own anxiety and sense of guilt.
  • Quote:
    • Jeff: “It seems so real when she comes.” (04:39)
    • Sam: “You're being followed by a woman?” (04:52)

4. Struggling with Reality at Home

• At home, the haunting continues; Jeff questions Ellen about ghosts, and then receives a chilling phone call — the voice claims to be Gloria.
  • Quote:
    • Jeff (after the call): “Gloria. It was Gloria.” (09:31)
    • Ellen: “Stop it. Don’t tell me it was Gloria or Gloria’s ghost. Ghosts don’t use the telephone, Jeff.” (09:39)

5. Seeking Science in the Supernatural

• Sam recommends Jeff visit Gerald Cole, a “scientific” investigator of paranormal phenomena.
• Cole engages Jeff in a highly expensive and dubious diagnostic process, using pseudo-scientific jargon (e.g., “electrophonic ectoplasmic phenomena”).
  • Quote:
    • Cole: “Obviously an electrophonic ectoplasmic phenomena... Cases of electrophonic ectoplasm are difficult.” (11:58, 12:25)
  • The financial exploitation of Cole ($500, $700, $4,000 for his services) adds a layer of skepticism.

6. The Truth Comes Out — Shattering Illusions

• In a dramatic confrontation during the séance, Gloria seemingly materializes and reveals herself.
  • Ellen and Sam, frustrated with the charade, expose that Gloria is alive, and the entire experience was engineered to shock Jeff to his senses.
  • Quote:
    • Ellen: “There’s your ghost, Jeff. She’s as alive as I am.” (21:03)

7. The Final Twist and Reflection

• The scam is revealed: Cole’s apparatus is fake, and Gloria is very much alive.
• Ellen demands the return of the money, and Jeff is left in a state of disarray, with Ellen’s sardonic remark closing the confrontation.
  • Quote:
    • Ellen: “The laugh’s on you.” (21:41)
• Peter Lorre’s epilogue reflects on nightmares, doppelgängers, and the lasting impact of guilt:
  • Quote:
    • Peter Lorre: “Confession is always good for a soul. Poor her. So I’m told. Jeff Martin. The guilt became too much for you, didn’t it? Like a stone around your neck. What are you going to do, huh?” (14:53)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On guilt and nightmares:
  • Peter Lorre: “You are listening to Peter Laurie tell you of the hollow footsteps. Another transcribed story of nightmare.” (00:30)
• Jeff’s confession:
  • Jeff: “All right. All right. I killed her. Is that what you want to hear? Did you? Yes. Yes, Yes. I killed her that night. I killed Gloria Denham. Now are you satisfied? I killed her. I killed her. And that’s why she’s come back after 15 years.” (14:54)
• The exposure of the scheme:
  • Ellen: “There’s your ghost, Jeff. She’s as alive as I am.” (21:03)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Peter Lorre’s Introduction to Nightmares: 00:30–01:30
• Tense Breakfast / The Name Slip: 02:40–03:10
• Jeff Chasing Gloria: 04:05–05:59
• First Appearance of 'Gloria’s Ghost' Call: 09:06–09:31
• Consultation With Cole: 10:03–13:50
• Séance and The Big Reveal: 18:32–21:18
• Peter Lorre’s Closing Reflection: 21:44–22:42

Tone & Style

The episode maintains a moody, suspenseful, and slightly surreal tone throughout. Peter Lorre's narration is menacing and philosophical, while the dialogue between characters is tense, direct, and laced with both desperation and irony. The climactic confrontation is laced with black humor and bitter revelation.

Conclusion

“Hollow Footsteps” stands as a classic example of radio’s power to blend psychological horror with noir mystery, using the threat of the supernatural as a metaphor for guilt and unresolved emotion. With engaging narration, suspense, and a clever twist ending, it captures the spirit and entertainment of the Golden Age of radio storytelling.

For fans of vintage suspense and lovers of stories about the inescapable past, this episode is a haunting delight.