The Horror! (Old Time Radio)

Episode: "The Dream" by Lights Out
Host: RelicRadio.com
Date: January 11, 2026
Featuring: Boris Karloff
Original Air Date of Play: March 28, 1938

Episode Overview

This episode of The Horror! dives into a classic psychological thriller from the golden age of radio: “The Dream,” written by Arch Oboler for the “Lights Out” series and performed by Boris Karloff. The story centers on Darrell Hall, a rational man who has never dreamed—until one night a terrifying vision shatters his reality. The episode explores themes of madness, guilt, supernatural influence, and the blurred line between dream and waking horror.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

Introduction to "Lights Out" and Boris Karloff (01:02–02:16)

• The Horror! host provides background:
  • "Lights Out" aired between 1934–1939, with rebroadcasts in the 1940s.
  • Boris Karloff is featured in a special anniversary broadcast.
• The episode is framed as “another psychological drama. A play in which the principal part is taken not by the character himself, but his thoughts.” (02:52–03:12)

Darrell Hall’s Ordeal: Overview of the Story

The Courtroom, the Mind, and the First Dream (02:52–08:17)

• Darrell Hall, accused of murder, anxiously awaits the jury’s verdict.

• He recalls his first dream—having previously never dreamed in his life, despite his friend Wayne’s disbelief.

• Quote - Darrell Hall (04:32):
  “A dream to me is just a word. Something that happens to other people, but not to me.”

• That night, Darrell falls asleep and vividly describes the onset of nightmares:

  • A procession of pale, hopeless faces and a beautiful, seductive woman with a monstrous, bloodied face.
    • She commands, chillingly:
      • Woman (08:02): “You.”
      • Woman (08:07): “Kill.”

The Dreams Intrude upon Reality (08:17–15:58)

• Darrell awakens shaken. The line between dream and waking blurs.

• He suffers an episode at dinner with his fiancée, Mary, when he sees the woman from his dream behind Mary’s chair in a restaurant, reacting in panic and fear.

• Mary (12:14):
  “Is there something wrong?”

• Darrell (13:15):
  “If you don’t mind, let’s not talk about it anymore.”

• Darrell rationalizes that it’s a result of stress, exhaustion, or hallucination—but doubts persist.

The Repeating Haunting at Seven and Descent into Madness (15:58–20:56)

• Each haunting occurs precisely as the clock chimes seven.
• The woman, and a cacophony of lost souls, continue to urge Darrell:
  • Supernatural voice (17:50): “Kill.”
• The voices and the woman’s bloody visage intensify his mental torment.
• Darrell isolates himself, consumed by a sense that something supernatural is working through him.

Tragedy Strikes—Mary’s Death (20:56–23:09)

• Mary, worried for Darrell, pleads for him to come over.

• At her house, the phantoms and the woman's command crescendo.

  • Woman's voice and spectral chorus (22:43): “Kill. Kill. Kill.”

• In a trance, Darrell strangles Mary, then realizes with horror what he has done.

  • Darrell (23:09):
    “Yes. I had killed her. My sweet, gentle little Mary. Killed her with my own hand.”

Aftermath and Search for Release (23:09–28:46)

• Darrell, numb, carries Mary’s body through the streets and confesses openly.

• Arrested and tried, he shuns all attempts to save him, believing his only hope of escaping the woman’s torment is execution.

  • Darrell (27:11):
    “I killed her. With my own hands I killed her and… Please, I want to die.”

• The supernatural voices taunt, lament, and promise release only through ‘expiation.’

  • Voice (25:52):
    “Pay for what you have done.”
  • Darrell (26:06):
    “My one hope. If I paid society for my crime, she would fail. I would be free of her… that essence of evil.”

The Verdict and Ultimate Fate (28:22–29:18)

• The jury finds Darrell guilty of murder in the first degree.

• As the sentence is delivered, the supernatural presence claims him—he dies of a heart attack.

  • Mary (29:18):
    “Stand back, please. It’s no use. This man is dead. Heart attack. Holy—would you take a look at his face? Yeah, as if he was looking at the devil himself.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Darrell Hall (04:32):
  “A dream to me is just a word. Something that happens to other people, but not to me.”
• Dream Woman (08:02, 08:07):
  “You… Kill.”
• Mary’s Realization (13:12):
  “Did you have a nightmare?”
• Darrell Hall to Jury (27:11):
  “Who killed her? I killed her. With my own hands I killed her and… Please, I want to die.”
• Supernatural Chorus (25:42):
  “No use. I heard them. Only one hope for you, man. One hope. Expiate your crime.”
• Courtroom Attendant (29:18):
  “Yeah, as if he was looking at the devil himself.”

Key Timestamps

• 01:02 – Host introduces Lights Out and Boris Karloff’s role.
• 02:52 – “The Dream” begins: Darrell Hall’s introspective narration in the courtroom.
• 04:00–05:30 – Discussion with Wayne on never dreaming.
• 07:45–08:11 – The terrifying dream woman appears and commands “Kill.”
• 12:09–13:25 – Mary and Darrell discuss his dream; first cracks in his mental state.
• 14:28 – Darrell panics at the restaurant; the dream woman appears in waking life.
• 16:14 – The pattern of haunting at seven o’clock establishes.
• 20:22–21:08 – Mary tries to comfort Darrell as his hallucinations worsen.
• 22:43–23:09 – Darrell kills Mary under supernatural compulsion.
• 27:11 – Darrell confesses in public, demanding punishment.
• 28:46 – Jury delivers verdict; Darrell dies before execution, haunted to the last.

Themes & Tone

• The narrative is driven by an intense, expressionistic monologue—Darrell’s internal struggle takes center stage, with external dialogue serving as sparse punctuation.
• The tone alternates between rational calm, escalating dread, and psychological horror, accentuated by the haunting voices and Karloff’s chilling delivery.
• The story chillingly presents the idea of evil as an inescapable, external force, preying on human weakness and guilt, with a protagonist who can only find peace through self-destruction.

Final Thoughts

“The Dream” stands as a masterwork of psychological horror and radio storytelling. Karloff’s performance, the swirling mass of tortured voices, and the inexorable march toward tragedy make this episode memorable—not only as an artifact of old-time radio, but as a powerful meditation on guilt, sanity, and the supernatural.

Listeners should be prepared for a climax steeped in existential terror, with sound design and voice acting that continue to reverberate long after the final gavel falls.