The Horror! (Old Time Radio)

Episode: Two Hauntings on Suspense
Date: December 13, 2025
Host: RelicRadio.com

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode of The Horror!, listeners are taken on a spine-tingling journey with two classic episodes from the legendary radio drama series Suspense—"Ghost Hunt" (June 23, 1949) and "Bells" (August 6, 1960). Both radio plays explore different facets of supernatural hauntings, ghostly phenomena, and psychological terror. The host invites listeners to experience the golden age of radio horror with these dramatizations of the inexplicable and the eerie.

Story 1: "Ghost Hunt" (Starts at 02:10)

Overview

A radio disc jockey, Smiley Smith, undertakes a night in a notorious haunted house as a publicity stunt, accompanied by Dr. Clarence Reed, a psychic investigator, and his faithful dog, Jeff. The story unfolds through recordings Smith makes during their vigil, blending atmospheric storytelling with mounting tension and terror—both real and imagined.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

Smiley Smith's Radio Announcement (03:17)

• Smiley Smith (DJ) announces his intention to spend the night in a haunted house, recording everything for his show.
• Four suicides have been connected to the house, earning it the nickname "the death trap."
• Smith jokes about the stunt but expresses increasing nervousness.

Quote:

"Your friend Smiley is going to spend the night in a haunted house on a spook hunt. You heard me. A spook hunt in a haunted house. I'm bringing my little old wire recorder along with me." — Smiley Smith (03:22)

Introduction to the House & Its History (11:09 – 12:28)

• On arrival, Smiley and Dr. Reed are joined by Charles McDonald, the real estate agent.
• McDonald recounts the tragic history: the original owner and his wife both committed suicide, along with two others.
• The most recent suicide was witnessed, with the victim appearing to "run and laugh" as if being chased by unseen presences.

Quote:

"He was shouting and laughing and yelling as though there was people at his side running right along with him." — Charles McDonald (12:28)

Investigating the House (13:47 – 17:14)

• Dr. Reed takes a serious approach to the investigation; Smiley remains light-hearted but clearly uneasy.
• The house immediately frightens Smiley’s dog, Jeff.
• Reed claims to sense strong evil "emanations," while Smith is skeptical but increasingly unsettled.
• The tension builds with strange noises and animals (notably a recurring bat).

Quote:

"If you're dead set on looking for them, this is a dandy place to do it." — Smiley Smith (13:47)

The Supernatural Escalates (19:40 – 23:49)

• Dr. Reed reports powerful psychic sensations upstairs and focuses on a closet which proves to be a larger dressing room.
• Below, Smiley becomes fixated on a stain growing on the ceiling, accompanied by more strange animal activity and mounting dread.
• Communication between the two is sporadic; a sense of isolation grows.

Quote:

"The vibrations have become stronger, more and more pronounced as I approach it. I think I am on the verge of an important discovery." — Dr. Reed (20:56)

Climax and Aftermath (25:12 – 28:49)

• Smiley, distressed by the unexplained occurrences and the stain—now dripping onto him—ascends to find Dr. Reed but instead encounters "four gentlemen" and a red-bearded body (not Reed).
• Voices urge Smiley toward the cliffs; in a trance-like state, he obeys and jumps.
• In the epilogue, it's revealed that Dr. Reed survived a medical incident (a hemorrhage) and claims not to have seen any ghosts, suggesting Smiley was fatally overwhelmed by fear and/or madness.

Memorable Moment:

"Speak up, gentlemen. To the cliffs. Down to the cliffs... You will come with me?...To the cliffs. To the cliffs." — Smiley Smith (26:35–26:53)

Quote:

"If he went over the cliff, it was fear that drove him over. Gentlemen, I didn't see any ghosts. As for that unfortunate young man, who can say now what he saw or thought he saw?" — Dr. Reed (28:12)

Notable Quotes

• "If you are dead set on looking for them, this is a dandy place..." — Smiley Smith (13:47)
• "I have spent my entire life seeking reliable proof of the appearances of apparitions." — Dr. Reed (15:28)
• "I feel very... what shall I say? Profoundly depressed." — Dr. Reed (19:40)
• "That stain started to drip... Drip drops, drip drops..." — Smiley Smith (25:36)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:17: Smiley’s show announcement and set-up
• 11:09: Character introductions at the house, history recap
• 13:47: Entering the house, beginning the investigation
• 19:40: Dr. Reed’s psychic disturbance
• 25:12: Smiley alone, experiencing supernatural events
• 26:35: Climax—Smiley’s hallucination and jump from the cliff
• 28:03: Dr. Reed’s hospital explanation

Story 2: "Bells" (Starts at 31:27)

Overview

A young couple, Henry and Lucy Fielding, desperately need a new place to live. Lucy, convinced of her own psychic abilities, finds a miraculously affordable country house through what she believes is supernatural guidance. The couple encounters a series of inexplicable, increasingly sinister events—phantom phone calls, mysterious voices, and bell ringing—leading to a chilling conclusion that blurs the line between fate, coincidence, and ghostly intervention.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

The "Guardian Angel" & The New Home (33:02 – 36:30)

• Lucy insists a psychic influence guided her to the right newspaper and the perfect house listing.
• Henry is skeptical but plays along.
• The rent is unusually low, causing suspicion.

Quote:

"Oh, Henry, it's a dream come true. And all because of my guardian angel and that strange, unexplainable feeling." — Lucy Fielding (35:46)

Visiting and Moving Into the House (37:57 – 41:22)

• The agent, Strickler, is nervous when Lucy mentions being psychic.
• Movers behave oddly, eager to leave the property quickly.
• The couple is initially charmed, but a storm adds to the ominous atmosphere.

Quote:

"Those men were certainly anxious to get away... I wonder why." — Lucy Fielding (40:35)

The Hauntings Begin: Phones & Bells (42:43 – 44:52)

• The telephone repeatedly rings with nobody on the other end—only the operator, who claims she didn’t place a call.
• The voices soon intensify, telling the couple to "Get out."
• Henry disconnects the phone, but the phenomena persist.

Quote:

"Get out. Get out. Get out." — Multiple voices (45:15–45:26)

Denial and Realization (46:13 – 51:01)

• Henry clings to logical explanations (storm, wires crossed, imagination).
• Lucy becomes convinced they’re in supernatural danger and insists they must flee.
• The doorbell rings mysteriously, and Henry finds no one at the door—no footprints, wet or dry.

Quote:

"Henry, don't you see what this means? Then it's this house." — Lucy Fielding (48:24)

Escape and Resolution (51:30 – End)

• The couple flees to a hotel, visibly shaken.
• As they settle, the radio news reports that their house was destroyed by lightning shortly after they left, with authorities searching for them—unsure if they survived.

Quote:

"If they did leave, whatever their reason, we can only say it was indeed providential they weren't in that house when this catastrophe occurred." — News report (53:05)

• Lucy's faith in her "guardian angel" is reaffirmed; Henry tacitly concedes something uncanny may have saved them.

Notable Quotes

• "Oh, Henry, it's a dream come true. And all because of my guardian angel..." — Lucy (35:46)
• "It's a warning. We've got to leave. We got to get out of here." — Lucy (48:52)
• "No, no, Lucy, I'm afraid, no." — Henry (46:59)
• "Your guardian angel." — Henry (53:32)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 33:02: Lucy's psychic claim and house discovery
• 37:57: Viewing the house and odd agent/movers’ behavior
• 42:43: Unexplained phone calls and voices begin
• 45:15: Supernatural voices urge them to "Get out"
• 48:24: Climax—doorbell with no one present; Lucy's insistence
• 51:30: At the hotel, news of the house's destruction
• 53:32: Final emotional exchange

Memorable Moments

• The repeated refrain of "Get out!" from multiple, increasingly forceful voices (45:15–45:26).
• Henry's growing desperation as logical explanations fail, contrasted with Lucy’s psychically-charged certainty.

Tone & Atmosphere

Both stories perfectly showcase the era’s mastery of psychological and supernatural horror:

• The use of real-time narration and audio "playback" in "Ghost Hunt" immerses the listener in mounting terror.
• "Bells" pivots from domestic comedy to existential dread, blurring the line between the supernatural and the psychological.

The performances highlight skepticism versus belief—a hallmark of golden-age radio horror—and leave listeners questioning the boundaries between perception, fate, and the unknown.

Summary Table of Key Characters (Recurring in Both Stories)

| Character | Role | |---------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Smiley Smith | DJ/Protagonist (Ghost Hunt)/Narrator | | Dr. Clarence Reed | Psychic Investigator (Ghost Hunt) | | Charles McDonald | Real Estate Agent (Ghost Hunt/Bells) | | Lucy Fielding | Lucy, Psychic Wife (Bells) | | Henry Fielding | Henry, Skeptical Husband (Bells) |

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Horror! delivers two of Suspense’s most memorable supernatural tales. "Ghost Hunt" is a chilling descent into madness and haunting, while "Bells" taps into marital dynamics and modern anxieties to conjure a ghostly warning. Both stories invite listeners to leave the lights on, as their blend of psychological and paranormal terror lingers well beyond the broadcast.

Listeners’ Note: For more episodes and classic radio chills, visit RelicRadio.com and dip further into the golden age of radio horror.