On this day in 1974, The "CBS Mystery Theater" premiered on radio. It was meant for an audience who remembered when old-time radio drama was a popular form of family entertainment. Riding on the era's wave of nostalgia fever, the radio show actually attracted many younger listeners. The series garnered a wide array of talent, many of whom were popular during the Golden Age of Radio. Having a window cracked open during a summer night's rain added the perfect atmosphere. The series was rebroadcast on NPR at the beginning of the twenty-first century but by then had lost any relevance beyond nostalgia's sake.
Each episode started promising with the ominous sound of a creaking door while a spooky, descending music theme introduced the host, "Come in! Welcome. I'm E. G. Marshall." Like many old macabre classic radio programs, the endings could be unbelievable and disappointing. Especially sitting still for about forty-five minutes. Marshall would provide concise commentary before or after a commercial break and at the conclusion, the door would swing shut, with his sign-off, "Until next time, pleasant…dreams?"
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