Tag Archives: William Irish

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 253 – Suspense – Last Night

Cornell Woolrich wrote a short story under the pseudonym of William Irish which he titled The Red Tide. While the story was well written, the plotting was overly melodramatic and never was one of his better ones. In 1943, it is believed he was given an opportunity to write a radio play based on the story for the series Suspense.… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 233 – Escape: Papa Benjamin

Besides his fictional noir crime stories, author Cornell Woolrich under the pseudonym, William Irish, also explored exotic noir creating stories from the bayou among other locales. With Music From the Dark, aka Papa Benjamin, he created dark stories of voodoo and cult. The CBS radio series Escape under William N Robeson and Norman MacDonnell, took Irish’s story and added smokey,… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 175 – Molle Mystery Theater

Cornell Woolrich was one of the most dominant authors whose stories appeared on the many mystery series of the forties. In this episode of Leg Man from the Molle Mystery Theater based on the short story of the same name, we find Burgess, a tenacious reporter who is seeking out not only a story, but wants to figure out a… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 173 – Two Men In a Furnished Room

This week a rare story from the pen of William Irish, aka Cornell Woolrich, that as a radio drama is pure audio noir. The series on which it appeared was the MollĂ© Mystery Theater in 1946 starring John Beal (right) and Sam Wanamaker. It is an example of what biographer Francis Nevins calls Wollrich’s oscillation thriller. All the elements of… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 170 – Suspense: Nightmare

This episode presents what I think is one of the best audio noir productions ever produced. Adapted from the Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish) short story – “And So to Death” – it is one of Woolrich’s best – pure noir. The adaptation preserves much of that aurally through the fabulous performances of Eddie Bracken and veteran radio actor William… (more…)