Lights Out was one of the earliest horror programs on radio. Created by Willis Cooper and eventually taken over by Arch Oboler (pictured), the show initially was quite grisly for its time but was later toned down to feature more around-the-campfire spooky fare than graphic blood-and-guts.

The very first episodes aired at the unusual hour of midnight, not only to help set the creepy mood but also to capitalize on sparse competition from other stations using the time slot for music.

The series enjoyed its greatest success on NBC from 1936-39 (its following at one point included some 600 fan clubs) but was revived in one form or another on ABC and CBS all the way through 1947. Guest stars included Ann Bancroft, Grace Kelly, Veronica Lake, Boris Karloff, Jack Palance and Vincent Price.

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