New Year's Eve on Old Time Radio - New Year's Nightmare (1947) on The Mysterious Traveler

After working on highlighting Christmas Old Time Radio episodes for the month, I thought I would close out the year with a few focused on New Year's Eve.  In the new year, I will try to get one entry out a week - maybe two.  As you all know by now, I do love listening to Old Time Radio and enjoy that it is available on XM 82 and many resources via the Internet.

New Year's Eve is for the Birds
From last year on December 31, 2013 - Saline, Michigan

Here is an entry from The Mysterious Traveler, a great old time radio series focused on the supernatural.  This series was broadcast on the Mutual Radio Network and recorded in the studios of WOR in New York City.  The show was the brainchild of Mutual Network's Robert Arthur
and David Kogan.  They also produced other series including Dark Destiny, The Strange Dr. Weird and The Sealed Book.  The Strange Dr. Weird was a 15 minute show sponsored by Adam Hats, and often was a trimmed version of a story on one of their 30 minute series.  The Sealed Book is one of my favorites - despite being pretty campy!  I will definitely write about that later.  The series was directed and co-produced by Sherman 'Jock' MacGregor.

Each episode of the Mysterious Traveler starts off with the following introduction:

This is the Mysterious Traveler inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip! And that it will thrill you a little, and chill you a little. So settle back and get a good grip on your nerves - if you can!

The Mysterious Traveler was played by Maurice Tarplin, a very well known radio actor.  Tarplin also played the often frustrated Inspector Faraday on Boston Blackie, one of my favorite Old Time Radio series.  His wonderful voice sets the mood so perfectly on the show, though he is only on air in the beginning and end of each episode.  In each of these episodes, strange and mysterious happenings take place.  There would be an explanation offered, if there was one!  The show was so popular that it even inspired a series of comic books that started in 1948 (that are also on the Internet Archive) and a magazine starting in 1951.

On January 5, 1947, The Mysterious Traveler offered a tale called New Year's Nightmare.  Drinking on New Year's Eve is a right of passage.  And sadly, drinking too much is also par for the course.  So when Chris's fiance gives him back the engagement ring on New Year's Eve to protest his excessive drinking, he has nothing holding him back.  So when he awakes in a hospital, the mystery is just starting.  I hope your New Year's Eve celebration is less...adventurous!

New Year's Nightmare (January 5, 1947)

Here are some links to programs relating to The Mysterious Traveler:

• The Mysterious Traveler radio program episodes via the Internet Archive
• The Mysterious Traveler on the Digital Deli 
• The Mysterious Traveler on Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
• The Mysterious Traveler episodes from the RadioGOLDINdex
• The Mysterious Traveler on OTR Plot Spot
• The Mysterious Traveler entry from the Wikipedia
• The Mysterious Traveler scripts from Generic Radio Workshop
• The Mysterious Traveler Comic Books (via the Internet Archive)
• The Radio Programs of Robert Arthur and David Kogan
• Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82)
• Here are all of my Old Time Radio Blog Entries
• Here are my Old Time Radio Blog Entries for holidays other than Christmas