The Whistler was the most popular radio show that most of America never heard. Yet it was one of the most enduring and well-loved mystery programs of its era, known for its eerie narration, suspenseful storytelling, and unexpected twist endings. It first appeared as a sustaining program on the CBS Pacific Coast network on May 16, 1942 and ran to September 22, 1955. Much of its 13 year run was confined to the eight station CBS Pacific Coast network and selected affiliates in the network’s regional group of nine Mountain zone stations. Yet, millions could recognize the program’s haunting 13-note theme and its famous opening line, “I am the Whistler… and I know many things, for I walk by night…” The program’s iconic narrator, known as “The Whistler,” was an omniscient, ghostly figure who observed the fates of the characters but never directly intervened. Like The Shadow’s first personification a dozen years earlier, Inner Sanctum’s ghostly Raymond in 1941 and The Mysterious Traveler in 1943, The Whistler stood outside the stories he narrated. But unlike the others, he used a unique second-person, present tense technique as if to talk directly with the central character of his stories - often an innocent drawn into the plot by circumstances or an amateur driven to murder as a last resort. Most episodes followed a crime or psychological thriller format, often focusing on flawed protagonists whose own misdeeds or weaknesses led to their downfall. Its storytelling style influenced TV anthologies such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1965) and The Twilight Zone (1959–1964), both of which shared The Whistler’s love for ironic justice and surprise endings. This production features the vocal talents of Pamela Austin, Judy Scribner, Vic Caroli, Mitchel Frank, and Michael Troop. This audio file was recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Troop. All music and sound effects were obtained through a special license from pond5.com and may not be copied or reproduced for any reason.
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