SUSPENSE -- "THE HOUSE IN CYPRESS CANYON" (12-5-46)

This is one of the very best "Suspense" episodes ever. So turn off the lights and be prepared for a real bone-chilling tale in "The House In Cypress Canyon".

[@tklogan111809]

I was so creeped out I had to stop the show for a glass of Roma wine before I could continue, good one.

[@Thompsongs]

You couldn't handle the................SUSPENSE!!

[@IceNiner199]

Hopefully you avoided that nasty muscatel! Roma Muscatel? Now THAT would have been truly terrifying!

[@t.curran8243]

I think that Roma muscatel became the drink du jour for the guys on LA's Skid Row.

[@enriquebonifacino9939]

@@Thompsongs very funny!!

[@soulvaccination8679]

Lol...😜😜🤪

[@sethzink3458]

my folks had these recordings on cassette and we would listen to them in the car on long trips! so happy to have found them on KZbin!

[@rayjansons8033]

They don't make shows like this anymore ! Great nostalgia when families back then were living in a more innocent time! Thanks for this !

[@jeremydesrochers5199]

@R MI think he was talking in terms of the simpleness of life..you know, women were home when their kids got home from school, before feminism told them what they were missing. We didnt have phones that took us away from family, we didnt butcher the unborn in the womb, homosexuality wasnt thrown in the faces of the people like its a normal thing...and the entertainment choices werent filled with stuff that nauseates people...you know, an innocent time

[@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755]

WAS it innocent? Read this essay & tell me what you think: www.otrr.online/FILES/Times_Archive_pdf/2020_01%20JanFeb.pdf

[@pennyblackshear1914]

@@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755 it's gone aber eye was gonna say? Was it? Eye got in the bldg 57 so we've seen a bit & 22 in usaf retired. Anywho, love the shows.

[@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755]

@@jeremydesrochers5199 It could be that the monster in that closet is the repressed energies of the female. Those energies turned destructive. Feminism didn't have to tell anyone what they were missing. Many women felt "something missing." Ellen turns from sweet housewife to monster because her energies are shoved into a closet. The time wasn't all that innocent.

[@NarcisoUrquiola]

That third scream when James and Ellen were asleep in bed almost gave me a heart attack. Great show.

[@Labaron26]

I used to listen to these programs when I went to bed, with the lights out....I was 12 years old when this played....In those days, we did not need TV, we could form pictures in our minds and actually see the faces and backgrounds of the stories....We had imagination, which the kids of today do not seem to have....I wish I could go back....Some day I will.

[@lettyguerra371]

Labaron26 , scary episode!

[@piscesx5603]

Yep, theater of the mind. :-)

[@hepkatjones392]

I agree

[@bansheemania1692]

I don't watch tv Anymore..alot of us Younger people are Finding These otr shows.. the Best..

[@bansheemania1692]

@@piscesx5603 Nothing like It.

[@sinistar99]

This story is genuinely scary. It never explains itself. The "sound" is really creepy and frightening. It's a scary episode.

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

I agree (for sure). :-)

[@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755]

It differs fr/other haunted house stories because the house is new and small. There can't have been any murders committed in it so WHAT is in that closet? In my essay, I discuss several clues.

[@tammyrenee6568]

Ml2n2llm2mmml2ll

[@drdabsmore945]

If I remember correctly, a good rule of writing is to sometimes never show the creature or cause of something. Sometimes what your mind conjures up is scarier than a writer explaining a terror.

[@seansullivan4709]

I remember hearing this for the first time when I was 10 years old back in '76. It's still one of my all time favorites.

[@creeg84]

Bought a cassette tape of this episode for 25 cents in 1984. Been a fan of old time radio ever since. This is one of my favorites.

[@moxievintage1390]

I love that when this ends, you are motivated to go back to the beginning in your mind... and think about how the end relates to the beginning. And you quickly become confused, and even a bit...unsettled..............and then you will start thinking about it yet...again....

[@RavingDaveOne]

A long-time OTR fan, I just discovered your great mix of programs. Settling into bed for the night, I chose "The House in Cypress Canyon" as my bed-time story----big mistake! Simply one of the scariest radio shows ever produced!! Gonna listen to Jack Benny to calm my nerves!Great choices! Thank you!

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

~~Thumbs Up!~~

[@estebanmedina4370]

Same here I was slowly falling asleep when that bloody scream came out

[@pupfreak0319]

I thought I was the only one who listened to the Jack Benny show after these 🤣 this is such a wonderful classic and spooky

[@tammyparker8635]

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[@scottlaw75]

My dad used to terrify me as a kid with these and this was always one of my favorite episodes. Thank you Dad!

[@ladyred5150]

I found this by accident. I'm in my early 40's, I've never heard this stuff but I love it! Thank you for posting it. 💟

[@pfcwar5150]

I loved this one.....heard it a 1000 times

[@jaymonte3972]

pfcwar5150 Same here, The House In Cypress Canyon was always a favourite! When I was younger I would recite my favourite bits...much to the angst of my siblings! LOL

[@jaymonte3972]

Thanks for this recording!! the best was lighting oil lamps and my family would gather at the kitchen table to listen to one of these suspense stories, making spooky faces at each other by the eerie light of the lamps. Us kids would have a handful of nuts or raisins and most times I don’t even recall eating them...LOL

[@jordanturner2202]

I bought this on a CD awhile back. It came with this and another episode with Vincent Price. This is probably my favorite story from Suspense. The first time I listened to it it really freaked me out. And I don't scare easy.

[@jamessedgwick9183]

I bought the same release only on cassette tape. The flip side was Fugue In C Minor" with Vincent Price & Ida Lupino. And both of these are my favorite episodes from Suspense

[@ChristopherScottDixon]

TY for the upload, a brilliant drama, which still retains its shock & power! :-)

[@piscesx5603]

This was the best episode of Suspense I've ever heard! Creepy house with no resolution at the end, just a creepy-ass loop, and NO explanation of what the screaming was. Brilliantly written horror!

[@denisenoe7927]

Read my piece in Old Radio Times. There may be a reason for that eerie cry.

[@marvidee5186]

easily one the best ,sit back enjoy with a glassful of Roma wine.

[@Sugarbehr1967]

Still raises the hackles even after almost 75 years. Thanks for posting this.

[@shaggyb3242]

Dad turned me on to this. Im 35 and enjoy these shows.

[@bansheemania1692]

Same here.. tv is Useless now..The Shadow. Johnny Dollar. Richard diamond.. The Saint etc. Glad people my age are Listening to Otr

[@diamonds5855]

Seems to be making a come back radio shows like this.

[@bodegabreath4258]

I’ve listened to many OTR shows, some funny, some serious, some enjoyable, some not. The House In Cypress Canyon is one of my favs. It is the only one - the only one - that, the first time I heard it, gave me goosebumps and made my heart jump and raised the hackles (I don’t even know what hackles are, but it raised them anyway). It still does. You’re going along, calm, cool, and very collected, enjoying the show . . . and THAT happens. Nearly jumped out of the first three layers of my epidermis, I kid you not. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, have a listen. When you hear it, you will.

[@christinejoysantos5127]

I am currently painting my room while listening to this and I am so mindblown right now

[@charitysghost1207]

My dad had this radio show on a cassette tape back in the 80s. We kids would sit and listen to it in the dark. It was actually very scary.

[@luffypupperstien2706]

Pretty super duper you put all these up for us. Thanks!

[@mikelawlor1533]

Extremely well acted. The emotions were spot on

[@kiki1573]

I'm finding myself doing the very same thing people literally used to do in the days of radio.🎙 *I'm literally STARING at my phone while I'm listening😂* Radio soap operas are really that good!📻📱

[@bansheemania1692]

So much better than tv... There's So many Good old Show's.... Richard diamond.. Johnny Dollar..& THE SHADOW.

[@vancozzin8998]

Clear and crisp audio for 1954!!

[@krystalnonya735]

So I started listening to this just thinking it would be entertaining. I don't scare easily. Half the time these old time horror stories make me laugh. And then that weird sound started and I almost shit myself.

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

Dang straight! (Me too.)

[@briangillin7052]

@Zip Zenac No, they specifically said it wasn't a cat.

[@Mi-yc3oy]

This and THE HITCHHIKER are some my top favorites. Thanks!

[@dragonninja562]

shitting myself everytime I hear that scream

[@rubyduuu]

These are great bedtime stories....for adults.

[@btipton6899]

Man, this episode has scared me since I first heard it 35 years ago!

[@trixeylabelle8801]

This really was a good one, infact now one of my favorite top 5.

[@muse7746]

😊I hear Howard Duff as the detective! Love these radio programs.❤

[@simonmcgrath4112]

So very good and what a great story.

[@PinkyPuff69]

Thank you, this sounds like a good one.

[@peedeel2077]

Dang, I really wished I had a glass of Roma wine when listening to that one. I made do with a cider instead😊. Great spooky tale.

[@enriquebonifacino9939]

The music is ultra dramatic!! Without it the story wouldn't be so intense.

[@df5295]

This is a really great one!

[@sherril5524]

That was extremely scary!I'm 54 years old and I have not heard anything remotely as scary. Larry Hernandez

[@DoctorOnce]

My favorite scary radio play.

[@kjgas6945]

Cool story I give it a eight thank you sir!

[@Fannin7]

Cathy Lewis really held her own with the big stars didn't she. One with Cary Grant was On A Country Road. Pretty scary too. Count the number of times they say "crazy woman"!

[@hubcityhotrod]

Great! I had headphones on!!!

[@marcuskurtz7778]

i love this

[@themostimportantshipmentev8222]

This one is legitimately terrifying

[@PeasantWithaPitchfork]

One of my favorite Suspense episodes😎

[@creeg84]

Happy Halloween 🎃 2022

[@fatpigeonhgg]

SUSPENSE

[@bellabrookenthal]

I used to listen to these when I was a kid. Howard Duff was actor as Sam Spade. Thanks for bringing these back back.

[@Labaron26]

Hans Conreid was the Real Estate Agent.

[@sinistar99]

Ellen: "Those curtains need to come down. What do you think of red?" Closet:"Ahhhahhh!" Me: (Craps pants).

[@denisenoe7927]

There is more to this episode than initially meets the ear. I discuss this in depth in an article in Old Radio Times. WHAT is really in that closet? That small ordinary house is a one of a kind haunted house!!

[@delso-wk9sq]

"wish I could go back in time... some day I will...'' boy, do I hear that. Until then, thank for the story.

[@diamonds5855]

Please bring me back 1950`s clothes size 16 thank you. lol

[@cornellwaters9089]

🏠 Thank You!

[@rockfish74]

Howard Duff in the small part is awesome

[@harperstacey9604]

Howard Duff was married to actress Ida lupino. From Ms. Harper Stacey.

[@blacki1958]

Top 5 episode...

[@tristinnewton7371]

Yikes! Fun Trivia: The "Sam" detective is played by Howard Duff, the radio actor of Sam Spade.

[@ChristopherMurphy1969]

Classic tale well calculated to keep you in.....Roma wine.

[@Denisenoe]

"Old Radio Times," an online magazine devoted to these shows, will publish an essay I wrote on "The House in Cypress Canyon." I try to answer the tantalizing question: What is in that closet? What is really in that closet? If you read my essay, you will learn how I answer those questions.

[@davidharrison9893]

STOP!!!!!! NEVER.

[@myheartedbrainacrylicpaint1807]

Hahahaha Roma Wine. I wonder if they are still around. And then Safelight something. Okay, this is my favorite. Hands down.

[@soslothful]

How did the post murder paper clipping get attached to the manuscript?

[@billsmith5985]

Sounds like "Sam" is Jack Carson. We'll find out at the end.

[@billsmith5985]

nope. Howard Duff.

[@jasonhurd4379]

I'm sure the real estate agent was Hans Conreid.

[@denisenoe7746]

What is in that closet? What does it represent?

[@oldmanellis2130]

Can anyone confirm that Paul Frees is voicing the howl?

[@punjabikahani2737]

I dnt understand the ending

[@bansheemania1692]

To keep you Thinking 🤔 maybe

[@df5295]

Seems like the story they were reading hasn't even happened yet!

[@michaelpaul7426]

❤

[@cherrieshird1458]

That was good and crazy sorry but the place have been rented all ready ☺

[@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755]

I wrote an essay about this episode that is being run in 2 parts. The 1st is here: www.otrr.online/FILES/Times_Archive_pdf/2019_12.pdf

[@adamt5164]

Without me giving any spoilers away, what exactly was supposed to have happened in this show? I get the basic narrative, but I don't understand how the twist occurred? Was it taking place in Hollywood significant?

[@sinistar99]

That's what's so great about this one it doesn't "explain itself" so it's hard to know for sure.

[@johnthacker5246]

Is the real estate agent Hans Conried?

[@jeremydesrochers5199]

Effie, take down the details of the house in cypress canyon matter.....OH SAM!!!!

[@lenmorrison3578]

Let's play a game, every time the announcer says the word " Roma ", take a drink!

[@t.curran8243]

Twilight Zone quality.

[@charlesharlan5951]

This was creepy 💀

[@syedmuhommadhuzaifa992]

seriously this episode seems like a creepy pasta

[@hollypalmer6921]

after all my chaos, I'm 53,e g Marshall turned me on to this:CBS mystery theater, when I was 14,THIS IS WHAT I WANTED, cypress canyon, #1 in horror!

[@dennisfarabee5216]

OK! So I married a werewolf.

[@CyanBlackflower]

By the end of this one, You'll NEED Roma Wine. LOTS of it too. A whole case of it just to calm your nerves. Who knows how much to forget? What about the shock? I'm shakin' Bad, like Parkinson's Caffeine Cranked Chicken!...I could be used to bust up ten blocks of sidewalk...I might cause tsunamis in Japan ... God that was scary, ...gotta CALM DOWN! Lord sweet thunderin' Jezuss.....What was THAT!!!! ??? F-FUC-@$#%!!! ...So I think I'm scared NOW? Oh NO Buddy!! Hell no No NO!! You scared? Well! For real Radio Horror Terror, I'd better listen to Escape! You heard of it? Episode called: Evening Primrose!...to calm down...I hear it is a perfect match for THIS episode, scary as HELL too. Then I'm going to become a full blown, raging, terminal alcoholic and hooked on Valium...Comatosity too!! I tell ya, Roma Wine didn't sponsor this by accident... they'd've made $100s a day off me now...always Drunk! Always thinkin' about The Canyon House....all scared, scarred, havin' a six pack o' strokes! Shakin', and fillin' my diapers, an' peein', more shakin' an' what all...GAAA!!!!! Y-You hear THAT??!! You MUST have heard THAT!!!?? WTF!! GOD!.. I used to look exactly like jerkin' j-jus-just- like Justin Bieber did..at age 17! I was calm as a corpse! NOW look!! LOOK!! At- at m-my freakin' profile pic!! T-t-t-taken j-just this morning! It Happened overnight too! Right after this! I Dreamed I had n-n-ni-nightmares and was sh-shakin'...gonna Escape! Evening Primrose... Shakin'... Thanks Mr. Truman Bradley!.Thanks Roma. ROMA (Ar Oh Em Ai) ROMA WINE. Drink enough, you'll ESCAPE!! And shake like me too! ..

[@bansheemania1692]

Dude.. You are a Poet.. 😈😎..well Let's see what im up for, time to listen...

[@bansheemania1692]

Not bad...Not Whiskey level Shake's 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃😰😰😰... Only thing I can't get out of my head is "Jj.jerkin .justin Bieber" That made me laugh 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@simonmcgrath4112]

Very good episode as per BUT..... with all the comments about how scary it was, well, I was a little disappointed as I was expecting to be climbing the walls and scared sleep and this was nowhere near at all the case!! Very good but someone saying they pooed their pants, well it must have been a touch of diarrhoea!!!

[@blackswanevent4]

Never read the comments first you'll ruin it for yourself :(

[@t.dickerson605]

WHAT is in that closet? What is really going on in this story?

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

It's up to us (the listener) to decide that. I think that's part of what makes this episode so good.

[@t.dickerson605]

@@DVPOldTimeRadio I think there is something there that you may not consciously recognize. Under my real name, Denise Noe, I wrote an article about this published in Old Radio Times. The clue about the evil is given in that it is right off the den which is described as a good room "especially for a man." I develop it further in the essay.

[@t.dickerson605]

@@DVPOldTimeRadio Ah, but there are several clues. I wrote an essay that Old Radio Times published about this. The den is described as a "nice room, particularly for a man." The mysterious closet is located right off the den. The closet won't open for the couple even after all keys are tried. Sans key, it easily opens for the cops. There is blood oozing out of the closet but, since the building was just put up, it couldn't be the blood of a murder victim. What type of blood is it? The building was started before the war; finished after. I tie these clues together in my article.