Old-Time Radio Marathon, EPISODE 0219 #RetroRadio #WeirdDarkness

Weird Darkness is narrated by professional full-time voice actor Darren Marlar. No A.I. voices are ever used in the show. Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zr88fxv8 IN THIS EPISODE: Why do clowns creep us out? We’ll look at some of the reasons. We’ll review real creepy clown sightings – it happens a lot more than you might think! Plus, we’ll also look at some true cases of clowns committing crimes… and sometimes killing. SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… BOOK: “Bad Clowns” by Benjamin Radford: https://amzn.to/3On6ebh “The Tamarac Square Clown” posted at DarkStories.org: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yck74etk “Why So Serious About Clowns?” by Frank T. McAndrew for The Conversation: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9cd2hp; and Beth Forrester for Spirit Halloween:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8s8m3h “Creepy Clown Sightings” by Matthew Dessem for Slate.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5fdppc8j; Nina Young for Kidspot.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p852r3b “Clowns of Crime” by Lauren Tousignant for The New York Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8thetd; Maggie Panos at PopSugar.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p87t7hh; and from iHorror: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/7byrxnmv “John Wayne Gacy: Killer Clown” by Katie Serena for All That’s Interesting: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yc7465z8 Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: August 04, 2023 CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/clowns

Weird Darkness is narrated by professional full-time voice actor Darren Marlar. No A.I. voices are ever used in the show. Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version with all artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/muxbw275 IN THIS EPISODE: You might have heard someone say during a severe storm, “it’s raining cats and dogs out there!” Of course, it wasn’t really raining felines and Fidos. But there have been instances of it raining frogs and fish. But did you hear about the time when for two-weeks straight it rained rocks and stones? (Raining Rocks, Storming Stones) *** In the film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” the ending… sorry, spoiler here, but it has been since 1977 so you have had plenty of time to see it… at the end of the film, the aliens drop off dozens of humans that they’ve abducted over the years, and then welcome a volunteer human to leave with them – like an extraterrestrial foreign exchange student program. It’s a fascinating concept, an extremely well-written premise for the film… but could that actually happen? Better question… has it already happened? (The Zeta Reticuli and Project Serpo) *** It could be argued that while William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was a real person in history – that his story is more legend than fact. But then, being a notorious outlaw, pretending to die, and convincing everyone you are dead – then living out the rest of your life until you were an old man… that does probably deserve the label of “legend’. Is that story the fact… or is it fiction? (The Billy The Kid Conspiracy) *** Stories of giant, winged predators in the sky streaking down and attacking children and even full-grown men have been around since… well… ever. Some don’t believe it possible, but if you do a Google search for “man-eating bird” you’ll quickly find out they were not only real – but alive not that long ago. Or, perhaps… still soaring the skies, looking for their next meal… especially in and around New England. (Man-Eating Thunderbirds of New England) *** We’ve all heard of guardian angels – the idea that each one of us has a personal, supernatural protector following us at all times, battling for our souls to keep us from spiritual harm, if not physical. But if that’s true – could we also each have a personal demon as well? A being also battling for our souls to send us to hell? One famous witch hunter believed exactly that. (The Witch Hunter List of Seven Princes In Hell) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Cold Open and Show Intro 00:05:29.916 = The Witch Hunter List of Seven Princes In Hell 00:17:58.532 = Raining Rocks, Storming Stones 00:36:52.298 = Man-Eating Thunderbirds of New England 01:03:05.212 = The Billy The Kid Conspiracy 01:14:39.998 = The Zeta Reticuli and Project Serpo 01:24:24.544 = Show Close SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Witch Hunter List of Seven Princes In Hell” by Melissa Brinks for Graveyard Shift:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5jt3bmde “Raining Rocks, Storming Stones” originally published in the Atlanta Journal, reposted at The Fortean:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4dc8m864 “The Billy The Kid Conspiracy” by Marcus Lowth for UFO Insight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdddrvn5 “The Zeta Reticuli and Project Serpo” posted at Gaia: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mr3r6xtm “Man-Eating Thunderbirds of New England” by...

Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version plus all of the artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://www.patreon.com/posts/113102203 CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:56.000 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Velvet Claws” (March 27, 1975) 00:48:20.317 = Gang Busters, “Harry Red Bever” (September 15, 1945) ***WD 01:18:57.211 = The Green Hornet, “Citizenship Insurances Racket” (May 05, 1938) 01:50:59.048 = Harry Lime, “Operation Music Box” (November 05, 1951) 02:17:24.071 = Haunted, Tales of the Supernatural, “Keeping His Promise” (September 13, 1980) 02:46:40.494 = The Haunting Hour, “Murder Is My Business” (ADU) 03:15:05.344 = Have Gun Will Travel, “The Hanging Cross” (December 21, 1958) 03:40:48.848 = Hermit’s Cave, “The Author of Murder” (ADU) 04:08:30.435 = Mystery Is My Hobby, “Monica Feels Threatened” (ADU) ***WD 04:33:24.011 = Sherlock Holmes, “Unfortunate Tobacconist” (April 30, 1945) 04:59:08.151 = Show Close (ADU) = Air Date Unknown ***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing. Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = =CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0220

Weird Darkness is narrated by professional full-time voice actor Darren Marlar. No A.I. voices are ever used in the show. Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version with all artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/krd73yjh IN THIS EPISODE: It was Labor Day, 1980 when Cynthia Clements disappeared – it wouldn’t be until more than a month later that her body would be found. And we still don’t know who killed her. (The Unsolved Murder of Cynthia Clements) *** A harbinger of doom is a sign, a warning of bad things to come. A supernatural forerunner to disaster, you might say – which several do, in Canada. There, they are more than familiar with forerunners of disaster and have several examples they could point to from over the years. (Canada’s Harbingers of Doom) *** Can you sue a schnauzer? Can you take a cat to court? Put a Terrier on trial? Can you arrest a mule for murder? You’d be surprised how many animals have been put on trial – and for what reasons! (Accused Critters In Court) *** Wilford Sweeten was found dead of food poisoning. Then across town, a pastor’s wife was found dead of food poisoning as well. And that’ when rumors already circulating in the small town of Ida, Illinois began to be confirmed – and the identities of the killers would shock people nationwide. (The Murdering Minister) *** It was probably said best by Old Time Radio’s “The Shadow” when he said at the beginning of each episode, “The weed of crime bears bitter fruit… crime does not pay.” But true life criminals don’t seem to be too concerned about that. Some thieves, however, did learn it the hard way – when they stole what turned out to be cursed relics… and paid the price for swiping them. (Cursed Relics And The Karma They Brought To Those Who Stole Them) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Cold Open & Show Intro 00:04:15.749 = Cursed Relics And The Karma They Brought To Those Who Stole Them 00:14:38.053 = Canada’s Harbingers of Doom 00:52:29.941 = The Unsolved Murder of Cynthia Clements 00:57:39.389 = The Murdering Minister 01:08:42.654 = Accused Critters in Court 01:18:39.623 = Show Close SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Cursed Relics And The Karma They Brought To Those Who Stole Them” by Melissa Brinks for Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p98v4bt “The Unsolved Murder of Cynthia Clements” by Robert A. Waters for Kidnapping Murder and Mayhem:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5btt6eh4 “Canada’s Harbingers of Doom” posted at Mysteries of Canada: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckvmwxz BOOK: “Bluenose Ghosts” by Helen Creighton: https://amzn.to/44R46zK BOOK: “Folklore – Prince Edward Island” by Sterling Ramsay: https://amzn.to/43NlS5B BOOK: “Mysteries of Canada, Volume 1” by Hammerson Peters: https://amzn.to/3OzAtgH BOOK: “Folklore of Nova Scotia” by Mary L. Fraser: https://amzn.to/3DCWAww “Accused Critters In Court” by Jodi Smith for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9e5y9m “The Murdering Minister” by Troy Taylor:

“ICELAND’S HIDDEN FOLK” #WeirdDarknessRadio WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 28-29, 2024 ========== HOUR ONE: In 1761, a young Frenchman died violently. This tragedy would lead to what is still one of that country's most famous cases of judicial injustice. Assuming, of course, that it truly was an injustice at all. (The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas) *** Most know them as “The Hidden Folk.” The elusive and magical residents of Iceland, who live inside rocks and sometimes play games with unsuspecting passers-by. Are they real? That’s a complicated question, if you ask Icelanders. (The Elves of Iceland) *** As two boys were walking back to the house on their farm, a small stone rolled past them. Then a second one. They immediately thought some other boys were hiding in the scrub and throwing stones for a joke.  They couldn’t have been more wrong. (Stone Throwing Spirits) *** Belle Gunness lured numerous suitors to her Indiana farm. Not to entertain them or to be courted by them. She simply wanted to kill them in cold blood and dump their bodies in her hog pen. (Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest) *** "They're going to steal your organs!" screamed Sabina Eriksson, before running toward oncoming traffic on the M6 highway, having already been hit head-on by a Volkswagen. Her twin sister, Ursula, legs crushed by the truck that had just run her over, was spitting and screaming at paramedics on the side of the road. Now, many years after these events, we’re still no closer to understanding the chaos that occurred over two days in 2008 involving psychotic twin sisters on a UK highway. (The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins) ========== HOUR TWO: In 1882 the Ma’amtrasna murders, the brutal killing of several members of the Joyce family in rural Galway, caused outrage in Irish society and remains one of the most notorious homicides in Irish history. However a few years later Cork was rocked by an equally heinous case which has largely been forgotten. We’ll look at the brutal murders of four family members that took place in Castletownroche, Ireland. (The Castletownroche Murders) *** An Arizona family encounters a creature from the dark side of a Navajo legend. (The Arizona Skinwalker) *** John Blair liked to keep things “in the family”. But in his case, it wasn’t just a saying. It was literal. Because John was infamous for being bigamous. (Bigamous Blair) *** Dozens of Korean War GI’s claimed an unidentified flying object made them all sick. Theories range from high-tech Soviet death rays to extraterrestrials studying how we engage in battle to combat-stress-induced hallucinations. What actually happened? (The Korean War UFO) ========== SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Were people ever really tortured in Iron Maidens? (The Iron Maiden) ========== SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT’S SHOW: “The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins” by Harrison Tenpas for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/r6cbnxf “The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/rrs89rx “The Elves of Iceland” by Rob Schwarz for Stranger Dimensions: https://tinyurl.com/u4bcw6v “Stone Throwing Spirits” from The Fortean: https://tinyurl.com/qnuf7sd “Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest” by Steven Casale for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/tqyceby “The Iron Maiden” by Karl Smallwood for Today I Found Out: https://tinyurl.com/t2y6vj6 “The Korean War...