BLACK MUSEUM, THE Volume 1

Starring Orson Welles (12 half-hour episodes / 6 hours via digital download)

“The Black Museum” was a radio crime drama produced by Harry Alan Towers for the BBC in 1951 and based on real-life cases from the files of Scotland Yard’s Black Museum. Ira Marion wrote the scripts, and music for the series was composed and conducted by Sidney Torch. Orson Welles (who was living in London at the time) was both host and narrator for stories of horror and mystery based on Scotland Yard’s collection of murder weapons and various ordinary objects once associated with historical crime cases. Walking through the museum, Welles would pause at one of the exhibits, and his description of an artifact served as a device to lead into a tale of terror or a brutal murder. In the weekly closing, Welles concluded with his signature radio phrase, “I remain, as always, obediently yours.” In the United State, the series aired on the Mutual network in 1952.

A Blued .22 Caliber Pistol

A Wool Jacket

The Canvas Bag

An Open End Wrench

The Tan Shoe

The Notes

The Spotted Bed Sheet

An Old Wooden Mallet

A Champagne Glass

The Small White Boxes

The Raincoat

The Gas Receipt