The Shadow (partially lost radio series; 1937-1954)

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Status: Partially Lost

The Shadow was a radio series created by in 1937 that lasted until 1957 which followed the character of the shadow. The series is mostly remembered for originally staring the voice of Hollywood legend Orson Welles as the voice of the main character, however, the character himself is most greatly remembered as the main influence for DC Comic's Batman.

History

The Shadow originally appeared in 1930 as the narrator of the CBC series Detective Story Hour where the character was overlooked until Frank Readick, Jr replaced James La Curto as the character's voice and gave him "a hauntingly sibilant quality that thrilled radio listeners." The character later went on to be used to narrate The Blue Coal Radio Revue. After a temporary move to NBC and then back CBC the series ended due to Street & Smith's wanting the character to be rewritten into the crime-fighter described in the pulp novels by the character's creator, Walter Gibson.

In 1937, Street and Smith signed a new agreement with Blue Coal, and in fall of that year began a new series based upon the character that aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System, with Orson Welles to play the main character. Welles eventually left the series in 1938 and was succeeded by Bill Johnstone, Bret Morrison, John Archer, and Steve Courtleigh.

Lost Episodes

Because of the series' age, many episodes were not preserved, and 165 of the series' 665 episodes have been lost or recovered incomplete, with seasons 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18 being missing in their entirety. The company behind the CD releases for the show, Radio Spirits, has uncovered multiple previously lost episodes and sold them along with preserved episodes, marketing them as "Lost shows".