From Radio & TV Horror History… to The Darkroom (1981)

2025-11-02

Step into the shadows with Forgotten TV as we uncover the eerie history behind ABC’s short-lived 1981 anthology series Darkroom, hosted by James Coburn. In this feature-length episode, we trace the chilling lineage of radio and television horror—from the crackling terror of The Witch’s Tale and Lights Out to the haunting glow of TV anthologies like The Twilight Zone, Thriller, and Night Gallery. You’ll hear the story of how Darkroom was hastily developed in the wake of a Hollywood writers...

Step into the shadows with Forgotten TV as we uncover the eerie history behind ABC’s short-lived 1981 anthology series Darkroom, hosted by James Coburn.

In this feature-length episode, we trace the chilling lineage of radio and television horror—from the crackling terror of The Witch’s Tale and Lights Out to the haunting glow of TV anthologies like The Twilight Zone, Thriller, and Night Gallery. You’ll hear the story of how Darkroom was hastily developed in the wake of a Hollywood writers’ strike, explore its behind-the-scenes production struggles, and revisit its twisted tales—each one a macabre snapshot from television’s forgotten gallery of nightmares.

Along the way, we’ll shine a light on creators Peter S. Fischer, Robert F. O’Neill, and Christopher Crowe, and examine how Darkroom bridged the gap between old-time radio horror and the TV anthologies that followed—culminating in the 1980s boom of syndicated horror offerings.

🎙️ Into The Darkroom: A Forgotten TV Podcast — turn out your lights… if you dare.

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Original audio clips included are for the purposes of historical context, review, commentary, and criticism only and are not intended to infringe. Some music used under license from Epidemic Sound. If you need music for your podcast or YouTube channel, please visit Epidemic Sound.

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