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Turn down the lights and grab your candy - it's time for the Down These Mean Streets Halloween Special! Join me for a king-sized trick-or-treating trip through the golden age of radio for some comedies and chillers designed to get you in the Halloween spirit. Enjoy Bob Hope recreating his role in The Ghost Breakers as presented on The Screen Directors' Playhouse (originally aired on NBC on April 3, 1949). Then, it's a pair of terrifying tales from Edgar Allan Poe - "The Tell-Tale Heart" from NBC Presents Short Story (1951) and "The Black Cat" from Peter Lorre's Mystery in the Air (originally aired on NBC on September 18, 1947). We'll hear a trio of Halloween comedies from The Jack Benny Program (originally aired on CBS on October 31, 1948), My Favorite Husband (originally aired on CBS on October 28, 1949) and Our Miss Brooks (originally aired on CBS on October 30, 1949). Escape presents an adaptation of The Birds that aired a decade before Hitchcock brought the story to the big screen (originally aired on CBS on July 10, 1954). Finally, Ernest Chappell stars in a wry chiller from Wyllis Cooper in "Don't Tell Me About Halloween" from Quiet Please (originally aired on Mutual on October 27, 1947).

The brilliant comedienne Eve Arden brought wit and charm to the role of Connie Brooks, Madison High School's favorite English teacher. She stood at the center of one of radio's best casts, and her performance makes Our Miss Brooks one of the best sitcoms of the era. In honor of her birthday, we'll hear a pair of episodes - first, there's a cafeteria boycott in the works at Madison (originally aired on CBS on March 13, 1949). Then, Miss Brooks joins her students in a summer job (originally aired on CBS on June 19, 1949).

What beloved Hollywood gem was snubbed by the Academy for Best Picture, and included these classics from the great American songbook:

Cool Rider
Score Tonight
Reproduction

The hits keep on coming. This ain't no lube job; it's Grease 2.

We sign off for the year with two New Year's comedies from the golden age of radio. First, Alan Young tries to keep the plans for a Rose Bowl parade float a secret (originally aired on NBC on December 27, 1946). Then, Eve Arden's Our Miss Brooks is stuck babysitting on New Year's Eve (originally aired on CBS on January 1, 1950).

The countdown to Christmas continues with more old time radio holiday comedies. First, Eve Arden hosts a Christmas party with yuletide magic in the air in Our Miss Brooks (originally aired on CBS on December 25, 1949). Then, Lucille Ball rounds up a gang of carolers to take a musical sleigh ride on My Favorite Husband (originally aired on December 23, 1949).

Our month of Halloween comedy kicks off with Eve Arden and J. Carrol Naish in a pair of trick-or-treating tales to keep you smiling like a jack-o-lantern. First, the Madison High gang is preparing for a Halloween party on Our Miss Brooks (originally aired on CBS on October 30, 1949). Then, Luigi celebrates his first Halloween in the USA in Life with Luigi (originally aired on CBS on October 30, 1951).

School is back in session across the country, and this week we'll head to class at Madison High with Eve Arden in Our Miss Brooks. The faculty and students star in a pair of comedies: first, the school's star basketball player has to pass Connie's exam or he can't play (originally aired on CBS on February 13, 1949). Then, Miss Brooks has to sneak out for traffic court without Mr. Conklin finding out about her case (originally aired on CBS on May 28, 1950).

In this week's bonus comedy show, we celebrate the return of baseball with a pair of shows featuring stars enjoying America's pastime. First, Jack Benny and his gang listen to the World Series (originally aired on October 10, 1948). Then, Eve Arden's Our Miss Brooks tries to come up with money for uniforms for the school's baseball team (originally aired on CBS on March 26, 1950).

School is back in session with the faculty and students of Madison High School in Our Miss Brooks. In this week's midweek bonus comedy show, Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, and Jeff Chandler star in two episodes of one of the funniest shows from the golden age of radio. We'll hear Connie Brooks' attempts to become head of the Madison English department (originally aired on CBS on January 23, 1949) and the school's efforts to close down on the hottest day of the year (originally aired on CBS on August 7, 1949).