Inner Sanctum Mysteries

Inner Sanctum Mysteries debuted January 7, 1941 on NBC's Blue Network, created and produced by Himan Brown. The show took its name from the Simon & Schuster mystery imprint. Raymond Edward Johnson served as the original host from 1941 to 1945, establishing the character's sneering, pun-addicted persona. Paul McGrath took over in 1945 and held the role until the series ended in 1952. Boris Karloff appeared in more than 15 episodes in the first season alone. Of the 526 total episodes produced, fewer than 200 survive today — a devastating loss rate that makes the existing recordings all the more precious. The creaking door sound became so iconic that it was one of the first sounds ever formally copyrighted.