. .. and now, it's time to scare you half to death.

. .. and now, it's time to scare you half to death.: Nightfall was a popular and controversial horror and sci-fi series that aired on CBC Radio between 1980 and 1983.

Producer and poet Bill Howell had recently wrapped up cult favorite "Johnny Chase, Secret Agent of Space" when he approached newly-hired Radio Drama head Susan Douglas Rubes with the concept for a program to push the staid boundaries of Canadian radio.



They pushed: episodes featured the sound of a man tearing out his heart and a graphic aural portrait of a serial child murderer. The gore - and genuinely frightening episodes like "The Porch Light" - resulted in hundreds of complaints during the show's 100-episode run, with some affiliate stations dropping it as a result.



In addition to many original productions, Nightfall included adaptions of stories by Robert Aickman^* and other important but neglected writers. Some highlights:



Safely in the Arms of Jesus

All-Nighter

Angel of Death

Baby Doll

Brides of Olivera

The Body Snatchers

Child's Play



Sources for episodes: My Old Radio, archive.org, Nightfall Project



Wikipedia has an episode list and production details.



* Recommended enthusiastically on the Blue recently.