The Zero Hour (aka Hollywood Radio Theater) was a 1973–74 American radio drama anthology series hosted by Rod Serling.[1][2] With tales of mystery, adventure and suspense, the program was broadcast for two seasons. Some of the scripts were written by Serling.[3]
The radio series debuted on September 3, 1973, in syndication, and was picked up by the Mutual Broadcasting System in December. The original format featured five-part dramas broadcast Monday through Friday with the story coming to a conclusion on Friday. Including commercials, each part was approximately 30 minutes long. Mutual affiliates were free to broadcast the series in any available time slot that they wished.[4]
In 1974, still airing five days a week, the program changed to a full story in a single 30-minute installment with the same actor starring throughout the week in all five programs. That format was employed from late April 1974 to the end of the series in July 1974.
Producer J. M. Kholos was a Los Angeles advertising man who acquired the rights to suspense novels, including Tony Hillerman's The Blessing Way, for radio adaptations. In some cases, the titles were changed. For example, the five-part "Desperate Witness" was an adaptation of The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing. To create a strong package, Kholos followed through by lining up top actors, including John Astin, Edgar Bergen, Joseph Campanella, Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Howard Duff, Keenan Wynn, Richard Deacon, Patty Duke, Nina Foch, George Maharis, Susan Oliver, Brock Peters and Lurene Tuttle.
The opening theme music was by Ferrante & Teicher. Don Hills produced the series for StudioHouse, which also produced the Salvation Army's Heartbeat Theatre. Counting each five-part show as five episodes, there were a total of 130 episodes. Failing to find a large audience due to the initial weekly serial format and lack of promotion, Mutual canceled the program, and the final episode was broadcast on July 26 1974, though many Mutual affiliates continued broadcasting repeats for several months afterwards. According to director Elliott Lewis, "They wanted as much name value as possible to help with sales. They forgot they had to sell it. Everybody sat in the office and waited for someone to call them up and buy the show."
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1 Zero Hour 1973-12-17 (1) The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Chapter 1 - 29:33
2 Zero Hour 1973-12-18 (2) The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Chapter 2 - 21:34
3 Zero Hour 1973-12-19 (3) The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Chapter 3 - 30:31
4 Zero Hour 1973-12-20 (4) The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Chapter 4 - 28:29
5 Zero Hour 1973-12-21 (5) The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Chapter 5 - 28:35
6 Zero Hour 1973-12-24 (6) Desperate Witness - Chapter 1 - 28:30
7 Zero Hour 1973-12-25 (7) Desperate Witness - Chapter 2 - 29:56
8 Zero Hour 1973-12-26 (8) Desperate Witness - Chapter 3 - 29:48
9 Zero Hour 1973-12-27 (9) Desperate Witness - Chapter 4 - 30:31
10 Zero Hour 1973-12-28 (10) Desperate Witness - Chapter 5 - 30:18
11 Zero Hour 1973-12-31 (11) If Two of Them are Dead - Chapter 1 - 30:28
12 Zero Hour 1974-01-01 (12) If Two of Them are Dead - Chapter 2 - 30:21
13 Zero Hour 1974-01-02 (13) If Two of Them are Dead - Chapter 3 - 31:29
14 Zero Hour 1974-01-03 (14) If Two of Them are Dead - Chapter 4 - 28:40
15 Zero Hour 1974-01-04 (15) If Two of Them are Dead - Chapter 5 - 30:02
16 Zero Hour 1974-01-07 (16) Fourth of Forever - Chapter 1 - 25:46
17 Zero Hour 1974-01-08 (17) Fourth of Forever - Chapter 2 - 26:02
18 Zero Hour 1974-01-09 (18) Fourth of Forever - Chapter 3 - 24:44
19 Zero Hour 1974-01-10 (19) Fourth of Forever - Chapter 4 - 25:56
20 Zero Hour 1974-01-11 (20) Fourth of Forever - Chapter 5 - 27:04
21 Zero Hour 1974-01-14 (21) But I Wouldn't Want to Die There - Chapter 1 - 31:00
22 Zero Hour 1974-01-15 (22) But I Wouldn't Want to Die There - Chapter 2 - 25:57
23 Zero Hour 1974-01-16 (23) But I Wouldn't Want to Die There - Chapter 3 - 31:00
24 Zero Hour 1974-01-17 (24) But I Wouldn't Want to Die There - Chapter 4 - 31:00
25 Zero Hour 1974-01-18 (25) But I Wouldn't Want to Die There - Chapter 5 - 31:00
26 Zero Hour 1974-01-21 (26) Dead Man's Tale - Chapter 1 - 31:00
27 Zero Hour 1974-01-22 (27) Dead Man's Tale - Chapter 2 - 27:56
28 Zero Hour 1974-01-23 (28) Dead Man's Tale - Chapter 3 - 31:00
29 Zero Hour 1974-01-24 (29) Dead Man's Tale - Chapter 4 - 31:00
30 Zero Hour 1974-01-25 (30) Dead Man's Tale - Chapter 5 - 31:00
31 Zero Hour 1974-01-28 (31) Heir Hunters - Chapter 1 - 26:15
32 Zero Hour 1974-01-29 (32) Heir Hunters - Chapter 2 - 27:32
33 Zero Hour 1974-01-30 (33) Heir Hunters - Chapter 3 - 25:42
34 Zero Hour 1974-01-31 (34) Heir Hunters - Chapter 4 - 26:12
35 Zero Hour 1974-02-01 (35) Heir Hunters - Chapter 5 - 26:17
36 Zero Hour 1974-02-04 (36) A Die in the Country - Chapter 1 - 30:07
37 Zero Hour 1974-02-05 (37) A Die in the Country - Chapter 2 - 30:09
38 Zero Hour 1974-02-06 (38) A Die In The Country - Chapter 3 - 29:30
39 Zero Hour 1974-02-07 (39) A Die in the Country - Chapter 4 - 30:10
40 Zero Hour 1974-02-08 (40) A Die in the Country - Chapter 5 - 30:10
41 Zero Hour 1974-02-11 (41) Someone's Death - Chapter 1 - 30:50
42 Zero Hour 1974-02-12 (42) Someone's Death - Chapter 2 - 30:24
43 Zero Hour 1974-02-13 (43) Someone's Death - Chapter 3 - 30:27
44 Zero Hour 1974-02-14 (44) Someone's Death - Chapter 4 - 30:31
45 Zero Hour 1974-02-15 (45) Someone's Death - Chapter 5 - 30:31
46 Zero Hour 1974-02-18 (46) Face of the Foe - Chapter 1 - 30:12
47 Zero Hour 1974-02-19 (47) Face of the Foe - Chapter 2 - 30:08
48 Zero Hour 1974-02-20 (48) Face of the Foe - Chapter 3 - 30:12
49 Zero Hour 1974-02-21 (49) Face of the Foe - Chapter 4 - 29:57
50 Zero Hour 1974-02-22 (50) Face of the Foe - Chapter 5 - 30:08
51 Zero Hour 1974-02-25 (51) The Blessing Way - Chapter 1 - 30:04
52 Zero Hour 1974-02-26 (52) The Blessing Way - Chapter 2 - 30:07
53 Zero Hour 1974-02-27 (53) The Blessing Way - Chapter 3 - 29:51
54 Zero Hour 1974-02-28 (54) The Blessing Way - Chapter 4 - 30:02
55 Zero Hour 1974-03-01 (55) The Blessing Way - Chapter 5 - 30:01
56 Zero Hour 1974-03-04 (56) Princess Stakes Murder - Chapter 1 - 31:16
57 Zero Hour 1974-03-05 (57) Princess Stakes Murder - Chapter 2 - 29:58
58 Zero Hour 1974-03-06 (58) Princess Stakes Murder - Chapter 3 - 30:01
59 Zero Hour 1974-03-07 (59) Princess Stakes Murder - Chapter 4 - 29:16
60 Zero Hour 1974-03-08 (60) Princess Stakes Murder - Chapter 5 - 30:03
61 Zero Hour 1974-03-11 (61) Queen in Danger - Chapter 1 - 30:02
62 Zero Hour 1974-03-12 (62) Queen in Danger - Chapter 2 - 29:54
63 Zero Hour 1974-03-13 (63) Queen in Danger - Chapter 3 - 29:53
64 Zero Hour 1974-03-14 (64) Queen in Danger - Chapter 4 - 30:01
65 Zero Hour 1974-03-15 (65) Queen in Danger - Chapter 5 - 29:02
66 Zero Hour 1974-04-29 (66) Bye Bye Narco - 29:21
67 Zero Hour 1974-04-30 (67) Terror In The Night - 23:38
68 Zero Hour 1974-05-01 (68) Scream of the Hawk - 23:24
69 Zero Hour 1974-05-02 (69) The Extortionist - 22:25
70 Zero Hour 1974-05-03 (70) The Price of Admission - 23:41
71 Zero Hour 1974-05-06 (71) A Shortage Story - 26:01
72 Zero Hour 1974-05-07 (72) Escape to Nowhere - 21:27
73 Zero Hour 1974-05-08 (73) Fair's Fairs You Know - 21:39
74 Zero Hour 1974-05-09 (74) The Housecall - 21:24
75 Zero Hour 1974-05-10 (75) The Violation - 24:27
76 Zero Hour 1974-05-13 (76) An Arms Length - 21:29
77 Zero Hour 1974-05-14 (77) Some People Die Only Once - 31:00
78 Zero Hour 1974-05-15 (78) The Reward - 21:36
79 Zero Hour 1974-05-16 (79) The Villainous Verdict - 20:43
80 Zero Hour 1974-05-17 (80) The Strange Odyssey Of Sally Mitchell - 26:45
81 Zero Hour 1974-05-20 (81) White Flame Burn Bright - 21:09
82 Zero Hour 1974-05-21 (82) Mind of the Beholder - 21:36
83 Zero Hour 1974-05-22 (83) Why Is Ted Marcosi Driving Aunt Sally Insane - 21:31
84 Zero Hour 1974-05-23 (84) There's a Man in 211 - 21:28
85 Zero Hour 1974-05-24 (85) Death is the Puppeteer - 21:42
86 Zero Hour 1974-05-27 (86) Dr. Rivington Presumably - 21:46
87 Zero Hour 1974-05-28 (87) Wanted a Willing Companion - 21:43
88 Zero Hour 1974-05-29 (88) Pigs Could Put You in the Pen - 22:02
89 Zero Hour 1974-05-30 (89) Sky Lab Are You There - 21:37
90 Zero Hour 1974-05-31 (90) A Favor You Can't Refuse - 21:42
91 Zero Hour 1974-06-03 (91) Death at Half a Length - 21:36
92 Zero Hour 1974-06-04 (92) Floating Down The River - 21:38
93 Zero Hour 1974-06-05 (93) Once A Thief - 21:16
94 Zero Hour 1974-06-06 (94) Other Sins Only Speak, Murder Shrieks Out - 21:27
95 Zero Hour 1974-06-07 (95) Rehabilitation of Citizen Fimple - 21:19
96 Zero Hour 1974-06-10 (96) Bonnie & Clyde Are Alive And Living As Mary And Bill - 21:20
97 Zero Hour 1974-06-11 (97) Sisters of Satan - 21:30
98 Zero Hour 1974-06-12 (98) The Mannequin Sham - 21:33
99 Zero Hour 1974-06-13 (99) Double Date to Destiny - 21:27
100 Zero Hour 1974-06-14 (100) Clay Pigeons - 21:34
101 Zero Hour 1974-06-17 (101) The Past Is Always Present - 23:26
102 Zero Hour 1974-06-18 (102) The Woman In Black - 23:41
103 Zero Hour 1974-06-19 (103) Come Light My Fire - 23:56
104 Zero Hour 1974-06-20 (104) Riders Wanted - Share Expenses - 23:37
105 Zero Hour 1974-06-21 (105) Death on Canvas - 23:30
106 Zero Hour 1974-06-24 (106) The House That Clemont Built - 23:39
107 Zero Hour 1974-06-25 (107) The Joint Account - 23:32
108 Zero Hour 1974-06-26 (108) The Tiger Cages - 23:34
109 Zero Hour 1974-06-27 (109) Violence Takes A Curtian Call - 23:45
110 Zero Hour 1974-06-28 (110) The Children Are Dying - 23:37
111 Zero Hour 1974-07-01 (111) Bend, Spindle and Mutilate - 23:41
112 Zero Hour 1974-07-02 (112) Murder Is a Work of Art - 23:34
113 Zero Hour 1974-07-03 (113) Edwards Tug & Salvage - 23:52
114 Zero Hour 1974-07-04 (114) Larceny on the Lake - 23:39
115 Zero Hour 1974-07-05 (115) On the Lam - 22:53
116 Zero Hour 1974-07-08 (116) The Corpse Takes A Sleigh Ride - 23:53
117 Zero Hour 1974-07-09 (117) Marionettes - 23:46
118 Zero Hour 1974-07-10 (118) The Ghost Of The Black Plague - 23:44
119 Zero Hour 1974-07-11 (119) A Trunk Full Of Trouble - 22:42
120 Zero Hour 1974-07-12 (120) The Grand Prize - 23:51
121 Zero Hour 1974-07-15 (121) Welcome Home Denny Shakleford - 23:38
122 Zero Hour 1974-07-16 (122) Death of a Genius - 23:41
123 Zero Hour 1974-07-17 (123) Remember Me - 21:53
124 Zero Hour 1974-07-18 (124) Lost in Time - 23:39
125 Zero Hour 1974-07-19 (125) Once Upon a Truck - 23:41
126 Zero Hour 1974-07-22 (126) The Corpse Takes A Stand - 23:53
127 Zero Hour 1974-07-23 (127) Carnival Of Menace - 22:32
128 Zero Hour 1974-07-24 (128) Chicago John And The Glitter People - 23:42
129 Zero Hour 1974-07-25 (129) Smoke Screen - 23:38
130 Zero Hour 1974-07-26 (130) The Holdout - 23:36
