The Shadow was a long-running old-time radio series (1937-1954) as well as a concurrent series of pulp novels, with slightly different continuities. The character originated as a mysterious narrator with an evil laugh heard on various anthologies sponsored by pulp publisher Street & Smith, starting with Detective Story Hour (1930). When listeners asked for the magazine "with the Shadow" instead of the actual titles, a character was created to match the voice. While the pulp magazines fleshed out the character as a shadowy crimefighter (with a hat drawn over his face), radio continued the Shadow as narrator only of different series (even a romance anthology) through 1935.

In 1937, the proper The Shadow radio series used Lamont Cranston (one of the figures impersonated by the Shadow in the pulps, whose real name was Kent Allard) as his civilian identity and added his faithful companion Margo Lane. Orson Welles starred in the title role, although the opening signature used the early narrator Shadow's voice, Frank Readick: "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit! Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

The Cranston/Shadow combination continued with recast actors (and later an Australian radio version) as well as in serials and other media and lingered in popular memory as one of the archetypal radio series. His comic book life continued on intermittently through the decades, including for DC Comics, meeting Batman in 1973 and appearing in his own title (with pulp identity Kent Allard but keeping radio's Margo Lane) through 1975. The Shadow's highest profile return was a 1994 film version.

References

• At the beginning of one scene in Episode 1152 of Sesame Street, Bob and David can be heard discussing with Linda their recollections of Lamont Cranston (aka the Shadow) and The Green Hornet when they were kids.

• The third season Muppet Babies episode "The Muppet Broadcasting Company," with an old-time radio theme, has Baby Gonzo spoofing The Shadow as The Weirdo: "Who knows what weirdness lurks in the hearts of kids?"

• On the yearbook staff page of The Amphibian, all of the staffers have paper bags over their heads and are named after those who were unseen or disappeared (or whose true face is seldom shown). Lamont Cranston is one of the listed names, along with Claude Raines (sic), Amelia Earhart, and Tony Clifton.

• The first season Dog City episode "The Bloodhound" has Eliot Shag saying "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of dogs?" referencing the opening signature.

Connections

• Deborah Ambrosino was milliner on the 1994 film
• Alec Baldwin played Lamont Cranston/The Shadow in the 1994 film
• Abraham Benrubi played a Marine guard in the 1994 film
• Peter Boyle played Moe Shrevnitz in the 1994 film
• Peter Capell played a role in The Shadow episode "A Mask for Murder" (radio, 1948)
• Tim Curry played Farley Claymore in the 1994 film
• Maree Dow wrote for The Shadow on radio (ca. 1950s)
• James Hong played Li Peng in the 1994 film
• Ian McKellen played Reinhardt Lane in the 1994 film
• Kate McGregor-Stewart played Mrs. Shrevnitz in the 1994 film
• Gary Tacon was a stunt double for Lamont Cranston/The Shadow in the 1994 film
• Frank Welker voiced Phurba in the 1994 film
• Orson Welles played Lamont Cranston/The Shadow on the radio series (1937-1938)
• Jonathan Winters played Commissioner Barth in the 1994 film

See also

• Shadow