Alonzo Deen Cole

Alonzo Deen Cole (1897 - 1971) was an important figure in the golden age of radio drama.

He created the popular radio horror classic, "The Witch's Tale." Later he became the only writer for the famous radio series "Casey, Crime Photographer," producing 384 scripts. In addition, he wrote scripts for several other programs, including "The Shadow," "Gangbusters," "The Hour of Charm," and "The Kate Smith Hour," creating nearly 1,000 radio plays.

Cole began acting in school plays as a young man in St. Paul, Minnesota, and toured in stock companies. While in New York, he convinced radio station WOR to air his series devoted to the supernaural.

"The Witch's Tale" was first broadcast on May 28, 1931, on the Mutual Broadcasting System and ran for seven years, until June 13, 1938. Cole wrote, produced, directed, and even starred in his brainchild along with his wife, Marie O'Flynn, who played key female roles.

The Witch's Tales was also a magazine, published for two issues in 1936. Cole's photograph appeared on the cover of the first issue, and he probably wrote the lead story ("The Madman"). Purportedly the editor, Cole actually did little work for the magazine.

Cole had two stories published in Weird Tales: "The Spirits of the Lake" (November, 1941), and "The Gipsy's Hand" (May, 1942).