Arch Oboler (December 7, 1907 – March 19, 1987) was an American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, and director who was active in radio, films, theater, and television. He generated much attention with his radio scripts, particularly the horror series '' Lights Out'', and his work in radio remains the outstanding period of his career. Praised as one of broadcasting's top talents, he is regarded today as a key innovator of radio drama. Oboler's personality and ego were larger than life. Radio historian John Dunning wrote, "Few people were ambivalent when it came to Arch Oboler. He was one of those intense personalities who are liked and disliked with equal fire."

Early life

Oboler was born in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, to Leon and Clara Oboler, Jewish immigrants from

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

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.Profile
familytreemaker.genealogy.com; accessed October 31, 2014. The family was poor, though cultured. He grew up a voracious reader and discerning music appreciator, listening to the likes of violinist Fritz Kreisler and the great soprano

Amelita Galli-Curci Amelita Galli-Curci (18 November 1882 – 26 November 1963) was an Italian lyric coloratura soprano. She was one of the most famous operatic singers of the 20th century and a popular recording artist, with her records selling in large numbe ...

Early radio career

Oboler entered radio because he believed it had great unrealized potential for telling stories with ideas. He thought that the medium was being wasted on

soap operas A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originated from radio dramas original ...

. In 1933, he wrote a spec script called ''Futuristics'', which satirized the world of the present in light of the future. NBC bought Oboler's script and broadcast it as part of a dedicatory program to NBC's new futuristic headquarters in New York City, Radio City. The broadcast was a success, but it set the stage for Oboler's future run-ins with broadcasters. In the play, one of Oboler's characters lampoons the slogan of American Tobacco. At that time in broadcasting history, making fun of commercials was still taboo. From 1933 to 1936, Oboler wrote potboilers for programs such as '' Grand Hotel'' and ''Welch's Presents Irene Rich''. Things changed in 1936, when radio's leading impresario

Rudy Vallée Hubert Prior Vallée (July 28, 1901 – July 3, 1986), known professionally as Rudy Vallée, was an American singer, saxophonist, bandleader, actor, and entertainer. He was the first male singer to rise from local radio broadcasts in New York Ci ...

used a short radio playlet of Oboler's titled ''Rich Kid''. The success of ''Rich Kid'' landed Oboler a lucrative 52-week stint writing plays for

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...

for '' The Chase and Sanborn Hour''. During this time, Oboler wrote a number of idea plays and some were aired, in shortened form, on '' The Rudy Vallée Show'' and '' The Magic Key of RCA''.

''Lights Out'', Part I

Wyllis Cooper created ''Lights Out'' in 1934. The program aired at midnight and was notorious for its extreme (for the time) violence. In 1936, Cooper left the program for

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. NBC gave Oboler the opportunity to take over the series and make it his own. He was unenthusiastic at first, "a weekly horror play that went on at Tuesday midnight to the somber introduction of 12 doleful chimes, was not exactly my idea of a writing Shangri-La...".Oboler Omnibus: ''Radio Plays and Personalities'', Oboler, Leisure Books, Inc. But Oboler soon realized that the midnight time slot and the lack of a sponsor gave him the freedom to experiment with both story content and style. Although NBC maintained strict neutrality regarding Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, Oboler smuggled anti-fascist messages onto the program. Additionally, he used stream-of-consciousness techniques that were often deemed too esoteric for commercial audiences. Oboler caused controversy with his very first play for the series, ''Burial Services''. The ending of the play, in which a young girl is buried alive with no hope of rescue, was too much for audiences. Letters of protest poured into NBC. After this incident, Oboler toned down the realistic terror in his horror plays in favor of the fantastic. Perhaps the best remembered story from this series of ''Lights Out'' is ''Chicken Heart''. In that story, the tiny heart of a chicken, kept alive in a Petri dish in a lab, grows exponentially until it covers the entire earth. Oboler was very innovative with sound effects, and the insistent beating heart creates much of the terror in the broadcast. The story made such an impression on a young

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...

that he created a memorable comic routine (featured on the '' Wonderfulness'' album) around his childhood memories of ''Chicken Heart'';

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...

also singles out ''Chicken Heart'' as a memorable episode in his discussion of horror radio in the book ''Danse Macabre''. Another well remembered story is ''The Dark'', about a malevolent fog that turns people inside out. This story also features memorable sound effects. Like ''Chicken Heart'', ''The Dark'' was also parodied, this time by ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

'' on a "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween special. Oboler tired of ''Lights Out'' because he wanted to write realistic plays about Fascism. "I found myself wanting the dimensions of that half hour on the air expanded to take in the actual horror of a world facing, with half-shut eyes, the fascistic

Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster, commonly referred to as Frankenstein, is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' as its main antagonist. Shelley's title compares the monster's ...

moving over Europe.".

''Your Hollywood Parade'' and the Mae West incident

Around the time that Oboler was writing for ''Lights Out'', he was invited to Hollywood to write sketches for the

Lucky Strike Lucky Strike is an American brand of cigarettes owned by the British American Tobacco group. Individual cigarettes of the brand are often referred to colloquially as "Luckies." Name Lucky Strike was introduced as a brand of plug tobacco (chew ...

-sponsored ''Your Hollywood Parade''. The show featured such guest stars as

Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility and successfully transform ...

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

, Edward G. Robinson,

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

, and many others. After a frustrating encounter with

, Oboler decided that he would need to direct his plays in addition to writing them. Arch Oboler caused more controversy with his script contribution to the 12 December 1937 edition of '' The Chase and Sanborn Hour''. In Oboler's sketch, host

and guest

Mae West Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright whose career spanned more than seven decades. Recognized as a prominent sex symbol of her time, she was known ...

portrayed a slightly bawdy Adam and Eve, satirizing the Biblical tale of the Garden of Eden. On the surface, the sketch did not feature much more than West's customary suggestive double-entendres, and today it seems quite tame. But in 1937, that sketch and a subsequent routine featuring West trading suggestive quips with

Edgar Bergen Edgar John Bergen (né Berggren; February 16, 1903 – September 30, 1978) was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, vaudevillian and radio performer. He was best known for his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Bergen ...

's dummy Charlie McCarthy caused a furor that resulted in West being banned from broadcasting and from being mentioned at all on NBC programming for 15 years. The timing may have been a contributing factor, according to radio historian Gerald S. Nachman in ''Raised on Radio'': "The sketch resulted in letters from outraged listeners and decency groups... What upset churchgoing listeners wasn't the Biblical parody so much as the fact that it had the bad luck to air on a Sunday show."

''Arch Oboler's Plays'', Part I

In 1939, with his own money, Oboler recorded an audition record of his play ''The Ugliest Man In the World'', from which he hoped to launch a new radio series of idea plays. He brought the recording to his network, NBC. At the time, NBC was looking to launch an experimental radio series to rival

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

's '' Columbia Workshop''. NBC was also looking for a radio writer and director to rival CBS's

Norman Corwin Norman Lewis Corwin (May 3, 1910 – October 18, 2011) was an American writer, screenwriter, producer, essayist and teacher of journalism and writing. His earliest and biggest successes were in the writing and directing of radio drama during th ...

. NBC gave Oboler his own series, without a sponsor and with complete creative control. It was NBC that named the series ''

Arch Oboler's Plays ''Arch Oboler's Plays'' is a radio anthology series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939, to March 23, 1940, and revived five years later on Mutu ...

''. It was an almost unheard-of honor. The time slot was less auspicious; the series occupied the Sunday 7–7:30 period opposite

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

. An impressive roster of actors worked for scale to appear in Oboler's plays, including

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...

, Edmond O'Brien,

Elsa Lanchester Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was a British actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.Obituary '' Variety'', 31 December 1986. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the First World ...

and

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

. Perhaps the most memorable broadcast was Oboler's adaptation of Dalton Trumbo's '' Johnny Got His Gun'', starring James Cagney. The harrowing story of Joe Bonham, a World War I casualty with no limbs, eyes, ears, or mouth, was particularly suited to radio. Oboler created striking sound effects for the play, including the eerie vibration of bed springs, which Joe Bonham learns to recognize as the movement of people entering and exiting his hospital room. Oboler's series was so successful that it attracted the sponsorship of

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...

. The new series was titled '' Everyman's Theatre''. ''Everyman's Theatre'' was essentially ''Arch Oboler's Plays'' with commercial sponsorship. The series ran from 1940 to early 1941. Oboler lost patience with the series because of the middle commercial interruption that came during his plays. After the series ended, it took almost a year before Oboler's services were called on again.

''Plays for Americans''

After

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...

, Oboler's anti-Fascist plays – once shunned by corporate radio sponsors – were in demand. Oboler's new series was titled ''Plays For Americans''; its purpose was to "stimulate the American people to the importance of the war effort by indirection rather than by direct appeal." Oboler's ''Plays For Americans'' was World War II propaganda in half-hour radio drama form, each story teaching a lesson about wartime responsibility. Oboler's shows for this series were as star-studded as his last series.

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...

starred in ''Letter At Midnight'', the story of a wealthy young man's conversion from isolationist to soldier.

starred in ''Adolf and Mrs. Runyon'', a fantasy-comedy where

Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

finds himself magically transported into the back seat of a car belonging to an irate war bride. The program's life was cut short because of comments that Oboler made at the Radio Institute at Ohio State. Oboler was adamant that World War II propaganda should instill hatred of the enemy in the listener. To some at the institute, it sounded like Oboler was advocating the same kind of racial hatred that the Axis was advocating. Father Edward J. Flanagan rebuked Oboler and remarked that America did not need its own Goebbels. Oboler enlisted the help of

Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era. Some of h ...

to get another propaganda series on the air, but Cantor's efforts were of no avail.

''Lights Out'', Part II

Oboler generously wrote ''Plays for Americans'' for no fee. He decided that in order "to go on writing plays which contained some level of maturity and usefulness, ehad to find a way to make money quickly...a sponsor was quickly procured to pay me well for a revival of ''Lights Out''". Oboler's new series carried the introduction for which it is best remembered, the sound of chimes behind announcer Frank Martin intoning: This series of ''Lights Out'' differed from its predecessors in that it contained overt anti-Nazi messages. For instance, in ''Execution'' a Nazi commandant's efforts to kill the leader of a French resistance movement are frustrated by the continual regeneration of the leader. Most of these ''Lights Out'' broadcasts are remakes of Oboler's first ''Lights Out'' series. Almost all of these broadcasts are saved, whereas only three broadcasts remain of the earlier ''Lights Out''.

''To the President''

At the same time that Oboler wrote ''Lights Out'', he started a new series of propaganda plays titled ''To the President''. "The plays used the device of a citizen speaking to the President; each drama concerned itself with the particular problem of that week in the war." Like ''Plays For Americans'', ''To the President'' had a star-studded cast including actors such as

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British and American actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. He was the recipient of numerous accolades, including four Academy Award nominations for Academy Award for Best Supp ...

, and Harry Carey.

''Free World Theatre''

Oboler's next series was the ambitious ''Free World Theater''. Oboler produced and directed all 19 of the propaganda radio plays of this series, and wrote two of the plays. These plays were published with an introduction by

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...

''Everything for the Boys''

Oboler next worked with

on a propaganda series that featured Colman as the lead in adaptations of popular novels and plays. Colman and Oboler did not get along. Oboler chafed at the commercial interruptions of his plays. The series was an expensive disaster.

''Arch Oboler's Plays'', Part II

Oboler's second series of ''Arch Oboler's Plays'' was broadcast over the Mutual Broadcasting Company. It aired without commercial interruption, and featured a mixture of idea and propaganda plays.

Filmography

In making a leap from radio to film, Oboler was sometimes compared to

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

, as in this commentary by Marty Baumann: His screen credits include ''Escape'' (1940) and '' On Our Merry Way'' (1948). By 1945, he moved into directing with ''Bewitched'' and '' Strange Holiday'', followed by the post-apocalyptic '' Five'' (1951), filmed at his own

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...

-designed house. He made film history with the

3-D film 3D films are motion pictures made to give an illusion of Three-dimensional space, three-dimensional solidity, usually with the help of Stereoscopy#3D viewers, special glasses worn by viewers. 3D films were prominently featured in the 1950s in Amer ...

effects in ''

Bwana Devil ''Bwana Devil'' is a 1952 American adventure B movie written, directed, and produced by Arch Oboler, and starring Robert Stack, Barbara Britton, and Nigel Bruce. ''Bwana Devil'' is based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters and filmed wi ...

'' (1952). '' The Twonky'' (1953) was adapted from the

Lewis Padgett Lewis Padgett was the joint pseudonym of the science fiction authors and spouses Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore,Nicholls 1979, p. 445. taken from their mothers' maiden names. They also used the pseudonyms Lawrence O'Donnell and C. H. Liddell, as ...

(pseudonym for writers C.L. Moore and

Henry Kuttner Henry Kuttner (April 7, 1915 – February 3, 1958) was an American author of science fiction, fantasy fiction, fantasy and horror fiction, horror. Early life Henry Kuttner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1915. Kuttner (1829–1903) and ...

) short story in the September, 1942, issue of ''

Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

''. Oboler returned to films with another 3-D feature, '' The Bubble'', in 1966. According to a retrospective article a
mondo-video.com
many writers and dramatic artists, including

Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his Anthology series, anthology television series ''The Twilight Zone (1 ...

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. He came under the tutelage of film critic Andre Bazin as a ...

and

Don Coscarelli Don Coscarelli Jr. (born February 17, 1954) is an American film director, film producer, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in horror films. His directing credits include the first four films in the Phantasm (franchise), '' ...

have claimed Oboler's films and radio work as significant influences.

Broadway

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...

directed Oboler's Broadway play, '' Night of the Auk'', a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

drama about astronauts returning to

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

after the first Moon landing. The play was based on Oboler's radio play ''Rocket from Manhattan'', which aired as part of ''Arch Oboler's Plays'' in September 1945. Produced by Kermit Bloomgarden, the play ran for only eight performances in December 1956 despite a cast that included Martin Brooks, Wendell Corey,

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage and television. His accolades included an Academy Aw ...

and Dick York. In the December 17, 1956, issue, ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' reviewed: A version of ''Night of the Auk'' aired as an episode of the anthology television series ''

Play of the Week Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

'' in 1960. In August 2012, Outside Inside Productions presented the first New York revival of ''Night of the Auk'' at the 16th Annual

New York International Fringe Festival The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, was a fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It took place over the course of a few weeks in October, spread on more than 20 stages across se ...

. Authorized by the Oboler family, this new production, directed by Adam Levi with co-direction by Kaitlyn Samuel, was a 75-minute one-act version of the original play, adapted by playwright Michael Ross Albert.

Television

In 1949, Oboler helmed an anthology television series, ''Oboler's Comedy Theatre'' (aka ''Arch Oboler's Comedy Theater'') which ran for six episodes from September to November. In the premiere show, "Ostrich in Bed," a couple awaiting the arrival of a dinner guest find an ostrich in their bedroom. In "Mr. Dydee" a dim-witted horse player inherits a diaper service.

Recordings

Oboler's LP recording, ''Drop Dead! An Exercise in Horror'' (

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

, 1962) features horror-themed dramatic vignettes, interspersed with commentary from Oboler: "Introduction to Horror", "I'm Hungry", "Taking Papa Home", "The Dark", "A Day at the Dentist's", "The Posse", "Chicken Heart", and "The Laughing Man". "Arch Oboler's African Adventure" (Decca 10" LP)field recordings during the filming of Bwana Devil.

Books

Novels

''House on Fire'' (Bartholomew House, 1969), was adapted by Oboler for radio's '' Mutual Radio Theater'' in 1980. in 2015,

Valancourt Books Valancourt Books is an independent American publishing house founded by James Jenkins and Ryan Cagle in 2005. The company specializes in "the rediscovery of rare, neglected, and out-of-print fiction", in particular gay titles, Gothic novels a ...

reissued ''House on Fire'' with a new introduction by Christopher Conlon.

Collected works

*''Free World Theatre: Nineteen New Radio Plays'' (Random House, 1944) *''Oboler Omnibus: Radio Plays and Personalities'' (Duell, Sloan & Pearce, 1945) *''Night of the Auk: A Free Prose Play'' was published by Horizon Press in 1958

Short stories

His short story "And Adam Begot" was included in Julius Fast's ''Out of This World'' anthology (

Penguin Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds from the family Spheniscidae () of the order Sphenisciformes (). They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is equatorial, with a sm ...

, 1944) "Come to the Bank" was published in ''

Weird Tales ''Weird Tales'' is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine founded by J. C. Henneberger and J. M. Lansinger in late 1922. The first issue, dated March 1923, appeared on newsstands February 18. The first editor, Edwin Baird, printe ...

'' (Fall 1984). "Happy Year," a short story based on an Oboler script "from the ''Good News'' program," was published (beginning on page 8) in the December 1940 issue o
Radio and Television Mirror

Non-fiction

"My Jackasses and the Fire" in the June 1960 issue of ''

Coronet In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...

''.

Personal life

Oboler married the former Eleanor Helfand; they had four sons: Guy, David, Steven and Peter Oboler. In 1953, Oboler had a

mental breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

. On April 7, 1958, Oboler's six-year-old son, Peter, drowned in rainwater collected in excavations at Oboler's Malibu home. The house was designed by architect

; the Wright-designed Oboler residential complex was named ''Eaglefeather'' (which was destroyed in 2018 by the Woolsey Fire). The house is featured in Oboler's film ''Five'' and in the Robert Benton film

Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...

. Arch Oboler died in

Westlake Village, California Westlake Village is a city in Los Angeles County, California, on its western border with Ventura County. Upon its incorporation in 1981, Westlake Village became the 82nd municipality of Los Angeles County.Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks We ...

, in 1987, aged 79.

References

External links

*''Arch Oboler and His Bathyspheres'' Library of Congress Now See Hear blog post by Matt Barton, curator of the Recorded Sound Section

* – IMDb
All Movie: Arch ObolerMutual Radio TheaterZoot Radio, Free Arch Oblers radio show downloads
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oboler, Arch American radio writers Screenwriters from California 1907 births 1987 deaths American fantasy writers American male novelists American male screenwriters American dramatists and playwrights American radio producers Peabody Award winners Writers from Chicago Writers from Los Angeles American people of Latvian-Jewish descent 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American male writers Novelists from Illinois Screenwriters from Illinois 20th-century American screenwriters