... first appeared in 1930 as the mysterious narrator of a radio programme based on the monthly pulp Detective Story Magazine. Listeners soon began asking for the magazine that featured The Shadow, and the first issue of The Shadow Magazine went on sale on 1 April 1931.
A new radio drama, based on The Shadow himself, opened on 26 September 1937. Its introductory line, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" has earned a place in the American idiom (according to Wikipedia). It was accompanied by an ominous laugh and a musical theme (Saint–Saëns' Le Rouet d'Omphale – Omphale's Spinning Wheel – composed in 1872).
At the end of each episode, The Shadow reminded listeners that "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit! Crime does not pay ... The Shadow knows!"
© Haydn Thompson 2023