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Docudrama anthology (short feature) · Syndicated (Transco transcription)

Origin of Superstition

December 16, 1932 – September 8, 1933 · 39 broadcasts

"So that you will know how your pet superstition originated -- when, why, and where": that was the promise of The Origin of Superstition, a syndicated quarter-hour from Transco (The Transcription Company of America), the same Hollywood studio that made the Christmas classic The Cinnamon Bear. Each roughly-fourteen-minute episode is a little docudrama built around a single everyday superstition named in its title -- breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder, a black cat crossing your path, Friday the 13th. A present-day scene raises the belief, a skeptic laughs it off, and the story then flashes back "across many lands, over a period of greatly varied dates" to a historical playlet claiming to show where the notion began. The host swears every tale was carefully researched and "nothing has been added or subtracted" -- though several "true" origins run cheerfully to the supernatural, which is half the fun. Narrated by Lindsay MacHarrie (who also directed The Cinnamon Bear) and performed by Transco's West Coast stock company -- Verna Felton, Hanley Stafford, Gale Gordon, Howard McNear, and a young Barbara Jean Wong -- the show first aired in 1932-33 over WBBM in Chicago and proved evergreen enough to be re-syndicated over ABC in 1948 and again in 1952. Of an estimated 117 broadcasts, 39 survive; all of them are here.

Collection status: 39 of 39 held (100% complete)
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Episode Spine

Grouped by year. Jump to the full list below, or open a season on its own page.

1932

December 16, 1932 Three on a Match Listen (MP3)
The series premiere, announcing itself as the first in the run: a docudrama on the belief that lighting three cigarettes on one match brings bad luck to the third.
December 23, 1932 Throwing Salt over Shoulder Listen (MP3)
Why a cook who spills salt tosses a pinch over the left shoulder -- the docudrama traces the old dread of spilled salt back through history.
December 30, 1932 Walking Beneath Ladder Listen (MP3)
The origin of the fear of walking under a ladder, dramatized as one of the everyday superstitions the series sets out to explain.

1933

January 6, 1933 Break Mirror - Have 7 Years Bad Luck Listen (MP3)
Where the belief that a broken mirror brings seven years of bad luck began -- a Transco docudrama on the most famous of household omens.
January 13, 1933 Boogey Man Listen (MP3)
The origin of the bogeyman -- the childhood terror the series traces to its folk roots.
January 27, 1933 Horseshoe over the Door Listen (MP3)
The luck of a horseshoe nailed over the door -- and which way it must hang -- traced to its origin.
February 3, 1933 Knocking on Wood Listen (MP3)
The origin of knocking on wood to keep one's luck -- a docudrama on the familiar good-luck gesture. (This 1933-02-03 slot also carries a distinct 'Whistling in Dressing Room'; the log lists both here.)
February 3, 1933 Whistling in Dressing Room Listen (MP3)
The theatrical taboo against whistling in a dressing room -- a backstage superstition the docudrama traces to its source.
February 10, 1933 Black Cat Crossing Path Listen (MP3)
The origin of the black cat crossing your path as an omen of ill luck.
February 17, 1933 Kissing Beneath Mistletoe Listen (MP3)
Where the Christmas custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from, dramatized as a docudrama on the plant's old lore.
February 24, 1933 Two Walkers Separated Listen (MP3)
The belief that two people walking together must not let a post or pole come between them -- traced to its origin.
March 3, 1933 Rabbit's Foot Listen (MP3)
Why a rabbit's foot is carried for luck -- the docudrama follows the charm back through folklore.
March 10, 1933 Friday the 13th Listen (MP3)
The unluckiest date on the calendar: a husband lingering over his day-off breakfast reads the morning paper's date, and the show sets out to explain how Friday and the number thirteen came to be feared.
March 17, 1933 Picking up a Pin Listen (MP3)
'See a pin and pick it up' -- the docudrama traces the luck of finding and keeping a pin.
March 24, 1933 Crossing Your Fingers Listen (MP3)
Why we cross our fingers for luck: the docudrama reaches back to an early Christian who, facing execution by the sword, crosses his fingers and brings down fire from the sky on his would-be killer.
March 31, 1933 Don't Disturb the Dead Listen (MP3)
The taboo against disturbing the dead -- a docudrama on the belief and where it began.
April 7, 1933 Standing Behind Chair Listen (MP3)
The superstition about standing behind someone's chair, traced to its origin. (From this week the original WBBM broadcast moved to 9:30 p.m. [digitaldeli])
April 14, 1933 Cleopatra's Opal Listen (MP3)
The opal's reputation as an unlucky stone -- unless it is your birthstone -- dramatized around the gem's long lore.
April 21, 1933 Opening Umbrella Indoors Listen (MP3)
Why opening an umbrella indoors is thought to invite bad luck -- the docudrama traces the household superstition.
April 28, 1933 Throwing Shoes Listen (MP3)
The wedding custom of throwing shoes (or tying them to the car) after the bridal couple, traced to its origin.
May 5, 1933 Howling Dog Listen (MP3)
The old dread of a howling dog as an omen of death, dramatized as one of the darker beliefs in the series.
May 12, 1933 Four Leaf Clover Listen (MP3)
The luck of the four-leaf clover -- the charm the 1948 ABC re-run chose to relaunch the series -- traced to its beginnings.
May 19, 1933 Something New; Etc Listen (MP3)
The bridal rhyme -- 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' -- and the wedding-luck beliefs behind it.
May 26, 1933 Wishing on a Shooting Star Listen (MP3)
On a warm beach, two lovers watch a star fall -- and the story leaps back to ancient China and a mortal who set out to become a god, tracing where the wish upon a shooting star began.
June 2, 1933 Dont Sail on Friday Listen (MP3)
The sailors' rule against beginning a voyage on a Friday, traced to its origin.
June 9, 1933 Don't Turn Back Listen (MP3)
The belief that turning back once you have set out brings bad luck -- a docudrama on the superstition of the interrupted journey.
June 16, 1933 Hat on a Bed Listen (MP3)
Why laying a hat on a bed is thought to bring bad luck, traced to its folk origin.
June 23, 1933 Blowing out Candles Listen (MP3)
Blowing out the birthday-cake candles in one breath to make a wish come true -- the origin of the birthday ritual.
June 30, 1933 Bubbles in a Tea Cup Listen (MP3)
The belief that bubbles floating on a cup foretell money coming your way, traced to its beginnings.
July 7, 1933 Wishing on a New Moon Listen (MP3)
Wishing on the new moon -- and the luck of first glimpsing it over your left shoulder -- dramatized around the moon's lore.
July 14, 1933 Cap Turned Backwards Listen (MP3)
The good-luck habit of turning a cap around backwards, traced to its origin.
July 21, 1933 Unlucky at Cards Listen (MP3)
'Unlucky in cards, lucky in love' -- the docudrama traces the gambler's proverb to its source.
July 28, 1933 Itching Palm Listen (MP3)
The belief that an itching palm means money is on its way, dramatized around the old omen.
August 4, 1933 Lost Wedding Ring Listen (MP3)
The ill luck said to follow the loss of a wedding ring -- a docudrama on the ring's superstitions.
August 11, 1933 No News Is Good News Listen (MP3)
The comforting proverb 'no news is good news' and the belief behind it, traced to its origin.
August 18, 1933 Sing Before Breakfast, Cry Before Night Listen (MP3)
'Sing before breakfast, cry before night' -- the old warning against too-early cheer, dramatized as one of the series' lesser-known beliefs.
August 25, 1933 Lose Babys First Pair of Shoes Listen (MP3)
The luck bound up in a baby's first pair of shoes -- why they are kept, bronzed, or never lost -- traced to its origin.
September 1, 1933 Breaking the Wishbone Listen (MP3)
Breaking the wishbone and the winner's wish -- the origin of the Thanksgiving-table ritual.
September 8, 1933 Ghost Ships Listen (MP3)
The series finale: the legend of the ghost ship, and the sailors' belief that sighting one foretells disaster.
The Story

"So that you will know how your pet superstition originated -- when, why, and where": that was the promise of The Origin of Superstition, a syndicated quarter-hour from Transco (The Transcription Company of America), the same Hollywood studio that made the Christmas classic The Cinnamon Bear. Each roughly-fourteen-minute episode is a little docudrama built around a single everyday superstition named in its title -- breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder, a black cat crossing your path, Friday the 13th. A present-day scene raises the belief, a skeptic laughs it off, and the story then flashes back "across many lands, over a period of greatly varied dates" to a historical playlet claiming to show where the notion began. The host swears every tale was carefully researched and "nothing has been added or subtracted" -- though several "true" origins run cheerfully to the supernatural, which is half the fun. Narrated by Lindsay MacHarrie (who also directed The Cinnamon Bear) and performed by Transco's West Coast stock company -- Verna Felton, Hanley Stafford, Gale Gordon, Howard McNear, and a young Barbara Jean Wong -- the show first aired in 1932-33 over WBBM in Chicago and proved evergreen enough to be re-syndicated over ABC in 1948 and again in 1952. Of an estimated 117 broadcasts, 39 survive; all of them are here.

Full story — coming soon while it's being curated.
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