Oboler-Di, Oboler-Da, Lights Go Out, La La How The Lights Go Out.

It...Is...Later...Than...You...Think.


A name far too unacknowledged, is Arch Oboler. The Chicago born  Oboler was a veritable institution, albeit, if he is remembered at all it is for his intrigue soaked radio series Lights Out, which was one of the most prolific series brought to the aural universe. In his time, he was quite ubiquitous in OTR, Arch , a productive powerhouse penned hundreds of radio plays. The magic would not end there . Nosiree.  Mr. O donned many more hats than this , and he would transcend to film, television , the stage and beyond.







Many ironies also ensued for Arch, a comical one was that he bore an uncanny resemblance to comedian Harpo Marx, and on several occasions they would be mistaken for one another. Also, irrespective of the fact that  Oboler  was a decade older than Orson Welles, he was cited as being influenced by the big ol'  Kane raiser. The reasons for comparison were that they would both present themselves on air during their own productions, and narrate the set up the scenes of their respective radio stories. Both radioheads, would soon matriculate from the air waves to those big screen waves.






Yeah but he doesn't look like me.




In 1952, he would make history, with the adventurous Bwana Devil that starred a young Robert Stack.  Although theoretically ,  this film was by no means congruous with the standard of an Orson Welles production, it would be noted for being the very first motion picture release that included a bit of depth perception more commonly known as the 3-D film. 






The Bwana Devil made him do it.


The man was an undeniable force of nature and it all started because of the opening of Radio City Music Hall, which was to be part of the world of the future. An NBC executive realized how apropos it would be, since Oboler was long trying to interest him in a satirical play he penned "Futuristics," a tongue-in-cheek observation of life in the future. He was only rewarded 75 smackers for this, and although felt slighted at the time, it was the proverbial opening door - to which this very special star was born.