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Halloween with NPR: Tricks and Treats
Credit: Maria Godoy, NPR
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October 2003 -- To celebrate Halloween, NPR offers a collection of past and present stories on all things spooky.
Our grab bag holds treats of many kinds, from a look at the creepy creatures of world folklore to a "politically correct" song for the holiday -- from a review of ghoulish shopping options in Los Angeles to a list of must-see Halloween movies.
Halloween 2003
 The Life and Death of Harry Houdini
The great magician left this world nearly 80 years ago on Halloween.
When Zombies Attack
To put it lightly, the threat is unreal. Talk of the Nation examines the issue.
'Wicked,' The Musical
Novel, Broadway show re-imagine the life of the Wicked Witch of the West -- before she became so very wicked.
Spooky Thrills at Knott's Berry Farm
A talk with the mastermind behind the park's Halloween Haunt attraction.
The Great Pumpkin Drop
Contest tests students' ability to protect a pumpkin from harm during a 50-foot fall.
Gorey Music
The Tiger Lillies, a cabaret trio, translate artist Edward Gorey's ironic, macabre images into song.
An Interview with the Vampire Writer
Gothic literature author Anne Rice -- and her vampire Lestat -- return with Blood Canticle.
Halloween Decoration Overkill
Is overspending on fake spider webs and cardboard tombstones crippling businesses?
The Candy Corn Business
A Motley Fool interview with Bill Kelly, vice-chairman of the Jelly Belly Company.
Halloween Memories
Exorcist in the Family
NPR's Kitty Eisele recounts the strange tale of an ancestor's battle with the devil.
Holy Fear
Storyteller Kevin Kling on the time he dressed up as the scariest thing he could think of -- a nun.
Get Witch Quick Schemes
David and Tom Gardner of The Motley Fool share the story of an embarrassing costume mix-up from childhood.
Contraband Candy
Commentator Andrea D'Asaro recounts the miseries of a childhood bereft of sweets.
Halloween Courage
Commentator Mark Allen remembers the fortitude of Rhonda Maloney, a former algebra teacher who handled school kids' taunts about her Halloween costume with grace.
Hair-Raising Tales
'The Raven'
A reading of Edgar Allan Poe's classic poem of darkness and despair.
Gothic Horror
Horror writers Anne Rice and Donna Tartt share scary tales and discuss the origins of their literary genre.
Scary Stories from Around the World
A look at the frightening tales and creatures of folklore from around the globe.
 Guinarou, King of the Guineas
Georges Collinet, host of NPR's Afro-Pop Worldwide, tells a creepy Halloween tale from his childhood in Cameroon.
Journey on the Spook Express
Thirteen All Things Considered commentators narrate a spooky story they collaborated on: the tale of a lonely chicken salesman's eerie train ride to a bizarre poultry farmyard.
Film Treats
NPR's Bob Mondello's suggestions on must-see scary movies.
Kids and Fear
Children talk about what makes them scared -- and why sometimes, that can be a good experience.
Holiday Traditions
All About Pumpkins
Margery Cuyler, author of The All-Around Pumpkin Book, shares her knowledge of all things orange and gourd-like.
African-American Spirits
Commentator Lorraine Johnson-Coleman on the creepy characters that inhabit African-American Halloween folklore.
Music for the Holiday
Disc jockey Dr. Demento spins his favorite Halloween tunes.
Honoring the Dead
A Chicago theater celebrates Halloween with impromptu shrines to the dearly departed.
Halloween in New York City
The sights and sounds of the annual Greenwich Village Halloween parade.
Costumes after Sept. 11
Commentator Susan Bayh says costume selections have taken on new meaning since the terror attacks.
Buying into Halloween
Commentator Lenore Skenazy bemoans the commercialization of the holiday.
Ghoulish Shopping Options
Necromance, a Los Angeles store, specializes in animal and human remains.
The 'PC' Halloween Song
Folk singers Kathy Fink and Marcy Marxer perform a witty ditty about a weaponless, 100-percent recyclable Halloween kit eco-friendly parents will love.
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