The Shadow facts for kids

The Shadow is a classic adventure hero who first appeared in exciting stories in the 1930s. He started in "pulp novels" – which were inexpensive magazines with thrilling tales. Later, he became popular in many other forms of entertainment.

The Shadow is usually a mysterious crime-fighter. He works alone, not with the police. He often has special mental powers, like being able to make people not see him. He pretends to be a rich young man living in the city. The Shadow is one of the most famous heroes of the 20th century. You could find his adventures on the radio, in magazines, comic books, TV shows, video games, and even movies. Many people especially remember the radio show episodes where the famous actor Orson Welles was the voice of The Shadow.

How The Shadow Began

The Shadow first appeared on July 31, 1930. He was the mysterious narrator for a radio show called Detective Story Hour. People really liked his voice and the way he told stories. Because he was so popular, the narrator became the main character of his own magazine.

The Shadow Magazine started on April 1, 1931. It was a "pulp series," meaning it was a collection of exciting stories. Most of these stories were written by a writer named Gibson.

The Famous Radio Show

The Shadow's own radio show started on September 26, 1937. The first story was called "The Deathhouse Rescue." In this show, The Shadow had a special power. He could "cloud men's minds so they cannot see him." This meant he could make people think he wasn't there, even though he wasn't truly invisible.

The radio show had a very famous opening line. An actor named Frank Readick Jr. would say, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" Many American English speakers know this phrase, even if they've never heard the show. These words were said with a spooky laugh. There was also a special theme song. It was a piece of music called Le Rouet d'Omphale by Camille Saint-Saëns.

At the end of each episode, The Shadow would give a warning. He would remind listeners, "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay... The Shadow knows!"

Images for kids

• 

  "The Living Shadow" from The Shadow #1 (April 7, 1931)

• 

  Promotional photograph for The Detective Story Hour, with James La Curto as The Shadow (1930)

• 

  Orson Welles was the voice of The Shadow from September 1937 to October 1938

• 

  DC Comics' The Shadow #1 (Nov. 1973). Cover art by Michael Kaluta.

• 

  Theatrical poster for The Shadow

• 

  Walter Gibson's and Vernon Greene's The Shadow (August 12, 1940).

See also

In Spanish: La Sombra (personaje ficticio) para niños