Tales of the Frightened started as a syndicated 5-minute spot for Reader's Digest Magazine. Karloff would relate a story for "the back files" of the magazine, and then relate it to a story in the then current issue. These radio spots weren't necessarily horror stories, but with Karloff you couldn't be sure. The stories were written by Michael Avallone. The albums feature early electronic music originally recorded in 1957 by the Electrosoniks; the music is slowed for the album, making it very frightening and fitting the macabre setting.