Playhouse of Favorites

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

English · Gothic Fiction, Horror, Dramatic Readings

Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” brings the quiet Hudson Valley village of Sleepy Hollow to life, where schoolmaster Ichabod Crane becomes entangled in local tales of the Headless Horseman. The story blends village gossip, romantic rivalry, and supernatural suspense, with Ichabod’s uneasy imagination at its center.

As a radio dramatization, the tale unfolds through spoken performance and sound, inviting listeners into its rural setting and its growing sense of mystery. Irving’s vivid characters and folklore give the story both comic touches and an eerie edge, as everyday village life gives way to the possibility of something uncanny.

The result is a classic American ghost story suited to attentive listening: atmospheric, playful, and suspenseful, with the legend’s ambiguity lingering after the final scene.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.