I have a memory of one of the episodes of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT with JACK PALANCE. I was very young and my whole family was watching it at my grandmother's. In this episode I have a vague memory of one of the stories of people being burnt in a fire, and a very old house was haunted. Someone in the same episode had knowledge of where one of the otherworldly inhabitants put a key down a well; the key was discovered later by a crew digging up the well. If this makes any sense to anyone and they can find the episode, I would appreciate it.
Oh how I loved this show! My family and I watched it every Sunday night. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to this Name That Trauma, but I am sure plenty of kids from this era were traumatized by this creepy, cool show. Jack Palance's voice alone was cause for alarm. I remember one segment in particular about Elizabeth Bathory, the countess who bathed in virgin's blood to stay young. That scared and fascinated me.
We used to watch that every Sunday too…I don't recall any traumas stemming from it, but I may have been too young to really absorb it. I do remember Jack Palance from it, though…I don't know how he didn't frighten me just with his general air of quiet menace and vampiric face.
I loved this show, too. I still have all my Ripley's books. Henry Mancini wrote the show's opening theme, BTW.