Old Time Radio Detectives

Pat Novak For Hire "SamTolliver" (04-09-49)

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:57:58 -0700

Pat Novak For Hire, played by Jack Webb, was a private detective working out of Pier 19, a waterfront office in San Francisco. The stories were always very similar: Someone would hire him, (if not a beautiful woman, the job would lead to a beautiful woman) someone would get murdered, he would investigate the case, get beaten up by the thugs, and then the case would be solved and end with glorious violence. The closing was always the same; the listener would be told who had done what, to whom and why they had done it.

THIS EPISODE:
Sam Tolliver -April 9, 1949. Program #4. ABC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Going on an errand for a friend, Pat gets a beating, a package, and a corpse or two, or three. Jack Webb. 30:22.

Broadway Is My Beat "The Joe Quito Case" (03-03-50)

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:38:36 -0700

Broadway Is My Beat, a radio crime drama, ran on CBS from February 27, 1949 to August 1, 1954. With music by Robert Stringer, the show originated from New York during its first three months on the air, with Anthony Ross portraying Times Square Detective Danny Clover. John Dietz directed for producer Lester Gottlieb. Beginning with the July 7, 1949 episode, the series was broadcast from Hollywood with producer Elliott Lewis directing a new cast in scripts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The opening theme of "I'll Take Manhattan" introduced Detective Danny Clover (now played by Larry Thor), a hardened New York City cop who worked homicide "from Times Square to Columbus Circle -- the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world."

THIS EPISODE:
March 3, 1950. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. A tough guy just out of prison named Joe Quito is knifed in the subway, just after talking to Danny. This program is possibly dated June 5, 1949 or January 27, 1950. Larry Thor, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Alexander Courage (composer, conductor), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Charles Calvert. 1/2 hour.

Rocky Fortune "Catskills Cover-Up" (02-09-54)

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:55:26 -0700

Rocky Fortune about a wanderer that took odd jobs to support himself and never stayed in one place too long. He almost always seemed to meet beautiful women along with trouble. Sinatra was good and was proving to Hollywood that he could do serious work. When casting began for the movie "From Here To Eternity", Frank campaigned tirelessly for a part and because of that and a good word put in for him by Gardner, who he was now separated from, he won a part that would mark his return to Hollywood. Sadly for us, it also meant he didn't have time to do radio and "Rocky Fortune" was rather short lived, although it was popular. It only ran from 1953 - 1954, but" It was a very good year".

THIS EPISODE:
February 9, 1954. NBC network. "Catskills Cover-Up". Sustaining. Not auditioned. Rocky becomes a Borscht Belt social director to help a man involved in a post office robbery. Don't miss the straight-faced line, "Okay Louie, drop the blintz!" Frank Sinatra, Barney Phillips. 24:36.

Rocky Jordan "The St. Louis Blues" (03-13-49)

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:38:14 -0700

ROCKY JORDAN was the title character of one of the better and more exotic radio detective series. In fact, it's one of the best detective series I have ever heard. The series had two separate incarnations. The first, A Man Named Jordan, started as a daily 15 minute show and after about six months changed to a weekly 30 minute show. It took place in Istanbul and the Cafe was described as "a small restaurant in a narrow street off Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, permeated with by the smoke of Oriental tobacco, alive with the babble of many tongues, and packed with intrigue." The second incarnation, Rocky Jordan, was a weekly 30 minute series took place in Cairo - "the gateway to the ancient East where adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity." Jordan was a hard-boiled owner of the Cafe Tambourine who spent most of his time solving mysteries that he usually became involved in by accident. During the Cairo-based run, he often encountered Captain Sam Sabaaya of the Cairo police. John Dunning in his "On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio" describes Jordan as "a rugged hero who each week was confronted by a crime, a mystery, a beautiful woman or a combination of the three. It was a detective show with a difference: the Oriental background was played to the hilt, giving it a sound like no other." The writers worked hard to give it authenticity - actual places and streets in Cairo were often and accurately mentioned. The music score also added to the exoticness of the series. Moyles, a veteran of radio, was much more believable in the role than Raft. The show was one of the best examples of the so-called "amateur detective" or "unlicenced private investigator" type that were a recurring theme for radio series. It was a common way of putting a different and fresh twist on the basic private detective theme, an extremely popular genre on the radio. The main character had a stated, non-investigative occupation, but he or she always got involved with solving mysteries and crimes. Jordan passes the Chandler test: "trouble" was definitely his "real" business.

THIS EPSIODE:
March 13, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "The St. Louis Blues". Sustaining. Ted Polanski is an old friend of Rocky's from back in the States. When Ted is found with a knife in his back, Rocky's surprised to find him unwilling to renew their acquaintance...or to speak with his former wife! Jack Moyles, Cliff Howell (producer, director), Larry Thor (announcer), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Larry Roman (writer), Gomer Cool (writer), Jay Novello. 30:03.

Curtain Time "You Don't Know Susie" (06-05-48)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:15:33 -0700

Curtain Time, like First Nighter, presented romantic drama in a theater setting complete with the announcer shouting, “Tickets please, thank you”. The shows announcer was Harry Halcomb who was later known best for his appearances on the 60 minutes television show. Great scripts and superb acting, Curtain Time is truly an Old Time Radio Classic. Mutual Network, local KNX show sustained, heard Fridays 7:30 - 8:00 pm

THIS EPISODE:
June 5, 1948. NBC network, Chicago origination. "You Don't Know Susie". Sponsored by: Ping. Not auditioned. Harry Elders, Nannette Sargent, Marguerite Draper (? writer), George Cisar, Jennifer Holt, Bert Farber (arranger, conductor), Harry Holcomb (director), Patrick Allen (host), Mike Wallace (announcer, billed as "Myron Wallace"). 28:07.

Boston Blackie "Alice Manweather" (08-04-44)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:06:26 -0700

Boston Blackie first appeared in crime stories published in The American Magazine and Redbook written by former confidence man Jack Boyle (whose stories were originally published under the byline "6006" (his prison number). "He had served three terms in prison - I believe in San Quentin, and one in Colorado - he was an opium addict, and a hard drinking man if ever there was one," recalled editor Ray Long. "But withal, one of the most entertaining men in the world, and so far as his dealings with me went, a square shooter ... He wrote, I should say, the best crook stories that were ever put on paper." Boston Blackie was portrayed in silent films by Bert Lytell, Lionel Barrymore, David Powell, William Russell, Forest Stanley and Raymond Glenn before Chester Morris made the role his own in 14 Columbia films and in a 1944 NBC summer replacement series (with Richard Lane reprising his screen role as Inspector Farraday). Following Chester Morris' summer series, Richard Kollmar starred as Blackie (with Maurice Tarplin as Farraday and Lesley Woods and Jan Miner as Mary Wesley) in a syndicated series that aired from April 11, 1945 through September 25, 1950. Kent Taylor later portrayed Boston Blackie in a 1951-53 television series.

ABOVE TEXT FROM: WWW.CHRISNEYLON.COM

THIS EPISODE:
August 4, 1944. NBC network. Sponsored by: Rinso, Lifebuoy Soap. Alice Manletter meets Boston Blackie in a hotel lobby, then disappears. But it wasn't really Blackie and Alice is soon found dead, killed by Blackie's gun! After escaping from police headquarters, Blackie tracks down the real killer and a Nazi named Adolf! Chester Morris, Richard Lane, Bea Benaderet (doubles), Charles Cornell (music), Harlow Wilcox (announcer). 29:43.

Let George Do It "Most Likely To Die" (06-26-50)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:31:08 -0700

Let George Do It - Bob Bailey played George Valentine as a detective handy man, who got his jobs from responses to a newspaper ad. Part-time detective and writer Dan Holiday in Box 13 also used the premise. It pays to advertise! The shows follow the usual formats of crime caper shows, with toughs, mysterious rendezvous and people who aren't who they say they are. Network was Mutual, Sponson was Standard Oil. STARS: Bob Bailey, Eddie Firestone jr, Francis Robinson, Joe Kearn PRODUCER:Owen Vinson WRITER: Polly Hopkins MUSIC: Eddie Dunstedter.

THIS EPISODE:
June 26, 1950. Mutual-Don Lee network. "Most Likely To Die". Sponsored by: Standard Oil. A practical joke at a college backfires into a not-so-funny murder. Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, David Victor (writer), Jackson Gillis (writer), Bud Hiestand (announcer), Don Clark (director), Eddie Dunstedter (composer, conductor), Wally Maher, Bill Bouchey, Alan Reed, Sarah Selby, Lee Patrick, Lawrence Dobkin. 29:43.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade "The Wheel Of Life Caper" (07-11-48)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:57:51 -0700

The Adventures of Sam Spade was a radio series based loosely on the private detective character Sam Spade, created by writer Dashiell Hammett for The Maltese Falcon. The show ran for 13 episodes on ABC in 1946, for 157 episodes on CBS in 1946-1949, and finally for 51 episodes on NBC in 1949-1951. The series starred Howard Duff (and later, Steve Dunne) as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie, and took a considerably more tongue-in-cheek approach to the character than the novel or movie. In 1947, scriptwriters Jason James and Bob Tallman received an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama from the Mystery Writers of America. Before the series, Sam Spade had been played in radio adaptations of The Maltese Falcon by both Edward G. Robinson (in a 1943 Lux Radio Theater production) and by Bogart himself (in a 1946 Academy Award Theater production), both on CBS.

THIS EPISODE:
July 11, 1948. CBS network. "The Wheel Of Life Caper". Sponsored by: Wildroot Cream Oil. Sam meets a mystery woman with no memory and a corpse that's been killed by a buzz saw! Sandra Gould replaces Lurene Tuttle as Effie, Sam's secretary. Howard Duff, Dashiell Hammett (creator), William Spier (producer, director), Sandra Gould, Gil Doud (writer), Robert Tallman (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Dick Joy (announcer). 29:45.

New Adventures Of Michael Shayne "Wandering Fingerprints" (10-02-48)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:57:00 -0700

Michael Shayne was a fictional private detective character created by writer Brett Halliday during the late 1930's. Shayne debuted in the novel Dividend on Death first published in 1939, written by David Dresser, a pseudonym of Halliday. Dresser wrote fifty Shayne novels, with the help of Ryerson Johnson. Twenty seven more were written by Robert Terrall for a total of seventy seven; three hundred short stories, a dozen films, radio and television shows, and a few comic book appearances have resulted from the character. The books were typically very well plotted, with Shayne always gathering the suspects at the end and explaining the crime and naming the murderer. Shayne was initially married in the novels, his wife being Phyllis Shayne, who was a somewhat limited character, and was often out of town. Dresser "killed her off" when he sold the movie rights to the series. In the book, Blood on the Black Market, comedy disappears, and Shayne is forced to deal with his wife's death. Halliday later created "Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine", first introduced in 1956 by Renown Publications. The magazine continued for over three decades, always having at least one Michael Shayne short story included in each edition. Halliday stopped writing the Michael Shayne novels after Murder and the Wanton Bride in 1958. Shayne novels continued, however, written by Ryserson Johnson, Robert Terrell, and David Lynds. In 1960, the Michael Shayne television series began, with actor Richard Denning playing the lead role. Dell Comics soon picked up the character for a comic book series. Michael Shayne Mysteries, and a film series starring Lloyd Nolan, is available on DVD.

THIS EPISODE:
1949. Program #11. Broadcaster's Guild syndication, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Case Of The Wandering Fingerprints". Mr. Zeigler can actually move fingerprints from one place to another...which gives him the idea for a clever blackmail racket. The date is approximate. Jeff Chandler, Jack Webb, William P. Rousseau (director, host), John Duffy (composer, conductor), Brett Halliday (creator), Don W. Sharp (producer). 1/2 hour.

Box 13 "Suicide Or Murder" (10-31-48)

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:50:44 -0700

Box Thirteen - The premise of the program was that Dan Holiday was an author who wrote mystery novels. To get ideas for his novels he placed an advertisement in a newspaper saying "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The ads always brought fun adventures of all kinds: from racketeer's victim to psychotic killer looking for fun. Most of the episodes were based on Dan Holiday replying to a letter he received at Box 13. He would generally solve a mystery in the process, and return to his office in time to enjoy a hearty laugh at the expense of Suzy, his amusingly stupid secretary. He would certainly not meet the strictest requirements for private eyes (not licensed, collected no fees from clients), but the definition should stretch to sneak him in under the rope. It was heard over the Mutual Broadcasting System as well as being syndicated. The series was produced by Mayfair Productions. Box 13, starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Sylvia Picker played Suzy, Dan Holiday's secretary and Edmond MacDonald as Lt. Kling. Other stars in the series were Betty Lou Gerson, Lurene Tuttle, Alan Reed, Luis Van Rooten, John Beal and Frank Lovejoy. Music was by Rudy Schrager and the writer was Russell Hughes. Announcer/Director was Vern Carstensen. The series was produced by Richard Sanville with Alan Ladd as co-producer.

THIS EPISODE:
October 31, 1948. Program #11. Mayfair syndication. "Suicide Or Murder". Commercials added locally. A woman asks Dan Holiday to look into the death of her son who was killed in a drunken brawl. What really happened to Arthur Daily? Russell Hughes (writer), Richard Sanville (director), Alan Ladd, Sylvia Picker, Edmond MacDonald, Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor). 26:51.

Dragnet "The Big Pair" (09-21-50)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:48:08 -0700

Dragnet was a long-running radio and television police procedural drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program’s format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Friday’s deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows. While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters. A single minute of "A Gun For Christmas" is a representative example of the evocative sound effects featured on "Dragnet". While Friday and others investigate bloodstains in a suburban backyard, the listener hears a series of overlapping effects: a squeaking gate hinge, footsteps, a technician scraping blood into a paper envelope, the glassy chime of chemical vials, bird calls and a dog barking in the distance. Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting), yet "Dragnet" made them all interesting due to fast-moving plots and behind-the-scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute" (15 December 1949), they even had a locked room mystery.

THIS EPISODE:
September 21, 1950. Program #67. NBC network. "The Big Pair". Sponsored by: Fatima Cigarettes. A couple run a racket of selling all the furniture in the houses of families out of town, starting with a little girl and her grandfather. Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough. 29:31.

Pat Novak For Hire "Death In Harold Square" (11-30-47)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:20:06 -0700

Pat Novak For Hire - Pat Novak, played by Jack Webb, was a private detective working out of Pier 19, a waterfront office in San Francisco. The stories were always very similar: Someone would hire him, (if not a beautiful woman, the job would lead to a beautiful woman) someone would get murdered, he would investigate the case, get beaten up by the thugs, and then the case would be solved and end with glorious violence. The closing was always the same; the listener would be told who had done what, to whom and why they had done it.

THIS EPISODE:
November 30, 1947. ABC network, KGO, San Francisco aircheck. Sustaining. Pat becomes an apartment sitter, but senses a $10,000 reward. The show features a book named, "Death In Herald Square." An announcement is made that KGO will increase its power to fifty-thousand watts next week. Ben Morris, John Galbraith, Jack Lewis, Otto Clair (special music). 29:17.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - The Long Rope (02-05-49)

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:36:20 -0700

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - The first portrayal of Phillip Marlowe on the radio was by Dick Powell, when he played Raymond Chandler's detective on the Lux Radio Theater on June 11, 1945. This was a radio adaptation of the 1944 movie, from RKO, in which Mr. Powell played the lead. Two years later, Van Heflin starred as Marlowe in a summer replacement series for the Bob Hope Show on NBC. This series ran for 13 shows. On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr became the third radio Marlowe, this time on CBS. It remained a CBS show through its last show in 1951.

THIS EPISODE:
February 5, 1949. CBS network. "The Long Rope". Sustaining. "There was a man with a bad heart, a telephone number scribbled on a cash register receipt and a corpse on the other side of town. I couldn't see the connection between them until I realized that they were all tied together by the same long rope...worth $30,000!" . Gerald Mohr, Raymond Chandler (creator), Roy Rowan (announcer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Mel Dinelli (writer), Robert Mitchell (writer), Gene Levitt (writer), Junius Matthews, Luis Van Rooten, Fay Baker, David Ellis, Lillian Buyeff, Ed Begley, Jeff Corey, Richard Aurandt (music). 29:28.

Broadway Is My Beat "Harry Carson Case" (03-07-53)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:54:41 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
March 7, 1953. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. Harry Carson is an old man who won't talk, and a dead body who can't! Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Alexander Courage (composer, conductor), Larry Thor, Charles Calvert, Jack Kruschen, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Herb Butterfield, Whitfield Connor, Jerry Hausner, James McCallion, Lurene Tuttle, Eddie Fields, Bill Anders (announcer). 28:30.

Jeff Regan Investigator "The Man Who Fought Back" (11-27-48)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:46:05 -0700

Jeff Regan, Investigator was one of the three detective shows Jack Webb did before Dragnet (see also Pat Novak For Hire and Johnny Modero: Pier 23). It debuted on CBS in July 1948. Webb played JEFF REGAN, a tough private eye working in a Los Angeles investigation firm run by Anthony J. Lyon. Regan introduced himself on each show "I get ten a day and expenses...they call me the Lyon's Eye." The show was fairly well-plotted, Webb's voice was great, and the supporting cast were skillful. Regan handled rough assignments from Lion, with whom he was not always on good terms. He was tough, tenacious, and had a dry sense of humor. The voice of his boss, Anthony Lion, was Wilms Herbert. The show ended in December 1948 but was resurrected in October 1949 with a new cast; Frank Graham played Regan (later Paul Dubrov was the lead) and Frank Nelson portrayed Lion. This version ran on CBS, sometimes as a West Coast regional, until August 1950. Both versions were 30 minutes, but the day and time slot changed several times. A total of 29 episodes from this series are in trading currency.

THIS EPISODE:
November 27, 1948. CBS network. "The Man Who Fought Back". Sustaining. Regan is hired to spend the weekend with Alice and Bill LaFarge. Alice is promptly shot, Bill disppears. Counterfeit football tickets are behind the caper. Laurette Fillbrandt, Charles Seel, Ken Christy, Jack Petruzzi (as Lieutenant Santucci, gets to speak in Italian), Sidney Miller, Larry Roman (writer), Sterling Tracy (producer), Milton Charles (organ), Bob Stevenson (announcer), Jack Webb, Herb Butterfield, Yvonne Peattie. 29:41.

Bulldog Drummond "Escape Into Death" (09-24-45)

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:19:49 -0700

Bulldog Drummond has come to wreak havoc on unsuspecting killers, counterfeiters, and underworld characters. The opening of the show starts with a the sounds of footsteps, foghorn, then two shots ring out, followed by three blows of a police officer's whistle. Bulldog, who's really name is Hugh (played by George Coulouris), was a methodical crime-solving sleuth who let nothing get in his way of his goal, which was to put a stop to crime! Bulldog believed in uncomplicated and decisive means of getting his way with the lords of the underworld. This usually led to their swift capture, and the easing of the city's burden brought about by these ruthless thugs.

THIS EPISODE:
September 24, 1945. Mutual network, WCPO, Cincinnati aircheck. "Escape Into Death". Sustaining. A chemical engineer for an explosives company is stopped by a false road barricade and killed by a thrown knife through his neck...or was he? Capt. Drummond and Denny discover a Japanese plot. . 29:17.

Let George Do It "Once A Crook" (05-07-51)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:35:19 -0700

Let George Do It - Bob Bailey played George Valentine as a detective handy man, who got his jobs from responses to a newspaper ad. Part-time detective and writer Dan Holiday in Box 13 also used the premise. It pays to advertise! The shows follow the usual formats of crime caper shows, with toughs, mysterious rendezvous and people who aren't who they say they are. Network was Mutual, Sponson was Standard Oil. STARS:Bob Bailey,Eddie Firestone jr, Francis Robinson, Joe Kearn PRODUCER:Owen Vinson WRITER: Polly Hopkins MUSIC: Eddie Dunstedter

THIS EPISODE:
May 7, 1951. Mutual-Don Lee network, KFRC, San Francisco aircheck. "Once A Crook". Sponsored by: Standard Oil. George is hired to help an accused safe robber. The robber's sister is sure that he's not guilty. Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, Bud Hiestand (announcer, David Victor (writer), Kenneth Webb (director), Gaylord Carter (music), Bill Bouchey, GeGe Pearson, Lester Jay, Frank Gerstle, Victor Rodman. 29:45.

Boston Blackie "Coverup For Mary" (05-09-45)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:11:31 -0700

The Boston Blackie radio series, also starring Morris, began June 23, 1944, on NBC as a summer replacement for The Amos 'n' Andy Show. Sponsored by Rinso, the series continued until September 15 of that year. Unlike the concurrent films, Blackie had a steady romantic interest in the radio show: Lesley Woods appeared as Blackie's girlfriend Mary Wesley. Harlow Wilcox was the show's announcer. On April 11, 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. Over 200 episodes of this series were produced between 1944 and October 25, 1950. Other sponsors included Lifebuoy Soap, Champagne Velvet beer, and R&H beer. While investigating mysteries, Blackie invaribly encountered harebrained Police Inspector Farraday (Maurice Tarplin) and always solved the mystery to Farraday's amazement. Initially, friction surfaced in the relationship between Blackie and Farraday, but as the series continued, Farraday recognized Blackie's talents and requested assistance. Blackie dated Mary Wesley (Jan Miner), and for the first half of the series, his best pal Shorty was always on hand. The humorless Farraday was on the receiving end of Blackie's bad puns and word play. Kent Taylor starred in the half-hour TV series, The Adventures of Boston Blackie. Syndicated in 1951, it ran for 58 episodes, continuing in repeats over the following decade.

Barry Craig Confidential Investigator "The Girl On The Doorstep" (02-15-53)

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:31:41 -0700

Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator is one of the few detective radio series that had separate versions of it broadcast from both coasts. Even the spelling changed over the years. It was first "Barry Crane" and then "Barrie Craig". NBC produced it in New York from 1951 to 1954 and then moved it to Hollywood where it aired from 1954 to 1955. It attracted only occasional sponsors so it was usually a sustainer.William Gargan, who also played the better known television (and radio) detective Martin Kane, was the voice of New York eye BARRY CRAIG while Ralph Bell portrayed his associate, Lt. Travis Rogers. Craig's office was on Madison Avenue and his adventures were fairly standard PI fare. He worked alone, solved cases efficiently, and feared no man. As the promos went, he was "your man when you can't go to the cops. Confidentiality a speciality."Like Sam Spade, Craig narrated his stories, in addition to being the leading character in this 30 minute show. Nearly sixty episodes are in trading circulation today.

THIS EPISODE:
February 15, 1953. NBC network. "The Girl On The Doorstep". Sponsored by: Bromo Seltzer. Not auditioned. "I wonder if murderers, like other people, worry about their income taxes. When they make a killing, for example, do they always report it, or do they just their list victims under 'buried assets'?" William Gargan, Louis Vittes (writer), Carl Caruso (announcer). 30:12.

Your's Truly Johnny Dollar - "Murder Aint Minor" (08-07-49)

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:40:04 -0700

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - For over twelve years, from 1949 through 1962 (including a one year hiatus in 1954-1955), this series recounted the cases "the man with the action-packed expense account, America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar". Johnny was an accomplished 'padder' of his expense account. The name of the show derives from the fact that he closed each show by totaling his expense account, and signing it "End of report... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar". Terry Salomonson in his authoritative "A Radio Broadcast Log of the Drama Program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", notes that the original working title was "Yours Truly, Lloyd London". Salomonson writes "Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of (the Dick Powell) audition script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear – possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd’s of London Insurance Company." Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny Dollar managed to get around quite a bit – his adventures taking him all over the world. There were some unusual devices used in the show that help set it apart from other shows. There was no partner, assistant, or secretary for Johnny. The character closest to a continuing role was that of Pat McCracken of the Universal Adjustment Bureau, who assigned Johnny many of his cases. Another atypical aspect gave the show additional credibility – frequently, characters on the show would mention that they had heard about Johnny’s cases on the radio. Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue’s Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead.

THIS EPISODE:
August 7, 1949. CBS network. "The Investigation Of Bonnie Goodwin," or "Murder Ain't Minor". Sustaining. Johnny takes a case on behalf of "King Hart," (not an insurance company!) to try to find his missing girl. Paul Dubov, Martha Wentworth, Lou Krugman, Charles Russell, Georgia Ellis, Jeanne Bates, Lawrence Dobkin, Roy Rowan (announcer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Gordon T. Hughes (director), Paul Dudley (writer), Gil Doud (witer). 29:36.

Rocky Jordan "The Two O'Clock Man" (03-06-49)

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:00:49 -0700

THIS EPSIODE:
March 6, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "The Two O'Clock Man". Sustaining. A young boy breaks into the Cafe Tamboruine, and is later shot and killed. Rocky is held responsible! Jack Moyles, Larry Thor (announcer), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Cliff Howell (producer, director), Larry Roman (editor), Gomer Cool (editor), William Froug (writer). 29:37.

Dragnet "The Big Fraud" (10-27-53)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:05:13 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
October 27, 1953. Program #219. NBC network. "The Big Fraud". Sponsored by: Chesterfield, Fatima. Sergeant Friday goes undercover to trap a gang posing as narcotic cops to con out-of-towners. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, George Fenneman (announcer), Hal Gibney (announcer), John Robinson (writer), Walter Schumann (music), Ben Hogan (Chesterfield testimonial), Vic Perrin, Paul Richards, Herb Ellis. 29:32. Audio condition: Very good to excellent. Complete.

Richard Diamond Private Detective "Red Rose" (03-02-51)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:39:39 -0700

Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a radio show starring Dick Powell which aired from 1949 to 1953, first on NBC, then ABC and finally on CBS. The title character was a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. The television series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television, and that series ran for 3 years from 1957 to 1960. On TV, David Janssen played the hard boiled private eye and his secretary renamed “Sam”, was only ever shown on camera from the waist down, most assurardidly to display her beautiful legs. It was later leared that the legs belonged to Mary Tyler Moore. Original music by Frank DeVol and pete rugolo and later by richard shores. Good scripts, a solid cast and Powell’s exceptional talent made a good time 30 minute program that was quite popular during that Golden Age of Radio. So Let’s sit back now, relax and enjoy this truly otr radio classic.,…, Dick powell as Richard Diamond.., Private Detective.

THIS EPISODE:
March 2, 1951. ABC network. Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert tobacco. Diamond is hired by a man who has hired a killer to murder him, then changes his mind. He hires Diamond to protect him from the assassin, who wears a red rose. Listen for Diamond interviewing a dance instructor named, "Belle de Canto!" Arthur Q. Bryan, Dick Powell, Frank Worth (music), Helen Mack (director), Blake Edwards (writer), Virginia Gregg, Wilms Herbert. 29:43.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe "The Hard Way Out" (11-28-48)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:43:37 -0700

November 28, 1948. CBS network. "The Hard Way Out". Sustaining. Murder at the Quigg and Slater Construction Company, and a surprising amount of luxury on $175 a week! Barbara Fuller, William Lally, Edgar Barrier, Gene Levitt (writer), Gerald Mohr, Jeff Corey, Luis Van Rooten, Mel Dinelli (writer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Raymond Chandler (creator), Richard Aurandt (music), Robert Mitchell (writer). 29:39.

Rocky Fortune "Hauling Nitro" (01-26-54)

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:55:04 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
January 26, 1954. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Hauling Nitro". Rocky's explosive job (in more ways than one!) is driving a truckload of nitroglycerine. Frank Sinatra, Frank Gerstle, George Lefferts (writer), Lynn Allen, Bill Justine, Howard Culver, Jack Carroll, Maurice Hart, Andrew C. Love (director). 25 minutes.

Box 13 "Damsel In Distress" (11-14-48)

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:54:39 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
November 14, 1948. Program #13. Mayfair syndication. "Damsel In Distress". Commercials added locally. Constance McLain, a wealthy girl at a private school, asks Dan to protect her from a blackmailer. She then disappears! A loud crash is heard in the studio during the program, which is ignored by the cast. Alan Ladd, Edmond MacDonald, Richard Sanville (director), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Russell Hughes (writer), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 27:28.

Nick Carter Master Detective "Angle On Murder" (10-25-43)

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:55:42 -0700

Nick Carter, Master Detective - Nick Carter is the name of a popular fictional detective who first appeared in in a dime novel entitled "The Old Detective's Pupil" on September 18, 1886. In 1915, Nick Carter Weekly became Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine. Novels featuring Carter continued to appear through the 1950s, by which time there was also a popular radio show, Nick Carter, Master Detective, which aired on Mutual from 1943 to 1955. Nick Carter first came to radio as The Return of Nick Carter. Then Nick Carter, Master Detective, with Lon Clark in the title role, began April 11, 1943, on Mutual, continuing in many different timeslots for well over a decade. Jock MacGregor was the producer-director of scripts by Alfred Bester, Milton J. Kramer, David Kogan and others. Background music was supplied by organists Hank Sylvern, Lew White and George Wright. Patsy Bowen, Nick's assistant, was portrayed by Helen Choate until mid-1946 and then Charlotte Manson stepped into the role. Nick and Patsy's friend was reporter Scubby Wilson (John Kane). Nick's contact at the police department was Sgt. Mathison (Ed Latimer). The supporting cast included Raymond Edward Johnson, Bill Johnstone and Bryna Raeburn. Michael Fitzmaurice was the program's announcer. The series ended on September 25, 1955. Chick Carter, Boy Detective was a serial adventure that aired weekday afternoons on Mutual. Chick Carter, the adopted son of Nick Carter, was played by Bill Lipton (1943-44) and Leon Janney (1944-45). The series aired from July 5, 1943 to July 6, 1945.

THIS EPISODE:
October 25, 1943. Mutual network. "An Angle On Murder," or "The Mystery Of The Mutilated Bullet". Sustaining. Lon Clark, Helen Choate, John Kane, Humphrey Davis, Jock MacGregor (producer, director, occasional writer), Lew White (musician). 1/2 hour.

Broadway Is My Beat "Sgt Gordon Ellis" (11-12-49)

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:34:06 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
November 12, 1949. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. Tommy Mannon, a hoodlum about to blow the whistle on some big shots, is attacked on the street right in front of Danny Clover. A cop named Sergeant Gordon Ellis is killed on the spot. The program may be dated March 13, 1949. Larry Thor, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Charles Calvert, Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Wilbur Hatch (music director), Jane Morgan, Peggy Webber, Doris Singleton, Joseph Kearns, Herb Butterfield, Sidney Miller. 30:01.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade "Sam And Psyche" (08-02-46)

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:45:30 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
August 2, 1946. ABC network. "Sam and Psyche". Sponsored by: Wildroot Cream Oil. The fourth show of the series. The story title above is probably correct, although it's announced indirectly. The program has also been referred to as "The Death Of Dr. Denoff." A psychiatrist being blackmailed is killed by doing "a Brody" from his apartment window. His blackmailer is later found strangled! Howard Duff, Lurene Tuttle, Dick Joy (announcer), Dashiell Hammett (creator), William Spier (producer, director), Fred Esler. 29:30.

Boston Blackie "Sam Fishers Past" (03-18-47)

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:44:00 -0700

Boston Blackie radio series, also starring Morris, began June 23, 1944, on NBC as a summer replacement for The Amos 'n' Andy Show. Sponsored by Rinso, the series continued until September 15 of that year. Unlike the concurrent films, Blackie had a steady romantic interest in the radio show: Lesley Woods appeared as Blackie's girlfriend Mary Wesley. Harlow Wilcox was the show's announcer. On April 11, 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. Over 200 episodes of this series were produced between 1944 and October 25, 1950. Other sponsors included Lifebuoy Soap, Champagne Velvet beer, and R&H beer. While investigating mysteries, Blackie invaribly encountered harebrained Police Inspector Farraday (Maurice Tarplin) and always solved the mystery to Farraday's amazement. Initially, friction surfaced in the relationship between Blackie and Farraday, but as the series continued, Farraday recognized Blackie's talents and requested assistance. Blackie dated Mary Wesley (Jan Miner), and for the first half of the series, his best pal Shorty was always on hand. The humorless Farraday was on the receiving end of Blackie's bad puns and word play. Kent Taylor starred in the half-hour TV series, The Adventures of Boston Blackie. Syndicated in 1951, it ran for 58 episodes, continuing in repeats over the following decade.

THIS EPISODE:
"Sam Fishers Past" " March 18, 1947. Program #101. ABC network origination, Ziv syndication. Commercials added locally. An amnesiac named Sam Fisher is accused of murder after he disappears. Richard Kollmar. 26:43.

Dragnet "The Big Man In Narcotics" (01-19-50) Part 2 of 2

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:06:21 -0700

Dragnet was a long-running radio and television police procedural drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program’s format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Friday’s deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows. While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters. A single minute of "A Gun For Christmas" is a representative example of the evocative sound effects featured on "Dragnet". While Friday and others investigate bloodstains in a suburban backyard, the listener hears a series of overlapping effects: a squeaking gate hinge, footsteps, a technician scraping blood into a paper envelope, the glassy chime of chemical vials, bird calls and a dog barking in the distance. Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting), yet "Dragnet" made them all interesting due to fast-moving plots and behind-the-scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute" (15 December 1949), they even had a locked room mystery.

THIS EPISODE:
January 19, 1950. Program #34. NBC network. "The Big Man" (Narcotics) Part 2. Sponsored by: Fatima. Sergeant Friday calls his mother to tell her that he's going to not be home for a month. He's going under cover to try to get evidence on the Flats gang of narcotics pushers. Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough, William Conrad. 29:30.