Episodes
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Not all radio detectives were cops or private eyes. There were several reporters who cracked cases while they filed stories and met deadlines, and today we'll hear some of their adventures. First, Casey, Crime Photographer comes to the aid of a man framed for murder in "The Laughing Killer" (originally aired on CBS on May 8, 1947). And on Night Beat, Randy Stone investigates when a Prohibition-era gangster is gunned down after being released from prison in an episode known as "Big John McMasters" (originally aired on NBC on March 4, 1951). But in between those fictional stories, we'll hear the real-life tale of a Nevada reporter who broke a murder case in The Big Story (originally aired on NBC on January 11, 1950).
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In this bonus episode, I'm sharing my five favorite detective stories from Suspense. Over its twenty year run, "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" presented many great mysteries, including these five tales adapted from stories by some of crime fiction's best writers and starring some of the genre's most interesting characters. First, Warren William recreates his screen role as The Lone Wolf makes his radio debut. The reformed jewel thief turned detective stars in "Murder Goes for a Swim" (originally aired on CBS on July 20, 1943). Then, an unlikely pair of detectives (Allyn Joslyn and William Bendix) hunts for a stolen necklace in Raymond Chandler's "Pearls are a Nuisance" (originally aired on CBS on April 19, 1945). Dashiell Hammett provides our third tale, as John Payne and Frank McHugh play a small town sheriff and his deputy who catch a wanted man only to have him die in their jail cell in "Two Sharp Knives" (originally aired on CBS on June 7, 1945). Brian Donlevy stars as Duncan McLain, the blind private detective created by Baynard Kendrick in a radio adaptation of Kendrick's novel "Out of Control" (originally aired on CBS on March 28, 1946), a story that finds Kendrick investigating a seemingly impossible murder. And finally, Dana Andrews is a cop out to stop a serial killer who's hungry for publicity in "The Crowd," an adaptation of a story by Ray Bradbury (originally aired on CBS on September 21, 1950).
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Missing episodes?
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We're catching a cable car in San Francisco with three old time radio gumshoes who live and work in the city by the bay. First, Candy Matson solves a pair of murders on an army base in "The Fort Ord Story" (originally aired on NBC on September 23, 1949). Next, Sam Spade is hired to protect a man from a vengeful ex-con in "The Champion Caper" (originally aired on CBS on August 7, 1949). Finally, Pat Novak tries to pay off a gambling debt and ends up framed for murder in an episode known as "Joe Condano" (originally aired on ABC on March 27, 1949).
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It's a mix of winter sports and whodunnit in the Alps with Bob Bailey in a five-part adventure of Johnny Dollar. "The man with the action-packed expense account" heads to Switzerland in pursuit of $100,000 of stolen diamonds, where he hits the slopes and dodges shots, in "The Picture Postcard Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 1 and October 5, 1956).
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Winter is upon us, and this week I've picked three old time radio mysteries set during snowstorms. First up, there's a suspicious suicide at a lodge for Barton Drake to solve in Mystery is My Hobby. Then, Mr. and Mrs. North check in for murder at a hotel during a storm. Barbara Britton and Richard Denning star as Pam and Jerry in "Snowbound" (an AFRS rebroadcast). Finally, Gerald Mohr is Philip Marlowe who takes shelter from a blizzard only to discover he's trapped with the family of a man he killed in "The Grim Echo" (originally aired on CBS on February 14, 1950).
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I've got one more episode before I sign off for the year, and for this bonus show I'm sharing my five favorite old time radio mysteries. It's a quintet of Christmas capers that will help to get you in the holiday spirit. First, Sydney Greenstreet is Nero Wolfe in "The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1950) and Frank Sinatra is Rocky Fortune in "The Plot to Murder Santa Claus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953). Then Vincent Price is Simon Templar in "Santa Claus is No Saint," a holiday adventure of the Robin Hood of modern crime (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1950) and a Sherlock Holmes mystery with John Stanley and Alfred Shirley as Holmes and Watson in "The Adventure of the Christmas Bride" (originally aired on Mutual on December 21, 1947). Finally, Jack Webb is Sgt. Joe Friday in the heartwarming Dragnet case file "The Big Little Jesus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953).
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With Christmas only days away, we're celebrating (and closing out another year of the podcast) with Lionel Barrymore as Ebenezeer Scrooge in an old time radio adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The classic holiday story was presented on The Campbell Playhouse with Orson Welles and an all-star radio cast bringing the tale to life. We'll hear Welles as narrator, Barrymore as Scrooge, and supporting performances from Everett Sloane, George Coulouris, and Frank Readick in this broadcast that originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1939.
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Happy Holidays! We're celebrating the season with four old time radio holiday mysteries. Grab an egg nog and a Christmas cookie or two and enjoy these Christmas crime tales. First, Paul Frees plans a perfect murder in "Back for Christmas" from Escape (originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1947). Then, Sgt. Joe Friday searches for a missing woman during the holidays in Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on July 28, 1949). Then, Bob Bailey finds a mystery on Christmas Eve when he tries to do a favor for a soldier in "Christmas Letter" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on December 24, 1951). Finally, Detective Danny Clover is on a holiday hunt for a legendary artifact in Broadway is My Beat (originally aired on CBS on December 22, 1951). Plus - Stan Freberg and Daws Butler star in a holiday Dragnet parody!
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Update: After a round of steroids from my doctor, I think this 30+ days of cough is finally behind me.
Old time radio oracles take center stage in this week's mysteries. First, Jeff Regan tries to protect a mind reader who's been marked for death. Jack Webb stars in "The House by the Sea" (originally aired on CBS on November 4, 1948). Then, Randy Stone comes to the aid of a carnival mentalist driven mad by a mysterious question. Frank Lovejoy stars in the Night Beat episode known as "Mentallo, the Mental Marvel" (originally aired on NBC on May 1, 1950). Finally, Ronald Colman stars in one of my favorite Suspense episodes as a nightclub psychic who discovers his act isn't a fake anymore. We'll hear "A Vision of Death" (originally aired on CBS on March 8, 1951).
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Sit back and get ready for five reports dictated to Effie Perrine by Sam Spade. Dashiell Hammett's gumshoe was a hit in print and on the big screen in The Maltese Falcon, and when he came to radio in 1946 he soon became one of the most popular characters on radio in the person of actor Howard Duff. The show's combination of hardboiled mystery and tongue in cheek humor helped it stand out from the crowd, and it still holds up today. We'll hear my five favorite Spade episodes - "The Missing Newshawk Caper" (originally aired on CBS on July 18, 1949); "The Critical Author Caper" (originally aired on CBS on August 15, 1948); "The Lawless Caper" (originally aired on CBS on August 29, 1948); "The Lazarus Caper" (originally aired on CBS on September 12, 1948); and "The Dick Foley Caper" (originally aired on CBS on September 26, 1948). Plus - a one-hour Suspense episode and sequel to The Maltese Falcon - "The Kandy Tooth" (originally aired on CBS on January 10, 1948).
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As the long Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close and as folks finish their trips back home, we'll hear three old time radio mysteries set in the car and on the highway. First, Frank Sinatra is behind the wheel of a truck full of nitroglycerin in Rocky Fortune (originally aired on NBC on January 26, 1954). Then, Fibber McGee and Molly leave Wistful Vista for a visit to Suspense where they run afoul of a "Backseat Driver" (originally aired on CBS on February 3, 1949). Finally, we'll hear Casey, Crime Photographer investigate the case of a beautiful and deadly hitch-hiking thief in "Road Angel" (originally aired on CBS on January 13, 1954).
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Whether you're shopping for deals or savoring some Turkey Day leftovers, Jack Webb is here to keep you company in this bonus episode. We'll celebrate Black Friday with Joe Friday in four Dragnet radio episodes: "The Big Grandma" (originally aired on NBC on October 15, 1950); "The Big Bungalow" (originally aired on NBC on November 15, 1951); "The Big Informant" (originally aired on NBC on March 22, 1953); and "The Big Bob" (originally aired on NBC on September 1, 1953).
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The classic Disney animated films of the 50s and 60s featured some of the great stars of the golden age of radio. Some of the best villains in those pictures were voiced by veterans of Escape, Suspense, Sam Spade, and more. We'll hear a trio of radio mysteries featuring a quartet of Disney actors. First, Hans Conried - Captain Hook of Peter Pan - and Betty Lou Gerson - Cruella de Vil of One Hundred and One Dalmatians - co-star in "The Unfair Lady" from The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (originally aired on CBS on June 4, 1949). Next, Martha Wentworth - Mad Madam Mim from The Sword in the Stone - may be a murderess in "Weak Sister" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on October 14, 1946). Finally, Eleanor Audley - who memorably played both the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty - needs Johnny Dollar's help in "The Doting Dowager Matter" (originally aired on CBS on January 25, 1959).
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Note: Intros should be back by next week!
Helen Mack began her career as a child actress in the 1920s and she went on to make appearances in Son of Kong and His Girl Friday. But in the 1940s, she transitioned into a new phase of her career as a producer and director of radio shows. She was behind the scenes of comedies like Meet Corliss Archer and A Date with Judy and she helmed dozens of episodes of Richard Diamond and The Saint - two shows marked by a wry sense of humor mixed in with the mysteries. We'll celebrate Ms. Mack's birthday with some of her work in the world of radio detectives. Dick Powell stars as Richard Diamond in "The Marilyn Connors Case" (originally aired on ABC on January 12, 1951) and "The Man with the Scar" (originally aired on ABC on January 26, 1951). And in between those shows, we'll hear Vincent Price as Simon Templar in "The Bride Who Lost Her Groom" from The Saint (originally aired on NBC on February 11, 1951).
Next week: Old time radio mysteries starring the voices of some classic Disney villains!
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**Note: No intro today - not sure if I caught something new or if it's the same thing wearing out its welcome, but hopefully back to normal next week!
The contents of museums can solve mysteries of the past, but the halls of artifacts and treasures can also provide great backdrops for whodunits today. We'll hear three radio private eyes on cases that take them through the corridors of museums, beginning with Lon Clark as Nick Carter in "The Museum Tragedy" (originally aired on Mutual on May 27, 1945). Then, Jackson Beck is Philo Vance in the syndicated mystery "The Idol Murder Case." And finally, William Gargan stars in "Murder in Wax" from Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator (originally aired on NBC on November 21, 1951).
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Note: No intro this week; I'm hoping that I'll be over my cold in time for next week's show!
With Halloween right around the corner, we're catching up with some of the creepier cases investigated by "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." Bob Bailey stars as Johnny Dollar in the five-part mystery "The Tears of Night Matter" (originally aired on CBS between May 21 and May 25, 1956) - where Johnny comes to the aid of a wealthy widow convinced that an ancestral curse has doomed her. Then, we'll hear him in "The Ghost to Ghost Matter" (AFRS rebroadcast from May 18, 1958) where he's got an entire haunted town on his hands.
Next week: Three old time radio museum mysteries!
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Put out your Jack-o-lantern, grab the candy bowl, and enjoy the Down These Mean Streets Halloween Special! It's a full-sized candy bar of a show with eight old time radio shows - a mix of frights and delights - to get you in the spirit of the season. First, Paul Frees stars in an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" from Escape (originally aired on CBS on October 22, 1947) and Basil Rathbone drops by The Jack Benny Program for Halloween hijinks (originally aired on NBC on November 2, 1941). A killer stalks the streets of London in "The Hands of Mr. Ottermole," a spine-tingling tale from The Mollé Mystery Theatre (originally aired on NBC on June 21, 1946) and Sherlock Holmes is on the trail of a witch in "The Laughing Lemur of Hightower Heath" (originally aired on Mutual on October 26, 1947). William Bendix visits a haunted house on The Life of Riley (originally aired on ABC on October 29, 1944) and we'll hear an unusual werewolf story on The Stan Freberg Show (originally aired on CBS on October 6, 1957). Finally, we're back in Poe country as The Weird Circle presents "The Cask of Amontillado" and Bud and Lou drop by Bela Lugosi's monstrous mansion on The Abbott and Costello Show (originally aired on ABC on May 5, 1948).
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An older and smarter brother, Mycroft Holmes was the only member of Sherlock's family we ever met in Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories. He appeared in just two stories, but he's been featured in original Holmes adventures in print and on screen for decades. We'll hear Mycroft in the original adventure "The Great Gandolfo" starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (originally aired on Mutual on October 22, 1945). Then, we'll hear a pair of episodes from a long-running BBC Holmes series starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley as Holmes and Watson. Both of Mycroft's original appearances are adapted for radio in "The Greek Interpreter" (originally aired on April 5, 1960) and "The Bruce-Partington Plans" (originally aired on August 28, 1964).
Click here to read "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter."
Click here to read "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans."
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Read along with our heroes this week in three old time radio mysteries where books play a key role in the crimes and their solutions. First, Boston Blackie tries to figure out why readers of a best-selling novel keep winding up dead. Richard Kollmar stars in this syndicated episode known as "Three Wind Blows West Murders." Then, Philip Marlowe believes a murder victim's scrapbook contains the motive for her death and the identity of her killer in "The Big Book" (originally aired on CBS on September 29, 1950). Finally, George Valentine helps a bookstore owner whose shop keeps getting robbed in "The Bookworm Turns" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on December 11, 1950).
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Anglophiles rejoice! All of this week's old time radio mysteries star performers from across the pond. Herbert Marshall is secret agent Ken Thurston in an exciting adventure of The Man Called X. Thurston is on the hunt for a missing atomic scientist in this episode that originally aired on NBC on November 3, 1950. Then, Rex Harrison is a debonair gumshoe in "When They Track Down the Human Game" from The Private Files of Rex Saunders (originally aired on NBC on August 1, 1951). Finally, an all-British cast dramatizes a case from the Scotland Yard files in "The Case of the Fatal Bath" from Whitehall 1212 (originally aired on NBC on April 13, 1952).
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