Down These Mean Streets (old Time Radio Detectives)

In honor of the 95th Academy Awards, we'll hear four old time radio detective stars who took home Oscars of their own. First, Rex Harrison stars as a debonair sleuth in "Murder Deep in the Killer's Mind" from The Private Files of Rex Saunders (originally aired on NBC on June 20, 1951). Next, Edmond O'Brien is "the man with the action-packed expense account" in "The Malcolm D. Wish, M.D. Matter" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (originally aired on CBS on June 20, 1951). Then, as Defense Attorney, Mercedes McCambridge fights to clear the name of "Client George Baughman" (originally aired on ABC on August 28, 1952). And finally, Frank Sinatra - Ol' Blue Eyes himself - tries to help a woman who fears she's going crazy in "Psychological Murder" from Rocky Fortune (originally aired on NBC on March 16, 1954).

Okay, maybe not everybody loves clowns, but I bet you'll enjoy these three old time radio mysteries featuring the circus' most colorful performers. First, Gregory Hood solves the murder of "The Sad Clown" (originally aired on Mutual on October 7, 1946). Then, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate deadly doings under the big top in "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger" (originally aired on Mutual on June 20, 1948). And finally, Orson Welles catches up with his old friend - a smuggler, a ladies' man, and a clown - in "The Painted Smile," a syndicated episode from The Lives of Harry Lime.

From 1952 until 1957, fans of Dragnet could catch one episode on radio and a different story on television. The adventures of Sgt. Joe Friday aired concurrently on radio and the small screen for hundreds of shows, and this week we'll hear three radio episodes that were later adapted for TV. We'll hear the show that was adapted as the first episode of the TV series (originally aired on NBC on July 21, 1949), "The Big Lease" (originally aired on NBC on November 1, 1951), and "The Big Show" (originally aired on NBC on April 10, 1952). Click here to watch "The Human Bomb." Click here to watch "The Big Lease." Click here to watch "The Big Show." 

Created by Dashiell Hammett, The Fat Man was one of radio's most popular mystery shows. It was on the verge of spinning off into a series of movies with radio star J. Scott Smart reprising his role of private eye Brad Runyon. But then Hammett ran afoul of the House Un-American Activities Committee and the crimesolving career of the Fat Man came to an end. In this month's bonus episode, I'm sharing my five favorite adventures of Runyon - "the fast-moving criminologist who tips the scales at 237 pounds." We'll start with the show's first episode - "The Nineteenth Pearl" (originally aired on ABC on January 21, 1946). Then, he tries to help a woman who's being pressured back into a life of crime in "The Black Angel" (originally aired on ABC on July 8, 1946). The Fat Man tries to help a friend who witnesses a murder in a neighboring apartment in "A Window for Murder" (originally aired on ABC on October 3, 1947), and Runyon heads to Mexico to solve a case south of the border in "Murder Wins the Draw" (originally ai

"America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator" is on the case - three of them - in this week's episode. We're celebrating the anniversary of the radio debut of Johnny Dollar with a trio of old time radio mysteries starring "the man with the action-packed expense account." First, Charles Russell is Johnny in "The Case of Barton Drake" (originally aired on CBS on April 22, 1949). Next, we'll hear "The William Post Matter" (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1953) with John Lund as Dollar. And finally, Mandel Kramer stars in "The Bee or Not to Bee Matter" (originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1961).

With Valetine's Day right around the corner, we're celebrating with three crimesolving couples from the golden age of radio. First, in "A Crime to Fit the Punishment" from The Mollé Mystery Theatre, an amateur sleuth and his girlfriend investigate a strange case of blackmail (AFRS rebroadcast). Next, it's another adventure of the Duke and Duchess from Murder By Experts - the locked room mystery "The Unseeing Witness" (originally aired on Mutual on September 26, 1949). Finally, we'll hear Les Damon and Claudia Morgan as Pat and Jean Abbott - an insurance investigator and his sharp-eyed wife - in "The Fabulous Emerald Necklace" from The Adventures of the Abbotts (AFRS rebroadcast).

This month, Philip Marlowe returns to the big screen with Liam Neeson starring as Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles gumshoe. To celebrate, I've picked three old time radio Marlowe mysteries with the great Gerald Mohr. We'll hear "The Restless Day" (originally aired on CBS on January 8, 1949), "The Headless Peacock" (originally aired on CBS on July 16, 1949), and "The Man on the Roof" (originally aired on CBS on April 4, 1950).

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).

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 pr

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).

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).

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).

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).

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.

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!

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).