Space Patrol - "The Sleepwalker" (01-10-53)

INTRO: Bob Plays - "The Moonglows" We Go Together (1953)
The Sleepwalker (Aired January 10, 1953)

The special effects used in the live half-hour TV episodes had to be performed in real time. For example, pistols that shot invisible rays necessitated pre-positioning a small explosive charge on the wall. An actor would point the prop at that spot, whereupon a special effects worker would throw a detonation switch. These effects could not have been superimposed on film for the series was done live. For distribution to distant stations, an image of a tiny, bright TV monitor was filmed to make kinescopes, and most of the Saturday half-hour TV broadcasts are available in this form today. The 15-minutes-every-weekday version of the program was at first seen mainly in the Los Angeles viewing area, but also was later distributed nationwide via kinescopes; it was not carried by ABC-TV but was presented in syndication.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 10, 1953. ABC network. "The Sleepwalker". Sponsored by: Ralston cereals (Space Binoculars premium). A half-million credits have been stolen and Carol has been kidnapped. Trailing the crooks to Venus, Commander Corry and Cadet Happy are hit by an "ultrasonic" beam! This is a network, sponsored version. Bela Kovacs, Dick Tufeld (announcer), Ed Kemmer, Ken Mayer, Larry Robertson (producer, director), Lou Houston (writer), Lyn Osborn, Mike Mosser (creator), Virginia Hewitt. 28:15. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Nightwatch - "The Sticks" (11-10-54)

"The Sticks" (Aired November 10, 1954)

Before the "Reality TV", there was "Reality Radio" and Night Watch was there. This show is a straight crime documentary with no music, sound effects, or actors. Police reporter Don Reid rode in a prowl car on the night shift with officers from the Culver City, California police department. While wearing a hidden microphone, he captures the sounds and voices of real life drama. From the worried child to the hardened criminal, their stories come through loud and clear. The names were changed to protect identities, but everything else in this gripping series is real.

THIS EPISODE:

November 10, 1954. "The Sticks" CBS network. Sustaining. 8:30 P. M. First call is the night watchman of an excavation site, 12 sticks of dynamite and blasting caps were stolen from a secure tool shed. Donn Reed (police recorder), W. N. Hildebrand (Chief of Police), Sterling Tracy (producer, director), Jim Headlock (producer), Ron Perkins (technical adviser). 29:44. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Let George Do It - "The Brookdale Orphanage" (10-25-46)

The Brookdale Orphanage (Aired October 25, 1946)

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. Francis Robinson first played Brooksie, then Virginia Gregg took the role through its best years. Both ladies played Brooksie smart and sassy. Brooksie took every occasion to make it clear to George that the case he was the most off base on was the "Case of the Missing Engagement Ring." In the late '40's, an organist was used for the scene transitions, and sound effects were fairly minimal, as the show was loaded with snappy patter.

THIS EPISODE:

October 25, 1946. Mutual-Don Lee network. "The Brookdale Orphanage". Sponsored by: Standard Oil, Chevron. Cowboy star Jimmy Jones is afraid of horses. How will he do the benefit for the Brookdale orphanage? Anne Whitfield, Bob Bailey, Bud Hiestand (announcer), Charles Dant (composer, conductor), Eddie Firestone, Frances Robinson, Harry Bartell, Nina Clouden, Owen Vinson (producer, director), Polly Hopkins (writer), Stan Waxman. 30:30. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Diary Of Fate - "The Entry Of Walter Vincent" (05-25-48)

The Entry Of Walter Vincent (Aired May 25, 1948)

The twist with Diary of Fate was the total absence of pretense. The program jumps right to the 'source' of Man's ultimate destiny--Fate itself--in the form of the Guardian of the Diary of Fate. It is within the Diary of Fate, that every soul's fate is painstakingly chronicled by book and page number--or so we're very persuasively given to understand. Fate itself--in this instance, at least--is the great character actor Herbert Lytton, providing the forboding vocal gravitas we might expect from such an all-powerful cosmic force. Produced from Hollywood, the entire production was voiced by primarily west coast actors. Famous Radio and Television promoter Larry Finley produced and syndicated the program to at least some 94 affiliate stations throughout the U.S., Canada and Jamaica.

THIS EPISODE:
 
May 25, 1948. Program #24. ABC network, KECA, Los Angeles origination, Finley syndication. "The Entry Of Walter Vincent". Commercials added locally. Book 97, page 854. A chemist realizes he never should have become a scientist. His wife has bigger plans, Walter has to make a choice. The date is subject to correction. Larry Finley (producer), Herb Lytton (as "Fate" and co-producer), Tom Brown, Peter Leeds, John Arthur Gillespie, Gloria Blondell, Ray Ehrlenborn (sound effects), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Hal Sawyer. 29:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Devil & Mr. O - "Balance Sheet" (12-24-71)

Balance Sheet (Aired December 24, 1973)

Wyllis Cooper, who created, wrote, and produced it, was then a 36-year-old staffer in Chicago's NBC Studios. Cooper left the show in 1936 and Arch Oboler was given the job. Oboler lost no time establishing himself as the new master of the macabre. Between May 1936 and July 1938, he wrote and directed more than 100 Lights Out plays. To follow Cooper was a challenge: he was "the unsung pioneer of radio dramatic techniques," but Oboler had passed the test with his first play. His own name soon became synonymous with murder and gore, though horror as a genre had always left him cold. Oboler aspired to more serious writing. Oboler's shows are well represented -- this series of Lights Out was syndicated in The Devil and Mr. O offerings of 1970 - 73. A transcribed syndication of original broadcasts from 1942 - 43 with Arch Oboler as the host. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
 
December 24, 1973. CBS network. "Balance Sheet". Sponsored by: Ironized Yeast, Energene Shoe White. A woman inherits the ideal factory, filled with workers who want nothing more out of life, except to labor. The story is also known as, "Profits Unlimited" and "Efficiency Island." Arch Oboler (writer, host), Frank Martin (announcer). 28:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Murder By Experts - "The Unseeing Witness" (09-26-49)

Murder By Experts - The Unseeing Witness (Aired September 26, 1949)

Murder By Experts was a radio drama anthology series that ran on American radio from 1949-1951, and was hosted first by John Dickson Carr, and later by Brett Halliday. Evidently, a mystery, authored by a leading crime fiction writer, was presented, and "guest experts," such as Alfred Hitchcock or Craig Rice, were invited to solve it. Or maybe not -- nobody seems to know much about this one. David Kogan, the writer/creator of Murder by Experts, also created and wrote The Mysterious Traveler. Guest experts: Alfred Hitchcock, Craig Rice. Guest stars: Ann Shepard, Larry Haines, Carl Eastman, Ann Sheperd, Bill Zuckert, Ralph Camargo, Burt Cullen, Lawson Zerbe, Marilyn Erskin.

THIS EPISODE:

September 26, 1949. Mutual network. "The Unseeing Witness". Sustaining. Duval, the owner of "The Pelican Club" has been murdered. Johnny and "The Duchess" attempt to solve a locked room mystery. "Melvin The Muscle," serving the champagne, was the last to see Duval alive. John Dickson Carr (host), Andrew Phillips (writer), Ann Shephard, Larry Haines, Robert A. Arthur (producer, director), David Kogan (producer, director), William Zuckert, Kermit Murdock, Richard Dupage (composer), Emerson Buckley (conductor), Russ Dunbar (announcer), George Gordon, Lawson Zerbe, Roger De Koven. 29:54. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Crime & Peter Chambers - "Elaine Janis-School Teacher" (08-17-54)

Elaine Janis-School Teacher (Aired August 17, 1954)

Crime and Peter Chambers, stared Dane Clark as a hard-hitting private eye that worked well the with police department. His counter part at the NYPD was Lt Parker played by Bill Zuckert. The series was based on the character created by Henry Kane who wrote eight Peter Chambers novels before the series came to radio. Henry Kane wrote the scripts for the radio show adaptation which aired from 6 Apr – 7 Sep 1954 on NBC. The show was directed by Fred Weihe. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
 
August 17, 1954. "Elaine Janis-School Teacher" - NBC network. Sustaining. Dane Clark, Henry Kane (creator, writer), Fred Collins (announcer), William Zuckert, Mary Patton, William Lally, Fred Weihe (director). 25:22. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dangerous Assignment - "Smash Lecture Circuit Spy Ring" (05-10-50)

 Smash Lecture Circuit Spy Ring (Aired May 10, 1950)

 This thirty-minute international spy adventure featured Steve Mitchell (Brian Donlevy), and investigator of crimes in exotic locations. 60 episodes. Herb Butterfield played the Commissioner and Betty Moran was the Commissioner's secretary. Other cast members were GeGe Pearson, Ken Peters, Betty Lou Gerson, Dan O’Herlihy. The director was Bill Cairn and the writer for the series was Robert Ryf. The opening was the same every week “Yeah, danger is my assignment. I get sent to a lot of places I can’t even pronounce. They all spell the same thing though, trouble.” He would be summoned to his boss’s office where he would be given his assignment; he would then fly halfway across the globe to save the day! The worldwide locations are dealt up with a feeling of local, and the characters that inhabit these far-away places with strange sounding names are solid and capably acted by veterans. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

May 10, 1950. NBC network. "Smash Lecture Circuit Spy Ring" - Sponsored by: Wheaties, Crust-Quick. One of the six professors with International Lecture Tours is a spy. Steve travels to Oslo to reveal the traitor...and returns with a small boy. Brian Donlevy, Robert Ryf (writer), Bill Cairn (producer, director), Basil Adlam (music). 29:17. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Damon Runyon Theater - "It Comes Up Mud" (07-31-49)

It Comes Up Mud (Aired July 31, 1949 )

 The Damon Runyon Theater radio series dramatized 52 of Runyon's short stories in weekly broadcasts running from October 1948 to September 1949 (with reruns until 1951).  The series was produced by Alan Ladd's Mayfair Transcription Company for syndication to local radio stations. John Brown played the character "Broadway," who doubled as host and narrator. The cast also comprised Alan Reed, Luis Van Rooten, Joseph Du Val, Gerald Mohr, Frank Lovejoy, Herb Vigran, Sheldon Leonard, William Conrad, Jeff Chandler, Lionel Stander, Sidney Miller, Olive Deering and Joe De Santis. Pat O'Brien was initially engaged for the role of "Broadway". The original stories were adapted for the radio by Russell Hughes.

THIS EPISODE:

July 31, 1949 - Program #31. Mayfair syndication. "It Comes Up Mud". Commercials added locally. A story of "The Sport Of Kings," parts of which were used in "Guys and Dolls." Damon Runyon (author), John Brown, Richard Sanville (director), Russell Hughes (writer), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 29:01. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Big Town - "Double Murder" (10-12-48)

Double Murder (Aired October 12, 1948)

 

Hard-nosed editor, Wilson, as played by Robinson would get the story no matter what it takes. Though sometimes over the top, Robinson was excellent in his role. The stories were well written and directed by William N. Robson as well as McGill. The skill of this group shows in making the series very good radio. The show was a big promoter of the free press and the first amendment with its opening sequence: "Freedom of the press is a flaming sword! Use it justly...hold it high...guard it well!" The second series began immediately in the 1943 season when the production moved from Hollywood to New York.

THIS EPISODE:

October 12, 1948. NBC network. "Double Murder". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso. Dora Mills has been murdered and her body dumped into the Big Town harbor. Her twin sister asks Steve Wilson to help find out what happened to her. The story of a murderous coverup that failed. Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Jerry McGill (writer, director). 30:54. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Crime Club - "The Self-Made Corpse" (07-31-47)

The Self-Made Corpse (Aired July 31, 1947)

The program ran for two years over the Columbia Basic Network and for three years over NBC's Blue Network. During April 1933, the program was renamed Eno Crime Clues. The program ultimately left the air at the end of June 1936. The Eno Crime Club franchise was by way of a pretend Crime Club for Radio. No book tie-ins were ever associated with Eno Fruit Salts' sponsorship of the program. The program was, however, during its era viewed as a natural extension of the book club phenomena. Crime or mystery book clubs joined other monthly or quarterly selected book clubs for all manner of literary interests. Science fiction book clubs had been popularized as early as the 1920s, as well as romance fiction book clubs, supernatural thriller book clubs, and of course, childrens' book clubs. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 31, 1947. Mutual network. "The Self-Made Corpse". Sustaining. A mild little man visits a bunch of gangsters to have them help him with a bank robbery. They agree. Bruce Smith, Arthur Vinton, Irene Hubbard, William Quinn, Barry Thompson, Joan Constance, Stedman Coles (writer), Roger Bower (producer, director). 28:29. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade - "The Bail Bond Caper" (06-27-48)

The Bail Bond Caper (Aired June 27, 1948)

His characterization has influenced film noir ever since. Spade was played by Ricardo Cortez in the pre-Code first film version (1931). Despite being a critical and commercial success, an attempt to re-release the film in 1936 was denied approval by the Production Code Office due to the film's "lewd" content. Since Warner Bros. could not re-release the film, a second version was made. In Satan Met a Lady (1936), a light comedy, the central character was renamed Ted Shane and was played by Warren William. The film was a notable flop. On the radio, Sam Spade was played by Bogart in a 1943 Screen Guild Theater production and a 1946 Academy Award Theater production. He was also played by Edward G. Robinson in a 1943 Lux Radio Theater production.

THIS EPISODE:
 
June 27, 1948. CBS network. "The Bail-Bond Caper". Sponsored by: Wildroot Cream-Oil. A million-dollar robbery from an armored car puts Sam on the spot and in need of some bail himself! Sandra Gould replaces Lurene Tuttle as Effie, Sam's secretary. Howard Duff, Sandra Gould, Dashiell Hammett (creator), William Conrad, Robert Tallman (writer), Gil Doud (writer, director), Lud Gluskin (music), Dick Joy (announcer). 31:51. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Amazing Mr Malone - The Lucky Stiff (1947)

The Lucky Stiff (1947) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

Very few writers have managed to combine the hardboiled detective novel and comedy. Jonathan Latimer succeeded with Bill Crane and Craig Rice did it with John J. Malone, her ne'er-do-well bibulous attorney. Despite being billed as "Chicago's noisiest and most noted criminal lawyer," Malone acts more like a private eye than a member of the court. And a particularly hard-drinking private eye, at that. Despite a rep for courtroom pyrotechniques, he's far more likely to be found at Joe the Angel's City Hall Bar than in any court. Along with his boozing buddies, Jake and Helene Justus, an affable young couple, he drank his way through a whole slew of novels and short stories, not to mention later film, radio and television appearances.

THIS EPISODE:
 
1947. NBC network. "The Lucky Stiff". Sustaining. Lucky at everything, or is he. George Petrie, Larry Haines, Craig Rice (creator), Eugene Wang (writer), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Richard Lewis (director), Fred Collins (announcer). 29:38. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Aldrich Family - "Henry Goes Ice Skating" (01-13-44)

Henry Goes Ice Skating (Aired January 13, 1944)

The Aldrich Family was launched in its own series as a summer replacement program for Jack Benny in NBC's Sunday night lineup, July 2, 1939, and it stayed there until October 1, 1939, when it moved to Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., sponsored by General Foods's popular gelatin dessert Jell-O, which also sponsored Jack Benny at the time. The Aldriches ran in that slot from October 10, 1939 until May 28, 1940, moving to Thursdays, from July 4, 1940 until July 20, 1944. After a brief hiatus, the show moved to CBS, running on Fridays from September 1, 1944 until August 30, 1946 with sponsors Grape Nuts and Jell-O before moving back to NBC from September 5, 1946 to June 28, 1951 on Thursdays and, then, as a Sustaining program in its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays. The show was a top-ten ratings hit within two years of its birth.

THIS EPISODE:

January 13, 1944. Program #46. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Henry Goes Ice Skating  (aka:The Fruitcake)". While delivering a fruit cake, Henry goes ice skating and falls through the ice. The search for dry pants begins. The date is subject to correction . 23:43.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Frank Race - "The Fourth Round Knockout" (09-11-49

The Fourth Round Knockout (Aired September 11, 1949)

 Each episode opened with a one-minute organ theme and then the following from announcer Art Gilmore: "Many things were changed during the war; the face of the earth was altered and the people of the Earth changed. Before the war, Frank Race was an attorney, but he traded his law books for the cloak-and-dagger of the OSS. When it was over, his former life was over, too... adventure had become his business! " Frank Race mainly investigated international insurance scams around the globe in various exotic locations, making him something of a cross between James Bond and Johnny Dollar. After Tom Collins played the title role for the first 22 episodes, Paul Dubov took over the lead role. Tony Barnett portrayed Race's sidekick, Mark Donovan.

THIS EPISODE:

September 11, 1949. Program #20. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Fourth Round Knockout". Commercials added locally. A prize-fighter dies during a fight...from poison! A big-time gambler, who only bets on a sure thing, is found dead too! Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer), Frank Lovejoy, Florence Halop, Jack Kruschen, Theodore Von Eltz, Tom Holland, Michael Ann Barrett. 26:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Vanishing Point - "The Shining Path" (05-03-85)

The Shining Path (Aired May 3, 1985)

Vanishing Point is the title of a science fiction anthology series that ran on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  Radio from 1984 until 1986, although the show would continue under different names and formats. A descriptive intro declared that Vanishing Point. The series was produced by Bill Lane in the CBC's Toronto studios. 1984-1986 There were 69 episodes in the original series. The series continued after that under various names and formats. "The point between reality and fantasy. Where imagination holds the key to new worlds. That point of no return---The Vanishing Point." Favorably compared to Rod Sterling's classic TV series, The Twilight Zone, these finely tuned radio dramas from the CBC provide compelling excursions into the realm of mystery and fantasy.  "The point between reality and fantasy. Where imagination holds the key to new worlds. That point of no return---The Vanishing Point."

Whitehall 1212 - "The Case Of The Late Mrs. Harvey" (02-17-52)

The Case Of The Late Mrs. Harvey (Aired February 17, 1952)

 

This series was very similar to the Black Museum that was hosted by Orson Welles. Both the Black Museum and Whitehall 1212 drew their material from the files of Scotland Yard. The stories were true in every respect except that the names were changed to protect the innocent, as they say. The Whitehall 1212 series boasted that for the first time Scotland Yard opened its files and the producers promised to bring to the public authentic true stories of some of the most celebrated cases. Permission for these records came from Sir Harold Scott, Commissioner of the yard at that time. There is actually a Black Museum. This area is located on the lower ground floor of Scotland Yard and it does indeed contain articles that are closely associated with the solving of a crime. And "Whitehall 1212" was the actual emergency phone number for the yard at the time. The research for the shows was done by Percy Hoskins, chief crime reporter for the London Daily Express. For the benefit of American audiences, Wyllis Cooper of Quiet Please fame was hired as script writer.

THIS EPISODE:
 
February 17, 1952. "The Case Of The Late Mrs. Harvey" - NBC network. Sustaining. A blood stained pajama top and a suit of men's clothing in the Black Museum are the artifacts remaining from the 1910 murder of Dr. Harvey's wife. Part of the final public service announcement and the system cue have been deleted. Percy Hoskins (researcher), Wyllis Cooper (writer, director). 29:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rocky Jordan - "My Quiet Friend" (04-10-49)

My Quiet Friend (Aired April 10, 1949)

Rocky Jordan was a radio series about an American restaurateur in Cairo who each week became involved in some kind of mystery or adventure. The show was broadcast on CBS from October 31st 1948 to September 10th 1950. and then again from June 27th 1951 to August 22nd 1951. The character of Rocky Jordan had been introduced to listeners in a similar show called A Man Named Jordan that was broadcast in 1945 but set in Istanbul rather than Cairo. The two lead roles were those of Rocky Jordan and Captain Sam Sabaaya of the Cairo Police. For most of the show's history Jordan was played by veteran radio actor Jack Moyles, but he was replaced by a movie star, George Raft, for the brief 1951 run. Jay Novello played Sabaaya throughout the entire series.

THIS EPISODE:

April 10, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "My Quiet Friend". Sustaining. Two gangsters from New York City offer to buy the Cafe Tambourine for $500! One public service announcement has been deleted. Jack Moyles, Larry Thor (announcer), John Moore (writer), Cliff Howell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor). 28:40. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Suspense - "A Load Of Dynamite" (06-23-57)

A Load Of Dynamite (Aired June 23, 1957)

Suspense was actually spawned from another series called Forecast. The 1940 horror show was entitled Suspense and it was based on the Marie Belloc Lowndes' short Jack-the-Ripper novella, The Lodger. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, who had made a 1926 silent film based on the same story (Grams, 1997, 3). Its subtle ending generated a large volume of mail which convinced CBS executives that they had a strong market. Two years later, Suspense was aired. It became one of radio's longest lasting shows, surviving twenty years of consistent success. It had numerous announcers during those two decades, ranging from the early Berry Kroeger to the veteran announcers, Paul Frees and George Walsh. But it was Joseph Kearns who evolved into "The Man in Black" host in 1943. Show Notes From Radio Horror Hosts

THIS EPISODE:

June 23, 1957. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Load Of Dynamite". A good story about a dynamite truck driver, his beautiful wife, and his ex-convict brother. Bartlett Robinson, Ellen Morgan, Paul Dubov, Barney Phillips, George Walsh (announcer), Richard Wilde (writer), William N. Robson (producer, director). 27:53. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Philip Morris Playhouse - "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" (08-19-53)

The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (Aired August 19, 1953

 INTRO: Bob Plays Billie Holiday - "More Than You Know" (1929)

Johnny was a walking public relations campaign, reminding people of the product wherever he appeared. In exchange for $20,000 a year, Johnny promised never to appear in public without a bodyguard, and never to ride the New York subway during rush hour. When his salary rose to $50,000, PM insured his voice for the same amount. "Johnny" ads were prominent on billboards and in magazines. Always in his red bellhop’s uniform, he was seen "stepping out on storefronts all over America" to remind folks to smoke Philip Morris. When I Love Lucy became part of the PM family, Lucy and Desi joined Johnny in many of the company’s magazine print ads -- and artist’s renderings of the threesome were included on Philip Morris cigarette cartons at Christmas time. PM also issued a "Lucy Notebook" (filled with recipes and household hints) and a Lucy Rag Doll as product premiums. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group and The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:
 
August 19, 1953. CBS network. "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". Commercials deleted. A tragedy about a Vaudevillian who actually can foretell the future. Peter Lorre, Charles Martin (host), Ed Begley, Mandel Kramer, Everett Sloane. 23:50. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Man Called X - "One Sailor Died Twice" (03-21-48)

One Sailor Died Twice  (Aired March 21, 1948)

The Man Called X started over Radio with the 1944 CBS Summer replacement run for Lux Radio Theatre, comprising a total of eight episodes. The only circulating exemplar from the first run is contained within the AFRS Globe Theatre  canon of transcriptions. So, yet again, we are indebted to the incredible output of AFRS and AFRTS transcriptions over the years in preserving some of Radio's rarest exemplars from The Golden Age of Radio. But if one compares that circulating episode to the spot ad for the summer run in the sidebar, one sees the program promoted as a comedy-mystery. The 1944 CBS Summer season finale, Murder, Music and A Blonde Madonna, gives some credence to the way CBS promoted this first run. Starring Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, a private operative, with Han Conried as Egon Zellschmidt in this first incarnation of Ken Thurston's nemesis, and Mary Jane Croft appearing in the role of Ken's love interest, Nancy Bessington. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

The New Adventures Of Michael Shayne - "The Corresponding Corpse" (12-16-48)

The Corresponding Corpse (Aired December 16. 1948)

Michael Shayne was a fictional sleuth created by Brett Halliday (a pen name for author Davis Dresser) who was first initiated into the fraternity for detectives in the 1939 novel "Dividend of Death". Dresser based the character on a “tall and rangy” brawler who once saved his life during a braw in a Mexican cantina. The Shayne character would go on to appear in 69 novels, plus a long-running mystery magazine—and in 1941, was brought to the silver screen in Paramount’s Michael Shayne, Private Detective, an adaptation of Dividend of Death  that starred Lloyd Nolan, and paved the way for six additional B-mysteries to follow. The New Adventures of Michael Shayne—premiered on July 15, 1948 starring Jeff Chandler.

THIS EPISODE:

December 16. 1948. "The Case Of The Corresponding Corpse". Commercials added locally. A Cuban hires Mike to find his friend Julian, who has recently written to him, but who has been dead for two years! There's a good surprise ending! Jeff Chandler, William P. Rousseau (host, director), Robert Ryf (writer), John Duffy (composer, conductor), Don W. Sharp (producer), Brett Halliday (creator). 25:47. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Green Hornet - "Put It On Ice" (07-04-39)

Put It On Ice (Aired July 4, 1939)

The main character was Britt Reid, a newspaper publisher of the Daily Sentinel by day and the Green Hornet by night. Britt Reid was the great-nephew of the Lone Ranger. Britt Reid's war against crime was an extension of his family history. The Green Hornet fought crime with his high-powered car, the Black Beauty. He also utilized a gun that fired knockout gas instead of bullets. His fists also came in handy on a regular basis. He was assisted by his Filipino valet, Kato. Kato would drive the Black Beauty, keep watch out for the police or the bad guys and sometimes lend a helping fist to the fighting. The Green Hornet pretended to be a villain while really battling the forces of crime in the big city. This would make for some interesting plot twists as the Green Hornet would be actively avoiding detection by the police while at the same time attempting to destroy criminal activity in the city. Many times the Green Hornet would lead the police to believe that the Green Hornet had been the mastermind of the case at hand.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 4, 1939. Mutual network. "Put It On Ice". Music fill for local commercial insert. A meat packing plant is being sabotaged. The Hornet takes a bite out of a plot to control the company. This is a network version. Al Hodge, Fran Striker (writer), George W. Trendle (creator, producer), Charles D. Livingstone (director), Lee Allman, Raymond Toyo, Gilbert Shea, Fielden Farrington (announcer). 26:11. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Gunsmoke - The Round-Up (Aired February 14, 1953)

Gunsmoke - The Round-Up (Aired February 14, 1953)

Two auditions were created in 1949. The first was very much like a hardboiled detective series and starred Rye Billsbury as Dillon; the second stared Straight Arrow actor Howard Culver in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed. But there was a complication. Culver's contract as the star of Straight Arrow would not allow him to do another Western series. The project was shelved for three years, when MacDonnell and Meston discovered it creating an adult Western series of their own. MacDonnell and Meston wanted to create a radio Western for adults, in contrast to the prevailing juvenile fare such as The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid. Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas during the thriving cattle days of the 1870s. Dunning notes, "The show drew critical acclaim for unprecedented realism."

THIS EPISODE:

February 14, 1953. CBS network. "The Round-Up". Sustaining. During the annual round-up in Dodge, Matt's old pal Zell Matlock offers to help out...and is shot by Dillon! The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series September 29, 1956. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, Lou Krugman, James Nusser, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Bartell, Roy Rowan (announcer), John Meston (writer). 29:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of The Falcon - "The Case Of The Sweet Swindle" (06-13-51)

The Case Of The Sweet Swindle (Aired June 13, 1951)

The Falcon radio series premiered on the American Blue Network in April 1943 and continued on the air till around September 1952. The introduction to the show began with "The Adventures of the Falcon." Then continuing with a ringing phone call to the Falcon, also known as Michael Waring, from a woman in which her voice is never heard. He would reply to her and another adventure would follow. Waring was snappy and sarcastic with the incompetent police who were inevitably unable to solve the mysteries without his help. Like the films, the radio plots mixed danger, romance and comedy in equal parts. About 70 episodes where created. The Falcon had many voices acting his part, beginning with Barry Kroeger. James Meighan later became the voice of the Falcon followed by Les Tremayne, George Petrie, and Les Damon.

THIS EPISODE:

June 13, 1951. NBC network. "The Case Of The Sweet Swindle". Sponsored by: Kraft Miracle Whip. Those people who think they can get away with murder are in for the "shock" of their lives! Les Damon, Ed Herlihy (announcer), Drexel Drake (creator), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Richard Lewis (director), Eugene Wang (writer), Arlo (music), Florence Halop. 29:40. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dad's Army - "When Did You Last See Your Money" (05-27-75)

When Did You Last See Your Money (Aired May 27, 1975)

The series is set in a small fictional seaside town called Walmington-on-Sea somewhere on the South Coast of England. "Dad's Army" is also remembered for its first class actors which starred amongst its credits, Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring, John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Arthur Wilson and Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jack Jones. In May 1940, Sir Anthony Eden makes his historic speech calling for men under and over the age of active service in the armed forces to form a local defence corps. In Walmington, the Local Bank manager George Mainwaring set's up the town's Local Defence Volunteers,with the assistance of his Bank Clerk, Arthur Wilson and the Local Butcher, Jack Jones. The LDV later become known as the Home Guard or affectionately (to the TV audience) "Dad's Army" as the platoon mainly consist of Old Soldiers.From week to week they would become entangled in many exploits while defending Walmington from a possible invasion and any interference from the Local Air Raid Warden. Although a comedy series, "Dad's Army" probably depicted more of an accurate version of the Home Guard than anyone could actually realise. Initially it was felt the series was maybe mocking England's finest hour and its first episodes were reviewed with great criticism. However, Jimmy Perry , David Croft and the cast felt that the show had many strengths and so did the steady flow of the British public which began following the Walmington-On-Sea platoon's exploits on Television each week.

The Black Museum - "A French-English Dictionary" (05-06-52)

A French-English Dictionary (Aired May 6, 1952)

BOB Plays Paul Anka "The Times Of Your Life" (1975)

Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques.

THIS EPISODE:

May 6, 1952. Towers Of London syndication, WDC-FM, Glen Ellyn Illinois aircheck. "A French-English Dictionary". Commercials deleted. A British pub owner has been poisoned. Could it have been his wife and her French-speaking lover? The date is approximate. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Ira Marion (writer), Sidney Torch (producer, director). 25:32. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.
 

Casey Crime Photographer - "The Box Of Death" (04-17-47)

The Box Of Death (Aired April 17, 1947)

The Television scripts were exposited in flashback format, with Casey narrating his latest exploit to Ethelbert the bartender. The 'Morning Express' also makes the transition from Boston to Manhattan, with reporter Ann Williams augmented by cub reporter Jack Lipman. Two months into the Television run, CBS re-cast Casey and Ethelbert, substituting young Darren McGavin as Jack Casey. The most distinguishing element of the short-lived Television Casey was its direction, with the famed future Film Director Sidney Lumet helming the series. CBS and Coxe took another run at Crime Photographer over Radio in 1954, reprising Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson and Jan Miner in their previous Radio roles. The 1954 run extended to the Spring of 1955, at which point the Crime Photographer franchise had pretty much run its course.

THIS EPISODE:
 
April 17, 1947. CBS network. "Box Of Death". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. A crook with a lucky penny delivers a woman's husband to her, dead in a box. Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson, Tony Marvin (announcer), Archie Bleyer (music), George Harmon Coxe (creator), Alonzo Deen Cole (writer). 29:22. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Chase - "Killer At Large" (1953)

Killer At Large (1953) *The Exact Date Is Unknown .

NBC first envisioned The Chase  as a new Television feature. This was not uncommon during the later 1940s and early 1950s. Several Radio features straddled both media, with varying success. Developed as a psychological drama, the premise was that many life situations place their subjects in a 'chase' of one type or another. A chase for fame. A chase from peril. A chase to beat the clock. A chase to escape death. The added twist was the question of who is the hunter or the hunted in these situations. The scripts were faced paced, starred quality east coast talent and were well written. The series' plots and themes focused primarily on predominantly fear inducing pursuits of one form or another. Thus most of the scripts were fraught with tension of one type or another. Whether mental tension, physical peril or a mix of both, the abiding theme throughout the series was the the contrasts between the 'hunter' and the 'hunted' in such Life situations. NBC's Television version of The Chase was in production during May 1953. It was to star Doug Fowley as both narrator and performer. Apparently the powers to be eventually decided to abandon the production. It would also appear that the TV production was abandoned at about the same time the Radio version was pulled, to be replaced by NBC's prestigious NBC Summer Symphony series.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - "The Panama Hat" (10-10-48)

The Panama Hat (Aired October 10, 1948)

The first portrayal of Philip 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. Dashiell Hammett introduced the new genre, and Sam Spade, in 1930 in his novel The Maltese Falcon. A few years later Raymond Chandler came along and perfected the type, with his detective, Philip Marlowe. Chandler introduced Marlowe in his first novel, The Big Sleep, and Philip Marlowe continued to solve crimes in six subsequent Chandler novels. Chandler had previously published a number of short stories featuring other detectives; however, Marlowe proved so popular that when the stories were later republished the author often switched the detectives to Philip Marlowe.

THIS EPISODE:

October 10, 1948. CBS network. "The Panama Hat". Sustaining. Marlowe becomes involved with a gambling debt, an attempted murder, a kidnapping, a red-headed Dragon Lady, and the mysterious man in the Panama hat. William Lally, Gerald Mohr, Jacqueline DeWitt, Jeff Corey, Lou Krugman, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Raymond Chandler (creator), Richard Aurandt (music), Roy Rowan (announcer), Shepard Menken, Wilms Herbert. 29:50. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

21st Precinct - "The Bartender" (07-21-53)

The Bartender (Aired July 21, 1953)

21st Precinct was one of the realistic police drama series of the early- to mid-1950's that were aired in the wake of DRAGNET. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the day-to-day operation of a single police precinct. Actual cases were used as the basis for stories. "21st Precinct.., It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the nine-tenths of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River wouldn't know, if you asked them, that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their persons, their homes, and their property is the job of the men of the 21st." The Precinct Captain acted as the narrator for the series.The official title of the series according to the series scripts and the CBS series promotional materials was 21st Precinct and not Twenty-First Precinct or Twenty First Precinct which appears in many Old-Time Radio books.

The Chase - "Killer At Large" (1953)

Killer At Large (1953) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

NBC first envisioned The Chase  as a new Television feature. This was not uncommon during the later 1940s and early 1950s. Several Radio features straddled both media, with varying success. Developed as a psychological drama, the premise was that many life situations place their subjects in a 'chase' of one type or another. A chase for fame. A chase from peril. A chase to beat the clock. A chase to escape death. The added twist was the question of who is the hunter or the hunted in these situations. The scripts were faced paced, starred quality east coast talent and were well written. The series' plots and themes focused primarily on predominantly fear inducing pursuits of one form or another. Thus most of the scripts were fraught with tension of one type or another. Whether mental tension, physical peril or a mix of both, the abiding theme throughout the series was the the contrasts between the 'hunter' and the 'hunted' in such Life situations. NBC's Television version of The Chase was in production during May 1953. It was to star Doug Fowley as both narrator and performer. Apparently the powers to be eventually decided to abandon the production. It would also appear that the TV production was abandoned at about the same time the Radio version was pulled, to be replaced by NBC's prestigious NBC Summer Symphony series.

Author's Playhouse - "Country Of The Blind" (10-16-44)

Country Of The Blind (H.G. Welles) Aired October 16, 1944

BOB Plays The Classic IV "What Would I Do Without You" on Algonquin Records

Author's Playhouse was an anthology radio drama series, created by Wynn Wright, that aired on the NBC Blue Network from March 5, 1941 until October 1941. It then moved to the NBC Red Network where it was heard until June 4, 1945. Philip Morris was the sponsor in 1942-43. Premiering with "Elementals" by Stephen Vincent Benét, the series featured adaptations of stories by famous authors, such as “Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobbies” by Nelson Bond, "The Snow Goose" by Paul Gallico, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, "The Piano" by William Saroyan and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber. Cast members included Curley Bradley, John Hodiak, Marvin Miller, Nelson Olmsted, Fern Persons, Olan Soule and Les Tremayne. Orchestra conductors for the program were Joseph Gallicchio, Rex Maupin and Roy Shield. Directors included Norman Felton, Homer Heck and Fred Weihe. The series was a precursor to several NBC radio programs of the late 1940s and early 1950s: The World's Great Novels, NBC Presents: Short Story and The NBC University Theater.

THIS EPISODE:
 
October 16, 1944. NBC network. "The Country Of The Blind". Sustaining. The classic tale of a hidden valley where none can see, and a man with one eye should be king. H. G. Wells (author). 25:03. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Abbott & Costello Show - "Sam Shovel - Tony' s Home Permanent" (04-28-49)

Sam Shovel - Tony' s Home Permanent (Aired April 28, 1949)

Bud Abbott was born in Asbury Park, NJ, October 2, 1897 and died April 24, 1974 in Woodland Hills, California. Lou Costello was born in Paterson, NJ, March 6, 1906 and died March 3, 1959 in East Los Angeles, California. After working as Allen's summer replacement, Abbott and Costello joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941, while two of their films (Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost) were adapted for Lux Radio Theater. They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes.

THIS EPISODE:
 
April 28, 1949. ABC network. Music fill for local commercial insert. "The "Sam Shovel" story is about a boy named Tony whose mother kept him locked in the closet. It's called "Tony's Home Permanent."  The same script was used previously on October 28, 1948. A "Baron Munchausen" joke is also repeated from the progrm of October 28, 1948. The system cue is added live. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Matty Malneck and His Orchestra, Susan Miller, Hal Winters, Charles Vanda (producer), Ed Forman (writer), Paul Conlan (writer), Pat Costello (writer), George Fenneman (announcer). 28:39. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Screen Director's Playhouse - "The Killers" (06-05-49)

The Killers (Aired June 5, 1949)

From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Director’s Guild and The Screen Director’s Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Director’s Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywood’s directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Director’s Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE:

June 5, 1949. NBC network. "The Killers". Sustaining. Screen director Robert Siodmak appears. After a $200,000 robbery, a gangster just out of jail double crosses the gang and is double crossed in turn. Burt Lancaster, Dan Riss, Frank Barton (announcer), Frank Gerstle, Gwen Delano, Milton Geiger (adaptor), Robert Siodmak (guest screen director), Sam Edwards, Shelley Winters, Tony Barrett, William Conrad. 32:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rogue's Gallery - "Blondes Prefer Gentlemen" (10-04-45)

Blondes Prefer Gentlemen (Aired October 4, 1945)

This series preceded Richard Powell's most famous series, Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Rogue trailed lovely blondes and protected witnesses in the new tough guy persona of Dick Powell. This was the transition series for Powell in his quest to be recognized as an actor rather than a singer. It had some of the same cute elements that would make Richard Diamond a high spot four years later. During the summer of 1946, the show was billed as Bandwagon Mysteries, with a tip of the hat to the sponsor. In the summer of 1947, it was again revived on NBC Sundays for Fitch, with Barry Sullivan in the title role. In 1950 the character again turned up in a two-year sustainer on the ABC Wednesday-night schedule. Chester Morris played the lead. Chester Morris was the original Boston Blackie. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

October 4, 1945. "Blondes Prefer Gentlemen" - Mutual network. Sponsored by: Fitch's Shampoo, Fitch's Shaving Cream. A grandmother hires Richard Rogue to protect her grand-daughter, but Rogue finds a corpse in her apartment! "Murder In Drawing Room A" is announced as the next program. Dee Englebach (producer, director), Dick Powell, Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Ray Buffum (writer), Peter Leeds. 29:24. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Broadway Is My Beat - "The Andrew Jenkins Case" (03-06-49)

The Andrew Jenkins Case (Aired March 6, 1949)

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 Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

March 6, 1949. "The Andrew Jenkins Case" - CBS network. Sustaining. A missing hick from Indiana named Andrew Jenkins leads Lt. Clover to "Golden" Gold. Anthony Ross (introducer), Charlotte Holland, Frank Butler, Jean Carson, John Dietz (director), John Forsythe, Maurice Gosfield, Peter Lyon (writer), Robert Stringer (composer, conductor), Tom Hoyer, Bern Bennett (announcer). 28:20. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boston Blackie - "The Frances Fielding Murder" (04-30-46)

The Frances Fielding Murder (Aired April 30, 1946)

 

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:

April 30, 1946. "The Frances Fielding Murder" - Program #55. ABC network origination, Ziv syndication. Commercials added locally. A psychiatrist is framed for murder. Blackie tries to prove him innocent. Richard Kollmar, Lesley Woods, Maurice Tarplin. 27:23. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Box 13 - "Delinquent's Dilemma" (02-13-49)

Delinquent's Dilemma (Aired February 13, 1949)

Dan Holiday was purportedly a successful fiction writer for the Star-Times news magazine who becomes disenchanted with the utter, mind-numbing routine of it. Dan Holiday opts out. He posts an ad reading "Go anywhere, Do anything, Write Box 13". This had become a pretty well-worked theme by 1948. Perhaps a bit too reminiscent of George Valentine's "Personal notice: Danger's my stock in trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you've got a job for me. George Valentine," from 1946's Let George Do It. The gimmick certainly made for an open-ended range of potential adventures for Box 13's protagonist.

THIS EPISODE:

February 13, 1949. Program #26. Mayfair syndication. "Delinquent's Dilemma". Commercials added locally. A sixteen year old boy is determined to take a robbery rap and protect the gang. Alan Ladd, Sylvia Picker. 26:51. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Father Brown Mysteries - "The Mystified Mind" (08-13-45)

The Mystified Mind (Aired August 13, 1945)

 

 

Father Brown is a fictional character created by English novelist G. K. Chesterton, who stars in 52 short stories, later compiled in five books. Chesterton based the character on Father John O'Connor (1870–1952), a parish priest in Bradford who was involved in Chesterton's conversion to Catholicism in 1922. The relationship was recorded by O'Connor in his 1937 book Father Brown on Chesterton. Father Brown is a short, stumpy Catholic priest, "formerly of Cobhole in Essex, and now working in London," with shapeless clothes and a large umbrella, and uncanny insight into human evil. He makes his first appearance in the story "The Blue Cross" and continues through the five volumes of short stories, often assisted by the reformed criminal M.Hercule Flambeau.

THIS EPISODE:
 
August 13, 1945. Mutual network. "The Mystified Mind". Sustaining. Karl Swenson, G. K. Chesterton (creator), Francis Sherling Oliver (producer), William Sweets (director), Barry Thompson, Mitzi Gould, Robert Readick, William Griffis, Will Geer, Gretchen Davidson, Vinton Hayworth, Gladys Fountain, Judson Phillips (writer), Bill Wirges (organist), John Stanley (announcer). 29:12. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The FBI In Peace & War - "The Scientific Touch" (09-07-55)

The Scientific Touch (Aired September 7, 1955)

The FBI in Peace and War was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewis Collins' book, The FBI in Peace and War. The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show's other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Adamson and Collins. It aired on CBS from November 25, 1944 to September 28, 1958, it had a variety of sponsors (including Lava Soap, Wildroot Cream-Oil, Lucky Strike, Nescafe and Wrigley's) over the years. In 1955 it was the eighth most popular show on radio. Martin Blaine and Donald Briggs headed the cast. The theme was the March from Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges.

THIS EPISODE:
 
September 7, 1955. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Scientific Touch". An ex-police technician has been teaching a gang of crooks how to beat the lie detector. Frederick L. Collins (creator). 24:55. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.