Detective

Broadcast History: 17 June 1947 to 15 September 1951

This detective drama was based on the books written by Raymond Chandler. In it’s heyday it featured Gerald Mohr as the hard-boiled detective Philip Marlow, his voice perfectly carrying off the blood, guts and thunder frequenting the storylines. His opening to the show was one of the most memorable; “Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker’s road, and those who travel it end up in the gutter, the prison, or an early grave.”

Broadcast History: 12 July 1946 to 27 April 1951
Theme Tune: Goodnight, Sweetheart

Based on the Character created by Dashiell Hammett Sam Spade was a tough private investigator. Each case was unfolded as a report dictated to his secretary, Effie, who was always flustered and secretly in love with him. He always quoted his license number and referred to each investigation as a “caper”. Each report was dated with the actual airdate.

Broadcast History: 18 July 1941 to 3 November 1942 and 1945 to 1946

Jim Brandon who fought crime as the Avenger was a famous biochemist who perfected two inventions that aided him in the fight against crime: the telepathic indicator allowed him to pick up random thought flashes, and the secret diffusion capsule cloaked him in the “black light of invisibility”. The only person that shares his secrets and knew that he was The Avenger, the man feared by the underworld is his beautiful assistant Fern Collier.

Broadcast History: 3 October 1951 to 30 June 1955

Starring William Gargan this detective drama ran for nearly four years from October 1951 to June 1955. The thirty minute adventure stories were written by Louis Vittes and John Roeburt and commence with Barrie Craig, confidential investigator telling us how the case began.

Broadcast History: 3 October 1948 to 3 April 1949

A usual episode of Blackstone, The Magic Detective would commence in Blackstone’s magic room with his good friends John and Rhoda and something usually some kind of artifact would lead Blackstone to recall one of his mystery cases which he would precede to tell. Right after the story Blackstone will explain tricks which you yourself can perform revealing the guarded secrets of “the worlds greatest living magician”.

Broadcast History: 23 June 1944 to 15 September 1944 and 11 April 1945 to 25 October 1950

Blackie was a tough, wisecracking private detective working in New York, billed as “enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend.” His speciality was making fools of the police, a simple task with Inspector Farraday heading the official investigations

Broadcast History: 27 February 1949 to 1 August 1954
Theme Tune: (I'll Take) Manhattan

A 30 minute detective program produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. Danny Clover is the hard-nosed NYPD detective who works the area between Time Square and Columbus Circle. Danny's side-kick is Tartaglia, played by Charles Calvert.

Broadcast History: 13 April 1941 to 12 January 1949 and 3 January 1954 to 28 March 1954

“Out of the fog… out of the night… and into his American adventures… comes… Bulldog Drummond!” The signature is accompanied by echoing footsteps followed by a foghorn, two ominous shots and three blows of a whistle.

Broadcast History: 29 November 1933 to 8 September 1939

Calling All Cars was one of the very first police shows to be broadcast. The format was similar to Dragnet in many ways. It was based in California, it dramatized true crime stories, and it included interviews with real officers. Calling All Cars was never broadcast nationwide. It was only heard by listeners in areas where Rio Grande Gasoline was sold. Rio Grande sponsored the program through its six year run and used the air-time to convince listeners that by using its “cracked” gasoline their car would run like a police car – advice which I am sure was taken on board by every crook in the vicinity. 

Broadcast History: 7 April 1945 to 25 August 1945

Calling All Detectives was both a mystery and a quiz show. It aired daily for fifteen minutes on Network with a melodrama of eight minutes. The following five minutes were handed over to local affiliate radio stations when announcers would telephone prior contestant listeners and ask them to identify the perpetrator. The show would then rejoin the Network for the concluding part of the story and the local station would then award prizes to their listeners who had correctly identified the culprit.

Broadcast History: 29 June 1949 to 20 May 1951
Theme Tune: Candy

Starring as the chic yet tough San Francisco detective is Natalie Masters. She plays a woman who is sexy and sassy but not simply a pretty face. Good humored and beautiful, the female protagonist of the series is not intimidated by the bad guys she encounters and is always capable of producing a clever and caustic response after dealing with threats or bullets. Henry Leff plays the understated love interest and we eventually hear him pop the question in the last of the series’ episodes, letting us know that we have heard Candy’s final case.

Broadcast History: 7 July 1943 to 16 November 1950 and 13 Jan 1954 to 22 April 1955

Based on a character created by George Harmon Coxe, Casey is the crime photographer for the fictitious newspaper, the Morning Express. In the show’s twelve-year run the title changed no fewer than four times, with names including Flashgun Casey, Casey, Press Photographer and quite simply Crime Photographer. We never do, however, find out what Casey's real first name is. Nevertheless, with the help of Ann Williams, a reporter for the same newspaper, he hunts criminals and solves countless crimes, often with the only clue being a picture he has snapped at the crime scene. The Blue Note tavern is a favourite place of Casey’s and he is often heard discussing the adventures he's had with Ethelbert, the bartender.

Broadcast History: 2 December 1932 to 21 June 1948 (Off the air 1933-1937 and 1939-1944)

Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. Loosely basing his character on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu. Chan is a detective for the Honolulu police, though many stories feature Chan traveling the world as he investigates mysteries and solves crimes.

Broadcast History: 10 October 1949 to 10 October 1951, and 7 January 1952 to 22 December 1952

Crime Does Not Pay was very much like the radio show Gangbusters in that they both featured criminals who were apprehended and every episode ended with a message about the immorality of breaking the law.

Broadcast History: 9 July 1949 to 20 August 1949, 6 February 1950 to 13 February 1953 and 18 February 1953 to 1 July 1953

This thirty-minute spy adventure featured Steve Mitchell, and investigator of crimes in exotic locations. 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!

Broadcast History: 31 August 1951 to 30 December 1952

"Ladies and gentlemen to depend upon your judgment and to fulfill my known obligation, I submit the facts fully aware of my responsibility to my client and to you as defense attorney”.

The American Broadcasting Company presents Miss Mercedes McCambridge as Defense Attorney. "When Martha Ellis Bryant chose law as a career she accepted the challenge of defending the defenseless".

Broadcast History: 3 June 1949 to 26 February 1957
Theme Tune: ‘Dragnet March’ by Walter Schumann

Dragnet was a thirty-minute police drama featuring actual cases taken from the files of the Los Angeles Police Department. Jack Webb directed Dragnet and also played Detective Sergeant Joe Friday, the star of the show, who had remained a bachelor and still lived at home with his mother. It was one of the first radio shows to break the silence against dramatising sex crimes and child murders

Broadcast History: 10 April 1943 to 29 December 1943, 3 July 1945 to 30 April 1950, 7 May 1950 to 14 September 1952 and 5 January 1953 to 27 November 1954

The Falcon - 1943-1954 This was a 30-minute detective serial. The character of the series was created by Michael Arlen in 1940. It was subsequently made in to a movie series. The original hero was called Gay Lawrence and was played by George Sanders.

Broadcast History: 21 January 1946 to 26 September 1951

The Fat Man was a 1945 – 50 ABC Radio series starring the rich voice of J. Scott Smart as Brad Runyon the overweight detective also known as The Fat Man.

Each program started the same way, with the announcer appearing to let us in to a secret. “He’s walking in to that drugstore . He’s stepping on to the scales.” The sound of a coin dropping, and then a mechanical voice: “weight 237 pounds. Fortune: danger.” The music rises then fades. “Who is it? The Fat Man!”

Broadcast History: 25 November 1944 to 28 September 1958
Theme Tune: March from 'Love for Three Oranges', by Sergei Prokofiev

In 1944 came The FBI in Peace and War, a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewis Collins' book of the same name. The series was long running, and Time Magazine noted it as the eighth most popular radio series in 1955. The series starred crime-fighter Martin Blaine as field agent Sheppard, and was told from the perspective of the bad guy, with the focus on how the FBI had hunted him down.

Broadcast History: 20 July 1935 to 27 November 1957

Gang Buster true dramatic accounts of crime cases are taken from police blotters in towns and cities all over the country. The exciting dramas brought to you on Gang Busters mention actual facts, names and places bringing to life criminal cases you read about in your daily newspapers, actual police cases of brutal killings and bank robberies of flag waving racketeers who lead our youth to vandalism. You’ve heard what factors lead to crime and you’ve heard again that crime does not pay even for the smartest criminal. And at the end of each case you will hear conclusions of vital importance.

Broadcast History: 18 October 1946 to 27 September 1954

Bob Bailey takes the title role in this detective drama. As George Valentine he acquired his cases through the following newspaper advertisement: “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. Write full details.” The George of this series is not, however, the thug one might imagine... He uses his scientific talents to crack the cases, although his character does evolve to some extent and by the end of the show’s run he is capable of taking on the best of them. The show also features the character Brooksie (played originally by Frances Robinson then later by Virginia Gregg and Lillian Buyeff) as George’s secretary who, in later episodes, sets her sights on the boss.

Broadcast History: 6 July 1950 to 20 February 1953

Broadcast History: 16 October 1944 to 10 July 1953

Based on the book Dividend on Death by Brett Halliday, the series features a red-headed, tough-talking Miami detective. The lead role was first played by Wally Maher and later by Jeff Chandler, with Robert Stirling and Donald Curtis also taking the part for a short while. This show is somewhat violent, with Shayne being perpetually “slammed” or “slugging” someone else. This P.I.’s approach to tackling crime is most definitely a physical one.

Broadcast History: 30 December 1942 to 18 April 1955
Theme Tune: The Way You Look Tonight

This series was originally created as a light comedy by Richard Lockridge but, after teaming up to write with his wife, the title couple evolved into successful fighters of crime. Mr. and Mrs. North are not, however, detectives but a very ordinary husband and wife and the appeal of the show lies in the fact that they are entirely average. Jerry is a publisher of books and Pam is a housewife but they seem to stumble over a corpse wherever they go. The normal course of events is for Pam to take her husband on a seemingly illogical wild-goose chase which does in fact lead the pair to an accurate conclusion. The Norths also have a bizarre collection of acquaintances including a chatty cabbie named Mahatma and a problem-child niece called Susan. The shows were immediately a hit due to the fact that they are full of humor as well as being very well acted and written.

Broadcast History: 3 April 1939 to 13 June 1952

Mr District Attorney was for many years the nation’s best-liked crime show. The thirty-minute drama was inspired by the real-life exploits of Thomas E Dewey, a racket-busting district attorney of the late 30s in New York. The show was directed and often written by Ed Byron, a former law student who devoted all of his time researching crime, which was the reason that the show was so topical.

Broadcast History: 12 October 1937 to 19 April 1955
Theme Tune: Someday I'll Find You

This detective mystery series was originally a fifteen-minute program featuring a private detective who traced missing persons and murders. They seemed to have no official position in society and when they were called in to help solve the mystery. "We usually work along with the police, ma'am," would suffice as an explanation of their presence.

Broadcast History: 11 April 1943 to 25 September 1955

Lon Clark plays the role of the brilliant detective Nick Carter for the show’s entire run. He is a tough, young and skilLful character who has his origins in the old Victorian dime novels and is somewhat more sophisticated than others of the genre. His loyal partners, Patsy and Scubby accompany him on his travels, making life difficult for the police department’s Sergeant Mathison. The most memorable element of the show is its unforgettable opening. There is knocking on the door of Carter’s office, knocking that becomes evermore frantic and Patsy (his secretary and assistant crime-solver) gets up to investigate. With a small shriek she asks, “What’s the matter, what is it?” and a male voice replies: “Another case for Nick Carter, Master Detective!”

Broadcast History: April 1954 to April 1955

The idea of reality as entertainment seems fairly modern. But if you ever listened to Night Watch, you know it’s nothing new. Instead of reality TV Night Watch is reality radio that aired from 1954-1955. The closest modern-day equivalent of Night Watch is the television show Cops.

Following the success of Dragnet, Night Watch was a crime documentary that highlighted real footage of real cases. The crimes were caught on tape as reporter Donn Reid wore a wire and rode along with police office Sergeant Ron Perkins. The show was taped in Culver City, CA. Reid rode with the police on the night shift – from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. when crimes were most likely to occur. By the time the show stopped airing, there were over 100 incidents caught on tape.

Broadcast History: 6 February 1950 to 25 September 1952

“Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the nightbeat for the Chicago Star. My stories start in many different ways. This one began…”

Broadcast History: 1946 to 1950

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.

Broadcast History: 1948 to 1950

Philo Vance is a 30-minute detective drama based on the 1920’s stories of S.S. Van Dine in which Vance plays the private detective who helps District Attorney Markham solve his cases

Broadcast History: 29 April 1949 to 20 September 1953
Theme Tune: Leave It To Love by Henry Russell, whistled by Dick Powell

Richard Diamond, starring Dick Powell was a private detective who was tough, but also had a little fun out of life. He was sarcastically friendly towards the police, but generally co-operated with Lieutenant Walt Levinson with whom his relationship was abrasive but rooted in honest affection.

Broadcast History: 24 June 1945 to 21 November 1951

In this half-hour detective mystery, Dick Powell plays the private eye Richard Rogue. Although Rogue doesn’t go looking for trouble, trouble inevitably finds him and, as a result, he is the man who is able to solve crimes before the police do. The thing that makes this detective mystery different from all the others is the appearance of an alter ego named ‘Eugor’ (Rogue spelled backward). When Rogue is knocked unconscious he emerges on ‘Cloud Number Eight’ where Eugor appears. Despite the unusual circumstances Eugor is able to impart some very useful information and is the one who prompts Rogue into reaching a final accurate conclusion.

Broadcast History: 31 July 1930 to 26 December 1954
Theme Tune: ‘Omphale’s Spinning Wheel’ (‘Le Rouet d’Omphale’, Opus 31) by Saint-Saens

The shadow was amateur criminologist Lamont Cranston. He had learned “the hypnotic power to cloud men’s minds so that they cannot see him”. The opening to the show, “Who knows … what evil … lllllurks … in the heart of men? … The Shadow knows! His “friend and companion, the lovely Margo Lane, is the only person who knows to whom the voice of the invisible Shadow belongs”. Together they confront the maddest assortment of lunatics, sadists, ghosts and werewolves ever heard on the air.

Broadcast History: 20 October 1930 to 4 September 1956
Theme Tune: ‘March of the Ancestors’ – based on a theme from Ruddigore by Gilbert and Sullivan

The famous Sherlock Holmes detective stories appeared on radio for more than 25 years, with a long list of performers playing the parts of Holmes and Dr Watson. The stories were written by Edith Meiser, a self-confessed Holmes addict. At first she used Arthur Conan Doyles’ original stories, but, after the series outlived the original material, she created her own new stories. These were so well written that she was warmly praised by Arthur Conan Doyle’s widow and son.

Broadcast History: 6 April 1945 to 30 January 1953

This is Your FBI although a fictitious crime drama told of stories based on true cases from the closed files of the FBI with names and places changed. During the war these sensational stories were about war criminals, Nazi agents and escaped prisoners, people that were a threat to our security, which of course was of paramount importance to our FBI. Originally the show was broadcast from New York but from 1948 – 1953 it came from Hollywood and stared Stacy Harris as fictitious Special Agent Jim Taylor who dealt with the fraudsters, hijackers, embezzlers and the like.

The Whisperer is a brilliant man who after loosing his voice in an accident, which crushed his vocal chords, worked his way deep within the crime syndicate to help destroy it from within. To the underworld his familiar rattling hiss is a voice of authority to be obeyed without question. 

Then a miracle of surgery performed by Dr Benjamin Lee restored his natural voice enabling him to resume his real identity. Now as Philip Gault, brilliant young attorney he skirts the thin edges of death living his dual role for as the Whisperer he sets in motion the forces of the syndicate in Central City. 

Then as Philip Gault uses his knowledge to fight the organized network of crime which seeks to control the fate of millions in cities and towns across the nation. The only person besides Dr. Lee who knows the Whisperer’s true identity is the doctor’s nurse Helen Norris.

Broadcast History: Feb 11, 1949 to Sept 30, 1962

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar was the last dramatic show on the air, closing down the art of dramatic network radio on September 30 1962. He was a freelance insurance investigator. The crime adventure series was based upon the experiences of his investigations and always began and ended with a statement of costs being posted. He was “the man with the action-packed expense account”. He was always ready to fly to the far corners of the country for a cut of recovered goods, had an analytical mind, a nose for trouble, and the brawn to take care of himself when the going got dirty and, he always lived to fight again and again.