Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

We continue our spotlight series of Hollywood heavy hitters who put in time as radio detectives. This week, it's a legend of classic cinema - Humphrey Bogart, star of Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, and so many more iconic films. Bogart headlined Bold Venture, a syndicated mystery-adventure series set in the tropics. His co-star was no less than his real-life wife, Lauren Bacall. We'll hear a pair of syndicated Bold Venture mysteries - "The Tears of Siva," "The Mystery of the Mary K." Plus, Bogie stars in the audition for what would have been his own anthology...

We kick off 2026 with a month-long series of big screen stars who lent their voices to radio detectives. First up is Alan Ladd, the steely star of classic noir dramas like This Gun for Hire and The Blue Dahlia and westerns like the iconic Shane. We'll hear him in his signature radio role of mystery writer and amateur sleuth Dan Holiday in a pair of syndicated episodes of Box 13 - "Treasure of Hang Li" and "Sealed Instructions." Plus, he recreates his big screen role as an old west detective as The Screen Director's Playhouse presents "Whispering Smith" (originally aired...

We bid a fond farewell to 2025 with an encore of our New Year's Eve special from 2018. Jack Webb and Gerald Mohr star in New Year's Eve mysteries from Dragnet and The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. We'll hear "The Big New Year's" (originally aired on NBC on March 8, 1951) and "The Old Acquaintance" (originally aired on CBS on December 26, 1948).

Our bonus series of holiday mysteries wraps up on Christmas Eve with two more tales of seasonal sleuthing. John Stanley and Alfred Shirley are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in "The Adventure of the Christmas Bride" (originally aired on Mutual on December 21, 1947). And Jack Webb stars in a heartwarming case from Dragnet - "The Big Little Jesus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953).

Christmas is only a few days away, and we're celebrating with a trio of holiday tales from Broadway - not the world of footlights, chorus lines, and matinee performances, but the seedier side of the street. Our first two tales come from the pen of Damon Runyon. A man is marked for death on Christmas Eve in "Dancing Dan's Christmas" from The Damon Runyon Theatre, and a trio of crooks hunting for lost loot finds a lot more in "Three Wise Guys" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1950). Then we'll hear a holiday mystery starring Detective...

Christmas is only a week away and we've got a pair of old time radio mysteries for stocking stuffers. Charles Russell stars in a yuletide adventure of Johnny Dollar - "Small Time Swindles of Big Time Department Stores - Or How I Played Santa Claus and Almost Got Left Holding the Sack" (originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1949) - and Sydney Greenstreet tries to save St. Nick in "The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" from The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1950).

Our two-part series on The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe wraps up with the final three actors to play Archie Goodwin opposite Sydney Greenstreet's gargantuan gourmet. Larry Dobkin - who you may know best as Louie, cab driver sidekick of The Saint - is Archie in "The Case of the Deadly Sellout" (originally aired on NBC on January 5, 1951). Gerald Mohr - the voice of Philip Marlowe - stars in "The Case of the Calculated Risk" (originally aired on NBC on January 19, 1951). And Harry Bartell - announcer and actor - plays Goodwin in "The Case of the Final Page" (originally...

Our countdown to Christmas continues with Vincent Price and Frank Sinatra both donning the red suit of Santa Claus! Simon Templar proves "Santa Claus is No Saint" (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1950) and Rocky Fortune's new gig as a department store St. Nick is anything but merry in "The Plot to Murder Santa Claus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953).

We kick off a two-part series spotlighting The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe in celebration of two December birthdays - Rex Stout, the creator of the gargantuan gourmet, and Sydney Greenstreet, the Oscar-nominated actor who brought the sleuth to radio life. The show ran for just one season but six different actors played Wolfe's loyal assistant Archie Goodwin in those 26 episodes. The series and its star could never settle on a supporting actor, but the unusual revolving door allowed some of radio's best performers to take a stab at the character. We'll hear the first three Messrs Goodwin...

We're celebrating the holidays with a month of seasonal sleuthing! Tune in Wednesdays throughout December for Christmas stories starring some of our favorite old time radio detectives. First up, the ace crimesolving cameraman spots a pickpocket and breaks a murder case in "Christmas Shopping" from Casey, Crime Photographer (originally aired on CBS on December 19, 1946). Then, Boston Blackie solves a jewel theft with a strange connection to a sidewalk Santa in a syndicated holiday mystery.

Harry Bartell worked all over the dial during the Golden Age of Radio, both as an actor in shows like Gunsmoke, Escape, and Johnny Dollar and as an announcer for The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Casebook of Gregory Hood. We'll celebrate his November 29th birthday with some of his work. First, he's on a voyage where a fellow passenger is a deadly snake in "A Shipment of Mute Fate" from Escape (originally aired on CBS on March 28, 1948). Then, he plays Frank Smith, the new partner for Sgt. Friday on "The Big Safe" from Dragnet (originally aired...

Hit those big deals (and/or dig into some Thanksgiving leftovers) with this bonus episode for Black Friday starring Joe Friday. We'll hear Jack Webb as the star sergeant of the LAPD in three Dragnet radio mysteries: "The Big Press" (originally aired on NBC on June 15, 1950), "The Big Couple" (originally aired on NBC on February 22, 1951), and "The Big Number" (originally aired on NBC on October 26, 1952).

Happy Thanksgiving! As we head into what I hope is a fun and restful weekend for everyone, here's an encore of our annual Turkey Day special - a five-course meal of radio mysteries set around the holiday.

Casey, Crime Photographer stars in a pair of stories: "After Turkey, the Bill" (originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1947), and "Holiday" (originally aired on CBS on November 25, 1948). As Jeff Regan, Jack Webb meets modern-day Miles Standish and finds a turkey shoot where it isn't a bird who catches the bullet in "The Pilgrim's Progress" from Jeff Regan, Investigator (originally aired...

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, we're joining Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson for some mysteries set around the dinner table. First, Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce are Holmes and Watson in "The Strange Case of Mrs. Abernetty" (originally aired on ABC on November 30, 1946). Then, it's a pair of mysteries starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley - "The Case of King Phillip's Golden Salver" (originally aired on Mutual on February 29, 1948) and "The Case of the Very Best Butter" (originally aired on Mutual on April 18, 1948).

In honor of Dick Powell's November 14th birthday, we're saluting the singing star with some of his old time radio performances. First, he plays private investigator Richard Rogue in "Little Old Lady" from Rogue's Gallery (originally aired on Mutual on November 29, 1945). Then, he's radio's crooning crimefighter Richard Diamond, Private Detective in a pair of episodes: "The Tom Waxman Bombing" (originally aired on NBC on June 26, 1949) and "Death and the Letter" (originally aired on NBC on November 8, 1950).  Finally, he recreates one of his big screen roles, alongside co-star Lee J. Cobb, as The Lux Radio Theatre presents "Johnny O'Clock" (originally a...

Not all radio detectives carried a badge or a private eye's license. Some were amateur sleuths who dabbled in deduction in addition to their day jobs, and we'll hear a collection of those crimesolvers and their adventures. Walter Hampden stars as Leonidas Witherall - professor, author, dead ringer for Shakespeare, and amateur detective - in "Murder at the State Fair" (originally aired on Mutual on September 24, 1944). Gale Gordon is San Francisco importer and detective Gregory Hood in "The Forgetful Murderer" (originally aired on Mutual on July 29, 1946). Alan Ladd is mystery writer Dan Holiday, who seeks adventures to fuel the...

Many actors have brought Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe to life. Humphrey Bogart, Elliot Gould, Danny Glover, and Liam Neeson are just a few of the men to portray the legendary private eye on the big and small screens, but today we'll hear four actors who played Marlowe on radio. First, Van Heflin is Marlowe in a radio adaptation of Chandler's "Red Wind" (originally aired on NBC on June 17, 1947). Next, Robert Montgomery reprises the role of Marlowe as The Lux Radio Theatre adapts "Lady in the Lake" (originally aired on CBS on February 9, 1948). Dick Powell steps back into the gumshoe's...

Trick or treat! It's time for the annual Down These Mean Streets Halloween Special! In this king-sized bonus show, we'll hear a parade of stories - both spooky and silly - designed to get you in the spirit of the season. First, big screen horror legend Boris Karloff lends his voice to "The Corridor of Doom," a thriller from Inner Sanctum Mysteries (originally aired on CBS on October 23, 1945). The Great Gildersleeve attends a Halloween party (originally aired on NBC on October 29, 1947) and a Halloween prank backfires on Henry in The Aldrich Family (originally aired on NBC on October 30, 1940). Then...

With Halloween right around the corner, we delve into the spooky side of sleuthing with mysteries involving voodoo, curses, and other hexes. Nick Carter's new client believes her physician practices black magic instead of medicine in "The Drums of Death, or Nick Carter and the White Witch Doctor" (originally aired on Mutual on March 25, 1944), and real-life master magician Blackstone explains how he faced down the living dead in "The Riddle of the Seven Zombies" (originally aired on Mutual on July 17, 1949). Michael Shayne falls into a case of supernatural revenge and a man who supposedly cannot be killed in the...

The skies are unfriendly this week as three old time radio heroes face danger in the air. First, Boston Blackie is due in with evidence to send a notorious gangster to the chair…but his airplane disappears! Richard Kollmar stars as the gentleman thief turned gumshoe in this syndicated mystery. Then, Orson Welles recreates his Third Man role in "The Hard Way" from The Lives of Harry Lime, a syndicated story that finds Lime catching a flight to trouble in the charter airline business. Finally, Bob Bailey is Johnny Dollar in a five-part mystery that begins when a plane go...

The Maltese Falcon premiered in movie theaters eight eighty-four years ago this month, and we're celebrating the anniversary of one of Hollywood's best mystery pictures with a showcase for its stars - Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet. We'll hear each of them headline a radio mystery, and all four of them together as they recreate their roles in a radio adaptation of the film. Lorre stars in a locked room mystery from the pen of John Dickson Carr - "The Moment of Darkness" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on April 20, 1943). Ms. Astor may be...

We're saluting the 105th anniversary of the birth of William Conrad - the radio acting legend who brought law and order to Dodge City as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke and who racked up hundreds of credits on detective shows, thrillers, comedies, and dramas. Conrad stars as Philip Marlowe in "The Anniversary Gift" (originally aired on CBS on April 11, 1950) - subbing in for Gerald Mohr in a terrific mystery in the Chandler spirit. He co-stars with Frank Lovejoy in "The Football Player and the Syndicate" from Night Beat (originally aired on NBC on June 12, 1950) and Edmond O'Brien in "The Woodward...

With school back in session, we're visiting the faculty lounge at Madison High with three cast members from Our Miss Brooks in their roles as radio detectives. Gale Gordon sheds the stuffy suit of Principal Osgood Conklin as amateur sleuth Gregory Hood in "Murder in Celluloid" (originally aired on Mutual on July 2, 1946). Jeff Chandler leaves bashful biology teacher Mr. Boynton behind to travel to the Big Easy as Michael Shayne in "The Case of the Model Murder." And Gerald Mohr ditches the accent of French teacher Monsieur LeBlanche as Phillip Marlowe in "The Torch Carriers" (originally aired on CBS...

Sometimes it's good to be bad, or at least it's good to hear it when radio detective stars switch sides and play some pretty dastardly villains. We'll hear four of our favorite on-air heroes star as crooks for a change in episodes of radio's great thriller anthologies. Howard Duff (Sam Spade) plans his wealthy aunt's murder in "Backlash" (originally aired on CBS on April 21, 1947); Jeff Chandler (Michael Shayne) is a gangster on the run who coerces a doctor into assisting with his getaway in "Confession" (originally aired on CBS on August 21, 1949); and Gerald Mohr (Philip Marlowe) is a murderer...

As summer draws to a close with Labor Day weekend, enjoy this encore broadcast featuring Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar in episodes where "the man with the action-packed expense account" tries to take some time off from insurance investigating...and finds mystery waiting for him wherever he goes. We'll hear him in "The Lamarr Matter," a five-part adventure (originally aired on CBS between March 26 and March 30, 1956) and "The Ideal Vacation Matter" (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1957).

We leave the mean streets of the big cities behind and join four radio detectives in western-themed mysteries - stories of cowboys, horses, cattle, and the wide open spaces. Philip Marlowe hunts for a killer on a dude ranch in "The Dude from Manhattan" (originally aired on CBS on July 2, 1949), and Richard Diamond heads to Oklahoma to prove an accidental death was a well-staged murder in "The Hatpin Murder Case" (originally aired on NBC on September 27, 1950). The Saint tries to keep a visiting cattleman alive during a visit to the Big Apple in "Death of a Cowboy" (originally aired...

As summer winds down and students head back to school, we'll join some radio detectives as they tackle cases on college campuses. Michael Shayne looks for a peeping Tom turned murderer in "The Return to Huxley College" (originally aired on Mutual on November 5, 1946), and mystery writer and amateur sleuth Dan Holiday tries to help an old friend figure out how a colleague died in "The Professor and the Puzzle" from Box 13. A murderer is supposedly dead, but someone's spotted him on campus and it's up to Richard Diamond, Private Detective to find him in "The Martin White Case" (originally...

We're riding along with some of old time radio's hardest working cops as we kick off Season 13 of Down These Mean Streets! Sgt. Joe Friday hunts for a hold-up man who resorted to murder in "The Big Smart Guy" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on June 8, 1950). In Broadway is My Beat, Det. Danny Clover investigates when a piano player is killed at the keys in an episode known as "The Harry Brett Murder Case" (originally aired on CBS on July 31, 1950). Joel McCrea saddles up to find a murderer in "The Hatchet" from Tales of the Texas Rangers (originally...

It all comes down to this - the final fight between Superman and the Atom Man! The kryptonite-fueled Nazi agent threatens to wipe Metropolis off the map on his march toward world conquest. Can the Man of Steel defeat him and save the day? Find out in these episodes that originally aired on Mutual between November 19 and December 3, 1945.

Superman recovers after his first fight against the Atom Man while Henry Miller finds a new ally in his quest to kill the Man of Steel and rule the world! The epic adventure continues in these episodes that originally aired on Mutual from November 5 to November 16, 1945.

The Atom Man is in Metropolis! The Nazi agent with kryptonite in his veins gets a job at the Daily Planet as reporter "Henry Miller," and the Man of Steel is about to meet his greatest and deadliest enemy. Superman and the Atom Man have their first titanic battle as this epic story continues in these chapters that originally aired on Mutual between October 22 and November 2, 1945.

Don't change the channel! Each of this week's radio mysteries involve that exciting new medium - television. A man is poisoned on the air as he's about to reveal a murderer's identity in a syndicated adventure of Boston Blackie, and the cops of Dragnet pursue phony TV repairmen in "The Big Screen" (originally aired on NBC on August 9, 1951). A TV quiz show unravels a perfect crime in "Marked Man" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on March 16, 1952), and John Lund stars as Johnny Dollar in "The Philip Morey Matter," as the insurance investigator looks into the nervous breakdown...

Superman's amazing adventures continue in the next chapters of "The Atom Man!" The evil Nazi scientist Der Teufel escapes with a piece of kryptonite, and he transforms a young Nazi soldier into his atomic-fueled agent of destruction. Meanwhile, Clark Kent travels the globe in pursuit of Der Teufel in a race to save the world - and his own life! These exciting episodes of The Adventures of Superman originally aired on Mutal between October 8 and October 19, 1945.

Summer means vacations, but getting out of town doesn't mean that our detectives can get away from murder and mayhem in these old time radio mysteries. Simon Templar finds multiple murders on a cruise ship in "Murder on the High Seas" from The Saint (originally aired on Mutual on September 18, 1949), and Richard Diamond and Lt. Levinson have a working vacation as they search for a missing man in Bolivia in Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on CBS on May 31, 1953). Mr. and Mrs. North plan a little getaway, but they have to stop a killer from making their own...

In just over a week, Superman flies back to the big screen, and we're celebrating all month long with one of his biggest radio adventures - one that pits him against a Kryptonite-powered Nazi Atom Man! Today, we'll hear the opening chapters of this epic story (originally aired on Mutual between September 24 and October 5, 1945), as Superman retells his origin and the existence of Kryptonite is discovered by the Man of Steel's enemies!

With July 4th right around the corner, we've got a quartet of radio mysteries involving great figures and moments of American history. Henry Fonda recreates his role of Young Mr. Lincoln in a radio version of the classic film on Academy Award (originally aired on CBS on July 10, 1946). Honest Abe is a lawyer who must clear his wrongfully accused clients of murder. Lee Bowman plays Allan Pinkterton, one of America's most celebrated detectives, as he investigates a case of robbery and murder in "The Pinkerton Man" from The Cavalcade of America (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1946). A recently...

We're tipping our deerstalker cap to Basil Rathbone in celebration of his June 13th birthday. Of course, we'll hear him as Sherlock Holmes in three old time radio adventures from Baker Street - "Murder in the Casbah" (originally aired on Mutual on December 3, 1945), "The Indiscretion of Mr. Edwards" (originally aired on Mutual on February 4, 1946), and "The Adventure of the Uneasy Easy Chair" (originally aired on Mutual on May 13, 1946). Plus, he plays John Adams in his pre-presidential days as a lawyer defending British soldiers involved in the infamous Boston Massacre. We'll hear Rathbone in "John Yankee" from The Cavalcade of...

Happy Father's Day! We're celebrating dear old Dad with a collection of radio mysteries featuring fathers. First, Ellery Queen and his police inspector father collaborate on a case of smuggling and murder. Larry Dobkin is Ellery in "Number Thirty-One" (originally aired on NBC on September 7, 1947). Next, George Valentine is hired by a convicted killer's son to clear his father's name. Bob Bailey stars in "The Father Who Had Nothing to Say" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on September 13, 1948). Then, meet private eye Joshua Sharp - known to his kids as The Big Guy. Henry Calvin...

Our run through the serialized adventures of Johnny Dollar brings us to the Big Easy! In "The Valentine Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 31 and November 4, 1955), Johnny's on a case in New Orleans when he runs across one of Prohibition's most notorious bootleggers - a man who's been marked for death by some old enemies.

"Get this and get it straight!" We're celebrating Gerald Mohr - the radio actor who brought a two-fisted intensity to Philip Marlowe - in honor of his birthday on June 11. He was one of the best stars of the era, and his performance makes The Adventures of Philip Marlowe one of the best detective dramas of the day. We'll hear Mohr as Marlowe in "The Easy Mark" (originally aired on CBS on January 29, 1949) and "The Long Arm" (originally aired on CBS on February 7, 1950). Then, he's a less scrupulous character in "Lady with a Key" from The Whistler (originally aired...

Our bonus series spotlighting the serialized adventures of Johnny Dollar continues! In "The Alvin Summers Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 24 and 28, 1955), the man with the action-packed expense account is in Mexico to track down an embezzler who fled the United States with his loot. But Johnny isn't there long before he's pistol whipped and discovers a corpse in his hotel room. Bob Bailey stars as Dollar in this story set south of the border.

Tune in for danger with a collection of radio mysteries that involve the medium of radio itself! Master sleuth Ellery Queen has to solve a murder that takes place in his own studio - right in the middle of his show - in "The Armchair Detective" (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1946). Then, Dan Holiday is hired by a radio actress who fears for her life in "Actor's Alibi," a syndicated episode of Box 13. A radio announcer plots his wife's murder and cooks up a perfect on-air alibi in "Brief Pause for Murder" from The Whistler (originally aired on...

They say clothes make the man, but they also make mysteries for this week's roster of radio detectives. George Valentine hunts a killer where the only clue is his distinctive attire in "Death Wears a Gay Sport Jacket" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on October 18, 1948) and Philo Vance probes the murder of a dress shop owner in the syndicated episode "The Herringbone Murder Case." Richard Diamond tries to find out why someone keeps stealing blue serge suits (originally aired on ABC on February 9, 1951), and The Saint discovers a bullet hole in the back of his...

Our dogged detectives sniff for clues in five canine-related old time radio mysteries. First, the owner of the best in show pooches is killed at a dog show in a syndicated adventure of Boston Blackie, and a dog "tells" Sherlock Holmes who murdered his owner in "The Case of the Dog Who Changed His Mind" (originally aired on Mutual on September 28, 1947). Philip Marlowe is on the trail of a dog - though this one is made out of jade - in "The Orange Dog" (originally aired on CBS on January 22, 1949). Barry Sullivan plays The Saint in "Dossier on a...

Happy Mother's Day! We're celebrating moms with five old time radio mysteries where they play major roles. In "The Case of the Lucky Shilling," Sherlock Holmes comes to the aid of a woman whose son is wiped out by a crooked gambler (originally aired on Mutual on January 14, 1948), and George Valentine tries to prove that a woman is not an unfit mother in "Problem Child" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on June 21, 1948). A woman hires Dan Holiday to prove her son's death wasn't an accident in "Suicide or Murder" from Box 13, and the mother of a...

In this encore presentation, we go back to the summer of 1947 when Philip Marlowe came to the air in his own weekly series with Van Heflin playing Raymond Chandler's private eye. The NBC series featured a mix of original mysteries as well as adaptations of Chandler stories, including the show's premiere episode "Red Wind" (originally aired on NBC on June 17, 1947). A year later, Gerald Mohr would put his own stamp on the character, but these Heflin shows offer a different take on Marlowe and a compelling portrayal in its own right. Along with "Red Wind," we'll hear "The Daring...

Lights, camera, action! This week, our old time radio sleuths are tackling cases connected with the movie business and finding mystery on and off screen. First, "the Lyon's Eye" has to protect a movie star from some unscripted violence. Frank Graham stars in "The Hollywood Story, or H is for the Many Things You Gave Me" from Jeff Regan, Investigator (originally aired on CBS on March 22, 1950). Next, Dick Powell goes west when the head of a movie studio is blackmailed - and later framed for murder - in "The Hollywood Story" from Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on...

We join Johnny Dollar on a cross-country mystery as our bonus series of serialized adventures continues! Bob Bailey is "the man with the action-packed expense account" in "The Chesapeake Fraud Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 17 and October 20, 1955), a case that finds Dollar trying to prove if a man marked down as dead five years ago is actually alive and well.

We're celebrating the 105th anniversary of the birth of Jack Webb - one of the faces on the Mt. Rushmore of old time radio drama. Best known for Dragnet, Webb logged many an hour solving crimes on the air as cops, private eyes, and amateur sleuths. We'll hear him as Jeff Regan, Investigator in "The Guy from Gower Gulch" (originally aired on CBS on November 13, 1948) and as Pat Novak For Hire in "Wendy Morris" (originally aired on ABC on  May 8, 1948). He solves a Prohibition-era mystery in Pete Kelly's Blues (AFRS rebroadcast of an episode known as "Little Jake" from May 2...

In honor of April Fool's Day, our radio detectives this week have to contend with some practical jokes and jokers that are anything but funny. Dr. Watson is enlisted to pull a prank on Sherlock Holmes in "The April Fool's Day Adventure," starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (originally aired on Mutual on April 1, 1946). Dan Holiday tries to find a deranged jokester before his antics turn deadly in "Death is No Joke" from Box 13. A fake will reading turns into a real crime scene as Philip Marlowe hunts for a killer in "The Last Laugh" (originally aired on CBS o...

The action is on and off the basketball court this week as Superman battles a hate group that targets a high school team just because of the ethnicities of its players. Clayton "Bud" Collyer stars as Clark Kent and the Man of Steel in "The Knights of the White Carnation," a serialized adventure that aired on Mutual from February 26 through March 18, 1947.

Sound the alarm! We've got fugitives on the lam in these radio mysteries - each with an escape from jail at the center of the story. A convict Boston Blackie put behind bars is out and making his way to Blackie's door in a syndicated mystery, and Richard Diamond, Private Detective suspects an escaped gangster is back in town and settling scores in "The Ralph Baxter Case" (originally aired on NBC on April 26, 1950). The Saint comes to the aid of a young man falsely convicted of robbery who breaks out of prison to clear his name in "No Hiding P...

Our bonus series spotlighting the serialized adventures of Johnny Dollar continues with "The Molly K Matter," a mystery that brings Dollar to San Francisco to investigate what caused the titular freighter to sink to her untimely end. Bob Bailey stars as "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator" in this five-part story that aired on CBS between October 10 and October 14, 1955. 

Place your bets with these old time radio mysteries involving gamblers and the (sometimes) crooked games they play. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find murder among the roulette tables of a French casino in "The Case of the Double Zero," starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (originally aired on Mutual on November 19, 1945). Philip Marlowe tries to find a friend's stolen IOU but stumbles across a corpse during the search in "The Promise to Pay" (originally aired on CBS on May 14, 1949), and Nero Wolfe is hired to find out who dealt a deadly hand during a poker game in "The...

It's a wonderful night for Oscar! The Academy Awards will be handed out this evening, so in celebration of Hollywood's biggest night, here are four old time radio mysteries - each starring an actor who took home a golden statuette. Edmond O'Brien (Best Supporting Actor for The Barefoot Contessa) is Johnny Dollar in "The George Farmer Matter" (originally aired on CBS on June 9, 1951). Rex Harrison (Best Actor for My Fair Lady) stars as a debonair detective in "A Trip to the Death House" from The Private Files of Rex Saunders (originally aired on NBC on June 13, 1951). Humphrey Bogart (Best...

All the world's a stage, but as our radio detectives discover this week the theatre offers no respite from mysteries to solve. Each of our stories involves the theatre, with crimes taking place onstage, backstage, and sometimes in the aisles. First, as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce investigate when an actor takes his role as a murderer a bit too seriously in "The Case of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber" (originally aired on Mutual on January 28, 1946). Super sleuth Philo Vance is called in when an actress is threatened and her understudy is killed in...

We're kicking off a new bonus series and a deep dive into arguably the best radio detective series of all time: the serialized run of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar starring Bob Bailey as "the man with the action-packed expense account." This beloved incarnation of the adventures of America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator turn 70 this year, so I'm shining a spotlight on each and every installment. In the first story, a dying prison inmate puts Dollar on the trail of some stolen loot and a secret someone will kill to keep hidden in "The McCormack Matter" (originally aired on CBS...

With winter weather keeping things chilly, here's a collection of old time radio mysteries set against a backdrop of snow. First, Dick Powell survives a killer's bullet but gets trapped by a blizzard in "Snowbound" from Rogue's Gallery (originally aired on Mutual on May 9, 1946). Jane Wyman is snowed in at a mountain lodge and trying to get away with her husband's murder in "Catch Me If You Can" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on February 17, 1949). Simon Templar's new case involves a snowman with a grisly secret in "It's Snow Use" from The Saint (originally aired on NBC on Octo...

Back to new episodes next week, but for now let's celebrate the anniversary of the debut of Night Beat with my five favorite episodes. The nocturnal adventures of Chicago reporter Randy Stone premiered on February 6, 1950, and here are my picks for his best stories. We'll hear the show's first episode ("Zero," originally aired on NBC on February 6, 1950), where he helps a woman track down a man before he takes his own life, and a meeting with an unusual man who claims to have a sinister super power ("I Wish You Were Dead," originally aired on May 22, 1950). Randy meets a f...

In honor of his January 26th birthday, we're saluting one of radio's most innovative writers and directors - Wyllis Cooper. Cooper's probably best known for his work in the world of horror as creator of Lights Out and Quiet Please but he also brought us Whitehall 1212 - a series that dramatized cases from the files of Scotland Yard. We'll hear "The Topaz Flower," an episode Cooper wrote for Crime Club (originally aired on Mutual on April 24, 1947), two episodes of Whitehall 1212 - "The Blitz Murder Case" (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1951) and "The Heathrow Affair" (originally aired on NBC on D...

Ice is in the air - and on the ground - as many parts of the country contend with winter weather, but in this week's show our heroes contend with a different kind of ice...and it's because that ice has gone missing. Detectives hunt down stolen diamonds in these four radio mysteries, beginning with Richard Kollmar as Boston Blackie in a syndicated episode where diamonds are stolen right from under his own nose. Next, Richard Diamond, Private Detective is blamed when several thousand dollars of stones are pilfered from the police commissioner (originally aired on NBC on November 12, 1949). Th...

The radio adventures of The Saint premiered in January 1945, and we're celebrating the anniversary of his radio debut with four tales of Simon Templar. Several actors played the Saint over the years, but the voice that's synonymous with the character belongs to Vincent Price, and he plays "the Robin Hood of modern crime" in our quartet of crimes: "The Saint Goes Underground" (originally aired on Mutual on July 31, 1949); "The Problem of the Peculiar Payoff" (originally aired on NBC on July 9, 1950); "Reflection on Murder" (originally aired on NBC on August 13, 1950); and in his final radio performance as The Saint in "Pi...

We kick off 2025 with a radio recreation of one of the all-time great mystery films and a birthday salute to its star. Dana Andrews reprises his role as a detective obsessed with the woman whose murder he's investigating as The Lux Radio Theatre presents "Laura" (originally aired on CBS on February 6, 1945.) Then Andrews plays another cop on the trail of a killer in "The Crowd" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on September 21, 1950), and finally he's undercover agent Matt Cvetic in "Courier for Disaster" - a syndicated adventure from I Was a Communist for the FBI.

Just in time for Christmas, here's a king-sized holiday special - a stocking stuffed with old time radio comedy, drama, and westerns to get you in the spirit of the season. Enjoy Christmas comedies from Fibber McGee and Molly (originally aired on NBC on December 19, 1944); The Mel Blanc Show (originally aired on NBC on December 10, 1946); The Jack Benny Program (originally aired on NBC on December 21, 1947); and The Jimmy Durante Show (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1948). Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan star in a radio recreation of the big screen classic "Christmas in Connecticut" presented by The Screen Guild T...

We're decking the halls and looking for clues with three holiday-themed old time radio mysteries. Peter Lorre plans the perfect crime, but he may be undone by a surprise gift from his victim in "Back for Christmas" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on December 23, 1943). Then, it's a tale from The Damon Runyon Theatre - "Dancing Dan's Christmas," the story of a small-time crook who lands in hot water during the holidays. Finally, Bob Bailey deals with a Santa who gets gifts instead of gives them and who may be marked for death in "Christmas in January" from Let G...

Of the legendary run of serialized Johnny Dollar shows starring the great Bob Bailey, three stories are incomplete, with one chapter from each having been lost to time. Today, we're investigating if these stories still hold up even with a missing chapter from each (spoilers: I think they do). We'll hear "The Salt City Matter" (originally aired on CBS between April 2 and 6, 1956 - missing Chapter 2); "The Lonely Hearts Matter" (originally aired on CBS between April 23 until April 27, 1956 - sans Chapter 4); and "The Imperfect Alibi Matter" (originally aired on CBS between September 17 and September 21, 1956 - with an absent Chapter 2).

We're rubbing elbows with four members of the fraternity of radio private detectives as they risk life and limb for their fee (plus expenses). Jeff Chandler stars as Michael Shayne in the syndicated mystery "The Pursuit of Death;" as Sam Spade, Howard Duff finds himself saddled with a partner and a bunny costume in "The Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail Caper" (originally aired on CBS on December 4, 1949); Gerald Mohr stars as Philip Marlowe in "The Face to Forget" (originally aired on CBS on June 14, 1950); and Dick Powell sings and solves his way through "The Dixon Case" in Richard Diamond, Private D...

Happy Thanksgiving! For your listening pleasure as you travel, prepare the holiday meal, or just enjoy some well-deserved time off, here's an encore presentation of last year's Turkey Day special. It's a collection of Thanksgiving-themed mysteries starring some of my favorite old time radio detectives with a few special guests dropping in for some musical and comedic performances. 

We've got a pair of adventures of Casey, Crime Photographer - "After Turkey, the Bill" (originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1947), and "Holiday" (originally aired on CBS on November 25, 1948). Jack Webb encounters a modern-day Miles Standish and a turkey s...

Hurry, hurry, hurry - come to the midway for four radio mysteries set at the carnival. A fortune teller predicts her own murder in a syndicated adventure of Boston Blackie starring Richard Kollmar. Then, a carnival dancer marries a wealthy admirer and then schemes to get rid of him in "The Brass Ring" (originally aired on CBS on September 16, 1946). Sam Spade tries to save a carnival performer from marriage to an infamous widower - to be followed by a quick funeral - in "The Bluebeard Caper" (originally aired on CBS on August 8, 1948). And we take flight with Superman to sa...

It's not just adults who need a good detective. Our heroes this week come to the aid of kids in trouble. First, Dan Holiday helps a boy find a lost astronomer in "Archimedes and the Roman" from Box 13. Next, Philip Marlowe is hired to find the missing uncle of a newsboy in "The Kid on the Corner" (originally aired on CBS on December 3, 1949). Finally, Johnny Dollar believes the life of a teenage girl is in danger when she stands to inherit a fortune in the five-part mystery "The Matter of Reasonable Doubt" (originally aired on CBS between May 28 and...

Our heroes this week encounter hypnosis and meet those who have fallen under its spell and who have used it to try and conceal their crimes. First, Boston Blackie suspects a woman's murder confession was driven by hypnosis rather than guilt. Then, a woman is hypnotized to help solve a murder in "Cupid Can Be Deadly" from Crime Club (originally aired on Mutual on October 16, 1947). In "The Voice of Darkness," Chandu the Magician investigates a bombing where the eyewitness was hypnotized into losing her memory (originally aired on Mutual on April 14, 1949). And finally, Bob Bailey stars as George Valentine...

As Americans head to the polls to pick a president, we'll hear some old time radio mysteries centering on the seedier side of the political process. Fortunately, The Green Hornet is on hand to keep things safe for democracy and to deliver a decisive blow against the crooked machines who try to get corrupt politicians elected. We'll hear the Hornet and his loyal sidekick Kato in "Votes for Sale" (originally aired on Mutual on October 9, 1940), "Ballots and Bluff" (originally aired on Mutual on November 1, 1945), and "Election Boomerang" (originally aired on Mutual October 15, 1952). Plus, we'll hear "Final Returns," a story f...

Get ready for thrills, chills, and spills with trick-or-treat tales both scary and silly in the annual Down These Mean Streets Halloween special! Ray Milland reprises his big screen role as The Screen Director's Playhouse presents "The Uninvited" (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1949). Then, two radio gumshoes face off against things that go bump in the night: The Saint in "The Ghosts Who Came to Dinner" (originally aired on NBC on April 8, 1951) and Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator in "Ghosts Don't Die in Bed" (originally aired on NBC on September 7, 1954). J. Carrol Naish stars in a heartwarming and hilarious Hallow...

It's the witching hour - well, closer to two witching hours, to be precise - for old time radio detectives in this week's episode. We've got four mysteries involving witches just in time for Halloween. First, an author plagued by a witch's hexes seeks the help of Nick Carter in "The Witch of Donderberg Mountain" (originally aired on Mutual on April 22, 1945). Next, a witch at a Halloween party sees danger in Boston Blackie's future. Then, Casey, Crime Photographer investigates the murder of a male witch in "Witchcraft" (originally aired on CBS on February 19, 1948). And finally, Sam Spade is hired...

Yippie-ki-yay, old time radio fans! We're heading west for some radio mysteries set in the wide open spaces of the American frontier. Alan Ladd is on the trail of his brother's murderer in "A Killing in Abilene" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on December 14, 1950), and Joel McCrea hunts for a cowboy's killer in "The Cactus Pear" from Tales of the Texas Rangers (originally aired on NBC on December 17, 1950). As Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, Edmond O'Brien has to determine if - and why - a rancher's wife bumped off her husband in "The Jarvis Wilder Matter" (originally aired on CBS...

Great Scott...600 episodes?! To mark the occasion, I'm on a trip to 221B Baker Street with my favorite radio adventures of Sherlock Holmes. In this super-sized Sherlock special, we'll hear John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson in "A Scandal in Bohemia." Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are Holmes and Watson in "The Notorious Canary Trainer" (originally aired on Mutual on April 23, 1945) and "The Speckled Band" (originally aired on Mutual on November 12, 1945), and then Bruce is joined by Tom Conway as Holmes in "The Adventure of the Tolling Bell" (originally aired on ABC on April 7, 1947). My personal favorite Holmes and Watson...

I may not know art, but I know what I like - and I like these four radio mysteries involving masterpieces, the artists who make them, and the crooks who try to steal them. First, Boston Blackie is forced to participate in an art heist to save his friend (syndicated episode known as "The Abbott Painting"), and a beautiful woman wants a missing artist found in "The Barefoot Boy with Shoes Gone" from Jeff Regan, Investigator (AFRS rebroadcast of a show from January 25, 1950). The Saint steps into the world of international art smuggling in "Button, Button" (originally aired on NBC...

Several great actors gave voice to The Shadow, but today we're shining a spotlight on those stars and their roles outside of the cloak of radio's invisible avenger. We'll hear Frank Readick as a crook in "The Case of the Cincinnati Narcotics Ring" from Gang Busters (originally aired on ABC on September 25, 1948). Then, Bill Johnstone is a newlywed with a secret in "Devoted Couple" from The Whistler (orignally aired on CBS on July 9, 1950) and Lt. Ben Guthrie in "The Cop Killer" from The Line-Up (originally aired on CBS on November 30, 1950). Finally, Orson Welles stars in "The Dead Enchantress" from The...

Over the long run of the Dragnet radio series, Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb) was paired with four different partners. Each of these cops brought a different energy to the show and had a similar but different dynamic with Friday. We'll hear all four of them in this week's episode. First, Barton Yarborough is Sgt. Ben Romero in "The Big Ben" (originally aired on NBC on March 15, 1951). Then, Barney Phillips plays Sgt. Ed Jacobs in "The Big Almost No-Show" (originally aired on NBC on January 31, 1952). Future Adam-12 star Martin Milner is Officer Bill Lockwood in "The Big Bunco" (originally ai...

Tap gloves and tune in for a quartet of radio mysteries set in and around the boxing ring. First, a crooked gambler is killed when he tries to a fix a fight in "Death is a Knockout" from Crime Club (originally aired on Mutual on June 12, 1947). Next, Dick Powell gives a heel turn as a boxer out to ruin a rival in "Slow Burn" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on February 23, 1950). Reporter Randy Stone tries to help a fighter under pressure to throw his next bout in Night Beat (an episode known as "Gunner's Last Fight," originally aired on...

Catch a plane and begin a daring mission with these four radio super spies and sleuths. As Steve Mitchell, Brian Donlevy heads to London to keep enemy agents guessing in Dangerous Assignment (originally aired on NBC on March 3, 1951) and The Man Called X is off to Monte Carlo to find out why a fellow agent was killed (originally aired on NBC on May 4, 1951). Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. hunts for missing scientists and plans for the weapon they built in "The Gigantic Hoax" from The Silent Men (originally aired on NBC on January 20, 1952). And Mike Waring - aka The Falcon - is...

Feathers and fiends are on the agenda this week with four old time radio mysteries involving birds. A crow may foil a killer's plans to get away with murder in "Bird of Death," a syndicated episode of The Haunting Hour. Then, Blackstone, the Magic Detective explains how a canary helped him solve the case of "The Bird of Doom" in a syndicated tale. Bob Bailey investigates when a parrot's owner keels over after the parrot tells him to in "Drop Dead" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on July 23, 1951). And Sgt. Joe Friday hunts a burglar who...

Fur coats are in demand in this week's radio mysteries, as our detectives tackle cases involving the pricey outerwear. First, Dick Powell investigates a fur warehouse fire that may be arson in "Fortune in Furs" from Rogue's Gallery (originally aired on Mutual on December 20, 1945). Then, the cops of The Line-Up hope a fur coat can help them identify a Jane Doe in "The Fur Flaunting Floozy" (originally aired on CBS on September 26, 1951). Finally, Johnny Dollar hunts for 80 stolen mink coats and the thieves who committed murder in their getaway in "The Silver Blue Matter" (originally aired on CBS between Ma...

The golden age of radio meets the atomic age with these four mysteries. First, Bulldog Drummond hunts for missing radium in "Claim Check for Death" (originally aired on Mutual on January 17, 1947). Next, villains plot to wipe out New York with an atomic weapon, and only Mr. I.A. Moto can stop them in "A Force Called X07" (originally aired on NBC on May 20, 1951). The feds try to find the man who's smuggling out secrets of a new atomic bomb in "The Case for Dr. Singer" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on June 28, 1951). And undercover agent Matt Cvetic has to...

Sometimes it takes two detectives to crack the case. Fortunately, each of these radio mysteries has a dynamic duo on the scene. First, Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons and his partner Mike Kelly solve "The Case of the Ruthless Murderers" (originally aired on CBS on October 27, 1949). Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin take their final bow on the air in "The Case of Room 304" (originally aired on NBC on April 27, 1951). Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith are on the trail of counterfeiters in "The Big Listen" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on January 5, 1954). Finally, married sleuths Pat an...

Don't hiss - even if you don't like snakes, I think you'll enjoy these four serpent-centric radio mysteries. First, Casey, Crime Photographer investigates a curse that may have followed two explorers home in "The Serpent Goddess" (originally aired on CBS on December 4, 1947). Next, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson tangle with Professor Moriarty and a secret cult in "The Adventure of the Serpent God" (originally aired on Mutual on March 14, 1948). Dick Powell tries to protect his client from someone who's sending snakes in the mail in Richard Diamond, Private Detective in an episode known as "The Joyce Wallace Case" (originally air...

As we head into the home stretch of summer, here are four seasonal radio mysteries. Frank Lovejoy stars as the owner of a summer resort in dire financial straits who may have turned to murder to keep the lights on in "Last Night" from The Mollé Mystery Theatre (originally aired on NBC on February 22, 1946), and in a syndicated mystery, Boston Blackie finds a marriage racket when he heads to a dude ranch for vacation. A man spends a hot night trying to get rid of a surprise corpse in "Summer Night" from Murder By Experts (originally aired on Mutual on...

Say "aloha" to adventure with four radio mysteries set in Hawaii. The Man Called X investigates a land swindle in Honolulu (originally aired on CBS on June 5, 1947), and a con artist tries to pose as an heiress to net a fortune in "The Rawhide Coffin" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on April 3, 1949). Philip Marlowe heads to the islands in "The Cloak of Kamehameha" (originally aired on CBS on May 16, 1950) and Orson Welles is in Hawaii hunting for jewels in "Cherchez La Gem" from The Lives of Harry Lime.

Our heroes try to solve some purr-fect crimes in these old time radio mysteries - each involving a cat. First, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (played by Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce) find "The Clue of the Hungry Cat" (originally aired on ABC on October 26, 1946). Next, Bob Bailey tries to help an inventor and finds a murder in "The Iron Cat" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on June 12, 1950). Then, a panther is on the loose in Los Angeles and Sgt. Joe Friday has to track it down in "The Big Cat" from Dragnet (originally aired on...

We're saluting James M. Cain - one of the fathers of hard-boiled crime fiction - with two of his stories recreated for radio. First, James Cagney plays a rising racketeer who takes advantage of a crusading reformer in "Love's Lovely Counterfeit" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on January 17, 1948). Then, Burt Lancaster and Joan Bennett plot a murder and a swindle in "Double Indemnity" from The Ford Theatre (originally aired on CBS on October 15, 1948).

In this bonus episode, I'm sharing my five favorite installments of Crime Classics - the anthology of true crime stories taken from the pages of history. "Connaisseur of crime" Thomas Hyland (played by Lou Merrill) narrated the tales that ranged from BC until recent history. A dismembered corpse stuns Boston society in "The Terrible Deed of John White Webster" (originally aired on CBS on July 13, 1953), and a woman's murder of her philandering boyfriend is only the beginning of the story in "The Incredible Trial of Laura D. Fair" (AFRS rebroadcast from August 17, 1953). A pair of enterprising young men enter t...

Welcome to the Rock! Alcatraz - America's most notorious prison - is the subject of this weeks' show. First, Gang Busters presents a dramatic recreation of the most violent escape attempt in its history in "The Battle of Alcatraz" (originally aired on ABC on May 11, 1946). Then, it's a double feature of Pat Novak For Hire when the gumshoe is caught in a pair of Alcatraz escapes and the hunt for the escapees (episodes known as "Joe Feldman and Father Leahy" - originally aired on ABC on April 2, 1949, and "The Only Way to Make Friends is to Die" - originally air...

In this bonus episode, I'm sharing my five favorite installments of The Whistler - the anthology of mystery and murder where we follow the criminal as the commit the "perfect crime," only to be undone at the final curtain. Bill Forman is our sinister storyteller, who "knows the nameless terrors" of these killers' minds. First, a long-suffering wife plans to get rid of her husband and frame him for a series of murders in "Boomerang" (originally aired on CBS on March 11, 1946), and a carnival dancer marries - and murders - for money in "The Brass Ring" (originally aired on C...

Cast your line for mystery with these old time radio shows involving fishing. Casey, Crime Photographer finds murder on a fishing trip in "Treasure Cave" (originally aired on CBS on September 25, 1947), and a stolen fishing boat leads to a pair of corpses in "Rita Malloy" from Pat Novak For Hire (AFRS rebroadcast from April 23, 1949). Charles Russell stars as Johnny Dollar in "I Caught a Fishing Boat, But You Should Have Seen the One That Got Away" (originally aired on CBS on October 1, 1949), and Dan Dailey tries to survive a fishing trip from hell in "Over the Bounding Main" (originally ai...

Pack your bags and take a trip to Mexico in these radio mysteries. First, Burt Lancaster plots a double cross in "The Big Shot" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on September 9, 1948). Philip Marlowe is hired to find out what a woman is up to in "The Mexican Boat Ride" (originally aired on CBS on July 30, 1949), and the cops of Dragnet chase a pair of fugitives in "The Big Border" (originally aired on NBC on March 20, 1952). Finally, Dana Andrews tries to thwart the plans of Soviet saboteurs trying to sneak into the US in "The Red Gate" from I Was...

Tee off with four (not fore!) old time radio detective stories set on the golf course. Actor Paul Barnes plays every role in the syndicated mini-mystery Calling All Detectives, and a golf teacher gets too close to a gangster's wife in Boston Blackie (a syndicated episode known as "Carl Grady, Golf Instructor"). As Philo Vance, Jackson Beck spots a clue on the course in "The Red Duck Murder Case," and Frank Race meets an old friend - a golf pro with a jealous husband who's got a violent temper - in "The Adventure of the Fairway Beauties."

Black magic is in the air with four radio mysteries where our heroes are menaced by voodoo. Dan Holiday heads to the bayou to save a man's life in "Death is a Doll" from Box 13, and Ken Thurston investigates when government officials fall victim to zombies in Haiti in The Man Called X (known as "Enough Intrigue to Fill a Book," originally aired on NBC on May 18, 1951). Orson Welles runs a dangerous con in "Voodoo" from The Lives of Harry Lime, and as Johnny Dollar, John Lund tries to protect a family from a curse in "The Voodoo Matter" (ori...

Mysteries are hard enough to solve without throwing amnesia into the mix, but that's what our radio detectives have to handle this week. A woman doesn't know who she is, and then drops dead in Jack Webb's office in "The Lady with No Name" from Jeff Regan, Investigator (originally aired on CBS on September 25, 1948). The Saint comes to the aid of a woman without her memory in "The Case of the Blonde Who Lost Her Head" (originally aired on Mutual on November 13, 1949). Dick Powell sings and solves the case of a young man who may have committed a murder an...

We're back in court with four radio mysteries involving lawyers, juries, and trials. A lone holdout tries to convince his fellow jurors of a defendant's innocence in "The Eleventh Juror" from The Mollé Mystery Theatre (AFRS rebroadcast from April 3, 1945), and Mr. District Attorney chases down a robbery ring in "The Case of Murder A La Carte" (originally aired on NBC on March 9, 1949). A defense attorney is the only man who can prove his client's guilt in "The Trigger Man" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on August 7, 1949), and Philip Marlowe is hired to clear a man on trial for...

The doctors are in with these four old time radio mysteries. A doctor hires Dick Powell and then jumps out of the window in Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on NBC on August 23, 1950). Joe Friday is on the trail of a phony physician in "The Big Quack" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on October 12, 1950). A crooked doctor sets up fake accidents in "No Insurance" from The FBI in Peace and War (AFRS rebroadcast from November 22, 1951). And Frank Sinatra comes to the aid of a doctor with a dilemma close to home in "Honor Among Thieves" from Rocky Fort...