Down These Mean Streets (old Time Radio Detectives)

We salute actor Stephen Dunne, the second man to wear Sam Spade’s trench coat on radio. After struggling to break out of bit parts on the big screen, Dunne found success on radio in a number of shows. In 1950, after rumors of Communist ties cost Howard Duff the gig, Dunne stepped into the role of Sam Spade and put his own spin on the shamus for 24 episodes. His affable, easy-going qualities and smooth voice served him well as he later transitioned into television. We’ll hear him today as reporter “Lucky” Larson in “A Boy Asks for Help” from Deadline Mystery (originally aired on ABC on August 10, 1947). Then, Dunne is Spade in “The 25-1235679 Caper,” originally aired on NBC on January 5, 1951.

The Saint hit radio in January 1945, but Leslie Charteris’ “Robin Hood of Modern Crime” didn’t find long-lasting success on the air until 1947 when big screen star Vincent Price donned Simon Templar’s halo. In honor of his radio anniversary, we’ll hear two mysteries starring the Saint. Price is Templar in “No Hiding Place” (originally aired on November 19, 1950). Then, Tom Conway steps in as the heavenly hero in “Death of a Cowboy” (originally aired on July 1, 1951).

Holidays and homicide go hand in hand in the “Down These Mean Streets” Christmas special. We’ll hear yuletide mysteries from some of your favorite radio detectives to wrap up 2015. First, Richard Kollmar is Boston Blackie in the syndicated episode “Stolen Rings at Christmas.” Then, Charles Russell is Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in “How I Played Santa Claus, and Almost Got Left Holding the Bag” (originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1949). Finally, Frank Lovejoy is Randy Stone in “Five Days Off for Christmas” from Night Beat (originally aired on NBC on December 21, 1951).

Billed at one time as “the handsomest man in the world,” silent screen idol Francis X. Bushman may seem a strange choice to play Rex Stout’s gargantuan gourmet Nero Wolfe, but in 1945 he lent his considerable stage presence to the role on radio. Bushman headlined The Amazing Nero Wolfe, a short-lived series that co-starred radio actor and director Elliott Lewis as Archie Goodwin. We’ll hear their take on the classic gumshoes in the show’s sole surviving episode – “The Shakespeare Folio,” originally aired on Mutual on November 30, 1945.

Even as he played bashful biology teacher Mr. Boynton on Our Miss Brooks, Jeff Chandler voiced the two-fisted tough guy shamus Michael Shayne. The hard-boiled intensity Chandler brought to the role made his short tenure as Shayne a memorable run. His versatility as an actor made him believable as both a timid teacher and a gritty, cynical private eye. We’ll hear Chandler as Shayne in a pair of mysteries set in New Orleans: “The Case of the Wandering Fingerprints” and “The Case of the Phantom Gun.”

From his first appearance in 1925, Charlie Chan has been a captivating yet controversial figure in the world of detective fiction. Earl Derr Biggers created the avuncular Hawaiian police detective and family man to dispel the “Yellow Peril” fear of the Chinese in America, and the character’s popularity kicked off a long, successful run of B-movies. But the broken English and stereotypical traits have alienated Chan from some modern audiences. Ed Begley stars as Charlie in a mystery that hits too close to home – the kidnapping of his Number One Daughter! – in this episode rebroadcast on Mystery Playhouse from the Armed Forces Radio Service.

A talented actor and an innovative writer, director, and producer, Elliott Lewis earned the title of “Mr. Radio.” He was responsible for some of radio’s top dramas and kept audiences in stitches with his role on The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show. Lewis was one of the true legends of the Golden Age of Radio: a jack-of-all-trades who excelled in every aspect of radio production. Our salute to this master of the medium will feature him as both actor and director. First, he stars in “Gregory Hood, Suspect” from The Casebook of Gregory Hood (originally aired on Mutual on September 30, 1946). Then, he directs “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln” from Crime Classics (originally aired on CBS on December 9, 1953).

Tune in for a Thanksgiving old time radio mystery in this bonus podcast episode. The holiday doesn’t mean a day off for Casey, Crime Photographer as he and Ann Williams have a crime to solve right in the middle of their turkey dinner. We’ll hear Staats Cotsworth and Jan Miner in “After Turkey, The Bill” originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1947.

When CBS resurrected Jeff Regan, Investigator in 1949, Frank Graham stepped into Jack Webb’s shoes as the titular gumshoe. The versatile and talented actor created a new Regan – less hard-boiled and cynical. Joining Graham in the new series was Frank Nelson – frequent radio nemesis of Jack Benny – as Anthony J. Lyon, Regan’s penny-pincher of a boss. It was a union of two of radio’s most talented performers and a combination unlike any other detective duo. We’ll hear them in “The Little Man’s Lament,” originally aired on CBS on November 11, 1949.

Big screen cowboy star Joel McCrea came to radio in Tales of the Texas Rangers, a series of modern-day Western crime dramas adapted from the case files of the legendary lawmen. The Rangers used a combination of traditional methods and twentieth century police work to catch Texas’ most wanted. We’ll hear McCrea as Ranger Jayce Pearson in “The Trigger Men” (originally aired on NBC on July 29, 1950) and “Death in the Cards” (originally aired on NBC on January 14, 1951).

Dick Powell retired his image as a boyish crooner with his acclaimed portrayal of Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet. The big screen adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Farewell, My Lovely was and is a critically acclaimed hit – thanks in no small part to Powell’s performance. Murder, My Sweet recast Powell as a cinematic tough guy and it paved the way for future gumshoe roles on screen and radio. We’ll hear Dick Powell recreate the film, along with Mary Astor and Mike Mazurki, in Hollywood Star Time (originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1946).

Take a trip to Cairo and the Cafe Tambourine run by Rocky Jordan. The American expatriate finds himself playing amateur sleuth in a world of killers, thieves, black marketeers, and spies. Jack Moyles is Rocky - a hero equal parts Rick Blaine and Sam Spade - with Jay Novello as Captain Sam Sabayya of the Cairo police. There's danger and intrigue around every turn in "The Man in the Morgue" (originally aired on CBS on November 21, 1948) and "The Strange Death of Van Dorn" (originally aired on November 13, 1949).

Turn down the lights and enjoy the annual "Down These Mean Streets" Halloween special. Just in time for trick or treating, enjoy a chiller from Suspense - "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Orson Welles stars in "Donovan's Brain," a two-part story originally aired on CBS on May 18 and May 25, 1944.

In October 1930, Sherlock Holmes began his long career as a radio sleuth. In honor of the great detective's anniversary on the airwaves, we'll hear two of his adventures with John Stanley as Holmes and Alfred Shirley as Dr. John Watson. The game's afoot in "The Case of the Well-Staged Murder" (originally aired on Mutual on November 16, 1947) and "Death is a Golden Arrow" (originally aired on Mutual on March 21, 1948).

Enterprising ex-GI George Valentine embarked on a career as a troubleshooter for hire with a newspaper ad offering his services for any job - no matter how dangerous. From 1946 to 1954, clients in trouble decided to Let George Do It. Bob Bailey stars as George, with Frances Robinson as his girl Friday Brooksie, in "Death in Fancy Dress" (originally aired on Mutual on December 27, 1948) and "The Motif is Murder" (originally aired on March 14, 1949).

A lawyer turned wartime spy turned post-war private eye, Frank Race traveled the world on investigations risking his life and limb for adventure. In a syndicated series, Race and his sidekick Mark Donovan foiled domestic and foreign evildoers in their travels as Race used his OSS training to stay a few moves ahead of his enemies. Specializing in insurance and fraud investigations, Race was in demand as an investigator - and frequently in danger from his investigations. Paul Dubov stars in The Adventures of Frank Race and the syndicated story "The Adventure of the Gold Worshiper."

Frank Sinatra is on the job as Rocky Fortune. Footloose, fancy-free, and frequently unemployed Rocky bounces from job to job but he finds danger wherever he punches a clock. Old Blue Eyes brings his signature charm and swagger to the role in this single-season radio mystery series. We'll hear him in "A Hepcat Kills the Canary" (originally aired on NBC on November 17, 1953) and in "Murder Among the Statues" (originally aired on NBC on December 1, 1953).

Radio's crusading prosecutor Mr. District Attorney fought crime on the air for over a decade. The upstanding public servant went after killers, con men, thieves, and enemy agents with equal passion and zeal for the law. We'll hear a pair of his radio adventures: Jay Jostyn stars in "The Case of the Sinister Cinema," originally aired on NBC on May 5, 1948. Then, David Brian stars in the syndicated episode "The Case of the Missing Corpse."

One of radio's most in-demand performers, Larry Dobkin could play smart alecky private eyes, stuffy snobs, and grizzled cowboys with equal aplomb. A talented actor, writer, and director, Dobkin's show business career lasted into the twenty-first century. We'll salute him this week with two of his performances as radio detectives. First he's Ellery Queen in "The Adventure of the Armchair Detective" (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1946). Then he's Archie Goodwin - opposite Sydney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe - in "The Case of the Bashful Body" (originally aired on NBC on December 29, 1950).

The Mollé Mystery Theatre presented adaptations of classic mystery stories as well as original thrillers in one of radio's best mystery anthologies. Sponsored by the "smooth smooth slick slick shave you get" with Mollé brushless shaving cream, Bernard Lenrow is on hand as cultured criminologist Geoffrey Barnes, your host and narrator through the world of murder and mayhem. We'll hear "Red Wine," adapted for the Theatre and originally aired on NBC on March 8, 1946.