Down These Mean Streets (old Time Radio Detectives)

Sydney Greenstreet settles into the armchair of Nero Wolfe, Rex Stout's gargantuan gourmet and irascible (but brilliant) detective. Wolfe will tackle a case only when his bank account demands it, and even then he farms out the fact-finding to his leg man, Archie Goodwin. Greenstreet stars in two radio mysteries: "The Case of the Impolite Corpse," with Larry Dobkin as Goodwin (originally aired on NBC on December 8, 1950); and "The Case of the Party for Death," featuring Harry Bartell as Archie (originally aired on NBC on February 16, 1951).

Howard Duff was one of radio's brightest stars until the blacklist and "Red scare" paranoia derailed his career. Today, he's fondly remembered as the definitive voice of Sam Spade with the perfect blend of tough guy delivery and wry humor. We'll hear Duff as Spade in "The Death Bed Caper," originally aired on CBS on June 20, 1948. Then, he stars as Mike McCoy, a private eye cut from the Spade cloth in the 1951 audition program for The McCoy.

Just in time for the turkey, we've got Thanksgiving-themed adventures of two old time radio detectives. First, Jack Webb stars as Jeff Regan, Investigator in "The Pilgrim's Progress," first aired on CBS on November 20, 1948. Then, Bob Bailey headlines "Cause for Thanksgiving" from Let George Do It, originally aired on CBS on November 20, 1950.

In 1958, CBS launched a radio version of its hit western television series Have Gun - Will Travel. The radio program was one of the last great dramas of the Golden Age of Radio. John Dehner assumed the role of Paladin, the West Point-educated hired gun, a gunman for hire who would take on dangerous jobs for the right price. This blend of western adventure and private eye mystery was just as engaging as its television brother. We'll hear Paladin in "Strange Vendetta," originally aired on CBS on November 23, 1958.

Damon Runyon remains one of America’s unique storytellers. His tales of 1920s New York have a language and style all their own, and his colorful characters include gangsters, gamblers, and average guys down on their luck. Runyon’s distinct voice came to radio in The Damon Runyon Theater, a series produced by Alan Ladd. We’ll hear John Brown star in “What, No Butler?” from the syndicated series.

Dick Powell transformed his career with his dynamic performance as Philip Marlowe and he left his days as a baby-faced crooner behind. To celebrate his birthday, we’ll hear Powell in two of his performances as hard-boiled but glib gumshoes. First he stars as Richard Rogue in “Lady with a Gun” from Rogue’s Gallery, originally aired on NBC on June 30, 1946. Then, Powell plays Richard Diamond, Private Detective in “The Martha Campbell Kidnap Case,” originally aired on NBC on July 26, 1950.

As mystery writer Barton Drake describes it, Mystery is My Hobby. The novelist is tops at dreaming up murder plots, and he’s not bad at solving real life crimes, either. Along with Inspector Danton of the police, Drake uses his “book smarts” to catch killers. Glenn Langan stars as Drake in this series that originally aired on Mutual before it was repackaged for syndication. We’ll hear the syndicated episode “The John Crain Murder.”

Turn down the lights and enjoy a bonus episode just in time for Halloween. Two chilling stories from Suspense, “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills,” should help to get you in the trick-or-treating spirit. First, Orson Welles’ cross-country trip is hindered by “The Hitchhiker,” originally aired on CBS on September 2, 1942. Then, Ray Bradbury’s eerie story comes to radio life in “Zero Hour,” originally aired on April 5, 1955.

Big-screen tough guy Brian Donlevy stars as government agent Steve Mitchell in Dangerous Assignment. Mitchell is dispatched all around the world, and with each stamp of his passport he lands neck-deep in danger. This popular espionage adventure series aired for several years on radio and spawned a television series also starring Donlevy. We’ll hear “Find 100,000 Missing Barrels of Oil,” originally aired on NBC on May 17, 1950.

On October 20, 1930, Sherlock Holmes made his debut as a radio detective. In honor of his on-the-air anniversary, we'll hear the master sleuth (and his companion Dr. Watson) in two radio mysteries. John Stanley is Holmes and Alfred Shirley is Watson in "The Laughing Lemur of Hightower Heath" (originally aired on Mutual on October 26, 1947) and "The Case of the Sudden Senility" (originally aired on January 11, 1948).

Natalie Masters is back as San Francisco's loveliest private investigator, Candy Matson. One of radio's most famous girl detectives, Candy cracks cases with the best of them. She may flirt rather than fight with her foil on the police department, but Candy is just as sharp and quick with a quip as Spade or Marlowe. We'll hear her in "The Devil in the Deep Freeze" (first aired on NBC on September 30, 1949) and "NC9-8012" (first aired on December 27, 1949).

The police officers of the 21st Precinct keep their slice of New York City safe, and they're overseen in their jobs by Captain Frank Kennelly, "the boss." Everett Sloane stars as Kennelly in one of radio's last great police procedural dramas. Answer the call and ride along with the squad in "The Brother," originally aired on CBS on April 14, 1954.

Conceived as a replacement for Charlie Chan, John P. Marquand's Mr. Moto thrilled readers before jumping to the big screen in a popular series of movies starring Peter Lorre. The adventures of the Japanese secret agent came to radio in 1951 in Mr. I.A. Moto starring James Monks in new international exploits of the diminutive detective. We'll hear Mr. Moto tackle the mystery of "The Crooked Log," first broadcast on NBC on September 30, 1951.

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall bring their white-hot chemistry to radio in Bold Venture. Bogie and Bacall riff on their To Have and Have Not characters as Havana charter boat captain Slate Shannon and his young ward and sidekick “Sailor” Duval. Together, Slate and Sailor flirt, banter, and fight to stay out of trouble in the tropics. However, there’s usually a healthy dose of danger coming their way. We’ll hear two of their syndicated adventures: “We Want Cary Martin,” and “Slate Gets the Hook.”

Russian-born British actor Tom Conway thrilled audiences on screen as The Falcon, and his crime-solving career extended to radio as star of two popular radio detective series. In this episode, we'll hear him take center stage as Sherlock Holmes (with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson) in "The Strange Death of Mrs. Abernetty" (originally aired on ABC on November 30, 1946) and as The Saint in "Satan's Angels" (originally aired on July 8, 1951).

Edmond O'Brien is back, bringing his intensity to the action-packed expense account of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. As a birthday tribute to the Oscar winner, we present two episodes from his run as America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. First, it's "The London Matter" (originally aired on CBS on June 22, 1950), and then we'll hear "The Joan Sebastian Matter" (originally aired on October 28, 1950).

Mickey Spillane's hard-boiled private eye Mike Hammer dispensed justice with a blast or two from his .45 in some of the genre's hardest, most violent mysteries. Hammer's adventures sold millions of copies in print and thrilled and titillated audiences in films, on television, and - from 1952 to 1954 - on radio in That Hammer Guy. Larry Haines stars as Mike in "Sophisticated Lady," originally aired on Mutual on April 7, 1953.

It's back to the Big Apple for two more cases of Detective Danny Clover. Larry Thor stars as the sharp, philosophical detective in Broadway is My Beat, a stand-out from the crowd of radio cop dramas. Clover walks the Great White Way and mixes with the upper crust and the downtrodden in search of the truth in two mysteries: "The Garment District Murders" (originally aired on CBS on April 14, 1951) and "The Milkman Murders" (originally aired on CBS on February 16, 1952).

The debonair and daring Captain Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond steps out of the night and into one of his radio adventures. H.C. McNeile's adventurer and detective crossed the pond in mystery dramas in the United States following his warm reception in novels and on the big screen. Ned Wever stars as the Captain, on the case in "Death Loops the Loop," originally aired on Mutual on March 10, 1948.

To celebrate the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock, we present a bonus episode of "Down These Mean Streets" dedicated to the big screen master of suspense. We'll hear a radio recreation of his classic film Strangers On a Train. Ray Milland and Frank Lovejoy step into the lead parts of Guy Haines and Bruno Antony, with Ruth Roman and Patricia Hitchcock recreating their movie roles in this rehearsal for the December 3, 1951 broadcast from the Lux Radio Theatre.