Radio Detective Story Hour

This week concludes my focus on John Dickson Carr. A look at a radio play based upon his Colonel March detective stories (written under the pseudonym Carter Dickson) without, unfortunately, the Colonel. "Five Canaries in a Room" starring Ona Munson (right) is based upon his Colonel March short story "The Crime in Nobody's Room." This version has been Americanized and was written by Carr himself but without Colonel March. Instead we have an Inspector Braddock.

This week, a look at the detective Dr. Gideon Fell created by mystery writer John Dickson Carr. Carr was an American who spent much of his life in England writing "locked room" mysteries and crime involving his several detectives. Dr. Gideon Fell was one his most popular. We'll also look at the writing of John Dickson Carr and listen to a partial episode of his famous detective on Suspense plus a complete episode with the detective written out, but other characters serving up the detection! Music under is Oscar Peterson and a "Waltz for Debby".

This week I bring to a close the look at the influence of Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade on radio detectives. You'll hear a rarer heard Adventures of Sam Spade from the first season ABC Radio network run in 1946. This series also starred Howard Duff (right) and is the only existing audio copy known from that season. These were generally superior versions thanks to the writing talent of Bob Tallman and Jo Eisinger and though no copies exist, eight of Hammett's actual works are adapted into stories from Hammett's own publication also called The Adventures of Sam Spade. Music under is from the

A look at a sort of a six degrees of separation around Dashiell HammettÃÂÃÂÂÃÂÂs Sam Spade and various radio programs which seemed directly or indirectly influenced by the hardboiled detective. By early 1949, Gil Doud and Bob Tallman left the Adventures of Sam Spade. Doud became the writer for a new radio detective series ÃÂÃÂÂÃÂÂ Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar starring Charles Russell. Doud created some radio scripts that bore distinct Sam Spade themes in the creation of his new radio detective character. Portions of the characterizations in this podcast radio play were almost a steal from HammettÃÂÃÂÂÃÂÂs Maltese Falcon.

A continued look at our twisted six degrees of separation as I look at radio detectives connected to Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade. This week a look at Hammett's own short story adapted for radio on Suspense. Stuart Erwin (right) plays a police lieutenant who like Hammett's Continental Op rises above the corruption of police authority to solve the crime. A well written play by the great mystery writer, John Dickson Carr.Music under is "Grover's Tune" by Excellent Adventure from the Podshow Music Network.

I return from my recent hiatus with a look over the next few weeks at radio detectives that have some connection to Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade. This podcast begins with a look at a story from writer and scripter Jo Eisinger, whose book The Walls Came Tumbling Down was adapted into a radio play for the radio series Suspense. Listen to the podcast to find out what the connection is to Sam Spade! This episode starred a young and upcoming Keenan Wynn (right). Music under is by Oscar Peterson.

100th podcast of this series! A special double-header focusing on the writing, the darkness and the pulse of two of the better radio series with crime detection themes. Night Beat with its gravel-voiced character played by Frank Lovejoy (right) and its use of darkness through the writing and images and Broadway Is My Beat with its haiku-style narration, dark jazzy undertones and layered sound effects both combine to create a sizzingly summertime and dark feel to the big city âbeat.â? This will be my last podcast for a few weeks as I take a break to recharge!

The reporter as investigator! This series was based upon real-life incidents in which a newspaper reporter played an important part in solving a crime. The reporter was presented with the Pall Mall Award at the end of the show. These reporters showed the best side of their investigative skills - something shared by the radio detectives featured in this podcast series. The only regular on the series was the announcer, Ernest Chappell (right).

A detective serial of the modern southwest. What Dragnet was to Los Angeles, this serial is to Texas. Starring Joel McCrea as Ranger Pearson, the series takes place in the thirties and focuses on the CSI style investigations of crimes as Pearson guides his men and himself through the maze of investigation of crime. Music under is Coyote Moon by Ben Tavera King.

This week a detective story that comes from within the genre of science fiction! Based upon a story by science fiction author Frank M. Robinson, this radio version from Dimension X is very much a hardboiled detective story, but with science-based concepts. Starring George Petrie (right) who could have played a very good Johnny Dollar. A hardboiled detective story but with time travel implications!

Something a bit different in radio detectives. The Adventures of Leonidas Witherall was a WOR Mutual amateur radio detective in 1944. He is the headmaster of a New England school and an expert on William Shakespeare. These episodes were a bit lighter in tone than many of the detectives but probably in keeping with other detectives at this period on radio. Star of the series was distinguished stage actor, Walter Hampden (right).

This week parts 2 & 3 of our look at a somewhat different group of detectives. Adventures by Morse is about Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two detectives who are born more out of the pulp traditions than the hardboiled school. Carlton E. Morse (right) created these series of adventure-mysteries. You'll hear part two & three of three this week.

This week begins a two part look at a somewhat different group of detectives. Adventures by Morse is about Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two detectives who are born more out of the pulp traditions than the hardboiled school. Carlton E. Morse (right) created these series of adventure-mysteries. You'll hear part one of three this week and the final two parts next week.

A revisit to the hardboiled world of Dashiell Hammett (right) with a special broadcast of the Adventures of Sam Spade with Howard Duff in an hour long episode from the radio series Suspense. We'll look at the seamy world of Hammett, hear from producer William Spier and Howard Duff.

Charlie Chan was one of radio, film and televisions best known detectives. Earl Derr Biggers (right) fictional Honolulu detective has remained popular for many years. This week a look at all of the Chan versions on radio, plus two episodes from two of the series.

The final look at Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin as he appeared on radio. This week a look at the final Archie - Harry Bartell (right). Also a little discussion on the detective character as perceived by Stout and a brief clip of a Canadian run of the series.

Continuing with our look at the Archie Goodwin's from the radio Nero Wolfe series, this week, my favorite Archie actor - Gerald Mohr (right), formerly of the Adventures of Philip Marlowe radio show. Mohr had all the elements of a good Archie Goodwin as I think Rex Stout envisioned him.

The third of a four part look at the Archie Goodwin character and the actors who portrayed him on radio. We're now into the third series run of this radio detective - The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe. This run starred Sidney Greenstreet as the corpulent Wolfe. But the one year run of this series had no less than six actors portraying the detective's important sidekick - Archie Goodwin!This week, you'll hear four of the six through clips with the fourth appearing in a complete episode - Larry Dobkin (right) was one of the longer Archie Goodwin's during this run.

Part II of our continuing look at Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin portrayals on the Nero Wolfe radio series. This week, Elliott Lewis (right) steps into the role of Goodwin with Francis X. Bushman as Wolfe.  Lewis was one of radio's most versatile persons. He was an actor, both comedic as well as serious, producer, director and writer.  This week's episode is from The Amazing Nero Wolfe!

This week begins a multi-podcast look at Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin character as portrayed on radio. While the podcast will feature episodes from Nero Wolfe, the focus will be on the differences between the actors who portrayed Archie Goodwin on the series. This week's begins with veteran radio actor John Gibson who portrayed Archie while Santos Ortega portrayed Wolfe in the first run from the series in 1944.