Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Radio sleuthing didn't get much sweeter than when Bob Bailey voiced Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Bailey starred as Dollar for five years, but he was never better than 1955 to 1956 when the series aired as a nightly fifteen-minute serial. In those five-part stories, Bailey gave listeners a detective who was tough, determined, funny, and who wore his heart on his sleeve. Combined with sharp direction and writing, this run of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar stands apart from other radio dramas. We'll hear Bob Bailey in the complete five-part story "The Lansing Fraud Matter," originally aired on CBS between December 12 and 16, 1955.

With his powerful voice, Gerald Mohr was equally effective as both hero and heel on radio. Listeners may know him best as Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled shamus Philip Marlowe, but Mohr logged nearly five hundred performances during the Golden Age of Radio playing everything from slapstick comedy to high adventure. We'll hear him as Archie Goodwin – opposite Sydney Greenstreet's Nero Wolfe – in "The Case of the Phantom Fingers" (originally aired on NBC on January 26, 1951). Then, Mohr is a mob boss with a secret in "Caesar's Wife" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on June 2, 1947). Finally, Mohr is Marlowe in "The Grim Hunters" (originally aired on CBS on March 12, 1949).

In honor of what would have been his 115th birthday, we tip our hat to Vincent Price, the legendary star of stage, screen, and television. Price was a polished radio performer in the years before he became best known as a big screen horror star. From 1947 to 1951, he starred as Simon Templar - "the Robin Hood of modern crime" - in The Saint. We'll celebrate this wonderful actor with one of his turns as Templar - "The Big Swindle" (originally aired on NBC on February 25, 1951). Then Vincent Price plays…Vincent Price in "The Price of Fame Matter," an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast of an adventure of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar – a story that finds Price partnering with Bob Bailey's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

For fifteen years on radio, America and her secrets were kept safe by David Harding – Counterspy. The espionage mystery drama starred Don McLaughlin as Harding, the chief of the counterspies and a man always ready to thwart a dastardly Axis plot or hunt down swindlers and hijackers. Aided by right-hand man Harry Peters (Mandel Kramer), Harding did battle with enemies foreign and domestic to keep the U.S. of A intact through World War II and the Cold War. We'll hear "The Case of the Bouncing Bank Robber" (originally aired on ABC on August 23, 1949).

For eight weeks in the summer of 1950, Somebody Knows dramatized unsolved murder cases with the goal of solving the crimes. A reward of five thousand dollars awaited any listener who had evidence that could lead to the capture and conviction of the killer. Hosted and directed by Jack Johnstone, Somebody Knows boasted a cast of veteran radio players in its dramatic true crime recreations. We'll hear "The Unsolved Murder of Elizabeth Short - The Black Dahlia," originally aired on CBS on August 24, 1950.

We celebrate the birthday of the legendary Orson Welles with his radio version of Agatha Christie's classic mystery The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Adapted for the dramatic anthology series The Campbell Playhouse, it stars Welles as both the story's narrator and as Christie's celebrated sleuth Hercule Poirot. This twisted tale brought to life by Orson Welles and a talented supporting cast originally aired on CBS on November 12, 1939.

Dick Powell is Richard Diamond, the only radio gumshoe who carries a tune along with his gun. The big screen star's talents are put to perfect use in the character of Diamond, a tough, glib ex-cop turned shamus in the Big Apple who is equally skilled with his wits and his fists and who always wraps up the caper with a song for his girlfriend. The combination of Powell's winning performance and scripts by Blake Edwards (the director behind The Pink Panther) make Diamond one of radio's very best detectives. We'll hear the private eye in "The Rene Bene Protection Case" (originally aired on NBC on October 22, 1949) and "The Statue of Kali" (originally aired on NBC on April 5, 1950).

For a dozen years on radio, Lon Clark starred as Nick Carter, Master Detective, the brilliant shamus who leapt from dime novels to pulp pages to the big screen and then to the airwaves. Aided by his girl Friday Patsy Bowen, Nick tackled cases that left the police scratching their heads in one of the longest-running detective dramas on the air. We'll hear Carter arrive in the "Nick" of time in "Dead Witnesses, or Nick Carter and the Case of the Murder Room," (originally aired on Mutual on February 26, 1944) and "The Case of the Unwritten Letter" (originally aired on Mutual on July 29, 1945).

Reformed thief turned private detective Michael Lanyard was known to friend and foe alike as "The Lone Wolf." The debonair rogue thrilled readers from his first appearance in 1914, and he was a mainstay on the big screen from the silent film era through the 1940s. He made his first radio appearance not in his own series but in an episode of "radio's outstanding theatre of thrills" – Suspense. Warren William recreated his big screen role as Lanyard, and he was joined by Eric Blore in his cinematic role of Lanyard's valet Jamison. The duo stars in "Murder Goes for a Swim," originally aired on CBS on July 20, 1943.

In between gigs as Pat Novak, For Hire, Jack Webb brought another waterfront private eye to radio with Johnny Madero, Pier 23. The shows were similar – a little too similar for the taste of ABC and their own Webb-free Novak series. But the tough hard-boiled atmosphere, the sharp writing, and the trademark Jack Webb underplayed performance make the short-lived Johnny Madero a worthy addition to the actor/producer's radio repertoire. We'll hear "Fatal Auction," originally aired on Mutual on June 26, 1947.

Follow reporter Randy Stone on his nightly sojourn through the streets of Chicago in Night Beat. Stone, voiced by Frank Lovejoy, covers the city after dark for his paper, and he makes his trek in search of stories for his columns. What he usually finds are desperate people and dangerous situations in one of radio's best dramas. We'll hear Randy Stone on the trail of a scoop in "Am I My Brother's Keeper" (originally aired on NBC on March 13, 1950) and "City at Your Fingertips" (originally aired on NBC on July 31, 1950).

Look – up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's a bonus episode of "Down These Mean Streets" starring Superman and Batman. We're marking the release of Batman v. Superman - Dawn of Justice with a complete adventure from radio's The Adventures of Superman. Journey back to a time when the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader fought evil instead of each other and enjoy the exciting conclusion of "Is There Another Superman?" – originally aired on Mutual from February 6 to February 14, 1946.

Before they met on the big screen or even in comics, Superman and Batman first joined forces on radio when the Caped Crusader visited The Adventures of Superman. To celebrate the release of their first cinematic team-up – Batman v Superman – Dawn of Justice, "Down These Mean Streets" presents the world's finest heroes in a serialized radio adventure – "Is There Another Superman?" Clayton Collyer is the Man of Steel, and Matt Crowley is the Dark Knight Detective, with Ronald Liss as Robin, the Boy Wonder. We'll hear Parts 1 – 6, originally aired on Mutual from January 29 to February 5, 1946.

Accused of a crime you didn't commit? If you were an innocent radio character, you wanted Martha Ellis Bryant - Defense Attorney - in your corner. Academy Award-winning actress Mercedes McCambridge stars as Marty Bryant – a lawyer and detective in the vein of Perry Mason – ready to stand before judge and jury to advocate for her clients. We'll hear one of her radio cases - "Client Mike Pelley" (originally aired on ABC on August 31, 1951).

Listen as the dedicated men and women of the Illustrated Press fight crime and corruption with the power of the press in Big Town. Edward Pawley is editor Steve Wilson and Fran Carlon is reporter Lorelei Kilbourne in one of radio's longest-running and most popular newspaper dramas. Steve and Lorelei make the news as often as they report it, putting their lives on the line to chase down leads and bring the guilty to justice. We'll hear them in "The Fatal Chain," originally aired on NBC on November 7, 1948.

Head back to the Great White Way and the crime behind the bright lights and buzz of the city in Broadway is My Beat. Detective Danny Clover walks "the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world" in two episodes of one of radio's finest police procedurals. First, Anthony Ross stars as Clover in "The Fixed Prize Fight Case" (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1949). Then, Larry Thor takes the lead in "The Georgia Gray Murder Case" (originally aired on CBS on April 28, 1951).

Just in time for the Academy Awards, "Down These Mean Streets" presents a bonus episode featuring a trio of Oscar-winning radio detectives. First, Frank Sinatra is Rocky Fortune in "Shipboard Jewel Robbery" (originally aired on NBC on October 20, 1953). Then, Van Heflin is Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in "Trouble is My Business" (originally aired on NBC on August 5, 1947). Finally, Rex Harrison stars in "Hidden Thoughts Of A Feminine Mind…Concerned With Murder" from The Private Files of Rex Saunders (originally aired on NBC on July 4, 1951).

Short, stout, and wielding only an umbrella, G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown may be the unlikeliest of detectives. The parish priest uses his insight into human nature - and his understanding of the evil side of that nature - to uncover the truth and bring the guilty to justice. Karl Swenson stars as the kindly and keen-minded Father Brown in "The Three Tools of Death," an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast of an episode originally aired on Mutual on July 22, 1945.

February 14th isn't only Valentine's Day. It's also the birthday of radio's most famous comedian, Jack Benny. The perpetually 39 year old Benny was born February 14, 1894. His landmark radio program was a popular hit for over two decades, and he remains one of the most influential comedians of the twentieth century. In honor of his birthday, we're celebrating the legendary funnyman with one of his dramatic turns at the microphone. We'll hear Benny going for drama instead of belly laughs in a mystery from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills - Suspense." Benny stars in "Murder in G Flat" (originally aired on CBS on April 5, 1951).

In 1960, CBS moved production of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar to New York. Longtime leading man Bob Bailey stayed behind, and the network tapped another Bob - Bob Readick - to fill the shoes of the man with the action-packed expense account. Readick, an actor since childhood, starred as Dollar from December 1960 to June 1961 as the show embarked on a new era on the East Coast. We'll hear Bob Readick as Johnny Dollar in "The Lone Wolf Matter," originally aired on May 21, 1961.

Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of Perry Mason, brings you A Life in Your Hands – a courtroom mystery drama that puts you in the middle of a murder trial. Follow Jonathan Kegg – neither prosecutor nor defense lawyer, but amicus curiae – an impartial observer dedicated to finding the truth. Kegg questions witnesses on both sides to ensure that the truth comes out and to see that justice is done. Carlton KaDell plays Kegg in "Judge Cook Shot," originally aired on NBC on August 29, 1950.

Leonidas Witherall runs a prestigious boys school, writes a popular detective series, and is a dead ringer for William Shakespeare. He's also an amateur detective who can't help stumbling into mystery and murder. From the pages of novels by Alice Tilton comes The Adventures of Leonidas Witherall, starring celebrated stage actor Walter Hampden as Witherall. Aided by his housekeeper Mrs. Mullet, Leonidas solves cases and gets double takes from theatre fans. We'll hear "The Corpse Meets a Deadline," originally aired on Mutual on April 22, 1945.

Craig Rice blended hard-boiled mystery and screwball comedy in the exploits of John J. Malone. The hard-drinking, rumpled criminal defense attorney played private eye to solve his cases in mysteries that were in a league of their own. The zanier elements of his character were toned down when he came to radio in The Amazing Mr. Malone, but listeners could still enjoy the adventures of a character quick with a quip and sharp-eyed enough to spot any clue. We'll hear Frank Lovejoy as Malone in "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness," originally aired on ABC on August 28, 1948.

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.

When mystery writer Dan Holiday faced writer's block, he turned to an unusual solution - a classified ad reading "Adventure wanted. Will go anyplace, do anything. Write Box 13." Alan Ladd starred as Holiday in this syndicated mystery drama that found Holiday up to his neck in trouble with each letter he opened. We'll hear him in "Look Pleasant, Please" and "Hunt and Peck."

When Londoners needed the help of Scotland Yard, they rang Whitehall 1212 and the hardworking coppers of the Yard were on the case. From 1951 to 1952, NBC presented a series of dramatizations of actual Scotland Yard cases starring British casts. We'll hear one of those mysteries - "The Case of the Late Mrs. Harvey," first aired on February 17, 1952.

In the fall of 1950, with Vincent Price waylaid in Paris, Barry Sullivan stepped into the shoes of Simon Templar for two episodes of The Saint. The big screen star ably wore the halo as the Robin Hood of modern crime. We'll hear him in "The Ghost that Giggled" (originally aired on NBC on September 10, 1950) and "Dossier on a Doggone Dog" (originally aired on September 17, 1950).

Foreign correspondent Bob O'Hara searches the streets of Hong Kong for stories, but he plays detective as often as he plays newshound. Stacy Harris is front and center for international intrigue and danger in O'Hara, a short-lived mystery and adventure drama about a hard-boiled sleuth who happened to carry a press card. We'll hear him in "The Lost Boy," originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1956.

In honor of Alfred Hitchcock's birthday, "Down These Mean Streets" presents a bonus episode saluting the big screen's auteur of thrills and chills. We'll hear an on-air recreation of Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, featuring Joseph Cotten in his big screen role. It originally aired on Academy Award on CBS on September 11, 1946.

Larry Thor stars as Detective Danny Clover as he walks "the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world" in Broadway is My Beat. We'll hear Clover keep the streets of New York safe in two old time radio mysteries. First, it's "The Suicide Pact Murders" (originally aired on CBS on August 21, 1950). Then, we'll hear "The Harry Foster Murder Case" (originally aired on CBS on May 5, 1951).

Before his death in 1951 at age 43, Wally Maher made a name for himself as a versatile, in-demand radio actor. Equally adept at comedy and drama, Maher could be heard in regular roles on shows all over the dial. We'll hear him as Sgt. Matt Grebb in "Eddie Gaynor Framed for Murder" from The Line-Up (originally aired on CBS on July 20, 1950) and as Michael Shayne, Private Detective in "Judge Thorman Shot" (originally aired on Mutual on January 14, 1947).