Down These Mean Streets (old Time Radio Detectives)

When a medical emergency sidelined Herbert Marshall in May 1951, three of his friends and fellow actors stepped in to record three episodes of Marshall's radio espionage drama The Man Called X. Ken Thurston, the titular agent played by Marshall, was "on sick leave," but the forces of evil were fought by three top-notch talents in his absence. We'll hear Van Heflin in "A Man, a Girl, a Plot" (originally aired on NBC May 25, 1951); John Lund in "Stalin Plus Seven" (originally aired on NBC on June 1, 1951); and Joseph Cotten in "The Casbah" (originally aired on NBC on July 6, 1951). 

Three of radio's best gumshoes are on the case. First, Gerald Mohr stars as Philip Marlowe in "The Panama Hat" (originally aired on CBS on October 10, 1948). Then, Howard Duff is Sam Spade in "The Overjord Caper" (originally aired on CBS on June 5, 1949). Finally, we'll hear Dick Powell in "The Misplaced Laundry Case" from Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on NBC on September 6, 1950).

In a belated celebration of Batman Day, we're heading to Metropolis for an old time radio adventure of Superman featuring Batman and Robin! The Dynamic Duo is on hand to help the Man of Steel when Lois Lane is framed for murder in "Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang" (originally aired on Mutual between September 4 and September 21, 1945).

Oscar-winner Edmond O'Brien headlines three old time radio mysteries, including a pair of audition recordings as investigative reporters. First, he's "the man with the action-packed expense account" in "The David Rocky Matter" (originally aired on CBS on January 20, 1951). Then, he plays reporter Hank Mitchell in the audition for Night Beat - recorded before Frank Lovejoy won the renamed role of Randy Stone (recorded May 19, 1949). Finally, O'Brien stars as a real Los Angeles reporter who helps to bring down a counterfeiting ring in the audition for The Fourth Estate (recorded June 26, 1946).

Alan Ladd broke out on screen with his performance as a professional killer in This Gun for Hire. He'd go on to find success on screen in noir dramas and westerns and on radio as mystery writer turned amateur sleuth Dan Holiday in Box 13. We'll hear a Lux Radio Theatre recreation of This Gun for Hire (originally aired on CBS on January 25, 1943). Plus, Dan Holiday takes a sea voyage with a killer in "One of These Four" from Box 13.

We're celebrating some of the women detectives of the radio era, including stories inspired by the life and work of a trailblazing woman detective in the New York Police Department. First, Murder Clinic presents an adventure of Madame Rosika Story, the brave, brilliant, and beautiful psychologist and private eye created by Hulbert Footner. We'll hear "The Scrap of Lace" (originally aired on Mutual on September 22, 1942). Then, Policewoman dramatizes the life of Mary Sullivan, the first woman homicide detective in the NYPD. We'll hear "The Case of the Scheming Bridegroom" (originally aired on ABC on June 29, 1947). Finally, Gloria Blondell stars as Holiday Wilde in the audition show for the adventures of a young woman on an international search for her missing father. From 1947, we'll hear "Mr. Fortune and The Court Of Shanghai."

Frederick Ziv was one of the biggest producers of syndicated radio and TV shows in the 1940s and 50s. His programs boasted big name stars, established properties, and great production values, and his companies raked in millions of dollars each year from sales of shows directly to small sponsors and local markets. We'll hear four of his old time radio mystery shows: "The Harry Walker Killing," starring Richard Kollmar as Boston Blackie; Jackson Beck as Philo Vance in "The Poetic Murder Case;" I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews in "No Second Chance;" and Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in "The Blue Moon," a tale of tropical adventure from Bold Venture.

Not all old time radio crimefighters carried badges - or even private eye licenses. Some wore masks in their crusade against evil, and this week we'll hear three of those heroes who waged their wars on crime in disguise. First, The Green Hornet tracks down a gang of swindlers in "Classified Ad" (originally aired on ABC on March 30, 1946). Then, Frank Lovejoy stars as The Blue Beetle in the comic book hero's syndicated adventure "Blasting the Dynamite Ring." Finally, we meet the beautiful Lady in Blue, a wealthy socialite who dons a costume to fight crime in her customized car. Hmm...that sounds familiar. We'll hear the two surviving episodes of her syndicated series.

Before he was writing episodes of Perry Mason, Columbo, and Murder, She Wrote, Emmy-nominee Jackson Gillis got his start in radio. Gillis penned mysteries for several old time radio sleuths, and we'll hear three of them. First, Jack Webb stars in "The Lady With Too Much Hair" from Jeff Regan, Investigator (originally aired on CBS on November 6, 1948). Then, it's adventure in Egypt with Rocky Jordan in "Passport for Vivi" (originally aired on CBS on March 20, 1949). Finally, we'll hear "Run Until Dead" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on November 14, 1949).

The ninth season of "Down These Mean Streets" kicks off with Bob Bailey as Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "the man with the action-packed expense account" in a five-part old time radio mystery. Johnny enters the world of spiritualists and seances in "The Matter of the Medium, Well Done" (originally aired on CBS between May 14 and May 18, 1956).

Dragnet was an immensely popular radio, and later TV, series that entertained millions of Americans each week for over a decade. It was also strictly overseen by LAPD Chief William H. Parker, who made sure the show painted his department in the best light and glossed over its abuses of power. In the wake of calls for police reform and the systemic racism in law enforcement, it can be tough to separate the procedural storytelling elements from its role as propaganda, but we'll try as we listen to three episodes: "The Big Evans" (originally aired on NBC on March 6, 1952); "The Big Bobo" (originally aired on NBC on July 19, 1955); and "The Big Ruling" (originally aired on NBC on September 6, 1955).

William Gargan couldn't cut it as a private detective in real life, but he was terrific at playing a gumshoe on screen and on radio. We'll hear him in three old time radio mysteries. First, he's ex-sailor turned private eye Ross Dolan in I Deal in Crime in "The William A. Davis Case" (originally aired on ABC on April 5, 1946). Then, he's homicide Inspector Burke in the hybrid murder mystery-quiz show Murder Will Out. Four members of the studio audience try to solve "The Case of the Swindled Songwriters" (originally aired on ABC on May 7, 1946).  Finally, Gargan stars as Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator in "The Deadly Fight" (originally aired on NBC on January 23, 1952).

Make some popcorn for a double feature with two classic film noir dramas recreated for radio. First, Robert Ryan, Robert Mitchum, and Robert Young reprise their roles from Crossfire - a murder mystery that shines a spotlight on the horror of anti-Semitism recreated for Suspense (originally aired on CBS on April 10, 1948). Then, John Garfield and Lana Turner recreate their smoldering chemistry in James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice, adapted for The Screen Guild Theatre (originally aired on CBS on June 16, 1947).

We're saluting the old time radio heroes of the fourth estate - reporters, editors, and photographers who solved the crimes they covered. We'll hear Staats Cotsworth as Casey, Crime Photographer in "Death in Lover's Lane" (originally aired on CBS on August 7, 1947). Then, the staff of the Illustrated Press hunts for a killer in "Death by Plan" from Big Town (originally aired on NBC on November 9, 1948). Frank Lovejoy is Randy Stone in Night Beat and "Wanna Buy a Story?" (originally aired on NBC on September 18, 1950). Finally, Dana Andrews stars in a radio adaptation of Call Northside 777 - the true story of a reporter fighting to clear a wrongfully convicted man - from Hollywood Sound Stage (originally aired on CBS on December 27, 1951).

Six armchair detectives accept the challenge of master of mystery Ellery Queen to solve a baffling mystery before he reveals the solution. Carleton Young and Sydney Smith star as the brilliant amateur sleuth in three old time radio mysteries that present challenges in deduction to the guests in the studio and to you listening at home! We'll hear "The Adventure of the Singing Rat" (originally aired on NBC on January 9, 1943); "The Adventure of the World Series Crime" (originally aired on NBC on September 30, 1943); and "The Scarecrow and the Snowman" (originally aired on NBC on January 20, 1944).

It's back to Baker Street for a belated birthday salute to Basil Rathbone, one of the great Sherlock Holmes stars of the big screen and the airwaves. We'll hear him, alongside Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson - in "The Notorious Canary Trainer" (originally aired on Mutual on April 23, 1945) and "The Case of the Out of Date Murder" (originally aired on Mutual on September 17, 1945). Then, he reunites with Bruce and joins Joan Fontaine in a Screen Guild Theatre production of Suspicion (originally aired on CBS on January 4, 1943).

Gerald Mohr's voice blasted like a .45 automatic when he starred as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in one of radio's best hard-boiled detective dramas. But the actor could also be heard as the glib gumshoe Archie Goodwin and an amorous French teacher on Our Miss Brooks. We'll hear Mohr in a pair of Marlowe mysteries: "The Heart of Gold" (originally aired on CBS on October 24, 1948) and "The White Carnation" (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1950). Plus, he's a murderer hiding out in his hometown in "Warm Reception" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on November 19, 1950).

We're throwing an early birthday party for the great Bob Bailey, a radio legend who starred in a pair of long-running detective dramas. We'll hear him as George Valentine in "The Four-Sided Triangle" (originally aired on Mutual on March 21, 1949) and "Out of Mind" (originally aired on Mutual on May 2, 1949) from Let George Do It. Then, he's Johnny Dollar - "the man with the action-packed expense account" - in "The Markham Matter" (originally aired on CBS on November 18, 1956) and "The Confederate Coinage Matter" (originally aired on CBS on July 28, 1957).

We're celebrating Vincent Price's birthday with three of his radio performances - shows that feature him as both sinner and Saint. First, he stars as Simon Templar in "Marvin Hickerson, Private Eye" (originally aired on NBC on December 3, 1950) and "Next of Kin" (originally aired on CBS on February 18, 1951). Then, he's a murderer haunted by his conscience in "Leona's Room" from The Philip Morris Playhouse (originally aired on CBS on February 25, 1949).

When Dashiell Hammett put pen to paper, he forever changed the genre of detective fiction. He created characters and stories that popularized the hard-boiled school, and those tales still entertain readers today. Hammett's works were adapted for successful films, television shows, and radio dramas. In this birthday salute to the author, we'll hear a pair of radio mysteries starring his master private detective Sam Spade: "The Quarter-Eagle Caper" starring Howard Duff (AFRS rebroadcast from November 28, 1948) and "The Shot in the Dark Caper" with Steve Dunne (originally aired on NBC on February 23, 1951). Plus, we'll hear a Suspense adaptation of Hammett's short story "Two Sharp Knives" (originally aired on CBS on December 22, 1942).