Episode 627 - Mohr Bang for Your Buck (Philip Marlowe, The Whistler, & Suspense)
“Get this and get it straight!” We’re celebrating Gerald Mohr - the radio actor who brought a two-fisted intensity to Philip Marlowe - in honor of his birthday on June 11. He was one of the best stars of the era, and his performance makes The Adventures of Philip Marlowe one of the best detective dramas of the day. We’ll hear Mohr as Marlowe in “The Easy Mark” (originally aired on CBS on January 29, 1949) and “The Long Arm” (originally aired on CBS on February 7, 1950). Then, he’s a less scrupulous character in “Lady with a Key” from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on April 2, 1950). Finally, he co-stars with Jack Benny in “A Good and Faithful Servant,” a story of a $50,000 department store heist and the mild-mannered clerk who pulls it off, from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on June 2, 1952).
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2:06:12
BONUS - Dollar Days: The Alvin Summers Matter
Our bonus series spotlighting the serialized adventures of Johnny Dollar continues! In “The Alvin Summers Matter” (originally aired on CBS between October 24 and 28, 1955), the man with the action-packed expense account is in Mexico to track down an embezzler who fled the United States with his loot. But Johnny isn’t there long before he’s pistol whipped and discovers a corpse in his hotel room. Bob Bailey stars as Dollar in this story set south of the border.
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1:13:49
Episode 626 - Murder on the Air (Ellery Queen, Box 13, The Whistler, & Sam Spade)
Tune in for danger with a collection of radio mysteries that involve the medium of radio itself! Master sleuth Ellery Queen has to solve a murder that takes place in his own studio - right in the middle of his show - in “The Armchair Detective” (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1946). Then, Dan Holiday is hired by a radio actress who fears for her life in “Actor’s Alibi,” a syndicated episode of Box 13. A radio announcer plots his wife’s murder and cooks up a perfect on-air alibi in “Brief Pause for Murder” from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on September 11, 1949). And finally, Sam Spade finds that a radio drama leads to real-life murder in “The Soap Opera Caper” (originally aired on NBC on February 16, 1951).
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2:06:18
Episode 625 - Clothes-Minded (Let George Do It, Philo Vance, Richard Diamond, The Saint, & Johnny Dollar)
They say clothes make the man, but they also make mysteries for this week’s roster of radio detectives. George Valentine hunts a killer where the only clue is his distinctive attire in “Death Wears a Gay Sport Jacket” from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on October 18, 1948) and Philo Vance probes the murder of a dress shop owner in the syndicated episode “The Herringbone Murder Case.” Richard Diamond tries to find out why someone keeps stealing blue serge suits (originally aired on ABC on February 9, 1951), and The Saint discovers a bullet hole in the back of his brand-new suit in “Formula for Death” (originally aired on ABC on March 25, 1951). Finally, John Lund stars as Johnny Dollar in “The Rochester Theft Matter,” where a girl is gunned down while wearing a stolen fur coat (originally aired on CBS on May 12, 1953).
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2:33:15
Episode 624 - It’s a Dog’s Life (Boston Blackie, Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe, The Saint, & Barrie Craig)
Our dogged detectives sniff for clues in five canine-related old time radio mysteries. First, the owner of the best in show pooches is killed at a dog show in a syndicated adventure of Boston Blackie, and a dog “tells” Sherlock Holmes who murdered his owner in “The Case of the Dog Who Changed His Mind” (originally aired on Mutual on September 28, 1947). Philip Marlowe is on the trail of a dog - though this one is made out of jade - in “The Orange Dog” (originally aired on CBS on January 22, 1949). Barry Sullivan plays The Saint in “Dossier on a Doggone Dog,” a story of a lost dog and stolen jewels (originally aired on NBC on September 24, 1950), and Barrie Craig is hired to walk a dog, only to discover the dog’s owner knocked unconscious in “Beware the Walking Dog” (originally aired on NBC on May 3, 1953).
About Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)
Presenting the best detectives from the Golden Age of Radio. Each week, we'll bring you an episode starring one of Old Time Radio's greatest detectives and the story behind the show. Join us for adventures of Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Johnny Dollar, and many more.
Listen to Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives), Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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