Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Before they starred (or sometimes while they were starring) in their own radio detective shows, some actors made guest appearances on other mystery programs. Today we'll hear four of them in the supporting cast instead of the lead role. Before Dragnet, Jack Webb joins a scavenger hunt with Alan Ladd in "The Better Man" from Box 13; Charles Russell takes a break from his work as Johnny Dollar for an appearance in "The Million Dollar Chopsticks" from The Green Lama (originally aired on CBS on June 26, 1949); Gerald Mohr hangs up his Philip Marlowe hat in "The Mike Burton Case" from Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on NBC on July 5, 1950); and two detectives - Larry Thor of Broadway is My Beat and Stacy Harris of This is Your FBI - co-star with Bob Bailey in "The Big Scoop Matter" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (originally aired on CBS on November 11, 1956).

On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr went on the air as Raymond Chandler's private eye in The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. His debut adventure was an adaptation of Chandler's short story "Red Wind." Coincidentally, "Red Wind" was also adapted as the first episode of the 1947 series of Philip Marlowe mysteries starring Van Heflin. It's the only story to air with both Heflin and Mohr starring as Marlowe, and we'll compare their performances with both episodes. Plus, we'll hear Marlowe meet Marlowe as Gerald Mohr guest stars opposite Van Heflin in "The King in Yellow" (originally aired on CBS on July 8, 1947).

With a slight delay, we wrap up our celebration of Batman Day with the concluding chapters of "The Secret of Meteor Island." This Superman radio adventure brought in Batman and Robin to help the Man of Steel hunt for a smuggler whose cargo of radioactive diamonds is wreaking havoc on Metropolis. We'll hear the final installments, originally aired on Mutual between June 24 and July 6, 1948.

Holy team-up! To celebrate Batman Day, here's a radio adventure that unites the Caped Crusader and Robin, the Boy Wonder, with Superman. We'll hear the heroes join forces in the first eight chapters of "The Secret of Meteor Island" (originally aired on Mutual between June 14 and June 23, 1948). Stay tuned later this week for the final chapters of this thrilling super story!

As a new school year gets underway, we head to Yale for the exploits of star athlete and adventurer Frank Merriwell. The all-American hero first appeared in pulp novels and later came to radio and the big screen with stories of derring-do on and off the field. We'll hear some of his adventures with Lawson Zerbe starring as Frank: "The Clue of the Numbers" (originally aired on NBC on October 19, 1946); "The Stolen Masterpiece" (originally aired on NBC on June 5, 1948); "The Unwelcome Rescue" (originally aired on NBC on July 3, 1948); and "The Live Ghost" (originally aired on NBC on September 11, 1948).

Our series of radio detectives played by multiple actors takes us today to Baker Street and four men who donned the deerstalker cap of Sherlock Holmes. First, Basil Rathbone is the great detective in "The Tankerville Club" (originally aired on Mutual on April 22, 1946). Next, Tom Conway steps in as Holmes in "The Adventure of the Horseless Carriage" (originally aired on ABC on February 24, 1947). Then, John Stanley stars in "The Adventure of Lady Waverly's Imitation Pearls" (originally aired on Mutual on April 4, 1948). Finally, John Gielgud is Sherlock in the syndicated episode "The Speckled Band."

This week, we collect ten a day and expenses with the Lyon's Eye(s) and the three actors who played Jeff Regan, Investigator. The gumshoe was first played by Jack Webb in a style not dissimilar from Pat Novak For Hire and he was succeeded in the role by Frank Graham with some pinch hitting by Paul Dubov. We'll hear all three play the role of Regan in "The Too Many Mrs. Rogers" (originally aired on CBS on October 9, 1948); "The Barefoot Boy With Shoes Gone" (AFRS rebroadcast from January 25, 1950); and "The Man Behind the Rod" (AFRS rebroadcast from April 12, 1950).

In this bonus episode, we salute the late Peggy Webber, who passed away on August 15th at the age of 100. One of the radio era's most versatile performers, she wrote, directed, and acted in thousands of episodes. She sometimes played multiple parts in a single episode, and we'll hear an example of that talent as we enjoy some of her radio performances. First, she's a woman in need of help from Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in "The Adventure of the Tolling Bell" (originally aired on ABC on April 7, 1947). Then, she's both a woman who asks The Saint to find her missing brother and a landlady who loves a bribe in "No Hiding Place" (originally aired on NBC on November 19, 1950). Finally, we'll hear her in one of her well-known recurring roles as Joe Friday's mother in "The Big Speech" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on April 19, 1951).

Note: Some dental surgery prevented recording a new episode, so enjoy this encore from 2025 featuring several different actors starring as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe! Many actors have brought Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe to life. Humphrey Bogart, Elliot Gould, Danny Glover, and Liam Neeson are just a few of the men to portray the legendary private eye on the big and small screens, but today we'll hear four actors who played Marlowe on radio. First, Van Heflin is Marlowe in a radio adaptation of Chandler's "Red Wind" (originally aired on NBC on June 17, 1947). Next, Robert Montgomery reprises the role of Marlowe as The Lux Radio Theatre adapts "Lady in the Lake" (originally aired on CBS on February 9, 1948). Dick Powell steps back into the gumshoe's shoes in a Hollywood Star Time presentation of "Murder, My Sweet" (originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1946). Finally, Gerald Mohr proves "crime is a sucker's road" in "The Uneasy Head" (originally aired on CBS on June 6, 1950).

We kick off a new podcast season (our 14th!) and begin a new month-long series spotlighting detectives who were played by multiple actors on the air. Up first is Michael Shayne, Brett Halliday's private eye who might as well have been different characters in his various incarnations. He was first played by Wally Maher as a clever, wisecracking gumshoe with a lovely secretary, but when Jeff Chandler took over the role, Shayne became ultra-hard boiled - a two-fisted, down on his heels detective who caught bruises and bullets over the course of a half hour. We'll hear Messers Maher and Chandler, as well as Vinton Hayworth star as Michael Shayne in three radio mysteries: Maher in an episode known as "Mr. Dixon's Life is in Danger" (originally aired on Mutual on September 17, 1945); Chandler in the syndicated show "The Case of the Bloodstained Pearls;" and Hayworth in "The Case of the Queen of Narcotics" (originally aired on ABC on April 3, 1953).

Bad guys left some clues in San Francisco, and our collection of local sleuths won't let the crooks get away with their crimes. We wrap up our month of cross-country travel with heroes from the city by the bay. First, we'll hear "The Murder of Gregory Hood" from The Casebook of Gregory Hood (originally aired on Mutual on June 17, 1946) and Natalie Masters as Candy Matson in "The Cable Car Murder Case" (originally aired on NBC on July 7, 1949). Next, Jack Webb is on the waterfront beat in "George Lampson" from Pat Novak For Hire (originally aired on ABC on June 11, 1949). Howard Duff stars as Sam Spade in "The Prodigal Daughter Case" (originally aired on CBS on August 28, 1949). And finally, the cops of The Line-Up tackle "The Big Boy's Brutish Back-Bending Case" (AFRS rebroadcast from April 29, 1952).

Our travels across the country continue with two of the signature sleuths of the City of Angels: private eye Philip Marlowe and Sgt. Joe Friday of the LAPD. We'll hear Gerald Mohr as Marlowe in "The Ebony Link" (originally aired on CBS on May 10, 1951) and "The Hiding Place" (originally aired on CBS on May 9, 1950). Then, Jack Webb stars in "The Big Drills" (originally aired on NBC on May 10, 1951) and "The Big Jules" (originally aired on NBC on June 19, 1952) from Dragnet.

Our final installment in our Super Summer bonus series is super-sized with the last seven chapters of this epic Superman adventure! Will Superman recover his memory? Will "Big" George Latimer get his revenge on the Man of Steel? And how will Clark Kent explain his mysterious absence from the newsroom? Find out in the concluding installments of "Superman vs. Kryptonite," originally aired on Mutual between June 18 and June 27, 1947.

We're visiting some of the world's biggest and busiest cities this summer, and while we're in town we'll rub elbows with some of their resident sleuths. Our series kicks off with the Big Apple and three radio mysteries set on the streets of New York. Dick Powell suspects there's more to the story of a Central Park hit and run case in Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on NBC on August 29, 1949); Danny Clover investigates "The Joan Fuller Murder Case" from Broadway is My Beat (originally aired on CBS on November 17, 1950); and as Captain Kennelly, Everett Sloane looks into an alleged case of self defense in 21st Precinct (originally aired on CBS on July 17, 1954).

As "Bud Smith," the amnesiac Superman is a home run-crushing, strike-out hurling baseball phenom! But "Big" George Latimer still hunts for the missing Man of Steel and the crew at the Daily Planet is looking for Clark Kent. This epic adventure continues with the next five chapters, originally aired on Mutual between June 11 and June 17, 1947.

Happy 4th of July and a happy 250th birthday to the USA! In honor of this momentous occasion, I'm sharing an encore presentation of four American history mysteries. Henry Fonda recreates his role of Young Mr. Lincoln in a radio version of the classic film on Academy Award (originally aired on CBS on July 10, 1946). Honest Abe is a lawyer who must clear his wrongfully accused clients of murder. Lee Bowman plays Allan Pinkterton, one of America's most celebrated detectives, as he investigates a case of robbery and murder in "The Pinkerton Man" from The Cavalcade of America (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1946). A recently released convict falls in with a gang that forges correspondence from historical figures in "Letters from Aaron Burr" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on November 20, 1949). And "the man with the action-packed expense account" hunts for a stolen original copy of the Gettysburg Address. Bob Bailey stars as Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in "The Meek Memorial Matter" (AFRS…

As our epic adventure continues, Superman escaped from "Big" George Latimer, but his exposure to the kryptonite robbed him of his memory. Soon he trades his trademark cape and costume for a baseball uniform as a pitcher with an unbelievable arm in the next five chapters of the story that originally aired on Mutual between June 4 and June 10, 1947.

We wrap up our month of actors who played multiple detectives on the air with Bob Bailey. Bailey played wisecracking gumshoe George Valentine on Let George Do It before he stepped in as Johnny Dollar and made the role of "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator" his own. We'll hear him as George in "Come and Get Me" (originally aired on Mutual on May 16, 1949) and "The Silent Waterfall" (originally aired on Mutual on January 9, 1950). Then, he's Johnny Dollar in the five part mystery "The Shady Lane Matter" (originally aired on CBS between July 9 and July 13, 1956).

The stakes are higher than ever for Superman as this epic adventure continues! "Big" George Latimer may have figured out how to use the Kryptonite to wipe out Superman once and for all, as Batman and Robin continue their desperate search for the Man of Steel. We'll hear every exciting minute in these five chapters that aired on Mutual between May 28 and June 3, 1947.

We continue our look at actors who played multiple gumshoes on the air with Gerald Mohr - who, for my money, gave us the definitive portrayal of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe. But Mr. Mohr wasn't only Mr. Marlowe on the air. He also put in a four-episode stint as Archie Goodwin to Sydney Greenstreet's Nero Wolfe. We'll hear Mohr as Marlowe in three radio mysteries: "The Hard Way Out" (originally aired on CBS on November 28, 1948); "The Feminine Touch" (originally aired on CBS on May 7, 1949); and "The Dark Tunnel" (originally aired on CBS on August 18, 1950). Then he's Archie Goodwin in "The Case of the Phantom Fingers" (originally aired on NBC on January 26, 1951). Finally, we'll hear his audition as "the man with the action-packed expense account" - Johnny Dollar.

Our bonus series starring the Man of Steel continues with the next five chapters of the epic adventure "Superman vs. Kryptonite." The dynamic duo Batman and Robin step in to help their super friend, who is threatened by corrupt political boss "Big" George Latimer in these exciting installments that aired on Mutual between May 21 and May 27, 1947.

Our salute to actors who played multiple radio detectives continues with Dick Powell, who transformed himself from a comedic crooner to a hard-boiled hero on the big screen. We'll hear him as two private Dicks - Richard Rogue from Rogue's Gallery and as Richard Diamond, Private Detective. He's Rogue in "The Triangle Murder Case" (originally aired on Mutual on February 21, 1946) and "The Corpse I Didn't Kill" (originally aired on Mutual on June 13, 1946). Then he's Diamond in episodes known as "The Mary Bellman Case" (originally aired on NBC on June 28, 1950) and "The Mike Burton Case" (originally aired on NBC on July 5, 1950) . Plus, we'll hear him as a third radio sleuth in the 1948 audition recording for Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Supergirl flies back to the big screen this summer (with a cameo from her cousin from Metropolis), and to celebrate we present an epic radio adventure of the Man of Steel. From the spring and summer of 1947, it's "Superman vs. Kryptonite," a story that begins when an old enemy of Superman's comes into possession of the hero's Achilles heel. We'll hear the first five parts of the story - episodes that originally aired on Mutual between May 14 and May 20, 1947.

For June, we're spotlighting stars who played multiple detectives on the air and our first leading man is Tom Conway. In 1946, he took over the deerstalker cap from Basil Rathbone on The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and in 1951, he donned Simon Templar's halo as Vincent Price's replacement on The Saint. We'll hear Conway as Holmes - with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson - in "The Darlington Substitution" (originally aired on ABC on January 4, 1947) and "The Adventure of the Scarlet Worm" (originally aired on ABC on March 24, 1947). Then, he's the Saint in "The Children's Crusade" (originally aired on NBC on May 27, 1951) and "No, My Darling Daughter" (originally aired on NBC on July 15, 1951).

Our month-long spotlight series on mystery writers concludes with John Dickson Carr, master of the locked room mystery who was recently referenced in Wake Up Dead Man. We'll hear some thrillers penned by Carr for Suspense as well as episodes of his own mystery anthology series Cabin B-13. From Suspense, it's "The Burning Court" (originally aired on CBS on June 17, 1942) and the first half of "The Hangman Won't Wait," starring Sydney Greenstreet as Carr's amateur sleuth Dr. Gideon Fell (originally aired on CBS on March 30, 1943). And from Cabin B-13, we'll hear "The Bride Vanishes" (originally aired on CBS on December 12, 1948).

For this month's bonus episode, we're back on Baker Street for my five favorite radio adaptations of Sherlock Holmes adventures penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star in "The Speckled Band" (originally aired on Mutual on November 12, 1945), and Bruce and Tom Conway star in "The Adventure of the Dying Detective" (originally aired on ABC on February 3, 1947). Then, John Stanley and Alfred Shirley are Holmes and Watson in "The Red Headed League" and "The Sussex Vampire" (originally aired on October 12 and December 14, 1947). Finally, John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson take center stage in a British radio production of "A Scandal in Bohemia."

Our spotlight mystery writer of the week is Dorothy L. Sayers, the English writer, poet, and essayist whose work evolved and advanced the detective genre with characterization and humor. She's best known for the adventures of aristocrat and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, and we'll hear one of his exploits adapted for Suspense - "The Cave of Ali Baba" (originally aired on CBS on August 19, 1942). We'll also hear three more of Ms. Sayers' stories adapted for "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" - "The Fountain Plays" (originally aired on CBS on August 10, 1943); "Suspicion" (originally aired on CBS on February 10, 1944); and "The Man Who Knew How" (originally aired on CBS on August 10, 1944).

Our month-long salute to mystery writing legends continues with the queen of crime herself - Agatha Christie. She wrote over sixty novels, dozens of short stories, and created two of the genre's most beloved sleuths - Hercule Poirot, the fastidious and brilliant Belgian detective, and Miss Marple, the kindly amateur investigator. We'll hear four of Dame Agatha's tales recreated for radio: "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" with Orson Welles as Poirot from The Campbell Playhouse (originally aired on CBS on November 12, 1939); "The Tragedy of Marsdon Manner" from Murder Clinic (originally aired on Mutual on October 6, 1942); and "The ABC Murders" and "Where There's a Will" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on May 18, 1943 and February 24, 1949).

Our month of classic mystery writers continues with Dashiell Hammett - the former Pinkerton operative whose celebrated characters include Sam Spade, the Continental Op, and Nick and Nora Charles. Radio shows based on his sleuths were some of the most popular on radio until Hammett became a casualty of the Red Scare. We'll hear some of his stories recreated for radio: an adaptation of "The Thin Man" from The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1936; "Two Sharp Knives" - adapted for Suspense (originally aired on CBS on June 7, 1945); "The Maltese Falcon" recreated on Academy Award (originally aired on CBS on July 3, 1946); and "The Critical Author Caper" - a loose adaptation of his novel The Dain Curse from The Adventures of Sam Spade (originally aired on CBS on August 15, 1948). Plus, we'll hear an original Hammett radio creation - private eye Brad Runyon - aka The Fat Man in his debut adventure "The Nineteenth Pearl" (originally aired on ABC on January 21, 1946).

In honor of his May 6th birthday, we're saluting the great Orson Welles with a pair of radio performances set on Baker Street. First, he's the great detective himself in "The Immortal Sherlock Holmes" from The Mercury Theatre On the Air (originally aired on CBS on September 25, 1938). Then, he's Holmes' archnemesis Professor Moriarty - opposite John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson as Holmes and Watson - in a syndicated production of "The Final Problem."

For May, we're spotlighting authors whose works inspired old time radio mysteries. First up is Raymond Chandler - best known for creating the iconic Los Angeles gumshoe Philip Marlowe. We'll hear a pair of Chandler's Marlowe stories adapted for radio - "Trouble is My Business" with Van Heflin (originally aired on NBC on August 5, 1947) and "Red Wind" with Gerald Mohr (originally aired on CBS on September 26, 1948). Plus, we'll hear adaptations of two other Chandler mysteries: "Pearls are a Nuisance" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on April 19, 1945) and "Murder in the City Hall" from The Mollé Mystery Theatre (originally aired on NBC on April 5, 1946).

Our month of Jack Webb continues with his most unusual crime drama - Pete Kelly's Blues, a show that incorporated Webb's love of jazz into its weekly mysteries. Kelly played cornet in a combo at a Kansas City speakeasy during Prohibition, and each episode featured vocal and instrumental musical numbers. Though it didn't last long on radio, Webb brought Pete Kelly's Blues to the big screen with a cast that included Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. We'll hear four episodes of the short-lived series: "Gus Trudeau" (originally aired on NBC on August 15, 1951); "Zelda" (originally aired on NBC on September 5, 1951); "The Dutchman" (originally aired on NBC on September 12, 1951); and "June Gould" (originally aired on NBC September 19, 1951).

Our Jack Webb series continues this week with Jeff Regan, Investigator - another stint as a hard-boiled gumshoe before he picked up Joe Friday's badge on Dragnet. Regan was the long-suffering operative of Anthony J. Lyon's International Detective Bureau, and "the Lyon's eye" was always thrown into whatever dangerous case his boss took on with no questions asked. We'll hear Webb as Regan in four radio mysteries: "The Lady with the Golden Hair" (originally aired on CBS on July 31, 1948); "The Man in the Door" (originally aired on CBS on August 28, 1948); "The Man Who Fought Back" (originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1948); and "The Gambler and His Lady" (originally aired on CBS on December 11, 1948).

Our month-long salute to Jack Webb continues with his signature series and my five favorite radio episodes of Dragnet. We'll join Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday as he keeps the streets of Los Angeles safe from crooks of all stripes. We'll hear "The Big Bomb" (originally aired on NBC on July 13, 1950); "The Big Saint" (originally aired on NBC on April 26, 1951); "The Big Bunco" (originally aired on NBC on April 17, 1952); "The Big Bull" (originally aired on NBC on September 14, 1952); and "The Big Little Mother" (originally aired on NBC on October 6, 1953).

We kick off a new month-long series saluting the great Jack Webb in honor of his April 2nd birthday, and we're starting with Pat Novak for Hire - his ultra-hard boiled series that put him on the map. Novak never looked for trouble but always found it on the San Francisco waterfront, and we'll hear him try to keep his head above water in four radio mysteries: "Jack of Clubs" (originally aired on ABC on February 20, 1949); "Fleet Lady" (originally aired on ABC on March 6, 1949); "John St. John" (originally aired on ABC on May 21, 1949); and "Agnes Bolton" (originally aired on ABC on June 4, 1949).

Easter is almost here, and we've got a pair of old time radio mysteries with a twist on the bunny and his basket. Lon Clark stars as Nick Carter, Master Detective in "The Case of the Chemical Chickens," a story of explosive eggs (originally aired on Mutual on April 13, 1947). Then, a rabbit farm that ends up the scene of a murder as Sydney Greenstreet and Larry Dobkin star in "The Case of the Brave Rabbit" from The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (originally aired on NBC on December 1, 1950).

For the final installment in our month-long series of Oscar-winning radio detective stars, we shine the spotlight on Van Heflin. The star of Shane and 3:10 to Yuma won his Best Supporting Actor prize for his work in Johnny Eager, but on radio he starred as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in the character's first regular series. We'll hear him as the Los Angeles gumshoe in three radio mysteries - "Red Wind" (originally aired on NBC on June 17, 1947), "The King in Yellow" (originally aired on NBC on July 8, 1947), and "Robin and the Hood" (originally aired on NBC on August 19, 1947). Plus, Heflin pinch hits for Herbert Marshall on The Man Called X (originally aired on NBC on May 25, 1951).

A new baseball season begins this week, and we're throwing out a ceremonial radio first pitch with a pair of mysteries set around the diamond. First, Boston Blackie investigates when a player is murdered in the middle of a game in a syndicated mystery starring Richard Kollmar. Then, Vincent Price investigates a gang of crooked gamblers out to fix some ballgames in "Baseball Murder" from The Saint (originally aired on NBC on September 3, 1950).

Our series of Oscar-winning radio detective stars continues with Edmond O'Brien, who took home the Best Supporting Actor prize for The Barefoot Contessa and who picked up another well-deserved nomination for Seven Days in May. O'Brien was the second actor to star as Johnny Dollar - "the man with the action-packed expense account" - and we'll hear him in four of Dollar's radio adventures: "The Richard Splain Matter" (originally aired on CBS on October 7, 1950; "The Byron Hayes Matter" (originally aired on CBS on March 24, 1951); "The Hatchet House Theft" (originally aired on CBS on June 27, 1951); and "The Horace Lockhart Matter" (originally aired on CBS August 1, 1951).

Our month of Oscar-winning radio detectives continues with Rex Harrison, winner of the Best Actor prize for My Fair Lady and the debonair sleuth of The Private Files of Rex Saunders. We'll hear Rex as Rex in "When You Play a Game With Death" (audition recording from April 13, 1951), "A Shocking Still Life" (originally aired on NBC on May 9, 1951), "Diamonds Can Be Done to Death" (originally aired on NBC on May 16, 1951), and "A Murder Deep in A Killer's Mind" (originally aired on NBC on June 20, 1951).

Our series of Oscar-winning radio detective stars continues with Mercedes McCambridge, who took home the award as best supporting actress for her turn in All the King's Men. Among her many radio credits was Defense Attorney, where she starred as Martha Ellis Bryant - who worked in and out of the courtroom (much like Perry Mason) to clear her clients. The show was a rare example of a radio detective show fronted by a woman, and it's a highlight of the genre. We'll hear Ms. McCambridge in four episodes: the series' audition The Defense Rests from April 1951; "Mike Pelly" (originally aired on ABC on August 31, 1951); "Jimmy Leonard" (originally aired on ABC on September 14, 1951); and "Joshua Masters" (originally aired on ABC on April 10, 1952).

In honor of the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, we're spotlighting a series of radio detective show stars who took home Oscars for their film work. First up is Frank Sinatra, who's best known for his singing but who showed off his dramatic chops in From Here to Eternity and took home the prize. We'll hear him as Rocky Fortune in four episodes of his short-lived radio mystery series: "Double Identity" (originally aired on NBC on October 13, 1953); "A Hepcat Killed the Canary" (originally aired on NBC on November 17, 1953); "Murder Among the Statues" (originally aired on NBC on December 1, 1953); and "Boarding House Doublecross" (originally aired on NBC on March 30, 1954).

We're serving up thick cuts of old time radio mystery with four stories involving butchers and their wares. First, Boston Blackie faces off against a black market meat ring in an adventure starring Chester Morris (originally aired on NBC on July 21, 1944). Kirk Douglas embarks on a dangerous affair in the grocery store aisles in "The Butcher's Wife" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on February 9, 1950). After a disappointing dinner, The Saint finds a dead body in his trunk in "The Horrible Hamburger" (originally aired on NBC on September 10, 1950). Finally, Dick Powell goes undercover to protect a butcher from a protection racket in Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on ABC on March 9, 1951).

As a belated Valentine's Day treat, we've got four radio mysteries where our detectives are entangled in matrimonial mishaps. As Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone investigates a black widow in "The Book of Tobit" (originally aired on Mutual on March 26, 1945). Philip Marlowe trails a missing wife in "The Persian Slippers" (originally aired on CBS on October 3, 1948), and Sam Spade is accused of eloping in "The Love Letter Caper" (an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast from March 27, 1949). Finally, a wife wants Richard Diamond to protect her husband in "The Simpson Case" (originally aired on ABC on January 18, 1952).

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and our old time radio mysteries this week all feature real-life husbands and wives at the microphone or behind the scenes. First, June Allyson - aka Mrs. Dick Powell - plays Richard Diamond's latest client (originally aired on NBC on June 21, 1950). Then, Cathy and Elliott Lewis star as a less than happily married couple in "Love, Honor, or Murder" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on June 29, 1950). Our third show features a couple that worked on and off mic - actress Virginia Gregg and director Jaime del Valle in "The Lapinish Lighter-Upper Case" from The Line-Up (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1951). And finally, Joan Banks pays a visit to Night Beat alongside her husband Frank Lovejoy in an episode that originally aired on NBC on September 4, 1952.

After a week of dealing with a thick coating of ice all over everything, I've got winter weather on the brain. So today, we have three old time radio mysteries where our sleuths have to solve their crimes in the snow. First, Bob Bailey hits the slopes to prevent a murder in "Snow Blind" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on December 26, 1949). Then, William Gargan suspects a fatal slip on the ice wasn't an accident in "The Girl on the Doorstep" from Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator (originally aired on NBC on February 16, 1953). Finally, John Lund is "the man with the action-packed expense account" in a snowbound mystery in the Windy City - "The Classified Killer Matter" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (AFRS rebroadcast from February 23, 1954).

We wrap up our series of Hollywood stars who solved crimes on the air with Glenn Ford. The star of Gilda, The Big Heat, and 3:10 to Yuma appeared on radio as Christopher London, a globetrotting private eye created by Erle Stanley Gardner. We'll hear Ford as London in "The Missing Heiress" (originally aired on NBC on February 5, 1950). Then, he's a man on the run in a Studio One adaptation of "The 39 Steps" (originally aired on CBS on March 23, 1948).

This week's Hollywood leading man turned radio detective is Dana Andrews, who starred on screen in Laura, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Boomerang, and more. On the air, Andrews played Matt Cvetic, undercover agent, in the syndicated series I Was a Communist for the FBI. We'll hear a pair of his adventures in Red-bashing: "Pit Viper" and "Jump to the Whip." Plus, Andrews plays a reporter out to clear a wrongfully convicted man in a radio adaptation of Call Northside 777 from Hollywood Sound Stage (originally aired on CBS on December 27, 1951).

Take a walk down the Great White Way with Detective Danny Clover in my five favorite episodes of Broadway is My Beat. Larry Thor is the policeman with the soul of a poet in one of radio's finest dramas - detective or otherwise. We'll hear "The Suicide Pact Murders" (originally aired on CBS on August 21, 1950), "The Garment District Murders" (originally aired on CBS on April 14, 1951), "The Case of Charles Crandall" (originally aired on CBS on May 12, 195), "The Tom Keeler Case" (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1951), and "The Gridiron Hero Murders" (originally aired on CBS on November 22, 1952).

We continue our spotlight series of Hollywood heavy hitters who put in time as radio detectives. This week, it's a legend of classic cinema - Humphrey Bogart, star of Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, and so many more iconic films. Bogart headlined Bold Venture, a syndicated mystery-adventure series set in the tropics. His co-star was no less than his real-life wife, Lauren Bacall. We'll hear a pair of syndicated Bold Venture mysteries - "The Tears of Siva," "The Mystery of the Mary K." Plus, Bogie stars in the audition for what would have been his own anthology drama Humphrey Bogart Presents. In this audition recording, Bogart hosts and appears in an adaptation of James M. Cain's story "Dead Man."