Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Latest Episodes:

Episode 469 - Policeman's Ball (Man from Homicide, Line-Up, & Broadway is My Beat) Jan 09, 2022

Show notes

The cops of the radio era are on the beat in three old time radio procedural dramas. First, Dan Duryea is the intense, two-fisted Lt. Lou Dana in "The Donald Shelberger Case" from The Man from Homicide (originally aired on ABC on July 9, 1951). Then, we'll hear an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast of The Line-Up known as "Gas Station Robberies" starring Bill Johnstone and Wally Maher. Finally, Larry Thor is Detective Danny Clover in "The Dion Hartley Murder Case" from Broadway is My Beat (originally aired on CBS on February 17, 1950).

Episode 468 - Almighty Dollar (Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar) Jan 02, 2022

Show notes

We're starting 2022 off with Bob Bailey as "the man with the action-packed expense account!" Bailey stars in a five-part adventure of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - "The Chesapeake Fraud Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 17th and 21st, 1955).

BONUS - Santallulah (The Big Show) Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

It's a star-studded, super-sized holiday bonus episode to close out 2021! We'll hear Tallulah Bankhead as mistress of ceremonies for the Christmas Eve 1950 broadcast of NBC's The Big Show. Listen as Ms. Bankhead welcomes Ed Wynn, Jimmy Durante, Margaret O'Brien, Bert Lahr, and more.

Episode 467 – Mysteries and Holly (This is Your FBI, Let George Do It, Tales of the Texas Rangers, & Johnny Dollar) Dec 19, 2021

Show notes

It's our annual holiday bonanza! We'll hear four old time radio detectives doing some seasonal sleuthing. First, Special Agent Taylor searches for Santa in "The Return of St. Nick" on This is Your FBI (originally aired on ABC on December 24, 1948). Next, George and Brooksie find mystery in the department store in "Follow That Train" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on December 19, 1949). Then, saddle up with Ranger Jayce Pearson in "Christmas Payoff" from Tales of the Texas Rangers (originally aired on NBC on December 23, 1951). Finally, Bob Bailey stars as Johnny Dollar and pens the script for "The Carmen Kringle Matter" (originally aired on CBS on December 22, 1957).

Episode 466 – He'll Be There in a Jeff (New Adventures of Michael Shayne & Escape) Dec 12, 2021

Show notes

Before he was an Oscar nominee for Broken Arrow, Jeff Chandler was a busy radio actor in supporting and lead roles. He was oblivious to the romantic overtures of Eve Arden on Our Miss Brooks, and he was one of radio's toughest shamuses in The New Adventures of Michael Shayne. We'll hear him in two Shayne syndicated mysteries: "A Problem in Murder" and "The Case of the Purloined Corpse." Then we'll hear Chandler as a detective hunting a killer in the tropics in "Red Wine" from Escape (originally aired on CBS on February 26, 1949).

Episode 465 – His Way (Rocky Fortune & Jack Benny) Dec 05, 2021

Show notes

With Frank Sinatra's birthday right around the corner, it's the perfect time to revisit Rocky Fortune - Ol' Blue Eyes' six-month stint as a radio detective. We'll hear Rocky bounce between jobs and find trouble everywhere he goes in a pair of episodes: "Carnival One Way" (originally aired on NBC on December 8, 1953) and "Too Many Husbands" (originally aired on NBC on February 16, 1954). Plus, he gets a job offer from Jack Benny in an episode of Benny's show (originally aired on NBC on October 8, 1944).

Episode 464 – Dear John (The Judge, Frontier Gentleman, Have Gun - Will Travel, & The Whistler) Nov 28, 2021

Show notes

We're saluting John Dehner - the Disney animator and award-winning radio news editor who became one of the radio era's best actors and a great big and small screen character actor from the 50s to the 80s. He found his biggest radio fame in a pair of westerns - Frontier Gentleman and Have Gun - Will Travel - but he was heard all over the dial in everything from Escape to Family Theatre. We'll hear him in the audition recording for The Judge, where he plays a retired judge and unofficial police consultant (recorded March 13, 1952). Then, he's English reporter J.B. Kendall in "Kendall for the Defense" from Frontier Gentleman (originally aired on CBS on April 13, 1958) and the man called Paladin in "The Wager" from Have Gun - Will Travel (originally aired on CBS on July 26, 1959). Finally, Dehner plays an embezzler who may turn to murder in "Rebound" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on June 11, 1950).

Episode 463 – Gentlemen Gumshoes (The Saint, Bulldog Drummond, & Rex Saunders) Nov 21, 2021

Show notes

Not all radio crimesolvers relied on their fists and .45s. Some solved crimes with charm and their wits, and we'll hear adventures of three of those gentlemen sleuths. First up is Vincent Price as The Saint in "The Case of the Unhappy Homicide" (originally aired on Mutual on November 6, 1949). Then, Ned Wever stars in "Murder in the Ring" from Bulldog Drummond (originally aired on Mutual on October 14, 1946). Finally, it's "Diamonds Can Be Done to Death" from The Private Files of Rex Saunders starring Rex Harrison (originally aired on NBC on May 16, 1951).

Episode 462 – Private Dick (Miss Pinkerton, Rogue's Gallery, Richard Diamond, & Johnny Dollar) Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

It's a birthday party for Dick Powell, but instead of cake we've got four old time radio mysteries starring the singing star turned film noir leading man and radio gumshoe. First, he co-stars with his then-wife Joan Blondell in the comedy-mystery Miss Pinkerton, Inc. (originally aired on CBS on July 12, 1941). Next, Powell is private eye Richard Rogue in Rogue's Gallery. We'll hear "Suspicious Will aka Anson Leeds is Dead" (originally aired on Mutual on January 17, 1946). Then, as Richard Diamond, Private Detective, he solves "The Cover-up Murders aka The Eight O'Clock Killer" (originally aired on CBS on June 7, 1953). Finally, Powell plays "the man with the action-packed expense account" in the 1948 audition recording for Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Episode 461 – Crime by Cornell (Suspense & Lux Radio Theatre) Nov 07, 2021

Show notes

Cornell Woolrich's stories of crime inspired dozens of films and radio programs, including Rear Window and nearly three dozen episodes of Suspense. We'll hear a pair of his stories recreated for radio, including an offering from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Howard da Silva is a cop and a pre-Dragnet Jack Webb is a criminal in "You Take Ballistics" (originally aired on CBS on March 7, 1947). Then, Ella Raines, Alan Curtis, and Brian Aherne star in "Phantom Lady," a production from The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on March 27, 1944).

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