Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Latest Episodes:

Episode 667 - All the Write Moves: Dashiell Hammett (Lux Radio Theatre, Suspense, Fat Man, Academy Award, & Sam Spade) May 10, 2026

Show notes

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).

BONUS - Happy Birthday, Orson Welles May 07, 2026

Show notes

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."

Episode 666 - All the Write Moves: Raymond Chandler (Suspense, Mollé Mystery Theatre, & Philip Marlowe) May 03, 2026

Show notes

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).

Episode 665 - Downbeat Pete (Pete Kelly's Blues) Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

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).

Episode 664 - Your Lyon Eyes (Jeff Regan, Investigator) Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

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).

BONUS - Five Favorites: Dragnet Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

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).

Episode 663 - Waterfront Webb (Pat Novak for Hire) Apr 05, 2026

Show notes

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).

BONUS - Eggs and Bunnies (Nick Carter & Nero Wolfe) Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

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).

Episode 662 - Statues for the Sleuths: Van Heflin (Philip Marlowe & Man Called X) Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

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).

BONUS - Play Ball! (Boston Blackie & The Saint) Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

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 TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected