Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

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Christmas Crimes and Capers Dec 24, 2020

Show notes

Happy Holidays!

As you wait for Santa's sleigh to touch down on your roof tonight, enjoy these yuletide adventures of some of our favorite old time radio detectives!

"The Night Before Christmas" – A pair of Santas leads Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to a Christmas caper perpetrated by their old enemy Professor Moriarty. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star in this episode, originally aired on Mutual on December 24, 1945.

"Jack Frost" – Candy Matson (Natalie Master) is on the case when one of Santa's helpers disappears. The beautiful and brilliant private eye uncovers a holiday murder in this episode originally aired on NBC on December 10, 1949.

"The Department Store Swindle (How I Played Santa Claus and Almost Got Left Holding the Bag" – Charles Russell plays Johnny Dollar in this early adventure of "the man with the action-packed expense account." Johnny heads to the department store to fight the crowds. But he's also there to find a gang of thieves that may resort to murder to stay a step ahead of the law in this episode originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1949.

"Santa Claus is No Saint" – Simon Templar puts on padding to play Santa at a charity event, but before he can make merry, he has to solve a murder. Vincent Price is "the Robin Hood of modern crime" in this episode originally aired on NBC on December 20, 1950.

"The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" – Someone is bumping off sidewalk St. Nicks, and one of the scared Santas hires Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin to get him safely home for the holidays. Sydney Greenstreet is Wolfe and Larry Dobkin is Archie in this episode originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1950.

"The Big Little Jesus" – The cops of Dragnet are on the hunt for a figurine of the Christ child stolen from a poor church's nativity scene. It's a heartfelt story with a wonderful ending – and a far cry from the other Dragnet holiday episode about the dangers of giving a child a gun for Christmas. Jack Webb is Sgt. Joe Friday and Ben Alexander is Officer Frank Smith in this episode originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953.

"The Plot to Murder Santa Claus" – Frank Sinatra stars as Rocky Fortune in this tale of holiday homicide. Rocky's latest job is playing Santa in a crowded department store just before Christmas. He tries to make a little girl's holiday wish come true (and win over her beautiful older sister in the process), but a gun-toting gang may keep the season from looking bright in this episode originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953.

BONUS - Bells on Benny Ring (Jack Benny Program) Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

Department store sales clerks had a lot to face during the holiday season - crowds of last minute shoppers, long hours, and Jack Benny agonizing over the perfect gift. We'll hear three episodes that find Benny driving clerks up the wall as he struggles to select the right shoelaces, wallets, and golf tees. Listen as Mel Blanc fights to remember the customer is always right in these shows originally aired on NBC on December 8, 1946 and December 19, 1948 and on CBS on December 17, 1950.

Episode 416 – A Very Casey Christmas (Casey, Crime Photographer) Dec 20, 2020

Show notes

Criminals work on Christmas, but fortunately so do the ace crimesolvers of the golden age of radio! Staats Cotsworth stars as newshound and amateur sleuth Casey, Crime Photographer in a pair of holiday mysteries: "Christmas Shopping" (originally aired on CBS on December 19, 1946) and "The Santa Claus of Bum Boulevard" (originally aired on CBS on December 25, 1947). Plus, we'll hear an old time radio recreation of O. Henry's classic story "The Gift of the Magi" from The Coronet Little Show (originally aired on Mutual on December 19, 1943).

BONUS - Holly Jolly (Burns and Allen & Fibber McGee and Molly) Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

Our comedy countdown to Christmas continues with two beloved radio couples and a Hollywood legend pinch hitting for the holidays. First, Jane Wyman steps in for a flu-stricken Gracie Allen in a Christmas night episode of The Burns and Allen Show (originally aired on NBC on December 25, 1947). Then, Fibber paints the McGee's tree white on Fibber McGee and Molly (originally aired on December 18, 1945).

Episode 415 - Ever-Greenstreet (Nero Wolfe, Fred Allen, & Screen Guild Theatre) Dec 13, 2020

Show notes

Sydney Greenstreet was 61 years old when he made his screen debut as Kasper Gutman in The Maltese Falcon, and his larger than life villainous performance earned him an Oscar nod and it kicked off a second career in films. Greenstreet appeared in Casablanca, They Died With Their Boots On, and more, and on radio he lent his voice to Rex Stout's gargantuan gourmet Nero Wolfe. We'll hear Greenstreet as Wolfe in "The Case of the Tell-Tale Ribbon" (originally aired on NBC on March 30, 1951). Plus, he joins Fred Allen on a comedic caper through Cairo (AFRS rebroadcast from May 12, 1946) and finally Greenstreet joins Peter Lorre as they recreate their roles from The Mask of Dimitrios in The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theatre (originally aired on CBS on April 16, 1945).

BONUS - Jingle All the Way (Our Miss Brooks & My Favorite Husband) Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

The countdown to Christmas continues with more old time radio holiday comedies. First, Eve Arden hosts a Christmas party with yuletide magic in the air in Our Miss Brooks (originally aired on CBS on December 25, 1949). Then, Lucille Ball rounds up a gang of carolers to take a musical sleigh ride on My Favorite Husband (originally aired on December 23, 1949).

Episode 414 - Sleight of Hand Sleuthing (Chandu the Magician, Blackstone the Magic Detective, & Lights Out) Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

Say the magic word and join three old time radio detectives with something extra up their sleeves. Whether they used supernatural powers or just tricks of the trade, these masters of mystery and magic solved the crime with style. We'll hear an adventure of Chandu the Magician pitting the hero against a master schemer (originally aired on ABC on August 2, 1950). Then, art imitates life in Blackstone, the Magic Detective. We'll hear a pair of syndicated shows inspired by the life of magician Harry Blackstone: "The Coin of Cleopatra" and "The Accusing Corpse." Finally, two magicians - one good, one evil - pit their powers against each other in "The Battle of the Magicians" from Lights Out (originally aired on NBC on July 27, 1946).

BONUS - Deck the Halls (Abbott and Costello & Phil Harris-Alice Faye) Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

With Christmas right around the corner, we're launching a month of holiday comedies from the golden age of radio. First, Bud and Lou trim the tree and get a visit from Santa in The Abbott and Costello Show (originally aired on ABC on December 24, 1947). Then, Phil Harris and Alice Faye enlist an old friend to play St. Nick in The Fitch Bandwagon (originally aired on NBC on December 21, 1947).

Episode 413 – We Like Mike (Michael Shayne) Nov 29, 2020

Show notes

Wally Maher and Jeff Chandler starred on radio as red-headed shamus Michael Shayne, and each actor brought his own style to the detective. Maher, along with Cathy Lewis as loyal assistant Phyllis Knight, stars as Shayne in "Behind the Footlights" (originally aired on Mutual on August 27, 1945). Then, Chandler is ultra hard-boiled as Shayne in the syndicated mysteries "The Case of the Carnival Killer" and "The Case of the Eager Victim."

Talking Turkey Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of Turkey Day – and to keep you company while you're in the kitchen or waiting to eat – here are five old time radio mysteries starring some of your favorite sleuths as they mix in solving crimes with their stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Casey, Crime Photographer

All Casey (Staats Cotsworth) wants is to enjoy his Thanksgiving dinner, but before he can eat he'll have to clear a young ex-con framed for a robbery in "After Turkey, the Bill" (originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1947).

Jeff Regan, Investigator

A turkey shoot turns deadly when a man catches the bullet instead of the bird. Now it's up to Jeff Regan (Jack Webb) to solve the crime as he contends with some modern-day Mayflower passengers in "The Pilgrim's Progress" (originally aired on CBS on November 13, 1948).

Casey, Crime Photographer

Casey and Ann Williams (Jan Miner) put another Thanksgiving dinner on hold to help a paroled safecracker whose old gang is trying to thwart his attempts to go straight in "Holiday" (originally aired on CBS on November 25, 1948).

Let George Do It

It's not a happy Thanksgiving for a ten year-old boy who refuses to speak. George Valentine (Bob Bailey) tries to uncover the mystery – and to see if he can coax some words from the boy – in "Cause for Thanksgiving" (originally aired on Mutual on November 20, 1950).

The Adventures of Sam Spade

Normally, the death of a turkey wouldn't make news on Thanksgiving but Sam Spade's new client is a human Turkey – Tom Turkey, to be precise. He hires Spade (Steve Dunne) to find out who wants to rub him out in "The Terrified Turkey Caper" (originally aired on NBC on November 24, 1950).

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