Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Latest Episodes:

Episode 78 - Moto on the Go (Mr. I.A. Moto) Sep 28, 2014

Show notes

Conceived as a replacement for Charlie Chan, John P. Marquand's Mr. Moto thrilled readers before jumping to the big screen in a popular series of movies starring Peter Lorre. The adventures of the Japanese secret agent came to radio in 1951 in Mr. I.A. Moto starring James Monks in new international exploits of the diminutive detective. We'll hear Mr. Moto tackle the mystery of "The Crooked Log," first broadcast on NBC on September 30, 1951.

Episode 77 - Bold and Beautiful (Bold Venture) Sep 21, 2014

Show notes

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall bring their white-hot chemistry to radio in Bold Venture. Bogie and Bacall riff on their To Have and Have Not characters as Havana charter boat captain Slate Shannon and his young ward and sidekick "Sailor" Duval. Together, Slate and Sailor flirt, banter, and fight to stay out of trouble in the tropics. However, there's usually a healthy dose of danger coming their way. We'll hear two of their syndicated adventures: "We Want Cary Martin," and "Slate Gets the Hook."

Episode 76 - Saintly Sherlock (Sherlock Holmes & The Saint) Sep 14, 2014

Show notes

Russian-born British actor Tom Conway thrilled audiences on screen as The Falcon, and his crime-solving career extended to radio as star of two popular radio detective series. In this episode, we'll hear him take center stage as Sherlock Holmes (with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson) in "The Strange Death of Mrs. Abernetty" (originally aired on ABC on November 30, 1946) and as The Saint in "Satan's Angels" (originally aired on July 8, 1951).

Episode 75 - Trials of O'Brien (Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar) Sep 07, 2014

Show notes

Edmond O'Brien is back, bringing his intensity to the action-packed expense account of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. As a birthday tribute to the Oscar winner, we present two episodes from his run as America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. First, it's "The London Matter" (originally aired on CBS on June 22, 1950), and then we'll hear "The Joan Sebastian Matter" (originally aired on October 28, 1950).

Episode 74 - Drop the Hammer (That Hammer Guy) Aug 31, 2014

Show notes

Mickey Spillane's hard-boiled private eye Mike Hammer dispensed justice with a blast or two from his .45 in some of the genre's hardest, most violent mysteries. Hammer's adventures sold millions of copies in print and thrilled and titillated audiences in films, on television, and - from 1952 to 1954 - on radio in That Hammer Guy. Larry Haines stars as Mike in "Sophisticated Lady," originally aired on Mutual on April 7, 1953.

Episode 73 - Radio's Poetic Policeman (Broadway is My Beat) Aug 24, 2014

Show notes

It's back to the Big Apple for two more cases of Detective Danny Clover. Larry Thor stars as the sharp, philosophical detective in Broadway is My Beat, a stand-out from the crowd of radio cop dramas. Clover walks the Great White Way and mixes with the upper crust and the downtrodden in search of the truth in two mysteries: "The Garment District Murders" (originally aired on CBS on April 14, 1951) and "The Milkman Murders" (originally aired on CBS on February 16, 1952).

Episode 72 - Dogged Detection (Bulldog Drummond) Aug 17, 2014

Show notes

The debonair and daring Captain Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond steps out of the night and into one of his radio adventures. H.C. McNeile's adventurer and detective crossed the pond in mystery dramas in the United States following his warm reception in novels and on the big screen. Ned Wever stars as the Captain, on the case in "Death Loops the Loop," originally aired on Mutual on March 10, 1948.

Episode 71 - Hitched (Lux Radio Theatre) Aug 13, 2014

Show notes

To celebrate the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock, we present a bonus episode of "Down These Mean Streets" dedicated to the big screen master of suspense. We'll hear a radio recreation of his classic film Strangers On a Train. Ray Milland and Frank Lovejoy step into the lead parts of Guy Haines and Bruno Antony, with Ruth Roman and Patricia Hitchcock recreating their movie roles in this rehearsal for the December 3, 1951 broadcast from the Lux Radio Theatre.

Episode 70 - Adventure Wanted (Box 13) Aug 10, 2014

Show notes

Alan Ladd is back as mystery writer Dan Holiday in Box 13. Holiday's figured out a way to beat writer's block: he runs a classified ad hiring himself out as an adventurer for hire, and he uses his experience as story material. It may wow the publishers, but it means Dan's life is frequently in jeopardy when he answers letters addressed to "Box 13." We'll hear two of his syndicated radio adventures: "Daytime Nightmare" and "Death is No Joke."

Episode 69 - Twist of Lime (Lives of Harry Lime) Aug 03, 2014

Show notes

Orson Welles reprises his Third Man film role in the prequel radio series The Lives of Harry Lime. His nefarious traits are toned down (somewhat) as we find Lime traveling the world. Harry's still a rogue, but he usually puts his skills to work to thwart more dastardly crooks...even if it's only to line his own pockets. Welles stars in "Ticket to Tangier," an episode he also wrote for the syndicated series.

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