Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Latest Episodes:

Episode 38 - Halos and Homicides (The Saint) Jan 05, 2014

Show notes

We kick off 2014 with an hour of "the Robin Hood of modern crime" - The Saint. Leslie Charteris' debonair detective premiered on American radio on January 6, 1945, and we're celebrating his anniversary with an extra-large episode. Vincent Price stars as Simon Templar in "Greed Causes Murder" (originally aired on Mutual on August 14, 1949) and "The Case of the Previewed Crime" (originally aired on NBC on July 30, 1950).

Episode 37 - Crime Takes a Holiday (Nero Wolfe & Sherlock Holmes) Dec 22, 2013

Show notes

"Down These Mean Streets" wraps up 2013 with an hour of holiday adventures from two old time radio detectives. First, Sydney Greenstreet stars as Nero Wolfe in the Christmas crime drama "The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1950). Then, John Stanley as Sherlock Holmes rings in "New Year's Eve Off the Scilly Isles" (originally aired on Mutual on December 28, 1947).

Episode 36 - Cairo Capers (Rocky Jordan) Dec 15, 2013

Show notes

It's off to Egypt for international intrigue and adventure with Rocky Jordan. Jack Moyles stars as the American ex-pat and nightclub owner who winds up entangled in the shady underworld of Cairo. It's a combination of The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. We'll hear Rocky in "The Map of Murder," originally aired on CBS on July 3, 1949.

Episode 35 - One Hot Set (Pete Kelly's Blues) Dec 08, 2013

Show notes

Jack Webb blends jazz with downbeat crime drama in Pete Kelly's Blues. This short-lived series spawned an Academy Award nominated film and a TV show. Webb stars as Pete Kelly, a cornet player in 1920s Kansas City. Kelly and his combo play in a speakeasy, and Kelly finds all kinds of trouble in the crowd that comes in for drinks and music. We'll hear "Zelda," originally aired on NBC on September 5, 1951.

Episode 34 - Two Fists Full of Dollar (Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar) Dec 01, 2013

Show notes

Academy Award winner Edmond O'Brien starred for two years as Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and brought a hard-boiled intensity to the role of "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." Today, he's remembered fondly as one of the best Johnny Dollars. Listen along as O'Brien takes the case (but doesn't take any guff!) in "The Barbara James Matter," originally aired on CBS on June 29, 1950.

Episode 33 - Second Helping of Spade (Adventures of Sam Spade) Nov 24, 2013

Show notes

It's a full serving of Dashiell Hammett's legendary private eye Sam Spade on this week's hour-long episode. First, Howard Duff is Spade in "The Lazarus Caper," originally aired on CBS on September 12, 1948. Then (just in time for Thanksgiving), Steven Dunne is Sam in "The Terrified Turkey Caper," originally aired on NBC on November 24, 1950.

Episode 32 - One Riot, One Ranger (Tales of the Texas Rangers) Nov 17, 2013

Show notes

Saddle up and head west with Joel McCrea as Ranger Jayce Pearson in Tales of the Texas Rangers. This mix of Western adventure and police procedural presented dramatized versions of actual cases taken from the Rangers' files. The result was a frontier-style Dragnet that combined two of radio's most popular genres. We'll ride with Ranger Pearson in "Hanging by a Thread," originally aired on NBC on November 26, 1950.

Episode 31 - Diamond in the Rough (Johnny Dollar & Richard Diamond) Nov 10, 2013

Show notes

We're saluting Dick Powell for his birthday with an hour of radio mystery starring this crooner turned hardboiled star. First, Powell stars as "the man with the action packed expense account" in the 1948 audition show for Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Then, we'll hear him as Richard Diamond, Private Detective in "Photographer's Card," originally aired on NBC on March 26, 1950.

Episode 30 - Ten a Day and Expenses (Jeff Regan, Investigator) Nov 03, 2013

Show notes

Jack Webb dons his hardboiled hat again as Jeff Regan, Investigator. In this short-lived series, Webb stars as Regan, private eye and operative for the penny-pinching Anthony J. Lyon. We'll hear Webb, with Wilms Herbert as Lyon, in "The Lonesome Lady," originally aired on CBS on July 24, 1948.

Episode 29 - Tales Well Calculated: Old Time Radio Halloween (Suspense) Oct 30, 2013

Show notes

Enjoy this Halloween treat featuring an hour of "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" - Suspense! First, Robert Taylor rents "The House in Cypress Canyon," originally aired on CBS on December 5, 1946. Then, join Ralph Edwards on a "Ghost Hunt," originally aired on CBS on June 23, 1949.

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