Nostalgic Mystery Radio

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Ep.329 The Adventures Of Sam Spade: The Rowdy Dowser Caper Dec 29, 2022

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The Adventures of Sam Spadewas a suspense/detective radio show starring Howard Duff in the colorful title role along with Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie. It was based on the private detective character created by Dashiell Hammett, well-known from the book and movie The Maltese Falcon. The show ran from 1946 to 1951. Duff was replaced by Steve Dunne in later episodes.
The Rowdy Dowser Caper: Spade travels to North Tacaloma to find $53,000 that has disappeared. Originally aired April 20th,1951.

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Ep.328 Tales Of The Texas Rangers: Death Shaft Dec 28, 2022

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Tales of the Texas Rangers, a western adventure old-time radio drama, premiered on July 8, 1950, on the US NBC radio network and remained on the air through September 14, 1952.
Movie star Joel McCrea starred as Texas Ranger Jayce Pearson, who used the latest scientific techniques to identify the criminals and his faithful horse, Charcoal (or "Charky," as Jayce would sometimes refer to him), to track them down. The shows were reenactments of actual Texas Ranger cases.
Death Shaft: A skeleton is discovered in a closed-up mine.
Originally aired September 30th,1951.

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Ep.327 Nick Carter Master Detective: The Double Disguise Dec 27, 2022

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Nick Carter, Master Detective, which aired on Mutual from 1943 to 1955. Nick Carter first came to radio as The Return of Nick Carter. Then Nick Carter, Master Detective, with Lon Clark in the title role, began April 11, 1943, on Mutual, continuing in many different timeslots for well over a decade. Jock MacGregor was the producer-director of scripts by Alfred Bester, Milton J. Kramer, David Kogan and others. Background music was supplied by organists Hank Sylvern, Lew White and George Wright. Patsy Bowen, Nick's assistant, was portrayed by Helen Choate until mid-1946 and then Charlotte Manson stepped into the role. Nick and Patsy's friend was reporter Scubby Wilson (John Kane). Nick's contact at the police department was Sgt. Mathison (Ed Latimer). The supporting cast included Raymond Edward Johnson, Bill Johnstone and Bryna Raeburn. Michael Fitzmaurice was the program's announcer.
The Double Disguise: Nick Carter tries to help a down on his luck man that’s become a mugger and ends up investigating a deadly robbery and impersonating a two bit hood. Originally aired January 8th,1944.

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Ep.326 Richard Diamond Private Detective: A Contemporary Christmas Carol Dec 22, 2022

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Richard Diamond, Private Detective came to NBC in 1949. Diamond was a slick, sophisticated detective, with a sharp tongue for folks who needed it. Diamond enjoyed the detective life, but not as much as entertaining his girl, Helen Asher. After each show, he would croon a number to his Park Avenue sweetheart.
Mr. Powell, a former song and dance man, was perfect for the role. He added an extra dimension to the 40's hokey private eye drama.
Diamond was a rough gumshoe that would often get knocked on the head with a revolver butt or other items. His counterpart on the police force was Lt. Levinson who often accepted Diamond's help reluctantly. Levinson would claim to get stomach trouble whenever Diamond would call him and would take bicarbonate to settle his aching stomach. Although they always seem at odds with each other, Diamond and Levinson were best friends.
A Contemporary Christmas Carol: The characters on Richard Diamond take a week off from mysteries to perform a modern version of the Christmas Carol.
Originally aired December 24th,1949.

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Ep.325 The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes: The Night Before Christmas Dec 20, 2022

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Sherlock Holmes, fictional character created by the Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The prototype for the modern mastermind detective, Holmes first appeared in Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual of 1887. As the world’s first and only “consulting detective,” he pursued criminals throughout Victorian and Edwardian London, the south of England, and continental Europe.
From 1939 to 1946, Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes with his friend Nigel Bruce on cinema and radio.
The Night Before Christmas: One of Moriarity’s henchman switches Christmas sacks with Dr. Watson when both are dressed as Santa Claus. Sherlock Holmes has to catch the thief and save Watson and his Christmas party.
Originally aired December 24th,1945.

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Ep.324 The New Adventures Of Nero Wolfe: The Slaughtered Santas Dec 19, 2022

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Nero Wolfe is a fictional character, a brilliant, oversized, eccentric armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe was born in Montenegro and keeps his past murky.
He lives in a luxurious brownstone on West 35th Street in New York City, and he is loath to leave his home for business or anything that would keep him from reading his books, tending his orchids, or eating the gourmet meals prepared by his chef, Fritz Brenner. Archie Goodwin, Wolfe's sharp-witted, dapper young confidential assistant with an eye for attractive women, narrates the cases and does the legwork for the detective genius.
The Slaughtered Santas: It is 48 hours before Christmas. Archie Goodwin receives a telephone call from Santa Claus! He is coming around to Nero's office at 8pm. Two Santa's have been murdered and this Santa is very worried. It seems that someone is trying to murder all the Santa Claus's of Carlisle Avenue and they seem to be succeeding! Originally aired December 22nd,1950.

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Ep.323 Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot: Hercule Poirot's Christmas Dec 19, 2022

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Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot: the world-renowned, moustachioed Belgian private detective, unsurpassed in his intelligence and understanding of the criminal mind, respected and admired by police forces and heads of state across the globe.
Since his inception over 100 years ago, Poirot has stolen the hearts and minds of audiences from Azerbaijan to Vietnam, and his celebrated cases have been recorded across 33 original novels and over 50 short stories.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas: When the obnoxious multi-millionaire Simeon Lee unexpectedly invites his family to gather at his home for Christmas, the gesture is met with displeasure by many of the guests. The patriarch also sends for Hercule Poirot, as he feels the reunion might prove perillous. This is indeed the case, as one day, he is found with his throat slashed in the middle of his ransacked study. Originally aired December 25th, 1994.

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Ep.322 The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe: Birds On The Wing Dec 15, 2022

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Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road and those who travel it wind up in the gutter, the prison or the grave.
Philip Marlowe was Los Angeles's toughest detective in the groundbreaking series by Raymond Chandler that helped establish the "hard-boiled" detective subgenre.
Birds On The Wing: When a wealthy playboy falls in with some aerialists and gets a threatening letter, Marlowe is hired by the boy’s aunt to get him out of trouble.
Originally aired November 26th,1949.

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Ep.321 Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot: The Adventure Of The Christmas Pudding Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot: the world-renowned, moustachioed Belgian private detective, unsurpassed in his intelligence and understanding of the criminal mind, respected and admired by police forces and heads of state across the globe.
Since his inception over 100 years ago, Poirot has stolen the hearts and minds of audiences from Azerbaijan to Vietnam, and his celebrated cases have been recorded across 33 original novels and over 50 short stories.
The Adventure Of The Christmas Pudding:When a priceless ruby, belonging to a Far Eastern prince, is stolen from him whilst he is on a visit to England, Poirot is asked to make a quiet investigation. The ruby was destined for the prince’s bride-to-be and a scandal must be avoided.

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Ep.320 The New Adventures Of Nero Wolfe: The Case Of The Malevolent Medic Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Nero Wolfe is a fictional character, a brilliant, oversized, eccentric armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe was born in Montenegro and keeps his past murky.
He lives in a luxurious brownstone on West 35th Street in New York City, and he is loath to leave his home for business or anything that would keep him from reading his books, tending his orchids, or eating the gourmet meals prepared by his chef, Fritz Brenner. Archie Goodwin, Wolfe's sharp-witted, dapper young confidential assistant with an eye for attractive women, narrates the cases and does the legwork for the detective genius.
The Case Of The Malevolent Medic: The wife of a millionaire dies. The doctor says its a heart attack, but the husband suspects murder and hires Wolfe.
Originally aired February 23rd,1951.

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