The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

This special edition of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio revisits seven standout episodes from the season, spanning police procedurals, true-crime reporting, wartime espionage, murder mysteries, and insurance investigations. The selections range from Dragnet and The Big Story to Cloak and Dagger, Broadway's My Beat, The Saint, Proudly We Hail, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Along the way, host Adam Graham revisits memorable performances, surprising plot developments, and the real-life stories behind some of the dramas. The compilation offers a varied look at classic radio storytelling, culminating in one of Johnny Dollar's most extraordinary investigations.The chapter times below come from the uploaded compilation notes. Origination locations follow your requested convention.

Featured Episodes

1. Dragnet — “The Big Hit and Run Killer”

November 8, 1951 • Originating from Hollywood

Plot Summary: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero investigate a hit-and-run accident in which a speeding bakery truck strikes an elderly woman and her nine-year-old grandson in a pedestrian crosswalk. With no license plate number and only limited eyewitness information, the detectives must trace the vehicle and establish who was driving it.

Known Cast: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero; Herb Butterfield. George Fenneman is also identified as announcer.

2. The Big Story — “The Cord Around Her Neck”• January 9, 1952 • Originating from New York

Plot Summary: When a woman is discovered murdered in her West Seattle home, West Seattle Herald reporter Stuart Whitehouse recognizes an opportunity to break a major story ahead of the city's larger newspapers. With his weekly paper's deadline approaching, Whitehouse follows the evidence in hopes of identifying the killer before the presses roll.


Known Cast: Nat Polen as Stuart Whitehouse; Margaret Burlen; Helen Barron; Larry Haines; Bill Griffiths; Bert Callen; John Becker; Steve Edders; Michael O'Day.

3. Cloak and Dagger — “The Last Mission” • September 29, 1950 • Originating from New Yor

Plot Summary: In wartime Canton, China, a woman whose family has been murdered by Japanese military forces becomes involved with the Office of Strategic Services. Her personal tragedy leads to an unusual connection with American intelligence and a dangerous mission against the occupying forces.

Known Cast: Bryna Raeburn; Ian Martin; Arnold Moss; Ralph Bell; Raymond Edward Johnson; Karl Webber.

4. Broadway's My Beat — “The Lynn Halstead Murder Case”January 19, 1952 • Originating from Hollywood

Plot Summary: Detective Danny Clover investigates when a young woman's body is recovered from the river and identified by her grieving father. The case takes a bewildering turn when another woman appears, claiming to be the supposed murder victim. Clover must unravel the secrets surrounding a private secretary whose carefully concealed personal life makes identifying the dead woman only the beginning of the mystery.


Known Cast: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover; Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia; Jack Kruschen as Sergeant Muggavan; William Conrad as John Martin; Herb Butterfield as Dr. Halstead; Hy Averback; Joyce McCluskey; Bob Bruce.Production: Elliott Lewis, producer and director; Alexander Courage, composer and conductor

.5. The Adventures of the Saint — “The Cake That Killed”• January 8, 1950 • Originating from Hollywood

Plot Summary: Simon Templar visits a bakery and encounters a distressed woman who gives him a cake under unusual circumstances. What begins as a seemingly innocent errand soon draws the Saint into a tangled affair involving theft and murder, where an ordinary baked good becomes the unlikely starting point for a criminal investigation.

In this episode, we continue our journey through the surviving episodes of Charlie Chan’s Landini Murder Case, a 39-part serialized mystery based on Earl Derr Biggers’ final Charlie Chan novel, The Keeper of the Keys. This omnibus brings together Episodes 29 and 30, as Inspector Charlie Chan closes in on the truth behind Ellen Landini’s murder.

Originating in Hollywood

Starring: Walter Connolly as Charlie Chan

The Second Bullet

Inspector Charlie Chan and Sheriff Don Holt examine a bullet found in the grounds at Pine View, one that may reveal how the killer tried to disguise the time of Ellen Landini’s murder. As suspicion shifts between Romano, Ryder, and the other guests, Chan uncovers troubling inconsistencies and prepares to confront those who may know more than they admit.

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

A Conversation with Ah Sing

With fear mounting at Pine View and secrets continuing to obstruct the investigation, Charlie Chan turns his attention to Ah Sing, Dudley Ward’s elderly servant. As Chan searches for the truth, another suspicious incident raises questions about who can be trusted—and whether the evidence is strong enough to identify the killer.

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

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In this episode, we continue our journey through the surviving episodes of Charlie Chan’s Landini Murder Case, a 39-part serialized mystery based on Earl Derr Biggers’ final Charlie Chan novel, The Keeper of the Keys. This second omnibus brings together two more chapters from the original serial, continuing Charlie Chan’s investigation into the murders surrounding the guests at Pine View. Part 2 features “Who Killed Dr. Swan?” and “The Missing Key.”

Original Radio Broadcast Date: 1936 and 1937

Cast
-Walter Connolly as Charlie Chan

Who Killed Dr. Swan?

Charlie Chan faces a new murder at Pine View when Dr. Swan, a suspected blackmailer, is found dead in an unoccupied house. With the guests already under suspicion in Ellen Landini’s murder, Chan investigates a conversation overheard on the night of the crime that could change the course of the case. But as questions about alibis and the missing house key emerge, the list of possible suspects grows.

The Missing Key

The search for Dr. Swan’s killer leads Charlie Chan to a missing key that may reveal who entered the house on the night of the murder. As Chan questions the household and examines the motives surrounding Landini’s estate, suspicion falls on those who may stand to benefit from her death. Then, during a search near the murder scene, Chan makes a discovery in the snow that could prove crucial to the investigation.

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In this episode, we begin our journey through the surviving episodes of Charlie Chan’s Landini Murder Case, a 39-part serialized mystery based on Earl Derr Biggers’ final Charlie Chan novel, The Keeper of the Keys. This omnibus brings together the commentary and surviving episodes from the original serial, allowing listeners to experience the story in a much shorter format. Part 1 features Episodes 7 and 8, “The Chinese Suspect” and “A Barking Dog.”

Originating in Hollywood

Starring: Walter Connolly as Charlie Chan


The Chinese Suspect

Charlie Chan arrives at Pine View to assist wealthy Dudley Ward with a family mystery, but events take a deadly turn when Ellen Landini is found murdered. With everyone ordered to remain at the estate, Chan begins searching for answers among a house full of suspects. Then, in the darkness outside, he spots someone quietly leaving the house—and follows.

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

A Barking Dog

Charlie Chan’s investigation into Ellen Landini’s murder takes a closer look at the servants, the crime scene, and a timeline that doesn’t quite add up. When crucial fingerprints have been wiped away, Chan is left with fewer answers—and one suspect who can’t account for his whereabouts. But is that enough to identify the killer?

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

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In this episode, we serve up four classic old-time radio snacks, featuring a special Family Theater presentation for Citizenship Day, an episode of Family Doctor, a New Year's drama from Guest Star, and a classic performance by Orson Welles.

Family Theater: Treasury of Homes

In honor of Citizenship Day, this episode features an excerpt from Family Theater, a dramatic anthology series that promoted family prayer and presented stories centered around American family life.

This excerpt, Treasury of Homes, celebrates the pioneers who settled the American West and the immigrants who came to the United States seeking a better life. The story follows the Simmons family as they search for a place to build their new home and dream of the community that will eventually grow around them.

The program also features a performance by John Charles Thomas singing The Homeland.

Original Air Date: February 14, 1951

Family Doctor: Error in Diagnosis

In this episode of Family Doctor, Dr. Grant Adams treats Griff Miller, an elderly man struggling to make the interest payment on the mortgage for his family boathouse.

When the mortgage holder, lawyer Ralph Bates, prepares to foreclose, Doc Adams comes up with an unusual solution. By convincing Bates that he has chicken pox and later poison oak, the country doctor buys Griff enough time to save his property.

The story offers a humorous look at the traditional image of the country doctor as a trusted community figure who cared for more than just his patients' physical health.

Original Air Date: 1937

Guest Star: Time is Sacred

Spend New Year's Eve with Bill Cooper and Louise Marston, two office workers who become trapped in an elevator when the power goes out.

As they realize that the elevator cable may not hold until help arrives, the two strangers discover that they have fallen in love. With midnight approaching, they face what may be their final moments together.

Starring Joan Leslie, this dramatic story combines romance, suspense, and a New Year's message about recognizing the importance of time.

Original Air Date: December 26, 1948

Mercury Theatre: I'm a Fool

Orson Welles stars in this adaptation of Sherwood Anderson's story I'm a Fool.

A young man attending a horse race attempts to impress a girl by pretending to be wealthy and claiming that his father owns one of the horses. 

His lies bring him closer to the girl, but as the evening comes to an end, he realizes the painful consequences of trying to be someone he isn't.

This experimental Mercury Theatre broadcast presented three short stories in a single episode, making it an ideal example of the snack-sized radio storytelling featured on the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon.

Original Air Date: August 8, 1938

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Today's Adventure: After violent bank robber Rocky Gaines escapes from federal prison, David Harding and Harry Peters join the manhunt as the wounded fugitive heads into the mountains. Gaines seeks refuge with Norma Benton, a woman from his past who has built a new life with her husband, and threatens to expose her secret unless she helps him hide from the authorities.

Original Radio Broadcast: September 29, 1949

Originating in New York

Starring Don McLaughlin as David Harding, Mandel Kramer as Peters

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Today's Mystery:

Original Radio Broadcast Date:

Originated from Hollywood

Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar.

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Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and Frank Smith investigate a disturbing series of infant abductions in which babies disappear from the same general neighborhood, only to be found unharmed within a day. With no clear motive and few useful clues, the detectives devise a decoy operation while searching for the person responsible before another child disappears.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 29, 1952.

Originating from Hollywood

Starred: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, Martin Milner as Detective Bill Lockwood

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Today's Mystery: Danny Clover investigates the death of Lila Hunter, whose body is pulled from the river while police are searching for her as the prime suspect in another murder. When a Skid Row derelict unexpectedly produces $500 for Lila’s funeral, Danny follows the money toward a man from her past and a possible connection between the two deaths.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 16, 1952

Originated in Hollywood

Stars: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover, Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia, Jack Kruschen as Sergeant Muggavan

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Today's Adventure: David Harding and Harry Peters move to break up a widespread parcel-post theft ring, but their raid on the gang’s New York warehouse uncovers two deaths made to look like murder-suicide. Harding suspects the apparent solution is a setup and sets out to uncover who is really behind the killings.

Original Radio Broadcast:September 22, 1949

Originating in New York

Starring Don McLaughlin as David Harding, Mandel Kramer as Peters

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Today's Mystery: Detective Danny Clover investigates the murder of successful construction contractor Harry Moore, a man with no apparent enemies whose recent behavior had taken him far from his comfortable life. Clover follows Moore’s unexplained visits to the Bowery, where he discovers a connection to a dangerous man—and a mystery that reaches much closer to home than it first appears.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 2, 1952

Originated in Hollywood

Stars: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover, Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia, Jack Kruschen as Sergeant Muggavan

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Today's Adventure: David Harding and Harry Peters investigate a massive parcel-post theft ring operating in several major cities. Peters goes undercover as a New York postal clerk, hoping to work his way inside the organization, but the investigation becomes increasingly dangerous as the gang grows suspicious of its newest recruit.

Original Radio Broadcast: July 20, 1949.

Originating in New York

Starring Don McLaughlin as David Harding, Mandel Kramer as Peters

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Today's Mystery: When Simon Templar finds a lost Pekingese and follows her home, he walks straight into a wealthy family's uproar over a missing fortune in jewels. A suspicious butler, an argumentative family, and a precocious young would-be detective soon leave The Saint wondering how a simple good deed became such a complicated affair.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 24, 1950

Originating from Hollywood

Starring: Barry Sullivan as The Saint; Myra Marsh; Tom Tully; Ted Osborne; Lamont Johnson; Jeffrey Silver; Lawrence Dobkin

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Today's Adventure: Counterspy chief David Harding tackles a different kind of threat when a juvenile court official asks for help breaking the grip of violent street gangs on Brooklyn's youth. Undercover operative Harry Peters infiltrates one of the toughest gangs, hoping to expose its ruthless leader before more impressionable boys are drawn into a life of crime.

Original Radio Broadcast:Septemnber 13, 1949

Originating from New York

Cast:Don MacLaughlin as David Harding

Mandel Kramer as Harry PetersDirected by Leonard L. Bass

Dramatized by Edward Adamson

Music by Jesse Crawford

A Philip H. Lord production for Pepsi-Cola

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Today's Mystery: Johnny Dollar accepts an unusually lucrative assignment to locate the runaway daughter of one of the insurance company's wealthiest clients. But when he finds the missing heiress in New York, his search abruptly becomes a murder investigation in which two of her closest companions each have reason to want her dead

Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 5, 1959

Originated from Hollywood

Stars:
Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar
Virginia Gregg
Les Tremayne
Herb Vigran
Alan Reed
Frank Gerstle
Jack Edwards
Jack Grimes

Written, produced, and directed by Jack Johnstone

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Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his temporary partner investigate a string of expertly planned safe burglaries that has baffled the Los Angeles Police Department for months. After eliminating one suspect after another, a seemingly minor lead from a neighborhood repair shop finally gives the detectives the break they've been waiting for.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 1, 1952

Originating from Hollywood

Cast:

Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
Harry Bartell
Stacey Harris
Jack Kruschen

Script by Jim Moser

Music by Walter Schumann

Technical advice from the Office of Chief of Police, W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department

Technical advisors: Captain Jack Donohoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, and Sergeant Vance Brasher

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Today's Story: Cleveland Press reporter Bus Bergen believes he has an open-and-shut murder case wrapped up in just forty minutes. But as the trial unfolds, a nagging doubt - and an unlikely four-legged witness - forces him to reconsider everything he thought he knew.

Original Radio Broadcast: July 25, 1951

Originating from New York

Starring Nat Polen as Bus Bergen

Also featuring Kathleen Nadeau, Brad Barker, Mel Ruick, Phil Sterling, Larry Robinson, Court Benson, and Les Darcy (unconfirmed)

Based on the true experiences of Cleveland Press reporter Bus Bergen

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Today's Mystery: After a wrong turn leaves Simon Templar and taxi driver Louie dining at a lonely roadside restaurant, a flat tire leads them to discover a corpse in the trunk of Louie's cab. When the body mysteriously disappears, the Saint sets out to uncover the truth behind the "Happy Hamburger."

Original Radio Broadcast: September 10, 1950

Originating from Hollywood

Starring Vincent Price as Simon Templar, The Saint. Also featuring Louise Erickson, Noreen Gammill, Arthur Q. Bryan, Dave Light, and Larry Dobkin as Louie. 

Written by Louis Vittes. Music composed and conducted by Van Dexter. 

Directed by Helen Mack.

Announced by Don Stanley.

Based on characters created by Leslie Charteris. A James L. Saphier production.

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Today's Adventure: Counterspy chief David Harding investigates a charity that claims to help disabled veterans and workers prepare for new careers. When a courageous insider exposes the organization's true purpose, Harding devises a plan to protect the legitimate cause while bringing a confidence man to justice.

Original Radio Broadcast: September 8, 1949

Originating from New York

Starring Don MacLaughlin as David Harding and Mandel Kramer as PetersAlso featuring Virginia Gregg

Directed by William M. Sweets

Dramatized by Palmer Thompson

Music by Jesse Crawford

A Philip H. Lord production for Pepsi-Cola

The program concludes with a special message prepared by Vice President Alvin W.

Barkley regarding employment opportunities for disabled veterans and workers.

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Join us again next time for another adventure on Counterspy.

Today's Mystery: Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Boston after a priceless jade statue known as the Mei-Ling Buddha is reportedly spotted for sale in a Paris antique shop—even though it should still be locked inside the home of its late owner. Johnny soon discovers that an impossible theft demands an equally unexpected solution.

Original Radio Broadcast: June 28, 1959

Originating from Hollywood

Starring Bob Bailey as Johnny DollarAlso featuring Virginia Gregg, Paul Dubov, Will Wright, and Boris Aplon

Written, produced, and directed by Jack Johnstone

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Join us again next time for another adventure with Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Today's Mystery:Joe Friday and Bill Lockwood investigate the body of an unidentified woman which has been found abandoned in a hospital elevator. With no obvious cause of death and only a mysterious phone call to point them in the right direction, the detectives race to determine whether they're dealing with murder—or something entirely different.

Original Radio Broadcast: April 24, 1952

Originating from Hollywood

Starring Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday and Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero's successor, Bill Lockwood

Also featuring Martin Milner, Vic Perrin, and Gwen DelanoScript by Jim MoserMusic by Walter Schumann

Technical advice from the Office of Chief of Police, W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department, with technical advisors Captain Jack Donohoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, and Sergeant Vance Brasher

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Join us again next time for another case from the files of Dragnet.

Today's Mystery: Detective Danny Clover reopens what appeared to be a straightforward suicide after a former bookie claims he witnessed the victim being pushed from a rooftop. When the eyewitness is murdered before he can identify the killer, Clover must untangle a web of jealousy, blackmail, and deception.

Original Radio Broadcast: April 5, 1952

Originating from Hollywood

Starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Also featuring Charles Calvert as Sgt. Gino Tartaglia, Jack Kruschen as Detective Muggavan, Louise Lewis as Margaret Elgin, Bill Bouchey as Ray Ford, Charlotte Lawrence, Billy Halop, and Steve Roberts

Written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin

Produced and directed by Elliott Lewis

Musical score composed and conducted by Alexander Courage

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Today's Mystery: When rumors spread through rural Kansas that a woman has concealed her mother's death for years, Hiawatha Daily World reporter Virgil Hill uncovers a heartbreaking truth that proves far more tragic than murder.

Original Radio Broadcast: April 25, 1951

Originating from New York

Starring Bill Lipton as Virgil HillAlso featuring Agnes Young, Ethel Owen, James Stevens, Bill Smith, Charles Eggleston, Bill Griffiths, and Jason Johnson

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Today's Mystery: Simon Templar investigates rumors that a minor league baseball team is about to throw an important game. His inquiry leads him to a beautiful woman, a dangerous fixer, and a young pitching phenom whose promising career may be destroyed before he ever reaches the major leagues.

Original Radio Broadcast: September 17, 1950

Originating from Hollywood

Starring Vincent Price as Simon Templar, The Saint

Also featuring Gloria Blondell, Jack Moyles, Hal March, Ed Max, Bob Clark, and Larry Dobkin

Based on characters created by Leslie Charteris Written by Dick Powell

Music composed and conducted by Van Dexter, Directed by Helen Mack Produced by James L. Saphier

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Join us again next time for another adventure with The Saint.

Today's Mystery: An international smuggling ring is threatened when a federal grand jury closes in on one of its American front companies. To cover their tracks, the organization's ruthless mastermind summons a professional arsonist to destroy the evidence before Counterspy agents can stop them.

Original Radio Broadcast: March 14, 1950

Originating in New York

Starring Don MacLaughlin as David Harding and Mandel Kramer as Harry Peters. Also featuring Jesse Crawford (music). 

Written by Edward J. Adamson. 

Directed by Leonard L. Bass. Produced by Phillips H. Lord.

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Join us again next time for another exciting case from Counterspy.

Today's Mystery: Johnny r is summoned by the eccentric Alvin Peabody Cartwright, who insists the matter is urgent. But when Johnny arrives, Cartwright has vanished, blood is found in the garage, and every clue points to murder—unless appearances are deceiving.

Original Radio Broadcast: June 20, 1959

Originating in Hollywood

Starring Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar. Also featuring Virginia Gregg, Gene Tatum, Howard McNear, Forrest Lewis, Joseph Kearns, and Paul Dubov.

Written, produced, and directed by Jack Johnstone.

Remember to make your travel plans by visiting JohnnyDollarAir.com first.

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Join us again next Friday for another adventure with Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Today's Mystery: An experienced confidence man returns to Los Angeles with the same polished investment scam, cheating trusting victims out of thousands of dollars. As Sergeant Joe Friday begins breaking in a new partner, the detectives race to stop the swindler before he can disappear with another fortune.

Original Radio Broadcast: April 17, 1952

Originating in Hollywood

Starring Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday.Also featuring Martin Milner as Officer Bill Lockwood, Marian Richman, and Vic Rodman.

Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schumann.

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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Pam, Patreon supporter since February 2024.

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery: When a man unknowingly passes a stolen thousand-dollar bill from a long-unsolved payroll robbery, Detective Danny Clover follows a trail that leads from Broadway's underworld to a string of murders. As more bodies fall, Danny races to uncover who has been hiding the stolen money for the past five years.

Original Radio Broadcast: March 22, 1952

Originating in Hollywood

Starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover.Also featuring Charles Calvert, Jack Kruschen, Charlotte Lawrence, Anthony Barrett, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, and Leo Cleary.

Written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. 

Produced and directed by Elliott Lewis.

Music composed by Alexander Courage and conducted by Marlon Skiles.

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today’s Mystery: When a suburban poker game ends in a deadly holdup, veteran Chicago reporter Bill Doherty becomes intrigued by the teenage brother of one of the dead gunmen.

As evidence mounts against the youth, Doherty sets out to determine whether the frightened suspect is a killer—or another victim of the crime.

Original Radio Broadcast: March 21, 195

1Originating in New York

Starring John Larkin as Bill Doherty.Also featuring Joseph Julian, Jack Grimes, Larry Haines, Bryna Raeburn, and Parker Fennelly. Based on the reporting of William Doherty of the Chicago Sun-Times.

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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Brent, Patreon supporter since January 2020.

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5Take the listener survey at survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery:Simon Templar's plans for a carefree day with Ann Morley are interrupted when the murder of a ticket broker draws them into a dangerous mystery. Pursued by hired gunmen and faced with a growing list of suspects, The Saint follows a twisting trail that seems to center on a prominent warehouse owner.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 20, 1950

Originating from HollywoodStarring: Vincent Price as Simon Templar

Also featuring Shirley Mitchell, Barbara Eiler, Jack Moyles, Tom Brown, Edmund MacDonald, and Anthony Barrett

Script by Louis Vittes

Music composed and conducted by Vaughn Dexter

Produced by James L. Saphier

Directed by Helen Mack

Announcer: Don Stanley

Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: James, Patreon supporter since June 2015

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.