Charlie Ruggles

This week’s podcast looks at John Dickson Carr’s The Burning Court adapted for radio by Harold Medford for the Suspense radio series. It was the premier episode of the series which began in 1942. Carr was one of the premier mystery writers of the “locked room mystery” in the forties, but with elements that went beyond Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie and others of the period. Carr added an element of the supernatural, but believed that all things could be resolved by logic. The Burning Court was one of his novels that did not feature a primary detective in the role of solver of a crime. This adaptation is very well done and though not written by Carr, who did write some adaptations of his stories for radio as well as original plays.  Charlie Ruggles, well known as a comedic actor is well out of type for this episode.

Music under is the theme from Body Heat by John Barry.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Dorothy Hughes

The last adaptation of my look at Dorothy B. Hughes, mystery writer from the forties. This radio adaptation is based on the film “The Fallen Sparrow” starring John Garfield. The adaptation is from the Lux Radio Theater. Not as good as the previous podcast, but it gives another look into the types of characters and situations, this writer created.

This version stars Robert Young as Kit.

Music under is by Jazz At the Movies.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Robert Montgomery

The start of a two podcast look at somewhat forgotten pioneer of the psychological thriller – Dorothy B. Hughes. Hughes was a mystery writer from the forties into the fifties and beyond, but her peak power was in the late forties. In a Lonely Place was one of her best novels – a psychological murder mystery inside the mind of the possible killer. She pre-dated better known writers such as Jim Thompson, whose The Killer Inside Me is well recognized. Hughes was a superb writer and this Suspense adaptation starring Robert Montgomery was written by Irving Ravetch, who is known for creating the screenplays The Long Hot Summer, Hud, Hombre, and Norma Rae. This episode is one hour long.

Music under is “I Only Have Eyes For You” performed by Andre Previn Trio.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MBS

A slightly different crime story this week.  Encore Theater was a program the Mutual Broadcasting System sustained in the late forties to provide an opportunity for listeners to hear again dramatic episodes they heard on other programs and according to Mutual were the “best liked radio plays selected” by listeners. This episode is called “Balzac Murder” and was heard originally on the Carrington Playhouse in 1946. Elaine Carrington, called “Queen” Carrington for her “reign” as one of soap operas better known scripters created the series. However, these were not “soap” type programs. “Balzac Murder” is actually a very well written court room drama with flashbacks  by Joseph Cochran.  I think you’ll find the play fascinating (if you can get past the rather melodramatic organ bridge pieces). This play stars Raymond Edward Johnson as the Prosecutor.

Music under is the Nocturne in E Minor from the Grand Polonaise for Piano and Orchestra by Frederic Chopin.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Betty Lou Gerson

This time I look at a little known and rare radio program from 1942-1944 which focused on the newspaper reporter as detective. In this case, a female detective, Anne Rogers, who writes a column for a reputable newspaper. Anne finds herself involved in crime solving with the help of her foil Sgt. Flannigan. Scriptwriter was the noted Science Fiction writer, Nelson Bond. This episode of Hot Copy is called “Death Studies in Angles” from February 27th, 1944.  Though there were 3 actresses who played Anne Rogers, this episode features Betty Lou Gerson (right) in the role.

Music under is Andre Previn Trio: the tune is “One For Bunz.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Otto Kruger

This week a visit with Cornell Woolrich and the radio adaptation of his noirish horror story “After Dinner Story” as heard over the radio series Suspense. Woolrich was the master of creating tension out of the commonplace and while not completely faithful to the original story, this is still a very well done adaptation with script by Robert L. Richards. Otto Kruger (right) starred in the role and is positively scary as the man who holds life and death in his hands.

Music under is Coyote Moon by Ben Tavera King.

Special thanks to Cameron Estepp

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Basil Rathbone

Having decided not to renew his contracts for Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone longed to be on the legitimate stage. He and his wife left Hollywood behind and moved to New York. While he did achieve some success initially, he also began to falter in his career. To supplement his income he starred in a short-lived radio series called Tales of Fatima. In this radio series, he played himself as an actor who gets involved in solving murder mysteries. But the series was coming late to radio and as television was gradually pulling revenues away from radio, the series faltered and left the air by the end of the summer of 1949.

Music under is by Phillip Glass and Michael Riesman.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The series Inspector Mark Saber is in a sense the grand-child of the original Molle’ Mystery Theater.  In this podcast, you’ll meet Inspector Mark Saber, portrayed on radio by actor Robert Carroll (at right as he appeared as Patrick Henry). Saber is a somewhat aloof, seemingly all-known detective of a large city homicide division. The series appeared on radio in its waning dramatic days and came to the medium in a rather circuitous way from the original Mystery Theater.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Edmund O'Brien

We’re back with an all new podcast. This one is a good one featuring Edmund O’Brien in a well layered role as Eric Strange, an author of help books about people who seem to suffer from “blind spots” in their lives. Blind spots are those areas where an individual fails to see or understand some event in their lives. Strange finds himself becoming a detective as he attempts to find a serial killer without himself being killed. A one hour Suspense program from 1948. Listen!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Finally, I am back for a new podcast! Expanding the genre a bit to include crime in general, this week, a look at one of the better, but not so well known crime series in the fifties: Crime Classics. The series ran for 52 episodes only, but had the talents of Elliott Lewis (right) as producer/director, David Friedkin and Mort Fine, writers, and Bernard Herrmann as composer-conductor with live in studio musicians!

Music under is “Morning Passages” by Philip Glass and Michael Riesman from the film The Hours.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download