Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 249 – Calling All Cars

Sgt. Jesse Rosenquist Police Radios were a new technology in the 1920s, and by 1933 were pretty much a technology that had definitely improved the ability of the police to combat crime more effectively. Radio Drama loved the new technology as it opened up new ideas in the depression years to improve the image of police versus the criminals. Mythic criminals such as Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde found the police on the less popular side as media made profits glorifying the exploits of these criminals. The police radio would figure largely in helping break down that mythic wall as it became much clearer that the likes of Dillinger and others were really just killers at best.

Calling All Cars had one recurring character and he was a real life one – Jesse Rosenquist (right) is the actual police dispatcher heard at the beginning of each episode. This podcast will look at how the series impacted the cultural aspect of society.

Music under is Beethoven’s Trio in D Major, the Allegretto.

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