A detective serial of the modern southwest. What Dragnet was to Los Angeles, this serial is to Texas. Starring Joel McCrea as Ranger Pearson, the series takes place in the thirties and focuses on the CSI style investigations of crimes as Pearson guides his men and himself through the maze of investigation of crime. When I first heard of the radio series Tales of the Texas Rangers years ago, I thought it was a western series based in the historic old west. Obviously, never having heard it, I soon discovered it was in fact a modern detective series that mostly took its queue from Jack Webb’s Dragnet series.
Historically, the Texas Rangers were a policing organization formed by Stephen Austin in the 1800’s to mostly protect the land from Indians and outlaws. Their “beat” was 260,000 square miles of Texas and as the opening of the radio series describes, they were “the oldest law enforcement body in North America.”
Music under is Coyote Moon by Ben Tavera King.
This week a detective story that comes from within the genre of science fiction! Based upon a story by science fiction author Frank M. Robinson, this radio version from Dimension X is very much a hardboiled detective story, but with science-based concepts. Starring George Petrie (right) who could have played a very good Johnny Dollar. A hardboiled detective story but with time travel implications!
Something a bit different in radio detectives. 
This week parts 2 & 3 of our look at a somewhat different group of detectives. Adventures by Morse is about Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two detectives who are born more out of the pulp traditions than the hardboiled school. Carlton E. Morse (right) created these series of adventure-mysteries. You’ll hear part two & three of three this week.
A revisit to the hardboiled world of Dashiell Hammett (right) with a special broadcast of the 
Charlie Chan was one of radio, film and televisions best known detectives. Earl Derr Biggers (right) fictional Honolulu detective has remained popular for many years. This week a look at all of the Chan versions on radio, plus two episodes from two of the series.
The final look at Rex Stout’s Archie Goodwin as he appeared on radio. This week a look at the final Archie – Harry Bartell (right). Also a little discussion on the detective character as perceived by Stout and a brief clip of a Canadian run of the series.
Continuing with our look at the Archie Goodwin’s from the radio Nero Wolfe series, this week, my favorite Archie actor – Gerald Mohr (right), formerly of the 
The third of a four part look at the Archie Goodwin character and the actors who portrayed him on radio. We’re now into the third series run of this radio detective – 