One of the lesser known radio detective serials was The Amazing Mr. Malone also known as Murder and Mr. Malone. Yet this series had three separate runs, a television series and several movies all based upon the fictional detective mystery books by author Craig Rice, whose real name was Georgiana Ann Randolph Rice (right).
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 52 – Amazing Mr. Malone
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 51 – Adventures of Frank Race
Adventures of Frank Race was purely a radio series with no connection to other media. It’s first star was Tom Collins whose suave (but fake) British sounding accent provided some well crafted narrative to the series. The second star was Paul Dubov who was more hardboiled.
This week, a look at the international detective whose primary business was following insurance scams.
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 50 – Big Town
While one might not think of Big Town as a detective series, it wasn’t as much in its first run with Edward G. Robinson. But by 1942, the cast had changed and so had the theme. Managing Editor Steve Wilson of the Illustrated Press (portrayed by this time by Edward Pawley [right]) spent more time on the street investigating crime than he did running a newspaper.
Music underneath is “Seven Eleven” by Chillerstadt available on the Podshow Music Network.
A delightful but intentionally short-lived series starring Rex Harrison. This series was written by Ed Adamson, who I will talk about a bit and whose talent makes this the wonderful little series it was.Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 48 – Mike Hammer
A look at Mickey Spillane and his explosive private investigator – Mike Hammer. Hammer was a true pulp hero who was seen and heard in various media including film, radio, television and comic strips. Mickey Spillane was never respected by his peers, but laughed all the way to the bank as his hero was extremely popular with readers.
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 47 – Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator
This week, I am experimenting with a different format as I present William Gargan as investigator Barry Craig. The series from the early fifties was actually quite entertaining. A look at the actor himself as well as the series. Music included this week are from music.podshow.com and include:
Evan Stone performing KCAMS
Robin Stine performing “Shy Boy”
lastfuture performing “detective double bass”
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 46 – Phillip Marlowe
A return look at Raymond Chandler’s private detective, Phillip Marlowe. Last time I focused on Gerald Mohr’s protrayal, but this time, we look at the first radio Phillip Marlowe – Van Heflin.
I also look at other Phillip Marlowe’s from other media and how they interpreted him.
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 45 – Crime & Peter Chambers
Crime and Peter Chambers was a short term replacement for the featured podcast last week – Rocky Fortune. The series starred screen and television actor Dane Clark as a suave but tough private detective based upon the detective novels by long time mystery novelist Henry Kane.
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 44 – Rocky Fortune
In the early fifties, Frank Sinatra’s career seemed nearly over. His musical style was out of date and while he had appeared in some films, most were musically oriented. Then came From Here to Eternity for which he carried away a best supporting Oscar.
Radio too saw money in this seemingly new side to the man and signed him first to a radio series that never got past the planning stage, then to this week’s feature Rocky Fortune.
Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 43 – The FBI Shows
Beginning with the Lucky Strike Program the first known dramatization of an FBI case was heard on the radio in 1933. The FBI continued its relationship with the networks at times opening their case files to scriptwriters to present them in dramatic form. The most popular of these types of programs is featured on this podcast including The FBI in Peace and War and This Is Your FBI.
Jim Widner
- Jim Widner is a former educator and current radio historian, writer and big fan of detective/suspense/mystery fiction.
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