Tag Archives: Norman MacDonnell

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 238 – Motive for Murder

A well-constructed radio play by veteran scripter E. Jack Neuman and based on a Pulp fiction piece by Ward and John Hawkins. A rare convergence of talented radio people in E. Jack Neuman, William Spier, Norman MacDonnell, Ward and John Hawkins make this a must listen. And a great performance by Alan Ladd and a veteran cast of radio actors.… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 237 – Pursuit

A visit to an NBC series which had several actors portraying British Police Inspector Peter Black as he fought crime the old fashioned way.  This series, Pursuit, began life as an audition called The Hunters. After the series initial left the air, it returned as a summer replacement for the Gene Autry Show, but starring a new actor, the veteran… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 233 – Escape: Papa Benjamin

Besides his fictional noir crime stories, author Cornell Woolrich under the pseudonym, William Irish, also explored exotic noir creating stories from the bayou among other locales. With Music From the Dark, aka Papa Benjamin, he created dark stories of voodoo and cult. The CBS radio series Escape under William N Robeson and Norman MacDonnell, took Irish’s story and added smokey,… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 207 – Escape: Confidential Agent

This time we escape to another adaptation of a novel by mystery writer Ken Crossen, who takes on Graham Greene’s novel of a “between the wars” thriller – The Confidential Agent. This adaptation was for the radio program Escape and is well adapted maintaining an exciting, fast-paced ride as a man tries to meet up with his contact without being… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 1 – Phillip Marlowe

Raymond Chandler introduced his hardboiled gumshoe, Philip Marlowe, in his novel “The Big Sleep.” He referred to Marlowe as his “white knight in a trench coat.” The character was a tough lone wolf with a heart and a sense of honor. By September 1948, it was revitalized on CBS starring Gerald Mohr. Mohr along with producer and director Norman Macdonnell… (more…)