A look at my final entry into radio detectives born out of the pulp magazines. The Shadow was in some ways not a detective as much as a crime fighter (there is a difference), but some of the episodes did bear some aspects where Lamont Cranston did do some detective work to help come to the resolution. This episode is one of those.
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Continuing a look at radio detectives who had their beginnings in the pulps, this week a look at Jack “Flash” Casey created by George Harmon Coxe and born from the pages of Black Mask Magazine. Jack Casey came to radio first as “Flashgun” Casey, then Casey, Crime Photographer.
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This week begins a short series on radio detectives who come from the pulps. This includes pulps such as the early publications like the one on the right and Black Mask Magazine. I’ll start with one of the earliest pulp detectives who appeared on radio, Nick Carter. A look at the history of these pulps, some of the early detectives, and an early Nick Carter, Master Detective episode from 1943.
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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.
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This week begins a two part 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 one of three this week and the final two parts next week.
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Repeat episode (Sep 2005) while I take some time off.
A look at an unusual Radio Detective – one doesn’t always think of this radio character in the detective vein, though he was indeed the investigator as much as a crime fighter. The Shadow is one of the best remembered radio characters from his pulp creation to radio and films.
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In 1914, pulp fiction writer, Louis Joseph Vance, published the first in a series of mystery detective books starring Michael Lanyard, aka The Lone Wolf. Though Vance died before he could see the industry his books created in the thirties and forties, the books left him a successful writer.
This week, a look at the radio serial, The Lone Wolf with the only available episode of the series which first starred Gerald Mohr, then later Walter Coy (seen in the photo).
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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.
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Originally from the pen of pulp crime/mystery writer, George Harmon Coxe, Casey, Crime Photographer achieved fame through radio starring Staats Cotsworth (right). The series was a bit removed from the original pulp hero of Jack “Flash” Casey, but the earlier Casey’s proved to be much better than the later series.
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From out of the pulps comes Nick Carter, Master Detective! This week “another case for that most famous of all man hunters – the detective whose ability at solving crime is unequal in the history of detective fiction – Nick Carter, Master Detective.”
The character of Nick Carter goes back to 19th century detective stories as one of the staples of early Street & Smith publishing. Nick Carter may be the most published character in American fiction. By the time radio got a hold of him, the character had evolved into a private investigator. Starring Lon Clark (right) for the whole series.
I’ll look a little at the history of this pulp character and the strange ride he took over the last 100 years! This week’s episode: “The Echo of Death. “
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Jim Widner is a webmaster, writer, radio historian.
