Old Time Radio Mystery Specials

Old Time Radio Mystery Specials

Author: Adam Graham Language: English Episodes: 100
Curated by Adam Graham, Old Time Radio Mystery Specials digs into the archives to surface some of the most intriguing and offbeat detective stories from the golden age of audio drama. This podcast isn't just a straightforward replay; it's a curated exploration of the genre's surprising range. You'll hear classic movie adaptations from the Lux Radio Theater alongside tense half-hours from series like Escape, Suspense, and Murder Clinic. But the selections often take unexpected turns, featuring mystery-themed episodes from shows you wouldn't typically associate with the genre, like Roy Rogers, Mayor of the Town, Superman, and Cavalcade of America. Graham also provides a fascinating layer of analysis by presenting comparisons of how two different detective programs tackled the exact same source story, offering a unique look at creative interpretation in classic radio. The result is a collection that goes beyond the usual suspects, perfect for longtime fans looking for deep cuts and newcomers curious about the inventive breadth of old-time radio mystery. Each episode is a self-contained audio journey, preserving the crackle and charm of the original broadcasts while framing them in a fresh context. Tune in for suspense, nostalgia, and a few genuine surprises from a bygone era of storytelling.
Episodes
The Road to the Valentine Matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44:36
Today we take a look at the evolution of E. Jack Neumann's story that became the five-part Johnny Dollar serial.Jeff Regan: The Man in the ChurchRegan is hired for a simple job of delivering $5,000 to a man, but finds hi…
The Hardy Family: The Case of the Missing Warehouse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:45
Today's Mystery: Andy Hardy takes a job as a night watchman only to seemingly have the whole warehouse he's guarding disappear.Original Radio Broadcast Date: April 10, 1951Originating from HollywoodStarring: Mickey Roone…
Screen Director’s Playhouse: D.O.A. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:09
Release Date: May 07, 2011A man (Edmund O’Brien) is poisoned and spends his last days trying to find the man who murdered him.Original Air Date: June 21, 1951Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.ne…
Screen Guild Theatre: The Mask of Demetrios [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:09
Release Date: February 26, 2011A mystery writer (Peter Lorre) tries to unravel the truth about Demetrios, an international criminal of legendary proportion. In the course of this search, he garners the interest of anothe…
Mercury Theatre on the Air: The Man Who Was Thursday [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:37
Release Date: December 18, 2010In G.K. Chesterton’s classic, Gabriel Syme (Orson Welles) is a police detective infiltrating the anarchist counsel of Europe.Original Air Date: September 5, 1938Support the show monthly at…
World's Great Novels: The Moonstone, Part Four [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:09
Today's Mystery: An experiment reveals how the diamond got out of Rachel Verinder's cabinet. But where is it now?Original Air Date: April 23, 1948Originating from ChicagoStarring: Sherman Marks as Gabriel Betterridge; Ar…
World's Great Novels: The Moonstone, Part Three [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:47
Today's Mystery: After a tragic suicide, Sergeant Cuff's dismissed with the theft of the Moonstone still unsolved. A year later, someone else picks up the investigation.Original Radio Broadcast Date: April 16, 1948Origin…
World's Great Novels: The Moonstone, Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
Today's Mystery: England's greatest detective is called in to recover the Moonstone.Original Radio Broadcast Date: April 9, 1948Originating from ChicagoStarring: Sherman Marks as Gabriel Betterridge; Arthur Sedgewick as…
World's Great Novels: The Moonstone, Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:37
Original Release Date: June 5, 2025Today's Mystery: In the mid-19th Century, a young English woman has inherited a large Indian diamond from her evil uncle. She decides to wear it as a brooch on her eighteenth birthday.…
Lux Radio Theater: After the Thin Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:33
Original Release Date: November 8, 2010Returning from investigating the “Thin Man” case, Nick Charles again hopes to retire, but finds himself drawn into another mystery when his wife’s cousin is approved of murdering he…