Fifteen Years Ago

Fifteen Years Ago

Author: Adam Graham October 20, 2024 Duration: 3:10:56
This week, we look back at our first week of podcasts from 2009, with Adam's current extended thoughts on each episode and reaction to his own commentar. 

Original Podcast Release Date: October 26, 2009

Dan Holiday tries to jumpstart his writing career through an ad in a newspaper. His first letter is from a woman who tells Dan she’s being blackmailed.

Original Radio Air Date: October 17, 1947

Originating in Hollywood

Starring: Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday; Sylvia Picker as Suzie

Original Podcast Release Date: October 27, 2009

Pat Novak is hired to frighten a man named Dixie Gillian, but when an empty gun goes off, he finds himself facing a murder charge.
 
“You couldn’t hold a moth with a searchlight.” - Pat Novak to Hellman
 
Original Air Date: November 24, 1946
 
Originating in San Francisco
 
Starring: Jack Webb as Pat Novak; Tudor Owen as Jocko Madigan
 
Original Podcast Release Date: October 28, 2009

On his first day as a private detective, George Valentine gets his first client - a famous writer who tells him he’s about to be murdered and then collapses on the spot. The body then vanishes, leaving George to find out what happened.

Original Audition Date: May 14, 1946

Originating in Hollywood

Starring: Bob Bailey as George Valentine; Shirley Mitchell as Claire; Eddie Firestone, Jr. as Sonny; Joseph Kearns; Georgia Backus; Howard McNear; Horace Murphy
 
Original Podcast Release Date: October 30, 2009

Johnny Dollar is retained to protect a man who has threatened suicide after making a notorious gambling kingpin the beneficiary on his life insurance policy.
 
Original Audition Date: December 7, 1948
 
Starring: Dick Powell as Johnny Dollar; William Conrad; Betty Lou Gerson; Joseph Kearns
 
Guest: Andrew Rhynes of the OTR Westerns podcast

The Great Detectives Old Time Radio Volume 1 (Seasons 1-3): https://volume1.greatdetectives.net
 
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2 (Seasons 4-6) https://volume2.greatdetectives.net
 
The Great Detectives of Old TIme Radio Volume 3 (Seasons 7-9) https://volume3.greatdetectives.net
 
The Great Detectives of Old TIme Radio Detective Compilation YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDFIOdWlnzL-YP6EZpi6JI1nLn6Hm4tAI


Also referenced: Podcast Alley and The Radio Detective Story Hour
 
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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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Old Time Radio Mystery Specials
Podcast Episodes
Holmes for the Holiday: Two Christmas Mysteries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:00
As we get ready for Christmas, we bring you two original old time radio Christmas plays featuring Sherlock Holmes. First up is The Night Before Christmas.On Christmas, one of Moriarity’s henchmen switches Christmas sacks…
Murder Clinic: A Scrap of Lace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:39
Release Date: December 3, 2011A charming young woman is murdered and Madam Rosika Storey is called in to find out who did it and save a prominent family from scandal.Original Air Date: September 22, 1942Support the show…
The Best of the 2024-25 Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:15
In this special, we look back at the top five half-hour Old Time Radio programs of our 2024-2025 season, and one of our best Old Time Radio Snack Wagon episodes.First up, it's The Falcon in "The Case of the Jumping Jack"…
Columbia Workshop: Murder in Studio One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:54
Release Date: October 29, 2011A female detective tries to solve a murder in a radio studio in the series 26 by Corwin. Original Air Date: October 12, 1941Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netSupport the…
Lux Radio Theater: To the Ends of the Earth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:11
Release Date: September 24, 2011Narcotics Commissioner Michael Barrows (Dick Powell) witnesses a Japanese sea captain throwing 100 slaves overboard to cover up a narcotics ring. Barrows is determined to get justice and s…
WW2 Special: Suspense: Menace in Wax and You Were Wonderful [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:09
Release Date: July 16, 2011This Suspense doublebill features two episodes of CBS’ signature anthology series.First in "Menace in Wax," a reporter is summoned to a wax museum and finds a code that could spell trouble for…
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…