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
 
Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Judith, Patreon supporter since May 2021

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call at 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at

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
Escape: The Target [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:47
Today's Mystery: An insurance investigator has tracked a man, who embezzled $100,000, to Chile.Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 18, 1954Originating in HollywoodStarring: Whitfield Connor as Vic Kennedy; Jay Novel…
Escape: The Red Forest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:59
Special brought to you by the request of Chief of Detectives Patreon FatsToday's Story: A motorist finds himself trapped in a Western wildfire.Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 2, 1953Originating in HollywoodStarring…
Molle Mystery Theatre: Corpus Delecti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
Today's Mystery: A police detective has 48 hours to find proof of the innocence of his brother, who is on death row.Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 17, 1947Originating in New YorkStarring: Ken LynchSupport the sho…
Lux Radio Theater: Thunder on the Hill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:18
Today's Mystery:A nun becomes convinced that a condemned woman stranded at her Norfolk convent in the midst of torrential rains is innocent. Can the nun save her before her looming execution?Original Radio Broadcast Date…
Old Time Radio Con Games Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:31
Today, I'm joined by Jim Grinstead of the Scams and Cons Podcast as we delve into two scam-related old time radio podcasts.Today's 1st Mystery:First up, there's no such thing as easy money. That's a lesson a rich young m…
Hollywood Star Time: Hot Spot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:59
Today's Mystery:Based on the movie I Wake Up Screaming, a Broadway promoter is suspected of murdering an up-and-coming actress, by a dogged police officer who always gets his man.Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 27, 1…
Sherlock Holmes: The Elusive Agent (Complete Adventure) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:46
Today's Mystery:The year is 1913 and international tensions run thick. Sherlock Holmes's brother, Mycroft, calls him out of retirement to secure the return of stolen plans for an experimental tank.Original Radio Broadcas…
Suspense: The Man Who Murders People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:42
Today's Mystery:The commuter train to Roseville becomes the setting for a deadly game of cat and mouse, passengers grapple with the terror of a serial killer at large. With every twist and turn of the conversation, the l…