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
Police File: Mr. One by One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:11
he Australian Commonwealth Investigation Branch (CIB) seeks a gang of counterfeiters that are passing forged 10 pound notes.Original Radio Broadcast Date: Mid-1950sOriginating from Sydney, AustraliaAustralian Dragnet epi…
Academy Award Theatre: The Maltese Falcon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:14
Today's Mystery: Sam Spade's search for the murderer in his partner puts him in the midst of intrigue among four dangerous characters, all trying to gain possession of an enameled jeweled falcon.Original Radio Broadcast…
Sherlock Holmes Guy Fawkes Day Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:39
Today is Guy Fawkes Day and we celebrate with two different Guy-Fawkes-related Sherlock Holmes adventures.First, in The Fifth of November, a man named James Stuart comes to Baker Street pleading for Holmes' help, as he f…
Stars in the Air: House on 92nd Street [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:07
Today's Mystery:An FBI undercover man infilitrates a Nazi spy ring that could send the secret of Process 97 to the Nazis.Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 3, 1952Originated from HollywoodStarred: Humphrey Bogart as Insp…
Suspense: The High Wall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:44
Today's Mystery:A man wakes up in an insane asylum with no idea how he got there.Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 6, 1946Originated from HollywoodStarred: Robbert Young, George Zucco, Cathy Lewis, Wally MaherSupport t…
Guest Star Detective Double Feature [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:17
Today's First Story: Basil Rathbone sets up an office as a radio detective, with Kenny Delmar as his bumbling sidekick.Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 24, 1947Today's Second Story: A key witness in a Distict Attorney…
Suspense: Fragile, Contents: Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:27
Today's Mystery:A postmaster (Victor Perrin) gets a tip that there's a time bomb among the day's packages.Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 22, 1956Stars: Victor Perin, Herb Ellis, Frank Gershwin, Vivi Janis, Helen Klee…
Lux Radio Theater: The Maltese Falcon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:36
Today's Mystery:Sam Spade (Edward G. Robinson) tries to solve the murder of his partner and gets drawn into the intrigue over a mysterious black-enameled bird.Original Radio Broadcast Date: February 8, 1943Originated in…
Inheritance: The Texas Rangers (Texas Rangers Bicentenial Special) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:51
A Texas Rangers Captain is assigned to form a group of special forces to stop rustlers stealing cattle and taking them across the Rio Grande.Original Radio Broadcast Date:June 13, 1954Guest Host: Andrew Rhynes of the OTR…