The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio » Golden Age Article

Radio’s Most Essential People: Final Thoughts and Complete List

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:01:29 +0000

When I began compiling my list of radio's most essential people, I wanted to honor the people who'd made the greatest impact on radio. I also wanted to represent every type of person who contributed to great radio. It'd be easy to make a list full of leading actors and actresses. But that wasn't the stuff of old time radio. It was comedy, dr Read more ...

Radio Drama Review: The History of Harry Niles, Box Set 2

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:01:18 +0000

The Adventures Harry Nile is a radio detective series recorded out of Seattle. It first began recording in 1977 and then resumed in the 1990s and continues to produce new episodes to this. Include in the second set of "The History of Harry Niles" are the last of the 1970s episodes episodes starring Phil Harper and some of the 1990s epis Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #1: Orson Welles

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 12 May 2013 06:01:18 +0000

Previous Posts:2, 3, 4, Read more ...

Review: Columbo Mystery Movie Collection 1994-2003

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 11 May 2013 06:01:53 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #2: Jack Benny

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 05 May 2013 06:01:23 +0000

Previous Posts: 3, 4, 5, Read more ...

Book Review: His Last Bow

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 04 May 2013 06:01:11 +0000

His Last Bow was once again intended to be the last Sherlock Holmes Collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, it didn't quite turn out that way. Although he did get Holmes retired, there'd be many more adventures written of previously unchronicled cases.

This book has the fewest stories in it it of all the Holmes collections Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #3: Bob Hope

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:01:33 +0000

Previous Posts: 4, 5, 6,Read more ...

Radio Drama Review: The Green Valley Line

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:01:04 +0000

The Green Valley Line was a syndicated radio drama from the 1930s. Told in 26 quarter hour parts, it tells the story of Bill Reed, the son of a wealthy railroad baron who comes to work for the Green Valley Line, a small western railroad that his father wants to buy out. His decision gains suspicion from locals who support the Green Vall Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People #4: Bing Crosby

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:01:13 +0000

Previous Posts: 5, 6,7, Read more ...

Telfilm Review: Dumb Witness

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 06:01:44 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #5: Virginia Gregg

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:01:14 +0000

Previous Posts 6,7, 8 Read more ...

Book Review: Three Witnesses

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 06:01:05 +0000

This Nero Wofe novella collection published in 1956 contained Nero Wolfe stories originally published in 1954 and 1955.

"The Next Witness" finds Wolfe called as a witness to a peripheral matter in a murder trial. While being out and watching the trial, he becomes convinced that the prosecution's case is wrong and leaves the courtroom with Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #6: Gale Gordon

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 06:01:15 +0000

7, 8,9, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Dead Man’s Folly

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 06:01:31 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #7: William Conrad

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 06:01:44 +0000

8,9, 10, Read more ...

Radio Drama Review: Powder River, Season One

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 06:01:11 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #8: Fibber McGee and Molly

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 06:01:13 +0000

Previous Posts:
9, 10, 12-11, Read more ...

Book Review: The Valley of Fear

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 06:01:33 +0000

The Valley of Fear is the last Sherlock Holmes novel. It was originally published in 1915 but is set prior to the events of "The Final Problem." Doyle ignores at least one fact stated by Watson in, "The Final Problem" where Watson claims not to have heard of Moriarity. Here, Holmes introduces Watson far before that as the two go to a castle to i Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #9

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 06:01:31 +0000

Previous Posts: 10, 12-11, 14-13, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Murder on the Links

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 06:01:43 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #10: Joseph Kearns

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:01:04 +0000

Previous Posts: 12-11, 14-13, 16-15,� Read more ...

Radio Drama Review: Dossier on Dumetrius

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 06:01:39 +0000

In Dossier on Dumetrius, an International criminal known as Dumetrius comes to London from occupied Berlin. However, MI-5 discovers that he committed a murder in killing an officer in Berlin. Dumetrius seeks to kill off anyone who saw him on the flight other than his confederates and collect one million pounds of stolen Nazi loot.

< Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #12 and #11

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:01:20 +0000

Previous Posts: 14-13, 16-15, 18-17, Read more ...

The Top Twenty-Five Dragnet Programs, Part Five

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 06:01:35 +0000

Continued from: 10-6, 15-11, 20-16, Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #14-13

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:01:20 +0000

Previous Posts: 16-15, 18-17, 20-19,Read more ...

The Top Twenty-Five Best Dragnet Programs, Part Four

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 06:01:32 +0000

Continued from: 15-11, 20-16, 25-21.

10) Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #16 and #15

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 06:01:05 +0000

Previous Posts: 18-17, 20-19, 22-21, Read more ...

The Top Twenty-Five Best Dragnet Programs, Part Three

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 06:01:29 +0000

Continued from: 20-16, 25-21.

15) The Big Break

Original Air Date: November 14, 1950 (Radio) Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People: #18 and #17

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:01:51 +0000

Previous Posts: 20-19, 22-21, 24-23, Read more ...

The Twenty-Five Best Dragnet Programs, Part Two

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 06:01:49 +0000

Continued from: 25-21.

20) Big Trio

Original Air Date: July 3, 1952 (Radio)
Original Air Date: November 20, 1952 (Television)

This was cited by Jack Webb in an interview in Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown:#20 and #19

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:01:57 +0000

Previous Posts: 22-21, 24-23, 26-25, Read more ...

The 25 Best Dragnet Programs, Part One

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:01:25 +0000

As I finish up my Old Time Dragnet podcast. I've seen and heard a lot of Dragnet: More than 300 radio episodes from which most of the 1950s TV version were created and I've seen a few of those TV episodes that weren't based on radio shows. In addition, I've seen the entire 1960s series, and both the 19 Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #22-#21

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:01:41 +0000

Previous Posts: 24-23, 26-25, 28-27, Read more ...

Book Review: Archie Meets Nero Wolfe

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:01:21 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #24-#23

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:01:10 +0000

Previous Posts: 26-25, 28-27, 30-29, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Hickory Dickory Dock

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:01:04 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #26-#25

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 06:01:15 +0000

Previous Posts: 28-27, 30-29, 33-31, Read more ...

Book Review: The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 06:01:11 +0000

Sherlock Holmes was the character who would not die Sir Arthur Conan Doyle feared being stuck with Holmes and killed him off in "The Final Problem" published in 1893. Eight years later, he published another Holmes novel albeit one set before Holmes death. But in 1903, he relented and returned Holmes to life with the short story, "The Empty House Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #28-#27

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:01:03 +0000

Previous Posts: 30-29, 33-31, 36-34, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Murder in Three Acts

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 06:01:21 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #30 and #29

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:01:50 +0000

Previous Posts: 33-31, 36-34, 39-37, Read more ...

Rex Stout’s Other Detective Series: Tecumseh Fox

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 06:01:17 +0000

Agatha Christie is highly regarded and remembered more than her individual characters because of the fact that her mysteries were not limited to a single famous detective unlike Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle. She had not only Hercule Poirot, but Miss Marple is almost equally beloved. In addition, other characters such as Parker Pyne and Tommy and Tupp Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #33-#31

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 06:01:36 +0000

Previous Posts: 36-34, 39-37, 42-40, Read more ...

You Ought to Be On DVD: And the Rest

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 06:01:45 +0000

Previous, Unreleased TV Detectives, The Ziv Properties, Vintage Detective Movie Se Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #36-#34

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 06:01:33 +0000

Previous Posts: 39-37, 42-40, 45-43, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 06:01:10 +0000

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #39-#37

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 06:01:14 +0000

Previous Posts: 42-40, 45-43, 48-46, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: This Looks Like a Job for a DVD Release

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 06:01:03 +0000

Previous, Unreleased TV Detectives, The Ziv Properties, Vintage Detective Movie Se Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #42-#40

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:01:36 +0000

Previous Posts: 45-43, 48-46, 51-49, Read more ...

Excerpt: What Made the Golden Age Shine

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 07:01:17 +0000

Book Review: Three Men Out

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:01:43 +0000

It's time to review another Nero Wolfe novella collection. "Three Men's Out" was published in 1954 and contains three novellas published originally in 1952 an 1953.

"Invitation to Murder" -A man hires Wolfe to have Archie investigate the women who may be the next wi Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #45-#43

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 06:01:06 +0000

Previous: 48-46, 51-49, 54-52, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: Beloved Radio Comedy Characters

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 06:01:28 +0000

Unreleased TV Detectives, The Ziv Properties, Vintage Detective Movie Serials,� Read more ...

How the Golden Age Shined Released for Kindle

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:40:18 +0000

I've released my new ebook on the topic of the Golden Age of entertainment called, What Made the Golden Age Shine.

Over the years, I've been quizzed on why on what got me interested in golden age of entertainment and why I enjoy so much given that much of the material I listen to and watch is before my time. In What Made the Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown #48-#46

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 06:01:22 +0000

Previous: 51-49, 54-52, 57-55, Read more ...

Radio Review: Bold Venture

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 06:01:47 +0000

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Becall followed other stars including Alan Ladd to the radio in their own syndicated program.In Bold Venture, Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People: #51-#49

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 06:01:57 +0000

Previous: 54-52, 57-55, 60-58, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: Mark VII Limited

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 06:01:13 +0000

Previous: Unreleased TV Detectives, The Ziv Properties, Vintage Detective Movie Seria Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #54-#52

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:01:40 +0000

Previous: 57-55, 60-58, 65-61, Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: Hilary Caine Mysteries, Box Set 1

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 06:01:59 +0000

In the Hilary Caine Mysteres, MJ Elliot, known for his adaptations of classic Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown programs created an original comedy mystery series for Jim French Productions in Seattle.

It's the 1930s and Hilary Caine (played by Australian Karen Heaven) works as the house detective for the tabloid Tittle Tattle Mag Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People #57-#55

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:01:47 +0000

Previous: 60-58, 65-61, 70-66, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: Unreleased TV Detectives

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 06:01:58 +0000

Previous: The Ziv Properties, Vintage Detective Movie Serials, I Heard it on Radio, Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #60-#58

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 06:01:11 +0000

65-61, 70-66, 71-75, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: One Two Buckle My Shoe

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 06:01:23 +0000

Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #65-#61

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 06:01:21 +0000

Previous Posts: 70-66, 71-75, 76-80, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: The Ziv Properties

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 06:01:16 +0000

Previous: Vintage Detective Movie Serials, I Heard it on Radio, Nero Wolfe

Frederick Ziv was listed as #6 Read more ...

Radio Most Essential People Countdown: #70-#66

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Previous Posts: 71-75, 76-80, 81-85, Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Thirteen At Dinner

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 06:01:19 +0000

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Television Series Review: Elementary

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:41:19 +0000

Sherlock Holmes living and working in modern day New York? That's the premise of CBS' new Drama, Elementary which stars Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Ms. Watson, a former surgeon.

Holmes gets out of drug rehab and Liu is assigned to be his companion during a six wee Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #75-#71

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 06:01:38 +0000

Previous Posts: 76-80, 81-85, 86-90, Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: Nero Wolfe

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 06:01:14 +0000

Previous: Vintage Detective Movie Serials, I Heard it on Radio

If one great fictional detective has been slighted in terms of DVD and Home video releases, it is Nero Wolfe. The Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #80-#76

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 06:01:16 +0000

Previous Posts: 81-85, 86-90, 91-95, Read more ...

Book Review: Homicide Trinity.

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 06:01:38 +0000

Homicide Trinity contained three Nero Wolfe Novellas originally published in magazine form in 1961 and 1962. Below, we take a look at each story.

"Eeny Meeny Murder Mo"

Bertha Aaro Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #85-#81

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 06:01:42 +0000

Previous Posts: 86-90, 91-95, 96-100

85) Himan B Read more ...

You Ought to Be on DVD: I Heard It On Radio

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 06:01:18 +0000

Previous in this series: Vintage Detective Movie Serials

This post is going to be dedicated to four movies I'd love to see on DVD but were not part of a mystery series. All of them ultimately are Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #90-#86

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 06:01:33 +0000

Previous Posts: 91-95, 96-100

90) Frank Nelson

Frank Nelson is probably best reme Read more ...

You Ought to be on DVD: Vintage Mystery Movie Series

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 06:01:17 +0000

The era of DVDs has brought many great films and television shows to people's home viewing. Yet there are many efforts that have not been given their due with a DVD release so they can be enjoyed by audiences. Instead they're not shown at all or show only occasionally on certain TV channels.

The good news in recent years is that most stud Read more ...

Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #95-#91

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 06:01:22 +0000

Continued from Part One:

95) Lon Clark

For twelve seasons, Lon Clark played his memorable role as Nick Carter, Master Detective but this was Read more ...

The Big Detectives

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 06:01:38 +0000

In advance of presenting The Fat Man to our listeners, we take a look at some of the king sized detectives who've appeared in radio and television.

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Radio’s Most Essential People Countdown: #100-#96

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 06:01:59 +0000

As I listen to radio in a wide variety of forms, I've noted that some people are essential. If they had not been involved, the Golden Age of radio would not have been the same. To me the 100 people on this list best defined this virtue.

Some of these are lead actors Read more ...

Book Review: Triple Jeopardy

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 06:01:09 +0000

Triple Jeopardy contains three Nero Wolfe novellas originally published in 1951 and 1952. Without any further adieu, let's take a look at them:

Home to Roost:

A young man suspected of b Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Death in the Clouds

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 06:01:42 +0000

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Movie Review: Death on the Nile (1978)

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 06:01:26 +0000

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Radio Review: Abroad with the Lockharts

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 06:01:35 +0000

Whatever our circumstances, radio allows our mind to escape to another time, another place. Bold Venture, Dangerous Assignment, and The Man Called X frequently took us to exotic locales while Dimension X and other Science Fiction shows took us to fantastic new worlds.

However, during the Depression, a trip to Europe was probably as fantas Read more ...

Telefilm Review: The ABC Murders

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 06:01:58 +0000

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Book Review: And Four to Go

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 06:01:59 +0000

What could be better than the numerous Nero Wolfe books including three Novellas? How about one featuring four? Well, it doesn't quite work out that way, but there are still some worthwhile stories in the lot:

"The Christmas Party"
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Review: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 06:01:45 +0000

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Book Review: Beginning with a Bash

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:01:24 +0000

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Telefilm Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 06:01:45 +0000

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Book Review: Red Threads

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:01:41 +0000

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Audio Drama Review: The History of Harry Nile, Set 1 (Volumes 1-4)

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 06:01:18 +0000

There have been many attempts to tap into the magic of the Golden Age Detectives since 1962. Most modern radio detectives meet a somewhat quick exit unless they aired over British radio. The Independently produced Matthew Slade series lasted for about 13 weeks in the mid-60s. Canada’s Becker, House Detective survived for 13 weeks as well. In t Read more ...

Book Review: Inka Dinka Doo

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 06:01:03 +0000

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Carry Me Back to Old Mayberry

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 06:01:36 +0000

Andy Griffith passed away at the age of 86. Griffith was the star of one of the most beloved programs in television history, The Andy Griffith Show.

Griffith's legacy was not limit Read more ...

Book Review: Three Doors to Death

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 06:01:15 +0000

Three Doors to Death is a Nero Wolfe short story published in 1950 featuring three novellas published from 1947-49 in American Magazine.

It begins with a Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Peril at End House

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 06:01:46 +0000

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MP3 Download Review: The Very Best of Song

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 06:01:47 +0000

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Book Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 06:01:05 +0000

The Hound of the Baskervilles marked Sherlock Holmes return to literature after he was killed off by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in “The Final Problem” eight years previously. Doyle had not yet brought Holmes back to life. This story was set prior to “The Final Problem.”

Sir Henry Baskerville is the heir of his late uncle Charle’s Es Read more ...

Book Review: Curtains for Three

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 06:01:28 +0000

Curtains for Three was published in 1951 and featured three Nero Wolve novellas published from 1948-50. As usual, we’ll review the individual story and then include an overall rating for the book:

"The Gun with Wings": The title sounds similar to a Father Brown story (”The Dagger with Wings”) but the story has an unrelated plot. The Read more ...

Radio Review: Voyage of the Scarlet Queen

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 06:01:46 +0000

I’ve written before about the rarity of having a half hour show with multiple part episodes were rare for half hour shows in the Golden Age of radio.

However, one show is a notable exception to this rule, Voyage of the Scarlet Queen. The 1947-48 Mutual Radio Series was Read more ...

TV Series Review: Sherlock Series 2

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 06:01:11 +0000

The 2010 First Series of Sherlock introduced a clever re-imagining of what the character of Sherlock Holmes would look and act like if he were born in modern times. Episodes were based very loosely on original Doyle stories, though they added their own twists.

Series 2 has some of the appeal going, but too often heads off the r Read more ...

Movie Review: Pete Kelly’s Blues

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 06:01:00 +0000

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Australian Radio Review: Man in the Iron Mask

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 06:01:13 +0000

Australia had its own golden age of radio as we’ve mentioned before. Some programs were re-recording of American programs such as Superman, the Shadow, Nightbeat, and Gunsmoke. However, they also turned out many original programs.

One of the big Read more ...

Book Review: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 06:01:19 +0000

Continuing on the success of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs offers up some more fantastic classic mysteries but also a few signs of Doyle burning out on the Holmes series.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is available for free download on Amazon and other sites.

The American version of the Memoirs includes el Read more ...

Radio Review: The Jumbo Fire Chief Program

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:01:44 +0000

In 1935, NBC brought Broadway and Jimmy Durante to radio listeners across America with its Jumbo Fire Chief Program Read more ...

Book Review: Hand in the Glove

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 26 May 2012 06:01:37 +0000

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DVD Set Review: The Columbo Mystery Movie Collection: 1991-93

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:01:36 +0000

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Book Review: Please Pass the Guilt

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 19 May 2012 06:01:12 +0000

Reading Please Pass the Guilt right after The Silent Speaker provided quite an interesting contrast. Both cases involve Archie and Wolfe drumming up business, but the times have changed in 25 years.

In the first place, technoligically thi Read more ...

Book Review: The Silent Speaker

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 12 May 2012 06:01:38 +0000

I hadn't planned on getting into Nero Wolfe novels that had been adapted to TV until after finishing the novels that weren't adapted (except for A Family Affair) and the novella collections. However, the Silent Speaker was included in the library edition of Black Orchids, so I thought to go ahead and enjoy the bonus.

The Read more ...

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys On TV in the 1990s

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 06 May 2012 06:01:46 +0000

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MP3 Download Review:Gordon Macrae in Concert / Hallowed Be Thy Name

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:02:41 +0000

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Radio Review: The Fire Chief Show with Ed Wynn

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:01:26 +0000

Ed Wynn didn't find film and television success until 1949, by which time he was 63 years old and would continue to take on memorable film and television roles in the twilight of his life. His most famous roles Read more ...

Book Review: Black Orchids

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:01:47 +0000

Nero Wolfe had twice as many novels published as Sherlock before he ever broke into short fiction. However, author Rex Stout would create some of his most memorable stories in the Wolfe novellas. The first two of these are collected in Black Orchids.

Black Orchids

The title story for the collection was originally Read more ...

Book Review: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:01:01 +0000

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes continues to be incredibly popular to this day. It's near the top of the free download list on Kindle. The Librivox Audiobook version has been downloaded 1 million times on Archive.org.

The book remains the most popular literature featuring the great detective beating all the novels and other collections Read more ...

The Top Ten Perry Mason TV Movies, Part Three

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:52:09 +0000

Previous: Part Two and Part One

3) Perry Mason and the Case of the Lady in the Lake (1988)

Okay, it's not by Raymond Chandler but for a Perry Mason f Read more ...

Book Review: The Black Mountain

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:23:47 +0000

Having firmly established the rules of Nero Wolfe's first few books, Rex Stout felt free to force Wolfe to bend or break some of his rules. Other than In the Best Families, Stout never forced Wolfe to break so many rules as he did in The Black Mountain.

Wolfe's lifelong friend Marco Vukcic is killed and Wolfe leaves t Read more ...

The Top Ten Perry Mason TV Movies, Part Two

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 06:01:20 +0000

Continued from Part One

6) Perry Mason and the Case of the Avenging Ace (1988): Prior to the first movie, Perry Mason had been elevated to appellate court judge. In this film, he revisits a case he'd heard on appeal and declined the Defendant's appe Read more ...

Book Review: The Secret of Father Brown

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:01:24 +0000

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The Top 10 Perry Mason TV Movies, Part One

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:01:31 +0000

Having recently watched all 26 of the 1980s-90s Perry Mason Revival movies, I've decided to make a list of the best of them.

While these movies are not the equals of the original series, Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale's talents still made the films worthwhile and entertaining through each of the 26 installments.

Without any further Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: Father Brown, Volume 3

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 07:02:01 +0000

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We’ll Always Have Casablanca

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:23:00 +0000

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Movie Review: The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:01:27 +0000

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TV Series Review: Father Brown

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 06:01:19 +0000

In 1974, Father Brown came to ITV with Kenneth More starred as G.K. Chesterton's sleuth. The series adapted thirteen of the Father Brown Mysteries to television. The results were a bit of mixed bag.

Kenneth More's acting as Father Brown was certainly not a mixed bag. He played a delightful but cunning Father Brown, embodying the Read more ...

Radio Review: My Son Jeep

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:56:18 +0000

By the middle of the 1950s, the heyday of the radio sitcom had passed, at least as far as new programming was concerned. In the midst of radio's decline, "My Son, Jeep" came to NBC radio in January 1953.
The show was somewhat different from the typical family sitcom as it featured a single father named Dr. Robert Allison (Donald Cook). liv Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: Colonial Radio Theatre’s 2nd Father Brown Collection

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:01:17 +0000

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Sleuths of My Youth: Dr. Mark Sloan

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 06:01:19 +0000

Previous in this series: Mathnet, Perry Mason and Ben Matlock, Batman, Read more ...

Movie Review: The Adventures of Tintin

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:01:09 +0000

Tintin may be one of the most fun characters that most Americans have never heard of. Tintin was the creation of the Belgian Cartoonist Herge over a period of nearly 50 years. Tintin is a Belgian investigative journalist who travels the world, getting caught up with one adventure after another, along with his faithful dog, Snowy and usually ac Read more ...

Sleuths of My Youth: Mathnet

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 06:01:45 +0000

Previous in this series: Perry Mason and Ben Matlock, Read more ...

Book Review: Trouble in Triplicate

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:01:54 +0000

Trouble in Triplicate was the third Nero Wolfe novella collection. It was the first to feature three stories (as the vast majority of Wolfe collections did.) One thing to understand is that oddly enough, the stories were not collected in the chronological order of publication. Usually this wouldn't make a difference, but the first and Read more ...

Sleuths of My Youth: Perry Mason and Matlock

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 06:01:04 +0000

Previous in this series: Batman, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift , Read more ...

Radio Review: It’s Higgins, Sir

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

The idea of an English serving caring for an American family with hilarity ensuing dates back to 1947 (at least) with Gwen Davenport's novel, Belvedere. The concept would lead to three movies and a 1980s sitcom starring Christopher Hewitt.

In many ways, It's Higgins, Sir treds the same ground in its 1951 run as a Summer Read more ...

The Sleuths of My Youth: Batman

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:01:43 +0000

Previous Installments:
Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift , Sherlock Holmes, and Read more ...

Radio Review: Secret Agent K-7 Returns

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:01:24 +0000

Before there was James Bond, before the Man Called X, and before Steve Mitchell took on a single Dangerous Assignment, there was Agent K-7.

Secret Agent K-7 began on the radio in 1932 and made the leap into movies with Special Agent K-7. The original K-7 radio Read more ...

Sleuths of My Youth: The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift, Jr.

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:01:32 +0000

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew have been keeping generations of kids reading and occasionally watching their heroic exploits.

The Hardy Boys was a series my dad talked about a lot and my older brothers read as well. Nancy Drew I heard of in the popular culture, so I picked her books up out of curiosity. However both series' had the same Read more ...

Book Review: Please Death of a Dude

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:01:27 +0000

Imagine Nero Wolfe in Montana, talking about a case while he and Archie sit on rocks and Wolfe is sitting bare foot outside near a stream.

Such is one of the very interesting scenes that take place in Death of a Dude. While on vacation at Lilly Rowan's ranch, the ranch foreman is accused of shooting a man in the back. The sheriff Read more ...

Sleuths of My Youth: Sherlock Holmes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:01:48 +0000

Previous post: Encyclopedia Brown

When visiting my grandfather's house when I was eight, I stumbled on Sherlock Holmes for the first time. He owned a standalone copy of the "Red Headed League." I read the whole thing in one reading and became fascina Read more ...

Book Review: The Father Hunt

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:01:44 +0000

In The Father Hunt, Amy DeNovo, a twenty-four year old woman helping Lily Rowan research a book about her father, asks for Archie's help to find out who her father was. Archie wants to help, but as she only has $2,000, he knows that Wolfe won't take the job. However, De Novo shows up at Wolfe's office with $20,000 and Wolfe wants to Read more ...

The Sleuths of My Youth: Encyclopedia Brown

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:01:47 +0000

I've loved detective fiction since I was a child. In this series, we'll examine some of these great detectives I encountered in childhood and set the stage for a lifetime of loving, reading, and watching mysteries.

One of the first detectives I read growing up was Encyclopedia Brown by Donald Sobol. Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown was a ki Read more ...

Book Review: Black Coffee

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:01:48 +0000

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Book Review: D.R.T.

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

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Perry Mason’s Final TV Cases

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:01:10 +0000

With the impending departure of Starz programming including the 1980s and 1990s Perry Mason Telefilms, I've been watching all 26 of these last films with the aging Raymond Burr. My thoughts on the first 9 films (i.e. the Paul Drake, Jr. era) are Read more ...

Radio Review: The Shell Chateau and the Shell Show

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:01:22 +0000

The 60 minute variety show became a standard on radio up through the mid-1940s with programs such as the Kraft Music Hall and Fred Allen's Town Hall program. In the mid-to-late 1940s the format gave way to half hour variety shows, but the Big Show Read more ...

Book Review: Too Many Women

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:01:29 +0000

In Too Many Women, Wolfe is brought on a personnel matter. The Naylor-Kerr company studying employee retention asked supervisors to fill out a card for each departed employee. One manager sets off a sensation when he lists the reason for one employee's departure as "murdered." Officially, the police had said the case was a hit and run. Read more ...

Three Forgotten Old Time Radio Christmas Traditions

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 06:01:39 +0000

Television has its Christmas traditions. A Charlie Brown Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas survive through the wonder of reruns and videos.

The Golden Age of Radio also had its Christmas traditions, some things that for years were part of what Christmas was in America. Thankfully, throu Read more ...

William Shatner as Archie Goodwin?

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:02:39 +0000

This fascinating casting choice has come to light on several blogs via a Read more ...

Radio Review: Life with Luigi

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:01:51 +0000

(Caption: Pasquale (Alan Reed), Luigi (J. Carrol Naish), and Read more ...

Book Review: A Right to Die

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:01:30 +0000

Nero Wolfe encountered Paul Whipple in 1938's Too Many Cooks as a black waiter in West Virginia studying anthropology. Wolfe obtained Whipple's help in solving the murder of a famous chef.

Twenty-four years laters, Whipple calls in his marker to get a favor from Wolfe. Now an Assistant Professor of Anthropology, he shows up unannounced Read more ...

Book Review: The Sign of Four

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:37:18 +0000

The Sign of Four begins when a young woman comes to Sherlock Holmes with a problem. Her father disappeared from his hotel in London on returning on leave from India. She then began receiving a pearl a year for the past six year from an anonymous benefactor. She wants Holmes and Watson to accompany the mysterious rendezvous. The benefactor inform Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: A Dickens Holiday Sampler

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:50:56 +0000

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All I Needed to Know I Learned from Columbo: Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Knew Just Enough

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 06:01:54 +0000

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Radio Drama Review: Perry Mason and the Case of the Curious Bride

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 06:01:06 +0000

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1990s Mystery Fans Rejoice: Columbo Has one More Thing and Father Dowling Comes to DVD

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:01:50 +0000

I checked the website TVShowsonDVD and came across two interesting items.

First of all, all the Columbo movies will be on DVD in the United States next year witRead more ...

The Stuff Dreams are Made Of….

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:22:52 +0000

This past week, I had occasion to listen to the Lux Radio Theater version of The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart and the rest of the original cast were not available, but the great Edward G. Robinson was chosen to fill Bogart's substantial gumshoes.

At the end of the hour performance, I was struck by how the Lux performance ev Read more ...

Book Review: Gambit

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:01:59 +0000

A prominent citizen is accused of murdering one of his daughter's suitors by poisoning his drink while he's engaged in a blindfolded chess match with 12 different chess players. Wolfe is hired by the daughter of the accused who believes that her father's lawyer is up to no good due to being in love with her mother. The lawyer opposes hiring Wolf Read more ...

Book Review: The Final Deduction

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:01:59 +0000

In The Final Deduction, Wolfe is hired as insurance by a woman whose husband has been kidnapped. However, Wolfe's client is being particularly cagey about the information she'll share with Wolfe. Wolfe does manage to get a meeting with the woman's secertary who has said she heard the call from the kidnapper. Wolfe and Archie both conclu Read more ...

Book Review: Where There’s a Will

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:01:40 +0000

The family of a deceased millionaire come to Wolfe to mediate a dispute over their brother's will, which surprisingly left little to the man's wife and sisters, but left the balance to an unrelated woman. The will didn't meet many of the brother's promises including leaving a million dollars to one sister's university.

Wolfe's job is Read more ...

To be Continued…

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 04:14:30 +0000

To be Continued is a word fraught with mixed emotions for many television viewers. When their favorite Television show embarks on a muliple episode story line, viewers are guaranteed more complex, more involved, and perhaps developed stories. On the downside, there's the long wait to find out what happened next week or in some cases, next season Read more ...

Telefilm Review: Appointment with Death (2009)

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:01:29 +0000

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Mr. Monk’s Top Twenty List, Part Five

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:01:28 +0000

Past Posts: 6-10 11-15, 16-20 and Read more ...

Raiders of the Lost Episodes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:01:24 +0000

Todd wrote in with a question about lost episodes of the radio series, The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes:

How many episodes of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes exist? This posting says that there maybe another 150 floating around Read more ...

Mr. Monk’s Top 20 List, Part Four

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:01:55 +0000

Past Posts: 11-15, 16-20 and honorable mentions.

10) Mr. Monk and the Sleeping Sus Read more ...

Book Review: Plot It Yourself

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 06:01:07 +0000

In Plot It Yourself, Rex Stout follows the old writing axiom of, "Write what you know."

A joint writers-publishers committee turns to Wolfe to stop a plagiarism swindle. Four authors created successful novels and plays were sued by others writers who claiming that the successful works were stolen from them. The unknowns all cashe Read more ...

Mr. Monk’s Top 20 List, Part Three

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 06:01:24 +0000

See 16-20 and honorable mentions.

15) Mr. Monk and the Panic Room (Season 3, Episode 2): This is a classic locked room mystery. A man is found murdered in his per Read more ...

Audiobook Review: Hercule Poirot’s Unpublished Stories

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 06:01:33 +0000

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Mr. Monk’s Top 20 List, Part Two

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 06:01:02 +0000

Having dispensed with the honorable mentions, we turn to the actual 20 best Monk episodes.

20) Mr. Monk is Someone Else (Season 8, Episode 4): This episode begins with a bang. It appears that Monk is killed in the first scene. But of course, i Read more ...

Michael Reston: The Washington Generals of Prosecuting Attorneys

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:46:51 +0000

With the end of Starz's relationship with Netflix, the Perry Mason TV movies are set to disappear off the Instant Watch. I've set the goal of seeing all the 1980s-90s Mason TV films before they disappear.

So far, I've seen nine of them w Read more ...

Movie Review: Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 06:01:03 +0000

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Mr. Monks’s Top 20 List: The Honorable Mentions

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 06:01:40 +0000

Having finished the complete Monk series, the natural thing to do when I have a blog like would be to make a list of my favorites. We've done it before with Columbo.

The big question for me was the number. Monk himself would prefer ten o Read more ...

Box 13 in the 21st Century

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 06:02:51 +0000

I recently received a listener question from Kathleeen about Box 13:

I had a thought; what do you think the "Box 13" ad would look like if it were on CraigsList?

The question is easy enough to answer but raises another one that's a little more complex, How would a modern day Dan Holi Read more ...

The Amazing Mr. Monk

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 06:01:59 +0000

"He's the guy."

"Here's what happened."

These catch phrases were heard constantly throughout the remarkable eight season run of Monk over the USA television network.

Crime television has become grittier and focused on scientific investigations. Monk was a throwback in more than ways than one as a PG detecti Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: Perry Mason and the Case of the Howling Dog

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:01:14 +0000

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Book Review: The Labours of Hercules

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 06:01:48 +0000

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Perry Mason and the Case of the Disappearing Netflix Streams

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:54:56 +0000

Starz recently announced that it would be ending its relationship with Netflix in order for Starz to maintain its premium band and avoid losing subscribers who just watch movies on Netflix. This doesn't ha Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: King Solomon’s Mines

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 06:01:33 +0000

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Book Review: If Death Ever Slept

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 06:01:45 +0000

In If Death Ever Slept what Nero Wolfe later describes as a joint act of "mulishness" leads Wolfe to undertake a case he would have never taken otherwise as Archie goes undercover as Alan Green, the secretary to an eccentric millionaire named Otis Jarrell who believes his daughter-in-law is "a snake" who obtained information from his Read more ...

Book Review: Too Many Cooks

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:01:29 +0000

In the first three Nero Wolfe books, Rex Stout firmly established that Wolfe rarely leaves the house. From 1937-46, Wolfe was routinely pushed out of the Brownstone by Stout with only two stories in this period allowing him to stay homebound:

The Red Box (1937) sent Wolfe to a clothing store to question witnesses at the beh Read more ...

The Endurance of Johnny Dollar and Sherlock Holmes

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 06:01:39 +0000

This is the first article that's based on a listener/reader question. Wben I was soliciting questions for starting this column on Facebook, Matthew wrote:

How about a study on why Johnny dollar and Sherlock Holmes lasted as long as they did while others shows didn't.

There were other shows that lasted as lo Read more ...

Zorro Comes to Radio

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 06:01:51 +0000

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Book Review: Three for the Chair

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 06:01:25 +0000

While shopping in the thrift store, I found a 1968 Bantam Paperback copy of, Three for the Chair, a 1957 compilation of three Nero Wolfe novellas. While the book was not my planned next Nero Wolfe read, I decided to grab it cheap and enjoy the book.

There are three stories in this book and each should be reviewed in its own right Read more ...

Book Review: Might as Well Be Dead

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 06:01:34 +0000

In Might as Well Be Dead, Wolfe is hired by a Nebraska businessman to find his son, Paul Herald. The older Herald had exiled his son eleven years earlier on the belief his son had stolen $11,000 from the business but had since learned that someone else committed the theft. He turns to Wolfe as a last result after having contacted t Read more ...

Interview With a Modern Radio Star

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 06:01:43 +0000

Quick trivia question. What American radio actor has played Allan Quartermain, Perry Mason, and John Barrymore? If you're thinking Orson Welles, Elliot Lewis, Howard Duff, or some other golden age figure, you're wrong.

The answer is Jerry Robbins, who was born as the golden age of radio was ending. His Read more ...

Book Review: The Red Box

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 06:01:33 +0000

The Red Box was the fourth of the Nero Wolfe novels and begins somewhat abruptly in the middle of the initial interview with Wolfe’s client. With a desperate need for a client, Archie connives with a potential client to get Wolfe to leave his house to travel down to a fashion firm several blocks away to interview witnesses in the pois Read more ...

Audio Drama Review: Perry Mason and The Case of the Lucky Legs

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 06:01:55 +0000

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Poirot Return Looks Likely

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:57:28 +0000

David Suchet was honored with the Commander Order of the British Empire and expressed some hope that Poirot would return to ITV to adapt the final five Poirot books in the Autumn of next year. He said that while it wasn't official, "the green light is blinking."

Four novels and one play remain that have not been adapted for television by Read more ...

We Still Love Lucy

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 02:54:18 +0000

Well, sometimes special days in the life or Golden Age figures pass me by. Such was the case with today's anniversary of the birth of one of the world's great comediennes, Lucille Ball.

Google paid tribute to Lucy with a doodle ho Read more ...

Religious Dramas on Radio, Part Two

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 06:01:07 +0000

In part one, we took at radio shows that were (for the most part) broadcast over major networks and began broadcasting in the 1940s. But a new age was dawning in American entertainment.

In the late 1940s headed into the 1950s, commercial radio drama was on the Read more ...

Religious Dramas on Radio, Part One

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 06:01:02 +0000

Over the years, many religious dramas have appeared on the radio from the 19e0s right through the present. It's probably fair to say that the bulk of long-lasting radio dramas produced since the end of the Golden Age of radio have either been underwritten by Foundation grants or religious organizations. Still, there were plenty of programs with Read more ...

Book Review: Before Midnight

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 06:01:23 +0000

How annoying can a client or set of clients get? Nero Wolfe finds out in Before Midnight.

After the death of a hot shot advertising executive, his firm hires Wolfe not to find the killer, but to locate the dead man's wallet which contained the answers to a verse-guessing contest with $800,000 in prizes at stake.

To me, the story pl Read more ...

The Radio Adventures of Doc Savage

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 06:01:12 +0000

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The Fictionalized Adventures of Babe Ruth

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:01:49 +0000

George Herman "Babe" Ruth was the greatest baseball player of his era and perhaps of any era. He revolutionized the game of baseball, bringing about a new era in American sports. His career was the stu Read more ...

Father Brown’s Not Buying It: A Review of the Incredulity of Father Brown

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:01:32 +0000

Twelve years after his second Father Brown books, G.K. Chesterton brought readers a new collection in 1926 entitled, The Incredulity of Father Brown.

While the previous collections titled, The Innocence of Father Brown and The Wisdom of Father Brown had very little with the theme of the stories, Incredulity is Read more ...

The Biggest Show on Radio

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:01:48 +0000

In 1950, NBC produced won of radio's greatest spectacles of talent, a 90 minute variety show.

The late 40s had been bad for NBC as rival CBS had raided their stable of talent, luring Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Harold Peary (Star of The Great Gildersleeve) over to their network with higher wages.

NBC had not come up with Read more ...

Book Review: Murder by the Book

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 06:01:47 +0000

As I wrote last week in my review of The Rubber Band, you never know quite what to expert when you read a Nero Wolfe Mystery. This is certainly true of Murder by the Book which provides a solid mystery, but also a brilliantly executed and effective eleme Read more ...

Radio That Teaches American History

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 06:01:58 +0000

A recent study shows that Americans don't know their history. According to the NAEP report card, 22% of American students are proficient at grade level in American History, dropping to 13% for High School graduates.

Of course, it hasn't always been like the case Read more ...

The Family Doctor: A Wholesome Radio Prescription

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 06:01:56 +0000

If you're looking for a wholesome Old Time Radio for the whole family, Family Doctor could be just what the doctor ordered.

Over the years, many television series, books, and movies have taken a longing look at the past in programs such as Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons which served as a remin Read more ...

A Review of the Columbo Collection

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:01:48 +0000

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The Redbook Dramas: A Review

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 06:01:03 +0000

Redbook Magazine has evolved over the years. The modern Redbook is a woman's magazine, commonly sold in the checkout aisle with relationship an Read more ...

Book Review: The Rubber Band

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:01:43 +0000

The great thing about reading Nero Wolfe novels is you never quite know what to expect. The Nero Wolfe stories are a blend of hard-boiled stories as well as the genius/gentleman detective stories. The exact composition of the blend varies from book to book.

The Rubber Band is definitely closer to the cozy side of mysteries rather Read more ...

The Man Who Asked, “Why Me?”

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:01:05 +0000

A good autobiography requires a truly interesting life and a willingness to share it. By both accounts, William Gargan's, 1969 memoir Why Me is a masterful example of how an autobiography ought to be written.

I knew Gargan for his TV and radio detective work with I Deal in Crime, Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator, Read more ...

14 Carat Dramas

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 06:01:36 +0000

The mid-30s was an era in radio of forgetable and forgotten 15 minute syndicated radio programs. They were produced, put on transcription disks, and sold to a small number of stations with no name stars. Even those who research the shows may have little information as to where they actually originated or who starred in them.

While some Read more ...

The Zeck Trilogy: A Review

Yours Truly Johnny Blogger — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 06:01:13 +0000

Holmes had Moriarty, but who did Nero Wolfe have?

For three books, crime boss Arnold Zeck served as an antagonist for Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

And Be a Villain

A man who writes a horseracing tip sheet is poisoned on a radio talk show while drinking the sponsor's product. Wolfe is hired to solve t Read more ...