Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio! A podcast featuring the best vintage detective radio programs. Each week from Monday through Saturday, we feature six of Old Time Radio's great detective series from the beginning of the show to its very last episode. And as a bonus, twice a month we also post a public domain movie or TV mystery or detective show video.
Along the way, I'll provide you my commentary and offer you opportunities to interact.
Subscribe to the show by clicking your favorite podcatcher in the sidebar.
And don't forget to follow me on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
- Your host, Adam Graham
Listen to "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" on Spreaker.
Currently Featuring
YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR THE FALCON BROADWAY’S MY BEAT DRAGNET MR. AND MRS. NORTH BULLDOG DRUMMOND… and more!
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Recent Posts
Bulldog Drummond, Mutual, OTR Detective, Podcast, Syndicated
Bulldog Drummond: Death Uses Disappearing Ink (EP4522)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Captain Drummond tries to remember how he got into a dangerous situation with a life on the line. It all started with a mysterious woman showing up in his compartment on an east-bound train.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 9, 1948
Originating in New York
Starring: Ned Wever as Bulldog Drummond; Luis Van Rooten as Denny
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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Alana, Patreon supporter since September 2015.
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Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
NBC, OTR Detective, Podcast, The Falcon
The Falcon: The Case of the Nervous Shakedown (EP4521)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery: A blackmailer is killed after the fiancé of a victim confronts him.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 27, 1951
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Damon as The Falcon; Chuck Webster as Sergeant Corbett; Mandel Kramer; Maurice Tarplin
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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Greg, Patreon supporter since February 2024.
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Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
OTR Detective, Podcast
Murder Clinic: The Tragedy at Marsden Manor (Encore) (EP4520e)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 1 Comment
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Poirot is called upon by the insurance company to investigate the apparent natural death of a wealthy man, who had just passed a physical for a life insurance policy for his young wife.
Original Air Date: October 6, 1942
Originating in New York
Starring: Maurice Tarplin as Poirot
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
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
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Audio Drama Review, Golden Age Article
Audio Drama Review: Perry Mason: The Case of the Lucky Legs
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
A version of this article appeared in 2011.
Colonial Theatre released the third of its Perry Mason audio dramas, “The Case of the Lucky Legs.” As with the first two, this is an audio drama based on the original Perry Mason novels of the 1930s, but produced in the 21st Century.
Perry Mason is retained initially to take legal action against a beauty contest promoter who cheated small-town businessmen and a local young woman by promising her stardom as the winner of a Lucky Legs contest and then leaving her high and dry in Hollywood. When Perry goes to have a discussion with the con man, he finds the man murdered.
Perry finds himself dodging the police until he can find the truth, questioning the witnesses, all while not even sure who the client is, as the man who gave a retainer for $5,000 to file the lawsuit keeps changing who Perry is supposed to represent.
The recording is quite a bit shorter than the previous Perry Mason stories that Colonial Theater had done and the length works for this story. It really creates a very tight and well-paced mystery. The plot is full of twists and surprises. At one point, Perry even hires another detective agency to spy on Paul Drake’s operative, only it turns out they are working for the man who paid him.
If there is one criticism I have for the production, it is that role of the winner of the Lucky Legs contest had a voice that didn’t fit the part. She sounded more like 14 rather than 21. Still, that’s a minor flaw in a brilliant production.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Dragnet, NBC, OTR Detective, Podcast, Procedural
Dragnet: The Big Chance (EP4520)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Joe Friday and Ben Romero join an inter-agency search for a missing Highway Patrol Officer.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 24, 1950
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero; Raymond Burr; Herb Butterfield; Stacy Harris
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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Mark, Patreon Supporter since January 2016
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Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
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Join us again on Monday for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
CBS, OTR Detective, Podcast, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Yours Truly Matter (EP4519)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery: Johnny and Buster Favor are carjacked on a desert road on a hot night.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 21, 1957
Originated from Hollywood
Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar. Virginia Gregg, Lawrence Dobkin, Barney Phillips, Chester Stratton, Junius Matthews
When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com
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Thank you to our Patreon Supporter of the Day: Helen Patreon supporter since June 2015.
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
CBS, Mr. and Mrs. North, OTR Detective, Podcast
Mr. and Mrs. North: The Norths Buy a Letter (EP4518)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery: A perjurer whose testimony got a friend of the Norths’ convicted of murder is offering them a chance to buy a letter that clears their friend’s name.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: October 6, 1943
Originated from New York City
Starred: Joseph Curtain as Jerry North, Alice Frost as Pamela North
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…http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Become one of ourfriends on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives
Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
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