
Bob Bailey & Virginia Gregg
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.
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- Your host, Adam Graham
Listen to "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" on Spreaker.
Currently Featuring
YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR SAM SPADE DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT TALES OF THE TEXAS RANGERS PHILO VANCE MEET MISS SHERLOCK… and more!
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Recent Posts
NBC, OTR Detective, Podcast, Sam Spade
Sam Spade: The Terrified Turkey Caper (EP4089)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
A man named Tom Turkey shows up in Sam’s office and says he’s afraid someone’s going to kill him.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 24, 1950
Originated from Hollywood
Starred Steven Dunne as Sam Spade, Lurene Tuttle as Effie, Wally Maher
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
NBC, OTR Detective, Podcast, Tales of the Texas Rangers
Tales of the Texas Rangers: Stick-Up (EP4088)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Jace is called in when an elderly town character is shot down in a store stick-up.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 27, 1952
Originiated from Hollywood
Starred: Joel McCrea as Jace Pearson
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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 on Monday for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
DVD Review, Golden Age Article
Streaming Review: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
In the 1948 film, Mister Blandings Builds His Dream House, New York City advertising executive Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) shares a cramped apartment with his wife (Myrna Loy) and his daughters. In a fit of inspiration and pique, Blandings decides to move his family into a beautiful old house in rural Connecticut about an hour from the city. However, Murphy’s Law hits in force and before Blandings knows it, he’s having to build a new home from scratch.
While this film is seventy-five years old, it’s still charming. While both Grant and Loy were veterans of more uproarious screwball comedies in the 1930s, Mister Blanding Builds His Dream House‘s comedy is different. It’s down-to-earth, subtle, and relatable. Anyone who’s gotten themselves into the stressful and complicated process of a real estate transaction should be able to relate to the Blanding’s plight, though the situations are amped up for comedic effect. Long-suffering family friend and lawyer Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas) is both a great voice of reason and delivers the best comedic lines in the film. The film also has a serious point and character arc for Jim that really only becomes apparent in a surprise end towards the end of the picture..
The film did have points that seemed underdeveloped. In particular, Jim’s struggles to develop a slogan for Wham! (an obvious ripoff of Spam) because a predominant plot point in the last quarter of the movie. Having Cary Grant read off lame slogan ideas isn’t exactly comedy gold and we’re given little reason to care about him coming up with this whole issue. The threat of losing his job could have gotten me to care if done right, but there’s no reason to think he doesn’t get another job just a s good in two weeks.
Still, this is a very enjoyable film when it sticks to its strengths aa a story of love and real estate.
Rating: 4..0 out of 5.0
This post contains affiliate links, which means that items purchased from these links may result in a commission being paid to the author of this post at no extra cost to the purchase.
Note: There was a 1951 radio follow up series to this film called Mr. and Mrs. Blandings. The series will be the focus of this Summer’s Amazing World of Radio podcast summer series beginning Wednesday.
CBS, OTR Detective, Podcast, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Ricardo Amerigo Matter, Episodes Three, Four, and Five (EP4087)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Johnny nearly killed getting a missing insured violin out of a New Jersey swamp, but is it actually genuine?
Original Radio Broadcast Dates: January 18-20, 1956
Originated from Hollywood
Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar, Harry Bartell as Harry Branson, Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Forrest Lewis, Eric Snowden, Herb Vigran, James McCallion
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/DETECTIVES and get on your way to being your best self.
When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com
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OTR Detective, Philo Vance, Podcast, Syndicated
Philo Vance: The Shoeless Murder Case (EP4086)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Multiple beauty contest contestants are found murdered with their shoes missing.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 27, 1949
Originated in: New York City
Starred: Jackson Beck as Philo Vance, George Petrie as District Attorney Markham
Today’s program was provided by Radio Archives. Email detectives@radioarchives.com to get a free audiobook, a free ebook, and free old time radio collection.
Listerners to the GDOTR can get 50% off on a subscription to receive 600 transcription transfers per month for the next five years through Radio Archives. You can try a sample month for $59.98 (proceeds go to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio) and support the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio at this link.
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
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Dangerous Assignment, NBC, OTR Detective, Podcast
Dangerous Assignment: Solve Your Own Murder (EP4085)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Steve goes to a South American country to find out who killed a man with papers identifying him as Steve Mitchell.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: March 10, 1951
Originated in Hollywood
Stars: Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, Herb Butterfield as the Commissioner, Wally Maher
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
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
CBS, OTR Detective, Podcast, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Ricardo Amerigo Matter, Episodes One and Two (EP4084)
by Yours Truly Johnny Blogger • 0 Comments
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Today’s Mystery:
Johnny goes to New Jersey to investigate the disappearance of a has-been musician and his insured $30,000 violin.
Original Radio Broadcast Dates: January 16 and 17, 1956
Continued on Friday in EP4087
Originiated from Hollywood
Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar, Harry Bartell as Harry Branson, Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Forrest Lewis, Eric Snowden, Herb Vigran, James McCallion
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
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