Listen to “The Great Detectives Present the Fat Man” on Spreaker.

Riding the wave of the next big thing in radio, the fledgling ABC network premiered not one, but two separate hard-boiled detective programs on January 21, 1946. The biggest hit of these was the Fat Man which followed the adventures of private detective Brad Runyon.

The Fat Man was advertised as “Dashiell Hammett’s most exciting character” despite the fact Hammett had little to do with the writing of any of the radio shows based on his characters. The Fat Man was created as a composite of the Thin Man and the Continental Op.

Whatever his origins, the Fat Man became one of radio’s great icons with its opening:

There he goes, into that drugstore. 
He’s stepping on the scales. 
Weight: 239 pounds. 
Fortune: Danger. 
Who is it? 
THE FAT MAN

The way that Fat Man (J. Scott Smart)  pronounced “murder” was also one of his trademarks that fans remember. In the first episode Runyon declared, “Nobody loves a Fat Man.” Radio audiences begged to differ as the show lasted six seasons and he became one of few detectives to take his role on screen.

Due to concern about Dashiell Hammett’s Communist ties, the show had trouble holding a sponsor, particularly as radio headed into its declining years and it was cancelled in 1951.

How long lasting and popular the show had been is often obscured by the fact that only 10 episodes are in circulation. However for comparison, Smart played the Fat Man longer than The Adventures of Sam Spade were on the air and longer than Bob Bailey played Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. The lack of episodes is probably due to the show being tied to Hammett as well as having aired on the fledgling ABC network. Hopefully, more episodes will somehow emerge in the future.

The concept was revived in Australia in the mid-1950s with a series of fifty-two episodes starring noted stage radio screen actor Lloyd Berrell that were broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The episodes appear to have used scripts from the American series that aren’t in circulation.

About the Stars:

 J. Scott Smart (1902-1960) was an accomplished actor of stage, screen, and radio as well as a musician and music historian. Prior to taking on the role of the Fat Man, he was perhaps best known for his appearances on Fred Allen’s show as part of Allen’s Alley. He was also a character actor appearing in several of CBS 1937 Shakespeare productions in character roles.
More information on Jack Smart and the Fat Man is available here.

Lloyd Berrell (1926-57): The New Zealand-born Berrell was a noted star of Australian stage and radio, as well as appearing in a handful of films that were made in Australia. In 1953, Berrell received the Macquarie Award for best radio actor.

Episode Log

American Episodes

• The 19th Pearl (Original Air Date: January 21, 1946)
• The Twice Told Tale (Original Air Date: February 11, 1946)
• The Black Angel (Original Air Date: July 8, 1946)
• The Crooked Horse (Original Air Date: September 9, 1946)
• Window for Murder (Original Air Date: October 3, 1947)
• Murder Plays Hide and Seek (Original Air Date: January 2, 1948)
• Murder Wins the Draw (Original Air Date: April 1, 1949)
• Murder is the Medium (Original Air Date: July 22, 1949)
• The Nightmare Murder (Original Air Date: January 17, 1951)
• Order for Murder  (Original Air Date:  May 23, 1951)
• Murder Plays the Horses (Original Air Date: August 26, 1954)
• Murder Rings the Bell (Original Air Date: January 6, 1955)

Australian Episodes

• Murder Squares the Triangle (Original Air Date: August 19, 1954)
• Murder Runs a Want Ad (Original Air Date: September 9, 1954)
• Murder Wears a False Face (Original Air Date: September 16, 1954)
• Murder Stalks the Dead (Original Air Date: September 23, 1954)
• Murder Through a Crystal (Original Air Date: October 28, 1954)
• Murder Takes a Ham (Original Air Date: November 4, 1954)
• Murder and the Peacock (Original Air Date: November 25, 1954)
• Murder and the Undertaker (Original Air Date: December 2, 1954)
• Murder Seeks a Lost Penny (Original Air Date: December 9, 1954)
• Murder Makes a Statue (Original Air Date: December 16, 1954)
• Murder Repeats Itself (Original Air Date: January 13, 1955)
• Murder Rides a Wheelchair (Original Air Date: January 20, 1955)
• Murder finds a Coffin (Original Air Date: January 27, 1955)
• Murder for Sale (Original Air Date: February 3, 1955)
• Murder by Mail (Original Air Date: February 10, 1955)
• Murder Shows an Unfamiliar Face (Original Air Date: March 3, 1955)
• Murder Makes a King Coffin (Original Air Date: March 10, 1955)
• Murder Makes a Black Moon (Original Air Date: March 31, 1955)
• Murder Shows a Phantom Face (Original Air Date: April 7, 1955)
• Murder Makes a Silent Partner (Original Air Date: April 14, 1955)
• Murder Makes Music (Original Air Date: April 21, 1955)
• Murder Writes a Story (Original Air Date: April 28, 1955)
• Murder Meets an Uncertain Lady (Original Air Date: May 5, 1955)
• Murder Shows a Card (Original Air Date: May 12, 1955)
• Murder Makes a Payoff (Original Air Date: May 19, 1955)
• Murder Shows Eyes in the Dark (Original Air Date: June 23, 1955)
• Murder Shows Eyes in the Dark (Original Air Date: June 30, 1955)
• Murder Makes a Broken Heart (Original Air Date: July 11, 1955)
• Murder Pays Dividends (Original Air Date: July 14, 1955)
• Murder Appears Out of the Past (Original Air Date: July 21, 1955)
• Murder Made Stylish (Original Air Date: July 28, 1955)
• Murder Takes a Picture (Original Air Date: August 4, 1955)
• Murder is Foretold (Original Air Date: August 11, 1955)

Christmas Special Played Out of Order:

• Murder Sends a Christmas Card (Original Air Date: September 2, 1954)

Video Theater:

• The Fat Man (1951 Movie)

New Episodes are posted every Tuesday.