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Listen to “The Great Detectives Present Let George Do It” on Spreaker.
Let George Do It may be the Rodney Dangerfield of Old Time Radio Detectives. Rarely is the show mentioned in the same breath as star Bob Bailey’s other show Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Dragnet, Sam Spade, or Philip Marlowe.

Yet, there are more episodes of Let George Do it in existence than there are of Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe or even Sherlock Holmes. Why is this show so enduring and how did it stay on the air for eight seasons?

In 1946  the show began following George Valentine, a man out of the service who had an idea for a business, “Personal notice: Danger’s my stock in trade. If the job’s too tough for you to handle, you’ve got a job for me. George Valentine.”

The show was uncertain of its own identity, struggling between being a sitcom or being a serious detective story. Initial shows leaned towards the former, but it became the latter. In listening to Let George Do It, you get the feeling of seeing a shabby rookie become an all-star.

The show is carried by the peformance of George Valentine by Bob Bailey who played the lead role for the first seven years before leaving the series to focus on screenwriting in 1953.  Valentine doesn’t easily fit in with gruff hard boiled detectives like Marlowe and Spade, nor is he a self-assured intellectual like Sherlock Holmes or Nero Wolfe. Valentine is good natured and personable, but he carries himself like a poker player. Valentine plays it close to the vest, and then at the end of the episode when he comes up with the solution, you realize he’s been holding a full house.

The mysteries are well-crafted with surprising solutions that rarely fail to entertain.  Let George Do It is more than Bob Bailey warming up to play Johnny Dollar, it’s a truly entertaining and underrated show in its own right.

Original Run: October 18, 1946-September 27, 1954

Numbers of Episodes: 416 (episodes missing: 205)

Network: Mutual Broadcasting System

About the Characters:

George Valentine:  A serious but amiable detective with relatively good relations with the police. While he’ll use force if he has to, Valentine uses his wits far more than he does his first. Valentine avoids hasty allegations and  waits until the right moment to reveal the crooks.

Claire Brooks: Referred to as Claire in early episodes, later as “Brooksie,” Brooks is initally skeptical of her new boss. Over time, they grow into a respectful working relationship with her assisting him with his investigations as a “Girl Friday.”

About the Stars:

Bob Bailey (1913-1983): On television and in the movies, he was a bit player, with his biggest role in film being as a straight man in the Laurel and Hardy Film, Jitterbugs.

It was on radio that Bailey had his greatest success. In addition to Let George Do It, Bailey led the remarkable revival of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. While most radio dramas were bowing to television and cashing in their chips, Bailey touched off a revival of Johnny Dollar that would ensure that Old Time Radio went off the air with a bang rather than a whimper.  CBS moved its radio production to New York City and left Bob Bailey behind in 1960. In 1962, he played a bit part in the Bird Man of Alcatraz.

Frances Robinson (1916-1971): The first “Brooksie”, Robinson was yet another veteran character in this cast, with 79 roles to her credit.

See Also:

Bob Bailey IMDB Profile

Frances Robinson IMDB Profile

Let George Do It Episodes with Bob Bailey:

• Audition 1* (Originally Performed: April 1946)
• Audition 2* (Originally Performed: April 1946)
• The First Client (Originally Performed: May 14, 1946)
• The Kleptomaniac* (Original Air Date: October 4, 1946)
• The Picnic* (Original Air Date: October 11, 1946)
• Cousin Jeff and the Pigs (Original Air Date: October 18, 1946.)
• The Brooksdale Orphanage (Original Air Date: October 25, 1946)
• The Robber (Original Air Date: November 8, 1946)
• Snookums* (Original Air Date: November 15, 1946)
• The Investment* (Original Air Date: November 29, 1946)
• 42 on a Rope (Original Air Date: October 3, 1947)
• The Smugglers (Original Air Date: April 5, 1948)
• Am I My Brother’s Keeper? (Original Air Date: April 12, 1948)
• The Penthouse Roof (Original Air Date: April 19, 1948)
• The Tunnel Project (Original Air Date: May 3, 1948)
• The Spirit World (Original Air Date: May 10, 1948)
• The Island on Tuxedo Lake (Original Air Date: May 31, 1948)
• Have Some Excitement (Original Air Date: June 7, 1948)
• A Piece of Publcity (Original Air Date: June 14, 1948)
• Unfit Mother (Original Air Date: June 21, 1948)
• The Immigration Racket (Original Air Date: June 28, 1948)
• The Man Who Was Murdered Twice (Original Air Date: July 5, 1948)
• A Close Call (Original Air Date: July 12, 1948)
• Cry Murder (Original Air Date: July 19, 1948)
• The Seven Murder (Original Air Date: July 26, 1948)
• The Money Maker (Original Air Date: August 2, 1948)
• The Perfect Specimen (Original Air Date: August 9, 1948)
• The Ghost on Bliss Terrace (Original Air Date: August 16, 1948)
• The Corpse that Took a Powder (Original Air Date: August 23, 1948)
• A Minor Case of Murder (Original Air Date: August 30, 1948)
• The Impatient Redhead (Original Air Date: September 6, 1948)
• The Father Who Had Nothing to Say (Original Air Date: September 13, 1948)
• The Hearst Was Painted Pink (Original Air Date: September 20, 1948)
• The Little Man Who Was Everywhere (Original Air Date: September 27, 1948)
• Death Wears a Gay Sports Jacket (Original Air Date: October 18, 1948)
• The Seven Dead Years (Original Air Date: October 25, 1948)
• The Flower Smells of Murder
• Murder, It’s a Gift (Original Air Date: November 8, 1948)
• Who Is Sylvia? (Original Air Date: November 22, 1948)
• Stand in for Murder (Original Air Date: November 29, 1948)
• The Malignant Heart (Original Air Date: December 6, 1948)
• Death in Fancy Dress (Original Air Date: December 27, 1948)
• Murder and One to Go (Original Air Date: January 3, 1949)
• The Corpse on a Caper (Original Air Date: January 10, 1949)
• The Payoff is Murder (Original Air Date: January 17, 1949)
• Till Death Do Us Part (Original Air Date: January 24, 1949)
• Mayhem by Experts (Original Air Date: January 31, 1949)
• One Against the City (Original Air Date: February 7, 1949)
• Destination: Dead End (Original AIr Date; February 14, 1949)
• Journey Into Hate (Original Air Date: February 21, 1949)
• Your Money or Your Life (Original Air Date: February 28, 1949)
• The Roundabout Murder (Original Air Date: March 7, 1949)
• The Motif is Murder (Original Air Date: March 14, 1949)
• The Four Sided Triangle (Original Air Date: March 21, 1949)
• The Host of Casa Diablo (Original Air Date: March 28, 1949)
• The Elusive One Hundred Grand (Original Air Date: April 18, 1949)
• Lady in Distress (Original Air Date: April 25, 1949)
• Out of Mind (Original Air Date: May 2, 1949)
• Vultures on the Wing (Original Air Date: May 9, 1949)
• Come and Get Me (Original Air Date: May 16, 1949)
• Stranger than Fiction (Original Air Date: May 23, 1949)
• A Matter of Doubt (Original Air Date: May 30, 1949)
• Death in Blue Jeans (Original Air Date: June 6, 1949)
• Serenade to the Southern Star (Original Air Date: June 13, 1949)
• The Next to Last Guest (Original Air Date: June 20, 1949)
• Laura’s House (Original Air Date: July 25, 1949)
• The Perfect Alibi (Original Air Date: August 1, 1949)
• One Chance at the World (Original Air Date: August 8, 1949)
• The Problem with Joe Martin (Original Air Date: August 15, 1949)
• The Empress of Fishfalls (Original Air Date: August 22, 1949)
• The End of Summer (Original Air Date: August 29, 1949)
• Everything is Nice (Original Air Date: September 5, 1949)
• Valley Sunset (Original Air Date: September 12, 1949)
• The Coward (Original Air Date: September 19, 1949)
• The Man Under the Elm Tree (Original Air Date: September 26, 1949)
• Double Death (Original Air Date: October 17, 1949)
• The Rose Petal Staircase (Original Air Date:  October 24, 1949)
• Every Shot Counts (Original Air Date: October 31, 1949)
• The Dark Chain (Original Air Date: November 7, 1949)
• Run Until Dead (Original Air Date: November 14, 1949)
• Sweet Poison (Original Air Date: November 21, 1949)
• No Riders (Original Air Date: November 28, 1949)
• Too Near the Sky (Original Air Date: December 5, 1949)
• Partner in Panama (Original Air Date: December 12, 1949)
• Snow Blind (Original Air Date: December 26, 1949)
• Needle in the Haystack (Original Air Date: January 2, 1950)
• The Silent Waterfall (Original Air Date: January 9, 1950)
• Juniper Lane (Original Air Date: January 16, 1950)
• The Floaters (Original Air Date: January 23, 1950)
• The Ugly Duckling (Original Air Date: January 30, 1950)
• The Old Style (Original Air Date: February 6, 1950)
• Go Jump in the Lake (Original Air Date: February 13, 1950)
• Triple Indemnity (Original Air Date: March 6, 1950)*
• The Tears of Sorrow (Original Air Date: March 27, 1950)
• The Brothers McIntosh (Original Air Date: April 3, 1950)
• Portrait by Priscilla (Original Air Date: April 10, 1950)
• Mix Up in La Cruza (Original Air Date: April 17, 1950)
• Death Begins at 45 (Original Air Date: April 24, 1950)
• The Chair of Humanities (Original Air Date: May 1, 1950)
• Picture with a Black Frame (Original Air Date: May 8, 1950)
• The Ant Hill (Original Air Date: May 15, 1950)
• Portuguese Cove (Original Air Date: May 22, 1950)
• Sudden Storm (Original Air Date: May 29, 1950)
• The Witch of Mill Hollow (Original Air Date: June 5, 1950)
• The Iron Cat (Original Air Date: June 12, 1950)
• Solo in Whispers (Original Air Date: June 19, 1950)
• Most Likely to Die  (Original Air Date: June 26, 1950)
• The Scream of the Eagle (Original Air Date: July 3, 1950)
• Island in the Desert (Original Air Date: July 10, 1950)
• Eleven O’Clock (Original Air Date: July 17, 1950)
• The Golden Lizard (Original Air Date: July 24, 1950)
• The Voice of the Giant (Original AIr Date: July 31, 1950)
• Sweet are the Uses of Publicity (Original Air Date: August 7, 1950)
• The High Price of a Penny (Original Air Date: August 14, 1950)
• The Treasure of Millie’s Wharf (Original Air Date: August 21, 1950)
• High Card (Original Air Date: August 28, 1950)
• Second Degree Affection (Original Air Date: September 4, 1950)
• White Elephant (Original Air Date: September 11, 1950)
• Cover for an Hour (Original Air Date: September 18, 1950)
• Tag, You’re It (Original Air Date: September 25, 1950)
• The House that Jack Built (Original Air Date: October 2, 1950)
• The Spider and the Fly (Original Air Date: October 9, 1950)
• It’s a Mystery to Me* (Original Air Date: October 16, 1950)
• Hand in the Coconut* (Original Air Date: October 23, 1950)
• Sedan from the City* (Original Air Date: October 30, 1950)
• A Visit from Merlin (Original Air Date: November 6, 1950)
• Angel’s Grotto (Original Air Date: November 13, 1950)
• Nothing But the Truth (Original Air Date:  November 20, 1950)
• And Hope to Die (Original Air Date: December 4, 1950)
• The Bookworm Turns (Original Air Date: December 11, 1950)
• Opportunity Knocks Twice (Original Air Date: December 18, 1950)
• The Man Behind Frame  (Original Air Date: January 8, 1951)
• Tune on a Triangle (Original Air Date: January 15, 1951)
• Knock on Wood (Original Air Date: January 22, 1951)
• Christmas in January (Original Air Date: January 29, 1951)
• Tongalani *(Original Air Date: February 5, 1951)
• The Marauder* (Original Air Date: February 12, 1951)
• How Guilty Can You Get? (Original Air Date: February 19, 1951)
• See Me Once, You’ve Seen Me Twice (Original Air Date: February 26, 1951)
• The Public Eye (Original Air Date: March 5, 1951)
• The Prairie Dog (Original Air Date: March 12, 1951)
• Murder for Two (Original Air Date: March 19, 1951)
• No Escape from the Jungle (Original Air Date: March 26, 1951)
• The Eight Ball (Original Air Date: April 2, 1951)
• Uncle Harry’s Bones (Original Air Date: April 9, 1951)
• The Noose Hangs High (Original Air Date: April 16, 1951)
• Sabotage (Original Air Date: April 23, 1951)
• Ponce the Leon* (Original Air Date: April 30, 1951)
• Big Brother* (Original Air Date: May 21, 1951)
• How Gullible Can You Be?* (Original Air Date: May 28, 19581)
• Sucker Stunt* (Original Air Date: June 11, 1951)
• Tonight, The Mayhem’s Going to be Different* (Original Air Date:June 18, 1951)
• The Man from Jaune Cache * (Original Air Date: June 25, 1951)
• Is Everybody Happy?* (Original Air Date: July 2, 1951)
• Lefty’s Angel* (Original Air Date: July 9, 1951)
• What’s Become of Terry Cable?* (Original Air Date: July 16, 1951)
• Drop Dead* (Original Air Date: July 23, 1951)
• The Fearless Crown* (Original Air Date: August 13, 1951)
• Deal Me Out and I’ll Deal You In* (Original Air Date: August 20, 1951)
• Murder on Vacation*  (Original Air Date August 27, 1951)
• Blue Plate Special* (Original Air Date: September 3, 1951)
• Framed for Hanging (Original Air Date: September 24, 1951)
• No Way Out (Original Air Date: October 1, 1951)
• A Crime Too Simple (Original Air Date: October 22, 1951)
• The Lady in Black (Original Air Date: October 29, 1951)
• Destination: Danger (Original Air Date: November 19, 1951)
• The Meddler (Original Air Date: November 26, 1951)
• Off the Record (Original Air Date: December 3, 1951)
• The Last Payoff (Original Air Date: December 10, 1951)
• Stolen Goods (Original Air Date: December 17, 1951)
• A School of Sharks (Original Air Date: January 7, 1952)
• The Bad Little God (Original Air Date: January 14, 1952)
• A Matter of Honor (Original Air Date: January 21, 1952)
• The Common Denominator (Original Air Date: January 28, 1952)
• Surprise! Surprise! (Original Air Date: February 4, 1952)
• Cortez Island (Original Air Date: February 11, 1952)
• The Symbol Three (Original Air Date: February 18, 1952)
• Starlight Pier (Original Air Date: February 25, 1952)
• The Deadly Pines (Original Air Date: March 3, 1952)
• The Darkest Shadows (Original Air Date: March 10, 1952)
• Three Times and Out (Original Air Date: March 17, 1952)
• The Greystone Ghost (Original Air Date: March 24, 1952)
• The Forgotten Murder (Original Air Date: April 14, 1952)
• War Maneuver (Original Air Date: April 21, 1952)
• Operation Europa (Original Air Date: April 28, 1952)
• Come to the Casbah (Original Air Date: May 5, 1952)
• The Iron Hat (Original Air Date: May 12, 1952)
• It Happened on Friday (Original Air Date: May 19, 1952)
• There Ain’t No Justice* (Original Air Date: Unknown)
• Portrait of a Suicide* (Original Air Date: Unknown)
• Red Spots in the Snow* (Original Air Date: Unknown)
• The Violent Van Pattons (Original Air Date: June 9, 1952)
• The Mystic (Original Air Date: June 16, 1952)
• Seed of Destruction (Original Air Date: August 18, 1952)
• Sabotage (Original Air Date:  August 25, 1952)
• Human Nature  (Original Air Date: September 15, 1952)
• Once a Crook (Original Air Date: September 22, 1952)
• Chance and Probability (Original Air Date: September 29, 1952)
• The Four Seasons (Original Air Date: October 6, 1952)
• The Dead of Night (Original Air Date: October 13, 1952)
• Calle Reposo (Original Air Date: October 20, 1952)
• Dead on Arrival (Original Air Date: November 10, 1952)
• The Stand In (Original Air Date: November 17, 1952)
• That Ain’t No Way to Run a Railroad* (Original Air Date: December 2, 1952)

Olan Soule Episodes:

• The Man Under the Elm Trees* (Original Air Date: September 13, 1954)
• The Coward* (Original Air Date: September 20, 1954)
• The Ghost of Ireland Betty (Original Air Date:  September 27, 1954)

Christmas Episodes (played out of order):

• Follow that Train (Original Air Date: December 19, 1949)
• Santa Claus in Glass (Original Air Date: December 25, 1950)
• The Christmas Letter (Original Air Date: December 24, 1951)

Thanksgiving Episode (plays out of order):

• Cause for Thanksgiving (Original Air Date: November 20, 1950)

* indicates played out of ot of order.

Log Source: Digital Deli and OTRSite