Listen to “The Great Detectives Present Keen and Company” on Spreaker.

Based loosely on the Robert W. Chambers novel Tracer of Lost Persons, the radio series Mister Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons was the longest-running radio series of all time, airing from 1937-55. The series began with Mister Keen operating as a missing person’s case investigator much like his literary counterpart. The series was produced by the radio factor of Frank and Anne Hummert and featured many of the same actors as appeared in their many soap operas.

Mister Keen began as a thrice-weekly serial in 1937 and continued in that format until November 1943 when it began a weekly half-hour program. It would continue on the air in 1955. It would revert to fifteen-minute episodes in 1954 until the last two months of its run when it would once again become a half-hour show for its last two months on the air.

The series began as a heartwarming series of mysteries that dealt with domestic and family problems in its lost-persons cases. In the post-War era, it became far more focused on murder cases. The series was known for its easy-to-follow scripts, frequent bouts of melodrama, and use of various standard mystery cliches. The series was lampooned by the comedy series Bob and Ray.

About the stars:

Bennett Kilpack (1883-1962): The English-born Kilpack came to acting when he couldn’t find a job in the United States as an engineer. Kilpack had a successful career on the stage, which led to major roles on Broadway and him landing a role on the 1920s radio serial Way Back Home. Kilpack took on the role of Mr. Keen in 1937 and would appear in the vast majority of the show’s first 1,314 broadcasts before leaving the show in October 1950.

Phil Clarke (1904-1985): English-born Actor who served in the British Army stationed in India before undertaking a stage career. In 1937, he began acting over the radio and would make more than 10,000 radio appearances, mostly in Soap Opera’s. Outside of being the second regular Mister Keen actor, he’s best know for being the host of The Sealed Book.

Episode log:

With Bennett Kilpack as Star

• The Moonless Night (Original Air Date: January 6, 1944)
• The Missing Witness (Original Air Date: January 13, 1944)
• The Girl Who Sang Too Well (Original Air Date: January 20, 1944)
• The Girl Who Flirted (Original Air February 3, 1944)*
• The Boy Who Used Big Words (Original Air Date: February 10, 1944)
• The Case of Mr. Trevor’s Secret (Original Air Date: February 17, 1944)
• The Girl Who Flirted (Original Air Date: February 3, 1944)
• The Case of Murder in the Air (Original Air Date: February 24, 1944)
• The Case of the Strange Display (Original Air Date: March 16, 1944)
• The Case of the Leaping Dog (Original Air Date: April 13, 1944)
• The Case of the Woman in Blue (Original Air Date: June 15, 1944)
• The Case of the Frightened Child (Original Air Date: November 16, 1944)
• The Nightmare Murder (Original Air Date: December 14, 1944)
• The Case of the Absent-Minded Professor (Original Air Date: March 15, 1945)
• The Strange Case of Charlie Lorimer (Original Air Date: November 29, 1945)
• The Case of the Glamorous Widow (Original Air Date: May 23, 1946)
• Murder and the Star of Death (Original Air Date: June 9, 1949)
• The Case of Murder and the Bloodstained Necklace (Original Air Date: September 15, 1949)
• The Yellow Talon Murder (Original Air Date: September 22, 1949)
• The Case of Murder with a Thousand Witnesses (Original Air Date: September 29, 1949)
• The Case of the Man Who Invented Death (Original Air Date: October 6, 1949)
• The Silver Dagger Case (Original Air Date: October 13, 1949)
• The Ruthless Murderers (Original Air Date: October 27, 1949)
• The Forgotten Cave Murder Mystery (Original Air Date: November 3, 1949)
• The Engaged Girl Murder Case (Original Air Date: November 10, 1949)
• The Case of the Rushville Murder (Original Air Date: January 5, 1950)
• The Bride and Groom Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 19, 1950)
• The Telephone Book Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 26, 1950)
• The  Case of Murder and the Jewel Thief (Original Air Date: February 9, 1950)
• The Case of the Two-Faced Murderer (Original Air Date: February 16, 1950)
• The Case of the Melody of Murder (Original Air Date: March 9, 1950)
• The Innocent Flirtation Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 16, 1950)
• The Case of Murdered Detective (Original Air Date: April 6, 1950)
• The Eccentric Millionaire Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 13, 1950)
• The Country Club Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 20, 1950)
• The Case of the Woman Who Married a Murderer (Original Air Date: April 27, 1950)
• The King Cobra Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 4, 1950)
• The Case of Murder and the Missing Car (Original Air Date: May 11, 1950)
• The Broken Window Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 25, 1950)
• The Quicksand Murder case (Original Air Date: June 1, 1950)
• The Skull and Crossbones Murder Case (Original Air Date: June 15, 1950)

With Phil Clarke as Star

• The Airport Murder Case* (Original Air Date: March 22, 1951)
• The Case of Murder and the Strange Woman (Original Air Date: July 20, 1951)
• The Photograph Album Murder Case (Original Air Date: July 27, 1951)
• The Case of The Strange Murder of Carrie Ellis (Original Air Date: August 3, 1951)
• The Abandoned Well Murder Case (Original Air Date: August 10, 1951)
• The Poisoned Sandwich Murder Case (Original Air Date: August 17, 1951)
• Murder at a Mile a Minute (Original Air Date: December 6, 1951)
• The Silver Candlestick Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 13, 1952)
• The Rented Cottage Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 3, 1952)
• The Mother’s Plea Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 10, 1952)
• The Gossip Column Murder Case* (Original Air Date: October 24, 1952)
• The Case of Murder and the Prize-Winning Bull* (Original Air Date: November 7, 1952)
• The Shrieking Prisoner Murder Case, Parts One and Two (Original Air Dates: June 21 and June 23, 1954)
• The Shrieking Prisoner Murder Case, Parts Three and Four  (Original Air Dates: June 24 and 25, 1954)
• The Case of Murder and the Revengeful Ghost (Original Air Date: February 22, 1955)

Source: Otrsite

*Indicates episode played out of order.

End of log.