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

The Frank and Anne Hummert radio factory had more than decade of success with Mister Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, when their second mystery series, Mister Chameleon was played over CBS.

The series was about a college-educated man named Chameleon who came from a well-to-do family. Because he was named Chameleon, he tried to live up to that name by “taking on the color of any situation.” He eventually joined the police force and by using his powers of disguise, assumed a different identity and went undercover to solve all of his cases. The terms of the episode were the listeners would know who Mister Chameleon was but the suspects would not.

The Hummerts cast Karl Swenson in the role of Chameleon. According to some reports, the role was created for him. This would make sense as few actors in the New York radio scene could perform all the accents and dialects that would be required. While the series didn’t enjoy the long-lasting success of Mister Keen, the series ran for four and a half years and was often among radio’s highest-rated programs.

About the Star:

Karl Swenson (1908-78):  Known to families across America as Mr. Hanson on Little House on the Prairie, Swenson enjoyed a long career over radio, television, and movies primarily as a character actor.  Swenson played the lead in two golden age radio detective series, Father Brown and Mister Chameleon.  (Picture Courtesy of Digital Deli)

 

 

Episode Log:

• The Case of the Dead Woman’s Eyes (Original Air Date: July 21, 1948)
• The Brownstone Murder Case (Original Air Date: July 28, 1948)
• The Case of Death and the Dependent Husband (Original Air Date: August 4, 1948)
• The Case of the Woman Who Sensed Murder (Original Air Date: August 18, 1948)
• The Case of His Brother’s Murder (Original Air Date: August 25, 1948)
• The Blood Stained Dollar Bills (Original Air Date: September 1, 1948)
• Mr. Chameleon’s Pet Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 8, 1948)
• The Case of Murder and the Man Who Saw Too Much (Original Air Date: September 15, 1948)
• The Case of the Game of Death (Original Air Date: September 22, 1948)
• The Case of the Jewels of Death (Original Air Date: September 29, 1948)
• The May and December Murder Case (Original Air Date: October 6, 1948)**
• The Case of Murder and the House of Whispers (Original Air Date: October 13, 1948)**
• The Case of Voices from the Dead (Original Air Date: October 20, 1948)**
• The Case of Murder from Across the Sea (Original Air Date: October 27, 1948)**
• The Case of the Fatal Impersonation (Original Air Date: November 3, 1948)**
• The Case of Murder and the Sleeping Men (Original Air Date: November 10, 1948)**
• The Case of Murder and the Blue Peacock (Original Air Date: November 17, 1948)**
• The Lost Cousin Murder Case (Original Air Date: December 1, 1948)**
• Mr. Chameleon’s Strangest Murder Case (Original Air Date: December 15, 1948)**
• The Case of Death and the Talking Parrot (Original Air Date: December 29, 1948)**
• The Rich Uncle Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 5, 1949)**
• The Dance of Death (Original Air Date: January 12, 1949)
• The Curious Murder of Clubfoot Louie (Original Air Date: January 19, 1949)**
• The Orphanage Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 26, 1949)**
• The Duel of Death Murder Case (Original Air Date: February 2, 1949)**
• The Case of the Marriage of Death (Original Air Date: February 9, 1949)**
• The Case of Murder and the Smoking Gun (Original Air Date: February 16, 1949)**
• The Case of the Man who Expected Murder (Original Air Date: February 23, 1949)**
• The False Witness Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 2, 1949)**
• The Case of the Elevator with Two Bodies (Original Air Date: March 9, 1949)**
• The Firebug Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 16, 1949)**
• The Dinner of Death Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 23, 1949)**
• The Handprint on the Ceiling Murder Case (Original Air Date: March 30, 1949)**
• The Lost Bride Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 6, 1949)**
• The Amazing Thomas and Blifton Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 13, 1949)**
• The Case of the Bewildering Body on the Bowery (Original Air Date: April 20, 1949)**
• The Case of the Target for Murder (Original Air Date: April 27. 1949)**
• The Case of Murder and the Attractive Shoplifter (Original Air Date: May 4, 1949)**
• The Picture on the Wall Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 11, 1949)**
• The Forbidden Marriage Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 18, 1949)**
• Murder in the House of Torture (Original Air Date: May 25, 1949)**
• The Case of the Murdered Gold-Digger (Original Air Date: June 1, 1949)**
• The Organ Grinder Murder Case (Original Air Date: June 8, 1949)**
• The Rooftop Murder Case (Original Air Date: June 15, 1949)**
• The Bizarre Motive Murder Case (Original Air Date: June 22, 1949)**
• The Case of the Conceited Murderer (Original Air Date: June 29, 1949)**
• The Ailing Wife Murder Case (Original Air Date: July 6, 1949)**
• The Hasty Marriage Murder Case (Original Air Date: July 13, 1949)**
• The Bought and Paid For Murder Case (Original Air Date: July 20, 1949)**
• The Case of Murder and the Scar-Faced Man (Original Air Date: July 27, 1949)**
• The Snapshot in the Park Murder Case (Original Air Date: August 3, 1949)**
• The Case of the Murdered Girl’s Ears (Original Air Date: August 10, 1949)**
• The Case of the Murdered Movie Star (Original Air Date: August 17, 1949)**
• The Vacation Murder Case (Original Air Date: August 24, 1949)**
• The Mistreated Wife Murder Case (Original Air Date: August 31, 1949)**
• The Case of the Snarling Corpse (Original Air Date: September 7, 1949)**
• The Murder Clue of the Embalmed Body (Original Air Date: September 14, 1949)**
• The Hanging Judge Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 21, 1949)
• The Friendly Divorce Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 28, 1949)
• The Suspicious Father Murder Case (Original Air Date: October 5, 1949)**
• The Murder Clue of the Rope Ladder (Original Air Date: October 12, 1949)**
• The Unwanted Child Murder Clue (Original Air Date: October 19, 1949)**
• The Girl Who Typed Murder (Original Air Date: October 26, 1949)**
• The Murder Clue of the Carved Gold Ring (Original Air Date: November 2, 1949)**
• The Stolen Memory Murder Case (Original Air Date: November 9, 1949)**
• The Party Girl Murder Case (Original Air Date: November 16, 1949)**
• The Perfect Maid Murder Case (Original Air Date: December 21, 1949)
• The Dusty Room Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 5, 1950)
• The Custody of the Child Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 12, 1950)
• The Insured Jewels Murder Case (Original Air Date: April 19, 1950)
• The Gold Cigarette Holder Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 3, 1950)
• The Engagement Ring Murder Case (Original Air Date: May 10, 1950)
• The Fashion World Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 6, 1950)
• The Titled Husband Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 13, 1950)
• The Dazed Girl Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 20, 1950)
• The Broken Promise Murder Case (Original Air Date: September 27, 1950)
• The Locked Room Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 17, 1951)
• The Dream House Murder Case (Original Air Date: January 31, 1951)
• Murder and the Million Dollar Smile (Original Air Date: April 24, 1953)*

Christmas Episode Played Out of Order:

• The Woman’s Weapon Murder Case (Original Air Date: December 22, 1948)

*Originally played in 2014

** Episode Played Out of Order

End of Log