Tag: murder mystery

Mr. Chameleon: The Suspicious Father Murder Case (EP4458)

Karl Swenson

Today’s Mystery:

A man is killed after announcing to his children that he is going to change his will.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: October 5, 1949

Originating from New York City

Starring: Karl Swenson as Mister Chameleon; Frank Butler as Sergeant Dave Arnold

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Bulldog Drummond: Murder Visits Venus (EP4420)


Today’s Mystery:

Denny spots a woman in a crinoline dress hanging from the flagpole of an office building.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: March 19, 1945

Originating in New York:

Starring: Ned Wever as Bulldog Drummond; Luis Van Rooten as Denny

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Telefilm: Murder She Wrote: A Fashionable Way to Die

As an adjunct to our Amazing World of Radio summer series featuring old time radio programs that include 1966 Batman Villain actors in them, I’m reviewing TV detective and mystery programs in which these actors appeared as much as possible this month.

First off, we focus on Barbara Rush on Murder She Wrote. Ms. Rush appears in the 1987-88 Murder She Wrote Season 4 season premiere. Ms. Rush plays Eva Taylor, a fashion designer who is one of the innumerable friends of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), and has invited her to Paris for the unveiling of her brand new collection, which promises to put her fashion label on the map.

The problem? Eva’s in debt to a ruthless French businessman (Lee Bergere)  who has underworld ties she doesn’t know about. On the eve of her debut fashion show, he shows up and gives her a choice: either sign a contract to make him a 50-50 partner in her business or he’ll repossess everything. She signs away half her business and after the show, she tells Jessica, who she foolishly didn’t tell in the first place because she was afraid Jessica would think she’d only invited her to Paris to hit her up for money. Jessica, being Jessica, says she’ll confront the shady businessman and get this straightened out, but when they go to find him, they find he’s been murdered. Suspicion soon falls on Eva, and it’s up to Jessica to clear her of the killing.

You might think that if the season premiere of a television program, one that had spent two straight seasons ranked in the top five in ratings, was going to have an episode set in Paris, that it would be filmed on location. It was not. This was filmed on the Universal backlot, using American actors playing French parts, which might have been the only real glaring weakness of the episode.

Everything else works fine. The mystery is above average, with some really puzzling clues to think out and piece together. There’s also a nice solid twist at the end that turns the solution on its head. While the accent of Fritz Weaver as Inspector Hugues Panassié is a bit thick, he’s nevertheless charming and fun in the role.

All in all,  this is an example of a typical Murder She Wrote episode. By no means is it among the program’s standouts, but “A Fashionable Way to Die” delivers an intelligent and diverting and fun mystery with our heroine’s keen mind on full display.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

 

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Mr. Chameleon: The Handprint on the Ceiling Murder Case (EP4302)

Karl Swenson

Today’s Mystery:

A man is found murdered in an empty house with a handprint on the ceiling.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: March 30, 1949

Originating from New York City

Starring: Karl Swenson as Mister Chameleon

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EP3288: Mystery is My Hobby: Ben Cramer

Inspector Danton arrests a man for murdering his ex-girlfriend but calls Barton in when he begins to have second thoughts.

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EP3285: Box 13: The Clay Pigeon

Dan gets a letter offering him adventure if he goes to a Doctor’s office and follows instructions.

Original Air Date: 1948

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Book Review: Corpses are Where You Find Them


In Corpses are Where You Find Them, Michael Shayne is preparing to go out of town with his young wife Phyllis despite pleas from the Mayoral candidate he’s supporting. However, his plans change when a beautiful young woman shows up high. He deposits her in his apartment and drives his wife to the train station, but he returns to find her dead and is then accused of kidnapping by the political opponent of the candidate he’s supporting. Shayne has to solve the murder to not only save his candidate’s campaign but also to avoid going to prison.

Corpses Are Where You Find Them is a fast-paced, fun read with the body of the murdered woman disappearing and re-appearing, political intrigue, and hidden agendas.

The writing of Brett Halliday (aka Davis Dresser) is improved from the first book, where Shayne’s antics could be insufferable. Here Shayne doesn’t do anything too off the wall until late in the book where he steals the clothes of an insane asylum patient, but that turns out to have a good reason.

Overall, this is a solid 1940s mystery with hard-boiled overtones. For lovers of these sort of books, this makes for a fun, diverting read.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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EP2883: Let George Do It: Am I My Brother’s Keeper (Listener’s Choice Standard Division #10)

George is hired by a man to find his estranged brother, and finds the body of a dead gambler at the brother’s apartment.

Original Air Date: April 12, 1948

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EP2742: Boston Blackie: The Twin Midnight Murders

Richard Kollmar
Blackie has to find out how a man committed two murders in two different places at Midnight while one of Blackie’s friends insist that he was with the man at the time of the murderer.

Original Air Date: February 25, 1948

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EP2253: Night Beat: Black Cat

Frank Lovejoy

A disturbed abandoned cat sets Randy into the midst of a murder mystery in a tenement where all the suspects are oddballs.

Original Air Date: November 3, 1950

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