Detective and Mystery – Retro Radio Podcast

Looking forward to enjoy a plate of chicken catchatori, Philip Marlowe is sidetracked by a phone call from a friend. Randal has a problem with a gambling debt, a dame, and blackmail. Has the dame paid the gambler, or will she take the matter to Randal’s stockholders in his business? Tess is found dead, and yet another dame enters Philip’s life followed closely by a thug of a jealous boyfriend. Will any new clues pop up when the gambler, Nayler, is visited? In keeping Randal’s reputation safe, the gambler also benefits from Philip being successful. What? No thumps on the head? Philip seems to be having all the luck today. How long will that hold out? A virtual prisoner by racketeers, Philip will be in physical harm, but with some help by Maxine, the lights go out, and its the break Marlowe needs. A last moment clue saves the day, and the race is on to rescue his client, kick the lid off the mystery, and turn a killer over to the authorities. But wait, will there be one more surprise waiting for Marlowe at the end of his day?

An intriguing story about a method of dying. The busy police inspector, Schmidt has been having a rough day, when Cassidy reports even more work load when another inspector has gone on vacation. Murder doesn’t take vacations, so Schmidt is back on the job. A body is found shot in the head, a typical suicide case. So what’s the big mystery here? One key point of the crime is the wig that the victim was wearing. A match for his natural hair, blood only on the inside of it, and when in place it covered the head wound entirely. Who would want to go through such measures? Along with Cassidy, Schmidt tramps his aching feet across town to gather clues from doctors, and a cast of shady characters. The victim was a doctor, a scalp specialist, and when the office is searched nothing is found. Litterally nothing is found. No patient files or records, and the whole office just seems phoney somehow. The police try to make sense of the crazy details, and elsewhere the suspects shed light on details meant for the listener to fill in some of the story. Are the bad guys getting nervus? Will there be another murder, a power play over love and revenge? The cops find a key clue that ties together several murders, and they now have a motive to tie this case together. Time to gather the suspects together, and make them squirm. Skeletons are yanked from closets, and the killer is taken in. Still, there’s a few last words that Schmidt ties up to fill in more details of the mystery that clued in the cops to figuring out the murders.

Finding himself driving to his client in Bel Aire, Philip has a close brush with a motorcycle driver. The blonde passenger is the 23 year old daughter of his client. Can Philip do anything if Adrienne wants to go crazy and endanger herself? He investigates the dare devil background of the young motorcyclist, Pepper Riggs. Is there anything shady in his carnival job, and the extreme thrills he seeks in his act? Philip takes in the act for himself. Has he turned up trouble behind the scenes? Will there be tragedy on the stunt track? Pepper’s co-stunt driver, Lou Bryant dies in an apparent accident, but Philip is certain that it was murder. A former girlfriend of Pepper, Mickie, may have some answers for Marlowe, or will she only muddy the waters of potential killers further? Its time to get rough, and let the fists fly, but the options get narrower when the body count rises. A key clue falls into Philip’s lap, but will his hunch pay off? Head thumping time. Will the killer kill again, before Philip can catch him? Talking to the police detective, Marlowe explains it all, then helps his client out with a little child discipline for the fickle 23 year old.

Take the easy chair by the window, the book is on the shelf. A story of a missing person who is found by death. The story opens with a party at a swanky house in San Fransisco. The hostess, Lydia, is showing a collection of paintings when she collapses. With all the assurances that Lydia is going to be just fine, I’ll bet she ends up being anything but fine. When the party has died down, Mr Dundee races to the scene when a scream and gunshots break the quiet of the night. Lydia has been shot and murdered. Who did it? Sally is her roomate, Bill is Sally’s brother. Why was Lydia so jumpy? The police are on the look out for clues and motive. The plot twists begin to escalate when a will is discovered, and a ewspaper story about a missing person becomes a key clue to the mystery. What else might pop up as the cops and detectives investigate? Cover ups, guilty feelings, blackmail, hit and run accidents, all lead to a dramatic mystery novel ending when the cops gather all the suspects together to put the finger on the killer.

A stranger breaks into a man’s apartment, and guns him down. Later, in Mr Keen’s office, he and Mike are interupted by a woman who tells them all she knows about the shooting of her friend. Her husband is the main suspect. Going into flashback mode, she tells how her husband came to tell her about the murder. Wow, this lady has a lot of men in her life. Kenneth, the murdered friend. John, her husband. And who is this Arnold character? Mr Keen promises to do all he can to get to the bottom of the ordeal. When she leaves, both Mike and mr Keen talk about the glaring flaw they detected in her story. With her permission, the two detectives go to her apartment to hunt for clues. A mystery caller phones the apartment to say she knows who the killer is. Mr Keen continues putting the clues together, but realizes that it’s more complicated than he first believed. There’s more people to check on, and evidence of blackmail. Circumstances has the key players all gathered together in the presence of Mr Keen. Pressure is put on as truth is revealed. The killer cracks, but thanks to Mike, the gun is taken from him before real damage can be done. It’s all to prove that you just can’t get away with murder.

The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Joe Friday and partner Frank Smith report to the squadroom. Frank marvels at all the toys and gadgets that kids these days have, yet they have to feel obligated to bash each others brains out. It looks like adults still have the same lament today, as they probably always have, and always will. The call comes in about a little girl in critical condition in the hospital, and the cops are off to investigate to see if they can learn who hurt her. They question the girl’s aunt, in the house where she has been staying. The woman tells the story of the absent mom, and her empty promises to her kids. The feverish girl was left in the care of the aunt, who immediately contacted the doctor and the cops Might it simply be illness, or food poisoning? The distraught aunt sends Joe and Frank to talk with her irresponsible sister, and the dead girls mom. Though the aunt doesn’t want to believe it’s anything more than a sudden illness, she has a suspicion that her sister Joan might have had something to do with the sudden death. When Friday gets to the apartment, Joan isn’t home, but a neighbor tells a tale of mistreatment, and a split up between mom and dad. Joan was said to be wanting to remarry after her split up, but her potential mates have all been put off by a woman with a kid. The neighbor suspects it isn’t outside the realm of possibility for Joan to have killed her baby. Back in the station, Joe tells the results of the crime lab, and coroners reports. Bruising on the girl seem to prove out the stories that have been told, but the cause of death is poisoning. A phone call comes in from Joan. She wants to talk to the cops about her daughter. Joe and Frank find the tipsy woman in a bar, and she tells that she killed her daughter. She paints a picture of neglect. Joe summarizes the story the woman told after she was taken to the police station, and given time to sober up. There’s still evidence to be gathered, and the apartment is given another once over, It seems that the poison was from a metal polish. The tiny fingerprints indicate the girl drank it herself, but it’s still mom’s fault for not being more diligent with her daughter. PS: For all the reputation that the days of old time radio have, and the squeaky clean, wholesome family shows that were prominent well into the days of television of even the 1960’s and 70’s, it’s shows like Dragnet that hinted that all wasn’t so pretty in real life. It isn’t the only show, or the first, but it is probably one of the most well known for such reminders.

An early morning phone call has Johnny on an important job. The freelance insurance investigator reports in to learn about the case that needs his immediate attention. Barton Drake is missing, and has been for nearly seven years. He disappeared at a time near the beginning of World War 2, and was a hardware store owner who had some shady doings in the world of organized crime. There’s reason to think he is still alive, and spotted in New York at a prize fight. If he remains missing on the official record for just a few more days, the insurance company will have to pay out on a claim from the aledged widow. Johnny is off to the man’s last known whereabouts, and visits the oldd mansion. Drake’s wife lives in the lap of luxury in the huge house, and is surrounded by house servants. The wife is less than thrilled to learn that her long lost hubby may still be alive. Johnny folows the woman, suspecting her crocodile tears are just a lot of drama. The trail leads Johnny through town, but offers some clues to get Johnny started in laying his trap. He fakes a phone call to the number he was able to learn from following the widow. Posing as a radio DJ offering a prize. Delivering the goods of the aledged contest, he finds a little old lady. Will she be forthcoming with any information? Will Johnny be found out? Why does the little old grannie have on a pair of brass knuckles? After Johnny wakens from the thump on the head, he gets ansers, but will he be able to do anything with the info that he learns? As Johnny feigns unconsciousness he listens to Drake, and as he argues with his wife, the story comes out. Johnny keeps playing as though he’s knocked out as he is taken for a boat ride. Left for dead, Johnny manages to get back to land. Well at least an island, but if he doesn’t act fast he’ll be stuck there past his deadline. By the time Johnny makes his way back to the gangster’s stomping grounds, he finds the wife, but there’s no sign of Drake. Using the threat of insurance fraud, Johnny lerns from the wife where hubby went. Will his phone call to the train station be enough to intercept the disguised gangster? It seems to, but Johnny’s rash behavior with the aledged little old lady in the wheel chair gets him nabbed by the police and station authorities. Will they understand what his actions are all about? As Johnny puts the finishing touches on his expense report, he ties up all the loose ends, and describes the aftermath of his adventure.

Featuring Steven Dunn as Sam Spade. Sam recounts his latest case to his secretary, Effie, as he goes into flashback mode to relive it. With a sizable reward in store for him, Sam goes on the job, and heads to a bank. Wendal Whizby is the banker, and former magician. The bank president wants to keep it quiet, but a purse snatcher has walked away with $53K. Has Whizby’s uncle stolen the cash? Whizby is a reformed con-man and magician, and claims that he’s willing to pay the cash back himself if the man and money can’t be found. Hitting the streets, Sam goes on the track of the missing relative. A clear trail is left for Sam to follow, but a dead end has him circling back to Wendal. The trail gets crazy as wierd characters spring up along the way. The case isn’t all fun and games, Sam has found himself knocked out, and he wakes up in a burning building. It’s time to get tough, especially when a murder enters the picture. It could take beating the truth out of certain characters, but in the end a lighter tone for the show returns as Sam sets everything right.

Firefighters find a body, but it’s clear that the blaze was only an attempt to cover up for murder. Who would want to kill the quiet Henry Nelson, a man who kept to minding his own business? What will the cops and Casey turn up from questioning neighbors, or his employer? Though not much has been turned up on Henry, Casey notices plenty about the body language of his boss. Being as astute as he is, why doesn’t Casey pick up on the hints that Ann drops about marriage and engagement rings? In the Blue Note, Casey seems in a blue funk and not talkative at all when Ethylbert talks to him. Has Ann’s hints begun to sink in just a little? Ann enters, and suddenly Casey snaps back to his usual self, with inspiration to track down a killer. Back on the crime scene, Casey scours the place for hiding places, or clues that were missed before. Suddenly a man jumps both Casey and Ann, and escapes with the clues that were just found. Or almost all the clues. Able to narrow down the suspects greatly, Casey sets out to trap his man. Confronting their man, Casey and Ann get their revenge for the thumps on the head. Then in the Blue Note Casey shares with Ethylbert how he figured it all out. Will Ann get a little romance out of Casey?

The story of your police force in action. A bandit has held up a hotel with a sawed off shotgun, and it’s up to Joe Friday to catch him. Joe and his partner, Frank Smith are on the scene, and as the uniformed cop heads out. The hotel clerk relates the facts of the robbery. The man demonstrates his new tech, a transistor radio with ear phone. Imagine that! a radio without tubes! And you can just carry it around and listen to your favorite shows through an ear piece, wow! After a description of the man, the detectives track down the clues. A photo line up is prepared, and Friday returns to have the hotel clerk pinpoint the robber. More hotel robberies occur, and all by a man with a sawed off shotgun. Though the investigation continues, no new info has been turned up. A new clue comes in from a mom and pop hotel owner. A woman with a very sad marriage arrangement. Friday stakes the place out, thinking it may be the next logical place to be hit. A call comes in, that takes Joe and Frank to the site of where the night’s robbery went down. The robber seems to have switched from hotels to all night cafes. When a tooth is knocked out in this latest altercation, the cops get busy interviewing dentists. Joe has his man, and knows the reason why he skipped the hotel that was staked out. All that’s left is to move in and gather the hard evidence to tie their man into the crimes.

A restaurant owner has written a letter to help get him out of a jam. The broken English of the immigrant writer has Dan chuckling, but he is to soon find out the seriousness of the situation. When Dan goes to see for himself, he finds a clean, well run eatery, and the owner, Nick, is happy to see him. Business is booming, but all of Nicks clientelle orders just a cup of coffee, and spend the day occupying seats. It sounds to me like a campaign to run him out of business, but Dan has a bit of advice for a minimum charge that he thinks will do the trick. Back in the office, a desperate Nick phones with another problem. Dan’s suggestion worked fine, but Nick claims his credit is ruined. Again Dan has a simple solution. The phone hardly reaches it’s cradle when Nick has yet another emergency, so Dan goes back to stabalize things. Now there are emergency and delivery vehicles trying to make deliveries to the restaurant. All sorts of unusual and crazy shipments, but Dan manages to run interference and send the deliveries back. Dan talks to Nick about the reason for the pranks, and annoyances. Some one has offered to take over the lease on the building, and are clearly trying to pressure Nick into subletting to them. Later, when Nick’s wife phones in, it seems that something terrible has happened. Dan goes right to Nick’s home to find Nick layed up in bed after being attacked on his way home. Dan learns of threats to Nick and his wife, and gives Nick the advice to go ahead and sublet his restaurant to see who bites, and what they may do. Dan takes the story to his policeman friend, and a stakeout is set to keep an eye on the place. Two weeks have gone by without any noticeable activity, and the cops will have to pull the plug on the manpower. Dan drops in at the restaurant to see what is going on. The surly new wait staff makes it clear that the business is just a front. What is that strange scraping noise? While finally running an errand for Suzy, an important clue lands in Dan’s lap. He has the answers he has been looking for. When Dan tries to prove a hunch to the cops, and to a neighboring department store manager, his plan almost fails. What is the scam? What were the bogus subletters doing? Dan explains all to Suzie, but will he ever get her errand run?

Johnny prepares his first expense report items as his flight nears his destination. The passengers are all abuzz when a man who swiped Johnny’s overcoat was pushed overboard. In London, he is on the track of a missing painting. The client is a man who has a travelling art display with a rotating stock of paintings to show. With the story of the travelling museum told, the client has to leave on business to Paris, and Johnny goes to check the museum out. Johnny begins to think the misadventure on the airplane may have been an attempt on his life. Is he in danger, and if so who would want to harm our sweet little old insurance investigator? More information comes from the lovely art assistant who shows Johnny the blank wall where the painting once hung. Johnny is off to Scotland Yard to get the official police report. Though the painting has been reported missing, no serious charges, or investigations are being pursued. He compares notes on the list of suspects the girl from the museum gave to him to see what the cops know, but they seem surprised that anybody is doing any serious investigation. Johnny has another near miss when a car nearly runs him down. The expenses pile up as Johnny tracks down the list of known theives. He finds what appears to be a missing painting, a body, and some fresh gunshots coming his way. With the painting found and in the hand of the cops, the insurance investigation seems about over, but Johnny wants to learn who has it out for him. Johnny’s intimate conversation with the lovely Muriel is interupted when his insurance company calls him. They claim that the missing frame is at least as valuable as the painting itself, so Johnny is back on the job. Now however, he has a little more to go on, and heads right for the wood shop where the key evidence to wrap things up is found. What is it that links the murders, and attempts on his life with the missing artwork? Is Muriel behind it, or somebody else? The secrets of the case come out, but Johnny isn’t out of danger quite yet.

Orson wells tells how a regular car tire ended up in Scotland Yard’s museum of murder. A car theft goes off without a hitch until the two speeding car thieves are stopped in a routine traffic check. Suspicions are raised when the crooks have no ID. Guns blaze. A cop lies dead in the road, and the thieves reach their hideout. The investigation begins with clues at the crime scene. A pencil in the cop’s hand. Tire tread marks match ones used on only one make of car. An abandoned stolen Evans is found. Matched with a recent theft, and connected with the crime, Scotland Yard digs its teeth into solving the murder. With no witnesses, is there any chance of locating the driver of the stolen car? The tires of the Evans have been stripped, and local garage owners are checked out. When one shop has a set of the rare tires, red flags are raised and inspection of business records links the partners to other similar crimes. Armed with enough evidence to pick up Randolph, he tells all on his partner in crime. Details and confessions pour forth. Where is the missing partner? Can the cops catch him before he leaves the country? Orson is back to close the case and share the fates of the pair of killers.

A letter comes in to ask for help in finding the missing brother of a woman. Why not just go to the police for what seems to be a simple matter? That’s the thing Dan wants to know. Being just curious enough, Dan talks the matter over with the gal, then she suddenly seems to abruptly part company and go her own way. Dan is already hooked, and begins to do his own snooping. He confronts a tough guy who wants to join forces, and claims he knows secrets about the woman. He just wants to know all that Dan does, but is tight lipped on revealing much. The tough guy doesn’t want to share information other than to say that the woman isn’t who she says she is. It’s back for a meeting with the aledged sister who stands to share in a large inheritance. She is insistent that she is telling the truth, and together they go visit the tough guy, only to find his body. I don’t know about this Dan, remember that hard boiled detectives such as yourself just can’t trust a dame. I don’t trust her. As Dan phones to report the murder, the woman thumps him on the head. Dan wakens to the sight of the cops standing over him. I hate to tell you so, but when will these radio detectives ever learn, never trust a dame. The cops get on the job to investigate, and when their searches turn up little, namely that there is a sister by the name the woman gave, but the descriptions don’t fit, Dan does more poking around. He soon finds himself in more danger, as he turns up some heat, but can he count on the cops for his safety net? Dan shares what he knows, which sounds like the mystery unravelled, but there is still no woman, or her double crossing chauffeur. The clincher comes in when Suzie comes in to remind Dan of her desire to examine the handwriting of the note that got this adventure started. It triggers an inspiration in Dan, and he races off to confront the bad gal. He has it figured out, and has both her money, and her, over a barrel. All the twists come out when Dan is back in his office and explains all.

As they meet in the Blue Note, Ann Williams shares with Casey and Ethylbert some good news on a big story. How will Ann and Casey get into the swanky affair in the Baldwin mansion? On the way, a thick fog has blanketed the land. Security is tight, but the Baldwins are glad to offer access to our reporter and photographer. Casey is amazed to find the jewels aren’t insured. The lights go off, the diamonds are gon, and the butler is accused when he is recognized as a known thief. Casey is beginning to fit some of the awkward puzzle pieces together. What makes Casey so sure the butler didn’t do it? Casey tells in great pains about the players in the Baldwin mansion, but admits it was him who took the jewels. Why did he do it? He smelt a rat, and now he and Ann are going in to set a trap for a real crook. Ride along, and see Casey make the crooks squirm. The theft turns to murder. Later in the Blue Note, Casey reveals all the finer points of the case that tipped him off.