Down These Mean Streets (old Time Radio Detectives)

We welcome our first female detective to the show - San Francisco-based private eye Candy Matson!  Natalie Masters stars as this smart, sassy sleuth - perhaps the most famous lady detective in old time radio - in "The Egyptian Amulet," first broadcast on NBC on September 12, 1950.

J. Scott Smart stars as Brad Runyon, aka The Fat Man - "a fast-moving criminologist who tips the scales at 237 pounds!"  This original radio creation of Dashiell Hammett was one of radio's most popular shows, and Runyon is a detective who combines Nero Wolfe's brains and size with Sam Spade's fists.  We'll hear "The Black Angel," first broadcast on ABC on July 8, 1946.

It's off to New Orleans for an adventure of one of radio's hardest-boiled private eyes - Brett Halliday's two-fisted red-head Michael Shayne.  Jeff Chandler stars in The New Adventures of Michael Shayne, and we'll hear "The Case of the Model Murder," a syndicated episode produced in 1948.

This week, we'll walk the streets of Chicago after dark, tagging along with Frank Lovejoy on Night Beat.  Lovejoy stars as reporter Randy Stone, who searches for human interest stories in the darkness and often finds trouble.  We'll hear "The Football Player and the Syndicate," first broadcast on NBC on June 12, 1950.

Alan Ladd stars as mystery writer (and amateur sleuth) Dan Holiday in Box 13.  Join him as he seeks inspiration for his novels, and usually gets more than he bargained for in the process.  Today, we'll hear "Speed to Burn," an episode of this syndicated series from 1948.

Superman flies back to the big screen this week, and we're celebrating with a bonus episode of "Down These Mean Streets."  We'll hear the Man of Steel, alongside his private eye pal Candy Myers, in "Dead Men Tell No Tales," first aired on ABC on January 21, 1950.

It's back to Baker Street for an adventure of the world's most famous detective - Sherlock Holmes!  John Stanley is Holmes and, as Dr. Watson, Alfred Shirley narrates "The Cadaver in the Roman Toga," first broadcast on Mutual on November 9, 1947.

Before Roger Moore and Val Kilmer wore halos, Vincent Price patrolled the airwaves as Simon Templar, The Saint.  Today we'll hear this debonair detective in "Baseball Murder," first broadcast on NBC on September 3, 1950.

As Johnny Dollar, "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator," Bob Bailey itemizes another expense account and sums up "The Big Scoop Matter," first broadcast on CBS on November 11, 1956.

Nero Wolfe is on the case...just don't ask him to leave his house!  Sydney Greensteet is Wolfe and Lamont Johnson is Archie Goodwin in "The Case of the Careworn Cuff," first broadcast on NBC on October 27, 1950.

Sing along with Dick Powell as Richard Diamond, Private Detective in "Convict Louis Spence Escapes," first broadcast on NBC on March 5, 1950.

This week, it's hard-hitting, hard-boiled mystery with Gerald Mohr as Philip Marlowe in "The Hairpin Turn," first broadcast on CBS on January 28, 1950.

We kick things off with "the greatest private detective of them all," Sam Spade.  Hear Howard Duff as Spade in "The Apple of Eve Caper," first broadcast on CBS on June 19, 1949.