With Christmas only days away, we're celebrating (and closing out another year of the podcast) with Lionel Barrymore as Ebenezeer Scrooge in an old time radio adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The classic holiday story was presented on The Campbell Playhouse with Orson Welles and an all-star radio cast bringing the tale to life. We'll hear Welles as narrator, Barrymore as Scrooge, and supporting performances from Everett Sloane, George Coulouris, and Frank Readick in this broadcast that originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1939.

BONUS - Humbug! (Campbell Playhouse)

Presenting the best detectives from the Golden Age of Radio.  Each week, we'll bring you an episode starring one of Old Time Radio's greatest detectives and the story behind the show.  Join us for adventures of Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Johnny Dollar, and many more.

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In this bonus episode, I'm sharing my five favorite installments of Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator. William Gargan sleuths with a sardonic smile in these radio mysteries, beginning with "The Lost Lady" (originally aired on NBC on June 14, 1953). A client behind bars hires Craig in "For Love of Murder" (originally aired on NBC on August 3, 1954), and Craig helps an old colleague close one last case in "Blood Money" (originally aired on NBC on August 24, 1954). A vacation is a new setting for murder in "Hay is for Homicide" (originally aired on NBC on August 31, 1954), and a visit to see a friend turns into a night at a haunted house in "Ghosts Don't Die in Bed" (originally aired on NBC on September 7, 1954).

BONUS - Five Favorites: Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator

Place your bets and ride along with four old time radio mysteries set in the stables and around the racetrack. Boston Blackie doubts a horse is guilty of murder in a syndicated mystery, and international investigator Frank Race tries to find out who's out to make sure a prize racehorse doesn't make it to the winner's circle in "The Adventure of the Vanishing Favorite." A jockey loses a race and his life in Crime and Peter Chambers (originally aired on NBC on August 3, 1954). And John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in an adaptation of "Silver Blaze."

Episode 576 - A Day at the Races (Boston Blackie, Frank Race, Peter Chambers, & Sherlock Holmes)

We're riding the subway and walking the Great White Way with four radio gumshoes in New York. First, there's a dead body in Richard Diamond's office in "The Fred Sears Murder Case" (originally aired on NBC on June 5, 1949). A man is killed in Times Square by a man with only a month to live in "The Earl Lawson Murder Case" from Broadway is My Beat (originally aired on CBS on June 9, 1951). John Lund heads to the Big Apple in "The Independent Diamond Traders Matter" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (originally aired on CBS on November 24, 1953), and Captain Kennelly and his men keep the city safe in 21st Precinct (originally aired on CBS on January 13, 1954).

Episode 575 - In a New York Minute (Richard Diamond, Broadway is My Beat, Johnny Dollar, & 21st Precinct)

It's an Easter basket of radio comedies for you to enjoy! Jack Benny and his gang take a stroll in the Easter Parade (originally aired on CBS on April 17, 1949); Lucille Ball hunts for the perfect Easter dress in My Favorite Husband (originally aired on CBS on March 24, 1951); and egg dying goes awry at the Harris house on The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show (originally aired on NBC on April 5, 1953).

BONUS - Funny Bunnies (Jack Benny, My Favorite Husband, & Phil Harris-Alice Faye)

Break out your bracket for three basketball mysteries from the golden age of radio. First, newspaper editor Steve Wilson ties an assault to a gambling racket in "The Fatal Fix" from Big Town (originally aired on NBC on January 25, 1949). Next, Tony Curtis is a college star under pressure to throw a game in "The McKay College Basketball Scandal" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on September 24, 1951). Finally, Larry Haines is ex-magician turned PI Mike Trent, who uses his tricks of the trade against a deadly ring of gamblers in Easy Money (originally aired on NBC on January 9, 1955).

BONUS - Humbug! (Campbell Playhouse)

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