We're kicking off a new bonus series and a deep dive into arguably the best radio detective series of all time: the serialized run of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar starring Bob Bailey as "the man with the action-packed expense account." This beloved incarnation of the adventures of America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator turn 70 this year, so I'm shining a spotlight on each and every installment. In the first story, a dying prison inmate puts Dollar on the trail of some stolen loot and a secret someone will kill to keep hidden in "The McCormack Matter" (originally aired on CBS between October 3 and October 7, 1955).

With winter weather keeping things chilly, here's a collection of old time radio mysteries set against a backdrop of snow. First, Dick Powell survives a killer's bullet but gets trapped by a blizzard in "Snowbound" from Rogue's Gallery (originally aired on Mutual on May 9, 1946). Jane Wyman is snowed in at a mountain lodge and trying to get away with her husband's murder in "Catch Me If You Can" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on February 17, 1949). Simon Templar's new case involves a snowman with a grisly secret in "It's Snow Use" from The Saint (originally aired on NBC on October 29, 1950). And finally, Sam Spade solves a murder in the snow in "The Chateau McLeod Caper" (originally aired on NBC on January 26, 1951).

Back to new episodes next week, but for now let's celebrate the anniversary of the debut of Night Beat with my five favorite episodes. The nocturnal adventures of Chicago reporter Randy Stone premiered on February 6, 1950, and here are my picks for his best stories. We'll hear the show's first episode ("Zero," originally aired on NBC on February 6, 1950), where he helps a woman track down a man before he takes his own life, and a meeting with an unusual man who claims to have a sinister super power ("I Wish You Were Dead," originally aired on May 22, 1950). Randy meets a faded college football star in trouble with the mob ("The Football Player and the Syndicate," originally aired on NBC on June 12, 1950), and he dials a random phone number to find a woman in danger ("The City at Your Fingertips," originally aired on NBC on July 31, 1950). Finally, Randy and the police hunt for a contaminated case of butter that could unleash typhoid on the Windy City ("A Case of Butter," originally aired on NBC on September 25, 1950).

In honor of his January 26th birthday, we're saluting one of radio's most innovative writers and directors - Wyllis Cooper. Cooper's probably best known for his work in the world of horror as creator of Lights Out and Quiet Please but he also brought us Whitehall 1212 - a series that dramatized cases from the files of Scotland Yard. We'll hear "The Topaz Flower," an episode Cooper wrote for Crime Club (originally aired on Mutual on April 24, 1947), two episodes of Whitehall 1212 - "The Blitz Murder Case" (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1951) and "The Heathrow Affair" (originally aired on NBC on December 23, 1951), and "It's Later Than You Think" from Quiet Please (originally aired on Mutual on August 2, 1948).

Ice is in the air - and on the ground - as many parts of the country contend with winter weather, but in this week's show our heroes contend with a different kind of ice...and it's because that ice has gone missing. Detectives hunt down stolen diamonds in these four radio mysteries, beginning with Richard Kollmar as Boston Blackie in a syndicated episode where diamonds are stolen right from under his own nose. Next, Richard Diamond, Private Detective is blamed when several thousand dollars of stones are pilfered from the police commissioner (originally aired on NBC on November 12, 1949). Then, Sgt. Joe Friday is on the case when a diamond salesman is robbed of his merchandise in "The Big Impression" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on August 7, 1952). And finally, John Lund stars as Johnny Dollar as he searches for a stolen yellow diamond in "The Uncut Canary Matter" (AFRS rebroadcast from February 16, 1954).

The radio adventures of The Saint premiered in January 1945, and we're celebrating the anniversary of his radio debut with four tales of Simon Templar. Several actors played the Saint over the years, but the voice that's synonymous with the character belongs to Vincent Price, and he plays "the Robin Hood of modern crime" in our quartet of crimes: "The Saint Goes Underground" (originally aired on Mutual on July 31, 1949); "The Problem of the Peculiar Payoff" (originally aired on NBC on July 9, 1950); "Reflection on Murder" (originally aired on NBC on August 13, 1950); and in his final radio performance as The Saint in "Pin No Roses on My Corpse" (originally aired on NBC on May 20, 1951).

We kick off 2025 with a radio recreation of one of the all-time great mystery films and a birthday salute to its star. Dana Andrews reprises his role as a detective obsessed with the woman whose murder he's investigating as The Lux Radio Theatre presents "Laura" (originally aired on CBS on February 6, 1945.) Then Andrews plays another cop on the trail of a killer in "The Crowd" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on September 21, 1950), and finally he's undercover agent Matt Cvetic in "Courier for Disaster" - a syndicated adventure from I Was a Communist for the FBI.

Just in time for Christmas, here's a king-sized holiday special - a stocking stuffed with old time radio comedy, drama, and westerns to get you in the spirit of the season. Enjoy Christmas comedies from Fibber McGee and Molly (originally aired on NBC on December 19, 1944); The Mel Blanc Show (originally aired on NBC on December 10, 1946); The Jack Benny Program (originally aired on NBC on December 21, 1947); and The Jimmy Durante Show (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1948). Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan star in a radio recreation of the big screen classic "Christmas in Connecticut" presented by The Screen Guild Theatre (originally aired on CBS on August 5, 1946). Plus - a powerful Christmas tale from Quiet Please - "Berlin 1945" (originally aired on ABC on December 26, 1948); a western retelling of a holiday classic from Jimmy Stewart as The Six Shooter ("Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol," originally aired on NBC on December 20, 1953); and the story of one of the most enduring, beloved Christmas carols in "All is Bright" from The CBS Radio Workshop (originally aired on CBS on December 26, 1953).

We're decking the halls and looking for clues with three holiday-themed old time radio mysteries. Peter Lorre plans the perfect crime, but he may be undone by a surprise gift from his victim in "Back for Christmas" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on December 23, 1943). Then, it's a tale from The Damon Runyon Theatre - "Dancing Dan's Christmas," the story of a small-time crook who lands in hot water during the holidays. Finally, Bob Bailey deals with a Santa who gets gifts instead of gives them and who may be marked for death in "Christmas in January" from Let George Do It (originally aired on CBS on January 29, 1951).

Of the legendary run of serialized Johnny Dollar shows starring the great Bob Bailey, three stories are incomplete, with one chapter from each having been lost to time. Today, we're investigating if these stories still hold up even with a missing chapter from each (spoilers: I think they do). We'll hear "The Salt City Matter" (originally aired on CBS between April 2 and 6, 1956 - missing Chapter 2); "The Lonely Hearts Matter" (originally aired on CBS between April 23 until April 27, 1956 - sans Chapter 4); and "The Imperfect Alibi Matter" (originally aired on CBS between September 17 and September 21, 1956 - with an absent Chapter 2).