Podcast – The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

This week in our summer series featuring old-time radio appearances by actors who later played killers on Columbo, we spotlight Roddy McDowall. McDowall stars as young Ronnie Cavanaugh in a radio adaptation of “The Pied Piper”, the story of an elderly Englishman who reluctantly becomes the protector of a growing band of refugee children as…

Today’s Mystery: When a young woman is pulled from the river and identified by her grieving father, the case appears closed before it begins. But when a second woman claiming to be the victim turns up alive, Danny Clover must untangle a web of secrets surrounding a private secretary who carefully concealed her life from…

Today’s Mystery: City editor Paul Schoenstein becomes determined to uncover the forces behind a wave of juvenile crime, gambling, vice, and exploitation spreading through New York City. Following a trail of mysterious names, frightened witnesses, and hidden nightspots, he and his reporters begin a dangerous investigation into a powerful criminal network. Original Radio Broadcast: November…

Today’s Mystery: A mysterious woman arrives at Simon Templar’s apartment claiming that ruthless pursuers are after her life and begging for his help. Before long, The Saint finds himself caught between rival groups hunting a seemingly worthless whiskey glass that may hold the key to exposing a notorious fugitive from the Second World War. Original…

Today’s Adventure: When a respected Mexican businessman suddenly reappears at the home of the woman he loves, it is only because a mysterious religious statue he once gave away may now be carrying a deadly secret. As a pair of ruthless spies race to recover it, David Harding and the counterspies investigate the theft of…

Today’s Mystery: Johnny Dollar accepts a dinner invitation from an insurance executive friend who seems troubled by something he can’t quite bring himself to discuss. When the evening takes a tragic turn, Johnny discovers that a mysterious steak delivery and an angry claimant with a grudge may hold the key to what really happened. Original…

Todays Mystery: A boarding house operator accuses a young police officer of assault, battery, and soliciting a bribe after a narcotics arrest. As Friday and Jacobs investigate, conflicting witness statements and questions about the complainant’s injuries force them to determine whether an officer crossed the line—or whether someone is trying to frame him. Original Radio…

This week in our summer series featuring old-time radio appearances by actors who later played killers on Columbo, we spotlight Ross Martin. Martin delivers a memorable performance as Al Smith in this 1950 episode of The Eternal Light, a dramatization of the controversy surrounding Smith’s response to questions about whether his Catholic faith disqualified him…

Today’s Mystery: After being acquitted of murdering his wife, Johnny Welch spirals into bitterness and violence, convinced the real killer is still free. When a man connected to the case turns up dead and the only witness who saved Johnny at trial is brutally attacked, Danny Clover races to stop a desperate man from destroying…

Today’s Mystery: Reporter Albert Prince investigates the strange death of a respected Hartford meteorologist whose apparent chloroform overdose hides a deeply troubled private life. As Prince digs deeper into the scientist’s bizarre occult interests and fractured marriage, he begins to suspect the quiet widow may know far more than she first admits. Original Radio Broadcast:…