Enjoy two free true-crime episodes of Tales of the Texas Rangers w/ Joel McCrea

A) 11/12/50 Blood Relative

B) 1/27/52 Night Chase

Hopping on the adult western bandwagon, NBC radio presented a semi-documentary based on authentic case files of the select 50-member federation known as the Texas Rangers.  Screen actor Joel McCrea was well-cast as the calm, cool and collected Ranger Jace Pearson.  Given an assignment each week by superior Captain Stinson, Pearson investigated crimes and hunted down the culprits.  Tales of the Texas Rangers was an instant hit; a modern-day take on Dragnet with a western flavor.  By diligently and methodically tracking down murderers and desperadoes, Pearson always got his man.  Then as each weekly case file was closed, judgment and sentence were meted out to the captured fugitives. Created and directed by Stacy Keach, Sr. (father to actor Stacy Keach of Mike Hammer fame), Tales of the Texas Rangers came to radio in 1950 and lasted until 1952.  In 1953, a television version went into production at Columbia Pictures.  Unlike the radio program, which focused exclusively on contemporary case files, the TV shows featured 19th century western capers as well as modern-day stories.  Interestingly, Joel McCrea had been appearing in films, from screwball comedies to wild west movies, since the 1920s.  During the two years that Tales of the Texas Rangers was on air, McCrea’s screen career revived.