The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

Today's Mystery: When Claire Gordon arrives at Simon Templar’s apartment and confesses to murdering her husband, the Saint has reason to doubt her story—especially when James Gordon himself appears moments later, very much alive. But the mystery takes a deadly turn when Gordon is shot outside Templar’s door. As the Saint investigates, a midnight meeting in the park, a suspicious lawyer, and a substantial life insurance policy point to a dangerous scheme. Can Templar untangle the conflicting confessions and discover who is really behind the murder?

Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 7, 1951

Originating from Hollywood

Cast:

• Vincent Price as Simon Templar
• Joan Banks as Claire Gordon
• Peter Leeds as James Gordon
• Larry Dobkin as Louie
• Jim Nusser as Timothy Kerrigan
• High Upperback as the butler

Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Jim — Patreon supporter since January 2019

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

In this episode, we continue our journey through the surviving episodes of Charlie Chan’s Landini Murder Case, a 39-part serialized mystery based on Earl Derr Biggers’ final Charlie Chan novel, The Keeper of the Keys. This second omnibus brings together two more chapters from the original serial, continuing Charlie Chan’s investigation into the murders surrounding the guests at Pine View. Part 2 features “Who Killed Dr. Swan?” and “The Missing Key.”

Original Radio Broadcast Date: 1936 and 1937

Cast
-Walter Connolly as Charlie Chan

Who Killed Dr. Swan?

Charlie Chan faces a new murder at Pine View when Dr. Swan, a suspected blackmailer, is found dead in an unoccupied house. With the guests already under suspicion in Ellen Landini’s murder, Chan investigates a conversation overheard on the night of the crime that could change the course of the case. But as questions about alibis and the missing house key emerge, the list of possible suspects grows.

The Missing Key

The search for Dr. Swan’s killer leads Charlie Chan to a missing key that may reveal who entered the house on the night of the murder. As Chan questions the household and examines the motives surrounding Landini’s estate, suspicion falls on those who may stand to benefit from her death. Then, during a search near the murder scene, Chan makes a discovery in the snow that could prove crucial to the investigation.

Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day:

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey�http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Adventure: When a series of interstate truck hijackings strikes the Midwest, Counterspy chief David Harding takes over the investigation. The stolen goods are disappearing through an operation that appears to have access to the trucks’ security systems, leaving authorities struggling to catch the thieves. Harding deploys miniature cameras, chemical analysis, and a trail of fluorescent oil to track the stolen shipments—but can his team uncover the mastermind before the hijackings escalate?

Original Radio Broadcast: October 13, 1949

Originating in New YorkCast:

• Don McLaughlin as David Harding
• Mandell Kramer
• Ken Lynch as Corney
• Jackson Beck as Fatso
• Mark B. Loeb as director
• Palmer Thompson as dramatist
• Jesse Crawford as musicalist
• Phillips H. Lord for Pepsi-Cola

To subscribe to this podcast and, go to https://greatadventures.info/

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Gretchen — Patreon supporter since September 2017

Become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call at 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives

Today's Mystery: Johnny Dollar is looking forward to making amends with Betty Lewis when an unusual pattern catches his attention: a hot rod races past her home every morning, its engine backfiring at precisely the same spot. When Johnny discovers the car has a phony license plate, he suspects the noise is more than a nuisance. His investigation leads him to a dangerous scheme targeting a former attorney, but can Johnny uncover the plan before the next backfire turns deadly?

Original Radio Broadcast Date:September 6, 1959

Originating from Hollywood

Cast:

• Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar
• Virginia Gregg
• Forrest Lewis
• Barney Phillips
• Tom Holland

Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day:Don, Michael, Claudia, and Artimo, Patreon Supporter since October 2021.

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call at 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Todays Mystery: On the eve of the Fourth of July weekend, Joe Friday and Frank Smith are assigned to Accident Investigation and confront the devastating consequences of reckless driving when a 16-year-old takes his father’s car on a high-speed ride through Los Angeles. As the holiday begins, a succession of traffic calls illustrates how quickly carelessness, alcohol, and poor judgment can turn an ordinary drive into tragedy.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 3, 1952

Originating from Hollywood

Cast:

• Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday
• Herb Ellis as Frank Smith
• Vic Perrin
• Stacy Harris
• Vic Rodman
• Jim Moser, writer
• Walter Schumann, music
• Technical advice from the office of Chief W.H. Parker
• Captain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance Brasher, technical advisors
• Hal Gibney, announcer

Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Splinator, Patreon supporter since August 2024.

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery: A strange murder draws Detective Danny Clover to a Manhattan apartment filled with occult symbols, a dead man, and a woman who barely survived the night. What first appears to be a bizarre suicide soon becomes connected to a series of deaths stretching back several years. As Clover follows the trail, he encounters a mysterious woman who claims to possess the power to determine who lives—and who dies.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: October 18, 1952

Originated in Hollywood

Cast:

• Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover
• Charles Calvert as Sgt. Gino Tartaglia
• Jack Kruschen as Sgt. Muggavan
• Sammy Hill as Maura Spencer
• Lee Millar
• Truda Marson
• Lou Merrill
• Morton Fine and David Friedkin, writers
• Elliott Lewis, director
• Alexander Courage, composer and conductor
• Bill Anders, announcer 

Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Bruce, Patreon supporter since July 2022

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey�http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery: A chance encounter in a Chicago courtroom leads reporters Virginia Marmaduke and Joe Kordek into a deeply personal story. A mother is seeking a divorce because she believes her husband is willing to risk their young daughter's life. The reporters soon discover that the child suffers from a serious medical condition and that her parents are bitterly divided over a dangerous decision that could determine her future. When they learn that another child may hold the answer, Virginia and Joe set out to find her—but will they reach her in time?

Original Radio Broadcast: February 10, 1954

Originating in New YorkCast:

• Virginia Marmaduke — M.C. Strickland
• Joe Kordek — Sid Pohl
• Mandel Kramer
• Jan Miner
• Guy Sorel
• Madeline Pierce
• Shirley Hayes
• Joan Tompkins

Support the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Philip, Patreon supporter since December 2019

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery: Simon Templar becomes involved in a strange murder mystery after meeting a frightened man named Prebble, who believes he may be headed for prison because of a trained chimpanzee named Wenceslaus. When Prebble is murdered and the chimpanzee is subsequently killed, the Saint discovers that the animal may have been involved in the theft of valuable jewels. Simon follows the trail to a group of jewel thieves and must determine who killed Prebble and Wenceslaus—and who has the missing jewels.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 10, 1950

Originating from Hollywood

Starred: Vincent Price as Simon Templar

Cast:

• Maggie Morley as Lola
• George Nees as Roland Ames
• Sheldon Leonard as Max
• Theodor von Eltz as Haig
• Jack Moyles as Prebble
• Jerry Hausner as the Monkey

Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day: Todd, Patreon supporter since July 2025

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

In this episode, we begin our journey through the surviving episodes of Charlie Chan’s Landini Murder Case, a 39-part serialized mystery based on Earl Derr Biggers’ final Charlie Chan novel, The Keeper of the Keys. This omnibus brings together the commentary and surviving episodes from the original serial, allowing listeners to experience the story in a much shorter format. Part 1 features Episodes 7 and 8, “The Chinese Suspect” and “A Barking Dog.”

Originating in Hollywood

Starring: Walter Connolly as Charlie Chan


The Chinese Suspect

Charlie Chan arrives at Pine View to assist wealthy Dudley Ward with a family mystery, but events take a deadly turn when Ellen Landini is found murdered. With everyone ordered to remain at the estate, Chan begins searching for answers among a house full of suspects. Then, in the darkness outside, he spots someone quietly leaving the house—and follows.

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

A Barking Dog

Charlie Chan’s investigation into Ellen Landini’s murder takes a closer look at the servants, the crime scene, and a timeline that doesn’t quite add up. When crucial fingerprints have been wiped away, Chan is left with fewer answers—and one suspect who can’t account for his whereabouts. But is that enough to identify the killer?

Original Air Date: 1935–1936

Subscribe to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio at greatdetectives.net or wherever you download your podcasts from.

Support the show on a one-time basis at Support Great Detectives.

Take the listener survey at Great Detectives Listener Survey.

Give us a call at 208-991-4783.

Follow us on Instagram at Great Detectives on Instagram.

Follow us on Twitter at @radiodetectives.

Join us again for another adventure from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Adventure: CounterSpy chief David Harding investigates a charity racket operating among wealthy members of East Coast society. When a charity organizer connected to the World Refugee Fund is found to be running a fraudulent scheme, Harding sets a trap to uncover the criminal mastermind behind it. His investigation leads to Alfred Babson, a dangerous society figure whose operation involves threats, murder, and carefully timed plans. Harding must expose the racket before Babson can eliminate those who stand in his way.

Original Radio Broadcast:October 11, 1949

Originating in New York

Cast:

• Don McLaughlin
• Mandel Kramer
• Ken Lynch as Zero

To subscribe to this podcast and, go to https://greatadventures.info/

Become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call at 208-991-4783

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives