The Plaid Overcoat Case (Aired December 28, 1951)
Dick Powell starred in the Richard Diamond, Private Detective radio series as a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen (Virginia Gregg). It began airing on NBC on April 24, 1949, picked up Rexall as a sponsor on April 5, 1950, and continued until December 6, 1950. The shows were written by Blake Edwards. Its theme, "Leave It to Love", was whistled by Powell at the beginning of each episode. With Camel cigarettes as a sponsor, it moved to ABC from January 5, 1951, to June 29, 1951, with Rexall returning for a run from October 5, 1951, until June 27, 1952. Substituting for Amos 'n' Andy, it aired Sunday evenings on CBS from May 31, 1953 until September 20, 1953. Because Dick Powell was known for musical comedies prior to his appearance as Philip Marlowe in Raymond Chandler's Murder, My Sweet (1944) and because he was a detective who sang in Richard Diamond, Private Eye, some regard this radio series as an influence on the character of Philip E. Marlow (Michael Gambon) in Dennis Potter's Chandleresque The Singing Detective (1986). THIS EPISODE: December 28, 1951. ABC network. "Plaid Overcoat Case". Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert tobacco. Who is the guy in the plaid overcoat, and why does he keep beating up on Diamond? Dick sings, "I Get Ideas" after the story. Alan Reed, Herb Butterfield, Sidney Miller, Richard Carr (writer), Nat Wolff (director), Dick Powell, Sheldon Leonard, Virginia Gregg, Sandra Gould, Frank Worth (music). 34:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Meat Shortage (Aired October 8, 1946)
He once joked about his military career, "I was the only celebrity who went in and came out a private." On December 4, 1945, The Raleigh Cigarette Program resumed with Skelton introducing some new characters, including, "Bolivar Shagnasty" and "J. Newton Numbskull." Lurene Tuttle and Verna Felton appeared as Junior's mother and grandmother. David Forrester and David Rose led the orchestra, featuring vocalist Anita Ellis. The announcers were Pat McGeehan and Rod O'Connor. The series ended May 20, 1949. That fall, he moved to CBS, where the show ran until May 1953. Red Skelton died near his Anza, California home, at Eisenhower Medical Center, in Rancho Mirage, California, of pneumonia, on September 17, 1997. He was 84. Skelton was interred in the Skelton Family tomb in The Great Mausoleum's Sanctuary of Benediction, private room, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale, California. He rests with his beloved son Richard Jr., who died in 1958. THIS EPISODE October 8, 1946. NBC network. Sponsored by: Raleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco. The Skelton Scrapbook of Satire: "The Meat Shortage."Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Baby Dillinger Gang (Aired November 26, 1936)
As shows of this nature do it dealt with tracking killers and robbers with a recap of the justice which was enforced. The writer and director was William N. Robson. Calling All Cars episodes were dramatized true crime stories that were not only introduced by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department but were true life crime stories of the LAPD. If you are thinking early version of Dragnet, yes, but not quite as polished. Dragnet was believed to have been inspired by Calling All Cars. None of the actors on the show ever received on-air credit, but among the talent OTR fans can hear the likes of Elvia Allman, Jackson Beck, Charles Bickford, John Gibson, Richard LeGrand and Hanley Stafford, just to name a few. THIS EPISODE: November 26, 1936. Program #157. CBS Pacific net (Don Lee network). "The Baby Dillinger Gang". Sponsored by: Rio Grande Oil. Two boys are escaping in a car. They are armed and holding up gas stations. Jesse Rosenquist (dispatcher), James E. Davis (host, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department), Charles Frederick Lindsley (narrator). 29:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Clay Pigeon (Aired August 7, 1949)
Box 13 was a syndicated radio series about the escapades of newspaperman-turned-mystery novelist Dan Holliday, played by film star Alan Ladd. Created by Ladd's company, Mayfair Productions, Box 13 premiered in 1947. In New York City, it first aired December 31, 1947, on Mutual's New York flagship, WOR. To seek out new ideas for his fiction, Holliday ran a classified ad in the Star-Times newspaper where he formerly worked: "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything -- write Box 13, Star-Times." The stories followed Holliday's adventures when he responded to the letters sent to him by such people as a psycho killer and various victims. Sylvia Picker appeared as Holliday's scatterbrained secretary, Suzy, while Edmund MacDonald played police Lt. Kling. THIS EPISODE: August 7, 1949. Program #51. Mutual network origination, Mayfair syndication. "The Clay Pigeon". Commercials added locally. A mysterious man has Dan Holiday mention a name to an occult doctor, which nearly scares him to death. Alan Ladd, Richard Sanville (director), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Russell Hughes (writer), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 26:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Donald Jordan Murder Case (11-13-53)
Broadway Is My Beat, a radio crime drama, ran on CBS from February 27, 1949 to August 1, 1954. With music by Robert Stringer, the show originated from New York during its first three months on the air, with Anthony Ross portraying Times Square Detective Danny Clover. John Dietz directed for producer Lester Gottlieb. Beginning with the July 7, 1949 episode, the series was broadcast from Hollywood with producer Elliott Lewis directing a new cast in scripts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The opening theme of "I'll Take Manhattan" introduced Detective Danny Clover (now played by Larry Thor), a hardened New York City cop who worked homicide "from Times Square to Columbus Circle -- the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." Danny Clover narrated the tales of the Great White Way to the accompaniment of music by Wilbur Hatch and Alexander Courage, and the recreation of Manhattan's aural tapestry required the talents of three sound effects technicians (David Light, Ralph Cummings, Ross Murray). Bill Anders was the show's announcer. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

The Boss's Son-in-law (Aired October 22, 1944)
The first Life of Riley radio show was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941 to September 6, 1941. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later. The radio program starring William Bendix aired on the ABC Blue Network from January 16, 1944 to June 8, 1945. Then it moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945 to June 29, 1951. The supporting cast featured John Brown, who portrayed not only undertaker Digger O'Dell but also Riley's co-worker Gillis. Whereas Gillis gave Riley bad information that got him into trouble, Digger gave him good information that "helped him out of a hole," as he might have put it. Brown's lines as the undertaker were often repetitive, including puns based on his profession; but, thanks to Brown's delivery, the audience loved him. The series was co-developed by the non-performing Marx Brother, Gummo. Procter and Gamble (Prell shampoo) and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer were the show's longtime sponsors. THIS EPISODE: October 22, 1944. "The Boss's Son-in-law" - Blue network, KECA, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: American Meat Institute. Riley's boss is unhappy with his family situation. Riley tries to size up the new son-in-law. William Bendix, John Brown, Ken Niles (announcer), Ken Christy, Barton Yarborough, Don Bernard (director), Lou Coslowe (music), Dink Trout. 28:32. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Preacher (Aired October 19, 1958)
Frontier Gentleman was a radio Western series heard on CBS from February 2 to November 16, 1958. Written and directed by Antony Ellis, it followed the adventures of J.B. Kendall (John Dehner), a London Times reporter, as he roamed the Western United States, encountering various outlaws and well-known historical figures, such as Jesse James and Calamity Jane. Written and directed by Antony Ellis, it followed the adventures of journalist Kendall as he roamed the Western United States in search of stories for the Times. Along the way, he encountered various fictional drifters and outlaws in addition to well-known historical figures, such as Jesse James, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. THIS EPISODE: October 19, 1958. CBS network. "The Preacher". Sponsored by: Chrysler Corporation, Kent. Kendall tries to prevent a gunfight betwen a preacher and a man determined to kill him. The system cue is added live. John Dehner, Antony Ellis (writer, producer, director), Waldo Epperson, Ray Woods, Richard Perkins. 23:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mr. X (Aired July 16, 1957)
This is a vintage radio drama series about a criminal psychologist, Dr Morelle, who solves murder cases which are too complex for the police. Morelle is played by English film actor Cecil Parker, and is alternately helped and hindered in his investigations by his secretary Miss Frayle, played by film actress Sheila Sim. The series was created by writer Ernest Dudley, who conceived the character during an air raid in 1942. The curmudgeonly and sarcastic psychologist is thought to be based on Hollywood actor and producer Erich von Stroheim; and as played by Cecil Parker the character certainly has a touch of the aristocrat about him. In a nod to the Baker Street residence of Sherlock Holmes, Morelle's London office is situated at 221b Harley Street. Most of the stories begin there, with his long-suffering secretary patiently enduring her employer's endless sarcasm. Each of the stories is self-contained, with Morelle solving the mystery in the final scene.

The Big Blast (Aired June 28, 1955)
Dragnet was a long running radio and television police procedural drama, about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a Dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in American media history. The series gave millions of Americans a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of real life police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers. Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. THIS EPISODE: June 28, 1955. Program #306. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Convertible". A man cashing bad payroll checks all over town has been using a rented car. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander. 25 minutes. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Pillar Of Fire At Graves (3 Episodes Complete) 08-05-40---08-07-40 and 08-09-40)
Superman, given the serial nature of comic publishing and the length of the character's existence, has evolved as a character as his adventures have increased. The details of Superman's origin, relationships and abilities changed significantly during the course of the character's publication, from what is considered the Golden Age of Comic Books through the Modern Age. The powers and villains were developed through the 1940s, with Superman developing the ability to fly, and costumed villains introduced from 1941. The character was shown as learning of the existence of Krypton in 1949. The concept itself had originally been established to the reader in 1939 in the Superman comic strip. The 1960s saw the introduction of a second Superman. DC had established a multiverse within the fictional universe its characters shared. This allowed characters published in the 1940s to exist alongside updated counterparts published in the 1960s. This was explained to the reader through the notion that the two groups of characters inhabited parallel Earths. The second Superman was introduced to explain to the reader Superman's membership in both the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America and the 1960s superhero team the Justice League of America.