The Fonier Case (Aired December 2, 1951)
The Whitehall 1212 series boasted that for the first time Scotland Yard opened its files and the producers promised to bring to the public authentic true stories of some of the most celebrated cases. Permission for these records came from Sir Harold Scott, Commissioner of the yard at that time. There is actually a Black Museum. This area is located on the lower ground floor of Scotland Yard and it does indeed contain articles that are closely associated with the solving of a crime. And "Whitehall 1212" was the actual emergency phone number for the yard at the time. The research for the shows was done by Percy Hoskins, chief crime reporter for the London Daily Express. For the benefit of American audiences, Wyllis Cooper of Quiet Please fame was hired as script writer. Interestingly enough both the Black Museum and Whitehall 1212 had all-British casts; both ran concurrently. Whereby Mutual Broadcasting System aired the Orson Welles version, NBC offered the Wyllis Cooper one. THIS EPISODE: December 2, 1951. NBC network "The Fonier Case". Sustaining. A woman's body is found in an old trunk at the Charing Cross railroad station baggage claim. Who killed Mrs. Naomi Fornier? Percy Hoskins (researcher), Wyllis Cooper (writer, director). 29:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Stars Are The Styx (Aired July 24, 1956)
Episodes of the show include adaptations of Robert Sheckley's "Skulking Permit," Bradbury's "Mars Is Heaven," Heinlein's "Universe" and "The Green Hills of Earth", " Pohl’s "The Tunnel under the World," J. T. McIntosh’s "Hallucination Orbit," Fritz Leiber’s "A Pail of Air" and George Lefferts' "The Parade". The program opened with announcer Fred Collins delivering the countdown, leading into this introduction (although later shows were partnered with Galaxy Science Fiction rather than Astounding Science Fiction): Countdown for blastoff... X minus five, four, three, two, X minus one... Fire! THIS EPISODE: July 24, 1956. NBC network. "The Stars Are The Styx". Sustaining. Young Tween is stuck on a space station, waiting for her chance to leave for the stars. Her problem? She's an albino! Craig McDonnell, Patsy O'Shea, Richard Hamilton, Charlotte Manson, Bob Hastings, Wendell Holmes, Theodore Sturgeon (author), Ernest Kinoy (adaptor), William Welch (producer), Bob Mauer (director), Fred Collins (announcer). 29:07. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Julius Is Missing (Aired May 18, 1952)
As both Phil and Alice were known singers, there were two musical numbers in each show, and they were always for real, except some of Phil's, which were for laughs. But Phil's band gave much more than music to the show. Frankie Remley was the band's left handed guitar player, with a sardonic sense of humor out of left field. The character was first done on The Jack Benny Show, and, of course, now on a show about the band itself, Frankie was even more obnoxious. Famed radio actor Elliott Lewis played him with relish. In fact, later in the run they actually started calling the character Elliott! (Elliott Lewis changes his name on the show from Frankie Remly to Elliott because Harris stopped leading Jack Benny's band--so he wasn't connected to Remly any more. THIS EPISODE: May 18, 1952. NBC network. "Julius Is Missing" - Sponsored by: RCA Victor. Julius has disappeared and has been missing for three days. Phil sings, "The Dark Town Poker Club." Phil Harris, Alice Faye, Walter Tetley, Robert North, Jeanine Roos, Elliott Lewis, Anne Whitfield, Walter Scharf and His Orchestra, Ray Singer (writer), Dick Chevillat (writer), Paul Phillips (producer, director), Bill Forman (announcer). 29:54. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Chicago Fraud Matter (Aired February 6, 1953)
The name of the show derives from the fact that he closed each show by totaling his expense account, and signing it "End of report... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar". Terry Salomonson in his authoritative "A Radio Broadcast Log of the Drama Program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", notes that the original working title was "Yours Truly, Lloyd London". Salomonson writes "Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of (the Dick Powell) audition script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear – possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd’s of London Insurance Company." Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny Dollar managed to get around quite a bit – his adventures taking him all over the world. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group and The Digital Deli. THIS EPISODE: February 6, 1953. CBS network. "The Chicago Fraud Matter". Sustaining. How did an insurance company issue a policy on a man who died of malnutrition? John Lund, Eddie Dunstedter (organ), Jack Moyles, Edgar Barrier, Peggy Webber, Mary Lansing, John McIntire, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Jaime del Valle (transcriber), Dan Cubberly (announcer). 29:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Jewel Mystery Of Channel Island (2 Parts COMPLETE) Aired September 11, 1940
After his father was killed by a gangster's bullet, young Dan Garrett joined the New York Police Department, but soon tired of the slow pace and red tape of police work. With the help of his friend and mentor, pharmacist and drug-store proprietor Dr. Franz, Dan acquired a costume of bullet-proof chain-mail-like cellulose material, and began a second life, fighting crime as The Blue Beetle. His calling card was a small beetle-shaped marker that he left in conspicuous places to alert criminals to his presence, using their fear of his crime fighting reputation as a weapon against them. For this purpose he also used a "Beetle Signal" flashlight. The Blue Beetle's reputation was not his only weapon -- he carried a revolver in a blue holster on his belt, and was sometimes shown wearing a multi-pouched belt after the style set by Batman. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. THIS EPISODE: September 11, 1940. Program #47. Fox Features syndication. "The Jewel Mystery Of Channel Island" Part one. Commercials added locally. The Blue Beetle begins an investigation of jewel robberies on an island resort. 12:18. September 13, 1940. Program #48. Fox Features syndication. "The Jewel Mystery Of Channel Island" Part two. Commercials added locally. Recovering from a hundred foot jump into the sea, the Blue Beetle captures the jewel thief. The last show of the series. 12:33. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mister Miller (Aired October 4, 1945)
Arch Oboler's Plays was Oboler's breakout dramatic showcase over Radio. Everyman's Theater further established Oboler's versatility and range, while underscoring Oboler's growing appeal to a far wider audience than he'd already established with Lights Out!. Though eight years his senior, the diminutive Oboler, while never as widely popular as Orson Welles, invites comparison to the other great young playwright-actor-director. Their skills were clearly each other's equal, their versatility had already been amply demonstrated by 1940, and their genius was indisputable. It's also clear that both Wyllis Cooper and Norman Corwin served to influence and inform Oboler's growing, wider appeal. The Arch Oboler's Plays franchise aired in one form or another over a period of almost thirty-three years, counting the original canon of fifty-three new radioplays, the subsequent special canon of twenty-six radioplays for the Mutual Broadcasting System (1945), then a 1964 revival, and finally a 1971 revival. The original canon of scripts encompassed some ninety-plus original stories. Show Notes From The Digital Deli. THIS EPISODE: October 4, 1945. Mutual network. "Mr. Miller". Sustaining. A prize fight manager, played by Eddie Cantor, finally lands the ideal boxer, a man who could be the champ! Program #25 of a series of twenty six. Elliott Lewis, Julian Upton, William Johnstone, Irvin Lee, Lou Merrill, Sidney Miller, Jack Meakin (conductor), Eddie Cantor, Arch Oboler (host), Howard Duff, Leo Cleary, Lester Jay. 29:48. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Vanishing Favorite (Aired July 31, 1949)
The audition lays out the premise for the contemplated series. Frank Race has returned to civilian life after a wartime stint as an operative for the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) the progenitor of the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.). Somewhat disenchanted with the prospect of returning to practice Law, Race forms his own investigations firm, specializing in industrial, State, and international crimes of fraud and espionage. The premise was not new to 1949 Radio. Ned Jordan (Secret Agent) had aired over Mutual from 1938 and iniitally dealt with railroad espionage. Secret Agent K-7 had aired from 1939. The Man Called X had been successfully airing over CBS for almost six years. Dangerous Assignment began airing the same year as The Adventures of Frank Race. THIS EPISODE: July 31, 1949. Program #14. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Vanishing Favorite". Commercials added locally. A half million dollar bet on a horse race motivates bookies, owners, and beautiful girl to attempt to change the odds. Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer). 26:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Piano Lessons For Junior (Aired November 5, 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: November 5, 1944. "Piano Lessons For Junior" - Blue network, KECA, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: American Meat Institute. Riley decides to bring some culture into Junior's life. He decides to rent a piano so Junior can take lessons. Ken Niles (announcer), Don Bernard (director), Lou Kosloff (music), William Bendix, John Brown, Irving Brecher (creator, producer), Paula Winslowe, Conrad Binyon. 29:52. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rogue's Gallery - Triangle Murder Case (Aired February 21, 1946)
Rogue's Gallery came to the Mutual network on September 27, 1945 with Dick Powell portraying Richard Rogue, a private detective who invariably ended up getting knocked out each week and spending his dream time in acerbic conversation with his subconscious self, Eugor. Rogue's Gallery was, in a sense, Dick Powell's rehearsal for Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Powell played private detective Richard Rogue, who trailed luscious blondes, protected witness, and did whatever else detectives do to make a living. It was a good series, though not destined to make much of a mark. Under the capable direction of Dee Englebach and accompanied by the music of Leith Stevens, Powell floated through his lines with the help of such competents as Lou Merrill, Gerald Mohr, Gloria Blondell, Tony Barrett, and Lurene Tuttle. Peter Leeds played Rogue's friend Eugor, an obscure play on names with Eugor spelling Rogue backwards. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. THIS EPISODE: February 21, 1946. Mutual network. "The Triangle Murder Case". Sponsored by: Fitch's Shampoo, Fitch's Shaving Cream. The managing editor of "The Chronicle" has been murdered after tangling with "The Alibi Master," an unethical attorney. Dee Englebach (producer, director), Dick Powell, Gerald Mohr, Jim Doyle (announcer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Peter Leeds. 29:21. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Long Arm (Aired February 7, 1950)
CBS decided to take a chance on reviving the show. Norman Macdonnell was producer/director; Gene Levitt, Robert Mitchell, Mel Dinelli, and Kathleen Hite wrote the scripts; and Richard Aurandt was responsible for the music. CBS cast Gerald Mohr to star as Philip Marlowe, with Roy Rowan as announcer. Philip Marlowe, being a loner, was really the only regular character, but throughout the three years the series ran a long string of high-quality supporting Hollywood actors appeared on the show. Performing alongside Mohr at various times were Jeff Corey, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Lawrence Dobkin, Virginia Gregg, Gloria Blondell, and Lou Krugman. The CBS production ran from September 26, 1948 to September 29, 1950 with an additional short summer run from July 7 to September 15, 1951. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. THIS EPISODE: February 7, 1950. CBS network. "The Long Arm". Sustaining. Marlowe reluctantly returns to Bay City to help un-frame a pal, who's been accused of murder. Gerald Mohr, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Roy Rowan (announcer), Robert Mitchell (writer), Gene Levitt (writer), Barney Phillips, Ted Osborne, Sidney Miller, Tom Tully, Bert Holland, Raymond Chandler (creator). 29:41. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.