Crackling Airwaves Old Time Radio

Richard Diamond, Private Detective premiered on NBC in 1949. The roll of Richard Diamond, a wise cracking private eye, was played by Dick Powell with his best girl being Helen Asher, played by Virginia Gregg. The show moved to ABC in 1951, then in 1953 it moved to CBS.

Fibber McGee and Molly was a 1935–1959 American radio comedy series. The situation comedy was a staple of the NBC Red Network from 1936 on, after originating on NBC Blue in 1935. One of the most popular and enduring radio series of its time, it ran as a stand-alone series from 1935 to 1956, and then continued as a short-form series as part of the weekend Monitor from 1957 to 1959.

This is Your FBI aired from 1945 to 1953. The show got the endorsement of J. Edgar Hoover and many times featured crimes that were well known at the time, told from the perspective of the agent working the case. The show featured Frank Lovejoy, William, Conrad, Betty White, and Herb Ellis to name a few.

The radio drama Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS in 1948 with Dick Powell portraying the titular character. The series followed the thrilling adventures of Johnny Dollar, a freelance insurance investigator whose cases led him into solving a variety of intriguing crimes. Over the years, several actors took on the role, including Charles Russell, Edmond O’Brien, John Lund, Gerald Mohr, Bob...

Richard Diamond, Private Detective premiered on NBC in 1949. The roll of Richard Diamond, a wise cracking private eye, was played by Dick Powell with his best girl being Helen Asher, played by Virginia Gregg. The show moved to ABC in 1951, then in 1953 it moved to CBS.

The Crime Club began on Mutual Broadcasting in 1946. The show featured tales of murder and mystery. Many of the episodes were adapted from the publication, “Crime Club,” which was published by Doubleday. The Librarian character was played by Barry Thompson and Raymond E. Johnson. The show ended in 1947, for a total run of 47 episodes.

Lon Clark played Nick Carter, Master Detective. The character, Nick Carter, was first introduced in 1886, and first appeared in radio in 1943. The show ran until 1955 on the Mutual Radio Network. Other stars include, Helen Choate, Charlotte Manson, John Kane, among others.

The radio drama Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS in 1948 with Dick Powell portraying the titular character. The series followed the thrilling adventures of Johnny Dollar, a freelance insurance investigator whose cases led him into solving a variety of intriguing crimes. Over the years, several actors took on the role, including Charles Russell, Edmond O’Brien, John Lund, Gerald Mohr, Bob...

A master of disguise, Mr. Chameleon changes his appearance every episode to track down the murderer. This rare detective old time radio show featured the winning combination of murder, millionaires, and mayhem. The show starred Karl Swenson as Mr. Chameleon, with support from Frank Butler.

The Jack Benny Program debuted in 1932, originally on the NBC Blue Network, and over the years moved between NBC Red, CBS, and back to NBC before settling at CBS for its final radio seasons. It ran until 1955, with The Best of Benny (a program of re-runs) airing until 1959. The show featured a legendary ensemble: Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Eddie Anderson, Phil Harris, Dennis Day, Kenny Baker, M...

The Falcon was a hard boiled drama that featured an American agent code named “Falcon,” though later episodes depict the Falcon as an insurance investigator. The show aired on the various networks from 1943 to 1953. The show originally starred Barry Kroeger, followed by James Meighan, Les Tremayne, George Petrie, and Les Damon.

Dr Otto Schmedlich

Richard Diamond, Private Detective premiered on NBC in 1949. The roll of Richard Diamond, a wise cracking private eye, was played by Dick Powell with his best girl being Helen Asher, played by Virginia Gregg. The show moved to ABC in 1951, then in 1953 it moved to CBS.

Diary of Fate was a mystery/thriller radio show that aired in the late 1940's on the ABC Network. In the show, the character called “Fate,” exposed ne'er-do-wells in a similar fashion as the Whistler or The Mysterious Traveler. They always meet their fate in the end. Herb Lytton played “Fate.”

John Steele, Adventurer was an exciting drama starring Don Douglas. The character of John Steele was a thrill seeker and found adventure while taking on jobs in exotic locations. It first aired on April 29, 1949 on the Mutual Broadcasting Network. Other cast members were John Larkin, Bryna Raeburn, and Jack Edwards.

This series began in 1947 as Murder and Mr. Malone on ABC. Mr. Malone “fiction’s most famous criminal lawyer” was originally played by Frank Lovejoy. Mr. Malone solved varied and unique murders every week. The series underwent several name changes to eventually end its run as The Amazing Mr. Malone. Others who played the title role were Gene Raymond, and George Petrie.

A master of disguise, Mr. Chameleon changes his appearance every episode to track down the murderer. This rare detective old time radio show featured the winning combination of murder, millionaires, and mayhem. The show starred Karl Swenson as Mr. Chameleon, with support from Frank Butler.

Diary of Fate was a mystery/thriller radio show that aired in the late 1940's on the ABC Network. In the show, the character called “Fate,” exposed ne'er-do-wells in a similar fashion as the Whistler or The Mysterious Traveler. They always meet their fate in the end. Herb Lytton played “Fate.”

There appears to be only an audition show of the comedy, Luck of the Irish. The episode starred Chester Morris as Shamrock O'Day, a quick witted publicist for O'Day and O'Flanagan.

The Chase is an exciting old time radio series in which every episode contains a chase. It may be an adventure story, a crime story, or even science fiction, but there will always be a chase. Many New York radio actors starred in The Chase, including Joe DeSantis, Mandel Kramer, Donald Buka, Staats Cotsworth, Jan Miner, and Virginia Payne.

The radio drama Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS in 1948 with Dick Powell portraying the titular character. The series followed the thrilling adventures of Johnny Dollar, a freelance insurance investigator whose cases led him into solving a variety of intriguing crimes. Over the years, several actors took on the role, including Charles Russell, Edmond O’Brien, John Lund, Gerald Mohr, Bob...

In an attempt to compete with the success of Dragnet, The Lineup featured realistic police situations. While the shows were fictional, they seemed realistic. Bill Johnstone played Lt. Ben Guthrie. The Lineup ran from 1950 to 1953 on CBS.

d

The Man Called X was an espionage radio drama which aired on CBS and NBC from July 10, 1944 to May 20, 1952. Herbert Marshall had played agent Ken Thurston who was called to take on dangerous cases in a variety of exotic locations. The cast included Leon Belasco, Joan Banks, and Peter Leeds.

A master of disguise, Mr. Chameleon changes his appearance every episode to track down the murderer. This rare detective old time radio show featured the winning combination of murder, millionaires, and mayhem. The show starred Karl Swenson as Mr. Chameleon, with support from Frank Butler.