Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

There's no rest for the weary! Even on vacation, Superman and his friends can't help finding a new adventure. For the final installment in our bonus series, we'll listen as Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen battle smugglers and hunt for a legendary treasure in these episodes that originally aired between July 22 and August 2, 1940.

It's the 500th episode of  Down These Mean Streets ! To celebrate 500 shows of old time radio mystery, crimesolvers, and crooks, I'm going back to the show that introduced me to the wonderful world of radio drama. We'll hear eight episodes that prove that "the weed of crime bears bitter fruit." Who knows who's starring in these shows? Ha ha ha ha ha ha...

It's the grand opening of Happyland Amusement Park, owned and operated by Lois Lane's friend. But when Lois and Clark Kent arrive to cover the opening, they discover Happyland is under threat from the dastardly owner of a rival carnival who will resort to anything - including murder and sabotage - to run Happyland out of business. It's up to Superman to take flight and save the day before Happylan...

See you in court for these three old time radio mysteries set in and around the courthouse. First, Mr. District Attorney suspects a fix in "The Case of the Intimidated Jury" (originally aired on NBC on August 23, 1944). Then, Mercedes McCambridge represents a college basketball player accused of murder in Defense Attorney (originally aired on ABC on July 17, 1952). Finally, Les Damon stars as  The...

Someone's smuggling explosives in porcelain dolls, and it's up to Superman to stop these terrible toymen and their evil schemes! The Man of Steel returns in this story that originally aired between June 24 and July 5, 1940.

Each of these old time radio detectives earned their livings as writers. They only dabbled in crimesolving on the side because it was their hobby or because real-life mysteries provided inspiration for their work. We'll hear Glenn Langan as mystery writer and police consultant Barton Drake in "The Coin Collector Mystery," a syndicated episode from Mystery is My Hobby .  Then, Alan Ladd is Dan Holi...

Lois Lane returns! Her uncle is a meterology professor with an uncanny ability to predict the weather. Lois and Clark travel to interview him and discover a gang of robbers, a murdered assistant, and a plan to destroy a mountain. It all adds up to an exciting new adventure for the Man of Steel in these episodes that originally aired between June 9 and June 21, 1940.

Take me out to the ballgame for these three radio mysteries set in and around the ballpark. First, Ellery Queen's plans for a relaxing Sunday afternoon are thwarted when a movie star drops dead in "The Adventure of the Foul Tip" (AFRS rebroadcast; originally aired on NBC on June 13, 1944). Then, Bulldog Drummond tries to save a team after a pitcher dies on the mound in "Death on the Diamond" (orig...

A lost race, an immortal witch doctor, and a polar bear? All in a day's work for Superman! In this week's bonus show, Clark Kent travels to the Arctic to find a missing explorer and the last Daily Planet reporter sent to locate him. We'll hear the full adventure, originally aired between May 27 and June 7, 1940.

Step right up for three old time radio mysteries set at the carnival. In between the games, rides, and shows, we'll find mayhem and murder on the midway. First, Vincent Price discovers the "buried alive woman" may be in serious trouble in "The Carnival Murder" from  The Saint (originally aired on NBC on February 4, 1951). Then, as Richard Diamond, Private Detective , Dick Powell is hired to protec...

Who's trying to kill a celebrated photographer, and how is he connected to a governor, a gangster, and a ceremony at the frontier monument at Buffalo Hills? It's an adventure that begins in the Daily Planet newsroom and ends with an explosion on the side of a mountain and a last minute rescue. Superman flies into action in this exciting serial that originally aired between May 13 and May 24, 1940.

Three crimesolving couples take the stage this week, beginning with Pam and Jerry North who find a new mystery as soon as they get home from vacation. Joseph Curtin and Alice Frost star in "Wheel of Chance" from  Mr. and Mrs. North (originally aired on CBS on June 9, 1953). Next, the Abbotts discover a new mystery on a voyage to London. Les Damon and Claudia Morgan play Pat and Jean in "The Dead-W...

Why are so many planes crashing at Bridger Field? It's a story for Clark Kent and a new adventure for the Man of Steel in this week's bonus Superman show! Kent and Jimmy Olsen are on the scene to investigate the series of disasters in these episodes that originally aired between April 29 and May 10, 1940.

It's summertime, but the living isn't easy for these radio detectives. All they want is a little vacation, but murder and mayhem pop up as uninvited guests and turn their getaways into cases. First, George Valentine hooks a corpse instead of a fish in "The Empress of Fish Falls" from  Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on August 22, 1949). Then, Philip Marlowe is roped into solving a mur...

Before he was getting into trouble on the George Reeves TV show, before he starred in his own comic book series - even before he appeared in the comics - Jimmy Olsen made his debut as a character on the  Superman radio show.  His first appearance came in the storyline we'll hear today - an adventure that pits Superman against a protection racket shaking down the candy shop owned by Jimmy's mom. Th...

Even on vacation, Johnny Dollar isn't far from mystery and murder. We'll hear Bob Bailey as "the man with the action-packed expense account" in "The LaMarr Matter," a five-part adventure that originally aired on CBS between March 26 and March 30, 1956. Plus, we'll hear him as Johnny Dollar in "The Ideal Vacation Matter" (an AFRS rebroadcast of a show from September 22, 1957). Click here to listen...

Superman returns in this week's bonus episode! A brilliant scientist and explorer has disappeared, and Clark Kent joins the man's daughter as she investigates. The pair travel to the scientist's remote mansion, where they discover a priceless relic and come under attack from a secret society who will kill to get it back in these episodes that aired between April 1 and 12, 1940. Plus, we'll hear a...

June has historically meant weddings, and we're celebrating happy couples everywhere with three wedding-themed old time radio mysteries. First, Wally Maher is Michael Shayne who attends a wedding and discovers the father of the bride has been poisoned (originally aired on Mutual on May 14, 1945). Then, Dan Holiday poses for a picture with a woman and finds himself engaged to a $15 million fortune....

The Wolf and the Yellow Mask are back! The villains Superman battled in his first radio adventures return with a plot to hold an entire town for ransom. Fortunately, Lois Lane and Clark Kent are on the scene to cover the story, and the Man of Steel is on hand to tangle with this dangerous duo once again. This six-episode serial aired between March 18 and March 29, 1940.

We're setting sail with three old time radio detectives who find capers on cruise ships. First, Basil Rathbone tries to stop a shipboard poisoner in "Murder by Moonlight" from  The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (originally aired on Mutual on October 29, 1945). Then, Bob Bailey is undercover as a cruise athletic director to catch some smugglers in "Serenade to the Southern Star" from  Let Georg...

When Superman saves a woman from a burning building, it's only the start of a new adventure for the Man of Steel. His latest adversaries are a pair of swindlers who will kill to cover up their crimes. Frank Lovejoy makes an appearance in this  Superman serial that originally aired between March 4 and 15, 1940.

Philip Marlowe came to radio in his own weekly series seventy-five years ago this month with Oscar-winner Van Heflin starring as Raymond Chandler's private eye. Though his run as Marlowe aired for only 13 weeks, it was a terrific series that featured adaptations of several of Chandler's own Marlowe stories - a rarity for radio detectives pulled from books. We'll celebrate the anniversary with all...

In honor of Superman Day, we're going back to the Man of Steel's first adventure on radio. We'll hear the final hours of the planet Krypton, Superman's arrival on Earth and his assumption of the identity of Clark Kent, and his first battle against evil. Bud Collyer stars as Superman in these shows that originally aired between February 12 and March 1, 1940.

Three old time radio detectives head to the racetrack this week for a trio of mysteries in and out of the stables. First, Ned Wever is  Bulldog Drummond in "Death Plays the Races" (originally aired on Mutual on May 20, 1946). Then, as  Philo Vance , Jackson Beck solves "The Murdock Murder Case." Finally, Tom Conway is  The Saint in "Peter the Great" (originally aired on NBC on June 24, 1951).

It's a birthday celebration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring two of his Sherlock Holmes stories adapted for radio. We'll hear John Stanley as Holmes and Alfred Shirley as Dr. Watson in "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" (originally aired on Mutual on October 12, 1947) and "The Adventure of the Stolen Naval Treaty" (originally aired on Mutual on November 23, 1947). Plus, we'll hear an ada...