Detectives on the Air

Originally Aired: January 31, 1956 Johnny Dollar #317, "The Flight Six Matter Ep 2," Johnny investigates the wreckage of Flight 6, learning that dynamite planted in the baggage compartment brought down the plane. A suspicious baggage handler named Ramirez had insisted on loading one particular suitcase himself just before takeoff. At the crash site, Johnny encounters the enigmatic Marvel Terence,...

Originally Aired: January 30, 1956 Johnny Dollar #316, "The Flight Six Matter Ep 1," Johnny Dollar is pulled into a high-stakes investigation when Pete Codley of Guaranteed Transport summons him to Mexico City. Flight 6 of the Aztec Caribbean line, traveling from Mexico City to Havana, has exploded in mid-air and crashed into the mountains, killing all seven passengers and three crew members. Thre...

Originally Aired: January 27, 1956 Johnny Dollar #315, "The Duke Red Matter Ep 5," Johnny pushes deeper into the mystery surrounding the death of the racehorse Duke Red and the disappearance of trainer Thomas Warner. After reporting Warner missing to Constable Tad Polk, Johnny confronts veterinarian Dr. Gorey with a stark choice: cooperate now or face perjury charges in court. Under pressure, Gore...

Originally Aired: January 26, 1956 Johnny Dollar #314, "The Duke Red Matter Ep 4," Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the suspicious death of the racehorse Duke Redd at the Abbott Ranch in San Pietro, California. The key to solving the case appears to be finding Thomas Warner, the missing horse trainer who was supposedly responsible for the accident that led to Duke Redd's destruction....

Originally Aired: January 25, 1956 Johnny Dollar #313, "The Duke Red Matter Ep 3," Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the suspicious death of the racehorse Duke Red, a champion thoroughbred insured for $65,000. After being thrown off Benjamin Abbott's racing farm, Johnny receives help from a worker named Cully to secretly meet with Abbott's daughter, Terry. The encounter proves frustra...

Originally Aired: January 24, 1956 Johnny Dollar #312, "The Duke Red Matter Ep 2," Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the death of the racehorse Duke Red, and things are starting to look suspicious. After sending injury reports to Cleveland for verification, Johnny visits the Abbott breeding farm to question owner Seamster Abbott directly. Upon arrival, he witnesses a heated argument b...

Originally Aired: January 23, 1956 Johnny Dollar #311, "The Duke Red Matter Ep 1," Johnny Dollar travels to San Pietro, California, to investigate a $65,000 insurance claim on Duke Red, a valuable racehorse allegedly injured and destroyed. Upon arrival, he encounters immediate complications: Mr. Abbott, the horse's owner, is unavailable, and his business manager Monroe, who filed the claim just da...

Originally Aired: January 20, 1956 Johnny Dollar #310, "The Ricardo Amerigo Matter Ep 5," Johnny Dollar has discovered two identical violins in violin maker Eric Snowden's shop, one supposedly the genuine $30,000 Amati insured violin belonging to the late concert violinist Ricardo Amerigo, whose car was found in a South Jersey swamp with a sawed-through steering arm. After switching the violins in...

Originally Aired: January 19, 1956 Johnny Dollar #309, "The Ricardo Amerigo Matter Ep 4," Johnny continues his investigation into the death of violinist Ricardo Amerigo by visiting the bars where the alcoholic musician spent his final months. The story is always the same: Amerigo drank alone until one of his few remaining friends—agent Pete Corbyn, saxophonist Willie Elliott, fiddler Jerry Goldsmi...

Originally Aired: January 18, 1956 Johnny Dollar #308, "The Ricardo Amerigo Matter Ep 3," Johnny Dollar faces mounting pressure from all sides as his investigation deepens. After retrieving what he believes to be Ricardo Amerigo's priceless Amati violin from a South Jersey swamp, Dollar brings it to Harry Branson at Philadelphia Mutual for authentication. When the supposed expert Foresto Sherniero...

Originally Aired: January 17, 1956 Johnny Dollar #307, "The Ricardo Amerigo Matter Ep 2," Johnny Dollar arrives in Port Morris, New Jersey with retired investigator Ed Bowles, only to learn that Pete Corbin, the prime suspect in Ricardo Amerigo's murder, has mysteriously shown up in town. Sergeant Barney Peters warns that Corbin may be gunning for Johnny. Despite Ed Bowles' certainty that Corbin i...

Originally Aired: January 16, 1956 Johnny Dollar #306, "The Ricardo Amerigo Matter Ep 1," Johnny Dollar travels to Philadelphia after insurance executive Harry Branson alerts him to a puzzling case involving a missing concert violinist and his priceless violin. Ricardo Amerigo, once a brilliant performer who graced the world's finest concert halls, has disappeared after his car crashed through a b...

Originally Aired: January 13, 1956 Johnny Dollar #305, "The Todd Matter Ep 5," Johnny Dollar recovers in a hospital bed after being shot during a disastrous confrontation at an apartment building. Sergeant Mapes reveals the devastating aftermath: Melva Charles was stabbed to death by her husband William, who then opened fire, killing an innocent bystander named Henderson and wounding several other...

Originally Aired: January 12, 1956 Johnny Dollar #304, "The Todd Matter Ep 4," Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into a stolen mink coat that has turned deadly. After Gloria Tierney, the woman found wearing the hot fur, is murdered on the street, Johnny works alongside Sergeant Mapes and the New York police to track down her mysterious boyfriend, Bill Chambers. Gloria's grief-stricken ex-h...

Originally Aired: January 11, 1956 Johnny Dollar #303, "The Todd Matter Ep 3," Johnny and Sergeant Dan Mapes rush to Police Emergency Hospital after receiving word about Gloria Tierney, the woman connected to a stolen mink coat worth $11,000 from the Todd burglary. Despite their urgent need to question her, Gloria slips away after only managing to whisper one word: Bill. The name of the man who sh...

Originally Aired: January 10, 1956 Johnny Dollar #302, "The Todd Matter Ep 2," Johnny Dollar finds himself deep in a dangerous investigation when Gloria Tierney, a young woman wearing a stolen mink coat from a six-month-old burglary, is gunned down on the street. After meeting her outside her apartment building, Johnny witnesses a man in a black 1955 Cadillac Coupe de Ville fire three shots into G...

Originally Aired: January 9, 1956 Johnny Dollar #301, "The Todd Matter Ep 1," Johnny receives an unexpected phone call from Arin Vance, a con man he helped send to prison seven years earlier. Instead of seeking revenge, Vance offers Dollar information about the Todd case, a six-month-old burglary that cost the insurance company $75,000 in stolen jewelry, silver, and apparel from Norman Todd's Long...

Originally Aired: January 6, 1956 Johnny Dollar #300, "The Caylin Matter Ep 5," Johnny Dollar arrives at police headquarters to witness Sergeant Reynosa's interrogation of Marty Midnight, the young stripper arrested at the bus depot with a ticket to San Diego. The defiant facade of the hardened nightclub dancer quickly crumbles when Reynosa reveals her real identity as Jean Luann Jackline. Terrifi...

Originally Aired: January 5, 1956 Johnny Dollar #299, "The Caylin Matter Ep 4," Johnny pieces together the truth about Eddie Kalin's first "death" while investigating his actual murder. At the apartment of Marty Midnight, a strip club performer, Johnny explains to Sergeant Reynosa how he deduced Eddie was alive all along. The locked apartment door on the night Eddie supposedly died was the crucial...

Originally Aired: January 4, 1956 Johnny Dollar #298, "The Caylin Matter Ep 3," Johnny continues investigating the mysterious death of Eddie Kalin, convinced that Eddie may still be alive despite a body in the morgue. When Sergeant Reynosa reports that Tompo Leanly, the gambler who shot at Johnny, claims self-defense and will soon make bail, Johnny sees an opportunity. He believes the worried Lean...

Originally Aired: January 3, 1956 Johnny Dollar #297, "The Caylin Matter Ep 2," Johnny Dollar arrives at the home of Mrs. Kalin, the widow of Eddie Kalin, whose death by fire is the subject of his insurance investigation. When Johnny makes an ominous comment about keys being enough "to hang somebody," the tense interview nearly ends before it begins. Mrs. Kalin initially refuses to cooperate, but...

Originally Aired: January 2, 1956 Johnny Dollar #296, "The Caylin Matter Ep 1," insurance investigator Johnny Dollar heads to Los Angeles after Walt Albright from Trinity Mutual develops his telltale case of asthma over a suspicious death claim. Eddie Caylin died in a mysterious car fire just six weeks after his wife arranged a five thousand dollar policy with double indemnity, with only one premi...

Originally Aired: December 30, 1955 Johnny Dollar #295, "The Forbes Matter Ep 5," Johnny Dollar meets with Betsy Walker to inventory the expensive gifts Sheldon Forbes sent her during his misguided courtship, purchased with stolen company funds. The investigation reveals Forbes spent over $4,000 on gifts, restaurant reservations, and flowers trying to win the attention of the actress and model, wh...

Originally Aired: December 29, 1955 Johnny Dollar #294, "The Forbes Matter Ep 4," Johnny Dollar races against time after discovering embezzler Sheldon Forbes has attempted suicide by gas in his apartment. After dragging Forbes from the deadly fumes and calling for help, Dollar watches as emergency medical technicians fight to save the man's life. The interns work methodically with a pulmotor, unce...

Originally Aired: December 28, 1955 Johnny Dollar #293, "The Forbes Matter Ep 3," Johnny continues his investigation into embezzler Sheldon Forbes, who has inexplicably refused to defend himself or return the stolen money. Attorney Ed Gumby informs Johnny that Forbes has waived trial and plans to plead guilty at the upcoming preliminary hearing. Determined to uncover the truth and give Forbes a fa...