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PODCAST

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Mean Streets Podcasts

Presenting the best detectives from the Golden Age of Radio. Each week, we"ll bring you an episode starring one of Old Time Radio"s greatest detectives and the story behind the show. Join us for adventures of Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Johnny Dollar, and many more.

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All Episodes

02:08:32

Episode 661 - Statues for the Sleuths: Edmond O'Brien...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/03/22

Our series of Oscar-winning radio detective stars continues with Edmond O'Brien, who took home the Best Supporting Actor prize for The Barefoot Contessa and who picked up another well-deserved nomination for Seven Days in May. O'Brien was the second actor to star as Johnny Dollar - "the man with the action-packed expense account" - and we'll hear him in four of Dollar's radio adventures: "The Richard Splain Matter" (originally aired on CBS on October 7, 1950; "The Byron Hayes Matter" (originally

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01:58:00

Episode 660 - Statues for the Sleuths: Rex Harrison...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/03/15

Our month of Oscar-winning radio detectives continues with Rex Harrison, winner of the Best Actor prize for My Fair Lady and the debonair sleuth of The Private Files of Rex Saunders. We'll hear Rex as Rex in "When You Play a Game With Death" (audition recording from April 13, 1951), "A Shocking Still Life" (originally aired on NBC on May 9, 1951), "Diamonds Can Be Done to Death" (originally aired on NBC on May 16, 1951), and "A Murder Deep in A Killer's Mind" (originally aired on NBC on June 20,

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02:08:48

Episode 659 - Statues for the Sleuths: Mercedes...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/03/08

Our series of Oscar-winning radio detective stars continues with Mercedes McCambridge, who took home the award as best supporting actress for her turn in All the King's Men. Among her many radio credits was Defense Attorney, where she starred as Martha Ellis Bryant - who worked in and out of the courtroom (much like Perry Mason) to clear her clients. The show was a rare example of a radio detective show fronted by a woman, and it's a highlight of the genre. We'll hear Ms. McCambridge in four

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01:47:32

Episode 658 - Statues for the Sleuths: Frank Sinatra...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/03/01

In honor of the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, we're spotlighting a series of radio detective show stars who took home Oscars for their film work. First up is Frank Sinatra, who's best known for his singing but who showed off his dramatic chops in From Here to Eternity and took home the prize. We'll hear him as Rocky Fortune in four episodes of his short-lived radio mystery series: "Double Identity" (originally aired on NBC on October 13, 1953); "A Hepcat Killed the Canary" (originally aired on

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02:06:36

Episode 657 - Where's the Beef? (Boston Blackie,...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/02/22

We're serving up thick cuts of old time radio mystery with four stories involving butchers and their wares. First, Boston Blackie faces off against a black market meat ring in an adventure starring Chester Morris (originally aired on NBC on July 21, 1944). Kirk Douglas embarks on a dangerous affair in the grocery store aisles in "The Butcher's Wife" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on February 9, 1950). After a disappointing dinner, The Saint finds a dead body in his trunk in "The Horrible

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02:02:25

Episode 656 - Relationship Drama (Sherlock Holmes,...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/02/15

As a belated Valentine's Day treat, we've got four radio mysteries where our detectives are entangled in matrimonial mishaps. As Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone investigates a black widow in "The Book of Tobit" (originally aired on Mutual on March 26, 1945). Philip Marlowe trails a missing wife in "The Persian Slippers" (originally aired on CBS on October 3, 1948), and Sam Spade is accused of eloping in "The Love Letter Caper" (an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast from March 27, 1949). Finally,

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02:07:45

Episode 655 - Couples in the Cast (Richard Diamond,...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/02/08

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and our old time radio mysteries this week all feature real-life husbands and wives at the microphone or behind the scenes. First, June Allyson - aka Mrs. Dick Powell - plays Richard Diamond's latest client (originally aired on NBC on June 21, 1950). Then, Cathy and Elliott Lewis star as a less than happily married couple in "Love, Honor, or Murder" from Suspense (originally aired on CBS on June 29, 1950). Our third show features a couple that worked on

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01:31:49

Episode 654 - Cold…Very Cold Cases (Let George Do It,...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/02/01

After a week of dealing with a thick coating of ice all over everything, I've got winter weather on the brain. So today, we have three old time radio mysteries where our sleuths have to solve their crimes in the snow. First, Bob Bailey hits the slopes to prevent a murder in "Snow Blind" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on December 26, 1949). Then, William Gargan suspects a fatal slip on the ice wasn't an accident in "The Girl on the Doorstep" from Barrie Craig, Confidential

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01:38:00

Episode 653 - Leading Men of Mystery: Glenn Ford...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/01/28

We wrap up our series of Hollywood stars who solved crimes on the air with Glenn Ford. The star of Gilda, The Big Heat, and 3:10 to Yuma appeared on radio as Christopher London, a globetrotting private eye created by Erle Stanley Gardner. We'll hear Ford as London in "The Missing Heiress" (originally aired on NBC on February 5, 1950). Then, he's a man on the run in a Studio One adaptation of "The 39 Steps" (originally aired on CBS on March 23, 1948).

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01:32:20

Episode 652 - Leading Men of Mystery: Dana Andrews (I...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/01/25

This week's Hollywood leading man turned radio detective is Dana Andrews, who starred on screen in Laura, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Boomerang, and more. On the air, Andrews played Matt Cvetic, undercover agent, in the syndicated series I Was a Communist for the FBI. We'll hear a pair of his adventures in Red-bashing: "Pit Viper" and "Jump to the Whip." Plus, Andrews plays a reporter out to clear a wrongfully convicted man in a radio adaptation of Call Northside 777 from Hollywood Sound Stage

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02:30:18

BONUS - Five Favorites: Broadway is My Beat

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/01/24

Take a walk down the Great White Way with Detective Danny Clover in my five favorite episodes of Broadway is My Beat. Larry Thor is the policeman with the soul of a poet in one of radio's finest dramas - detective or otherwise. We'll hear "The Suicide Pact Murders" (originally aired on CBS on August 21, 1950), "The Garment District Murders" (originally aired on CBS on April 14, 1951), "The Case of Charles Crandall" (originally aired on CBS on May 12, 195), "The Tom Keeler Case" (originally aired on

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01:29:56

Episode 651 - Leading Men of Mystery: Humphrey Bogart...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/01/11

We continue our spotlight series of Hollywood heavy hitters who put in time as radio detectives. This week, it's a legend of classic cinema - Humphrey Bogart, star of Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, and so many more iconic films. Bogart headlined Bold Venture, a syndicated mystery-adventure series set in the tropics. His co-star was no less than his real-life wife, Lauren Bacall. We'll hear a pair of syndicated Bold Venture mysteries - "The Tears of Siva," "The Mystery of the Mary

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01:32:04

Episode 650 - Leading Men of Mystery: Alan Ladd (Box...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2026/01/04

We kick off 2026 with a month-long series of big screen stars who lent their voices to radio detectives. First up is Alan Ladd, the steely star of classic noir dramas like This Gun for Hire and The Blue Dahlia and westerns like the iconic Shane. We'll hear him in his signature radio role of mystery writer and amateur sleuth Dan Holiday in a pair of syndicated episodes of Box 13 - "Treasure of Hang Li" and "Sealed Instructions." Plus, he recreates his big screen role as an old west detective as The

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01:04:18

Encore - New Year's Evildoers vs. Radio Gumshoes

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/28

We bid a fond farewell to 2025 with an encore of our New Year's Eve special from 2018. Jack Webb and Gerald Mohr star in New Year's Eve mysteries from Dragnet and The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. We'll hear "The Big New Year's" (originally aired on NBC on March 8, 1951) and "The Old Acquaintance" (originally aired on CBS on December 26, 1948).

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01:00:27

BONUS - Christmas Caper Countdown (Part 4)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/24

Our bonus series of holiday mysteries wraps up on Christmas Eve with two more tales of seasonal sleuthing. John Stanley and Alfred Shirley are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in "The Adventure of the Christmas Bride" (originally aired on Mutual on December 21, 1947). And Jack Webb stars in a heartwarming case from Dragnet - "The Big Little Jesus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953).

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01:33:24

Episode 649 - Great White Way Christmas (Damon Runyon...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/21

Christmas is only a few days away, and we're celebrating with a trio of holiday tales from Broadway - not the world of footlights, chorus lines, and matinee performances, but the seedier side of the street. Our first two tales come from the pen of Damon Runyon. A man is marked for death on Christmas Eve in "Dancing Dan's Christmas" from The Damon Runyon Theatre, and a trio of crooks hunting for lost loot finds a lot more in "Three Wise Guys" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on December 24,

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01:03:06

BONUS - Christmas Caper Countdown (Part 3)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/17

Christmas is only a week away and we've got a pair of old time radio mysteries for stocking stuffers. Charles Russell stars in a yuletide adventure of Johnny Dollar - "Small Time Swindles of Big Time Department Stores - Or How I Played Santa Claus and Almost Got Left Holding the Sack" (originally aired on CBS on December 24, 1949) - and Sydney Greenstreet tries to save St. Nick in "The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" from The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (originally aired on NBC on December 22,

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01:38:09

Episode 648 - An Array of Archies (New Adventures of...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/14

Our two-part series on The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe wraps up with the final three actors to play Archie Goodwin opposite Sydney Greenstreet's gargantuan gourmet. Larry Dobkin - who you may know best as Louie, cab driver sidekick of The Saint - is Archie in "The Case of the Deadly Sellout" (originally aired on NBC on January 5, 1951). Gerald Mohr - the voice of Philip Marlowe - stars in "The Case of the Calculated Risk" (originally aired on NBC on January 19, 1951). And Harry Bartell - announcer

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56:33

BONUS - Christmas Caper Countdown (Part 2)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/10

Our countdown to Christmas continues with Vincent Price and Frank Sinatra both donning the red suit of Santa Claus! Simon Templar proves "Santa Claus is No Saint" (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1950) and Rocky Fortune's new gig as a department store St. Nick is anything but merry in "The Plot to Murder Santa Claus" (originally aired on NBC on December 22, 1953).

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01:41:43

Episode 647 - A Gaggle of Goodwins (New Adventures of...

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives) ·

2025/12/07

We kick off a two-part series spotlighting The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe in celebration of two December birthdays - Rex Stout, the creator of the gargantuan gourmet, and Sydney Greenstreet, the Oscar-nominated actor who brought the sleuth to radio life. The show ran for just one season but six different actors played Wolfe's loyal assistant Archie Goodwin in those 26 episodes. The series and its star could never settle on a supporting actor, but the unusual revolving door allowed some of radio's

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