100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories

Episodes

• 
  The Adventures of Sam Spade - "Detective - "Subject - Edith Hamilton" (2026) 28.10.2026 27m

  The Adventures of Sam Spade presents “Subject—Edith Hamilton,” originally broadcast on CBS on April 17, 1949. Commonly cataloged as episode 147, it stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.Psychiatrist Dr. Ludwig Zoya asks Spade to locate Edith Hamilton, a woman tied to an unresolved death three years earlier. What begins as a search for a missing former daughter-in-law leads Sam into a tense, deeply personal case shaped by grief, memory, and suspicion. William Spier directed and produced this notably serious psychological mystery.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:38 Original Broadcast27:49 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "Murder in the Casbah" (2026) 26.10.2026 30m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “Murder in the Casbah,” originally broadcast December 3, 1945. Basil Rathbone stars as Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, in this Mutual Broadcasting System drama written by Denis Green and Anthony Boucher.After a troubling English case, Holmes and Watson follow a clue hidden in a painting from Baker Street to Algiers. Their search for a missing young heir leads through French Foreign Legion headquarters and into the labyrinthine streets of the Casbah, where disguises, informants, and a contested inheritance deepen the mystery. The story is suggested by an incident in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Crooked Man.”100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:41 Original Broadcast30:17 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Broadway Is My Beat - "The Joe Gruber Murder Case" (1951) 21.10.2026 30m

  Broadway Is My Beat, “The Joe Gruber Murder Case,” originally aired on CBS on July 8, 1951. This is episode 70 of the hard-boiled detective series, starring Larry Thor as New York police detective Danny Clover and produced and directed by Elliott Lewis.An armed robber believed to be a killer is cornered in a second-floor apartment—then seemingly vanishes in the most unsettling way possible: inside a coffin. Danny Clover follows the trail through Broadway’s nocturnal city streets in a tense case of pursuit, deception, and murder.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:39 Original Broadcast30:07 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "The Great Gandolfo" (2026) 19.10.2026 32m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “The Great Gandolfo,” originally broadcast on Mutual on October 22, 1945. Basil Rathbone stars as Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, in an original radio adventure by Denis Green and Anthony Boucher, suggested by an incident in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Second Stain.”A troubling Foreign Office clue leads Holmes and Watson from London to Eastbourne’s Devonshire Theatre, where the celebrated magician the Great Gandolfo and his elaborate locked-cabinet illusions become entwined with suspicions of espionage. Mycroft Holmes, a seaside theatrical circuit, and a world of stage misdirection set the scene for a mystery in which appearances are anything but reliable.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:52 Original Broadcast32:38 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - "The Forbes Matter" (1955) 16.10.2026 15m

  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: “The Forbes Matter,” episode 294, originally broadcast December 29, 1955. In this fourth chapter of a five-part CBS Radio serial, Bob Bailey stars as freelance insurance investigator Johnny Dollar. Written by John Dawson and directed by Jack Johnstone.In New York City, Dollar investigates more than $4,000 missing from the books of Century Styles, Inc., a major dress manufacturer. As his inquiries focus on Sheldon Forbes and his expensive pursuit of actress-model Betsy Walker, the case takes an urgent turn and becomes a race against time.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast15:18 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sam Spade - "Detective - "Convertible Caper" (2026) 14.10.2026 27m

  The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Convertible Caper,” originally broadcast on June 15, 1947. Episode 051 stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as his indispensable secretary, Effie Perrine.Hired by Miss Estrada to recover a valuable foreign convertible, Spade follows a trail of competing claims and concealed motives through San Francisco. Directed and produced by William Spier, this CBS mystery captures the brisk, wisecracking style of the classic Dashiell Hammett character.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:38 Original Broadcast27:19 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "The Disappearing Scientists" (2026) 12.10.2026 32m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “The Disappearing Scientists,” episode 213, originally broadcast on April 8, 1946. Basil Rathbone stars as Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, in this late Mutual Broadcasting System mystery written by Anthony Boucher and Denis Green.Ready to retire to a Sussex bee farm, Holmes is drawn back into action when a London University professor and his radium-research staff begin vanishing. With an invaluable radium sample at stake and an urgent message from Mycroft Holmes, Baker Street’s master detective faces a tense scientific mystery.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:45 Original Broadcast32:07 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Casey, Crime Photographer - "The Box of Death" (1947) 09.10.2026 30m

  Casey, Crime Photographer, “The Box of Death” (episode 181), originally broadcast on CBS on April 17, 1947. Written by Alonzo Deen Cole and sponsored by Anchor Hocking Glass, the episode stars Staats Cotsworth as crime photographer Casey and Jan Miner as reporter Ann Williams.At three o’clock on a dark city street, a patrolman finds a large packing crate addressed to a nearby resident—and its contents launch Casey and Ann into a dangerous inquiry. Criminal connections, a conspicuous lucky penny, and the Blue Note Café world set the stage for this grim urban mystery.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:36 Original Broadcast30:08 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Boston Blackie - "Uncle Frank Murdered by Joe Parker" (1946) 07.10.2026 27m

  Boston Blackie, “Uncle Frank Murdered by Joe Parker,” originally broadcast July 2, 1946, is episode 77. Richard Kollmar stars as the resourceful Boston Blackie, with Maurice Tarplin as Inspector Farraday and Jan Miner as Mary Wesley.When Uncle Frank Miller is murdered, suspicion falls on Joe Parker—but Parker has a seemingly airtight alibi involving a day spent repairing pipes at Aunt Margaret’s apartment. Blackie sets out to examine the domestic details and discover whether the alibi can withstand scrutiny.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:36 Original Broadcast27:20 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  The Adventures of Sam Spade - "Detective - "Bail Bond Caper" (2026) 05.10.2026 34m

  The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Bail Bond Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on June 27, 1948. Commonly cataloged as episode 105, it stars Howard Duff as Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco private eye and was written by Gil Doud.When Vivian, a woman from Sam’s past, fears her reform-minded bail-bondsman husband is being drawn back toward dangerous associates, Spade takes the case. His inquiries lead into the uneasy aftermath of a major armored-car robbery, where money, pressure, and old loyalties complicate every lead. Sandra Gould appears as Bernardine, filling in for the usual Effie Perrine.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:50 Original Broadcast33:59 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "The Speckled Band" (2026) 02.10.2026 34m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “The Speckled Band,” originally broadcast on November 12, 1945. This Mutual Network drama stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, adapting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.”When Helen Stoner arrives at Baker Street fearing for her safety, Holmes and Watson travel to the troubled Stoke Moran estate to investigate her sister’s mysterious death and a disturbing new threat. Strange sounds, an altered bedroom, and the intimidating Dr. Grimesby Roylott deepen the suspense in this classic Victorian mystery.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast34:06 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Broadway Is My Beat - "The Irene Hall Murder Case" (1952) 30.09.2026 30m

  Broadway Is My Beat, “The Irene Hall Murder Case” (episode 113), originally broadcast on CBS Radio Network on May 17, 1952. Larry Thor stars as New York detective Danny Clover in this Elliott Lewis-produced and -directed drama, written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin.When a frightened out-of-town businessman reports finding Broadway entertainer Irene Hall dead, one detail refuses to fit: he claims he heard her cry out long after the medical evidence places her death. Clover follows the contradiction from a West 49th Street apartment into the shadowy world around Broadway’s performers.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:46 Original Broadcast30:07 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - "The Valentine Matter" (1955) 28.09.2026 15m

  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar presents “The Valentine Matter,” originally broadcast on CBS Radio on October 31, 1955. This is episode 251 and the first chapter of a five-part serial starring Bob Bailey as the globe-trotting insurance investigator.Johnny Dollar arrives in New Orleans for an unusual hotel-theft assignment that appears to have been wrapped up before he gets there. Then an unexpected encounter with Dan Valentine, a solitary former bootlegger, draws Dollar into a new and dangerous case. Written by John Dawson, the pseudonym of E. Jack Neuman, and directed by Jack Johnstone, this opening installment launches a classic Crescent City mystery.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:40 Original Broadcast15:12 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  Box 13 - "Blackmail Is Murder" (2012) 25.09.2026 27m

  Box 13 presents “Blackmail Is Murder,” originally broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System on September 5, 1948. This is episode 3 of the Alan Ladd mystery series, starring Ladd as adventure-seeking novelist Dan Holiday.After answering an urgent Box 13 letter, Dan arrives at the Bradford Hotel and meets Agatha Marsh, an eccentric guest with a troubling problem in Room 718. A dead man, a suspicious hotel-room mix-up, and skeptical Lieutenant Kling draw Dan into a dangerous mystery that reaches beyond the hotel.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:42 Original Broadcast27:40 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "The Terrifying Cats" (2026) 23.09.2026 32m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “The Terrifying Cats,” originally broadcast February 25, 1946. Also known as “Murder at the Opera,” this Mutual Broadcasting System drama stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Eric Snowden as Dr. Watson, substituting for the ill Nigel Bruce.Holidaying in Rome, Holmes and Watson attend a performance of Verdi’s La Traviata and are drawn backstage when celebrated soprano Gina Valcasi seeks help for her overwhelming fear of cats. Amid opera-house rivalries and mounting unease, Holmes investigates the secrets behind the theater’s glittering façade. Written by Denis Green and Anthony Boucher, the story was suggested by an incident in Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of Black Peter.”100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:52 Original Broadcast32:39 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
• 
  The Adventures of Sam Spade - "Detective - "Dry Martini Caper" (2026) 21.09.2026 32m

  The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective: “The Dry Martini Caper,” episode 110, originally broadcast on CBS on August 1, 1948. Howard Duff stars as hard-boiled private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine, in a William Spier production from the Wildroot Cream-Oil-sponsored series.When San Francisco businessman Gordon Martini reports an apparent kidnapping attempt, Spade is summoned to Martini’s Marina Boulevard home. A public shooting and a thin trail of clues draw him into a dangerous investigation involving Martini’s family, chauffeur, and business affairs.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:42 Original Broadcast31:59 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Philip Marlowe - "Van Heflin Audio Biography" (2025) 18.09.2026 3m

  From The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, “Van Heflin Audio Biography” is a special presentation dated 2025. No episode number is supplied.This rare audio biography explores the career of Van Heflin, the distinguished actor who first brought Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe to radio. Drawing on narration and archival material, it considers Heflin’s approach to the hard-boiled detective and his enduring influence on radio noir.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:40 Original Broadcast03:13 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - "The Amateur Mendicant Society" (2026) 16.09.2026 35m

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes presents “The Amateur Mendicant Society,” originally broadcast April 2, 1945. Commonly listed as episode 173, this Mutual Broadcasting System production stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. John H. Watson.On a stormy Victorian London night, Watson is summoned by a woman disguised as a beggar and led to a secret society hidden beneath a furniture warehouse. When a death unsettles the wealthy club’s curious masquerade, Holmes is drawn into a world of conflicting stories and concealed motives. The original radio drama was written by Anthony Boucher and Denis Green, inspired by Dr. Watson’s reference to the society in Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Five Orange Pips.”100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:43 Original Broadcast34:48 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - "The Cronin Matter" (1955) 14.09.2026 16m

  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, “The Cronin Matter,” originally broadcast December 5, 1955, is episode 276. In this first installment of a five-part serial, Bob Bailey stars as the resourceful insurance investigator Johnny Dollar.Surety Mutual sends Dollar from New York to the Adirondacks to safeguard the “Circle of Fire,” a diamond-and-emerald necklace worth half a million dollars. When former dance celebrity Dolly McLean Cronin plans to wear the long-stored jewel at a reunion party, Dollar finds a gathering full of old acquaintances and uncertain motives. Written by Les Crutchfield and directed by Jack Johnstone, the CBS drama also features Virginia Gregg and John Dehner.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:45 Original Broadcast16:21 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio
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  The Adventures of Sam Spade - "Detective - "Missing Newshawk Caper" (2026) 11.09.2026 33m

  The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Missing Newshawk Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on July 18, 1948. Episode 108 stars Howard Duff as hard-boiled private detective Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his resourceful secretary, Effie Perrine.Newspaper publisher A. M. Youngblood hires Spade to find Ray McCully, the paper’s ace crime reporter, who vanished while investigating racketeering. Keeping the police out of it, Spade follows the missing reporter’s trail from a bustling city room into the underworld. Written and directed by Gil Doud, with Robert Tallman.100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:45 Original Broadcast33:29 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/100-greatest-old-time-detective-stories--7257686/support.Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio