Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives‪)‬ Mean Streets Podcasts

In this month's bonus episode, we're headed to the San Francisco waterfront for my five favorite episodes of Pat Novak For Hire. Jack Webb stars as Novak - who makes ends meet by renting boats and taking odd investigative assignments, and who usually lands in hot water with the hard-headed Inspector Hellman of homicide. First, competing clients hire Novak to guard - and stay away from - boxer Rory Malone (originally aired on ABC on March 20, 1949). Then, a woman wants Novak to settle up her brother's debt with a notorious gambler (originally aired on ABC on March 27, 1949) and a priest asks Novak to find an Alcatraz escapee before the police do (originally aired on ABC on April 2, 1949). A scheme to scare a man backfires when a gun with blanks delivers a fatal shot (originally aired on ABC on April 16, 1949) and the search for a dead woman's handbag brings out the worst in several dangerous characters (originally aired on ABC on June 4, 1949).

Doctor, doctor - give me the news. We've got three old time radio mysteries involving physicians - some good, some bad, but all in the middle of crimes that our heroes must solve. First, a doctor drops dead in Danny Clover's office on Broadway is My Beat (originally aired on CBS on August 4, 1949). Next, Charles Russell investigates a doctor who may be criminally negligent in "An Apple a Day Sent the Doctor Away" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (originally aired on CBS on October 15, 1949). Finally, Sgt. Joe Friday's prime suspect has an unshakable alibi from his doctor in "The Big Impossible" from Dragnet (originally aired on NBC on March 15, 1953).

In honor of Vincent Price's birthday on May 27th, we've got the screen legend in three old time radio mysteries. First, he narrates what might have happened to John Wilkes Booth if the assassin escaped death at the hands of the army in The Thirteenth Juror (originally aired on NBC on April 23, 1949). Then, Price discovers a dead man is still alive, and he may kill to keep the secret in "Murder Needs an Artist" from The Philip Morris Playhouse (originally aired on CBS on May 6, 1950). And finally, he's Simon Templar - the Robin Hood of modern crime - in "Cupid and the Corpse" from The Saint, where a dead body derails his date with an old flame (originally aired on NBC on August 27, 1950).

When our radio sleuths check the mailbox this week, they're getting a special delivery of danger! Missing messages, anonymous letters, and mysterious correspondence drive the cases in this week's showcase of old time radio detective dramas. First, Tom Conway is Holmes and Nigel Bruce is Watson in "The Adventure of the Tolling Bell" from The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (originally aired on ABC on April 7, 1947). Next, Alan Ladd answers a letter to Box 13 in the syndicated show "Double Trouble." Then, radio's singing sleuth tries to find out who killed the messenger with Dick Powell in Richard Diamond, Private Detective (originally aired on NBC on April 19, 1950). And finally, Bob Bailey is George Valentine, who receives a letter from a woman asking him to catch her killer...but she isn't dead yet in "The White Elephant" from Let George Do It (originally aired on Mutual on September 11, 1950).

Climb aboard for three old time radio mysteries set on the train tracks. First, Boston Blackie investigates why a gold train was derailed with nothing stolen. Richard Kollmar stars in the syndicated episode known as "The Derailed Gold Train." Then, Inspector Peter Black is on the lookout for jewel thieves on the train in "Pursuit on the Night Ferry" from Pursuit (originally aired on CBS on November 20, 1951). Finally, Frank Sinatra stars as Rocky Fortune on a cross-country train trip to catch a killer (originally aired on NBC on January 5, 1954).

Louis Vittes wrote episodes of The Wild Wild West and The Invaders, and he penned the classic sci-fi horror picture I Married a Monster from Outer Space. But before that, he wrote adventures of radio sleuths like Simon Templar, Barrie Craig, and the Shadow. We'll hear some of his work, beginning with "Ladies Never Lie...Much" from The Saint (originally aired on NBC on January 7, 1951). Then, Dan Duryea stars in "The Willie Baines Case" from The Man from Homicide (originally aired on ABC on August 20, 1951). And we'll hear Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator in "A Very Odd Job" (originally aired on NBC on January 30, 1952).