Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr went on the air as Raymond Chandler's private eye in The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. His debut adventure was an adaptation of Chandler's short story "Red Wind." Coincidentally, "Red Wind" was also adapted as the first episode of the 1947 series of Philip Marlowe mysteries starring Van Heflin. It's the only story to air with both Heflin and Mohr starring as Marlowe, and we'll compare their performances with both episodes. Plus, we'll hear Marlowe meet Marlowe as Gerald Mohr guest stars opposite Van Heflin in "The King in Yellow" (originally aired on CBS on July 8, 1947).

With a slight delay, we wrap up our celebration of Batman Day with the concluding chapters of "The Secret of Meteor Island." This Superman radio adventure brought in Batman and Robin to help the Man of Steel hunt for a smuggler whose cargo of radioactive diamonds is wreaking havoc on Metropolis. We'll hear the final installments, originally aired on Mutual between June 24 and July 6, 1948.

Holy team-up! To celebrate Batman Day, here's a radio adventure that unites the Caped Crusader and Robin, the Boy Wonder, with Superman. We'll hear the heroes join forces in the first eight chapters of "The Secret of Meteor Island" (originally aired on Mutual between June 14 and June 23, 1948). Stay tuned later this week for the final chapters of this thrilling super story!

As a new school year gets underway, we head to Yale for the exploits of star athlete and adventurer Frank Merriwell. The all-American hero first appeared in pulp novels and later came to radio and the big screen with stories of derring-do on and off the field. We'll hear some of his adventures with Lawson Zerbe starring as Frank: "The Clue of the Numbers" (originally aired on NBC on October 19, 1946); "The Stolen Masterpiece" (originally aired on NBC on June 5, 1948); "The Unwelcome Rescue" (originally aired on NBC on July 3, 1948); and "The Live Ghost" (originally aired on NBC on September 11, 1948).

Our series of radio detectives played by multiple actors takes us today to Baker Street and four men who donned the deerstalker cap of Sherlock Holmes. First, Basil Rathbone is the great detective in "The Tankerville Club" (originally aired on Mutual on April 22, 1946). Next, Tom Conway steps in as Holmes in "The Adventure of the Horseless Carriage" (originally aired on ABC on February 24, 1947). Then, John Stanley stars in "The Adventure of Lady Waverly's Imitation Pearls" (originally aired on Mutual on April 4, 1948). Finally, John Gielgud is Sherlock in the syndicated episode "The Speckled Band."