Radio Shows & Other Audio Drama/Alphabetical

Old-time radio, new-time radio, straight-to-audio dramatizations, webcasts and podcasts. Whatever…

They’re all audio dramas of some sort, centered on a private eye or two. Except for the ones that aren’t.

And a note about episode guides. While I’ve tried my best to to list the original broadcast dates of episodes, due to the vagaries of old time radio scheduling (timeslot-slicing, block-sharing arrangements, regional variances, local pre-emptions, syndication and other factors), most of the dates for specific episodes are at best guesses, gleaned from the most reliable-seeming sources at the time the page was created—or re-created).

For more radio info, see Murder in the Library: Radio.

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A

• Abbott Mysteries (1945, Mutual)
• Academy Award Theatre (1946, CBS)
• Adventures By Morse (1944-45)
• The Adventures of Bill Lance (1944-45, CBS)
• The Adventures of Bill Lance (1945-46, NBC)
• The Adventures of Bill Lance (1947-48, ABC)
• The Adventures of Christopher Wells
• The Adventures of Frank Race (1949-53, syndicated)
• The Adventures of Harry Nile (1976-present, Transmedia Syndicate)
• The Adventures of Johnny Fletcher (1948,ABC; aka “Johnny Fletcher”)
• The Adventures of Michael Shayne (1944-47, ABC)
• The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (1943, NBC Blue)
• The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (1945-46)
• The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (1950-51, NBC; aka “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe”)
• The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (1948-50, CBS)
• The Adventures of Sam Spade (1946, ABC)
• The Adventures of Sam Spade (1946-49, CBS)
• The Adventures of Sam Spade (1949-50, NBC)
• The Adventures of Sam Spade (1950-51, NBC)
• The Adventures of the Thin Man (1941, NBC; 1946, CBS; 1948, NBC; 1950, ABC)
• The Affairs of Ann Scotland (1946-47, ABC)
• The Affairs of Peter Salem (1949-53, Mutual)
• The Amazing Mr. Malone (1948, ABC; 1951, NBC)

B

• Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator (1951-55, NBC)
• Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator (1951-55, NBC)
• Barry Crane, Confidential Investigator(1951-55, NBC)
• Becker: House Detective (1996, CBC)
• Benny Cooperman: The Ransom Game (CBC)
• Benny Cooperman: The Suicide Murders (CBC)
• The Big Guy (1950, NBC)
• Big Town (1937-1942, CBS)
• Big Town (1943-48, CBS; 1948-51, NBC; 1952, CBS)
• Black Jack Justice (2006, Decoder Ring Theratre)
• Boston Blackie (1944, NBC)
• Boston Blackie (1945-49, Ziv/Syndicated)
• Box 13 (1948-49, Mutual/Syndicated)
• Brick Maller, Private Investigator (1999, Scenario Productions)

C

• Candy Matson, YUkon 2-8209 (1949-51, NBC)
• The Casebook of Gregory Hood (1946-49, Mutual; 1950-51, ABC)
• The Cases of Mr. Ace (1947, Paragon Radio Productions Syndicate)
• Casey, Crime Photographer (1943-1950, CBS)
• The CBC Mystery Project (1992-2002, CBC)
• Charlie Wild, Private Eye (1950, NBC)
• Charlie Wild, Private Detective (1951, CBS)
• Christopher London (1950, NBC)
• Crime and Peter Chambers (1954, NBC)
• The Crime Files of Flamond (1946-48, syndicated)
• The Crime Files of Flamond (1953, Mutual)
• The Crime Files of Flamond (1956-57, Mutual)
• A Crime Letter from Dan Dodge (1952-53, ABC)

D

• Dameron (1972-73, KVI/Seattle, Golden West Radio Network)
• Danger, Dr. Danfield (1946-47 ABC)
• Danger With Granger (1956-57, Mutual)
• Dangerous Assignment (1949-52)
• The Dead Hear Footsteps (2003, WOBC)
• The Defense Rests (1951, NBC)
• Defense Attorney (1951-52, ABC)
• Diamonds Are a Nuisance (2000-2001, San Francisco Story Works)
• Dick Barton (1946-51, BBC)
• Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2007, BBC Radio 4)
• Dyke Easter Detective (1949, NBC)

E

• Easy Money (1946, Mutual)
• Escape! (1947-54, CBS)

F

• Falco (2004-09, BBC 4)
• The Falcon (1943, NBC Blue; 1945, Mutual; 1950, NBC)
• The Fat Man (1946-50, ABC)
• Firesign Theatre (Nick Danger)
• The Flower Case (2000, CBC)
• Flynn (1994, CBC)
• Frank Race (1949-53, syndicated; aka “The Adventures of Frank Race”)

G

• Garson Krebs, Private Detective (National Public Radio)
• The Gentleman Adventurer (aka “Special Agent”)
• Guy Noir (part of The Prairie Home Companion)

H

• Hannibal Cobb (1949, ABC)
• Have Gun, Will Travel (1958-60, CBS)
• Harry Nile (1977–, Transmedia Syndicate; aka “The Adventures of Harry Nile”)
• The Hidden Motive (1952, BBC)
• Hollywood Startime: Murder My Sweet (1948)

I

• I Deal in Crime (1946, ABC)
• I Love a Mystery (1939-42, NBC Blue)
• I Love a Mystery (1943-44, CBS)
• I Love a Mystery (1949-52, Mutual)
• In the Blood (1997, CBC)
• It’s a Crime, Mr. Collins

J

• Jake Danger: 5-Minute Theatre (2000, virtuallyamerican.com)
• Jeff Regan, Investigator (1948, CBS)
• Jeff Regan, Investigator (1949-50, CBS)
• Joe Canto, Private Eye (1948, CBS)
• Johnny Fletcher (1948,ABC; “The Adventures of Johnny Fletcher”)
• Johnny Madero, Pier 23 (1947, Mutual)
• Johnny Modero, Pier 23 (see Johnny Madero, Pier 23)

K

• Killing Orders(1991, BBC Radio 4)
• Kincaid, The Strangeseeker (1997-Present, Syndicated)
• Kitty Keene, Inc. (1937-41, CBS, Mutual)

L

• Larry Kent (1950-??, Australia)
• Let George Do It (1946-55, Mutual-Don Lee)
• The Lone Wolf (1948, Mutual)
• Looking For Trouble (BBC4)
• Lux Radio Theatre (1934, NBC Blue; 1936-48, CBS)
• Lux Radio Theatre: After The Thin Man (1940)
• Lux Radio Theatre: The Maltese Falcon (1943)
• Lux Radio Theatre: Murder My Sweet (1945)
• Lux Radio Theatre: The Thin Man

M

• The McCoy (1950, NBC)
• Man Against Crime (1947-51, CBS)
• A Man Named Jordan (1945 – 1947, CBS West Coast)
• Martin Kane, Private Eye (1949, Mutual; 1951, NBC)
• Mathew Slade, Private Investigator (1960’s, syndicated)
• Meet MacBride (1936, CBS)
• Michael Shayne, Detective (1948-50, Mutual)
• Michael Shayne, Private Detective (1944-47, ABC)
• Michael Shayne, Private Detective (1952-53, ABC)
• Mickey Spillane Mysteries (1953, Mutual; aka “That Hammer Guy”)
• Midnight Cab (1992-96, CBC)
• Mike Malloy, Private Eye (1953-54, ABC)
• Mike Malloy, Private Eye (1956-57, CBS)
• Mike Mallory (1953, ABC)
• Miss Pinkerton, Inc. (1941, NBC)
• Mollé Mystery Theatre (1943-48, NBC; aka “Mystery Theatre”)
• Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons (1937, NBC Blue; 1947, CBS)
• Murder and Mr. Malone (1948, ABC; 1951, NBC)
• Murder By Experts (1949-51)
• Murder Clinic (1942-43, Mutual)
• Mystery in the Air (1945, NBC)
• Mystery Playhouse (1944-46, AFRS)
• The Mystery Project (1992-2002, CBC)
• Mystery Theatre (1943-48, NBC; aka “Mollé Mystery Theatre”)
• Murder Will Out (1945, ABC)
• Mystery Without Murder (1947, NBC)

N

• The New Adventures of Michael Shayne (1948-50, Mutual)
• The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (1950-51, NBC)
• The New Adventures of Perry Mason (1943-1955, CBS)
• The New Adventures of the Thin Man (1941, NBC; 1946, CBS; 1948, NBC; 1950, ABC)
• Nick Carter, Master Detective (1943-55, Mutual)
• Nick Danger (Firesign Theatre)
• Night Beat (1950-52, NBC)
• The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (2004, BBC4)
• North Beach Private Eye (1999-2000, San Francisco Radio Works)

O

• O’Hara (1956, CBS)

P

• Pat Novak For Hire (1946-48, KGO/ABC)
• Pat Novak For Hire (1949, ABC)
• Paul Temple (1938-1968, BBC)
• Peggy Delaney (1998, CBC Radio One)
• Perry Mason (1943-1955, CBS; aka “The New Adventures of Perry Mason”)
• A Phil Byrnes Mystery (2000, virtuallyamerican.com)
• Philip Marlowe (1947, NBC; AKA “The Adventures of Philip Marlowe”)
• Philip Marlowe (1977-88, BBC4)
• Philip Odell (1947-61, BBC)
• Philo Vance (1943, NBC)
• Philo Vance (1945, NBC)
• Philo Vance (1946-50, ZIV Syndicated)
• The Phyl Coe Mysteries (1936, syndicated)
• The Private Files of Rex Saunders (1951, NBC)
• Publicity Stunts (2003, BBC 7)

Q 

R

• The Ransom Game (CBC; aka “Benny Cooperman”)
• Results Inc. (1944, NBC)
• The Return of Nick Carter (1943-46, Mutual)
• Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe (1982, CBC Radio)
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1949-50, NBC)
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1951-52, ABC)
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1953, CBS)
• The Rivals (2011-15, BBC 4)
• Rocky Fortune (1953-54, NBC)
• Rocky Jordan (1948-50 CBS West Coast)
• Rocky Jordan (1951-53, CBS)
• Rogue’s Gallery (1945, NBC)
• Ruby: The Adventures of a Galactic Gumshoe (1980’s–present, ZBS/NPR)
• Rumpole: The Splendours and Miseries of an Old Bailey Hack (1980, BBC Radio 4)
• Rumpole of the Bailey (2003, BBC Radio 4)

S

• The Saint (1940, Radio Athlone)
• The Saint (1945, NBC)
• The Saint (1945, CBS)
• The Saint (1947-48, CBS West)
• The Saint (1949-50, Mutual)
• The Saint (1950-51, NBC)
• The Saint (1995, BBC)
• Sam Spade (see also “The Adventures of Sam Spade”)
• Sara’s Private Capers (1950, NBC)
• Saturday-Night Theatre (1943-96, BBC4)
• Screen Guild Theater (1939-52)
• Secret City (1941, NBC Blue)
• Sleeping Beauty (KCRW/NPR)
• Special Agent (1948, Mutual)
• Secret Agent X-9 (1994, BBC Radio 5)
• Steve Mallory, Private Eye (1951)
• Strange Wills (1946, Syndicated)
• The Suicide Murders (CBC)
• Suspense (1942-62, CBS)
• Suspense: The Khandi Tooth Caper (1948)

T

• That Hammer Guy (1953, Mutual; aka “Mickey Spillane Mysteries”)
• That Strong Guy (1950’s?)
• The Thin Man (1941, NBC; 1946, CBS; 1948, NBC; 1950, ABC)
• Two on a Clue (1944, CBS)

U

V

• Vince Washburn, New Age Detective (1988-??)

W

• The WindUp (1957, syndicated)

X 

Y

• Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (1949-62, CBS)

Z

• The Zebra-Striped Hearse (2000, KCRW/NPR)

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NOTES

Since I’m not really a OTR guy (I just play one on the web), here are a few other radio shows that are crime/detective/police shows. I’m not sure if these are private eye shows or not, so any help would be greatly appreciated… if you’re not sure what a private eye is, or if a show qualifies, check out What is a Private Eye, anyway?

• The Bishop and The Gargoyle
• Chick Carter, Boy Detective
• Crime Club (anthology)
• Dan Holiday
• Deadline Mystery
• Defense Attorney
• Eno Crime Club
• The Five Mysteries Program
• Hollywood Mystery Time
• Hot Copy
• Indictment
• Johnny Nighthawk
• Obsession
• The Whisperer

When possible, I’ve tried to include complete listings all episodes and their original broadcast dates, but I’m by no means a radio expert. Many of the “episode logs” and reference material online and in print, particularly regarding the “Golden Age” of radio, are dated, incomplete and contradictory. Complicating matters is the cut-and-paste “research” of several on-line commercial purveyors of radio shows, who in many cases seem to shape their episode logs to fit their sales catalogues, and offer little, if any, provenance. As I update this site, I hope to rely of The Digital Deli Too, who boast they’re “Preserving the Golden Age of Radio for a Digital Future.” They can be a bit cranky, but they seem to really know their stuff.

Respectfully compiled by Kevin Burton Smith, with great thanks to Stewart Wright and Jack French for their invaluable help and expertise on this one.