Johnny Dollar

Uncategorized

Created by Jack Johnstone

johnny_dollarEveryone has a favorite radio series. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar is the one that got me into OTR collecting and was the original reason I joined The Radio Historical Association of Colorado. I probably have more episodes of this show in my collection than any other single series.

For over 12 years (1949 – 1962, including a one-year hiatus in 1954-55), the series recounted the cases of JOHNNY DOLLAR, “the insurance investigator with the action-packed expense account.” Johnny was an accomplished padder of his expense account. The name of the show derives from the fact he closed each show by totaling up his expense account and signing it “End of report…Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.”

Terry Salomonson in his authoritative A Radio Broadcast Log of The Drama Program notes that the original working title of the show was “Yours Truly, Lloyd London.” Salomonson writes,

“Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of the (Dick Powell audition) script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear, possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd’s of London Insurance Company.” Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny managed to get around quite a bit, his adventures taking him all over the world.”

There were some unusual devices used in the show that helped set it apart from other shows. Johnny had no partner, assistant or secretary. Another atypical aspect gave the show additional credibility: frequently, characters on the show would mention that they had heard about Johnny’s cases on the radio. Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense account to give the audience necessary background information or to express his thoughts about the current case, which often involved exotic locales, continental officials, intriguing villains and tense confrontations.

No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell (Rogue’s Gallery) cut the original audition tape but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald (The Adventures of Philip Marlowe) Mohr auditioned in 1955 prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role.

Through the first three Johnny Dollars’ — Charles Russell, Edmond O’Brien, and John Lund, there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Dollar was just another hard-boiled detective, in a medium that was overloaded with them. Charles Russell, the first to play the role, would throw silver dollar tips to bell boys and waiters. Luckily, this trite gimmick did not survive long .

On October 3rd, 1955, after a hiatus of over a year, the show came back with a vengeance. A new production team (including director-writer Jack Johnstone), a new star, Bob Bailey (Let George Do It), and a new format would set the series apart from its competitors. Johnny’s cases were now a continuing serial, five-days a week for 15 minutes each evening. With 75 minutes of air time (minus commercials), there was sufficient time to develop good story lines and interesting characters.

During this time, the show attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood including Jack Johnstone (aka John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Even Bob Bailey wrote a script. He used the pen name Robert Bainter (Bainter was his middle name) as the script writer for “The Carmen Kringle Matter” that was aired on Saturday, 12/21/1957 on the West Coast and the following day for the rest of the country.

Bailey, generally thought of as the most popular of the Johnny Dollars, brought a new interpretation to the character. Tough, but not hard-boiled; street-wise, but not overly cynical, Bailey’s Dollar was smart and gritty when he had to be, but also human. His character would get emotionally involved in some of his cases. He had a streak of impatience and would occasionally not fully listen to a witness and rush off on a tangent before realizing his mistake.

The weekday serialized episodes are generally acknowledged as some of the finest radio detective shows ever produced. (There were 55 multi-part shows in all: 53 five-part, 1 seven-part, and 1 nine-part.) The serialized episodes continued until November 2, 1956, when the series reverted to a once-a-week, 30 minute format. Bob Bailey continued in the lead until the “Empty Threat Matter” on November 27, 1960 when the Hollywood run ended.

In December, 1960 , the show moved New York. Robert Readick started the New York run as Dollar, but lasted only a short while. Jack Johnstone continued to write for the show and submitted scripts from California. (Johnstone wrote about 350 Johnny Dollar scripts under his own name and his pen names John Dawson and John Bundy. As Dawson, he also wrote or adapted scripts for such shows as Romance and Have Gun, Will Travel.)

The guest stars and supporting casts were always first-rate, attracting the best radio actors in both Los Angeles and New York. Particularly noteworthy was the work of Virginia Gregg who played many roles, including Johnny’s girlfriend, Betty Lewis. Harry Bartell was also a frequent guest who did many of the Spanish dialect roles when Johnny went to a Latin American country. Vincent Price co-starred as himself in “The Price of Fame Matter” and went to Europe with Johnny on the case. The character closest to a continuing role was that of Pat McCracken, of the Universal Adjustment Bureau, who assigned Johnny many of his cases. McCracken was played by many actors.

And so an era passed. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was the last continuing detective series of the Golden Age of Radio. Mandel Kramer was the last Johnny Dollar (and a close second in popularity to Bailey) when the final episode, “The Tip-Off Matter,” aired on September 30, 1962.

Plans for a television series, written and directed by Blake Edwards, fell through. A pilot was made and possibly aired in 1962, but television executives felt that Bob Bailey just didn’t “look the part” (Bailey stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 150-pounds) and thought that the public wouldn’t accept another actor in the role.

But great characters never really die. In January 2002, Moonstone Books, publishers of some pretty classy graphic novels, announced their plans to develop Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar as a quarterly book in their Noir Fiction line. Although the proposed series doesn’t seem to have worked out, a graphic novel did eventually see light of day, and was one of Moonstone’s more faithful and entertaining adaptations of a classic character. Bringing the radio fave to the printed page were the creative team of David Gallaher, a former Marvel.Com writer/editor and Montreal’s own Eric Theriault, the creator of such cult faves as Veena and Flirt. David and Eric did their homework — and it showed.

In 2019, Moonstone also relased a prose collection of original Johnny Dollar stories by

RADIO

  • YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
    (1949-1962, CBS)
    15 and 30 minute episodes
    Over 800 broadcasts; approximately 660 broadcasts are available
    First Broadcast: December 8, 1949
    Last Broadcast: September 30, 1962
    Writers: Stuart Palmer, Jack Johnstone, Gil Doud, Blake Edwards, E. Jack Neuman, Paul Dudley, E. Jack Neuman, Sidney Marshall, Bob Ryf, Les Crutchfield and many others.
    Directors: Anton Leader, Richard Sanville, Norman MacDonnell, Gordon Hughes, Jaime Del Valle, Jack Johnstone, Bruno Zirato Jr., and Fred Hendrickson
    Producer Jack Johnstone
    Announcers: Charlie Lyons, Dan Cubberly, Roy Rowan, Art Hanna, and others.
    Starring: Dick Powell and Gerald Mohr (Audition Shows only), Charles Russell, Edmond O’Brien, John Lund, Bob Bailey, Bob Readick and Mandel Kramer as JOHNNY DOLLAR.
    Guest Stars: Parley Baer, Michael Ann Barrett, Harry Bartell, Gloria Blondell, Raymond Burr, Herb Butterfield, Lillian Buyeff, Bill Conrad, Ted De Corsia, John Dehner, Don Diamond, Larry Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris, Bill Johnstone, Charles McGraw, John Mcintyre, Howard McNear, Tyler McVey, Jack Moyles, Jeanette Nolan, Jay Novello, Dan O’Herlihy, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Vincent Price, Lurene Tuttle, Willard Waterman, and many others.

    • The Charles Russell Episodes
      (February 11, 1949-January 14, 1950, CBS)
      30-minute episodes
    • “The Parakoff Policy” (February 11, 1949)
    • “Mind In The Shadows” (February 18, 1949)
    • “Title Unknown” (February 25, 1949)
    • “Robert Perry Case” (March 4, 1949)
    • “Murder Is A Merry-Go-Round” (March 11, 1949)
    • “Milford Brooks III Matter” (March 25, 1949)
    • “Stolen Portrait” (April 1, 1949)
    • “The Case Of The Foxy Terrier” (April 8, 1949)
    • “The Case Of The $100,000 Legs” (April 15, 1949)
    • “The Case Of Barton Drake” (April 22, 1949).
    • “The Case Of The Poisonous Grapevine” (July 17, 1949)
    • “Taxi Disappearance” (July 24, 1949)
    • “Bourbon Under The Bridgework” (July 31, 1949)
    • “Case Of Bonnie Goodwin” (August 7, 1949)
    • “How Not To Take A Vacation In 15 (August 14, 1949)
    • “The Prize Hog Bodyguard” (August 21, 1949)
    • “How I Turned A Luxury Liner Into a Battleshp” (August 28, 1949)
    • “Expiring Nickels And The Egyptian Jacket” 18 (September 4, 1949)
    • “The Search For Michelle Marsh” (September 25, 1949)
    • “The Fishing Boat Affair” (October 1, 1949)
    • “The Racehorse Piledriver” (October 8, 1949)
    • “Dr. Otto Schmedlich” (October 15, 1949)
    • “Witness, Witness, Who’s Got The Witness” (October 22, 1949)
    • “The Little Man Who Wasn’t There” (October 29, 1949; AKA “Unpaid Premium”)
    • “The On an Island Matter” (November 5, 1949; AKA “South Sea Island Affair” and “Mother Call My Draft Board; I’m Leaving The Country Again” )
    • “The Un-Nice Niece Matter” (November 12, 1949; AKA “Melanie Carter” and “Who’d Lie To Rock The Old Doll To Sleep”)
    • “The Skullering in Skull Canyon Matter” (November 26, 1949; AKA “Skull Canyon Mine”)
    • “Bodyguard To Anne Connelly” (December 3, 1949)
    • “The Circus Animal Show Matter” (December 10, 1949)
    • “The Black Magic Matter” (December 17, 1949; AKA “The Haiti Adventure Matter”)
    • “The Department Store Swindle Matter” (December 24, 1949; aka “How I Payed Santa Claus)
    • “The Diamond Protector Matter” (December 31, 1949)
    • “The Firebug Hunter Matter” (January 7, 1950)
    • “The Missing Chinese Stripper Matter” (January 14, 1950)
    • The Edmund O’Brien Episodes
      (February 3, 1950-September 3, 1952, CBS)
      Sponsor: Wrigley’s Gum
    • “The Loyal B. Martin Murder” (February 3, 1950; AKA “Death Takes a Working Day”)
    • “The S.S. Malay Trader Ship” (February 10, 1950)
    • “Mr. And Mrs Arbuthnel Trump” (February 17, 1950)
    • “The Disappearance Of Bruce Lambert” (February 24, 1950)
    • “Robert W. Perry Case” (March 3, 1950)
    • “Alec Jefferson, The Youthful Millionaire” (March 7, 1950)
    • “The Eighty Five Little Minks” (March 14, 1950)
    • “The Man Who Wrote Himself To Death” (March 21, 1950)
    • “The Missing Masterpiece” (March 28, 1950; AKA “The Village Scene Matter”)
    • “The Story Of The Big Red Schoolhouse” (April 4, 1950)
    • “The Dead First-Helpers” (April 11, 1950)
    • “The Story Of The 10:08” (April 18, 1950)
    • “The Pearl Carrasa Matter” (April 25, 1950)
    • “The Abel Tackett Matter” (May 2, 1950)
    • “The Harold Trandem Matter”(May 9, 1950)
    • “The Sidney Rykoff Matter” (May 16, 1950)
    • “The Earl Chadwick Matter” (May 23, 1950)
    • “The Port Au Prince Matter” (May 30, 1950)
    • “The Carisio Diamond Matter” (June 8, 1950)
    • “The Arrowcraft Matter” (June 15, 1950)
    • “The London Matter” (June 22, 1950)
    • “The Barbara James Matter” (June 29, 1950)
    • “The Bello-Horizonte Railroad” (July 6, 1950)
    • “The Calgary Matter” (July 13, 1950)
    • “The Henry J. Unger Matter” (July 20, 1950)
    • “The Tell-All Book Matter” (July 27, 1950)
    • “The Blood River Matter” (August 3, 1950)
    • “The Hartford Alliance Matter” (August 10, 1950)
    • “The Mickey Mcqueen Matter” (August 17, 1950)
    • “Transpacific Import-Export Company” (August 24, 1950)
    • “The Virginia Beach Matter” (August 31, 1950)
    • “The Howard”Yankee Pride Matter” (October 14, 1950)
    • “The Jack Madigan Matter” (October 21, 1950)
    • “The Joan Sebastian Matter” (October 28, 1950)
    • “The Queen Anne Pistols Matter” (November 4, 1950)
    • “The Adam Kegg Matter” (November 11, 1950)
    • “The Nora Faulkner Matter” (November 18, 1950)
    • “The Woodward Manila Matter” (November 25, 1950)
    • “The Jackie Cleaver Matter” (December 9, 1950)
    • “The Leland Blackburn Matter” (December 16, 1950)
    • “The Montevideo Matter” (December 23, 1950)
    • “The Ruby Valentine Matter” (December 30, 1950)
    • “The Adolph Schoman Matter” (January 6, 1951)
    • “The Port O’Call Matter” (January 13, 1951)
    • “The David Rocky Matter” (January 20, 1951)
    • “The Weldon Bragg Matter” (January 27, 1951)
    • “The Monopoly Matter” (February 3, 1951)
    • “The Lloyd Hammerly Matter” (February 10, 1951)
    • “The Vivian Fair Matter” (February 17, 1951)
    • “The Jarvis Wilder Matter” (February 24, 1951)
    • “The Celia Woodstock Matter” (March 3, 1951)
    • “The Stanley Springs Matter” (March 10, 1951)
    • “The Emil Lovett Matter” (March 17, 1951)
    • “The Byron Hayes Matter” (March 24, 1951)
    • “The Jackie Cleaver Matter” (March 31, 1951)
    • “The Edward French Matter” (April 7, 1951)
    • “The Micky Mcqueen Matter” (April 14, 1951)
    • “The Willard South Matter” (April 21, 1951)
    • “The Month-End Raid Matter” (April 28, 1951)
    • “The Virginia Towne Matter” (May 5, 1951)
    • “The Marie Meadows Matter” (May 12, 1951)
    • “The Jane Doe Matter” (May 19, 1951)
    • “The Lillis Bond Matter” (May 26, 1951)
    • “The Soderbury, Maine Matter” (June 2, 1951)
    • “The George Farmer Matter” (June 9, 1951)
    • “The Arthur Boldrick Matter” (June 16, 1951)
    • “The Malcolm Wish, Maryland Matter” (June 20, 1951)
    • “The Hatchet House Theft Matter” (June 27, 1951)
    • “The Alonzo Chapman Matter” (July 4, 1951)
    • “The Fairway Matter” (July 11, 1951)
    • “The Neil Breer Matter” (July 18, 1951)
    • “The Blind Item Matter” (July 25, 1951)
    • “The Horace Lockhart Matter” (August 1, 1951)
    • “The Morgan Fay Matter” (August 8, 1951)
    • “The Lucky Costa Matter” (August 15, 1951)
    • “The Cumberland Theft Matter” (August 22, 1951)
    • “The Leland Case Matter” (August 29, 1951)
    • “The Rum Barrel Matter” (September 12, 1951)
    • “The Cuban Jewel Matter” (September 19, 1951)
    • “The Protection Matter” (September 26, 1951)
    • “The Douglas Taylor Matter” October 6, 1951)
    • “The Millard Ward Matter” (October 13, 1951)
    • “The Janet Abbe Matter” (October 20, 1951)
    • “The Tollhurst Theft Matter” (October 27, 1951)
    • “The Hannibal Murphy Matter” (November 3, 1951)
    • “The Birdy Baskerville Matter” (November 10, 1951)
    • “The Merrill Kent Matter” (November 17, 1951)
    • “The Youngstown Credit Group Matter” (December 8, 1951)
    • “The Paul Barberis Matter” (December 15, 1951)
    • “The Maynard Collins Matter” (December 22, 1951)
    • “The Alma Scott Matter” (December 29, 1951)
    • “The Glen English Matter” (January 5, 1952)
    • “The Baxter Matter” (January 12, 1952)
    • “The Amelia Harwell Matter” (January 2, 1952)
    • .”The Yankee Pride Matter” (July 9, 1952)
    • “The Henry Page Matter” (July 16, 1952)
    • “The Montevideo Matter” (July 23, 1952)
    • “The New Bedford Morgue Matter” (July 30, 1952)
    • “The Sidney Mann Matter” (August 6, 1952)
    • “The Tom Hickman Matter” (August 13, 1952)
    • “The Edith Maxwell Matter” (August 20, 1952)
    • “The Yankee Pride Matter” (August 27, 1952)
    • “The Montevideo Matter” (September 3, 1952)
    • The John Lund Episodes
      (November 28, 1952-September 19, 1954)
      Sponsor: Wrigley’s Gum
    • “The Singapore Arson Matter” (November 28, 1952)
    • “The James Clayton Matter” (December 5, 1952)
    • “The Elliott Champion Matter” (December 12, 1952)
    • “The New Cambridge Matter” (December 19, 1952)
    • “The Walter Patterson Matter” (December 26, 1952)
    • “The Baltimore Matter” (January 2, 1953)
    • “The Thelma Ibsen Matter” (January 9, 1953)
    • “The Starlet Matter” (January 16, 1953)
    • “The Marigold Matter” (January 23, 1953)
    • “The Kay Bellamy Matter” (January 30, 1953)
    • “The Chicago Fraud Matter” (February 6, 1953)
    • “The Latourette Matter” (February 20, 1953)
    • “The Underwood Matter” (February 27, 1953)
    • “The Jeanne Maxwell Matter” (March 6, 1953)
    • “The Birdy Baskerville Matter” (March 10, 1953)
    • “The King’s Necklace Matter” (March 17, 1953)
    • “The Syndicate Matter” (March 24, 1953)
    • “The Lester James Matter” (March 31, 1953)
    • “The Enoch Arden Matter” (April 7, 1953)
    • “The Madison Matter” (April 14, 1953)
    • “The Dameron Matter” (April 21, 1953)
    • “The San Antonio Matter” (April 28, 1953)
    • “The Blackmail Matter” (May 5, 1953)
    • “The Rochester Theft Matter” (May 12, 1953)
    • “The Emily Braddock Matter” (May 19, 1953)
    • “The Brisbane Fraud Matter” (May 26, 1953)
    • “The Costain Matter” (June 2, 1953)
    • “The Oklahoma Red Matter” (June 9, 1953)
    • “The Emil Carter Matter” (June 16, 1953)
    • “The Jonathan Bellows Matter” (June 23, 1953)
    • “The Jones Matter” (June 30, 1953)
    • “The Bishop Blackmail Matter” (July 7, 1953)
    • “The Shayne Bombing Matter” (July 14, 1953)
    • “The Black Doll Matter” (July 21, 1953)
    • “The James Forbes Matter” (July 28, 1953)
    • “The Voodoo Matter” (August 4, 1953)
    • “The Nancy Shaw Matter” (August 11, 1953)
    • “The Isabelle James Matter” (August 18, 1953)
    • “The Nelson Matter” (August 25, 1953)
    • “The Stanley Price Matter” (September 1, 1953)
    • “The Lester Matson Matter” (September 8, 1953)
    • “The Oscar Clark Matter” (September 15, 1953)
    • “The William Post Matter” (September 22, 1953)
    • “The Anita Buddha Matter” (September 29, 1953)
    • “The Alfred Chambers Matter” (October 6, 1953)
    • “The Philip Morey Matter” October 13, 1953)
    • “The Allen Saxton Matter” (October 20, 1953)
    • “The Howard Arlen Matter” (October 27, 1953)
    • “The Gina Gambona Matter” (November 3, 1953)
    • “The Bobby Foster Matter” (November 10, 1953)
    • “The Nathan Gayles Matter” (November 17, 1953)
    • “The Independent Diamond Traders Matter” (November 24, 1953)
    • “The Monopoly Matter” (December 1, 1953)
    • “The Barton Baker Matter” (December 8, 1953)
    • “The Milk And Honey Matter” (December 15, 1953)
    • “The Rudy Valentine Matter” (December 22, 1953)
    • “The Ben Bryson Matter” (December 29, 1953)
    • “The Fairway Matter” (January 5, 1954)
    • “The Celia Woodstock Matter” (January 12, 1954)
    • “The Draminski Matter” (January 19, 1954)
    • “The Beaugard Matter” (January 26, 1954)
    • “The Paul Gorrell Matter” (February 2, 1954)
    • “The Harpooned Angler Matter” (February 9, 1954)
    • “The Uncut Canary Matter” (February 16, 1954)
    • “The Classified Killer Matter” (February 23, 1954)
    • “The Road Test Matter” (March 2, 1954)
    • “The Terrified Tuan Matter” (March 9, 1954)
    • “The Berlin Matter” (March 16, 1954)
    • “The Piney Corners Matter” (March 23, 1954)
    • “The Undried Fiddleback Matter” (March 30, 1954)
    • “The Sulphur And Brimstone Matter” (April 6, 1954)
    • “The Magnolia And Honeysuckle Matter” (April 13, 1954)
    • “The Nathan Swing Matter” (April 20, 1954)
    • “The Frustrated Phoenix Matter” (April 27, 1954)
    • “The Dan Frack Matter” (May 4, 1954)
    • “The Aromatic Cicatrix Matter” (May 11, 1954)
    • “The Bilked Baroness Matter” (May 18, 1954)
    • “The Punctilious Firebug Matter” (May 25, 1954)
    • “The Tempermental Toteboard Matter” 219 (June 1, 1954)
    • “The Sarah Dearing Matter” (June 8, 1954)
    • “The Patterson Transport Matter” (June 15, 1954)
    • “The Arthur Boldrick Matter” (June 22, 1954)
    • “The Woodward Manila Matter” (June 29, 1954)
    • “The Flowering Judas Matter” (July 6, 1954)
    • “The Carboniferous Dolomite Matter” (July 13, 1954)
    • “The Jeanne Maxwell Matter” (July 20, 1954)
    • “The Radioactive Gold Matter” (July 27, 1954)
    • “The Hampton Line Matter” (August 3, 1954)
    • The Sarah Martin Matter” (August 10, 1954)
    • “The Hamilton Payroll Matter” (September 5, 1954)
    • “The Great Bassmock Race Matter” (September 12, 1954)
    • “The Upjohn Matter” (September 19, 1954)
    • The Bob Bailey Episodes
      (October 3, 1955-November 2, 1956, CBS)
      15-minute episodes
      At this point, the show went from presenting a weekly, self-contained 30-minute show to a daily, 15 minute format, presenting a five-apart serial every week.
    • “The McCormack Matter” (October 3-7, 1955)
    • “The Molly Kay Matter” (October 10-14, 1955)
    • “The Chesapeake Fraud Matter” (October 17-21, 1955)
    • “The Alvin Summers Matter” (October 24-28, 1955)
    • “The Valentine Matter” (October 31-November 4 1955)
    • “The Lorco Diamond Matter” (November 7-11, 1955)…Listen to it free!
    • “The Broderick Matter” (November 14-18, 1955)
    • “The Amy Bradshaw Matter” (November 21-25, 1955)
    • “The Henderson Matter” (November 28-December 1, 1955)
    • “The Cronin Matter” (December 5-9, 1955)
    • “The Lansing Fraud Matter” (December 12-16, 1955)
    • “The Nick Shurn Matter” (December 19-23, 1955)
    • “The Forbes Matter” (December 26-30, 1955)
    • “The Caylin Matter” (January 2-6, 1956)
    • “The Todd Matter” (January 9-13, 1956)
    • “The Ricardo Amerigo Matter” (January 16-20, 1956)
    • “The Duke Reo Matter” (January 23-27, 1956)
    • “The Flight Six Matter” (January 30-February 3, 1956)
    • “The McClean Matter” (February 6-10, 1956)
    • “The Chi Bono Matter” (February 13-17, 1956)
    • “The Bennett Matter” (February 20-24, 1956)
    • “The Fathom Five Matter” (February 27-March 2, 1956)
    • “The Plantation Matter” (March 5-9, 1956)
    • “The Clinton Matter” (March 12-16, 1956)
    • “The Jolly Roger Fraud” (March 19-23, 1956)
    • “The Lamar Matter” (March 26-30, 1956)
    • “The Salt City Matter” (April 2-6, 1956)
    • “Laird Douglas-Douglas Of Heatherstone Ma” (April 9-13, 1956)
    • “The Shepherd Matter” (April 16-20, 1956)
    • “The Lonely Hearts Matter” (April 23-27, 1956)
    • “The Callicles Matter” (April 30-May 4, 1956)
    • “The Silver Blue Matter” (May 7-11, 1956)
    • “The Matter Of The Medium-Well Done” (May 14-18, 1956)
    • “The Tears Of The Night Matter” (May 21-25, 1956)
    • “The Matter Of Reasonable Doubt” (May 28-June 1, 1956)
    • “The Industructible Mike Matter” (June 4-8, 1956)
    • “The Laughing Matter” (June 11-15, 1956)
    • “The Pearling Matter” (June 18-22, 1956)
    • “The Long Shot Matter” (June 25-29, 1956)
    • “The Touch Of Midas Matter” (July 2-6, 1956)
    • “The Shady Lane Matter” (July 9-13, 1956)
    • “The Star Of Capetown Matter” (July 16-20, 1956)
    • “The Open Town Matter” (July 23-27, 1956)
    • “The Sea Legs Matter” (July 30-August 3, 1956)
    • “The Alder Matter” (August 6-10, 1956)
    • “The Crystal Lake Matter” (August 13-17, 1956)
    • “The Kranesburg Matter” (August 24-31, 1956)
    • “The Curse Of Kamashek Matter” (September 3-7, 1956)
    • “The Confidential Matter” (September 10-14, 1956)
    • “The Perfect Alibi Matter” (September 17-21, 1956)
    • “The Meg’s Palace Matter” (September 24-28, 1956)
    • “The Picture Postcard Matter” (October 1-5, 1956)
    • “The Primrose Matter” (October 8-12, 1956)
    • “The Phantom Chase Matter” (October 15-26, 1956)
    • “The Silent Queen Matter” (October 29-November 2, 1956)
    • The Bob Bailey 30-minute Episodes
      (November 11, 1956-November 2, 1956, CBS)
      30-minute episodes
      Produced in Hollywood
      At this point, the show reverted back to self-contained 30-minute weekly shows.
    • “TheBig Scoop Matter” (November 11, 1956)
    • “The Markham Matter” (November 18, 1956)
    • “The Royal Street Matter” (November 25, 1956)
    • “The Burning Car Matter” (December 9, 1956)
    • “The Rasmusson Matter” (December 16, 1956)
    • “The Missing Mouse Natter” (December 23, 1956)
    • “The Squared Circle Matter” (December 30, 1956)
    • “The Ellen Dear Matter” (January 06, 1957)
    • “The Desalles Matter” (January 13, 1957)
    • “The Blooming Blossom Matter” (January 20, 1957)
    • “The Mad Hatter Matter” (January 27, 1957)
    • “The Kirby Will Matter” (February 3, 1957)
    • “The Templeton Matter” (February 10, 1957)
    • “The Golden Touch Matter” (February 17, 1957)
    • “The Meek Memorial Matter” (March 3, 1957)
    • “The Suntan Oil Matter” (March 10, 1957)
    • “The Clever Chemist Matter” (March 17, 1957)
    • “The Hollywood Matter” (March 24, 1957)
    • “The Moonshine Matter” (March 31, 1957)
    • “The Ming Toy Murphy Matter” (April 14, 1957)
    • “The Marley K. Matter” (April 21, 1957)
    • “The Melancholy Memory Matter” (April 28, 1957)
    • “The Peerless Fire Matter” (May 5, 1957)
    • “The Glacier Ghost Matter” (May 12, 1957)
    • “The Michael Meany Mirage Matter” (May 19, 1957)
    • “The Wayward Truck Matter” (May 26, 1957)
    • “The Loss Of Memory Matter” (June 2, 1957)
    • “The Mason-Dixon Mismatch Matter” (June 9, 1957)
    • “The Dixon Murder Matter” (June 16, 1957)
    • “The Parley Baron Matter” (June 23, 1957)
    • “The Funny Money Matter” (June 30, 1957)
    • “The Felicity Feline Matter” (July 7, 1957)
    • “The Heatherstone Players Matter” (July 14, 1957)
    • “The Yours Truly Matter” (July 21, 1957)
    • “The Confederate Coinage Matter” (July 28, 1957)
    • “The Wayward Widow Matter” (August 4, 1957)
    • “The Killer’s Brand Matter” (August 11, 1957)
    • “The Winnipesaukee Wonder Matter” (August 18, 1957)
    • “The Smokey Sleeper Matter” (August 25, 1957)
    • “The Poor Little Rich Girl Matter” (September 1, 1957)
    • “The Charmona Matter” (September 8, 1957)
    • “The J.P.D. Matter” (September 15, 1957)
    • “The Ideal Vacation Matter” (September 22, 1957)
    • “The Doubtful Dairy Matter” (September 29, 1957)
    • “The Bum Steer Matter” (October 6, 1957)
    • “The Silver Belle Matter” (October 13, 1957)
    • “The Mary Grace Matter” (October 20, 1957)
    • “The Three Sisters Matter” (October 27, 1957)
    • “The Model Picture Matter” (November 3, 1957)
    • “The Alkali Mike Matter” (November 10, 1957)
    • “The Shy Beneficiary Matter” (November 17, 1957)
    • “The Hope To Die Matter” (November 24, 1957)
    • “The Sunny Dream Matter” (December 01, 1957)
    • “The Hapless Hunter Matter” (December 08, 1957)
    • “The Happy Family Matter” (December 15, 1957)
    • “The Carmen Kringle Matter” (December 22, 1957)
    • “The Latin Lovely Matter” (December 29, 1957)
    • “The Ingenuous Jeweler Matter” (January 05, 1958)
    • “The Boron 112 Matter” (January 12, 1958)
    • “The Eleven O’Clock Matter” (January 19, 1958)
    • “The Fire In Paradise Matter” (January 26, 1958)
    • “The Price Of Fame Matter” (February 2, 1958)
    • “The Sick Chick Matter” (February 9, 1958)
    • “The Time And Tide Matter” (February 16, 1958)
    • “The Durango Laramie Matter” (February 23, 1958)
    • “The Diamond Dilemma Matter” (March 2, 1958)
    • “The Wayward Moth Matter” (March 9, 1958)
    • “The Salkoff Sequel Matter” (March 16, 1958)
    • ‘The Denver Disbursal Matter” (March 23, 1958)
    • “The Killer’s List Matter” (March 30, 1958)
    • “The Eastern-Western Matter” (April 6, 1958)
    • “The Wayward Money Matter” (April 13, 1958)
    • “The Wayward Trout Matter” (April 20, 1958)
    • “The Village Of Virtue Matter” (April 27, 1958)
    • “The Carson Arson Matter” (May 4, 1958)
    • “The Rolling Stone Matter” (May 11, 1958)
    • “The Ghost To Ghost Matter” (May 18, 1958)
    • “The Midnight Sun Matter” (May 25, 1958)
    • “The Forward Fisherman Matter” (June 1, 1958)
    • “The Wayward River Matter” (June 8, 1958)
    • “The Delectable Damsel Matter” (June 15, 1958)
    • “The Virtuous Mobster Matter” (June 22, 1958)
    • “The Ugly Pattern Matter” (June 29, 1958)
    • “The Blinker Matter” (July 6, 1958)
    • “Mojave Red Matter, The, Part 1” (July 13, 1958)
    • “Mojave Red Matter, The, Part 2” (July 20, 1958)
    • “The Wayward Killer Matter” (July 27, 1958)
    • “The Lucky Four Matter” (August 3, 1958)
    • “The Two-Faced Matter” (August 10, 1958, possibly also known as “The Ugly Pattern Matter”)
    • “The Blinker Matter” (August 17, 1958)
    • “The Noxious Needle Matter” (August 24, 1958)
    • “The Limping Liability Matter” (August 31, 1958)
    • “The Malibu Mystery Matter” (September 7, 1958)
    • “The Wayward Diamonds Matter” (September 14, 1958)
    • “The Johnson Payroll Matter” (September 21, 1958)
    • “The Gruesome Spectacle Matter” (September 28, 1958)
    • “The Missing Matter Matter” (October 5, 1958)
    • “The Impossible Murder Matter” (October 12, 1958)
    • “The Monoxide Mystery Matter” (October 19, 1958)
    • “The Basking Ridge Matter” (October 26, 1958)
    • “The Crater Lake Matter” (November 2, 1958)
    • “The Close Shave Matter” (November 9, 1958)
    • “The Double Trouble Matter” (November 16, 1958)
    • “The One Most Wanted Matter” (November 23, 1958)
    • “The Hair Raising Matter” (November 30, 1958)
    • “The Perilous Parley Matter” (December 07, 1958)
    • “The Allanmee Matter” (December 14, 1958)
    • “The Telltale Tracks Matter” (December 28, 1958)
    • “The Hollywood Mystery Matter” (January 04, 1959)
    • “The Deadly Doubt Matter” (January 11, 1959)
    • “The Loveshorn Matter” (January 18, 1959)
    • “The Doting Dowager Matter” (January 25, 1959)
    • “The Curley Waters Matter” (February 1, 1959)
    • “The Date With Death Matter” (February 8, 1959)
    • “The Shankar Diamond Matter” (February 15, 1959)
    • “The Blue Madonna Matter” (February 22, 1959)
    • “The Clouded Crystal Matter” (March 1, 1959)
    • “The Net Of Circumstance Matter” (March 8, 1959)
    • “The Baldero Matter” (March 15, 1959)
    • “The Lake Mead Mystery Matter” (March 22, 1959)
    • “The Jimmy Carter Matter” (March 29, 1959)
    • “The Frisco Fire Matter” (April 5, 1959)
    • “The Fair Weather Friend Matter” (April 12, 1959)
    • “The Cautious Celebate Matter” (April 19, 1959)
    • “The Winsome Widow Matter” (April 26, 1959)
    • “The Negligent Nephew Matter” (May 3, 1959)
    • “The Fatal Filet Matter” (May 10, 1959)
    • “The Twin Trouble Matter” (May 17, 1959)
    • “The Cask Of Death Matter” (May 24, 1959)
    • “The Big H. Matter” (May 31, 1959)
    • “The Wayward Heiress Matter” (June 7, 1959)
    • “The Wayward Sculptor Matter” (June 14, 1959)
    • “The Life At Stake Matter” (June 21, 1959)
    • “The Mei-Ling Buddha Matter” (June 28, 1959)
    • “The Only One Butt Matter” (July 5, 1959)
    • “The Frantic Fisherman Matter” (July 12, 1959)
    • “The Will And A Way Matter” (July 19, 1959)
    • “The Bolt Out Of The Blue Matter” (July 26, 1959)
    • “The Deadly Chain Matter” (August 2, 1959)
    • “The Lost By A Hair Matter” (August 9, 1959)
    • “The Night In Paris Matter” (August 16, 1959)
    • “The Embarcadero Matter” (August 23, 1959)
    • “The Really Gone Matter” (August 30, 1959)
    • “The Backfire That Backfired Matter” (September 6, 1959)
    • “The Leumas Matter” (September 13, 1959)
    • “The Little Man Who Was There Matter” (September 20, 1959)
    • “The Gruesome Spectacle Matter” (September 27, 1959)
    • “The Buffalo Matter,Part 1” (October 4, 1959)
    • “The Buffalo Matter, Part 2” (October 11, 1959)
    • “The Missing Missle Matter” (October 18, 1959)
    • “The Double Identity Matter” (October 25, 1959)
    • “The Hand Of Providencial Matter” (November 1, 1959)
    • “The Larson Arson Matter” (November 8, 1959)
    • “The Bayou Body Matter” (November 15, 1959)
    • “The Fancy Bridgework Matter” (November 22, 1959)
    • “The Wrong Man Matter” (November 29, 1959)
    • “The Hired Homicide Matter” (December 6, 1959)
    • “The Sudden Wealth Matter” (December 13, 1959; Christmas Story)
    • “The Red Mystery Matter” (December 20, 1959; Christmas Story)
    • “The Burning Desire Matter” (December 27, 1959)
    • “The Hapless Ham Matter” (January 03, 1960)
    • “The Unholy Two Matter” (January 10, 1960)
    • “The Evaporated Clue Matter” (January 17, 1960)
    • “The Nuclear Goof Matter” (January 24, 1960)
    • “The Merry-Go-Round Matter” (January 31, 1960)
    • “The Sidewinder Matter” (February 7, 1960)
    • “The P.O. Matter” 678 (February 14, 1960)
    • “Alvin’s Alfred Matter” (February 21, 1960)
    • “The Look Before The Leap Matter” (February 28, 1960)
    • “The Moonshine Matter” (March 6, 1960)
    • “The Deep Down Matter” (March 13, 1960)
    • “The Saturday Night Matter” (March 20, 1960)
    • “The False Alarm Matter” (March 27, 1960)
    • “The Double Exposure Matter” (April 3, 1960)
    • “The Deadly Swamp Matter” (April 17, 1960)
    • “The Silver Queen Matter” (April 24, 1960)
    • “The Fatal Switch Matter” (May 1, 1960)
    • “The Phony Phone Matter” (May 8, 1960)
    • “The Mystery Gal Matter” (May 15, 1960)
    • “The Man Who Waits Matter” (May 22, 1960)
    • “The Red Rock Matter” (May 29, 1960)
    • “The Canned Canary Matter” (June 5, 1960)
    • “The Harried Heiress Matter” (June 12, 1960)
    • “The Flask Of Death Matter” (June 19, 1960)
    • “The Wholly Unexpected Matter” (June 26, 1960)
    • “The Collector’s Matter” (July 3, 1960)
    • “The Back To The Back Matter” (July 17, 1960)
    • “The Rhymer Collection Matter” (July 31, 1960)
    • “The Magnanimous Matter” (August 7, 1960)
    • “The Paradise Lost Matter” (August 14, 1960)
    • “The Twisted Twin Matter” (August 21, 1960)
    • “The Deadly Debt Matter” (August 28, 1960)
    • “The Killer Kin Matter” (September 4, 1960)
    • “The Too Much Money Matter” (September 11, 1960)
    • “The Real Smokey Matter” (September 18, 1960)
    • “The Five Down Matter” (September 25, 1960)
    • “The Stope Of Death Matter” (October 2, 1960)
    • “The Recompense Matter” (October 9, 1960)
    • “The Twins Of Tahoe Matter” (October 16, 1960)
    • “The Unworthy Kin Matter” (October 23, 1960)
    • “The What Goes Matter” (October 30, 1960)
    • “The Super Salesman Matter” (November 6, 1960)
    • “The Bad One Matter” (November 13, 1960)
    • “The Double Deal Matter” (November 20, 1960)
    • “The Empty Threat Matter” (November 27, 1960; last show for Bob Bailey, end of Hollywood run)
    • The Robert Readick Episodes
      (December 4, 1960-June 11, 1961, CBS)
      30-minute episodes
      Produced in New York City
    • “Title Unknown ” (December 4, 1960)
    • “The Locked Room Murder Matter” (December 11, 1960)
    • “The Wayward Kilocycles Matter” (December 18, 1960)
    • “Title Unknown ” (December 25, 1960)
    • “Title Unknown ” (January 1, 1961)
    • “The Paperback Mystery Matter” (January 8, 1961)
    • “The Very Fishy Matter” (January 15, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (January 22, 1961)
    • “The Short Term Matter” (January 29, 1961)
    • “The Who’s Who Matter” (February 5, 1961)
    • “The Wayward Fireman Matter” (February 12, 1961)
    • “The Too Tired Matter” (February 19, 1961)
    • “The Touch-Up Matter” (February 26, 1961)
    • “The Morning After Matter” (March 5, 1961)
    • “The Ring Of Death Matter” (March 12, 1961)
    • “The Informer Matter” (March 19, 1961)
    • “The Two’s A Crowd Matter” (March 26, 1961)
    • “The Wrong Sign Matter” (April 2, 1961)
    • “The Captain’s Table Matter” (April 9, 1961)
    • “The Latro Dectus Matter” (April 16, 1961)
    • “The Rat Pack Matter” (April 23, 1961)
    • “The Purple Doll Matter” (April 30, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (May 7, 1961)
    • “The Simple Simon Matter” (May 14, 1961)
    • “The Lone Wolf Matter” (May 21, 1961)
    • “The Yak Matter Matter” (May 28, 1961)
    • “The Stock-In-Trade Matter” (June 4, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (June 11, 1961)
    • The Mandel Kramer Episodes
      (June 18, 1961-September 2, 1962, CBS)
      30-minute episodes
      Several sponsors
    • “The Low Tide Matter” (June 18, 1961)
    • “The Imperfect Crime Matter” (June 25, 1961)
    • “The Well Of Trouble Matter” (July 2, 1961)
    • “The Fiddle Faddle Matter” (July 9, 1961)
    • “The Old Fashioned Murder Matter” (July 16, 1961)
    • “The Chuck-A-Nut Matter” (July 23, 1961)
    • “The Philadelphia Miss Matter” (July 30, 1961)
    • “The Perilous Padre Marrer” (August 6, 1961)
    • “The Wrong Doctor Matter” (August 13, 1961)
    • “Too Many Crooks Matter” (August 20, 1961)
    • “The Shifty Looker Matter” (August 27, 1961)
    • “The All Wet Matter” (September 3, 1961)
    • “The Buyer And The Cellar Matter” (September 10, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (September 17, 1961)
    • “The Double-Barreled Matter” (September 17, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (October 1, 1961)
    • “The Medium Rare Matter” (October 8, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” 762 (October 15, 1961)
    • “The Three For One Matter” (October 22, 1961)
    • “The To Bee Or Not To Bee Matter” (October 29, 1961)
    • “The Monticello Mystery Matter” (November 5, 1961)
    • “The Wrong One Matter” (November 12, 1961)
    • “The Guide To Murder Matter” (November 19, 1961)
    • “The Mad Bomber Matter” (November 26, 1961)
    • “The Cinder Elmer Matter” (December 03, 1961)
    • “Title Unknown ” (December 10, 1961)
    • “The Phony Phone Matter” (December 17, 1961)
    • Christmas Show
    • “Title Unknown” December 24, 1961)
    • “The One Too Many Matter” (December 31, 1961)
    • “The Hot Chocolate Matter” (January 07, 1962)
    • ‘Title Unknown” January 14, 1962)
    • “The Terrible Torch Matter” (January 21, 1962)
    • “The Can’T Be So Matter” (January 28, 1962)
    • “The Nugget Of Truth Matter” (February 4, 1962)
    • “The Do It Yourself Matter” (February 11, 1962)
    • “The It Takes A Crook Matter” (February 18, 1962)
    • “The Mixed Blessing Matter” (February 25, 1962)
    • “The Top Secret Matter” (March 4, 1962)
    • “The Golden Dream Matter” (March 11, 1962)
    • “The Ike And Mike Matter” (March 18, 1962)
    • “The Shadow Of A Doubt Matter” (March 25, 1962)
    • “The Blue Rock Matter” (April 1, 1962)
    • “The Ivy Emerald Matter” (April 8, 1962)
    • “The Wrong Idea Matter” (April 15, 1962)
    • “The Skidmore Matter” (April 22, 1962)
    • “The Grand Canyon Matter” (April 29, 1962)
    • “The Burma Red Matter” (May 6, 1962)
    • “The Lust For Gold Matter” (May 13, 1962)
    • “The Two Steps To Murder Matter” (May 20, 1962)
    • “The Zipp Matter” (May 27, 1962)
    • “The Wayward Gun Matter” (June 3, 1962)
    • Title Unknown (June 10, 1962)
    • “The All Too Easy Matter” (June 17, 1962)
    • “The Food Of Death Matter” (June 24, 1962)
    • “The Vociferous Dolphin Matter” (July 1, 1962)
    • “The Rilldoe Matter” (July 8, 1962)
    • “The Weather Or Not Matter” (July 15, 1962)
    • “The Skimpy Matter” (July 22, 1962)
    • “The Four Is A Crowd Matter” (July 29, 1962)
    • “The Case Of Trouble Matter” (August 5, 1962)
    • “The Oldest Gag Matter” (August 12, 1962)
    • “The Lorelei Matter” (August 19, 1962)
    • “The Gold Rush Matter” (August 26, 1962)
    • “The Donninger Donninger Matter” (September 2, 1962)
    • “The Four Seas Matter” (September 9, 1962)
    • “The No Matter Matter” (September 16, 1962)
    • “The Deadly Crystal Matter” 811 (September 23, 1962)
    • “The Tip-Off Matter” (September 30, 1962)

TELEVSION

  • JOHNNY DOLLAR
    (1962)
    Pilot (possibly unaired)
    One 30-minute episode
    Black & white
    Based on characters created by Jack Johnstone
    Written and directed by Blake Edwards
    Executive producer: Blake Edwards
    Produced by Owen Crump
    Music by Henry Mancini
    Starring William Bryant as JOHNNY DOLLAR
    Also starring Victor Buono
    TV execs felt Bob Bailey didn’t “look the part” (Bailey stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 150-pounds), so they cast William Bryant (5’11”) in the role, to no avail. The pilot—at least as far as I can tell—was never aired.

SHORT STORIES

COLLECTIONS

  • Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (2019; Hancock, Tommy, editor) | Buy it now
    Brand new prose tales of Old Time Radio’s “man with the action-packed expense account.” Contributors include Gary Phillips, Tommy Hancock, Joe Gentile, Ron Fortier, Eric Fein, Bobby Nash, Josh Reynolds, & Barry Reese. There’s also a deluxe edition which includes the complete, 48-page comic book from 2003.

COMICS

  • YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR: THE BRIEF CANDLE MATTER
    (May 2003, Moonstone Books)
    48-pages, black & white
    Written by David Gallaher
    Art by Eric Theriault

FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS

Respectfully submitted by Stewart Wright, August 1999, with a teeny bit of stuff from Kevin Burton Smith (Thanks, Jenni).
Bob Bailey photo, courtesy of Scott and Jan Macgillivray, is actually taken from Bailey’s first film, “Jitterbugs” (1943).

 

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