Rocky Jordan (A Man Named Jordan, Rocky Jordan)

Created by Ray Buffum (?)
(1904-80)

ROCKY JORDAN, an ex-pat American, was the title character of one of the better and more exotic radio detective series. In fact, it’s one of the best detective series I have ever heard.

The series had two separate incarnations. The first, A Man Named Jordan, started as a daily 15-minute show and after about six months changed to a weekly 30-minute show. It took place in Istanbul and the Café Tambourine, which was owned by Jordan, was described as “a small restaurant in a narrow street off Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, permeated with by the smoke of Oriental tobacco, alive with the babble of many tongues, and packed with intrigue.”

The second incarnation, Rocky Jordan, was a weekly 30-minute series set in Cairo, which we were frequently reminded was “the gateway to the ancient East where adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity.”

Why Rocky moved to Cairo is never explained, nor is the reason he can’t return to the states, although some sort of incident in St. Louis is occasionally hinted at. Imagine if Rick’s joint in Casablanca was more of a dive bar and you’ve got it.

Jordan himself wasn’t even a private eye, though he sure acted like one. Officially, he was simply the owner of the Café Tambourine (which had also been transported to Egypt, without any explanation) who spent most of his time solving mysteries that he usually became involved in by accident. During the Cairo-based run, he often encountered Captain Sam Sabaaya of the Cairo police. John Dunning in his On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio describes Jordan as:

… a rugged hero who each week was confronted by a crime, a mystery, a beautiful woman or a combination of the three. It was a detective show with a difference: the Oriental background was played to the hilt, giving it a sound like no other.”

The writers worked hard to give the show authenticity — actual places and streets in Cairo were often and accurately mentioned. The music score also added to the exoticness of the series. Jack Moyles, a veteran of radio who originated  the role, was much more effective and believable in the role than George Raft, who starred in the late-in-the-game remake, which nonetheless ran for two summers.

There was even talk about CBS adapting the show for television, in conjunction with by Raft’s production company, but it never came to pass.

The show was one of the best examples of the so-called “amateur detective” or “unlicenced private investigator” type that were a recurring theme for radio series. It was a common way of putting a different and fresh twist on the basic private detective theme, an extremely popular and well-established genre on the radio. The main character had a stated, non-investigative occupation, but he or she always got involved with solving mysteries and crimes. Jordan passes the Chandler test: “trouble” was definitely his “real” business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/CREATOR

UNDER OATH

•  “Rocky Jordan, with Jack Moyles, was a quality program with intelligence, wit, and style. This was radio at its best, telling a story with words and sounds so vivid it would awaken our imaginations and take us away to experience ancient cultures and exotic lands.”
  — Michael Shonk (October 2011, Mystery*File)

CONSUMER WARNING

• This Rocky Jordan is NOT to be confused with that Rocky Jorden, the comic book private eye who came along a few years later.

RADIO

• A MAN NAMED JORDAN
  (1945 – 1947, CBS West Coast)
  15 minute episodes, nightly, until June 29, 1945
  Switched to 30 minute weekly episodes for the remainder of the run
  First Broadcast: January 8, 1945
  Last Broadcast: April 20, 1947
  Written by Ray Buffum
  Directed by Ray Buffum
  Announcer: Larry Thor
  Starring Jack Moyles as ROCKY JORDAN
  with Dorothy Lovett as Toni Sherwood (Rocky’s girlfriend)
  Also starring Paul Frees, Jay Novello

• ROCKY JORDAN
  (1948-50 CBS West Coast)
  97 episodes
  First Broadcast: October 31, 1948
  Last Broadcast: September 10, 1950
  Writers: Larry Romero, Gomer Cool, Anderoux Bittar, Cliff Howell
  Directed by Cliff Howell
  Produced by Cliff Howell
  Announcer: Larry Thor
  Music by Richard Aurandt, Milton Charles
  Starring Jack Moyles as ROCKY JORDAN
  and Jay Novello as Captain Sam Sabaaya
  Guest stars include: William Conrad, Paul Frees, June Foray
  • “The Bartered Bridegroom” (October 31, 1948)
  • “Count Me Out” (November 7, 1948)
  • “Dressed To Kill” (November 14, 1948)
  • “The Man In The Morgue” (November 21, 1948)
  • “A Letter From Higgins” (November 31, 1948)
  • “Strangers Three” (December 5, 1948)
  • “Ace High Straight” (December 12, 1948)
  • “Up In Flames” (December 19, 1948)
  • “Yesterday’s Santa” (December 26, 1948)
  • “Death In The Sand” (January 2, 1949)
  • “Escapade With Paula” (January 9, 1949)
  • “Case Of The Sleepy Camel” (January 16, 1949)
  • “Black Ink” (January 3, 1949)
  • “Bacsmish Boy” (January 30, 1949)
  • “Champagne, Cavier & Hot Ice” (February 6, 1949)
  • “Red Stands For Blood” (February 13, 1949)
  • “Twenty Fathoms Under” (February 20, 1949)
  • “Forgotten Caravan” (February 27, 1949)
  • “The Two O’clock Man” (March 6, 1949)
  • “Saint Louie Blues” (March 13, 1949)
  • “Passport For Vivi” (March 20, 1949)
  • “Everything Is Shipshape” (March 27, 1949)
  • “Portrait Of Rocky” (April 3, 1949)
  • “My Quiet Friend” (April 10, 1949)
  • “Consignment For Naples” (April 24, 1949)
  • “Fall Guy” (May 1, 1949)
  • “Lady In Disguise” (May 8, 1949)
  • “Blood And Black Gold” (May 15, 1949)
  • “The Make Up Man” (May 22, 1949)
  • “Desert Betrayal” (May 29, 1949)
  • “The Man They All Loved” (June 5, 1949)
  • “The Man From Damascus” (June 12, 1949)
  • “The Big Ditc” (June 19, 1949)
  • “Journey To Nashir” (June 26, 1949)
  • “Map Of Murder” (July 3, 1949)
  • “The Broken Wing” (July 10, 1949)
  • “The Race” (July 17, 1949)
  • “Coward Of Mutakahn” (July 24, 1949)
  • “Bar Lachi” (July 31, 1949)
  • “Gold Fever” (August 7, 1949)
  • “Cairo Vendetta” (August 14, 1949)
  • “Gum Queen” (August 21, 1949)
  • “The Lady From Istanbul” (August 28, 1949)
  • “Stranger To The Desert” (September 4, 1949)
  • “Adventure With Andrea” (September 11, 1949)
  • “The Nile Runs High” (September 18, 1949)
  • “Momento From Adaliade” (September 25, 1949)
  • “Pattern For Revenge” (October 2, 1949)
  • “The Man With No Name” (October 9, 1949)
  • “Quest For Traneeneh” (October 16, 1949)
  • “The Dierite Bowl” (October 23, 1949)
  • “The De Marco Affair” (October 30, 1949)
  • “Black Ball” (November 6, 1949)
  • “Strange Death Of Van Dorn” (November 13, 1949)
  • “The Big Heist” (November 20, 1949)
  • “High Pressure” (November 27, 1949)
  • “Notorious Mr. Marko” (December 4, 1949)
  • “The Vailed People” (December 11, 1949)
  • “Late Mr. Maru” (December 18, 1949)
  • “Star Of Egypt” (December 25, 1949)
  • “The Man From Cairo” (January 1, 1950)
  • “Smoke Screen” (January 8, 1950)
  • “Loomis Affair” (January 15, 1950)
  • “The Face Of Diana” (January 22, 1950)
  • “An Air Of Death” (January 29, 1950)
  • “Return Of Toni” (February 5, 1950)
  • “Madame Dulock’s Daughter” (February 12, 1950)
  • “Payed In Full” (February 19, 1950)
  • “Return Of Dr. Pyrue” (February 26, 1950)
  • “The Secret Of Wong Lee” (March 5, 1950)
  • “White Beetle” (March 12, 1950)
  • “Perfect Witness” (March 19, 1950)
  • “Foolproof” (March 26, 1950)
  • “Strange Fate Of Proffessor Amar” (April 2, 1950)
  • “Holiday Weekend” (April 9, 1950)
  • “Adventure In Zaqaziq” (April 16, 1950)
  • “Big Gamble” (April 23, 1950)
  • “The Mystery Of Carl Kleist” (April 30, 1950)
  • “Hound Of The Memlooks” (May 7, 1950)
  • “Congo Copper” (May 14, 1950)
  • “The Beggar Of Farar” (May 21, 1950)
  • “Song Of The Night” (May 28, 1950)
  • “Word Of The Bishop” (June 4, 1950)
  • “Pharoah’s Formula” (May 11, 1950)
  • “Shakedown” (May 18, 1950)
  • “Dilemma” (May 25, 1950)
  • “Dead Colleen” (July 2, 1950)
  • “Interlude” (July 9, 1950)
  • “Lotus Cup Of Amin Ra” (July 16, 1950)
  • “Cairo Tour” (July 23, 1950)
  • “Money Changers” (July 30, 1950)
  • “The Broken Wing” (August 6, 1950)
  • “City Of Baksheesh” (August 13, 1950)
  • “Man From Damascus” (August 20, 1950)
  • “Dr. Markoff’s Discovery” (August 27, 1950)
  • “Ace High Straight” (September 3, 1950)
  • “Trail Of The Assassin” (September 10, 1950)
• ROCKY JORDAN
  (1951-52, CBS)
  First Broadcast: June 27, 1951
  Last Broadcast: June 26, 1953
  20 episodes
  Writers: Larry Romero, Gomer Cool, Anderoux Bittar, Cliff Howell
  Directed by Cliff Howell
  Produced by Cliff Howell
  Announcer: Larry Thor
  Music by Richard Aurandt
  Starring George Raft as ROCKY JORDAN
  and Jay Novello as Captain Sam Sabaaya
  • “The Man From Damascus” (March 28, 1951)
    George Raft’s audition show
  • “Beach Of Stones” (June 27, 1951)
  • “Lady From Tangiers” (July 4, 1951)
  • “The Genakos Affair” (July 11, 1951)
  • “Beach Of Stones” (July 18, 1951)
  • “Valley Of The Dead” (July 25, 1951)
  • “Marcouf Plan” (August 1, 1951)
  • “Big Frame” (August 8, 1951)
  • “Man In The Nile” (August 15, 1951)
  • “Desert Fury” (August 22, 1951)
  • “High Pressure” (July 6, 1952)
  • “The Fe Of Diana” (July 13, 1952)
  • “The Perfect Witness” (July 20, 1952)
  • “Strange Fate Of Professor Amar” (July 27, 1952)
  • “Paid In Full” (August 3, 1952)
  • “Secret Of Wong Leel” (August 10, 1952)
  • “Shakedownl” (August 17, 1952)
  • “The Man They All Lovedl” (August 24, 1952)
  • “The Return Of Dr. Pirul” (August 31, 1952)
  • “The White Beetle” (September 7, 1952)

COLLECTIONS

Respectfully by Stewart Wright (May, 1999), with additional info from Kevin Burton Smith. And thanks, Kathleen, for keeping us on our toes.