The And the Welcome to Down These Mean Streets and more old-time radio

detectives and crime fighters. Today we're headed to the movies by way of radio. During the

Golden Age of radio big screen hits were recreated on the air on all sorts of

programs sometimes with their original cast.

But not always.

It's those episodes of Academy Award, Screen Directors Playhouse, and the Lux Radio Theater

that allow us to hear what if scenarios play out for

classic films. We have one of those scenarios today with a radio recreation of

the Maltese Falcon, John Houston's classic film version of Dashel Hammett's novel,

with none of the major players from the film recreating their roles.

The Maltese Falcon is, of course, recreating their roles.

The Maltese Falcon is, of course, a classic, and it's an interesting counter-argument to the Voices' decrying remakes of films.

The Houston version of the original can be a missed opportunity.

The success of the film is thanks in no small part to the murderer's row of talent Houston

assembled.

Humphrey Bogart in his star-making turn is hard-boiled private eyes Sam Spade.

Mary Astor is one of the finest fem-fatals of all time,

Bridget O'Shaughnessy.

Peter Lorry is the shady Joel Cairo and Sydney Green Street in his big screen

debut as the unscrupulous and greedy Casper Gutman. Though this talented quartet

appeared on radio in other versions of the Maltese Falcon,

the show will hear today boasts a different cast and an otherwise pretty faithful adaptation.

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