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Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Episode 361 – For the Boys (Command Performance)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Jack Mooney

Arts, Performing Arts, Tv & Film

4.51.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 December 2019

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In a madcap musical comedy adventure, Bing Crosby is Dick Tracy, Dinah Shore is Tess Trueheart, and Bob Hope is Flat Top in "Dick Tracy in B-Flat." They're just the tip of the iceberg of an incredible cast assembled for the production on Command Performance - a special series presented for the fighting men and women of the US Armed Forces. This silly song-filled take on Chester Gould's celebrated super cop was recorded on February 15, 1945.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Get this and get it straight. Crime is a suckers road and those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave.

0:07.0

The story you are about to hear is true, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

0:18.0

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective.

0:22.0

The Adventures of the Saints starring Vincent Prize

0:25.4

Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account

0:30.6

America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

0:33.0

Yours truly, Johnny Deller. the Hello and welcome to down these mean streets.

0:59.0

Today we're heading into the holiday season with something lighter than our usual

1:04.2

radio detective fair. Certainly it's the most singing we've ever heard on the

1:09.1

podcast. Today we'll hear an episode of Command Performance, a showcase of the biggest stars of

1:16.3

stage, screen, and radio in special broadcasts for the fighting men and women of the U.S US Armed Forces during World War II.

1:24.6

Folks at all levels of production donated their services to the war department to bring the show to the

1:29.6

troops with a promise to deliver entertainment till it's over over there.

1:35.0

Command performance was an all-star affair,

1:38.0

especially the show we're going to hear today.

1:41.0

From February 15th, 1945, it's the first comic strip operetta of all time.

1:49.4

Dick Tracy in B flat. Chester Gould's square-jawed super cop had made the jump from the comics page to his own radio

1:58.0

serial, a show we'll get to next year on this podcast, and he'd also been featured in big screen

2:04.4

adventures. But the adaptation Command Performance presented was a musical comedy

2:09.6

that featured a cast of some of the brightest stars of Hollywood of the day.

2:14.6

Just get a load of this lineup.

2:16.4

The Super Sleuth himself was played by Bing Crosby.

...

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