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.

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

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective.

The Adventures of the Saints starring Vincent Prize

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

America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

Yours truly, Johnny Deller. And the Hello and welcome to down these mean streets. Sometimes it takes a thief to catch a thief and that old adage was proved time and again in the

adventures of Boston Blackie. The reformed safe-cracker and jewel thief turned

detective sprang from the pages of novels to the big screen and later

to his own radio series.

And he boasted one of the best introductions of any character anywhere.

Enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend.

The actor most associated with Boston Blackie was Chester Morris, a stage and film veteran who earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor in 1929.

That nod came for his portrayal of a gangster trying to hide his criminal

enterprises from his wife in the crime drama alibi. Morris worked steadily through the 30s, but his popularity as a leading man began to decline in the middle of the decade.

When he was cast as Boston Blackie in 1941's Meet Boston Blackie and Mears' career received a shot in the arm.

He'd go on to star as Blackie in 14 B movies from Columbia Pictures between 1941 and 1949.

And in the summer of 1944, Morris starred as Blackie in a replacement series for Amos and Andy.

The Boston Blackie radio series carried over several of the recurring characters from the Columbia Films.

Richard Lane joined Morris on radio and recreated his film role of Inspector Faraday, the

thick-headed cop who was always quick to blame Blackie for whatever crime occurred in the former Crooks orbit. The series also brought

over the character of Arthur Mannletter, played in several of the movies by actor Lloyd Corrigan.

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