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 and more stories of mystery and

murder from the Golden Age of Radio.

This week we're saluting an actor who's best known for his eight-year run as the Great Gildersleeve,

but who flexed his dramatic muscles on some of the best crime dramas of the era.

Born August 29, 1914, Willard Waterman succeeded his good friend Harold Perry as Throckmorton P. Gildersleve in the fall of 1950.

Perry, who had originated the role on Fibromagie and Molly before being spun off into his own series left the show to star

in his own comedy series on CBS.

Waterman, who both resembled and sounded like Perry, slipped effortlessly into the role, and he stayed as guilty until the radio show ended its run in 1958.

He also starred in a syndicated TV version in the late 50s.

Elsewhere on radio, Waterman was heard opposite Ronald Coleman and Benita Hume on the halls of

Ivy and hes on the screen

director's playhouse in the Lux Radio Theater. He was also a busy actor on the

big and small screens. Classic movie fans may know him as one of the philandering

executives who makes use of Jack Lemmon's Bachelor pad in the apartment.

Although he's best known for his sitcom shenanigans, Waterman was also a great dramatic actor on radio.

And today, in honor of his birthday, we'll hear him trade funnies for felonies in a pair of crime dramas.

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