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Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Episode 40 - Big Man, Big Birthday (The Fat Man)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Jack Mooney

Tv & Film, Performing Arts, Arts

4.51.1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 January 2014

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In January 1946, The Fat Man premiered on ABC.  We're celebrating the anniversary with an hour of J. Scott Smart as Dashiell Hammett's extra large sleuth.  First, it's the series' debut episode, "The 19th Pearl," originally aired on ABC on January 21, 1946).  Then, we'll hear "A Window for Murder" (originally aired on ABC on October 3, 1947).

Transcript

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0:00.0

The Welcome back to down These Mean Streets, where today we're saluting The Fat Man.

0:27.0

The Adventures of Dashel Hamets Heavy Set Private Eye premiered on radio on January 21st, 1946, and were marking the occasion

0:37.0

with two of his radio mysteries. Hamid is credited as the creator of the Fat Man, but the character never appeared in any of the author's short stories, though he bears some physical and personality traits with Hamid's unnamed continental op. The series was developed after the radio success of Hammett's The Thin Man and before Sam Spade came to the air. Producers asked Hammett to come up with an original radio detective,

1:04.0

and apart from the creation of the character, Hammett was not involved in the series.

1:09.0

Actor, dancer, and painter Jay Scott Smart, played the Fat Man who was later named Brad Runyon

1:16.2

from 1946 until 1951. Though the series was popular and a movie was filmed, the Fat Man fell victim to guilt by association with Dachel Hammett and his alleged socialist sympathies.

1:30.0

All of his radio sloths, The Fat Man, Sam Spade, and Nick and Nora Charles were off the air by

1:36.8

1951 due to the scandal. Today we'll hear two episodes of this great series starring Jay Scott Smart and we'll start with the show's first episode

1:47.2

The 19th Pearl originally aired on ABC on January 21st, 1946.

1:54.5

Directed by Robert Sloane, the cast includes

1:57.2

Amsy Strickland, Ed Begley, Ralph Bell,

2:00.4

and Eric Dresler. Something in the air, you bet, excitement. As poor exciting new shows go on the air tonight starting right now.

2:23.0

ABC brings out its first Monday night surprise package labeled Dash O'Hamets Fat Man.

2:28.0

The Fat Man is the stalwart detective whose huge size doesn't slow up his progress a bit when it comes to

2:34.4

sloothing and speaking of detectives you'll want to meet hard-talking Ross

2:39.2

Dolan played by William Gargan. His business is crime.

2:44.1

In his words, I deal in crime, and he follows in half an hour.

2:49.3

And then the dean of music makers, Paul Whiteman,

2:52.0

and his new show Forever

2:53.0

Forever, Paul Whiteman plays them on Forever

2:58.0

And did you know that your top stage and screen laugh favorites

3:02.0

Jimmy and Lucillelein have opened a diner.

...

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