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 adventures of a

super sleuth from the Golden Age of Radio.

This week will hear Michael Shane, the red-headed gum shoe created by Brett Halliday and

memorably played on radio by two of the era's best actors into very different styles.

And despite the change in tone between the actors and their shows, I think Michael

Shane was well served by both versions.

Radio's first stab at Michael Shane came on the heels of a well-received series of 20th century Fox B movies starring Lloyd Nolan.

But Nolan didn't recreate his role for the airwaves.

Instead, one of radio's best character actors won the lead role with perhaps the era's best actress supporting him each and every week.

Wally Mayer played Michael Shane.

He was a busy actor appearing in supporting roles on the Lux Radio Theater, The Cavalcade of America,

and especially suspense.

Maryland is voiced over 100 episodes of radio's outstanding theater of thrills

and while he rarely played leading roles, he provided tremendous support to the big screen

stars who headlined the shows each week.

We've heard Wally Mayer on this podcast as Lieutenant Riley on Let George do it and

...