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. the Hello and welcome to down these mean streets where today we're

celebrating Halloween with three old time radio detectives solving crimes with some supernatural elements.

There are things that go bump in the night in these three old time radio shows, but these sloths will get to the bottom of things.

We'll start with Nightbeat starring Frank Lovejoy as Chicago reporter Randy Stone and will hear him in the Black Cat

originally aired on NBC on November 3rd 1950 and no it's not a crossover with Edgar Allan Poe, but it does find Randy investigating

a murder that the victim's wife blames on the titular animal. Not only that, the dead man's friend thinks the cat

will be able to identify the murderer. Lou Roussoff wrote the script and it's a

great story with a terrific supporting cast,

particularly Lorraine Tuttle as the terrified widow and Will Geer,

Grandpa Walton himself as Crazy Mike who's convinced the cat will help him

avenge his friend's murder. Then we'll hear William Gargan as Barry Craig

confidential investigator in Ghost of a Chance, originally aired on

NBC on December 19, 1951.

Craig is hired by an insurance company when it appears a man has returned from the dead

after the company paid out his double indemnity policy.

Is he a ghost? And if he's back, who's the man in his coffin? And finally, Gerald

...