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. Today we're saluting an actor whose face belongs on the Mount Rushmore of old time radio

detectives.

He's Dick Powell, the singing star who successfully reinvented himself as a film noir leading man.

Powell, who was born on November 14, 1904 shed his image as a baby-faced crooner with a well-received

performance as Philip Marlow in Murder My Sweet.

That performance paved the way for other noir roles as well as a few gigs as radio

gumshoes. One of the gents he portrayed stands out as one of the best of his era. That would be Richard Diamond, private detective.

The happy-go-lucky sleuth, who was quick with his fists, his 38, and his quips, and who loved to wrap up a case by crooning a tune to his girlfriend.

Today we'll hear Mr. Powell in four old-time radio mysteries,

two featuring his best-known characters, one that was an

audition for a long-running show, although he never played the part in the the regular series and a fourth that sadly never got off the

ground.

We'll open today with that show, Ms Pinkerton Incorporated. The titular Ms. Pinkerton Incorporated.

The titular Ms Pinkerton is Mary Vance, a beautiful law student who inherits a detective

agency from her late uncle.

Mary plans to sell the agency until she meets police

...