The This week it's another adventure of Boston Blackie that reformed thief and con man who became a detective,

an enemy to those who make him an enemy.

Friend to those who have no friend.

We first heard Blackie back on episode 23 in a radio play starring Chester Morris.

Morris played Blackie in a popular series of B movies, and he recreated the role for a

1944 NBC series.

The character got a second shot on radio in 1945 with a syndicated series developed and sold by radio and TV pioneer Frederick Ziv. Stepping into the role of Blackie was Richard Palmer, an actor and theatrical producer best known for the daily radio show he hosted with his wife, journalist Dorothy Kilgallin.

Breakfast with Dorothy and Dick ran for 18 years on radio, ultimately ending in 1963.

Given Palmer's other radio duties and his Broadway producing obligations, the Boston Blackie syndicated series was produced in New York.

Rounding out the regular cast were Maurice Tarplin as Blackie's Police Department FOIL Inspector Faraday and Leslie Leslie Woods would be followed in the role by Jan Minor.

Both actresses would swap duties as Ann Williams over on Casey crime photographer.

Maurice Tarplin was a versatile performer, perhaps most famous as the titular narrator on

Mutual's Thriller anthology series, The Mysterious Traveler.

The Calmers series ran for close to 300 episodes, and nearly 200 of them survived today.

Boston Blackie and his adventures are definitely lighter fair than the hard-boiled detectives we've heard, but with clever puzzles of mysteries

and the performances of three radio pros in the lead roles, the show is plenty of fun to listen to

today. So now we'll hear Richard

calmer as Boston Blackie in Murder at the Movies, along with Maurice Tarplin,

Leslie Woods, and Jackson Beck in supporting roles.

And stay tuned after the show for some news about an upcoming contest here on the

podcast. The We're here. Oh, The Blackie all I want you to do is open a safe mr. Smith the trouble with you motion picture people is that you see too many movies I'm serious black. Well perhaps you'll tell us more about it.

Certainly Miss Weston I don't really want blacky to open the safe. Well now just what do you want me to do open the safe

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