The 65 years ago on April 24th, 1949, Dick Powell went on the air as Richard Diamond

private detective and gave us one of radio's most memorable private eyes.

And in honor of that anniversary,

we'll hear an hour of his radio adventures this week

on down these mean streets.

Richard Diamond represented a mix of the two phases of Powell's career

up until that point. He started out as a crooner in 1930s musicals before reinventing himself with a well-received turn as Philip

Marlow in 1944's Murder My Sweet.

As Diamond, Powell played a tough gumshoe who was quick with a quip and quick with his fists, but he usually closed out each show singing a song to his girlfriend.

Usually the tune was a standard Powell sang in his younger days in Hollywood.

By 1949, Dick Powell was no stranger to the radio detective game.

Following his performance as Philip Marlow on the big screen, he

starred on radio as Private Eye Richard Rogue in Rogue's Gallery. He recorded an

audition program as yours truly Johnny Dollar in 1948, but he declined the lead role when that show went to series in February 1949.

Powell was looking for a unique take on the radio detective.

After all, there was no shortage of detectives on the air in the post-World War II era.

He found his series when he connected with writer Blake Edwards.

Edwards developed the show for Powell and tailored the character of Richard Diamond

to Powell's persona.

Diamond was a former cop who had set up shop as a private investigator.

His cases usually brought him into partnership with his old boss on the force,

Lieutenant Walt Levinson, and Walt's thick-headed assistant Sergeant

...