Episode 630 - Investigations for Independence Day (Academy Award, Cavalcade of America, The Whistler, & Johnny Dollar)

Down These Mean Streets (Old Time Radio Detectives)

Jack Mooney

Arts, Performing Arts, Mystery, Detectives, Old, Radio, Time, Tv & Film, Oldtimeradio

4.6 • 982 Ratings

🗓️ 29 June 2025

⏱️ 125 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With July 4th right around the corner, we’ve got a quartet of radio mysteries involving great figures and moments of American history. Henry Fonda recreates his role of Young Mr. Lincoln in a radio version of the classic film on Academy Award (originally aired on CBS on July 10, 1946). Honest Abe is a lawyer who must clear his wrongfully accused clients of murder. Lee Bowman plays Allan Pinkterton, one of America’s most celebrated detectives, as he investigates a case of robbery and murder in “The Pinkerton Man” from The Cavalcade of America (originally aired on NBC on November 18, 1946). A recently released convict falls in with a gang that forges correspondence from historical figures in “Letters from Aaron Burr” from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on November 20, 1949). And “the man with the action-packed expense account” hunts for a stolen original copy of the Gettysburg Address. Bob Bailey stars as Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in “The Meek Memorial Matter” (AFRS rebroadcast from March 3, 1957).

Transcript

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0:00.0	Get this and get it straight.
0:02.1	Crime is a sucker's road.
0:03.9	And those who travel
0:04.6	it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave.
0:12.3	The story you were about to hear is true.
0:15.2	Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
0:18.6	The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective.
0:21.7	The Adventures of the Saints,
0:23.5	starring Vincent Price.
0:25.5	Bob Bailey, in the exciting adventures
0:27.7	of the man with the action-packed expense account.
0:30.6	America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator...
0:33.4	Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.
1:06.0	... Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Hello and welcome to Down These Mean Streets with more old-time radio detectives and crime solvers.
1:12.4	This Friday is the 4th of July, and it's hard to believe summer really is flying by.
1:18.7	To celebrate America's upcoming birthday, I've lined up four old-time radio mysteries,
1:23.7	each involving major figures or events from our country's history. First, Henry Fonda recreates his screen role in a radio adaptation of John Ford's
1:30.5	classic film Young Mr. Lincoln. The story of Honest Abe in his days as a lawyer and his
1:37.1	defense of a pair of brothers charged with murder was presented on Academy Award on CBS on July 10, 1946.
1:46.6	Fonda is joined by his film co-star Ward Bond in this courtroom mystery with the future president
1:52.9	out to clear his clients and catch the real killer.
1:57.2	Next up is a story of Alan Pinkerton, the celebrated spy and detective who created the National Detective Agency that bears his name.
	...

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