Episode 638 - William Tells (Philip Marlowe, Night Beat, Johnny Dollar, & Gunsmoke)

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

🗓️ 5 October 2025

⏱️ 125 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We're saluting the 105th anniversary of the birth of William Conrad - the radio acting legend who brought law and order to Dodge City as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke and who racked up hundreds of credits on detective shows, thrillers, comedies, and dramas. Conrad stars as Philip Marlowe in "The Anniversary Gift" (originally aired on CBS on April 11, 1950) - subbing in for Gerald Mohr in a terrific mystery in the Chandler spirit. He co-stars with Frank Lovejoy in "The Football Player and the Syndicate" from Night Beat (originally aired on NBC on June 12, 1950) and Edmond O'Brien in "The Woodward, Manila Matter" from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (originally aired on CBS on November 25, 1950). Finally, Conrad stars in his signature role in "Matt Gets It" from Gunsmoke (originally aired on CBS on October 2, 1954).

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.
1:01.6	... Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Hello and welcome to Down These Mean Streets and more old-time radio detectives and crime fighters.
1:08.4	This week, we're lighting the candles and rolling out the cake for a belated birthday salute to one of the all-time greats of the radio era.
1:12.5	To old-time radio fans, William Conrad is best known as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke.
1:19.9	But Conrad racked up credits all over the place, thousands of them,
1:25.3	on everything from Johnny Dollar and Philip Marlow to escape and suspense
1:30.3	to Our Miss Brooks and Jack Benny.
1:33.3	Outside of his very successful radio career, Conrad also found success on both sides of the camera.
1:42.3	While he didn't play Matt Dillon when Gunsmoke came to TV,
1:46.9	he headlined three TV detective shows, Canon, Nero Wolf, and Jake and the Fat Man. He lent
	...

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