Get this and get it straight.

Crime is a sucker's road.

And those who travel

it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave.

The story you were 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 Saint,

starring Vincent Price.

Bob Bailey, in the exciting adventures

of the man with the action-packed expense account.

America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator...

Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.

... Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Hello and welcome to Down These Mean Streets and more old-time radio detectives and crime solvers.

All this month in honor of the Academy Awards, we're saluting old-time radio detective stars who took home Oscars for their big-screen performances.

This week's winner is Edmund O'Brien, who won the award for Best Supporting Actor for his turn in the Barefoot Contessa, and who picked up a second nomination a few years later,

and in my opinion should have walked away with a second Oscar

for his work in seven days in May. But before his award-winning film roles, O'Brien

starred on radio as yours truly Johnny Dollar, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator.

O'Brien played the detective in over 100 episodes between February of 1950 and September of 52,

and he brought a hard-boiled, tough style to the character.

During his tenure, Johnny Dollar featured scripts by some top-notch writers of radio mystery,

...