Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Choice Classic Radio: Old-Time Radio Detective Shows

Old time radio fans! Choice Classic Radio brings to you old time radio’s greatest detectives! Each day we feature a program chosen from the most popular shows of the period. So sit back and enjoy the best detectives The Golden Age of Radio has to offer!
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Episode's summary

Detectives Vance and Markham investigate the murder of Ezra Simmons within his highly secured mansion. As they examine the crime scene and interview suspects like secretary Betty Jarnis and caretaker Harold Eckner, Vance discovers a critical flaw: the caretaker's deafness rendered the advanced security system useless. The investigation uncovers a complex web of suspects, including hired killer Buck Digby and mastermind Mr. Rodney. Ultimately, Philo Vance solves the case by demonstrating how Jim Jarniss used a helicopter to bypass the mansion's security and land on the roof.

Chapters

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Highlights

It's an electric eye system, Harold. It's completely foolproof and burglarproof.

00:01:23 · Mr. Simmons describes the advanced security measures he installed to protect himself from perceived enemies.

I was thinking that it looks like I'm going to be able to live only if Mr. Simmons dies.

00:04:59 · The secretary, Betty Jarnis, expresses her resentment and the feeling of being imprisoned by Simmons' new lifestyle.

Eckner here, the man he depended upon to protect him in case those gongs went off, happens to be stone deaf.

00:13:09 · Vance reveals a critical flaw in the security plan that explains how an intruder could bypass the alarms.

I saw to it.

00:18:38 · Mr. Rodney admits to orchestrating the death of Mr. Simmons during a meeting with Buck.

Then he rented a helicopter from a flying field about ten miles down the road. ... They can land on anything, including the roof of the Simmons house, which is where I landed.

00:24:17 · Vance explains the method used by Jim Jarniss to enter the high-security mansion undetected.

Episodes

2788-

Philo Vance: Million Dollar Murder Case 03/15/1949

Detectives Vance and Markham investigate the murder of Ezra Simmons within his highly secured mansion. As they examine the crime scene and interview suspects like secretary Betty Jarnis and caretaker Harold Eckner, Vance discovers a critical flaw: the caretaker's deafness rendered the advanced security system useless. The investigation uncovers a complex web of suspects, including hired killer Buck Digby and mastermind Mr. Rodney. Ultimately, Philo Vance solves the case by demonstrating how Jim Jarniss used a helicopter to bypass the mansion's security and land on the roof.

05 Sep 2026
2787-

Sherlock Holmes: The Laughing Lemur of High Tower Heath 10/26/1947 (Stanley & Shirley)

In this Sherlock Holmes radio drama, 'The Witch on the Moors,' Dr. Watson and Holmes investigate supernatural disturbances at Fenwick Hall involving the legend of a hanged witch. The investigation begins with the discovery of the gatekeeper Willie, who is found delirious after claiming to have flown on a broomstick using a mysterious salve. The mystery deepens as the duo investigates the death of Willie Malloy, who succumbed to narcotic poisoning from a magical-seeming ointment. Holmes eventually uncovers a web of domestic deceptions at Fenwick Hall, revealing that the 'witchcraft' was actually a series of pranks and manipulations involving Nanny's superstitions, Lady Fenwick's feigned illness, and hidden letters.

04 Sep 2026
2786-

Sherlock Holmes: The Affair of the Politician 10/19/1947 (Stanley & Shirley)

Dr. Watson examines the famous dispatch box of unpublished cases, leading into the dramatization of 'The Affair of the Politician, the Lighthouse, and the Trained Cormorant.' Set during a foggy night in Limehouse, Holmes and Watson witness a crime and encounter characters such as Mr. Hawkins and Mother Fishface. The investigation leads to the home of Mother Fishface, where Holmes discovers she has died from gas poisoning. Through deduction, Holmes reveals that the landlord, Mr. Hawkins, murdered her by using a fish to lure a flightless cormorant to open the gas jet.

04 Sep 2026
2785-

The Shadow: Black Rock 11/13/1938

In the episode 'Black Rock,' Lamont Cranston investigates a suspicious plane crash involving Burkett and stolen company funds. Using hypnotic suggestion, Cranston discovers the plane was operated by an automatic pilot to reach a remote location, leading him and Margot to approach Black Rock by seaplane. The mysterious figure eventually confronts the criminals on Black Rock, revealing he has sabotaged their food supply and freed their hostage. Following a tense standoff and the discovery of the stolen money's location, the criminals are left stranded awaiting the Coast Guard.

03 Sep 2026
2784-

Mr. and Mrs. North: Russian Restaurant Murder 02/03/1943

Jerry and Pamela North investigate the murder of Betty Moran, a checkroom girl found stabbed in a Russian restaurant. The investigation follows a cryptic message left by the victim, 'Women killed me,' leading the couple to Club Rouet. Through keen observation of physical evidence and a deciphered menu, Pam exposes Chuck Moran as the murderer responsible for the deaths of his wife and two men. The mystery is solved using clues ranging from cat hair to a missing letter in the victim's dying message.

03 Sep 2026