Christmas Old Time Radio Detective Stories: Recent Episodes
Adam Graham
Enjoy Christmas Old Time Radio detective programs. From Sherlock Holmes to Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Richard Diamond, Nero Wolfe, and so many more, celebrate the Holiday Season with mystery, adventure, and a few heartwarming thrown in for good measure. These episodes are taken from the larger Great Detective of Old Time Radio podcast, which have been presenting all of radio's great detectives since 2009.
Today's Mystery: It's Christmas Eve, and Sergeant Tartaglia is called to investigate the theft of a jeweled scimitar belonging to a ne'er-do-well millionaire.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 22, 1951
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover; Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia; Jack Kruschen as Sergeant Muggavan; Lamont Johnson; Howard McNear George Neise;. Georgia Ellis; Howard McNear
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Today's Mystery:The son of a cab driver asks Grainger to help his father out of jail by proving him innocent of a burglary.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: 1956 or 1957
Originating from Australia
Starring: Harp McGuire as Steve Grainger
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As we get ready for Christmas, we bring you two original old time radio Christmas plays featuring Sherlock Holmes. First up is The Night Before Christmas.
On Christmas, one of Moriarity’s henchmen switches Christmas sacks with Dr. Watson when both are dressed as Santa Claus. Sherlock Holmes has to catch the thief and save Watson and the kids at a Christmas party.
Original Air Date: December 24, 1945
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes; Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson
Next up is The Adventure of the Christmas Bride.
Sherlock Holmes is invited to spend the holidays with a family that needs him to ensure that a family curse doesn't prevent a wedding from occurring.
Original Air Date: December 21, 1947
Originating from New York
Starring: John Stanley as Sherlock Holmes; Alfred Shirley as Dr. Watson
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Today's Mystery: FBI Special Agent Jim Taylor delays his vacation home. to find a Settlement House Santa Clause who disappeared.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 22, 1950
Starring Stacy Harris as Special Agent Jim Taylor, Jeffrey Silver, Peggy Webber, Roland Winters, Victor Rodman
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Today's Mystery: A man who bought a fur coat goes for his girlfriend for Christmas turns to The Falcon when dangerous people want it back.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 24, 1950
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Damon as The Falcon; Larry Haines; Ralph Bell
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Today's Mystery:Friday and Smith search for a statue of the child Jesus stolen from a church on Christmas Eve.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 22, 1953
Originating from HollywoodStarring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Ben Alexander as Officer Frank Smith; Herb Vigran; Ralph Moody
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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Sergey since May 2020
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Today's Mystery:Johnny is in a quaint Michigan town on Christmas Eve and has to find a witness to a murder before a hired killer does.
Original Radio Broadcast Dates: December 21, 22, and 23, 1955
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Virginia Gregg; Peggy Webber; Don Diamond; Ben Wright; Jack Kruschen; Barney Phillips; Sam Edwards; Ken Christy
Nick Shurn Episode 4 Animation
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Today's Mystery:Mr. Chameleon reopens the case of a woman convicted of murdering her mother-in-law with poisoned candy. He is determined to get her freed in time for Christmas.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 22, 1948
Originating from New York CityStarring: Karl Swenson as Mister Chameleon
Podcast Guests: Ron Ecklebarger of Classic Comedy of Old Time Radio, Andrew Rhynes of OTRWesterns, Vinny of I Love Old Time Radio
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Today's Mystery: The son of a lecturing professor is missing from a boarding school in Stockholm and Steve needs to find him in order to break up an international spy ring.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 24, 1952
Originated in Hollywood
Stars: Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, Herb Butterfield as the Commissioner
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Patreon Supporter of the Day: Ron, Patreon Supporter Since May 2020
I appear on I Love Old Time Radio as part of the Round Robin Crossover.
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Today's Mystery:Johnny suspects that a mobster murdered his business partner and has to find the only witness before the mobster does.
Original Radio Broadcast Dates: December 19 and 20, 1955
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Virginia Gregg; Peggy Webber; Don Diamond; Ben Wright; Jack Kruschen; Barney Phillips; Sam Edwards; Ken Christy
I'm a guest on the Old Time Radio Westerns as part of our Round Robin Crossover
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Today's Mystery: Jace sets out to find out why a beloved small doctor was murdered on Christmas Day.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 23, 1951
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The Man Called X crashes a plane in the Middle East and meets a mysterious young girl who’s decided she no longer wants to live in the world.
Original Air Date: December 23, 1950
Bonus Episode from Christmas on the Blue:
The emergency council has failed in their quest to locate Santa Claus. So they call in the Man Called X who wants to be called Y since he’s undercover.
Original Air Date: December 15, 1945
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Regan is hired to find out who is sending unwanted packages to a young woman.
Original Air Date: December 21, 1949
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A man who gives new dollar bills to homeless men in the worst part of town is mugged on Christmas Day.
Original Air Date: December 25, 1947
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Two men, pretending to be charity Santas, hold up a bank on Christmas Eve.
Original Air Date: December 24, 1950
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While visting Boston at Christmas, Bart and Inspector Danton try to help a little boy by clearing his father of murder. Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net. Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715 Read more ...
While in the Middle East, Ken and Pegon crashed a plane. In the desert, Ken meets a young girl who says she doesn’t want to grow up. Original Air Date: December 21, 1947 Sponosored by Betterhelp.com. Listeners can get 10% off their first month when they go to http://www.betterhelp.com/box13 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net…
Brad tries to help a woman find her missing husband around Christmas. Original Air Date: September 2, 1954 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net. Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715 Read more ...
While shopping, Casey and Ann see a known pickpocket steal a wallet from a fat man who denies his wallet was stolen. They then find that the money the pickpocket stole was ransom from a kidnapping a year ago. Original Air Date:December 19, 1946 Support the show monthly at patreon.great Read more ...
Johnny is sent to investigate a string of department store thefts, but the situation escalates with a murder on Christmas Eve. Original Air Date: December 24, 1949 When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com Read more ...
Blackie chases a jewel robber on Christmas Eve, but when he catches him the rings the robber has stolen are gone. Original Air Date: December 22, 1948 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net. Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715 Read…
Johnny interrupts scheduled time off over Christmas to pick up a check for a previous job and finds himself the alibi for the owner of a factory that was blown up. Original Air Date: December 17, 1961 Read more ...
Diamond performs a 1950s take on the Christmas Carol with his friends. Original Air Date: December 21, 1951 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.‘ Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715 Read more ...
Rocky is hired as an assistant store detective and occasional fill in for Santa Claus. He gets into a fight with the store Santa and comes under suspicion when the store’s Santa is murdered. Original Air Date: December 22, 1953 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.…
Johnny is called to Lake Majove resort by fishing guide Red Faber who reports a potential catastrophe for the resort. Johnny arrives to find Red gone and blood in Red’s quarters. Original Air Date: December 22, 1959 When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com Read more ...
Blackie catches an accused thief but finds the rings he stole have disappeared. Original Air Date: December 17, 1947 Support the show monthly a Read more ...
The characters on Richard Diamond take a week off from mysteries to perform a modern version of the Christmas Carol. Original Air Date: December 24, 1949 Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.‘ Read more ...
Randy gets time off for Christmas, which reminds him he has no one to spend Christmas with. When a boy tries to give him an envelope and is run over by a car, Ran Read more ...
On Christmas Eve, an eccentric miner wants to change the beneficiary of his life insurance to his beloved burrow. Original Air Date: December 22, 1957 When making your travel plans, remember http://www.johnnydollarair.com Read more ...
While dressed as Santa, Simon is mistaken for a man who mad off with an expensive necklace. Simon spends Christmas Eve trying to catch a thief and a murderer. Original Air Date: December 24, 1950 Support the show. Read more ...
At Christmastime, Johnny searches for a woman who witnessed a murder in which an underworld kingpin is suspected. Johnny travels to her small Michigan hometown to find her. There he encounters suspicion from her friends and family, and finds that the mob is already closing in. Original Air Dates: December 19-23, 1955 When making your travel plans,…
Joe Friday and Frank Smith investigate the theft of a statue of the child Jesus from a local church. Original Air Date: December 22, 1953 Support the show. Read more ...
Johnny has to find a singing mouse before a Christmas Eve show. Original Air Date: December 23, 1956 When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com Read more ...
Johnny has found his witness, but will she testify. Original Air Date: Decemb Read more ...
Nick Carter investigates why a rich man has soured on Christmas. Original Air Da Read more ...
A hired killing is gunning for the witness Johnny is look for in her small Michigan town, while townspeople ar Read more ...
A racketeer is suspected of murdering his partner, but the star witness has disappeared. Original Air D Read more ...
A lost goose sets Holmes on the trail of a jewel thief. Original Air Date: March 13, 1955 Support the show…http://support.greatdetectives.net Become one of our friends on Fa Read more ...
A lost Christmas goose puts Sherlock Holmes on the trail of a jewel thief with the freedom of an innocent man lying in the balance. Original Air Date: December 26, 1948 Take our listener survey: http://survey.greatdetectives.net Become one of our friends on Facebook… < Read more ...
A soldiers writes George to ask him to visit a girl and take her out on Christmas Eve. George is dismayed to find her about to fall for a known hustler. Original Air Date: December 24, 1951 T Read more ...
Sherlock Holmes is invited to spend the holidays with a family that needs him to assure a wedding occurs. Original Air Date: December 21, 1947 Take our listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net Become one of our friends on Facebook…
George pledges to stay out of mysteries on Christmas day and we know how that’ll turn out. Original Air Date: December 25, 1 Read more ...
Santa’s helper, Jack Frost, turns up missing and at the request of a friend, Candy gets Rembrandt to take the job. Howeve Read more ...
It’s Christmas and George gets a letter from a new client-a department store Santa Claus that wants him to solve the mystery of a missing electric train. But when Brooksie dis Read more ...
Nero Wolfe is hired to investigate the death of several sidewalk Santas by a Santa who fears he will be next. Original Air Date: Dec Read more ...
One of Moriarity’s henchman switches Christmas sacks with Dr. Watson when both are dressed as Santa Claus. Sherlock Holmes has to catc Read more ...