Old Time Radio Detective Shows
Detective radio was one of the medium’s most durable forms, ranging from wisecracking private eyes to police case files and cerebral mystery solvers. This guide brings the major detective programs in the Golden Radio Hour archive together without replacing their individual show pages.
Featured Programs
Program guides that represent this listening collection especially well.
PROGRAM GUIDEYours Truly, Johnny Dollar
Listen to Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar old time radio episodes, including Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar, in Golden Radio Hour’s classic detective…
PROGRAM GUIDEPhilip Marlowe
Listen to Philip Marlowe old time radio episodes featuring Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled detective, including Gerald Mohr’s classic portrayal.
PROGRAM GUIDERichard Diamond, Private Detective
Listen to Richard Diamond, Private Detective old time radio episodes starring Dick Powell in Golden Radio Hour’s classic detective archive.
PROGRAM GUIDEThe Adventures of Sam Spade
Dashiell Hammett's private detective Sam Spade, played most famously by Howard Duff, recounts hard-boiled cases filled with murder, deception, eccentric suspects, and…
PROGRAM GUIDEBoston Blackie
Crime adventures featuring Boston Blackie, a former jewel thief who uses his underworld knowledge to solve cases while frequently crossing paths with…
PROGRAM GUIDEThe New Adventures of Nero Wolfe
Listen to The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe radio episodes starring Sydney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe and Gerald Mohr as Archie Goodwin.
PROGRAM GUIDEBarrie Craig
A New York private-eye drama centered on Barrie Craig, a capable independent detective played by William Gargan, who takes on murder, fraud,…
PROGRAM GUIDEThe Falcon
Detective adventures centered on Michael Waring, known as the Falcon, who investigates murders and other crimes in a long-running series that changed…
Start Listening
Representative recordings from the existing Golden Radio Hour episode archive.
The Big Scoop Matter (1956-11-11) — Bob Bailey
Johnny heads to New York to protect a reporter friend whose investigation of a major story has already brought repeated attempts on his life.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (025) the Dancing Hands
Identical twin pianists, stolen money and a fatal case of mistaken identity give Marlowe a mystery in which appearances are especially unreliable.
The Quarter-Eagle Caper
The self-styled 'Gumball King' hires Sam to discover who is sabotaging his vending machines. When the businessman is murdered, the investigation shifts from petty vandalism to homicide, with…
William Logan And The Ivory Statue
A client dies in Diamond's office, leaving behind a carved ivory object that points toward an international mystery.
Hypnotic Murder
Blackie tries to clear a young woman accused of murder while a ruthless nightclub owner and Inspector Faraday complicate the case.
nanw ep01 Stamped For Murder
Wolfe follows a supposed treasure hunt through forged papers, a father's murder, and unexpectedly valuable stamps.
Old Time Radio Detective Shows
Start with the program guides below, then move directly into playable recordings. Hard-boiled private-eye stories have their own focused collection because listeners often search for that style specifically.
Programs can appear in more than one collection when the overlap is genuinely useful. A private-eye series can belong here, in Hard-Boiled Detectives, and later in a Private Detectives collection while still keeping one canonical show page.
Performers to Explore
Performer links shown only where the Golden Radio Hour relationship catalog supports them.
Bob Bailey
Gerald Mohr
Howard Duff
Dick Powell
William Gargan
Sydney Greenstreet