A dark, sharply written San Francisco detective series starring Jack Webb as waterfront operator Pat Novak, whose jobs repeatedly lead into murder, corruption, and clashes with Inspector Hellman.

San Francisco hard-boiled detective drama centered on waterfront operator Pat Novak. The frozen 26 objects represent 24 surviving historical programs plus two alternate-transfer objects.

The run breaks into several distinct periods: Represented 1946 Jack Webb regional survivors (October 13, 1946 to November 24, 1946) on ABC Radio Network, Represented 1947 Ben Morris regional survivors (August 3, 1947 to November 30, 1947) on ABC Radio Network, and 1949 national ABC run (February 13, 1949 to June 25, 1949) on ABC Radio Network.

Names that turn up again and again in the surviving run include Jack Webb (performer), William P. Rousseau (producer, director, and performer), Basil Adlam (composer, conductor, and music), George Fenneman (announcer), Tudor Owen (performer), Raymond Burr (performer and announcer), and Jack Lewis (performer).

Across its run, the surviving broadcasts are tied to ABC Radio Network, KECA, Armed Forces Radio Service, and KGO.

The stories often return to San Francisco waterfront and dockside life, hard-boiled private investigation, murder and violent crime, deception, aliases and hidden identity, blackmail, corruption and coercion, and money, gambling and criminal schemes.

The show also sits in a wider radio history that includes KGO regional hard-boiled detective production, Jack Webb / Ben Morris / Jack Webb lead transition, 1949 national ABC run, and Collector numbering and alternate transfers.

If you are following the same actors and creative circles, related programs worth opening next include Escape, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Lux Radio Theatre, The Whistler, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.