Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe brings Raymond Chandler’s private detective to radio in a form built around atmosphere, voice and moral tension. The GRH holdings include material from more than one radio interpretation: Van Heflin starred in the 1947 NBC version, while Gerald Mohr became the defining voice of the later CBS series beginning in 1948. Marlowe is less playful than many radio detectives. He moves through Los Angeles as an observer as much as an investigator, and the cases often matter because of the people and compromises he encounters, not simply because a puzzle has to be solved.
Where to Start
Researched entry points from recordings already in the Golden Radio Hour archive.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (001) Red Wind
The 1947 “Red Wind” comes from the earlier Van Heflin radio version, making it an especially useful starting point for listeners who want to understand that Marlowe did not begin on radio with Gerald Mohr. The murder witnessed during a hot Los Angeles wind also gives the adaptation an immediately Chandler-like atmosphere and a strong sense of place.
Episode details →The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (026) the Green Flame
This Gerald Mohr-era case is a good example of the established CBS series at work: an apparently contained problem opens into danger and deception while Marlowe’s perspective gives the story its tone. Listening after the 1947 “Red Wind” makes the change in lead performance and the more settled CBS identity easy to hear.
Episode details →The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (079) the Anniversary Gift
This episode is historically useful because William Conrad is documented as substituting for Gerald Mohr as Marlowe. The case therefore offers more than its mystery plot: it lets listeners hear how a familiar radio character changes when the voice at the center changes, without confusing that one exception with the normal cast of the series.
Episode details →The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (113) the Medium Was Rare
A later CBS recording, “The Medium Was Rare” shows the mature series combining private-eye investigation with a premise built around a supposedly unusual medium. It is a good counterweight to the earlier selections because the production is confident in Marlowe’s established radio voice and can move quickly into the case without reintroducing the whole character concept.
Episode details →Program History
Canonical U.S.
The run breaks into several distinct periods: NBC / Van Heflin (June 17, 1947 to September 9, 1947) on NBC Radio Network, CBS / Gerald Mohr (September 26, 1948 to September 29, 1950) on CBS Radio Network, CBS summer return (July 7, 1951 to September 15, 1951) on CBS Radio Network, and BBC Chandler adaptations (September 26, 1977 to January 16, 1978) on BBC Radio.
Names that turn up again and again in the surviving run include Raymond Chandler (creator and author), Gerald Mohr (performer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director, and composer), Roy Rowan (announcer and performer), Richard Aurandt (music, composer, and conductor), Gene Levitt (writer), and Robert Mitchell (writer).
Across its run, the surviving broadcasts are tied to CBS Radio Network, Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, and NBC Radio Network.
The stories often return to murder and homicide, private detective work, blackmail and coercion, missing persons and disappearances, jewelry and valuable objects, and Los Angeles and Southern California.
The show also sits in a wider radio history that includes Raymond Chandler literary origin, Postwar Los Angeles hard-boiled radio context, BBC revival of Chandler novels, and Radio Detectives Marlowe retrospective.
If you are following the same actors and creative circles, related programs worth opening next include Lux Radio Theatre, Escape, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, The Whistler, and Screen Directors Playhouse.
All Episodes & Recordings
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OTRR Introduction
An introductory audio feature for The Adventures of Philip Marlowe and its preservation collection.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe Introduction
An introductory audio feature for The Adventures of Philip Marlowe and its preservation collection.
Gerald Mohr Audio Biography
An audio biography of actor Gerald Mohr, included with the Philip Marlowe collection.
Van Heflin Audio Biography
An audio biography of actor Van Heflin, included with the Philip Marlowe collection.
The Lux Radio Theater (488) Murder My Sweet
A radio adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe story “Farewell, My Lovely,” presented under the film title “Murder, My Sweet.”
Hollywood Star Time Murder My Sweet
A radio adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe story “Farewell, My Lovely,” presented under the film title “Murder, My Sweet.”
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (001) Red Wind
After witnessing a killing in a bar during a hot Los Angeles wind, Marlowe becomes involved with a troubled married woman whose story leads into blackmail and a dangerous search…
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (003) Daring Young Dame on the Flying Trapeze
A trapeze performer hires Marlowe to protect her circus from dangerous gamblers demanding money from her partners.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (004) the King in Yellow
Marlowe looks into a disruptive hotel guest and finds the nuisance connected to murder, blackmail and an old grudge.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (008) Trouble Is My Business
A wealthy man hires Marlowe to break up his stepson's engagement, but the family dispute quickly exposes blackmail, murder and a fight over inheritance.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (010) Robin and the Hood
Marlowe is hired to protect the star of a Technicolor Robin Hood picture from the actor's identical twin, a skilled archer whose unstable behavior makes him dangerous.
The Lux Radio Theater (603) Lady in the Lake
A Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe mystery “The Lady in the Lake.”
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (001) the Red Wind
A barroom shooting draws Marlowe to a mysterious woman and a trail of deception involving blackmail, murder and missing pearls.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (002) the Persian Slippers
Marlowe's search for a missing woman uncovers an impersonation scheme that has already turned deadly.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (002) the Persian Slippers (AFRTS)
Marlowe's search for a missing woman uncovers an impersonation scheme that has already turned deadly.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (003) the Panama Hat
Marlowe is hired to protect a man receiving threats and uncovers a staged kidnapping, a murder and a white Panama hat that figures in the deception.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (004) Where There's a Will
An eccentric will and a cache of hidden bonds place Marlowe among greedy heirs willing to go far beyond a family argument.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (005) the Heart of Gold
A client's request leads Marlowe into a double murder, a buried family secret and the search for a significant locket.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (006) the Blue Burgonet
While guarding a valuable shipment of silk, Marlowe discovers that several people are more interested in what they believe he knows about an object called the blue burgonet.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (010) the Hard Way Out
Marlowe searches for a missing embezzler and finds that the disappearance is tied to murder and betrayal.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (014) the Old Acquaintance
A New Year's Eve search for a missing fiancée leads Marlowe into the revenge plans of an escaped convict and a trail of double-crosses.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (015) the Restless Day
A man believed killed in a yacht explosion turns up alive and hires Marlowe to investigate the attempt to make his death look real.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (016) the Black Halo
Marlowe searches for a missing perfume-company assistant and uncovers stolen identity, double-crossing and murder.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (017) the Orange Dog
A dying man's cryptic words and the murder of a Treasury agent pull Marlowe toward a counterfeiting operation centered on the mysterious 'orange dog.'
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (017) the Orange Dog (AFRTS)
A dying man's cryptic words and the murder of a Treasury agent pull Marlowe toward a counterfeiting operation centered on the mysterious 'orange dog.'
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (018) the Easy Mark
A blackmail case escalates into murder as Marlowe sorts through an ex-husband, a rejected lover and a hired thug.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (019) the Long Rope
Marlowe follows a murder and a case of mistaken identity toward a valuable pearl necklace and the people desperate to possess it.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (020) the Lonesome Reunion
A trip to Arizona to locate someone from the past leads Marlowe back to an old bank robbery, a hidden fortune and former partners who still have scores to settle.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (023) the Friend From Detroit
A late-night call pulls Marlowe into a murder and missing-money case rooted in secrets carried west from Detroit.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (024) the Grim Hunters
A client is killed during an eccentric scavenger hunt, leaving Marlowe to unravel mistaken identities, blackmail and the real purpose behind the game.
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 Adventures of Philip Marlowe (026) the Green Flame
Hired to investigate a libel dispute, Marlowe discovers a ghostwriter, an ex-wife and a green-flamed matchbook at the center of a murderous conspiracy.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (027) the Last Laugh
A notorious practical joker plans an elaborate final gag on a remote island, but Marlowe has to investigate when the joke becomes a genuine murder.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (028) the Name to Remember
What begins as a routine tailing job turns into murder, forcing Marlowe through a chain of double-crosses and concealed motives.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (029) the Heat Wave
Marlowe's investigation of a burlesque dancer and her jealous sister exposes a murder scheme driven by obsession and unreturned affection.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (030) the Cloak of Kamehameha
Marlowe travels to Hawaii to recover a priceless feather cloak and finds murder, deception and dangerous obsession surrounding the artifact.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (031) the Lady in Mink
In heavy Los Angeles fog, Marlowe searches for a missing woman in a mink stole and becomes entangled in a sequence of murders and false identities.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (032) the Feminine Touch
A wealthy heiress's troublesome boyfriend leads Marlowe to a motorcycle 'Wall of Death' show and a scheme far more dangerous than a family romance dispute.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (033) the Promise to Pay
A gambling IOU draws Marlowe into blackmail and murder as several people maneuver to avoid paying the real price of the debt.
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (034) Night Tide
Marlowe investigates an ex-con suspected of a waterfront killing and finds that the evidence is tangled in lies and divided loyalties.
Cast, Crew & Contributors
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Raymond Chandler
Gerald Mohr
John Dehner
Paul Dubov
Howard McNear
Parley Baer
Virginia Gregg
Lurene Tuttle
William Conrad
Charles RussellMore Hard-Boiled Detectives Radio
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