Boston Blackie Radio

Name Line

"Enemy to those who make him an enemy. Friend to those who have no friend."

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Boston Blackie Radio Series

In 1944, Blackie made his radio debut on NBC. This series was an outgrowth of the popular Boston Blackie movies. Chester Morris and Richard Lane brought to the radio the characters of Boston Blackie and Inspector Farraday. The series was originally a summer replacement for The Amos and Andy Show. It was scheduled to run from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944 for a total of thirteen episodes. There is some disagreement on how many episodes actually aired. The series turned out to be very popular and on April 11, 1945 it returned to the air in its own time slot on NBC. This time the star was Richard Kollmar who played Blackie, Lesley Woods and Jan Miner played Mary Wesley*, Maurice Tarplin, Richard Lane and Frank Orth did duty as Inspector Farraday, Shorty** was played by Tony Barrett, and often featured Frank Lovejoy as a villain. The stories written by Kenny Lyons and Ralph Rosenberg, the announcer was Harlow Wilcox and later Larry Elliot. The series ran from Apr 11, 1945 until Oct 25, 1950. There were a total of 233 episodes of the total series spread out over the years 1944 to 1950. There were 302 broadcast dates including original shows plus repeats. Since the radio episodes were not originally titled, as the episodes started to be collected different name designations were assigned. Listed here are the titles that are most accepted and any know variations to all the existing Boston Blackie shows.

* Mary Wesley now Blackies secretary was Mary Dawson, Blackies wife, in Jack Boyle's original short stories.

** Shorty was originally the Runt. Political correctness even back then.

Episodes Home 1945 Episodes 1946 Episodes 1947 Episodes 1948 Episodes 1949 Episodes 1950 Episodes

BOSTON BLACKIE
June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944 (NBC)
13 episodes
Summer replacement series for The Amos'n'Andy Show
Sponsor: Rinso Soap
Starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie
and Richard Lane as Inspector Farraday
Also starring Lesley Woods as Mary Wesley
Announcer: Harlow Wilcox

Original 1944 Episodes

For episode descriptions click the listing title.

The Rockwell Diamond - Episode 1 - 06/23/44

The Rockwell Diamond

Episode 1 - 06/23/44

AKA: The Jonathan Diamond

First line: “Municipal Tower to Trans-Continental Flight 17”

Blackie is picked up Chicago police after Miss Moray fingers him for robbing her grandfather of $10,000. When Farraday has her question Blackie, Blackie learns that she wants his help to recover the Jonathan diamond, stolen from her apartment after her fiancé, George Atwater left it. She needs to get it back before he returns from a business trip. After agreeing to help, Blackie escapes out the window and goes to the Atwater mansion only to find George at home earlier than expected. Blackie finds the Jonathan diamond in the supposedly empty library safe and Atwater admits he changed his mind about leaving it at Miss Moray’s apartment. When Farraday’s men arrive, Blackie jumps through a window with the diamond but when apprehended, the diamond is gone. Blackie gets Farraday to let him out of jail for two hours undisturbed after which he promises to turn over the diamond. Blackie has Miss Moray meet him at the Atwater house where they break into the safe to get the diamond where Blackie left it, but the safe is now empty. (Sponsored by Rinso.)

Fifty Hunter Street - Episode 2 - 06/30/44

Fifty Hunter Street

Episode 2 - 06/30/44

AKA: Thr Mnletter Bank Case

First line: “Hello. Is Mr. Manleder there? Why, no, I'm sorry, he's not.”

Arthur Manleder gets a phone call from his bank telling him he must come up with $100,000 overnight or the bank will take over his business. That is, unless he sends his friend Boston Blackie to Fifty Hunter Street. When Blackie arrives he is knocked on the head, his gun stolen and he is framed for the murder of Fred Viswell. In order to help Blackie solve the case, Manleder’s secretary, Jean Rochelle, helps Blackie escape from jail dressed as a girl(!).

The Canteen Fund Mystery - Episode 3 - 07/07/44

The Canteen Fund Mystery

Episode 3 - 07/07/44

AKA: Unknown

First line: “Unknown”

When funds raised at a charity ball are mysteriously stolen, and Shorty is found unconscious beside the jimmied safe. The police interrogate Shorty about the last person he talked to before he was ‘conked’ over the head. That person was Boston Blackie. Blackie is the chief suspect on Inspector Farraday's list.

The Star of the Nile - Episode 4 - 07/14/44

The Star of the Nile

Episode 4 - 07/14/44

AKA: Unkown

First line: “What are you reading, Chief? Little Abner?”

The Star of the Nile, an emerald worth $200,000, is being transported by train and disappears while Blackie is on the train. But Miss Helen Carew vouches for Blackie, and Blackie reminds Mr. Stevens that he had the gem is in his coat. So he puts it in the Gouday safe. Later, Stevens finds a Mr. Louie in his office who tells the safe will be cracked that night. Shorty tells Blackie that "Fingers" gave him a tip about the midnight theft. Blackie hints it to Helen over dinner, who tips off Inspector Farraday. Farraday catches Louie & Miller at the scene but Blackie gets away and the emerald is really stolen. (Sponsored by Rinso.)

Black Market Meat Ring - Episode 5 - 07/21/44

Black Market Meat Ring

Episode 5 - 07/21/44

AKA: "The Black Market Case" - "Black Market Blackie"
"June Parker's Cattle Ranch"

First line: “Step on it, Steve. Got my foot on the floor now.”

Hijackers Steve and Mike chase Blackie and Shorty’s car and shoot out a tire, causing a wreck. Blackie escapes with merely a sprained wrist while Shorty is fine. Then they show up at Blackie’s place and at gunpoint, tell Blackie that they want him to join them to avoid his interference. He sends them packing. Cattle rancher June Parker, asks Blackie for help. Hijackers are keeping her trucks from getting though even with police assistance. Blackie tells Farraday the gang is after him and he needs police protection. Farraday refuses and the thugs grab Blackie as he leaves police headquarters but he gets away. Miss Parker tells Blackie the thugs work for George Williams. When they come to her apartment, Blackie ties them up and tells her to call police. When Blackie leaves to see Williams, Mike tells Miss Parker who the boss really is and she lets them go. Blackie returns to the apartment with Farraday but June Parker says she’s never seen him before! (Sponsored by Rinso)

Caretaker of the Devon Estate - Episode 6 - 07/28/44

Caretaker of the Devon Estate

Episode 6 - 07/28/44

AKA: "The Haunted House" "Wrong Jacket"
"Polly Morrison’s Gun Collection"

First line: “Check here, please. Check your hats and coats.”

Farraday picks up Blackie for the murder of Andrew Lawrence, caretaker of the Devon Estate. There are bloodstains on the camelhair coat Blackie is carrying, but he disavows it as being his even though his ID label is sewn inside the coat! Blackie gets away, and goes to see Marian Mason, the checkroom girl at the Savoy Café, but finds her dead. At the Devon Estate, he meets the owner, Polly Morrison. He asks for the caretaker’s job, but she has already hired Jerry. Blackie poses as Detective Jones, working on the case. Frightened, she tells him that the house has been periodically ransacked, one room at a time. Arthur Moran’s client, South American businessman Parker Adams, wants to buy the estate and/or its entire gun collection. Blackie sleeps in the caretaker’s cottage and the next morning, finds Jerry and the policeman tied up in the ransacked living room and Polly drugged. Farraday arrives but thugs, Danny and Eddie, get the drop on him and Blackie and put them in straight jackets, intending “to stick their feet in concrete and drop them in the river”. Blackie gets out of the straight jacket and knocks the guard unconscious. Blackie discovers that Adams was a murder suspect 5 years ago but the gun could not be found. He suspects Devon was blackmailing Adams. Blackie finds the murder weapon, unmasks the killer and clears himself. (Sponsored by Rinso.)

Alice Manweather, Dead or Alive? - Episode 7 - 08/04/44

Alice Manweather, Dead or Alive?

Episode 7 - 08/04/44

AKA: None

First line: “Front, boy. Would you sign the register, please sir. Right here.”

(Note: The name “Manweather” in show title is different from name “Manleder” given within the show! It appears that in the sound films there was an Arthur Manleder [coincidence?] ) Alice Manleder leaves her hotel with a man whom she thinks is Boston Blackie, but isn’t. Blackie goes looking for her and when he calls the hotel finds that she has been trying to contact him and wants him to meet her in room 305, which he does. Later, she is found dead in the room with Blackie’s gun in her hand. When Blackie’s paraffin test shows positive, he is arrested by Farraday. But a call from Arthur Manleder tells Blackie the wrong girl was killed and he uncovers a Nazi plot! (Sponsored by Rinso.)

The Missing String of Pearls - Episode 8 - 08/11/44

The Missing String of Pearls

Episode 8 - 08/11/44

AKA: "Gordon’s Jewelry Store" - "Blackmail Thefts"
Old Lady Forced to Steal

First line: “A string of valuable pearls was stolen some time today...”

Blackie left his watch at Gordon's Jewelry Store and a string of pearls is missing. Farraday thinks Blackie did it. But Blackie saw grey haired old Mrs. Phillips, a trusted employee of Gordon's put such a string in her purse. Mrs. Phillips is being blackmailed and Blackie needs to lift a precious ruby from Gordon's to help keep the unknown blackmailer from threatening her. But Farraday has set a trap for Blackie and expects him to steal the ruby.

"The Uninvited Corpse" - Episode 9 - 08/18/44