Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Old time radio fans! Choice Classic Radio brings to you old time radio’s greatest detectives! Each day we feature a program chosen from the most popular shows of the period. So sit back and enjoy the best detectives The Golden Age of Radio has to offer!
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Episode's summary

Dr. Watson examines the famous dispatch box of unpublished cases, leading into the dramatization of 'The Affair of the Politician, the Lighthouse, and the Trained Cormorant.' Set during a foggy night in Limehouse, Holmes and Watson witness a crime and encounter characters such as Mr. Hawkins and Mother Fishface. The investigation leads to the home of Mother Fishface, where Holmes discovers she has died from gas poisoning. Through deduction, Holmes reveals that the landlord, Mr. Hawkins, murdered her by using a fish to lure a flightless cormorant to open the gas jet.

Chapters

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Highlights

Great Caesar's ghost, don't tell me that's the one, the famous box containing the records of Sherlock Holmes' unpublished cases.

00:01:05 · Mr. Harris expresses shock upon seeing the legendary dispatch box being rummaged through by Dr. Watson.

I think I can do no better than relate this one. The one to which Holmes invariably referred as the affair of the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant.

00:02:08 · Dr. Watson introduces the specific case that will be dramatized in this episode.

The bird couldn't have flown in because it so happens that this particular member of the feathered tribe is an Anopterum harisi, or Harris cormorant, which occurs only on the Galapagos Islands. It is entirely flightless.

00:21:12 · Holmes uses biological facts about the cormorant to debunk the theory that the bird accidentally caused the gas leak.

What about the odor of fish that clings to your hands? Too bad you chose mackerel to lure Tikka.

00:22:23 · Holmes identifies the physical evidence linking Hawkins to the crime scene.

The important thing is Hawkins thinks we've found those papers. It's remarkable how talkative the average criminal becomes once he thinks the jig's up.

00:23:04 · Holmes explains that his mention of incriminating papers was a bluff used to induce a confession from Hawkins.

Episodes

2786-

Sherlock Holmes: The Affair of the Politician 10/19/1947 (Stanley & Shirley)

Dr. Watson examines the famous dispatch box of unpublished cases, leading into the dramatization of 'The Affair of the Politician, the Lighthouse, and the Trained Cormorant.' Set during a foggy night in Limehouse, Holmes and Watson witness a crime and encounter characters such as Mr. Hawkins and Mother Fishface. The investigation leads to the home of Mother Fishface, where Holmes discovers she has died from gas poisoning. Through deduction, Holmes reveals that the landlord, Mr. Hawkins, murdered her by using a fish to lure a flightless cormorant to open the gas jet.

04 Sep 2026
2785-

The Shadow: Black Rock 11/13/1938

In the episode 'Black Rock,' Lamont Cranston investigates a suspicious plane crash involving Burkett and stolen company funds. Using hypnotic suggestion, Cranston discovers the plane was operated by an automatic pilot to reach a remote location, leading him and Margot to approach Black Rock by seaplane. The mysterious figure eventually confronts the criminals on Black Rock, revealing he has sabotaged their food supply and freed their hostage. Following a tense standoff and the discovery of the stolen money's location, the criminals are left stranded awaiting the Coast Guard.

03 Sep 2026
2784-

Mr. and Mrs. North: Russian Restaurant Murder 02/03/1943

Jerry and Pamela North investigate the murder of Betty Moran, a checkroom girl found stabbed in a Russian restaurant. The investigation follows a cryptic message left by the victim, 'Women killed me,' leading the couple to Club Rouet. Through keen observation of physical evidence and a deciphered menu, Pam exposes Chuck Moran as the murderer responsible for the deaths of his wife and two men. The mystery is solved using clues ranging from cat hair to a missing letter in the victim's dying message.

03 Sep 2026
2783-

Dangerous Assignment: A Box of Busted Bells (Cairo) 01/27/51

Steve Mitchell is assigned to investigate a political scandal in the Middle East involving allegations of treason against a leader named Khatouf. His search leads him to Cairo, where he encounters an old acquaintance and discovers a body following an explosion, only to realize the victim is not his target. Following a trail to Liana, Mitchell and his companions face a confrontation on a houseboat and the death of Matala in an alley. Mitchell orchestrates a decoy plan using a dummy body to clear Khartouf of murder charges, leading to a chaotic showdown involving police, a betrayal by Sidis, and the eventual escape of the protagonists.

02 Sep 2026
2782-

Broadway Is My Beat: The Joseph Brady Case 01/17/1953

Detective Danny Clover investigates the murder of Joseph Brady, initially suspecting a local drunk named Herbie Lennon. However, the investigation takes a dramatic turn when a woman named Miss Sally Carr confesses to the crime, claiming she killed Brady to protect the vulnerable Herbie from an abusive attack. The investigation further reveals that Sally Carr is actually Hazel Thomas, a notorious individual from Brooklyn. Detectives uncover her true identity and motive through witnesses and a confrontation, leading to the revelation of a calculated plan to frame Herbie for the murder.

02 Sep 2026