August 2, 2025 • 47 mins
Original Release Date: May 22, 2023
Today's Mystery:Sam explains to a confused Effie how he's still alive.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 17, 1950
Originated from Hollywood
Starred Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade, Lurene Tuttle as Effie
Watch Howard Duff on the Ed Wynn Show from January 1950.
Watch Howard Duff in Season 2 of Celebrity Bowling from 1974 (Episode 18)
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Today's Mystery:Sam explains to a confused Effie how he's still alive.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 17, 1950
Originated from Hollywood
Starred Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade, Lurene Tuttle as Effie
Watch Howard Duff on the Ed Wynn Show from January 1950.
Watch Howard Duff in Season 2 of Celebrity Bowling from 1974 (Episode 18)
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:28):
Welcome to the Great Detectives of OldTime Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham.If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectivesdot net. Follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and check us outon Instagram, Instagram, dot com,
(00:51):
slash Great Detectives. If you areenjoying this podcast, please follow us using
your favorite podcast software. Today's programis brought to you in part by the
financial support of our listeners. Youcan support the show on a one time
basis at support dot Great Detectives dotnet, and you can also become one
of our ongoing Patreon supporters for hislittle last two dollars per month. Just
(01:14):
go to Patreon dot Great Detectives dotnet. Going to bring you today's episode
of Sam Spade in just a bet. But when we left you last Monday,
Sam Spade had been canceled and HowardDuff was bounced. However, NBC
was inundated with letters calling for SamSpade to remain on the air. Several
(01:40):
people, according to Martin Graham's book, wrote in and said that even if
Jack Benny, the biggest name inradio at the time, were on at
the same time they would listen toHoward Duff. So this led MBC to
take the logical staff and bring SamSpade back without Howard Duff. In many
(02:05):
ways, this is a puzzling decisionfor us looking back at this seventy three
years later, But the fact isthat the political calculations that had led MBC
to cancel Sam Spade in the firstplace hadn't gone away, but the continuing
interest in the series. If theydid it without Howard Duff, they could
(02:28):
have a hit program and they couldavoid the bad publicity and all the issues
with Duff having been mentioned in RedChannels. It wasn't the craziest thing that
NBC would try over the years.It was really struggling to keep a radio
drama on NBC alive, and therewere so many failed experiments of entertaining programs
(02:55):
that didn't find an audience. Whetheryou're talking about Neural Wolf, Rocky Fortune
Crime and Peter Chambers Easy Money,this I think could seem worth trying.
Duff, for his part, saidthat he was disappointed in Spear for going
ahead with the series without him,but eventually let bygones be bygones. Of
(03:20):
course, the question then becomes whois going to replace Howard Duff. According
to E Jack Newman, Jack Webbtried out for the part. This is
one of those things I'm kind ofdubious about. I don't doubt that Newman
said it, or that mister Graham'sreported him correctly, But I'm wondering if
(03:47):
somehow a wire got crossed, becausethat makes no sense for Webb to leave
Dragnet for Sam Spade. Dragnet hada top rated program, Webb had rocketed
to stardom, and the idea ofleaving Dragnet to reboot a franchise that had
(04:10):
been so well defined by Howard Duffand in a genre that was in decline,
Billy I couldn't believe that he wouldleave Dragnet. Now, I'm not
gonna say one percent it couldn't happen, because I could see Webb thinking he
might do Sam's Spade and Dragnet atthe same time. Now, as hard
(04:33):
as that might be to conceptualize inthe twenty first century, when where you're
used to television and to television beingsuch an all consuming job for the Star,
radio really is different. You mightdo a rehearsal recording, but the
(04:54):
amount of time you spent recording,you know, it was only going to
be a few hours, particularly sincehe wasn't going to be as involved in
this as he would be in Dragnet. And Webb actually worked on two series
simultaneously. When he did the finalfour episodes of Pat Novac for Hire went
in the same time that he wasdoing the first four episodes of Dragnet,
(05:18):
and in nineteen fifty one he woulddo Pete Kelly's Blows on radio at the
same time that he was performing Dragnet. So it was autumn of nineteen fifty.
Webb was a noted workaholic. Hehadn't gotten into television, nor was
(05:40):
he being given a ton of plumbfilm roles to keep him busy. So
I could conceive Webb entertaining the ideathat he could lead two network programs at
the same time for five or sixmonths. But whether that got to the
point of recording an audition, I'mnot sure, particularly how the networks would
(06:02):
view it. Writer John Dunning hassaid that Howard Duff was so established in
that role that even Humphrey Bogart couldn'thave taken over the role over radio and
successfully followed him. I don't knowabout that. But NBC did not get
(06:23):
Humphrey Bogart. Instead, they castStephen Dunn as Sam Spade. And we'll
talk a bit more about mister Dunnafter today's episode. But this has been
a lengthy intro. So from Novemberseventeenth, nineteen fifty, here now is
Caper over my dead body. Inresponse to request representing millions of listening friends,
(06:57):
the National Broadcasting Company is pleased,indeed to bring you again the adventures
of Sam Spade Detective Hello, me, sweet what number of I guys?
Damn stay Detective Agency. Oh well, me, sweetheart, I think happened?
(07:20):
Called me later, Dwhite the whiteChip. Look, I didn't know
you you were in town. Youdidn't write to me, Effie, ef
This is me in the flesh,Sammy the Spade. O, No what
goodbye, Effie. I'm in apayphone. My Nichol is running outwight.
How think you be so cruel andplay jokes at a time like then?
(07:41):
Wait? Wait, listen? Ohare you listening? Yes? I am
not dead. Don't believe everything you'rereading the papers or here on the radio.
You are at my funeral? Isthat what you were about to say?
Yes? Hell, it was loved. Don't believe that either. Stay
right where you are, sweetheart,because I'll be there, alive and a
handsomer than ever, with an accountof a paper which proves you can kill
(08:03):
some of the people part of thetime. My exaggerated report on the death
of Sam Spade NBC welcomes back tothe air a character who has captured the
public imagination more completely than any othersince the birth of Sherlock Holmes. William
Spear, radio's outstanding producer director ofmystery and crime drama, brings you the
(08:26):
greatest private detective of them all inthe Adventures of Sam Spade. Ain't it
Grandamby Bloomin? Well dead, Candlesat my feet, Candles at my day,
I mean, mister State's elvis isclosed right now because because I'll wait,
I'll wait. You look just likewhat's the name Spade? Spade?
(08:54):
Spade can never told me he hada twin brother. He doesn't. I'm
me. Oh wait, come here, Oh what's the use? Oh never
mind, never mind. I'll getyour pencil and paper and take it.
(09:18):
Date November seventeenth, nineteen fifty two, Miss Effie Paris from Samuel Spade.
That's me license number one three sevenfive ninety. You must have been the
last one to see him alive,did he? Can you give me a
message? Shut up subject my death? Dear Effie, since the sight of
me in the flesh, breathing,hungering and living doesn't convince you, maybe
(09:39):
this report? Well think if youcan back to last Monday, if you
recall, it was about eleven o'clockwhen, on the flimsy pretense that we
needed stamps for the office, youdrew two dollars from petty cash and stepped
out to buy a pair of stepends. And that's when my client materialized.
He was small and thin and carriedwith him the unmistakable odor of stale flowers.
(10:03):
His black alpaca suits, string boats, high elevator's shoes, and white
gloves had no bearing on his conversation. Oh dear, my name is Chester
Swan. Are you sure yes?And my name is Spade? What can
I do tell? Are you misterSpade? Six feet in my feet?
Wait? One seventy eight? Ialways notice a man's bone structure, don't
you always open? Open? Letme see inside? Oh? I guess
(10:28):
all right? Fine? Oh well, now that you know me this well
mister Swan, What can I dofor you? Oh dear, Perhaps I
perhaps I shouldn't have come here atall. I'm sorry, mister Spain.
What really, oh dear? Ohhello again, mister Swan. You wanted
to talk to me, yes,but I I can't talk now. Mister
Spade, still here. I livean eighty five sixteen clare Martin Berkeley.
(10:52):
I'll be there tonight. I don'twalk here time. As he made his
exit, he left fifty dollars onthe edge of my desk, and so
stupid me. I was at eightyfive sixteen Claremont at the close of the
bed. It was a small whitecottage with green shutters and a white ticket
(11:15):
fence. There was a hill andback and a brook in front. The
sun was beginning to set on it, and it was all very picturesque,
in fact, so much so thata girl with red hair, blue jeans,
purple smock oils and canvas was makingit immortal. She liked me immediately.
Here hold this, certainly, Michael, Oh, this is my first
(11:35):
landscape. I'm a sprouting artist,obvious. Make sure run not then I
can get somebody to do it forme. Who are you? Oh?
I might be a fellow artist.Don't do that. You're a liar.
You're Sam Spade. I saw yourpicture in a newspaper clipping when I was
helping Chester clean out his desk beforehe moved in. But you don't know
an easel from a palace. Oh, but I could learn. I take
it seriously. Well, then sodo I. I doubt it. You've
(11:56):
never tried to get away, tostand off, to throw off the shackles,
have you? No? No,I'll have to admit that the urgency
of living, the pressure of merelyexisting is hadfish, Sam, by the
way, I made me goodrich catfish. The world is full of our happy
people who never try to get awayfrom it all. Honestly stop it.
Well, I wanted to, really, honestly, Sam, get away from
(12:16):
everything. Leave desire. I've dreamedof it, never returned across my heart.
What are you doing here to seemister Swan? He isn't home yet.
His house is a wonderful subject,looks Sam, colorful, moderate pleasant,
That isn't till the sun stops shining. But picture it at night in
the fog, crushed with baroness,full of death, brooding. I'm trying
(12:37):
to capture that too. It's whatwe've got to get away from, isn't
it? Absolutely you and I am. As you start up the hill on
Claremont, there's a green apartment houseon the rights. I'm in four twenty.
Well, maybe we'll find a wayout together. Maybe. I waved
her a fawn farewell and sat onthe steps of my client's house until he
(12:58):
show up at six fifteen. Hetook me inside, where the only furniture
was an army cut and a portableBarbecause I'm so glad you kept our appointment,
missus Spade. I'm so frightened.I've been upset all week long.
I didn't know what to do.I just didn't. And what have you
been so upset about, mister Swanlately, mister Spade? Infrequently for the
(13:20):
last week, I've noticed a man. I think he's following me. At
first, i'd see him in acar following my bust when I went down
town. Did He'd be waiting aroundat the bust stop in the evening when
I came back. Oh, I'msold my house and I'm ready to move.
It's unnerved me so much. Butdid he follow your home tonight?
No? No? But how wouldanyone be following you, mister Swan with
Hi Hi. I don't know,missus Spade, I don't know, I
(13:43):
really don't. All right, I'lltry another tech. What does this man
look like? He always wears darkclothes and a hat. I'd say he
was about your height six fade,I remember, maybe heavier, same bone
structure though, Yeah, you haven'tbeen at the police. Oh, dear
Noah man in my business cut Affordoff Color publish City. Know what kind
of business is that? The bontanmore oh, twenty five years, same
(14:05):
location, when I've worked hard,so very hard, and if there's something
behind all, there's something that hadstopped me from being made the executive secretary
of the Undertaker's Breakfast Club when theyhold their annual election next Monday. I
don't know what I'll do them isdebate. I just don't really know what
I just don't. Go ahead,mister Swan, you'll feel better. Just
let it all out, just reallydo. And he did. When he
(14:35):
stopped crying. I instructed him togo about his daily habits as always,
and left, assuring him I'd getto the bottom of it all. I
walked down to the corner ostentatiously,which is a neat trick well calculated to
throw nefarious observers off the track andlull them into false security. And when
the bus showed up ten minutes later, I got on it, rode three
blocks, walked back and took aplant across the street. A clever ruse,
(14:58):
as you see doing find a showdown. Two hours later, a man
about my size and dark clothes appearedover the hill and crept stealthily to the
front of my client's cottage. Hehad his eyes glued to the window,
and I walked up behind him.Hey, let go on, come on,
you're going inside and I'm no peepingtime. No, no, you're
the bloodhound type. I'm inviting youin for a real sniff. You're right,
(15:22):
well, all right, then I'llgo quietly. No, okay,
that's better. Now I'll just walkon. The kick he landed on me
wasn't according to Queensberry, I couldn'tmove for three or four minutes, and
by that time he disappeared. WhenI recovered my faculties, I reported the
incident to my clients, who criedhimself to sleep. After I bolted him
(15:48):
in for the night, I stoppedon my way down the hill at Apartment
four twenty in the Little Green apartmentHouse. She was still wearing the blue
jeans and the purple smile, andshe still had the same ideas. Come
in, Sam, you said youwere serious about getting away from it all,
and a whole day has passed.It was that pressure of living.
I'm here to Apolygon. You arenot going. I'm sorry. I love
(16:11):
to be fooled, Sam, You'reforgiven. How's the painting coming? They're
the one of Swan's cutting slow fogis always tough. It looks nice though.
How long you've been on it?Three weeks all told? Well,
then you've had a pretty good planon the house. Saven't you ever noticed
a tall, broad shouldered guy ina dark suit casing the place? Tall,
broad shouldering pretty much like me?Could anybody be pretty much like you?
(16:33):
No? You're right, Sam?Is there something wrong? No?
No, Well then don't stand theredoing nothing, Do something? Oh me?
Amy fixed me a small dinner whichhad a strong turpentine taste to it,
and then we mixed oils and paintedand made fun. Next afternoon,
(17:02):
at the Hall of Records, Idid a little spade work on Chester Swan.
His application in Pyramid to practice undertakingin the city of San Francisco,
where dated nineteen thirty eight. Thetales, unmarried, fifty two years of
age, graduated from morticians school inOhio. Listed one living relative, nephew,
Theodore J. Swan, Toledo,Ohio. I was gathering the above
information when I smelled whiskey over myshoulder, which is always good luck.
(17:27):
It was Al Torrington, who wasalso in the private investigation racket in this
city, and he was leaning peeringfrom my face to the card that I
held in my hand. Ha haha you Tuesday and got over to me
el him that thinny with the tears. What's his name? In my eyes?
(17:48):
Ain't a good Swan? Al ChesterSwan morticians. Yeah, yeah,
that's him. And the same oneexactly came to my office two weeks complaining
about somebody follow them and he didnothing about it, said I was too
fat, Oh you are eh?Are you sure? I'm sure? And
some mother the boy said he wasaround there too, one of the private
eye. But he one of theman who looked just right, all right,
(18:11):
obviously as right as you are,Sam, because it looks like he
picked you, eh, yeah,yeah, yes, if it did look
like he picked me. And Ithought that over and I didn't like it,
and I call my client at hometo telling me he was fired,
but he didn't give me a chance. Oh dear, I'm so glad you
called him, mister Spade, Ireally am. I call for a reason,
(18:32):
mister Swan, I'm resigning this case. Oh dear, mister Spade.
You can't do that, You reallycan't. I don't think you've been quite
honest with me, mister. Ohdear, tears will get you nowhere.
I made a routine check on yourreasons for hiring me, and they don't
quite fit with the reasons you gave. They really just don't quite mister Swan.
It's no game, mister Spade.Believe me, he's back tonight,
(18:53):
right now, he's standing beneath thelamp post outside my window, and I'm
frightened to death. Please hurry over, mister Spade. Let's get this business
straightened out, please please. Andstupid stupid me, I went over and
I found that little white cottage onthe hill, looking grim and gone in
(19:15):
the heavy fog. Amy's words aboutit being crushed with baroness, full of
brooding and death came back to me, and mister Swan's frightened words about a
mysterious man in dark clothes waiting beneaththe street light also came back to me,
particularly when I noted there was nostreet light near the house. However,
there was a light somewhere in therear of the house, and the
front door was a jar. Amister Swan, mister Swan, are you
(19:38):
here, mister Swan, It's meSam Spade. Are you here, mister
Spade? Is that you? Areyou out there? Where are you?
Things happened fast. I turned aroundto find the front door filled with a
man in a dark soup. Hehad something in his hand. It looked
like a roll of cotton candy,but it felt different. It only staggered
(20:00):
me against the wall, but itmade me forget where my arms were.
Easy's fade? Easy? Does itfor? Easy? He let me down
to the floor gently. I couldstill see the lights somewhere in the back
of the house, and I couldhear him talking, well, hurry,
I can watch. I'm going yourstaff. The needle went somewhere in my
left arm, but not before somebodypulled my coat off and for no reason
(20:22):
I could think of at the moment. Also try to pull my finger off.
Well, I couldn't dwell on it. By that time, the stuff
in my arm was going other places, and I was going with it,
even though there was action all aroundme. No, no, stay away
from me, get out of here. Vaguely somewhere somebody was shooting Roman candles,
(20:47):
or having bowouts or playing beebop.I just didn't care at all.
I just didn't. But for thingI saw was sunlight. It was the
kind you see in a picture.It was a picture of a little white
cottage with green shutters. You guessedit. I was in Amy's apartment,
(21:10):
where we made fudge together. Igot to my feet. Somehow, we'll
have to figure out the do.I knew the best thing to do with
me. There was a fire escapein a window. I got out there
and I weaved against the wall.He's gone, Well, you mean he's
gone. He couldn't have gotten awaywith that load. He was card No,
I don't know. He was unconscious. When I know, don't You
(21:33):
said we gotta do something that mightbe I didn't wait to find out what
they were gonna do. I mademy way down the fire escape and started
walking for the street. And andthat's when I noticed my shoes didn't fit
me anymore. They weren't mine.Neither was the gray flannels soup with the
label marked Titkies. Neither was theblue shirt. While I was at it,
(21:53):
the ring on my finger in grapedEmerson High in nineteen thirty six wasn't
mine either. My new belt bucklehad a big letter T on it,
which is not my initial. Itreally isn't. And I didn't have any
use for the eyeglasses in my coltpocket either. You were off when I
(22:14):
walked in the office, f butyou've been there. There was a black
crape done up in a white satinribbon hanging on the door. The desk
blotter was drenched with salt tears,and a newspaper folded back to page thirteen.
And I'll soothe the chronicle on thisif it's the last thing I do.
Gave me a two inch spread itemNovember fifteenth, nineteen fifteen fifteen.
(22:36):
What happened to the thirteenth and thefourteenth Detective perishes in Berkeley Fire? I
read it through once and twice.It was my obituary. You are listening
to the burst in a new seriesof adventures involving radio's most famous detective,
Sam Spayde Later Tonight on most NBCstations, Duffy's Tavern comes your way with
(23:17):
another merry half hour session starring EdGardner as Archie the Manager. There's a
full serving of laughs garnished with chucklesand whipped up by Archie and his unpredictable
friends, Miss Duffy, Clifton Finneganand Eddie the Waiter. It's just one
of the many great Friday evening entertainmentfeatures on NBC. It's Duffy's Tavern your
queue for better listening where the threetimes always mean good times. Make it
(23:41):
a Friday evening habit to tune earlyand stay late at your favorite NBC station.
And now back to Caper over Mydead Body, Tonight's adventure with Sam's
Spade. I left the crepe onthe door and went out to buy a
(24:07):
new desk blotter and some more newspapers. The Whole Ball News had the best
story, which wasn't much. SamuelSpade, licensed private investigator, perished Wednesday
night in a fire in a vacanthouse in Berkeley. His warm friends will
feel regret at the passing of aman who was always kind to the poor.
None of us ever asked Sam Spadefor a handout without receiving a kind
(24:30):
word and boonemoth as he turned usdown. This was nice, but I
wanted more. Figured I was fairlysafe to wander about unrecognized. My ill
fitting attire required from my unknown benefactorwould be disguised enough when combined with my
two day beer. Engine Company sixteenBerkeley Division had handled the fire, and
half a block away was a grogshop called the Shamrock. I waited for
(24:53):
a fireman to come in, Markender, Markender, what kind? I have
a place here running now, I'vebeen here five minutes already. I shut
up, Patty, you're just orwell, shimnt five minutes a wee bit
more than if you know that's enoughfor you. Patty, you're still on
due. I am not. I'moff now. The chief said I could
(25:14):
be off. It means every dayreceived such a shock to me system.
You received your shock three days ago, and I'm still ship command. Oh
the sight of him was terrible,terrible. Hurn't as black as the good
Saints Beard, I'll twisted and thehorrible and deaths. He was probably dead
drunk and didn't know what happened tohim. And were you there fighting the
(25:36):
flames and finding them? Like me? Oh? It was terrible, terrible,
terrible, terrible. It wasn't thatbad. And you've had your limit?
And who says show? I say, so, oh are you do?
Do you? And who are you? Your brother in law? Now?
Or maybe I can spot you onepain. I never drink with strangers.
What's your name, old duel?When you hurt the man, go
(26:00):
ahead, poor, here's yeah.Fireman, you had a terrible experience through
the lane. I've heard it adozen times. I'll be at the other
masterne nights to go, mister Doolan, and we get a call from the
house on Claremont is a fire?Why so when we get there, it's
(26:22):
about I've gone. Can't understand whyflame so fast? Would? It was
the funerful fire of a man wholived in sin he Detective fellow Sam Spade.
He was identified as we oh onemoment, fireman. I've heard fine
things about him. Ah, someof those are pretty police fellows from the
Division of Homicide says he was anice fellow with some of the boys at
(26:45):
the fire station, and miss elwell, we got our own ideas about that.
What kind of ideas, patty,my boy? What kind of good
can any man be accomplished in anempty house late at night? I asked
you, mister dulan Oh, hewas into attorney was when I burst in
the door with me act saved hidden, the cole charge empty, was skimmer
(27:07):
scattered all about sin sin he'd goneto sleep with a smook and cigarette.
That set the whole place off vcerimpant. From there I went downtown to a
telegraph office, where I sent awire to Toledo on a long chance.
(27:27):
While I was waiting for an answer, on a not so long chance,
I slunk into the Bonton Funeral Pallorto pay my respects to the departed.
And I stood in the black ofthat dimly lit chapel and scammed the sea.
Three of the boys from homicide werethere, blowing their noses. Two
(27:48):
chorus girls I thought had long sinceforgotten me, were there in black,
deep v necks. My insurance manwas there, looking awful worried. One
chronicle reporter with photographer and a shoeshineboy from our building, and the bailiff
from the courthouse, just to mentiona few I could make, uh,
And you were there, Fie,up front, near a closed casket.
(28:10):
I made out a bar of flowersfrom robbery detail it said good bars.
Sam Maxie from the City Morgue wasthe only one who looked at ease.
All right, does anyone wish tohu? Miss Manny called him Shalmond,
but I called him friends on thisIt's last caper. I was touched,
(28:47):
Effie, and I would have stoppedthe whole thing then and there, but
I had to find out who wasin that casket. I reeled out the
front door with tears in my eyes, and slid around to the back door
and into Chester Swan's private office,and there I made a call and got
an answer to my telegram, whichcaused me to make another call to his
bank. By that time most ofit was right in place. A search
through his desk revealed nothing, anda safe standing in the corner the same.
(29:11):
But then my answer walked right inthe door. Oh, Sam Darling.
I was so worried when I foundyou'd left. But I saw you
at the funeral, and I thoughtyou'd be here. And the guy was
with you was he worried? Oh, hear man, that was doctor Jesslyn.
Sam. You'd been out for twodays and I didn't Oh, Sam,
you were see if you got awayfrom it a roll. You've escaped,
darling. Yeah. Yeah, they'reburying me right now. I'm dead.
(29:33):
It's so wonderful, Sam, Onlyone thing. Where do you fit
the caper? I was supposed toburn up in that fire? And what
was life? Was supposed to lookenough like Theodore J. Swan class of
nineteen thirty six, Toledo, Ohioto let beneficiary Chester Swan collect a nice
pile of insurance money. Yeah,what are you talking about? Who's Theodore
J? What did you say?Chester's only living reality? They're burying him
(29:53):
right now. Somebody lost his caper. You want to tell me, Dolly.
I was at the house the nightof the fire, working on my
foggy picture. You didn't see mewhen you went in, and later on
you didn't come out, and Iwent over and I was on the floor
and a man was bending over me. He changed clothes with you, Sam,
and I screamed and he pulled outa gun and I hit him with
a hole and I drug you outon the lawn and then what happened.
(30:14):
I put you in my car,took you home. I was going to
phone the police, but I decidedit was something you were working on.
And I went back to the houseand it and it was burning, and
you knew the man you'd hit onthe head was in there. Believe me,
Sam, I didn't know the housewas going to burn down. I
wouldn't kill anybody, Sam, Ionly wanted you. You only wanted to
help me, and you did,right, Angels, that's all right.
I'm your witness. You didn't startthe fire. Somebody really started it Chester.
(30:40):
He thought it was me lying onthe floor in there. The bank
tells me he's about to go busted. He figured this one out with his
nephew to scare up some insurance.Though I'm about the same. Sam told
me it's been horrible. This isthe kind of thing I was trying to
paint. Now I'm smack dab upagainst it, and I'm sick. I'm
scared. Easy you really did.There's our way out, Sam, Just
(31:03):
leave now, let it go theway it is. They all thank you're
dead, oh deah, But weknow different, don't we. Mister Spade?
He was holding a Navy Cult revolverin front of him with both hands.
I couldn't make up my mind arush him and cut on his bad
(31:23):
aim, or stand still and bea perfect target while I tried to talk
him out of it. Either way, he was a crazy man with a
gun. He was getting ready touse it. Sam, He's gonna kill
us, Spade, because my nephewwas stupid enough to wear your watch in
your suit when he exchanged clothes withyou. I'm going to lose the bontn.
And that puts you in quite aspot, doesn't it, mister Swan.
(31:45):
Until a moment ago, yes,But now, mister Spade, the
newspapers all say you're dead. Thedeath certificate says the same thing. All
of your friends are following your casketand my nephew's corps to the cemetery at
this very moment. Everybody thank youto be dead, mister Speed. Thanks
to you, mister Swan. Butno, nobody'd miss you. If I
(32:07):
killed you. I'd miss you,Sam, I'd have to kill you.
Two. Oh, did you noticeyou were still wearing seas clothes even his
ring. Why, mister Spade,I could kill you and put you in
a fire somewhere and collect my insuranceon see your door now, couldn't I
know why? That's a terrible thingto think. Ah, oh, you're
not reasoning properly, Chester, Youreally aren't. How would you explain any
(32:30):
you just said you'd have to killher? And what about the coroner's office,
you know how they are would ifI don't forget the medical examiner's got
something to say too, not tomention the fact that you'd have to really
burn me up to cover up thebullet hole. And furthermore, Chester,
when you shoot me, if you'rehappen to hit a rib and chip off
some bone, they'd know I wasshot before and then homicided. Being on
it, stop stop, nothing worksfor me. I'm a failure. Go
(32:52):
ahead, mistres Swan, let itall out, you'll feel better. And
he did, and he's still cryingin his cell. Downtime, carry it
and the report. Oh damn,you was so brave. You actually stood
(33:14):
there and talk that crazy man outof out of murdering you. You were
one true Effie. Amy thinks sotoo. She's gonna do me in oils
when they let her out of thepoking. Amy's in jail food busy.
Oh, technical charge of an involuntarymanslaughter and spring her as soon as the
corner's inquest is completed. Dear Amy, did she make food? Fudge?
(33:34):
Fudge? Oh that was the leastof it. Oh, what do you
mean after the fun? Oh boy, oh boy? Say go type that
up, sweetheart, while I seeif there's any mention of my miraculous resuscitation
on the radio page. Go goo. There certainly is a mention of Sam
(33:58):
Spade on the radio page for Friday. Sam Spade is one more in the
list of great shows to join upin NBC's Parade of the Stars. Have
you heard the Big Show? ThisSunday? The Big Show comes your way
once again on NBC. Listen tojust a few of the star names who
will be appearing this week. BobHope, Jimmy Durranty, Perry Como,
Jose Ferrere, Mindy Carson, EddieCantor, Meredith Wilson and his orchestra,
(34:21):
and many many more. And ofcourse, your MC once again will be
the lady who invented the snappy retortto Lula Bankhead. Yes, it's the
Big Show. It's big in music, big in drama, and big in
comedy. Be sure to hear thebig show Sunday. We all tip good.
(34:42):
I will sign it and you willkeep it always to remind you that
I'm still here, living, breathing, brave and a handsome, a paragon
Dan. What will we do aboutthe mail? The mail? What mail?
All the letters and post guards andtelegrams and all that came in when
people thought you, Oh where willyou let me touch you a whole?
There have been enough clears tonight,Oh, same is so good to have
(35:02):
you back. Would you be thesame as you always wish? Well,
I'm gonna try it, because thenyou can't help with me, Like they
say, the greatest private detective ofthem all, We'll see good night,
good night sweet. The Adventures ofSam Spade are produced, edited, and
(35:30):
directed by William Spear. Sam Spadewas played by Stephen Dunn. Loreene Tuttle
is Effie. Script for tonight's adventureby E Jack Newman. Musical scarring by
Blood Gluskin, conducted by Frank Wort. Join us again next week, same
(36:00):
time for another adventure with Sam's badYou're the Magnificent Montague. Then visit Duffy's
Tavern on NBC Welcome Back. Definitelya very different interpretation and it will take
(36:28):
some time to get used to.But I've listened to some of the Steve
Dunne episodes and I think that theydo work if you just accept them for
what they are. This particular storywas a challenge because it was actually written
for Howard Duff. It was afresh performance of the over My dead Body
(36:51):
Caper, which was the last CBSepisode of Sam's Bay back in nineteen forty
nine. And we'll talk a littlebit about Steve Dunn. Steve Dune was
really one of those sort of journeymenactors. He had actually starred in two
radio programs prior to that. Hestarred in Deadline Mystery, which it was
(37:17):
a mystery program that was so cheapit was beneath the standards of this podcast.
He also starred in the worst detectiveprogram of all time, Danger Doctor
Danfield. That series was done underthe name Michael Dunn. His given name
(37:37):
was Francis Michael Dunne, but hebegan to go under Steve for professional reasons.
His radio career included announcing and discjockeying in addition to the acting jobs,
including on the Jack Kirkwood Program,and then of course he starred in
(37:58):
some movies, really the sort ofbe movie top before moving on to television.
Found an interesting story about one ofhis film roles where he was in
one of the rusty films and inthis particular film, he just had a
(38:19):
scene in the water and heard peopleshouting toss him a towel, and then
he figured out that they meant totoss one to the doc who was in
the scene with him. That's thekind of career he often had. But
still I think he managed to quithimself pretty well and to hang around into
(38:40):
the nineteen seventies. He did alot of television work. He was in
everything from Dragnet and The Beverly Hillbilliesto The Jerry Lewis Show and The Bridy
Bunch. He also, and thisis very cool, he appeared in two
(39:00):
episodes of the nineteen sixties Batman TVseries. And he also had a minor
role in one of my favorite filmsof all time, Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory. So I have toadmire the ability to have a career like
that, by no means is donein the same league as Howard Duff.
(39:21):
I think he's got a talent similarto Glenn Langon, I think is probably
more his level. Nevertheless, Ithink that his work on Sam Spade sometimes
gets unfairly because he's not Howard Duff. But he is competent and I think
he does a good job. Andhis run on Sam Spade can be enjoyed
(39:45):
if you enjoy it for what itis rather than comparing it to what came
before, And there are some peoplewho enjoy it on the merits of even
compared to what it came before forbecause some folks have said that the case
has become a little more serious andgrounded during this era. Again, I
(40:07):
think that there's going to be somegood episodes, even though in terms of
cultural impact, Don's take is notnearly as well regarded as Howard Duff's.
Now a couple more notes on HowardDuff, because after I recorded last week's
program, I kind of went downa rabbit hole of looking for Howard Duff
(40:31):
performances, and there aren't as manyreadily available as I would like, but
I stuggled into a couple that tookmy interest. In particular, the one
most relevant to this series was anepisode of The Edwin Show Edwin is probably
(40:53):
best remembered as the voice of theMad Hatter in Disney's out Us in Wonderland,
but was a very popular performer goingback to vaudeville and through the thirties
and forties and even into the fifties. And he had a TV show that
was broadcast live in nineteen forty nineand nineteen fifty and for the sixteenth episode
(41:19):
of that series, broadcast in Januarynineteen fifty, the second half of the
program was a murder mystery spoof andin the middle of the sketch they played
the theme to Sam Spade and HowardDuff walked in and they poked a little
fun at radio detectives and how theyhave everything written in the script and do
(41:44):
things through sound effects. Then alsopoked fun at early television as well.
So it's a fun little bet.If you're interested in it, you can
just top in google poob Tubi andthe Edwin Show and it's episode sixteen,
and it was worth watching. Theother thing I ended up watching, which
(42:08):
was not nearly as interesting, wasHoward Duff on Celebrity Bulling, which was
a program back in the nineteen seventies, and I'd seen it a few times
when I was just looking around Amazon, and then my curiosity became overwhelming when
I saw mister Duff was involved.So I watched the episode and it was
(42:31):
from nineteen seventy three. Howard Duffwas sixty years old and very much going
along with the nineteen seventies. Hehad long side burns and this mustache that
a follower on Twitter when I posteda picture of this appearance just would not
(42:52):
abide by. And I have tosay that celebrity bulling I was surprised because
I thought that it was going tobe more interesting, that you'd have some
moments where you would you talk withthe celebrities, or they would have some
special feature to the program. Wasjust these celebrities bully and not saying very
(43:16):
much because they really didn't have timeand they couldn't be properly hurt anyway.
And I thought that you could havemade it more interesting if you'd had celebrities
who you would think of as rivalsin some way bowling against each other.
And that really didn't seem to bethe case. And it wasn't just this
(43:38):
particular episode. I looked at someothers and they had things like Richard Roundtree
aka Shaft, says Maury Amsterdam akaBuddy from The Dick van Dook Show.
Clearly one of those great entertainment rivalries, so it wasn't bad. I just
(44:00):
don't understand the appeal of it,honestly, though it probably didn't help in
our case that nobody was a greatbowler. Howard Duff was bowling with Susan
Saint James and and on the otherteam you had Angie Dickinson, who starred
(44:22):
in Policewoman, and her partner wasJohn Saxon, who I recognized as a
villain in a lot of seventies TVshows and movies. They had a format
where both partners bowled the first halfof the frame, and then the partner
with the worst score on the firstbowl went ahead and saw if he or
(44:49):
she could pick up the spare forthe partner with the better score on the
second throw. Nobody on the programwas particularly good, and Duff had a
real heartbreaker shot where he actually missedthe pins, but then the ball bounced
(45:10):
when it hit the back and tookthe pins out, but that was determined
not to count. But if youare interested in seeing the full match of
Howard Duff, in all of hisseventies glory. You can find it on
free v which is Amazon's ad supportedservice, and it's episode eighteen of season
(45:32):
two. Now it's time to thankour Patreon supporter of the day, and
I want to go ahead and thankDan, Patreon supporter since March currently supporting
the program at the Shawmus level offour dollars or more per month. Thank
you so much for your support,Dan, and that will actually he do
(45:55):
it for today. If you areenjoying this podcast, please follow us using
your favorite podcast software and you canrate and review the podcast wherever you download
us from. We will be backnext Monday with another episode of Sam Spade.
But join us back here tomorrow foryours truly, Johnny doll or where
(46:16):
well but the life insurance that washis own idea double indentity, all that
sort of. Oh yeah, butguess who had to dig up the mula
for the last couple of premiums?Big hearted Carbon, You're right, not
a bad investment, though, wasn'they couple of premiums? And you stand
to collect plenty if we can findproof that he's dead and if we can't,
(46:38):
Dollar, I don't either, Carbon. It doesn't smell that. Well,
you think me, his own agent, actually ricked something like that for
one of my best friends. You'llthink that. Listen, wise guy.
Even if I did have any anyof us such idea that it'd be crazy,
anything actually is as obvious as that. Well, sometimes the most obvious
(47:00):
the best cover. Oh, getout of here, dolla. I hope
you'll be with us then. Inthe meantime, do send your comments to
Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot andit, follow us on Twitter at Radio
Detectives, and check us out onInstagram, Instagram dot com, slash Great
Detectives From Boise, Idaho. Thisis your host, Adam Graham signing off.
Welcome to the Great Detectives of OldTime Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham.If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectivesdot net. Follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and check us outon Instagram, Instagram, dot com,
(00:51):
slash Great Detectives. If you areenjoying this podcast, please follow us using
your favorite podcast software. Today's programis brought to you in part by the
financial support of our listeners. Youcan support the show on a one time
basis at support dot Great Detectives dotnet, and you can also become one
of our ongoing Patreon supporters for hislittle last two dollars per month. Just
(01:14):
go to Patreon dot Great Detectives dotnet. Going to bring you today's episode
of Sam Spade in just a bet. But when we left you last Monday,
Sam Spade had been canceled and HowardDuff was bounced. However, NBC
was inundated with letters calling for SamSpade to remain on the air. Several
(01:40):
people, according to Martin Graham's book, wrote in and said that even if
Jack Benny, the biggest name inradio at the time, were on at
the same time they would listen toHoward Duff. So this led MBC to
take the logical staff and bring SamSpade back without Howard Duff. In many
(02:05):
ways, this is a puzzling decisionfor us looking back at this seventy three
years later, But the fact isthat the political calculations that had led MBC
to cancel Sam Spade in the firstplace hadn't gone away, but the continuing
interest in the series. If theydid it without Howard Duff, they could
(02:28):
have a hit program and they couldavoid the bad publicity and all the issues
with Duff having been mentioned in RedChannels. It wasn't the craziest thing that
NBC would try over the years.It was really struggling to keep a radio
drama on NBC alive, and therewere so many failed experiments of entertaining programs
(02:55):
that didn't find an audience. Whetheryou're talking about Neural Wolf, Rocky Fortune
Crime and Peter Chambers Easy Money,this I think could seem worth trying.
Duff, for his part, saidthat he was disappointed in Spear for going
ahead with the series without him,but eventually let bygones be bygones. Of
(03:20):
course, the question then becomes whois going to replace Howard Duff. According
to E Jack Newman, Jack Webbtried out for the part. This is
one of those things I'm kind ofdubious about. I don't doubt that Newman
said it, or that mister Graham'sreported him correctly, But I'm wondering if
(03:47):
somehow a wire got crossed, becausethat makes no sense for Webb to leave
Dragnet for Sam Spade. Dragnet hada top rated program, Webb had rocketed
to stardom, and the idea ofleaving Dragnet to reboot a franchise that had
(04:10):
been so well defined by Howard Duffand in a genre that was in decline,
Billy I couldn't believe that he wouldleave Dragnet. Now, I'm not
gonna say one percent it couldn't happen, because I could see Webb thinking he
might do Sam's Spade and Dragnet atthe same time. Now, as hard
(04:33):
as that might be to conceptualize inthe twenty first century, when where you're
used to television and to television beingsuch an all consuming job for the Star,
radio really is different. You mightdo a rehearsal recording, but the
(04:54):
amount of time you spent recording,you know, it was only going to
be a few hours, particularly sincehe wasn't going to be as involved in
this as he would be in Dragnet. And Webb actually worked on two series
simultaneously. When he did the finalfour episodes of Pat Novac for Hire went
in the same time that he wasdoing the first four episodes of Dragnet,
(05:18):
and in nineteen fifty one he woulddo Pete Kelly's Blows on radio at the
same time that he was performing Dragnet. So it was autumn of nineteen fifty.
Webb was a noted workaholic. Hehadn't gotten into television, nor was
(05:40):
he being given a ton of plumbfilm roles to keep him busy. So
I could conceive Webb entertaining the ideathat he could lead two network programs at
the same time for five or sixmonths. But whether that got to the
point of recording an audition, I'mnot sure, particularly how the networks would
(06:02):
view it. Writer John Dunning hassaid that Howard Duff was so established in
that role that even Humphrey Bogart couldn'thave taken over the role over radio and
successfully followed him. I don't knowabout that. But NBC did not get
(06:23):
Humphrey Bogart. Instead, they castStephen Dunn as Sam Spade. And we'll
talk a bit more about mister Dunnafter today's episode. But this has been
a lengthy intro. So from Novemberseventeenth, nineteen fifty, here now is
Caper over my dead body. Inresponse to request representing millions of listening friends,
(06:57):
the National Broadcasting Company is pleased,indeed to bring you again the adventures
of Sam Spade Detective Hello, me, sweet what number of I guys?
Damn stay Detective Agency. Oh well, me, sweetheart, I think happened?
(07:20):
Called me later, Dwhite the whiteChip. Look, I didn't know
you you were in town. Youdidn't write to me, Effie, ef
This is me in the flesh,Sammy the Spade. O, No what
goodbye, Effie. I'm in apayphone. My Nichol is running outwight.
How think you be so cruel andplay jokes at a time like then?
(07:41):
Wait? Wait, listen? Ohare you listening? Yes? I am
not dead. Don't believe everything you'rereading the papers or here on the radio.
You are at my funeral? Isthat what you were about to say?
Yes? Hell, it was loved. Don't believe that either. Stay
right where you are, sweetheart,because I'll be there, alive and a
handsomer than ever, with an accountof a paper which proves you can kill
(08:03):
some of the people part of thetime. My exaggerated report on the death
of Sam Spade NBC welcomes back tothe air a character who has captured the
public imagination more completely than any othersince the birth of Sherlock Holmes. William
Spear, radio's outstanding producer director ofmystery and crime drama, brings you the
(08:26):
greatest private detective of them all inthe Adventures of Sam Spade. Ain't it
Grandamby Bloomin? Well dead, Candlesat my feet, Candles at my day,
I mean, mister State's elvis isclosed right now because because I'll wait,
I'll wait. You look just likewhat's the name Spade? Spade?
(08:54):
Spade can never told me he hada twin brother. He doesn't. I'm
me. Oh wait, come here, Oh what's the use? Oh never
mind, never mind. I'll getyour pencil and paper and take it.
(09:18):
Date November seventeenth, nineteen fifty two, Miss Effie Paris from Samuel Spade.
That's me license number one three sevenfive ninety. You must have been the
last one to see him alive,did he? Can you give me a
message? Shut up subject my death? Dear Effie, since the sight of
me in the flesh, breathing,hungering and living doesn't convince you, maybe
(09:39):
this report? Well think if youcan back to last Monday, if you
recall, it was about eleven o'clockwhen, on the flimsy pretense that we
needed stamps for the office, youdrew two dollars from petty cash and stepped
out to buy a pair of stepends. And that's when my client materialized.
He was small and thin and carriedwith him the unmistakable odor of stale flowers.
(10:03):
His black alpaca suits, string boats, high elevator's shoes, and white
gloves had no bearing on his conversation. Oh dear, my name is Chester
Swan. Are you sure yes?And my name is Spade? What can
I do tell? Are you misterSpade? Six feet in my feet?
Wait? One seventy eight? Ialways notice a man's bone structure, don't
you always open? Open? Letme see inside? Oh? I guess
(10:28):
all right? Fine? Oh well, now that you know me this well
mister Swan, What can I dofor you? Oh dear, Perhaps I
perhaps I shouldn't have come here atall. I'm sorry, mister Spain.
What really, oh dear? Ohhello again, mister Swan. You wanted
to talk to me, yes,but I I can't talk now. Mister
Spade, still here. I livean eighty five sixteen clare Martin Berkeley.
(10:52):
I'll be there tonight. I don'twalk here time. As he made his
exit, he left fifty dollars onthe edge of my desk, and so
stupid me. I was at eightyfive sixteen Claremont at the close of the
bed. It was a small whitecottage with green shutters and a white ticket
(11:15):
fence. There was a hill andback and a brook in front. The
sun was beginning to set on it, and it was all very picturesque,
in fact, so much so thata girl with red hair, blue jeans,
purple smock oils and canvas was makingit immortal. She liked me immediately.
Here hold this, certainly, Michael, Oh, this is my first
(11:35):
landscape. I'm a sprouting artist,obvious. Make sure run not then I
can get somebody to do it forme. Who are you? Oh?
I might be a fellow artist.Don't do that. You're a liar.
You're Sam Spade. I saw yourpicture in a newspaper clipping when I was
helping Chester clean out his desk beforehe moved in. But you don't know
an easel from a palace. Oh, but I could learn. I take
it seriously. Well, then sodo I. I doubt it. You've
(11:56):
never tried to get away, tostand off, to throw off the shackles,
have you? No? No,I'll have to admit that the urgency
of living, the pressure of merelyexisting is hadfish, Sam, by the
way, I made me goodrich catfish. The world is full of our happy
people who never try to get awayfrom it all. Honestly stop it.
Well, I wanted to, really, honestly, Sam, get away from
(12:16):
everything. Leave desire. I've dreamedof it, never returned across my heart.
What are you doing here to seemister Swan? He isn't home yet.
His house is a wonderful subject,looks Sam, colorful, moderate pleasant,
That isn't till the sun stops shining. But picture it at night in
the fog, crushed with baroness,full of death, brooding. I'm trying
(12:37):
to capture that too. It's whatwe've got to get away from, isn't
it? Absolutely you and I am. As you start up the hill on
Claremont, there's a green apartment houseon the rights. I'm in four twenty.
Well, maybe we'll find a wayout together. Maybe. I waved
her a fawn farewell and sat onthe steps of my client's house until he
(12:58):
show up at six fifteen. Hetook me inside, where the only furniture
was an army cut and a portableBarbecause I'm so glad you kept our appointment,
missus Spade. I'm so frightened.I've been upset all week long.
I didn't know what to do.I just didn't. And what have you
been so upset about, mister Swanlately, mister Spade? Infrequently for the
(13:20):
last week, I've noticed a man. I think he's following me. At
first, i'd see him in acar following my bust when I went down
town. Did He'd be waiting aroundat the bust stop in the evening when
I came back. Oh, I'msold my house and I'm ready to move.
It's unnerved me so much. Butdid he follow your home tonight?
No? No? But how wouldanyone be following you, mister Swan with
Hi Hi. I don't know,missus Spade, I don't know, I
(13:43):
really don't. All right, I'lltry another tech. What does this man
look like? He always wears darkclothes and a hat. I'd say he
was about your height six fade,I remember, maybe heavier, same bone
structure though, Yeah, you haven'tbeen at the police. Oh, dear
Noah man in my business cut Affordoff Color publish City. Know what kind
of business is that? The bontanmore oh, twenty five years, same
(14:05):
location, when I've worked hard,so very hard, and if there's something
behind all, there's something that hadstopped me from being made the executive secretary
of the Undertaker's Breakfast Club when theyhold their annual election next Monday. I
don't know what I'll do them isdebate. I just don't really know what
I just don't. Go ahead,mister Swan, you'll feel better. Just
let it all out, just reallydo. And he did. When he
(14:35):
stopped crying. I instructed him togo about his daily habits as always,
and left, assuring him I'd getto the bottom of it all. I
walked down to the corner ostentatiously,which is a neat trick well calculated to
throw nefarious observers off the track andlull them into false security. And when
the bus showed up ten minutes later, I got on it, rode three
blocks, walked back and took aplant across the street. A clever ruse,
(14:58):
as you see doing find a showdown. Two hours later, a man
about my size and dark clothes appearedover the hill and crept stealthily to the
front of my client's cottage. Hehad his eyes glued to the window,
and I walked up behind him.Hey, let go on, come on,
you're going inside and I'm no peepingtime. No, no, you're
the bloodhound type. I'm inviting youin for a real sniff. You're right,
(15:22):
well, all right, then I'llgo quietly. No, okay,
that's better. Now I'll just walkon. The kick he landed on me
wasn't according to Queensberry, I couldn'tmove for three or four minutes, and
by that time he disappeared. WhenI recovered my faculties, I reported the
incident to my clients, who criedhimself to sleep. After I bolted him
(15:48):
in for the night, I stoppedon my way down the hill at Apartment
four twenty in the Little Green apartmentHouse. She was still wearing the blue
jeans and the purple smile, andshe still had the same ideas. Come
in, Sam, you said youwere serious about getting away from it all,
and a whole day has passed.It was that pressure of living.
I'm here to Apolygon. You arenot going. I'm sorry. I love
(16:11):
to be fooled, Sam, You'reforgiven. How's the painting coming? They're
the one of Swan's cutting slow fogis always tough. It looks nice though.
How long you've been on it?Three weeks all told? Well,
then you've had a pretty good planon the house. Saven't you ever noticed
a tall, broad shouldered guy ina dark suit casing the place? Tall,
broad shouldering pretty much like me?Could anybody be pretty much like you?
(16:33):
No? You're right, Sam?Is there something wrong? No?
No, Well then don't stand theredoing nothing, Do something? Oh me?
Amy fixed me a small dinner whichhad a strong turpentine taste to it,
and then we mixed oils and paintedand made fun. Next afternoon,
(17:02):
at the Hall of Records, Idid a little spade work on Chester Swan.
His application in Pyramid to practice undertakingin the city of San Francisco,
where dated nineteen thirty eight. Thetales, unmarried, fifty two years of
age, graduated from morticians school inOhio. Listed one living relative, nephew,
Theodore J. Swan, Toledo,Ohio. I was gathering the above
information when I smelled whiskey over myshoulder, which is always good luck.
(17:27):
It was Al Torrington, who wasalso in the private investigation racket in this
city, and he was leaning peeringfrom my face to the card that I
held in my hand. Ha haha you Tuesday and got over to me
el him that thinny with the tears. What's his name? In my eyes?
(17:48):
Ain't a good Swan? Al ChesterSwan morticians. Yeah, yeah,
that's him. And the same oneexactly came to my office two weeks complaining
about somebody follow them and he didnothing about it, said I was too
fat, Oh you are eh?Are you sure? I'm sure? And
some mother the boy said he wasaround there too, one of the private
eye. But he one of theman who looked just right, all right,
(18:11):
obviously as right as you are,Sam, because it looks like he
picked you, eh, yeah,yeah, yes, if it did look
like he picked me. And Ithought that over and I didn't like it,
and I call my client at hometo telling me he was fired,
but he didn't give me a chance. Oh dear, I'm so glad you
called him, mister Spade, Ireally am. I call for a reason,
(18:32):
mister Swan, I'm resigning this case. Oh dear, mister Spade.
You can't do that, You reallycan't. I don't think you've been quite
honest with me, mister. Ohdear, tears will get you nowhere.
I made a routine check on yourreasons for hiring me, and they don't
quite fit with the reasons you gave. They really just don't quite mister Swan.
It's no game, mister Spade.Believe me, he's back tonight,
(18:53):
right now, he's standing beneath thelamp post outside my window, and I'm
frightened to death. Please hurry over, mister Spade. Let's get this business
straightened out, please please. Andstupid stupid me, I went over and
I found that little white cottage onthe hill, looking grim and gone in
(19:15):
the heavy fog. Amy's words aboutit being crushed with baroness, full of
brooding and death came back to me, and mister Swan's frightened words about a
mysterious man in dark clothes waiting beneaththe street light also came back to me,
particularly when I noted there was nostreet light near the house. However,
there was a light somewhere in therear of the house, and the
front door was a jar. Amister Swan, mister Swan, are you
(19:38):
here, mister Swan, It's meSam Spade. Are you here, mister
Spade? Is that you? Areyou out there? Where are you?
Things happened fast. I turned aroundto find the front door filled with a
man in a dark soup. Hehad something in his hand. It looked
like a roll of cotton candy,but it felt different. It only staggered
(20:00):
me against the wall, but itmade me forget where my arms were.
Easy's fade? Easy? Does itfor? Easy? He let me down
to the floor gently. I couldstill see the lights somewhere in the back
of the house, and I couldhear him talking, well, hurry,
I can watch. I'm going yourstaff. The needle went somewhere in my
left arm, but not before somebodypulled my coat off and for no reason
(20:22):
I could think of at the moment. Also try to pull my finger off.
Well, I couldn't dwell on it. By that time, the stuff
in my arm was going other places, and I was going with it,
even though there was action all aroundme. No, no, stay away
from me, get out of here. Vaguely somewhere somebody was shooting Roman candles,
(20:47):
or having bowouts or playing beebop.I just didn't care at all.
I just didn't. But for thingI saw was sunlight. It was the
kind you see in a picture.It was a picture of a little white
cottage with green shutters. You guessedit. I was in Amy's apartment,
(21:10):
where we made fudge together. Igot to my feet. Somehow, we'll
have to figure out the do.I knew the best thing to do with
me. There was a fire escapein a window. I got out there
and I weaved against the wall.He's gone, Well, you mean he's
gone. He couldn't have gotten awaywith that load. He was card No,
I don't know. He was unconscious. When I know, don't You
(21:33):
said we gotta do something that mightbe I didn't wait to find out what
they were gonna do. I mademy way down the fire escape and started
walking for the street. And andthat's when I noticed my shoes didn't fit
me anymore. They weren't mine.Neither was the gray flannels soup with the
label marked Titkies. Neither was theblue shirt. While I was at it,
(21:53):
the ring on my finger in grapedEmerson High in nineteen thirty six wasn't
mine either. My new belt bucklehad a big letter T on it,
which is not my initial. Itreally isn't. And I didn't have any
use for the eyeglasses in my coltpocket either. You were off when I
(22:14):
walked in the office, f butyou've been there. There was a black
crape done up in a white satinribbon hanging on the door. The desk
blotter was drenched with salt tears,and a newspaper folded back to page thirteen.
And I'll soothe the chronicle on thisif it's the last thing I do.
Gave me a two inch spread itemNovember fifteenth, nineteen fifteen fifteen.
(22:36):
What happened to the thirteenth and thefourteenth Detective perishes in Berkeley Fire? I
read it through once and twice.It was my obituary. You are listening
to the burst in a new seriesof adventures involving radio's most famous detective,
Sam Spayde Later Tonight on most NBCstations, Duffy's Tavern comes your way with
(23:17):
another merry half hour session starring EdGardner as Archie the Manager. There's a
full serving of laughs garnished with chucklesand whipped up by Archie and his unpredictable
friends, Miss Duffy, Clifton Finneganand Eddie the Waiter. It's just one
of the many great Friday evening entertainmentfeatures on NBC. It's Duffy's Tavern your
queue for better listening where the threetimes always mean good times. Make it
(23:41):
a Friday evening habit to tune earlyand stay late at your favorite NBC station.
And now back to Caper over Mydead Body, Tonight's adventure with Sam's
Spade. I left the crepe onthe door and went out to buy a
(24:07):
new desk blotter and some more newspapers. The Whole Ball News had the best
story, which wasn't much. SamuelSpade, licensed private investigator, perished Wednesday
night in a fire in a vacanthouse in Berkeley. His warm friends will
feel regret at the passing of aman who was always kind to the poor.
None of us ever asked Sam Spadefor a handout without receiving a kind
(24:30):
word and boonemoth as he turned usdown. This was nice, but I
wanted more. Figured I was fairlysafe to wander about unrecognized. My ill
fitting attire required from my unknown benefactorwould be disguised enough when combined with my
two day beer. Engine Company sixteenBerkeley Division had handled the fire, and
half a block away was a grogshop called the Shamrock. I waited for
(24:53):
a fireman to come in, Markender, Markender, what kind? I have
a place here running now, I'vebeen here five minutes already. I shut
up, Patty, you're just orwell, shimnt five minutes a wee bit
more than if you know that's enoughfor you. Patty, you're still on
due. I am not. I'moff now. The chief said I could
(25:14):
be off. It means every dayreceived such a shock to me system.
You received your shock three days ago, and I'm still ship command. Oh
the sight of him was terrible,terrible. Hurn't as black as the good
Saints Beard, I'll twisted and thehorrible and deaths. He was probably dead
drunk and didn't know what happened tohim. And were you there fighting the
(25:36):
flames and finding them? Like me? Oh? It was terrible, terrible,
terrible, terrible. It wasn't thatbad. And you've had your limit?
And who says show? I say, so, oh are you do?
Do you? And who are you? Your brother in law? Now?
Or maybe I can spot you onepain. I never drink with strangers.
What's your name, old duel?When you hurt the man, go
(26:00):
ahead, poor, here's yeah.Fireman, you had a terrible experience through
the lane. I've heard it adozen times. I'll be at the other
masterne nights to go, mister Doolan, and we get a call from the
house on Claremont is a fire?Why so when we get there, it's
(26:22):
about I've gone. Can't understand whyflame so fast? Would? It was
the funerful fire of a man wholived in sin he Detective fellow Sam Spade.
He was identified as we oh onemoment, fireman. I've heard fine
things about him. Ah, someof those are pretty police fellows from the
Division of Homicide says he was anice fellow with some of the boys at
(26:45):
the fire station, and miss elwell, we got our own ideas about that.
What kind of ideas, patty,my boy? What kind of good
can any man be accomplished in anempty house late at night? I asked
you, mister dulan Oh, hewas into attorney was when I burst in
the door with me act saved hidden, the cole charge empty, was skimmer
(27:07):
scattered all about sin sin he'd goneto sleep with a smook and cigarette.
That set the whole place off vcerimpant. From there I went downtown to a
telegraph office, where I sent awire to Toledo on a long chance.
(27:27):
While I was waiting for an answer, on a not so long chance,
I slunk into the Bonton Funeral Pallorto pay my respects to the departed.
And I stood in the black ofthat dimly lit chapel and scammed the sea.
Three of the boys from homicide werethere, blowing their noses. Two
(27:48):
chorus girls I thought had long sinceforgotten me, were there in black,
deep v necks. My insurance manwas there, looking awful worried. One
chronicle reporter with photographer and a shoeshineboy from our building, and the bailiff
from the courthouse, just to mentiona few I could make, uh,
And you were there, Fie,up front, near a closed casket.
(28:10):
I made out a bar of flowersfrom robbery detail it said good bars.
Sam Maxie from the City Morgue wasthe only one who looked at ease.
All right, does anyone wish tohu? Miss Manny called him Shalmond,
but I called him friends on thisIt's last caper. I was touched,
(28:47):
Effie, and I would have stoppedthe whole thing then and there, but
I had to find out who wasin that casket. I reeled out the
front door with tears in my eyes, and slid around to the back door
and into Chester Swan's private office,and there I made a call and got
an answer to my telegram, whichcaused me to make another call to his
bank. By that time most ofit was right in place. A search
through his desk revealed nothing, anda safe standing in the corner the same.
(29:11):
But then my answer walked right inthe door. Oh, Sam Darling.
I was so worried when I foundyou'd left. But I saw you
at the funeral, and I thoughtyou'd be here. And the guy was
with you was he worried? Oh, hear man, that was doctor Jesslyn.
Sam. You'd been out for twodays and I didn't Oh, Sam,
you were see if you got awayfrom it a roll. You've escaped,
darling. Yeah. Yeah, they'reburying me right now. I'm dead.
(29:33):
It's so wonderful, Sam, Onlyone thing. Where do you fit
the caper? I was supposed toburn up in that fire? And what
was life? Was supposed to lookenough like Theodore J. Swan class of
nineteen thirty six, Toledo, Ohioto let beneficiary Chester Swan collect a nice
pile of insurance money. Yeah,what are you talking about? Who's Theodore
J? What did you say?Chester's only living reality? They're burying him
(29:53):
right now. Somebody lost his caper. You want to tell me, Dolly.
I was at the house the nightof the fire, working on my
foggy picture. You didn't see mewhen you went in, and later on
you didn't come out, and Iwent over and I was on the floor
and a man was bending over me. He changed clothes with you, Sam,
and I screamed and he pulled outa gun and I hit him with
a hole and I drug you outon the lawn and then what happened.
(30:14):
I put you in my car,took you home. I was going to
phone the police, but I decidedit was something you were working on.
And I went back to the houseand it and it was burning, and
you knew the man you'd hit onthe head was in there. Believe me,
Sam, I didn't know the housewas going to burn down. I
wouldn't kill anybody, Sam, Ionly wanted you. You only wanted to
help me, and you did,right, Angels, that's all right.
I'm your witness. You didn't startthe fire. Somebody really started it Chester.
(30:40):
He thought it was me lying onthe floor in there. The bank
tells me he's about to go busted. He figured this one out with his
nephew to scare up some insurance.Though I'm about the same. Sam told
me it's been horrible. This isthe kind of thing I was trying to
paint. Now I'm smack dab upagainst it, and I'm sick. I'm
scared. Easy you really did.There's our way out, Sam, Just
(31:03):
leave now, let it go theway it is. They all thank you're
dead, oh deah, But weknow different, don't we. Mister Spade?
He was holding a Navy Cult revolverin front of him with both hands.
I couldn't make up my mind arush him and cut on his bad
(31:23):
aim, or stand still and bea perfect target while I tried to talk
him out of it. Either way, he was a crazy man with a
gun. He was getting ready touse it. Sam, He's gonna kill
us, Spade, because my nephewwas stupid enough to wear your watch in
your suit when he exchanged clothes withyou. I'm going to lose the bontn.
And that puts you in quite aspot, doesn't it, mister Swan.
(31:45):
Until a moment ago, yes,But now, mister Spade, the
newspapers all say you're dead. Thedeath certificate says the same thing. All
of your friends are following your casketand my nephew's corps to the cemetery at
this very moment. Everybody thank youto be dead, mister Speed. Thanks
to you, mister Swan. Butno, nobody'd miss you. If I
(32:07):
killed you. I'd miss you,Sam, I'd have to kill you.
Two. Oh, did you noticeyou were still wearing seas clothes even his
ring. Why, mister Spade,I could kill you and put you in
a fire somewhere and collect my insuranceon see your door now, couldn't I
know why? That's a terrible thingto think. Ah, oh, you're
not reasoning properly, Chester, Youreally aren't. How would you explain any
(32:30):
you just said you'd have to killher? And what about the coroner's office,
you know how they are would ifI don't forget the medical examiner's got
something to say too, not tomention the fact that you'd have to really
burn me up to cover up thebullet hole. And furthermore, Chester,
when you shoot me, if you'rehappen to hit a rib and chip off
some bone, they'd know I wasshot before and then homicided. Being on
it, stop stop, nothing worksfor me. I'm a failure. Go
(32:52):
ahead, mistres Swan, let itall out, you'll feel better. And
he did, and he's still cryingin his cell. Downtime, carry it
and the report. Oh damn,you was so brave. You actually stood
(33:14):
there and talk that crazy man outof out of murdering you. You were
one true Effie. Amy thinks sotoo. She's gonna do me in oils
when they let her out of thepoking. Amy's in jail food busy.
Oh, technical charge of an involuntarymanslaughter and spring her as soon as the
corner's inquest is completed. Dear Amy, did she make food? Fudge?
(33:34):
Fudge? Oh that was the leastof it. Oh, what do you
mean after the fun? Oh boy, oh boy? Say go type that
up, sweetheart, while I seeif there's any mention of my miraculous resuscitation
on the radio page. Go goo. There certainly is a mention of Sam
(33:58):
Spade on the radio page for Friday. Sam Spade is one more in the
list of great shows to join upin NBC's Parade of the Stars. Have
you heard the Big Show? ThisSunday? The Big Show comes your way
once again on NBC. Listen tojust a few of the star names who
will be appearing this week. BobHope, Jimmy Durranty, Perry Como,
Jose Ferrere, Mindy Carson, EddieCantor, Meredith Wilson and his orchestra,
(34:21):
and many many more. And ofcourse, your MC once again will be
the lady who invented the snappy retortto Lula Bankhead. Yes, it's the
Big Show. It's big in music, big in drama, and big in
comedy. Be sure to hear thebig show Sunday. We all tip good.
(34:42):
I will sign it and you willkeep it always to remind you that
I'm still here, living, breathing, brave and a handsome, a paragon
Dan. What will we do aboutthe mail? The mail? What mail?
All the letters and post guards andtelegrams and all that came in when
people thought you, Oh where willyou let me touch you a whole?
There have been enough clears tonight,Oh, same is so good to have
(35:02):
you back. Would you be thesame as you always wish? Well,
I'm gonna try it, because thenyou can't help with me, Like they
say, the greatest private detective ofthem all, We'll see good night,
good night sweet. The Adventures ofSam Spade are produced, edited, and
(35:30):
directed by William Spear. Sam Spadewas played by Stephen Dunn. Loreene Tuttle
is Effie. Script for tonight's adventureby E Jack Newman. Musical scarring by
Blood Gluskin, conducted by Frank Wort. Join us again next week, same
(36:00):
time for another adventure with Sam's badYou're the Magnificent Montague. Then visit Duffy's
Tavern on NBC Welcome Back. Definitelya very different interpretation and it will take
(36:28):
some time to get used to.But I've listened to some of the Steve
Dunne episodes and I think that theydo work if you just accept them for
what they are. This particular storywas a challenge because it was actually written
for Howard Duff. It was afresh performance of the over My dead Body
(36:51):
Caper, which was the last CBSepisode of Sam's Bay back in nineteen forty
nine. And we'll talk a littlebit about Steve Dunn. Steve Dune was
really one of those sort of journeymenactors. He had actually starred in two
radio programs prior to that. Hestarred in Deadline Mystery, which it was
(37:17):
a mystery program that was so cheapit was beneath the standards of this podcast.
He also starred in the worst detectiveprogram of all time, Danger Doctor
Danfield. That series was done underthe name Michael Dunn. His given name
(37:37):
was Francis Michael Dunne, but hebegan to go under Steve for professional reasons.
His radio career included announcing and discjockeying in addition to the acting jobs,
including on the Jack Kirkwood Program,and then of course he starred in
(37:58):
some movies, really the sort ofbe movie top before moving on to television.
Found an interesting story about one ofhis film roles where he was in
one of the rusty films and inthis particular film, he just had a
(38:19):
scene in the water and heard peopleshouting toss him a towel, and then
he figured out that they meant totoss one to the doc who was in
the scene with him. That's thekind of career he often had. But
still I think he managed to quithimself pretty well and to hang around into
(38:40):
the nineteen seventies. He did alot of television work. He was in
everything from Dragnet and The Beverly Hillbilliesto The Jerry Lewis Show and The Bridy
Bunch. He also, and thisis very cool, he appeared in two
(39:00):
episodes of the nineteen sixties Batman TVseries. And he also had a minor
role in one of my favorite filmsof all time, Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory. So I have toadmire the ability to have a career like
that, by no means is donein the same league as Howard Duff.
(39:21):
I think he's got a talent similarto Glenn Langon, I think is probably
more his level. Nevertheless, Ithink that his work on Sam Spade sometimes
gets unfairly because he's not Howard Duff. But he is competent and I think
he does a good job. Andhis run on Sam Spade can be enjoyed
(39:45):
if you enjoy it for what itis rather than comparing it to what came
before, And there are some peoplewho enjoy it on the merits of even
compared to what it came before forbecause some folks have said that the case
has become a little more serious andgrounded during this era. Again, I
(40:07):
think that there's going to be somegood episodes, even though in terms of
cultural impact, Don's take is notnearly as well regarded as Howard Duff's.
Now a couple more notes on HowardDuff, because after I recorded last week's
program, I kind of went downa rabbit hole of looking for Howard Duff
(40:31):
performances, and there aren't as manyreadily available as I would like, but
I stuggled into a couple that tookmy interest. In particular, the one
most relevant to this series was anepisode of The Edwin Show Edwin is probably
(40:53):
best remembered as the voice of theMad Hatter in Disney's out Us in Wonderland,
but was a very popular performer goingback to vaudeville and through the thirties
and forties and even into the fifties. And he had a TV show that
was broadcast live in nineteen forty nineand nineteen fifty and for the sixteenth episode
(41:19):
of that series, broadcast in Januarynineteen fifty, the second half of the
program was a murder mystery spoof andin the middle of the sketch they played
the theme to Sam Spade and HowardDuff walked in and they poked a little
fun at radio detectives and how theyhave everything written in the script and do
(41:44):
things through sound effects. Then alsopoked fun at early television as well.
So it's a fun little bet.If you're interested in it, you can
just top in google poob Tubi andthe Edwin Show and it's episode sixteen,
and it was worth watching. Theother thing I ended up watching, which
(42:08):
was not nearly as interesting, wasHoward Duff on Celebrity Bulling, which was
a program back in the nineteen seventies, and I'd seen it a few times
when I was just looking around Amazon, and then my curiosity became overwhelming when
I saw mister Duff was involved.So I watched the episode and it was
(42:31):
from nineteen seventy three. Howard Duffwas sixty years old and very much going
along with the nineteen seventies. Hehad long side burns and this mustache that
a follower on Twitter when I posteda picture of this appearance just would not
(42:52):
abide by. And I have tosay that celebrity bulling I was surprised because
I thought that it was going tobe more interesting, that you'd have some
moments where you would you talk withthe celebrities, or they would have some
special feature to the program. Wasjust these celebrities bully and not saying very
(43:16):
much because they really didn't have timeand they couldn't be properly hurt anyway.
And I thought that you could havemade it more interesting if you'd had celebrities
who you would think of as rivalsin some way bowling against each other.
And that really didn't seem to bethe case. And it wasn't just this
(43:38):
particular episode. I looked at someothers and they had things like Richard Roundtree
aka Shaft, says Maury Amsterdam akaBuddy from The Dick van Dook Show.
Clearly one of those great entertainment rivalries, so it wasn't bad. I just
(44:00):
don't understand the appeal of it,honestly, though it probably didn't help in
our case that nobody was a greatbowler. Howard Duff was bowling with Susan
Saint James and and on the otherteam you had Angie Dickinson, who starred
(44:22):
in Policewoman, and her partner wasJohn Saxon, who I recognized as a
villain in a lot of seventies TVshows and movies. They had a format
where both partners bowled the first halfof the frame, and then the partner
with the worst score on the firstbowl went ahead and saw if he or
(44:49):
she could pick up the spare forthe partner with the better score on the
second throw. Nobody on the programwas particularly good, and Duff had a
real heartbreaker shot where he actually missedthe pins, but then the ball bounced
(45:10):
when it hit the back and tookthe pins out, but that was determined
not to count. But if youare interested in seeing the full match of
Howard Duff, in all of hisseventies glory. You can find it on
free v which is Amazon's ad supportedservice, and it's episode eighteen of season
(45:32):
two. Now it's time to thankour Patreon supporter of the day, and
I want to go ahead and thankDan, Patreon supporter since March currently supporting
the program at the Shawmus level offour dollars or more per month. Thank
you so much for your support,Dan, and that will actually he do
(45:55):
it for today. If you areenjoying this podcast, please follow us using
your favorite podcast software and you canrate and review the podcast wherever you download
us from. We will be backnext Monday with another episode of Sam Spade.
But join us back here tomorrow foryours truly, Johnny doll or where
(46:16):
well but the life insurance that washis own idea double indentity, all that
sort of. Oh yeah, butguess who had to dig up the mula
for the last couple of premiums?Big hearted Carbon, You're right, not
a bad investment, though, wasn'they couple of premiums? And you stand
to collect plenty if we can findproof that he's dead and if we can't,
(46:38):
Dollar, I don't either, Carbon. It doesn't smell that. Well,
you think me, his own agent, actually ricked something like that for
one of my best friends. You'llthink that. Listen, wise guy.
Even if I did have any anyof us such idea that it'd be crazy,
anything actually is as obvious as that. Well, sometimes the most obvious
(47:00):
the best cover. Oh, getout of here, dolla. I hope
you'll be with us then. Inthe meantime, do send your comments to
Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot andit, follow us on Twitter at Radio
Detectives, and check us out onInstagram, Instagram dot com, slash Great
Detectives From Boise, Idaho. Thisis your host, Adam Graham signing off.
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