1 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:36,200 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Tom Radio from Boise Idahold. This is 2 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,759 your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to 3 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:47,079 me Bucks thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, Follow us on Twitter at Radio 4 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:53,280 Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash 5 00:00:53,399 --> 00:00:58,000 Great Detectives. Our listener support campaign continues. You can become one of our 6 00:00:58,079 --> 00:01:03,159 ongoing Patreon supporters as little as two dollars per month. Just go to Patreon 7 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:10,840 dot dot Great Detectives dot net. Well for our second listener support special, 8 00:01:11,079 --> 00:01:18,120 we have something really different and it's what I'm calling a little bit of mystery 9 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:26,120 audio. This audio is all over the internet in several places as Sam Spade, 10 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:33,120 First Night or spoof. But what exactly is it? Where exactly did 11 00:01:33,159 --> 00:01:38,000 it come from? Was it broadcast on air? When was it recorded? 12 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,239 Answers are really hard to find. So we're going to play it and we're 13 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,359 going to talk about what we can to douce about it. Now, I 14 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:53,640 will warn you that there are a couple of minor swear words, which itself 15 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,239 may be a clue, but we'll talk about that afterwards. But listener discretion 16 00:01:57,519 --> 00:02:02,640 is advised. All right, so let's listen to this bit of audio and 17 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,360 see what we can figure out. It's the Sam Spade First Night or spoof 18 00:02:15,599 --> 00:02:28,719 Campanna's First Night, or program from the Little Theater off Times Square, starring 19 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,400 Barbara Bloody and Olin Soule, with an all star cast sent to you by 20 00:02:31,479 --> 00:02:40,919 Campanna, the quality name in cosmetic. It's thet or time on Broadway, 21 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,240 and tonight we're to witnessed the biggest defense on the Great White Way, the 22 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,680 premier of a brand new play in the Little Theater off Times Square. There'll 23 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,719 be plenty of excitement too, because the opening night performance is the crucial one, 24 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,439 the evening when the public and the critics say yes or no, the 25 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,840 plays bid for success. And now here's our hosts for the evening, the 26 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,240 genial first night, the evening, Ladies and gentlemen. I'm just in the 27 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,599 mood for a gay Broadway premiere this evening. Are you all right? Here's 28 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,840 my cab, won't you step in? Okay? Driver to the Little Theater 29 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,120 up Broadway across forty second Street, tat of the glare and glamor of the 30 00:03:17,199 --> 00:03:23,599 dazzling lights that give the Great White Way its famous name. And now up 31 00:03:23,599 --> 00:03:30,599 ahead is the little theater off Times Square. Well we are, isn't that 32 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:35,120 beautiful creature over there? Dorothy McQuire, someone saying Governor Huey's hidden at your 33 00:03:35,159 --> 00:03:38,599 ticket. Pready a date at your ticket? Ready? Please, good evening, 34 00:03:38,599 --> 00:03:43,280 mister first nighter the eshol Shade, thank you will go right here. 35 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,120 Yes, indeed, ladies and gentlemen, this is a fact house tonight, 36 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,840 because word is out that this evening's play is a comedy that no one wants 37 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,919 to miss. And from the looks of the first night is crowding inside the 38 00:03:57,919 --> 00:04:00,800 theater. Everyone is here to enjoy it. The famous first Night are orchest 39 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,360 first being conducted to night by Frank Worth. And now the house lights are 40 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:15,400 about to gim so let's prepare to enjoy ourselves. Curtain, first curtain. 41 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,319 There's a signal for first curtain. The house lights are out, and here's 42 00:04:20,319 --> 00:04:42,160 the play, The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective than Detective Agency, shame 43 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:55,920 wise freethart f where have you been for two games? If you please speak 44 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,240 shortly and start clapping your gun like a cannon. Oh, I'm about your 45 00:05:01,319 --> 00:05:05,800 Sam. Are you working on something big? The biggest in town? At 46 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:15,519 my head your whole stop, but you try to kill me. I am 47 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,560 in a state known as a New Year's Eve hangover. Not to be confused 48 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:25,560 with any evil taper. I made the mistake of trying to stand a drink, 49 00:05:25,639 --> 00:05:30,000 but drink with everybody in the place, White Sam, not a week 50 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,439 aroo, Well, we all wanted to get a head start. For two 51 00:05:33,519 --> 00:05:39,240 days now, I've been lying in an insensible state, drinking from a hose 52 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:44,000 I fashioned to the water post. I have so much water in me now 53 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:49,399 I will shortly appear on the new maps as lake speed. Don't will teach 54 00:05:49,399 --> 00:05:54,439 you the evils the drinking. I've already made plans to take the plants on 55 00:05:54,519 --> 00:05:58,040 my way to the office. Every so turn off the radiant of the planks, 56 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,519 muffle anything that makes the slattest noise, smash all my drinking, parapherna 57 00:06:02,639 --> 00:06:10,399 you with your souvenir, Carrie Nation hatchet, and then only then I appear 58 00:06:10,519 --> 00:06:18,040 to dictate my version of the Magic Castle. Dashel Hammett, I'm ICA's leading 59 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:23,040 detective picture writer and creator of Sam Spade, The hard Boiled Private Eye, 60 00:06:23,519 --> 00:06:27,720 joins with Howard Deff and Lorene Huddle to make your hair stand on end with 61 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:42,199 the adventures of Sam's spade O take my army, effy or a doll, 62 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,120 but I'll make a solo. I need the practice. Sam. I didn't 63 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,759 wake up your drinking equipment. I thought maybe the hair of the dog. 64 00:06:49,079 --> 00:06:53,480 That wouldn't help at all. If the only time, and Mother Nature and 65 00:06:53,560 --> 00:07:00,879 her infinite mercy and deliver me. Now that's your cheer. Squeaking sounded like 66 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,759 thunder. Put some free in one oil on it, no double it, 67 00:07:03,879 --> 00:07:09,240 make it to six and food. Tell me all about it, Sam, 68 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,800 I will, I will my fet as quickly as I can. I have 69 00:07:12,839 --> 00:07:16,920 to get back to my apartment. Are you ready ready? Sam? Dude? 70 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,759 Detective Lie Son of Dundee, Homicide d fail from Samuel spate Less number 71 00:07:20,759 --> 00:07:25,439 one, three, seven, five, nine six, subject built Larshan, 72 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,240 Dear Dundee, this is not a caper wherein I was a great detective. 73 00:07:32,839 --> 00:07:38,120 I will admit that from the beginning, but I wound up becoming one of 74 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:44,439 the world's great magicians. The Magic Castle is the famous private club for magicians 75 00:07:44,519 --> 00:07:48,839 nestled in the hills overlooking Hollywood. It was half past eight I heard of 76 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,240 How could that be? Well, maybe it's a telephone company checking the line. 77 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:59,600 Yeah, Samuel space being as your dollar. This is the first letter. 78 00:08:00,199 --> 00:08:01,800 I'm don't hear the Little Theater off Times Square, and I've got a 79 00:08:01,839 --> 00:08:07,279 problem, can you And if you come down here right away, mister First 80 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,319 Nighter where three thousand miles from Broadway, Why well, never mind, hold 81 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,360 on to your hat. Through the magic of radio, fie and I will 82 00:08:15,399 --> 00:08:26,879 be right there. It doesn't take long. Here we are, Effie. 83 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:31,440 Oh dear, what are they doing? Well? It looks like they're about 84 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:41,799 the rehearse the opening of the First Nighter program. Listen in the later time 85 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:48,039 and Broadway buzzing with holiday excitement and eagerly awaiting the welcome an opening night performance 86 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,679 at the Little Theater off Times Square, starring Less Fermaine and Barbara Letty. 87 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,639 There'll be a crowd of onlookers and autograph fans on hand at the entrance to 88 00:08:56,639 --> 00:09:00,200 greet the celebrities who always attend the premiere on the Great White Way. So 89 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,559 let's not miss a minute to the excitement. Shally, will you join me? 90 00:09:05,879 --> 00:09:09,879 There are lots of uniforms in the crowds of night at Broadway and forty 91 00:09:09,879 --> 00:09:16,600 second Street. Shall the crowd the street here well here we are at a 92 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:22,360 little theater off Times Square. Have your tickets ready, plea, have your 93 00:09:22,399 --> 00:09:26,039 tickets ready at me pretty ending, mister First Night, y Asher will show 94 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:31,879 you to your box. And mister first Nighter, mister first minor, isn't 95 00:09:31,879 --> 00:09:33,720 this the stop where the first Nighter is supposed to? Read this line? 96 00:09:33,759 --> 00:09:37,639 It sure is? Where is he? I'm right here, Sam, Hello, 97 00:09:37,639 --> 00:09:39,759 Weppy. I'm so glad you got here. Read this this note, 98 00:09:39,799 --> 00:09:43,320 I guess not. Yes, yes, they're gonna kill me. They're after 99 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,440 me, save me, help me, Sam, and not. Please be 100 00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:52,080 calm mister first Nighter. Mister momnolomy reader, nothing you can do can save 101 00:09:52,159 --> 00:09:56,600 you. You will be killed a night at midnight, just before your show 102 00:09:56,639 --> 00:10:01,039 begins midnight, and it's nineteen minutes to twelve miles. Don't let him kill 103 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,879 me. I'm too young to dodge. That's how old are you, mister 104 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:07,840 First Night? Eighty six? Well, eighty six going on eighty seven. 105 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,799 I hope, well, I hope so too. Now this should be very 106 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,639 easy to solve. It reminds me of a case we had a year ago. 107 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:22,919 Last sponsor or was it a sponsor before that? Oh yeah, yeah, 108 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,200 yeah, I remember it's a late autumn night. I had a client 109 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,240 just like you, fourteen minutes to Turne's feller got a note that he was 110 00:10:28,279 --> 00:10:31,120 going to be killed at nine o'clock. My note says twelve o'clock. Wow, 111 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:35,879 this is specific coast time for the repeat broadcast. Home. When this 112 00:10:35,039 --> 00:10:39,639 man called me about the note, we took every precaution. We bolted the 113 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:43,639 doors, barricaded the windows. We had police on every foot of ground around 114 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:50,360 the apartment, police dogs, electric eyes, burglar alarms. Every precaution known 115 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:54,480 to criminology was taken to see that this man would not be killed by nine 116 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,960 o'clock. Oh good, What happened, Sam? What happened to the man 117 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:03,360 he was killing? But not until ten o'clock we'd all gone home. We 118 00:11:03,399 --> 00:11:07,399 were all dead and tired. He was dead and we were tigered. I'm 119 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:11,440 Sam, I don't know which way to turn. I called every detective like 120 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:16,720 a pink boat. Why aren't they here? There's someone now, twelve minutes 121 00:11:16,799 --> 00:11:22,360 left? Yes, yes, come in my time? Is your time happen? 122 00:11:22,399 --> 00:11:28,279 My first time? You're not infective? Get out of here. Excuse 123 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,080 me? Mister. Firston, I find Casey crying for tiger. Hold it 124 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,799 thank you. What part in the morning gets fresh? Flea casey, will 125 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,240 you do something? They're gonna kill me at midnight? Midnight? Can't wait 126 00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:43,919 for midnight? We got a press at once. Paint it light on the 127 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,320 floor. I'll take one more. Well, I don't want to lie down 128 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,559 on the floor. I'm gonna be killed at midnight. There's somebody else at 129 00:11:50,600 --> 00:12:00,240 the door. Who is it? I am Charny Ken Chinese detective hey Age 130 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:05,480 has said, no job too big, No jobs too small. That's the 131 00:12:05,639 --> 00:12:11,840 trouble. No job. How do you do? Mister Chan? I am 132 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:15,639 Sam Spade, Life number one three seventy five nine six. And this is 133 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:20,559 happy, my my right hand happy. This is Charlie Chan, the man 134 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,919 who helps the police solve all those difficult crimes by brilliant deductions. Oh yes, 135 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:28,840 I know, but isn't it strange that he's never been able to lose 136 00:12:28,919 --> 00:12:33,799 his accent? Please it's eight minutes to midnight. My life is at stake. 137 00:12:35,159 --> 00:12:37,559 This note, I god knowe what the not? The note threatening my 138 00:12:37,639 --> 00:12:41,759 life? Missus Spade has it their chant? Have a look? What are 139 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:50,759 you making it? Nothing can help You'll die at midnight? So who's empty? 140 00:12:50,039 --> 00:12:54,720 Who said it? Who said it? I don't know, don't know 141 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:58,840 who's empty, no date, no signature. Oh come come, mister person. 142 00:13:00,639 --> 00:13:03,000 Exactly what I told him, saying, if people must get threatening letters, 143 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,279 the least they can do is suppliers with some cluer of it. They 144 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,559 make it too hard for a cop. It is not easy being a cop 145 00:13:11,759 --> 00:13:16,679 us, I'm sure it is. Everybody puts you down. How's it going, 146 00:13:16,799 --> 00:13:20,559 Dick Tracy? How many Jaywalkers did you pins? Today? And there's 147 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:24,279 always the one who refuses to believe you're not on the take all at once. 148 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,720 You're a cop, a flatfoot, a bull, John Law, you're 149 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:33,240 the funds, the heat, you're poison, your trouble, you're bad news. 150 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,399 They called you everything, but never a policeman. Oh the pay is 151 00:13:35,399 --> 00:13:39,200 addequate. If you count your pennies, you can put your kids through college. 152 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,360 But you better plan on seeing Europe on your television set. You rub 153 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:46,279 elbows with all the elite addicts, thieves, bums, liars, cheats, 154 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:52,200 con men, the class of skid row, underfed kids, beating your kids, 155 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:56,759 bolested kids, broken armed kids, broken lake kids, broken head kids, 156 00:13:56,759 --> 00:14:01,360 sick kids, dying kids, and dead kids. For every crimes committed 157 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,240 you get three million suspects to choose from. Most of the time you'll have 158 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,360 few facts and a million hunches. You'll do legwork and said you're sure. 159 00:14:09,399 --> 00:14:13,679 You've talked to everybody in the city. People who saw it happen but really 160 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:18,320 didn't, people who insist they did but really didn't, people who remember, 161 00:14:20,039 --> 00:14:24,639 those who try to forget, those who tell the truth, and those who 162 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,559 lie in the paperwork. You'll fill out a report when you're right. You'll 163 00:14:28,559 --> 00:14:33,120 fill out a report when you're wrong. You'll fill out one when you're not 164 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,360 sure. You'll fill out one listing all your leaves. You'll make out a 165 00:14:35,399 --> 00:14:39,679 report on the reports you made. You'll learn to live with a district attorney, 166 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,919 testify in court, the prince, attorneys, prosecuting attorneys, judges, 167 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,919 juries, witnesses. Sometimes you won't be happy with the outcome. But there's 168 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:54,240 also this. There are over three thousand men in a city who know that 169 00:14:54,320 --> 00:15:01,000 being a policeman is an endless, glamorless thankless job. It must be done. 170 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:13,559 I know it too, That's what a cop is. Well, one 171 00:15:13,679 --> 00:15:28,519 thing is for sure, What's that I'll never asked that question again. Seven 172 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:31,519 minutes to go. Well, this is becoming credit gathering of the crime plan. 173 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,720 Come in my time? Is your time, I'll get out of here. 174 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,159 I'm just getting late. You bet to solve this case. Yes, 175 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,200 extreme minutes to twelve, and I'm worried. Do something for me, Do 176 00:15:46,320 --> 00:16:07,559 something and save me. Yes, who is it? Come in? I 177 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:19,519 am the wires and I know many things for I walked by night. You're 178 00:16:19,559 --> 00:16:25,919 just insigne. Jeff, you dive of murder. Don't rush me. I 179 00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:30,320 still got two minutes. What's the whistler doing here? You must know the 180 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,360 writers on this show, No, detective, you don't even know. We 181 00:16:33,519 --> 00:16:40,519 have to walk in the daytime. Oh oh, it's sustained, the hot 182 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:45,639 boiled Private Eye, the James Bond of the Supers. How are you doing, 183 00:16:45,639 --> 00:16:49,600 mister Westler houts vessels with your weird strained stories. Oh goody, be 184 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:56,559 rikily damn? Oh please please, can't any of you do anything? Save 185 00:16:56,679 --> 00:17:07,000 me? Save me? They hold Paul, Thank you, look part in 186 00:17:07,039 --> 00:17:14,960 the morning. It's friends. You can fall out. Oh bleed? Good? 187 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:22,079 Well, don't they be here anymore? Just a minute, Sam, 188 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,839 how do we know he is? Well, let's get a doctor. Let's 189 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:30,000 make sure the corpus is the lectile imbody looking for a doctor. I'm doctor, 190 00:17:30,079 --> 00:17:33,279 right, Oh, do come in doctor r Q. What are you 191 00:17:33,319 --> 00:17:37,720 doing here? I'm looking for a leading in the balcony where you've come to 192 00:17:37,759 --> 00:17:41,680 the right place. But we really need a real doctor. Print I have 193 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,079 silver dollars, says I'm a real doctor. If you can repeat that to 194 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,799 leave the suck Custer exactly as I say, remember one time, and one 195 00:17:48,839 --> 00:17:52,559 time only it goes like this. Jim is Slim, said Tim to Kim. 196 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,880 Jim is slim. Tim to him, said Kim Jim. As Tim 197 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,519 said Slim to Kim, Slim said help. Oh, I'm sorry, but 198 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:06,200 here's a box of twenty four bars of delicious no pybat candy bars and two 199 00:18:06,279 --> 00:18:08,920 tickets for next week's production. Here it's a little deer off time square. 200 00:18:10,599 --> 00:18:19,400 Merry Christmas, Effy, we better check this fell on the floor. I 201 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,880 think he's dead. There's a chance you may not be, dare Effie. 202 00:18:23,039 --> 00:18:26,759 No pulse, no heartbeat, so blood he's dead. Well. I was 203 00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:33,039 reading in Amy Vanderbilt's Book of Etiquet that some people are quieter than others at 204 00:18:33,079 --> 00:18:42,960 social gatherings. I don't think that this applies in this case, Effie. 205 00:18:44,079 --> 00:18:47,599 Now wait a minute, Wait a minute, I'm not dead. I'm okay. 206 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,240 But mister first Nighter, you were shot four time. I know they 207 00:18:51,279 --> 00:18:53,440 missed me. The bullets went wild. They shot that man over there. 208 00:18:53,559 --> 00:18:59,200 Oh there is a man lying in the floor. I think he's dead. 209 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:03,720 I don't know it. Must roll him over and see. Mister are you 210 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:19,039 are you dead? Say something time? You're right after me. It's Rudy 211 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:30,440 Valley and he's dead. Well, Sam, you solve the chase. What 212 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:33,759 would mister first Night who have done with got you? Probably a hell of 213 00:19:33,759 --> 00:19:38,160 a lot better. Oh yeah, don't be modest, Sam. Why the 214 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:42,160 number of people who owe a dead of gratitude for you must be must be 215 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,839 without number? I know, look at it the other way, these number 216 00:19:45,839 --> 00:19:48,680 of people whom I owe death's gratitude, and otherwise the otherwise they of course, 217 00:19:48,759 --> 00:19:55,680 cash could easily be numbered somewhere upwards. Speaking of that, this seems 218 00:19:55,759 --> 00:20:00,400 like an opportune time to bring up last last week's sorry well, h effy 219 00:20:00,759 --> 00:20:03,039 the first Night. I should remit me some money soon, or a horse 220 00:20:03,079 --> 00:20:07,240 I know might shock everybody in come in, Or I might say, find 221 00:20:07,279 --> 00:20:12,319 a twenty five dollar bill on the sidewalk, somewhere and then you will be 222 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:18,920 graciously taken care of. First twenty five Effie late, leave us not picking 223 00:20:18,079 --> 00:20:22,240 things. Let's get out of this. Say good night, good night, 224 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:32,799 Sam, good night sweetheart. I said, why did you do dollar back 225 00:20:32,839 --> 00:20:36,640 of another of visual Broadway player? If the body and listens away a laws 226 00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:48,160 ado. If you want to hear a truly dripping play, Bondard will hold 227 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,359 you spellbound for every minute of the performance. Junior next week for the drama 228 00:20:52,559 --> 00:20:56,359 entitled A Story Revised. Here's the kind of play that you hear too seldom. 229 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,839 So join us next week, same time, same station, and now 230 00:21:00,839 --> 00:21:08,359 we move out of the theater and into the streets your cab, mister, 231 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:18,119 first natter, Thank you, good night. Campana's First Nighter Programs starring Olden 232 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,400 Soule and Barbara Loody, is a copyrighted radio feature. Tonight's play was pure 233 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:29,119 fiction and did not refer to real people or actual events. The First Nighter 234 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,240 Program came to you over CBS, where ninety nine million people gather every week 235 00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:45,680 the Columbia Broadcasting System. Welcome back. All right, so let's go ahead 236 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,240 and talk about this. First of all, we should talk about the first 237 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:57,559 Nighter Program. It's actually referenced a lot in old time radio on other programs. 238 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:04,960 It's one of those series that relatively few episodes survived from its nineteen years 239 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,759 on the air, plus but a year and a half of reruns. The 240 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:17,319 series was known for putting on original plays every week, which may not have 241 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,559 seemed like a big deal because you have suspense and the whistler, but this 242 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:30,759 was the first. This was a program that paved the way for so many 243 00:22:30,839 --> 00:22:37,799 other anthology series that would follow. Definitely revolutionary for nineteen thirty when it got 244 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:42,240 started. Now, the first thing we can observe with the recording is that 245 00:22:42,279 --> 00:22:51,039 there has clearly been some splicing done by an old time radio enthusiast, adding 246 00:22:51,079 --> 00:22:57,279 the opening to the Alan Sulet version of the First Nighter Program. And that 247 00:22:57,319 --> 00:23:03,359 makes sense since all In Soulet, while not the first host of the First 248 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:11,559 Nighter Program, was the mister First Nighter from nineteen forty three on, succeeding 249 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:17,839 Don Amici and Less Tremaine. However, in the midst of the audio we 250 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:23,119 get another First Night or opening, and this one references Less Tremaine as the 251 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:29,720 star. That, of course makes no sense if we take this as a 252 00:23:29,839 --> 00:23:37,000 recording from era Sam Spade was playing in because Less Tremaine left the First Nighter 253 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:45,200 Program in nineteen forty three, so there's that. So this was not actually 254 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:51,039 made as part of the First Nighter Program, and I think that the ending 255 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,480 and beginning were just added on by someone who wanted to make it fit for 256 00:23:55,559 --> 00:24:02,079 whatever reason. Other possibilities include that it was some sort of private performance, 257 00:24:02,319 --> 00:24:08,880 perhaps for a sponsor or for the network. Does sound like the character of 258 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:15,960 mister First Nighter. My best guest for the voice is Harry von Zelle, 259 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:22,119 was a famous old time radio announcer on a whole lot of different programs, 260 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,799 mainly comedy, you know, which would be appropriate in this case. There 261 00:24:26,839 --> 00:24:33,079 are two other big internal clues. The first is that Howard Duff does a 262 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:41,559 version of the to be a Cop speech from the Dragnet episode The Investigation. 263 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:48,920 Now, this initially caused me to wonder whether the speech might have been written 264 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:55,799 before Dragnet, but I think there's another clue in here where James Bond is 265 00:24:55,880 --> 00:25:00,640 reference. Now, when Sam Spade was on the air, James Bond was 266 00:25:00,839 --> 00:25:07,400 really not a thing in the United States, you know. On video theater 267 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:14,359 a few years back, we played the adaptation of Casino Royal, which featured 268 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:19,359 the character of Jimmy Bond. I think Bond's popularity in the United States took 269 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:26,440 off with the Sean Connery movies in the sixties, so this makes this a 270 00:25:26,079 --> 00:25:34,240 later performance. Another clue is found in the title of the caper that Sam 271 00:25:34,319 --> 00:25:41,480 begins to relate to the audience's applause, and that is the Magic Castle Caper. 272 00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:49,640 The Magic Castle is a private club for magicians as well as magic enthusiasts. 273 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:56,079 It's located in Hollywood, and it's a location that definitely rings a bell 274 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,640 to me since I'm currently watching my way through Bill Bixby series The Magician, 275 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:07,880 and in the second half of the series, Bill Bixby's character Tony Blake moves 276 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:15,119 into an apartment in the Magic Castle, and the Magic Castle's founder, Milt 277 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:22,200 Larson, is a known old time radio aficionado. So what seems likely here 278 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:30,799 is that some year on Christmas Eve, a performance was arranged at the Magic 279 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:38,119 Castle that featured Sam Spade in a tribute to old time radio. The Magic 280 00:26:38,279 --> 00:26:48,119 Castle opened in nineteen sixty three. However, based on the inclosion of the 281 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:53,960 to be a Cop speech that it was recorded in nineteen sixty eight or after. 282 00:26:55,359 --> 00:27:00,920 Now. Of course, the nineteen seventies may have been a perfect time 283 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:07,240 for this to be recorded, because that's when nostalgia for the Golden Age of 284 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:14,920 radio really began to be a force in popular culture that would lead to the 285 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:22,759 revival of network radio drama in the United States. And also in the nineteen 286 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:30,880 seventies, neither Duff nor Lorene Tuttle had a regular television gig. They were 287 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:37,000 essentially at the point in their careers where they were in demand, but it 288 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:42,359 was as guest stars. Personally, I probably leaned more towards the idea that 289 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:51,079 this was recorded in nineteen sixty eight, just because the inclusion of the speech, 290 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:55,880 well, it could have been done later, had really hit a nerve 291 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:00,720 in sixty eight, and I think that that would make it far more likely 292 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:07,039 to be included in the scrap than if it were played several years later. 293 00:28:07,279 --> 00:28:14,640 At that time, in nineteen sixty eight, our Duff was playing Sam Stone 294 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,319 on Felony Squad, though would have been a fitting thing to read now, 295 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:22,960 of course, but only did Duff have his role on Felony Squad, but 296 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:32,279 Loreene Tuttle had a recurring and Emmy nominated role on the series Julia as Hannah 297 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:41,039 Yarby. However, we're talking about a single performance for fifteen minutes on Christmas 298 00:28:41,119 --> 00:28:48,000 Eve, even with an actor's busy schedule, this seems plausible that it could 299 00:28:48,039 --> 00:28:52,960 be worked at, though again it's possible that it could have been later, 300 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:59,400 though I do lean towards nineteen sixty eight regardless, stepping away from the mystery, 301 00:28:59,799 --> 00:29:06,000 and I would imagine that this whole thing is a private recording that somehow 302 00:29:06,119 --> 00:29:14,160 ended up getting traded into the old time radio community and has been circulating around 303 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:18,880 for the past forty years or so. I guess it's fascinating to me that 304 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:26,599 Loreene Tuttle and Howard Duff had not played these parts together for at least eighteen 305 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:33,079 years, could have been two decades, and they just stepped right back into 306 00:29:33,119 --> 00:29:37,720 them, back a pair of comfortable slippers. And it's a reminder that Howard 307 00:29:37,799 --> 00:29:45,440 Duff and Loreene Tuttle were truly talented radio performers, and any performance with them 308 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:51,200 together is definitely worth listening to. Well, I would love to hear your 309 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:55,319 thoughts. Did you catch any clues I missed and do you think I got 310 00:29:55,359 --> 00:30:00,920 it right or is there evidence that points in another direction? Regardless, I'd 311 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,079 love to hear from you. Email it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives 312 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:10,160 dot net. Now let's go ahead and thank our Patreon supporter of the day. 313 00:30:10,319 --> 00:30:15,799 Thank you to David, Patreon supporter since January twenty nineteen, currently supporting 314 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:21,759 us at the detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen cents or more for 315 00:30:21,839 --> 00:30:26,200 a month. That will do it for today. Next week we'll be back 316 00:30:26,319 --> 00:30:33,240 with another listener support special, but coming up tomorrow. Listen for an actual 317 00:30:33,279 --> 00:30:37,799 episode of Sam Spade where you slid into a booth at the end of the 318 00:30:37,839 --> 00:30:41,119 boat at the gun out of your shoulder, Holsta, and laid it down 319 00:30:41,119 --> 00:30:42,839 on the table in front of you. I walked over. It's under the 320 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,920 round so it was pointing at the jukebox instead of men. Sat down. 321 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:51,720 Some other time, Spade, some other time, I drink with you and 322 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,480 waiting for a friend. Why the gun? You're selling it to him? 323 00:30:55,559 --> 00:30:57,759 Maybe I give it to him? Go on, you drink at the bar. 324 00:30:59,039 --> 00:31:03,839 It's kind of crowded, looks like Charlie Rosenfoy's old mob. Who were 325 00:31:03,839 --> 00:31:07,839 they gunning for? You were child? Why don't you ask them? What 326 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,559 are you drinking? Leo? And I was with that bottle all day, 327 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,400 got a bad taste. Do me a favorite, Spade. There's a bar 328 00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:19,519 two doors down the street. Go drink there. There's my friend coming in 329 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,000 the door. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, Leo. 330 00:31:22,599 --> 00:31:27,920 Look Spade, Hello, Leo, what's the matter? You bring a bodyguard 331 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:33,279 and meet your old friend, Charlie. This Shamas threw his weight in here. 332 00:31:33,279 --> 00:31:37,079 I didn't ask him. I don't need him. That sounds like the 333 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,920 earlier Scarlattia used. The name is Scarlet. Pardon me. I've been on 334 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:45,240 the rock for so long it's hard to catch up on all the changes. 335 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:49,079 There's been a ward, Charlie, and tips to it again. You got 336 00:31:49,079 --> 00:31:56,000 a smart body guard, Leo. Let's talk. Let's go somewhere else and 337 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:00,519 talk. I like it here. Okay, we start? How come you 338 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:05,000 tip them up? We were coming here. You promised you wouldn't like the 339 00:32:05,119 --> 00:32:07,839 Shamas. They got a drink. I hope you'll be with us then. 340 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:13,200 In the meantime, do send your comments to a box thirteen at Great Detectives 341 00:32:13,279 --> 00:32:17,079 dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out 342 00:32:17,119 --> 00:32:23,400 on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash Great detectives from Boise, Idaho. 343 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,519 This is your host, Adam graham Son and Off