Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you the only episode of Operation Danger.
But before we get started, I do want to encourage
you to check out our other podcast. In particular, I'm
highlighting Public Domain Video Theater, which, while it's on a
hiatus from pouting out new episodes, offers years of classic
TV and films for your viewing pleasure. It's the video
companion to this podcast, and we have episodes of shows
like US Marshal, Dangerous Assignment, Racket Squad, The Bulldog, Drumming Movies,
and so much more. You can find it at Videotheater
dot Great Detectives dot net and on our YouTube channel.
It is a featured playlist, so do check that out.
But now it's time to talk about Operation Danger. Just
an audition recording that nearly made the schedule and then
did maybe, but we'll talk more about that after the program.
The audition date for the program is June twenty fifth
and nineteen fifty Let's take a lesson to Operation Danger.
Speaker 2: If you are interested in the danger and fear of
and fitted against unknown Force. If you would like to
go behind the scenes in the secret fight for peace
and freedom, stay tuned for Operation Danger. Operation Danger another
story of the chilling battles of the Cold War, both
in the hidden reachers of the European underground, where every
move beings danger and possible death. Stories of the fight
for peace waged by Captain Ethan Allen Rodgers Counterintelligence Car
Army of the United States, with Howard Culver starred as
Captain Rogers.
Speaker 3: This is Operation Danger.
Speaker 2: A special assignment to Intelligence Car can be a rough
deal in this brave new post war world. I've been
shot at beaten up night and come within an inch
of just disappearing. But this time it was even worse.
I was yanked up from a pleasant leave in Paris,
rushed by plane to Berlin, and after a five minute
breathing from Colonel Berry on a tip off involving diamonds
and Nazis, I was left standing at midnight and a
pitch black swamp twelve miles from the city, waiting to
rendezvous a man I'd never seen.
Speaker 4: Thirty minutes. Fuck for a cigarette.
Speaker 3: M I hold a.
Speaker 2: Lot, I hold a key, con see, I hold a needle.
There is no thread, good lieutenant the British Intelligence Captain
Rodgers US counterintelligence cars.
Speaker 3: When do you stick the content?
Speaker 2: He's doing any minute along the road here the signals
of flashlight one flick from him too, from me? You
know anything about him? The guy's name is Sulka. He's
a pole but he speaks English. Spent the war in
a not the slave camp. Supposedly has a story to tell.
I hope he knows something about the Domonds. He does,
he's one up on me all. I was told they're
being peddled around the continent to finance and the Nazi
underground and occupied Germany. Take it from there, and I
wish I could. We've worked on it two months now nothing.
They make one large sale in some city and then
they disappear. We don't know where the diamonds come from,
where the money goes, or who's behind it. Apparently basically
somebody on the road. Yes, you're right, he's coming this way,
step flash the light.
Speaker 3: Yeah, must be Soka.
Speaker 4: I'll answer him that you can covered.
Speaker 3: You never know, right Rogers, Yes, over here off the
road you're a SOCCA, That is right. This is Lieutenant Harper,
British Intelligence.
Speaker 5: None Captain, I think we should speak quickly. I read
steps on the road. I may have been followed.
Speaker 2: Into your party, SOCCA. What's the story it concerns diamonds,
Captain Rogers.
Speaker 5: When the Germans helped me prisoner, I worked on the
building of a laboratory at Kyle Howson Kyl.
Speaker 3: Captain go on, So if.
Speaker 5: We're using the laboratory for experiments to convert cheap commercial
grape diamonds into blue white gemstones.
Speaker 3: So that's how they get their supply if the experiment
was successful. But I do not know. I was only
there six months. You know who was in charge of
the project.
Speaker 5: Yes, Captain, Doctor Karl never asked you.
Speaker 3: Thank you, Carl never. I'll check with a MG. My
name is familiar. It's more than familiar to me.
Speaker 5: He sparked me one day in the laboratory, and I
fell against the sermons.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I flashlight, look at my hands. Wait, somebody's there
on the road that night, running on the road. I
hear them. Maybe I can it's dark. Tell you you'd
like to have a tie going off the waste the time?
They know the road and we don't. Let's go back
to Berlin.
Speaker 2: I've got to report to Colonel Berry for coming to
com Okay, save your breath with Ennant. He's dead dead
that one shot. Yeah, did you see his hands?
Speaker 3: Yes? I told him.
Speaker 2: Well let's go. Well, at least this tears up one thing, Captain,
the source of the diamond. We've been looking for some
connection with the mines in South Africa. We were way
off faith. Yes, Colonel Berry seems fairly certain that they've
stumbled onto some process for making them out.
Speaker 3: Of commercial stones.
Speaker 2: And in that regard, this Karl never sounds like a
pretty good lead. So did Solka. Sorry about that, Colonel I.
I don't know how else you could have played it.
It showed one thing. They've got a type system of vestianis. Hey, yes,
the Nazis who slipped to the net at the end
of the war. This diamond scheme is part of a
the tempter finance, the new not the organization. Yeah, well,
I may as well go to work. Lieutenant Harper's waiting
at the hotel. We're going to check with AMG headquarters
on Newbert. They'll undoubtedly have adociates he would picked up
from six months ago, and there's no court record. He's
evidently still in custody. I assume I'm assigned on this
until we crack it right. You'll work in civilian clothes.
No written orders. In fact, these are your only orders.
Find the source of those diamonds and wipe it out.
Find the men who are trying to revive the Nazi
party and get them. Get them, just that, get them
any way you can at ay, Sergeant, this is Lieutenant Harper.
Speaker 3: Morning Pard. We'd like to see the doctor, Carl Never Newers.
Speaker 6: Oh, oh yeah, I have a seat, Cavin.
Speaker 3: I'll get it from the storage file. Sorry, I thought
active files never left this room.
Speaker 6: They don't, sir, but that one hasn't been access for
three months, not since Newest was relieved relief.
Speaker 3: There's been no cought action on his case.
Speaker 6: I don't know cap'n was a special order Major Kirk
stigandt see well.
Speaker 2: Lieutenant, I guess we better see Major Kirk. Sergeant, I
still want that ta get out and bring it into
Kirk's office.
Speaker 3: You have any idea what's behind this?
Speaker 2: But I'm sure gonna find out here we are, Oh, Cat,
I help you. Yes, we'd like to see Major Kirk.
This is Lieutenant Harper, Brittish.
Speaker 3: Intelligence I'll tell the major you're here. What sort of
a cap is this? Major Kirk? All right, I guess
that's a desk man. Oh yeah, we haven't, oh Major. Thanks.
Oh by the way, the file clerk is bringing you
on doctor Never. Will you send him in? Doctor? Yeah? Yes,
all right off, thanks Bonnie, Major, Captain Rogers, Lieutenant Hawker. Uh,
they sent down. I'm highly honored. Is this official business? Yeah?
Speaker 2: Fred So checking on doctor Carl Never, a Nazi scientist
who was held in Lango in prison.
Speaker 3: Nee, word, I don't believe I recall the name.
Speaker 2: It was released three months ago without a court hearing me. Word,
I'll come in, sergeant here, thanks?
Speaker 3: Well you wait, please, no, I'm sorry, I don't recall
the case at all. See. Well, here's the order for release.
Got your name signed on it? What he let me
see that? It is your signature, isn't it? Huh? Yes?
But oh I didn't sign this.
Speaker 2: Others or not? Isn't a natural signature? Gives me another stamp, Maximiny.
There's no rule against that. Everybody uses them, I know.
Mind if I see the stamp.
Speaker 7: Well, Margaret, that is my secretary. Miss Styles has that. Well,
it's all right, she's completely trustworthy. We're we're going to
be married.
Speaker 3: Really.
Speaker 2: I wonder that's connected with the ring you're wearing, Father
Lave Garmond.
Speaker 7: Well, yeah, it's a it's it's a gift from Margaret,
miss Styles.
Speaker 3: I mean, look, what is this all about? Sergeant? Would
you ask the Styles to step in for a moment.
I'm sorry, sir, but she was leaving just that. Come
in that she was ill?
Speaker 2: Ill, all right, sergeant, get her address, Call a military
police and have them sent out a powel squad, ask
for an APB and pick up and give them a description.
Speaker 3: She may have a forged passport. Move yes.
Speaker 2: The three of us waited in Kirk's office thirty minutes past,
no results. The MP shook down her apartment, found nothing left,
a steakhout, no report from the air terminal. I sent
for the security file on Margaret's Styles. It contained one
out of date report made in nineteen forty and not
touched since I took one look and turned sick. Margaret
Styles born to Luth, Minnesota, nineteen nineteen. Mother's birthplace frank
for Germany. Mother's relatives living in Germany. One brother, Rudolf Steiner,
Rudolph's time. Yeah, one of the top boys in the
Olgestapov Major. Why wasn't this file turned over to G
two for a check?
Speaker 7: Well, I don't know. I didn't think for one minute it. Well,
when you see Margaret and I were going to be married,
I oh love huh, yes, that's great stuff. Sometimes, Captain,
I swear to you, I didn't know any of this.
I'll hold myself under arrests A good idea to relate
to be a bunch help though Colonel Berry was right
on one count.
Speaker 2: They do have a tight FB and R system starting
an a MG headquarters. I'll get it, Captain Rogers, I
see this Restar.
Speaker 3: Banks Temple Hot Security Division. We have a report now
on Margaret start. Yes, Rita the plane from Lisbon, Portugal.
Speaker 2: Nearly half an hour ago under her own name, Yes,
sir alone?
Speaker 3: All right, thanks?
Speaker 2: Well, she was lucky, made good connections straight from here
to the airport and have the plane to Lisbon. Y.
It's interesting why Lisbon in particular, La, Let's have an
operation based somewhere and in a newtol unoccupied country. Maybe
New Earth is there or Steiner would like to go
and find out. Why not she's the only lead we have.
And of course you might not be running to anything.
He might just be running away. Headquarters could be right
here in Berlin, could be Maybe we can find out
in Lisbon. The Senate Harper and I caught the night
plane to Lisbon, a city as beautiful as a woman.
Speaker 3: And as deadly as a carl snake, a clearing house
for espionage in two World Wars.
Speaker 2: Before we left Berlin, I sent a code twenty wire
to the only contact I had in the.
Speaker 3: Portuguese capitol, a Spaniard named Australia.
Speaker 2: I gave him the rough details and set up a
rendezvous for noon the next day at a sidewalk cafe
on the Paraco do Camercio, the big central Square. At
ten minutes past noon, he still hadn't shown. Your man
is late, Captain. He'll be here. I've worked with him before,
and as he's done into the tuble, you never know.
Isn't this rather a public place for a rendezvous?
Speaker 3: It won't be a verbal contact.
Speaker 2: Oh, Australia was sort of at the next table for a
while and drop his hat accidentally. I'll take it out,
brush it and give it back to it. If he
has any information, it'll be on a paper in the
hat band. Well, that's simple enough. I'll have to remember
it in case if he comes.
Speaker 3: No, no, don't stare. It's the short guy crossing the streets. Yeah,
I say, there's something wrong. He's got in a on.
It's that truck. It's trying to run him down.
Speaker 2: The truck hit him, flung his body in a sickening
smikee into the curb and veered off down the side street.
As Harper and I ran toward him, I saw one
car leave the stall traffic, slide to the curb and
steal four men onto the sidewalk.
Speaker 3: They bunched together and ran tortoise. Harper saw him too.
Speaker 2: For those chaps in the black fields get in on this,
I know.
Speaker 3: Watch him. We've got to get that hat. There it
did by the curb. You will off it to block
them up. Watch yourself. That's a fat wider, captain. You
get that hat.
Speaker 2: I met with the hotel. I grabbed up the hat
and broke for the steps of the post office thirty
yards away. One of the Nazi gerrillas got passed Harper
and reached for me. I slugged him and kept on
one glance back, and I saw Harper run into the
cafe with three of them on his tail. But in
this game, you'd learned never to go back and help anybody.
You play the main chance. I fumbled the paper out
of that vand and tossed the hat aside, raced through
the post office, out of side door and into a
narrow alley, eating the almopatree. It was an hour later
before I circled back to the hotel. There was no
sign of Lieutenant Harper, and three hours later there was
still no sign. Darkness fell and I finally sent out.
Speaker 3: For the early evening papers.
Speaker 2: They mentioned three accidents that day that interested me greatly.
At ten minutes past seven, there was a funneling at
my door and I opened it. Captain Rogers all right.
It was Harper, or what was left of him. He'd
been beaten half to death. Here, Harper, let me help you,
oh easy, here over here, come on the edge of
the bed.
Speaker 3: There you go. They were.
Speaker 2: Well rather hawah, you you know, rough deal. How'd you
get away from them? Please came they ran, Please took me.
I've been in jail Portuguese just as so Boing, one
of the men with Steina. It's a description. Yep is
called in my name, and it figures I'd say we're
close to the jackpot. The information in the halp three
words the droning exporting company mean anything yet it's a
warehouse near the waterfront. I'm going to have a look
at it as soon as I find you a doctor.
Speaker 3: I never mind the doctor, you just help me into
the show. I'm going with you. Lane.
Speaker 2: You've got guts, nothing of the kind that made me angry.
Speaker 3: That's all. Yeah, me too.
Speaker 2: Oh, by the way, according to the papers, we lost
a couple more of our leads.
Speaker 3: What do you mean?
Speaker 2: Margaret Styles and Karl Neiras bodies found this afternoon in
a wrecked car below the Avenida de la le Bravade.
Like the accident, let's say, I haven't yeah, and like
Sulka's burned hands.
Speaker 3: Well now, let's have a try at that shower. That's
your eye, captain. These chaps play awfully round.
Speaker 2: But the drumming warehouse on the waterfront was dark and silent,
with no sign of life. Wad Jimmy to the rear window,
crawled in and slipped along a runway between high stacks
of packing cases that bart was easy, too easy.
Speaker 3: Asome. Let's see the lack of it. He's coming in
his wheel all right.
Speaker 2: Good, let him get past without taking.
Speaker 3: Good show? Who yaggs are visitor? You know? Yeah? Yeah?
He draking case. Hey you sleep well boy?
Speaker 2: You know, lieutenant, I don't think this warehouses headquarters. There's
no place here to do any elaborate processing. Let's take
a look at the office. Yeah, there's anything important here.
I can't understand them having only one watch. Mad ties
into the way they killed Australia in broad daylight in
a public square. We're here in full strength shot them yeah,
I think around nineteen forty in the office.
Speaker 3: Let's make it fast, Harper, we need you on borrowed time. Yeah, happen.
Can we have the light over here in a moment?
Huh h? Suitcases beffel bangs, Kansas sacks papers.
Speaker 2: Because if someone plans to travel all these papers orders
for spies delivered a dot six for motorshiped Fjord never
heard of it, register in Norwegian type diesel flater owner
Padroni Exporting Company and most of the orders are for
fresh vegetables that's usually taking aboard the day of sailing.
Speaker 3: I have a look at these fresh vegetables. Cappens huh
commercial diamond six camera bags for trail seemed to be warmer. Yeah,
we're in like Flynn got that bite someone of to
make door.
Speaker 2: Let's get out of his office here, don't ride These
cases must.
Speaker 3: Be eight or ten of them.
Speaker 2: Yeah, ratter incorporated. And I'm time of the question. But
why did they kill me with a margaret style metal
members They slipped up but never did tolerant mistakes. Anybody's stop.
Speaker 3: Er your.
Speaker 5: Ah, John Anglish laugh.
Speaker 2: That's trusting. So yeah, that's good thing. That watchman really
is a leap. That's much like they're ready to move.
Come on, let's get out of here. We crouched on
the dark water front across from the warehouse and waited.
Speaker 3: Ten minutes later the gang came out carrying the.
Speaker 2: Bags we've seen in the office, but instead of getting
into the cars parked on the ramp, they walked out
onto the dock, climbed into a speedboat and headed for
the open sea.
Speaker 3: That's it, of course, Why didn't I think of it before?
Speaker 2: One headquarters must be the flighter itself the fjord, not
in the harbord, flying offshore out there they processed the
diamonds on board and use the ship to deliver them
and probably make sure contacts with speedboats to avoid customs
and say in International Warriors, well international waters is an
impressive phrase, Captain Rogers. But under the circumstances the Puttish
Navy might be persuaded. No, no, it wouldn't work. The
ship is headquarters. They'll have lists of contacts on board,
members of the network. That's what we've got to get.
They destroy it at the first sign of trouble. For
who do you think is in trine? Sign up for
be you need to be running things in the warehouse,
though I don't know, nor do I see that we
have much chance of finding art un if you ord
will probably head north there running for a contact somewhere,
and that might be the spot to make our plane.
Book Harper, you call your HQ in London and haven't
keep track of a ship using unmarked plane. I'll have
THEAC send a plane down to stand by here at
Lisbon wady to jump at any minute.
Speaker 3: And then and then we wait and wait.
Speaker 2: We did pacing the floor of our hotel room one day,
two three four.
Speaker 3: The afternoon of the.
Speaker 2: Fourth day when the call came from British intelligence speaking
the Break of the.
Speaker 3: Art is lying eight miles off Shive, apparently waiting for
contact Chebourg. Huh. Thanks all right, Harper, let's go.
Speaker 6: As you undoubtedly realize, Miss you, you of the French
intelligence selvies are also vitally concerned in miss Metal.
Speaker 3: Yes, Captain Chicon, we understand. Now what have you been
able to find out?
Speaker 6: Well, it appears that the contact will be made by
two men, both Jewelers here and shareboat Huelers, and both
suspect it does not see collaboration during the war, and
they plan to use that speedboat there at the end
of the dark.
Speaker 3: They've shuted it from nine o'clock to night after dark.
Speaker 8: Huh, I guess oh, those workmen you see there on
the dock, all my men, Captain orders where it's just
so well, our plan is pretty flexible, Captain Chicone, But
that's kind of Harper, and I would like to get
aboard that ship.
Speaker 3: Really go on board would be very easy.
Speaker 2: But yeah, but you know those contacts, the two jewelers,
they must have credentials, a set of signals. You mean,
we might take their places make your contact. It's risky.
You want to live forever theres.
Speaker 8: If it is only a meta of obtaining self an information,
I'm very good at interrogating.
Speaker 2: Collaboration is just leave the matter to me. By a
border to nine, Opera and I were waiting in the
shadows while Icon and his men lay hidden.
Speaker 3: Along the dock. At five minutes to nine, three men
came from.
Speaker 2: The lambside and started out the dock. They passed under
the first, life under the second, and didn't show up
at the third.
Speaker 3: For a while.
Speaker 2: Strings sounds came from a small shack at the edge
of the key. Then Captain Chicone stepped out of the darkness. Ah,
that bullsh up.
Speaker 3: What they used to be messire, ye're as a credentials
and signals. I will uperate the speedbot myself and put
you above the ship. After that, it is up to you.
He is right ahead, man. Yeah, in the deck dark
that's a break where you need a break. The two
French cutters are standing back to John Rogers in the
air Force.
Speaker 8: That shell book is a left good, Ah said, yeah,
the lending letter is down.
Speaker 3: They're expecting you. Yeah, I'll hold her alongside jump Roger
of it. Good luck Yet the blitz.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Donna, the term diagon dunker, that's the DNA house riser.
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, bo. I handed in the credentials and he
turned the flashlight on him.
Speaker 2: How we stood there on the deck waiting here and
there were other men, silent shadows in the darkness. The
light touched the leader's face briefly and I recognized him
Auto Tune right hand man, the fun Poppin and the
power behind.
Speaker 3: Hitler, the most wanted man in Europe.
Speaker 2: Rudolf Steiner was small, five beside June, and Colonel Berry had.
Speaker 3: Given me one order once or nothing to see I
see get him anyway you can. It's I mean, that's five.
But okay.
Speaker 2: We did as he ordered, went down the companion way
and along the passage to cabin two. He followed behind us.
I opened the cabin door, and as Harper stepped in,
I glanced back to see Kune go into cabin one.
Speaker 3: I pulled our doors shut. Did you recognize him? Yeah, Otto, Kune,
we've got a big fish. Oh the fish has us.
Maybe at least it wasn't Steiner. Who knows this? What's
holding up? Captain? I've always looked a.
Speaker 2: Good clean life. I'm sure things on. Did you notice
the machine gun emplacements on back? Oh that I did, well.
I look June Win it at the next cabin. It's
Cavin one, so it's probably his office. No one else
came down with him, so it's headquarters. Oh boy, I'm sorry,
I'm not Let's go crack it plan. His doors unlocked.
I'll go in and reason with him. You keep me
covered outside.
Speaker 3: That's who it was. Never like this. The passage is clear.
Speaker 2: We stepped out and moved quickly to cabin one. Harper
drew his gun and stood to one side. I tried
the door, which was unlocked. I waited, Harper, and pulled
it open. All right, tune hold it. Yes, I don't
know if you speak English, but you'll understand the gun.
Speaker 3: Get your hands up. But you are who are you?
Captain Rodgers? US Counterintelligence? Ah, you fool? Get the chump. Skip.
But I haven't got the time. What do you want?
Just one thing? And I'm betting it's in that desk.
You can give it to me or I can kill
you and look for it. What is it? Your organization
list members, some contacts. You are a fool. Come on
call it. I'm in a hurry. I have no objiction
at all to give you the list? Captain Rodgers, what
would you do with it? There's no way for you
to leave the shift, and there are two hundreds of
russ aboard. You are thanks, beat the McCoy, I can
turn around. What do you mean?
Speaker 2: I mean that bull spot makes a nice targets? Okay,
out here, rua any luck? I got the list and
it's dynamite. Here, let me lock this door. June's asleep.
Don't want him disturbed. Okay, let's go right over. But
where forward hold? If I know this type of ship
and the way these guys operate, they'll have their ammunition
and gasoline to the speedboats stored beneath the forward hatch.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, pretty's the access and this hatch isn't locked. Good,
Come on right ahead of us, captain. I think I'm
beginning to see what you've got in mind? What else?
Speaker 2: As far as I can see, how best chance to
get away with the list is to sink the ship? Well,
nobody home. Our luck's still good. Yeah, the flashed the
light over here? A rack of suddenly she guns and
ammunition cases behind them, For there must be one hundred
guns of petrol stack there. Yeah, that's what we want.
Here's one with a bun wrench. Hold the light a
second harder, Yeah, I'll prop it up. I better get
that loading imported in front of scape. Right, that's the
amiation gas or right, captain a loading?
Speaker 3: Important? Clear? Good, let's dump this drum over. Now? What's
the stuff running in the enbow? And the other drops.
Speaker 2: Pass on atch and hit the water? Who I'm standing
by out there somewhere.
Speaker 3: And somebody up there they try if they can, like boom,
we kenn Are you hit? Yep, se gun. I can't
stay and it's too dog up.
Speaker 2: There, got you take up list and get out.
Speaker 3: I'm not gonna lead you. Will you get doing? I'll
hold him up. I'll hold him up. Oh no, that
blist you want to ruin everything? Okay, I'm all right,
hold on lighting. I stuck out ship find me.
Speaker 2: A sudden blade shot up from the forward hatch and
flared over the water. Two hundred yards from the freighter.
Checombe speedboats stood out sharply in the glare.
Speaker 3: He saw me and moved in. I stumbled over the gunnel.
Speaker 2: I looked back and saw a great pillar of flame
towering into the sky above the motorship shored.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's along lighting.
Speaker 2: Ah well, Camptam. Here's the report from Rotterdam. Picked up
all six of the contacts there. That's great, Colonel, it's
been a clean sweet so far. That list is really
a straight good fine. You know you're overwhelming me with
this enthusiasm. Rodgers, you did a good job. What's the beef?
Speaker 3: I don't know.
Speaker 2: Conners, I guess it's the tenant Harper. Nice guy did
a good job too. Got to you, huh? I guess
well it was the same with him as for the
rest of us. You ought to figure your odds before
you pick counterintelligence. Yeah, I know, I get over it.
Guess mother never meant for me to be a soldier.
What were you planning, Captains before you joined the service?
Speaker 3: Certified public accounting, take a business ad court in college?
How about that?
Speaker 2: Well, there's some good desk jobs and the Pentagon. I
could arrange a transfer, Connel, Are you kidding? Operation Danger,
produced and directed by William M. Robeson, stars Howard Culver
as Captain Ethan Allen Rodgers of the.
Speaker 3: Conper Intelligence Corps.
Speaker 2: Also heard in the cast were John Banks, Ben Wright,
Paul Freese, Ted von elf Fritz Feld and Rick Vallens.
The original musical score was composed and conducted by Van
clee Be with us again next week, when Captain Ethan
Allen Rodgers goes into the battle for peace in a
suburb of Belgrade against an organized gang of renegade. Thetois
a battle with death as the trophy. Another Operation Danger
is a CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Speaker 1: Welcome back. This was actually a really good spy mystery
adventure series. In some ways it seems like a more
grounded version of Dangerous Assignment. With the use of time
stamps in the narrative, it practically felt like a dangerous
assignment and dragnet mashup. Now, well, it's not a perfect script.
I thought it was really good, and certainly this seemed
like a series that, particularly for a pilot, really was
in good shape and could easily tweet. And actually the
series was greenlit and scheduled to air, so much so
that there are actual newspaper listings from June of nineteen
fifty four Operation Danger, But again last minute, they decided
to go with the lineup, with the press release citing
Bill Johnstone and Joseph Kerns as the stars based on
the pilot police lineup, although Kerns would not actually appear
on the radio series, so it seemed like a somewhat
hasty move. Then there was a newspaper article from February
nineteen fifty one that announced that Operation Danger was again
slated for the summer schedule in the summer of nineteen
fifty one, and newspaper logs indicate that it did indeed
appear and began airing as a summer replacement in June
and actually stayed in the schedule into the fall. We
don't know whether Howard Culver was attached to the project.
None of the newspaper articles I located on Operation Danger
when it actually aired stated who was in the cast.
Shortly after Operation Danger premiered, the series Defense Attorney premiered
over ABC, where Culver had supporting role as jud Barnes,
the boyfriend of Attorney Marcia Ellis Bryant. However, it was
not unheard of for an actor to have two active
roles on network radio at the same time. Culvert is
best known in his radio career for starring in The
Western Straight Arrow, and he was also the last actor
to play Ellery Queen. Beyond that, He was one of
those really strong, dedicated character actors who was the backbone
of the Golden Ager Radio and I think he did
well in this and made a believable and professional intelligence agent.
It's a good story. The nice thing about it as
an audition recording is that it could easily be remade
if you ever listened to Dangerous Assignment or man Hold X.
Some of the places that they go troubleshooting are based
on news of the day. In the case of Man
Called X in particular, there were some that were like
really hot headline locations that Ken Thurston went to. And
if you use a story like that for your audition
and you didn't actually end up going to air for
several months, you would have to change your story overall.
But this could easily be reused without rewriting anything other
than little tweaks. The plot's good, and a year or
two later it would be just as good. So a
really good series. I don't like it quite as much
as the Lineup, so I can't say that I'm disappointed
they chose to make the Lineup instead, but I thought
it was a promising beginning and I would be curious
if episodes of the nineteen fifty one series ever did emerge.
All right, Well, now it is time to think our
Patreon supporter of the day, and I wanted to go
ahead and thank Andrew, Patreon supporter since April twenty twenty one,
currently supporting the podcast at the Master Detective level of
fifteen dollars or more per month. Thank you so much
for your support, Andrew. And that will do it for today.
If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your
favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review
the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back
next Tuesday with an episode of Martin Kin. But join
us back here tomorrow for Broadways my beat where.
Speaker 9: I didn't wait for three o'clock. I left for the
East River docks right away. Maybe I was going to
be a little early, but I was being a little eager.
Here thirty eight occupy at about fifty front feet of
the darkness and lent its own quality of shadows to it.
Speaker 3: Todd the river. A couple of tugs huddled together to
my right and left.
Speaker 9: Equipment checks been looking toward the stern because that's where
it came from.
Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime,
send your comments to Box thirteen at Greatdetectives dot net,
Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us
out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives From Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.