Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from
boy Siadaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment,
we're going to bring you this week's episode of Charlie Chan.
But first I do want to encourage you, if you're
enjoying the podcast, to please follow us using your favorite
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you get bonus podcasts that are just released on Patreon
or extras. So you can check that all out at
Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. And now we turn
to Charlie Chan. Well, we have played all the American
episodes that are available, so now we are turning to
the Australian episodes. And I've been trying to cobble together
as much information as i can on the series. The
best information I can find on series air date comes
from a two thousand and four order in Radio Recall,
the newsletter of the Metropolitan Washington Old Time Radio Club,
written by the late Ian Greeve, moderator of the Australian
Old Time Radio Group, and mister Greve states that these
programs aired starting in October of nineteen fifty from Sydney
as they were syndicated by Grace Gibson. Air dates were
tricky in Australia because they didn't have like a big
radio network like we had in the States, but you
had a lot of syndication going on, so a program
could air in Sydney and it'd be several days until
it aired in Melbourne, where most of the Australian Old
Time Radio officion NADOs if you were were at now.
The series was based on a Mayor scripts, presumably from
the Ed Begley run, although maybe from the Santos or
Tego run as well. The length of the series it
does get kind of confused depending on what source you read.
The series starred William Rees as Charlie Chan and Rodney
Jacobs as his number one son. And we will tell
you a little bit about those two actors after we
get back from today's episode. Now, unfortunately, I don't really
have any order for these programs that I can consistently
relively give to you, So we're just gonna play him
as they come. And these all aired likely during the
nineteen fifty to fifty one season. And we're going to
start with the case of the Telltale Hands.
Speaker 2: The Incomparable Charlie Chan.
Speaker 3: We proudly present the incomparable Charlie Chan in a new
and exciting series. Join the famous detective as he combines
the wisdom of the East and the science of the West.
Speaker 2: In the dramatic chapter.
Speaker 3: From the Adventures of Charlie Chan.
Speaker 2: From Charlie Chan, Hunley bids you good evening and extends
wrong welcome. Ancient proverb relates what ten men build, one
hand lay the strike. Tonight we meet he that spread
highly odd form of destruction. Listen, please thank you.
Speaker 3: To night's adventure The Telltale Hands. Judy Carroll stands at
the intersection of Logan Avenue on First Street. She is
nineteen years old, short, dark, pretty in a cheerful way,
and she might be beautiful if she knew how to
dress and use makeup properly, but Judy doesn't.
Speaker 2: She's blind.
Speaker 4: Is anybody crossing Logan Avenue? Please? Anybody going across? I'd
like to cross Logan Avenue. God, you can't get anyone around. Hello?
Speaker 2: Anybody crossing Logan Avenue?
Speaker 4: Hello?
Speaker 2: Please?
Speaker 5: Yes you can miss inferior person lender systems.
Speaker 2: Our old Charlie Chan.
Speaker 5: We were just driving past and we saw you list.
Speaker 4: Oh that's tofully kind of you. But I don't need
a list. I'm waiting to cross Logan. I live on
the other side.
Speaker 2: Ah, so inferior number one son happy to lender systems.
Speaker 4: You don't have to bother. Someone will be along soon.
No trouble at all.
Speaker 2: Catch me missing your chance to walk with a pretty girl?
Come on, life's change.
Speaker 4: I bet you tell that to all the girls.
Speaker 2: Only the pretty one.
Speaker 6: What's your name, Judy Carroll, I'm lead Chen. My pup's
are detective Charlie Chant. I'm a kind of detective too.
Speaker 4: That's nothing. I'm a piano tuner.
Speaker 2: No fool, sure, proven easy.
Speaker 4: I've got my tuning hammer right here. Oh bar that
I've left it where I was working. I'm worsen the
plumber always forgetting my tools.
Speaker 2: This is a curb. Want me to go back and
get that cheoting homer for you?
Speaker 4: Oh no, Thankley, I'll fill them.
Speaker 2: Want me to take you to your house.
Speaker 6: Don't bother.
Speaker 4: It's the second from the corner. Fourteen steps in.
Speaker 6: Five left right, see you soon, and if our piano
needs chewing, I'll call.
Speaker 7: You, daddy.
Speaker 4: I'm home, Daddy.
Speaker 8: I all right, have the job the this morning.
Speaker 4: Tell me all right, Daddy, the bandcase has a beautiful piano.
Speaker 2: Why not?
Speaker 8: I got a million dollars. Tell me about that house, Judy,
everything you remember, how many rooms? How many steps from God?
Speaker 9: At all? Where everthing is what it feels like.
Speaker 4: You always ask me that, Daddy.
Speaker 8: M you get into such high class houses, Judy, not me.
I've got to hear about it the second.
Speaker 4: Hand, third hand, Daddy, I don't see them, I just
feel them.
Speaker 9: Oh that's good enough for me.
Speaker 4: Go ahead, well, three steps up to the front door,
the norvel. The front door is oaks. Going to the foyer.
Two steps to the left there's a closet. Three to
the rider is a small waiting room. You go straight
ahead into the hall. It's ten steps long. It easy.
Speaker 8: Wait a minute, Judy, I just remembered something. Excuse me
a minute, giver, Yeah, Bowlo, you listening to the girl, Yeah,
got a good memory, the best. We'll make sure you
remember everything, my girl says.
Speaker 9: Yah, No, I got a hand it to you, Bowlow.
Speaker 8: Every cracksman in town is wondering how you've been breaking
into joint so long without getting caught. No, I know,
it's just too easy when a blind girl gives you
the whole layout first, keep your voice down. She doesn't know, though,
She just thinks that daddy is just curious about the
upper classes.
Speaker 9: Huh.
Speaker 8: He doesn't know that she helps her daddy make visits
at night that make money for him.
Speaker 9: Yeah.
Speaker 8: If you're just listen carefully while the girl's talking, we'll
drop in on a van case tonight. It'll be easy
as easy has taken pennies from a blind man. I mean,
cat might try this afternoon. Sure did help me out
my door jobs, just as easy as I told you.
Where they'd be room paste off for us to name
what everything is in that?
Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah it was bolo. Girl of yours is worth
plenty blind. Yeah.
Speaker 8: The doctors for around last year trying to talk into
an operation.
Speaker 9: For her eyes.
Speaker 8: I've got to stop for that though. I don't want
to have any eyes back. I don't want to watch
in her old dead mixing is nitro glycerine in the kitchen,
uh says, is really loaded. Jip big, hold the knife handle.
Speaker 7: It.
Speaker 8: It's all all right, you know. I still don't figure
why you cut me in on this, deel boller. You
don't need me, you go wrong. Well, the police are
too interested in these jobs of mine lately. This is
the thirty Well wait a minute, Well make sure I
got everything? Oh sure, sure that's right. All right, let's
go bollow. I'm going gibber not you. What do you mean?
That's why I brought you in, Gipper. The lord's getting
a little post for my lucky now they're giving to
check up on me, so I gotta put them up
per cent. I need you for a decoy, Sorry, Jipper,
but this is where you get it.
Speaker 9: Pound.
Speaker 2: There's no one hip hop. The whole house is in darkness.
He's sure's the right one it is. This does not
give to making mistakes.
Speaker 6: Maybe the phone operator was wrong or what does she say?
Phone operators say call came from this house home of
wealthy Van Caves. She say, voice very faint but distinctly said,
get Charlie chan quick and dying.
Speaker 2: That's plain enough. What are we going now? Break in
becomes this person's ignoble task. To enter van k home
with skeleton keys is written purpose of visit. May pardon
this courteous entry into home. Come personally, I think the
call was just a dirty trick to keep us from
going home to dinner.
Speaker 6: If you ask me, Papa, careful please?
Speaker 2: This person illuminates touch Wow, what a house looks like
a mansion? Hi? Hey, Papa, when you light in that
room a minute, I think I saw I did? Yes, Pop,
take a look. The safeman opened and before us is
criminal who opened same and then made odd telephone call
to police announcing crime. Most unfortunate cannot explain actions. Is dead?
Ah attention please, Father has completed hurried investigations. Go ahead, Pop,
I shall tell you I've got a clue. Very good.
Dead man before us was one of two men who
robbed house, fought with companions and injured same note, broken
knuckles and wrench in hand. Who was stabbed with knife
and left for dead, cruel to telephone and called police
anything else? Pop, hm, extremely odd clue roses on neck
of dead men are moist with chemical most probably night
throw glitzerin same use to open safe escape. Thief and
murderer had night throw glycerin on hands right lawly did
he leave ncroglssoving behind? Pop?
Speaker 6: But one of his tools I fell of the piano. Look,
it's my clue.
Speaker 2: Ah, excellent, but this not burglar equipment. Son his tuning
hammer for piano used by piano tuners tuning hammers.
Speaker 6: Gee, I better study Carroll's The Blind Girl?
Speaker 2: Do you remember her? Pop?
Speaker 6: What a funny coincidence if this is a piano she
chunleus afternoon.
Speaker 2: Silence, got my dear Pop. This bankrupt brain entertains odd thought.
During investigation of recent urglaries, one interesting fact noted what
parts that prior to each piano in house was tune?
You mean the piano tuna learned the lay out of
the house first? You mean Judy cow died that? Or
low pop. This person has noted that when coincidences become
extremely odd, demounts instant investigation. But she's blind? How could
she some because locality of home or blind piano tuna?
Of course, very good. We'll telephone homicide department to take charge.
Here and then make instant journey to house of Miss Carroll.
We'll return the vice for tuning piano and perhaps locate
the results of murder blood.
Speaker 4: What's the matter? You came rush into the house ten
minutes ago and you've been taking I heard you.
Speaker 9: You gotta go away for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 7: Judy, go wait.
Speaker 9: You'll be all right.
Speaker 8: Now, get out of the way. I'm gonna hurry. Hi,
I gotta get out of here.
Speaker 4: Oh daddy, watch.
Speaker 9: The get away from me. Don't touch me. You've got
enough jobs to take care of you so long. Judy,
you're hurt.
Speaker 4: I told your head it's bleeding.
Speaker 7: What happened.
Speaker 9: I'll be all right at a side argument.
Speaker 8: With a friend, that's all where hush, shut up.
Speaker 9: You don't know anything. I understand.
Speaker 8: You don't know where I've been or where I'm going.
Speaker 4: Daddy, you can't go out like this. You're hurt.
Speaker 9: I told you to keep your hand off me.
Speaker 7: Oh daddy, I wish you have you.
Speaker 9: Got a hat or something from me? Away on my head?
Speaker 2: No, I haven't, never mind.
Speaker 8: I'll get one at the store on the corner. Gotta
hid the side of my head. Now, listen, someone at
the door. You answers, I'm going out the back way.
You've not seen me. Remember, you don't know where I am.
But you don't know nothing. I understand. And if you talk,
if you say anything, I swear I'll make you happy.
You're blind, I'll make you wish you were dead.
Speaker 3: Our story will continue in just a few moments. Meanwhile,
though you're announcer, and now back to the incomparable Charlie Chance.
Speaker 9: Bolo.
Speaker 3: Carol, injured in the fight with Jipper, finds it necessary
to leave Ton. We left him fettening his blind daughter
Judy into silence. When the doorbell rings and Judy answers.
Speaker 4: Yes, so is it please?
Speaker 2: Hi? Judy me?
Speaker 4: Oh, the young ch.
Speaker 2: And undistinguished father of saying good evening, Miss Carrow, have
come to return tuning hammer recently forgotten? O come in?
Speaker 4: Were you at the then house?
Speaker 2: Yes? And it's this person of their ill news, Miss
Carroll attention, who resides in house with you?
Speaker 4: Just my father he he isn't home now he's gone away.
I don't know where, Miss Carroll.
Speaker 2: So sorry. Your father may be implicated in recent robbery
and murder in vicinity of ben k Home.
Speaker 4: Murder.
Speaker 2: Oh no, your father recently at home, Miss Carrol. No,
so sorry, this person perceives lie. Your face shows marks
of rough hands, have been struck by unkind father or
someone else.
Speaker 4: No, that's not true.
Speaker 2: No one's truck, stains of blood on fingers, Miss Carroll,
have recently touched wounded head of father. No, I never
did open closet in the bedroom behind you. Proclaim someone
hastily packed and left home whilst father inspected chair.
Speaker 4: Please, my head's whirling round. I've got to sit down.
Speaker 2: Rightly, Judy, lay off a pop with you. This most
interesting symptom isn't a symple at all.
Speaker 6: Can't you see how sick the poor girl is?
Speaker 2: You can't blame me. They did not refer to son's gallantry,
Please with saying, refer to missus Carroll's headache.
Speaker 4: Good doctor, please my head bursting anything like it before?
Speaker 2: Physician instantly. Miss Carroll now must ask one question highly
urgent to inform Charlie Chan where father has gone. I
don't know, very good, My respects to misguided loyalty, missus Carroll.
We'll now telephone for physicians and then depart to find
runaway father. How are we going to find him? Part
by trail left by saying what trail trail of headache?
Pap are you crazy? What's all this about? Headache?
Speaker 6: How can a man leave a trail a headache?
Speaker 2: Exercise vision? Please keep sharp lookout for any person in
extremely sick condition. We'll go to corner and begin search
from that point. If carol going around hitting people on
the head, ah, and look inside hats door on corner?
What do ies proceed? Hey? S A follow doublop on
the counter. This most fortuness hardly expected. Immediately doubts from
deduction will enter store? Please? Oh, pardon please? Eh? Oh
go where I my head splitting? Get me a doctor, William,
pardon not intrude on illness. This our charity shall not police.
You had recent customer a man purchased hat, possibly to
conceal wound on head.
Speaker 8: Eh, yes, that's right, about ten minutes ago.
Speaker 2: In which direction did man proceed after.
Speaker 8: Leaving thore down Logan Avenue?
Speaker 2: Very good?
Speaker 8: Oh?
Speaker 2: How places did you know? Too many urgent tasks before
father to employ time and explanation us telephone for physician,
then broad car and continue search down Logan Avenue. Do
we look for more headaches? May be fortunate enough to locate. Say,
when we reach end of headache trail, we'll find criminal.
It is written you can see ten years beyond old age.
Urgent that miserable son justify position as assistant to father.
Speaker 6: All right, path, I'll look out for the six people,
but just answer me one thing.
Speaker 2: Proceed.
Speaker 6: How does Carol hand.
Speaker 2: Out headaches with hands? With hands? Please? Ambulance on left
side of avenue. This made the additional clue to whereabouts
of mister carl.
Speaker 8: Were.
Speaker 2: Question. Patient comes body, Please may proceed to patience.
Speaker 10: Lightly, one slightly. This is respect the chelly canda please
the sightly the side.
Speaker 2: Please, if in turn, we'll forgive intrusion desire to ask
patients several questions. Thank you you have had headache. You
never felt anything like it before. I fighted right here
in the street with a pain. What happened to man
in new Hat? Please?
Speaker 9: How do you know about him?
Speaker 2: But we'll explain later what happened? Please? I don't know.
He was carrying a bag and he.
Speaker 9: Was frather sick.
Speaker 2: Offered me a dollar if i'd carry his bag to
the blue check cabstand very good. If you performed tasks
received payment with spitting headache as bonus. Eh, that's just
what happened. Inspector and man a new hat to cat. Yes, sir,
the driver helped him. It did. Team is a note
address given? No seems like a dead end.
Speaker 9: Pop.
Speaker 2: We almost had him, are not yet defeated. Instant journey
to traffic office of blue check cab may reveal further clues. Come, Inspector, Jenna.
Speaker 11: I've heard a lot about how smart you are, but
I don't see how you can be as smart as this.
Our driver just checked in two minutes ago. He said
he had such a blinding headache he couldn't work anymore.
Speaker 2: Excellent, But how on earth did you know he would
be insufficient time? Kindly examine trip sheet of sick driver
and inform him self of last fear. Got it right here,
Inspector obtained fair at regular cap stand on Logan Avenue Grove.
Same to sayside, sir, he where to catch a boat?
Where in bayside? Please?
Speaker 9: Uh?
Speaker 2: Private wharf number twenty seven? Many thanks, come some quickly?
Could you at least tell me who you're Arthur, Inspector.
Speaker 6: We're after a man who hands out headaches.
Speaker 2: Do you think Carol stood at the wolf Pop perhaps
have followed him with utmost acceleration. Say it's really private,
it's all enclosed. This person recalls warf used by bootleggers
during regrettable days of prohibition. Crowns stre at this side.
If Carol's inside, we may be walking right into a track.
Speaker 5: So Pap, there's a launcher head and I think someone's
in it looks as if he's pouring deasoline into the tank.
Speaker 12: He possibly mister Canon preparing to leave stiddy. Mister Caton,
this is a police Carol.
Speaker 9: You don't want another step.
Speaker 6: Come on, Pop, he has got a gun. This job,
Desoline is stop us Carrol.
Speaker 9: That's all you know.
Speaker 2: It's nine explosive use to smash them case save huh
that's right.
Speaker 9: Oh, I have the newest throe. It just let a
little at your feet.
Speaker 2: Them all be over. Listen to me.
Speaker 9: I'm running this launch out of here, and don't.
Speaker 2: You find to stop me neither you want to stay one,
please happy, gotta stop we can hand you don't bluft me.
Speaker 9: I know you don't carry guns.
Speaker 10: This person really procures match to illuminate seeing mister Carroll
and see if night throw Bitsine is bluff.
Speaker 2: It don't blove it, hey, stop.
Speaker 5: It pap happens, for that makesure the night throw.
Speaker 2: Pap will be.
Speaker 4: Those burnings.
Speaker 5: The fight didn't micro explode, I thought.
Speaker 10: I am necessary to restume mister Carroll from flame that
once before Latin it nights will explode. Unfortunate man's hand
in our venues will its plain ironic justice of Saint
had conclusion of king.
Speaker 6: All right, all right, tell me why didn't the nitro
explode when you drop the match?
Speaker 2: In number one? Sun? Under delusion that nitroglycerine explodes from
contact with fire that's not nearly burns like kerosene, can
only be exploded by intense shock or concussion. I see,
mm hmm. Now what about the trailer headaches that Carol
left behind? How he do that? Did so because hands
had been moistened with nitro glycerine I remember left it
on Kipper's neck. Nitroglycerine highly potent poison, instantly absorbed through skin,
producing intense headache, and sharp are so strong, can be
passed nearly by touch off hand.
Speaker 6: You mean then that every time Carol touched somebody they
got nitro on their skin enough to give them headaches.
Speaker 2: Precisely same accounts for headaches of daughter as shop assistant,
porter and taxi driver. Mister Carroll did not suffer affects
because had built up resistance to say he mean by
manufacturing it all the time, Holly, he certainly had appear
to tilt her hands. They led us straight to him,
and with finish off mister Carroll must now continue case
of daughter. Police records revealed possibility of cure for blindness
of same always sported by father. What a type he was.
Perhaps that same cannot be true of daughter, who may
some day Dalen's father's evil with goodness and beauty. Truly
it is written, lackest earth always produceth fairest Rose. Before
this person has further words with you, here is an
answer with words of wisdom. Because saying good night Chali
Chhan commenced to you words of ancient wisdom. There could
be no better surplice in the world than that of gratitude.
Good night, Thank you.
Speaker 3: Be sure to join us next week at this same
time for the adventures of Charlie Jan based on the
famous character created by Older Bigger. This is the Greace
Gibson radio production produced by Red Johnston.
Speaker 1: Welcome Back, well a really rotten villain who faced a
rough fate at the hands of Charlie Chan. Odd words
to say, but it's what's happened. It's an interesting mystery
and solution that, as far as I can tell, does
hold up scientifically, although there might be some details that
are lost on me as a layman just kind of
looking up information. So anyone out there who has an
issue with a solution, feel free to email in. But
this is a bit more of a puzzle mystery with
a little bit of a science clue, which is not
necessarily what we're used to with Charlie Chan. Now let's
talk about our Leeds. William Rees plays Chan's Reeds. Rees
was an interesting choice to play Chan as he really
didn't do much radio work outside of this role. As
far as I can tell, he was a well known
stage actor in Australia who went to the States in
nineteen thirty seven, spent nearly a decade working on the
Hollywood stage, both as a writer and as a director,
and then he came back to Australia and became a
producer and still did some acting. His chin is a
bit different and it may take get some getting used to.
Ronald Jacobs, who plays the Number one Son, had been
a child actor, appearing in the Australian comedy movie Mister
Chadworth Steps Out, and he did a lot of work
in Australian radio. He did some work on radio as
a child, but he also did some talent presentation work
for one station when he was sixteen. But he remained
pretty active throughout the thirties, appearing in a lot of
Australian radio programs, including the Australian version of Pepper Young's
Family and also The Clock. And then Australian radio drama
began its decline in the fifties and from there we
don't really have any good information as to what happened
to him. Well, now we do turn to listener comments
and feedback, and we have an email from Jason who
writes last Tuesday, I heard the first part of the
Summer Replacement Charlie Chan series and the presence of Number
one Son took me out of the episode almost immediately.
I guess he went to work right after graduating from
the University of Hawaii as was mentioned in the first series.
Keep up the good work on the podcast. I enjoy
listening it to every day. In the main Well, thanks
so much, Jason. I would say that I would not
expect there to be a lot of continuity between the
two series. The decision made on the Ed Begley series,
and I think carried forward here is that Charlie Chan
as they conceive him, works best with number one son
around for comic relief and as a sidekick, and they
are using that character and not really bound by whatever
was said on the Walter Conwlly series. Not at all. Well,
now it's time to think our Patreon supporter of the
day and I want to thank Deanna, Patreon supporter since
December twenty twenty four, currently supporting the podcast at the
shawmus level of four dollars more per month. Thanks so
much for your support, Deanna, 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 date
and review the show wherever you download it from. We'll
be back next Tuesday another episode of Charlie Chan, but
join us back here tomorrow for Broadways My Beat.
Speaker 2: Where come in?
Speaker 9: You know all about me? Don't you not a thing? Dwhite?
Speaker 13: What do you mean not a thing? I mister Bryant
and do you know about me? About my wife? Why
do you think I was in here yesterday? Tell your
people a bunch of lions.
Speaker 9: You talk to someone else.
Speaker 11: I didn't know a thing about it.
Speaker 13: My wife she didn't come home. She hasn't come home.
Speaker 2: At the clothes, I see you reported to day go.
Speaker 13: Yes, Clara went out the other evening. I waited for
a Billy's been laiting for Billy three and a half
going on four. The second one really, our first child
didn't even get born.
Speaker 2: See why did you come to see me, miss Brian.
Speaker 13: The man in the other office told me, please find
Please find Clara, mister Clover, She's got to come home,
mister Clover.
Speaker 2: Because.
Speaker 13: The man in the other office said to show you
the letter here open to the reader. As you see,
the man who wrote the letter says he knows where
my wife is. He says his name is short. He done,
and he says, come to the Apollo Hotel.
Speaker 2: What does that mean?
Speaker 13: And bring money?
Speaker 8: That's strange, says come to the Apollo Hotel. But it's
written on mission house stationer.
Speaker 13: And drink money. That's why I came to the police again.
Although I am worried about my wife, I have my
head about me. You police, you'll find to Clara and
you'll come home to us.
Speaker 2: Then you fellows are good.
Speaker 13: Find it.
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 Son and all