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One of radio's longest running shows, Mr. Keen,
Tracer of Lost Persons was also one of the first
of the detective genre on radio, and certainly the
earliest one with "legs," lasting well into
the TV era.
 Earlier in its run, it used the best of the melodramatic
serial methods - obvious characterization with social
and anti-social stereotypes, all done with somewhat
heavy-footed plotting. Bennett Kilpack played Mr.
Keen as an intellectual authority figure, magisterial
in manner, reserved, aloof. Two others took over Mr.
Keen later in the run, but Keen's mannerisms remained
the same. Jim Kelly plays Mr. Keen's working-class
heavy, Mike Clancy. The name tells the characterization,
since old time radio, like vaudeville, was a world
where immigrants had popular comedic stereotypes.
Text on OTRCAT.com ©2007 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited. To modern ears, this type of show sounds more stilted
than authoritative, since we really never "get
to know" Mr. Keen, but this style of detective
can be considered an homage to the classic intellectual
English tradition. With perhaps a dash of the formality
of the early old time radio announcer in his tone
of voice. After all, early radio announcers used to
work in tuxedos before live audiences!
Text on OTRCAT.com ©2007 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited.
The detective work is sometimes barely more than
coincidence or criminal oversight. The facts of the
cases are often far-fetched, and the dialogue can
be from the early radio "formal diction"
school, such as "Was it he who answered the door,
Clancy?" The very name of the show should give
a good indication of the dialogue, there is a great
deal of nostalgic enjoyment to be found. The show
was lampooned by Bob and Ray
in their classic "Mr. Trace, Keene than Most
Persons."
Of course, it has a faster pace with less formality
after the War and into the '50's. The fact that the
show ran from before the 1040's until Elvis shows
it had great popularity. And it still does. Some other
shows done in the classic style are Sherlock
Holmes, Blackstone, The
Magic Detective, Philo
Vance and the more modern (Hollywood) sounding
The Falcon.
For more brainy detectives, see also: Softboiled Detectives.
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