Detective drama (1946 - 51)

Sam Spade was the creation of Dashiell Hammett, who along with Raymond Chandler godfathered the tough-guy introspective school of detective fiction that got really big after the Second World War.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2010 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited.

Film star Howard Duff played Sam Spade (also played by Steve Dunne at the very end of the show), Lurene Tuttle was Effie Perrine, his perfect secretary (perfect fantasy of a private eye secretary, that is) and John McIntire was Lt. Dundy. Later William Conrad (Escape, Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke) did Dundy, when the production moved to Hollywood. William Spier, great director of Suspense and many other fine shows, took the tough-guy detective genre and shook it down to basics. Action, drama, toughs, dames, wisecracks and laughs. Add great acting and you have excellent radio.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2010 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited.

Spade was meticulous enough to make a report on each case as it progressed, in line with Hammett's actual Pinkerton Detective Agency background. As the half -hour show unfolded, these reports were sent to Effie, too, so she always knew the score. It seemed she wanted to score with Sam, but that was a scratch at the track in his book. The caper always came first. The wisecrack came second. And if a tough was unaccommodating, then an uppercut might be in order. Effie was there to take care of the business.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2010 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved-Reproduction is prohibited.

Dunning in his On the Air, the Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio says "The show was loved in its time and still is. The plots were often run-of-the-mill fare, obviously hacked out in the heat of the deadline. No one cared if holes were patched in an obvious and sometimes careless way-this show had a style and class that the others all envied. Duff made the writing part of his own unique character. The wit and charm of the show has weathered four decades, and The Adventures of Sam Spade remains today the pinnacle of radio private eye broadcasts."

Included in the update of this show are four episodes of the British Sam Spade - The Maltese Falcon. The Maltese Falcon was the 1930s precursor to the Sam Spade series.

But remember, if Sam's busy, then call on Phillip Marlowe, Richard Diamond or you could Let George Do It. And there's even more detective action where that came from including The Saint, Boston Blackie, and The Falcon. See also: Hardboiled Detectives Collection.