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Adventure Detective Rarities

There were a lot of great programs that never got a green light for full scale production or where all but one of two episodes have been lost. This collection is of detective and adventure show rarities.

Rarities Adventure Detective

73 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 27 hours, 59 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
29 Audio CDs


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"Hearthstone of the Death Squad: Unheeded Warning"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Mysterious Detective Man, Mr Chameleon

Crime Dramas and Adventure Stories were some of the most popular programs during the post-War period. As many as there were on the air, there were actually more that never made it. Some of these shows survived as audition programs, some others are surviving relics, the only surviving episodes from longer serials.

Each of these shows focuses on despicable bad guys, but the episodes are as much about the noble officers and dedicated agents who serve the public.

  • The early years of the Cold War give us a tale of "Scientific Fiction" in Action 80, a code name for the fictional secret government agency which oversees secret military and some civilian defense projects. One of those projects is Operation Sailfin, the world's first atomic submarine. The construction schedule is accelerated to be a year ahead of schedule, but there are still indications of sabotage.
  • 1940s batmanOne of the biggest mysteries of Old Time Radio and Comic Books is the question of why Batman and Robin never had a radio series of their own. The Caped Crusader was featured several times on Mutual's The Adventures of Superman, sometimes as a foil to the Man of Steel, others having adventures of his own so that the regular actors could take a vacation. "The Monster of Dumphrey's Hall" may have been an attempt to create an audition program for a Batman series, unfortunately, the writers and producers apparently never read a Batman comic!
  • Barton Yarborough is well known to OTR fans for his work with Carlton E. Morse and playing Sgt. Friday's sidekick Ben Romero on Dragnet, but there is no mistaking his talents when he rides into town to chase The Black Ghost. The Ghost is a mysterious outlaw terrorizing a mining town in the Old West. The show manages to use every cliché possible from both Westerns and ghost stories.
  • The crooks known as confidence men set up their marks by showing them what appears to be a sure thing and usually appealing to the mark's sense of greed. The officers of the Bunco Squad do their best to protect the public from these conmen, but it is hard to get the victims to admit that they were foolish or greedy enough to be swindled.
  • Before comic books became an industry of its own, Dan Dunn, Secret Operative No. 48 was published in 1933 as "A Story in Cartoons". The characters made it to newspaper comic pages and the Kasper-Gordon company made a syndicated radio series featuring Dan Dunn, but only the first two episodes survive.
  • MandrakeGus Gray – Special Correspondent worked for the Evening Star Newspaper and specialized in tracking down mysteries. In "The Nine Ivory Buddhas", Gus and his lovely wife not only track down the mysterious statuettes, the deal with the nefarious Count, a seductive Polish countess, and a Chinese Secret Society. Unfortunately, many of the episodes from the series are missing. Star Arundel Nixon also voiced Charlie Chuckles who read the funny page from the Sunday Telegraph over the air.
  • Starting as a serial on the Comic Pages, Mandrake the Magician was also a popular series on Mutual from 1940 to 1942. This episode is a rarity because it is an audition for syndication. Rather than the music break for local advertisers, the episode tells sponsors how Mandrake can help their business. Mandrake is played by Raymond Edward Johnson, the ghoulish host of Inner Sanctum Mysteries.
  • The detective game is almost exclusively a masculine club, but amateur sleuth Jane Sherlock was a beautiful exception. Meet Miss Sherlock tells of the trials of an attorney in love with a girl who casually solves murders.
  • Laura Fenton offers Mike Hammer $1000 to guard a French beauty named Jolie. When he shows up at Laura's room for the job he is greeted by the cops who found a knife in the back of Hammer's client, and Jolie turns out to be French Poodle. Listen to see what happens to That Hammer Guy.
  • Most OTR fans will be familiar with Bogie and Bacall's project with ZIV Syndications, Bold Venture, but it was far from Humphrey Bogart's first attempt using his name to sell a radio show. James M. Cain's story "Dead Man" was used for the audition program for Bogart Presents. During the intro, "Actor/Producer" Humphrey Bogart explains that part of an actor/producer's job is to gather new material, so he finds himself reading a good deal of short fiction. The idea of the program was to present short stories from several genres with Bogie starring.
  • Some of the greatest adventure stories came from the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Prince Valiant first came to the comic pages in 1937, and in this rare radio episode, we hear how Val is taken in as Sir Gawain's squire. Of course, we know there are evil doings afoot when we here from a witch speaking in rhyme!
  • Post-War Los Angeles is a city defined by the automobile, and one of the most important tools of law enforcement is the Prowl Car. This audition program emphasizes that the police officers who man the cars changed uniforms from defending Freedom to defending the public from criminals. Producer Hunt Stromberg Jr. tells of plans to bring Prowl Car to TV and the big screen. Not surprisingly, many of the names mentioned in the program are the same as heard on another police procedural, Dragnet.

See also the Detectives Collection, Hard-boiled Detectives, and Soft Boiled Detectives. Fore more rare female detectives, see also Dame Detectives Collections: Female Crimefighters. See also: Rare Detective and Crime Shows.

(Please note that many of the rare recordings in this collection may be of inferior sound quality.)

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    A fine collection of old/rare shows put together by 'OTRC'.Highly recommended alongside the 2 disk 'Rare Crime and Detective Shows' and pretty much any of the 'Rare' titles available here- Good Stuff!

    Tim Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    73 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 27 hours, 59 min
    73 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 27 hours, 59 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 73 shows - total playtime 27 hours 59 minutes
    2. Action 80 1941 Nuclear Submarine.mp3
    3. Batman And Robin 500905 01 Monster Of Dumphreys Hill.mp3
    4. Black Ghost 1930 1.mp3
    5. Black Ghost 1930 2.mp3
    6. Black Hood 430830 Emerald Ring.mp3
    7. Black Magic 1930 3.mp3
    8. Black Magic 1930 4.mp3
    9. Bob Barkley, Undercover Agent 1946.mp3
    10. Bogart Presents 450917 Dead Man Audition.mp3
    11. Bunco Squad 500415 The Book Worm.mp3
    12. Buster Brown 471213 Shoot Down a German Plane.mp3
    13. Call the Police 480706 Case of the Suntower Mystery Mansion.mp3
    14. Chip Davis Commando Anniversary in Holland.mp3
    15. Dann Dunn 01 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 1.mp3
    16. Dann Dunn 02 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 2.mp3
    17. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 1.mp3
    18. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 2.mp3
    19. Gus Gray 11 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 11.mp3
    20. Gus Gray 12 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 12.mp3
    21. Gus Gray 15 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 15.mp3
    22. Gus Gray 16 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 16.mp3
    23. Hawk 1930 09 no opening.mp3
    24. Hearthstone 511213 Marriage Annulment Case.mp3
    25. Hearthstone of the Deathsquad Unheeded Warning Murder Case.mp3
    26. House of Mystery 450508 Monster In The Lake Chapter 2.mp3
    27. House of Mystery 470803 A Gift from the Dead.mp3
    28. I Cover the Waterfront 550829 Brother s Keeper Audition.mp3
    29. Its A Crime Mr Collins Brown Alligator Briefcase.mp3
    30. Judge 520213 Death of a Playboy Audition.mp3
    31. King Kong Radio Version 1938.mp3
    32. Latitude Zero 410211 First Show.mp3
    33. Line Up 521119 Woman Murdered.mp3
    34. Lost Empire 042 White Flower of Destiny.mp3
    35. Man Named Jordan 450228.mp3
    36. Man Named Jordan 450411.mp3
    37. Mandrake The Magician 1940 Audition.mp3
    38. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531022 Part 1.mp3
    39. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531029 Part 2.mp3
    40. MatthewSlade PI - Incredible Dr Lintz.mp3
    41. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 1 Audition.mp3
    42. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 2 Audition.mp3
    43. Meet Miss Sherlock 46 09 12 Wilmer the Widow.mp3
    44. Michael Piper Private Detective Erie Basin Murder.mp3
    45. Mike Hammer 540414 The Laura Fenton Case.mp3
    46. Mr Chameleon 530424 Murder and the Million Dollar Smile.mp3
    47. Mr Chameleon The Perfect Maid Murder Case.mp3
    48. Murder Clinic 420818 Holloway Flat Murder Max C.mp3
    49. MurderByExperts 490808 Dark Island.mp3
    50. MurderByExperts 491226 The Case Of The Missing Mind.mp3
    51. MurderByExperts 500424 Conspiracy.mp3
    52. Mystery Award Theater 490613 Screwball Division.mp3
    53. Notorious Tariq 470816 Audition.mp3
    54. OHara The Judas Face.mp3
    55. Operation Danger 500625 Audition Howard Culver.mp3
    56. Other Horizons Saint Dennis Theory.mp3
    57. Phantom Pirate 50 Last Voyage of the Sally Anne.mp3
    58. Prowl Car Wilshire Werewolf.mp3
    59. PValiant Prince Valiant becomes a Knight LP.mp3
    60. Rip Lawson Adventurer 037 Meets the Dahi Lama.mp3
    61. Rip Lawson Adventurer 038 The Experiment.mp3
    62. SCanyon 480902 Fortune of Rubies.mp3
    63. SCanyon Fortune of Rubies.mp3
    64. Sexton Blake Detective The Enchanted Editor.mp3
    65. SilverEagle Decoy for Death.mp3
    66. Sleep No More 570116 Sleep no More the Waxwork.mp3
    67. Special Investigator 1947 The Fake Diploma Mill.mp3
    68. Stand By for Adv 1950 The Knife Audition.mp3
    69. Tailspin Tommy 410905 Murder in the Sky Tungsten Mine 01.mp3
    70. Tailspin Tommy 411003 Movie Murder.mp3
    71. Troman Harper 421220 Do GI's Eat Alfalfa.mp3
    72. Troman Harper 431024 Are All Chinese Communists.mp3
    73. Uncle Ned's Squadron 5x1111 Title Unknown.mp3
    74. United States Postal Inspector 470226 Aud w Warren Williams.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    73 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 27 hours, 59 min
    73 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 27 hours, 59 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 73 shows - total playtime 27 hours 59 minutes
    2. Action 80 1941 Nuclear Submarine.mp3
    3. Batman And Robin 500905 01 Monster Of Dumphreys Hill.mp3
    4. Black Ghost 1930 1.mp3
    5. Black Ghost 1930 2.mp3
    6. Black Hood 430830 Emerald Ring.mp3
    7. Black Magic 1930 3.mp3
    8. Black Magic 1930 4.mp3
    9. Bob Barkley, Undercover Agent 1946.mp3
    10. Bogart Presents 450917 Dead Man Audition.mp3
    11. Bunco Squad 500415 The Book Worm.mp3
    12. Buster Brown 471213 Shoot Down a German Plane.mp3
    13. Call the Police 480706 Case of the Suntower Mystery Mansion.mp3
    14. Chip Davis Commando Anniversary in Holland.mp3
    15. Dann Dunn 01 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 1.mp3
    16. Dann Dunn 02 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 2.mp3
    17. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 1.mp3
    18. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 2.mp3
    19. Gus Gray 11 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 11.mp3
    20. Gus Gray 12 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 12.mp3
    21. Gus Gray 15 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 15.mp3
    22. Gus Gray 16 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 16.mp3
    23. Hawk 1930 09 no opening.mp3
    24. Hearthstone 511213 Marriage Annulment Case.mp3
    25. Hearthstone of the Deathsquad Unheeded Warning Murder Case.mp3
    26. House of Mystery 450508 Monster In The Lake Chapter 2.mp3
    27. House of Mystery 470803 A Gift from the Dead.mp3
    28. I Cover the Waterfront 550829 Brother s Keeper Audition.mp3
    29. Its A Crime Mr Collins Brown Alligator Briefcase.mp3
    30. Judge 520213 Death of a Playboy Audition.mp3
    31. King Kong Radio Version 1938.mp3
    32. Latitude Zero 410211 First Show.mp3
    33. Line Up 521119 Woman Murdered.mp3
    34. Lost Empire 042 White Flower of Destiny.mp3
    35. Man Named Jordan 450228.mp3
    36. Man Named Jordan 450411.mp3
    37. Mandrake The Magician 1940 Audition.mp3
    38. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531022 Part 1.mp3
    39. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531029 Part 2.mp3
    40. MatthewSlade PI - Incredible Dr Lintz.mp3
    41. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 1 Audition.mp3
    42. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 2 Audition.mp3
    43. Meet Miss Sherlock 46 09 12 Wilmer the Widow.mp3
    44. Michael Piper Private Detective Erie Basin Murder.mp3
    45. Mike Hammer 540414 The Laura Fenton Case.mp3
    46. Mr Chameleon 530424 Murder and the Million Dollar Smile.mp3
    47. Mr Chameleon The Perfect Maid Murder Case.mp3
    48. Murder Clinic 420818 Holloway Flat Murder Max C.mp3
    49. MurderByExperts 490808 Dark Island.mp3
    50. MurderByExperts 491226 The Case Of The Missing Mind.mp3
    51. MurderByExperts 500424 Conspiracy.mp3
    52. Mystery Award Theater 490613 Screwball Division.mp3
    53. Notorious Tariq 470816 Audition.mp3
    54. OHara The Judas Face.mp3
    55. Operation Danger 500625 Audition Howard Culver.mp3
    56. Other Horizons Saint Dennis Theory.mp3
    57. Phantom Pirate 50 Last Voyage of the Sally Anne.mp3
    58. Prowl Car Wilshire Werewolf.mp3
    59. PValiant Prince Valiant becomes a Knight LP.mp3
    60. Rip Lawson Adventurer 037 Meets the Dahi Lama.mp3
    61. Rip Lawson Adventurer 038 The Experiment.mp3
    62. SCanyon 480902 Fortune of Rubies.mp3
    63. SCanyon Fortune of Rubies.mp3
    64. Sexton Blake Detective The Enchanted Editor.mp3
    65. SilverEagle Decoy for Death.mp3
    66. Sleep No More 570116 Sleep no More the Waxwork.mp3
    67. Special Investigator 1947 The Fake Diploma Mill.mp3
    68. Stand By for Adv 1950 The Knife Audition.mp3
    69. Tailspin Tommy 410905 Murder in the Sky Tungsten Mine 01.mp3
    70. Tailspin Tommy 411003 Movie Murder.mp3
    71. Troman Harper 421220 Do GI's Eat Alfalfa.mp3
    72. Troman Harper 431024 Are All Chinese Communists.mp3
    73. Uncle Ned's Squadron 5x1111 Title Unknown.mp3
    74. United States Postal Inspector 470226 Aud w Warren Williams.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    73 recordings on 29 Audio CDs. Total playtime 27 hours, 59 min
    73 recordings on 29 Audio CDs
    total playtime 27 hours, 59 min

    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A001

    1. Action 80 1941 Nuclear Submarine
    2. Black Ghost 1930 1
    3. Black Ghost 1930 2
    4. Black Magic 1930 3

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A002

    1. Black Magic 1930 4
    2. Bob Barkley, Undercover Agent 1946

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A003

    1. Chip Davis Commando Anniversary in Holland
    2. Dann Dunn 01 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 1
    3. Dann Dunn 02 Sabotage of Giant Bomber Ep 2
    4. Gus Gray 11 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 11

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A004

    1. Gus Gray 12 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 12
    2. Gus Gray 15 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 15
    3. Gus Gray 16 Nine Ivory Buddah s Ep. 16
    4. Hawk 1930 09 no opening

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A005

    1. Hearthstone of the Deathsquad Unheeded Warning Murder Case
    2. Its A Crime Mr Collins Brown Alligator Briefcase

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A006

    1. King Kong Radio Version 1938
    2. Lost Empire 042 White Flower of Destiny
    3. Mandrake The Magician 1940 Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A007

    1. MatthewSlade PI - Incredible Dr Lintz
    2. Meet Miss Sherlock 46 09 12 Wilmer the Widow

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A008

    1. Michael Piper Private Detective Erie Basin Murder
    2. Mr Chameleon The Perfect Maid Murder Case

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A009

    1. OHara The Judas Face
    2. Other Horizons Saint Dennis Theory

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A010

    1. Phantom Pirate 50 Last Voyage of the Sally Anne
    2. Prowl Car Wilshire Werewolf

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A011

    1. PValiant Prince Valiant becomes a Knight LP
    2. Rip Lawson Adventurer 037 Meets the Dahi Lama
    3. Rip Lawson Adventurer 038 The Experiment

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A012

    1. SCanyon Fortune of Rubies
    2. Sexton Blake Detective The Enchanted Editor

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A013

    1. SilverEagle Decoy for Death
    2. Special Investigator 1947 The Fake Diploma Mill
    3. Stand By for Adv 1950 The Knife Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A014

    1. Uncle Ned's Squadron 5x1111 Title Unknown
    2. Latitude Zero 410211 First Show

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A015

    1. Tailspin Tommy 410905 Murder in the Sky Tungsten Mine 01
    2. Tailspin Tommy 411003 Movie Murder

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A016

    1. Murder Clinic 420818 Holloway Flat Murder Max C
    2. Troman Harper 421220 Do GI's Eat Alfalfa
    3. Black Hood 430830 Emerald Ring

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A017

    1. Troman Harper 431024 Are All Chinese Communists
    2. Man Named Jordan 450228
    3. Man Named Jordan 450411
    4. House of Mystery 450508 Monster In The Lake Chapter 2

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A018

    1. Bogart Presents 450917 Dead Man Audition
    2. United States Postal Inspector 470226 Aud w Warren Williams

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A019

    1. House of Mystery 470803 A Gift from the Dead
    2. Notorious Tariq 470816 Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A020

    1. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 1
    2. Fantasy 470823 Entity from the Void Audition Pt 2
    3. Buster Brown 471213 Shoot Down a German Plane

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A021

    1. Call the Police 480706 Case of the Suntower Mystery Mansion
    2. SCanyon 480902 Fortune of Rubies

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A022

    1. Mystery Award Theater 490613 Screwball Division
    2. MurderByExperts 490808 Dark Island

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A023

    1. MurderByExperts 491226 The Case Of The Missing Mind
    2. Bunco Squad 500415 The Book Worm

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A024

    1. MurderByExperts 500424 Conspiracy
    2. Operation Danger 500625 Audition Howard Culver

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A025

    1. Batman And Robin 500905 01 Monster Of Dumphreys Hill
    2. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 1 Audition
    3. Mc Coy 510424 Three Wayward Girls Pt 2 Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A026

    1. Hearthstone 511213 Marriage Annulment Case
    2. Judge 520213 Death of a Playboy Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A027

    1. Line Up 521119 Woman Murdered
    2. Mr Chameleon 530424 Murder and the Million Dollar Smile
    3. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531022 Part 1

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A028

    1. Martin Kane PrivateDetective 531029 Part 2
    2. Mike Hammer 540414 The Laura Fenton Case
    3. I Cover the Waterfront 550829 Brother s Keeper Audition

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    Rarities Adventure Detective Disc A029

    1. Sleep No More 570116 Sleep no More the Waxwork

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