The Adventures of Sam Spade
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.
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.
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.
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 "
Episodes
SS490925_Chargogagogmanchogagogchabuna_Mungamog_Caper_[000].mp3
SS480919_The_Hot_$100_Grand_Caper_[059].mp3
SS480829_The_Lawless_Caper_[374].mp3
SS500105_The_Biddle_Riddle_Caper_[374].mp3
SS481003_The_Sugar_Kane_Caper_[362].mp3
SS490528_The_Honest_Thief_Caper_(Rehearsal)_[362].mp3
SS490521_The_Red_Ampola_Caper_(Rehearsal)_[362].mp3
SS470608_The_Calcutta_Trunk_Caper_[348].mp3
SS490327_The_Loveletter_Caper_[343].mp3
SS480125_The_Gold_Key_Caper_[343].mp3
SS480104_The_One_Hour_Caper_[343].mp3
SS470615_The_Convertible_Caper_[343].mp3
SS471005_The_Adam_Fig_Caper_[343].mp3
SS460809_Death_And_Company_[150].mp3
SS510302_The_Crab_Louis_Caper_[162].mp3
SS510223_The_Shot_in_the_Dark_Caper_[162].mp3
SS500521_The_Red_Amapola_Caper_[162].mp3
SS490828_The_Prodical_Daughter_Caper_[162].mp3
SS490710_The_Queen_Bee_Caper_[162].mp3
SS490605_The_Overjord_Caper_[162].mp3
SS490501_The_Battles_of_Belvedere_[162].mp3
SS490417_Edith_Hamilton_[162].mp3
SS481212_The_Bouncing_Betty_Caper_[162].mp3
SS481128_The_Quarter-Eagle_Caper_[162].mp3
SS481107_The_Sqp_Caper_[162].mp3
SS481031_The_Fairley-Bright_Caper_[162].mp3
SS471109_The_Bow_Window_Caper_[162].mp3
SS480704_The_Rushlight_Diamond_Caper_[121].mp3
SS510427_The_Hail_and_Farewell_Caper_[121].mp3
SS510420_The_Rowdy_Dowser_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510413_The_Civic_Pride_Caper_[121].mp3
SS510406_The_Denny_Shane_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510330_The_Vendetta_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510323_The_Kimberly_Cross_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510316_Sinister_Siren_Caper_[121].mp3
SS510309_The_Spanish_Prisoner_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510216_The_Soap_Opera_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510209_The_Sure_Thing_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510202_The_String_Of_Death_Caper_[121].mp3
SS510126_The_Chateau_McLeoud_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510119_The_Cloak_And_Dagger_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510112_The_Red_Star_Caper_[120].mp3
SS510105_The_Biddle_Riddle_Caper_[121].mp3
SS501229_The_Prodigal_Panda_Caper_[120].mp3
SS501215_The_251-1235679_Caper_[120].mp3
SS501208_The_Dry_Gulch_Caper_[120].mp3
SS501201_The_Dog_Bed_Caper_[121].mp3
SS501124_The_Terrified_Turkey_Caper_[120].mp3
SS501117_The_Caper_Over_My_Dead_Body_[120].mp3
SS500903_The_Farmer's_Daughter_Caper_[120].mp3
SS500528_The_Honest_Thief_Caper_[120].mp3
SS500518_The_Red_Anapola_Caper_Rehearsal_[120].mp3
SS491106_The_Cheesecake_Caper_[120].mp3
SS491204_The_Flopsy__Mopsy_And_Cottontail_Caper_[121].mp3
SS490807_The_Champion_Caper_[120].mp3
SS490724_The_Tears_Of_Night_Caper_[120].mp3
SS480815_The_Critical_Author_Caper_[120].mp3
SS480725_The_Mad_Scientist_Caper_[120].mp3
SS480627_The_Bail_Bond_Caper_[120].mp3
SS480620_The_Death_Bed_Caper_[120].mp3
SS480718_The_Missing_Newshawk_Caper_[118].mp3
SS480711_The_Wheel_Of_Life_Caper_[118].mp3
SS460802_Sam_and_Psyche_[118].mp3
SS480801_The_Dry_Martini_Caper_[059].mp3
SS480808_The_Bluebeard_Caper_[059].mp3
SS480822_The_Vaphio_Cup_Caper_[059].mp3
SS480912_The_Lazarus_Caper_[059].mp3
SS480926_The_Dick_Foley_Caper_[059].mp3
SS481024_The_Insomnia_Caper_[059].mp3
SS490116_The_Betrayal___Bumpass_Hell_Caper_[059].mp3
SS490410_The_Stopped_Watch_Caper_[059].mp3
SS490619_The_Apple_of_Eve_Caper_[059].mp3
