Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar is a radio drama that aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962.[1][2]

The first several seasons imagined protagonist Johnny Dollar as a private investigator drama, with Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien and John Lund portraying Dollar in succession over the years. In 1955 after a yearlong hiatus, the series came back in its best-known incarnation with Bob Bailey starring in "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account – America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." There were 809 episodes (plus two not-for-broadcast auditions) in the 13-year run, and more than 710 still exist today.[3] Jim Cox's book American Radio Networks: A History cites "886 total performances" which includes repeat performances. 

The format best remembered was instituted by writer-director Jack Johnstone. Each case usually started with a phone call from an insurance adjuster, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim: a suspicious death, an attempted fraud, a missing person, or other mysterious circumstances. Each story required Johnny to travel to some distant locale, usually within the United States but sometimes abroad, where he was almost always threatened with personal danger in the course of his investigations. He would compare notes with the police officials who had first investigated each strange occurrence, and followed every clue until he figured out what actually happened. Johnny's file on each case was usually referenced as a "matter," as in "The Silver Blue Matter" or "The Forbes Matter". Later episodes were more fanciful, with titles like "The Wayward Trout Matter" and "The Price of Fame Matter" (the latter featuring a rare guest-star appearance by Vincent Price as himself; here Price and Dollar team up to retrieve a painting stolen by Price's insurance agent).

Johnny usually stuck to business, but would sometimes engage in romantic dalliances with women he encountered in his travels; later episodes gave Johnny a steady girlfriend, Betty Lewis. Johnny's precious recreational time was usually spent fishing, and it was not uncommon for Johnny's clients to exploit this favorite pastime in convincing him to take on a job near good fishing locations. His past was rarely mentioned, but Dollar in "The Bennett Matter" described himself as a four-year US Marine veteran who then worked as a police officer for a decade before changing careers to insurance investigation.[5] In "The Blackburn Case" Dollar also refers to his time as a Pinkerton Detective.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar is a radio drama that aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962.[1][2]

The first several seasons imagined protagonist Johnny Dollar as a private investigator drama, with Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien and John Lund portraying Dollar in succession over the years. In 1955 after a yearlong hiatus, the series came back in its best-known incarnation with Bob Bailey starring in "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account – America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." There were 809 episodes (plus two not-for-broadcast auditions) in the 13-year run, and more than 710 still exist today.[3] Jim Cox's book American Radio Networks: A History cites "886 total performances" which includes repeat performances.[ 

The format best remembered was instituted by writer-director Jack Johnstone. Each case usually started with a phone call from an insurance adjuster, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim: a suspicious death, an attempted fraud, a missing person, or other mysterious circumstances. Each story required Johnny to travel to some distant locale, usually within the United States but sometimes abroad, where he was almost always threatened with personal danger in the course of his investigations. He would compare notes with the police officials who had first investigated each strange occurrence, and followed every clue until he figured out what actually happened. Johnny's file on each case was usually referenced as a "matter," as in "The Silver Blue Matter" or "The Forbes Matter". Later episodes were more fanciful, with titles like "The Wayward Trout Matter" and "The Price of Fame Matter" (the latter featuring a rare guest-star appearance by Vincent Price as himself; here Price and Dollar team up to retrieve a painting stolen by Price's insurance agent).

Johnny usually stuck to business, but would sometimes engage in romantic dalliances with women he encountered in his travels; later episodes gave Johnny a steady girlfriend, Betty Lewis. Johnny's precious recreational time was usually spent fishing, and it was not uncommon for Johnny's clients to exploit this favorite pastime in convincing him to take on a job near good fishing locations. His past was rarely mentioned, but Dollar in "The Bennett Matter" described himself as a four-year US Marine veteran who then worked as a police officer for a decade before changing careers to insurance investigation.[5] In "The Blackburn Case" Dollar also refers to his time as a Pinkerton Detective.

The guest stars and supporting casts were always first rate, attracting the best radio actors in both Los Angeles and New York. Pat McCracken was played by several actors – most frequently, by Larry Dobkin. Particularly noteworthy was the work of Virginia Gregg, who played many roles, including Johnny's girlfriend Betty Lewis. Harry Bartell was also a frequent guest, who did many of the Spanish dialect roles when Johnny went to a Latin American country. Other frequent guest performers were Parley Baer, Tony Barrett, John Dehner, Don Diamond, Sam Edwards, Herb Ellis, Frank Gerstle, Stacy Harris, Jack Kruschen, Forrest Lewis, Howard McNear, Marvin Miller, Jeanette Nolan, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Jean Tatum, Russell Thomson, Ben Wright, and Will Wright. Vincent Price co-starred as himself in "The Price of Fame Matter" and went to Europe with Johnny on the case.

In December 1960, the show moved to New York. Robert Readick started the New York run as Dollar, but only lasted a short while. Jack Johnstone continued to write for the show and submitted scripts from California. Johnstone wrote about 350 Johnny Dollar scripts under his own name and his pen names Sam Dawson and Jonathan Bundy. Johnstone wrote the last episodes of both Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense. He used the Bundy pen name when writing the last Suspense episode, "Devilstone".

And so, an era passed. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was the last continuing detective series of the Golden Age of Radio. Mandel Kramer was the last Johnny Dollar, and a close second in popularity to Bailey, when the final episode, "The Tip-Off Matter", was aired on September 30, 1962.

NBC's #1 radio cop show for 12 years- Dragnet!

Two hard-hittingn episodes from Dragnet starring Jack Webb

Two hard-hitting episodes of Dragnet starring Jack Webb as Sgt. Friday

Two great episodes of Dragnet starring Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe friday LAPD

Actor Brian Dinlevy plays international agent Steve Mitchell in this action-packed spy adventure.

Catch all our stories at our new website www.bestof1001stories.com and leave reviews!@!! Super easy- and 1001 Radio Days needs reviews!

Film actor Brian Donlevy plays international agent Steve Mitchell in this highly acclaimed spy dramqa

Catch all our shows at www.bestof1001stories.com!!!  and leave reviews there- takes less than 2 minutes!

Film actor Brian Donlevy plays a James Bond style agent who jobs are always putting him in harm's way

Catch all our shows and leave us reviews which I will share at www.bestof1001wstories.com

Film actor Brian Donlevy played Steve Mitchell, an internationaloperative whose two jobs were to get and get out of danger. Great action!

Catch all the episodes at 1001 Radio Days and 1001 Radio Crime Solvers at www.bestof1001stories.com.. REVIEWS are easy there- and we need them for these two shows!!!  So be generous-Thanks

Two "no-holds barred" episodes from CBS Radio's Night Beat as The Chicago Star night reporter tears up the Chicago underworld with a series of exploits that will make your jaw drop so low you won't be able to speak for an hour. The spine-tingling tension is driven by tight action and great acting by Frank Lovejoy. as he serves lead sandwiches to some deserving underworld types. 

Catch all our crimeshows at www.bestof1001stories.com

Two episodes of the CBS radio classic 'Night Beat' starringn Frank Lovejoy as a Chicago Star Reporter who finds the crimes in the Windy City every night.

For all our episodes listen free ( 12 podcast shows) at www.bestof1001stories.com

For over twelve years, from 1949 through 1962 (including a one year hiatus in 1954-1955), this series recounted the cases "the man with the action-packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar". Johnny was an accomplished 'padder' of his expense account. The name of the show derives from the fact that he closed each show by totaling his expense account, and signing it "End of report... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar".

Terry Salomonson in his authoritative "A Radio Broadcast Log of the Drama Program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", notes that the original working title was "Yours Truly, Lloyd London". Salomonson writes "Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of (the Dick Powell) audition script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear – possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd's of London Insurance Company." Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny Dollar managed to get around quite a bit – his adventures taking him all over the world.

There were some unusual devices used in the show that help set it apart from other shows. There was no partner, assistant, or secretary for Johnny. The character closest to a continuing role was that of Pat McCracken of the Universal Adjustment Bureau, who assigned Johnny many of his cases. Another atypical aspect gave the show additional credibility – frequently, characters on the show would mention that they had heard about Johnny's cases on the radio. Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.

No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue's Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald Mohr, of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe fame, auditioned in 1955, prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role. Through the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar (Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien, and John Lund), there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Dollar was just another hard-boiled detective in a medium that was overloaded with the stereotype. Charles Russell, the first to play the role, would throw silver dollars to bellboys and waiters. Luckily, this trite gimmick did not survive long.

On October 3, 1955, after a hiatus of over a year, the show came back with a vengeance. A new production team, including director/writer Jack Johnstone, a new star, Bob Bailey, from the radio series Let George Do It, and a new format would set the series apart from its competitors. Johnny's cases were now a continuing serial, five days a week, for fifteen minutes each evening. With 75 minutes of airtime, minus commercials and openings and closings, there was sufficient time to develop good storylines and interesting characters.

During this time, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman (using the pen name John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Bob Bailey also wrote a script while he was playing Johnny Dollar. He used the pen name Robert Bainter (Bainter was his middle name) as the scriptwriter for "The Carmen Kringle Matter", which was aired on Saturday, December 21, 1957 on the West Coast, and on the following day for the rest of the country.

Two episodes of Dragnet starring Jack Webb as Sgt Friday

Two hard-hitting episodes of Dragnet starring jackm Web as Joe Friday

Dragnet is an American radio series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from the police term "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet is perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in media history. The series gave audience members a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.

Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals, and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas today.

 Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 

1001 Radio Days needs new subscribers and reviews!  Please help us out and share with friends and family. We offer a wide variety of great vintage radio shows for your entertainment- and we're free! Say "thanks" with a review or by helping a friend subscribe. Lots of links featured below.

YOUR REVIEWS AT APPLE/ITUNES ARE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED!

Catch ALL of our shows at one place by going to WWW.BESTOF1001STORIES.COM

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dragnet, syndicated as Badge 714, is a radio and television crime drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.

TWO NEW MEMBER ONLY SHOWS NOW AVAILABLE TO  PATRONS!  www.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork.  Thank you. Join for one dollar a month and get THE BEST OF 1001, mostly ad free! Join at 2.99/month and up and get PRIME CUTS- visit us at http://.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork and check us out!

YOUR REVIEWS  AND SUBSCRIPTIONS AT APPLE/ITUNES AND ALL ANDROID HOSTS ARE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED! LINKS BELOW...

Catch ALL of our shows at one place by going to WWW.BESTOF1001STORIES.COM 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A 1947 Lux Radio Theater presentation of the Christmas Classic "Miracle on 34th Street" that you will enjoy.

Starring the original film stars Maureen O'Hara. Edwin Gwynn, William Payne and Natalie Wood.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Different from last year's Bob Hope Christmas special- this one originates out of Hollywood and makes phone/broadcast contact with over 20 armed service stations across the globe, including aircraft carriers. Lots on interviews with servicemen, music, Bing Crosby is guest host. Bob Hope gave over 40 years to doing unpaid performances for our military.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America's favorite film actor does a great job with radio in this radio adaptation of the well known western Red River. Hope you enjoy it!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two great episodes of Richard Diamond, P.I.

Two gut clenching, high speed thrill rides with the LA Police department in 1953. For mo0re action at dragnet, check out 1001 Radio Crime Solvers at our website at www.bestof1001stories.com- where you'll find hundreds of Johnny Dollarn and Dragnet episodes

Dragnet was a long running radio and television police procedural drama, about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.

Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in American media history. The series gave millions of Americans a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of real life police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.

Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The shows cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who have never heard nor seen the program. The ominous four note introduction to the brass and tympani theme music, titled Danger Ahead, is instantly recognizable as well as the shows opening narration:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent."

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For over twelve years, from 1949 through 1962 (including a one year hiatus in 1954-1955), this series recounted the cases "the man with the action-packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar". Johnny was an accomplished 'padder' of his expense account. The name of the show derives from the fact that he closed each show by totaling his expense account, and signing it "End of report... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar".

Terry Salomonson in his authoritative "A Radio Broadcast Log of the Drama Program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", notes that the original working title was "Yours Truly, Lloyd London". Salomonson writes "Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of (the Dick Powell) audition script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear – possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd's of London Insurance Company." Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny Dollar managed to get around quite a bit – his adventures taking him all over the world.

There were some unusual devices used in the show that help set it apart from other shows. There was no partner, assistant, or secretary for Johnny. The character closest to a continuing role was that of Pat McCracken of the Universal Adjustment Bureau, who assigned Johnny many of his cases. Another atypical aspect gave the show additional credibility – frequently, characters on the show would mention that they had heard about Johnny's cases on the radio. Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.

No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue's Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald Mohr, of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe fame, auditioned in 1955, prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role. Through the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar (Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien, and John Lund), there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Dollar was just another hard-boiled detective in a medium that was overloaded with the stereotype. Charles Russell, the first to play the role, would throw silver dollars to bellboys and waiters. Luckily, this trite gimmick did not survive long.

On October 3, 1955, after a hiatus of over a year, the show came back with a vengeance. A new production team, including director/writer Jack Johnstone, a new star, Bob Bailey, from the radio series Let George Do It, and a new format would set the series apart from its competitors. Johnny's cases were now a continuing serial, five days a week, for fifteen minutes each evening. With 75 minutes of airtime, minus commercials and openings and closings, there was sufficient time to develop good storylines and interesting characters.

During this time, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman (using the pen name John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Bob Bailey also wrote a script while he was playing Johnny Dollar. He used the pen name Robert Bainter (Bainter was his middle name) as the scriptwriter for "The Carmen Kringle Matter", which was aired on Saturday, December 21, 1957 on the West Coast, and on the following day for the rest of the country.

Two adrenaline filled episodes featuring Steve Mitchell- the American spy who would charge the fires of hell carrying nothing but a bucket of water  and a toothy smile

American spy Steve Mitchell opens a can of whoop-???  on some butterfly-chasing pink panty-weraring tree hugging foreign spies and then obliterates a smuggling racket using his bare hands and sharp wits

Brian Donlevy stars as Steve Mitchell in the action-packed spy drama based during the cold war in the 50's

Steve Mitchell embarks on two cold war missions to address international matters of secrecy for the US which always prove dangerous

Enjoy all our Dangerous Mission episodes at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers and 1001 Radio Days at www.bestof1001stories.com

Two hard -fisted , hard-boiled, and hard-hitting dramas from Jack Webb and the boys at Dragnet, who use actual felons as targets in every shooting scene.

Two great episodes of America's favorite radio police show Dragnet- starring Jack Webb.

Bob Baily is back fighting off georgous twins one week and dealing with a big dairy farm scam the next-all for truth , justice, and the American way

Johnny Dollar is back with good-looking broads, a hot .38, and a grudge against all insurance thieves which can only be satisfied in blood!  (These were the golden days for insurance investigators). 

Two heart-pounding episodes of Dragnet featuring Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday

Two great episodes from Dragnet- Enjoy!

For over twelve years, from 1949 through 1962 (including a one year hiatus in 1954-1955), this series recounted the cases "the man with the action-packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, Johnny Dollar". Johnny was an accomplished 'padder' of his expense account. The name of the show derives from the fact that he closed each show by totaling his expense account, and signing it "End of report... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar".

Terry Salomonson in his authoritative "A Radio Broadcast Log of the Drama Program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", notes that the original working title was "Yours Truly, Lloyd London". Salomonson writes "Lloyd London was scratched out of the body of (the Dick Powell) audition script and Johnny Dollar was written in. Thus the show was re-titled on this script and the main character was renamed. Why this was done was unclear – possibly to prevent a legal run-in with Lloyd's of London Insurance Company." Although based in Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, freelancer Johnny Dollar managed to get around quite a bit – his adventures taking him all over the world.

There were some unusual devices used in the show that help set it apart from other shows. There was no partner, assistant, or secretary for Johnny. The character closest to a continuing role was that of Pat McCracken of the Universal Adjustment Bureau, who assigned Johnny many of his cases. Another atypical aspect gave the show additional credibility – frequently, characters on the show would mention that they had heard about Johnny's cases on the radio. Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.

No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue's Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald Mohr, of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe fame, auditioned in 1955, prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role. Through the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar (Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien, and John Lund), there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Dollar was just another hard-boiled detective in a medium that was overloaded with the stereotype. Charles Russell, the first to play the role, would throw silver dollars to bellboys and waiters. Luckily, this trite gimmick did not survive long.

On October 3, 1955, after a hiatus of over a year, the show came back with a vengeance. A new production team, including director/writer Jack Johnstone, a new star, Bob Bailey, from the radio series Let George Do It, and a new format would set the series apart from its competitors. Johnny's cases were now a continuing serial, five days a week, for fifteen minutes each evening. With 75 minutes of airtime, minus commercials and openings and closings, there was sufficient time to develop good storylines and interesting characters.

During this time, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman (using the pen name John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Bob Bailey also wrote a script while he was playing Johnny Dollar. He used the pen name Robert Bainter (Bainter was his middle name) as the scriptwriter for "The Carmen Kringle Matter", which was aired on Saturday, December 21, 1957 on the West Coast, and on the following day for the rest of the country.

:+ "On A Country Road". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A melodrama about an escaped madwoman and a couple out of gas in the dark. The story was subsequently produced on "Suspense" on January 4, 1954, December 4, 1954 and May 10, 1959. The program was also heard on "The Grip Of Terror" in 1977. + You are driving along a country road. The traffic is starting to back-up and a storm is brewing. All you need to complete the scene is a lunatic on the run after butchering a doctor, a nurse and a ward attendant with a meat cleaver in the nearby mental hospital. This is a classic killer-on-the-loose story starring Cary Grant and a superb example of just how gripping old time radio shows can be..

Bonus Mission Completed w. Jimmy Stewart A paralyzed WWII vet returned from a Japanese prison camp dreams of revenge.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rory Malone- A beautiful and mysterious redhead gives Pat $300 to stay awy from prizefighter Rory Malone, who he has never met. Later, the boxer's manager also offers  Pat $300 to watch malone that evening- and that's where the trouble begins.

Joe Candono- Pat is hired by a woman who wants him to meet with notorious gambler Joe Condono to pay off her brother's sizable gambling debt. Pat goes to meet with the woman and her brother but runs into a bunch of thugs instead.

For more Pat Novak for hire follow us at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers

CBS Radio aired this show from 1951- 1953 and it did well for them.It starred LaMont Johnson,was written by Bud Lesser, and Edgar Rice Burroughs offers a short intro to each episode.Its good entertainment. 

Check out our new website with ALL our shows and episodes at www.bestof1001stories.com

Two great episodes from Broadway is My Beat

Don't miss the big make-out scene between Sam and Effy at the end of second episode!  One of these days he's gonna pop the question!

Two great episodes of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe

Two great episodes from Dragnet starring Jack Webb

Two great episodeas of Dragnet starring jack Webb..  Jimmy Steward coutesy of MGM Afterlife pictures

Two classic episosdes of Broadway is my Beat courtesy of 1001 Radio Crime Solvers!

Two great episodes of Broadway is my Beat courtesy of 1001 Radio Crime Solvers

The Zero Hour (aka Hollywood Radio Theater) was a 1973–74 American radio drama anthology series hosted by Rod Serling.[1][2] With tales of mystery, adventure and suspense, the program was broadcast for two seasons.

The radio series debuted on September 3, 1973, in syndication, and was picked up by the Mutual Broadcasting System in December. The original format featured five-part dramas broadcast Monday through Friday with the story coming to a conclusion on Friday. Including commercials, each part was approximately 30 minutes long. Mutual affiliates were free to broadcast the series in any available time slot that they wished.[3]

In 1974, still airing five days a week, the program changed to a full story in a single 30-minute installment with the same actor starring throughout the week in all five programs. That format was employed from late April 1974 to the end of the series in July 1974.

Producer J. M. Kholos was a Los Angeles advertising man who acquired the rights to suspense novels, including Tony Hillerman's The Blessing Way, for radio adaptations. In some cases, the titles were changed. For example, the five-part "Desperate Witness" was an adaptation of The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing. To create a strong package, Kholos followed through by lining up top actors, including John Astin, Edgar Bergen, Joseph Campanella, Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Howard Duff, Keenan Wynn, Richard Deacon, Patty Duke, Nina Foch, George Maharis, Susan Oliver, Brock Peters and Lurene Tuttle.

The opening theme music was by Ferrante & Teicher. Don Hills produced the series for StudioHouse, which also produced the Salvation Army's Heartbeat Theatre. Counting each five-part show as five episodes, there were a total of 130 episodes. Failing to find a large audience due to the initial weekly serial format and lack of promotion, Mutual canceled the program, and the final episode was broadcast on July 26, 1974, though many Mutual affiliates continued broadcasting repeats for several months afterwards. According to director Elliott Lewis, "They wanted as much name value as possible to help with sales. They forgot they had to sell it. Everybody sat in the office and waited for someone to call them up and buy the show."[4]

Highbridge Audio released six of the five-part stories on audiocassettes. "Desperate Witness"; "Face Of The Foe"; "But I Wouldn't Want To Die There"; "Wife Of The Red-Haired Man"; "The Heir Hunters" and "If Two Of Them Are Dead."

Episodes – Series One
Episode    Title    Written by / based on novel by    Airdate
1–5    "Wife of the Red Haired Man (parts 1-5)"    Bill S. Ballinger    September 3, 1973 to September 7, 1973
"This week Bill S. Ballinger's best selling novel of the pursuit of a damned couple, starring Patty Duke Astin, John Astin, and Howard Duff."

 .Want more DRAGNET and JOHNNY DOLLAR? Follow us at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers wherever you get your podcasts!

Johnny Dollar proves once again he is America's #1 insurance investigator.

Like Dragnet and Johnny Dollar? There's a bunch more at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers every Sunday and Wednsday!

Johnny Dollar, America's #1 insurance detective, solves two dangerous cases. Staring Bob Bailey as JKohnny Dollar. Catch all our Johnny Dollar episodes at 1001 Radio Days and 1001 Radio Crime Solvers at www.bestof1001stories.com.