Explore every episode of the podcast The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective | Old Time Radio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Sure Thing Caper,” originally broadcast February 9, 1951. This late-run NBC episode is episode 234 overall and stars Steve Dunne as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Horse-racing regular Five-Dollar Frankie turns to Spade after track-world figure Gentle Joe Higgins takes money tied to a supposed sure thing. Sam follows the leads into a wary, comic hard-boiled mystery among bettors, cash, and racetrack characters. The episode was written by John Michael Hayes and produced and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:18 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Civic Pride Caper,” originally broadcast April 13, 1951. This installment is episode 243 of the series, and the 22nd episode of the 1950–51 NBC revival season, starring Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When an architect is blamed for the collapse of Westover’s civic auditorium, Sam is hired to clear his name. The case draws Spade into a tense inquiry involving a troubled public-building project and possible corruption. Written by John Michael Hayes and directed by William Spier, this was an NBC sustaining broadcast.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:55 Original Broadcast
30:37 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Kimberly Cross Caper,” originally broadcast March 23, 1951. This late-run NBC episode stars Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine, and was written by Harold Swanton and directed by William Spier.

Hired by Sunset Indemnity to guard an extraordinarily valuable jeweled cross at San Francisco’s Bergendorf Gallery, Sam finds a routine protection assignment complicated by an anonymous warning, a watchful insurance investigator, and a nervous young woman with a questionable name. The case unfolds amid the gallery and the streets of San Francisco.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
30:25 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Crab Louie Caper,” originally broadcast on March 2, 1951. Cataloged as episode 237 in a full-series log and C016 in the 1950–51 NBC season, this sustaining final-season broadcast stars Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When a San Francisco crab fisherman is reported lost near Seal Rocks, his friends suspect there may be more to the story than an accident at sea. Sam follows conflicting accounts through North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf, where old rivalries, waterfront secrets, and the hazards of the crab boats complicate the case. Written by Harold Swanton and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:43 Original Broadcast
30:05 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Vendetta Caper,” originally broadcast March 30, 1951. Also known as “The Revenge of Monty Christoff,” this is overall episode 241 of the series and episode C020 of its 1950–51 NBC season.

San Francisco detective Sam Spade is hired by electrical-company owner Chandler Gosden, who believes his newly arrived, wealthy Peninsula neighbor is systematically undermining his business and personal life. As society parties, private estates, and corporate pressures complicate the case, Spade follows a revenge-tinged trail with a distinctly Count of Monte Cristo flavor. Stephen Dunne stars as Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; the script is by John Michael Hayes and William Spier directs.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:53 Original Broadcast
30:49 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Vaphio Cup Caper,” originally broadcast on August 22, 1948. Episode 113 stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as his secretary, Effie Perrine.

Hired by importer Chester A. Brody to escort a fragile ancient Greek gold cup to a prospective buyer in Los Angeles, Spade finds that a simple train delivery can draw plenty of unwanted attention. Produced and directed by William Spier for CBS, this case unfolds in the series’ signature wisecracking case-report style.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
30:27 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Cloak and Dagger Caper,” originally broadcast January 19, 1951. This NBC-era episode, number 231, stars Steve Dunne as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine, with a script by Harold Swanton.

A rainy-day break turns into apparent international intrigue when the veiled dancer Shalimar arrives at Sam’s apartment. A Kashmir medallion, the Veil of Kashmir restaurant, and concern for visiting political figure Jawara Hal lead Sam and Effie into a comic hard-boiled San Francisco mystery.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:43 Original Broadcast
29:35 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Lazarus Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on September 12, 1948. Howard Duff stars as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

A dusty, gray-faced visitor named Timothy R. Lazarus arrives at Spade’s office with an extraordinary problem: he has been legally declared dead and needs Sam to prove he is alive. His story reaches from a failed life-insurance scheme to a long absence and a Mexican hideaway, launching a case no one seems ready to believe.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:08 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Dry Gulch Caper,” originally broadcast on NBC on December 8, 1950. Episode 225 stars Steve Dunne as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; William Spier produced and directed.

When Penny Bruce asks Sam to indulge her grandfather’s Old West fantasy, the detective becomes “Marshal Spade” and heads north from San Francisco for Dry Gulch. The apparently deserted frontier town, complete with the Red Dog Saloon and a suspiciously modern touch or two, gives Sam a case that is anything but routine.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:48 Original Broadcast
29:51 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Red Star Caper,” originally broadcast January 12, 1951. This late NBC-era installment stars Steve Dunne as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine, and was written by John Michael Hayes and produced and directed by William Spier.

Foreign-news editor Dick Davis hires Spade to protect celebrated correspondent Cyrus Manning, whose forthcoming San Francisco lecture has drawn threats. When trouble erupts at the Central Municipal Auditorium, Sam’s bodyguard job leads into a tense Cold War-era mystery with a newspaper connection and an international backdrop.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:51 Original Broadcast
30:19 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Sinister Siren Caper,” originally broadcast on NBC on March 16, 1951. Episode 239 features Stephen Dunne as private detective Sam Spade.

A frightened client brings Spade an ominous warning involving a dangerous red-haired woman and a troubling pattern among men with surnames beginning “St.” Written by Harold Swanton and directed by William Spier, this late-series mystery also features Lurene Tuttle and Junius Matthews.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:46 Original Broadcast
29:46 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Love Letter Caper,” originally broadcast March 27, 1949. This archival CBS episode stars Howard Duff as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

An unexpectedly ardent letter from young heiress Ella Comstock draws Spade to the Comstock estate, where a supposed romance conceals a plea for help. Before long, a suitcase of valuables, suspicious correspondence, and a blackmail accusation complicate the case.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:52 Original Broadcast
26:53 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “String of Death Caper,” originally broadcast on NBC on February 2, 1951. This late-run Steve Dunne-era episode was written by John Michael Hayes and is commonly cataloged as series episode 233.

In San Francisco, Sam Spade is hired to find a missing sea captain, but the routine-looking errand soon draws him into a dangerous dispute involving valuable rose-colored pearls and uneasy waterfront contacts. Steve Dunne stars as Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; guest performers include William Conrad and Shirley Mitchell.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:41 Original Broadcast
30:24 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Battles of Belvedere,” episode 149, originally broadcast May 14, 1949. Howard Duff stars as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When eccentric artist Jonathan Battle asks Spade to visit his secluded Belvedere Island studio, the detective finds old grudges, guarded secrets, and a strange work of art waiting across the bay from San Francisco. A death in a locked room turns Battle’s isolated household into a comic-tinged mystery. Written by Jason James and Robert Tallman and directed by William Spier, the episode draws on the Sam Spade character created by Dashiell Hammett.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
24:38 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Sqp Caper,” originally broadcast November 7, 1948. Commonly cataloged as episode 124, this CBS mystery stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When Patricia Pierce asks Spade to document her husband’s suspected affair at the Belvedere Hotel, he steers the job toward the hotel’s house detective. But the case soon draws Spade into a more dangerous mystery involving the cryptic initials “S.Q.P.”

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:46 Original Broadcast
25:09 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Wheel of Life Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on July 11, 1948. Episode 107 stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Sandra Gould temporarily appearing as Effie Perrine.

A frightened young woman calling herself Poppy O’Farrell comes to Spade with no memory of who she is or how she arrived in her predicament. With only scattered clues—including a cable-car encounter, odd items in her purse, and the sense that someone is searching for her—Spade follows the trail through San Francisco. The episode was written by Gil Doud and Robert Tallman and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:41 Original Broadcast
30:17 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Hot Hundred Grand Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on September 19, 1948. Episode 104 (also cataloged B104) stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perine.

When Lorraine Kilcourse fears her wealthy new husband is being blackmailed, Spade follows a trail across the Golden Gate Bridge to Ernie Nogales’ Marin County Racket Club. A reckless $100,000 roulette wager pulls him into a sharp, comic hard-boiled case of gambling, suspicion, and shifting loyalties. The episode was written by Robert Tallman and Gil Doud and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:18 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Bail Bond Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on June 27, 1948. Commonly cataloged as episode 105, this installment stars Howard Duff as Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco private eye, Sam Spade, and was written by Gil Doud.

When Vivian, a woman from Sam’s past, worries that her reform-minded bail-bondsman husband is being drawn back toward dangerous associates, Spade takes the case. His investigation reaches into the fallout from a major armored-car robbery, where old loyalties, financial pressure, and divided allegiances make bail a very personal matter. Sandra Gould appears as Bernardine, temporarily filling in for Effie Perrine.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:53 Original Broadcast
30:29 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Chateau Mccloud Caper,” originally broadcast on NBC on January 26, 1951. Episode 232 stars Stephen Dunne as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; John Michael Hayes wrote the script and William Spier directed.

Spade is called to Rufus McLeod’s lavish, snowbound Sierra chalet after an anonymous warning threatens a tense ski weekend. With estranged spouses, apparent romances, and conflicting stories gathering beneath one roof, Sam must navigate the uneasy atmosphere before the danger grows more serious.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:30 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Adam Figg Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on October 5, 1947. This is episode 67 of the Howard Duff and Lurene Tuttle run, based on the detective created by Dashiell Hammett.

When butler Adam Figg seeks Sam Spade’s help for an elderly millionaire who fears for his life, a protective assignment leads into a household shadowed by gunfire, nighttime screams, and mounting unease. Howard Duff stars as Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; the episode also features a lighter office-side complication involving a malfunctioning “office robot.”

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
25:19 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Prodigal Daughter Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on August 28, 1949. This is episode 166 of the series, starring Howard Duff as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perine.

A wealthy businessman hires Spade to look into his daughter’s relationship with Chick Torpee, a disreputable nightclub owner. What begins as a family matter soon leads Sam into an offbeat and increasingly troubling investigation. Produced and directed by William Spier, the episode was sponsored by Wildroot Cream-Oil.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
29:13 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Fairley-Bright Caper,” episode 123, originally broadcast on October 31, 1948. Howard Duff stars as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perine.

On Halloween night, Spade is called to the fogbound Fairley Pines estate, where an elaborate masquerade doubles as an engagement party. With eerie decorations, a hired witch, eccentric guests, and social complications in the air, the case offers a spirited comic mystery directed and produced by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:46 Original Broadcast
30:29 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Insomnia Caper,” originally broadcast October 24, 1948. Episode 122 stars Howard Duff as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

A restless night becomes anything but quiet when a lovers’ quarrel outside Sam’s room keeps him awake and draws him into a nearby murder investigation. Originally heard on CBS and preserved in circulation as an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast, this is a compact late-night case with Spade at his sharpest.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:40 Original Broadcast
25:47 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Calcutta Trunk Caper,” originally broadcast on June 8, 1947. Episode 50 of the CBS series stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private eye Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Hired by Marsha Hopkins to investigate the man her sister plans to marry, Spade follows a troubling trail from a hotel filled with luggage to the waterfront—and an unexpected passage aboard the S.S. Lurene, ostensibly bound for Calcutta. False identities and mounting danger turn a straightforward background check into a high-seas predicament.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:39 Original Broadcast
25:18 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Mad Scientist Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on July 25, 1948. Episode 109 stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Inventor Raymond Fox hires Spade after claiming that a business rival has stolen the formula for Penetron, a radiation-resistant plastic. But encounters with an industrial concern, a patent attorney, and a psychiatric hospital leave Spade sorting through competing stories of fraud, instability, and impersonation. Written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud, this Wildroot Cream-Oil-sponsored broadcast was directed by Doud in William Spier’s absence.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
30:09 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The Bow Window Caper,” originally broadcast on November 9, 1947. Episode 72 of the CBS series stars Howard Duff as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Dr. Helmut Rees hires Spade to investigate troubling behavior around his Pacific Avenue home, where a strained marriage, anxious staff, and a suspicious watcher near a low bow window suggest that more is going on than a domestic dispute. Written by Robert Tallman and Gil Doud, this broadcast was sponsored by Wildroot Cream-Oil Hair Tonic.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:45 Original Broadcast
29:57 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Betrayal in Bumpus Hell Caper,” originally broadcast January 16, 1949. This archival episode is identified as episode 134.

Relaxing in his San Francisco apartment with a lurid Western novel, Sam Spade finds himself pulled into an increasingly troubling dispute upstairs. The comic, self-aware story playfully shifts between an apartment-house mystery and Spade’s colorful imagined Western. Howard Duff stars as Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; the script is by Robert Tallman and Gil Doud.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
25:22 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Shot in the Dark Caper,” originally broadcast February 23, 1951. This NBC sustaining episode stars Steve Dunne as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie.

When a newspaper editor spots what looks like a gun being fired from an apartment-house window in the background of a news photograph, he turns to Sam to investigate. Posing as a tenant, Sam follows the lone visual clue in a hard-boiled mystery written by John Michael Hayes and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:04 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Overjord Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on June 5, 1949. Howard Duff stars as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine. The episode is also known by the alternate title “The Corpse in the Murphy Bed.”

At the Hotel Velvizio, a woman calling herself Mrs. George Overjord hires Spade to recover a missing, uninsured $30,000 necklace before her husband learns it is gone. The seemingly straightforward hotel theft soon brings Spade into contact with an old confidence-man acquaintance and a tangle of suspicious visitors, false identities, and uneasy surprises.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents this original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
30:25 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Quarter Eagle Caper,” originally broadcast November 28, 1948. This is episode 114 of the CBS series, starring Howard Duff as San Francisco private eye Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Spade is hired by Junius J. Eagle, the self-styled Gumball King, to investigate a peculiar run of smashed vending machines and stolen gum. What begins as an oddball assignment soon points toward a far more valuable missing item. Produced and directed by William Spier, the episode originally aired with Wildroot Cream-Oil sponsorship.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:37 Original Broadcast
26:01 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Dry Martini Caper,” episode 110 of The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective, originally broadcast on CBS on August 1, 1948. Howard Duff stars as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; the episode was produced and directed by William Spier.

When reports surface of an apparent kidnapping attempt against San Francisco businessman Gordon Martini, Spade is called to Martini’s Marina Boulevard home—and quickly finds himself following a dangerous trail of sparse clues. This archival recording preserves a brisk late-1940s mystery from the Wildroot Cream-Oil-sponsored series.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:45 Original Broadcast
29:37 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Flopsy Mopsy and Cottontail Caper,” originally broadcast December 4, 1949. Also known as “How Fritz Crockett Saved the Day,” this is episode 180 of the series.

San Francisco private eye Sam Spade, played by Howard Duff, is confronted by an unlicensed Chicago detective who wants to become his partner. Their first prospective assignment leads to a Nob Hill costume party, a valuable jeweled crown, and the unlikely requirement that both detectives arrive dressed as white rabbits. Lurene Tuttle co-stars as Effie Perrine in this farcical case, written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:48 Original Broadcast
28:12 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Critical Author Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on August 15, 1948. Howard Duff stars as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Spade is hired by Gertrude Leggett to find her missing stepdaughter, Gabrielle, whose planned trip to the family’s country place at Quesada has taken an unsettling turn. Following the Leggett family trail, Spade finds that a celebrated murder-mystery writer and a newly published crime novel may hold important clues.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:48 Original Broadcast
30:37 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Queen Bee Caper,” originally broadcast July 10, 1949. Howard Duff stars as private eye Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine, in this CBS production directed and produced by William Spier.

Sam is called to the exclusive Miss Wigginson School for Girls, where a troubling run of thefts has put suspicion on a staff member. As he follows the clues through the school’s tense corridors, a honeybee motif and a dangerous chemical lead make the case more serious than anyone expected.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
27:59 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Subject - Edith Hamilton,” originally broadcast on CBS on April 17, 1949. Episode 134 stars Howard Duff as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When psychiatrist Dr. Ludwig Zoya asks Sam to find Edith Hamilton, the former daughter-in-law of a troubled elderly woman, the detective is drawn into the lingering shadow of an unsolved death from three years earlier. Directed and produced by William Spier, this emotionally serious case follows Sam through a mystery that has become deeply personal for everyone involved.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
26:22 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “The 25 - 12345679 Caper,” originally broadcast December 15, 1950. In this late-series NBC revival episode, Stephen Dunne stars as Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco private eye, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine. William Spier wrote, produced, and directed.

An attempted murder leads Spade into a Cold War–tinged trail of Russian spies, covert dealings, and murder. Beginning near an Italian pizza restaurant and extending to San Francisco Bay, the case turns on a mysterious postcard and a string of unsettling clues.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:53 Original Broadcast
30:20 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Sugar Kane Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on October 3, 1948. This archival installment stars Howard Duff as hard-boiled San Francisco private eye Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as his capable secretary, Effie Perrine.

Spade is hired by wealthy Clifton Cavanaugh to keep his stepdaughter from marrying a nightclub-owning gangster. His inquiries carry him from Nob Hill into San Francisco’s nightlife, where family secrets, a Pacific Street club, and the enigmatic Sugar Kane complicate the case.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:51 Original Broadcast
29:54 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Rushlight Diamond Caper,” originally broadcast July 4, 1948. Howard Duff stars as private detective Sam Spade in this CBS production, written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud.

On the Fourth of July, Spade is hired to guard wedding presents at the Rushlight family residence, including a priceless diamond heirloom destined for the bride. What begins as a seemingly simple reception assignment becomes a tense case amid uneasy relatives, suspicious guests, and the jewel’s ominous reputation. Sandra Gould appears as Spade’s temporary secretary, Bernadine Hemp.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:48 Original Broadcast
30:43 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Champion Caper,” originally broadcast August 7, 1949. In this CBS mystery, Howard Duff stars as Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Wealthy businessman Eliot Champion hires Spade for protection when a former employee, Joe Josephs, is released from prison after five years. But an old grievance and a threatening confrontation quickly draw Spade into a fast-moving case where no one seems entirely trustworthy. The story was reworked by documented source-script author E. Jack Neuman from his earlier Jeff Regan, Investigator script.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
30:17 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Lawless Caper,” originally broadcast on August 29, 1948. This CBS mystery stars Howard Duff as hard-boiled San Francisco private eye Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Recently released gangster Johnny Lawless comes to Spade after discovering former associate Joe Moralis dead in his apartment. The trail leads back to a post-V-J Day hit-and-run case with West Coast underworld connections, giving Spade reason to question the story everyone seems ready to accept. William Spier produced and directed.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:52 Original Broadcast
30:31 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Biddle Riddle Caper,” originally broadcast January 5, 1951. In this NBC sustaining-era revival episode, Steve Dunne stars as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine. Written by Harold Swanton and produced by William Spier, it is episode 229.

Spade is hired by Olympic Radio Productions as it prepares a true-crime program about the unsolved murder of burlesque performer Carol Stevens. A large reward, a vanished former suspect, and a trail winding through radio studios and San Francisco nightlife draw him into a case where recorded testimony may matter as much as what people say in person.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
30:22 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Stopped Watch Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on April 10, 1949. This Howard Duff episode is identified in established episode logs as No. 133.

Sam Spade is hired by wealthy Rowena Raven after threatening letters begin arriving—and mysteriously disappearing—at her ominous home, Ravenswood. Inside its poisonous-plant-filled conservatory, Sam finds an unsettling clue: his watch stops, just like every other timepiece in the house. Written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud, the story gives the series’ hard-boiled detective style a distinctly macabre edge.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:48 Original Broadcast
30:18 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Hail and Farewell Caper,” originally broadcast on NBC on April 27, 1951. This final broadcast of the series is episode 245 overall and episode 24 of the 1950–1951 NBC run, starring Stephen Dunne as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

A nervous man brings Spade a desperate warning tied to Willie Johnson, scheduled to be executed at San Quentin that night. When the man is unable to finish his story, Spade must work from scattered clues and a vanishing deadline in this Harold Swanton mystery, produced and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:40 Original Broadcast
30:29 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Farmers Daughter Caper,” originally broadcast on September 3, 1950. This is episode 206 of the NBC radio series, starring Howard Duff as private detective Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perine.

Driving toward San Francisco after helping a client in Middletown, Sam takes a bad shortcut and winds up needing a room at an isolated California tourist home. A young woman eager to escape farm life, a missing relative, and unsettling signs around a recently sealed cave turn an overnight stop into a dangerous rural mystery. The script was written by John Michael Hayes and E. Jack Neuman and produced and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:47 Original Broadcast
30:12 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Prodigal Panda Caper,” originally broadcast December 29, 1950. This NBC-era episode stars Steve Dunne as private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine; it is commonly cataloged as episode 228.

When a young boy asks Spade to recover a stolen stuffed panda, the seemingly small case leads the detective from a department-store toy counter toward a more troubling mystery. Written by Harold Swanton, this playful hard-boiled adventure also features William Conrad, Wally Maher, Tommy Cook, Cathy Lewis, Sidney Miller, and Tony Barrett.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:37 Original Broadcast
30:26 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Convertible Caper,” originally broadcast on June 15, 1947. Howard Duff stars as San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as his secretary, Effie Perrine.

Spade is hired by Miss Estrada to recover a valuable foreign convertible, but the missing car comes with complications that make the case anything but routine. Following the trail through San Francisco, he finds competing claims and hidden motives surrounding the automobile’s remarkable value.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:40 Original Broadcast
24:00 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Apple of Eve Caper,” originally broadcast June 19, 1949. This is episode 156 of the series, starring Howard Duff as private detective Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

A romantic rivalry brings Eve Adams to Spade’s office seeking help against Dreama Love, but a heated confrontation quickly leaves Sam with more questions than answers. Written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud, this late CBS-era mystery was produced and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:50 Original Broadcast
29:14 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Spanish Prisoner Caper,” originally broadcast March 9, 1951. This is episode 17 of the 1950–51 NBC revival, starring Steve Dunne as hard-boiled private eye Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When retired teacher Marjorie Loveland loses $1,000 to a classic Spanish Prisoner confidence scheme, Sam follows a trail involving the missing Señor Palmera, an alleged Mexican prison, and the promise of family jewels. Written by Harold Swanton and directed by William Spier, the episode draws on the detective created by Dashiell Hammett.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:53 Original Broadcast
30:24 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Bouncing Betty Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on December 12, 1948. Episode 116 stars Howard Duff as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

When butler Randall Carruthers seeks Sam’s help after threats against Kathy McGraw, Spade goes undercover as the McGraw family’s new chauffeur. Inside the wealthy household, tensions involving Kathy’s brother Mark and stepfather, Dr. Anthony McGraw, complicate the case. The title alludes to a German World War II anti-personnel mine.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
25:43 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents “Bluebeard Caper,” originally broadcast on CBS on August 8, 1948. Commonly listed as episode 98, this archival installment stars Howard Duff as hard-boiled San Francisco detective Sam Spade, with Lurene Tuttle as Effie Perrine.

Ned Towers fears for his sister Sylvia’s future when she prepares to marry Jefferson Davies Calhoon, whose earlier marriages ended in unsettling circumstances. As a sizable insurance policy raises the stakes, Spade follows the case into a shadowy carnival world. The episode was written by Bob Tallman and Gil Doud and directed by William Spier.

The Adventures of Sam Spade Detective presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:43 Original Broadcast
30:18 Closing

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio