THE LELAND BLACKBURN MATTER and THE PORT-O-CALL MATTER YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
Release Date: 05/18/2025
THE BIG DRIVE and THE BIG PAPER
1001 RADIO DAYS
Dragnet was an American radio series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show took 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.[1] Actor and producer Jack Webb's...
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THE BIG SIGNET and THE BIG IMPRESSION DRAGNET
1001 RADIO DAYS
Dragnet was an American radio series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show took 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.[1] Actor and producer Jack Webb's...
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THE BIG TRIO and THE BIG HATE DRAGNET
1001 RADIO DAYS
Dragnet was an American radio series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show took 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.[1] Actor and producer Jack Webb's...
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THE BIG JULES and THE BIG ROLL DRAGNET
1001 RADIO DAYS
Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program's format and eventually became comfortable with their characters. Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor. Gradually, Friday's deadpanned, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop: tough, but not hard; conservative, but caring". Friday's first partner was Sergeant Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a long time radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio's top rated...
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THE BIG FOURTH and THE BIG WHIFF DRAGNET
1001 RADIO DAYS
DRAGNET Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style. The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual police cases and presented the case in "just the facts" manner that became a hallmark of Dragnet....
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THE BIG MALL and THE BIG SHAKEDOWN DRAGNET
1001 RADIO DAYS
DRAGNET Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style. The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual police cases and presented the case in "just the facts" manner that became a hallmark of Dragnet....
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THE DAVID ROCKEY MATTER and THE JAMES WILDER MATTER YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
1001 RADIO DAYS
YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR 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...
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THE LELAND BLACKBURN MATTER and THE PORT-O-CALL MATTER YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
1001 RADIO DAYS
OURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR 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...
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TURTLE ISLAND and ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION THE MAN CALLED X
1001 RADIO DAYS
The Man Called X is an espionage radio drama that aired on CBS and NBC from July 10, 1944, to May 20, 1952.[1] The radio series was later adapted for television and was broadcast for one season, 1956–1957. People Herbert Marshall had the lead role of agent Ken Thurston/"Mr. X", an American intelligence agent[2] who took on dangerous cases in a variety of exotic locations.[1] Leon Belasco played Mr. X's comedic sidekick, Pegon Zellschmidt,[1] who always turned up in remote parts of the world because he had a "cousin" there. Zellschmidt annoyed and helped Mr. X. Jack Latham was an announcer...
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INTO BERLIN and STOLEN LAVALIERRES THE MAN CALLED "X"
1001 RADIO DAYS
THE MAN CALLED X Beginning in the summer of 1944, at the height of World War II, The Man Called X was originally a kind of "FBI" program. The series soon developed a more international approach, however, featuring danger, intrigue, and romance in exotic settings. On any given Saturday or Sunday evening, Wendell Niles would say, "Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and mysterious places of the world, there you will find "The Man Called X". The Man Called X starred British-born actor, Herbert Marshall as suave, sophisticated Ken Thurston, undercover international...
info_outlineOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR
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.