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Richard Diamond, Private
Detective |
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Diamond Detective Agency, handy hints on happy
homicide - A typical opening quip (and
phone answer) from our hero in this lighthearted and wisecracking detective
show which ran from April 1949 until Sept 1953. It was the right show at
the right time for actor Dick Powell, baby-faced singer of Hollywood musicals in the 30's who had
struggled for years to change his image. Following a highly acclaimed
appearance as Philip Marlowe in
RKO's Murder, My Sweet (1945), a
young screen-writer, Blake "Pink Panther" Edwards, was commissioned to create a radio character for
Powell. Although having never worked in radio, Edwards came up with Richard
Diamond, a happy-go-lucky detective
and ex-cop whose ties to the police remained sarcastically friendly. Diamond answered his
telephone with atrocious commercial jingles and was the master of the verbal
put-down (especially with police). His relationship with frustrated Lt.
Walt Levinson (Ed Begley) was abrasive but rooted in honest affection and
his special delight was ribbing the stupid desk sergeant Otis, a stock character inserted strictly for laughs.
The opening each week set up the problem and propelled the sarcasm with the
cops; the ending usually found Diamond in the Park Avenue penthouse of his
girlfriend, the rich redhead Helen Asher (Virginia Gregg). He
would sit at Helen's piano and sing a song, usually a standard from Broadway
or Hollywood, sometimes a chestnut from the earlier career of the younger
Dick Powell. Miss Asher's butler, Francis, always arrived at the most
inopportune moment stammering in embarrassment. Powell had cut his teeth as
a snappy radio PI a few years before in Rogue's Gallery. In the twelve months from September 1945 he played
Richard Rogue in this great little "transitional series". The gimmick on Rogue's
Gallery was the presence of an alter ego, "Eugor"
("Rogue" spelled backwards), who arrived in the middle of the story
to goad Rogue on to his final deduction. Eugor was merely a state of mind,
achieved when Rogue was knocked unconscious (or given knockout drops). Dick Powell also appeared
in several Lux Radio Theatre
presentations, often joining his co-stars in recreating his film roles. Five
fine examples were Murder, My Sweet
which reunited Dick Powell, Claire Trevor & Mike Mazurki from the film in a great dramatization, Johnny
O'Clock, To the Ends of the
Earth, The Reformer and the Redhead (with
actress-wife and costar June Allyson) & Mrs Mike the latter being often mentioned at the conclusion
of Philip Diamond episodes. He also appeared in Screen Directors Playhouse dramatizations of his nourish Pitfall and the exciting adventure film Rogues' Regiment Want
to check out some episodes? - why not "taste & try"? These
two episodes (one each from Richard Diamond & Rogue's Gallery) can be freely downloaded to your computer - just
right button click on any link below and chose "Download Linked
File" (or words to that effect). The file sizes are 25Mb & 18 Mb
respectively - download time will depend on your (broadband) speed RD_1949-05-22
The Stolen Purse.mp3 RG_1946-07-07
Cabin on the Lake.mp3 These four MP3 CDs contain all 95 Richard
Diamond episodes in existence, as well as all 21 surviving episodes (in which
Dick Powell played Richard Rogue) of Rogue's Gallery - each is of 30 minutes duration and repeat
programs are not included. Also included are film dramatizations with
Dick Powell recreating seven of his film roles: Murder, My Sweet Johnny O'Clock, To the Ends
of the Earth, Mrs Mike, The Reformer and the Redhead, Rogues' Regiment
& Pitfall. A. Richard Diamond,
Private Detective 1.
RD_1949-05-01 The
Barton Case.mp3 2.
RD_1949-05-15 The
Ralph Chase Case.mp3 3.
RD_1949-05-22 The
Stolen Purse.mp3 4.
RD_1949-05-29 The
Betty Moran Case.mp3 5.
RD_1949-06-19 The Fred
Sears Murder Case.mp3 6.
RD_1949-06-26 The Tom
Waxman Bombing Case.mp3 7.
RD_1949-07-02 The
Bloody Hat Case.mp3 8.
RD_1949-07-09 Charles
Walsh, Bob Wells.mp3 9.
RD_1949-07-16
Kidnapped for Revenge.mp3 10.
RD_1949-07-23 The
Martin Hyer Case.mp3 11.
RD_1949-08-06 The Lynn
Knight Case.mp3 12.
RD_1949-08-20 The Jean
Cooper Murder Case.mp3 13.
RD_1949-08-27 The
Eddie Garrett Case.mp3 14.
RD_1949-09-03 The
Harry Baker Case.mp3 15.
RD_1949-09-10 The Van
Dyke Seance Case.mp3 16.
RD_1949-09-17 The
Jerome J Jerome Case.mp3 17.
RD_1949-09-24 The
$200,000 Bundle.mp3 18.
RD_1949-10-08 The
Gibson Murder Case.mp3 19.
RD_1949-10-15 The
Bogus Bills Case.mp3 20.
RD_1949-10-22 The Rene
Bennet Protection Case.mp3 21.
RD_1949-10-29 The Bill
Kirby Case.mp3 22.
RD_1949-11-05 The
Singing Critic.mp3 23.
RD_1949-11-12 $50,000
Diamond Heist.mp3 24.
RD_1949-11-19 The
Jacoby Case.mp3 25.
RD_1949-11-26 William
Carter Loses Memory.mp3 26.
RD_1949-12-03 The Ruby
Idol Case.mp3 27.
RD_1949-12-10 The
House of Mystery Case.mp3 28.
RD_1949-12-17 The John
Blackwell Case.mp3 29.
RD_1949-12-24 A
Christmas Carol.mp3 30.
RD_1949-12-31 The
Thomas Jason Case.mp3 31.
RD_1950-01-07
Butchers' Protection Association.mp3 32.
RD_1950-01-15 Mr
Victor's Daughter.mp3 33.
RD_1950-01-22 Martin
White Sees Dead Man.mp3 34.
RD_1950-02-05 To Guard
a Seal.mp3 35.
RD_1950-02-12 The
Elaine Tanner Case.mp3 36.
RD_1950-02-19 The
Jewel Thief.mp3 37.
RD_1950-02-26 The
Blind Man and the Cop Killer.mp3 38.
RD_1950-03-05 The
Louis Spence Case.mp3 39.
RD_1950-03-12 Joyce
Wallace.mp3 40.
RD_1950-03-19 Private
Eye Test.mp3 41.
RD_1950-03-26
Photographer's Card.mp3 42.
RD_1950-04-05 William
Logan and the Ivory Statue.mp3 43.
RD_1950-04-12 The Man
Who Hated Women.mp3 44.
RD_1950-04-19
Messenger Service, Patty Clark.mp3 45.
RD_1950-04-26 The
Ralph Baxter Case.mp3 46.
RD_1950-06-14 Eight
Hundred Thousand Dollars In Jewels.mp3 47.
RD_1950-06-21 Mrs X
Can't Find Her Husband.mp3 48.
RD_1950-06-28 Mary
Bellman Killed.mp3 49.
RD_1950-07-05 The Mike
Burton Murder Case.mp3 50.
RD_1950-07-12 The Ice
Pick Murder Case.mp3 51.
RD_1950-07-26 The
Martha Campbell Kidnap Case.mp3 52.
RD_1950-08-02 The
Fixed Fight Case.mp3 53.
RD_1950-08-09 The Edna
Wolfe Case.mp3 54.
RD_1950-08-16 The
Circus Case.mp3 55.
RD_1950-08-23 The
Evans Farmer Case.mp3 56.
RD_1950-08-30 The Big
Foot Grafton Case.mp3 57.
RD_1950-09-06 The
Misplaced Laundry Case.mp3 58.
RD_1950-09-13 The
George Lexington Murder Case.mp3 59.
RD_1950-09-20 The Bald
Head Case.mp3 60.
RD_1950-09-27 The
Oklahoma Cowboy Murder Case.mp3 61.
RD_1950-10-04 The Pete
Rocco Case.mp3 62.
RD_1950-10-11 The Homing
Pigeon Case.mp3 63.
RD_1950-10-18 Lt.
Levinson Kidnapped.mp3 64.
RD_1950-10-25 The
Rifle Case.mp3 65.
RD_1950-11-08 Dead
Man's Letter.mp3 66.
RD_1950-11-15 Mona
Lisa Murder.mp3 67.
RD_1950-11-22 Cover-Up
Murders.mp3 68.
RD_1950-12-06 Missing
Night Watchman.mp3 69.
RD_1951-01-12 The
Marilyn Conners Case.mp3 70.
RD_1951-01-19 The Man
with the Scar.mp3 71.
RD_1951-01-26 The
Rawlins Case.mp3 72.
RD_1951-02-02 The
Casbary Case.mp3 73.
RD_1951-02-09 The Blue
Serge Suit.mp3 74.
RD_1951-02-16 The Gray
Man.mp3 75.
RD_1951-02-23 The Lady
in Distress.mp3 76.
RD_1951-03-02 The Red
Rose.mp3 77.
RD_1951-03-16 Monsieur
Beauchand.mp3 78.
RD_1951-03-23 Little
Chiva.mp3 79.
RD_1951-03-30 The
Carnival.mp3 80.
RD_1951-11-16 The
Hollywood Story.mp3 81.
RD_1951-12-07 The
Brown Envelope Case.mp3 82.
RD_1951-12-21
Christmas Show.mp3 83.
RD_1951-12-28 The
Plaid Overcoat Case.mp3 84.
RD_1952-01-04 The
Merry-Go-Round Murder Case.mp3 85.
RD_1952-01-11 The
White Cow Case.mp3 86.
RD_1952-01-18 The
Simpson Case.mp3 87.
RD_1952-01-25 The Al
Brenners Case.mp3 88.
RD_1952-02-01 The
Garabaldi Case.mp3 89.
RD_1952-02-08 The
Eddie Burke Case.mp3 90.
RD_1952-03-14 The
Dixon Case.mp3 91.
RD_1952-03-21 The Hank
Burton Case.mp3 92.
RD_1952-03-28 Mr.
Walker's Problem.mp3 93.
RD_1952-04-04 The
Enigma of Big Ed.mp3 94.
RD_1953-05-31 The
William Holland Case.mp3 95.
RD_1953-07-19 The
Chapel Hill Case.mp3 B. Rogue's Gallery 1.
RG_1945-10-11 Blondes
Prefer Gentlemen.mp3 2.
RG_1945-10-25 Murder
with Muriel.mp3 3.
RG_1945-11-08 Little
Drops of Rain.mp3 4.
RG_1945-11-15 The
House of Fear.mp3 5.
RG_1945-11-29 Little
Old Lady.mp3 6.
RG_1945-12-13 Blood on
the Sand.mp3 7.
RG_1945-12-20 Fortune
in Furs.mp3 8.
RG_1946-01-03 Murder
at Minden.mp3 9.
RG_1946-01-17 Anson
Leeds is Dead.mp3 10.
RG_1946-01-31 Special
Added Attraction.mp3 11.
RG_1946-02-21 The
Triangle Murder Case.mp3 12.
RG_1946-04-04 Favour
for a Condemned Man.mp3 13.
RG_1946-05-09
Snowbound.mp3 14.
RG_1946-05-16 The
Impossible Murder.mp3 15.
RG_1946-05-23 Latin
Type.mp3 16.
RG_1946-06-06 Jealousy
is a Strange Thing.mp3 17.
RG_1946-06-13
Red-Headed Stranger.mp3 18.
RG_1946-06-23 The Star
of Savoy.mp3 19.
RG_1946-06-30 Lady
with a Gun.mp3 20.
RG_1946-07-07 Cabin on
the Lake.mp3 21.
RG_1946-07-14 Angela
Mullins.mp3 C. Lux Theatre
Presentations 1.
LT_1945-06-11 Murder
My Sweet.mp3 2.
LT_1947-05-12 Johnny
O'Clock.mp3 3.
LT_1949-05-23 To the
Ends of the Earth.mp3 4.
LT_1950-04-24 Mrs.
Mike.mp3 5.
LT_1951-06-25 The
Reformer and the Redhead.mp3 D. Screen Directors
Playhouse Presentations 1.
SDP_1949-10-17
Pitfall.mp3 2.
SDP_1951-05-17 Rogues
Regiment.mp3 |