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Welcome to Down These Mean Streets, a weekly trip back to the Golden Age of Radio where we rub elbows with the era's greatest private eyes, cops, and crime-fighters. Since 2013, I've been podcasting everything from cozy mysteries to police procedurals, spotlighting characters ranging from hard boiled gumshoes to amateur sleuths. 

Be sure to tune in each Sunday for adventures of a radio detective and the behind-the-scenes stories of their shows. Join me as we spend time with Sam Spade, Johnny Dollar, Sgt. Joe Friday, and more!

Nov 27, 2022

As the long Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close and as folks finish their trips back home, we'll hear three old time radio mysteries set in the car and on the highway. First, Frank Sinatra is behind the wheel of a truck full of nitroglycerin in Rocky Fortune (originally aired on NBC on January 26, 1954). Then, Fibber...


Nov 25, 2022

Whether you're shopping for deals or savoring some Turkey Day leftovers, Jack Webb is here to keep you company in this bonus episode. We'll celebrate Black Friday with Joe Friday in four Dragnet radio episodes: "The Big Grandma" (originally aired on NBC on October 15, 1950); "The Big Bungalow" (originally aired on NBC...


Nov 20, 2022

The classic Disney animated films of the 50s and 60s featured some of the great stars of the golden age of radio. Some of the best villains in those pictures were voiced by veterans of EscapeSuspenseSam Spade, and more. We'll hear a trio of radio mysteries featuring a quartet of Disney actors. First, Hans Conried -...


Nov 13, 2022

Note: Intros should be back by next week!

Helen Mack began her career as a child actress in the 1920s and she went on to make appearances in Son of Kong and His Girl Friday. But in the 1940s, she transitioned into a new phase of her career as a producer and director of radio shows. She was behind the scenes of comedies...


Nov 6, 2022

**Note: No intro today - not sure if I caught something new or if it's the same thing wearing out its welcome, but hopefully back to normal next week!

The contents of museums can solve mysteries of the past, but the halls of artifacts and treasures can also provide great backdrops for whodunits today. We'll hear...