SOCIA S TI A O L N A O C I F R C O T O S I L O H R O A I D D O A R FO 5 U 7 NDED 19 Volume 33, Number 2 February, 2008 his Suspense program when he offered a spooky drama THE ADVENTURES OF SAM SPADE entitled “The House in Cypress Canyon.” The tale (continued) concerned a real estate agent who invites a friend of his, a by Martin Grams Jr. detective named “Sam,” to listen to a transcription made by a young couple who just purchased their new home. The enormous success of the Sam Spade radio The tale involved a werewolf that howls at night. While program spawned a comic strip series. A short-lived the last name of the detective is not given, the actor series of single-page comic strips appeared in the playing the role is Howard Duff. This was one of newspapers beginning the summer of 1947, entitled The William Spier’s in-jokes. Adventures of Sam Spade. The strip (in color) was Though subject of debate on the world wide web authored by artist Lou Fine, and subtitled “The Case of (accessible via the Internet), whether or not it was Sam the Box-Car Bandit.” The weekly feature was a tie-in Spade on that particular Suspense episode, the fact with the radio program, and featured the likeness of remains that Spier arranged for Duff to play the role of a Howard Duff as Sam Spade. Wildroot also sponsored the detective named Sam and most likely, to avoid paying comic strip, which only lasted a few months. royalties for an additional Sam Spade broadcast, avoided On the July 20, 1947 using the “Spade” name broadcast of the radio during the broadcast. “The series, Effie (played by House in Cypress Canyon” Lurene Tuttle) rustled is now considered by about through the old-time radio fans as one newspapers and brought to of the 10 best episodes of Sam’s attention her the Suspense program, and discovery of the comic one of the 10 most strip, which she saw in the frightening horror radio San Francisco Examiner. broadcasts of all time. Sam, of course, isn’t Howard Duff did assist getting any residuals or other radio programs in royalties, but shrugs the spoofing the Sam Spade matter off quickly when character on Effie prefers a little variety/comedy shows. On romance at his desk. the October 22, 1947 This was not the first time the Sam Spade character broadcast of Philco Radio Time, starring Bing Crosby, appeared in the form of a comic. In 1946, Feature Books guest Clifton Webb starred as “Clifton Web: Private (David McKay Publications) issued a comic book (issue Face, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat of Crime.” Howard #48) adapted from the Dashiell Hammett novel, The Duff appeared in the middle of the skit as Sam Spade. On Maltese Falcon. The artist was Rodlow Willard. the January 24, 1948 broadcast of Joan Davis Time, Joan The popularity of the Sam Spade character caused a falls asleep, and dreams she is involved with a caper with number of radio cross-overs. On the evening of private detective Sam Spade, also played by Howard December 5, 1946, William Spier marked a highlight on (Continued on Page 3) RADIO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF COLORADO PO BOX 1908, Englewood CO 80150 (303) 761-4139 - Dedicated to the preservation of old-time radio programs, and to making those programs available to our members Old-Time Radio is Alive and Well in Colorado! KEZW 1430 AM “When Radio Was”, with Chuck Schaden Weekdays, 7:00 - 8:00 PM Pirate Radio 104.7 FM and www.pirate1047.com, “Radio Memories” (Greeley) Sunday, 6:30 - 12:00 PM KNUS 710 AM “Radio Revisited” Weekdays, 10:00 - 11:00 PM KRMA TV Channel 6 Secondary Audio Program (SAP), “Tribute to OTR” Sunday, 2:00 PM Hear RHAC on the web, 4th Saturday of every month, at 9:30pm Mountain time at; http://www.yesterdayusa.com/saturdaylive.htm RHAC Web Site - http://www.rhac.org RHAC Email - [email protected] RETURN WITH US NOW... is the official publication of the Radio Historical Association of Colorado, Inc., a nonprofit organization. Cost of membership is $25.00 for the 1st year with $15.00 for renewal. Each member in good standing has full use of the club resources. For further information contact anyone listed below. Any mention of a product in RETURN WITH US NOW... does not constitute an endorsement by RHAC. President: Larry Weide 5270 E. Nassau Cir. 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Quincy Ave. Englewood, CO 80110 Cassette Tape: #1 (1-499) David Gatch PO Box 70 Glen Haven, CO 80532 (970) 577-0805 #2 (500-999) David Gatch PO Box 70 Glen Haven, CO 80532 (970) 577-0805 #3 (1000-2000) Dave Logan 5557 S. Sherman Cir. Littleton, CO 80121 (303) 730-1430 #4 (5001-up) Mika Rhoden 3950 W. Dartmouth Ave. Denver, CO 80236 (303) 937-9476 CD Library: Thomas Woessner 9693 W. Euclid Dr Littleton CO 80123-3192 (303) 936-4643 2008 Convention Schedules 33rd Friends of Old-time Radio Convention, Oct 23 – 26, 2008 Holiday Inn, Newark, NJ; For info: Jay Hickerson, 27436 Desert Rose Ct, Leesburg, FL 34748 (352) 727-6731, [email protected], web site: http://www.fotr.net CREDIT: This publication may, under license, use objects and/or images from one or more of the following: Lotus Wordpro97 and Corel Gallery. These software packages are protected by the copyright laws of the United States, Canada and elsewhere. This publication is copywrited 2008, with all rights reserved. RETURN WITH US NOW... -2- February, 2008 Duff. On the February 10, 1949 broadcast of Maxwell in the newspaper, asking for Spade to return the plastic House Coffee Time, George Burns and Gracie help Sam slipper in exchange for the missing girl. Spade, played by Howard Duff, solve the murder of a Spade learns that the advertising agency that insured shady character named Mr. Benson. Comedian Henry the whole publicity stunt stands to lose a million dollars Morgan also used a Sam Spade-like bit in his radio unless Ella is found before the newspapers catch wind of program more than once. His character was “Ham Spade, the kidnapping. Spade visits Ella’s house, meets her Private Eye” and in one episode, “Ham Spade, Private wicked stepsisters, boyfriend and stepmother and learns Orb.” they are holding the girl hostage. In the meantime, Effie accidentally leaves the plastic slipper near the heater and THE YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR the shoe melts, revealing $50,000 worth of diamonds. CONNECTION Spade arranges for a representative of the advertising In early 1949, Gil Doud began scripting for the radio agency, and Ella’s evil boyfriend, to visit him late at program, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Borrowing a few night in his office to clear the whole matter up. Spade of the plot lines and motives from episodes of Sam steps aside as the men exchange their differences with Spade, Doud rewrote the stories to fit the Johnny Dollar gunfire, for the same reason one of them killed J.K. mold. Two episodes from the program’s first season on Grimm - ownership of the diamonds. Both men die from the network, however, scripted by Gil Doud, spoofed the their wounds. Ella, no longer a hostage of her evil kin, is Maltese Falcon caper to a tee. shocked by Spade’s methods. “The Case of the Slow Boat From China,” broadcast ELLA: You didn’t kill those people, did you, Mr. February 25, 1949, Johnny Dollar, an insurance Spade? investigator, visits Singapore to help expedite a shipment SPADE: No, but I didn’t save them. of tin, only to meet up with suspicious and shady ELLA: I’ll bet you would have if you could. characters all searching for the mysterious “it.” One of SPADE: That’s something I have no way of knowing, the shady individuals sounds like Casper Gutman, and in Sweetheart. It really is. one scene, Johnny comments that “Your mother must Sam hands her the diamonds and orders her to leave have been frightened by Sydney Greenstreet.” town quickly and quietly. “The Disappearance of Twelve Apex Cabs,” Diamonds, naturally, are the motive for murder in broadcast July 24, 1949, definitely contains shades of numerous episodes. In “The Caper With Eight The Maltese Falcon, and the Sam Spade radio program. Diamonds,” broadcast November 23, 1947, Professor The episode was subtitled, “Who Took the Taxis for a Raymond Rivers employs Sam to find eight diamonds Ride?” Many of the Sam Spade radio broadcasts feature a that were stolen from his laboratory. He was humorous subtitle, courtesy of the script writers. experimenting on staining diamonds, a procedure that Numerous shady characters are once again in search of a would be worth millions - only if his experiment is a valuable artifact, this time referred to as “The Scarlet success.