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Mystery, Crime & Detective · Mutual (WGN Chicago origination); transcription syndication by Harry S. Goodman Radio Productions

Mystery House

February 19, 1944 – September 27, 1946 · 137 broadcasts

Mystery House was a publishing firm -- or so the announcer said each week -- run by Dan and Barbara Glenn, who would not put a manuscript into print until their own staff had performed it aloud for the listening public. That gave the anthology an unusual shape: every murder story arrived as a try-out, with the firm's people in the roles, and the verdict on the book doubling as the curtain line. Underneath the device sat a solid half-hour mystery. A man dies on a factory floor; a killing runs through a circus sideshow; an undertaker's package throws in a quartet; a whole episode unfolds in the governor's office around a hero who is never seen or heard. The programs came from WGN in Chicago over the Mutual network, then travelled the country on transcription discs pressed by Harry S. Goodman Radio Productions. Forrest Lewis and Nanette Sargent played the Glenns themselves, with Rye Billsbury announcing, and guests took the parts in each week's manuscript. Whether the publishing house ever really existed is a question no one has answered. Also in the catalog: the unsold 1944 NBC audition 'The Thirsty Death,' Bela Lugosi's bid for a series of his own, with John Carradine and Lurene Tuttle along for the night.

Collection status: 29 of 137 held (21% complete)
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Episode Spine

Grouped by year. Jump to the full list below, or open a season on its own page.

1944

February 19, 1944 This Man Was Poisoned
February 26, 1944 The Incinerator Clew
March 4, 1944 Murder Makes Page One
March 11, 1944 The Curse of the Camel Back
March 18, 1944 Murder Goes to College
March 25, 1944 Death Ain't So Funny
April 1, 1944 Cemetery Park
April 8, 1944 Detective, Name Unknown
April 15, 1944 The Pin-Up Murder
April 22, 1944 One Coffin Reserved
April 29, 1944 Death on Schedule
May 6, 1944 The Corpse Wore Diamonds
May 13, 1944 The Closed Season Killing
May 20, 1944 Candidate for a Corpse
May 27, 1944 The Light Brings Darkness
June 3, 1944 The Bride Was Missing
June 10, 1944 Murder Knocks Three Times
June 17, 1944 Death Laughing Back
June 24, 1944 Challenge to the Force
July 1, 1944 If Looks Could Kill
July 3, 1944 The Thirsty Death
The unsold NBC audition. Bela Lugosi plays a husband whose jealousy runs to poison, aimed at the man he suspects of an affair with his wife -- and the suspicion turns out to have been groundless all along. John Carradine and Lurene Tuttle guest; Ken Carpenter announces.
July 8, 1944 Murder Needs Managing
July 15, 1944 I Hate People
July 22, 1944 Murder Off the Reservation
July 29, 1944 The Blind Shall See
August 5, 1944 One Drop Kills You
August 12, 1944 Death on a Dude Ranch
August 19, 1944 Murder Is Bad for Business
August 26, 1944 A Notch for Riordan's Gun
September 2, 1944 Submerged Murder
September 9, 1944 (untitled)
September 16, 1944 Death Strikes a Happy Medium
September 23, 1944 The Unconvincing Killer
September 30, 1944 The Quiz Show Killing
October 7, 1944 Cupid Packs a Gat
October 14, 1944 The Long Odds Murder
October 21, 1944 Unnecessary Roughness
October 28, 1944 One Extra Body
November 5, 1944 Priority on a Coffin --- (show Moves to Sundays)
November 12, 1944 Wanted - One Body
November 19, 1944 Death in Two Parts
November 26, 1944 Murder at Random
December 3, 1944 The Jitterbug Corpse
December 10, 1944 Death with Reservations
December 17, 1944 Murder on the Swing Shift
December 24, 1944 Another Wise Man
December 31, 1944 The Party Was Deadly

1945

January 7, 1945 (untitled)
January 14, 1945 Phantoms of the Lower Level
January 21, 1945 (untitled)
January 28, 1945 (untitled)
February 4, 1945 (untitled)
February 11, 1945 (untitled)
February 18, 1945 (untitled)
February 25, 1945 Too Old to Die
March 4, 1945 Choose Your Partner
March 11, 1945 Death at a Distance
March 18, 1945 Hotter Than Hades
March 25, 1945 Find the Body
April 1, 1945 The Easter Story
April 8, 1945 Always Leave 'em Smiling
April 15, 1945 Death After Dark
April 22, 1945 (untitled)
April 29, 1945 (untitled)
May 6, 1945 She's Mine, All Mine
May 13, 1945 (untitled)
May 20, 1945 (untitled)
May 27, 1945 Murder with Affidavits
June 3, 1945 Fear Is My Foe
June 10, 1945 Murder of Mystery for a Killer
June 17, 1945 The Corpse Gets the Point
June 24, 1945 Murder in the Gentle Manner
July 1, 1945 The Quiet Guest
July 8, 1945 A Call to Dr Lin
July 15, 1945 She Was Horrid
July 22, 1945 (untitled)
July 29, 1945 (untitled)
August 5, 1945 Crazy to Kill
August 12, 1945 (untitled)
August 19, 1945 A New Lease on Death Listen (MP3)
August 26, 1945 Death at Deadline Listen (MP3)
September 2, 1945 A Short Life for Mary Listen (MP3)
September 9, 1945 Malice in Wonderland Listen (MP3)
Sideshow performers at a circus are at the centre of this one.
September 16, 1945 Complete with Quartet Listen (MP3)
A quoted funeral package throws in a singing quartet -- and one member of the cast has convinced himself he is Peter Lorre.
September 23, 1945 Well, Well Another Body Listen (MP3)
Another body turns up in a front yard, found by Mr. Richauver -- who, it seems, finds them all the time.
September 30, 1945 Sauce for the Goose Listen (MP3)
October 7, 1945 Death House Blues Listen (MP3)
Half an hour confined entirely to the governor's office, built around a leading man the listener neither meets nor hears -- and who is nonetheless the hero of it.
October 14, 1945 Danger--Man at Bay Listen (MP3)
October 21, 1945 Death in the Saddle
A killing in cattle country, played for frontier atmosphere as much as for the puzzle.
October 28, 1945 A Case of Homicide
Someone is killed on the floor of a working factory.
November 4, 1945 Murder for Laughs Listen (MP3)
November 11, 1945 Death Plays for Keeps
November 18, 1945 Murder in Paradise Listen (MP3)
November 25, 1945 The Subconcious Murder
December 2, 1945 Dead Man's Thumb
December 9, 1945 (untitled)
December 16, 1945 His Head in His Hands
December 23, 1945 (untitled)
December 30, 1945 The Impossible Murder

1946

January 6, 1946 Death Pulls No Punches
January 13, 1946 Meek, MILD Murder
January 20, 1946 End of Sentence (program's 100th Case)
January 27, 1946 Nothing but the Proof Listen (MP3)
February 3, 1946 Plot and Counterplot
February 10, 1946 Right Fence, Wrong Side
February 17, 1946 Murder on West Madison
February 24, 1946 A Coffen Coffin Coming
March 3, 1946 The Body Beautiful
March 10, 1946 The Too Perfect Murder
March 17, 1946 Murder Fluffs a Cue
March 24, 1946 This'll Knock You Dead
March 31, 1946 Death Passed by My Window Listen (MP3)
April 7, 1946 Sub-Rosa Justice Listen (MP3)
His doctor gives him thirty days.
April 14, 1946 Laugh - I Thought I'd Die Listen (MP3)
April 21, 1946 Murder Takes Practice Listen (MP3)
April 28, 1946 Death with a Punch Listen (MP3)
May 5, 1946 The Composite Killer Listen (MP3)
May 12, 1946 Murder Me Gently Listen (MP3)
May 19, 1946 Murder Is an Accident
May 26, 1946 Bury Me Not Listen (MP3)
May 31, 1946 A Killing in the Market Listen (MP3)
June 7, 1946 Murder Hires a Hall Listen (MP3)
June 14, 1946 Bases Loaded Listen (MP3)
June 21, 1946 Time to Kill Listen (MP3)
June 28, 1946 Make Mine Murder
July 5, 1946 Dagger in the Dark Listen (MP3)
July 12, 1946 A Vacation from Murder Listen (MP3)
July 19, 1946 I Thought I'd Die
July 26, 1946 Drop Me a Line Listen (MP3)
August 2, 1946 Operation Murder Listen (MP3)
August 9, 1946 Murder Is an Art Listen (MP3)
August 16, 1946 (untitled)
August 30, 1946 Whereabouts Unknown
September 6, 1946 (untitled)
September 13, 1946 Our Best Murder
September 20, 1946 Proof Positive
September 27, 1946 Death with a Homey Touch
The Story

Mystery House was a publishing firm -- or so the announcer said each week -- run by Dan and Barbara Glenn, who would not put a manuscript into print until their own staff had performed it aloud for the listening public. That gave the anthology an unusual shape: every murder story arrived as a try-out, with the firm's people in the roles, and the verdict on the book doubling as the curtain line. Underneath the device sat a solid half-hour mystery. A man dies on a factory floor; a killing runs through a circus sideshow; an undertaker's package throws in a quartet; a whole episode unfolds in the governor's office around a hero who is never seen or heard. The programs came from WGN in Chicago over the Mutual network, then travelled the country on transcription discs pressed by Harry S. Goodman Radio Productions. Forrest Lewis and Nanette Sargent played the Glenns themselves, with Rye Billsbury announcing, and guests took the parts in each week's manuscript. Whether the publishing house ever really existed is a question no one has answered. Also in the catalog: the unsold 1944 NBC audition 'The Thirsty Death,' Bela Lugosi's bid for a series of his own, with John Carradine and Lurene Tuttle along for the night.

Full story — coming soon while it's being curated.
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