Premier Collections: 
Rocky Jordan, Volume 2
Liner notes written by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.

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"Cairo, gateway to the Ancient East...where modern adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity..."

Listening to broadcasts from the Golden Age of Radio today, it's interesting to note that many OTR favorites were often heard only in certain regions of the United States. The best example is "The Whistler" which, despite its longevity, was heard solely on the west coast for all but a season or two. Other examples of west coast dramas include detective shows like Mutual's "Let George Do It," NBC's "Candy Matson," and the CBS series "Jeff Regan, Investigator."

"Rocky Jordan," a distinctively different-sounding detective offering heard over CBS Radio's Pacific network from 1945 to 1950, is one more member of this elite broadcasting fraternity. A series that could be described as a mixture of "Casablanca" and "The Maltese Falcon," "Jordan" debuted on January 8, 1945 as a five-day-a-week quarter-hour serial entitled "A Man Called Jordan." The titular hero, portrayed by radio veteran Jack Moyles, owned and operated an Istanbul dive dubbed the Café Tambourine and, though described by OTR historian John Dunning as "a hero in the 'I Love a Mystery' mold," was actually a shrewd businessman motivated more by the financial bottom line than cheap sentiment. Still, he had a knack for getting frequently involved in mystery and murder and often depended on a colorful cast of sidekicks - his "man Friday" Ali (Paul Frees), girlfriend Toni Sherwood (Dorothy Lovett), and trusted pal Duke O'Brien (Jay Novello) - to assist him in his amateur investigations. "A Man Called Jordan" switched to a weekly half-hour format beginning July 2, 1945, and entertained West Coast audiences for approximately two years.

Apparently, Mr. Jordan took a year off to relocate the Café Tambourine to Cairo when the program returned to CBS on October 31, 1948. Apart from the new location, it was business as usual for 'the Rock' as he fought escaped killers, desert raiders, ex-Nazis and black marketers on a weekly basis. It was with this show's incarnation that the comparisons to "Casablanca" were particularly apt; Jordan would often have to depend on his police force ally Captain Sam Sabaaya (also played by Novello) for assistance. Though the two men clearly respected one another, they often found themselves sizing each other up in the same skeptical fashion as Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) did in the Oscar-winning film classic.

"Rocky Jordan" might have been dismissed as just another run-of-the-mill detective series, but its exotic locale, tight scripting, and swift, self-assured direction by Cliff Howell set it apart from the infinite number of shows broadcast at that time. The series' writers, Larry Roman and Gomer Cool, often found inspiration from both a copy of the U.S. Army's Pocket Guide to Egypt and real-life anecdotes culled from newspapers; the program "The Dearite Bowl," for instance, was based on the true story of a farmer who discovered a priceless relic while digging on his land. Topping off the proceedings was the original Oriental-sounding music contributed by Richard Aurandt, support from the crème de la crème of actors from "Radio Row" (Peter Leeds, Ben Wright, Parley Baer, etc.) and the always-dependable Larry Thor ("Broadway's My Beat") who handled the program's announcing chores. "Rocky Jordan" was heard as a Sunday night staple on CBS' West Coast network for the next two years, sponsored by Del Monte Foods, and part of an evening line-up that also included "The Adventures of Sam Spade" and "The Whistler."

"Rocky Jordan" finally obtained a berth on the full CBS network schedule from June 27-August 22, 1951, when it served as the summer replacement for the popular detective series "Mr. Chameleon." Unfortunately, Jack Moyles, who had made the hard-boiled character of Jordan his own, was replaced in the title role by screen actor George Raft. Raft was undoubtedly a more glamorous "name" than Moyles, but he didn't bring anything to the part that hadn't already been competently covered by his predecessor.

Though its radio run was relatively brief, "Rocky Jordan" has attracted a devoted following among OTR enthusiasts today, and the First Generation Radio Archives is proud and pleased to be able to offer a second volume of exotic detective adventures in this Premier Collection.

Here are the entries offered in this twenty-episode, ten-compact disc set:

The Dearite Bowl
Rocky's friend El Maman has discovered a rare archeological treasure over 5,000 years old - but interested parties, fearing that Maman has plans to sell the bowl on the black market, ask for Jordan's help.
Sunday, October 23, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Demarco Affair
A photographer hired by Rocky to take photos of the Tambourine for picture postcards calls him to announce his prints are ready. Upon his arrival at the shop, Jordan finds a man trying to destroy the establishment - with an axe!
Sunday, October 30, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

Black Ball
Rocky receives a small roulette wheel ball in the mail, which soon provides a lead to the identity and whereabouts of a man who's been apparently been impersonating him. The man is soon revealed to be a gambler named Al Margo, who's run up a king-sized debt that results in him being murdered.
Sunday, November 6, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Strange Death of Van Dorn
Captain Sabaaya requests Rocky's presence at the scene of a murder, the victim being a man Jordan has spotted at the Tambourine the previous evening. But the question remains: how did the man freeze to death in the middle of the desert?
Sunday, November 13, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Big Heist
A transport plane carrying a precious cargo of $1,000,000 in gold coins vanishes on its way to the Cairo airport and Rocky's old pal, a pilot named Freddie McClain, has apparently disappeared with it.
Sunday, November 20, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

High Pressure
Rocky is rousted out of bed by representatives of the Foreign Ministry, who announce to the café owner that his visa has been cancelled and he has just thirty-six hours to leave Egypt.
Sunday, November 27, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Veiled People
Rocky hires a man named Jarrod to work at the Café Tambourine and the new employee proceeds to get his boss involved with a mysterious sect of veiled men collectively known as "The Tourag."
Sunday, December 11, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Man from Cairo
An American tourist named Simpson, who hails from Cairo, Illinois, leaves his photography equipment with Jordan at the Tambourine. Several people express an interest in buying Simpson's film, including a low-life named Shiva...who later turns up dead.
Sunday, January 1, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

Smoke Screen
A beautiful manicurist and her father ask Rocky for asylum at the Café Tambourine, but Jordan is reluctant to get involved. As she turns to leave, she is shot and killed by an individual identified by her fleeing father as "The Cat."
Sunday, January 8, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Loomis Affair
It was just a routine trip to the bank to check some insurance papers - but in the safe deposit box booth adjacent to Jordan's, a man is murdered...and Rocky is accused of committing the crime!
Sunday, January 15, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods
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Interlude with Lorena
Rocky closes up the café for the evening and, while taking a stroll, hears gunfire in the distance. Tracing the sound of the shots leads him to a beautiful woman who tells him about her husband and an insurance scam.
Sunday, January 22, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

An Air of Death
While receiving a vigorous rubdown from his friend Hassan, Rocky is approached by a man looking for the steam room. Jordan is only too happy to help, but there's just one problem: the door is blocked by a dead body and there is the odd but deadly scent of bitter almonds in the air.
Sunday, January 29, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Return of Toni
Jordan receives a written note from an old flame (gal pal Toni Sherwood from "A Man Called Jordan"), a reporter he knew in Istanbul who claims to be in terrible trouble. As it turns out, she didn't write the note in question - but trouble soon follows all the same.
Sunday, February 5, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

Madame DuLac's Daughter
Rocky is offered a cool grand to keep a woman's daughter away from gambling and a boyfriend who is nothing but bad news. Jordan has a long history with the girl's new beau and, when a crony of the boyfriend turns up dead, the authorities think Rocky looks good for the job.
Sunday, February 12, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

Paid in Full
Rocky's nemesis on the force, Sergeant Greco, is convinced he's finally got the goods on our hero by arresting him for "aiding and abetting the escape of a desperate criminal." But when Greco finds himself in trouble and mysteriously disappears, Captain Sabaaya must persuade a reluctant Jordan to solve the mystery.
Sunday, February 19, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Return of Dr. Piru
A maniacal cab driver tries to kill Jordan by driving smack-dab into a cement wall. After leaving the hospital and returning to the Tambourine, Rocky gets a letter from a doctor named Piru - a familiar and sinister face from his old Istanbul stomping grounds.
Sunday, February 26, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Secret of Wong Lee
Rocky is summoned to make an appearance at the house of the respected Dr. Wong Lee. The venerable Chinaman then surprises Jordan by killing another invitee in cold blood.
Sunday, March 5, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The White Beetle
Rocky's pal Scrappy Sims shows up at Rocky's doorstep dying from a gunshot wound and clutching a mysterious package in his hand. The package contains an artifact called "The White Beetle" and, while Rocky contacts the authorities, a beautiful dame makes off with the scarab at gunpoint.
Sunday, March 12, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Perfect Witness
A girl shoots at a stranger inside the Café Tambourine, but Rocky and his bartender manage to keep her from completing the job. Later, a psychiatrist pays Jordan a visit, asking questions about the man the woman tried to kill.
Sunday, March 19, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods

The Strange Fate of Professor Amar
Jordan spots his old friend Joseph Amar at the train station and is puzzled when the professor gives him the brush-off. Seconds after their awkward meeting, Amar is dead - the victim of a tragic accident involving falling under the wheels of a moving train.
Sunday, April 2, 1950 - 30:00 - CBS West Coast, sponsored by Del Monte Foods
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A Man Named Jack

The October 1949 issue of "Radio and Television Mirror" featured a brief article about Jack Moyles, the star of "Rocky Jordan." It offers a small but unique insight into the life and career of an actor who, though largely forgotten today, was a busy and popular performer during the hey-day of network radio.

There's a lot of mileage between Cairo, Egypt and the Columbia Square studios of KNX in Los Angeles, but Jack Moyles spends half an hour each Sunday afternoon in both places.

The Egyptian phase of Jack's life started in 1945 when he was set to play "A Man Named Jordan" on the Columbia Pacific Network. Owner of the Cafe Tambourine in Cairo, Jordan spent his spare time chasing crooks. In that first year Jordan, A Man Named...did his chasing five days a week, fifteen minutes at a time.

Now he's gained a first name, and a lot of West Coast listeners who travel to Egypt with Rocky Jordan every Sunday.

Jack is a Californian right down to his first pair of shoes - he was born in San Francisco on June 26, 1913. He followed up his first appearance before an audience in the high school senior play with active participation in the San Francisco University's Glee Club and Players group. After graduation, radio producers, too, liked the sound of Jack's voice and in 1933 he made his debut as an announcer, but the start of his radio career in San Francisco meant only one step in the vocational ladder set up by Moyles. His next aim was a job with the CBS station in Hollywood.

With two friends who worked with him at the San Francisco station, a "Hollywood Caravan" (that was the banner) of two cars invaded the southern mecca of talent from the north.

Two days after Moyles arrived in Los Angeles he had a job. Being particularly adept at various roles and several dialects, Jack was immediately busy and established. Then, in January of 1945, the Moyles-Rocky association began. And in the four years the program has been broadcast from KNX in Los Angeles, Jack has missed only one program.

That day, June 28, 1945, instead of tending to Cafe Tambourine business as Rocky Jordan, Jack Moyles was wearing a tuxedo and nervously mumbling "I do" before an altar. The bride was Nina Vanderbush, attractive CBS receptionist.

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