Radio
Legends:
This Is Your FBI, Volume 2
Liner notes written by Harlan Zinck
Despite
the joy and relief that came with the end of World War II, and the economic
prosperity that followed, America as a whole experienced a high degree of fear
and paranoia in the post-war years. Though the U. S. emerged as an economic
superpower, there was considerable concern about the rise of communism
throughout the world -- and this, coupled with the difficulties and
uncertainties involved with reorganizing a peacetime world, would eventually
contribute to a "cold war" which would dominate world politics in the 1950s and
1960s.
In addition to cold war paranoia, the home front during the war years had seen a
noticeable rise in well-organized illegal activity. With considerable money
being made - and, due to rationing and wartime shortages, few items on which to
spend it - local, state, and federal authorities spent much of their time from
1942 onward dealing with the black marketeering, graft, padding of government
contracts, payoffs, and kickbacks that seemed to accompany the more legitimate
war efforts.
Reflecting the reality of the early postwar years, radio responded with a series
of what came to be known as "police procedural" dramas - programs that veered
away from the slam-bang action of earlier programs like "Gangbusters" and
"Calling All Cars" and, instead, focused on the slow, detail-oriented activities
of law enforcement officers. Two of the most well-known programs of this genre -
and, indeed, the two which would prove to be the most enduring - debuted within
only a few months of each other: "The FBI in Peace and War" was first heard on
CBS in November of 1944, followed only five months later by "This Is Your FBI"
on the fledgling ABC Network. Though both series focused on the crime-busting
activities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, only one carried the official
approval of the FBI itself -- an approval so strong that FBI Bureau Chief J.
Edgar Hoover frequently referred to "This Is Your FBI" as "our show."
Featuring a "News on the March" style martial theme and employing a
semi-documentary style, the official sanction granted "This Is Your FBI" allowed
Producer/Director Jerry Devine to use closed case files as the basis for its
stories. Devine was even allowed to attend a two-week session at the FBI academy
in order to get a true-to-life feel for the workings of the Bureau -- and
maintained his familiarity with evolving FBI procedures by making regular trips
to Washington throughout the series' eight-year run.
Throughout its run, "This Is Your FBI" benefited from the acting talents of many
of the most familiar voices in network radio. Performers such as Mandel Kramer,
Elspeth Eric, and Santos Ortega lent an air of authenticity to the proceedings
with their realistic portrayals of extortionists, kidnappers, blackmailers,
racketeers, and other criminals -- all of whom would eventually be caught and
convicted by the skilled and methodical agents of the FBI. Likewise, the steady
and intense narrative skills of Frank Lovejoy and Dean Carlton brought the
stories full-circle, emphasizing not only the nature of the crimes but the
tireless efforts of the Bureau to gather the evidence necessary to bring the
criminals to justice.
In terms of both prestige and financial gain, "This Is Your FBI" was a big hit
for the American Broadcasting Company, garnering high ratings for the
then-two-year-old network. Sponsored by the deep pockets of the Equitable Life
Assurance Society, ABC lavished considerable resources on its production --
including the use of a full orchestra, original musical scores, and subtle but
effective sound effects techniques that brought each episode to full dramatic
life. Heard today, it's obvious that the goal of the series was to glorify the
workings of the FBI -- but what's surprising is the dramatic punch many of the
episodes still carry for modern listeners. It only goes to prove that a good
story is a good story; even after sixty years, the best episodes of "This Is
Your FBI" still have the power to capture and engross the listener.
The twenty programs in this ten-CD set continue the run which began with our
earlier "This Is Your FBI" Radio Legends collection and offer another ten full
hours of excellent sounding radio drama from one of the premier crime anthology
series of all time - a series brought to vivid life again by Radio Archives.
Here is the complete content of this 10-CD Radio Legends collection:
The Cautious Killer
Friday, February 8, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Corrupt City
Friday, February 15, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Pan American Patriots
Friday, February 22, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Castaway Killer
Friday, March 1, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Paroled Killer
Friday, March 15, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Delinquent Parents
Friday, April 5, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Nylon Hijacker
Friday, April 12, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Singing Swindler
Friday, May 3, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Carnival Killer
Friday, May 10, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Fugitive Horse Player
Friday, May 17, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Homicide Hideout
Friday, May 24, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Slaughterhouse Swindlers
Friday, May 31, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Sinister Shakedown
Friday, July 5, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Walkie Talkie Stickup
Friday, July 19, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Sinister Witness
Friday, July 26, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Would-Be Movie Star
Friday, August 2, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Return Of The Mob
Friday, August 30, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Murder On The Range
Friday, September 6, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Death Of A Draft Dodger
Friday, September 13, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Night Of Terror
Friday, September 27, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
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