Radio
Legends:
This Is Your FBI, Volume 3
Liner notes written by Harlan Zinck
During
radio's 'golden age,' there was only one series that carried the official
approval of the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- an approval so strong, in
fact, that Bureau Chief J. Edgar Hoover frequently referred to it as "our show".
Featuring newsreel-type dramatic music and employing a semi-documentary style in
both its narration and in its portrayal of both criminals and federal agents,
"This Is Your FBI" was not only officially sanctioned by the Bureau but was even
allowed to use closed case files as the basis for its weekly stories. Jerry
Devine, the producer/director of the series, 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.
For the first two years of the series, "This Is Your FBI" was broadcast from New
York, where it 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, murderers, racketeers, and
other criminals -- all of whom would eventually be caught and convicted by the
patient 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.
"This Is Your FBI" was a big hit for the American Broadcasting Company, bringing
increased popularity and higher ratings to the then-two-year-old network - plus
the generous funding provided by its sponsor: the wealthy and venerable
Equitable Life Assurance Society. Consequently, 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; an
undeniable tribute to the men and women who produced the series so many years
ago.
The twenty programs in this Radio Legends collection are taken primarily from
the first year of the series, when the show was based in New York and offer ten
full hours of engrossing radio drama from one of the premier crime anthology
series of all time.
Here is the complete content of this 10-CD Radio Legends collection:
The Curious Coin Collector
Friday, October 4, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Sugar Swindler
Friday, October 11, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Big Shakedown
Friday, October 18, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Honest Embezzler
Friday, October 25, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Blueprint for Murder
Friday, November 1, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Frightened Fugitive
Friday, November 8, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Murder By Accident
Friday, November 15, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Return of the Killer
Friday, November 22, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Danger in the Jury Box
Friday, November 29, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Operation Rumba
Friday, December 6, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Swampland Killer
Friday, December 13, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Swindling Swami
Friday, December 20, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Little Tough Guy
Friday, December 27, 1946 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Fugitive Guest
Friday, January 3, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Souvenir Gun
Friday, January 10, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Sunshine Swindlers
Friday, January 17, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Bow Tie Murders
Friday, January 24, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
The Baby Big Shot
Friday, January 31, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Hijackers Incorporated
Friday, February 7, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
Death in the Desert
Friday, February 14, 1947 - 30:00 - ABC
Sponsored by the Equitable Life Assurance Society
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