Old Time Radio's Podcast

The Whistler - The Alibi

Philip Marlowe "The Deep Shadow" 3/21/50 Oldtime Radio Crime Drama The Adventures of Philip Marlowe came to Radio in the Summer of 1947 as a Pepsodent Program replacement for their wildly popular show starring Bob Hope and his ensemble. Both CBS and Pepsodent promoted the first nine programs to the maximum extent. In all likelihood as much to promote Van Heflin himself, as to keep The Pepsodent Program's time slot nice and cozy for Bob Hope's return in The Fall of 1947. Indeed, the fact that Van Heflin got far greater billing than Raymond Chandler himself, demonstrates the relative celebrity of the two diverse talents for their time.

The Whistler "Seascape" Oldtime Radio Mystery Drama "The Whistler" was an American radio program running for a total of 13 years from May 16, 1942 until September 22, 1955. It was one of the most popular mystery drama's of its' time. Signal Oil Company sponsored the program. The marketing catch phrase was: "Let that whistle be your signal for the Signal Oil program, The Whistler." During the first two years of the show J. Donald Wilson was the writer and producer. During 1944 producer and director George Allen took over. Other directors included Sterling Tracy and Sherman Marks with final scripts by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton. 692 total episodes were produced. Over 200 of those episodes can not be found and are no longer in existence. The Whistler always finishes his stories with fatalistic relish, and "the strange ending to tonight's story" is rarely what one expects. In the world of The Whistler, fate has a few speedbumps for the hasty acts of the foolish! Those with a taste for crime and the macabre will enjoy the world of The Whistler.