Westward Old Time Radio
Dangerous Assignment - Relief Supplies (1949)
Sam Spade – The Spanish Prisoner Caper (1951)
Sam Spade - The Calcutta Trunk Caper (1947)
Sam Spade - The Wheel Of Life Caper (1948)
di Westward Media
Dangerous Assignment was first broadcast on July 9, 1949, starring Brian Donlevy as international troubleshooter Steve Mitchell. Steve Mitchell's first dangerous assignment takes him to Sicily to investigate the theft of vital relief supplies intended for those in need. As he follows the trail into the rugged mountains, he finds himself facing a notorious bandit and uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire operation. A fast-paced adventure filled with intrigue, danger, and international suspense.
Sam Spade – The Spanish Prisoner Caper (1951) When a retired schoolteacher loses her savings to a charming stranger, she turns to Sam Spade for help. The con artist used the classic "Spanish Prisoner" scam, promising a share of a hidden fortune in exchange for money to free a supposedly imprisoned relative. What seems like a simple fraud case quickly becomes more complicated when Sam uncovers a web of deception involving kidnappings, ransom demands and murder. As he follows the trail, he discovers that everyone involved has secrets of their own. With his trademark wit and determination, Sam pieces together the truth and exposes the crooks behind the scheme in this entertaining blend of confidence trick and murder mystery.
Sam Spade in "The Calcutta Trunk Caper" (1947) gets pulled into what seems like a simple job — talking a wealthy young woman out of marrying a charming but suspicious European adventurer. Naturally, nothing stays simple for long. The case begins when a frightened woman hires Sam because she's convinced her sister's fiancé is a professional killer who marries rich women and then makes them disappear. Sam is sceptical at first, but the deeper he digs, the stranger things become. Before long he's caught up in a whirlwind of lies, hidden identities, and a mysterious trunk that keeps turning up at exactly the wrong moments. Much of the story unfolds aboard an ocean liner bound for India, giving the episode a larger, more exotic feel than many of the series' usual San Francisco-based adventures. There are fake alarms, secret schemes, bodies that appear and disappear, and enough double-crosses to keep Sam guessing right up to the finish. What makes the episode memorable is the mix of suspense and humour. Howard Duff delivers Sam's trademark wisecracks throughout, even as the situation grows increasingly dangerous and absurd. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing is fast, and the plot twists pile up one after another. "The Calcutta Trunk Caper" is often regarded as one of the more entertaining and adventurous entries in The Adventures of Sam Spade, combining classic noir mystery with a touch of globe-trotting escapism and dark comedy. It originally aired on June 8, 1947 and remains a favourite among old-time radio fans.
The Wheel of Life Caper is a memorable episode of The Adventures of Sam Spade, it first aired on CBS on 11 July 1948. Howard Duff stars as the sharp-witted private detective Sam Spade, with Sandra Gould appearing as his loyal secretary, Effie Perrine. The story begins when Spade is approached by a mysterious woman who has completely lost her memory and has no idea who she is. Before long, the case takes a shocking turn when Spade discovers the body of a man who has been brutally killed by a buzz saw. What starts as a puzzling investigation soon develops into a bizarre and tangled mystery. As Spade digs deeper, he uncovers a trail of deception, hidden identities and unexpected twists, all while relying on his trademark mix of hard-boiled determination, dry humour and quick-fire dialogue. Produced during the golden age of radio drama, The Wheel of Life Caper combines suspense, mystery and witty banter in a way that made The Adventures of Sam Spade one of the era's most popular detective series. The episode captures the classic noir atmosphere created by Dashiell Hammett's famous detective character and brought to life by writers Gil Doud and Robert Tallman.
In this debut episode of The Westward Old Time Radio Podcast, Todd Abrams explores the unique noir series Walk Softly, Peter Troy and its fascinating cross-continental origins. This episode breaks down a classic frame-up where everyday friction, like a demanding landlord, proves more powerful than any criminal conspiracy.