Desc | 21st Precinct | Crime | Old Time Radio Downloads

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Twenty First Precinct was a police drama series that premiered on CBS Radio on July 7, 1953. The lead character was Frank Kennelly, the Captain of the 21st precinct. He was portrayed at different periods by actors Everett Sloane, James Gregory, and Les Damon. Kenelly was also called Captain Cronin during Gregory's time. Other stars in the series included Harold Stone as Sergeant Waters, Santos Ortega as Lieutenant Gorman, and Ken Lynch. It focused on a specific police unit located on the city of New York.

The series was based on true police stories, just like Dragnet, which aired before it. It became immensely popular during its run, as the listeners were eager to learn about the true-to-life police stories. Click here to read more about Twenty First Precinct (21st Precinct)

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Please enjoy these 96 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
03.24.1954	the package
01.19.1955	the notes
07.07.1953	the nolen brothers
05.31.1956	the neighbor
06.02.1954	the needle
02.23.1955	the museum
07.28.1953	the murdered twins
10.27.1954	the mark
08.18.1953	the mainliner
12.15.1954	the loser
02.16.1955	the lender
07.21.1954	the ledge
01.27.1954	the kid
08.04.1954	the job
10.06.1954	the jet
08.18.1954	the iron
03.29.1956	the homecoming
09.22.1953	the homecoming
04.26.1956	the gorilla
12.22.1954	the giver	+ Patrolman Bailey and Patrolman Winkler the precinct youth patroller decorate the muster room for t...
11.11.1955	the friend
09.01.1953	the friend
01.26.1955	the fire escape
05.26.1954	the father
07.12.1956	the fall

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This realistic New York police radio drama was broadcast by CBS from 1953 to 1956 as a sustained show. This program is right up there with Dragnet, and it presented true cases from the 21st Precinct in New York. The opening of the series sets the theme, "21st Precinct, just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9 tenths of a square mile between 5th avenue and the East River wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not the security of their persons their homes and property is my job, my job and the job of 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and 4 lieutenants of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly, Captain Frank Kennelly."

TWENTY-FIRST PRECINCT

The description is wrong Kenelly and Cronin are two different characters. In episode 109 "Special Orders" Captain Kennelly is promoted to Deputy Inspector and transferred out of the 21st Precinct. Captain Cronin is his replacement. I just listened to episode 109.

Zonefighter

This is far and away my favorite of all the police- and crime-related radio shows I've ever listened to. Whoever created Law & Order for television must've been a fan of this show, it's far less corny and more realistic than any of the others out there.

Eric Strong