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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
03.02.1955	the dowager
03.03.1954	the door
05.12.1954	the dollar
09.15.1953	the dog day	+ A dog has bitten a four year-old girl and the owner will not allow it to be taken away for a rabie...
04.20.1955	the doctor
06.14.1956	the doa
07.28.1954	the doa	+ The body of well-dressed 71-year-old man is found under a loading platform of a laundry room. He h...
03.16.1955	the declaration
05.19.1954	the day
02.02.1955	the daughter
02.24.1954	the cure
09.01.1954	the copperhead	+ 14 year-old boy, Eddie Canton is missing from home with a Copperhead venomous snake.
04.13.1955	the communication
04.07.1954	the collar	+The police are called to a domestic disturbance when a neighbor hears a man beating up his wife. Yo...
09.08.1953	the certified 600
03.08.1956	the case of the stairs	+ A sixteen-year old girl is assulted by a man and kicked in the face. An officer is then accused of...
12.04.1953	the case of the l d 80	+ Patrolman Jaffy received an application for a pistol licence renewal that he thinks Captain Kennel...
05.05.1954	the cabinet
06.21.1956	the brother
04.14.1954	the brother
06.14.1956	the books
08.25.1953	the bookkeeper
10.06.1953	the bird
11.24.1954	the beaver
12.23.1955	the beard

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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